| Ezekiel 35:1-36:38 v. 2 set your face against – The phrase illustrates God telling Ezekiel to boldly speak against a people group (Eze. 4:3, 7; 6:2; 13:17; 20:46; 21:2; 25:2; 28:21; 29:2; 35:2; 38:2). Mount Seir – Se'iyr (Heb.) a mountain range in Edom extending from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf. v. 3 Desolate – shemamah (Heb.) devastation, waste v. 5 an ancient hatred – The people of Edom were the descendants of Esau. The hatred between Edom and Israel goes all the way back to the time Jacob talked Esau out of his birthright (Gen. 25:31-34; 27:36). shed the blood of the children of Israel – When Jerusalem was taken by the Chaldeans, the Edomites took advantage of the situation and took part of the spoil. They did further damage as they either slew those Israelites who tried to escape or delivered them over to their invading armies (Obed. 8-15). the time of their calamity – In 586 BC, when the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. when their iniquity came to an end – after the Israelites had already received full punishment for their sins from God v. 6 I will prepare you for blood – prepare you for a slaughter and a bloodbath you have not hated blood – you have not hated shedding the blood of others v. 7 the one who leaves and the one who returns – the one who might try to escape as well as the one who might try to return v. 8 its mountains…hills…valleys…ravines – the slain of Edom will be found high and low throughout the entire land v. 9 perpetually desolate – a wasteland forever, never to be restored v. 10 These two nations …shall be mine – referring to Edom's desire to possess and dominate both Israel and Judah v. 11 I will make Myself known – through divine judgment v. 12 blasphemies – ne'atsah (Heb.) scorn, contempt, provocation against the Lord (v. 13). against the mountains of Israel – Against the highest, most glorious parts of Israel (Eze. 6:2, 3; 19:9). to consume – oklah (Heb.) object of devouring, consuming; figurative of God's judgment here v. 15 all of Edom – Land south and south east of Palestine where the Edomites, the descendants of Esau live. Ezekiel 36 v. 1 mountains of Israel – The glory and high points of Israel; representing all of Israel. v. 2 The ancient heights – The highest part of the land, specifically referring to highest parts of Israel between the Jordan Valley and the Mediterranean Sea. v. 3 the possession of the rest of the nations – Various parts of Israel had by this time frequently been conquered and dominated by various nations and finally taken wholly captive by Babylon. the lips of talkers – Israel had become the brunt of slanderers and mockers because of her calamity. v. 4 mountains…hills…rivers…valleys…desolate wastes…cities – The Lord notifies all of Israel that the time is coming for her total restoration for His name's sake. v. 5 My burning jealousy – Or, the burning zeal of my jealousy. Israel is the Lord's possession. Yet the heathen nations have dominated and possessed her. God is declaring that He is jealous over the people of His possession. His future plan is to bring them back to Himself. Edom – This nation has consistently treated God's people Israel with treachery and acts of barbarism. v. 6 My Jealousy – qin'ah (Heb.) ardor, zeal, passion My fury – chemah (Heb.) hot displeasure, heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath. the shame of the nations – The heathen nations have shamed Israel by conquering and enslaving them. v. 7 raised My hand in an oath – The Lord swears a solemn oath to Israel (Gen. 14:22-24, Eze. 20:5). shall bear their own shame – They shall be put to shame for the way they treated God's people Israel. v. 8 shoot forth…yield your fruit – A promise of a coming time of fruitful productivity because of the Lord's restored favor (v. 9). My people Israel – The Lord declares Israel to be His people 36 times in the NKJV bible. Only once does the Lord refer to any other country as "My people" (Is. 19:25). v. 10 I will multiply men…ruins rebuilt – The Lord's promise of restoration of both the population and the ruined cities of Israel. v. 11 I will multiply upon you man and beast – The Lord promises to restore Israel's produce (v. 8), population (v. 10), and livestock (v. 11). Better for you – The Lord clearly promises a future for Israel that is much better than any of her past. v. 12 Israel…their inheritance – The land of Israel was promised to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 26:3; 28:4, 13; 35:12) making the land of Israel the "inherited" Promised Land for the Hebrew people. no more…bereave them of children – The people of Israel will no longer be childless because of their sins committed on the mountains of Israel. v. 13 You devour men and bereave your nation – The taunt of the other nations was that Israel is a land that devours its own people and leaves them childless. v. 15 taunts of the nations…reproach of the peoples – The Lord promises Israel that He would end the sneers, criticism and ridicule that comes from the surrounding nations. stumble – Kashal (Heb.), meaning to totter or waver; to falter, stumble, faint or fall. In this context, to fall away from the Lord. v. 17 their own land – the Promised Land of Israel defiled – tame (Heb.) to be foul, especially in a ceremonial or moral sense (contaminated) by their own ways and deeds – Descriptive of a wayward, sinful lifestyle that serves oneself rather than the Lord (Is. 53:6, 55:7, 56:11; Rom. 3:10-19). a woman in her customary impurity – Speaking of a woman in the time of her monthly menstrual period. This was considered a time of ceremonial uncleanness before the Lord (Lev. 15:19-33, Is. 64:6). v. 18 My fury – chemah (Heb.) hot displeasure, heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath. blood they had shed…idols – A concise representation of the sins of Israel ranging from their social injustice to their idolatrous practices. v. 19 So I scattered them – The Lord reminds Ezekiel that He was the One who sent His people into bondage of the nations as a judgment for their sins. According to their ways…deeds – The Lord does not judge a person according to what they may call them selves or what group they may associate with. God judges each individual according to his or her actions and way of life (Ps. 62:12; Is. 3:10,11; Jer. 17:10; Eze. 18:30; Matt. 16:27, 25:34-46; Rev. 22:12). v. 20 When…they profaned My holy name – God's good name and holy reputation was spoken against by the nations when they saw that God's people seemed to be abandoned by their God and rejected from their Promised Land. It appeared that God was unable to keep His promises to His people. Profaned – chalal (Heb.) to defile, pollute, desecrate, wound v. 21 I had concern for My holy name – God's concern stated here was that His reputation had been tarnished among the nations of whom He greatly desired to be properly known in. His character was brought into question among the nations because of the plight of His chosen people (v. 23, 36, 38). v. 22 for My holy name's sake – The Lord reveals His reason for restoring Israel to their Promised Land. It was not because they deserved restoration, and not merely for their own sake, but for His reputation's sake (v. 21-23, 2 Kings 13:23). v. 23 sanctify – qadash (Heb.), meaning to be set apart or consecrated. The Lord now seeks to clear His holy Name among the nations and to make known His true righteous character. Hallowed – qadash (Heb.) Same Hebrew word translated as "sanctify" (above.) when I am hallowed in you before their eyes – When the nations see the Lord for Who He really is they will have reverence and awe for His holy name. God will be glorified among the heathen nations through Israel's restoration. v. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you – This was a figurative language that the people of Israel could understand since the sprinkling of water was an act of spiritual ceremony cleansing (Ex. 30:19-20; Lev. 14:51; Num. 19:18). The major difference between "ceremonial washings" and this was that instead of the people going through ceremonial washing of themselves, God Himself promises to do the sprinkling and cleansing. your filthiness…your idols – Israel's idolatrous worship practices had made her spiritually filthy and morally unacceptable in God's eyes. v. 26 new heart…new spirit – The Lord promises to cleanse His backslidden people and make then "new" by transforming them from the inside out (11:18-20, 18:31). heart – leb (Heb.) inner man, mind, will, understanding and feelings spirit – ruwach (Heb.) wind, breath, mind heart of stone…heart of flesh – Their hearts had become hardened, wicked and far from God. As a cure, God Himself promised to renew and change them by removing their hard heart and giving them a soft heart in order that they might properly love Him. v. 27 My Spirit within you – God promises to impart His Holy Spirit to His people, which is the only way to enable them to be godly. This is what David prayed for, over 400 years earlier (Ps. 51:7-12). walk in My statutes – to live according to God's commandments and to obey His decrees (Lev. 26:3; 1 Kings 6:12; Eze. 11:20). Statutes – choq (Heb.) God's appointed boundaries, commandments, customs, decrees Judgments – mishpat (Heb.) a verdict pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (divine law, individual or collective) Your fathers – the ancestors and patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. i.e. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Deut 1:8, 2 Kings 13:23) My people…I will be your God – This was the Lord's primary objective in His covenant with the house of Israel (Lev. 26:12; Jer. 7:23, 11:4, 30:22; Joel 2:27). v. 29 uncleannesses – tum'ah (Heb.) religious impurity, moral filthiness Grain…multiply…no famine – The Lord's promised restoration includes fruitful productivity of the land with a provision of ample rain for all crops. In the next verse (30), the Lord promises to also bless the fruit of Israel's trees and all crops of the field. v. 30 never again bear the reproach of famine – History has witnessed a great restoration of people, of fruit and other agricultural crops in modern-day Israel. But the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy is still in the future, for contemporary Israel is still spiritually backslidden. v. 31 loathe – quwt (Heb.) detest, be grieved, abhor self. True repentance leads to remorse over one's sin and evil deeds. v. 32 Not for your sake – The Lord again reminds His people again that His kindness to them is not because they deserve it and not for their sakes' alone (notes v. 22, 2 Kings 13:23). Be ashamed – buwsh (Heb.) to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed, confounded confounded – kalam (Heb.) to insult, shame, humiliate, blush, be ashamed, be reproached, be put to confusion for your own ways – Israel should rightly feel ashamed and humiliated because of her own sinful behavior. They were totally undeserving of God's kindness. v. 35 like the garden of Eden – a representation of great fertility such as before the fall fortified – batsar (Heb.) having a strong, defensive wall v. 36 I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it – The Lord signs His personal name Yahweh (Heb., Recognized by LORD in all caps in the NKJV bible) to this promise as an absolute guarantee of its fulfillment (Num. 23:19). v. 37 will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me – God will allow His people to bring their petitions before Him. The Lord will once more listen to the prayers of His people and answer them (Ps. 66:18). v. 38 Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices – God is comparing the men of Israel to a large gathering of holy sheep set apart unto Himself on a great and sacred feast day (1 Kings 8:63, 1 Chron. 29:21; 2 Chron. 35:7). Jerusalem – Yeruwshalaim (Heb.), meaning foundation of peace. The chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom of Israel and later of the nation of Judah after Israel was split into northern and southern kingdoms. feast days – mow'ed (Heb.) an appointment, a fixed time or season; specifically, a religious festival; a solemn assembly | 
36:23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.
Judgment on Mount Seir
Mom's Refresher