Sheep Restored

Ezekiel 35:1-36:38
 

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir; prophesy against it and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against you and make you a desolate waste. I will turn your towns into ruins and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD. – Ezekiel 35:1-4
 
Mount Seir was located inside the country of Edom.  The friction between the people of Israel and the people of Edom goes back a long time, all the way to the story in Genesis 25.  That is when Jacob stole Esau’s birthright, and the scripture says that Esau despised his birthright.  Esau is also known as Edom.  This is why God said the next verse.
 
“‘Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity, the time their punishment reached its climax, therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. – Ezekiel 35:5-6
 
The people of Edom held a grudge against Israel.  It was “an ancient hostility”.  Have you ever had one of those?  Someone did something to you in the past and you just can’t seem to get past it.  It’s amazing how unforgiveness can destroy a person.  In this situation, it destroyed a nation.  The same thing has been happening in the Middle East for thousands of years.  I have to remind myself of the far reaching condemning effects of harboring an ancient hostility. 
 
Over a week ago a customer discontinued our service to their property.  Using the word “discontinued” is a nice way of putting it.  We were taking care of the property for the previous owner.  The house is in our neighborhood.  When the new owner found out about us, he wanted us to continue to take care of the property.  Before we started working for him, he said that the property “looks incredible”.  But after we started working for him, he kept complaining.  He complained about something I explained to him in person before we started working for him.  He complained about a couple things that were caused by the first tropical system that came through.  These things weren’t even my fault.  There was only one small issue that we could have done differently that would have made the lawn as close to perfect as possible.  He didn’t even call me about this to discuss what was happening.  He just emailed me and shared some berating comments towards us and the work we had done.  After I read the email, it took me exactly 1.25 seconds to come up with a way to get back at him.  And then, five seconds later, I came up with something else.  If you wonder what it’s like for God to speak to you, this is how it happens.  I had memorized a verse many years ago in Romans.  The Spirit brought to my mind what God had already told me, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) So, I went outside, vented my anger to God and forgave him.  The anger still popped up from time-to-time, but that was just my flesh.  The Spirit was leading me somewhere else.  The greatest battles in my life haven’t been with other people.  The greatest battles have been within me.
 
I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste and cut off from it all who come and go. I will fill your mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines. I will make you desolate forever; your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
“ ‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession of them,” even though I the LORD was there, therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will treat you in accordance with the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you. Then you will know that I the LORD have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.” You boasted against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate. Because you rejoiced when the inheritance of the house of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, O Mount Seir, you and all of Edom. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’” – Ezekiel 35:7–15
 
“Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The enemy said of you, “Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession.” ’ Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because they ravaged and hounded you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people’s malicious talk and slander, therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign LORD: This is what the Sovereign LORD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and the deserted towns that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you— this is what the Sovereign LORD says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.’ Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations. Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will also suffer scorn. – Ezekiel 36:1-7
 
In 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 Paul said,
 
“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.”  This is essentially the same thing that God told the Israelites in this passage.  Over a week ago we were sharing the gospel on campus.  We talked to a lady who said that somebody had done something bad to her years ago.  That event was holding her back from discovering more about God.  Some people ask, “If there’s a good God, then why do bad things happen?”  I said that I can’t explain why God does or doesn’t allow certain things to happen.  But there are several things I do know.  First, I can trust what the Bible says about God.  Second, I know that he is perfect, good and loving. Third, I know that no one will get away with the wrong they did to you.  Sometimes God will bring judgment upon the person while they’re still on earth.  Sometimes they won’t face this judgment until they stand before God on judgement day. – 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7
 
I also went on to share what is in Romans 2:16, “This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.”  Paul was saying that people being judged was a part of his gospel message.  Why is that?  Doesn’t the “gospel” mean “good news”?  The fact that God will judge people is good news.  Evil people have done evil things in secret, and it seems as if they’ve gotten away with it.  But they haven’t.  Even if that person is not punished on Earth by our government, they will be punished by God.  He is not going to allow one person to get away with one secret thing.  Just because his justice doesn’t come now doesn’t mean that it won’t come.  The Christians in Rome had been persecuted.  Paul was encouraging them that judgment would come for those persecutors.  In Romans 1:17 it says, “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed…”  For the people of Israel that meant that God was going to pay back trouble to the Edomites who troubled them. 
 
“‘But you, O mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, and I will multiply the number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the LORD. I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk upon you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.
“‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because people say to you, “You devour men and deprive your nation of its children,” therefore you will no longer devour men or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign LORD. No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”
Again the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness in my sight. So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions. And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the LORD’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’ I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. – Ezekiel 36:8-23
 
Why did God rescue the Israelites?  He said that it was “not for your sake...but for the sake of my holy name.”  God had made promises to the people of Israel to inhabit this land.  They deserve it.  They didn’t earn it.  Matter of fact, they rejected God many times.  God rescued his people because he made promises to them.  He was going to uphold his promises.  If he didn’t, then his name would be profaned with just cause.  God loves his people.  That’s also an underlying reason why God does what he does. He does things for us that we don’t deserve and that we don’t earn.
 
“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel! – Ezekiel 36:24-32
 
What caused the Israelites to turn from their wicked ways and to turn to God?  While these people deserved nothing but God’s judgment, he showed them kindness.  Before they turned, he gave.  Before they moved to meet him halfway, he was already there.  Before they cried out to him, he cried about them.  Before they tried to be a good person, he treated them as a good person even though they weren’t.  “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” (Romans 2:4) I have heard people say that the God of the Old Testament is a God of judgment and wrath, but the God of the New Testament is a God of love.  But that’s not true.  God is the same yesterday, today and forever as it says in Hebrews 13:8.  Here’s an example of God being kind to people even when they had rejected him.
 
“‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.” Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.’
“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Once again I will yield to the plea of the house of Israel and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep, as numerous as the flocks for offerings at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” – Ezekiel 36:33-38
 
What is God’s answer to their rebellious hearts?  He says,
 
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”  – Ezekiel 36:26-27
 
What is the answer to our rebellious hearts?  It’s to receive a new heart and new Spirit from God.  He can clean us up.  He can give us a desire to do his will.