But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that people said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go out of his land.’ But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations … More When God acts for the sake of His name
John Piper: Just when the Jewish disciples begin to feel like they are the real select heirs of Abraham, Jesus strikes: “I have other sheep that are not even part of this Jewish fold—among the Gentiles.” Just when the early American Puritans were settling in to their “chosen” status as the New Israel in the … More Our sovereign Shepherd has other sheep
God said to Pharaoh: “You consider yourself a lion of the nations, but you are like a dragon in the seas; you burst forth in your rivers, trouble the waters with your feet, and foul their rivers. Thus says the Lord God: I will throw my net over you with a host of many peoples, and … More God is reminding us that He is in control
John Piper: So what does he say about his doorness and his shepherdness? First, his doorness. Tell us, Jesus, what does it mean for us that you are a door for us? Verses 7–10: Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and … More What does it mean that Jesus is a door for us?
Ezek. 29:19 I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. From the ESV Online Study Bible: This prophecy was given in 571 b.c. (see note on vv. 17–21), and Nebuchadnezzar conquered Egypt in 568 (this is described in detail in Jeremiah 43–44 and also recorded in Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 10.180–182). Egypt … More “And they will KNOW that I am the LORD…”
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 … More Speak: whether they hear or refuse to hear
We read of Tyre in our Read-through-the-Bible passage today. In Ezekiel 27, the downfall of Tyre is compared to the shipwreck of a fine vessel. Now you are wrecked by the seas, in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and all your crew in your midst have sunk … More Amazing mercy from a faithful, covenant-keeping God!
After losing two children to a rare disease, Nancy Guthrie has become an unofficial spokesperson for finding God’s hope in the midst of suffering. She said, I’ve experienced one of the worst things that can happen, and I haven’t found I’m strong and I can handle it. But I have found out God’s promise is … More Holding on to Hope
Ezekiel is a book of the Bible filled with strange things, hard to understand things. It is tempting to skip over some of these passages. I’ve done that. But in doing so, we miss some wonderful things. When you read through Ezekiel 4-8 today, notice how many times God tells Ezekiel about things that will … More Knowing God through the difficult passages
Job lost everything: his wealth, his health, and his ten children. All swept away in one satanic storm. Reduced to a heap of flesh, ashes, and tears—rebuked by friends and jeered by strangers—righteous Job wrestled over the purpose and presence of God in the midst of unbearable pain. In this book, John Piper recounts the … More God’s sovereign and surprisingly joyful purposes in allowing exquisite suffering
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 