CFBC Wed Study | 10-25-23 | Israel, Prophecy and the Middle East | Session 2
Dr. Chuck Herring | Ezekiel 36:16-38
Why is there so much antisemitism in the world?
Why is there so much antisemitism in the world?
Zechariah 12:1–3… The burden of the word of the Lord concerning Israel. Thus declares the Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, 2 “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. 3 “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.
After discussing Israel’s sinful past (vv. 16–21), Ezekiel laid out the nation’s future restoration.1 I want you to see that his presentation is divided into three parts (verses 22,33,37) and each of them is introduced with these words—“Thus says the Lord God.”
This passage unfolds the process and the benefits of the restoration of Israel as a nation. However, one thought dominates this portion of prophetic Scripture—God’s primary motivation is to vindicate His holy name before the watching nations. God refuses to allow the nations to interpret the desolation of Israel’s land and the dispersion of the Jewish people as any type of reflection on His inability to execute His sovereignty and to accomplish His ultimate purposes for His chosen people.
God is speaking to a people he has blessed in remarkable ways, yet a people who have spurned him. He accuses them of defiling the land (Ezek. 36:17). This they did by their conduct and their action of ignoring God.2
Ezekiel 36:16–21… Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, 17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. 18 “Therefore I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols. 19 “Also I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the lands. According to their ways and their deeds I judged them. 20 “When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord; yet they have come out of His land.’ 21 “But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
Before dealing with Israel’s restoration and future cleansing, Ezekiel reminded the exiles of their past sin which ushered in their judgment in the first place. The Jewish people were guilty of polluting God’s land and profaning God’s name!
The polluting and profaning were like a menstrual discharge that rendered a woman ceremonially unclean and defiled everything she touched (Lev. 15:19–23).3 These verses clarify what the Scripture means here…
Ezekiel 16:36… Thus says the Lord God, “Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your harlotries with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your sons which you gave to idols.”
Ezekiel 23:37–39… “For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. Thus they have committed adultery with their idols and even caused their sons, whom they bore to Me, to pass through the fire to them as food. 38 “Again, they have done this to Me: they have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and have profaned My sabbaths. 39 “For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, they entered My sanctuary on the same day to profane it; and lo, thus they did within My house.”
Israel in the north and Judah in the south were exiled because of their idolatry described here as spiritual adultery. Even in their exile they profaned God’s holy name. That is, they did not glorify God in those foreign lands. The Babylonians would have concluded that Yahweh was a weak God because he allowed his people to be conquered and his temple to be destroyed.
Ezekiel 36:22–23… “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 “I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.”
The revelation of God’s name or character was a major aspect of God’s dealing with Israel from the beginning.4
Exodus 9:13–16… Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 14 “For this time I will send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. 15 “For if by now I had put forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been cut off from the earth. 16 “But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.”
God intended to restore the Jewish people to their land, and He intended to renew them spiritually. They certainly didn’t deserve this restoration, but God would do it for the sake of his holy name, that is, his reputation. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord (23). This phrase appears 84 times in the book of Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 36:24… “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.”
Initially this was a promise to bring the Jewish people back to the land from Babylonian exile. Prophetically, this pictures a regathering of the Jewish people to the Jewish land in the last days. I want you to see that God promised to restore the Jewish people to their own land.
[In verse 5, God referred to this special piece of real estate as “My land.” He gaveit Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants as a permanent possession.]
Psalm 105:7–11… He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. 8He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, 9 Thecovenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac. 10 Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, 11 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the portion of your inheritance.”
Ezekiel 11:16–17… “Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Though I had removed them far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone.” ’ 17 “Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” ’
No other people group has been forcibly removed from their ancient homeland twice, then scattered to the nations for 2,000 years only to then return, once again, to the same piece of real estate as a sovereign nation.
The people returning came as an identifiable people, holding the same customs and traditions, even reviving the ancient dead language that their ancestors once spoke.
Never before has this happened in recorded human history. Perhaps more stunning is that this entire process was foretold approximately 2,500 years ago by the Jewish prophets. No other ancient people group in history can make such claims, only the Jewish people.
God not only promised to gather His scattered people and restore them to their land. He also promised spiritual cleansing through a new covenant…
Ezekiel 36:25… “Then 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.
The new covenant promises a spiritual cleansing for God’s people. That cleansing is made possible through the blood of Jesus. Don’t miss the scope of this promised cleansing—I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
1 Corinthians 6:9–11… Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
God also promised spiritual transformation through a new covenant…
Ezekiel 36:26… “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
God works from the inside-out, not the outside-in. Israel is promised a real change of heart. What is “the heart of stone?” It is a stubborn, hard, and unresponsive heart. What is “the heart of flesh?” It is a heart that is sensitive to God and His Word and therefore longs to comply with God’s will and God’s Word.
A heart of flesh in exchange for a heart of stone suggests a change so radical and profound that no one but God could do it. Jesus likens it to being born again (John 3:3, 7) and Paul compares it to a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).5
John 3:3… Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:17… Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
God also promised spiritual support through a new covenant…
Ezekiel 36:27… “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”
Here is the marvelous promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit who provides a special sense of God’s presence and power. He helps Jewish and Gentile believers to live in obedience to God and His Word.
Ezekiel 36:28–30… “You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. 29 “Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you. 30 “I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations.”
The promises of land and gathering to the land are a part of the fabric of the new covenant. Along with that there is the promise of supernatural cleansing and a new, restored relationship with the living and true God.
I want you to see the promise of supernatural fertility of the land of Israel. Agricultural abundance will be a reality!
Ezekiel 36:31–32… “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. 32 “I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel!”
Warren Wiersbe observed…
When some people remember their sins, they enjoy them again in the dirty depths of their imagination. This is evidence that they really haven’t judged them and repented. When the true children of God remember their past disobedience, they’re ashamed of themselves and abhor themselves because of what they have done to the Lord, themselves, and others.
In verse 32, God makes abundantly clear that this outpouring of grace, mercy, and restoration will result in the glory and honor of God’s holy and blessed name!
