Sunday, March 9, 2014

PHARAOH

Suggested Reading: Ezekiel 30-31

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

Once standing 60 feet high, this colossal statue of Ramses II, carved from limestone, now lays on the ground. It looks like he is sleeping, perhaps dreaming. This statue once adorned the great temple of Ptah in Memphis, Egypt. Ramses the Great ruled for more than 60 years, roughly 1279 to 1213 BC (about 200 years after the exodus of the Israelites). This image may have already been toppled by the time of today's reading some 700 years after the reign of Rameses II. The empires of Babylon and Persia made Memphis the capital city of the province (satrap) of Egypt. The prophecies of the Bible predicted this.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verses: Ezekiel 30:19

Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt,

Then they shall know that I am the Lord.

 

Ezekiel 30 mentions Egypt a dozen times with statements like our key verse. For example, 30:13 tells us of the destruction of the idols and images of Noph (ancient Memphis). Like the king of Tyre in yesterday’s reading, the Pharoah’s and the Emperors claimed to be gods to be worshipped. Lucifer, the archangel who was exiled from Heaven because he desired to be worshipped instead of the true God, now seeks that worship on earth by convincing earthly rulers that they are gods to be worshipped. Satan still seeks to divert worship away from the Great Creator, the One and Only God of the cosmos.

Ezekiel 31 seems to reflect the hurt God experiences because of rejection by His creation. Ezekiel, speaking for God, refers to “the garden of God” three times, and the “trees of Eden” twice. God placed our first parents in a beautiful garden. There were trees there in Eden. The first three chapters of the Bible describe this garden God had lovingly prepared for His human family. We’ve messed up so horribly. Today we might consider repenting, not only for our own sins, but for the sin of rebellion against God throughout the years of recorded history. Again and again, because we have sided with Satan knowingly or unknowingly against God, we have been the cause of our own destruction.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I’m sorry for my sins against You and for the sins of Your human family for whom You have such great, joyous and peaceful plans to bless with a happy future. I pray that I will give myself to You in such a way that I will be, for all those whose paths cross mine, a source of hope for a better world, because of Your gift of restoration which You have given me in Your Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ, in Whose Name I pray. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

My parents spent many years doing God’s work in Egypt. I’ve stood beside the great fallen image of Rameses in ancient Noph (Memphis) and wondered at the giant statue carved from one piece of granite. What gigantic self images must have been in the minds of the Pharaohs and their people who worshipped them as gods. Egypt is in terrible shape again today. Stories of violence, corruption and destruction are in the news. Followers of Jesus are persecuted, murdered, and churches are destroyed. One story my dad told in his autobiography, which he intended only for his family but which I published after his death, was of my mother and an Egyptian police officer. Mother, who died when I was 12, was praying at the altar in a church building when the officer carrying a rifle came to the front to investigate what was happening. Dad said that he heard this policeman tell this story several times. He said, as mother stood to her feet, a tear dropped from her eyes onto the man’s arm. He dropped the rifle, fell to his knees and was converted to Jesus Christ. I think that if I were to weep more over the spiritual condition of humanity, one of my tear drops could touch someone, and by the working of God’s Spirit, more people would come to know Jesus. Individuals, families, and nations could be changed by believers in Jesus all over the world. I pray that I will touch someone’s life for Jesus today.

Yours for loving God and loving people,

David

P.S. In case you missed watching 100 Huntley Street on TV last week, here’s a 1/2 hour of life-changing communications. Ron was down here in Florida with Norma-Jean and me last week, and our Crossroads Global CEO, Dr. John Hull, along with Moira Brown, hosted the program (click here to check it out). Like my mother’s teardrop, these shows are changing lives.

8 thoughts on “Sunday, March 9, 2014

  1. An amazing analogy God conveys prophetically through Ezekiel about the cutting down of a massive Cedar of Lebanon, depicting how Egypt and her allies fall. The price of rulers declaring themselves as gods has been a guarantee of self destruction, even in recent years. May our loyalty and focus be on the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. May we be available to share a message of hope and salvation to others, as the Holy Spirit leads and our lives convey, in Christ Jesus name. Amen.

  2. I feel sure your prayers will be heard and acted upon today by our heavenly Father.You must have an impact upon many lives each day Rev. Mainse. How wonderful that you had such devout Christian parents. What a head start for a child!
    May God bless us all on this sabbath:-)

  3. Continue to pray for for a life change in the lives of family members. Thank you Pastor David for your daily encouragements. Enjoy the warmth and the sunshine. Everyone have a blessed day today.

  4. Thank you Lord for showing your love for us through knowing Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and thank you Father for those who show your Love in a tangable way by helping others in need that they see Jesus in us Lord brjng peace to the Egyptian people and pary for the peace of Jerusalem as we shed our tears as wepray for others to get to know Jesus and His LOVE 🙂
    ENJOY YOUR TIME IN FLORIDA IM GETTING READY TO LEAVE NEXTWEEK FIR 5 WEEKS YHE LORD WILLING USE ME LORD IN YOUR PLAN YOU HAVE PLANNRD FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD LET YOUR PERFECT WILL BE DONE IN JEJESUS NAME AMEN 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

  5. Go bless all the bloggers as it is the day to worship the Lord , What a beautiful
    day today , Spring is here in all it’s Glory P T L…..R…

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