November 5

In Ezekiel 31–33, God uses vivid imagery to warn proud nations and call His people back to repentance. Egypt is compared to a mighty cedar that once stood tall but was brought down because of arrogance. God reminds Ezekiel that every person is accountable for their own actions—the soul who sins shall die. Yet, even in these words of judgment, there is hope. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires that they turn and live. Through Ezekiel, He calls His people to listen, repent, and find life in Him once more.

In John 11, Jesus brings this truth to its ultimate fulfillment through the story of Lazarus. When Lazarus dies, Jesus arrives not too late, but right on time to reveal the glory of God. Standing at the tomb, He declares, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. Then He calls Lazarus out of the grave, proving His authority over death itself. What Ezekiel’s vision foretold—the call from death to life—is fulfilled in Jesus.

Together, these passages reveal the heart of God: He calls His people to turn from sin, not out of wrath, but out of love. Sin leads to death, but in Christ, there is resurrection and new life. God’s justice exposes our need, and His grace provides the way. Like Lazarus, we are called out of the tomb—not to return to the old ways, but to walk in the newness of life that only Jesus gives.

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