flowing with milk and honey... the glory of all lands,” than when they beheld “every high hill and every thick tree... they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering, there also they made their sweet savour, and they poured out there their drink offerings.”  Not contented with profaning their altars by impious ceremonies and offerings, they further bowed the knee to idols, thinking in their hearts, “We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.”  “As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I be King over you."*

     1 Ezek. xx.

However just the punishment, Bzekiel did not believe that it would last for ever.  The righteousness of God would not permit future generations to be held responsible for ever for the sins of generations past and present.  “What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?  As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion to use this proverb any more in Israel!  Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine; the soul that sinneth it shall die.  But if a man be just... he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.”  Israel, therefore, was master of his own destiny.  If he persisted in erring from the right way, the hour of salvation was still further removed from him; if he repented and observed the law, the Divine anger would be turned away.  “Therefore...  O house of Israel... cast away from you all your transgressions wherein ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?  For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth... wherefore turn yourselves and live.” 1 There were those who objected that it was too late to dream of regeneration and of hope in the future:  “Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.”  The prophet replied that the Lord had carried him in the spirit and set him down in the midst of a plain strewn with bones.  “So I prophesied... and as I prophesied there was a noise... and the bones came together, bone to his bone.  And I beheld, and lo, there were sinews upon them, and flesh came up and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.  Then said (the Lord) unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God:  Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.  So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.  Then He said unto me... these bones are the whole house of Israel....  Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, O my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel....  And I will put My Spirit in you and ye shall live, and I will place you in your own land; and ye shall know that I the Lord hath spoken it and performed it, saith the Lord.”