Ezekiel 28-30

Daily Reading
Ezekiel 28-30

Daily Thought

Sin shades humanity from fathoming the full splendor of God. Our depravity is exposed when confronted with creation, "The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world" (Psalm 19:1-4).

Creation is dazzling and delightful, grand and good. Moreover, it loudly and clearly trumpets the sovereignty of God; and we miss it. We worship idols, which is really an excuse to worship ourselves. We are presented with the concert of creation declaring the majesty of the Creator, and we pick up a mirror to admire ourselves instead. "Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor," accuses Ezekiel (Ezekiel 28:17). That was the sin of Tyre; it is the ruin of all who exchange the Creator for the created. Our sin is our self obsession.

At the core of judgment is a clash of the gods. The nations worship idols, but ultimately themselves, "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God: 'Because your heart is proud,
    and you have said, 'I am a god,
I sit in the seat of the gods,
    in the heart of the seas,'
yet you are but a man, and no god'" (Ezekiel 28:1).

God's purpose is clear, he repeats it over and over, "Then they will know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 28:23, 24, 26; 29:9, 16, 21; 30:8, 19, 26). God judges the nations because once should have been enough, "In the beginning God..." (Genesis 1:1).

Daily Prayer

God, I love You and praise You, and my praise comes first from hearing it in Your creation. The beauty and majesty, the order and truth that is seen in the heavens and the earth make known that there is God. It is You who deserves my allegiance, my trust, my life. 

May my life display sacrifice and love toward You. My actions will sing Your praise before my voice does. You are my God; may I live a life that backs it up.

Amen