Ezekiel takes us behind the scenes of history, behind the bravado of a nation, the crisis of exile and the hopelessness of their setting. God speaks to the prophet of the coming fall of nations who appear invincible. Assyria may look “all that,” but one day… and that day, declares the Lord through the prophet, is in the hands of God.
Hopelessness permeates our lives, jobs, homes, relationships. The appearance is that we have no choices, someone or something “bigger” than us holds all the cards and we are trapped. So some concede and live in despair, unaware of the God of the Bible, the God who breaks hopelessness, the God who is Lord over all the invincible powers as they seem. That is why people of God hope! We hope not in settings or promotions or some break for the future. We hope because we live in the hands of a God who sees us, to whom we matter. We hope in the face of hopelessness as Abraham hoped for the promised child when year after year passed and no birth announcement was forthcoming. We hope and our hope does not disappoint us for our God reigns. Our God reigns!