[오늘의 한문장] 리빙라이프 Living Life 2025.8 (영문판)

33As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.

34I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.

- P116

41I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy through you in the sight of the nations.

42Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors.

- P117

Nevertheless, the day is coming when God will once again establish Israel in the land where they will serve Him with undivided hearts, rejecting their idols and giving total obedience to their deliverer. As we read these words, we cannot help but think of Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:31–46, where, like a shepherd, He separates the sheep from the goats. Not all who call Him "Lord" will enter into eternal life. In the end, God will remove those who honor Him with their lips yet hold on to sin. - P118

Ezekiel continues to speak of God‘s promised restoration to the exiledJews in Babylon. As God‘s mighty hand delivers and restores them, theywill recognize the depth of their unfaithfulness and sin. At the same time,
God‘s people will experience the grace of God, who forgives their sins andestablishes them in the land. Sadly, the people to whom Ezekiel speaks thesewords of promise hear them as parables that are irrelevant to them. Likemany in Jesus‘ day, they lack faith to hear what God is saying. The promisesof our God are beyond anything we can think or imagine. That is why wecan only receive and live in light of His promises by faith. - P118

Lord Jesus, You are the living Word, the Word made flesh. Open my heart to receive by faith Your words for my life and our world today. May Your Spirit unify my heart to obey You and grow in me an unwavering trust in Your promises. In Your name, amen. - P119

Those who believe in Christ h...

Those who believe in Christ have been chosen by God,
but that does not give us license to live in willful disobedience. In fact,
continual rebellion against God could show that we never truly believedin Him at all. - P110

 When His children persist in their disobedience,
God may not destroy them, but He may allow painful consequences toupend their lives. When we experience the rod of God‘s discipline, let usremember that He disciplines us to turn us back to Him - P110

27"Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors blasphemed me by being unfaithful to me: - P112

29Then I said to them: What is this high place you go to?’" (It is called Bamah to this day.) - P112

31When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.

32"‘You say, "We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone." But what you have in mind will never happen.

- P113

Idols are not only images made of wood and stone: Anything that takes God’s rightful place in our hearts and distracts us from keeping His commandments can become an object of unfaithfulness in His eyes. - P114

 Ultimately, pursuing idols will not benefit us. Re-belling against God will in no way diminish His sovereignty. Rather thanfighting the losing battle of idolatry, let us find our rest and our delight inall that God is for us. - P114

Sovereign Lord, forgive me for the times I failed to acknowledge Your rightful rule over my life. You are my Lord and my God, and my heart desires to walk in Your righteous ways. Align my heart with Your will in all things. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P115

Heavenly Father, Israel’s reb...

Heavenly Father, Israel’s rebellion forces me to reflect on my own stubborn heart. Forgive me for the times I let my sinful nature pull me away from You. Open my ears to hear Your voice and turn my feet from my stubborn ways into the path of Your mercy and grace. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P111

4˝Will you judge them? Will y...

4"Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors

5and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore with uplifted hand to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, "I am the Lord your God."

- P104

6On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.

7And I said to them, "Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God."

8"‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.

9But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt. I did it to keep my name from being profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites.

- P105

Some of the elders come to inquire of the Lord, but He refuses to be consultedby them. The Lord tells Ezekiel to remind them of their ancestors rebellion inEgypt: Though the Lord had been ready to pour out His wrath on them, Hehad not for the sake of His name. He had brought them out of Egypt to keepHis name from being profaned among the nations. - P105

Some of the elders come and sit before Ezekiel hoping to inquire of the Lord. However, God makes clear that He will not provide the information that the leaders are looking for. Instead of answering as they want, God tells them what they need to hear. We all want our own questions answered. - P106

We may ask because we are uncertain about something and uncertainties scare us. Other times, we ask to hear what we want to hear because we want the truth to align with our desires. However, we should not let ourselves be consumed by uncertainties or self-deception. Let us accept God’s Word over our lives even when it may not be exactly what we want to hear. - P106

Instead of answering any questions the elders might have, Ezekiel is in-structed to confront the people for their sins. God reminds them of theirhistory in Egypt. Although His people repeatedly violated the covenant anddefiled themselves by holding onto idols, God honored His covenant andwas faithful to save them from slavery and bring them to a beautiful landflowing with milk and honey. He was committed to them because of theircovenant relationship.  - P106

We should never take the faithfulness of God forgranted. May we be quick to repent when we sin or rebel against God. Letus be grateful for the redemption made possible by Jesus Christ and remainfully committed to Him. - P106

Dear Lord, You are so faithful to me. Thank you for freeing me from the slavery of sin. May I respond continually with equal fervency to the great love and commitment You have for me. In Your name I pray, amen. - P107

4The nations heard about him,...

4The nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

5"‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled, her expectation gone, she took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion.

- P100

10"‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water. - P101

12But it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The east wind made it shrivel, it was stripped of its fruit; its strong branches withered and fire consumed them.

13Now it is planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land.

14Fire spread from one of its main branches and consumed its fruit. No strong branch is left on it fit for a ruler’s scepter.’ "This is a lament and is to be used as a lament."

- P101

God commands Ezekiel to take up a lament for the princes of Israel. He com-pares them to lion cubs taken into captivity and to a fruitful vine uprootedin fury and thrown to the ground. The vine is now planted in the wildernessand fire consumes its fruit. No branch is left on it that is strong enough to bea ruler‘s scepter. - P101

This lament mourns two leaders. The allegorical poem first describes a lion cub symbolizing King Jehoahaz, who is taken away to Egypt. The second cub, King Jehoiachin, is similarly taken by Babylon, another foreign power. The lament over the capture of the two leaders reflects the fallen state of God’s people. In our own churches and nations, let us be attentive to the spiritual state of our leaders. - P102

We can lament over the ones who have failed in their roles, but we can also support and pray for our leaders, including those who continue to work diligently for God’s kingdom. We can encourage them in their relationship with Jesus, who provides the perfect model of humble and servant-hearted leadership - P102

God‘s people once flourished like a vine planted in fertile ground. Theywere powerful and mighty, blessed with strength and fruitfulness. The peo-ple enjoyed God‘s favor until they began to disobey Him. Then, they be-came like a vine that is uprooted and shriveled, devoid of any fruit. Insteadof being in lush and fertile land, they are uprooted to a dry and thirsty des-ert, no longer reflecting the strength of the Lord. We can see the situationwith Judah as a warning.  - P102

We should work out our salvation with fear andtrembling, knowing that sin and disobedience have negative repercussionson our families, churches, and communities. Let us remain fruitful andstrong, listening to God and following His Word. - P102

Heavenly Father, You call me to turn from sinful ways and remain focused on You. Selfishness leads to emptiness and death, but Your way leads to eternal life. Guide me in my path and keep my heart and spirit strong and fruitful in You. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P103

When we assess each season of our life, we should be careful not to assumetoo much based on the passing situations of that season. In challengingtimes, we can overcome temptations as we remember that this momentis fleeting and not representative of the eternal life that God has given us.
- P103

We pass through seasons of grief and enjoy seasons of happiness, knowingthatstrong, not because of what is happening in that temporaryseason, but because we are rooted in the eternal strength of Christ.
remainwe - P103