Covering, Covenant and Cleansing
by David Cross
It has always struck me as significant that there is a divine order in God’s heartfelt response to the spiritual nakedness of Jerusalem and its people, pictured in this intimate passage from His word through Ezekiel.
God’s first concern is to cover the spiritual nakedness of the people after all the years of trauma. He then sees it to be essential that His covenant with them is openly declared. Lastly, when protection and covenant have been established, there is opportunity for precious cleansing from all the defilement of the past.
It occurred to me that there is a similar order in the well-known parable of the prodigal son. There is an urgency from the father to cover his son’s exposure, even using the best cloak. The placing of a ring on the boy’s finger, which is a common symbol of covenant, declares to everyone that this is a son who belongs in the family. And then the father meets the obvious needs of discomfort and hunger, with footwear and food.
For God to bring His healing into our lives, it is clearly essential that we are first restored into a place of His spiritual protection, and that we are made secure in a covenant relationship with Him, now through His Son Jesus. What a faithful God we serve!
David Cross David is part of the Executive Leadership of Ellel Ministries, with particular responsibility for the Ellel centres in Western Europe. He is married to Denise and they have three grown up children and eight grandchildren. David has been a civil engineer and ski-touring instructor in the Highlands of Scotland. He is passionate about the teaching and practice of the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus and has written several books: Soul Ties, Trapped by Control, God’s Covering, The Dangers of Alternative Ways to Healing(co-authored with John Berry), an A to Z Guide to the Healing Ministry, What`s Wrong with Human Rights? and, most recently, God`s Way out of Depression. You can follow a daily thought from David on Twitter: @dmcross62
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