Day 161 – Ezekiel: Messages of hope

“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I, myself, will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the people of the nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live.” Ezekiel 34:11-13

Reading Ezekiel 33:1 to Ezekiel 41:32

This section begins a new direction in Ezekiel’s prophecies. He is reminded that he is the nation’s watchman. Before Jerusalem’s fall, he told the people of their punishment and dispersion. Now he is to proclaim the hope of restoration, but even this message does not improve the people’s response. They listen to him with curiosity, but then live as they please.

God is holy, but Jerusalem and the Temple had become defiled. The nation had to be purified through 70 years of captivity. The book offers a vivid picture of God’s unchanging holiness. We, too, must develop a vision of the Glory of God, a renewed sense of His greatness, as we face daily struggles. Today, we have the Good News of forgiveness, but how easily it is to ignore this message and continue living in sin.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the hope You give, not just then, but today too. Thank You that You are our Shepherd and for the promise that You will find Your lost sheep and bring them to safety under Your care. Lord, where we are lost and for those that are still lost in this dark and sinful world, I pray that You will gather them with Your love and embrace. Amen.