John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 20:42

"And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I sware to give unto your fathers." — Ezekiel 20:42 (ASV)

For the sake of frightening them, he threatened that he would be conspicuous to the reprobate, saying, you shall know that I am Jehovah—meaning that he would be their judge. Therefore, he was known to the reprobate by proofs of his anger or wrath. But now another kind of knowledge is indicated, namely, that which brings a sweet taste of paternal love: you shall know, says he, that I am Jehovah your God, when I shall have brought you in again.

Here he shows his full and complete benefit to the faithful, which, as we saw before, was withheld from the reprobate. For they were brought back because all, without exception, were permitted to return to their country. At that time, the yoke of an oppressive tyranny was broken when they were freed from the dominion of the Chaldeans, and the king of the Medes had permitted them to build the temple and to live in the land of Canaan.

All were set at liberty, as I have said. However, that was the only favor conferred upon the wicked, since they all perished in the desert of the Gentiles. But God’s elect were led by the hand to the land of Israel, and there they truly possessed the promised inheritance, as they lived there as sons and lawful heirs.

The hypocrites returned, as I have said, but they never possessed the land by right of inheritance, for they wandered here and there in the desert; and although they resided at home, they were always wandering exiles. We see, then, that a special privilege is intended when it is said, I will be known by you, when I shall have brought you back from the nations and the lands through which you were dispersed, into the land concerning which I swore that I would give it to your fathers.

Here a mark is inscribed, so that the faithful may know that this promise was not common to all. For merely living in the land of Canaan was not, in itself, a matter of great importance; but here a value is expressed in that they should arrive at that land as God’s heirs and succeed their sacred fathers, to whom the inheritance was promised.

As God swore that he would give the land to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, this should not be restricted to them personally, as we very well know; and yet they were its true heirs and lords, as their tombs bear witness.

They suffered hardship by constantly changing their settlements and were never at rest in one residence. During life they were strangers, but their tomb was a proof of true and lawful dominion. In this way, they transmitted the hope of the promised inheritance to their posterity.

Now, therefore, we see the Prophet's intention here when he says that the land was promised to their fathers: that its value might lead the faithful to consider the greatness of the benefit.