God’s justice demands the downfall of evil. SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... the tension has escalated. Esther has maneuvered her way into the king’s favor, and through a striking act of providence, the king has been reminded of Mordecai’s earlier life-saving service. While Haman has prepared gallows to hang Mordecai, he remains unaware that the tide is turning against him. We pick up at a banquet where the truth will finally be laid bare before King Xerxes. Esther 7 (NIV) 7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, 2 and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” 3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.” 5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?” 6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. 8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?” As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.” The king said, “Impale him on it!” 10 So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided. Belgic Confession Article 20: The Justice and Mercy of God in Christ We believe that God— who is perfectly merciful and also very just— sent his Son to assume the nature in which the disobedience had been committed, in order to bear in it the punishment of sin by his most bitter passion and death. So God made known his justice toward his Son, who was charged with our sin, and he poured out his goodness and mercy on us, who are guilty and worthy of damnation, giving to us his Son to die, by a most perfect love, and raising him to life for our justification, in order that by him we might have immortality and eternal life. Summary In Esther 7, the narrative's tension finally breaks. At her second banquet, Esther reveals her identity, linking her own life to the fate of her people. She shrewdly frames Haman’s plot not merely as a personal grudge, but as a treasonous annihilation that threatens the king’s own interests. When the king demands to know who would dare such a thing, Esther bursts the scheme open: "The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman!" (v. 6). The reversal is immediate and absolute. Haman, who arrived expecting further exaltation, finds himself terrified and begging for mercy from the very woman he sought to destroy. In a moment of supreme irony, Haman "falls" onto Esther’s couch just as the king returns, sealing his fate with the appearance of being the king’s adversary. The chapter concludes with the powerful image of poetic justice: Haman is hanged on the seventy-five-foot gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. The instrument of pride and execution intended for the righteous became the means of judgment for the wicked. As Psalm 7:15–16 declares, He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made. The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head. Dig Deeper As God’s image bearers, we are hard-wired for justice. From a child’s cry of "That’s not fair!" to our elation when a movie villain is conquered, we long to see wrongs made right. Esther 7 reminds us that evil is self-deceptive and ultimately doomed, inspiring hope that God's justice prevails. While human evil often seems clever and untouchable, it carries the seeds of its own destruction. Haman reminds us that God is the Sovereign King who has the last word; no plot against His people can succeed in the end. This “great reversal” points us to a much larger story. In the last book of the Bible, Revelation, we see that all world systems opposed to God (symbolized by Babylon and the Beast) have an expiration date. For God’s people who are oppressed, abused, and persecuted, Esther 7 is a message of hope: God sees, God judges, and God holds the final victory, reassuring believers that God's sovereignty is certain. The ultimate reversal, however, took place at the Cross of Christ. The devil and his powers of darkness thought they had secured a great victory by hanging the Son of God on a tree of shame. Yet, God took that very instrument of death and used it to destroy the power of death itself. Just as Haman’s gallows were turned against him, the Cross was the trap that crushed the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15). Because our Judge is also our Savior, we can live as citizens of a righteous kingdom, working for what is right today while resting in the promise that one day, every wrong will be made right by Him, filling us with awe at His divine power. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, a Sovereign God who is righteous and just; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will know the good God has shown you, act justly and love mercy, walking humbly with your God (Micah 6:8); ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Esther teaches us to trust God’s hidden providence. The book of Esther tells the story of God’s people living in exile in the Persian Empire. Even though God is never mentioned by name, His presence is felt throughout the preservation of His people in a foreign land. This providence is especially evident in the events that lead an orphaned Jewish girl, Esther, to become queen, where she and her cousin Mordecai eventually expose Haman’s plot to eradicate the Jews to King Xerxes. We pick up where Mordecai shares what he knows with Esther. Esther 4 (NIV) 4 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. 3 In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4 When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why. 6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people. 9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” 12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” 17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 28 Q. How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us? A. We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing will separate us from his love. All creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they can neither move nor be moved. Summary Esther 4 is the “hinge” upon which this book turns. Esther, a Jewish orphan in exile, has risen to become the unlikely queen of Persia, and now her people face a decree that Haman had concocted to destroy them. Will Esther use her position to save her people? Except her position didn’t make her task simple—it made it dangerous in its own right. Approaching the king unsummoned meant death unless he extended his golden scepter, and this text reveals that the king hadn’t called Esther for thirty days. She was truly 'between a rock and a hard place' — risk her life by speaking, or risk it later when the decree of death reached her when she is identified with her people. In this high-stakes moment, Esther and Mordecai had to make decisions based on the information they had, acting by faith in a God who was not giving them prophetic visions but remained hidden behind the scenes. Mordecai’s famous challenge — Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? — highlights the hidden providence of God. Mordecai was certain that relief and deliverance would arise because of God’s covenant promises to His people, but he challenged Esther to meet her defining moment. She responded by calling for a corporate fast—an appeal for God’s mercy. Her resolve - If I perish, I perish - was not fatalism; it was a commitment to doing what was right before knowing the end result. Dig Deeper We often want a detailed roadmap before we step forward by faith, but Esther reminds us that God usually provides the opportunity before revealing the outcome. Even in lower-stakes situations than our text, trusting God's plan will bring peace and confidence. You may find yourself where God is calling you to trust Him and to publicly align yourself with Him—even if it involves carrying a cross by speaking up about the truth when it might cost you something. It could also be a situation where you or your child risks their starting position on the team because you skip Sunday games for church. Or, like Mordecai, sharing your faith in God's promises can inspire others to trust Him more deeply and step up in their difficult situation. Finding your place in God’s story involves moving from asking “Why is this happening?” to “How can God use me here?” in your circumstances. Hidden providence means your current job, family, or trial is not an accident. We can move forward trusting that God’s purposes are at work because the most defining moment in history has already happened. While Esther said, If I perish, I perish, Jesus Christ was willing to actually perish for our sake, knowing the full suffering ahead at the cross. In Gethsemane, hours before His crucifixion, He prayed, “Yet not my will, but yours be done.” Because our deliverance is secure in Him, you can trust what God has in store for those who love Him. Even when His plan is hidden from your current point of view, He reveals what is right and true. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the Sovereign God who sustains and governs all things by His power and fatherly hand; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your will aligns with God’s will and that you can be used for God’s greater kingdom purposes in your circumstances today — “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Change both how and why you pray! Photo: Andreas Gücklhorn via Unsplash PSALM 67 For the choir director; with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song. 1 God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us— Selah. 2 That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. 4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness And guide the nations on the earth. Selah. 5 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. 6 The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us. 7 God blesses us, That all the ends of the earth may fear Him. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 117 Q. How does God want us to pray so that he will listen to us? A. First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, who has revealed himself in his Word, asking for everything he has commanded us to ask for. Second, we must acknowledge our need and misery, hiding nothing, and humble ourselves in his majestic presence. Third, we must rest on this unshakable foundation: even though we do not deserve it, God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord. That is what he promised us in his Word. Summary Psalm 67 begins as a prayer asking for the most important thing anybody could ask for - that God be gracious to us. In other words, this song/prayer begins by requesting God to be merciful (KJV). But as important as it is, it's not likely that begging for grace or mercy is very often at the top of anybody's prayer list. Most people's highest priority is to ask God for what the psalmist asks for next: that God would bless us. But the psalmist rightly recognizes the need to begin by asking for grace / mercy. After all, remember that we deserve God's justice, not His blessings! You and I have a covenantal relationship with God. How many times haven't we read these past few months in going through the Old Testament that God is to be our God, and we are to be His people? The fact that you can inhale right now means that you continue to enjoy the life God's provided! But this provision comes with the expectation that you maintain holiness, righteousness and justice, and you've not held up your end of the covenant. So you have no right to ask for God's blessing without first asking for His grace. Keep this in mind the next time you pray! The psalmist poetically combines both of these requests in echoing what's often called the Aaronic Benediction as he pleads that God would cause His face to shine upon us, even as we traverse what David famously referred to as the darkest valley. And the amazing thing that Psalm 67 reminds us of is that God grants both of these prayers! He's gracious to us by forgiving our sins and fulfilling our covenant requirements in the perfect life, death, resurrection and ascension of His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. And God, our God, so richly blesses us beyond measure - for the earth has yielded its produce far more abundantly that we could ever ask for or even imagine! Dig Deeper Notice that the psalmist's opening request for grace and blessing doesn't end with a period. It ends with a dash that leads to the beautifully mysterious Hebrew word selah. We don't know exactly what the word means, but it's quite likely the word signaled the accompanying musicians (remember, the psalms are meant to be sung!) to pause and take a break - to let the words just sung sink in. So often our prayers are dominated by requests for God's blessings, spitting out one request after another in rapid fire succession. This simple selah reminds you to slow down when praying. God knows what you need; your pausing to take a breath gives His Spirit the opportunity to help you know He's heard your prayer! But it's one of Psalm 67's most humble words that comes to the forefront, a word that ought to change not just how you're asking for God's blessings, but even the particular blessings you're asking for! That simple word is that, and it's repeated twice in this short psalm. Most of the blessings we pray for are things we need or even simply want for our own lives. And that's not wrong to ask God for! Jesus commanded us to pray each day for our daily bread. But Psalm 67 reminds us that the blessings we ask for ought to serve a purpose much bigger and higher than our own appetite. We're to pray for God's blessings: so that His ways may be known on the earth, [and so that] His salvation [be known] among all nations; and so that all the ends of the earth may fear Him. And like the psalmist, our prayers ought not be so self centered by only asking that God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us. Notice the psalm's five time repeated request that God would let the peoples praise Him! Imagine how different this world would look if the Church as a whole would earnestly and repeatedly prayed Psalm 67! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, God, our God, who is gracious to us, blesses us, and makes His face shine upon us; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that all the peoples would praise God! ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

God has promised His glory will dwell with you forever! alittleperspective.com SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... the LORD promised to cleanse His people, give them a new heart, and restore them for His name’s sake. Then Ezekiel saw that promise pictured in the valley of dry bones, as the Spirit brought Israel from death to life, reunited God’s scattered people, and prepared them for a renewed covenant under one Shepherd. We catch up with Ezekiel as he's being shown a vision of a restored temple where the LORD would once again dwell with His people. Ezekiel 43:1–12 (NASB95) 1 Then he led me to the [temple's] gate, the gate facing toward the east; 2 and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. 3 And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision which I saw when He came to destroy the city. And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4 And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. 5 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. 6 Then I heard one speaking to me from the house, while a man was standing beside me. 7 He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their harlotry and by the corpses of their kings when they die, 8 by setting their threshold by My threshold and their door post beside My door post, with only the wall between Me and them. And they have defiled My holy name by their abominations which they have committed. So I have consumed them in My anger. 9 “Now let them put away their harlotry and the corpses of their kings far from Me; and I will dwell among them forever. 10 “As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the plan. 11 “If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the house, its structure, its exits, its entrances, all its designs, all its statutes, and all its laws. And write it in their sight, so that they may observe its whole design and all its statutes and do them. 12 “This is the law of the house: its entire area on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 58 Q. How does the article concerning “life everlasting” comfort you? A. Even as I already now experience in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, so after this life I will have perfect blessedness such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human heart has ever imagined: a blessedness in which to praise God eternally. Summary Earlier this week we read one of the Bible's most tragic accounts, in which God's glory departed from His temple in Jerusalem. But as the book of Ezekiel draws to a close, it does so on a note of hope, describing the new temple of the LORD. Over the course of nine chapters (40-48), Ezekiel is given a preview tour. The hand of the LORD came upon him and took him into the future. He describes this new temple, both its interior and exterior in great detail. In today's passage, Ezekiel has been led to the gate facing toward the east. The east has always been an ominous direction in the Bible - Adam and Eve were evicted from the garden's eastern gate; Cain fled to the east after killing Abel; Jonah went out east of Nineveh to watch what he'd hoped would be God's wrath coming down upon it. It was this very same east gate that God's glory had departed from. But now the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east! The return of the LORD's glory - and especially the direction it comes from - are so stunning that Ezekiel mentions it twice (v2 & 4). And the LORD's return was a multimedia display - His voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory. Maybe you've stood next to a rushing river and heard the sound of its power, or been in the presence of such bright sunshine you needed to cover your eyes. Imagine, then, what this glory will sound and look like! The voice of the LORD called out to Ezekiel. In a sense, He says "Son of man, I'm home!" And best of all, the defilements, harlotry and abominations of God's people that had previously driven the LORD's glory away before, would never return, having been consumed in the LORD's anger. The LORD promises that, having returned, He will dwell among His people forever, and that not just a curtained off portion of the temple would be holy, but the mountain all around the temple shall be most holy. Dig Deeper So when was, or when will, Ezekiel's vision of the LORD's return be fulfilled? We know for sure when it wasn't! The temple would be rebuilt after Israel's exile (~516 BC), and would undergo a substantial renovation about before twenty years before Jesus was born. But in neither of those cases is it ever recorded that the LORD's glory filled the temple the way it did when Solomon dedicated the first temple. And we also know that the rebuilt temple was completely destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. So that means we're still waiting. But the book of Revelation throws in a twist. As it describes the new heavens and earth, and specifically the New Jerusalem in chapter 21, John writes that he did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Iain Duguid explains how, then, it will be that Ezekiel's prophecy will be fulfilled: John shows us Ezekiel’s vision refracted through the lens of fulfillment in Christ. The temple and city that were separated in Ezekiel to preserve the temple’s sanctity have now been reunited and merged in the New (and sanctified) Jerusalem, the heavenly bride of Christ. All those who were once far off from God through their sin now have open access to the throne of God’s holy presence in Christ, who has become our great High Priest. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, whose glory will dwell among us forever; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for Christ to return soon, that the temple of God will be fully restored when all is made new; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Life's not all about you. It's about living into the LORD's holy name. Biblia.com SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... the glory of the LORD had departed from Jerusalem, and Ezekiel continued warning the exiles that the city’s fall was certain, exposing false prophets, corrupt leaders, idolatry, empty religion, and Israel’s long history of covenant unfaithfulness. In today's passage, the LORD begins to reveal how and why He saves His sinful people. Ezekiel 36:18–28 (NASB95) 18 “Therefore I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols. 19 “Also I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the lands. According to their ways and their deeds I judged them. 20 “When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD; yet they have come out of His land.’ 21 “But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. 22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 “I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the LORD God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. 24 “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. 25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 “You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 70 Q. What does it mean to be washed with Christ’s blood and Spirit? A. To be washed with Christ’s blood means that God, by grace, has forgiven my sins because of Christ’s blood poured out for me in his sacrifice on the cross. To be washed with Christ’s Spirit means that the Holy Spirit has renewed me and set me apart to be a member of Christ so that more and more I become dead to sin and increasingly live a holy and blameless life. Summary We always want to put ourselves at the center of everything. It's easy to understand that self centeredness is the root of sin, but today's passage illustrates how easy it is to make salvation all about ourselves as well. While it's not wrong to think that God always saves His covenant people (which we've seen over and over is the primary theme of the Old Testament) because He loves them, here the LORD reveals a deeper motivation: He had concern for His holy name. Remember the primary attributes of the covenant the LORD has with His people - including us - He will be our God, and we will be His people. We are people who are called by His name (2 Chronicles 7:14). Our primary purpose is to glorify God, but our sin produces the opposite results: it profanes God's holy name. I'm sure your kids never misbehaved, but perhaps you've seen other people's kids who embarrassed their parents by acting badly in public. This is what our sins do - they profane the LORD's name among the nations. It's humbling to read that God didn't save us because we're so awesome. We're nowhere near the center of this story. He saved us to vindicate the holiness of His great name which had been profaned... so that the nations will know that He is the LORD. His salvation, then, proves Himself holy in their sight. God is at the center, not us! The New Testament explains that God chose you in Him before the foundation of the world, that you would be holy and blameless before Him (Ephesians 1:4). But your sin profaned this holiness that you were created for. God didn't save you so that you could live unto yourself as you see fit. Rather, He saved you to vindicate His name - so that you would once again be holy and blameless before Him, a true image bearer of God's holy name, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10). Dig Deeper Another way to render the word translated profaned in this passage is defiled. So sin not only made you filthy, it defiled the LORD's name. So it makes sense that in order to save you, the LORD must cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. But another primary lesson we've learned reading the Bible is that sin has not just defiled our external attributes, it's infected our hearts - which the ancient Hebrews understood to be the center of not just our emotions, but also our intellect and volition. Think back to young children again - they have an almost magnetic attraction to dirt and mud. Moments after their bath, they're just as dirty as they were before. Our hearts - that is, our intellect, emotion and will - have that same attraction to sin, so it's not enough for God to just cleanse us and send us back out. We'd just continually defile ourselves. We need a whole new heart. And that's exactly what God does for those He saves! He gives us a new heart and new spirit. He's taken out your heart of stone that preferred filth over holiness, and put in its place a heart of flesh - one that longs to bear the LORD's holy name. But the LORD's done even more for you! He's put His Spirit within you and causes you to walk in His statutes. So in saving you, the LORD vindicated His holy name by cleansing you from all your filthiness and causing you to be able to fulfill the purpose that He chose you for before the foundation of the world: to the good works which He prepared you for. So life is not all about you. It's about living into the LORD's holy name. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who proves Himself holy in the sight of the nations; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll stop putting yourself in the center of everything and instead make your continual focus to glorify the LORD's holy name; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Bad theology quickly leads to darkened life. Photo credit: Jordon Conner via Unsplash SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Through a series of vivid signs, Ezekiel, who had already been carried away to Babylon, portrayed Jerusalem’s coming siege, famine, judgment and full exile of the remnant, making clear that the city’s destruction would not come because the LORD was absent or weak, but because His people had filled the land with idolatry, violence, and covenant unfaithfulness. Ezekiel 8-10 (NASB95) 8 It came about in the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the LORD GOD fell on me there. 2 Then I looked, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of a man; from His loins and downward there was the appearance of fire, and from His loins and upward the appearance of brightness, like the appearance of glowing metal. 3 He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located. 4 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the appearance which I saw in the plain. -- 7 Then He brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. 8 He said to me, “Son of man, now dig through the wall.” So I dug through the wall, and behold, an entrance. 9 And He said to me, “Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here.” -- 12 Then He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.’ ” 13 And He said to me, “Yet you will see still greater abominations which they are committing.” -- [Ezekiel is then shown three different instances of people practicing idolatry within the Temple courts] 9... 3 Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple... -- 9 Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood and the city is full of perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!’ 10 “But as for Me, My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but I will bring their conduct upon their heads.” -- 10... 4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the temple, and the temple was filled with the cloud and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD. -- 18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. 19 When the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD’S house, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them. Belgic Confession of Faith Article 1: The Only God We all believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that there is a single and simple spiritual being, whom we call God— eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, unchangeable, infinite, almighty; completely wise, just, and good, and the overflowing source of all good. Summary We catch up with Ezekiel as he’s caught up by his hair - a lock of his head, and the Spirit lifted him up between earth and heaven and brought him to visions of God in the Jerusalem temple. There he once again beholds the glory of the God of Israel. But Ezekiel’s not just brought there on a field trip to see the sights. The Spirit commands him to peek through a hole in the wall and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here. Ezekiel then sees the elders of Israel, sitting in the dark with their carved images, each thinking that the LORD doesn’t see them because He’s forsaken the land. These elders of Israel had forgotten their basic theology - that the LORD is omnipresent (in all places simultaneously) and omniscient (all knowing). The LORD had seen all of Israel’s abominations, and He’d had enough of their iniquity, for their theological ignorance had led to a land filled with blood and a city full of perversion (bad theology has consequences!). So the LORD moved out of His temple, but not all at once. It begins with the glory of the LORD moving off of the cherub whose wings formed His throne above the ark of the covenant (often referred to as the mercy-seat). With His presence no longer contained by the thick curtains surrounding the Most Holy Place, the entire temple was filled with the cloud and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD. But He didn't linger long, and by the end of today’s passage, the LORD’s glory departed, rising up from the earth on the wings of waiting cherubim. Dig Deeper We live in a world not at all unlike these dying days of Israel. You've likely heard of people deconstructing from their faith - that is, giving up on the core theological doctrines the Bible teaches because they don't think God is present anymore (or never was). This is why building up and regularly reinforcing your theology is so important! One lesson the Old Testament teaches repeatedly, as it does today, is that God's patience is not infinite. There does come a time where His glory (not His presence) departs from people and even churches. Don't let this happen to you! Keep reading scripture and hearing it proclaimed so that you never lose sight of the LORD's glory and turn to the idols that surround you. But the LORD doesn't withhold His glory forever. On Thursday (Ezekiel 43) we'll read about how the LORD's glory came back through the very same east gate from which it had left the temple. It came back to a people who had once again been made holy by the blood of Christ, and the LORD promises to live among them forever! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who's glory is far beyond anything we can imagine; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will never tear down the theology you've learned and that you'll keep building it up through God's Word; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

If you think the Bible's boring, you haven't read Ezekiel. Faithlife.com We meet the prophet Ezekiel sitting among the exiles in Babylon, the heavens opened and he saw a storm-cloud vision of the LORD’s glory carried by four winged living creatures, each with four faces, moving with Spirit-directed power. Ezekiel 1:15-2:7 (NASB95) 15 Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living beings, for each of the four of them. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another. 17 Whenever they moved, they moved in any of their four directions without turning as they moved. 18 As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were full of eyes round about. 19 Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. And whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. 20 Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. 21 Whenever those went, these went; and whenever those stood still, these stood still. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. 22 Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads. 23 Under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other. 24 I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. 25 And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. 26 Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. 27 Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. 28 As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. 2 Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak with you!” 2 As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. 3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. 4 “I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God.’ 5 “As for them, whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 “And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. 7 “But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious. Westminster Confession of Faith I.VII. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them. Summary This is probably the part of each day's post where you look for a bit of insight to help unpack the day's passage. But right now your humble host is looking at these words of Ezekiel just as confused as you are. Ezekiel's writings from among the Israelites exiled in Babylon are the strangest and most bizarre in the Bible. And this first chapter isn't even the weirdest. Mark Dever notes that "God called Ezekiel to be a virtual recluse, afflicted with periodic fits, paralysis, and dumbness. For example, we observe episodes of aphasia, where Ezekiel lies motionless on his side for months, even years (4:4ff.). He is bound up in his house with ropes so that he cannot go out among the people (3:25). His tongue is glued to the roof of his mouth so that he cannot speak (3:26). He is ordered not to mourn the death of his wife (24:16–17). He is transported in visions (e.g., 8:7). He is told to make a model of the besieged Jerusalem and hold a sword up against it (4:1–2; 5:1–2). He packs his belongings and digs through the city wall to symbolize the coming exile... This book has been regarded as so strange that Jewish rabbis would often not allow young men to read Ezekiel until they were thirty years old, lest they become discouraged at the difficulty of understanding the Scriptures and so despise them." But even as eccentric as Ezekiel is, his prophecy is still the word of God, and we must endeavor to listen and learn from it. Dig Deeper The moment somebody tells you they can explain every detail of Ezekiel's visions, turn and run. Ezekiel often uses metaphorical descriptors such as like or as if. He's trying to describe the indescribable using the closest categories and images he can imagine - and he has a massive imagination - so not every detail is meant to have a bigger meaning. As strange as it is, Ezekiel's vision of the LORD yields some solid theology (these categories and insights are borrowed from Mark Dever): God is not like us: He is strange, other, and different than we are. God Is All-Powerful and All-Wise: Perhaps you noticed that the rims of the wheels are covered with eyes (1:18). And the four faces look in every direction (1:6, 10, 17). These things show God’s omniscience—He sees everywhere. God Communicates: Did you notice that Ezekiel’s vision climaxes in a voice? In words? This is why God’s Word is central in our church’s gatherings. We take time to hear from God’s Word because he speaks to us through his Word. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who's glory is far beyond anything we can imagine; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Humble yourself before a God who crushes every category and adjective we have to describe Him; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Don’t wait for Sunday to praise the Lord! Heartlight.org Psalm 65 (ESV) To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song. 1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. 2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. 3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. 4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple! 5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; 6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; 7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, 8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. 9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the first request of the Lord's Prayer mean? A. “Hallowed be your name” means, Help us to really know you, to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. Summary What a great way to end the work week and to already begin preparing our hearts for worship this upcoming Lord’s Day by meditating on this psalm of praise! Indeed, in it, David pours forth his praise to the One True, Living God for so many things! We’re not quite certain when in David’s life he wrote this psalm, nor the circumstances in daily life that surrounded it, whether a famine had wrought havoc on the land, or if it was harvest, but at the heart of this psalm, as Richard Phillips in his commentary on Psalms points out: “…is that God’s people always have reasons to lift up our hearts in praise. In whatever circumstances we may find ourselves, it is always right and beneficial to us to think about how marvelous God is and to worship him with awe and joy. Psalm 65 argues that believers do not require a special reason to worship the Lord, so we should devote portions of each day simply to exulting in the goodness and grace of God and in praising him from open hearts.” As we dig into this psalm, we see David praise God for a number of things, specifically God’s salvation and grace (vv. 1-4), God’s awesome power on display in creation (vv. 5-8), and God’s abundant provisions and blessings that He graciously pours out (vv. 9-13). Dig Deeper Like David, we have so much to praise God for, and we ought to! Whether it’s health, our families, cars that run and gas to fill them, food in our fridges, friends, work to be done, the salvation from our sins and reconciliation with God that we have received through Christ that David points forward to even in this psalm, and so on, when we stop and take a look at our lives, there is so much to lift up our hearts and voices in praise to God for. We of course praise God as a part of our worship on Sunday for Who He is and all that He has done for us, but how often do you take time individually or as a family to praise Him for all His many gracious blessings throughout the rest of the week? If you do so often, fantastic! May the Lord help you to continue in that wonderful pattern! If not, may the Lord refresh you in the awe and wonder of Who He is and all that He has done, bringing you to a renewed place of daily praise. Yes, life gets busy, and we can so easily get distracted with everything going on, but may the Lord help us to slow down, to notice His mighty hand at work in His creation, in our lives, and to thank and praise Him for it. Maybe it’s short prayers of praise throughout the day whether at work, on the road, outside mowing the lawn; maybe it’s carving out time at the start or end of your day, or being intentional to praise the Lord around the table at family meals. As we head into the weekend and throughout the rest of our lives, may we ever praise the God of our salvation! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the God of our salvation; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll give to God the praise that is due to Him all week long, and especially on the Lord's Day. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

How hungry are you for the Word of God? Bible.com SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Nehemiah heard of Jerusalem’s broken walls and mourned, fasted, and prayed before the LORD. God then opened the door for him to ask King Artaxerxes for permission, protection, and supplies to rebuild the city. Despite opposition, mockery, threats, and internal injustice among the people, Nehemiah led with prayer, courage, organization, and reform. The wall was finished, the people were registered, and all Israel gathered as one in Jerusalem to hear the Book of the Law. Nehemiah 8:1–12 (ESV) 8 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose... 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 ...the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 65 Q. It is by faith alone that we share in Christ and all his blessings: where then does that faith come from? A. The Holy Spirit produces it in our hearts by the preaching of the holy gospel, and confirms it through our use of the holy sacraments. Summary After completing the work of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, and as the people stand on the brink of celebrating a number of festivals prescribed by the Lord, they all gather together in Jerusalem and ask for something, not of Nehemiah, but of Ezra. Returning on the scene, Ezra is asked to bring out “the Book of the Law of Moses.” Notice that the people initiated this! Ezra, of course, is more than happy to do so. He brings it out and begins reading it to the people from early morning until midday. Not only is it read to the people, but God’s Word is also expounded - that is, taught to the people by the Levites! As all of this is done for probably about six or so hours, like the people hearing Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, the Israelites assembled there are cut to the heart, for we find the people weeping as they heard the words of the law. We’re not told what parts were exactly read, but through the reading and exposition of God’s Word, the people were reminded of their sin, and were convicted of it. Even so, Nehemiah encourages the people not to weep, but to have joy, to celebrate, for the joy of the LORD is your strength! Indeed, because of the LORD’s great grace, mercy, and forgiveness of sins, both they and we have much to be joyful over! Dig Deeper At various points in our lives, we know the pangs of hunger acutely, whether it’s when we forget our lunch at home, or when we smell a delicious roast in the oven throughout the day, making us hungrier by the minute. Maybe it’s after a long day’s work, or a really intense sports practice, and we come to the supper table famished. Something for us to ponder, though, is how hungry are we for God’s Word? Are we satisfied with mere morsels here and there, or are we constantly wanting more of the Bible, and not just the parts we like, but the parts that are hard to hear too? We see the people of Israel in our passage today hungry for God’s Word; they can’t get enough of it, even after six or so hours of hearing it read and expounded. They take it all in, including the parts that lead them to weep over their sin. It’s important for us to reflect on our own attitude towards God’s Word, for His Word is the Truth we need over against all the lies we hear from our world and culture. His Word is nourishment for our souls; it is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path in the midst of this world darkened by sin (Psalm 119:105). You need to cherish, hunger and thirst after God’s Word day by day, looking forward to immersing yourself in it throughout the week and looking forward to hearing it proclaimed on Sundays from the pulpit! Be hungry for the Word of the Lord, so that you grow in your love for Him more and more each day as you learn more about Him and all that He has done for you in Jesus Christ! The only thing left to ask, then, is - who’s hungry? AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll be a good servant of the LORD who delights to fear His name; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Whatever you face in life, take it to the LORD in prayer! Faithlife.com Nehemiah has heard that those who've returned from exile to Jerusalem are in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire. Nehemiah 1:4–11 (ESV) 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king. Canons of Dordt Point 1, Article 13: The Fruit of This Assurance In their awareness and assurance of this election God’s children daily find greater cause to humble themselves before God, to adore the fathomless depth of his mercies, to cleanse themselves, and to give fervent love in return to him who first so greatly loved them. This is far from saying that this teaching concerning election, and reflection upon it, make God’s children lax in observing his commandments or carnally self-assured. By God’s just judgment this does usually happen to those who casually take for granted the grace of election or engage in idle and brazen talk about it but are unwilling to walk in the ways of the chosen. Summary Today, we turn our attention to the book of the Bible immediately following Ezra, that of Nehemiah, who, as we will see tomorrow, lived at the same time as Ezra. By the time of Nehemiah, Ezra and others had returned to Jerusalem, where they had worked on the temple of the LORD amidst great persecution from surrounding peoples. Now, as we are introduced to Nehemiah, cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, a troubling report reaches him from his kinsmen that the walls are still destroyed, and it brings him to his knees in concern. Instead of wallowing in despair, Nehemiah turns to the LORD in prayer. There have been various ways Nehemiah’s prayer has been dissected, but taking a look at it, we can see that AAA prayer pattern we use each day: Acknowledge Who God is Oh LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. I love how Derek Thomas describes this: “Like bookends, the prayer begins and ends with adoration. Like a lot of other biblical prayers, Nehemiah begins by telling God about God. Doing so, of course, helps Nehemiah (and us) to put everything into perspective. When we remember that God is God, problems seem to take on smaller dimensions.” Align Your Life with God’s Will Nehemiah goes on to confess his and his people’s sin before the Lord, recognizing they are sinners in need of His mercy, grace, and forgiveness, yet are also those who have been redeemed by the LORD. Ask God For What You Need Nehemiah asks the LORD to be attentive to his prayer, asking that the LORD would give him success when he goes and talks to the king about what is troubling his heart, because it could very well lead to the end of his life. Notice that the asking portion of the prayer is the shortest! Dig Deeper When Nehemiah was met with the troublesome report of those who had returned to Jerusalem and was in the throes of despair, what was his first reaction? In the midst of his mourning and weeping, he responded with fasting and prayer. Nehemiah’s gut reaction was to turn to the God of the universe, Who is ever faithful, in prayer. When we face trials and tribulations, when we are faced with the throes of despair, is that our initial response, to pray? How about in good times, is it our gut reaction to turn to God in prayer, thanking Him for His blessings to us? When things go wrong, it can be so easy to respond with complaints, wallowing in our despair, or we turn to everyone else rather than turning in prayer to our Great God through our mediator and Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, He Who is Sovereign and faithful, laying at His feet our cares and concerns. When things go well, it can be easy to forget the LORD, to forget to respond with thanksgiving and gratitude in prayer. Rather, whether we are in a time of despair and trial, or when things are going well, may the LORD ever mold and shape us through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit to turn to Him in prayer first, bearing our souls to our Creator, our Redeemer, our God! As that beautiful hymn reminds us: Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. May we truly carry everything to God in prayer, not as an afterthought, but as our initial response in both joys and trials! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll be a good servant of the LORD who delights to fear His name; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: