Ezekiel Chapter 36
1 You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, "You mountains of Israel, hear the LORD's word.
2 The Lord GOD says: 'Because the enemy has said against you, "Aha!" and, "The ancient high places are ours in possession!" '
3 therefore prophesy, and say, 'The Lord GOD says: "Because, even because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that you might be a possession to the residue of the nations, and you are taken up in the lips of talkers, and the evil report of the people;"
4 therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: The Lord GOD says to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the cities that are forsaken, which have become a prey and derision to the residue of the nations that are all around;
5 therefore the Lord GOD says: "Surely in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Edom, that have appointed my land to themselves for a possession with the joy of all their heart, with despite of soul, to cast it out for a prey." '
6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and tell the mountains, the hills, the watercourses and the valleys, 'The Lord GOD says: "Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because you have borne the shame of the nations."
7 Therefore the Lord GOD says: "I have sworn, 'Surely the nations that are around you will bear their shame.'
8 " ' "But you, mountains of Israel, you shall shoot out your branches, and yield your fruit to my people Israel; for they are at hand to come.
9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will come to you, and you will be tilled and sown.
10 I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, even all of it. The cities will be inhabited, and the waste places will be built.
11 I will multiply man and animal on you. They will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as you were before, and you will do better than at your beginnings. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
12 Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, even my people Israel. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and you will never again bereave them of their children."
13 " 'The Lord GOD says: "Because they say to you, 'You are a devourer of men, and have been a bereaver of your nation;'
14 therefore you shall devour men no more, and not bereave your nation any more," says the Lord GOD.
15 "I won't let you hear the shame of the nations any more. You won't bear the reproach of the peoples any more, and you won't cause your nation to stumble any more," says the Lord GOD.' "
16 Moreover the LORD's word came to me, saying,
17 "Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and by their deeds. Their way before me was as the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.
18 Therefore I poured out my wrath on them for the blood which they had poured out on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols.
19 I scattered them amongst the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. I judged them according to their way and according to their deeds.
20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name; in that men said of them, 'These are the LORD's people, and have left his land.'
21 But I had respect for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned amongst the nations where they went.
22 "Therefore tell the house of Israel, 'The Lord GOD says: "I don't do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned amongst the nations where you went.
23 I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned amongst the nations, which you have profaned amongst them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am proven holy in you before their eyes.
24 " ' "For I will take you from amongst the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness, and from all your idols.
26 I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.
28 You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain, and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you.
30 I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine amongst the nations.
31 " ' "Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
32 I don't do this for your sake," says the Lord GOD. "Let it be known to you: be ashamed and confounded for your ways, house of Israel."
33 " 'The Lord GOD says: "In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places will be built.
34 The land that was desolate will be tilled instead of being a desolation in the sight of all who passed by.
35 They will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.'
36 Then the nations that are left around you will know that I, the LORD, have built the ruined places, and planted that which was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it."
37 " 'The Lord GOD says: "For this, moreover, I will be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like a flock.
38 As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the waste cities will be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.' "
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Ezekiel Chapter 36 Guide
In contrast with Mount Seir the prophet placed the mountains of Israel, as he delivered the word of the Lord to them. They had been the scorn of their enemies, who had made them desolate and swallowed them up. Therefore Jehovah would proceed against these enemies, and deliver Israel from their oppression. As a result of such deliverance, the whole land, its mountains and its hills, its water courses and its valleys would be made abundantly fruitful. Men would be multiplied, the cities inhabited, and the waste places built. In the midst of this promise of deliverance comes a great revelation of the secret of all: "Behold, I am for you." The prophet was then charged to explain this prediction of ultimate restoration by first affirming that their own sin caused their suffering. Then anew and with greater clearness, he declared the reason for their restoration. Jehovah had pity for His holy name, and both by reprobation and restoration moved toward the sanctification of His name among the nations. The prophet then declared the method of their restoration. Gathered by God out of all countries, the people would be cleansed inwardly and spiritually, and be enabled to do right by being brought into a new fellowship with the Spirit of God. The results of the restoration would be their repentance and the return of all that prosperity which through sin they had forfeited, and, consequently, a renewal of their witness to the nations round about of truth concerning Jehovah.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Ezekiel Chapter 36 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The land shall be delivered from heathen oppressors. -- (1-15)
- The people are reminded of former sins, and promised deliverance. -- (16-24)
- Also holiness, and gospel blessings. -- (25-38)
Verses 1-15
Those who put contempt and reproach on God's people, will have them turned on themselves. God promises favour to his Israel. We have no reason to complain, if the more unkind men are, the more kind God is. They shall come again to their own border. It was a type of the heavenly Canaan, of which all God's children are heirs, and into which they all shall be brought together. And when God returns in mercy to a people who return to him in duty, all their grievances will be set right. The full completion of this prophecy must be in some future event.
Verses 16-24
The restoration of that people, being typical of our redemption by Christ, shows that the end aimed at in our salvation is the glory of God. The sin of a people defiles their land; renders it abominable to God, and uncomfortable to themselves. God's holy name is his great name; his holiness is his greatness, nor does any thing else make a man truly great.
Verses 25-38
Water is an emblem of the cleansing our polluted souls from sin. But no water can do more than take away the filth of the flesh. Water seems in general the sacramental sign of the sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost; yet this is always connected with the atoning blood of Christ. When the latter is applied by faith to the conscience, to cleanse it from evil works, the former is always applied to the powers of the soul, to purify it from the pollution of sin. All that have an interest in the new covenant, have a new heart and a new spirit, in order to their walking in newness of life. God would give a heart of flesh, a soft and tender heart, complying with his holy will. Renewing grace works as great a change in the soul, as the turning a dead stone into living flesh. God will put his Spirit within, as a Teacher, Guide, and Sanctifier. The promise of God's grace to fit us for our duty, should quicken our constant care and endeavour to do our duty. These are promises to be pleaded by, and will be fulfilled to, all true believers in every age.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.