LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL
Message 17
THE OUTWARD AND INWARD RESTORATION BY LIFE
WEEK 7 - SATURDAY
Scripture Reading: Ezek. 34:5, 14, 10, 15; 35:12, 15; 36:8-15, 22-30, 33-36, 38
Read and pray: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezek. 36:26)
In this message we will consider the matter of the outward and inward restoration by life.
JUDGE THE OLD MAN AGAIN
The restoration by life begins in chapter thirty-three, where God establishes a watchman. This restoration continues in chapter thirty-four, where God Himself comes to be the Shepherd in order to seek His people, find them, bring them back, and cause them to enjoy the riches of Christ typified by the riches of the good land.
Then, in chapter thirty-five, the Lord reminds us of the need to condemn our old man, which is typified by Edom. This is the reason that, after chapter thirty-four, there is another word concerning the judgment upon Edom.
For the most part, God waits until the judgment is executed before He begins His work of restoration. However, in the process of restoration there is still the need for God’s judgment. This is true particularly with regard to Edom.
Edom was judged in the previous section; however, because it is very difficult to deal with the old man, the judgment upon him must be repeated. Yesterday you may have condemned your old man and experienced the judgment upon him. But today your old man may return to visit you, perhaps in a pleasant way or in a subtle manner.
You have been restored and brought back to Christ as the good land and have entered into the rich enjoyment of Christ. You may have thought that your old man had been fully condemned and judged, but you did not realize that he returned without giving you any prior notice and without asking permission to visit you. Now, while you are enjoying Christ, he is with you, hating your enjoyment of Christ and your appreciation of the church life.
Ezekiel 35 says that Edom and his companions were happy when they saw that Israel was desolate (vv. 12, 15). Edom was also waiting to possess the two nations (Israel and Judah), claiming them as belonging to him. To the Lord, Edom was speaking foolish things, for He intended to exercise His judgment upon Edom once again.
We need to learn the lesson of judging Edom. While we are being restored, we must judge our old man repeatedly. The judgment upon Ammon, Moab, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt may be once for all, but the judgment upon Edom cannot be once for all.
On the contrary, Edom, our old man, must be judged repeatedly until the day of the redemption of our body. This is the reason that, between Ezekiel 34 and 36, which are wonderful chapters, there is a very negative chapter concerning the judgment upon Edom. Because Edom returns, the judgment upon him must be repeated. Although we have condemned him, judged him, and driven him away, he returns. Therefore, we need to cooperate with the Lord to exercise once again His judgment upon the old man.
The genuine restoration of the Lord is not simply a matter of repenting, turning to the Lord, and enjoying His blessing. There is also the need for a change in our life and nature. In His restoration, God needs to touch our heart and our spirit and thus touch our life directly and change us in life and nature.
Therefore, we need both the outward restoration described in Ezekiel 34 and the inward restoration described in Ezekiel 36. Because the restoration in Ezekiel 36 concerns our life and nature and involves our heart and our spirit, chapter thirty-five is inserted to show the importance of judging our old man. In order to restore us and make us a new man, God must judge our old man, our old creation.
THE RESTORATION OF THE GOOD LAND
An important point in Ezekiel 36 is the restoration of the good land, that is, the restoration of the full enjoyment of the riches of Christ (vv. 8-15, 33-36). Whenever we backslide and fall, we lose the rich enjoyment of Christ. Christ Himself is rich, but we may lose the joy of His riches. We praise the Lord that in His restoration there is the restoration of the enjoyment of the riches of Christ.
THE OUTWARD RESTORATION
AND THE INWARD RESTORATION
AND THE INWARD RESTORATION
In the Lord’s restoration there are two aspects: the outward aspect and the inward aspect, the outward restoration and the inward restoration.
Suppose that you have drifted away from Christ, from the church life, and from the fellowship with the saints and have become involved with sinful and worldly things. But one day the Lord sought you and brought you back to Himself, to the church life, and to the fellowship with the saints. This is a restoration; however, it is only an outward restoration, the outward aspect of the Lord’s restoration.
However, at the same time the Lord does an inward work. He not only brings you back to the good land; He also restores you inwardly. To be restored back to the church life and to the fellowship with Christ is only the outward aspect. You still need the inward aspect of the Lord’s restoration, which is covered in 36:22-30.
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