Bring You Up

God sees. Hopelessness and despair are feelings we get when we’re exhausted mentally and physically from the battle, tired of a fight we seem to be losing, and end up feeling abandoned, cut off from anyone who helps. 

We’re on our own, and we discover that we’re not enough. 
Ever felt that way?  The nation of Israel did.

God speaks. Ezekiel 37 has some encouraging words. 

Ezekiel 37:11 Then [the LORD] said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.” They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.”

They feel a certain way and speak it…but the Sovereign LORD speaks hope.  Whose words carry greater weight?

.

This army is comprised of God’s people.
Yes, they’re disappointed, weary people of God who deserved every bit of exile,
but they are God’s people–His ownership, nonetheless.
Just look how many times God says it! (Verses 11,12,13)

13 “Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.'”

Bringing them up from the graves of the nations in Israel and other nations…the whole house (Judah and the faithful from the northern tribes), not just those dry bones from those who were left to die in the sun with all the shame and ignominy. Some were in graves. “Bring you up” spiritually. 

Heirs together with Christians.

The Apostle Paul had unique insight into this mystery:  Romans 11:25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

God will bring “Jacob” (patriarch and faithful from the twelve tribes) up spiritually to prove He is the Lord of Life.  Romans 11:28 “As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”

I know people are concerned with conflating modern national Israel and the “whole house of Israel.”

True, it is a fine line to walk, but we walk it
because Scripture says they are loved on account of the patriarchs.

It’s not our job to sift the “whole house of Israel”
nor to place only the faithful remnant in their historic homeland.

Hold loosely what constitutes “the whole house of Israel,”
but hold tightly to idea whoever that is, God will bring them up,
turn godlessness away, take away their sins, and deliver them.

Because He said it.