“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NIV)
Since we were born and reared in a free society, it is difficult to imagine the depth of despair God’s people felt as they continued year after year in the valley of captivity scattered across the Babylonian Empire? In Ezekiel 37:11, however, we get a sense of their anguish: “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off” (NIV).
Yet, their conclusions were all wrong. It would have been a simple matter to research Jeremiah’s prophecy and have found that their captivity had a limit of seventy years, but they didn’t. They just concluded that there was no hope for them and they were finished . . . kaput.
They saw themselves as skeletons scattered across the valley. If Ezekiel had asked them, “can these skeletons be resurrected?” They would have scorned him and mocked him in shocked disbelief. When God asked Ezekiel that question, even he replied, “I don’t know, only you can know whether they can or not.” At least God’s servant knew the right response!
Certainly, their hope was not gone. They had momentarily allowed themselves to be blinded by their immediate circumstances, but the hope of freedom lingered ever near. Yet, they needed an extra boost in spirit. So God gave Ezekiel a vision and a promise designed to resurrect their hope.
Note the promise: “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD” (vss. 12-14 NIV).
Sometimes we wrongly conclude that we are forgotten and have little or no hope. It is a simple matter to research God’s Word. We can remind ourselves and reclaim God’s promises to us. His Spirit in us is life! His deliverance is our freedom and resurrection! His leading is our restoration and our future!
Dear Father, thank you for the constant hope we have in you through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. By the power of the Holy Spirit, enable us to overflow in joy, peace, and hope. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today in hope,