https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/podcasts/22844/ The newest sermons from Michiana Covenant Presbyterian Church on SermonAudio. Religion & Spirituality Michiana Covenant Presbyterian Church http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification https://vps.sermonaudio.com/resize_image/sources/podcast/1440/1440/michiana.jpg https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/podcasts/22844/ en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 02:01:13 +0000 30 Peter Wallace no The newest sermons from Michiana Covenant Presbyterian Church on SermonAudio. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/522111139402 Ezekiel has so far provided a bare few glimpses of hope for the gentile nations – but verses 21-23 of Ezekiel 47 are the clearest statement of salvation for Gentiles who join themselves to Israel. Notice that for Ezekiel the foreigner is to be given a full inheritance with the native-born. Ezekiel (like Jesus' own disciples) would probably assume that this would include circumcision. But as Paul points out in Romans 4, “the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith” (Romans 4:13 – or, to use the language of verse 10, he received this promise “before he was circumcised.”) Paul's conclusion follows very neatly from Ezekiel's premise: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (2:19-22) In other words, Ezekiel's requirement that believing Gentiles be included in the inheritance sets up Paul's whole theology of the “one new man” in Christ. Or, to say it another way, Ezekiel 47-48 finally comes to pass in the resurrection of Jesus! https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/522111139402 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:45:35 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/52211110501 [Sung Psalm: 46] Where does your water come from? Psalm 46 says, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.” This is a curious thing to say – because there is no river in Jerusalem! Indeed, the main problem with Jerusalem in times of siege was that there was no water supply that could “gladden” the city of God. A city without water cannot survive, and so King Hezekiah went to great lengths to dig a 1600 foot tunnel through solid rock in order to connect the Gihon Spring with the Pool of Siloam. But the Gihon Spring is hardly a river! Nonetheless, the Gihon Spring points us in the direction of the answer. The Gihon Spring seems to have been named after the river Gihon from Genesis 2 – the river that flowed around the whole land of Cush. In Genesis 2 there is a river that flows out of the Garden – out of the sanctuary in Eden – and waters the whole earth. Ezekiel 47, like Psalm 46, looks forward to the eschatological city – the heavenly temple – and the river of living water that will make glad the city of God. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/52211110501 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 17 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:43:52 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/52211109522 [Sung Psalm: 20] [We apologize for the rough quality of this recording] What do worship and justice have to do with each other? In the modern world you might assume “not much”! Which suggests that we may be perilously close to the attitude of Israel before the Exile. Many in Israel appear to have thought that if they would only worship correctly, then everything would be okay. So long as we offer the correct sacrifices, then God will forgive us for whatever else we do. Do you see where that leads? We can live however we want during the week, but as long as we worship correctly, God will forgive us! God has a few choice words to say in response to this attitude in Amos 5:21-24 "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. What is the relationship between worship and justice? If there is no justice, God does not receive our worship! If our assemblies are not characterized by righteousness – in all our relationships, then they are despicable in the sight of God. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/52211109522 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 10 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:44:40 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/5221190472 [Sung Psalm 26] [We apologize for the rough sound in this recording] If you want to understand the concept of holiness in Ezekiel 44 think about the nuclear crisis in Japan! Iain Duguid puts it well: “the sanctuary was seen as a danger zone, somewhat comparable to a nuclear power plant… Access to some areas of the site is strictly limited, and special clothing has to be worn for some processes to prevent lethal contact between those operating the plant and the radioactive material, and to prevent radioactivity being transmitted by them to the outside world. In an analogous way, the priests had to take special care in their dress and their conduct to avoid danger to themselves and to prevent dangerous levels of holiness being brought into contact with the general public.” (p504) In the light of the catastrophic meltdown of the temple under the kings, you can understand why Ezekiel is so concerned for “safety” in the new temple! The glory of God will consume all those who are improperly clothed. If you are not clothed in Christ and his righteousness, then the radiation of God's holiness will destroy you! https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/5221190472 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 03 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:38:53 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/311111946180 [Sung Psalm: 78] [We regret the imperfections in this recording] When we looked into the Most Holy Place in Ezekiel 41-42 last week, what was missing? There was no glory! There was no gold anywhere – just carved wood. There was no Ark of the Covenant – just an empty space. Why did Ezekiel see the vision of an empty temple? A temple that was truly ichabod – having no glory? When Moses built and consecrated the tabernacle, the glory of the LORD came and filled the tabernacle; but then Eli and his sons (together with all Israel) emptied the tabernacle of its glory. Ichabod! When Solomon built and consecrated the temple, the glory of the LORD came and filled the temple; but then the house of David (together with all Israel) drove the glory of the LORD out of the temple. Ichabod! Now, when Ezekiel sees the heavenly temple (notice that this is a temple made without hands – there is no builder – nor any command to build it), the glory of the LORD comes and fills the temple. If you want to understand the gospel, understand this: this is a temple made without hands; this is a temple filled with the glory of the LORD that cannot be driven away! This is what Jesus has done! What Ezekiel sees in Ezekiel 43 is the final answer to Ichabod. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/311111946180 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 06 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:42:44 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/35111813460 In Ezekiel 41:4, the bronze man goes into the Most Holy Place and measures it – but Ezekiel does not enter there. Ezekiel sees a vision of the heavenly temple – the eschatological temple – but he still cannot enter the Most Holy Place. Hebrews 9:6-7 comments on this: “the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.” And then Hebrews 9:8 explains the meaning of this: “By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age)” I want you to think about this. The first section of the temple represents “the present age,” by which Hebrews refers to the Mosaic age – with its rituals “imposed until the time of reformation.” And in Hebrews 9:11, we hear that “when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy place, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” According to Hebrews, the temple is a picture of redemptive history. Even as the holy place was preparatory to the Most Holy Place, so also the Mosaic age was preparatory to Christ. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/35111813460 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 27 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:47:56 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/35111749358 [Sung Psalm: 84] Originally, when I laid out my sermon series on Ezekiel, I had planned on covering Ezekiel 40-48 in 3 weeks. After all, these chapters aren't very complicated – they have a pretty simple point. We could easily cover it in 3 weeks. But after working through the oracles against Jerusalem in chapters 1-24, and the oracles against the nations in chapters 25-32, and the “when I deliver you, you'll be ashamed of yourselves!” in chapters 33-39, I realized that you really need to spend some time in chapters 40-48! There was a reason why Ezekiel spent 9 chapters (nearly a quarter of the book) on this vision. Ezekiel has made it perfectly clear that you are sinners – that God owes you nothing (except death!) – and that judgment and destruction is coming upon all the earth so that all the earth might know that he is God. I think you now understand that there is no way to glory, except through the cross. But in order to bear the cross more joyfully, you need to hear something about the glory! https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/35111749358 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:54:17 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/35111716355 [Sung Psalm: 46] What on earth are chapters 38-39 doing here? The key is found in 38:16 – In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. Gog's purpose is plunder and spoil. God's purpose is to vindicate his holiness before the eyes of the nations. In other words, it is not enough for Yahweh to be known as the God of Israel. It is not enough for Yahweh to be faithful to his promises to Israel and Judah. The restoration of his chosen people to the promised land with the holy sanctuary so that they will be my people and I will be among them as their God, is only the beginning of God's purposes! The nations must come to know Yahweh. And so therefore Yahweh will bring the nations against his chosen people in the promised land, so that through Gog, God will vindicate his holiness before their eyes. We saw at the end of chapter 36 that restored Israel was to be like a flock of sheep for sacrifice. Now we will learn why! https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/35111716355 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:48:41 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/35111640592 [Sung Psalm: 102] If you have seen Peter Jackson's “The Lord of the Rings” you may remember the scene along the “Paths of the Dead” where Gimli realizes that the crunching sound beneath his feet is the sound of dry bones. Ezekiel finds himself in a similar world of horror and fear as he is brought by the Spirit of God into “the valley.” “The Valley” – the last time Ezekiel was here was in Ezekiel 3. The Valley is near the Chebar Canal – not far from where the exiles live in Babylon. But what Ezekiel sees here is all the ancient dead of Israel. Why do I say ancient dead? Because the bones are “very dry.” This is not the scene of some recent slaughter. Israel is not a “fresh” corpse. Israel is long dead. And what is more, Israel is unburied dead! As a priest, Ezekiel was not supposed to defile himself with the dead. Human bones are unclean – and so Ezekiel is surrounded by death and uncleanness. But he is not allowed to stand at a distance. The Spirit of God leads him around the valley so that he can see very clearly that Israel is very dead! “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel clearly understands that he is seeing the house of Israel here. Can Israel live again? https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/35111640592 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 06 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:42:22 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/211111959440 [Sung Psalm: 126] Last time we saw how God delivers his people – not for their own sake, but for the sake of the holiness of God's great name. Israel has defiled the land, profaned God's holy name and so Israel has become unclean. And when God saves Israel from their uncleanness, and restores them to the land, then he will make the land fruitful again. There must be a new Exodus where God will cleanse his people from all their uncleanness, and that is what he has done in the cross of Jesus! He has brought us out of Exile and sprinkled us with clean water and cleansed us from our sin! https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/211111959440 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 30 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:40:42 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/28112123333 [Psalm 138] This is a rather unusual message of salvation.It is not intended to comfort God's miserable people. “they have shamefully trampled underfoot the grace of God” and so “have forfeited all rights to compassion.” (Block, 352) Ezekiel would not gravitate towards the common evangelistic opening, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” Ezekiel would be more likely to say, God is repulsed by you, but for the sake of his holy name, he'll save you. Often we approach God as though we are doing him a favor by believing in him. Worse yet, we talk to other people as though they should “check God out” – as though they should “give him a try” – assuming that God would be only too pleased if they should deign to “accept him” as Lord of their life. Iain Duguid rightly points out that the only reason that we have survived on this planet (p421) “is not because we somehow merited God's favor or because God's love is more powerful than his wrath and he could not bear to see such delightful creatures as us utterly exterminated. The only reason for the continued existence of human beings on this planet is God's commitment to his eternal plan sovereignly to save for himself a people.” At the center of the book of Ezekiel is Yahweh himself. He has been shamed by his peoples' sin and rebellion. But he will act in the end. “Nowhere else in the Bible is it made so clear that it is not out of love, duty, or forgiveness that YHWH restores Israel, but solely for the sake of his own reputation.” (Andrew Mein) https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/28112123333 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 23 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:41:35 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/28112052212 [Sung Psalm 137] For the exiles in 586 BC, this message would have been hard to believe. They had witnessed the utter desolation of the land – the slaughter of their family and friends, the destruction of the temple. They had seen with their own eyes that God had abandoned them. And as a new wave of exiles pours into Babylon, word spreads of what Edom had done. Edom had been one of the nations who had promised to help Judah against Babylon. Moab and Ammon, Edom and Tyre, all had gathered in Jerusalem to conspire with Judah against Nebuchadnezzar. (Jeremiah 27) But then, when the moment of truth came, Edom stood back and cheered on the Babylonians! Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem, when they said, “Raze it! Raze it to its very foundations!” And now Ezekiel wants us to believe that God is against Mount Seir? “Ezekiel – you've been saying for seven years that God is against Jerusalem. And that we now believe! But how can we believe that God will restore us? How can we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?” There is a reason why we have chosen a lament tune for Psalm 137. Because even though it calls for God to bring judgment against his and our enemies, Psalm 137 is a lament. As long as God's enemies have their way, nothing will be right in this world. As long as those who revile God, his people, and his land are the ones whose voices prevail, then our voices will be raised in lamentation. Until the blessed man arises who will sit on the throne of the Ancient of Days and judge the living and the dead. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/28112052212 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:43:39 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/2711217548 [Sung Psalm: 23] In Ezekiel 34-37 we will hear that God promises to restore the Davidic king (ch 34), bring his people back into the land (ch 35), and take away their disgrace (ch 36), and even raise them up from the dead (ch 37). And this starts in Ezekiel 34 with God's word against the shepherds. Throughout the ancient world, kings often referred to themselves as shepherds. The great Babylonian king Hammurabi (from roughly the time of Abraham) had referred to himself as the shepherd called by the gods. An old Babylonian proverb said “a people without a king (is like) sheep without a shepherd” (Block, 281). In Numbers 27:17 Moses had prayed that God would appoint a successor for him so that Israel would not be “like sheep without a shepherd.” And especially from the time of David, the kings of Israel are often referred to as shepherds. But Ezekiel 34 insists that above all earthly shepherds God himself is the Shepherd of Israel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/2711217548 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 09 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:45:01 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/27112054110 [Sung Psalm: 90] Jesus began his ministry when he was 30 – just like Ezekiel. Jesus taught that judgment was coming upon Jerusalem – upon the temple – just like Ezekiel. The reason why you need to understand Ezekiel's message is because Israel's exile represents humanity's exile. If you want to understand our condition – our estate of sin and misery – then it's not enough to read Genesis 1-3, you also have to read Ezekiel. Jesus came to redeem his people from the exile. Jesus came to restore the kingdom of God – and because Jesus has received all that God promised Israel, he also now brings the blessings of Abraham to the nations! And therefore, you need to repent and believe the gospel! Ezekiel 33 shows us this by its alternating focus on the watchman and the people. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/27112054110 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 02 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:47:45 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/26111536506 [Sung Psalm: 1] We've heard quite a bit about “Eden” in the oracles against the nations. Why does Eden show up here? What do Egypt, Tyre, and Assyria have to do with the Garden of Eden? Adam and Eve were created by God and placed in the Garden in Eden. The Garden was the “Holy of Holies” where God met with his people. Adam was the “chief priest” who was tasked with ruling and guarding the Garden. And God commanded Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply – to fill the earth and subdue it, conforming all the earth to the pattern of the garden, and building it into the City of God. Ever since the fall, humanity has been busy about that task! Our problem has been that we are busy about that task in all the wrong ways, and towards all the wrong ends! Israel was supposed to be the holy nation that would become what Adam failed to be. Jerusalem was to be the holy city that would become the center of the new humanity. But as we have seen with great clarity from Ezekiel, Israel failed just like Adam. Jerusalem has fallen from her glory into debauchery and wickedness. And now, in the oracles against the nations, Ezekiel shows that the nations have tried to usurp Jerusalem's place. In Ezekiel 31-32 Assyria and Egypt are portrayed as trying to become what Israel was supposed to be. The glory of Eden should have lived and flowed through Jerusalem to the nations. But instead, Egypt's pride and Assyria's power have dominated the nations. God had promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his seed. But as of Ezekiel's day, that hasn't happened yet! https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/26111536506 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 26 Dec 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:53:03 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/25112156310 [Sung Psalm 137] I've entitled this sermon, “Egypt, the Dragon, and the Church” because I want you to see that Ezekiel's words are not just relevant for understanding ancient history. Ezekiel's words are relevant for understanding where you live. How? If we are to think of ourselves – in some sense – as Jerusalem in Babylon, then Egypt represents that which we once hoped would rescue us. Pharaoh represents our idols that tempt us with promises of power and pleasure and peace. Because it has always been tempting to trust in Egypt – to trust in the wealth, the power, the wisdom of this age. As you listen to the description of Egypt and Pharaoh, I want you to see that this is describing what you have trusted. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/25112156310 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:37:06 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/25112120230 [Sung Psalm 87] Last week we looked at the prophecy regarding the city of Tyre in Ezekiel 26-27, and we saw this rather strange thing: Ezekiel says that the city of Tyre will be “no more” and yet Tyre was never destroyed. The city of Tyre survived the siege of Nebuchadnezzar – as Ezekiel himself acknowledges in Ezekiel 29! Chapter 28 is the key for understanding what Ezekiel is saying about Tyre. Because in chapter 28, the prince of Tyre is described in terms that go well beyond the ordinary description of an earthly king. The problem is that Tyre is trying to be what Jerusalem is supposed to be. The prince of Tyre is trying to be what the Son of David is supposed to be. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/25112120230 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 12 Dec 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:42:41 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/117112021472 [Sung Psalm: 72] Ezekiel 26-28 is one unit, but we'll take two weeks to go through it. There is essentially one message given in three ways. You can see this in the conclusion of each chapter: “I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more.” (26:21) “you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever” (27:36) “you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever” (28:19) What makes this message so interesting is that Tyre still stands in exactly the same place today! There is no evidence from scripture – or from history – that Tyre ever came to a dreadful end. The city of Sur (the modern pronunciation of Tyre) still stands. We need to understand the context in order to understand what Ezekiel is doing here... https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/117112021472 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 05 Dec 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:48:00 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/116112130400 Before leaving for China, we concluded Ezekiel 1-24, Ezekiel's prophesies against Israel and Jerusalem. In Ezekiel 24 the prophet receives word that the siege of Jerusalem has begun. And, as a symbol of that, God strikes down Ezekiel's wife – the delight of his eyes. Ezekiel 24 tells us that the next thing will be the news that Jerusalem has fallen. And while we – with Ezekiel's hearers – wait for that next thing to happen, Ezekiel gives us a collection of oracles against the nations. God had told Jerusalem in Ezekiel 5:8, “I am against you.” Now, in Ezekiel 25-32, God will apply that same message to the nations! (26:3, 28:22, 29:3, etc.) You might say that Ezekiel's message has been “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek!” Why the oracles against the nations? I would like to suggest three reasons: 1) Judgment may begin with the household of God – but it reaches every nation 2) They show how important Israel is to God – he will not tolerate how the nations treat his chosen people! (blessing of Abraham – “those who bless you I will bless, and those who curse you I will curse” Genesis 12:3) 3) Yahweh has his purposes for history – and in the end, the nations will know that he is Yahweh, the God who acts in and through history https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/116112130400 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:50:55 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/11211200560 [Sung Psalm: 38] Ezekiel 24 is the key turning point in the book of Ezekiel. Everything else in the whole book has been leading up to this: the news that the siege of Jerusalem has begun. Ezekiel has been warning the exiles that this day is coming. He told them in chapters 8-11 that the glory of the LORD had departed from Jerusalem. He has told them over and over that judgment is coming – and there will be no escape. Now, here in Ezekiel 24, the prophet learns in the most personally painful way imaginable, what this judgment is going to do. It is going to take everything that you love away. Everything that matters to you will be gone. All your hopes will be dashed. And in judgment God is just. He will make all things right in the end. When we are in the middle of history, we do not always see it – but we know that in the end, the God of all the earth will do justice. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/11211200560 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 31 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:50:56 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/118102138372 [Sung Psalm: 75] How can God have two wives? In one sense, there is nothing surprising. Jacob had two wives – two sisters, Leah and Rachel. Polygamy was common in the ancient world – and it was common in Israel. But in Leviticus 18:18 God had forbidden marrying two living sisters. And yet here, God takes two sisters. Ezekiel gets this from Jeremiah 3:6-11, where Jeremiah had identified Israel as the faithless wife whom Judah has imitated. Now, Ezekiel grew up in Jerusalem during the early years of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry. Jeremiah 3 says that this oracle was given in the days of Josiah – in other words, back when Ezekiel was a teenager in Jerusalem. Ezekiel 23 should be seen, at least in part, as an expansion of Jeremiah's message. The division of God's people into Israel and Judah, should be seen in the same light as the divisions in the church today. They shouldn't exist – but they do. You may have noticed that Ezekiel 23 has no happy ending. Oholah dies in v10 and Oholibah is about to meet the same fate at the end of the chapter. Jerusalem is about to drink the cup of God's wrath to its dregs. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/118102138372 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 24 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:42:39 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/11810218565 [Sung Psalm: 49] By now, you've probably gotten Ezekiel's point. Everyone has sinned – far worse than you think – and the wages of sin is death – so prepare to die! The destruction of Jerusalem is a picture of the final judgment. The temple in Jerusalem was designed as a microcosm of the world – the heavens (represented in the holy of holies) the earth (represented in the holy place) and the sea (represented in the great basin outside the holy place. And so when God sends the Babylonians to destroy his temple, he is showing forth a picture of his judgment against all the earth. Ezekiel 20-23 forms a single unit, comprised of 9 “Words” from the LORD. - Ezekiel 20:1-44 is the first “word.” - Ezekiel 23 is the last “word.” - Ezekiel 20:45-22:31 consists of seven shorter “words” In Ezekiel 20-23, the LORD is preparing Ezekiel for the message that will come in ch 24. Because in chapter 24 two things will happen. The siege of Jerusalem will begin, and Ezekiel's wife will die. Death is coming. And so our passage today is asking you: are you ready for the final judgment? Are you ready for judgment day? https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/11810218565 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 17 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:48:40 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/109101917222 [Sung Psalm: 60] Children, pay attention! Because I'm going to ask your parents a question – and I want you to hear it. Parents, many of you have heard me say from this pulpit, “Children, you are going to die.” Since the last time I said that – several months ago – how often have you talked with your children about death? I realize that death is a difficult topic. Death can be an abstract subject for those who have never experienced it. We have successfully “managed” death in our day. Through medical technology we stave off death until old age for most folks. Through hospitals and funeral homes we stave off any direct contact with the dead. But the only benefit we receive from this is denial. We can ignore death a little longer – until it clutches us to itself with its cold, dark, fingers. We need to deal more frankly with death. Because you are going to die. The number of your days is drawing to its close. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/109101917222 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:40:47 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/928102120287 [Sung Psalm: 15] “Well, it's not my fault! ” “If he hadn't said that, then I wouldn't have gotten upset…” It's not my fault. “If she hadn't worn that dress, then I wouldn't have looked…” I couldn't help it. “If you only knew all the facts, you wouldn't blame me…” It's not fair. Ezekiel cuts through all our excuses and says it very simply: The soul who sins shall die. Yes, your father may have been the grossest idolater in the country. Your mother may have been a whore. But God is not going to judge you for what others have done. He will judge you based on what you have done! If you have done righteousness, you will live. If you have done wickedness, you will die. Suppose a righteous man has a wicked son. Suppose Josiah (the best king in Judah's history, according to 2 Kings) has a son like Jehoiakim (who “did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done” – 2 Kings 23:32). And suppose Jehoiakim has a son. If Jehoiachin, the son of Jehoiakim, does what is right, then he will live. But of course, the problem is that Jehoiachin has started down the same path as Jehoiakim. So is it now too late? Hence, verse 21 says, “but if a wicked person turns away from all his sins… he shall surely live.” If Jehoiachin has learned his lesson – if he repents and turns from his sin – then he shall live. There is still hope for the house of David... https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/928102120287 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 26 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:49:36 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/92510191470 Ezekiel is an equal opportunity prophet! Everyone comes under the sledgehammer of judgment: the temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed – the remnant of Jerusalem will be worthless – and while Jerusalem in exile will eventually be the means God uses to restore worship in Jerusalem, at the moment, they are just as bad as everyone else! There is a remnant. But there is no faithful remnant! As we saw in Ezekiel 16, God himself will have to atone for all that Jerusalem has done – and today in Ezekiel 17, God himself will have to make the cedar tree flourish. Jerusalem cannot save herself. Only God can save. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/92510191470 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 12 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:43:27 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/925101824110 A couple weeks ago, we started our discussion of Brian Fikkert's book "When Helping Hurts". Fikkert challenges us to rethink our understanding of poverty. We tend to think of poverty in terms of ‘lack of resources,' but there is more to poverty than this. Fikkert cites the Voices of the Poor to describe poverty: For a poor person everything is terrible – illness, humiliation, shame. We are cripples; we are afraid of everything; we depend on everyone. No one needs us. We are like garbage that everyone wants to get rid of.” (Fikkert 52) Ezekiel says that this is what Jerusalem will be. Jerusalem will be ashamed – humiliated – afraid – like garbage. Why does Ezekiel say this? We normally think of salvation resulting in honor and glory. But Ezekiel says that Jerusalem's salvation will result in their shame. In Ezekiel 16, Jerusalem – the fairy tale princess – has been playing the whore, chasing after the nations, giving her beauty away to whoever passed by, slaughtering her children, oppressing the poor, and worshiping the gods of the nations. In short, Jerusalem has become Sodom. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/925101824110 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 05 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:46:18 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/925101717516 [Sung Psalm: 45] Ezekiel 16 can be hard to listen to. Not only is it a long passage, but it is a shocking passage. God wants to shock you. He wants you to understand how horrific your idolatry is. As I read, I want you to listen for the way in which Ezekiel weds the language of idolatry and the language of adultery – the language of worship and the language of sex – the language of the temple in Jerusalem and the language of prostitution, both sexual and political. In short, you need to hear this as Jerusalem in Babylon. Every time the graphic language starts to get to you, remember that we are talking about Jerusalem – we are talking about the holy city, the bride of Christ – the people of God. And you are the holy bride – you belong to Christ – and yet you live in the midst of Babylon, with all its temptations to harlotry. We have asked throughout Ezekiel, what does it mean to be Jerusalem in Babylon? Ezekiel 16 is describing how Babylon has come to reside in the heart of Jerusalem! https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/925101717516 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:47:17 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/925101631311 [Sung Psalm: 80] “The God I worship would never…” Do you recognize that sort of argument? “The God I worship would never…” When you hear that, the next phrase usually asserts that God would never command the slaughter of innocent children, or God would never condemn “loving” homosexual activity. But before you dismiss these people – pay a little more attention! Because if you look a little more closely, they are usually not making arbitrary claims. They are arguing, based on other passages of scripture, that the church has been mistaken about its interpretation of these passages of scripture. And that is precisely what Ezekiel is facing. Ezekiel is answering those who want to make God sound “nicer” than he is. There is nothing new about this. From ancient Babylon to the present, people in every generation have tended to use their favorite parts of scripture to get around other parts of scripture! Is God being fair? Surely not everyone in Jerusalem is that bad! Surely there is a righteous remnant! Remember Noah – Noah was a righteous man, and because of his righteousness, his children were delivered from the Flood! Aren't there enough righteous individuals to spare Jerusalem from judgment? After all, remember what God said to Abraham about the destruction of Sodom: the LORD said that if ten righteous men were found in Sodom, then he would not destroy the city! If God said that he would spare such a wicked city as Sodom for ten righteous men, then surely a God who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, surely such a God would spare his own city, Jerusalem – and the temple, where his name dwells – for ten righteous men! https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/925101631311 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:44:23 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/820102023110 There are two oracles in Ezekiel 13 – the first against male false prophets (v1-16) the second against female false prophets (v17-23) – but these two oracles are bound together in a single “word.” (v1) Each oracle follows the same pattern: 1) Preamble: (v2) “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts…” (v17) “And you son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own minds…” 2) The Charge: (v3-7) and (v18-19) detail the charges: “Woe” to the false prophets. “Woe” to the “witches” 3) The Twofold Announcement of Judgment (v8-9) begins “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD” announces that because of their false prophesy “I am against you” and concludes “and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD” (v20-21) also begins “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD” announces “I am against your magic bands” and concludes “and you shall know that I am the LORD.” Likewise (v10-16) provide more details about the coming judgment, and concludes “and you shall know that I am the LORD” (v14) and (v22-23) provide more details about God's judgment on the witches and concludes, “and you shall know that I am the LORD.” (v23) The difference between the male and female false prophets is that the male prophets are contradicting Ezekiel's message of national calamity, while that the female prophets undermine his message of life to the righteous and death to the wicked by killing those who should not die, and keeping alive those who should not live. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/820102023110 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:46:20 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/81010201393 [Sung Psalm: 90] Nowadays it seems that folks think of the “fifties” as the golden age – not necessarily the 1950s: - Old School Presbyterians look back to the 1850s. - The Edwardseans wish to go back to the 1750s. - Fans of the Puritans dream of the chance to redo the 1650s. - And others think of Calvin's Geneva in the 1550s. The primitivists want to go back to the original 50s – when the apostles still walked the earth. As a historian I've discovered that when you look carefully at any historical era, you start to realize that you should be very thankful that you don't live “back then.” The books of Samuel and Kings raise some serious questions for the nostalgic in Exile: - David was an adulterer and murderer whose actions brought trouble on his house. - Solomon was the one who started us on the path of idolatry. - And even Josiah failed at the end and was killed in battle with the Egyptians. Ezekiel warns the exiles not to think in terms of nostalgia. The past is useful for many things – but you don't want to go back there! https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/81010201393 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:41:26 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/810102044506 [Sung Psalm: 119:153-160] [We regret that there are dropouts in this sermon.] What did you see this week? As you watched your friends and colleagues – did you see the idolatry in the rebellious house of Israel? Did you learn anything about their “room of pictures”? What are the pictures that motivate them? Where do they put their hope and their trust? But of course, as we saw last week, if you are going to dig through the wall (as Ezekiel did), then you need first to see the glorious vision of Christ. Because outward appearance can be deceptive. If you had gone to Jerusalem in 592 BC, you probably would not have seen anything of what Ezekiel saw in chapter 8. According to Jeremiah (who lived in Jerusalem) the idolatry in the city was not “obvious.” What Ezekiel sees in his vision is what is really going on – not what you might see on the surface. Do not judge by outward appearances. If you lived in 592 BC – you would see the once-proud elders of Jerusalem in exile, now laboring as farm-hands in the fields of Babylon, and you would see those in Jerusalem taking over the houses and lands of the exiles. Who controls the future of Jerusalem? And today, who controls the future of the church? https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/810102044506 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 01 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:52:46 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/810102110475 [Sung Psalm: Psalm 119:49-56] “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of pictures?” This gets at the heart of idolatry. What do you do in the dark? What do you do when no one is watching? We go to church and worship the Triune God on Sunday – and we try to maintain an image of being a good, upstanding Christian, when others are around. But what rules your heart? Who rules your “room of pictures” – that private realm of your heart/mind. What do you do in the dark? What do you do when no one is watching? https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/810102110475 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:46:05 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/72010357313 [Sung Psalm: 74] Did you hear the refrain in these chapters? “they (or you) will know that I am the LORD.” The knowledge of God does not come through academic study. The knowledge of God does not come through contemplation. The knowledge of God comes from his mighty deeds in history. If all you do is think about what God “should” be like, he will remain a construct of your own brain! The God you wish existed would be at your beck and call. You would ask for him to prove that he existed, and he would show up at your command. But the sort of God that would do whatever you wanted, would not be worth knowing! The true knowledge of God comes through seeing his mighty deeds in history. That phrase “then you shall know that I am the LORD” is used 9 times in Exodus, especially in the context of bringing judgment upon Pharaoh and delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt. It is used twice in Kings – in the context of God coming as the Divine Warrior to deliver his people. Isaiah uses the phrase the same way. So the idea “then they will know that I am the LORD” is all bound up with the idea of the LORD coming in judgment against his enemies. That's what makes its use here in Ezekiel so frightening. Because Ezekiel is talking about how God is coming in judgment upon his own people! We encountered it first at the end of last week: when God vents his anger against Israel – then (Ezekiel 5:13) “they shall know that I am the LORD.” Of the 88 times the phrase is used in the Bible, 72 are in Ezekiel. Then they will know. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I come in judgment and fury against my own people. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/72010357313 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:44:14 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/72010337200 [Sung Psalm: 147] You may struggle with the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, where God destroys men, women and children with fire from heaven. Many cringe at the story of the Conquest, when God told Joshua to slaughter all the Canaanites, men, women, and children. But now we hear that God is going to come upon his own people with “anger and fury and furious rebukes.” “I will vent my fury upon them.” “I will make you a desolation and an object of reproach among the nations.” Why would you worship a God who would do this to his own people? I'm not going to let you off the hook here! I'm not going to say that God is different today. Because Jesus is the one who says to the church in Sardis, in Revelation 3:1-3: “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.” (Rev. 3:1-3) King Jesus, the Divine Warrior, will come in judgment against that church that refuses to obey him! Jesus may come in judgment against this church – this denomination – or any other church on earth – but – and here is the key! Jesus will never come in judgment against the heavenly Jerusalem, because he has established it securely by his atoning sacrifice. https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/72010337200 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:45:07 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/7510182822 [Sung: Psalm 81] [Note: We regret that there are some dropouts during this recording. However, we hope they do not detract from the quality of the message.] What does it mean to be a watchman? Nowadays we have these fancy cameras and “security guards” who watch the monitors. But in the old days they had watchmen. The watchman would stand on guard, looking out from his tower. If he saw an enemy coming, he would raise the alarm – blow the trumpet – wake everyone up. That was his job. He may not be very good at fighting, or talking, or farming, or anything else – but as long as you have a good and faithful watchman, no one will be able to surprise you at night. Ezekiel is called as a watchman. He is supposed to warn Israel about a sneak attack. Who is going to attack? The Babylonians? No. The Egyptians? No. God. God is going to attack his people. And so God posts Ezekiel as a watchman! If God is going to attack his own people by night, why would he post a watchman to warn them? https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/7510182822 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 04 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:45:31 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/628102133377 [Psalm: 29] Revelation 17-18 tells us that Babylon is the great political and economic power of the day. Whoever uses political and economic power to lure people away from the worship of God is Babylon. Wherever money and power seduces people away from the love of the Lord Jesus, there is the spirit of Babylon. Let me put this to you plainly: we live in Babylon! And quite frankly, the technology and power, the wealth and splendor of modern culture makes ancient Babylon look second-rate! Isaiah and Ezekiel (like Moses before them) saw earthly pictures of the heavenly reality – because until the resurrection of Christ, no man could enter the heavenly throne room. So as we go through Ezekiel's vision, I want you to remember that this is heading straight to Jesus. Ezekiel's vision of the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD is paralleled by John's vision in Revelation 1 of the exalted Jesus. And as we live as Jerusalem in exile, we need to keep the vision of the exalted Jesus ever before us, because in John's vision there are three things we need to see: 1) God is sovereign 2) His judgment is coming 3) You need to believe the gospel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/628102133377 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 27 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:45:01 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/621102120325 [Psalm: 137] The central problem of Ezekiel is how idolatry has corrupted the worship of Israel. resulting in the destruction of the temple – resulting in the glory of the LORD departing from the temple – the presence of the LORD leaving Jerusalem. Part of Ezekiel's point is that Yahweh had left the temple before Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it. It was not the pagan king who drove God out of the temple – it was Israel's idolatry! God will not dwell with a rebellious people. Your idolatry is what has got you into this mess. You might think that Ezekiel's message would then be: therefore your repentance – and your faithful worship – will bring you back! But that is not what Ezekiel says! Yes, Ezekiel calls us to repentance – but Ezekiel never says that repentance will get you back to the land... https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/michianacovenant/sermons/621102120325 Religion & Spirituality Sun, 20 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000 Peter J. Wallace 0:49:38 no Peter J. Wallace - Ezekiel