QT 04/09/2024 Wed. Ezekiel 21. Refinements & swords. 精炼与剑。

QT 04/09/2024 Wed. Ezekiel 21. Refinements & swords.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/eze21

MEDITATION: The transgressions and sins of Israel (Ezek 21:24) would have to be dealt with and refined with punishment (Ezek 21:25).

The instrument of this refinement was the sword of the LORD (Ezek 21:3), continually unsheathed (Ezek 21:5-10) and "sharpened and polished" (Ezek 21:11). This sword would be handed over to a powerful slayer to execute "the great slaughter" (Ezek 21:14)--"king of Babylon" (Ezek 21:19).

Even though Ezekiel ends with the wonderful and detailed vision of a new and bigger restored temple (Ezek 40:1-48:35), the LORD would now purify them with punishment and judgment (Ezek 21:25-27). Even others like the Ammonites were not exempted from the LORD's "fire of my wrath" (Ezek 21:31-32).

APPLICATION: This way of dealing with defilement wherever it might be has a purpose, "And all flesh shall know that I am the LORD" (Ezek 21:5). Submit to the LORD's dismantling, purification and restoration willingly in order to reap maximum benefits from them.

星期三 2024年9月4日 今日读经：以西结书21章。 精炼与剑。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/eze/21/

默想：以色列的过犯和罪孽(结21:24)必须被处理并以惩罚来改造(结21:25)。

这改造的工具就是耶和华的刀(结21:3)，刀已出鞘(结21:5-10)且已“磨利擦亮”(结21:11)。这把刀将交给一个强而有力行杀戮的人手中来执行“大杀戮”(结21:14)---巴比伦王(结21:19)。

尽管以西结书以一个重建好、更新更大的圣殿的美好异象作为结束，其中还包括了许多关于圣殿的细节(结40:1-48:35)，耶和华现在要做的是以惩罚和审判洁净他们(结21:25-27)。就连其他人如亚扪人都逃不过耶和华的“怒火”(结21:31-32)。

应用：无论在何处，这种对付罪孽的处理方式总有它的目的，“所有的人就知道我是耶和华”(结21:5)。甘心乐意地降服于耶和华的拆毁、洁净和复兴，以致你能够从中得到最大的收获。