Readings: Ezekiel 37:22-23 and Matthew 11:2-6

Ezekiel 37:23 – “They will be my people, and I will be their God.”

The prophet Ezekiel speaks God’s word to those living with him in exile in Babylon. Both Israel and Judah were conquered and many people were relocated to this foreign land. It was hard to maintain their faith in this pagan place. Living in oppression in captivity, these words would spark hope in a hopeless people. God speaks of bringing them home, reuniting them as one people under one king. In this new reality the people of God will no longer pursue idols or other things that lead them into rebellion against God. They will be cleansed. God declares, “They will be my people, and I will be their God.”

In Matthew 11:2 John the Baptist is in prison, arrested for speaking out against Herod’s immoral behavior. As news of Jesus’ work spreads, John sends his disciples to Jesus. They ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus responds with a report about what he’s been up to. The blind see and the crippled walk. The deaf hear and the dead are raised. The poor hear the good news. These words are from Isaiah 35 and 61. These words of God spoken through the prophet Isaiah speak of a day when God would restore Israel.

The religious leaders and most of the people of Jesus’ day longed for a mighty Messiah to free them from Rome’s oppression. They read the words from Ezekiel 37 with this longing in mind. Slight problem. They forgot the context of these verses. These words follow and are connected to the vision of the dry bones – God’s vision for restoring Israel’s dry and dead faith. These words speak of a Messiah who will restore Israel’s faith, not their political might. Digging deeper, we see that Jesus’ kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, not an earthly kingdom.

Prayer: Lord God, sometimes we too want you to be what we think we need. Because of our situation or circumstance we want you to be this or that. Help us, instead, to see with eyes focused on your kingdom, on your will and way. Guide us to know your heart, for there we find out who you truly are. Knowing you intimately and personally, you are our God and we are your people. From this place of connection, use us to be your good news for the world. Amen.