A
Prophecy To The Mountains Of Israel
'Son
of man, Prophesy to the Mountains of Israel and say,
'O
Mountains of Israel hear the Word of the Lord.
2
THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:
The
Enemy said of you, 'Aha!
The
Ancient Heights have become our possession.'
3
Therefore Prophesy and say,
'THIS
IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:
Because
they ravaged and hounded you from every side
So
that you became the possession of the rest of the Nations
And
the object of people's malicious talk and slander,
4
Therefore, O Mountains of Israel,
HEAR
THE WORD OF THE SOVEREIGN LORD:
THIS
IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS
TO
THE MOUNTAINS AND HILLS,
To
the ravines and valleys,
To
the Desolate ruins and Deserted towns
That
have been Plundered and Ridiculed
By
the rest of the Nations around you--
5
THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:
IN
MY BURNING ZEAL
I
HAVE SPOKEN AGAINST THE REST OF THE NATIONS,
And
against all Edom,
For
with Glee and with Malice in their hearts
They
made My Land their own possession
So
that they might Plunder its pastureland.'
6
Therefore Prophesy concerning the Land of Israel
And
say to the Mountains and hills,
To
the ravines and valleys:
'THIS
IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD DAYS:
I
speak in My Jealous Wrath
Because
you have Suffered the Scorn of the Nations.
7
THEREFORE THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:
I
Swear with Uplifted Hand
THAT
THE NATIONS AROUND YOU WILL ALSO SUFFER SCORN.
8'
But you, O Mountains of Israel will produce branches
And
fruit for My people Israel,
FOR
THEY WILL SOON COME HOME.
9 I
am concerned for you
And
will look on you with Favor;
You
will Multiply the number of people upon you,
EVEN
THE WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.
THE
TOWNS WILL BE INHABITED AND THE RUINS REBUILT.
11
I WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MEN AND ANIMALS UPON YOU,
AND
THEY WILL BE FRUITFUL AND BECOME NUMEROUS.
I
WILL SETTLE PEOPLE ON YOU AS IN THE PASTURE LAND
AND WILL MAKE YOU
PROSPER MORE THAN BEFORE,
THEN
YOU WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.
12
I WILL CAUSE PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE ISRAEL, TO WALK UPON YOU.
THEY
WILL POSSESS YOU, AND YOU WILL BE THEIR INHERITANCE;
YOU
WILL NEVER AGAIN DEPRIVE THEM OF THEIR CHILDREN.
13
'THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:
Because
people say to you,
'Devour
men and Deprive your Nation of its children.'
14
Therefore you will no longer Devour men
Or
make your Nation childless, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15
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.'
16
Again the Word of the Lord came to me:
17
'Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land,
They
Defiled it by their Conduct and their Actions.
THEIR
CONDUCT WAS LIKE
A
WOMAN'S MONTHLY UNCLEANNESS IN MY SIGHT.
18
SO I POURED OUT MY WRATH ON THEM
BECAUSE
THEY HAD SHED BLOOD IN THE LAND
AND
BECAUSE THEY HAD DEFILED IT WITH THEIR IDOLS.
19
I DISPERSED THEM AMONG THE NATIONS,
AND
THEY WERE SCATTERED THROUGH THE COUNTRIES;
I
JUDGED THEM ACCORDING TO THEIR CONDUCT AND THEIR ACTIONS.
20
AND WHEREVER THEY WENT AMONG THE NATIONS
THEY
PROFANED MY HOLY NAME,
FOR
IT WAS SAID OF THEM,
'THESE
ARE THE LORD'S PEOPLE
AND
YET THEY HAD TO LEAVE HIS LAND.'
21
'I HAD CONCERN FOR MY HOLY NAME,
WHICH
THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL PROFANED AMONG THE NATIONS
WHERE
THEY HAD GONE.
22
Therefore say to the House of Israel,
'THIS
IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:
IT
IS NOT FOR YOUR SAKE, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL,
THAT
I AM GOING TO DO THESE THINGS,
BUT
FOR THE SAKE OF MY HOLY NAME,
WHICH
YOU HAVE PROFANED AMONG THE NATIONS
WHERE
YOU HAVE GONE.
23
I WILL SHOW THE HOLINESS OF MY GREAT NAME,
WHICH
HAS BEEN PROFANED AMONG THE NATIONS,
THE
NAME YOU HAVE PROFANED AMONG THEM.
THEN
THE NATIONS WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD,
DECLARES
THE SOVEREIGN LORD,
WHEN
I SHOW MYSELF HOLY THROUGH YOU BEFORE THEIR EYES.
24
FOR I WILL TAKE YOU OUT OF THE NATIONS;
I
WILL GATHER YOU FROM ALL THE COUNTRIES
AND
BRING YOU BACK INTO YOUR OWN LAND.
25
I WILL SPRINKLE CLEAN WATER ON YOU,
AND
YOU WILL BE CLEAN;
I
WILL CLEANSE YOU FROM ALL YOUR IMPURITIES
AND
FROM ALL YOUR IDOLS.
26
I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART
AND
PUT A NEW SPIRIT IN YOU;
I
WILL REMOVE FROM YOU YOUR HEART OF STONE
AND
GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH.
27
I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT IN YOU
AND
MOVE YOU TO FOLLOW MY DECREES
AND
BE CAREFUL TO KEEP MY LAWS.
28
You will live in the Land I gave your Forefathers;
You
will be My People, and I will be your God.
29
I WILL SAVE YOU FROM ALL YOUR UNCLEANNESS.
I
will call for the grain and make it plentiful
And
will not bring famine upon you.
30
I will increase the fruit of the trees
And
the crops of the field,
So
that you no longer Suffer Disgrace among the Nations
Because
of Famine.
31
THEN YOU WILL REMEMBER YOUR EVIL WAYS AND WICKED DEEDS,
AND YOU
WILL LOATHE YOURSELVES
FOR
YOUR SINS AND DETESTABLE PRACTICES.
32
I WANT YOU TO KNOW
THAT
I AM NOT DOING THIS FOR YOUR SAKE,
DECLARES
THE SOVEREIGN LORD.
BE
ASHAMED AND DISGRACED FOR YOUR CONDUCT,
O
HOUSE OF ISRAEL!
33
'THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:
ON
THE DAY I CLEANSE YOU FROM ALL YOUR SINS,
I
WILL RESETTLE YOUR TOWNS,
AND
THE RUINS WILL BE REBUILT.
34
The Desolate Land will be cultivated
Instead
of lying Desolate in the sight of all who pass through it.
35
THEY WILL SAY,
'THIS
LAND THAT WAS LAID WASTE
HAS
BECOME LIKE THE GARDEN OF EDEN;
THE
CITIES THAT WERE LYING IN RUINS,
DESOLATE
AND DESTROYED,
ARE
NOW FORTIFIED AND INHABITED.'
36
Then the Nations around you that remain
WILL
KNOW THAT I THE LORD HAVE REBUILT
WHAT
WAS DESTROYED AND HAVE REPLANTED WHAT WAS DESOLATE.
I
THE LORD HAVE SPOKEN, AND I WILL DO IT.'
37
'THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:
Once
again I will yield to the Plea of the House of Israel
And
do this for them:
I
WILL MAKE THEIR PEOPLE AS NUMEROUS AS SHEEP,
As
the flocks for offering at Jerusalem
During
her appointed Feasts.
So
will the Ruined Cities be filled with flocks of people.
THEN
THEY WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.'
(Ezekiel
36)
Who,
today, acknowledges the Sovereignty of God?
Who
understands what He has done for Israel;
That
He has taken her out of the Nations
And
returned her to the Land of her Forefathers?
Who,
today, stands in the Fear of the Sovereign Lord,
Who
has done Exactly
What
He Prophesied through the Prophet Ezekiel
And
more is yet to be Fulfilled.
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