Day 251

History of God and His People

Read: Ezekiel 20-21

The elders come to Ezekiel inquiring of the Lord, but instead of giving them an answer, he gives them a history lesson and recounts the way God dealt graciously with Israel, despite how Israel responded with unfaithfulness. This approach, recounting the history of God’s dealing with his people, is very common in the Bible.

We should consider the history of the church. God called into being the church. He built it upon the foundation of Christ. But, in a few centuries, the church departed from sound doctrine and from godly life. God produced a great Reformation, under the leadership of Luther and Calvin. This led to the establishment of the Protestant church based on three principles: (1) The Bible as the final authority for faith and practice. (2) Justification by faith in Christ alone as the way to be right with God. (3) The universal priesthood of believers, the recognition that clergy and laity alike have privileges and responsibilities. Since the Reformation, much of the Protestant church has drifted from these principles.

But God is not interested in just teaching us history. He wants us to realize that in our generation we are responsible to be faithful to him. He will be faithful, but we must be obedient. Let us each do what we can to make the church as biblical as possible.

PRAYER
Father, we rejoice in your faithfulness in dealing with your people. Help us to be faithful also. In Jesus’ name. Amen.