I Have Spoken - Ezekiel 5:14-17

Ezekiel 5:14-17 ESV 

Moreover, I will make you a desolation and an object of reproach among the nations all around you and in the sight of all who pass by. You shall be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and a horror, to the nations all around you, when I execute judgments on you in anger and fury, and with furious rebukes—I am the Lord; I have spoken— when I send against you the deadly arrows of famine, arrows for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, and when I bring more and more famine upon you and break your supply of bread. I will send famine and wild beasts against you, and they will rob you of your children. Pestilence and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword upon you. I am the Lord; I have spoken.”

This may lend support to the idea that the first horseman in Revelation signifies God as unleashing His judgement on Jerusalem.  The arrows of destruction have been loosed from His quiver. In His hand is a bow which loosed the arrows of His judgement. 

A Third Part - Ezekiel 5:11-13

Ezekiel 5:11-13 ESV 

Therefore, as I live, declares the Lord God, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will withdraw. My eye will not spare, and I will have no pity. A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst; a third part shall fall by the sword all around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds and will unsheathe the sword after them.

 “Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself. And they shall know that I am the Lord —that I have spoken in my jealousy— when I spend my fury upon them.

Here we see God's judgement pronounced against Jerusalem for their rebellion. In Revelation this judgement will be restated when the seals are opened and the four horseman come forth by command. 

His anger will spend itself and they shall know He is Lord.  A remnant will be saved.  Twelve tribes from Jacob will be redeemed at the end and they will give witness to The Lord.  They will follow after Him and a great multitude from the world will be saved. 

Perfect In Weakness - 2Corinthians 12:7-10

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ESV 

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Since we remain in the flesh after the revelation of God in our lives, we are still weak. That is where grace works.  It is when we truly realize our weakness that we reach out to God.  We are prone to pride and conceit as we experience life in the wonder of our flesh.  Once we are able to see beyond our own strength and see the power of God and reach out for that power, we experience the perfection of God's plan. 

This is the boast of Paul.  The power of Christ rests upon him because of his understanding of his own lack of power. That becomes his power and life. 

There we see the perfect plan of God. 

He Spread It Before Me - Ezekiel 2:10

Ezekiel 2:10 ESV 

And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

We will see reference to this scroll again in Revelation.  The ascension of Jesus instituted the last days. He will be given authority over the earth because He has overcome sin and death. He alone is worthy to open the seals and rule. And so begins His reign. 

The scroll in Ezekiel relates to and is directed toward Israel.  After the letters to the church in chapters 2&3 inRevelation, the book is focused on the fulfillment of God's plan with Israel. 

The Gentiles were added to God's chosen through Israel's rebellion. Many more will be added through their obedience. 

Beyond All Comparison - 2Corinthians 4:16-18

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV 

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

We do not lose heart for we have already given our hearts to the one Who is able to save and strengthen these frail vessels. 

It becomes more clear and apparent as we age that life is fleeting. What is inconceivable when we are young becomes a reality as time unfolds.  The flower blooms and begins to fade. 

At some point a different reality comes into view and it grows clearer as time goes on.  Our outer self is just a seed that contains our inner being.  We renew and grow stronger the closer we come face to face with our lord.  More and more, the transient gives way to things eternal. 

This moment is but a moment, until we enter the coming glory that is beyond this life and all comparison. 

The Face Of Jesus - 2Corinthians 4:6

2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV 

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Sharing His light has always been the goal of the Father of lights. The first command in Genesis was "Let there be light".  That light burst forth on the darkness of our earth.  We were formless and void, without hope, until the light of Jesus shone upon this world. 

The word of God took on the face of Jesus and the glory of God was revealed. 

Our light now shines in the darkness as we continue to follow in His steps.  We, the body of Christ, give witness through our testimony of a changed and new life. 

We have become the face of Jesus Christ. 

Let Me

Lord let me feel your presence, for it is there I am truly alive. 

You are always there and I seek to be the with you.