Week of Monday March 31 - April 6
On Hiatus – Man as Instructor
“And you, O profane wicked one, prince of Israel, whose day has come, the time of your final punishment, thus says the Lord God: Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things shall not remain as they are. Exalt that which is low, and bring low that which is exalted. A ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it. This also shall not be, until he comes, the one to whom judgment belongs, and I will give it to him.” - Ezekiel 21:25-27 ESV
Have you ever had a favorite television show that went on hiatus? The word “hiatus” means a pause or gap in a series, sequence, or process. Sometimes, a network will put a show on hiatus to determine whether it should continue. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as low ratings or the loss of a lead actor.
Similarly, as a consequence of the Kingdom of Judah’s disobedience, God announced that He was going to remove the current king, Zedekiah, and put the monarchy on hiatus until the new King arrived.
You might be wondering, “Didn’t God promise David that his descendants would always sit on the throne?”
When David expressed his desire to build a house (temple) for God, God essentially responded: “No, you won’t build me a house, but I will build YOU a house.” God assured David: “[Y]our house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). However, this promise came with conditions, as a dying David told his son, Solomon: “that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel’” (1 Kings 2:4).
As we know from reading First and Second Kings, First and Second Chronicles, and the prophets, many of David’s descendants repeatedly rebelled against the Lord. Eventually, God declared, “That’s enough!” He announced that He would remove the current king and put not only the monarchy but also the priesthood on hiatus: “Remove the [high priest’s] turban and take off the [king’s] crown” (verse 26). God explained that restoration would not come until the arrival of “the one to whom judgment belongs” (verse 27).
This hiatus lasted hundreds of years. It was so long that bringing back the Davidic monarchy likely seemed close to impossible. The prophet Isaiah said it would be like a green shoot growing out of a dead stump (Isaiah 11:1). The prophet Jeremiah prophesied that God would “raise up for David a righteous Branch” who would reign as king (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Ultimately, the Davidic monarchy would be raised from the dead.
We know from the Gospels that Jesus is the greater Son of David who came to fulfill this prophetic promise. However, the complete fulfillment of this promise hasn’t happened yet, and it won’t happen until Christ comes again to rule and reign as King, not just over a renewed Israel, but over the whole world. This messianic news is about the only bright spot in this otherwise dark chapter about God’s judgment on His people.
So, while we await the coming of our King, what does God want us to do in the meantime? We should wait for Him in faith, pray for His return, and actively work to reflect His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
- Did you know that approximately 30% of the Bible consists of prophecies? Do you make an effort to understand them? Or do you tend to avoid this topic?
- As the Instructor in your family, how would you rate your effectiveness in helping those in your circle of influence understand prophecies like the one in Ezekiel 21?
- Ask God to help you grasp more of the truths of prophecy so that you can impart them to those you love and lead.
On Hiatus – Man as Instructor
“And you, O profane wicked one, prince of Israel, whose day has come, the time of your final punishment, thus says the Lord God: Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things shall not remain as they are. Exalt that which is low, and bring low that which is exalted. A ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it. This also shall not be, until he comes, the one to whom judgment belongs, and I will give it to him.” - Ezekiel 21:25-27 ESV
Have you ever had a favorite television show that went on hiatus? The word “hiatus” means a pause or gap in a series, sequence, or process. Sometimes, a network will put a show on hiatus to determine whether it should continue. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as low ratings or the loss of a lead actor.
Similarly, as a consequence of the Kingdom of Judah’s disobedience, God announced that He was going to remove the current king, Zedekiah, and put the monarchy on hiatus until the new King arrived.
You might be wondering, “Didn’t God promise David that his descendants would always sit on the throne?”
When David expressed his desire to build a house (temple) for God, God essentially responded: “No, you won’t build me a house, but I will build YOU a house.” God assured David: “[Y]our house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). However, this promise came with conditions, as a dying David told his son, Solomon: “that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel’” (1 Kings 2:4).
As we know from reading First and Second Kings, First and Second Chronicles, and the prophets, many of David’s descendants repeatedly rebelled against the Lord. Eventually, God declared, “That’s enough!” He announced that He would remove the current king and put not only the monarchy but also the priesthood on hiatus: “Remove the [high priest’s] turban and take off the [king’s] crown” (verse 26). God explained that restoration would not come until the arrival of “the one to whom judgment belongs” (verse 27).
This hiatus lasted hundreds of years. It was so long that bringing back the Davidic monarchy likely seemed close to impossible. The prophet Isaiah said it would be like a green shoot growing out of a dead stump (Isaiah 11:1). The prophet Jeremiah prophesied that God would “raise up for David a righteous Branch” who would reign as king (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Ultimately, the Davidic monarchy would be raised from the dead.
We know from the Gospels that Jesus is the greater Son of David who came to fulfill this prophetic promise. However, the complete fulfillment of this promise hasn’t happened yet, and it won’t happen until Christ comes again to rule and reign as King, not just over a renewed Israel, but over the whole world. This messianic news is about the only bright spot in this otherwise dark chapter about God’s judgment on His people.
So, while we await the coming of our King, what does God want us to do in the meantime? We should wait for Him in faith, pray for His return, and actively work to reflect His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
- Did you know that approximately 30% of the Bible consists of prophecies? Do you make an effort to understand them? Or do you tend to avoid this topic?
- As the Instructor in your family, how would you rate your effectiveness in helping those in your circle of influence understand prophecies like the one in Ezekiel 21?
- Ask God to help you grasp more of the truths of prophecy so that you can impart them to those you love and lead.