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Daily Devotions

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 
Day 
Day 398

"For Judah and for the children of Israel"

Text: Ezekiel 37:16

A MONUMENTAL RIFT

Israel became a kingdom when Saul was made the first monarch. But Saul turned out to be a person who was rebellious and stubborn. He had refused to walk in the ways of God.

David became the next king. Under his capable leadership Israel became a strong kingdom. His son, Solomon appeared to be a wise and good ruler. Sadly, his heart was turned away by his many wives and he became idolatrous.

Under Rehoboam, the third ruler of Israel, the kingdom of Israel suffered a monumental rift. The nation became divided into two kingdoms. The Northern kingdom was known as Israel. The Southern kingdom was called Judah. It was a much smaller kingdom for it revolved around Judah with half of the tribe of Benjamin supporting it. The divided kingdoms remained estranged from the days of Rehoboam and Jeroboam, the respective kings of Judah and Israel.

“Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
‘As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it:
‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’
Then take another stick and write on it,
‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim,
and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’
Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick,
and they will become one in your hand.'”
Ezekiel 37:15-17

1. A stick that represents Judah.

a) Ezekiel was to take a stick.

b) He was to inscribe on the stick these words.

“For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions”

i) This stick represented Judah.

ii) And all the people who made up the Southern kingdom.

2. A stick that represents Israel.

a) The second stick represented Joseph.

b) Joseph had two sons.

i) Manasseh was the firstborn.

ii) But Ephraim was the more outstanding son.

iii) Ephraim was the leading tribe in the Northern kingdom.

iv) Ephraim was sometimes used as a synonym for Israel.

v) Israel had ceased to be a kingdom for the past 150 years.

vi) Nevertheless God still regarded it as His people, the house of Israel.

3. Ezekiel was to join the two staffs.

a) He would join the two staffs together.

b) They would become one long staff.

c) The Lord will cause the two kingdoms to become one nation again.