Ezekiel 32; Psalm 137; Obadiah; Jeremiah 52:28-30; Ezekiel 33:1-20; Ezekiel 34 – 37

There is so much human emotional conflict and inner turmoil poured into Psalm 137. Seeing the good in Jerusalem on the one hand and wanting to see the vengeance of God against her enemies on the other. Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Obadiah are a chorus of promises for Yahweh to judge the nations who have committed evil against Israel and their own people.

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!” O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us! Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!

Psalm 137

Sometimes despair brings out the best in people, other times despair brings out the worst in people. Beholding the goodness and severity of God (Romans 11:22) is instructive and cautionary, to be sure, but it is never intended to make God’s people cheerleaders for the downfall of other humans. “Going negative” can only go so far in the human spirit. We need something positive. We need hope.

Godly hope (as opposed to mere wistful wishing) begins with sincere introspection. Israel had wronged God at the same time others wronged her. Judah had turned against Yahweh while suffering at the hands of her neighbors. The kings of both nations let their subject down. The false priests of Jeroboam and the true priests of Aaron failed the children of God … and failed God Himself. When it all comes down to truth, each person is individually accountable to God and must answer for themselves.

The prophets of God called out to the kings and kingdoms, priests and Levites, and shopkeepers and shepherds. Each one who hears must heed the warning of the watchman…

Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand. “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.

Ezekiel 33:2-7

What of those who listen? The rain falls upon the just and the unjust. So, too, the judgment upon Judah and Israel. What happens to those who heard the warning and turned to God? The watchman has a word for them as well. Ezekiel promises the renewal of Israel for God’s glory. The fury of God is purifying preparation for something amazing. Once cleansed, the land will be healed. Once purified, the tribe of Judah will bring forth a Savior. From the depths of despair, hope will rise up.

It is in this setting we read the familiar vision of the valley of dry bones, and experience one of the most easily interpreted prophetic visions in all scripture. Yahweh asks Ezekiel if the deadest of bones, dried up and sunbaked can live again. Without marrow and blood, there is no chance. No hope. Left there for nature to take its course, death will remain. Only something supernatural can bring forth life from death. That is exactly what Yahweh Elohim Shaddai has in mind.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”

Ezekiel 37:11-14

Bringing them from exile back to Jerusalem, life would come from death supernaturally for the nation of Judah. For those who listened to the prophets, there was hope. From the tribe of Judah a lion would rise up and be slain as a lamb, and life would come from death supernaturally for the Messiah. For those who listen to the Word of God become flesh, there was hope. As I read these words and look inwardly, I know the wage of my sin is death, but in Jesus the Christ Almighty God supernaturally gives me new life and renews my spirit daily. In that I have hope.

Today we look at the world around us and see turmoil, disease, destruction, injustice war and death. Like the Israelites the world swirls around us. Yet, in the midst of it all we hear the words of the watchman … we hear the seeds of hope.

When we listen we come to know that Jesus is the power of hope.

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!