one kingdom

June 22, 2017

The gathering into one nation (Ezek 37:20-37:22)

“When the sticks

On which

You write

Are in your hand,

Before their eyes,

Then say to them.

Thus says Yahweh God!

‘I will take

The people of Israel

From the nations

Among which

They have gone.

I will gather them

From every quarter.

I will bring them

To their own land.

I will make them

One nation

In the land,

On the mountains of Israel.

One king

Shall be king

Over them all.

Never again

Shall there be

Two nations.

Never again

Shall they be divided

Into two kingdoms.’”

Yahweh told Ezekiel to gather the two written sticks in his hand before the people. Then he was to tell them what Yahweh had said. Yahweh was going to gather all the Israelites from the various places where they were living. He was going to bring them back to their own land. Yahweh was going to make them one nation in the mountainous land of Israel. They would have one king over them. Never again would there be two nations, divided into two kingdoms. There would be one nation and one kingdom with one king.

November 29, 2015

The wandering Israelites (Ps 105:12-105:15)

“When they were few in number,

Of little account,

Strangers in it,

They wandered from nation to nation.

They wandered from one kingdom to another people.

He allowed no one to oppress them.

He rebuked kings on their account.

He said.

‘Touch not my anointed ones.

Do my prophets no harm.’”

At one time the Israelites were not that large. They were strangers in other lands. They wandered from one country to another, from one kingdom to another. However, Yahweh did not allow anyone to oppress them. He would rebuke kings on their account. He told them not to touch his anointed ones. They were not to harm his prophets. Yet somehow, many of the Israelites complained about being persecuted by various countries and people.