05: Formational Heart
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."
(Ezekiel 36:26-27 NIV)
Date: 590-570 BC
Writer: Ezekiel (Priest and Prophet)
The Context
Ezekiel was a priest and prophet, deported from Jerusalem to Babylon during the exile. He had been in Babylon for many years when he became God's spokesperson to Israel. Humanity's relationship with God is broken, and there is crisis is the land - idolatry, crime, politics -- and Ezekiel tries to impart to Israel the need to take responsibility before God's judgment prevails. He knows that "the Lord has determined, for the sake of the divine reputation in the world, to restore and to transform Israel so that all might come to recognize the Lord as the only God."
The Book
The book of Ezekiel is quite unique. It is full of symbolism and raw anger. It doesn't offer much hope or comfort. It also alludes to some hard questions about why Israel is in exile. The story arc focuses on God's judgment of the people, divine absence, judgment of the nations, and transformation of the Covenant and return of God's divine presence. The book states the phrase "glory of the Lord" 10 times, more than any other book in the Bible. This phrase is typically used in the Bible in priestly books to "designate God's aura, which made the divine presence evident at the tent of meeting/tabernacle or temple." Therein lies another paradox of this book, "That where God seems most present, God is absent, and where God appears to be absent, God is present."
The Text
The central focus of Chapter 36 is transformation of the land and the people. Verses 26-27, specifically, contain the priestly theme of purification. In Verse 26, the Lord "does a heart transplant." And, the divine result of that transplant is obedience. From Ezekiel's perspective, the "old heart did not enable life." God has to start from scratch. Nothing old can be repurposed.
The Relevance
This text is a guiding light within the formational journey because it speaks to the holy mystery of divine restoration, renewal and recreation. God will remove what should no longer be within us or around us, and increase His spirit within us so that we might be fortified to walk in obedience. This text is also a reflection to God's creation process in Genesis. It affirms that "a new earth and a new humanity are possible, but only by the unilateral action of God that begins the works of creation all over again." God knows that we might stray or falter as we seek to live more like Jesus, and He meets us in that journey, prepared to help us begin again. There is also an assurance that we are never alone, although at times it might feel like so.
The Witness
There is one more holy supernatural encounter to share. This one is called "Spiritual Surgery Part 2". It happened in another dream. In the dream, I don't remember exactly where I was, but Jesus was with me. I was scared to look directly at him, but I could feel him sitting next to me. He removed the bandage from my heart, and my goodness - my heart hurt! I had to catch my breath!! It had been at least a year since the first "Spiritual Surgery" dream, and I remember thinking if my heart had been bandaged that entire time, then it must have been quite wounded. Then, for the bandage to come off, and to still feel this deep ache, once again prompted tears to roll down my face.
From that day forward, I began to see the world differently, and interact with people differently. I had a new openness and awareness that was pure joy. It's one thing for us to be born again, but It's another thing for a heart to feel born again -- to look out at the world with the joy of the Lord, but also feel the groanings of the Holy Spirit. In that season, God gave me a new heart and a new spirit. I was not aware that over the years my heart had turned to stone, but from that moment on it was a heart of flesh.
Resources
Attridge, The HarperCollins Study Bible
Gaventa, The New Interpreter's Bible One Volume Commentary
Harrelson, The New Interpreter's Study Bible
Powell, The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary