A Timeless Message From God

On August 14, during the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, some of the leaders of Israel came to request a message from the LORD. They sat down in front of me to wait for his reply. Then this message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, tell the leaders of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: How dare you come to ask me for a message? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I will tell you nothing!’ [Ezekiel 20.1-3] 

The very first thing we must establish before even beginning to discuss Ezekiel 20 (as with all God's Word) is that the Bible speaks directly to us today. If we fail to see the explicit relevance of ALL of God's Word to His people today, we have no hope of "following Christ" in the full capacity He demands (Matthew 16.24-25).

With this established and understood, the spiritual leaders and people in Ezekiel's day were no different than the spiritual leaders and people of our day. God's people today want a "word from God" - a promise of relief - but remain unwilling to "right themselves" with God according to His Word (the Bible - Jesus).

To the point of the first paragraph above (following the subject passage), God's people must understand that Jesus' demand to give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him indeed has an antithesis. The polar opposite of everything Jesus demands of His followers in Matthew 16.24-25 is described in Israel's indiscretion found in Ezekiel 20.4-7:

“Son of man, bring charges against them and condemn them. Make them realize how detestable the sins of their ancestors really were. Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: When I chose Israel—when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn oath that I, the LORD, would be their God. I took a solemn oath that day that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere. Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you are so obsessed with. Do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt, for I am the LORD your God.’ [Ezekiel 20.4-7]

Idolatry (selfishly trusting in anything other than or in addition to God) is central to every accusation made against God's people in the Bible. And yet, God's people today foolishly come to Him looking for relieving promises with no intention whatsoever of being "set apart" from the world. They want the promise of "Jesus" but they don't want to give up their own way, take up their cross, and follow Him. Few spiritual leaders of our day are decrying this hollow religious and subsequently powerless practice.

“But they rebelled against me and would not listen. They did not get rid of the vile images they were obsessed with, or forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I threatened to pour out my fury on them to satisfy my anger while they were still in Egypt. But I didn’t do it, for I acted to protect the honor of my name. I would not allow shame to be brought on my name among the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the wilderness. There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them. And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the LORD, who had set them apart to be holy. [Ezekiel 20.8-12]

Jesus is the Sabbath Rest. The very Sabbath Rest prescribed in the 4th Commandment rightly follows the first three commandments explicitly establishing God alone as God, and strictly prohibiting idolatry. For those who cannot see this no-idols/Jesus-only presentation in the Ten Commandments, it was spelled out very clearly by Jesus in His time on earth:

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

While the Church today persistently continues to pursue their "cheap grace" in partial representation of Jesus Christ limited to out-of-context New Testament writings, Jesus' very own words in Matthew 16.24 reveal that He is the quintessential revelation of ALL God's Word! In fact, "cheap grace" ignores many of Jesus' words, tragically giving misguided meaning to the Apostle Paul's letters without regard for the full counsel of God's Word.

And still, God's people today, like the ancient leaders of Israel, want a "word from God" - a promise that all is well - while ignoring obvious debilitating idolatry in their lives. They must necessarily explain Matthew 16.24 in abstract terms to avoid confrontation with their idolatry.

It is pure foolishness to seek a "word from God" when we willfully reject the notion of giving up our idols in order to follow Jesus - the Word He has already given us.

Father, I thank You that You have "given us a word." Thank You that the concision of that word is Jesus, found from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, with timeless relevance today. May the truth of Your Word, Jesus, be evident and fulfilled in us as we give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. So be it.

Broken Covenant Is A Big Deal

“So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, I will punish him for breaking my covenant and disregarding the solemn oath he made in my name. [Ezekiel17.19] 

This conclusion comes after the riddle about the two great eagles. It has everything to do with Israel not remaining loyal to a covenant relationship with God alone. If we can see it, it further describes the covenant relationship of marriage descried earlier in Ezekiel (yesterday's One Year Chaological Bible reading).

If God had not promised His people that He would care for their every need (blessings) in His Covenant, things would be much different for God's people (past, present and future). But, that is simply not the case. 

God made all-encompassing covenant promises to bless His people if they remained loyal to Him (see Deuteronomy 28.1-14). In so doing, God made those blessings His to provide for His people and His alone, the same as a husband makes covenant relationship with his wife and she looks only to him (and not another man) for her every need.

God did no less in His New Covenant in Jesus Christ. Jesus described life in Himself as the Kingdom of God then described what that covenant relationship should look like much that same as Deuteronomy 28.1-14 described:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

It is just as much idolatry to violate the terms of the New Covenant in Christ Jesus as it was idolatry to violate the Old Covenant! To receive the provisions of Matthew 6.33 from any other source than God alone is spiritual adultery - it is stepping outside the New Covenant relationship with God through His Son, Jesus, and doing things our own way. Jesus Himself was very clear about doing things our own way:

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. [Matthew 16.24-25]

Today's One Year Chronological Bible reading describes the condition of people with divided or misdirected loyalties:

But when the vine is transplanted, will it thrive? No, it will wither away when the east wind blows against it. It will die in the same good soil where it had grown so well.” [Ezekiel 17.10]

And the New Testament supports this also:

Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. [James 1.8] 

And then, with the entire Bible telling us exactly why it is so, we still wonder today why it seems our faith is so powerless! 

Broken covenant is a big deal to God. It was in ancient times, and it is now. For God's people's faith to be placed anywhere except in Him alone is spiritual adultery against "Jealous God."

Father, as plainly as it is presented here, unless Your people know Your Word (knowing You) they will not, because they cannot see the truth of what is said here. Help us to go to Your Word - to know it - to know You - to know Jesus - finding the clear Kingdom directive to give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. Help us to see that Your miraculous power is reserved only for those with undivided loyalty to You! So be it.

The "Smoking Gun"

They will burn your homes and punish you in front of many women. I will stop your prostitution and end your payments to your many lovers. [Ezekiel 16.41] 

What makes a prostitute "a prostitute"?

Or, what makes prostitution "prostitution"?

A prostitute accepts payment from someone who is not their spouse for services otherwise free to their spouse.

An unfaithful person gives payment to someone who is not their spouse for services otherwise free from their spouse.

The thing that connects the prostitute and the unfaithful person is the presence of payment (money) in the absence of covenant relationship (marriage).

Today's One Year Chronological Bible reading starts off with Ezekiel giving the following message from the LORD:

“Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? [Ezekiel 14.3]

From this indictment, God takes Ezekiel down a path that likens Israel's sin of idolatry to prostitution (Ezekiel 16). The phrase, "idols in their hearts" can be understood contextually by the likeness of payments to your many lovers.

Although the entire Old Testament speaks to the recurring problem of idolatry, we should understand that Jesus addressed that very unfaithfulness described throughout the Bible in clear terms:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

Throughout history, man's dependence upon anything other than God for his needs is seen as unfaithfulness. In fact, today's OYCB reading reveals God's disdain with such unfaithfulness:

And I will make the land desolate because my people have been unfaithful to me. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” [Ezekiel 15.8]

We can reverse-engineer the passage above to rightly conclude that desolation, described in detail as the curses for disobedience found in Deuteronomy 28.15-68, is caused by idolatry. Unfaithfulness is disobedience to God.

If, as Jesus pointed out, God is our source for everything we need, then, for us to seek anything we need from any source other than God is unfaithfulness - it is idolatry. The end result is that God's people will experience every curse just like those who are not God's people (the world) even though, and at the same time because, they are making payments to prostitutes for those needs.

Even though man does not recognize his man-made idols as "idols," his major industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology all fit the Biblical description of idols in every way. They all fit Ezekiel's description of prostitution in every way - most damningly so however in the exchange of money for services. If it weren't for the fact that the godless world depends on finance, insurance, medicine and technology, it "might be possible" (although highly unlikely according to the Bible) that God would endorse and use those industries to meet His people's needs. But, the fact that "God's people" and the "world" both depend on these industries for their needs to be met, means "someone" is getting their needs met outside their covenant relationship (and, it's not the world because they are not in covenant relationship)!

The undeniable "smoking gun" in the scenario above is payment. God said, "I will stop your prostitution and end your payments to your many lovers." Finance, insurance, medicine and technology cannot and will not ever be separated from payments! They exist and continue because of the exchange of money for services.

Idolatry is prostitution against God. As God promised to meet our every need, it is prostitution to seek to have those needs met elsewhere.

Father, Your Word makes it simple and clear: You demand our undivided trust in You alone. Jesus confirmed it in demanding that we give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. May we be found following Jesus. So be it.

Religion And Religious People

“When the people return to their homeland, they will remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols. And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. But as for those who long for vile images and detestable idols, I will repay them fully for their sins. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” [Ezekiel 11.18-21] 

On this date in 2021, I wrote the article, What Are We Trusting In?. Then, on this date in 2024, I wrote, God Will Not Cohabit With Idols. I recommend reading both these articles.

Today, however, it should be pointed out that the conditions of Ezekiel 11.18-21 are made clear: God will not even begin to move in the hearts and lives of His people until idols are intentionally removed. This conditional language is a matter of principle with God and is therefore timeless - meaning it is as relevant today as it was the day it was written - and perhaps, even more so.

The sad, and also timeless, condition of man is his unwillingness to give up his idols.

In eternal relevance, Jesus Christ made no less conditional statements, a couple of which stand out:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. [Matthew 16.24-25]

As this author has pointed out elsewhere repeatedly, the Bible has been telling God's people this very message all along. The problem is found when people, for whatever reason (usually traceable to pride and rebellion), believe the Bible means something different than what it says.

The belief that the Bible means something different than what it says is called "religion."

When one believes that the Bible means something different than what it says, he is "religious."

It should never be forgotten that they were religious people who instigated Jesus' crucifixion. If we believe that the Bible means something different than what it actually says, we are the problem - we are the religious people of our day - we are, in effect, opposed to everything "Jesus."

Yes, the implications of this are damning on a "Christian" society that, instead of ridding themselves of idols, justifies them as necessary "gifts from God." This is precisely what "Christians" do today when they defend the idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology. Every one of these idol industries exists to do for man what God said He would do for man, but these idols industries offer their benefits without accountability to God (among many other tell-tale idol-identifying characteristics).

God's disdain for idols is not going away. Idols prevented ancient man from enjoying God in all His fullness as pointed out in all the Bible and idols prevent man today from enjoying God in all His fullness (Jesus Christ). In Biblical language, "...they will [not] truly be my people, and I will [not] be their God" until they "remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols."

Again, this is everything Jesus demanded of His disciples and demands of us today:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

Religion and religious people are the antithesis of Jesus. Instead of accepting Jesus' demands for face value, they proudly (rebelliously) defend their interpretations of what Jesus said. Idols are the way of man. Jesus said His followers MUST give up their own way...

Unsurprisingly, Ezekiel describes the problem in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading:

Again a message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people. [Ezekiel 12.1-2]

The accuracy of God's Word in describing the condition of man today is undeniable... God's people refuse to see and hear... 

Father, may Your true people see and hear the truth of Your Word. May they give up their own way, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.

We Won't "See" Unless We "Look"

Then the LORD said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and there to the north, beside the entrance to the gate near the altar, stood the idol that had made the LORD so jealous. “Son of man,” he said, “do you see what they are doing? Do you see the detestable sins the people of Israel are committing to drive me from my Temple? But come, and you will see even more detestable sins than these!” Then he brought me to the door of the Temple courtyard, where I could see a hole in the wall. He said to me, “Now, son of man, dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and found a hidden doorway. “Go in,” he said, “and see the wicked and detestable sins they are committing in there!” So I went in and saw the walls covered with engravings of all kinds of crawling animals and detestable creatures. I also saw the various idols worshiped by the people of Israel. [Ezekiel 8.5-10] 

The Church today only wishes the writings of the Old Testament prophets like Ezekiel had no significance to them. But it will be pointed out here that the words of these prophets have as much or even more relevance to God's people today than they had to the ancient people of Israel and Judah.

The significance of the passage above to the Church today is that never before has idolatry been more prevalent among God's people (the alleged 'Temple of God in Christ') than in this present day.

Whether God's people today "see it" or not, man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology have effectively flooded them - the "Temple of God" - with idols that provoke God to furious jealousy. God told Ezekiel "Do you see the detestable sins the people of Israel are committing to drive me from my Temple?"

Whether we view this as an indictment against the present-day institutionalized Church or against every single individual among "God's people," the jealousy-provoking offense against Almighty God is the same: He is being driven from His Temple - displaced by idols. In fact, based on the powerless condition of the Church today, it could be more accurately concluded that God has been driven from His Temple (past tense).

This "revelation" makes painfully clear Jesus' repeated warnings about divided allegiance and faithlessness. It also provides the antithetical backdrop for man's faithlessness (idolatry), providing contrast to Jesus' miracles.

THINK! If it made God jealous that idols had been brought into the Old Testament Temple, how much more jealous does it make Him when the New Testament Temple, opened up by Jesus - the heart of man, is filled with idols?

God's people can argue to their heart's content that finance, insurance, medicine and technology are not idols, but they are lying to themselves. The test to see if something is an idol is simply this: can we - will we - live without it? Who today is willing to give up their interest-imposing loans? Wo today is willing to give up their premium-demanding insurance? Who today is willing to give up their costly repeating prescriptions? Who today is willing to give up their expensive technology? Who indeed is willing to comply with Jesus' unbending demand:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

You see, "giving up..." is not actually a "test" but is a "demand." It is, in fact, what 'seeking God's Kingdom first' looks like. And, it carries God's promise that He will provide:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

While Ezekiel's writings had undeniable application to ancient Israel and Judah, God was looking much further ahead! God's Word through Ezekiel speaks directly to the heart of God's followers today. By His Word, God is still asking, "do you see what they are doing?"

We won't "see" unless we sincerely "look." To sincerely look means to concur that the ancient writings of the Bible are in every way relevant to us today. As idolatry was the problem then, it is even more so the problem today. We "say" we believe the Bible, but, do we?

Father in heaven, Your Word is amazing. How You inspired ancient writers to pen words so relevant to us today is absolutely remarkable! Help us to see that as ancient Israel was tasked to give up their idols then, so we are tasked to give up our idols today. May we then be found giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. May Your undeniable power return to Your people. So be it.

Rumble Strips - Humble Strips

“If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.” [Ezekiel 3.20-21] 

There is a timeless truth found in the passage above that few, if any, are willing to reconcile with. It is the fact that obstacles are God's way of pointing out to righteous people that they have turned away from righteous behavior.

What are obstacles? An obstacle is anything over which God has control that He uses to impede man's way to which man turns to at the expense of turning away from God's way.

What does God control? Quite literally, everything. So, God can employ anything to create a difficulty in a wayward man's life to indicate that he is indeed wayward. Deuteronomy 28.15-68 provides a near exhaustive list of these obstacles - called curses for disobedience.

The greatest lie ever propagated across the entire world is the lie that man has no responsibility to live righteously (obediently) as long as he believes in Jesus. This lie is the grand lie of "misinterpreted grace." The error of this misinterpreted grace message is that it must necessarily ignore God's way of notifying man of the presence of idolatry (which leads to every sin) - the obstacles found in Ezekiel's writing otherwise known as curses in Deuteronomy 28.15-68. In other words, this misinterpreted grace must twist the whole story of God's Word to make the ludicrous statement that bad things happen to good people.

The full implication of the paragraph above is beyond the scope of this article, however, it should be understood that the fatal error of misinterpreted grace (cheap grace) is that it completely ignores the personal responsibility that Jesus Christ placed upon every living soul who would follow Him:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

To be clear, "Grace" is God's unmerited favor offered to every soul who has or ever will live on earth, through the person of Jesus Christ, for those who repent and believe.

"Cheap grace" on the other hand, is God's unmerited favor offered to every soul who has or ever will live on earth, through the person of Jesus Christ, for those who simply want and accept it.

In plain language, when Jesus Christ lives in and rules a person's heart and life, that life will reflect Jesus in every way, giving up his own way, taking up his cross - doing the things that make him look and act just like Jesus because he is following Him.

But, back to the subject of obstacles... 

We should think of obstacles as "rumble strips" in our pursuit of Jesus letting us know when we are veering off the road signaling the need for corrective action. In this way, rumble strips effectively serve as "humble strips." Only a proud and stubborn driver would declare over the noise and discomfort of driving on rumble strips that he was on the right way. And yet, that is precisely what a person experiencing God's obstacles is saying when he believes the lie that 'bad things happen to good people' and therefore does nothing (takes no corrective action). Will this person also drive right through a "bridge out ahead" barricade in proud denial of what lies ahead?

God told Ezekiel:

“If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.” [Ezekiel 3.20-21]

Father, Your Word is true and every man a liar in comparison. There are indeed some big lies out there today in Christian circles that exist only because Your people are ignorant of Your Word. Raise up watchmen who will declare Truth - the Truth of Your Whole Word - the Truth of Jesus Christ - the Truth of Your call to complete humility to give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.

What The Bible Has Been Saying All Along

So these officials went to the king and said, “Sir, this man must die! That kind of talk will undermine the morale of the few fighting men we have left, as well as that of all the people. This man is a traitor!” [Jeremiah 38.4] 

This is the treatment one can expect for decrying idolatry. It was then, and it is now.

At first the prophet's word starts out and is discounted as as "crazy talk." But when it starts to get real and the prophecies start to manifest as "reality," the prophet is to blame.

To be sure, none of Jeremiah's troubles would have happened if he had not pointed out the people's idolatry. People don't like their idols revealed. They didn't in Jeremiah's day, and they don't now.

The Bible means nothing to modern man if it does not shed light on his present condition. The Bible's repeated warnings against betraying undivided trust in God alone, or, idolatry, is timeless.

The Bible's repeated warnings against idolatry all consolidate into one message: that idols will eventually fail. The problem with this fact is that idols don't fail until they have secured their idolatrous victims to fall with them. Then, both they and those who trust them fall into devastation assigned by God.

If this author could simply point to the Bible, it would be pointed out everywhere that the modern-day idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology will all eventually meet with disaster. The world witnessed a precursor to this in the Covid pandemic (the realities of which are only just now coming to light). To be sure, and as the Bible is true, more is to come that will make the Covid pandemic seem like a child's game. In all likelihood, artificial intelligence (AI) will erupt into the next worldwide disaster. If the world thought the Covid virus got out of hand (for whatever reasons, accidental or intentional), it should brace itself for how out of hand AI will become (and is becoming even now). As deep a mark as Covid left on the planet earth, AI will make it look like a harmless scratch. And still, the world, with God's people fully onboard, races forward with technology just like it still confidently races forward with medicine as if Covid never happened.

The thing is, when AI "turns" on mankind (as did medicine), finance and insurance will assuredly follow in sync.

Jeremiah's warnings against idolatry are as relevant today as they were the day he gave them. God's people are currently in the precarious position of Judah in Jeremiah's time. They have brought shame to the name of the LORD by trusting in their idols setting themselves up for no uncertain full-blown captivity to that idolatry (Babylon).

But Babylon's destruction is coming. And, just as Jeremiah's words were pertinent to God's people in his day, so they remain pertinent to God's people today, "Flee from Babylon! - It's annihilation is coming!" Jeremiah's words serve to warn God's people today (who are paying particularly close attention to God's Word) to get rid of their idols!

Soon, it will be communicated, as it was in Jeremiah's day above, that the words proclaimed here are treasonous demoralization against mankind. The legal system will join in with all the world and, sadly, many "Christians" to squelch the timeless message of the Bible against idolatry - the message that finance, insurance, medicine and technology are all indeed powerful, commercialized, and industrialized idols (man-made) that are slated by God for a tremendous "crash and burn."

This is not "new revelation" but rather the same timeless message of the Bible against idolatry! And, in the same timeless message of the Bible against idolatry, we should not be surprised that Jesus' message bought concision to the Bible's timeless message up to His time with these words:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

"Babylon" of our day says, "You must take care of yourself!" This is the clear, unashamed, and advertised commercial message of finance, insurance, medicine and technology - man's "own way" to take care of himself. In contrast, Jesus also said:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

There is no point in calling me a prophet... this is not about what I think or say - it's about what the Bible has been saying all along:

So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. [1 Corinthians 10.14] 

Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. [1 John 5.21] 

1 John 5.21 in the New King James says it like this: Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Father, as I have merely pointed out what Your Word says, may Your Word accomplish in us everything You intend for it to. May Your Word draw us to undivided faith in You and You ALONE. May our flight from idolatry be our headlong dive into You - into Jesus - as we give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. So be it.