Old Testament - Ezekiel 36 & 37 - October 26, 2022

10/26/2022 – Ezekiel 36 & 37

Chapter 36: Once again the chapter synopsis is very helpful: “In the last days all the house of Israel shall be gathered to their own lands—The Lord will give them a new heart and a new spirit—They shall have his gospel law.”  

We feel that we are we are now living in the Last Days, and these are the days when these prophecies will be fulfilled, but the things this chapter speaks of those things that have been prophesized, but have not yet fully transpired. I think it’s kind of the Lord to tell us what to look for. 

In v 8, the Lord tells them: “O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.”

In v’s 10-11: their “cities shall be inhabited and the wastes shall be builded. And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you …and will do better unto you than at your beginnings; and ye shall know that I AM the Lord.”

Verses 16-22 are the only verses in this chapter that do not deal with the last days. These are the verses that explain just why the Lord scattered Israel in the first place.

V 24: “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land.” That is where “a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (v’s 26-27). When any of us go to the Lord with real intent, we too, can be given a new heart, and a new outlook on the things of the Lord, and on those around us.

V 28: “Ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers….”

V 30: “…I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and increase of the field” and there will be no more famines from heaven.

V 31 is His promise: “Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.” I think that applies to all of the Lord’s children: When we truly have the Lord’s spirit, we will shun evil. It will be repugnant to us.

V 34-35: “…the desolate land shall be tilled….and become like the garden of Eden”.

The Lord always wants us to come unto Him. It is when we go to Him, asking for His promised blessings, that He helps us and will increase us—but that has to involve our part of the work, too.

Chapter 37: This tells us of Ezekiel’s vision of the Valley of Bones which might be about the renewal of the House of Israel.  Sidney B. Sperry wrote the following commentary on the dual nature of this prophecy: “It will be seen from this passage that the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead . . . is invoked to symbolize the restoration of Israel’s exiles to their own land. The exiles are represented—so it seems to me—as having lost hope (their bones are dried up) of ever living again as a nation. But the Lord shows them that they can be restored through His mighty power even as the dead will be raised in the resurrection. The doctrine of the resurrection of the body is assumed. Some writers contend that the idea of resurrection was not known among the Hebrews at this early time. But the fact that Ezekiel speaks as he did would seem to me an indication that the doctrine had long been understood in Israel. Any true prophet would understand the doctrine of the resurrection, so Latter-day Saints believe, and Israel had had many prophets long before Ezekiel’s time.”

In v’s 15-20 The Lord speaks of the two kingdoms: Judah and Israel (Ephraim) being joined together again. D&C 27:5 tells us that the Book of Mormon is the stick of Ephraim. We know the Bible is of Judah. He goes further saying “I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them to their own nation” (v 21)

This is something I had not known before: President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “Ezekiel predicted the building of a temple in Jerusalem which will be used for ordinance work after the gathering of Israel from their long dispersion and when they are cleansed from their transgressions” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:244).

And then there are v’s 26-28: “Ezekiel prophesied in 37:26–28 about a holy sanctuary or temple that would be part of the great reunification of Israel. Soon after this vision, Ezekiel received a detailed vision of what the new temple in Jerusalem would be like (see Ezekiel 40–48). President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “Ezekiel predicted the building of a temple in Jerusalem which will be used for ordinance work after the gathering of Israel from their long dispersion and when they are cleansed from their transgressions” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:244).”

I’m not sure I understand all of what these chapters tell us. But I do know that the Lord knows what will occur. He also knows all of us. He loves us. He wants us all to come unto Him with open hearts, for that allows Him to more easily help us. I also know that He will be with us in good times and in hard times—for I have proven that throughout my lifetime. I love my Heavenly Father, and I am thankful for His help in this earthly school that He has given to us all.