September 7, 2017. Ezekiel 35-37.

 

 

Tucked away in these three chapters is the Lord’s good news about Israel’s future and the great news about the future of all His people.  A future we, as His people, are actually living in today.

Ezekiel 36:

25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.  

27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

The Lord says, that when it comes to His people, in the future, He will basically do two things.  He will cleanse them, and He will put His Spirit in them.  His Spirit will then cause His people to walk in the ways He desires for His people.

Now fast forward approximately 600 years and we see a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, who Jesus talks with about the fact that “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

“Born again and seeing the kingdom of God.”  A statement that refers to a very familiar passage seen occasionally on signs at sporting events, John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.   

When a person believes, this future Ezekiel tells us about, becomes the present in that person’s life.  Here is how Jesus explains it to Nicodemus.

John 3:5 “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

When anyone believes, he or she is born of water.  That person has been cleansed by the Lord of all their filthiness.  They are now clean.  No longer is what God says in Romans 3:23 (“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”) true about their life.  God has cleansed that person and that person is clean.  Just like Ezekiel said.

Not only are they clean, but just as exciting, they are born of the Spirit.  God has put His Spirit in them. His Spirit, who will cause them to walk in His ways.  He makes it possible for that individual to live their life the way the Lord tells them, so they can enjoy the blessings that come with walking down His path for life.

Now let’s go from the general, to the specific.  From “him,” “her” and “they” to “me” and “I.”

Is this the question for you today?

• “Do I need to be born again, believing in God’s son Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord?”

 

Or maybe the questions for you are …

• “Since I have already been born again, am I thankful for being cleansed?”
• “Since I have God’s Spirit within me, am I learning about God’s way of living?”
• “Since I have learned God’s way of living, so He can bless me, am I living this way?”