Ezek. 35 - 37 - "Israel Restored In The Millennial Reign of Christ"

Click HERE to read the passage.

As we read, we quickly notice how God turns his anger to another nation - it is called Mount Seir, better know today as the nation of Jordan.  It appears that the region got its name from Seir the Horite, one of the early chieftains who controlled the territory (Genesis 36:20–21, 30).  Sadly, they were a nation who lived wickedly before the Lord and hated the nation of Israel.  They mocked the people of Israel and the God of Israel. 

While God at one time offered His protection to the land of Edom - which is also the land of Mount Seir, in Ezekiel's prophecy it's obvious that God has changed His mind. 

The reason God initially offered protection to that area, is because He gave it to Esau - “The Lord had done the same for the descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them. They drove them out and have lived in their place to this day” (Deuteronomy 2:22). Because the territory of Mt. Seir belonged to Esau’s descendants, Israel was forbidden from invading or capturing that territory. God explains in Deuteronomy 2:5, “Do not contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.” This is reiterated in Joshua 24:4, “And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.” 

However, God's patience has run out with them and doomsday is about to come!

On the heels of God sharing His anger with Mount Seir and what He's about to do to that country, God changes His tune with Israel for a moment. In Chapter 36, God gives hope to Israel.  In spite of His fury and anger being thrust against them due to their sinfulness, He reminds them (as He has before) that one day in the future, God will bring Israel back to days of great glory. This day won't happen until the Millennial Reign of Christ. 

Notice what God said, "Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations. 23 I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord. 24 For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.
25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.[c] 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
28 “And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior. I will give you good crops of grain, and I will send no more famines on the land. 30 I will give you great harvests from your fruit trees and fields, and never again will the surrounding nations be able to scoff at your land for its famines. 31 Then you will remember your past sins and despise yourselves for all the detestable things you did. 32 But remember, says the Sovereign Lord, I am not doing this because you deserve it. O my people of Israel, you should be utterly ashamed of all you have done!"

Obviously, this is a future event. The promise God has given has NOT yet been fulfilled, but will be on the day Jesus returns during His 2nd Coming.

Notice what God says - He's not bringing Israel back because they deserve it, but to bring glory to His name. Everything God does is done to bring glory to His name!  When God works in our lives, He works in such a way to ultimately bring glory to His name.  

If you're not bringing glory to His name now...then when?

2 Powerful Messages & Miracles

The first powerful message a miracle is in the first part of Chapter 37 where God carries Ezekiel away in the spirit to a large valley of dry bones. It was obviously a valley where a major war was fought and where countless bodies had filled the area. By now, the bones of these mighty warriors were dry and brittle, and even perhaps a bit dusty. 

But God tells Ezekiel to speak His word into them. Immediately, the entire valley became a clattering noise of bones going back into their rightful place within the skeletal frame. The bones were no longer dry, but healthy. Then, as Ezekiel watched in utter amazement, muscle, tendons, and skin started to form on these old, dead bodies who now looked new.  However, they had no life in them.

So, God asked Ezekiel to speak and command the four winds to blow. As they did, each body drew in a deep breath and became alive! What happened after that is a mystery. However, can you imagine how profoundly influenced Ezekiel must have been when He watched the God of the universe breathe life back into a valley of dry bones?!  Imagine what He can do with you!

The second powerful message and miracle is the reunification of Israel and Judah!  Of the twelve tribes of Israel, only one tribe - Judah - remained faithful to the Lord for many years long after the other 11 tribes of Israel waned away spiritually. As such, the 11 tribes of Israel separated from Judah. However, this prophecy is about Israel's and Judah's future - in the Millennial Reign of Christ.

It's amazing to me every time I read about God's wrath being poured upon His people because of their sin, how God always wraps up His furious threat with a word of hope!  

If you feel like God has left you or that He's disciplining you because of sin in your life, rest assured there's hope!  God's punishment may happen for a reason, but His hope is that you'll come back to a wonderful relationship with Him and in the end be blessed beyond measure.