12/31/18 A NEW HEART
A NEW HEART. God promised a NEW HEART to His people (Jews and Gentiles).
These two passages are Old Testament prophecies given to Israel. Israel had failed God and brought reproach to His Name, yet God was not finished with Israel. He would continue to bless and use them for His Own purposes, but this would require a new relationship, made possible by God giving them a NEW HEART.
As we read about God's plan to restore fallen men to Himself, we see that the restoration and renewal of Israel was the beginning of His salvation, but it would also include the nations, the Gentiles. The promises made to Israel in these two passages also have broader application in the New Testament, when God created His Church, and made believers His chosen vessels.
As with other prophecy, there is immediate and ultimate fulfillment. The immediate is applicable to Israel and the ultimate includes Israel and The Church.
TWO PASSAGES with a CLOSER LOOK
FIRST PASSAGE
Ezekiel 18:31-32
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
(New Spirit is in this passage, but I will address NEW SPIRIT later).
NEW HEART INSTEAD OF TRANSGRESSIONS
God promises a NEW HEART (a new or renewed inner man), to anyone who recognizes and turns from their transgressions (rebellion, disobedience) against God. We cannot hold to our transgressions and receive a NEW HEART at the same time.
MAKE OURSELVES A NEW HEART
While the miracle of a NEW HEART resides in God alone, He requires our willing response and cooperation. Even in the Old Testament God required the Israelites to Cast Away (renounce, repudiate, repent of) their sins. God also tells them to "make you a new heart..." Though it takes Divine action and power to make a NEW HEART, human response and cooperation are essential to the plan of God
NEW HEART OR DIE (be cast off from God)
God appealed to human reason by asking, "Why will you die?" Either cast away transgressions or be cast away because of your transgressions. Remember, God said, in another place, "Come now, let us reason together," and God described total commitment as "Reasonable (spiritual) service."
TURN OR BURN
We will either be separated from our sin or our sin will separate us from God (death is separation from God). The rational decision is to cast away our transgressions, rather than be cast away from God.
GOD'S WILL IS A NEW HEART
God has no pleasure in people being cast away, being separated, being dead in their sins and trespasses. God takes no pleasure in the lost being lost forever. It is not the will of God that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
GOD SAVES THOSE WHO TURN
God invites and requires the sinner to find, receive and live in His salvation. READ CAREFULLY
Isaiah 55:1-9
1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
SECOND PASSAGE
Ezekiel 36:23-28
23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
GOD DEMANDS DIGNITY
God declared Himself to be a jealous God, and God has commanded that His Name should not be profaned or shamed. Israel claimed all of the benefits and honors of God, but they had not lived in a way that was worthy of His Name. Still, God had a plan for them.
GOD'S PROVISION
God called them back to a living and loving relationship. God promised His presence and power to them. God was going to glorify Himself through His people.
God promised to establish His people in their own land and lift them up before the heathen. God promised to wash His people with clean water, cleansing them from all their filthiness, from all their idols. God promised to take away their cold, hard, dead heart of stone and promised to give them a heart of flesh, a tender heart, a living heart.
God promised that His Spirit would enter their heart, and cause them to walk in God statutes, following His leading and doing His will.
God promised to make them His people and to be their God.
Though I could give corresponding verses in the New Testament, I will just give one passage. God gives to New Testament believers a NEW HEART and establishes us in this NEW RELATIONSHIP.
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
