Day 153 Bible Readings - Ezekiel 38:28-29 (NLT)

Ezekiel 38-39, Psalm 148

Ezekiel 38:28-29 (NLT)

“Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them away to exile and brought them home again. I will leave none of my people behind. And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

In Ezekiel 38:28-29, the Lord tells Ezekiel that He will restore the people of Israel. Father-God sent the people into exile as a form of divine discipline meant to bring them to repentance. The Lord promised that He would never again turn His face away from His people, and He would pour out His Spirit upon them.

These verses remind believers that the Lord’s discipline is always for our redemption and not simply to punish us. When Father-God hid His face from people, historically it meant that the people were under judgment and the Lord was withholding His favor. But now the Lord tells Ezekiel that He will never again turn His face away, which reminds me of when the Lord told Noah, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race” (Genesis 8:21). Then the Lord says that He will pour out His Spirit upon the people, which I believe is another prophecy of the Holy Spirit that was fulfilled at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given to believers.

I love these verses because they demonstrate to me that the Lord will always be faithful to His covenant with His people and that His nature is unchanging. The people went into exile in Babylon, but Father-God brought them back and left no one behind. The Lord then promised to never turn His face and divine favor away from the people and promised a new era of spiritual renewal by pouring out the Holy Spirit on His people. Father-God gave the people physical renewal by returning them to their land and spiritual renewal through His promise to pour out the Holy Spirit. The Lord restored intimacy with His people by promising to never hide His face.

I know I’ve seen the Lord’s promise of restoration in my own life. Despite my many years of backsliding, Father-God welcomed me back like the father welcomed back his prodigal son. The Lord gave me a new heart, a new life, and a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who will welcome and celebrate your return to covenant—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.

Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.