ENTERTAINMENT AT CHURCH. Ezekiel 33:30-33.

SESAME STREET convinced generations of children that school should be fun. There’s nothing wrong with an entertaining class. But EXPECTING to be entertained at school is TERRIBLE. If students believe everything must be entertaining to “earn” their attention, then they will refuse to learn when things become boring or tedious. Why is that a problem? Because there are many things worth learning that can only be learned by pressing through boredom.[1]

Bodybuilders say “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” I say “BOREDOM IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE MIND.”

Do you go to church hoping to be entertained? Do you expect musicians to be world class and preachers to overwhelm you with humor and great stories? God saw that in ancient Israel. He complained to Ezekiel:

“Son of man, people are talking about you all over town. They come to you in crowds, sit in front of you, and hear your words, but they don’t obey them…. To them you are like a singer of love songs who has a beautiful voice and plays skillfully on an instrument. It’s entertainment only. They hear your words, but they don’t obey them. Yet when judgment comes—and it will come—then they will know….” Ezekiel 33:30-33.

At our church, we have been blessed with incredible music and speakers. It is never boring. But God would prefer preachers who read their sermons without looking up and singers who sing off-key, if their hearts are right. A tiny church like FBC Hempstead pleases God more than a place as big as Lakewood, if the big place takes its eyes off God.

Soren Kierkegaard wrote long ago: The choir, preacher, and congregation are the worshipers—the entertainers, if you will—using their gifts for God’s glory.

The AUDIENCE of our worship is God Himself. Anything else is backwards.

Dear God, bless our worship. Never let us go to church to be entertained like the people who enjoyed listening to Ezekiel. Help us listen with our hearts and be TOUCHED by You. Work in us. Soften our hearts and help us worship You at church with our whole hearts.

ΑΩ

[1] It was my childhood inability to tolerate boredom that kept me from learning to speak Spanish and to play the piano.

Break the Chain of National Pride that Takes Credit for Things God Has Done. Ezekiel 32:10.

God used Babylon to humble Israel. Then when Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, grew proud, God used Darius, King of Persia, to humble Nebuchadnezzar.  This is a common pattern in Bible history: God lifts up one nation to humble another. But then the nation God raised up become proud, and God lifts up a third nation to humble the one that has grown proud. This pattern is like a chain, each nation a link in that chain. And if that is true, the United States is on top,–at present–raised up by God to humble others. But if so, what does the future hold for us? Are we so proud, God will be forced to humble us?

There is nothing wrong with loving your country.

As Americans, we have so much to be grateful for. You should love your nation. But when national pride interferes with your humble devotion to the God who rules over the affairs of man, there is going to be a problem.

Not only will God punish the offending nation for its pride. He will make a spectacle of that nation, using it as a warning to others. Consider the world-conquering empires that have been humbled: Egypt, Greece, Rome, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, and others. Some of these remain players on the international stage, others barely deserve a footnote.  Perhaps there is a direct correlation between offending national pride and the current relevance of these former empires.  Others—Russia, perhaps—remain powerful, but may be destined for future disaster. You never know what God is going to do. God judged the pride of Egypt, and that nation has never recovered its former glory:

“I will cause many nations to be appalled at you, and their kings will shudder with fear because of you when I brandish My sword in front of them. On the day of your downfall each of them will tremble every moment for his life” Ezekiel 32:10.

God, thank you for a nation where we can live and worship you in peace and safety. But never let us grow so proud of our nation that our national pride offends You. Never let us forget that You are the giver of all good things, that every good and perfect gift comes from above, James 1:17.  Our nation would be nothing without the blessings that come from You. Bless us with humble, reverent hearts.

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EGYPT. Ezekiel chapters 29, 30, 31.

Egypt. How was the dynasty eclipsed by Greeks, Romans, and the British Empire? Today the Land of Pyramids is a has-been.

But Egypt once ruled the world. Besides allowing transportation up and down the continent, the Nile’s seasonal flooding spread water and nutrients across the delta. Soon the plow was invented, allowing people to build houses and stay put for the first time. Egypt birthed the first cities and the great nation flourished on the 4,000-mile river.

So what happened?

PRIDE.

“Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh … who says ‘My Nile is my own; I made it for myself.’ …I will turn the land of Egypt into ruins… Egypt will be lowly and will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small they cannot rule over the nations…. Look! I am against Pharaoh. I will break his arms … and make the sword fall from his hand…. They will know that I am Yahweh. Because [Egypt] grew proud, … I determined to hand it over… I banished it because of its wickedness.” Ezekiel 29:3,10,15; 30:22,26; 31:10-11.

This is fulfilled prophecy. Is today’s Egypt not a lowly shadow of what it once was? Today the Land of Pharaohs is so inconsequential its actions are ignored by the world. The proud land has been humbled forever.

And cannot the same be said of global empires that followed it? How critical is Greece or Rome on the world stage? Napoleonic France? Nazi Germany? Great Britain remains a key player—God has been merciful—but England is not the superpower it once was. Could the United States likewise be headed for irrelevance?

One story repeated often in scripture:

Nation A becomes proud. God raises up Nation B to execute His humbling judgment on Nation A. Nation B later becomes proud—and God uses Nation C to carry out His judgment on Nation B, and so on.

God, keep us HUMBLE! Bless our nation with humble, God-fearing citizens who seek Your glory and not our own!

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EGYPT: AN INTERNATIONAL NOBODY. Ezekiel 29:15; James 1:17.

You don’t hear much about modern Egypt. The nation on the Nile once ruled the world. Through Joseph, Egypt saved the world from famine. The nation built the pyramids—glorified tombs listed among the Seven Wonders of the World. They built the Sphinx. They invented hieroglyphics. They filled King Tut’s tomb with a billion dollars in treasure. But Egypt today? Hardly a player on the world stage.

There’s a reason for that—the King was so arrogant, he practically begged for God’s judgment:

“Look, I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great monster lying in the middle of the Nile, who says, ‘My Nile is my own; I made it for myself.’” Ezekiel 29:3.

God made the Nile. And He does not have much patience with kings who become so arrogant they begin taking credit for God’s creative work. (When Nebuchadnezzar took credit for Babylon, God struck him too.) But Pharaoh’s sins did not stop there. God catalogues quite a list in chapters 29-32, and the judgment to come is extraordinary. Egypt will be destroyed, its cities and people wiped out, the land empty for forty years, and the nation will never recover its former glory. Check out this curse, and ask yourself if it did not come true:

“Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will NEVER AGAIN exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small they cannot rule over the nations.” Ezekiel 29:15.

That’s exactly what happened, isn’t it? Egypt is a flea of a nation today, because long ago its kings turned their backs on God and took credit for His works.

Do we ever take credit for things God has done? Ask Him to speak to you, to remind you that HE IS YOUR SOURCE, that “every good and perfect gift comes from above” James 1:17.

God, fill us with hearts of humility and gratitude. Never let us overlook the many blessings you pour into our lives. May we ALWAYS be thankful and give You credit for our blessings.

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Watch Out for the Sin of Egypt. Ezekiel 29:15

Ever wonder what happened to Egypt? The nation once ruled the world. Today it is on the sidelines. But it was proud, and God does not ignore pride.

When Egypt said, “the Nile is my own, I made it for myself,” God promised judgment. He said:

Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small they cannot rule over the nations. Ezekiel 29:15

–And that’s what happened.

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Stop Hoping Bad Things Will Happen to Bad Drivers, Rude People on Social Media–and All Those Others. Ezekiel 25:3-4

I confess: sometimes when people drive rudely around me, I hope to see them on the side of the road stalled with engine failure, or in a ditch somewhere after losing control, or climbing out of their car after crashing into a bridge abutment. I confess: sometimes I wish evil on the people I see racing on Houston freeways after dark. I don’t want them killed. But have I been happy to see someone getting pulled over by a police officer? Yes. Yes, I have.

Signs all over town direct us to “DRIVE FRIENDLY.”

And it convicts me. My driving may be friendly enough, but how often am I sitting in my car giving some other driver a lecture that only I can hear. Is that friendly? Is it Christlike? What does God think about my devious hopes for bad luck and bad consequences to fall on other drivers?

In the book of Ezekiel, God punished the neighboring nations that rejoiced when things went badly for Israel. If Judah was in trouble and you celebrated, God punished you.

God did not merely punish nations that CAUSED Israel’s problems. He punished the nations that were happy about it.

“Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Lord God … Because you said, ‘Good!’ about My sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore I am about to give you to the people of the east as a possession.” Ezekiel 25:3-4.

What did the Ammonites do wrong? They said, ‘Good!’ when Israel and Judah suffered. Next, God pronounced judgment on Moab:

“Because Moab and Seir said, ‘Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,’ therefore I am about to expose Moab’s flank….’” Ezekiel 25:8-9. 

What did Moab do wrong? They said ‘Hey, Judah’s just like us now.’  Next, God pronounced judgment on Tyre:

“Because Tyre said about Jerusalem, ‘Good! … I will be filled now that she lies in ruins.’ Therefore the Lord God says, ‘I am against you, Tyre’” Ezekiel 26:2-3.

Do you see what’s going on here? God is punishing people because their heart was not in the right place. We know He loves Israel. The Bible tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem in Psalm 122:6. But we are also to love our neighbors, Mark 12:31. We are to love the foreigner who lives among us, Leviticus 19:33. We are to love the poor, Proverbs 21:13. And Jesus takes it even further: we are to love our enemies, Matthew 5:44 (even the rude drivers).

God, you know our hearts. Show us how to love others the way YOU love them. Help us forgive and love and sacrifice for others. Show us how we can bless the less fortunate all around us without judging them for the decisions that made them ‘less fortunate.’ Make us more like You, Jesus.

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SATAN’S BACKSTORY. Ezekiel 28:12-19.

Where did the devil come from? Who is he and how much power does he have? Some of the answers are found in Ezekiel 28.

“You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God, and were covered in every kind of precious stone… [turquoise is even mentioned]. You were an anointed guardian cherub, for I appointed you with rank. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones [near God’s throne]. From the day you were created, you were blameless until wickedness was found in you….

YOUR HEART BECAME PROUD BECAUSE OF YOUR BEAUTY; for the sake of that beauty and glory, you corrupted your wisdom. So I threw you down to earth. I made you a spectacle…. I made fire come from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes… those who see you are appalled at you. You have become an object of horror and will never exist again” Ezekiel 28:12-19.

So what has God told us about our enemy?

  1. He was created by God. (This is key—he is not God’s equal in any way. God is INFINITELY more powerful.)
  2. Satan was created beautiful, perfect, and sinless.
  3. He was a high-ranking angel.
  4. He became proud, then violent, and his pride corrupted his wisdom (that is, his reasoning became flawed when pride told him he could challenge God).
  5. God threw the enemy down to earth and burned him to ashes.
  6. All who truly see the devil are appalled at him; he is no longer beautiful, but an object of horror (consider what severe burns do to the appearance of people).
  7. His time is limited. God will one day lock the devil in the pit forever. He will never cause trouble again.

God, thank You for reminding us that You have NO RIVALS. No one can challenge Your infinite power, wisdom, and love.

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PRIDE GOETH BEFORE THE DESTRUCTION … OF SATAN. Ezekiel 28:12-19.

Every day you see it: someone proud fails. It happens in “karma” videos, sports, academics, celebrity gossip, politics, and movie plots. It’s happened to all of us—your confidence becomes cockiness and you fail. Maybe you stare in the mirror telling yourself how great you look, and suddenly acne breaks out like a rash of boils. Or you feel proud of your acting chops and then forget your lines.

It happened to your enemy first. The devil was one of the highest-ranking angels, with a position that placed him next to God’s throne. He had wisdom and beauty like no other. He was covered in jewels. He was the master of music, art, and all things beautiful (and he still uses those gifts to deceive us). But he began admiring himself, proud of his wisdom and beauty, and he wanted more. He wanted to be God and sit on God’s throne. And God cast him out of heaven, disgracing him, and making him an object of horror.

His revenge? To hurt God by hurting those God loves—including the Jews (God’s chosen people), innocent children and the unborn, and everyone else. Make no mistake: he has already plotted your destruction.

“You were sealed with perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, God’s Garden. You wore a Golden robe covered in jewels. You were a high-ranking angel, anointed by God, walking among the fiery stones beside His throne. You were blameless until wickedness was found in you. You became filled with violence, so God expelled you from his throne, banishing you. It all began when your heart became proud because of your beauty; to gain more glory, you corrupted your wisdom. So God cast you to earth, making you a spectacle and an object of horror. He filled your insides with a fire that will consume you, reducing your glory to ashes. One day you will forever cease to be.” Ezekiel 28:12-19 (paraphrased).

No wonder God is opposed to the proud! PRACTICE AND PRAY FOR HUMILITY.

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SABER RATTLING. Ezekiel 21:3-5.

The term “saber rattling” is one of those phrases you hear on the news or perhaps in a college classroom. It sounds sophisticated, but probably confuses half the audience. But you can figure it out using context clues. What is a saber? It’s a sword.  Why rattle a sword? As a threat.  Dictionary.com offers this definition:

SABER RATTLING, n. A flamboyant display of military power; also aggressive blustering. For example, ‘there had been a great deal of saber rattling between the two nations but hostilities had never broken out.’

Think of ‘Saber rattling’ as trash talk between nations.

The thing about saber rattling is that some threats are not merely threats—Days before the US dropped an atom bomb on Nagasaki, leaflets were dropped from the sky to warn the people:

“TO THE JAPANESE PEOPLE: America asks that you take immediate heed of what we say in this leaflet. We are in possession of the most destructive explosion ever devised by man. A single one of our newly developed atomic bombs is actually the equivalent in explosive power to what 2000 of our giant B-29s can carry on a single mission … If you still have any doubt, make inquiry as to what happened to Hiroshima when just one atomic bomb fell on that city … Petition the Emperor to end the war … EVACUATE YOUR CITIES.”

Again, the thing about saber rattling is that some threats are not merely threats—sometimes parties follow through on their threats. If God were accused of saber rattling, you must assume He does not make empty threats.  If your life is so steeped in sin that God begins giving you warnings, you better take it seriously.

“This is what the Lord says, ‘I am against you. I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off both the righteous and the wicked from you. Since I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will therefore come out of its sheath against everyone from the south to the north. So all the people will know that I, Yahweh, have taken My sword from its sheath—it will not be sheathed again” Ezekiel 21:3-5.

The book of Ezekiel contains a great deal of judgment.  Some would argue the entire Old Testament contains a great deal of judgment. I would call it a message of love and grace not unlike the New Testament, but the emphasis in the Old Testament is on HOLINESS and FAITHFULNESS.  God wants to rid His people of idol worship. He is refining them, growing them, improving them. And yes, He brings serious consequences to those who are engaged in serious sin.  We live today under a New Covenant. There are differences. But we too must strive to live holy lives, to be faithful to God above all else, and to flee lust and make good choices. Otherwise, even New Testament believers will reap what they sow.

“God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” Galatians 6:7.

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LIFE IN THE FISH BOWL. Ezekiel 24:16,18.

Imagine a goldfish, swimming around a glass bowl all day, his every move on display. No privacy.

Pastor’s families live in a fish bowl: everything they do is watched by the church—watched and judged. It is not easy.

Being in ministry means living selflessly. When you “put on the collar” people see you differently. Your gifts are taken for granted, and your failures are blown out of proportion. Now that you are set apart as a church staff member, you no longer stand out for the traits that got you there—few notice your kindness, selflessness, humility, cheerfulness, or hard work. All of it is taken for granted. And of course you never cuss, smoke, or watch dirty movies.

It’s expected: “Well, it’s easy for you—you’re a preacher.”

The preacher’s achievements belong to the Lord. Even his hobbies belong to the Lord. Imagine being a writer. A private person could write anything: crime novels, murder mysteries, even “sizzling” romance novels. But a preacher’s hobbies belong to God. And if he is successful—if he wrote the next LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, for example, he could not travel the world on a book tour, having his picture taken with celebrities. A pastor’s life is not his own.

The lives of Old Testament prophets belonged to God even more so. Jeremiah saw such devastation he is called “the weeping prophet.” Elijah ran for his life. John the Baptist was martyred. God asked Hosea to raise children with a prostitute. And Ezekiel’s wife was taken from him as a living parable for Israel:

“Then the word of the Lord came to me. ‘Son of man, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a fatal blow. But you must not lament or weep or let your tears flow….’ I spoke to the people in the morning and my wife died in the evening” Ezekiel 24:16,18.

God, thank you for the selfless pastors in our lives. Show us how to bless them, support them, and hesitate before criticizing them.

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