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Topic: Don’t Be A Rebel!
[DCLM Daily Manna 13 June 2020 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: Ezekiel 17:11-24
11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
12 Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;
13 And hath taken of the king’s seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:
14 That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
15 But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
16 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.
19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.
21 And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.
22 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
23 In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.
Key Verse: “But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?” – (Ezekiel 17:15)
MESSAGE:
Russian communist leader, Joseph Stalin was one time a seminary student, preparing for the ministry. He made a decisive break from God later in his life. This dramatic and complete reversal of his conviction resulted in his hatred of all religion. Stalin, not his real name, means “Steel”. This name was given to him by his contemporaries who fell under his steel-like determination. He became one of Russia’s most brutal dictators, sending millions of his own people into the labour camps and many to their untimely death. He could have become a priest, but ended up a dictator.
Israel was a nation saved by God and separated from other nations as God’s own people. But they moved away like Stalin from this arrangement and became a nation sold to idolatry and sin. From the passage under consideration, they now faced a forced exile to Babylon as a result of their iniquities. Ezekiel prophesied that their attempt to rebel against the king of Babylon, after reaching a covenant to serve him as a conquered territory, will fail. Israel’s king as well as the members of the royal family and all the important men in society were exiled to Babylon, leaving only the poor in the land to live in their cities under an appointed regent.
Rebellion became so common in Israel’s history that they could no longer be trusted to keep to any covenant or agreement. They rebelled against God’s laws and all his appointed ministers, prophets and priests.
The purpose for studying the story of Israel’s rebellion is for us to learn and avoid their mistakes. We must abide under God’s control and scrutiny if we must bear fruit and prosper in life. The way of transgressors is hard and those who rebel against God cannot make it to heaven.
Thought For The Day: Forsaking God means accepting the devil.
The Bible In One Year: 2 Samuel 21-22
