Today's Scripture
Ezekiel 25:1-7
Today’s reading Ezekiel 25-27
The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Mortal, set your face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them. 3 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 it went into exile; 4 therefore I am handing you over to the people of the east for a possession. They shall set their encampments among you and pitch their tents in your midst; they shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk. 5 I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a fold for flocks. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. 6 For thus says the Lord God: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within you against the land of Israel, 7 therefore I have stretched out my hand against you, and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.
RJ's Devotion
What does the passage say?
V. 1 God changes the direction of the prophecies toward the countries surrounding Israel.
V. 2-3 The Ammonites are condemned because of their mockery over the destructions of Jerusalem.
V. 4-5 How God will use Babylon to crush the Ammonites
V. 6-7 God will be renowned as the Lord, of all the world.
What does this passage mean to me/us?
We are reading through the Book of Ezekiel, according to the One Year Bible reading challenge.
Many countries surrounding Israel are subject to God’s condemnation.
The reason why the Ammonites’ are condemned by God stands out.
They ‘clapped [their] hands and stamped [their] feet and rejoiced with all the malice within [them] against the land of Israel’ (v. 6 NRSV).
Do we, by any chance, clap and rejoice when others are going through difficulties.
Do we, by any chance, celebrate when other countries are going through tragedies?
We, as children of God, are called to a different level of love.
Jesus teaches us to love our enemies. He says, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful ” (Luke 6:32-36, NRSV).
We are called to have compassion for others. Like Paul says in Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15 NRSV).
Prayer
Lord, help us to love others the way you call us to love. In Christ Name, AMEN.
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