Ezekiel 36:31-38: a reflection

31“‘“Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. 32I don’t do this for your sake,” says the Lord GOD. “Let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, house of Israel.” 33“‘The Lord GOD says: “In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places will be built. 34The land that was desolate will be tilled instead of being a desolation in the sight of all who passed by. 35They will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’ 36Then the nations that are left around you will know that I, the LORD, have built the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.” 37“‘The Lord GOD says: “For this, moreover, I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like a flock. 38As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the waste cities will be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”

In this passage of promise, God speaks of cleansing his people from their sins and restoring their ruined land. On the day I cleanse you from all your iniquities, he says, the desolate places will be rebuilt; the land that was a desolation will be tilled again; and the nations will say, This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. And God adds a striking note about why he does it: not for your sake, but for my holy name's sake. He restores by grace, not because they deserve it.

Notice what God promises to do: to cleanse and restore, to rebuild the ruins, to make the desolate land like the garden of Eden. What sin had ruined and made desolate, God would restore, so thoroughly that it would be compared to Eden itself. And he would do it not because his people deserved it, but by grace, for his own name's sake. The restoration was God's gracious work, transforming ruin into flourishing.

That is a picture of hope for the ruined and desolate places, in the world and in our own lives. Sin ruins and lays waste; but God is able to restore what sin has ruined, to rebuild the desolate places, to make what was a wasteland flourish like a garden. And he does it by grace, not because we deserve it. If there are ruined, desolate places in your life, laid waste by sin, do not think them beyond restoring. God rebuilds the ruins and makes the desolate like Eden, by his grace. Bring your ruined and desolate places to the God who restores; he is able to make what sin has laid waste flourish again, transforming ruin into a garden, by his grace and for his own name's sake.

Lord, in this passage you promise to cleanse your people and rebuild their ruined land, so that the desolate places would be restored and the wasteland become like the garden of Eden; and you do it not for their sake, but for your name's sake, by grace. Give me hope from that for the ruined and desolate places, in the world and in my own life. Sin ruins and lays waste; but you are able to restore what sin has ruined, to rebuild the desolate places, to make what was a wasteland flourish like a garden. And you do it by grace, not because I deserve it. If there are ruined, desolate places in my life, laid waste by sin, keep me from thinking them beyond restoring. You rebuild the ruins and make the desolate like Eden. Help me bring my ruined and desolate places to you, who restore; you are able to make what sin has laid waste flourish again, transforming ruin into a garden, by your grace and for your own name's sake. Restore what is ruined in me, Lord.