Thursday, November 8, 2007

November 8th - Day 312

Ezekiel 18-19:14



Ezekiel 18
The Soul Who Sins Will Die

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

" 'The fathers eat sour grapes,

and the children's teeth are set on edge'?

3 "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4 For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son—both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

5 "Suppose there is a righteous man

who does what is just and right.

6 He does not eat at the mountain shrines

or look to the idols of the house of Israel.

He does not defile his neighbor's wife

or lie with a woman during her period.

7 He does not oppress anyone,

but returns what he took in pledge for a loan.

He does not commit robbery

but gives his food to the hungry

and provides clothing for the naked.

8 He does not lend at usury

or take excessive interest. [
a]

He withholds his hand from doing wrong

and judges fairly between man and man.

9 He follows my decrees

and faithfully keeps my laws.

That man is righteous;

he will surely live,

declares the Sovereign LORD.

10 "Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things [b] 11 (though the father has done none of them):

"He eats at the mountain shrines.

He defiles his neighbor's wife.

12 He oppresses the poor and needy.

He commits robbery.

He does not return what he took in pledge.

He looks to the idols.

He does detestable things.

13 He lends at usury and takes excessive interest.

Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head.

14 "But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:

15 "He does not eat at the mountain shrines

or look to the idols of the house of Israel.

He does not defile his neighbor's wife.

16 He does not oppress anyone

or require a pledge for a loan.

He does not commit robbery

but gives his food to the hungry

and provides clothing for the naked.

17 He withholds his hand from sin [c]

and takes no usury or excessive interest.

He keeps my laws and follows my decrees.

He will not die for his father's sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

19 "Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. 20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.

21 "But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 22 None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

24 "But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.

25 "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. 27 But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. 28 Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

30 "Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

Ezekiel 19


A Lament for Israel's Princes

1 "Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel 2 and say:

" 'What a lioness was your mother

among the lions!

She lay down among the young lions

and reared her cubs.

3 She brought up one of her cubs,

and he became a strong lion.

He learned to tear the prey

and he devoured men.

4 The nations heard about him,

and he was trapped in their pit.

They led him with hooks

to the land of Egypt.

5 " 'When she saw her hope unfulfilled,

her expectation gone,

she took another of her cubs

and made him a strong lion.

6 He prowled among the lions,

for he was now a strong lion.

He learned to tear the prey

and he devoured men.

7 He broke down [d] their strongholds

and devastated their towns.

The land and all who were in it

were terrified by his roaring.

8 Then the nations came against him,

those from regions round about.

They spread their net for him,

and he was trapped in their pit.

9 With hooks they pulled him into a cage

and brought him to the king of Babylon.

They put him in prison,

so his roar was heard no longer

on the mountains of Israel.

10 " 'Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard [e]

planted by the water;

it was fruitful and full of branches

because of abundant water.

11 Its branches were strong,

fit for a ruler's scepter.

It towered high

above the thick foliage,

conspicuous for its height

and for its many branches.

12 But it was uprooted in fury

and thrown to the ground.

The east wind made it shrivel,

it was stripped of its fruit;

its strong branches withered

and fire consumed them.

13 Now it is planted in the desert,

in a dry and thirsty land.

14 Fire spread from one of its main [f] branches

and consumed its fruit.

No strong branch is left on it

fit for a ruler's scepter.'

This is a lament and is to be used as a lament."


Footnotes:


  1. Ezekiel 18:8 Or take interest; similarly in verses 13 and 17
  2. Ezekiel 18:10 Or things to a brother
  3. Ezekiel 18:17 Septuagint (see also verse 8 Hebrew from the poor
  4. Ezekiel 19:7 Targum (see Septuagint Hebrew He knew
  5. Ezekiel 19:10 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts your blood
  6. Ezekiel 19:14 Or from under its


Hebrews 9:1-10



Hebrews 9


Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

1Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover.[a] But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

6When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.


Footnotes:


  1. Hebrews 9:5 Traditionally the mercy seat


Psalm 106:32-48



32 By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD,

and trouble came to Moses because of them;


33 for they rebelled against the Spirit of God,

and rash words came from Moses' lips. [
a]

34 They did not destroy the peoples

as the LORD had commanded them,

35 but they mingled with the nations

and adopted their customs.

36 They worshiped their idols,

which became a snare to them.

37 They sacrificed their sons

and their daughters to demons.

38 They shed innocent blood,

the blood of their sons and daughters,

whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,

and the land was desecrated by their blood.

39 They defiled themselves by what they did;

by their deeds they prostituted themselves.

40 Therefore the LORD was angry with his people

and abhorred his inheritance.

41 He handed them over to the nations,

and their foes ruled over them.

42 Their enemies oppressed them

and subjected them to their power.

43 Many times he delivered them,

but they were bent on rebellion

and they wasted away in their sin.

44 But he took note of their distress

when he heard their cry;

45 for their sake he remembered his covenant

and out of his great love he relented.

46 He caused them to be pitied

by all who held them captive.

47 Save us, O LORD our God,

and gather us from the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name

and glory in your praise.

48 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

Let all the people say, "Amen!"

Praise the LORD.


Footnotes:


  1. Psalm 106:33 Or against his spirit, / and rash words came from his lips


Proverbs 27:10



10 Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father,

and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you—

better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

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