Things for God’s chosen people in Babylon were seemingly dismal.  The Southern Kingdom, Judah and Jerusalem had been taken into what would be a seventy-year captivity by a cruel enemy.  It was an enemy the Sovereign Ruler of the universe had chosen to chastise His people for their rebellion against him in their idolatrous worship.  The Jews as they would become to be known after the Babylonian Captivity were at the time of Ezekiel’s writings experiencing the highest level of punishment, short of complete obliteration which God had warned. 

By the time the Southern Kingdom was taken captive into a faraway land, they experienced each one of the levels of punishments God described in Leviticus 26 and Moses repeated in Deuteronomy 28.  Each level of punishment was to be more severe than the previous to try to get the people to remember their covenant to follow him and worship him only.  God warned their cities would become desolate with wild beasts roaming their streets killing their children and destroying their livestock.  They had suffered through famines of the worst sort and had been afflicted with disease.  

Those who remained left alive would stand afraid of even a leaf shaking in the wind (Lev. 28.14-29).  Their beloved city Jerusalem and land became desolate because of their refusal to hearken unto God and do His will (Jer 6.17).  They had been told early on (Lev 28.40-42), and many times later, that if they would but confess their iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers, humble themselves accepting the consequences they would be remembered by God. 

Ezekiel states centuries later they could have peace from the now realized devastation, “And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing” (Ezekiel 34.26).   

We too, today can be surrounded by the love of God and His great blessing by following the “one true shepherd,” “God’s servant David”—our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through whom all spiritual blessings come (Ephesians 1.4) and by whom we can have a “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4.7).

“But now, O LORD, thou art our father we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64.8).  Similar words to these are found in Isaiah 45.9; Jeremiah 18.1-6 and finally in Romans 9.20-21.  There is further commentary on this thought in 2 Timothy 20-21).  Interestingly enough these words, though stated on four different occasions by three different people (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the Apostle Paul), each carry the same idea—We serve an almighty God who is the sovereign ruler of the universe.  He made us, therefore, we are His.  

God made we as human beings with a powerful option, the option of choice.  The choices we make in this life will determine our eternal destiny.  If we choose to obey and follow God, then by the blood of His precious Son Jesus Christ (Jn 3.16), we have the hope, the earnest expectation, of an eternal home in glory.  That is not what we deserve (Rom 6.23), but thanks be to God He has made us conquerors and given us the victory through His Son and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Rom 8.31; 1 Cor 15.57).  The other option for us is to not follow and obey God with the consequence of eternal damnation.  (2 Thess 1.8).  

God as our maker, and sovereign ruler has the absolute right to do what He so desires.  That means for mankind, that no matter how many bad choices we make in this life, the promise is made that if we will repent of that evil lifestyle, confess Jesus Christ is the Son of God, be baptized, and live a faithful life after that we will be rewarded.  Though we deserved death, God gets to make that call as the potter.  

However, as the potter He also serves as judge, and know that God has never been slack concerning his promises (2 Pet 3.9).   There will be an everlasting punishment for those who do not know, or choose not to follow. As the potter, he will be a judge, or a savior, depending on our choice of who we will follow in this life.  He has that right.  Want you let Him be your Savior?