God promises to restore Israel’s population and worship until all who see it recognize that He alone is LORD.
“Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
In this passage, the prophet Ezekiel paints a vivid picture of God’s promise to repopulate and bless the land of Israel. He declares that the deserted towns will be teeming with people, like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts—a reference to the immense numbers of animals once gathered in the holy city for worship (Ezekiel 36:38). These waste cities, left abandoned during times of judgment, will become bustling communities, signifying God’s complete restoration of His covenant people. This renewal is part of the larger context described in Ezekiel 36, where God promises to gather Israel back to their land and cleanse them, showing both His justice and His mercy.
By likening the returning people to ritual flocks, the verse connects physical restoration with spiritual renewal. In ancient Israel, flocks offered for sacrifice symbolized worship and devotion to God. The text so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD indicates that the people’s return in great numbers—akin to sacrificial animals brought during feast days—will testify to all nations who the true God is. It underscores God’s intent to display His faithfulness by raising up once-devastated places and filling them with life and worship.
God’s promise here also looks forward to the ultimate plan of peace and abundance in the land, offering insight that His discipline is temporary but His covenant love is enduring. He will remove the shame of exile for His people by granting them physical security and spiritual renewal, fulfilling His ancient pledges to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Such a transformation culminates in the people’s acknowledgment of the LORD’s sovereignty, forever remembering that it was His power and grace that revived their land and hearts.
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Ezekiel 36:38 meaning
“Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
In this passage, the prophet Ezekiel paints a vivid picture of God’s promise to repopulate and bless the land of Israel. He declares that the deserted towns will be teeming with people, like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts—a reference to the immense numbers of animals once gathered in the holy city for worship (Ezekiel 36:38). These waste cities, left abandoned during times of judgment, will become bustling communities, signifying God’s complete restoration of His covenant people. This renewal is part of the larger context described in Ezekiel 36, where God promises to gather Israel back to their land and cleanse them, showing both His justice and His mercy.
By likening the returning people to ritual flocks, the verse connects physical restoration with spiritual renewal. In ancient Israel, flocks offered for sacrifice symbolized worship and devotion to God. The text so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD indicates that the people’s return in great numbers—akin to sacrificial animals brought during feast days—will testify to all nations who the true God is. It underscores God’s intent to display His faithfulness by raising up once-devastated places and filling them with life and worship.
God’s promise here also looks forward to the ultimate plan of peace and abundance in the land, offering insight that His discipline is temporary but His covenant love is enduring. He will remove the shame of exile for His people by granting them physical security and spiritual renewal, fulfilling His ancient pledges to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Such a transformation culminates in the people’s acknowledgment of the LORD’s sovereignty, forever remembering that it was His power and grace that revived their land and hearts.