That sign... Gary Rose

I really like this sign both for its succinctness and accuracy. And that teeshirt he is wearing compliments the message perfectly. And the best part is that this young man doesn’t have to say a word. So, no one can twist his message into something that will distort it into meaninglessness. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 15 ( World English Bible )

[1] Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, [2] by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

[3] For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, [5] and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. [6] Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep. [7] Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, [8] and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.

Some things everyone will agree on: The fact that life is short and that all human beings will die (common sense will tell you these things). If you think about it, there is a certain basic knowledge of right and wrong in almost everyone. Murder and extreme torture are a couple of examples that come to mind. Only the most wicked human beings would accept these things as being OK. Societies have collectively codified this basic knowledge of right and wrong into laws to reflect their moral understandings.

But, what if governments make a bad law? What if they make a law which approves of something like murder. The Germans did and the Jews were mass murdered. America has, and millions of aborted babies are the result. It is a fact that humans can be and often are wrong. So, what do we do about this- we look for an absolute standard; one that is infallible and perfect. To do this we need to turn to God. He has provided a way to live, act and think that is perfect. But the sad fact is, that people will break his laws and the consequence is death. This failure to not obey what God has told us to do The Bible refers to as sin. God sent his son Jesus to supply the remedy for sin. His blood covers our transgressions. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves that there can be life after death, so only a foolish person would refuse to accept his gift. In other words, as the sign says: Jesus saves. Speaking of other words, I have always loved the first Gospel (the good news of Jesus sacrifice) sermon. The apostle Peter says…

Acts 2 ( WEB )

[22] ”Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as you yourselves know, [23] him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; [24] whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. [25] For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. [26] Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope; [27] because you will not leave my soul in Hades* or, Hell, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay. [28] You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

[29] ”Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. [30] Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, [31] he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades* or, Hell, nor did his flesh see decay. [32] This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses. [33] Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear. [34] For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand, [35] until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ [36] ”Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

[37] Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” [38] Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” [40] With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” [41] Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. [42] They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.

The facts: Jesus offers a way out of our sin problem (which leads to our eternal death). How we respond to those facts is enumerated in verses 37 and following.

Now, this is a lot to consider, but once you do, I think you will once again think of the message of the above picture and determine to do something about your life.

My answer:

Accept the gift, do what you must to obey and then live forever.

Yours is....

Bible Reading November 27 & 28 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading  November 27 & 28

World  English  Bible

Nov. 27

Ezekiel 1-4

Eze 1:1 Now it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

Eze 1:2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

Eze 1:3 the word of Yahweh came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Yahweh was there on him.

Eze 1:4 I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of its midst as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire.

Eze 1:5 Out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.

Eze 1:6 Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings.

Eze 1:7 Their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass.

Eze 1:8 They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings thus:

Eze 1:9 their wings were joined one to another; they didn't turn when they went; each one went straight forward.

Eze 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle.

Eze 1:11 Their faces and their wings were separate above; two wings of each one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

Eze 1:12 Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; they didn't turn when they went.

Eze 1:13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: the fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

Eze 1:14 The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Eze 1:15 Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.

Eze 1:16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.

Eze 1:17 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn't turn when they went.

Eze 1:18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes all around.

Eze 1:19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

Eze 1:20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Eze 1:21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Eze 1:22 Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome crystal to look on, stretched forth over their heads above.

Eze 1:23 Under the expanse were their wings straight, the one toward the other: each one had two which covered on this side, and every one had two which covered on that side, their bodies.

Eze 1:24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army: when they stood, they let down their wings.

Eze 1:25 There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings.

Eze 1:26 Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.

Eze 1:27 I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.

Eze 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.

Eze 2:1 He said to me, Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.

Eze 2:2 The Spirit entered into me when he spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard him who spoke to me.

Eze 2:3 He said to me, Son of man, I send you to the children of Israel, to nations that are rebellious, which have rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me even to this very day.

Eze 2:4 The children are impudent and stiff-hearted: I am sending you to them; and you shall tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh.

Eze 2:5 They, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them.

Eze 2:6 You, son of man, don't be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you do dwell among scorpions: don't be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.

Eze 2:7 You shall speak my words to them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear; for they are most rebellious.

Eze 2:8 But you, son of man, hear what I tell you; don't be you rebellious like that rebellious house: open your mouth, and eat that which I give you.

Eze 2:9 When I looked, behold, a hand was put forth to me; and, behold, a scroll of a book was therein;

Eze 2:10 He spread it before me: and it was written within and without; and there were written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

Eze 3:1 He said to me, Son of man, eat that which you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.

Eze 3:2 So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat the scroll.

Eze 3:3 He said to me, Son of man, cause your belly to eat, and fill your bowels with this scroll that I give you. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

Eze 3:4 He said to me, Son of man, go, get you to the house of Israel, and speak with my words to them.

Eze 3:5 For you are not sent to a people of a strange speech and of a hard language, but to the house of Israel;

Eze 3:6 not to many peoples of a strange speech and of a hard language, whose words you can not understand. Surely, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you.

Eze 3:7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you; for they will not listen to me: for all the house of Israel are of hard forehead and of a stiff heart.

Eze 3:8 Behold, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads.

Eze 3:9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made your forehead: don't be afraid of them, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.

Eze 3:10 Moreover he said to me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears.

Eze 3:11 Go, get you to them of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Eze 3:12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of Yahweh from his place.

Eze 3:13 I heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, even the noise of a great rushing.

Eze 3:14 So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and the hand of Yahweh was strong on me.

Eze 3:15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel Aviv, that lived by the river Chebar, and to where they lived; and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.

Eze 3:16 It happened at the end of seven days, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

Eze 3:18 When I tell the wicked, You shall surely die; and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand.

Eze 3:19 Yet if you warn the wicked, and he doesn't turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

Eze 3:20 Again, when a righteous man does turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die: because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at your hand.

Eze 3:21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you have delivered your soul.

Eze 3:22 The hand of Yahweh was there on me; and he said to me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with you.

Eze 3:23 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and behold, the glory of Yahweh stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.

Eze 3:24 Then the Spirit entered into me, and set me on my feet; and he spoke with me, and said to me, Go, shut yourself within your house.

Eze 3:25 But you, son of man, behold, they shall lay bands on you, and shall bind you with them, and you shall not go out among them:

Eze 3:26 and I will make your tongue cleave to the roof of your mouth, that you shall be mute, and shall not be to them a reprover; for they are a rebellious house.

Eze 3:27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: He who hears, let him hear; and he who forbears, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

Eze 4:1 You also, son of man, take a tile, and lay it before you, and portray on it a city, even Jerusalem:

Eze 4:2 and lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around.

Eze 4:3 Take for yourself an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between you and the city: and set your face toward it, and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.

Eze 4:4 Moreover lie you on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it; according to the number of the days that you shall lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity.

Eze 4:5 For I have appointed the years of their iniquity to be to you a number of days, even three hundred ninety days: so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.

Eze 4:6 Again, when you have accomplished these, you shall lie on your right side, and shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah: forty days, each day for a year, have I appointed it to you.

Eze 4:7 You shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with your arm uncovered; and you shall prophesy against it.

Eze 4:8 Behold, I lay bands on you, and you shall not turn you from one side to the other, until you have accomplished the days of your siege.

Eze 4:9 Take for yourself also wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make you bread of it; according to the number of the days that you shall lie on your side, even three hundred ninety days, you shall eat of it.

Eze 4:10 Your food which you shall eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time you shall eat it.

Eze 4:11 You shall drink water by measure, the sixth part of a hin: from time to time you shall drink.

Eze 4:12 You shall eat it as barley cakes, and you shall bake it in their sight with dung that comes out of man.

Eze 4:13 Yahweh said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations where I will drive them.

Eze 4:14 Then said I, Ah Lord Yahweh! behold, my soul has not been polluted; for from my youth up even until now have I not eaten of that which dies of itself, or is torn of animals; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.

Eze 4:15 Then he said to me, Behold, I have given you cow's dung for man's dung, and you shall prepare your bread thereon.

Eze 4:16 Moreover he said to me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with fearfulness; and they shall drink water by measure, and in dismay:

Eze 4:17 that they may want bread and water, and be dismayed one with another, and pine away in their iniquity.

Nov. 28

Ezekiel 5-8

Eze 5:1 You, son of man, take a sharp sword; You shall take it as a barber's razor to you, and shall cause it to pass on your head and on your beard: then take balances to weigh, and divide the hair.

Eze 5:2 A third part you shall burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and you shall take a third part, and strike with the sword around it; and a third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Eze 5:3 You shall take of it a few in number, and bind them in your skirts.

Eze 5:4 Of these again you shall take, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; from it shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

Eze 5:5 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are around her.

Eze 5:6 She has rebelled against my ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries that are around her; for they have rejected my ordinances, and as for my statutes, they have not walked in them.

Eze 5:7 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you are turbulent more than the nations that are around you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my ordinances, neither have done after the ordinances of the nations that are around you;

Eze 5:8 therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I, even I, am against you; and I will execute judgments in the midst of you in the sight of the nations.

Eze 5:9 I will do in you that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all your abominations.

Eze 5:10 Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of you, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments on you; and the whole remnant of you will I scatter to all the winds.

Eze 5:11 Therefore, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things, and with all your abominations, therefore will I also diminish you; neither shall my eye spare, and I also will have no pity.

Eze 5:12 A third part of you shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of you; and a third part shall fall by the sword around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds, and will draw out a sword after them.

Eze 5:13 Thus shall my anger be accomplished, and I will cause my wrath toward them to rest, and I shall be comforted; and they shall know that I, Yahweh, have spoken in my zeal, when I have accomplished my wrath on them.

Eze 5:14 Moreover I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the nations that are around you, in the sight of all that pass by.

Eze 5:15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment, to the nations that are around you, when I shall execute judgments on you in anger and in wrath, and in wrathful rebukes; (I, Yahweh, have spoken it;)

Eze 5:16 when I shall send on them the evil arrows of famine, that are for destruction, which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine on you, and will break your staff of bread;

Eze 5:17 and I will send on you famine and evil animals, and they shall bereave you; and pestilence and blood shall pass through you; and I will bring the sword on you: I, Yahweh, have spoken it.

Eze 6:1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Eze 6:2 Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy to them,

Eze 6:3 and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Yahweh: Thus says the Lord Yahweh to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys: Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places.

Eze 6:4 Your altars shall become desolate, and your incense altars shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.

Eze 6:5 I will lay the dead bodies of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones around your altars.

Eze 6:6 In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.

Eze 6:7 The slain shall fall in the midst of you, and you shall know that I am Yahweh.

Eze 6:8 Yet will I leave a remnant, in that you shall have some that escape the sword among the nations, when you shall be scattered through the countries.

Eze 6:9 Those of you that escape shall remember me among the nations where they shall be carried captive, how that I have been broken with their lewd heart, which has departed from me, and with their eyes, which play the prostitute after their idols: and they shall loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

Eze 6:10 They shall know that I am Yahweh: I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them.

Eze 6:11 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Smite with your hand, and stamp with your foot, and say, Alas! because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel; for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

Eze 6:12 He who is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he who is near shall fall by the sword; and he who remains and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my wrath on them.

Eze 6:13 You shall know that I am Yahweh, when their slain men shall be among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the places where they offered pleasant aroma to all their idols.

Eze 6:14 I will stretch out my hand on them, and make the land desolate and waste, from the wilderness toward Diblah, throughout all their habitations: and they shall know that I am Yahweh.

Eze 7:1 Moreover the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Eze 7:2 You, son of man, thus says the Lord Yahweh to the land of Israel, An end: the end is come on the four corners of the land.

Eze 7:3 Now is the end on you, and I will send my anger on you, and will judge you according to your ways; and I will bring on you all your abominations.

Eze 7:4 My eye shall not spare you, neither will I have pity; but I will bring your ways on you, and your abominations shall be in the midst of you: and you shall know that I am Yahweh.

Eze 7:5 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: An evil, an only evil; behold, it comes.

Eze 7:6 An end is come, the end is come; it awakes against you; behold, it comes.

Eze 7:7 Your doom is come to you, inhabitant of the land: the time is come, the day is near, a day of tumult, and not of joyful shouting, on the mountains.

Eze 7:8 Now will I shortly pour out my wrath on you, and accomplish my anger against you, and will judge you according to your ways; and I will bring on you all your abominations.

Eze 7:9 My eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will bring on you according to your ways; and your abominations shall be in the midst of you; and you shall know that I, Yahweh, do strike.

Eze 7:10 Behold, the day, behold, it comes: your doom is gone forth; the rod has blossomed, pride has budded.

Eze 7:11 Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness; none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of their wealth: neither shall there be eminency among them.

Eze 7:12 The time is come, the day draws near: don't let the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn; for wrath is on all its multitude.

Eze 7:13 For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they be yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude of it, none shall return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.

Eze 7:14 They have blown the trumpet, and have made all ready; but none goes to the battle; for my wrath is on all its multitude.

Eze 7:15 The sword is outside, and the pestilence and the famine within: he who is in the field shall die with the sword: and he who is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.

Eze 7:16 But those of those who escape shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, every one in his iniquity.

Eze 7:17 All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water.

Eze 7:18 They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be on all faces, and baldness on all their heads.

Eze 7:19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be as an unclean thing; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of Yahweh: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels; because it has been the stumbling block of their iniquity.

Eze 7:20 As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty; but they made the images of their abominations and their detestable things therein: therefore have I made it to them as an unclean thing.

Eze 7:21 I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall profane it.

Eze 7:22 My face will I turn also from them, and they shall profane my secret place; and robbers shall enter into it, and profane it.

Eze 7:23 Make the chain; for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.

Eze 7:24 Therefore I will bring the worst of the nations, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pride of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be profaned.

Eze 7:25 Destruction comes; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.

Eze 7:26 Mischief shall come on mischief, and rumor shall be on rumor; and they shall seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the elders.

Eze 7:27 The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do to them after their way, and according to their own judgments will I judge them; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.

Eze 8:1 It happened in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord Yahweh fell there on me.

Eze 8:2 Then I saw, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of his waist and downward, fire; and from his waist and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal.

Eze 8:3 He put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and the sky, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner court that looks toward the north; where there was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.

Eze 8:4 Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the appearance that I saw in the plain.

Eze 8:5 Then said he to me, Son of man, lift up your eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up my eyes the way toward the north, and see, northward of the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.

Eze 8:6 He said to me, Son of man, see you what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel do commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but you shall again see yet other great abominations.

Eze 8:7 He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall.

Eze 8:8 Then said he to me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had dug in the wall, behold, a door.

Eze 8:9 He said to me, Go in, and see the wicked abominations that they do here.

Eze 8:10 So I went in and saw; and see, every form of creeping things, and abominable animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed around on the wall.

Eze 8:11 There stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel; and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, every man with his censer in his hand; and the odor of the cloud of incense went up.

Eze 8:12 Then said he to me, Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his chambers of imagery? for they say, Yahweh doesn't see us; Yahweh has forsaken the land.

Eze 8:13 He said also to me, You shall again see yet other great abominations which they do.

Eze 8:14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of Yahweh's house which was toward the north; and see, there sat the women weeping for Tammuz.

Eze 8:15 Then said he to me, Have you seen this, son of man? you shall again see yet greater abominations than these.

Eze 8:16 He brought me into the inner court of Yahweh's house; and see, at the door of the temple of Yahweh, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs toward the temple of Yahweh, and their faces toward the east; and they were worshipping the sun toward the east.

Eze 8:17 Then he said to me, Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have turned again to provoke me to anger: and behold, they put the branch to their nose.

Eze 8:18 Therefore will I also deal in wrath; my eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

Nov. 27

Hebrews 13

Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.

Heb 13:2 Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Heb 13:3 Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them; and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body.

Heb 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

Heb 13:5 Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, "I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you."

Heb 13:6 So that with good courage we say, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Heb 13:7 Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Heb 13:9 Don't be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by food, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

Heb 13:10 We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat.

Heb 13:11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp.

Heb 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate.

Heb 13:13 Let us therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach.

Heb 13:14 For we don't have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come.

Heb 13:15 Through him, then, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name.

Heb 13:16 But don't forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Heb 13:18 Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.

Heb 13:19 I strongly urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you sooner.

Heb 13:20 Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus,

Heb 13:21 make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Heb 13:22 But I exhort you, brothers, endure the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.

Heb 13:23 Know that our brother Timothy has been freed, with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.

Heb 13:24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. The Italians greet you.

Heb 13:25 Grace be with you all. Amen.

Nov. 28

James 1

Jas 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

Jas 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations,

Jas 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Jas 1:4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Jas 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.

Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.

Jas 1:7 For let that man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.

Jas 1:8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Jas 1:9 But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;

Jas 1:10 and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away.

Jas 1:11 For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in his pursuits.

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.

Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

Jas 1:14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

Jas 1:15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.

Jas 1:16 Don't be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

Jas 1:18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Jas 1:19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

Jas 1:20 for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God.

Jas 1:21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Jas 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

Jas 1:23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror;

Jas 1:24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

Jas 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.

Jas 1:26 If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man's religion is worthless.

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world

Learning Faithfulness from Abigail by Beth Johnson

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Johnson/Edna/Elizabeth/1939/abigail.html

Learning Faithfulness from Abigail

Most everyone who studies Old Testament history knows the account of Nabal in 1 Samuel 25. It is a true account of a man whose wife likely had to cover for him repeatedly to keep someone from killing him. Even though we know that parents arranged the marriages, sometimes causing a good woman to marry a foolish man, we might wonder how such a one as Abigail could be faithful to her vows year after year in spite of her husband’s abuse. We often study how a man could marry several women or even commit treachery against his wife by putting her away for any reason (Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Malachi 2:14-16), but there does not appear to be the same privilege for a woman under the Law of Moses. No matter what situation the Lord granted her, we know that she could not be pleasing under the Mosaic Law if she left her husband. Had this troubled couple been living today, we might apply Matthew 19:8-9 or 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 to their problems; however, even under New Testament law, she could not divorce him scripturally and marry another man unless he had committed fornication. Was Nabal abusive to Abigail like he was to the other people around him? Probably he was. Did Abigail still have an obligation to remain faithful to him? Absolutely!
Let me remind you of some of the things the Holy Spirit records about the man Nabal. He was a wealthy businessman who lived in prosperity (1 Samuel 25:2, 6). He was able to hold a feast in his house like the feast of a king (vs. 36). In spite of all God had blessed him with, he was said to be churlish and evil in his doings (vs. 3). He was a railer (vs. 14). He was not a heathen as we might suspect because he was of the “house of Caleb” (vs. 3). When he was asked to give food to David and his men, he refused because he apparently did not know (or pretended not to know) them (vs. 11). Instead of searching out who the son of Jesse was, Nabal assumed the worst about the ones asking for food and water. Even his hired servants knew he was being unfair in his judgment and offensive in his answers (vs. 17). They dared to say, “...for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him” (vs. 17). His own wife knew what kind of man he was and explained to David that he was “...a man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him” (vs. 25). Apparently, there was no hope that Nabal would change his ways, and the Scriptures say that the Lord returned his wickedness upon his own head (vs. 39). Obviously, he had a stroke and died ten days later. We know that the goodness of the Lord is meant to lead a sinner to repentance, and apparently Nabal’s life follows the same pattern we see in Romans 2:4, Psalms 73:3-12 and Job 21:7-13.
By contrast, Abigail is said to be a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance (vs. 3). Abigail had neither married an idolater nor a stranger from another nation (Numbers 36:3; Deuteronomy 7:1-3; Joshua 23:11-13; Nehemiah 13:23, 27; 2 Corinthians 6:14). We read that she had married well because she was given to a man from the house of Caleb, one of God’s most righteous leaders in the early days of Israel’s wilderness wanderings (vs. 3). She was said to have wisdom and wise counsel. When the servants heard that David intended to kill their master and his entire household because of the way Nabal treated them, they knew they could turn to Abigail for help to defer David’s anger. They trusted her to do something to save them all (vs. 14-19). She humbled herself before David and begged for his favor (vs. 23) and wisely prepared more food for him and his men than he had originally asked for (vs. 11, 18). She very wisely acknowledged that her husband should suffer because he had returned evil for the good David had done for him (vs. 21; Psalm 38:20; 109:5; Proverbs 17:13), but she asked that he take vengeance on her rather than Nabal or his workers. However, she also requested that David would simply hear her words before he killed her (vs. 24). It was these wise words that would save David from shedding blood and avenging himself by his own hand (vs. 26; vs. 33; Leviticus 19:18; Romans 12:17; Deuteronomy 32:35). Later, in Psalms 94:1-3, we read that David never forgot the lesson God taught him through Abigail (James 1:17).
Not only was Abigail diplomatic, but she also had faith that Nabal would be killed by God himself (vs. 26, 31). She very humbly acknowledged that the Lord had used her to do His work with David. She then gave David a blessing which could have been revealed to her by God (vs. 26-31). She begged for forgiveness and testified that she knew that David was God’s anointed and would rule over all Israel. Judging rightly that she would be forgiven for the incident concerning her husband, she asked that David remember her when he came into his kingdom (vs. 31). At this news, David praised the God of heaven who had sent such a woman to save him from doing what he had intended to do (vs. 32-33). As soon as the news came to David that Nabal was dead, he “remembered” her and called for her to be his wife (vs. 39). Abigail still showed her humility in her acceptance speech (vs. 41). She was willing to go to the house of David to wash the feet of the king’s servants. What a beautiful heart she possessed so that she could be used by God to save a man from folly and still be willing to serve in other ways!
By this example, we have seen the contrast between two people (one righteous and one evil), and we have seen a striking example of how God blessed a woman who endured grief - suffering wrongfully (1 Peter 2:17-24). She was willing to give honor and devoted service even to a froward husband. There is no indication that she tried to be loosed from him. She did not run away from him like the woman in Judges 19:1-2. No doubt she also gave loving devoted service to David after he called her to be his wife, and his heart could safely trust in her (Proverbs 31:11- 12).
We have no promise that God will avenge us of our enemies in this life or that our blessings will come to us in this life, but we can be assured that we will be rewarded in eternity if we endure to the end (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7). May our Father in Heaven bless us all to be more like Abigail.

Beth Johnson

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The King James Version.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)