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Ezekiel 36 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
Verses 22-38 immediately drew my attention. The title over the section reads “I Will Put My Spirit Within You.” We must remember that when we read this, it is God speaking to His people, the nation of Israel. God is seeking restoration with them because of His name. Let’s read that again. It’s because His Holy Name has been slandered among all the other nations that He seeks restoration.
What I am going to do is not for the sake of you Israelites, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have disgraced in every country where you have gone.
Ezekiel 36: 22b GNB
Why? Because God seeks for all to know that He is Lord and worthy to be praised. We may not like that in our flesh, but it’s the truth. This life is not about us. It was given by God so that we might bring glory and honor to His Name. Many times it is difficult for us to understand that God does not want us to praise His creation over Him. But we do it constantly. Though we like to think as human beings we are pretty cool, we must remember that we are just dust from the ground miraculously formed by our Creator.
Again, keep in mind that God is speaking to Israel. These are people who have been living in exile for years. So, the first major action involves their land which He promised to them long ago. The Lord says He will restore it.
I will take you from every nation and country and bring you back to your own land.
Ezekiel 36:24 GNB
Next, He will cleanse them. God details this in a way only Israel would understand by using parallels similar to the Mosiac rights of purification. As believers, we know this purification involves several aspects.
1) The cleansing of sin through Jesus2) A new heart under the new covenant3) A new spirit with holy desires4) The power to walk in obedience by the Holy Spirit
At the time of Ezekiel’s writing, this may have seemed foreign to the Israelites. Today, we know that God has delivered on this promise. Here is where it gets interesting. These words were spoken directly to Israel. As many of us know, Israel rejected this restoration. Outside of Messianic Jews, the larger Jewish nation has not received this promise. Paul writes of this secret truth in Romans.
For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” 27 “THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” 28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Romans 11:25-29 NASB
There has been a partial hardening over Israel’s heart until the full number of Gentiles are saved. At that time, whenever God decides, Israel will be saved just as it is written. Paul writes that this calling for the Jews is irrevocable.
So, as we look back to verse 22, we must ask ourselves – are we glorifying the name of God in our daily lives? This was His main beef with the nation of Israel. In order to defeat the human sin condition, He sent His Son and His Holy Spirit to give us a cleansing, a new heart, new desires, and the power to live holy lives. We will have no excuses before God as to why we did not glorify His Name here on Earth!