QT 20/09/2024 Fri. Ezekiel 25. LORD over all nations. 万国之主。

QT 20/09/2024 Fri. Ezekiel 25. LORD over all nations.
https://www.esv.org/Eze+25/

MEDITATION: Ezekiel 24 closes with the death of his wife (Ezek 24:15-27). The LORD's pain was no less with the siege of Jerusalem (Ezek 24:1-14) and the dealing with His own sanctuary, "I will profane my sanctuary..." (Ezek 24:21).

But suddenly, the focus shifts to the nations (Ezek 24-32), the superpowers of Ezekiel's days as well as smaller nations, both far and near.

The primary purpose of setting out oracles against the nations, in this case the Ammonites and Moab, including those who are relationally or geographically nearer (Philistia, Seir and Edom) was to point the readers to Israel's God. This God is unlike other gods–all peoples are under the rule, dominion and moral analysis of Israel's God. The LORD is King of kings and Lord of lords.

While God had uniquely chosen Israel and her patriarchs (Abraham and the rest), all nations are still subject to the LORD, whether or not they acknowledge this or not. Prosperity or not, all this depends on the LORD, including this nation.

The secondary effect is to indirectly encourage Israel and those who submit to the reality of the lordship of the one True God—if God's rule included the nations, He is surely powerful enough to right the wrongs suffered by the readers, and punish the wrongs done by all even though not detected or not punished by human institutions.

APPLICATION: Believe in the LORD God of Israel, who is God of all nations. May His dealings with all humanity (be it with blessings or punishments) enable you to know Him deeper, "Then you will know that I am the LORD" (Ezek 25:5,7,11,14,17).

REFLECTION: If the LORD judges the nations, won't He also be able to right the wrong that was done to you? Be aware, however, that His "sword" cut both ways, regardless of whether it was Israel, Ammon, Moab, Seir, Edom or Philistia.

星期五 2024年9月20日 今日读经：以西结书25章。万国之主。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/eze/25/

默想：以西结书24章以他妻子的死作为结束(结24:15-27)。耶和华的痛不比耶路撒冷被围困(结24:1-14)和处理自己的居所时来得少，“我必使我的圣所被亵渎…”(结24:21)。

但突然，整个的焦点转移到列国(结24-32)，以西结当时的强国和那些小国，远的和近的。

针对列国（这里是指亚扪人和摩押），包括那些在关系上或地理上更接近的国家（非利士、西尔和以东）的讯息的主要目的是将读者引向以色列的上帝。这位神与其他神不同——所有民族都在以色列神的统治、支配和道德分析之下。耶和华是万王之王，万主之主。

虽然上帝独一无二地拣选了以色列和她的族长（亚伯拉罕和其他族长），但所有民族都要服从耶和华，无论他们是否承认这一点。无论繁荣与否，这一切都取决于耶和华，包括这个国家的命运。

次要的效果是间接地鼓励以色列和那些顺服于独一真神统治的现实的人——如果神的统治包括万国，那么祂肯定有足够的能力纠正读者所遭受的错误，惩罚所有人所做的错误，即使人类所设立的机构没有发现或没有惩罚。

应用：相信耶和华以色列的神，祂也是所有国家的神。愿祂与全人类的接触(无论是祝福或惩罚)都能让你更深地认识他，“你们就知道我是耶和华”(结25:5,7,11,14,17)。

反思：如果耶和华向列国实施审判，祂也能够帮你伸冤。然而，要当心，因为祂的“剑”是双刃的, 无论你是以色列、亚扪、摩押、西珥、以东或非利士。