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The Promise of Israel’s Return

14 The word of the LORD came to me: 15 “Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have said of your fellow exiles and all the other Israelites, ‘They are far away from the LORD; this land was given to us as our possession.’

16 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’

17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’

18 “They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD.”

22 Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23 The glory of the LORD went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it. 24 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylon] in the vision given by the Spirit of God.

Then the vision I had seen went up from me, 25 and I told the exiles everything the LORD had shown me.

 

The book of Ezekiel tells the story of the downfall of Israel as the Assyrian’s and Babylonians conquered and split the kingdom apart by forcing many Israelites into exile. These verses describe a loving and powerful God who knows all about our weaknesses that separate us from him. Our human failings get in the way of our relationship with God because we substitute idols for him. Ezekiel was sent by God to the Israelites to tell them of his love and his desire for them to come back to him and their promised land. He forgives us for our failings, but he does require us to come back to him with love.

Today we face the same challenges as the ancient Israelites. Our world is very unsettled, and it has many distractions that can get in the way of our relationship with God and Jesus. There are idols galore to distract us and keep us from focusing on God. If we set aside our idols and focus on God life becomes fulfilled, peaceful and balanced because God is the source of all that is positive in life. We will face challenges even as we walk with God, but the way becomes clearer and satisfying the more we worship and focus on him.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father thank you for your love and understanding. Help us to walk with you every day so we may be beacons of light for all people. Amen.

Robert Carrothers

robert.carrothers@gmail.com