20101031

The restoration of the Israelites in Ezekiel 36:16-38 is the summary message of the book of Ezekiel.  The Israelites had offended God through bloodshed and idolatry.  God’s punishment resulted in their exile to Babylon.  But the LORD promised that they would be restored to return to Israel after 70 years.  He would cleanse and transform them and they would follow Him.  Israel and the Israelites would flourish again.  The surrounding nations would know that the Lord had acted.  The reason the LORD would bring the Israelites out of exile had to do with God’s desire that his Name should not be profaned.  The very fact that Israel was in exile led others to think that the God of Israel was either incapable or unwilling to look after His own people.  The character (Name) of God was being questioned and for this reason, God would restore His people.

In Ezekiel 36:16-38, God told the Israelites through the Prophet/Priest Ezekiel: “When you lived in Israel, you defiled it with your sin.  So I exiled you to Babylon.  But your dispersal profaned my Holy Name, which is of concern to me.  For the sake of my Name I will show myself holy through you to all the surrounding nations.  They will know that I am the LORD.  I will bring you back to Israel and cleanse you.  Your heart of stone will be replaced with a heart of flesh.  I will put my Spirit in you and make you follow my laws.  Israel will be bountiful and you will come to detest and be ashamed of your past conduct.  It is not for you that I do this but for the sake of my Holy and Great Name.  When I cleanse you from all your sins, the towns of Israel will be rebuilt and the land re-cultivated.  The nations around will know that I have restored Israel and the Israelites.  You will become as numerous as sheep.  Then you and the surrounding nations will know that I am the LORD.”

When Christians turn away from God and go their own way into lives of sin, God is very angry.  He hates sin and cannot condone sin in the lives of His people.  He punishes us because His Name is dishonoured.  But He promises to Restore – Refresh – Renew – us.  He replaces a heart of sin with a heart of love.  This gives us great hope.  God acts to restore – refresh – renew – us, not on the basis of our worthiness, but for the sake of His Holy and Great Name and out of the richness of his grace and mercy.  Thanks be to God!