The Gospel According to Ezekiel, Chapters 35-36 (Part 1 of 2)

God's Sovereignty Breaks Sin for Restoration

This evening we deal with more of the restoration passages of the book of Ezekiel, specifically a series of chapters that relate to the sovereignty of God. As this context focuses on the sovereignty of God, we see what happens when the purpose of God breaks our sin and our attitude of sin and causes restoration to begin.

The purpose of God in the following chapters is intended to be displayed and revealed in such a way as to break our sin, break our attitudes of sin, break our history of sin, and cause the opportunity for restoration to begin—for things to start functioning the way God intended for his people.

We have been dealing with specific issues that needed to be addressed before restoration could be the subject and focus of God's people. Given the history of Israel's sin, too many things were preventing the people of God from properly hearing, understanding, and receiving the message of restoration and realizing what it is like to be in relationship with God.

Problems Preventing Restoration

Response to God's Word

God informed Ezekiel that the people come to hear him prophesy, gather together to hear the word of God, and even say to each other, "Let's go hear the word of the Lord." They treat it like a weekend excursion or event, as friends and family might say, "What do you want to do this week? Let's go to church."

There is so much similarity between these exiles and people today—without spiritualizing or allegorizing the text, the comparisons are simply there. They listened to Ezekiel prophesy but enjoyed the display, coming as to a concert or skilled musician. They enjoyed the circumstances, like 6th-century theater, because Ezekiel had to act out the prophecies.

That's the wrong way to respond. This is not theater, entertainment, or a concert. This is the very words of God presented to the exiles near the river Chebar. The problem is their response to God's words: they are not excited about the content but infatuated with the sensualism, entertained by the message—even when the content is solid.

Imagine today, when people heap up teachers who teach heresy but say what they want to hear. It's about entertainment, hearing what you want, not what you need for genuine restoration. God emphasizes: my words are essential to be listened to, abided by, adhered to. Acknowledge the existence of God, the purpose of God, and obedience to God as a result of this message.

Failed Leadership

There was a problem with the leadership of the people. Last week, in the shepherds passage, the emphasis was that when human leaders were placed as shepherds over Israel, they failed utterly. The point was not to search for other regular individuals to lead, but to recognize that nobody is worthy or sufficient except the servant of David—Jesus Christ. He is the singular shepherd over God's people, the only head of the church. He shares his office with no one, his lordship with no one. The only accurate representation on earth is the Holy Spirit. There is he, and there is no other.

Attitude Toward Sin

There is a problem with the people's attitude toward sin. The number one thing preventing repentance—and keeping a person in the pits of sin—is their desire to sin. I react against expressions like "I stumbled" or "I fell," when there is willing desire, participation, and motivation from personal responsibility.

The moment you recognize that the source of sin's problem is you, you can seek the ability to stop. You are responsible. The people had a desire for sin, permissiveness, allowance of sin unchecked individually and corporately. As long as that's there, restoration is hindered. People respond like in Ezekiel's time.

If sin is the main emphasis, it doesn't matter how many times you hear the message. Sin's thorns and thistles prevent it sticking, stemming from a desire for sin. God corrects that problem.

Opponents of God's People

There is a problem of the opponents of God's people. Christians in the New Testament have literal enemies. Paul said, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm." He was stoned in a city. Jesus said, "They will hate you because they hated me first." The world hates Christ with continuous enmity, so those who say his name, his message, and look like him incur enemies.

One way to examine if you are walking in faith and growing like Christ is to see if someone hates you, is irritated by you no matter what—perhaps a coworker, family member, or even in the church. The gospel can divide families.

There are also spiritual implications: opposition from spiritual forces, sinful temptations, and literal individuals. Our war is not against flesh and blood, but there are supernatural opponents. God will vanquish opponents, deal with opposition to his people—perhaps in our lifetime or the age to come. God protects and vindicates his people.

The Land Impacted by Sin

There is a problem with the land God's people dwell in. In chapter 36, the Lord corrects the land because man's sin negatively impacts it. That's why there is a new heaven and new earth.

Having experienced God's pronouncements of judgment against sin through the first half of Ezekiel creates desperation for restoration. We've seen God hating sin, killing, judging people and lands. There should be thirst for restoration waters, so when God presents it, there is refreshment.

Judgment on Mount Seir (Ezekiel 35)

"Behold, I am against you, O Mount Seir, and I will stretch out My hand against you and make you a desolation and a waste. I will lay you waste, Mount Seir, you and all of Edom, all of it; then they will know that I am the Lord."

"Because you have said, 'These two nations and these two lands will be mine, and we will possess them,' although the Lord was there, therefore as I live," declares the Lord God, "I will deal with you according to your anger and according to your envy which you showed because of your hatred against them; so I will make Myself known among them when I judge you. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all your revilings which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel saying, 'They are laid desolate; they are given to us to devour.' As you boasted against Me about their inheritance, thus I have heard!"

Thus says the Lord God, "As all the earth rejoices, I will make you a desolation. As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel in its desolation, so I will do to you. You will be a desolation, O Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. Then they will know that I am the Lord."

Of particular importance in chapter 35 is that we are in the restoration context, past the judgment portions—yet Ezekiel dealt heavily with Edom there. Pronouncements against Edom were strict and numerous. Now, re-judgment on Edom (called Mount Seir, even singular "mount") in the restoration hope for Israel.

Why, in the restoration portion, does God spend 15 verses—almost in passing—on judgment against Edom, calling it Mount Seir? We've seen "Seir" before (Ezekiel 25:8), but here it's isolated from the rest of Edom (v. 15: "Mount Seir and all Edom").

Mount Seir is Esau's domain (Genesis 36:8; Esau is Edom). One man represents his descendants, the Edomites—a group God did not favor.

"I have loved you," says the Lord. But you say, "How have You loved us?" "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the Lord. "Yet I have loved Jacob; but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness." ... "They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call it the Wicked Territory, the people toward whom the Lord is indignant forever."

(Malachi 1:2-4)

God allows another opportunity to say of Edom: this group I did not choose. Because of their sinfulness, lawlessness, and enmity toward you, I judge them. In a roundabout way, he tells his people: you are special to me, loved by me. Watch what I do to those who hate me and you. I'm not standing idly by. I love my people; I'll take care of them.

God reveals the striking value of grace and the uniqueness of his love toward his genuine people. He calls it Mount Seir to point back to Genesis: God granted Esau common grace, a heritage in Seir despite stronger peoples there. Yet God's favor rested on Jacob and those with his faith.

This should not cause pride. Every one of us is a sinner deserving judgment—Israel had just been judged for sin. It should cause sadness over our sin. With no reason from us, God desired to love us uniquely.

Restoration for the Mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 36:1-15)

"Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, 'O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord.' Thus says the Lord God, 'Because the enemy has spoken against you, "Aha!" and, "The everlasting heights have become our possession," therefore prophesy and say, "Thus says the Lord God, 'For good reason they have made you desolate and crushed you from every side, that you would become a possession of the rest of the nations and you have been taken up in the talk of the people."'

"Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the forsaken cities which have become a prey and a derision to the rest of the nations which are round about, therefore thus says the Lord God, 'Surely in the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who appropriated My land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and with scorn of soul, to drive it out for a prey.' Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, "Thus says the Lord God, 'Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and in My wrath because you have endured the insults of the nations."' Therefore thus says the Lord God, 'I have sworn that surely the nations which are around you will endure their insults themselves.'"

'But you, O mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel; for they will soon come. For behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be cultivated and sown. I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be rebuilt. I will multiply on you man and beast; and they will increase and be fruitful, and I will cause you to be inhabited as you were formerly and will treat you better than at the first. Thus you will know that I am the Lord. Yes, I will cause men—My people Israel—to walk on you and possess you, so that you will become their inheritance and never again bereave them of children.'

"Thus says the Lord God, 'Because they say to you, "You are a devourer of men and have bereaved your nation of children," therefore you will no longer devour men and no longer bereave your nation of children,' declares the Lord God. 'I will not let you hear insults from the nations anymore, nor will you bear disgrace from the peoples any longer, nor will you cause your nation to stumble anymore,' declares the Lord God."

Having been through the judgment portions of Ezekiel, was that not a breath of fresh air? God will multiply instead of tear down, restore instead of destroy, make the land fruitful to prevent famine. This is God's restoration—not partial, but total and far-encompassing, even redoing the land cursed since Genesis because of man's sin.

He treated Israel well at first, yet says he will treat them better. God restores paradise lost for his people: total restoration, a complete dwelling place where he is leader, ruling in justice, equity, fairness—dealing mercifully, graciously, beyond what they deserve.

This is the concept of salvation, of restoration.

Restoration for God's Sake (Ezekiel 36:16-38)

In verses 16-21, they profaned the land by sinning, so God disciplined them, judged them, sent them among the nations. There, they were talked about, and God's reputation was at stake. He had concern for his holy name.

The sin of God's people impacts God's reputation, affecting others' perceptions of him. Ultimately, God's reputation is profaned by his people's sins, giving excuse to say "God is lame."

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God, "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord," declares the Lord God, "when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight."

The demonstration of a genuine child of God is the vindication of God's holiness—the proving of God's holiness in their lives before others. The measure is how much our lives make God famous in his holiness and righteousness.

"For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."

"You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people and I will be your God. Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you. I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations."

God's Restoration for His Own Sake

Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. I am not doing this for your sake. I declare as the Lord God. Let it be known to you be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.

Thus says the Lord God on the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places to be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. They will say this desolate land has become like the Garden of Eden and the waste desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited. Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I am the Lord have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I the Lord have spoken and will do it.

Thus says the Lord God this also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them. I will increase their men like a flock like the flock for sacrifices like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts. So will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men? Then they will know that I am the Lord.

The Internal Conflict of Conviction and Hope

There is an interesting internal conflict that begins to be created within us as we examine this passage of Scripture. The first portion of this internal conflict is the idea that what God is saying brings severe conviction. He says that for us, and as we mentioned at the closing of chapter 35, if we begin to think of ourselves too highly, as if we did something to earn God's special favor or grace, He's saying He is not acting in any way as a result of something we've done. In fact, contextually, the people of God have done enough damage that God could leave them to their own devices to mess it up even more.

God is saying He will step in, He will do what is necessary, He will change His people and give them the ability to abide by His will and live within Israel. But the crux of the context here is that ultimately it's not because of anything we've done. We have not done anything that makes us better than somebody else. Entering into salvation does not mean we are ultimately better than others. God is saying, "I'm doing this for Me." The purpose of salvation, the gospel, creation, life, anything that exists is entirely for God.

The more God's people embrace the reality that God is the centerpiece of everything, that credit for anything good belongs to Him, and that God acted for His own sake, that's when the people of God experience restoration. That's when they experience the beauty of lives where the vindication of God's holiness is most important. The glory given to God, the acknowledgment that "you will know that I am the Lord"—now in the beautiful privilege of not being judged, but of God rebuilding, restoring, and saving His people, cleansing them from their damnable iniquities. That's when people know who the Lord is.

God says, "I'm going to do this for Me. I'm not doing this for your sake" (verse 32). There was no redemption plan for angels, and there didn't need to be one for us either. This creates severe conviction: God is doing this to vindicate His holiness and fundamentally change His people's attitude toward sin, so that they loathe themselves as sinners. It's not just loathing sin, though that's a natural consequence. As the expression of me as a sinner is a horrendous concept, it causes hatred to swell up within an individual who recognizes this message and sees God's holiness as far more important than anything else.

If you're struggling with that, allow God's message to penetrate your heart and mind. This is the natural consequence God describes.

From Loathing Sin to Loving Holiness

There's severe conviction—God's people are supposed to hate sin and hate themselves as sinners. That creates the ability to love themselves as God's people. That's a more beautiful concept: the holiness of God vindicated in our lives. That's the kind of life we would love. But when we think of ourselves committing sin, performing unrighteousness—sinners can even invent evil, which is why there's no exhaustive list of sins in Scripture—that's loathsome.

When we see God doing better in our lives, vindicating His holiness as our lifestyle, that's enjoyable. If it's not on the basis of us pleasing or impressing God, if God does this to vindicate His holiness, then this salvation is not just possible but guaranteed and permanent. If I did nothing to earn it, and it's out of God's desire to prove Himself holy—which He is—then He's going to step in, take your stubborn heart that always refuses God and turns to sin, even against your will, and replace it with a sensitive, fleshy heart attuned to the kingdom. He's going to put a new spirit within you, give you His Spirit to direct you and cause you to walk in His statutes and ordinances. He's going to invade your life and make you pleasing to Him.

This repeated statement in Ezekiel brings significant hope beyond measure. The word for "vindicate" here means to sanctify His holiness. We've trampled God's reputation as holy in the mud; it's perceived by the nations as unclean and common. God steps in to redeem the perception of His holiness.

Through sin, God's people can make His holiness seem no big deal—like taking grace as a license to sin. Some say, "If I'm saved and can't lose it, I can sin however I want." But Paul answers that. As Albert Martin said in his sermon on the perseverance of the saints, the natural man, determined to damn himself, will wrest Scripture to do it. We won't hold back divine truth just because some misuse it.

Our sin makes God's holiness seem no big deal, but it is. The Bible repeats "holy" three times for God alone—that's huge. God's holiness—His distinctness, uniqueness, pureness, sinlessness, perfectness—is what eternally satisfies Him. Israel is restored because God's holiness is most important.

Application: Mourn Sin, Rejoice in Restoration

We should mourn over sin, loathe our sinful humanity, and grow in desire and satisfaction with God's holiness. God does what's necessary for our salvation: exchanging heart of stone for heart of flesh—an Old Testament way of saying He's changing our nature, our entire being. He gives us the Holy Spirit as the controlling factor, sets Himself as our shepherd and ruler, so we can respond to His will, follow it, be pleasing to Him, and enjoy the life He gives.

We should never lose sight of what God will do. Rejoice in gratitude that He chose to vindicate His holiness rather than leave us in ruin and misery. Be ashamed and confounded at sin—ashamed that it's unclean and bothers us; confounded why it's enjoyable to others. Despise ourselves as sinners and desire ourselves as God's holy, chosen people.

The reality of this message in chapters 35 and 36 is: "Lord, do it according to Your will." There's no 12-step program. When God speaks, it's reality. As New Testament believers, realize by faith that this is true for you. Go live and enjoy God.