36:1 “As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord!
Jehovah once again addressed Ezekiel as a “son of man,” meaning that he was a human being born from the genealogy of Adam. Ezekiel was to prophesy to the Israel captives who were living and working at the canals of Babylon.
In the last chapter, Ezekiel prophesied to the mountains of Edom. During the Millennial Kingdom, these mountains will be cursed with a continual fire. In this chapter, Ezekiel will prophesy to the mountains of Israel. They will be blessed during the Millennial Kingdom.
36:2 This is what the sovereign Lord says: The enemy has spoken against you, saying “Aha!” and, “The ancient heights have become our property!” ’
Jehovah is sovereign over all of the nations, including Israel and her enemies. At this time in history, Israel had been defeated and humiliated by her enemies. The land of Israel belonged to Babylon.
36:3 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, 36:4 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—36:5 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.’
Even though the enemies of Israel had crushed her and moved into her land and even though the enemies had gossiped against and slandered Israel, God would judge these Gentile nations.
36:6 “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.
Jehovah was very zealous for Israel, but very angry at these Gentile nations. The Gentle nations had insulted Israel, so Jehovah was not very happy with them.
36:7 So this is what the sovereign Lord says: I vow that the nations around you will endure insults as well.
Since these Gentile nations violated the Abrahamic Covenant and insulted Israel, then they would all receive a kind-for-kind judgment. These Gentile nations would have to endure insults as well.
36:8 “ ‘But you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches, and bear your fruit for my people Israel; for they will arrive soon.
Although Jehovah would judge the Gentile nations, He would bless Israel. During the Millennial Kingdom, the mountains of Israel will be blessed. The people of Israel will be restored back into their land. Their trees will once again grow branches and bear fruit. Today, modern Israel is barren of trees. This will not be the case during the Millennial Kingdom.
36:9 For indeed, I am on your side; I will turn to you, and you will be plowed and planted.
Jehovah is on the side of Israel. Jehovah will return and plant the people of Israel back into their land.
36:10 I will multiply your people—the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities will be populated and the ruins rebuilt.
The population of Israel was decimated during the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions. Their cities were nothing but ghost towns. During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will experience a population explosion.
36:11 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.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will experience a people and animal explosion. Israel will experience her true Golden Age.
36:12 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.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Jehovah will lead a new exodus of Jews back into the Promised Land. Just as Moses led Israel into the Promised Land, the Messiah will once again move Israel back into her land. However, the new exodus of the Messiah will be larger in number. It will include all Jewish believers who are dispersed into all of the nations of the world.
36:13 “ ‘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,”
The Gentile nations were mocking and insulting the Jews. They were saying that Israel was a devourer of men, meaning that she was devouring men through human sacrifice. She wa bereaving the nation of children by offering infants in human sacrifice.
36:14 therefore you will no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, declares the sovereign Lord.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel would no longer offer human and infant sacrifices to demonic idols.
36:15 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.’ ”
During the Millennial Kingdom, the Gentile nations would no longer insult Israel. Israel would no longer offer human sacrifices.
36:16 The word of the Lord came to me:
Another prophecy was given to Ezekiel. He was not giving out his human opinion.
36:17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living on their own land, they defiled it by their behavior and their deeds. In my sight their behavior was like the uncleanness of a woman having her monthly period.
While Israel was living in the land, she was made unclean by her evil actions. She refused to obey the Mosaic Law. Instead of worshiping Jehovah, she was worshiping demonic idols. Instead of offering animal sacrifices which pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ, she offered infant sacrifices to demonic idols. In Jehovah’s sight, He looked upon Israel as an unclean woman during her menstrual cycle.
36:18 So I poured my anger on them because of the blood they shed on the land and because of the idols with which they defiled it.
Since Israel was pouring the blood of her menstrual cycle upon the land of Israel by worshiping demonic idols, then God became angry with her.
36:19 I scattered them among the nations; they were dispersed throughout foreign countries. In accordance with their behavior and their deeds I judged them.
Since Israel defiled her own land, Jehovah scattered her into foreign nations (Assyria and Babylon).
36:20 But when they arrived in the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they have departed from his land.’
After Israel was scattered into Assyria and Babylon, she profaned the name of Jehovah. The other Gentile nations were claiming that Jehovah was not powerful enough to keep Israel in her own land.
36:21 I was concerned for my holy reputation which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.
Jehovah did not want the Gentiles to think that He was not able to keep Israel in her land.
36:22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake that I am about to act, O house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy reputation which you profaned among the nations where you went.
Many of the Gentile nations saw Jehovah through the attitudes and actions of Israel. Therefore, Jehovah would restore Israel back into her land, but not because Israel deserved it. He would restore Israel back into her land to improve His reputation with the Gentile nations. He did not want the Gentile nations to think that He was just another conquered, pagan God.
36:23 I will magnify my great name that has been profaned among the nations, that you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the sovereign Lord, when I magnify myself among you in their sight.
At this time, Israel was a small weak nation of slaves. Jehovah would take this nation of slaves and turn them into the most powerful nation in the world. Then, all of the Gentile nations would know that Jehovah is Lord. The character of Jehovah would be restored among the Gentile nations.
36:24 “ ‘I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Jehovah will take the believing Jews from all nations of the world and plant them in the land of Israel. God will perform a second miraculous exodus.
36:25 I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will never become an unclean woman with a running menstrual cycle. Jehovah will sprinkle her with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. She will be cleansed of all of her sins. She will no longer worship demonic idols again. She will become a nation of 100% Messianic believers.
36:26 I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh.
During the Millennial Kingdom, the nation of Israel will be given a new attitude which agrees with the attitude of the Holy Spirit. Jehovah will take away Israel’s unbelieving attitude and replace to with a new believing and obedient attitude. This new heart and new spirit will result in the national conversion of Israel.
36:27 I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Jehovah will give the Holy Spirit to all of the Jews who survive the Great Tribulation. They will become a nation of messianic believers.
36:28 Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
During the Millennial Kingdom, the Jewish survivors of the Great Tribulation will finally inherit all of the land of Israel. They will finally become a 100% nation of believers.
36:29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it; I will not bring a famine on you.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will be saved from her sins. Her agricultural products will be multiplied. She will never again experience a famine.
36:30 I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the produce of the fields, so that you will never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.
During the Millennial Kingdom, the agriculture of Israel will return to its greatest abundance of production in all of world history. She will never face famine again.
36:31 Then you will remember your evil behavior and your deeds which were not good; you will loathe yourselves on account of your sins and your abominable deeds.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will look back at her history of sin against God in shame.
36:32 Understand that it is not for your sake I am about to act, declares the sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and embarrassed by your behavior, O house of Israel.
Jehovah reminded Israel once again that He was going to restore Israel and bless her, but not for her own sake. Israel needed to be ashamed and embarrassed about her past behavior.
36:33 “ ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will populate the cities and the ruins will be rebuilt.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Jehovah will cleanse Israel of her menstrual filthiness. He will rebuild and fill the Jewish cities with messianic Jewish believers. If there is a New Jerusalem, then there will also be a New Bethel, a New Bethlehem, and a New Samaria.
It is interesting to note that most (or all) of the cities of the Great Tribulation will be destroyed by the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments. Most (or all) of these cities will have to be rebuilt. Therefore The Gentiles will experience a New Paris, a New London, a New Moscow, a New Beijing, a New Dallas, and a New Washington D.C.
36:34 The desolate land will be plowed, instead of being desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by.
During the Millennial Kingdom, the desolate cities will be plowed and filled with seed.
36:35 They will say, “This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; the ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities are now fortified and inhabited.
During the Millennial Kingdom, the plowed land will sprout vegetation so quickly and so abundantly, that people will compare the agriculture of the earth to the agriculture of the original Garden of Eden.
36:36 Then the nations which remain around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken—and I will do it!’
During the Millennial Kingdom, the Gentile nations will know that Jehovah rebuilt the cities and replanted the agriculture. Jehovah spoke this prophecy, so there is a 100% chance of fulfillment.
36:37 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will allow the house of Israel to ask me to do this for them: I will multiply their people like sheep.
During the Millennial Kingdom, there will be a tremendous population explosion of Jewish people.
36:38 Like the sheep for offerings, like the sheep of Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
During the Millennial Kingdom, every Jewish city will possess crowds as large as the flocks of sacrificial animals gathered for the feasts in Jerusalem.