Easter 5 Rogation 2025

Let's remember the authorship of this text, let us remember who was receiving it.

A prophet among the Exiles. Prophesying about the rebellion that go them in exile but also the restoration,

(Verse 25)God begins in this text by giving a promise…I will. We know that there are 5 major promises or covenants on the Bible, and that this text will refer to one, but is not initiating a new one. But referring to the covenant in Moses that has blessings and curses.Right away we see a blessing.

God will eliminate dangerous animals from the land. God give us the reason, so they will live securely and sleep in the forest.

(Verse 26)God promises to act again, making them a blessing, which fulfills not the covenant of peace but the one with Abraham. Abraham was to be a blessing to all people. But also, the land around the temple was to be a blessing.

So not just people are a blessing, but the place is a blessing.

(Verse 27)The trees and the land make food, so again back to the covenant with Moses about the land that is theirs and fruitful.

(Verse 28)The flock that is God’s people will be safe from others, they will be safe and acknowledge God in that safety. Their current slavery will be undone by breaking the power of the yoke.

Not only will the slavery be ended but so will unsafe space due to animals (restatment).

Restatement about security from bad guys

(Verse 29)Restatement about land being fruitful

Restatement about outside invaders.

(Verse 30)This will bring with it revelation, they will know

that God is near.

They are Israel, God’s people

(Verse 31)God’s decree, You are mine…I am yours.

The text and its place in redemption History.

The Covenants of the OT brought with them blessings and curses

Eat from this tree and live, this one and die

I will not destroy with water next time, but fire

The nations who bless Abraham will be blessed and the those who curse…

Sermons of Moses in Deut have many blessings as curses listed.

In the time of Ezs writing the Israelites had lived out God’s curses, And this portion of scripture is a promise that their curses will be undone, God will intervene.

Curse of Dangerous Animals

The Land be cursed

Famine and crop failures

Not a free people but enslaved people

Have their land occupied by others

Jesus Christ becomes Israel that experiences the fullness of the curse so that the land can be a blessing once again.

Like a dangerous animal might tear you apart, Jesus is torn apart in the crucifixion. The land becomes a curse for Jesus as he has to flee to Egypt. He experiences famine-like conditions by fasting in the wilderness. He is a victim of Roman violence and Roman slavery.

And because he experiences those tortures on our behalf we are promised all the goodness of Ez 34.

The world thinks they can give us Ez34 without God. they think if we can get just a bit more healthcare, and a bit more caloric intake, and a bit more education, man will usher in his own paradise. And yet the only place we find the violence of religion as a match is the far more violent secular spaces in History.

Jesus will return as the Prince of Peace one day. Let us wait joyfully for that moment.

And as we wait, Joyfully let us take into ourselves the promised down payment. Let us eat the fruit of the land and the fruit of the vine, these agricultural blessings. but not just as they are, but as things that are inhabited by God’s generous spirit. Let us show ourselves to be in that agricultural word picture of Jesus, who calls the wicked world weeds or tares and calls us Wheat. Let us show ourselves to be the wheat by partaking of it this morning.