Bible Chapter: Ezekiel 15 & 16

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
God has used many different illustrations in the Bible to teach His message.  Here He used a grapevine and asked how it compares to a tree.  Is a vine’s wood as useful as the wood of a tree? Can you make things with it? The answer is no.  It can only be used for fuel, and it is not good fuel because it burns too quickly.  The comparison is with the people of Jerusalem.  They are quite useless because they are unable to grow fruit. They showed no spiritual fruit.  The things God was looking for in their lives didn’t exist.  So, they would be judged, burned in the fire.  We see a New Testament application where Jesus taught that any who fail to be faithful and produce spiritual fruit in their lives will be cut off and thrown into the fire of judgment.
We then see a long chapter that portrays Jerusalem as a wife and God as her husband.  She is portrayed as an adulterous wife.  God took a city that had no natural qualities and made her special.  God loved her and transformed her. The city (the people) was ungrateful to her Husband.  She became unfaithful and committed spiritual adultery.  The city became promiscuous.  Because of her harlotry, she would suffer very severe results.  This is a very sad story.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
We see here that God helped the people thrive.  He gave them so much.  They had everything they could want.  They were powerful.  God blessed them.  And yet, they turned from Him and lived any way they pleased. There was a greater longing for temporal pleasure than serving and worshiping God.  They paid a miserable price.  And, it is very easy to fall into that same trap today. I am seeing it in many places where they have a form of worship and godliness, but it is more of an act than a full commitment to the Lord. It is critical to avoid being caught up in that trap.

3.  How can I help someone?
Pay attention to the message that is repeated over and over in the Bible about the importance of obedience.  Pay attention to the message that sin will always hurt in the end.  Pay attention to the message of grace and forgiveness and receive the gift of life that God promises to all who believe.