Saturday, June 2: - Ezekiel 45 - All things new.

For seventy years Israel lived in exile. Its heart and soul, temple worship, was ripped from it. No sacrifices meant no atonement and no connection with the Lord Almighty through fellowship and other offerings. In these closing chapters of Ezekiel, Israel receives word, “God is reviving His people. The Lord is reestablishing the connection between Israel and Himself. They are not abandoned forever. God remembers His covenant.”

What may seem laborious for me, all the temple detail and priestly detail, were the brush strokes of Almighty God bringing His people back from exile.

The tunnel of death, exile, is ending. The light at the end of the tunnel, now visible, is growing larger with each chapter.

The discipline of God is a fearful thing but the restoration by God is a more beautiful thing. And God restores His people.

I sat and thought of people I know and friends of people I know who were not presently walking faithfully with the Lord. And I thought the discipline of God is a fearful thing… but restoration by God is a most beautiful thing. And so I pray…

Lord, recapture the hearts of those who have wandered from You. Don’t leave them in exile forever. Restore them, Lord. Reestablish Your connection with them, Lord. I pray this is Jesus’ name. Amen.