Ezekiel 36:37-38

Ezekiel 36:37-38

[37] Thus saith  the Lord  GOD;  I will yet for this be enquired  of by the house  of Israel,  to do  it for them; I will increase  them with men  like a flock.  [38] As the holy  flock,  of Jerusalem  in her solemn feasts;  so shall the waste  cities  be filled  with flocks  of men:  and they shall know  that I am the LORD. 

What does Ezekiel 36:37-38 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The Lord also promised to respond to the prayers of the Israelites to increase their population.
"For the first time in the book he permits himself to be entreated by the house of Israel." [1]
The Jews would fill the cities like the sheep used to fill Jerusalem during the feasts when the people offered large numbers of them as sacrifices to the Lord. These would not be sheep for slaughter but living sacrifices in God"s service. This increase in the population in the Promised Land would also convince people of Yahweh"s unique deity.
"In analyzing Ezekiel"s doctrine of the salvation of Israel, the salient factors are as follows: (1) The preeminent motive in their redemption is the glory of God ( Ezekiel 36:22; Ezekiel 36:32). (2) Israel will know ultimately that their God is the Lord ( Ezekiel 36:38). (3) There will be an abhorrence of their sins ( Ezekiel 36:31-32). (4) Forgiveness of their sins will be realized ( Ezekiel 36:25). (5) Regeneration will be effected ( Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 18:31; Ezekiel 36:26-27). (6) The gift of the Holy Spirit will be granted ( Ezekiel 36:27; Ezekiel 37:14). No prophet before him assigns the ministry of the Holy Spirit in regeneration such a precise place as Ezekiel does. (7) Included is obedience to God"s laws ( Ezekiel 36:27; Ezekiel 11:20)." [2]
By faith in Jesus Christ, Gentiles as well as Jews presently experience many of the same blessings that God promised here to bring to the entire nation of Israel in the future. But this should not lead us to conclude that these promises have no future fulfillment with Israel but are only fulfilled spiritually in the church. One writer pointed out that God added blessings to this covenant as He revealed it progressively through history before its ratification at the Cross. [3] Ezekiel added some revelation that Jeremiah did not give, for example.
"It should be clear that the realization of these promises did not come to fruition in the postexilic period, nor have they been fulfilled today. Israel as a nation is not regathered and has not experienced spiritual regeneration, and the land of Palestine is not characterized by the supernatural fecundity described in Ezekiel 36:22-38." [4]