Ezekiel 39:25-29: a reflection

25“Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Now I will reverse the captivity of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel. I will be jealous for my holy name. 26They will forget their shame and all their trespasses by which they have trespassed against me, when they dwell securely in their land. No one will make them afraid 27when I have brought them back from the peoples, gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am shown holy among them in the sight of many nations. 28They will know that I am the LORD their God, in that I caused them to go into captivity among the nations, and have gathered them to their own land. Then I will leave none of them captive any more. 29I won’t hide my face from them any more, for I have poured out my Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD.”

After long chapters of judgment, God gives a tender promise of restoration to his people. He will restore their fortunes, have mercy, gather them home, and dwell securely with them; and he seals it with a striking assurance: I will not hide my face from them any more, for I have poured out my Spirit on the house of Israel. The face of God, which had seemed hidden through the years of judgment and exile, would be hidden no more; and his Spirit would be poured out on his people.

Notice the two promises: the end of God's hiddenness, and the outpouring of his Spirit. Through the exile, it had seemed that God had hidden his face, that his presence was withdrawn. But God promises a day when he will hide his face no more, when his presence will be restored, and when, more than that, he will pour out his Spirit on his people, dwelling among them intimately. This promise reaches its fulfillment at Pentecost, when the Spirit was poured out, and God came to dwell in his people.

That promise speaks to the seasons when God's face seems hidden from us. There are times when God feels distant, his presence withdrawn, his face hidden, and the hiddenness is hard to bear. But God's promise is that the hiddenness is not the final word; he will not hide his face forever, and he has poured out his Spirit to dwell with his people. If God's face seems hidden from you now, hold onto this promise. The hiddenness is not forever; God restores his presence, and by his Spirit he dwells with those who are his. He will not hide his face from you forever.

Lord, after long judgment, you promised your people, I will not hide my face from them any more, for I have poured out my Spirit on them. When your face seems hidden from me, when you feel distant and your presence withdrawn, hold that promise before me. The hiddenness is not the final word; you do not hide your face forever. Thank you that you have poured out your Spirit, fulfilled at Pentecost, so that you dwell with your people intimately. When I cannot sense your presence, help me trust that you have not hidden your face forever, and that by your Spirit you are with me still. Restore to me the sense of your presence, and thank you that you dwell with those who are yours.