Restored by God

The first ten chapters of Ezekiel have been dark. God's prophet has revealed warnings of doom and performed intense street theatre to show what is coming upon them in exile and for those who remain in the city of Jerusalem. 

Chapter 10 ends with a vision of God's glorious throne chariot leaving the city of Jerusalem and coming east to where the exiles are in Babylon. 

Now, chapter 11 opens with what looks to be more doom and gloom from the prophet. He speaks from the East Gate of the city, the very gate where the glory of God is exiting: 

Ezekiel 11:5–7 (ESV) And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and he said to me, “Say, Thus says the LORD: So you think, O house of Israel. For I know the things that come into your mind. 6 You have multiplied your slain in this city and have filled its streets with the slain. 7 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of it, they are the meat, and this city is the cauldron, but you shall be brought out of the midst of it.

The word of the Lord is simple: The people left behind will also be carted off to exile. They will be judged for their continued rebellion even as they saw Nebuchadnezzar come and destroy their temple and kill their king. Some people learn the hard way. 

The judgment is rendered by the words of Ezekiel and then in the lives of the people. 

Ezekiel 11:13 (ESV) And it came to pass, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell down on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?”

Even the prophet is at a loss for what is taking place. Even though Pelatiah was a wicked counselor who led the people into sin, Ezekiel is concerned that his death spells the end of all Israel forever. 

But just when you think it couldn't get worse... 

Ezekiel 11:16–17 (ESV) Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.’ 17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’

Hope dawns in the narrative. God is not wiping them out completely, God is preparing to restore them to purity. He will be their "sanctuary" in exile and they will return. More than that, they will be transformed. Reading further...

Ezekiel 11:19–20 (ESV) And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

God wipes out the wicked of the land but spares those He has called. Now, the important consideration here is to acknowledge that those who were important in the land were not spared. In fact, God removed them and put them to death. Yet He reserved a remnant and guided them through the captivity in Babylon to bring them back a new people in Himself. 

This chapter is a picture of our spiritual exile in this world. We are not home, we know this world is not for us. We see death and despair, but God is our sanctuary. God is our refuge amid a strange land. And He will guide us home and change us inwardly and outwardly for eternity. We will be changed. 

1 John 3:2 (ESV) Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.