36:1ff In this prophecy, Ezekiel said that Israel would be restored as a nation and would return to its own land. The mountains were symbolic of Israel’s strength (see the note on 35:6-8). To the exiles in Babylon, this seemed impossible. This message again emphasized God’s sovereignty and trustworthiness. He would first judge the nations used to punish Israel (36:1-7) and then restore his people (36:8-15).
36:2 “The ancient high places” refers to the Promised Land—the land of Israel. Israel’s enemies challenged not only their boundaries but also God’s promises to Israel.
36:21-23 Why did God want to protect his holy name—his reputation—among the nations of the world? God was concerned about the salvation of not only his people but also the whole world. To allow his people to remain in sin and be permanently destroyed by their enemies would lead other nations to conclude that their pagan gods were more powerful than Israel’s God (Isaiah 48:11). Thus, to protect his holy name, God would return a remnant of his people to their land. God will not share his glory with false gods—he alone is the one true God. The people had the responsibility to represent God to the rest of the world. Believers today have that same responsibility. How do you represent God to your world?
36:25-27 God promised to restore Israel not only physically but spiritually. To accomplish this, God would give them a new heart for following him and put his Spirit within them (see 11:19, 20; Psalm 51:7-11) to transform them and empower them to do his will. Again the new covenant was promised (16:61-63; 34:23-25), ultimately to be fulfilled in Christ. No matter how impure your life is right now, God offers you a fresh start. You can have your sins washed away, receive a new heart for God, and have his Spirit within you—if you accept God’s promise. Why try to patch up your old life when you can have a new one?
36:31, 32 God said his people should be ashamed of their sins. The people had become so callous that they had lost all sensitivity to sin. First they had to “remember” their sins, be ashamed of them, and finally repent of them (see James 4:8, 9). As we examine our lives, we may find that we, too, have lost our sensitivity to certain sins. But as we measure ourselves against God’s standards of right living, we will be ashamed. To regain sensitivity we must recognize our sin for what it is, be sorry for displeasing God, and ask his forgiveness. The Holy Spirit will guide us, making us responsive and receptive to God’s truth (John 14:26; 16:8, 13).