The scriptures read are Ezekiel 17-18, Psalm 78:1-39 and Jude.
Ezekiel 17. We have an allegory about 2 eagles and tree cuttings and vines. The upshot is that the king of Judah should not have made and then broken his covenant with the king of Babylon, reaching out to Pharaoh to support his rebellion. Instead the king of Judah will die in Babylon.
Ezekiel 18. God states that he will judge people on their own actions, not those of their parents. If you're good and your parents are bad, it doesn't matter; you are judged on your own behavior. If your parents are good but you're bad, you won't get a pass; you are judged on your own behavior. If you used to be bad but have turned your life around, your bad behavior will stay in the past. If you used to be good but now are bad, you will not get any slack for your past behavior. But what God really wants is for bad people to turn to him and be saved. God doesn't enjoy seeing his creatures destroy their lives. He wants them to turn to him and get new hearts and a new spirit.
Psalm 78:1-39. I love this talented couple's take on the first 4 verses of this psalm.
Jude. Another short letter, one that shares the same subject matter as 2 Peter. The author, Jude, lists James as his brother. The most famous James, the head of the church in Jerusalem, was Jesus' brother. So Jude may be another of his brothers. (Cf. Matt. 13:55)
Jude warns of those who claim to be Christians but whose beliefs and behaviors are at odds with what Jesus taught. Nevertheless, Jude doesn't want us to be nasty to them. We should be patient with doubters and try to rescue others who have strayed quite far.
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