37:15-17
The split between the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel (Israel and Judah) had occurred after the time of Solomon. We are all too familiar with splits in the church. The Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox are the primary divisions, with there being many sub-splits within these main groupings, especially within Protestantism. There were rights and wrongs in Israel and Judah (mostly wrongs!), as there are within denominations. However, God is a God of unity, and He would not be thwarted in His plan for one people. We should also remember Jesus’ words that He came to not to bring peace but division! This is no grounds for unity at any costs. God will work to bring unity in Christ. Earlier in Ezekiel we had had words about Judah being united with Israel in her sinfulness, even exceeding the sin of Israel! Now we read of them becoming one in God’s hand.
37:18,19
It seems odd that the people needed to ask Ezekiel what he meant by the demonstration, the meaning seemed fairly clear. But men who are divided can see reunion as being inconceivable. In Ezekiel’s case the people of Judah were in exile in Babylon, and the people of Israel had been scattered throughout the former Assyrian empire. So Ezekiel is to tell them that God is going to reunite the two nations.
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