The Millennial Temple

The Temple Will Be Rebuilt

Book of Ezekiel Chapters 43-46

We know that Ezekiel was a prophet of God and a prophet of God had to write the things that Jehovah revealed to him. It was not up to a prophet of Jehovah to question anything Jehovah revealed to them, but to accept whatever Jehovah revealed to them as the truth.

Jehovah spoke to Ezekiel in visions.

It seems that "visions" may have been a higher category of revelation, reserved for the more spiritually mature men of God.

Many of God's prophets frequently received visions, in fact one of the names of God's prophets was seer which comes from the Hebrew word "raah" meaning "to see".

In Ezekiel we see the Hebrew word "mareh" which means the "act of seeing", a supernatural vision.

It is not the same as the visions of some other prophets which would be more like being in a trance.

Abraham:

Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Nathan:

1Ch 17:15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

Daniel:

Dan 8:1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

Of course here in the Book of Ezekiel we see that the Lord God Jehovah revealed the future to Ezekiel. Short term future and long term, future things we have not yet seen.

What are some of the things we are most sure of?

1) Our Lord Jesus will return!

2) This will take place after He has received His Church in the clouds!

3) Our Lord will then fulfill the promises He has made to Israel.

We believe that according to the Scriptures that a third Temple will be built before the Lord returns.

We believe that according to the vision of Ezekiel there may even be a fourth Temple built during the one thousand year reign of the Lord, far different from the other Temples. It is this Temple that gives us a better idea about our Heavenly Temple, God's house.

*****Eze 43:1 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:

Eze 43:2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

The one thing we know for sure is when we see the Lord, He will be in His awesome glory!

He will not be the meek and loving Savior who first came but He will be seen as the Mighty Awesome Glorious Power of The Lord God and Creator of all things!

His glory will fill this Temple of Ezekiel just as He did Solomon's Temple, just as He did in that first Tabernacle of Moses!

Exo 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Exo 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

1Ki 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,

1Ki 8:11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

2Ch 5:14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

Our Lord is a sight to behold in all His glory!

Psa 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

Psa 18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

Psa 18:8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

Psa 18:9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

Psa 18:10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

Psa 18:11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

Psa 18:12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

Psa 18:13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

Psa 18:14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

Psa 18:15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

Psa 18:16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

Psa 18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

The Lord will not have to speak a word when He sets His feet back on the Mount of Olives for those who are His enemies will be destroyed just by the sight of His glory!

2 Th 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

2 Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

2 Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

2 Th 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

All of His children will be with Him when He returns!

When the glory of our Lord departed, He went "Eastward", when the Lord returns, He will return from the "East" the direction of the rising Sun and the Sun will be like a lantern compared to the "Glory of the Lord".

Hag 2:6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

Hag 2:7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

Hag 2:8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

Hag 2:9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

He is the God of Israel and He is the Lord God of the true Church!

Even in this vision of Ezekiel, he could do nothing else but fall upon his face in worship of the Almighty God!

Only the Almighty Jehovah God could cause such a supernatural vision!

*****Eze 43:3 And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

Ezekiel in his visions, had previously seen the Lord leave the Temple, in all His glory, the Shekinah Glory, and now he saw in a vision the return of the Lord, in all His glory to the New Temple. The Temple described in what is now called Ezekiel's Temple because it differs so much from the previous temple of Solomon and of Herod.

Since Ezekiel had prophesied of the destruction of city of Jerusalem, then he says, "when I came to destroy the city", because he had spoken the exact words God had given to him to say.

Just as when Ezekiel preached to those dry bones in our previous lesson.

Just as he had followed the directions given to him in the beginning of this book of Ezekiel.

Eze 4:1 Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem:

Eze 4:2 And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.

With one stroke Ezekiel had broken the tile that represented the city of Jerusalem!

It was the Chaldean that caused the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon, but it was the Lord that had allowed it to happen, just as Ezekiel and Jeremiah had prophesied.

Eze 9:1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

It was because of the sinful leadership of Judah, that had been the true cause of the destruction of Jerusalem.

If we would just learn to do what God says for us to do and honor Him in our worship, we would be much better for it, and the world would be a much better place!

How did the Lord enter this new Temple?

*****Eze 43:4 And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.

The sun rises from the east.

No one can look at the sun without eye protection for any length of time, because of the glory of the sun.

The glory of the Lord is much greater than the sun we have for light and heat!

Exo_24:17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

Num_14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

Isa_40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isa_60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

What will happen to all those who are part of the Rapture of the Church?

2 Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We can see that it is the Spirit of the Lord that will cause this to happen, because He has never left us and He lives within us!

The Lord will return one day, and He may return from the eastern sky, but remember He will come as a thief so He may come from any direction or in the night!

All these things happened to Ezekiel by the power of the Holy Spirit, because the Lord has not yet left Heaven!

*****Eze 43:5 So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.

The prophet Ezekiel had remained upon His knees his face to the ground until the Holy Spirit carried him into the Temple as by his vision.

Remember this was a "supernatural" vision!

The Holy Spirit is still to this day the invisible, irresistible power upon this earth!

It is the Holy Spirit that is the power behind every true man of God! False prophets have no power, because they do not have the Holy Spirit!

It is the Holy Spirit who raises every true man of God and allows them communion with our Holy God!

The Shekinah Glory of Jehovah filled this entire Temple, but it resided in the Holy of Holies and even in the power of the Holy Spirit, Ezekiel could not enter into this place set aside for the Lord!

Again one day in the not so distant future, this entire world will be overcome by the "Shekinah Glory" of the Lord!

Isa 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

And all the family of God will gather into this Temple of the Lord!

Hag 2:6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

Hag 2:7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

There was a voice coming from within the Holy of Holies.

*****Eze 43:6 And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.

Eze 43:7 And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.

What is a theophany? We must understand that Jehovah will only reveal Himself in one way and that way is the Lord Jesus Christ. Every “theophany” is then the Lord Jesus Christ!

When Ezekiel says a man stood with Him then that would be the Lord Jesus Christ!

So let's listen to the conversation:

In the Israel of old, the bodies of kings at least 14 in number were buried in Jerusalem adjacent to the Temple complex, separated only by a wall, but here we see that Christ, the man speaking to Ezekiel, considered those graves to be an infringement of upon His holy place and an act of spiritual defilement and that would not be allowed in the New Temple.

Some of those kings had even been buried along with the idols they worshiped.

The prophet Ezekiel was to inform the people that this practice would come to an end!

As the Lord says, this Temple would be a place where He would walk among His people!

This New Temple would no more be defiled!

When we get to the Lord's Heavenly Temple, there will be nothing dead at all. Life, Life, Life, and Life eternal is the theme in God's Heavenly Home!

There will be nothing that will be allowed to defile the Temple that the Lord will build!

Remember our mansion will be inside the Lord's house, much like the priests had houses inside the Temple!

Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

What is happening in our places of worship today?

We have forgotten that the places where we worship are to be Holy, Sanctified for the work God has given us to do!

*****Eze 44:1 Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.

Eze 44:2 Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.

We must clearly understand there is only One who is to be worshiped and that One is the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is "NO ONE" higher than the Lord Jesus Christ! Lord of lords and King of kings!

Once the glory of the Lord has been seen, there is no room for those who would seek their own glory because they have none.

The nation of Israel has always trusted in their own good works, holding to the Laws of Moses which is nothing more than guide for righteous living.

Our true measurement in life, is the Lord Jesus Christ and we have no goodness in us at all to compare to the Lord!

When we walk into the House of God, we are walking on Holy Ground and if we cannot be holy in our own life after we know the Lord, then we will defile His Temple!

Not everyone will be allowed in the Messiah's Temple!

Those that are allowed must worship the Lord in the correct manner!

Joh 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Joh 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Psa 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

Psa 86:12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

Psa 86:13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Not one unbeliever will be allowed in the Temple of the Messiah!

Not one person who rejects any portion of the Word of God will be allowed in this Temple of the Messiah!

We must understand that once the glory of the Messiah enters into His Temple through that Eastern Gate, then that gate will be closed for He will never leave His Temple ever again.

There will be a passageway.

*****Eze 44:3 It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.

There are so many things written about this prince that the only one that makes sense to me is what is written in the Book of Hebrews.

Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Heb 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

But these words do not refer to this prince in the Book of Ezekiel

Also in Chapter 45:22 we see these words:

Eze 45:22 And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering.

The reality is that Lord Jesus Christ has no sin, so He needs no sin offering for Himself.

This prince is a father with sons and Jesus has no sons, but He does have children and brothers and sisters and friends!

Eze 46:16 Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons'; it shall be their possession by inheritance.

Eze 46:17 But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons' for them.

Eze 46:18 Moreover the prince shall not take of the people's inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession.

This prince could not enter in by the Eastern Gate!

He is a prince, possibly a prince of the 12 tribes or possibly a prince in the civil government of Israel.

What we know for sure is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to get to Heaven!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

This prince maybe just someone who will lead the worship service. Remember Lucifer had failed to do this job and he exalted himself and lost!

Maybe this prince is the Born Again child of God.

Rev_1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Rev_5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

All these are guesses so we must just trust the Word of God.

*****Eze 44:4 Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face.

In his vision Ezekiel is now on the outside of this new Temple, the Easter Gate is closed, and he walks north until he comes to the Northern Gate.

Twelve times in his writing, Ezekiel mentions a view from the gate to the North in this Temple.

With the Easter Gate closed, the best entrances into the Temple complex will be the Northern and the Southern gates.

What we notice is, that no matter where Ezekiel entered, he was overcome by the Shekinah Glory of the Lord.

How did the Shekinah Glory of the Lord affect Daniel?

Dan 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

In this passage from the book of Daniel, he also has a supernatural vision of the Shekinah glory of the Lord!

How will the Shekinah Glory of the Lord affect all of us?

Two things:

1) We will be no different that Daniel or Ezekiel, we will fall upon our faces in total fear until the Lord comforts us with His voice of peace.

2) Then we will be like Him!

1Jn_3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Ezekiel was told to pay strict attention to the things he was seeing in His vision.

Ezekiel moves on to the gates of the inner courts where the discussion will be about worship.

The inner court would be the place of the altar.

*****Eze 46:1 Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

Eze 46:2  And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. 

I believe the modern church has forgotten the reason we gather together at the appointed times of the church. We gather to worship!

We gather to worship Jehovah!

We gather to worship the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Lord lays down some specific things for the Jewish people in this Millennial Temple.

We must remember, they have never understood how to relate worship in the Tabernacle nor the Temple, to the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Sabbath signifies "rest"! Jesus Christ is that "rest" because He causes the weary to rest!

Isa 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

It is the Sabbath of the soul that is of most importance!

Mat 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Our soul can never rest until it returns to the Lord!

Psa 116:6 The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.

Psa 116:7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.

Psa 116:8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

Psa 116:9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

The moon was created by Jehovah on the fourth day, and approximately every 30 days there is a New Moon, and this is the basis for the Jewish calendar and all the Jewish festivals.

The Sabbaths and the New Moon required a sin offering to the Lord, and we know that our Lord Jesus became that sin offering for the entire world until the day He returns to get His Church!

This prince, which is not the Lord, could not enter into the area of the offerings, but he had to stop at the threshold to worship at that location.

This burnt offering, "in type", represents the consecration of the one who offered the sacrifice, which was this prince at this time.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

The truth is that Jesus Christ gave Himself as the whole burnt offering on the altar of the cross!

Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

We talk a lot about the nail scared hands of Christ Jesus.

We talk a lot about the hole in the side of Christ Jesus.

We need to talk a lot about the back of Christ Jesus and see where His back was laid upon that burning altar and the imprint of my cross and the imprint your cross, and the cross of every believer is scared for ever upon the back of our Savior!

The Jews have never recognized these things, but they soon will!

*****Eze 46:3 Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons.

Eze 46:4 And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.

With the Lord on site, the Jews and this prince will be taught the relationship of all the sacrifices of the Temple.

As we have seen the burnt offering was upon the altar of the cross!

The meal offering represented the crushing of the wheat(the body of our Savior) to become the bread of life.

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Joh_6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Joh_6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Joh_6:48 I am that bread of life.

Joh_6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The peace offering was "in type", being reconciled to God.

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

The sin offering, 'in type" represents the expiation (pardon). Remember a pardon means all penalty has been erased!

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

The trespass offering "in type", was to make restitution for our sin.

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Worship at the Tabernacle and at the Temple was designed by the Lord to match the Word of God, so that the Jewish people would not miss the coming of the Messiah, but they missed the most important time of their lives and by the "mercy" and the "grace" of God and because of the promises Jehovah made to Abraham and King David, they will get one more chance to see where they went wrong.

Yes, this Temple of the Book of Ezekiel will be built!

Praise the Lord.

Let's Pray!

The Resurrection to New Life

Dry Bones Are Given New Life

Book of Ezekiel Chapter 37

As Christians we already know that Christ Jesus is the only hope for this wicked and evil world.

Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

The three Christian statements of our "faith" are built upon "our faith", "our hope", "and our love" in all the promises of Jehovah God.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Why is the greatest of these, charity? What did Jesus say to us?

Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

To many people, these are hard lessons. To the Church, we know these words as the truth of God.

These things are the difference between life and death!

The Christians will certainly die, but this death is the doorway to eternal glory!

The lost world will certainly die, but this death is followed with eternal death. A death of eternal torment!

In our lesson today we can see the power of the Almighty God in the valley of dry bones.

*****Eze 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

Eze 37:2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

This valley of dry bones represents a place of death and destruction. A place where two great armies had met and death and destruction followed, their bodies left on the battlefield and never buried. Their bones so dry that they were brittle and broken easily.

In reality this passage represents the resurrection of the dead when the Lord returns with the souls that are in Heaven.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, "even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him".

1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The power of Jehovah God is unlimited, and He has given all His power to His Son, Jesus Christ!

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

We have the example of the resurrection:

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

If there is a resurrection of those when the Lord meets the Church in the air, then there is another resurrection of the dead to new life after the Church for those who are martyrs during the tribulation years, and then an end time resurrect for all those who will face the Lord Jesus at the White Throne of Judgment..

Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

As Christians we now have that hope of eternal glory but to the lost, they live in hopelessness.

Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them "that were slain for the word of God", and for the testimony which they held:

Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

All those who know the Lord will be raised to new life!

All those who reject the Lord will be raised to eternal damnation, a terrible, terrible, terrible thing that should cause us to reach out not only to our loved ones but to all that do not know the Lord in a personal relationship!

As we go along, we will see that this valley of dry bones represents the nation of Israel, who are dead to the truth of God, and dead to the reality of salvation by Jesus Christ.

So in this case, this passage represents a revival of the people of Israel that has not taken place as of yet!

*****Eze 37:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

Today there is more than half our world that do not believe in the resurrection of the body, because they reject the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the time of Christ there were influential, but very lost men known as Sadducee.

Mat 22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

Jesus said stay away from all who teach the sinful doctrine of the Sadducees and there are many of these unbelievers around today!

Mat 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

For Ezekiel. either by vision or some other method, he would witness what the Lord calls the resurrection of those who sleep in Jesus, but also all those who will be resurrected from the dead to go to the White Throne Judgment.

Ezekiel replied, yes Lord you are powerful enough to do anything you choose to do!

The Lord also has the power to bring revival to a nation as we will witness in this passage, but a revival that has not yet taken place.

Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

We have to accept the fact that Judah was a captured nation and had lost all hope, but by Jeremiah they should have known that this captivity would only last 70 years and the Almighty God would change the power structure of this world once again, which He always has the power to do even in our day.

They should never have been hopeless, but we know they are still blind to the truth.

*****Eze 37:11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

The house of Israel had been taken captive, and were being forced marched to Babylon to be scattered all over the lands under the domain of the Babylon Empire.

They certainly thought they would never see their homeland again and were aware that they could lose their own lives at any moment.

These things took place because they had forsaken Jehovah and lived any way they wanted to.

They had forsaken the Laws of Moses and the statutes of God.

They had worshiped false gods and they were seeing the results of their sin.

The Lord God Jehovah showed Ezekiel in a vision or some other way, that restoring Israel to a godly nation is always within His powers in that day and today and at any time in the future as long as time last!

Hos 1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.

Rom 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

As a child of Jehovah God there is never a time, I should feel hopeless!

There is never a time I should worry about my future because the promises of God are real.

There is never a time I should be afraid of what this world can do to me.

There is never a time I should sink into depression because my God is all powerful.

Even when my bones are lying in a grave or burnt to ashes while my soul is in Heaven, that body of flesh can be restored, except this time it will be made perfect and it will be a glorified body.

What did Ezekiel witness?

*****Eze 37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

This is a resurrection!

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Job 19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

This is the great revival of the House of Israel!

Rom 11:15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

What did Israel need to know on that miserable day? There was a promise of new life!

What should every lost soul know about the "Gospel"? There is a promise of new life and it is eternal!

I just wonder sometimes when our Pastor is behind his pulpit, if he ever feels like he is preaching to a valley of dry bones.

Ezekiel preached the words God that gave him and all of a sudden, those old dry bones began to come to life.

You see in the eyes of God, we will never be in a situation of hopelessness, because the worst thing that can happen is that we will go on home.

This place of earth is not our home and we should never forget that we are just strangers passing through this wicked and corrupt and evil place.

What is so great about have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?

*****Eze 37:14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

We must never forget it is the Spirit of Jehovah that gives life!

Psa 104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

Psa 104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

Psa 104:31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

Our Holy God has the power to conquer death and the proof to the Church is the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

What had Moses preached to the House of Israel?

Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

To be honest, when we choose to live a life of death, how can we complain when that time comes, yet we have a merciful God who will even allow a death bed confession.

As long as there is life in our bodies and have not rejected the Holy Spirit to a point that He will not convict us of our wrong, then we can still be gloriously saved, but it is a foolish thing to test God because He will not be tested. In fact today is the day of salvation for everyone because tomorrow my not come to the wicked!

Pro 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

2Co 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

There is an accepted time for each of us to ask the Lord to forgive us our sins and come into our hearts and save us!

The Lord will never forget those who love Him, and the Lord will never forget His chosen people Israel.

For who is a true Jew?

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

God will bring every child of Israel back home who wants to be there, for even they will have to choose Jesus!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

This truth is the same for all people!

*****Eze 37:21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, 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 into their own land:

Eze 37:22 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:

Eze 37:23 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 dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

When Israel returned after the Babylon captivity, they did not come back perfect, but they were no longer idol worshipers!

They knew it was Jehovah who had rescued them just as He had from Egypt!

They had spent 70 years in captivity and all those who worshiped idols just as in the 40 years in the wilderness, where those who doubted the truth of God had died off.

In the time of Jesus they again rebelled against the truth of God and that whole generation was destroyed by Titus in 70 AD and Israel again has been scattered throughout this world but again they are making their way back home and one day soon their eyes will be opened to the truth of the Messiah!

The words of Jesus:

Luk_11:50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

Today Israel's population is nearly 10 million people and they are growing by 10,000 each year since 1948.

We must remember the nation of Israel is home to all sorts of people and then there are the legitimate children of Israel.

God loves this nation He has delivered them from idolatry.

He has delivered them from false worship.

He has delivered them from wicked behavior.

God is striving for a personal relationship with these people just as He does with all unbelievers!

Jehovah loves personal relationships!

Jehovah has been dealing with Israel as a nation, but His intention now, is to get to know each of them in a personal relationship!

Just as He did with David, and Moses, and Abraham, and Sarah, and all His prophets in the Old Testament. Just as He did Adam and Eve who He walked with in the cool of the day.

Jer 30:24 The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

Jer 31:1 At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

Jer 32:37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:

Jer 32:38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:

Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Psa 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

Psa 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Psa 68:20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.

Now remember our study of Chapter 34 of David.

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

David will certainly be resurrected as will all the children of God who are asleep in Jesus, but he will not be king because we have only one king and that is King Jesus!

*****Eze 37:24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

Eze 37:25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

All the covenants of Jehovah are everlasting covenants, but they all have a fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. When King Jesus sits upon the throne as absolute King and Ruler of Israel, He will also be the absolute King and Ruler of this entire planet because He already is. It will be at this time that the entire world will recognize our Lord as the Master of the Universe, in fact Master of the Cosmos!

King Jesus will also be that Great Shepherd of the souls of all His people.

1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

These things will be eternal when we reach the New Jerusalem!

As one bone is connected to the next bone all the children of Israel will come to their respective families and respective tribes just 7 or more years after the Church is taken out of this world and is in Heaven.

True peace will come to this world and to Jerusalem the city of peace that has never before seen peace!

*****Eze 37:26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

What are the steps of this great event?

The people of Israel will be gathered.

All the tribes of Israel will be united.

All of Israel will be purified.

The nation of Israel will be established under the rule of the Messiah.

Jehovah will make a covenant of "Grace" with the "Apple of His eye".

This will be and everlasting, eternal covenant.

The Lord will place them and give them to the land He promised to Abraham.

The Lord will multiply them.

The Lord will set His sanctuary in the midst of them.

Where is God's sanctuary?

Psa 102:19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

Psa 102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

Psa 102:21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

Psa 102:22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

Remember the Church is with the Lord during all these things and the Church and the saved Israel, will be with the Lord throughout eternity!

*****Eze 37:27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Eze 37:28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

The fathers of the nation of Israel had a tabernacle built after they escaped from Egypt (type of the world of sin) a place of worship that they carried with them as they traveled in this wilderness of sin, but our Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ has brought with Him a better tabernacle, a Spiritual tabernacle, and a heavenly tabernacle so they can leave a world of sin and become holy, a people serving a holy God, and they will come to know the Joy of the Lord and become a blessed people forever!

Today the heathen are still mocking God because they have no fear of Him, but when our Savior appears in that Heavenly Sky returning to this earth in full view, they will see how foolish they have been and they will first try to destroy Him and next they will try to hide from Him and both these things are impossible.

Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

We live in a foolish world that keeps denying our Creator, but on this day, they will not be able to deny Him!

The nation of Israel shall feel the full force of the Holy Spirit, and they will accept all the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, and will be sanctified to serve our Holy God just as the Church!

1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

This lost world will feel the wrath of our Heavenly Father, when they did not have to!

Amen

Let's Pray

The Promised Land

God's Nation Is Physically Blessed

Book of Ezekiel Chapter 36 Verses 5-11, 17-19, 22-28

Early in this Chapter of the Book of Ezekiel we see where the Babylonians had destroyed the lands of Israel as they marched toward Jerusalem.

We see that others from the adjacent lands, the enemies of these Jews, had helped these Babylonians to destroy the land of Israel and Judea.

We see that war destroys not only people, but also the land those people live on and depend upon.

Had by chance the Jews defeated Babylon, they could not have even recovered from such devastation.

Reminds us of Japan and World War 2, how the lands were devasted by just two nuclear bombs and Japan would never have recovered without the help of the United States.

In fact many nations would have had great trouble without the help of the USA, but these things are now forgotten by most.

The truth of Israel, and Judea, and Jerusalem:

*****Eze 36:5 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed "my land" into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.

Eze 36:6 Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen:

Eze 36:7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.

Eze 36:8 But ye, 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.

It seems that the governments of this world just do not realize just how much Jehovah God loves the Holy Land of Israel and the people He placed there so many years ago!

Zep 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

Notice how God, who promised land, which many now call Palestine, had already given this to Israel, but He still says it is His land!

Idumea is the name given by the descendants of Esau, and they have been the enemies of the Jews then and are still now.

They hate the Jews, all the descendants of Jacob who was the twin brother of Esau!

These heathen, are to be considered, all the unbelieving people of the world, as compared to the Jews who are believers, and who are God's people set aside for His use.

Jehovah said to Ezekiel, be sure to write these things down for all the world to know, that this promised land is very special to our Holy God.

The land that is the "promised land" belongs to Jehovah God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit(Ghost)!

We speak of God's wrath, that we will miss out on, but God is giving us a small view of what His wrath looks like.

Jehovah will not allow His land to suffer because of the "heathen"!

Those who put shame and reproach upon God’s people, though God may have made it serve a purpose to His end, will sooner or later have it turned upon themselves.

We should understand that few lands have been attacked and ravaged more than the Holy Land given to the Jews.

Each time God has given this land back to the Jews! This is why to them it is still the "Promised Land"!

It's time for the world to recognize this fact!

Zep 2:1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;

Zep 2:2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger come upon you.

Zep 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

As Israel has borne the shame of reproaches and taunts of the heathen for so many years, so they when God's wrath comes, will still bear the shame of God's wrath upon His enemies!

Israel will bare that shame because none of these things would have ever happened, had the children of Israel remained faithful to Jehovah God all these years that have passed since the time of Abraham.

This world would have been an entirely different place, had the Jews remained faithful all these years!

We have seen the land of the Jews blossom from desert to a place of beauty, but this will be nothing compared to how all the world will blossom, when the Lord Jesus Christ will sit upon His throne in Jerusalem.

At this time in history, the 70 years of captivity was coming to an end, and Ezekiel is warning all those who claimed Judah that the Jews were soon coming home as prophesied by Jeremiah.

What happens when the Jews are on the promised land? These desert lands will be tilled and sown.

*****Eze 36:9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown:

As we have seen since 1948, the land of Israel has become a garden and now the world sees the value of this land, when it was nothing more than a desert waste land that no one upon this earth wanted, because it had no value.

But even greater things are in the future for those who turn to the Lord!

Zec 8:12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

Zec 8:13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

This is the truth of the land when the land is not occupied by the people of God.

This is also the truth of that lost soul!

The lost soul is but a waste land if it is left alone without our Savior!

A creature that lives without his Creator will die a horrible death!

God looks upon the heart of man as a field in need of plowing and sowing, so it can blossom and produce fruit.

The heart that is not plowed or sown, will produce something, but it will resemble weeds that must be removed by the root and burned that they are destroyed.

Rom 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

If we cannot allow the Lord to come into our heart, then we will become a waste land!

If we can ask the Lord to come into our heart by our faith, then we can produce the fruit of life!

*****Eze 36:10 And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:

What we see is, when the Lord is living within us, we will produce life.

Notice here again, God knows where all the tribes of Israel are located.

At the time of Ezekiel we know that it was just the house of Judah and Benjamin that returned only to a small portion of the promised land.

Most all the other tribes were scattered too far, or they were too poor, or they were slaves with human masters unwilling to let them go.

When Israel became a nation again, there was an open invitation for all the tribes of Israel to return home.

Until the return of Christ to His throne in Jerusalem, this prophesy will not see its ultimate fulfillment!

All the house of Israel even all of it, the Holy Spirit says will one day go home!

The cities will be bustling with people, all the waste places will be built upon, and the land will produce enough food for them all!

But only if they will call upon the LORD. His name is Jehovah!

Isa 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

Isa 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Isa 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

We know this has not taken place, yet it is still in the future.

Only those who call upon the Lord God Jehovah, can see these wonders of the rebuilt earth!

Isa 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

Only those who call upon the Lord will be able to see the ever greater, glories of the New Jerusalem!

Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

This time has not yet come, but we can see just a taste of it in the revival of Israel today!

*****Eze 36:11 And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

From a meager beginning in 1948, Israel now has a population of nearly 9 million people and growing about 10,000 people each year. There are more than twice as many births as there are deaths in Israel.

God is still multiplying the people of Israel, but keep in mind that there were estimates of at least a million Jews who left Egypt in the time of Moses and God later scattered them all around the world.

What we see is, that with all the things that happened to this tiny nation, there is still a great future that awaits them!

We also see even in adverse conditions these people continue to multiply.

This land will be more prosperous than it has ever been before, because Jehovah has chosen this land for His own!

From previous lessons we know that Jehovah is able to do everything He says He will do!

From the time of Noah we know that this land has been defiled.

Defiled meaning polluted, corrupted, violated.

We can just imagine that this is what the Lord thinks of all our lands today, and He will cleanse all the lands of this earth one day and that one day may be soon coming!

*****Eze 36:17 Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.

It’s a sad thing when we pollute the lands we live upon, but the Lord is not talking about this type of pollution.

It is the worship of pagan gods whose human sacrifices are an abomination to Him!

It is the worship of all false deities!

It is the massive killing of unborn children.

It is all those still running in Sodom and Gomorrah.

I can just imagine how the Lord feels about the abortion of so many babies throughout the world today, which is nothing but a mockery to the laws of God.

The Lord God Jehovah is even more tied to the land promised to Israel, but remember, all that we see and all that we cannot see, are God's creation!

Uncleanness is best described as filthiness and we live in a world that parades its filthiness before God's people every day!

In fact uncleanness describes sin!

Isa_64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

What is the difference of those who walk with the Lord from those who do not?

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

What does God think about uncleanness? Look at the example given to us of Israel.

*****Eze 36:18 Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it:

Eze 36:19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.

The question we should ask ourselves is, since God will punish people, then what makes the world think God has changed in His ways?

What had these people done that God would do such a thing?

They lived unclean lives in the filthiness of sin.

They committed violence in the promised land.

They polluted the promised land with idolatry.

Remember Jehovah God said this was His land!

The world should be very careful with the decisions they make about God's land. All creation belongs to our Holy God, but this land given to Abraham, every place he placed his feet, God has chosen for Himself!

God may be slow to punish, but we can be sure God will punish all those who make a mockery of His Words!

Rom_12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

We should also understand that the stroke of judgment from the Lord is like a lightening flash, it is irresistible, it is fatal, and it kills in the twinkling of an eye.

Eze_33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

The "judgment" and the "chastisement" of the Lord will be according to the doings of that guilty person or that guilty nation!

The truth is, when God punishes you, it is because you are guilty. Jehovah has never made a mistake and He never will!

Since Israel wanted to be like the heathen nations, then Jehovah scattered them among the heathen nations to live, and He scattered them well!

This punishment was to help them see the error of their ways!

This punishment was to rid the promised land of idolatry and corruptness!

*****Eze 36:22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.

Jehovah did also show the world that He will not tolerate sin from His chosen people!

What is the truth?

From the time of Abraham, the Israelites had professed to know the only "Living God".

When their land was destroyed and they were exiled, the world mocked their claim, and this is still the truth of today!

The world is still mocking Jehovah God!

In 1948 the nation of Israel was "Born Again" according to prophesy.

Isa_66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

The true Israelites are now returning to the "Promised Land"!

This one prophesy opened the eyes of the world and the world seeks to defy Jehovah as if He does not exist, but this time the tiny nation of Israel will be protected by the "right arm of God" the arm of power, until the Lord returns to set things in order.

Mic 4:5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

Mic 4:6 In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;

Mic 4:7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.

The world may still be mocking Jehovah, but many see the fulfillment of God's promises are in the making!

*****Eze 36:23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

Israel is being restored not because they have ended all their sinful ways because they have not completely given themselves to Jehovah, because they still reject the Son of God.

Israel is being restored because Jehovah does exactly what He says and no power on earth can stop Him!

Israel is being restored to show the world that Jehovah is a Holy God and that He alone is the Lord of this world!

We see all those who hate Him raise up their voices, but God has always had this one saying for the world.

Gen_12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

We are more in this period now than we have ever been!

The nations who are against the Lord are gathering together and the nations that help Israel are also assembling and this taking place today.

As the Church we must know that the Lord will take us home before these things reach fulfillment!

What does Israel lack?

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

This healing has not happened as of yet, because Israel has not yet humbled themselves before the God they used to claim!

*****Eze 36:24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

After many years, the Jews are still returning to God's land some 10,000 each year.

To be a true resident of Israel, then they must be a child of a mother who is in the bloodline of a Jew, just as it was with Sarah and Abraham.

Gen_21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Gen 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

Gen 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

Gen 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

Gen 17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

The Muslim may claim Abraham and they should, but they cannot claim the covenant God made with the descendants of Sarah and her son Isaac unless they also claim the Lord Jesus Christ is God in the flesh and the true Messiah!

They, just like all others, can be a part of the covenant with Isaac if they accept the Lord Jesus Christ as the true Son of God, and therefore much more than a prophet and a good man, but Jehovah God in the flesh!

Notice how all that are not part of the scattered tribes of Israel, are called heathen!

Notice also how God's land is now called the land of the Jews (their own land)!

How will God cleanse these people?

No one can come to God until they are cleansed from sin!

It is sin that clogs the heart and keeps out the 'Love of God"!

You see Jehovah will give them a new nature.

Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Eze 11:20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

They will meet the Savior!

1Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

1Jn 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

1Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

1Jn 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

There is no other way to be cleansed from sin, and without this cleansing there will be no new heart, only with a new heart will God's blessing bear fruit!

*****Eze 36:26 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.

Eze 36:27 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.

Eze 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

As we can see, Jehovah makes things so simple.

According to the Bible, the heart is the center of all spiritual activity and all the operations of human life.

The heart is the home of the personal life!

Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Psa 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

Psa 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

The heart is the seat of our conscience!

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

When we were living among the lost souls of this world, how could we describe our hearts?

Jer_17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

So the salvation process must begin with the heart!

It is called faith that brings repentance with it!

A new frame of our soul.

A mind changed from sinful to holy, from carnal to spiritual.

A heart that can have the law of Jehovah written upon it.

Our own spirit will not ever be suitable, so we must have the Spirit of Jesus!

Php_1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Which is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost!

The Spirit of God will come to live in every believer! He will never live in a filthy heart!

It is only these things that will cause a disposition of holiness!

We will be willing:

We will be able:

We will walk:

We will keep the judgments of Jehovah and walk in the statutes of Jehovah and we will live in holiness because these are the ways of Jesus Christ!

For Israel they will live freely in their land for 1000 years with King Jesus upon His throne in Jerusalem, as promised by Jehovah.

Then we all will live in the New Jerusalem throughout eternity.

Amen

Let's Pray