Ezekiel 36 and Modern Israel

Ezekiel, the Old Testament book, came up in the usual rotation as I read through the Bible.

I read through from Genesis to Revelation in my regular Bible reading. When I finish Revelation 22, I turn to Genesis 1 the next time I sit down with the “Good Book.”

That year I read a Lutheran Study Bible. It’s in the English Standard Version and includes up to half a page of footnotes. I love the footnotes! I always read them because I want to understand the text.

Several years ago, I read Ezekiel 36, checked the notes, and thought, “this sounds exactly like what has happened in modern Israel. I wonder what’s been written about the changes?”

Since God knows my thoughts, He heard my musing.

Two important events happened in my life as a result of that question.

Looking for a commentary on Ezekiel 36

Of course, I googled the question.

For whatever reason, I selected the Enduring Word commentary from a long list of potential hits. I’ve attended Calvary Chapel in the past, so I clicked on a link to Santa Barbara Calvary Chapel’s teaching pastor David Guzik.

This was a revelation! I loved how he put the historic times and the Scriptures into context!

I practically wallowed–intellectually and spiritually–in Guzik’s insightful commentary.

Indeed, I’ve been reading his commentary ever since for my personal Bible reading!

(I can hardly wait to finish Revelation and return to Genesis 1. Between Guzik’s teaching and the Bible Project, Scripture looks far richer to me these days–if that is even possible after a lifetime of teaching the Bible.)

Doug Hershey and Ezekiel 36

But the Lord was not finished with my understanding.

Two days later, I listened to “The Eric Metaxas Show.” His guest that day was Doug Hershey who had just published a book called Israel Rising: The Land of Israel Reawakens.

It came out of Ezekiel 36.

Watch Hershey explain the book and show contrasting photos:

I immediately ordered a copy of Israel Rising and looked through it, enchanted.

My Bible study ladies took my copy home to share with their families. We were all awed by the comparison photos–Israel from the past against what the same landscape looks like today.

It’s stunning to see the change.

God has fulfilled His promise and it’s evident in the land.

Where did the photos come from?

Hershey explains all in his book, but I knew some of those photos were the work of the American Colony in Jerusalem.

Horatio and Anna Spafford founded the American Colony years after Horatio wrote the famous hymn, “It is Well with My Soul.”

You can read about their Jerusalem time in my blog post “Was it Really Well with the Spaffords’s Souls?“

The American Colony took many of the late 19th-century and early 20th-century photos of Jerusalem. Here’s one from Wikimedia Commons:

Here’s a similar photo from 2008, also via Wikimedia Commons:

Marvelous times

Truly, we live in marvelous times where Biblical promises and history turn up in astonishing ways.

My friend Dr. Latayne C. Scott wrote a book with archaeologist Dr. Steven Collins about Discovering the City of Sodom, for example.

“The Eric Metaxas Show” often interviews people about their Biblical discoveries.

It’s not just the heavens these days, but also the earth telling of the glories and fulfilled promises of God.

I’m thankful I live in a time and place where I can learn and read about them every single day.

To God be the glory!

(Note: I’m merely a fan without connections to the Lutheran Study Bible, “The Eric Metaxas Show,” Enduring Word Commentary, or even Doug Hershey’s ministry. I’m just grateful for their work.

(Here a link to the Doug Hershey audio podcast interview on Metaxas)

Tweetables

Thrilled to learn about Ezekiel 36 through modern teachers! Click to Tweet

Ezekiel 36 & Modern Israel–insight from many wise teachers. Click to Tweet

A contrast in photos: Ezekiel 36 & Israel in the 19th & 21st centuries. Click to Tweet