Ezekiel 36:1-7

Chapter Sixteen

TRANSFORMATION AND RESTORATION
36:1-37:28

Thus far Ezekiel has expressed his hope for the future in terms of (1) the establishment of new leadership for the people of God; and (2) the punishment of those who previously had opposed His people. He now proceeds to speak of (3) the restoration of the land of Israel (chap. 36); and (4) the rebirth of the nation (chap. 37).

I. THE RESTORATION OF THE LAND

The prophecy against Mt. Seir (chap. 35) is followed by a prophecy unto the mountains of Israel. Here Ezekiel speaks of the material and spiritual aspects of the restoration of Israel. Chapter 36 may be the brightest chapter in the entire book. Four units of thought can be observed here: (1) the redemption of the land (Ezekiel 36:1-7); (2) the repopulation of the land (Ezekiel 36:8-15); (3) the purification of the land (Ezekiel 36:16-21); and (4) the return to the land (Ezekiel 36:22-38).

A. The Redemption of the Land 36:1-7

TRANSLATION

(1) And as for you, son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD. (2) Thus says the Lord GOD: Because the enemy has said against you: Aha! even the ancient high places are our possession; (3) therefore, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: because, even because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side that you might be a possession to the rest of the nations, and you are the object of conversation by talkers, and the evil report of people; (4) therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and to the hills, to the streams and to the valleys, and to the desolate wastes, and to the cities which have been forsaken which have become a prey and a derision to the rest of the nations which are round about; (5) therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Surely in the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations and against Edom, that have appointed My land as a possession for themselves with the joy of all their heart, with disdain of soul, in order that its open country should be for spoil; (6) therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the streams and to the valleys; Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I in My jealousy and in My fury I have spoken because you have borne the reproach of the nations; (7) therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I have lifted up My hand, surely the nations which are round about you, they shall bear their reproach.

COMMENTS

The enemies who had cast a covetous eye on the ancient hilly terrain of Canaan completely had underestimated the power and intention of the God of Israel (Ezekiel 36:2). He had wonderful plans for His people. On the other hand, the enemies of Israel would have to pay for their crimes against Israel. Three crimes had been committed against the land of Israel (1) they (the Babylonians) had made the land desolate; (2) the rest of the nations, i.e., the neighbors of Israel, had cast covetous eyes upon that vacant land; and (3) they had spoken of the defeated Jews with contempt (Ezekiel 36:3). But God had good news for those forsaken cities and desolate wastes which neighboring nations were attempting to seize even while they spoke so contemptuously about them (Ezekiel 36:4). God was jealous for His people, and the fire of that jealousy was burning against those lands especially Edom which had desired to possess Canaan for themselves (Ezekiel 36:5).

Because the land of Judah had borne the shame of invasion and derision by neighbors, God had spoken in His jealous fury against those nations (Ezekiel 36:6). God had lifted up His hand in a formal oath that those nations would eventually bear their own shame. They would experience the humiliation which they had inflicted upon the Judeans (Ezekiel 36:7).