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diff --git a/old/36857.txt b/old/36857.txt deleted file mode 100644 index bf762a0..0000000 --- a/old/36857.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,11862 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Prophet Ezekiel, by Arno C. Gaebelein - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Prophet Ezekiel - An Analytical Exposition - -Author: Arno C. Gaebelein - -Release Date: July 26, 2011 [EBook #36857] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PROPHET EZEKIEL *** - - - - -Produced by Julia Neufeld, Júlio Reis and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - -Transcriber's Note: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and -bold text by =equal signs=. - - - - - THE PROPHET EZEKIEL - - AN ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION - - By ARNO C. GAEBELEIN - - Author of Commentaries on Daniel, Joel, Zechariah, - Matthew, Acts, Revelation, etc., - Editor of "Our Hope." - - [Illustration: Logo] - - NEW YORK CHICAGO TORONTO - FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY - LONDON AND EDINBURGH - - - - - Copyright 1918 - BY A. C. GAEBELEIN. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - Introduction by JAMES M. GRAY 3 - - The Prophet Ezekiel 5 - - Analysis of the Book 11 - - Predictions Before the Fall of Jerusalem 15 - - Predictions After the Fall of Jerusalem 215 - - Map of Ground Plan of the Temple 269 - - Map of The Division of the Land 338 - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -I know of no expounder of Holy Scripture on this side of the Atlantic in -the same class as Mr. Gaebelein. His work on the Old Testament prophets -especially is unique. To understand and expound them not for scholars -but for the people, calls for a combination of gifts bestowed upon very -few. - -Such a teacher must believe in the inerrancy of the autographs of -Scripture. He must interpret it literally except where it clearly -indicates to the contrary. He must apprehend the dispensational scope of -its teaching. He must know and rely upon the Holy Spirit as the revealer -of the truth whose record He has inspired. He must have a working -knowledge of the Hebrew text and be able to pass intelligently on -questions of Biblical Criticism. He must be familiar with the writings -of others who have preceded him. He must be a platform man in constant -communication with the people whom he would instruct. He must be no -dreamer, but wide-awake to current events and capable of looking upon -and dealing with them in a practical way. He must use simple terms and -express himself in plain speech. - -Mr. Gaebelein meets all these demands, for which we who reap the -benefits give God the praise. - -Circumstances have prevented my reading all the chapters of this present -volume on Ezekiel, and hence I do not undertake to endorse every detail -of interpretation it contains, but a general acquaintance with the -author's point of view as expressed in his volumes on Daniel, Joel, -Zechariah, Matthew and Revelation leads me to commend it strongly. - -Pastors, evangelists, Bible teachers and Christians generally who would -be counted among the wise who understand, need such helps as this as an -antidote to the false teaching flooding the church today, and to enable -them to stand up against the wiles of Satan on every hand. Familiarity -with the revelation of God in the Old Testament is simply indispensable -to the Christian witness in this twentieth century, and to the soldiers -of Christ in this crucial hour of spiritual combat. - - JAMES M. GRAY - - The Moody Bible Institute, - Chicago, Ill. - - - - -The Prophet Ezekiel. - - - - -INTRODUCTION. - - -From the opening verses of the Book, which bears the name of the prophet -Ezekiel, we learn that he was the son of Buzi the priest, and belonged -consequently to the much honored Zadok family. That he knew the nobility -of Jerusalem well and was intimate with them may be indirectly learned -from the eleventh chapter. Rabbinical tradition identifies Buzi (which -means "contempt") with Jeremiah and makes him a son of that prophet. -There is, however, no positive evidence for this. Eleven years before -the complete ruin of the city and the temple was effected by the King of -Babylon, Ezekiel was carried away into the captivity. This deportation -is recorded in 2 Kings xxiv:14. "And he carried away all Jerusalem, and -all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand -captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths, none remained save the -poorest sort of the people of the land." Before Ezekiel with the princes -and the mighty men were taken into captivity, others had been removed to -Babylon, notably Daniel and his three companions. This was in -fulfillment of Isaiah xxxiv:6-7. Ezekiel must have known Daniel -personally. His name is found three times in this book (chapters xiv:14, -20; xxviii:3). - -Ezekiel was not a youth, as generally supposed, when he was deported to -Babylon, for the matured character of a priest which appears in his -writings and his full and intimate acquaintance with the temple service, -render such a supposition highly improbable. Jewish tradition declares -that he exercised already the prophetic office before he was carried -away. The much disputed phrase "in the thirtieth year" (chapter i:1) we -hope to examine more closely in our exposition. - -The name Ezekiel means "strengthened by God." It has been stated by some -that this is not the original name of the prophet, but his official -title, which he adopted on account of his ministry among the people. -Very interesting on this controverted point is the statement of a -rabbinical comment. The declaration is made that the prophets of God -received their significant names, so closely linked with and expressive -of the character of their messages, from above and not according to the -will of their earthly parents. God called them to their work and had -them named accordingly before they ever entered upon their offices as -prophets. We believe this may be correct, especially in view of Jeremiah -i:5. - -The place where we find Ezekiel is the river Chebar. This river is now -known by the name _Kabour_. It emptied into the Euphrates north of -Babylon and was also called _Nar-Kabari_, the great canal. Here -Nebuchadnezzar had started a colony of captives. In chapter iii:15, the -name of the place is given, it was at Tel-abib. In this settlement the -prophet seems to have lived. Two passages in the book tell us that he -had his own house (iii:24; viii:1). We also know that he was married -(xxiv:16-18). The death of his wife is the only event he mentions of his -personal history and that would probably have not been recorded if it -were not connected with his prophetic office. The prophecies he uttered -among the captives are carefully dated. The first date is found in -chapter i:1-2. He began his prophetic office on the fifth day of the -fourth month (Tammuz) in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity. -The latest date is recorded in chapter xxix:17. Here we have the -twenty-seventh year, so that the prophecies of Ezekiel cover a period of -about twenty-two years. - -Ezekiel's great prophetic ministry is closely connected with that of -Jeremiah. When Ezekiel had his first great vision on the banks of the -river Chebar, Jeremiah had already been a prophet for thirty-five -years. Only a few years more remained for this great man of God. That -Ezekiel must have been acquainted with Jeremiah and his messages of -warning and exhortation is more than likely. Yet it is strange there is -not a single reference to Jeremiah in the entire book of Ezekiel. It is -strange in view of the fact that the messages of these two men have so -much in common. Critics make the assertion that Ezekiel as a prophet was -moulded by the teaching of Jeremiah. Kuenen claims that Ezekiel must -have been for many years the close student of Jeremiah's writings. -Before Ezekiel proceeded to write his own prophecies, his mind, it is -claimed, had become so saturated with the ideas and language of Jeremiah -that every part of his book betrays the influence of his predecessor. -This view would make Ezekiel an enthusiastic admirer and copyist of -Jeremiah. But in the book of Ezekiel the phrases "Thus saith the Lord -God"--"The Word of the Lord came unto me"--occur over and over again. -The words he spoke, the mighty messages he delivered, were not produced -by the influence of Jeremiah nor by his example, but by the Spirit of -God. Other critics have even done greater dishonor to this chosen -instrument of the Lord and to the Word he preached. We quote from _The -New Century Bible_: "It would appear that there runs through all the -prophet's activities, at least in the earlier period, a strain of mental -abnormality--perhaps of actual malady. By some writers this has been -supposed to be a form of catalepsy. Probably Ezekiel was no more a -cataleptic than Paul; with equal probability he was what would now be -called a 'psychical subject,' and as such liable to trances--and perhaps -a clairvoyant." Such are the ridiculous things invented by men, who -claim scholarship, and whose aim is to deny the supernatural origin of -the words and the visions of the prophets of God. - -The fact is that Jeremiah and Ezekiel were called by Jehovah to specific -ministries. In their character and natural temperament they differed -greatly. Jeremiah assuming, as a very young man, his prophetic office -during the reign of Josiah, was called to deliver the messages of the -awful judgments which were to come upon Jerusalem and he had to witness -these in their execution. He was an extremely kind, gentle and -tender-hearted man. Jeremiah is the prophet of a dying nation; the agony -of Judah's prolonged death struggle is reproduced with ten-fold -intensity in the inward conflict which rends the heart of the prophet. -Ezekiel was of a different temperament. The deep soul exercise we find -so often in Jeremiah, his tender, loving sympathies are almost entirely -absent in Ezekiel. He lacked the emotional character of Jeremiah. He was -a man of great energy and vigor; he was stern and had a deep sense of -his human responsibility. Both prophets uncover the corrupt conditions -of Judah and condemn them. The condemnations in Ezekiel are far more -severe than those of Jeremiah. The style of Ezekiel is also different -from that employed by his contemporary. - -"The whole of his writings show how admirably he was fitted, as well by -natural disposition as by spiritual endowment, to oppose the 'rebellious -house,' the 'people of stubborn front and hard heart,' to whom he was -sent. The figurative representations which abound throughout his -writings, whether drawn out into lengthened allegory, or expressing -matters of fact by means of symbols, or clothing truths in the garb of -enigma, all testify by their definiteness the vigor of his conceptions. -Things seen in vision are described with all the minuteness of detail -and sharpness of outline which belong to real existence. But this -characteristic is shown most remarkably in the entire subordination of -his whole life to the great work to which he was called."[1] - -[1] F. W. Gotch. - -In all this he differs from Jeremiah; and more so in the greater and -more complete visions concerning the future. - -There is an evident connection between the communication which Jeremiah -sent from Jerusalem unto the captives in Babylon and the beginning of -Ezekiel's ministry. The letter of Jeremiah is found in chapter xxix of -the Book of Jeremiah. It is an interesting document. It seems to have -been occasioned by a number of false prophets who had appeared among the -captives, and who encouraged the rebellious and disobedient spirit which -prevailed among the exiles. They prophesied falsely, led the people away -and awakened the delusive hope of an early return from the captivity. -While Jeremiah continued to minister to the feeble few and the poor, who -were left behind, Ezekiel was engaged among the captives and contended -against these false prophets and against the false hopes of the people -who gave no evidences of repentance. Inasmuch as Jerusalem had not yet -been completely destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, the captives, who had -listened to the false prophets, expected a speedy return to their own -land. To dispel this false hope Jeremiah had sent them the message, "For -thus saith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon -I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to -return to this place" (Jere. xxix:10). Ezekiel then labored also to -dispel this false hope preached by the prophets, whom the Lord had not -sent. By his stern and solemn words, by divinely commanded actions and -symbols, he had to deliver the message that there was no hope for -Jerusalem. When the catastrophe came at last his ministry changed. He -comforts the disappointed and heartbroken people and delivers his great -restoration messages. - -This great prophet had to do certain divinely commanded things in the -presence of the people who were living in deception after having -listened to the false prophets. - -In chapter iii:24-26 he had to shut himself up, bind himself and then he -was made dumb. - -Then he was commanded to lie upon his right side and upon his left for -430 days (chapter iv:4-8). - -In chapter iv:9 he had to eat unclean bread. Then he had to shave his -head and beard (chapter v:1); to carry a captive's baggage (chapter -xxii:3-7); when his wife died he was not to mourn (chapter xxiv:15-20); -and again he lost his speech (chapter xxiv:27). The key to all this is -found in chapter xxiv:24. - -The visions of glory Ezekiel had belong to some of the greatest recorded -in the Word of God. Much in the beginning of the book reminds of the -last book of the Bible, the Revelation. We mention a few passages to be -compared: Ezekiel i with Rev. iv and v. Ezekiel iii:3 with Rev. x:10. -Ezekiel viii:3 with Rev. xiii:14, 15. Ezekiel ix with Rev. vii. Ezekiel -x with Rev. viii:1-5. The critics declare upon this striking -correspondency that "much of the imagery of Revelation is borrowed from -Ezekiel." - - - - -THE ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK. - - -A careful reading of the Book of Ezekiel shows, in the first place, that -the Prophet received messages and saw visions before the final -destruction of Jerusalem, and after that catastrophe had taken place in -fulfillment of his inspired predictions he received other prophecies. -The predictions preceding the fall of Jerusalem are the predictions of -the judgment to fall upon the city and upon Gentile nations, the enemies -of Israel. The predictions Ezekiel received after the city had been -destroyed are the predictions of blessing and glory for Israel and -Jerusalem in the future. The first part of the book has found a -fulfillment in the destruction of the city by Nebuchadnezzar. The second -part is awaiting its fulfillment at the close of the times of the -Gentiles, when Israel will be regathered, restored and the glory of the -Lord returns to another temple, which Ezekiel beheld in a magnificent -vision. All will be accomplished when the Lord returns to dwell in the -midst of His people, so that the name of the city will be -"Jehovah-Shammah"--"the Lord is there" (chapter xlviii:35). These two -main divisions are clearly marked in the book itself. In chapter -xxxiii:21, after the Prophet had received a renewed call as watchman. We -read: "And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the -tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped -out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten." This -determines the two parts. - -=Part I. Predictions before the Destruction of Jerusalem.= (Chapters -i-xxxii.) - -=Part II. Predictions after the Destruction of Jerusalem.= (Chapters -xxxiii-xlviii). - -To show the perfect and orderly arrangement of the whole Book of Ezekiel -we shall give a complete analysis. - -=Part I. Predictions before the Destruction of Jerusalem. Chapters -i-xxxii.= - -=Section A. Judgment Predictions concerning Jerusalem. Chapters i-xxiv.= - -_1. The Vision of the Glory of the Lord and the Call of the Prophet_ -(i-iii:14). - -_2. The Judgment announced. Four signs and their meaning. The two -messages. ("The Word of the Lord came unto me," chapters vi and vii; -chapters iii:15-vii:27)._ - -_3. Visions in relation to Jerusalem (chapters viii-xi)._ - - a. The vision of abomination in the Temple. Chapter viii. - - b. The vision of the man clothed in linen with the inkhorn. Chapter - ix. - - c. The vision of the coals of fire. Chapter x. - - d. The vision concerning the leaders. The Glory departs. Chapter - xi. - -_4. Signs, Messages and Parables (chapters xii-xix)._ - - a. Signs given through the Prophet. Chapter xii:1-20. - - b. The Message concerning a speedy judgment. Chapter xii:21-28. - - c. The Message against false prophets and prophetesses. Chapter - xiii. - - d. The Message against the idolatrous elders. Chapter xiv. - - e. The Parable of the Vine given to the fire. Chapter xv. - - f. The Parable of abandoned child and Jerusalem's harlotry. - Chapter xvi. - - g. The Parable and Riddle of the two eagles and the vine. Chapter - xvii. - - h. The Message concerning the righteous judgments of God. Chapter - xviii. - - i. The Lamentations for the Princes of Israel. Chapter xix. - -_5. Further and Final Predictions concerning the Judgment of Jerusalem -(chapter xx-xxiv)._ - - a. Jehovah rehearses His mercies bestowed upon Israel. Chapter xx. - - b. The impending Judgment announced. Chapter xxi. - - c. Jerusalem's sins and whoredoms. Chapter xxii-xxiii. - - d. The Parable of the boiling pot. The last word. Chapter xxiv. - -=Section B. Predictions of Judgments against the Nations. Chapters -xxv-xxxii.= - -_1. Against Ammon, Moab, Edom and the Philistines (chapter xxv)._ - -_2. Against Tyrus and Zidon (chapters xxvi-xxviii)._ - -_3. Against Egypt (chapters xxix-xxxii)._ - - -=Part II. Predictions after the Destruction of Jerusalem. Chapters -xxxiii-xlviii.= - -=Section A. The Watchman and the Shepherds. Chapters xxxiii-xxxiv.= - -_1. The renewed call of Ezekiel as Watchman (chapter xxxiii:1-20)._ - -_2. Ezekiel's mouth opened after Jerusalem's fall (chapter -xxxiii:21-33)._ - -_3. Message against the Shepherds of Israel (chapter xxxiv:1-19)._ - -_4. The true Shepherd and Restoration promised (chapter xxxiv:20-26)._ - -=Section B. Judgment announced against Mount Seir and Israel's final -Restoration promised. Chapters xxxv-xxxvi.= - -_1. The Message against Seir and Idumea (chapter xxxv)._ - -_2. The Message of Comfort for Israel (chapter xxxvi)._ - -=Section C. The Future Blessings of Israel. The Nation regathered. Their -enemies overthrown. The Millennial Temple. Chapters xxxvii-xlviii.= - -_1. The Vision of the Dry Bones. Judah and Israel reunited (chapter -xxxvii)._ - -_2. The last enemies Gog and Magog and their destruction (chapters -xxxviii-xxxix)._ - -_3. The Millennial Temple and its Worship (chapter xl-xlvii:12)._ - -_4. The Division of the Land (chapter xlvii:13-xlviii)._ - -To this Analysis of the entire Book of Ezekiel we add a brief table, -giving the different dates mentioned in the Book. - - Year of - the Captivity - Month Day of Jehoiakin Chapter - ------+-----+-------------+-------------------- - 4 5 5 Chapt. i-vii - 6 5 6 " viii-xix - 5 10 7 " xx-xxiii - 10 10 9 " xxiv-xxv - 10 12 10 " xxix-xxx - 11 1 11 " xxvi-xxviii - 1 7 11 " xxx - 3 1 11 " xxxi - 10 5 12 " xxxiii - 12 1 12 " xxxii:1-16 - 12 15 12 " xxxii:17-32 - 1 10 25 " xl-xlviii - 1 1 27 " xxix:17-21 - - - - -I. PREDICTIONS BEFORE THE FALL OF JERUSALEM - -Chapter I-xxxii. - - -THE VISION OF THE GLORY OF JEHOVAH AND THE CALL OF THE PROPHET. - -Chapter I-iii:14. - - -I. The Introduction. - - Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in - the fifth of the month, as I was among the captives by the river - Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. In the - fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's - captivity, The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the - priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river - Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him. - -The book of Ezekiel starts with the description of a great vision, which -the prophet had among the captives of the river Chebar. The first word -"now," which really means "and," connects the book with Jeremiah, as -Joshua is connected in the same way with Deuteronomy. The two statements -"I was" and "I saw" in the first verse make it clear that Ezekiel is the -author of this book. The third verse has been marked by the critics as -an addition by some person, who edited the book later. There is no -evidence for that. In describing his own person and descent, he no -longer uses the personal pronoun. When he describes the vision itself, -giving his experience, he resumes the "I"--"I looked." The "thirtieth -year" has often been taken as the age of Ezekiel and upon this a -parallel has been drawn between Ezekiel and our Lord. As Ezekiel was -thirty years old and saw heaven open at the banks of a river, so, it is -taught, the Lord Jesus was thirty years of age, when He saw heaven open -at His baptism in Jordan (Matt. iii:16; Luke iii:21). There is nothing -in the text to warrant this application. The thirtieth year must be -reckoned according to the Babylonian era, beginning with Nabopolassar, -father of Nebuchadnezzar, who became King of Babylon 625 B. C. This was -the date when Hilkiah found the book of the law in the eighteenth year -of King Josiah. This was the thirtieth year before the fifth year of the -captivity. - -Four things are mentioned by Ezekiel in the introduction of his book. 1. -The Heavens were opened. 2. He saw visions of God. 3. The Word of the -Lord came upon him. 4. The hand of the Lord was upon him. The opened -heavens are not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament. Ezekiel, the -priest, is the only prophet of whom it is said that he saw the heavens -opened. Four times this phrase is found in the New Testament. In Matthew -iii:16 heaven was opened at the Baptism of our Lord. In John i:51 the -Lord speaks of the heavens opened and the manifestation of angels, which -is still future and refers to His Coming in power and glory. In -Revelations iv:1 a door was opened in heaven and John heard the words -"Come up hither"; it is symbolical of the time, when the true church is -taken into the presence of the Lord. The last time opened heavens are -mentioned is in Revelations xix:11. It will be when our Lord comes as -King of kings and Lord of lords. - -The opened heavens brought for Ezekiel visions of God and the Word of -the Jehovah. Not visions of Jehovah and the Word of God. He saw the -visions of God in His governmental dealings with Israel, but the -commission to him is the commission of Jehovah, the name which denotes -the closer covenant relationship with His people. The vision of opened -heavens in the New Testament sense was not given to Ezekiel. New -Testament believers behold heaven opened and have a vision. In the -language of the Scriptures, "We see Jesus, who was made a little lower -than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and -honor, that He by the grace of God should taste death of every man" -(Heb. ii:9). Our vision in the opened heavens is the glorified Son of -Man, in whom we are saved and seated in the Heavenlies, in Whom we are -accepted and Whose glory we shall share. And when the Word of Jehovah -came to him, calling the priest to the prophetic office, the hand of the -Lord came also upon him. Opened heavens, visions, direct call and -enablement by the power of God. Such is still the order for God's -servants. And after the great vision is passed, the seer is upon his -face (verse 28). Then Jehovah lifts him up and the Spirit entered into -him (ii:2). - -The phrase "the hand of the Lord was upon him" or "came upon me" is -found exactly seven times in the Book of Ezekiel i:3; iii:14 and 22; -viii:1; xxxiii:22; xxxvii:1 and xl:1. - - -II. The Vision of Glory. - - And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a - great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about - it, and out of the midst thereof as the look of glowing brass out of - the midst of the fire. Also out of the midst thereof came the - likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; - they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and - every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the - sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they - sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. And they had the hands - of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had - their faces and their wings. Their wings were joined one to another; - they turned not when they went; they went every one straight - forward. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face - of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four - had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face - of an eagle. And their faces and their wings were parted above; two - wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their - bodies. And they went every one straight forward: whither the - spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went. As for - the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like - burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: it went up - and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and - out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures ran - and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. - - And I looked at the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the - earth by the living creatures, toward their four faces. The - appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of - a chrysolite: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance - and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When - they went, they went upon their four sides: they turned not when - they went. As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and their - rims were full of eyes round about them four. And when the living - creatures went, the wheels went beside them: and when the living - creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. - Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither would their - spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for - the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. When those - went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those - were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over - against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the - wheels. And there was the likeness of an expanse upon the heads of - the living creature as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched - forth over their heads above. And under the expanse their wings - straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered - on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side - their bodies. And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, - like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, a - tumultous voice, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let - down their wings. And there was a voice from the firmament that was - over their heads, when they stood, they let down their wings. - - And above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of - a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the - likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man - above upon it. And I saw as the look of glowing brass, as the - appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his - loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even - downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had - brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the - cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness - round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of - the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a - voice of one that spake. - -Ezekiel describes the vision of God which he saw. It is one of the -greatest visions of the Bible. To explain all in this vision is beyond -any expositor. Much has been written on it which is extremely fanciful -and ridiculous. The vision is mentioned repeatedly in the book. In the -tenth chapter we meet it again. In chapter xi:22-23 the prophet beholds -the cherubim and the wheels and the glory of the Lord God above them. -The glory of Jehovah is seen departing from Jerusalem by way of the -mountain which is on the east side of the city (the Mount of Olives). -The last time this great vision is mentioned is in chapter xliii. "And -behold, the Glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East; -and His voice was like the voice of many waters; and the earth was lit -up with His glory. And the appearance of the vision that I saw was -according to the vision that I had seen when I came to destroy the city; -and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar, and -I fell upon my face" (verses 2-4). We learn therefore that the vision -Ezekiel had was the vision of the glory of Jehovah. This much is clear. -The first chapter confirms this, for at the end of the vision the -statement is made: "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory -of Jehovah" (i:28). That it meant judgment upon the unfaithful city is -learned from the tenth chapter, where one is commanded to take coals of -fire from between the cherubim and to scatter them over the city -(compare this with Rev. viii:5). Then the Glory of Jehovah, Ezekiel had -seen, departed from the city. It left Jerusalem and the land by the East -(chapter xi:22-23). Ultimately that glory will return and cover the land -once more (chapter xliii:2-4). - -The vision was seen coming from the North. This is generally applied to -mean the threatened judgment against Judea from Babylon. A storm cloud -of divine indignation was about to burst on Judea out of the North, that -is, from Babylon. However, another meaning is more than likely, inasmuch -as Babylon was not directly north of Jerusalem. In Psalm lxxv:6 we read: -"For promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from -the South." It is from the North, that is from above, that promotion, or -help comes. In Isaiah xiv:13 the North is also given as the place of the -throne of God. From out of the opened heavens from above, this great -vision was sweeping before the eyes of the priest-prophet. The -whirlwind, the cloud and the fire Ezekiel beholds first of all are -symbols of the divine glory and often mentioned in connection with His -manifestation. The Lord repeatedly appeared in a cloud. He led His -people by a pillar of cloud and of fire. Sinai was enveloped in a thick -cloud and Jehovah descended upon it in fire. David in describing a -theophany mentions the wind, clouds and fire (Ps. xviii:8-13). Read also -Habakkuk's great vision (Hab. iii). The whirlwind symbolizes Jehovah's -indignation. Jeremiah had announced the coming judgment under the figure -of the wind (Jere. iv:12-13). All Ezekiel saw as he looked up indicated -the presence of the God of Israel and His glory, ready to deal in -judgment with His unfaithful people. - -Then the vision unfolds itself. First the living creatures are seen. The -tenth chapter calls them by the name of cherubim. They are the same -beings as described in Revelation iv:6-9. The cherubim are not -symbolical figures but real beings, for they are called "living -creatures." They are not angels but belong to another class. Four -cherubim Ezekiel beheld with faces of the lion, the ox, the eagle and -the face of man. Their position is beneath the Throne. But while they -had these four faces (representing God's creation) they had the likeness -of a man. - -The likeness of a man as mentioned in Ezekiel's vision is significant. -First, the cherubim had "the likeness of a man" (verse 5). Then the -hands of a man were seen under their wings (verse 8). When Ezekiel -beheld the throne itself, the throne of God, he saw upon the throne "the -likeness as the appearance of a man." And this man upon the throne was -enshrouded in glory, with the rainbow about him. "And I saw as the color -of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the -appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his -loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had -brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the -cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round -about" (verse 27-28). That all this anticipates the Lord Jesus Christ, -and His exaltation upon the throne, government and judgment being given -into His hands, who is the glorified Man, cannot be questioned. The -application of the faces of the cherubim to the fourfold character of -our Lord as King, Servant, Man and Son of God is well known. However, -judgment in the government of God is in Ezekiel's vision the leading -reason of the prominence of these celestial beings. They occupy the same -position in the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. When the -Lamb opens the first four seals, one of the cherubim speaks. These seals -are judgments. In Rev. xv:7 one of these living creatures hands to the -seven judgment angels the seven vials in which the wrath of God is -completed. "And one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven -angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth forever -and ever." In this solemn capacity they appear in Ezekiel's vision as -the attendants of Jehovah's chariot and Jehovah's throne, which Ezekiel -beholds above the expanse above their heads. All indicates that this is -the right interpretation. For instance, verse 13. There we read of coals -of fire, as they appeared; lamps, or as it ought to be rendered, flaming -torches, and out of the bright fire came forth lightning. These are all -symbols of judgment. "And the living creatures ran and returned as the -appearance of a flash of lightning" (verse 14). It denotes the swiftness -of the threatened judgment. - -And then the wheels and their work, the wheels in which there was the -spirit of these beings, their rims (not rings) full of eyes, the orderly -movements of these wheels under the direction of the spirit, is seen in -this vision. Much has been made of this. The most ridiculous -interpretation was made several years ago when some teacher declared -that Ezekiel had the vision of an--airship! The wheels are the wheels of -the chariot upon which rests the throne of God. They are representing -the purposes of God in His inerrant governmental dealings with the -earth. God controls it all and His Spirit directs every movement. - -"Intelligence, strength, stability, and swiftness in judgment, and, -withal, the movement of the whole course of earthly events, depended on -the throne. This living energy animated the whole. The cherubic -supporters of the throne, full of eyes themselves, moved by it; the -wheels of God's government moved by the same spirit, and went straight -forward. All was subservient to the will and purpose of Him who sat on -the throne judging right. Majesty, government and providence united to -form the throne of His glory. But all the instruments of His glory were -below the firmament; He whom they glorified was above.[2]" - -[2] Synopsis J. N. D. - -That "the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain" is mentioned in -connection with the Throne itself and mentioned last in the vision has -a blessed meaning. It reminds us of Genesis ix:13-16. "I do set My bow -in the cloud and it shall be for a token of my covenant between Me and -the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the -earth that the bow shall be seen in the cloud.... And the bow shall be -in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the -everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh -that is upon the earth." The judgment by water was past, and upon the -dark storm-cloud, which had retreated, the beautiful bow, the sign of -God's mercy, appeared. God always remembers mercy in His wrath. Israel's -hour of judgment had come, but the bow about the throne promised mercy -to His people according to "His everlasting covenant." Judgment-vision -and predictions of judgment stand first in Ezekiel's prophecy; mercy, -restoration and glory are revealed after the storm-cloud has passed. -Thus Ezekiel beheld the Glory of Jehovah as He himself was commissioned -by the Word of Jehovah to make it known to the people. - - -Chapter ii-iii:14. - -I. Ezekiel's Commission. - - And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will - speak unto thee. And the Spirit entered into me when he spake unto - me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. - And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of - Israel, to rebellious nations which have rebelled against me: they - and their fathers have transgressed against me, unto this very day. - For they are impudent and hard hearted. I do send thee unto them; - and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith The Lord Jehovah. And they, - whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear (for they are a - rebellious house), yet shall know that there hath been a prophet - among them. - - And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of - their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost - dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be - dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou - shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear or whether - they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of - man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that - rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee (chapter - ii:1-8). - -The great vision left Ezekiel prostrate upon his face. He was affected -by it in the same way as Daniel and others were. Then the voice spoke. -It was not one of the Cherubim whose voice the Prophet heard. The -Cherubim speak in the book of Revelation; in Ezekiel they are silent. It -was Jehovah Himself, who in the vision appeared in the likeness of a -man, and addressed Ezekiel. Jehovah addressed him as "Son of Man." This -title is found exactly one hundred times in the book. Only Daniel, -besides Ezekiel, is called by that name in the Old Testament (Dan. -viii:17). Our Lord called Himself by that title. Eighty-six times we -find Him using this title of Himself, as the rejected One. In Suffering, -in Exaltation, in Glory and in His Second Coming He is the the Son of -Man. Ezekiel passed through much suffering. As we shall find in our -exposition he had to bear in his person symbolically what was to come -upon the nation. Suffering and shame was connected with it which he -endured and despised. He must have, therefore, been called by the title -"Son of Man," because he is a type of the rejected Messiah, who took -Israel's sin and shame upon Himself. - -The voice commanded that the Prophet was to stand upon his feet, and He, -who spoke the word supplied the power to do it. "And the Spirit entered -into me _when He spoke unto me_." Thus the Spirit and the Word are -intimately connected. After the Spirit had entered into him the Prophet -distinguished the words which Jehovah spoke, "and I heard Him that spake -unto me." Hearing and knowing the Word is made possible by the Spirit. - -Then Ezekiel received his commission. A comparison with Isaiah's and -Jeremiah's commission shows them to be like Ezekiel's. Isaiah had a -great vision. He too saw the Lord of Glory and the Seraphim, which -differ from the Cherubim, crying their three-fold "Holy." Then follows -the effect upon him, and the commission. "And He said, Go, and tell this -people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed and -perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears -heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and -understand with their heart, and be converted and healed" (Isaiah -vi:1-11). He was chosen to pronounce hardening judgments upon the -nation. Jeremiah had no vision at all; but he also was chosen to declare -unto God's people their wicked ways and the impending judgments -(Jeremiah i). And so Ezekiel. He is sent by Jehovah to the children of -Israel, to a rebellious nation. The word used here in Hebrew for nation -is the same, which has been translated "heathen." It is "gojim"; -indicating that the children of Israel had sunken as low as the heathen, -who surrounded them. It is noteworthy that the word "rebellious" and -"rebelled" is found seven times. This had become the leading -characteristic of the favored people. They had turned away from Jehovah -and His Word, and now the time had come when, ripe for judgment, God was -to deal with them. May we think here of that solemn warning given to -Christendom in Romans xi:21: "For if God spared not the natural -branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee." God dealt with Israel -on account of their unbelief and rebellious spirit. And now Gentile -Christians are plunging into the same unbelief and apostasy; nominal -Christendom is rebellious. A greater judgment is therefore coming upon -Christendom than that which came upon the rebellious people. - -To this impudent and hard-hearted people Ezekiel was sent. The very -first thing he was to say to them was that great statement which appears -hundreds of times in the Old Testament scriptures, "Thus saith Jehovah -God." The sender is Jehovah-God; the commission and the message are from -Him. In the days of the darkest apostasy with judgment about to come, -the Lord told the prophet to face these conditions and to stand in the -midst of the rebellious nation with a positive "Thus saith Jehovah God." -He was His mouthpiece. Such positiveness is demanded to-day. Oh! for men -who, like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, speak to-day the Word, "Thus saith -Jehovah God." - -And Jehovah who calls and sends forth His servant gives also assurance -and encouragement. He told Ezekiel not to be afraid of them or of their -words. Even so the Lord had encouraged Jeremiah (chapter i:7-8). Every -servant of the Lord can rest in this assurance that if he is faithful -and obedient the Lord will strengthen and keep him. "Speak my words unto -them;" not his own words, but Jehovah's words. Thus he heard the same -command, which is given to the Lord's servants in the days when sound -doctrine is no longer endured: "Preach the Word" (2 Tim. iv:1-3). - - -II. The Roll Eaten and the Repeated Commission. - - And when I looked, behold, an hand was put forth unto me; and, lo, a - roll of a book was therein; And he spread it before me; and it was - written within and without: and there was written therein - lamentations, and mourning, and woe. - - And he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this - roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, - and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, - cause thy belly to eat, and fill they bowels with this roll that I - give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for - sweetness. - - And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of - Israel, and speak with my words unto them. For thou art not sent to - a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the - house of Israel; Not to any people of a strange speech and of an - hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I - sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee. But the - house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not - hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and - hardhearted. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their - faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an - adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, - neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious - house. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I - shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine - ears. And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children - of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the - Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. Then - the spirit took me up and I heard behind me a voice of a great - rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place. I - heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that - touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, - and a noise of a great rushing. So the spirit lifted me up, and took - me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the - hand of the Lord was strong upon me (chapter ii:9; iii:14). - -He is commanded to open his mouth and to eat, after the warning not to -be rebellious. He then received a scroll from a hand, no doubt, the hand -he had seen in the vision. It was written within and without with -lamentations, mourning and awe. He was commanded to eat and it was like -honey in his mouth. We are reminded at once of Zechariah's flying scroll -(Zech. v:1-4); of the scroll written within and on the backside, sealed -with seven seals, which in John's vision the Lamb of God received to -open the seals (Rev. v and vi); and of the little book (or scroll) which -John received and ate, which was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his -belly (Rev. x:9-10). These scrolls have all one meaning. They are -symbolical of the Word itself, the message of judgment and tribulation -which are written therein. All is symbolical and contains many -spiritual and helpful lessons. The Word must be received; it must be -eaten. The prophet obeyed and ate. It was self-surrender and therefore, -though the message he was to bear was a hard message, it was sweet to -him. Jeremiah too speaks of a similar experience. "When Thy words were -found, I did eat them; and Thy Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of -mine heart" (Jer. xv:16). No servant of God can speak thus unless he -receives the Word, feeds on it himself, eats what the Lord has given and -finds out the sweetness of obedience and self-surrender. The Word to be -spoken, the message to be given, must come from Jehovah. "I have put my -words in thy mouth" was spoken to Jeremiah (chapter i:9); and Ezekiel -makes the same experience. And our Lord, the true Son of Man, said that -His meat and drink was to do the will of His Father. He too fed on His -Word and was obedient to it. - -In Ezekiel's experience there is a definition of divine inspiration. The -prophet received, accepted, took it in and then gave it out. "Son of -Man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, _and speak with my words -unto them_." This is inspiration. The Messages of God were given to the -prophets in the words of God. Such is the definition of inspiration in -the New Testament. "Which things also we speak," saith the Apostle, "not -in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit -teacheth" (1 Cor. ii:13). May all the Lord's people receive His Word, -eat His Word, speak forth His Word and find that it is indeed sweeter -than honey and the honeycomb. - -Jehovah predicts failure for the message and the messenger. The house of -Israel will not hearken unto _thee_; for they will not hearken unto -_Me_. It was to make no difference with the prophet. His commission was -to speak Jehovah's words, whether they heard or not. All this would be -branded by our own generation as extremely "pessimistic." That the -message and the messenger should not be successful is an unpalatable -statement to well-meaning and enthusiastic Christians. Yet this very -fact is predicted for the last days. "The time will come when they shall -not endure sound doctrine." Then the prophet was taken up by the Spirit. -Behind him a voice was heard, "Blessed be the Glory of Jehovah from this -place." - -Cherubim and wheels are in motion. He is lifted up and Jehovah's hand -was strong upon him. - - -JUDGMENT ANNOUNCED. FOUR SIGNS AND TWO MESSAGES. - -Chapter iii:15-vii:27. - -The next section of the Book of Ezekiel extends from chapter iii:15 to -the close of the seventh chapter. Here we find that the Lord laid upon -the Prophet the great responsibilities as the watchman over the house of -Israel and gave him the message. Then the Prophet had to enact four -signs. The signs of the tile upon which he pictured Jerusalem (iv:1-3); -the sign of the Prophet's posture, laying 390 days upon his left side -and forty days on his right and prophesying during this time against the -doomed city (verses 4-8); the sign of the food he was to eat, and its -preparation; this covers the same period of 390 days (verses 9-17); the -last sign was that of shaving the hair from head and face, and dividing -it into three parts. This fourth sign (chapter v) is minutely explained -and symbolizes like the other signs the judgments against Jerusalem. Two -solemn messages of denunciations close this section, the first message -predicts the sword to fall upon the land and the people and their -subsequent dispersion (chapter vi). The second message predicts the end -which was to come upon the four corners of the land. The great -desolation is described in a marvellous way. The seventh chapter, which -contains this second message is one of the sublimest in the book. Both -messages end in the same way: "And they shall know that I am Jehovah." - - -Chapter iii:15-27. - -I. The new charge and Ezekiel's new experience. - - Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the - river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there - astonished among them seven days. And it came to pass at the end of - seven days, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of - man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore - hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say - unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not - warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to - save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but - his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, - and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he - shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, - When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit - iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: - because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, - and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; - but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou - warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not - sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast - delivered thy soul. - - And the hand of the Lord was there upon me; and he said unto me, - Arise go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee. Then - I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of - the Lord stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of - Chebar: and I fell on my face. Then the spirit entered into me, and - set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut - thyself within thine house. But thou, O son of man, behold, they - shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou - shalt not go out among them: And I will make thy tongue cleave to - the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to - them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak - with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus - saith the Lord God; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that - forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house - (chapter iii: 15-27). - -The Prophet had been transported from the place mentioned in chapter i:1 -to Tel-abib, which was also on the river Chebar. Here a number of -captives dwelt. For seven days he sat in their presence astonished and -did not open his lips. Was it their sad condition, or the knowledge of -their rebellious spirit, or the threatening judgments which produced -this silence? Most likely these things filled the Priest-Prophet with -unspeakable sorrow and sadness, so that he could not find words. And the -captives must have read the burden of his soul in his countenance. The -scene reminds us of Job and his three friends, who "sat down with him -upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word unto -him, for they saw that his grief was very great" (Job ii:13). Job broke -the silence by cursing his day. But the silence of Ezekiel's seven days -was broken by the Lord Himself. He addressed the Prophet and told him -that He had made him "a watchman unto the house of Israel." His duty and -responsibility in that capacity was twofold; first to hear the Lord's -Word from His own lips, then to give the warning from Him. Warning is -the important call of a watchman (chapter xxxiii:2, 6, 7; Isaiah lii:8; -lvi:10; Jer. vi:17). If the appointed watchman does not hear the Word as -it comes from Jehovah, he cannot sound the alarm. The false prophets in -Israel, who did not warn the people, but said, "Peace, peace!" when -there was no peace, followed their own dreams instead of the Word. They -did not believe the solemn messages God had given through former -prophets. That was the curse among the professing people of God then. It -produced a false security, decline and apostasy; it hastened the -impending judgments of God. It is the curse to-day in the professing -church. His Word is rejected. The solemn truths concerning "judgment to -come" upon an ungodly age and apostate "church" are not heeded and -mostly rejected. The man who sounds the warning and stands by the -declarations of God's Word is as unpopular with the people to-day as -Jeremiah and Ezekiel were in their days. - -The Prophet was commissioned not to warn the nation as such, but to warn -individuals. The wicked and the righteous are mentioned and the -Prophet's responsibility in delivering the message. If he does not warn -the wicked to turn from his wicked way to save his life, his blood will -be required from his hands. If he is faithful and the wicked does not -hear the warning, the wicked shall die, but the faithful messenger -delivers his own soul. And so with the righteous, who turns from his -righteous acts and commits iniquity. He is threatened with death; but if -he sins not and is warned he shall live. After hearing the warning Word -each is to bear the consequences of his own conduct. The nation as such -was rebellious. Its doom could not be averted. Yet God in His -long-suffering still gave the individual an opportunity to escape the -threatening judgment, that by hearing the Word he might live. This -gracious offer concerned the wicked. The righteous one in Israel, who -obeyed the law and did acts of righteousness had to continue in -obedience; if he failed in the midst of the great national crisis when -judgment was about to fall, his former righteous deeds could not save -his life. He also would be swept away and die in his sins. The first -part of the third chapter reveals the hardened condition of the nation; -there was no remedy. The second part reveals the possibility of the -deliverance of all who harkened to the divine warning and turned from -their evil ways. - -The passage, as well as the corresponding one in chapter xxxiii:1-20, -has been often used in the defence of what is termed "falling from -Grace," that a true believer, who is saved by Grace, may by sinning -become unsaved again and then perish in his sins like the wicked. The -words "fallen from Grace" are found only once in the Bible, that is in -Gal. v:4. The context shows what they mean. If a believer goes to the -law to be justified before God, if he tries by his own works, and by -ordinances, to be righteous before God, he abandons the ground of Grace. -The dispensation in which we live is the dispensation of Grace; Grace -reigns through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our -Lord. (Rom. v:21). The message delivered by God to Ezekiel is in fullest -keeping with the character of the law-covenant, though Grace is also -manifested in it. Righteousness has not the meaning here as in the New -Testament. We are constituted righteous by faith in Jesus Christ. It is -now not the question of doing righteous deeds in order to be saved and -live. We are saved by Grace through faith. "Now to him that worketh is -the reward not reckoned as of grace but as of debt. But to him that -worketh not, but believeth on Him, who justifieth the ungodly, his faith -is reckoned for righteousness" (Romans iv:4). And he who is justified by -faith has peace with God. The true believer may sin, but he does not -deliberately practice and live in sin, for "he that is born of God doth -not commit (practice) sin" (1 John iii:9). If he falls in sin a gracious -provision is made. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the -righteous, and therefore we can confess our sins; forgiveness and -cleansing follow according to the divine promise (1 John i:9; -ii:1-2).[3] - -[3] The responsibility of Ezekiel in delivering the message was great. -Every servant of the Lord Jesus Christ with a far greater message than -Ezekiel's should also feel that responsibility. If it were felt more, -there would be more earnestness, more prayer and greater results. - -After this solemn charge the hand of the Lord rested upon Ezekiel and he -was commanded to go into the plain, where Jehovah would talk with him. -He obeyed and beheld again the Glory of the Lord, which he had seen by -the river of Chebar. Once more he fell on his face. Then the Spirit -entered into him and said unto him: "Go, shut thyself within thy house." -He had no opportunity to exercise his office as watchman and deliver the -warning message. Immediately after the charge he was commanded to -separate himself from the captives and then became a prisoner in his -house. But more than that. They were to put bands upon him and bind him -with them. - -Does this mean that the people would bind him so that he could not leave -the house? It probably meant the opposite. He was to shut himself in the -house and they came with bands and bound him, to get him out of the -house by force. But he was not to go among them. Then God Himself made -the Prophet dumb. "And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy -mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover, for -they are a rebellious house (verses 25-26). First he was to be bound so -that he could not go amongst them, and then God Himself would make him -dumb so that he could not reprove the people. Different suggestions have -been made about the meaning of the condition in which the Prophet was -put. Some have even declared that there is a contradiction in all this, -in view of verses 16-21, while rationalistic expositors think that the -Prophet suffered from some nervous disorder which deprived him -temporarily of the power of speech. That the Prophet was unfitted by God -to go amongst the people and deliver the message in public was a -testimony against the nation. They were beyond hope, therefore, on -account of their rebelliousness; he was not to be a reprover to them. It -witnessed to the fact that judgment upon the nation could not now be -arrested. And yet his dumbness was not complete nor constant. The last -verse of the chapter makes this clear. "But when I speak with thee, I -will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord -God; he that heareth let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him -forbear; for they are a rebellious house." Thus the Prophet was -completely cast upon Jehovah. Jehovah directed him in being silent or in -uttering His message. Blessed are all servants of the Lord, who know the -same path of dependence and who declare the Word of the Lord, "Thus -saith the Lord," whenever they speak. - -The Prophet's mouth was opened completely and his power of speech -permanently restored after Jerusalem had fallen. "And it came to pass in -the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth day, in the fifth day of -the month, that all that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, -saying, the city is smitten. Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the -evening, before he that escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he -came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more -dumb" (chapter xxxiii:21-22). This had been previously announced. "In -that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou -shalt speak, and be no more dumb; and thou shalt be a sign unto them, -and they shall know that I am the Lord" (chapter xxiv:27). Thus -Ezekiel's dumbness was a sign to the nation; the sign of God's -displeasure and the coming judgment upon Jerusalem. - - -THE FOUR SYMBOLICAL SIGNS. - -Chapters iv and v. - -The divine predictions of the impending doom for Jerusalem was not -believed by the exiles. The messages of the false prophets who moved -among them encouraged the rebellious spirit and therefore the threatened -disaster was thought incredible by the captives. The mission of Ezekiel -was to dispel the false hope of a speedy return to the land. After he -had received his solemn commission and the message he was to deliver to -the rebellious people, he is commanded to enact four signs, which were -to teach the captives that which would speedily come upon their beloved -city Jerusalem. - -=I. The Sign of the Tile.= The first symbolical sign is that of the -tile, which the Prophet was to use to picture the coming siege of -Jerusalem. - - Thou also, son of man, take thee a brick, and lay it before thee, - and portray upon it the city, Jerusalem; And lay siege against it, - and build forts against it, and cast a mound against it; set the - camps also against it, and set battering-rams against it round about. - Moreover take thou unto thee an iron plate, and set it for a wall of - iron between thee and the city; and set thy face against it, and it - shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall - be a sign to the house of Israel (verses 1-3). - -The word translated "tile" means a brick. The Babylonians used clay -bricks to keep their records; whole libraries consisting of a very large -number of such bricks have been uncovered by the spade of the excavator. -These bricks were almost square, fourteen by twelve inches. Many have -been found which have engraven upon them various building plans and -astrological figures. Such a brick Ezekiel was commanded to take and -draw upon the soft clay surface a city, which was to represent -Jerusalem. The second verse shows Jerusalem in the state of siege. The -coming calamity was vividly pictured in this first sign. The Prophet was -also to take an iron pan (literally: plate) and use it for a wall of -iron between him and the city and set his face against it. In all this -the Prophet was to show Jehovah's action against Jerusalem. He -impersonated Jehovah in laying siege against it in marking the clay -brick and raising the iron-plate between himself and the city. In -connection with the latter sign we may well think of Isaiah lix:2: "Your -iniquities have separated between you and your God." Thus in this first -sign the certainty of the successful siege of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans -was set forth in plain view of the captives. Yet they heard not and -continued their foolish dreams and believed rather the false prophets. -God has everywhere set forth in His Word coming judgments. Our age, so -self-secure and boasting in many of its godless achievements, will end -in a great judgment-catastrophe. Every portion of God's Word testifies -of this fact. God will fulfil the prophecies of His servants the -prophets. The past fulfilment of God's threatened judgments vouch for -the literal fulfilment of those still future. Yet our blinded age (2 -Cor. iv:4) heeds it not. More than ever they say, "Peace and safety," -and ridicule God's message and God's messengers, who give a faithful -warning. - -=II. The Sign of the Prophet's Physical Position.= While in the first -sign Jehovah's action against Jerusalem was pictured, in the next signs -a portrayal is given of the punishments which should come upon the -people. The Prophet's divinely commanded actions witnessed beforehand -what should come upon the disobedient, rebellious nation. In his own -person Ezekiel had to taste the great degradation and judgment which was -about to become the portion of the people. - - Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house - of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou - shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid - upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of - the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear them, - lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity - of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie - again on the right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the - house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a - year. Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of - Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt - prophesy against it. And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and - thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another till thou hast - ended the days of thy siege (verses 4-8). - -Expositors and critics have interpreted this and the other signs in -various ways. Higher Criticism maintains that the whole description is -purely ideal and that the Prophet never did in person what was asked of -him. They point to the fact that nowhere is a statement made that he did -these things. We quote from the "Expositor's Bible": - -"It is clear that these signs could never have been enacted, either in -view of the people or in solitude, as they are here described. It may be -doubted whether the whole description is not purely ideal, representing -a process which passed through the prophet's mind, or was suggested to -him in the visionary state but never actually performed." - -Other critics have tried to explain the Prophet's actions by some kind -of a catalepsy, from which, they claim, he suffered. All these theories -are pure inventions, springing from a denial of inspiration. They make -much of the physical impossibility of this command to lie continuously -for 390 days on the left side and for 40 days on the right side. But it -does not say that the Prophet should be in that position day and night -during that allotted time. The fact that he was to prepare food to eat -during these days excludes this extreme view. The Prophet no doubt -carried out the divine command as he understood it, and thereby gave the -people a sign concerning their iniquity and the deserved punishment. But -what do the 390 days of Israel and 40 days of Judah mean? The text shows -that the days here mean years.[4] The 390 and 40 days make 430 days. -This reminds us of Exodus xii:40-41, where the sojourning of the -children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt is given as 430 years. The 40 -years of Judah recall the years of wandering in the wilderness. The 390 -days apply to the period of Israel's unfaithfulness, which lead up to -their punishment. These 390 years must be reckoned from Jeroboam, who -was the first King of the house of Israel by divine appointment as -revealed through Ahijah, the Prophet (1 Kings xi:31). The 40 years of -Judah, for which Ezekiel was to lie upon his right side for 40 days must -mean the 40 years of Solomon's reign. Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the -vile goddess of the Zidonians. Judah worshipped besides Ashtoreth, -Chemosh, the god of the Moabites and Milcom, the god of Ammon (1 Kings -xi:33). Thus the captives were reminded by the Prophet's painful -position of the shameful history of the long years of apostasy of their -nation. But more than that. The Lord said expressly to Ezekiel: "I have -laid upon thee the years of their iniquity ... so shalt thou bear the -iniquity of the house of Israel." By consulting other passages in the -Old Testament, especially in Exodus and Leviticus,[5] it will be found -that the phrase "bear their iniquity" always means to endure the -punishment due to sin or iniquity. Ezekiel's sign therefore pictured the -actual results in punishment, which was now to fall upon the people for -their sins. The 390 years and the 40 years therefore must be primarily -applied to the period of their punishment. The Prophet, therefore, had -put upon him suffering typical of the nation's punishment. He is in this -a blessed type of the great Sinbearer, who bore our sins in His own body -on the tree. Of Him it is written, "He shall bear their iniquities." And -the believing remnant of Israel in a future day, looking upon Him, whom -they pierced, will yet confess "He was wounded for our transgressions, -He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was -upon Him and with His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah liii:5). - -[4] Some have concluded on account of this passage, that throughout the -prophetic word wherever "days" are mentioned, they mean "years." This is -incorrect. The "year-day" theory is not a scriptural one. Where we find -days, it means days unless the text itself, as it is here in Ezekiel, -explains the days as years. - -[5] Exod. xxviii:38-43; Lev. v:1, 17, vii:8, x:17, etc. - -=III. The Sign of the Famine and the Defiled Bread.= The siege of -Jerusalem had been portrayed in the tile sign; the hardships in divine -judgments in the second and the third sign describes additional -punishments to come upon Jerusalem. - - Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, - and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make thee - bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt - lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat - thereof. And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, - twenty shekels a day: from time to time shall thou eat it. Thou - shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from - time to time shalt thou drink. And thou shalt eat it as barley - cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in - their sight. And the Lord said, Even thus shall the children of - Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will - drive them (verses 9-13). - -Then the Priest-Prophet, horrified at the defilement he was to be -subjected to, spoke to Jehovah and received an answer from Him granting -his request and giving further instructions about the sign. - - Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: - for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which - dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable - flesh into my mouth. Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee - cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread - therewith. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will - break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by - weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and - with astonishment: That they may want bread and water, and be - astonished one with another, and consume away for their iniquity - (verses 14-17). - -This sign then shows the horrors of the siege of Jerusalem and what was -to come upon the people during the period of their punishment. The -wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and fitches[6] were to be put into -one vessel, because a little of each was available. To eat things by -weight and not to be satisfied with it, was announced through Moses as -one of the threatened judgments. "And when I have broken the staff of -your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall -deliver you your bread again by weight; and ye shall eat and not be -satisfied" (Lev. xxvi:26). The sign meant famine as the Lord told -Ezekiel (verse 16). - -[6] Or spelt, a kind of corn. - -Then uncleanness, defilement, is added. The famine stands connected with -the siege, the defilement refers more to that, which was to come upon -them in their captivity among the Gentiles. It pictured the unclean -religious conditions into which the people were to be plunged during the -exile. "Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread -among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them." The same judgment was -announced by Hosea. "They shall not dwell in the Lord's land; but -Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in -Assyria. They shall not offer wine to the Lord, neither shall they be -pleasing unto Him; their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of -mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted" (Hosea ix:3-4). And -Ezekiel baked the bread in the prescribed way, while no doubt, the -captives looked on in horror, that a Priest like Ezekiel could act thus. -The sign found its fulfillment. God's predicted judgments were always -literally fulfilled. God means what He has declared in His Word. The -future will yet witness to it. - - -IV. The Sign of the Shaving of the Head and the Face. - - And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's - razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then - take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair. Thou shalt burn - with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of - the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite - about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the - wind; and I will draw out a sword after them. Thou shalt also take - thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts. Then take of - them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them - in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house - of Israel (chapter v:1-4). - -In this final sign we have the symbol of what was to befall the nation -as such. Through the Prophet Isaiah a prediction had been given -concerning the King of Assyria, which explains the meaning of the sharp -knife. "In the same day shalt the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, -namely, by them beyond the river, by the King of Assyria, the head, and -the hair of the feet, and it shall also consume the beard" (Isa. -vii:20). The sharp knife[7] represents in Ezekiel's sign the King of -Babylon. He was Jehovah's instrument executing His wrath. The people are -represented by the hairs. The sharp knife, the sword of justice, was to -cut them off. The third part of the hair burned with fire pictured the -fate of a part of the people during the siege. Besides the fire, the -pestilence and the famine were to consume them (verse 12). Another part -was to be destroyed by the sword round about Jerusalem, while still -another part should be scattered unto all the winds, that is dispersed -among the Gentiles, where the sword would also follow the fugitives. -Only a few in number, a small remnant were to be preserved which was -symbolically enacted when Ezekiel took a few hairs and bound them in his -skirt. But even some of them should be put into the fire. Such a -remnant, saved and preserved and ultimately blessed, is often mentioned -in the prophetic Word. See Isaiah vi:13; x:22; Jere. xxiii:3; Ezek. -vi:8; Zech. xiii:8-9. All these judgments came upon the city and upon -the nation. A remnant also was saved and in due time returned. - -[7] The literal meaning is sword, the same as in verse 12. - - Thus saith the Lord God; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the - midst of the nations and countries that are round about her. And she - hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and - my statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for - they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked - in them. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because ye multiplied - more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked - in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done - according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you; - Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, am against - thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight - of the nations. And I will do in thee that which I have not done, - and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine - abominations. Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst - of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute - judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into - all the winds. Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord God; Surely, - because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable - things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also - diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any - pity. A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with - famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee; and a third part - shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third - part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them. - Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to - rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I, - the Lord, have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my - fury in them. Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among - the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass - by. So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an - astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I - shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious - rebukes. I, the Lord, have spoken it. When I shall send upon them - the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and - which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine - upon you, and will break your staff of bread: So will I send upon - you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and - pestilence and blood shall pass through thee: and I will bring the - sword upon thee. I, the Lord, have spoken it (verses 5-17). - -After these few signs had announced to the captives what was to come -upon the city and upon the people, Jehovah begins to speak. The solemn -words we have quoted need but little comment. He speaks of Jerusalem's -exalted place, her wickedness, which had become greater than that of the -nations, her disobedience and her judgments. One must read the -Lamentations of Jeremiah to find how all was fulfilled in the final -overthrow of Jerusalem. Compare verse 10 with Lament. iv:10. How -terrible are the judgments of a righteous and holy God! The calamity -which fell upon Jerusalem and the land through the hands of -Nebuchadnezzar was repeated on a more fearful scale in the year 70, -after the greater One than Ezekiel, the Lord Jesus Christ, had given His -solemn warnings and had wept over the city. And once more will Jerusalem -taste of wrath and judgment in that end of the age, which is called the -great tribulation. And after that the day-break, when Jerusalem will -rise out of the dust and her history of shame and sorrow will be ended. - - -THE TWO JUDGMENT MESSAGES. - -Chapter vi-vii. - -Two judgment messages follow. Each message is a direct communication -from Jehovah to the Prophet. "And the Word of the Lord came unto me." -Both messages end in the same way: "And they shall know that I am the -Lord." In the first message the judgment of the whole land is announced. -The second message announces the completeness of the judgment. The -predicted end is described with its accompanying perplexities and -sufferings. - - -I. The Coming Judgment against the Mountains and the Land. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set they - face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, And - say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus - saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, to the - rivers, and to the valleys, Behold I, even I, will bring a sword - upon you, and I will destroy your high places; and your altars shall - be desolate, and your images shall be broken; and I will cast down - your slain men before your idols. And I will lay the dead carcasses - of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter - your bones round about your altars. In all your dwelling-places the - cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; - that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols - may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your - works may be abolished. And the slain shall fall in the midst of - you; and ye shall know that I am the Lord (chapter vi:1-7). - -The denunciation against the mountains of Israel stands in the first -place. Jerusalem was mostly in view in the preceding chapters, but now -the Lord announces that the whole land is to become desolate through His -wrath. The mountains of Israel's land were used as places for idolatry; -they are called "the high places." Images and shrines were erected upon -these heights where the vile and idolatrous worship of heathen gods was -practiced. These images were idols dedicated to sun-worship. That Israel -would become idolatrous had been revealed to Moses, who also announced -the judgment which should ultimately fall upon Israel for their -idolatry. "And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your -images, and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols, and my -soul shall abhor you. And I will make your cities waste, and bring your -sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your -sweet odors. And I will bring the land into desolation, and your -enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished. And I will scatter you -among the nations and will draw out a sword after you and your land -shall be desolate, and your cities waste" (Lev. xxvi:30-33). This -remarkable prophetic statement was made to Moses, who wrote it hundreds -of years before. And now the time for its fulfillment had at last come. -God in His patience had delayed the judgment, but when the time had come -He remembered all that Moses heard from His lips and executed His own -Word. A careful comparison of the passage in Leviticus with verses 3-6 -of this chapter shows the literal fulfillment. - - Yet will I leave a remnant that ye may have some that shall escape - the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the - countries. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the - nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I shall have - broken their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with - their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall - loathe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all - their abominations, and they shall know that I am the Lord, and that - I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them. Thus - saith the Lord God: Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, - and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! - for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the - pestilence. He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he - that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is - besieged shall die by the famine; thus will I accomplish my fury - upon them. Then shall ye know that I am the Lord, when their slain - men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every - high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green - tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer - sweet savour to all their idols. So will I stretch out my hand upon - them, and make the land desolate; yea, more desolate than the - wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall - know that I am the Lord (verses 8-14). - -The Lord promised that in mercy He would leave a remnant. That remnant -would acknowledge the evil they had done. "They shall loathe themselves -for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations." This -is the result of Jehovah's action towards themselves. The words "because -I am broken with their whorish heart" are literally translated "when I -shall have broken their whorish heart which has departed from me." No -judgment which came upon God's peculiar people ever made a complete end -of the nation. A remnant always remained and turned to the Lord. During -the greatest and longest judgment which has ever befallen the people -Israel, their world-wide dispersion in the present age, there is also a -remnant amongst them (Romans xi:5). And when Jehovah resumes His -dealings with them during the last seven years of the Times of the -Gentiles, the time of their greatest trouble, a remnant will turn to Him -and be converted. That remnant will be carried through the mighty -judgments of the end time and receive the blessings and the glory of the -promised kingdom. - -Ezekiel was also commanded to smite with his hand and to stamp with his -foot. Clapping the hands and stamping with the feet may denote -exultation (chapter xxv:6). But here it is more an outward expression of -the vehemence of the judgment. In chapter xxi:7 we read of the Lord -smiting His hands. "I will also smite mine hands together, and I will -cause my fury to rest, I the Lord have said it." A repetition of the -impending judgments forms the conclusion of this first message. - - -Chapter vii. - -II. The second Judgment Message. The End is at Hand. The Complete -Judgment. - -The seventh chapter which contains the second judgment message, closes -the first prophecy of Ezekiel. All the different elements and phases of -judgment which had just been foretold by the Prophet are now gathered -up in this final great utterance. As the chapter is written in a certain -rythm and contains in the authorized version many incorrect renderings, -we give a corrected metrical translation. - - "And the Word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, And thou Son of Man, - thus saith Jehovah unto the land of Israel: - - An end cometh! The end - Upon the four corners of the land. - Now cometh the end upon thee - And I will send mine anger upon thee, - And I will judge thee according to thy ways; - And I will bring upon thee all thine abominations. - And mine eyes shall not spare thee, - Neither will I have pity; - Because I will bring thy ways upon thee - And thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: - And ye shall know that I am Jehovah. - - Thus saith the Lord Jehovah! - An evil--an only evil!--behold it cometh.[8] - An end is come--the end is come! - It awaketh against thee. Behold it cometh! - O inhabitant of the land, thy doom is come unto thee - The set time is come, the day is near, - The day of tumult. - And not the joyous shouting upon the mountains; - Now will I soon pour out my fury upon thee - And accomplish mine anger against thee. - I will judge thee according to thy ways, - And will bring upon thee all thine abominations. - Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity. - According to thy ways will I render unto thee, - And thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee, - And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, who smiteth - - (chapter vii:1-9). - -[8] Another rendering is: "Calamity after calamity!" - -This is the first section of this great and solemn portion of Ezekiel's -prophecy. The end is announced to come upon the entire land. The set -time for judgment had come, it could no longer be averted. How merciful -had been Jehovah's dealing with His beloved people. "But He, being full -of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not; yea many -a time turned He His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath" (Ps. -lxxviii:38). But now the measure of their wickedness had come. The day -of reckoning was at hand. Divine fury was to sweep now over the entire -land. His eyes would no longer spare nor would He pity them any longer. - -There is another day coming in which the Lord will deal in fearful -judgments with this earth. Now is the day of salvation in which God -speaks in love through His Son. When wickedness and apostasy has reached -its climax, the day of salvation will end and "the day of vengeance of -our God" will begin. Then He will speak in His wrath and vex them in His -sore displeasure (Ps. ii:5). Then will they say to the mountains and -rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the -throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath -is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Rev. vi:16-17). God's -judgments for the future are as sure as were His judgments in the past. -There is a set time, the day of the Lord, when He, to whom the Father -has given all judgments, will tread "the winepress of the fierceness of -the wrath of God, the Almighty" (Rev. xix:15). - - Behold the Day! Behold it cometh! - Thy doom advanceth: - The rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded. - Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness; - None of them shall remain; yea none of their multitude, - Nor their wealth; neither shall there be eminency among them. - The time is come, the day draweth near; - Let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn, - For wrath is upon all the multitude thereof. - For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, - Even though he were yet amongst the living. - In the vision touching the whole multitude thereof - It shall not be revoked; - And none shall through his iniquity assure his life. - They have blown the trumpet and made all ready, - But none goeth to the battle; - For my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof. - The sword is without; the pestilence and the famine within; - He that is in the field shall die by the sword; - And he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him. - But they that escape of them shall escape, - And be as the mountains like moaning doves, - All of them mourning, every one for his iniquity. - All hands shall be feeble, and every knee shall fail like water. - They shall gird themselves with sackcloth, - And horror shall cover them; - Shame shall be upon all faces, baldness upon all heads - - (verses 10-18). - -What a solemn description of the doom which was now to fall upon -Jerusalem, the land and its inhabitants! The buyer and the seller as -well as all the multitude were to be affected by it. The decree of -judgment which had gone forth could not be revoked. The blowing of the -trumpet, which is mentioned has generally been misunderstood by -expositors. It is said to picture "the collapse of Judah's military -preparations in the hour of danger, that when the siege of Jerusalem -came, none responded." The blowing of the trumpets among Israel had a -special significance. It carried with it the assurance that Jehovah -heard and would be ready to fight for His people against their enemies. -But as they knew their iniquities had separated them from God, His face -being against them, none did go to the battle, for His wrath rested upon -them all. Sword, pestilence and famine would devour them all and the few -fugitives would be upon the mountains mourning over their iniquities. -The rod mentioned which hath blossomed means Nebuchadnezzar, who -executed this great judgment upon Jerusalem. The climax of the judgment -prophecy is reached in the third part of the chapter. - - They shall cast their silver in the streets, - And their gold shall be as an unclean thing; - Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them - In the day of Jehovah's wrath; - They cannot satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowls, - Because it was the stumbling block of their iniquity. - And the beauty of their ornaments, they turned it to pride, - And the images of their abominations, their detestable things made - they of it. - And I shall give it to the hands of strangers for a prey, - And to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall profane it. - For I will turn my face from them, - And they shall defile my secret place, - And robbers shall enter into it and profane it. - Form a chain, - For the land is full of bloody crimes, - And the city full of violence. - Therefore will I bring the worst of the nations, - And they shall possess their houses; - And I will make the pride of the mighty to cease, - And their sanctuaries shall be defiled. - Destruction cometh! - They shall seek peace, but there shall be none. - Calamity after calamity shall appear; - And rumour shall be upon rumour; - Then shall they seek a vision from a prophet; - But the law shall perish from the priest, - And counsel from the elders. - The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with dismay, - And the hands of the people of the land shall tremble: - I will do unto them according to their way, - When I shall judge them according to their deserts; - And they shall know that I am the Lord (verses 19-27). - -Here we learn first of all that the stumbling block of their iniquity -(verse 19) was the silver and gold. Prophets like Isaiah, Amos and -others bear witness to the fact that Jerusalem and the land enjoyed -great prosperity and indulged in extravagant living before the judgment -overtook the nation. Said Isaiah, "Their land also is full of silver and -gold, neither is there an end of their treasures." In the third chapter -of Isaiah the luxurious dress of the daughters of Zion is vividly -described, while Amos also gives the scenes of their riotous, wanton -living and emphasizes the oppression of the poor. Riches had increased -and the prosperous conditions of the land produced vanity; they forgot -Jehovah and worshipped the idols of the Gentiles. And now as the day of -wrath breaks, their eyes would be opened and they were to find out the -absolute worthlessness of their silver and gold. They would cast it into -the streets, for it was unable to deliver them. Zephaniah, in his great -vision of the national calamity which was to fall upon the people, gives -a similar testimony. "Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able -to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall -be devoured by the fire of His jealousy; for He shall make even a speedy -riddance of all them that dwell in the land" (Zeph. i:18). - -The Holy Spirit bears witness in the New Testament that similar -conditions will exist in Christendom during the end of the present age. -"Men shall be lovers of their ownselves, lovers of money (covetous) and -lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God" (2 Tim. iii:1-5). The -conditions of worldliness, apostasy, prosperity and luxurious living -which prevailed in Jerusalem before the hand of God stripped the people -and the land characterize our times. This will go on, and will culminate -after the Lord has taken His true church into glory. In view of the -visible coming of the Lord to deal with the earth in judgment the Spirit -of God through James addresses especially the rich men. "Go to now, ye -rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.... -Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days" (James v:1-3). - -The message of Ezekiel also announced that the Gentiles, the strangers, -were to come and defile the temple. The chain mentioned refers to their -condition as captives. Destruction was to come. There should be no -peace; calamity was to follow calamity; according to what they had done -a righteous God would deal with them. And thus it came to pass when -Jerusalem fell and the people were taken away as captives. - - -VISIONS CONCERNING JERUSALEM. - -Chapter viii. - -With this chapter begins a new section. It contains a series of visions. -The Prophet is shown first of all the awful abominations which were -going on in the temple (chapter viii). Then the fact was made known to -him that destruction would overtake all who were left in Jerusalem, -except the sighing, faithful remnant, marked by the man with the inkhorn -(chapter xi). This is followed by the vision of the coals of fire and -the vision of glory (chapter x). The final vision in this section is the -vision concerning the leaders of the people and the departure of the -glory of the Lord (chapter xi). - -These visions, which concern Jerusalem's history and condition in the -days of Ezekiel, also foreshadow Jerusalem's future. There is a -remarkable correspondence with events revealed in the last book of the -Bible, the Book of Revelation. Another temple will be defiled by the -abomination of the Anti-Christ during the coming great tribulation. -Ezekiel saw an image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. There -will be another image in Jerusalem on account of which judgment will -come upon the unbelieving Jews (Rev. xiii:14-15). Then there will be a -remnant sealed and preserved (Rev. vii) as it was in the time of -Ezekiel. Coals of fire Ezekiel saw scattered over the city; it denoted -an act of judgment. When the last chapter of Jerusalem's final trouble -passeth into history, fire from the altar will be cast upon the earth -(Rev. viii:5). But while Ezekiel saw the glory departing after these -judgments, the glory will return to the city and to Israel's land, when -the great tribulation is ended. Ezekiel's vision of abominations among -Israel is first given. - - -I. The Vision of the Image of Jealousy. - - And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the - fifth of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah - sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me. - Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the - appearance of his loins, even downward; fire and from his loins even - upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the look of glowing - brass. And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock - of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the - heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the - door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the - seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. And, - behold the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the - vision that I saw in the plain. Then said he unto me, Son of man, - lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine - eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of - the altar this image of jealousy in the entry. He said furthermore - unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great - abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, and I should - go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou - shalt see greater abominations (verses 1-6). - -It was over a year after his first vision (i:1) when Ezekiel sat in his -house surrounded by the elders of Judah. Perhaps they had come expecting -some new communication from the prophet. Suddenly the hand of the Lord -fell again upon him. He beheld once more the glorious likeness of Him -who was the center of the first vision of glory.[9] The hand of the Lord -took the prophet by a lock of hair and the Spirit lifted him between the -earth and the heaven and he was brought in the visions of God to -Jerusalem. Was this a real experience? Critics speak of a trance, that -the prophet was some kind of a psychic with the gift of clairvoyancy. It -was not a trance-vision, but an action by the Spirit and power of the -Lord. Elijah must have had frequently the same experience, for Obadiah -said to him: "And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, -that the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not" (1 -Kings xviii:12). And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha after -Elijah departed: "The Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him -upon some mountain, or into some valley" (2 Kings ii:16). The Spirit of -the Lord also caught away Philip (Acts viii:39). - -[9] The word "fire" is in the Septuagint (ancient Greek Version of the -Old Testament) translated "man" so that it reads "the appearance of a -man." There is a similarity between the Hebrew words for "man" and -"fire." Fire is "esh" and man "ish." Compare with chapter i:26, 17. - -In the visions of God Ezekiel is brought to the door of the inner gate -that looketh to the north. Here was the image of jealousy, which -provoketh to jealousy. Some have taken this and the following visions to -be retrospective. It has been said, "It was as if he were translated -back to Jerusalem, and to the time when these things were occurring." -Such is the view of some critics; however, it is untenable. These -visions would lose their meaning if the prophet only seemed to be -translated back to Jerusalem and to the time when these abominations had -happened in Israel's past history. Later we find the names of persons -given, whom he saw. They certainly were living persons known to Ezekiel -and his contemporaries. One of them died while Ezekiel prophesied -(xi:13). - -What was the image of jealousy which provoketh to jealousy? It was an -idol. The word is used in Deut. iv:16, where it is translated "graven -image." It is also found in 2 Chronicles xxxiii:7, 15, where it refers -to the idol, which Manasseh had made and put up in the temple. - -After Manasseh's idolatry came Josiah's great reformation. After his -death Judah plunged into greater wickedness under the reign of wicked -kings and a revival of idolatry followed once more. Such a wrath -provoking idol was beheld by the prophet. This image they worshipped. -"Son of man, seest thou what they do?" They must have lain prostrate -before that idol. And yet the glory of the God of Israel was still -there. He had not yet abandoned the place. Idolatry will once more be -practiced in Jerusalem. Our Lord speaks of it prophetically in Matthew -xii:43-45. The unclean spirit is idolatry. The Jewish people are now -purged from it. At some future time that spirit will return with seven -others. "And the last state of that man is worse than the first." Then -our Lord applied the parable: "Even so shall it be also unto this wicked -generation" (literally: race). During the reign of the final -Anti-Christ, idolatry in its worst form will be instituted once more in -Jerusalem (2 Thess. ii:3-4; Rev. xiii:11-18). - - -II. The Worship of Creeping and Abominable Beasts. - - And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, - behold, a hole in the wall. Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig - now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold, a door. - And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that - they do here. So I went in and saw; and, behold, every form of - creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the - house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about. And there - stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of - Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of - Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of - incense went up. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen - what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man - in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The Lord seeth us not; - the Lord hath forsaken the earth" (verses 7-12). - -The prophet saw next a hole in the wall, and being commanded to dig into -it he found a secret door through which he entered. In the chamber, upon -the wall round about, were pictured creeping things and abominable -things. A worship of these creeping things and beasts was in progress, -for the seventy ancients of Israel were swinging censers full of -incense, so that a thick cloud went up. They were practising idolatry -after the order of Egypt and of the most degrading kind. The people of -God had sunk as deep, yea deeper, than the heathen round about them -(Romans i:23). And the leaders of the nation, the seventy elders, were -there leading in this worship of abominations. Jaazaniah, the son of -Shaphan, is especially mentioned. Shaphan was the scribe, who received -from the high-priest, Hilkiah, the book of the law, and who read it -before King Josiah (2 Kings xxii:8-11; Jere. xxxix:14). The son of this -illustrious and God-fearing scribe was the leader among the -animal-worshippers. It was an evidence of the great apostasy which had -engulfed the nation. And these idol-worshippers, each in his chamber of -imagery (probably individual cells) said: "The Lord seeth us not; the -Lord hath forsaken the earth." They denied His omniscience and -omnipresence. The apostasy in Christendom is going the same road. - - -III. The Women Weeping for Tammuz. - - He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see - greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of - the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, - behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, - Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Turn thee yet again, and thou - shalt see greater abominations than these (verses 13-15). - -Tammuz, the Babylonian "Dumuzi," was the god of spring vegetation, who -dies, going down to Hades, and revives again with each returning summer. -The worship of this god became identified with Phoenicia, and from there -this wicked cult came to Greece, where Tammuz was known under the name -of Adonis. The weeping woman celebrated the death of the god, an emblem -of the decay of earth's productive powers. With it were connected some -of the vilest, immoral ceremonies and licentious habits. Thus we see how -false worship and immorality are closely, yea, inseparably, linked -together. In our days the increase of licentiousness is but the result -of having rejected the Truth of God. - - -IV. The Greatest of all Abominations: Sun-Worship. - - And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house; and, - behold at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and - the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward - the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they - worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou - seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah - that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they - have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me - to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore, - will I also deal in fury; mine eye shall not spare, neither will I - have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet - will I not hear them" (verses 16-18). - -The twenty-five men, who stood between the porch and the altar with -their backs to the house of the Lord and their faces towards the sun, -worshipping the sun, were the twenty-four priests, who constituted the -appointed courses. Their attitude was one of defiance. They practiced -the abominable cult, openly showing by the turned backs against the -temple that they had wilfully rejected Jehovah and His worship. What -else was connected with sun-worship? One mysterious sentence appears at -the close of verse 17. "And, lo, they put the branch to their nose." -This phrase is very obscure. Jewish commentators claim that the words -conceal some shocking and wicked rite; and this may be the correct -meaning. Sun-worship and its attending lusts of the flesh are not -unknown in our own times. A few months ago a great sun-festival was held -in Paris.[10] Thousands participated in it. Hymns to the sun were sung -and sun-dances held, while the nights were given over to all kinds of -immoralities. Bahaism, whose deceitful leader is a sun-worshipper, has -hundreds of thousands of followers in the English speaking world. They -turned their ears from the Truth and have been turned to fables. - -[10] This was three months before the war. - -Elders, women and priests had turned from Jehovah and His worship. And -now Jehovah speaks and pronounces judgment upon them. "Therefore will I -also deal in fury; mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; -and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear -them." Jehovah did according to His word. He did not spare; there was no -pity. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed and the people had to feel -Jehovah's fury. And judgment greater than Jerusalem's will surely -overtake this present evil age with its idolatries, its abominations, -its rejection of God's Gospel and defiance of God. - - -THE VISION OF THE MAN WITH THE INKHORN. - -Chapter ix. - -The vision which follows is closely connected with the previous visions -in which Ezekiel had seen the worship of idols, and of beasts, and of -the sun. Divine judgment must follow. It is a judgment vision the -Prophet now beholds. The judgment, however, is of a discriminating -character. The messengers are commissioned to mark the sorrowing, -faithful remnant. For the rest of the sinners in Jerusalem there is no -mercy. They had defiled the temple and now the temple was to be defiled -by their slain bodies. - - -I. The Judgment Command Given. - - He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them - that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his - destroying weapon in his hand. And, behold, six men came from the - way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man - a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed - with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, - and stood beside the brazen altar. And the glory of the God of - Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the - threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, - which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; and the Lord said unto - him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of - Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh - and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst - thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him - through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye - pity. Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, - and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and - begin at my sanctuary (verses 1-6). - -Who are they who are called to execute the judgment? Six men came from -the way of the higher gate, one of them clothed in linen had a writer's -inkhorn by his side, while the others had slaughter weapons in their -hands. They were not human beings but angels. The city was given over -into their hands. Angels were therefore used in God's judgments of the -past. They will be used in the coming judgments. "The Son of Man shall -send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His Kingdom all -things that offend and them which do iniquity" (Matt. xiii:41). "For the -Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels" (Matt. -xvi:27). "When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His -mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not -God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. -i:7-8). Throughout the book of Revelation angels are seen carrying out -the judgments of God. Especially are we reminded here of the seventh -chapter of the last book of the Bible. Four angels are seen there -holding the four winds of the earth. Then there appeared a fifth angel -having the seal of the living God. He cried with a loud voice to the -four angels: "Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till -we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads" (Rev. -vii:1-3). One hundred and forty-four thousand were then sealed. The -sealed ones in Revelation with the mark on the forehead constitute the -faithful remnant of Israel who witness during the tribulation. Those who -die the martyr's death will have part in the first resurrection, because -they did not worship the beast nor received his mark on their foreheads -(Rev. xx:4). Those who will be kept through the tribulation will be the -nucleus of the Kingdom on earth. We notice a striking correspondency -with this vision of Ezekiel. Judgment is to fall upon all the apostates -in Jerusalem, but the men that sigh and cry on account of the -abominations were to be marked by the angel with the inkhorn and escape -the impending judgment. Their sighing and weeping was the evidence that -they did not share the abominations of idolatry but were true to -Jehovah and His worship. And may we not forget that now in Christendom, -in the midst of the dark days of apostasy and the soon coming -tribulation and judgment, there is a faithful remnant, who sigh and cry -and to whom the Lord has given a special promise: "Because thou hast -kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of -trial, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on -the earth" (Rom. iii:10). - -The word "mark" in the Hebrew is "Tav," the last letter in the Hebrew -alphabet. Its literal meaning is "cross." This letter "T" was a cross in -the older Hebrew script as well as in the Phoenician and Samaritan. The -Egyptians also used a cross in their language; with them it was a sign -of life. Ancient Jewish tradition gives the information that the blood -sprinkled in Egypt on the doorpost (Exodus xii:23) was in the form of a -cross. All this is interesting. To this we may add that in Genesis -iv:15, the mark set upon Cain, an entirely different word is used. - -"Begin at my sanctuary" was the command. There the responsibility rested -and there the judgment had to begin. 1 Peter iv:17 may here be -considered. "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house -of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that -obey not the Gospel of God." - - -II. The Command Executed. - - Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. And - he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the - slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city. And - it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that - I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah, Lord God! wilt thou - destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury - upon Jerusalem? Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of - Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, - and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath - forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not. And as for me also, - mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will - recompense their way upon their head. And, behold, the man clothed - with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, - saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me (verses 7-11). - -The command is literally carried out. God's judgments are always carried -out to the letter; there is no such thing as a "spiritual" fulfillment -of a judgment of God. The world some day will find out the solemn truth -of this fact. The temple where they had practised all the vileness of -idolatry, where they worshipped creeping things, is now defiled by their -dead bodies. To touch a dead body anywhere meant defilement for seven -days (Num. xix:11), but now the very place which they considered holy is -made a defiled place. The Priest-Prophet is shocked. He fell on his face -and a cry of horror escaped his lips. "Ah, Lord God! wilt Thou destroy -all the residue of Israel in Thy pouring out of Thy fury upon -Jerusalem?" Was it not contrary to God's holiness to defile the place -dedicated to Himself? And would He not show mercy and destroy the -residue of His people? The despairing cry is answered at once. The -iniquity of the house of Israel and the house of Judah was filled up. -God could no longer pity nor spare. This is but a repetition of what -Jehovah had announced before. (See chapter v:11; vii:4; viii:18.) - -"And behold, the man clothed in linen, which had the inkhorn by his -side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as Thou hast commanded -me." - - -THE VISION OF THE COALS OF FIRE AND THE VISION OF THE DEPARTING GLORY. - -Chapter x. - -After the Prophet had seen the marking of the faithful ones in the -doomed city, two other visions follow. They also relate to the impending -judgment of the doomed city. The first vision indicates the fire by -which the city would be consumed, and the second, another vision of the -glory, shows how that glory was gradually departing from Jerusalem. The -complete departure is recorded in the eleventh chapter. - - -I. The Vision of the Coals of Fire. - - Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament of the cherubim there - appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of - the likeness of a throne. And he spake unto the man clothed with - linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even the under cherub, - and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubim, - and scatter them over the city. And he went in my sight. Now the - cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; - and the cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the Lord - went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; - and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of - the brightness of the Lord's glory. And the sound of the cherubims' - wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the - Almighty God when he speaketh. And it came to pass, that when he had - commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between - the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood - beside the wheels. And one cherub stretched forth his hand from - between the cherubim unto the fire that was between the cherubim, - and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed - with linen; who took it, and went out (verses 1-7). - -Once more the Prophet beholds in the firmament above the cherubim the -likeness of a throne. It is the throne of the Lord. However, the -occupant of the throne is not seen; His voice only is heard. The man -clothed with linen is commanded to go in between the wheels, under the -cherub, to fill his hands with coals of fire and then to scatter them -over the city. Who is this man clothed in linen? He appeared for the -first time in the preceding chapter. With the inkhorn at his side, he -set the mark upon the foreheads of the faithful ones. Here we see him -again executing the judgment upon Jerusalem. Judgment is given into his -hands. That he is a supernatural being is clear. And he is more than an -angel. He held the place of pre-eminence among the other angels (chapter -ix:2-4). This angel is the Angel of the Lord, the same who appeared to -the Patriarchs, to Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Manoah and to others. It is -the Son of God in the garb of an angel. In the same form he also -appeared to Daniel on the banks of the river Hiddekel. "Then I lifted up -mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose -loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz. His body also was like the -beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as -lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished -brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude" (Dan. -x:5-6). Here we have a complete description of the same person whom -Ezekiel saw taking the coals of fire and scattering them over Jerusalem. -Judgment upon the guilty city came from his hands. - -When we turn to the Book of Revelation, we find a similar scene which -has not yet been enacted. "And another angel came and stood at the -altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense -that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden -altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which -came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the -angel's hand. And the Angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of -the altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were voices, and -thunderings, and lightnings and an earthquake" (Rev. viii:3-5). This -angel who presents the prayers before the throne and who casts the -judgment fire into the earth is the One who received from God's hands -the seven sealed book (Rev. v:1), the Lamb of God, the Lion of the tribe -of Judah. This Angel-Priest, into whose hands also judgment is -committed, is the Son of God. John saw Him dealing in judgment with the -earth, a judgment which has not yet come, and Ezekiel beheld Him as the -executor of the judgment upon Jerusalem, which was carried out through -Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. - -Ezekiel saw the man clothed in linen enter in between the wheels. As he -went in the cherubim, these majestic creatures of God, stood at the -right side of the house, while the cloud filled the inner court. This -cloud is the visible sign of Jehovah's presence (Exod. xix:9; -xxiv:15-18; Numbers ix:19; xii:10; 1 Kings viii:10). Then the glory of -the Lord went up; the withdrawing from the city began. It stood over the -threshold of the house which was filled with the cloud and the whole -court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory. From the hand of -the cherub, the man in linen cloth received the fire that was between -the cherubim. And he took it and went out. - - -II. The Vision of the Departing Glory. - - And there appeared in the cherubim the form of a man's hand under - their wings. And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the - cherubim, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another - cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the color of a - chrysolite stone. And as for their appearances, they four had one - likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel. When they - went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, - but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they - turned not as they went. And their whole body, and their backs and - their hands and their wings and the wheels, were full of eyes round - about, even the wheels that the four had. As for the wheels, it was - cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel. And every one had four - faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face - was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the - fourth the face of an eagle. And the cherubim were lifted up. This - is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. And when - the cherubim went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubim - lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels - also turned not from beside them. When they stood, these stood; and - when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the - spirit of the living creature was in them. Then the glory of the - Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over - the cherubim. And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up - from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were - beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the - Lord's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them - above. This is the living creature that I saw under the God of - Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the - cherubim. Every one had four faces a piece, and every one four - wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. - And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by - the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went - every one straight forward (verses 8-22). - -One would naturally expect after the man clothed in linen had taken the -coals of fire and gone out to scatter them over Jerusalem, that the next -vision the Prophet had, would be the burning of the city itself. Instead -of receiving a vision of the judgment work he beholds once more the -glory of the Lord. The similarity with the great vision in the first -chapter needs hardly to be pointed out. However, the order of the -description differs from that of the opening vision of this book. -Critics have seen in this fact the evidence of some other writer who -interpolated the repetition of the vision of the glory of the Lord. But -if such were the case the person who did it would have not dared to make -these changes. The differences in the vision demonstrates that Ezekiel -is the writer and not some other person. He beheld the same vision as in -the beginning by the river Chebar only from another viewpoint. Wheels -and cherubim are seen first ready for the departure from the city. The -eyes are made more prominent than in the first vision. "Full of eyes" we -read in chapter i:18. Here in this vision eyes are everywhere. "And -their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and -the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that the four -had." This symbolizes the omniscience of God. After the description of -the cherubim and the wheels, the solemn command is given for the start. -Verse 13 may be rendered: "In my hearing, unto the wheels, even unto -them, it was proclaimed: Whirl wheels." Once more the prophet beholds -the faces of the cherubim. And here is a striking change. In the opening -vision Ezekiel saw their faces in the following order: The face of a -man; the face of a lion; these were on the right side. The four had the -face of an ox on the left side; these four also had the face of an eagle -(chapter i:10). But now Ezekiel sees the face of the cherub first of -all, then the face of a man, a lion and an eagle. The cherubim were -beheld by the prophet from a different angle and the face of the -cherub[11] appears as identified with that of the ox. That the vision -did not differ at all from the first great vision Ezekiel expressly -affirms at the close. "And the likeness of their faces was the same -faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves: -They went every one straight forward" (verse 22). - -[11] The cherub who handed to the man clothed in linen the fire from -between the cherubim. - -Then when the command had been given, "Whirl wheels!" everything is set -in motion. The cherubim went, the wheels went beside them. The mighty -wings of the cherubim were lifted up to mount up from the earth; the -wheels never swerved from their side. When the cherubim stood, the -wheels stood. The energizing Spirit was in all. The Glory of the Lord -departed from the threshold of the temple; over its portals "Ichabod" -(the glory is departed) was now to be written. Then in Ezekiel's sight -the cherubim mounted up from the earth. They halted at the door of the -east gate of the Temple. Above it was the Glory of the Lord. Thus, -gradually, in solemn majesty, the Glory of the Lord, which had dwelt -visibly in the Temple in the midst of His people, was departing. Verse -22 of chapter xi connects with verse 19 of chapter x. The complete -departure of the Glory of the Lord from the midst of the city we find -recorded there. Here in our chapter the cherubim with the Glory of the -Lord above them stood at the east gate of the Lord's house. From there -its final departure took place. But the visions Ezekiel had seen were -beheld once more in his great vision of that temple which will yet be -erected in Jerusalem. That departed glory will then return. "And the -Glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose front -was toward the east" (chapter xliii:4). It will return in the same way -as it departed. And that will be when the King, our Lord, comes back to -earth again. Then the Glory will cover Israel and Jerusalem (Is. iv:5; -lx:1) and the knowledge of it covers the earth as the waters the deep. - - -CONCERNING THE LEADERS. PROMISE OF RESTORATION. THE GLORY DEPARTS. - -Chapter xi. - -This chapter concludes the visions concerning the doom of Jerusalem. At -the close of the previous chapter we saw the Glory of the Lord getting -ready to leave the doomed city. The complete withdrawal is recorded now. -However, before we reach this we find a prophecy uttered against the -leaders of the people. Then the Prophet received a comforting message -about the future restoration and blessing of the nation. This is the -first restoration promise in this book. It is repeated and enlarged in -the great predictions after the fall of Jerusalem. - - -I. The Prophecy against the Leaders. - - Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate - of the Lord's house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door - of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah, the son - of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. - Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise - mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city; which say, It is not - near; let us build houses; this city is the cauldron, and we be the - flesh. - - Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man. And the - Spirit of the Lord fell upon men, and said unto me, Speak; Thus - saith the Lord, Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the - things that come into your mind, every one of them. Ye have - multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets - thereof with the slain. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Your - slain, whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and - this city is the cauldron: but I will bring you forth out of the - midst of it. Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon - you, saith the Lord God. And I will bring you out of the midst - thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will - execute judgments among you. Ye shall fall by the sword: I will - judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the - Lord. This city shall not be your cauldron, neither shall ye be the - flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of - Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord: for ye have not walked - in my statutes, neither executed my judgements, but have done after - the manners of the heathen that are round about you. - - And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of - Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud - voice, and said, Ah, Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the - remnant of Israel? (verses 1-13). - -The Prophet had watched the movements of the cherubim and the glory of -the Lord, and now he is again suddenly transported to the east gate of -the Lord's house. At the door of the gate he beholds twenty-five men. He -recognized among them Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of -Benaiah, princes of the people. In the eighth chapter he had also seen, -between the porch and the altar, twenty-five men with their backs -towards the temple (viii:16). In that chapter Jaazaniah is mentioned. -The question then arises, is this the same company Ezekiel sees once -more and against which he utters his denunciatory message? They cannot -be identical with the men in the previous chapter, for they belonged -evidently to the priestly class, while the twenty-five men in this -chapter are leaders, or princes, of the people. Nor is the Jaazaniah the -same as in the eighth chapter. Here is a Jaazaniah who was the son of -Azur, while the other Jaazaniah was the son of Shaphan. These princes -here may be the same of whom we read in Jeremiah xxxviii:4. - -It shows the complete corruption of Jerusalem. The priesthood and the -leaders of the nation were steeped in wickedness and defied God and the -judgment He had announced through Jeremiah, and now also through -Ezekiel. Interesting are the names of those mentioned, Jaazaniah ("He -will be heard of the Lord"); Azur ("Helper"); Pelatiah ("Delivered of -the Lord"); Benaiah ("Built up of the Lord"). Their names indicate that -they knew the Lord and His truth and yet they had turned deliberately -from Him and from His Word. They devised mischief (or iniquity) and gave -wicked counsel. Their wicked counsel consisted in disobedience against -Jehovah and His Word. In regard to the judgment they said, "It is not -the time to build houses; this is the cauldron and we are the flesh." -They knew of Jeremiah's letter which he had sent to the elders which -were carried away captives. In that letter, Jeremiah, believing God's -Word concerning the long duration of the captivity, gave the advice, -"Build ye houses and dwell in them" (Jere. xxix). They ridiculed that -divinely given advice. They still thought themselves safe in Jerusalem. -The phrase "this is the cauldron" means the city of Jerusalem; and we -are the "flesh" themselves. As the flesh in the cauldron is preserved -from the fire by the cauldron itself, so they felt themselves secure in -the doomed city. That these wicked leaders were still in the city shows -that the judgment in chapter ix was not a complete judgment. It began at -the sanctuary, and the wicked worshippers Ezekiel saw in his vision were -smitten first of all, while the man with the inkhorn marked the entire -remnant for preservation. Then the Spirit fell upon Ezekiel and he -uttered Jehovah's message. Their proverb about the cauldron and the -flesh is used to announce their own doom. Those whom they had slain were -the flesh, not they the living ones; the slain ones had the city for a -cauldron. But the defiant leaders, who cast the judgment predictions to -the winds, would be brought forth out of the city, the place of their -supposed security. They feared the sword and it would come upon them. -Solemnly the Lord declared, "This city shall not be your cauldron, -neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; I will judge you in -the border of Israel." And thus it came true. Nebuchadnezzar received -his prisoners on the borders, the territory of the kingdom of Israel, -at Riblah (2 Kings xxv:18-21; Jer. lii:24-27). - -All this finds a repetition in the present age. God has spoken. Long ago -He has in His Word announced the judgment upon this present age. Men, -religious men, leaders among the people, like these twenty-five, reject -His Word and do not believe in the threatened judgments. "Peace and -safety" is their false hope. But the day is coming and not far off when -all who reject the Word of God will find out, to their eternal shame and -loss, that His Word is true. - -And while the Prophet delivered faithfully his message, the Lord touched -one of the men; Pelatiah suddenly died. He may have stood there with -sneering lips, defying the Lord's mouthpiece, when sudden death was -meted out to him. It was a divine seal upon the words they had heard. -This act of judgment greatly impressed the Prophet and he prayed for the -preservation of the remnant of Israel. Knowing the sad condition of the -people he loved so well, he feared that they all would be taken away. -May we also, in the days of impending judgments make use of the prayer -of intercession. The next paragraph contains the answer Ezekiel -received. - - -II. The Message of Restoration and Blessing. - - Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, thy - brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the - house of Israel, wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of - Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the Lord: unto us is this land - given in possession. Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God: - Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I - have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a - little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. Therefore - say, Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the - people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been - scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And they shall - come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things - thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will - give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I - will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an - heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine - ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be - their God. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of - their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense - their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God (verses 14-21). - -It is the first message of comfort Ezekiel received. They were to be -scattered among the nations, yet Jehovah promises, "I will be to them a -little[12] sanctuary in the countries where they shall come." This -refers to the remnant who still clings to Him and hopes in the -fulfilment of His promises. Then follows the great outlook into their -future. Blessed promises! They are the hope of Israel. Their -regathering, their return from exile is here definitely predicted by -Ezekiel. Moses before had announced the same future restoration. So did -Isaiah and Jeremiah as well as the earlier prophets. The denial of the -literal regathering of Israel means the denial of the Word of the Lord. -They will receive the land of Israel. But greater things are promised to -the people. The stony heart is to be taken away; they are to receive a -heart of flesh. This is the result of the new Spirit, His Spirit, which -they will receive. It means the new birth of that nation to enter into -the promised kingdom. Then the result will be an obedient people. "They -shall be my people and I will be their God." Has this been fulfilled in -the return of the feeble remnant from Babylon? Many believe that -Ezekiel's message found then its accomplishment. It is not so. The -nation was not put into possession of the great blessings which are -everywhere linked with their literal restoration and possession of the -land. Ezekiel's great visions of the national restoration of Israel and -the greater spiritual blessings are still unfulfilled. They will be -fulfilled when the Glory of the Lord, that is the Lord of Glory, their -rejected King, the Son of David, the King of Israel, returns. - -[12] Or, "for a little while." - -III. The Glory Departs. - - Then did the cherubim lift up their wings, and the wheels beside - them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. And - the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood - upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city. - - Afterwards the Spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the - Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision - that I had seen went up from me. Then I spake unto them of the - captivity all the things that the Lord had shewed me (verses 22-25). - -After this comforting message of future blessing for the nation and -restoration to the land, the Glory of the Lord holds its departure. We -saw how it gradually withdrew from the temple, where it had dwelt. Now -the complete departure from the city has come. But it is a blessed -thought, before that takes place, Jehovah gave His Word that He would -return and be again with His people. "The Glory of the Lord went up from -the midst of the city and stood upon the mountain which is on the east -side of the city." That mountain is the Mount of Olives. Significant -place where the Shekinah, the Glory of the Lord with its cherubim and -wheels was seen for the last time. Upon that mountain He stood, who is -the Glory Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ. From there He went back to the -Father. And in a coming day "His feet will stand upon the Mount of -Olives." And when He comes back in visible glory, Israel and Jerusalem -will behold the return of the Glory of the Lord, Ezekiel saw departing -from temple and city. Then that will happen what has never been in -Israel's past history: "All the earth will be filled with His Glory." - - -MESSAGES AND PARABLES. - -Chapter xii. - -A new section of this book begins with the twelfth chapter and ends with -chapter xix. The judgments the Prophet had announced, the great visions -he had seen, all showing the impending doom of Jerusalem, were not -believed nor heeded by the people. This is announced by a direct -communication from the Lord in the beginning of this chapter. After he -had seen the departure of the Glory of the Lord, he spoke unto them of -the captivity all the things that the Lord had shown unto him (xi:25). -Perhaps some time elapsed before the Word of the Lord came unto him -revealing the unbelieving, rebellious condition of the people. "Son of -man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes -to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are -a rebellious house" (verse 2). Therefore the speedy judgment is again -announced and the Prophet received a series of messages and parables. -"The Word of the Lord came," and "Thus saith the Lord," are the -oft-repeated phrases in this most interesting chapter. We shall find -many solemn truths in this section, truths which have a meaning for our -times as well. May we hear His voice in these words which the -Prophet-Priest heard from Jehovah. The first chapter of this section has -two parts. - - -I. The Symbolical Sign of the Certainty and Nearness of the Judgment. - - The word of the Lord also came unto me, saying, Son of man, thou - dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, - and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a - rebellious house. Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for - removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove - from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will - consider, though they be a rebellious house. Then shalt thou bring - forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and - thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth - into captivity. Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry - out thereby. In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, - and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that - thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign, unto the - house of Israel. And I did so as I was commanded; I brought forth my - stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged - through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, - and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight (verses 1-7). - -In the commission which the Prophet received (chapter ii) the rebellious -condition of the people had been declared by the Lord, and now once more -the fact that they were "a rebellious house" is mentioned. They had eyes -and did not see, ears and they did not hear. Moses had spoken of that -(Deut. xxix:1-4) and their past history up to the days of Ezekiel only -confirmed the truth of this statement. Isaiah had heard the same words -from the Lord (Is. vi:9-10) and Jeremiah had to repeat them in his great -call to a backslidden people (Jere. v:21). Then our Lord used the same -words when the nation had rejected His testimony (Matt. xiii:13-15; Mark -viii:18; John xii:39-40). The last time we find them applied is in Acts -xxviii:26-27. Blindness is now upon Israel, but the day is also coming -when that judicial blindness will be removed and they will be no longer -the rebellious house. Of this coming great miracle of the Grace of God -Ezekiel's later prophecies have much to say. - -Here the Prophet is told to act again in a symbolical sign. He was told -to prepare stuff for removing. This meant that he should attire himself -like one who goes on a journey with sandals on his feet, a staff in his -hand, a burden upon his shoulders. Then he was to remove from one place -to another. He was also to bring forth his stuff in their sight, and -then with the captive's burden upon his back he was commanded to dig -through the wall and carry it through the hole. Furthermore he was to -cover his face so that he did not see the ground. All this the prophet -did in the sight of the people. In all this the Lord in His infinite -patience, in making the Prophet a sign unto them, waited still for their -repentance; "it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious -house." - -We find the meaning of all this explained in the verses which follow: - - And in the morning came the word of the Lord unto me, saying, Son of - man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto - thee, What doest thou? Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; - This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of - Israel that are among them. Say, I am your sign; like as I have - done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into - captivity. And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his - shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through - the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see - not the ground with his eyes. My net also will I spread upon him, - and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon - to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he - shall die there. And I will scatter toward every wind all that are - about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the - sword after them. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I - shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the - countries. But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from - the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their - abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall - know that I am the Lord (verses 8-16). - -The actions of the Prophet were witnessed by the people and they said to -him, What doest thou? The answer to their inquiry is given by the Lord -Himself. We have therefore the divine interpretation of what Ezekiel had -done in their presence. It is a prophecy and concerns mostly "the -prince in Jerusalem"; Zedekiah is meant. His attempt to flee from -Jerusalem and his fate when the king of Babylon put out his eyes, his -captivity in the land of the Chaldeans and death in that land are here -clearly predicted. Jeremiah xxxix:4; lii:10-11 and 2 Kings xxv:1-7 must -be read in connection with the sign of Ezekiel and the interpretation as -given by the Lord. Thus Ezekiel had enacted a prophecy before their eyes -which came literally true. Certain critics have tried to explain that -what Ezekiel did must have happened after the fall of Jerusalem and the -capture of Zedekiah. However, this attempt to disprove the passage as a -real prophecy has failed. Others have tried to explain it in still -another way. It has been said: "Since we know that the book was written -after the event, it is a perfectly fair question whether in the -interpretation of the symbols Ezekiel may not have read into it a fuller -meaning than was present to his own mind at the time." This statement -sets aside the fact that not Ezekiel gave the interpretation and read -something into it, but the whole passage is the Word of the Lord, -introduced with "Thus saith the Lord God." Predictions of any kind -revealing future events seems to be the unpalatable thing for the -destructive criticism, for it proves the fact of divine revelation. We -have followed step by step the different judgment messages and visions -which the Prophet received and delivered, how Jerusalem was facing its -certain doom and now Zedekiah and his fate in trying to escape from -Jerusalem is especially mentioned. All these visions are closely -connected and were all given before the city fell. - -And what the Lord predicted here, not alone about Zedekiah, but also -about the people and their dispersion came true. They were scattered -among the nations, but a full end of them was not made, a remnant was to -be left and to declare their abominations among the nations. Scattered -in all countries they witness by their condition as a homeless nation to -their own disobedience and shame. - - Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, eat - thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with - carefulness; And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the - Lord God of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; - They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water - with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is - therein because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. And - the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land - shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the Lord (verses - 17-20). - -An additional message is given. Ezekiel was to eat his bread with -quaking and drink his water with dread and anxious care. It was another -sign of the affliction which was to come upon them. The land also should -become desolate and the cities be laid waste. Thus the Lord continued to -warn and plead with His people. Judgment is always his strange work (Is. -xxxiii:21). "For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children -of men? (Lam. iii:33). The unheeded warnings were repeated over and over -again by Ezekiel and the other prophets; He waited in His infinite -patience for the return of His people and, as we learn from the Book of -Judges, if there is but a cry from the heart of His people, He is ready -to respond. But Israel heard not. They made light of all the predictions -of the rapidly nearing judgment. When we think of our own times and -generation, and remember the deliberate rejection of God's Word, the -impenitence and worldliness prevalent in Christendom, and the judgments -which are threatened and which must come some day, these opening -messages of Ezekiel and their fulfilment in the judgment of Jerusalem -and the nation take on an additional meaning. God must needs do His -strange work, the work of judgment upon those who reject the best He -has given, the Gospel of His Grace. The condition of the people is now -more fully seen in the second part of this chapter. - - -II. The False Hope. The Judgment not to be Delayed. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying Son of man, what is - that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days - are prolonged, and every vision faileth? Tell them, therefore, Thus - saith the Lord God; I will make this proverb to cease, and they - shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The - days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. For there shall be - no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house - of Israel. For I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I - shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for - in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will - perform it, saith the Lord God. - - Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, behold, - they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for - many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off. - Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; There shall none - of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken - shall be done, saith the Lord God (verses 21-28). - -We must again remember in reading these words that in the midst of -Israel false prophets deluded the people with their false messages. The -rebellious spirit against the Lord was fostered by these men and the -threatening judgments announced by Jeremiah and by Ezekiel were not -believed by the mass of the people. Of them we read elsewhere: "Thy -prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee, and they have not -discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity, but have seen for -thee false burdens and causes of banishment" (Lam. ii:14). Believing the -false messages the people said, "The days are prolonged, and every -vision faileth." Had they really believed that the days were not to be -prolonged and that the vision of judgment upon Jerusalem was about to be -accomplished, they would have surely turned to the Lord and cried to -Him for mercy. Unbelief was responsible for their condition, and in that -unbelief they were sustained by the lying prophets. In the next chapter -the Prophet utters his God-given denunciation of these false prophets -and prophetesses. - -All this is present with us to-day. Blinded Israel then did not believe -what the Lord had spoken. They thought themselves secure, that the days -would be prolonged and that the visions had failed. It is so to-day. The -Spirit of God has predicted this for the end of the present age: -"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, -walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his -coming? for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they -were from the beginning of the creation" (2 Peter iii:3-4). This is the -spirit to-day which has permeated the larger part of the professing -church. What God has said concerning the future, the Coming again of His -Son to judge the world in righteousness is either ignored or rejected, -while many even ridicule these great predictions. It is the popular -opinion that our age is constantly getting better, they dream of -world-peace, great advancement and prosperity. That God has written a -different program in His Word revealed by the Prophets of God in visions -and confirmed by our Lord and His Apostles is completely forgotten. And -this setting aside of the Word of Prophecy has produced in Christendom -similar conditions to those in unbelieving Israel. And there are others -who assent in a measure to the visions of the Prophets concerning things -to come, but they are unconcerned about it. It has no meaning for them. -Like Israel they say, "The vision that he seeth is for many days to come -and he prophesieth of the times that are afar off" (verse 27). It -reminds us of the language of the evil servant who said, "My lord -delayeth his coming." - -But what was God's answer? He would end this false hope and false -security. The lying proverb which the false prophets had them inspired -to use would be changed into another. "The days are at hand and the -effect of every vision." All false visions, false divinations and false -hopes which had become so widespread among Israel were to cease, for the -burden of true Prophecy would now be fulfilled. Then solemnly He -declared that His Word was to be done. The Word which He spoke would -come to pass. Even so every word which the Prophets had spoken -concerning the judgment of Jerusalem, the devastation of the land and -the dispersion of the people came to pass. - -May we remember that when the world says "Peace and safety," then sudden -destruction shall come upon them (1 Thess. v:1-5). The world and an -apostate church may dream of peace and safety, sneer at divine -interference in mighty judgments, laugh at a second, visible and -glorious coming of the same Lord who died and was raised from the dead, -ridicule the establishment of His great kingdom on this earth and say -every vision faileth--yet we know that the vision will not fail. What -God has spoken will be done. The vision may yet be for an appointed -time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie; though it tarry, wait -for it; because it will surely come; it will not tarry (Hab. ii:3). "Say -unto them, The days are at hand." This was God's message to a people -deceived by false hopes of peace. And may this not be the Lord's message -to us in these dark and solemn days, when the clouds of judgment are -gathering, the days are at hand? May we as the children of light and of -the day wait for the fulfilment of the vision. It will surely come and -not tarry. - - -THE MESSAGE AGAINST THE FALSE PROPHETS AND PROPHETESSES. - -Chapter xiii. - -The message which follows the preceding one on the certainty of the doom -of Jerusalem is directed against the false prophets and prophetesses who -were at work among the people, and who antagonized the God-given -utterances of the true messengers of the Lord. These men and women may -well be termed the curse of Israel, because all they did was a curse to -the people. Their words inspired the rebellious people with a false hope -and kept them from turning to the Lord in true repentance. They -advocated a national alliance of Israel with Egypt and other empires, -while the true prophets exhorted Israel to put their confidence -exclusively in the Lord. The false prophets paid no heed to the moral -and religious conditions of the people of God. They saw nothing alarming -in the drift away from God, in the increasing immoralities, but in view -of all this they continued to cry peace, peace; but the true prophets -sounded the alarm and without mincing words uncovered the degenerating -conditions of the people. - - -I. The False Prophets: their Guilt and Condemnation. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man - prophesying against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say - thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the - word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish - prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! O - Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not - gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of - Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. They have seen - vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord - hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they - would confirm the word. Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye - not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The Lord saith it, - albeit I have not spoken? (verses 1-7). - -The first charge brought against the false prophets is that they -prophesy out of their own hearts. It has been also translated "who -prophesy from their own mind without having seen." Here we have a divine -definition of the false prophets in a very concise form. Their words -came out of their own hearts, they were not founded upon the vision of -the Lord, the message He gives by His Spirit, but the product of their -own minds. They gave expression to the thoughts of their own darkened -hearts and paid no heed whatever to the revelation of God. And here let -us be reminded of what is written in the New Testament concerning the -same class of men who are predicted to appear especially at the close of -the present age, doing a work in Christendom which fully corresponds to -the work of these false prophets in Jeremiah's and Ezekiel's day. "But -there were false prophets also among the people (Israel), even as there -shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable -heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon -themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious -ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of" (2 -Peter ii:1-2). Jude in his Epistle gives a more complete picture of -them. He speaks of these false teachers of Christendom as "speaking evil -of those things which they know not, but what they know naturally (as -natural men, unregenerated) as brute beasts, in those things they -corrupt themselves" (verse 10). "Their mouth speaketh great swelling -words (a divine definition of modern day 'pulpit oratory'), having men's -persons in admiration because of advantage" (verse 16). They were -mockers who walk after their own lusts; having not the Spirit (verse -19). The Apostle Paul speaks of them as wolves (Acts xx:29) and our Lord -warned of them. "Beware of false Prophets, which come to you in sheep's -clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matt. vii:15). - -And such false teachers, men who pose as religious leaders, are doing -their dreadful and delusive work throughout the professing church. Every -man who prophesies out of his own heart, who utters his own mind, whose -teaching and preaching is not according to the oracles of God, who pays -no heed to what the Lord has said is a false prophet. And such abound in -the closing days of the church on earth. Hundreds of men who are -accredited religious teachers ignore the visions of God, have no heart -and no ear for what the Lord has revealed, yea, more than that, they -reject the inspiration and revelation of the Word of God and in its -place preach and teach the opinions of their own corrupt and darkened -minds and the traditions of men. A true prophet of God and a true leader -is altogether subject to the Word of God. His one business is to expound -the Word of God. He speaks as the oracles of God. He does what is -written in 2 Cor. x:5: "Casting down imaginations (the working of the -mind apart from the Word of God) and every high thing that exalteth -itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every -thought to the obedience of Christ." The Apostle Paul is a perfect -example of such a true mouthpiece of the Lord. Naturally gifted with a -keen mind, learned and cultured, yet he wrote to the Corinthians, "And -I, brethren, when I come to you, came not with excellency of speech or -of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not -to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified"--"And -my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, -but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Cor. ii:1-4). - -And like the false prophets among Israel the false prophets and teachers -in Christendom are responsible for the deplorable conditions of the -professing people of God. Instead of sounding God's warning they cover -up and lead the people into the dark, where they are themselves. The -responsibilities of those men who deny the authority of the Bible, who -prophesy out of their own hearts is far greater than any pen can -describe. - -And what else did the Lord say about them in Ezekiel's message? "They -have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith, and the -Lord hath not sent them." Here is the root of the matter. The Lord never -sent them; He never called them into the office of a prophet or teacher. -They are self-called and self-sent. Being therefore not the chosen -instruments of the Lord, knowing not His Word nor obeying His Spirit, -they become the instruments of "lying divination." Behind their messages -of a false hope and false peace stands the father of lies. 1 Kings -xxii:19-23 throws important light upon this. It was a lying spirit who -possessed the false prophets in Ahab's times. Even so it is predicted of -the last days that the people will give heed to seducing spirits and -doctrines of demons (1 Tim. iv:1). - - Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye have spoken vanity, - and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord - God. And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity and - that divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of my people, - neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, - neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know - that I am the Lord God. Because, even because they have seduced my - people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a - wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar: Say unto - them which daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall fall: there - shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall - fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it. Lo, when the wall is fallen, - shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye - have daubed it. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I will even rend - it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing - shower in mine anger, and great hailstone in my fury, to consume - it. So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with - untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the - foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye - shall be consumed in the midst thereof, and ye shall know that I am - the Lord. Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon - them that have daubed it with untempered mortar and will say unto - you: The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it; to wit the - prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which - see visions of peace for them, and there is no peace saith the Lord - God (verses 8-16). - -And next the message pronounces the condemnation and punishment of these -false prophets. The Lord is against them. His hand is to be upon them -for punishment. Three things are mentioned in which their punishment is -going to consist: they are to be excluded from the assembly of God's -people; they will be outcasts like lepers and such they were; their -names are not to be mentioned in the writings of Israel; their memory -will be blotted out, their names forgotten; finally they were not to -enter into the land of Israel. This is not too severe if one thinks of -the souls these false prophets destroyed and the wicked work they did, -for it is wickedness to reject the Word of God and substitute for it -human inventions. - -A more solemn word is pronounced in the New Testament against those who -continue in Christendom the pernicious and deceiving work of these false -teachers. It is written, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall -God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are" (1 Cor. -iii:17). That is, believers constitute the temple of God, that is, the -church. The church has for its foundation the Truth of God, the doctrine -of Christ. A rejection of the doctrine of Christ, so common in our day, -defiles this spiritual temple of God. It is the worst profanation. And -the false leader with his work corrupts the best, the holiest. "Him -shall God destroy!" May God's people heed the warning to have no -fellowship with such who as hirelings do the work of false prophets. - -And these false prophets seduced the people. The delusion consisted in -saying, Peace, and there was no peace. This is a characteristic of those -who follow not God's revelation but their own hearts. While God has -threatened a world which lieth in the wicked one, an age which is evil -and which never can be anything but evil, with judgments to come, they -preach peace and safety. - -He describes them as building a wall and then putting some untempered -stuff, a whitewash, upon the wall. The wall is for defence. They -invented all kinds of schemes and policies, political, religious and -religious-political. This was done to sustain their false messages and -false hopes. Then to hide the defects, they whitewashed their walls, -they glazed it over with nice and high sounding phrases. Such is the -case to-day. Oh! the schemes, the religious-political combinations which -are used to accomplish certain ends which are nowhere authorized by the -Word of God. And the whitewash, the enticing, beautiful words which are -used to cover it over and make it appear as being secure! And Ezekiel -was commanded to say to these whitewashes, "It shall fall!" A great -storm with wind and flood would strike it and the wall, the schemes and -inventions of men were to collapse (see Matt. vii:26-27). Even so the -judgment came upon Jerusalem and the land of Israel and swept away the -false prophets and what they had built up. Another judgment will sweep -over Christendom and sweep away the "destructive critics," the false -teachers and leaders of delusive movements which flourish everywhere. -Then the divine mockery: "Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be -said unto you, where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?" (verse -12). When God fulfills His predictions written in the Word, when a -boasting, Christless civilization, an apostate church are engulfed in -the judgment with which this present age ends, where will be the nice -sounding whitewash of the false prophets? - - -II. The False Prophetesses. - - Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy - people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou - against them, And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the women - that sew pillows to all armholes, and make veils for the head of - every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, - and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you? And will ye - pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of - bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls - alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear - your lies? Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against - your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, - and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even - the souls that ye hunt to make them fly. Your veils also will I - tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no - more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the - Lord. Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, - whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, - that he should not return from his wicked way by promising him life: - Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I - will deliver my people out of your hand, and ye shall know that I am - the Lord (verses 17-23). - -And there were false women prophets among Israel likewise. This is a -significant fact. Women became religious leaders and teachers in the -days of Jerusalem's downfall and the worst degradation followed upon -that. They also prophesied out of their own hearts and added other -wicked things to it. They sewed pillows upon all elbows and made veils -for the head to hunt for souls. This has been interpreted in different -ways. It means that they used amulets, little idol images and other -things by which they practised the so-called divination--the -soothsaying. It is sorcery to which these women prophets gave -themselves up. The veils which they used were to give to it a priestly -air of mysticism. They practised the sinister art of magic, or as we -call it nowadays, occultism. It was witchcraft, this binding on of -pillows and other things. This they did for hire and to slay souls which -should not be slain and to sustain the wicked in their wickedness. Here -is also undoubtedly a hint about their wicked incantations, the spells -they claimed to cast that the innocent souls should die and the guilty -should live. But the Prophet declares now that the Lord will deal with -them, expose their wicked practises, tear off their devices and deliver -His people out of the snare. - -All this is also done in the very midst of Christendom in the twentieth -century. Women prophets, the most subtle instruments of Satan, are -plentiful in these days. The fact has often been pointed out that the -prominent leaders in the evil cults of the last days are women. There -has been a strange modern day revival of occult practices upon Christian -ground. Spiritualism, Theosophy and Christian Science belong to this -class. All three started with women. Spiritualism with its mediums, -fortune-tellers and necromancers is almost entirely in the hands of -women, who claim to be religious leaders. The same is true of Theosophy, -with its Hindu philosophy and occultism, surrounded with an air of -unholy mysticism. Christian Science is closely related to these two -cults. Its founder practised for a time the calling of a medium. - -Significant is the description of the work of these false prophets and -prophetesses in verse 22: "Because with lies ye have made the heart of -the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands -of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by -promising him life." The righteous in Israel were saddened by their evil -work. To the wicked they promised life, that there was no future -punishment for their sins. Hence the wicked continued in his wickedness. - -And is the work of the false teachers, the false women-cults, any -different? The righteous are saddened. Each one of the false teachers -and movements like Spiritualism, Theosophy, Russellism, Christian -Science and others deny the eternal punishment of the wicked. They -strengthen the hands of the wicked by promising him life. - - -THE MESSAGE AGAINST THE IDOLATROUS ELDERS. - -Chapter xiv. - -The elders now appear to inquire of the Lord through the prophet (verse -3; xx:1). Though the prophet had faithfully uttered the messages of -judgment and impending doom and the people and their leaders had heard -them, yet would they inquire of the Lord. The Word, the Lord had sent to -them, they rejected and now they expected some new kind of a message. -When these inquiring elders were in the presence of Ezekiel, the Word of -the Lord came unto him. This chapter contains two sections; each is -introduced by the statement, "And the Word of the Lord came unto me." - - -I. The Idolatrous Elder. The Call to Repentance. - - Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before - me. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, these - men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the - stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face: should I be - enquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto - them, Thus saith the Lord God; Every man of the house of Israel that - setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling-block - of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the - Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his - idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, - because they are all estranged from me through their idols. - Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; - Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your - faces from all your abominations. For every one of the house of - Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which - separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, - and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and - cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the Lord will - answer him by myself. And I will set my face against that man, and - will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the - midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. And if the - prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have - deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and - will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. And they shall - bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet - shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him; That - the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be - polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may - be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord God (verses - 1-11). - -These inquiring elders with wickedness in their hearts, give another -illustration of the depth of degradation in which the people had sunken. -He who searches the hearts knew what was in them. They came with pious, -religious pretensions. It sounded well to inquire of the Lord and seek -the prophet-priest for that purpose. Their hearts were full of evil. -While their lips spoke of asking the Lord, their hearts were full of -idolatry. They liked idolatry. Their hearts were in it and this -stumbling-block of their iniquity they had put before their faces, which -means they openly defied the Lord God of Israel by their doings. "Should -I be inquired of at all by them?" To seek the Lord and inquire of Him in -such a condition reveals a brazen spirit and the deepest depravity. Yet -this also belongs to the conditions in which the professing people of -God are when judgment overtakes them. We see much of it in our own days. -There is a great deal of so-called religious exercise and activity, -attempts to produce more "religiousness," as it is termed. There is, -however, no real heart-turning to the Lord, but the idols are kept in -heart and life. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not -hear me" (Ps. lxvi:18). Then the Lord tells them through the prophet, -"I, the Lord, will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of -their idols; that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart -because they are all estranged from me through their idols." Estranged -from Jehovah through idols; this described the spiritual condition of -these certain elders and the people. If God's people do not give the -Lord the place of pre-eminence and follow Him wholly they become -estranged from Him. And such is the condition of thousands of professing -Christians who walk in a carnal way, who follow their idols instead of -the Lord and who still maintain an outward religiousness. Then follows -the call to repentance. "Repent and turn yourselves from your idols." -Next is the announcement that the Lord Himself will deal with such -miserable hypocrites. He will answer the unrepenting, idol follower, who -separates himself from the Lord. No true prophet of Jehovah would -certainly encourage the men who inquire of the Lord and have evil in -their hearts, for fellowship with Jehovah is impossible for such. - -The ninth verse states more than a possibility. "And if the prophet be -deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I, the Lord, have deceived the -prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and I will destroy him -from the midst of my people Israel." As we learned in the previous -prophetic message that such deceiving prophets were in abundance among -Israel. They were the curse of the nation. Little did they care about -the spiritual condition of the people. They prophesied for filthy -lucre's sake and lived in sin like the rest of the apostates. To them -people came to inquire of the Lord and the deceiving prophets prophesied -smooth things. But the Lord Himself as a judgment had deceived their -prophets to ripen the people for the deserved doom. It is the same what -Micaiah declared in the presence of King Jehosaphat and King Ahab (1 -Kings xxii:13-23). The four hundred prophets of Ahab were possessed by a -lying spirit. - - -II. Judgment is Unavoidable. - - The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, Son of man, when the - land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I - stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread - thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and - beast from it: Though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job, were in - it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, - saith the Lord God. If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the - land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may - pass through because of the beasts: Though these three men were in - it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons - nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be - desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go - through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: Though - these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they - shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be - delivered themselves. Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and - pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: - though Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord - God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but - deliver their own souls by their righteousness. For thus saith the - Lord God; How much more when I send my fourscore judgments upon - Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the - pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? Yet, behold, therein - shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and - daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see - their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the - evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I - have brought upon it. And they shall see their ways and their - doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all - that I have done in it, saith the Lord God (verses 12-23). - -The Word of the Lord came again to Ezekiel. The previously announced -judgment cannot be averted, it is unavoidable; this is the burden of the -second message the inquiring elders heard from the prophet's lips. -Perhaps this was on their minds when they came to the prophet and sat in -his presence. Famine is threatened first; it would come upon man and -beast. Then the noisome beasts would pass through the land, to spoil it -and make it desolate. These beasts must not be understood in the literal -sense; they symbolize the Gentiles, whom Daniel in his vision saw also -as beasts (Dan. vii). These nations like the Chaldeans would overrun the -land and waste it. The last two judgments were to be the sword (verse -17) and the pestilence (verse 19). These four sore judgments were about -to fall upon Jerusalem and the land--famine, noisome beasts, Gentile -invasion, the sword and pestilence. Twice in this address Noah, Daniel -and Job are mentioned. They were righteous men, yet if they were all -three in Jerusalem they would deliver only their own souls by their -righteousness, which was the result of their faith in and obedience to -Jehovah. They were witnesses and men of prayer. Noah, the witness before -the great judgment by water swept over the earth; Daniel even then in -Babylon, and Job of the patriarchal age. All their righteousness, and -all their witnessing and prayers would not help in preventing these four -sore judgments. Then there is a gracious promise for the remnant which -is to be preserved in these judgments. - - -THE PARABLE OF THE UNFRUITFUL VINE - -Chapter xv. - -The next three chapters contain divinely given parables. The object of -these parables is to expose still further the false hopes which the -people had during the reign of Zedekiah, the last King of Judah. He -rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar after the second invasion (2 Kings -xxiv:20). He hoped, and the people with him, that deliverance would -come through the alliances Zedekiah had formed with Edom, Ammon, Tyre -and Sidon. He also had sent to Egypt for help. "But he rebelled against -him (the king of Babylon) in sending ambassadors into Egypt that they -might give him horses and much people" (Ezek. xvii:15). In all this -Zedekiah and the remnant of people left in the land despised the Word of -Jehovah. Prophet after prophet had delivered the same message concerning -the ultimate and complete overthrow of Jerusalem. During Josiah's reign -in the midst of the great reformation-revival, Hulda the prophetess, had -given the warning, "I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the -inhabitants thereof" (2 Kings xxii:16). The great reformation could not -keep back the decreed judgment. Nor can any reformation movement in the -close of our own age avert the judgment which is predicted upon an -ungodly world and an apostate church. Josiah's reign was followed by the -reign of Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah. It went from bad to worse. -Twice Nebuchadnezzar had come and spoiled Jerusalem. It was evident that -Jehovah's judgment was being gradually executed upon the land and the -city. We have learned from the preceding chapters how often and in how -many different ways the Lord had repeated through Ezekiel's visions and -utterances that the judgment would surely do its complete work, and that -nothing would be able to arrest it. Yet Zedekiah, in the awful blindness -characteristic of all who deliberately reject the Word of God and -continue in an impenitent state, hoped for better things. And the exiles -also shared more or less this false hope. - -Three parables were therefore given to Ezekiel to demonstrate still -further the false and vain hope and the delusion that there would be -deliverance. The Parable of the unfruitful vine shows that the nation -was good for nothing, and burning awaited the city. This is followed by -a second parable, one of the most beautiful in the Word of God: the -parable of the abandoned child in the field. That child, Jerusalem, had -bestowed upon it all the mercy and grace a loving God could give. And -after all had been done she became a wanton harlot and turned from Him -who loved her so much. Linked with the second parable is the restoration -promise, still unfulfilled. The third parable is the parable of the -great eagles. Here judgment upon the nation is once more announced. And -after that Ezekiel spoke in Jehovah's name the final word: "As I live, -saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth -(Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon) that made him king (Zedekiah was made king -by Nebuchadnezzar), whose oath he despised (Zedekiah had sworn to -Nebuchadnezzar and then broke the oath), even with him in the midst of -Babylon he shall die." "And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall -be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead -with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me" -(Ezek. xvii:16, 20). - - -I. The Parable of the Unfruitful Vine. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, What is - the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among - the trees of the forest? Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work, - or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon? Behold, it - is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of - it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work? Behold, - when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it - be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is - burned? Therefore, thus saith the Lord God; As the vine tree among - the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so - will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will set my face - against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire - shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set - my face against them. And I will make the land desolate, because - they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord God (verses 1-8). - -The vine is a type of the people Israel. Perhaps their confidence and -boast was in the knowledge that they were the vine of Jehovah. Their -false prophets may have quoted the words of Asaph in that beautiful -prayer addressed to the Shepherd of Israel: "Thou hast brought a vine -out of Egypt; thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it. Thou -preparedst room for it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it -filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it and the -boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto -the sea, and her branches unto the river. Why hast thou then broken down -her hedges, so that all they that pass by the way do pluck her?" (Psalm -lxxx:8-12). But they forgot that judgment had been long ago pronounced -against the vine and the vineyard of Israel. Isaiah has spoken of the -vineyard and what Jehovah had done for His people. But the vine brought -forth wild grapes. "And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my -vineyard. I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; -and will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down. And -I will lay it waste. It shall not be pruned or digged; but there shall -come up briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain -not upon it" (Isaiah v:1-6). And Hosea, too, had borne witness against -the vine: "Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto -himself; according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the -altars; according to the goodness of the land they have made goodly -images" (Hosea x:1). - -Their boast of being the vine and vineyard of Jehovah was an idle one. -Ezekiel's parable demonstrates this. The vine tree is only good for one -thing and that is the bearing of fruit. Apart from fruit bearing the -vine is worthless. The wood of it cannot be used for anything whatever. -Is it meet for any work? Will men take a piece of it and hang a vessel -thereon? It is good for nothing else but to be burned with fire. Cast -into the fire for fuel it is burned at both ends and in the midst. This -was to be the certain fate of Jerusalem. The process of the fiery -judgment consuming the unfruitful vine tree had already begun. "And I -will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire and -another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, -when I set my face against them." Even so it came upon the city when -Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem the third time. "And he burnt the -house of the Lord, and the King's house, and all the houses of -Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire" (2 Kings -xxv:9). And here we must also remember the statement our Lord made in -the parable of the vine and the branches. "If a man abide not in me, he -is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and -cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (John xv:6). Some apply -this also to Israel. It means, however, the professing believer, who in -an empty profession claims to be a branch in Him who is the true vine. -Such a one is a barren branch, good only for burning. - -Our Lord's parable of the vineyard (Matt. xxi:33, etc.) must here -likewise be considered. It brings together all the prophets had spoken -concerning Israel as the vineyard, as well as the crowning sin of the -people, in the rejection and death of the Lord Jesus, and the judgment -which came upon Jerusalem and the nation. - -But there is a day coming when the Lord will graciously visit the vine -again, when He will have mercy upon Zion. Of this the already quoted -eightieth Psalm bears a blessed testimony. - -The prayer of the godly remnant of the Jewish people at the close of the -times of the Gentiles is pre-written in that Psalm by the Holy Spirit. -Let us listen to it. "Return we beseech thee, O God of hosts; look down -from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine and the vineyard which thy -right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for -thyself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; they perish at the -rebuke of thy countenance. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right -hand (the Lord Jesus Christ), upon the son of man, whom thou madest -strong for thyself. So will we not go back from thee; quicken us, and we -will call upon thy name" (Psalm lxxx:14-18). - - -THE PARABLE OF THE ABANDONED CHILD. JERUSALEM'S IDOLATRY. THE PROMISES -OF RESTORATION. - -Chapter xvi. - -After the parable of the unfruitful vine in which the vain hope and -boast of Jerusalem is briefly exposed, another parable was uttered by -the Prophet, which more fully establishes Jerusalem's great wickedness. -The chapter before us is one of the greatest in the prophetic -Scriptures. It contains a wonderful history of Jerusalem, past, present -and future, and God's dealings with her. - -We give first a brief survey of this interesting chapter before we take -up a more analytical study. The parable of the abandoned child and -Jehovah's love and mercy in taking her up, saving the perishing one from -death and bestowing upon her such gracious labor and gifts, forms the -first part of the chapter (verse 1-14). It is a most beautiful -description of what Jehovah had done for Jerusalem. After this, the -terrible ingratitude and fall of Jerusalem is uncovered. She, whom -Jehovah lifted so high, upon whom He bestowed such love and grace, -turned against Jehovah and became an abandoned prostitute. The -idolatries of Jerusalem and corresponding moral degradations are -vividly pictured in this second section of the chapter (verses 15-34). -Then follows the announcement of the doom of Jerusalem. In this third -section Samaria and her daughters, as well as Sodom and her daughters -are introduced, and their return to the former estate with Jerusalem is -announced. - -These restoration promises are frequently used by teachers of the -so-called "larger hope," who deny the eternal punishment of the wicked. -It is claimed that Sodom and her daughters, all the inhabitants of -wicked Sodom, who perished in the great judgment, will be raised from -the dead and have another chance. We shall, in considering this portion -of the chapter (verses 35-59), show the unscripturalness of this theory -as well as the true meaning of the promise. The fourth section (verses -59-63) promises the establishment of Jehovah's covenant with Jerusalem. - - -I. The Parable of the Abandoned Child. - - Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, cause - Jerusalem to know her abominations, and say, Thus saith the Lord God - unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; - thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy - nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither - wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou was not salted at - all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these - unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in - the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou - wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine - own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, - I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. I have caused - thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased - and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy - breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast - naked and bare. Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, - behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over - thee, and covered thy nakedness; yea, I sware unto thee, and entered - into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest - mine. Then washed I thee with water; yea, I thoroughly washed away - thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee - also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I - girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I - decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, - and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and - earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus - wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine - linen and silk and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and - honey and oil; and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst - prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the heathen - for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I - had put upon thee, saith the Lord God (verses 1-14). - -In the beginning of the chapter the purpose of the parable is stated. -"Son of Man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations." To convict -Jerusalem of all her guilt and wickedness the Lord shows first of all -what He had done for her. While Jerusalem is specially mentioned, the -parable has a wider application to the nation itself. The different -dealings of the Lord with His people can be traced in this beautiful -parable. First, Jerusalem's origin is mentioned. "Thy birth and thy -nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite and thy -mother a Hittite." This does not mean Abraham and Sarah, from which the -nation sprang, but it refers to the origin of the city itself, which was -Canaanitish. The Amorites were the original possessors of Palestine, as -we learn from Genesis xv:16. The name for Palestine in the cuneiform -inscriptions is "Land of the Amorites." The Hittites are also mentioned -in Genesis as the inhabitants of the land. (Genesis xxiii:3, 10; -xxvii:46). Thus Jerusalem is described as coming from a base and unclean -parentage. The Lord had mercy on her whose condition was like an -abandoned child cast out into an open field. He passed by and spoke the -word, which He alone could speak--Live! Then He began His work of -mercy. He caused her to multiply as the bud of the field. He made her to -increase. He entered into a covenant with her. "Yea, I swear unto thee, -and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou -becamest mine." Furthermore we read, "I washed thee with water"; "I -anointed thee with oil"; "I clothed"; "I girded thee"; "I covered thee -with silk." Ornaments were bestowed upon the beloved one. Bracelets upon -the hands; a chain for the neck; a jewel for the forehead; earrings for -the ears; decked with gold and silver; arrayed in fine linen and silk -and broidered work, feeding on fine flour, honey and oil--such were -Jehovah's gifts to Jerusalem. A beautiful crown was put upon her head. -Jerusalem became exceedingly beautiful and prospered into a kingdom. Her -renown went forth among the nations on account of her beauty. All this -is a striking allegory of Jehovah's mercy to Jerusalem, and the -culmination refers to the days of the glorious kingdom under Solomon. -There is no need of applying every statement to some historical fact in -the history of Jerusalem as it has been attempted by certain expositors. -The purpose, as already stated, is to convict Jerusalem of her -abominations, and for this reason Jehovah's goodness to her is so -vividly described. Jehovah had done all for her and not a word is said -about gratitude or love from the side of Jerusalem. All was done for her -by Him. "It was perfect through my comeliness (magnificence), which I -had put upon thee, saith the Lord God." - - * * * * * - -And this sweet parable illustrates, as few other portions in the Old -Testament do, the grace which the Lord bestows upon the believer in the -Gospel. Thy father an Amorite and thy mother a Hittite reminds us of -what is true of all men, so tersely expressed in David's confession, -"Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me" -(Psalm li:5). Like the child pictured in the parable, we are lost, -perishing in the field (the world). What could that perishing child do -to save itself? Even so we cannot do anything to save ourselves. The -Lord passing by had compassion and spoke His Word of power--Live. He -came from Heaven to this earth, into the field to seek and save what is -lost. He found man in the vile and helpless condition so aptly pictured -by the miserable child. And more than that, He died to save man. He gave -His life so that we might live. The first thing He does for the -believing sinner is to give him life. When the spiritual dead hear His -voice they live. The washing with water, the anointing with oil (type of -the Holy Spirit), the announcement "thou becamest mine," as well as the -clothing, the beautifying and the crowning, all illustrates what His -marvelous grace does for the trusting, believing sinner. It is all grace -from start to finish, from the impartation of life in the new birth to -the crowning in glory. - - -II. Jerusalem's Idolatries and Moral Degradation. - - But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot - because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every - one that passed by; his it was. And of thy garments thou didst take, - and deckedst thy high places with divers colors, and playedst the - harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it - be so. Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my - silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, - and didst commit whoredom with them. And tookest thy broidered - garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine - incense before them. My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and - oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before - them for a sweet savor: and thus it was, saith the Lord God. - Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast - borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be - devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter. That thou has - slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through - the fire for them? And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms - thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked - and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood. And it came to pass after - all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the Lord God,) That - thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee - a high place in every street. Thou hast built thy high place at - every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and - hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy - whoredoms. Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians - thy neighbors, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to - provoke me to anger. Behold, therefore, I have stretched out my hand - over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered - thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the - Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way. Thou hast played the - whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, - thou hast played the harlot with them, and couldest not be - satisfied. Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land - of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith. - How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou doest all - these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman; in that thou - buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest - thine high place in every street; and hast not been as a harlot, in - that thou scornest hire; but as a wife that committeth adultery, - which taketh strangers instead of her husband! They give gifts to - all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest - them, that they may come unto thee on every side of thy whoredom. - And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, - whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou - givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou - art contrary (verses 15-34). - -Upon the beautiful background of Jehovah's love and mercy, there is now -written the dark picture of Jerusalem's whoredoms, symbolical of her -wicked idolatries. "But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and played -the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on -every one that passed by; his it was" (verse 15). It started all with -pride. Jerusalem did not acknowledge the giver, who had made her great. -Instead of worshipping in Jehovah's appointed way, they established the -"high places" and conformed to all the wicked Canaanitish practices. The -wickedness of the Amorites and Hittites, from which she came, were -reproduced in her. Their little ones were given to Moloch as a -sacrifice. "Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom -thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be -devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, that thou hast slain -thy children, and delivered them to pass through the fire for them?" -(verses 20-21). From the Second Book of Kings we learn that Ahaz was the -first king who committed this atrocity. "He made his son pass through -the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord -cast out from before the children of Israel" (2 Kings xvi:3). And -Manasseh, the wicked son of a pious father, also followed the same -horrible practice (2 Kings xxi:6). The historical books of Second Kings -and Second Chronicles must be read to understand more fully the -symbolical language used by Ezekiel and to learn the idolatry and -degradation of Jerusalem. All Jehovah had given and bestowed upon her -was devoted to practice this spiritual fornication. What Jehovah had -done for her was forgotten. - -"And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not -remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and -wast polluted in thy blood" (verse 22). But worse than that followed. -Not enough that Jerusalem had her high places and revived the practices -of the Canaanitish natives, she began to have also idolatrous -intercourse with the idol-gods of Egypt, Assyria and Chaldea (verses -23-34). She sought them out and courted them all to increase her -harlotry. So great became Jerusalem's abominations that the daughters of -the Philistines became ashamed of her lewd way (verse 27). And while -such was the religious degradation of Jerusalem in following the basest -and most corrupt idolatries, a corresponding moral degradation was -linked with it. All the rites of the Canaanites and the other nations -consisted in the grossest immoralities. The most shameless and the -vilest things of the flesh were practiced in the midst of the idolatrous -city. "How is the faithful city become a harlot!" (Isaiah i:21). In the -next section the Lord addresses her by that title and once more her -judgment doom is announced. "Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the -Lord" (verse 35). - -The spiritual adultery which characterizes the end of the present age is -even greater than that of Jerusalem. The apostacy of Jerusalem is -overshadowed by the rising tide of an approaching, final apostasy in -which Satan's man and masterpiece will demand and receive the worship -which belongs to the Lord. Antichrist, yet to come, his shadow cast so -sharply in our days, will be the consummation of the greatest departure -from God and defiance of God the world has ever seen. And therefore the -coming judgment will also be greater. - -After the beautiful parable of the abandoned child, from which we -learned Jehovah's grace and mercy shown to Jerusalem, and the -description of Jerusalem's idolatries and moral degradation, we find her -judgment doom announced once more. In connection with this the prophet -beholds the time when Sodom and her daughters and Samaria and her -daughters, as well as Jerusalem and her daughters, will return to their -former estate. - - -III. The Doom of Jerusalem on account of Her Wickedness. - - Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord - God; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness - discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the - idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which - thou didst give unto them; Behold, therefore I will gather all thy - lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou - hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather - them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto - them, that they may see all thy nakedness. And I will judge thee, as - women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give - thee blood in fury and jealousy. And I will also give thee into - their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall - break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy - clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and - bare. They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they - shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their - swords. And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute - judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause - thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no - hire any more. So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my - jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no - more angry. Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, - but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also - will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord God: and - thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations. - - Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against - thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter. Thou art thy - mother's daughter, that loatheth her husband and her children; and - thou art the sister of thy sisters, which loathed their husbands and - their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an - Amorite. And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters - that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth - at thy right hand is Sodom and her daughters. Yet hast thou not - walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as - if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they - in all thy ways. As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister - hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and - thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, - pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in - her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and - needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: - therefore I took them away as I saw good. Neither hath Samaria - committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine - abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all - thine abominations which thou hast done. Thou also, which hast - judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast - committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than - thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou - hast justified thy sisters. When I shall bring again their - captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the - captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the - captivity of thy captives in the midst of them: That thou mayest - bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast - done, in that thou art a comfort unto them. When thy sisters, Sodom - and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria - and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and - thy daughters shall return to your former estate. For thy sister - Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride. Before - thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the - daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters - of the Philistines, which despise thee round about. Thou hast borne - thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the Lord. For thus saith - the Lord God; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which - hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant (verses 35-59). - -The Word of the Lord is now addressed not to the beloved city, but to -the harlot. She had committed the most awful spiritual fornication, with -which she had insulted Jehovah, and utterly rejected His love and mercy. -All the idols of abominations were found in her. The different nations -which surrounded the land were given to the most degrading idolatries, -and Jerusalem had not alone taken up this wicked idol worship, but she -became worse than the heathen which practised these things. "They did -after the abominations of the heathen which the Lord had cast out before -the children of Israel" (2 Kings xxi:2). Graven images were set up in -Jerusalem. Moloch service (sacrifice of children) became general. -Sorceries and demon-cults flourished. The vilest immoralities were -linked with all this false worship. Jerusalem had become a harlot in the -fullest sense of the word, a sink of iniquity. And her lovers, the -nations, whose idolatries she had accepted, would now be gathered -against her to be used in her judgment (verse 37). Her judgment would be -"as a woman that breaks wedlock," that is, an adulteress--"and I will -give thy blood in fury and jealousy" (verse 38). Stoning was the -judgment for a woman who committed adultery (Lev. xx:10; John viii:5). -Therefore the Lord said, "They shall also bring up a company against -thee, and they shall stone thee with stones and thrust thee through with -their swords" (verse 40). The judgment would be exhaustive upon her and -she would be caused to cease playing the harlot--"thou shalt also give -no hire any more" (verse 41). Without following the description of her -doom and Jehovah's scathing condemnation in detail, we turn to that -which is of much importance and interest. Samaria is mentioned and her -daughters as the elder sister of Jerusalem, and Sodom and her daughters -as her younger sister (verse 46). And though the corruption of Samaria -and Sodom were so great, yet Jerusalem "was corrupted more than they" in -all her ways. "As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister hath not -done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters" -(verse 48). Samaria is called the elder sister, because the northern -kingdom was the larger; and Sodom is called the younger, because her -territory was smaller. The daughters mentioned in connection with each -has reference to the allied towns of Jerusalem, Samaria and the region -south of Jerusalem, where Sodom was the chief city. Then Sodom's sin is -mentioned. Pride stands first (verse 49); luxurious living, and then -followed abomination, and God took them away. After the sins of Samaria -are briefly rehearsed we find in this chapter the following words: "When -I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her -daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I -bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them" (verse -53). And again we read: "When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, -shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall -return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return -to your former estate" (verse 55). These two statements are used by a -certain class of teachers to back up their unscriptural theory of a -future restitution of the wicked dead. They say that these two passages -predict a restoration of Sodom and the other wicked cities which -perished in judgment by fire (Gen. xix), and also a restoration of -Samaria as well as Jerusalem, and upon this they built their hope that -all the wicked dead will be raised up and restored to a place of -blessing. They make therefore much of a restoration of the wicked dead -by resurrection.[13] Besides these two passages they also use the -following Old Testament scriptures to confirm their theory: Eze. -xxxvii:1-14; Hosea xiii:14; Jere. xlviii:47; Is. xxv:7-8, and others. -These passages are applied by these teachers to a restitution of the -wicked dead by resurrection. But this is the wrong interpretation. They -have nothing to do with the resurrection of the physical dead. They -refer to national resurrection and restoration. Three facts will show -the error of making the Old Testament teach the restoration of the -wicked dead: - -_I. The Old Testament is not that part of the divine Revelation where -teachings and doctrines about the future state are given._ - -[13] Millennial Dawn, or Associated Bible Students, Restorationists, -etc., do this. - -This is a most important fact. The Old Testament shows man as upon the -earth, on this side of death, and not beyond death. The future of Israel -on the earth, their supremacy and destiny of glory amidst the nations -of the earth, the judgments of God in the earth, as well as the future -blessings for the nations inhabiting the earth during the coming age, -are all clearly revealed in the Old Testament. The state after death, -that which is beyond this life, is shrouded in mystery in the Old -Testament Scriptures. That great judgment, the great white throne -judgment, is nowhere mentioned in the Old Testament, nor do we read a -word there of "the second death." Resurrection of the dead, no doubt, -was known to individual saints of Old Testament times; the Spirit of God -revealed it to their hearts, but as a doctrine, resurrection is not -found in the Old Testament. In Psalm xvi is revealed the hope of -resurrection of the body, and there is a prophecy of the resurrection of -our Lord. - -_II. Should we find anything in the Old Testament concerning the future -state, the state of the righteous and the unrighteous after death, such -a hint or statement can only be rightly understood and interpreted by -the great doctrine concerning the future state as revealed in the New -Testament._ - -By this, of course, we do not say that the Old Testament needs -correction by the revelation of the New, nor do we say that the Old is -inferior to the New; all _is_ the Word of God. However, as the Old -Testament does not show man's condition after death, any passage which -appears to relate to such a condition must be interpreted by the full -light as given in the New Testament. - -_III. If such passages as Ezekiel xvi:53 and Ezekiel xxxvii:1-14, etc., -teach the restitution of the wicked by resurrection for another chance, -we must then find such a doctrine of the restoration of the wicked dead -for another chance to accept salvation most clearly and fully revealed -as one of the great doctrines of the New Testament._ - -In vain, however, do we look in the New Testament for such a -restoration--second probation doctrine. Such a doctrine is not even -hinted at in the New. However, the New Testament gives the fullest -revelation concerning resurrection and the future state. It tells us -that there is indeed a resurrection of the body for every human being. -This revelation of resurrection as contained in the New Testament leaves -no room whatever for the Sodomites and all the wicked idolatrous -Israelites, to be raised up for another chance. Our Lord in John v:29 -reveals a two-fold resurrection, a resurrection unto life and a -resurrection unto damnation. The human race, those who have died, are -therefore in resurrection divided into two classes: they must come forth -either unto life or unto damnation; there is no middle class. Later the -New Testament teaches a first resurrection, an out resurrection from the -dead. Only those who have believed and died in Christ will have a share -in this resurrection. Both Old and New Testament saints belong to it, -but none have a part in it who died in their sins. The rest of the dead, -meaning of course, the wicked dead, are not raised up till after the -thousand years. This is a second resurrection and this takes place not -when the Lord comes the second time, but after His millennial reign -(Rev. xx). The subjects of this second resurrection appear before the -great white throne and are cast into the lake of fire. Now, these -teachers claim that the return of Sodom and Samaria to their former -estate means their resurrection for another chance when the Lord comes. -But as these departed wicked people are wicked still, how can they have -part in the first resurrection when the Lord comes, which is the -resurrection of the righteous? - -They surely cannot belong to this resurrection. And there is nowhere in -the New Testament a word about another special resurrection in which all -the wicked are raised from dead for another chance. After the -resurrection of the righteous dead there is but one more resurrection, -the resurrection of the wicked unto damnation. In the light of these -facts the flimsy theory built upon misapplied texts of the Old -Testament, texts which relate to national restoration and blessing, -breaks down completely. And now having seen what the statements in this -chapter of Ezekiel do not mean, let us see what is their meaning. While -these statements cannot mean the resurrection of individuals, they mean -a _national_ restoration. There is promised in many passages of the Old -Testament a national restoration of Israel. The ten tribes are to be -brought back to their former possessions. Historically they have been -lost.[14] But they are not lost to God. He knows where they are. He has -kept track of them, and in His own time He will make good the promises -of their restoration and will bring back the remnants of the house of -Israel, now scattered still among the nations. The Jews will also be -restored to their territory. Repeatedly this national restoration of the -ancient people is promised under the picture of a resurrection. But to -other nations there is also promised such a national restoration in the -days to come, when the Lord comes and begins His Kingdom reign over the -earth. Such a national revival is beyond a doubt promised for a future -day to Moab, Ammon, Assyria and Egypt. Edom and Babylon, however, are -doomed as nations and no revival whatever is promised to them. - -[14] The so-called Anglo-Israel theory lacks all Scriptural and -historical support. - -We do not know of course how God will accomplish these promises of -restoration and national revivals, and how He will gather the remnants -of these former nations from the great sea of nations. We can leave this -and other difficulties with Him who will see to the fulfillment of all -these things. - -And so there is promised not alone a return of Samaria to her former -estate, but also to Sodom and the cities which were wiped out by -judgment. Here is the difficulty which is used to prove that a literal -resurrection of the wicked Sodomites must be meant. Were they not all -totally destroyed? How then can there be a national restoration when -they all perished? But while it is true that all who were in Sodom and -the other cities perished, we do not know how many of the inhabitants of -these prosperous cities, thickly populated, no doubt, happened to be -away from home, on journeys or outside of the doomed district, and thus -escaped the fate of others. God knows all this and keeps track of all. -There is certainly promised a healing for the territory occupied by -Sodom and her sister cities. The vision of the stream issuing from the -temple (Ex. xlvii) is seen emptying into the sea, which is the Dead Sea, -"and the waters shall be healed and everything shall live whithersoever -the river cometh." See also Zechariah xiv:8. And what else it may mean -we do not know. But of one thing we can be assured, it does _not_ mean -the resurrection of the wicked Sodomites for a second chance, for we -know that they are "suffering the vengeance of eternal fire" (Jude 7). - - -IV. The Covenant Remembered and Established. - -The closing paragraph of this interesting chapter is the divine -assurance that the covenant made in the days of Israel's youth is to be -remembered. - - Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of - thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. - Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt - receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give - them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. And I will - establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the - Lord; that thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open - thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward - thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God (verses 60-63). - -The covenant will be remembered and established as an everlasting -covenant. Then Jerusalem will receive the elder and younger sister, -Samaria and Sodom, not as sisters, but as daughters. They will be added -in the coming days of blessing to Jerusalem. This, however, will not be -done "by thy covenant," which means the law covenant but by "His -covenant," the covenant of promise and of grace (xvi:8). "And I will -establish my covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the -Lord." Of this great restoration and blessing in store for Jerusalem we -shall hear much in the closing visions of Ezekiel. - - -THE PARABLE OF THE TWO EAGLES. THE CEDAR AND THE VINE. - -Chapter xvii. - -The Prophet is once more commanded to speak in a parable to the house of -Israel. In this parable there is again portrayed the sin of Jerusalem, -and the treacherous character of corrupt Zedekiah. Like the sixteenth -chapter it ends with another restoration promise, which will find its -future fulfilment when God in sovereign grace exalts the branch of -David. This will take place when Messiah will be King and rules in -righteousness. - - -I. The Parable of the Two Eagles. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, put forth - a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel: And say, - Thus saith the Lord God; A great eagle with great wings, - long-winged, full of feathers, which had divers colors, came unto - Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar: He cropped off - the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; - he set it in a city of merchants. He took also of the seed of the - land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great - waters, and set it as a willow tree. And it grew, and became a - spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and - the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought - forth branches, and shot forth sprigs. There was also another great - eagle with great wings and many feathers: and behold, this vine did - bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, - that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation. It was - planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth - branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly - vine. Say thou, Thus saith the Lord God; Shall it prosper? shall he - not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that - it wither? It shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even - without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots - thereof. Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not - utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? It shall wither in - the furrows where it grew (verses 1-10). - -The great eagle mentioned first is Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon. -"For thus saith the Lord: Behold he shall fly as an eagle, and shall -spread his wings over Moab" (Jer. xlviii:40). "Behold, he shall come up -and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah" (Jer. xlix:22). -When Daniel saw the Babylonian Empire rising out of the sea it was in -the form of a lion with eagle's wings (Daniel vii:1-2). Nebuchadnezzar -had been constituted by God the first great monarch of the times of the -Gentiles after the complete apostasy of Israel. Thus Jeremiah had -announced it (Jer. xxvii:5, etc.), and Daniel also told the King, "Thou, -O King, art a King of Kings, for the God of heaven hath given thee a -Kingdom, power, and strength and glory" (Dan. ii:37). Ezekiel's parable -describes him as a great eagle with great wings and long-winged, -denoting his great power and the vast dominion which belonged to him. -"Full of feathers" pictures the multitude of his subjects and the -"divers colors" the different nations of his empire. - -This eagle, Nebuchadnezzar, came to Lebanon and took the highest branch -of the cedar. He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it -into a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants. The cedar of -Lebanon is the symbol of the royal house of David, which was conquered -by the eagle. The top of his young twigs, whom Nebuchadnezzar cropped -off and carried into the city of merchants, Babylon, describes Jehoiakim -and his captivity (2 Kings xxiv:1-5) (2 Chron. xxxvi:6-7). Then -Nebuchadnezzar made Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, King over -Judah, and changed his name to Zedekiah. This action of the King of -Babylon is described in verse 5. And Zedekiah might have done well if he -had held to the King who had set him into the place of authority. He was -placed like a willow tree beside great waters, so that he became a -spreading vine of low stature; his roots were under him, which means, he -was dependent upon Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings xxiv:17). The other great -eagle, whom Ezekiel mentions in his parable, is Hophra, the King of -Egypt. To this king Zedekiah turned for help: "This vine bent her roots -towards him." Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. Verse 8 -describes the opportunity which had been given to Zedekiah and verses -9-10 announces his judgment. The sin and treacherous dealings of -Zedekiah is shown in the next verses. - - -II. The Interpretation and Application of the Parable. - - Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Say now to the - rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, - Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the - king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to - Babylon; and hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with - him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of - the land. That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift - itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand. But - he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, "that - they might give him horses and much people. "Shall he prosper? shall - he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant and - be delivered? As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place - where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, - and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon - he shall die. Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great - company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts and building - forts, to cut off many persons. Seeing he despised the oath by - breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath - done all these things he shall not escape. Therefore, thus saith the - Lord God; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my - covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own - head. And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my - snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him - there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me. And all - his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they - that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know - that I the Lord have spoken it (verses 11-21). - -We have next the divine interpretation and application of this parable. -After the statement that the great eagle, the King of Babylon, had come -to Jerusalem and taken the King and the princes captive, Zedekiah is -mentioned. Nebuchadnezzar had made him King and had made a covenant with -him and had taken an oath of him. Nebuchadnezzar had made him swear by -God (2 Chron. xxxvi:13). Nebuchadnezzar had entered into a solemn -covenant with Zedekiah and the name of God was used to make that -covenant binding. Then Zedekiah, who had less regard for the name of God -than Nebuchadnezzar, rebelled. Ambassadors from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre -and Sidon, came to Jerusalem to see King Zedekiah (Jere. xxvii:1-2). A -combined revolution was evidently contemplated. He also sent ambassadors -to Egypt. He expected great help from Pharaoh, who was a grandson of -Necho, named Hophra. He advanced through Phoenicia and obliged the -Chaldean army to abandon the siege of Jerusalem (Jere. xxxvii: 5-7). The -joy over this event in Jerusalem was great, for the wicked, treacherous -King Zedekiah expected that the Egyptian army would be the deliverer. -But the relief was of a short duration. The Egyptian army had to retire -and the Chaldeans resumed the siege. His great sin was that he had -despised the oath and broken the covenant. Ezekiel announced therefore -in the name of Jehovah his coming doom. "Therefore thus saith the Lord -God; as I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant -that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. And I -will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I -will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his -trespass that he hath trespassed against me." He tried to escape from -Jerusalem, but he and his household were taken captives and carried to -the headquarters of Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah. Zedekiah was arraigned and -sentenced. His daughters were set free, while his sons were slain before -him. This was the last thing the oath-despising, covenant-breaking -Zedekiah saw. His eyes were put out and he was bound with double fetters -of brass and carried to Babylon, where he died a prisoner (Jere. -lii:11). He had despised the name of Jehovah and brought dishonor upon -the name by violating the covenant with Nebuchadnezzar. The Gentile King -had a higher esteem of that Name than the Jewish King. And then Jehovah -in His righteous dealings used the Gentile to mete out the well-deserved -retribution upon Zedekiah. Thus the Gentile King was used in punishing a -faithless Jew. It foreshadows the judgment which came upon the whole -nation when they despised and rejected more than a covenant. Ever since -they rejected their own Messiah and King, the Lord Jesus Christ, the -Gentiles have trodden down Jerusalem and the nation is blinded. - - -III. The Promise of the Future. - - Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest branch of - the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his - young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain - and eminent: In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant - it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly - cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the - shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees - of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high - tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and - have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have - done it (verses 22-24). - -And now once more Israel's hope and Israel's future comes into view. The -allegory of the parable is continued. The cedar is the royal house of -David. God in His Sovereignty promises to take "of its young shoots a -tender one and I will plant it upon a high and eminent mountain." This -tender one is the Messiah, the Son of David. It is the same promise as -given in the Prophet Isaiah. "And there shall come forth a rod out of -the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots" (Is. xi:1). -"For He shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of -a dry ground" (Is. liii:2). The high and eminent mountain typifies Mount -Zion and the Kingdom of Messiah is pictured in the closing verses of the -chapter. The high tree which is brought low, the green tree which is -dried up is the symbol of Gentile world-power. The low tree which is -exalted and the dry tree which is made to flourish stands for the -restoration of the Kingdom to Israel when the Son of David, our Lord, -comes again. Then the high tree will be cut down and the now flourishing -Gentile dominion will dry up; Israel the low tree will be exalted and -the long, dry and barren nation will bring its blessed fruit. - - -GOD'S JUDGMENTS ARE RIGHTEOUS. - -Chapter xviii. - -Again the Word of the Lord came unto the Prophet. The contents of this -chapter are, therefore, not "the reasonings and expostulations of -Ezekiel," but another great message to the stubborn nation, which -constantly tried to justify itself. Judgments heavy and severe had come -upon them. Instead of bowing under them and confessing their guilt and -the justice of all these punitive dealings of a righteous God, they -accused Him of injustice, as if He were punishing them, not for their -own sins, but for the sins of their fathers. They said, "the way of the -Lord is not equal"; and the Lord proves to them that His way is equal, -but their way is unequal (verse 25). It is a great and interesting -controversy, ending with the sublime declaration and appeal, "I have no -pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, wherefore -turn yourselves and live." - - -I. The False Accusation and the Divine Answer. - - The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying. What mean ye, that - ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The - fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on - edge. As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any - more to use this proverb in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; as - the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the - soul that sinneth, it shall die (verses 1-4). - -The same proverb, "the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the -children's teeth are set on edge" is also mentioned by the Prophet -Jeremiah. "In those days they shall say no more, the fathers have eaten a -sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge" (Jer. xxxi:29). And Jeremiah -adds in a brief sentence what is more fully given through Ezekiel: "But -every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour -grape, his teeth shall be set on edge." What they meant by this proverb -is that their forefathers had committed sin and now they were bearing -the results of their iniquities, while they, the children, were -innocent. "Our fathers have sinned and are not; and we have borne their -iniquities" (Lam. v:7). This was a false and unjust accusation. No doubt -they rested their proverb upon Exodus xx:5 and xxxiv:7. But doing this -they denied their own guilt and refused to repent and be converted. And -now the Lord answers the proverb to show its injustice so that it should -no more be used in Israel: "Behold all souls are mine; as the soul of -the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sinneth -it shall die." He will judge the individual, father or son, according to -conduct. All belong to Him, which means, He is the Creator of all and He -will deal with each individually. If the sins of the fathers come upon -the children, it is because the children follow the wickedness of the -fathers. "Every man shall be put to death for his own sin" (Deut. -xxiv:16). The person that sins shall die for his own sins. "The soul -that sinneth it shall die." - - -II. The Conditions of Life. - - But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right. And - hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes - to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his - neighbor's wife, neither hath come near to a woman in her - separation. And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the - debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his - bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment: He - that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any - increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed - true judgment between man and man. Hath walked in my statutes, and - hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely - live, saith the Lord God (verses 5-9). - -This paragraph and the next two begin with an "if." They are, therefore, -supposed cases "if a man be just." It shows what God requires as the -conditions for life. However, it must be understood that the promise of -life, "he shall surely live," has nothing whatever to do with eternal -life. This is not at all in view in these paragraphs. It is the natural -life. Eternal life was never promised to be bestowed upon man as the -result of doing what is lawful and right. Neither righteousness nor -eternal life can come by the works of the law. Here negatively and -positively God's demands are stated. In the sixth verse false worship is -in view. Eating upon the mountains, the high places, was the false -worship; the idols of the house of Israel were the calves which Jeroboam -had set up (1 Kings xii:25-33). This demand for true worship covers the -first part of the decalogue, "Thou shalt have no other gods besides Me." -With this spiritual fornication, an idolatrous worship, there was -connected the grossest lusts of the flesh. These are mentioned here as -well as sins against the neighbor. Thus the commandments in the second -part of the decalogue are made prominent. "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou -shalt not commit adultery," "Thou shalt not steal." This is followed by -the divine demand of practical righteousness. He that hath withdrawn his -hand from iniquity hath executed true judgment between man and man, hath -walked in God's statutes, to keep His judgments and deals truly, is -pronounced just and shall therefore surely live. His life would be -spared. - - -III. The Conditions which bring Death. - - If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that - doeth the like to any one of these things. And that doeth not any of - those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled - his neighbor's wife, Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled - by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his - eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, Hath given forth upon - usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not - live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his - blood shall be upon him (verses 10-13). - -Here then is the second supposed case of a son who had a righteous -father. This son lives in wickedness and defies God's laws. He does not -follow his father's piety, but is unjust in every sense of the word. The -question then is asked, "Shall he live?" Can the merits of his father -save him? And the divine answer is, "He shall not live--he shall surely -die." Physical death would come upon him and he would be cut off in -judgment. - - -IV. The Son does not Die for his Father's Sins. - - Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins, which - he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like. That hath - not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the - idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife. - Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither - hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, - and hath covered the naked with a garment. That hath taken off his - hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath - executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die - for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. As for his - father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by - violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even - he shall die in his iniquity. Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear - the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is - lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, - he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son - shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father - bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous - shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon - him (verses 14-20). - -Still another case is considered so that the proverb of the people might -be completely answered and refuted. A wicked father has a son who does -righteously and follows not in the wicked ways of his father. Such was -the case with several Kings of Judah. Ahaz was a wicked man and -Hezekiah, his son, was a God-fearing king; Josiah was also the pious son -of a wicked father. In such a case "the son shall not die for the -iniquity of his father; he shall surely live." The father dies on -account of his own iniquity. This statement was in answer to their -question, "Why does not the son bear the iniquity of the father?" This -foolish reasoning from their side that the son could suffer for the -father's sin was a wicked invention to sustain them in their impenitent -state and in their sins. They claimed no guilt of their own, but charged -their sufferings to the wickedness of the fathers. But we have seen how -perfectly the proverb "the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the -children's teeth are set on edge," is answered in these paragraphs. - - -V. The Perfect Equity of God. - - But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath - committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and - right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his - transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned - unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have - I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord - God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? But when - the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth - iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the - wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath - done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath - trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he - die. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house - of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? When a - righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth - iniquity, and dieth in them: for his iniquity that he hath done - shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his - wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful - and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and - turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he - shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet saith the house of Israel, - The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways - equal? are not your ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O - house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord - God, Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so - iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your - transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new - heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For - I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord - God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye (verses 21-32). - -They had accused the Lord of injustice. "The way of the Lord is not -equal" (verse 25). And Jehovah answers, "Hear now, O house of Israel; Is -not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?" He promises that the -wicked is surely to live, if he turns from all his sins. Jehovah has no -pleasure in the death of the wicked. He desires his return so that he -might live. How then would He punish them for the sins of others, if He -was ready no longer to mention even their own transgressions? But if the -righteous abandons righteousness and committeth iniquity, then "in his -sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die." The latter case has -often been used to defend the teaching that a truly converted and -therefore saved person, may, by sinning, be lost. If only the Word of -Truth were rightly divided such, and other misinterpretations, would -cease. Here we are on the ground of the law dispensation, and, as -already pointed out, the Lord answers Israel, who were in relation to -Him through the law covenant and who refused to own their sins and their -guilt. The dispensation of Grace, in which Grace reigns through -righteousness has a different message. This is fully illustrated if we -compare the call to repentance in verses 30-31 with the promise given in -chapter xxxvi:26-17. The Lord pleads with them to acknowledge their -sinfulness; He speaks to their conscience. "Repent, and turn yourselves -from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast -away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and -make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of -Israel?" But in chapter xxxvi Grace speaks and promises to bestow, as a -gift, what a righteous God demands. "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 of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 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." The result of this gift of grace, -a new heart and His Spirit, is true repentance. "_Then_ shall ye -remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and -shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for -your abominations" (chap. xxxvi:21). It was Augustine who said, "Give -what Thou requirest and then require what Thou will." All what God -requires He bestows in His infinite Grace through Jesus Christ our Lord -and then in possession of what Grace gives we can be what God requires. -But the thirty-sixth chapter, where God no longer saith "make you a new -heart," but promises to give a new heart to His people, awaits, as -regards God's chosen people, its fulfilment. Here God pleads with them -to convince them that they were a sinful people and that He is a just -God. - -In the last verse of this chapter the Lord answers the question of verse -23, "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" His own -answer is, "For I have no pleasure in the death of Him that dieth, saith -the Lord God, wherefore turn yourselves and live." And yet all these -gracious pleadings were not heeded. - - -LAMENTATION OVER THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL. - -Chapter xix. - -This chapter ends that section of the book which began with the twelfth -chapter. And it is a fitting conclusion, this great lamentation over the -Princes of Israel, and over the land of Judah. The English translation -does not do justice to the original Hebrew; the outburst of lamentation -is written in a poetic form, some kind of an elegy. The lamentation has -two sections. - - -I. The Lamentations over the Princes of Israel. - - Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel. And - say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she - nourished her whelps among young lions. And she brought up one of - her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the - prey; it devoured men. The nations also heard of him; he was taken - in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of - Egypt. Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, - then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion. And - he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and - learned to catch the prey, and devoured men. And he knew their - desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was - desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring. Then - the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and - spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit. And they put - him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: they - brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon - the mountains of Israel (verses 1-9). - -The lamentation is not the lamentation of Ezekiel, as so many expositors -state, but it is the lamentation of Jehovah, the same who later wept -over the same city and lamented over her coming fate. The words of -divine lament were put into the mouth of the Prophet. - -The Princes are Jehoahaz and Jehoachin. King Jehoahaz and his fate, -being carried away captive into Egypt (2 Kings xxiii:33) is lamented in -verses 1-4. King Jehoiachin who was taken as a captive to Babylon is -lamented in verses 5-9. In Ezekiel, however, the word King is not used; -the Kings are always called princes. The second verse may be rendered as -follows: - - "Thy mother was like a lioness, among lions. - She couched amid the young lions, she reared the whelps." - -The mother is Judah. Of this Jacob had spoken in his prophecy. "Judah is -a lion's whelp" (Gen. xlix:9). And Balaam in his prophetic utterances -speaks in the same tones of the nation. "Behold, the people shall rise -up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion" (Num. xxiv:14). -This prophecy will be fulfilled in the future when He appears in power -and glory to receive the Kingdom, for He is called "the lion of the -tribe of Judah" (Rev. v:5). And the people will then be as a converted -and restored people the same, what the lion is among the animals, the -Kingly nation. In Isaiah xxix:1 Jerusalem is called "Ariel," which means -"Lion of God." The whelps, the nations heard of, are the sons of the -House of David. And Jehoahaz "devoured men" and did evil in the sight of -the Lord and was carried away by Pharaoh Necho as a captive into Egypt. -Some expositors think that the lioness is the wife of Josiah the mother -of Jehoahaz, because she was a woman of much importance and great -influence (Jer. xiii:18; 2 Kings ii:9; xxiv:12). - -The other one of her whelps mentioned in verse 5, whom the lioness, -Judah, made a young lion, that is a King, was Jehoiachin. Jehoiachin was -made King, when all hope of a return of Jehoahaz was lost, and the new -King also "devoured men," did evil in the sight of the Lord. "And he did -that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his -fathers had done" (2 Kings xxiv:90). In verse 7 the word "palaces" should -be changed to "widows." The verse describes the cruelties and wicked -deeds of the King. Then judgment overtook him. Under him the first -deportation to Babylon took place, in which the Prophet Ezekiel was -included. "And he (Nebuchadnezzar) carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, -and the King's mother, and the King's wife, and his officers, and the -mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to -Babylon" (2 Kings xxiv:14). The correct rendering of the next part of -verse 9 is: "And they put him in a cage with hooks and brought him to -the King of Babylon." Both Kings deserved their fate. God had warned, -and as they continued in wickedness judgment fell upon them. And it was -a warning to Zedekiah who was soon to share the same fate. In view of -the violence which is on the earth now, the wickedness which is seen on -all sides, these judgments of the past may well be remembered. God is -the same to-day as He was of old. He must deal in judgment with sin; in -many parts of the holy Scriptures we read of the time when God will keep -not silence, but deal with conditions on the earth according to His -righteousness. - - -II. The Lamentation over the Land of Judah. - - Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters; she - was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters. And she - had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her - stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in - her height with the multitude of her branches. But she was plucked - up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried - up her fruit; her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire - consumed them. And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry - and thirsty ground. And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, - which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be - a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a - lamentation (verses 10-14). - -Judah typified by a vine is not a new figure in Ezekiel. See chapters -xv:1-5; xvii:6-10. The statement here reminds us also of Psalm -lxxx:8-11. Many were the blessings Judah enjoyed, like a vine planted by -the waters, fruitful and full of branches. The eleventh verse describes -the period of Judah's greatest prosperity under David and Solomon. Then -the judgment which comes upon the land, the east wind is typical of the -Chaldeans which swept from the East and spoiled the vine. The fire of -divine wrath burned in their midst. Her exilic judgment is pictured in -the next verse: "And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and -thirsty land." And the fire of judgment came out of a rod of her -branches, that is, the judgment came upon them on account of their -wicked Kings. Thus ends the sorrowful lamentation over the princes and -the land of Judah. But there is a better future in store for the land -and the people, a future which can only be realized in Him, who said, "I -am the true vine." Israel still is under the rod, but in God's own time -the curse will give way to the promised blessing, for God's gifts and -calling are without repentance. - - -FURTHER AND FINAL PREDICTIONS CONCERNING THE JUDGMENT OF JERUSALEM. - -Chapter xx. - -With this chapter we enter upon the last prophecies given through the -prophet before the fall of the City of Jerusalem. There is first an -arraignment of the unfaithful nation. This is followed by the divine -announcement that the sword of the Lord is now to be drawn to do its -judgment work. The twenty-first chapter, in which this announcement is -made, has been called the sword-song. In chapter xxii another -arraignment of the people and the sins of Jerusalem is given and the -corruption of all classes, prophets, priests, princes and the mass of -people is described. Once more in chapter xxiii the wickedness and -vileness of Samaria and Judah is uncovered, corresponding to the similar -message in chapter xvi. The last prophetic message of this cycle was -given on the day when the siege of Jerusalem began. On the same day -Ezekiel's wife died; the prophet was commanded not to mourn. All this -has a meaning in connection with Jerusalem's complete fall. Thus God -waited and waited for the repentance of His people and sent these -burning messages to them till at last there was no remedy and judgment -had to come. - - -I. A Retrospect of the Nation's Sins. - - And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the - tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to - enquire of the Lord and sat before me. Then came the word of the - Lord unto me, saying, Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, - and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye come to enquire - of me? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by - you. Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause - them to know the abominations of their fathers: And say unto them, - Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted - up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself - known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand - unto them, saying, I am the Lord your God; In the day that I lifted - up mine hand unto them to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into - a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, - which is the glory of all lands; Then said I unto them, Cast ye away - every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves - with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. But they rebelled - against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man - cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake - the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, - to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of - Egypt. But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be - polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I - made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land - of Egypt (verses 1-9). - -There is first a review of the nation's sin in Egypt. At the time given -in the first verse the elders came to the prophet to enquire of the -Lord. Outwardly it seemed as if these enquiring elders were sincere and -came in the spirit of humility acknowledging the prophet's authority. -But the Lord knoweth the heart; He read their innermost thoughts and -knew that their inquiry was only a sham; the real heart exercise in true -repentance was lacking. So He tells them through the prophet, "As I -live--I will not be inquired of by you. Wilt thou judge them, son of -man, wilt thou judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their -fathers." Instead of giving them a message of comfort and encouragement, -Ezekiel, here addressed again as son of man, is commanded to judge them, -that is to put before them their sins and to pronounce judgment upon the -nation. The same phrase is found twice more in this section. "Now, thou -son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? Yea thou -shalt show her all her abominations" (xxii:2). See also xxiii:36. And -first of all the prophet had to show them the nation's sins in Egypt. He -had chosen them as a nation; He had made Himself known to them in Egypt -and had lifted up His hand unto them saying, "I am the Lord your God." -He had entered into covenant relations with Israel and pledged Himself -to bring them out of Egypt into the land, which here is called "the -glory of all lands." From verses 7 and 8 we learn that Israel was -contaminated by the idol worship of Egypt and a holy God was ready to -pour upon them His fury in the midst of the land of Egypt. But sovereign -mercy prevailed and instead of making Himself known to the nation in -judgment, He made Himself known in bringing them forth out of Egypt. - - Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and - brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them my statutes, and - showed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in - them. Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me - and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify - them. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: - they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, - which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they - greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in - the wilderness, to consume them. But I wrought for my name's sake, - that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I - brought them out. Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the - wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had - given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all - lands. Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my - statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their - idols. Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, - neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness (verses 10-17). - -In these verses we have the history of the first generation in the -wilderness. His hand brought them out of the land of Egypt into the -wilderness and there He gave them the law and the different sabbaths, -the feasts of Jehovah. Their sins and failures in the wilderness are -briefly sketched. They rebelled; they were disobedient; they despised -His judgments and polluted His sabbaths. Then comes the statement that -this first generation was not to enter into the land promised unto them. -Again in sovereign mercy He spared them and did not make a complete end -of them in the wilderness. - - But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the - statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor - defile yourselves with their idols: I am the Lord your God; walk in - my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; And hallow my - sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may - know that I am the Lord your God. Notwithstanding the children - rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my - judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; - they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury - upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. - Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's sake, - that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose - sight I brought them forth. I lifted up mine hand unto them also in - the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and - disperse them through the countries; Because they had not executed - my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my - sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols. Wherefore - I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby - they should not live; And I polluted them in their own gifts, in - that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, - that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know - that I am the Lord (verses 18-26). - -And now the record of the second generation in the wilderness is brought -to their notice. They were just as rebellious as their fathers, who fell -in the wilderness. They also were worshippers of idols in the -wilderness, besides offering sacrifices and offerings unto Jehovah (Amos -v:25-27). The statement in verse 25 "wherefore I gave them also -statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not -live," has been explained in different ways. It cannot mean the law, for -that is holy, just and good. "The solution is due to the simple -principle that God in His government chastens His guilty people -retributively and calls the scourges His own, even when the instruments -may be wholly foreign to His mind and heart." They were disobedient to -His statutes and then in punishment for their sins He let them go into -the terrible worship of Moloch, in casting their first-born into the -fire as a sacrifice to the idol-god. It is the same principle here as in -Romans i:26-28. God gave them up in every way after they had turned away -from Him. It was a punishment for their sins. - - -II. Their Sins in the Land. - - Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto - them. Thus saith the Lord God: Yet in this your fathers have - blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me. - For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up - mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all - the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there - they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they - made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings. - Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And - the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day. Wherefore say unto - the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye polluted after - the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their - abominations? For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons - to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, - even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of - Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by - you. And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that - ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, - to serve wood and stone (verses 27-32). - -According to His promise He brought them into the land. He did not go -back on His Word, in spite of their failure, for God's gifts and calling -are without repentance. And thus they continued in their evil ways, -committing all manner of abominations. And therefore the Lord said to -the inquiring elders, "And shall I be enquired of by you, O house of -Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by -you." Verse 32 shows that in the iniquity of their heart they wanted to -be like the heathen to serve wood and stone; but God would take care -that this should not be, for He had chosen them to be His nation. - - -III. Judgment and Mercy in Future Restoration. - - As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a - stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you. - And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of - the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with - a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you - into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you - face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness - of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. - And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you - into the bond of the covenant: And I will purge out from among you - the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them - forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not - enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. - As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; Go ye, serve - ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken - unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and - with your idols, For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the - height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of - Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, - and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of - your oblations, with all your holy things. I will accept you with - your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather - you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will - be sanctified in you before the heathen. And ye shall know that I am - the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the - country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your - fathers. And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your - doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves - in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye - shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my - name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to - your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God - (verses 33-44). - -In this paragraph we read of their future punishment and also of the -mercy which is in store for the believing remnant of the nation in the -future restoration, of which all the prophets of God have spoken. In the -wilderness of people, their dispersion among all the nations of the -world, He will plead with them and bring them under the rod. The rebels -will be purged out from the nation and they shall not enter into the -land of Israel. In verses 40-44 we have a prophecy concerning their true -restoration. They will be accepted, brought back and gathered out from -all the countries and brought into the land of Israel, as God has -promised them. Then the remnant of Israel will remember their ways and -repent of their evil. - - -IV. The Forest Consumed by Fire. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me saying, Son of man, set thy - face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and - prophesy against the forest of the south field; And say to the - forest of the south, Hear the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord - God; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every - green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not - be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be - burned therein. And all flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled - it: it shall not be quenched. Then said I, Ah Lord God! they say of - me, Doth he not speak parables (verses 45-49). - -It is a parable. The forest of the south field is Judea; its complete -and terrible conquest is here again predicted. The fire of judgment is -to sweep through it, like a mighty forest fire which cannot be quenched. -And when Ezekiel had faithfully delivered his message, his hearers -said, "Doth he not speak in parables?" They refused to understand. - - -THE IMPENDING JUDGMENT. - -Chapter xxi. - -"Then said I, Oh, Lord God! they say of me, Doth he not speak in -parables?" This is the last verse of the preceding chapter. It showed -the hardened conditions of their hearts, which rejected the Word of God, -the word of warning and the call to repentance. These sad conditions of -the people in Ezekiel's day are deeply significant for our times. We see -the outwardly professing people of God, the large numbers of unsaved, -nominal Christians in the same hardened condition. Though God speaks -loudly, the Word is not heeded. A stronger judgment message follows in -which the sword of the Lord is prominent. Critics have acknowledged the -majestic character of the so-called "Song of the Sword," and say that -the prophet now speaks in "maddened frenzy," carried away by his own -passion, breaking out, "in a state of wild excitement," denouncing the -nation. But it is not the prophet who gives way to his own feeling. The -first verse dispels at once such a conception. "And the Word of the Lord -came unto me, saying:" It is the Lord who speaks through Ezekiel. - - -I. The Sword to be Drawn. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy - face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and - prophesy against the land of Israel. And say to the land of Israel, - Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth - my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous - and the wicked. Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the - righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of - his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north: That all - flesh may know that I the Lord have drawn forth my sword out of his - sheath: it shall not return any more. Sigh, therefore, thou son of - man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before - their eyes. And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore - sighest thou? that thou shall answer, For the tidings, because it - cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, - and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: - behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord God - (verses 1-7). - -A fearful word it is coming from the lips of Jehovah, who had yearned -over Jerusalem and the nation, "Behold, I am against thee, and will draw -forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from thee the -righteous and the wicked." It was to be an indiscriminate execution of -God's judgment, those who claimed righteousness were to fall under the -sword of vengeance like the wicked. It was to be a widespread judgment. -"My sword shall go forth out of its sheath against all flesh--that all -flesh may know that I the Lord have drawn forth my sword out of its -sheath; it shall not return any more." While here it refers to all the -nations, to Jerusalem as well as to Judea, there are other prophecies -which include under the term "all flesh" the Gentile nations as well. -"For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh, and -the slain of the Lord shall be many" (Isa. lxvi:16). Fear and the pit, -and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth" (Isa. xxiv:17). -This will be at the close of the present age. And do not the events in -the world to-day indicate the rapid approach of the judgment sword? - -And God's servant was commanded to sigh with bitterness before their -eyes. He was to tell them the reason of his agony. "Because it cometh; -and my heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit -shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water. Behold it cometh and -shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord God." It was not the time for -rejoicing, but for weeping and sighing. The prophet was called upon to -show forth in his behavior the solemn days which were now to come. And -our Lord has predicted for our age upon earth distress of nations, with -perplexity; the sea and the waves thereof roaring. "Men's hearts failing -them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on -the earth, for the powers of heaven shall be shaken" (Luke xxi:25-26). -But how little sighing with bitterness there is to-day among God's -servants in view of what is in store for an ungodly and unbelieving age! - - -II. The Sharpening of the Sword. - - Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, - prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord; Say, A sword, a sword is - sharpened, and also furbished: It is sharpened to make a sore - slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make - mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree. And he hath - given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: this sword is - sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the - slayer. Cry and howl, son of man; for it shall be upon my people, it - shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the - sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh. - Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the rod? - it shall be no more, saith the Lord God. Thou, therefore, son of - man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be - doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of - the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy - chambers. I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, - that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is - made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter. Go thee one way or - other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy - face is set. I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause - my fury to rest: I the Lord have said it (verses 8-17). - -The sword of judgment is now described as being prepared for the -slaughter. How all this should have a meaning for us at the present -time. All the nations of the earth, who boasted but yesterday of a -civilization which makes for righteousness and peace, are either at war -or are preparing for war. May we not see behind it all the sword of the -Lord? Has He not begun judgment among those nations? The threatening -vengeance of the Lord will ere long fall upon this age which so long has -turned a deaf ear to the wooings of His love. And the question here is -asked, "Should we then make mirth?" Is this the time of mirth, worldly -enjoyment and indifference? Not for God's people who discern the signs -of the times and who know from the Word of God the coming events. The -place for us is in "Bochim" (Judges ii:4-5. "Bochim" means "Weeping.") -The time of the sharpening of the sword is the time for His people to -trim their lamps, for earnest heart-searching and prayer. The character -of the unsaved, nominal "Christian" masses is also being clearly -revealed. They show what they are, "lovers of pleasure more than lovers -of God." Though the sword is being drawn and sharpened, they are given -to mirth and pleasure, like the company described in 1 Sam. xxx:16. The -sword of judgment will find them in their merry-making and will change -all into weeping and gnashing of teeth. - -Again the prophet is commanded to cry and to howl, to smite upon his -thigh and to smite his hands together, in view of the coming terrors of -judgment. And solemnly the Lord saith, "I will also smite mine hands -together, and I will satisfy my fury." - - -III. The King of Babylon and His Divination. - - The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying, Also, thou son of - man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon - may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose - thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city. Appoint - a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to - Judah in Jerusalem the defenced. For the king of Babylon stood at - the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use - divination: he shook his arrows to and fro, he consulted with - images, he looked in the liver. At this right hand was the - divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in - the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint - battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a - fort. And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their - sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to - remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken. Therefore thus - saith the Lord God: Because ye have made your iniquity to be - remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in - all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are - come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand (verses 18-24). - -The King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, is the chosen instrument through -whom the drawn and sharpened sword does its judgment work. He is seen in -this paragraph using divination, to decide if he should go to Rabbath of -the Ammonites or to Judah in Jerusalem. The King is standing at the -parting of the way, at the head of the two ways. First he used the -arrows. The authorized version is faulty in its translation; it is not, -"he made his arrows bright," but "he shook his arrows to and fro." The -Babylonians used all kinds of enchantments, sorceries, as well as -star-gazers, astrologers, etc., to be guided in their undertakings. (See -Isa. xlvii:8-15). The King took two arrows and put upon each the name of -the two cities mentioned; they were then shaken in the quiver and one -was drawn out. He also used images (teraphim) which he consulted and -looked into the liver. They generally killed a sheep and imagined that -the different lines and formation of the liver gave them directions what -to do. In the British Museum there is a Babylonian clay tablet with a -sheep's liver covered with all kinds of lines and oracles. In the -twenty-second verse we see the result of his divinations. He has pulled -out of the quiver the arrow which has on it the word "Jerusalem." And so -the siege of Jerusalem was prepared. But the inhabitants of Jerusalem, -who heard of the King's divination, branded it as a false divination -(verse 23). They still hoped that all attempts made by Nebuchadnezzar -would fail. But the hand of God was guiding all, and in the last verse -of this paragraph (verse 25) the Lord announces the hopelessness of -their expectations. - - -IV. The Wicked Prince and the Coming One. - - And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when - iniquity shall have an end, Thus saith the Lord God; Remove the - diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt - him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, - overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose - right it is; and I will give it him (verses 25-27). - -And now follows a most interesting utterance of the prophet which has a -future meaning. There can be no question that Zedekiah is first of all -in view as the profane wicked[15] prince of Israel. But the prophecy -looks far beyond Zedekiah. It is the coming wicked prince, the one who -comes in his own name, the final Antichrist, the false Messiah, or, as -he is also called in Revelation, the false prophet. That verse 25 refers -to the time of the end is seen by the words, "in the time of the -iniquity of the end" (correct translation). The same phrase appears in -Dan. xi:35-39, "the time of the end," and the person described in that -passage is the Antichrist, the wicked prince. It is the time of the -future great tribulation "when the transgressors are come to the full" -(Dan. viii:23). This false Christ will claim priestly and kingly honors. -He is the beast out of the earth (Rev. xiii) having two horns like a -lamb, but speaking as a dragon. The two horns represent the priesthood -and the kingship he assumes. And this we learn from verse 26 is the -character of the wicked prince of Israel of whom Ezekiel speaks. Again, -we must correct the faulty translation of the authorized version: -"Remove the mitre and take off the crown"; the word "diadem" is mitre, -the head-dress of the high-priest (Exod. xxviii:4). He wears the mitre of -the priest and the crown of the king. He is Satan's final counterfeit -(like the pope) of the Priest-King. In verse 27 the overturning times -are mentioned. Thrice it is stated, "I will overturn." Even so will it -be at the time of the end until He comes whose right it is. And the -coming One, who will exalt what is low and abase what is high, who will -remove the mitre and the crown from the Antichrist, destroying him by -the brightness of His coming (2 Thess. ii) is the Lord Jesus Christ. It -is interesting to see that there is in the Hebrew a word used which is -very suggestive. In Genesis xlix:10 we have Christ spoken of as Shiloh. -The word "until He come" in the Hebrew is almost the same as Shiloh; it -is Shelloh. And surely the overturning times are almost upon us, and -soon that profane wicked Prince may arise. However, we do not wait for -that wicked one; we wait for the Lord. - -[15] Literal translation is, "O deadly wounded wicked one, the Prince of -Israel." - - -V. The Judgment to Fall Upon Ammon. - - And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God - concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say - thou, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is - furbished, to consume because of the glittering: While they see - vanity unto thee, while they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee - upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked whose day is - come, when their iniquity shall have an end. Shall I cause it to - return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou - wast created, in the land of thy nativity. And I will pour out mine - indignation upon thee; I will blow against thee in the fire of my - wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skillful - to destroy. Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be - in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more, for I the Lord have - spoken it (verses 28-32). - -The judgment came upon the Ammonites is threatened here. But it must not -be overlooked that this prophecy also has a further meaning, for the -same words "in the time of the iniquity of the end" (verse 29) appears -here. And yet there is also promised for the future a restoration of -Ammon (Jer. xlix:6). - - -JERUSALEM'S ABOMINATIONS. - -Chapter xxii. - -This chapter describes again the sins and abominations of Jerusalem. -Before the sharpened sword of divine justice and retribution does its -dreadful work, the Lord uncovers the guilt and vileness of the city and -lays bare the corruption of her prophets, priests and princes, as well -as the people. - - -I. The Violence and Abominations of Jerusalem. - - Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Now, thou son of - man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou - shalt shew her all her abominations. Then say thou, Thus saith the - Lord God; The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time - may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself. Thou - art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast defiled - thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused - thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore - have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all - countries. Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, - shall mock thee, which art infamous and much vexed. Behold, the - princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed - blood. In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the - midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in - thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow. Thou hast - despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths. In thee - are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon - the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness. In thee - have they discovered their fathers' nakedness: in thee have they - humbled her that was set apart for pollution. And one hath committed - abomination with his neighbor's wife; and another hath lewdly - defiled his daughter-in-law; and another in thee hath humbled his - sister, his father's daughter. In thee have they taken gifts to shed - blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily - gained of thy neighbors by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith - the Lord God. Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy - dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath - been in the midst of thee. Can thine heart endure, or can thine - hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the Lord - have spoken it, and will do it. And I will scatter thee among the - heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy - filthiness out of thee. And thou shalt take thine inheritance in - thyself in the sight of the heathen, and thou shalt know that I am - the Lord (verses 1-16). - -Jerusalem is called here a bloody city on account of the deeds of -violence which were committed in her midst. Once it was a faithful city, -full of judgment and righteousness; but she had become an harlot, and -murderers lodged in it (Isaiah i:21). The prophets and the righteous had -been killed in her midst. And He who sent these messages of warning and -impending judgment, who waited so patiently for Jerusalem's repentance -and the return of His people, came in the fullness of time, in the midst -of His people and to that city. Before He went to the cross of Calvary, -where He gave Himself and where also Jerusalem's bloodguiltiness was -fearfully crowned by killing the Prince of Life (Acts iii:15), He stood -before that city with tear-filled eyes and uttered those tender and -never to be forgotten words: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest -the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would -I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathered her -chickens under her wings, and ye would not" (Matt. xxiii:37). And -Stephen said, "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? -and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just -One, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers" (Acts -vii:52). "His blood be upon us and our children" was their awful cry, -when the bloody city delivered Him into the hands of the Gentiles, and -ever since they have been, Cain-like, the homeless wanderers among the -nations, till some day they will acknowledge their bloodguiltiness and -turn to Him. And in this chapter the Lord describes all her violence and -abominations. All were guilty of violence and the shedding of blood, -especially the princes, the Kings of Judah. (See Jeremiah xxvi:21 and -xxxviii:4, etc.). And inasmuch as they had turned away from Jehovah and -worshipped idols, moral corruption and the vile things man is capable of -were likewise present. - -And such are also the conditions to-day among the nations, which profess -to be Christian; violence and bloodshed, moral corruption and -abomination. May we not forget that the Lord, who knew Jerusalem's guilt -and judged her for it, is the same to-day, who will judge the violence -and the abominations on the earth among nations whose privileges have -been even greater than the privileges and blessings of Jerusalem. "Thou -hast forgotten Me," was Jehovah's accusation against the city. Had they -remembered Jehovah's kindness, His gracious dealing with their fathers, -had they remembered His Word, these abominations would not have come to -pass. And the source of the violence, the bloodshed, the moral darkness -in the world to-day, is, that the nations have forgotten God. The -judgment of the city is again announced. - - -II. The Smelting Furnace. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, the house - of Israel is to me become dross; all they are brass and tin and - iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross - of silver. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye are all - become dross, behold, therefore, I will gather you into the midst of - Jerusalem. As they gather silver and brass and iron and lead and tin - into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; - so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave - you there, and melt you. Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you - in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst - thereof. As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall - ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the Lord - have poured out my fury upon you (verses 17-23). - -The smelting furnace is the symbol of Jehovah's fiery indignation -against Jerusalem and its inhabitants. A furnace is either for refining -or for destruction. In the future the remnant of Israel will be refined -by the fires of persecution and tribulation (Mal. iii:1-3). To the godly -part of His earthly people He saith, "Behold I have refined thee, but not -as silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction" (Isaiah -xlviii:10). But here in Ezekiel's message it is not the question of -refining but of punishment by fire. Israel is dross. Brass, tin, iron, -lead, dross of silver are mentioned, but gold is significantly omitted. -It stands for righteousness and that was lacking in Jerusalem. The fury -of the Lord would fan the flame and all gathered together, like -worthless metals would be melted by the wrath of the Lord. - - -III. The Corruption of the Prophets, the Priests and the Princes. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto - her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the - day of indignation. There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the - midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey: they have - devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; - they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests - have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have - put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they - shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid - their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her - princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to - shed blood and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. And her - prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and - divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the - Lord hath not spoken. The people of the land have used oppression - and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they - have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. And I sought for a man among - them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me - for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. - Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have - consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I - recompensed upon their head, saith the Lord God (verses 23-31). - -What corruption this additional message of the Lord reveals! The land -had already been cursed for the wicked deeds of its tenants. The -religious leaders, the prophets, these false prophets with their lying -messages, instead of saving souls and warning to flee from the wrath to -come, devoured souls. The priests, called to minister in holy things, -were as bad; they profaned the holy things. They were blasphemers -instead of worshippers. These characteristics of false prophets and -false priests are repeated in our own times. Like these false prophets -whom Ezekiel describes, the modern day religious leaders, mislead the -people by giving lying messages and by glossing over men's sins and not -giving to them the Word of the Lord. Like priests, like people! The -people were lovers of money and oppressors of the poor. Jehovah looked -for a man to stand in the gap between Him and the land, but there was -none. There is no help and hope in man, for all have gone astray and -there is none that doeth good. But there is One--blessed be God!--who -has stood in the gap, our Lord Jesus Christ. "And He saw that there was -no man, and wondered that there was none to interpose, therefore His -own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness, it upheld Him" -(Isaiah lix:16). Through Him "all Israel" is yet to be saved and receive -the promised blessings. - - -THE TWO SISTERS AHOLAH AND AHOLIBAH. - -Chapter xxiii. - -Once more a parable is given to illustrate and expose the wickedness of -Samaria and Jerusalem in their ungodly relationship with Assyria and -Chaldea. On the whole, this chapter bears a similar message as the one -contained in chapter xvi, however, with this difference that here the -later history of the two kingdoms, the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom -of Judah and their defilement with heathen nations is the prominent -feature. The chapter has five sections. - - -I. The Two Sisters Aholah and Aholibah. - - The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son of man, there - were two women, the daughters of one mother: And they committed - whoredom in Egypt; they committed whoredom in their youth: there - were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of - their virginity. And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and - Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and - daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem - Aholibah (verses 1-4). - -The two daughters of one mother are Samaria and Jerusalem, called -sisters in chapter xvi:46. They were sisters not only because they had -the same mother, the Jewish nation, but they were also sisters in their -vile idolatry. Samaria is called Aholah. Aholah means "her tent." -Jerusalem is named Aholibah, "my tent is in her." The latter denotes the -fact that the true sanctuary was in Judah, while the Kingdom of Israel, -Samaria, practised a "false worship." Yet Jehovah owned them both as His -people. - - -II. Aholah's Wickedness. - - And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her - lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours, Which were clothed with - blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen - riding upon horses. Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with - all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom - she doted: with all their idols she defiled herself. Neither left - she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with - her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their - whoredom upon her. Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of - her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted. - These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her - daughters, and slew her with the sword and she became famous among - women; for they had executed judgment upon her (verses 5-10). - -Aholah's, Samaria's, wickedness is described first. It began with -Jeroboam's idolatry (1 Kings xii:25) and became worse and worse. They -went to Assyria and shared their corruption in idolatry and made a -covenant with that nation (Hosea xii:2). Thus Samaria played the harlot -by forsaking the Lord and turning to Assyria, trusting on Assyria -instead of on the Lord, and then she defiled herself with all their idols. -Hosea described their condition. "Ephraim also is like a silly dove -without heart; they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. When they shall -go I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls -of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard. -Woe unto them! for they have fled from me; destruction unto them! -because they have transgressed against me, though I have redeemed them, -yet they have spoken lies against me" (Hosea vii:11-13). The judgment of -Samaria is also mentioned. The Lord delivered the people into the hands -of the nation with which they had become enamored, to discover their -nakedness. "Wherefore, I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, -into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted." The historical -record of this is found in 2 Kings xvii, when Hoshea, King of Samaria, -became servant to Shalmaneser, King of Assyria. And when Hoshea acted -treacherously, Shalmaneser imprisoned Samaria's king and led the people -away into Assyria. - - -III. The Wickedness of Aholibah. - - And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her - inordinate love than she, and in her whoredom more than her sister - in her whoredom. She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, - captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon - horses, all of them desirable young men. Then I saw that she was - defiled, that they took both one way, And that she increased her - whoredom: for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images - of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermillion, Girded with girdles - upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of - them princes to look to, after the manner of their nativity: And as - soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent - messengers unto them into Chaldea. And the Babylonians came to her - into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and - she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them. So - she discovered her whoredom, and discovered her nakedness: then my - mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her - sister. Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance - the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land - of Egypt. For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the - flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. Thus - thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in bruising - thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth (verses 11-21). - -And her sister Aholibah, Jerusalem, saw this, but did not profit by it. -She became even more corrupt than Samaria and increased her whoredoms. -She was enjoying greater privileges and blessings than Samaria and -therefore her wickedness and fall was greater. King Ahaz, when pressed -by Rezin, the King of Syria and Remaliah, King of Israel, sent -messengers to Tiglath-pileser, King of Assyria, with the message, "I am -thy servant and thy son, come up and save me" (2 Kings xvi:5-8.) - -He also took the silver and gold in the house of the Lord and gave it as -a present to the Assyrian King. Isaiah's message and offer as described -in Isaiah vii he refused. Then King Ahaz "went to Damascus to meet -Tiglath-pileser, King of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus. -And King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest, the fashion of the altar, and -the patterns of it, according to all the workmanship thereof." This -strange altar was set up in Jerusalem, and the house of the Lord was -defiled by him (2 Kings xvi:10-20). Likewise, Jerusalem also followed -the Chaldeans and was inflamed by the pictures of the Chaldeans -portrayed on walls in vermillion, the peculiar color used by the the -Chaldeans. She loved Chaldea, Babylon with her vile idolatry, and sent -messengers to the Chaldeans. And the Babylonians responded and came to -her to corrupt Jerusalem. Then Jehovah says: "My mind was alienated from -her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister." Yet she continued -in her evil ways. In all this we have a description of Jerusalem's -history in becoming defiled by heathen nations, their idolatries and -corresponding immoralities. - - -IV. Aholibah's Punishment. - - Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will raise - up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I - will bring them against thee on every side; the Babylonians, and all - the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with - them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great - lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses. And they shall - come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an - assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield - and helmet round about: and I will set judgment before them, and - they shall judge thee according to their judgments. And I will set - my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously with thee: - they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and thy remnant shall - fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and - thy residue shall be devoured by the fire. They shall also strip - thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy fair jewels. Thus will I - make thy lewdness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom brought from - the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto - them, nor remember Egypt any more. For thus saith the Lord God; - Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them whom thou hatest, - into the hand of them from whom thy mind is alienated: And they - shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, - and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy - whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. - I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring - after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols. - Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her - cup into thine hand. Thus saith the Lord God; Thou shalt drink of - thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and - had in derision; it containeth much. Thou shalt be filled with - drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, - with the cup of thy sister Samaria. Thou shalt even drink it and - suck it out, and thou shalt break the shreds thereof, and pluck off - thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. - Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast forgotten me, - and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou thy lewdness and - thy whoredoms (verses 22-35). - -And those with whom she had sinned were to be her chastisers. "Behold I -will raise up thy lovers against thee.... I will bring them against thee -on every side." Her well-deserved judgment would be, as it was, in the -hands of the Babylonians, all the Chaldeans, as well as the -Assyrians.... And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons and -wheels, with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler -and shield and helmet round about, and I will set judgment before them, -and they shall judge thee according to their judgment." A holy and -righteous God in His wrath moved these vile nations to heap upon this -disobedient and idolatrous people the worst punishments. "They shall -deal furiously with thee, they shall take away thy nose and thine ears, -and thy remnant shall fall by the sword; they shall take thy sons and -thy daughters, and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire." The -explorations in Assyria have brought to light wall-sculptures in which -such atrocities are depicted. God is righteous, and divine retribution -was thus manifested in Jerusalem's shameful history. And in our own -times we behold similar judgments in the earth meted out upon nations, -professedly Christian, who forgot God and rejected His holy Word. -Jerusalem had walked in the ways of her vile sister Samaria and had even -outdone her in wickedness. She was, therefore, to drink her cup, -"because thou hast forgotten me and cast me behind thy back, therefore -bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms." Jerusalem had seen all -what happened to the northern kingdom when Shalmaneser had carried them -away, yet she kept right on in her evil course and did not repent of her -idolatries, her vile immoralities and wickedness. And so it is to-day. -Nations reap what they have sown, and other nations, like our own, do -not take the warning. They continue in the downward course, rejecting -God's holy Word and are guilty of the same sins as the nations who drink -now the cup of divine displeasure. Ere long the judgments of God will -reach every nation for the evil they have done. - - -V. Final Rehearsal of their Sins and Punishments. - - The Lord said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah - and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations; That they - have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their - idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, - whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour - them. Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my - sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths. For when - they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the - same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they - done in the midst of mine house. And furthermore, that ye have sent - for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, - they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and - deckedst thyself with ornaments, And satest upon a stately bed, and - a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and - mine oil. And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and - with the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the - wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful - crowns upon their heads. Then said I unto her that was old in - adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with - them? Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that - playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, - the lewd women. - - And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of - adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because - they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands. For thus saith - the Lord God; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give - them to be removed and spoiled. And the company shall stone them - with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay - their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire. - Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women - may be taught not to do after your lewdness. And they shall - recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of - your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord God (verses 36-49). - -Little comment is needed on this final section; there is a -recapitulation of the sins of Aholah and Aholibah. They committed -adultery with their idols, both in a spiritual way and also literally. -Their offspring were cast into the fiery arms of Moloch and thus slain -to their idols. They profaned the sanctuary of the Lord. Adulterers they -were and blood was in their hands. What degradation! Licentiousness, -violence and child sacrifice were the leading sins of the nation and -these were produced by having forgotten God and by idolatry. The -punishment of the adulterers, according to the law, stoning, awaited -Jerusalem. "And the company shall stone them with stones and dispatch -them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, -and burn up their houses with fire. Thus will I cause lewdness to cease -out of the land, that all women (surrounding nations who knew of -Jerusalem's vileness) be taught not to go after your lewdness. And they -(the heathen nations) shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye -shall bear the sins of your idols, and ye shall know that I am the -Lord." The Lord had manifested Himself to Jerusalem as a Lord of grace -and power. He had dealt with that nation as He had not dealt with -others. "You only have I known of all the families of the earth, -therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities" (Amos iii:2). In -awful judgments they were to learn that He is the Lord; what they should -have known through His mercies, they found out by the punishment from -the hands of a righteous Lord. All this will be repeated in future -history. The time is not distant when still greater judgments will be -poured out upon nations as well as upon the Jewish people. During that -time the world will find out that He is the Lord. "For when thy -judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn -righteousness" (Is. xxvi:9). - - -THE BOILING POT AND THE LAST WORD. - -Chapter xxiv. - -We have reached the final message of this great Prophet concerning the -judgment and overthrow of Jerusalem. The fatal siege of the city which -sealed its doom, so long announced, had started. Ezekiel receives the -information directly from the Lord and then utters the solemn words of -the Lord in which for the last time the wickedness of the bloody city is -made known. First, he spoke in a parable and afterwards in the death of -his wife he was a sign unto them. - - -I. The Parable of the Boiling Pot and its Significance. - - Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of - the month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, - write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of - Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day. And utter a - parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the - Lord God; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it: - Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, - and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones. Take the choice of - the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, - and let them seethe the bones of it therein. Wherefore thus saith - the Lord God; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is - therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it, bring it out piece by - piece; let no lot fall upon it. For her blood is in the midst of - her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the - ground, to cover it with dust; That it might cause fury to come up - to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that - it should not be covered. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Woe to - the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great. Heap on - wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let - the bones be burned. Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that - the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of - it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed. She - hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth - out of her: her scum shall be in the fire. In thy filthiness is - lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou - shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused - my fury to rest upon thee. I the Lord have spoken it: it shall come - to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, - neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy - doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord God (verses 1-14). - -The Prophet is instructed to note the exact date, the tenth day of the -tenth month in the ninth year. The same date we find in 2 Kings xxv:1. -"And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign in the tenth month, -in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, -came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; -and they built forts against it round about." The same statement is made -by Jeremiah (chapter lii:4). But how did Ezekiel, far away from the -scene of the siege, know the exact date when the king of Babylon began -to carry out the threatened divine judgment? It was the Lord who gave -him this information. This is the statement of the second verse, "Son of -man, write thee the name of the day, even of this selfsame day, the king -of Babylon set himself (literally, leaned upon) against Jerusalem this -same day." Higher Criticism shows its teeth in connection with such -definite statements which introduce the power of God. We quote the -following from a recent commentator: "This verse (verse 2) forces on us -in the clearest fashion the dilemma--either Ezekiel was a deliberate -deceiver, or he was possessed of some kind of second sight." According -to these words Ezekiel was either an out-and-out deceiver, a wicked man, -or, he was a clairvoyant. That the word of the Lord came to him and -imparted unto him the news that on the same day Jerusalem's siege had -begun, is neither considered nor believed. Such is the blind unbelief of -the modern critics. The boiling pot or caldron mentioned in this parable -is the symbol of Jerusalem. What is cast into this pot typifies the -guilty people; the choice bones and the choice of the flock, the -leaders. All are to be thrown in one common caldron to seethe therein, -the symbol of the fiery judgments which had now come upon the city. The -scum[16] in the pot is symbolical of Jerusalem's sins. The woe is -pronounced upon the bloody city on account of the scum; it is to be -consumed. "She hath wearied Me with lies, and her great scum went not -forth out of her; her scum shall be in the fire." While the inhabitants -of the city are thus described suffering for their sins, the city itself -will be dealt with (verse 11). This parable becomes still more -interesting if we compare it with the message of the eleventh chapter. -Then the people of Jerusalem had said, "This city is the caldron, and we -be the flesh" (xi:3). The Lord had answered them, "This city shall not -be your caldron, within shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof" -(xi:11). They gave the caldron a different meaning from the parable -here. As the flesh is preserved in a pot, a caldron, so they thought -themselves secure and safe in Jerusalem. And now the Lord tells them -that Jerusalem shall be a caldron, but not for their preservation, but -for their judgment. They had deceived themselves when they thought -themselves safe. His fury is now to be displayed upon bloody, filthy -Jerusalem. "I the Lord have spoken it, it shall come to pass, and I will -do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; -according to thy ways, and according to thy doings shall they judge -thee, saith the Lord God." What the Lord hath spoken will come to pass; -He will do it. This is a solemn word. Men ignore what God has spoken. -Others sneer at it and are unbelieving. The mass of professing -Christians are indifferent and have no thought that God will do what He -has spoken about judgments to come. But they will as surely come upon -our age, as the threatened judgments came upon Jerusalem. - -[16] Literally, Rust. - - -II. The Death of the Wife of Ezekiel. - - Also the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, behold, - I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet - neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down. - Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of - thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover - not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men. So I spake unto the - people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the - morning as I was commanded (verses 15-18). - -The second message which is given to Ezekiel in this chapter concerns -himself. He is to lose the desire of his eyes, his wife, with a stroke. -And the Lord tells him that he is not to mourn or weep, nor is he to -shed tears on account of the bereavement. All the customary signs of -grief are forbidden him. These were the taking off of the headdress, the -turban, and putting ashes on the head; taking off the shoes, walking -barefooted (2 Sam. xv:30); the covering of the lips, the beard (Micah -iii:7; see also Lev. xiii:45), and the eating of certain food, -mourning-food. All this he was not to do. And while he faithfully -delivered the Word of the Lord in the morning, at even his wife was -taken from him and faithfully he obeyed the commandment of the Lord. -Death had dissolved the marriage union and taken from the prophet the -beloved wife. Even so the relationship between Jehovah and Jerusalem was -now to be completely severed. And instead of a wild lamentation, a -wailing cry, there should be a solemn silence. A similar message was -also given to Jeremiah, "They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall -not be lamented.... For thus saith the Lord, Enter not in the house of -mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them" (Jer. xvi:4-9). - - -III. The Question of the People and the Answer. - - And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things - are to us, that thou doest so? Then I answered them, The word of the - Lord came unto me, saying, Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus - saith the Lord God; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the - excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which - your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have - left shall fall by the sword. And ye shall do as I have done; ye - shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men. And your tires - shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall - not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and - mourn one toward another. Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign; according - to all that he hath done shall ye do; and when this cometh, ye shall - know that I am the Lord God. Also, thou son of man, shall it not be, - in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their - glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their - minds, their sons and their daughters. That he that escapeth in - that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine - ears? In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, - and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb; and thou shalt be a sign - unto them; and they shall know that I am the Lord (verses 19-27). - -The people then inquired of Ezekiel about the meaning of his actions. -They wanted to know about the caldron and about his strange behaviour in -not mourning over the death of his wife. The answer is again given by -the Word of the Lord. The captives on the river Chebar, who surrounded -the Prophet, hear now that the Lord is going to profane His own -sanctuary. It was the object in which they boasted, the excellency of -their strength and the desire of their eyes. Their sons and daughters -who had been left behind by them were now to fall by the sword. As -suddenly as the stroke bereft him of his wife, so should they lose their -loved ones and they also were not to lament. Ezekiel was unto them a -sign. As previously so now again he foreshadowed in his experience what -was the common lot of the people. But more than that should come upon -them. They were to pine away on account of their iniquities and moan one -toward another; their grief would be manifested in groans and moans of -deepest anguish. In all they were to know that He whom they rejected is -the Lord. And so the world will make the same discovery before long, -perhaps even now this solemn fact is being demonstrated before our eyes. -Nations have forgotten God. They have rejected His Word. They trampled -under foot His truth and the best the Lord has given. The measure of -wickedness is rapidly being filled up and God, a holy, righteous God, -must act in judgment and deal with man according to his ways and -according to his works. The moans and the groans are on the earth. - -And when all the prophet announced was accomplished, when Jerusalem had -fallen, then one that escaped should come to Ezekiel and tell him about -it. Even so it happened. "And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our -captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one -that had escaped out of Jerusalem came into me, saying, The city is -smitten" (xxxiii:21). It was also announced to the Prophet that when -this messenger came he should no more be dumb, but his mouth should be -opened, and he would speak. Of this we read in chapter xxxiii:22; then -he would resume his public activities. - - -PREDICTIONS OF JUDGMENT AGAINST THE NATIONS. - -Chapters xxv-xxxii. - -PREDICTIONS AGAINST AMMON, MOAB, EDOM AND THE PHILISTINES. - -Chapter xxv. - -A new section begins with this chapter. The prophet is now made the -mouthpiece of Jehovah to utter prophecies concerning other nations. Two -years after the message of the preceding chapter, the news came to -Ezekiel announcing the fall of the city and after that, Ezekiel received -the greater messages concerning Israel and her glorious future. The -prophecies contained in chapters xxv-xxxii concerning the nations which -came in touch with Israel were delivered at different times. See the -dates in chapters xxvi:1, xxix:1, 17, xxx:20, xxxi:1 and xxxii:1, 17. -The predictions concern just seven nations, and these are divided into -four and three. The first four were the immediate neighbors of Israel. -Then come larger prophecies against Tyre, with a message on the future -return of Israel against Sidon and Egypt; Assyria is also mentioned. -Isaiah, Jeremiah and Amos likewise received similar messages against the -same nations. Their guilt is uncovered and their judgment and overthrow -makes the way for Israel's blessing and peace. While these judgments -have had a partial, past fulfilment, the complete fulfilment is yet to -come, for the prophetic Word shows that the nations who have sinned -against Jehovah and His people will be judged in a coming day, when -Israel will be restored and be blest. Such is evident when we read the -gracious, still future promises to His earthly people. See chapters -xxviii:24-26 and xxix:21. These unfulfilled promises concerning Israel's -restoration as well as spiritual prosperity make it clear that these -judgments hold a definite relation to future events. - - -I. The Prophecy Concerning Ammon. - - The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy - face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them; And say unto - the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord - God; Because thou saidst; Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was - profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and - against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity; Behold, - therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the East for a - possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their - dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink - thy milk. And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the - Ammonites a couching place for flocks: and ye shall know that I am - the Lord. For thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast clapped - thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with - all thy despite against the land of Israel; Behold, therefore I will - stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil - to the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will - cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and - thou shalt know that I am the Lord (verses 1-7). - -A message concerning Ammon had been given before to Ezekiel (chapter -xxi:28-32). The prophet Jeremiah also announced the coming judgment for -the Ammonites: "It shall be a desolate heap and her daughters shall be -burned with fire." But Jeremiah predicted a restoration of Ammon after -the judgment. "And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the -children of Ammon, saith the Lord" (Jer. lxix:1-6). God will accomplish -this in His own time and way. We do not need to trouble ourselves how He -will fulfil His Word; He takes care of that. Still another prophet -speaks concerning them. Zephaniah (ii:8-11) shows that they reproached -God's people and were filled with pride. As we know, both Ammon and Moab -had a deeply humiliating origin (Gen. xix:37-38) and had a racial -connection with Israel. As the past history shows they were in constant -conflict with Israel. When the sanctuary in the midst of God's people -was profaned, the land laid desolate and the house of Judah went into -captivity, they greatly rejoiced. Their exultation over Israel's sin and -God's punishment revealed their own wicked, God-defying, unbelieving -character. Therefore God is going to punish them. The men of the East -were to conquer them and take them for a possession. The men of the East -are the Bedouins. The word "palaces" must be translated "encampments." -The Bedouins set up their tents in stone rings. And this prophecy has -been fulfilled. The Bedouin nomads wander through Ammon's possession. - - -II. Prophecy Concerning Moab. - - Thus saith the Lord God; Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, - the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen; Therefore, behold, - I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which - are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, - Baal-meon and Kiriathaim, Unto the men of the east with the - Ammonites, and will give them in possession, that the Ammonites may - not be remembered among the nations. And I will execute judgments - upon Moab; and they shall know that I am the Lord (verses 8-11). - -Moab was the kin of Ammon.[17] Their country lay east of the Dead Sea. -Other interesting prophetic messages on Moab are contained in Isaiah xv -and xvi; Jer. xlviii and Amos ii:1. Jeremiah also gives a promise of -Moab's restoration. "Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the -latter days, saith the Lord" (Jer. xlviii:47). Here the time of Moab's -blessing is stated; it will be "in the latter days," the days still to -come connected with the day of the Lord, the second Coming of Christ. -Where Ammon and Moab are now, among what nations their descendants -exist, is known to an omniscient God. How Moab will be brought back from -captivity and installed in their territory in the latter days, we -repeat, will be accomplished by the wisdom and power of God. The -teaching which one hears occasionally, that the Ammonites and Moabites -will be raised from the dead and restored physically is more than a -fanciful speculation; it is an evil, unscriptural doctrine. The Word of -God nowhere teaches a physical resurrection of ungodly nations of the -past for a second chance. Moab also sneered at the house of Judah and -mockingly declared "the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen." -They were a proud and arrogant people. "We have heard of the pride of -Moab, he is exceedingly proud, his loftiness and his arrogancy and his -pride and the haughtiness of his heart" (Jer. xlviii:29). Isaiah gives -the same description of their character (Isa. xvi:6). And the God of -Israel who governs the nations and deals with them in judgment humbled -them into the dust. The Bedouins are now likewise the possessors of -their country. "And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall -know that I am the Lord." And these judgments upon proud, -self-exalting, God-forgetting nations, are not confined to the past. -Some nations of Europe, who claimed to be nations of civilization and -making for righteousness, so often called "Christian nations," have been -lifted up in pride, forgetting God in their prosperity, and now a -righteous God has put His hand upon them, so that they should find out -that He is the Lord. - -[17] Moab and Ammon were the incestuous offspring of Lot. (Genesis -xix:37-38.) - - -III. Prophecy Concerning Edom. - - Thus saith the Lord God; Because that Edom hath dealt against the - house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and - revenged himself upon them; Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I - will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and - beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of - Dedan shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom - by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according - to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God - (verses 12-14). - -Edom, the descendants of Esau, the son of Jacob, was more closely -connected with Israel than Ammon and Moab. And Edom's deeds were more -pronouncedly against the people of God, more wicked and defiant, than -the others. Israel was especially commanded not to abhor an Edomite. -"Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother" (Deut. -xxiii:7). They greatly offended and revenged themselves upon them. Amos -declared their sin. "He did pursue his brother with the sword, and did -cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his -wrath forever" (Amos i:11). Edom's pride is uncovered by Obadiah (Obd. -verse 3-4), who also shows Edom's sin against his brother (verses -10-14). And the cruel Herods, the types of Antichrist, were Edomites. -Edom's judgment is to be executed by Israel. This is to take place in a -future day. See Obadiah's prophecy (verses 17-21) and (Amos ix:11-12). -Yet judgment has long ago fallen upon Edom, as predicted in verse 14. -What evidence that the words spoken by these prophets are the words of -God, supernatural in their origin and sure in their fulfilment! We shall -find some striking evidences in the predictions uttered by Ezekiel -against Tyre and Egypt. There is a time coming when every prediction in -the Bible will be accomplished. Then the Bible is gloriously vindicated -and all its enemies will forever disappear. - - -IV. Prophecy Concerning the Philistines. - - Thus saith the Lord God; Because the Philistines have dealt by - revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to - destroy it for the old hatred; Therefore thus saith the Lord God; - Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I - will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the - sea-coast. And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious - rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my - vengeance upon them (verses 15-17). - -Another "thus saith the Lord." The Philistines dwelt on a narrow strip -on the seashore and were the long continued enemies of the people -Israel. Jeremiah speaks of them (chapter cxlvii). See also Amos i:6-9; -Joel iii:4; Isa. xiv:29-32. The vengeance of the Lord fell upon the -coast of Palestina, the Philistines; and they experienced the fury of -the Lord. He dealt with them who had corrupted His people. And so God -will deal in due time with all His enemies. - - -PROPHECIES CONCERNING TYRUS. - -Chapter xxvi. - -A lengthy prophecy concerning Tyre is contained in this and the -following chapters. It is of much interest. The divinely given -predictions against that once powerful city have seen a literal -fulfillment; certain periods of Tyre's downfall and overthrow are made -known by the prophet. History confirms all that is written here. In -subsequent chapters we find much information on the riches and the -greatness of that ancient city, while the description of the King of -Tyre, which fits only the prince of this world, Satan, who governed -Tyre's King, is of intense interest and much importance. Here are also -many spiritual lessons, and a good deal which finds a ready application -to present day world-conditions. - - -I. The Overthrow of Tyrus Announced. - - And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the - month, that the word of the Lord came unto me saying, Son of man, - because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha! she is broken - that was the gates of the people; she is turned unto me; I shall be - replenished, now she is laid waste: Therefore thus saith the Lord - God; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations - to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up. - And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her - towers; I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the - top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the - midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God: and it - shall become a spoil to the nations. And her daughters which are in - the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am - the Lord. For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will bring upon - Tyrus Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the - north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and - companies, and much people. He shall slay with the sword thy - daughters in the field; and he shall make a fort against thee, and - cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee. And - he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his axes he - shall break down thy towers. By reason of the abundance of his - horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the - noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when - he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is - made a breach. With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all - thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong - garrisons shall do down to the ground. And they shall make a spoil - of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise; and they shall - break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses; and they - shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the - water. And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the - sound of thy harps shall be no more heard. And I will make thee like - the top of a rock; thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou - shalt be built no more: for I the Lord have spoken it, saith the - Lord God (verses 1-14). - -The City of Tyrus (which means rock) was partly built upon an island off -the mainland in the Mediterranean Sea. It was an ancient Phoenician city -and is mentioned in Scripture for the first time in Joshua xix:29, where -it is called "The strong city." It had a wonderful commerce, a -description of which in its variety, we find in the twenty-seventh -chapter. It was inhabited by seafaring men, and the prophet Isaiah -describes this wealthy and influential city as "the crowning city, whose -merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth" -(Isaiah xxiii:8). We read in the next chapter how Syria, Persia, Egypt, -Spain, Greece and every quarter of the ancient world laid their choicest -and most precious things at the feet of Tyre, who sat enthroned on -Ivory, covered with blue and purple from the isles of Elishah. Her -beauty was perfect (Ez. xxvii:11). During the reign of David and -Solomon, Tyre came into great prominence, playing an important role in -the commercial, political and religious history of Israel. Hiram, King -of Tyrus sent cedar trees to Jerusalem, as well as workmen, who built -David a house (2 Sam. v:11). How Tyrus aided in the construction of the -temple and the palace under Solomon's reign, may be learned by -consulting the following passages: 1 Kings v:1-12; vii:13-14; 1 -Chronicles xiv:1; 2 Chronicles ii:3, 11. When the ships of Solomon -sailed away to Ophir, "Hiram sent in the navy his servants, ship-men -that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon, and they -came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty -talents, and brought it to King Solomon" (1 Kings ix:27-28). The Tyrians -were great voyagers, the masters of the sea, and founded colonies, -among them Carthage. Israel's close relations with Tyrus continued -probably for centuries. The wicked wife of King Ahab, Jezebel, was the -daughter of Ethbaal, King of Tyre. She fostered successfully the vile -Phoenician idolatry among Israel. Tyre also sent messengers to King -Zedekiah, probably to form an alliance against the approaching -Babylonian conqueror (Jere. xxvii:3). She was a proud, luxurious and -wicked city, which defied God. She sinned against Jerusalem and the -people Israel. Joel and Amos speak of her sins (Joel iii:4-6; Amos -i:9-10) and announced her judgment. So did the prophet Isaiah (chapter -xxiii) and Jeremiah (xlvii:4). Ezekiel gives us the completest -description of this city, her resources, her luxuries and far reaching -influence, her King under Satanic control and also the details of her -judgment. - -In the third verse of our chapter we read the divine announcement of -Tyre's fate. "Behold I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many -nations to come up against thee, as the sea causes its waves to come up. -And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers; I -will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a -rock." It was to become a place for the spreading of nets and a spoil to -the nations. This great judgment was not all at once carried out. -Nebuchadnezzar came first against her as predicted in verses 7-11. He -besieged the Tyre on the mainland and after thirteen years took the -city; while that part of Tyrus which was built upon the island in the -sea, protected by the fleet of Tyrus, escaped. Then came for her seventy -years when she was forgotten, as predicted by Isaiah (xxiii:15). After -these years had passed Tyrus saw a startling revival. The island city -became more powerful and wicked than before, "she committed fornication -with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth" (Is. -xxiii:17). The continental Tyrus, however, remained in ruins. - -Centuries passed and it seemed as if Ezekiel's prophecy concerning -Tyre's complete overthrow would remain unfulfilled. It was about 240 -years after when the literal fulfillment of this prophecy was -accomplished. Alexander the Great came against the city built on the -island. After seven months the city was taken by means of a mole, by -which the forces of Alexander could enter the city. In constructing this -mole, Alexander made use of the ruins of the old city. The stones, -timber and the very dust of the destroyed city was laid into the sea to -erect the causeway which accomplished the utter ruin of the wealthy -city. And thus Ezekiel's prophecy was fulfilled. "And they shall lay thy -stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water." The -complete end of Tyrus had come. "And thou shalt be no more, though thou -be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again" (verse 21). So -completely was the work done by Alexander, depositing the debris of the -ruins of Tyrus on the mainland into the sea, that its exact site will -remain undeterminable. And Alexander the Great fulfilled still another -prophecy. Before he came on his mission, directed by God, to make an end -of the proud and wicked city, Zechariah, the great post-exilic prophet, -had once more announced the fate of Tyrus. "And Tyrus," said the Lord -through Zechariah, "did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver -as the dust, and fine gold as the ruin of the sheets." This was after -Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the Tyrus on the mainland and she became -the great island city. "Thus," said Zechariah, "behold, the Lord will -cast her out, and He will smite her power in the sea, and she shall be -devoured with fire" (Zech. ix:3-4). Alexander did this; he laid proud -Tyrus in ashes. - -What an evidence that all these words are the Word of God! God looks to -the fulfillment of all He revealed to His prophets. It may appear often -as if visions were in vain and prophecies remain unaccomplished. God -does not need to be in a hurry; He can afford to take His time. But -finally every prophecy contained in the Holy Scriptures will be -fulfilled. Proud and boasting, like Tyrus, are the great nations of our -age. Wealth and luxuries are seen on all sides and with it moral evil -and every form of wickedness. Judgment is surely in store for the -nations that forget God. As we know from the book of Revelation this -present age will culminate in the formation of Babylon the Great. Much -in Revelation xviii reminds us of Tyrus in this chapter of Ezekiel and -the next chapter. - - -II. The Effect of Tyre's Fall and the Lamentation. - - Thus saith the Lord God to Tyrus; shall not the isles shake at the - sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made - in the midst of thee? Then all the princes of the sea shall come - down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their - broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; - they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, - and be astonished at thee. And they shall take up a lamentation for - thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited - of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, - she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that - haunt it! Now shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea, - the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure. - For thus saith the Lord God; When I shall make thee a desolate city, - like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the - deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee. When I shall - bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people - of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in - places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou - be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living; I - will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more; though thou be - sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord God - (verses 15-21). - -The isles and the princes of the sea were deeply affected by her fall -and overthrow. The princes came down from their thrones and laid away -their robes and trembled at every moment. The lamentation they took up -is on account of the destruction of the renowned city. In Revelation -xviii we have a similar lament over the final Babylon, the end in -judgment of a godless, materialistic civilization. (See Rev. -xviii:9-19). Verses 19-20 give a description of the descent of Tyre into -the pit. "When I shall make thee desolate, like the cities that are not -inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep unto thee, and great waters -shall cover thee; when I shall bring thee down with them that descend -into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low -parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to -the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land -of the living." The last sentence, which is a promise of glory, can only -refer to the coming glory of the earthly Zion, the glory in store for -Israel. Boasting, proud Tyrus is laid in the dust; her site completely -blotted out. Other nations who hate Israel and continue in the -wickedness of those ancient nations will also be broken to pieces, but -Zion has a future of glory. When the time of the judgment of the nations -comes God will set glory in Israel's land through the coming of the King -of Glory. We have already pointed out the literal and startling -fulfilment of the last verse of this chapter. - - -GLORIOUS TYRUS AND HER FALL. - -Chapter xxvii. - -"The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Now, thou son of man, take -up a lamentation for Tyrus." It is an interesting description of the -world-wide commerce and glory of this once-proud world-city, which is -given in this chapter. "_Sic transit gloria mundi_"--thus passeth the -glory of the world; nothing but ruins instead of the wicked mistress of -the sea; yea, her very site is no longer known. And what her glory was -and how it passed away under divine displeasure is made known through -the inspired prophet. Ezekiel certainly never saw Tyrus, nor did he have -probably any knowledge of her grandeur, her great wealth and -far-reaching commerce. But he was Jehovah's mouthpiece who put into his -lips and pen all these words. - - -I. The Glory of Tyrus. - - The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Now, thou Son of - man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus. And say unto Tyrus, O thou - that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of - the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord God; O Tyrus, thou - hast said, "I am of perfect beauty." Thy borders are in the midst of - the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty. They have made all - thy ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they have taken cedars from - Lebanon to make masts for thee. Of the oaks of Bashan have they made - thine oars; the company of the Ashurites have made thy benches of - ivory, brought out of the isles of Chittim. Fine linen with - broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be - thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elisha was that which - covered thee. The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy mariners: - thy wise men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy pilots. The - ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers; - all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to occupy - thy merchandise. They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine - army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee, - they set forth thy comeliness. The men of Arvad with thine army were - upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: - they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made - thy beauty perfect (verses 3-15). - -The great city had her situation at the entry of the sea and was the -trader for the people of many isles. Lifted up with pride, the powerful -city boasted of perfect beauty. "O Tyrus, thou has said, I am of perfect -beauty." Beginning with the fourth verse, we have a description of her -as a monster ship. The borders in the midst of the seas, the builders -perfecting her beauty. The shipboards, the masts and the oars from the -oaks of Bashan are mentioned. The Ashurites made benches of ivory for -this ship; the ivory was brought from the isles of Chittim (Cyprus, -etc.). Fine linen and broidered work from Egypt she spread for sail. The -inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were the sailors and her wise men pilots. -It is all in the form of an allegory. Tyrus also had an army gathered -from different nations. - - Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds of - riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs. - Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the - persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market. They of the house - of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules. - The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise - of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and - ebony. Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the - wares of thy making: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds, - purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and agate. - Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants: they traded - in thy market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil, and - balm. Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy - making for the multitude of all riches; in the wine of Helbon, and - white wool. Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy - fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market. Dedan - was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots. Arabia, and all - the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, - and goats: in these were they thy merchants. The merchandise of - Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy - fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and - gold. Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, - and Chilmad, were thy merchants. These were thy merchants in all - sorts of things, in blue clothes, and broidered work, and in chests - of rich apparel, bound with cords, and made of cedar, among thy - merchandise. The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: - and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of - the seas (verses 16-25). - -The commerce of Tyrus is next vividly described. The description begins -with Tarshish, then of great renown, and ends with mentioning the ships -of Tarshish. And what are the articles of commerce mentioned? Silver, -iron, tin, lead, slaves, vessels of brass, horses and mules. Then there -were horns of ivory and ebony; emeralds, purple and broidered work, fine -linen, coral and agate. Wheat of Minni and Pannag, honey, oil and balm; -wine of Helbon and white wool. Then follow other articles of commerce: -bright iron, cassia, calamus and precious cloths for chariots. They also -traded in live stock: lambs and rams, and goats, besides spices, -precious stones, gold chests of rich apparel, etc. Thus she was -replenished and made glorious in the midst of the seas. Another -world-city or system is described in the last book of the Bible, Babylon -the great; the articles of her world-wide commerce are also given (Rev. -xviii:12-13); it is much like the commerce of ancient Tyrus. Tyrus is a -picture of a great world-city: rich, increased in goods, enjoying -prosperity and filled with pride. As she passed away with all her glory, -so others have crumbled into dust. Equally so will this present Godless -civilization, culminating in Babylon the great, pass away under the -judgment-stroke of God (Rev. xviii:15-19). - - -II. The Description of the Fall of Tyrus. - - Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the east wind hath - broken thee in the midst of the seas. Thy riches, and thy fairs, - thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers, and the - occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in - thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall - fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin. The suburbs - shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots. And all that - handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall - come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land; And - shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry - bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow - themselves in the ashes: And they shall make themselves utterly bald - for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee - with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing. And in their wailing - they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, - saying. What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of - the sea? When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst - many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the - multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise. In the time when - thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy - merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fail. All - the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their - kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their - countenance. The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou - shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more (verses 26-30). - -The description of Tyrus as a ship as given in the first part of this -chapter is here maintained. Tyrus is to be shipwrecked. The east wind is -Nebuchadnezzar, who came against the proud city to accomplish part of -her ruin; and Alexander the Great, as we saw in our previous study, -completed the work. A comparison with Revelation xviii will bring out -the striking correspondency. When finally Babylon the great falls, that -coming religious-commercial world-system, with Rome as a center, her -fall and desolation, will surely be greater than the fall of Tyrus. For -this all is rapidly preparing. - - -THE PRINCE OF TYRUS. - -Chapter xxviii. - -The greater part of this chapter is also devoted to Tyrus. This -concluding prophecy about Tyrus is the most interesting. It concerns the -proud ruler of that city, who is called Prince and also King. But this -ruler as Prince and King is typical of another and more sinister being -as we learn from this chapter. Tyrus with its earthly glory, wealth and -pride, as pointed out in the previous expositions, is the type of the -glory of the world, the commercial glory and all connected with it, and -clearly foreshadows the final great commercial world-system, Babylon the -Great. Inasmuch then as Tyrus foreshadows this, its proud and wicked -King is typical of the prince of this world, the one who fell by pride -and who is the ruler and god of this age. As the prince of this world he -showed to the Lord Jesus Christ all the kingdoms of the world and their -glory, and offered all to the Lord. This sinister being and his coming -masterpiece, the Antichrist, who is to rule during the end of this age -on the earth, are foreshadowed in a striking way in the ruler of Tyrus. - - -I. The Prince of Tyrus, his Pride and his Doom. - - The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying: Son of man, say - unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine - heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the set - of God, in the midst of the seas, yet thou art a man, and not God, - though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: Behold thou art - wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee. - With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee - riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures. By thy - great wisdom and by thy traffic thou hast increased thy riches, and - thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches. Therefore thus saith - the Lord God; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; - Behold therefore, I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of - the nations, and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of - thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. They shall bring - thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are - slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou yet say before him that - slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man and no god, in the - hand of him that slayeth thee. Thou shalt die the deaths of the - uncircumcised by the hand of strangers; for I have spoken it, saith - the Lord God (verses 1-10.) - -The Prince of Tyrus who ruled in the days of Ezekiel was, according to -the Jewish historian Josephus, Ithobalus, called in the Phoenecian -annals Ithobaal II. The description of this character tells us that he -was the consummation of the pride and wealth of Tyrus; the awful pride -of that city was headed up in him. His heart was so lifted up that he -claimed to be a god and that he occupied the seat of God. He also -boasted of wisdom greater than the wisdom of Daniel, the captive in -Babylon. By his cunning and wisdom, as well as by traffic, he had heaped -up riches, and because of these riches he became still more lifted up. -Like the prosperous and wealthy king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, who -gloried in his achievements by saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that -I have built for the house of the Kingdom by the might of my power, and -for the honor of my majesty" (Dan. iv:30), the Prince of Tyrus boasted -in arrogant pride. Through the prophet, his doom is announced. The Lord -God reckons with him, "because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of -God." He would bring nations against him and his city, and "they shall -bring thee down to the pit, and thou shall die the deaths of them that -are slain in the heart of the seas." Instead of having endless being as -a god he would die a sudden and violent death. He should die the death -of the uncircumcised, typifying vile and wicked men who are far away -from God; dying deaths, which means a physical death and that which -follows the wicked after death, an eternal separation from God, with -conscious punishment. - -The language used in describing the Prince of Tyrus is used elsewhere -in the Word of God to describe another one, who is yet to come. We mean -the personal Antichrist, the man of sin. The marks of this coming one, -Satan's great counterfeit and masterpiece, are always pride, -self-exaltation. Daniel describes him in the following words: "And the -King shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and -magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things -against the God of gods"[18] (Dan. xi:36). In the New Testament the -coming Antichrist is pictured as follows: "Who opposeth and exalteth -himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he -as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (2 -Thess. ii:4). Comparing these statements with what is said of the Prince -of Tyrus we see at once the similarity. The political head of the final -form of the times of the Gentiles, the ten Kingdom Empires, the Roman -Empire revived, is described in very much the same way. The man that -made the earth to tremble, that did shake the Kingdoms (Isaiah xiv:16) -said in his heart, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne -above the stars of God ... I will be like the Most High" (Is. -xiv:13-14). Here is the same characteristic, a God-defying pride. This -has led many expositors to call both of these persons, the wicked actors -during the end of the age, the Antichrist. But the one is the head of -the Roman Empire, the Prince that shall come; the other is the -Antichrist, the beast out of the earth (Rev. xiii:11). Both work -together under Satan's control and are energized by Satan, therefore -they manifest the same characteristics. It is evident that the ruler of -Tyrus as Prince foreshadows the coming Antichrist, and we have to see -next the significance that the ruler of Tyrus is addressed as King and -the one who stands behind him. - -[18] It is well to state here that Daniel mentions Antichrist but once -in his prophecies, in chapter xi:36, etc. The little horn in Dan. vii is -the head of the revived Roman Empire; the little horn in Dan. viii was -Antiochus Epiphanus, the type of the King of the North who will invade -the pleasant land, Palestine, during the time of the great tribulation. - - -II. The Lamentations over the King of Tyrus. - - Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, take - up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus - saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and - perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every - precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the - diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the - emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets - and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast - created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set - thee so; thou was upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up - and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in - thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was - found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled - the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I - will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will - destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of - fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast - corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee - to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold - thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine - iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring - forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I - will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them - that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be - astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be - any more (verses 11-19). - -The Prince and the King are identical, and not different persons as some -say. But what is said now of the ruler of Tyrus as king could never be -said of a mere human being. Hardly any of the descriptions given in -these verses can be applied to the heathen King of Tyrus. The -description fits another being, the person who was originally the -greatest and most beautiful creature of God, but has become a fallen -creature and the enemy of God. In one word, it is Satan in his original -greatness and in his fall who is revealed in connection with the King of -Tyrus. Satan was the power behind the throne of the Tyrian King, as -Satan is still the god of this age who controls the kingdoms of the -world. Inasmuch, then, as Tyrus is a type of the commercial glory of the -world, its wealth and pride, foreshadowing the final great world-city or -world-system, Babylon, the ruler of Tyrus, spoken of as Prince, -foreshadows the Antichrist, while as King, Satan himself stands behind -him as the domineering power. The descriptions given of Satan as an -unfallen being, show that he was originally a marvelous being, full of -wisdom and perfect in beauty. From Jude's epistle we learn that even -Michael still recognized in him the grandeur of his unfallen past and -did not bring a railing accusation against him (Jude verses 8-10). He -was in Eden, the garden of God, and every precious stone was his -covering. It is a description of Satan's original place and of his great -beauty. Furthermore, he was the anointed cherub that covereth; the Lord -had set him to be this. As the anointed, divinely chosen cherub he held -an exalted position in connection with the government of the throne of -God.[19] Everything shows that this majestic creature possessed a place -of great dignity, being "upon the holy mountain of God," walking up and -down in the midst of the stones of fire, he was ever present and moving -about in the fiery glory of a holy and righteous God. "Thou was perfect -in thy ways from the day that thou wast created till unrighteousness was -found in thee." Surely the first part of this verse could never apply to -the King of Tyrus nor to any other human; it is a picture of the -unfallen glorious creature of God. But unrighteousness was found in him. -He sinned, and as a result divine sentence is pronounced upon him. Yet -this sentence in verse 16 is not yet executed. He is not yet cast out in -the fullest sense, nor bruised completely, nor is he in the lake of -fire. All this is future. God in His all-wise purpose delays the -complete execution of this judgment. But the day will come when he, who -walked once in the presence of the glory of God, in the midst of the -stones of fire, will be cast into the lake of fire, his eternal abode. -What was his sin? "Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou -has corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness." He became puffed -up, lifted up with pride (1 Tim. iii:6) on account of his own beauty and -brightness. There can be no question, but the person so closely linked -with the King of Tyrus is Satan. The passage contains one of the most -interesting revelations we have in the Bible on the person and dignity of -that fallen being. Verses 18 and 19 show that the King is in view and -the fate of his city Tyrus: "I have turned thee to ashes upon the earth -in the sight of all them that behold thee." - -[19] For a detailed and excellent exposition of this passage see the -book on "Satan," by F. C. Jennings, pp. 43-48. - - -III. A Prophecy Concerning Zidon. - - Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying: Son of man, set thy - face against Zidon, and prophesy against it. And say, Thus saith the - Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be - glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the - Lord, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be - sanctified in her. For I will send into her pestilence, and blood - into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of - her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I - am the Lord. And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the - house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about - them, that despiseth them; and they shall know that I am the Lord - God. Thus saith the Lord God; When I shall have gathered the house - of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall - be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they - dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. And they - shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant - vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have - executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about - them; and they shall know that I am the Lord (verses 20-26). - -Zidon (or Sidon) was situated twenty miles north of Tyrus. Like Tyrus -she was built offshore on island rocks. For many years Zidon was even -more prominent and prosperous than Tyrus. She was burnt after a revolt -against Artaxerxes Ochus, 351 B. C., but later rebuilt. See its mention -in the New Testament in Mark iii:8, vii:24. Jehovah announces that He -would execute judgments in Zidon and thus be glorified and sanctified in -her. When a holy God deals in judgments with sin, with individuals and -nations, He maintains thereby His holy character. He is light in whom -there is no darkness at all and a consuming fire. It has been said that -there is no special transgression mentioned why Zidon should be judged. -No doubt she was as proud as her sister city Tyrus. But verse 24 tells -us the reason; she was a pricking brier to the house of Israel. She -sinned against her neighbor, the people of God, and for that judgment -came on her. And so can present-day nations not escape judgment for -their sins against the Jews. The last two verses are a prophecy relating -to Israel's restoration. Needless to say up to this time their -restoration has not taken place. The time is given when it will come, -when the Lord executes judgment upon the nations. When our Lord comes -again these judgments will fall. And how near all this must be when we -behold nations filling full the measure of their wickedness and the Jews -as a suffering people with faces turned towards their homeland. - - -PROPHECIES CONCERNING EGYPT. - -Chapter xxix. - -The predictions about Tyrus and Zidon are followed by the prophecies -against Egypt. These prophecies are of even greater interest than those -preceding. First Pharaoh and Egypt are addressed; the coming judgment -and the desolation of the land is announced. A restoration after forty -years is promised when the captivity of Egypt is to be brought again; -but the former glory will be departed and Egypt's decline, to be the -basest of the kingdoms, is predicted. The King of Babylon is announced -as the conqueror of Egypt (chapter xxix). In chapter xxx the destruction -of Egypt, her people and her allies, is vividly described; at the close -of this chapter the defeat of Pharaoh by Nebuchadnezzar is predicted. In -chapter xxxi the King of Egypt is described as a mighty cedar; its fall -is foretold as well as the effect of Pharaoh's fall among the nations. -Chapter xxxii contains a lamentation over the King of Egypt. In the -second half of this chapter, the concluding section of these prophecies -against Egypt, we find a solemn dirge over the doomed people. The unseen -regions are unveiled and those who enjoyed earthly honors and glory are -seen in the place of dishonor, misery and shame. - - -I. The Prediction of Egypt's Desolation. - - In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the - month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set - thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, - and against all Egypt: Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; - Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon - that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is - mine own, and I have made it for myself. But I will put hooks in thy - jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy - scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and - all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales. And I will - leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy - rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be - brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the - beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven. And all the - inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord, because they - have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they took - hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their - shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest - all their loins to be at a stand. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; - Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast - out of thee. And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and - they shall know that I am the Lord: because he hath said, The river - is mine, and I have made it. Behold, therefore I am against thee, - and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly - waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of - Ethiopia. No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast - shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years. - And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the - countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that - are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the - Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the - countries (verses 1-12). - -The King of Egypt addressed in this prophecy was Pharaoh-Hophra, called -in Greek, Apries. He was the grandson of Pharaoh-Necho who defeated King -Josiah at Meggido (2 Chronicles xxxv:20-27). King Zedekiah of Judah -expected help and relief from Pharaoh-Hophra, when Jerusalem was -besieged. The Egyptian army under Hophra advanced through Phoenicia and -forced the Chaldeans to raise the siege of Jerusalem (Jer. xxxvii:5-7). -But the relief was only temporary, for the Egyptian army had to retire. -The prophet Jeremiah announced also the doom of Hophra, associating it -with Zedekiah's doom: "Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will give -Pharaoh-Hophra, King of Egypt, into the hands of his enemies, and into -the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah, King of Judah, -into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, his enemy, and that -sought his life" (Jer. xliv:30). - -Here he is called "the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his -rivers." He boasts, "My river is mine own and I have made it for -myself." The river Nile, with its different branches is meant. Pharaoh -is compared to a sea monster, which probably means the crocodile, -worshipped by the Egyptians; it was symbolical of power and pride.[20] -But the word "dragon" also reminds us of Satan who is called twelve -times in the Book of Revelation the dragon. As we learned from the -previous chapter, behind the King of Tyrus stood Satan as master of the -great city, and the same being, the dragon, controlled also -Pharaoh-Hophra and the land of Egypt. The dragon was worshipped by many -ancient nations and is still today the emblem of the Chinese Empire. And -the same ungodly self-exaltation which characterized Tyrus and its king, -which led to its overthrow and judgment, was shared by the King of -Egypt. Proud and blasphemous were his words that he had made the river -for himself; he defied God and refused to own his power. Therefore, his -judgment is announced which would not alone strike him but all the other -inhabitants of the land and all who looked to Egypt for help. "I will -leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy -rivers (the people of the land); thou shalt fall upon the open field; -thou shalt not be brought together nor gathered. I have given thee for -meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven." It is a -striking allegory. In verses 6 and 7 Israel's sin is mentioned when the -people of God turned to this wicked land for help, the land where their -forefathers had groaned and suffered such cruelty. Isaiah had solemnly -warned against such an alliance (Isaiah xxx:6-7; xxxi:3) and so had -Jeremiah (Jer. ii:36; xxxvii:7). Interesting it is to find that the same -illustration of disaster for Israel by trusting in Egypt had been used -by the Assyrian officer in addressing Hezekiah: "Now, behold, thou -trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, upon Egypt, on which, if a -man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it; so is Pharaoh, King -of Egypt, unto all that trust on him" (2 Kings xviii:21). And so it was. -Egypt gave no help to Israel and only wounded them grievously as a staff -which breaks under the weight of him who leaneth upon it--breaks and -pierces the hand. Whenever God's people turn to Egypt (the type of the -world) for help and form ungodly alliances they do so to their own hurt -and shame. - -[20] The crocodile was often used on Egyptian seal-rings as well as on -Roman coins, which pictured Egypt as a monster crocodile. - -Then follows the explanation of the allegory and, once more, the reason -of the coming desolation of Egypt is stated, because the proud King had -said, "The river is mine, and I have made it." The entire land of Egypt -was to be wasted from one end to the other. It was to become desolate -and for the period of forty years it was not to be inhabited. "And I -will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that -are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall -be desolate forty years, and I will scatter the Egyptians among the -nations, and will disperse them through the countries" (verse 12). - -But have these predictions been fulfilled? Did Egypt pass through a -period of forty years' desolation and did a restoration take place after -the forty years? Critics claim that these predictions were never -literally fulfilled and that Nebuchadnezzar did not invade Egypt during -the reign of Hophra. They point to the historical evidence that Amasis -followed Hophra as King of Egypt, and under his reign Egypt was in a -very flourishing condition. The historian, Herodotus, gives this -information and it is fully confirmed by Egyptian records on monuments. -But did the prophet Ezekiel predict that Egypt should be invaded by -Nebuchadnezzar during the reign of Pharaoh-Hophra? He predicts that -Nebuchadnezzar should conquer Egypt, but the critics have made a serious -blunder by overlooking the date of the prophecy in which -Nebuchadnezzar's invasion is announced. The chapter under our -consideration begins with a definite date. It was in the tenth year when -he received the message concerning Hophra; but it was seventeen years -later when Nebuchadnezzar's invasion was predicted, in the -twenty-seventh year (verse 17). Hophra's doom and the desolation of -Egypt was first announced, but the fulfillment came years later. Ezekiel -does not state that Hophra should be slain by Nebuchadnezzar, nor does -Jeremiah predict this (Jeremiah xliv:30). Hophra was dethroned by Amasis -and later slain. - - -II. Egypt's Restoration and Future as a Kingdom. - - Yet thus saith the Lord God; At the end of forty years will I gather - the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered: and I - will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to - return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; - and they shall be there a base kingdom. It shall be the basest of - the kingdoms, neither shall it exalt itself any more above the - nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over - the nations. And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of - Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they - shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord God - (verses 13-16). - -The future of Egypt after its desolation of forty years is revealed in -this paragraph. Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Egypt follows in the next -paragraph. The forty years of desolation, during which the Egyptians -were dispersed in different countries are difficult to locate -historically. Some apply them altogether to the future. B. W. Newton, in -his "Babylon and Egypt," claims that all this will be accomplished in -the future. We quote his words: "It will be fearfully smitten; and for -forty years after the Millennium has commenced, it will be utterly -desolate. No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall -pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years (Ezekiel -xxix:11). But, finally, it shall be revived, and together with Israel -and Assyria shall receive that wondrous blessing which the concluding -verses of the nineteenth of Isaiah describe."[21] That Egypt will have a -future of blessing no careful student of the prophetic Word will deny. -Isaiah xix shows its future history, both in judgment and in blessing. -Yet the prediction of Ezekiel that Egypt after the forty years of -desolation should be the basest of all kingdoms and shall have no more -rule, but be in a diminished condition, excludes the application of this -prophecy to the coming Millennium. Egypt had such a period of forty -years' devastation, though the exact history of it may not be known to -us. Prophecy is not learned by historical events, but history is -revealed in prophecy. We believe prophecies, not because history has -measured up to them, but we believe them because they are the inerrant -Word of God. After Egypt's sorrowful forty years' experience and -dispersion, this proud country went into a steady decline, and the Word -of God was literally fulfilled when it became the basest of kingdoms, so -that Israel put confidence no longer in Egypt. After Nebuchadnezzar's -raid, Egypt declined and sank lower still under the Persians and the -Ptolemies, until she became the granary of Rome. And this degradation -has continued throughout the centuries of this age so that Egypt is -literally the basest of the kingdoms.[22] That she will play her part in -the future at the close of our age we learn from Daniel's prophecy (Dan. -xi:36-45). Egypt will rise into prominence ere long in connection with -the present day world conflict. - -[21] Babylon and Egypt, page 192. - -[22] _Wonders of Prophecy_, by J. Urquhart, gives valuable evidence on -the literal fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy. - - -III. The Conquest of Nebuchadnezzar. - - And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first - month, in the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto - me, saying, Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his - army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made - bald and every shoulder was peeled: yet he had no wages, nor his - army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it. - Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will give the land of - Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her - multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be - the wages for his army. I have given him the land of Egypt for his - labor wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, - saith the Lord God. In that day will I cause the horn of the house - of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the - mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the Lord - (verses 17-21). - -As already stated, this prophecy is dated seventeen years after the -general prediction of Egypt's judgment. That Nebuchadnezzar invaded -Egypt after he came against Tyrus is mentioned by Josephus the Jewish -historian and also by an Assyrian inscription which gives the record of -this campaign as having taken place in the thirty-seventh year of the -reign of Nebuchadnezzar.[23] Nothing is said of desolation and captivity -in this later prophecy concerning Egypt's conquest. Critics claim that -Ezekiel had made a mistake in his former prediction. We quote from the -New Century Bible: "Ezekiel evidently saw that his former prophecy was -mistaken, and he now expected the defeat, though not necessarily the -utter destruction, of Egypt. The difference in detail is noticeable -between these verses and the prophecy on Egypt seventeen years earlier." -But Ezekiel was not mistaken. There was no need of repeating the -predicted desolation of Egypt; Nebuchadnezzar executed the work of -judgment. He suffered, evidently, disappointment in the siege of Tyrus, -the immense wealth of that city he could not touch. And, as he did not -get wages from Tyrus, nor for his great army, the Lord, whose instrument -in judgment the King of Babylon was, gave him Egypt. Here Nebuchadnezzar -found great spoil and vast treasures, which, according to divine -appointment, were the wages for his army. When this took place, there -came an unrecorded revival in Israel and the prophet gave his message in -the midst of them. - -[23] Nebuchadnezzar's name is given by Ezekiel as Nebuchadrezzar. Both -spellings were in vogue. Ezekiel spells the name with "r" and Jeremiah -uses both spellings throughout his book. - - -EGYPT'S FUTURE DESOLATION. - -Chapter xxx. - -The destruction of Egypt and her allies is now revealed to the prophet. -It is a remarkable prophecy for the predictions concerning the -humiliation and desolation of Egypt, the once powerful nation of -culture, have found a most interesting fulfillment. The leading cities -of Egypt are mentioned, which have long ago been wasted and their -magnificent temples have crumbled into dust. In the second half of this -chapter the King of Babylon as the executioner of the decrees of God is -seen. The sword of judgment was put into Nebuchadnezzar's hand by God, -so that he might stretch it out upon the land of Egypt. - - -I. The Desolation of Egypt and her Allies. - - The word of the Lord came again unto me saying: Son of man prophesy - and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, alas for the day! For the - day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day; it - shall be the time of the heathen. And the sword shall come upon - Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall - fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her - foundations shall be broken down. Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, - and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that - is in league, shall fall with them by the sword. Thus saith the - Lord; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her - power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it - by the sword, saith the Lord God. And they shall be desolate in the - midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in - the midst of the cities that are wasted. And they shall know that I - am the Lord, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and when all her - helpers shall be destroyed. In that day shall messengers go forth - from me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great - pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it - cometh. Thus saith the Lord God: I will also make the multitude of - Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon. He - and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, shall be - brought to destroy the land: and they shall draw their swords - against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain. And I will make the - rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked; and I - will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of - strangers: I the Lord have spoken it (verses 1-13). - -The prophet's first utterance is concerning the day. "Howl ye! Alas for -the day! For the day is near,[24] even the day of the Lord is near, a -cloudy day; it shall be the time of the Gentiles." What day is this? -Other prophets mention the day of Jehovah as a day of judgment and wrath -when the Lord will deal in His righteousness with the nations of the -earth. See Isaiah ii; xiii:6, 9; Joel i:15; ii:1, 11; iii:14; Amos v:18, -20; Obad. 15; Zeph. i:7, 14; Zech. xiv:1, etc. This day in its final -meaning is the day on which the Lord Jesus Christ will be visibly -revealed from heaven. It is mentioned in the New Testament in 1 Thess. -v:2; 2 Thess. ii:2 (where "day of Christ" should be rendered "day of the -Lord") and 2 Peter iii:10. This day will bring "man's day" to a close -and usher in a new age, when righteousness shall reign as grace reigns -now. This day of coming judgment of all nations is seen also here in a -prophetic perspective. All previous judgments of nations as announced by -God's prophets, nations which sinned against Israel the chosen people, -foreshadow _the_ one great day, when the times of the Gentiles end in -the revealed manner (Dan. ii:34; vii:10-14). What came upon Egypt in the -past through divine judgment will happen to the Gentile nations in the -future at the close of our age, "when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed -from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on -them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus -Christ" (2 Thess. i:7-8). Ever since the times of the Gentiles began -with Nebuchadnezzar the divinely appointed head (Jeremiah xxvii:4-8) -this day of the Lord has been drawing near, till now with the stupendous -present day events, we can see this day rapidly approaching. - -[24] This may also be rendered "the day draweth near, even the day of -the Lord draweth near." - -The sword was to fall upon Egypt as well as upon Ethiopia, Libya and -Lydia (Hebrew: Phut and Lud, see xxvii:10), and all others who were in -league with them. Her foundations were to be broken down and the pride -of her power shall come down. All this has come to pass and for many -centuries the once powerful and proud Egypt has thus been broken down. -From Migdol to Syene (not from the tower of Syene) were they to fall by -the sword of the Lord. Verse 7 shows the wide sweep of the judgment, -covering the surrounding countries. "And they shall be desolate in the -midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the -midst of the cities that are wasted." Their desolation was to be a -desolation in the midst of desolations. It has come literally true. The -surrounding countries shared the desolation of the land itself. She has -been rightly called "the land of ruins," a vast burial place of the art, -architecture and glory of the past, and her present towns (except -Alexandria which cannot be reckoned among the ancient cities, as it was -unknown to the Pharaohs) are, as it were, dwellings among the tombs. - -Another remarkable prophecy is found in verse 12: "And I will make the -rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked, and all that -is therein, by the hand of strangers. I the Lord have spoken it." Isaiah -also predicted, "The waters shall fail from the sea and the river shall -be wasted and become dry" (Isaiah xix:5). The rivers are evidently the -many arms of the Nile forming the Delta. This is the case today, and has -been so in past centuries, and the arms of the Nile, instead of flowing -in their original courses have become ill-smelling pools and marshes. -And so was the land sold into the hand of the wicked. Untold sufferings, -slavery, outrages of many kinds has been the record of Egypt in its past -history. - - -II. The Destruction of the Cities. - - Thus saith the Lord God: I will also destroy the idols, and I will - cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more - a prince of the land of Egypt; and I will put a fear in the land of - Egypt. And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, - and will execute judgments in No. And I will pour my fury upon Sin, - the strength of Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No. And I - will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be - rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily. The young men of - Aven and of Phi-beseth shall fall by the sword; and these cities - shall go into captivity. At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be - darkened, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt: and the pomp - of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover - her, and her daughters shall go into captivity. Thus will I execute - judgments in Egypt; and they shall know that I am the Lord (verses - 13-19). - -Their idols and images were to be destroyed so as to reveal their -nothingness. So it was many centuries before when Israel was in the -house of bondage and the power of God in judgment exposed the things -which the Egyptians worshipped. Noph, which is mentioned in verse 13, -is Memphis. Memphis was the prominent seat of the worship of Ptah and -Apis. It was the great temple city, founded by Menes. What has become of -this marvellous city with its magnificent temple structures and carved, -colossal images and idols? - -Abd-ul-Latif, an Arab traveller, who visited it in the thirteenth -century, says: "Its ruins still offer to the eyes of the spectator a -collection of wonderful works which confound the intellect, and to -describe which the most eloquent man would labor in vain. The longer we -look upon the scene, the higher rises the admiration it inspires; and -every new glance that we cast upon the ruins reveals a new charm. -Scarcely have they awakened a distinct idea in the soul of the -spectator, than a still more admirable idea suggests itself; and just as -you believe you have gained complete knowledge of them, at that very -moment the conviction forces itself on the mind, that what you think you -know is still very far from the truth." - -But even the magnificent ruins, the mute witnesses of a past glory, are -gone. The very site of Noph (Memphis) is now a matter of dispute. Only a -few immense carved stones remain in the desert sand. Temples, idols and -images are forever gone. The prophet Ezekiel knew undoubtedly of the -far-famed city, its influence and power in the religious life of Egypt. -How could he announce such utter ruin for that city unless the Lord had -revealed it to him and put His own words into his mouth? What a great -evidence prophecy is that the Bible is the Word of God! "No," mentioned -three times in verses 14-16, is Thebes, the ancient capital of Egypt, -called by the Greeks "Diospolis," the City of Jupiter. "No" is also -mentioned by Nahum (iii:8). Her ruins bear witness of a past, -indescribable splendor. The great Temple of Carnac was there. An -authority saith: "The ruins of the temple of Carnac is the largest and -most splendid ruin of which, perhaps, either ancient or modern times can -boast. All here is sublime, all majestic. With pain one tears oneself -from Thebes. Her monuments fix the traveller's eyes and fill his mind -with vast ideas. Beholding colossal figures and stately obelisks which -seem to surpass human powers." What a city No, Thebes the capital, must -have been! The Lord alone could foretell that it should be rent asunder. -The ruins bear witness that God's message was faithfully delivered by -Ezekiel. And so was fulfilled, "There shall be no more a prince out of -the land of Egypt." No native prince has had complete rule over the -land. The other places mentioned are Sin, which is Pelusium, now -completely buried in the sand. Aven is Heliopolis, the center of the -worship of Ba, the god of the sun. Pi-beseth is Bubastis, where the -sacred cats were mummied, likewise a desolation now. Tehaphnehes or -Daphnis also passed through the judgment. What a remarkable fulfillment -of what the Lord announced through His servant Ezekiel! May we here be -reminded in our solemn times that the same omniscient Lord, who knows -the end from the beginning, has spoken concerning this age, now closing -in its predicted apostasy. Nations today steeped in bloodshed; nations -filled with covetousness and hatred; an apostate professing Christendom -and the indifferent masses have written over against them the -judgment-wrath of the coming King. And He who fulfilled the words spoken -through Ezekiel will also fulfill every other prediction uttered by His -Holy prophets and apostles. - - -III. The Work of Nebuchadnezzar. - - And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the - seventh day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, - saying, Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; - and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to - bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword. Therefore thus saith - the Lord God: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will - break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will - cause the sword to fall out of his hand. And I will scatter the - Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the - countries. And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, - and put my sword in his hand; but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and - he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly-wounded - man. But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the - arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the - Lord, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of - Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt. And I - will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them - among the countries; and they shall know that I am the Lord (verses - 20-26). - -The arm of Pharaoh, King of Egypt was to be broken completely. No -bandage would suffice to make it strong again to hold the sword. It was -a break beyond remedy. Jeremiah had received a similar message. "Go up -into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt, in vain -shalt thou use many medicines, for thou shalt not be cured" (Jere. -xlvi:11). And Jeremiah also announced that Nebuchadnezzar should be used -in carrying out the overthrow of Egypt. "The word that the Lord spake to -Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, should come -and smite the land of Egypt. Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, -and publish in Noph and in Tehaphnehes, say ye, Stand fast and prepare -thee, for the sword shall devour round about thee" (Jere. xlvi:13-17). -Nebuchadnezzar wielded the sword of the Lord. "And they shall know that -I am the Lord, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the King of -Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt." The -sovereign God had not only used the King of Babylon to execute His -judgments upon Jerusalem, but He had also given other lands into his -hands and made him the head of the times of the Gentiles, typified in -his great dream-image by the head of gold. "And now have I given all -these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon my -servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. -And all nations shall serve him and his son and his son's son, until the -very time of his land come, and then many nations and great Kings shall -serve themselves of him" (Jere. xxvii:5-7). The times of the Gentiles -are still in force, and when they end Egypt will pass through another -judgment to receive afterward the blessings promised through the prophet -Isaiah (Is. xix:18-25). - - -PHARAOH'S GREATNESS AND HIS OVERTHROW. - -Chapter xxxi. - -Two more chapters speak of the downfall and judgment of Egypt. First, -the fall of Pharaoh is described in a parable and then follows the -lamentations, a funeral dirge over Pharaoh. The message of the -thirty-first chapter has three well defined parts. The King of Egypt, -like the Assyrian of the past, is pictured as a great cedar in Lebanon. -Then the fall of the tree is shown, and finally the shaking of the -nations on account of his fall. - - -II. The Greatness and Glory of the King of Egypt. - - And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the - first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, - saying, Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his - multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness? Behold, the Assyrian - was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing - shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick - boughs. The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with - her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little - rivers unto all the trees of the field. Therefore his height was - exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were - multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of - waters, when he shot forth. All the fowls of heaven made their - nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of - the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all - great nations. Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of - his branches: for his root was by great waters. The cedars in the - garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his - boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches; nor any - tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty. I have - made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the - trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him (verses - 1-9). - -The Lord commands the prophet to ask a question of Pharaoh and his -multitude: "Whom art thou like in thy greatness?" Then the divine -questioner answers and reveals the greatness and glory of Pharaoh. He -uses the Assyrian in his past greatness to describe Pharaoh's greatness -and glory. Some have applied the prophecy entirely to the Assyrian, as -if Ezekiel spoke concerning this northern power altogether. But this is -incorrect, for the Assyrian power was then no longer in existence, and -the last verse of this chapter shows that Pharaoh is meant. "This -Pharaoh and his multitude, saith the Lord God" (verse 18). The -description of the Assyrian is given to show that Pharaoh, King of -Egypt, is in greatness like the Assyrian who had been dealt with in -judgment by Jehovah. The Assyrian, once so powerful and proud, is used -as a solemn warning, that the King of Egypt would not be spared, but -suffer the same fate. The Cedar in Lebanon is a picture of the greatness -of the Assyrian and Pharaoh; its height and wide-spreading branches; its -superior place among all the trees are used to symbolize both of them. -The Cedar is a most majestic tree, often reaching a great height; the -branches are thick and long, spreading out horizontally from the -enormous trunk. The Cedar is also employed as a type of the righteous -and of Israel. "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; he -shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon" (Psalm xcii:12). "His branches -shall spread ... and his smell like Lebanon" (Hos. xiv:6). But here the -cedar means human grandeur and national greatness, full of arrogant -pride and therefore doomed to be abased. Isaiah in his sublime prophecy -on the coming day of the Lord uses thus the cedars of Lebanon: "For the -day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and -lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought -low. And upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, and -upon all the oaks of Bashan" (Isa. ii:12-13). - -Of interest are the words in the sixth verse: "All the fowls of heaven -made their nests in his boughs." The same statement is made in the dream -of Nebuchadnezzar, in which the King of Babylon had seen a great tree, -"and the fowls of heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof" (Dan. iv:12). And -our Lord spoke a parable of the mustard seed which became a tree "so -that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof" -(Matt. xiii:32). The fowls mean peoples who associated with Assyria, -Egypt and the King of Babylon, while these powers became proud and -lifted up. The mustard tree in the parable of our Lord represents the -development of Gentile-Christendom as an earthly institution and -organization, lifted up like a big tree, and the birds which find -shelter there are the symbols of the unclean, the unsaved masses, -nominally professing Christians. And God who dealt with the Assyrians, -with the King of Egypt, God, who humbled Nebuchadnezzar, will yet deal -in His coming great judgments with the Gentile nations of today for -their pride and wickedness, as well as with Christendom. - - -II. The Fall and Desolation of the Tree. - - Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast lifted up - thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick - boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height; I have therefore - delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he - shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his - wickedness. And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him - off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys - his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers - of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his - shadow, and have left him. Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the - heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his - branches: To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt - themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the - thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that - drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether - parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them - that go down to the pit (verses 10-14). - -Judgment came upon Assyria and was also soon to fall upon Egypt because -they were lifted up and defied God. "Because thou hast lifted up thyself -in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his -heart is lifted up in his height, I have therefore delivered him into -the hand of the mighty one of the nations; he shall surely deal with -him; I have driven him out for his wickedness." Behind these nations of -the past stood, as we saw in connection with the King of Tyrus (chap. -xxviii), the dark shadow of the enemy of God. He is still the master -over the nations which act at the close of the times of the Gentiles. -Satan's crime is that he was and is lifted up with pride. He fell -because he said, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne -above the stars of God ... I will ascend above the heights of the -clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isa. xiv:13-14). And this awful -being, the prince of this world, the god of this age, who domineers -still over the kingdoms of this world, till he is dethroned by the -coming of the Lord, has led in the past and still leads nations into -ruin and ripens them for divine judgment through pride and what goes -with it, defiance of God. Today our boasting, proud, lifted up and -God-defiant age, an age which rejects God's best, the Gospel of His Son, -is rapidly approaching the threatened judgment, a judgment far more -severe than those which overtook Assyria and Egypt. - -The one mentioned as "the mighty one of the nations" is Nebuchadnezzar, -whom God used to bring judgment upon Egypt, as we learned from the -previous chapters. He was the golden head of the image which represents -the times of the Gentiles, which may soon take on their final form, the -ten kingdoms in the revived Roman Empire (Dan. ii). Nebuchadnezzar also -became lifted up and God humbled him for seven years, as God will yet -humble the nations of Christendom.[25] And the judgments of the past, -upon Assyria and others is to be a warning to others "to the end that -none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height" -(verse 13). But who among the nations is wise and heeds the warnings of -God's holy Word? See also Rom. xi:16-24, where Christendom is warned not -to boast and not to be high minded. - -[25] See Exposition of Daniel, by A. C. G., on Dan. iii-vi. - - -III. The Overthrow and the Consternation among the Nations as the result -of Egypt's fall. - - Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when he went down to the grave I - caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the - floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused - Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for - him. I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I - cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all - the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink - water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth. They - also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the - sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in - the midst of the heathen. To whom art thou thus like in glory and - in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down - with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: "thou - shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain - by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord - God" (verses 15-18). - -The word "hell," mentioned several times in this paragraph does not mean -the lake of fire, the final and eternal abode of the wicked, but the -word is "sheol," the abode of the dead, the unknown regions. It does not -mean the grave, for which there is another word used in the Hebrew. The -grave receives the bodies; but the immaterial part of man, that which -has endless being, goes to Sheol, a word which expresses the unseen and -unknown. To sheol the wicked and the nations who forget God have been -turned (Psalm ix:17) to await their final doom as revealed in Rev. -xx:11-15. The fate of Assyria as well as of Egypt inspired the -surrounding nations with fear; these nations are mentioned under the -figure of trees, "and all the trees of the field mourned for him." The -nations shook with terror when the powerful world-power was stripped of -all its greatness and passed away. And when Assyria came into sheol and -also Egypt, they found other nations there. These are mentioned by the -term "all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that -drink water." These terms are symbolical of human greatness, glory and -prosperity. And these once powerful and prosperous nations were -"comforted" to find that even Pharaoh would share their fate and the -fate of Assyria. It shows that the disembodied state in sheol is not an -unconscious state, but one of consciousness. The next chapter, the final -one on Egypt's judgment and fate will show us more of this. - - -LAMENTATION OVER PHARAOH AND THE FUNERAL DIRGE. - -Chapter xxxii. - -The final prophecy of this section was given almost two years after the -message of the previous chapter and about eighteen months after the fall -of Jerusalem. First Ezekiel is told to take up a lamentation for Pharaoh -and announce for the last time the work of judgment by the sword of the -King of Babylon. After that follows another wail, a solemn dirge, over -the Egyptian multitudes which have passed into sheol. It is a vivid -description of sheol and those who have descended there. This conclusive -prophecy was uttered by the prophet a few days after the lamentation -over Pharaoh. - - -I. The Lamentation Over Pharaoh. - - And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in - the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, - saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, - and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and - thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy - rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouldedst their - rivers. Thus saith the Lord God; I will therefore spread out my net - over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee - up in my net. Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee - forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the - heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole - earth with thee. And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and - fill the valleys with thy height. I will also water with thy blood - the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the - rivers shall be full of thee. And when I shall put thee out, I will - cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the - sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. All the - bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness - upon thy land, saith the Lord God. I will also vex the hearts of - many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, - into the countries which thou hast not known. Yea, I will make many - people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for - thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall - tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of - thy fall (verses 1-10). - -Pharaoh is addressed as a young lion among the nations. Some have -rendered it "a lion of the nations is upon thee," applying it to -Nebuchadnezzar; but this is only a paraphrase and not warranted by the -Hebrew text. He is also compared again to the dragon or crocodile.[26] -(See xxix:3). What the crocodile does in the rivers and waters, -troubling them and stirring up the dirt, fouling the rivers, Pharaoh had -done among the nations. And now his wicked doings would be arrested; a -net would be spread over him with a company of many peoples, who would -bring him out of his dominion like a crocodile taken out of the water. -He would be cast upon the open field, "and I will cause all the fowls of -the heavens to settle upon thee and I will fill the beasts of the whole -earth with thee." Then the political destruction of the great land of -Egypt is to be fully accomplished, here mentioned in symbolical terms, -such as the darkening of the stars, the covering of the sun with a cloud -and the withholding of the light from the moon. But while all this has a -primary meaning as to Pharaoh and Egypt, these words of judgment also -related to that which is yet, and soon to come upon this earth. Egypt is -the type of the world as it lieth in the wicked one. - -[26] "A whale in the seas" is an incorrect translation. - -Nations to-day are doing what Egypt did. These nations, the final actors -of the times of the Gentiles, in their inhuman, God and man defying -actions, will not be permitted to go on forever. A day comes in which -God will deal with them as He dealt with Egypt of old. When that day -comes, the day of Jehovah, their complete overthrow will take place as -described so frequently in the prophetic Word. Then the great judgment -supper of God will take place, when the fowls under heaven are called -upon to gather together and feed upon the slain. There is an interesting -suggestion between verse 4 of this chapter and Revelation xix:17-18. The -same is true when we compare verses 7-8 with Revelation viii:12. Then -read Isaiah xiii:10 and Amos viii:9; Joel iii:15 and Matthew xxiv:29. -That day announced in these Scriptures and others is rapidly approaching -and will bring the complete overthrow of the domineering, autocratic -world-powers and the god of this age, who controls them. - - -II. The Final Announcement of the Sword of Nebuchadnezzar. - - For thus saith the Lord God; The sword of the king of Babylon shall - come upon thee. By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy - multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and - they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof - shall be destroyed. I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from - beside the great waters, neither shall the foot of man trouble them - any more nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them. Then will I make - their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the - Lord God. When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the - country shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall - smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am - the Lord. This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: - the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for - her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord God - (verses 11-16). - -The sword of the Lord to fall upon Egypt was the King of Babylon, -previously announced in chapters xxix and xxx. At the close of the times -of the Gentiles the predicted judgment will not come upon nations -through some other nation, but the Lord Himself will appear and fight -against the nations who are rebellious against God and against His -anointed (Ps. ii). The stone, which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream, -will fall and deal its destructive blow; and that stone is the Lord -Jesus Christ in His personal Coming. Then the pomp of Egypt, this -present age with all its boasted progress and glory, will pass away and -the kingdom from above will be set up. "Then shall they know that I am -the Lord." It is not a spiritual knowledge, or a knowledge unto -salvation, but a knowledge in the judgments which take place. - -"It is important to remark one point in this series of prophecies, which -commences with the judgment of Jerusalem, the centre of the former -system of nations. They are executed with the object of making them all -know Jehovah: only in Israel's case there is besides this, the -understanding and the special verification of prophecy. See chapter -xxiv:24-27, Israel; chapter xxv:5, 7, 11, Ammon and Moab; verses 15-17, -especial vengeance on the Philistines; chapter xxvi, Tyre; chapter -xxviii:22, Zidon; chapter xxix:19, Egypt; as also chapters xxx:26, -xxxii:15. With respect to Edom (chap. xxv:14), it is only said that Edom -shall know the vengeance of Jehovah by means of Israel--a further proof -that in certain respects this prophecy extends to the last days. These -prophecies, then, furnish us in general with the manifestation of -Jehovah's power, so as to make Him known to all by the judgments which -He executed; already partially realized in the conquests of -Nebuchadnezzar, but to be fully accomplished by-and-by in favor of -Israel."[27] - -[27] Even so the Lord will yet be known to the nations of the earth by -His judgments. - - -III. The Dirge and Unveiling of the Unseen World. - - It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of - the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of - man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, - and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of - the earth, with them that go down into the pit. Whom dost thou pass - in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. They - shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: she is - delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes. The strong - among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell (sheol) - with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, - slain by the sword. Asshur is there and all her company: his graves - are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword: Whose graves - are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her - grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror - in the land of the living. There is Elam and all her multitudes - round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which - are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, - which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they - borne their shame with them that go down to the pit. They have set - her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude: her - graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by - the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the - living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to - the pit: he is put in the midst of them that be slain. There is - Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about - him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they - caused their terror in the land of the living. And they shall not - lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are - gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid - their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon - their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land - of the living. Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the - uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the - sword. There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with - their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they - shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the - pit. There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the - Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror - they are ashamed of their might: and they lie uncircumcised with - them that be slain by her sword, and bear their shame with them that - go down to the pit. Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted - over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the - sword, saith the Lord God. For I have caused my terror in the land - of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the - uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, even Pharaoh - and all his multitude, saith the Lord God (verses 17-32). - -Two weeks after the lamentation over Pharaoh, the prophet uttered this -solemn and most impressive elegy over the multitude of Egypt and the -heathen nations who have gone into sheol. It has been called a weird -Dantesque funeral-march over the whole heathen world; but it is more -than that. We look here into sheol and see the nations gathered there, -stripped of their glory, in deepest abasement and shame. Their bodies -are in the pit, the grave, and their souls in sheol, the unseen regions. -God's patience was exhausted with them, the measure of their wickedness -became full, then judgments swept them off the earth and they passed -away and descended into sheol. And what irony there is connected with -it! "Whom dost thou surpass in beauty? Go down and be thou laid with the -uncircumcised." And as the King came there with his multitudes, whom did -they find there? Asshur, that is Assyria, is mentioned first: "Asshur is -there and all her company." She was a cruel, pitiless, destructive -power, and now she, who once caused "terror in the land of the living," -is helpless, with all her power gone in the unseen world. Elam, Meshech, -Tubal, Edom, the princes of the North and the Zidonians are named as -being in existence there. Once great powers but now cut off; they lie -with the uncircumcised in weakness and disgrace. While in chapter -xxxi:16 the dead and gone nations were comforted over Pharaoh who -descended into sheol; in this passage Pharaoh, who sees these nations, -now is himself comforted as he discovers his former enemies there. - -A similar statement about sheol as a place of departed nations, who are -nevertheless conscious, is found in the book of Isaiah. There the King -of Babylon is seen in his descent into sheol. "Sheol from beneath is -moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for -thee, all the chieftains of the earth; it hath raised up from their -thrones all the Kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto -thee, Art thou also become weak as we? Are thou become like unto us? Thy -pomps are brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols, the -worm is spread under thee, and the worms over thee?" (Is. xiv:9-11). -Solemn words these are behind which stands the undeniable truth of a -conscious and eternal existence of the human race. But only the New -Testament Scriptures give the full light upon the future state. - - - - -II. PREDICTIONS AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM. - -Chapter xxxiii-xlviii. - - -COMMISSIONS. JERUSALEM'S FALL ANNOUNCED. - -Chapter xxxiii. - -The previous chapter closed the predictions which were uttered by the -Prophet before the destruction of Jerusalem, and now we come to the -second part of this prophetic book, containing the predictions of -Ezekiel after the fall of Jerusalem. And these predictions unfold the -great future of Israel, their restoration and national revival, the -spiritual blessings in store for them, the invasion of their land by the -last enemy, Gog and Magog, their complete overthrow, and the deliverance -of His people. After that, in the final nine chapters of this book, the -Prophet records the vision of the coming and crowning glory of Israel, -as they shall possess it when restored to their land. Here we learn how -the departed glory will return and the Prophet describes a great temple -and its worship. It is the millennial temple, that coming, earthly house -to which the nations shall turn to worship the King. Then the name of -Jerusalem will be "Jehovah-shammah"--the Lord is there (xlviii:35). -While the predictions uttered by Ezekiel before the fall of Jerusalem -have mostly been fulfilled, as we learned in our expositions, the great -prophecies which we follow now, given after the fall of the city are -still unfulfilled. These predictions are of great importance and of deep -interest, for they give God's program for His chosen people, how He will -deal with them in His infinite grace and receive them nationally when -the times of the Gentiles are over and He comes again. Because these -things are now so very near, and we stand on the threshold of their -fulfilment, they are for us of double interest. We shall therefore -examine them more closely and also learn from present day events how all -is now getting ready for the accomplishment of God's revealed purposes. - -In the introductory chapter of this section, Ezekiel as the watchman is -commissioned to warn the house of Israel; then the messenger came -announcing the fall of Jerusalem; the prophet's lips were unsealed and -he was no more dumb, but uttered again the Word of the Lord. - - -I. The Commission to the Watchman. - - Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak - to the children of thy people, and say unto them, when I bring the - sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their - coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword - come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; then - whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; - if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his - own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; - his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall - deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow - not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, - and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his - iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. So - thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of - Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn - them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt - surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, - that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I - require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his - way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in - his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul (verses 1-9). - -The commission to Ezekiel as watchman corresponds to the same -commission as found in the first section of this book. (See chapters -iii:16-21.) The watchman is to warn of impending danger by the blowing -of the trumpet. If the warning is unheeded, the consequences rest upon -the person who rejected the warning. But he that taketh warning shall -deliver his soul. And if the watchman is not faithful in sounding the -alarm and disaster overtakes some on account of it, their blood will be -required at the watchman's hand. Ezekiel was set as a watchman unto the -house of Israel. He received the message from the Lord and was to warn -them. The divine message was that the wicked should surely die, and if -the watchman neglected to deliver that message and warn the wicked he -would die, while his blood would be required from the hands of the -watchman. But if the wicked was warned and did not act upon the warning, -he would die; the faithful watchman had delivered his own soul. Ezekiel -was the faithful watchman while the false prophets did not deliver the -message and perished with the ungodly. How great then the responsibility -of those who are called as watchmen! And how few the faithful ones who -deliver the divine warning to the unsaved! - - -II. Principles of Divine Justice Announced. - - Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus - ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and - we pine away in them, how should we then live? Say unto them, As I - live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the - wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, - turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? - Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The - righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of - his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not - fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither - shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day - that he sinneth. When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall - surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness and commit - iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered: but for - his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again, - when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from - his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; If the wicked - restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the - statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, - he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be - mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he - shall surely live. Yet the children of thy people say, The way of - the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. When - the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth - iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his - wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live - thereby. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of - Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways (verses 10-20). - -The exiles knew that the just wrath of God rested upon them as a nation -and that their sins were unforgiven. Therefore they asked "If our -transgressions and sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should -we then live?" They also accused the Lord of inconsistency by saying -"the way of the Lord is not equal" (verse 20; see also xviii:25, 29). -The answer Jehovah sends them makes known the principles on which He -will deal with them individually as a just God. "O ye house of Israel, I -will judge you every one after his ways." Judgment rested upon them as a -nation but the individual still could turn to the Lord in repentance. -What a wonderful declaration it is which is recorded in verse eleven! -"Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the -death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live; -turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of -Israel?" What compassion and mercy! As it was a day of judgment which -had come upon them, true repentance was the needed thing. A past -righteousness could not shield them from the judgment if sin had been -committed. "As for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall -thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness." The wicked -confessing and forsaking his sin would find mercy and forgiveness, while -those who were impenitent would surely die and not live. "None of his -sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him; he hath done -that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live." And this gracious -promise was given in anticipation of the work of the cross, the -redemption by the blood of Christ, by which God's righteousness is -declared in passing thus over sins of Old Testament believers who turned -to God (Rom. iii:25). The principles of Divine justice are summed up in -verses 18 and 19: "When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, -and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked -turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he -shall live thereby." Needless to say all this must be viewed as under -the law-covenant. But their complaint that the way of the Lord is not -equal was wrong; it was their way which was not equal. They were to be -judged each according to what they had done. - - -III. The News of Jerusalem's Fall. The Prophet's Mouth Opened. - - And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the - tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had - escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten. - Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening, afore he that - was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in - the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb. Then - the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, they that - inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham - was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is - given us for inheritance. Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the - Lord God; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your - idols, and shed blood; and shall ye possess the land? Ye stand upon - your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his - neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land? Say thou thus unto - them, Thus saith the Lord God; As I live, surely they that are in - the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open - field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in - the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will - lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall - cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none - shall pass through. Then shall they know that I am the Lord, when I - have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations - which they have committed (verses 21-29). - -At last the long threatened and predicted fall of Jerusalem through -Nebuchadnezzar, which had happened months before is announced to the -exiles by one who had escaped. The hand of the Lord was then upon the -Prophet in the evening, before the messenger had arrived, and had opened -his mouth. In chapter xxiv:27 the promise had been given that when he -that escaped came, the Prophet should be no more dumb. "In that day -shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and then thou shalt -speak, and be no more dumb, and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they -shall know that I am the Lord." This dumbness does not mean that his -mouth was silent and did not utter a word, for he prophesied in chapters -xxv-xxxii. He was to be dumb as regards Israel and his testimony to his -people; the intervening chapters, before the messenger came concerns -other nations. And now the messenger had arrived, his mouth is opened -again to prophesy concerning Israel. It seems the hand of the Lord was -upon Ezekiel from the evening to the morning when the messenger -announced "the city is smitten." The words recorded in the first part of -this chapter are undoubtedly the prophet's evening discourse, and form -an introduction to this section. He is told to rebuke those that inhabit -the waste places in the land of Israel. This is the remnant left in the -land by Nebuchadnezzar, to whom the king of Babylon gave Geddaliah as -ruler (2 Kings xxv:22). In spite of the great judgment which had come -upon Jerusalem and upon the land, this remnant, which remained in the -land, was unbroken and exhibited a strange self-confidence. They -reasoned in this wise: "Abraham was one and he inherited the land; but -we are many; the land is given us for inheritance." But they lacked the -faith and righteousness of Abraham, and the Lord uncovers now their -false claims and pretensions by showing their moral character. Their -hearts were hardened; they lived on in their wicked, vile and idolatrous -ways. "And shall ye possess the land?" asks Jehovah. And He answers, "As -I live, surely they that are in the waste places shall fall by the -sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be -devoured, and they that be in the strongholds and in the caves shall die -of the pestilence." - - -IV. Hearers of the Words of the Prophet, and Not Doers. - - Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking - against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak - one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, - and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they - come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my - people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with - their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their - covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of - one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: - for they hear thy words, but they do them not. And when this cometh - to pass (lo, it will come), then shall they know that a prophet hath - been among them (verses 30-33). - -How deplorable was their condition, listening to the Prophet's words, -saying one to the other, "Come, I pray you, what is the word that cometh -forth from the Lord." They took before the Prophet the position as -God's people, professing it with their mouths, listening to all the -Prophet said and yet refused obedience. With their mouth they showed -much love, they spoke nice and pleasant words, but their hearts -continued in the evil ways. As the Septuagint version paraphrases it, -"because a lie is in their mouth." They were hearers of the words, but -not doers. And such is to-day the sad condition of Christendom. What the -Prophet had announced was coming to pass and when it came they would -find out that a Prophet had been among them. - -And even so to-day. The mass of professing Christians listen to the Word -of God. They remain indifferent. Their hearts and consciences are not -touched. But ere long they, too, will find out "that a Prophet hath been -among them" and that the Word they rejected and refused to obey will -condemn them. - - -CONCERNING THE SHEPHERDS. - -Chapter xxxiv. - -This chapter contains the first great prophecy given to Ezekiel after -the fall of Jerusalem had been announced. It is a message of comfort and -concerns the glorious future of the nation in coming days, when the true -shepherd of Israel will appear in their midst. Here we find the majestic -"I will" of the Lord, that blessed word of the grace-covenant of a -sovereign God. It tells us what Jehovah in infinite mercy will do for -His scattered and bleeding people, His own flock, the people who are -still beloved for the fathers' sakes (Rom. xi:28). How He will gather His -scattered sheep, bring them back from their wanderings among the -nations, save them, feed them, heal and restore them, give them the true -shepherd and make a covenant of peace with His people is now blessedly -made known. We shall see that none of these gracious promises was -fulfilled in the return of the remnant from Babylon, nor have these -promises been accomplished since then. It all awaits the coming of their -Shepherd-King, the true David, the Lord Jesus Christ. The chapter begins -with a description of the sheep of Israel in their sad and deplorable -condition and an indictment of the false shepherds. - - -I. The False Shepherds of Israel. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy - against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus - saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of - Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the - flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill - them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye - not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, - neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye - brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought - that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled - them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd; and - they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were - scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon - every high hill; yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of - the earth, and none did search or seek after them (verses 1-6). - -The shepherds of Israel were the kings and princes who ruled over the -nation and had authority over them. The prophet Jeremiah also received a -similar message against these evil shepherds who had spoiled the flock. -"Woe be unto the pastors (shepherds) that destroy and scatter the sheep -of my pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of -Israel against the pastors that feed my people; ye have scattered my -flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold I will -visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord" (Jere. xxiii: -1-2). Shepherds are called to feed the flock; but these shepherds of -Israel fed themselves. They were responsible for the deplorable -condition of the flock. They ruled them with force and cruelty. There -was no strengthening for those diseased, no healing for the sick, no -recovery of them who were lost and driven away. Utterly selfish, they -cared not for the sheep of His pasture; they neither feared God nor -loved His people. They looked upon the people not as the flock of God, -but only as their own to spoil, misuse and domineer over. Therefore, -"They were scattered, because there is no shepherd; and they became meat -for all the beasts of the field, where they were scattered. My sheep -wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill; yea my -flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search -or seek after them" (verses 5-6). - -Such was the sad condition of the people Israel. And when the Lord Jesus -appeared in their midst to seek the lost sheep of the house of Israel, -He found them as sheep without a shepherd and He had compassion upon -them (Mark vi:34). But they rejected Him and the Shepherd was smitten. -Zechariah's prophecy was fulfilled. "Awake, O sword, against my -Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of -hosts. Smite the Shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will -turn mine hand upon the little ones" (Zech. xiii:7). The false -shepherds, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, were a curse to the people -and the leaders were against the Shepherd. They delivered Him into the -hands of the Gentiles. And now for nearly 2,000 years the sheep have -been scattered and peeled, wandering among the nations of the earth -(Luke xxi:24). What is their hope and coming blessing we learn from this -great prophecy.[28] - -[28] What is said in this chapter of the false shepherds who ill-treated -the flock of God, His ancient people, may also be applied to the false -shepherds, the hirelings in the professing church. See Acts xx:28-35 and -1 Peter v:2-3. - - -II. The False Shepherds Convicted and Set Aside. - - Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; As I live, saith - the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock - became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no - shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the - shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; Therefore, O ye - shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; thus saith the Lord God; - Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at - their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither - shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my - flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them (verses - 7-10). - -Jehovah addresses the shepherds and condemns their wicked oppression of -His own sheep. He remembers in mercy His flock which has been torn as a -prey by their leaders, who acted like the wild beasts of the field. He -requires now the flock from their hands and sets the false shepherds -aside and announces that He will deliver His sheep. "For I will deliver -my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them." The rest -of the chapter shows His deliverance and what the Lord will do for His -people Israel. - - -III. The Deliverance of His Flock. - - For thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I, even I, will both search my - sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the - day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek - out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they - have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring - them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and - will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains - of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the - country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high - mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a - good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains - of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, - saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost, and bring - again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was - broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy - the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. And as for - you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I judge between - cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. Seemeth it a - small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must - tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have - drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your - feet? And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with - your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet - (verses 11-19). - -"Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep and will seek them -out." Jehovah arises in behalf of His scattered sheep. He will Himself -exercise the office of a true shepherd, seeking out His flock. The -cloudy and dark day (the times of the Gentiles) is gone and another -morning breaks, the morning for which His people have waited so long. -What He will do at that time for His scattered sheep is now fully -proclaimed. "I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from -the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon -the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places -of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high -mountains of Israel shall their fold be; there shall they lie down in a -good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of -Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith -the Lord." And all this has not yet come to pass. Some apply these words -to the restoration of a remnant from the Babylonian captivity and see no -future fulfillment of these promises. It is evident that the returning -remnant did not possess these blessings. Others make a spiritual -application and claim that it means the church and the blessing which -Gentiles will receive as the sheep of Christ. This is the common path -which most commentators follow. It needs no lengthy refutation, for -Ezekiel, nor the other prophets know nothing of the church and the -"other sheep," Gentiles saved by grace and with believing Jews -constituting the one flock (John x:16; Ephesians iii:1-6). This is -unrevealed in the Old Testament. These gracious words of promise have -not yet been fulfilled, nor will they be fulfilled as long as the -church, the body of Christ is being gathered out from all nations. All -must wait till God's purpose in this age is accomplished. When the -church is complete as to its elect number, when the Lord has come for -His saints and the true church has passed from earth into glory, then -will the Lord turn in mercy to His people Israel and these promises -given by Ezekiel will be fulfilled. - -But Jehovah will also feed them in that coming day of blessing with -judgment. "I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which -was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will -strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the -strong; I will feed them with judgment." The fat and the strong are the -apostates of Israel. He will deal with the flock in judgment. Before He -occupies the throne of His glory, when He separates the assembled -nations as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats, He will judge -His people Israel. "And as for you, my flock, thus saith the Lord God, -Behold I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he -goats." The unbelieving, apostate part of Israel will be cut off by the -judgments of the great tribulation, but a God-fearing remnant will be -saved. To this remnant the promises will be made good. "And I will -gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have -driven them, and will bring them again to their folds, and they shall be -fruitful and increase" (Jere. xxiii:3). With this remnant He will make -an everlasting covenant. "And I will make an everlasting covenant with -them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will -put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me. Yea, I -will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this -land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul" (Jere. -xxxii:40, 41). - - -IV. The One Shepherd and the Covenant of Peace. - - Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will - judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye - have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased - with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; therefore will - I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge - between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, - and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, - and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, - and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it. - And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the - evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in - the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the - places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower - to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And - the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall - yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall - know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the banks of their yoke, - and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves - of them. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither - shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell - safely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will raise up for - them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with - hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. - Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and - that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord - God. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am - your God, saith the Lord God (verses 20-31). - -We reach the climax in the final section of this chapter. He through -whom all this will be accomplished is now mentioned by the prophet. -"And I will set up one Shepherd over them, and He shall feed them, even -my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. -And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among -them; I the Lord have spoken it." Some have applied this to Zerubbabel, -the head of Judah at the return from the Babylonish captivity; this is -done by those who deny a future restoration of Israel. Others take these -words in a strictly literal sense and teach that David the King will -become the head of the nation once more and raised from the dead will be -the one shepherd over His people. It is not David, but He who is -according to the flesh the Son of David and David's Lord as well. The -one Shepherd can only be the Messiah. Numerous passages show that -David's name is used in a typical sense. Jeremiah announced, "They shall -serve the Lord their God, and David their King, whom I will raise up -unto them" (Jere. xxx:10). Here David stands typically for Christ, the -Messiah of Israel, for He is raised up unto them when Jacob's trouble is -ended (verses 1-7). Of Him Jeremiah speaks more fully in chapter -xxiii:5-6: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise -unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and -shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall -be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is the name whereby He -shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness." The two, Judah and Israel, -will be reunited by the one Shepherd. The Messiah of Israel is also -mentioned by Hosea as David. "Afterward shall the children of Israel -return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their King and shall fear -the Lord and His goodness in the latter days" (Hosea iii:5). Isaiah -speaks of the sure mercies of David and adds, "Behold I have given Him -for a witness to the people, a leader (prince) and commander to the -people." It is therefore not David, raised from the dead, but the Prince -of Peace, who was here once to seek the lost sheep of the house of -Israel and who comes again to save the remnant of His people Israel and -to receive the Throne of David (Isaiah ix:6-7). - -When the Lord is doing all what is promised here and the remnant has -accepted the long rejected Messiah-King, a covenant of peace and -blessing will follow. "And I will make with them a covenant of peace, -and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land, and they shall -dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods." Peace will come -to the land and to the whole earth with His Coming. The evil beasts, the -Gentile world powers (Dan. vii) will no longer devastate the land. All -will be peace and safety so that they can sleep peacefully in the woods. -"There shall be showers of blessing" (verse 26). How often a hymn is -sung based upon this promise: - - "There shall be showers of blessing, - This is the promise of love." - -But how few who sing it know that the promise belongs first of all to -Israel. When the Lord comes the showers of blessing will be poured forth -upon His people and upon all nations. It will be "the times of -refreshing" (Acts iii:20). Verses 27 and 28 give a brief description of -the millennial Kingdom. Groaning creation will then be delivered and the -wild beasts will have their nature changed (compare verse 28 with Isaiah -xi:6-9 and Rom. viii:19-22). There is no need to speculate on the -meaning of "the plant of renown" which will be raised up. It is none -other than He, who, as to His humiliation, is described as "a tender -plant" and "as a root out of a dry ground" (Isaiah liii:2). But now He -appears in all His glory and becomes the plant of renown. Their shame -and suffering will then be over. He will be their God and they will be -His people. - - -THE JUDGMENT OF MOUNT SEIR AND WHAT FOLLOWS. - -Chapter xxxv. - -This is another judgment message, which is closely related to the coming -restoration of Israel. When the Lord is merciful to His people and -bestows upon them the promised blessings He will also deal with their -enemies in judgment. Edom was the most bitter enemy of Israel, their -blood-relation. The judgment threatened here was executed upon Edom; but -it has a prophetic meaning of the judgment which is in store for the -enemies of God's people when the times of the Gentiles end and God -arises in behalf of His suffering and persecuted people. - - -I. The Judgment of Mount Seir. - - Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set - thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, And say unto - it, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against - thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make - thee most desolate. I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be - desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Because thou hast - had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of - Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in - the time that their iniquity had an end: Therefore, as I live, saith - the Lord God, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue - thee: since thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. - Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him - that passeth out and him that returneth. And I will fill his - mountains with his slain men; in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and - in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword. I - will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not - return: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Because thou hast - said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and - we will possess it; whereas the Lord was there: Therefore, as I - live, saith the Lord God, I will even do according to thine anger, - and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred - against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have - judged thee. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord, and that I have - heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the - mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given - us to consume. Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and - have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them (verses - 1-13). - -Mount Seir is mentioned for the first time in Genesis xxxvi:9, as the -dwelling place of the Edomites. Seir means "shaggy," an allusion to the -rugged character of Idumea. The Edomites and Israelites were descendants -of Abraham; Edom from Esau and Israel from Jacob. God told Israel not to -forget their relationship to the descendants of Esau. But the Edomites -hated Israel. Beautiful were the words which Moses addressed to Edom, -when he sent messengers from Kadesh. "Thus saith thy brother Israel, -thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us, how our fathers went -down to Egypt and dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians evil -entreated us, and our fathers; and when we cried unto the Lord, He heard -our voice, and sent an angel, and brought us forth out of Egypt, and -behold we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border; let us -pass, I pray thee through thy land" (Numbers xx:14-17). The Edomites -rejected this loving word and forced the Israelites to take another way. -More than once did they attack from their mountains the people Israel -and slew them. "He did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast -off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath -forever" (Amos i:11). Most scathing is Edom's arraignment through the -prophet Obadiah. "For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall -cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever. In the day that thou -stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away -captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots -upon Jerusalem, even thou wast one of them. But thou shouldest not have -looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; -neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the -day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in -the day of distress" (Obad. verses 9-14). Theirs was a perpetual hatred -as God speaks here through Ezekiel. Judgment is therefore announced, a -judgment which should make their land desolate and extinguish them as a -nation. "I will make thee most desolate." "I will lay thy cities waste, -and thou shalt be desolate." "Thus will I make mount Seir most -desolate." "I will make thee perpetual desolation, and thy cities shall -not return." They were a proud, a boasting people, defying God and -hating His chosen people. "Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against -me, and have multiplied your words against me; I have heard them." - -And this threatened judgment has fallen upon Edom's land. Their capital -was the great rock city Petra, called Selah in the Bible (2 Kings -xiv:7). - -It was once a powerful city, which carried on an immense trade; it was, -according to ancient historians, the terminus of one of the great -commercial routes of Asia. And now in that once so prosperous land an -indescribable desolation reigns. Its great commerce has utterly passed -away and the doom announced in this chapter has been almost fully -accomplished. Yet all this also stands related to a future day when -Israel is being delivered and when the Lord will judge Edom and all the -nations which hate His people. "The punishment of their iniquity is -accomplished, O, daughter of Zion; He will no more carry thee away into -captivity; He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will -discover thy sins" (Lam. iv:22). The spirit of hatred, pride, envy and -blasphemy mentioned in verses 11-13 is characteristic of the ungodly -nations who defy God when the times of the Gentiles end. Of that final -beast which domineers over the earth and persecutes the remnant of -Israel, before the Lord comes, it is written, "And he opened his mouth -in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and his tabernacle, and -them that dwell in heaven" (Rev. xiii:6). But as Ezekiel declares -concerning these blasphemies spoken against Israel and Israel's Lord, "I -have heard them," and He will act, in judgment against all His enemies. - - -II. The Time of Rejoicing. - - Thus saith the Lord God; When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make - thee desolate. As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house - of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou - shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it: and - they shall know that I am the Lord (verses 14-15). - -The time is coming when the whole earth will rejoice. Moses in his -prophetic Song spoke of this: "Rejoice O ye nations, with His people; -for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance -to His adversaries, and will be merciful unto His land, and to His -people" (Deut. xxxii:43). When the Lord comes and delivers His earthly -people and brings them back to their land all will be completely -reversed. Israel now mourning and suffering will rejoice and all their -enemies shall mourn forever, on account of God's righteous judgments. -Then will the world know that He is Jehovah. - - -THE PROMISES OF GRACE. - -Chapter xxxvi. - -With this chapter the great prophetic utterances of Ezekiel begin which -have for a topic the future restoration and blessing of the people -Israel. From chapter xxxvi to the end of this book all is unfulfilled. -How Jehovah will deal with the enemies of His people in judgment, and -then turn in grace and mercy to His own nation to bless them with -spiritual and national blessings is the message of this chapter. In -chapter xxxvii we find the vision of the dry bones, typical of the -national and spiritual resurrection of Israel. The house of Judah and -the house of Israel will be united into one, to dwell in the land of -their fathers. The great blessings will then be theirs under the -covenant of peace, while the tabernacle of God is in the midst of them -and the true King reigns over them. Chapters xxxviii and xxxix show the -final enemies of Israel, Gog and Magog, and their complete overthrow. -Chapters xl-xlviii are millennial, giving a description of the future -temple to be built in Jerusalem, its worship and glory. - - -I. The Judgment of Israel's Enemies. - - Also, thou Son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and - say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith - the Lord God; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the - ancient high places are ours in possession: Therefore prophesy and - say, Thus saith the Lord God; Because they have made you desolate, - and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession - unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of - talkers, and are an infamy of the people: Therefore, ye mountains of - Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God; to - the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, - to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which - became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are - round about; 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 Idumea, 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. Prophesy therefore concerning the land of - Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, - and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I have spoken - in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of - the heathen: Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I have lifted up - mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear - their shame (verses 1-7.) - -The enemy had spoken blasphemies against the mountains of Israel; the -Lord had heard the arrogant language of Edom (xxxv:12-13), and now the -prophet is commanded to address the personified mountains of Israel in -words of consolation and assurance. Previously he had as God's prophet -uttered denunciations against the mountains and high places of Israel -(vi:1-7), but now after the time of Israel's chastisement is passed and -the dawn of their restoration breaks, the Lord turns against the enemies -of His people. The enemy had said against them with a shout of -exultation: "Aha! even the ancient high places are ours in possession." -Edom and other nations knew that the Lord had promised to Israel the -land for their possession. They claimed with a proud taunt Israel's -mountains and high places as their possession, and thereby ignored God -and His covenant with His people. And so it is that the nations have -forgotten what God has promised to Israel. Their land and city has been -trodden down by the Gentiles. Gentiles have stretched out their hands to -possess the mountains of Israel and occupied the land which by covenant -belongs to the seed of Abraham. When the times of the Gentiles come to a -close nations will once more attempt to take possession of Israel's land -and make an invasion. Then the Lord will arise against these nations. Of -this Ezekiel speaks, "Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken -against the residue of nations, and against all Edom, which have -appointed my land unto themselves for a possession with the joy of all -their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey; therefore -prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains and -to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, Thus saith the -Lord God; Behold I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye -have borne the shame of the nations. Therefore thus saith the Lord God: -I have lifted up mine hand, saying, Surely the nations that are round -about you, they shall bear their shame." - -Jehovah speaks of Israel's land as "my land," and in holy indignation -and jealous for His people and their land, He arises now to put judgment -and shame upon the nations which reproached Him. He lifts His hand in -token of an oath, that He will do this now. His time has come to be -merciful to His people and His land, and that will mean judgment for -their enemies (See Zech. i:13-19). And that time is not far distant now -when God will turn to His ancient people in mercy and put judgment upon -the nations which have forgotten God and ignored His infallible word and -revealed purposes. - - -II. The Promised Return to the Land. - - 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. For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye - shall be tilled and sown: 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: 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. 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. Thus saith the Lord - God; Because they say unto you, Thou land devourest up men, and hast - bereaved thy nations; Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, - neither bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord God. Neither - will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the heathen any more, - neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people any more, neither - shalt thou cause thy nations to fall any more, saith the Lord God - (verses 8-15). - -The address is still to the mountains of Israel. These are beautiful -words which Jehovah, to comfort His people, puts into the lips of the -prophet. The mountains, so long barren, would shoot forth their -branches and prepare fruit for His people. Then their imminent return is -announced: "For they are at hand to come." The near fulfillment was the -return of the remnant from the Babylonian captivity. But that does not -exhaust this prophecy; there is a greater homecoming in store for -Israel, when they will be gathered out of all countries to possess the -land and multiply there as they never did in all their past history. -"And I will multiply men upon you (the mountains), all the house of -Israel, even all of it." No one could claim that this promise found its -fulfillment when a small portion of the house of Judah returned from -Babylon. Here it speaks of all the house of Israel. And the waste places -shall also be builded again as promised by former prophets, for instance -in Isaiah lviii:12, lxi:4; Amos ix:11, 12, 14. Still greater is the -promise, "I will cause you to be inhabited after the former estate, and -will do better unto you than at your beginnings, and ye shall know that -I am the Lord." Such was not the case when they returned from Babylon. -And what blessing will come to them, when at last God does all these -things! "Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you (the mountains), 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." All -would be changed. Jeremiah had announced, "I will bereave them of -children, I will destroy my people since they return not from their -ways" (Jere. xv:7). When the Lord keeps His promise and brings them -back, their sorrows will be at an end. What are the sorrows and -sufferings of the Babylonian captivity in comparison with the sufferings -which befell them in the year 70 and throughout this dispensation! And -the last page of Israel's sorrow is yet to be written. All is preparing -now for the great tribulation, and then there will be the intervention -from above, and the coming Lord will wipe away all their tears. Four -times the prophet uses the words "any more" (verses 14-15), "Neither -shalt thou bear the reproach of the peoples any more, neither shalt thou -cause thy nation to stumble any more, saith the Lord God." Inasmuch as -there is reproach now upon that nation and they are a reproach, and that -they have stumbled, we know that these words still await their -fulfillment. - - -III. Israel's Past Sins and Chastisement. - - Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 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. 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: And I scattered them among the - nations, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to - their way and according to their doings I judged them. And when they - had entered unto the nations, whither they went, they profaned my - holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the Lord, - and are gone forth out of his land (verses 16-20). - -It needs no lengthy comment to explain this paragraph. The whole history -of that nation bears witness to it. They were an unclean, a stiffnecked -nation; a nation which rejected His word, yea, Himself, and worshipped -idols. But their crowning sin came when they delivered the Lord Jesus -Christ, their own Messiah-King, into the hands of the Gentiles. His -blood was shed upon the land and they cried, "His blood be upon us and -upon our children." And as a result they were scattered among the -nations, where they also profaned His holy name (Isaiah lii:5; Rom. -ii:24). What then has Israel done to deserve blessing? The rest of the -chapter answers this question. - - -IV. Restoration and Blessing Through Grace. - - But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had - profaned among the heathen, whither they went. 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. And I will - sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the nations, which - ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know - that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified - in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the - nations, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you - into your own land. 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. 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. 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. 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. I will also save you from all your - uncleannesses; and I will call for the corn and will increase it, - and lay no famine upon you. 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 nations. Then shall ye remember your - own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe - yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your - abominations. 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. 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. And the - desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight - of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was - desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and - desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. - 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. Thus saith the Lord God; - I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it - for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. As the holy - flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the - waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that - I am the Lord (verses 21-38). - -The Lord's own name, His holy name, which they profaned among the -nations, is what moves Him to act. He tells them that it was not for -their sakes, for any merit in them, that He would do the things which -His prophet is about to announce. It was His own name as the Lord Who is -a covenant keeping God, the holy name they had so miserably outraged, -which He must vindicate. The nations were to know, and will yet know, -that He is God. He will sanctify His great name, and declares, "I shall -be sanctified in you before their eyes." But how? When in infinite grace -He deals with this nation and manifests Himself as the loving, -covenant-keeping, grace-bestowing Jehovah. And that will be when He, Who -died for that nation on the cross (John xii:50-53), Whom they rejected, -Whose name they have profaned, returns from His glory-place. Then will -His name be sanctified in all the earth, when in wondrous grace He lifts -His nation from the dunghill of shame and want and brings them back to -their own land. - -This is so marvelously promised by Ezekiel. The characteristic word in -verses 23-38 is the word "I will." It is the word of sovereign grace. -Eighteen times Jehovah saith what He will do. They are the "I wills" of -Israel's hope and coming glory. - -He will gather them from among the nations and all countries and bring -them back to their own land. Only a superficial expositor can speak of a -fulfillment when they returned from Babylon. But even if this were so, -though it is not, the verses which follow have never been fulfilled in -the past. The cleansing of the nation is next promised: "I will sprinkle -clean water upon you and ye shall be clean."[29] It refers us to the -water mixed with the ashes of the red-heifer, which was sprinkled with -a hyssop on the unclean, typifying the precious blood of Christ in its -cleansing power (Heb. ix:13-14; x:22). Thus when the people of Israel -believe on Him and look upon Him Whom they pierced (Zech. xii:10), they -will be cleansed. "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the -house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for -uncleanness" (Zech. xiii:1). Then follows the promise of the new birth of -Israel. "A new heart will I also give you, and a new spirit will I put -within you." The stony heart is to be taken away and they will receive a -heart of flesh. Our Lord had this passage in mind when He talked with -Nicodemus about the new birth. Nicodemus, the teacher in Israel, was -ignorant of the fact that this new birth for Israel is necessary in -order to be in that coming kingdom and to receive its blessings. -Therefore the Lord said to him, "If I have told you earthly things -(about Israel and the new birth as the way into the kingdom) and ye -believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" -(the heavenly blessings which follow His sacrificial death). - -[29] It is wrong to apply this sentence to water-baptism and claim for -it sprinkling as the proper mode of baptism. - -Then follow still greater restoration promises and blessings, which -Israel never possessed in their past history nor to-day. He will be -their God and they will be His people. There will be an increase in the -corn; famine will disappear forever. The desolate land will be tilled so -that those who pass through the land will say: "This land that was -desolate is become like the Garden of Eden and the waste and desolate -and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited." When this -restoration and blessing through grace is accomplished then will they -remember their evil ways and loathe themselves for their iniquities and -abominations. This will be their national repentance. It is not -repentance first, but the Lord will be first gracious and merciful to -them, and as a result they will remember their ways of evil and humble -themselves before Him. And the nations round about will know that He who -has done all this is Jehovah. All these blessed things will surely be -accomplished in the day when the Lord arises and has mercy upon Zion -(Ps. cii:13): "I, the Lord have spoken, and I will do it." - - -THE VISION OF THE DRY BONES. - -Chapter xxxvii. - -The future restoration or Israel, both their national and spiritual -revival, which the Lord announced in the previous chapter, is now shown -to the prophet in a remarkable vision. The vision emphasizes once more -what Jehovah in grace will do for them. "And I will put my Spirit in -you, and ye shall live, and I will place you in your own land" (verse -14). The second half of this chapter predicts the reunion of Judah and -Israel represented by two sticks, which are joined together. - - -I. The Vision of the Dry Bones and their Resurrection. - - The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit - of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which _was_ - full of bones. And caused me to pass by them round about: and, - behold, _there were_ very many in the open valley; and, lo, _they - were_ very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones - live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto - me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, - hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, - Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: - And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, - and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; - and ye shall know that I _am_ the Lord. So I prophesied as I was - commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a - shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I - beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin - covered them above: but _there was_ no breath in them. Then said he - unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to - the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O - breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I - prophesied, as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and - they lived; and Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are - the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, - and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore - prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my - people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of - your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall - know that I _am_ the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my - people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my - Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own - land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken _it_, and - performed _it_, saith the Lord (verses 1-14). - -Once more the hand of the Lord is upon the prophet, and he is carried -out in the Spirit of the Lord and is set down in the midst of a valley. -The valley was full of bones and they were very dry. These dry bones, -disjointed and bleached, picture in the vision the national and -spiritual condition of the whole house of Israel. There was no life in -these bones and all is hopeless as they themselves are concerned. Then -the Lord spoke to His prophet, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And -the prophet answered, "O Lord God, Thou knowest!" Ezekiel knowing the -impossibility that these bones could ever live, puts the question of -their living upon the Lord. With Him nothing is impossible. He then is -commanded to prophesy: "O ye dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord. Thus -saith the Lord God unto these bones, Behold, I will cause breath to -enter into you and ye shall live." And there is to be a complete -reconstruction of these dry bones. Sinews and flesh is to cover them and -the breath of life is to return. And the prophet speaks the word and -there was a noise (literal: voice) and a commotion, bone came to bone, -sinews and flesh came into view and skin covered them; but they were -still dead, as no breath was in them. Again the prophet is commanded to -prophecy, to utter the word: "Thus saith the Lord God: Come from the -four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." -No sooner had the prophet spoken the word as commanded, when suddenly -the breath came into them, and they lived and stood upon their feet, an -exceeding great army. Then the Lord explains the vision, so that we are -not left in doubt of what is meant by it. The dry bones are typical of -the whole house of Israel; they themselves confess "our bones are dried, -and our hope is lost; we are cut off for our parts." Thus saith the Lord -in answer to their despairing confession, what the vision so strikingly -foreshadows, "I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of -your graves and bring you into the land of Israel, ... and shall put my -Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own -land." - -The national resuscitation of the whole house of Israel, the restoration -to their own land and the accompanying spiritual revival (though the -latter does not fully come into view here) is the meaning of the vision. -It may be used in application[30] in different ways, to illustrate -certain truths, but the true and only interpretation is the one which is -given by the Lord in verses 11-14. But there is an erroneous -interpretation of a serious nature which is widely taught and believed -among many Christians. Because "graves" are mentioned, besides the dry -bones and their resurrection, it is being taught that the vision means -physical resurrection. Systems, like Millennial Dawnism _alias_ -International Bible Student Association and others, which teach the -so-called larger hope, a second chance for the impenitent dead, the -restitution of the lost, teach that all the Israelites who have died in -their sins will be brought out of their graves and then be saved. They -use this vision to confirm this invention. An advocate of this theory -declared that all the Christ-hating Pharisees and Sadducees who lived -when our Lord was on earth would be raised up when He comes and then -believe on Him. Matthew xxiii:39 was used by him as an argument. These -restitution teachers also teach that inasmuch as Israel will have a -second chance when they are raised from the dead, the Gentile dead will -share also in the same. It needs no argument to refute this. The Word of -God teaches a twofold resurrection: a first resurrection and a second -resurrection, a resurrection of the just and a resurrection of the -unjust (John v:28-29). According to the above theory there would have to -be a third resurrection, a resurrection for a second chance and ultimate -salvation of those who died in their sins. Of such a resurrection the -Bible knows nothing. - -[30] We heard once a Baptist preacher speak on this vision, and he used -the dry bones as a picture of the dead members of his own denomination, -and spoke of them as "the dry bones." A Methodist, Presbyterian, etc., -might do the same. - -In this vision of the dry bones physical resurrection is used as a type -of the national restoration of Israel. It is used in the same way in -Daniel xii:2. In that passage the sleep in the dust of the earth is -symbolical of their national condition. And when their national sleep -ends there will be an awakening.[31] When we read here in Ezekiel of -graves it must not be taken to mean literal graves, but the graves are -symbolical of the nation as being buried among the Gentiles. If these -dry bones meant the physical dead of the nation, how could it be -explained that they speak and say, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope -is lost?" The same figure of speech is used in the New Testament. Of the -prodigal it is said, "For this my son was dead, and is alive again" -(Luke xv:24). Yet he was not physically dead, nor was he made alive -physically. Therefore, this vision has nothing whatever to do with a -physical resurrection. The late Dr. Bullinger, whose erroneous -suggestions have led astray some, also taught that the vision of the dry -bones includes resurrection as well as restoration. - -[31] See "Exposition of Daniel," by A. C. G., page 200. - -Equally bad is that spiritualizing method which takes a vision like -this, as well as the hundreds of promises of a coming restoration, and -applies it all to the church, ignoring totally the claims of Israel and -their promised future of glory. This is the general trend of -commentators. - -They say that all these visions and promises were exhausted in the -return of the remnant from Babylon (less than 43,000 souls) and the -spiritual and larger fulfilment is now going on in the church. This -method is evil, for it robs the Christian of the true key which unlocks -the prophetic Word. - -"Their interpretation of prophecy in particular is vitiated by this -fatal mistake, which practically razes the hopes of Israel from the -Bible and lowers ours to a mere succession to their hope and inheritance -with somewhat better light and privilege. It is a part of the first and -widest and most tenacious corruption of Christianity against which the -apostle fought so valiantly. And it comes in the more insidiously, -because it seems to those under its influence that they are of all men -the most distant from the false brethren Paul denounced. To their minds -the truest guard against Judaizing is to deny that the Jews will ever be -reinstated as a people, or be restored consequently to their own land. -All the predictions of future blessedness and glory to Israel they turn -over to Christendom now or to the church in glory. Most pernicious -error! For this is exactly to Judaize the Christian and the church by -making them simply follow and inherit from Israel. The truth is thus -swamped; Israel's bright prospects are denied; Gentile conceit is -engendered; and the Christian is rendered worldly, instead of being -taught his place of blessing on high in contrast with Israel's on the -earth."[32] - -[32] Wm. Kelly. - - -II. The Reunion of the Nation and their King. - - The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Moreover, thou Son - of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for - the children of Israel his companions; then take another stick, and - write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and _for_ all the - house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into - one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. And when the - children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not - shew us what thou _meanest_ by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the - Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which _is_ in the - hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put - them with him, _even_ with the stick of Judah, and make them one - stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. And the sticks whereon - thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. And say unto - them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of - Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and I will - gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land; and I - will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; - and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more - two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any - more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more with - their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their - transgressions: but I will save them out of all their - dwelling-places, wherein they have sinned and will cleanse them: so - shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my - servant _shall be_ king over them; and they all shall have one - shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my - statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have - given unto Jacob my servant wherein your fathers have dwelt; and - they shall dwell therein, _even_ they, and their children, and their - children's children, for ever: and my servant David _shall be_ their - prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; - it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place - them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of - them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; yea, I - will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen - shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary - shall be in the midst of them for evermore (verses 15-28). - -The prophet is next commanded to demonstrate another coming event for -God's ancient people by a symbolical action. He was to take a stick and -write on it "for Judah and for the children of Israel his companions." -On the second stick, he was to write, "for Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, -and for all the house of Israel his companions." He was then to join the -two sticks so that they became one in his hand. It denotes the reunion -of the house of Judah with the house of Israel. The sad division of the -nation will end and both will be in His hand one, symbolical of the -royal rod or sceptre, which will be in the hand of the Lord in the midst -of His redeemed people. The Lord will do all this. "Behold I will take -the children of Israel from among the nations whither they be gone, and -will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land. And -I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; -and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall no more be two -nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at -all." The house of Israel never returned from the captivity; only a -remnant of Judah came back. Since then they have been termed "the lost -tribes," though this term is incorrect, for the Epistle of James is -addressed to the twelve tribes of Israel. Nothing is lost with God. They -are hidden rather, and the time will come when the enigma of the two -tribes will be solved. Attempts have been made to locate them but all -have failed. The Anglo-Israel theory (that England and America are the -lost tribes) is so ridiculous and fantastic that it merits not even an -investigation. God has kept track of them, and when this promised -restoration takes place they will be brought to light. Then, reunited as -they were under David and Solomon, they will have one King over them. -This King is foreshadowed by both David and his son Solomon. As King he -is called, "David, my servant," who will be the One Shepherd. And "my -servant David, their prince forever." It is the Lord Jesus Christ, the -son of David, the true and greater Solomon, the Prince of Peace. How -obvious it is that all this does not mean the church. The Lord Jesus -Christ is the head of the church in glory, but He is also the King of -Israel. When the restoration takes place the angelic message finds its -blessed fulfillment: "The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His -father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of -His Kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke i:32-37). But how can anyone -believe that the words of promise given through Ezekiel have no future -meaning for the seed of Abraham? Has Israel ever been restored as -announced in these words? Have they ever been saved as promised in verse -23? Have they ever walked as a nation in perfect obedience, as stated in -the words, "They shall also walk in My judgments, and observe my -statutes and do them." And verse 25 promises an abiding dwelling in -their land which at this time they do not yet possess. It is the -sanctuary of the Lord set up in their midst. - -Only when our Lord returns will all this be accomplished. Then will it -be true, "My tabernacle also shall be with them; yea, I will be their -God and they shall be My people." - - -GOG AND MAGOG - -Chapter xxxviii. - -The great restoration vision of the preceding chapter is followed by -another great prophecy concerning the last enemy of Israel, and how the -Lord will deliver His people and deal in judgment with the invading -hordes. This prophecy is in chapters xxxviii and xxxix. These two -chapters are of great interest and demand a careful study; they have -been misunderstood by many. Frequently the Gog and Magog have been -identified with the final revolt at the close of the millennium, when -Satan is loosed for a little season (Rev. xx:7-9). The text shows that -this is incorrect. The invasion which Ezekiel describes takes place in -the beginning of the millennium; the invasion of Gog and Magog in -Revelation is postmillennial. Ezekiel's invasion takes place from the -North and the nations are designated; the nations which gather under -Satan at the close of the millennium are from the four quarters of the -earth. The invaders in Ezekiel's vision fall on the mountains of Israel, -while those assembled after the millennium are devoured by fire from -heaven. - -Others have identified these invading enemies with the nations gathered -in the revived Roman Empire. This also cannot be, for we find that the -nations Ezekiel names are outside of the territory of the restored Roman -Empire. We have to turn to the text itself to find the correct meaning -of this prophecy. - - -I. The Invasion of Israel's Land. - - And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy - face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and - Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord God: - Behold, I _am_ against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and - Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and - I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, - all of them clothed with all sorts of _armour_, _even_ a great - company _with_ bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: - Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and - helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north - quarters, and all his bands: _and_ many people with thee. Be thou - prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that - are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. After many - days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into - the land _that is_ brought back from the sword, _and is_ gathered - out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been - always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they - shall dwell safely, all of them. Thou shalt ascend and come like a - storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all - thy bands, and many people with thee. Thus saith the Lord God: It - shall also come to pass, _that_ at the same time shall things come - into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt - say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to - them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwellings - without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, - and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places - _that are now_ inhabited, and upon the people _that are_ gathered - out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell - in the midst of the land. Sheba and Dedan, and the merchants of - Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art - thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a - prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, - to take a great spoil? (verses 1-13). - -The first question which confronts us in giving an exposition of these -verses is, When does this enemy fall into Israel's land? At what time -does this invasion take place? We find the answer in the text. The -statement is made in verse eight that Gog and Magog and the other -nations with them invade the land "that is brought back from the sword, -and is gathered out of many people;" they come "against the mountains of -Israel, which have always been waste; but it is brought forth out of the -nations, and they shall dwell safely, all of them." In verse eleven the -evil purpose of the invader is made known. He says, "I will go up to -the land of unwalled villages, I will go to them that are at rest, that -dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars -nor gates." He comes "upon the people that are gathered out of the -nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of -the land" (verse 12). From all this we learn that the invasion takes -place at the time when the Lord has brought back His people and resumed -His relationship with the remnant of Israel. - -The invasion will happen some time after the beastly empire with its -beasthead (the revived Roman empire), in its final ten kingdom form and -the clay, with the little horn as leader (Dan. vii; Rev. xiii:1-10) and -the false prophet, the personal Antichrist (Rev. xiii:11, etc.) have -been dealt with in judgment (Rev. xix:19-20). The stone out of heaven -has then fallen upon the feet of the great dream image of -Nebuchadnezzar, and as far as the Western confederated world power is -concerned it is now ended. But other nations gather now for an assault. -It is a Northern confederacy which sweeps southward to invade the land -as Antiochus Epiphanes did in the past, as well as the Assyrian in the -days of Isaiah. These final invading hosts, under the leadership of a -powerful king, come like a storm, and like a cloud to cover the land. - -In verse 17 we read "Thus saith the Lord God: Art thou he of whom I have -spoken in old times by my servants the prophets of Israel, which -prophesied in those days for many years that I would bring thee against -them?" By the way, in these words we have a very clear statement -concerning the prophets of God. They all were the mouthpiece of Jehovah; -He has spoken through them. According to this verse other prophets -prophesied of the same enemy. Some expositors have stated their -inability to find a single prophecy elsewhere which would confirm -Ezekiel's vision and prophecy. - -We believe the foe, of whom Isaiah speaks as the Assyrian, foreshadows -this one coming with his hordes from the North. The Assyrian in the days -of Isaiah, who threatened to cover the land like a cloud, was -Sennacherib. How the Lord dealt with him by wiping out his proud army -with a single stroke is known to every reader of the Bible. But he also -foreshadows the final Assyrian, the last King of the North. He is -described in Isaiah x. A significant statement is made in that chapter -as to the time when the Lord will deal with this Assyrian of the future. -It is this "Wherefore it shall come to pass that when the Lord has -performed His whole work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish -the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his -high looks" (verse 12). When the Lord has performed His work in judgment -and in mercy upon Mount Zion and in behalf of Israel and their enemies, -then He will also punish the last invader and spoiler of His people, the -one foreshadowed by the Assyrian. - -The Antichrist, who opposed the heavenly rights and glory of Christ, has -then already been overthrown by the brightness of His coming; and next -this last enemy who opposeth the earthly rights of the King of kings -will also meet his defeat. Notice that in the same chapter of Isaiah the -Lord comforts His people in view of the invader, showing thereby that He -is with them and on their side. "Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of -hosts, O my people that dwelleth in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian" -(Isa. x:24). - -The prophet Micah bears a similar testimony to the same person. In -chapter v we have a prophetic announcement of the birth of Christ in -Bethlehem Ephrata. We also read of His rejection: "they shall smite the -judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek." Then the nation is seen as -rejected--given up, set aside--till Israel brings forth in travail pains -a godly remnant during the end of the age. Then the Lord returns. "And -He shall stand and rule in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of -the name of the Lord His God; and they shall abide, for now shall He be -great unto the ends of the earth" (verse 4). - -When this has come to pass then the Assyrian appears on the scene, -invading the land. But Micah tells us: "And this man (Christ) shall be -the peace when the Assyrian shall come into the land" (verse 5). All -this confirms the story of Ezekiel xxxviii. The reader may also turn to -Isaiah xxxiii, to Joel and find there a description of the same invading -forces which Ezekiel describes and their judgment. - -But some will find a difficulty here. If the Lord has returned and His -people Israel are being gathered to dwell in safety in their own land, -if the Lord has revealed His glory, how is it possible that such an -invasion can take place? Is not Satan to be bound at once after Christ -has come back? And if Satan is put into the pit of the abyss to seduce -the nations no more, how is it that these nations are so blind to come -up into Immanuel's land to challenge the earthly rights of the King of -kings? - -Satan will be bound for a thousand years, but the last act by which he -attempts to oppose Christ will be through Gog and Magog. The evil -thought the leader, the prince of Rosh, thinks (verse 10) is inspired by -Satan. He stands behind this wild company of nations and blinds them as -he blinded the kings of the Roman Empire and their armies to make war -against Him that sat upon the horse. (Rev. xix:19). But then Satan has -spent his last arrow. He has completely failed and is then put into the -prison for a thousand years to seduce the nations no more. His last -attempt was through the prince of Rosh with the nations mentioned in the -beginning of this chapter. - -And when the Lord looses him, after the thousand years, he is still the -same old devil, as he always will be forever and ever; once more he gets -a Gog and Magog, this time from the four quarters of the earth, to put -up his very last fight. How that will end we know from Revelation -(xx:7-9). - -Still another question is raised, and this one in connection with the -judgment of the nations, as revealed by our Lord in Matthew xxv:31, etc. -After the Lord has returned He will receive His own throne and begin to -judge the nations He finds then upon the earth. That this is not what -has been termed the final--universal judgment of the quick and the -dead--must be apparent to all who divide the Word of Truth rightly. It -is the judgment of the living nations. Now the question is asked, if the -Lord judges at once all living nations when He comes, how is it that -these nations can invade the land? Why were they not also consigned to -the place of eternal punishment? Why are they still unjudged? - -We do not believe that the judgment of the living nations takes place on -a single day. Such a judgment of necessity covers a longer period of -time. Nation after nation will have to come up for judgment. This will -consume considerable time. There is no question the millennial reign of -our Lord will have two sides. There is first the Davidic aspect. He will -begin to reign first as David did; His people are with Him and blessed, -but all their enemies are not yet subdued and overcome. He will have to -rule first with a rod of iron. And then when this final enemy is dealt -with, He begins to reign as Prince of Peace, foreshadowed in the -Solomonic reign. Gog and Magog, etc., complete and end the judgment of -the nations. They are the last enemies to disappear. - -After we have ascertained the time when this prophecy concerning Gog -and Magog will be accomplished, we inquire next who this final enemy is. -"And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of Man, set thy face -against Gog, the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, -and prophesy against him, and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold I -am against thee, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. And I will -turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee -forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them thoroughly -equipped, a great assemblage with targets and shields, all of them -handling swords. Persia, Cush, and Phut with them, all of them with -shield and helmet; Gomer and all his bands; the house of Togormah from -the uttermost north, and all his bands--many peoples with thee." Here -then we have a confederacy of nations. The leader is the Prince of Rosh -(not as the authorized version has it "the chief prince"), of Meshech -and Tubal. This prince is the head of the confederacy, and with him -allied are Persia, Cush, Phut, Gomer and Togormah. They come out of the -north, or, as it is in Hebrews, "out of the uttermost north" (verse 15). -Inasmuch as the Prince of Rosh is addressed in verse 3 as Gog, we take -it that Gog is the name given to this prince and leader of these -nations. His dwelling place is in the land of Magog. We know from -Genesis x:2 that Magog was the second son of Japheth. Gomer, Tubal and -Meshech were also sons of Japheth; Togormah was a grandson of Japheth, -being the third son of Gomer. Magog's land, was located in, what is -called today, the Caucasus and the adjoining steppes. And the three -Rosh, Meshech and Tubal were called by the ancients Scythians. They -roamed as nomads in the country around and north of the Black and the -Caspian Seas, and were known as the wildest barbarians. We learn from -this that the invading forces, which fall into Israel's land in the -future, when Israel has been regathered, come from a territory north of -Palestine, which today is in the hands of Russia. And here we call -attention to the prince, this northern leader, or king, who is the head -of all these nations. He is the prince of Rosh. Careful research has -established the fact that the progenitor of Rosh was Tiraz (Gen. x:2) -and that Rosh is Russia. All students of Prophecy are agreed that this -is the correct meaning of Rosh. The prince of Rosh, means, therefore, -the prince or king of the Russian empire. But he also is in control of -Meshech and Tubal, which are reproduced in the modern Moscow and -Tobolsk.[33] Russia, we may well conclude from this, will furnish the -man who will lead this confederacy of nations. We write this at a time -when Russia is passing through horrors upon horrors. A revolution -changed the autocratic government into a democracy and that given way to -anarchy, produced by the satanic treachery of Germany. From what is -written in this chapter we learn that Russia will ultimately return to -the old regime and will once more become a monarchy to fulfill her final -destiny as made known in this sublime prophecy. Well known it is that -Russia has been in the past the most pronounced and bitterest enemy of -the Jewish people. What she passes through today is but a fulfillment of -what the Lord has spoken: "I will curse them that curse thee." Today the -Jews in Russian may have bright hopes of getting their rights and -complete emancipation at last. For a time this may come to pass, but -ultimately Russia will turn against them and like Pharaoh did, when -Israel had left his domain, so this coming King of the North, the prince -of Rosh, when Israel is back in the land, will turn against them. - -[33] The Septuagint translates, "Mesoch and Thobel." - -With him come the other nations. Persia, which is even now in part -occupied by Russia, will finally be a vassal to this prince of Rosh. -Ethiopia and Phut are also in this confederacy. There also is Gomer and -all its bands. Gomer, says Delitsch, "is most probably the tribe of the -Cimmerians, who dwell, according to Herodotus, on the Maeotis, in the -Taurian Chersonesus, and from whom are descended the Cumri or Cymry in -Wales and Britain, whose relation to the Germanic Cimbri is still in -obscurity." Valuable information is given in the Talmud; Gomer is there -stated to be the Germani, the Germans. That the descendants of the Gomer -moved northward and established themselves in parts of Germany seems to -be an established fact. All this is of much interest. Germany did not -belong to the Roman empire, at least the greater part of Germany was -never conquered by Rome. She will therefore not participate in the -Western confederacy. Will she then become united to Russia and march -under the prince of Rosh into the land of Israel? We cannot be sure -about all these things. This, however, we know, that a powerful -confederacy of nations, under the leadership of the prince of Rosh, -Meshech and Tubal, will come up against Immanuel's land, when Israel has -been restored and dwells safely. - - -II. The Disastrous Defeat of the Invaders. - - Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto God, Thus saith the - Lord God: In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, - shalt thou not know _it_? And thou shalt come from thy place out of - the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding - upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: And thou shalt come - up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it - shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, - that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O - Gog, before their eyes. Thus saith the Lord God: _Art_ thou he of - whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of - Israel, which prophesied in those days for _many_ years that I would - bring thee against them? And it shall come to pass at the same time - when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, - _that_ my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy _and_ in - the fire of my wrath have I spoken. Surely in that day there shall - be a great shaking in the land of Israel: So that the fishes of the - sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and - all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that - _are_ upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and - the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, - and every wall shall fall to the ground. And I will call for a sword - against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every - man's sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against - him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and - upon his bands, and upon the many people that _are_ with him, an - overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire and brimstone. Thus - will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in - the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I _am_ the Lord - (verses 14-23). - -The awful fate of the invaders is now prophetically announced. The -prophet is commanded to address Gog. They know that Israel dwelleth -safely and they come to take the prey, to carry away silver and gold, -cattle and goods and a great spoil (verse 13). The Lord permits it all -so that He might be sanctified and magnified by the manifestation of His -power in judgment, so that through this judgment the nations might know -Him (verses 16, 23). When they come into the land then His fury will -come into His face. "For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have -I spoken, surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land -of Israel." The next chapter gives the prophecy of the judgment upon Gog -in detail. - - -THE DEFEAT OF THE INVADERS. - -Chapter xxxix. - -Once more the prophet is commanded to prophesy against this final -invader of Israel's land and to describe the judgment which falls upon -the Northern army. This chapter concludes the prophecy of the last enemy -of Israel; the concluding chapters of this book mention no longer -enemies, nor Israel's apostasy. They are taken up with the glory of the -restoration of the nation and the great millennial temple, the -construction, the order of worship, etc. - - -I. The Judgment and Destruction of Invading Gog. - - Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus - saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief - prince of Meshech and Tubal; And I will turn thee back, and leave - but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the - north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: And I - will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows - to fall out of thy right hand. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains - of Israel, thou and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: - I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the - beasts of the field to be devoured. Thou shalt fall upon the open - field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. And I will send a - fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles; - and they shall know that I am the Lord. So will I make my holy name - known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not _let them_ - pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I - _am_ the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. Behold, it is come, and it is - done, saith the Lord God; this _is_ the day whereof I have spoken. - And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and - shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the - bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the - spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years; so that they - shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down _any_ out of - the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire; and they - shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, - saith the Lord God (verses 1-10). - -Jehovah announces now their complete judgment and destruction. The -invading hordes are permitted to come upon the mountains of Israel, and -like the Assyrian of old, "Shake his hand against the mount of the -daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem" (Is. x:32). Then the Lord will -act in behalf of His people. Let us remember that the Lord is then with -His people. His glory is with them and they have found rest and dwell in -peace. The blinding power of Satan, who uses Gog and his companions in a -final effort to dispute the authority of the King of Kings, is -demonstrated by these nations, who, led by the Prince of Rosh (Russia) -invade the land. The nations and their kings forming the Western -Confederacy were equally blinded when, previously to this final attempt, -they made war against the Lord (Rev. xix:19). Jehovah speaks His "I -will;" it is the sovereign "I will" in judgment. As He spoke to His -people Israel the "I will" of sovereign grace (chapter xxxvi), so now He -speaks the word which seals the doom of Israel's last enemy. "And I will -turn thee back and lead thee on[34] and will cause thee to come up from -the sides of the north, and will bring thee upon the mountains of -Israel." There the invaders are to be smitten. Upon the mountains where -the Lord led them and permitted them to come, the hordes shall fall and -their carcasses will be given to the ravenous beasts and to the beasts -of the field. And those who helped Gog in the wicked endeavor, who dwell -securely in the isles, who probably assisted them with ships and in -other ways, will also be judged. Fire will be sent upon Magog. It will -be a sweeping judgment. As a result of what takes place will be the -vindication of His holy Name and both Israel and the nations of the -earth shall know Him in that day. "And my holy name will I make known in -the midst of my people Israel; neither will I suffer my holy name to be -profaned any more; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the -Holy One in Israel." And what an assuring statement is added: "Behold, -it cometh, it shall be done, saith the Lord God; this is the day -whereof I have spoken." - -[34] This is the more satisfactory rendering. The marginal reading, -"Strike thee with six plagues" or "draw thee back with a hook of six -teeth" is incorrect. - -The weapons the invading hordes left behind will be used for firewood by -Israel for seven years. It seems the invaders carried mostly wooden -instruments. Perhaps the preceding wars exhausted the metals so that -they had to resort to weapons made of wood. Israel shall then spoil -those that spoiled them and rob those that robbed them. - - -II. The Burial of the Slain. - - And it shall come to pass in that day _that_ I will give unto Gog a - place there of a grave in Israel, the valley of the passengers on - the east of the sea; and it shall stop the passengers; and there - shall they bury Gog and all his multitude; and they shall call _it_ - The valley of Hamon-gog. And seven months shall the house of Israel - be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land. Yea, all the - people of the land shall bury _them_; and it shall be to them a - renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord God. And - they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through - the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face - of the earth, to cleanse it; after the end of seven months shall - they search. And the passengers _that_ pass through the land, when - _any_ seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till - the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamon-gog. And also the - name of the city _shall_ be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the - land (verses 11-16). - -Gog's delusion was to take Israel's land for a possession. Territorial -aggrandizement was the motive of the invasion, besides the wicked -defiance of God; but instead God gives them graves in the land of -Israel. All the multitude of Gog will be buried in the valley of the -passengers of the east of the sea, which is the Dead Sea, outside of -Israel's territory; that place will be called then "the valley of -Hamon-gog," which means "the multitude of Gog." Seven months will it -take to put away the bodies of the slain. And those who pass through -that region will stop there to consider the judgment of the Lord which -was executed upon Gog. It will be a solemn memorial of what God hath -done; even a city will be named on account of the disaster which has -come upon Gog, the city Hamonah. The whole land will be cleansed of the -defilement. Whenever, after the seven months, one who passes that way -sees a man's bones, he shall mark the place with a sign and the buriers -will put these bones away in Hamon-gog. - -The day will surely come when all these events will come to pass. Much -may be obscure at this time but God will see to the fulfilment in His -own time. As we have shown in the exposition of the previous chapter, -Russia is the leader of this final assault. In these significant days -Russia is in the grasp of anarchy. What will be the outcome? Will Russia -side with Germany? Will the two form a strong confederacy with other -semi-oriental and oriental nations? Are these things, as seen by the -prophet at the river banks of Chebar, even now preparing? No mortal man -can forecast the immediate future. God alone knows what is about to -come. - - -III. The Sacrifice of Jehovah. - - And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord God: Speak unto every - feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble - yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my - sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, _even_ a great sacrifice upon - the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. Ye - shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the - princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, - all of them fatlings of Bashan. And ye shall eat fat till ye be - full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice, which I - have sacrificed for you. Thus ye shall be filled at my table with - horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith - the Lord God (verses 17-20). - -In view of the great slaughter executed upon Gog and his vast army, the -feathered fowl and every beast of the field are summoned to attend the -sacrifice which Jehovah has prepared for them upon the mountains of -Israel. They are to eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of -the princes of the earth, which are compared to rams, lambs, goats, -bullocks and the fatlings of Bashan. He promised these fowls and the -beasts of the earth a feast, which will completely satisfy them. The -table which is spread for them is His table: "Thus shall ye be filled at -my table." - -Rev. xix:17, 18 contains a similar scene. It is the great supper of God, -which the angel standing in the sun announces, and to which he invites -the fowls in the midst of heaven. The great supper in Revelation and -Jehovah's sacrifice in Ezekiel are not the same. The great supper of -God, that awful judgment supper, is in connection with the beastly -empire (the Western Confederacy)--the kings and armies of apostate -Christendom. And probably for this reason the fowls in the midst of -heaven are only mentioned, because Christendom apostatized from the -heavenly testimony of Christianity. These kings and their armies refused -and rejected completely the invitation of the Lord to the Gospel-supper -and now they will fall in the hands of God and receive their reward at -the judgment supper. When Gog falls upon the mountains of Israel, the -great supper of God announced in Rev. xix has already been executed. - - -IV. The Future of Glory. - - And I will set my glory among the nations, and all the nations shall - see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid - upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I _am_ the Lord - their God from that day and forward. And the nations shall know that - the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because - they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them and - gave them into the hands of their enemies: so fell they all by the - sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their - transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. - Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Now will I bring again the - captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, - and will be jealous for my holy name; after that they have borne - their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed - against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made - _them_ afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and - gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them - in the sight of many nations; then shall they know that I _am_ the - Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the - heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left - none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more - from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, - saith the Lord God (verses 21-29). - -The moral effect of this judgment is described in verses 21-24. The Lord -will then establish His glory among the nations. From this we learn that -the glory of the Lord will be made known world-wide to cover the earth -after this final invasion has come to pass, and this last judgment of -nations has been executed. The nations will be the witnesses of this -judgment. Of course these nations are those who have been converted and -are embodied in the Kingdom of Christ. And then the Lord is vindicated -for having dealt with Israel as He did. They went into captivity--the -dispersion among all the nations of the earth--on account of their -iniquities. God dealt righteously with them when on account of their -transgressions He hid His face from them. All God's ways are righteous -and in that day all His dealings in judgment will be openly justified. - -Then comes the prophecy of the bright future of Israel. It is one of the -many found in this book of Ezekiel and the greater number in the other -prophetic books. The captivity of Jacob is ended. Mercy will be bestowed -upon the whole house of Israel. They have borne their shame; but now it -is all ended through the mercy of the Lord. He will bring them again -from the peoples, and gather them out of the enemies' lands and -sanctify them, by taking away their sins, in the sight of many nations. -None will be left behind; all will be gathered back. It is next to -inconceivable that, with so many promises in the Word of God as to -Israel's future restoration and blessing, that the greater part of -professing Christians can ignore these things and refuse to believe in a -glorious future of the Jewish race. - -The last verse contains an important statement. The Lord says that He -hides His face no more from them. This in itself shows that all this is -not yet here; for still He hides His face from them. The hiding of His -face from them will be no more when His Spirit is poured upon them. "I -have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God." -There comes then a time when the house of Israel, the literal -descendants of Abraham, will receive an outpouring of the Spirit of God. -Such is also the message of Joel, in which restoration and spiritual -blessing, through the outpouring of the Spirit are blended together -(Joel ii).[35] We call attention to another passage which should be -linked with the statement in this chapter. Isaiah xxxii:13-18 is a very -striking prophecy. There is an announcement made first of all concerning -the judgment which is to fall upon Israel's land. "Upon the land of my -people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy -in the joyous city," etc. But this is not to last forever. An "until" -follows. "Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high." This is the -same future outpouring of the Spirit of God. Up to now it has not been. -The Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost came to form the body of Christ, -but this outpouring in connection with Israel has another significance. -We read, therefore, in the above passage what will happen when this -outpouring has come to pass. "And the wilderness be a fruitful field, -and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. Then judgment shall -dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. -And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of -righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. And my people shall -dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet -resting places." It is a description of the Kingdom to come, when Israel -has found rest and when all the earth will receive the blessing, when -righteousness will have given peace, lasting peace to the world. - -[35] See "The Prophet Joel," by A. C. G., where this interesting and -important chapter is explained in full. - - - - -[Illustration: GROUND PLAN OF EZEKIEL'S TEMPLE] - - A. The Temple House, xli. - B. Altar of Burnt Offering, xliii:13. - C. Inner Court. - D. Gates to Inner Court, xl:28. - E. Separate Place, vli:10. - F. Hinder Building, xli:12. - G. Priest's Kitchens, xlvi:19. - H. Chambers for Priests, xlii:1. - I. Chambers, xl:44. - K. People's Kitchen, xlvi:21-24. - L. Gates into Outer Court, xl:6. - M. Pavement, xl:18. - N. Chambers in Outer Court (30) xl:17. - O. Outer Court. - - ---------------Temple Stream - - - - -THE GROUND PLAN OF THE TEMPLE. - - -THE MILLENNIAL TEMPLE AND ITS WORSHIP. THE LAND AND ITS GLORY. - -Chapters xl-xlviii. - -The final nine chapters of this book form the climax of the great -prophecies of Ezekiel; they belong to the most difficult in the entire -prophetic Word. Once more the hand of the Lord rests upon the seer and -in the visions of God he is brought into the land of Israel. In the very -beginning of this grand finale we learn therefore that the visions -concern the land of Israel. Let us remember that after the fall of -Jerusalem had been announced to Ezekiel (chapter xxxiii:21), his -prophetic utterances and visions concern the future when Israel is to be -regathered and restored to the land. The previous two chapters dealt -with the last invasion of the land of Israel and the complete overthrow -of Gog and its hordes. The vision contained in this last section follows -after Israel's final deliverance. So much is clear as to the time when -the prophecies of these eight chapters will be accomplished. They have -not been fulfilled in the past, certainly not in the remnant which -returned under Zerubabbel and Ezra. Nor have these prophecies been -fulfilled since then. All is future. Only when the Lord has gathered -Judah and Israel, when He has established His glorious Kingdom in their -midst and delivered His people and the land from the last invader, will -this last vision of Ezekiel become history. - -This disposes then at once of the different modes of interpretation -employed by so many expositors of this book. These are the following: - -1. The theory of interpretation which looks upon the vision of these -chapters as fulfilled in the return of the remnant from Babylon. One of -the expositors who follows this line stated that these visions are "an -ideal representation of the Jewish state about to be restored after the -captivity." It does not need much argument to show that this mode of -interpretation is erroneous. The temple which the remnant built does in -no way whatever correspond with the magnificent structure which Ezekiel -beheld in his vision. The fact is, if this temple is a literal building -(as it assuredly is) it has never yet been erected. Furthermore, it is -distinctly stated that the glory of the Lord returned to the temple and -made His dwelling place there, the same glory which Ezekiel had seen -departing from the temple and from Jerusalem. But the glory did not -return to the second temple. No glory cloud filled that house. And -furthermore no high priest is mentioned in the worship of the temple -Ezekiel describes, but the Jews after their return from Babylon had high -priests again. Nor can the stream of healing waters flowing from the -temple as seen by Ezekiel be in any way applied to the restoration from -the Babylonian captivity. Expositors who follow this mode of -interpretation claim that all has been fulfilled and that there is -nothing in store for Israel in the future. It is the most superficial -method and totally wrong. - -2. Another interpretation claims that the whole vision sprang from the -imagination of the prophet. That all is an ideal description of -something which the expositor himself is unable to define. This mode of -interpretation needs no further mention and answer. - -3. The third interpretation of these chapters is the allegorical which -spiritualizes everything and claims that the Christian church, its -earthly glory and blessing, is symbolically described by the prophet. -This is the weakest of all and yet the most accepted. But this theory -gives no exposition of the text, is vague and abounds in fanciful -applications, while the greater part of this vision is left unexplained -even in its allegorical meaning, for it evidently has no such meaning at -all.[36] - -[36] What strange applications have been made of this vision! We quote -from the "New Century Bible" which says concerning this temple: "Its -details shed a light nowhere else vouchsafed to us upon the ideals of -_Hebrew art_, influenced perhaps, by Babylonian masterpieces, yet -entirely national and Puritan; and they embody in material form -Ezekiel's sober but intense conception of religion, as completely as the -Gothic cathedrals translate into concrete and abiding stone and marble -the soaring visions of mediaeval Christianity."(!) - -The true interpretation is the literal one which looks upon these -chapters as a prophecy yet unfulfilled and to be fulfilled when Israel -has been restored by the Shepherd and when His glory is once more -manifested in the midst of His people. The great building seen in his -prophetic vision will then come into existence and all will be -accomplished. - -But while we are sure of the strictly future fulfillment of this final -vision, the many details which abound in these chapters can hardly be -fully interpreted as to their meaning. Much is obscure. That all has a -deeper meaning we do not doubt; and here and there we shall offer -suggestions, but many things we shall have to pass over. Before we turn -to the text and open up the contents of these chapters, a telescopic -view of the whole section is in order and will be helpful in our further -studies. - -We call attention first to the three main divisions. - - =I. The Description of the Temple.= Chapters xl-xlii. - - =II. The Temple Worship.= Chapters xliii-xlvi. - - =III. The Vision Concerning the Land.= Chapters xlvii-xlviii. - -Generally these eight chapters are called "The Temple Vision;" but there -is much more than the vision of a future temple. We shall see next the -contents of these chapters. - -=I. The Description of the Temple.= Chapters xl-xlii. - - Chapter xl. - - 1. The Introduction. Verses 1-4. - 2. The Gate toward the East. Verses 5-16. - 3. The Outer Court. Verses 17-27. - 4. The Inner Court. Verses 28-37. - 5. The Tables for the Offerings and the Chambers for the Inner - Court. Verses 38-47. - 6. The Porch of the House. Verses 48-49. - - Chapter xli. - - 1. The Holy Place. Verses 1-2. - 2. The Most Holy. Verses 3-4. - 3. The Side Chambers. Verses 5-11. - 4. The Hinder Buildings and the Measurement. Verses 12-14. - 5. Description of the Interior of the Temple. Verses 15-26. - - Chapter xlii. - - 1. The Priest's Chambers in the Inner Court. Verses 1-14. - 2. The Final Measurements. Verses 15-20. - - -=II. The Temple Worship.= Chapters xliii-xlvi. - - Chapter xliii. - - 1. The Return of the Glory of the Lord and Filling the House. - Verses 1-9. - 2. The Address to the Nation. Verses 10-12. - 3. The Dimensions of the Altar. Verses 13-17. - 4. The Offerings to be Brought. Verses 18-27. - - Chapter xliv. - - 1. The Outward Eastern Gate for the Prince. Verses 1-3. - 2. The Charge concerning the Strangers and the Rebellious Tribes. - Verses 4-14. - 3. The Charge concerning the Priests, the Sons of Zadok. Verses 15-27. - 4. The Inheritance of the Priests. Verses 28-31. - - Chapter xlv. - - 1. The Portions of the Priests, the Levites, of the whole House of - Israel and the Prince. Verses 1-8. - 2. Concerning the Prince. Verses 9-17. - 3. The Feast of Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. Verse 18-25. - - Chapter xlvi. - - 1. The Worship of the Prince. Verses 1-8. - 2. Further Instruction as to Worship. Verses 9-15. - 3. Concerning the Prince, his Sons and his Servants. Verses 16-18. - 4. A Final Description of places in the Temple. Verses 19-24. - - -=III. The Vision concerning the Land.= Chapters xlvii-xlviii. - - Chapter xlvii. - - 1. The Waters of Healing from the Temple. Verses 1-12. - 2. Borders of the Land. Verses 13-21. - 3. Concerning the Stranger in the land. Verses 22-23. - - Chapter xlviii. - - 1. The Portion of the Seven Tribes. Verses 1-7. - 2. The Oblation for the Sanctuary, for the City and for the Prince. - Verses 8-29. - 3. The Gates of the City and its new Name. Verses 30-35. - - -THE TEMPLE VISION. - -Chapter xl. - -The Temple vision is first recorded and the opening verses form the -introduction. - - -I. The Introduction to the Temple Vision. - - In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of - the year, in the tenth _day_ of the month, in the fourteenth year - after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the - Lord was upon me, and brought me thither. In the visions of God - brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high - mountain, by which _was_ as the frame of a city on the south. And - he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose - appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in - his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. And the - man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with - thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for - to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought - hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel (verses - 1-4). - -The time of the vision is first given by the prophet. It was in the -fourteenth year after Jerusalem had been smitten, which would make the -date 572 B. C. The beginning of the year is mentioned. In the Hebrew a -word is employed (Rosh hashanah) which is not used again in the Old -Testament. In Exodus xii we read "this month shall be unto you the -beginnings of months, it shall be the first month of the year to you." -(Abib or Nisan.) Some expositors claim that the beginning of the year in -Ezekiel's vision was in the month of Nisan commemorating the Passover. -But it may mean the seventh month (September-October) the feast of -trumpets from which the Jews reckon the new year, and the first day of -the month would be the day of atonement. We incline to the latter view. -Both the feast of trumpets and the day of atonement foreshadow the -regathering of Israel and the forgiveness of their sins. And when that -has come then, and not before, Ezekiel's glory vision will be -accomplished in the land. We also read in Lev. xxv:9: "Then shalt thou -cause the trumpet of jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh -month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound -throughout your land." It will be the time of Israel's jubilee when this -temple, Ezekiel beheld, will be erected in their land. Once more the -hand of the Lord rested upon the prophet. It is the seventh time that -this happened to Ezekiel, and not again after this. (See chapters. i:3, -iii:14-22, vii:1, xxxiii:22, xxxvii:1, xl:1.) In the visions of God the -prophet was brought into the land of Israel, which is conclusive -evidence that the vision he is about to receive concerns the people -Israel and not, as the spritualizing, allegorical school of interpreters -claim, the church. Ezekiel knew nothing whatever of the church and -therefore not a line of all his prophecies could intelligently be -applied to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. He finds himself upon a -very high mountain; towards the south he noticed the frame (or building) -of a city.[37] The high mountain is, no doubt, the mountain frequently -mentioned in the prophetic Word. "And it shall come to pass in the last -days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the -top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills and all -nations shall flow unto it" (Isaiah ii:2). "Beautiful for situation, the -joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north the -city of the great King" (Ps. xlviii:2). It is the place of His rest (Ps. -cxxxii:14), where the King is enthroned (Ps. ii). - -[37] May also be translated "and set me upon a very high mountain, and -upon it was as the building of a city, on the south." It will be upon -that exalted mountain. - - * * * * * - -Then appeared in the vision the man with the line of flax and the -measuring reed. Zachariah beheld such a man with a measuring line in his -hand to measure Jerusalem (Zech. ii:13). In Rev. xxi:15 we read of the -heavenly Jerusalem, that wonderful city, "and he that talked with me had -a golden reed to measure the city and the gates thereof and the wall -thereof." And then follows the measurement of the city. The one who -measured in Revelation was an angel and the measure was that of an -angel. We shall make, when we come to the measurement itself, a brief -comparison between the measure mentioned by Ezekiel and the measure of -the city in Revelation. And the man with the measuring reed stood in -the gate. He addressed the prophet once more as "Son of Man." He was to -give attention to all. His eyes were to see, his ears to hear, he should -set his heart upon all that would be shown unto him and declare it to -the house of Israel. - - -II. The Eastern Gate. - - And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in - the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and - an hand breadth; so he measured the breadth of the building, one - reed, and the height, one reed. Then came he unto the gate which - looked toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured - the threshold of the gate which was one reed broad; and the other - threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad. And every little - chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the - little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by - the porch of the gate within was one reed. He measured also the - porch of the gate within, one reed. Then measured he the porch of - the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the - porch of the gate was inward. And the little chambers of the gate - eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three - were of one measure; and the posts had one measure on this side and - on that side. And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, - ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. The space - also before the little chambers was one cubit on this side, and the - space was one cubit on that side; and the little chambers were six - cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. He measured then - the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another; - the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door. He made - also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court - round about the gate. And from the face of the gate of the entrance - unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits. And - there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts - within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches; and windows - were round about inward; and upon each post were palm trees (verses - 5-16). - -The house mentioned is the whole building of the Temple. A wall was -round about the building. A wall is also mentioned in chapter xlii:20 -which had a length of five hundred reeds and a breadth of five hundred -reeds. The purpose of that wall is stated "to make a separation between -that which was holy and that which was common." This wall of five -hundred is not identical with the wall in the beginning of the vision as -mentioned in verse 5. The wall here surrounded the outer court; the wall -in chapter xlii:20 surrounds the whole temple area. That is why the -separation between the holy and the common is spoken of with that wall. -The length of the great wall which enclosed all the Temple area is not -given. But the man in the vision measures the breadth and the height, -and as the reed is six cubits we have 2x6 (breadth six cubits and height -six cubits), which gives us the number 12. So we meet the number 12, the -symbol of divine government on the threshold of this vision. How -prominent the number 12 is in the description of the heavenly Jerusalem -in the last book of the Bible (Rev. xxi) is known to every reader of -that book. The wall there has 12 gates and 12 foundations and is 12x12 -cubits high, that is 144 cubits. All is perfection in that heavenly -Jerusalem. Here in Ezekiel we have the description of the earthly -sanctuary which will be in existence during the millennium. While in -Revelation the one who measures is an angel with a golden reed, it is a -man in Ezekiel and the cubit he uses (the length of the human forearm -from the elbow to the tip of the little finger) has a handbreadth added. -The eastern gate, the little chambers, the porch, etc.--everything is -measured. The lesson is that even to the details everything is here by -divine appointment. If the reed mentioned frequently is taken as six -cubits we have in the measure the number 12 several times. Every little -chamber (guard houses) was one reed long (six cubits) and six cubits -broad--twice 6--12. That all this must have a deeper meaning we doubt -not; and yet who can at this time give it to us in full? These -instructions will be literally followed and carried out in the coming -day of Israel's restoration. - -In these verses we find the wall and its construction, surrounding the -outer court of this future temple described. Three gates were seen by -the prophet in this wall--an Eastern gate, a Northern gate (verse 10) -and a Southern gate (verse 24). The West side of the wall has no gate. -As we learn later the returning glory of the Lord will enter the temple -by the Eastern gate. Seven steps lead up to these gates. Seven is the -number of divine perfection and accomplishment. These gates must not be -thought of as mere openings in the wall; they are gateways forming -separate buildings which project into the outer court to a distance of -fifty cubits with a breadth of twenty-five cubits. On both sides of -these gateways the prophet saw six little chambers, three on each side, -and each six cubits square. There has been much speculation as to the -possible use of these little chambers and their meaning. The Hebrew word -used here is the same as in 1 Kings xiv:28, translated in this passage -"guard-chamber." This may be the purpose of these chambers in the -gateway building of this first wall. This seems to be confirmed by -chapter xliv:11 and 14, which speaks of the Levites having charge of the -gates of the house, so that in all probability these guard-chambers will -be in charge of the Levites. Let us also notice the prominence of the -numbers three and twelve. There are 2x3 guard-chambers in each gateway -both in the outer court and also in the inner court. This gives us -thirty-six guard-chambers, or 3x12. The number three means symbolically -fullness, a divine fullness, and twelve stands for divine sovereignty -and government. Three times twelve means, therefore, divine fullness in -sovereign power and government. God Himself will be the guardian and -protector of this millennial sanctuary of His earthly people. - -Mention is made also of a porch in connection with each gateway. This -porch of the gate is inward, and it must be thought of in the form of a -hall. Such a porch-hall is mentioned in the architecture of Solomon's -temple (1 Kings vi:3; 2 Chron. iii:4; see also Joel ii:17). These -vestibule halls are the termination of the gateway leading into the -outer court itself. The porch-hall of the significant Eastern gate is -reserved for the Prince. He enters by way of the porch of that gate and -goes out the same way (chapter xliv:3). And there is a door for each -gate, for we read that the East gate was to be shut (xliv:1-2). The door -at the termination of the gateway is mentioned in verse 11. The width of -the doorway is ten cubits and the height of the door itself thirteen -cubits--10x3. The number ten signifies responsibility, and three, as -already stated, is symbolical of divine fullness. Then posts were seen -by the prophet. Each gateway had two posts and each post is two cubits -thick and sixty cubits high (verses 9, 14). Critics have declared that -the given dimension of sixty cubits is impossible. We do not know why -this should be declared impossible. Some critics have said that the man -could not have measured these sixty cubits; but the word measure is not -used at all. The windows of the little chambers will be closed windows. -Upon the posts were palm trees. These palm trees were ornamental and -artificial (xl:18). That palms are prominent in this millennial temple, -crowning first of all the high posts, which towered above all, so that -the palms were seen, is not without significance. Palms are the symbols -of victory. Branches of palm trees were also used during the celebration -of the feast of tabernacles, which dispensationally foreshadows the -millennial age of blessing and glory. And that is why palms are lifted -high above everything on the gateway pillars of the wall surrounding the -outer court. The time of blessing, victory, peace and glory has come. - -We follow the prophet now into the inner court. This court is smaller, -exactly one hundred cubits square (verse 47). In the center of this four -square court stands the great altar, eighteen cubits square and twelve -cubits high (chap. xliii:13-17). West of this great altar is a higher -terrace upon which the temple itself stands. The approach to this inner -court is also through three gates corresponding to the three gates in -the wall surrounding the outer court. We must notice, however, that -there are eight steps in connection with the gateways leading into this -inner court, while the gateways leading into the outer court had only -seven steps. The number eight is symbolical of the new covenant and the -new creation.[38] This great place of worship, by these eight steps, -which lead to the interior, has the mark of the new age, the age when -all things are made new. These gateways have also the little chambers -like in the gateways of the outer court. The prophet in his vision -entered by the South gate; then he came next to the East gate (verse -32), and finally to the North gate (verse 35); and these three gateways -had their arches, posts and palm trees upon the posts. All is -symmetrical. These three gateways are seen in line with the gateways of -the outer court, but the porches were not towards the inside, but at the -other end next to the outer court. In measurement and everything else -they correspond to the gateways leading into the outer court. - -[38] Seven days the priests had to take in their consecration; on the -_eighth_ day they entered upon their work. Circumcision was practised on -the _eighth_ day, symbolical of the death of Christ and the putting off -of the body of the flesh (Col. ii:1), the entrance into the new -creation. On the _eighth_ day Christ was transfigured and the -transfiguration is a type of His coming into the kingdom. The _eighth_ -psalm shows Him the head of the new creation, with all things under His -feet. - -The description of the great altar which stands in the middle of the -inner court is given later; we shall follow it when we come to the text. -The sacrifices are to be brought in this inner court and therefore we -find next the sacrificial tables mentioned on which the burnt offering, -the sin offering and the trespass offering will be slain. Two tables -were in the porch of the gate on this side and two on the other side. -Then at the steps of the gate on both sides were two tables, four tables -on the one side and four on the other. In all there are eight tables -whereupon to slay sacrifices. Besides these, there are four smaller -tables of hewn stone, especially for the burnt offering, whereupon they -also lay the instruments used in slaying the sacrifices. This gives 3x4 -tables--twelve which are grouped on both sides of the steps, along the -sides of the gateway and in the porch. On these tables the sacrifices -are slain, washed and otherwise prepared and the smaller tables are for -the instruments. Are these twelve tables only at one gate or at all the -gates? There is reason to believe that each of the gateways leading to -the inner courts is furnished with these sacrificial tables. If this is -correct we have again the significant numbers and combination 3x12, -corresponding to the guard-chambers at the three gateways, which also -are 3x12. - -Besides the chambers and the entries to the gates where they washed the -sacrifices (verse 38) there are without the inner gate chambers at each -gate for the singers and the priests (verses 44-46) who are the keepers -of the house. These chambers were evidently detached from the gateways -and yet near by. No measurement of these chambers is given. The inner -court itself was a hundred cubits square; in the outer was the great -altar. - - -V. The Vestibule of the Temple. - - And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post - of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that - side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, - and three cubits on that side. The length of the porch was twenty - cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and he brought me by the - steps whereby they went up to it: and there were pillars by the - posts, one on this side, and another on that side. - -These closing verses of this chapter introduce us to the temple -building. The prophet is brought in vision to the porch of the house. -The vestibule in which the prophet finds himself is twenty cubits long -and eleven cubits broad.[39] The number ten is here seen again two by -ten. The number of the steps leading up to the vestibule of the temple -are not given. Besides the posts of the vestibule there are two pillars -also, one on each side of the entrance gate, which remind us of the two -pillars "Jachin and Boaz" in Solomon's temple (1 Kings vii:21, 45). Many -of these details are obscure, their deeper and symbolical meaning -hidden. It would be an easy matter to make all kinds of spiritual -applications. As to such applications one has well said, "We need a -vigilant watch lest we pervert the holy Word of God; and I trust myself -to be reticent rather than thus offend." The construction the -measurements and arrangement tell out divine perfection. When at last -this great millennial temple is erected in Israel's land, it will be a -glorious witness for the Lord and as the central place of earthly -worship worthy of that coming age of peace and glory. - -[39] The Septuagint gives ten cubits instead of only eleven, which -probably is correct. - - -THE HOLY AND MOST HOLY. THE SIDE BUILDING AND THE INTERIOR. - -Chapter xli. - -The man with the measuring reed had gradually introduced in the vision -Ezekiel to the outer wall and outer and inner court of this great future -temple. The chambers, posts, gateways, sacrificial tables, etc., were -all described in detail and so the prophet was brought into the temple -vestibule (xl:48-49) to be led on into the temple itself. He beholds now -the Holy place, the Most Holy, the side buildings, the hinder buildings -and the interior of the temple. - - -I. The Holy Place and the Most Holy. - - Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six - cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other - side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. And the breadth of - the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits - on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured - the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits. - Then went he inward, and measured each post of the door, two cubits; - and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits. - So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, - twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the - most holy place (verses 1-4.) - -III. The Outer Court. - - Then brought he me into the outward court and, lo, there were - chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty - chambers were upon the pavement. And the pavement by the side of the - gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement. - Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate - unto the forefront of the inner court without, an hundred cubits - eastward and northward. And the gate of the outward court that - looked toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the - breadth thereof. And the little chambers thereof were three on this - side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches - thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length - thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. - And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, were - after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they - went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before - them. And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate - toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to - gate an hundred cubits. After that he brought me toward the south: - and behold a gate toward the south: and he measured the posts - thereof and the arches thereof according to these measures. And - there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about, like - those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and - twenty cubits. And there were seven steps to go up to it, and the - arches thereof were before them: and it had palm trees, one on this - side, and another on that side, upon the posts thereof. And there - was a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he measured from - gate to gate toward the south an hundred cubits (verses 17-27.) - -The man with the measuring line now leads the prophet into the outer -court itself. He had passed through the East gate and has now the vision -of the outer court. Here again he beholds chambers. The word used for -chamber is a different word from the one used in verses 7, 10, 12, 13, -16, 21, 29, 33 and 36. The chambers of the outer court are no longer -guard-rooms. The word used here is found in 1 Sam. ix:22, which was not -a small chamber by any means, inasmuch as thirty persons could be -accommodated. The word is used later for the chambers in which the -priests kept the tithes and offerings. Such chambers were in the temple -of Solomon. In the millennial temple they probably will serve the same -purpose. Then we read of a pavement made for the court round about. It -is a pavement of stones (see 2 Kings xvi:17; 2 Chron. vii:3; Esther -i:6--the same Hebrew word is used in these passages). This pavement, -probably in the form of a mosaic arrangement, covers the entire outer -court and of the chambers were thirty upon the pavement. Where are these -chambers located? Are they together or scattered over the entire outer -court? We believe they will be located alongside of each gateway, two on -the side of the East gate, two at the North gate and two at the South -gate. This seems to be the correct location, for the prophet in having -stepped through the gateway into the outer court sees these chambers -first, so that they must have been at the entrance gate. The measurement -follows and the North gate and South gate are described. They compare in -every way to the East gate, each having its seven steps, its little -chambers (guard-chambers) its posts and palm trees. - - -IV. The Inner Court, the Sacrificial Tables and the Chambers. - - And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he - measured the south gate according to these measures; And the little - chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, - according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in the - arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and - twenty cubits broad. And the arches round about were five and twenty - cubits long, and five cubits broad. And the arches thereof were - toward the outer court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof: - and the going up to it had eight steps. And he brought me into the - inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to - these measures. And the little chambers thereof, and the posts - thereof, and the arches thereof, were according to these measures: - and there were windows therein and in the arches thereof round - about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad. - And the arches thereof were toward the outward court; and palm trees - were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the - going up to it had eight steps. And he brought me to the north gate, - and measured it according to these measures; The little chambers - thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows - to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five - and twenty cubits. And the posts thereof were toward the outer - court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and - on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps. And the - chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, - where they washed the burnt offering. And in the porch of the gate - were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay - thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass - offering. And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of - the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at - the porch of the gate, were two tables. Four tables were on this - side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight - tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices. And the four tables - were of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half - long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon - also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt - offering and the sacrifice. And within were hooks, an hand broad, - fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the - offering. And without the inner gate were the chambers of the - singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; - and their prospect was toward the south: one at the side of the east - gate having the prospect toward the north. And he said unto me, This - chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the - keepers of the charge of the house. And the chamber, whose prospect - is toward the north, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge - of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, - which come near to the Lord to minister unto him. So he measured the - court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, - foursquare; and the altar that was before the house (verses 28-47). - -The first two verses give the measurement of the Holy part. Of the -contents of this part, how it was furnished, nothing is said; only the -measurement is mentioned. The place is forty cubits long and twenty -cubits broad. In this respect it corresponds to the temple of Solomon in -which the Holy place had the same dimensions, while the same part in the -wilderness tabernacle was only twenty cubits by ten cubits. We find -therefore that the Holy part in the temple of Solomon and Ezekiel's -temple is double the size of the Holy part of the tabernacle. There is a -door which leads from the vestibule into this Holy place and at both -sides are door posts, six cubits broad on the one side and six on the -other; between these two posts is the door, the breadth of which is ten -cubits.[40] The number twelve is again in evidence in these two posts, -twice six. Inasmuch as the wall (verse 5) is six cubits thick these two -posts are probably a part of the wall surrounding the temple. Later we -receive the additional information that the waters issued from under the -threshold of the house eastward, the seer being at this door (xlvii:1). - -[40] The words "which was the breadth of the tabernacle" are by some -declared doubtful. The Septuagint has omitted them. - -Then the man went inward, into the Most Holy. This was a perfect square -twenty cubits long and twenty broad. Let us notice that the prophet here -does not enter the place, for it is the Most Holy, the dwelling place of -Jehovah. - -The man entered in alone, while the prophet remained outside. There was -a door six cubits high and seven cubits broad. The breadth of the door -leading into the Holy part was ten cubits, but the door leading into the -Most Holy was seven cubits broad, the number which denotes divine -perfection. The description of the interior of the temple is given in -verses 15-26. - - -II. The Side Buildings. - - After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth - of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every - side. And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty - in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for - the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they - had not hold in the wall of the house. And there was an enlarging, - and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the - winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: - therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and so - increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst. I saw - also the height of the house round about: the foundations of the - side chambers were a full reed of six great cubits. The thickness of - the wall, which was for the side chamber without, was five cubits: - and that which was left was the place of the side chambers that were - within. And between the chambers was the wideness of twenty cubits - round about the house on every side. And the doors of the side - chambers were toward the place that was left, one door toward the - north, and another door toward the south: and the breadth of the - place that was left was five cubits round about (verses 5-11). - -He measured first the wall which surrounded the Holy and the Most Holy -part. This wall was six cubits. Then there are side chambers. Such side -chambers were also in the temple of Solomon (1 Kings vi:5). There are -three stories and each contains thirty chambers, so there are ninety -chambers in all. These three stories with the ninety chambers surrounded -the temple on its three sides, the North, West and South sides, the East -side being the vestibule and entrance into the temple; no side chambers -are found above this entrance. These side chambers enter into the wall, -that they might have hold and still they have not hold of the wall -itself. In this also the temple corresponds to the arrangement of -Solomon's temple. 1 Kings vi:6 explains the construction of these -chambers: "On the outside he made rebatements in the wall of the house -round about, that the beams should not have hold in the wall of the -house." The side chambers in the Solomonic temple were fastened on the -house with timber of cedar (1 Kings vi:10). This probably explains the -meaning of the attachment of these three stories of chambers in -Ezekiel's temple. The side chambers must therefore be considered as an -addition to the wall itself which surrounds the Holy and Most Holy. We -do not know what will be the use of these ninety chambers in the -millennial temple. The seventh verse shows that the stories of this -addition to the wall, containing the chambers, have galleries round -about. And the gallery of the second story is broader than the gallery -of the first, and the gallery of the third is broader than the second -story, so that this annex broadens upward. The expression "winding -about" has led some of the few expositors of these chapters to identify -with the winding stairs of the Solomonic temple (1 Kings vi:8); but this -is incorrect. The text does not mention a staircase at all. A better -rendering of verse 8 is: "And I saw that the house had an elevation -round about, the foundations of the side chambers, a full reed, six -cubits to the joint."[41] There was then a raised basement on the three -sides of the temple and the six cubits correspond to the ten steps -(xl:49) marking the height of the elevation. Verse 9 shows that the -thickness of the wall, which was for the side chambers without was five -cubits, besides this there was a free place along the building. "And -between the chambers (and the house) was a width of twenty cubits round -about the house on every side." This afforded the proper light for these -chambers. "And the entry of the side chambers was toward what was left -free, one entry toward the North, and one entry toward the South; and -the width of the space left free was five cubits round about." The side -chambers were therefore entered from the outside. - -[41] i. e., To the level place where the side chambers begin. - - -III. The Hinder Building--The Total Measurement. - - Now the building that was before the separate place at the end - toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the - building was five cubits thick round about, and the length thereof - ninety cubits. So he measured the house, an hundred cubits long; and - the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, an - hundred cubits long; also the breadth of the face of the house, and - of the separate place toward the east, an hundred cubits. And he - measured the length of the building over against the separate place - which was behind it, and the galleries thereof on the one side and - on the other side, an hundred cubits, with the inner temple, and the - porches of the court (verses 12-15). - -Here a new building comes into view which is behind the temple building -toward the West. Its dimensions are seventy cubits broad, ninety cubits -long and the wall is five cubits in thickness round about. The use of -this building is not stated. Its use is probably for the disposal of the -refuse from the sacrifices and other unclean things. No other -description is given of this hinder building, this separate place. -Verses 12 and 14 give the total measurement of the house, a hundred -cubits, which is the total of the previously given measures. - - -IV. The Interior of the Temple Described. - - The thresholds, and the closed windows, and the galleries round - about on their three stories, over against the door, ceiled with - wood round about, and from the ground up to the windows, and the - windows were covered; to that above the entry, even unto the inner - house, and without, and by all the wall round about within and - without, all was by measure. And it was made with cherubim and palm - trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and - every cherub had two faces; so that the face of a man was toward the - palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the - palm tree on the other side: it was made through all the house round - about. From the ground unto above the door were cherubim and palm - trees made, and on the wall of the temple. The posts of the temple - were squared, and the front of the sanctuary had the same - appearance. The altar was of wood three cubits high, and the length - thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, - and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is - the table that is before the Lord. And the temple and the sanctuary - had two doors. And the doors had two leaves, two turning leaves; two - leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other door. And - there were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubim and - palm trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there was a wooden - portal in front of the porch without. And closed windows and palm - trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the - porch, and upon the side chambers of the house, and the portals[42] - (verses 16-26). - -[42] Corrected text. - -From verse 16 we learn that all was wainscoted with wood. The altar was -also of wood. It is significant that silver and gold, so prominent in -the tabernacle in the wilderness and in Solomon's temple, are entirely -absent in the millennial temple. The words "silver and gold" are not -mentioned once in Ezekiel xl-xlviii. Silver typifies grace in -redemption, being the ransom money. Gold typifies divine righteousness. -Both are absent in the millennial temple for what the silver and gold -foreshadows is now realized in His redeemed earthly people. The heavenly -Jerusalem has gold in it, but silver is not mentioned in the description -of the city in Revelation xxi. - -The chief ornaments in this temple are cherubim and palm trees; they -were along the wall of the temple. So it was in the temple of Solomon. -"And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved -figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers within and without" -(1 Kings vi:29). - -A palm tree was between cherub and cherub. As stated in the previous -chapter palms are the emblems of victory and remind us of the feast of -tabernacles. They were seen high above on the posts. Cherubim speak of -the presence of the Lord, who enters this house and is worshipped here. -But the cherubim here have only two faces and not four as in the opening -vision of this book (chapter i:10-12). As often stated, these celestial -beings tell out the Lord Jesus Christ in His personal glory. The lion, -His kingly glory; the face of a man, His true humanity; the face of an -ox, His servant character; and the face of an eagle. His heavenly origin -and destiny, Son of God. It is not without meaning that the face of a -man and the face of a young lion are seen on these cherubim and each -face looks upon a palm tree. Its symbolical meaning is obvious. The Lord -Jesus Christ has come again and visited the earth and the temple and -appeared as the glorified Man and the Lion of the tribe of Judah. His is -the victory and the glory. When at last this temple stands in Israel's -land, and its meaning and measurements, as well as other details, are -fully known and understood, it will be known then that His blessed work, -victory and person are symbolically seen throughout this house. - -The altar was of wood, three cubits high and two cubits long. "And he -said unto me, This is the table which is before Jehovah." The altar is -the altar of incense. The burnt offering altar is described in chapter -xliii:13, etc. In the tabernacle and Solomon's temple the altar of -incense was overlaid with gold. Note also the difference in the -measurement. The altar of incense in the tabernacle was two cubits high -and one cubit long and broad; the altar in the future temple is three -cubits high and two cubits long, nearly double in size. The incense -offered upon the altar is the symbol of the fragrance Christ is to God. -It also typifies praise and prayer (Ps. cxli:2; Rev. v:8; viii:3); being -communion with God it is here called "the table which is before -Jehovah." How great will be the fragrance of Christ, and the praise and -worship God will receive, in this great house of worship! - -There were also two doors for the sanctuary with two turning leaves. -They were ornamented, like the walls, with cherubim and palm trees. - - -THE CELLS FOR THE PRIESTS. - -Chapter xlii. - -This chapter gives the description of the chambers or cells of the -priests and closes with the final measurements of this temple. After -this, as recorded in the next chapter, the prophet beheld the return of -the glory of the Lord and how He entered the house. - - -I. The Description of the Cells for the Priests. - - Then he brought me forth into the outer court, the way toward the - north: and he brought me into the cells that was over against the - separate place, and which was before the building toward the north. - Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and the - breadth was fifty cubits. Over against the twenty cubits which - pertained to the inner court, and over against the pavement which - pertained to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in three - stories. And before the cells was a walk of ten cubits breadth - inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north. Now - the upper cells were shorter: for the galleries were higher than - these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building. For - they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of - the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than the - lowest and the middlemost from the ground. And the wall that was - without over against the cells, toward the outer court on the - forepart of the cells, the length thereof was fifty cubits: For the - length of the cells that were in the outer court was fifty cubits: - and, lo, before the temple were an hundred cubits. And from under - these cells was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them - from the outer court. The cells were in the thickness of the wall of - the court toward the east, over against the separate place, and over - against the building. And the way before them was like the - appearance of the cells which were toward the north, as long as - they, and as broad as they: and all their goings out were both - according to their fashions, and according to their doors. And - according to the doors of the cells, that were toward the south was - a door in the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall - toward the east, as one entereth into them (verses 1-12). - -Once more the man leads forth the prophet. The Holy part and the Most -Holy had been measured and described and now he leaves the innermost -part and is led again into the outer court. He goes on towards the North -and faces a cell-building over against the separate place. This separate -place is the hinder building described in chapter xli:12. There are -three such cell-buildings, one on the North and the other on the South; -that is, facing the two sides of the hinder building in the separate -place. The third cell-building is at the East-gate. The entrance to -these cell buildings is from the outer court. The measurement given -presents considerable difficulty which we do not attempt to solve. Each -of these buildings has three stories and before each is a walk of ten -cubits. We also learn that the upper story of cells is shorter than the -first and second stories; this corresponds in architecture to the side -buildings described in chapter xli:5-11. How many cells or chambers are -in each of these buildings is not stated. - - -II. For What the Cells are Used. - - Then said he unto me, The north cells and the south chambers, which - are before the separate place, they be holy cells, where the priests - that approach unto the Lord shall eat the most holy things: there - shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the - sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy. When - the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy - place into the outer court, but there they shall lay their garments - wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other - garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the - people (verses 13-14). - -The cells on the North and South, facing the separate place are -especially mentioned as being holy chambers. Here the priests who -approach unto the Lord are to eat the most holy things and there they -shall lay the most holy things, the meal offering, the sin offering and -the trespass offering. They were set apart for this purpose. For this -reason at the end of these two cell-buildings towards the west were the -places where the offerings were boiled and the meal offering baked. They -were the kitchens of the priests. Of this we read in chapter xlvi:19, -20: "Then he brought me through the passage which was at the side of the -gate, into the holy cells which were for the priests, which looked -toward the North; and behold a place was there at the end westward. And -he said unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the -trespass offering and the sin offering and where they shall bake the -meal offering, that they bring them not out into the outer court, so as -to hallow the people." In these chambers they put the garments of their -ministry. The priests are not to wear their holy garments outside of the -inner court lest they should be profaned. Why these Levitical ordinances -are maintained in the millennial temple with a priesthood still -ministering, the purpose of all this, we shall take up more fully in the -exposition of the chapters which follow. - - -III. Final Measurement. - - Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought - me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and - measured it round about. He measured the east side with the - measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round - about. He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the - measuring reed round about. He measured the south side, five hundred - reeds, with the measuring reed round about. He measured the south - side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed. He turned about - to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring - reed. He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, - five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a - separation between the sanctuary and the profane place (verses - 15-20). - -The measuring of the inner house completed, the prophet is led back to -the starting point, the gate that is toward the East. In this final -measurement four times five hundred reeds are mentioned. The east side, -north side, south side, and west side, each is measured as being five -hundred reeds. This passage has occasioned much controversy. The -question is if five hundred cubits or five hundred reeds is correct. If -we take the reed to be ten feet it would mean that the temple is five -thousand feet on each side. But that seems impossible in view of the -previous measurement. The Septuagint translators realized this -difficulty and took the liberty of changing the word "reeds" to -"cubits." If cubits is right then it would agree with all the previous -measurements, hence many of the commentators have changed the reeds to -cubits. But what authority is there to make this change? The Hebrew word -for reeds is "_gonim_" and cubit is "_ammah_," two entirely different -words. A copyist's error is therefore excluded. We maintain that -measurement is five hundred reeds and that the text is correct. - -But what is measured? Certainly not the temple area with its wall, outer -court and Holy and the Most Holy. What is measured here is the territory -which surrounds the whole temple buildings. If we retrace the steps of -the man who measured and led along Ezekiel we see him leaving the Most -Holy; they then go back into the Holy part, the outer court and then -passing through the eastern gate through which they had entered, they -are both outside of the outer wall. They are now in a very large space -surrounding the temple buildings, and this space is measured. -Furthermore we find that there was an immense wall surrounding this -enclosure: this wall separated between that which is holy and what is -common (verse 20). Another difficulty has been mentioned by expositors -if this measurement of five hundred reeds is correct. They say it is far -too large for Mount Moriah, the chosen place of the temple. There is no -difficulty here at all, for we read, "And it shall come to pass in the -last days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in -the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all -nations shall flow unto it" (Isa. ii:2). When the Lord returns and His -Kingdom will be established great physical changes take place in -Israel's land, changes which no one can fully understand.[43] The -mountain upon which this temple is to be built is a very high mountain, -which comes into existence when the earth and the heavens will be -shaken. The temple was a holy square of five hundred cubits, in another -square of five hundred reeds. Later we shall find that there is another -holy portion of the land which surrounds the temple, and the territory -of five hundred reeds square, and that portion was of an extremely large -dimension, that is, twenty-five thousand reeds in length and ten -thousand reeds in breadth.[44] All this would not be possible in the -present Palestine; but it will be made possible through the changes of -that coming day (Is. ii:12; xxiv:3-4; 19-23). - -[43] See Zech. xiv:4, 8, 10. - -[44] Chapter xlv:1-2. - - -THE RETURNING GLORY. THE ALTAR AND THE WORSHIP. - -Chapter xliii. - -The plan of the entire temple with its buildings, walls and the -surrounding territory having been revealed and fully recorded in the -preceding chapters, greater things are now shown to the prophet. It -concerns the temple and the service which is to be maintained in this -magnificent house of worship. In the present chapter we find first a -description of the return of the glory of the Lord to the house, filling -the house. This is followed by a message delivered by the Lord; speaking -out of the house; the message is addressed to the prophet, who is also -to speak to the house of Israel concerning their condition and the law -of the house. The dimensions of the great altar are given and how that -altar is to be consecrated. This is the first great service in this -temple. - - -I. The Return of the Glory of the Lord. - - Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh - toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came - from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many - waters: and the earth shined with his glory. And it was according to - the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the - vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions - were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon - my face. And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of - the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me - up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of - the Lord filled the house (verses 1-5). - -The man leads him back to the eastern gate through which they had -entered first when the house was measured. And here he beholds a -startling event. Up to this point the house with it buildings had been -seen in silent grandeur. No sound was heard; nothing was seen. But as -they stand at the gate toward the east, suddenly the glory of the God of -Israel came from the way of the east. Then the voice of Jehovah was -heard as the sound of many waters and the earth shined with His glory. -The dedication of the house by the return of the Lord with His glory is -now to take place. Thus the tabernacle in the wilderness was dedicated -(Exodus xl:34-35). "A cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the -glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." The same happened when Solomon -had finished the temple. "The cloud filled the house of the Lord, so -that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for -the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord" (1 Kings viii:10-11; -2 Chron. v:13, 14; vii:1-3). The Lord with His glory entered into these -prepared places and in like manner He will enter the great temple -Ezekiel beheld in his prophetic vision. Such a return of the glory of -the God of Israel to dwell in another temple has not yet taken place. -When the returned remnant after the proclamation of Cyrus had rebuilt -the temple, no cloud filled the house nor was the glory of the Lord -seen. Some apply this vision to the time when our Lord was on earth and -that it was fulfilled when He entered the temple. This needs no further -refutation, but it shows how much at sea expositors of the Word of God -are who reject the future restoration of Israel. When the Lord was on -earth He had laid His visible glory by and was rejected by the nation. -This vision of glory will be fulfilled when He returns the second time -in power and glory; then and never before will this visible glory be -displayed and His glory will shine over Israel's land and finally cover -the earth as the waters cover the deep. - -We must notice here especially that the vision the prophet beheld was -"according to the appearance of the vision" he saw before the -destruction of the city "the visions were like the visions" which he saw -"by the river Chebar." This points back to the first chapter when first -by the river Chebar the heavens were opened to Ezekiel the priest, and -he saw visions of God. At the close of that chapter we read after the -recorded vision, "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory -of the Lord." The same vision of glory appeared again to him when -Ezekiel had left the river Chebar and gone into the plain (iii:22-23). -Then he had witnessed the gradual and solemn departure of the glory of -the Lord. "Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of -the house, and stood over the cherubim. And the cherubim lifted up their -wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight.... They stood at the -door of the east gate of the house of the Lord, and the glory of the God -of Israel was over them above" (x:18-19). Then finally the Shekinah went -up and disappeared. "And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of -the city and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the -city" (xi:22). - -The similarity of the departure of the glory of the Lord from the temple -before its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar and its future return to the -temple of Ezekiel's vision is most interesting. It is the same glory -which departed, which returns; it is the same Lord who resumes -relationship with His earthly people. The withdrawal of the visible -glory of the Lord meant the departure of His gracious presence from -among His people, which was followed by judgment. The return of the -visible glory means the return of His gracious presence among them and -that the judgment, which has lasted so long, is forever gone. The -departure of the glory was through the east gate and was finally seen -upon the mountain at the east side of the city; the return is from the -way of the east and the glory of the Lord enters through the east gate. -But it is not only a visible glory, but the Lord Himself is in the -Shekinah. Ezekiel beheld above the firmament and the cherubim, when he -saw the glory of the Lord at the river Chebar, he heard His voice. And -here also His voice is mentioned "like the sound of many waters." From -verses 6 and 7 we learn that after the glory had entered the house the -Lord addressed the prophet out of the house. - -The Lord Himself in all His glory is manifested and enters the temple, -the place of His rest and glory. The cherubim will be seen in person and -from the New Testament we learn that angels will be with Him also. His -glory will then cover Israel's land and the earth. "His glory covered -the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. And His brightness -was as the light; He had bright beams out of His side[45] and there was -the hiding of His power." This is how Habakkuk describes the same -manifestation of the glory of the Lord and the coming of the Lord of -glory (see Isaiah xl:5; lviii:8; lx:1-2; lxvi:18). Isaiah's great vision -may be viewed as foreshadowing this manifestation of His glory. He saw -the Lord sitting upon a throne and His train filled the temple. The -seraphim cried one unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord -of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory. And as the prophet was -cleansed and his iniquity taken away and became the messenger of the -Lord (Is. vi), so the nation Israel will be cleansed and forgiven and -become the messenger of Jehovah.[46] - -[45] Marginal reading. - -[46] Such an application seems warranted in view of the message Ezekiel -received from the Lord to the people (verses 6-12). - -When the Spirit had transported the prophet into the inner court of the -temple, he discovered that the glory of the Lord filled the house. We -repeat it, no such thing happened when the returned Jewish remnant had -entered the temple. When the old men, who had seen the Solomonic temple -and knew of its glory, beheld the foundation of the second temple they -wept (Ezra iii:12). When the house was dedicated no glory returned, no -cloud was seen, no shekinah filled the house. Nor is it a spiritual -glory, the glory of the church, as so many seem to believe. - -But Haggai, who with Zechariah prophesied during the rebuilding of the -temple, uttered a significant prophecy while that second house was -building--a prophecy which must be linked with Ezekiel's vision of the -returning glory: "For thus saith the Lord of Hosts: yet once it is a -little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, -and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all -nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory" (Haggai -ii:6-7). This was not the house they were building. It is a future -house, a future temple. That house will be built when the heavens and -the earth are being shaken, when all nations shake and when the Desire -of all nations, the King of glory, the Prince of Peace, our Lord comes. -Then this house will be filled with glory. - -It will be a visible glory. It will be a permanent glory. He will now -dwell gloriously in the midst of the children of Israel (verse 7). This -visible glory will be seen over Jerusalem, like as it was of old, a -cloud by day and a shining, flaming fire by night. "And Jehovah will -create over every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and over its -convocations a cloud by day and a smoke and the brightness of a flame of -fire by night, for over all the glory shall be a covering" (Is. iv:5). - - -II. The Voice from the Temple and the Message to Israel. - - And I heard one speaking unto me out of the house; and a man stood - by me. And he said unto me, Son of man, this is the place of my - throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in - the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, - shall the house of Israel no more defile, they, nor their kings, - with their fornication, and with the carcases of their kings in - their high places. In that they set their threshold by my threshold, - and their post by my post, and there was only a wall between me and - them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that - they have committed: and I consumed them in mine anger. Now let them - put away their fornication and the carcases of their kings, far from - me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever. Thou son of man, - shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of - their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. And if they be - ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, - and the fashion thereof, and its goings out, and its comings in, and - all its forms, and all the ordinances, and all the forms thereof, - and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may - keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do - them. This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the - whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is - the law of the house (verses 6-12). - -The Glory of the Lord and the Lord of Glory had entered the house, -filling it; and now the voice of one is heard out of the house. The -speaker is the Lord Himself, who had made His dwelling place in the -temple (see also xlvi:20, 24; xlvii:6, 8). The man who stood by Ezekiel -did not speak, as some expositors claim. He is only guide to the prophet -(xliv:1, 4; xlvi:19, 21). He is probably not the same person, who as -the measuring man had accompanied the prophet, for the Hebrew is not -"the man" "stood by me," but "a man." This person, no doubt an angel, is -silent, waiting till the Lord has spoken and then leads the prophet from -place to place. - -The first word which the Lord addressed to Ezekiel from the house is -significant: "Son of Man, this is the place of my throne, and the place -of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the children -of Israel forever." Of old the Lord dwelt in the midst of the children -of Israel. Thus we read in the book of Exodus, the book of redemption: -"I will dwell among the children of Israel, and I will be their God, and -they shall know that I am Jehovah their God that brought them forth out -of the land of Egypt that I may dwell among them" (Ex. xxix:45, 46). And -now after the long and sad history of Israel's apostasy, blindness, -judgment and dispersion is ended, He comes to make His dwelling place in -their midst again and establishes in Jerusalem His throne. Here He will -dwell and bless His people. Of this Psalm cxxxii speaks, "This is my -rest forever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it." And other -prophets announced that the Lord would dwell in Zion in the midst of His -people and establish His throne there (Joel iii:17, 21; Zech. ii:10, 11; -viii:3, 8). His rest then will be glorious (Is. xi:10). When that time -comes and the Lord of Glory has come back to earth again, all the -promised blessings for Israel, the nations and for all creation will be -realized. - -Then His holy name will no longer be defiled and the nation will be -ashamed of all their past history of rebellion and abomination.[47] The -prophet is therefore commanded to set before the people the house in -its measured pattern, so that they might know what a gracious Lord has -prepared for them, what He will yet do for His people. It is to lead -them to repentance, to acknowledgement of their guilt and shame over -their iniquities. Such will be the case in the day of their restoration -when these things will be accomplished. - -[47] "The carcases of their kings" may either mean that some of their -idolatrous kings had been buried within the bounds of the Solomonic -temple, or, the word kings may refer to their idols, which had dominion -over them (Is. xxvi:13). The latter may be the right meaning for the -high place mentioned. - -When this house on the top of the mountain is established all will be -most holy. His people will be righteous and holy and all Jerusalem with -this sanctuary will be holy unto the Lord (Zech. xiv:20-21). This is -"the Most Holy" of Daniel's prophecy (Dan. ix) to be anointed when the -last prophetic week of seven years has expired. - - -III. The Measurement and the Ordinances of the Altar. - - And these are the measures of the altar in cubits: The cubit is a - cubit and an hand breadth: The bottom was a cubit, and the breadth a - cubit, and its border thereof on the edge thereof round about shall - be a span: and this was the base of the altar. And from the bottom - upon the ground to the lower settle was two cubits, and the breadth - a cubit; and from the small settle to the great settle four cubits, - and the breadth a cubit. So the altar was four cubits; and from the - hearth of God and upward were four horns. And the hearth of God was - twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four sides thereof. - And the settle was fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the - four sides thereof; and the border about it half a cubit; and the - bottom thereof a cubit about; and its steps shall look toward the - east. And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: - These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall - make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood - thereon. And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of - the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, - saith the Lord Jehovah, a young bullock for a sin offering. And thou - shalt take of its blood, and put it on the four horns of it, and on - the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: - thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it. Thou shalt take the bullock of - the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of - the house, without the sanctuary. And on the second day thou shalt - offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and - they shall purge the altar, as they did purge it with the bullock. - When thou hast made an end of purging it, thou shalt offer a young - bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish. - And thou shalt offer them before Jehovah, and the priests shall cast - salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering - unto Jehovah. Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a - sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out - of the flock, without blemish. Seven days shall they purge the altar - and purify it; and they shall consecrate it. And when these days are - expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day and so forward, the - priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your - peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord Jehovah - (verses 13-27). - -The altar which is now described in its measurement, was previously -mentioned in chapter xl:47. The altar according to this description, is -composed of four square layers (probably stones) one above another, -decreasing in extent and increasing in thickness; the top is a square of -twelve cubits. This is called "the altar hearth" or "the hearth of God." -The three words translated in the authorized version by altar are not -the same in the original. In verse 13 the word is "mizbeach." This word -is used many times in the Hebrew Bible; it means "slaughter-place." In -verse 15 two words are used which are nowhere else found in connection -with an altar. The one is "_Harel_" which means "the mountain of God;" -and the other "_Ariel_" the meaning of this is different from Ariel in -Isa. xxix:1[48] when it is used for Jerusalem as "the lion of God." -Gesenius translated it "the hearth," and still better is "the hearth of -God." Upward from this hearth were four horns. The Septuagint gives the -height of these horns as one cubit each. While in Exodus xx:25 steps are -prohibited for the altar, this altar has steps which look toward the -east. This great burnt offering altar, standing in the center of the -inner court before the house, will be the central place of worship in -this future temple. - -[48] The word "Ariel" as used in Ezekiel has one more letter than the -word in Isaiah xxix. - -The ordinances of this burnt offering altar in that future day are given -to the prophet, the Lord Jehovah addressing Ezekiel as "Son of Man." -Burnt offerings will be brought upon it and blood sprinkled. The -priests, the Levites of the seed of Zadok[49] will minister unto the -Lord Jehovah. What is first described is a kind of consecration or -dedication of this burnt offering altar, after which the general -sacrifices begin (verse 27). First a young bullock is brought for a sin -offering and the blood is applied to the altar and the four horns. For -seven days these offerings for purging and cleansing continue and with -the eighth day the burnt offerings and peace offerings are to be made by -the people. - -[49] Zadok means "just." He was the successor of Abiathar in the -priesthood--the son of Ahitub of the family of Eleazar (2 Sam. viii:17; -1 Kings ii:27, 35). - -But what do these ordinances mean? Here are priests again standing -before an altar, bringing bloody sacrifices, burnt offerings, sin -offerings and peace offerings. Is this to be taken literally also? Some -expositors have stated that all this had a meaning in the past and could -only be true in connection with the second temple. Others attempt to -read into it a spiritual meaning. All, or nearly all commentators think -it inconceivable that such sacrifices could ever be brought again in a -future temple. Those expositors who combat the premillennial coming of -the Lord and the literal restoration of Israel, consider the supposed -impossibility of a satisfactory explanation of this part of Ezekiel's -visions, the collapse of the premillennial argument. - -Sacrifices of bulls and goats were brought by Israel in their past -history; the Lord commanded His people to do this. Every Christian -knows that these sacrifices foreshadowed the work of Christ, His great -sacrifice on the Cross. In themselves these sacrifices Israel brought -could not take away sins, nor give rest to the conscience, nor could -they make the worshipper perfect. The Epistle to the Hebrews -demonstrates this fully. - -All these sacrifices had a prospective character, looking forward to the -work of the Cross. And when the Lamb of God died, when His blessed lips -uttered the never-to-be-forgotten words, "It is finished," and God's -hand rent the veil from top to bottom, the prospective character of -these sacrifices were forever ended. The new and living way into God's -presence, into the Holiest, had been made by His blood. During this age -Israel has no temple and all their Levitical ordinances can no longer be -practised by them. As Hosea declared they are without a sacrifice (Hos. -iii:4). - -God, during this age, our present age, which began with the rejection of -Christ by Israel and ends with His Return, is gathering a heavenly -people, the church. The church has for its worship no earthly place, no -temple, but worships in spirit and in truth, in a heavenly sanctuary. -There are no sacrifices, priests, altars, in connection with the true -church, the body of Christ. Christ is all. He is the sacrifice, the -priest, and the altar. That the enemy has produced upon Christian ground -a ritualism which is aped after the Jewish system and which denies as -such the Gospel and Christianity, is well known. They have invented -altars, and sacrifices and priests. This is the Judaizing of the church, -"the other Gospel which is not another," upon which the Spirit of God -has pronounced the curse of God (Gal. i). The day is coming when the -Lord will deal in judgment with the apostate church which denies His Son -and His work, while His true church will be taken to the place which He -has prepared. - -When the true church is no longer on earth and the apostate church is -left behind to plunge into the great apostasy, then the Jews will -partially be restored in unbelief. When they get back to the land they -will put up another temple in which they bring again bloody sacrifices. -These will be an abomination in the sight of God. Let us hear what -Isaiah reveals about this time: "Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is my -throne and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye will -build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things -hath mine hand made and all those things have been, saith the Lord. But -to this man will I look, that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and -trembleth at my word. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he -that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth -an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as -if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their -soul delighteth in their abomination" (Isaiah lxvi:1-3). The entire last -chapter of Isaiah shows that the future is in view. The Jews have -returned to their land and have resumed their ancient worship. In their -midst is also a believing remnant (verse 5) who suffer and are cast out. -The Lord looking down from heaven and beholding the sacrifices they -bring despises them, for they are an abomination in His sight, because -they reject Christ and His sacrifice. This temple worship will be made -possible by the coming prince, the little horn of Daniel vii, who will -make a covenant with the unbelieving portion of the nation. In the -middle of the last seven years (Dan. ix:26) he will break that covenant. -Then appears the beast out of the earth (Rev. xiii:11), the false -Messiah, and takes his place in that temple, demanding divine worship, -claiming to be God (2 Thess. ii). - -At the end of the three and one-half years which constitute the great -tribulation, the Lord is suddenly manifested. Of this Isaiah speaks -also. The unbelieving Jews sneer at the believing remnant: "Let the Lord -be glorified!" The Spirit of God gives them the assurance, "but He shall -appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed." "A voice of noise from -the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth -recompense to His enemies" (verse 6). These words describe His -manifestation. After this comes the restoration of Israel. The apostates -who worshipped the Beast will be punished. The temple Ezekiel describes -will then be built and Israel is now at last the kingdom of priests and -a holy nation (Exod. xix:6). The new covenant promised to them will then -be ratified (Jere. xxxi:31-34). - -Their great temple will be more than their place of worship; it will be -a house of prayer for all nations. Let us listen again to Isaiah's great -testimony. "The sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, -to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, -every one that keepeth the Sabbath[50] from polluting it, and taketh -hold of my covenant; even them (Gentiles) will I bring to my holy -mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt -offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for -mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. The Lord -God who gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others -to him, beside those that are gathered unto Him" (Is. lvi:6-8). All this -has nothing to do with the church or the present dispensation of grace. -It is a prophecy of the kingdom, the age to come, the dispensation of -the fullness of times. - -[50] The sects, like Seventh Day Baptists, Adventists, etc., quote this -passage. They are utterly wrong for this has nothing whatever to do with -the present age. - -So let us understand that the millennial temple will be the great center -of earthly worship during the reign of the King of Kings. In that temple -sacrifices will be brought again. The ancient worship of Israel will be -resumed and that in a way as Israel never enjoyed it in the past. To -deny the literalness of these sacrifices does violence to the Word of -God. Ezekiel is not the only prophet who tells us of this. One of the -strongest passages is found in Jeremiah. Speaking of the coming reign of -Christ, Jeremiah tells us, "In those days shall Judah be saved and -Jerusalem shall dwell safely, and this is the name wherewith she shall -be called, The Lord our Righteousness. For thus saith the Lord, David -shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel. -Neither shall the priests, the Levites want a man before Me to offer -burnt offerings, and to kindle meal offerings, and to do sacrifice -continually" (Jere. xxxiii:15-18). Why then should it be an impossible -thing that literal sacrifices are brought again? - -But what is the meaning and the purpose of these animal sacrifices? The -answer is quite simple. While the sacrifices Israel brought once had a -prospective meaning, the sacrifices brought in the millennial temple -have a retrospective meaning. When during this age God's people worship -in the appointed way at His table, with the bread and wine as the -memorial of His love, it is a retrospect. We look back to the Cross. We -show forth His death. It is "till He comes." Then this memorial feast -ends forever. Never again will the Lord's Supper be kept after the -Saints of God have left the earth to be with the Lord in glory. The -resumed sacrifices will be the memorial of the Cross and the whole -wonderful story of the redemption for Israel and the nations of the -earth, during the kingdom reign of Christ. And what a memorial it will -be! What a meaning these sacrifices will have! They will bring to a -living remembrance everything of the past. The retrospect will produce -the greatest scene of worship, of praise and adoration this earth has -ever seen. All the Cross meant and the Cross has accomplished will be -recalled and a mighty "Hallelujah Chorus" will fill the earth and the -heavens. The sacrifices will constantly remind the peoples of the earth -of Him who died for Israel, who paid the redemption price for all -creation and whose glory now covers the earth as the waters cover the -deep. And above in the New Jerusalem, where the throne of the Lamb is, -the Saints in glory sing their Hallelujah (Ps. cxlix:5). - - -I. The Outer Eastern Gate and the Prince. - -Chapter xliv. - - Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary - which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the Lord - unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man - shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath - entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; - the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he - shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out - by the way of the same (verses 1-3). - -In the previous chapter the prophet was in the inner court (xliii:5). It -was there he heard the voice of the Lord and received the message and -saw the great altar and its ordinances. From the inner court he is led -back by the man to the eastern gate. This gate he finds no longer open. -As they arrived it was shut. The last time that gate was seen it was -open, and the glory of the Lord entered through this eastern gateway. -The reason why this gate is to be shut is stated by the Lord in His -address to Ezekiel. "Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be -shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because -the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore shall it -be shut." The Lord who entered with His glory is the Son of God, the -Lord Jesus Christ, and here His full glory is made known. He is the -Lord, the God of Israel, He "whose goings forth have been from of old, -from everlasting" (Micah v:2). The gate is now to serve another purpose. -"It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread -before the Lord; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, -and shall go out by the way of the same." Who is this prince? Some say -that this prince is the Lord Himself. Our Lord is repeatedly called a -prince (Isaiah ix:6, 7, lv:4[51]; Dan. ix:25; Rev. i:5). In chapters -xxxiv and xxxvii Messiah, Christ, is meant by the One Shepherd "My -servant David," who will be King and Prince over them. But now in the -closing chapters of this book a prince is mentioned seventeen times. But -not once is he spoken of as "David" or "my servant David." This prince -is not the Messiah, our Lord; nor is he the high priest as others claim. -The best evidence that this prince is not Christ is learned from the -ordinances he is to observe as revealed in chapter xlvi, where we read -that he is to worship himself and that he must bring burnt offerings and -peace offerings; we also read of this prince having sons. All this shows -that the prince is not identical with the Lord. Who is he then? He is -the viceregent of the King, a future prince of the house of David, who -will represent the Lord on earth. David's throne will be established in -Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus Christ will reign supreme over all; His throne -is above the earth in the New Jerusalem. He will visit the earth and -manifest His glory as King of kings and Lord of lords. This probably -will be during the great celebrations of the feast of Tabernacles, when -the nations send their representatives to Jerusalem to worship the King, -the Lord of Hosts (Zech. xiv:16). Upon David's throne will sit this -prince of David as viceregent. The enemy anticipating this has -counterfeited this vice-regency in the spurious claims of the Roman -pope. - -[51] The Hebrew word translated "leader" is "prince." - -This prince as the vice-regent, has to enter by the way of the porch of -the eastern gateway, and he must also go out the same way (see also -xlvi:2-8.) - - -II. Concerning the Strangers and the Levites in Relation to the Temple -Worship. - - Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house and I - looked, and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the - Lord; and I fell upon my face. And the Lord said unto me, Son of - man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears - all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house - of the Lord, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in - of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary. And thou - shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith - the Lord God; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your - abominations. In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, - uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my - sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the - fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all - your abominations. And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy - things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for - yourselves. - - Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor - uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any - stranger that is among the children of Israel. And the Levites that - are gone away from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray - away from me after their idols: they shall even bear their iniquity. - Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the - gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay - the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall - stand before them to minister unto them. Because they ministered - unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall - into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, - saith the Lord God, and they shall bear their iniquity. And they - shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, - not to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place; - but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they - have committed. But I will make them keepers of the charge of the - house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done - therein. (verses 4-14). - -Brought again through the north gate of the inner court, the prophet is -face to face with the glory of the Lord which filled the house of the -Lord, and Ezekiel fell on his face. Then the Lord addressed him. He is -to mark well what he sees and what he hears concerning the ordinances -and the laws of the house of the Lord. The temple is now repeatedly -called the house of the Lord, the place where His glory dwells, exalted -above the hills, to which the nations shall come (Isaiah ii:2). Israel -in this message is reminded of the past. They were a rebellious house. -This was the burden of the opening messages of the prophet (chapter ii, -etc.). But now all must be and will be different. The abominations of -the past, the pollution of His house and all else will now be put away. -"Let it suffice you of all your abominations." They will no longer be -tolerated, nor will converted Israel backslide again. He reminds them of -their sinful past and of the demands of holiness for His house; all -abominations and failures will cease. Uncircumcised in heart and in -flesh shall not enter into the sanctuary of the Lord. Zechariah bears -the same testimony: "In that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in -the house of the Lord of hosts" (Zech. xiv:21). His people will then be -holy; their new birth has taken place, the uncircumcised, stony heart is -taken away and His Spirit is poured out upon them (chapter xxxvi:25-27). - -Verses 10-14 concern the Levites; they are to bear their iniquity and be -degraded as to their office. What Levites are meant, and when did they -go away from the Lord? It cannot mean past generations of Levites. The -offence must have been committed by them before the Lord appeared in -glory. It must be explained by what happened among the people before the -Lord came, during the days of the false Messiah. At that time Israel -will go far astray from the Lord and turn again to idols. In this -apostasy the Levites have a share. "They ministered unto them before -their idols and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity." When -the Lord comes, when their sins are forgiven and they are cleansed, the -Lord will deal accordingly with these Levites as announced in these -verses. They shall bear their iniquity for their unfaithfulness. "They -shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor -to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy; but they shall -bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed." Yet -there will be service for them. "But I will make them keepers of the -charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall -be done therein." - - -III. Concerning the Priests, the sons of Zadok, and their Duties. - - But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the - charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from - me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall - stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the - Lord God: They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come - near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my - charge. - - And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of - the inner court, and they shall be clothed with linen garments; and - no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of - the inner court, and within. They shall have linen bonnets upon - their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they - shall not gird themselves with anything that causeth sweat. And when - they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the - people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, - and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other - garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their - garments. Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their - locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads. Neither shall - any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court. Neither - shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: - but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a - widow that had a priest before. And they shall teach my people the - difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern - between the unclean and the clean. And in controversy they shall - stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my - judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine - assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths. And they shall come - at no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for - mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that - hath had no husband, they may defile themselves. And after he is - cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days. And in the day that - he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner court, to minister in - the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, saith the Lord God. - And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their - inheritance; and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am - their possession. They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin - offering, and the trespass offering; and every dedicated thing in - Israel shall be theirs. And the first of all the first fruits of all - things and every oblation of all of every sort of your oblations, - shall be the priests': ye shall also give unto the priest the first - of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine - house. The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of - itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast (verses 15-31). - -The sons of Zadok kept the charge, they were faithful when the children -of Israel went astray, and the Lord is now announcing the reward for -their faithfulness. The earthly priesthood as it was once is -re-established and vested in the sons of Zadok. These are to come near -unto Jehovah and offer in His presence. How they are to come in, the -garments they shall wear, is made known to the prophet. They are not to -shave their heads, "neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter -into the inner court." They are forbidden to take for wives a widow or -one that has been put away. Maidens of Israel or a priest's widow they -could marry. All this will be literally fulfilled and done when this new -and true worship is instituted in the coming age. It has nothing -whatever to do with our age. No such special class of an earthly -priesthood exists during this age of grace. All believers constitute a -holy and a royal priesthood; the priests of ritualistic Christendom are -an invention. But when the Lord has restored Israel to their land and -this great place of worship stands, priestly ministrations will be -resumed. Neither will this be a denial of Him who is priest forever -after the order of Melchizedec. While the spurious, man-made priesthood -of this Christian age denies the Lord and His finished work, the future -priesthood ministering in the millennial temple will glorify Him. - -These priests will also be teachers and exercise judicial authority -(verses 23-24). The law of defilement will be enforced, though there -will be less possibility of such defilement, for death during the -millennium will not be the rule as it is now, but a rare and exceptional -occurrence. Finally we read of the inheritance of the priests who -minister before the Lord. "I am their inheritance, and ye shall give -them no possession in Israel; I am their possession." While many of -these appointments in priestly ministry during the millennium are -obscure to us who enjoy the heavenly things, we may rest assured that -the Lord in His own time "in that day" will bring about the -accomplishment of all He has spoken. - - -Chapter xlv. - -I. The Holy Portion of the Land for the Sanctuary, the Priests, the -Levites, the City and the Prince. - - Moreover when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye - shall offer an oblation unto the Lord, an holy portion of the land: - the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, - and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all - the borders thereof round about. Of this there shall be for the - sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, - square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs - thereof. And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five - and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand; and in it - shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place. The holy portion of - the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, - which shall come near to minister unto the Lord: and it shall be a - place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary. And the - five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand of breadth, - shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have for - themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers. - - And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, - and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the - holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel. - - And a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the - other side of the oblation of the holy portion, and of the - possession of the city, before the oblation of the holy portion, and - before the possession of the city, from the west side westward, and - from the east side eastward: and the length shall be over against - one of the portions, from the west border unto the east border. In - the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no - more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to - the house of Israel according to their tribes (verses 1-8). - -The land possessed will be divided by lot for the inheritance of the -people. The special territorial division for the different tribes is -recorded in the last two chapters. They are to bring an oblation of the -land which the Lord so graciously restored unto them. The word -"oblation" is literally an "heave-offering," because when anything was -offered to Jehovah the offerer raised the hand. The dimensions of the -holy portion of the land are, in length 25,000, and in breadth 10,000. -But what? The Hebrew has no definite measure. The authorized version -supplies the word "reeds," which seems to be correct in view of the -statement in chapter xlii:16.[52] This is a very large territory, a -square of some sixty miles on each side. The topography of Palestine -will be entirely changed in the coming age, as we pointed out before. -The land is to be greatly enlarged, while the temple-mountain will be -highly exalted. These changes will make all possible which we read in -these closing chapters. We must take these chapters in faith, knowing -that the omnipotent Lord will accomplish all in his own time. In the -center of this large area, the holy portion of the Lord, will be the -sanctuary; the measurement is given in verse 2. Around this the priests -have their portion; there they will have their houses. The estate of the -Levites comes next; the measurement is given, and that they shall have -for possession twenty chambers. The Septuagint has "cities to dwell in," -habitations where they will reside. This is undoubtedly the correct -meaning. Then the measurement of the city is given, which is for the -whole house of Israel. Finally the portion of the Prince is recorded. -"And the Prince shall have his portion on the one side and on the other -side of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city over -against the holy oblation, and over against the possession of the city, -from the west side westward, and from the east side eastward; and in -length answering to one of the portions of the tribes from the west -border unto the east border." From this we learn that the estate of the -Prince consists of two halves, the one on the west and the other on the -east of the holy portion. He stands as the head and ruler in closest -connection with the sanctuary. It is all a new order and will be brought -about when the Lord has come back, and when Israel is restored to the -land. They never possessed such a holy portion in the land, nor such a -sanctuary. A spiritual application as to the Church is impossible to -make; the literal interpretation is the only possible one which can be -made. - -[52] Read our comment on this verse. - - -III. Exhortation Addressed to the Princes. - - Thus saith the Lord God; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: - remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take - away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord God. Ye shall - have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath. The ephah and - the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the - tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: - the measure thereof shall be after the homer. And the shekel shall - be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen - shekels, shall be your maneh[53] (verses 9-12). - -[53] The sixtieth part of a talent, about fifty shekels. - -The princes who used to oppress the people, shall no longer oppress -(verse 8). They are to execute judgment and justice. Every measure is to -be just. The time has come when righteousness reigns. "He shall judge -the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and -shall break in pieces the oppressor" (Ps. lxxii:4). No longer will the -poor be down-trodden. - - -IV. The Oblation for the Prince and His Offerings. - - This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah - of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah - of an homer of barley: Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of - oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which - is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer: And one lamb - out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of - Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace - offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord God. All - the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in - Israel. And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, - and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the - new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of - Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, - and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make - reconciliation for the house of Israel (verses 13-17). - -What the ruling Prince, the vice-regent upon the throne of David, is to -receive from the people is stated in verses 13-16. The part of the -Prince is to give burnt-offerings, meal offerings, drink offerings, at -the different feasts and solemnities, to make reconciliation for the -House of Israel. No doubt all this has a retrospective value and -meaning. These sacrifices and offerings commemorate the one great -sacrifice, which is constantly and vividly kept in full view by these -ceremonies. - - -V. The Two Great Feasts Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. - - Thus saith the Lord God; In the first month, in the first day of the - month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse - the sanctuary: And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin - offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four - corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate - of the inner court. And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the - month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so - shall ye reconcile the house. In the first month, in the fourteenth - day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; - unleavened bread shall be eaten. And upon that day shall the prince - prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for - a sin offering. And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt - offering to the Lord, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish - daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin - offering. And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a - bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah. In - the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do - the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin - offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat - offering, and according to the oil (verses 18-25). - -First stands the cleansing of the sanctuary on the first day of the -first month. The cleansing of the sanctuary therefore commences the -year. And this offering of a young bullock without blemish shows forth -Christ in His wonderful, unblemished devotedness as He suffered once for -sin. The same sacrifice will be repeated on the seventh day, and it is -then especially for everyone that erreth and for him that is simple. The -precious blood of the Lamb of God is thus constantly kept in -remembrance. Two great feasts will be celebrated, the Passover and the -Feast of Tabernacles. These are the feasts of the Millennium. Very -significantly the feast of weeks, that is Pentecost, is no longer -mentioned. Dispensationally the Feast of Pentecost typifies the coming -of the Spirit of God, to baptize believing Jews and Gentiles into one -body. Pentecost ushered in this present age, and during its course the -Holy Spirit is on earth fulfilling His mission in calling from Jews and -Gentiles a people for His name. When this age closes with the great -predicted events transpiring, the Spirit of God has finished the work -for which He came. The body of Christ is taken home to glory and united -with the Head. It is true the Holy Spirit will yet be poured out upon -all flesh (Joel ii:28) but the dispensational aspect of Pentecost is -fulfilled and can have no such meaning in millennial times.[54] - -[54] The Feasts of Jehovah--Passover: The Cross and its work. First -Fruits: Resurrection of Christ. Pentecost: The Gift of the Spirit and -the calling of the Church. Feast of Trumpets: The Regathering of Israel. -Day of Atonement: Israel's Cleansing. Feast of Tabernacles: The -Millennium. - -And how appropriate it is that only Passover and the Feast of -Tabernacles are celebrated by Israel when the Lord has come. Passover -was first kept in Egypt; its precious meaning is well known to all -Christians. Redemption by blood, so fully realized in the work of the -spotless Lamb of God, is blessedly seen in the Passover, while the Feast -of Unleavened Bread reveals the purpose of redemption--redemption unto -holiness. Israel observed this feast in the wilderness. They celebrated -it when they had come into the land; then under Hezekiah and Josiah it -was recovered. During their long dispersion Israel has not forgotten -this feast. Though with judicial blindness upon them, eyes that cannot -see and ears that cannot hear, the people keep once a year the Passover. -Longingly the orthodox Jew looks towards the land of promise and repeats -each Passover night the pious wish "This day here; next year in -Jerusalem." When the nation is regathered and the Kingdom is established -in their midst, they will keep this Feast anew. What meaning it will -then have! What memories cluster around it! How all their history will -be recalled by that Feast--started in Egypt and consummated in the -Kingdom! But the observance apart from the unleavened bread is -different. The Prince and all the people on the fourteenth day of the -first month are identified as they never were before, in a single -bullock for a sin offering, while every day for seven days the Prince -prepares a complete burnt offering, a sign of perfect consecration to -the Lord. What praise the Lord, the Lamb of God enthroned in glory, and -His glory covering the earth, will receive in these yearly memorial -feasts. - -The Feast of Tabernacles is the second great feast. It was kept by -Israel when the harvest and the vintage had taken place. It foreshadows -the Millennium, when the harvest and the vintage (Rev. xiv) the end of -the age is passed and the new age, the age of glory, has come; the great -ingathering has taken place and the prophetic meaning of the Feast of -Tabernacles will be realized. Zechariah xiv:16-21 tells us of its -Millennial celebration. - - -Chapter xlvi. - -I. The Worship of the Prince. - - Thus saith the Lord God; The gate of the inner court that looketh - toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the - sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall - be opened. And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of - that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the - priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, - and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go - forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. Likewise - the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before - the Lord in the sabbaths and in the new moons. And the burnt - offering that the prince shall offer unto the Lord in the sabbath - day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish. - And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat - offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of - oil to an ephah. And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young - bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be - without blemish. And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for - a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs according as - his hand shall attain unto, and an hin of oil to an ephah. And when - the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of - that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof (verses 1-8). - -Here another worship scene of the Millennium is described. The prominent -eastern gate is to be closed during the six working days, but on the -Sabbath it shall be opened, as well as in the day of the new moon. The -Sabbath and the new moon are prominent in the worship of the Kingdom -Age. The Sabbath was a type of the coming rest for the people of -Israel.[55] This rest has now come. Their wanderings are ended, they are -gathered from the East and from the West, from the North and South, and -have found at last the promised rest (Ps. cvii:1-8). Therefore the -Sabbath is especially mentioned in connection with worship. On the -seventh day the gate through which the Lord and His glory passed is -opened and left open till the evening. The six working days (typical of -6,000 years) are forever gone, the seventh day, the seventh thousand, -the Day of the Lord, has come. And when the Millennium ends, the -complete, eternal rest comes for all the people of God. The new moon is -typical of Israel's re-establishment as a nation. The nation, like the -moon, had waned, and disappeared, but now she shines again like the new -moon. - -[55] When it speaks of "my rest" in Hebrews iv it refers to the eternal -rest. - -The Prince is to worship at the threshold of the gate, and the people -before the gate. But neither the Prince nor the people enter within. No -drawing near to God is known then as we now enjoy it who worship in the -Spirit through the rent veil. It is all an earthly worship, while the -true worship of the Church is heavenly. The Prince in this worship -enters by the outer door on the side of the east and he goes out by the -same door. The Prince occupies the prominent place as the representative -of the people. He presents his offerings to Jehovah, while the people -stand as worshippers at the outer gate of the same entrance. The -offerings the Prince is to bring on the Sabbath are larger than those -commanded in the law. Both the burnt-offering and the meal offering -brought by him on the Sabbath are more abundant than those offered under -the old dispensation, an evidence of the higher and more perfect worship -of restored Israel. Different, however, is it with the offering on the -new moon. In Numbers xxviii:11-15 we read: - - And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering - unto the Lord; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the - first year without spot; And three tenth deals of flour for a meal - offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of - flour for a meal offering, mingled with oil for one ram; And a - several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meal offering - unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice - made by fire unto the Lord. And their drink offerings shall be half - an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a - ram, and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt - offering of every month throughout the months of the year. And one - kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the Lord shall be offered, - beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. - -Such are the offerings according to the law, to be brought on the new -moon. But in the millennial worship these offerings are diminished. All -this has a deeper meaning which will be fully known and enjoyed when -this worship is carried out. - - -II. Further Instructions as to Worship. - - But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the - solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to - worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that - entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of - the north gate; he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby - he came in, but shall go forth over against it. And the prince in - the midst of them, when they go in, shall go in; and when they go - forth, shall go forth. And in the feasts and in the solemnities the - meal offering shall be an ephah to a bullock, and an ephah to a ram, - and to the lambs as he is able to give, and an hin of oil to an - ephah. Now when the prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt offering - or peace offerings voluntarily unto the Lord, one shall then open - him the gate that looketh toward the east, and he shall prepare his - burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he did on the sabbath - day: then he shall go forth; and after his going forth one shall - shut the gate. Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the - Lord of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare - it every morning. And thou shalt prepare a meal offering for it - every morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an - hin of oil to temper with the fine flour, a meal offering - continually by a perpetual ordinance unto the Lord. Thus shall they - prepare the lamb and the meal offering, and the oil, every morning - for a continual burnt offering. (verses 9-15.) - -Everything is divinely ordered. Here are first the special instructions -for the worship of the people of the land. When they come before the -Lord in the solemn feasts some will enter in to worship by the north -gate and leave by the south gate, and others who enter by the south gate -will leave by the way of the north gate. None is permitted to leave by -the gate through which he entered. Perhaps this injunction is given to -avoid confusion among the multitudes who will come to worship in those -coming days, when the Lord will be universally acknowledged (Zech. -xiv:9). - -In the midst of these worshipping masses will be the Prince (verse 10). -What a blessed reminder of Him who is the One in the midst! He was in -the midst on Calvary; He is in the midst of His people during this age; -in Revelation He is seen in the midst of the throne (Rev. v:6). The -Prince as the representative of the King of kings is therefore in the -midst of His redeemed earthly Israel. The burnt-offering and the meal -offering, so prominent in this coming worship are constant memorials of -His great devotion when He offered Himself, and of His holy, spotless -humanity in which He suffered and glorified God. - -Something else of deep interest is recorded here. The daily -burnt-offerings during the old dispensation consisted of a lamb every -morning and of a lamb every evening. Here no evening lamb for a -burnt-offering is mentioned, but the offerings are to be brought only -during the mornings. The bright morning has come, the day dawn for His -people, so long in the night of suffering and dispersion. The night is -gone forever and therefore the evening, preceding the night, is no -longer mentioned and no provision is made for an evening burnt-offering. -The night is gone and Israel's glorious morning can never be darkened -again by apostasy. - - -III. Concerning the Prince, His Sons and Servants. - - Thus saith the Lord God; If the prince give a gift unto any of his - sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons'; it shall be their - possession by inheritance. But if he give a gift of his inheritance - to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; - after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be - his sons' for them. Moreover the prince shall not take of the - people's inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their - possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own - possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his - possession (verses 16-18). -Here we read that the Prince has sons, natural descendants, and whatever -gifts he bestows upon them shall be their possession by inheritance. -This is conclusive that the Prince of these last chapters of Ezekiel is -not Christ. The Prince has sons and servants. As the entire final vision -of this book deals with the earthly conditions of the coming age, and -reveals nothing of the heavenly side of things, these sons and servants -cannot mean the church-saints, who are with Christ in the New Jerusalem. -As to a gift to one of the Prince's servants, it is to revert to his -sons when the year of liberty or jubilee is celebrated. The jubilee year -will therefore be observed during the coming age. - - -IV. Additional Description of Temple Buildings. - - After he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the - gate, into the holy chambers of the priests, which looked toward the - north: and, behold, there was a place on the two sides westward. - Then said he unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil - the trespass offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake - the meal offering; that they bear them not out into the utter court, - to sanctify the people. Then he brought me forth into the utter - court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and, - behold, in every corner of the court there was a court. In the four - corners of the court there were courts joined of forty cubits long - and thirty broad: these four corners were of one measure. And there - was a row of buildings round about them, round about them four, and - it was made with boiling places under the rows round about. Then - said he unto me, These are the places of them that boil, where the - ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people - (verses 19-24). - -Again the prophet is brought by the northern gate to the side where the -holy chambers of the priests are located. There he saw a place on the -two sides westward. The use of this place is made known in verse 20. The -final description of buildings round about the court needs no further -comment. - - -THE VISION CONCERNING THE LAND. - -Chapter xlvii. - -The preceding chapters of this final section of the Book of Ezekiel -contain the vision of the Temple and its worship. The last two chapters -give a vision of Israel's land as it will be during the coming age. - - -I. The Temple Stream and its Healing Waters. - - Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, - behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house - eastward: for the forefront of the house was the east, and the - waters came down from under from the right side of the house, from - the south of the altar. Then brought he me out by the way of the - gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the outer gate - toward the gate that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out - waters on the right side. And when the man went forth eastward, he - had a line in his hand, and he measured a thousand cubits, and he - brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again - he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the - waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought - me through; the waters were to the loins. Afterward he measured a - thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the - waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be - passed over. - - And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he - brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. Now - when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many - trees on the one side and on the other. Then said he unto me, These - waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the - desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, - the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that every - thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall - come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, - because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; - and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. And it shall - come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even - unto En-eglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their - fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great - sea, exceeding many. But the marshes thereof and the pools thereof - shall not be healed: they shall be given to salt. And by the river - upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all - trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit - thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his - months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and - the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for - medicine (verses 1-12). - -This great vision of the Temple stream has been variously interpreted. -The critical school has treated it only as an imagery of the prophet and -speaks of the physical impossibility that such a stream could ever be in -existence.[56] Others have spiritualized the vision. A leading annotator -states, "Messiah is the temple and the door; from His pierced side flow -the living waters, ever increasing, both in the individual believer and -in the heart." In this spiritualizing method the waters are also applied -to the reading and study of the Word of God. The same commentator says -"some things in the Bible are easy to understand, as the water up to the -ankles; others more difficult, which require deeper search, as the -waters up to the knees and the loins; and others beyond our reach." Such -applications can be made in different ways. The stream which Ezekiel saw -is more than typical of the blessings which the land and all the earth -will enjoy in the coming age. It is a literal stream. There will be a -great outpouring of the Spirit of God for the age to come, and spiritual -blessings will abound everywhere. But the stream Ezekiel beholds tells -of the physical blessings which are in store for the earth in that -coming day of the restoration of all things. We do not need to trouble -ourselves about the manner in which the temple stream is to flow forth, -nor do we need to solve the physical difficulties. When the Lord of -Creation was on earth in humiliation, and walked among men garbed in -servant's form, nature acknowledged Him and He manifested the Creator's -power. What will it be when He comes again, not as a servant to die, but -as the King and Lord of all! Omnipotence will then be displayed to the -full. Is there anything too hard for the Lord? (Jere. xxxii:27). He who -bore the thorns on His brow, the symbol of the curse which on account of -man's sin rests upon Creation, will remove that curse in the day of His -power. He paid for it on the cross. - -[56] One says: "The double impossibility of the rapid rise of water in -the stream and the course of the river across the steep limestone range -east of Jerusalem into the Dead Sea does not occur to the prophet." As -if Ezekiel had invented this vision. - -And Ezekiel was not the only prophet to whom was revealed the physical -blessing of the earth in the life and health giving stream. Isaiah had -the same vision. "And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the -thirsty land springs of water; in the habitation of jackals where each -lay shall be grass with reeds and rushes" (Is. xxxv:7). "I will even -make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert" (Is. xliii:19). -"Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the -brier shall come up the myrtle tree" (Is. lv:13). "The desert shall -blossom like the rose" (Is. xxxv:1). Joel at the close of his great -vision concerning the still future day of Israel's tribulation and the -judgment of the nations following the time of trouble, and the Lord's -visible manifestation, also speaks of the blessings of the Millennium. -"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop -down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of -Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the -house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim" (Joel iii:18). -Joel, one of the earliest prophets, living centuries before Ezekiel, saw -water coming forth from the house of the Lord for earthly blessings. -Still more definite is the great post-exilic prophet Zechariah. "And it -shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; -half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the hinder -sea; in summer and in winter shall it be" (Zech. xiv:8). - -The waters Ezekiel saw issued out from under the threshold, from the -right side of the house, the south side of the altar. Of the heavenly -Jerusalem a similar scene is recorded by John in the Revelation. "And he -showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding -out of the throne of God and of the Lamb" (Rev. xxii:1). The stream has -its origin in the midst of the millennial temple. There is no use in -speculating about the source of the water supply. It is super-natural. -He who said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and -let it divide the waters from the waters" (Gen. i:6) and He who broke -open all the fountains of the deep when His judgment came on the earth -(Gen. vii:11) by whose power also the smitten rock in the wilderness -supplied the water for His people, He will provide from His -inexhaustible resources the life giving stream. And the waters which -gush forth are increasing in volume; the stream does not become -shallower but deepens in its flow. It is not like a natural river which -has its source in a spring and is fed by brooks and rivers. It is a -miraculous, unexplainable self-supply which occasions this increase. A -thousand cubits are measured and the waters come to the ankles of the -prophet. The next thousand cubits bring the waters to the knees; then -advancing another thousand cubits the waters come to the loins, and with -the fourth thousand they become so deep that the prophet could not -fathom them. The four thousand cubits make about a mile and a half, so -that the prophet had advanced, under the guidance of the man, this -distance from Jerusalem in a southeastern direction. - -He is caused to return to the bank of the river, and saw there on both -sides many trees. These trees testify of the great fertility which this -stream will produce in nature. Expositors who give the vision a purely -spiritual meaning explain the trees as being the righteous who shall -flourish at the waterbrooks (Psalm i). - -The man informs the prophet that these waters go toward the east country -and go down into the desert. The word desert in Hebrew is "Arabah" and -means "plain," which is the plain of Jordan. It signifies a parched, dry -place. Jordan is the type of death, and the sea of salt, the Dead Sea, -into which Jordan flows, also signifies death.[57] And now in the Dead -Sea this living water from the temple flows, and healing is the blessed -result. Where death has reigned so long abundant life now is manifested. -Sodom is restored to its former estate (See chapter xvi). Wheresoever -the waters go life follows at once. "There shall be a very great -multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither, for they -shall be healed; and everything shall live whither the river cometh. The -fishers shall stand up from En-gedi unto En-eglaim." En-gedi is on the -one end and En-eglaim at the other end of the Dead Sea. Yet there will -be marshes and pools which remain unhealed; their former condition is -unchanged. It has been suggested that this is done for the production of -salt. But it is rather a reminder that while the coming age is an age of -wonderful blessing, that it is not yet the perfect, eternal age. And the -trees will be ever green, never failing, providing meat by their -abundant fruit and the leaf is for medicine. It shows the gracious -provision made for man living on the earth during the age to come. -Poverty, famine and sickness will be banished. - -[57] Ps. lxviii:4 has this word "Arabah;" in the Authorized Version it -is translated "heaven." It is in the plural, "Araboth"--"Cast up the way -for him that rideth in Araboth"--the places of death. Christ is seen -prophetically as the Conqueror of death and Sheol. - - -II. The Borders of the Land. - - Thus saith the Lord God; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall - inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph - shall have two portions. And ye shall inherit it, one as well as - another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto - your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance. And - this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the - great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad: Hamath, Berothah, - Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of - Hamath; Hazar-hatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran. And the - border from the sea shall be Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus, and - the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north - side. And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from - Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, - from the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side. And - the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in - Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south side - southward. The west side also shall be the great sea from the - border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side. - So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of - Israel (verses 13-21). - -Little comment is needed on these verses. That the literal land and the -literal tribes are meant, no intelligent readers can deny. The twelve -tribes are then back in the land. The so-called "lost tribes" are united -with the house of Judah. Here the borders are given. Joseph has two -portions. God is faithful. He has not forgotten His gracious promises of -old. "And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another, concerning which -I lifted up mine hand (in oath) to give it unto your fathers; and this -land shall fall unto your inheritance." The whole land is to be divided -according to the tribes of Israel. - - -III. Concerning the Stranger in the Land. - - And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an - inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, - which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as - born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have - inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. And it shall come - to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye - give him his inheritance, saith the Lord God (verses 22-23). - -Here is a provision for the strangers. They are no longer to be treated -as outcasts, as aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; they are seen -fully identified with Israel and share the inheritance. This again -confirms other prophecies (See Isaiah lx:1-10.) The strangers shall come -and build the walls, and join themselves to Israel. The singing times -for Israel have come. No longer will the chosen people be the tail of -nations, but the head of all nations. "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of -Zion, for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the -Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day and shall -be my people, and I will dwell in the midst of thee."... (Zech. -ii:10-12). No longer will the Jew be despised, but the strangers, the -nations, will beseech him to take them to the glory land. "Thus saith -the Lord of hosts, In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men out -of all languages of the nations shall take hold, even shall take hold of -the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have -heard that God is with you" (Zech. viii:23). - - - - -PLAN OF THE DIVISION OF THE LAND. - - - NORTH - +---------------------------------------------+ - | DAN | - +---------------------------------------------+ - | ASHER | - +---------------------------------------------+ - | NAPHTALI | - +---------------------------------------------+ - | MANASSEH | - +---------------------------------------------+ - | EPHRAIM | - +---------------------------------------------+ - | REUBEN | - +---------------------------------------------+ - | JUDAH | - +-------+-----------------------------+-------+ - | D | | D | - | | LEVITES | | - | | | | - | +-----------------------------+ | - | | a | | - | C | PRIESTS O PRIESTS | C | - | | a c | | - | +--------+-----------+--------+ | - | | | +---+ | | | - | | | | B | | | | - | D | b | +---+ | d | D | - +-------+--------+-----------+--------+-------+ - | BENJAMIN | - +---------------------------------------------+ - | SIMEON | - +---------------------------------------------+ - | ISSACHAR | - +---------------------------------------------+ - | ZEBULUN | - +---------------------------------------------+ - | GAD | - +---------------------------------------------+ - SOUTH - - A = The Sanctuary and its Area. - B = The City of Jerusalem. - C = The Possession of the Prince. - D = The Entire Oblation. - a-b-c-d = Territory belonging to City. - - -THE PORTION OF THE TRIBES; THE TERRITORY OF THE OBLATION; THE CITY, ITS -GATES AND NEW NAME. - -Chapter xlviii. - - -I. The portion of Seven Tribes. - - Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the - coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazar-enan, the - border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are - his sides east and west; a portion for Dan. And by the border of - Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher. And - by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, - a portion for Naphtali. And by the border of Naphtali, from the east - side unto the west side, a portion for Manasseh. And by the border - of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for - Ephraim. And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto - the west side, a portion for Reuben. And by the border of Reuben, - from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah. - - And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, - shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty - thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, - from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in - the midst of it (verses 1-8). - -The division of the land to the twelve tribes, then fully restored, is -by lot (xlvii:22) but the disposing of it will be by the Lord (Prov. -xvi:33). The order is entirely different from the one found in the Book -of Joshua (Josh. xv-xix). Up to the time of the carrying away of the ten -tribes and the captivity of Judah, the tribes possessed the territory -assigned to them by lot when they entered the land under Joshua. The ten -tribes never returned from the captivity, and therefore the division of -the land as given here has never been in the history of Israel. It is -future. The division is in twelve portions all alike in dimensions, -running alongside of each other, from west to east. Seven tribes are in -the north, and five in the south. Between the seven tribes in the north -and the tribes in the south is the oblation, the heave offering, the -portion of the prince, the Levites and the priests, the Temple and the -city with its surrounding territory. The tribe of Dan has its portion in -the extreme north. It is the furthest away from the sanctuary. Dan was a -corrupt tribe, semi-heathen (Judges xviii). Dan is not mentioned among -the sealed one in Revelation vii. All the other tribes are placed in a -different order from the former position. - - -II. The Oblation; the Remaining Tribes. - - The oblation that ye shall offer unto the Lord shall be of five and - twenty thousand in length, and of ten thousand in breadth. And for - them, even for the priests, shall be this holy oblation; toward the - north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten - thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, - and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the - sanctuary of the Lord shall be in the midst thereof. It shall be for - the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have - kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel - went astray, as the Levites went astray. And this oblation of the - land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the - border of the Levites. And over against the border of the priests - the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten - thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty - thousand, and the breadth ten thousand. And they shall not sell of - it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for - it is holy unto the Lord. - - And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the - five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for - dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst - thereof. And these shall be the measures thereof; the north side - four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and - five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, - and the west side four thousand and five hundred. And the suburbs of - the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward - the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and - fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty. And the residue in - length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten - thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over - against the oblation of the holy portion; and the increase thereof - shall be for food unto them that serve the city. And they that serve - the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel. All the - oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty - thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the - possession of the city. - - And the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the - other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over - against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east - border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand - toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: - and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house - shall be in the midst thereof. Moreover from the possession of the - Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of - that which is the prince's, between the border of Judah and the - border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince. As for the rest of the - tribes, from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin shall have a - portion. And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the - west side, Simeon shall have a portion. And by the border of Simeon, - from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion. And by - the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, - Zebulun a portion. And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side - unto the west side, Gad a portion. And by the border of Gad, at the - south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the - waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great sea. - This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of - Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord - God (verses 9-29). - -Judah's portion on the north and Benjamin's portion on the south border -are an oblation, that which is offered unto the Lord. In this space of -large dimensions are the portions of the Levites and the priests. The -Temple stands in the middle of the portion of the priests, and adjoining -is the holy city and its territory.[58] The Prince has his portion on -both sides of the oblation, the heave offering. That Judah and Benjamin -are bordering on these holy sections is not without meaning. Judah is -the royal tribe. He who is now worshipped by His restored people is the -Lion of the tribe of Judah, Israel's King. Judah means "praise". He -receives the praises of His people. Benjamin's other name was Benoni, -"the son of suffering" and Benjamin is "the son of the right hand." Both -Judah and Benjamin are a reminder of the Lord Jesus Christ. - -[58] Consult sketch. - -It is impossible to explain fully the measurements given and other -details of this chapter. We believe what God has written, and when the -time has come He will surely see to it that all is done according to His -word. We do not need to trouble ourselves with supposed difficulties or -try to solve them. As stated before in this exposition, Israel's land -will undergo a wonderful change when the Lord comes; these physical -changes are unknown to us in their extent. The division of the land, and -the setting apart of the oblation will then take place. The details in -all these visions are of little importance to us. The main fact is to -see that all these prophecies have remained unfulfilled up to now. Nor -will they be fulfilled during the present age. As every judgment -prediction of the prophecies of Ezekiel, uttered before the destruction -of Jerusalem, was fulfilled, so every prediction of glory and blessing -in the prophecies spoken after the destruction of the city will be -fulfilled. It all awaits His coming and glorious appearing. Let us hold -fast this and leave the accomplishment of every detail to the Lord. - - -III. The Gates of the City and its new Name. - - And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four - thousand and five hundred measures. And the gates of the city shall - be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; - one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. And at the - east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one - gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. And at the - south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; - one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. At - the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three - gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. It - was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city - from that day shall be, The Lord is there (verses 30-35). - -The city, the earthly Jerusalem, during the Kingdom age, will have -twelve gates, after the twelve tribes of Israel. The gates on the north -side are the gates of Reuben, Judah and Levi. The gates on the east are -those of Joseph, Benjamin and Dan. Then the gates on the south--gates of -Simeon, Issachar and Zebulun. The west side gates are the gates of Gad, -Asher and Naphthali. Ephraim and Manasseh are no longer mentioned, but -are represented in Joseph. Some expositors have made the statement that -the city, Jerusalem with its gates, is an Old Testament description of -the same Jerusalem which John beheld in the isle of Patmos (Rev. xxi). -John saw the new Jerusalem, Ezekiel the earthly city as it will exist -during the Millennium. There are correspondencies, and yet greater -distinctions. Here in Ezekiel a Temple is the center of the land; in -Revelation we read the seer's word, "I saw no temple therein" (Rev. -xxi:22). The heavenly Jerusalem, like the earthly Jerusalem in Ezekiel's -vision, has the twelve gates and written on them the names of the twelve -tribes of Israel. The wall of the heavenly Jerusalem has twelve -foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. -No wall and no foundations are mentioned by Ezekiel in connection with -the millennial Jerusalem. The heavenly Jerusalem is four square, "the -length and the breadth and the height of it are equal." Such is not the -case with the earthly city. Nor is there mention made by Ezekiel of the -precious stones, and the twelve gates, composed every gate of one pearl; -nor do we read of golden streets. The earthly Jerusalem will pass away, -and when at last the new heaven and the new earth have come into -existence, after the millennial reign of Christ, the new Jerusalem will -descend out of heaven and find its eternal resting place upon the new -earth. - -The circumference of the city of Jerusalem according to Ezekiel's vision -will be 18,000 reeds, about six miles. Then comes the majestic ending, -the last word the man of God pronounced. "And the name of that city from -that day shall be 'Jehovah Shammah', the Lord is there." It is a fitting -finale to this great Book. In its beginning we see the glory of the Lord -departing. Throughout the pages of the Book we read of Israel's -rebellion, Jerusalem's judgments, the nation's disobedience and -rejection. Then follow the messages of Hope--Israel's conversion, the -regathering of the twelve tribes, the final conflict, the returning -glory of the Lord; and from that day the name of the city will be -Jehovah Shammah. Because He has manifested His gracious presence in the -midst of His people and established His throne, blessed His people with -all the spiritual and national blessings promised by His holy prophets, -destroyed all their enemies, and covers all with His visible glory once -more, therefore the city will have the name "Jehovah is there." What a -glory it will be for Him. The city through which He once walked with -weary feet, the Son of God garbed in servant's form; the city through -which He was dragged, when the cross was laid upon His shoulders, the -city which cast Him out, the city outside of which He endured the cross -and despised the shame--that same city will be made in that day the -glory spot of the earth. - - - - * * * * * - - - -Transcriber's Notes: - -Some of the outline numbering is incorrect, but has been left -as printed. - -Obvious printing and punctuation errors have been corrected. - -Many words are spelled two different ways, for example "viceregent" -and "vice-regent", "today" and "to-day". - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Prophet Ezekiel, by Arno C. 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