Podcast Introduction Today we’ll read Ezekiel 19-24. Afterwards, I’ll have some thoughts to share with you. I’m calling today’s episode “How Many Times?” Comments on Ezekiel 19-24 These chapters tell a sad, tragic and horrific story. They are not easy to read, and even harder to contemplate. These were God’s chosen people. He loved them, and made a covenant with them to bless them for all generations if they would just follow His commandments. Time and again, they turned away from Him, and time and again He told them that judgement would come upon them unless they repented and returned to Him. Often they refused, so God was true to His Word and brought judgement. Then they would repent and He would forgive them and bless them. The cycle repeated many times, proving that God is a merciful God. In these chapters, God’s wrath has reached a crescendo. The messages He gave to Ezekiel were of utter destruction and shame. Now, if I was God I would have washed my hands of not only these “chosen people”, but of all mankind. I would have walked away and let them destroy themselves. It would seem a deserving end. But thanks be to God that I am *not* God. Our God takes no delight in the death of the wicked, according to what He said in Ezekiel 18:23.  Keeping in mind what God said of Himself in Malachi 3:6, “I the Lord do not change…”, the explanation for the fact that any of us are still here can be found in 1 John 4:16: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love…”  This is a love that is impossible to grasp, as a human being. We are far too finite, too limited, too flawed to fully understand. When I think of the love God poured out in creating a perfect and beautiful universe, where he created a perfect and beautiful and lush planet that was supremely suited for humankind to live and have fellowship with their God, only to have them break that fellowship by disobeying the one command He gave them, and then the centuries and millennia of the cycle repeating itself, I can only imagine the broken heart of God. And yet.  And yet He made the greatest offering of love in all of eternity. God the Father offered the life of His only begotten Son for the redemption of any who would receive Him as their Lord and Savior. And the Son, Jesus Christ, who was with God from all eternity, willingly and lovingly gave Himself as it says in Romans 5:8, “…while we were yet sinners…”  Oh beloved, if you have not yet responded to Jesus’ offer, now is the time. Today is the day of salvation. Jesus said, ” I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Will you answer? He has done all the work. You have only to accept His gift. The gift of forgiveness of sin and eternity with Him.  Do you know where you will spend eternity? Do you know that you will go to Heaven when you die? You can know. You don’t have to guess. You don’t have to hope that your good deeds outweigh your bad. That is not what salvation is all about. All have sinned and fall short. One sin is enough to close the book on you. The wages of sin is death. But Jesus took the punishment for my sins and for yours. He paid the price already. For anyone who has accepted Him, their account is marked “Paid in full.” Will you accept Him now? You don’t need to, you *can’t* make