Blessing on Israel
April 12, 2022
Commentary
Biblical scholars say that the mountains spoken of in this passage are symbolic of the power and strength of Israel, which is the key nation in God’s plan for the ages and the only nation chosen to be the means of bringing God’s blessings to the world. These blessings are stated in summary form in the covenant God made to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3). However, when Israel became proud and thought they could get away with evil, they needed to be chastised. God would first use the nations to judge and punish Israel (vv. 1-7) and restore the people (vv. 8-15). These “ancient heights” refers to the promised land, the land of Israel. Israel’s enemies not only challenged the boundaries but also God’s promises to Israel.
It is at this point in Israel’s history that this chapter commences and gives an outline of God’s dealing with her in His plan through the future Millennial Kingdom, or age. The “mountains of Israel” has reference to the whole land of Israel. Because of her wickedness, as dealt with repeatedly in earlier chapters, the land was justly made desolate by the hand of the Lord using the kings of Assyria and Babylon as the instruments. The “residue of the heavens,” the nations around her not yet brought into judgement, then occupied her. But when these nations, and particularly Idumea (Edom), gloated over Israel’s calamity and took the land for themselves. God in jealousy speaks against them. Edom as we saw in chapter 35 and Obadiah, met their judgment, never to exist as a nation. In contrast; Israel, though out of the land for a time for the purpose of chastening, will be regathered from among the nations. Her land will then become fruitful and her population increase. Her land devours her people no longer, and she will be a nation respected rather than insulted.
Application
I have trusted Christ as my Saviour and know I’m on my way to heaven because of His mercy.
Ezekiel 36:1– 15 (NET)
1 “As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: ‘O mountains of Israel, listen to the Lord’s message! 2 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The enemy has spoken against you, saying “Aha!” and, “The ancient heights have become our property!”’ 3 So prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Surely because they have made you desolate and crushed you from all directions, so that you have become the property of the rest of the nations, and have become the subject of gossip and slander among the people, 4 therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, and to the desolate ruins and the abandoned cities that have become prey and an object of derision to the rest of the nations round about; 5 therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Surely I have spoken in the fire of my zeal against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who with great joy and utter contempt have made my land their property and prey, because of its pasture.’
6 “Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I have spoken in my zeal and in my anger, because you have endured the insults of the nations. 7 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I vow that the nations around you will endure insults as well.
8 “‘But you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches and bear your fruit for my people Israel, for they will arrive soon. 9 For indeed, I am on your side; I will turn to you, and you will be plowed and planted. 10 I will multiply your people —the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities will be populated and the ruins rebuilt. 11 I will increase the number of people and animals on you; they will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as in ancient times and will do more good for you than at the beginning of your history. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 12 I will lead people, my people Israel, across you; they will possess you, and you will become their inheritance. No longer will you bereave them of their children.
13 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because they are saying to you, “You are a devourer of men and bereave your nation of children,” 14 therefore you will no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, declares the Sovereign Lord. 15 I will no longer subject you to the nations’ insults; no longer will you bear the shame of the peoples, and no longer will you bereave your nation, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
Illustration: RG Lee Pay Day Some Day
R. G. Lee, a great Southern Baptist evangelist used to preach a sermon entitled “Pay Day Some Day.” This is very true of people who are not Christians and also in the lives of people who are Christians. However, this will come true in a different way in the lives of believers than in the lives of those who are non-believers. For those who live a life of sin as an unsaved person and never trust Christ as Saviour it will mean eternal separation from God in a place of torment which the Bible calls Hell. For the person who trusts Christ as their Saviour but still has sin in his or her life it will be a loss of rewards but not spending an eternity in Hell. (Lou Nicholes, Eusocial, The Exiled Prophet).