Charles Spurgeon Commentary Ezekiel 36:25-26

"And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 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 a heart of flesh." — Ezekiel 36:25-26 (ASV)

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 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.

Here is, first of all, full justification. From all your filthiness will I cleanse you. And next, regeneration: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. These are unconditional promises of that covenant which He has made with His redeemed in the person of Christ Jesus, their covenant head. See how majestically it is worded: I will and You shall.

There is not an if or a but all through it.

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 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 a heart of flesh.

Now notice that all this was spoken to persons who had no desire for these blessings. If they had had a desire for them, their hearts could not be considered stony; instead, they were set against God. They were his enemies. Yet He makes this solemn declaration in the sovereignty of his grace: that he will give them a new heart and a right spirit.

There may be some in this house tonight—and I pray there may be—who are strangers to the God of Israel, and who, if they know anything concerning his Son, know only enough to oppose him. May God's eternal omnipotence work in them mightily, that a new heart and a right spirit may be given them tonight, according to that ancient word, I am found of them that sought Me not. He can come and make them a people who were not a people.

Oh! that his grace would do so now.

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 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.

What grand language this is! How different it is from the stern commands of the law! The law says, "Make your hearts clean; put away the evil of your doings;" but the gospel covenant of grace says, "A new heart also will I give you, and I will cleanse you from all your iniquities."