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“And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”
Ezekiel 36:27 NIV
The Lord has directed me this week to write devotionals based on verses from Nehemiah and Ezekiel, the former a minor prophet and the latter a major prophet. Have you ever asked yourself “What is the distinction between a minor and major prophet?” I did — and it turns out that it’s not that major prophets are somehow more important than the minor ones, but the length of their writing
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel are considered major prophets, with longer books that cover very broad themes and include visions, prophecies about nations, and deep insight into theological questions. There are twelve shorter prophetic books (Hosea, Malachi, etc…) who wrote much shorter books, but they’re equally important in content. Both delivered messages from God of warning, guidance, and hope.
With that little bit of explanation out of the way, let’s look at the first part of today’s verse - “And I will put my Spirit in you”. Although Ezekiel is an Old Covenant prophet, God is speaking through him of the shift from adherence to the law written on stone tablets to internal empowerment and transformation through the Holy Spirit. God is making a promise to His people of the indwelling Spirit, something that is essential in Christian life. We see this in the words of Jesus in John 14:17 and also in Romans 8:9.
Next, the Lord tells us through Ezekiel what it is that the Holy Spirit is going to do for His people: “move you to follow my decrees”. Once again looking at this prophecy through the lens of the New Testament, we see that the Holy Spirit enable us to live in accordance with God’s laws. We are transformed through our belief and the indwelling Holy Spirit, a key part of sanctification. Remember, we are justified by belief in Jesus Christ, we are sanctified and grow in holiness through the work of the Holy Spirit, and when Jesus returns believers will be glorified — fully transformed, free from sin, with a perfected body and spirit, sharing in God’s glory.
The end of the verse emphasizes that the Holy Spirit will make believers “be careful to keep my laws.” At the time of the prophecy, one of God’s chosen people would have taken this to mean that they would have “internal help” to maintain compliance with the complex system of laws and ordinances that made up Mosaic Law.
Christians can take heart in that they do not need to figure out what to do under those archaic laws; they are empowered by the Spirit to act according to God’s good purpose. Philippians 2:13 explains this well: “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Lord, thank You for placing Your Spirit within me. Guide my heart, my thoughts, and my steps so that I may walk in Your ways, not by my strength but by Your power. Help me to love what You love, to turn from what displeases You, and to live each day as a reflection of Your grace. AMEN.