
Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. – Ezekiel 38:7
Throughout Christian history, God’s enemies have refused to obey Him and have defied Him. But, while the Lord’s patience is long, so are His arms. God’s power has been proven superior to all earthly powers and machinations. From the time of Israel’s exodus from Egypt through their wandering in the wilderness, due to their disobedience, until the present day, God’s judgment eventually arrives. There are also trials and tribulations in this life, but the Lord consistently shows that He is in control.
Ezekiel prophesied to Israel through visions from God. Today’s verse references a time when armies joined together, thinking it would be easy to overtake Israel and their land. They never expected the Lord Jehovah to wreak the havoc upon them that He did with an earthquake, hailstones, fire, and brimstone. The message Ezekiel gave Israel was to be ready for the fight, be prepared to move as God directs, and watch how God will display His power before the nations. The Lord is the Refuge and Deliverer of all who regard His holiness and cling repentantly to His ways.
Trust in the Lord’s power today and seek His guidance, ready to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. Prepare yourself for His coming by kneeling before Him humbly with a contrite heart. Despite the evil you observe in the nation or the world, continue to rely on the Lord and His faithfulness. Intercede for Christians who serve in government to stand firmly against the pressure they feel to depart from the ways of the Lord. Then, pray for those who are inclined to do wrong, that they come to know the love and the power of God and change their ways.
Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.