THE LORD SPOKE (November 15)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Ezekiel 23-24

Ezekiel 24:15-27

Ezekiel must have questioned the Lord on this one. He wasn’t allowed to mourn (vs. 16). On the very same day (August 14, 586 BC) that the Temple was destroyed, Ezekiel’s wife died. He lost “the delight of his eyes” (vs. 16) but God did not allow him to “lament or weep or shed any tears” (vs. 17).

It’s easy to say, “God did this as an object lesson to teach Israel.” Sure He did. But when Ezekiel went home that night the house was still empty. His best friend wasn’t there to talk over the events of the day. The next morning, he had to fix his own bowl of oatmeal and the cup of Earl Grey didn’t have the same taste when his partner wasn’t sitting across from him at the table. That afternoon he put his own clothes in the washer and slept in a lonely bed again that night.

How could he do it? How could he face the next day? How could he go on ministering to hard-hearted people who didn’t really give a rip. The clue is found in the opening line of this section (vs. 15), “the word of the Lord came to me”. Ezekiel was absolutely sure that God had spoken to him. Apart from that certainty, he couldn’t have done it. When the people questioned him (vs. 19) he came back with those same words, “the word of the Lord came to me” (vs. 20). In fact, sixty-five times in the book he uses that or similar phrases like “this is what the sovereign Lord says” or, quoting God, “I the Lord have spoken”.

There’s more. Six times he says “the hand of the Lord was upon me” (1:3; 3:14,22; 8:1; 33:22; 37:1; 40:1). One of those times he qualifies it by saying “the strong hand of the Lord [was] upon me” (3:14). And on another occasion (2:1) he says “the Spirit came into me”. With that assurance, Ezekiel was able to carry on.

Where are you right now? Are you wondering if it’s worth going on? Are you tempted to give up. Go to the Scriptures and get a sure word from the Lord. Keep it in context, make sure you interpret it carefully, don’t misapply something. But make sure you are seeking the mind of the Lord before you give up or make any rash decisions.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.... “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted....” The Lord Almighty is with us.... Psalm 46:1-2,10-11

Psalm 119

Just take a look at all the personal action verbs (“I will...”) in relation to the Word of God used in Psalm 119:

believe in (vs. 66), choose (vs. 30,173), consider (vs. 6,15,128), delight (vs. 16,24,35,47,70,77,92,143,174), do (vs. 121), faint with longing for (vs. 81), fear [in a positive sense!] (vs. 38,63,74,120), find comfort in (vs. 52), follow (vs. 33,63,106,166), give thanks (vs. 62), hide in heart (vs. 11), hold fast (vs. 31), hope (vs. 43,74,81,114,147), keep (vs. 22,33,34,55,69,101,112,115,146), learn (vs. 7,71,152), lift hands to (vs. 48), live according to (vs. 9), long for (vs. 20,40,131,174), look for (vs. 123), love (vs. 47,48,97,113,119,127,140,159,163,165,167), meditate (vs. 15,23,29,48,78,97,99,148), obey (vs. 5,8,17,34,44,56,57,60,67,88,100,101,129,134,145,158,167,168), ponder (vs. 95), practice (vs. 56), praise (vs. 7,108,164,171,175), recount (vs. 13), regard (vs. 117), rejoice (vs. 14,162), remember (vs. 52,55), run in the path (vs. 32), see (vs. 18), seek (vs. 10,45,58,94,155), set heart on (vs. 30), sing (vs. 54,172), speak of (vs. 46), stand in awe of (vs. 120), take counsel (vs. 24), tremble (vs. 161), trust (vs. 42), turn my steps toward (vs. 59), understand (vs. 27), walk in (vs. 3,173).

Then, consider all the “I will not...” verbs:

not be put to shame (vs. 6,31,46,80), not depart from (vs. 102), not do wrong (vs. 3), not forget (vs. 61,83,93,109,141,153,176), not forsake (vs. 53,87), not ignore (vs. 139), not neglect (vs. 16), not sin (vs. 11,133), not stray (vs. 10,21,110,118), not turn from (vs. 51,157).

Greater yet, look at the verbs that describe what the Word of God is or will do for us:

afflict [for our good!] (vs. 67,71,75), comfort (vs. 50,76,82), counsel (vs. 24), deliver (vs. 117,170), direct (vs. 35,133), do good (vs. 17,65), fulfill promise (vs. 38,76), give discernment (vs. 125), give grace (vs. 29,58), give hope (vs. 49,116), give insight (vs. 99), give light (vs. 105,130), give mercy (vs. 132), give peace (vs. 165), give understanding (vs. 34,73,104,125,130,144,169), help (vs. 86,134), joy (vs. 111), keep pure (vs. 9,29), make wise (vs. 98), open eyes (vs. 18), preserve life (vs. 25,37,40,50,88,93,107,149,154,156,159), rebuke (vs. 21), redeem (vs. 134,154), refuge (vs. 114), remind (vs. 49), remove contempt (vs. 22), save (vs. 94,146), strengthen (vs. 28), sustain (vs. 116,175), take away my disgrace (vs. 39), teach (vs. 12,26,33,64,66,68,102,108,124,135,171), turn my heart (vs. 36), turn my eyes (vs. 37), uphold (vs. 117).

Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
Psalm 119:89