Reading from Sunday, November 21

What is up.

Reading for November 21
Ezekiel 42:1-43:27
God comes home.

So in my last post, I spoke about how significant it would be for this Temple to be rebuilt. Ezekiel's vision of this new Temple concludes with God actually coming back into it in a beautifully exciting scene.

² and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. ³ The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he^[j] came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown.

There have been clues here and there throughout the Bible that show that God's passion for mercy is equal to his rage, and this is another clue. Ezekiel compares God's return to the temple to another vision he had where God came to destroy Jerusalem. God then speaks to Zeke and delivers another earth shattering promise.

⁷ He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The people of Israel will never again defile my holy name [...] they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. ⁹ Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them forever.

He's back baby.

James 5:1-20

Warning to Rich Oppressors

 ¹ Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. ³ Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. ⁴ Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. ⁵ You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Capitalism.

Psalm 119:1-16
¹⁴ I rejoice in following your statutes
   as one rejoices in great riches.

If we could all hope to follow God's laws instead of hope for a bigger paycheck we would be better off.

Proverbs 28:6-7
Strange how there are so many "anti-money" verses now that I'm looking for them...

 ⁶ Better the poor whose walk is blameless
   than the rich whose ways are perverse.
 ⁷ A discerning son heeds instruction,
   but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.