September 02, 2017: SOAP #2830: Ezekiel 17-19; Revelation 7

Scripture:  Ezekiel (NIV) 17:2 “Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell the house of Israel a parable.  3 Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: A great eagle with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon. Taking hold of the top of a cedar, 4 he broke off its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders.

Ezekiel (NIV) 19:1 “Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel 2 and say: “‘What a lioness was your mother among the lions! She lay down among the young lions and reared her cubs.

Observation:   The use of parables did not begin with Jesus.  In the Old Testament, one can find many allegories and parables.  The verses have two: the first, an eagle carrying the top of a cedar tree; the second, a lioness with her cubs.

All the world is God’s creation.  It should not surprise us to find illustrations of spiritual truth portrayed and demonstrated in the physical world.  Romans 1: 19 Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Application:  So, I am still in school.  I live and move in God’s classroom.  I need to keep my eyes open to see what God has placed around me.  And I need to keep my heart open to the Spirit who will reveal truth to me from what I see.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, this world is a classroom in which I am to learn about you.  Show me something specific today.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!