October 27

In Ezekiel 10–12, we witness one of the most tragic moments in Scripture—the glory of God departing from the temple. The place that once symbolized His presence among His people becomes empty because of their unfaithfulness. God’s glory moves away, not because He has abandoned His people forever, but because their hearts had turned from Him. Yet even as His glory departs, God promises hope to the exiles—a day when He will give them a new heart and a new spirit, enabling them to follow Him fully.

Psalm 83 is a cry for God to act against the enemies who plot against His people. The psalmist calls on God to make His name known and to defend His people, not for their pride but so that all may know that the Lord alone is Most High over all the earth. It’s a prayer of faith in the power of God’s presence, even when His people feel surrounded and vulnerable.

In John 4, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at the well and speaks words that fulfill Ezekiel’s promise and the psalmist’s hope. He offers her living water—His own Spirit—promising that whoever drinks from it will never thirst again. No longer would God’s presence dwell in a single temple; instead, through Jesus, His Spirit would live within His people. The glory that departed the temple in Ezekiel’s vision has returned in a new and greater way in Christ, who offers eternal life and true worship in spirit and in truth.

These passages together remind us that even when God seems distant, He is working to restore His presence in our lives. Through Jesus, we are invited to draw near, to drink deeply of His Spirit, and to become living testimonies of His grace and power.

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