Today’s Reading:
Read Ezekiel 5:1-9, 14-15; 6:1-10; Ezekiel 7, Ezekiel 8
Time for a quick review. Of all the specific instructions that God gave the Israelites when he established His covenant with them – first with Abraham and then again when he renewed the covenant with Moses- what do you remember God specifically telling the Israelites that they had to do or not do? Remember the 10 Commandments gave a great guideline for how the Israelites should follow God’s leading. And as they settled into the Promised Land, they were given specific instructions about only following the one TRUE GOD and not worshiping idols. The false worship seemed to be one of the biggest challenges that the Israelites faced.
In our reading today, Ezekiel again saw visions that helped him to understand what message God was giving to the people. The people were being disobedient and not following the covenant agreement they had made with God about idols. They were worshiping false idols and even worse, they had allowed the worship of false idols to take place in the temple. Ezekiel saw God destroying the altars and false idols that the Israelites had built and worshiped at the temple. Ezekiel’s message was clear. God was going to follow through with the punishment He had promised would happen if the Israelites disregarded the covenant.
God was faithful to keep all His promises. Ezekiel’s message to the people included the news that a remnant or a group of the Israelites would be saved. God would not completely destroy all of the Israelite nation. However, he would follow through with his promise to bring devastation as a result of their disobedience.
Application/Prayer:
The Israelites replaced their trust in God with trust in false gods and idols. Is there anything you are putting in place of God in your life? Are you worshiping things instead of worshiping God? Ask God to help you see any area of your life where you might be replacing your trust in Him with something else.
August Memory Verse:
“Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:
- Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
- Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
- After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
- Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
- There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.
Other Resources:
August memory verse coloring sheet
August Fill-in the blank activity