Blessing Israel is a prophecy yet to be fulfilled for the most part. But first a bit of recounting and reasoning behind it. Know however, that in Christ, you are blessed ever day. Let’s pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for the not undone yet parts of the Bible and for faithfully assuring us all will be fulfilled. Lead me through this Lord, and help me see all You want me to see. For Your Glory. In Your Name. Amen.
Please read Ezekiel 36:1-3
The Mountains of Israel to Be Blessed
1 “And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. 2 Thus says the Lord God, “Because the enemy has said of you, ‘Aha!’ and, ‘The ancient heights have become our property,’ 3 therefore prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “For good reason they have made you a desolation, and they crushed you from every side so that you would become a possession of the rest of the nations and you have become the talk and the whispering of the people.”’”
Prophecy is hard. My guess is often people didn’t like Ezekiel. But God still used him. And he reported what God said. ‘for good reason’ these awful things happened. So listening to prophets can help us understand more than we would get by not listening to them. For instance, the promise of being blessed.
Prophecy to the land and landscape
Please read Ezekiel 36:4-5
4 Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate ruins and to the deserted cities which have become prey and a mockery to the rest of the nations which surround you, 5 therefore thus says the Lord God, “Most certainly in the fire of My jealousy (love for that which is Mine) I have spoken against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who appropriated My land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and with uttermost contempt, so that they might empty it out [and possess it] as prey.”
The land suffered in this. The blessed land of God was overrun and suffered the contempt of Edom and other neighbors of the land. God is going to bless it once again.
Please read Ezekiel 36:6-12
Blessing Coming for the Land
6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy (love for that which is Mine) and in My wrath because you have endured the [shameful] insults of the nations.’ 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘I have lifted up My hand and sworn [an oath] that the nations that are around you will themselves endure their [shameful] insults. 8 But you, O mountains of Israel, will put out your branches and bear your fruit to My people Israel; for they will soon come [home]. 9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you [in favor], and you shall be cultivated and sown. 10 I will multiply people on you, all the house of Israel, [indeed] all of it; the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins will be rebuilt. 11 I will multiply on you man and animal; and they will increase and be fruitful. And I will cause you to be inhabited as you were formerly, and I will do better [things] for you than at your beginning. Then you will know [with great confidence] that I am the Lord. 12 Yes, [O mountains of Israel] I will cause men—My people Israel—to walk on you and take possession of you, so that you will become their inheritance and never again bereave them of children.’
Not because of how they acted, but because He is Holy and He will always do what He promises He will do. As an assurance to the land that it would be blessed.
Please read Ezekiel 36:13-21
Blessed to Not Hear Taunts
13 “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Because they say to you, “You [O land] are a devourer of people and have bereaved your nation of children,” 14 therefore you will no longer devour people, and no longer bereave your nation of children,’ says the Lord God. 15 I will not let you hear insults from the nations anymore, nor will you bear disgrace from the peoples any longer, nor will you cause your nation to stumble [through idolatry] any longer,” says the Lord God.’”
16 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they defiled it by their [own] behavior and by their [idolatrous] actions. Their conduct before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman during her [physical] impurity. 18 So I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. 19 Also I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the countries. I judged and punished them in accordance with their conduct and their [idolatrous] behavior. 20 When they came to the nations wherever they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord; yet they have come out of His land.’ 21 But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
Reread verse 21. It’s His Name that is the reason for the purifying and cleansing and blessing of the land.
Please read Ezekiel 36:22-26
Israel to Be Renewed for His Name’s Sake
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord,” says the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. 24 For I will [a]take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. 26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
For His holiness, He will cleanse and soften these people. Such a blessing, don’t you think? If it’s only for His Name that He would do this, is favor and blessing. He is a good God, but also a Holy God. Focus on Him.
Please read Ezekiel 36:27-32
Blessed but feeling Bad too
27 “I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My ordinances and do them. 28 You will live in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you will be My people, and I will be your God. 29 I will also save you from all your uncleanness, and I will call for the grain and make it abundant, and I will not bring famine on you. 30 I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not suffer again the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember [clearly] your [own] evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your sins and for your outrageous atrocities. 32 I am not doing this for your sake,” says the Lord God. “Let that be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated for your [wicked] ways, O house of Israel!”
Shame and humiliation over sins after all the blessings is proof of His activity in their lives. Repentance is still available and if you need it, you should take him up on his offer of forgiveness now while there is still time and it is still Today. Because He loves to pour out blessings and favor on His people, all for His glory.
Please read Ezekiel 36:33-38
33 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day that I cleanse you from all your sins I will also cause the cities [of Israel] to be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. 35 Then they will say, ‘This land that was deserted and desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then the nations that are left around you will know that I the Lord have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and will do it.”
37 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “This too I will let the house of Israel ask Me to do for them: I will increase their people like a flock. 38 Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the desolate cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know [with confident assurance] that I am the Lord.”’”
He has spoken, He will do it. So much blessing, so much beauty after destruction and desolation. Blessed in so many ways. So that the nations will know that the Lord has done this. And so that they will know that He is the Lord.
You can know it now. See it in life now. He is the Lord. And He has control over everything for your life if you are in Jesus. Blessed indeed.
Footnotes
[a] Ezekiel 36:24 This prophecy has been in the process of fulfillment since World War II. The Jews have for centuries been dispersed among all the nations with only a few remaining in the homeland. But by a.d. 1960 one-sixth of the Jewish population of the world was in Israel. Already they had been made “one nation” (37:22a)—between sunrise of one day and sunset of the next—“a nation born in one day” (Is 66:8). But the greatest event of all is yet to come (Ezek 37:22b-25). This prophecy will be fulfilled in its entirety.
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