Like a chestnut tree

And you shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; but when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you. (Exodus 12:22-23)

And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, holding the seal of the living God; and he called out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads. (Revelation 7:2-3)

And the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and make a mark on the foreheads of the people who groan and sigh over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” But to the others He said in my presence, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. Utterly kill old men, young men, female virgins, little children, and women, but do not touch any person on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.” So they started with the elders who were before the temple. (Ezekiel 9:4-6)

Just before God sent the last plague to Egyptians, He gave the Israelites the Law concerning Passover in Exodus 12 and 13. The Passover in the OT is the shadow of the real Passover on the Judgement Day of the Lord. Whoever receives the seal from God will escape the second death. These people are the chosen people of God whose sins are forgiven by the blood of Christ. They are the ones who have received the Holy Spirit by grace. The feature of those who escape the second death is that they groan and sigh over all the abominations happening within churches. The Holy Spirit within them show them the abominable acts done within churches.

Those who call themselves Christians often criticize their civil governments and try to set up a political leader who appears to hold Christian traditions and values. I consider this is the result of the corruption started in the 17th century England by the Puritans. They think they are clean, and others are not. But they often fail to look at themselves. They do not know how corrupt they are before God. As I’ve mentioned before, those who do not understand God and deny Sola Gratia are corrupt because their depraved minds love evil ways. They do worse things than unbelievers because they are good at covering up their sins with white paint. They lure and slaughter people within churches. Therefore, Christ warns us that we must not be like the Pharisees who fill up their dough with leaven. Even though they cover up their sins, God knows what is in their hearts. I am not saying that the Pharisees are the bad people, and the rest are good. The Pharisees were the religious leaders. It is the same today. Many of those who hold leadership in churches are the most dangerous. Those who teach students at seminaries are the most dangerous. It is because any earthly system is bound to fail. Saints must discern and know what they are trying to teach.

I am not saying all leaders and all ministers are bad. I know a minister who is chosen by God. He was the first one who taught me about God’s redemptive history through the Book of Judges. He has family and health issues. But he risked his life to teach orthodox theology to people who live in a country where Christianity is under threat. God showed me in my dream that he was His instrument. I saw a little bamboo piece that catches water from a mountain and directs water to a certain place. Every leader should not consider themselves more important than a little bamboo piece. Anyone who love people’s praises or praises himself/herself is false.

In this chapter, Ezekiel is visited by the elders of Judah and God shows Ezekiel the abominable acts done by the people of Judah. God gives four different evidences. This chapter is linked to Jeremiah 44 where “the queen of heaven” is mentioned. We understand from reading the OT that the Israelites served many different gods and rebelled against God. While their abominable acts were done both publicly and secretly, they thought they were chosen and protected by God. They did not understand that they were mere shadows of the real elect people of God, the eternal Kingdom. Because they knew neither God nor His words, they did whatever they wanted to do. God sent many prophets, but they mocked and killed them because they could not understand them. It is the same today. There are not many Christians who really understand God’s words. Yet, they think they are chosen and will be saved. False teachers and leaders in the corrupted church systems give people vain hope. This was rebuked by Christ.

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. (Matthew 23:13)

God lets them do whatever they want to do. Yet, God accumulates evidences against them for the last judgement.

For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:30-31)

The prophetic books in the OT show us that the Israel nation (both the Northern Israel and the kingdom of Judah) is judged first. And then other nations that serve other gods are judged. I believe that the last days will be the same. Churches will be judged first. And those who believe in other gods will be judged.

It was God’s will that many people join the ceremonial baptism and join a visible church. Like in the OT times, people of the new Israel nation in the NT have been blessed in many ways. Yet, they serve “mother nature”. This “mother nature” is another “queen of heaven”. I am NOT saying that everyone should receive the ceremonial baptism and convert to Christianity. Joining a visible church does not make one a true chosen child of God. No one can stop a person from serving other gods. It is because God’s wisdom is hidden from many.

If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. (Isaiah 1:9)

If we confess that it is only by grace that we are saved, then we know that we are chosen. Yet, some who confessed it now say that they need to work for salvation. They are false Christians.

This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. (Galatians 2:4-5)

I’ve heard of two prominent Reformed theologians who changed their idea of justification later in their lives. They used to preach “justification by faith alone and grace alone” and later they changed their mind. They had much reputation and wrote many books. They had many followers. For a true elect child of God, it is better that he/she does not receive many praises from others. It is because they can be swayed by people, and the true elect people are scarce in this age as in the OT time. Once they taste of the sweetness of praises from people, they change their mind. Their focus moves from God to people. However, it is important to understand that they changed because they were not God’s children from the beginning. They pretended to be elect people by reciting what their early education had taught them from youth at their churches. We conclude that they were given the authority to preach to be the blind guides to the (spiritually) blind.

Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit. (Matthew 15:14)

As we age, we become weak physically yet, the Spirit in us becomes strong. Idols come into our lives in many shapes and forms. Only by the Holy Spirit, we discern.

Little children, guard yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)

The end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land! (v.2)

It is easy to think that the land indicates the land of the kingdom of Judah. But the word, “land” also indicates the Earth. It is the word that appears in Genesis 1:1 where it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The chapter tells us not only about the end of the Israel nation but also the end of the earth. Regarding the end times, Zechariah 14 and Zephaniah 1 explain them further. Zechariah was a prophet to those who had returned to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity. He talked about the Day of the Lord. His prophecies are not different from other prophets who lived before or around the time of the fall of Jerusalem. Concerning the earthquake mentioned in Zechariah 14:5, Amos saw the vision concerning Israel two years before the earthquake. The Book of Amos is a great book to understand the end times. Ezekiel is also talking about the Day of the Lord here.

I know that social justice has been discussed a lot in Christianity in recent years. And some ministers have been interpreting the OT prophecies with that in mind. God was indeed angry because of injustice happening within the kingdom of Northern Israel and that of Judah. But social injustice is not the focus. All evil deeds come from the heart of men. Since Adam and Eve corrupted themselves by believing in the devil’s words, all men are born without faith in God. Unless God gives one the Spirit, there is no regeneration.

 Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus responded and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you people do not accept our testimony. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven, except He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him. (John 3:3-15)

In this passage, Christ is not mocking Nicodemus by saying “You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?”. Christ was not teaching a new thing to him. He was talking what the OT already explained. Although Nicodemus had learnt theology in their systematized institution and was a teacher, he did not understand the Scriptures. It is important to understand the OT with the understanding of the NT. The Israel nation was built as a shadow of the visible church in NT era. Therefore, ceremonial baptism is a mere replacement of circumcision done on the body. Christ links His coming to the world to making His people be born of the Spirit. Unless the Spirit comes in and changes one’s heart, he/she keeps on followings idols (more precisely believing in oneself) and keeping on doing evil.

God’ wrath is severe and final on the Day of the Lord (Romans 9:28). God does not forgive those who are not His people. They receive the full wrath of God. And when they are resurrected, they will face the second death (John 5:29). God has already blocked their ears and eyes so that they could turn back from their evil ways (Isaiah 6:9-10). It is because the world was made as a training ground for His people. By living in a mortal flesh with people who hate God, we saints learn our helpless situations, the free gift of God’s grace, the ways of God and His characters with much suffering and persecutions. Despite much suffering, the Spirit assures us that God is with us till the end.

… behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

In this chapter, God makes Ezekiel prophesy against high places where illegal worships are done. In the OT era, the Tabernacles was where legal worships were done because the ark of God was there. However, people set up other places to worship God although He did not allow them to do it. Therefore, the high places became a symbol of illegal worships. To know more about these high places, I’d recommend you read 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles.

Those who set up an idol (while they said they served God of their ancestors) and worshipped at high places are not a small number of people. As we read the OT, we find that the kings and the priests promoted idolatrous worships. The whole nation was worshipping idols.

It is not different today. When the Reformation happened in the 16 th century, the Protestant people emphasized on the lawful worship. Some say that the Reformation is the reformation of worship. Initially, the people of Judah were taught of the lawful worship. King Solomon built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and placed the ark of God inside the temple. But soon he and his people started to worship other gods. To be honest, I believe the idolatries never went away because of their corrupt nature. Many in the kingdom of Judah were confident that God would be with them forever because of Jerusalem and the temple. But we will soon read that God abandons Jerusalem because of what He has decided to do with her. As I read the prophetic books of the OT, I get astonished by the similarities that the kingdom of Judah and the Protestant churches (and also the Roman Catholic church and the Northern Israel) share.

While God appointed a certain place for us to worship Him in the OT, it was not His eternal dwelling place. The tabernacle was only a shadow of the real Kingdom. Regarding the only legal and true worship, Christ said in John 4.

The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and yet you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one must worship.” Jesus said to her, “Believe Me, woman, that a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews.  But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:19-24)

Here, “spirit” and “truth” are Spirit and Truth (Word, Christ). Most of us can easily get a Bible. It is also free to everyone online. Yet, there is no true understanding of the words of God unless the Spirit gives wisdom. Therefore, God accepts worships from saints only. And that is the Kingdom. However, everyone is welcomed to join a visible church. Joining a church does not mean that everyone can worship God lawfully. Many ignorant Christians including ministers, priests, and theologians promote illegal worships by speaking and preaching lies. However, God protects His saints in each church. As their knowledge of God grows, it becomes difficult for saints to remain in churches that speak lies and promote illegal worships. They are often persecuted and hated by false Christians because they speak truths and are not like them.

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Read Revelation 2-3)

I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives. (Jeremiah 19:9)

The LORD will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down; a nation whose language you will not understand, a nation with a defiant attitude, who will have no respect for the old, nor show favor to the young. Furthermore, it will eat the offspring of your herd and the produce of your ground until you are destroyed; a nation that will leave you no grain, new wine, or oil, nor the newborn of your cattle or the young of your flock, until they have eliminated you. And it will besiege you in all your towns until your high and fortified walls in which you trusted come down throughout your land, and it will besiege you in all your towns throughout your land which the LORD your God has given you. Then you will eat the offspring of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, during the siege and the hardship by which your enemy will oppress you. The man who is refined and very delicate among you will be hostile toward his brother, toward the wife he cherishes, and toward the rest of his children who are left, so that he will not give even one of them any of the flesh of his children which he will eat, since he has nothing else left, during the siege and the hardship by which your enemy will oppress you in all your towns. The refined and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because of her delicateness and tenderness, will be hostile toward the husband she cherishes and toward her son and daughter, and toward her afterbirth that comes from between her legs, and toward her children to whom she gives birth, because she will eat them secretly for lack of anything else, during the siege and the hardship with which your enemy will oppress you in your towns. (Deuteronomy 28:49-57)

Ezekiel’s prophecies and their fulfillment are written in the Book of Jeremiah. They were saints but still had to suffer along with their unbelieving people of Israel. Christ also suffered because of His people. We also suffer until Christ comes back.

All prophetic books talk about the idolatries of the Israelites. The Book of Deuteronomy tells us that God gave the Israelites both blessing and cursing depending on how they act. It is always the heart that determines one’s actions. Because God did not give the heart of flesh to the Israelites (except a few), they quickly turned away from God. And they ended up receiving only curses. In this, God is not responsible for their demise because Adam chose to rebel against God. God sent His prophets many times, but they did not listen. It would have been wise of them if they admitted their stupidity. But they stayed blind because they claimed that they could see (John 9:41). It is still the same today. That is why the Book of Revelation is not entirely a new revelation. It is rather the repetition of the old prophecies. It is not a strange book as some theologians claim.

People want the world to be their own. Most people do not want God who punishes. They want to believe the world can be changed and shaped into what they like. And the pandemic came. I saw in a dream that the post-pandemic era would be extremely immoral.

You will read in the Book of Ezekiel that God repeatedly says, “Then they will know that I am the Lord.” While most people say, “I do not like the Christian god. I want to do whatever I want to do. I am my own god.” They pretend that they are fun, clever, and reasonable in the eyes of the world. They fool themselves and others. They say, “Look what we have achieved together.” But that is what the king of Babylon said in Daniel 4:30-32:

The king began speaking and was saying, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?’ While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the animals of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’

Christmas, Halloween, Artemis, etc. all require materials that God created for people to enjoy and achieve their plans. Yet, people refuse to recognize the existence of God. As we read in Genesis 11:1-9, God lets them do whatever stupid things they have planned.

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinarand settled there.They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:1-9)

Christmas is not about celebrating the birth of the Savior, Christ. People made their own image of Christ. They say, “I love Jesus.” But they do not have any understanding of God. And Christmas became all about santa. They sing about magical Christmas. What has God got to do with magic? What about the Halloweens? What does God say about those who follow sorceries and spirits in the Bible? What about Artemis? Acts 19 talks about people who follow Artemis and how those followers persecuted God’s prophets.

The tower of Babel, Babylon in the OT, and the Babylon in Revelation are all connected. I am not saying that we need to stop people from celebrating Christmas, Halloween, Artemis, etc. God still lets people do whatever they want to do. God does not need to convince or persuade people because He knows who are His people. The destiny of the rest who belong to the other group is already set. We do not ask for a civil government who will forcefully stop people from celebrating Christmas, Halloweens, Artemis, etc. Christians often think idolatries are serving a different god. But the idolatry is about a man serving himself.

When the pandemic came, many ministers wrote and preached on the four horsemen written in Revelation 6. I also saw the white horse being ready in 2019. Many people know that the pandemic is the first seal. Yet, they do not repent. This is God’s will. There is nothing we saints can do. All we do is speaking truths of God.

Then the kings of the earth and the eminent people, and the commanders and the wealthy and the strong, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the [m]sight of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17)

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands so as not to worship demons and the idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders, nor of their witchcraft, nor of their sexual immorality, nor of their thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21)

God makes it sure that the reprobates hear of their sins before sentencing them. False Christians who pretend to be pious and yet, deny Sola Gratia will face God’s wrath because they led others astray. God wants His people to be like salt that suppresses leaven and accentuates the taste of food, which God created.

Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: You have been more unruly than the nations around you and have not followed my decrees or kept my laws. You have not even conformed to the standards of the nations around you. “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself am against you, Jerusalem, and I will inflict punishment on you in the sight of the nations. Because of all your detestable idols, I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again. Therefore in your midst parents will eat their children, and children will eat their parents. I will inflict punishment on you and will scatter all your survivors to the winds. (Ezekiel 5:8-10)

Some may say that God should have allowed Ezekiel to speak and rebuke the Israelites in Babylon. They say that if He had, they would have repented. Some might say that God is merciless because He did not allow the Israelites to be rebuked. They speak like fools. Repentance is always the result of the work of the Holy Spirit. The Israelites would not have repented even if Ezekiel could speak and rebuke them. Ezekiel became mute because God had determined to destroy Jerusalem. The false shadow must be destroyed. Jeremiah was living in Jerusalem at that time and warned the Israelites in Jerusalem including the kings. However, he was mocked and disregarded. Other prophets were also mocked and killed. Their words will be the evidence at God’s court on the day of His judgement. People say they have wisdom and understand God and yet, have refused to listen to God’s prophets.

The Book of Ezekiel speaks similar prophecies like other prophets. But Ezekiel is given a special task. In this chapter, we read that God made Ezekiel bear the sins of both the Northern Israel and the kingdom of Judah.

Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the people of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. (v.4)

After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the people of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year. (v.6)

The Northern Israel was destroyed in 721 B.C. Historians believe Ezekiel became a prophet around 593 B.C. And Jerusalem fell in 587 B.C. Although the Northern Israel was long gone, Ezekiel had to bear their sins as well as the sins of the kingdom of Judah. Ezekiel, as the son of man, was a shadow of Christ. Christ came and bore the sins of His chosen people of the past, present, and future, with much suffering.

In this chapter, we can read that Ezekiel has been trying to keep the Law and has never eaten defiled food.

Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth.” (v.14)

And God allowed cow dung to be used instead of human dung. This is contrasted to what Apostle Peter was told.

But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” Again, a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” (Acts 10:14-15)

Many interpret that Peter was allowed to eat unclean animals because Christ has ended the sin issue. It is true. But I think God gave the Law and taught the Israelites regarding clean and unclean animals/food so that they would know that they could not keep the Law perfectly. (Those who follow the active obedience of Christ (AOC) doctrine say that Christ came to keep the Law perfectly. But it is a misunderstanding. It is not the Law that gives righteousness. It is the righteousness of God in a person that enables keeping of the Law. Without the Holy Spirit, there is no keeping of the Law.)

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. (Galatians 5:18)

God did not promote sinning when He told Ezekiel to use human dung. But because of Ezekiel’s conscience, God allowed cow dung to be used instead. Verse 13 may appear that God promote sinning, but we understand the reason in verse 16 and 17.

The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them. (v.13)

He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, for food and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of their sin. (v.16-17)

The Israelites were made to eat defiled food as they were taken to other nations as captives. They were appalled at each other because God brought them low. They thought they were clean by what they do. They thought they were keeping the Law. They thought they were different from other nations. But they were rebellious. All the calamities were brought due to their corrupt heart. God did not expect them to keep the Law perfectly from the beginning. If He had expected it, it means He changed His plan along the way. From the beginning, obedience is not the way to be saved. Why was the Law given? Can anyone become holy by keeping the Law? What does God want us to know through the Law written in the OT?

The Lord of armies says this: ‘Now ask the priests for a ruling:If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or touches cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?’” And the priests answered, “No.” Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these things, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.” Then Haggai responded and said, “‘So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. (Haggai 2:11-14)

By giving the Israelites the Law, God taught them that sinning is not about doing or not doing but is from within. Sinning is not from works. But sinful works are the result of the corrupt heart.

It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person. (Matthew 15:11)

That is why the new covenant promises the heart of flesh. However, those who are not given the knowledge of God, are condemned by the Law because they say they can achieve holiness by keeping the Law. They do not want Christ. While they say they love God and keep His commandments, they reject Christ. They only want a savior who can free them from other nations. Therefore, they set up an idol. Therefore, those who say Christ kept the Law to gain righteousness have no understanding of God. They merely put Christ into their theories so that they would look legitimate. In their mind, there is no Christ.

Was God going to be satisfied if the Israelites kept the Law? The answer is no. They were bound to sin against God because their heart was not clean. Adam (and Eve) corrupted themselves by listening to the devil. They did not have wisdom to overcome temptation. They were not one with God through the Spirit. They were given the command (or a Law as some theologians claim) because they had the potential to rebel against God. And they rebelled. Sacrifices were needed to atone their sins. But, because of their corruption, all sacrifices done by human hands are unclean.

You have not desired sacrifice and meal offering;

You have opened my ears;

You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.

Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

It is written of me in the scroll of the book.

“I delight to do Your will, my God;

Your Law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8)

Did God change His mind? He gave all the Laws regarding sacrifices. And now He says He has never wanted them!

God gave the Law so that we would know that numerous sacrifices are only shadows of the real one. Whatever we offer with our hands are detestable to God. The Law was given to teach us that.  

Therefore, anyone who says that our own hands can please God and Christ is only a helper who fills whatever is lacking in our works, is condemned. Yes, I am talking about those who follow Pelagianism (Arminianism) or semi-Pelagianism. Churches are full of teachers who follow false teachings. The Bible also condemns those who think Adam could achieve eternal life by works (obedience). There is no place for the Covenant Theology or the AOC in the Kingdom. It is not the obedience that changes the status of a person. It is the Spirit that produces obedience. One must change inside to produce good fruit. And that change is done by God alone.

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life. (John 6:63)

And this Spirit is a gift from God. By the Spirit, we become one with the Father and the Son. We share the Son’s glory and suffering.

God makes Ezekiel eat the scroll in this chapter. Now Ezekiel must prophesy according to what is written in the scroll. The Holy Spirit makes a person prophesy according to God’s will.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel— not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.” (v.3-9)

When the Israelites entered the land of Canaan by grace of God, they all swore to continue to follow God. And this is written in the Book of Joshua. But as we read in the Book of Judges, the Israelites quickly fell away and went astray after entering the promised land. Moses prophesied concerning this treachery before his death in Deuteronomy 31:14-22. The treachery of the Israelites is because most of them did not receive the understanding. Caleb and Joshua were different from them because they were given the Spirit.

But as for My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring him into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it. (Numbers 14:24)

And the LORD said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. (Numbers 27:18)

Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear. (Deuteronomy 29:4)

The Book of Judges tells us the abominable actions of the Israelites and how God used other nations to discipline them. I hope I get the chance to go through it someday.

God sends prophets to those who claim to be His children. They say that they know God and keep His commandments. However, they do not know God and are evildoers. When they are rebuked by God’s prophets, they do not listen to them. Instead, they mock and kill them. This has been the pattern from the beginning. Cain killed Abel, who was his brother. Psalm 55 also speaks of God’s enemies in His house.

¹² If an enemy were insulting me,
    I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
    I could hide.
¹³ But it is you, a man like myself,
    my companion, my close friend,
¹⁴ with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
    at the house of God,
as we walked about
    among the worshipers. (Psalm 55:12-14)

It is still the same today. Christians reject truths. They reject Sola Gratia. But this is God’s will. God from the beginning did not want to make all people become His Kingdom. Only the remnant are saved. And these remnant people are not those who went back to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity. The remnant people are chosen people of God, who receive the Holy Spirit. This is explained in Romans 9.

In Ezekiel 3, we read that God makes Ezekiel a watchman for the Israelites. Yet, Ezekiel cannot speak other than God’s words. He is given the task of warning people but cannot rebuke them.

I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people. (v. 26-27)

If indeed one’s true repentance was a result of men’s works, God would have made His prophets look attractive and speak well in the eye of the world. But the Bible repeatedly says that His prophets are far from those who receive praise from others. People love those who speak well with charming voices. I consider them as good actors/actresses. Moses admitted that he could speak. Jeremiah also did. Amos was a farmer, not a teacher. Christ was considered uneducated. This tells us a lot. Our present age is full of preachers who speak well in the eyes of the world. They get much training in speaking in front of people. Their speeches sound inspiring and passionate. Some even sound like they are about to cry. Yet, most of them do not speak truths of God. Ministers and theologians rely on people (more precisely money) for their living. Although it is God who feeds them, most of them do not believe this and rely on others. They spend much time persuading and convincing others that they are good teachers. However, God’s prophets are often considered unimportant and weak.

For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible. (2 Corinthians 10:10)

God’s prophets speak truths. But the truths displease most people. There are people who speak lies and yet, please others. Saints must be aware of those wolves who wear sheep skins.

Ezekiel stayed mute until Jerusalem fell as we read in Ezekiel 33:21-22. If Ezekiel had persuaded them day and night, some might have repented and turned. And Jerusalem might have been saved. But God did not allow it. Jerusalem who became an idol must fall. Similarly, Isaiah was given the same task as we read in Isaiah 6:8-13. Isaiah was sent to speak God’s words but not to persuade people.

⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ⁹ And He said, “Go, and tell this people:

‘Keep on listening, but do not understand;
And keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’
¹⁰ Make the hearts of this people insensitive,
Their ears dull,
And their eyes blind,
So that they will not see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.”

¹¹ Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered,

“Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant,
Houses are without people
And the land is utterly desolate,
¹² The Lord has completely removed people,
And there are many forsaken places in the midst of the land.
¹³ Yet there will still be a tenth portion in it,
And it will again be subject to burning,
Like a terebinth or an oak
Whose stump remains when it is cut down.
The holy seed is its stump.”

This was quoted in Matthew 13:15, John 12:40, and Acts 28:27. And Christ spoke in parables because of the same reason. God did not choose everyone to be saved. When people focus on salvation, God becomes unfair and unrighteous. But, does not the Creator have the right to do everything that He wants to do? Those false Christians say that God has no right. Many people reject Sola Gratia because their only interest is eternal life. They make a god (or gods) who says that all of them are saved. God made the world for a purpose, that is the Kingdom. The true and eternal Kingdom is built on the stump, the Holy Seed.

For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God. (1 Peter 4:17)

I talked about the Spirit in the wheels in chapter 1. In this chapter, Ezekiel stands on his feet by the power of the Spirit.

Then 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 me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. (v.1-2)

Until the Spirit comes, we do not understand God’s words. All people are born lame. Only when the Spirit comes, we can stand on our feet and hear God’s words. Therefore, it is impossible to know God of His words before the Spirit comes. God knows whom He has chosen before creation. God knows each person before he/she is born. He gives the Spirit to His chosen people at an appointed time. Only then His saints can stand before God and hear His voice and understand His words. No one can make the Spirit come to them. The Spirit is not something earned by human works.

God sends Ezekiel to speak God’s messages to people of Judah. The Northern Israel was destroyed beforehand. However, God’s messages are to all Israelites who claim that they believe in God of their ancestors. Ezekiel speaks to all Christians especially those in the Protestant churches. The people of the kingdom of Judah was proud of their city, Jerusalem, where God’s temple and tabernacle were. They boasted that they worship God right and were children of God. They misunderstood the shadow as the eternal Kingdom. And they reshaped the shadow that did not reflect the reality. Judah is to be destroyed like the Northern Israel. And the Protestant churches will be rejected like the Roman Catholic church.

God, as the just judge, makes it sure that everyone hears of their sins before the judgement day. God sent many other prophets in the past, but people did not listen. It is the same today. In fact, the Book of Ezekiel, with other prophetic books of the Bible, speaks directly to churches at present. Judgment will start from the house of the Lord.

Even now, God sends His people to prophesy. I am not talking about new prophesies or talks about future events. True Christians speak truths in churches whether others listen to them or not.

So I am sending you to those who are impudent and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says:’ As for them, whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. (v. 4-5)

By sending His prophets, God completely removes any excuses from the reprobate people. There is no one who can defend themselves on the judgement day of the Lord. Prophets do not persuade but simply speak truths. They understand what the Bible says by the power of the Spirit. Ezekiel is given the task of prophesying against Israelites (Christians) and people who follow other gods. He is not to persuade or rebuke them. And we will read later that God makes Ezekiel mute.

Those who think that we now live in the age of grace and can persuade others by their elaborate speeches should read the OT again. The Book of Ezekiel and Revelation have similarities because the OT is the direct reflection of the NT era. Ezekiel is given the scroll in chapter 2. And this scroll reappears in Revelation.

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:1-5)

For God to end the world and to bring new heaven and new earth, His people must be redeemed first. And that is what Christ did on the earth. Because He was slain, He opens the scroll. Christ announces judgement on the whole world.

Revelation 10 also speaks that John is given a scroll to eat. And the scroll is related to prophesying.

I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, it was bitter in my stomach. The seven thunders told me, “Again you must speak what God has revealed in front of many people, nations, languages, and kings. (Revelation 10:10-11)

Revelation tells us a lot about future. However, the book is not much different from other prophetic books in the OT. God does not change because He is not a man.

He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind. (1 Samuel 15:29)

The Book of Ezekiel is important in many ways and is relevant to the present age. Ezekiel is a shadow of Christ, and the book tells us about the coming Kingdom in detail. Apostle John also wrote about the end times and the Kingdom.

God called Ezekiel “son of man” repeatedly in the book. It was the same title that Christ used for Himself along with the Son of God. Ezekiel mentions “thirtieth year” in Eze 1:1 and Christ started His public ministry around 30 (Luke 3:23). According to Numbers chapter 4, the age 30 is when the Levites enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting.

In the first twenty-four chapters, the book talks about judgement against Israel. The middle of the book talks about judgment against other nations. The last part is about the Kingdom. Unlike Jeremiah, the book is written chronologically, and it is relatively easy to follow.

Like all other prophets, Ezekiel received curses from God not because of his personal sins but because he was a prophet, a shadow of Christ. This tells a lot to us who are living in an age where church ministers preach on earthly prosperity and freedom from illnesses and sufferings. Many Christians believe sicknesses and poverty is punishment. Ezekiel suffers because of the sins of Israel.

The first chapter of Ezekiel talks about the vision of God in heaven. The same four creatures appear in Revelation 4. I think they symbolizes all the living creatures on the earth. The verses that I’d like to talk about are verse 20-21:

Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose just as they did; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. Whenever those went, they went; and whenever those stopped, they stopped. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose just as they did; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

Here “the spirit” refers to a spirit of a creature or the Holy Spirit. The important thing is that the spirit within the wheels determine where the creatures go. It is likely to be the Holy Spirit. Even if “the spirit” is a spirit of a creature, God controls every living creature. God controls everything.

The wheels remind me of the part in John 13 where Christ washed His disciples’ feet.

Then He poured water into the basin, and began washing the disciples’ feet and wiping them with the towel which He had tied around Himself. So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, You are washing my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not realize right now, but you will understand later.” Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no place with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!”Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And you are clean—but not all of you.”For He knew the one who was betraying Him; it was for this reason that He said, “Not all of you are clean. (John 13:5-11)

The Bible mentions feet a few times. Evil people use their feet to do evil. In other words, the feet take them to do evil. The feet represent the status of people.

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, (Proverbs 6:18)

Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake. (Isaiah 59:7)

Their feet are swift to shed blood. (Romans 3:15)

And there are people who have their legs cut off. I am not talking about the legs that we have as physical body parts. Those without legs do neither good nor evil. We must remember both no fruit or bad fruit is the feature of a reprobate.

Only when the Holy Spirit comes, we go and do the will of God. And I believe Christ prepared the feet of the disciples for the Holy Spirit. Physical cleansing does not mean anything. Judas did not receive the Holy Spirit because he was not Christ’s sheep from the beginning.

In the OT and the NT, God tells His prophets, “Go” when He gives them a certain task. Isaiah was told “Go” in Isaiah 6:9. And Philip is told to go to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26. The Bible also mentions the word “walk” many times. The walking and the direction taken by a person is determined by one’s spirit. And whoever receives the Holy Spirit does God’s will and bear fruit inevitably.

Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5:24)

Verse 2 of Ezekiel chapter 1 talks about number five. Five often indicates God’s grace. All numbers have a meaning or meanings although we do not know much about them.

In the first chapter, Ezekiel confesses that he is chosen by grace of God to see, know and understand the glory of God. He realizes that God is God of all creatures. And Ezekiel is about to be given important tasks according to God’s will. The Knowledge of God is given by the Holy Spirit. And that is the first sign of the Holy Spirit. Anyone who boasts of own works does not have such knowledge, and does not understand the work of the Holy Spirit.  

The next book that we will go through is the Book of Ezekiel. I started to have dreams concerning churches in 2016 and the dreams became more frequent in 2017. Along with the dreams, the knowledge of God came to me through the Holy Spirit. I learnt quickly about church history and the Reformation. And most of all, I became to like reading the Bible. Other books did not interest me because I found much pleasure in understanding God’s words.

It is important to know the history of Israel nation in order to understand the Book of Ezekiel. If you are not familiar with the history, I’d suggest that you read Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles. If you know the story of Genesis and Exodus well, then re-read Deuteronomy because what happened at the end of the Israel nation had been foretold in Deuteronomy. It has much knowledge of God and is the summary of the Law. Christ quoted from this book when He was confronted by the devil in the wilderness.

I am not interested in going through each work, sentence or chapter in detail. There are many study aids out there. I use a study bible with references. If you can’t afford a study bible, there are other study aids available online for free. My focus is God’s plan and purpose of creation, the Kingdom, and the one and only covenant of God, the Covenant of Grace. God is concerned about His people not being fed because the two systems, the Roman Catholic and the Protestant, have failed.

You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

“‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” (Matthew 15:7-9, see also Isaiah 29:13)

Concerning the divine election, I struggled to understand God’s will in choosing some and destroying the rest for a few years. I think many ministers and theologians also struggle to understand this because their focus is salvation, not Kingdom. I’ve come to understand that God created the world to make the Kingdom and to train His chosen people. I believe the chosen people are proportionately small.

For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14)

But, we are also many.

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)

People want to hear the news that the worst criminals became believers because then they may have better chance of being saved. People want to believe that everyone who repents at their death bed is saved. People also want to believe that everyone who died young or died suddenly gets a chance to be saved by going to Limbo. These ideas are vain thoughts because people focus on salvation and do not seek to understand God through His words. We simply do not know who are saved. But by the fruit we know who are saved. I am not talking about good deeds in the eyes of the world. I am talking about the knowledge of God. The trouble is that people grown up in a church get education and can pretend to be true believers. But if you listen to them carefully, their false ideas of God are revealed through their words. They promote men-made doctrines and ideas. They do not focus on the words of God. They like singing men-written songs for worship and hate singing God-written songs. They boast that they know the Bible but do not read or meditate on God’s words. They focus on external piety. They judge people by their standards. They kill God’s saints in their churches. Yet, they boast that they are saved and bring more people in to their churches to make them worse hypocrites than them.

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
“Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
in their paths are ruin and misery,
and the way of peace they have not known.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:9-18)

The prophet Jeremiah and Ezekiel lived at the time Jerusalem fell. The northern Israel was long gone by then. The Judah nation boasted that they were chosen by God, and Jerusalem was their pride. Both prophets were given the difficult tasks of speaking against the whole nation and prophesying the fall of Jerusalem.

It is not much different today. The so-called Christian nations were the ones who introduced pagan festivals and traditions to non-Christian nations. In August this year, I had a dream and woke up saying, “something will happen in October” And I told this to my family to warn. On 31 October, it came true. Many people died. Later I realized that 31 Oct is the day of the Reformation. Its glory was replaced by the Halloween a long time ago. However, Christians continue to rebel against God. They do not want God of His words. They want an idol. They say they love Jesus, but do not know God. They reject Truth.

I am not writing this to change the world or persecute a certain group of people. In fact, God showed me that no one would listen to me when I started this blog. Yet, that does not stop me from writing because it is God’s will.

The Book of Ezekiel is important in this age along with the Book of Jeremiah. The visions that Ezekiel saw are similar to those written in Revelation. Everything is connected. God talks about the same things repeatedly for our education. If we admit that we are nothing and foolish, God will show us mercy and make us understand what will happen soon.