Amos 6: (NET) 14 Seek good and not evil so you can live!Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies just might be with you,
as you claim he is. 15 Hate what is wrong, love what is right.
Promote[a] justice at the city gate.[b] Maybe the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on[c] those who are left from[d] Joseph.[e]
How many proclaim that they are on the side of God, yet do not know Him? Although, He is so close and has made Himself so easily found. All that He requires of you is to seek Him as the greatest treasure because He is. But how quickly do we want to add something to the formula that makes us worthy. Never content to just rest in Him. If only I could try harder. Do better. Strive to bring Him the offering I prefer, much like Cain did. Serving Him my way. Yet that is when sin is crouching at the door. Unless we cast it aside, declaring to Satan. “Yes, you are right that I am not good enough. My own efforts are but filthy rags before God. Yet, I am covered by the redemptive blood of Christ and cloaked in His righteousness, not my own”.
Know the Lord God of Heaven’s Army is with You.
He has said in Proverbs 16:3 (NET), “Commit[a] your works[b] to the Lord, and your plans will be established.[c]” Commit it all to Him and so it is that is what my heart longs to do. Quit striving to do it my way or prove that I am the “strong one” and rest in Him. “4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. “(John 15, ESV)
What does all of this have to do with our lesson in Ezekiel? Everything. For the words of Amos came before the fall of Israel into the hands of the Assyrians. He had warned them. However humans often decide to worship God their way, not His. Just as Nimrod tried to build a tower to heaven. Or the people of Noah’s day chose to live as they believed was right. Human strength and effort trying to make it to heaven. Worshiping God as we see fit. Believing if we try hard enough, He will accept us. Blurring the truth, while accepting lies, we get farther away from God, just as they did.
Ezekiel Foretells of Salvation and the Restoration of Israel
Thus Ezekiel preached to the exiles as he watches Jerusalem fall to Nebuchadnezzar. Although many counterparts taught a feel-good sermon. Meanwhile, everything cave in around them. Ezekiel, however, continued clinging fast to the truth. He declared God comes quickly to destroy the evil and thereby save a people, a remnant of His own. Not because of works, but because of faith. Only God can take dry dead bones and build an army. He can take our dead, sin-filled hearts and make them alive to His spirit.
In Ezekiel chapter 37, God commands him to preach to the dry, dead bones. They came to life. Exiled, downtrodden, and rightfully punished for their sin. However, God gathered the nation of Israel together once mor, just as He promised. What a display of His work of Grace! Because as a nation, they do not yet accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah. Therefore, it is only God’s mercy, grace and faithfulness marching forward fulfilling every prophecy. Although now, as a nation they do not believe in the atoning work of Christ; they will yet one day. The dried-up bones of misappropriated faith now one day stand up in true faith. Transformed into the true faith of Salvation . Just as God’s Glory departed from the temple. One day it will return. That is what the remainder of Ezekiel tells us.
Redemption
EZEKIEL 36 22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.
25 I WILL SPRINKLE CLEAN WATER ON YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE CLEAN FROM ALL YOUR UNCLEANNESSES, AND FROM ALL YOUR IDOLS I WILL CLEANSE YOU. 26 AND I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART, AND A NEW SPIRIT I WILL PUT WITHIN YOU. AND I WILL REMOVE THE HEART OF STONE FROM YOUR FLESH AND GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH. 27 AND I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, AND CAUSE YOU TO WALK IN MY STATUTES AND BE CAREFUL TO OBEY MY RULES.[A] 28 YOU SHALL DWELL IN THE LAND THAT I GAVE TO YOUR FATHERS, AND YOU SHALL BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE YOUR GOD. 29 AND I WILL DELIVER YOU FROM ALL YOUR UNCLEANNESSES.
… 31 Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you.
Restoration
Ezekiel 36 33 “Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. 34 And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. 35 And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I AM THE LORD; I HAVE SPOKEN, AND I WILL DO IT.
It is only He who can redeem and restore. You cannot on your own do either.
So How do You Know that the Lord God of Heaven’s Army is with You?
- Rest in His Promises
- Never forget that He has always accomplished all that He has planned and will not start failing now.
- Do Not Believe the Lie of Self Righteousness by works. You cannot ever work your into heaven, because you can never build a tower high enough
- It is always Christ in You, the hope of Glory
- Take time just to be quiet and listen for Him to speak to your heart.
- Stop striving to do it on your own—always beating yourself up for being who you are. No one beats me up worse than I do over everything—always feeling not good enough. Trying to work hard toward being better. To an extent perhaps this is what is my motivational force; but sometimes it is ok to just seek the better part and sit alone with Jesus. Like when Martha kept working hard to serve the people and clean the house, while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet. Then when Martha rebuked Mary. Luke 10: 41 But the Lord[a] answered her,[b] “Martha, Martha,[c] you are worried and troubled[d] about many things, 42 but one thing[e] is needed. Mary has chosen the best[f] part; it will not be taken away from her.”
- Never forget that our only true mission is to do whatever He asks. Therefore, as His soldiers, we must learn to hear His voice. WE do that through spending time alone with Him in scripture.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
God’s Glory Revealed in Poetry
Previous
DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com
New English Translation (NET)
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.