Sunday, September 24, Lesson: Ezekiel 36:22-32; Time of Action: 585 B.C.; Place of Action: Babylon

Transcription

1 Sunday, September 24, 2017 Lesson: Ezekiel 36:22-32; Time of Action: 585 B.C.; Place of Action: Babylon Golden Text: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). I. INTRODUCTION. This week s lesson looks forward to a future time when God will restore the nation of Israel (see Ezekiel 36:8-11, 24), and cleanse them from their sins. Jeremiah identified this future restoration with the new covenant (see Jeremiah 31:31-33), and the sign of the covenant will be a new heart and a new spirit in the people (see Ezekiel 36:26). A human heart transplant reminds us of the spiritual heart transplant that God performs. In this lesson, our focus is on the new heart God will give to Israel in the future as well as the new heart He has already given to believers.

2 II. LESSON BACKGROUND. The Babylonians gained control of Judah and took many captives in the year 605 B.C. During this first deportation of Jews to Babylon, Daniel and his friends were taken captive. Later in 597 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar brought his army against Jerusalem because the king of Judah rebelled and refused to pay tribute money to Babylon. As a result, Judah s king Jehoiachin and ten thousand others were taken to Babylon. Ezekiel was among those taken captive at this time. Zedekiah was then placed on the throne in Judah by Babylon as a puppet king. He also rebelled against Babylon which led to the fall of Jerusalem (see II Kings chapters 24-25). While in captivity, for the next decade, Ezekiel called upon his people to repent. However, many of them didn t believe they were responsible for the nation s problems (see Ezekiel 18:1-4). Judah fell to the Babylonians in 586 B.C. and Jerusalem was demolished and the vast majority of the people who were still in Judah were carried off to Babylon as slaves. During the first half of Ezekiel s ministry in Babylon, he proclaimed a message of repentance, hoping the people would repent and avoid further catastrophe. But now he proclaimed a message that Israel would one day be restored. Our lesson text is taken from a section of Ezekiel s prophecy dealing with God s future restoration of the Israelites to their land. God commanded Ezekiel to call on the mountains to see the punishment of the surrounding nations (see Ezekiel 36:1-7), and the rehabilitation of the land by God s people (see Ezekiel 36:8-15). Then the Lord said to Ezekiel that His people had defiled the land causing Him to scatter them

3 among the heathens or Gentiles (see Ezekiel 36:16-19). With Israel now in Gentile lands, these heathens profaned God s holy name declaring that since God allowed His people to be taken captive, He must be weak (see Ezekiel 36:20). Then in Ezekiel 36:21, God declared that He had pity on His holy name which His people had profaned wherever they were scattered. This is where our lesson begins. III. HONORING GOD S NAME (Ezekiel 36:22-23) A. God s name profaned (Ezekiel 36:22). Our first verse says Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. After declaring that He would have pity on His name because it had been profaned in Gentile lands where Israel had been scattered, God commanded Ezekiel to say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God. The captives were to understand that Ezekiel s message was not his message, but it came directly from the Lord God. God s message here was I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel. In other words, God would not deliver Israel from their captivity and return them to their own land (see Ezekiel 36:6-12) because of anything they had done to deserve it, because they hadn t. Past generations had compiled a sorry record of disobedience and the Lord would

4 have been justified in letting them die in the lands where they were scattered. But the Lord declared that He would deliver them, and return them to their land for mine holy name s sake. A name usually indicated the character of the person who bore it. Therefore, God s name referred to God s character, and all He is. Here God characterized Himself as holy, meaning He is separate from all others who might be called gods. Holy also means that God is separated for evil. It was because of God s holy name or His character that He would rescue the Israelites from their enemies. God told Israel that His holy name had been profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. In other words, God s character had been defiled or tarnished when the Israelites were scattered among the Gentile nations which is the meaning of the phrase whither ye went. The Gentiles knew the Jewish exiles were the people of the Lord (see Ezekiel 36:20), but they didn t understand that God had scattered His people, so they assumed that He was too weak to care for them. Therefore, Israel s humiliation as captives was God s humiliation as seen in His holy name or His character being profaned by the Gentile nations. We must never forget that any disobedience by God s people always deals a double blow to God s name. B. God s name is sanctified (Ezekiel 36:23). God continues to say in this verse And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when

5 I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. God had pity on His name (see Ezekiel 36:21) when it was profaned, so He said I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them. The word sanctify means to make holy, separate, or different. In sanctifying His great name, God s goal was to see His name restored to its rightful place of honor and respect even among the heathen or Gentile nations. As already mentioned, Israel had profaned or defiled God s great name in the midst of them (the Gentiles) because of their disobedience. God then said I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. This means that God would restore His great name to its unique position in the eyes of the Gentiles. No longer would they see Him simply as a weak tribal god because the heathen (Gentiles) shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God. He will be seen by all the nations as the God of the whole earth, and Israel will be the channel through which God will regain honor to His name. At that time, God will be vindicated in His disciplinary dealings with the Israelites, proved to be almighty in restoring them to their inheritance, and found faithful to His promise to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God Himself declared that He will be sanctified or set apart through the same people, the Israelites whose conduct had profaned His great name. And if the Lord God said it, it will surely come to pass. Of course this all will take place during the future kingdom of the Messiah.

6 IV. HEARTS RENEWED (Ezekiel 36:24-27 ) A. Israel regathered from the nations (Ezekiel 36:24). In this verse God continues to say For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. At this point, the Lord began to state the acts He would perform whereby He would be sanctified. First, He would gather the Israelites from all countries. Then He said I will bring you into your own land. This means that God would resettle His people in the land that He had promised to the patriarchs. Note: Some scholars believe that this was fulfilled when a remnant of Jews returned to Judah after the seventy-year Babylonian Captivity. However, that group could not have fulfilled this prophecy because it was only a small group, and they returned from only one geographic area, not out of all countries. Therefore, just a normal reading of the entire passage reveals that this will be fulfilled during the millennial age when Jesus returns and establishes His kingdom (see Ezekiel 36:26-27). This does not mean we should minimize the importance of the Jews return from Babylon. That return proved that the Lord was still with Israel and still used other nations for Israel s good. It also showed that God considered it important for the Israelites to be in their own land. The expression your own land reminds us that no matter where the Jews have settled, God has given them a specific inheritance (see Genesis 15:18). Sin has deprived them of

7 the use of their land for centuries, but God s faithfulness demands that He will bring them back to it and fulfill His promises. B. Israel cleansed from sin (Ezekiel 36:25). In this verse God said Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. Another feature of Israel s future renewal that distinguishes it from the return of the Babylonian Captivity, is the permanent spiritual cleansing that will occur. God said Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean. In the Mosaic Law certain ceremonies required washing or the sprinkling of water as a symbol of ritual purification (see Exodus 30:17-21; Leviticus 14:51-52; Numbers 19:17-19). In the Mosaic Law, a defiled person who had leprosy had to go through a cleansing ritual before he or she could return to the camp (see Leviticus 14:1-9). The symbolism of cleansing was now used to show the Israelites future cleansing from sin. However, such washing could not cleanse the people of their sin. It was only a symbol that pointed forward to the spiritual cleansing that a person could receive through the shed blood of Jesus Christ (see Hebrews 9:8-14; 10:19-22; Titus 3:5). The Lord declared that He would cleanse His people from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. The word filthiness here refers to moral uncleanness. This uncleanness as well as idolatry will be removed from Israel in the day of Israel s reconciliation. The Hebrew word for idols literally means blocks or logs.

8 It was a derogatory term describing the uselessness of pagan gods. What the Israelites needed cleansing from more than anything else was idolatry (see Colossians 3:5). Their long history of flirting with the lifeless gods of the heathens had brought them into captivity. However, later history of the Jews indicates that the Babylonian Captivity effectively cured them of idolatry. But their complete spiritual cleansing still awaits the Messiah s return. C. Israel renewed and regenerated (Ezekiel 36:26-27). 1. (vs. 26). In this verse God said A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. In addition to restoring His people to the land and cleansing them from sin, God also said A new heart also will I give you. He will replace their stony hearts with an heart of flesh. The word heart signifies the total inner person, the mind, emotions, and will. A stony heart is a hardened, rebellious, and stubborn personality that resists the impressions God would make on it. It represents the kind of heart that most of the Jews had for centuries. Their hearts were hard and cold, and unwilling to listen to God s messengers, the prophets. But an heart of flesh is pliable, responsive and obedient to the will of the Lord. Therefore, it is evident that future Israel will not only change their outward actions, but they will also be transformed or

9 changed inwardly (see Ezekiel 11:19). God also said a new spirit will I put within you (Israel). The word spirit here refers to the impulse which drives a person and regulates their desires, thoughts and conduct. When Israel is renewed, both their hearts and their spirits will be replaced with new ones. Again, this refers to what will happen when the Jews are finally and permanently restored to their land when Christ returns to set up His messianic kingdom. 2. (vs. 27). Here God said And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. God also promised His people that I will put my spirit within you. This statement refers to the Holy Spirit, who empowers His own for godliness and service. The Lord will put His Holy Spirit within the repentant Israelites of the future, giving them the power to obey God s commandments. He will create in them, as He does us, both the desire and the ability to do His will (see Philippians 2:13). God declared that His Spirit will cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. God s Spirit will enable future Israelites to fulfill His statutes and judgments which are terms commonly used in Scripture to refer to Jewish law (see Ezra 7:10; Psalms 119:108, 112). Without the Spirit s enablement, the Israelites were never be successful in keeping God s law (see Acts 7:53; 15:10). With new desires and strength provided by the Holy Spirit, Israel will fulfill God s will. Note: Endowment by God s Spirit occurred in Old Testament times (see Numbers 27:18; Judges 14:6; I Samuel 11:6),

10 but the Holy Spirit was reserved for a special few and could be taken away (see I Samuel 16:13-14; Psalms 51:1). In the present age, the Holy Spirit lives in every person who receives Jesus Christ by putting their faith in Him (see John 14:16-17; I Corinthians 12:13). In the future millennium age, the Holy Spirit will continue to have a prominent place among God s people. He will guide Christ in His ruler-ship over the nations (see Isaiah 11:2) and will indwell Christ s regenerate subjects (see Joel 2:28-29). V. HOPE OF RESTORATION (Ezekiel 36:28-32) A. Salvation for Israel (Ezekiel 36:28-29). 1. (vs. 28). In this verse God went on to say And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. After Israel has been spiritually cleansed, and reborn they will enjoy the provisions of the covenant God made with Abraham (see Genesis 17:7-8). The provision promised here is that Israel shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. This is not just a figurative reference to heaven or to spiritual blessing. It is a real land with specific geographical boundaries. Note: In the original covenant with Abraham, God gave His descendants the land between the river of Egypt and the Euphrates River (see

11 Genesis 15:18). The promise of the land was repeated to Isaac (see Genesis 26:3), Jacob (see Genesis 28:13; 35:12), and Moses (see Exodus 3:8). The Israelites entered the land under Joshua s leadership (see Joshua 11:23), but only in the days of Solomon did they possess territory approximating what God had promised Abraham (see I Kings 4:21). However, sin caused them to be expelled from the land. Under Ezra, some returned from Babylon to inhabit a portion of it (see Ezra 1:1-4), but their descendants later were scattered by the Romans (see Luke 21:24). Today, a republic of Israel exists, but its borders are not even close to those God promised to Abraham. The Abrahamic covenant also promised that the Lord would own Israel, so here God reaffirmed that by saying and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. In reality, God had never stopped being their God, but they had forsaken Him (see Hosea 1:9). In the future, a repentant nation of Israel will do God s will from the heart, and the relationship between them and God will be what He always intended it to be. 2. (vs. 29). The Lord then said in this verse I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. In addition to the previous blessings that God said He would provide to His people, He said I will also save you from all your uncleannesses. The word uncleannesses speaks of moral and/or ritual contamination. Because of the people s sins, the whole land was polluted. To be saved from their sins meant that they

12 had to be saved from the results of those sins as well. One of the results of sin was famine. God said and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. Because of habitual sin, the nation of Israel had its share of famines throughout its history. But that will change because God will call for the corn, and will increase it. The term corn can refer to any type of grain. The word call means that the Lord Himself will declare, or guarantee that nothing will hinder good crops, the grain will flourish, and God s people will never experience a famine again. B. Sustenance for Israel (Ezekiel 36:30). In this verse, God continued to say And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. In addition to increasing the grain, God also said And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field. The fruit of the tree of Israel consisted of a wide variety of grapes, dates, figs, olives, and pomegranates. These were the prominent fruit of Canaan. After Israel s final restoration, all these trees will produce in abundance which is the meaning of the increase of the field. Not only did sin bring physical calamities such as captivity and famine, it also brought disgrace to God s people from the surrounding nations. The heathen nations mocked Israel by saying that they had been forsaken by their own God who brought famine upon them. The word reproach means disgrace. But God said

13 that after Israel is renewed and regenerated, and He multiplies their crops, Israel shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. In other words, they will never again suffer the humiliation and the disgrace of famine in the eyes of Gentile nations. To depend on a Gentile or heathen nation for food was just like saying that the Lord either would not, or could not provide for His people. In Israel s future, that will never happen again. C. Shame felt by Israel (Ezekiel 36:31-32). 1. (vs. 31). Here God says Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. During the millennial reign of Christ, after the regathering of the Israelites to their home land, along with the spiritual cleansing, restoration of covenant blessings, and material abundance, God said Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good. The phrase evil ways refers to the type of life the Israelites followed, and the term doings refers to the specific deeds they did. The use of both of these descriptions indicate that God s people will look back in their past and remember all of their sinful habits realizing that they were not good in anyway. God characterized their sins or evil ways and doings as iniquities and abominations. The term iniquities refers to twisted or perverted behavior and abominations speaks of anything repulsive or offensive to

14 God s nature. Remembering these things in their past will cause the Israelites to lothe yourselves in your own sight. This does not mean that they will be so overcome by guilt that they won t be able to enjoy their blessings during the millennium, but they will realize that they are only able to partake of those blessings because of God s mercy. Note: In a future time, as God s people thought about their past history as a nation, they would be haunted by the memory of a time when their land was left desolate, the temple was in ruins, and the people were led away into captivity. They would realize how undeserving they were of God s precious blessings. On a personal level, the memory of sins committed in the past can be beneficial. It reminds us of what we have been saved from, and of how gracious the Lord has been to us. The Apostle Paul was forgiven of all his past sins, but they were not erased from his memory (see Acts 22:20; 26:9-11: I Timothy 1:12-15), and neither should we forget our sins. This verse should remind us that there are proper times to reflect on our sins. Sometimes a look backward now and then keeps us from taking our spiritual blessings for granted. It causes us to marvel in amazement that God would include us in His plan. 2. (vs. 32). In our final verse, God said Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. This portion of the Lord s message was especially for Ezekiel s present generation who were in exile with him, and God gives the same message He began our lesson text with (see Ezekiel 36:22). The phrase

15 Not for your sakes do I this means that God won t provide any of the blessings He promised for His Israel sakes. If this sounds harsh, let s not forget that those wicked people didn t deserve deliverance or the promise of help in the future. They had profaned God s name, and the future restoration of the nation was necessary for restoring honor to God s character. So, instead of glorying in the fact that a great future lay ahead for them, God said to His people be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. Both words, ashamed and confounded speak of utter humiliation and embarrassment. This is how they should have felt as a result of their own ways. Really, this was all a disobedient generation of people deserved. VI. Conclusion. A key indication of a new heart is a new sensitivity to sin. Whereas once when we paid little or no attention to our sin, the new heart will make us keenly aware of it as well as make us determined to fight it. This week s lesson describes a future time when God will give Israel His Spirit and a new heart. As New Testament believers, we already have God s Spirit (see John 14:16-17; I Corinthians 6:19) and a new heart or new nature (see II Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:10). Our responsibility now is to live under the control of the Holy Spirit.

16 ***The Bible Expositor and Illuminator, Union Gospel Press***