Ezekiel

I am now reading in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a prophet to the Israelites who had been taken into captivity in Babylon, but Jerusalem had not fallen for that last time yet. God did some strange things to Ezekiel. He had the dry bones prophecy. His wife died as an object lesson to the people. He laid on his side for 390 days. How strange is that? But he did what God asked him to. He prophesied against Israel, but also against Israel's attackers; lots and lots of those prophecies. We don't know what Ezekiel felt about what God had him do. Was he amazed? Afraid? Depressed? He was a man, so he must have felt these things. Yet he continued to do what God asked him to. I pray that I would be as solidly committed as he was.



This passage at the end of the dry bones prophecy has brought me much comfort over the years:



Ezekiel 37:11-14 - 11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "



I have often felt dried up and hopeless. But God promises me life!