WEEKLY
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An
international Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday September 24, 2017
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THE
RESTORATION OF GOD’S PEOPLE
(Through
GOD, hearts will be changed)
(Ezekiel
36)
Ezekiel
36 is the exact antithesis to Ezekiel 35. After GOD judges Israel’s enemies, HE
will, at a future date, bless HIS chosen nation with complete restoration. Here
Ezekiel contrasts GOD’s plan of judgment, and Israel’s present condition, with
GOD’s plan of restoration, and Israel’s future blessings.
In this
passage GOD tells Ezekiel to prophesy to Israel’s mountains, which were soon to
be cleansed of all of the shrines and altars, along with all of their demonic
influences that could currently be found there. Israel had become possessed by
the demonic forces of many nations, while worshipping those nation’s many idol
gods. As a result of their poor spiritual choices, they now suffered physical
defeat, and they were now mocked and slandered by those same nations (Vs.1-3).
The
LORD’s anger was kindled against the pagan nations, especially Edom, because of
her utter contempt against HIM. They had happily taken Israel’s land for
themselves, as a reward after Judah’s destruction in 586 B.C. GOD’s intent in
this chapter, however, is to encourage HIS downtrodden people of Israel, and
assure them that HE had not abandoned them. This, all in light of the fact,
that, none of the exiles would ever live to see this prophecy fulfilled. GOD
wanted them to know that Israel would rise from its shame, and that her
mountains would once again produce abundant crops, and its land would again be
filled with people, flocks and herds (Vs.5-15).
When
the Israelites were living in their own land they defiled and cursed it with
evil deeds, and to GOD, those acts were utterly detestable. They had polluted
the land with murder, idolatry, and adultery, and so GOD poured out HIS anger
on them, and scattered them abroad to many distant lands, as one of HIS forms
of punishment.
Even after they were scattered abroad, they
still brought dishonor to GOD’s holy name. The pagan nations began to mock them
by saying, “These are the people of the
LORD, and HE couldn’t keep them safe in their own land” (Vs.16-20). Being
concerned for HIS OWN name and reputation, GOD sent this message to the exiles
through the prophet Ezekiel (Vs.22-27) (NLT):
“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. 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. For, I will gather you up
from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.
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. 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. And I will put my Spirit in you so that
you will follow MY decrees and be careful to obey MY regulations.”
Here in this passage we see one of
scripture’s earliest revelations of GOD’s plan for us through CHRIST JESUS and
the HOLY SPIRIT. GOD will not only give us “a new human spirit”, or, “desire to
obey HIM” (strip us of our sin nature), before we enter into the Millennial
Kingdom (v.26). Before that, HE will infuse all believers with HIS HOLY SPIRIT
after we have been cleansed by the blood of CHRIST, which was shed as a
sacrifice for our sins and uncleanness. The HOLY SPIRIT will be paramount in
helping us to fight the spiritual battle that is charged to us by CHRIST JESUS,
and in helping steer us and guide us into all righteousness and obedience,
because of our own personal choice, and “saving faith” in HIM (v.27).
In GOD’s Mosaic Law (Leviticus 16:30-31), a
ritually unclean person would not be able to participate in worship services.
And so the idea of being “clean” or “unclean” could have a significant impact
on one’s personal relationship with GOD. This law also carried over to “moral
and immoral acts” as it is emphasized in Psalm 106:36-39. Men of GOD saw in
this concept of ritual uncleanness, a powerful image of “the inner defilement”
that is caused by sin.
The whole nation of Israel had defiled
itself through their forbidden practices of idolatry, adultery, and murderous
sacrifices of children in the fire to Mollech. GOD’s holiness absolutely
required that the Israelites vacate from HIS holy land, which would continue to
exist long after that generation of people, had expired.
The land had to cleansed of the “demonic
defilement” that comes with worshipping people, places, and things other than
GOD HIMSELF. And the people themselves had to be cleansed by allowing their
sins to “run its course” for seventy years in Babylon, after which, GOD would
be ready to hear their prayers once again, and, be willing to also, grant their
special requests (v.37).
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
Official Website
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