A Prophecy That Refuses to Die (Ezekiel 36:1-15)
Bible Study Guide
The meaning of Ezekiel 36 stands as one of the most astonishing proofs of God’s covenant faithfulness in the entire Bible. Written more than 2,500 years ago, while Israel’s people were in exile, Ezekiel 36:1–15 foretold the physical and spiritual restoration of the land of Israel. It describes a land that would one day come alive again after centuries of desolation.
Today, as we watch the modern nation of Israel thrive in the very place once called “a desolate waste,” the meaning of Ezekiel 36 is no longer confined to ancient history. Rather, it’s a living testimony of God keeping His Word exactly as He spoke it.
Introduction to the Meaning of Ezekiel 36
Few passages in Scripture capture God’s covenant faithfulness like Ezekiel 36:1–15 does. The meaning of Ezekiel 36 reveals that God’s promises to Israel are unbreakable, His Word is flawless. His plan for His chosen land and people is unfolding exactly as He foretold.
In a world filled with uncertainty and human error, the Ezekiel 36 meaning reminds us that not a single prophecy of God has ever failed. His Word has never been out of place, nor has one letter fallen short. The meaning of Ezekiel 36 calls us to stop trusting in the words of man. We are urged to anchor our faith in the truth and trustworthiness of the Word of God.
This remarkable prophecy teaches us that God did not restore Israel because of their goodness or merit. Instead, it was for the glory of His name, to fulfill His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Additionally, it demonstrates before the nations that He alone is God.
Who Was Ezekiel?
Ezekiel was both a prophet and a priest. At just 25 years old, he was taken captive to Babylon in 597 BC during the second wave of Jewish exiles. There he lived among the Israeli refugees by the Kebar River, serving the Lord faithfully in a foreign land. He also opposed false prophets among the exiles.
Ezekiel’s life was marked by hardship, but also by profound divine revelation. He witnessed the Spirit of God departing from the Temple in Jerusalem. This symbolized God’s temporary withdrawal of His presence because of Israel’s sin. Yet, God would later allow Ezekiel to see a vision of His glory returning to the Temple in Ezekiel 43. This prophecy points forward to the Millennial Kingdom and 1,000 year reign of Christ.
Interestingly, Ezekiel is the only prophet in the Old Testament whom God repeatedly calls “son of man.” This title appears approximately 93 times, emphasizing Ezekiel’s humanity in contrast to God’s glory. It continually reminds Ezekiel that he is merely a man entrusted with a divine mission.
Just as Ezekiel was the human messenger revealing divine truth and judgment, Jesus would be the ultimate divine-human mediator. It foreshadows the ultimate “Son of Man” from Daniel 7:13–14. Jesus Christ — the divine mediator who would perfectly fulfill God’s plan of redemption.
God Speaks to His Land
“Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord.” (Ezekiel 36:1)
(Ezekiel 36:1–7) The Ezekiel 36 meaning begins with a striking truth: God addresses not the people of Israel first, but the land itself. This reveals the first phase of Israel’s restoration — physical restoration of the land then the people — followed later by spiritual restoration.
The Lord speaks directly to the land because it is His land:
“The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers.” (Leviticus 25:23)
“Then I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.” (Joel 3:2)
“But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.” (Deuteronomy 11:11–12)
“For the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying: ‘This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.’” (Psalm 132:13–14)
These verses confirm that the land of Israel is God’s chosen land, eternally tied to His covenant. The meaning of Ezekiel 36 underscores that God has never abandoned it, nor will He ever replace it.
Even the desolation of the land was foretold. God declared that disobedience would bring devastation:
“Your children who follow you in later generations and foreigners who come from distant lands will see the calamities that have fallen on the land and the diseases with which the Lord has afflicted it. The whole land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur—nothing planted, nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it. It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim, which the Lord overthrew in fierce anger.” (Deuteronomy 29:22–23)
Why God’s Word is Trustworthy and True
Centuries later, Mark Twain unknowingly became a witness to this prophecy. In 1867, after visiting the Holy Land, he wrote in The Innocents Abroad:
“A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds—a silent mournful expanse. A desolation is here that not even imagination can grace with the pomp of life and action. We never saw a human being on the whole route… There was hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country. The Sea of Galilee is now just an unpoetical sheet of water, and not a solitary village throughout its whole extent—not for thirty miles in either direction. There is not a solitary habitation along its borders.”
Twain’s words fulfilled exactly what God said in Deuteronomy 29 — the land would lie desolate and barren until God’s appointed time of restoration, and a foreigner would be witness to His words.
God used Twain’s words and testimony and made his book a best seller to announce to the world the truthfulness of His words. This has often been God’s way of using the fruitful nation of the United States to announce to the world His works.
God’s perfect timing and season had come for the start of his restoration of the land.
Shortly after Twain’s testimony, the first waves of Jewish immigration (Aliyah) began, and the prophetic meaning of Ezekiel 36 started to unfold before the world’s eyes.
The Land Restored and Made Fruitful
“But you, 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 cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number of people 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.” (Ezekiel 36:8–11)
(Ezekiel 36:8–12) Here, the meaning of Ezekiel 36 comes into full view. God begins to speak words of life and blessing to His land. Just as He promised in Leviticus 26:32–33, the same land that once lay waste would again blossom. It would bear fruit for His people.
“I myself will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled. I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins.” (Leviticus 26:32–33)
The restoration of Israel’s land is not random—it is proof of God’s unchanging covenant. Today, Israel has become one of the most agriculturally advanced nations on earth, fulfilling the Ezekiel 36 meaning in literal detail.
Two vital truths emerge here:
- The nation will prosper even more than before.
- They will not again be deprived of their children.
Israel’s revival is undeniable proof that God’s Word is true and that the meaning of Ezekiel 36 is unfolding in our generation.
The evidence is clearer today than ever before in history. Israel thrives like it never has against its enemies and in global industries. Also, the people have become fruitful. They’re having children and they multiplying in the land. Their numbers are growing.
Just as God did with the ancient Israelites in the land of Egypt. He had them set in the land of Goshen within the borders of Egypt. There they grew in number from several dozen to millions. This happened before they began their excursion out of Egypt and toward the promise land.
For the Glory of His Name
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because people say to you, ‘You devour people and deprive your nation of its children,’ therefore you will no longer devour people 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.” (Ezekiel 36:13–15)
(Ezekiel 36:13–15) At the heart of the Ezekiel 36 meaning is God’s ultimate motive:
“Then you will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 36:11)
God restores His land and people not because of their righteousness. Instead, it is for the glory of His own name and to fulfill His eternal promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
During the 1800’s, much of the Middle East was under Ottoman control. The land of Israel could have been purchased cheaply, but the local Arab (Palestinian) population refused to buy or cultivate it. Only after Jewish settlers returned and began to restore its fertility did the surrounding nations have a desire to covet it and remove God’s chosen people. Even this fulfills the meaning of Ezekiel 36, showing that God alone determines the destiny of His land.
Israel’s enemies will never succeed in removing or displacing God’s people from His land. In His own words:
“This is what the Lord says,
he who appoints the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,
who stirs up the sea
so that its waves roar—
the Lord Almighty is his name:
36 “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,”
declares the Lord,
“will Israel ever cease
being a nation before me.” (Jeremiah 31:35-36)
What incredibly powerful words of truth. Today, Israel has been battling wars on seven fronts all at once. In the midst of it all, Israel prospers beyond understanding before unbelievers while its enemies suffer and diminish. Israel flourishes and prospers despite a rapid rise in global antisemitism.
Reflection: The Faithfulness of God’s Word
The meaning of Ezekiel 36 teaches us that God’s Word is true, trustworthy, and alive. What He promised thousands of years ago is happening before our eyes. Not one prophecy has failed.
We must end our reliance on the failed words of mankind. We must begin to trust in the words of our Creator who loves us. His arm is extended and He waits with long-suffering for us to return to His embrace.
In an age of deception and doubt, this passage reminds believers that the Word of God stands firm forever — and that His plan for Israel proves His sovereignty over all nations.
If every single word of God behind us has been accurate down to the very letter, what makes us think that His words of the quickly to come last days will be in error? They will not! His word was faithful, is faithful and will continue to be faithful, trustworthy and true. Give your life to Christ and experience salvation. Have a peace that surpasses all understanding that will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for revealing Your glory through the restoration of Israel. Help us to trust every word You have spoken, knowing that Your promises never fail. Open our eyes to see Your hand at work in our generation, and may our hearts be filled with awe at Your faithfulness.
In Jesus’ name, amen.