Drawn from Ezekiel 36

God’s plan to save His people, and the world, is as it was in the Old Testament. God wants all people to be saved. His plan is to do good on behalf of His people.

As the prophecy begins it does so in the form of defence against the enemies of the people of God: because the enemies laugh, and scorn, and mock, claiming possession of the people (v2) coupled with the fact that God’s people were made desolate, they were swallowed up on every side. They were made a possession of, and owned by a people that God had said He would use and then punish. God’s people were taken captive by Edomea, talked about negatively by talkers and made to be ashamed, but God’s plan was in place.

The defence concludes at v7, where the people of God are in distress, and under shame and disgrace, the enemy is insulting them, and triumphing over them. There are ten occasions where the term “thus says the Lord” is used by the Prophet. By this repetition, the Prophet could reinforce the message.The people of God, though in distress, would be in no doubt that the message was from God, not man.

Father, I pray in the name of Jesus, that we, Your servants, the people of God in these last days, fully believe that Your plan is to save us all. Father, I pray, that despite the gossip, public ridicule, hate and violence, we continue to trust You, seek Your face, and give thanks for the many blessings we live in. May we wholeheartedly and completely give our lives to You, the God who knows all, and sees all, so that You can use us as Your consecrated vessels. Father, guide us into all truth, in the name of Jesus. Amen.