How does Ezekiel 11:14 emphasize God's faithfulness to His scattered people? Setting the scene The prophet Ezekiel is already in Babylon with the first wave of exiles. Many still in Jerusalem assume they are the true remnant and that the deported are finished. Into that mindset God speaks again—right in the middle of exile. Reading the verse Ezekiel 11:14: “Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,” What this single sentence reveals about God’s faithfulness • He never goes silent. Distance, displacement, or discouragement cannot mute His voice. • “The word of the LORD came” shows personal initiative—God moves toward His scattered people first. • The verb “came” is in the past tense: God’s communication is concrete, not wishful thinking. • By choosing Ezekiel (an exile) as messenger, God proves He identifies with the displaced, not merely the comfortable in Jerusalem. • The fact that He still calls Ezekiel “son of man” underscores continuous relationship despite geographic upheaval. Faithfulness unwrapped in the next breath (vv. 15-21) • v. 15—God names the exiles “your brothers,” restoring family status the Jerusalemites denied. • v. 16—“I will be a sanctuary for them in the lands to which they have gone.” Presence travels; He doesn’t outsource care. • v. 17—“I will gather you from the peoples.” A literal, physical regathering is promised, not a vague spiritual idea. • vv. 19-20—A new heart and spirit guarantee future obedience. Faithfulness means He supplies what covenant breakers lack. Echoes across Scripture • Deuteronomy 30:3-4—Even if scattered to “the ends of the heavens,” the LORD will gather. • Psalm 139:7-10—No distance can outrun His presence. • Jeremiah 24:6—He will “build them up” in the very lands of exile. • Matthew 28:20—“I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” • Hebrews 13:5—“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Heart-level takeaways • God speaks exactly where we feel most abandoned. • His promises are location-proof; no passport stamp cancels them. • Being scattered never means being forgotten—He pursues, gathers, and restores. • The same God who tracked down exiles in Babylon is committed to finding us in every modern dispersion of sin, sorrow, or circumstance. |
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