Ezekiel Bible Study: January 29, 2025

Okay, so tonight we're going to start a new section, a different section, the next section in Ezekiel, for the last eight weeks or the last eight chapters we've been in, prophecies about the nations surrounding Israel and Judah. And you remember those nations we talked about last week, as God exacted his vengeance on them because of the actions that they took against Israel during all that time. But as we get into Ezekiel 33, we begin now prophecies for the House of Israel. In 33 we're going to see, you know, some prophecies for Jerusalem. And we know that most of these prophecies that we're going to be reading about from here on out pertain more to the end time. There are some that would still be fulfilled in Ezekiel's time, in the people's time, who were there in Babylon at that time. But most of what we're going to read from here on out has yet to be fulfilled, and it is for primarily the English-speaking nations, the House of Israel, in the end time. As we begin, you know, chapter 33 is an encouraging chapter. It has a sentiment to it at the end that is kind of unusual for anything we've read before, as God talks about Ezekiel and the people that he is speaking to. But let's remember, too, that Ezekiel and the people that are with him, they're not in Jerusalem. They've been taken out of Jerusalem during the Second Siege of Nebuchadnezzar, of Babylon, and they're over there in Chaldea. But they're still quite interested in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is still standing at this point, and Jeremiah is the prophet that is actually in Jerusalem, warning them, as he did for 40 years, just as Ezekiel is giving these prophecies to the people who have been exiled out to Babylon during that time. So as they hear these prophecies, it's happening to their kinsmen. It's happening to their country, if you will, their homeland, but they're not right there. So they see it in a different way, and I think we'll see a little bit of that as we read through this chapter here today as well. First part of it, God calls Ezekiel a watchman. And you may think, didn't we already cover this chapter? But back in chapter 3, as God began his series of prophecies to Ezekiel back then, after he called Ezekiel, after his vision of the throne in heaven, where he knew that God was working with him and calling him, he called him a watchman then. And he told them that he needed to tell the people exactly what God had told them to say. So we see it again as the new, as this latest series of prophecies of guests, more for the end time, come in. God calls him a watchman again. And he uses some of the same words that we read back in chapter 3. They applied to him back then. They apply to us today. So let's pick it up here in chapter 33, verse 1. It says, again, the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of your people and say to them, when I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman.

He's the one who said out there, watch what's going on, warn us of anything that's going to happen, when he sees the sword coming upon the land. If he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and doesn't take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but he didn't take warning. His blood will be upon himself, but he who takes warning will save his life.

Now, these are going to be at the end of time prophecies, and when we read about trumpets and we read about warnings, you know, we may think of what God said to the prophet Isaiah, who was the prophet to Israel before they fell, after they fell as well, when he told them, cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and tell my people their transgressions. So, there's a warning message that goes to Israel. God said that to Isaiah. He says it here to Ezekiel.

Say what's going to come, what you're going to say. If they listen to you, good for them. If they don't listen to you, their blood is on their own head. And so, that message here to Ezekiel is to us today as well, because we're living here in the times that Ezekiel is talking about. It's our responsibility as God's church to be taking that, sending that warning out, and if we don't take it out, then whatever happens, the blood is on all our collective heads, right? But if we send it out, which the church intends to do, and we'll do more loudly and clearly in the future, we pray that people will listen. But if they don't, it's on their head. So, going on in verse 6, going on in verse 6, if the watchman sees the sword coming, but he doesn't blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity. That means that he will suffer the consequences of it.

He will suffer the consequences of it, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.

So, the watchman is accountable because he did not sound the trumpet. Yes, Tracy, you got a question or a comment? Tracy, you're muted if you're saying something.

Okay, I will go. Okay, I'm unmuted. I was pushing the wrong button. I'm sorry. We're talking about watchmen, but my question is, we as lay members, what's our job as watchmen? Because we'd be responsible, right? Yeah, it's, well, all of us have a part of this, right? We ask God, we can pray to God and ask him, let the church give the voice loudly. We talk to other people who may have the opportunities to talk about what God's truth is and what his warning is. We do have a responsibility. We're all in this, but everyone works together to do the will of God.

And yeah, you're right. It is the ministers, the prophets. We're going to talk about them a little bit at the end of tonight, and then all of next week's lesson is about the prophets, the ministers, the ministers of what they're doing because they have that responsibility for sure.

And God looks to them for that. Okay? Thank you. Thank you.

So let me say verse seven. So you, son of man, I've made you a watchman for the house of Israel.

Therefore you shall hear a word from my mouth and warn them for me. You know, one thing that God does, he does let us know what he wants to be said and what he wants to be said. And he does, he does provide those words. And here he tells that to Ezekiel. You remember earlier on in the book, we, you know, we talk about, Ezekiel, you talk when I talk. And there's going to be times when I just mute you. You aren't going to talk. But then when I say to talk, talk. And so God says here, I'm going to give you the word. You're going to know what to say. Just say it. When the, when the Spirit leads you to say it, say it. Verse eight, when I say to the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you don't speak to warn the wicked from his way. That wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless, nevertheless, if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he doesn't turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul. So he makes it very clear here. It's, it's the responsibility. There is a watchman. The God appoints because in Amos it does say that he will warn the people through his, through his prophets of what is to come. Verse 10, therefore, you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel. Now remember, now remember, house of Israel has already been taken into captivity. Where the house of Israel is today, we know the end time Israel that we've talked about. Say to the house of Israel, thus you say, if our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we opine away of them, how can we live? How can we live? If our transgressions and our sins are upon us and we pine away of them, how can we live? What can we do? We're hopeless is what they're saying. But God says in verse 11, as I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways, for why would you die, O house of Israel? And that, like so many verses, are just key verses. God does bring, he does bring captivity. He does bring death. He does bring land being lost. He does bring pain on people. Always for the purpose, though, turn back to God.

Ultimately, that's the message. Turn back to God. You want a lasting life of peace, security, health, calm, serenity, absolute peace, the peace that no one can understand except for those who have God's Holy Spirit. Turn to God. That's the message throughout the Bible. That's the message to all mankind. The message to you and me, the message that we give to the world, most of them won't listen, but we give it to them anyway, and that will be the message in the second resurrection when the rest of all of mankind are resurrected and have the opportunity that you and I have today.

When God says that to Peter, when he says that to Ezekiel, in verse 11, probably reminds us of Peter saying the very same thing back in 2 Peter. You see the commonality of the message. The message from God is always the same. It's the same in the Old Testament, the same in the New Testament.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God says he is the Lord our God. He changes not. In 2 Peter 3 verse 9, Peter says, the Lord isn't slack concerning his promise.

Meaning Jesus Christ will return. His kingdom will be set up. The Lord isn't slack concerning his promise as some kind of slackness, but he's long suffering. He's patient toward us. He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. That's what he wants.

Ultimately, that's what it is. You know, I sent in a message last week, one of those little things that we do, those weekly things. You know, you would think the natural thing there would be, God is not willing that any should perish, but all should come to eternal life. That is what he wants.

He does want to give everyone eternal life, but the very first step to that eternal life is repentance. And that's genuine, genuine returning to God with all of our hearts, minds, and soul.

Just like you and I have done, we came to recognize that our way of life was so contrary to God's way, and that we needed to turn from him. So that's the sentiment here in verse 11.

It's the same sentiment you see throughout the Bible, and no one should ever forget that.

God's will is that everyone come to repentance. Even though his punishment, which we deserve, which we deserve, may be strict and it may be harsh, it's always to turn us back.

So as he begins these prophecies here and has Ezekiel now prophesying against, again, to the house of Israel, that's one of the first messages he gives him. Verse 12, Therefore, therefore you, O Son of Man, say to the children of your people, the righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression.

As for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness, nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day of his sins. So let's tear that first apart. You know the concept here. What God is saying, in essence, is you must endure to the end. If you are called early in life and you start a walk with God, you may go that way for 30, 40 years. But if at the end of your life you turn back to the way of the world, you don't get any credit for what you did those 30 or 40 or whatever, five, ten years that you were righteous following God. You must endure to the end. Jesus Christ said that, he who endures to the end. That means when you begin to walk with God, stay on the walk with God.

Keep your vision on the kingdom of God. Be led by his Holy Spirit. Grow closer and closer to him, and more and more out of the world. Think it's in Luke 9, 62. It says, anyone who puts his hand to the plow starts working the work of God, and looking back isn't fit for the kingdom. Don't look back. Always look forward. And that's what he's saying here. The righteous of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression. In the day of his transgression, that means he sinned. He's turned away from God. So he said, you have to endure to the end. It doesn't count if you spend 50-75% of your life following God, but turn away at the end. Endure to the end. Ask for the wickedness of the wicked, who may not be called until they're 50, 60, 70 years old. Ask for the wickedness of the wicked. He shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness. Genuine repentance. What God is looking for, repentance. Whatever time he chooses to call us, he's the one who calls. We don't make that decision ourselves. John 6, 44 says no one can come to God the Father unless God the Father, who sent Jesus, calls that person.

He shall not, as for the wickedness, as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness. Nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins. So he kind of repeats twice. Jesus Christ said, endure to the end. Matthew 24, Matthew 24, 13, I think. May as well turn there, just so we can kind of see again the continuity of the verses, the same message that God is giving Ezekiel, is the same message that he gave Christ to tell us. Remember, Christ said that the words that he speaks aren't his words. They're the words of the Father. The words that Ezekiel spoke were not his words. They were the words of God that he gave Ezekiel. Matthew 24, 13, But he who endures to the end, he who endures to the end shall be saved. And in verse 46 of the same chapter, Matthew 24, 46, you know, after Christ's account, after he recounts all these things that will lead up to his return, you know, he says in verse 42, watch, watch therefore. If you don't know what hour your Lord is coming, we don't know when that time that God says, now I know, now I know that there is no turning back, and now the time clock has begun for the return of Jesus Christ. Yeah, Tim, do you have a comment? The word turn would be a good subject to give a sermon on. It's all through the Bible.

It's all the way through. You're absolutely right. Turn, turn, turn. Okay, 42, 43. 43 says in Matthew 24, if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, he tells us, be ready. To be ready means endure the end. Don't slough off. Don't go to sleep. Don't sleep back into the world.

Keep looking to the kingdom and live in God's way. Therefore, you also be ready for the son of man is coming in an hour you don't expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his master made ruler over his household to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. That's what God expects us to be doing, to be so doing. Whatever time it is that God the Father says Jesus Christ back, no matter what has happened in the time before, the good times as well as the bad times, we continue doing, continue doing what he has called us, what he has called us to do. Okay, we were in verse 13 back in uh...

Oh, verse 13 is where we're going, I guess. Okay, verse 13. When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, you know what that what trusts in his own righteousness? That means pride has entered in, right? We think nothing can touch us. I'm good. I've overcome that. That sin is ever behind me, and you've probably experienced this in your own life, and then you think, wow, all of a sudden a thought comes into your mind or something is like, whoa, it's back again. When pride, when we think that we have overcome it and it's gone, you know, we have to kind of watch and always realize it's by the power, God's power, his spirit, that we overcome. When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness rather than trusting and realizing that power to overcome and become like God comes from him, not from us, not from any of our goodness, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous work shall be remembered, but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die.

Now, later on, later on in the chapter, you know, God talks about some things, and he says, in Israel we'll say God's not fair. And we've seen that back in, I think, chapter 18 of Ezekiel. You say God isn't fair, and someone might look at verse 13 and say, well, that's not fair. If that person lived their lives, you know, in God's way all the life, but they kind of slipped up, and that happened to be the time they had a heart attack or got a car accident or whatever caused their life to end, or Christ came when they least expected it, it is fair. God calls us, he gives us the power, and we committed to him to live that way forever, and to rely on him and to trust in him and to serve him with humility and ask him and be conscious of that pride that enters in that can that can always lead us to fall, just like this person here in verse 13.

Verse 14, he says again, when I say to the wicked, you shall surely die. If he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live.

He shall not die. So when God was talking to Israel here, and he says, turn, turn, Israel, you're wicked. Your ways are evil, Judah. If they will turn, if they would turn and repent to him, he would forget. He would forget their sins. He would not remember them, just as he says to us, you know, I'll blot out your sins when you ask for forgiveness, and when you come before him, and you are truly repentant to him. He blots them out. It's hard, and he doesn't remember them anymore, but expects that we continue to walk in that way. Let's look at a couple of verses that say that, where it says God blots out those sins. We read it in Isaiah. Back in Isaiah 43, 43, and verse 25. Now here, Isaiah is prophesying to Israel, and you can read later that the verse is leading up to that, but in verse 25, God says, I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. And God doesn't. When we repent, when we ask for forgiveness, when he calls us, we repent. We're baptized. All those sins are washed away. We're a new creation. We're a new creation at God's sight, and those sins are gone.

And he puts his Holy Spirit in us. It enables us to live not a perfect life, because we will stumble along the way, but we repent, and we turn back to God, and we repent of what we have done. Hey, Samantha. Hey, sorry, I was late. I was just thinking about what you had said about how people feel when somebody has just kind of stumbled off the path, and then all of a sudden something bad happens, and they get taken off of the earth. I feel like back with what you said about how God doesn't want to lose not one person. He wants everyone to turn towards him. Maybe if you think about it, if that situation happens to somebody, if they think about it more like maybe God took them before they could fall too far, before they were beyond being saved, instead of, well, you knew what you were supposed to do. Because I don't feel like that really shows the true character of God, because he always tries to give us so many chances, and he wants us all to be saved. So I always kind of think maybe he took me out—well, not me, but somebody out before they fell too far. One thing we remember, I mean, God is a judge, right? He is ultimately fair, and he is merciful. So yes, he wants everyone. So it tells us that it's the incorrigible, the ones that he knows have so hardened their heart against him that we'll find themselves in the lake of fire.

So yeah, God is merciful and patient. So yeah, that's a good thought. Thank you. Okay, let's look at another one. Psalm 51. I think Psalm 51, David's Prayer of Repentance, is maybe like the ultimate prayer of repentance. You know, probably as you were being counseled through baptism, you went through this Psalm, because there's so many good points in this. As David pours out his heart to God and asks for forgiveness, you know, in the wake of his sin with Bathsheba and her husband, and recognizes that what he has done certainly has brought death upon him. In very, very first verse of Psalm 51, David says, Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving kindness, according to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out, blot out my transgressions.

David knew it takes genuine heartfelt repentance, not just simple words of repentance, like so many ministers in the world will tell you. It takes genuine change of heart, change of life, repentance to turn to God. And then he says in verse 2, Wash me thoroughly. You know, again, let's pay attention to those adverbs you see in the Bible or the adjectives. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. You can see David's heart in this. You can see it's like, I don't want any part of who I was. Anything that was in me that led to that sin with Bathsheba, led to the murder of her husband. I don't want that person, that personality, nothing. I don't want any part of that. Wash me thoroughly and cleanse me from my sin, for I acknowledge my transgressions. And then he says, My sin is always before me. I always, you know, I always look at verse 3, and I think we recognize what David is saying. Not that he doesn't think that God doesn't forgive him, but he always remembered who he was, that who what he, in his natural carnal state, could be an adulterer and a murderer. I think we do the same thing. We're always, you know, if we ever get too full of ourselves, what would I have been like if God had never called me?

Where all those weaknesses that I displayed back then, where would that have led me? And how different and how ridiculously unsatisfying my life would be if God hadn't called? It helps us to realize and to turn back to him and remember who we are, who we were, is not anyone who we want to continue to be. So, and I think I have one more verse there. Psalm 103 as well. Let's look at Psalm 103. 103 verse 11. 103 verse 11. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him, fear of God, foundation of knowledge. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. He's removed them from us.

And of course, we know in Matthew 26 verse 28, the Passover service, which a few months from now we'll be observing, baptized members of the church, Jesus Christ died for the remission of our sins. That's the sacrifice that we claim. So, okay. So, again, there's these verses as God, again, is beginning to prophesy through Ezekiel. He reminds the people who he is of his mercy, of our need to rely on him and trust in him, we'll see in a minute, to continue and endure to the end and that he is a forgiving God. So, we are in verse 16. Nope, we just read verse 16. Okay, verse 17. Yet the children of your people, he says, they say, oh, this is it. The way the Lord isn't fair, but it's their way which is not fair. Right? God is fair. He calls us. What he wants us to do is to have the eternal life. That requires repentance. He gives us all the tools to be able to have that. And yet, you know, when we say it's, well, we say it, we blame God. Well, that's not fair. He should do this. No, we owe God everything. We owe Jesus Christ everything, everything, every breath that we have, and certainly our future. So, our responsibility and our commitment to him, if we truly appreciate his sacrifice and the future that he gives us, the forgiveness that he gives us, the mercy that he gives us, the Holy Spirit that he gives us, you know, is to follow him implicitly. Verse 18, when the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity—you can see how many times God is repeating this here. When the righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die because of it. Now, what he's saying is, again, we read it in the New Testament where God says, again, if you live your life that way, if you go back to the world, if you go back to your old way of life, you are going to die. You are going to die in that sin. And there are tough verses to read, but they're true. And we can find them in Hebrews 10. Let's begin in Hebrews 10.

Among some other places that we can read this as well. These aren't the only other places. But we know at the end of time, when God, after the first resurrection of the righteous is done, after the second resurrection, and all the rest of the people who have ever lived have been resurrected and have an opportunity to turn to God. And we know that some are going to die the final death, the second death, the Bible calls it, the final death, the eternal death, because they simply will not yield to God. They simply will not choose God's way. Those could be those who have rejected them in this life, who have said and hardened their heart against them and said, I will not do it. And they turn back to the world and live that way. So in Hebrews 10 verse 26, he says, if we sin willfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on this testimony of two or three witnesses. Remember that from the Old Testament? Of how much worse punishment do you suppose then will he be thought worthy, who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing and insulted the Spirit of grace? See the way God looks at it?

Jesus Christ died that we could have forgiveness. Jesus Christ died that we could have a life, an eternal life filled with joy and peace and all the good things that you can imagine. But when we turn back to the world and choose to live by the world's way, back to our old ways, God says it's like insulting him. It's insulting him. We didn't want. We thought our way, the world's way, was better than his. And so that occurs at that time. Yeah, Tracy. I'm sorry. This is very important. So my sister was raised in the church. About 19 she left, but before that she was baptized.

Her heart and mind always seemed to be in the world, but she was baptized. Does that mean that I mean she does not want anything to do with God these days? I said, doesn't tribulation scare you?

She said, no, I made my choice. I have to live with it. Does that mean that she's turned her heart against God and she will die? You know what? God is the joy. She knows what's really in her heart. He knows whether she really did repent at the time. You know that she was baptized.

I never like when I hear people say, I've made my choice and I choose the world. That never says well. But I just remember God is merciful, loving, and that he wants everyone to live. He knows what her hearts are. We don't know. We can't say. So just remember that God will open her mind again, or she'll let God open her mind again. Okay, thank you.

Let me see. We were in Hebrews 10. We just read those verses. It is such a serious thing. God's calling. It is the most important thing and most valuable thing that can happen in our lives. It's for God to call us and open our minds to the truth. It's a terrible thing. It's a terrible thing when someone leaves the church, for whatever reason it might be. They get caught up in what it is, get caught up in the cares of the lures of the world, or they get mad at someone and they decide they're not going to stick with the truth or God because of some human, something that he did.

That's why chapter 10 also has these verses that lead right into chapters 26-29 that we just read.

In verse 24, he says, Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.

So if we see someone who's struggling, if we see someone who all of a sudden isn't coming to church on a regular basis, or they're saying things like, they don't get it anymore, they don't want to, they don't want to be here, they're having all these issues or whatever, he says, if we really love them, if there is the sagape that's supposed to be among God's people, you know, that we should have, that we love each other because we're fellow family members, we all have the truth and the Holy Spirit, he says, let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. Be there to encourage that person. Don't just let them run off, you know, do whatever you can. Let them know people care. Sometimes that's what it takes, it's just feeling that someone really does care.

And he goes on to say, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting. That means encouraging, strongly encouraging one another, and so much more the more as you see the day approaching. So he's saying, you know, do that. Be among God's people.

There is a benefit. There is a tremendous benefit. You know, when you are among God's people on the Sabbath day and you feel that energy, you feel that zeal, you feel that love, you feel that closeness to God, it is something that revs us up and that does give us the strength and build up to go through the next week. That's why he says, don't forsake it. And then right after that is when he says, because if we forget who we are, if we just sort of wander back into the world, you know, there's the problem. We don't want to do that. And people, as they are leaving the church, they will attend less and less. They get back in the world, and pretty soon they just forget.

We shouldn't forget them somewhere along the line. Someone should be reaching out and come back, you know, come back, or let them talk about what's going on. So, hey, Bill Bruce, how are you tonight? Really good. You know, I've had several people, you know, I was gone many years, 40 years almost, and came back in 2019. And so I called a few people I used to go to church with and told them I was going to church. And unfortunately, a couple of were relatives, and they said, hey, leave me alone. I've never been happy before in my life. Just leave me alone. And it really hurt.

My sister, she made it be known very clear. She had it be several times because I and now I just, in fact, her husband now has stage four cancer. And he's the kind of guy that never goes to the doctor. And he told her, he found out he had it, you know, he says, I'm 70 some years old, probably 76. He says, I'm not going to pursue any treatment. I've lived long enough. And then she said, he said, I didn't hear this from his lips, but she said, he said, he said he's ready to go to hell. And I think it might have been her way of just telling me don't say nothing to me about religion.

But anyway, my, you know, I just hope that she never was really that sincere. And maybe she wasn't other than that, who knows? Yeah, only God knows only God knows. Yeah.

Okay. Yeah, I think there's all all of us have someone in our life that we wonder, you know, wonder that, well, probably several someones that, you know, used to be in church with us, and they've left and you, you wonder, did they ever really understand the truth? Did they ever really get it? Or were they this there? Because they proved the words were true, but they never let it sink into their heart. And, you know, God, that's why God says he knows what's in our heart.

He knows what's there. So, okay. We read Psalm 103. Let me see. God is not fair. Oh, yeah. So, then I wanted to look at Hebrews 6 as well. We read Hebrews 10, 24. But there in Hebrews, there's another verse that talks about falling away as well. There's one in either 1 Peter or 2 Peter. I don't remember where. But in Hebrews 6 and verse 4, you look at the first few verses there. Chapter 6, he talks about leaving the elementary principles behind, right? The repentance, dead works, all those things when we do what we're coming into the Church. Let's go on to perfection. That's the goal, right, the rest of our life, to become like Jesus Christ, to work toward that blamelessness. Verse 3 says, And this we will do if God permits, for it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put him to an open shame. God, you know, Christ sacrificed himself once for us.

Count that as a very valuable thing. Never discount it, and always, always keep in mind the future that God has for us. Hey, Sherry. Your mic is off, Sherry. Sorry, I'm sorry.

As you know, because I have left a long time ago, and that, and I've been back, I think, for, I don't know, well over 10 years, I can't even remember how long, but with what we just read, so does that mean that it's, I'm not? You're not what? You're bad. I mean, you came back, right?

You heeded. Yeah, in my own will. Yeah. Yeah, okay. I just keep asking that question because, yeah. Yes. You turn back to God. Just keep walking. Can we sacrifice still? Yes. Hold. Yes. Okay.

You wandered for a while, but you came back. That's why he says turn, turn from your ways, turn back to him. That's a good thing. Okay, thank you. Okay, I don't know your name. I've had three, but you are on, so. Jan? Oh, Jan! How you doing, Jan? All right. Good.

Um, isn't it talking about whether you have God's Spirit or not? Uh-huh. Have God's Spirit, then, and then you reject it and fall away? Or can you be baptized and still not receive God's Spirit?

Yes, you can. You know, we can go through the physical motion, right? And, and dunk, but God knows what's in the heart. He gives his Holy Spirit to those where he sees there has been genuine repentance on their part, is what I believe, because, um, because you see too many people. And, and in the course of a ministry, you know, have people come back, come to you and say, I think, I don't think my first baptism took, if I can use that word, right? That I never really felt the strength. I never really overcame the, they wanted to. And then when you talk to them, you know, there's one I'm thinking in my mind, I know she's not of the Bible studies today, but, she said, I realize now the only reason I got baptized was to get married, because the minister said he wouldn't marry me if I wasn't baptized. So I got baptized, but she goes, I didn't, I didn't do the repentance. But see, she knew all that time. And then later in life, as she realized, I never did repent. And she got baptized again, so to be able to do that. So yes, you can. You can.

And baptism, you're asked if you've repented. Yes. So they lie about that? I guess, yeah, I guess they must have. Yeah, yeah. It's a tricky thing, but God knows. God knows. And like I said, he's merciful. We could be thankful for that. So absolutely. Yeah. Hey, Bill.

Um, you know, when I first came back, I listened to, I've listened to everybody, but Gary Anthe is one of my favorites. He is the most loving man. And here's what he said. He said, you know, I've had people come to me. And I wondered at one time when I, you know, when I started to think about coming back or, you know, asking to come back, if I had committed the unpardonable sin, quote, unquote. But Mr. Anthe made it pretty clear. He said, I've come to him and said, I'm afraid I committed the unpardonable sin. And he said, well, are you, are you sorry? He said, yes, I am. He said, well, then you have it. That's exactly the right answer. Yeah. Hey, Tracy.

He doesn't want you guys to say it helps a lot because I know my sister got baptized. I know I don't know if we're allowed to know this or not. I'm pretty sure she never repented. She never changed anything. She never went through any form of remorse, of visual remorse. She never stopped looking towards the world. Our father wasn't in church. Our mother was very Southern Baptist and carried some of that with her. And so there was a lot there. But she, she made a choice. She chose, my mom always told us, she's the one, she's God. And she did choose the world.

But I never saw my sister be anything different than who she is today. Yeah. So she may not, she may have just gone through the motions to please your parents or thought it was time or whatever. So yeah, one more question. People say, you know, God, when we ask God's forgiveness, he blocks out our sins. People say, I don't know if this is what we should believe or not, that you forgive does not mean you forget. God blocks them out, right? They're there. Yeah, God blocks them out. But we don't, we don't, well, I mean, we are, we should forgive and forget, but we don't really forget, right? I mean, we do forgive. So is that what you mean you're saying?

I think, I think the idea is that I said just because you've forgiven somebody doesn't mean you've forgotten what they've done. And sometimes I think they follow that up with, you know, you don't have to be a fool twice kind of thing. Yeah, yeah. You don't forget and let them do it again. Yeah, you, yeah, you forgive, but, but it's still there, right? That's just, yeah. Yeah.

Okay. Hey, James. Okay, Jim, Jim Chapman.

Yeah, Rick. Hi. Hi, James. I was unmuted. Thank you. Maybe if I could get some clarification on Hebrews 6-6. Okay. I know if we sin, we repent. But this is saying that if we're doing that, we're actually crucifying Christ again. I think, you know, I'd have to look it up, but I think when it says there in verse, if they fall away, that means you turn, you really turn from God and, I mean, turn against him, like Cain turns against him, like Saul turned against him, right? People can fall away and just kind of linger out in the world, right? And like, you know, several. They'll come back later because they never really forgot God, but then they do realize and remember who he is, but they never really turned against God, if you will, in a way that they just hated this way of life. I think that's what they're talking about. Then it would be, they don't even want it at that time, right? They don't even want it. Their hearts have been hardened against God, and they don't even want, they don't want again to come back to repentance or come back to the church. If you want to come back to church, then you have it harden your heart against God. Right. I see what you said. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

Hey, Becky.

Hello, I thought it might be good to bring up the Scripture about God forgives our sins as far as the east is from the west. Yeah. And also, you know, the parable of the lost sheep. When he finds the one lost sheep, or when they return, he's so joyful. And he goes back and he says, rejoice with me, I've found my lost sheep. And I think that he just moves on from that point. You know, it's new.

He forgives you, and it's new. And you don't have to carry it around. Right. And when he goes back to that one lost sheep, right, next week, we'll talk about that a little bit when we get into Ezekiel 34. When he gets that one lost sheep, he's very happy that they've come back to the flock.

And we should be that we should feel the same way. So yeah. Yeah, he tells he goes and tells all his neighbors, you know, rejoice with me. I'm so excited on the sheep. Yes. Yep. Hey, Samantha.

Hey, sorry, I just had two things for Bill Bruce. I actually like I love what he said about that, because I'm always like, what's the unpardonable sin? I'm sure I did it. I love I love that he said that that really was like, put the light in my heart for real. And then the other thing about forgive and forget, I think there's like a middle step or maybe two middle steps is like, forgive, set new boundaries, adjust your expectations of that person. And then you can forget what they did, because it's not going to be able to happen again with your new outlook on things.

Yeah, that was all. Thank you. Give us the benefit of that. Yes, Dale, Dale, hi.

Your mic is on or off.

Yeah, thank you. Yeah, I just thought of sobering Scripture in Second Thessalonians, seemed to be directed toward the church.

Okay.

That's Second Thessalonians chapter two, it says, It will not be soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by word, spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, that the day of Christ is at hand. So we may be getting fairly close to that time. And it says, verse three, let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, except there should come a falling away first. And that's the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. So it seems like the very sobering warning would need to be even more vigilant, you know, as to get closer to the end, because Paul's really exhorting the church to be very, very careful, you know, not to not to fall away.

Yep. No, that is a warning, because Satan will, he will, he will ratchet up the deception, right, to anything to get us to fall from there. You go on to that chapter, as you know, and he says, you know, he says that people fall away because they never, they never received the love of the truth.

They didn't love it with all their heart, mind and soul. So it has to become part of us. Yeah.

Hey, Matthew. Hi, where was Dale at with Scripture? He was in 2 Thessalonians 2 versus verse 3, I think you were reading. So yes, that's right. 2 and 3. Yeah. 2 Thessalonians 2. Thank you.

And then one more thing just to tie in with that. You know the Scripture about Satan being cast down.

I just kind of wanted an opinion. It ties in if we think that has happened yet or if that's subjective.

I know it's subjective. Yes. Yeah. I mean, you can look at the world around us. I mean, I think there's a difference of opinion. I mean, the world really changed a lot at the time of COVID, right? I mean, everything really changed at that point. So, and we know, you know, that there will be a time, it'll be miserable times when Satan is cast down. Whether God has already done that and the world is moving along in those end time things that Jesus Christ talked about, or whether that is yet to occur, we know the world is moving in that direction pretty quickly.

It seems like so many. It seems like everyone I know is having trouble after trouble after trial after trial. I mean, it's like a never-ending cycle of trials. So it just makes me think about that scripture. Yeah. And remember, trials are there to bring us, to help us build faith, right, in God. So, hey Kathleen. And I want to tell Dale, thank you for the scripture.

Okay. Kathleen Callahan.

Your mic is off, Kathleen. Can you hear me now? Yes, we can. Okay, great. It's Callahan, sorry.

Oh, Callahan, okay. I see it now, okay. Thank you. Well, I have, so then the eighth day, so I have family members that have died, like my son and my daughter-in-law, and, you know, my parents are gone, and my son didn't believe in God, and Megan did until Greg died. But, and my parents were Catholic. So you're saying the people, like on the eighth day, them, they have a chance when they wake up to accept Jesus Christ. But if we, who already have faith and have repented and been baptized in our church, we don't have a chance. If we, we do something wrong, because we already know better, is that kind of like it? Yeah, and doing something wrong is like turning away from God, right? Forgetting about Him, deliberately turning back to the world and saying, I don't want to do this. Yeah, everyone has a day of salvation.

Our day of salvation is now, the rest of the world is in that, is in that second resurrection time.

Okay, thank you. Hey, Bill. Hey, Bill.

You know, like I was saying earlier, when I listened to Gary Antion and several others, they've made it very clear it has to be willful. You're not going to wonder if you did it. You're not going to want to come back. Yes. You have no desire to come back. I talked to a friend a while back, our next relative, and I don't think he was a far end of the church's, but he flat out said it, but I don't think he was ever baptized. He said, you know what, I don't want to change. I don't want to quit smoking. I don't want to quit drinking. Now, if a person who'd been baptized and received the Holy Spirit and was really serious said that, that would be pretty willful, and I believe that that would be the unpardonable sin. But like you said, God's the one that only knows and can judge that, and he will be very fair about it. Yeah. Hey, Ken. How are you tonight?

I met your son-in-law this week, by the way. Your son-in-law and daughter, they were here in Cincinnati. So, Martin and Jenny, they've just crossed over Costa Rica, haven't they? They've done some bike riding and hiking and canoe and rafting. And yes, they were very excited about helping out in Sri Lanka, because one of my old stomping grounds. Oh, okay. Okay, very good. They'll be able to link up with so many of our wonderful brethren there in Sri Lanka.

They're really looking forward to that. Good, good. You know, when we think about Hebrews 11 verse 35, it's just incredible, the calling that we've been given, because we've been called to the better resurrection. And some people say, I have heard people say, it's just really, it's insane what they say sometimes, that, oh, I think I'll just wait till the second resurrection. But, you know, we have been given this precious pearl of great price. We have been called to the better resurrection.

And in Hebrews 11, because it's listing so many of the faithful men and women that have been faithful to God, and they're going to be in that better resurrection, the first resurrection, because, you know, we're going to be there for the thousand years of Christ's rule. We're training now, as we know, in 1 Peter 2 verses 5 and 9, that we're part of the training group of God's holy, royal, priesthood. What an honour we have been given to train now, so that we can use the experiences of this life we've had to be able to be compassionate leaders and to encourage and uplift and help the brokenhearted and the downtrodden, even in the first thousand years.

And then, of course, for the people here we've been listening to, lost the son, loved ones, and even ones who may not have quite understood the truth in its life. But resurrected in the second resurrection, I guess who's going to be there with the mind of God, as sons and daughters of God, to be able to help them and help them the most at that time? It's going to be us. So we have a lot to live for in this life now, and just the excitement of having been called to the better resurrection is mind-blowing.

It is. We just have what we feel down and depressed, and where are we going? Remember that. Remember that, and that should spur us on. Always keep the vision the vision. Okay. Okay. Let's go back here. Let's go back here to verse...let me see where we were. We were in verse 18, verse 19. When the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he will live because of it. And verse 20, that God says again, but you say, the way of Lord is not fair. O house of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his own ways.

Again, endure to the end and stay close to God. In verse 21 then, we find the actual fall of Jerusalem. I remember, as I mentioned at the beginning, the people that Ezekiel would be saying this to that were there, they were sitting already in captivity in Babylon, but Jerusalem was their homeland, and they were watching this from afar, and it came to pass in the 12th year of our captivity in the 10th month on the fifth day of the month that one who had escaped from Jerusalem came to Ezekiel and said, the city's been captured.

And the hand of the Lord had been upon me, Ezekiel says, the evening before the man came who had escaped. God was letting him know, Jerusalem has fallen. All those prophecies, everything you told them would happen, it has happened. So the people there, what a witness to them. Everything God had told him about the fall of Jerusalem at that time had come upon them. All those prophecies came to pass. The hand of the Lord had been upon me the evening before the man came who had escaped, and he had opened my mouth. So when he came to me in the morning, my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.

In verse 23, the Lord of the Lord came to me saying, Son of man, they who inhabit those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, that's in those those places that have been captured by Babylon, if you will.

The city was being destroyed, and they were there in those ruins. You know, they were basically saying, this isn't really happening. They were still kind of in denial by the words they said here that this could even happen. Much like in America, when things are falling apart, no, no, you know, people would think, oh, no, not America. It could never fail. It could never fall apart. It could never be conquered. And so they were kind of saying the same thing here. It's like, Abraham was only one, and he inherited the land. But we are many. The land's been given to us as a possession.

Like, no, no, this can't be happening to us. God's not going to take the land away. Even though Jeremiah had been over there prophesying for 40 years, if you don't turn back to God, there's going to be an army from the north come in. It's going to be a terrible army. They're going to conquer.

You're going to lose everything. You're going to be taken captive and cast out of the lands, and the temple will be destroyed. They didn't believe it. They didn't believe it. And that's what they're kind of saying here in verse 24 by those words. But in verse 25, God says, you say to them, thus says the Lord God. And then he kind of recounts their sins.

You know, this is why it's happened. You didn't obey me. He says, thus says the Lord God, you eat meat with blood. That was a violation of an Old Testament statute. You eat meat with blood.

You lift your eyes toward your idols. You shed blood. Well, then should you possess the land?

God says, I told you you would possess the land and continue to possess it if you obeyed me. But look what you do. You haven't been doing the things that I told you were a condition that you do to honor me. Verse 26, you rely on your sword. You don't trust in me. God says, you trust in your sword. You rely on your sword. You commit abominations. You defile one another's wives.

Should you then possess the land? Do you deserve to do it? Have you done what I asked you to do? Did you live your way of life and appreciation for the blessings that God has given us, just like we live our lives the way God said, because we appreciate and are grateful for what he has given us, the gift of eternal life, if we follow him. He's bringing us back to Jeremiah for a second.

I remember years ago reading through Jeremiah, and God has the same sentiment when he's having Jeremiah's speech when he has Jeremiah speaking to Jerusalem. Look at Jeremiah 5, and it's in verse—did I write these down? Jeremiah 5 and verse 2, I think it is. Oh, yeah, Jeremiah 5 verse 9. Jeremiah 5 verse 9. Well, we begin at verse 7.

God is saying—he's talking about backsliding Judah—verse 7, How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by those that are not God's when I have fed them to the full. Then they committed adultery and assembled themselves by troops in the harlot's houses. They were like well-fed, lusty stallions, everyone knaid after his neighbor's wife. Shall I not punish them for these things, says the Lord? And shall I not avenge myself on such a nation as this? Don't they deserve it? Didn't they bring this upon themselves? If we go further on in the chapter down to verse 26, he says, For among my people are found wicked men. They lie in wait as one who sets snares. They set a trap. They catch men.

This is kind of the things that are done in the world, and yet, you know, it happens, he says, among my people. They're just trying to trap people. They're just trying to get people, not for good purposes. As a cage is full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit.

Therefore, they have become great and grown rich. They've grown fat. They're sleek. Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked. They don't plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper. At the right of the needy, they don't defend. Shall I not punish them for these things, says the Lord? Shall I not avenge myself on such a nation as this? So it's the same sentiment that I find interesting that God is giving Ezekiel here. You've done all these things, you have it obeyed me, you violated all these principles that you were supposed to live by.

So yes, yes, you're going to lose the land. Yes, Jerusalem, yes, Jerusalem has fallen. Hey, Brandon, how are you tonight? Hey, Mr. Chairman, I'm doing pretty good. How about yourself, sir?

I'm doing well, thanks. Good. Yeah, you know, it's funny, I was just talking to my wife last night about how, like, in this country, we have, like, we're just so blessed that we just, that we have all these creative issues, you know, we have created so much trouble for ourselves. And, you know, to look at other countries and look how little they have in comparison to what we have, it's just actually astonishing. It's just like, we don't have, we truly don't have anything to worry about, like we think we do, where other people is just like, like, if I was to say, man, you know what, I'm having trouble finding access to clean drinking water. That would sound incredibly wild in the United States of America. That's a reality that people live by in other countries.

So it's just, it's interesting. Yeah, that you know, how far we've fallen and how great matter of fact, there's a song, it's called Harvest for the World by the Isley Brothers. And one of the lines in that song says that a nation full of plenty so concerned with gain. And it's so, that's that's us in a nutshell. Yeah, that is. That is American in a nutshell. Yeah, good words. So, hey, Darlene. Hi, Mr. Shavey. I just have a question. I'm really trying to understand these verses and my Bible says it's the cause of Judah's ruin. And yet, when I'm reading it, and I could be just totally not understanding this, when God is telling Ezekiel, they who inhabit those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, and all of that, they who inhabit those ruins and isn't that that's not Judah, that's Israel. Yeah, that's right. And then he's telling them all this.

I don't know. Am I not understanding this? Yeah, son of man, they who inhabit these ruins. Now, remember, he has just said Jerusalem is fallen. Jerusalem is fallen. Right. Israel is there.

Remember, ancient Israel did include Jerusalem. Jerusalem was at one time the capital of all of Israel. So, those who inhabit those ruins in the land of Israel, they're talking about Abraham.

I mean, this could be prophetic, too, right? Because he is speaking to Israel today, as well as talking about the capture of Jerusalem there, or the downfall of Jerusalem there. Not sure that helped at all. They were just captured, so Jerusalem's not in ruin yet. Well, no, they just had fallen, right? That was when the passengers came. Jerusalem has fallen. Jerusalem's been captured. So, I have a feeling Xavier's got a thought on this. He's next in line here. Let's hear what Xavier has to say. Okay. After the evening, brother, it should be not in regards to what darling just said, but going back to what was said in the quote of Abraham and them comparing themselves to him. They did the same thing when our Lord was here in the flesh, where they said, we are Abraham's seed. And he said, yes, sure, but guess what? You don't have the works of Abraham.

So, that's what's important. Do you love God and do what Abraham did? Yep.

I'll go back to you, Darlene Elizabeth. Hey, Mr. Shaby. Yes. This is Barry Gannon. I'm from Missouri.

Okay. Hey, Barry. Hey, and I don't want to stop you. You know, you're going good now, but you went by that verse 21 and 22 so fast, and the importance of it is so great, because, you know, Ezekiel was unmuted. He'd been mute for seven and a half years, ever since his wife died, you know, and God himself prophesied that when this man comes, you know, you're going to be mute until this man comes and tells you Jerusalem is falling. So that's back in Ezekiel 24-26. And he knew the night before that he wasn't going to be mute anymore because God came to him. But, you know, and the thing is, for seven and a half years, he couldn't speak his own words. He could only speak God's words. It had to be God coming to him and saying, you're going to speak this. And it might have been six months or so before anyone would hear him speak. And when he did speak, they listened. And I think that was the purpose of God doing that to him because the only time he spoke was when God spoke through him.

And then after this happened, he wasn't mute anymore. So that was a big event right there.

Yeah, thank you for pointing that out. Thank you for pointing that out. That's good. And it's gonna, if we get there, I'm going to try to get there. It really adds to what the last few verses here of Ezekiel 33 are, right? Because it talks about how the people like Ezekiel's words. They like hearing him speak. They know at that point it's God speaking through him. So that's a good point to follow up on that. So thank you. So, Elizabeth, that's about the only explanation I have right now on that. So let me think on that one. And I looked that up even in the commentaries, and I never really saw exactly what that meant, except that they said they were, you know, what I said, just, this isn't going to happen to us. This isn't going to happen to us. And maybe because, as Xavier said, we have Abraham. We have Abraham and this land was promised to him, but God was taking it away. And finally, at this time, right, Israel had already lost their land, and now Judah was losing their land as well. They had lost everything God had given them because of not living like Abraham had lived. Okay, let's go. To me, it almost sounds, and I don't want to interrupt him, then I'll be quiet. But it's just, it's almost like this section from 23 down to 29 is, I don't know, it's almost like, I don't see it as part of, I don't know, again, maybe as we continue reading, but to me, it's almost like a separate future for Israel, all of Israel, including Judah. Yeah, keep your mind on that, because certainly as we get down into the verses more, it is clearly talking about the future and not about Judah. So that may be how God is transitioning in there, and that's why the land of Israel is in there, because it applied to Judah falling as that happened, but he's really talking about what's going to happen, you know, in the end time. So because certainly as he goes down here and he talks about the sins, you know, it'd be the same thing that he would say to America, Britain, Canada, Australia, right?

You haven't lived the way, you know, you haven't lived the way I said, so why wouldn't I? Why wouldn't you lose the land because of what you've done? So thank you. Okay, let's try. We've had a lot of discussion ahead of time, but let's, if you don't, bear with me another 10 minutes and we'll try to finish up chapter 33 here. The last verses here, I just really are, I don't know, the way God writes them are really, really interesting, but we're in verse 27. Thus, say thus to them, Thus says the Lord God, As I live, surely those who are in the ruins shall fall by the sword.

Okay, these are the people where the land has already been taken, right? Everything's been lost.

Literally could be speaking around the end time because these words used about beasts and pestilence and all these things are end time type things. As I live, surely those who are in the ruins shall fall by the sword and the one who is in the open field I will give to the beast to be devoured.

You can't hide from God in that day of judgment and those who are in the strongholds and caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will make the land, and these are the verses that indicate to us this is end time, right? For I will make the land most, there's an there's an adverb, most desolate. Her arrogant strength shall cease, her arrogant strength shall cease, and the mountains, that's all those nations of Israel, shall be so desolate that no one will pass through.

That didn't happen. That hasn't happened, right? If we, you don't have to turn there, but you'll remember back in Isaiah 11, Isaiah 6, when God is calling Isaiah to be a prophet, Isaiah said, well how long am I going to talk? How long am I going to say these words? In verse 11, he says, God says, until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, and the land is utterly desolate. That's end time. That's end time stuff, and this is what he's talking about here. So we know that's a prophecy for the time. Again, the nations will fall because of their sins. Their arrogant strength shall cease, and I would there say, you know, we could say our English-speaking nations have some arrogant strength. The mountains of Israel will be so desolate that no one will pass through. And then God says, when the ultimate loss comes, when you've lost everything, what's the phrase that we read over and over and over again, Ezekiel? Then they will know that I am the Lord. They'll now know every their way brought them to complete ruin. The only way is to God. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I have made the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. And then he says these very nice words, you know, about Ezekiel. May relate back to what was it Bruce? You know, said about Ezekiel hasn't spoken for a long time. They're in captivity. They now know Jerusalem has fallen.

They've heard these words about desolation and the words that Ezekiel has said. And he says, for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses. And they speak to one another. Everyone's saying to his brother, please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord. They say nice things about Ezekiel. In contrast to the type of things they would say about Jeremiah as he was a prophet and some other prophets that they put into depth, Ezekiel was in favor among the people. So they come to you, God says, they come to you Ezekiel as people do. They sit before you as my people and they hear your words. But the sad thing is they don't do them. For with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument. For they hear your words, but they don't do them. And I hope, I hope that all of us would heed these things and listen to the words of God. But remember, we must do them as well. We must do them. Verse 33, and when this comes to pass, Ezekiel, surely it will come, then they will know that a prophet has been among them. So I think those are very good words of commendation for Ezekiel. And the people took comfort in God's words.

They heard them, and it's good for us to take comfort in God's words and to hear them, and they comfort us. But we can never forget. We have to do what God says. So in there, God says, they're going to know. They're going to know everything that I told you Ezekiel came through.

There has been a prophet among you. But in chapter 34, we're going to read God's treatise, if you will, on the ministers of all the time, from that time forward. But certainly at the end time as well, God has quite a message to them about how to be shepherds and ministers.

We'll talk about that next week. So okay, we have discussed quite a bit during this time.

Becky, you got a question or comment or anything? Just something to throw out there. So I think it's really interesting in verse 29 there, or 28, that he says, the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that no one will pass through. And if we are talking about a time of tribulation, and we start thinking about the place of safety or the place of protection, it just makes me in my mind think no one passing through. You know, there's this desolation and maybe that's part of a protection measure. And it's all just me speculating, but just a thought. Well, it's so desolate, you know, but it'll be like there's nothing there, right? No one will pass through because there's nothing there anymore. So yeah, they'll be astounded at what has happened to it.

Hey, Bill.

I just wanted to say I grew up in the church from the time I was about 12.

And I paid attention for a few years. And I learned a lot, not as much as I thought I knew.

But I didn't ever leave because of anything bad. I just drifted away.

And it takes years. When I first contacted Mr. Light in 2019, I mean, I showed up down there, I knew where it was, somebody told me. My wife wanted to get baptized. She was called, she'd never been to church with us. She wanted to be baptized within like four weeks. She was called that quick. And I told Mr. Light, I said, even now I'm not ready. It's like I wanted it so bad.

You have to prove it. And you don't do it overnight. It takes work. You can't just glide and think it's just going to come to you. Back in the day, they used to talk much more about their first love, my first love, you know, and I felt I never had that.

Well, you have it now. You have it now.

I'm far from perfect. You can ask my wife. But I finally do have very strong faith. It took me four or five years of constant... I have to immerse myself, or I just can't. It's just the way I am.

And I do do that. I challenge anybody to do this. Go back. If you have the time, I'm retired, you can find every script, every sermon that they have, that they put online.

And they are so fantastic. I listened to John Miller the other day that he gave on the 18th about learning to fear the God, fear God. That's one of the best sermons I ever heard. And I just go back and listen to those. I'd advise anybody to listen to John Miller on the 18th of October.

It's fantastic. Very good. And then there's another guy named Rick.

I saw John Elliott. Is John still on? Or did he have to leave?

Is he still on now? Yeah, well, he was on a minute ago. He had his hand up.

Okay, okay. Well, I want to say hi to him. Okay, let me see. It's not Elizabeth. It's Bruce, right?

Hello, can you hear me? Okay, you are Elizabeth. Okay. Yes, I'm Elizabeth. Okay. Hi, how are you?

Good. How are you? I'm good. I'm good. I heard a gentleman talk about how we have access to clean, clean water. And it just screamed in my brain. No, we don't. That's why we need RFK being a part of the so we can be healthy again, because our water has been poisoned with fluoride and bromide and all kinds of stuff. So we don't have I mean, the United States is not one of the healthiest countries in the world. We have like an obesity rate that's through the roof. So other countries are healthier, but our food is in water is just poisoned. Yeah, it is. That's why you purifiers, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I guess what he meant to say is we have access to it.

If we, you know, buy this, get that, get all these purifiers and everything else. Yes. But it's not it's not as easy as as as he made it sound. Yeah. And so turn others happened during it, right? Yeah. Yeah. And so and I was a member way back in the day with worldwide.

And I always felt that the church left me because when when the church changed, I mean, back in 94, or was it 95? And when I would contact worldwide, they would say, Yeah, well, we're it. There's nothing, you know, we've changed and you have to change with us. And I just, when they started keeping Christmas and Easter and and and Sunday, and I mean, I just couldn't for a long time, I just let it all go. And I guess God called me again, or either he called me again, or he never let go the first time. And so when I was watching TV, I discovered tomorrow's world. And I said, that's the world tomorrow. And so when I called them, and it was Living Church of God and living directed me to United United, so I thought that was really nice. So I just like my point being, God didn't give up on me. He never gives up on us, right? We give up on him. Right. We tell him.

Yeah. Yeah. Very good. Nice story. Very good. Thank you for the Bible studies. Hey, Tracy.

Microphone, Tracy. Okay, it's a yeah minute. Um, yeah, the young man, I couldn't read his name. I'm on a cell phone. He was talking about we make our own problems. I have a term for that my sister gave me the reason I'm bringing it up. It's called first world problems. And, and, and it puts it in perspective, because when I was growing up, when the church, I'd wear my tie, since they got around him. Oh my dear, that was the end of the world. And yet you got people living in shacks of cardboard, or mud houses. And, you know, she was talking about clean water. Now we don't have access to pure water. But our water may need purified things. But the water I gather tap doesn't give me botulism or Ebola or anything like that kind of clean water. And one of the things that really makes me stop and think is what they're saying, there's seven billion people in this world.

And for years and years, there's been billions of people in the world. How many people have been called by God and have his spirit going back to what he was saying about, oh, it just left me because I have no memory. But we are called, yeah, how great it is to have that good calling. Well, it's rare. It's rarer than gold or diamonds or anything else. And I can't think of anything more rare than that. And that helps also to keep me on track to think, look, God tells you out of billions and billions through the centuries. Yep, quite a calling. I should never forget how precious that is and how important it is should be one of the guiding things of our life. Andrew?

Yes, sir. I was really struck by some of the last verses you read in the chapter, especially 31 talks about people come and sit before as my people, and they hear the words, but they don't do them. And their mouth shows much love, but their heart goes after covetousness. I'm just wondering, in light of that and our publishing of the Gospel, do we attempt in any way to be a watchman that's calling people out on that kind of thing? Or is that an area that's, is that an introductory thing we can't do later? I mean, call them out as in they need to be not just listening to the words but doing them? Yeah, we live in a nation that's gone crazy.

You know, now we're trying to publish the Gospel, and as we do, and just wondering if this is part of the decision-making process. Yeah, now we do say that you have to turn to God, and you need to repent, and you need to do the words that you hear and read. So we're making that more and more part of the message that goes out in the videos as well as the articles.

Thank you. Okay.

Okay, Bill, another comment.

How did California lose over 30 billion dollars?

I have no idea. California is a mess. So.

Okay, anything else, anyone?

Let me say hi. I see some faces I haven't seen for a while down there. Bob, Eileen, Berta, Paul. Good to see all of you.

Okay, why don't we go ahead and say good night? It is almost 8 30. We've been at this for an hour and a half. It's been been a pleasure to hear all your comments and to go through the Bible and everything like this. So everyone have a very good rest of the week. We'll see you.

John. Wait, wait, wait, John.

Good night.

I saw a clip the other day. It was real interesting. It was about absolute proof that there are no people in God's kingdom.

See ya!

And he referred to Revelation 8 to 1.

Wait a minute, everyone. Why we got one.

John, make it your comment. Hold on just a minute.

He saw it. He turned me up.

Okay, go ahead.

Anyway, clip. The two guys were arguing about whether there was or was not females in heaven.

And he said, yeah, I have absolute proof. And he quoted Revelation 8-1 that there was silence in heaven for half an hour.

Okay, John. With that note, with that note, tell Angie hi and tell Angie hi. We will sign off then. Okay.

Good night, everyone. Take care. We'll see you next Wednesday night.

Thank you.

Have a good night.