31 Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and abominations.

32 It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD—let it be known to you. Be ashamed and disgraced for your ways, O house of Israel!

— Ezekiel 36:31-32

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

— Matthew 5:4

And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

— Romans 8:11

2 In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

3 And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4 Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor train anymore for war.

— Isaiah 2:2-4

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and salvation from Christ to you.

To reveal and elevate His glory, God would bless His people by allowing them to remember their evil deeds and wicked ways and they would loathe themselves and be ashamed and disgraced for their conduct. Restoration to peace with God requires mourning our sin and admitting our utter need of salvation. God’s Spirit reveals our sin, which leads us to seek forgiveness and restoration with God. Without understanding the depths of our sinfulness, we will not turn to God for salvation.

Israel’s return from exile brought some measure of physical and spiritual restoration, but the full sweep of these promises has yet to be experienced as the Israelites have remained scattered throughout the world. However, Scripture points to a spiritual restoration within Israel before Christ returns and reigns from Jerusalem. God is sovereign over all of history, including the establishment of Israel as a nation in 1948, but full understanding of all God will do awaits the future unfolding of His plans.