Ezekiel 19:1-14; 20:1-27, NIV
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Parable of lioness,..reared her cubs…brought up one of her cubs…became a strong lion…learned to tear the prey..nations heard about him..trapped in their pit..led him with hooks to the land of Egypt…saw her hope unfulfilled, her expectations gone, she took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion…same thing happen as to the first lion..devastated their towns..terrified by his roaring…trapped in their pit..brought him to Babylon..put him to prison…vs 1-9
I think the lioness refers to Israel; lions refer to the kings..once powerful with God’s,blessings and protection ended up in exile in shame because of their sins.
Another parable: ..your mother was like the vine in your vineyard..fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water..branches were steong, fit for the ruler’s sceptre..towered high..was uprooted in fury..thrown to the ground..east wind made it shrivel..stripped of its fruit…strong branches withered..fire consumed then…lament
Same thing here with God’s protection and blessings..flourish..with sins and disobedience brought judgnent..curse..image of once tall tree uprooted..stripped of its fruit…its strong branches withered..fire consumed them…sad outcomes.
Ezekiel Chapter 20:1-29, NIV highlights God is unhappy with the sins of Israel…as surely as I live, I will not let you enquire of me.. their sins blot this access priviledge to enquire of him.
Background: God chose Israel (note: God’s choice)..revealed himself to them in Egypt bring then out of Egypt into a land I searched for them, a land flowing with milk and honey..said to them, get rid of the vile images..vs 1-7
Main highlights of their sins:…..they rebelled against me and would not listen to ne; they did not get rid of the vile inages..nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt…would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt. But for the sake of my name….would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations
.revealed myself..bringing them out .gave them my decrees..make known to them my laws…gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us..made them holy..rebelled against me in the desert..did not follow my degrees..rehected my laws..utterky desecrated my Sabbaths..pour out my wrath and destroy then in the desert…..their hearts are devoted to their idols vs 8-16.
Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or put an end to them in the desert vs 17…said to their children..do not..defile yourselves with their idols…the children rebelled against me..let them defiled through their gifts-the sacrifice of ecery first-born vs 26…fill them with horror…. your fathers blasphemed me by forsaking me vs 27…
Thought: despite God goodness to them, they forgot his kindness and what he did; chooses idol worshipping and child sacrifices..beyond comprehension why they chose curses over blessings. If God has not been merciful, they would have been wiped out.
God instituted Sabbath-a day of rest and worship him. He rested on the seventh day of creation…commemorate this event too. Jesus in New Testament commented Sabbath is made for the benefits of men and not men for Sabbath to follow the rule for the sake of it.
Mark 5:21-43, NIV
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. Faith of Jairus (one of the synagogue rulers)..child dying..pleaded earnestly with Jesus to heal his daughter large crowd following him…a woman..bleeding for twelve years..suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors..spent all she had…touched Jesus thought, “if I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”vs 25-29..immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering vs 29..Jesus realised that power had gone out from him..vs 30…” Daughter, your faith has healed you…go in peace and be freed from your suffering..Wow, great power in holy Jesus and great faith displayed in the woman.
..daughter is dead…Jesus said to Jairus…’Don’t be afraid;just believe.” vs 36 . .said to them..the child is not dead but asleep..they laughed at him..took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!”. .immediately the girl stood up…wow: so cool, power in Jesus’ words..not return empty; people around completely astonished.
Thought: Jesus is alive today sitting on the right hand of God, no reason that he or God cannot continue to heal if he is willing and with great display of faith today. Yet we know from experience not everyone who asks got healed for whatever reasons in God’s Sovereign will and plan-a question to ask God in heaven one day.