EMMAUS SCHOOL OF BIBLICAL STUDIES

What shocked me about this book was the call that God placed on Ezekiel’s life, I saw that he really had no choice in the matter of what happened to him. As he sat by the river and thought in bitterness of soul, God called him and told him the responsibility he had as an ambassador of the truth. It didn’t take me long to realize that I am in the same exact boat as Ezekiel, and I definitely have sat by the river stunned for seven days wondering if I could handle the call of God on my life. So much hit me in this book, but the thing that struck the loudest chord was the understanding of God’s call on a mans life.

I have a call on my life, and actually you have a call on your life. We are all called for his purposes, we simply choose at times to allow this kingdom to be advanced rather than our own. Do we dignify that call or do we push it to the back page of the newspaper to be read at a later date? I would wagger a guess that we tend to do both.

The truth of the matter is that when we walk in God’s calling we do what we are created to do, whether natural or completly unnatural. It is here in the inbetween that we realize that he is enough, and his call will satisfy.

Ezekiel seemed to be rough for me. Packed full of so many things to unpack~! didn’t seem like enough time. through the process of charting and studying inductivly i saw God’s heart for his people. Ezekiel’s message of the Lord is with them was huge. the people in exile needed to know that God is with them. They forgot that. Ezekiel very clearly shows them that God is big and goes with them wherever they go, even in exile. Another big issue that Ezekiel hits on is responsiblity for your own actions and as a whole. the people in exile didn’t see they were at fault which led them to exile. They blamed their ancestors. The issue was they knew truth and were responsible for that knowledge and how they lived in response to that truth.  This very much applies to us today. Knowing truth, how are you living? What are you doing with your life? Knowing that God goes with you he never leaves you and you have the truth, the gospel to live by…how are you doing with that?  For me personally i really saw a call to not be a product of my enviroment. Being raised out of church and never really grasping the gospel until recently, i saw the call and urge to not fall into what i saw was ok or acceptable. Now knowing truth, i know what is acceptable and what is not acceptable according the Lord. He sets the bar high for the call of our lives, having truth we can live out of it. Great knowledge comes great responsiblity. God has basically called us to minister the truth/gospel with our lives. So how do you live with the knowledge of truth and knowing that God is good.?

I got a lot out of Ezekiel. I saw the Lord’s pursuing and persistent heart for His people and His need for justice and wrath. I saw the hearts of disobedient people that remind me of mine. I learned that God desired to be known. He wants His people to know that He is the Lord their God. And for their lasting good, desire to know Him, love him, and obey His commands. I love that He is jealous and desires my attention. I desire to know Him more and more as long as I live. I learned the obedience of a prophet and how the Lord wants me to warn, inform, and proclaim His truth in obedience with diligence and perseverance even if it is not what I thought it was going to be. And that the Lord requires me to trust Him.
I also learned about individual and corporate responsibility of sin. That no one can blame anyone else for their sin. That the Lord will hold me accountable to the way I respond to things. It is no one else’s fault for my sin. I also learned that no one has done anything so bad to me that what the Lord has done for me does not trump. I am thankful He has forgiveness and mercy. I am thankful He is powerful and in control. In my life I want to acknowledge that He is with me always, He is Lord, and I am nothing without Him. He punishes sin and holds me responsible. I will trust Him in the good and bad and choose life through righteousness.

Ezekiel is a priest that God called to be a prophet to Israel while they were at the beginning of a 70 year exile out of there land under the Babylonian empire. This exile was judgment on them for being so rebellious and hideous in their worship of other gods in the temple of God etc. God meets Ezekiel while he is among these exiles and reveals to him in a vision how their sins have been abominations. The book has a lot of very graphic but necessary imagery because the whole point of showing Ezekiel this and having him do the things he did for Israel was to get their attention. God’s purpose in doing all he did was for them to know that he is the Lord, which is a phrase repeated about 70 times throughout the book. Israel had a very hard and stubborn heart and didn’t want to listen to Ezekiel but God wants to warn of judgement because he wants people to turn back to him. Ezekiel 33:11 says, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live.” God’s delight is in giving people life, not forcing people to hell in his anger because it is people that choose death for themselves over life found ultimately in Christ. My favorite passage is 37:1-14 where God take Ezekiel in a vision to a valley of dry bones to represent that is how Israel is, dead. He wants Ezekiel to speak to the dry bones and through him, God will bring them together and breath life into them. It is a very beautiful passage I recomend you reading. I see the New Testament writers using this passage to represent who we were and who we are now in Christ. Ephesians 2:1, 4-6 says, “You were dead through the trespasses and sins… But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

The main idea of Ezekiel is that God is with Israel in exile and that all the judgments and restoration that are coming are so that the nations and Israel will know that he is the Lord. Through this book I have learned that I am responsible for my own sin and that God is enough for me.  I am an adult now and can stop blaming my sin on my upbringing and also stop using that as an excuse. It is so freeing to realize that I own my sin and that God can work with that and can help me get out of the sin that I fall so easily into.  Also just seeing that God took Ezekiel’s wife from him and yet Ezekiel continued to preach to a nation that did not listen to him really struck me.  The truth is that God is enough for me. I can do what he has called me to do alone if that is my call and if not I’m fine with that too:) So seeing that God so desparately wants people to know that he is the turh

I recently taught the book of Habakkuk for the school, and I was this time impressed with the character of Habakkuk the prophet.  The book in structured like a dialogue:

• Habakkuk Questions – Why God, do you allow injustice and corruption to go unpunished? (1.1-4)
• God Answers – I am going to punish the corruption with the fierce Babylonians, who will destroy Judah for their injustice and corruption (1.5-11)
• Habakkuk Questions Again – Why would you God punish an unrighteous nation with a nation more unrighteous than us?  (It doesn’t make sense to him!)
• God Answers – I will in fact judge all wickedness – even the Babylonians are going to get judged for their inhumane corruption.
• Habakkuk Responds – he writes a song of worship and praise, remembering God’s faithful history with his people.  He resolves to always worship and trust God, even though times may look bad, and there is no foreseeable physical reasons to have hope.

He lived amidst a corrupt and idolatrous Judah, and his initial question of God is questioning why he doesn’t punish injustice.  So we see his heart is for justice in the land.  Initially, he had a problem with God’s response, but he came around to trust and worship God, realizing the error in his thinking.  What we see with him, is that he did have legitimate questions about the justice of God, like many, many people (Christians and non-Christians) do, but he was open to God’s response and his words being enough to resolve his questions.  Where I think we (or people) often go wrong in our questioning of God, is that we in fact are not looking for a response, but are just putting God on trial, playing Devil’s Advocate.  What I think is great about Habakkuk’s character is this:

1. He sought Justice.
2. When God’s answer was difficult for him to grasp, he still waited on God.
3. He was okay with God’s answer, with God’s word.  We also need to be okay with the answers that God’s word has.
4. And whenever we (and Habakkuk) don’t understand, we need to resolve like Habakkuk did to worship the Lord and trust him.  I think of Paul who when writing Romans, at the end of just writing about God’s election and choosing some for mercy and some for wrath, threw up his hands in worship, saying: “O the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! …Who can know the mind of the Lord?  Or who has been his counselor?  Or who has given a gift to him to receive a gift in return?” – Romans 11.33-35.  The point being, that worship was the response of Habakkuk and Paul, and should be of us, when we don’t understand God’s ways and at the same time we know the past goodness and faithfulness of God.
5. And the final thing is how Habakkuk anticipated a very hard time ahead, as his nation, his home, his livelihood, was to be destroyed by the Babylonians, but was resolute in trusting God and worshiping him in spite of his current horrible circumstances.

A huge theme I have taken from the book of Zephaniah is seeking humility. God is calling Judah to repent because judgment is coming on them and his heart is seen in wanting them to come back to him. God has to judge evil but he is always wanting his people to humble themselve to realize that they can’t do it on their own anymore. 2:3 says, “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the Lord’s wrath.” I have been thinking about humility and I like the definition that Nelson’s Bible Dictionary says about it, “A freddom from the arrogance that grows out of the recongintion that all we have and are come from God.” Humility is a lifelong process of allowing God to refine us and save us from our selfish and prideful ways that really are destructive to life. It is freedom to be humbled before our Creator, not burdensome because we realize that we don’t have to carry and do the things we are trying to do apart from God.

Zephaniah’s prophecy describes the coming judgment on the upper-class of Jerusalem and also the judgment that is coming against all the nations that are surrounding. The Prophecy does not leave open the option of God’s relenting from his judgment, but instead brings to light a better way. The book alludes to the truth that affects our lives daily and defines the human problem.

Zephaniah’s main message was that if one seeks righteousness, and seeks humility then maybe they will be hidden on the day of the Lord’s wrath. Books like Daniel demonstrate that this in indeed true, after the fall of Judah to Babylon, Daniel was one that humbly sought the Lord and he was blessed as a result. This same humility is what Jesus requires in the kingdom of God that he ushered in with his life death and resurrection.  Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness… and Paul describes in Romans that the righteous live by faith. The call is to one of humility, understanding I am a sinner bound for hell regardless of my own actions, and God saved me out of this with no help from me.

The prophetic book of Habakkuk is quite unique in that it is written in dialogue form. The dialogue occurs between Habakkuk and God. As he looks around at the injustice and tries to justify all this in his finite mind he questions God. He asked God how indeed he can watch this injustice occur yet do nothing about it. The answer God gives is simple yet difficult. “Wait” In waiting Habakkuk must trust, that God is good and trust the nature of God, but he also admit his own lack of understanding in the world that surrounds him.

The truth is that in a hopeless situation God is moving in ways that cannot be explained. Our appropriate response to this is then to respond in the way that Habakkuk responded, to wait and trust God. But the waiting is an active waiting.

We seek God to know his heart. How else can we appropriately deal with the horrible acts that are happening around us. It requires an objective truth and hope to even watch the 6:00 news. This truth comes from the word of God that produces fruit within us.

The book of Zephaniah is an awesome testimony on how to be humbled before the Lord the Lord wants us to humble ourselves before him so that he may do his great work within us. Jesus Christ is lord over my life and I am ready for whatever comes my way, whatever he puts in front of me I will do and do it with a willing heart, because I want to serve the Lord them and be a of Zephaniah is “Be humbled and evade the wrath of God”. The key verse explains it all and, it says seek of the lord, all you humble of the land seek righteousness, seek humility, perhaps you may be hidden on a day of the Lord’s wrath. So if we humble ourselves before the Lord he will not pour out his wrath on us, but on those who turn from good and do evil in his sight.

Habakkuk has been a really great book to study. We started studying it at the perfect time it seems because something God has been telling me is to be patient and rely on him for my future. I keep thinking and trying to figure out where I should be in a year and God has been telling me that it is ok not to know because he hasn’t revealed that to me yet. I don’t need to stress about figuring out my future in a year because it is not my burden to bare. I need to trust God that he knows and he wants me to wait on him and trust him. So after I had this realization, we started studying Habakkuk, who, though has completely different circumstances that are way more devestating, he still is told to wait on God and his response is so beautiful in how he is obedient to God’s word and he waits and rejoices in God even when things are not looking good for Judah because of their injustice etc. Habakkuk has some tough questions he asks God about the injustice that is going on around him and God’s answer to him is so great because it causes a response in Habakkuk that puts him in awe and humbled before God and allows him to trust that God knows better than what humans can understand and his purposes are for good justice.

Zephaniah tells of the day of judgment. He tries to prepare them for this wretched day. He shows this day is bad for all not just Judah but all nations. Zephaniah goes into detail what this day will look like, destruction everywhere. Zephaniah proposes a choice the people must make: Choose Pride = death OR Choose Humility = Life. Though he speaks mostly of the day of the Lord, it seems his over arching message is humility. Why is this day coming?? the people are sinners, they have turned away from the Lord for too long and now punishment must come. Why have they done this? they don’t see their need for God, they haven’t humbled themselves to the point of needing/wanting anything else. In seeking humility they will find righteousness; finding righteouness will lead them to the Lord. The message of Habakkuk and Zephaniah are somewhat similar in that Habakkuk questions God in the midst of mess but chooses to rejoice and seek him; Zephaniah seems to ask the same thing of the people; though you are headed for judgment choose to seek the Lord. God promises restoration so hold on to the hope and trust him for better days.  

Habakkuk paints a picture of questioning God in the correct way. Again its a matter of the heart. When you read the book you see Habakkuk’s heart is not to catch God in something but he truly wants to know the reason for what he is seeing. I think God purposly doesn’t tell/show us the big picture of what he is doing. If he did we wouldn’t seek him, we’d have no reason to. I’m not even sure we’d believe what he would tell/show us anyways. Habakkuk’s response to what God has told is great! God’s plan is great and speaks to his character. He wouldn’t be God if his plans weren’t beyond us or made sense to us. Its ok to question God but we must be prepared for the answer. Our response must be to look around and be distressed but look up and be at rest. No matter the circumstance, look up and find rest! Question God but find comfort in who he is and rejoice in who he is…He is God!

What I learned from Zephaniah was that the Lord wants me to seek Him. He wants me to have a heart full of humility. He requires a humble heart before Him. That i understand my rightful place of creature to creator. and that I do what He wants. I want to do what He commands. I desire to seek righteousness as He instructs. I think humility will keep at a place where i understand my need for a savior. i will know at jesus’ second coming i am saved by faith in Him and that in loving response to a God who sings over me i will seek HIm first. I am thankful Zephaniah spoke to the people about being humble since the day of the Lord is coming. That the prophets were evangelists. i want to tell others to seek humility because the great and terrible day of the Lord is coming. i also want them to know that God is so sweet. He wants me to worship HIm and He diesres to exult my humility in all the earth. Zephaniah showed me the Lord will restore and reconcile the fallen world in His timing and it will be perfect. He is worthy of praise!

Zephaniah is about humbling yourself before God and seeking him in humility.  But what I learned from Zephaniah is that God rejoices over his children and that I can find my identity in him and him alone. So in a way this book about learning to be humble has taught me how to have confidence in the Lord. Strange how sometimes we learn something that seems contrasting. I guess my application from this book is to love those who are hard to love, those who God would love, the outcast, lame and just hard to love. I think that if I continue to find my identity in Christ then he will give me the love to be able to love all people.