Back Together
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms.” Ezekiel 37:22 ESV
A common illusion is for the magician to take a string cut into two pieces; tie a know in them and to restore the string to one piece. The Lord instructs Ezekiel in a similar but different approach. Here is what He says,
The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.” (Ezekiel 37:15-17 ESV)
This was no “magic trick” and was a declaration of great historical and spiritual significance. The Lord called Abraham and Sarah on a journey to a land they did not know, with a promise they could not comprehend. They would become a great nation.
Out of one man, many people would arise. From those many people, one nation would be formed. But we see that “one” nation in the promised land existed only through the reign of David and Solomon (a total of 80 years) Because of Solomon’s idolatry the Lord allowed the nation of Israel to be divided. Samaria became the capital of Israel made up of 10 tribes. Jerusalem remained the capital of Judah made up of two tribes. Over the next several hundred years they remained two separate nations. At times they were bitter enemies, at other times they were allies.
The prophets of the Lord would speak God’s message to both nations before the Assyrians took Israel captive before the Babylonians fully captured Judah. As the Lord restored His people back to Jerusalem and the land of Israel, His word to Ezekiel was that God’s people who had made up both Israel and Judah would come back to the land and would once again be one nation, one people, God’s people, ruled by David.
“My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived.” (Ezekiel 37:24,25 ESV)
These verses carry a Messianic picture when Christ would not only come, but beyond the day in which we live when Christ will reign over all the nations of the world. God’s people would once again be like David, the man after God’s own heart. They would have the “law written on their hearts” they would truly “know” the Lord and love and serve Him.
Psalm 133 declares, “How good and pleasant when brothers dwell together in unity….” God’s desire is unity, peace and harmony. Paul in Ephesians declares how Christ in the cross brings Jews and Gentiles into one spiritual family.
“For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God…” (Ephesians 2:18,19 ESV)
I recall two churches that had existed for years that had been formed due to a “church split” were “reunited” as one church it was a cause for great celebration and blessing to the community. I recall the rejoicing when the “Berlin Wall” was broken down.
The Lord blesses unity, delights in peace and honors those who work toward those ends.
Prayer for today….. Lord allow us to be those who seek for unity and work for peace and rejoice when it takes place. We rejoice in You restoring Your people as one nation, and we anticipate the day when the kingdoms of this world, become the kingdoms of our Christ and Lord.