The Family Bible Journey Podcast

Anyone brought up in the church knows the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who were thrown into the fiery furnace. As miraculous as their rescue was, their unwavering faith is the true miracle of this story. Facing execution, they told the king they would trust their God even if He didn't rescue them. May we be blessed with such great faith!

The King had grown suspicious of his "trusted" advisors, so he presented them with an impossible dilemma. He wanted them to interpret a dream without telling them the dream! Daniel and his friends humbled themselves before God and were told both the dream and its interpretation. But the lesson here is not that God answers prayers because of our holiness. Rather, we pray because God answers prayer!

We live in evil and crooked times. Most are content to waste their lives. Others are intent on ruining their lives by running as far from the Lord as they can. When we, the redeemed, patiently bear with others and share the love of Christ with them, we are, "snatching them from the fire," according to Jude.  

Daniel and his three friends are among the first exiles deported from Judah to Babylon. They are remarkable young men, quickly elevated to leadership in the kingdom. But what most stands out about them is their faithfulness. Daniel's name means, "God is my Judge." He lives up to his name, as a faithful witness who served in the imperial courts of two of the most powerful kingdoms of all time.

The River of Life and Tree of Life feature in the new creation. This river of love is so vast and sweet that it turns even the Dead Sea into a lush oasis. We taste this sweetness of God's love in baptism, but can't even begin to imagine the joy that will fill our hearts when we see these things with our own eyes.

John's final epistle is not hard to understand. He wants nothing more than to be with his spiritual children forever in heaven. Every parent and grandparent understands this. May we, motivated by love, be used by God to fill heaven with those we touch with God's redeeming love in Christ Jesus.

Feasting has been a part of worship since the institution of animal sacrifice in the Garden. In heaven, even though all sin is already forgiven, worship will include feasting with God. All the savory succulence of a gourmet meal, mixed with the love and joy of a grand family reunion, barely begins to describe the joy we will know there.

The physical measurements of the restored Jerusalem make it about the sized of Washington DC. It's huge! It's perfectly ordered. But more impressive than its physical aspect is its character. As the place where God will dwell with humanity forever, it's a place of perfect peace, love, harmony and righteousness.

The work of God does not stop when we come to faith. The same love that brings us to faith leads us to love others as God loves us. May we be preserved from any theology that seperates faith and good works. Instead, let us see faith and love as the two sides of a true faith in Christ.

Interesting historical fact about Jerusalem, the Eastern Gate described in this passage as the place where God's glory will return to Jerusalem, has been walled shut a number of times. Most recently closed by Sulemein the Magnificent, it's rumored to be closed so that this prophecy can't be fulfilled. What if Jesus already fulfilled it on Palm Sunday? How will these stones hold if God Almighty decides this is the place to make His re-entry to earth?

The glorified Temple is a vision of heaven on earth. The complex is about a square mile, with over-sized versions of the Temple and altar. It is a place where God's glory will dwell with mankind forevermore!

John's first epistle ends with admonition and encouragement to llive victoriously in Christ! This life is struggle and pain. But in Christ Jesus, we have the victory of eternal life!

When we look at the dimensions of the Temple, we see a place of perfect proportions and order. When God dwells with His people, they dwell in harmony and peace. We look forward to that day, knowing that Jesus has punched our ticket for us by HIs life, death and resurrection.

Ezekiel spends many chapters describing the perfect Temple that he sees in heaven. It is an oversized version of the earthly tabernacle and temple (which were built and rebuilt at least three times). Here, we will see a heavenly reality of the earthly reality.

John reminds us of the most basic truth that God loves us first! Too many mistakenly think that God loves only those who love Him. That God chooses those who choose Him. No. We love God because He first loved us. We choose Him because He has chosen us!

The strongest of nations is little more than a minnow compared to God. Ezekiel here describes the enemies of God's people rising against Israel. Despite all their power and pride, they will be dashed to pieces when God restores His people.

This legendary chapter of Ezekiel is more than a prophetic vision of the restoration of the nation of Israel. This is God showing the prophet that He will physically raise all from the dead. In redeemed bodies, God's people will enjoy the blessings of life in His presence forevermore.

In the sinful world we live in, we are taught that "freedom" is the ability to do whatever we want. No. That is confusion that leads to hurt. Instead, we who know God's love and wisdom understand that God orders His universe to work in certain ways. Only then we love and respect each other, and serve sacrificially as Christ has, do we begin to know true freedom.

God promises to give us a new heart and spirit. Indeed, it is His own Holy Spirit that cleanses our hearts and purifies our minds. Cleansed by the blood of Christ, and renewed by His Spirit, we follow the Lord in faith.

We hear echoes of Psalm 23 and John 10, where Jesus identifies Himself as, "the Good Shepherd." Israel's shepherds seemed concerned about anything and everything but caring for their flock. When Christ came, He came as the good and perfect Shepherd, who loved His sheep with an unconditional and undying love.

John writes as an old man who has one motivation: that He see His spiritual children in heaven! So we listen to him as a pure voice with no motive other than our blessing and benefit. How refreshing it is to hear from someone who only ever has our best interest at heart.

Ezekiel is called to be the Watchman for Israel. Heeding his call, we want to watch out for others. If we see someone harming themselves, but don't warn them, we may be held liable for the hurt we could've prevented, had we warned the sinner to turn from their way.

Egypt is warned that her pride caused her downfall. We learn from the failures of others, to watch ourselves, lest we be built up in pride. The proud will be humbled in the end, but the humble will be exalted in the God of their salvation!

John wrote his gospel and epistles as an elderly man, who likely had read the letters and accounts of the other apostles. Maybe this is why his gospel and epistles are so different from the others. He wrote as an old man, filling in the blanks for us, and anchoring our hope in the eternal love of God revealed clearly in Christ Jesus.

So much striving and conflict in the world is futile! The only side that ever wins is the side that God is on. This passage encourages us to look at the world as God does. Follow where He leads. Fight the good fight of faith, knowing that His side will be victorious.

Here we hear a prophetic vision of the fall of satan! Few are the passages that tell us much about him. All we need to know is that he is the father pride, sin, lies and death. He was cast out of heaven for his abominable pride. May we not go his way.

Peter looks forward to the coming judgment, because he knows that in Christ, he will receive life and a crown of glory. Sadly, those who stubbornly refuse God's love, and persist in unrighteousness, will die forever. Aware of this judgment, let us find ourselves in Christ, and receive in Him the life and love Peter looked forward to and longed for.

Tyre was rich! They had everything anyone could ever want. Sadly, they put their trust in riches. They prospered in pride. Their demise is a warning to all who are tempted to think they have all they need in this life, because God will cast down the pompous pride of the rich in the end.

While prophesying the fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel's wife died. But God commands his prophet to not show any grief or publicly mourn her passing. Why? Because this prophetic pantomine showed how God felt about the fall of Jerusalem. The people accused God of not caring, when the reality was that their demise grieved His heart. The prophet lived this out. Sometimes actions do speak louder than words.

Many false teachers had already arisen in the Church before Peter died, so he warned his readers of this sad inevitability. "The woodpeckers in the ark were a greater danger than the storm outside." This is true of the Church. Sadly, great damage is done to ministry when imposters arise in her.

The unfortunate demise of God's people played out like a true crime drama. They trusted all the wrong sorts of people and were killed by those they had pursued in love. The tragedy? They gave up a pure and true love for love that led to their demise.

God's people were so enamoured with evil that they were consumed by it. In graphic terms, God describes the lewd behavior of His people. Their idolatry manifest itself as adultery in a variety of forms, and they would suffer physically and spiritually for their sin.

Peter knows he will die soon, so he writes this letter to keep his sons and daughters in the faith true to their Lord and Savior. The foundation of our faith is Christ and His Word. Peter begins by building them up in God's holy promises and the words of the prophets. He then encourages his readers to put these holy words into practice.

In this chapter, we hear echoes of Psalm 118:26, "Blessed is He Who comes in the NAME of the Lord." This is the psalm sung over Jesus on Palm Sunday. This powerful prophecy, and the type of Christ we discover at the end of the chapter show us, yet again, that God had everything planned for His Son to accomplish for over salvation, as Ezekiel describes it six hundred years in advance.

Some mistakenly think that God takes pleasure in punishment and the death of the wicked. This is not the case! God is a God of love, Who in love welcomes all into His family. But when people stubbornly reject Him, they reject His offer of love and mercy. God did not choose this for them. They will suffer eternally because that is what they've chosen for themselves. 

Peter's letter of encouragement to Christias who were suffering for the faith ends with a great promise for us. "Cast all your worries on Him, because He cares for you!" Even when we don't feel it, God cares for us and will deliver us ultimately from all that assails us.

The parable of the twig that grew to be the tallest of all the trees in the forest reminds us of Jesus' Parable of the Mustard Seed. Both Ezekiel here, and Jesus with His parable, describe the rise of the Church. Imperfect as she is, Christ's Church has grown to become the largest and most influential institution in human history.

When someone takes mercy on another, and rescues them from a difficult situation, we would expect the one rescued to reciprocate with love. When someone adopts a pet or a child, they hope for a warm relationship. God had rescued and redeemed Israel, but instead of loving Him in return, they betrayed His love, earning His wrath.

If we suffer for doing wrong, we're simply getting what we deserve. If we suffer for being a Christian, God is glorified in us, and we, in turn, are blessed as His witnesses. Knowing there is a reward for righteousness, let us suffer gladly for the One who, for the joy set before Him, endured even the cross for our salvation.

Worthless. That one word describes how God's people had degraged spiritually. Weaker than a charred vine was their faith.

In these chapters, false prophets are said to be, "hunting souls." This is the opposite of being "fishers of men." Those who seek to kill are the hunters of souls. Those who give life by bringing hearers into the Christ's kingdom are fishers of men.

As we hear the great blessings of baptism, God's gift for our salvation, we are also encouraged to put the love of God into action. In a day when captured women were often forced into marriage, and men found themselves wed to unbelieving women, the Christian spouse was encouraged to love the other. Not because they deserved it, but because it was a great demonstration of God's redeeming love at work in the world.

Some confuse the Lord's patience and mercy as indifference or approval. Ezekiel utters specific prophecies that his hearers would see fulfilled in their own lifetimes to shatter their false security. We are well-served by learning from their story that God's justice will not forever be delayed.

God promised to give His people a soft, tender heart towards Him instead of the rock hard heart of stubbornness. We see this promise fulfilled when the exiles returned in faith. Pentecost also fulfills this promise. Indeed, all who have received the Holy Spirit have been given a tender heart by God.

Peter explains the great blessings of being a part of God's holy people. They had been called to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. "In Christ," they were a new creation, sealed and elect for a salvation. God's eternal gifts far surpass anything this world could offer.

In a sad vision, Ezekiel sees the Lords presence depart from His Temple. He had promised to dwell with His people in His Temple so long as they kept His covenant. Having proven themselves false, He left because of  their unfaithfulness.

In these chapters, Ezekiel sees the Lord take note of those who were guilty of idolatry and executing judgment upon them. But before judgment is executed, God marks for mercy all who were devoted to Him. Here we see the twin realities of mercy and judgment.

Peter's letters were written to a bunch of people who had been cast-off for their faith. Their families didn't like that they had renounced the family gods and religious systems. Many other Christians didn't welcome them either. Peter encourages them and encourages us, especially when we feel like the outcast.

The unfaithful Jews left in Judah will die around the altars they built to worship false gods. In pride and idolatry they would die. Ezekiel warns against pride and idolatry, but these aren't two sins, they are one and the same.

Ezekiel is known for prophetic dramas. He acted out his visions, so that the people would see the Lord's determinations in his actions. Crazy and confusing, they clearly demonstrate the Lord's judgment of Israel.