Week #36 | "A Better Way Than Ours"

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Ezekiel 26-28, 32-39; Jeremiah 39-44; Lamentations 1-5; Obadiah 1

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

The limits of summarizing things. The readings for Week #36 are so rich, that there is no way for me to even begin to summarize them. I feel like, by highlighting some things, I might be giving the impression that other parts of the reading are somehow less amazing or important. That's not the case! So, while I will summarize a few bits and pieces here and there, this is a good reminder to us that there is more to understand and to process in Scripture than one reading could ever accomplish.

The Great Chapters of Ezekiel 33-39. This part of the book serves to re-state many of the major themes of Ezekiel's prophesies before we get into the great vision of restoration (Ezekiel 40-48). We are again told about Ezekiel's role as a watchman for Israel (33:1-9), and about the responsibility that each person has for their life before the LORD (33:10-20).  We are then told about the historical Fall of Jerusalem from Ezekiel's perspective, as an exile living in Babylon, and his words to both the homelanders and the exiles after that event occurred (33:21-33). In the midst of the devastation, and his summary of the spiritual problems amongst the people of Judah, Ezekiel also extends an incredible vision of hope. The hope that Ezekiel shares is of God doing the impossible, and bringing new life from death in the famous passage about God raising up dry bones (Ezekiel 37), and his promise to put a new spirit in his people (Ezekiel 36:22-32). But this hope is centered around the one on whom all of the hopes and promises of the Old Testament rest: on the Promised Deliverer, descended from the line of David, who will shepherd his people. God says through Ezekiel: "I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey... And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them... you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD" (Ezekiel 34:20-31).

A post-apocalyptic tragedy in the book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 39-44). In these chapters, Jeremiah tells us his on-the-ground perspective of life in Jerusalem after it fell. There is something cinematic to the book of Jeremiah that keeps causing me to compare it to movies, and that holds true for these chapters as well. Earlier the book was an unchronological, artistic movie like something Christopher Nolan would direct. But now the narrative becomes linear, and it turns into a post-apocalyptic survivor's tale, in a barren wasteland ruled over by divided factions who are attempting to build a new life after everything's been blown to rubble. And of course, it doesn't go well. Jeremiah's prophesies about the future dominance of Babylon over the nations have come to Nebuchadnezzar's attention and earned him favor, so he gains the freedom to go wherever he would like (Jeremiah 40:1-6). He chooses to remain in the land, and to rebuild a life with the little stand-in government that has assembled at Mizpah (40:6-12). Unfortunately another faction chooses to assassinate the leaders of this promising new group (40:13-41:3). We quickly find out that the assassins are men who are ruthless and self-seeking, and who slaughter innocent worshippers (41:1-10). This causes a third group to assemble to fight them, who seem intent on abandoning the land and returning to Egypt (41:11-18). Although they promise to listen to the word of the Lord through Jeremiah, ultimately they reject his warning against leaving to go to Egypt--taking him along forcibly (Jeremiah 41:19-43:13). Jeremiah gives his last chronological prophesy from the midst of the land of Egypt (Jeremiah 44), and although this is not the end of the book, that's the last time that we ever hear from him historically.

One more word. All summed up, we see the best that human ingenuity and reason can do for us in terms of bringing hope, and it isn't much (Jeremiah 39-44). That's not to say that these things are bad or something to be discouraged--but they're kind of like a short ladder against the wall: they'll help us a little, but they're not going to take us all the way to where we need to go. If we are willing to acknowledge that, then we also see that God himself has a plan that is better than our plan. He has a vision for how history is going to play out. And his vision is to accomplish all of the amazing things that we could not do through his power alone (Ezekiel 34-37), accomplished in the person of Jesus Christ (Ezekiel 34:20-31).

DO | HOW DO WE RESPOND?

How can we respond in our worship, attitude, and actions? I won't lay out exact responses in this space because the possibilities are often endless. But it is worth it to think about application in the categories of worship, attitude, and actions. Does this reading direct me to God in worship and thanksgiving and praise, or does it direct me towards a change that I need to make here and now? If it's about a change that I need to make, is this something inward in my attitude, or outward in my actions? This helps to rescue application from just being a series of how-to tips, or one-size-fits-all instructions that go beyond what the Bible actually states. Sometimes, the most helpful application we can make is to get a different perspective on what's the most important thing, or about how we should respond inwardly to the things going on around us.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US TO GOD?

Whether in response to anything pointed out here, or to something else in your Bible reading time, take a few moments before you close up your Bible to pray in response to God. If you need a format for prayer, both the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication), CALL (Confess, Ask, Love, Listen), and PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) methods are helpful ways to stay consistent.

-Sean