Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, thy
brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the
house of Israel, wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of
Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the Lord: unto us is this land
given in possession. Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God:
Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I
have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a
little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. Therefore
say, Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the
people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been
scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And they shall
come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things
thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will
give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I
will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an
heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine
ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be
their God. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of
their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense
their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God (verses 14-21).
It is the first message of comfort Ezekiel received. They were to be
scattered among the nations, yet Jehovah promises, "I will be to them a
little[12] sanctuary in the countries where they shall come." This
refers to the remnant who still clings to Him and hopes in the
fulfilment of His promises. Then follows the great outlook into their
future. Blessed promises! They are the hope of Israel. Their
regathering, their return from exile is here definitely predicted by
Ezekiel. Moses before had announced the same future restoration. So did
Isaiah and Jeremiah as well as the earlier prophets. The denial of the
literal regathering of Israel means the denial of the Word of the Lord.
They will receive the land of Israel. But greater things are promised to
the people. The stony heart is to be taken away; they are to receive a
heart of flesh. This is the result of the new Spirit, His Spirit, which
they will receive. It means the new birth of that nation to enter into
the promised kingdom. Then the result will be an obedient people. "They
shall be my people and I will be their God." Has this been fulfilled in
the return of the feeble remnant from Babylon? Many believe that
Ezekiel's message found then its accomplishment. It is not so. The
nation was not put into possession of the great blessings which are
everywhere linked with their literal restoration and possession of the
land. Ezekiel's great visions of the national restoration of Israel and
the greater spiritual blessings are still unfulfilled. They will be
fulfilled when the Glory of the Lord, that is the Lord of Glory, their
rejected King, the Son of David, the King of Israel, returns.
[12] Or, "for a little while."