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“I Will Give Them a Unified Heart”Pure Worship of Jehovah—Restored At Last!
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11 Throughout the dark centuries of Christendom’s dominance, there were some genuine Christians, the “wheat” of Jesus’ parable. Like the Jewish exiles described at Ezekiel 6:9, they remembered the true God. Some courageously opposed the false doctrines of Christendom. They faced mockery and persecution. Did Jehovah intend to forsake his people permanently in that realm of spiritual darkness? No! As was the case with Israel of old, Jehovah’s anger was expressed to the proper degree and for the right amount of time. (Jer. 46:28) Furthermore, Jehovah did not leave his people without hope. Let us return to those Jewish exiles in ancient Babylon and see how Jehovah gave them hope for an end to their captivity.
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“I Will Give Them a Unified Heart”Pure Worship of Jehovah—Restored At Last!
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13 Among the captives were faithful Jews who were taken into exile along with their unfaithful counterparts. In addition, through Ezekiel, God foretold that some of His people would repent while in exile. Those remorseful Jews would recount the shameful things that they had done in rebellion against their God, and they would implore Jehovah for forgiveness and favor. (Ezek. 6:8-10; 12:16) Ezekiel was among the faithful ones, as were the prophet Daniel and his three companions. In fact, Daniel lived long enough to see both the beginning and the end of the exile. His heartfelt prayer of repentance over the sins of Israel is recorded in Daniel chapter 9. No doubt his sentiments represented the feelings of many thousands of exiles who longed for Jehovah’s forgiveness and renewed blessings. How thrilling, then, were Ezekiel’s inspired promises of release and restoration!
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