God’s PROMISES for a ‘RENEWED’ ISRAEL!
September
6 Bible Reading: Ezekiel Chapters 34-36
God’s PROMISES for a ‘RENEWED’ ISRAEL!
"I will give you a new heart and put a
new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of 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 keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall
dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I
will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses."
(Ezek. 36:26-29)
Ezekiel 36
parallels the ‘New Covenant’ that God
had promised both Israel and Judah in Jeremiah 31. This covenant includes at
least three specific elements: (a) restoration to the land (Ezek. 36:24;
Jer. 31:27–29), (b) forgiveness of sin
(Ezek. 36:25; Jer. 31:34), and (c) the
indwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit (Ezek. 36:26–27; Jer. 31:33).
The promise
of a new heart parallels Jeremiah’s
vision of the covenant in the heart (Jer. 31:31–34). This is the clearest
statement concerning conversion to be
found anywhere in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, a new heart is the result of conversion (Matt. 5:8; 22:37; Rom.
10:10; 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 6:6; 1 Pet. 3:15). Receiving the Spirit of God was fulfilled in Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit
(John 14:16–18, 23; 16:7–15), which was ultimately fulfilled on the day of
Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4). One day all of
this shall also be true for repentant and renewed Israel as well.
One important
aspect of purification from sin is the true
repentance from the heart through
the regenerating and empowering work of the Holy Spirit on
the inner spirit of individuals. God would not only restore the people
physically to the land, but would restore them spiritually, by giving them a new heart and a new spirit to help them follow Him and do His will (see Joel 2:28,
29; Acts 2:17, 18; Rom. 7:7–8:11; 2 Cor. 3:3–18; Heb. 8:6–10:39). The theologian Keil in his book "Ezekiel" comments on this
important passage in this manner:
“Cleansing from sins, which
corresponds to justification, and is not to be confounded with sanctification,
is followed by renewal with the Holy Spirit, which takes away the old heart of
stone and puts within a new heart of flesh, so that the man can fulfill the
commandments of God, and walk in newness of life.”
The cleansing of the Holy Spirit, and the gift of the new heart and new spirit,
enabling the believer to love God with an undivided love, were here promised as
clearly as possible before these gifts were actually bestowed. Instead of a
heart of stone that is unable to respond to God with love and obedience, God
will provide a new heart and a new spirit. This new heart will be pliable and teachable, the opposite of a heart of
stone. This new spirit would be the
Spirit of God transforming those in whom He dwells and enabling them to obey
the law of God (see Gal. 5:16–18, 22; 1 John 3:24).
The prospect
of God placing His own Spirit within His people to help them walk in His ways
was an exciting new development during the time of prophet Ezekiel. We now know
that the Holy Spirit has been gifted to the church for empowerment, and this
prophecy has been actualized about 2000 years ago for both Jews and Gentiles.
We are that ‘renewed’ Israel that God
wishes to showcase before an unbelieving world today!
