Ezekiel 16-18; John 6
God sends Ezekiel to rebuke the Israelites for their sins and call them to repentance. One of the sins that led to their downfall was pride and arrogance. Through the prophet, God brings them back to reality, comparing Israel to an abandoned girl whom He, out of His mercy, picked up, cleaned, dressed in fine clothes, and gave everything necessary: “Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’” (Ezek. 16:6) “I passed by you again and saw that you were old enough for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine” (Ezek. 16:8).
But despite all the mercy shown to her, the virgin Israel took credit for her beauty and became unfaithful: “But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by, and your beauty became his” (Ezek. 16:15). She acted worse than Sodom and Gomorrah: “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. Now, this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen” (Ezek. 16:48-50).
God emphasizes that He opposes pride: “All the trees of the field will know that I, the Lord, bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I, the Lord, have spoken and will do it” (Ezek. 17:24).
Another issue addressed by God through Ezekiel is the accusation of the Jews that God punishes them for their fathers’ sins. God emphasizes that this is not true. Everyone is punished for their sins: “The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them” (Ezek. 18:20). “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall” (Ezek. 18:30).
John 6
John continues to describe the Jews’ unbelief while also presenting more evidence of Christ’s divinity. This time, He multiplied the loaves and fish so that there was enough to feed 15-20 thousand people. The miracle was so significant and evident that the people decided to make Jesus King. They were driven by the desire for a king to provide them with a good life.
The next day, when the people sought Jesus to be fed again, He taught one of His most difficult lessons. The core is that faith in the Son is more important than physical nourishment. Jesus compares faith in Him, particularly in His substitutionary death on the cross, to eating spiritual food. This food must be sought, as eternal life is impossible without it.
The chapter ends with illustrating how most of those following Christ abandoned Him. Only the twelve disciples, through the words of Peter, proclaimed: “Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God’” (John 6:68-69).
But despite all the mercy shown to her, the virgin Israel took credit for her beauty and became unfaithful: “But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by, and your beauty became his” (Ezek. 16:15). She acted worse than Sodom and Gomorrah: “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. Now, this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen” (Ezek. 16:48-50).
God emphasizes that He opposes pride: “All the trees of the field will know that I, the Lord, bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I, the Lord, have spoken and will do it” (Ezek. 17:24).
Another issue addressed by God through Ezekiel is the accusation of the Jews that God punishes them for their fathers’ sins. God emphasizes that this is not true. Everyone is punished for their sins: “The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them” (Ezek. 18:20). “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall” (Ezek. 18:30).
John 6
John continues to describe the Jews’ unbelief while also presenting more evidence of Christ’s divinity. This time, He multiplied the loaves and fish so that there was enough to feed 15-20 thousand people. The miracle was so significant and evident that the people decided to make Jesus King. They were driven by the desire for a king to provide them with a good life.
The next day, when the people sought Jesus to be fed again, He taught one of His most difficult lessons. The core is that faith in the Son is more important than physical nourishment. Jesus compares faith in Him, particularly in His substitutionary death on the cross, to eating spiritual food. This food must be sought, as eternal life is impossible without it.
The chapter ends with illustrating how most of those following Christ abandoned Him. Only the twelve disciples, through the words of Peter, proclaimed: “Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God’” (John 6:68-69).
Posted in Reading Bible Together