Ezekiel continues the theme of renewal and hope seen in Jeremiah and Lamentations. Despite the exile, God sought a fresh start for his people, even in their darkest moments. As Jeremiah 29:11 declares, God’s plans were to prosper his people, not harm them, giving them hope and a future.

Ezekiel was appointed to call the Israelites to repentance, as their behaviour didn’t reflect their status as God’s covenant people. However, they ignored his warnings and persisted in their sinful ways. As a result, they faced suffering and humiliation. Through this, they learned a crucial lesson, that God wasn’t just one of many deities, he was the true and living God.

Despite their punishment, God never fully rejected his people. Punishment wasn’t an act of rejection, but a means to bring them back to him. As seen throughout the Bible, he’s the Lord of life, hope, and new beginnings. His discipline was always intended to restore, not destroy.

God promised transformation for His people:
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:26-28

This promise of a new heart and spirit emphasised that true renewal comes from God. Living life in reference to him is the only way to experience true fulfilment, a recurring theme throughout Scripture.

God assured his people of a new future. He would lead them back from exile, and they would rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. This renewal wasn’t just for them, but also for all who choose to follow him. Just as he was their God, he can be our God, giving us hope and a future.

This is one of a series of posts outlining all the books of the Bible. Previous Next