Feasting on God's Word (One Year Bible)

Refusal to come to Christ for salvation leads to judgment: ‘How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?’ (Hebrews 2:3).

* Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who died on the cross for us – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). * Jesus Christ is the Great Shepherd who rose from the dead for us – “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21). * Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd who is coming again for us – “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade aw...

Past grace is no guarantee of present growth. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, ‘the Author and Finisher of our faith' (Hebrews 12: 2).

" And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good works, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25). It's great that we are able to encourage one another in the Lord. Hebrews 10:25 speaks about "the assembling of ourselves together" and "exhorting one another." Each of us has a particular ministry of encouragement to those with whom we are gathered together to worship the Lord. It is a privilege to be able to share something of this ministry of encouragement with other people. We encourage one another in the Lord when we gather together for worship (Hebrews 10:25). The preaching of Christ strengthens our faith (Romans 10:17). What a great encouragement it is to know that "God is pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe" (1 Corinthians 1:21). What happen...

We look back to the past. We say, “That was then. That’s old.” We live in the present. We say, “This is now. This is new.” We shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss the past. Jesus Christ belongs to the past. He also speaks to us in the present. He is preparing us for God’s eternal future.     We read the Story of Jesus. We rejoice in His love. We say, “The old, old story – It is ever new. The old, old story – Praise the Lord! It’s true!” It’s true! That’s why it’s still God’s “new song.” There will always be people who refuse to trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour. Will they silence us? Will we fail our Lord because we’re afraid of what people will say about us? Let’s be like Paul. Let’s defy our critics. Let’s keep on saying, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).  Jesus is calling us on to His future. He's not merely a figure from the past. He is “Jesus Christ, risen fro...

Hebrews 1:1-2:9 We thank You, Lord, for Your Son, Jesus Christ. He is our Lord.  He came from heaven, where He is worshipped by angels (Hebrews 1:6). He is our Saviour. He came to earth where “He suffered death, so that, by the grace of God, He might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). Help us, Lord, to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus – to catch a glimpse of His heavenly glory and His saving grace. Hebrews 2:10-3:19 We thank You, Lord, that You invite us to become Your “children” (Hebrews 2:13) – through faith in Your Son, Jesus (John 1:12). When we hear Your voice, calling us to come to Jesus, help us to open our hearts to Your love (Hebrews 3:7,15) – and receive Your Son as our Saviour. Hebrews 4:1-5:10 When, Lord, You speak Your Word to us, You say to us, “Do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). These are words that we need to keep on hearing – again and again. This may not be what we like to hear – but it’s what we need to hear. Help us to hear what ...

 * He is the God who is life. He is the God who gives life.  * He is the eternal God. He gives us eternal life.

Let us never forget the importance of faith and holiness – 'without faith it is impossible to please God ... without holiness no-one will see the Lord' (Hebrews 11:6; 12:14). We are to 'live holy and godly lives' – 'make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love ... if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ'. In all of this, let us never forget to give all the glory to our Saviour – 'To Him be glory both now and for ever!' (2 Peter 3:11; 1:5-11; 3:18).

What a contrast there is between “Pharaoh king of Egypt ” ( Ezekiel 31:2 ) and “Jesus Christ” who is “the same yesterday and today and forever” ( Hebrews 13:8 ). Pharaoh had the appearance of “majesty”, yet he was “brought down” ( Ezekiel 31:2 , 18 ). Jesus has a glory which will never be diminished. It will be “glory for ever and ever” ( Hebrews 13:21 ). “Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse” ( Proverbs 28:6 ). Jesus didn’t have the riches of this world, but He lived in perfect obedience to His Heavenly Father. Pharaoh had this world’s riches, but he hardened his heart against the Lord. The Word of God leaves us in no doubt about which way is the better way. It’s not the way of Pharaoh. It’s the way of Jesus.

Many times over, in these chapters of Ezekiel, the words are repeated, “They will know that I am the Lord.” We must view the events of history in relation to God. He is fulfilling His purpose. He is demonstrating that He is the Lord. The demonstration of His Lordship is seen in both judgment - “ Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord” ( Ezekiel 29:9 ) - and salvation - “On that day I will make a horn grow for the house of Israel ... Then they will know that I am the Lord” ( Ezekiel 29:21 ). The judgment need not be final ( Ezekiel 29:13-14 ). The salvation is not without the reminder of past sin ( Ezekiel 29:16 ). In both God’s judgment and His salvation, we see God’s love and His holiness. Scripture speaks of both “the grace of God” and the call to holiness - “without holiness no-one will see the Lord” ( Hebrews 12:14-15 ). We receive God’s Kingdom with thanksgiving, rejoicing that it “cannot be shaken.” We receive His...

To Tyre , God says, “Your wealth, merchandise and wares, your mariners, seamen and shipwrights, your merchants and all your soldiers, and everyone else on board will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your shipwreck” ( Ezekiel 27:27 ). Those who are overladen by their attachment to the things of this world will sink in the storms of life. The Word of God says to us, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” ( Hebrews 12:1 ). Though the storms of life be very severe, the Lord’s promise remains true: “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion , which cannot be shaken but endures for ever” ( Psalm 125:1 ).

There is, in these passages, the continuing conflict between the life of obedient faith (Hebrews 11) and the life of disobedience (God’s judgments in Ezekiel). The Psalmist makes it clear that the life of obedient faith is not an easy life - “If the Lord had not been on our side ... they would have swallowed us alive ... the raging waters would have swept us away” ( Psalm 124:1-5 ). The testimony of the Psalmist is clear: “Praise be to the Lord who has not let us be torn by their teeth” ( Psalm 124:6 ). As we read these words, our thoughts may turn towards the Bible’s description of “the devil” as “a roaring lion who goes about seeking whom he may devour” ( 1 Peter 5:8 ). Through Christ, we have the victory - “We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped” ( Psalm 124:7 ).

The contrast between a life of sin and shame and a life of faith and blessing is highlighted in the comparison between the passages in Ezekiel and Hebrews. The contrast is between living for the things we see - “She saw men ... As soon as she saw them she lusted after them” ( Ezekiel 23:14-16 ) - and living and “longing for a better country - a heavenly one” ( Hebrews 11:16 ). Proverbs 27:20 says, “Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.” The glory of the Christian hope is that Death and Destruction will not have the last word. God has prepared a city for His people ( Hebrews 11:16 ). Our eyes will look upon Him, and we will rejoice in Him who satisfies completely - our Creator, our Redeemer: God.

Human sin and divine judgment, described in such detail in these chapters of Ezekiel - this is the backcloth against which we are called to go on with the Lord: “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God” ( Hebrews 10:26-27 ). In the face of our sin and God’s judgment, “our eyes look to the Lord our God, till He shows us His mercy.” We pray, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us” ( Psalm 123:3 ). 

God is gracious. Despite all the sin of Israel, described in great detail in these chapters of Ezekiel, God still says, “I will accept you as fragrant incense” ( Ezekiel 20:41 ). He still says, “I deal with you for My Name’s sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices” ( Ezekiel 20:44 ). How does God deal with us in mercy and grace? He does so through Jesus Christ: “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” ( Hebrews 10:10 ). Concerning Jerusalem , the Psalmist prays, “May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels” ( Psalm 122:7 ). This is what we have “in Christ” - peace and security. In Him, we have been removed from the realm of our own sin and guilt. We have been placed in His peace and security.

The Word of God calls us to repentance - “Repent and live!” ( Ezekiel 18:32 ). This repentance does not earn salvation for us. While we are called to “repent and live”, we must understand that eternal life is God’s gift, given to us on the basis of Christ’s death as the perfect sacrifice for our sins: “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” ( Hebrews 9:22 ). The foundation of our salvation is Christ’s death for our sins: “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people.” There is an appropriate response to His saving death. We are to wait for Him - He “brings salvation to those who are waiting for Him” ( Hebrews 9:28 ). As we wait for Him, we look forward to life “both now and for evermore” ( Psalm 121:8 ).

The promises of God are given in Ezekiel 16 - “I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you ... So I will establish My covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord” ( Ezekiel 16:60 , 62 ). These promises are fulfilled in “Christ ... the Mediator of a new covenant.” Through Him, we “receive the promised eternal inheritance.” Through His death “as a ransom”, we are “set ... free from the sins committed under the first covenant” ( Hebrews 9:15 ). “Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger” ( Proverbs 27:13 ) - Through faith in Christ, we receive the garment of His perfect righteousness. Trusting in Him, we are no longer strangers to God. We are secure in His salvation.

God speaks against “those who prophesy out of their own imagination ... who follow their own spirit” ( Ezekiel 13:2-3 ). In the face of such false prophets, we must pray, “Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues” ( Psalm 120:2 ). How does the Lord save us from lying lips and deceitful tongues? He leads us to the One who is the Truth, our Lord Jesus Christ “who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man” ( Hebrews 8:2 ). How does Jesus save us from lying lips and deceitful tongues? This is what He does: “I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts” ( Hebrews 8:10 ).

“The glory of the Lord” ( Ezekiel 11:23 ) - This is what the visions are about. The glory of the Lord is most fully revealed in Christ. His glory is revealed in salvation, in His power “to save completely those who come to God through Him” ( Hebrews 7:25 ). As we read in Scripture of this great salvation, we must pray, from our hearts: “I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight” ( Psalm 119:174 ). Salvation is not a self-centred experience, all for me, no give and all take. It is a God-centred experience which leads to service, a life committed to doing His will.

The prophet was shown “the utterly detestable things the house of Israel is doing here (in the Temple ), things that will drive Me (God) far from My sanctuary” ( Ezekiel 8:6 ). There were, however, “those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it” ( Ezekiel 9:4 ). There was to be judgment, but it would not fall on those who loved the Lord and His House ( Ezekiel 9:6 ). As we read of the “sanctuary”, which was defiled, we read also, in Hebrews 6:19-20 , of the sanctuary which will never be defiled: “the inner sanctuary .... where Jesus ... has entered on our behalf.” How are we to respond to the defiling of the sanctuary? We are to spend more time, giving our love to Jesus, entering “the inner sanctuary” where He is - “I hate and abhor falsehood but I love Your law. Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous laws” ( Psalm 119:163-164 ).