From: November 12, 2024
“Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down” (Ezekiel 24:16 ESV).
The Lord gave the prophet Ezekiel, whom He often referred to as the “Son of man,” a prophecy concerning the coming death of his wife. He further instructed him not to mourn for his wife because he was to be a sign to those who would see the destruction of Judah’s dearest treasure, namely the Temple. Ezekiel obeyed the Lord. For he told the people the prophecy God had given him the next morning and that same evening, his wife died. And just as the Lord had commanded him, Ezekiel did not outwardly mourn for her. He became a symbol for those exiles who came from Jerusalem having seen the Temple’s destruction.
When Christ came into the world, He took up the title “Son of Man” as his own. For in Ezekiel we see a foreshadowing of Christ, who willingly submitted to the Father’s will and identified with his people’s sufferings.
The resurrected Jesus asked his disciple, Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15). Peter answered, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.”
Wasn’t the Lord asking Ezekiel that same question when He informed him of his wife’s eminent death? Doesn’t the Lord still ask this question of us?
“Do you love Me more than these?”
PRAYER: Dear Father, we treasure many things, but we desire to treasure You above all. We declare our love for You above all others. Yet, we know that we often love others more than You. Help us to see that even our greatest loves are all gifts from You. We love them all, but we declare our love You above all others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: November 12, 2023
“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT).
Hebrews begins its eleventh chapter with a biblical definition of faith. Chapter eleven might be called the “Faith Hall of Fame.” For following its definition, examples of people living with biblical faith are listed. Yet before we think about this definition, we must clarify the kind of faith of which we speak. This is not faith as a passive noun describing one’s religion or untested belief. No, this is faith from the active sense, which means to trust, to believe, to be fully persuaded and assured. This is saving faith. This is obedient faith.
Having clarified the kind of faith, let us consider its biblical definition. First, faith is the “reality of what is hoped for.” The word “reality” might be understood to mean that which is the substance or firm foundation undergirding our hope. Our hope rests on the foundation of our “real” and certain faith.
Secondly, faith is the “proof of what is not seen.” We did not see the risen Lord Jesus, nor have we yet seen His glorious return. However, we have heard the eyewitness testimony of those who did see Him raised from the dead and we also have their testimony of His promise to return. Our confident faith in their testimony and especially in the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which “bears witness” (Rom. 8:16) within us, makes our faith a firm conviction. So our faith acts as proof or evidence for that which we have not yet seen with our physical eyes, but have surely seen with spiritual ones. Therefore this is not blind faith, as some have said, but assured faith.
Yet, the object of our faith is not faith. We do not have faith in faith! The object of our faith is Christ Jesus! For He is the “author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). Do you have this firm foundation of faith?
PRAYER: Dear Father, our faith is in You and in Your Son, Jesus. For He has accomplished that which made our faith sure. Our hope of heaven is anchored in our faith in the Resurrected Jesus! Strengthen us by your Holy Spirit until our faith becomes sight. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: November 12, 2022
TRUTH WILL EITHER SAVE OR CONDEMN
There is only one way to be right with God. And that is to receive the righteousness of God through faith. It was Noah’s example and profession of faith that condemned that unbelieving generation who rejected God. For the truth will either save or condemn those that hear it, depending on their response. The same is true of the gospel itself.
Noah did not have the full light of the gospel, yet he had sufficient light to trust not in the ark, but in the God who told him to build it. It was not Noah’s faith that saved him, but the object of his faith. Noah believed God.
Today, we live in the full light of the gospel, seeing that the righteousness of God has appeared. For the righteousness of God is a Person, not a philosophy, a Savior, not a standard, a Lamb, not a law. For the righteousness of God is Jesus Christ. His coming fulfilled Noah’s forward-looking faith, as well as our faith that looks back to the cross, so that God “might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26).
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Jesus. For He is our Ark. Entering into Him by faith, we are saved. For there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Strengthen us to proclaim this good news to the nations. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: November 12, 2019
DO YOU LOVE THE LORD MORE THAN THESE?
The Lord gave the prophet Ezekiel, whom He often referred to as the “Son of man,” a prophecy concerning the coming death of his wife. He further instructed him not to mourn for his wife because he was to be a sign to those who would see the destruction of Judah’s “dearest treasure,” namely the Temple. Ezekiel obeyed the Lord. For he told the people the prophecy God had given him the next morning and that same evening, his wife died. And Ezekiel did not outwardly mourn for her just as the Lord had commanded him. He became a symbol for those exiles who came from Jerusalem having seen the Temple’s destruction.
When Jesus came, He took up the title “Son of Man” as his own. For in Ezekiel we see a foreshadowing of Christ, who willingly submitted to the Father’s will and identified with his people’s sufferings.
The resurrected Jesus asked his disciple, Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15). Peter answered, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.”
Wasn’t the Lord asking Ezekiel that same question when He informed him of his wife’s imminent death? Doesn’t the Lord still ask this question of us?
“Do you love Me more than these?”
PRAYER: Dear Father, we treasure many things, but we desire to treasure You above all. We declare our love for You above all others. Yet, we know that we often love others more than You. Help us to see that even our greatest loves, our spouses, our children, our parents, our friends, are all gifts from You. We love them all, but we would love You above all others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: November 12, 2016
The assumption that the origin of the universe can be extrapolated from its present visible condition is here denied. The Bible teaches that God spoke the universe into existence, “ex nihilo” (“out of nothing”). Humanity was not present when this happened, but God has revealed this through His Word. According to Hebrews, those listed in chapter eleven’s “faith hall of fame” had a faith that included this foundational truth: God created the universe and we are His creation.
From: November 12, 2015
The assumption that the origin of the universe can be extrapolated from its present visible condition is here denied. The Bible teaches that God spoke the universe into existence, “ex nihilo” (“out of nothing”). We were not there when this happened, but God has revealed this to us through His Word. According to Hebrews, those listed in chapter eleven’s “faith hall of fame” had a faith that included this foundational truth: God created the universe and we are His creation.