Sunday 10 March 2019

Gulp - where is the Good News in that!

 Image result for Ezekiel 5
I can't lie to you; I was a little depressed after reading Ezekiel chapter 5. I was wondering how I would find any good news in the midst of these verses - they all seemed so harsh and judgemental. Anyway, after doing a little back round reading, I zoomed in on verse 3 and realised there was something hopeful in this short verse.

However, let me not get ahead of myself. In this chapter Ezekiel is given an instruction by the Lord to divide his hair into 3 parts (see below). Using an accurate measure he is to place a third of his hair in various places, revealing God's precise judgement in each place.

"Son of dust, take a sharp sword and use it as a barber’s razor to shave your head and beard; use balances to weigh the hair into three equal parts. Place a third of it at the centre of your map of Jerusalem. After your siege, burn it there. Scatter another third across your map and slash at it with a knife. Scatter the last third to the wind, for I will chase my people with the sword. 

However, Ezekiel is given another message as part of this instruction:
Keep just a bit of the hair and tie it up in your robe;

It may make no sense to us living in the 21st Century, but this is were the Good News is found. By placing a small bit of hair into his robe, Ezekiel is showing how God will "protect" and "keep" His remnant safe during the days of judgement. So God wants to save those who have remained loyal to him and who have not turned away from his laws. 

As one Bible commentator remarks: “The few hairs which he was to take in his skirts, was intended to represent those few Jews that should be left in the land under Gedaliah, after the taking of the city."

Challenge: How do we remain loyal to Christ even when others are falling by the wayside? Can we stay committed to Jesus even when the going gets tough?

Have a blessed week.
Living in Grace
D3LM3

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