I have a confession – I have struggled to read through the Old Testament prophets. Maybe you can relate.
Knowing that I shouldn't neglect this portion of the Bible, I did my best to rush through Old Testament passages and treat them as something to check off my list. I never slowed down long enough to understand what the passage was actually saying.
But I had to ask: Is this what God intended for me? Is this how God wants me to encounter, understand, and be transformed by Him?
I don’t think so.
Like me, you may be hesitant to dive into the Old Testament. So much rebellion. So much judgment. Perhaps it feels outdated or even redundant. But God has something deep for us to uncover. He longs for us to understand our utter need for Him and see His glory amid the darkness of fallen humanity.
So rather than rush through or avoid Old Testament prophecy, I remind myself that God has placed beautiful truth and encouragement here. As I encounter God through the Bible, I approach His prophecy much like I approach any part of His Word.
As an example, let’s look at the book of Ezekiel.
Ezekiel spoke to the Israelites, who found themselves as exiles in Babylon. Their persistent sin and rejection of God brought the painful consequences their prophets foretold. Separated from their homeland, their temple, and everything familiar, the displaced people surely questioned their security and future. The people’s plight, however, was not beyond God’s reach. God raised up 30-year-old Ezekiel, who found himself beside a foreign river rather than serving as a priest in the Jerusalem temple, the service for which he had prepared his entire life.
God gave Ezekiel a vision of His glory and the devastating judgment still to fall on Jerusalem. The faithful prophet warned the people of the coming trouble, called out their sins, and pled for them to repent. But through Ezekiel, God also unveiled His redemptive purposes for His people. Though the Israelites were scattered and broken, God promised to restore what sin had destroyed. Sin yields disaster but God offers hope and a promising future for those who turn to Him.
Ezekiel’s words are strikingly relevant. If we’re honest, we can admit that people have not changed since then. With vivid imagery, Ezekiel foretold the painful consequences of the peoples’ sin, and the righteous judgment God will bring upon them. But God also offered hope. At the heart of His warnings, God revealed His character. Sin cannot thwart His purposes. He is holy, He is judge, He is righteous. And He is love.
God dealt with the people’s sin, as He had promised He would. He could have counted them as lost and unworthy of His blessing.
Ezekiel’s vision of a valley full of dry, scattered bones (Ezekiel 37) illustrated the current state of the Israelites, who had received God’s blessings in abundance. However, God did not abandon His rebellious people. Instead, He promised to bring new life where death and decay reigned. In Ezekiel 36:26, God promised: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” God remained faithful when His people were unfaithful. God’s compassion for sinners shines brightly.
I find helpful instruction for myself in Ezekiel’s message. My sin brings painful consequences. I long for hope while I walk through a world engulfed in sin. Ezekiel’s words remind me to acknowledge my waywardness and sin, turn to God, and know He will renew what sin has destroyed. I may feel displaced and dejected, but God beckons me forward. My hope is not based on my current circumstances, but in the God who orchestrates human history and my story for His glory.
Though a passage may not mention Jesus by name, the book of Ezekiel (and the rest of God’s prophecy) was not recorded in a vacuum. Each word is part of the grand narrative of God’s story. And we can read Ezekiel with the Savior in mind. Through the prophets, God’s Word entered into humanity’s darkness. Through Jesus, that Word became flesh.
The book of Ezekiel concludes with the glorious promises of a restored land, city, and people. Every believer’s story ends gloriously.
Jesus Christ came the first time to die in the place of sinners, providing a way to redeem human hearts. The book of Ezekiel concludes with the glorious promises of a restored land, city, and people. Every believer’s story ends gloriously. Jesus Christ came the first time to die in the place of sinners, providing a way to redeem human hearts.
And Jesus promises to come again to destroy His enemies and deliver a new heaven and earth. God’s people will dwell with Him, flourishing in His presence, forever freed from sin’s corruption. When life feels hard or overwhelming, this is a promise you can cling to. The decay and corruption of this world will give way to the triumph God has promised. Each word in the Bible and your life circumstances are a part of the grand narrative of God’s story.
What if I’m still struggling?
Reading a book like Ezekiel can feel overwhelming, but we don’t wander through Scripture alone. In community, we can share our struggles. On a tough week, be honest with your group. In moments of inspiration, celebrate together. God preserved these prophetic books for a reason, and they aren’t just for Bible scholars. When we read these warnings with Jesus as our hope, the gift of eternal salvation becomes more precious with every verse.
