Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Ezekiel chapter 8.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+8&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“It came about in the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell on me there.  Then I looked, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of a man;  from His loins and downward there was the appearance of fire, and from His loins and upward the appearance of brightness, like the appearance of glowing metal.  He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head;  and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located.  And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the appearance which I saw in the plain.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, raise your eyes now toward the north.”  So I raised my eyes toward the north, and behold, to the north of the altar gate was this idol of jealousy at the entrance.  And He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations which the house of Israel are committing here, so that I would be far from My sanctuary? But yet you will see still greater abominations.”

Then He brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall.  He said to me, “Son of man, now dig through the wall.”  So I dug through the wall, and behold, an entrance.  And He said to me, “Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here.”  So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of creeping things and beasts and detestable things, with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around.  Standing in front of them were seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them, each man with his censer in his hand and the fragrance of the cloud of incense rising.  Then He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images?  For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us;  the LORD has forsaken the land.’”  And He said to me, “Yet you will see still greater abominations which they are committing.”  Ezekiel 8:1-13.

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“—for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God—”  Exodus 34:14.

“⁵⁸ For they provoked Him with their high places
And aroused His jealousy with their graven images.
⁵⁹ When God heard, He was filled with wrath
And greatly abhorred Israel;
⁶⁰ So that He abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh,
The tent which He had pitched among men,
⁶¹ And gave up His strength to captivity
And His glory into the hand of the adversary.
⁶² He also delivered His people to the sword,
And was filled with wrath at His inheritance.
⁶³ Fire devoured His young men,
And His virgins had no wedding songs.
⁶⁴ His priests fell by the sword,
And His widows could not weep.”  Psalm 78:58-64.

“O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance;
They have defiled Your holy temple;
They have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
² They have given the dead bodies of Your servants for food to the birds of the heavens,
The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth.
³ They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem;
And there was no one to bury them.
⁴ We have become a reproach to our neighbors,
A scoffing and derision to those around us.
⁵ How long, O LORD?  Will You be angry forever?
Will Your jealousy burn like fire?”  Psalm 79:1-5.

“Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But who can stand before jealousy?”  Proverbs 27:4.

“…  Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
The very flame of the LORD.”  Song of Solomon 8:6.

We may think that we are safe, because we do not make any physical idols.  But, idols can also be made from our mental image of a god based on our desires rather than based on the one true God presented by Scripture.  And, idolatry can consist of placing trust in such a mental image of a god based on our desires or objects or creatures or persons or any other than the one true God presented by Scripture.

Consider what the following Heidelberg Catechism states about idolatry. 

“Q. 94.  What doth God enjoin in the first commandment?

A.  That I, as sincerely as I desire the salvation of my own soul, avoid and flee from all idolatry, sorcery, soothsaying, superstition, invocation of saints, or any other creatures;  and learn rightly to know the only true God;  trust in Him alone, with humility and patience submit to Him;  expect all good things from Him only;  love, fear, and glorify Him with my whole heart;  so that I renounce and forsake all creatures, rather than commit even the least thing contrary to His will.

Q. 95.  What is idolatry?

A.  Idolatry is, instead of, or besides that one true God who has manifested Himself in His Word, to contrive or have any other object in which men place their trust.”  Heidelberg Catechism.

Consider the following article by Augustus Toplady.  Augustus Toplady (1740-1778) was chiefly known as a writer of hymns including “Rock of Ages”. He ministered in London, England.  Although he was originally a follower of John Wesley, in 1758 he adopted strong Calvinist convictions.  Some comments by Wesley upon Toplady’s presentation of Calvinism led to a bitter controversy between them.  The following is an article by Augustus Toplady.

The ‘god’ of Arminianism by Augustus Toplady

“I dare say, that, in such an auditory as this, a number of Arminians are present.  I fear, that all our public assemblies have too many of them.  Perhaps, however, even these people, idolaters as they are, may be apt to blame, and, indeed, with justice, the absurdity of those who worship idols of silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. But let me ask:  If it be so very absurd, to worship the work of other men’s hands what must it be, to worship the works of our own hands?  Perhaps, you may say, ‘God forbid that I should do so.

Nevertheless, let me tell you, that trust, confidence, reliance, and dependence, for salvation, are all acts and very solemn ones too, of divine worship:  and upon whatsoever you depend, whether in whole or in part, for your acceptance with God, and for your justification in his sight, whatsoever, you rely upon, and trust in, for the attainment of grace or glory;  if it be any thing short of God in Christ, you are an idolater for all intents and purposes.

Very different is the idea which Scripture gives us, of the ever-blessed God, from that of those false gods worshipped by the heathens;  and from that degrading representation of the true God, which Arminianism would palm upon mankind.  Our God (says this Psalm, verse the third) is in the heavens:  he hath done whatsoever he pleased.  This is not the Arminian idea of God:  for our free-willers and our chance- mongers tell us, that God does not do whatsoever he pleases;  that there are a great number of things, which God wishes to do, and rags and strives to do, and yet cannot bring to pass …  Is their god the Bible-God?  Certainly not.  Their god ‘submits’ to difficulties which he ‘cannot help’ himself out of, and endearours to make himself ‘easy’ under millions and millions of inextricable embarrassments, uncomfortable disappointments, and mortifying defeats.  …This said scheme ascends, on the ladder of blasphemy, to the mountain top of atheism;  and then hurls itself from that precipice, into the gulf of blind, adamantine necessity, in order to prove mankind free agents!

… One great contest, between the religion of Arminianism, and the religion of Christ, is, who shall stand entitled to the praise and glory of a sinner’s salvation? Conversion decides this point at once;  for I think that, without any imputation of uncharitableness, I may venture to say, that every truly awakened person, at least when he is under the shine of God’s countenance upon his soul, will fall down upon his knees, with this hymn of praise ascending from his heart, Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but to thy name, give the glory:  I am saved not for my righteousness, but for thy mercy and thy truth’s sake.”

“—for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God—”  Exodus 34:14.

Today’s devotion comes from Ezekiel chapter 7.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+7&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me saying, “And you, son of man, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel, ‘An end!  The end is coming on the four corners of the land.  Now the end is upon you, and I will send My anger against you;  I will judge you according to your ways and bring all your abominations upon you.  For My eye will have no pity on you, nor will I spare you, but I will bring your ways upon you, and your abominations will be among you;  then you will know that I am the Lord!’

“Thus says the Lord God, ‘A disaster, unique disaster, behold it is coming!  An end is coming; the end has come! It has awakened against you;  behold, it has come!  Your doom has come to you, O inhabitant of the land.  The time has come, the day is near—tumult rather than joyful shouting on the mountains.  Now I will shortly pour out My wrath on you and spend My anger against you;  judge you according to your ways and bring on you all your abominations.  My eye will show no pity nor will I spare.  I will repay you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst;  then you will know that I, the Lord, do the smiting.”  Ezekiel 7:1-9.

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“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”  Proverbs 9:10.

Other doctrine presents the god of its desire, some kind of Santa Claus at man’s “beck and call” who never punishes, but only presents gifts.

But, Reformed Doctrine presents the LORD of Scripture, the LORD Who reigns, the LORD Who justly punishes, the LORD Whom people should fear, the LORD Whom people should hold in reverence and tremble, and the LORD Whom people should exalt and worship.

“⁹ Worship the Lord in holy attire;
Tremble before Him, all the earth.
¹⁰ Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
He will judge the peoples with equity.”  Psalm 96:9-10.

“The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble;
He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!
² The Lord is great in Zion,
And He is exalted above all the peoples.
³ Let them praise Your great and awesome name;
Holy is He.
⁴ The strength of the King loves justice;
You have established equity;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
⁵ Exalt the Lord our God
And worship at His footstool;
Holy is He.”  Psalm 99:1-6.

Today’s devotion comes from Ezekiel chapter 6.

“And the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord God!  Thus says the Lord God to the mountains, the hills, the ravines and the valleys:  “Behold, I Myself am going to bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places.  So your altars will become desolate and your incense altars will be smashed;  and I will make your slain fall in front of your idols.  I will also lay the dead bodies of the sons of Israel in front of their idols;  and I will scatter your bones around your altars.  In all your dwellings, cities will become waste and the high places will be desolate, that your altars may become waste and desolate, your idols may be broken and brought to an end, your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be blotted out.  The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the Lord.

“However, I will leave a remnant, for you will have those who escaped the sword among the nations when you are scattered among the countries.  Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations to which they will be carried captive, how I have been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols;  and they will loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations.  Then they will know that I am the Lord;  I have not said in vain that I would inflict this disaster on them.”’

“Thus says the Lord God, ‘Clap your hand, stamp your foot and say, “Alas, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel, which will fall by sword, famine and plague!  He who is far off will die by the plague, and he who is near will fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged will die by the famine.  Thus will I spend My wrath on them.  Then you will know that I am the Lord, when their slain are among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every green tree and under every leafy oak—the places where they offered soothing aroma to all their idols.  So throughout all their habitations I will stretch out My hand against them and make the land more desolate and waste than the wilderness toward Diblah;  thus they will know that I am the Lord.”’”  Ezekiel chapter 6.

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There is justice in all punishment by the LORD that we have read in so many chapters in a row.  But, there is also mercy for the elect remnant.

In today’s Scripture, we read that this punishment occurred so that you (or they) “will know that I am the Lord.”

This message is repeated four times.

“The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the Lord.”  Verse 7.

“Then they will know that I am the Lord;  I have not said in vain that I would inflict this disaster on them.”’  Verse 10.

“Then you will know that I am the Lord, when their slain are among their idols around their altars …”  Verse 13.

“So throughout all their habitations I will stretch out My hand against them and make the land more desolate and waste than the wilderness toward Diblah;  thus they will know that I am the Lord.”’”  Verse 14.

Consider that although it is very fearful to be surrounded by such death and destruction, it is better to experience such horror and have your soul saved, then it is to be surrounded by peace and prosperity and to not seek the LORD and lose your soul.

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”  Matthew 16:26.

Such surrounding death and destruction can turn one to seek the LORD and have his soul saved, and we see in today’s Scripture the repeated, strong emphasis that this was one of the purposes of the LORD.

“But I will warn you whom to fear:  fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell;  yes, I tell you, fear Him!”  Luke 12:5.

Today’s devotion comes from Ezekiel chapter 5.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+5&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Thus says the Lord God, ‘This is Jerusalem;  I have set her at the center of the nations, with lands around her.  But she has rebelled against My ordinances more wickedly than the nations and against My statutes more than the lands which surround her;  for they have rejected My ordinances and have not walked in My statutes.’  Therefore, thus says the Lord God, ‘Because you have more turmoil than the nations which surround you and have not walked in My statutes, nor observed My ordinances, nor observed the ordinances of the nations which surround you,’ therefore, thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I, even I, am against you, and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations.  And because of all your abominations, I will do among you what I have not done, and the like of which I will never do again.  Therefore, fathers will eat their sons among you, and sons will eat their fathers;  for I will execute judgments on you and scatter all your remnant to every wind.  So as I live,’ declares the Lord God, ‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominations, therefore I will also withdraw, and My eye will have no pity and I will not spare.  One third of you will die by plague or be consumed by famine among you, one third will fall by the sword around you, and one third I will scatter to every wind, and I will unsheathe a sword behind them.

‘Thus My anger will be spent and I will satisfy My wrath on them, and I will be appeased;  then they will know that I, the Lord, have spoken in My zeal when I have spent My wrath upon them.  Moreover, I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the nations which surround you, in the sight of all who pass by.  So it will be a reproach, a reviling, a warning and an object of horror to the nations who surround you when I execute judgments against you in anger, wrath and raging rebukes. I, the Lord, have spoken.  When I send against them the deadly arrows of famine which were for the destruction of those whom I will send to destroy you, then I will also intensify the famine upon you and break the staff of bread.  Moreover, I will send on you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you of children;  plague and bloodshed also will pass through you, and I will bring the sword on you. I, the Lord, have spoken.’”  Ezekiel 5:5-17.

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If Jerusalem (the city in which the temple of God was located and the center of worship) could experience such wrath of God, then all the more, other peoples could experience such wrath of God and should be warned and fear God. 

And yet, other doctrine leads its disciples to believe that they can somehow appease the wrath of God by their own will, wisdom, or works.

But, Reformed Doctrine teaches the “Total Depravity” of man (that is man is dead in sin, hostile to God, and enslaved to sin and Satan), and that the only hope for man is that God elected some for salvation and that Christ died for those elect to appease the wrath of God.   

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”  Romans 5:8-11.

Today’s devotion comes from Ezekiel chapter 4.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+4&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem.  Then lay siege against it, build a siege wall, raise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around.  Then get yourself an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it.  This is a sign to the house of Israel.

“As for you, lie down on your left side and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it;  you shall bear their iniquity for the number of days that you lie on it.  For I have assigned you a number of days corresponding to the years of their iniquity, three hundred and ninety days;  thus you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.  When you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah;  I have assigned it to you for forty days, a day for each year.”  Ezekiel 4:1-6.

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Ezekiel was used by the LORD for a sign to the house of Israel both of the siege and the bearing of the iniquities of Israel and Judah.

Today’s devotion will focus on the bearing of the iniquities of Israel and Judah.  In figuratively bearing of the iniquities of Israel and Judah, suffering Ezekiel points us to suffering Jesus Who truly bore the iniquities of His people.

“⁴ Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
⁵ But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
⁶ All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.”  Isaiah 53:4-6.

“As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities.”  Isaiah 53:11.

Today’s devotion comes from Ezekiel chapter 3.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+3&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel;  whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me.  When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.  Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself.  Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered;  but his blood I will require at your hand.  However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning;  and you have delivered yourself.”  Ezekiel 3:16-21.

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We need to be careful, study Scripture, and prayerful as to what we should do.  Today’s Scripture does not appoint or command just anyone to just say anything to the wicked to warn them.

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”  Matthew 7:6.

First, we notice that the LORD appointed Ezekiel to be a watchman to the house of Israel to warn them.  “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me.”  Verse 17.  The LORD may not have appointed us as a watchman or otherwise commanded us to warn a particular group of people.  For another example, we read that the LORD specifically commanded Jonah to warn a particular group of people.  “The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”  For another example, we also read that the elders are appointed (not just anyone) “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”  Titus 1:9.

Second, we notice that the LORD prepared Ezekiel to warn them.  “Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.  Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead.  Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.”  Verses 8-9.  The LORD may have not (at least yet) prepared us to warn the wicked.

Third, we notice that the LORD controlled Ezekiel as to what he should say or not say.  “Moreover, I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be mute and cannot be a man who rebukes them, for they are a rebellious house.  But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who hears, let him hear;  and he who refuses, let him refuse;  for they are a rebellious house.”  Ezekiel 3:26-27.  We should not be careless and should not feel free to say whatever we want to warn the wicked.

Today’s devotion comes from Ezekiel chapter 2.

“Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak with you!”  As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet;  and I heard Him speaking to me.  Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me;  they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.  I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’  As for them, whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.  And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions;  neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house.  But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.

“Now you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you;  do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.”  Then I looked, and behold, a hand was extended to me; and lo, a scroll was in it.  When He spread it out before me, it was written on the front and back, and written on it were lamentations, mourning and woe.”  Ezekiel chapter 2.

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Our calling is to preach and teach God’s Word.  We should not be surprised if those who hear God’s Word from us do not respond as we may like.  Our success is not based on their response, but rather our success (or lack of it) is based on whether we faithfully preach and teach as we are called.

Other doctrine changes its preaching and teaching to draw the most people.

Reformed Doctrine recognizes that man’s natural condition is “Total Depravity”, that is, man is dead in sin, hostile to God, and enslaved to sin and Satan.  In one word, Reformed Doctrine recognizes that man is naturally “rebellious” as stated in today’s Scripture, and so, Reformed Doctrine is not surprised when few listen to God’s Word.  But, through God’s grace, Reformed Doctrine faithfully preaches and teaches God’s Word and summarizes it in sound doctrine as it is called to do in the following Scripture.

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:  preach the word;  be ready in season and out of season;  reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;  but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.  But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”  2 Timothy 4:1-5.

Today’s devotion comes from Ezekiel chapter 1.

“Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.  (On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile, the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar;  and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire.  Within it there were figures resembling four living beings.  And this was their appearance: they had human form.  Each of them had four faces and four wings.  Their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze.  Under their wings on their four sides were human hands.  As for the faces and wings of the four of them, their wings touched one another;  their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward.  As for the form of their faces, each had the face of a man;  all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle.  Such were their faces.  Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies.  And each went straight forward;  wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went.  In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth among the living beings.  The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire.  And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning.

Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living beings, for each of the four of them.  The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another.  Whenever they moved, they moved in any of their four directions without turning as they moved.  As for their rims they were lofty and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were full of eyes round about.  Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them.  And whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also.  Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction.  And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.  Whenever those went, these went;  and whenever those stood still, these stood still.  And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them;  for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.” 

Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads.  Under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other.  I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.  And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings.

Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance;  and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man.  Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire;  and there was a radiance around Him.  As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance.  Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.  And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.”  Ezekiel chapter 1. 

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“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16.

I live in the City of St. Petersburg which has one of the best collections of Dali art, but I still prefer representational art (also known as figurative art) over abstract art.

I also prefer Scripture which lays out clear, easy to understand statements over parables and visions.  But, we know that even visions in Scripture are profitable (as compared to personal visions outside of Scripture – “Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,”  Colossians 2:18).

And so, even though the vision in this chapter is difficult is to understand, we meditate on it.

These are my impressions of this vision:  glory, awesome, perfection, beauty, power, precision, straight forward movement without looking around, ease of movement, and under command of God.

And, I am pleased to see Reformed Doctrine even in my impressions of this vision.

Other doctrine portray its imaginary god stripped of these characteristics and prefers a god who looks around, halts and falters, struggles to move, and whose primary movements are to react to man (rather than to initiate).

But, Reformed Doctrine presents the God of Scripture Who is glorious, awesome, perfect, and beautiful.  

Reformed Doctrine presents the God of Scripture Who is all-powerful and Who moves straight forward without looking around, and Who easily moves with precision, and Who accomplishes all of His good pleasure. 

In summary, Reformed Doctrine presents the Sovereign God of Scripture Who commands and rules over everything.  Total Perfect Triumph!

“³ Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.
⁴ One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
⁶ Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
⁷ They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

Today’s devotion is from Lamentations chapter 5.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations+5&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“¹⁵ The joy of our hearts has ceased;
Our dancing has been turned into mourning.
¹⁶ The crown has fallen from our head;
Woe to us, for we have sinned!
¹⁷ Because of this our heart is faint,
Because of these things our eyes are dim;
¹⁸ Because of Mount Zion which lies desolate,
Foxes prowl in it.

Today’s devotion comes from Lamentations chapter 4.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations+4&version=NASB

I quote only the following verse.

“The Lord has accomplished His wrath,
He has poured out His fierce anger;
And He has kindled a fire in Zion
Which has consumed its foundations.”  Lamentations 4:11.

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There were no wise men left.

“The presence of the Lord has scattered them,
He will not continue to regard them;
They did not honor the priests,
They did not favor the elders.”  Verse 16.

There were no mighty men left.

“Our pursuers were swifter
Than the eagles of the sky;
They chased us on the mountains,
They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.”  Verse 19.

There were no rich men left.

“The tongue of the infant cleaves
To the roof of its mouth because of thirst;
The little ones ask for bread,
But no one breaks it for them.”  Verse 4.

Other doctrine has no one and nothing left to whom to cling, no disciples to proudly show off what man’s work and man’s will can accomplish. 

But, Reformed Doctrine has the LORD and can cling to Him even when it only sees His wrath, knowing that the LORD delights in justice and righteously accomplishes His wrath.  And, Reformed Doctrine knows that the LORD also delights in lovingkindness and exercises it.

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

“²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I have hope in Him.”
²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.
²⁶ It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the Lord.”  Lamentations 3:24-26.