← Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry
Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry
November 17 (Ezekiel 1–3; Psalm 119:73–80; Galatians 3–4)
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A reading from the Book of ezekiel. In the 30th year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Keber canal, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month, it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin, the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzai, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the Keber canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him. There as I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually. And in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal, and from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance. They had a human likeness, but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot, and they sparkled like burnished bronze under their wings. On their four sides they had human hands, and the four had their faces and their wings. Thus their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had a face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces, and their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, and each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies, and each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went without turning as they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning, and the living creatures darted to and fro like the appearance of a flash of lightning. Now, as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction, their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being, as it were a wheel within a wheel. When they went, they went in any of their four directions, without turning as they went. And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. And when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them. For the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When those went, these went. And when those stood, these stood. And when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them. For the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse. And shining like awe inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult, like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings. And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne in appearance like sapphire. And seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward, from what hath the appearance of his waist, I saw as it were a gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire, enclosed all around and downward. From what hath the appearance of his waist, I saw as it were the appearance of fire. And there was brightness around him, like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain. So so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face. And I heard the voice of one speaking. And he said to me, son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you. And as he spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet. And I heard him speaking to me. And he said to me, son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me. To this very day the descendants also are impudent and stubborn. I send you to them, and you shall say to them, thus says the Lord God. And whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house, they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, Son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words. Though briers and thorns are with you, and you sit on scorpions, be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. And you shall Speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house. But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that. Rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I give you. And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and. And behold, a scroll of a book was in it. And he spread it before me, and it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe. And he said to me, son of man, eat whatever you find here, Eat this scroll, and go speak to the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat. And he said to me, son of man, feed your belly with the scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it. Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. And he said to me, son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them. For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel, not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I sent you to such, they would listen to you. But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me. Because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. Moreover, he said to me, son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you, receive in your heart and hear with your ears, and go to the exiles, to your people and and speak to them and say to them, thus says the Lord God, whether they hear or refuse to hear. Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake. Blessed be the glory of the Lord. From its place it was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of a great earthquake. The Spirit lifted me up and took me away. And I went in bitterness and the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me. And I came to the exiles at Telabib who were dwelling by the Keber canal. And I sat where they were dwelling, and I sat there, overwhelmed among them seven days. And at the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me. Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, you shall surely die. And you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity. But his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul again. If a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die because you have not warned him. He shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered. But his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul. And the hand of the Lord was upon me there. And he said to me, arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you. So I arose and went out into the valley. And behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the Keber canal. And I fell on my face, but the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet. And he spoke with me and said to me, go, shut yourself within your house. And you, O son of man, behold, cords will be placed upon you and you shall be bound with them so that you cannot go out among the people. And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, thus says the Lord God. He who will hear, let him hear. And he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house. A reading from the Book of Psalms. Your hands have made and fashioned me. Give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word. I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. Let the insolent be put to shame. Because they have wronged me with falsehood. As for me, I will meditate on your precepts. Let those who fear you turn to me that they may know your testimonies. May my heart be blameless in your statutes that I may not be put to shame. A reading from the Book of Galatians. O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only, did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain, if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Just as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, in you shall all the nations be blessed. So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, and do them. Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for the righteous shall live by faith. But the law is not of faith. Rather, the one who does them shall live by them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree, so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. To give a human example, brothers, even with a man made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say and to offsprings referring to many, but referring to one and to your offspring who was Christ. This is what I mean. The law which came 430 years afterward does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise, but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. Why then the law, it was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been Made. And it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now, an intermediary implies more than one. But God is one. Is the law, then, contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not. For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now, before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then the law was our guardian until Christ came in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is no male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring. Heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything. But he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way, we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, crying abba, Father, so you are no longer a slave, but a son. And if a son, then an heir through God. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. Brothers, I entreat you become as I am. For I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong, you know. It was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first. And though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out. Then you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose. And not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you. I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically. These women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery. She is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai. In Arabia. She corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, rejoice, O barren one who does not bear, break forth and cry aloud. You who are not in labor. For the children of the desolate One will be more than those of the one who has a husband. Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But what does the scripture say? Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman. So, brothers, we are not children of the slave, but of the free woman.