Ezekiel 36:1-38

36:6-37:28 | This passage foretells the inauguration of a new covenant, one characterized by peaceful relations between God and His people. The old covenant (the Mosaic law) made demands on the people but did not empower them to obey God. This new covenant would enable people to obey (Jer. 31:31-33). It begins with forgiveness and cleansing as God transforms His people through the gift of His Spirit.

36:7-11 | God will see to it that the people of Israel will again dwell safely in their ancient homeland; in fact, God will make the nation more prosperous and secure than it has ever been in history (Isa. 28:12; 61:4). When the people see this taking place, they will know beyond all doubt that the Lord is the One who brought it about, and not their own hard work or good fortune.

36:21-23 | The Lord’s blessing never comes because someone earns it, but because the Lord is gracious and generous and desires to show the whole world the bounties of His love and grace. Even from the beginning, God did not choose Israel as His people because of anything they had done, but because He chose to set His love upon them (Deut. 7:8). So when He restores them, He does it for the sake of His name and glory so that He may bless all the nations.

36:24-28 | Centuries before, Moses had promised that Israel would be ejected from the land and forced into exile if the people rebelled against God. But he also predicted that God would graciously bring the people back to their own land, cleanse them, give them a new heart to love and follow Him, and bless their land so that they would enjoy prosperity as never before (Deut. 29:18-30:9). Ezekiel repeats the same pattern here: regathering, cleansing, new heart, prosperity. God’s ideal for His people would be realized (Ex. 6:7): He would be their God and they would be His people (Ps. 106:8).

36:33-36 | When God restores both the spiritual and the physical fortunes of His people, He will do so not only to bless His redeemed sons and daughters, but also to show the nations that He is a gracious and loving God who always keeps His promises. God means for His glory to cover and bless the whole earth (Isa. 11:9), so that all of creation will know and experience the splendor of His majesty (Rom. 8:19; Eph. 2:7; 1 Pet. 1:12).

36:37-38 | Not only will the Lord restore the land so that it becomes like the Garden of Eden, but He will also cause a population explosion among His people so that Israel’s rebuilt towns and cities will be filled with godly men and women, boys and girls.