I was reading through the book of Ezekiel recently.

The images are startling. Stunning. Dry bones in a desert come alive! Hearts of stone are replaced with hearts of flesh! We are also aghast at how bad it was: It was like a most beautiful royal princess becoming a brazen whore who solicits her lovers – and afterword - she pays them! And, to our horror, she sacrifices her children to the fire!

Well, Ezekiel says, "There is a 'Good Shepherd' coming. There will be 'living water' to heal and quench the thirst of the earth!" He will revive the hearts of the wicked.”

Well, Ezekiel says, "There is a 'Good Shepherd' coming. There will be 'living water' to heal and quench the thirst of the earth!" He will revive the hearts of the wicked.”

The book of Ezekiel is filled with unforgettable images. Is my heart open to learn from them? Is yours?

The ESV Study Bible says “Ezekiel spoke to a community forced from its home, a people who had broken faith with their God. As the spokesman for the God of Israel, Ezekiel spoke oracles that vindicate the reputation of this holy God... ’and I will vindicate the holiness of my great name ... and the nations will know that I am the Lord.’ His primary purpose was to restore God’s glory before the people who had spurned it, in view of the watching nations... Ezekiel’s God is no tribal deity but rather is Supreme over all nations."

How will he save and restore His people?

He calls them to repentance. “Why will you die, O house of Israel? I have no pleasure in the death of anyone declares the Lord God; so turn, and live” (18:31–32). The same call is for us today.

Then God says “I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God” (16:62–63).

How does he atone for all that we have done? I hope you know the answer: The cross of Jesus Christ, the faithful servant of the Lord, becomes the place of atonement and our deliverance from shame.

Israel’s “princes” have ruled badly and been unfaithful. Who will lead God's people? “And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be Prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken” (34:23–24). Who is this “David?“ It is Jesus Christ, the son of David who reigns as king of kings and Lord of lords.

With the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost God has fulfilled the promise to bring “showers of blessing” (34:26). He promises his people, saying to them “I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live“ (37:13–14). “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. ... you shall be my people, and I will be your God” (36:26–28).

The book of Ezekiel ends with a glorious vision of restoration. There has been a promise of divine presence. So God gives Ezekiel a vision of the New Temple that is to come (Chapters 40–48). Laid out in these chapters are symbolic indications of the great blessings of the future age where God is wonderfully worshiped, and a glorious river of living water flows out of the temple bringing God’s blessing to his people forever.

What is the source of this river of living water? Do you remember the words of Jesus? “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37–38).

Whew! What a book!

Please join me today and express your heart of gratitude to God the Son, Jesus Christ, for who He is and what He has done for us.

Musing’s from Pastor John, January 17, Click to Email Pastor John