Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 4 Listen: (2:56)
Read: Romans 7 Listen: (4:09)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 5 Listen: (3:28) Read: Romans 8 Listen: (6:22)
Read: Ezekiel 6 Listen: (2:49) Read: Romans 9 Listen: (5:15)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 4.1-4

1 “Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it. 3 Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the people of Israel.

4 “Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the people of Israel upon yourself.

Reflection: Model of an Exile

By John Tillman

Ezekiel didn’t preach attempting to prevent the judgment of God—he already lived under it. Ezekiel is an exile. We have this in common with him.

Ezekiel served those who had already suffered exile. They had experienced sieges and been defeated in battle. They had been stripped of their property, family members, and clothing and marched ignominiously into slavery and servitude in Babylon.

In his acting out of the final siege of Jerusalem, however, Ezekiel introduces something other than the starvation, the deprivation of freedom, or the destruction these people had already experienced. He demonstrated the role of someone who would bear the sins of the city.

The word translated “bear” can mean to lift or carry away. The people Ezekiel was serving had already been “carried away” into captivity. But part of Ezekiel’s message was that their sin would one day be carried away by another. The Messiah to come would bear their burdens, sorrows, and sins.

Ezekiel did not just build a model of a battle, he gave us a model of how to minister to our fellow exiles and to the land in which we are foreigners. He cares for the exiles, cautioning them to not forget their God in this new land. He confronts them, refusing to avoid the hard truth that their sins brought destruction to the city, the country, and the people they loved. He also comforts them, teaching that there will be a time of restoration, healing, and peace.

As we worship God in this world, we may feel under siege. This should remind us that we are in a state of exile. No matter how comfortable we allow ourselves to become in our countries, our cities, or our cultures, we are from another place and represent another kingdom.

We must not avoid the difficult truths of our sins and the consequences that affect us in this falling empire of Babylon in which we live. We also must speak of the healing and comfort available in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who bears our sins.

May we confront and be humbled by difficult truths about our sins.

May we be comforted by Christ who bears our sins.

May we construct for others actions that model what Christ does for us, his beloved exiles.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Let your loving-kindness be my comfort, as you have promised to your servant.

Let your compassion come to me, that I may live, for your law is my delight. — Psalm 119.76-77

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about It’s Not Over When It’s Over
Jerusalem didn’t fall in a day. It was a long, slow-motion train wreck of a million rebellious choices by kings, priests, false prophets, wealthy rulers, and ordinary people

Read more about Beyond Second Chances
Haggai spoke to people returning from exile. They are at home, yet homeless, returning to a flattened, burned, destroyed city.

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 3 Listen: (4:41)

Read: Romans 6 Listen: (3:28)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 3:3, 14

3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

14 The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord on me.

Reflection: Bitter & Sweet Word of God

By Erin Newton

The word of God is sweet. Sometimes, in certain circumstances, it can cause a bitter aftertaste. But how?

In chapter 3, Ezekiel is called to ingest (quite literally) the word of God. “Eat this scroll.” Whether he sat there chewing bits of parchment or leather scroll, or if the request is part of the grand imagery employed throughout the prophet’s book—it is not clear nor entirely consequential. The important issue is that Ezekiel is putting the word of God within himself. It becomes part of him. In return, the words of God would flow naturally from Ezekiel’s mouth. It is a positive aspect to what we hear in Matthew 12.34, “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

The sweet words, however, leave him feeling bitter.

Ezekiel did not hesitate to “eat” the words of God. It was sweet. It was delightful. The promises and word of God are good and should be enjoyed with the same sweetness of honey. But Ezekiel’s pleasant words were to be spent on a people who would hear the words and reject it. Israel had turned against God to the point that his goodness, his sweet word, was spat out. Nevertheless, Ezekiel was called to speak.

A bitter and sour stomach churns at the grim reality of Ezekiel’s audience. Rejection turns sweetness to bitterness. God tells the prophet to enjoy the word, embody the word, but accept the reality that rejection was inevitable. We hear the same call from Jesus in Luke 6:22, “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.”

The word of God was offered to Ezekiel’s peers, but they tasted nothing. The word was rejected as if it was not good. And that reality was distressing, angering, and bitter to Ezekiel’s soul.

Not much has changed in two millennia. We read the Bible, sing hymns, and hear of how God has worked in the lives of others. It raises our spirits and instills joy in our hearts. It is sweetness to our soul! But then we look outward and see a world that wants nothing of it.

How do we deal with that harsh reality? The prophet’s reaction is helpful. Like Ezekiel we sit in grief, acknowledging the reality. But we never stop speaking the sweet words of truth.  

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Behold, God is my helper; it is the Lord who sustains my life. — Psalm 54.4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Read more about Sticks and Stones and Scorpions
Are we speaking God’s words? We must eat God’s words to speak them…A diet of other “words” may be the reason our words harm.

https://theparkforum.org/843-acres/sticks-and-stones-and-scorpions

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 2 Listen: (1:38)
Read: Romans 5 Listen: (3:53)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 2.6-10

6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” 9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, 10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.

Reflection: Sticks and Stones and Scorpions

By John Tillman

In 1862, The Christian Recorder, published by the African Methodist Episcopal Church printed  the rhyme, “sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.”

The adage was a stunning statement to publish in the middle of the American Civil War. Especially coming from those familiar with both broken bones of violence and the oppression of dehumanizing language. Does the rhyme’s wisdom for schoolchildren hold up outside the schoolyard? Can words harm? Can words heal?

God told Ezekiel to speak truth to rebels even should their retorts sting like a scorpion. At times, I feel like we live among scorpions. Many people say “mean words” don’t matter.

They deny that crass, crude, violent, or deceptive language disqualifies leaders. They say “Facts don’t care about your feelings” or “The unloving thing is not telling the truth” even “It’s okay to lie to win the culture war.” But they sting like scorpions when confronted with the truth. Apparently words matter when directed at them.

How can we live among scorpions and be faithful to speak “God’s words” without fear of harm?

First, are we speaking God’s words? We must eat God’s words to speak them. (Ezekiel 2.8-10) If we do not partake of Christ, the living bread and water, we have nothing to speak but the bile of a sick stomach. A diet of other “words” may be the reason we cannot speak or the reason our words harm. God’s words are truth and good news which set people on the path to freedom, not harm or shame. Never be ashamed of the gospel regardless of any power against it. (Romans 1.16)

Second, winsomeness is a gospel requirement. God calls us to convince, if possible, everyone. Yet, people’s response is their responsibility, not ours. We hold out our hands pleading with them, whether they listen or not. (Isaiah 65.2; Acts 28.23-24)

Third, when words hurt, we have a healer. Christians know words can create, heal, educate, and bless. We must reject the idea that they cannot harm, destroy, manipulate, and curse. Our healing comes through the Holy Spirit and God’s healing words. Open your mouth to eat God’s Word, before you open your mouth to speak. Speak truth in love, regardless of rebellious responses.

Of course words can harm. Stones may strike, sticks may swing, or scorpions sting. Fear not. The gospel’s words of healing are for us and them.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. — Psalm 31.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Mister Rogers connected being the good neighbor to having a Christlike view of ourselves and looking at, and speaking to, our neighbor with that perspective.

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Today’s Readings:

Ezekiel 1 (4:47)
Romans 4 (4:08)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 1.1, 26-28

1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Reflection: It’s Not Over When It’s Over

By John Tillman

“Rome wasn’t built in a day” and “Rome didn’t fall in a day,” teach us consequential changes are often slow. Yet even so, there came “a day” when Rome had risen and “a day” when Rome fell.

It was over.

Jerusalem didn’t fall in a day. It was a long, slow-motion train wreck of a million rebellious choices by kings, priests, false prophets, wealthy rulers, and ordinary people. Some tried to stop it. Prophets stood on the wall and blew trumpets of truth. They waved red flags no one feared. They announced alarms no one heeded. Yet there came a day when Jerusalem fell.

It was over. This is where we meet Ezekiel. After it’s over. After the fall.

There are many strident voices today warning that institutions are falling. “The government is falling.” “Democracy is falling.” “The church is falling.” Words like “most consequential,” “unprecedented,” and “our last chance” are frequent in both political and religious speeches. These people want us to “fight” to prevent the fall. Usually for them at cost to ourselves.

Are they telling the truth or catastrophizing? Is the sky falling? Or are they variations on Chicken Little?

First, if we are going to “fight” it better be for the right kingdom. All others are falling.

Second, we “fight” for Jesus with plows, not swords. With cultivation, not destruction. With healing, not harm.

So, what if it all falls down? What if we lose our nation and our freedom? (John 11.48) What if it is all over?

Ezekiel’s vision among the exiles tells us that, with God, it’s not over when it is over. Ezekiel’s nation fell. The wheels of God’s throne roll on, trampling political definitions. Ezekiel’s faith community fell. God remains in his true temple, which overshadows our reality.

Ezekiel falls facedown to listen to God’s voice. (Ezekiel 1.28) This is the position from which faith after the fall can rise.

If it all falls down, God remains. His sovereignty, worthiness, righteousness, and power, are unchanged. His true church will remain, regardless of tainted versions that may fall. His remnant will rise.

Can we save falling things? Perhaps. But failing that, we can rise from destruction. Ezekiel begins at the end of Jerusalem, but God makes a new beginning, a new Jerusalem.

No matter what falls don’t give up. “Strengthen what remains” and endure to the end. (Revelation 3.2)

All will fall down. We will stand up.

Music: “All Fall Down,” Sarah Masen

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

May God be merciful to us and bless us, show us the light of his countenance and come to us. — Psalm 67.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about When God Leaves the Building — Readers’ Choice
Even if everything falls and burns, God can restore, if we will simply be faithful.

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