The purpose of book of Ezekiel is to announce God’s judgment on Israel and other nations as well as to foretell the eventual salvation of God’s people, while for Daniel is show how God is in control of the earth, the destiny of nations and the care of His people.
On Monday, we learn from Ezek 3
that God Has Message For You.
On Tuesday, we learn from Ezek 11
that God Gives You A New Heart.
On Wed, we learn from Ezek 36
that God Moves You in the Spirit.
On Thursday we learn from Ezek 37
that God Brings Dead Things to Life.
On Friday, we learn from Daniel 2
that God Reveals Deep Things.
On Sat, we learn from Daniel 4
that God Rules & Fulfils Dreams.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who trust You:
for You truly keep Your promises;
for You have deep message for us;
for You move us in the Spirit,
give us a new heart, fulfil dreams
and bring dead things to life. Amen.
Perhaps when you think of Daniel, you think of a young man. But the book of Daniel covers 70 years in the life of this prophet of God. Daniel was 76 years old in chap 4, 86 years in chap 5 and 93 in chap 6. Throughout his days, Daniel’s faith shines brightly, whether in interpreting a king’s dream, reading the hand-writing on the wall, or taking a stand for his God.
Lord, You Rule & Fulfil Dreams: I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. How great are His signs, and how
mighty His wonders! His kingdom
is an everlasting kingdom, and
His dominion is from generation
to generation (Daniel 4:2-3). As he looked out across the city, he said: Just look at this great city of Babylon! I by my own mighty power have built this beautiful city… While he was still speaking these words, a voice called down from heaven, O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom… You will live in the fields with the wild animals and you will eat grass like a cow… until you learn that the
Most High rules over the kingdoms
of the world and gives them to anyone He chooses (v30-32).
That very hour the word was fulfilled
concerning Nebuchadnezzar;
(for) he… ate grass like oxen (v33).
Lord, thank You that wisdom and understanding comes fr You alone. Thank You for reassuring knowledge that You are in control of every area of my life. I confess with my heart, how great are Your signs & wonders; and Your kingdom is everlasting. Thank You that You are my God and Saviour, for in You I have placed my trust. Praise Your mighty name.
Lord, we note Nebuchadnezzar’s prideful heart when he says: “By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city.” Lord, we realise we can also fall into prideful tendencies. King of heaven, Your rule is ever lasting and Your kingdom eternal. Your acts are just and You are
entitled to humble the proud; and so humble, restore & lead us. Amen.
Lord, If drunk with sight of power,
we lose Wild tongues
that have not Thee in awe, Such boasting as the Gentiles use, Or lesser breeds without the law. Lord God of hosts be with us yet, Lest we forget, lest we forget… Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, An humble and a contrite heart. Lord God of hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget, lest we forget. Amen
The first 3 chapters of the book describe the spiritual integrity of Daniel and his three friends.
Selected for government service,
they resist the pressure to conform
to their pagan environment and
instead take a stand for God.
Whether in diet, truthfulness or
spiritual discipline, the four young
men live out their convictions.
Lord, grant us Your Revelation:
During the Night the mystery
was revealed to Daniel in a vision.
Then Daniel said: Praise be the name of God… For wisdom and might are His (Daniel 2:19-20).
He Reveals deep and mysterious
things and knows what lies Hidden
in darkness… I thank and praise You
for You have given me Wisdom and
strength. You have told me what
we Asked of You and Revealed to us
what the king demanded (v22-23).
The king answered Daniel and said:
Truly your God is the God of gods,
the Lord of kings and a Revealer
of secrets, since you could reveal
this secret. Then the king promoted
Daniel… gave him many great gifts;
and he made him ruler over the
whole province of Babylon (v47-48).
Lord, it seems that in the middle of
the night problems appear larger.
At those times I am reminded that
You never sleep and I can come
to You and cling to Your presence.
I pray that at those times You will
give me the treasures of darkness,
as You have spoken in Your Word.
I pray You will fill my darkness with
Your light and give me peace. Amen.
Lord, I praise Your mighty name
for You are the God who has
all wisdom and power, the One
who guides even world events.
You give wisdom to the wise
and You know what is hidden
in darkness and all mysteries.
Grant me O Lord Your wisdom
and strength to handle the tricky
issues that come my way. Amen.
Lord, we purpose not to lean on
our own understanding; but instead
to look to You the All Knowing One
for understanding and wisdom.
There are things we can’t know by
seeing or hearing are known by God
& You’re willing to reveal them to us.
For Your Spirit searches out
all things and shows God’s deep
secrets to those who love Him.
Reveal to us O Lord those things
which help us be effective. Amen.
In a vision told with vivid details, that you can see the bones moving,
Ezekiel announces Israel’s rebirth. Reassembled with God’s breath
of life, the bones become the new
Israel, more powerful than before.
Then in a 2nd vision, Ezekiel sees
the revived nation destroy its last foe (Magog) after which God is agreed
by all nations as undisputed Victor.
Lord, You Can Revive All Things:
Prophesy to these (dry) bones…
This is what the Sovereign Lord
says: I will make breath enter you,
& you will come to life (Ezek 37:4-5)
Indeed as I looked, the sinews
and the flesh came upon them…
So I prophesied as He commanded
me, and breath came into them…
and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army (v8-10).
Thus says the Lord God:
Behold, O My people, I will… cause
you to come up from your graves,
and bring you into the land
of Israel. Then you shall know
that I am the Lord (v12-13). Amen.
Father, there are areas of my life that seem to be dead; and they need a new infusion of Your life. There are dreams that seem as if to have died for it has been a long time and still they have not been realised. I know if You can make dry bones into a vast army, then You can also bring life to anything worth praying, no matter how dead it seems. Amen.
Gracious God of all compassion, Your breath alone can bring life to dry bones and weary souls. Pour out Your Spirit upon us, that we may face despair with hope of resurrection and faith thru Christ. Forgive our faults as we confess & restore us the joy of Your salvation. Call us out of the valley of dry bones into Your Kingdom of hope. Amen.
Lord, by a roadway in the wilderness, You will lead me And rivers in the desert will I see Heaven and Earth will fade but Your Word will still remain And You’ll do something new today Oh, God will make a way Where there seems to be no way You work in ways we cannot see You will make a way for me You will make a way… Amen.
Ezekiel’s emphasis shifts from the failures of Judah’s past to the Promises of Judah’s future. Jerusalem has fallen, and the prophet’s tongue silenced for three years is loosened at last to declare that a new Shepherd is coming. He will tenderly care for the flock of Israel, rescue His people from their scattered homes of exile and restore them to their covenant land.
Lord, we’ll Move in the Spirit: I will take you from among the nations, gathering you out of all countries and bring you into your own land (Ezek 36:24) I will give you a new heart and I will put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and Move You to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws… (And) I will deliver you from
all your uncleanness (v26-29).
And I will multiply the fruit of
your trees… so that you need
never again bear the reproach
of famine among the nations (v30).
Lord, take away everything in my heart that is not right before You. Help me to get rid of bad attitudes and wrong thinking. Show me anything that has taken root in my heart that should not be there so that I can free myself of it. Help me clear the slate and begin again with a right spirit. Fill me with Your desires and everything that pleases You. Amen
Father God, Thank You that You have put Your Holy Spirit within me to Guide me in all things. Lead me Lord by the power of Your Spirit so that I will obey Your Word and Follow Your laws. Give me Lord the discipline I need to do what I must do. Help me to Follow Your leading and not run ahead or behind chasing after my own ways. Amen.
Lord, sometimes our Christian life can be a struggle when we go through bad times. But thanks that You God is in the business of making life better for us on the inside. Thank You for the promise to help us clean up our act. You will not leave us where we are but will Help us get to where You want us to be. Amen.
Backgrounder on Ezekiel 7-11: In a series of visions, Ezekiel foresees the what, why and how of God’s judgment upon Judah. The What: total destruction of Jerusalem and the departure of God’s glory from the temple. The Why: generations of idolatry, wickedness & spiritual indifference. The How: through the cruel Baby- lonians, God’s agents of judgment. But the harshness of the sentence is tempered by a tender reminder: A remnant will survive, receive sanctuary in a foreign country and return to the Land of Promise.
Lord, Thank You for New Heart: Tell the exiles, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Although I’ve scattered you in the countries of the world, I will be a Sanctuary to you during your time in exile… I will gather you… and give you the land of Israel (Ezek 11:16-17). I will give them an undivided Heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a Heart of Flesh… Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God (v19-20).
But as for those who long for idols,
I will repay them fully for their sins,
says the Sovereign Lord (v21).
Lord, thank You that You are always my Home and my refuge. Thank You for the promise of protection in Psalm 91 that: if you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you. Thank You for the promise of Your Presence & Help in Psa 139: I can never get away from Your Presence… If I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there Your hand will guide me & Your strength will support me. Amen.
Lord, fill me with Your love;
and help me to keep my heart
from wandering away from You.
Make my heart to be undivided &
take away hardheartedness in me. I invite You to take charge of my mind and emotions & help me to give complete control to You. Light a flame of desire in me for You that never goes out. Amen.
Lord, thank you that when we become Christians, You did a miracle by making us new inside. You took out the hard cold hearts and put in new & compassionate hearts so that we are able to serve, do good and help others. Help us to have an ear for those who need counsel or a kind word. Help us to give practical helps when someone has a real need. Help us to intercede for people in trouble or needs healing. Amen.
