We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

Here are four differences between deceit and honesty in our hearts: One, a deceitful heart doesn’t know its sins because it doesn’t want to know. But an honest heart is saying, “I’m listening. I’m open.” Two, a deceitful heart is more alert to how a sermon applies to someone else. But an honest heart is too concerned about itself to be busy with other people’s weaknesses. Three, a deceitful heart, when it isn’t growing, blames its inertia on hardship or its church or even on God Himself. But an honest heart says, “I need to get in gear.” Four, a deceitful heart delays response: “I’ll get around to it. But I just can’t right now.” An honest heart puts God first: “Lord, whatever You want, even right now.”
Ray Ortlund

Bible Reading: SEP06: Ezekiel 29-31

Chapter 28 records the lament over the king of
Tyre. The prince, or ruler, of the city at that time
was Ithobaal II. He headed up in himself the arrogance
and pride of the city, claiming to be divine (verse 2)
and wiser than Daniel (verse 3). Verses 11-19 show that
Satan and demons were behind the power of this king.
Finally, in verses 20-26 there is recorded the judgment
of Zidon, which was located some 20 miles north of
Tyre. The final two verses in this chapter record the
prophecies of the future regathering and restoration of
Israel, after enemy neighbor nations shall have
disappeared.

Chapters 29–32 predict the judgment against
Egypt. Egypt was to be reduced to a second-rate
kingdom. This judgment was fulfilled after
Nebuchadnezzar’s invasions in 572 and 568 b.c. Egypt
has never recovered its former glory, and ever since
Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion Egypt has played a lesser
part in world history. This is fulfillment of Ezekiel’s
prophecy in chapter 29:15, that Egypt would be “the
basest of kingdoms.”

Chapter 29:1-16 covers the period January, 586
b.c., six months after Jerusalem fell, and 15 years
before Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt. In this vision
Egypt is pictured as a crocodile.

Chapters 29:17–30:19 cover the period April,
570 b.c., 16 years after the fall of Jerusalem.
Chapters 30:20-26 cover the period April, 586 b.c.,
three months before Jerusalem fell.

Chapter 31 covers the period June, 586 b.c.,
one month before Jerusalem fell. Egypt was warned to
take heed to the fate of Assyria, which was more
powerful than Egypt, yet it had fallen to Babylon.