Ezekiel 33 marks a transition in the book, as we move from oracles of judgement against Israel and then the nations, to oracles of restoration and renewal for God’s people. Throughout the remaining chapters of the book, there are many words of prophecy that speak of the Lord regenerating and restoring Israel to the land He promised to them (cf. Leviticus 26:1–13 and Deuteronomy 28:1–14, which anticipate blessings upon the land of Israel).

Two questions need to be asked: who constitutes the people of Israel in Ezekiel’s latter oracles? And when will this restoration take place? There are several referents that have been identified by various commentators over the years:

• Some see these prophecies as describing the imminent return of the exiles to the land, with the rebuilding of the city and temple by Zerubbabel and his fellow Jews after the Babylonian captivity. But, as L.E. Cooper remarks “… if this [theory] is true, then his [Ezekiel’s] hope was never realized. Nothing that took place after the return from Babylon matched the details of these predictions.’

• Others claim that these prophecies are fulfilled in the church age, as ‘Israel’ is ultimately symbolic of the whole people of God from every nation gathered together by faith in Christ Jesus. There is some justification for this approach, and it is worth noting that from the Early Fathers downwards this has been the prevailing view in the Christian Church. William Greenhill, a 17th century Congregational minister, concluded that ‘Ezekiel’s visions point us to a better hope, viz. the church of Christ under the gospel.’ To be clear, I personally do not ascribe to an eschatology that makes a sharp distinction between Israel and the church (ie; dispensationalism). Nevertheless, the language and scope of the oracles in Ezekiel take us beyond what we see in the church age.

• Thus, the third approach is to take these oracles as referring to the salvation of ethnic Israel (cf. Rom 11:26–27) before the end of the age. Whether this includes a so-called ‘Millennial Kingdom’, or is realised in the church age is debated. In my view, both are reasonable positions and do not significantly change how we read the book of Ezekiel. I appreciate the words of Peter Naylor, who writes in his commentary introduction:

“The prophecy of Ezekiel divides into three elements that concern themselves respectively with, firstly, Israel apostate and exiled; secondly, Israel restored, renewed, persecuted and ultimately vindicated; and, thirdly, Israel glorified and exultant. Because the prophet knew that Israel was uniquely the covenant nation of Yahweh, that Canaan had been granted to Israel as a perpetual homeland, that Yahweh would dwell among them for ever and that Yahweh’s commitment to David, his servant and their king, would endure, Ezekiel concerns himself with the destiny of a people who would outlast time itself”.

My views will obviously be expressed in how I preach and apply these latter chapters in Ezekiel. I certainly interpret much of the language less literally (and thus more symbolically) than many would like. While I believe these covenant promises from the Lord will be experienced by literal Israel, I do not see the ultimate application being substantially different for the Christian believer. Jesus Himself applied the promise of a new heart and spirit (given to the people of Israel in Ezekiel 36:24-28) to all who would be counted “children of God” (see John 1:12-13 and John 3:5-8). Ultimately, much of the blessing anticipated in Ezekiel is not realised until the advent of the New Heavens and Earth (Revelation 21), which includes all nations abundantly blessed together around the throne of the Lord.