Justice and the Prophets
Called to God's Work of Justice
Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5)
Peace and Justice Reign
Ezekiel 37:15-24 The Message
15-17 God’s Message came to me: “You, son of man: Take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, with his Israelite companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph—Ephraim’s stick, together with all his Israelite companions.’ Then tie the two sticks together so that you’re holding one stick.
18-19 “When your people ask you, ‘Are you going to tell us what you’re doing?’ tell them, ‘God, the Master, says, Watch me! I’ll take the Joseph stick that is in Ephraim’s hand, with the tribes of Israel connected with him, and lay the Judah stick on it. I’ll make them into one stick. I’m holding one stick.’
20-24 “Then take the sticks you’ve inscribed and hold them up so the people can see them. Tell them, ‘God, the Master, says, Watch me! I’m taking the Israelites out of the nations in which they’ve been exiled. I’ll gather them in from all directions and bring them back home. I’ll make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and give them one king—one king over all of them. Never again will they be divided into two nations, two kingdoms. Never again will they pollute their lives with their no-god idols and all those vile obscenities and rebellions. I’ll save them out of all their old sinful haunts. I’ll clean them up. They’ll be my people! I’ll be their God! My servant David will be king over them. They’ll all be under one shepherd.
For Reflection
Ezekiel calls for the unification of God's people. He prophesizes the promises and blessings of God. Ezekiel relays God's message of forgiveness of sin, and God's saving grace, and power in the unity of God's people.
Pray
Pray and understand the power of the unity of the believers. Pray and understand the strength in the diversity of God's people, two sticks each with its own peculiar characteristics bound together, the strength of one offsetting the weakness of the other, stronger than each in their lamination.
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