Grow! Pray! Study! The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection's Daily Guide for Friday, 14 February 2014 "Ezekiel's vision: God fully restores Israel"

Grow! Pray! Study! The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection's Daily Guide for Friday, 14 February 2014 "Ezekiel's vision: God fully restores Israel"
Daily Scripture: Ezekiel 40:1 In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was struck, in the same day, Yahweh’s hand was on me, and he brought me there. 2 In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, whereon was as it were the frame of a city on the south. 3 He brought me there; and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. 4 The man said to me, Son of man, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart on all that I shall show you; for, to the intent that I may show them to you, you are brought here: declare all that you see to the house of Israel.
43:1 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looks toward the east. 2 Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shined with his glory. 3 It was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4 Yahweh’s glory came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. 5 The Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and behold, Yahweh’s glory filled the house. 6 I heard one speaking to me out of the house; and a man stood by me. 7 He said to me, Son of man,this is the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell among the children of Israel forever. The house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their prostitution, and by the dead bodies of their kings in their high places;
47:6 He said to me, Son of man, have you seen? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the bank of the river. 7 Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 Then he said to me, These waters flow out toward the eastern region, and will go down into the Arabah; and they will go toward the sea; and flow into the sea which will be made to flow out; and the waters will be healed. 9 It shall happen, that every living creature which swarms, in every place where the rivers come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters have come there, and the waters of the sea shall be healed, and everything shall live wherever the river comes. 10 It shall happen, that fishermen shall stand by it: from En Gedi even to En Eglaim shall be a place for the spreading of nets; their fish shall be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. 11 But the miry places of it, and its marshes, shall not be healed; they shall be given up to salt. 12 By the river on its bank, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree for food, whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall its fruit fail: it shall produce new fruit every month, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary; and its fruit shall be for food, and its leaf for healing.
48: 35 It shall be eighteen thousand reeds around: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Yahweh is there.
Reflection Questions:
The prophet Ezekiel lived in exile in Babylon along with many other Israelites. In that time, which must have felt hopeless, he had a series of visions of hope. In Ezekiel 37, he recorded the famous vision of God bringing a valley of dry bones back to life. Today's reading gives portions of a lengthy vision, which showed God restoring Israel's temple and people. The key to restoration came at the very end: "The name of the city is ‘The Lord Is There.'"
The Babylonian army burned Israel's Temple to the ground, and left Jerusalem in ruins. The images of fire and destruction must have haunted the dreams of Ezekiel and his fellow exiles. (Psalm 137:1-4 reflected their feelings of despair.) When have you faced feelings of hopelessness, regret or despair? What helped you to move beyond those feelings and find renewed hope and courage?
Although Ezekiel's vision included detailed measurements of the new Temple, the vision of water (a priceless commodity in the arid Middle East) flowing from the Temple all across the land (even making the sea into fresh water) clearly went beyond literal understanding to a symbolic picture of God's life-giving power. In what ways have you found God's presence like a source of life-giving water for you?
Today's Prayer:
Holy God, give me charity toward others and grace to be merciful when I am wronged. Help me be a light who shares the hope I have found through Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Insight from Michelle Kirby
At The Church of the Resurrection, Michelle Kirby is the Program Director for Learning Events such as the Journey 101 courses and Destination Resurrection.
Read and Reflect:
(Head)
Ezekiel was a Prophet who lived during a very turbulent time in Israel’s history, specifically sent to the southern portion of the divided kingdom known as Judah. Judah had been taken captive and exiled to Babylon. It is from this period that today’s readings are drawn.
Imagine the feelings of fear, hopelessness and regret that must have swept over the Hebrew people. They had allowed their hearts to chase after other gods, forgetting they were God’s chosen people to be a light to the world. Now in a foreign land, they no longer could enjoy the privilege of being in the presence of God who dwelled in the Temple in Israel.
Through a vision, God revealed to Ezekiel plans to restore Israel, instilling hope and establishing a future. Ezekiel paid attention to every detail so he could tell the people everything shown to him. He heard about specific measurements; locations of gates, alcoves and courts; all for a restored Temple and the effects of that on the surrounding land.
One of the images God gave to Ezekiel was of rivers emerging from beneath the Temple. He pictured the pure water of life refreshing and restoring the desolate land, producing lush fruit-bearing trees and an abundance of fish in a previously dead sea. God would transform death into life.
This transformation was not a physical one, though—it represented a spiritual transformation, where God was re-established as the focus of the Temple, dwelling among the people. God’s life-giving water would transform the broken promises and sinful choices of Israel, restoring the unique fellowship they had been granted with the living God. This is the glimpse of a restored Israel that God gave Ezekiel.
The book of Ezekiel ends with an image of the restored city, commemorated by giving it a new name. It is called, “the Lord is there.” In the end, it wasn’t the architecture, measurements or designs that would make the people holy. It was God’s divine presence among them that would transform them.
It is only with God’s presence dwelling among us that we can truly live out our purpose: To be in life-giving fellowship with God and to be a light to the world.
Prayer and Meditation
(Heart)
Holy God, so often I find myself chasing after other things to fill the needs I have instead of running to you. I make gods out of things which lead me away from you and your love.
Have mercy on me and forgive me when I am going in the wrong direction. Please guide my thoughts and desires to long for the things that will draw me closer to you, through the help of your Holy Spirit.
Give me charity toward others and grace to be merciful when I am wronged. Help me to be a light who shares the hope I have found through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Be, Do & Go
(Hands)
We have all fallen short of the vision that God has for our lives. Take a moment to think about where you have gotten off track and make a list of three steps you can immediately take to help you get back on track.
For Discussion:
Use this section to help prompt discussion with your spouse, children, small group, etc.
1.Share about a time you have experienced hopelessness or regret.
2. What helped you to feel encouraged?
3. How might you be a source of encouragement to others facing similar situations?
4. Is there a way you can participate in the vision the church has to reach others in the world who are in need of restoration?
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