Thursday · 2026-11-05

Today's devotional focuses on Ezekiel 36, where the Lord promises to restore His people and give them a new heart and spirit.

Ezekiel 36

Read Ezekiel 36:1–38 here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ezek/36?lang=eng

Context

The prophet Ezekiel delivered these messages to the children of Israel while they were in captivity in Babylon. The people had been scattered due to their wickedness, and their desolate land had become a reproach among the surrounding nations. In this chapter, the Lord speaks directly to the "mountains of Israel," promising a future restoration, not based on Israel's merit, but to sanctify His own name among the Gentiles, who had misinterpreted Israel's scattering as a sign of God's failure. The Lord outlines His plan to gather Israel, cleanse them from their impurities, and perform a profound spiritual transformation upon them.

Reflective Questions

1. Ezekiel 36:26 promises, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." How does this divine promise relate to your personal efforts to experience a mighty change of heart and grow in discipleship today?
2. The Lord states that He will act "for my holy name's sake" (Ezekiel 36:22) in restoring Israel, so that the nations will know He is the Lord. In what ways can our individual commitment to covenants and living a Christlike life serve as a testimony of God's power and reality to those around us?

Closing Insight

Ezekiel 36 offers a powerful message of hope and divine transformation. Despite Israel's transgressions, which led to their scattering and the profaning of God's name among the nations, the Lord declares His unwavering intent to gather, cleanse, and spiritually renew His people. The promise of replacing a "stony heart" with a "heart of flesh" signifies a profound, inward change that enables us to follow His statutes and keep His judgments. This change is a covenant-tied blessing, allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our desires and actions. By embracing this promise and actively seeking the Spirit's influence, we can become living testimonies of God's power and love, fulfilling our role as His covenant people.