May 24 ▪ Day 144

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 18:5
Ezekiel 39–40
John 7
Psalms 144

Verse Focus (Proverbs 18:5)

It is not good to be partial to the wicked
     and so deprive the innocent of justice.

Meditation

Proverbs 18:5 tells us, in the ESV, “It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice.” As the NIV translates the proverb, partiality to the wicked is actually the cause of depriving the innocent of justice.

In some ways, this proverb is so obviously true it makes me wonder why it’s even a proverb at all. We know God cares about justice. He is always talking about standing up for the poor and the oppressed and those that suffer from injustice. And didn’t we just read a law exactly like this proverb? Leviticus 19:15 says, “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.” So, okay, this law doesn’t mention partiality specifically to the wicked, and it’s talking about court (as opposed to the rest of life) — so maybe the verses aren’t exactly alike. But they are similar.

Of course, just because something is similar is no reason for it not to be repeated. Repetition is more a function of how important an issue it is. Think of how many times God talked about keeping the Sabbath when we were reading Leviticus! Particularly with the proverbs, the themes repeat constantly — but sometimes one way of expressing the idea will really strike you. And so perhaps that’s the point of this proverb — maybe this time it will strike us how important it is to be fair, impartial, and just.

My first thought on reading this proverb was of how some recent presidential pardons appear to be showing partiality to the wicked, rather than righting an injustice. Not good. Not good at all. But my second thought had to do with whether or not I show partiality to the wicked sometimes. It may not be a matter of court, or of the law. But when I root for the bad guy in a television show, or sympathize with a lawbreaker on the news — am I being partial in a bad way? We might find ourselves partial to the wicked for reasons that have nothing to do with their wickedness. Perhaps the miscreant is rich. Or handsome. Or someone you went to school with. The bottom line is that we need to check our own hearts to make sure we’re not being partial to those we should not be favoring.

Father God, protect us from some of the more subtle forms of injustice. Keep our hearts free of partiality. And should we ever be in a position of judge or jury, help us to cling to truth, justice, and righteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Ezekiel 39 continues with the prophecy against Gog and the land of Magog. God will lead them “from the uttermost parts of the north (v. 2)” against the mountains of Israel, and there “all your hordes and the peoples who are with you (v. 4)” will fall. It will be a total victory, and a huge feast for all the birds and wild animals. The LORD declares that he “will not let my holy name be profaned anymore (v. 7).” All the nations will know that God is “the LORD, the Holy One in Israel (v. 7).”

After the war, the Israelites will destroy all the weapons, using them for fire. For seven years they will burn weapons; the people will not need firewood in all that time. It will take seven months to bury all the dead from the invading army. The use of the number seven in these instances may not be intended to be a literal number so much as a number symbolizing completion. Regardless, the length of time needed to burn the weapons and to bury the dead gives us an idea of the scale of the war.

As the chapter continues, the LORD talks about the other nations seeing His glory in this judgment against Gog. The Israelites, too, will know that He is their God. Verse 23 is interesting, since it talks about how the other nations will understand that Israel went into captivity because of their iniquity. The final verses speak of the LORD gathering His people from exile, vindicating His “holiness in the sight of many nations (v. 27),” and pouring out His Spirit upon the house of Israel. These final paragraphs of the prophecy are a bit confusing, since the war with Gog and his hordes occurs when they attack the re-settled people of Israel (v. 38:8). Either these last paragraphs of chapter 39 hint at another exile and dispersion, or the re-gathering is not fully complete when Gog attacks.

Ezekiel 40 begins the final section of the book of Ezekiel — the prophet’s vision of the restored temple (chapters 40 through 48). The vision occurs in about 572 BC, 14 years after the fall of Jerusalem, in the “twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month (v. 1).”

The LORD brings Ezekiel to Jerusalem in a vision, and a man “like bronze (v. 3)” takes him on a tour of this new temple, showing Ezekiel all the measurements. As you recall, there currently is no temple in Jerusalem because it had been destroyed and desecrated by the Babylonians 14 years earlier. But in this vision, it is not only restored, but perfectly constructed. In chapter 40, Ezekiel sees the east gate, the outer court, the north gate, the south gate, the inner court, chambers for the priests and the vestibule of the temple. Verse 46 notes that the priests of the future will be limited to just the “sons of Zadok,” rather than all the sons of Aaron.

Although this temple is patterned after Moses’ Tabernacle and Solomon’s temple (the one destroyed in 586 BC), it is larger and grander in scale than Solomon’s temple was. It is also larger than what the Jews ended up rebuilding after the exile. Commentators differ on whether or not they think Ezekiel’s vision is of a literal, physical temple that will be built one day (some propose this will happen during the millennial age mentioned in Revelation), or whether this vision of the temple is entirely symbolic. Whether or not Ezekiel’s temple will become a physical reality some day, for now it symbolizes the perfection of God dwelling with His people — a vision meant to give the exiles hope.

In John chapter 7, we see how mixed the reaction to Jesus is. Some believe in him; others do not. Even his brothers do not believe in him (v. 5). Based on his actions, some say he is a good man. But others see him as dangerous, leading people astray. The people are confused. They marvel at his teaching (v. 15). Yet while they understand some of Messianic prophecy, they misunderstand what the prophecy is really talking about. As the people say in verse 27, “But we know where this man is from. When the Messiah comes, nobody will know where he is from.”

Jesus issues an invitation to all those who are confused. “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will,” he says in verse 17, “he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.” Jesus offers this same invitation to us today, for any who are confused as to his identity.

Jesus also invites those who are spiritually thirsty to come to him. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink,” he cries out in verse 37.

As we read chapter 7, we get a sense of God’s plan and His perfect timing. At the beginning of the chapter, Jesus tells his brothers in verse 5, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.” He repeats himself a moment later, saying in verse 8, “My time has not yet fully come.” Later, when some try to arrest Jesus during the feast, we read in verse 30, “But no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.” John’s telling of this gospel is very purposeful. We see that there is a divine plan in motion.

Psalm 144 is a prayer of David. As the prayer begins, David thanks God for being the one “who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle (v. 1).” For me, this is a very different way of looking at God, although I’m sure soldiers and those in the military will have a much greater appreciation for this verse. But even those without a military background will appreciate God as one’s fortress, stronghold, deliverer, shield, and refuge (v. 2).

Verse 3 and 4 stand out to me with their strong echoes of other beloved Scripture passages: Psalm 8:4 for verse 3, and Isaiah 40:7 for verse 4.

I love the way David describes God coming to rescue him, and I love David’s resolve to sing “a new song (v. 9).” He describes the blessings the people will experience and concludes, triumphantly, in verse 15, “Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!”

Father God, thank you that you are the one who equips us with what we need — whether we serve in the military, or on the home front. Thank you, too, that you are the one who truly saves us. Thank you for your promise that those who desire to do your will may learn the truth of Jesus’ identity. Thank you, too, for Christ’s promise of streams of living water. We pray for you to refresh us by your Spirit and use us to refresh others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.