A Milestone Worth Celebrating
This morning, I want to begin by acknowledging what you’ve accomplished. As we conclude the book of Ezekiel, you’ve now read twenty-six books of the Bible—over eighty percent of Scripture. That’s not just a reading achievement; it’s a spiritual journey. I hope you’ve grown not only in knowledge, but in depth of relationship with the Lord.
I know, because I’ve been right here with you, that it hasn’t always been easy. There are days when it’s tempting to skip, to catch up later, to let life crowd out the Word. Without my commitment to each of you, I’m sure I would’ve given in to that temptation a few times myself. But the key, as Ezekiel reminds us in 46:14, is consistency—“morning by morning.”
Making Room for God
It all starts with making God our priority. In Ezekiel 45:1–2, God commands people to set aside a sacred portion of land for Him. This isn’t just about geography—it’s about spiritual architecture. When we give Him lordship in our lives, He rules our actions, as we see in verses 6 and 9.
Still, I know it’s difficult. That’s why I applaud your effort. Giving our worship and time to the Lord isn’t supposed to be easy. I’ve always told my son—especially when we’re hiking into a hunting area, which isn’t simple for a man with a disability—“If it were easy, everyone would do it.” It’s not supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to be worth it.
The Cost of Worship
Let’s look at what the Lord asked of the people in captivity. A daily sacrifice of an ephah of grain or a hin of oil. To give context:
An ephah is about 20 pounds of flour. To harvest that much grain by hand, thresh it, winnow it, and grind it into flour would take a full day’s labor. They didn’t have Costco. This wasn’t about giving out of abundance—it was about giving out of effort and devotion.
A hin of oil is one gallon. To produce that, you’d need to gather 40 pounds of olives, beat them from the tree (Deuteronomy 24:20), crush and press them, and let the oil settle to separate from water. It’s a slow, painstaking process. According to BiblePlaces.com, ancient olive oil production required significant time, tools, and patience.
Like reading twenty-six books of Scripture, this takes time. But the reward is profound.
Becoming the River
The reward for all that work is that water can now flow out of you—spreading to those you encounter. This is how the gospel spread from twelve apostles in one corner of the globe to the ends of the earth. You are part of that stream.
In Ezekiel 47:1–5, we see a trickle from the temple that becomes a river. As it flows, it deepens. Each day I learn more about God, and my faith grows deeper. That’s the reward I receive for writing this for you.
When that river enters the sea, it brings life with it (47:8–10). These verses describe how it transforms the Dead Sea into a living ecosystem—from En-Gedi to En-Eglaim. Commentators like Ellicott and Benson note that this is a metaphor for total renewal.
We are like that sea. Before Jesus enters our hearts, we are dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1). But He turns our stone hearts into flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). And once we’re alive, we’re called to bring life to others—to become fishers of men (Matthew 4:19), casting our nets in the fertile waters of grace.
When Faith Gets Hard
We do this with consistency and faith, especially when circumstances make us want to give up. When it gets hard and you want to stop, remember the words of Winston Churchill, spoken during the darkest days of World War II:
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”¹
Churchill said this in 1940–41, when Britain stood alone against Nazi Germany. The Blitz was relentless. The German air force bombed London every night. Yet the people pressed on. Churchill’s quote became a rallying cry for perseverance in the face of despair.
Spiritually, it’s the same. Turning back should never be an option. You’ve made it this far. Keep going.
Flow Forward
Tomorrow, we begin the final Major Prophet—Daniel. But today, take a moment to reflect:
What part of your life needs to be set apart for God?
Where can you offer Him something costly, not just convenient?
Who around you needs the living water that now flows from you?
Practical step: Choose one person today to encourage—send a verse, a prayer, or a word of hope. You may be one voice telling one person, but that is how the trickle starts. That trickle becomes a river. Let the river flow.
Tomorrow, we will read Daniel 1-3.
Bibliography
Churchill, Winston. Churchill by Himself: The Definitive Collection of Quotations. Edited by Richard Langworth. London: Ebury Press, 2008.
Ellicott, Charles John. Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers. London: Cassell and Company, 1905.
Benson, Joseph. Benson Commentary on the Old and New Testaments. London: Wesleyan Conference Office, 1857.
BiblePlaces.com. “Olive Oil Production in Ancient Israel.” Accessed August 30, 2025. BiblePlaces.com.
The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011.