Through the Bible – Day 326

Bible text(s)

Ezekiel 21

The LORD will punish Jerusalem

1The LORD said:

2Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the places in Jerusalem where people worship. Warn everyone in Israel 3that I am about to punish them. I will pull out my sword and have it ready to kill everyone, whether good or evil. 4From south to north, people will die, 5knowing that my sword will never be put away.

6Ezekiel, groan in sorrow and despair so that everyone can hear you. 7When they ask why you are groaning, tell them you have terrifying news that will make them faint and tremble in fear and lose all courage. These things will happen soon. I, the LORD God, make this promise!

A sword is ready to attack Israel

8The LORD said:

9-10Ezekiel, son of man, tell the people of Jerusalem:

I have sharpened my sword

to slaughter you;

it is shiny and will flash

like lightning!

Don't celebrate—

punishment is coming,

because everyone has ignored

my warnings.

11My sword has been polished;

it's sharp and ready to kill.

12Groan in sorrow, Ezekiel;

the sword is drawn against

my people and their leaders.

They will die!

So give up all hope.

13I am testing my people,

and they can do nothing

to stop me.

I, the LORD, have spoken.

14Ezekiel, warn my people,

then celebrate my victory

by clapping your hands.

My vicious sword will attack

again and again,

killing my people

with every stroke.

15They will lose all courage

and stumble with fear.

My slaughtering sword

is waiting at every gate,

flashing and ready to kill.

16It will slash right and left,

wherever the blade is pointed.

17Then I will stop being angry,

and I will clap my hands

in victory.

I, the LORD, have spoken.

The king of Babylonia and his sword

18The LORD said:

19Ezekiel, son of man, mark two roads for the king of Babylonia to follow when he comes with his sword. The roads will begin at the same place, but be sure to put up a signpost where the two roads separate and go in different directions. 20Clearly mark where the two roads lead. One goes to Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and the other goes to Jerusalem, the fortified capital of Judah. 21When the Babylonian king stands at that signpost, he will decide which way to go by shaking his arrows, by asking his idols, and by carefully looking at the liver of a sacrificed animal. 22His right hand will pull out the arrow marked “Jerusalem”. Then he will immediately give the signal to shout the battle cry, to build earth ramps to the top of the city walls, to break down its walls and gates with large wooden poles, and to kill the people. 23Everyone in Jerusalem had promised to be loyal to Babylonia, and so none of them will believe that this could happen to them. But Babylonia's king will remind them of their sinful ways and warn them of their coming captivity.

24Ezekiel, tell the people of Jerusalem and their ruler that I, the LORD God, am saying:

Everything you do is wicked and shows how sinful you are. You are guilty and will be taken away as prisoners.

25And now, you evil and wicked ruler of Israel, your day of final punishment is almost here. 26I, the LORD God, command you to take off your royal turban and your crown, because everything will be different. Those who had no power will be put in charge, and those who now rule will become nobodies. 27I will leave Jerusalem in ruins when my chosen one comes to punish this city.

Judgment against Ammon

28The LORD God said:

Ezekiel, son of man, the Ammonites have insulted Israel, so condemn them and tell them I am saying:

A sword is drawn,

ready to slaughter;

it is polished and prepared

to kill as fast as lightning.

29You wicked Ammonites see false visions and believe untrue messages. But your day of punishment is coming soon, and my sword will slaughter you!

30Your days of punishing others are over, so put your swords away. You will be punished in the land of your birth. 31My furious anger will scorch you like fire, and I will hand you over to cruel men who are experts in killing. 32You will be burnt and will die in your own land. Then you will be forgotten for ever. I, the LORD, have spoken.

Ezekiel 22

Jerusalem is condemned

1Some time later, the LORD said:

2Ezekiel, son of man, are you ready to condemn Jerusalem? That city is filled with murderers, so remind the people of their sins 3and tell them I am saying:

Jerusalem, you have murdered many of your own people and have worshipped idols. You will soon be punished! 4Those crimes have made you guilty, and the idols have made you unacceptable to me. So your final punishment is near. Other nations will laugh at you and make insulting remarks, 5and people far and near will make fun of your misery.

6Your own leaders use their power to murder. 7None of you honour your parents, and you cheat foreigners, orphans, and widows. 8You show no respect for my sacred places and treat the Sabbath just like any other day. 9Some of your own people tell lies, so that others will be put to death. Some of you eat meat sacrificed to idols at local shrines, and others never stop doing vulgar things. 10Men have sex with their father's wife or with women who are having their monthly period 11or with someone else's wife. Some men even sleep with their own daughter-in-law or half-sister. 12Others of you accept money to murder someone. Your own people charge high interest when making a loan to other Israelites, and they get rich by cheating. Worst of all, you have forgotten me, the LORD God.

13I will shake my fist in anger at your violent crimes. 14When I've finished with you, your courage will disappear, and you will be so weak that you won't be able to lift your hands. I, the LORD, have spoken and will not change my mind. 15I will scatter you throughout every nation on earth and put a stop to your sinful ways. 16You will be humiliated in the eyes of other nations. Then you will know that I, the LORD God, have done these things.

Jerusalem must be purified

17The LORD said:

18Ezekiel, son of man, I consider the people of Israel as worthless as the leftover metal in a furnace after silver has been purified. 19So I am going to bring them together in Jerusalem. 20-21I will be like a metalworker who collects that metal from the furnace and melts it down. I will collect the Israelites and blow on them with my fiery anger. They will melt inside the city of Jerusalem 22like silver in a furnace. Then they will know that I, the LORD, have punished them in my anger.

Everyone in Jerusalem is guilty

23The LORD said:

24Ezekiel, son of man, tell the people of Israel that their country is full of sin, and that I, the LORD, am furious! 25Their leaders are like roaring lions, tearing apart their victims. They put people to death, then steal everything of value. Husbands are killed, and many women are left as widows.

26The priests of Israel ignore my Law! Not only do they refuse to respect any of my sacred things, but they don't even teach the difference between what is sacred and what is ordinary, or between what is clean and what is unclean. They treat my Sabbath like any other day, and so my own people no longer honour me.

27Israel's officials are like ferocious wolves, ripping their victims apart. They make a dishonest living by injuring and killing people.

28And then the prophets in Israel cover-up these sins by giving false visions. I have never spoken to them, but they lie and say they have a message from me. 29The people themselves cheat and rob; they abuse the poor and take advantage of foreigners.

30I looked for someone to defend the city and to protect it from my anger, as well as to stop me from destroying it. But I found no one. 31So in my fierce anger, I will punish the Israelites for what they have done, and they will know that I am furious. I, the LORD, have spoken.

Ezekiel 21:1-22:31CEVOpen in Bible reader

1 Peter 2

A living stone and a holy nation

1Stop being hateful! Stop trying to fool people, and start being sincere. Don't be jealous or say cruel things about others. 2Be like newborn babies who are thirsty for the pure spiritual milk that will help you grow and be saved. 3You have already found out how good the Lord really is.

4Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone that people have rejected, but which God has chosen and highly honoured. 5And now you are living stones that are being used to build a spiritual house. You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God. 6It is just as God says in the Scriptures,

“Look! I am placing in Zion

a choice and precious

cornerstone.

No one who has faith

in that one

will be disappointed.”

7You are followers of the Lord, and that stone is precious to you. But it isn't precious to those who refuse to follow him. They are the builders who tossed aside the stone that turned out to be the most important one of all. 8They disobeyed the message and stumbled and fell over that stone, because they were doomed.

9But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say,

10“Once you were nobody.

Now you are God's people.

At one time no one

had pity on you.

Now God has treated you

with kindness.”

1 Peter 2:1-10CEVOpen in Bible reader
Canadian Bible Societyv.4.26.9
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