Ezekiel 36:34-35
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This prophecy highlights a powerful contrast: the land, once a wasteland visible to everyone, will become a place of fruitful cultivation. It's not just about physical restoration, but a transformation so profound that it would be noticed and commented on by any observer, signaling a complete reversal of its former state.
And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
This promise of a restored land follows God's declaration that He will cleanse His people and give them a new heart, a transformation that makes them capable of living according to His ways. God is painting a picture of a future restoration where the land of Israel, which had been forsaken and lay in ruins, will be reoccupied and cultivated once more, becoming a vibrant testament to His faithfulness. This renewal of the land is intrinsically linked to the spiritual renewal of His people.
Imagine walking through a land that's been abandoned for years – cracked earth, overgrown ruins, a silent testament to loss. God promises more than just rebuilding this land; He promises its transformation.
A Land Given New Life
Ezekiel paints a vivid picture of God's restoration. The land isn't just going to be repaired; it's going to be actively tilled and made fruitful again. This wasn't just about a physical return from exile, but a divine act that would make the land, once an object of pity and scorn, a spectacle of God's power and goodness.
Think about it: instead of ruins, there would be cultivated fields. Instead of barrenness, there would be abundance. This reversal is a powerful sign of God's faithfulness, turning a place known for its desolation into a place known for its life.
The physical restoration of the land is a powerful symbol, but what does it mean for us today? God's work goes deeper, reaching into the very soil of our hearts.
Plowing and Sowing Grace
Some interpretations see this 'tilling' as a metaphor for God's work within people. When our lives feel barren or spiritually unproductive, God promises to 'plow up' the fallow ground of our hearts. This means He breaks up hardened attitudes, removes spiritual weeds, and prepares the soil to receive the seeds of His grace, truth, and righteousness.
This process isn't always comfortable. Plowing can be disruptive. But it's essential for new growth. God doesn't just leave us as we are; He actively cultivates us so that we can bring forth the fruit of good works and a transformed life.
Ask a follow-up
Ezekiel emphasizes that this transformation wouldn't be hidden. The land's renewal would be visible to everyone. What does this public aspect of God's work reveal?
A Witness to the World
The verse states the land was desolate 'in the sight of all who passed by.' This implies a global audience observing its ruin. God's promise is that the restoration will also be a public spectacle, but this time, a spectacle of His glory and power.
When God restores His people and His land, it's not just for their benefit; it's a testimony to the watching world. A transformed life, a renewed community, a fruitful nation – these become undeniable evidence of God's presence and His ability to bring life out of death. It silences the critics and draws others to acknowledge Him.
Understand the original words
shemamah · Hebrew Noun
A state of being laid waste, empty, or ruined. It often represents the visible consequence of divine judgment upon land or people due to persistent rebellion.
Eden · Hebrew Noun
The original paradise where God dwelt with humanity in perfect communion. In biblical prophecy, it serves as the archetype of future restoration, abundance, and the reversal of the curse.
Ezekiel's prophecy of a restored, fertile land speaks powerfully to a people witnessing the devastation of their homeland and the profound spiritual desolation of exile.
c. 597 BC
First Deportation of Judeans to Babylon
King Jehoiachin and thousands of Judean elites, including the prophet Ezekiel, are exiled to Babylon following a siege of Jerusalem.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, destroy Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple, leading to a second, larger deportation of Judeans. The land is left in ruins.
c. 585-570 BC
Ezekiel's Prophetic Ministry in Babylon
Ezekiel delivers his prophecies, including the vision of restoration in chapter 36, to the exiles in Babylon, offering hope amidst despair.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great overthrows the Neo-Babylonian Empire, paving the way for the return of exiled peoples.
538 BC
Cyrus' Decree Allowing Exiles to Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem.
c. 537 BC onwards
Return of Exiles and Temple Rebuilding
The first wave of exiles, led by Zerubbabel, returns to Judah and begins the arduous process of rebuilding the Temple and restoring the land.
This passage echoes Ezekiel's promise of restoration, describing a time when God will bring His people back to a land of abundance and joy, fulfilling the idea of a once-barren land flourishing again.
Isaiah 61:4This verse speaks directly to rebuilding desolate places and raising up former ruins, mirroring Ezekiel's prophecy of the land being tilled and no longer a wasteland.
Luke 15:7While about repentance, this parable highlights the immense joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, reflecting the spiritual dimension of Ezekiel's promise where a 'desolate' heart is made fruitful.
2 Corinthians 5:17This verse describes believers as new creations, a profound spiritual transformation that aligns with the idea of a barren spiritual landscape being made fertile and productive by God's work.
pooleEzekiel 36:34: "And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by."
No text from Poole on this verse.
gillEzekiel 36:34: "And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by."
And the desolate land shall be tilled,.... The land of Judea, which lay desolate during the captivity, and which now is under the dominion of the Turks, and in a ruinous state, shall be manured and cultivated, and become fruitful, as it formerly was: or the people of the Jews, who, in a spiritual sense, are like barren and uncultivated ground; these shall have the fallow ground of…
This prophecy highlights a powerful contrast: the land, once a wasteland visible to everyone, will become a place of fruitful cultivation. It's not just about physical restoration, but a transformation so profound that it would be noticed and commented on by any observer, signaling a complete reversal of its former state.
This promise of a restored land follows God's declaration that He will cleanse His people and give them a new heart, a transformation that makes them capable of living according to His ways. God is painting a picture of a future restoration where the land of Israel, which had been forsaken and lay in ruins, will be reoccupied and cultivated once more, becoming a vibrant testament to His faithfulness. This renewal of the land is intrinsically linked to the spiritual renewal of His people.
This promise of a restored land follows God's declaration that He will cleanse His people and give them a new heart, a transformation that makes them capable of living according to His ways. God is painting a picture of a future restoration where the land of Israel, which had been forsaken and lay in ruins, will be reoccupied and cultivated once more, becoming a vibrant testament to His faithfulness. This renewal of the land is intrinsically linked to the spiritual renewal of His people.
"And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate a…" — This prophecy highlights a powerful contrast: the land, once a wasteland visible to everyone, will become a place of fruitful cultivation. It's not just about physical restoration, but a transformati…
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Last reviewed October 2026
