# Defibrillators for Sardis

URL: https://manofgod.online/daily/2026-10-04-defibrillators-for-sardis/
Date: 2026-10-04
Tags: repentance, wakefulness, new-heart, judgment, remnant, restoration, sardis
Summary: Daily Bible reading for 2026-10-04: Defibrillators for Sardis. Reflections on Repentance, Wakefulness, New heart and links to cited verse pages.

Eze 9:1–11:25  Rev 3:1–13  Job 33:8–18
1. Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, each man with his destroying weapon in his hand.”
2. Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand. One man in the middle of them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.
3. The glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house; and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side.
4. Yahweh said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”
5. To the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him, and strike. Don’t let your eye spare, neither have pity.
6. Kill utterly the old man, the young man, the virgin, little children and women; but don’t come near any man on whom is the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” Then they began at the old men who were before the house.
7. He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out, and struck in the city.
8. While they were killing, and I was left, I fell on my face, and cried, and said, “Ah Lord Yahweh! Will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem?”
9. Then he said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion; for they say, ‘Yahweh has forsaken the land, and Yahweh doesn’t see.’
10. As for me also, my eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.”
11. Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, “I have done as you have commanded me.”
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10
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1. Then I looked, and see, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2. He spoke to the man clothed in linen, and said, “Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” He went in as I watched.
3. Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
4. Yahweh’s glory mounted up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Yahweh’s glory.
5. The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
6. It came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” that he went in, and stood beside a wheel.
7. The cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took some of it, and put it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.
8. The form of a man’s hand appeared here in the cherubim under their wings.
9. I looked, and behold, there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub. The appearance of the wheels was like a beryl stone.
10. As for their appearance, the four of them had one likeness, like a wheel within a wheel.
11. When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn as they went, but to the place where the head looked they followed it. They didn’t turn as they went.
12. Their whole body, including their backs, their hands, their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, even the wheels that the four of them had.
13. As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, “the whirling wheels”.
14. Every one them had four faces. The first face was the face of the cherub. The second face was the face of a man. The third face was the face of a lion. The fourth was the face of an eagle.
15. The cherubim mounted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.
16. When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also didn’t turn from beside them.
17. When they stood, these stood. When they mounted up, these mounted up with them; for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
18. Yahweh’s glory went out from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.
19. The cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went out, with the wheels beside them. Then they stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
20. This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.
21. Every one had four faces, and every one four wings. The likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22. As for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves. They each went straight forward.
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11
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1. Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the east gate of Yahweh’s house, which looks eastward. Behold, twenty-five men were at the door of the gate; and I saw among them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
2. He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and who give wicked counsel in this city;
3. who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’
4. Therefore prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man.”
5. Yahweh’s Spirit fell on me, and he said to me, “Speak, ‘Yahweh says: “Thus you have said, house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.
6. You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain.
7. “ ‘Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “Your slain whom you have laid in the middle of it, they are the meat, and this is the cauldron; but you will be brought out of the middle of it.
8. You have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword on you,” says the Lord Yahweh.
9. “I will bring you out of the middle of it, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
10. You will fall by the sword. I will judge you in the border of Israel. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.
11. This will not be your cauldron, neither will you be the meat in the middle of it. I will judge you in the border of Israel.
12. You will know that I am Yahweh, for you have not walked in my statutes, You have not executed my ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are around you.” ’ ”
13. When I prophesied, Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell down on my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, “Ah Lord Yahweh! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?”
14. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
15. “Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, the men of your relatives, and all the house of Israel, all of them, are they to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far away from Yahweh. This land has been given to us for a possession.’ ”
16. “Therefore say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet I will be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they have come.” ’
17. “Therefore say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”
18. “ ‘They will come there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there.
19. I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;
20. that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
21. But as for them whose heart walks after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way on their own heads,’ says the Lord Yahweh.”
22. Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, and the wheels were beside them. The glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
23. Yahweh’s glory went up from the middle of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
24. The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the captives. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25. Then I spoke to the captives all the things that Yahweh had shown me.
  Ezekiel Ezekiel 9

“ And behold, _w_the man clothed in linen, with the writing case at his waist, brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded me.”  Eze 9:11
This seems to be an angel, Ezekiel 9, seems to echo the judgement of Revelation. God is Lord of all, and He will judge everyone, blessed are the saved that while living accepted the redemption given by Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Ezekiel 10, I really do not understand, and I am ok, with that, but what I can get from this is that God is great and, His splendour is past my understanding and when He created angels and heavenly beings, He made things to be awe-inspiring, and I am awe struck, He is masterful in all He makes. 

“And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,” Eze 11:19
God is good, and drawing closer to God gives this, a new heart. When He draws you to Him you are given a new heart and as your new heart grows the old habits are removed and replaced with God breathed life. Praise be to God for He is righteous and a good judge.
1. “And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: “He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars says these things: “I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
2. Wake up, and keep the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God.
3. Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you.
4. Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
5. He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
7. “To the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write: “He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things:
8. “I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name.
9. Behold, I give some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
10. Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11. I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown.
12. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.
13. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
  Revelation Revelation 3

“ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 
16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 
17 For you say, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,” not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Re 3:15–17

This passage seems to be referring to the nature of the heart, Jesus did speak of the different soils in His parable of the sower, and this could be an extension of that. People are at different parts of their journey with God and the realisation of their dependents on God, and the gravity of who we serve and what role God plays in our lives. I sense that John writing and Jesus saying, to earnestly seek Him as a “hot” believer that I may lean in hard for Him. I have a feeling (which is a terrible leader, but ok gauge) that the term “luke warm Christian” is used as a device to prompt a relation rather than point to the God that we should live in relationship with.

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” Re 3:19
Its hard sometimes, but there is so much reward to be drawn back to a close relationship with God, not getting stuff, but internal peace and fulfillment.

“come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”  Re 3:20”, this is a persal relationship with the Son, Jesus Christ.

Revelation 4:1 - 11, a glimpse of how it will be when we see the Father, praise and worship is offered and flows so naturally.
8. “Surely you have spoken in my hearing, I have heard the voice of your words, saying,
9. ‘I am clean, without disobedience. I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.
10. Behold, he finds occasions against me. He counts me for his enemy.
11. He puts my feet in the stocks. He marks all my paths.’
12. “Behold, I will answer you. In this you are not just, for God is greater than man.
13. Why do you strive against him, because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?
14. For God speaks once, yes twice, though man pays no attention.
15. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, in slumbering on the bed;
16. Then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction,
17. that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
18. He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
  Job Job 33

“ He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’” Job 33:28
God restores us in our weak moments and as we grow old, the gift of ageing so that we see His face, oh Father in heaven my heart grows for you.

Daily insert from Logos: Rebecca Van Noord

We cover up the dead places in ourselves with all sorts of regalia. We fill the emptiness with fine clothing, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, or relationships in which the other is set up as god. Underneath the trappings, though, we’re decaying.

Of all the churches addressed in Revelation, the church in Sardis receives the most intense critique. Sardis was a wealthy city and a military stronghold. And the church, like the city, seemed to be alive and well. But Christ, speaking truth through John’s revelation, uncovers and names the decaying parts: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, and you are dead. Be on the alert and strengthen the remaining things that are about to die, for I have not found your works completed before my God” (Rev 3:1–2).

The community in Sardis needed more than a stern scolding. They needed immediate resuscitation. They had so compromised their faith that many among them were spiritually dead. Those parts not already dead were dying. And the façade only perpetuated continued decay.

What was the answer? Was there hope for Sardis? Is there hope for us?

Sardis could be brought back from the edge of death, but only through repentance: “Therefore remember how you have received and heard, and observe it, and repent” (Rev 3:3). Urgency is paramount: “Be on the alert,” Christ tells them. “I will come like a thief.”

We have received the same instructions. Like Sardis, we might—if we try hard enough—meet others’ expectations. But we shouldn’t lie to ourselves. God sees our outward works, but He also knows our hidden hearts. Name your need, repent, and find hope in Christ, the only one who can fill the emptiness.

_In what areas of your life do you feel empty? How can you name your sin?_

  

 John D. Barry and Rebecca Kruyswijk, _Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan_ (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012).
Harvested verse pages

Ezekiel 10 v 1–22 · Ezekiel 11 v 19 · Ezekiel 11 v 1–25 · Ezekiel 9 v 11 · Ezekiel 9 v 1–11 · Job 33 v 28 · Job 33 v 8–18 · Revelation 3 v 1–13