Day 249 – Ezekiel 31-33

Talking Points

• Egypt and Pharaoh are warned they will suffer the same fate as the Assyrians. As impressive as they are, God reveals timeless truths to them: No nation is so mighty that it may not fall. No country is so great it is exempt from being brought low. And, no people are so powerful they can escape God’s judgment.
• God tells Ezekiel he is a “watchman” for the house of Israel. The prophet, as a watchman, must be trustworthy and faithful to sound the alar, alerting the people. Yet, the people will be responsible for heeding the warning.
• In a sad commentary, God tells Ezekiel that even thought the people ignore his warnings and despise him as the watchman, there will be a day when, faced with the consequences of God’s judgment, “they will know that a prophet has been in their midst” (Ezekiel 33:33). Imagine the regret of having heard God’s Word and having shrugged it off.
• As people stew and suffer the consequences for sin, God graciously calls them to turn back. Turn and live! Why continue in sin?

Thoughts

Echoing all the way back to the Garden of Eden is the gospel of self. This attractive yet false gospel declares, “You can be as God.” Satan promoted it, and the first pair eagerly fell prey to it. And, still today, the gospel of self is still claiming its victims. Today’s version says, “You are at the center of everything, and your answer lies within yourself.” It declares that you don’t need a Savior, but self-realization. It teaches that our greatest sin is not the supplanting of God, but the denial of self. It promotes the answer is not repentance, but self-esteem.

Perhaps you have heard its rallying call. It’s all the rage. It headlines all the latest blogs and most popular books. It’s even a top-selling t-shirt. Today, the gospel of self is packaged as, “You are enough.”

Don’t you believe it. Not even for a second.

In the verses today, God shoots straight with us. He tells us we are not enough, and we never will be. Through Ezekiel, God says the person who trusts in himself, putting his stock in his own righteousness, sins. And, in the deception of that sin, he will die. Clearly, we are not enough.

The good news? God knows we aren’t enough. And, even better, He makes available to us the righteousness of the only One who is — Jesus! Today, praise the Lord for the true gospel, the only good news for those who are not enough.