Weekly Guide：Week 86
September 15, 2019
Foreword
We continue to read the Book of Ezekiel this week. God looking back at Israel’s history to have the prophet truthfully declare and write down their sins as warning to their descendants: God waited patiently for their never-ending rebellion. History is an accurate early warning for the people as they kept repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Even if they tried, they could not avoid repeating their past sin because of the sinful nature of human being. From Israel’s history to the word that became flesh, we are able to see how God accomplishes His plan to break the chain that bonds us to sin. The people who serve God would become the ones that bring blessings to all.
May you all be renewed in God’s word each day!
Question
What parable did Ezekiel use as a sign of Samaria and Jerusalem’s rebellion?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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The parable of two adulterous sisters to describe how Samaria and Jerusalem engaged in prostitution and strayed away from God.
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The Lord would stir up Oholibah’s lovers, those who she turned away from in disgust, against her.
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Judge Oholah and Oholibah with their detestable practices. Righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood.
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The choice meat in cooking pot as a parable for Jerusalem.
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The Lord commanded Ezekiel to not lament, weep, or shed tear for the death of his wife, as a sign for Israelites that their suffering would be so great that they would have no chance to mourn for themselves.
Meditation: My Story
- Integrity - God cleanses us, but we must play an active role in that process. What role am I playing in the process of purify myself?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What were the fates of the nations around Israel?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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The Lord would stretch out His hand against the Ammonites for they rejoiced with all the malice against the land of Israel.
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Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,” therefore the Lord would expose the flank of its towns.
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Because Edom took revenge on Judah, therefore the Lord would stretch out His hand against Edom.
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The Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - It is helpful for us to know we are not alone in life’s challenges by understanding that the Lord is with us. Pray to the Lord to lift me up and give me the will to follow Him.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What was the end of Tyre that used to be prosperous?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Because Tyre boasted against Israel, the Lord was against it and would bring many nations against it.
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From the north the Lord would bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
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All the princes of the coast would be clothed with terror and appalled at Tyre.
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The Lord had the prophet took up a lament concerning Tyre, prophesying it would turn from great trades and wealth to become broken and no more.
Meditation: My Story
- Integrity - Tyre, like many great cities and nations of past, no longer exists. Do I look at the great and wealthy cities of today more than God’s eternal kingdom?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What was the result of Tyre king’s pride?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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The ruler of Tyre pride himself as a god. God would bring foreigner against it. They would draw their swords against its beauty and wisdom. They would bring it down to the pit and it would die in the heart of the seas.
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The Lord commanded the prophet to take up a lament concerning Tyre, its heart became proud on account of its beauty, and the Lord would throw it to the earth.
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The Lord commanded the prophet to prophesy against Sidon, the Lord was against Sidon, He would inflict punishment on it.
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The Lord would gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, He would be proved holy through them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in the land which the Lord gave to Jacob.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - Tyre king thought of himself as god because of his pride. Is the wealth I have today from my own work or given by God? Am I thankful for God’s provision? What does the fate of Tyre king remind me of?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What was the fate of Egypt?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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The Lord commanded Ezekiel to prophesy against the Pharaoh king of Egypt and all Egypt, the Lord would bring sword against them, Egypt would become a desolate wasteland.
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At the end of forty years the Lord would gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered. He would bring them back from captivity and return them to Upper Egypt, the land of their ancestry. There they would be a lowly kingdom.
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The Lord would give the land of Egypt to the army of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon as their reward.
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The Lord would make a horn grow for the Israelites, and He would open Ezekiel’s mouth among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
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The Lord commanded Ezekiel to prophesy that a sword would come against Egypt, the allies of Egypt would fall, the Lord would put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, He would destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis, no longer will there be a prince in Egypt.
- The Lord would break the arms of Pharaoh and strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - Pharaoh said, the Nile belongs to me; I mad it for myself. Therefore, God judged Egypt. What am I leaning on in my life’s journey? How do I look at my own success? What does today’s passage remind me of?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
Why did the prophet wail for the people of Egypt?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Said to the Pharaoh the beauty of Assyria was given into the hand of the nations by God for it was proud of its height.
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Prophesy against Pharaoh that he would go with Assyria down in the earth below among the killed.
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Take up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt, the sword of the king of Babylon would come against him, the pride of Egypt would shatter, and all hordes overthrown.
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Wail for the daughters of Egypt.
Meditation: My Story
- Integrity - Why was the tall cedar judged and cut down? What does it remind me of?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Scripture Reading
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did the Lord avenge against Babylon for Israel?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Lord would bring devastation to Babylon to avenge her abuse of the Israelites.
+ The Lord would stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon and the people of Leb Kamai.
+ Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the Lord Almighty. Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives!
+ The Lord has stirred up the kings of the Medes, because His purpose is to destroy Babylon.
+ The Lord would dry up Babylon's sea and make her springs dry. Babylon would be a heap of ruins, a place where no one lives.
+ Jeremiah had written on a scroll about all the disasters that would come upon Babylon. He asked Seraiah to read all these words aloud.
+ When finished reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Integrity** - What was written about Babylon's prosperity and standing in this chapter? But, Babylon fell to disgrace because she did not put a leash on her desires. How am I putting to proper use of the gift and privilege from God?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How was Jerusalem captured?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Zedekiah became king and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.
+ King of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. They encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. The whole army fled the city at night through the gate between the two walls near the king's garden.
+ The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.
+ Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem. He set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the important buildings.
+ The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the Lord. The commander of the imperial guard took away all that were made of pure gold or silver.
+ The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers. The king of Babylon had them executed.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Had Zedekiah reasons or just himself to blame for his miserable end? Are other people, fate, or God responsible for how my life is?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did Jerusalem describe her own pain?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Jeremiah laments the capturing of the people of Zion. How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are on her cheeks. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.
+ Jerusalem describes the insufferable pain was inflicted on her, that the Lord brought on her in the day of His fierce anger.
+ Jerusalem admitted that the Lord is righteous, yet she rebelled against His command.
+ Jerusalem pleaded to the Lord to see that there's no one to comfort her in her distress.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Zion laments that her pain was the result of righteous judgment from the Lord. Does the suffering in the world today come from God's judgment? What's the source of suffering? How should I face suffering?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did Jerusalem experience the anger and fury of God's judgment?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Jerusalem tells of God's fury in His judgment of the city and her people, He has shown no mercy to all.
+ Jerusalem's prophets did not point out her sins, but said so many foolish things, false to the core, to put her into slavery.
+ Jerusalem's enemies derided her and rejoiced over her suffering.
+ Lift up your hands and cry to your God, pour out your hearts like water to the Lord.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - Facing the consequences of sins, the prophet called upon the people to repent and cry out to God. What shall I do when I suffer in sins?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Where to find hope in suffering?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Jerusalem tells of her suffering as if she was in a dead end without hope.
+ She found a ray of hope when thought of the Lord's endless compassion.
+ It is good to both hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord, examine ourselves, repent and turn again to the Lord, and lift our hearts and hands to him in heaven.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - One would find a ray of hope in suffering just by changing one's direction. I may find myself falling into a dead end of suffering. How shall I face that situation and find the heavenly hope?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What change did Jerusalem experience?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The dignified people of Jerusalem became obscure, the loved became despised, the master became slave, and the merciful became cruel all because of the suffering.
+ The people of Jerusalem looked for their allies to save them in vain. Their king, the Lord's anointed, whom they relied on was captured and unable to save himself.
+ But the Lord's salvation would come, those who oppress His people would be punished.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - It was a great challenge to Jerusalem's identity for what she had experienced. Even though, she held firm believe that by God, the "exile for her sins will end at last." Where did that faith come from? How does it remind me and help me face the environment and the ever-changing circumstances I'm in?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
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Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How does a sinner become righteous?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Man's unfaithfulness does not diminish God's faithfulness. Our unrighteousness makes more apparent God's righteousness.
+ There is no one righteous. All are under God's judgment.
+ Through God's grace and Jesus' salvation, those who are faithful are declared righteous.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are given righteousness. What is my value as being declared righteous? What should be the focus of my life to be commensurate with this value?
+ **Fidelity** - Should God not judge us for our sins if God's righteousness is made more apparent by our unrighteousness? Since God's elected would stand up even after they fall, should those who cause them to stumble argue with God? How should I serve God whole heartedly without looking for excuses?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Why can't we claim righteousness for our work?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Righteousness comes not from works.
+ Righteousness comes not from religious ceremonies and formalities.
+ Righteousness comes not from obeying the laws.
+ Righteousness comes by faith alone so that we can reconcile with God and be saved by God.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - What does it mean to reconcile with God? How have I gone against God before I became a believer? How have I reconciled with Him afterward?
+ **Community** - Righteousness does not come from our works, nor from obeying the laws, nor from religious ceremonies, but from faith and from faith alone. The Jews emphasized on their works, their ceremonies, their relentless pursuing of the law to the letters, and looked down on the gentiles. Have I fallen into the same trap and look down on those who are yet to believe the Lord?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What is the source of sin? What is the source of righteousness?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Sin and death entered the world to all people through Adam for he sinned once.
+ Life and grace came to all people where all may be declared righteous through Jesus Christ for His one righteous act.
+ Grace wins over sin, Righteousness reigns in life through grace wins over sin which reigns by death.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - God's grace is greater than Adam's sin so that we may win over sin in our daily lives through grace. Do I have any sin that I'm unable to overcome? Trust God and ask Him for His grace to overcome my sin.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How to unite with Jesus Christ to escape from sin through Him?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Through baptism, we die with Jesus Christ; Through His resurrection, we live by uniting with Him and live to be like Him.
+ Dead to sin. Alive in Christ. Offer ourselves as obedient slaves to righteousness.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - What does dead mean in dead to sin? What does alive mean in alive in Christ? How does these remind me what should my attitude toward sin be while facing the stubborn sins of mine? How do I unite with Christ to escape from the authority of sin?
+ **Walking with God** - Is there any area of my life where I submit to my fleshly desires and let sin reign? What does it mean to offer myself as a slave to righteousness?
Prayer
Notes and Responses