“Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.” Ezekiel 28:17 Spoken of a city. But pity the women and men whose life is their looks.

“Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who kill you?” Ezekiel 28:9

God’s word to the city of Tyre: “By your great wisdom in your trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth.” Ezekiel 28:5 Smart. Rich. Proud. Dead.

“By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.” 1 John 2:3 A knowing that infallibly produces obedience.

“God made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south; he does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number.” Job 9:9–10 “Beyond number!” So, we will never run out of fresh causes for more amazement. God cannot be boring.

“How can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times.” Job 9:2–3 So, let us cry out to him with all humility and submission, “Why!” and, “How!” And if he does not answer, let us put our hands on our mouth, and trust him.

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 Walking in the light is the necessary confirmation of saving faith without which there is no forgiveness of sins. So, walking in the light can’t mean perfection. Else there’d be no sins to forgive.

“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’” John 8:58

“The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” Ezekiel 18:20

“Do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness.” 2 Peter 3:8–9 Two days have elapsed between the first and second comings of Christ.

“Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me.’” John 8:42 Loving Christ, preferring Christ above all, treasuring Christ, cherishing Christ, finding pleasure in the presence of Christ, relishing the words and deeds and person of Christ — this is the sign that we are born again, and that God is our Father.

“Resolved, To endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.” Jonathan Edwards

59 verses of whoring unfaithfulness against God. Then this: “Yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant. Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed . . . and you shall know that I am the Lord . . . when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 16:60–63

“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.” Ezekiel 16:49

“They will console you, when you see their ways and their deeds, and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it.” Ezekiel 14:23 God will remove our criticisms and perplexities over the severity of his judgments by showing us how perfect is the correlation between the evil done and the punishment given.

“When the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’” Ezekiel 13:12 Are you painting the wall of truth to make it attractive while it crumbles from within because the building stones of doctrine have been forgotten?

“Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!” Ezekiel 13:3

“There shall be no more any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord; I will speak the word that I will speak, and it will be performed.” Ezekiel 12:24–25 Indeed! It will be performed by the one who spoke it. “I will speak the word and perform it.” Ezekiel 12:25

“The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials” (2 Peter 2:9). And turn destructive flames into refining fires (1 Peter 1:7).

“The Lord’s beautiful ornament they used for pride.” Ezekiel 7:20 It is very, very dangerous for arrogant athletes and sensual sex symbols to wear a cross around their stiff neck.