Isaiah 14:24 says: The Lord Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.”
In the first chapter of Ezra it says that God stirred the heart of King Cyrus to fulfill a prophecy of Jeremiah that they would be exiled for seventy years and after this time they would be allowed to return to Jerusalem. See Jeremiah 25:11-12, 29:10.
In Isaiah 44-45, it names King Cyrus over a century before he was born. It is amazing to see how God chooses to work, here he is using a pagan king to fulfill his prophesies. King Cyrus sent out a proclamation that “the Lord, the God of heaven” had appointed him to rebuild His house in Jerusalem. Ezra Chapter 1 v.3 says “Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.”
Then, he told all the survivors to support them with silver, gold, or other valuables. Everyone had a part in the rebuilding of the temple even if they were not actually doing the building. We all have a part in ministry, it may be supporting those that are doing the work, but that is an important and much needed part of any ministry. King Cyrus also brought back the vessels from the first temple that Nebuchadnezzar had taken and restored them to their rightful place.
These people had been taken into captivity when Babylon had taken over, now they are given a chance to return and chapter 2 lists the people and the families that they represent who came back. In 2:68-69a “Some of the heads of fathers’ households, when they arrived at the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to erect it on its site. According to their ability they gave to the treasury…” The identity of the Jewish people as the people of God was tied up in the temple, where the presence of the Lord dwelt. The Jewish people were devastated by the destruction of the first temple in 586 BC. They were filled with despair and a loss of hope. With the chance to rebuild the temple, the people gained some of their hope back. Their national pride began to come back. In the seventh month after the return, the Levites built an altar to God so that they could offer burnt offerings on it. This was important to them to show obedience to the Law of Moses. It was also an important act of worship to God. They were terrified of the people around them, and they wanted the protection of God to surround them. They reinstated the offerings and the festivals even before the foundation for the temple had been laid, because they wanted to restore their worship to God. The people were excited to build the temple again, to have a place where God would dwell, and where they could go to worship Him.
When the foundation was laid, it says in chap 3 v. 10b-11a “they praised the Lord according to the directions of King David of Israel.” “And they sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, ’God He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.” They shouted and wept in celebration and it says it was heard far away.
Just as God used people in the Old and New Testament to carry out his purposes, he also uses us for His purpose. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Also, Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.” God is working with us and using us to bring about his promises. We can rest in the knowledge that whatever He has planned for us to do, he will give us the means to fulfill it.
Questions for Reflection:
Describe the thoughts and feelings the Jews may have felt as they heard King Cyrus’ proclamation of Ezra 1:2-4. And, also, as they entered Jerusalem?
In what ways have you been a part of a ministry planned by God and much larger than yourself?
“We can rest in the knowledge that whatever He has planned for us to do, he will give us the means to fulfill it.” – How have you already seen this to be true in your own life? What might God have prepared for you to do next? How has He already prepared you for it? What means are being put in place?
Today we continue Ezekiel’s vision, begun in chapter 40. For three chapters suspense built as he observed a shining figure (presumably an angel) give the dimensions of a new Temple, room by room, wall by wall. We might say that measuring the building simulated its construction. Or perhaps these measurements symbolize preparation God’s people needed to accept and undergo so they could properly serve God.
Ezekiel previously relayed to the Babylonian exiles a vision in which God abandoned Solomon’s Temple and Jerusalem. He had seen the glory of God exit the Temple, going East (10:18-19). In today’s text Ezekiel is taken to the eastern gate and sees God’s glory arrive there: “like the vision which I saw when He came to destroy the city,” and falls to his face before it (43:3). Getting this vision confirmed God’s intentions for the covenant, that the people would be restored to the land and again have a Temple.
In that earlier vision we were told that “the temple was filled with the cloud and the [inner] court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the Lord” before it exited (10:4). Similarly at its return “the glory of the Lord filled the house” (43:5). This ‘filling’ of the Temple mirrors events at the dedication of the Tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple, when in each case God’s glory filled the building and prevented people from ministering (Exodus 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:11). (Though in his visions Ezekiel saw each event from on scene, I would guess that is due to them being visions and not reality.)
I wanted to address a point from verse 7 next which called for background from Tabernacle and Temple history. The next several paragraphs (o.k., 19 paragraphs) give background, after which the devotion proper resumes. (Honestly, I didn’t want to spend the next few hours paring this to a more “normal” length – and then end up saving bits from what I trimmed to maybe use later. I’m sorry about the length, though.)
Background about the Temple and Tabernacle
The basic points involved with the Jerusalem Temple are shown in the Pentateuch. Moses told the people about “the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling” (Deuteronomy 12:5). The “place” is the location of the Temple, as Moses said there, and with similar language several more times (see v. 11, 18; 14:23-25; 15:20; 16:2, 7, 11, 15-16; 17:8; 26:2; 31:11). The Hebrews didn’t set up the Temple very soon, they couldn’t because they weren’t even informed of the location God chose for it until hundreds of years later. Instead at Mount Sinai the people constructed the Tabernacle, a “sanctuary” built for God to “dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). God gave instructions to Moses regarding that sanctuary, but first he prepared the Ten Commandments, and then the Ark of the Covenant which would hold them. One of the central issues about the Tabernacle, and it would be central for the Temple as well, was that it provided somewhere to place the Ark of the Covenant, along with the other “sacred articles belonging to God” (1 Chronicles 22:19). Those items, created at Mount Sinai, initially went into the Tabernacle’s walls of cloth. Later they went into the Temple’s walls of stone, (walls which were covered by wood, that was covered by gold, decorated with gems and art – it really was quite a fancy place).
The twelve tribes were in the wilderness of Sinai for 40 years, and during that time when they stayed in one spot the Tabernacle was set up in the center of the camp – which is to say the tribes put their tents around the Tabernacle. We are even told the pattern in which they arranged the camp, the tribes that were to the Tabernacle’s north, east, etc. When the tribes moved priests carried the Ark by hand, using poles put through metal rings attached to it. The various parts of the Tabernacle were transported by the Levites. Once the people arrived in the promised land the Tabernacle continued to go with the main camp of the nation while the first few years of fighting took place, and then it was set up in one place or another for long periods (for example at Shiloh, where High Priest Eli raised Samuel). God eventually revealed to King David where the Temple would be (1 Chronicles 22:1), but God did not allow David to build the Temple (v. 8). Solomon, who was not associated with violence, would direct the construction of a place for God’s name (1 Kings 5:5).
Just as I see the Temple as existing to house the Ark of the Covenant, I recognize the central portion of the Temple as the Holy of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. The other areas of the Temple are defined at least in part by their relationship to the Holy of Holies. Outside the Holy of Holies was the Holy Place, beyond that was the Inner Court, then the Outer Court.
I find it clear that God’s connection with the Tabernacle and the Temple keyed on the Ark of the Covenant more than either building. The Ark which sat in the Holy of Holies is referred to a few times as the “footstool of God” (1 Chronicles 28:2; Psalm 99:5; 132:7). Psalm 99:1 includes the comment that God “is enthroned above the cherubim,” referring to the two statues on the Ark’s lid. That imagery is reflected in the lid’s name, “mercy seat” (Exodus 25:17-22; Leviticus 16:2, 13-15; Numbers 7:89; 1 Chronicles 28:11; Hebrews 9:5). In Exodus 25:22 God promised “I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony.”
In Exodus 40 Moses learned the final steps for setting up the Tabernacle. After he put everything in place “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (v. 34). It was an impressive moment for the people. Similar events took place when the Temple was ready in Solomon’s time. They brought the Tabernacle to the Temple, and transferred the Ark of the Covenant into the Holy of Holies of the Temple. While people stood outside praising “then the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.” (2 Chronicles 5:13b-14). (In my mind taking the Ark of the Covenant from the Tabernacle for the last time was rather like removing the power source from the Tabernacle; it couldn’t operate anymore. We aren’t told what happened to the Tabernacle after that, but my guess is that it was dismantled and put in a Temple storage area. Could you imagine it being thrown out, even though it was obsolete?)
In scripture the Ark being the “footstool” of God pairs with “heaven” / “the heavens” containing the “throne” of God. “The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven” (Psalm 11:4). “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens” (103:19). Isaiah 66:1 is probably the most important Old Testament verse about this subject for us, because of its effect on the New Testament. The Isaiah text has a slight difference of focus from the Psalm texts, saying heaven ‘is’ God’s throne, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Heaven is my throne”. (The three texts do effectively agree about the location of God’s throne.)
The shift in Isaiah 66:1 from a “throne” in “heaven” to heaven itself may serve to set up the text’s similar change with the concept of God’s footstool, which is expanded from the Ark to “the earth.” The impact of that change feels different than with the “heaven” reference, it comes across as representing God as too great, too expansive, to be linked with one spot.
“Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?”
Still, the rest of Isaiah 66 continues to grant significance as physical locations to both Jerusalem and the Temple. Jerusalem is mentioned several times and verse 20 says:
“Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the Lord, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord.”
I think verse one either tries to daunt human pride, or it warns against humans being complacent. Those issues are related. It seems to suggest two problems that can occur for those who try to build God a Temple: 1) if anyone implies that having a Temple puts limits on God, and 2) forgetting that the materials used for the building project are only ever things God already brought into existence.
The language of Isaiah 66:1 carried into the New Testament, and its use there made that way of speaking about “throne” and “footstool” more familiar to us than the language used by the Psalm texts. But probably far fewer people remember what Isaiah 66:1 says than this line from Jesus: “make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.” (Matthew 5:34-35). (If we are considering the impact of Jesus’ words on beliefs about the Temple, another text many people pay attention to is John 4:20-24. Some draw the conclusion from that statement that there is no future for any physical Temple. But I won’t take more space on that sidetrack right now.)
Stephen directly quoted Isaiah 66:1-2, near the end of his speech in Acts 7, after false witnesses claimed that: “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.” (Acts 6:13-14; see 7:47-50 for Stephen’s quote). Again, these were false witnesses, and Stephen would not have been disrespectful of the Temple or the Law. It is possible that some of Stephen’s opponents, while being uninterested in learning from him, still heard and skewed things Stephen said.
As a Christian Stephen was no longer called on to follow the Mosaic Law, though that Law still existed. And Stephen seems to have recognized the freedom he had in terms of that Law sooner than most in the Church. As Paul would later point out, the Law continued to apply to those who meant for it to be their way of relating to God; that was why Paul warned the Gentiles in Galatia that a man who chose to be circumcised “is under obligation to keep the whole Law”; Galatians 5:3. (Many people today are circumcised, but what Paul wrote here only applies when that fact is given a religious intent regarding the Mosaic Law.)
And Jesus, about whom Stephen taught, was not going to destroy the Temple, but Jesus did predict its destruction (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21). Also, at least once Jesus spoke metaphorically of his own death as the destruction of a “temple,” a statement which people had misunderstood even when he made it (John 2:18-22). It is possible that Stephen referred to some of Jesus’ statements about these matters, and that this affected the accusations against him.
As I pointed to above, Isaiah 66 may relate to two issues 1) not being able to put limits on God, and 2) that people could only “create” a Temple in a limited sense because really God made all the materials they used. Herod the Great certainly seems to have been prideful about renovating the Temple. It seems like the ongoing renovations also pleased the priests of Stephen’s time, which may tie to his use of Isaiah 66 (Matthew 23:16). All we humans really do in ‘creating’ objects is rework the shape and function of material provided by God. Jesus said that “not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself” like a lily of the field (Matthew 6:29). What can be said of Solomon’s wardrobe can probably also be declared of his construction projects. When is a wooden board more impressive than the living tree it came from? Can a wall of stone outclass a mountain (or a canyon)? The book of Hebrews makes explicit the fact that the Tabernacle was intended to reflect heaven’s throne room (Hebrews 8:5 – note that both are “tents”; Isaiah 40:22). By implication the Temple achieved that same purpose. But even when Herod coated the outside of the Temple with gold to make it reflect the sun that didn’t let it outshine the sun. God’s originals are always superior to man’s replicas.
The reference in Isaiah 66:1 to the earth as God’s footstool points to God being much larger than one location can hold. But there is another way that human pride can try to put limits on God with the Temple – a limit on God’s actions. When I read Stephen’s sermon I am reminded of Jeremiah 7:4, when God had him stand in the gates of Solomon’s Temple and warn the people “Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’ ” The point of that statement is that the injustice being practiced in Jerusalem at that time was sufficient for God to choose to let that Temple, though it was God’s Temple, be destroyed. Just because it was offered to God didn’t mean it would be preserved. The fact that it existed in Jerusalem did not mean the people of Jerusalem would be safe from harm. Yet a complacent population could choose not to be revived and reformed, because they had the Temple in their midst.
God did not need a building to dwell in – the Temple existed for humans. God was willing to let the building go if that action helped humans recognize truth (remember, the punishments described in Deuteronomy were ultimately corrective, intended to reform and allow for restoration). The Temple gave a place to worship, with rituals God laid out. It was intended to help people understand and relate with God. It housed the Ark of the Covenant, from which God condescended to communicate. No building can be grand enough to gain significance for God. Yet God can choose to put divine glory into a human offering, granting it significance. God did so with the Temple in Jerusalem. In Isaiah 66:1 God asked about the building someone would offer, and that question comes as a challenge to human pride. As God points out in verse 2 “Has not my hand made all these things?” (NIV). But an assertion of God’s power and authority is not a denial that God in fact called for a building to be constructed in Jerusalem, which God accepted for divine use. Nor was there only one such building. When verse 20 says people will go: “to my holy mountain Jerusalem, . . . to the house of the Lord” the Temple it refers to is still in our future.
Devotion resumes
In Ezekiel 43:7 God says: “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.” This verse offers a shift from how the Temple is normally discussed in the Old Testament. God is not presented as dwelling in the heavens, feet propped on the Ark of the Covenant. Rather throne and soles are together on earth.
It can be difficult to conceptualize God occupying a single location while having a presence everywhere. Even scripture can seem ambiguous on this topic, for example Psalm 139:7-10, which seems to include both concepts, implying that one or the other is metaphorical. In the past when discussing the “throne” and “footstool” texts I have suggested they involve where God’s focus is. While God is aware of all things, God gives special attention to the promised land.
But if language about the Tabernacle and the Temple normally meant to convey that God’s attention is focused on Jerusalem, while God still dwelt apart in heaven, it seems that in the time of this new Temple the opportunity had come to combine the two settings. God (in whatever sense) dwells “among the sons of Israel forever,” with both God’s throne and the “soles” of God’s feet situated at the new Temple (Ezekiel 43:7). “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them” (Revelation 21:3). Take joy in this!
The change seems to involve more than the location of God’s throne. We are not told that this new Temple’s Holy of Holies has any furniture, such as an Ark of the Covenant for God’s feet to rest on. We are told: “This is the law of the house: its entire area on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy.” (v. 12). Does this expanded holiness suggest that in the new Temple there is no need for divided courts, and places of greater and lesser sanctity? It implies that only those who may enter God’s presence are allowed near, for the whole area is where God stands.
(This could be overstated. In 44:13-14 God speaks of priests who had not behaved as they should, but who would be allowed to serve. It says: “they shall not come near to Me to serve as a priest to Me, nor come near to any of My holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they will bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed. Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the house, of all its service and of all that shall be done in it.” So, we again see ambiguity in the text. What is “most holy,” and what is not?)
Ezekiel was told: “As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the plan.” (v. 10). God expected that contemplating these exalted plans for worship would affect Ezekiel’s hearers. God’s prophet had already received the measurements of the building, and now begins to get those for the altar, followed by expectations for the priests.
Recall that for most of its history the Levitical priesthood did not function as it was meant to. Teaching had not gone out as it should, being a priest had not always seemed honorable, nor possessing God as inheritance been greatly valued. But God is saying this will be fixed, it will work. When God dwells with the people, the priests will do as they were meant to. And the name of the Lord will be glorified.
Reflection Questions
How do you think it felt for Ezekiel, a priest so long separated from his worship roles, to see a vision of this pristine Temple, untouched by false worship, and then filled with God’s glory? What do you think Ezekiel made of God’s plans for the future of the Temple and the priesthood?
What is something that helps you strive for the Lord (perhaps a Bible account, event, image, or the comfort of a friend, which you are able to hold to as an example of what you particularly aspire to or hope for)?
What difficulties do you think Ezekiel may have faced in trying to relay his experience of this vision to his fellow exiles? How does that compare with your experiences of trying to express yourself to others?
The Israelites have been in exile for twenty-five years and it has been about fourteen years since the fall of Jerusalem. The prophet Ezekiel is in Babylon when he experiences visions of God. He is taken to a very high mountain in Israel and from the south side he sees buildings that look like a city. He is visited by a man whose appearance was like bronze, an angel. He is holding a measuring tool. He told Ezekiel to closely pay attention to everything he would show him and he was to tell the people of Israel everything he saw.
He was shown a temple complex. It was given with detailed and specific measurements and dimensions including outside walls, gates, alcoves, thresholds, porches, outer courts, rooms, etc. Some say this vision symbolizes an ideal temple where God’s presence resides and God is glorified. Others believe that it is a literal future temple that will exist in the Millennium. There is much discussion on this vision. For instance, if it is a literal temple in the 1,000 year reign of Christ, why are there offerings there? Are these only memorial offerings remembering the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus provided? Though we may not understand everything about the vision, we know that it showed the people of Israel that there would be restoration and reconciliation with the LORD. This vision gave the people hope. They viewed the temple as a place to worship and praise the LORD. They had the same desire that we do. We want to be in the presence of God. We want to experience Him. After all, He is amazing and we love Him. He desires to be with us as well. How blessed we are to know that the LORD is with us. As the apostle Paul states, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? And God’s temple is sacred, together you are that temple.” (1 Cor. 3:16&17b) How blessed we are to be so connected to the LORD.
(As editor, I had been concerned that we had a few weeks with no one signed up to write devotions – so I sent out several emails and God answered with not just one writer for today – but two! So, with no apologies, but many thanks to God and to both Rebecca and Daniel, here is your second for the day…)
Devotion by Daniel Smead (Minnesota)
Today’s text is the start of another of Ezekiel’s visions, in which he again visits his homeland of Israel. It takes place on a mountain by a city, which is presumably a way of referring to Jerusalem, and Ezekiel observes a new Temple. His guide in that building is a shining figure, who sounds something like the figures that moved God’s throne-chariot back in chapter one. This figure measures the Temple and declares the dimensions for Ezekiel to record, having calculated them using a stick a bit over ten feet long.
Interestingly, this vision is one of only two places where Ezekiel states the exact date an event took place, the tenth of Nisan, near the start of the Hebrew year that went from 573-572 B.C. The vision is twenty-five years after Ezekiel was taken from Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple, and about thirteen years after the Temple’s destruction.
In its essence this vision allowed the exiles to look forward to a time when God’s people, again in the promised land, would have a renewed opportunity to worship God at a temple. The passage did not take shortcuts to describe this but went into minute detail. Rather than simply refer to the existence of a temple, we are told about its size and decorations as though the importance of fulfilling every detail is being emphasized. Using some effort, readers could put themselves in the scene alongside Ezekiel.
The building described in this text is quite large, and it is not a prophetic description of the Temple built in the time of Zerubbabel, after the Babylonian exile. Nor, apparently, did the returnees of that generation attempt to follow this design even when doing so would simplify their work. For example, 40:28-37 describes having three gates to the inner courts, and a Jewish Midrash says the second Temple had seven gates. In fact, the small number of gates, and the emphasis on large square rooms, raises the issue of the practicality of the design, and whether this was ever intended as a literal image of a building or just as a symbolic representation – the architectural equivalent of a parable, perhaps.
Ezekiel, as a priest who had ministered at Solomon’s Temple, would have a particular interest in the description this passage provides, whether it was symbolic or a future reality. But Ezekiel was not the High Priest, and even in his vision it seems that he does not enter the Holy of Holies, though he reports its dimensions (41:4). We hear nothing about the contents of that area.
I have written before about John’s measuring of the Temple in the book of Revelation, and how simple it can be for us when reading the figures in that passage to miss the time it would have taken to measure those distances. The same issue applies here. The long period when Ezekiel watched the shining figure go about this task, announcing number after number, can only have felt surreal. Obviously, this scene was leading somewhere, though learning what awaits tomorrow’s text. In the meantime, Ezekiel moved through a nearly empty building, large enough to hold thousands of people, simply recording its dimensions.
How often do you find yourself caught in a moment, feeling incomplete, unsure what comes next? At that time the exiles in Babylon were probably wondering what their next steps would be, and this vision was part of how God laid out expectations for them. Ezekiel, in his vision, must have found it obvious that what he saw was building toward a larger point, although he could have been recording measurements for hours. It may not always seem as obvious to us when God is at work in our lives, or how. But it is to be hoped that we can maintain trust that God is working. I don’t know how often we learn quickly or plainly what our next steps need to be. Sometimes Ezekiel waited years between his visions, visions that we can simply turn pages to link together. And the fulfillment of all that he saw in his visions waited far longer than a few years.
Regardless of all that Ezekiel went through, and how long it took, if the Bible revealed that somewhere along the way he decided not to pay attention to what God was doing with him, that it was not all worth it, we would consider him foolish. From our perspective in history such a choice would appear absurd. But sometimes we, and indeed sometimes I, need to be reminded of this same principle for ourselves. My trust, and my attentiveness for what interests God, need firming up. I can’t expect to maintain the same focus always and in every situation; no one can. Humans don’t have that kind of attention span and focus. I, and maybe you, need to be reoriented when necessary. At times we also need to realize that God still cares about us, continuing to be open and accepting despite our failings. The people God was telling about a new temple had their old one destroyed just 13 years earlier. God is open to offering forgiveness and acceptance, but more than being open to that, God strongly desires to provide it to us, in love.
Reflection Questions
What thoughts and feelings might Ezekiel’s original audience have had before Ezekiel’s temple vision – as they have been stuck in a foreign land far from God with no clear way to worship Him and even no temple to try to return to? Have you ever felt similarly?
What thoughts and feelings might Ezekiel have had as he was getting a tour of this temple? As he was sharing his vision? How might the people have responded?
In what ways might God be asking you to pay attention to what He has done, is doing and will do? Is there anything in your past that you didn’t understand at the time but you can see now how God was using it in preparation for your future?
When do you find yourself needing hope? What gives you hope?
Why do bad people seem to succeed in this life? Why do the righteous suffer while the wicked seem to get away with everything? And if God sees it, why doesn’t He step in right away?
That’s exactly where the book of Habakkuk begins. The prophet cries out to the LORD, confused and hurting, asking why injustice is allowed to go on. It’s a reminder that God isn’t afraid of our concerns. He wants us to bring our pain, our doubts, and even our “why” straight to Him.
God answers Habakkuk in a way he doesn’t expect. He says He will use the Chaldeans (a powerful and wicked people) to bring judgment on Judah (a less powerful and less wicked people). But He also makes it clear that their strength is nothing compared to His, and their own judgment is coming.
Habakkuk learns that affliction is part of living in a broken world. God’s justice is not absent just because it isn’t immediate. His plans are bigger than what we can see, and even while Habakkuk was praying, God’s answers and plans were already in motion, just not in a way he could yet understand.
In the middle of this, God gives Habakkuk a promise. “The righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). Paul quotes this later in Romans 1:17, reminding believers that faith is the foundation of a right relationship with God.
By the end of the book, Habakkuk’s tone shifts. His questions turn into worship. Chapter 3, written as a song, closes with
“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:18)
That’s the kind of faith we’re called to, not just praising God for what He’s done, but trusting in Him even when the outcome is still unseen.
Reflection Questions:
What does Habakkuk’s honesty in prayer teach you about how to approach God in hard times?
How does “the righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4) challenge your response to unanswered prayers?
What would it look like for you to rejoice in the LORD this week, even in uncertainty?
In nursing school, we were taught to remind patients not to google their symptoms because of all the “muck” there is out there. And given the right combination of benign systems, you can diagnose yourself with the black plague pretty quickly. But I can tell you right now not a single one of my patients under the age of 100 didn’t google their symptoms as soon as they surfaced. In conversations with my patients, I quickly learned that an admonishment against googling wasn’t going to work. I needed to help my patients navigate through all the muck of the internet to find information that is actually helpful (sites that are sponsored by hospital systems such as Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic, or associations such as the American Heart Association or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation are generally reliable).
Since you’ve probably visited the internet before, you probably already know much muck exists in the writings of any topic you look up. Even in looking up commentary on the book of Jeremiah, I came across writings that were complete perversions of the scriptures. The writers added “facts” to twist scripture to their agendas. I wonder if they even noticed the irony that their writings on Jeremiah are EXACTLY the kind of things God was warning Judah about.
We saw in chapter 7 and now in 10 that the people of Judah added their idol worship to their worship of the ONE TRUE GOD. And clearly, people are still doing it today.
I learned, through what seems to be a much more godly commentary site, that this is called syncretism. Syncretism is “the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.” (Internet dictionary). The writer of the commentary notes, “ YHWH hates syncretism. He has given us clear instruction on how we are to live, behave, and worship Him. He does not take lightly when we decide to trust more in our wisdom and modify His instructions as we see fit.”
In chapter 12, we really start to feel bad for Jeremiah. He’s asking God why the evil are getting away with everything and seem to prosper and God’s response was that it was going to get a lot worse! In light of our present circumstances and prophecy, we may feel the same way.
Then in chapter 13, God uses an object lesson to show what will happen to Judah if they do not turn to Him. The NASB calls it a linen belt and the Message calls it shorts. Either way, Jeremiah was commanded to wear it right away. As this belt or shorts was worn close to the body, it represented how closely the Lord holds Judah to Himself. God then has Jeremiah take them off and stick them between some rocks and retrieve them a few days later. Not surprisingly, they were completely tattered and torn (though being a guy, Jeremiah probably wore them anyway 😀). Just like time, weather, and lack of care ruined the shorts, God promised to ruin Judah if they continued to ignore His commands. In verses 15-16, God tells the people to hear, pay attention, do not be arrogant and give God the glory and He would not destroy them. Stay tuned to find out if they heed this warning…or not.
Jeremiah was not called “The Weeping Prophet” for nothing. But I think the more tragic thing is that society hasn’t changed much. There are those who are doing the EXACT same things for which God severely punished the practitioners. Jeremiah would be appalled. He would be weeping that there are so many sinking in so much muck.
Praise God that we don’t need to wade through the muck of untruths that surround us. No matter the person or their credentials, we must always hold up their teachings to the only source for truth, the Holy Bible, because God and His truth are not hiding from us nor are far from us! (Acts 17:24-28)
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Please let me be aware if there are any thoughts, beliefs, or behaviors that contradict your decrees. Please help me to keep my offering of worship pure and true.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
-Maria Knowlton
Reflection Questions
What ailments does the world have today? What symptoms do they have? What is the prognosis? Is there any cure available? How many will ignore the warnings of the wise doctor (and nurse)?
What muck have you seen others and/or yourself following or mixing with Bible truth? Continue praying for God to show you truth – and keep seeking it in God’s precious Word.
What are your thoughts and feelings reading through all of God’s warnings to Judah through the prophet Jeremiah? Who needs to hear these warnings today? Are there words God wants you to speak? Ask him.
Whether it’s social media, the news, gossip about the neighbor down the road, we seem to hear the term “entitlement” a lot these days. For whatever reasons, some people think they deserve preferential treatment. We could blame social media for what seems to be an uptick in this kind of behavior, and to some extent, that might be true. However, we do find in today’s reading, that entitlement goes back a really long time.
In chapter 7, we see Judah believed that because they lived on the land of the Lord’s Temple, they were invincible. This belief caused them to become so bold that they begin committing crimes and worshiping other gods and then going directly to the temple to “worship” God (7:9-11) As if that were not bad enough, in verse 30, the people seem to have skipped the middle man and just went ahead and set up their idols and worse in the temple (7:30) They were truly entitled, thinking their lineage and perfunctory worship was enough.
But of course, God sees all this. I like how the Message version puts it, “I’ve got eyes in my head. I can see what’s going on.” God even tells them that they can go ahead and eat the sacrifices they offered because they are now meaningless to Him (7:21).
Throughout the rest of our reading, God tells the people through Jeremiah, what He has seen.
Yet amazingly, woven throughout the description of sins and their consequences, God lays out what they need to do to be saved from destruction.
Reform from your ways and your actions and I will let you live in this place (7:3).
Obey me and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you (7:23-24).
But let him who boasts boast about this, that he understands and knows Me. That I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth for in those I delight, declares the Lord. (9:24)
Well, not so much in chapter 8…that’s mostly promised punishments. Yikes!
As Christians we know that we are not entitled to anything. We are not entitled because of our lineage in the church, the amount of time or finances we give, or even all the lessons we teach. We are only entitled to salvation through the grace of God through Christ. And Praise the Lord for that!
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Please never let us get so complacent in our worship that it becomes meaningless to You. Let us walk in obedience that you may be our God and we will be your people.
In Christ’s precious name,
Amen
-Maria Knowlton
Reflection Questions
Where have you seen entitlement – in society, Scripture, your life?
Is there anything in your life that you have been pretending that God does not see? He sees. Stop pretending and talk to God about it.
Do you think the Lord delights in you? How have you seen God’s kindness, justice and righteousness to you or others (9:24)? What are you still looking forward to?
I was rushed out of the room, carrying a kid in each arm, and taken to the recovery room to wait for the return of my wife. The twins were here, and I had no idea what to do. There was a bassinet nearby, but I honestly couldn’t figure out the logistics of laying down one newborn without compromising my grip on the other. “That’s okay,” I thought. “My wife will be here soon, and she’ll help me sort it all out.” So I waited. I nervously held onto them in a football hold as the minutes crept by. But then the minutes became longer than expected, and my confidence started to fray. I waited with my little ones—without information, without control, and without a clue. In that intermission, I did the only thing I could think to do: I sang. Out of praise, to stave off fear, and to quiet the echoing newborn cries, I sang:
“From my mother’s womb, you have chosen me, love has called my name,”
and “You’re perfect in all of your ways… perfect in all of your ways to us.”
Waiting isn’t for the faint of heart. To be patient is to fight our innate desire for safety and certainty. It reminds us that we are not in control—that our desires are only a small variable in any given situation. If we’re looking for holy ground—a place where our striving ends and God’s sovereignty begins—look no further than the weight of waiting.
As the northern kingdom of Israel spiraled under a succession of corrupt kings, Jehoshaphat began his reign in Judah. He watched the pendulum swing wildly in the wrong direction. But instead of rushing to react, Jehoshaphat paused. He sought the Lord. He devoted his heart to God’s way first, building his faith and fortifying the kingdom—not through conquest or alliances, but by spreading the Word and Law of the Lord and strengthening what already belonged to Judah.
There were no flashy political plays. No dramatic battles or self-promoting power grabs—all of which might have benefited a new king eager for approval. In contrast to war-beaten, idol-chasing, anxious Israel, Judah found peace—politically and spiritually—by halting, reflecting, focusing, and waiting on the Lord to move.
“The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah…”
(2 Chronicles 17:10)
Waiting made Israel restless. But it made Judah rooted. Israel scrambled. Judah stood still.
So how do we wait in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord when life is beyond our control—when answers are delayed or the enemy seems to be advancing? We fortify what’s already been entrusted to us. We hold our families, will continue using our gifts in ministry, and give consistently with our tithes. We don’t chase what we don’t yet have—we deepen what God has already given. We also choose worship over worry. Worry imagines every possible outcome.
Worship reminds us who holds them all. Even if God is silent, He is moving. Commit to the wait. Trust in the Lord. He will act.
– Aaron Winner
Reflection Questions
How well do you wait? How much do you worry? Can you think of a time where your waiting increased your peace?
What is wise to do while waiting? What is foolish to do while waiting?
What do you appreciate from Aaron’s list of waiting activity – halting, reflecting, focusing, and waiting on the Lord to move?
If you’re like me, you’ve purchased an “assembly required” item and unpacked the contents without thumbing through the instructions. “How hard could it be to turn a few screws and boards into a bookshelf?” Halfway through the build, you realize you used the wrong board in one section, another is fitted upside down, and in your haste, you’re now down at least one screw. Necessity may be the mother of invention, but sometimes innovation comes from darker places—with consequences far greater than a shoddy IKEA build. Pride and fear can quickly lead us into folly as we try to adjust and adapt without seeking counsel. Likewise, our spiritual life was never meant to be self-driven, self-led, or self-defined. To build our relationship with God, we are called to be faithful to His instructions and selfless in their pursuit.
In today’s reading, King Jeroboam is appointed as the new leader of Israel. As he takes the reins, he surveys the political pieces of a recently split kingdom. His people had long worshiped in Jerusalem, which remained part of the rival kingdom of Judah. Jeroboam feared that his people’s loyalty would ultimately shift back to Rehoboam, king of Judah, from the anointed house of David. Instead of consulting the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob or one of His prophets, Jeroboam devises his own solution to keep the people close to home.
“Jeroboam thought to himself, ‘The kingdom will now likely revert to the house of David…'” So the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'” (1 Kings 12:26, 28)
Jeroboam took up his place as both the political and spiritual leader of Israel, but motivated by fear and a desire for control, he led God’s people astray. He created false idols, counterfeit altars, and bogus festivals—all in an attempt to keep his people from returning to the holy city of Jerusalem. Leaving behind the moral clarity of God’s commands, it became easier and more accessible to engage in a made-up religion that appeared similar on the surface to what they knew to be true. They were working with the same pieces, but some were flipped upside down, some placed in the wrong spot, and others lost along the way. As their worship moved farther from Jerusalem, the distance between Israel and God grew greater.
There is a stark warning here for the adjustments and innovations we see in the Church today. We must be careful that our worship, ministry, and evangelism do not favor convenience over obedience or comfort over conviction. If we fail to heed this warning, we may end up with well-developed systems that contain many of the same pieces—but are no longer building the Kingdom of God. Instead, we risk creating idols and events that offer no eternal hope. Granted, we may not be fashioning golden calves, but when we prioritize comfort over truth, we risk building spiritual lives rooted in fear, insecurity, and pride—lives that are void of God’s instruction.
It has never been about innovating what works for us or embracing a “you do you” mentality. God demands surrender and faithfulness in our daily worship, which means we will likely find ourselves worshiping in the city of our enemies from time to time. Resist the urge to craft a god who fits us. Instead, let us be molded to fit His purpose and to build His Kingdom according to His Gospel instructions.
-Aaron Winner
Reflection Questions
What problems do you think God saw in Jeroboam? Do you think God ever sees these same problems in you?
What does God desire from us – in our worship and in the way we live our lives?
What are your thoughts about the following: “If we fail to heed this warning, we may end up with well-developed systems that contain many of the same pieces—but are no longer building the Kingdom of God” ? Have you seen this occur? How can we better heed this warning for our lives and for our church and for the Kingdom of God?
There are simply some things you have to see with your own eyes to understand what all the hype is about. To stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon or to gaze from the helm of a ship in the middle of the ocean are images that have been perpetuated as pinnacle experiences through pop culture. While it’s possible to be in awe while reading a description or gazing at a photo, the real deal—being present in these places—has left me in wonder at the work of the Almighty.
In a similar manner, the stories of Solomon’s wisdom had spread like wildfire, reaching as far as the Horn of Africa—which, in ancient historical terms, was viral. The tale of a singularly wise leader whose work had led Israel into a time of ultimate prosperity made all the hype seem too good to be true. The Queen of Sheba, having received these reports, had to hear and see for herself. What she found was that the blessings were abundant and beyond even what was reported. The sights and sounds of Israel were breathtaking, but none more than the wisdom of King Solomon. After taking it all in, the Queen acknowledged that the sovereign God of Israel had placed Solomon on the throne to rule at such a time.
“Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.” —1 Kings 10:9
In contrast, in the very next chapter of 1 Kings, we watch the eyes of Solomon shift—from service of the Most High to service of his own flesh. From my own speculations, taken from the perspective in Ecclesiastes, it seems that for a season Solomon focused more on the gifts of God than on his relationship with Him. Israel began looking more like the king and less like its God under Solomon’s direction. He established altars for the gods of his wives and concubines, reshaping not only the physical locations but also the worship of the people. The evidence was in: the splendor of this kingdom, which once pointed to the protection of an undefeated Most High God, was now showing signs of the waning wisdom of a compromised king calling his own shots.
As we read these contrasting moments in Solomon’s life, we should turn and reflect on our own. We may not have the accolade of being the “-est” of anything, but there are tales that could be reaching far and wide about us. When we are visited, our “place settings inspected,” and people look at our sacrifice, what does all our effort and show point to? Are we encouraged—or offended—by those who look at the catalogue of our life’s work and give God the credit?
When God has His hand upon us, it can be recognized and sought by strangers from a distant land who hunger or thirst for answers to their questions. The truth is, sometimes from the outside looking in, the beauty of God’s hand in our lives is more clearly seen. Conversely, from the inside looking out, we may gaze upon the gifts of the Lord and mistakenly see them as our own handiwork, when it is by God’s glory that we are richly blessed. The warning given to us by Job is that the One who gives and multiplies can also take away and divide.
The hype of God has been—and will continue to be—acknowledged by those who look at it from afar in awe. However, the goodness of God is best experienced firsthand, through encountering Him with every thought and action. Let us not forget that He is the provider of grace and the bestower of the fruits of His Spirit; we could never attain these through our own effort. Don’t be so entangled in the blessing that you forget the intention with which it was given: to demonstrate the glory of our Heavenly Father.
-Aaron Winner
Reflection Questions
What thoughts, feelings, desires, or motives do you think led Solomon astray? Which of these same thoughts, feelings, desires, or motives do you see in yourself?
In what ways would you like to be like Solomon? In what ways will you work at not being like Solomon?
Are there gifts God has given you that you have mistakenly viewed as your own handiwork? What happens when we focus on the gifts rather than the Gifter? How can we better see what God has given and in return give to Him the credit, thanks and glory for all His wonderful gifts.
So many of the psalms focus on directly worshipping and declaring the goodness of God, which is good, but this psalm takes that knowledge of God and comes in with a missional view: Let God be known and praised by all the people. All the nations. Not just Israel, his covenant people, but by everyone.
The psalmist recognizes the goodness of God and what he has done for his people. In light of this fact, they want the goodness of God to be experienced by all people and for there to be abounding joy for all.
God provides sustenance for all people, the earth yields its produce. It does so because God designed it that way, so may the nations recognize that Yahweh created life and sustains it through his order.
Verse 4 talks about the nations being judged with equity. Equity here is the Hebrew word mishor, which literally means levelness or uprightness. God will not play favorites with his judgment, he will judge with prejudice, but he will judge fairly and give the same outcomes to the faithful of all tongues and tribes. In the same way, destruction comes from rejecting God, regardless of the background of the individual.
We can look at this through the lens of Jesus, but even without a clear picture, the psalmist saw a future where there was no Jew nor Greek, nor slave nor free, but a world where all could bask in and enjoy the glory of God and worship him in spirit and in truth.
Let the nations be glad.
-JJ Fletcher
Reflection Questions
Where does your joy come from?
Do you view your role as a believer to be missional? To bring others into a saving relationship with Jesus and his Father?
Do you have trouble with being equitable in your sharing? Can it be difficult to share with people from different backgrounds?
If you find great hope and strength in the gospel, shouldn’t you share it? Why are we worried about “offending people” with the gospel?
Seek Grow Love 