In this chapter, the Lord promises to bring his people back to the mountains of Israel and rebuild the land that was destroyed by other nations, but not because the people deserved it, but because the Lord wants to protect and bring honor to his holy name. Here’s a portion of the text: “Therefore, prophesy to the hills and mountains, the ravines and valleys of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am full of fury because you have suffered shame before the surrounding nations. Therefore, says the Sovereign Lord, I have raised my hand and sworn an oath that those nations will soon have their turn at suffering shame. But the mountains of Israel will produce heavy crops of fruit to prepare for my people’s return – and they will be coming home again soon! See, I am concerned for you, and I will come to help you. Your ground will be tilled and your crops planted. I will greatly increase the population of Israel, and the ruined cities will be rebuilt and filled with people. Not only the people, but your flocks and herds will also greatly multiply. O mountains of Israel, I will bring people to live on you once again. I will make you even more prosperous than you were before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I will cause my people to walk on you once again, and you will be their inheritance. You will never again devour their children.” (Ezekiel 36:6-12) (Yes, Lord!)
Then the Lord gives His reason for restoring Israel in the following verses: “Then this further message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their evil deeds. To me their conduct was as filthy as a bloody rag. They polluted the land with murder and by worshiping idols, so I poured out my fury on them. I scattered them to many lands to punish them for the evil way they had lived. But when they were scattered among the nations, they brought dishonor to my holy name. For the nations said, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and he couldn’t keep them safe in his own land!’ Then I was concerned for my holy name, which had been dishonored by my people throughout the world.
Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back again but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, which you dishonored while you were scattered among the nations. (This is always confusing to me when I read about God doing things to protect His name and reputation. God doesn’t like pride in us, but this sounds a lot like pride. Lord, help us understand. Maybe it’s ok for us to protect our reputation, like God is protecting His. Maybe pride is simply being proud, which we know God frowns upon, and it has nothing to do with reputation. Lord, reveal your Word to us and give us understanding.) I will show how holy my great name is – the name you dishonored among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord. For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.”
“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command.” (Ezekiel 36:16-27) (Yes, Lord!!!)
Read the rest of the chapter for yourself and see the rest of God’s plans for His people.
Lord, thank you for your Word today! Thank you for blessing us, even when we don’t deserve it! Thank you for cleansing us and giving us a new heart and new spirit! And Lord, you are not the author of confusion, so when we are confused reveal the meaning of your Word to us. Lord, we love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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