1 Chronicles 27-29 Not Quite A Retirement Ceremony

My commentary said since Solomon wasn’t a military man, David organized the army, the tribal leaders, and all those who counseled him.  That was an important planning step for the time after David was no longer around.

Since David was old, it was time to prepare for Solomon’s reign and for the building of the Temple.  Solomon wasn’t the firstborn (who would normally expect to be the next ruler).  God had selected him.  It was therefore important for the nation to ratify that fact, and they did, crowning him king.

David then presented the spoils of war he’d collected for the building of the temple, adding much from his personal wealth as well.  It was important that the people view the Temple in the right way.  David told them, “The palace is not for people; it is for the Lord God.”  Unfortunately, they would one day forget this.

David then asked the leaders to give themselves to the service of the Lord, and they responded with thankful hearts, even adding to the wealth of supplies to build the Temple!  He then prayed a wonderful prayer of thanks to God, acknowledging that the kingdom of Israel was his. 

As a dad, he also prayed for his son:  “Give my son Solomon a desire to serve You.  Help him to always obey Your commands, laws, and rules.  Help him build the Temple.”

David was moving off the scene, having consolidated God’s kingdom in Israel.  His son Solomon began to reign while David retired.  It was time.

Father, thank You for this wonderful portrait of the capping of David’s reign and the passing of it on to his son.  Help me to pray like that daily for my sons, and I pray sincerely that You give them a heart like David’s.  Stoke that desire within them to follow You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Chronicles 23-26 Just Being LISTED Means So Much!

David spent some of his last days organizing family groups from the tribe of Levi for service in the soon-to-be-built Temple.  Several things amazed me about this.  First, many of these men served only two weeks each year!  This was a necessity because their numbers were so great that everyone needed a chance to serve.  As additional generations were added over the years, I wonder if many men ended up serving only one week every three years!

Another somewhat strange thing I noticed was that David and the commanders of the army chose the men who would “preach and play” in the music group!  Perhaps they knew the trumpeters who sounded the charge in battle and thought they’d make great worship musicians! 

There were also several men specifically mentioned whom God had promised to “make strong” and as a result, they had many sons.  What a blessing!

We also finally have mention again of Moses’ sons and their descendants.  While Moses had spoken daily with God, received the Law, and led the people to the Promised Land, his descendants ended up guarding the treasuries of the Temple.

Father, I know it was a very special honor for these men and their families to have been assigned for service in the Temple.  It was also an honor that You chose to tell about them in Your Word.  I pray that my family and my descendants will honor You and serve You as well.  Lead us to respect You completely and to want to do Your will here on earth, with all our hearts.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Chronicles 22 -- The Preparer But Not The Builder

God had already told David that even though David desired to build God a Temple, it would be David’s son Solomon (unborn at the time he heard this) who would build it.  David had been out of fellowship with God due to his sin with Bathsheba and his counting of the people, but there on Mount Moriah when God had halted the death angel’s march and accepted David’s sacrifice by sending fire down from heaven to consume it, David knew that his sin was forgiven and that he was back in fellowship with the Lord.  David also knew that Ornan’s property was where the Temple was to be built.  He might not be allowed to build it, but he could prepare the materials, workers, blueprints, and financing for it.

David also encouraged his son Solomon regarding the monumental task of building the temple.  He assured him that it was God’s will, he reminded his of God’s faithfulness, and he encourage him by giving him everything he’d accumulated for the project, my commentary said. 

Father, thank You for the encouragement I received from this chapter.  Just thinking of how You communicated so intimately with David – not just a sense that this was Your will, but a firm assurance that it was is amazing.  No other kin and no other nation received such assurance.  Speak to me and help me to stay in Your will.  Remove sin from my life.  Guide me to that which You would have me do, Father.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Chronicles 21 -- Oh, my!

This chapter starts out, “Stan was against Israel.”  “God permitted Satan to tempt David in order to accomplish the purposes He had in mind,” my commentary said.  We’ve got to remember this as these events unfold. 

David was letting pride get the better of him.  He wanted to know just how large an army he could field.  Numbering the people was forbidden in the law of Moses unless a Temple tax was being collected annually.  Why could he not have simply waited and he would have eventually found out his answer?  Instead, he willfully and knowingly sought to sin in his pride.  In fact, Israel had conducted military censuses in the past with no repercussions, but those had been done of necessity.  This one was all pride.

God was displeased, but He allowed Joab to perform the census.  “Sometimes God’s greatest judgment is simply to let us have our own way,” my commentary added.

David stood convicted of his sin sometime after Joab returned; he confessed it and sought God’s face.  “The census was willful rebellion, and David sinned against a flood of light.  Furthermore, God gave David over nine months time to repent, but he refused to yield.”  David finally came to the point of admitting his prideful mistake.

“God in His grace forgives our sins when we confess them, but in His righteous government He allows us to reap the consequences.  In this case, the Lord even gave David the privilege of choosing the consequences.  Why?  Because David’s disobedience was a sin of the will, a deliberate choice on David’s part, so God allowed him to make another choice and name the punishment,” my commentary said.

David chose disease over famine and military defeat.  He wisely knew that God was merciful, whereas humans probably would not be so.

Don’t you know that it broke his heart seeing 70,000 people dead?  But we have to remember how the chapter began:  Satan was against Israel.  In 2 Samuel 24, the companion to this chapter, it says God was angry with Israel, not with David.  He may have been punishing these particular people for their sin, according to my commentary.

“God permitted David to see the judgment angel hovering over Jerusalem … David knew that God was merciful and gracious … It was David’s sin that precipitated the crisis, but … the nation had also sinned and deserved to feel God’s rod of discipline,” my commentary added.

David paid full price for the land beneath him to build an altar there as the Lord had directed, even though the owner offered it free.  “David knew the high cost of sinning, and he refused to give the Lord something that had cost him nothing.”  In God’s sovereignty, it so happened to be the very spot where Abraham had offered Isaac as a sacrifice.  It would also become the spot where Solomon would build the Temple!

My commentary said that this episode represented one of David’s two greatest sins, the other being his adultery with Bathsheba.  “But out of those two great sins, God build a temple!”  David acquired the land here, and Bathsheba became the mother of Solomon.  “Knowing what God did for David does encourage us to seek His face and trust His grace when we have disobeyed Him.”

Father, You are so wise and so good!  Where sin abounds, Your grace abounds even more!  Help me to trust You, even when I have sinned – to seek Your face and ask forgiveness, knowing that You will always have Your best in mind for me, even when it has been modified due to my sin!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Chronicles 19-20 Misunderstood Intentions

Before he became king, David had developed friendships with foreign leaders who were fighting Saul, as David was.  He’d made friends with Nahash, who became king of Ammon.  Nahash died and his son Hanun took his place.  David sent an official delegation to Ammon to honor and comfort the new young king.

Unfortunately, Hanun’s advisors suspected that David was making a play to attack them, taking advantage of Ammon’s weakness.  David’s delegates were dishonored by having one side of their beards removed and their robes cut off at the waist, including the tassels that evidenced their Jewish heritage, and then they were sent packing.  Replacing clothing wouldn’t be difficult, but growing back beards would take quite some time, so David ordered them to remain just inside the Israelite border at Jericho until their beards were restored.

Of course this amounted to an act of war, and David’s officers firmly defeated not only Ammon, but also the mercenaries they’d hired to help them in the battle against Israel.

Father, You’ve shown here how our best intentions can be misconstrued.  I pray that You will help others to see clearly what I’m doing and also help me to react in a way that honors You if I am misunderstood.  I don’t want my pride to get in the way of Your message.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Chronicles 18 -- Understanding God In War

Some, particularly Arabs, will dislike this chapter and point out “imperialism” on Israel’s part.  They’ll point out how it started when Abram left Ur, and that it is still going on –grabbing land that wasn’t theirs and subduing or eliminating other nations.  (Of course, they conveniently overlook their own imperialism or excuse it.)  Yes, Israel did all that.  However, Israel was under specific instructions from God to do so!

The Philistines were perhaps their staunchest enemies.  God had been long-suffering with these idolaters and had finally decided to remove them from the very blessed land they’d been occupying.  He was bringing the Israelites into that land.  God had established the boundaries of Israel, not man, and some of the boundaries remain unattained.  God directed David’s military incursions to accomplish this, and He blessed them with results.

Of course, conquered people will say that the conquerors would say whatever they wanted, that their God had given them that land.  But this wasn’t just any god giving the orders.  He is Jehovah, and He is supreme over the universe.  They refused to honor and worship Him, and He says that one day “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess.”  They can choose to do so willingly, or if not, they will do so despite their unwillingness, for He is sovereign.

Father, this is important to me because we humans are great at withholding areas of our lives from Your sovereignty, just like these nations did.  We need to see what we’re doing and understand our foolishness.  Don’t let me be like them with any area of my life.  Help me to surrender all to You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Chronicles 17 -- WOW!

It almost sounds at first like Nathan is simply a “yes” man, telling David to do whatever he liked since he was king and God had put him there.  But my commentary says, “When Nathan told David to do what was in his heart, he wasn’t affirming that David’s desires were actually God’s will.  Rather, he was encouraging the king to pursue his desires and see what God wanted him to do.”  After all, if we are following God, He gives us the desires of our heart.

God gave Nathan additional insight that night.  David wasn’t to be the one to build God’s Temple.  “The best thing he could do for the Lord was to continue shepherding the people and set a godly example,” my commentary said.  “The Lord promised David something above and beyond anything he could have imagined.  David wanted to build God a house, But God promised to build David a house – a dynasty forever!”

God had decided what He was going to do and in effect, David was about to understand God’s will and make it his.

The king sat in front of the Lord, supposedly at the Ark of the Covenant.  His sincerity and humility were quite evident:  “Lord God, who am I? … Why did You bring me to this point? … You have also made promises about my future family … There is no one like You, Lord.  There is no God except You … I, Your servant, am brave enough to pray to You … You have chosen to bless my family.”

I don’t believe David had any children at this point.  So that is certainly a huge promise, despite what He’s already said about Messiah.

Father, I’m so amazed at what You’ve done for me.  How You have blessed me with a family.  How You’ve revealed Your will for me and for my family.  God, be God over us.  Help us to remember all You’ve done to put us together as a family, and let that lead us to trust You completely and to accept Your loving will for our lives.  You’ve given us abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine by placing us together as a family.  Keep leading us, Father.  Draw us all nearer to You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Chronicles 15-16 Judging Others' Worship

David realized that he’d skipped a step in his usual way of doing business – he hadn’t first asked God what God wanted him to do about the ark.  The people moving the ark to Jerusalem hadn’t taken care to move it in the way God had commanded Moses.  “David was now determined to do God’s work in God’s way …”  my commentary said.  How often do we forget to ask God what His will is?  Remembering the death of Uzzah the last time the ark was moved, they only took six steps (one number shy of completion) and waited.  God was pleased and did not send judgment, so they offered a burnt offering.  As the ark entered Jerusalem, David danced enthusiastically in worship before the Lord.  “David’s dance was personal and sincere, and he did it before the Lord as he celebrated the coming of His presence into the capital city,” my commentary said.  God saw it as worship, but David’s wife did not.  Perhaps she thought it undignified.  She was heartless in her criticism when he finally arrived home.  How terrible that such sincere worship should be incorrectly judged.

David told his wife “that he would do what the Lord prompted him to do.”  Because she was so off-base spiritually, “from that day on, he ignored his marriage duties toward her,” my commentary said.  “This was a blessing from the Lord.  It prevented Saul’s family from continuing in Israel and therefore threatening the throne of David.”

Father, You know my heart and the hearts of all other believers.   Allow us to worship You in Spirit and in truth, sincerely praising Your name as You give us promptings to do.  Let us not be dogged by people like David’s wife, and keep our hearts in tune with Yours. 

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Chronicles 6-8 Who's On The List?

As I read through all of these names, I was tempted to say, “Who cares?”  But then I remembered that God did!  I imagined Him directing the writer to put those names down on parchment or papyrus, even repeating some of them – maybe because God fondly recalled those people!  And it made me wonder if God would have fondly recalled my name, had I been there.

There were people listed who could claim kinship with well-known men, such as Elkanah and his son Samuel.  Aaron’s lineage is really covered, but Moses’ was totally absent.  Some people did the most sacred work in the Temple.  Some served as musicians for the Meeting Tent, but appear to have lost their jobs once the Temple was ready.  Others “served by doing their own special work in the Holy Tent.”

God acknowledged men for being leaders in their families and also for having many children.  He even mentioned two brothers who went into Philistine territory to steal cows and sheep and who died in the process!

God called several men outstanding leaders.  The vast majority, though, were simply mentioned – but mentioned by God in His Word!

All of this helps me to see that I should never discount anyone’s value, for they are all important to God.  I should also strive to live a life honoring of God – a life that hopefully will never result in a less-than-favorable “review”.  It also helps me to see the importance of shepherding my sons to do the same.  Yes, every man is a sinner.  Every man makes mistakes.  But our most important decisions are the next ones we make.  We can’t change our past, but we can direct our future to be God-honoring.

Father, remind me often that everything I do either honors You or disparages You.  You are God of my life and You have cared for me more than I could ever imagine and certainly more than I deserve.  I want to honor Your love and care for me and for my family.  Stop me if I am headed toward anything that could disgrace Your name.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Chronicles 4-5 Not For The Genealogists

It won’t do to try and be a genealogist in these chapters, for one of my commentaries says the Jewish people kept very exact records, since their lineage was most important to holding land, etc., yet these are condensed versions that God particularly wanted to mention.  Just imagine being someone who’s name was left out and knowing why God had left you out!  Surely those people suffered great regret for not having stood up as people after His own heart!  But then, there were those God chose to specially mention, like Jabez, for his faith in prayer.

Sometimes God may have mentioned a person because of things they’d done that didn’t honor God, and these mentions may serve as warning signs for us today.  In 4:11, Mered married the daughter of Egypt’s pharaoh.  Yet the Israelites had been subjugated by Egypt for hundreds of years before God sent Moses to lead them out.  So why go BACK?

One man was mentioned for having 16 sons and 6 daughters (doing his part, it seems, to obey God’s command to fill the earth), yet his brothers were not mentioned because they didn’t have many children!

Abraham’s family had been in the lineage of Noah’s son Shem, and here we even see mention of the Israelites fighting against Shem’s brother Ham’s people!

The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat, and it plainly mentions here why Reuben lost his special place as Jacob’s firstborn.  And also why Joseph’s sons, as a result, gained two shares of land for that same reason!

I really liked one part:  soldiers from three tribes started a war.  That wasn’t the enjoyable part.  But the men from these three tribes prayed to God during the war, asking Him to help them, and He did, because they trusted Him.  The results were stunning.

Yet one of these tribes settled for less than God’s best by settling outside of the Promised Land, and before long they settled for worshiping the gods of the people they found there, and they were eventually captured and taken away.

Father, thank You for these broad strokes, showing again how You reward faithfulness to You and how unfaithfulness results in lives squandered.  Help me to be faithful.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Chronicles 1-3 What A List!

Reading these names, I’ve tried to draw family lines over the years to keep up with who belongs to whom.  Family Tree Maker would really help, but for the lack of surnames!  It’s amazing to see the branching off occurring and recalling the various sins associated with many of these men and women, which seem to have historically disqualified their lineage from bearing the Messiah.  In fact, many became enemies of their own relatives – particularly of God’s chosen people – the Jews.  I’d really enjoy seeing a graphical presentation of this information rather than simply these long lists of names.

It was pretty easy to pick up and follow Jesus’ paternal line of kingship through all of this, matching what we’re given in Matthew back to David.  The other lineage given in Luke stopped at David’s son Nathan in these chapters, though.

What’s amazing is that for all these good records, the lineage of modern Jews has supposedly been lost and I’ve read that someday God will provide it to validate what He has planned for Revelation.

Father, a lot of controversy has surrounded these genealogies.  But I trust You.  Help me simply to know that You know every person in every lineage since Adam.  We’ve all disappointed You and disobeyed You, except for one person, who was God-on-earth, Your Son Jesus Christ.  Thank You for introducing me to Him years ago!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Ezekiel 47-48 Don't Miss The Message Among The Details

These chapters were chock full of important details about how the land will be inhabited in the Kingdom Age.  The River of Life flowing from the Temple will transform the land into the Garden of Eden (36:35).  Even foreigners living with the Israelites will be given land of their own.  But my commentary cautioned us not to lose the major messages among these details:

Separation from sin:

“Priests taught people the differences between the holy and the unholy … Israel drifted into sin because they began to erase those differences and became like the pagan nations around them … God put a difference between the holy and the profane.  For people to ‘call evil, good, and good, evil’ … is to violate the basic principle of holy living.”

Worship:

“The heart of the worshipper was far more important than his or her gifts … God’s people don’t decide how they are going to worship the Lord; they simply obey what He has told them in His Word.”

Fulfillment:

“One of the purposes of the millennial kingdom is that God might fulfill His promises to His people, promises He couldn’t fulfill because of their rebellion and unbelief … But during the kingdom, Israel will trust the Lord, obey His word, worship in His Temple as they should, and bring delight to the Lord.”

God’s glory and God’s name:

“If the book of Ezekiel teaches us anything, it teaches us that we must honor God’s name and magnify His glory … ‘They shall know that I am the Lord’ is found at least sixty times … While God’s glory doesn’t dwell in our church buildings, God can be glorified or disgraced by what we do in those buildings we have dedicated to Him.  As His people, we must be reverent and honor His name.”

The Sovereign Rule of God:

“Today, the church of Jesus Christ is left in this world not just to pray ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,’ but to help accomplish that will in the power of the Holy Spirit.  God is still on the throne and Jesus Christ has ‘all authority in heaven and on earth.’  Need we ask for more?”

Father, what an amazingly different place this town, this state, this nation, and this world would be if we would all seek Your will and seek to glorify You!  Despite the obstacles we face, help us to glorify You and Your Son in all that we do.  Guide me to remember to maintain a difference between the holy and the profane – to never call evil, good, and good, evil.  Don’t let me violate Your basic principles of holy living.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Ezekiel 45-46 More Kingdom Age changes, yet ....

God gave Ezekiel modifications to the divisions of land which had been made during Joshua’s rule, along with modifications to the methods of presenting sacrifices.  My commentary noted that the prince mentioned would not be Messiah, since he would be giving offerings for the renewal of his own sin and would be married and have sons.

Again we see rules for entering and leaving the worship area.  Those who enter through the north gate must exist through the south gate and vice versa.  Even during the Kingdom Age, people should expect to be changed by their worship experiences and come out different than they were when they went in.

Father, some of what I read seems hard to reconcile, like the need for daily offerings when Christ has already removed our sins.  Yet You are wise and You will someday show us what this means and why.  And with Your explanation, I know that we will say, “Of course!”

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Ezekiel 44 -- More Comings And Goings

God is showing Ezekiel how His very movements and His presence sanctifies everything.  The east gateway of the Temple area was to remain closed in this new era after God enters through it, because God had entered through it. 

Ezekiel was allowed to see God’s glory filling the Temple, and this caused him to bow facedown on the ground in reverence, even though it had been the Lord who had been speaking to him all this time!

The Jewish people had desecrated the old Temple.  Now God reinforces the rules He’d given to Moses, and grants sole vesting of the priesthood in Zadok’s family because of their continued allegiance and righteousness.

Once again God tells Ezekiel to “pay attention to the entrance to the Temple and to all the exits from the Temple area.”  This seems to reinforce what Ronnie Hill believes about the last few chapters and helps us to reinforce the idea that we should got out changed – different – when we’ve been in the presence of God.  And as His kingdom of priests, we are to keep ourselves separate and holy from the world.

Father, help me to have the same desire that the members of Zadok’s family had, knowing that what I’m giving up in the world is so very worth it.  You promise blessings that have inestimable value if we choose to stay faithful to You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Ezekiel 42-43 Exiting Differently That We Entered

Ezekiel had been brought into the inner courtyard through the south gate.  After moving around the inner courtyard, he’d been taken into the Holy Place and then the Most Holy Place.  But there was no mention of the mercy seat or the Ark of the Covenant. 

The angelic guide then brought Ezekiel out through the east gateway and proceeded to measure the outside of the Temple area.  “Then the man led me to the outer east gateway and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east.  It sounded like the roar of rushing water, and its brightness made the earth shine … The glory of the Lord came into the Temple area through the east gateway.”

It sounds like God’s glory must therefore have passed right by Ezekiel as he was standing near that spot!

Then the guide said, “Tell the people of Israel about the Temple so they will be ashamed of their sins.  Let them think about the plan of the Temple … let them know the design of the Temple … Show them its exits and entrances …”

My friend Ronnie Hill said after looking at all of this and thinking about it, he noted that we are to depart differently than we entered.  We are to experience God’s glory while there.  Do we have that happen each time we come to worship?  Do we experience God’s presence in our worship?  Are we different when we come out?  He believes that is an important teaching God wants us to see from these chapters.

Father, help me to not leave the same as I was when I entered, when I come to worship You.  Help me to watch for You and to experience Your presence in my heart as I offer myself, my worship, and my offering to You.  Let me be changed by that experience every time!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Ezekiel 40-41 Where's This Headed?

On the day of Passover, 25 years after the exiles had arrived in Babylon and 14 years after Jerusalem had been captured by the Babylonians, God gave Ezekiel a detailed vision regarding a new Holy Area and Temple.

Aside from the detailed and sometimes hard-to-follow descriptions, there is actually a guided tour taking place, the directions of which a friend of mine preached years ago as having importance.  It starts with “Then the man brought me through the south gateway into the inner courtyard … The man brought me into the inner courtyard on the east side … Then the man brought me to the inner north gateway … Then man brought me to the Holy Place … then … the Most Holy Place …”  It will take a few more chapters to see where this is headed.

Father God, Your knowledge and wisdom are indescribable and unfathomable.  Even these passages help us to know that we are far below You and must depend on You and trust You.  Help me to rediscover in the upcoming chapters more about You.  Thank You for the insight You’ve given to people in my past to help me see importance even in passages that seem baffling to professional Bible scholars today.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Ezekiel 38-39 -- God Acts So The Nations Will Know Him

God describes for Ezekiel an epic invasion of Israel which does not require a response from Israel.  God does all of the “protecting” that is needed.  What I began to focus on was God’s sovereignty in all of this:

“The Lord God says this:  ‘I am against you, Gog … I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws.  And I will bring you out … you will be called for service … I bring you against My land.  Gog, then the nations will know Me when they see Me prove how holy I am in what I do through you … Then I will call for a war against Gog … Everyone’s sword will attack the soldier next to him.  I will punish Gog with disease and death.  I will send a heavy rain with hailstones and burning sulfur on Gog, his army, and the many nations with him.  Then I will show how great I am.  I will show My holiness, and I will make myself known to the many nations that watch.  Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”

God will call a Gentile nation to invade Israel, yet then soundly defeat them with no army from Israel involved.  All this is done so that the nations will know that God is Lord!

Father, thank You for reaching out to help us know You – even those who would not want to acknowledge You.  You are powerful and You are wise.  Through Your actions, the nations will come to know You.  Let it be so, Father!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Ezekiel 37 -- Hope Where There Is None

Ezekiel was transported by God in the Spirit to a valley where a great slaughter had occurred.  No one had even collected the bodies for burial – an absolute shame for Jews.  The bones were so old and dry that from man’s point of view, there was no hope whatsoever that any life remained in them.  In modern terms, the DNA had all been destroyed by time, sun, and decay.

When God asked Ezekiel if those bones could live, Ezekiel wisely deferred to God, knowing that nothing is impossible for Him.  In the vision, Ezekiel watched as bones long scattered collected themselves back into the original skeletons they belonged to, then he was amazed as tendons and cartilage and muscles and skin formed to reproduce the bodies of the soldiers of a massive army, yet they all lay lifeless on the ground.

My commentary said that verse 4 contained God’s word of command and verses 5 & 6 contained His word of promise.  Perhaps nothing but the human will can stand unmoved when God commands.  Although God has already shown that He can direct the decisions of even unbelievers, He still honors the choice of free will that He placed within us as to whether we will believe in Him and His power or not!

God then directed Ezekiel to prophesy to the wind or spirit to bring life into those bodies, and the entire army stood on its feet, breathing and alive!

At that point, God once again caught Ezekiel’s attention, explaining that the initial vision described Israel’s hopelessness without Him.  Then He proceeded to show him the promise of new life for the nation, when God will one day rejoin the two divided kingdoms with one King ruling them – His Son Jesus Christ, the Son of David.  They would know God by this awesome display of His power.  They would dwell in peace with the Prince of Peace, and God Himself will come and make His home with them, making them holy.

Father, thank You for this picture of hope among hopelessness that You offer.  Thank You for showing us that nothing and no one is beyond Your ability to save.  Father, send the fresh wind of the Spirit to our church and give us new life from You.  Breathe hope into those I love and show them how You can recreate them if only they will let You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford