All the Nations depended on Tyre

 

Ezekiel 27:12-25

 

December 31, 2023

 

“Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares.  Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged human beings and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. From Beth-togarmah they exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares.  The men of Dedan traded with you. Many coastlands were your own special markets; they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony.  Syria did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and ruby. Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, meal, honey, oil, and Balm.  Damascus did business with you for your abundant goods, because of your great wealth of every kind; wine of Helbon and wool of Sahar and casks of wine^[ from Uzal they exchanged for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were bartered for your merchandise. Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding.  Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favored dealers in lambs, rams, and goats; in these, they did business with you. The traders of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; they exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices and all precious stones and gold.  Haran, Canneh, Eden, traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you.  In your market, these traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of colored material, bound with cords and made secure.  The ships of Tarshish traveled for you with your merchandise. So you were filled and heavily laden in the heart of the seas.

If you wanted to trade for the best of goods and materials, you went to Tyre.  All of these nations depended on Tyre, to trade for all kinds of goods.  But all they were doing was making Tyre rich and becoming dependent on it.  Both David and Solomon had a good relationship with the King of Tyre.  

 

God blessed Tyre to be a blessing to His chosen people, as He has the USA, and yes, they both grew in power and wealth, and became proud arrogant, and evil, believing they were the source of their success.

 

God brought His wrath on them; they are no longer a nation that the other nations look to.  Will the USA follow that same path?

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

A Lament for Tyre

 

Ezekiel 27:1-11

 

December 30, 2023

 

A Lament for Tyre

The word of the Lord came to me:  “Now you, son of man, raise a lamentation over Tyre, and say to Tyre, who dwells at the entrances to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, thus says the Lord God:

“O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’  Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders made perfect your beauty.  They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.  Of oaks of Bashan, they made your oars; they made your deck of pine from the coasts of Cyprus, inlaid with ivory.  Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail, serving as your banner; blue and purple from the coasts of  Elishah, was your awning. The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; your skilled men, O Tyre, were in you; they were your pilots. The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you, caulking your seams; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you
to barter for your wares.

“Persia and Lud and Put were in your army as your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you; they gave you splendor. Men of Arvad and Helech were on your walls all around, and men of Gamad were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they made perfect your beauty.

 

We see Tyre depicted as a beautiful ship, on the coastline, she was the pride of a merchant fleet of ships.  She was a very prosperous and very proud city, on the Mediterranean Sea.  Tyre was so prosperous that she would go to great expenses to see that all her ships and buildings were of the best materials and it was all about looks.

 

She only used the best, in all areas of workmanship and construction materials.  In that her fleet of ships did business in all ports, she had the best of everything.   When you have that kind of resources you not only believe you are in charge and you become proud and arrogant.  The nations she did business with were impressed to say the least, at her beauty, she was what all people wanted to be like.

 

Tyre was a strong nation with a strong military and the best of everything, but God.  The Phoenician people had little need of God, they had become gods in their pride, and as my dad often said we learn nothing from history or we would not keep repeating it.

 

I see our nation is a lot t like Tyre, we have been so blessed by God following in the footprint of Tyre.  Arrogant, sinful, full of self, with wealth, and very prideful.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The word of the Lord came to me:  “Now you, son of man, raise a lamentation over Tyre, and say to Tyre, who dwells at the entrances to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, thus says the Lord God:

“O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’  Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders made perfect your beauty.  They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.  Of oaks of Bashan, they made your oars; they made your deck of pine from the coasts of Cyprus, inlaid with ivory.  Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail, serving as your banner; blue and purple from the coasts of  Elishah, was your awning. The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; your skilled men, O Tyre, were in you; they were your pilots. The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you, caulking your seams; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you
to barter for your wares.

“Persia and Lud and Put were in your army as your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you; they gave you splendor. Men of Arvad and Helech were on your walls all around, and men of Gamad were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they made perfect your beauty.

 

We see Tyre depicted as a beautiful ship, on the coastline, she was the pride of a merchant fleet of ships.  She was a very prosperous and very proud city, on the Mediterranean Sea.  Tyre was so prosperous that she would go to great expenses to see that all her ships and buildings were of the best materials and it was all about looks.

 

She only used the best, in all areas of workmanship and construction materials.  In that her fleet of ships did business in all ports, she had the best of everything.   When you have that kind of resources you not only believe you are in charge and you become proud and arrogant.  The nations she did business with were impressed to say the least, at her beauty, she was what all people wanted to be like.

 

Tyre was a strong nation with a strong military and the best of everything, but God.  The Phoenician people had little need of God, they had become gods in their pride, and as my dad often said we learn nothing from history or we would not keep repeating it.

 

I see our nation is a lot t like Tyre, we have been so blessed by God following in the footprint of Tyre.  Arrogant, sinful, full of self, with wealth, and very prideful.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The Father's Relationship to the Son

 

God as Father

 

The Father's Relationship to the Son

 

 

Do you recall The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath, where Jesus healed the man who had been lying there for 38 years?  John 5:2-16, verse 17 is Jesus’ reply to the Jews who were upset that He did this on the Sabbath.  But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. John 5:18

John 5:19,  So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.”

John 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 17:1-5, When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,  since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.  And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

 

Our Relationship to the Father and the Son

 

 John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.”

Matthew 6:33

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Hebrews 4:12

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 Colossians 3:16

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

Philippians 4:6-7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

God is called "Father" 184 times in the New Testament, 64 times in the first three Gospels, and 120 times in the fourth Gospel. God is also referred to as the "Father of mercies" in 2 Corinthians 1:3, the "Father of glory" in Ephesians 1:17, and the "Father of lights" in James 1:17. In Romans 8:15, God is referred to by the Aramaic word Abba, which is an intimate term for father. 

 

Old Testament

God is called "Father" about 20 times in the Old Testament, including in Deuteronomy 14:1-2, Isaiah 63:16, 64:8, and Jeremiah 3:19. In the Old Testament, God is referred to as the Father of Israel, and the relationship between God and his chosen people is described as special and tender. However, the Old Testament also emphasizes the distance between God and humans and the reserve one should feel before him. 

 

God as Father

In the Old Testament, God is the Father of Israel (and Israel is his son) in the context of God forgiving and redeeming Israel. While the Jews of Jesus’s day were hesitant to call God their Father (and angry at Jesus for doing so), Jesus claimed God as his Father and taught his followers to do the same. God is the Father and is also the Son, whom the Father sent to carry out his plan of redemption. What distinguishes the Son from the Father is not the quality of his being, which is just as divine as the Father’s is, but the functioning of their relationship, according to which the Son had come into the world to do the Father’s will. We relate to God as Father, therefore, through Jesus the Son, sharing in his sonship through the adoption we receive through Christ’s redeeming work for us.

Christians today take it for granted that God is our Father, but few people stop to think what this name really means. We know that Jesus taught his disciples to pray “Our Father” and that the Aramaic word Abba (“Father”) is one of the few that Jesus used and that it has remained untranslated in our New Testament. Nowadays, hardly anybody finds this strange, and many people are surprised to discover that the Jews of Jesus’s day, and even his own disciples, were puzzled by his teaching. This is because the deeper meaning and the wider implications of the term “Father” are largely unknown today. So widespread and generally accepted has the name become that we no longer question it, and so we often fail to realize how important it is for our understanding of God. (Taken from The Gospel Coalition)

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

God's Judgment on Tyre

 

Ezekiel 26:15-21

 

December 28, 2023

 

“Thus says the Lord God to Tyre: Will not the coastlands shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, when slaughter is made in your midst?  Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones and remove their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground and tremble every moment and be appalled at you.  And they will raise a lamentation over you and say to you,

“‘How you have perished, you who were inhabited from the seas,
O city renowned, who was mighty on the sea; she and her inhabitants imposed their terror on all her inhabitants!  Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall, and the coastlands that are on the sea are dismayed at your passing.’  “For thus say the Lord God: When I make you a city laid waste, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep over you, and the great waters cover you,  then I will make you go down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of old, and I will make you to dwell in the world below, among ruins from of old, with those who go down to the pit, so that you will not be inhabited; but I will set beauty in the land of the living.  I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again, declares the Lord God.”

 

Tyre, had become like Sodom and Gomorrah with no fear of God, much like many of the nations of the Western world we live in.  We in the USA have told God to say out of our government, our schools, and higher education, and it is very clear He has, and we see the product they have turned out. 

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Tyre

 

Ezekiel 26:1-14

December 27, 2023

Prophecy Against Tyre

In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste,’ therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves.  They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock.  She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. And she shall become plunder for the nations, and her daughters on the mainland shall be killed by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host of many soldiers.  He will kill with the sword your daughters on the mainland. He will set up a siege wall against you and throw up a mound against you, and raise a roof of shields against you.  He will direct the shock of his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes, he will break down your towers.  His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you. Your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen and wagons and chariots when he enters your gates as men enter a city that has been breached.  With the hoofs of his horses, he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. They will plunder your riches and loot your merchandise. They will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. Your stones and timber and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters.  And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more.  I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt, for I am the Lord; I have spoken, declares the Lord God.

 

If one looks at Scripture to find something that they believe never happened it might be a false belief that God said Nebuchadnezzar would destroy Tyre.  Verse three states that many nations.  King Nebuchadnezzar was just the first, of several, and he attacked the mainland, it was Alexander the Great that did a lot of harm, and the Romans.

Tyre was destroyed and this Phoenician city was never rebuilt, and it was known for its famous purple dye.  Most of it population lived on the small Island about a half-mile off the coast. When Alexander the Great built a ramp from the mainland to the Island.

Often on things like this, I look at what others have said and Got Questions is very good, they state that in 1291, Tyre was completely destroyed by the Saracens, fulfilling Ezekiel 26’s prophecy.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Philistia

 

Ezekiel 25:15-17

 

December 25, 2023

 

Prophecy Against Philistia

“Thus says the Lord God: Because the Philistines acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity, therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the rest of the seacoast.  I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon them.”

 

Will you join me in praying for the foolish people not only of the USA but the whole world that have wished for the destruction of Israel, they have no understanding of the wrath of God?  But Scripture is clear they are bringing His vengeance upon themselves.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Moab and Seir

 

Ezekiel 25:8-14

 

December 25, 2023

 

Prophecy Against Moab and Seir

“Thus says the Lord God: Because Moab and Seir said, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,’  therefore I will lay open the flank of Moab from the cities, from its cities on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim.  I will give it along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, that the Ammonites may be remembered no more among the nations,  and I will execute judgments upon Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

When God speaks you better listen, for his judgment against the Ammonites was very final. 

Prophecy Against Edom

“Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them, therefore thus says the Lord God, I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast. And I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan they shall fall by the sword.  And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, declares the Lord God.

How wise we who follow after Christ would be to seek His will, His face, and not just His hand.  As I write this paper we have many very foolish young college students chanting they desire the death of Israel.  They are untaught and very foolish in bringing curses on themselves.

 

And we the people of God need to pray for an awakening before God brings judgment against this nation.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Ammon

 

 

Ezekiel 25:1-7

 

December 24, 2023

 

Prophecy Against Ammon

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them.  Say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God: Thus says the Lord God, Because you said, ‘Aha!’ over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore behold, I am handing you over to the people of the East for a possession, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwellings in your midst. They shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk.  I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the Lord.  For thus says the Lord God: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand against you and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

 

Should we the Church of the living God, rejoice over the destruction of our enemies?  That would be inconsistent with Jesus teaching us to love our enemies and pray for them.  I do know it is a very foolish person who brings God, wrath on Israel and desires Israel's destruction.  It goes back to God's promise to Abram before God changed his name to Abraham.  In the book of Genesis, chapter 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

 

The Ammonites found great disfavor from God for rejoicing over Israel's destruction.

 

From The Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The Trinity

 

 

The Trinity

 

In class today we explored ways people have tried to explain 

The Trinity

 

God has not asked anyone to try to prove that He is, but He has given us who choose to by faith believe that He is Three personalities in one God Head.

 

I always had a problem with people who want to read the last chapter so they know how it is going to end before starting at the beginning and letting the Author build till the climax.   So, shall we begin in the book of Beginning?

 

Genesis 1:1

The Creation of the World

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

In Genesis 1:2, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

In Genesis 1:26, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

 

Now this is not a new thought, and the reason God gave us free will was so we would return His love.  In doing so with that free will came a desire to do it our way.  A  man wrote a very popular song titled, “I did it my way.”  That is trying to bypass grace.  Hebrews 11:6 gives an understanding of a person who by-pass grace, and faith; “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” 

 

Nowhere in the Scriptures does it call anyone to prove there is a God?

 

But we are told the Righteous shall live by Faith

 

Romans 1:16-17, we have God’s plan for those who by faith are followers of Jesus Christ.  

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith.

^“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 

God has no need to prove that He exists and Romans 1:16-22, ^“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools,”

 

A wise person will study the Scripture, and by doing so you will derive knowledge of God and His greatness, but if that is all you do it is my belief you have fallen short, one must apply application, and action, by letting the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth.  I’ve discovered that Jesus is the truth.

 

A man I often look to for understanding is Blaise Pascal who lived in the 1600’s.  Let me share with you a few quotes; “Faith is different from proof; the latter is human; the former is a Gift from God.”  And I will end with this one; “In faith, there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.”

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

 

Ezekiel 24:15-27

 

December 23, 2023

 

Ezekiel's Wife Dies

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke, yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down.  Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your shoes on your feet; do not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.” 

 And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting thus?”  Then I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the yearning of your soul, and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword.  And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.  Your turbans shall be on your heads and your shoes on your feet; you shall not mourn or weep, but you shall rot away in your iniquities and groan to one another.  Thus, shall Ezekiel be to you a sign; according to all that he has done you shall do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord God.’

“As for you, son of man, surely on the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes and their soul's desire, and also their sons and daughters, on that day a fugitive will come to you to report to you the news.  On that day your mouth will be opened to the fugitive, and you shall speak and be no longer mute. So, you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”

 

Jan, my wife is the delight of my life, and we have witnessed many of our friends and acquaintances that have lost the delight of their hearts.  It is not an easy task, some had knowledge it was coming and others did not, but to my knowledge none were told by God not to weep or mourn.

 

That is not where Ezekiel finds himself, and I want each of us to understand, if 
God said she was the delight of his eyes, she was.  Ezekiel, obey God, shall we reread this; “So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning, I did as I was commanded.”

 

God is jealous for His people to know that He is God, and they have made the Temple their delight, and not obey or fear Him, and have chased after the little gods, that cannot bring peace to their souls.

 

As a follower of Christ, what are you delighting in?   Do not blame others, or the culture, for society is not the plumbline for a follower of Christ.  Our world has always put self above all others, it is not a new thing, but as a follower of Christ, we are called to be a light in a very dark world.  So, as you go today be that light, and let God be glorified in you.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Gains the World and Lose their Soul

 

 

What Does It Profit a Man if He Gains the Whole World and Lose His Soul?

 

You might be wondering who would make such a statement; it had to be someone who knew a lot more than you or I.  It was Jesus and He said so in Mark 8:34-38, ^“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?  For what can a man give in return for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

 

I was awakened at 2:30 this morning with this thought, after laying there going over it over and over I said I would write in the morning but it was now not later so I up asking the Lord to speak, to put into my mind what He desires you and me to understand.  

 

Matthew 16:24-26, Jesus also talks about this subject; “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 

 

This Scripture also came into my mind as I lay there desiring to just go back to sleep; “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:17

 

As I lay in that bed wanting to sleep, what do I value, I was never foolish enough to believe I could be president or a business leader, my world was not that big.  Just to be successful in my work as a salesperson for the 3M Company.  To earn a good living and to be a good dad and husband.  Not bad goals but were they that much different than the man who wants to rule the whole world, is the one driven to be the richest man in the whole world?  

 

My mind went to a man named Solomon, who in his day was the richest in the world, he did great things, and he built the first Temple for God.  As a man born of an earthly dad named King David, Solomon was the wisest man to ever live on planet Earth.  He had it all one might say, but later in his life after allowing all the pagan women he married to move his heart from God to their little gods who cannot speak or hear.  We see him reflecting on his life and this is what he said: “I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.”  The sons he left it to had not been trained in looking to the Lord, so they were very bad kings.  

 

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

 

Now let me be very honest, my goals were honorable, as stated, but I had a big problem, I knew a lot about Jesus being raised in a Baptist Church, with parents who were Christian.  But being a Baptist had not changed my heart to put Bob first, to seek my will, and to be the authority over my life.  God sent a man, who had cut my hair from the age of 13 to 26, and he asked me to attend a Bible study.  I did and said to myself as I left that study, I needed to get a new barber and never come back to these religious guys again.  But God had other plans and each week I was back and soon discovered; that these men knew the Jesus I was only informed about.  After six months one night in Victoria, Texas at a hotel room as I put the key in the door, I heard a voice saying this is the last night My Spirit will deal with you.  I got the Hotel Bible and it opened to Roman chapter 10, and my eyes went to verses 9-10, “ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”  I acted on those verses and that night Jesus became my authority.

 

I’m still a mess, but I know whom I believe in and I am persuaded that He can keep me till that day.  And it's 4:20 this morning and I’m going back to bed.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Siege of Jerusalem

 

 

Ezekiel 24:1-14

 

December 22, 2023

 

The Siege of Jerusalem

In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.  And utter a parable to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord God:

“Set on the pot set it on; pour in water also; put in it the pieces of meat, all the good pieces, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with choice bones.  Take the choicest one of the flock; pile the logs under it;
boil it well; seethe also its bones in it.

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose corrosion is in it, and whose corrosion has not gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece, without making any choice.  For the blood she has shed is in her midst; she put it on the bare rock; she did not pour it out on the ground to cover it with dust.  To rouse my wrath, to take vengeance, I have set on the bare rock the blood she has shed, that it may not be covered.  Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.  Heap on the logs, kindle the fire, boil the meat well, mix in the spices, and let the bones be burned up.  Then set it empty upon the coals, that it may become hot, and its copper may burn, that its uncleanness may be melted in it, its corrosion consumed.  She has wearied herself with toil; its abundant corrosion does not go out of it. Into the fire with its corrosion!  On account of your unclean lewdness, because I would have cleansed you and you were not cleansed from your uncleanness, you shall not be cleansed anymore till I have satisfied my fury upon you.  I am the Lord. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God.”

As I read this this thought came into my mind,  Recall Reuben and Gad settled in Gilead and not wanting to cross over the Jordan to live, for this area was perfect for livestock.  But they promised to go and fight with Israel till they had conquered the land.  Do you recall these words that Moses spoke to them?  Numbers 22:20-23, ^“So Moses said to them, “If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the Lord for the war, and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven out his enemies from before him and the land is subdued before the Lord; then after that you shall return and be free of obligation to the Lord and to Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the Lord.  But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.”

Israel had become much like my nation, all about self, forgetting what God had done for them.  As a follower of Christ, be careful to keep your eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith.  In a world of lies and fear look to Truth, Jesus is the Truth and the way.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice