You are our God! You forced the people living in this land to leave. You did this in front of your people Israel. You gave this land to the descendants {\cf2\super [226]} of Abraham forever. Abraham was your friend.
The people of Israel came into this land and took it for their own. But those people didn’t obey you. They didn’t follow your teachings. They didn’t do the things you commanded. So you made all these terrible things happen to the people of Israel.
So I (Ezekiel) did as I was commanded. During the day, I took my bags and acted like I was going to a faraway country. That evening I used my hands and made a hole in the wall. During the night I put my bag on my shoulder and left. I did this so all the people could see me.
Then Jesus said to the people, “I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of people. People can kill the body, but after that they can do nothing more to hurt you.
If a person knows my commands and obeys those commands, then that person truly loves me. And my Father will love the person that loves me. And I will love that person. I will show myself to him.”
You heard me say to you, ‘I am leaving, but I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, then you would be happy that I am going back to the Father. Why? Because the Father is greater than I am.
This shows the full meaning of the Scripture {\cf2\super [13]} that says: “Abraham believed God. And God accepted Abraham’s faith. That faith made Abraham right with God.” {\cf2\super [14]} Abraham was called “God’s friend.” {\cf2\super [15]}
Grace (kindness), mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from his Son, Jesus Christ. We receive these blessings through truth and love.
