The heart/identity of the Lord God toward His people Israel

Easton's Bible Dictionary - Heathen

Heathen [N] [B] [S](Heb. plural goyum). At first the word goyim denoted generally all the nations of the world. The Jews afterwards became a people distinguished in a marked manner from the other goyim. They were a separate people and the other nations, the Amorites, Hittites, etc., were the goyim, the heathen, with whom the Jews were forbidden to be associated in any way. The practice of idolatry was the characteristic of these nations, and hence the word came to designate idolaters as the wicked.

Ezekiel 36:1-7 [paraphrased] ‘(1) Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord: (2) Thus saith the Lord God; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession: (5) Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Surely in the fire of My jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all I-du-me-a,’ https://biblehub.com/topical/i/idumea.htm ‘which have appointed My land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey. (7) Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame’.

Ezekiel 36:8-15 [paraphrased] ‘(8) But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to My people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. (9) For, behold, I Am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown: (10) And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded: (11) And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I Am the Lord God. (12) Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even My people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men’.

Ezekiel 36:16-20 [paraphrased] ‘(17) Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before Me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. (18) Wherefore I poured My fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: (19) And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them’.

Ezekiel 36:21-24 ‘(21) But I had pity for Mine Holy Name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. (22) Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine Holy Name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. (23) And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I Am the Lord, saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. (24) For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land’.

Ezekiel 36:25-38 ‘(25) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. (26) 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. (27) And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them. (28) And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God. (29) I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. (30) And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. (31) Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loath yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for you abominations. (32) Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. (33) Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. (34) And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. (35) And they shall say, This land that was desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. (36) Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it. (37) Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. (38) As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feast; so shall the wast cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I Am the Lord’.