September 9, 2017. Ezekiel 40-41.

 

 

The nation of Israel is in captivity, but through Ezekiel, the Lord shows them a future of hope.  A future when there will again be a temple for them to worship in.  A temple where they will once again be able to bring offerings to God.  Ezekiel is given a vision of the future and is specifically told what he is to do.

Ezekiel 40:4 "Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see." 

God’s people have been in the miserable and depressing state of captivity for twenty-five years. Now, through what Ezekiel is shown and is to declare, God is giving to them hope.

Throughout the Bible, here is one of the more wonderful aspects of the Lord.  He wants to give to all people, and especially His people, hope.

When the human race wonders about what happens at death, the Lord gives hope.

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.

1Thessalonians 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have died, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Hope!  Hope that we will have everlasting life, because we have believed.  Hope that whether dead or alive we will ultimately always be with the Lord, our Lord.

In the midst of the trials of their captivity, the Lord showed Israel what the future held for them, so they would have hope.  

In the midst of our life today, the Lord shows us what the future holds if we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, so we will have hope.

The only thing that can dash our hope is when we forget about this promised future, or we do not believe it will happen.

Otherwise, this hope is there from the Lord specifically for us to remember and look forward to during all the aspects of everyday life. We look forward to this hope, of ALWAYS being with the Lord.