Friday – Prophets

Reading – Ezekiel 22-24

Highlight Verse:

“Now this message came to me from the Lord:”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I usually look for the tougher or more unique verses in a day’s reading. Today I thought, “I’ll look for something encouraging.”

If you read all the way through today’s reading, you know there’s nothing encouraging in it.

There’s some, share we say, unique imagery in it but, hopefully nothing we can directly relate to.

Then I got to wonder what it must have been like for Ezekiel. He came at a time when God was cleansing Israel of the evil that had become so prevalent there.

He was so faithful to God that he delivered each message even when they were painful or humiliating.

Why?

It worked.

Yes, his prophecies came true and Israel was practically destroyed.

But the remnant was repentant and returned to the land.

The nation rebuilt even under oppressive rule of empires that occupied the lands.

The nation survived so that Jesus could be born, fulfill prophecies and bring salvation to the world.

I’ll admit that I don’t understand God’s tactics. But I know the result.

Why do you think these prophecies were so harsh?
Have you ever had to deliver a message from God that seemed harsh? What was the result?