Knowing The Word in the Major Prophets: I will Put My Spirit within You, Ezekiel 36:22-28

This important passage is often compared to and paired with yesterday’s passage from Jeremiah. They both point to the work of God in sending his Son and his Spirit. Jesus describes this divine gift of a new heart and spirit to Nicodemus in John 3 when he talks about being born again of water and the Spirit. God’s gift moves from the external giving of the law to the internal gift of the Spirit, who causes us to walk in his ways.

22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.