God Will Restore Israel ~ Ezekiel 11:14-20

Understanding God's Promise to Restore Israel in Ezekiel 11:14-20

¹⁴ Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

¹⁵ "Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen, and all the house of Israel in its entirety, are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, 'Get far away from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.'

¹⁶ Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone." '

¹⁷ Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord God: "I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel." '

¹⁸ And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there.

¹⁹ Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,

²⁰ that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

The Context: Ezekiel's Brethren and the Babylonian Exile

Who Were Ezekiel's Brethren in Exile?

Ezekiel's brethren were those in exile with him. The people in Jerusalem (representative of Judah) regarded the exiles as sinners because they had been deported to Babylon.

God's Protection of the Remnant

God explained to Ezekiel that the Hebrews taken captive and spread among foreign lands were actually the remnant who God was protecting.

God as Israel's Sanctuary: A Holy Place in Exile

The Meaning of Sanctuary in Hebrew Scripture

God himself would continue as their sanctuary --- a word in Hebrew that literally means a \"holy place\" or a \"set-apart place\"!! Amen! Hallelujah!

The Covenant Promise: Israel's Restoration to the Promised Land

God's Unconditional Covenant with Abraham and David

I will give you the land: God promises that Israel will be restored to the Promised Land. This is in keeping with the unilateral and unconditional nature of the covenant made with Abraham. (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:13-21; Deuteronomy 30:1-6), and renewed with David (2 Samuel 7:12-16) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

The Remnant's Return: Abolishing Idolatry and Establishing the New Covenant

The New Covenant Promise in Jeremiah 31:31-34 

When the remnant would return to the land, they would abolish idolatry. At that time, God would establish a new covenant with them    (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Then God would pour out His Spirit (see 36:26,27; Joel 2:28,29) so that His people would become united in purpose and empowered to maintain their righteousness --"walk in my statutes" They would finally and truly become His people (see Exodus 6:6-8)