Sunday: Restoration: Ezekiel 36:1-15
The fire of God’s jealous love would burn against Israel’s enemies (Ezekiel 36:4-6), and they would be put to shame. A future day is described when the land would be healed and would produce an abundance (Ezekiel 36:8-9), and be safe and secure (Ezekiel 36:10-12). The mountains of Israel are accused of depriving the Jews of children—pagan shrines where they had offered their children to false gods. Now, only the true God would be worshiped.
Monday: An Indictment: Ezekiel 36:16-23
God brings an indictment against Israel for two great sins. First, they had polluted God’s land (Ezekiel 36:16-19). Disobeying God’s law and behaving like the heathen nations around them, they had defiled the land and broken the covenant through their idolatry and by violence toward the weak and defenseless (even toward their own children). Their second sin was by profaning God’s name before the world. Rather than being witnesses to the true God, they brought shame to His name (Ezekiel 36:20-23).
Tuesday: The Transformation: Ezekiel 36:24-38
Only a transformed people can enjoy a transformed land. Spiritual transformation is the very work God will do within His people. They will be cleansed from their sins (Ezekiel 36:25, 29). They will also be given a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26; Jeremiah 24:7; and read Deuteronomy 5:29). The refreshing Holy Spirit will also be given them within (Ezekiel 36:27). Fourth, the Lord will claim them again as His people, reestablishing His covenant (Ezekiel 36:28). Fifth, God will make the land to flourish (Ezekiel 36:29-30, 33-35). Sixth, Israel will finally abhor their sins (Ezekiel 36:31-32). The seventh blessing is fellowship with the Lord (Ezekiel 36:37). Eighth, will be the multiplying of their offspring (Ezekiel 36:37-38a). The ninth blessing is that God will be glorified (Ezekiel 36:38b)!
Wednesday: Dry, Dry Bones: Ezekiel 37:1-3
The Spirit of God brings Ezekiel by vision to a valley filled with very dry bones, slain soldiers scattered on the ground, the leftovers from corpses long past. It was shameful to a Jew that a body be left unwashed, unwrapped, and unburied. Sin brings this kind of shame. Ezekiel walks around among the bones, seeing their vast number and their utter dryness.
Thursday: A Dead Army: Ezekiel 37:4-8
Faith. The writer of Hebrews reveals that “…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). When Ezekiel was commanded to prophesy to the dry bones (Ezekiel 37:4), he was to exercise faith that what was spoken would come to be (Ezekiel 37:5-6). What the prophet believed took place within the vision. The bones came together, then the flesh and skin came upon them—now a lifeless, sleeping army.
Friday: A Dead Army Lives!: Ezekiel 37:9-14
Ezekiel speaks to the dry bones, and they live! At this point, the Lord gives His servant an explanation of the vision’s meaning. The dead, dry bones are symbolic of the entire Jewish nation. One day, they will be called from all the nations where they’ve been scattered. New life will be infused into them as the breath of the Living God infuses into their being. We should all desire this quickening of life into our own lives.
Saturday: The Kingdom Reunited: Ezekiel 37:15-28
Ezekiel’s last action sermon is contained in this passage. Taking two sticks, one representing “Judah,” and the other “Joseph,” Ezekiel announces that the two sticks will become one as he rubs them together—and they did! Israel would be reunited eternally: no more competing with each other, harmoniously unified under one Messiah-King, living in a blessed land.