Ezekiel 36:8

But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. BUT YE, O MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL, YE SHALL SHOOT FORTH YOUR BRANCHES, AND YIELD YOUR FRUIT TO MY PEOPLE OF ISRAEL; FOR THEY ARE AT HAND TO COME - i:e., the Israelites are soon about to return to their land. This proves that the primary reference of the prophecy is to the return from Babylon, which was "at hand," or comparatively near. But this only in part fulfilled the prediction; the full and final blessing is future, and the restoration from Babylon was an earnest of it....

1-15 Those who put contempt and reproach on God's people, will have them turned on themselves. God promises favour to his Israel. We have no reason to complain, if the more unkind men are, the more kind God is. They shall come again to their own border. It was a type of the heavenly Canaan, of which all God's children are heirs, and into which they all shall be brought together. And when God returns in mercy to a people who return to him in duty, all their grievances will be set right. The full completion of this prophecy must be in some future event....

Verse Ezekiel 36:8. _FOR THEY ARE AT HAND TO COME._] The restoration of the Jews is so absolutely determined that you may rest assured it will take place; and be as confident relative to it, as if you saw the different families entering into the Israelitish borders. It was near at hand in God's determination, though there were about _fifty-eight_ of the _seventy_ years unelapsed....

THEY ARE AT HAND TO COME - i. e., under Zerubbabel....

EXPOSITION EZEKIEL 36:1 The present chapter is entirely devoted to the consolation of Israel, though its parts are derived from two separate "words" of Jehovah. Ezekiel 36:1 belong to the "word" which opened with the first verse of the preceding chapter; Ezekiel 36:16 begins another "word," which only closes at Ezekiel 37:14. The subject of the first part is the comfort offered to Israel in the destruction threatened against the heathen, and in the blessings promised to her land and people. Ezekiel

BUT YE, O MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL,.... Literally understood, as appears by what follows; for though they could not hear what was said, the proprietors of them could, now in captivity; and the efficacy of the word should be seen on them, producing the following effects: YE SHALL SHOOT FORTH YOUR BRANCHES; that is, the trees that grew upon them should; the vines, and the olive trees, planted on hills and mountains, as was usual, as appears from the mount of Olives, and other places: AND YIELD YOUR FRUIT TO MY PEOPLE OF ISRAEL; not only put forth branches, but bear fruit; and which should be given to the right owners, the people of Israel, and not to the Heathens, who had claimed the ancient mountains for their possession: FOR THEY ARE AT HAND TO COME; the Israelites; either by repentance, as Kimchi; or by a return from the Babylonish captivity, which was about forty or fifty years after thi...

Ezekiel 36:1. With this chapter the great prophetic utterances of Ezekiel begin concerning the future restoration and blessing of Israel. From here on to the end of the book, all is still unfulfilled, nor can it be fulfilled until the Lord Jesus Christ comes again and is enthroned as King. The first seven verses (Ezekiel 36:1)announce once more the future judgment of Israel's enemies. Then comes the promised return to the land Ezekiel 36:8. The mountains of Israel, barren so long, shall be inhabited again. Israel's past sins and chastisement are reviewed in Ezekiel 36:16, and then comes that great message of restoration and blessing th

THE RESTORATION AND RENEWAL OF ISRAEL'S LAND. This chapter is brilliant with hope and promise. First comes a fine apostrophe (Ezekiel 36:1), tremulous with emotion (_cf._ Ezekiel 36:4), to the mountain land of Israel (contrast ch. 6). Mocked and desolated as it had been by the enemy, and especially by Edom, Yahweh, whose own honour has been involved in these insults to His land, solemnly vows that the enemy shall be overtaken by the doom which they had brought upon Israel (Ezekiel 36:1). His favour, however, would restore Israel's mountain land, which, in the near future (Ezekiel 36:8) would be more fertile, prosperous, and populous

_at hand to come_ The presentiment of the prophet is that the restoration of the people and the age to which all these promises which he gives (ch. 33 37) belong is close at hand....

FOR THEY ARE AT HAND TO COME— _For these things are about to happen in a short time._ "The time of the deliverance of my people approacheth." There can be no doubt that, though this prophesy may have an immediate reference to the return of the Jews from Babylon; yet it has a farther reference to the general return of the Israelites, and to the universal reign of the Messiah. See Calmet....