Saturday, May 26: - Ezekiel 39 - .

I tried to imagine how Israelites, scattered throughout Babylon away from their homeland, must have felt when they heard theses words from the Lord. "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD" (25-29). I have no personal context for what these words would mean…

I tried to imagine what it would have meant to Native Americans on Reservations to be told that they would be taken back to their former lands. I tried to picture what it would be like to be set free from incarceration for crimes you had committed. But these fall short of what Israel must have experienced.

Tried and found guilty by God, their punishment was now over. What a relief that must be but God offers more, so much more. Their shame will be forgotten, in fact the unfaithfulness they committed will be forgotten, too. Imagine the wait of shame and the haunt of bad memories erased?  What a gift. One more bonus… God’s Spirit will be poured out on the house of Israel. The Spirit poured out, not on a few, but on the entire house. The news gets better and better.

I tried to imagine this.

Then I realize this is what happened to me when Christ became my Lord. I was set free from the kingdom of darkness and brought home to relationship with the Father. My sins were obliterated and my guilt and shame lifted and the Spirit of God was given to me.

That’s it… this is a picture of salvation found in Jesus Christ, the Lord.

I hope you have experienced this as well…

Thanks be to God. I praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the gift of life and restoration that came, when by faith through grace, Jesus was confessed as my Lord. Alleluia Amen.