God with Us

The prophet Ezekiel prophesied from exile in Babylon about both the reasons for the judgment God's people were experiencing as well as the very real hope of what God would do among Israel, the nations, and the whole creation. In this passage, we get another prophecy about the Messiah, this time connected to a new covenant God would make with His people and a related promise to be present with them forevermore. And although the name "Immanuel" is not in this passage, the idea of "God with us" very much is--a promise that Jesus would fulfill in stages through His incarnation, sending of the Holy Spirit, and eventual return. We conclude Advent 2025 reflecting on the God who is truly with us, even in this dark in-between.