Week 32, August 3–9: Ezekiel 25–39; Psalms 94–99
- Sun Aug 3 Ezek. 25–26 Ps. 94
- Mon Aug 4 Ezek. 27–28 Ps. 95
- Tue Aug 5 Ezek. 29–30 Ps. 96
- Wed Aug 6 Ezek. 31–32 Ps. 97
- Thu Aug 7 Ezek. 33–34 Ps. 98
- Fri Aug 8 Ezek. 35–36 Ps. 99
- Sat Aug 9 Ezek. 37–39
Chapter 25 of Ezekiel marks a transition to a new section, which goes through chapter 32. Here the focus shifts from a message of judgement on Israel and Judah to a series of oracles against surrounding nations. These are historical enemies of Israel and Judah, and the prophetic proclamations in these chapters speak of coming judgement on the nations, and their leaders, who have proudly opposed God and his people over the course of Israel and Judah’s history. The Lord’s righteous judgement will one day come down hard upon his enemies.
For the Israelites who were first hearing and reading these oracles, this would have been an encouraging relief in the midst of Ezekiel’s condemning words earlier in the book. And we too can find great hope in these oracles as God’s people today. The Lord will ultimately prevail. Even when it seems wickedness and the pride of evil leaders and nations are prevailing now, God will execute his righteous judgement in the end. He will manifest his glory and his holiness (Ezek. 28:22). Embedded in this section is another reminder from the Lord that he will again gather his people from where they have been scattered (28:25–26). God’s judgment against his enemies is deliverance for his people.
After a set of judgements against Egypt and Pharaoh, Israel’s ancient enemies, Ezekiel’s message shifts its focus again starting in chapter 33. In chapters 33 o 39, Ezekiel takes up a variety of themes that include the Lord’s weighty reminder to Ezekiel that he is a “watchman for the house of Israel” (33:7). The prophet is compelled to give to the people the word the Lord gives to him. There is also in this context an intense critique of the shepherds in Israel, followed by a hopeful promise that God himself will seek out his sheep and bring them back to him; he will care for them and feed them in justice (34:1–16). Not only will the Lord be their loving shepherd, but he will also deliver his sheep by the hand of a shepherd he will send. “I, the Lord, will be their God,” he says, “and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.” (34:24) This is same kind of messianic language we have seen before throughout the OT, where long after David’s own time, God promises to send another, greater David. One from his line, an offspring (or seed) of David, will come and bring his people back to God and care for them with the care of a great, loving Shepherd.
In this time to come a new covenant will be enacted, a covenant of peace. We read of this new covenant just after the promise of a coming Davidic shepherd Messiah (34:25). In this new covenant of peace, the enemies of God and of his people will be destroyed, and God will put his own Spirit within his people. The Lord will vindicate his holy name among the nations before whom he has been profaned by his people.
In one of the most beautiful and hopeful new covenant passages in all the Bible, the Lord promises to take his people from all the nations and cleanse them—cleanse us from our uncleanness. His words of promise continue and he says this profound truth, which has been fulfilled in us:
“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.” (36:26–27)
This is the beautiful hope of the gospel, the new covenant promise that Jesus ushered in when the eternal, almighty, triune God took on flesh then went to the cross to redeem to himself all who recognize him as the Messiah and put their faith in him. He is our God and we are his people. And, as chapter 37 depicts with vivid imagery, we have been raised with him from death to life.