I was 'supposed' to read chapter 7 with yesterday's passage, but I didn't read the plan correctly. Oh well. Can I just say that "this Ezra" to be a fairly comedic line? I mean, his lineage is traced for 16 generations. That Ezra. You know, not one of those other Ezra's whose lineage appears identical … Continue reading Ezra 7-10
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Ezra 4-6
So I read this passage, and the first thing that came to mind was "ain't always the way?" They get back to Jerusalem after a a pretty gruesome time of it and start rebuilding. Folks start rubber necking and wander over, offering to 'help.' Now, I reckon they probably had some fairly sinister intentions from … Continue reading Ezra 4-6
Ezra 1-3
I have two things to say. First, they built the altar before they even started on the foundations of the temple. They had their priorities. They immediately, upon returning to the city from exile, rebuilt the altar so they could practice the sacrifices God required. The altar wasn't seen as the crowning glory of the … Continue reading Ezra 1-3
Ezekiel 45-48
The river flowing from the temple is a fascinating. In the middle of a seemingly practical tour intended to provide instructions, the blueprints for rebuilding, there is this image of a river. A very dramatic and miraculous river. Where this river flows, there is life. It clarifies salt water, brings life to a desert: it … Continue reading Ezekiel 45-48
Ezekiel 40-44
Man. Okay, I know exile is pretty extreme. Siege and the horrible things that are done within the walls of a starving and frightened city are extreme. Judah faced pretty harsh judgment for their idolatry and profanity. But the personal nature of this judgment on the Levites is special. They are to tend the temple, … Continue reading Ezekiel 40-44
Ezekiel 37-39
Prophecy is difficult. There's a passage here that sounds fairly Messianic. David will rule over them once more. Christ is of the line of David, and Christ will come to redeem them. But then you stop and think about it and you realize the people didn't exactly accept Christ all that whole heartedly, and they … Continue reading Ezekiel 37-39
Ezekiel 34-36
So, being familiar with Psalm 23, David, and the metaphor of Christ as shepherd, it's fairly easy to read this prophecy as a metaphor, as about more than just the shepherds. So when it get down to the more explicit statements, it's not much of twist or reveal. I wonder, though, whether the people that … Continue reading Ezekiel 34-36
Ezekiel 31-33
I love human pride. Not really, but there's something poetic about it. "Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the lad; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.' Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: You eat flesh with the blood and lift up your … Continue reading Ezekiel 31-33
Ezekiel 28-30
I've been doing this for almost a year now. I've been adding tags to each post. I wish I had been adding thematic titles to the Bible study posts as well. Mostly because once again I have nothing specific to say about this section, and I'm a bit curious how many times this has occurred … Continue reading Ezekiel 28-30
Ezekiel 25-27
And now God gets into the judgments against the surrounding nations. He promised they would be judged as well. Now those judgments are being pronounced. I find it interesting that one of the big reasons for judgment is rejoicing in Judah's fall. These were enemies. Historical, constant enemies. But they're being punished, harshly, for celebrating … Continue reading Ezekiel 25-27
Pieces of the Mosaic 