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Whet we teach about the new creation and being born again,we must remember what was written about the restoration of all things in the law and prophets ie Old testament. In otherwords the whole bible points to and testifies to the restoration of all things.Not just making mankind new but also all creation along with man being made new. It points to the people of God being made new Creations just as it points to all the earth being made into a New creation. This is amply demonstrated in Ezekiel 36 as well as in the other prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah. The context of Ezekiel 36 is Israels restoration. It was spoken to them at the time of their exile in Babylon. They were suffering the judgement of God for rebellion against the Most High King of all the earth. Deuteronomy 30 foresaw this when it was told them that God would drive them out of the land of promise into faraway lands for their rebellion against God.
Deuteronomy 31 also speaks of God restoring them to the land in Edenic terms when God circumcises their hearts and when they follow Him with all their heart and soul. It can be said that the whole faith of Israel is contained in the 5 books of Moses. All that the prophets preach,expand and illuminate what is already written in the 5 books of Moses. So when we come to Ezekiel 36 we see how the promise of Deuteronomy 31 is expanded and expounded.. If you open your bible and check and read the scriptures I'm quoting it will greatly illuminate you. In vs 18-19 of Ezeliel 36 we see God referring to Israel having defiled the land and how God then scattered them among the nations just as he said he would in Deuteronomy 31:1-10. YHWH then goes on to say that what he is about to do is because His name has been blasphemed among the nations. vs 24 says that"I will take you from the nations and gather you and bring you into your own land" again it is as was written in Deut 30.In vs 26-27 God speaks of bringing His new creation to pass in the lives of his people. We are introduced in these verses tothe promises of the New covenant. God promises to give a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. vs27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes,and you will keep my judgements to do them....... Here we have Gods promise to do something great in the lives of his people.To make them into a new creation who will obey His law. A people who are disobedient been transformed into obedient and faithful subjects of the Mighty King and true God. From vs 29 we see that the newly created people will be the people who will live in Gods land. In this land there will be no curses such as famine and God will bless it with abundance. Also the fruit of the trees will be multiplied so that you will never again bear the shame of famine among the nations. God also in vs33 says that he will cause the ruins of the citys to be rebuilt and inhabited. So it will be said the desolate land has become like the garden of Eden. So here we have the newly created people living in a newly created land just like the garden of Eden. We see this didn't happen at the time when Israel returned from exile. But we see the first part of the promise has begun at Pentecost when the risen Lord poured out the promise of the Holy Spirit. From that time on God has been making New creations of those who believe in Jesus.
So then what does this tell us? Firstly it tells us the first part of the promise to put Gods Spirit in His people started after Jesus death and resurrection. it also tells us that since then that gentiles have been incorporated into this promise of people been made into new creations. It also tells us that if these promises of restoration are now coming to pass it is the start of the coming of the Kingdom of God. The second part of the promise of inheriting an Edenic land still has to come to pass. This Edenic land covers all the earth and is called the New Heavens and new earth wherein righteousness dwells.This is the restoration and new creation of all the earth and creation within it. This will be brought about when Jesus returns. This scripture also tells us that this promise to Israel incorporates the gentiles. Gentiles have been joined into the tree of Israel and believing gentiles are no longer aliens but citizens and partakers of the promises made to Israel. We also see that Israels restoration is caught up in the restoration of all the world. |
