Ezekiel 7-9/Luke 1-4
God’s purpose given through His trusted messengers.
OT – 7:19-22 “They will throw away their money, tossing it out like worthless trash. It won’t buy their deliverance in that day of the LORD’s anger. It will neither satisfy nor feed them, for their love of money made them stumble into sin. They were proud of their gold jewelry and used it to make vile and detestable idols. That is why I will make all their wealth disgusting to them. I will give it as plunder to foreigners from the most wicked of nations, and they will defile it. I will hide my eyes as these robbers invade my treasured land and corrupt it.
9:4 He said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all those who weep and sigh because of the sins they see around them.”
11 Then the man in linen clothing, who carried the writer’s case, reported back and said, “I have finished the work you gave me to do.”
OT Flash Points
Detestable practices
Punishment
Message comes through the devout
NT – 1:18-20 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”
Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! And now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you won’t be able to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper time.”
:34-37 Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s already in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
2:48-50 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son!” his mother said to him. “Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”
“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “You should have known that I would be in my Father’s house.” But they didn’t understand what he meant.
NT Flash points
Determined action of God to redeem the whole world
Message & messenger comes through the devout
Army of the Lord, the devout = believers in what God says
Perspective:
When God speaks, don’t process based on insight & pros & cons
Obey
Gladly
NOW
Not in a while