The Big Read – Ezekiel

Powerpoint Pictures: Sunny Weather; Flowers; Football Season; Dad going to work; Child going to school; TV; Cadbury’s Crème Egg

Can you think of something that goes away for a time, but then returns? [Sunny Weather; Flowers; Football Season; People – Parent goes to work or child goes to school; TV show; Cadbury’s Crème Eggs]

All these are things we miss when they are gone, but we are happy when they return – aren’t we?

The book of Ezekiel is about something, no someone, who goes away, but in the future, returns.

That someone is God.

While Ezekiel was in exile in Babylon, God gives him a vision where he sees God’s presence leaving the temple in Jerusalem because of the people’s sin and rebellion.

This was bad news for God’s people living in Judah and Jerusalem because with God no longer with them, there was nothing to stop the Babylonian army destroying the city.

This vision made Ezekiel sad. But God gave Ezekiel another vision, and this time he sees God’s presence returning to the temple in Jerusalem, and when this happened, not only will God be with His people forever, but He will also bless them in such an incredible way, it will be like being back in the Garden of Eden.

The final verse of Ezekiel tells us that: “The name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE.” (Ezekiel 48:35)

This was good news for Ezekiel and those who were with him in exile in Babylon.

Well, what Ezekiel saw we know has happened and is happening.

God’s presence did leave Jerusalem and Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians, as a punishment for the people’s sin.

But God’s presence did return also, and this happened when Jesus came to earth. He was God with us and when people were with Him it was like being back in Eden, only better.

Jesus went to Jerusalem and it was in Jerusalem that He died on the cross to take the punishment our sin and rebellion deserve, so that if we trust in Him, we can have the hope of being with God forever in a new Garden of Eden.

In the meantime, if you are trusting in Jesus, He is with you by His Spirit, and one day when He returns you will be with Him face to face forever.