From Exile to Eternal King: Finding Jesus in Ezekiel
When we hear the name “Ezekiel,” most of us imagine wild visions, bizarre symbolic actions, and the mysterious “wheel within a wheel.” But Ezekiel’s message isn’t just strange—it’s stunningly beautiful. What we don’t often see if that Ezekiel was or had been a priest in Jerusalem during the first Babylonian attack (2 Kings 24). In that first attack, they spared the city but took a first wave of Israelites, mostly political and royal prisoners, hauling them off to exile in Babylon. So, five years later, the book of Ezekiel opens with the namesake, sitting dejected near a river on his 30thbirthday, near their refugee camp.
Yeshua in Exile: Finding Christ in Jeremiah 29
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord...
It’s the verse you’ve seen a thousand times—on mugs, wall art, graduation cards. But Jeremiah 29:11 wasn’t originally written to a girl heading to college or a mom needing encouragement. It was written to a weary, exiled people wondering if God had abandoned them.
Spoiler: He hadn’t. And He hasn’t abandoned us either.
The Thread of Yeshua in Isaiah’s Tapestry
he Book of Isaiah has sixty-six chapters, comparable to the sixty-six books of the Bible. It is a book that gives us the story of God and His love for His covenant people (Israel), as well as His heart for the Gentile nations who will hear the testimony of His people through the words of His prophets. From the very first chapter, we see the God of Israel grieving over His people’s lack of understanding as they continuously bring worthless offerings into His courts (Isaiah 1). He commands them to wash themselves, remove the evil of their deeds, and seek justice. But in the chapters that follow, it becomes clear that this cannot be done in their strength alone; they will need a Mediator to take them into the LORD’s glorious presence (Isaiah will call Him a Beautiful Branch--Isaiah 4:2).
A Mother’s Day for the Weary & Waiting
I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I couldn’t picture myself in any specific career. But one thing I did know – I wanted to be a wife and a mother. That was all I could clearly see when I thought about my future. I even remember talking about adoption when I was young.
Where Can We Find King Yeshua in Chronicles?
Have you ever skipped Chronicles thinking, “Haven’t I already read this in Kings?”
You’re not alone. Many readers glance at the familiar stories and move on. But hidden between the genealogies and royal records lies one of Scripture’s richest portraits of future hope. A hope anchored in worship, repentance, and the long-awaited King.
Chronicles invites us to look backward, not just for the sake of history, but to look forward and behold what’s coming. Or rather, who’s coming.
Let’s take a fresh look at the books of Chronicles and ask the question:
Where can we find King Yeshua?
Behold! The Resurrection Changes Everything!
In 2022, I was honored to take a class in Israel through Jerusalem University College. I came alive to the Bible in ways I never thought possible. I kept a journal during my time there so I wouldn’t forget the impact. On Day 3, I wrote:
“After waking with stiff joints and a blister on my toe, I strapped on my water bottle, grabbed my bag, and threw on a hat to shield my sunburnt forehead. Our professor, Dr. John “Jack” Beck, lit up when he explained that the JUC building we stood in was part of the original 1st-century Jerusalem city wall. 🤯”
We visited the Upper Room—quiet, rebuilt, but stirring. But I cried when I stepped outside and saw the horizon of Jerusalem. I imagined Jesus looking out across the city just hours before His arrest. What must He have felt, knowing what was to come?
Later, we stood on the exact steps where Pilate may have convicted Jesus. The stones beneath our feet were original. I stood silently, wondering: Was I in the place of the raging crowd? A Roman soldier? Or was this where Jesus stood, silent and surrendered?
Then came the part that undid me. We stopped in what looked like an ordinary alley—lined with dumpsters and small cafés. Our professor told us it had once been a quarry surrounded by tombs. And what do you do with an old quarry surrounded by graves? You turn it into a place of execution.
“The realization hit: Jesus might have been crucified right here.”
Behold, Your Intentional King!
It was close to 100 degrees, but since it was just after 4 pm, the breeze from the Levant Wind (easterly wind from the Mediterranean Sea) blew in, cooling us through our moisture-wicking hiking clothes. As we turned the corner from walking alongside the eastern Temple Mount wall, away from the Mount of Olives, our professor struck out ahead, his long legs causing us to walk double time to catch up. He was headed towards a gate we had walked through on one of our first days, but he turned and stopped short today. Beckoning for us to stand on the narrow sidewalk that led into the Lion’s Gate.
It was at this special location that he began to explain how this was the very gate through which Jesus rode a humble donkey during His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem over 2,000 years ago. This road led from Bethany down the Mount of Olives right to this Gate, which was called the Sheep Gate back then- the very spot where sacrificial lambs were brought into the Temple area. It struck me in that moment that, not only did the King enter through these gates amid joyful praises, beautiful music, and heartfelt worship, but He also passed through the LION/LAMB Gate. Is it just a coincidence? I've come to understand that everything about our faith is intentional. We serve a King who acts with purpose and intention.
Beholding Yeshua in Ezra–Nehemiah
A journey through bricks, brokenness, and the longing for a true King
Three months before our third child was born, I flipped through my Bible, trying to decide which book to read next. We had experienced quite the rollercoaster over the last three years, as my husband had transitioned from full-time ministry to corporate America. We had no idea where God was leading us next.
My husband, Michael, sat across from me as the pages of the book of Ezra fell open. “Hey babe, when was the last time you read through Ezra?”
King Yeshua: Son of Man in Daniel
As a child and teenager, I often scratched my head whenever I read a story in which Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man. I mean, wasn’t Jesus God’s Son? Why would He call Himself a Son of Man? It wasn’t to clarify His humanity but something much deeper.
In fact, of all the books in the Old Testament, by using this seemingly innocent “nickname” for Himself, Jesus was explicitly pointing to EXACTLY who He was and is whenever He used it. Beyond the famous lion’s den and fiery furnace narratives, did you know that we can undoubtedly behold King Yeshua—Jesus—in the pages of Daniel? The people around Jesus at the time would have immediately understood what He was doing.
Daniel is often perceived as a book filled with inspiring tales of faithfulness and courage. The connection between Daniel’s "Son of Man" and Jesus’ self-identification is particularly intriguing.
Yeshua in the Writings: Esther
I’ve always been fascinated by the Book of Esther. It’s a story that feels like it could have been written for today—full of political intrigue, unexpected reversals, and a heroine who has to decide whether to risk everything for the sake of her people. What I love most about it, though, is how Yeshua is hidden in its pages. Just like God's name is never mentioned, yet His presence is unmistakable. Yeshua is there, woven into the very fabric of the story.
The Ecclesiastic King
Inside a little blue-gray bungalow on Alexander Street in Clay Center, Nebraska, around 1986 or so, Ann read her daughter the story of King Solomon in 1 Kings 3:1-15 when he asked God for wisdom. She read, starting in verse 5, while her daughter sat in her pajamas, holding her favorite stuffed polar bear.
“In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”
Solomon’s Prayer
6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great faithfulness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great faithfulness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it isthis day. 7
King Yeshua in Lamentations
Her words caught me completely off guard. I had absolutely no words for the sorrow that immediately flooded my heart. And at the end of the call, I asked if I could pray with her. Instead, I wept. I could barely form the words to pray for my dear sister in Christ, even when I knew that Jesus has her. Even though I know, I will see her again someday, whether healing finds her in this life or in the one to come. My head knows these things. But my heart takes a bit to reconcile it all. Perhaps “a bit” is too short. Overcoming hardship, sorrow, trauma, and unjustifiable pain sometimes take years, even a lifetime.
But my head immediately went to Jesus and his response to Lazarus’ death (John 11). He knew what was happening with his friend, yet He chose to prolong his current trip and wait to head to Bethany. HE knew that Lazarus had passed. His head knew it…. But His heart? His heart wept when he was confronted with the actual reality of His own grief.
The King in the Book of Ruth
The book of Ruth is often labeled as a love story, but to see it merely as a romantic tale misses the depth of its message. The book is raw and powerful in ways that will astonish the reader. The first time I read the verse (3:7b) as a teenager, I thought, “Man! This woman is so bold!” What woman sneaks into a man’s workplace and then lays down at his feet while snoozing after his shift is over?
King Yeshua in the Song of Songs
I have a very vivid memory of the first time I read Song of Songs. Between the ages of 4th through 6th grade, I was sitting on a hard wooden pew on the far left side of the church with the rest of the youth group. As the minister preached, my best friend Kendra and I thumbed through those chapters, horrified at first, then giggling, plastering our hands over our mouths at several points. We were beyond floored that “those kinds of things” were in our Bibles: God’s Word.
Today, after recalling that memory, I plan to teach my children about the beauty of God’s love letter to us through the pen of King Solomon. How awesome is it that we have the dream of every love-starved man and woman written down in black and white in the pages of our Bible—a relationship that only some are blessed to know? When reading through Song of Songs, I ask myself, “Has humanity become love-starved? Could that be why there is such a focus on quick “love” from cell phone applications like Tinder or such a thing as “one-night-stands?”
King Jesus/Yeshua in the Book of Job
To me, the book of Job is one of the most challenging narratives found in all of Scripture. In our humanness and limited understanding, the depth of the storyline is difficult to reconcile. Job endures unimaginable loss—our worst fears became his reality. Yet somehow, through his suffering, a greater story unfolds. Beneath the grief and unanswered questions, we see a thread of redemption woven throughout his story. Job’s story is not merely about suffering; it is about hope. It points us beyond itself to the ultimate Redeemer, Jesus Christ. And in many ways, Job’s story is our story, too.
King Yeshua in Proverbs: Wisdom Incarnate
Many have long regarded the book of Proverbs as a collection of wisdom for daily life. At its heart, it declares that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). But Proverbs is more than just a guide for moral living—it is a book that reveals the nature of Jesus, our true King, the embodiment of wisdom itself.
For years, I avoided the book of Proverbs. Who knows what to do with phrases like, “To rescue you from the strange woman, From the foreign woman who flatters with her words…”? Not me! It helped to put the Proverbs into perspective from King Solomon’s viewpoint of a father trying to encourage and lead his son into a life of wisdom. But it wasn’t until years later, while doing a Bible study on Proverbs via the Bible app, that I finally understood the true depth of the book.
THE SHEPHERD KING: YESHUA
Growing up in Nebraska, it is no surprise that I found myself trailing behind my Dad, Roger, in hundreds of corn fields in my lifetime. My Dad is a retired agronomist and crop scientist who has dedicated his life to wanting to "feed the world." Although that was his passion, he sometimes found himself disheartened when farmers monetized their crops for ethanol or other means. So, at a crucial moment, our family bought a small acreage outside of the small town I'd grown up in, and he began a new hobby: sheep.
YESHUA: KING OF THE SABBATH
The Sabbath, or Shabbat, is one of the most beautiful gifts given by God to humanity. From the beginning, it was set apart as holy, a day of rest and reflection to draw closer to the Creator. The Sabbath is more than a commandment; it’s an eternal instruction—a declaration of identity and purpose. It reminds us of who we are as God’s children, and who we are not. In Yeshua, the King of the Sabbath, we find its ultimate fulfillment, wrapped in the peace He left for us.
Learning to Pray God’s Word When Our Own Words Fail Us
It was late summer in Colorado, and I’d spent the last few months exhausted. But like the “good mom I was trying to be,” I would walk to our community pool with Titus, who was 18 months at the time, at least once a week. Michael, my husband, had been giving me a hard time lately, “Why aren’t you taking him to the pool more?” as I was a stay-at-home mom, and Titus begged me almost every day to walk him to the pool to swim. (He was a pretty cute kid and could puppy-dog-eyes like the best of them!) But I was exceedingly tired until it dawned on me, “I think I’m pregnant!”
I remember how giddy I was and how many pregnancy tests I had taken to share the news with Michael. I’d painted “I’m a Big Brother” on one of Titus’ favorite green onesies and prepared a “pregnancy test bouquet” (thanks, Pinterest; but it's so weird now that I’m typing it) to surprise Michael.