36. The heathen that are left. Ezekiel is describing conditions as they might have been. It was God’s plan that through the restoration of Israel a demonstration of the goodness and benevolence of the true God would be given to the world, so that all nations might be attracted to and be granted the opportunity of becoming a part of the new spiritual economy. Unfortunately, the Jews who returned after the Exile created an entirely opposite impression. Other nations, instead of being attracted, were led to blaspheme the God whom these recalcitrant people claimed to worship (see 31, 32).
Today the picture is somewhat altered. Instead of having an isolated nation on exhibition to demonstrate the advantages of His plan, God is calling upon individual Christians to make their lives so attractive that others will be led to seek the God whom these Christians worship.