The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 234

as e.g. faith, for which he is incompetent fact that the words, Ye shall be my people without the help of Divine grace. Besides and I will be your God (comp. eh. xi. 20; the cleansing of her guilt and her restitntion Jer. vii. 23; xi. 4; xu. 22), descriptive or in consequence to Jehovah's favour, Israel the covenant relationship in which Jehovah is promised such an inward renovation of stood towards Israel (Exod. xix. 5; Lev. her moral and spiritual disposition as to xxvi. 12; Dent. xxvi. 17, 18), have been secure that she shall in future adhere to chosen by New Testament writers to set the worship and service of Jehovah. This forth the relationship of God towards the change is described in a fourfold way. Christian Church, first here on earth (2 Cor. (I) Negativel,y, as a removal of the old, vi. 16--18), and afterwards in the heavenly stony, unsusceptible heart, which had re- Jerusalem (Rev. xxi. 3). mained impervioUB to all appeals and insen• Ver. 29.-P'rom all your 'lll10leaDJ1.e111B1. sible to all higher feelings (Zech. vii. 12). The same word as in ver. 25, though with a (2) Positively, as a new heart and a new difference in meaning. From their unclean- spirit, called elsewhere "one heart" and ness of the past they have already been "a heart of flesh" (eh. xi. 19; Jer. x:uii. saved (ver. 25); the present promise guaran- 39), "a heart to know God" (Jer. xxiv. 7). tees preservation ago.inst future lapsing into (3) Oav.,ally, its existence being traced to uncleanness, i.e. the filthiness of idol-service. the indwelling of God's Spirit, who writes "With this," writes Plumptre, "the neces- God's Law upon the new heart, and inclines sity for temporal chastisements as a correo- it to a life of obedienoe thereto ( J er. xxxi. ti ve discipline should cease, and there would 83). (4) Practically, by its manifestation, be nothing to check the full outpouring of walking in God's statutes and keeping God's all material as well as spiritual blessings." judgments (eh. x.i. 20). The account here With the phrase, I will call for the oorn, furnished of the moral and spiritual change compare the similar expressions in 2 Kinga proposed to be inwi·ought on Israel cor. viii. I ; Hos. ii. 23, eto. ; J er. xxxi. 12; Zeoh. responds exactly with that given in the ix. 17. New Testament of the regeneration of the Ver. Sl.-Ye Bhall loathe your1elve1 in individual soul (John iii. 3-8; Rom. viii. your own light (comp. eh. xvi. 61; xlii. 10). 2, 5, 9; Gal. v. 22; Titus ill. 5, 6; 1 Pet. The last result of this enlarged experience L 22). of the Divine goodness would be to quicken Vera. 28-31 describe the results which in the heart of Corgi ven and renewed Israel a sense of shame and a feeling of repentance lhould follow in lsroel's experience when (oomp. Rom. ii. 4). God should have thus gathered, cleansed, Ver. 32 repeats and emphasizes the thought and renewed them. They shonld then of ver. 22, that the true ground of God's have (1) permanent occupation of the land gracious dealing with Israel should be found, (ver. 28); (2) covenant relationship with not in their merit, but in his grace. So far God as his people ( ver. 28); (3) protection as their ways were concerned, there WIii against future lapsing into idolatry and im- cause only for judgment on his part and self-huwiliation on theirs. morality (ver. 29); (4) abundant supply Vere. 33-36 describe the effect of Israel'■ for every want (vers. 29, SO); and (5) a restured prosperity on the surrounding deepening sense of self-humiliation on ac- nations. collllt of and repentance for past sin (ver. Ver. 35.-This la.ad that we.a deaolste ill SI). become like the garden of Eden. (For the Ver. 28.-Ye ■hall dwell in the land. As reverse picture, see Joel ii. 8.) The thought the Jews who returned from Babylon did of the first Paradise (Gen. ii. 8), in tho his- not permanently dwell in the land, but toricity of which clearly Ezekiel believed, were again ejected from it, the promise con• was one on which his mind often dwelt (c~ taiued in these worw must be viewed as xxviii. IS; xui. 9) as an ideal of earthly having been conditional on the realization beauty and fertility which should recur in of the moral and spiritual purity above the closing ago of the world-a hope which described. If, therefore, it be argued that appears to have been shored by Isaiah (Ii. inasmuch as this promise must be fulfilled 3), end taken up by John (Rev. ii. 7; :u.ii. I (2 Oor. i. 20; Heb. x. 23), the Jews must -3). In the day when that hope should be yet be restored to Palestine, the reply is realized for Isw.el, the waste, deaolate, and that their return can only take place when ruined oities, on which tbe passers-by who they have been converted to Ohridtianity; visited Palestine gazed, should be feuced so that the whole prowise must be regard11d and inhabited; literally, inhabited. aa Jor- as receiving its highest fulfilment in the treasea. The three predicates, "waste," "deso- experiences of tho Church of Obrist. That late," and" ruiucd," have beon diiitinguished this view is correct iB vouob.ed for by the as signifying "stripped of its inlmbilants," EZEK.Ul:L-lL B  THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [oa. nxvL 1-38.