---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Ezekiel 36:1. Prophesy unto the mountains of Israel — This is a part of the preceding prophecy though it chiefly concerns the Jews. In it they are e"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/36"
---

Verse [Ezekiel 36:1](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/1). ***Prophesy unto the mountains of Israel*** — This is a part of the preceding prophecy though it chiefly concerns the Jews. In it they are encouraged to expect a glorious restoration; and that none of the evil wishes of their adversaries should take place against them.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:2](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/2). ***Because the enemy hath said*** — The Idumeans thought they would shortly be put in possession of all the strong places of Israel; *the ancient high places shall be ours*.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:4](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/4). ***Therefore - thus saith the Lord God to the mountains,*** *c.*] They shall neither possess *mountain* nor *valley, hill* nor *dale, fountain* nor *river* for though in my justice I made you desolate, yet they shall not profit by your disasters. See [Ezekiel 36:5-7](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/5-7).

Verse [Ezekiel 36:8](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/8). ***For they are at hand to come.*** — The restoration of the Jews is so absolutely determined that you may rest assured it will take place; and be as confident relative to it, as if you saw the different families entering into the Israelitish borders. It was near at hand in God's determination, though there were about *fifty-eight* of the *seventy* years unelapsed.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:9](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/9). ***Ye shall be tilled and sown*** — The land shall be *cultivated* as it formerly was, when *best peopled* and at *peace*.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:11](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/11). ***I will multiply upon you man and beast*** — The *agriculturalist* and the *beast of burden*.
***And will do better*****unto you*****than at your beginnings*** — I agree with *Calmet*, that it would be difficult to show the literal fulfilment of this prophecy from the days of Zerubbabel to the birth of Christ. The colouring is too high for that period; and the whole falls in better with Gospel than with Jewish times.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:17](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/17). ***When the house of Israel dwelt in their own land*** — Had they continued faithful to me, they had never been removed from it: but they polluted it with their crimes; and I abhorred the land on that account, and gave both them and it up to the destroyers.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:20](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/20). ***And when they entered unto the heathen*** — So bad were they, and so deeply fallen, that they *profaned the Lord's name* *among the heathen*; and, on their account, the true God was blasphemed. *These*, say they, *are the people of Jehovah*! O what an abominable people are these! and what a being must that God be who can have and own such for his people!

Verse [Ezekiel 36:23](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/23). ***I will sanctify my great name*** — By changing your hearts and your conduct, I shall show my hatred to vice, and my love to holiness: but it is not *for your sakes*, but for *my holy name's* *sake*, that I shall do you good in your latter days.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:24](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/24). ***I will take you from among the heathen*** — This does not relate to the restoration from Babylon merely. The Jews are at this day scattered in all *Heathen, Mohammedan*, and *Christian* *countries*. From these they are to be gathered, and brought to repossess their own land.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:25](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/25). *Then*- at the time of this great restoration - *will I* *sprinkle clean water upon you*- the *truly cleansing water*; the influences of the HOLY SPIRIT typified by *water*, whose property it is to *cleanse, whiten, purify, refresh*, render *healthy* and *fruitful*.
***From all your filthiness*** — From every sort of external and internal abomination and pollution.
***And from all your idols*** — False gods, false worship, false opinions, and false hopes.
**Will*****I cleanse you.*** — Entirely separate you.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:26](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/26). ***A new heart also will I give you*** — I will change the whole of your infected nature; and give you new appetites, new passions; or, at least, the old ones *purified* and *refined*. The *heart* is generally understood to mean all the *affections* and *passions*.
***And a new spirit will I put within you*** — I will renew your *minds*, also *enlighten* your *understanding, correct* your *judgment*, and *refine* your *will*; so that you shall have a *new spirit* to actuate your new *heart*.
***I will take away the stony heart*** — That heart that is *hard,* *impenetrable*, and *cold*; the affections and passions that are unyielding, frozen to good, unaffected by heavenly things; that are slow to credit the words of God. I will entirely remove this heart: it is the opposite to that which I have promised you; and you cannot have the *new heart* and the old *heart* at the same time.
***And I will give you a heart of flesh.*** — One that can *feel*, and that can *enjoy*; that can feel *love to God* and to *all men*, and be a proper habitation for the living God.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:27](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/27). ***And I will put my Spirit within you*** — To keep the *heart* *of flesh alive*, the *feeling heart* still *sensible*, the *loving* *heart* still *happy*. I will *put my Spirit*, the *great principle* of light, life, and love, within you, to actuate the *new spirit*, and to influence the *new affections* and *passions*; that the *animal* spirit may not become *brutish*, that the *mental* powers become not *foolish*. I will put my Spirit within you, so that as the *new* *spirit* may influence the *new heart*, so will MY SPIRIT influence YOUR *new spirit*, that each may have a proper *mover*; and then all will be pure, regular, and harmonious, when *passion* is influenced by *reason*, and *reason* by the *Holy Ghost*.
And the *cause* shall be evidenced by the *effects*; for I will *cause you to walk in my statutes* - not only to *believe* and *reverence* my appointments relative to what I command you to *perform*; but ye shall *walk in them*, your *conduct* shall be regulated by them. "And ye shall keep my judgments;" whatsoever I enjoin you to avoid. And ye shall *do them* - ye shall not only *avoid* every appearance of *evil*, but keep all my ordinances and commandments unblamably.
Here is the salvation that God promises to give to restored Israel; and here is the salvation that is the birthright of every *Christian believer: the complete destruction of all sin in the* *soul, and the complete renewal of the heart*; no *sin* having any place *within*, and no *unrighteousness* having any place *without*.
"But where are they that are thus saved?" *Ans*. Wherever *true* *Christians* are to be found. "But I know many *true Christians* that have not this salvation, but daily mourn over their evil hearts?" *Ans*. They may be sincere, but they are not *true Christians*; i.e., such as are saved from their sins; the true Christians are those who are *filled* with the *nature* and *Spirit of Christ*. But I will ask a question in my turn: "Do those you mention think it a *virtue* to be always *mourning* over their *impurities*?" Most certainly. Then it is a pity they were not *better instructed*. It is right they should *mourn* while they feel an *impure heart*; but why do they not apply to that *blood which cleanses from all* *unrighteousness*, and to that *Spirit* which *cleanses the very* *thoughts of the heart by his inspiration*? Many employ that time in *brooding* and *mourning over* their impure hearts, which should be spent in prayer and faith before God, that their impurities might be washed away. In what a state of nonage are many members of the Christian Church!

Verse [Ezekiel 36:28](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/28). ***Ye shall be my people*** — Wholly given up to me in body, soul, and spirit.
***And I will be your God.*** — To fill you with love, joy, peace, meekness, gentleness, longsuffering, fidelity and goodness, to *occupy* your *whole soul*, and *gratify* your *every desire*.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:29](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/29). ***I will also save you from all your uncleannesses*** — I repeat it; "I WILL save you from all your sins."

Verse [Ezekiel 36:30](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/30). ***Ye shall receive no more reproach of famine*** — Ye shall be daily and hourly fed with the *bread that endures unto eternal* *life*. "But will not those get *proud*, who are *thus saved*, if there be any such? and will they not *undervalue* the *blood of the* *covenant*, for then they shall *not need it*?" Ans. Hear what the Lord saith, -

Verse [Ezekiel 36:31](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/31). ***Then shall ye remember your own evil ways*** — Ye shall never forget that ye were once *slaves of sin*, and *sold under sin;* *children of the wicked one; heirs to all God's curses*, with no *hope* beyond *hell*. Such cleansed people never forget *the horrible* *pit* and the *miry clay* out of which they have been brought. And can they then be *proud*? No; *they loathe themselves in their own sight*. They never *forgive themselves* for having sinned against so *good a* *God*, and so *loving a Saviour*. And can they *undervalue* HIM by whose blood they were bought, and by whose blood they were cleansed? No! That is impossible: they *now see Jesus* as they *ought* *to see him*; they see him *in his splendour*, because they *feel him* in his *victory* and *triumph* over sin. To them *that thus believe he* *is precious*, and he was never *so precious* as *now*. As to their not *needing him* when thus saved from their sins, we may as well say, as soon may the *creation* not need the *sustaining hand of God*, because the *works are finished*! Learn this, that *as* it requires the *same power* to *sustain* creation as to *produce* it, so it requires the *same Jesus* who *cleansed* to *keep clean*. They feel that it is only through his *continued indwelling*, that they are kept *holy*, and *happy*, and *useful*. Were he to leave them the original darkness and kingdom of death would soon be restored.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:35](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/35). *This land that was desolate* by sin, *is become like the* *garden of Eden* by righteousness. - Satan's blast is removed; God's blessing has taken place.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:36](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/36). ***Then the heathen*** — They shall see how powerful Jehovah is, and how *fully he saves* those who come unto and worship him.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:37](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/37). ***Thus saith the Lord God*** — In answer to the question, "Who shall have such blessings?" we say, they that *pray*, that *seek* earnestly, that *strive* to enter in at the strait gate. "Thus saith the Lord, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel." Neither *Jew* nor *Gentile* shall be thus saved who do not *earnestly pray* to God; and for *this thing*; for this *complete* *salvation*; this setting up of the kingdom of Christ upon earth, and particularly in their *own souls*.

Verse [Ezekiel 36:38](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/38). ***As the holy flock*** — The *Church of Christ*, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.
***The flock of Jerusalem*** — The Jerusalem that is *from above, the* *city of the living God*, the *place* where *his Majesty dwells*. As they came in ancient times to the solemn national feasts so shall they come when they have fully returned unto the Lord, and received his salvation by Christ Jesus.
I do not ask my reader's pardon for having considered this most beautiful chapter as relating, not to the restoration from the Babylonish captivity, but to the redemption under the new covenant by Jesus Christ. There is no period of the Jewish history from that time until now, to which it can be applied. It must belong to the *Gospel dispensation*; and if the *Jews* will still refuse, contradict, and blaspheme, let no *Christian* have any fellowship with them in their opposition to this *Almighty Saviour*. Let none be *indifferent* to his *salvation*; let all *plead* his *promises*; and let the *messengers of the Churches* proclaim to the Christian world a FREE, a FULL, and a PRESENT SALVATION! And may great grace rest upon themselves, and upon all their flocks!

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