Daily reflections

Ezekiel’s next vision describes the many false prophets who prophesied out of their own imaginations, and not from a true vision sent by God. So in place of telling the truth, they have told lies, using phrases such as 'thus...

God rebukes those who believe that they can use him as a fortune-teller, especially those who call themselves elders, without even respecting him enough to worship and praise him as their God.

In Ezekiel’s next vision, he is shown a useless vine. The wood of this vine is good for nothing if it does not bear fruit, unlike other woods from which many things are made for our use and benefit. This image is comparable...

In extensive detail, Israel is compared with the bride of God. Yet she has been repeatedly unfaithful, and played the prostitute to many other nations. This chapter is written in a language very similar to the bride/harlot...

This vision is a message concerning Jewish royalty and the world powers of Ezekiel's time. It is first presented as a riddle or parable of two great eagles, a cedar tree and a vine. The exiles with Ezekiel are given some time...

David was an Israelite hero. Here, though, we see how someone who had risen very high could fall into terrible sin. The 'man after God's own heart' was guilty of adultery, deceit and murder. Given that Bathsheba probably had...

David had committed the perfect crime. As we know from any number of Hollywood movies, though, there's always a catch. In this case, the catch was the prophet Nathan. He tells David a parable. The poor man is Uriah; the pet...

This story is one of the Bible's 'texts of terror' that portray acts of extreme violence against women. Tamar is raped and then rejected by her half-brother Amnon, who is then murdered by his brother Absalom in revenge.

Absalom is in exile after killing Amnon; David won't bring him back, but was 'filled with longing' for him. The woman who tells David the sad story of her two sons is aiming for the same result as the prophet Nathan (chapter...