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Lesson Three: The Heart
Reading: Ezekiel 11: 17-20
The last lesson talked about the covenant. God has made a covenant with His people that He will be their God if they follow after Him and obey. So what happens if they do not obey God? This question has to do with the heart. Unlike most T.V. shows the heart does not have magic in it. You won't find any special powers when discussing the heart. It does, however, extend beyond the physical organ in your chest. In Hebrew culture, the heart is the core of your emotions and feelings. The heart leads you in most of your decisions. It is also hard to understand, which makes sense considering all the lengths we go to soothe it and treat it in modern times. The Bible says that the only one who can understand the heart is God. He is the only one who understands and knows the heart of man.
The heart is what changes when humans refuse to obey or listen to God. It might not be the only consequence or reaction, but it is heavily affected and often the first to change. After Israel makes a covenant with God, during the Passover, we see them being led by Moses through the wilderness. One might think that having a step-by-step guide to follow would make everything easy. The Israelites will follow God and He will lead them in paths of righteousness. Despite this life is still challenging, even to those following God, and like most humans, the Israelites were not perfect. They had their shortcomings just like all of us. They started to sin and fall further and further from God. They worshiped idols, sacrificed children, and failed in driving out the Canaanites from the promised land- making treaties with them and alliances. The Israelites fell into a loop where they would start to follow God only to fall back into the same patterns. This got so bad that God allowed them to be exiled from the land of promise. Their hearts became hard and closed off causing the Israelites to lose hope of regaining what they had lost.
Then the book of Eziekiel comes to pass. God visits a man named Eziekil who at this point had been in Jerusalem. Ezekiel would have been appointed as a priest had they not been exiled. God tells him that Israel has indeed sinned against Him but He is still faithful, just, and good. Instead of abandoning them to their own devices, God has decided to be faithful to them. He is still a father and even though His children have fallen He will restore them. God instructs Ekeilkel to go back and preach to the Israelis. To urge them to change their ways and follow the one true God. Telling them that the Lord will once again deliver them from the hands of their enemies. However, more will happen than this.
Reading: Ezekiel 11: 17-20
Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’ And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
God tells Ezekiel that even though he will preach and reach for the people, they will refuse to listen. The Israelites have sinned so much that their heart has turned to stone. Much similar to how Pharaoh's heart was hard in the exodus story the children of Israel would not allow their hearts to listen. This is not the end for God, He has promised to deliver them. God tells Ezekiel that if they follow Him again He will give them a new heart. A Heart not made of stone, but of flesh. He tells Ezekiel later that He will send a King to Israel. He will rule over all the nations and establish His kingdom on earth. One that is perfect and just who can lead them all in the way of the Lord. This king that is prophesied is known as the Messia or the messianic. Through this king, all will be able to follow God.
So how is this applicable to us? We are not Israelites in the time of the old testament. It applies to us through our sisinsWe have all sinned in our lives. Our hearts can turn hard just by living in such a cruel and unjust world. However God ha,s made a different way for us. He has already sent this King to give us a new heart, and restore us to where He wants us to be. We have the option to be reborn in Christ and live a new life, able to love and trust, in God almighty without sin. The next lesson will discuss how this King came and made a way for all to join in His covenant and gain a new heart.
Points for discussion:272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6SyRBYNhZ
Have you ever been surprised by your own heart and its emotions?272Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcv2mCJZGt0
Have there been times you wished you were better in control of yourself?
Do you ever search your heart and ask God to reveal it to you?
ns 15.158.61.7da2
