Eze 11:17-20 | JFB | STEP

‏ Ezekiel 11:17-20

18. They have eschewed every vestige of idolatry ever since their return from Babylon. But still the Shekinah glory had departed, the ark was not restored, nor was the second temple strictly inhabited by God until He came who made it more glorious than the first temple (Hag 2:9); even then His stay was short, and ended in His being rejected; so that the full realization of the promise must still be future.

19. I will give them--lest they should claim to themselves the praise given them in Eze 11:18, God declares it is to be the free gift of His Spirit.

one heart--not singleness, that is, uprightness, but oneness of heart in all, unanimously seeking Him in contrast to their state at that time, when only single scattered individuals sought God (Jr 32:39; Zep 3:9) [Hengstenberg]. Or, "content with one God," not distracted with "the many detestable things" (Eze 11:18; 1Ki 18:21; Ho 10:2) [Calvin].

new spirit--(Psa 51:10; Jr 31:33). Realized fully in the "new creature" of the New Testament (2Co 5:17); having new motives, new rules, new aims.

stony heart--like "adamant" (Zec 7:12); the natural heart of every man.

heart of flesh--impressible to what is good, tender.

20. walk in my statutes--Regeneration shows itself by its fruits (Ga 5:22, 25).

they ... my people, ... I ... their God--(Eze 14:11; 36:28; 37:27; Jr 24:7). In its fullest sense still future (Zec 13:9).