"And ye shall be comforted."--_Ezekiel 14:22._
THE prophet Ezekiel had many sad things to tell the Jews; but he had
some comfortable ones. They had been very wicked, and God took them
away from their dear home at Jerusalem, and let it be burnt with fire;
and put them to live far away in a strange land at Babylon. But He told
them that if they would leave off their sins, and turn back to Him, and
not worship idols any more, then He would forgive them, and bring them
home again.
To-day the Lesson says that they must really be sorry in earnest, not
only pretend to be sorry. If they said they would worship God, and were
caring for their idols in their hearts all the time, then He must go
on being angry, and punishing them; but if they were really sorry, and
really prayed to Him, then when they had been punished enough, they
should be comforted.
They should not always stay in Babylon, in the dull flat land, with the
streams of water flowing lazily through it; but they should see their
own dear hills and fields again, and live in their homes once more.
That would be such gladness, that it would make up for all the sorrow.
All that was wanted was, that they should be really sorry, and leave
off all the bad things they had done, and repent from the bottom of
their hearts.
Now when we have done wrong, and are punished, it is to make us sorry,
that we may do so no more. Little children are punished by their
friends; grown-up people are punished by God sending troubles. Then we
must be sorry, not only for the punishment, but the fault, and really
try with all our hearts not to do it again. If we only _say_ we are
sorry, and then run back to our old ways, something worse will come of
it. No, we must be sorry in earnest, and then God will forgive us, for
His dear Son Jesus Christ's sake.