The Lord brings together
by Pastor Joshua Pfeiffer
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‘I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all’ (Ezekiel 37:22a).
One of the very first things we hear of the Lord doing in the Bible after he created the world is bringing the woman to the man so they could be together and complete (Genesis 2:22). In contrast, one of the very first things we hear of the serpent doing (later identified in the Bible as the devil) is driving people apart from God and each other (Genesis 3:12ff). God is in the business of bringing together, while evil separates and fractures.
In this text from Ezekiel, we have a similar dynamic. The nation of Israel had split into two between north and south. They were the weaker for it, as a house divided against itself always is. But God promised to make them into one nation again with one king. They would be saved from their idolatry and walk according to God’s ways, with his presence dwelling among them. Ultimately, for Christians, we see this prophecy fulfilled in Christ Jesus and his church, where through his blood, he has brought peace and ‘has broken down the dividing wall of hostility’ (Ephesians 2:14), first between Jews and Gentiles and ultimately between all people.
In various ways, though, this one family of God is always threatened with division and fracture. This is due to our frailty and sinfulness and the temptations of the evil one. Whether it’s in our local congregation or the bigger picture of the wider church, we face conflicts that can seem insurmountable, and we find our unity hangs by a thread. This text encourages us to see that the power for unity is never in us but in the Lord and his promises. Let us look to him, trust in him, pray to him, and let his word shape our life together. He is in the business of bringing together rather than driving apart.
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son, our Lord Jesus, as the one shepherd of your one flock, and for calling us into it. Please always send us your Holy Spirit to maintain our unity as your people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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