Today I scrubbed out our cast iron skillet. It would have been easier the night before, but I put this task off until today. It reminded me of our reading from Ezekiel 24. The parable for the Israelites contains a dirty, rusted boiling meat pot destined for cleansing by destruction. The pot was symbolic of Jerusalem. Ezekiel once again shares what the Sovereign LORD has said by telling his people this parable. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem. The LORD shows the people what will happen if they continue in their evil practices. The LORD refers to Jerusalem as the city of bloodshed. When faced with a warning that severe negative consequences including death for many will follow their actions, we would think that they would stop sinning. We want the people to repent, to turn to God and accept His deliverance and His salvation. Unfortunately, they do not.
That nasty stuff in the pot should have been removed long ago, but the people continued in their sins. We could compare the rust of the pot to the bloodshed that had taken place in Jerusalem. God had seen the killing and wounding of others in this city of blood. All the actions of the people were in full view for God. He also states that their impurity was lewdness. They did detestable acts and committed adultery. They chose indecent, obscene behaviors rather than allowing God to clean out all that crud. They should have been filled with shame and repentance, but they openly committed their sins. The scripture tells us that the LORD tried to cleanse them, but they would not be cleansed. They were told, “You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions,” declares the LORD.
The people of Jerusalem would not turn from their sin, but we can. We can recognize when we fall short and confess our sin. After all, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. So God can make us a “vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”
Reflection Questions
What sins has Ezekiel mentioned in his book? What does God not like about them?
Why do you think God is giving warnings before the punishment comes?
What sins do you think God sees today – in you – that he would (or is) sending you a warning about? And what sins in the world around you?
What would the cleansing process look like if we turn to God? What would the cleansing process look like if we don’t?
Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 25, 2017, for Ezekiel 22-23.
Throughout Ezekiel there are certain themes that keep circling back around: God’s judgment against Jerusalem, Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. In today’s reading we see another very graphic depiction of Israel’s immorality. This time, it’s the northern kingdom of Samaria and the southern kingdom of Judah. They are likened to two sisters who prostitute themselves. They again perform lewd acts shaming themselves before their neighbors. It’s very sad, indeed.
God searches for someone to help: “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” God could find no one righteous to fill the gap and act as the mediator between God and His people.
We know the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ and God’s Kingdom. One day, Jesus would stand in the gap to keep God from destroying the earth. Jesus on the cross fills the gap between a holy God and a sinful people.
I hope that these devotions from Ezekiel will help you to see some important truths with greater clarity. God loves His people very much. God wants His people to be faithful and obedient. Some are and some aren’t. When His people are unfaithful, God brings calamity and judgment, in order to turn people’s hearts back to Him. It’s not the judgment that ultimately turn hearts, but it’s the fact that despite all of our wicked acts that deserve punishment, God is faithful to His promises and His steadfast love remains. Ultimately, it’s God’s mercy that leads us to repentance. May you know His love and His mercy through Jesus Christ, the man who did stand in the Gap for us.
Reflection Questions
What are the main themes of Ezekiel? How can we learn from them?
How does Jesus, a mediator to fill the gap, change the relationship between God and His people? How has it impacted your relationship with God?
Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 24, 2017, for Ezekiel 20-21.
In Ezekiel 20 God reviews Israel’s history. Over and over God provided for His people, over and over He warned them to get rid of their idols, keep His commands and observe His Sabbaths. Over and over Israel failed to obey God and experienced the consequences. Over and over God was compassionate and loving and forgave His people and restored them to blessings.
Israel has repeated this history again. They failed to get rid of idols, they failed to keep his commands and observe his Sabbaths, and now they were about to experience the consequences of their sins. God would once again treat them with mercy, not as their sins deserved and restore them to their land.
Ezekiel juxtaposes God’s promise to be merciful and restore His people with the threat that His judgment is coming and that both the evil and the good will be cut off from the land and the city and the temple. Yes, everyone will suffer the consequences of the evil behavior of some.
There is tension throughout Ezekiel. The wicked will suffer for their sins and the righteous will not suffer, except that at first they will suffer for the sins of others. Sometimes when God brings his judgment designed to bring people to repentance there is collateral damage. Good people suffer when bad people sin. It’s how it was then, it’s still how it is today. God’s salvation is coming, earth will one day be restored and made whole and good, but in the meantime, good people will suffer alongside the wicked. Christians are martyred in places like Pakistan and Syria. Christians sometimes suffer persecution in the United States. Trials may come to God’s people during times of judgment, but those who trust God and repent of their sins will be saved.
Reflection Questions
How often do we fall into the same cycle of disobedience that the Israelites followed for generations? What can be done to help break the cycle for you personally?
How does God’s mercy and justice coexist throughout Ezekiel and today?
What trials are you willing to persevere to avoid disobedience to God?
Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 23, 2017, for Ezekiel 17-19.
God used the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar to enact His judgment against Israel. He carried off King Jehoiachin and 10,000 nobles to Babylon and installed Zedekiah to act as his vice regent or king in Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah warned Israel that this was God’s judgment and that the exiles would not return from Babylon until the people repented. But the people didn’t listen and false prophets gave Israel false hope that Babylon might soon fall. So Zedekiah broke his treaty with Nebuchadnezzar and made an alliance with Egypt. This led to a revolt against Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar crushed the revolt. Eventually, Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar and King Zedekiah and family were carried back to Babylon where they faced Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath. Zedekiah had his eyes put out and his sons were executed. Israel did not repent quickly nor easily, and because of her stubborn disobedience they continued to suffer.
In Ezekiel 17 God chose to use the allegory of an eagle plucking up the top of a cedar and then replanting it to depict His judgment against His people and to remind them of His power to build and His power to destroy.
In Ezekiel 18 God gives a very clear teaching to His people on the nature of sin, righteousness, judgement, repentance and forgiveness. Each person is responsible for their own actions. Parents are not held responsible by God for the sins of their children, and children are not held responsible by God for the sins of their parents. Each person is responsible for their own behavior. In the same way, you don’t get credit for your parents good behavior if you do bad. Each person is responsible for their own sin and will be judged accordingly.
There is good news imbedded in Ezekiel 18. God doesn’t take any pleasure in seeing wicked people die. God wants to see people who do evil turn away from their evil. God wants everyone to repent. If an evil person repents, God will not punish them. If a righteous person turns evil, they will be punished for their evil behavior. God is a God of both mercy and justice. He will punish unrepentant evildoers and he will forgive and restore those who repent of their evil. This chapter is best summarized in the final three verses: 30“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
In Ezekiel 19, there is a lament for the end of the Messianic dynasty that came from David. Since the time of David, his descendants, beginning with Solomon reigned as Kings over Israel. But that has been brought to an end. There were no more descendants of David serving as the Lord’s anointed over Israel. Of course, we have the benefit of hindsight. We live on this side of the New Testament. After several hundred years of NOT having a descendent of David as King of Israel, one was finally born in Bethlehem and his name is Jesus. One day, Jesus will sit upon the throne and rule over not only Israel, but all the earth. In the meantime, we have a choice, we can turn away from our sins and turn to God, or we can face the judgment. Jesus Christ is God’s provision for our salvation. We go to him to get a new heart and a new spirit.
Reflection Questions
Why did God provide an allegory for the people in Ezekiel 17?
How often is suffering directly or indirectly an effect of disobedience to God or a lack of repentance?
Is it easier or harder to read, study, believe, and live out the Old Testament teachings now or before the New Testament was written? What are the advantages to each side? How can that impact how we read the Bible today and how should we respond?
Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 21, 2017, for Ezekiel 10-13.
“Elvis has left the building.” That’s what they used to say to the throngs of screaming fans after one of Elvis Presley’s concerts back in the day. They would rush Elvis out the back door into his waiting car or bus and whisk him off to safety. Hopefully, the fans would calm down after they knew he was no longer there… there would be no more encores for this performance.
In Ezekiel ten- YHWH has left the building. The building in question was the Temple of Jerusalem. Since the time of Moses and Aaron in the wilderness when Israel worshipped in the Tabernacle, to the time of Solomon and beyond, when they worshipped YHWH in the Temple of Jerusalem, YHWH was present with His people. They knew that there, in the holy of holies, the shekhinah glory of God was present with his people. Yes, there was a veil which separated the holy of holies from the rest of the temple, and only the high priest was permitted to enter into the presence of YHWH once a year to atone for the sins of the people, yet they could always look up to the tabernacle or later Temple atop Mt. Zion and know that God was with them. But no longer. Ezekiel saw a vision of God’s glory leaving the Temple. Because of their extreme disobedience and their worship of idols, God could no longer remain among his people. It was a time for judgment, and God had to leave. How sad that must have been for Ezekiel, to watch God leaving.
In Ezekiel eleven, judgment is proclaimed against Israel’s leaders. “You haven’t obeyed my laws” YHWH complains. “You’ve conformed to the standards of the nations around you.”
God is gracious, even in the midst of judgment, he promises to bring some of them back from exile and give them back the land which he had given to their forefathers. God promises to bring about change in their hearts. vs. 19 “I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” God still loves His people and offers them hope in the midst of judgment. Ezekiel shared this vision with the exiles so that they would understand the consequences of their sins.
In Ezekiel twelve, God warns that even their ruler would be forced into exile. They kept hoping that this would happen in the distant future, but God assures them that judgment is coming soon.
In chapter thirteen, God turns his judgment from the leaders to the false prophets. These people told lies in the name of YHWH. They said “thus saith the Lord” when God didn’t say it. God condemns them for leading their people astray. They “whitewashed” over the truth about God’s coming judgment against sin and substituted their lies about a false peace. “you encouraged the wicked not to repent”. He blames the false prophets for the sins of the people, therefore, they will come under God’s harsh judgment.
Israel had a wonderful building in which to worship, they had clear rules to follow, they had leaders to teach them, they had priests to offer sacrifices, they had prophets to bring them words from God- and yet that wasn’t enough. They were not content to live as God’s holy and separate people and act as a witness to the rest of the nations around them. Instead, they worshipped the false gods of their neighbors, they ignored God’s laws, their prophets failed to warn them for their sins and assured them of false peace when God was preparing to bring his judgment. It seems not much has changed. One would be tempted to see the same kinds of things going on today. How many buildings today allow idolatry and false gods to be worshipped? How many people falsely claim to be speaking God’s word when they are instead peddling the words of men? Some days we might even wonder “has God left the building” when we follow the sinful standards of the world rather than remaining faithful to God’s holy word? We’d like to think judgment is far away just as they thought then… but perhaps it’s much closer than you might think.
Reflection Questions
Has there been a time when you have felt that God’s presence and glory has left?
Have you ever conformed too much to the standards of people around you?
According to Ezekiel 11, who qualifies to receive the heart transplant from stone to flesh, and who does not? What is the purpose and the result of this heart transplant?
Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove (then named Grow16) on March 19, 2017 – the first time our daily Bible devotions site was reading through Ezekiel. Jeff has been a valued writer and top contributor for SeekGrowLove through the years and we look forward to sharing his words from God’s Word with you all week. Thank You, Jeff, for your faithful words over and over again!
Ezekiel was a priest in Israel during a tumultuous time in their history. The Northern kingdom had been decimated by the Assyrian empire and its people scattered and assimilated resulting in a complete loss in their identity as a distinctive people of God. The Southern Kingdom of Judah was now being systematically taken apart by the Babylonians. Ezekiel was among the early members of Judah’s elite leaders who were taken captive to Babylon. Ezekiel was now a priest living in a foreign land where he had no access to the temple of Jerusalem and the religious symbols that helped shape his life and give him meaning and purpose.
In today’s readings God comes to Ezekiel in a series of visions. These visions are recorded as a type of scripture known as apocalyptic- where something is revealed or unveiled. In addition to portions of Ezekiel there are apocalyptic passages in the books of Daniel, Isaiah and Joel. God reveals what is going to happen as He brings an end to the present age preparing the way for the age to come or coming Kingdom of God. You will notice some similarities between Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 1 and 4.
Ezekiel’s description sounds like something in a science fiction movie- 1:27-28 says: “I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.”
Imagine if, for a brief instant, God permitted you to have a vision of himself in all of His glory. You would probably struggle to find the right words to communicate what you saw. So it is with Ezekiel. He is overcome by the glory of God and he falls on his face.
The whole of Ezekiel is surrounded by the image of a holy God. But God’s people, Israel, have been disobedient to God. Ezekiel is appointed by God to serve as his “watchman” (3:17) for the people Israel in captivity. His mission is to warn God’s people of their sins and to call them to repentance. Ezekiel 2:7-8: “You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you.”
The job of a watchman is to stay awake, keep one’s eyes open, and warn if anything dangerous or illegal is taking place. It might also include a warning to those who are tempted to trespass. Ezekiel’s job was to warn God’s people about the consequences of their sins and the coming judgment of God. God tells Ezekiel essentially: “you need to warn the people about my coming judgment. If they don’t listen to your warning, then they will suffer the consequences, but if you fail to warn them, then I’ll hold you responsible for their sins.” God was letting Ezekiel know that he had a mission, to share God’s word with people. If the people didn’t listen or heed the warning, it was on them, but if he refused to give the warning it was on him.
As followers of Jesus Christ today, we are called to be priests in this world. Like Ezekiel, we are living in an age where much of Christianity has been decimated by a massive turning away from God and people are scattered and assimilated into the world resulting in a complete loss in their identity as a distinctive people of God. And like Ezekiel, we are to keep watch and issue warnings to the people of the world. As with Ezekiel, sometimes we will warn people and they won’t listen. If that’s the case, it’s on them. But if we fail to do our job and give the warning, then it’s on us. People won’t always like what we have to say- prophets and priests are sometimes labelled as intolerant and not very popular, but that should not prevent us from doing the work God has given us to be His watchmen to our generation. (Note: our job is not to be the judge, it’s not our place to condemn the world, but to tell them what God tells us to tell them, which is the Gospel.)
-Pastor Jeff Fletcher
In 2017 Jeff introduced himself this way to the FUEL readers –
My name is Pastor Jeff Fletcher. I’m one of the old guys. I first attended what is now FUEL (then it was called National Camp) back in 1977 and I’ve been a camper or on the staff for most of the past 40 years. I’m a graduate of Oregon Bible College, (Now ABC) and I’m completing a Master’s Degree from Eastern Mennonite Seminary. I’ve pastored Churches in Illinois, England, Louisiana, South Carolina and now Virginia. My wife Karen and I have eleven children and 4 grandchildren and my daughter, Karee Anne is getting married this Saturday, March 25. In addition to pastoring a Church I also work as a hospital chaplain. I am passionate about bringing the message of God’s loving presence to people who are hurting and in need of hope and purpose in life.
Reflection Questions
What was Ezekiel facing being a priest and prophet of God in Babylon? Have you ever felt like you were God’s priest or prophet in Babylon? If not, why not?
Has anyone ever served as a watchman for you – warning you of God’s judgment to come? Why does God value this role and put the responsibility on Ezekiel?
Does God give us the job of making people change? What does he tell us to do?
How seriously do you personally take the job of watchman or priest? Who do you know who needs to hear that they are on a dangerous path? How will you sound the alarm?
The book of Lamentations is heavy. It is a raw, unfiltered look at grief. Jerusalem has fallen, the temple is destroyed, and the people are either dead, exiled, or living in deep suffering. The city walls have been torn down, homes burned, leaders captured, and the streets are empty. Hunger, fear, and loss have touched every household, and the once-proud city is now a place of desolation. Every chapter is filled with heartbreak, and the writer doesn’t shy away from addressing the pain.
But this is more than just a story of destruction. It’s an honest record of what it looks like when life falls apart. When the consequences of sin, both personal and collective, are unavoidable. The people knew God’s commands, and they chose to break them. Now they are living with the fallout, and it’s not pretty.
What stands out is how Lamentations holds both grief and hope at the same time. In chapter 3, right in the middle of all the sorrow, comes this anchor: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23). It’s not spoken after things get better. It’s spoken in the middle of the storm. That’s what makes it powerful for us. We all face seasons that feel like ruins, and the truth is, they do not always get better. Our faith cannot rest on whether life is comfortable or whether blessings are obvious. It has to be steady, no matter the circumstances. Like Job, who said, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21), we are called to worship God whether life is full or stripped bare. The struggle may not lift quickly, but we can rest in the salvation we have through Christ and in knowing that our God is a Redeemer. Even when we cannot yet see it, He is at work.
Lamentations reminds us that it’s okay to be honest about our pain, but it also calls us to cling to God’s character in the middle of it. His faithfulness isn’t proven by how quickly He fixes things, but by His presence and unchanging promises even while we wait.
Reflection Questions
Lamentations shows the people facing the full weight of their choices. How does acknowledging the reality of your own situation, without excuses, change the way you pray?
The writer of Lamentations keeps talking to God even when he feels unheard. How can you practice staying in conversation with God when your prayers seem unanswered?
The book ends without a neat resolution, yet with eyes still turned toward God. How can you hold on to hope when you have no guarantee of when or how God will act?
(Thank you, Dustin Farr, for writing this week! Dustin is a first-time writer for SeekGrowLove and we look forward to hearing more from him. He is a recent Graphic Design graduate.)
(if you read that yesterday you could re-read it – and then also get a start on Jeremiah’s next book, Lamentations – Lamentations 1-2)
Devotion by Dustin Farr (South Carolina)
All week, we have seen God speak against nations. We have read about judgment on neighbors, warnings to the proud, and promises of restoration for His people. Again and again, the theme has been clear, God humbles the exalted and lifts up those who seek Him. Today’s passage brings that story to a close with the final word on Babylon.
Babylon was not just another nation on the list. It was the empire that crushed Jerusalem, burned the temple, and carried God’s people into exile. To Judah, Babylon’s power must have felt like an unmovable wall. Yet in today’s reading, that wall crumbles. God declares that Babylon’s destruction will be complete and final. “When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates. Then say, ‘So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people will fall.” This is what will happen to the city that once seemed untouchable.
But this isn’t just about Babylon. It’s about the God who keeps His word. The God who, decades earlier, through the prophet Habakkuk, promised that Babylon’s reign would end. The same God who disciplined His people was also the one who defended and redeemed them.
So when we are in the places where we feel stuck, powerless, or forgotten, we know that we can rest assured in the justice and redemption of God. There may be “Babylons” in our lives. Health struggles that weigh us down, broken relationships that leave us hurting, financial pressures that keep us up at night, or just the struggles of life. Things that feel too strong to ever fall, and It can be easy to believe that nothing will change. But our God has the final word. His justice may take time, but it is certain. His restoration may not come when or how we want it, but it will come, and we can rest assured in that.
If we can trust Him with the big stories of nations and empires, then surely we can trust Him with the smaller but deeply personal battles we face. The same God who threw down Babylon is the one who lifts up His people, heals what is broken, and keeps every promise He makes. Our call is to remain faithful, not letting what we see in the moment shake our confidence in the One who rules over it all.
Reflection Questions:
Where have you experienced a “Babylon” in your life that God eventually brought down?
Looking back over this week’s readings, what is the biggest truth about God’s character or His promises that you want to carry with you?
When life feels unpredictable, it can be easy to forget that the One who spoke the universe into existence still reigns over every detail. The same God who set the stars in place and shaped the mountains is the One who sees you, knows you, and holds your future. If He can bring order out of chaos in creation, He can bring peace into your storms. Our confidence is not in the size of our own strength, but in the greatness of His power and the goodness of His heart.
Reflection Questions:
How does remembering God as the Creator strengthen your trust in Him during uncertain times?
What current “storm” in your life could you place more fully under His control?
When was the last time you paused to notice the beauty and order of creation, and how did it remind you of God’s power and wisdom?
If you have been following along this week, today’s chapters may feel familiar. Once again, God speaks judgment over the nations. But this time there is a shift. In chapters 46–48, the focus was on nearby nations. In today’s reading, in chapter 50, the scope widens, and the spotlight turns to Babylon, the strongest empire of the day and the very nation God had used to discipline Judah.
Babylon’s fall was not just another victory in history. It was the fulfillment of what God had told Habakkuk earlier in our readings: the oppressor would not go unpunished. Their idols, walls, and armies would crumble, and their pride would be exposed. What made this moment unique was that the fall of Babylon also marked the beginning of Israel and Judah’s restoration. God promised they would return together, seeking Him with repentant hearts, and He would renew the covenant they had broken.
For us, the lesson is clear. Pride and worldly security can feel unshakable, but they cannot stand when God moves. True safety is found in humility before Him. As Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). The same God who brought down Babylon can rebuild what is broken in our lives if we turn to Him in humility and trust.
Reflection Questions:
When God promised the fall of Babylon, it seemed impossible to those living under its power. How does this challenge your view of what is “too big” for God to change today?
Israel and Judah’s restoration was tied to turning back to God with weeping and seeking. What would it look like for you to return to Him in a season where you feel far away?
Babylon’s downfall shows that no one is beyond God’s reach. How can this truth shape the way you pray for people or situations that seem unchangeable?
Seek Grow Love 