Today we read the last of Jeremiah's words (Lamentations 5). His final prayer is a prayer for revival. "Restore us to yourself, LORD, that we may return." May the LORD work that miracle in us. 

19 You, LORD, reign forever;
    your throne endures from generation to generation.
20 Why do you always forget us?
    Why do you forsake us so long?
21 Restore us to yourself, LORD, that we may return;
    renew our days as of old
22 unless you have utterly rejected us
    and are angry with us beyond measure.

Introduction to Ezekiel

Ezekiel reveals the LORD’s desire to restore his people to himself. 
 
The prophecy begins in 592 BC, six years before the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. Ezekiel has already been taken into exile and his ministry is to the exiles in Babylon. The first section of the book is primarily messages of judgment. The exiles think that they will soon return to Jerusalem. They don’t believe the message given through Jeremiah that the exile will last 70 years. When news comes in Ezekiel 33:21 that Jerusalem has been destroyed, Ezekiel’s message changes to one primarily of comfort for the exiles who finally realize the Judgment that has fallen on God’s people for their idolatry.
 
The LORD’s destruction of his own temple by the Babylonians shows the lengths to which our God will go to call us to repentance. So great is his love for us, his wayward children.



The Glory of the LORD
 
In his first chapter, Ezekiel describes his vision of the Glory of the LORD. As you read Ezekiel, you will see the Glory of the LORD leave the temple in chapters 8-11. In the vision at the end of Ezekiel, the prophet will see the Glory of the LORD return to God’s temple. The Gospel writer Luke speaks of this same vision in the Christmas account: “The glory of the Lord shone around them” (Luke 2:9). When Jesus performed his first miracle, changing water into wine, John records, “He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him” (John 2:11). See the Glory of the LORD in Jesus and put your faith in Him in Ezekiel 1-2.  

The Son of Man

In Ezekiel 2, the LORD uses the term "son of man" for the first of 93 times in the book of Ezekiel.  

What a contrast!

• We see the LORD in all his glory in Ezekiel 1.
• We see the prophet in all his humanity in Ezekiel 2.

We see that same contrast in the four Gospels. There Jesus is revealed as God himself by his miracles. In tomorrow's reading, we will even hear Jesus tell his listeners, "Before Abraham was, I AM." He was claiming the I AM name of the LORD (Exodus 3:14-15). 

And yet Jesus uses this term "Son of Man" for himself nearly 80 times in the Gospels. The One Who is true God has become "truly human" so that he might take our place and be our Savior. 

What’s with the lines and the italics?
 
In our New Testament reading (John 7:53-8:20) you will notice in the New International Version that 7:53-8:11 is set off by lines and is in italics.  The People’s Bible commentary notes:

“The NIV translators are correct when they note that some early manuscripts do not include this account of the woman caught in adultery. We can take comfort, however, that with or without it, the teachings of the Scripture are not affected. Moreover, we have no compelling reason to believe it did not happen.”

When the NIV New Testament translation was first published 50 years ago, our seminary expressed concern that the translators gave too much weight to the two oldest complete manuscripts (Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, both dating about 350 AD). Our seminary teaches our pastors to consider not only the age of the manuscript, but how widespread throughout the Mediterranean world a reading is found. If it is found in many relatively early manuscripts from many different regions, it was likely part of the original text. The footnote in the Evangelical Heritage Version, produced by pastors in our synod, reflects that approach. 

Some witnesses to the text omit 7:53–8:11 or include these verses in other places within John’s Gospel. The witnesses that include these verses are early and widespread throughout most of the early church.

It is this honesty with the manuscript evidence that can put your mind at ease. If there is some doubt whether a passage or a word was in the original manuscript that the inspired author wrote, translators and scholars share that with you. The study of thousands of ancient handwritten copies of the Bible can reassure us that the Word of God has been faithfully transmitted to us.

A final encouragement 

Sons and daughters of man,

• let us "eat the scroll" (Ezekiel 3:1) in our daily reading of God's Word,
• let us see the Glory of the LORD as He is revealed in Ezekiel's visions and in the person of our Savior Jesus,
• let us remember that we are human and. like Ezekiel, fall in humble submission to our Glorious LORD, 
• let us admit our sin like Jeremiah, "Woe to us, for we have sinned," and daily pray, "Restore us to yourself, LORD, that we may return."
• let us accept the LORD's call like Ezekiel and be a prophet to our generation. 

The Because iT Matters logo pictures what I pray for all of us every day:

• All of us kneeling before the cross in devout praise for sins forgiven. 
• All of us with hands lifted high in praise bringing the good news of the Son of Man to the world around us. Amen.