THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Therefore, declare, “Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from all nations and bring you together from the lands where you have been scattered, granting you the land of Israel. They will come and remove all that causes offense and every abomination from it. I will give them a unified heart and a new spirit within them. I will take away their heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh, so they may walk in My commandments, observe My statutes, and fulfill them. They will be My people, and I will be their God. However, those whose hearts are set on obstacles and abominations will face consequences, says the Lord God.
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The divine message is directed towards those who were captives in Babylon, including Ezekiel the prophet’s kin and those who resided in Jerusalem. They were told, "You have strayed from the Lord; we have been granted the land as an inheritance." The Lord continues: I will gather you from the nations and restore to you the land of Israel. Upon your return, I will destroy all the idols that provoke My anger, and I will instill in you one heart of reverence and service to God, ensuring that you do not serve various idols or possess any other heart than the one you once had. I will give you a new spirit in your innermost being, reflecting what is written: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
I will remove a heart of stone—symbolic of a hardened heart—as Stephen, the first martyr, mentioned: "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears" (Acts 7:51). Pharaoh's heart was hardened so that he refused to let the people of Israel go (Exodus 7). The Lord promises to impart a heart of flesh—soft and receptive—capable of understanding His commandments, which will be inscribed on the hearts of the faithful. A tender heart will be given, while a hard heart will be taken away, enabling them to follow My commands, observe My laws, and become a holy people to God, who, once opposed to them, will be their Lord.
Those who fail to cleanse their earlier sins through repentance, choosing instead to continue in their abominations, will face retribution, with their actions returning upon themselves. Many believe this prophecy was fulfilled during the period of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, son of Jehozadak, as well as during the eras of Ezra and Nehemiah, among the tribe of Judah and those who returned with them. The residents of Jerusalem included those taken captive under Zedekiah, king of Judah, or those who fled to Egypt with Jeremiah, resulting in their dispersion from the city. Yet, the total transformation of the captives and the remnant of Israel is realized in Christ, where on a single day, three thousand and later five thousand came to faith (Acts 2), and others bore witness to the number of believing Jews who remained zealous for the Law (Acts 21:20).
Still, the proud inhabitants of Jerusalem, whose hearts lead them to stumble and engage in abominations, deserve God's wrath. In contrast, those from outside, who once had hearts of stone but have now received soft, compassionate hearts, turn in repentance to the Church. They embrace the commandments of the Lord, adhere to His decrees, and become His people, with the Lord, whom they had once offended, now serving as their God.