today's meditation (Ez.36) Being Cleansed

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Ezekiel 36:1-38)  “Now you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord God says: “Since the enemy has spoken against you, ‘Aha!’ and, ‘The everlasting heights have become our possession,’ 3 therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “For good reason they have made you desolate and harassed you from every side, so that you would become a possession of the rest of the nations; and you have been taken up in the talk and the rumor of the people.”’” 4 Therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. This is what the Lord God says to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate ruins and to the abandoned cities which have become plunder and an object of ridicule to the rest of the nations which are all around— 5 therefore the Lord God says this: “Certainly in the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who appropriated My land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and with contempt of soul, in order to make its pastureland plunder.” 6 Therefore prophesy in regard to the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and in My wrath because you have endured the insults of the nations.’ 7 Therefore the Lord God says this: ‘I have sworn that the nations that are around you will certainly endure their insults themselves. 8 But as for you, mountains of Israel, you will grow your branches and bear fruit for My people Israel; for they are about to come. 9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be cultivated and sown. 10 And I will multiply people on you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities will be inhabited and the ruins will be rebuilt. 11 I will multiply on you people and animals, and they will increase and be fruitful; and I will populate you as you were previously, and treat you better than at the beginning. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 12 Yes, I will have people—My people Israel—walk on you and possess you, so that you will become their inheritance and never again bereave them of children.’

13 “The Lord God says this: ‘Since they say to you, “You are a devourer of people and have bereaved your nation of children,” 14 for that reason you will no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children,’ declares the Lord God. 15 I will not let you hear insults from the nations anymore, nor will you suffer disgrace from the peoples any longer, nor will you make your nation stumble any longer,” declares the Lord God.’”

16 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living on their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. 18 Therefore I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols. 19 I also scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the lands. According to their ways and their deeds I judged them. 20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they have left His land.’ 21 But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.

22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “It is not for your sake, house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I show Myself holy among you in their sight. 24 For I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the lands; and I will bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit 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 bring it about that you walk in My statutes, and are careful and follow My ordinances. 28 And you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. 29 Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you. 30 Instead, I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your wrongdoings and your abominations. 32 I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord God; “let that be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated for your ways, house of Israel!”

33 ‘This is what the Lord God says: “On the day that I cleanse you from all your wrongdoings, I will populate the cities, and the places of ruins will be rebuilt. 34 The desolated land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. 35 And they will say, ‘This desolated land has become like the Garden of Eden; and the waste, desolated and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then the nations around you that are left will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolated; I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.”

37 ‘This is what the Lord God says: “This too I will let the house of Israel ask Me to do for them: I will increase their people like a flock. 38 Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”’”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

So that THEN they will KNOW that He is the Lord!!!  God uses so many different things in life to show us truth.  There should be no doubt!  And for those who choose to know the Lord personally, there are blessings as well as guaranteed eternal life.

One day - during the Tribulation - Israel will see the signs of Jesus' second coming.  Then they as a nation will realize their sin, and humbly believe in Him.  Just as the Lord will one day cleanse and give new hearts to the Israelites as a nation, when we become a child of God through salvation in Jesus, He is the one who cleanses (forgives) us of all our sins.  He is the one who gives us a new heart.  So then in His strength, love and guidance, let us do all things to His glory!

today's meditation (Jer.48) Finding Restoration and Joy

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Jeremiah 48:1-47) Concerning Moab. This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says:

     “Woe to Nebo, for it has been destroyed;
     Kiriathaim has been put to shame, it has been captured;
     The high stronghold has been put to shame and shattered.
2   There is no longer praise for Moab;
     In Heshbon they have devised disaster against her:
     ‘Come and let’s cut her off from being a nation!’
     You too, Madmen, will be silenced;
     The sword will follow you.
3   The sound of an outcry from Horonaim,
     ‘Devastation and great destruction!’
4   Moab is broken,
     Her little ones have sounded out a cry of distress.
5   For they will go up by the ascent of Luhith
     With continual weeping;
     For at the descent of Horonaim
     They have heard the anguished cry of destruction.
6   Flee, save yourselves,
     So that you may be like a juniper in the wilderness.
7   For because of your trust in your own achievements and treasures,
     You yourself will also be captured;
     And Chemosh will go off into exile
     Together with his priests and his leaders.
8   A destroyer will come to every city,
     So that no city will escape;
     The valley also will be ruined
     And the plateau will be destroyed,
     As the Lord has said.
9   Give wings to Moab,
     For she will flee away;
     And her cities will become a desolation,
     Without inhabitants in them.
10 Cursed is the one who does the Lord’s work negligently,
     And cursed is the one who restrains his sword from blood.

11 “Moab has been at ease since his youth;
     He has also been peaceful, like wine on its dregs,
     And he has not been poured from vessel to vessel,
     Nor has he gone into exile.
     Therefore he retains his flavor,
     And his aroma has not changed.

12 Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will send to him those who tip vessels, and they will tip him over, and they will pour out his vessels and smash his jars. 13 And Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, just as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.

14 How can you say, ‘We are warriors,
     And men competent for battle’?
15 Moab has been destroyed and men have gone up to his cities;
     His choicest young men have also gone down to the slaughter,”
     Declares the King, whose name is the Lord of armies.
16 “The disaster of Moab will soon come,
     And his catastrophe has hurried quickly.
17 Mourn for him, all you who live around him,
     And all of you who know his name;
     Say, ‘How the mighty scepter has been broken,
     A staff of splendor!’
18 Come down from your glory
     And sit on the parched ground,
     O daughter living in Dibon,
     For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you,
     He has ruined your strongholds.
19 Stand by the road and keep watch,
     You inhabitant of Aroer;
     Ask him who flees and her who escapes
     And say, ‘What has happened?’
20 Moab has been put to shame, for it has been shattered.
     Wail and cry out;
     Declare by the Arnon
     That Moab has been destroyed.

21 “Judgment has also come upon the plain, upon Holon, Jahzah, and against Mephaath, 22 against Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim, 23 against Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon, 24 against Kerioth, Bozrah, and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. 25 The horn of Moab has been cut off, and his arm broken,” declares the Lord. 26 “Make him drunk, for he has become arrogant toward the Lord; so Moab will vomit, and he also will become a laughingstock. 27 Now was Israel not a laughingstock to you? Or was he caught among thieves? For whenever you speak about him you shake your head in scorn.

28 Leave the cities and live among the rocky cliffs,
     You inhabitants of Moab,
     And be like a dove that nests
     Beyond the mouth of the chasm.
29 We have heard of the pride of Moab—he is very proud—
     Of his haughtiness, his pride, his arrogance, and his self-exaltation.
30 I know his fury,” declares the Lord,
     “But it is futile;
     His idle boasts have accomplished nothing.
31 Therefore I will wail for Moab,
     For all of Moab I will cry out;
     I will moan for the men of Kir-heres.
32 More than the weeping for Jazer 
     I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah!
     Your tendrils stretched across the sea,
     They reached to the sea of Jazer;
     Upon your summer fruits and your grape harvest
     The destroyer has fallen.
33 So joy and rejoicing are removed 
     From the fruitful field, and from the land of Moab.
     And I have eliminated the wine from the wine presses;
     No one will tread them with shouting,
     The shouting will not be shouts of joy.

34 From the outcry at Heshbon to Elealeh, to Jahaz they have raised their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim, and to Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim will become desolate. 35 And I will put an end to Moab,” declares the Lord, “the one who offers sacrifice on the high place and the one who burns incense to his gods.

36 “Therefore My heart makes a sound like flutes for Moab; My heart also makes a sound like flutes for the men of Kir-heres. Therefore they have lost the abundance it produced. 37 For every head is shaved bald, and every beard cut short; there are gashes on all the hands, and sackcloth around the waists. 38 On all the housetops of Moab and in its public squares there is mourning everywhere; for I have broken Moab like an undesirable vessel,” declares the Lord. 39 “How shattered it is! How they have wailed! How Moab has turned his back—he is ashamed! So Moab will become a laughingstock and an object of terror to all around him.”

40 For this is what the Lord says:
     “Behold, one will fly swiftly like an eagle
     And spread out his wings against Moab.
41 Kerioth has been captured
     And the strongholds have been seized,
     So the hearts of the warriors of Moab on that day
     Will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
42 Moab will be destroyed from being a people 
     Because he has become arrogant toward the Lord.
43 Terror, pit, and snare are coming upon you,
     Inhabitant of Moab,” declares the Lord.
44 “The one who flees from the terror
     Will fall into the pit,
     And the one who climbs up out of the pit
     Will be caught in the snare;
     For I will bring upon her, upon Moab,
     The year of their punishment,” declares the Lord.

45 “In the shadow of Heshbon
     The fugitives stand without strength;
     For a fire has spread out from Heshbon
     And a flame from the midst of Sihon,
     And it has devoured the forehead of Moab
     And the scalps of the loud revelers.
46 Woe to you, Moab!
     The people of Chemosh have perished;
     For your sons have been taken away captive,
     And your daughters into captivity.
47 Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab 
     In the latter days,” declares the Lord.

This is the extent of the judgment on Moab.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

In this passage we can see that God doesn't want to punish anyone, but where there is sin, there is death.  God is holy and only in Him can a person find everlasting life.  All we have to do is go to Him for salvation with humble hearts, being forgiven of our sins, which is arrogance against the Lord.  And taking on His righteousness, our efforts to serve God will not be in vain.  In His strength and wisdom, we are able to do His work diligently because He equips us and gives us what we need.  In Him, we find true and eternal restoration and joy.