Ezekiel 22-24; Psalm 134; John 8
God, through Ezekiel, continues to rebuke Israel for their sinfulness: “In you, they curse father and mother… You have despised My holy things… Slanderers are in you…” (Ezek. 22:7-9). But the greatest evil lay in the priests’ and prophets’ departure from God: “Her priests violate My law and profane My holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common, nor teach the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they shut their eyes to keeping My Sabbaths so that I am profaned among them” (Ezek. 22:26).
Instead of trusting in the Lord, Israel and Judah sought help from the Egyptians and Assyrians, which God condemns in the parable of Oholah and Oholibah (Ezek. 23). It is these nations that will rise against Israel (Ezek. 23:22).
All of God’s judgments are certain and cannot be undone (Ezek. 24:14). Israel’s wickedness was so great that God decided to hand over even His sanctuary to disgrace: “Say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate My sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. The sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword” (Ezek. 24:21). “Ezekiel will be a sign to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know I am the Sovereign Lord” (Ezek. 24:24).
John 8
The story of the woman caught in adultery demonstrates that, unlike the religious Jews, Jesus seeks to correct the sinner rather than condemn. On the day after the Feast of Tabernacles, during the candle-lighting ceremony symbolizing God’s light to Israel and the world, Jesus declares an essential testimony to His Messiahship: “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).
On this day, Jesus repeatedly spoke of His divinity so that “many believed in Him” (John 8:30). A significant confrontation with the Jews follows. Jesus declares that the test of true faith is abiding in His Word, which sets people free (John 8:31-32). This offended the Jews, who did not consider themselves enslaved. In the following discussion, Jesus reveals the true nature of sinners, stating that they are under the control of the devil, who rules them through lies.
Another crucial detail: at the end of this conversation, Jesus makes a statement that could only be interpreted as a direct claim to His divinity: “Very truly I tell you… before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58). Jesus did not say “I was” but used the phrase “I am,” which is the name of God, Yahweh.
Instead of trusting in the Lord, Israel and Judah sought help from the Egyptians and Assyrians, which God condemns in the parable of Oholah and Oholibah (Ezek. 23). It is these nations that will rise against Israel (Ezek. 23:22).
All of God’s judgments are certain and cannot be undone (Ezek. 24:14). Israel’s wickedness was so great that God decided to hand over even His sanctuary to disgrace: “Say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate My sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. The sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword” (Ezek. 24:21). “Ezekiel will be a sign to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know I am the Sovereign Lord” (Ezek. 24:24).
John 8
The story of the woman caught in adultery demonstrates that, unlike the religious Jews, Jesus seeks to correct the sinner rather than condemn. On the day after the Feast of Tabernacles, during the candle-lighting ceremony symbolizing God’s light to Israel and the world, Jesus declares an essential testimony to His Messiahship: “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).
On this day, Jesus repeatedly spoke of His divinity so that “many believed in Him” (John 8:30). A significant confrontation with the Jews follows. Jesus declares that the test of true faith is abiding in His Word, which sets people free (John 8:31-32). This offended the Jews, who did not consider themselves enslaved. In the following discussion, Jesus reveals the true nature of sinners, stating that they are under the control of the devil, who rules them through lies.
Another crucial detail: at the end of this conversation, Jesus makes a statement that could only be interpreted as a direct claim to His divinity: “Very truly I tell you… before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58). Jesus did not say “I was” but used the phrase “I am,” which is the name of God, Yahweh.
Posted in Reading Bible Together