QT 14/08/2024 Wed. Ezekiel 9. Respect for the owner of the house. 尊重房屋的主人。

QT 14/08/2024 Wed. Ezekiel 9. Respect for the owner of the house.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/eze9

MEDITATION: The one who had the appearance of a man started to call upon executioners to destroy Jerusalem and her inhabitants. After so much evil being done in Jerusalem, the time had come for Jerusalem to be left alone to fend for herself.

"Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to the threshold of the house." (Ezek 9:3)

The cherubim on the ark of the covenant represented the place where the LORD communicated with Moses and "resided" with His people since Exo 40. After about 800 years, the glory of the LORD had now "gone up from the cherub" and had started to go out from the front entrance of the holy place, "the threshold".

The owner of the house has now started to leave, like a guest. Isn't this so sad? Israel were presumptious that the LORD would always be with them in the temple even when they continued to sin persistently. How wrong they were: their practice of their religion DID NOT lead to the fear of God.

Reflection: Is the LORD God master over our hearts and household? Or has our behaviour become incompatible with His residency that He "had" to leave us alone as punishment.

Application: God's judgment began with His sanctuary and the elders (Ezek 9:6). Leaders and those who attempt to lead must be aware of the consequences of leading others astray.

星期三 2024年8月14日 今日读经：以西结书9章. 尊重房屋的主人。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/eze/9/
听以西结书9章
https://www.bible.com/bible/41/eze.9

默想：那个有人的模样的人开始召来了刽子手灭绝耶路撒冷和居住在那地的人。耶路撒冷行了那么多可憎的事，该是她站起来捍卫自己的时候了。

“以色列神的荣耀本来是在基路伯上面的，现在从那里移到殿的门槛。”(结9:3)

在约柜上的基路伯代表着自出埃及记40章起，耶和华与摩西沟通并与祂的子民“同住”的地方。大概过了800年，神的荣耀“从基路伯身上移开”并从圣所的正门，殿的“门槛”离去。

这屋子的主人已开始离去，像客人一样。这不是很可悲吧？以色列肆任性地以为耶和华会一直在殿里与他们同在，即使他们不断地犯罪。他们大错特错了：他们的信仰并没有导致他们敬畏神。

反思：耶和华神是否是我们的心和我们家庭的主人？又或者我们的行为已和祂住在我们里面不相配，以致祂“必须”离开我们作为惩罚。

应用：神的审判从祂的圣所和长老开始(结9:6)。领袖和那些想尝试带领人的必须注意领人入歧途的后果。