EZEKIEL BREAD
Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 4-6
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Bread is being cooked over a fire in Nazareth. The only recipe in the Bible is in today’s reading. Ezekiel bread can be purchased at many health food stores across the country such as “Goodness Me” in Ontario, Canada. Of course one can bake their own fresh bread with this recipe.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Ezekiel 4:9
Also take for yourself wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread of them for yourself. During the number of days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat it.
Baking bread is the third of four visual object lessons Ezekiel was to preform in order to increase the impact of his message. Getting people to pay attention is more than half the battle in successfully communicating. Ezekiel was making sure that people who would hear him or read his words would know that the coming total destruction of Jerusalem and of the Temple of God did not take God by surprise and that God’s purpose to bring His people to repentance would become a fact in history. Following the Babylonian captivity, the Jewish people would never again fall into such evil practises which they had committed during the times of the Judges and the Kings. They learned very hard lessons! How would it be known that they had repented? Ezekiel 6:9 states that “They shall loath themselves for the evils which they have committed.” True repentance produces a loathing for sin!
Three times Nebuchadnezzar took captives to Babylon from Jerusalem. Daniel came to Babylon in the first wave, Ezekiel came eight years later. Jeremiah was still in Jerusalem during this time, and finally the prophecies of both Jeremiah and Ezekiel were fulfilled 11 years after Ezekiel was taken to Babylon. By the time of Jerusalem’s destruction, Daniel had already been in Babylon for 19 years and was well established as a leader in that empire. Jeremiah was taken by force to Egypt by some of the leaders of Judah who survived the Babylonian siege.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, grant me daily the grace to repent! May I have a constant sense of true repentance, so that I will loath my sin and cry out strongly to You in my repentance and pray for repentance to take place in people’s hearts everywhere. Like Daniel and others in Babylon, I get Ezekiel’s message, and I pray that You will enable me to live a holy life before You and before people. I ask this in the Name of the only One who always lived a holy life, Jesus Christ (Messiah). Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
It was at least 25 years ago that we actually baked Ezekiel bread live on the 100 Huntley Street telecast. Rev. Val Dodd, who had at one time been the executive chef for the Holiday Inns in Toronto, had joined our staff team, and we took a page from Ezekiel’s book. Television is, of course, a visual medium of communications. We’ve never been as radical as Ezekiel in such graphic visuals to support his message (like laying on one side and then the other for many days). I think such a visual would have increased the number of people watching. In fact, the entire country would have been aware of the show. I’m not recommending this to the current leaders in Crossroads Christian Communications Inc., but I do recommend powerful visual aids wherever possible. The more people watching means that the seed of God’s Word will fall into more good soil and will produce good fruit in more precious lives. One rather conservative pastor who pastored a church nearby said in reference to the Crossroads telecast and my somewhat radical approach to communications, “We should not try to be entertaining, we should just preach the Word!” True, but if we don’t get the attention of those who would not otherwise watch, how will they hear the “Word!” I would venture to say that Ezekiel was most entertaining. His ratings were really high, probably 100% of the people along the river Chebar watched him and got the message!
Yours for communicating in such a way that many more people “Get the Message!”,
David
Dear Lord God, thank You for faithful people who help others to keep their focus on what matters most – being in right relationship with You. Help each one of Your people, in whatever situation they are in, to keep on with You.
Please give all world leaders wisdom ad they make decisions which affect the lives of so many. In Jesus’s great name, amen
Amen to your prayer Rob. Love your suggestion to view the Magna Carta video. Blessings upon you, Ukrainians and Russians in Jesus name.
Amen
Amen
Hebrews 10: 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. It is also a safe place to be when we walk close to Him. A difficult time for Ezekiel but he was obedient. I pray to be obedient too. Blessings all on a snowy day in S Ontario
Amen
For the 25th day from the “Prayer Map of Canada”
1. Pray that there will be a growing number of people in your city or community trusting IN Christ as Saviour and Lord. (Acts 2:41, 2:47b)
2. Pray that those who serve in the justice system will be agents of true justice for all. (Proverbs 11:1)
A prayer request from Dr. Michael Youssef today:
“Over the last couple days, we’ve watched the situation in Ukraine become increasingly dire as the nation suffers under Russian attack.
As the chaos unfolds, I wanted to let you know that Leading The Way continues to broadcast the Gospel into Ukraine in English and Russian, allowing us to reach 50 percent of the population. In the coming days, we will also be launching new television programming in the Ukrainian language — allowing us to reach the entire country.
Our team is working diligently to launch this new Ukrainian programming. We see the need for the hope of the Gospel in this region of the world, and now is the time.
Our trusted partners in Ukraine are urging us to pray for them. I have also heard that believers on both sides of the conflict reject the attack and are praying for each other. Their public displays of faith are a deep encouragement to all of us in the face of unrest and uncertainty.
Ukraine has a rich history of faith that goes back an entire millennium. During the Soviet era, the government tried to stamp out Christianity altogether — and yet the church in Ukraine endured. Today, it is home to one of the largest evangelical Christian populations (1.6 million people) in Europe.
Please join me in praying for the people of Ukraine — that God would bring peace to the region, comfort and protect our brothers in sisters in Christ, and lead the lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus.
Today, in the twenty-first century, we see that evil is intensifying. The world is in turmoil. Threats against God’s people are increasing. As the days grow darker and hearts grow colder, Christians from around the world need to band together as a tightly knit community of faith. We need to uphold, encourage, and strengthen one another against the coming days.
Thank you for standing with me in prayer and partnership as we proclaim the peace of Christ in the Ukraine and beyond.
Yes. Praying for ministries there and the pastors/evangelists staying at their posts. God bless & protect them. May many who have been walking afar off return to the Lord, in Jesus Name. Amen
Thank you for sharing this prayer, and all of your prayers, comments, and links.
Amen.