Ezekiel Chapter 36 Verse 1
• In all of scripture, this is possibly the best-spoken prophecy. “Hear the Word of the Lord.” So very simple. Just a few words, but the power contained in the keeping surpasses anything else in terms of the benefit and blessing on a life. The single constant in every crisis of faith, in every imploding marriage, in every collapsing ministry and in every shameful and tragic circumstance is that it is a consequence of simply not following the Word of God. And we ought to be clear, if I am not following the Word of God, then I am not following the Lord.
• The Word of God is more than what we perceive in the flesh. It is life and it is the Spirit. It is goodness for our faith and strength for our souls. It is the breath of God breathed into our lives, hearts, situations and attitudes. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is God breathed…” And Jesus prayed in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth.”
• We are not to read the Bible and file every verse away as an instruction for life…that’s not what I’m saying. We are to draw near to Jesus, each one of us personally, seek Him in our heart of hearts, spend time walking with Him, finding out His goodness, His holiness, His Godliness…and then folding that relationship into our approach to the Word of God. It’s more than instruction to follow, it is indeed the presence of the power of Christ for our benefit through belief.
• Jesus said in John 5:39, “You search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; yet these are they which testify of Me.” If you can receive the prophecy of, “Hear the Word of the Lord,” then you receive the Lord Himself…right into your moment-to-moment life…and that is why it is the absolute best-spoken prophecy in all of scripture.
Ezekiel Chapter 36 Verses 2 – 8
• In these verses God self-proclaims that He is their refuge. He is a fortress for the weak and the down-trodden. He is a Protector, a Father, a Friend…He will fight for them…I love this promise He makes to Israel, and God’s promises are as consistent across the board as His character, that those that have put them to shame, those that have taken advantage of them, done them wrong, that He will deal with them.
• Now, go back to verse 1, if you walk in the flesh, if you and I make a choice, knowingly or unknowingly to live our lives and conduct our affairs outside of the counsel and leadership of God, then being put to shame, being taken advantage of, being done wrong by others and this world…listen, that’s just consequence. We cannot claim the protection of God, the close proximity to God, if we are far from Him.
• And I say knowingly or unknowingly because I have seen so very many times, folks far outside the will of God, very far from the heart of God, and entirely unable and unwilling to listen to sound Godly counsel (whether sharp or gentle) in terms of turning from their ways…and yet they are entirely convinced in their own minds that they are walking uprightly. It’s awful. But in that circumstance, that person is unknowing…and I know what is ahead.
• Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” We at all times need to be willing and ready to hear the Word of the Lord and to challenge our own ways! Challenge them like in terms of a fight! Prove to me that you (speaking to my attitude, my actions, my decisions, my ways) prove to me that you are a mirror image of the cross of Jesus Christ. Prove to me that you fulfill the Word and will of God and prove to me that you will lead me to holiness! Not righteousness, not right-full-ness, not intellectual superiority…but to holiness… That is the fight!
• Do it. Have that war…the war against the Spirit and the flesh isn’t a bad thing, man…it’s bad if you don’t have that… But for those who are walking with the Lord, in holiness, blamelessness, walking in love and humility…then God will take care of the mountains that have risen against you. He is furiously jealous for me…and for you.
Ezekiel Chapter 36 Verses 9 – 15
• Israel’s restoration is being declared by God and if you visit Israel today, surely you can see the fulfillment of these prophesies as the waste places are now inhabited. Many cities have been built and so many beautiful orchards and fields have been planted. The land that laid waste and desolate has been reclaimed after many centuries. The marshy valleys have been drained and have become fertile and very fruitful, even more than before they were made desolate.
• And that is the promise that we have also. We fight, strive and struggle to avoid the desolation, the wrong done to us, and I truly get it…I do the same thing…but I also always consider, filed away in my OS as a guiding light, 1 Corinthians Chapter 6:7-9, “Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived!”
• Remember, to glorify God there almost always must be a sacrifice. Sacrifice in our comfort culture is the most hated four-letter word…and yet it is through our own personal sacrifice that we greatest resemble the cross of Christ. In sacrifice we train our own hearts in humility. In sacrifice we train our hearts to turn to the Lord and to cry out to Him. And its through this sacrifice that God will not only restore what has been lost, just as He did for Israel, but even more so, He will do better for me than at my beginning…
• A truly difficult thing to walk in…I do not deny that…but true and right nonetheless.
Ezekiel Chapter 36 Verses 16 – 23
• The hardship and reproach that was brought upon the people was a consequence of what they had done, not a consequence of having an uncaring God. But in their own consequence, rather than own up to it themselves, they deflected responsibility. God is angry with us. God is judging us. And so on…well that creates a circumstance where they can be comforted and God can be blamed! It shrouds the real reason why they are where they are…and that brings reproach upon the name of God.
• The nations knew that these people served a singular particular God. So, half of the people said, “Their God is not a good God,” and the other half of the people said, “These people, look what they are doing, blaspheming their own God?! And these are His people?! Puny God!” And so, either way, because of their actions and attitudes and really because of their lack of repentance and responsibility, reproach was placed upon God. And the same goes for us. We will be held accountable as to how we represent Him…
Ezekiel Chapter 36 Verse 24
• That has happened…
Ezekiel Chapter 36 Verse 25
• That has most certainly NOT happened…. Today, more than 40% of Jews in Israel are secular Jews. Non-worshippers. Indifferent to, rejection or exclusion of religion and religious consideration. That is the definition of secularism.
Ezekiel Chapter 36 Verses 26 – 38
• This is yet ahead, the future of Israel under the global leadership of Jesus Christ in the Millennial Reign, but we see a sure glimpse of this even today. This action set…precisely what happens to anyone who turns their life over to the Lord right now. A new heart, a new spirit, the old heart of stone and the old spirit of futile emotion-driven shortsightedness dies…and God’s Spirit takes up residence in your newly formed softened heart of hearts…
• Then you don’t need to worry about the rights and wrongs, the dos and don’ts because as it says in verse 27, “I will cause you to walk in my statutes.” Why? How? Because there’s relationship there. Care. And the Spirit of God is directing your path! See what else comes about…God delivers me in that moment from uncleanness (v29). No more guilt. No more weight of the past. I’m new and so is my future!
• No more famine of spirit but a joy enters, a sureness and satisfaction…because you’ve found what you’ve always been missing…right relationship with God. Verse 31, then you will remember your evil ways and you will loathe yourselves…and that’s great because that self is GONE and through repentance you’re done with that way, person, life and sin…never to go back! You finally see your sin for what it is…you’re not the victim, everyone else isn’t the problem…its always been pride and a lack of humility that has continually diseased your life!
• More! You are now enabled (verse 33) to rebuild and now your foundation holds…no more ruins…and as you and God build your life…(verse 35) it’s like a beautiful and fortified garden…and in the end, you could care less about any of the credit, that person is dead…(verse 36), you will give glory to God because He’s done it…and He gets all of the credit. No longer are you self-made, self-assured, self-confident, all of that is morgue talk…now you are selfless and finally alive, giving glory to GOD!
• The fulfillment of this is yet ahead for the Jew and for the nation of Israel, but for you, it is available right now… But you have to allow God in…to give you a new heart, and to wipe out all of that comfort junk food for your soul….such as pride, selfish sorrow, victim mentality and the spirit of blamelessness…(we are to blame…just like the scattered Jews…) and let God do what He wants to do…lift you up!