Ezekiel 36

This land is My land!

Pray

Intro

√ This land is My land!

This is a really cool chapter! That’s because we move from the past to the present!

As we have noted the last part of Ezekiel deals with God’s prophetic plan for Israel.

Much of it is still future, not yet fulfilled.

But, chapter 36 and 37 record many prophecies that have been fulfilled in our generation!

Ap. We’re seeing miracles today!

People often ask…

“Why don’t we see miracles today like we read about in the Bible?”

To be fair most of the people who ask that question are talking about healings, people being raised from the dead, etc.

What I like to point out though is that God is working today and that all we have to do is look at the modern nation of Israel to see a real miracle!

The miracle we’re seeing today was predicted 2500 years ago as recorded in chapters 36-37 and is being fulfilled in our lifetime!

My Land! (vs. 1-7)

Ez. 36:1 “And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD!

Ez. 36:2 Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because the enemy has said of you, ‘Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession,’ ” ’

Ez. 36:3 therefore prophesy, and say, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Because they made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you are taken up by the lips of talkers and slandered by the people”—

Ez. 36:4 therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken, which became plunder and mockery to the rest of the nations all around—

Ez. 36:5 therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with wholehearted joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder its open country.” ’

Ez. 36:6 “Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, and the valleys, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and My fury, because you have borne the shame of the nations.”

Ez. 36:7 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “I have raised My hand in an oath that surely the nations that are around you shall bear their own shame.

√ My land

The context of the whole chapter is God’s response to the arrogance and evil of Edom as recorded in chapter 35.

You’ll recall that the sin of the Edomites was that they saw God’s judgment on Israel as their opportunity to move in and take the land of Israel for their own.

Chapter 36 then is the antithesis of chapter 35 in that while He is going to judge the “mountains” of Israel’s enemies…

…He is going to bless the “mountains” of Israel!

√ Edom’s sin

Their sin is spoken of in verse 2 where we find the record of their wicked thoughts…

“Because the enemy has said of you, ‘Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession’…”

That is, the people of Edom thought that now that the Jewish people had been scattered by Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion that they could simply move in and…

…claim the land of Israel for themselves!

Ex. Jerusalem

We can’t be too dogmatic about this point but it would seem that the Edomites specifically had Jerusalem in mind! Note vs. 2 again…

“Because the enemy has said of you, ‘Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession’…”

Judah is dominated by a mountain range, however, the “ancient heights” probably doesn’t speak of the entire mountain range…

…rather it is probably a reference to the most ancient and fought over cities in that mountain range, Jerusalem!

Ex. People have always fought to posses Jerusalem

During the last 4,500 years the city has suffered through more than 30 conquests and has been destroyed 17 times!

A city with no natural resources, no major water supply, or strategic value!

Yet it continues to be the focus and desire over which nations are willing to go to war!

In fact, it is the catch point of peace negotiations between the Palestinian Arabs and the Jews.

It is prophesied that Jerusalem would be the center of world attention and the cause of world strife until the end of history…

Zech. 12:2 “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.

Zech. 12:3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.

So, Edom’s sinful desire to posses the land, specifically Jerusalem is a preview of the wicked desires of all nations to steal the land and Jerusalem from the Jewish people.

What they forget is that the land is not theirs to posses!

As God declares in vs. 5 the land belongs to Him…

Ez. 36:5 therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with wholehearted joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder its open country.” ’

He chose it for His people, and Jerusalem specifically to be the place where He put His Name…

“Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.” ~ 2 Chron. 6:6

So, God declares that He is going to bring judgment upon Edom for her sinful desire to take possession of the land.

Ap. People today still want a piece of Jerusalem!

While it may seem to be politically savvy to make Jerusalem part of the negotiations for peace in the Middle East…

…to do so is to set oneself against God!

Just as He rebukes Edom here in our text so He will rebuke any contemporary person or nation that seeks to possess Jerusalem.

That includes the Israeli government!

Watch for Benjamin Netanyahu to be restored to Prime Minister because he is now committed to retaining Jerusalem as an Israeli city.

My People! (vs. 8-15)

Ez. 36:8 But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come.

Ez. 36:9 For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown.

Ez. 36:10 I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.

Ez. 36:11 I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.

Ez. 36:12 Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, My people Israel; they shall take possession of you, and you shall be their inheritance; no more shall you bereave them of children.”

Ez. 36:13 “Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because they say to you, ‘You devour men and bereave your nation of children,’

Ez. 36:14 therefore you shall devour men no more, nor bereave your nation anymore,” says the Lord GOD.

Ez. 36:15 Nor will I let you hear the taunts of the nations anymore, nor bear the reproach of the peoples anymore, nor shall you cause your nation to stumble anymore,” says the Lord GOD.’ ”

√ My people

In these verses we find God promising to bring His people, the Jewish people, back to the Promised Land from all the nations to which they’d been scattered.

Once they have returned He promises to bless them and the land and that He will restore Israel to her former glory.

Specifically God promises to…

Make the mountains fruitful (lush) ~ vs. 8

Restore agriculture to the land ~ vs. 9

Rebuild the ruined cities ~ vs. 10

Increase the population of both people and domestic animals ~ vs. 11

The exciting truth is that all these promises have come to pass in the last 60 years!

√ Prophecy fulfilled

When the Jewish people began migrating back to the land of Israel in the late 19^th Century they found it a hostile environment.

The Ottoman Turks had occupied the land for almost 500 years.

The land was desolate due to years of deforestation, erosion and neglect.

Where there was water the land had become filled with swamps and mosquitoes carrying Malaria.

It was no longer a land “flowing with milk and honey!”

Ex. Mark Twain wrote in “Innocents abroad”

“.... A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds... a silent mournful expanse.... a desolation.... we never saw a human being on the whole route.... hardly a tree or shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country."

Today however if you were to visit you’d find a beautiful country filled with agriculture, rebuilt and modern cities, and a growing population!

Make the mountains fruitful ~ Israeli’s have planted 220 million trees since 1948!

Restore agriculture to the land ~ Israel is the 3rd largest exporter of fruits and vegetables in the world (Europe’s main supplier!)

Rebuild the ruined cities ~ since 1900 Israel has gone from dusty roads and sparsely populated villages to a modern nation.

Increase the population of both people and domestic animals ~ about 78,000 Jews lived in Israel in 1900, today there are more than 5 million!

So we can see with our own eyes that God is bringing to pass what He promised His people over 2,500 years ago!

Ap. Despite the best efforts of Man to prevent it!

What makes the fulfillment of these prophecies even more miraculous is that they have come to pass despite the efforts of Man to prevent it!

Official policy of England was to restrict Jewish immigration during the years between the end of WW 1 and 1948 while encouraging Arab in-migration.

The USSR denied thousands of Jewish people the right to immigrate from Russia to Israel.

Arab~Israeli wars of 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973 and 1982.

Yet, we find evidence of the miraculous work of God in that what He promised to do for His people…

…He is doing in our life times!

√ Future blessing

Before we leave this section it’s important to note that while we do see these prophecies coming to pass today…

…they will not be fully fulfilled until the Millennial Kingdom.

Ez. 36:11 I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.

Ez. 36:12 Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, My people Israel; they shall take possession of you, and you shall be their inheritance; no more shall you bereave them of children.”

God’s promise here is that a day is coming when the land of Israel will no longer be a barren wasteland…

Where children die

Rather, Israel will be a safe, prosperous and plentiful land even more desirable than when God first brought the Jewish people into it after the Exodus!

Clearly that is not completely fulfilled today, nor will it be until after the Great Tribulation.

Prophetically we know that Israel is going suffer nationally and personally under the persecution of the future Antichrist.

Most of the Jewish people will be driven into hiding

They’ll suffer for 3 1/2 years

Many of the Jews will perish

So, we understand that what we see today are just the “buds” on the olive tree that signal the soon fulfillment of all these prophecies.

My Name! (vs. 16-32)

Ez. 36:16 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

Ez. 36:17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds; to Me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity.

Ez. 36:18 Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed on the land, and for their idols with which they had defiled it.

Ez. 36:19 So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds.

Ez. 36:20 When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, “These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.’

Ez. 36:21 But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went.

Ez. 36:22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.

Ez. 36:23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.

Ez. 36:24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.

Ez. 36:25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

Ez. 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Ez. 36:27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Ez. 36:28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.

Ez. 36:29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you.

Ez. 36:30 And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations.

Ez. 36:31 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 your abominations.

Ez. 36:32 Not for your sake do I do this,” says the Lord GOD, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!”

√ My Name

This section was given by God to remind the people of Israel that when He brings all these blessings to pass it will be because of His Grace…

…not the result of Israel’s own righteous works!

That’s why we find Him here reminding them of their sin and why it was that God had to judge them.

Specifically their long history of idolatry and violence was so great that they could never possibly merit God’s favor.

But, because God was concerned with the honor of His Name and the reputation of His character He will restore Israel both physically and spiritually as a testimony to the enemies of Israel, thus we read…

Ez. 36:22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.

Ez. 36:23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.

His point is that the wicked behavior of the Jewish people reflected badly upon God.

The Gentile nations surrounding Israel observed the sinful lives of the Jewish people and wrongly concluded that their God approved of such actions!

So God demonstrated His justice by punishing Israel for her sin…

…but promises to display His Grace and faithfulness in the future when He restores her and renews His covenant promises.

√ Refutes Anglo-Israelism

Vs. 24 along with chapter 37 refutes the false doctrine of Anglo-Israelism defined as…

“Is the belief that that many early Britons, Europeans and/or their royal families were direct lineal descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel.”

As evidence proponents often point out that the Hebrew word for “man” is “ish”, thus the entomology of the words…

Danish

English

Irish

Supposedly demonstrates a link between ancient Israel and the Caucasian peoples of Europe. This teaching goes on to say that those people living in Israel today are not really Jewish!

However, the theory lacks any genetic, historical or Biblical support leading one pastor to comment that the theory is…

Foolish

There are many Biblical reasons to reject this doctrine as false one of which is found here in vs. 24 and more explicitly in chapter 37.

Ez. 36:24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.

Simple observation of how this prophecy is being fulfilled today demonstrates that the modern peoples of Europe are not descendants of the Lost Tribes.

That is, look at who it is that is returning to the land of Israel in fulfillment of this prophecy.

It’s not the British, the Irish or the Danish.

It’s Jewish people who were dispersed into Asia, Europe and Africa by God’s judgment, note vs. 19…

Ez. 36:19 So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds.

For the last 2,500 years Jew have referred to the scattering of the people as the “Diaspora” ~ the dispersion.

In every case the Jewish people maintained their unique identity.

Keeping their language, religion and culture alive regardless of where they were dispersed to.

The point is that the Jewish people weren’t assimilated into other nations…

…they almost always maintained their identity and never forgot who they were.

Today they are returning to the land as predicted in vs. 24.

Not the British, the Irish, the Danish, or the Foolish!

√ A new work

God’s future promises to Israel is that not only will He bring about a physical restoration of the land…

…more importantly He will be about a spiritual restoration of the Jewish people!

Ez. 36:25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

Ez. 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Ez. 36:27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Ez. 36:28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.

God promises to…

Wash His people and make them clean

Give them a new heart that beats in sync with God’s

A new spirit that will desire to please God through obedience

All of this is a picture of the “new covenant” that Jeremiah speaks of...

Jer. 31:31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—

Jer. 31:32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD.

Jer. 31:33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Once again we only see this being fulfilled in part today. The completion of this promise won’t be realized until the Millennial Kingdom!

Ex. Israel today

Less than 10,000 Jewish believers today!

But, God is working and giving our Jewish brothers great opportunities to share their faith!

Our friend Tzuriel was prominently featured on Israel’s most popular Sabbath evening TV program.

My Testimony! (vs. 33-38)

Ez. 36:33 “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt.

Ez. 36:34 The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by.

Ez. 36:35 So they will say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’

Ez. 36:36 Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.”

Ez. 36:37 “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock.

Ez. 36:38 Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ ”

√ My testimony

In these closing verses God tells us that the work He has planned for Israel will be so awesome that the unbelieving nations will come to acknowledge God, note vs. 36…

“Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.”

The point is that when God brings all this to pass there won’t be any question as to who did it, nor will anyone suggest that it was brought about by human potential.

Everyone will know that God has brought these promises to pass!

In that future time we’re told that Israel will be like the Garden of Eden (vs. 35)!

Ap. The restoration of all things!

Israel’s future is bright, but understand that God’s promises for the future go beyond the borders of Israel to touch the whole earth!

That is, God has promised throughout the Bible that when He brings about the Kingdom on earth…

…that the whole world will be restored to the way He designed it to be!

Peter spoke of that future restoration…

“whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” ~ Acts 3:21

In the Kingdom age the whole world will be filled with the blessings of God.

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