Warnings
False Teachers Who Kidnapped Converts
This section of Paul’s letter is built around three warnings: Don’t let anyone deceive you. (vv. 6-8) Don’t let anything take Christ’s place. (vv. 9-13) Don’t let anyone cause you to deny Him. (vv. 14-15) The false teachers in Colosse did not go out and win the lost …
Woes That Isaiah Pronounced on Judah
In this passage Isaiah pronounces a sixfold woe upon the sins of the nation of Judah: Exploiting others (vv. 8-10) – By foreclosing mortgages, the wealthy land owners acquired all the time adjoining land to form huge estates. Drunkenness (vv. 11-17) – He describes peopl …
Vision of the Measuring Line
The man with the measuring line symbolizes the hope of a rebuilt Jerusalem and a restored people (v. 1). It is amazing that God chooses to accomplish His divine purpose through finite and imperfect people. When God saw Ezekiel’s open and obedient attitude he filled …
The Consequences of Neglected Warnings
After a strong warning against idolatry (v.v. 15-20), Moses for the third time refers to the Lord’s refusal to let him cross the Jordan and enter Canaan (v. 21; Deut. 1:37; Deut. 3:26-27). Certainly, his repetition of the Lord’s prohibition points out his deep disappointment. Since the people were …
God Alone Gives Contentment
Solomon directs us to eye God as our judge (v. 8), Shows the vanity of riches (vv. 9-17), and recommends the cheerful use of what God has given us (vv 18-20). Not only should we never underestimate God but we should be careful not to overestimate man. Any philos …
The Covenant Renewed
This passage gives an introduction to the terms of the covenant (vv. 10-26) It starts out with the Lord promising to perform miracles that have never been seen before (vv. 10-11). He promises to display many wonders so that the people will see His power. These wonders include His…
IllustrationPrison Walls Built with Clay and Paper
Needy Miners and settlers in British Columbia were stripping Fort Alcan of lumber, electrical appliances, and plumbing when they made an amazing discovery. While dismantling the jail they found that the mighty locks were attached to the heavy doors, and two-inch steel bar …
IllustrationShip Destroyed by Missile it Could Have Avoided
During the 1982 war in the Falkland Islands between England and Argentina, the Royal Navy’s 3,500-ton destroyer HMS Sheffield was sunk by a single missile fired from an Argentine fighter jet. It caused some people to wonder if modern surface warships were obsolete, sitting …
IllustrationManufactures Attach Warning Labels to Their Products
Americans are getting warned constantly. Manufactures are growing increasingly wary of being sued when their products are misused, so they are attaching warning labels to hundreds of items. For example, a Batman outfit bears this warning: “Parents, please exercise caution&m …
IllustrationThe Tragety of Hesitation During The Yorkshire Flood
On the night of the great Yorkshire flood, which caused such disaster some years ago, a man on the reservoir saw the water rise to a dangerous height. He paced up and down for twenty minutes watching, hesitating, and asking himself the question, “Shall I give the alarm?” …