Bible League: Living His Word And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it.— Ezekiel 17:24 ESV Sooner or later, everyone will know that the Lord God of heaven and earth rules and reigns over all things. In our verse for today, trees represent the nations of the earth. Sooner or later, then, every nation of the earth will know that the Lord God rules and reigns over all things. How shall the Lord make this known, even to the nations of the earth? He shall make it known by bringing low the high trees and drying up the green trees. Every nation that looks upon its power and wealth, that thinks it is above the rule and reign of the Lord God will be brought low. The other nations will see this happen and pay heed, lest the same thing happen to them. You can't rage against the Lord, you can't plot against Him, and expect to get away with it. The Lord God sits in heaven and laughs at that kind of foolish hubris. He holds the nations that indulge themselves with it in derision (Psalm 2:1-4). The Lord shall also make it known by making high the low trees and making the dry trees flourish. Every weak and poor nation that acknowledges the rule and reign of the Lord God will be lifted up and made to flourish. The other nations will also see this happen. If they see and pay heed, then the same thing can happen to them. Any wise and humble nations that serve the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling, any that look to Him for help and take refuge in Him, will be richly blessed (Psalm 2:10-12). The Lord Himself has spoken this and He will do it. It is, put simply, a done deal. It doesn't matter what the nations of the earth think about this, it's going to happen the way the Lord God says it's going to happen. And, sooner or later, every nation will know it. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading2 Kings 12, 13, 14 2 Kings 12 -- Joash Reigns over Judah, Repairs the Temple NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Kings 13 -- Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Kings of Israel; Elisha Dies NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Kings 14 -- Amaziah and Jeroboam II Kings of Judah NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 5:25-47 John 5 -- The Pool of Bethesda; Testimony about Christ NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion I know, LORD, that our lives are not our own.We are not able to plan our own course. So correct me, LORD, but please be gentle. Do not correct me in anger, for I would die. Insight God's ability to direct our lives well is infinitely beyond our ability. Sometimes we are afraid of God's power and God's plans because we know his power would easily crush us if he used it against us. Challenge Don't be afraid to let God correct your plans. He will give you wisdom if you are willing. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Hebrews 12:23 Made perfect.Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the Christian needs--the perfection of justification in the person of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification wrought in him by the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet remains even in the breasts of the regenerate--experience soon teaches us this. Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations. But I rejoice to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work which he has begun; and he shall present my soul, not only perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit, without spot or blemish, or any such thing. Can it be true that this poor sinful heart of mine is to become holy even as God is holy? Can it be that this spirit, which often cries, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this sin and death?" shall get rid of sin and death--that I shall have no evil things to vex my ears, and no unholy thoughts to disturb my peace? Oh, happy hour! may it be hastened! When I cross the Jordan, the work of sanctification will be finished; but not till that moment shall I even claim perfection in myself. Then my spirit shall have its last baptism in the Holy Spirit's fire. Methinks I long to die to receive that last and final purification which shall usher me into heaven. Not an angel more pure than I shall be, for I shall be able to say, in a double sense, "I am clean," through Jesus' blood, and through the Spirit's work. Oh, how should we extol the power of the Holy Ghost in thus making us fit to stand before our Father in heaven! Yet let not the hope of perfection hereafter make us content with imperfection now. If it does this, our hope cannot be genuine; for a good hope is a purifying thing, even now. The work of grace must be abiding in us now or it cannot be perfected then. Let us pray to "be filled with the Spirit," that we may bring forth increasingly the fruits of righteousness. Daily Light on the Daily Path Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,Revelation 1:17,18 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, • and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. John 17:24 "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 5:30 because we are members of His body. Colossians 1:18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. Colossians 2:10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; Hebrews 2:14,15 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, • and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 1 Corinthians 15:53,54 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. • But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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