20221212

living in the new covenant

Ezekiel 36:22-32 (JDV)

Ezekiel 36:22 “Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: It is not with regard to you that I will act, house of Israel, but for my sacred name, which you polluted among the nations where you went.
Ezekiel 36:23 I will honor the sacredness of my great name, which has been polluted among the nations – the name you have polluted among them. The nations will know that I am Yahveh – this is the declaration of the Lord Yahveh – when I demonstrate my sacredness through you in their sight.
Ezekiel 36:24 ” ‘For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.
Ezekiel 36:25 I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new breath within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:27 I will place my Breath within you and cause you to follow my prescriptions and carefully observe my rules.
Ezekiel 36:28 You will live in the land that I gave your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
Ezekiel 36:29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and make it plentiful, and I will not bring famine on you.
Ezekiel 36:30 I will also make the fruit of the trees and the produce of the field plentiful, so that you will no longer experience reproach among the nations on account of famine.
Ezekiel 36:31 ” ‘You will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will detest yourselves for your iniquities and repulsive practices.
Ezekiel 36:32 It is not for your sake that I will act – this is the declaration of the Lord Yahveh – let this be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel!

While in exile, Israel will come to a new attitude toward sin. They will be ashamed and humiliated by their past idolatry and humble themselves in repentance (31-32).

God will restore them by his grace, and this will result in a new attitude toward his name. He will be honored and appreciated by his people and revered by outsiders (22-24).

God will also change them on the inside. He will give them a new heart and breath – his breath. Their purpose will be his word (25-28).

His new people will manifest the fruit and fruitfulness of his Sacred Breath. This will result in miraculous productivity for them and will rescue their reputation from the dishonor caused by their previous poverty and bondage (29-30).

When our great God invited people from every nation to be part of his new covenant, the same conditions to the covenant apply:

Access to the covenant is through repentance.

Repentance will result in regeneration and restoration.

Restoration will involve living in devotion to and obedience to God’s word.

Obedience will result in fruitfulness and miraculous evidence of God’s approval.

Are you living in the new covenant?