Different or Like Others?

O. T. #1911  "Different or Like Others?"

March 29, 2021

Ezekiel 25-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. for He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Psalm 24:1-5)

Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. (Psalm 24:8)

Who is this King of glory? The LORD of host, He is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:10)

I needed verse 8 today. I am facing another battle in my body and needed to be reminded that our God always wins battles. He used David to kill the giant Philistine; He used Joshua to bring down the wall of Jericho; He used Elijah to kill the prophets of Baal; He used Moses to defeat the Egyptians; He used Jesus to defeat the power of the grave and Satan. I trust Him for the outcome.

The battle belongs to God. If He is for me, then who can be against me that is victorious? None. I am an overcomer. Nothing can stand against the power of the Lord my God. I needed to hear those words in songs this morning. Please remember me in prayer Wednesday morning as I have a biopsy. Whatever road God has for me to walk on, He will walk it with me. To God be the glory.

LET IT GROW

Last time, we read about the nation of Ammonite people, the first of seven nations that God was going to judge by having the Babylonians conquer them. Ammon was the child of the youngest daughter and Lot.

The second nation was Moab, who was the child of the oldest daughter and Lot. Their land was east of the Jordan River, the upper end of the Dead Sea. (Genesis 19)

The reason for the judgment (verse 8) was their gloating over Israel's fall and their scorn in saying Israel was like all other people with no privileged position before God. (MacArthur)

Israel was God's special people with whom He had manifested Himself in great power, and glory in Egypt, the Red Sea, the wilderness experiences, and in the conquering of the land to possess it. (Falwell)

Moab was pleased to see Israel forsake their God and worship idols, and hoped that in a while their religion would be quiet lost and forgotten and the house of Judah would be like all the heathen, perfect idolaters. They hoped in time it would sink and be run down, and quite abandoned.

Both the Ammonites and the Moabites were conquered by the Babylonians in the fifth year after the destruction of Jerusalem. They became absorbed in the Arabian people.

You will recall in the book of Ruth that it began with a famine in Israel and Naomi, her husband, and two sons left for the land of Moab. While there the sons married Moabite women, one of which was Ruth. (Jewish law prohibited intermarriage.) Then their men died and Ruth with Naomi went to Israel. Ruth married Boaz, an Israel kinsman-redeemer of Naomi. A Moabite was admitted to the congregation when Ruth and Boaz had Obed, who had Jesse, who had David. Jesus Christ came through the lineage of King David. (Matthew 1:5-16). (Mary's husband, Joseph, was Jesus' adoptive father.) The book of Luke tells how Jesus came through David's son Nathan (3:31), who was His biological ancestor. Jesus was a person of mixed ancestry, like you and me. We can conclude that Jesus's kingdom identifies with both Jews and Gentiles, including all races of people through His grace and mercy of salvation. Faith in Jesus transcends every culture and race and one to which all nations of people may come to the Savior.

Jesus, our Redeemer, had Gentile blood, yet is the Son of God, who lived a perfect life, thus qualified to meet the requirements of the blood sacrifice for my sins and your sins. Amen! Thank You Jesus for paying the debt we could not pay and the debt You did not owe!

Have you trusted in Jesus as your Savior, dear friend? It is by faith, not by heritage nor by works that we come to Him humbly.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.(Romans 6:23)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1John 1:9)

Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he life: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25-26)

What will you do with a man called Jesus? 

LET IT GO

Thank You Jesus, for dying on the cross in my place as payment for my sins.

Thank You for enduring the cross, the beatings, the ridicules, and the temptations of sin.

Praise be to the Risen Savior!