God In Exile

Ezekiel 11:14-25 (NIV)

14The word of the Lord came to me: 15“Son of man, your brothers—your brothers who are your blood relatives and the whole house of Israel—are those of whom the people of Jerusalem have said, ‘They are far away from the Lord; this land was given to us as our possession.’

16“Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’

17“Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’

18“They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 19I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

22Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23The glory of the Lord went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it. 24The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God.

Then the vision I had seen went up from me, 25and I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.

I. Introduction:

II. The Absence of Assurance Answered: Rejection

a. Answering the Feeling of Rejection: A Remnant

b. Answering the Feeling of Loneliness: A Sanctuary

III. The Promise of God Extended: Restoration

a. A Promise Concerning Their Heritage

b. A Promise Concerning Their Hearts

c. A Promise Concerning His Presence

IV. The Danger of Judgment Presented: Retribution

a. Judgment For Wicked Hearts

b. Judgment For Sinful Acts

V. The Glory of God Departed: Restricted

a. His Departure is Reluctant

b. His Presence is Conditional

VI. Conclusion: