Israel’s Restoration
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Ezekiel 20:32-49, Ezekiel 21:1-32, 1 Peter 3:18-21
BY Scarlet Hiltibidal
In high school, I learned how to do back handsprings. I was on an intensely dedicated competition cheer team that practiced hours and hours nearly every day. My dad would often joke, “I sure hope your coaches get serious about this whole cheerleading thing.” My number one goal in life, at the time, was to demonstrate my awesomeness in front of the football team.
I wanted to be admired. I wanted the linebacker to be in love with me. I wanted my cheer coaches to be proud of me. I exhausted myself—determined to be the best and most strategic in my efforts to let everyone know I was the best.
A lot of toe touches, a lot of hairspray, and a lot of years and tears went into my efforts of being the bubbly, cheering god of my own little universe.
The problem was, I was never impressive enough. And even when I felt I was, there were never enough people watching. And if there were enough people watching, they weren’t watching well enough. If they were watching well enough, they weren’t responding loudly enough. It was never enough.
Today’s reading is such a beautiful chunk of Scripture about our one, true God. Our actually and legitimately worthy of praise God. Our Creator is the only being who genuinely has the right to demonstrate His goodness and perfection in the sight of all. We tend to strive to secure a worthiness that always feels false. But He is worthy.
I loved reading what God says to the house of Judah in today’s passage. “Go and serve your idols….But afterward you will surely listen to me…” (Ezekiel 20:39). And then, He tells the people, “I will demonstrate my holiness through you in the sight of the nations” (v.41). I may not have known it back in high school when I was doing my best God impression, but His Spirit was patiently and compassionately pursuing me, the way He did with the people of Judah thousands of years ago. He was loving me, in my exhaustion, toward the realization that He alone could satisfy.
In Ezekiel 20:42, God says, “…When I lead you into the land of Israel, the land I swore to give your ancestors, you will know that I am the LORD….”
Even though He was speaking to the exiled people, we see His character here, and we see how He deals with us and our own idolatry. We often spend time chasing our own desires and we end up empty. But God keeps His promises, despite our wanderings and failures. He leads us to the promised land, because He is a promise keeper! For those of us who accept the finished work of His Son, that “promised land” can be found anywhere on the map of this so-obviously-broken world.
Years after the prophet Ezekiel had come and gone, Jesus left heaven and came to this world, “suffer[ing] for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring [us] to God…” (1Peter 3:18–21).
We, too, have failed at being holy. We, like them, turned from worshiping Him to worshiping other things—ridiculous things like cheerleading and careers and compliments. But, God, in His mercy, has made a way for us to be restored. During this Lenten season we are reminded that He makes spiritually dead people abundantly alive through the extravagant and sacrificial love of His only Son, the only One worthy of praise.
62 thoughts on "Israel’s Restoration"
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VICTORIA E – Congrats on baby Elijah!!
ASH H – Prayers for Milo. This saddens my heart for this family.This was a hard read for me. I was thinking about idols and sin the other day. I almost understand the not giving up of their idols. Think about different religions that have so much structure. Idols, ex: incense, the lighting of candles, not allowing certain foods, etc. It has been ingrained in them to follow these acts of tradition. I watch as my own husbands family is this way. My father in law set me straight once when I told him how Sundays sermon from my church, would pop in my head during the week. He said, “that is not why I go to mass.” I was speechless. In fear of his grouchiness, I did not reply. My mother was this way. She could not understand how you could just ask God for forgiveness and not have to go to confession. We live in such a broken world. The answer for me is so simple, study my Bible. All the answers we need are right there.
I also feel such a grief over my sins. And as I watch the world drowning in sinful behavior that has become more and more acceptable. So many have run the other way from God. I pray that my eyes stay looking up. It is the only way.
Scarlet said “we often spend time chasing our own desires and we end up empty. So true. But God keeps His promises, despite our wanderings and failures. He is a promise keeper!
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Congratulations Victoria E. & welcome to you little Elijah. Praising the Lord.
Praying as I go through all your comments. They are such a blessing for me. Thanks to all y’all. -
BUT GOD!!!! You and Your Son and the Holy Spirit ARE THE ONLY ONES WORTHY of praise and worship.
BUT GOD!!!! You and You alone are the One we should turn to, no others can do what YOU CAN DO!!
God, You sent Your One and Only Son to redeem us from our sins, to cleanse us from our wrongdoings, to help purify us, yet we continue to do the things that upset and anger You. Father, though You sent Jesus to forgive us from our sins and wrongdoings, we imperfect beings continue to sin. Please forgive me/us. Know that I/we love You and try to do Your will, though I/we slip at times. Your love and forgiveness is what I/we ask for. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Now I see what many of you have told me when have said it was the Lord helping you write what you do.
Sisters, be blessed and know NO MATTER WHAT the LORD will forgive you, if you only ask.
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I don’t post very often but I read the comments every day. I’m lifting you all up in prayer and praying for all of your requests. My constant prayer is for changed hearts for so many of my loved ones who aren’t walking with the Lord. This study is a reminder that God is the changer of hearts. I will continue to pray for my loved ones every day. We have a real enemy who wants to destroy us; this is spiritual warfare and we already know who won the battle. Like others have mentioned, Ezekiel is a hard book to read at times. I read it last year with The Bible Recap and I found it to be very helpful. I know other ladies have mentioned The Bible Project videos and those are awesome too!
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Congrats Victoria! My church is doing Priscilla Shirer’s study on Elijah right now, so when I saw his name it made my heart sing.
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Although hard, I’m appreciating the study on the book of Ezekiel more and more. MOLLY R. I agree. This study is doing what it’s designed to. It’s breaking our hearts and softening them to the work done on the cross by Jesus.
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Congratulation Victoria ! May You have grace and peace in this new season. <3
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@VICTORIA E. Welcome baby Elijah! We are all so excited that you have arrived!
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