The hand of Jehovah was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of Jehovah, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.
\nEzekiel 37:1<\/p>\n
INTRODUCTION<\/p>\n
Chapter 37 is a highly symbolic chapter of the Book of Ezekiel. In verses 1\u201314, Ezekiel deals with the symbol of the dry bones, which pictures Israel as a regathered nation in a state of unbelief. This section deals with the sign of the two sticks, which pictures the reunification of the divided kingdom.<\/p>\n
This section is divided into three units: the reunification of Judah and Israel, the restoration of the throne of David, and the Millennial Temple.<\/p>\n
I. THE REUNIFICATON OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL\u2014EZEKIEL 37:15\u201323<\/p>\n
The historical background to this passage is found in 1 Kings 12 and 2 Chronicles 10. After the death of King Solomon, his son, Rehoboam, became king. The ten northern tribes, led by Jeroboam, petitioned him to reduce the burden that Solomon had imposed upon them and, in return, they would remain loyal to him. However, Rehoboam took the advice of the younger men in his court and promised them even heavier burdens. The nation split into two separate kingdoms in 933 B.C. Jeroboam was made king of the northern kingdom, called the Kingdom of Israel. The southern kingdom, under the leadership of descendants of David, was called the Kingdom of Judah. They remained two separate nations until the Kingdom of Israel was taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. The Kingdom of Judah was taken captive by the Babylonians, beginning in 605 B.C. The Prophet Ezekiel was taken to Babylon in the second deportation in 597 B.C. He lived by the River Chebar in the village of Tel abib (Ezek. 3:15). With the last deportation and the destruction of the City of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 B.C., the history of the nation came to an end until the modern State of Israel was born in 1948.<\/p>\n
A. The Sign\u2014Ezekiel 37:15\u201317<\/p>\n
In verse 15, the word of Jehovah comes to Ezekiel and a new prophecy is announced in verse 16: The word of Jehovah came again unto me, saying, And you, son of man, take you one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companion.<\/p>\n
Ezekiel\u2019s instructions are twofold: first, he is to take one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions. The phrase the children of Israel included the tribes that were allied with Judah: Benjamin and Simeon. Here, the words his companions refer to Judah\u2019s companions. The first stick represents the Kingdom of Judah.<\/p>\n
Next, Ezekiel is instructed to take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions. The phrase the stick of Ephraim refers to the most prominent son of Joseph, who fathered the Tribe of Ephraim, the most prominent tribe of the northern kingdom. The phrase all the house of Israel refers to the other nine tribes that were allies with Ephraim; these are his companions. The second stick represents the Kingdom of Israel.<\/p>\n
The actual joining of the sticks is in verse 17: and join them for you one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.<\/p>\n
Ezekiel is now instructed to join the sticks one to another into one stick. Of the two Hebrew words for one, the word used here is echad, which means \u201ca compound one.\u201d This is the same word that is used of God in Deuteronomy 6:4: God is one, for God is a compound unity. When Ezekiel joins the two sticks together, they appear to be one in his hand.<\/p>\n
B. The Explanation\u2014Ezekiel 37:18\u201320<\/p>\n
Ezekiel\u2019s actions caused the people to ask for an explanation of this symbolic act in verse 18: And when the children of your people shall speak unto you, saying, Will you not show us what you mean by these?<\/p>\n
The question raised in the minds of Ezekiel\u2019s people, the Jewish people, was \u201cWill you not show us what you mean by these things?\u201d This shows that there has been a change of attitude toward Ezekiel on the part of the people. Instead of poking fun at him or simply ignoring him, he is now taken quite seriously when he performs this symbolic act with the two sticks.<\/p>\n
Ezekiel\u2019s answer is in verse 19: say unto them, Thus says the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them with it, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand.<\/p>\n
Ezekiel answers that God declares: Behold, I, meaning that God Himself will bring Judah and Israel together so that they will once again be one nation. God then explains how they shall be one in my hand. Note that the expression in my hand means God\u2019s hand; it is God who is going to bring this about, not Ezekiel.<\/p>\n
As he is explaining the meaning of the symbolic act, Ezekiel is instructed to keep both sticks in his hand in the presence of the people in verse 20: And the sticks whereon you write shall be in your hand before their eyes.<\/p>\n
The two sticks actually remain two separate sticks, for as yet, no miracle has occurred. The end of one stick is held against the end of the other stick. They are held together in Ezekiel\u2019s hand so the people cannot see the break between the two sticks. But ultimately, the break will disappear, because it is God\u2019s hand that will cause it to disappear.<\/p>\n
C. The Application\u2014Ezekiel 37:21\u201323<\/p>\n
The application of the sign is specifically to the people of Israel and Ezekiel emphasizes three things. First, Ezekiel speaks about the regathering of the Jewish people in verse 21: And say unto them, Thus says the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, whither they are gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land.<\/p>\n
Ezekiel states that God Himself will regather the children of Israel from all the nations where they had gone and bring them into their own land, specifically, to the Land of Israel.<\/p>\n
Secondly, the reunification of the people is emphasized in verse 22: and I will make them one nation in the land, upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.<\/p>\n
This same promise is made in 1 Chronicles 17:21. The place where they will become one nation in the land is specifically upon the mountains of Israel, the central mountain ranges of Israel. Furthermore, they will have only one king. When the kingdom split after the reign of Solomon, there were two kings. However, in the final restoration, there will be only one king for both nations according to Ezekiel 27:24. Furthermore, according to Zechariah 14:9, they will have only one God over them; this will be Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah Himself. Once their reunification finally comes about, it will be an indivisible kingdom: they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. There will be but one kingdom, under one God, under one King. This is also taught in Jeremiah 3:17\u201318.<\/p>\n
And thirdly, God promises a future cleansing in verse 23: neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.<\/p>\n
There will be no more defilement from three sources: first, their idols, referring to their idolatry; secondly, their detestable things, which refers to specific violations of the Mosaic Law, such as the eating of unclean things; and thirdly, any of their transgressions, which refers other violations of the Mosaic Law. Instead, they will be characterized by salvation. This is brought out in two ways: first, I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned; and secondly, God will cleanse them. The result is: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.<\/p>\n
II. THE RESTORATION OF THE THRONE OF DAVID\u2014EZEKIEL 37:24\u201325<\/p>\n
A. The Offices of King and Shepherd\u2014Ezekiel 37:24a<\/p>\n
And my servant David shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd.<\/p>\n
Two of David\u2019s offices are revealed in this verse: king and shepherd. The first office is that of a king. In the governmental system of the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom, Jesus will rule as King over the whole world. Under Him, there will be two branches of government: the Gentile branch and the Jewish branch. The Gentile branch of government will be comprised of the Church saints and Tribulation saints, who are destined to co reign with the Messiah over the Gentile nations. The resurrected David is destined to co reign with Jesus over the Jewish branch. From the viewpoint of the Messiah, David is His servant; but from the viewpoint of Israel, David will be their king.<\/p>\n
The second office of David is that of a shepherd. As a shepherd, he will guide Israel and he will feed Israel. Never again will Israel have a leader who will lead them astray.<\/p>\n
B. The Result of David\u2019s Leadership\u2014Ezekiel 37:24b<\/p>\n
they shall also walk in mine ordinances, and observe my statutes, and do them.<\/p>\n
Under David\u2019s leadership and shepherding as king, the Jewish nation will walk in the ordinances of God and they will observe God\u2019s statutes in the Millennial Kingdom.<\/p>\n
C. The Possession of the Land\u2014Ezekiel 37:25a<\/p>\n
And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children\u2019s children, for ever.<\/p>\n
Ezekiel brings out two thoughts here: first, God will give them the Land of Israel; and secondly, they will occupy the Land for generations. The word they refers to the first generation that enters the Kingdom. The phrase their children, and their children\u2019s children refers to the succeeding generations who are born in the Kingdom. The Hebrew word used here for for ever is ad olam, which means \u201cuntil an age,\u201d not \u201can eternity.\u201d There is no classical Hebrew word that actually means \u201ceternity.\u201d The closest that Hebrew can come to that concept would be an expression like \u201cwithout end.\u201d That is, in fact, how God is described. Although the word for ever is very often found in English translations, the Hebrew word is either le olam, which means \u201cunto an age,\u201d or ad olam, which means \u201cuntil an age.\u201d In other words, once they are brought into the Land, they will continually possess the Land throughout the Kingdom Age. At no point during the thousand years of the Kingdom will they be dispossessed of the Land or scattered out of the Land again.<\/p>\n
D. The Office of Prince\u2014Ezekiel 37:25b<\/p>\n
and David my servant shall be their prince for ever.<\/p>\n
Whereas earlier he was called king and shepherd, now he is called prince. From the viewpoint of Israel, he will be their king; but from the viewpoint of the Messiah, he will be a prince, because He will be under authority of King Messiah. He will be their prince for ever, but again, the Hebrew word used here is ad olam, which means \u201cuntil an age.\u201d In other words, this will be David\u2019s office throughout the Messianic Kingdom; he will not be deposed from this position whatsoever.<\/p>\n
III. THE MILLENNIAL TEMPLE\u2014EZEKIEL 37:26\u201328<\/p>\n
The Millennial Temple will be built in the Millennial Kingdom and will be the Fourth Temple spoken of in Scripture. Ezekiel later details this Millennial Temple that God will erect in the Messianic Kingdom in chapters 40\u201348.<\/p>\n
A. The Basis of the Millennial Temple\u2014Ezekiel 37:26a<\/p>\n
Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them.<\/p>\n
The basis of the Millennial Temple will be the New Covenant, a covenant of peace and it is an everlasting covenant. The New covenant is found in Jeremiah 31:31\u201334.<\/p>\n
B. The Provisions of the New Covenant\u2014Ezekiel 37:26b<\/p>\n
and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.<\/p>\n
Here, Ezekiel makes three points. First, God Himself will place them in the Land; not only will they have the right of possession, they will actually be dwelling in the Land.<\/p>\n
Secondly, once they have settled, God will multiply them; there will be an increase of the Jewish population.<\/p>\n
Thirdly, God will set His sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. The Hebrew word for sanctuary means \u201cMy Holy Place,\u201d emphasizing the holiness of the Temple of the Messianic Kingdom. The Hebrew word for evermore is le olam, which means \u201cfor an age.\u201d<\/p>\n
C. The Relationship Between God and Israel\u2014Ezekiel 37:27<\/p>\n
My tabernacle also shall be with them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.<\/p>\n
In this relationship, God states: My tabernacle also shall be with them. The Hebrew word used here for tabernacle means \u201cMy Presence dwelling\u201d or \u201cMy Shechinah Glory.\u201d In verse 26, the emphasis on the word sanctuary was on the holiness of the Fourth Temple, but in this verse, the emphasis on the word tabernacle is that the new Temple will be the dwelling place of the Shechinah Glory. The Hebrew word for with literally means \u201cover.\u201d So the Shechinah Glory will serve as a canopy over the people of Israel. This is the same point made in Isaiah 4:5\u20136. The result of God\u2019s Temple in the midst of them will be: I will be their God, and they shall be my people.<\/p>\n
D. The Results for the Gentiles\u2014Ezekiel 37:28<\/p>\n
And the nations shall know that I am Jehovah that sanctifieth Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.<\/p>\n
When will the nations, meaning \u201cthe Gentiles,\u201d know that Jehovah is the One who sanctifies Israel? God\u2019s answer is: when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore. The Gentile nations will recognize that this restoration and reunification of Israel, with God\u2019s Temple in the midst of them, means that Israel\u2019s God is indeed the only true God. The Hebrew word for sanctuary means \u201cMy holy place,\u201d emphasizing the holiness of it. The Hebrew word for evermore is le olam, which means \u201cfor an age.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ezekiel\u2019s vision of the two sticks concludes with the promise that God will set up His Temple, His Tabernacle, His Sanctuary, His dwelling place, in the midst of the children of Israel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The hand of Jehovah was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of Jehovah, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Ezekiel 37:1 INTRODUCTION Chapter 37 is a highly symbolic chapter of the Book of Ezekiel. In verses 1\u201314, Ezekiel deals with the … <\/p>\n