Ezekiel 36:37-38
“Thus says the Lord GOD: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What’s striking here is God’s gracious invitation: He promises to increase Israel, but then says they must ask Him for it. This isn't about God needing their permission, but about preparing their hearts to actively seek and receive the very blessings He's already pledged, turning a promise into a partnership rooted in prayer.
After detailing a profound spiritual renewal—God promising to remove impurity, give a new heart, and pour out His Spirit—this passage shifts to how Israel will receive these blessings. God declares that He will be sought after by His people for this renewal and for the resulting physical restoration, specifically their multiplication like a flock, emphasizing that their prayers are now welcome and will be answered. This comes after a history where their sin had caused God to refuse to hear them, and it sets the stage for the vibrant, thriving nation God envisions.
You might think God's promises are just for Him to fulfill. But what if the promise itself is an invitation to you?
Ezekiel 36:37 opens with a powerful statement: 'Thus says the Lord GOD: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them.' This isn't just a passive promise of future blessing; it's an active invitation. God is saying, 'Even for these incredible things I'm about to do – your restoration, your cleansing, your new heart – I want you to ask me.'
Think about it: why would a sovereign God, who orchestrates all things, want us to ask?
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God promises His people will increase, but the image He uses is surprisingly specific and speaks volumes.
The verse concludes with God's promise: 'I will increase them with men like a flock.' This imagery is rich and deeply meaningful, especially in contrast to the potential scattering and diminishment Israel had faced.
What does 'like a flock' suggest?
Understand the original words
Adonay YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The sovereign Master; a title used for God emphasizing His authority and rightful ownership over all creation, frequently used in combination with YHWH.
Yisra'el · Hebrew Noun
The community of faith, descendants of the patriarch Jacob; God's chosen people with whom He established a covenant, though often prone to rebellion and subject to discipline.
zebach · Hebrew Noun
An animal set apart to be killed as an offering to God, primarily for atonement, thanksgiving, or fellowship; it prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.
mo'ed · Hebrew Noun
Set times or specific seasons appointed by God for His people to gather for worship, rest, and remembrance of His mighty works, such as the three annual pilgrim festivals.
This promise comes after the devastating destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. The exiles must understand that even in their brokenness, God desires them to pray and seek Him for future restoration and growth, not just for a return to their land, but for a spiritual renewal that will make them a 'holy flock'.
Late 8th - Early 7th century BC
Assyrian and Babylonian dominance
The kingdoms of Israel and Judah exist as vassal states under powerful empires, facing constant threats of war and deportation. This period of political instability and foreign oppression sets the stage for prophetic messages of judgment and future restoration.
605 BC
First deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports a portion of the Judean nobility, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile, a period of profound crisis for the Jewish people.
597 BC
Second deportation and exile of Ezekiel
Another wave of exiles, including the prophet Ezekiel himself, is sent to Babylon. Ezekiel's ministry takes place among these exiles, delivering messages of judgment for their disobedience and hope for a future restoration.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, scattering the remaining Judeans throughout the Babylonian empire. This catastrophic event represents the nadir of Israel's national and religious life.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus, overthrows the Babylonian empire. This shift in power opens the door for the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland.
538 BC onwards
Return from exile and rebuilding
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the Temple. This marks the beginning of the return and restoration period, though the nation faces many challenges.
This passage echoes Ezekiel's promise of increase, stating that the days are coming when the house of Israel and the house of Judah will be restocked with people and animals, fulfilling a long-held promise.
Hosea 1:10This prophetic word directly parallels the imagery of growth, calling Israel to be as numerous as the sand of the sea and the stars of the heavens, a stark contrast to their previous 'not my people' status.
Ezekiel 34:31This earlier chapter in Ezekiel also uses the 'flock' imagery, but here God declares His people are the flock, and He is their Shepherd, setting the stage for the promise of increase found in chapter 36.
Psalms 102:13-17This psalm expresses a prayer for Zion's restoration, directly linking the rebuilding of the city with God's people being multiplied and appearing in glory, much like the promise in Ezekiel.
Zechariah 12:10This prophecy speaks of a future outpouring of the Spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, leading to people looking upon the One they pierced and mourning, which is connected to a great increase and repentance among the people.
bensonEzekiel 36:37: "Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock."
Ezekiel 36:37-38 . I will yet be inquired of by the house of Israel — The house of Israel must, 1st, Pray for these blessings; for by prayer God is sought unto and inquired after. What is the matter of God’s promises, must be the matter of our prayers. By asking for the mercy promised, we give glory to the donor, express our value of…
clarkeEzekiel 36:37: "Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock."
Thus saith the Lord God - In answer to the question, "Who shall have such blessings?" we say, they that pray, that seek earnestly, that strive to enter in at the strait gate. "Thus saith the Lord, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel." Neither Jew nor Gentile shall be thus saved who do not earnestly pray to God;…
What’s striking here is God’s gracious invitation: He promises to increase Israel, but then says they must ask Him for it. This isn't about God needing their permission, but about preparing their hearts to actively seek and receive the very blessings He's already pledged, turning a promise into a partnership rooted in prayer.
After detailing a profound spiritual renewal—God promising to remove impurity, give a new heart, and pour out His Spirit—this passage shifts to how Israel will receive these blessings. God declares that He will be sought after by His people for this renewal and for the resulting physical restoration, specifically their multiplication like a flock, emphasizing that their prayers are now welcome and will be answered. This comes after a history where their sin had caused God to refuse to hear them, and it sets the stage for the vibrant, thriving nation God envisions.
After detailing a profound spiritual renewal—God promising to remove impurity, give a new heart, and pour out His Spirit—this passage shifts to how Israel will receive these blessings. God declares that He will be sought after by His people for this renewal and for the resulting physical restoration, specifically their multiplication like a flock, emphasizing that their prayers are now welcome and will be answered. This comes after a history where their sin had caused God to refuse to hear them, and it sets the stage for the vibrant, thriving nation God envisions.
"“Thus says the Lord GOD: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste citi…" — What’s striking here is God’s gracious invitation: He promises to increase Israel, but then says they must ask Him for it. This isn't about God needing their permission, but about preparing their h…
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