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Ezekiel was among the people exiled to Babylon and his preaching targeted those whom Nebuchadnezzar exiled to Babylon
In this chapter, God instructed Ezekiel to prophesy to Israel the message of restoration
Though the enemies of Israel had claimed her land and taunted her as she now becomes the property of many nations and an object of mockery and slander
But now, the Lord's anger burns against Israel’s enemies and would make them suffer scorn, especially Edom
And as for the land of Israel, it shall be plowed and planted and will produce heavy crops of fruits again
The return of the people shall be marked with an increasing population, even of their animals, and their ruined cities rebuilt
In the end, Israel would know God as the Lord and God will ensure that the land will no more be a land that causes its nation to fall
The second lesson presents the event that immediately followed Jesus’ wilderness temptation
He went to the town he grew up and preached at the synagogue on the Sabbath
He read through the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the Messiah and affirmed that he is the fulfillment of the scriptures.
On the one hand, the people were amazed at his teaching, and on the other hand, they found him impossible to be the one the scripture spoke about
They know him too well to be the "prophet from God". He’s Mary’s son and the carpenter’s boy
Jesus knew they would question his power and authority by the use of the proverb “Doctor, heal yourself”
Jesus cited Elijah and Elisha to buttress that a prophet is not accepted in his own hometown
They became angrier with Jesus and intended to throw him off the cliff but he miraculously walked away through the crowd
Friends are you not too familiar with this Jesus?