God Will Restore Israel
October 24, 2021
Commentary
The design the elders of Israel was promoting among the people was that being scattered in various nations they should lay aside all their peculiarities and conform to those among whom they lived; but God had told them that this design should not be (v. 32). Now, in these verses, he shows particularly how it should be (vv. 33-44). When the Israelites disobeyed God by refusing to enter the Promised Land the first time God chose to purify the people by forcing them to wander in the wilderness until the entire generation died (Num. 14:26-36) In this passage He promised to purge the nation of its rebellious people again as they cross the vast wilderness from their captivity in Babylon (vv.33-36). The doom that is passed upon them is backed with an oath not to be reversed: “As I live, saith the Lord God” (v. 33), thus and thus will I deal with you. Only those who faithfully obeyed God would be able to return to their land. The purpose of this wilderness judgment was to purge all those who worshiped idols and to restore all those faithful to God.
The phrase “that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all” (v. 32) is an utterance that already looks into the future. First, their judgment at the hand of Babylon will be the means of stopping their idolatry. But it may also have reference to the future day when the Lord will rule with an iron hand, not allowing idolatry of any kind (v. 37). The Israelites had been worshiping idols and giving gifts at the same time (v. 39). They did not believe in their God as the one true God; instead they worshiped Him along with the other gods of the land. Ezekiel tells the elders that the fire of judgment is about to occur. It will be clearly evident that I the Lord have kindled it, and not merely an earthly power (v. 48). But the elders appear not to fully understand, perhaps deliberately so. Ezekiel was exasperated and discouraged (v. 49). Many Israelites were complaining that he spoke only in riddles so they refused to listen.
Application
No matter how exciting my ministry may be I will have moments of discouragement. Instead of feeling like giving up when I become discouraged, I just need to continue doing what God has told me to do. God promises to reward the faithful (Mark 13:13). God’s cure for discouragement may be another assignment in serving others, and in that I may receive the renewal I need.
Ezekiel 20:33– 49 (NET)
33 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm and with an outpouring of rage, I will be king over you. 34 I will bring you out from the nations and will gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm and with an outpouring of rage! 35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 36 Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Sovereign Lord. 37 I will make you pass under the shepherd’s staff, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38 I will eliminate from among you the rebels and those who revolt against me. I will bring them out from the land where they have been residing, but they will not come to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 “‘As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Each of you go and serve your idols, if you will not listen to me. But my holy name will not be profaned again by your sacrifices and your idols. 40 For there on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord, all the house of Israel will serve me, all of them in the land. I will accept them there, and there I will seek your contributions and your choice gifts, with all your holy things. 41 When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. 42 Then you will know that I am the Lord when I bring you to the land of Israel, to the land I swore to give to your fathers. 43 And there you will remember your conduct and all your deeds by which you defiled yourselves. You will despise yourselves because of all the evil deeds you have done. 44 Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for the sake of my reputation and not according to your wicked conduct and corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
45 (21:1) The Lord’s message came to me: 46 “Son of man, turn toward the south, and speak out against the south. Prophesy against the open scrub land of the Negev, 47 and say to the scrub land of the Negev, ‘Listen to the Lord’s message! This is what the Sovereign Lord has said: Look here, I am about to start a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The flaming fire will not be extinguished, and the whole surface of the ground from the Negev to the north will be scorched by it. 48 And everyone will see that I, the Lord, have burned it; it will not be extinguished.’”
49 Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord! They are saying of me, ‘Does he not simply speak in eloquent figures of speech?’”
Illustration: Falwell Never knew God to Use a Discouraged Person
I once heard Dr. Jerry Falwell say, “I have never known God to use a discouraged person.” (Lou Nicholes in Ezekiel – The Exiled Prophet).