Immerse: Prophets - Flipbook - Page 356
344
IMMERSE
•
PROPHETS
20:1-15
Its remaining limbs are not
strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter.
“This is a funeral song, and it will be used in a funeral.”
On August 14, during the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, some
of the leaders of Israel came to request a message from the Lord. They sat
down in front of me to wait for his reply. Then this message came to me
from the Lord: “Son of man, tell the leaders of Israel, ‘This is what the
Sovereign Lord says: How dare you come to ask me for a message? As
surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing!’
“Son of man, bring charges against them and condemn them. Make
them realize how detestable the sins of their ancestors really were. Give
them this message from the Sovereign Lord: When I chose Israel—when
I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn
oath that I, the Lord, would be their God. I took a solemn oath that day
that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and ex
plored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the
best of all lands anywhere. Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of
the vile images you are so obsessed with. Do not defile yourselves with
the idols of Egypt, for I am the Lord your God.’
“But they rebelled against me and would not listen. They did not get rid
of the vile images they were obsessed with, or forsake the idols of Egypt.
Then I threatened to pour out my fury on them to satisfy my anger while
they were still in Egypt. But I didn’t do it, for I acted to protect the honor
of my name. I would not allow shame to be brought on my name among
the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Isra
elites out of Egypt. So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the
wilderness. There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could
find life by keeping them. And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a
sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the Lord, who
had set them apart to be holy.
“But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey
my decrees there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my regulations
even though obedience would have given them life. They also violated my
Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made
plans to utterly consume them in the wilderness. But again I held back in
order to protect the honor of my name before the nations who had seen
my power in bringing Israel out of Egypt. But I took a solemn oath against
them in the wilderness. I swore I would not bring them into the land I
