Judgement, Pride, Restoration
Text Ezekiel 26-28 Time 03/06/07 Place Childs Hill Baptist ChurchWe are looking at the prophecy of Ezekiel and we've come to the section where Ezekiel turns from prophesying to the people of God to prophesying to the nations around. We looked the other week at Ezekiel 25 where there is a series of short prophecies to the nations immediately to the east, south and west of the Promised Land – the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites and Philistines.
Next Ezekiel turns north, to the land we now know as The Lebanon, to the Phoenicians, and prophesies chiefly against the City of Tyre but also against Sidon. Now, when we hear the words 'Tyre and Sidon' we may well think of Jesus's words in the Gospels (in Matthew 11:20-22)
Next Ezekiel turns north, to the land we now know as The Lebanon, to the Phoenicians, and prophesies chiefly against the City of Tyre but also against Sidon. Now, when we hear the words 'Tyre and Sidon' we may well think of Jesus's words in the Gospels (in Matthew 11:20-22)
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgement than for you.
Now these prophecies against Tyre and Sidon are full of woe and fury and so it is sobering to consider what Jesus says. In God's providence these people did not get the opportunities that some in later generations have had. If they had, says Jesus, they would have repented straight away.
And what about us? Jesus has not come and done miracles in our streets but he is preached here Sunday by Sunday and there have been many, many instances of his power over the years. And have we repented from our sins? Have we turned from what displeases him? We have no excuse for not doing so. Turn from your sins and trust in Jesus Christ today. That is the lesson of these chapters.
Tyre and Sidon were city states whose wealth was built on trade. I suppose they were a little like the tiger economies of the far east today – not classic empires like America, China or Russia but powerful economically and very wealthy. We will say more as we go along. What I want us to do this morning is to consider all three chapters here (missing out 28:1-19 which we'll look at another time). It's a lot to cover still but I don't want us to be unnecessarily long over these chapters and get bogged down. So
1. Consider Tyre the rock and these words of condemnation from the Lord
Tyre and Sidon were city states whose wealth was built on trade. I suppose they were a little like the tiger economies of the far east today – not classic empires like America, China or Russia but powerful economically and very wealthy. We will say more as we go along. What I want us to do this morning is to consider all three chapters here (missing out 28:1-19 which we'll look at another time). It's a lot to cover still but I don't want us to be unnecessarily long over these chapters and get bogged down. So
1. Consider Tyre the rock and these words of condemnation from the Lord
You will notice that initially the pattern is the same as in Ezekiel 25 and so we can make some similar points
1. Remember who is speaking here
1. Remember who is speaking here
These are the words of God himself. 26:1 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me. We are reminded of this at several points in these 3 chapters. This is what the Sovereign LORD says occurs several times. For example in 26:14 I the LORD have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD. When a famous or important person stands to speak everyone listens – how much more if it is God himself! These are not the words of a man but of God himself so we must listen very carefully indeed.
2. Ponder your sins and some of the ways in which you have offended GodTyre we learn is guilty of the same sin as the other nations. She (26:2) said of Jerusalem, Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper. Gloating over the sufferings of God's people is a great sin and it will be judged.
Are you guilty? Or are you guilty of other sins such as lying or stealing or sexual sin? Again I say to you, repent and trust in Christ now while there's time – Tyre and Sidon would have if they had your opportunity.
3. Recall the coming judgement on all who sinThe judgement here reminds us of the coming judgement on all the nations. I am against you, O Tyre, says God. He is against all who oppose him.
Tyre was built on the edge of the Mediterranean, partly on the mainland and partly on an island just off the coast joined to the mainland by a causeway built by Hiram I, father of the Hiram who helped Solomon build the Temple. The Hebrews used to refer to Tyre simply as 'Rock'. It is this picture that is used to spell out Tyre's doom. 26:3-6 I will bring many nations against you, like the sea casting up its waves. They will destroy the walls of Tyre and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. Out in the sea she will become a place to spread fishnets, ... She will become plunder for the nations, and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword.The judgement is spelled out in 26:7-14 – God is going to bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon against them with horses and chariots, with horsemen and a great army. He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; Ezekiel describes how he'll set up siege works and build ramps and use shields and battering rams against them and demolish towers. His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the war horses, wagons and chariots when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. The hoofs of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground. They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea. I will put an end to your noisy songs, and the music of your harps will be heard no more. I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt. 19-21 When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths over you and its vast waters cover you, then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place in the land of the living. I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more. You will be sought, but you will never again be found.A similar judgement awaits all who rebel against the Lord. I urge you to consider the reality of it. And so I urge you once again to repent and turn to Christ.
4. Consider God's great aim for you and me – that we may know that he is the LORDOnce again at the end of 26:6 we have that Then they will know that I am the LORD. It's spelled out particularly in the prophecy against Sidon (28:21-23). Ezekiel is to set his face against Sidon and say in God's name I am against you, O Sidon, and I will gain glory within you. They will know that I am the LORD, when I inflict punishment on her and show myself holy within her. I will send a plague upon her and make blood flow in her streets. The slain will fall within her, with the sword against her on every side. Then they will know that I am the LORD. The punishment of Sidon is described as God 'gaining glory for himself', 'showing himself holy within her' and enabling them to 'know that he is the LORD'. Very interestingly the same sort of language is used at the very end of this section (28:24-26) but this time in a very positive way.
As we've said before we will all one day know that God is the LORD. Every knee will bow before him, every tongue confess him. It is only a question of time. Are you going to do it now freely or are you going to wait until that final day – when you will have no choice?
2. Consider Tyre the majestic galleon and man's pride and where it leads
2. Ponder your sins and some of the ways in which you have offended GodTyre we learn is guilty of the same sin as the other nations. She (26:2) said of Jerusalem, Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper. Gloating over the sufferings of God's people is a great sin and it will be judged.
Are you guilty? Or are you guilty of other sins such as lying or stealing or sexual sin? Again I say to you, repent and trust in Christ now while there's time – Tyre and Sidon would have if they had your opportunity.
3. Recall the coming judgement on all who sinThe judgement here reminds us of the coming judgement on all the nations. I am against you, O Tyre, says God. He is against all who oppose him.
Tyre was built on the edge of the Mediterranean, partly on the mainland and partly on an island just off the coast joined to the mainland by a causeway built by Hiram I, father of the Hiram who helped Solomon build the Temple. The Hebrews used to refer to Tyre simply as 'Rock'. It is this picture that is used to spell out Tyre's doom. 26:3-6 I will bring many nations against you, like the sea casting up its waves. They will destroy the walls of Tyre and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. Out in the sea she will become a place to spread fishnets, ... She will become plunder for the nations, and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword.The judgement is spelled out in 26:7-14 – God is going to bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon against them with horses and chariots, with horsemen and a great army. He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; Ezekiel describes how he'll set up siege works and build ramps and use shields and battering rams against them and demolish towers. His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the war horses, wagons and chariots when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. The hoofs of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground. They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea. I will put an end to your noisy songs, and the music of your harps will be heard no more. I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt. 19-21 When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths over you and its vast waters cover you, then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place in the land of the living. I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more. You will be sought, but you will never again be found.A similar judgement awaits all who rebel against the Lord. I urge you to consider the reality of it. And so I urge you once again to repent and turn to Christ.
4. Consider God's great aim for you and me – that we may know that he is the LORDOnce again at the end of 26:6 we have that Then they will know that I am the LORD. It's spelled out particularly in the prophecy against Sidon (28:21-23). Ezekiel is to set his face against Sidon and say in God's name I am against you, O Sidon, and I will gain glory within you. They will know that I am the LORD, when I inflict punishment on her and show myself holy within her. I will send a plague upon her and make blood flow in her streets. The slain will fall within her, with the sword against her on every side. Then they will know that I am the LORD. The punishment of Sidon is described as God 'gaining glory for himself', 'showing himself holy within her' and enabling them to 'know that he is the LORD'. Very interestingly the same sort of language is used at the very end of this section (28:24-26) but this time in a very positive way.
As we've said before we will all one day know that God is the LORD. Every knee will bow before him, every tongue confess him. It is only a question of time. Are you going to do it now freely or are you going to wait until that final day – when you will have no choice?
2. Consider Tyre the majestic galleon and man's pride and where it leads
One is used to reading caricatures of the Bible's message. Again and again people describe what they think it says and you wonder if they've ever read it. The sort of caricature we often get is that the Bible is always trying to make us feel guilty. It just goes on about how bad we all are and doesn't seem to be able to get beyond that.
Now as one who's read the Bible many times let me assure you that is not the case. In fact the Bible is scrupulously fair in the way it describes the situation. It does not say – the world is bad and can't be enjoyed and nothing good can be said about it. Rather it recognises the world's achievements and its attraction to men. However, it does warn against glorying in these things and against pride, which is rebellion against God and which will be judged in the end.
In Chapter 27 then Ezekiel spends a lot of time building up a picture for us of the greatness of Tyre - its beauty, wealth, luxuriousness, its vast network of trading partners. Tyre, situated at the gateway to the sea was a merchant of peoples on many coasts. Again a figure is used – this time that of a ship, of a majestic galleon sailing the high seas.
1. Have you got something to be proud of?Like nations and other groupings today Tyre claimed to be perfect in beauty. This grew out of their success on the high seas which provided the wealth to make the city look so beautiful. In 27:5-11 it is described under this figure of a ship
They made all your timbers of pine trees from Senir (Mt Hermon); they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you. Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; of cypress wood from the coasts of Cyprus they made your deck, inlaid with ivory. Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail and served as your banner; your awnings were of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah (in Cyprus) Men of Sidon and Arvad (Phoenician cities) were your oarsmen; your skilled men, O Tyre, were aboard as your seamen. Veteran craftsmen of Gebal (Byblos – another Phoenician city) were on board as shipwrights to caulk your seams. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came alongside to trade for your wares. Men of Persia, Lydia and Put (today Iran, Turkey, Lybia) served as soldiers in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls, bringing you splendour. Men of Arvad and Helech (in Cilicia) manned your walls on every side; men of Gammad (we don't know where that was) were in your towers. They hung their shields around your walls; they brought your beauty to perfection.We then have a catalogue in 27:12-25 of the various peoples Tyre traded with and what they traded. There is quite a penchant for lists these days. You could all make lists. Wembley, Old Trafford, St James' Park, Anfield, Villa Park, Stamford Bridge, Goodison Park, Elland Road, Hillsborough, White Hart Lane, etc. That means something to some of you. What about zester, baking sheet, saute pan, salad spinner, oven thermometer, food processor, etc? Or Parker, Waterman, Pilot, Rotring, Pentel, Zebra, Staedtler, Berol, Sheaffer? This list here may not mean much to us but you can be sure it meant a lot to those who were in the know.
They traded with Tarshish (Sardinia or Spain), Greece, Tubal and Meshech (Turkey), Beth Togarmah (Armenia), Rhodes, Aram (Syria), Judah, Israel, Damascus and Dedan, Kedar, Sheba and Raamah in Arabia, etc. Among the items traded were everything from ivory tusks to ebony. There were metals – gold, silver, iron, tin, lead, articles of bronze, wrought iron. Precious stones including turquoise, coral and rubies. Livestock including work horses, war horses and mules and lambs, rams and goats. Food stuffs such as wheat, wine, confections, honey, oil. There were all kinds of spices and balm and cassia and calamus. There was purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen, wool, saddle blankets and beautiful garments, blue fabric, embroidered work and multicoloured rugs with cords twisted and tightly knotted. And there were also slaves - human cargo. This is how it was and we need to get hold of it and see how lucrative, how attractive, how huge it was.
And there are similar countries and organisations today for whom you could make a similar listing. Think of the trading nations – Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, China, the USA, the UK and think of the vast number of goods being traded by these nations and beyond – metals, precious stones, petro-chemicals, cereals, fruits, clothing, electronic goods, etc, etc. And it is very easy for those involved in such things to be proud of their achievements.
Now as one who's read the Bible many times let me assure you that is not the case. In fact the Bible is scrupulously fair in the way it describes the situation. It does not say – the world is bad and can't be enjoyed and nothing good can be said about it. Rather it recognises the world's achievements and its attraction to men. However, it does warn against glorying in these things and against pride, which is rebellion against God and which will be judged in the end.
In Chapter 27 then Ezekiel spends a lot of time building up a picture for us of the greatness of Tyre - its beauty, wealth, luxuriousness, its vast network of trading partners. Tyre, situated at the gateway to the sea was a merchant of peoples on many coasts. Again a figure is used – this time that of a ship, of a majestic galleon sailing the high seas.
1. Have you got something to be proud of?Like nations and other groupings today Tyre claimed to be perfect in beauty. This grew out of their success on the high seas which provided the wealth to make the city look so beautiful. In 27:5-11 it is described under this figure of a ship
They made all your timbers of pine trees from Senir (Mt Hermon); they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you. Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; of cypress wood from the coasts of Cyprus they made your deck, inlaid with ivory. Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail and served as your banner; your awnings were of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah (in Cyprus) Men of Sidon and Arvad (Phoenician cities) were your oarsmen; your skilled men, O Tyre, were aboard as your seamen. Veteran craftsmen of Gebal (Byblos – another Phoenician city) were on board as shipwrights to caulk your seams. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came alongside to trade for your wares. Men of Persia, Lydia and Put (today Iran, Turkey, Lybia) served as soldiers in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls, bringing you splendour. Men of Arvad and Helech (in Cilicia) manned your walls on every side; men of Gammad (we don't know where that was) were in your towers. They hung their shields around your walls; they brought your beauty to perfection.We then have a catalogue in 27:12-25 of the various peoples Tyre traded with and what they traded. There is quite a penchant for lists these days. You could all make lists. Wembley, Old Trafford, St James' Park, Anfield, Villa Park, Stamford Bridge, Goodison Park, Elland Road, Hillsborough, White Hart Lane, etc. That means something to some of you. What about zester, baking sheet, saute pan, salad spinner, oven thermometer, food processor, etc? Or Parker, Waterman, Pilot, Rotring, Pentel, Zebra, Staedtler, Berol, Sheaffer? This list here may not mean much to us but you can be sure it meant a lot to those who were in the know.
They traded with Tarshish (Sardinia or Spain), Greece, Tubal and Meshech (Turkey), Beth Togarmah (Armenia), Rhodes, Aram (Syria), Judah, Israel, Damascus and Dedan, Kedar, Sheba and Raamah in Arabia, etc. Among the items traded were everything from ivory tusks to ebony. There were metals – gold, silver, iron, tin, lead, articles of bronze, wrought iron. Precious stones including turquoise, coral and rubies. Livestock including work horses, war horses and mules and lambs, rams and goats. Food stuffs such as wheat, wine, confections, honey, oil. There were all kinds of spices and balm and cassia and calamus. There was purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen, wool, saddle blankets and beautiful garments, blue fabric, embroidered work and multicoloured rugs with cords twisted and tightly knotted. And there were also slaves - human cargo. This is how it was and we need to get hold of it and see how lucrative, how attractive, how huge it was.
And there are similar countries and organisations today for whom you could make a similar listing. Think of the trading nations – Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, China, the USA, the UK and think of the vast number of goods being traded by these nations and beyond – metals, precious stones, petro-chemicals, cereals, fruits, clothing, electronic goods, etc, etc. And it is very easy for those involved in such things to be proud of their achievements.
Do you get a certain pride when you list off certain things – your wide circle of friends, your many achievements, your favourite entertainers or sportsmen? Then beware. Remember what happened to Tyre and Sidon.
2. Be ready for the judgementTyre's magnificent achievements are not denied. They are not ignored. What they achieved was great. But where did they go wrong? They forget about God and about his judgement. 26, 27 Your oarsmen take you out to the high seas. But the east wind will break you to pieces in the heart of the sea. Your wealth, merchandise and wares, your mariners, seamen and shipwrights, your merchants and all your soldiers, and everyone else on board will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your shipwreck. My great grandfather was a barber. One day as a boy my father was in his granfer's shop and he saw a magazine article about The Titanic. He asked granfer about it. Granfer said he had thought of going as a barber on the ship and explained what happened to it. It wasn't the first ship to go down and not the last.
2. Be ready for the judgementTyre's magnificent achievements are not denied. They are not ignored. What they achieved was great. But where did they go wrong? They forget about God and about his judgement. 26, 27 Your oarsmen take you out to the high seas. But the east wind will break you to pieces in the heart of the sea. Your wealth, merchandise and wares, your mariners, seamen and shipwrights, your merchants and all your soldiers, and everyone else on board will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your shipwreck. My great grandfather was a barber. One day as a boy my father was in his granfer's shop and he saw a magazine article about The Titanic. He asked granfer about it. Granfer said he had thought of going as a barber on the ship and explained what happened to it. It wasn't the first ship to go down and not the last.
Can't you see it coming? You're so proud of this wonderful ship, this magnificent galleon as it sails the high seas but do you not see that while we live just for ourselves it cannot last? There must be a judgement and one day, if you do not turn to the Lord today, your magnificent ship with everyone on board will sink to the bottom of the ocean.
3. See how people react to judgement and considerIn 27:28-36 we get the reaction of the nations around to the fall of Tyre. We had something similar in 26:15-18 Will not the coastlands tremble at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan and the slaughter takes place in you? Then all the princes of the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and take off their embroidered garments. Clothed with terror, they will sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled at you. They will take up a lament we read How you are destroyed, O city of renown, peopled by men of the sea! You were a power on the seas, you and your citizens; you put your terror on all who lived there. Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall; the islands in the sea are terrified at your collapse.Here we read The shorelands will quake when your seamen cry out. All who handle the oars will abandon their ships; the mariners and all the seamen will stand on the shore. They will raise their voice and cry bitterly over you; they will sprinkle dust on their heads and roll in ashes. There will be signs of mourning – shaved heads, sackcloth, weeping over them with anguish of soul and with bitter mourning. Then we have another lament Who was ever silenced like Tyre, surrounded by the sea? When your merchandise went out on the seas, you satisfied many nations; with your great wealth and your wares you enriched the kings of the earth. Now you are shattered by the sea in the depths of the waters; your wares and all your company have gone down with you. All who live in the coastlands are appalled at you; their kings shudder with horror and their faces are distorted with fear. The merchants among the nations hiss at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.Sometimes we can see things better when we see it through the eyes of others. Let me ask you, what will they say about you after the Day of Judgement? Will they as it were sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled at you when they see what God has done. Will they be appalled and shudder with horror? Will you come to a horrible end too?
3. Consider the promise of restoration to Israel and find comfort in that
3. See how people react to judgement and considerIn 27:28-36 we get the reaction of the nations around to the fall of Tyre. We had something similar in 26:15-18 Will not the coastlands tremble at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan and the slaughter takes place in you? Then all the princes of the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and take off their embroidered garments. Clothed with terror, they will sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled at you. They will take up a lament we read How you are destroyed, O city of renown, peopled by men of the sea! You were a power on the seas, you and your citizens; you put your terror on all who lived there. Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall; the islands in the sea are terrified at your collapse.Here we read The shorelands will quake when your seamen cry out. All who handle the oars will abandon their ships; the mariners and all the seamen will stand on the shore. They will raise their voice and cry bitterly over you; they will sprinkle dust on their heads and roll in ashes. There will be signs of mourning – shaved heads, sackcloth, weeping over them with anguish of soul and with bitter mourning. Then we have another lament Who was ever silenced like Tyre, surrounded by the sea? When your merchandise went out on the seas, you satisfied many nations; with your great wealth and your wares you enriched the kings of the earth. Now you are shattered by the sea in the depths of the waters; your wares and all your company have gone down with you. All who live in the coastlands are appalled at you; their kings shudder with horror and their faces are distorted with fear. The merchants among the nations hiss at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.Sometimes we can see things better when we see it through the eyes of others. Let me ask you, what will they say about you after the Day of Judgement? Will they as it were sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled at you when they see what God has done. Will they be appalled and shudder with horror? Will you come to a horrible end too?
3. Consider the promise of restoration to Israel and find comfort in that
So it's all judgement again without much comfort but I want to close by drawing your attention to what we read in 28:24-26.
The glorious future for the people of God is expressed in three ways. Again we have Then they will know that I am the Sovereign LORD (twice) and also I will show myself holy among them in the sight of the nations. At the same time that God brings his judgement on the nations he will also bless his people. Here we are told of how God would not only defeat their enemies but also bring his people back from exile. This prophecy was fulfilled some 70 years after Ezekiel's time. It also points forward to the coming judgement and the delivery of God's people at that time.
1. (24) No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbours who are painful briers and sharp thorns. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.
The glorious future for the people of God is expressed in three ways. Again we have Then they will know that I am the Sovereign LORD (twice) and also I will show myself holy among them in the sight of the nations. At the same time that God brings his judgement on the nations he will also bless his people. Here we are told of how God would not only defeat their enemies but also bring his people back from exile. This prophecy was fulfilled some 70 years after Ezekiel's time. It also points forward to the coming judgement and the delivery of God's people at that time.
1. (24) No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbours who are painful briers and sharp thorns. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.
A day is coming, believer, when the painful briers and sharp thorns of Satan, the world and indwelling sin will be no more. Then we will know as we've never known before that God is the Sovereign LORD.
2. (25a) When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will show myself holy among them in the sight of the nations.
2. (25a) When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will show myself holy among them in the sight of the nations.
Even now God is gathering a people to himself from all over the world, a holy people, his very own. One by one they are gathered to heaven and soon they will all be there in the glory. Keep that day in mind.
3. (25b, 26) Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbours who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.
3. (25b, 26) Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbours who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.
What is in mind here is the coming return to the promised Land in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah but it looks beyond that – not to some earthly fulfilment but to the coming age when God's people will inhabit the new heavens and the new earth in safety and contentment. Are you looking to that day?
