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Ezekiel

National Library of AustraliaCard Number and ISBN0-646-36920-2

EZEKIELAN EXPOSITION OF CHAPTERS 1-39

John Allfree

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Originally published as a series in The Bible Student magazine.Thoroughly revised second edition published August 1999

PrefaceΊ have set thee for a sign to the House of Israel".

It is possible that the prophet Ezekiel is not so well known to us as some ofthe other prophets. Yet his life is one of outstanding dedication, not onlyfor the unpopular yet faithful message he delivered to his generation, butalso for the complete surrender he made personally to Yahweh in order togive power to the message he delivered. In chapter 12 Ezekiel is told to actas one going in to exile. He was to bring forth all his "stuff, his worldlypossessions, in the daylight and then in the evening to dig through a wall asthough he was making his escape into exile. He was to make himself anobject lesson for the people of Jerusalem and so it was emphasized to himthat he was to carry out this strange behaviour in their sight.

"Then thou shalt bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff forremoving: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forthinto 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 thetwilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have setthee for a sign unto the house of Israel" (v. 4-6).

Ezekiel was further instructed that he should say to the people, "I am yoursign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall removeand go into captivity" (v. 11). It was a remarkably similar experience toIsaiah the prophet who so openly declared "Behold, I and the childrenwhom the LORD hath given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from theLORD of hosts." (Isa. 8:18). In many ways Ezekiel is portrayed to us asone whose life was completely overtaken by Yahweh for Whom he was themost willing and uncomplaining vessel.

• In chapter 4:1-3 there was the sign of the tile in which was portrayedthe siege and destruction of the city of Jerusalem.

• In 4:4-17 he lay on his side in the dust for 430 days to illustrate theiniquity of Israel and Judah, eating nothing but defiled bread anddrinking only a ration of water.

• In 5:1-4 his hair was divided into thirds to symbolize the tripartitedestruction of the city of Jerusalem with one third destroyed by theterror of the siege, another third by the sword, and another taken intoexile.

• In 7:23-27 the prophet was told to make a chain to illustrate thecapture of the king of Judah and his people.

• In 12:17-20 Ezekiel was instructed to eat his bread with quaking anddrink his water with trembling to drive home to the people, well inadvance, the extremity of the circumstances coming upon them.

The prophet Ezekiel had his own house in the Jewish colony on the riverChebar (1:1). It must have been quite a reasonable residence for the eldersof Judah used to come to this priestly man's home and sit before him tohear his words (8:1). He was apparently a very good speaker with apleasant voice and interesting manner for the people loved to hear himspeak! (33:30-33). He was very happily married to one so touchinglydescribed as "the desire of thine eyes" (24:16). We may have imagined himwell placed for a comfortable and recognized career. The responsibility ofbeing a prophet precluded this. The days were urgent. Judgement wascoming! The people were unresponsive, and evasive. Even where there wasacknowledgment of the prophet, they were not about to change their evilways just because of his words.

Ezekiel lost his voice and he lost his wife. Both his role and his comfortin life were gone in a stroke! Yet so dire were the warnings to the house ofIsrael and Judah that he was not to divert his attention even in suchextremity of grief, not even a tear was to fall (chapter 24).

Oh, brethren of these latter days, let us acknowledge how far we fallshort of the lives of the prophets! A great brother is before us, a man ofGod, willingly abandoning himself in the service of his God. As theapostles after him, he was a "spectacle to the world, and to angels and tomen"(l Cor. 4:9).

In the following pages we have a careful and thoughtful exposition of theProphecy of Ezekiel (chapters 1-39). There has been need of such for along time and we pray that the many hours that the author spent inexposition may find fruitfulness in the appreciation of many readers as theystudy the prophecy of Ezekiel, the "Son of Man".

B.N.Luke,Secretary

ForewordI was born two years before the Second World War commenced. When thewar came it had a great impact on the small ecclesia to which my parentsbelonged. My earliest memories have to do with "the meetings" which, inthe early years of my childhood, were held in our house. I rememberdistinctly going with my father to enquire about a lease on a shop that wasto become the meeting room. I recall the enthusiasm with which my agedand ailing great-grandfather set about the work of renovating some solidwooden benches that were to be used for seating in the meeting room. But,as the war progressed, what stands out the clearest in my mind, is theanimated discussion in which the brethren frequently engaged whichalways seemed to be concerned with "Gog of the land of Magog"mentioned in Ezekiel, and whether the German dictator was Gog (as somebrethren then thought).

Thus at a very early age I developed a fascination with Ezekiel'sprophecies and this has grown over the years. However, my interest inEzekiel alone would not have led to the production of this book. In the late1960's Geoff and Ray Walker produced a series of magazines entitled TheApocalypse. I had been giving a series of talks on the prophecy of Ezekielin a Staffordshire Bible Class and, as The Apocalypse studies drew to aclose, Geoff and Ray suggested that I join them in a new venture—amagazine to be called The Bible Student—in which, among other things,the results of my Ezekiel studies would be published. The first issueappeared in March 1970. The final article in the Ezekiel studies appeared inJanuary 1979. In the intervening years, with my family, I had emigrated toCanada and returned to UK, changed jobs four times and moved houseseven times! A great deal of the writing of the Ezekiel articles was doneunder those difficult circumstances—and it showed! However, to Geoff andRay, who encouraged me to start the project, I am deeply indebted.

When, some years ago, Aleck Crawford suggested that the articles bereproduced in book form I re-read them and was appalled! It was clear thata major revision would be needed and in fact the entire manuscript has beensubjected to a thorough review and most of it completely rewritten afterfurther thought and research. Not only did Aleck typeset the manuscriptand its revisions, often struggling with my hand written comments andemendations, he also made innumerable useful suggestions many of whichhave found their way into the text. Without his help and encouragement thebook would not have been written.

I have tried to acknowledge all references to the writings of others. In thecircumstances in which the original articles were written it would not besurprising if something has crept into the text which, through lapse ofmemory on my part, I have been unable to acknowledge. If such shouldcome to light I would like to know. I am grateful to those who have readparts of the manuscript and who have subjected it to comment andcriticism. I am sure that it is all the better for having gone "through themill". Disagreement, where it has existed, has been mainly on thoseprophetic portions of Ezekiel that impinge on the latter days, but suchdifferences of opinion have always been kindly and graciously expressedby the author's critics. He hopes that they feel that he has reciprocated inkind.

The production of a work such as this, in one's "spare time", impingesgreatly on home life. I express my thanks to Maureen, my wife, for herpatience and encouragement.

Finally, but by no means last in my thinking, I place on record my thanksto the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who has allowed methe necessary health to pursue the task and placed me in circumstances thatwere propitious to its execution.

Mansfield

ContentsPreface 5

Foreword 7

Abbreviations 11

SECTION 1-THE CALL OF THE PROPHET (1:1-3:21)

Ezekiel and his times (1:1-3) 13

Visions of God (1:4-2:2) 18

Ezekiel commissioned and instructed (2:3-3:14) 51

Ezekiel—Israel's watchman (3:15-21) 57

SECTION 2-PROPHECIES AGAINST JUDAH AND JERUSALEM

(3:22-24:27)

The prophet made dumb (3:22-27) 60

The siege of Jerusalem (4) 64

The barber's razor (5) 74

Judah's idolatry and impending judgement (6:1-7:27) 85

The glory departs (8:1-11:25) 96

The fate of king and people (12) 130

False prophets (13) 138

God's four sore judgements (14) 148

The parable of the vine (15) 154

An allegory concerning Jerusalem (16) 159

The parable of the eagle, the cedar, and the vine (17) 171

Coming judgement and individual responsibility (18) 178

A lamentation (19) 188

Rebellious Israel (20:1-44) 194

Fire and sword (20:45-21:32) 208

Reprobate silver (22) 217

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The parable of Aholah and Aholibah (23) 222

The fall of Jerusalem (24) 232

SECTION 3-PROPHECIES AGAINST THE NATIONS

(25:1-32:32)

Introduction 238

1. Prophecies against the East (25:1-14) 241

2. Prophecies against the West (25:15-17) 250

3. Prophecies against the North (26:1-28:26) 261

4. Prophecies against the South (29:1-32:32) 282

SECTION 4-PROPHECIES REGARDING ISRAEL'S RESTORATION(ch. 33-39)

Ezekiel's introduction to new labours —(33) 315

1. The One Shepherd and His sheep —(34) 321

2. God's judgement on Edom—(35:1-36:15) 330

3. The restoration of Israel—(36:16-38) 348

4. The vision of the Valley of Bones-(37:1-14) 360

5. The parable of the Two Sticks-(37:15-28) 373

6. The destruction of Gog's armies — (38:1-39:16) 384

7. God's glory among the nations — (39:17-29) 430

Maps/Illustrations 439

Acknowledgements 440

Bibliography 441

Index 446

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Abbreviationsad. loc. — at the place—used to refer to the appropriate place in a com-

mentary where there are no page numbersAV - The Authorized Version (KJV) 1611BDB — Brown, Driver, Briggs (cf. Bibliography)cf. — compareet seq. — and the pages that followGES — Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexiconibid. — in the same place i.e. in the book previously referred to.i.e. — that isJA — comment inserted by the author into a quotationJER — Jerusalem BibleLXX — The Septuagint (Greek OT)mg. — marginMS(S) — manuscript(s)NASB — New American Standard BibleNEB — New English BibleNIV — New International Version, 1979NJV — New Jewish VersionNT — New TestamentOp. cit. — in the work citedOT — Old TestamentRoth. — Rotherham's Emphasized BibleRSV — Revised Standard Version 1952RV — Revised Version 1881Strong's — Strong's Exhaustive ConcordanceTWOT — Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (cf. Bibliography)

NOTE: Quotation from any of the above translations does not indicateendorsement or agreement with all of its contents.

Key to type stylesOrdinary italic is used to indicate Hebrew or Greek words in thecommentary. Ordinary italic or words between square brackets [ ] in thetext indicate words inserted by the translators.The author has also used square brackets where he has changed a word inthe Bible text e.g. "[God's] eyes beheld the nation".Bold italic is a reference to the text in Ezekiel being commented upon.Bold is for emphasis in the commentary.

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SECTION 1

THE CALL OFTHE PROPHET

chapters 1:1-3:21

12

Ezekiel and his times (1.1-3)IntroductionEzekiel conducted his ministry as a prophet, not in Israel, but in the land ofChaldea, or Babylon. He was in captivity, having apparently been carriedaway at the time of King Jehoiachin's captivity when some ten thousandJews were taken into exile (2 Kings 24:12-14; Ezek. 1:2, cf. 33:21; 40:1).

While Ezekiel was prophesying in Chaldea at a place called Tel Abib onthe river Chebar1, Jeremiah was prophesying in Jerusalem. He had beenfaithfully proclaiming God's word for some twelve or thirteen years beforeEzekiel commenced his work in the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity.Daniel, who had been taken captive some eight or nine years earlier (Dan.1:1), was also prophesying at this time.

Ezekiel's message then, was addressed primarily to the Jews in exile, andhe began to speak the Word of Yahweh to them at a very critical time in thehistory of the captivity. Both in Jerusalem (Jer. 28:1-17) and among theJews in Babylon (Jer. 29:1-23) false prophets were seeking to deceive thepeople into thinking that Jeremiah was teaching lies and that his prophecyof the seventy years' captivity (Jer. 25:12) was not true. Jeremiah was afalse prophet, they said, and the captivity would be over within two years(Jer. 28:3).

No doubt there was co-operation between the false prophets in Jerusalemand those in Babylon, with letters being sent to and fro (cf. Jer. 29:25).Hananiah's false prophecy, recorded in Jeremiah 28, was given in thefourth year of Zedekiah (which was the fourth year of Jehoiachin'scaptivity). Jeremiah, having been publicly humiliated by Hananiah, is toldby God to respond with a message of judgement. The captivity would notbe over shortly. There would be a further invasion of the land byNebuchadnezzar and a long captivity. Furthermore, as a sign that Jeremiahwas a true prophet of Yahweh, he is told to predict the death of Hananiah,which happened two months later (Jer. 28:17).

1 The river Chebar refers to the Karabu canal "which [is referred to] several timesin the 5th-century-BC archives of the Marashu family of bankers in Babylon.Located in the vicinity of Nippur, the Chebar conduit was one of an elaboratecanal system that distributed water from the Tigris and the Euphrates throughoutthe city and its environs" (Daniel I. Block, The Book of Ezekiel, vol. 1, p. 84). Thelocation of Tel Abib cannot be located with certainty.

13

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JEHOIAKIM'S CAPTIVITYAbout 606 BC

DANIEL was among thecaptives (2 Kings 24:1;

Dan. 1:1-3).

ERUSALEM

JEHOIACHIN'SCAPTIVITY c. 599 BC

Ezekiel in thiscaptivity. He began to

prophesy in the 5thyear

(2 Kings 24:8-17;Ezekiel 1:1-2).

ZEDEKIAH STILL REIGNING IN JERUSALEMCity and temple still standing. Jeremiah is

prophesying here. Ezekiel's prophecies of comingjudgement fulfilled 586 BC (2 Kings 24:17-25:21).

Ezekiel and his times (1:1-3)

Although we cannot be certain of the date, Jeremiah then wrote to theJews in Babylon reinforcing the message of a long captivity, and in strongterms condemned the false prophets there (Jer. 29:1, 21-23). It must havebeen around this time, or shortly after, (in the fifth year of Jechoiachin'scaptivity) that Ezekiel began to oppose the false teaching in Babylon.

For nearly seven years Ezekiel's message was one of warning of theimpending judgement of Almighty God upon Zedekiah and the people ofIsrael still in the Land. In chapter 24 he records the setting out of Neb-uchadnezzar to besiege the city of Jerusalem and in chapter 33 he receivedword that the city had fallen, after a dreadful siege of some eighteenmonths. Then his message changes, and in the remaining chapters we areled to consider the wonderful restoration of Israel which even now awaitsits complete fulfilment.

Ezekiel begins his ministry

From verse 1 we learn that Ezekiel began hisprophetic ministry in the thirtieth year, andaccording to verse 2 this was the same as thefifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity.Some suggest that this thirtieth year refers tothe time which had elapsed since the reformby king Josiah (2 Kings 23) but there seemsto be little reason why the prophecy shouldbe thus dated. More likely, and more inkeeping with the things portrayed in thisopening vision, this year was the thirtiethyear of Ezekiel's life.

Ezekiel was a priest (v. 3) and under normal circumstances this yearwould have seen him commencing his ministry in the temple (Num. 4:3).However, he is in captivity and therefore not able to minister in theJerusalem temple which contained but the "patterns of things in theheavens" (Heb. 9:23). Instead he is given a vision in which the heavenswere opened (v. 1) and he becomes a minister in a much greater sanctuarythan that which existed at the city of Jerusalem. This sanctuary is manytimes referred to in the Word of God. It is the great temple of Yahweh'srulership over the earth as expressed in Psalm 11:4—"The LORD is in hisholy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelidstry, the children of men".

Ezekiel 1:1-31 Now it came to pass in the thirtiethyear, in the fourth [month], in the fifth[day] of the month, as I [was] amongthe captives by the river of Chebar,[that] the heavens were opened, and Isaw visions of God.2 in the fifth [day] of the month, which[was] the fifth year of kingJehoiachin's captivity,3 The word of the LORD cameexpressly unto Ezekiel the priest, theson of Buzi, in the land of theChaldeans by the river Chebar; and thehand of the LORD was there uponhim.

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Ezekiel Section 1: THE CALL OF THE PROPHET (1:1-3:21)

The heavens were opened (v. 1)Many interesting passages of scripture immediately come to mind; Jesussaw the heavens opened (Matt. 3:16) and promised Nathanael that he wouldsee "heaven open" (John 1:51), and that the angels of God which he wouldsee ascending and descending would be "upon the Son of man".

In Acts 7:56 it is recorded that Stephen at his stoning saw "the heavensopened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God". It isevident that in each case the opening of the heavens refers to an actual or animpending manifestation of God, and its connection in the last tworeferences with the son of man, indicates that the opening of the heavens ofwhich they speak would be for the purpose of judgement1. Ezekiel, no lessthan ninety times, is called the son of man2, and this association of theopening of the heavens with one who is the son of man makes us ask thequestion—'Are we being introduced here in chapter 1 to a vision ofYahweh's judgements?' We shall see that the answer to the question is'Yes'.

But perhaps the most interesting passage in connection with this openingof the heavens is Revelation 4:1—6 which shows many similarities to theEzekiel vision. We can set the two in parallel thus:

Revelation

A door is opened in heaven (4:1).

Through the door John sees, in vision, agreat apocalyptic temple in which isobserved the throne of God (4:2).

About the throne are four living creaturesin appearance like a lion, calf, man andeagle (4:6-7).

Ezekiel

Ezekiel sees the heavens opened(1:1).

Ezekiel too sees into this temple(which as we shall see, is represen-tative of the rulership of God over theearth), for he sees (1:26) the throne,and on the throne the appearance ofthe likeness of the glory of Yahweh(1:28).

The main feature of Ezekiel's visionis the four living creatures, lateridentified as the cherubim (1:5;10:20).

For the connection between the Son of man and divine judgement see Dan. 7:13etseq.] John 5:27; Mark 14:62.

2:1; 3:1, 4, 10, 17, 25 etc.

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Ezekiel and his times (1:1-3)

This vision provides the introduction to theSeals, and as John in ch. 6 is given detailsof the seven Seals he sees that thingsdone in this temple of heaven producetheir effects on the earth. We note that thefour living creatures are involved in theoutpouring of the Seal judgements, for it isin response to their command to "Come"(RSV 6:1, 3, 5, 7) that the first four Sealjudgements are initiated.

We shall see that in this vision too,the actions of the four livingcreatures produce effects on theearth; that is the outpouring of therighteous judgements of God.

This comparison shows us that in this first section of Ezekiel we are notconsidering things that are literal. We are being told in apocalypticlanguage things about to happen in the earth, or in the words of the book ofRevelation, "things which must shortly come to pass" were being"signified" to the prophet (Rev. 1:1).

This means that Ezekiel's visions1 have to be interpreted in just the sameway as those in Revelation. We must strive to let scripture throw light uponscripture, remaining ever conscious of our fallibility as we attempt to knowthe mind of the Spirit.

This statement only applies to Ezekiel's visions, not to his narrated prophecies.

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whirlwind came out of the north, agreat cloud, and a fire infolding itself,and a brightness [was] about it, and outof the midst thereof as the colour ofamber, out of the midst of the fire.5 Also out of the midst thereof [came]the likeness of four living creatures.And this [was] their appearance; theyhad the likeness of a man.

Visions of God (1:4-2:2)Whirlwind, cloud, and fire

Ezekiel introduces his first vision at verse 4. ™iOoked,and,behold,,The RSV renders it thus: "a stormy windcame out of the north, and a great cloud,with brightness round about it, and fireflashing forth continually..." All the featuresof this introduction are significant. Thestormy wind (whirlwind, AV), the cloudand the fire when viewed literally are theeffects of things taking place in the heavensfelt upon the earth. Therefore they are all very fitting symbols of the stormof God's judgements which very soon were to fall upon the wicked peopleof Israel who remained in the land—the judgements of Heaven upon awicked earth.

It is interesting to compare the prophecies of Jeremiah, who was at thistime still in Jerusalem, with the words of Ezekiel. Jeremiah too speaks ofthe whirlwind. In chapter 23 he is addressing the false prophets who werevery active in Israel and who were saying that there would not be anotherinvasion from the north. They said, "Ye shall have peace...no evil shallcome upon you" (v. 17). In reply Jeremiah says, "Behold, a whirlwind ofthe LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fallgrievously upon the head of the wicked" (v. 19). This whirlwind was theBabylonian invasion of Israel. In chapter 4 he speaks of the impendingdesolation of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar—"The lion is come up from histhicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forthfrom his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste,without an inhabitant" (v. 7). In verses 11-13 of this chapter there is again areference to this whirlwind that would come out of the north, but also wenote the association with clouds—"he shall come up as clouds, and hischariots shall be as a whirlwind." In this same chapter the prophet speaksof these judgements as the fury of God coming "forth like fire" (v. 4). Alsoin chapter 15 (another prophecy of the Babylonian invasion of Jewry)Jeremiah says that Yahweh "will make thee to pass with thine enemies intoa land which thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, whichshall burn upon you" (v. 14).

Thus we have confirmation that the whirlwind, the cloud, and the firementioned by Ezekiel are all symbols of God's judgements which in the

18

Visions of God (1:4-2:2)

near future were to break out upon Israel still in the land. These judgementswere to be poured out by Nebuchadnezzar, who was the in tmment ηGodIs hand for the punishment of His people. This is why in r T v l i o nEzekiel saw these things coming "out of the north" (v 4 and cf J e r 4 6

This is an important point. If we are to understand this vision we must viewit in the context provided by these opening words of the prophet This ha

c Z e ^ t u m Z h ^ J U d g C m e n t S ° f G ° d UP°n I s r a e l ^ these wouldcome from the north. We must remember this when we try to understandthe significance of that which emerged from the midst of the storm cloud

r J ? ρ i s, a " O t J e r P ° i n t t h a t m u s t b e made in connection with the stormcloud. Each of these things-the whirlwind, the cloud, and the fire-soSof the presence of God. We think of God answering Job o j of the whirlwind; of the cloud and the fire which accompanied the manifestation^ of

Ezekiel 119

EZEKIEL Section 1: THE CALL OF THE PROPHET (1:1-3:21)

Yahweh at Sinai;1 and of such scriptures as Psalm 18:7-11; 97:1-3, wherecloud and fire are associated with the manifestation of God's presence. Theapproach of the whirlwind, the cloud, and the fire, speaks then of Godcoming to Israel for the purpose of judgement. This is an idea seenrepeatedly in the prophets, and Micah 1 is much to the point. In chapter 1:2he refers to the "holy temple" which, as already mentioned, appears to berepresentative of the position of God—God's rulership over the earth.Micah proceeds to warn that Yahweh was about to reveal His righteousjudgements in the midst of Israel, "For, behold, the LORD cometh forth outof his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of theearth" (Mic. 1:3). Similarly, speaking of the effects of the "evil from thenorth" (4:6) in Israel, Jeremiah says, "I beheld, and lo, the fruitful placewas a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at thepresence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger" (4:26, see also Jer. 5:22).

This idea is developed by Ezekiel in the description of that which he sawemerge from the midst of the storm cloud.

Four living creatures"Out of the midst .. .came the likeness of four living creatures" (v. 5). Weknow that these living creatures are the cherubim, because Ezekiel tells usso in ch. 10:20. We must not assume that the cherubim are literal beings asEzekiel describes them —he is "signifying" things —the cherubim hererepresent something, just as the storm cloud represents something.

Before the cherubim of Ezekiel's vision can be understood, it isnecessary to understand the general teaching of the scriptures about thecherubim, and then we can apply the general principles to Ezekiel's vision,bearing in mind both its historical and its prophetic context.

1 The connection with the manifestation of God at Sinai is very relevant. WhenMoses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, with the seventy elders, went up into themount and "saw the God of Israel" angelically manifested, the glory of the LORDwas screened from the gaze of the children of Israel by a cloud. To the eyes ofthe people below it appeared to be a devouring fire (Exod. 24:9-17). Kayobserves, "This terror-inspiring manifestation was afterwards withdrawn: and the"Glory" took up its abode in the secret "Holy of Holies," over the mercy seat. For900 years the Ark of the Covenant had contained a sign and a pledge that theterrors of Sinai were put in abeyance. Now they must no longer be so. Theimpenitent nation had sinned away its day of grace. Therefore the Law must bepermitted to rise out of its ark and demand vengeance on the transgressors"(Wm. Kay, The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, Introduction).

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The meaning of the word 'cherubim'

The meaning of this word is obscure. Young1 and Bullinger2 suggest that itsignifies 'to hold' (in safe keeping). Gesenius suggests a possible derivationfrom a Hebrew word meaning 4a chariot', and compares it to a similarArabic word which means 'a ship of conveyance'3. This is the derivationfavoured by Bro. John Thomas, who comments, "We believe that the wordis derived [by the transposition of letters] from the root rachav, 'to ride',whether on an animal or in a vehicle."4 Although this idea of a chariot isrejected by many modern scholars5, the way in which the word is usedshows that this is undoubtedly the true meaning of the word. Even theTheological Dictionary of the Old Testament elsewhere has to concede thatthe Biblical cherubim are presented "as mounts for the Deity." 6 Speakingof the materials which David had set aside for the temple which Solomonwas to build, we are told (1 Chron. 28:18, RV) that there was "gold for thepattern of the chariot, even the cherubim." This idea comes out in Psalm18 where we are told that God "rode upon a cherub" (v. 10).

Psalm 18 is very instructive. It was written as a song of thanksgiving forthe deliverance that Yahweh had afforded David. Its inspired title declaresthat "David...spake...the words of this song in the day that the LORDdelivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul."Reading the Psalm, we note the following sequence:

1. David is in distress (v. 5).2. He cries to God who hears his plea. Note: God is said to hear "out

of his temple" (v. 6), which again reminds us of the apocalyptictemple context of Ezekiel's vision.

3. Yahweh then comes down (v. 9). Presumably the heavens wereopened (as in Ezekiel) so that Yahweh's presence could bemanifested on the earth.

4. Yahweh comes down by riding upon a cherub (v. 10).5. The outcome is that David's enemies are routed (v. 11-14).

1 Robert Young, Analytical Concordance to the Holy Bible.2 E. W. Bullinger, A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the New Testament.3 Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon of the Old Testament, page 413.4 Phanerosis, page 69 (and see C. C. Walker, Theophany, page 83).5 Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (TDOT), vol. 7, page 308.6 ibid., page 310.

Ezekiel 1 21


From this it is clear that the cherub is that upon which Yahweh rides forth;the cherubim constitute the vehicle of Yahweh's manifestation. In thePsalm we see Yahweh riding forth in the cherubic chariot bringing aboutthe judgement of David's enemies, and, far more importantly, theprotection of David himself (v. 17).1

Work of the cherubim—judgement and protection

After the transgression and subsequent condemnation of the first man andwoman, they were driven out of the garden of Eden, and we are told thatGod placed "at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flamingsword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen.3:24). Here, at the beginning of things, we have a principle revealed whichis applicable to every reference to the cherubim in scripture. Whatever thecherubim are, or whatever they represent, they have a duty to perform. It isthe work of the cherubim to keep the way of the tree of life, that is toprotect it; and in this work of protection fire and sword are employed.

This work of protection by judgement is seen repeatedly in the scripturerecords of the lives of certain men, and in the history of the nation of Israel.The way of the tree of life, which is the object of cherubic protection, canbe traced from the garden of Eden, to the time of the flood when men had"corrupted [God's] way" (Gen. 6:12), through the lives of the patriarchswho were called to co-operate in the keeping of the way (Gen. 18:19),through the nation of Israel, to the one who said, "I am the way..." (John14:6). We, having passed through the "strait gate", are treading the "narrowway" and in so walking, and being one with him who is "The Way", weourselves become part of "the Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22—in eachcase the RV has "the Way"). What follows then, is not a mere academicexercise—the cherubic protection of the way of the tree of life is a part ofour experience in the Truth.

As we survey the history of God's faithful men and the history of God'snation to the time of Messiah, we can see how that repeatedly: —

1. God has come down in His chariot; He has appeared in the vehicleof His manifestation, to judge those who threatened the way.

2. By this means He has secured the protection of those who were apart of the way.

1 In the light of all this it is not surprising that "ancient Jewish writers found in thispassage [Ezekiel ch. 1-JA] what they called the merkabah, the divine thronechariot" (James E. Smith, The Major Prophets, page 368).

22 Ezekiel 1


This is very well illustrated in Psalm 18 to which we have referred. ThereDavid, the one to whom God would raise up a seed who would reign forever on his throne (2 Sam. 7:12-14), was in danger. He was the bearer ofthe holy seed—the way of the tree of life went through David, and the waywas being threatened; by Goliath, by Saul, by men of his own house. Godrode forth on the cherubic chariot, the enemies of David were judged, andthe way of the tree of life was protected.

The nature of the cherubic chariotThe cherubic chariot is angelic. The angels constitute the vehicle ofYahweh's manifestation. It is these celestial beings who protect the way ofthe tree of life, for it is written, "The angel of the LORD encampeth roundabout them that fear him, and delivereth them" (Psa. 34:7). Of the angels itis said that they are "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them whoshall be heirs of salvation" (Heb. 1:14).

When Yahweh comes down (as in Exodus 19:20) it is by manifestation inthe angels (as Acts 7:38 shows when compared with Exodus 19:20), andone angel in particular carries the name of Yahweh (Exodus 23:21).Together the angels manifest the rulership of Yahweh over the earth,working out His purpose in keeping the way of the tree of life, receivingtheir commands from the Almighty Himself.

Consider them at work in the life of Jacob. If Jacob had died in his youth;if he had died childless; if, like Esau, he had married the Canaanite—thenthe way of the tree of life would have come to a dead end, for Abraham'sseed would have been lost. The work of the angels prevented this, andJacob acknowledged this when he blessed the sons of Joseph: "The Angelwhich redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads" (Gen. 48:16). Through-out the national life of the people who descended from Jacob we see theangelic hosts at work. Take as an example the time of the Assyrian invasionof Judah during the days of Hezekiah, recorded in 2 Kings 19. This was amost critical time in the history of this people—all the cities of Judah hadfallen; the stronghold of Zion remained and Hezekiah was shut up there likea bird in a cage. The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, sent a blasphemousletter to Hezekiah, taunting both him and Yahweh whom he served.Hezekiah with tremendous faith took the letter into the temple court andaddressed his prayer to his God: "O LORD God of Israel, which dwellestbetween (RV, "sittest upon") the cherubim... bow down thine ear, and hear:open, LORD, thine eyes, and see..." (v. 15, 16). What was the response tothis plea to the One who rides the cherubim? "It came to pass that night,

Ezekiel 1 23


that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of theAssyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand" (v. 35). A moment'sreflection will reveal the important position occupied by childless Hezekiahin the history of the way of the tree of life. Thus again, we see thewonderful protection of the way by the angelic cherubic chariot of Yahweh.

The cherubim in Ezekiel

We must now relate these things to Ezekiel's vision. It has been shown thatthe whirlwind, cloud, and fire relate to the judgements of God. TheAlmighty was coming down to judge His people. The four living creatureswhich Ezekiel saw represent the chariot upon which Yahweh was to rideforth and through which He would manifest Himself in Israel.

He was to visit the earth in this way for the purpose of keeping the wayof the tree of life. At the time of Ezekiel the way went through the nation ofIsrael, to whom God had earlier promised this cherubic protection."Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way..." (Exod.23:20). But God also warned that this protection was predicated uponobedience. Disobedience would result in punishment at the hand of theprotecting angel. "Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; forhe will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him" (v. 21).These punishments were detailed by God, through the prophet Moses, insuch well known scriptures as Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26.

Israel repeatedly transgressed. In Ezekiel's day they had filled up the cupof their iniquity —there could be no remedy. The punishments long foretoldthrough the prophet Moses, were about to be fulfilled. The early chapters ofEzekiel have many direct references to these prophecies. The sins of Israelthreatened the continuity of the way of the tree of life. Abraham's seed wasin danger of being lost through apostasy. The people were no longerentitled to the cherubic protection. Because they themselves had threatenedthe way, they were deserving of cherubic judgement by fire and sword. Thejudgement, when it came, achieved the desired result. The whole process ofthe judgement of Israel at the hand of the king of Babylon, and the seventyyears' captivity, produced a remnant of faithful Israelites who returned tothe land and refounded the true worship of Yahweh. It is true that they toobecame apostate, but this new beginning at the time of Zerubbabel ensuredthe continuity of the way until in the fulness of time God sent forth His son,who is the Way.

24 Ezekiel 1


"The Cherubim stationed as guards at the east of Eden's garden werecertain Elohim or powerful Ones, detailed by the Eternal Spirit for theprotection of the Life-imparting Tree, and 'the Way' that led thereto.Hence, all communications from the Eternal throne for the instruction ofmankind would pass through them. Themselves corporeal focalizationsof Spirit, they were vehicles in and by which were conveyed 'themysteries of the faith', into which they desired to look, but were not able(1 Peter 1:12; Mark 13:32). These 'conveying vehicles' or Chariots ofthe Eternal Spirit, were 'public official spirits sent forth for service onaccount of those hereafter to inherit salvation' (Heb. 1:14). Hence, theyare styled Malachim Yahweh, angels or messengers of the EternalPower, self-styled Ehyeh or Yahweh."

Bro. John Thomas, Phanerosis, page 74.

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From the midst of the storm cloud

We come now to consider the detailed de-scription of that which Ezekiel saw emergefrom the midst of the storm cloud.

The first things he describes were the"four living creatures" or the cherubim. Hementions in turn their feet (v. 7), their hands(v. 8), their wings (v. 9), and their faces(v. 10, 11), and he describes their generalappearance and movement (v. 12-14).

Associated with the cherubim were largewheels which were full of eyes and whichtouched the earth (v. 15-21). Above thecherubim was the firmament (v. 22-25), andabove the firmament the appearance of thelikeness of the glory of Yahweh (v. 26-28).

The whole apocalyptic vision appears tobe a representation of Yahweh who is en-throned in the great temple of heaven,bringing His rulership to bear by ridingdown to the earth in this great-wheeledchariot. Thus, although Yahweh Himselfnever left His throne in the heavens, Hisagents, those through whom God manifestedHimself, are represented as bringing God'srulership and authority—God's presence —near to Israel. And so Jeremiah, speaking ofthe havoc to be wrought in Israel by theBabylonian cherubic-organized judgementstorm, says, "I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and allthe cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and byhis fierce anger" (4:26).

Again the importance of the historical context must be kept in mind.Many of the details of the description of the cherubim are used in otherscriptures with reference to Christ and the saints. We read, for example, ofYahweh's feet standing upon the Mount of Olives, in Zechariah 14:4.

Ezekiel 1:6-146 And every one had four faces, andevery one had four wings.7 And their feet [were] straight feet;and the sole of their feet [was] like thesole of a calf's foot: and they sparkledlike the colour of burnished brass.8 And [they had] the hands of a manunder their wings on their four sides;and they four had their faces and theirwings.9 Their wings [were] joined one toanother; they turned not when theywent; they went every one straightforward.10 As for the likeness of their faces,they four had the face of a man, andthe face of a lion, on the right side: andthey four had the face of an ox on theleft side; they four also had the face ofan eagle.11 Thus [were] their faces: and theirwings [were] stretched upward; two[wings] of every one [were] joined oneto another, and two covered theirbodies.12 And they went every one straightforward: whither the spirit was to go,they went; [and] they turned not whenthey went.13 As for the likeness of the livingcreatures, their appearance [was] likeburning coals of fire, [and] like theappearance of lamps: it went up anddown among the living creatures; andthe fire was bright, and out of the firewent forth lightning.14 And the living creatures ran andreturned as the appearance of a flash oflightning.

26 Ezekiel 1


Diagrammaticesentathrone

representation

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We read of Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah in Revelation 5:5. Suchscriptures, however, do not indicate that the cherubim of Ezekiel 1 repre-sent Christ and the saints. They demonstrate rather that Christ and the saintswill perform cherubic duties in relation to the human race in the future asthe angels have done in the past. They confirm the teaching of the apostlethat "unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come..."(Heb.2:5).

Feet

The cherubim represent Yahweh coming to judge and to protect. We seeemphasized in the feet, the judgement aspect of Yahweh's presence.Jeremiah speaks of the overthrow of the nations surrounding Israel at thetime of the Babylonian invasion, "...the LORD...shall give a shout, as theythat tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth." But first,warns the prophet, "...he shall mightily roar upon his habitation". Of thisroaring the prophet later lamented, "The Lord hath trodden under foot allmy mighty [men] in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against meto crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter ofJudah, [as] in a winepress" (Jer. 25:30; Lam. 1:15).

Yahweh promised Israel that if they were faithful to Him He would givethem angelic protection; He would bring them into the Land and theywould "tread upon" the "high places" of their enemies (Deut. 33:29). How-ever, they had been unfaithful, and so instead,"behold, the LORD comethforth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high placesof the earth (Heb. erets = land)" (Micah 1:3). Ezekiel sees a vision of thisprophecy about to be fulfilled; Samaria had already fallen; the days of thehigh places of Judah were numbered.

Feet like calves' feet with the colour of burnished brass (v. 7) remind usof Micah 4:13, where the daughter of Zion is told, "Arise and thresh.. .for Iwill make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shaltbeat in pieces many people..." Here it is Israel who at a time yet future willdo the threshing; but in the vision of Ezekiel, Israel is about to be threshed.Malachi 4:2-3 speaks of a similar work of judgement to be performed byChrist and the saints —another example of the future cherubic work to beperformed by them—when they "shall tread down the wicked".

The feet of the cherubim are said to be straight feet (v. 7). The wordstraight is the Hebrew yashar which in Deuteronomy 12:25 is rendered"right". Its connection here with the feet of the cherubim signifies that the

28 Ezekiel 1


judgements, which God was to bring upon disobedient Israel (the treadingwith the feet), would be done in righteousness1.

Hands

The hand is that part of the body with which we perform our work. It isused in scripture as symbolic of Divine action, and in relation to oursubject this can be considered in two aspects—God's action in judging Hisenemies; and God's action in protecting His faithful people. Job indicatesthese two types of Divine action when he says, "Shall we receive good atthe hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (2:10). Evil, of the kindJob refers to does come from God, as God Himself declares, "I make peace,and create evil; I the LORD do all these things" (Isa. 45:7). Israel inEzekiel's day was about to experience evil at Yahweh's hand, and later weshall see how the prophet had to enact this before the captivity. He was toldto "smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all theevil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, bythe famine, and by the pestilence...So will I stretch out my hand uponthem, and make the land desolate...and they shall know that I [am] theLORD" (Ezek. 6:11-14). Jeremiah prophesied in similar vein to disobedientIsrael. "I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saiththe LORD" (Jer. 6:12). "Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou artgone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, anddestroy thee..." (Jer. 15:6).

But there is also the other side of God's character to be seen in the handsof the cherubim. There were some of Abraham's true children among thecaptives with Ezekiel, and with Jeremiah in the Land, who doubtless,throughout this time of trouble upon Israel said, as did the psalmist, "Mytimes [are] in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, andfrom them that persecute me" (Psa. 31:15). At the end of the seventy years'captivity God brought about the promised restoration. Ezra came to assist inthis work of restoration. It is recorded, "Ezra went up from Babylon... andthe king granted him all his requests, according to the hand of the LORDhis God upon him" (Ezra 7:6). Ezra's faith in the cherubic protection of thefaithful children of God is written down for our encouragement—"Thehand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power andhis wrath is against all them that forsake him" (Ezra 8:22).

1 "Yashar—be level, straight, (up) right, just, lawful." Theological Word Book to theOld Testament, page 417.

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EZEKIEL Section 1 : THE CALL OF THE PROPHET (1:1-3:21)

Wings

The dominant idea behind the cherubic wings is that of protection. Thereare five different Hebrew words translated in the AV by the word "wing".This one in Ezekiel l:9ff. is the word kanaph, and signifies a wing as acovering or means of protection1. In Ezekiel 5:3 this word is rendered"skirt", and the idea there is clearly that of protection.

The protection and deliverance of Israel from Egypt was an importantpart of the cherubic work of keeping "the way of the tree of life". Of thisevent it is written, "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over heryoung, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on herwings: [so] the LORD alone did lead him..." (Deut. 32:11, 12). Here it isthe ability of Yahweh to deliver that is paramount. The psalmist emphasizesthe protection afforded his children by the One who delivers. We shallconsider three psalms where this is done very beautifully.

In Psalm 57 the writer is experiencing a time of trouble2 and so he cries,"My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire,even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue asharp sword" (v. 4). But he knew all about the cherubic activities of hisGod—that God came down by manifestation on the angelo-cherubic chariotin order to deliver and protect those who walked in the way of the tree oflife. So he says, "He shall send from heaven, and save me from thereproach of him that would swallow me up" (v. 3). Meanwhile his prayer ismade in which he confesses his faith in God's cherubic protection, "Bemerciful unto me, Ο God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee:yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until thesecalamities be overpast" (v. 1).

Psalm 17 is undoubtedly Messianic (see v. 15). In this psalm Messiahprays that he might be protected from his enemies by having the cherubicwings stretched over him. "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me underthe shadow of thy wings, from the wicked that oppress me, [from] mydeadly enemies, [who] compass me about" (v. 8-9).

All of these psalms will repay a detailed study, none more than Psalm 91.Again the Psalm is Messianic, and Messiah is given the assurance thatYahweh's cherubic protection would be afforded him. "Surely he shall

"Kanaph—a wing, so called from its covering...often used of care andprotection" (Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, page 406).

2 cf. comments on Psalm 18, page 21.

30 Ezekiel 1


deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, [and] from the noisomepestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shaltthou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler" (v. 3-4). How wasthis cherubic protection to be given to Messiah? "For he shall give hisangels charge over thee, to keep (same word as Gen. 3:24) thee in all thyways" (v. 11).

The wings of Ezekiel 1, then, speak of Yahweh's protection of those whotrust in Him, and to faithful men like Ezekiel and Jeremiah would representGod's guarantee to protect and deliver His faithful remnant.

In verse 24 the prophet tells us that the noise of the wings was like thenoise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, asthe noise of an host... This introduces us to the multitudinous aspect of thewing protection, and a contemplation of the number of "they that be withus" (2 Kings 6:16) can be of great comfort. The prophet Daniel in his visionof the Ancient of days declared, "...thousand thousands ministered untohim, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him..." (7:10). Withwonder we note the words of the Apostle—"Are they not all ministeringspirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"(Heb. 1:14).

FacesHere, more than anywhere else in a consideration of the cherubim inEzekiel, we need to exercise care lest we jump to wrong conclusions.

It is often argued thus: —Israel was a foursquare encampment (Numbers2). It is highly probable (direct scripture evidence is lacking) that thestandards of the principal tribes corresponded with the cherubic faces.Judah = lion, Reuben = man, Ephraim = ox, Dan = eagle. It is thereforefrequently maintained that the cherubim represent Israel, and in particularthe Israel of God. However, on the basis of what has already beenadvanced, it is more likely that the foursquare encampment with itscherubic standards was an expression of the fact that here was God'snation—He was their king. The cherubic standards would represent Hisrulership over them. They were a nation organized on heavenly principles.

In considering the cherubic faces we must again start with first principlesand ask ourselves, "What is the significance of 'face' in the Scriptures inrelation to God?"

In Numbers 6 there is recorded the formula of the blessing to bepronounced on Israel by the priests. "The LORD bless thee, and keep (same

Ezekiel 1 31


word as in Gen. 3:24) thee: the LORD make his face (plural, "faces") shineupon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the LORD lift up His countenanceupon thee, and give thee peace" (vv. 24-26). The reference to Genesis 3:24shows that this blessing is actually a prayer for the continued cherubicprotection of Israel. This protection depended upon obedience, and inDeuteronomy 31:17 Yahweh spoke of the future disobedience of the nation,and the way in which He would withdraw the protection. "My anger shallbe kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hidemy face (plural, "faces") from them, and they shall be devoured, and manyevils and troubles shall befall them..."

As with most features of the cherubim, so with the faces: both thejudging and the protecting aspects are brought out in scripture for ourlearning. Jeremiah brings out both aspects; Yahweh is said to have hiddenHis (protecting) face from Israel, and to have set His (judging) face againstthem. "I have hid my face from this city (Jerusalem)." "I have set my faceagainst this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be giveninto the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire" (33:5;21:10).

What is the significance of the various faces — man, lion, ox and eagle?If, as has been suggested, the cherubim are a representation of Yahweh'srulership then it may be that we are to look for the significance of each ofthese animals from this point of view. Man certainly is the head of creationand Yahweh's purpose is that all things should ultimately be placed underman's feet (Psalm 8). The lion is the king of wild beasts, and a symbol ofthe divine ruler who came out of Judah (Rev. 5:5). The ox renowned forhis strength, the strongest of Israel's domesticated animals, and the eaglethe king of the air, are also "rulers" in their own right. Together theyconstitute a very appropriate symbol of the universal rulership of Yahwehover the earth.

MovementThe cherubim move straightforward (v. 12) to execute the purpose of Himwith whom there is "no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James1:17). The sins of Israel were such that there could be no turning back.

Whither the spirit was to go, they went... (v. 12). The word spirit is theHebrew word ruach and takes us back to verse 4. "I looked, and, behold awhirlwind (Heb. ruach sear ah) came out of the north... "The Hebrewword for "whirlwind" is usually the word sear ah, but here it is ruachsear ah.

32 Ezekiel 1


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Ezekiel 1 33


And so whither that ruach was to go—the wind judgement ofGod—whither this was to go the cherubim went. That is, to the land ofIsrael, to execute the judgements written.

The wheels of the cherubic chariot

We have examined in some detail the way inwhich the scriptures present Yahweh in thework of keeping the way of the tree of life.He rides the cherubic chariot coming to theearth to judge His enemies and to protect Hisfaithful.

Ezekiel, continuing his description of thisapocalyptic symbol, now turns his attentionto the wheels of the cherubic chariot. TheRSV gives at verse 15, "Now as I looked atthe living creatures, I saw a wheel upon theearth beside the living creatures, one foreach of the four of them." That there werefour wheels is confirmed by ch. 10:9. Theword rendered wheel is the Hebrew ophan,which is the usual word in scripture for achariot wheel.

In trying to visualize what Ezekiel saw inhis vision we must remember that we aredealing with the language of apocalypse, i.e.symbolic language. The thing that Ezekielsaw does not necessarily have to be a me-chanical possibility—the wheels representsomething.

The points to be noted in the description concerning the arrangement andmovement of the wheels are:-

(1) There was a wheel in the middle of a wheel (v. 16).(2) They could move in any of the four directions—so RSV (v. 17).(3) They moved thus without turning, that is, without changing direction

(v. 17).(4) They moved with the living creatures, which also are said to move

without turning (see v. 12 and 19).

Ezekiel 1:15-2115 Now as I beheld the livingcreatures, behold one wheel upon theearth by the living creatures, with hisfour faces.16 The appearance of the wheels andtheir work [was] like unto the colour ofa beryl: and they four had one likeness:and their appearance and their work[was] as it were a wheel in the middleof a wheel.17 When they went, they went upontheir four sides: [and] they turned notwhen they went.18 As for their rings, they were so highthat they were dreadful; and their rings[were] full of eyes round about themfour.19 And when the living creatures went,the wheels went by them: and whenthe living creatures were lifted up fromthe earth, the wheels were lifted up.20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go,they went, thither [was their] spirit togo; and the wheels were lifted up overagainst them: for the spirit of the livingcreature [was] in the wheels.21 When those went, [these] went; andwhen those stood, [these] stood; andwhen those were lifted up from theearth, the wheels were lifted up overagainst them: for the spirit of the livingcreature [was] in the wheels.

34 Ezekiel 1


The following diagrams, while setting out a mechanical impossibility, offera suggestion as to the kind of thing which Ezekiel might have seen, andsatisfy all the above descriptive points.

t

Plan of the cherubic chariot. Arrowsshow the directions in which it canmove. A, B, C, D represent the wheels.1, 2, 3, 4, represent the livingcreatures.

Diagram of wheels A and Β with living creaturenumber 1

The colour of a beryl

The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour ofa beryl (v. 16). Commentators and translators are not able to agree as to theidentity of this stone. It is the same stone mentioned in Daniel 10:6 whereDaniel sees an apocalyptic vision of God in manifestation. It is the samestone which was placed in the fourth row of the gems in the breastplate ofjudgement (Exod. 28:15-20, 30). The breastplate with its twelve stones, onwhich were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, was foursquare.It was a representation of the nation of Israel which during its journey to theLand was instructed to encamp in a foursquare arrangement. The names ofthe children of Israel were also written upon the two onyx stones whichwere carried on the shoulders of the High Priest, and in Exodus 28:10 weare told that the order of these names was "according to their birth." In thecase of the twelve stones of the breastplate we read at verse 21 that thenames were "according to the twelve tribes". Since the breastplate was afoursquare representation of the tribes it seems reasonable to suppose thatthe order of the names on the stones corresponds to the list of the tribes as

Ezekiel 1 35


given in Numbers 2, where the foursquare encampment of the nation isdescribed. Thus we have:

STONES IN

SardiusTopazCarbuncle

EmeraldSapphireDiamond

LigureAgateAmethyst

BERYLOnyxJasper

EXODUS 28

v. 17

v. 18

v. 19

v. 20

TRIBES IN

JudahIssacharZebulon

ReubenSimeonGad

EphraimManassehBenjamin

DANAsherNaphtali

NUMBERS 2

v. 3-7

v. 10-14

v. 18-22

v. 25-29

If this is correct, then the beryl stone corresponds to the tribe of Dan. Theword Dan means 'judge', and Jacob in Genesis confirms this connectionwhen he says, "Dan shall judge his people" (Gen. 49:16). The beryl stonein the breastplate thus represents a judging power, and is therefore veryfitting material for the wheels of the cherubic chariot, which as we haveseen, speak of the judgement of God coming upon Israel.

The word beryl is a translation of the Hebrew word tarshish, and bothGesenius1 and Bro. Thomas2 derive the word from the root rahshash whichdenotes "to break to pieces, to destroy". This word occurs in Jeremiah 5:17which is speaking of the judgements of God to be poured upon Israel byBabylon: "...your fortified cities in which you trust they shall destroy(rahshash) with the sword" (RSV). Thus the wheels being the colour ofberyl emphasizes the fact that the idea of judgement is prominent in thewheels of the cherubic chariot, as we saw it to be in the living creatureswhich formed the body of the vehicle.

1

2

36

Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, page 875.

Phanerosis, page 84.

Ezekiel 1


Full of eyes

The AV of verse 18 informs us that their rings...were so high that theywere dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes... The RSV gives, "Thefour wheels had rims and they had spokes; and their rims were full of eyesround about", but adds a note in connection with "spokes" to the effect thatthe Hebrew is uncertain. So we cannot be sure that the wheels had spokes,but they did have "rings" or "rims", and these were "full of eyes".

According to Ezekiel 10:12 the living creatures are themselves also fullof eyes, and this agrees with John's vision in Revelation 4:6 where againthe four living ones are said to be "full of eyes before and behind".

The same two ideas are involved here which we have seen time andagain in the other features of the cherubic chariot—the judgement of God'senemies, and the protection of the way of the tree of life. In Ezekiel 5:11and 7:4, 9 it is clear that "mine eye shall not spare thee" means that apostateIsrael is going to be judged. But the other idea emerges plainly in suchscriptures as Psalm 34:15, where we are told "The eyes of the LORD areupon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry" (see also Psa.33:18,19).

The faithful in Israel, at the time of the Babylonian judgement of whichEzekiel prophesied, trusted that at the end of the seventy years (Jer. 29:10)Yahweh would redeem his people from the Babylonian grave in which thecarcase of Israel was buried. Jeremiah had taught them that the restorationof Israel would be accomplished at the hand of a descendant of Davidcalled the Branch (Jer. 23:5). A consideration of Zechariah's reference tothe bringing forth of the Branch, given at the time of the restoration (Zech.3:8), is helpful in connection with the protecting work of the "eyes". Wecan see that Zerubbabel and Joshua were, as Zechariah 3:8 (AVmg) says,"men of sign", but Israel at that time would see Zerubbabel as the Branchwho was to bring about the restoration. In his work of restoration Zerub-babel was indeed a man of sign, acting out in the events of his day the greatwork of his illustrious successor—the Lord Jesus.

Concerning the bringing forth of the Branch, Zechariah says "For beholdthe stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seveneyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts,and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day" (Zech. 3:9).

From this we see these points: —1. The bringing forth of the Branch would be associated with Joshua.

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2. The bringing forth of the Branch is represented as the laying of astone—no doubt the foundation stone of chapter 4:9.

3. Upon the stone would be seven eyes.4. The stone would be engraved by Yahweh.5. It would bring about the removal of Israel's iniquity.6. Ultimately it would bring the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

We can see in all this the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we areparticularly interested in the fact that upon the stone during the laying ofthe foundation in Zion there would be seven eyes.

Seven undoubtedly signifies 'completeness', the word being derivedfrom a Hebrew root signifying to 'completely bind with an oath'1. For eyesto be upon something, as we have seen from the Psalms, denotes'protection'.2 So in this prophecy Yahweh promises complete protectionto the Branch when he is laid as a stone in Zion.3

The next chapter in Zechariah is really a continuation of this theme. Itlooks forward to the consummation of God's purpose with Israel and withthe nations, when Zerubbabel, as the headstone of the corner, would finishthe work God had given him to do. "...and he shall bring forth theheadstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it" (Zech. 4:7)."The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his handsshall also finish it..." (Zech. 4:9).

How would this be accomplished? "...Not by might, nor by power, butby my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts"—by the Spirit of God represented inthe vision which Zechariah saw as seven lamps (v. 2) and in verse 10 calledthe "eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth".

What then are these eyes of Yahweh which would protect the Branch andwhich would guarantee the consummation of Yahweh's purpose? What arethese seven eyes, called the spirit of God and represented by seven lamps offire? The words of the psalmist suggest the answer—"The LORD hathprepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Blessthe LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his command-

1 Theological Word Book to the Old Testament, page 899.2 An interesting reference is to be found in Ezra 5:5 which is possibly the

background to Zechariah 3. And see also Psa. 34:7, 15.3 2 Chronicles 16:9 was especially true of the Lord Jesus Christ. See also Psa.

34:15,20.

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ments, hearkening unto the voice of his word." Of these angels he says,"Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire" (Psa. 103:19-20; 104:4).

The eyes thus represent the power of God as revealed in the angels. Theyfigure prominently in the book of the Revelation and are there representedas "seven Spirits which are before his (God's) throne" (1:4). In theapocalyptic vision of chapter 4 they are presented as "seven lamps of fireburning before the throne" of God (v. 5). In chapter 5 they becomeassociated with the Lamb who has prevailed and are called "seven eyes,which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth" (v. 6).

The eyes in Ezekiel's cherubic-chariot wheels then represent the Spirit ofGod in multitudinous angelic manifestation for the protection of the faithfuland the judgement of the enemies of the Way.

The Spirit in the wheel

The whole vision was a portrayal of the work of the Almighty through Hisagents, the angels. The whirlwind that came from the north was a spiritwhirlwind (Heb. ruach sear ah). Wheresoever the Spirit was to go the livingcreatures went, and here the same Spirit is said to be in the wheels.Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit togo; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of theliving creature was in the wheels (Ezek. 1:20). The whole chariot bearingaloft the similitude of Yahweh's glory was bringing Yahweh's whirlwindjudgements near to the people of Israel.

"O wheel"

We learn something new about the wheels in chapter 10 where we are toldat verse 13, As for the wheels, (Heb. ophanim) it was cried unto them inmy hearing, Ο wheel (Heb. galgal). The word galgal is correctly translatedin the RV where we read, "As for the wheels, they were called in myhearing, the whirling".

Thus the wheels, which incidentally are said to touch the earth (in ch.1:15), are called 'the whirling'. The idea is undoubtedly again that ofjudgement upon the earth. When Daniel saw the vision of judgement inchapter 7 we are told "...the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment waswhite as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool: his throne was likethe fiery flame, and his wheels (Heb. galgal) as burning fire" (v. 9). Theidea is that of whirling fire and not of chariot wheels. In Psalm 77 we read

Ezekiel 1 39


of the redemption of Israel and the outpouring of God's judgements. Inverse 18 the word translated in the AV as "heaven" is galgal, and the RSVrenders the verse, "The crash of thy thunder was in the whirlwind: thylightnings lighted up the world..." Psalm 83 also deals with the judgementof the enemies of God's people: "O my God, make them like whirling dust;like chaff before the wind" (v. 13, RSV). Again galgal is seen to beassociated with Yahweh's judgements.

Ezekiel in his vision sees the spirit coming near to Israel. This spirit is inthe wheels and they are called the whirling. Before them, as Zephaniah haddeclared, the "shameless nation" would be "driven away like the driftingchaff (Zeph. 2:2, RSV). They would be scattered, whirled away, asEzekiel later shows (ch. 5), to the four winds—the direction in which thewheels are said to move.

One final thought. The word galgal is related to the word gilgal . InJoshua 5:9, against the background of the circumcising of those born in thewilderness, God says, "This day have I rolled away (Heb. galgal) thereproach of Egypt from off you." And for this reason they called the nameof the place where the circumcision took place Gilgal (= rolling). This wasthe reason for the Babylonian captivity—to roll away the reproach out ofIsrael—to cut off the sinners out of God's land.

The firmamentHaving described to us the approach of thestorm cloud from the north, and then thecherubic chariot with its living creatures andits wheels, Ezekiel now directs our attentionto the most awe-inspiring part of thevision—The appearance of the likeness ofthe glory of the LORD, which, when Ezekielsaw (v. 28), he fell upon his face. But first hedirects our attention to what he describes asbeing the likeness of the firmament (v. 22).

In the book of Genesis the creation of thefirmament was the work of the second day ofcreation. There has been much writtenconcerning the Hebrew conception of thefirmament as a great solid arc held up bypillars and having the heavenly bodies fixed

Ezekiel 1:22-2522 And the likeness of the firmamentupon the heads of the living creature[was] as the colour of the terriblecrystal, stretched forth over their headsabove.23 And under the firmament [were]their wings straight, the one toward theother: every one had two, whichcovered on this side, and every one hadtwo, which covered on that side, theirbodies.24 And when they went, I heard thenoise of their wings, like the noise ofgreat waters, as the voice of theAlmighty, the voice of speech, as thenoise of an host: when they stood, theylet down their wings.25 And there was a voice from thefirmament that [was] over their heads,when they stood, [and] had let downtheir wings.

40 Ezekiel 1


to it. Such ideas have no connection whatever with the Bible idea of thefirmament.

In Genesis 1 the firmament is clearly the whole of the vast expansevisible to the eye of an observer on the earth. The Hebrew word raqia(firmament) is from a root which means "to stamp, as with the foot, andwhat results [from this], i.e. a spreading out or stretching forth. [Thus raqiadenotes simply] 'the expanse'"1. The birds fly in it, therefore it extendsdown to our atmosphere (Gen. 1:20). It exists between the clouds and thesea, but also beyond the clouds, for the heavenly bodies are set in thefirmament (Gen. 1:7, 14). This firmament is called "heaven" in Genesis1:8, and in 1:20 the "firmament of heaven".

The firmament is a very important element in the natural arrangement ofthings around the earth. It is through and by means of the firmament thatthe influences of the heavenly bodies, especially the sun, are brought tobear upon the earth. The firmament controls the intensity of the sun's heat.Because the firmament, or more correctly the lower part of it, consists ofcertain gases in definite proportions, it is able to cooperate with the sun andcause plants to grow, thus producing man's food, and as a by-productcreating oxygen which we require for life. The density of the lower reachesof the firmament is such that water vapour produced by the heat of the sunrises to form clouds, which subsequently come down as rain upon the earth.These are but few of many examples of the way in which the firmament isseen to be the medium through which the influence of the natural heavensis brought to bear upon the earth.

In Ezekiel 1 we are considering in apocalyptic vision the rulership of theheavens over the earth. Just as the natural heavens influence the earth forgood and for bad, so God bears rule over the nations of the earth. He dwellsin his sanctuary—His heavenly temple—and from there presides over theaffairs of men. He doesn't deal directly with men —they would beconsumed—but by means of His Spirit He is present everywhere (Psa.139:7). He is in touch with all His creation and especially with themovements of men and nations. For the most part, left to the operations ofdivinely instituted natural law, they work out their affairs against thebackground of what the Bible calls "time and chance". But when God'spurpose requires that events move in a certain direction then God's "eyes[that] behold the nations" (Psa. 66:7) intervene in the circumstances

1 Theological Word Book to the Old Testament, page 861.

Ezekiel 1 41


surrounding the rulers of this world. The apostle's comment that "unto theangels hath he not put in subjection the world to come" (Heb. 2:5) indicatesthat this present world is subject to their jurisdiction. Men think that theycontrol their own destiny, but the Word declares, "the most High ruleth inthe kingdom of men" (Dan. 4:17). Bringing His influence to bear He'creates peace and evil' (see Isa. 45:7). If evil comes upon a city, as it didupon Jerusalem in Ezekiel's day, it comes because God wills it (Amos 3:6).This sphere of His operation, this great political expanse in which He exertsHis influence, is "the firmament of his power" (Psa. 150:1).

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The firmament of His power

s The most High ruleth ^ sin the kingdom of men

In the Kingdom of God all men will come to acknowledge God's rulershipover the earth; rulership which will be manifested in Christ and the saints.Daniel speaking of this kingdom declared, "Many of them that sleep in thedust of the earth shall awake...and they that be wise shall shine as thebrightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness asthe stars for ever and ever" (Dan. 12:2, 3). Jesus used similar language (nodoubt a reference to Daniel 12) of the time when the political expanse inwhich God now operates unseen in the working out of His purpose willhave become the place in which Christ and his saints will manifest arighteous and everlasting rulership. "Then shall the righteous shine forth asthe sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matt. 13:43). The heavens willindeed "declare the glory of God" and the firmament in a very real sensewill manifest his handiwork (Psa. 19:1), for there will be a new creation ofimmortal rulers enthroned in these political heavens to the glory of God andthe benefit of mankind.

42 Ezekiel 1


Upon the heads of the living creatures

The purpose of God with the nation of Israel as it was being worked out inEzekiel's day was moving towards a predetermined end. The comingjudgements upon that nation—the destruction of the city Jerusalem, thecaptivity of the people—were all brought about so that God's purposemight move forward without hindrance. The end to which all things weremoving then, and are still moving today, is expressed in Psalm 8:4-6,

"What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thouvisitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hastcrowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion overthe works of thy hands; thou hast put all [things] under his feet."

"Son of man" here is a scriptural term, as we shall later observe, formankind. God's purpose is that all things will ultimately be placed underthe feet of members of Adam's race. This purpose of God has not yet beenfulfilled. The arrangement in Eden before the fall pointed forward to it, butPaul says, "now we see not yet all things put under him" (Heb. 2:8).

The purpose of God, then, is that ultimately the rulership of the earth willbe given to immortal members of Adam's race. Speaking of this time Paulwrites, "unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come,whereof we speak" (Heb. 2:5). In the arrangement of things in Ezekiel'svision we have this teaching brought out very clearly. The angelo-cherubicchariot is below the firmament. They are seen there performing the will ofGod, bringing God's rulership to bear upon the earth, making His presencefelt among the nations. They are in control of events in Ezekiel's day andours as God's purpose is being worked out, but when that purpose isrealized they will take an inferior position in the kingdom arrangement ofthings. Now they are busy in the outworking of God's will among thenations, but then their administration of "all things" will give place to thatby the "son of man", who in Ezekiel's vision is seen upon the throne withall things under his feet, and under whose feet all things relating to the earthwill ultimately be placed.

Ezekiel 1 43


Above the firmament the likeness of a throne

It is to this ultimate consummation of the purpose of God that we are nowdirected. Above the firmament that [was] over their heads [was] thelikeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon thelikeness of the throne [was] the likeness as the appearance of a manabove upon it (v. 26). The throne is symbolic; it represents that which thecherubic chariot was bringing near toIsrael—the rulership of God (see Psa. 11:4;103:19).

This rulership of God over the earth is tobe ultimately revealed in members ofAdam's race, as we have seen from Psalm 8.We rejoice in the fact that already "thecaptain of [our] salvation" has been"crowned with glory and honour" (Heb.2:9-16) and that "God also hath highlyexalted him, and given him a name (thename, RSV) which is above every name"(Phil. 2:9). In Jesus now is manifested therulership of God which ultimately will bevisible in the earth. This is what Jesus meanswhen he says, "To him that overcometh willI grant to sit with me in my throne, even as Ialso overcame, and am set down with myFather in his throne" (Rev. 3:21). There isonly one throne here, not two, as we seefrom Revelation 22:3 where we read of "thethrone of God and of the Lamb", and wecan become, with Jesus, part of this throne.

This is part of the drama of Revelation chapters 4 and 5. In Revelation4:2 we read of the throne—God's rulership over the earth—"behold, athrone was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne." In Revelation 5:6 aslain Lamb is seen in the midst of the throne, and because the Lamb wasslain, in 5:9-10 we see men redeemed by his blood becoming kings andpriests in the earth. The Lamb is extolled in the words, "Thou wast slain,and didst purchase unto God with thy blood [men] of every tribe, andtongue, and people, and nation; And madest them [to be] unto our God akingdom and priests; and they reign upon the earth" (RV).

Ezekiel 1:26-2:226 And above the firmament that [was]over their heads [was] the likeness of athrone, as the appearance of a sapphirestone: and upon the likeness of thethrone [was] the likeness as theappearance of a man above upon it.27 And I saw as the colour of amber,as the appearance of fire round aboutwithin it, from the appearance of hisloins even upward, and from theappearance of his loins evendownward, I saw as it were theappearance of fire, and it hadbrightness round about.28 As the appearance of the bow that isin the cloud in the day of rain, so [was]the appearance of the brightness roundabout. This [was] the appearance of thelikeness of the glory of the LORD.And when I saw [it], I fell upon myface, and I heard a voice of one thatspake.1 And he said unto me, Son of man,stand upon thy feet, and I will speakunto thee.2 And the spirit entered into me whenhe spake unto me, and set me upon myfeet, that I heard him that spake untome.

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Upon the throne the appearance of a man

Once we understand these things we can see immediately why Ezekielpresents the One upon the throne as the likeness as the appearance of aman (v. 26). This symbolic man is described as being:

(1) From the loins upwards as the colour of amber (RSV "bronze") andhaving the appearance of fire.

(2) From the loins downwards as the appearance of fire.(3) Surrounded by a brightness likened unto the bow in the cloud in the

day of rain.

1. Loins upwards

Each of these three divisions of this One on the throne introduces us towonderful themes of scripture that can only be considered briefly.

There can be no doubt that here in Ezekiel 1 we have the RainbowedAngel of Revelation 10, as the following comparison demonstrates:

Similarities between the man on the throne in Ezekiel's vision and theRainbowed Angel of Revelation 10 (RSV)

Ezekiel

Upward from his loins I saw as it weregleaming bronze, like the appearance of fireenclosed round about (v. 27).

Downward from his loins I saw as it werethe appearance of fire (v. 27).

Like the appearance of the bow that is in thecloud on the day of rain, so was theappearance of the brightness round about(v. 28).

A hand was stretched out to me, and, lo, awritten scroll was in it (2:9).

Revelation

His face was like the sun (v. 1).

His legs like pillars of fire (v. 1).

Wrapped in a cloud withrainbow over his head (v. 1).

A scroll open in his hand (v. 2).

In Revelation 10 the upper part of the man who Ezekiel says is the colourof bronze and has the appearance of fire, is said to be "as it were the sun".This of course connects this man with the "one like unto the Son of man" ofRevelation 1 whose "countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength"(v.16). The reference is to Christ and the saints, "the Son of man" underwhose feet all things will soon be placed. Jesus as the Sun of righteousnesswill arise with healing in his beams (Mai. 4:2) and then the righteous also

Ezekiel 1 45


will "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matt. 13:43).Isaiah 60 speaks of the rising of this One with a face like the sun. At thepresent time "darkness" covers the earth, "and gross darkness the people"(v. 2). But the prophet speaks of a wonderful time yet to come—"Arise,shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen uponthee...Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thyrising" (Isa. 60:1, 3). This One with the face like the sun will accomplishthis, and at this time "the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, andthy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moonwithdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the daysof thy mourning shall be ended" (Isa. 60:19, 20).

2. Loins downward

From the loins down this apocalyptic man was like fire, and fire in thescriptures speaks of judgement. The establishment of these new heavens,which will bear rule over all the earth, will be accomplished through theoutpouring of the judgements of God on the wicked nations of the earth."For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like awhirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames offire... it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and theyshall come, and see my glory" (Isa. 66:15, 18). "The Lord Jesus shall berevealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire takingvengeance on them that know not God... when he shall come to be glorifiedin his saints" (2 Thess. 1:7, 8, 10). It is interesting to note that in both thesepassages the result is the establishment of Yahweh's glory in the earth. Thisties up very nicely with the words of Ezekiel; this appearance of thelikeness of a man was, he says, the appearance of the likeness of the gloryof the LORD (v. 28).

It will be the privilege of the saints to cooperate with the Lord Jesus inthis work of judgement of the nations and they are included in themultitudinous "Son of man" who has "legs like pillars of fire." Thepsalmist speaks of their involvement in the judgement process.

"Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. [Let] thehigh [praises] of God [be] in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;To execute vengeance upon the heathen, [and] punishments upon thepeople; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; Toexecute upon them the judgement written: this honour have all his saints"(Psa. 149:5-9).

46 Ezekiel 1


Malachi speaks of this judgement of the nations as a burning process underthe apocalyptic feet of the faithful saints.

"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud,yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shallburn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root norbranch...And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashesunder the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD ofhosts" (Mai. 4:1, 3).

3. The appearance of the bow

Round about this man, round about the throne in Revelation 4 and upon thehead of the mighty angel in Revelation 10 was the appearance of therainbow1. For the production of a rainbow there must be (1) falling rain,and (2) shining sun. At the time when the Sun of righteousness arises andthe saints with him are shining forth as the sun, the words of the Psalm willbe fulfilled, "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as show-ers [that] water the earth" (Psa. 72:6). David, speaking concerning therulership of God's anointed, declared, "...when one rules justly over men,ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like thesun shining forth upon a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass tosprout from the earth" (2 Sam. 23:3-4, RSV). When God established Hiscovenant with Noah, He directed his attention to the rainbow as a token ofthe covenant (Gen. 9:16-17). The rainbow, produced by the interaction ofsun and rain, is a very fitting symbol of what David calls "an everlastingcovenant" (2 Sam. 23:5).

The rainbow above the throne speaks, then, of the time when God'scovenant made in Eden, established with Noah, elaborated to Abraham,Isaac and Jacob, and sworn with an oath to David, will be fulfilled. Itspeaks of:

• the time when Jesus Christ, his way prepared by Elijah, will come asthe messenger (angel) of the covenant (Mai. 3:1);

• Israel restored and brought into the bond of the everlasting covenant(Ezek. 20:37; Isa. 55:3);

• the time when Yahweh's doctrine "shall drop as the rain" (Deut.32:2), when the things of the covenant will be known throughout theearth as a result of the work of this apocalyptic man.

1 For more details see John Thomas, Eureka Vol. 2, page 22 et seq.

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The likeness of the glory of Yahweh

This appearance of a man upon the throne was, says the prophet, theappearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD (v. 28).

Speaking of the establishment of the kingdom the psalmist writes, "Whenthe LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory" (102:16). This isspeaking of course of the manifestation of Yahweh's glory in Christ and thesaints, who as the Son of man will be revealed as the light of Israel and theworld (Isa. 60:1, 2).

Jesus in the days of his flesh manifested the moral glory of the Father."We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father" (John1:14). In the age to come he will cause to be revealed both the moral andthe physical glory of the God of Israel—"the glory of the LORD shall berevealed, and all flesh shall see it together" (Isa. 40:5). We are called to bea part of the glory which is to be revealed; even now to "seek for glory andhonour" (Rom. 2:7), with the assurance that "when Christ, who is our life,shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory" (Col. 3:4)—themultitudinous Son of man, the One upon the throne, the likeness of theglory of Yahweh.

Son of man, stand upon thy feetThe vision described so far in the first chapter is the basis upon which therest of Ezekiel's prophecy is built. Its message, as we have tried to show,was threefold:

(1) The angelo-cherubic chariot was very soon to bring into the land ofIsrael the judgements of God.

(2) This was not simply a question of the punishment of evil doers, but,more important, it was intended to bring about the preservation of aremnant through whom the purpose of God would continue.

(3) This purpose of God was represented by that which the cherubicchariot bore aloft—the appearance of a man, which was "theappearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD." Yahweh'spurpose is that ultimately His glory will be manifested in membersof Adam's race—"all things" will be subject unto the "Son ofman."

When Ezekiel saw this vision he fell upon his face (1:28). This isinteresting because the prophet is still seeing the vision; but at this point heevidently becomes more than an onlooker—he becomes himself a part of

48


the vision; he sees himself falling down and subsequently rising to doGod's bidding.

While he is thus prostrated before this "vision of God" he hears a voice:Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee (2:1). Ezekielis called "Son of man" some ninety times and undoubtedly there is a reasonfor it.

The Hebrew words translated "Son of man" are ben adam, and theyoccur many times in the Old Testament. Three examples follow: "...who[art] thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man (Heb. enosh) [that] shalldie, and of the son of man (Heb. ben adam) [which] shall be made [as]grass" (Isa. 51:12). "No man (Heb. ish) shall abide there, neither shall a sonof man (Heb. ben adam) dwell in it" (Jer. 49:18)."What is man (Heb.enosh), that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man (Heb. ben adam),that thou visitest him?" (Psa. 8:4). In each of these quotations it is clear thatthe phrase "son of man" stands for mankind as a whole descended fromAdam. Additionally we have seen that the eighth Psalm as expounded bythe apostle in Hebrews 2 shows that it is God's purpose that ultimately "allthings" will be placed under the feet of ben adam, as we have already seen.The son of man is thus, in the final sense, not an individual, but a group ofpeople redeemed from Adam's race. This son of man consists of "manysons" who are being brought to glory by God (Heb. 2:10). In the vision ofchapter 1 we saw that these "many sons" in whom the glory of Yahweh isto be manifest are represented by the likeness of adam upon the throne(1:26).

But here in Ezekiel 2:1, "Son of man" is used of an individual. The factthat Ezekiel is called "Son of man" connects him immediately with the Oneon the Throne. The Glory of God, which ultimately is to be manifested inthe redeemed sons of Adam, was to be manifested in the prophet then. Hewas to be to Israel in God's stead, speaking God's words, revealing God'scharacter and, as far as Israel were concerned, causing God's judgements tobe brought upon the disobedient nation. In this he represents The Son ofman—The individual Son of man who would be raised up as the "captain1

of [our] salvation" (Heb. 2:10). He also would be to Israel in God's stead(Matt. 1:23), speaking God's words (John 3:34), revealing God's character(John 14:9; 17:6) and sending God's judgements upon the nation thatrejected him (John 5:22, 27).

1 Gk. archegos = one who goes first. Vine states "[it] primarily signifies one whotakes a lead in, or provides the first occasion of, anything" (Exp. Die. page 88).

Ezekiel 2 49


Ezekiel, son of man (= God will strengthen the son of man), beginninghis ministry among the people of Israel is divinely strengthened for thegreat work before him. In this too he foreshadows the greater Son of Manconcerning whom Asaph prayed—"Let thy hand be upon the man of thyright hand, upon the son of man (ben adam) [whom] thou madest strong forthyself (Psa. 80:17).

50 Ezekiel 2

Ezekiel commissioned and instructed(2:3-3:14)In the wilderness of Israel

Having been thus strengthened, Ezekiel isinstructed as to the work before him. Themission of Jesus was "unto the lost sheep ofthe house of Israel" (Matt. 15:24). Ezekielwas sent (cf. Jesus, "the Apostle", [i.e. onesent] in Hebrews 3:1) to the children of Israel

,! .. .. /τ. ι /-ι /i ο ι ι \ ττ· ι stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them;

in the captivity (bzek. 2:4; 3:11). His workwas to be difficult. He was being sent to apeople who were impudent (2:4), stiff heart-ed (2:4), and a rebellious nation whichthroughout their history had persistentlytransgressed against Yahweh, who hadchosen them and blessed them (2:3).Ezekiel's message to these people would fallon deaf ears, but whether they will hear, orwhether they will forbear (2:5), Ezekiel mustdeclare the message of Yahweh.

"Thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith theLord GOD" (2:4). The words which Ezekielspoke were to be proclaimed as the words ofYahweh Himself. So in verse 7 he is told that thou shalt speak my wordsunto them. As in the case of Jesus, so it was with Ezekiel, "he whom Godhath sent speaketh the words of God" (John 3:34)1.

There would no doubt be a remnant in Israel who would respond to thepreaching of Ezekiel, but for the most part he would be rejected. He isgiven assurance, however, that the time would come when they...shallknow that there hath been a prophet among them (v. 5). When the terriblecalamities overtook Israel—when these Jews of the captivity heard of thefall of Jerusalem and saw the captives arriving to join them in exile—theywould be compelled to admit that Ezekiel was God's prophet.

Ezekiel 2:3-13 And he said unto me, Son of man, Isend thee to the children of Israel, to arebellious nation that hath rebelledagainst me: they and their fathers havetransgressed against me, [even] untothis very day.4 For [they are] impudent children and

and thou shalt say unto them, Thussaith the Lord GOD.5 And they, whether they will hear, orwhether they will forbear, (for they[arel a rebellious house,) yet shallknow that there hath been a prophetamong them.6 And thou, son of man, be not afraidof them, neither be afraid of theirwords, though briers and thorns [be]with thee, and thou dost dwell amongscorpions: be not afraid of their words,nor be dismayed at their looks, thoughthey [be] a rebellious house.

7 And thou shalt speak my words untothem, whether they will hear, orwhether they will forbear: for they[are] most rebellious.

1 The expression Thus saith the Lord GOD' occurs in the book 122 times; 'Saiththe Lord GOD', 80 times; 'the word of the LORD came unto me', 49 times.

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Meanwhile, Ezekiel's mission was to be difficult but he is exhorted in2:6, 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 amongscorpions... The words here rendered "briers" and "thorns" occur onceonly in scripture and are not the usual Hebrew words for briers and thorns.But their association with "scorpions" seems to support the idea that herewe have a group of things to be found in the wilderness (see Deut. 8:15).Israel is frequently presented in scripture as a barren wilderness, andEzekiel is to witness in this wilderness. Micah, speaking prophetically ofIsrael at the time of Jesus, declared, "The best of them [is] as a brier: themost upright [is sharper] than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen [and]thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity" (Mic. 7:4). The samewas true of Ezekiel's day. Ezekiel was the watchman (3:17) and the day ofjudgement upon Israel of which he spoke subsequently burned up thethorns and briers.

Ezekiel eats the roll

All these things are taking place in the vision.The cherubic chariot with the glory ofYahweh is still before the prophet, and he isnow strong, filled with the Spirit and standingupon his feet. He has been commissioned toshare in the things about to take place inIsrael by speaking of God's impendingjudgements to the people. At this stageEzekiel sees a new development in the vision.When I looked, behold, an hand [was] sentunto me; and, lo, a roll of a book [was]therein; and he spread it before me; and it[was] written within and without: and [therewas] written therein lamentations, andmourning, and woe (2:9,10).

We do not imagine this to be a separate vision of a detached handbringing the roll to the prophet. The word sent in verse 9 is the same as thatrendered "put forth" in Genesis 3:22, and there can be no doubt that thehand put forth in Ezekiel's vision belongs to the "appearance of Adam" onthe throne. This roll which he saw in the hand of the representation ofYahweh's glory on the throne becomes part of Ezekiel because, as we shallsee, he proceeds to eat it!

Ezekiel 2:8-3:38 But thou, son of man, hear what I sayunto thee; Be not thou rebellious likethat rebellious house: open thy mouth,and eat that I give thee.9 And when I looked, behold, an hand[was] sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of abook [was] therein;10 And he spread it before me; and it[was] written within and without: and[there was] written thereinlamentations, and mourning, and woe.1 Moreover he said unto me, Son ofman, eat that thou findest; eat this roll,and go speak unto the house of Israel.2 So I opened my mouth, and hecaused me to eat that roll.3 And he said unto me, Son of man,cause thy belly to eat, and fill thybowels with this roll that I give thee.Then did I eat [it]; and it was in mymouth as honey for sweetness.

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Ezekiel commissioned and instructed (2:3-3:14)

The book is opened so that Ezekiel can see it, and being opened he seeswritten therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. In JerusalemJeremiah, in obedience to God, caused "a roll of a book" to be written."Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I havespoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all thenations..." (Jer. 36:2). Jehoiakim caused this roll to be burned, butultimately the roll—the word of God in the mouth of Jeremiah—wouldburn up him and his people.

"And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thouhast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The kingof Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause tocease from thence man and beast? Therefore thus saith the LORD of Je-hoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David:and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night tothe frost. And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity;and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and uponthe men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but theyhearkened not" (Jer. 36:29-31).

This was the message that Ezekiel saw written in the scroll before him—God's word concerning the impending judgement of Israel.

Jeremiah declared, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thyword was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called bythy name, Ο LORD God of hosts" (Jer. 15:16). It was to be the same withEzekiel. He is commanded, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat thisroll... (3:1) and the subsequent comments show that this was a taking in, aneating, of the word of Yahweh—Son of man, all my words that I shallspeak unto thee, receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears (3:10).He was to faithfully deliver Yahweh's message to the rebellious people ofIsrael. It was God's word, and taking it in was a pleasurable experience;Jeremiah found it to be "the joy and rejoicing" of his heart, and Ezekielcomments, it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness (3:3). "How sweetare thy words unto my taste", rejoiced the psalmist, "yea, sweeter thanhoney to my mouth" (119:103). This is the experience of all who are calledto share in the things of the Kingdom, but the responsibilities which thisknowledge brings often introduce bitterness into the lives of God'sservants. This was the case with John (Rev. 10:10), and it was the case withEzekiel, who rose to his responsibility and went in bitterness, in the heatof my spirit (3:14). The responsibility of those who have enjoyed thepleasurable experience of eating God's word is demonstrated by Jeremiah.He too, as we have seen, ate the word and found it to be sweet to the taste,

53


but he also found it to be bitterness in his belly, as emerges from aconsideration of Jeremiah 6. In verse 11 the prophet laments, "I am full ofthe wrath of the LORD; I am weary of holding it in". Therefore, "Pour it outupon the children in the street, and upon the gatherings of young men, also;both husband and wife shall be taken, the old folk and the very aged"(RSV). Like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, we too, if we have truly eaten the wordof God, will see it as our duty to pour it out in warning and exhortation, anexercise that will bring bitterness to us.

Further instruction

This section of Ezekiel's prophecy is verysimilar to 2:1-8. In it the prophet is furtherinstructed concerning his work as Israel'swatchman, and prepared for the rejection thathe would suffer at the hands of his people.Verse 6 is interesting. The prophet was to besent to the house of Israel, not to many peopleof a strange speech and of an hard lan-guage, whose words thou canst not under-stand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, theywould have hearkened unto thee. The samesentiment was expressed by the Lord Jesuswho conducted his ministry among thesesame people of Israel. He declared, "Woeunto thee...for if the mighty works, whichwere done in you, had been done in Tyre andSidon, they would have repented long ago insackcloth and ashes" (Matt. 11:20-24). Thereference in Ezekiel to the people of a strangespeech reminds us of the description of theGentile invader of Israel in Deuteronomy28:49. When Israel rejected the Son of man,thus filling up the cup of their iniquity, thisfierce Roman nation came in judgementagainst her, and "Jerusalem (was) trodden down of the Gentiles" (Luke21:24). The interesting thing is that the down-treading of Israel by theGentiles coincided with the introduction of opportunity for the Gentiles to"hearken" to the message of salvation. From that time to the present day

Ezekiel 3:4-114 And he said unto me, Son of man,go, get thee unto the house of Israel,and speak with my words unto them.5 For thou [art] not sent to a people ofa strange speech and of an hardlanguage, [but] to the house of Israel;6 Not to many people of a strangespeech and of an hard language, whosewords thou canst not understand.Surely, had I sent thee to them, theywould have hearkened unto thee.7 But the house of Israel will nothearken unto thee; for they will nothearken unto me: for all the house ofIsrael [are] impudent and hardhearted.8 Behold, I have made thy face strongagainst their faces, and thy foreheadstrong against their foreheads.9 As an adamant harder than flint haveI made thy forehead: fear them not,neither be dismayed at their looks,though they [be] a rebellious house.10 Moreover he said unto me, Son ofman, all my words that I shall speakunto thee receive in thine heart, andhear with thine ears.11 And go, get thee to them of thecaptivity, unto the children of thypeople, and speak unto them, and tellthem, Thus saith the Lord GOD;whether they will hear, or whether theywill forbear.

54 Ezekiel 3

Ezekiel commissioned and instructed (2:3-3:14)

there has been "the times (Gk. kairos = opportunity1) of the Gentiles"(Luke 21:24) and many indeed "hearkened", as God speaking to Ezekielindicated they would. In these words to the prophet, then, there is theinteresting indication of the purpose of God with the Gentiles.

In Revelation 10 there is a vision that, as previously noted, bears manysimilarities to the vision of Ezekiel. In this chapter John too eats a bookwhich is in his mouth sweet as honey. Commenting upon this the angelsays to him, "Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations,and tongues, and kings" (Rev. 10:11). By this time, in the out-working ofthe purpose of God, Yahweh was provoking Israel to anger by those whowere not a people (Deut. 32:21), and they "hearkened".

The adamant to destroy the impudent

In Ezekiel 3:7-8 there is an interesting play upon words which does notappear in the English: "...all the house of Israel [are] impudent andhardhearted". This word impudent is the Hebrew chizkay metsach whichliterally means 'strong of forehead'. The word chizkay is from chazekwhich means 'to be strong'. The prophet's name is derived from this sameroot which may be anglicized, Eychezekiel (Ezekiel in the Englishtranslations). God is saying to the prophet, with this interesting play uponhis own name, "All the house of Israel [are] strong of forehead..." But "Ihave made thy face strong (Heb. chazak) against their faces, and thyforehead strong {chazek) against their foreheads" (v. 8). He was indeedmade strong by El (God)—Ey-chezek-i-el (Ezek-i-el).

Thus strengthened for his work in Israel, he was to be, as an adamantharder than flint (v. 9). The word rendered adamant is usually translatedas 'thorn' or 'brier'. But it is used on occasion as a figure for hardness orsharpness, and so in Jeremiah 17:1 it is rendered "diamond" —"The sin ofJudah is written with...the point of a diamond". This seems to be the ideahere in Ezekiel. The people of Israel were like flint—"...they have madetheir faces harder than a rock" (Jer. 5:3)—but Ezekiel had been madestrong by God, and as a diamond is used to cut flint, so the prophet

1 The word karios is a word of uncertain derivation, It is, furthermore, quite elasticin its meaning. However, most scholars are agreed that one of its meanings is"season, or opportune time" (see J. H. Thayer, Greek English Lexicon of theN.T., page 318, [b]). S. Zodhiates comments, "It is not a succession of minutes,which is chronos, but a period of opportunity" (Complete Word Study DictionaryNT, page 805). This appears to be the meaning in Luke 21:24.

Ezekiel 3 55


speaking the word of Yahweh would cut the people of Israel to pieces.With this we may compare the work of Jesus in Matthew 21:42-44. Hethere applies to himself the words of the psalmist and declares himself to be"The stone which the builders rejected." He then speaks of the AD 70judgement of Israel—"Whosoever shall fall on this stone [the crucifixion]shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him topowder."1

Ezekiel 3:12-1412 Then the spirit took me up, and Iheard behind me a voice of a greatrushing, [saying], Blessed [be] theglory of the LORD from his place.13 [I heard] also the noise of the wingsof the living creatures that touched oneanother, and the noise of the wheelsover against them, and a noise of agreat rushing.14 So the spirit lifted me up, and tookme away, and I went in bitterness, inthe heat of my spirit; but the hand ofthe LORD was strong upon me.

The vision ends

This first of Ezekiel's visions thus comes to aclose. The Spirit lifts him up. The gloryleaves. He is once again with the exiles by theRiver Chebar. And here he begins to expe-rience the bitterness (v. 14) of his ministry,although he is very conscious of the strength-ening hand of Yahweh. The Hebrew wordused here, mar, is derived from mararmeaning 'to be bitter'2—the same word fromwhich myrrh, the bitter resin obtained fromthe terebinth, is obtained. Here it refers to the prophet's anguish as hecontemplates his new responsibilities. The bitterness is associated withheat of...spirit. The word "heat" is derived from a root denoting 'hot,ardent' and is used to denote anger or excitement.3 The NIV here has"anger of my spirit", but we cannot contemplate the "son of man" being"infuriated by the divine imposition in his life" as suggested by somecommentators.4 However, it is easy to see that Ezekiel's emotions would bein a state of great agitation as he considered the greatness of the workahead. Aware of his own weakness he is nevertheless aware of, and nodoubt very comforted by, the fact that the hand of the LORD was strongupon [him] (v. 14).

For a detailed comment on this, see J. Allfree, The Lord's Mount OlivetProphecy, page 14.

2 BDB, page 600. TWOT makes the point that "the more frequent use of mar is afigurative one, to express the emotional response to a destructive, heart-crushing situation" (page 528).

3 See Theological Dictionary to the Old Testament, vol. 4, page 462.4 E.g. Daniel I. Block, The Book of Ezekiel, vol. 1, page 137.

56 Ezekiel 3

Ezekiel—Israel's watchman (3:15-21)

The bitterness of his ministry

Ezekiel has been called, strengthened andinstructed. We left him in verse 14 havingexperienced the sweetness of taking in theWord of God, beginning to feel the bitter-ness—the responsibility—that this brings.

In verse 15 the prophet returns to thepeople of the captivity—they to whom hismessage was to be delivered. He sits thereastonished (overwhelmed, RSV) amongthem [for] seven days as he contemplates thetremendous responsibility which now is his.The reason for his bitterness is not difficultto see. No doubt his was an identical case tothat of Jeremiah. "Mine heart within me isbroken because of the prophets..." (Jer.23:9). We have already seen that many of thecaptivity had become affected by the falseprophecies of Hananiah, who had proclaimedthat the captivity would be over within twoyears. There were also false teachers amongthe exiles in Babylon. Shemaiah wrote lettersfrom the land of exile to Jerusalem telling thepeople and the priests to rebuke Jeremiah(Jer. 29:24-28). There were others too ofwhom Jeremiah wrote, "Let not yourprophets and your diviners, that [be] in themidst of you, deceive you.. .for they prophesy falsely unto you in my name:I have not sent them, saith the LORD" (Jer. 29:8, 9). Ezekiel had to contendwith these men in the captivity as Jeremiah was doing in Jerusalem. Littlewonder the sweetness of his call became bitterness as he sat for seven dayscontemplating the work before him.

The consecration of Ezekiel the priest

We have already observed that Ezekiel was a Levite of the priestly class(1:3). We noted too, that he received his call to begin his ministry in the

15 Then I came to them of thecaptivity at Telabib, that dwelt by theriver of Chebar, and I sat where theysat, and remained there astonishedamong them seven days.16 And it came to pass at the end ofseven days, that the word of the LORDcame unto me, saying,17 Son of man, I have made thee awatchman unto the house of Israel:therefore hear the word at my mouth,and give them warning from me.18 When I say unto the wicked, Thoushalt surely die; and thou givest himnot warning, nor speakest to warn thewicked from his wicked way, to savehis life; the same wicked [man] shalldie in his iniquity; but his blood will Irequire at thine hand.19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and heturn not from his wickedness, nor fromhis wicked way, he shall die in hisiniquity; but thou hast delivered thysoul.20 Again, When a righteous [man]doth turn from his righteousness, andcommit iniquity, and I lay astumblingblock before him, he shalldie: because thou hast not given himwarning, he shall die in his sin, and hisrighteousness which he hath done shallnot be remembered; but his blood willI require at thine hand.21 Nevertheless if thou warn therighteous [man], that the righteous sinnot, and he doth not sin, he shall surelylive, because he is warned; also thouhast delivered thy soul.

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EZEKIEL Section 1: The call of the prophet (1:1-3:21)

thirtieth year of his life, which was the year in which the priest in Israelbegan his work in the temple (Num. 4:3, 23).

In Leviticus 8:33 we see that a priest beginning his ministry had to beconsecrated. This took "seven days", and on the eighth day he commencedhis ministry proper.

For seven days Ezekiel sits astonished (v. 15) the primary idea of whichis 'to be silent' (GES). We understand this to denote that he sat in lonelyand silent grief. Can it be that during the seven days (v. 15) Ezekiel ispresented to us offering, as it were, the sacrifices of "a broken spirit: abroken and a contrite heart", and undergoing his period of consecration,ready to begin his work on the eighth day?

Ezekiel further instructed

At the end of this seven-day period Yahweh again speaks to him, and againthe tremendous responsibility which was his is pressed home. / have madethee a watchman unto the house of Israel (v. 17). It was the duty of awatchman on the walls of the city to blow the trumpet at the first signs ofan enemy's attack. The people working outside the city walls could thenhasten into the city and the defences of the city could be set up. Once thewatchman had sounded the alarm it was then the responsibility of thepeople to ensure their own safety. If they heard the sound of the alarmtrumpet, but continued to work in the fields and the enemy overtook themand killed them, it was entirely their own fault, and the watchman wasguiltless. But if they died because the watchman failed to sound the alarm,the watchman was guilty of murder.

Ezekiel was to be a spiritual watchman in the midst of Israel which werein captivity. By placing Ezekiel in this position, notice how the mercy ofYahweh shines through. It had been previously declared through theprophet Jeremiah to the children of Israel, "I set watchmen over you,[saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will nothearken" (Jer. 6:17). Thus these Jews to whom Ezekiel prophesied were inthe captivity because they had refused to listen to the trumpet warnings ofmen like Jeremiah. And here now, in the captivity, God in His mercy raisesup another watchman to warn them of further judgement and to tell themthe truth as to the duration and purpose of the captivity, and to instruct themconcerning the restoration.

The duties of the watchman are discussed at greater length in chapter 33,and will be considered further at that point.

58 Ezekiel 3

SECTION 2

PROPHECIESAGAINST JUDAHAND JERUSALEM

chapters 3:22-24:27

59

The prophet made dumb (3:22-27)We come now to consider a most interestingsection that is prefaced with the statement,And the hand of the LORD was there uponme (v. 22). Some of the revelations whichEzekiel receives are prefaced with theremark, "the word of the LORD came untome, saying..." (3:16; 6:1; 7:1; 12:1, etc.).Other revelations are preceded, as here, bythe words, "the hand of the LORD was uponme", or words very similar to these. We asktherefore, 'What is the significance of this?'

To answer this question we must examineevery occurrence of the words to see if thereis any reason for the use of this phrase. It (orvery similar words) occurs seven times asfollows:

(1) 1:3 This introduces the vision of thecherubim.

(2) 3:14 This occurs at the conclusion ofthis same vision, which extendsfrom 1:3 to 3:14.

(3) 3:22 This is the one under discussion.(4) 8:1 This begins the vision of the abominations in the temple at

Jerusalem and the subsequent departure of the Glory ofYahweh from Israel. This vision extends, as will be shown indue course, from 8:1 to 11:24.

(5) 33:22 This relates to the opening of the prophet's mouth. This one isdifferent to the others in that it refers to an event in the past,the details of which are not recorded. The RV and RSV renderthis in the past tense—"The hand of the LORD had been uponme".

(6) 37:1 This introduces the vision of the valley of dry bones.(7) 40:1 This provides the introduction to the temple visions.

With one possible exception (33:22) it would appear that the hand ofYahweh upon the prophet was connected with a special experience whichEzekiel had, in which he saw visions. These were always of a particular

22 And the hand of the LORD wasthere upon me; and he said unto me,Arise, go forth into the plain, and I willthere talk with thee.23 Then I arose, and went forth intothe plain: and, behold, the glory of theLORD stood there, as the glory whichI saw by the river of Chebar: and I fellon my face.24 Then the spirit entered into me, andset me upon my feet, and spake withme, and said unto me, Go, shut thyselfwithin thine house.25 But thou, Ο son of man, behold,they shall put bands upon thee, andshall bind thee with them, and thoushalt not go out among them:26 And I will make thy tongue cleaveto the roof of thy mouth, that thou shaltbe dumb, and shalt not be to them areprover: for they [are] a rebellioushouse.27 But when I speak with thee, I willopen thy mouth, and thou shalt sayunto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD;He that heareth, let him hear; and hethat forbeareth, let him forbear: forthey [are] a rebellious house.

60 Ezekiel 3

The prophet made dumb (3:22-27)

kind, in that they were visions in which Ezekiel himself played an activepart.

• Thus we saw him taking the roll out of the hand of the man upon thethrone and eating it, recording his experiences as he ate it.

• We shall see him in chapters 8-11 breaking his way into the temple andbeholding the abominations being done in Yahweh's sanctuary.

• In chapter 37 he himself stands in the midst of the valley of dry bones.He gives the command to the bones to "hear the word of the LORD".

• In the temple chapters the prophet in the vision accompanies the manwith the measuring reed as he measures the temple.

Thus, when the hand of Yahweh was upon Ezekiel, as in the section nowunder consideration, he had vivid experiences which he describes asvisions; and these visions, seen only by himself, were subsequently relatedto the people (e.g. 11:25; 40:4).

These "visions" must not be confused with certain symbolic actions thatEzekiel himself performed. The cherubic chariot, the roll in the hand of theman upon the throne, the abominable things in the temple, the valley of drybones, were all things which did not literally exist in the form in which theywere seen; they were apocalyptic visions. But in chapter 24, for example,we have something that really did happen to the prophet, which is used as asymbol of God's dealings with His people—Ezekiel's wife died, and he istold not to mourn or weep. By this was represented God's final judgementsupon Israel. Again in the second half of chapter 37, Ezekiel really did taketwo sticks, write upon them, and make them one in his hand, representingthereby the restoration of Israel.

With these points in mind we now return to chapter 3:22.

Introduction to the second vision

As in the other cases to which we have referred, the hand of Yahweh uponhim undoubtedly indicates the commencement of one of Ezekiel's vision-ary experiences. And so we observe that no sooner is the hand of Yahwehupon him than he beholds the glory of the LORD... as the glory which Isaw by the river ofChebar (v. 23).

We notice the very close similarity between this vision and that ofchapters 1 to 3, in that:

• Ezekiel falls prostrate before the glory of Yahweh, v. 23 (cf. 1:28)

Ezekiel 3 61

EZEKIEL Section 2: Prophecies against Judah and Jerusalem (3:22-24:27)

• The Spirit enters into him and sets him upon his feet, v. 24 (cf. 2:2)• He is then given commands, Go, shut thyself within thine house...

etc. v. 24 et seq., which may be compared with "Son of man, eat thatthou findest; eat this roll..." etc. in 3:1.

Note also the sequence of events in the previous vision. Having seen theglory and having been made to stand upon his feet he is told, "Son of man, Isend thee to the children of Israel..." (2:3). He then sees the roll in the handof the one on the throne; he is told to eat the roll, which he does, and thenhe is further instructed, "Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel,and speak with my words unto them" (3:4). Thus we have in this vision amixture of symbolic and literal instruction. Eating the roll was a symbolicact that did not actually take place except in vision; going to Israel to speakYahweh's words was something which Ezekiel literally was very soon todo.

The vision we are now considering is just the same. It is suggested thatthis vision extends from chapter 3:22 to 5:17 in which we have events thatare to be viewed as apocalyptic, i.e. they occurred only in vision andrequire interpreting. Mixed with them are literal statements from Yahwehexplaining the significance of the things that the prophet saw andperformed in his visions, and giving commands to the prophet concerninghis ministry.

The first command he is given in the vision is, Go, shut thyself withinthine house (3:24). If our interpretation is correct, in the vision Ezekielbeing thus commanded would do as he had been bidden.

Just as in chapter 37 he saw himself prophesying upon the bones andspeaking to them, so here he would see himself in the vision entering intohis house and closing the door. What did it mean? The interpretation isgiven in verses 25-26. He was being sent to a rebellious people, andbecause they were rebellious they would put bands upon him. Not literalcords, as in the case of Jeremiah, but they would limit his work amongthem. Again it is tempting to think that the activities of the false prophets inBabylon (Jer. 29:31-32) had something to do with this. Because theyrejected the prophet, God would make the prophet dumb. Chapter 24:27and chapter 29:21 show that this was done.

But from time to time the dumb prophet would speak (v. 27); and whenhe spoke it would be the Word of God going forth. On these rare occasions,when the voice of God sounded forth from the prophet, for some it wouldbe the voice of the trumpet blasting forth from Israel's watchman (He that

62 Ezekiel 3

The prophet made dumb (3:22-27)

heareth, let him hear, v. 27). But for most the word would proceed fromthe prophet unheeded (he thatforbeareth, let him forbear, v. 27). For mostof the rebellious house of Israel, Ezekiel's dumbness was the result of theirown refusal to hear. Because they refused to hear, or in the words of verse25, because they put bands upon him, the prophet would be shut off fromthem. So in Hosea the unbelief of Israel resulted in God returning "to [His]place" (Hos. 5:15)— i.e. withdrawing Himself from them. The principle isthat of Isaiah 6:10,

"Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut theireyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understandwith their heart, and convert, and be healed".

Chapter 4 continues the vision. Having in the vision shut himself up in hishouse, he is now commanded to perform certain other things that relate tothe impending destruction of Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 3 63

The siege of Jerusalem (4:1-16)We have in this chapter some of the most difficult problems that a study ofEzekiel provides:

• How, for example, could a man lie on his side for a period of 390 days(v. 5)?

• How could he survive on such a meagre diet of 200 grams of bread and1 litre1 of water per day for such a long period of time?

• Further, from chapter 1:1-2 ("fourth month, in the fifth day of themonth...the fifth year") to chapter 8:1 ("the sixth year, in the sixthmonth, in the fifth day of the month") is a period of exactly one yearand two months. The Jewish year was a lunar year of 354 days, and themonths were alternately 30 and 29 days long. From chapter one tochapter eight then is a period of 413 days. At least 7 days of this periodhave been accounted for by the time we reach ch. 3:15, which leaves atthe most 406 days in which the events from 3:15 to 8:1 must be placed.But during this period of 406 days we are now told in chapter 4 thatEzekiel has to lie on his side for a total of 430 days. How could thispossibly be done?

There are many possible answers. We can say that if God wished Ezekiel tolie on his side and to survive on such a meagre diet then He could bring thisabout. We can explain away the discrepancy in the number of days byfollowing the LXX and read 190 days instead of 390 in verse 5, or byinserting an intercalary month between chapters 1 and 8. But perhaps theanswer lies in none of these directions. It is suggested that the solution tothese problems is to be found in the approach introduced in the expositionof 3:15-27. It may be that the arguments set out there will provide anunderstanding of this section of Ezekiel, and lead to a solution for theseproblems.

Because of their importance the main points are set out again insummary: —

1 Nine ounces and one and three quarter pints respectively.

64

The siege of Jerusalem (4:1-16)

The prophecy of Ezekiel consists of visions, parables and messages. Withregard to the visions we have noted:

(1) They are prefaced with the words, "And the hand of the LORD wasthereupon me".

(2) They are visions in which Ezekiel himself plays a part. He seeshimself acting in the vision, receiving commands, and performingcertain tasks.

(3) The visions are often of a most bizarre type. Ezekiel eats aparchment roll, or stands in the middle of a valley of dry bones.

(4) Within the context of these apocalyptic visions, the actors andactions have to be interpreted in order to be understood. We haveEzekiel being given plain messages and commands that require nointerpretation, and in fact often provide interpretation of theapocalyptic content of the vision.

To illustrate these points, consider as an example the vision of chapter 37:

(1) This vision is prefaced in verse 1 with the words, "The hand of theLORD was upon me..."

(2) It is a vision in which Ezekiel himself plays a part. He is set downin the midst of the valley (v. 1); he is asked questions about thebones (y. 3); and he prophesies to the bones (v. 7).

(3) The content is bizarre. Dry bones in a valley becoming organizedinto complete skeletons and then being covered with flesh and madeto live is not something that one sees every day!

(4) Within the context of the vision the prophet is given plainstatements which, unlike the vision itself, do not needinterpretation. In fact, the plain statements give clues as to theinterpretation of the vision (see v. 11-14).

It is suggested that chapter 4 is part of one of three visions, starting at 3:22with the phrase, "And the hand of the LORD was there upon me", followingwhich the prophet in the vision shuts himself up in his house (thesignificance of which has been explained). Then, at the beginning of thischapter 4, still in the vision, he is given further commands from the throne,which we remember is still before him. These instructions which form thesubstance of chapter 4 concern three separate but closely related actions.

Chapter 4 then, being a part of one of Ezekiel's visions, the 390 daysduring which he is required to lie on his left side, and the 40 days duringwhich he had to lie on his right side, need have no more literal existencethan, say, the bones in the valley or the roll in the hand of the One upon the

Ezekiel 4 65


1 Thou also, son of man, take thee atile, and lay it before thee, andpourtray upon it the city, [even]Jerusalem:2 And lay siege against it, and build afort against it, and cast a mount againstit; set the camp also against it, and set[battering] rams against it round about.3 Moreover take thou unto thee an ironpan, and set it [for] a wall of ironbetween thee and the city: and set thyface against it, and it shall be besieged,and thou shalt lay siege against it. This[shall be] a sign to the house of Israel.

throne. This removes the practical problems and leaves us with theproblems of interpretation—what does the vision mean?

The city on the tile

In this chapter the first thing that Ezekiel isinstructed to do, in the vision, is to take aclay brick or tile and to draw upon it a repre-sentation of the city of Jerusalem—just aswe might draw with chalk upon a slate.

Around the city he was to portray thearmies of an invader which had placed thecity under siege. The drawing was to becomplete with battering rams, forts (ram-parts), and mounds. Having done this he wasto place an iron pan (v. 3) between himselfand the city.

Undoubtedly in the firstinstance the reference is to theimpending siege of Jerusalemby Nebuchadnezzar and thepunishment of the people ofIsrael which resulted from thesiege. Here was the answer tothose who had been deceivedby the false teaching ofHananiah, Ahab, andZedekiah—the ' prophets'who forecast the end of thecaptivity within two years(Jer. 28 & 29). This generalteaching of the propheticvision is easy to discern. Butthe action extends to far morethan the Babylonianoverthrow. The siege of thecity occurs at the same time as

Ezekiel lies on his side for a total of 430 day/years (v. 7). The siege on thetile represented the punishment of God's unfaithful people—a punishment

Tiles or bricks were used in Babylonia forwriting purposes. This one actually mentions

Nebuchadnezzar.

66 Ezekiel 4


which began with the sack of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar but whichextended far into the future as will be shown later.

At this point we ask, "Why did the prophet lay siege against Jerusalem?'And why was there an iron pan placed between him and the city?

The answer to the first of these questions is surely because Ezekiel, as apriest, represented God who had declared, "I will camp against thee roundabout, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise fortsagainst thee" (Isa. 29:3). Further, Ezekiel is declared to be "the son of man"(e.g. 4:1). Jesus said concerning himself, "The Father...hath given himauthority to execute judgement also, because he is the Son of man" (John5:26-27). He also said, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words,hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shalljudge him in the last day" (John 12:48). It was the same with Ezekiel. Thelast day of that dispensation had arrived and the word that he (and hisfellow prophets) had spoken was about to judge the nation which hadrejected it. When the siege came, it came because of this rejection of theword of God at the mouth of His prophets.

The iron pan and the priest

The iron pan, or plate, suggests the unyielding, irrevocable nature of thedivine sentence (Jer. 1:18, 19). But there is much more to it. When thejudgement came, the means of its outpouring was Nebuchadnezzar and hisarmies. In Jeremiah 28:14 we read of his conquest of Israel, with clearallusion to Deuteronomy 28:48, "For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the Godof Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, thatthey may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him:and I have given him the beasts of the field..." However, the use of ironsuggests that far more than the Babylonian invasion is being referred to.That was but the beginning of Israel's punishments—a punishment whichwould reach its terrible climax in the later judgements poured out by theiron (Dan. 2:40; 7:19) power of Rome, the power which fulfilled Deuteron-omy 28:48 to its ultimate. The Roman judgements resulted in a yoke of ironaround the neck of Israel for over 1,900 years —a yoke which will onlyfinally be removed when Yahweh, in the words of Jeremiah, "will break hisyoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall nomore serve themselves of him" (30:8).

But there may even be more to it than this. The word rendered pan isfound also in Leviticus 6.

Ezekiel 4 67


At this stage recall that:(a) Ezekiel was a priest.(b) He was called to begin his ministry "in the 30h year", the year in

which the priest in Israel normally began his ministry. (Note: Thisvision of ch. 4, like the vision associated with the beginning ofEzekiel's ministry, also commences with a vision of the cherubim).

(c) We observed in chapter 3 that, as in the case of the priest in thetemple, Ezekiel commenced his work after a seven-day period ofconsecration.

Following on from this we now note that one of the offerings which thepriest in Israel had to offer at the time of his consecration was a mealoffering (Lev. 6:20). This was to be beaten in a pan (same word as Ezek.4:3) before it was finally cast into the fire as an offering unto Yahweh(v. 21-23) where it was totally consumed.

Can it be that the siege of Jerusalem was the preparation —thebaking—of a meal offering which, when the city fell, was given to the all-consuming fire of God's judgement?1

The prophet-priest bears Israel'siniquityHaving performed this action with the tileand the iron pan Ezekiel is given furtherinstruction. He is to continue his attitude ofsiege against the city, as we see from verse7. Therefore thou shalt set thy face towardthe siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm[shall be] uncovered, and thou shaltprophesy against it. In doing this, as wehave seen, the prophet was acting out, asGod's agent, the judgement that was shortlyto come upon the people represented in thevision as "Jerusalem". When the judgementcame God was setting His face against the

4 Lie thou also upon thy left side, andlay the iniquity of the house of Israelupon it: [according] to the number ofthe days that thou shalt lie upon it thoushalt bear their iniquity.5 For I have laid upon thee the years oftheir iniquity, according to the numberof the days, three hundred and ninetydays: so shalt thou bear the iniquity ofthe house of Israel.6 And when thou hast accomplishedthem, lie again on thy right side, andthou shalt bear the iniquity of thehouse of Judah forty days: I haveappointed thee each day for a year.7 Therefore thou shalt set thy facetoward the siege of Jerusalem, andthine arm [shall be] uncovered, andthou shalt prophesy against it.8 And, behold, I will lay bands uponthee, and thou shalt not turn thee fromone side to another, till thou hast endedthe days of thy siege.

1 There is a similar idea in Zeph. 1:7 where the Babylonian invasion of Israel isspoken of as "The day of the LORD'S sacrifice". The word "sacrifice" is the Heb.zebach, the word normally used for the peace offering—the fellowship offering.In keeping with this figure of the fellowship meal the prophet says, "The LORDhath prepared a sacrifice, he hath sanctified his guests" (RV).

68 Ezekiel 4


city (see Ezek. 15:7; Jer. 21:10) and making His arm bare (cf. Isa. 52:10)against His people.

But at the same time as he represented God to the people, Ezekiel as apriest must also associate himself with his people. So by his prostrationbefore the portrayal of the siege on the tile, he represents the people whowere to suffer God's judgements. He was to lie first of all on his left side(he would perhaps be facing north toward the ten-tribe Kingdom territory)for a period of 390 days (v. 5). At the end of this period he was to turn overand, perhaps, facing the southern Kingdom of Judah, he was to lie on hisright side for a period of 40 days —a total of 430 days. We are informedthat these days represented years. / have laid upon thee the years of theiriniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninetydays...I have appointed thee each day for a year (v. 5, 6). Representingnow the nation against whom the siege had been laid, Ezekiel is to sufferfor a period of 430 days which, the record appears to be saying, meant thatthe nation would suffer for a period of 430 years. The word renderediniquity in verse 5 is on occasion translated as 'punishment', e.g. Ezekiel14:10—"they shall bear the punishment (Heb. avori) of their iniquity (Heb.avon)". And so the RSV of verse 5 of our chapter reads, "I assign to you anumber of days, three hundred and ninety days, equal to the number of theyears of their punishment; so long shall you bear the punishment of thehouse of Israel." Similarly with regard to the forty days for Judah —itrepresented the period of punishment to come. Thus the total 430 daysrepresent 430 years of punishment.

The difficulties inherent in this section are extreme.

• Why 390 for Israel and 40 for Judah?

• Why 430 years of punishment when Jeremiah had said seventy (Jer.25:11)? If we accept that the prophet's actions signify 430 years ofpunishment on Israel, when did they end?

• To which 430 year period does the prophecy refer?

• Was the ten tribe 'Israel' alone involved in 390 of this 430 yearperiod, and Judah in only 40?

There have been many attempts to unravel the mystery. Bro. J. Thomas setout his thoughts on this passage1. He works backwards from the time ofEzekiel and has each day of prostration representing a year of Israel's

1 J. Thomas, Chronikon Hebraikon, page 26.

Ezekiel 4 69


sinning against God. He points out that from the laying of the foundationstone of Solomon's temple to its destruction in the 19th year of Nebuchad-nezzar was 430 years. Further from the foundation of the temple to the 4th

of Rehoboam when the kingdom became divided was a period of 40 years.If this be the correct approach to the passage, then why did Ezekiel lie onhis left side for 390 days representing the years often tribe Israel's iniquity,when, as will be seen from the diagram this ten tribe kingdom existed foronly 256 years from the 4th of Rehoboam to its overthrow by Assyria?1

Judah on the other hand was a sole kingdom for the 40 years of unitedrulership plus a further 134 after the overthrow of the NorthernKingdom—a period of 174 years. Ezekiel's 40 and 390 find no definitecounterpart in this period of history, and we find it difficult to see in this theanswer to the problem.

Foundation stone of temple laid

4th year of Rehoboam. Israel dividedinto 10 tribe 'Israel1 and 'Judah'

Overthrow of 'Israel· by Assyria

Overthrow of 'Judah' in the 19th yearof Nebuchadnezzar

Bro. W. H. Carter maintains, as we also have suggested, that Ezekiel's 430days represent 430 years of punishment to come. He argues that from the5th year of the captivity, to the year following the death of AntiochusEpiphanes when Jerusalem was delivered from siege in a most remarkableway, was 430 years. This deliverance from the new Seleucid Emperor,Antiochus Eupator, resulted in reinstatement of religious liberty in Judea

1 Using Bro. Thomas' own chronology.

70 Ezekiel 4


and the re-establishment of temple worship in Jerusalem.1 But again weask: 'Why reckon the period from the 5th year of the captivity?' The visionwas not given until the 5th or early 6thyear, and concerns the siege ofJerusalem which was still future, and which did not begin until the 9th yearof the captivity, and did not end until the 11th. Further, it is difficult toequate the deliverance in the time of the Maccabees with the end of Israel'spunishment for iniquity.

Starting with the idea that this is part of one of Ezekiel's apocalypticvisions, it may well be that the numbers themselves have to be interpreted.The following suggestions are tentatively advanced:

(a) The lying first on the left side and then on the right side is simply todemonstrate that both Israel and Judah were involved in that whichwas being portrayed.

(b) The total period of 430 years is intended to remind the subsequenthearers and readers of the prophecy of the 430 years of sojourningwhich God had spoken to Abraham—'Thy seed shall be a stranger ina land [that is] not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflictthem four hundred years" (Gen. 15:13). In Exodus 12:40 we learnthat this period was precisely "four hundred and thirty years". In thetime of Ezekiel, Abraham's children were again to be afflicted andsojourn in a land that was not theirs. This is well representedapocalyptically by the 430 day-years during which Ezekiel layprostrate suffering affliction.

(c) The 40 years would remind the hearers and readers of the prophecyof the forty years wilderness journey during which the rebels werepurged out of Israel in readiness for the entry into the land ofpromise. The same process was to happen again in the experiences ofJudah in the Babylonian captivity. Scriptures such as Hosea 8:13;9:3; Micah 7:15 etc. are interesting inthis connection.

Ezekiel eats defiled bread

We come now in verse 9 to consider the lastact that Ezekiel performs in this chapter. Heis told to take a mixture of six differentkinds of grain and make bread from them.

9 Take thou also unto thee wheat, andbarley, and beans, and lentiles, andmillet, and fitches, and put them in onevessel, and make thee bread thereof,[according] to the number of the daysthat thou shalt lie upon thy side, threehundred and ninety days shalt thou eatthereof.

1 W. H. Carter, Times and Seasons, page 242.

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This was to be baked over a fire made fromhuman dung1, but when he objects he isallowed to use cow's dung instead. His totalallowance of bread was to be in the order of200 grams, and with it he was allowed about1 litre of water. All this of course was donein association with the siege on the tile andwhile he was prostrate before it.

We can see from verses 16 and 17 thatthere is in this action a clear reference to thecoming siege of Jerusalem: / will break thestaff of bread in Jerusalem etc. All thepredictions in the Law would be fulfilled andthey, scattered among the nations, would"eat, and not be satisfied...and pine away intheir iniquity in [their] enemies' lands" (Lev.26:26, 39). It is therefore not by chance thatthe word translated "pine away" in thisquotation from Leviticus, is the word usedhere by Ezekiel in verse 17 where it isrendered consume away. The proximateoutworking of this is recorded in 2 Kings25:3.

10 And thy meat which thou shalt eat[shall be] by weight, twenty shekels aday: from time to time shalt thou eat it.11 Thou shalt drink also water bymeasure, the sixth part of an hin: fromtime to time shalt thou drink.12 And thou shalt eat it [as] barleycakes, and thou shalt bake it with dungthat cometh out of man, in their sight.13 And the LORD said, Even thusshall the children of Israel eat theirdefiled bread among the Gentiles,whither I will drive them.14 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold,my soul hath not been polluted: forfrom my youth up even till now have Inot eaten of that which dieth of itself,or is torn in pieces; neither came thereabominable flesh into my mouth.15 Then he said unto me, Lo, I havegiven thee cow's dung for man's dung,and thou shalt prepare thy breadtherewith.16 Moreover he said unto me, Son ofman, behold, I will break the staff ofbread in Jerusalem: and they shall eatbread by weight, and with care; andthey shall drink water by measure, andwith astonishment:17 That they may want bread andwater, and be astonied one withanother, and consume away for theiriniquity.

But there is more involved than this. Inverse 9 the prophet, representing Israel, is told that this defiled bread was tobe eaten for the whole of the 390 day/year period, and no doubt we are tounderstand, of the 40 year period too. The full significance of the eating ofdefiled bread is indicated in verse 13. "Even thus shall the children of Israeleat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them." Thusit would appear that there is a reference in this eating of defiled bread notonly to the siege, but also to the problems which they would have to face inthe land of affliction and in the wilderness of purging (cf. Deut. 28:65; Lev.26:39 with this section of Ezekiel).

1 The word here translated "dung" (Heb. gelel) is related to the word that Ezekieluses for "idols" (Heb. gillulim) as in ch. 6:4. The same word is rendered "dungygods" in Deut. 29:17 (AVmg). Because Israel had defiled God's bread (Lev.21:17) mixing it with idol worship, they were to "eat their defiled bread amongstthe Gentiles." On this see Hosea 9:3-4.

72 Ezekiel 4


Israel still suffers. The period of affliction and the journey through thewilderness are not over yet for that nation. She has not yet received ofYahweh's hand double for all her sins (Isa. 40:2). The next stage of thevision, in chapter 5, confirms that these prophecies of Ezekiel do in factreach down to the days in which we live.

Ezekiel 4 73

The barber's razor (5:1-17)Chapter 5 concludes the vision that commenced at chapter 3:221. Ezekiel isstill in vision when this chapter opens. Since the events of the first fourverses occur in vision they have to be interpreted in order to be understood.They are in fact interpreted for us in the chapter.

The vision outlined

Note carefully the instructions given to theprophet in this part of the vision.(1) He was to take a sharp knife. The word

in the Hebrew is chereb2— the usualword for a sword, and is so rendered inthe RV.

(2) Following the RV and the RSV itseems that the prophet was to use thesword as a barber's razor, and with itremove the hair from his head and hisbeard.

(3) Having done this, he was to take abalance and carefully weigh the hair,dividing it into three equal parts.One third was to be placed upon the tile(4)

(5)

(6)

1 And thou, son of man, take thee asharp knife, take thee a barber's razor,and cause [it] to pass upon thine headand upon thy beard: then take theebalances to weigh, and divide the[hair].2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third partin the midst of the city, when the daysof the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalttake a third part, [and] smite about itwith a knife: and a third part thou shaltscatter in the wind; and I will draw outa sword after them.3 Thou shalt also take thereof a few innumber, and bind them in thy skirts.4 Then take of them again, and castthem into the midst of the fire, andburn them in the fire; [for] thereofshall a fire come forth into all of thehouse of Israel.

on which was portrayed a representa-tion of the future siege of Jerusalem. There the hair had to be burned.One third (again following the RV) he placed around the city on thetile and smote it with the sword.The remaining third, for the most part, was scattered to the wind.

(7) Out of this last third the prophet was to take a few hairs and bind themin the skirts of his garment.

(8) Some of these few hairs were to be taken and burned in the fire.(9) Finally out of these few, a fire was to come forth into all the land of

Israel.

1 See Introduction to the second vision at 3:22.2 Strong's, Theological Word Book to the Old Testament.

74

The barber's razor (5:1-17)

This is what the prophet saw. The rest of the chapter is taken up withDivinely-given clues as to the interpretation.

The position of Israel among the nations

This is Jerusalem (v. 5) means 'this head that is shaved represents Jerusa-lem', and clearly, the city represents the nation, being its capital. God hadchosen Israel as His own peculiar people. He had given them His law andset them in the midst of the nations and countries [that are] round abouther (v. 5). This placed that nation in a position of tremendous responsi-bility. In a very real sense they, the people of Israel, were meant to be thelight of the world. This is the idea presented in Deuteronomy 4:5-6.

"Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgements, even as the LORD myGod commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go topossess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and yourunderstanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes,and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."1

The nations, seeing the blessed state of Israel, the result of walkingfaithfully in the statutes and the judgements, would be led to acknowledgethe greatness of Israel's God. This still is God's purpose with this peoplefor "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance (i.e. "areirrevocable", NASB)" (Rom. 11:29). The sin and rebellion of Israel inEzekiel's time (as also before and since) could not frustrate this purpose. Itcould only bring the judgement of God because of their failure to rise tothis position of responsibility.

This spiritual position of Israel at the centre of the nations is paralleledby her geographical location. She was (and indeed is today) at the hub ofthree continents; in a very real sense the "centre (Heb. tabbur = navel) ofthe earth" (Ezek. 38:12, RSV). Thus Israel was placed as a witness to thegoodness of God at the centre of the nations. But she failed.

1 "Palestine was fitted by its situation to be a focus of religious influence in theworld. It lay between the two greatest of ancient empires, Egypt that dominatedAfrica, and Babylon, which ruled over Western Asia. Yet it was fenced in bydesert and mountain, from both. On its confines it had Tyre, the mistress of theMediterranean, Damascus and Petra, on the line of Arabian commerce, andElath, the port for the Indian Ocean. She might have been (what the Temple ofGod hereafter will be 47:1-12) a fountain of spiritual life to the world" (Wm. Kay,Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, ad. loc.).

Ezekiel 5 75


THE CENTRE OF THE EARTHOld map depicting Israel at the centre of three continents

(H. Bunting 1580)

Israel's failure—the reason for coming judgement

]Deut. 4:6

2Deut.32:5,6,15-21

3Lev.26:15,43;Deut.4:l

Ezekiel 5:5-175 Thus saith the Lord GOD; This[is] Jerusalem: I have set it in themidst of the nations1 and countries[that are] round about her.

6 And she hath changed myjudgments into wickedness morethan the nations.2 and my statutesmore than the countries that [are]round about her: for they haverefused my judgments and mystatutes.3 they have not walked inthem.

12 A third part of thee shall diewith the pestilence.12 and withfamine13 shall they be consumedin the midst of thee: and a thirdpart shall fall by the sword14

round about thee; and I willscatter a third15 part into all thewinds, and I will draw out asword after them.16

13 Thus shall mine anger beaccomplished, and I will causemy fury to rest upon them.17 andI will be comforted: and theyshall know that I the LORD havespoken [it] in my zeal, when Ihave accomplished my fury inthem.

12Lev.26:25I3Deut.32:2414Lev.26:2515Lev.26:33

16Lev.26:3317Lev.26:28

76Ezekiel 5


4Lev. 26:17

5Deut.29:22,246Lev.26:29;Deut. 28:53

Lev.26:33;Deut. 4:27;28:64;32:268Lev. 26:2

9Lev.26:l;Deut. 7:25,26; 32:1610 ?Lev.26:30? Deut.32:20uDeut.29:20

7 Therefore thus saith the LordGOD; Because ye multiplied morethan the nations that [are] roundabout you, [and] have not walkedin my statutes, neither have keptmy judgments, neither have doneaccording to the judgments of thenations that [are] round aboutyou;8 Therefore thus saith the LordGOD; Behold. I. even I. Tamiagainst thee.4 and will executejudgments in the midst of thee inthe sight of the nations.5

9 And I will do in thee that whichI have not done, and whereunto Iwill not do any more the like,because of all thine abominations.10 Therefore the fathers shall eatthe sons6 in the midst of thee, andthe sons shall eat their fathers;and I will execute judgments inthee, and the whole remnant ofthee will I scatter into all the

winds.7

11 Wherefore, [as] I live, saith theLord GOD; Surely, because thouhast defiled my sanctuary8 withall thy detestable things ? andwith all thine abominations,therefore will I also diminishrtheel;10 neither shall mine eyespare, neither will I have any

14 Moreover I will make thee 18Levwaste.18 and a reproach among 26:31-33the nations that [are] round aboutthee, in the sight of all that passby.

15 So it shall be a reproach and ataunt, an instruction and anastonishment unto the nations19

that [are] round about thee, whenI shall execute judgments in theein anger and in fury and infurious rebukes. I the LORD havespoken [it].

16 When I shall send upon themthe evil arrows of famine .2Q

which shall be for [their]destruction, [and] which I willsend to destroy you: and I willincrease the famine upon you,and will break your staff ofbread:21

17 So will I send upon youfamine and evil beasts.22 and theyshall bereave thee; and pestilenceand blood shall pass throughthee; and I will bring the swordupon thee.23 I the LORD havespoken [it]. 26:25

19Lev.26:32;Deut.28:37;29:27-28

20Deut.32:23,24

21Lev.26:26

22Lev.26:22;Deut.32:2423*Lev.

The failure of God's nation is discussed at great length in this chapter. Shehath changed my judgements into wickedness more than the nations, andmy statutes more than the countries that [are] round about her... (v. 6).Israel was the custodian of the Truth. The light must shine out from her,penetrating into the darkness of the Gentiles. The mercy of God would berevealed through that nation to people ready to receive it; the judgements ofGod would be made manifest through them on nations that had filled up thecup of their iniquity. Thus;

"When the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smitethem, [and] utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them...yeshall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down theirgroves, and burn their graven images with fire" (Deut. 7:2-5).

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The light was to penetrate and overcome the darkness, but under nocircumstances was the darkness of heathendom to interfere with the lightthat shone out from the people of God. However, Israel failed to live up toher calling. She rejected the statutes and the judgements of God and went awhoring after the abominations of the nations: they have refused myjudgements and my statutes, they have not walked in them (v. 6). Thismention of statutes and judgements reminds us immediately of the Lawthat was given to Israel, and this verse 6 is perhaps a direct reference toDeuteronomy 4:5 previously quoted. It is interesting to note too thereference to Leviticus 26:15. This chapter abounds with references to theLaw, and of the thirty or so that we have listed above alongside the text,there are no less than seventeen allusions to Leviticus 26, which, of course,deals with the curses that would fall upon the head of disobedient Israel.

As anticipated in Leviticus 26, it was because the people had failed towalk in the statutes and judgements, that God's wrath was now about tocome upon them. So we read at verse 7 (following the RSV), "Therefore...because you are more turbulent than the nations that are round about you,and have not walked in my statutes or kept my ordinances, but have actedaccording to the ordinances of the nations that are round about you...therefore I will execute judgements in the midst of you in the sight of thenations". Again we note the reference to nations. Even though Israel hadrefused to cooperate in revealing God to the Gentiles, yet God would stillmake Himself known to the nations through the people that He hadchosen —but now in judgement. This theme recurs repeatedly in theprophecy of Ezekiel. See, for example, 20:9, 14, 22,41; 39:27.

These judgements would assume all the horrific proportions previouslyassigned to them by Moses—even to the extent of being driven by theseverity of the siege to eat the sons in the midst of thee (v. 10; cf. Lev.26:29; Deut. 28:53; and see Jer. 19:9 and Lam. 4:10). Speaking of thesejudgements God says, / will do in thee that which I have not done, andwhereunto I will not do any more the like (v. 9). But what about thehorrors of the Roman siege described so graphically by Josephus?1 Clearlythese were just as severe as the impending Babylonian terrors, if not moreso.

1 Josephus, Wars of the Jews, 6:3.3, 4.

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It seems that we have here an idiom which is found elsewhere inscripture. For example, the Assyrians are described as "a great people andstrong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it"(Joel 2:2). Jesus, speaking of the events of AD 70, says, "Then shall begreat tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to thistime, no, nor ever shall be" (Matt. 24:21). This idiom is used to convey themagnitude and awfulness of an event.

Verse 11 of the chapter enlarges on Israel's sin. The sanctuary itself hadbeen defiled and the list of references to the Law alongside the text willshow the connection of thought that exists between this verse and the Law.When we come to consider chapter 8 it will be necessary to enlarge on thisaspect of Israel's sin. But at this stage we note again simply the fact that itwas Israel's apostasy with the nations which was responsible for thecoming judgements; therefore will I also diminish [thee]; neither shallmine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

The Hebrew for / also will diminish is somewhat uncertain and there arevariations between manuscripts. The majority of MSS favour the AV ("Iwill diminish") and the NIV ("I will withdraw"), probably signifying thatGod was to withdraw, diminish or remove His favour from them. The otherMSS have "I will cut down" (followed by RSV and ROTH). Interestinglythe Law supports both. Leviticus 26:30 shows that because Israel failed to"cut down" the idols of the Gentiles, the apostate systems they had set upwould be "cut down". Deuteronomy 32:20 teaches that, because they hadprovoked God to anger with the gods of the nations (v. 16), God would hideHis face from them—that is withdraw.

For nine centuries God showed His forbearance and longsufferingtowards them. His eyes had spared and He showed pity. Now was the timefor all the anger detailed in their Law to be unleashed upon them—mineanger shall be accomplished (v. 13). By comparing these final verses ofchapter 5 with the references given in the Law in the table on pages 76-77',we can see the extent to which the Law was indeed being accomplished.

One point of particular interest may be mentioned. The evil arrows(v. 16) which God would send upon them (see Deut. 32:23, 24) would befor their destruction (v. 16). The word destruction is the same word foundin Exodus 12:13—"when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and theplague shall not be upon you for a destruction..." (AVmg). Now the timehad come and the Angel which God appointed "to keep [them] in the way"(Exod. 23:20) had now "turned to be their enemy" (Isa. 63:10). The

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destroying angel was to visit them with destruction—the message of theCherubic visions in chapters 1 and 10.

Having thus outlined the reason for the coming judgement, we now cometo consider the details of the judgements that were so graphically presentedin the first four verses. We shall consider them in the order enumerated inthe section 'The vision outlined'.

1. and 2. The sharp sword used as a razor

As a priest, Ezekiel was prohibited from shaving his head or his beard (Lev.21:5). Now as a representative of the priestly nation (Exod. 19:6) he is tosignal the degradation of his people by shaving his head. But as God'srepresentative he is to do this with the sword, the instrument of judgement.Just as God in the days of Hezekiah used the Assyrian (see Isaiah 7:20;10:5), so now He was about to use the Babylonian. For this reason KingNebuchadnezzar is styled "my servant" (Jer. 25:9). Thus in this actionEzekiel in his priestly capacity represents God; the sword the power ofBabylon; and the cutting off of the hair by the sword, the cutting off ofIsrael from association with God.

3. The division into thirdsThe balance is a measuring instrument. The weighing of the hair into threeparts would remind the people to whom Ezekiel later spoke, of the way inwhich David dealt with the Moabites. "He smote Moab, and measured themwith a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measuredhe to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive..." (2 Sam. 8:2). Theposition was now to be reversed, and Israel would be the nation to bemeasured—by the Gentiles!

The balance in Israel was also the symbol of justice. The Law that Godhad given to them commanded, "Just balances, just weights... shall yehave" (Lev. 19:36). Thus the division of the hair into three parts by abalance conveyed the idea that the coming judgements were demanded bythe justice of God.

4. Burnt with fire

There is no difficulty in understanding Thou shalt burn with fire a thirdpart (v. 2). It is explained at verse 12—A third part ofthee shall die withthe pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst ofthee. This is elaborated in verses 10, 16 and 17. These verses should be

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carefully compared with the references given in the above table ofreferences to the Law. The appropriateness of representing pestilence,famine, etc. by 'fire' is only seen when we appreciate that we arecontinually being directed in this chapter back to the Law where it iswritten: "a fire is kindled in mine anger...they shall be burnt withhunger..." (Deut. 32:22, 24)—a prophecy that began with, but was by nomeans exhausted by, the Babylonian invasion of God's land.

5. Smitten with the sword

Again there is no problem in understanding the message contained in thoushalt take a third party [and] smite about it with a knife [i.e. a sword](v. 2), for verse 12 again supplies the interpretation: a third part shall fallby the sword round about thee\ as also verse 17: "I will bring the swordupon thee". The reference is to the destruction in actual fighting, themassacre of the unfaithful nation at the hand of the King of Babylon whowas the sword in Yahweh's hand. When the prophecy, based upon suchearlier prophecies as Leviticus 26:25, was fulfilled as recorded in 2 Kings25, Zedekiah's sons were among those who were slain (v. 4-7). TheBabylonian massacre of Israel, however, was only the beginning of aprocess which would finally bring about the dissolution of the nation "untilhe come whose right it is" (Ezek. 21:27).

6. Scattered to the windA third part thou shalt scatter in the wind is again explained at verse 12: /will scatter a third part into all the winds, and again the reference is toLeviticus 26. Having scattered this third God says through the prophet, AndI will draw out a sword after them (v. 2 and 12). This is a quotation fromLeviticus 26:33, and indicated that those who were scattered to the fourwinds (i.e. all points of the compass; all Gentile lands) would be subjectedto further oppression, as foretold also in Deuteronomy 28:65, 66. Again thereference to these prophecies of Moses indicates that more than theBabylonian invasion is involved.

7. and 8. The fire and the few

We now arrive at the most difficult, and yet the most interesting, part of thischapter—verses 3 and 4.

"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 burnthem in the fire; [for] thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel."

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Some1 apply these few who are bound in the prophet's skirts to Gedaliahand his companions who were left in the land after the destruction ofJerusalem, and who subsequently went down to Egypt contrary to theadvice given to them by Jeremiah (see Jer. 44:13, 14). They too were to becast into the midst of the fire: "I will punish them...as I have punishedJerusalem". But this seems unlikely, for in what way did fire come out fromthese few into all the house of Israeli As we have repeatedly emphasized,the prophecy is more far-reaching than those events surrounding theBabylonian invasion and nowhere is this more clearly shown than in aconsideration of these few.

The idea behind the binding of the few in the skirts seems to answer tothe teaching of the prophets concerning the preservation of a remnant who,purged and purified, would eventually return to the land. It is interesting tonote that the word translated skirts is the usual Hebrew word for 'wings'. Itis the word kanaph (which we have already considered in connection withEzekiel's vision of the cherubim) that implies protection and covering. Thisseems to be the idea involved in this part of the vision. Although the swordwould pursue the scattered third into the countries where they weredispersed, yet some would be afforded protection and preservation. This isthe teaching of Isaiah when he describes this scattered people as God'switnesses —a living testimony to His existence: "when thou walkestthrough the fire, thou shalt not be burned (i.e. wholly consumed)" (Isa.43:2). This is brought out in Ezekiel 11, where the prophet asks, "Ah, LordGOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?" (v. 13). Here itshould be noted that the 'remnant' is the scattered third, as in 5:10, and notthe few in the skirts. Yahweh replies to the prophet,

"Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I havescattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuaryin the countries where they shall come. Therefore say, Thus saith the LordYahweh; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of thecountries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel"(Ezek. 11:16, 17).

This teaching of the prophets had an initial fulfilment in the return fromBabylon, when a faithful remnant led by Zerubbabel returned to the land ofIsrael and rebuilt the temple. They are described as "the remnant of the

E.g. A. R. Fausset in Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary on the Oldand New Testaments, vol. 2, page 215.

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people" in Haggai 1:12. They were the few of the scattered third who,having come through the refining process of the captivity, returned to theland and refounded the true worship of Yahweh in the midst of the nations.But again the problem has to be faced—how could it be said of thesereturned exiles, "A fire will spread from there to the whole house of Israel"(v.4,NIV)?

It was not long before the regathered nation started on the downwardroad to apostasy. So that in the time of Malachi we find them being rebukedfor the same crimes for which Ezekiel and Jeremiah rebuked their fathersprior to the captivity. (See Mai. 1:7; 2:11, 17). For this reason Malachiwarned of 'a fire' that would come upon them:

"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me:and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even themessenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saiththe LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shallstand when he appeareth? for he [is] like a refiner's fire, and like fullers'soap" (Mai. 3:1, 2).

The messenger came as it was written of him, and he found this remnant,which now had become established as a nation in the land, no differentfrom their fathers in the days of Ezekiel. So John the Baptist also warned ofimpending judgement: "...he that cometh after me...will throughly purgehis floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaffwith unquenchable fire" (Matt. 3:11, 12).

Thus Jesus, born into the house of David, came out of the few who hadbeen preserved and restored again to the land. By this time the remnant hadbecome unfaithful. They failed to recognize their Messiah and crucifiedhim. This same One, some thirty-five years after his death, sent forth theRoman armies and "burned up their city" (Matt. 22:7). The nation was"burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitterdestruction" (Deut. 32:24). Since Jesus came out of the 'few' and since he,after his resurrection and ascension sent forth the fire of God's judgementsupon the whole nation, it was in this sense that from 'the few' afire [came]forth into all the house of Israel. The fire still burns, and still under

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Messiah's control, will burn with renewed intensity in the not too distantfuture. But surely the end of burning is near at hand.1

1 It is interesting to note that Zechariah makes a similar prophecy concerning theJews in the time of Jesus. Referring first to the cause of their judgement—therejection of Jesus—he declares, "Awake, Ο sword, against my shepherd, andagainst the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd,and the sheep shall be scattered" (Zech. 13:7 cf. Matt. 26:31). He next speaksconcerning the "little ones" about whom the Lord had a great deal to say (Matt.18:6, 10, 14; and cf. Num. 14:31)—"I will turn back my hand over the little ones"(v. 7b Roth, and cf. Luke 21:18). He then speaks of the nation in a similar way toEzekiel, dividing it into three parts. "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land,saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall beleft therein" (v. 8). Of this third part that survived the Roman holocaust it is said,Ί will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined,and will try them as gold is tried..." (v. 9). The refining process, designed toremove the dross from that nation, continues and will not be finished until theLord returns to deliver them from the "burning heat [and] bitter destruction"(Deut. 32:24) that, intermittently, has been their lot since they rejected theirMessiah.

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Judah's idolatry and impendingjudgement (6:1-7:27)In chapters 4 and 5 the judgements of God, that very soon were to overtakethe people of Israel who were still in the land, were presented in visualform. Jerusalem, the central feature of the vision, was to be subjected to aterrible siege and the people were to be overtaken by famine, pestilence andsword. Some would survive and be taken into captivity, and among thesurvivors would be some whom God would bind in His skirts so that Hispurpose with them might continue.

This theme of impending judgement is continued in the two chapters nowto be considered, both of which are introduced with the expression, "Andthe word of the LORD came unto me" in contrast with, "And the hand ofthe LORD was there upon me" used to introduce the vision of 3:22-5:17.

Chapter 7 is complementary to chapter 6. The latter warns of comingjudgement, whereas chapter 7 speaks of the arrival of the judgement in theland. Both chapters end with a symbolic actperformed by the prophet, which serves tosummarize what has been said in the earlierpart of each chapter.

Against the mountains of Israel(ν- 1-7)

In this first part of chapter 6, Ezekiel is told(v. 2) to set [his] face toward the mountainsof Israel, i.e. to pronounce judgement uponthe land . There is a close connectionbetween land and people, for it is clear thatany judgement of the land would have itsadverse effect upon the people. In Leviticus26 it was made plain that if the people wereobedient, then the land would be blessed(v. 4), whereas if the people were unfaithfulto God the land would be made desolate(v. 33). Judgement pronounced upon theland is thus an indication of the wicked stateof the people in it. However, the point beingmade is not simply that because the people

1 And the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,2 Son of man, set thy face toward themountains of Israel, and prophesyagainst them,3 And say, Ye mountains of Israel,hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thussaith the Lord GOD to the mountains,and to the hills, to the rivers, and to thevalleys; Behold, I, [even] I, will bringa sword upon you, and I will destroyyour high places.4 And your altars shall be desolate, andyour images shall be broken: and I willcast down your slain [men] before youridols.5 And I will lay the dead carcases ofthe children of Israel before their idols;and I will scatter your bones roundabout your altars.6 In all your dwellingplaces the citiesshall be laid waste, and the high placesshall be desolate; that your altars maybe laid waste and made desolate, andyour idols may be broken and cease,and your images may be cut down, andyour works may be abolished.7 And the slain shall fall in the midstof you, and ye shall know that I [am]the LORD.

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were wicked the land was going to be made desolate, but that in some waythe land was involved in Israel's sinfulness—it was being used in a sinfulway. In verse 3 Ezekiel addresses "the mountains... hills...ravines andvalleys" (RSV) and he connects these with "high places...altars; images(incense altars, RSV) and...idols". The mountains and the hills, the ravinesand the valleys, were being used by the people of Israel as places in whichthey practised abominable and often licentious forms of idol worship (seeJer. 3:2, 6 for mountains and hills, 2 Kings 23:10 for ravines and valleys).What God saw as a "good land" (Deut. 8:7), they had polluted with theiridolatry.

These systems of idolatry were to be destroyed by Yahweh. There is areason for the emphasis in v. 3, Behold, I, even / . . . Before Israel enteredthe land they were charged, "Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, whereinthe nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the highmountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree" (Deut. 12:2).The longsuffering of God had waited for centuries for them to do it, butthey had failed. It is true that there were periods when idolatry wasoutlawed, but it had never been completely eradicated, and so what theyhad failed to do, God Himself would do, as indeed He had warned themfrom the beginning. "If ye will not... hearken unto me... I will destroy yourhigh places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon thecarcases of your idols" (Lev. 26:27', 30)—the very words to which Ezekielrefers in verses 4 and 5—/ will cast down your slain [men] before youridols. And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel beforetheir idols....

The Hebrew word for idols is used 39 times by Ezekiel, but it is foundonly nine times in the rest of the Old Testament. It is the word gillulim towhich we have previously referred1. The idea of defilement ("dungy gods",Deut. 29:17, AVmg) is inherent in the word, and this is shown by its use in20:7, 18,31; 22:3,4; 36:25.

The judgements coming upon the land would produce the followingchain reaction:-

(1) Destroy the idolatrous systems practised there (v. 3,4 and 6).(2) Cause the dead bodies of Israel to be scattered among the idols

(v.5)(3) Thus defile their idols.

1 See footnote on page 72.

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Judah's idolatry and impending judgement (6:1-7:27)

(4) Demonstrate the impotence of these gods to deliver them fromtrouble. Thus Israel (those who survived the holocaust) would beled to realize that Yahweh's purpose would not be frustrated bytheir wickedness—"Ye shall know that I am the LORD" (ν. 7).1

One objective behind God's action towards them is also said to be that theirworks may be abolished (v. 6). Bearing in mind the association betweenIsrael's works (their idols, Heb. gelel) and dung, there is perhaps a lessonhere for us. In order that we may be God's true Israel (whether Jew orGentile in the flesh) we must get rid of the idea that our own station andfleshly achievements are important and, like the apostle, "count them butdung that [we] may win Christ" (Phil. 3:8).

A remnant saved (6:8-10)

In the midst of this depressing warning ofcoming judgement, the prophet now presentsa message of hope: Yet will I leave a rem-nant. This is the same message as we sawportrayed in chapter 5. Of the scattered onethird, some were bound in Ezekiel's skirtsthat God's purpose might continue withthem.

8 Yet will I leave a remnant, that yemay have some that shall escape thesword among the nations, when yeshall be scattered through thecountries.9 And they that escape of you shallremember me among the nationswhither they shall be carried captives,because I am broken with theirwhorish heart, which hath departedfrom me, and with their eyes, which goa whoring after their idols: and theyshall lothe themselves for the evilswhich they have committed in all theirabominations.10 And they shall know that I am theLORD, and that I have not said in vainthat I would do this evil unto them.

This is part of the message involved in thestatement "I am Yahweh" (v. 7). His purposeis unchangeable. "I am Yahweh...thereforeye sons of Jacob are not consumed" (Mai.3:6). The continued existence of Israel issomething that Almighty God guaranteed(see Jer. 31:37).

Verse 9 outlines the process whereby this would be achieved:-

(1) They would remember God (cf. Deut. 8:14,18; 32:18),

This expression, shall know that I am the LORD (v. 7) occurs a total of seventimes in the two chapters under consideration (6:7, 10, 13, 14; 7:4, 9, 27). Thewords are found over sixty times in the prophecy of Ezekiel. This may becompared to Isaiah where it is found once (45:3), Jeremiah once (9:24) and Joelonce (3:17). It is absent from the other prophets. Ezekiel repeatedly proclaimsthat as a result of prophecy being fulfilled God would be vindicated.

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(2) when He had "broken their wanton heart" (RSV)1 and(3) "blinded their eyes which turn wantonly after their idols" (RSV).

Thus the event soon to overtake Israel would cause some to lothethemselves for the evils which they have committed in all theirabominations.

This was of course fulfilled as Moses had predicted."It shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessingand the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call [them] to mindamong all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, And shaltreturn unto the LORD thy God..." (Deut. 30:1-2).

Moses proceeds to say that Yahweh would then "gather thee from all thenations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee" (v. 3). So it wasthat 70 years after the events that Ezekiel here predicts, Zerubbabel and aremnant of Israel returned to the land. Ezekiel here only hints at thisrestoration, for his message at this stage isprimarily concerned with judgement andcondemnation, and so in the concludingverses of chapter 6 he returns to this theme.

Smite...smite (6:11-14)We may safely assume that Ezekiel, in ad-dressing his fellow Israelites, would performthese actions. As in chapter 37:16 where hetook two sticks and made them one in hishands, and then proceeded to interpret hisactions, so here he would smite with hishand upon the ground and stamp with hisfoot and then relate these actions to hismessage. Thus they would be helped toremember that God was going to smite Hisland and tread upon their high places (seeMic. 1:3).

11 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smitewith thine hand, and stamp with thyfoot, and say, Alas for all the evilabominations of the house of Israel!for they shall fall by the sword, by thefamine, and by the pestilence.12 He that is far off shall die of thepestilence; and he that is near shall fallby the sword; and he that remainethand is besieged shall die by the famine:thus will I accomplish my fury uponthem.13 Then shall ye know that I [am] theLORD, when their slain [men] shall beamong their idols round about theiraltars, upon every high hill, in all thetops of the mountains, and under everygreen tree, and under every thick oak,the place where they did offer sweetsavour to all their idols.14 So will I stretch out my hand uponthem, and make the land desolate, yea,more desolate than the wildernesstoward Diblath, in all their habitations:and they shall know that I [am] theLORD.

Although the RSV has been used here, the AV is equally tenable. God wasbroken in the sense that He was grieved because of Israel's unfaithfulness, as aman might be grieved at the unchastity of his wife. "If the preference of sensuallust to wedded love be a shocking thing, how incomparably more so is it to loveand honour the creature above the ever-blessed Creator (which is the essenceof idolatry, Rom. 1:25)" (Wm. Kay, The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, ad. loc).

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Once again in verse 13 the coming judgements are related to the idolatryof the people by which the land had been defiled, and so (v. 14) God wasgoing to stretch out His hand on them and make the land desolate, yea,more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath (from the wilderness toRiblah, RSV), that is from the southern to the northern extremity.

The reference in verse 13 to the sweet savour (soothing aroma, NASB)finds its modern counterpart in a system of religion that is equally corrupt.The Israelites had plenty of 'religious feeling' and they offered their sweetsavours on altars set up in the most beautiful of natural surroundings called"groves". But they were altogether alienated from the God of Abraham. Soin Christendom, sweet incense is offered by men full of 'religious feeling'in the splendour of basilicas and cathedrals—but all to no avail. It is just asmuch a smoke in the Almighty's nostrils (Isa. 63:3-5) as were the sweetsavours of apostate Israel. Without the Truth in the heart, 'religious feeling'is but another manifestation of "the spirit that now worketh in the childrenof disobedience" (Eph. 2:2). We must not lose sight of this.

An end upon the land (7:1-4)

In chapter 7 we have an example of Godspeaking of things that be not as though theywere. Having foretold the coming judgementin chapter 6, Ezekiel announces its arrival inchapter 7. As in chapter 6, he turns hisattention firstly to the land, and for the samereason—because of thine abominations(v. 3). Because of them an end, the end hadcome, that is the desolations of chapter 6:14"from the wilderness to Riblah" or ashere—upon the four corners of the land(v.2).

The expression the end is come (v. 2) reminds us of that time when Godsaid, "The end of all flesh is come before me" (Gen. 6:13). The connectionbetween these two events is strengthened by the statement in Ezekiel 6:6that "your works [shall] be abolished", where the word "abolish" (Heb.machah) means 'to wipe away, blot out', and is used in Genesis 7:4, 23 ofthe flood.

The judgements would overwhelm them as the flood had overwhelmedthe sinners of Noah's day. And when the flood of judgement poured overthe land—thine abominations shall be in the midst ofthee (v. 4). They too

1 Moreover the word of the LORDcame unto me, saying,2 Also, thou son of man, thus saith theLord GOD unto the land of Israel; Anend, the end is come upon the fourcorners of the land.3 Now [is] the end [come] upon thee,and I will send mine anger upon thee,and will judge thee according to thyways, and will recompense upon theeall thine abominations.4 And mine eye shall not spare thee,neither will I have pity: but I willrecompense thy ways upon thee, andthine abominations shall be in themidst of thee: and ye shall know that I[am] the LORD.

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would be wiped out and shown to be the impotent idols that they reallywere.

As in chapter 6, the judgement would come upon the land because of thesins of the people, and in fact would be a punishment of the peoplethemselves. And so Ezekiel proceeds to speak of judgement upon theinhabitants of the land.

An evil upon the inhabitants (7:5-9)

The impending invasion would be the last ofNebuchadnezzar's attacks — an only evil(v. 5) —no more would be needed. Thephrase it watcheth for thee (v. 6) is betterrendered as in the NASB "it has awakened",and it may be to this that Peter alludes when,comparing the apostasy of his day with thatin Old Testament Israel, he says, "whosedestruction slumbereth not" (2 Pet. 2:1, 3).

5 Thus saith the Lord GOD; An evil,an only evil, behold, is come.6 An end is come, the end is come: itwatcheth for thee; behold, it is come.7 The morning is come unto thee, Οthou that dwellest in the land: the timeis come, the day of trouble [is] near,and not the sounding again of themountains.8 Now will I shortly pour out my furyupon thee, and accomplish mine angerupon thee: and I will judge theeaccording to thy ways, and willrecompense thee for all thineabominations.9 And mine eye shall not spare, neitherwill I have pity: I will recompense theeaccording to thy ways and thineabominations [that] are in the midst ofthee; and ye shall know that I [am] theLORD that smiteth.

The idea conveyed by the words themorning is come unto thee, Ο thou thatdwellest in the land (v. 7) is not immedi-ately apparent. The Hebrew word heretranslated morning only occurs three timesin scripture. Besides this passage it is foundin v. 10, and in Isaiah 28:5 where it isrendered 'diadem'. The RSV in these twopassages in Ezekiel renders it 'doom', but adds a note "Heb. obscure". Theword is tsephiyrah. Gardiner in Ellicotfs Commentary says 'the mostprobable sense of the word is circuit'1, and Gesenius in his confirms this,deriving it from a root meaning 'to go in a circle, to revolve'2. It issuggested that the idea here in verse 7 is that Israel's circuit had gone itsfull turn—the end had arrived.

Time is measured in this way in Scripture. Bro. Thomas in Eureka3

shows that the Greek word aion frequently used in the New Testament, andwhich signifies 'an age', is derived from two words — aei which means

Vol. 5, page 220.

Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, page 716.

Vol. 1, page 130.

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'circling around' and on meaning 'a being'. The same idea seems to bepresent in this phrase the morning (circuit) is come unto thee. The lengthof Israel's age was determined by their faithfulness or lack of it. Had theyremained faithful their aion would have been longer, but because of theirsins the full circuit had arrived.

This day of trouble (v. 7) on Israel would be a day of great sadness.Gone would be the shouts of those who trod the winepresses echoingthrough the mountains (cf. Jer. 48:33). This day of trouble would see themtrodden down (Isa. 22:5).

Yahweh that smiteth

In verse 9 the people were again informed of the effects the judgementswould have: Ye shall know that I [am] the LORD (i.e. Yahweh) thatsmiteth. Yahweh is God's name, and following the general pattern ofHebrew names it has a meaning —a meaning that is expressive of Hispurpose. The view set out by Bro. Thomas in Eureka vol. 1 and Phanerosisthat Yahweh signifies 'He who will be' has received ample and remarkableconfirmation from more recent scholarship. Further, it is recognized that thename Yahweh does not have reference to God's existence, but to His futuremanifestation1. This is in complete accord with the way the name is used inScripture. The name has reference to God's intention to manifest Himself inmembers of Adam's race. For this reason He called Abraham; for thisreason He chose Israel; for this reason He is now working with the Gentilestaking out of them "a people for His Name" (Acts 15:14).

Israel refused to cooperate. But the purpose expressed in the nameremained. What He was about to do to Israel in pouring judgement uponthem, He did as Ezekiel later informs us, "not...for your sakes.. .but for my

1 e.g. A. B. Davidson, Theology of the Old Testament, page 55—"The Old Testament connects the name with the verb hayah to be... Now, twothings must be premised about this verb. First, the imperfect of such a stativeverb as hayah must be taken in the sense of a future. I do not think there is inthe Hebrew Bible a case of the imperfect of this verb having the sense of theEnglish present. This is expressed by the perfect. The word means to fall, fallout, become; hence its perfect is equivalent to to be. The imperfect must berendered, I will be. Second, hayah does not mean to be essentially, but to bephenomenally... Now these two facts regarding hayah exclude a large numberof conjectures as to the meaning of Yahweh. In the first place, the translation Iam is doubly false: the sense is wrong being present; and the idea is wrong;because am is used in the sense of essential existence".

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holy name's sake" (36:22). This is the significance of the oft-repeatedphrase, "then shall ye know that I am the LORD". As a result of thejudgement poured upon them they would be brought to realize that God'spurpose, expressed in His name, would not be frustrated by their ownsinfulness. He will be what He will be, whatever their actions.

But here in verse 9 the full expression is Ye shall know that I am theLORD that smiteth. All that God asked of Israel was their co-operation. Ifthey were faithful to Him then His purpose with them would be worked outin a most remarkable way. He would be Yahweh their Shepherd (Psa.23:1), Yahweh their Provider (Gen. 22:14), Yahweh their Healer (Exod.15:26), and Yahweh their Righteousness (Jer. 23:6). If they refused tocooperate, Yahweh's purpose would still be worked out, but they wouldcome to know Him as Yahweh the Smiter. This was about to happen inEzekiel's day. Sadly it has continued to be their experience for many longyears.

The day of Yahweh's anger (7:10-13)

This section (see also v. 19) introduces us toa recurring theme in the prophets, for herethe coming judgements are spoken of as theday (v. 10, 12) that is, the day of the LORD.The only comment we make here is thatwhenever this phrase occurs, it must alwaysbe interpreted by the context. Theassumption must not be made that "the dayof the LORD" always refers to the time ofthe end. Here it is judgement on Israel inEzekiel's day. In Isaiah 13:9 it is the judge-ment of Babylon that is being discussed; in2 Peter 3:10 it is the judgement on Israel inAD 70. "The day" of Yahweh is simply atime of Yahweh's judgement.

The pride and violence mentioned in verses 10 and 11 that had buddedand risen up at the morning of judgement were certainly characteristic ofZedekiah then reigning in Jerusalem. However, they are perhaps betterunderstood as referring to Nebuchadnezzar who had come into politicalprominence at exactly the right time to perform God's work on Israel. Hewas the personification of "pride" and "violence". God says to him, whenhis work is done—"I am against thee, Ο Pride" (Jer. 50:31 AVmg). As

10 Behold the day, behold, it is come:the morning is gone forth; the rod hathblossomed, pride hath budded.11 Violence is risen up into a rod ofwickedness: none of them [shallremain], nor of their multitude, nor ofany of theirs: neither [shall there be]wailing for them.12 The time is come, the day drawethnear: let not the buyer rejoice, nor theseller mourn: for wrath [is] upon allthe multitude thereof.13 For the seller shall not return to thatwhich is sold, although they were yetalive: for the vision [is] touching thewhole multitude thereof, [which] shallnot return; neither shall any strengthenhimself in the iniquity of his life.

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God's servant (Jer. 25:9) he had a work to do—to bring wrath...upon allthe multitude of Israel (v. 12). For this reason the normal activities ofbuying and selling land would cease (v. 12) and the seller shall not returnto that which is sold (v. 13). That is, even if he were alive at the year ofJubilee he would not be able to "return to his possession" (Lev. 25:27)since he would be in exile.


The prophet now turns his attention particu-larly to the impending siege of Jerusalem,which we have seen so graphically portrayedin chapters 4 and 5. The sword [is] without,and the pestilence and the famine within:he that [is] in the field shall die with thesword; and he that [is] in the city, famineand pestilence shall devour him (v. 15). Butin the midst of this the prophet again speaksof they that escape, who, in consequence offurther troubles coming upon them, wouldbe led to mourn like doves...every one forhis iniquity (v. 16 cf. Isa. 59:11).

The events soon to overtake the Jews inthe land would result in them casting theirsilver in the streets and their gold shall beremoved (v. 19). No doubt this refers to theirpersonal riches but more especially to theiridols (see v. 20 and 16:17). Their idols werecertainly going to be removed ("Be as anunclean thing", RV). The same word is usedof the unlawful union of a man with his brother's wife—"it is an uncleanthing" (Lev. 20:21). The coming judgements would show Yahweh'sabhorrence of the relationship between Israel and the gods of the nations.

There is an echo of this in James 5:1-3. History repeated itself, and inJames' day this same kind of thing was happening. There were even in theJewish ecclesias rich men who oppressed the poor. James says they had"laid up [their] treasure in the last days" (RV), but as in Ezekiel's day, so inthe time of James, "the judge standeth before the door" (v. 9). In AD 70"the day of the Lord" came, and in that day too their silver and their gold

14 They have blown the trumpet, evento make all ready; but none goeth tothe battle: for my wrath [is] upon allthe multitude thereof.15 The sword [is] without, and thepestilence and the famine within: hethat [is] in the field shall die with thesword; and he that [is] in the city,famine and pestilence shall devourhim.16 But they that escape of them shallescape, and shall be on the mountainslike doves of the valleys, all of themmourning, every one for his iniquity.17 All hands shall be feeble, and allknees shall be weak [as] water.18 They shall also gird [themselves]with sackcloth, and horror shall coverthem; and shame [shall be] upon allfaces, and baldness upon all theirheads.19 They shall cast their silver in thestreets, and their gold shall beremoved: their silver and their goldshall not be able to deliver them in theday of the wrath of the LORD: theyshall not satisfy their souls, neither filltheir bowels: because it is thestumblingblock of their iniquity.

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were not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD (Ezek.7:19).

Thus both their wealth and their idols became to them a stumbling block(v. 19)—an occasion of falling. Covetousness, in principle, is the same asidolatry (Col. 3:5). Thus there is a lesson here for all God's people—"Theythat will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish andhurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition" (1 Tim. 6:9).

The fate of the sanctuary (v. 20-22)

Having spoken of the city, Ezekiel now turnsto the temple at the time of the invasion byBabylon. It is styled in verse 20 the beautyof his ornament. The abominations associ-ated with the sanctuary will be considered atchapter 8. But the point to be noted here isthat it was because of their abominations thatan even greater abomination, the wicked ofthe earth (v. 21) was going to come, and,defiling the secret place [the holy of holies](v. 22), would then bring the temple todesolation.

Israel had profaned the temple with their idolatrous practices, so God wasgoing to bring the Babylonian armies, and, as the instrument in God's hand,they would set it far from them (v. 20). TheRV more accurately translates "I will makeit an unclean thing." So, not only their idols,but also the temple, which they had defiledwith idolatry, would be shown to be uncleanin God's sight. Lamentations refers to thistime—"Zion spreadeth forth her hands; thereis none to comfort her; the LORD hath com-manded concerning Jacob, that they that areround about him should be his adversaries:Jerusalem is among them as an uncleanthing" (Lam. 1:17).

20 As for the beauty of his ornament,he set it in majesty: but they made theimages of their abominations [and] oftheir detestable things therein:therefore have I set it far from them.21 And I will give it into the hands ofthe strangers for a prey, and to thewicked of the earth for a spoil; andthey shall pollute it.22 My face will I turn also from them,and they shall pollute my secret[place]: for the robbers shall enter intoit, and defile it.

Make a chain (v. 23-27)

In the last five verses, as in chapter 6, theprophet is told to do something to give point

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23 Make a chain: for the land is full ofbloody crimes, and the city is full ofviolence.24 Wherefore I will bring the worst ofthe heathen, and they shall possesstheir houses: I will also make the pompof the strong to cease; and their holyplaces shall be defiled.25 Destruction cometh; and they shallseek peace, and [there shall be] none.26 Mischief shall come upon mischief,and rumour shall be upon rumour; thenshall they seek a vision of the prophet;but the law shall perish from the priest,and counsel from the ancients.27 The king shall mourn, and theprince shall be clothed with desolation,and the hands of the people of the landshall be troubled: I will do unto themafter their way, and according to theirdeserts will I judge them; and theyshall know that I [am] the LORD.

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to his message —he is to make a chain (v. 23). It was the practice of avictorious invader to chain the captives together to transport them awayfrom their own land into captivity (cp. Nah. 3:10). In making the chainEzekiel was reminding those to whom he spoke that this was the fateawaiting their brethren in the land of Judah. Having made the chain, hecomments on his action and summarizes all that has gone before.

• The judgement would come because of the crimes committed againstYahweh(v.23).

• The heathen (Babylonians), as Yahweh's servants, would invade theland of Israel to humiliate the proud people (note the reference toLev. 26:19) and their rulers, and to destroy their idolatrous 'holy'places (v. 24) .1

• When the destruction came it would be clear that the peace promisedby the false prophets was an illusion. The solace of their apostatepriests were platitudes; the counsel of the wise men, foolishness(v. 25-26).

• From the king upon his throne to the lowest of the people, God'sjudgements would be made plain. They would receive at the hand ofHis servant Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 25:9) their just deserts. Thus Israelwould come to know that I am the LORD (v. 27).

It is possible that their holy places (v. 24) refers not to the centres of idolatrybut Jerusalem and the temple. God had disowned them—Jerusalem and thetemple were not His but "theirs". The same situation prevailed in the time ofJesus when he said, "Your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23:38).

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The glory departs (8:1-11:25)

Ezekiel8:l1 And it came to pass in the sixth year,in the sixth [month], in the fifth [day]of the month, [as] I sat in mine house,and the elders of Judah sat before me,that the hand of the Lord GOD fellthere upon me.

In chapter 8 we are introduced to a newseries of visions which will take us to theend of chapter 11. The time of this particularvision is given in verse 1 as the sixth year,the sixth month, the fifth day of the month,which means that he received this visionexactly one year and two months after hisfirst vision (ch. 1:2, 3). Since the years of thecaptivity correspond to the years of King Zedekiah's reign, chapter 8 relatesto events about five years before the fall of Jerusalem that took place in the11th year of King Zedekiah.

We note that Ezekiel was sitting in his house in Chaldea, together withthe elders of Judah, that is the elders out of the captivity of Judah. Whatthey were doing there is not made clear, but God chose this opportunity togive to Ezekiel another vision of things that soon were to come to pass.Ezekiel records, the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me (v. 1),which, as we have previously shown, indicates that Ezekiel was about topass into one of his trances in which he sees visions in which he himselfplays a part.

Ezekiel goes in vision to Jerusalem (v. 2-4)In the vision he sees the One who in chapter1 was sitting upon the throne. The RSV saysthat Ezekiel saw "a form that had the ap-pearance of a man", and this man isdescribed as having the appearance ofgleaming bronze from his loins up. This isclearly the same person as in chapter 1:27.He takes Ezekiel by his hair and transportshim to Jerusalem. Of course he was notliterally taken into the land of Israel, but inhis vision he was taken and set down in thetemple court.

From what follows it is clear that thecaptivities of 606 BC (Jehoiakim) and 599BC (Jehoiachin) had not had a humbling

Ezekiel 8:2-42 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness asthe appearance of fire: from theappearance of his loins evendownward, fire; and from his loinseven upward, as the appearance ofbrightness, as the colour of amber.3 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 theearth and the heaven, and brought mein the visions of God to Jerusalem, tothe door of the inner gate that lookethtoward the north; where [was] the seatof the image of jealousy, whichprovoketh to jealousy.4 And, behold, the glory of the God ofIsrael [was] there, according to thevision that I saw in the plain.

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effect or produced repentance in the people of Jerusalem. Rather, they hadgiven themselves over to all manner of unfaithfulness and idolatry.

According to verse 3, Ezekiel was set down at the door of the inner gatethat looketh toward the north. The RSV gives "the entrance of the gatewayof the inner court that faces north". We have marked the place on thediagram.

1. Great Court

2. Middle Court

3. Inner Court

4. House of Lebanon

5. Porch of Pillars6. Throne Porch7. Royal Palace8. Harem9. Temple10. AltarE. Ezekiel set down here

DIAGRAM OF TEMPLE AND ASSOCIATED BUILDINGS(Based on Hastings Bible Dictionary)

In the temple court Ezekiel saw the glory of the God of Israel.. .accordingto the vision that I saw in the plain (v. 4). It was not the cherubic chariotthat he saw, but the likeness of the glory of God which he had seen sittingupon the throne in the vision of chapter 1 (see 1:27, 28). This glory, which

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Ezekiel now saw in the temple court, was (for example) the same as theglory mentioned in 1 Kings 8:11 where we read concerning the temple thatSolomon built, "the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD".

When Moses said, "shew me thy glory" (Exod. 33:18), he was hid in thecleft of the rock, and Yahweh's glory passed by him; and there was aproclamation of the glory of the God of Israel—

"the LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundantin goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity andtransgression and sin, and that will by no means clear [the guilty]..."

This moral excellence of Yahweh was revealed in Old Testament times inMichael1 the Archangel, who is called in Numbers 12:8 "the similitude ofthe LORD". Associated with this revelation of the moral glory of Yahwehwas a manifestation of physical glory, the fulness of which even Mosescould not see and live. This glory of Yahweh, covered by a cloud, wentbefore Israel during the Exodus and at night it could be seen shiningthrough as a fire. When the tabernacle was completed, this manifestation ofthe glory of Yahweh came to dwell in the tabernacle (Exod. 40:34) andlater, as we have noted from 1 Kings 8:11, in the temple. In both the taber-nacle and the temple this manifestation of the glory of God dwelt betweenthe cherubim in the Most Holy Place. Thus the Scriptures speak of Yahwehinhabiting the cherubim (e.g. 2 Kings 19:15; 1 Sam. 4:4). It is the purposeof God that this same glory is to be revealed in members of the human race,and Hebrews 2:10 speaks of Jesus as the captain (made perfect throughsuffering) of many sons being brought unto glory.

Thus as we examine this vision of the prophet Ezekiel, the glory ofYahweh which he saw in the temple court, and which from the descriptionis clearly the same as the glory which he saw on the cherubic throne by theriver Chebar, is a representation of the same glory which dwelt between thecherubim inside the Holy of Holies. Thus in 9:3, which is part of this samevision, we read, "the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from thecherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house..." i.e. themanifestation of the glory of the God of Israel which normally residedbetween the cherubim in the temple had moved out of the Holy Place. Ithad left its normal abode in the Most Holy and was now in the temple

1 It may be wondered why we assume that Michael, whose name means 'One likeunto God' was the angel specially chosen to manifest the Name. A comparisonof Zech. 3:1, 2 with Jude v. 9 strongly supports the conclusion that Michael wasthe angel of whom Yahweh declared "my name is in him" (Exod. 23:21).

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court. We shall see as the vision unfolds that this was but the first step inthe removal of Yahweh's presence from the midst of His people inpreparation for their removal from the Land.

The image of jealousy (v. 5-6)

It is this manifestation of God's glory thatnow bids the prophet lift up thine eyes nowthe way toward the north (v. 5). Obeyingthe heavenly voice, he saw there at theentrance to the altar gate what is styled in theAV the image of jealousy. It is impossible tolocate exactly where this was, but it appearsthat it was somewhere in the great court nearto the altar gate (see diagram).

5 Then said he unto me, Son of man,lift up thine eyes now the way towardthe north. So I lifted up mine eyes theway toward the north, and beholdnorthward at the gate of the altar thisimage of jealousy in the entry.6 He said furthermore unto me, Son ofman, seest thou what they do? [even]the great abominations that the houseof Israel committeth here, that I shouldgo far off from my sanctuary? but turnthee yet again, [and] thou shalt seegreater abominations.

Ν

1 I I I I I I I ISanctuary

LL JJJJ

Inner court

Altar

1. Image of jealousy 2. Women weeping for Tammuz3. The seventy elders 4. The twenty five men G. THE GLORY

Diagram of the abominations which Ezekiel saw

The reference here is not to an image that was called Jealousy, but to somekind of idol which evoked the jealousy of God. God had said,

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"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of anything] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] inthe water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor servethem: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of thefathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them thathate me" (Exod. 20:4-5; cf. 1 Kings 14:22, 23).

Moses in his remarkable prophecy of Deuteronomy 32 spoke of the timewhen the children of Israel would move God to jealousy with that which isnot God (v. 21). In Exodus 34 the children of Israel were given preciseinstructions concerning how they were to destroy the religion of theCanaanitish peoples.

"But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down theirgroves: For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name [is]Jealous, [is] a jealous God" (Exod. 34:13, 14).

The history of Israel shows their utter failure to observe this clearcommand. At the time Ezekiel was receiving this vision the ten-tribeNorthern Kingdom of Israel had already been in captivity some 128 years,having been taken into Assyria by Shalmaneser. From the time of their firstking, "Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin", they hadworshipped at centres in Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12:28-31) in an idol-atrous way which progressively became more corrupt, leading to the incor-poration of Baal worship and worship of Asherim (AV "groves") in thetime of Ahab. The record of the overthrow of the Northern kingdomsummarizes the terrible state of apostasy:

"The children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God...and...didsecretly [those] things that [were] not right...they set them up images andgroves in every high hill, and under every green tree: And there they burntincense in all the high places...and wrought wicked things to provoke theLORD to anger: For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them,Ye shall not do this thing" (2 Kings 17:7-12).

The work of faithful prophets such as Elijah and Elisha, urging them to turnfrom their evil ways, went unheeded by all but a few.

"...they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made themmolten images, [even] two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all thehost of heaven, and served Baal. And they caused their sons and theirdaughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments,and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him toanger" (2 Kings 17:16-17).

The depravity of the nation described in these words is not fully conveyedby the sedate language of the AV and is not readily comprehended by theWestern mind. The worship of Baal (the male god) and Asherah (Baal's

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female consort) involved the most repulsive sexual ritual with male andfemale prostitutes serving at the high places. The offering of their childrenin the fire to Molech (cf. Lev. 18:21) leaves the mind numb when weremember that these were the covenant people1.

The people of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, in spite of the fact thatthey had the temple of Yahweh and the Levitical priesthood in Jerusalemtheir capital, fared little better than apostate Israel. Unlike the NorthernKingdom, Judah from time to time in its history had faithful leaders whotried to reform the people and lead them back to the true worship ofYahweh, but all to no avail. The point of no return appears to have been thereign of Manasseh of whom it is written:

"...He reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove [Asherah], as did Ahabking of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them...hebuilt altars... for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of theLORD. And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, andused enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wroughtmuch wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke [him] to anger...andManasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORDdestroyed before the children of Israel" (2 Kings 21:3-6, 9).

In spite of Manasseh's subsequent repentance (2 Chron. 33:12, 13), and inspite of the tremendous reform instigated by his grandson Josiah (2 Kings22, 23), the heart of the people had been influenced to such an extent thatthere was no turning back. When the judgement of Judah finally came atthe hand of Nebuchadnezzar it was at the "commandment of the LORD toremove them out of his sight because of the sins of Manasseh" (2 Kings24:3).

Ezekiel in his vision was being shown this terrible depravity of thepeople of Judah who had, for the most part, so eagerly followed such

1 "Whatsover things were written aforetime were written for our learning"—includ-ing these sober historical records. The primitive instinct of the pagan Gentileswho influenced Israel is not without its counterpart in our "civilized" society. Theplace given to deviant sexual activity in today's Western world suggests that therestraining influence of the "Christian" faith (however far removed from theTruth) has been abandoned for something much further removed from thedivinely revealed standards. Today's abortions on demand, in which livingembryos are destroyed and burned in hospital incinerators often for no betterreason than to preserve the existing standard of living, are in effect sacrifices tothe god "materialism". These things, the primitive instincts of paganism in"civilized" dress, are not unknown in the ecclesia. They will be resisted by allwho are truly conscious of their calling as the covenant people.

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leaders as Manasseh. He saw in vision a representation of the variousaspects of Judah's apostasy and the first thing he was shown was this imagewhich provoked Yahweh to jealousy (cf. Deut. 32:21). From what has beensaid above about the form of Israel's apostasy we may assume that whatEzekiel saw would have been "worship" of a most degrading and licentiouskind. So says God, Son of man, seest thou what they do? [even] the greatabominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should gofar off from my sanctuary? This abominable idolatry, which is elaboratedin the verses that follow, was the reason why Yahweh was about to leaveHis sanctuary. This impending departure of His glory from the midst of Hispeople is the theme that runs through chapters 8-11.

The sins of the elders (v. 7-12)

Still in the vicinity of the gateway, possiblyin the chambers associated with the gateway,Ezekiel's attention is next directed to a holein the wall, and he was told to dig (v. 8). Hefound a door and entered. Inside thedarkness he was able to discern seventy ofthe elders of Israel offering incense to everyconceivable form of creeping thing andloathsome beasts, all of the idols of thehouse of Israel, which had been engraven onthe walls. In the midst of the elders he sawJaazaniah the son of Shaphan (v. 11).

These objects of worship were "such asthe Egyptians worshipped in their under-ground temples, e.g. crocodiles, serpents,and cats"1. This turning of the elders ofIsrael to the gods of Egypt had its practicaloutworking in the life of the nation whenthey turned to Egypt for help (Ezek. 17:15).By this action they expressed their belief thatthe gods of Egypt were superior to Yahweh.

There are several points to notice in connection with this part of thevision. Firstly, this worship appears to have been practised in secret (cf.

7 And he brought me to the door of thecourt; and when I looked, behold ahole in the wall.8 Then said he unto me, Son of man,dig now in the wall: and when I haddigged in the wall, behold a door.9 And he said unto me, Go in, andbehold the wicked abominations thatthey do here.10 So I went in and saw; and beholdevery form of creeping things, andabominable beasts, and all the idols ofthe house of Israel, pourtrayed uponthe wall round about.11 And there stood before themseventy men of the ancients of thehouse of Israel, and in the midst ofthem stood Jaazaniah the son ofShaphan, with every man his censer inhis hand; and a thick cloud of incensewent up.12 Then said he unto me, Son of man,hast thou seen what the ancients of thehouse of Israel do in the dark, everyman in the chambers of his imagery?for they say, The LORD seeth us not;the LORD hath forsaken the earth.

Wm. Kay, The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, ad. loc.

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2 Kings 17:9). Ezekiel had to dig for it, and found it being practised indarkness behind a carefully concealed door1. We may safely assume thatthis worship was associated with those things mentioned by the apostlewhen he writes, "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works ofdarkness.. .for it is a shame to speak of those things which are done of themin secret" (Eph. 5:11, 12). The fact that there were seventy elders suggeststhat we have here a representation of the entire nation. The house of Jacobthat went into Egypt consisted of seventy souls (Gen. 46:27). In Exodus24:9, 10 it was seventy elders who together with Moses, Aaron, Nadab andAbihu saw the God of Israel. In Numbers 11:16 there were seventy eldersupon whom was put the spirit of Moses. Thus there would appear to be aclose association between the seventy elders practising this abominable,idolatrous form of worship and the whole nation of Israel. In verse 12 theseelders are presented to us as saying the LORD seeth us not; the LORD hathforsaken the earth (Heb. eretz = the land). It seems that they werereasoning that Yahweh had forsaken them, for He had allowed theBabylonians to take Ezekiel and his contemporaries into captivity. Thisbelief that God had abandoned them had produced a reaction in Israeltowards what they deemed to be more powerful gods. We may comparehere the reaction of the Jews in Egypt in Jeremiah 44:17 and 18. Soextensive was this tendency that even Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan hadbecome involved. We read of Shaphan in 2 Kings 22, where we learn thathe was an officer of Josiah who read the law to the king and helped him tobring about his tremendous reforms in the apostate Kingdom of Judah.Jaazaniah was most likely his grandson, since in chapter 11:1 he is said tobe the son of Azur.

Women weeping for Tammuz(v. 13-14)The next thing that Ezekiel was shown, stillnear the entrance of this northern gate(RSV), was a group of women weeping forTammuz. Tammuz was the name given bythe Phoenicians to a fertility god identified

13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yetagain, [and] thou shalt see greaterabominations that they do.14 Then he brought me to the door ofthe gate of the LORD'S house which[was] toward the north; and, behold,there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

1 We must take the lesson to ourselves. It is possible to have an outward show ofpiety, to attend meetings regularly but behind the closed doors of our ownhouses to worship the same idols to which the Gentiles in their blindness aredevoted, or in the unseen recesses of our own hearts to be consumed with thesame worldly ambitions as those who know not the God of Israel.

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in Sumerian texts as Damazi1 and is considered to be the consort of thegoddess Ishtar. He was held to be the god of vegetation and floods. In theheat of summer, when vegetation withered and rivers dried up, Tammuzwas thought to have died and descended into the nether regions. With thecoming of the rains he was rescued by Ishtar, and came to life again. Publicmourning marked the time of his departure, and it would appear that this iswhat the women of Israel were doing in Ezekiel's vision. The reappearanceof Tammuz and his union with Ishtar was the occasion for "worship" of amost licentious kind—a feature of the majority of the pagan religions withwhich Israel became entangled.

This is the only mention of the worship of Tammuz in the Scriptures. Itsuggests that at this late time in their history, seeing the success of theBabylonians in their military campaigns, the Jews were seeking to Babylo-nian gods hoping for their blessing.

Sun worship by the priests (v. 15-16)

Ezekiel in his vision was next bidden to turn from the outer court and tolook into the inner court itself. Behold, atthe door of the temple of the LORD,between the porch and the altar, [were]about five and twenty men, with their backstoward the temple of the LORD, and theirfaces toward the east; and they worshippedthe sun toward the east (v. 16).

15 Then said he unto me, Hast thouseen [this], Ο son of man? turn thee yetagain, [and] thou shalt see greaterabominations than these.16 And he brought me into the innercourt of the LORD'S house, and,behold, at the door of the temple of theLORD, between the porch and thealtar, [were] about five and twentymen, with their backs toward thetemple of the LORD, and their facestoward the east; and they worshippedthe sun toward the east.

There are several points of interest here toconsider. The number 25 is suggestive of thepriesthood. The AV text reads "about fiveand twenty", but Gardiner2 renders "as itwere twenty-five". There were twenty-fourorders of priests (1 Chron. 24), which with the high priest would maketwenty-five. Certainly, as we appear to have represented in the vision, thepriests were at the very centre of the apostasy of Israel—"all the chief ofthe priests, and the people, transgressed very much after the abomination ofthe heathen" (2 Chron. 36:14). It is interesting to note that these twenty-five

1 ICC p. 96; CBS p. 56; HBD vol. 4, p. 676. In the Eastern Mediterranean area theworship of Tammuz and Ishtar became incorporated into Greek mythology asthe worship of Adonis and Aphrodite.

2 F. Gardiner, Bible Commentary, ed. C. J. Ellicott, vol. 5, page 225.

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17 Then he said unto me, Hast thouseen [this], Ο son of man? Is it a lightthing to the house of Judah that theycommit the abominations which theycommit here? for they have filled theland with violence, and have returnedto provoke me to anger: and, lo, theyput the branch to their nose.18 Therefore will I also deal in fury:mine eye shall not spare, neither will Ihave pity: and though they cry in mineears with a loud voice, [yet] will I nothear them.

stood in the place where the priests made prayer to Yahweh, as we see bycomparing this with Joel 2:17, but here, instead of facing the sanctuary andaddressing the God of Israel, Who inhabited the cherubim, they had turnedtheir backs on Yahweh and were worshipping the rising sun (cf. 2 Chron.29:6; Jer. 2:27; 32:33).

The certainty of Yahweh's judgements (v. 17-18)

These things which Ezekiel saw took placein vision. We are not necessarily to assumethat all these things were actually takingplace at the same time in the temple on thefifth day of the sixth month in the sixth yearof the captivity. Rather, Ezekiel in this visionis being given a concentrated summary ofthe spiritual state of Israel in the land.

1. They were still worshipping the idolsof the Gentiles that they had failed todestroy when they had entered the land.

2. The whole nation was turning to idolatry—all conceivable forms ofidol worship were being practised in Israel, often in secret behindlocked doors.

3. New deities such as Tammuz were being introduced.4. The priesthood itself had turned its back on Yahweh.

The abominations that were committed by the people of Judah—theirturning aside to the ways of the pagan Gentiles—had led them into livinglike the pagans. Like the antediluvians they had filled the land with vi-olence (v. 17, cf. Gen. 6:13) and introduced a state of affairs so contrary toGod's holy law (Lev. 26:6).

Finally it is said that they had put a branch to their nose (v. 17). Jewishcommentators understood this to refer to some revolting and wicked rite. Itmay have reference to the trees that were frequently associated with paganworship, branches of which they took home with them and kept smellingthem to remind them of their devotions. Whatever the true meaning it isclear that it was greatly displeasing to the Almighty. Because of theirunfaithfulness and rebellion God declares, Therefore...will I also deal infury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though theycry in mine ears with a loud voice, [yet] will I not hear them.

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Further details of the vision outlined—Chapter 9

In chapter 8 Ezekiel was given a vision of the terrible apostasy of the nationof Israel. The ninth chapter deals with the execution of the sentence pro-nounced over them in 8:18. The events of the vision in chapter 9 may be setout thus: —

1. The glory of Yahweh that resided between the cherubim in the MostHoly Place now stands on the threshold of the sanctuary (this is thesignificance of verse 3, the glory of the God of Israel was gone upfrom the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house),and he calls with a loud voice for them that have charge over the city(executioners of the city, RSV, v. 1) to draw near.

2. In response to this call, six men appear from the direction of the gatethat faces north, each having a weapon of slaughter in his hand (v. 2).

3. Among the six men there is another man who is described as beingclothed in linen, and having a writer's inkhorn by his side (v. 2).

4. These seven stand beside the brasen altar (v. 2).

5. The man in linen is commanded to go through the midst of the cityand put a mark on the foreheads of the faithful—the men that sighand that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst ofJerusalem (v. 4).

6. The other six men are commanded to follow him and to smite old andyoung, maids, little children and women (v. 5).

7. They are commanded not to touch those who have been marked intheir foreheads by the man clothed in linen (v. 6).

8. They are to begin this work of slaughter in the sanctuary itself; todefile the house and fill the courts with slain (v. 7).

9. They begin their work immediately by slaying the twenty-five menbetween the porch and the altar (v. 6 and see 8:16).

10. They then proceed into the city itself, and likewise conduct a work ofslaughter (v. 7).

11. Upon seeing this, Ezekiel falls on his face and beseeches Yahweh toremember the remnant (v. 8).

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1 He cried also in mine ears with aloud voice, saying, Cause them thathave charge over the city to draw near,even every man [with] his destroyingweapon in his hand.

12. The work of judgement having been accomplished, the man clothed inlinen returns and says, / have done as thou hast commanded me (v.11).

The one speaking (9:1)

The one who in verse 1 cries in the ears ofthe prophet is the same one who, throughoutthe eighth chapter, had directed Ezekiel'sattention to the various aspects of theapostasy of Israel. He had left the Most HolyPlace and was in the temple court to greetEzekiel on his arrival (8:4). Whether he directed Ezekiel on his tour of theabominations without leaving the threshold of the temple is not clear, butaccording to 9:3 that is where the glory is as the events of chapter 9 begin.He it is who cries, Cause them that have charge over the city to drawnear, or in the words of the RSV, "Draw near, you executioners of the city"(v. 1).

Six men (9:2-4)

In answer to this cry, seven men appearincluding one carrying a writer's inkhorn byhis side. Many commentators suggest thatthese are seven angels, but this is doubtful.When we are told in verse 2 that six mencame, the Hebrew word there translated manis enosh. There are four principal words usedin the Hebrew scriptures that are translated'man' in the Authorized Version, but whichrepresent four different aspects of man1.

• adam which means 'earthy' and hasreference to the origin of man.

• geber which denotes 'a mighty man or awarrior'.

• ish which refers to man as an individual.It denotes any individual male, often in the context of what mandoes—"man of the field", "man of God". It is interesting to note that

2 And, behold, six men came from theway of the higher gate, which liethtoward the north, and every man aslaughter weapon in his hand; and oneman among them [was] clothed withlinen, with a writer's inkhorn by hisside: and they went in, and stoodbeside the brasen altar.3 And the glory of the God of Israelwas gone up from the cherub,whereupon he was, to the threshold ofthe house. And he called to the manclothed with linen, which [had] thewriter's inkhorn by his side;4 And the LORD said unto him, Gothrough the midst of the city, throughthe midst of Jerusalem, and set a markupon the foreheads of the men thatsigh and that cry for all theabominations that be done in the midstthereof.

E. W. Bullinger, Appendix to the Companion Bible, page 21.

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when God is spoken of as a man (e.g. Exod. 15:3, "the LORD is a manof war") it is this word ish that is used. Again this is the word employedin Joshua 5:13 where the angelic visitor to Jericho is spoken of as "aman (ish) over against him with his sword drawn in his hand."

• enosh which is the word used in verse 2. These were six anashim(plural of enosh). The basic meaning of enosh is that of 'mankind' andis derived from anash, which means 'to be sick, wretched or weak'. Itconveys the idea of man's utter inability in physical strength and moralexcellence. It is not the kind of word that could be applied to angels.

These six anashim came...from the north (v. 2), and it seems that we havehere another representation of that nation which God was about to employas the executioner of the city of Jerusalem, for Jeremiah had predicted,

"Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north... and will bring themagainst this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all thesenations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them anastonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations" (Jer. 25:9).

There is here a very interesting connection with Ezekiel 1, which we canbest demonstrate by setting the two passages out in parallel columns:

Chapter 1

From the north (v. 4)

Whirlwind ) All of them symbolsCloud ) of the judgement ofFire ) God to be meted out

Out of the midst (of the whirlwind,cloud and fire) comes the cherubicchariot bearing aloft the glory of God,i.e. the one with the face as of the sunand legs like pillars of fire.

Chapter 9

From the north (v. 2)

Six men (anashim) who are said to bethe executioners of the city. Cf. Daniel3:1, where the image set up by Neb-uchadnezzar as representative ofhimself, the Babylonian monarch,measured 6 cubits wide by 60 cubitshigh; and, perhaps more relevant,Jer. 39:3, where there are six "princesof the King of Babylon" named.

In the midst of them (RV, v. 2) was theman clothed with linen and the writer'sinkhorn by his side.

The man clothed in linenThe Hebrew word here for "man" is not the word enosh used of the sixmen, but is the word ish. If the above comparison is correct, then it wouldappear that this man clothed in linen corresponds to the man on the throne

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in chapter 1 who had the appearance of gleaming bronze from his loins upand fire from his loins down. Further evidence that this is so is seen bycomparing the visions of Daniel 12 and Revelation 10 which have to dowith "a man clothed in linen" and a mighty one with his face like the sun.

Daniel 12:7

I heard the man clothed in linen

which [was] upon the waters of theriver

when he held up his right hand andhis left hand

and sware by him that liveth for ever

that [it shall be] for a time, times, andan half...

Revelation 10:1, 5 ,6

I saw another mighty angel come downfrom heaven, clothed with a cloud: and arainbow [was] upon his head, and hisface [was] as it were the sun, and hisfeet as pillars of fire:1

And the angel which I saw stand upon thesea and upon the earth

lifted up his hand to heaven,

and sware by him that liveth for ever andever...

...that there should be time no longer

But, it may be asked, why is it that here in Ezekiel 9 the one in the midst ofthe Babylonian army is represented by a man clothed in linen, whereas inchapter 1 the angelic supervisor of the judgements of God to be poured outupon the nation of Israel by Babylon is represented by a man with legs aspillars of fire? Firstly, we suggest, it is because the one with his face as thesun and legs as pillars of fire has already been used in this vision torepresent the cherubim in the most Holy Place and now stands at thethreshold of the sanctuary (v. 3). Secondly, the one in the midst here isperforming a different function (or rather a different aspect of his work isbeing presented).

In chapter 1 he was engaged in pouring out judgement—coming with theBabylonian armies to tread upon the high places of Judah. But this manwho supervises the work of the six anashim is clothed with linen whichsuggests that he is engaged upon a priestly activity. He reminds us of theHigh Priest who was clothed with linen on the Day of Atonement(Lev. 16:4).

We have already indicated the similarity between this One, and the One in thevision of Ezekiel 1. See page 45.

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Beside the altar

The next thing to notice is that this angel (together with the executioners)takes up a position alongside the brasen altar near to which the 25 menstood (8:16; 9:6). The brasen altar of course was the altar of sacrifice, and itwould appear that in standing alongside this altar the six anashim with thispriestly man are, in fact, associating themselves with the altar.

A sacrifice is about to be offered—the Babylonian armies represented bythe six anashim constitute the altar. The priestly minister is to be theangelic supervisor of the operation, represented here in the vision by theman clothed in linen. The sacrifice to be offered is Israel—"It shall come topass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, andthe king's sons, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel." And,significantly, the prophet continues, "...And in that day I will punish allthose that leap over the threshold, which fill their masters' house withviolence and deceit" (Zeph. 1:8, 9, RV).

This sacrifice is to be accomplished by the lion power of Babylon (Dan.7:4), and it is interesting to note that the altar is styled the lion of God1 inEzekiel 43:15. Apart from the partial restoration under Zerubbabel, theconsuming fire of God's anger has been burning up the children of Israelfor over 2,000 years. But Ezekiel 39:17 tells us that there is to be a reversal,and the Gentiles are to be a sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel.

The one who is to accomplish it will not this time be the Babylonian lion,but the Lion of the tribe of Judah. This lion is the One of whom it iswritten, "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which servethe tabernacle" (Heb. 13:10).

The faithful ones marked

Before the sacrifice is offered, the man clothed in linen with the writer'sinkhorn is told to go through the midst of the city, through the midst ofJerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh andthat cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof (v. 4).All those who are faithful in their opposition to the apostasy are to bemarked in their forehead, and when the six men are told to begin the workof slaughter, those with the mark in the forehead are to be saved. The markwas placed upon the forehead as a token of something that existed in the

1 The word translated "altar" is ariel which means 'lion of God'; see also Isaiah29:1 mg. where the reference also is to the altar.

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mind. In a later time of apostasy we read, "they that feared the LORD spakeoften one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a bookof remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, andthat thought upon his name" (Mai. 3:16). They held the things of the Truthin high regard. Similarly in the book of Revelation of those who weresealed by the sealing angel, it is said they were "sealed.. .in their foreheads"(Rev. 7:3) —that is the 144,000 were sealed because, in the words ofchapter 14:1, they had "the Father's name written in their foreheads". In thebook of Psalms we read, "If we have forgotten the name of our God, orstretched out our hands to a strange god; shall not God search this out? forhe knoweth the secrets of the heart" (Psa. 44:20-21). The majority of Israelin Ezekiel's day had indeed forgotten the name of their God, were notinterested in His righteousness and ignored His law. However, God wouldsearch it out.

The word translated mark is the Hebrew taw, which is the name of thelast letter in the Hebrew alphabet. In older Hebrew script this was written inthe form of a cross and may mean no more than "mark them with a cross".1

However, some Jewish writers maintain that it is used here to denote theLaw. Since the word "law" in Hebrew is tor ah, which begins with thisletter taw, it was a symbol to mark those who lived faithfully according tothe Law.2 Thus the mark indicated those of whom the prophetspoke —"Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people inwhose heart is my law (Heb. torahj" (Isa. 51:7).

The judgement accomplished (v. 5-11)The man in linen having gone forth into thecity, the six men are commanded in verses5-7 to go after him and pour out thejudgements written and to begin at mysanctuary (v. 6). Here again is furtherconfirmation that the six men represent theBabylonian armies, for it is recorded, "Hebrought upon them the king of the Chaldees,who slew their young men with the sword in

5 And to the others he said in minehearing, Go ye after him through thecity, and smite: let not your eye spare,neither have ye pity:6 Slay utterly old [and] young, bothmaids, and little children, and women:but come not near any man uponwhom [is] the mark; and begin at mysanctuary. Then they began at theancient men which [were] before thehouse.

1 L. C. Allen, Ezekiel, vol. 1, page 148. The so-called early Church Fathers seizedon this scripture to justify the custom of making the sign of the cross!

2 Daniel J. Block, The Book of Ezekiel, vol. 1, page 312.

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the house of their sanctuary..." (2 Chron.36:17).

The judgements were to begin in thetemple of God. "The priest's lips shouldkeep knowledge, and they should seek thelaw at his mouth: for he [is] the messengerof the LORD of hosts" (Mai. 2:7), but inEzekiel's day the priests had failed. Theywere utterly apostate and the temple thatthey had defiled by their abominations wasnow to be defiled by their own dead bodies.1

At the conclusion of the slaughter Ezekielthe priest alone remained in the temple(v.8).

However, the shortcomings on the part ofthe priests did not mean that the ordinarypeople could be excused. They could not putall the blame on the priests for God had senthis prophets and they had rejected them, andso the people too were to be judged.

The people who said the LORD seeth not (v. 9) were to be shown that"He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations..." (Psa. 66:7)and that the time had arrived when mine eye shall not spare, neither will Ihave pity (v. 10). When Solomon dedicated the temple he prayed that if thepeople sinned "then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants,condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head" (1 Kings 8:32).Only the longsuffering of God had prevented the judgements falling at amuch earlier time in their history. But God's longsuffering towards themwas now exhausted and so, / will recompense their way upon their head(v. 10).

Solomon proceeded in his prayer to ask that God would hear "and justifythe righteous, to give him according to his righteousness" (1 Kings 8:32).So those who were true children of Abraham, who were marked in their

7 And he said unto them, Defile thehouse, and fill the courts with the slain:go ye forth. And they went forth, andslew in the city.8 And it came to pass, while they wereslaying them, and I was left, that I fellupon my face, and cried, and said, AhLord GOD! wilt thou destroy all theresidue of Israel in thy pouring out ofthy fury upon Jerusalem?9 Then said he unto me, The iniquityof the house of Israel and Judah [is]exceeding great, and the land is full ofblood, and the city full ofperverseness: for they say, The LORDhath forsaken the earth, and the LORDseeth not.10 And as for me also, mine eye shallnot spare, neither will I have pity, [but]I will recompense their way upon theirhead.11 And, behold, the man clothed withlinen, which [had] the inkhorn by hisside, reported the matter, saying, Ihave done as thou hast commanded

1 Is the apostle referring to this section of Ezekiel when he writes, "Know ye notthat ye are the temple of the living God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth inyou? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the templeof God is holy, which temple ye are" (1 Cor. 3:16)?

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foreheads by reason of the faith that existed there, were to be delivered. Theavenging sword of judgement fell on none who were marked. If any suchdied in the siege then for them it was but an end of present troubles and asleep to await the fulfilment of the covenant promise. Yet there was formany a present physical deliverance as is seen from the example ofJeremiah who was one of the faithful in Israel at this time. Yahwehpromised Jeremiah, "Verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee [well] inthe time of evil and in the time of affliction" (Jer. 15:11). This was indeedfulfilled in the experience of the prophet (Jer. 39:11-12). Likewise beforethe judgement which was poured out upon Israel in AD 70, Jesus gave hisdisciples the Olivet prophecy. Those who held the word of God in highesteem fled to the mountains, and were saved when the siege of Jerusalemby the Roman army was temporarily withdrawn (Matt. 24:16).

When the work of judgement is completed the man clothed in linendeclares / have done as thou hast commanded me (v. 11). In his first letterPeter writes, with a clear allusion to Ezekiel 9, "The time is come thatjudgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, whatshall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" (1 Pet. 4:17). Inthe immediate context the apostle appears to be referring to the impendingRoman judgement that was to overtake the people of Israel, whose end, as anation constituted under the Mosaic Law, was fast approaching (cf. Ezek.7:2, 3)—judgement which involved the ecclesia. In fact, these judgementsbegan with the Neronian persecution which very much involved the"household of God". But it seems likely that in Ezekiel and in Peter there isestablished a principle of Divine judgement that will be evident injudgement yet to come.

• Firstly, the judgement of the ecclesia when Christ comes "as a thief,

• then the final judgement of Israel as a result of the Gogian invasion,

• and then the judgement of the nations beginning with the overthrow ofthe Gogian confederacy.

When this is finished, the One clothed in linen—the Great High Priesthimself—will declare / have done as thou hast commanded me. There is asense in which the work is already finished, for the death and resurrectionof the Lord guarantees the outcome. These events yet to come are the resultof work already done—"I have finished the work which thou gavest me todo" (John 17:4).

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The vision of the coals of fire (10:1-2, 6-7)

In this continuation of the vision the prophetis shown another aspect of the comingjudgement. Chapters 8 and 9 were concernedprimarily with the temple, and the messagethere was that the spiritual apostasy wouldbe judged by God. Here in chapter 10 andalso in chapter 11 the city is the main featuresingled out as the object of God'sjudgements. Apostasy as it revealed itself intheir civil and social life was to receive likejudgement.

That the glory which had left the mercyseat and stood on the threshold of the templeto supervise the judgement of the apostatenation is indeed the same glory as that whichhe had earlier seen by the River Chebar, isnow made plain. The judgements are nowsaid to be under the supervision and controlof the cherubim (v. 1). Verse 20 of thischapter shows that the cherubim are thesame living creatures1 as in chapter 1. Inverse 3 we learn that the cherubim stood onthe right side of the house which would be, as is given in the RSV, thesouth side of the house. We suggest the following is the sequence beingpresented in the vision. Please refer to the diagram on page 120.

1. The glory of Yahweh, that is, the man like burning bronze from hisloins up and like fire from his loins down, has left the cherub in theMost Holy and is standing on the threshold of the temple (9:3; 10:4).

2. He it is who now speaks to the man clothed in linen and says, Go inbetween the wheels, [even] under the cherub, and fill thine handwith coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter [them]over the city (v. 2).

Ezekiel 10:1-2,6-71 Then I looked, and, behold, in thefirmament that was above the head ofthe cherubim there appeared over themas it were a sapphire stone, as theappearance of the likeness of a throne.2 And he spake unto the man clothedwith linen, and said, Go in between thewheels, [even] under the cherub, andfill thine hand with coals of fire frombetween the cherubim, and scatter[them] over the city. And he went in inmy sight.

6 And it came to pass, [that] when hehad commanded the man clothed withlinen, saying, Take fire from betweenthe wheels, from between thecherubim; then he went in, and stoodbeside the wheels.7 And [one] cherub stretched forth hishand from between the cherubim untothe fire that [was] between thecherubim, and took [thereof], and put[it] into the hands of [him that was]clothed with linen: who took [it], andwent out.

1 In chapter 1:20 we read of "living creatures" (plural). Chapter 10:20 refers to "theliving creature" (singular) but describes it as that which he "saw...by the riverChebar" and proceeds to say "I knew that they were the cherubim" (cherubimbeing plural). Thus there can be no doubt that the living creatures of chapter 1are identical with the cherubim of chapter 10.

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The Glory departs (8:1-11:25)

3. Verses 3-5 should read as a parenthesis. They tell us that thecherubim are somewhere on the south of the temple, either in themiddle court or in the inner court. The cloud, which from chapter 1we know to be associated with the cherubim, filled the inner court,and the sound of the cherubim's wings was heard to the outer court.

4. The account of the vision is continued in verse 6, where we learn thatthe man, having received his instructions, approaches the cherubicchariot and stands beside the wheels, where one of the living creaturesgives to him fire from between the cherubim. The man takes it andgoes out to scatter the coals of fire over the city (v. 7).

The altar fire

It may be recalled that when we considered chapter 1, we related the fire,which was a notable feature of the cherubic chariot, to the judgement ofGod to be meted out by Nebuchadnezzar. Speaking of the judgement ofIsrael because of their rejection of Yahweh, God predicted through Moses,

"A fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shallconsume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of themountains" (Deut. 32:22).

Jeremiah also prophesied concerning these judgements when he exhortedthe people,

"Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of yourheart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forthlike fire, and burn that none can quench [it], because of the evil of yourdoings" (Jer. 4:4; cf. 7:20).

Again in Jeremiah, with obvious reference to Deuteronomy 32, God says,"I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowestnot: for a fire is kindled in mine anger which shall burn upon you" (Jer. 15:14).

Thus the fire represents the judgement of Yahweh upon His people, and theman in linen, in taking the fire and throwing it upon the city, is pouring outGod's judgements.

As in the previous chapters, there appears to be here also a closeconnection with certain aspects of temple service. We have suggested thatthe Babylonian armies in whom God was manifested constituted the altarupon which Israel was to be offered. The altar as the lion of God wascoming to devour that which belonged to it. Here in chapter 10 we areintroduced to the altar fire. "Our God", says Paul, "is a consuming fire"(Heb. 12:29). The connection between God and the fire on the altar is veryplain. The fire in both the tabernacle and Solomon's temple was fire from

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heaven. At the time of the consecration of the Aaronic priesthood we read,"There came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altarthe burnt offering and the fat: [which] when all the people saw, theyshouted, and fell on their faces" (Lev. 9:24). A similar manifestationoccurred at the consecration of Solomon's temple (2 Chron. 7:1-3). Thisfire on the altar was never allowed to go out; it was kept burningcontinually according to the instruction, "the fire shall ever be burning uponthe altar; it shall never go out" (Lev. 6:13).

Leviticus 16 details the ritual that had to be carried out on the nationalDay of Atonement. Having killed the bullock to make atonement forhimself and his house, the high priest was required to take a censer of firebefore Yahweh—

"And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar beforethe LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring [it]within the vail: and he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD,that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that [is] upon thetestimony, that he die not" (v. 12, 13).

In the introduction to the trumpet visions in Revelation, we have this sameritual referred to in a way that enables us to connect it with Ezekiel'svision.

"Another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; andthere was given unto him much incense, that he should offer [it] with theprayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. Andthe 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 thecenser, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast [it] into the earth: and therewere voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake"(Rev. 8:3-5).

In this passage the ministering angel stands at the altar (presumably thebrazen altar of sacrifice). He is given incense (which is intended to beoffered on the golden altar), and then he takes fire from off the altar. Twothings happen:

(1) the incense ascends up to God together with the prayers of the saints,and,

(2) the angel casts the altar fire upon the earth, which results in theoutpouring of the judgements symbolized by the seven trumpets (seeverse 6). This is obviously very similar to Ezekiel 10, where the

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priestly man takes the coals of fire from the consuming fire in themidst of the Babylonian altar1 and casts it into the city.

Incense and fire in the temple serviceIn the divinely appointed ritual both in the tabernacle and the temple, altarfire, combined with the right ingredients offered upon the golden altar inthe Holy Place or on the censer in the Most Holy, produced odours wellpleasing to God. It was extremely important, however, that the ingredientswere very carefully noted and the incense carefully prepared. The priest-hood was expressly commanded, "Ye shall offer no strange incensethereon" (Exod. 30:9). In keeping with the principle that the law was ashadow of good things to come, we find that the incense offered in thesanctuary was symbolic of prayer. The connection between prayer andincense is very clear. David said, "Let my prayer be set forth before thee asincense" (Psa. 141:2). When Zacharias was ministering in the temple,offering up the incense, we read, "The whole multitude of the people werepraying without at the time of incense" (Luke 1:10). In Revelation 5:8 weare told of the four and twenty elders falling down before the Lamb, and ofthem it is written that they had "golden bowls full of incense, which are theprayers of the saints" (RV). Thus the incense offered in the tabernacle andin the temple was symbolic of prayer. Those who were in covenantrelationship with God, and who were serving in the Holy Place offered theincense. It was burned by fire taken from the altar of burnt offering, andwas therefore a burnt offering. Prayer ideally is this —the completeconsumption and absorption of our hopes, desires, and personal wishes tothe will and purpose of Yahweh so that our life ascends as a sweet smell toHim. Prayer is the sacrifice of the lips. Bro. H. P. Mansfield has given adetailed exposition of the connection between prayer and incense.2 For ourpurposes the following points will be noted:

1. Incense was made of special ingredients carefully compoundedtogether (Exod. 30:35) —indicating that the privilege of prayer shouldbe undertaken with diligence and care.

2. The ingredients had to be of like weight (Exod. 30:34) —indicatingthat prayer has to be balanced, containing a mixture of thanksgivingand requests, of praise and petition.

1 We have shown in considering the cherubim of chapter 1 that the cherubim withthe consuming fire were indeed in the midst of the Babylonian armies.

2 H. P. Mansfield, Making Prayer Powerful, page 9 etc.

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3. Incense was offered evening and morning (Exod. 30:7-8) —demonstrating the important principle that prayer should be offered atregular intervals.

4. It was called a perpetual incense (Exod. 30:8) —showing that weshould pray without ceasing.

5. Incense was to be offered exclusively to Yahweh (Exod. 30:37) —indicating that He, and He alone, is to be the object of our devotions.

6. Incense had to be salted (Exod. 30:35, AVmg). Salt was an element ofevery sacrifice that was offered in Israel and is spoken of as "the saltof the covenant of thy God" (Lev. 2:13). Here is another teaching thatprayer is indeed a sacrifice and, for it to be accepted, it must becombined with the salt of the covenants of promise.

7. Strange incense was punished by death (Exod. 30:9)—infringement ofthe injunctions in the preparation and offering of the incense was anabomination to God.

In Leviticus 10 we have an example of what happened when men offeredincense to God in an unfaithful way:

"Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and putfire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before theLORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from theLORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD" (Lev. 10:1-2).

Now we will apply these things to the vision in Ezekiel 10. The people ofIsrael in the time of the prophet were offering strange incense to God. It iswritten in the Proverbs, "He that turneth away his ear from hearing theLaw, even his prayer shall be an abomination" (Prov. 28:9). This was thesituation in Israel. They had turned away their ear from hearing the law ofGod, and because of this their prayers rose up to God as strange incense,and their prayers were not acceptable before Him. So it was that Jeremiahwas commanded, "Pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry orprayer for them: for I will not hear [them] in the time that they cry unto mefor their trouble" (Jer. 11:14). The ingredients of Israel's prayers were notwhat God required. They were too self-centred—there was no balance intheir prayers. They overlooked and took for granted the love and mercy andlongsuffering of God. Their prayers were not offered exclusively toYahweh. The salt of the covenant was lacking. They had turned away theirear from hearing the Law.

Because they were offering this strange incense—these unacceptableprayers—they were to be punished. Therefore that which under normalcircumstances combined with the incense and produced a savour well

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pleasing to God, was —as in the case of Nadab and Abihu—to go out fromYahweh and consume them.

The glory departs from the temple

Returning now briefly to verses 3-5, we takeup a brief consideration of the thread thatruns through chapters 8-11—the story of thedeparture of Yahweh's glory. In verse 3 welearn that the cherubim1 (or living creaturesof Chebar, 1:4) are on the right side of thehouse. In verse 4 we are told that the gloryof Yahweh (which normally resided in theMost Holy Place) went up from the cherub,[and stood] over the threshold. This is areminder of the situation already presentedto us in chapter 9:3. The cherub here in verse4 and in 9:3 refers to the cherubim in theMost Holy Place, not to the cherubic charioton the right side of the temple. This is thebeginning of the departure of Yahweh'sglory from the midst of His people. In verse1 when the cherubic chariot appears bearingaloft the throne, there is no mention of itbeing occupied—the throne appears to be empty. But now the Glory ofYahweh, which has left the Most Holy Place in the temple, leaves thethreshold and takes up a position above the cherubic chariot—the glory ofthe LORD departed from off the threshold.. and stood over the cherubim(v. 18). Presumably He is going to occupy the throne—just as we saw thelikeness of the Glory of Yahweh occupying this throne in chapter 1:26, 28.The cherubic chariot now bearing aloft the glory of Yahweh moves towardsthe east gate of the house with the glory of the God of Israel...over themabove (v. 19).

The final movement of the cherubic chariot taking the glory from themidst of the people of Israel is recorded in chapter 11 where we read, Thendid the cherubim lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the

Ezekiel 10:3-5, 18-193 Now the cherubim stood on the rightside of the house, when the man wentin; and the cloud filled the inner court.4 Then the glory of the LORD went upfrom the cherub, [and stood] over thethreshold of the house; and the housewas filled with the cloud, and the courtwas full of the brightness of theLORD'S glory.5 And the sound of the cherubims'wings was heard [even] to the outercourt, as the voice of the AlmightyGod when he speaketh.

18 Then the glory of the LORDdeparted from off the threshold of thehouse, and stood over the cherubim.19 And the cherubim lifted up theirwings, and mounted up from the earthin my sight: when they went out, thewheels also [were] beside them, and[every one] stood at the door of theeast gate of the LORD'S house; and theglory of the God of Israel [was] overthem above.

1 The description of the cherubim given in verses 8-17 and 20-22 has not beenconsidered here, since the significance of cherubim has been expounded inSection 1, pages 24-47.

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glory of the God of Israel [was] over them above. And the glory of theLORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountainwhich [is] on the east side of the city (verses 22, 23). This mountain on theeast would undoubtedly be the Mount of Olives.

1. The glory moves from the cherub in the Most Holy Place to thethreshold.

2. It then moves from the threshold to the throne.3. The cherubic chariot, now bearing the glory, moves to the east gate.4. It finally moves to the Mount of Olives.

DIAGRAMMATICAL REPRESENTATION OF THEDEPARTURE OF THE GLORY FROM THE TEMPLE

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Thus, in preparation for the judgement soon to come upon His people,Yahweh was removing His Divine presence from their midst. The next timeEzekiel sees the cherubim is in his vision of the restoration, where, havingbeen shown the temple of the age to come, he is brought to the east gateand there,

"the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east... [it was]according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, [even] according to thevision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions [were] likethe vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And theglory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect[is] toward the east... And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of mythrone, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst ofthe children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel nomore defile..." (Ezek. 43:1-7).

It is remarkable that 600 years later when the Lord Jesus—in whomYahweh's glory was made manifest in the midst of Israel (John 1:14; 17:6,22) —addressed his farewell to the city of Jerusalem, he said,

Ό Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest themwhich are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy childrentogether, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and yewould not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23:37, 38).

The glory was departing from Israel. When Jesus left this earth there weresome who, like, Ezekiel, saw the glory leave. The last they saw of him wason the Mount of Olives where angels promised that he would come again.When he comes again he comes from the east as the "Sun of righteousness"rising with healing in his beams, his feet standing upon the Mount of Olives(Mai. 4:2; Zech. 14:4). This is that of which Ezekiel speaks in chapter 43.We are still looking for the restoration of which the prophet spoke, whenthe glory of Yahweh manifest in Christ and his saints will again dwell inthe midst of Jerusalem. Well might the prophet say, "The latter glory of thishouse shall be greater than the former" (Hag. 2:9, RV).

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The cauldron and the flesh (11:1-25)

Summary

This is the concluding section of the vision which began in chapter 8 "in thesixth year, in the sixth month in the fifth day of the month" of Jehoiachin'scaptivity. Chapter 8 was concerned with the spiritual apostasy of the peopleof Israel, and chapter 9 depicted the judgement of this spiritually corruptnation. In chapter 10 we saw the burning up of the city—the outpouring ofGod's judgement upon Jerusalem because of the apostasy of its citizens. Inchapter 11 we are presented with another aspect of the impending judge-ment of God upon the nation of Israel, which would result, as we saw in ourconsideration of chapter 10, in Yahweh's departure from the midst of Hispeople. It will be recalled that running through chapter 10 was the theme ofthe removal of God's glory from the Most Holy Place to the threshold.From there, mounting the cherub chariot throne, the glory was thenconveyed to the east gate, and finally, in chapter 11 verse 23, to the Mountof Olives.

Chapter 11 is centred around the east gate, where the glory of God waitsfor a while before its departure to the Mount of Olives. Ezekiel sees theretwenty-five men, among them Jaazaniah the son of Azur and Pelatiah theson of Benaiah, princes of the people. Ezekiel is told that these are menwho "devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city" (v. 2). Ezekielis therefore told to prophesy against them, which he does (v. 5-12). Whilehe is doing this, Pelatiah falls down dead (v. 13), whereupon Ezekiel fallsdown on his face crying, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of theremnant of Israel? In response Ezekiel is then given a message ofrestoration—a promise that ultimately God would regather His people andgive them the land of Israel (verses 15-21).

With this promise to the faithful remnant of Israel declared, the cherubicchariot bearing aloft the glory departs from the east gate to the Mount ofOlives, never to return until the time of restoration. The vision concluded,Ezekiel finds himself once again among the exiles in Chaldea (v. 22-25).

Characteristics of the vision

Before this part of the vision is examined in detail we note in passing thathere we have another demonstration of the peculiar nature of Ezekiel'svisions. We have already noted (8:1) that this vision was prefaced with thedeclaration, "the hand of the LORD was upon me." We have seen this

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present series of visions to be of an apocalyptic nature. Our considerationsof chapters 8, 9 and 10 have showed that the visions which Ezekiel saw atthis time have to be interpreted to be understood. Finally, in this series ofvisions, Ezekiel himself plays a part. In chapters 8 and 9 he appears to havebeen little more than a passive onlooker, whereas in chapter 11 he takes amore active part in the vision—Ezekiel sees himself prophesying to themen at the eastern gate.

Ezekiel prophesies at the east gate (v. 1-12)

The twenty-five men mentioned in verse 1 do not appear to be the same asthose in chapter 8:16. There they were priests representative of the corruptpriesthood in Israel. But here they seem to represent the corrupt rulers forthey are styled in verse 1, princes of thepeople. The chief rulers of Israel consisted oftwelve army captains over twelve courses of24,000 men (1 Chron. 27:1-15) and twelvetribal rulers (1 Chron. 27:16-22) and thesetogether with the king himself would maketwenty-five. It is interesting to note that inthe list of the twelve captains and the twelverulers there is a captain named Benaiah (1Chron. 27:6) and a ruler named Azareel(v. 22). Here in Ezekiel, among the twenty-five, two men are singled out for specialmention. They are Jaazaniah y the son ofAzur (the connection between Azur andAzareel is not difficult to see) and Pelatiah,the son of Benaiah. We wonder if these menwere descendants of the captain and the rulerappointed by David mentioned in 1 Chroni-cles 27? Apart from their mention here inEzekiel we know absolutely nothing aboutthese two men. Why are they mentioned hereby name? Can it be that here is an occasionwhere the names of the men have significantmeanings? In each of the names mentionedthere is a message of false hope. Jaazaniahmeans 'Yah is hearing'; Azur means'helper'; Pelatiah means 'Yah delivers'; andBenaiah means 'Yah buildeth'. Thus these

1 Moreover the spirit lifted me up, andbrought me unto the east gate of theLORD'S house, which looketheastward: and behold at the door of thegate five and twenty men; amongwhom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur,and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah,princes of the people.

2 Then said he unto me, Son of man,these [are] the men that devisemischief, and give wicked counsel inthis city:3 Which say, [It is] not near; let usbuild houses: this [city is] the caldron,and we [be] the flesh.4 Therefore prophesy against them,prophesy, Ο son of man.5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell uponme, and said unto me, Speak; Thussaith the LORD; Thus have ye said, Οhouse of Israel: for I know the thingsthat come into your mind, [every oneof] them.6 Ye have multiplied your slain in thiscity, and ye have filled the streetsthereof with the slain.7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Your slain whom ye have laid in themidst of it, they [are] the flesh, and this[city is] the caldron: but I will bringyou forth out of the midst of it.8 Ye have feared the sword; and I willbring a sword upon you, saith the LordGOD.9 And I will bring you out of the midstthereof, and deliver you into the handsof strangers, and will executejudgments among you.

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10 Ye shall fall by the sword; 1 willjudge you in the border of Israel; andye shall know that I [am] the LORD.11 This [city] shall not be yourcaldron, neither shall ye be the flesh inthe midst thereof; [but] I will judgeyou in the border of Israel:12 And ye shall know that I [am] theLORD: for ye have not walked in mystatutes, neither executed myjudgments, but have done after themanners of the heathen that [are] roundabout you.

names constitute a very fitting summary ofthe message that the rulers of Israel weregiving to the people at this time. They weresaying, 'Yahweh has heard, helped, deliv-ered and is building'. In saying this theywere contradicting the teaching of Jeremiahwho, at the time when Ezekiel received hisvision, was still prophesying in the land ofIsrael proclaiming the impending overthrow.Consider, for example, Jeremiah 28. This isnot a vision but a literal happening thatoccurred in the land of Israel two years before Ezekiel received this vision.The prophet Hananiah1 says, "Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the Godof Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within twofull years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD'Shouse, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place,and carried them to Babylon" (vs. 2-3). Thus his message was one of'Yahweh has heard, helped, delivered and is building'. He gave the samemessage to Israel as these twenty-five men. Against the background of whathappens to Pelatiah, it is interesting to note what happened to Hananiah the'prophet'. Jeremiah, speaking the word of Yahweh, said,

"The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of theearth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against theLORD. SO Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month"(v. 15-17).

Returning to Ezekiel 11, we see that these rulers of Israel had rejected theword of God at the mouth of Jeremiah and had been led astray by falseprophets such as Hananiah. Because of this, they are described as the menthat devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city (v. 2).

In verse 3 reference is made to the wicked counsel which they weregiving to the people. Firstly, they were saying, it is not near. In this theywere contradicting the teaching of Jeremiah and Ezekiel that the finaljudgement was fast approaching (See Ezek. 7:2 and Jer. 4:7). Secondly,they were saying, let us build houses. This again was a contradiction of themessage which Jeremiah had given them—that the land of Israel was to be

1 Who is also said to be the son of Azur in Jeremiah 28:1—was he Jaazaniah'sbrother?

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desolate, that the captivity was to be a long one and that they should buildhouses, not in Israel, but in the land of captivity (e.g. Jeremiah 29:5, 28).Finally they were saying, this city is the cauldron and we be the flesh?The basic idea here appears to be that of safety—just as the cauldronprotects from the fire, so they would be protected from the Babylonianwhose days they thought were numbered. The Jews had a fanaticalsuperstitious trust in the temple and thought that while the temple stood inJerusalem it would protect them (see Jer. 7:4).

However, there may be another idea involved in the teaching that thiscity is the cauldron and we be the flesh. Jeremiah had taught that Israel waslike two baskets of figs—good and bad (Jer. 24). The good figs were thosewho had been carried into captivity at the time of Ezekiel's captivity (v. 5),while the bad figs were those left in the land (v. 8, 9). Thus Jeremiah taughtthat these people in Ezekiel's vision were the bad figs. But they did notbelieve Jeremiah. They said "this city is the cauldron and we be theflesh"—by contrast, those in captivity constituted the offal and rubbishwhich had to be thrown away.

Ezekiel in his vision is commanded to prophesy against these wickedpeople and, as we have seen him do many times already, to warn of God'scoming judgements upon them (v. 4). We can summarize his message:

1. The judgements were coming because of their wickedness, for theyhad shed innocent blood in the city (v. 6) and they had walked in theways of the corrupt nations round about them (v. 12).

2. They would be brought forth out of the city (v. 7) and the sword ofBabylon would be brought upon them (v. 8). Whereas the rulers inEzekiel's day had been taken captive, they would be slain. Theywould be judged on the border of Israel (v. 10). 2 Kings 25:18-21records how that certain of the leaders of Israel at the time of theinvasion were taken by Nebuchadnezzar to Riblah on the northernborder of Israel, and put to death.

3. These judgements would demonstrate that they were not the flesh ina cauldron city—they would be afforded no protection but instead,like the offal, they would be taken and cast away. The only ones whowould remain in the city would be those who had been slain in itsstreets (v. 7).

1 In using this figure they may well have been scoffing at Jeremiah's prophecy ofthe seething pot (Jer. 1:13) just as they scoffed at his advice to the exiles tobuild houses in the land of captivity.

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13 And it came to pass, when Iprophesied, that Pelatiah the son ofBenaiah died. Then fell I down uponmy face, and cried with a loud voice,and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thoumake a full end of the remnant ofIsrael?


Pelatiah drops dead (v. 13)

It is not difficult to see in Pelatiah arepresentative man. Ezekiel, the son of man,sends forth his word of prophecy. It was trueof him as it was of the Son of man himself,that "the word that I have spoken, the sameshall judge him in the last day." Pelatiahrepresents all those who were saying with afanatical trust in the temple, "Yahweh willdeliver" (which is the meaning of Pelatiah's name). Jeremiah spoke of thesepeople,

"Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, andcommit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walkafter other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in thishouse, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all theseabominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den ofrobbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen [it], saith the LORD... There-fore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be calledTophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: forthey shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place. And the carcases of thispeople shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of theearth; and none shall fray [them] away. Then will I cause to cease from thecities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and thevoice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: forthe land shall be desolate" (Jer. 7:8-11, 32-34).

The carcase of Israel would be like the carcase of Pelatiah, fulfillingDeuteronomy 28:26.

The wonderful message of restoration (v. 14-21)

When Pelatiah fell down dead, Ezekiel fell on his face and cried with a loudvoice, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?(v. 13). In answer to this the prophet was given a wonderful message ofhope (v. 14-21). It is in these verses that we begin to see the real purpose ofEzekiel's visions. Everything we have seen in these visions has had to dowith Israel in the land. Continually the message has been 'judgement iscoming, judgement is coming!' But Ezekiel was not in Israel, he was inBabylon among the children of the captivity and we note in verse 25, ThenI spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD hadshewed me.

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How then did Ezekiel's visions of thecoming judgement upon Israel help thecaptives in the land of Babylon? It served toconfirm the message of Jeremiah that thedoom of Jerusalem was inevitable. Itcounteracted the teaching of Shemaiah andHananiah, the false prophets, who said thatthe captivity would soon be over. Byshowing the exiles the sins and theabominations of Israel in the land, itdemonstrated to them the justice of God insending judgement upon them. Among thecaptives there would be some who,responding to Ezekiel's message, wouldcome to realize their sins, and see therighteousness of the judgements of God. It isto these particularly that Ezekiel's messageof hope and restoration is addressed. In verse15 the RSV speaks of "thy fellow exiles"instead of "the men of thy kindred". Inpassing, it may be noted that here in thisverse Ezekiel's message is addressed to theexiled from all the house of Israel,indicating that when the restoration tookplace members of all twelve tribes would beinvolved (cp. Ezek. 37:22).

The second half of verse 15 tends toconfirm the suggestion made earlier that theinhabitants of Jerusalem at this time con-sidered those who were in exile to be the offal—those who had been castfar off from the LORD. Again, following the RSV, we see confirmation ofthe superstitious trust in the temple by those still in the land. They weresaying, "They have gone far from the LORD". They limited the power ofGod. To them God was in the temple and He could save them because theywere near the temple, but those in exile were doomed because they were faraway from God. Therefore they said, Unto us is this land given inpossession and, by implication not to those who were in captivity. Theanswer of God is that although the exiles were in captivity because He hadcast them far off, yet He would not make a full end. Out of the exiles wouldcome the remnant who would return to the land; they were indeed far

14 Again the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,15 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 ofJerusalem have said, Get you far fromthe LORD: unto us is this land given inpossession.16 Therefore say, Thus saith the LordGOD; Although I have cast them faroff among the heathen, and although Ihave scattered them among thecountries, yet will I be to them as alittle sanctuary in the countries wherethey shall come.17 Therefore say, Thus saith the LordGOD; I will even gather you from thepeople, and assemble you out of thecountries where ye have beenscattered, and I will give you the landof Israel.18 And they shall come thither, andthey shall take away all the detestablethings thereof and all the abominationsthereof from thence.19 And I will give them one heart, andI will put a new spirit within you; and Iwill take the stony heart out of theirflesh, and will give them an heart offlesh:20 That they may walk in my statutes,and keep mine ordinances, and dothem: and they shall be my people, andI will be their God.21 But [as for them] whose heartwalketh after the heart of theirdetestable things and theirabominations, I will recompense theirway upon their own heads, saith theLord GOD.

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removed from the sanctuary. But we have already seen that it was alsoYahweh's intention to depart from the sanctuary, and He who had left thetemple in Jerusalem would be to them as a little sanctuary in the countrieswhere they shall come (v. 16). The RV renders this, "Yet will I be to thema sanctuary for a little while". That is, during the period of Yahweh'sindignation, when the temple was in ruins, they could still resort to Him forforgiveness if they had a mind to do so. It would only be "a little while"and there would be a restoration as predicted by Jeremiah. To that restorednation, in the fulness of time, Yahweh became to them a sanctuary whenHe manifested Himself in their midst in the person of His son (Isa. 8:14).The majority of the nation was not interested in this wonderful work ofbuilding a house for God's name (2 Sam. 7:13; John 14:2; Eph. 2:19, 20)and so He became to them "a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence"(Isa. 8:14). The nation stumbles still. But even the down-treading thatbegan in AD 70 after they had rejected the Saviour is still only for "a littlewhile" because God says through the prophet, "For a small moment have Iforsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee" (Isa. 54:7). Thesegreat mercies will prove to be an "everlasting kindness"—which will makethe years of desolation seem but "a little while" indeed!

Thus by the process of judgement and captivity there would be broughtinto existence a people who would be given one heart, and I will put a newspirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, andwill give them an heart of flesh (v. 19). These would return to the land asGod's people—the kingdom of God would be restored.

These things we shall consider in greater detail when we come toexamine the prophecies of the restoration in the second part of the book.While it may be true that these restoration prophecies had a limitedfulfilment at the return of Zerubbabel, the main fulfilment is still future andwe can listen as eagerly as Ezekiel's exiles to what he has to say, andrejoice as we see the beginning of the bringing into existence of theremnant of Israel. As we watch events and see the purpose of God beingworked out with His people, we must yet be prepared for judgement. Wemay yet again see Pelatiah fall down dead—the Jews in the land subject tofurther judgement. But we have the wonderful assurance from Ezekiel thatGod will not make a full end.

The vision ends (v. 22-25)

After receiving his message of restoration Ezekiel, still 'in vision',witnesses the departure of the cherubic chariot from the east gate of the

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22 Then did the cherubims lift up theirwings, and the wheels beside them;and the glory of the God of Israel[was] over them above.23 And the glory of the LORD went upfrom the midst of the city, and stoodupon the mountain which [is] on theeast side of the city.24 Afterwards the spirit took me up,and brought me in a vision by theSpirit of God into Chaldea, to them ofthe captivity. So the vision that I hadseen went up from me.25 Then I spake unto them of thecaptivity all the things that the LORDhad shewed me.

temple in the midst of the city to "themountain which is on the east side of thecity" i.e. the Mount of Olives. This wasconsidered earlier (pages 119-121).

Thus the vision ends. Throughout theevents described in chapters 8:1-11:25Ezekiel has not moved from his house wherehe was sitting with the elders of Judah. In hisvision, however, he has been to Jerusalemand surveyed the abominations beingcommitted by the Jews still in the land. Hehas witnessed the marking in the forehead ofthe faithful few by the man with the writer'sinkhorn. He has seen the cherubic chariot come into Jerusalem, observedthe glory leave the temple, mount the cherubic chariot and then depart fromthe midst of Jerusalem in preparation for the outpouring of God'sjudgement upon the wicked nation. He was distressed to see arepresentation of those coming judgements when he saw Pelatiah struckdead. In response to his anguished question Ah Lord GOD, wilt thou makea full end of the remnant of Israel, he was given the wonderful message ofrestoration.

The Spirit which had conveyed him in vision to Jerusalem by a lock ofhis hair (8:3) now restores him to the reality of his house and the companyof the elders who must have been looking in wonder at the anguishedexpressions on the prophet's face as he endured his vision experiences.Ezekiel recounts the details of the vision to the waiting elders (v. 25), who,had they received the words in faith, would have found all the instructionand encouragement they needed to help them face the current unhappycircumstances of the exile.

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The fate of king and people (12:1-28)Having communicated to the elders (and presumably at a later time to theother exiles) the substance of his visions, it is clear that for the most partEzekiel's message of impending judgement upon Jerusalem was greeted byscoffing and derision. They had not begun to learn the lessons of thecaptivity. They were showing themselves to be no different from theirbrethren in the land—a rebellious house. Chapter 12 opens with a commandto the prophet to witness against this obstinacy. He is to perform two actedparables. They were to be performed in full view of the rebellious house ofIsrael in the captivity, and then explained to them.

Ezekiel enacts the 586 BC captivity (v. 1-13)

The prophet is told in verse 3, prepare theestuff for removing, and remove by day intheir sight. That is to say (following theRSV), he was to prepare an exile's baggageand "go into exile". He was told to do thispreparation by day in full view of the peopleof the captivity. Only six years before, allthose who were watching the prophet haddone exactly as Ezekiel was doing. They hadhurriedly gathered together a few belongingsas Nebuchadnezzar carried them away fromtheir land. They could therefore enter intothe spirit of things—they knew exactly byexperience what Ezekiel was portraying tothem; hence we read at verse 3, it may bethey will consider, though they be arebellious house. But although the actions ofthe prophet would revive their memory inthis way, it was not their captivity theprophet was portraying. In the parable beingenacted before them, Ezekiel was tellingthem of things yet to come.

Having prepared his exile's baggageduring the day—possibly gathering ittogether in a bundle outside his house, he isnext told, thou shalt go forth at even in

1 The word of the LORD also came untome, saying,2 Son of man, thou dwellest in themidst of a rebellious house, whichhave eyes to see, and see not; theyhave ears to hear, and hear not: forthey [are] a rebellious house.3 Therefore, thou son of man, preparethee stuff for removing, and remove byday in their sight; and thou shaltremove from thy place to another placein their sight: it may be they willconsider, though they [be] a rebellioushouse.4 Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuffby day in their sight, as stuff forremoving: and thou shalt go forth ateven in their sight, as they that go forthinto captivity.5 Dig thou through the wall in theirsight, and carry out thereby.6 In their sight shalt thou bear [it] upon[thy] shoulders, [and] carry [it] forth inthe twilight: thou shalt cover thy face,that thou see not the ground: for I haveset thee [for] a sign unto the house ofIsrael.7 And I did so as I was commanded: Ibrought forth my stuff by day, as stufffor captivity, and in the even I diggedthrough the wall with mine hand; Ibrought [it] forth in the twilight, [and]I bare [it] upon [my] shoulder in theirsight.

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their sight, as they that go forth intocaptivity.

In the process of going forth, he was toperform certain actions.

1. He was to dig through the wall and(following the RSV) to "go outthrough it" (v. 5).

2. He was to carry his baggage on hisshoulder (v. 6).

3. He was to cover his face (v. 6) so thathe could not see the land.

In all these things, he was a sign unto all thehouse of Israel (v. 6). Ezekiel did exactly ashe was bidden. He gathered his exile's bag-gage and then in the evening, when it wasdark, he dug through the wall (possibly ofhis own house, which would be made of sun-dried bricks). Covering his face and hoistinghis baggage onto his shoulder, he then set offthere would be quite an audience watching himacted according to God's instructions. Theyexplanation as to his actions, asking him, 'What

8 And in the morning came the wordof the LORD unto me, saying,9 Son of man, hath not the house ofIsrael, the rebellious house, said untothee, What doest thou?10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith theLord GOD; This burden [concerneth]the prince in Jerusalem, and all thehouse of Israel that [are] among them.11 Say, I [am] your sign: like as I havedone, so shall it be done unto them:they shall remove [and] go intocaptivity.12 And the prince that [is] among themshall bear upon [his] shoulder in thetwilight, and shall go forth: they shalldig through the wall to carry outthereby: he shall cover his face, that hesee not the ground with [his] eyes.13 My net also will I spread upon him,and he shall be taken in my snare: andI will bring him to Babylon [to] theland of the Chaldeans; yet shall he notsee it, though he shall die there.

to another place. No doubtas he silently and solemnlywould no doubt seek an

are you doing, Ezekiel?'.

The answer came the next morning when the word of God came to theprophet and provided the explanation in the words of verses 8-11. Ezekielwas a man of sign, like Joshua and his fellows in Zechariah 3:8 (AV mg.)His actions portrayed the fate of the house of Israel who were still in theland, but more especially the fate of the royal house headed by Zedekiah,the "profane wicked prince of Israel".

This burden [concerneth] the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house ofIsrael that [are] among them (v. 10). In the reference to this "burden" wehave an interesting play upon words —a common feature of Old Testamentprophecy. The word is frequently used of the message of a prophet, forexample, "The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see" (Hab. 1:1), or"The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel" (Zech. 12:1). The wordcomes from a Hebrew root which means 'to lift up'. The prophecies werethe oracles of God lifted up over the nations, and here in Ezekiel 12 thisprophecy was being lifted up over the nation of Israel. But it also means aliteral burden—the burden that Ezekiel was carrying on his shoulder. Thiscomes out in Jeremiah 23:33 (RSV): "When one of this people, or the

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prophet, or a priest asks you, 'What is the burden of the LORD?' [i.e. whatis God's word for us] you shall then say to them, 'You are the burden [i.e.the weight on my back], and I will cast you off, says the LORD'." Thus thepeople would understand, as they listened to the words of the prophet, thatthis burden carried upon his back was at one and the same timerepresentative of similar burdens to be carried by the prince and the houseof Israel when they went into captivity. In addition, when he said, thisburden concerneth the prince, they would understand that he meant, 'Thisprophecy that I am acting out before you concerns the prince and the peopleof Israel'.

And so this acted parable concerned Zedekiah's captivity that occurredsome five years later. The detail is amazing:

1. The parable was foretelling that the king would go into exile in thetwilight (i.e. darkness). 2 Kings 25:4 tells us that Zedekiah and hismen of war fled by night.

2. The parable tells us that the escape would be by a breach in the wall.2 Kings 25:4 confirms this. Although it is recorded that they escapedby way of the gate between the two walls by the king's garden, yet therecord also states that the Chaldeans were round about. Therefore, it isclear that they did not just open the gate and walk out. The gateswould be guarded, and their escape was by some kind of breachunexpected by the Babylonian armies.

3. There is emphasis throughout on darkness, and the covering ofEzekiel's face after he had breached the wall seems to find itsfulfilment in the putting out of Zedekiah's eyes (2 Kings 25:6, 7).Having escaped from the city, he was captured, taken to Riblah wherehis sons were killed, and then his eyes were put out.

4. As Ezekiel clearly foretold (/ will bring him into Babylon to the landof the Chaldeans, v. 13), Zedekiah was then taken to Babylon.

Here we have a good example of an apparent contradiction in the word ofGod that is reconciled by a full knowledge of the facts. Ezekiel says thatZedekiah would be taken to Babylon but yet shall he not see it, though heshall die there (v. 13). Jeremiah, prophesying at the same time, appears tosay that Zedekiah would go to Babylon—"thine eyes shall behold the eyesof the king of Babylon". Josephus records1 that Zedekiah, who was awareof both Ezekiel's and Jeremiah's prophecies, saw this contradiction and

1 Antiquities Book 10:7.8.

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decided to believe neither. Subsequent events showed that both Jeremiahand Ezekiel had spoken accurately since their prophecies were fulfilled tothe very letter. Zedekiah did see the king of Babylon at Riblah, he did goto Babylon, but he did not see it, for his eyes had been put out because hehad broken his oath of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar, who had placed himon the throne.

Verse 13 brings out a point made several times before. Although Babylonwas the power that overthrew Israel and carried Zedekiah into captivity, yetGod was in control. He rules in the kingdom of men, and so, My net alsowill I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare. This is thepicture which recurs in the prophets, of Yahweh as the Hunter using nationssuch as Babylon as His instruments—His net and His snare (cp. Ezek.17:20 and Hos. 7:12).

In these things, Zedekiah—that profane wicked prince carrying theexile's burden upon his shoulder, taken in the net and snare of God intocaptivity—stands in great contrast to the other prince of Israel of whomEzekiel speaks, even the Lord Jesus. Jesus was without sin, therefore hewas delivered from "the snare of the fowler" and carries the government ofDavid's Kingdom upon his shoulder (Psa. 91:3; Isa. 9:6; 22:22, cf. Rev.3:7).

The saving of a remnant (v. 14-16)As we have seen before, particularly inchapter 5, where Ezekiel in vision shaved hishair and divided it into thirds, this comingtime of trouble when Babylon invaded Israelwould result in the scattering and the slayingof the nation. So here in verse 14, / willscatter toward every wind.. .and I will drawout the sword after them. The result of thiswould be that they shall know that I am theLORD(v. 15). That is, Yahweh would bevindicated by the events that would overtakethem (cf. the Ammonites, Moabites andPhilistines in 25:5, 7, 11, 17, who all came"to know that I am the LORD"). God would not allow all of Israel to bedestroyed. His claim to be the only true God is guaranteed by theirpreservation (Isa. 43:10). So , / will leave a few men of them from thesword...(v. 16). The very presence of these few scattered among the nations

14 And I will scatter toward everywind all that [are] about him to helphim, and all his bands; and I will drawout the sword after them.15 And they shall know that I [am] theLORD, when I shall scatter them amongthe nations, and disperse them in thecountries.16 But I will leave a few men of themfrom the sword, from the famine, andfrom the pestilence; that they maydeclare all their abominations amongthe heathen whither they come; andthey shall know that I [am] the LORD.

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would be a testimony to their unfaithfulness. Also, wherever they went,they carried with them their Scriptures in which through the Law, theprophets, and the Psalms their guilt was proclaimed so that testimony wasgiven to the existence of their Disperser and Preserver.

It would be from among these who escaped the sword that eventuallywould come the few who were to be bound in God's skirts (5:3), later toreturn to the land.

Ezekiel enacts the siege conditions (v. 17-20)

This reminds us of chapter 4, where Ezekiel(in his vision) ate his defiled bread amongthe Gentiles. Here he is told, eat thy breadwith quaking, and drink thy water withtrembling and with carefulness (v. 18).Again, Ezekiel would do this in full view ofthe people. A little imagination will help usto appreciate the impact that this would haveupon them. 'Look at Ezekiel! He is at itagain. He is eating his meals in the street.Look at him shaking with fright! What is thematter, Ezekiel?' The answer comes in thefollowing verses. A terrible time was comingin Jerusalem. The land of Israel would belaid desolate, and the cities would be waste,as Moses centuries before had predicted(Lev. 26:31-33). At this time they would indeed eat [their] bread withquaking. The word signifies an earthquake; such would be the state of theiremotions as the words of Moses were fulfilled, and the land of God's nationbecame filled with violence. Verse 20 is an allusion to Leviticus 26, thewords of Moses. In being directed to consider this prophecy, they wouldremember how Moses had foretold the violence (v. 19) of which theprophet here speaks which in the siege would manifest itself in the eating of"the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters..." (Lev. 26:29).

The attitude of the Jews towards God's word (v. 21-28)

A. Towards the prophets in general

There was a school of thought in Ezekiel's day among the captives thatsaid, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth (v. 22). This is very

17 Moreover the word of the LORDcame to me, saying,18 Son of man, eat thy bread withquaking, and drink thy water withtrembling and with carefulness;19 And say unto the people of the land,Thus saith the Lord GOD of theinhabitants of Jerusalem, [and] of theland of Israel; They shall eat theirbread with carefulness, and drink theirwater with astonishment, that her landmay be desolate from all that istherein, because of the violence of allthem that dwell therein.20 And the cities that are inhabitedshall be laid waste, and the land shallbe desolate; and ye shall know that I[am] the LORD.

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important, for it is the situation that arises atthe end of every age in the out-working ofGod's purpose. Consider the days of Noah.He prophesied of the flood to hiscontemporaries for some 120 years. Theirreaction was the same as these Jews inEzekiel's day—the days are prolonged—there is no rain yet—every vision faileth.Jesus warned that this would be the attitudeof mind among the Jewish people at the endof the Mosaic dispensation, for he speaks inthe Olivet Prophecy of that evil servant whoshall say in his heart, "My lord delayeth hiscoming" (Matt. 24:48).

We who live at the end of another agemust be on our guard. We can learn muchfrom considering this section of Ezekiel'sprophecy. There were two problems inEzekiel's day. First, there were the falseprophets. In Deuteronomy 18:22 there isstated a principle—"when a prophet spea-keth in the name of the LORD, if the thingfollow not, nor come to pass, that [is] thething which the LORD hath not spoken, [but]the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:thou shalt not be afraid of him." However, this is only part of the answer tothe problem of assessing the credentials of a prophet, for in Deuteronomy13 we read,

"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth theea sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof hespake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast notknown, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of thatprophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, toknow whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all yoursoul" (v. 1-3).

Ezekiel reiterates this in chapter 14:9, where we read, "if the prophet bedeceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived thatprophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy himfrom the midst of my people Israel." Thus, when the false prophet spoke, itmay be that some of the things came to pass; and unless the people were

21 And the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,22 Son of man, what [is] that proverb[that] ye have in the land of Israel,saying, The days are prolonged, andevery vision faileth?23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith theLord GOD; I will make this proverb tocease, and they shall no more use it asa proverb in Israel; but say unto them,The days are at hand, and the effect ofevery vision.24 For there shall be no more any vainvision nor flattering divination withinthe house of Israel.25 For I [am] the LORD: I will speak,and the word that I shall speak shallcome to pass; it shall be no moreprolonged: for in your days, Οrebellious house, will I say the word,and will perform it, saith the LordGOD.26 Again the word of the LORD cameto me, saying,27 Son of man, behold, [they of] thehouse of Israel say, The vision that heseeth [is] for many days [to come], andhe prophesieth of the times [that are]far off.28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saiththe Lord GOD; There shall none of mywords be prolonged any more, but theword which I have spoken shall bedone, saith the Lord GOD.

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able to put his words to the test by their own knowledge of the law, theycould easily be led astray—Yahweh was putting them to the test. This wasone reason why Ezekiel's contemporaries and the Jews in the land weresceptical of Ezekiel's warning of judgement to come. They were beguiledby the teaching of men like Hananiah who said that the captivity would beover in two years. They should have known from the teaching of the law,especially in view of the frequent references that Ezekiel made to it, that hismessage was authentic. However, it was a case of "prophesy not unto usright things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits" (Isa. 30:10).Therefore, God says, there shall be no more any vain vision nor flatteringdivination within the house of Israel (v. 24) —the time had come for thefalse prophets to be exposed for what they really were.

The other problem which may well have lead the faithless people to saythe days are prolonged, and every vision faileth arises out of thelongsuffering of God. In Jeremiah 18:7, 8 we read, "at what instant I shallspeak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and topull down, and to destroy [it]; if that nation, against whom I havepronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought todo unto them." There is a very good example of this in Jonah 3:4 whereGod's judgements upon Nineveh were withheld for a time at least, inconsequence of the repentance of that people. Another example is seen inthe apparent delay in the coming of the judgements upon the nation ofIsrael. Peter warns of this attitude of mind among the Jewish brethren as thecoming AD 70 judgement loomed on the political horizon. He speaks ofthose who, walking after their own lusts, would say, "Where is the promiseof his coming?"1. He says, "the Lord is not slack concerning his promise,as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willingthat any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:4,9).

In the case of Israel in the land in the time of Ezekiel, God'slongsuffering was now exhausted. There was no repentance to be found inIsrael, and so, / will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come topass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, Ο rebellious house,will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD (v. 25).

1 He refers here to the coming of the Lord in judgement against the disobedientnation of Israel. See Last Days of Judah's Commonwealth, J. Thomas and AWorld Destroyed by Fire, J. Allfree.

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B. Towards Ezekiel's message in particular

The last two verses of chapter 12 are concerned with the attitude of thepeople towards the prophecies of Ezekiel in particular. They said, thevision that he seeth [is] for many days [to come], and he prophesieth ofthe times [that are]far off— these were the evil servants of those days whosaid in their heart, "My lord delayeth his coming." The answer came in thewords of verse 28, There shall none of my words be prolonged any more,but the word which I have spoken shall be done.

Exhortation

The exhortation that comes to us from the prophet is very important. It is attimes like ours at the end of an age when this attitude of mind prevails. Weundoubtedly will have to face, if we are not already facing, these twoproblems which presented themselves to Israel. First, false prophets, orteachers will arise. At the time of writing a number of fundamentaldoctrines are being openly questioned.1 We can only resist these if we arefirmly grounded in the scriptures. Second, because God is longsufferingtoward His erring children, there will be what we might wrongly interpretas a delay in the outworking of His purpose. In consequence, there will be atendency to say, "My Lord delayeth his coming", and to say of those whofaithfully declare God's word, the vision that he seeth is for many days.Then instead of standing on our toes in expectation of the coming of ourLord, we shall walk after our own lusts and, in the very act of pursuing ourown desires, say by the lives we lead, "Where is the promise of hiscoming?"

1 Agenda for Change—A Warning, T. Benson, Testimony, Feb. 1994, page 50,highlights some of these threats to the Truth in our days.

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False prophets (13:1-23)Chapter 12 introduced us to the attitude of the people toward the faithfulprophets who were speaking God's word. The people were saying, "thedays are prolonged, and every vision faileth" (v. 22). This attitude of mindappears to manifest itself at the end of every age among the people withwhom God is working. It happened in Noah's day; it happened at the end ofthe Mosaic dispensation; and we can expect no other in the days in whichwe live, when clearly the end of another age is upon us.

It must be emphasized that the basic problem in Israel which gave rise tothe careless attitude, "the days are prolonged, and every vision faileth," wasnot the false prophets, but the attitude of the people toward the word ofGod. False prophets are the result of an unhealthy congregation, and not thecause of it. Ezekiel makes this plain in chapter 14, as we shall see. But thisin no way excuses the false prophets and so, Woe unto the foolish prophets(v. 3).

The sins of the false prophets (v. 1-7)

1. They prophesied out of their own heart

Several times in the preceding chapters theactivities of these false prophets in Israelhave been mentioned—men like Hananiahwho were saying that the captivity wouldsoon be over. Here the basic problem inIsrael becomes very plain. In Jeremiah28:1-3 we read the words of the falseprophet Hananiah, and he says, "Thusspeaketh the LORD of hosts, the God ofIsrael, saying..." (v. 2). We note his solemndeclaration that what he spoke was a message from God. Jeremiah'sreaction was, "the LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people totrust in a lie" (v. 15). Ezekiel refers to this kind of thing in verse 7 of ourchapter: Ye say, the LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken. Yahwehspeaks of "the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not"(Jer. 14:15), and again: "They speak a vision of their own heart, and not outof the mouth of the LORD" (23:16, 17). But consider the problem that facedthe people. Hananiah was saying, "Thus saith the LORD". Jeremiah wassaying, "Hananiah is telling lies. Thus saith the LORD..." Who were they

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1 And the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,2 Son of man, prophesy against theprophets of Israel that prophesy, andsay thou unto them that prophesy outof their own hearts, Hear ye the wordof the LORD;3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe untothe foolish prophets, that follow theirown spirit, and have seen nothing!

False prophets (13)

to believe? Only if they were well grounded in the law and the earlierprophets would they be able to appreciate that the truth was with Jeremiah,and be able to face up to the challenge of the difficult days which lay ahead.Most of them preferred the smooth things of the false prophets. They werethe people with itching ears for whom the false prophets catered (cf. 2 Tim.4:3, 4). Jeremiah comments on the situation, "A wonderful and horriblething is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and thepriests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so" (Jer.5:30,31).

The apostle may well have had in mind these prophets who follow theirown spirit (v. 3) when, in contrast, he wrote, "We did not follow cunninglydevised fables". He then refers to the prophets who testified of the comingof the Son of God and declares, "For no prophecy ever came by the will ofman" (2 Pet. 1:16, 21, RV).

2. They failed to rise to their responsibilities

This follows on from what we have alreadyseen. These false prophets could, had theychosen to do so, have been faithful prophets.It would appear that there was in Israel awhole body of people called prophets (seefor example 1 Kings 18:4). Of these, veryfew appear to have been the channel of theinspired word as we have it written down,but no doubt many were teachers in Israel. These prophets were anaccepted part of the religious system in Israel, just as in the first centuryecclesia there were evangelists, prophets, pastors and teachers, and just astoday we have speaking brethren. The false prophets had a responsibility inIsrael but they failed to rise to it. They should have been busy at this timeof crisis building up the nation and encouraging them—as forcefully as wasin their power to do—in divine ways. The faithful action of Moses recordedin Psalm 106 helps us to appreciate the meaning of verse 5 in this chapter.There we read that Israel "changed their glory into the similitude of an oxthat eateth grass"—the reference being to the time when they made thegolden calf. Commenting on this, the psalmist proceeds to say, "Thereforehe said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood beforehim in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them"(Psa. 106:20, 23). Moses destroyed the calf, purged out the rebels, andinterceded on behalf of Israel. But not so the prophets in the time ofEzekiel: "You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the

4 Ο Israel, thy prophets are like thefoxes in the deserts.5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps,neither made up the hedge for thehouse of Israel to stand in the battle inthe day of the LORD.

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house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the LORD" (v. 5,RSV). Instead, the prophets were like the destructive foxes of thewilderness (cp. Song 2:15) thus contributing to the downfall of the people.

6 They have seen vanity and lyingdivination, saying, The LORD saith:and the LORD hath not sent them: andthey have made [others] to hope thatthey would confirm the word.7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, andhave ye not spoken a lying divination,whereas ye say, The LORD saith [it];albeit I have not spoken?

3. They resorted to divination

Ezekiel's third condemnation of the prophetsis in verse 6, where we learn that they hadresorted to divination, which was expresslyforbidden by the Law (see Deut. 18:10).

The words in verse 6—they have madeothers to hope that they would confirm theword are better rendered "they hope for thefulfillment of their word" as in NASB. (Soalso RVmg and NIV). They really believed their fictitious predictions andlooked for their realization (cf. 2 Thess. 2:11). However, the comingjudgements would prove their visions to be false and their divination to belies (v. 7).

Judgement of the prophets (v. 8-16)

Ezekiel summarizes the work of the falseprophets among the people in verses 10-12.Verse 10 begins with the words because,even because they have seduced my people.This form of solemn declaration only occurselsewhere at Leviticus 26:43 —a prophecywhich was about to be fulfilled in theexperience of the people of Judah—"theland shall be left of them...because, evenbecause they despised my judgements".

The parable that follows is echoed in thattold by Jesus (also against a background offalse prophets: Matt. 7:15), of the man whobuilt his house upon the sand, and the manwho built his on the rock. So we read(following the RSV), "The people build awall" (v. 10). This wall appears to representthe national policy of those who remained inJudah—a fanatical, foolish trust in the material stones of the temple to save

8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Because ye have spoken vanity, andseen lies, therefore, behold, I [am]against you, saith the Lord GOD.9 And mine hand shall be upon theprophets that see vanity, and thatdivine lies: they shall not be in theassembly of my people, neither shallthey be written in the writing of thehouse of Israel, neither shall they enterinto the land of Israel; and ye shailknow that I [am] the Lord GOD.10 Because, even because they haveseduced my people, saying, Peace; and[there was] no peace; and one built upa wall, and, lo, others daubed it withuntempered [morter]:11 Say unto them which daub [it] withuntempered [morter], that it shall fall:there shall be an overflowing shower;and ye, Ο great hailstones, shall fall;and a stormy wind shall rend [it].

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them from the enemy (see Jer. 7:4; cf. Mic. 3:11). The prophets shouldhave corrected this foolish attitude, but instead they daubed it withuntempered morter (v. 10). In other words they gave it the appearance ofdivine approval by prophesying foolishness. The Hebrew word taphetranslated untempered morter (RSV, whitewash) is used by Jeremiah whenhe looks back on the activities of these false prophets —"thy prophets haveseen vain and foolish things (Heb. taphel) for thee..." (Lam. 2:14).

But the storm would come and it would find the people unprepared:/ will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury (v. 13); and the prophetswho had whitewashed the wall would perish with it: so will I break downthe wall that ye have daubed...and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumedin the midst thereof (v. 14). Again Jeremiah looks back on the terriblefulfilment of this prophecy—"He hath thrown down in his wrath thestrongholds of the daughter of Zion; He hath brought them down to theground" (Lam. 2:2).

There is an irony in verse 16. Jerusalem means the 'foundation ofpeace'. When the Kingdom is established peace will flow throughJerusalem "like a river" (Isa. 66:12). But that peace will be the result ofrighteousness —a righteous King and a righteous administration enforcingrighteous laws from Jerusalem (Isa. 32:1, 17). These false prophets pre-dicted a lasting peace based on vanity, deceit, and wickedness. What folly!There is no peace (v. 16) to the wicked (Isa. 57:21).

In verse 9 there are the same interesting comments on the judgement ofthe prophets. The Law commanded those who witnessed acts of apostasy inIsrael—"thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to puthim to death" (Deut. 13:9; 17:7). God says of these false prophets, Minehand shall be upon the prophets (v. 9) with the result that:

1. They would not be in the assembly of God's people.2. They would not be included in the writing of the house of Israel.3. They would not enter into the land of Israel.

In the first instance this refers to the restoration under Zerubbabel when thepurified remnant of Israel returned to the land and the census of the houseof Israel was made by Ezra the priest (Ezra 2:62). But the prophecy reachesforward to that restoration which is still future.

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1. The word assembly is a translation ofthe Hebrew word sod and it denotesthe intimate relationship that thefaithful share with the Almighty. Justas like-minded men assemble andexchange counsel, so the faithfulmeet with God and seek counselfrom His word. The word sod is usedboth of the assembly of such, and ofthe counsel sought1. The assemblythen, is the true ecclesia. In Psalm111 we read, "Praise ye the LORD. Iwill praise the LORD with my wholeheart, in the assembly (Heb. sod) ofthe upright, and in the congregation.The works of the LORD are great,sought out of all them that havepleasure therein" (v. 1, 2). The falseprophets stand in great contrast.Jeremiah asks a question, "Who hathstood in the counsel (Heb. sod =assembly) of the LORD, and hathperceived and heard his word? whohath marked his word, and heard it?" (Jer. 23:18); and he proceedsto speak concerning the false prophets, "If they had stood in mycounsel (i.e. assembly), and had caused my people to hear mywords, then they should have turned them from their evil way, andfrom the evil of their doings" (v. 22). Thus, because they failed toidentify themselves with the true assembly in the days of probation,they were to be refused access in the day of restoration.

2. The writing of the house of Israel is a recurring theme in theprophets. After Israel's sin in the golden calf incident, Mosesmakes his prayer to God and says, "Yet now, if thou wilt forgivetheir sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book whichthou hast written" (Exod. 32:32). Speaking of the restoration of theremnant of Israel, Isaiah says, "It shall come to pass, that he that isleft in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be calledholy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem"(Isa. 4:3). The 69th Psalm, speaking prophetically of Judas and alllike him, says, "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living,

12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall itnot be said unto you, Where [is] thedaubing wherewith ye have daubed[it]?13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;I will even rend [it] with a stormy windin my fury; and there shall be anoverflowing shower in mine anger, andgreat hailstones in [my] fury toconsume [it].14 So will I break down the wall thatye have daubed with untempered[morter], and bring it down to theground, so that the foundation thereofshall be discovered, and it shall fall,and ye shall be consumed in the midstthereof: and ye shall know that I [am]the LORD.15 Thus will I accomplish my wrathupon the wall, and upon them that havedaubed it with untempered [morter],and will say unto you, The wall [is] no[more], neither they that daubed it;16 [To wit], the prophets of Israelwhich prophesy concerning Jerusalem,and which see visions of peace for her,and [there is] no peace, saith the LordGOD.

1 See for example, Brown-Driver-Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon, page 691.

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and not be written with the righteous" (v. 28). All false prophetswill be so treated.

3. The making up of the assembly and the making known of thosewritten in the book will take place at the entry of the faithfulremnant of Israel into the land, and it will be at this time that thefalse prophets will be excluded. Thus we read, "For evil doers shallbe cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit theearth... for the LORD loveth judgement, and forsaketh not his saints;they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cutoff" (Psa.37:9,28).

For our learning

We must as always ask ourselves. "Why were these things written?" Theapostle answers, "For our learning" (Rom. 15:4). We referred earlier to thesimilarity between the situation that prevailed in Israel in Ezekiel's timeand the situation that prevailed toward the end of the first century in theChristian ecclesia. So here, a consideration of apostolic writings shows thata similar situation to the one we are now considering presented itself in theexperience of the early ecclesia. Peter wrote to the ecclesias of his day,

"There were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall befalse teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, evendenying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift de-struction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom theway of truth shall be evil spoken of" (2 Pet. 2:1-2).

Jude too, exhorted the brethren that they"should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto thesaints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of oldordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our Godinto lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord JesusChrist" (v. 3-4).

Both of these apostles wrote primarily to the Jewish ecclesias at the end ofthe Mosaic age, and the condemnation of the false prophets in the Jewishecclesias was the same as that spoken by Ezekiel. As a result of theirtreachery they would "bring upon themselves swift destruction"—they shallnot be in the assembly of the saints, they shall not be written in the Lamb'sbook of life, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel.

If there were false prophets in Israel in Ezekiel's day and if there werefalse prophets in the ecclesia in apostolic times, can we expect anythingdifferent at the end of the age in which we live? It is customary to point tothe leaders of "Christendom" and to identify them as the false prophets of

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our age, but, on the basis of these two examples, is it not more logical thatwe look within the narrower confines of the one ecclesia of God? Thisbeing so, those who aspire to teach should take very much to heart themessage that comes from this section of Ezekiel. Woe to those who in theday of the Lord's coming are found prophesying out of their ownhearts —saying, "The Lord saith," when he has not said it. Woe to theteachers who whitewash the Laodicean state of their ecclesias!

Against the prophetesses (v. 17-23)

There have been female prophets in Israelwho have performed a useful and faithfulministry. These were the exceptions andthere must have been sound reasons for thedivine sanction for them to exercise theiroffice. Miriam (Exod. 15:20), Deborah(Judges 4:4), and Huldah (2 Kings 22:14),are examples1. In the New Testament periodAnna (Luke 2:36), and the four daughters ofPhilip the evangelist (Acts 21:9)2 alsoexercised a legitimate prophetic role. Butgenerally speaking, in both Old Testamentand New Testament periods the work of aprophet within the covenant community wascarried out by men.

In this section of Ezekiel it was sorceryrather than prophecy to which these womenwere devoted. There appears to be a suscep-tibility in the female sex to this kind ofpractice (although the scriptures make itclear that men are by no means exempt). For a woman to seek prominence

17 Likewise, thou son of man, set thyface against the daughters of thypeople, which prophesy out of theirown heart; and prophesy thou againstthem,18 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD;Woe to the [women] that sew pillowsto all armholes, and make kerchiefsupon the head of every stature to huntsouls! Will ye hunt the souls of mypeople, and will ye save the souls alive[that come] unto you?19 And will ye pollute me among mypeople for handful s of barley and forpieces of bread, to slay the souls thatshould not die, and to save the soulsalive that should not live, by your lyingto my people that hear [your] lies?20 Wherefore thus saith the LordGOD; Behold, I [am] against yourpillows, wherewith ye there hunt thesouls to make [them] fly, and I willtear them from your arms, and will letthe souls go, [even] the souls that yehunt to make [them] fly.

Commenting on this, Bro. Lewis writes, "Speaking in the Spirit did not involveinterpreting the Word, and did not override a God-given hierarchy", (M. Lewis,Man and Woman, page 37). The entire section on Old Testament prophetessesis commended to the reader.

The daughters of Philip received their gift in fulfilment of the prophecy ofJoel—"...I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and yourdaughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your oldmen shall dream dreams" (Acts 2:17).

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21 Your kerchiefs also will I tear, anddeliver my people out of your hand,and they shall be no more in your handto be hunted; and ye shall know that I[am] the LORD.22 Because with lies ye have made theheart of the righteous sad, whom Ihave not made sad; and strengthenedthe hands of the wicked, that he shouldnot return from his wicked way, bypromising him life:23 Therefore ye shall see no morevanity, nor divine divinations: for Iwill deliver my people out of yourhand: and ye shall know that I [am] theLORD.

and to oppose the right ways of the LORD(as appears to have been the case withNoadiah, who was foremost in trying tofrighten Nehemiah to prevent him rebuildingthe wall—Neh. 6:14) is reprehensible. Butfor a woman of the covenant people to resortto pagan practices and to seek to turn awaythe people from the worship of Yahweh tothe worship of the abominations of theGentiles is odious in the extreme. The Lawrecognized the inclination for this kind ofapostasy among the women of Israel andmade it a capital offence (Exod. 22:18; Deut.18:10; Lev. 20:27). So we find in Israel's history such individuals as thesorceress of Endor (1 Sam. 28:7) who carried out the practices which theprophet later saw the need to condemn in the nation (Isa. 8:19). But itseems that it was in the time of Ezekiel and his contemporary Jeremiah thatthese practices really took hold of the women in Israel. This has alreadybeen considered in the examination of Ezekiel 8. We here only remindourselves of the way in which the women worshipped the queen of heaven(with the apparent approval of their menfolk—Jer. 44:17-19), and of theirinvolvement in the worship of the fertility god Tammuz (Ezek. 8:14). It isto practices associated with this apostate worship that Ezekiel now alludesin these most unusual verses.

He says, Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, andmake veils for the heads of persons of every stature> in the hunt for souls(v. 18, RSV). We cannot say precisely what particular kind of occult prac-tice it is to which the prophet here refers, but the most likely suggestion isthat the people who came to consult the prophetesses had their wristsbound. The tying and untying of knots was a regular trick in witchcraft andwould be used to impress those who resorted to the prophetess. Or it mayhave been (see v. 20) the prophetess herself whose arms were bound in thisway. We can only speculate as to the exact nature of the practice referredto.1

1 An interesting comment by William Kay offers another possible interpretation ofthis difficult passage. He writes, "An ancient paraphrase makes the referencehere to be to phylacteries—'Woe to the women that make phylacteries and hang

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Whatever the practice may have been the activities of these womenwould be interrupted by the coming judgement—Your kerchiefs will I tear,and deliver my people out of your hand (v. 21).

Until the judgements came, the activities of these women and, indeed, ofall false teachers and unfaithful leaders made the heart of the righteous sad(v. 22). The few righteous looked on with dismay as the false teachersstrengthened the hands of the wicked (v. 22), and waited patiently for theLORD to show who were his (cp. Num. 16:5).

Is there any instruction or exhortation for us in these verses? The NewTestament scriptures make it plain that in the early Christian congregationsthe work of teaching was carried out by brethren1,

"Let your women keep silence in the ecclesias: for it is not permitted untothem to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as alsosaith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands athome: for it is a shame for women to speak in the ecclesia" (1 Cor. 14:34-35).

"But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but tobe in silence" (1 Tim. 2:12). 2

footnote continued from previous pagethem on their arms, and place them upon the head of every age to pervertsouls'. This reference is highly probable. The practice of tying certain texts ofScripture, as charms, on the forehead, and on the inside of the left elbow (that itmight be near the heart and so fulfil Deuteronomy 11:18) seems to have been atleast as old as the return from Babylon. It may have been long before.Eventually, when the grosser sorts of idolatry vanished, this subtler kind—theidolatry of forms and formulae—took its place" (Wm Kay, The Book of theProphet Ezekiel, ad. loc.)

1 The instruction of the apostle Paul that the "aged women" should be "teachers ofgood things; that they may teach the younger women to be sober, to love theirhusbands..." appears to be talking about teaching by example and one-to-onecounsel. It is not talking about the exercise of a formal teaching role.

2 There is clearly a problem to be resolved between this clear apostolic command(and he does not exclude those with Holy Spirit gifts) and the fact that therewere sisters within the ecclesias who had been given, with divine approval, oneof the most important gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:28; 14:1; Eph. 4:11).M. Lewis considers this in detail and the reader is referred to his carefulexamination. He concludes that there is no evidence that sisters exercised theirprophetic gifts when the believers were gathered as an ecclesia (in fact theapostolic commands referred to above prohibited this) but they exercised theirgift at other times (M. Lewis, Man and Woman, pages 61-76).

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The wise will obey this rule. It is sad to see the influence of the feministmovement at work in the Community. Sisters taking upon themselves toagitate for a teaching role, or for debilitated or poorly grounded brethren toaccede to their whims or even to thrust this role upon them, constitutesdisobedience to the apostolic commandments and will have seriousconsequences1.

That it could produce problems as serious as those in Ezekiel's dayseems unlikely. But a misunderstanding of certain scriptures giving somethe idea that the spirit is to be poured out upon the ecclesia before thecoming of Christ, and an increasing resort to mysticism and the occult inthe world, may well provide a climate in which this kind of thing couldmove into ecclesial circles. Let us hope that this is as unfounded and far-fetched as it sounds. Whatever trials may lie ahead, the faithful—whilesaddened by the activities of the wayward—will, like the faithful inEzekiel's day, wait in patience secure in the knowledge that the "Lordknoweth them that are His". As they wait they will seek to obey theapostolic command, and to encourage others to do so:

"Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from un-righteousness" (2 Tim. 2:19, RV).

The way in which sisters' classes have developed in some areas is no lessworrying. Originally they were started as "Dorcas Classes" where sisters metmid-week to engage in good works, discussing some topic of scripture whilethus engaged. It has been sad to see them develop in some ecclesias to thepoint where the sisters hold fraternal gatherings to which sisters from otherecclesias are invited and where sisters conduct the entire meeting, presidingand speaking as at a normal fraternal gathering. It is true that no brethren arepresent and therefore according to a strict legal interpretation of Paul's com-mands they are not at fault. But why should sisters seek to engage in corporateworship without the company of brothers? It seems to this writer that for sistersto hold meetings from which brothers are excluded in order for the sisters to beable to exercise a leading role is contrary to the spirit of apostolic teaching.

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God's four sore judgements (14:1-23)

Faithless elders (v. 1-11)

In this chapter we are led to a considerationonce again of the basic problem in Israel.This was not the false prophets, though hadthe prophets been faithful they could havehelped solve the problem. The basic problemwas the attitude of the people. Certain of theelders of Israel came and sat before theprophet (v. 1), apparently to seek the word ofGod from him; perhaps [bearing in mind whatfollows] to ask him concerning the impendingnational calamity. But they came with theiridols in their hearts and the stumbling blockof their iniquity before their face (v. 3).From the time of Solomon, who having builtthe temple then built high places for Molechand Chemosh in front of Yahweh's sanctuary(1 Kings 11:7), Israel had exhibited thistendency to worship Yahweh with their idolsin their heart. The rigours of the captivityhad not changed the attitude of these elders.They were no different from the Samaritanswho "feared the LORD, and served their owngods" (2 Kings 17:33). In answer to the ques-tion, Should I be inquired of at all by them!God instructs the prophet to tell these peoplethat He would answer them, but it would beaccording to the multitude of [their] idols(v. 4). When men who have set up idols intheir hearts come to the prophet, the prophetmight well give them a message. We notewith interest that verse 9 says, if the prophetbe deceived when he hath spoken a thing, Ithe LORD have deceived that prophet. Thereference, of course, here is to a false prophet,one who has set out to meet the demand tospeak smooth things which comes from those

1 Then came certain of the elders ofIsrael unto me, and sat before me.2 And the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,3 Son of man, these men have set uptheir idols in their heart, and put thestumblingblock of their iniquity beforetheir face: should I be enquired of at allby them?4 Therefore speak unto them, and sayunto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD;Every man of the house of Israel thatsetteth up his idols in his heart, andputteth the stumblingblock of hisiniquity before his face, and cometh tothe prophet; I the LORD will answerhim that cometh according to themultitude of his idols;5 That I may take the house of Israel intheir own heart, because they are allestranged from me through their idols.6 Therefore say unto the house ofIsrael, Thus saith the Lord GOD;Repent, and turn [yourselves] fromyour idols; and turn away your facesfrom all your abominations.7 For every one of the house of Israel,or of the stranger that sojourneth inIsrael, which separateth himself fromme, and setteth up his idols in hisheart, and putteth the stumblingblockof his iniquity before his face, andcometh to a prophet to enquire of himconcerning me; I the LORD willanswer him by myself:8 And I will set my face against thatman, and will make him a sign and aproverb, and I will cut him off fromthe midst of my people; and ye shallknow that I [am] the LORD.9 And if the prophet be deceived whenhe hath spoken a thing, I the LORDhave deceived that prophet, and I willstretch out my hand upon him, and willdestroy him from the midst of mypeople Israel.10 And they shall bear the punishmentof their iniquity: the punishment of theprophet shall be even as thepunishment of him that seeketh [untohim];

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11 That the house of Israel may go nomore astray from me, neither bepolluted any more with all theirtransgressions; but that they may bemy people, and I may be their God,saith the Lord GOD.

who have set up idols in their hearts. To suchGod may send "a strong delusion" (2Thess.2:11) as was the case with those who proph-esied before Ahab (1 Kings 22:6, 20-22). Thepurpose of this is stated by the Apostle—"that Lthey all might be damned who believed notthe truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thess. 2:12).

False prophets only exist where there is a demand. Again, this was theexperience of the first century ecclesia:

"The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after theirown lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; andthey shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables"(2 Tim. 4:3, 4).

False prophets, and those who allow themselves to be deceived by thembecause they pander to their lusts, will together be destroyed when "theLord Jesus Christ... shall judge the quick and the dead" (2 Tim. 4:1). It willbe at this time that Israel will finally turn away their [faces] from all [their]abominations (v. 6). God continually "sent to them his messengers, risingup early and sending" (2 Chron. 36:15), urging them to repent. But "theybeat one, and killed another, and stoned another..." and finally, when Hesent His Son, "they slew him" (Matt. 21:35-39). Only when the Sonappears again will Israel "turn to the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:16). The nation willbe humbled (Zech. 12:10), its false teachers removed (Zech. 13:2). It willturn to the LORD with all its heart (2 Cor. 3:16; Hos. 2:17; Rom. 11:23;Deut. 4:29; cf. Ezek. 11:19; 36:26) and then the house of Israel will go nomore astray from me> neither be polluted any more with all their trans-gressions. Then in all the fulness of the promise inherent in the covenantname will God's declared purpose be fulfilled—"I am Yahweh... and I willbe to you a God...I am Yahweh" (Exod. 6:6-8). So all that overtakes thenation is that they may be my people, and I may be their God (v. 11).

The certainty of coming judgement (v. 12-21)

The prophet is now led to expound a principle to which the wise will takeheed. The messages of impending judgement all form part of those things"written aforetime [which] were written for our learning". Our minds mustbe alert to the exhortation that comes from the words of the prophet.

The word of Yahweh comes to the prophet and invites him to consider "aland" (there is no definite article in the original text) which had sinnedagainst God, trespassing grievously (v. 13). The words denote absolute and

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utter unfaithfulness. The land in questionclearly stands for the people that live in it.The prophet is being told that when a nationsins against God the time comes when God'sjudgements are poured out upon that nation.The Amorites provide us with a good exam-ple. These were people descended from Noahwith whom Yahweh had made an everlastingcovenant. At the time of Abraham it is clearthat they had corrupted God's way. But stillthe long suffering of God waited; and thedescendants of Abraham were to sojourn for along period of time in a land that was nottheirs because "the iniquity of the Amorites isnot yet full" (Gen. 15:16). But the time didcome, some 400 years later. Yahweh's long-suffering towards them ended and He couldwait no longer. Israel was commanded,"When the LORD thy God shall bring theeinto the land whither thou goest to possess it,and hath cast out many nations before thee,the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and theAmorites...when the LORD thy God shalldeliver them before thee; thou shalt smitethem, [and] utterly destroy them; thou shaltmake no covenant with them, nor shew mercyunto them" (Deut. 7:1-2). When a land sins—that is to say, when the people in it fills up themeasure of its iniquity—then the judgementsof Yahweh upon that land are certain.

So Ezekiel is bidden to consider a nationsuch as we see the Amorites to have been.There were many ways in which Yahweh could bring His judgements uponthem.

(1) He could break the staff of the bread thereof(v. 13). That is to say,He could bring famine upon the land, and, indeed, what could beeasier for the One who controls the elements?

(2) He could cause noisome beasts to pass through the land (v. 15).The word noisome is the Hebrew word ra, which means 'evil', sotranslated over four hundred times in the AV. The word beasts is the

12 The word of the LORD came againto me, saying,13 Son of man, when the land sinnethagainst me by trespassing grievously,then will I stretch out mine hand uponit, and will break the staff of the breadthereof, and will send famine upon it,and will cut off man and beast from it:14 Though these three men, Noah,Daniel, and Job, were in it, they shoulddeliver [but] their own souls by theirrighteousness, saith the Lord GOD.15 If I cause noisome beasts to passthrough the land, and they spoil it, sothat it be desolate, that no man maypass through because of the beasts:16 [Though] these three men [were] init, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, theyshall deliver neither sons nordaughters; they only shall be delivered,but the land shall be desolate.17 Or [if] I bring a sword upon thatland, and say, Sword, go through theland; so that I cut off man and beastfrom it:18 Though these three men [were] init, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, theyshall deliver neither sons nordaughters, but they only shall bedelivered themselves.19 Or [if] I send a pestilence into thatland, and pour out my fury upon it inblood, to cut off from it man and beast:20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job,[were] in it, [as] I live, saith the LordGOD, they shall deliver neither sonnor daughter; they shall [but] delivertheir own souls by their righteousness.21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Howmuch more when I send my four sorejudgments upon Jerusalem, the sword,and the famine, and the noisome beast,and the pestilence, to cut off from itman and beast?

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Hebrew word chayah which means 'a living creature'. Thusnoisome beasts means 'evil creatures', and perhaps instead of think-ing of wild beasts rampaging through the land, we should think interms of the devastation that Yahweh has brought upon nations bymeans of locust plagues and such like (cf. 2 Kings 17:25).

(3) Yahweh could bring a sword upon that land (v. 17). God rules inthe kingdom of men, and nations go to war according to His will,and in so doing work out His purpose, although it is usually a caseof "he (i.e. the Assyrian) meaneth not so, neither doth his heart thinkso" (Isa. 10:7).

(4) He could send a pestilence into the land (v. 19) —a terrible plaguesuch as bubonic plague with which the Philistines appear to havebeen afflicted in the events recorded in 1 Samuel 5 and 6.

But usually when Yahweh's judgements have fallen upon sinful nations,there have been combinations of these different forms of judgement.Ezekiel's message to the people is that all of these terrible judgements weresoon to come upon Jerusalem: for thus saith the Lord GOD; How muchmore when I send my four sore judgements upon Jerusalem, the sword,and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off fromit man and beast? (v. 21). If God so judged the sinful nations of the earth,how much more would the nation of Israel, which occupied a position ofparticular responsibility towards Him, receive judgement at His handbecause of their apostasy?

The need for personal righteousnessThe message which Yahweh impressed on Ezekiel, and which the prophethad to convey to the exiles, was this:- When these judgements fell upon anation—when God's longsuffering had expired and the time had arrived forHis judgements to be poured out—then, Though these three men, Noah,Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver [but] their own souls bytheir righteousness, saith the Lord GOD... they shall deliver neither sonsnor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves (v. 14,18, 20).

Here is the important principle. Salvation depends upon personalrighteousness. The righteousness of others cannot save from judgement.Jeremiah was still in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man, and he had beeninstructed—"Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry norprayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee"(Jer. 7:16). He had been instructed in a very similar way to Ezekiel:

"...Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, [yet] my mind [could] not [be]toward this people: cast [them] out of my sight, and let them go forth. And it

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shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thoushalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as [are] for death, to death; andsuch as [are] for the sword, to the sword; and such as [are] for the famine, tothe famine; and such as [are] for the captivity, to the captivity. And I willappoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogsto tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devourand destroy. And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of theearth..." (Jer. 15:1-4).

We must take the exhortation to ourselves. When judgement begins againat the house of God, we shall not be spared simply because we belong to aparticular religious community. Rather will it be a case of,

"Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for theyshall be filled...I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed[the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enterinto the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:6, 20).

"But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, isaccepted with him" (Acts 10:35).

"Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness isrighteous, even as he is righteous" (1 John 3:7).

"If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doethrighteousness is born of him" (1 John 2:29).

It cannot be emphasized too strongly that this emphasis on the need forpersonal righteousness does not in any way undermine the clear scripturalteaching of justification by faith.1

1 To argue that the two are incompatible is to make Jesus and his apostles in theabove quotations contradict the apostle Paul in such statements as, "Beingjustified by faith, we have peace with God..." (Rom. 5:1).Not infrequently, to argue for this need for personal righteousness (clearlyenjoined on us by Jesus and his apostles) is held to be a doctrine of salvation byworks—a doctrine which the apostle Paul is alleged to have opposed in suchscriptures as, "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: itis the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8, 9). But thenext verse plainly states that those who belong to the family of God are "hisworkmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath beforeordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).The two teachings must be married together. By belief (faith) of the truth we arejustified (made righteous) in the sight of God—but only if we obey the truth bybeing baptized (a work of righteousness) and then continue patient in well doing(Rom. 2:7). Where true faith is evident (because it is "faith that worketh through


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22 Yet, behold, therein shall be left aremnant that shall be brought forth,[both] sons and daughters: behold, theyshall come forth unto you, and ye shallsee their way and their doings: and yeshall be comforted concerning the evilthat I have brought upon Jerusalem,[even] concerning all that I havebrought upon it.23 And they shall comfort you, whenye see their ways and their doings: andye shall know that I have not donewithout cause all that I have done in it,saith the Lord GOD.

A message of hope (v. 22-23)

The last two verses are specifically addressedto those who are already in exile. They wereto be the spectators looking on at the dramaof God's judgements against Jerusalem. Itmust be remembered that they were opposedto Ezekiel, and they disliked intensely hismessage of doom and destruction. Perhapsthey argued the case of Abraham and Sodom.If there had been ten righteous in Sodom,Yahweh would have spared the city, andsurely there were righteous men in the city ofGod, in Zion. The answer of God in thischapter was that even if there were, they would but deliver their own selvesby their righteousness. Further, Yahweh would demonstrate the rightness ofHis judgement, for there would be a remnant that shall be brought forth(v. 22). These would not be slain but scattered (cf. Psa. 59:11) to joinEzekiel and the exiles in Babylon. These had a work to perform. Theywould convince those who doubted, of the absolute justice of God'sjudgements. They would bring their report of the ways and the doings ofthe house of Israel, and thus the exiles would be convinced. When ye seetheir ways and their doings... ye shall know that I have not done withoutcause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD (v. 23).

It may be that Ezekiel's listeners would be reminded by the words theprophet uses in these final verses, of a previous time of judgement. Whenhe says, "Ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have broughtupon Jerusalem" (v. 22) and, "They shall comfort you" (v. 23) the word"comfort", in both cases, is derived from the same Hebrew word fromwhich the word Noah is derived. They would thus be reminded of God'sjudgements at the time of Noah and the salvation of a remnant at that time.

footnote continued from previous pagelove", Gal. 5:6 and see James 2:17-26) shortcomings and weakness are metwith divine forgiveness. Thus it is all "by grace"—the justification in the first placeand the subsequent forgiveness of sins.

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The parable of the useless vine (15:1-8)Ezekiel is moved to speak the word of the LORD once more and in thisprophecy he is given a parable which is to form the basis for yet anothermessage of judgement. In the Hebrew the parable is actually a poem towhich the exiles would no doubt listen entranced as Ezekiel predicted theimpending destruction of Jerusalem.

The parable (v. 1-5)

Ezekiel is invited in this section to considera vine. He is asked, What is the vine treemore than any tree, or than a branch whichis among the trees of the forest? (v. 2). Heis further asked—Could the wood of the vinebe used as the wood of other trees is used,that is, for construction, art or decoration?Could it be used, indeed, to make such aninsignificant article as a pin—the largewooden peg found in Eastern homes uponwhich the household utensils were hung?(v.3). (In connection with the pin compareIsaiah 22:23.) Of course the answer to thesequestions was that the vine was of no use forstrength and texture were altogether unsuitable.

In verse 4 the prophet is bidden to consider a piece of the vine—thissame vine which is no good for work, nor even suitable for making a pin—when it is thrown into the fire. As a result both the ends of this vine areburned, the middle of it is charred, and the prophet is invited to look at thischarred piece of wood, and the question is asked, Is it meet for any work!(v. 4). The answer comes in verse 5, Behold, when it was whole, it wasmeet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, whenthe fire has devoured it, and it is burned! That is the parable, and theinterpretation follows. We can enlarge on it from other Scriptures and takethe exhortation to ourselves.

Interpretation (v. 6-8)Israel is the vine—a frequent figure in the prophetic Scriptures. Speaking ofthe Exodus of Israel from Egypt the psalmist says, "Thou hast brought avine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou

1 And the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,2 Son of man, What is the vine treemore than any tree, [or than] a branchwhich is among the trees of the forest?3 Shall wood be taken thereof to doany work? or will [men] take a pin of itto hang any vessel thereon?4 Behold, it is cast into the fire forfuel; the fire devoureth both the endsof it, and the midst of it is burned. Is itmeet for [any] work?5 Behold, when it was whole, it wasmeet for no work: how much less shallit be meet yet for [any] work, when thefire hath devoured it, and it is burned?

either of these purposes. Its

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6 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;As the vine tree among the trees of theforest, which I have given to the firefor fuel, so will I give the inhabitantsof Jerusalem.7 And I will set my face against them;they shall go out from [one] fire, and[another] fire shall devour them; andye shall know that I [am] the LORD,when I set my face against them.8 And I will make the land desolate,because they have committed atrespass, saith the Lord GOD.

preparedst room before it, and didst cause itto take deep root, and it filled the land. Thehills were covered with the shadow of it, andthe boughs thereof were like the goodlycedars" (Psa. 80:8-10; note verses 11-16,where we read of the branch being cut downand burned with fire as in Ezekiel). Isaiahalso gives a parable concerning God's vineand His vineyard. The parable commences,

"My well beloved hath a vineyard in a veryfruitful hill: and he fenced it, and gatheredout the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a towerin the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that itshould bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes" (5:1-2).

The parable proceeds to speak of the breaking down of the wall of thevineyard and the treading down of the vine, and in the interpretation whichfollows it is stated, "The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house ofIsrael, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant" (Isa. 5:7). Jeremiah,likewise, speaks of Israel as a vine: "Yet I had planted thee a noble vine,wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of astrange vine unto me?" (Jer. 2:21). Again, the prophet Hosea, speaking ofIsrael, says, "Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself(Hos. 10:1). Thus repeatedly in the Scriptures we see Israel spoken of as thevine which God planted. It had degenerated into a strange vine that nowfailed to bring forth fruit unto Him.

Note this implication in Ezekiel 15:2, "What is the vine tree more thanany tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?" We seethat the vine in question is a wild vine because it is being compared withthe trees of the forest. Here is the point of Ezekiel's parable. Vines are notgrown for their wood. They are grown for their fruit, and for that alone. Itwas the lack of fruit on God's vine that demanded He visit it withjudgement. Jeremiah speaks of this fruitless state—"When I would gatherthem, says the LORD, there are no grapes on the vine.. .tree; even the leavesare withered, and what I gave them is passed away from them" (Jer. 8:13,RSV). Israel became a degenerate plant, a wild vine, upon which there wasfound no fruit, only wood, and the wood of the vine was good for nothing.This was especially true of the Israel vine, for this was not simply a vinethat failed to bring forth fruit. It was a vine that had failed to bring forthfruit and whose branches had already been cast into the fire. This is seenin verse 6, the RV margin being the most probable reading: "As the vine

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tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel,so have I given the inhabitants of Jerusalem." There had already been twoinvasions of the land by Nebuchadnezzar during the reigns of Jehoiakimand Jehoiachin. Israel in the land under Zedekiah was a dead vine. Alreadyit was partly burned by the fire of Yahweh's judgements. What possible usecould this charred remnant of the vine be? And so, following the RVmargin, / will set my face against them; they have gone forth from thefire, but the fire shall devour them... and I will make the land desolate,because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD (v. 7-8).

The description of Israel as having committed a trespass (v. 8) is the wayin which the adulteress is portrayed in Numbers 5:12. This forms a linkwith chapter 16 where the nation that had committed a trespass in chapter15 is presented as God's unfaithful wife.

Exhortation for us

The connection between the prophecy of chapter 14 and the parable inchapter 15 is very close. In chapter 14 Israel was shown that only personalrighteousness would deliver from Yahweh's judgement. Here in the parablethey are shown that because as a nation they had not produced these fruitsof righteousness, they were to receive judgement at God's hand.

As with the prophecy, so with the parable; it was written for our learning.In John 15:1 there is, undoubtedly, a reference to the 80th Psalm. In Psalm80, as we have noted, Yahweh brought the vine out of Egypt, but it becamea degenerate plant, and because of this was burned with fire. Concerningthis vine which Yahweh had burned, the psalmist prays,

"Return, we beseech thee, Ο God of hosts: look down from heaven, andbehold, and visit this vine; and the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted,and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself... Let thy hand be upon theman of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong forthyself" (Psa. 80:14, 15, 17).

Jesus was this man of God's right hand. In him God made a new beginning,and so Jesus says, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman"(John 15:1). In this verse Jesus speaks of himself not as an individual, butas the new Israel vine. In the grace of God we have been called to bebranches on this true vine. "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He thatabideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for withoutme (i.e. severed from me, AVmg.) ye can do nothing" (v. 5). The purposeof the vine, as we have already seen, is to bear fruit. So the Lord declares,"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch

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that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit... If a manabide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and mengather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (v. 2 and 6)1.And so again we see that the emphasis is on personal righteousness, thebringing forth of fruit. Branches of the true vine are obligated to bring forthfruit, and the apostle says, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against suchthere is no law" (Gal. 5:22-23).

It is a wonderful position to which we have been called, and we areexhorted to give diligence to make our calling and election sure. And howmust we do this?

"Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledgetemperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and togodliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if thesethings be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barrennor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lackeththese things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he waspurged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence tomake your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall neverfall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into theeverlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:5-11).

The future of IsraelPaul, in the letter to the Romans, uses a different figure. He speaks of Israelas the olive tree. Some of the branches of this olive tree were broken off,and we, wild by nature, have been grafted into the Israel olive tree. But werejoice when the apostle looks to the future and says concerning thebranches that have been broken off, "...if they abide not still in unbelief,(they) shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again" (Rom.11:23). As we contemplate the situation in Ezekiel's day, and as weconsider the judgements which have fallen upon that nation from that dayto this, we can say with the psalmist concerning the vine of Israel, "It isburned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thycountenance" (Psa. 80:16).

It is ironic that at the time when the True Vine was in their midst and they sodecisively rejected him, showing themselves to be a fruitless and degeneratevine, a huge golden vine laden with grapes decorated the gateway of Herod'stemple (Josephus, Wars, 5:5.4).

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But the time will soon be here when this dead vine will be quickened,and Israel will call upon God's name (Psa. 80:18). Then "the vine shall giveher fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall givetheir dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all thesethings" (Zech. 8:12).

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An allegory concerning Jerusalem(16:1-63)The sixteenth chapter is an allegory in which Jerusalem is presented asGod's unfaithful wife. For convenience we can divide the chapter into fourparts:

v. 1-34 which concerns Jerusalem as God's unfaithful wifev. 35-43 the judgement of God's unfaithful wifev. 44-59 a continuation of the allegory, in which Jerusalem is com-

pared to her sisters Sodom and Samariav. 60-63 the conclusion to the allegory—a happy ending to a sad and

terrible story.

The allegory of an unfaithful wife (v. 1-34)

In this first part of the chapter Jerusalem isCanaanite origin. Thy birth and thy nativity [is]father [was] an Amorite, and thy mother anHittite (v. 3). This baby girl, unwanted andcast out to die, was almost dead when hersaviour passed by and resuscitated her (v. 6).This unwanted child grew and developed intoan attractive young woman (v. 7), and the onewho had saved her visited her again and theyfell in love. In the custom of the East, hespread his skirt over her as Boaz spread hisover Ruth, and they were married (v. 8, cf.Ruth 3:9). He subsequently lavished hisaffection upon her, clothed her with the finestof garments and jewellery, and fed her withthe most exotic of Eastern fruits (v. 10-13).She became exceedingly beautiful and herrenown went forth among the nations (v. 14).

But then a terrible thing happened. Thisgirl who should have been so grateful to hersaviour and her husband began to give way toher Canaanitish instincts. She became un-faithful to her husband, and prostitutedherself in ways so terrible that they almost

likened to a baby girl ofof the land of Canaan; thy

1 Again the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem toknow her abominations,3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GODunto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thynativity [is] of the land of Canaan; thyfather [was] an Amorite, and thymother an Hittite.4 And [as for] thy nativity, in the daythou wast born thy navel was not cut,neither wast thou washed in water tosupple [thee]; thou wast not salted atall, nor swaddled at all.5 None eye pitied thee, to do any ofthese unto thee, to have compassionupon thee; but thou wast cast out in theopen field, to the lothing of thy person,in the day that thou wast born.6 And when I passed by thee, and sawthee polluted in thine own blood, I saidunto thee [when thou wast] in thyblood, Live; yea, I said unto thee[when thou wast] in thy blood, Live.7 I have caused thee to multiply as thebud of the field, and thou hastincreased and waxen great, and thouart come to excellent ornaments: [thy]breasts are fashioned, and thine hair isgrown, whereas thou [wast] naked andbare.

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defy description—They give gifts to allwhores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thylovers, and hirest them, that they may comeunto thee on every side for thy whoredom(v.33).

All this Ezekiel was to address toJerusalem—it was an allegory concerningJerusalem. Herein lies our first problem.Does the allegory concern the city ofJerusalem, or the people of Judah still in theland represented by Jerusalem their capital?W. H. Boulton in The Book of the ProphetEzekiel argues for the city, but it seems morereasonable to see it as referring to the peoplesince the material structure of a city is notcapable of sin. This chapter is preoccupiedwith the grievous sins of Jerusalem's whore-doms. The same figure is to be found inJeremiah 2:2—"Go and cry in the ears ofJerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Iremember thee, the kindness of thy youth, thelove of thine espousals, when thou wentestafter me in the wilderness, in a land that wasnot sown." Here again we note that Jeremiahaddresses his remarks to the city; but whendid the city go after Yahweh in the wilder-ness? Clearly he is speaking to the people ofIsrael represented by Jerusalem their capital.But how could it be said of the people ofIsrael, Thy birth and thy nativity is of theland of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite,and thy mother an Hittitel But the question is not more easily answeredwhen asked of the city. In the time of Abraham, Melchizedek was king ofSalem and the suggestion that he was a Canaanite1 is certainly not

8 Now when I passed by thee, andlooked upon thee, behold, thy time[was] the time of love; and I spread myskirt over thee, and covered thynakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, andentered into a covenant with thee, saiththe Lord GOD, and thou becamestmine.9 Then washed I thee with water; yea,I throughly washed away thy bloodfrom thee, and I anointed thee with oil.10 I clothed thee also with broideredwork, and shod thee with badgers'skin, and I girded thee about with finelinen, and I covered thee with silk.11 I decked thee also with ornaments,and I put bracelets upon thy hands, anda chain on thy neck.12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead,and earrings in thine ears, and abeautiful crown upon thine head.13 Thus wast thou decked with goldand silver; and thy raiment [was of]fine linen, and silk, and broideredwork; thou didst eat fine flour, andhoney, and oil: and thou wastexceeding beautiful, and thou didstprosper into a kingdom.14 And thy renown went forth amongthe heathen for thy beauty: for it [was]perfect through my comeliness, whichI had put upon thee, saith the LordGOD.15 But thou didst trust in thine ownbeauty, and playedst the harlot becauseof thy renown, and pouredst out thyfornications on every one that passedby; his it was.16 And of thy garments thou didsttake, and deckedst thy high places withdivers colours, and playedst the harlotthereupon: [the like things] shall notcome, neither shall it be [so].

1 Based on a comparison of Genesis 14:18; 15:13 (at the beginning of the "fourhundred years") with Joshua 10:1, 5 (at the end of "four hundred years") whereAdoni-Zedek (= Lord of righteousness) king of Salem is an Amorite. Further,God's longsuffering towards the Amorites detailed in Genesis 15:16 suggeststhat He had some special relationship with them.

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conclusive. Subsequently the Jebusites, notthe Amorites nor the Hittites, took possessionof the city.

What then is the significance of thesewords? The Amorites and the Hittites weredescendants of Ham through Canaan (Gen.10:15-16). By the time of Abraham they werealready noted for their wickedness, althoughthe iniquity of the Amorites at that time wasnot yet full, and God decreed that Abraham'schildren were to sojourn for a period of 400years in a land which was not theirs until theAmorites had filled up the cup of theiriniquity (Gen. 15:16). When the 400 yearscame to its end and the people of Israel stoodon the edge of the land of promise, they werecontinually exhorted to beware of the sins ofthe Amorites and the Hittites, who, it wouldappear, were sinners of the worst kind. Forexample, "Thou shalt utterly destroy them;namely the Hittites, and the Amorites, theCanaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites,and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hathcommanded thee" (Deut. 20:17). Thus to sayto Jerusalem, "Your father was an Amoriteand your mother a Hittite," was to say thatthe children of Israel were bringing forththe works of the Canaanites1. It is exactlythe same kind of language as that used by our

17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewelsof my gold and of my silver, which Ihad given thee, and madest to thyselfimages of men, and didst commitwhoredom with them,18 And tookest thy broideredgarments, and coveredst them: andthou hast set mine oil and mine incensebefore them.19 My meat also which I gave thee,fine flour, and oil, and honey,[wherewith] I fed thee, thou hast evenset it before them for a sweet savour:and [thus] it was, saith the Lord GOD.20 Moreover thou hast taken thy sonsand thy daughters, whom thou hastborne unto me, and these hast thousacrificed unto them to be devoured.[Is this] of thy whoredoms a smallmatter,21 That thou hast slain my children,and delivered them to cause them topass through [the fire] for them?22 And in all thine abominations andthy whoredoms thou hast notremembered the days of thy youth,when thou wast naked and bare, [and]wast polluted in thy blood.23 And it came to pass after all thywickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saiththe Lord GOD;)24 [That] thou hast also built unto theean eminent place, and hast made theean high place in every street.25 Thou hast built thy high place atevery head of the way, and hast madethy beauty to be abhorred, and hastopened thy feet to every one thatpassed by, and multiplied thywhoredoms.

1 It is, however, of interest to note the Canaanite elements in the history of boththe city of Jerusalem and the people of Judah. Jerusalem was an Amorite city inthe time of Joshua (Josh. 10:1, 5) and subsequently a stronghold of theJebusites (Judges 19:10, 11; 2 Sam. 5:6)—both Canaanite peoples. Judah'ssons, Er, Onan and Shelah, were born of a Canaanite mother. Although Er andOnan perished, Shelah's descendants formed part of the tribe of Judah(1 Chron. 2:3; 4:21-22). Further, it could well be that Tamar, the widow of Erand Onan, with whom Judah had two sons, was also a Canaanite (Gen. 38:6, 8,14-30). Zedekiah king of Judah at the time of Ezekiel was a descendant ofJudah through Tamar.

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Lord when he said to the Jews of his day, "Yeare of your father the devil, and the lusts ofyour father ye will do" (John 8:44).

Interpretation

The child cast out and ready to die is clearlyIsrael in the land of Egypt. Having been bornas a nation in Egypt, Israel was soon treatedmost cruelly by the Egyptians. The descrip-tion of this unfortunate child, cast out to diein its own blood, would remind Ezekiel'shearers of the thousands of Israelitish childrenwho were cast out in this way at the decree ofPharaoh—"The same dealt subtilly with ourkindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so thatthey cast out their young children, to the endthat they might not live" (Acts 7:19). It was atthis time in Israel's history that Godintervened. Superficially it appeared that thesituation was as in verse 5—None eye pitiedthee, to do any of these unto thee, to havecompassion upon thee. But God "lookedupon" Israel (v. 4, AVmg), and, He says, /passed by thee, and saw thee polluted inthine own blood, I said unto thee when thouwast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto theewhen thou wast in thy blood, Live (v. 6).God says, "I saw thee...", and this is veryreminiscent of Exodus 3:7, "The LORD said, Ihave surely seen the affliction of my peoplewhich are in Egypt, and have heard their cryby reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; and I am comedown to deliver them." We notice here that God came down to deliver Hispeople; which corresponds to the first visit of which we read in verse 6 ofour chapter—/ passed by thee, and saw thee. At this visit God said toIsrael, Live; and this reminds us of the Passover deliverance of the nation ofIsrael, when they were redeemed from bondage and saved from death. Thusthe foundling child was delivered, lived, and became strong as the psalmistcomments, "He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there wasnot one feeble person among their tribes" (Psa. 105:37).

26 Thou hast also committedfornication with the Egyptians thyneighbours, great of flesh; and hastincreased thy whoredoms, to provokeme to anger.27 Behold, therefore I have stretchedout my hand over thee, and havediminished thine ordinary [food], anddelivered thee unto the will of themthat hate thee, the daughters of thePhilistines, which are ashamed of thylewd way.28 Thou hast played the whore alsowith the Assyrians, because thou wastunsatiable; yea, thou hast played theharlot with them, and yet couldest notbe satisfied.29 Thou hast moreover multiplied thyfornication in the land of Canaan untoChaldea; and yet thou wast notsatisfied herewith.30 How weak is thine heart, saith theLord GOD, seeing thou doest all these[things], the work of an imperiouswhorish woman;31 In that thou buildest thine eminentplace in the head of every way, andmakest thine high place in every street;and hast not been as an harlot, in thatthou scornest hire;32 [But as] a wife that committethadultery, [which] taketh strangersinstead of her husband!33 They give gifts to all whores: butthou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers,and hirest them, that they may comeunto thee on every side for thywhoredom.34 And the contrary is in thee from[other] women in thy whoredoms,whereas none followeth thee tocommit whoredoms: and in that thougivest a reward, and no reward is givenunto thee, therefore thou art contrary.

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In verse 7 God says, / have caused thee to multiply, or, as the RSVmargin says, "I have made you a myriad." This reminds us of the Abra-hamic promise, "In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I willmultiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is uponthe sea shore" (Gen. 22:17). Concerning God's deliverance of His peoplefrom Egypt, Moses comments, "I spake unto you at that time, saying, I amnot able to bear you myself alone: the LORD your God has multiplied you,and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of the heaven for multitude" (Deut.1:9-10).

After the deliverance of His people from Egypt—the salvation of thefoundling child—Yahweh came down again, When I passed by thee, andlooked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread myskirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, andentered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou be-camest mine (v. 8). This marriage covenant which God made with Israel isthe covenant into which Yahweh entered with His people at Sinai, when, aswe read in Exodus 19:20, He "came down", or in the words of Ezekiel,passed by, and visited His people again. Why did Yahweh come down,deliver His people, and then return to make a covenant with them?Because, in the words of Ezekiel, it was the time of love—& sentimentwhich has its foundation in the words spoken through Moses: "The LORDdid not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more innumber than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but becausethe LORD loved you..." (Deut. 7:7-8).

Israel accepted the terms of God's marriage covenant with them—"Hetook the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: andthey said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient" (Exod.24:7). Psalm 135, referring back to Exodus 19:6, speaks of Israel as God'speculiar treasure (or God's wife), "For the LORD hath chosen Jacob untohimself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure" (v. 4). It is to these things thatJeremiah refers in that passage previously quoted, when he was told to "Goand cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I rememberthee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thouwentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown" (Jer. 2:2).

Thus we can see the basis of Ezekiel's allegory. Yahweh delivered thispeople when they were ready to perish in the land of Egypt. He causedthem to multiply, and He subsequently entered into a covenant with them,or, in the terms of the allegory, He married them. Having married them, ontheir entry into the land He blessed them in their basket and their store, so

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that Joshua could say, "Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls,that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD yourGod spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thinghath failed thereof (Josh. 23:14). These blessings constituted theornaments with which the bride in Ezekiel's allegory was bedecked.Ultimately Israel prospered into a kingdom, and it was especially true underthe reign of Solomon that the renown of Israel went out among the nationsso that in the words of verse 13, Israel was decked with gold and silver;and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thoudidst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil; and thou wast exceedingbeautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom (cp. 2 Chron. 9:6, 23).

The unfaithfulness of Israel

At this time Jerusalem began to show that her father was an Amorite andher mother a Hittite. Moses, speaking of "things that be not as though theywere", prophesied: "Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat,thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook Godwhich made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation" (Deut.32:15). Thus he predicted that when God blessed them, they would fall; andSolomon himself, who was king at the height of Israel's materialprosperity, was a leader in their sin. In spite of the fact that they had beenexpressly instructed concerning the nations, "Thou shalt make no covenantwith them, nor with their gods" (Exod. 23:32), yet we find it recorded,

"King Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter ofPharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, andHittites...and Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully afterthe LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place forChemosh the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, andfor Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he forall his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods"(1 Kings 11:1, 6-8).

This lead given by Solomon was followed by many of the kings of Judah.The neighbouring nations displayed their deities and Jerusalem wasseduced, rushing headlong to offer herself to the pagan god—his it was(v. 15).

The climax of Judah's sin occurred in the days of Manasseh, son ofHezekiah, of whom it is written,

"He built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed;and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king ofIsrael; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built

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altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will Iput my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts ofthe house of the LORD. And he made his son pass through the fire, andobserved times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits andwizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provokehim to anger" (2 Kings 21:3-6).

In this way the city of Jerusalem, and even the sanctuary itself, was turnedover to the licentious worship of pagan gods. Thus we find in the history ofIsrael the basis for the prophet Ezekiel's allegory and the indictment ofJerusalem which follows. The people of Jerusalem madest to thyselfimages of men (AVmg "of a male"), and didst commit whoredom withthem (v. 17). The reference here is to the worship of the phallic Baal. Verse20 speaks of the offering of their children to Molech and Chemoshmentioned in 2 Kings 21 above (cf. 2 Kings 23:10-13 and see Jer. 32:35).This was another aspect of Israel's whoredom with other gods—

"Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borneunto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured" (v. 20).

This offering of thy sons and thy daughters was certainly no small matter(v. 20). It was in direct contradiction of the law set out in Leviticus 18:21;20:3. But further, these were not their children—they were my children(v. 21), says God, for He had redeemed them and entered into a nationalcovenant with them. The ungrateful wife of God did not confine herattention to the nations in the immediate vicinity, but sought the affectionsof nations, and of their gods, far removed from her. In every street (v. 24)of the political world Israel sought to enter into unfaithful, God-dishonouring alliances. Strategically located at the navel of the earth—atthe intersection of the great routes of commerce—it was God's purpose thatthe nation should exhibit "wisdom and understanding in the sight of thenations, which shall hear of all these statutes, and say, Surely this greatnation is a wise and an understanding people" (Deut. 4:6). "Upon the highplaces" she should have cried, "whoso is simple (naive, NASB) let him turnin hither" (Prov. 9:3, 4) to learn of the ways of Israel's God. But instead atthe head of every street (v. 25, NIV) she acted the part of "the foolishwoman" (Prov. 9:13) multiplying her whoredoms in turning aside to thenations. Instead of putting her trust in Yahweh Who had married her, sheturned to Egypt (v. 26), to Assyria (v. 28), and to Babylon (v. 29). Thesehave their historical basis in 2 Kings 17:4; 18:21; 16:7; and 20:12-21.Verse 33 speaks of the dreadful depths to which the wife of God had sunk:They give gifts to all whores; but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, andhirest them... The historical basis of this is seen in such scriptures as

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2 Kings 16:18 where it is written that "the covert for the Sabbath that theyhad built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from thehouse of the LORD for the king of Assyria"—here the whorish Israel givesa gift to her lover the Assyrian nation.

Isaiah summarizes the terrible situation that prevailed in Israel —

"Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, childrenthat are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked theHoly One of Israel unto anger, they have gone away backwards (note margin,they are separated, i.e. separated from God the husband of Israel)... How isthe faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgement; righteousnesslodged in it; but now murderers. Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixedwith water: thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: everyoneloveth gifts, and followeth after reward: they judge not the fatherless, neitherdoth the cause of the widow come unto them. Therefore thus saith the Lord,the LORD of hosts, the mighty one of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mineadversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: and I will turn my hand uponthee, and thoroughly purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin"(Isa. 1:4,21-25).

Jeremiah too speaks of this apostasy of the nation of Israel—

"I have seen thine adulteries, and thine neighings, the lewdness of thywhoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, ΟJerusalem! Wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be?"(Jer. 13:27).

Compare here Jeremiah's "Woe unto thee," with Ezekiel 16:23 — Woe, woeunto thee! saith the Lord GOD.

The judgement of God's unfaithfulwife (v. 35-43)

It is of these judgements that Ezekiel pro-ceeds to speak in verse 38, And I will judgethee, as women that break wedlock and shedblood are judged; and I will give thee bloodin fury and jealousy.

Under the law, the harlot in the priest'shouse had to be burned with fire (Lev. 21:9)and the adulteress had to be stoned (Lev.20:10), as also the child murderer (Lev. 20:2).

35 Wherefore, Ο harlot, hear the wordof the LORD:36 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Becausethy filthiness was poured out, and thynakedness discovered through thywhoredoms with thy lovers, and withall the idols of thy abominations, andby the blood of thy children, whichthou didst give unto them;37 Behold, therefore I will gather allthy lovers, with whom thou hast takenpleasure, and all [them] that thou hastloved, with all [them] that thou hasthated; I will even gather them roundabout against thee, and will discoverthy nakedness unto them, that theymay see all thy nakedness.

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God's wife had become all of these thingsand so, They shall also bring up a companyagainst thee, and they shall stone thee withstones, and thrust thee through with theirswords. And they shall burn thine houseswith fire, and execute judgements upon theein the sight of many women: and I will causethee to cease from playing the harlot, andthou also shalt give no hire any more (v. 40,41). The company (v. 40) brought against herwas the Babylonian armies, and the judge-ments (v. 41) were those poured out inEzekiel's own lifetime.

Jerusalem and her sisters(v. 44-59)This development of the allegory commencesat verse 44. Verses 44 and 45 are easy enoughto understand. In loathing her husband andher children, Jerusalem demonstrated herCanaanitish parentage. We have seen this inthe study of the allegory thus far—the peopleof Judah that were still in the Land were oftheir father the devil, and the lusts of their father they were doing. But nowthe prophet enlarges the allegory, for Jerusalem had two sisters—Samariaand Sodom, who also were Canaanitish inoutlook. In passing, it might be noted that thissecond part of the allegory strongly suggeststhat our interpretation of the first part iscorrect, and that the people and not the citiesthemselves are referred to. If Samaria wereJerusalem's sister, then her mother too was aHittite and her father an Amorite. ButSamaria was built by Omri, king of Israel(1 Kings 16:24) and was the capital of theten-tribe kingdom until its overthrow in thereign of Hoshea. Samaria the city wasIsraelitish throughout its history until itsoverthrow. It could not be said of the materialcity that it was Canaanitish, but the people in it most certainly were

38 And I will judge thee, as womenthat break wedlock and shed blood arejudged; and I will give thee blood infury and jealousy.39 And I will also give thee into theirhand, and they shall throw down thineeminent place, and shall break downthy high places: they shall strip theealso of thy clothes, and shall take thyfair jewels, and leave thee naked andbare.40 They shall also bring up a companyagainst thee, and they shall stone theewith stones, and thrust thee throughwith their swords.41 And they shall burn thine houseswith fire, and execute judgments uponthee in the sight of many women: and Iwill cause thee to cease from playingthe harlot, and thou also shalt give nohire any more.42 So will I make my fury toward theeto rest, and my jealousy shall departfrom thee, and I will be quiet, and willbe no more angry.43 Because thou hast not rememberedthe days of thy youth, but hast frettedme in all these [things]; behold,therefore I also will recompense thyway upon [thine] head, saith the LordGOD: and thou shalt not commit thislewdness above all thine abominations.

44 Behold, every one that usethproverbs shall use [this] proverbagainst thee, saying, As [is] themother, [so is] her daughter.45 Thou [art] thy mother's daughter,that lotheth her husband and herchildren; and thou [art] the sister of thysisters, which lothed their husbandsand their children: your mother [was]an Hittite, and your father an Amorite.46 And thine elder sister [is] Samaria,she and her daughters that dwell at thyleft hand: and thy younger sister, thatdwelleth at thy right hand, [is] Sodomand her daughters.

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Canaanitish in character, for the apostasy ofJeroboam the son of Nebat was continued byall the kings of the northern kingdom. Thecity of Sodom was Canaanitish in origin andits people Canaanitish, both in origin and inpractice. The sins of Sodom are proverbial.

The point of Ezekiel's comparison ofJerusalem with her sisters Sodom andSamaria is explained,

"Thine elder sister is Samaria, she and herdaughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thyyounger sister, that dwelleth at thy righthand, is Sodom and her daughters. Yet hastthou not walked after their ways, nor doneafter their abominations: but, as if that werea very little thing, thou wast corrupted morethan they in all thy ways...thou also, whichhast judged thy sisters, bear thine ownshame for thy sins that thou hast committedmore abominable than they: they are morerighteous than thou: yea, be thou confound-ed also, and bear thy shame, in that thouhast justified thy sisters" (v. 46, 47, 52).

Judah had seen the judgement of Samaria,and knew also of the judgement of Sodom.Her own judgement was just as certain, andincreased responsibility would bring in-creased condemnation. Looking back at theBabylonian judgement of Judah, Jeremiahcomments: "the punishment of the iniquity ofthe daughter of my people is greater than thepunishment of the sin of Sodom, that wasoverthrown as in a moment, and no handsstayed on her" (Lam. 4:6). Nebuchadnezzarrazed Jerusalem to the ground and the nationsof Judah became a reproach to Syria, thePhilistines and the other nations round about(v. 57; seech. 25-28).

We are reminded by this allegory of the words of the Lord Jesus inMatthew 10 when he said, "Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerablefor the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgement, than for that

47 Yet hast thou not walked after theirways, nor done after theirabominations: but, as [if that were] avery little [thing], thou wast corruptedmore than they in all thy ways.48 [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD,Sodom thy sister hath not done, shenor her daughters, as thou hast done,thou and thy daughters.49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thysister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread,and abundance of idleness was in herand in her daughters, neither did shestrengthen the hand of the poor andneedy.50 And they were haughty, andcommitted abomination before me:therefore I took them away as I saw[good].51 Neither hath Samaria committedhalf of thy sins; but thou hastmultiplied thine abominations morethan they, and hast justified thy sistersin all thine abominations which thouhast done.52 Thou also, which hast judged thysisters, bear thine own shame for thysins that thou hast committed moreabominable than they: they are morerighteous than thou: yea, be thouconfounded also, and bear thy shame,in that thou hast justified thy sisters.53 When I shall bring again theircaptivity, the captivity of Sodom andher daughters, and the captivity ofSamaria and her daughters, then [will Ibring again] the captivity of thycaptives in the midst of them:54 That thou mayest bear thine ownshame, and mayest be confounded inall that thou hast done, in that thou arta comfort unto them.55 When thy sisters, Sodom and herdaughters, shall return to their formerestate, and Samaria and her daughtersshall return to their former estate, thenthou and thy daughters shall return toyour former estate.56 For thy sister Sodom was notmentioned by thy mouth in the day ofthy pride,

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57 Before thy wickedness wasdiscovered, as at the time of [thy]reproach of the daughters of Syria, andall [that are] round about her, thedaughters of the Philistines, whichdespise thee round about.58 Thou hast borne thy lewdness andthine abominations, saith the LORD.59 For thus saith the Lord GOD; I willeven deal with thee as thou hast done,which hast despised the oath inbreaking the covenant.

city" (Matt. 10:15). Thus the same principleis brought out by our Lord. Could it be that inaddition to referring to the dreadful state ofaffairs in his own day, Ezekiel's allegoryreached forward to the situation whichprevailed in the time of Jesus and the AD 70judgement that followed? Certainly in thewords of Jesus himself, the Jews were "thechildren of them which killed the prophets."The cup of their iniquity, well on its way tobeing filled in Ezekiel's day, was finallyfilled to the brim when they crucified their Messiah (Matt. 23:31, 32).

The new covenant (v. 60-63)

The final section of the prophecy, verses 60-63, tends to confirm the idea that Ezekiel'sprophecy reaches beyond the events of hisown day, for he concludes with a message ofhope. He speaks of the time when Yahwehwould restore the people of Israel. Thejudgements would be poured out upon them;the rebels would be purged out; Israel wouldbe confounded (v. 63); but after this, / willremember my covenant with thee in the daysof thy youth, and I will establish unto theean everlasting covenant (v. 60). By thesewords we are reminded of the way in whichLeviticus 26, having detailed all the cursesthat would overtake the nation if they wereunfaithful, concludes with the words—"...I will not cast them away,neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenantwith them: for I am the LORD their God. But I will for their sakesremember the covenant of their ancestors... that I might be their God"(Lev. 26:44, 45). God would marry her again as he declares also inJeremiah, "Turn, Ο backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am marriedunto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I willbring you to Zion" (Jer. 3:14). Again, the prophet Hosea declares,

"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, andspeak comfortably unto her. And I will give her vineyards from thence, and thevalley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of

60 Nevertheless I will remember mycovenant with thee in the days of thyyouth, and I will establish unto thee aneverlasting covenant.61 Then thou shalt remember thyways, and be ashamed, when thou shaltreceive thy sisters, thine elder and thyyounger: and I will give them untothee for daughters, but not by thycovenant.

62 And I will establish my covenantwith thee; and thou shalt know that I[am] the LORD:63 That thou mayest remember, and beconfounded, and never open thy mouthany more because of thy shame, whenI am pacified toward thee for all thatthou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.

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her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. Andit shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi (mg., myhusband); and shalt call me no more Baali" (Hos. 2:14-16).

Finally, we note Zechariah's very interesting allusion to this time whenJerusalem will once again be holy unto Yahweh:

"Every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD ofHosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethetherein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house ofthe LORD of Hosts" (Zech. 14:21).

No longer will it be said of Jerusalem that her mother is a Hittite and herfather an Amorite.

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The parable of the eagles, the cedarand the vine (17:1-24)Ezekiel is now bidden to present another parable to the children of Israelwho were with him in the captivity. Doubtless it would also have been sentto the Jews who were still in the land.

The parable is largely interpreted for us.So we shall consider only briefly the firsttwenty-one verses which are a matter ofancient history, and spend rather more timeon the last three verses which span thecenturies and look forward to a time futureeven to our own days.

The parable: Section 1 (v. 1-6)

This parable concerns a great eagle whichcomes to Lebanon and removes the highestbranch of a cedar, crops off the top twig andtakes it to a land of trade (the word is theHebrew canaan which means 'trade' or'traffic') and a city of merchants. Then theeagle takes of the seed of the land and plantsit in fertile soil beside the water brooks. Theseed develops into a vine that brings forthbranches and leaves (sprigs in verse 6 means'foliage') but apparently no fruit.

Interpretation (v. 11-14)

The great eagle is the king of Babylon—Behold, the king of Babylon is come toJerusalem (v. 12). We are thus reminded ofDeuteronomy 28:49, Jeremiah 4:13; 48:40;Lamentations 4:19; Habakkuk 1:8, all ofwhich refer to the invader from the north asthe eagle.

The cedar of Lebanon is the nation ofIsrael, with special reference to the royalhouse. It is interesting to note that one part

1 And the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, andspeak a parable unto the house ofIsrael;3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD;A great eagle with great wings,longwinged, full of feathers, which haddivers colours, came unto Lebanon,and took the highest branch of thecedar:4 He cropped off the top of his youngtwigs, and carried it into a land oftraffick; he set it in a city of merchants.5 He took also of the seed of the land,and planted it in a fruitful field; heplaced [it] by great waters, [and] set it[as] a willow tree.6 And it grew, and became a spreadingvine of low stature, whose branchesturned toward him, and the rootsthereof were under him: so it became avine, and brought forth branches, andshot forth sprigs.

11 Moreover the word of the LORDcame unto me, saying,12 Say now to the rebellious house,Know ye not what these [thingsmean]? tell [them], Behold, the king ofBabylon is come to Jerusalem, andhath taken the king thereof, and theprinces thereof, and led them with himto Babylon;13 And hath taken of the king's seed,and made a covenant with him, andhath taken an oath of him: he hath alsotaken the mighty of the land:14 That the kingdom might be base,that it might not lift itself up, [but] thatby keeping of his covenant it mightstand.

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of the royal palace was known as "the house of the forest of Lebanon"(1 Kings 7:2). This section refers particularly to the invasion of Israel byNebuchadnezzar during the days of Jehoiaehin when Ezekiel and his fellowexiles were carried away, the history of which is recorded at 2 Kings24:10-16. Note the prophet uses the past tense in verse 12, Behold, theking of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereofand the princes thereof and led them with him to Babylon. Jehoiaehin,the king (the topmost branch) and the twigs, or the princes, were taken intoBabylon, the land of traffic, the city of merchants.

The native seed planted in the fertile land, and by the abounding brooksof the land of Israel, was Zedekiah. He was planted there by the king ofBabylon. "The king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king inhis stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah" (2 Kings 24:17). Initially hegrew and developed into a vine of low stature, which was what Neb-uchadnezzar wanted, for he had purposely impoverished Israel so thatZedekiah would be a true vassal king, utterly dependent upon him.

The parable: Section 2 (v. 7-10)There was another great eagle in the vicinity,and the vine that had been planted by thefirst eagle (Nebuchadnezzar) developed aliking for this second eagle. It bent its rootsaway from the first eagle and shot forth itsroots and its branches towards the second(verse 7). What would be the outcome?Surely the first eagle, displeased that hisprovision for the needs of the vine had beendespised and neglected, would come and up-root the vine and cut down its branches andso cause it to wither and to die. This wouldconstitute the east wind (v. 10)—the hotscorching wind of divine anger (cf. Jer. 4:11,12). This was the message that Ezekiel wasto convey concerning this vine (Zedekiah)planted by Nebuchadnezzar.

7 There was also another great eaglewith great wings and many feathers:and, behold, this vine did bend herroots toward him, and shot forth herbranches toward him, that he mightwater it by the furrows of herplantation.8 It was planted in a good soil by greatwaters, that it might bring forthbranches, and that it might bear fruit,that it might be a goodly vine.9 Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD;Shall it prosper? shall he not pull upthe roots thereof, and cut off the fruitthereof, that it wither? it shall wither inall the leaves of her spring, evenwithout great power or many people topluck it up by the roots thereof.10 Yea, behold, [being] planted, shallit prosper? shall it not utterly wither,when the east wind toucheth it? it shallwither in the furrows where it grew.

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The parable of the eagles, the cedar & the vine (17)

Interpretation (v. 15-21)

The second eagle was the nation of Egyptwith whom Zedekiah became confederate.He rebelled against him (Nebuchadnezzar)in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, thatthey might give him horses and muchpeople... (v. 15). This bending of the vinetoward Egypt was fulfilled during the periodof Ezekiel's prophetic ministry. Zedekiahshould have known better than to put histrust in Egypt, for had not Isaiah the prophetwritten,

"Woe to the rebellious children, saith theLORD, that take counsel, but not of me; andthat cover with a covering, but not of myspirit, that they may add sin to sin: that walkto go down into Egypt, and have not askedat my mouth; to strengthen themselves inthe strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in theshadow of Egypt!" (Isa. 30:1-2).

"Woe to them that go down to Egypt forhelp; and stay on horses, and trust inchariots, because they are many; and inhorsemen, because they are very strong;but they look not unto the Holy One ofIsrael, neither seek the LORD!" (Isa. 31:1).

Instead of putting his trust and confidence inYahweh and listening to the words ofJeremiah and Ezekiel, Zedekiah sent to Egypt for help, and rebelled againstNebuchadnezzar. It was also a rebellion against the word of God directedspecifically to Zedekiah—"Bring your necks under the yoke of the King ofBabylon, and serve him and his people, and live" (Jer. 27:12). But Egyptwould prove to be a broken reed (Isaiah 36:6) in whom there would befound no strength or support, and Israel would be crushed byNebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah their king would be taken to Babylon and theremainder of Israel scattered to the four winds. This was the interpretationof the parable that Ezekiel was told to convey to the exiles. / will spread mynet upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him toBabylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hathtrespassed against me. And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall bythe sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and

15 But he rebelled against him insending his ambassadors into Egypt,that they might give him horses andmuch people. Shall he prosper? shallhe escape that doeth such [things]? orshall he break the covenant, and bedelivered?16 [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD,surely in the place [where] the king[dwelleth] that made him king, whoseoath he despised, and whose covenanthe brake, [even] with him in the midstof Babylon he shall die.17 Neither shall Pharaoh with [his]mighty army and great company makefor him in the war, by casting upmounts, and building forts, to cut offmany persons:18 Seeing he despised the oath bybreaking the covenant, when, lo, hehad given his hand, and hath done allthese [things], he shall not escape.19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;[As] I live, surely mine oath that hehath despised, and my covenant that hehath broken, even it will I recompenseupon his own head.20 And I will spread my net upon him,and he shall be taken in my snare, andI will bring him to Babylon, and willplead with him there for his trespassthat he hath trespassed against me.21 And all his fugitives with all hisbands shall fall by the sword, and theythat remain shall be scattered towardall winds; and ye shall know that I theLORD have spoken it.

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ye shall know that I Yahweh have spoken it (v. 20-21). The figure of thenet has already been introduced at 12:13 (see page 131). Nebuchadnezzarwould be the instrument by which God would take Israel in His snare1.

Jeremiah records the ineffectual support of the Egyptian power at thetime of the final siege of Jerusalem when Zedekiah was taken into captivityin chapters 37:5-8; 39:1-2,7; and 52:11.

The parable: Section 3 (v. 22-23)

Of the highest branch taken into the land oftraffic, Yahweh would take a sprig (RSV)and set it, or plant it. Note the emphatic /will take—this would be Yahweh's work.From the top-most twigs Yahweh wouldtake a tender one, and this tender one wouldbe planted on a "high and lofty mountain"(RSV) bringing forth boughs and bearingfruit. In its branches birds of every kindwould dwell protected by its shade.

Suggested interpretationUnlike the previous sections of the parable the prophet does not provide uswith an explanation to this section. The highest branch referred to is clearlythe same as in verse 3—that which had been taken into captivity. So thatthe message of this section of the parable is that from Israel's royal houseYahweh would take a tender one.

The Hebrew word here translated branch is not the same as in theBranch prophecies of Jeremiah 23:5, nor is it the same as in Isaiah 11:1, butthere is a clear association of thought with both of these prophecies.

Jeremiah 23:5

In chapter 22 of his prophecy Jeremiah has already spoken of thejudgements of God upon Jehoiachin (Jeconiah or Coniah); "I will give theeinto the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whoseface thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,and into the hand of the Chaldeans. And I will cast thee out, and thy motherthat bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall

22 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I willalso take of the highest branch of thehigh cedar, and will set [it]; I will cropoff from the top of his young twigs atender one, and will plant [it] upon anhigh mountain and eminent:23 In the mountain of the height ofIsrael will I plant it: and it shall bringforth boughs, and bear fruit, and be agoodly cedar: and under it shall dwellall fowl of every wing; in the shadowof the branches thereof shall theydwell.

1 cf. the similar description of the Roman invasion of Israel, Luke 21:35.

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ye die" (v. 25 and 26)1. This is the time of the first eagle-visitation and theremoval of the top branch of the cedar. Verse 30 is very interesting—"Thussaith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper inhis days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne ofDavid, and ruling any more in Judah."

Although Jehoiachin is listed in the legal genealogy of Matthew 1:12, heis not listed in the genealogy of Mary in Luke 3:27. Having introduced usto the captivity of the royal house, Jeremiah proceeds to confirm theDavidic covenant, and concerning the time of Israel's restoration he says,"Behold, the days come, saith Yahweh, that I will raise unto David arighteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall executejudgement and justice in the earth" (Jer. 23:5). Thus, although the wordBranch used by Jeremiah is not the same as in Ezekiel, yet we are remindedof this promise by Ezekiel's reference to the tender one—the tender twig tobe planted on the high and lofty mountain.

Isaiah 11

The connection between Ezekiel and Isaiah 11 is perhaps more striking. Wetake up the account in Isaiah 10, which deals with the Assyrian invasion ofIsrael in the days of Hezekiah. From verse 28 we see the progress of theinvader towards Jerusalem.

In verses 32-34 we read of the lopping of the bough with terror, and itsconnection with Lebanon (v. 34) suggests that the bough is a branch of thecedar. It is usual to understand this lopping of the bough as God's judge-ment of the Assyrian, predicted in verse 17. However, it seems more likelyto refer to Assyria's action in cutting down the Israel-cedar because Assyriawas the "axe" who boasted against the divine hand that "heweth therewith"(v. 15). Job declared, "There is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it willsprout again, and that the tender branches thereof will not cease" (14:7).

So, interestingly, Isaiah proceeds, in chapter 11, to speak of the sproutingforth again of the stock of the felled Israel-cedar: "there shall come forth arod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots"(11:1).

The Jeremiah and Isaiah passages are both clear references to the Davidiccovenant, and Ezekiel's designation of the twig to be planted on the high

1 Note, too, the reference to Lebanon and its cedars in Jeremiah 22:23. However,here it appears to refer to the royal city rather than the royal house.

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and lofty mountain as the tender one is probably significant in this regard.The events of the first eight chapters of 2 Samuel are typical of the work ofthe Lord Jesus Christ. In 2 Samuel 5:1 we read of the time when all thetribes of Israel came to David and made him king of all Israel—surely thetypical historical basis of Psalm 110:3, "Thy people shall be willing in theday of thy power."1 But before this day of power, we find David saying, "Iam this day weak, though anointed king" (2 Sam. 3:39), and the word"weak" is the same word rendered tender one in Ezekiel 17.

David, the tender one, was subsequently enthroned in the lofty height ofMount Zion. Concerning this time it is said, David "reigned over all Israel;and David executed judgement and justice unto all his people" (2 Sam.8:15). Here is another connection with Jeremiah 23:5, which appears to be aquotation of these words. This confirms that we are correct in seeing Davidas typical of his greater son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who "grew up beforehim (Yahweh) as a tender plant" (Isa. 53:2), who will before long "sit asking and prosper" (Jer. 23:5, RV). This is the time when "Judah shall besaved and Israel shall dwell safely." Isaiah enlarges upon the rulership ofDavid's son. He points out that not only will Judah be saved and Israeldwell safely, but the root of Jesse "shall stand for an ensign of the people;to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious" (Isa. 11:10). The"rest" is the kingdom rest (the same word as in Psalm 95:11; 132:14) andIsaiah tells us that the Gentiles will rejoice in it. Ezekiel speaks of this timein his parable. In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and itshall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: andunder it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branchesthereof shall they dwell (v. 23).

Isaiah supports the idea of the kingdom of God being like a mighty cedarwhen he says, "Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit theland for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I maybe glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strongnation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time" (Isa. 60:21-22). (The word'branch' here is the Hebrew netser, as in Isaiah 11:1). Jesus speaks

1 The keen student might like to trace other allusions in the Psalm to the eventsrecorded in 2 Samuel, (e.g.) David king of Salem (2 Sam. 5:7) offered sacrifices(6:13), wore the linen ephod (6:14), brought forth bread and wine (6:19) andblessed the people (6:18)—cf. "Thou art a priest for ever after the order ofMelchizedek" (Psa. 110:4). Also, "then went king David in, and sat before theLORD" (2 Sam. 7:18)—cf. "Sit thou at my right hand" (Psa. 110:1). There aremore for the looking.

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similarly of the kingdom of God, and refers to the birds enjoying thesanctuary of the Kingdom tree.

"The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took,and sowed in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it isgrown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birdsof the air come and lodge in the branches thereof" (Matt. 13:31-32).

The birds of the air are the Gentile nations —a very common figure inscripture, see Deuteronomy 28:26; Ezekiel 31:6 and Daniel 4:12.

Conclusion (v. 24)

The performing of these good things by Godwould result in the acknowledgement by allthe trees of the field... that I the LORD havebrought down the high tree, have exaltedthe low tree, have dried up the green tree,and have made the dry tree to flourish: Ithe LORD have spoken and have done it (v. 24). "Trees of the field" isanother common scriptural figure for the nations—see, for example,Ezekiel 31:3-4. God's dealings with Israel will be made plain before theeyes of the nations, as Ezekiel 36:36; 37:28; 39:23 all plainly declare. Thebringing down of the high tree is a reference to Jehoiachin's captivity; theexalting of the low tree was the restoration under Zerubbabel. The dryingup of the green tree was referred to by the Lord Jesus Christ when he said,"If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"(Luke 23:31). He was living in the end of the green tree period. Thedestruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 ushered in the dry tree period, which hascontinued until the days in which we live. The final phase of Ezekiel'sprophecy remains to be fulfilled when the LORD will make the dry tree toflourish. This of course refers to the future restoration when the tender one,already exalted and anointed King, will be planted as King in the mountainof the height of Israel (v. 23).

24 And all the trees of the field shallknow that I the LORD have broughtdown the high tree, have exalted thelow tree, have dried up the green tree,and have made the dry tree to flourish:I the LORD have spoken and havedone [it].

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Coming judgement and individualresponsibility (18:1-32)From our point in time we can look back and see the remarkable way inwhich Ezekiel, in chapter 17, spoke of the work of Messiah being plantedas a "tender one" upon Mount Zion, and of the subsequent restoration ofIsrael as the cedar tree Kingdom that had been covenanted to David. ToEzekiel these things would have seemed very near. He would visualize thecaptivity as a stepping stone which would lead to the establishment ofGod's Kingdom, and would not appreciate the length of time which was toelapse before the "tender one" would be planted and grow into a great tree.Certainly he would not appreciate that the restoration of which Jeremiahhad prophesied (29:10) was but an earnest of the restoration that even nowis still future. We must remember this as we examine chapter 18, andabove all remember that the context is the bringing forth of the "tenderone" out of the captivity.

The chapter summarized(1) There was a proverb current in the land

of Israel, and also in the captivity, thatThe fathers have eaten sour grapes,and the children's teeth are set onedge. That is, the fathers had sinned, andthe children were being punished (v. 2).

(2) Ezekiel's message is designed to elab-orate the statement in verses 3 and 4 thatthe time would come when this proverbwould no longer be applicable to theirsituation, but every man in that daywould die for his own sin.

(3) Three examples are then presented for consideration:-

a. The case of the righteous man (v. 5-9).

1 The word of the LORD came untome again, saying,2 What mean ye, that ye use thisproverb concerning the land of Israel,saying, The fathers have eaten sourgrapes, and the children's teeth are seton edge?3 [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, yeshall not have [occasion] any more touse this proverb in Israel.4 Behold, all souls are mine; as thesoul of the father, so also the soul ofthe son is mine: the soul that sinneth, itshall die.

5 But if a man be just, and do thatwhich is lawful and right,6 [And] hath not eaten upon themountains, neither hath lifted up hiseyes to the idols of the house of

I Israel, neither hath defiled hisneighbour's wife, neither hath comenear to a menstruous woman,

7 And hath not oppressed any,[but] hath restored to the debtor hispledge, hath spoiled none byviolence, hath given his bread tothe hungry, and hath covered thenaked with a garment;8 He [that] hath not given forthupon usury, neither hath taken any

increase, [that] hath withdrawn hishand from iniquity, hath executedtrue judgment between man andman,9 Hath walked in my statutes, andhath kept my judgments, to dealtruly; he [is] just, he shall surelylive, saith the Lord GOD.

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In summary—the man who did that which was lawful and right, he isrighteous, he shall surely live (v. 9, RSV).

b. The righteous man's wicked son (v. 10-13).

10 If he beget a son [that is] arobber, a shedder of blood, and[that] doeth the like to [any] one ofthese [things],

11 And that doeth not any of those[duties], but even hath eaten upon

the mountains, and defiled hisneighbour's wife,12 Hath oppressed the poor andneedy, hath spoiled by violence,hath not restored the pledge, andhath lifted up his eyes to the idols,hath committed abomination,

13 Hath given forth upon usury, andhath taken increase: shall he thenlive? he shall not live: he hath doneall these abominations; he shallsurely die; his blood shall be uponhim.

Thus—if the righteous man gave birth to a wicked son, then that son shallsurely die (v. 13).

c. The wicked man's righteous son (v. 14-18).

14 Now, lo, [if] he beget a son, thatseeth all his father's sins which hehath done, and considereth, anddoeth not such like,15 [That] hath not eaten upon themountains, neither hath lifted up hiseyes to the idols of the house ofIsrael, hath not defiled hisneighbour's wife,

16 Neither hath oppressed any, hathnot withholden the pledge, neitherhath spoiled by violence, [but] hathgiven his bread to the hungry, andhath covered the naked with agarment,

17 [That] hath taken off his handfrom the poor, [that] hath notreceived usury nor increase, hath

executed my judgements, hathwalked in my statutes; he shall notdie for the iniquity of his father, heshall surely live.

18 [As for] his father, because hecruelly oppressed, spoiled hisbrother by violence, and did [that]which [is] not good among hispeople, lo, even he shall die in hisiniquity.

So—if this wicked man had a son who turned from his father's sins andwalked in ways of righteousness, then he shall not die for the iniquity ofhis father, he shall surely live (v. 17).

(4) Repetition of the principles already laid down (v. 19-29).19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not theson bear the iniquity of the father?When the son hath done that whichis lawful and right, [and] hath keptall my statutes, and hath done them,he shall surely live.

20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die.The son shall not bear the iniquity ofthe father, neither shall the fatherbear the iniquity of the son: therighteousness of the righteous shallbe upon him, and the wickedness ofthe wicked shall be upon him.

21 But if the wicked will turn fromall his sins that he hath committed,and keep all my statutes, and do thatwhich is lawful and right, he shallsurely live, he shall not die.

22 All his transgressions that he hathcommitted, they shall not bementioned unto him: in hisrighteousness that he hath done heshall live.

23 Have I any pleasure at all that thewicked should die? saith the LordGOD: [and] not that he shouldreturn from his ways, and live?

24 But when the righteous turnethaway from his righteousness, andcommitteth iniquity, [and] doethaccording to all the abominationsthat the wicked [man] doeth, shall helive? All his righteousness that hehath done shall not be mentioned: inhis trespass that he hath trespassed,and in his sin that he hath sinned, inthem shall he die.

25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lordis not equal. Hear now, Ο house ofIsrael; Is not my way equal? are notyour ways unequal?

26 When a righteous [man] turnethaway from his righteousness, andcommitteth iniquity, and dieth inthem; for his iniquity that he hathdone shall he die.

27 Again, when the wicked [man]turneth away from his wickednessthat he hath committed, and doeththat which is lawful and right, heshall save his soul alive.

28 Because he considereth, andturneth away from all histransgressions that he hathcommitted, he shall surely live, heshall not die.

29 Yet saith the house of Israel,The way of the Lord is not equal. Οhouse of Israel, are not my waysequal? are not your ways unequal?

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These principles may be listed.

a. The children are not to suffer for the sins of their fathers.

b. The righteous will live.

c. The wicked will die.

d. If the righteous man turns to wickedness he will die.

e. If the wicked repents and turns to righteousness he will live.

f. The soul that sins dies.

(5) In consequence of this there is an appeal30 Therefore I will judge you, Ο houseof Israel, every one according to hisways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent,and turn yourselves from all yourtransgressions; so iniquity shall not beyour ruin.31 Cast away from you all yourtransgressions, whereby ye havetransgressed; and make you a newheart and a new spirit: for why will yedie, Ο house of Israel?

to Israel in the concluding verses. SinceGod is to judge every man according tohis own ways, then Repent, and turnyourselves from all your transgres-sions; so iniquity shall not be yourruin. Cast away from you all yourtransgressions, whereby ye have trans-gressed; and make you a new heart anda new spirit: for why will ye die, Οhouse of Israel? (vs. 30—31).

The superficial message not the correct one

In approaching this chapter, there are certain principles to be borne in mindthat will lead to a correct understanding of the teaching of the prophet.

(1) It is clear that children do suffer the consequences of their father's sin.This is very much evident in the world around us. The child born ofthe parent with venereal disease may suffer untold misery inconsequence of his father's sin and may even die. The entire humanrace suffers the consequences of the sin of Adam. And Israel at thetime of Ezekiel were suffering as a result of their father's sin. Forexample, Jeremiah proclaimed: "I will cause them to be removed intoall kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiahking of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem" (Jer. 15:4).Similarly in the book of Lamentations the prophet says, "Our fathershave sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities" (Lam.5:7). This is not to say that the nation of Israel was not a sinful nationat the time of the captivity, for it is clear that they were, and weredeserving of the judgement that came upon them. This particularaspect of the working of God with His people was clearly stated in theLaw: "Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for

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I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of thefathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of themthat hate me" (Deut. 5:9). This is not to say that God is not just; it is infact a token of His longsuffering towards that nation. He waits forthem to repent for several generations and only when there is no signof national repentance does He send His judgement upon them.

(2) But it is equally clear that Ezekiel's teaching is not to be accepted forwhat it appears on the surface to be saying. In times of crisis andjudgement it is not true that the righteous live and the wicked die.Individual suffering and happiness are not proportionate to characterand conduct. We know that it is not true that if a man dies at forty hemust have sinned more than the man who dies at sixty. And while wecan point to righteous men like Noah who were delivered when thewicked perished, yet there are the cases of Job, and Jesus, and manyNew Testament worthies (e.g. James and Stephen) who suffered whenthe wicked continued to live and prosper. The righteous man in historyhas often died and his wicked son has prospered. The righteous manwho turns to wickedness often seems to get away with it, and thewicked man who turns to righteousness has often been seen to suffer,and frequently his principal foes have been they of his own household.

What then was Ezekiel offering to the Jews of his day who said, "Thefathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge"?Was he saying, 'This is not true. You are all of you being punished foryour own sins, Jeremiah and myself included, and all you have to do is tokeep the Law and your troubles will be over'?

Two relationshipsThis certainly was not Ezekiel's message. He does not contradict theproverb, but rather he is speaking of a time when they would no longerhave occasion to use it. This time (placing the chapter in its context) wouldbe associated with the new arrangement to be ushered in by the "tenderone".

This is confirmed by Jeremiah, Ezekiel's contemporary, who, speakingGod's word, says, "It shall come to pass, that like as I have watched overthem, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy,and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith theLORD. In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sourgrape, and the children's teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for

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his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be seton edge" (Jer. 31:28-30).

Ezekiel's message in chapter 18 was thus addressed to the individual.Each member of the nation of Israel had a twofold relationship with God.

a) He was a member of the nation that God had chosen—he was anIsraelite, and this, not because he chose it, but because he happened tohave been born into an Israelite household. We might call this anational relationship.

b) He had a personal or individual relationship—each man was eitherfaithful or unfaithful; he loved God's Law or was indifferent to it. Thisrelationship was achieved by choice and not by circumstances.

Ezekiel in the preceding chapters has repeatedly warned the nation ofcoming judgement. The nation was to be judged because as a nation it hadcontinued in the wicked footsteps of their fathers. The fathers had eatensour grapes, the longsuffering of God had waited, and the children's teethwere now set on edge. This was a national judgement, but now Ezekiel isconcerned with the individual "soul", or person, in the nation.

An appeal for personal righteousnessThe appeal of the prophet in this chapter is, If a man be just, and do thatwhich is lawful and right... (v. 5). In verses 6-9 he lists two kinds of sinwhich the man in Israel had to avoid. In the first half of verse 6 he refers tothe idolatrous practices that were current in Israel at that time—eating onthe mountains and lifting up eyes to idols. These were sins against God'sperson. From the second half of verse 6 to the end of verse 9 he lists otherkinds of sins that were current in the nation of Israel—defiling aneighbour's wife, oppression, violence, usury and so forth. All these wereactions that affected one's neighbour. In these three verses we havereference, with particular application to the situation prevailing in Ezekiel'sday, to the two great commandments of the Law, from which those whohave been delivered from the bondage of Mosaic Law are not exempt.

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, andwith all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Andthe second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"(Mark 12:30-31).

We too, who have never been subject to the Law of Moses, are committedto upholding these exalted principles in our lives.

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That member of the covenant people who attains to this description ofpersonal righteousness will live, and it is clear that Ezekiel is using 'life' inits fuller sense—he means eternal life. Personal righteousness is essential ifwe are to live. That we have a righteous father, or belong to a particularnation or ecclesia is of no consequence—"He is righteous, he shall surelylive" and, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die."

The mercy of God

Ezekiel also brings out for our encouragement the mercy of God, whichalso was clearly taught in the Law, where Yahweh is declared to be"merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of thefathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the thirdand to the fourth generation" (Exod. 34:6-7). And so Ezekiel speaks of thewicked man who turns from his wickedness, the result being that hiswickedness, his sins, are forgiven, All his transgressions that he hathcommitted, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousnessthat he hath done he shall live (v. 22). But this by no means clears theguilty, for the person that sins shall die.

God's purpose with IsraelAlthough we can take to ourselves exhortation from Ezekiel's prophecy,yet it must be admitted that this chapter primarily concerns the people ofIsrael. As we have seen, Jeremiah 31 speaks of the time when it will nolonger be the case that "the fathers have eaten a sour grape, and thechildren's teeth are set on edge" (v. 29). This will be the time when "Hethat scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth hisflock" (v. 10); when "I shall bring again their captivity" (v. 23); and when"I will watch over them, to build, and to plant" (v. 28). Ezekiel is speakingof this time. It will be a time when God will no longer deal with the nationof Israel on a national basis, but will deal with every one of them on anindividual basis. In the words of verse 3, they shall not have occasion anymore to use this proverb in Israel. Is this true of the Jew today? Why arethe Jews scattered among the nations where for centuries they havesuffered persecution? Surely because the fathers ate sour grapes. Theyrejected God's prophets and filled up the cup of their iniquity, and thechildren's teeth were set on edge in the events which commenced inAD 69/70 and which have continued throughout their unhappy history

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since. This is not to say that the Jew is unjustly treated today, for he is asrebellious as his fathers, but he is suffering the consequences of his fathers'sin just the same. The time will come when the Jew will not be able toexcuse himself by saying, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and thechildren's teeth are set on edge." Thus we see that Ezekiel 18 has not yethad its complete fulfilment.

The message of Ezekiel is very relevant to our days and, unknown tohim, he was prophesying of them. We are about to witness further nationaljudgements upon the people of Israel—a the time of Jacob's trouble similarto Ezekiel's day.

The pouring out of God's judgements upon a nation affects individuals,and this is the message of Ezekiel 18. Some will become hardened andconfirmed in their wickedness in consequence. Others will becomechastened and turn to God in their extremity. In Ezekiel's day some turnedand saw that what he had been saying was in fact the truth—thejudgements justified his message. These heeded his message to repent (v.30). The new heart and new spirit were evident at the time of therestoration under Zerubbabel. But that was only a shadow of the futurerestoration. The restoration of Israel spoken of by the prophets for whichwe are now looking depends upon the repentance of this people.1

"And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, theblessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call themto mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,and shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice accordingto all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart,and with all thy soul; that then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, andhave compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all thenations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee" (Deut.30:1-3).

"And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from trans-gression in Jacob, saith the LORD" (lsa.59:20).2

The present partial regathering of the Jews and the re-establishment of theircommonwealth must not be confused with the full restoration spoken of by theprophets which is still future. The state of Israel as it exists today will be broughtto ruin in the time of Jacob's trouble yet to overtake it (see comments onchapters 37 and 38). The restoration will follow and will be the work of "Davidtheir king" and his associates.

2 Paul's use of this scripture in Romans 11:26 does not detract from the argumenthere set out. Those who "turn from transgression in Jacob" (cf. Isa. 56) will be

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"Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, thatso there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord: andthat he may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus:whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all thingswhereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been sincethe world began" (Acts 3:19-21, RV).

"And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God isable to graff them in again" (Rom. 11:23).

This repentance and receiving again of the people of Israel will not benational, but individual; and it would appear that it must be preceded by acall to repentance such as Ezekiel addressed to his contemporaries. Repent,and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not beyour ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye havetransgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will yedie, Ο house of Israeli (vs. 30-31).1

Those who turn will live. The rebels will be purged out, as Ezekiel latertestifies: "I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them thattransgress against me" (Ezek. 20:38). Those who survive into the Kingdomage will have personally made a decision, responded to the Word of God,and allowed Him to create in them "a new heart and a new spirit." Theywill be just as much covenant children as we are today. The daysprophesied by Jeremiah will have arrived when,

"[the LORD] will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with thehouse of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathersin the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt;which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saiththe LORD: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house ofIsrael; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts,and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man hisbrother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of

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led to acknowledge Messiah who will "turn away ungodliness from Jacob"(Rom. 11).

1 The giving of a new heart and new spirit to Israel is a way of saying they willaccept "the truth as it is in Jesus". This is considered at length in chapter 36.

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them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity,and I will remember their sin no more" (31:31-34).1

This of course was only made possible by the coming of the "tender one"to be planted in Mount Zion.

Digression on Ezekiel 18:23

Ezekiel 18:23 ("have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?") andEzekiel 33:11 ("I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that thewicked turn from his way and live") are frequently used to support the viewthat God wants to save all men and it is only their refusal to turn to him whichprevents this, for does not Peter say, "The Lord is.. .not willing that any shouldperish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9)?

A moment's reflection is enough to cast doubts on this conclusion. That God ismerciful, gracious and a God of love, goes without saying; but to argue that Heis so to all men, meaning every individual, contradicts the fundamentalteaching of Scripture that God's purpose is being worked out "according toelection" (Rom. 9:11).

The words of Jesus indicate a selection process: "No man can come to me,except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44). It is because ofthis that Paul writes to the Thessalonians: "We give thanks to God...knowing,brethren beloved, your election of God" (1 Thess. 1:2,4).

continued

1 This is quoted by the apostle in Hebrews 8:8-12 to support his argument thatthe old covenant had given way to the new covenant. From this some haveargued that the words of Jeremiah were fulfilled then, and that the kingdomarrangement to which the prophet refers was entirely spiritual and therestoration of Israel as a nation was not in view. The words of Jeremiah areplain enough—"He that scattered Israel will gather [them]" (Jer. 31:10). To saythat the response to apostolic preaching among all nations was the regatheringof Israel in a new form, is to render the words of Jeremiah meaningless—another example of the "false prophets" referred to on page 136-137.Paul in quoting from Jeremiah 31 is simply saying that, since Jeremiah refers toa new covenant, the Mosaic covenant was to be rendered obsolete. Heproceeds to argue that the old covenant was even at that time "ready to vanishaway". But it is very strange reasoning indeed that can apply the words ofJeremiah to the first century when the text requires that it be at a time yet future,when "all shall know me, from the least to the greatest" (Heb. 8:11; Jer. 31:34).

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From the time of the conversion of Cornelius, God has visited the Gentiles "totake out of them a people for his name" (Acts 15:14). This clear teaching ofelection, of the choosing of individuals (by whatever means), is inconsistentwith the idea that God is not willing that any of mankind should perish.Experience confirms that this is so.

God is all-powerful and able to do as He wills in His universe. If He willindeed have all mankind to be saved, why is it that so many never get to hearthe gospel message? The words of the apostle in 1 Timothy 2:4 in which hesays that "[God] will have all men to be saved" cannot mean that it is Hisdesire to save every member of the human race. To interpret it thus wouldcontradict the fundamental principle that God's purpose is being worked outon the basis of election. In these words the apostle, who had been Divinelyappointed as a preacher to the Gentiles, is simply saying that it was no longerthe case that "salvation is of the Jews". God was now working with theGentiles (all mankind) and it was His will that salvation be offered to "allmen" (i.e. all nationalities) and not just to Jews.

In 2 Peter the apostle is writing to the brethren in the Ecclesias of AsiaMinor. It is to these, troubled by the Judaizers and in danger of grave apostasyfrom the Truth, that he writes: "The Lord...is longsuffering to us-ward (RV,youward), not willing that any should perish, but that all should come torepentance" (2 Pet. 3:9). These to whom Peter writes had been called by theFather but were in danger of failing to "make [their] calling and election sure"(2 Pet. 1:10). The same applies to these verses from Ezekiel. They are notaddressed to the individuals of the pagan world but to the Covenant People.

The vast majority of the Gentile world, then and now, comprise that greatcrowd of mankind that "is in honour, and understandeth not" and who are, byGod's appointment, "like the beasts that perish" (Psa. 49:20). Being left byGod to wander "out of the way of understanding", they will by His divinedecree, "remain in the congregation of the dead" (Prov. 21:16). That this sadfact does not give God pleasure, we would agree. Let us not, however, go tothe extreme of emphasizing this to the point where we deny that God'spurpose is "according to election".1

1 For a more detailed consideration see J. Allfree, Faith and Conversion—TheChristadelphian Position Restated.

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A lamentation (19:1-14)

1 Moreover take thou up a lamentationfor the princes of Israel,

The princes (v. 1)

Chapter 19 consists of a "lamentation" madeup of two closely related parables:(a) the parable of the lion's whelps (v. 2-9), and(b) the parable of the vine and her sceptre (v. 10-14).

These parables were addressed to the princes of Israel (v. 1). This wordprince is the word used by Ezekiel of the Seed Royal [e.g. "thou profanewicked prince (Zedekiah)" (21:25), and "my servant David a princeamong them" (34:24)]. This lamentation is thus directed to the RoyalHouse, and in particular to Zedekiah, who was then reigning.

The parable of the lion's whelps (v. 2-9)

The picture set out in this parable would befamiliar to Ezekiel's contemporaries. A li-oness surrounded by her family was a com-mon sight in Canaan at that time.

One of the young lions was the favouriteof the lioness. It was strong, noted for itsferocity and rapacity, and it had killed men.A lion hunt was organized and this whelpwas captured and taken to Egypt.

Mother lion waited, but when he did notreturn she singled out another member of thefamily, who, like his brother, became notedfor his ferocity. Another hunt was orga-nized—he too was taken, but this time it wasto Babylon.

Interpretation

The mother lion is Israel, the concept ofIsrael as a mother being a familiar one in theprophets (Hos. 2:5; Isa. 50:1). The princesfor whom the lamentation is made were ofthe tribe of Judah, of which we read "Judahis a lion's whelp" (Gen. 49:9). To appreciate

2 And say, What [is] thy mother? Alioness: she lay down among lions, shenourished her whelps among younglions.3 And she brought up one of herwhelps: it became a young lion, and itlearned to catch the prey; it devouredmen.4 The nations also heard of him; hewas taken in their pit, and they broughthim with chains unto the land ofEgypt.5 Now when she saw that she hadwaited, [and] her hope was lost, thenshe took another of her whelps, [and]made him a young lion.6 And he went up and down among thelions, he became a young lion, andlearned to catch the prey, [and]devoured men.7 And he knew their desolate palaces,and he laid waste their cities; and theland was desolate, and the fulnessthereof, by the noise of his roaring.8 Then the nations set against him onevery side from the provinces, andspread their net over him: he was takenin their pit.9 And they put him in ward in chains,and brought him to the king ofBabylon: they brought him into holds,that his voice should no more be heardupon the mountains of Israel.

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the parable it is necessary to recall briefly the history of the times.

a. Josiah was killed by Pharaoh-necho at Megiddo (2 Kings 23:29).b. Jehoahaz his son succeeded him, and he was deposed by

Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt (2 Kings 23:33).c. Jehoiakim his half brother was then placed on the throne by

Necho (2 Kings 23:34). Subsequently he became vassal king toNebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:1).

d. After the death of Jehoiakim, his son Jehoiachin began to reign.He was deposed and taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar,king of Babylon (2 Kings 24:10-12).

e. Zedekiah, son of Josiah was then placed on the throne byNebuchadnezzar and after rebelling against him was carried intocaptivity in Babylon (2 Kings 24:20; 25:1-7).

The first young lion (v. 3) appears to be Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, of whomit was said that "the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, andanointed him, and made him king..." (2 Kings 23:30). Thus he was madeking by the common consent of the people, that is—by the lioness. He didthat which was evil, and in particular he devoured men (v. 3), that is, heoppressed the people (2 Kings 23:32). Pharaoh Necho invaded during hisreign and hunted down this young lion, taking him into the land of Egypt(v. 4), where he remained until his death (2 Kings 23:33; Jer. 22:10-12).

Necho then placed Jehoiakim (Eliakim) on the throne as vassal king. Hewas not the personal choice of the lioness, although he was an evil king.The king of Babylon, who became the dominant power, ratified thisarrangement. Jehoiakim reigned for eleven years. During this time thelioness waited, but Jehoahaz did not return.

The second young lion (v. 5) was Jehoiachin, who, it would appear,reigned by consent of the people—certainly not by appointment of the kingof Babylon, against whom Jehoiakim had by this time rebelled. LikeJehoahaz, he too reigned for only about three months, just long enough forhim to demonstrate his wickedness. He too was captured in the pit ofnations, being taken to Babylon, as recorded in 2 Kings 24:11.

Although 2 Kings 24:12 records that "Jehoiachin...went out to the king ofBabylon", it can only have been because the Babylonian hunter hadcornered the lion of Judah and he could not escape. Ezekiel refers to theextent of this lion hunt— the nations set against him on every side fromthe provinces (v. 8). From this it would appear that Nebuchadnezzarencouraged the nations about Israel to join him in the lion hunt.

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A lamentation (19)

No doubt the nations involved were those who had harried Jehoiakim afterhis rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar—the Chaldees, the Syrians, theMoabites and the Ammonites (2 Kings 24:2). There can be little doubt thatEdom also was involved (cf. Lam. 4:20-22; Psa. 137:7).

This then is the first part of the lamentation. It brings us to the timewhere Ezekiel stood in history, for he was in captivity in Babylon, havingbeen carried away with Jehoiachin.

Zedekiah followed Jehoiachin, (as previously noted) and he too walkedwickedly before God. The lamentation now considers this man, and in sodoing the figure changes.

The parable of the vine and her sceptre (v. 10-14)

Still addressing the Royal House, the prophetlikens Israel to a vine planted by the waters,flourishing and bringing forth much fruit andgood healthy foliage. In particular he directsattention to the "strongest stem" whichbecame a "ruler's sceptre" (v. 11, RSV), areference to Zedekiah. But something dread-ful happened. The vine was plucked up. Theeast wind destroyed its fruit (v. 12). A fireout of its stem consumed it and the vine wasleft planted in a wilderness in a state ofdesolation.

10 Thy mother [is] like a vine in thyblood, planted by the waters: she wasfruitful and full of branches by reasonof many waters.11 And she had strong rods for thesceptres of them that bare rule, and herstature was exalted among the thickbranches, and she appeared in herheight with the multitude of herbranches.12 But she was plucked up in fury, shewas cast down to the ground, and theeast wind dried up her fruit: her strongrods were broken and withered; the fireconsumed them.13 And now she [is] planted in thewilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground.14 And fire is gone out of a rod of herbranches, [which] hath devoured herfruit, so that she hath no strong rod [tobe] a sceptre to rule. This [is] alamentation, and shall be for alamentation.

We have met this figure before in chapters15 and 17. The vine is Israel (Isa. 5:1-7; Psa.80:8-16). The time of which the prophetspeaks was still future to his day, but hespeaks of "things which be not as thoughthey were". "Thy mother was like avine...she is planted in the wilderness" (v.projected into the future and speaks of theIsrael. This [is] a lamentation, and shalllamentation (v. 14).

Interpretation

In verse 10 Ezekiel pictures Israel as she was, for example, under therulership of David—flourishing and bringing forth fruit. Ultimately

10, RSV, v. 13, AV). He isimpending judgements upon(when it happens) be for a

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wickedness prevailed, and the time had come for God's judgements to berevealed, so the vine was to bo plucked up in fury (v. 12).

Things had already started to move in this direction because the prophet,with many of his countrymen, was already in captivity. But Israel stillexisted as a nation in the land. She was still planted as a vine and was atthat very time pushing her roots towards Egypt (17:6). In this section of thelamentation Ezekiel is looking to the final invasion by Nebuchadnezzarwho came and plucked up the vine, and like the east wind, dried up herfruit. Deposing king Zedekiah—the strongest stem who had takenpossession of the ruler's sceptre—he carried away the vine and planted it inthe wilderness of Babylon. Thus verse 13 had its historical outworking inthe events of 2 Kings 25:1-7. The burning of the vine was this samedestruction of the body politic of Israel which had been predicted by Moses(Deut. 32:22) and later by Isaiah (Isa. 50:11). This last reference in Isaiah isinteresting, for there the fire which would burn up Israel is spoken of inthese words —"Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass [yourselves]about with sparks..." The fire (the judgement of God) was really of theirown making. This was the case in Israel at the time of Ezekiel. The peoplewere to be punished because of their sinfulness, and chief among thesinners of God's wayward people was that "profane wicked prince ofIsrael"—Zedekiah. He is the rod of whom the prophet speaks—fire is goneout of a rod of her branches (v. 14).

Connection with Genesis 49It may be that these two parables have a most interesting connection withJacob's prophecy concerning Judah.

The connection between Ezekiel 19:3 and Genesis 49:9 has already beennoted. It could well be the case that in Ezekiel's parables of the lion'swhelps and the vine and the sceptre there was an invitation to the rulers toconsider Jacob's prophecy. In Genesis 49:10-11 both the vine and thesceptre are mentioned:

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between hisfeet, until Shiloh come; and unto him [shall] the gathering of the people (RV"peoples") be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choicevine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood ofgrapes..."

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A lamentation (19)

Without doubt this is a prophecy concerning Messiah. "Shiloh" is a difficultword, but the meaning most likely is 'he to whom it (the sceptre)belongs'—he whose right it is.1

Judah would retain the position of supremacy among the tribes until hecame whose right it is. Not that Judah would then relinquish this position,but rather greater things would then take place. Among these would be thebringing in of the Gentiles referred to in the words, "unto him shall thegathering of the peoples be". Concerning this, Jacob proceeds to say,"binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine". Theass was the only unclean animal whose firstborn could be redeemed by alamb (Exod. 13:13). We are Gentiles (unclean) and also firstborns (Heb.12:23, "an ecclesia of firstborns" - Diaglott), and we have been redeemedby a lamb! Thus the Gentiles constitute the ass bound by Shiloh to thechoice vine, which is Israel (see Psa. 80:8 etc.).

But in the light of Jacob's prophecy, "the sceptre shall not depart fromJudah" why does Ezekiel say, she hath no strong sceptre! In Ezekiel thereference is to one particular shoot out of the vine. It is suggested that herereference is being made to the line of David through Solomon. TheSolomonic line was the strong stem that possessed the ruler's sceptre. Allthe kings reigning in Jerusalem who "sat upon the throne of the kingdom ofthe LORD over Israel" from David onwards were of Solomonic descent.But the time had come, because of sin, for the children of Solomon to beremoved. Jehoiachin was written childless (Jer. 22:30) and Zedekiah's sonswere put to death. The strong rod, which held the sceptre, was to cease.

Since with the final overthrow by Nebuchadnezzar there was no nation,there was no need for the sceptre—just as Judah did not exercise rulershipin the wilderness. The kingdom would "be no more, until he come whoseright it is" (Ezek. 21:27), and when this Shiloh came he was of the tribe ofJudah but not of the line of Solomon. He was son of David, "the Lion ofthe tribe of Judah" (Rev. 5:5), the son of the vine (Psa. 80:15, Heb., seeRVmg), but he was born into the line of Nathan—one of David's other sons(Luke 3:31). The vine now again possesses a strong rod that before longwill be revealed in the earth. Of him it is written, "The LORD shall send therod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies"(Psa. 110:2). He will then forever bear the sceptre that Zedekiah lost.

1 See notes at 21:27 in connection with "Shiloh".

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Rebellious Israel (20:1-44)This prophecy was given in the seventh year of the captivity on the tenthday of the fifth month1 —just two years and five months before Zedekiahand the Jews in the Land were invaded by Nebuchadnezzar. A mere twoand a half years hence would see all the judgements, about which Ezekielhas been repeatedly warning, poured out upon that sinful nation.

Occasion of the prophecy (v. 1-4)

At this time certain of the elders of Israel(v. 1) come to Ezekiel to enquire of Yahwehas they had done previously, as recorded in8:1 and 14:1. In chapter 14 God's responsewas, "Repent, and turn yourselves from youridols..." (14:6), but now, As I live saith theLord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thoujudge them? (v. 3-4). The last sentence hasthe sense of "an impatient imperative"2 andconveys the meaning, "You will most certain-ly judge them" (cf. 22:2; 23:36 where asimilar idiom is used). Because of their rejection of God they were to bejudged by the son of man (v. 4; cf. John 5:27). That is, Ezekiel's wordswere to be fulfilled. He proceeds to demonstrate to the elders of Israel thecertainty of those judgements and the reason for them. The climax of theprophecy is a wonderful statement of God's purpose with Israel—a purposethat would not be frustrated by their sin.

Out of Egypt (v. 5-10)

There are some details given in this section concerning Israel's moral statewhen in the land of Egypt that are not specifically revealed in the Exodusrecord. We cannot doubt that Jacob would have passed to his children andgrandchildren the details of Yahweh's promises and of His dealings withAbraham. The prophecy of Genesis 15 would surely have found an

1 And it came to pass in the seventhyear, in the fifth month, the tenth dayof the month, that certain of the eldersof Israel came to inquire of the LORD,and sat before me.2 Then came the word of the LORDunto me, saying,3 Son of man, speak unto the elders ofIsrael, and say unto them, Thus saiththe Lord GOD; Are ye come to inquireof me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Iwill not be inquired of by you.4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man,wilt thou judge them? cause them toknow the abominations of their fathers:

According to Jewish tradition, the 10th day of the 5 th month was the day onwhich the Sentence of Wandering (Num. 14:29) was passed (Wm. Kay,Commentary on Ezekiel).

Davidson, Ezekiel, Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges.

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important part of the "Statement of Faith" inthe Israelite household. The prophet (Psalm105:15) would have filled out the details tothe nation emerging from his loins andexplained the way in which God had joinedHis name to the covenant when He said toAbram, "I am the LORD, that brought thee outof Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land toinherit it" (Gen. 15:7). The fact that theirsojourn in Egypt was a part of the grandscheme of things revealed to Abraham wouldhave been faithfully communicated to thechildren of Israel.

But it would appear that in the land ofplenty they forgot Yahweh and turned to theidols of Egypt. There were no doubt somewho maintained their faith. It is unlikely thatthe line of Abrahamic prophets ended withJacob, and God would have spoken throughthem.

Moses appeared on the scene and God revealed Himself as Yahweh theGod of the Abrahamic covenant (Exod. 2:24; 3:14-15; 6:2-41) —no doubtthis is the time referred to in Ezekiel when God says / lifted up mine hand

5 And say unto them, Thus saith theLord GOD; In the day when I choseIsrael, and lifted up mine hand unto theseed of the house of Jacob, and mademyself known unto them in the land ofEgypt, when I lifted up mine hand untothem, saying, I am the LORD yourGod;6 In the day that I lifted up mine handunto them, to bring them forth of theland of Egypt into a land that I hadespied for them, flowing with milk andhoney, which is the glory of all lands:7 Then said I unto them, Cast ye awayevery man the abominations of hiseyes, and defile not yourselves withthe idols of Egypt: I am the LORDyour God.8 But they rebelled against me, andwould not hearken unto me: they didnot every man cast away theabominations of their eyes, neither didthey forsake the idols of Egypt: then Isaid, I will pour out my fury uponthem, to accomplish my anger againstthem in the midst of the land of Egypt.

The words of Exod. 6:2, 3 have been taken by some to indicate that God did notreveal himself to Abraham by the name Yahweh. This cannot be the meaning ofthese words in the light of the very clear statements in Gen. 12:7; 13:18 thatAbraham built "an altar unto Yahweh" and at these altars "called upon the nameof Yahweh" (Gen 12:8; 13:4). Further the undeniable fact that in Genesis 22Abraham "called the name of that place Yahweh-Yireh" shows that he wasfamiliar with the Divine name. In fact on only one occasion did God appear toAbraham as "God Almighty" (El Shaddai), and similarly with Isaac and Jacob,whereas the name Yahweh occurs over 80 times in the record of the lives of thepatriarchs. A very good case can be made out for translating the verse as aquestion—"I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, andby my name Yahweh was I not known unto them?" (See, for example, W. J.Martin, Stylistic Criteria and the Analysis of the Pentateuch, p. 18). This is theonly view which harmonizes the records, and, the name having been joined tothe covenant in Genesis 15:7, provides a fitting introduction for the words whichfollow—"And I have also established my covenant with them" (Exod. 6:4). Seefurther comments on page 357.

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unto them saying, I am the LORD your God; in the day that I lifted upmine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a landthat I had espied for them..." (v. 5-6, cf. Exod. 6:6-8). But they were in nomood to listen. Besotted with the gods of their taskmasters (who theypresumed had given Egypt the power over them) they refused to listen.They had become blind to God's former blessing; they failed to respond toHis chastening. "They hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, andfor cruel bondage" (Exod. 6:9).

The Sinai covenant (v. 9-17)

In spite of their stubborn and rebellious heartGod says / wrought FOR MY NAME'SSAKE (v. 9). Thus in three words in theHebrew text is summarized the wonder of theoutpouring of God's wrath upon the gods ofEgypt in the plagues. This was an experiencethat should have left the Israelites tremblingbefore the majesty of the God of Abrahamand have convinced them that the idols ofEgypt were vanity. However, within fourweeks of leaving Egypt and passing throughthe Red Sea they were expressing a desire toreturn to the land of bondage (Exod. 16:2). AtSinai God entered into a covenant withthem—a covenant to which they responded,"All that the LORD hath said, will we do, andbe obedient" (Exod. 24:7). They were but idlewords spoken in the emotion of the momentas subsequent events were to show. So ourchapter comments, The house of Israelrebelled against me in the wilderness: theywalked not in my statutes, and they despisedmy judgements...and my sabbaths theygreatly polluted (ν. 13).

This pollution of the sabbaths and disobe-dience of God's law is nowhere more clearlyseen than in the manufacture of the goldencalf of which they said, "These be thy gods, ΟIsrael, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt" (Exod. 32:4). The

9 But I wrought for my name's sake,that it should not be polluted before theheathen, among whom they [were], inwhose sight I made myself known untothem, in bringing them forth out of theland of Egypt.

10 Wherefore I caused them to goforth out of the land of Egypt, andbrought them into the wilderness.11 And I gave them my statutes, andshewed them my judgments, which [if]a man do, he shall even live in them.12 Moreover also I gave them mysabbaths, to be a sign between me andthem, that they might know that I [am]the LORD that sanctify them.13 But the house of Israel rebelledagainst me in the wilderness: theywalked not in my statutes, and theydespised my judgments, which [if] aman do, he shall even live in them; andmy sabbaths they greatly polluted: thenI said, I would pour out my fury uponthem in the wilderness, to consumethem.14 But I wrought for my name's sake,that it should not be polluted before theheathen, in whose sight I brought themout.15 Yet also I lifted up my hand untothem in the wilderness, that I wouldnot bring them into the land which Ihad given [them], flowing with milkand honey, which [is] the glory of alllands;16 Because they despised myjudgments, and walked not in mystatutes, but polluted my sabbaths: fortheir heart went after their idols.17 Nevertheless mine eye spared themfrom destroying them, neither did Imake an end of them in the wilderness.

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following day was a feast of Yahweh—one of the special sabbaths —and sothey offered their burnt offerings and peace offerings but then "rose up toplay" (a gross understatement of the pagan ritual involved) before theiridol. Although God plagued Israel because of their sin, yet throughout thisand their many other acts of gross unfaithfulness, He wrought for [his]name's sake (v. 14).

It was true then, as it has been through their history, "I am the LORD, Ichange not: therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed" (Mai. 3:6). Thepurpose of God epitomized in the name—He Who will be—involves thenation of Israel, as the rest of this chapter makes plain. Therefore God says,Mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end ofthem in the wilderness (v. 17).

The sentence of wandering (v. 18-26)

When the twelve representatives of the tribesreturned from spying out the land of promise,they reported that the land was "a good landwhich the LORD our God doth give us"(Deut. 1:25). But only two of them, Joshuaand Caleb, had faith to believe that God couldkeep His word. The other ten sowed fear inthe camp of Israel—fear of the fleshlyinhabitants of the land, so they proposed toappoint a "captain and...return into Egypt"(Num. 14:4). Thus it was that God sware untothem that they would not enter into the land;their carcases would fall in the wilderness andonly when the last of them had died wouldtheir "little ones" enter the land. So Godturned to their children and appealed, Walk yenot in the statutes of your fathers, neitherobserve their judgements, nor defile your-selves with their idols (v. 18).

During the 40 years wandering in thewilderness, as these "little ones" matured they also failed to heed God'sappeal, and followed in the footsteps of their fathers. In the fortieth year,when most of the condemned generation had perished, the new generationbeing discouraged because of the difficulties of the journey, manifestedsuch a spirit of rebellion and a longing for Egypt that God saw fit to send a

18 But I said unto their children in thewilderness, Walk ye not in the statutesof your fathers, neither observe theirjudgments, nor defile yourselves withtheir idols:19 I am the LORD your God; walk inmy statutes, and keep my judgments,and do them;20 And hallow my sabbaths; and theyshall be a sign between me and you,that ye may know that I am the LORDyour God.21 Notwithstanding the childrenrebelled against me: they walked not inmy statutes, neither kept my judgmentsto do them, which if a man do, he shalleven live in them; they polluted mysabbaths: then I said, I would pour outmy fury upon them, to accomplish myanger against them in the wilderness.22 Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand,and wrought for my name's sake, thatit should not be polluted in the sight ofthe heathen, in whose sight I broughtthem forth.

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23 I lifted up mine hand unto them alsoin the wilderness, that I would scatterthem among the heathen, and dispersethem through the countries;24 Because they had not executed myjudgments, but had despised mystatutes, and had polluted my sabbaths,and their eyes were after their fathers'idols.25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes[that were] not good, and judgmentswhereby they should not live;26 And I polluted them in their owngifts, in that they caused to passthrough [the fire] all that openeth thewomb, that I might make themdesolate, to the end that they mightknow that I [am] the LORD.

plague of serpents among them (Num. 21:4-6). Their subsequent religious whoredom withthe daughters of Moab at the instigation ofBalaam (Num. 25:1; Rev. 2:14) is anotherillustration of the depth of faithlessness towhich they had fallen by the end of thewilderness journey. But again God commentsthrough Ezekiel, Nevertheless I withdrew myhand, and wrought for my name's sake(v.22).

The final message to what was left of thisnew generation is to be found in the restate-ment of the Law in Deuteronomy. In thatamazing book is laid out a summary of theirentire history as it would unfold in the centuries ahead. Through Ezekiel,God reminds the elders of the predictions of Deuteronomy 28—/ lifted upmine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter themamong the heathen, and disperse them through the countries (v. 23).

Israel in the land (v. 27-32)The long history of Israel subsequent to theirentry into the land is passed over veryquickly. The presence of the elders to whomEzekiel was speaking, in the Babyloniancaptivity, was a testimony to the fact thatIsrael had continued to walk contrary toGod's laws.

The idolatry and apostasy of the nation inthe land is to be found repeatedly in thedivine history recorded by their prophets andscribes. The summary of their perverseness in2 Kings 17 speaks volumes of the long-suffering of God towards them:-

27 Therefore, son of man, speak untothe house of Israel, and say unto them,Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in thisyour fathers have blasphemed me, inthat they have committed a trespassagainst me.28 [For] when I had brought them intothe land, [for] the which I lifted upmine hand to give it to them, then theysaw every high hill, and all the thicktrees, and they offered there theirsacrifices, and there they presented theprovocation of their offering: therealso they made their sweet savour, andpoured out there their drink offerings.29 Then I said unto them, What [is] thehigh place whereunto ye go? And thename thereof is called Bamah unto thisday.

"The LORD testified against Israel, andagainst Judah, by all the prophets and by allthe seers saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandmentsand my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded yourfathers...and they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made withtheir fathers, and his testimonies...and they followed vanity, and became vain,and went after the heathen that were round about them" (v. 13-15).

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30 Wherefore say unto the house ofIsrael, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Areye polluted after the manner of yourfathers? and commit ye whoredomafter their abominations?31 For when ye offer your gifts, whenye make your sons to pass through thefire, ye pollute yourselves with all youridols, even unto this day: and shall I beinquired of by you, Ο house of Israel?[As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I willnot be inquired of by you.32 And that which cometh into yourmind shall not be at all, that ye say,We will be as the heathen, as thefamilies of the countries, to servewood and stone.

It is this that is referred to in verse 28 —When I had brought them into the land, forthe which I lifted up mine hand to give it tothem, then they saw every high hill, and allthe thick trees, and they offered there theirsacrifices, and there they presented theprovocation of their offering. The apostle inRomans 1:21-27 spells out in very plainlanguage the horrors of sexual depravitywhich this "[becoming] vain in their imagina-tions" involved.1

For this reason, the longsuffering of Godtowards the majority of Judah having beenexhausted at that time because of theirpersistent unfaithfulness and refusal to repent, the fulfilment ofDeuteronomy 28 had commenced and Ezekiel, the elders and theircontemporaries were already in captivity. Another two and a half years andNebuchadnezzar would complete the divine work of judgement in itsBabylonian phase with the final invasion of the land of Israel to put awaythose abominations which the prophet has already described to these sameelders in chapter 8. The cup of Israel's iniquity was full. Therefore theprophet is bidden tell the elders, / will not be inquired of by you (v. 3).

Even in the captivity they had not learned! They were saying, We will beas the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone(v. 32). This was the cry of assimilation—desiring to be like the Gentiles,that they might be treated like Gentiles and lose their inconvenient andtroublesome separateness. But God had other ideas!

It should be carefully noted that Romans 1:18-32 is not speaking of thecondition of the pagan world. The apostle is talking about those "who [held] thetruth"—albeit in unrighteousness (v. 18), to whom God had showed "that whichmay be known of God" (v. 19). He is talking of the terrible apostasy of thecovenant people.

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Summary

OUT OF EGYPT

God came down to deliverthem with signs and wonders.

ΦSINAI COVENANT

Kingdom offered.Israel rejected it.

SENTENCE OFWANDERING

Rebels removed.Second reading of the law.

ΦCHILDREN ENTER THE

LAND

Out of Babylon (v. 33-36)

God now turns to consider the future of thesinful nation. Their desire to be like theheathen (v. 32) would be to no avail. God'spurpose with them remained unshakeable.The reference to Numbers 14 is clear. On thatsad occasion of rebellion the covenant peoplewanted to make them a captain and return toEgypt. They wanted to become a permanentpart of that nation having no faith in God'sability to lead them into the good landpromised to their fathers (Num. 14:4). Theirlack of faith did not frustrate the purpose ofGod that was to be worked out through them.The carcases of the rebels would fall in the wilderness but, "As truly as Ilive, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD" (Num. 14:21).So now, to these elders, representative of the rebellious nation of Ezekiel'sday, God delivers the same message—AS I LIVE, saith the Lord GOD..IWILL be king over you" (v. 33, RV).

33 [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD,surely with a mighty hand, and with astretched out arm, and with furypoured out, will I rule over you:34 And I will bring you out from thepeople, and will gather you out of thecountries wherein ye are scattered,with a mighty hand, and with astretched out arm, and with furypoured out.35 And I will bring you into thewilderness of the people, and there willI plead with you face to face.36 Like as I pleaded with your fathersin the wilderness of the land of Egypt,so will I plead with you, saith the LordGOD.

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Fulfilling His word through Jeremiah (29:10), after Israel had been incaptivity for 70 years, God "stirred up the spirit of Cyrus", the Persianconqueror of Babylon (2 Chron. 36:22-23), so that the Jews were permittedto return to the land of Israel. This was necessary so that ultimately Jesuscould be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), be crucified by the Jews (Dan. 9:24,26) [who thus filled up the measure of their national iniquity, Matt. 23:31-32] and by the shedding of his blood confirm the covenants of God (Isa.42:6; Rom. 15:8). This regathered nation was not in any sense therestoration, or "restitution of all things" (Acts 3:21) spoken of by theprophets. That restoration was to be effected by Messiah himself, as Jesusand the apostles made plain (Acts 1:6,7; Rom. 11:26, 27, etc.), and is stillfuture. Even though there had been a regathering of Jews in preparation forthe advent of the Lord, at the time of his coming most of them were stillscattered and Judaea was under Roman domination. The nation of Israelwas still in bondage and, as we shall see from Ezekiel, about to enter thewilderness.

The psalm of Zacharias is interesting in this connection. It makes thefollowing points:-

(1) Just as God came down to deliver His people from Egypt (Exod.3:7-8), so Yahweh had "visited his people" by manifestation in theSon, "that we should be saved from our enemies, and from thehand of all that hate us" (Luke 1:71).

(2) The reason for this work of deliverance is exactly the same as inthe Exodus record—"To perform the mercy promised to ourfathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which hesware to...Abraham" (Luke 1:72, 73; cf. Exod. 2:24; 6:5).

There was more to this bondage than Gentile dominion over them. TheLord saw them as slaves in Egypt—"Come unto me, all ye that labour andare heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learnof me...and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matt. 11:28, 29). In thewords of the apostle, Jesus came to "deliver them who through fear ofdeath were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb. 2:15). In connectionwith this deliverance Luke 9:31 tells us that on the mount of transfigurationMoses and Elijah discussed with the Lord the "decease (Gk. exodus) whichhe should accomplish at Jerusalem". His work, accompanied by signs andwonders greater than those seen in Egypt, was one of "[proclaiming] libertyto the captives..." (Isa. 61:1).

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The new covenant (v. 37)

Long before the days of Ezekiel, Isaiah had I 37 And ι win cause you to pass underSpoken Of the WOrk Of JeSUS Who Was tO be the rod, and I will bring you into the

raised up by God as His servant to "bring out 1 b o" d o f t h e c o v e" a n t :

the prisoners from the prison, and them thatsit in darkness out of the prison house" (42:7).This would be achieved by him being given "for a covenant of the people"(v. 6). There can be no doubt that this covenant refers to that made withAbraham and elaborated to David, for it had to do with the inheritance ofthe land, as Isaiah elsewhere indicates—"I will preserve thee, and give theefor a covenant of the people, to establish the earth (RV "land"), to cause toinherit the desolate heritages" (49:8). This work of Yahweh, through theMessiah, towards the house of Israel is well summarized by Isaiah again —"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters...hearken diligentlyunto me...hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlastingcovenant with you, even the sure mercies of David" (55:1-3).

This covenant, Jeremiah, Ezekiel's contemporary, styles a newcovenant—"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a newcovenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah" (31:31).The apostle in the letter to the Hebrews, in which he speaks of Jesus as the"mediator of a better covenant" (i.e. better than the Sinai covenant), quotesthese words from Jeremiah on two occasions to establish the point that thenew covenant having been established by Jesus, the old Sinai covenant wasredundant and those things associated with it were soon to pass away (Heb.8:6-13; 10:11-18). This new covenant was in fact the Abrahamic covenantnewly ratified by the blood of Jesus (Gal. 3:15-17).

It was the substance of this covenant which Jesus offered to the nation ofIsrael. The gospel preached to Abraham, he preached to them, saying, "thekingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15).By the preaching of Jesus, and subsequently that of the apostles, the nationwas caused to pass under the rod (v. 37). This would appear to be areference to Leviticus 27:32 where, concerning the tithe of the flock weread, "Whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto theLORD." The nation of Israel was caused to pass under the Shepherd's rod ofselection and those who responded to the selection process—"a remnantaccording to the election of grace" (Rom. 11:5) —were "holy unto theLORD". They were brought into the bond of the covenant (v. 37).

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38 And I will purge out from amongyou the rebels, and them thattransgress against me: I will bringthem forth out of the country wherethey sojourn, and they shall not enterinto the land of Israel: and ye shallknow that I am the LORD.

For the most part the nation rejected the Lord's offer of covenantblessings. Of those who did leave the Egypt-like state of bondage manyultimately became apostate and desired—like their fathers of old—to return"again to the weak and beggarly elements" of the world, and to again "be inbondage" (Gal. 4:9).

The kingdom offered to them having been so decisively rejected (cf.Num. 14:4), they were faced with the prospect of a long wandering in thewilderness of the people (v. 35).

In the wilderness of the people (v. 38)

Thus, the majority who returned to the land atthe time of Zerubbabel, came out of Babylonand Assyria (where the northern kingdom hadalready been taken, 2 Kings 18:9-12)—thecountries of Ezekiel 20:34—but they re -mained in bondage. They refused the king-dom blessings offered by the Lord Jesus andwere condemned to die in the wilderness.This wilderness began with their rejection of the kingdom, but becameevident with the overthrow of Judaea in AD 69-70. For over 1,900 yearsIsrael has been wandering in the wilderness of the peoples (v. 35, RV). Inthis connection the words of Hosea are of interest. Having listed the sins ofIsrael in consequence of which "the beasts of the field (i.e. the Gentiles)shall eat them" (2:12; cf. Deut. 28:26), God proceeds to say, "Therefore lo!I am going to persuade her, and though I conduct her forth into awilderness, yet...will I give her her vineyards from thence, and the vale ofAchor for a door of hope..." (v. 14, 15, Roth.).

Now, in the wilderness, the rebels are being purged out (v. 38) by theplagues of that long arduous journey—plagues different in nature fromthose which destroyed their fathers in the desert but whose effect was muchmore devastating. Moses predicted these calamities which have overtakenthe Jews in this wilderness phase of their history—"I will heap mischiefsupon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. They shall be burnt withhunger and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction...thesword without and the terror within shall destroy both the young man andthe virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs" (Deut. 32:23-25;see also 28:64-67; Isa. 42:22-25).

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Although the state of Israel has been re-established, the wildernessjourney is not yet over and the northern invasion predicted in chapter 38will see the modern State of Israel brought to its knees. It will be at thisterminal stage of their punishment and humiliation—"the time of Jacob'strouble" (Jer. 30:7)—that they, with amazement, will "look upon me whomthey have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for hisonly son..." (Zech. 12:10). What happened to the faithful few in the firstcentury will then happen to this humiliated remnant. "There shall come outof Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for thisis my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins" (Rom.11:26-27). They, too, will thus enter into the new covenant arrangement onthe basis of faith in the things God has promised and confirmed in Christ,for, "if they abide not still in unbelief...God is able to [graft] them in again"(Rom. 11:23). This manifestation of faith—the putting of "my law in theirinward parts and [writing] it in their hearts"(Jer. 31:33) corresponds to that time in thefortieth year of the wilderness wanderingwhen the law was read a second time, and theterms of God's covenant restated, just prior tothe new generation entering the land (Deut.1:1-3).

Entering the land (v. 39-44)

In verse 39 God specifically addresses therebels—those of Ezekiel's day and beyond.Go ye, serve ye every one his idols. Thiswould not thwart the purpose of God —Hereafter surely ye shall hearken unto me(v. 39, RV). The rebels would be purged outand a humiliated, instructed and believingremnant would at last enter into the land ofIsrael (v. 38) in its restored and covenantedglory. The prophet describes this happy time:For in mine holy mountain, in the mountainof the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD,there shall ALL the house of Israel serve mein the land (v. 40, RV). This looks forward tothe time, considered in detail in chapter 37,when "I will make them one nation in theland upon the mountains of Israel; and one

39 As for you, Ο house of Israel, thussaith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve yeevery one his idols, and hereafter also,if ye will not hearken unto me: butpollute ye my holy name no more withyour gifts, and with your idols.40 For in mine holy mountain, in themountain of the height of Israel, saiththe Lord GOD, there shall all the houseof Israel, all of them in the land, serveme: there will I accept them, and therewill I require your offerings, and thefirstfruits of your oblations, with allyour holy things.41 I will accept you with your sweetsavour, when 1 bring you out from thepeople, and gather you out of thecountries wherein ye have beenscattered; and I will be sanctified inyou before the heathen.42 And ye shall know that I am theLORD, when I shall bring you into theland of Israel, into the country for thewhich I lifted up mine hand to give itto your fathers.43 And there shall ye remember yourways, and all your doings, wherein yehave been defiled; and ye shall lotheyourselves in your own sight for allyour evils that ye have committed.44 And ye shall know that I am theLORD, when I have wrought with youfor my name's sake, not according toyour wicked ways, nor according toyour corrupt doings, Ο ye house ofIsrael, saith the Lord GOD.

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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" (37:22).This united, faithful nation, purged of its rebels, is the people referred to bythe apostle when he says, "all Israel shall be saved" (Rom. 11:26).

Thus will the covenant made with Abraham take a gigantic step nearer toits complete fulfilment and Israel will know that I am YAHWEH—the Onewho described Himself thus when the covenant was made in Genesis 15 —when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for thewhich I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers (v. 42). This, as is sooften emphasized in the prophets, will not be for their own intrinsicgoodness but ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wroughtwith you for my name's sake (v. 44).

Summary

We may now place alongside the previous chart a summary of the abovewhich will emphasis the similarity of the two phases in the development ofGod's purpose with Israel.

OUT OF EGYPT I OUT OF BABYLONGod came down to deliver God came down manifest in

them with signs and wonders. Jesus through whom signsψ and wonders were done.

Φ

SINAI COVENANT NEW COVENANT

Kingdom offered. Kingdom offered.Israel rejected it. Israel rejected it.

Φ Φ

SENTENCE OFWANDERING

WILDERNESS OF THEPEOPLES

Rebels removed. Rebels removed.Second reading of the law. God's law in their heart.

Φ Φ

CHILDREN ENTER THELAND

REMNANT ENTERS THERESTORED LAND

Ezekiel 20 205


APPENDIX

The wilderness of the peoples—Ezekiel 20:35

Of the four phases of Israel's future set out in verses 33-44 we can only becertain about the final entry into the promised inheritance. Theunderstanding of the other phases depends very much on the meaning ofthe difficult expression "the wilderness of the peoples" (v. 35, RV). Anattempt has been made above to expound this scripturally but it isimpossible to be dogmatic and the writer feels that it is right that the readershould be directed to other points of view.

Many expositors consider the wilderness of the peoples to be ageographical location. Some see it as a place through which Israel had topass in the time of Zerubbabel on their way from Babylon to Israel i.e. theSyro-Arabian desert (e.g. Ε. Η. Plumptre & T. Whitlow, Pulpit Commen-tary). Others see it as referring to the wilderness of the south, i.e. the samewilderness traversed by Israel of old, of which Habakkuk speaks in hisprophecy of the manifestation of the Mighty One from Teman (e.g. Peters,The Theocratic Kingdom, Vol. 3, p. 21 etc.).

In Christadelphian literature the identity of the wilderness of the peoplesis somewhat ambiguous. W. H. Boulton in The Book of the ProphetEzekiel, writes, "The long view is the only one in which such statementscan be understood...the long view has to find a place for the people passingthrough the wilderness of the peoples"—but he does not seek to explainwhat this entails. J. Thomas (in Eureka, vol. 1, p. 180) explains it as havingreference to the time of Jacob's trouble without precisely specifying thelocation, although R. Roberts referring to this section of Eureka asserts thatit expounds the wilderness of the people as referring to "all theMediterranean and European countries being the territories of the fourbeasts of Daniel" {Christadelphian, 1889, p. 159). In Eureka, vol. 3, p. 440and in Elpis Israel, p. 450, it is referred by Bro. Thomas1 to the secondexodus of Israel from the countries of their dispersion, which will takeplace during a period of forty years after the return of the Lord Jesus. InEureka, vol. 2, p. 557, he assigns it a specific location—"the wildernessand deserts of the south into which they (the Jews) will be brought fordiscipline, to fit them for settlement in the land of Israel." J. Carter appearsto follow this view, stating, "Israel are now scattered...yet...God will gather

1 Important discussion is also found in Mystery of the Covenant of the Holy LandExplained.

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them. In the course of this gathering they will be subject to discipline...thewilderness of the peoples will be those places among the nations whereIsrael will have their allegiance to God tested" (Christadelphian , 1935,p. 537). C. C. Walker, in a brief comment which appears to coincide withthe exposition set out in this chapter, writes, "God said he would gatherthem out of the countries (i.e. Babylonia and Assyria), and bring them intoanother wilderness of the peoples (even Western Babylon and wheresoeverthe outcasts of Israel are to be found)" {Christadelphian, 1919, p. 357).

Ezekiel 20 207

Fire and sword (20:45-21:32)Ezekiel 20:45-21:32 forms one chapter in the Hebrew Bible, and we shalltreat it as such. It continues the theme of the previous chapters—theimpending destruction of the kingdom of Judah in the land, which, as wehave repeatedly seen, would involve the destruction of the city and thetemple and the severe judgement of king, rulers and people.

It would appear (21:18-24) that, at the time the prophecies of thischapter were given, Nebuchadnezzar was on his way to pour out thejudgements written.

The chapter consists of six clearly defined, but related, paragraphs:1. 20:45-49 - a prophecy against the forest of the south field.2. 21:1-7 - a prophecy against Jerusalem in explanation of the

parable of the forest fire.3. 21:8-17 - an emotion-packed prophecy in which the sword of

Yahweh is prepared for its terrible work.4. 21:18-24 - Nebuchadnezzar shown to be the sword of Yahweh and

his progress toward the land of Israel described.5. 21:25-27 - the destruction of the kingdom of Judah and the promise

of restoration.6. 21:28-32 - the destruction of the Ammonites.

Each of these will be considered in turn.

1. Against the forest of the southfield (20:45-49)

Ezekiel is told to drop his word toward thesouth (see also 21:2) just as Amos hasdropped his word (7:16) against the NorthernKingdom predicting the Assyrian invasionand the captivity of the ten tribes (7:11).

The prophet presents a picture of a ragingfire sweeping through the forest of the southfield (v. 46). In this verse the word southoccurs three times in the AV, but on eachoccasion a different word is present in theHebrew text as follows: —

45 Moreover the word of the LORDcame unto me, saying,46 Son of man, set thy face toward thesouth, and drop [thy word] toward thesouth, and prophesy against the forestof the south field;47 And say to the forest of the south,Hear the word of the LORD; Thussaith the Lord GOD; Behold, I willkindle a fire in thee, and it shall devourevery green tree in thee, and every drytree: the flaming flame shall not bequenched, and all faces from the southto the north shall be burned therein.48 And all flesh shall see that I theLORD have kindled it: it shall not bequenched.49 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! theysay of me, Doth he not speak parables?

208 Ezekiel 20

Fire and Sword (20:45-21:32)

a. Teman which literally signifies 'the right hand'. To a Jew inJerusalem looking toward the east (the direction to which theentrance of the temple pointed) the right hand was south.

b. Darom which is the name of the south point of the compass.c. Negev which was the name of the territory to the south of Judah.

Thus by using three different words the point is emphasized that the forestfire was to affect a particular locality—the south. This has its complementin the prophecies of Jeremiah, who was still in Judah warning of thecoming judgements from the north (e.g. Jer. 1:14; 4:6; 6:1 etc.). Ezekiel —who was in the territory of the Babylonian invader that would enter Judahfrom the north—speaks of Judah as the south, and in parable (v. 49) likensthe nation to & forest. Through this forest, God's judgements would sweeplike a fire indiscriminately burning the green trees and the dry: a fire thatwould not be quenched until the judgements were completed (cf. Jer. 7:20;17:27).

The idea of Yahweh's judgements goingforth like fire has been examined before inconnection with chapters 5, 10 and 15. Thefigure of Israel as a wood or forest beingconsumed by the fire of Yahweh's anger is afamiliar one in the prophets (e.g. Jer. 21:14;Zech. 11:1-2).

2. Against Jerusalem (v. 1-7)Those to whom Ezekiel addressed hisremarks were not at all impressed with hisparable about the forest fire. The prophet wasevidently distressed by this lack of responseand expressed his grief in the words of 20:49,Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he notspeak parables?

In response he is bidden to give them anexplanation of the parable. The verses needvery little comment except to note the closeparallel between it and the previously record-ed parable:

a. In the parable the prophet was toprophesy against the forest of the

Ezekiel 21

Ezekiel 21:1-71 And the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,2 Son of man, set thy face towardJerusalem, and drop [thy word] towardthe holy places, and prophesy againstthe land of Israel,3 And say to the land of Israel, Thussaith the LORD; Behold, I [am]against thee, and will draw forth mysword out of his sheath, and will cutoff from thee the righteous and thewicked.4 Seeing then that I will cut off fromthee the righteous and the wicked,therefore shall my sword go forth outof his sheath against all flesh from thesouth to the north:5 That all flesh may know that I theLORD have drawn forth my sword outof his sheath: it shall not return anymore.6 Sigh therefore, thou son of man, withthe breaking of [thy] loins; and withbitterness sigh before their eyes.7 And it shall be, when they say untothee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thoushalt answer, For the tidings; becauseit cometh: and every heart shall melt,and all hands shall be feeble, and everyspirit shall faint, and all knees shall beweak [as] water: behold, it cometh, andshall be brought to pass, saith the LordGOD.

209


south. But the people said, Doth he not speak parables? So nowthe speech is direct, and there is no mistaking who is to receiveGod's judgements — Set thy face toward Jerusalem...the holyplaces... the land of Israel (v. 2).

b. The sword of Yahweh (v. 3), which was to come upon Israel in theland, is still a figurative expression for God's judgements, but isvery much less disguised than the forest fire.

c. The green tree and the dry in the parable find their counterparts inverse 3 of this chapter—/ will cut off from thee the righteous^ andthe wicked.

d. The conclusion to both the parable and this explanation is that as aresult of the judgements of God being poured out, men will be ledto recognize that the hand of God was in it (20:48; cf. 21:5).

3. The sword of Yahweh (v. 8-17)

Ezekiel now elaborates upon the sword mentioned in verse 3. A compari-son of the different versions suggests that the translation of these verses isnot straightforward. However, the main ideas come over plainly enough.What at first may seem to be a dull and obscure prophecy is in fact a mostinteresting allusion to Jacob's prophecy concerning Judah.

a. Ezekiel was to go to the people and proclaim, A sword, a sword issharpened, and also furbished (v. 9-11)—i.e. a sword had beenprepared for battle; it has been sharpened and polished. It was readyfor the slaughter, and in the hand of the warrior flashed likelightning (v. 10, RV).

b. Then (v. 12-13) the prophet was to cry and howl (wail, RSV)because this sword had been prepared against the nation of Israeland was to come forth against the people and the princes ofIsrael—i.e. he was to show outward signs of mourning.

1 These words should be noted. We touched on this problem in our considerationof ch. 18:27. Righteousness is not a guarantee of a long and untroubled life.Those who have personal righteousness will "live", but it will be in the kingdomthat this "life" will be enjoyed. The righteous are not promised exemption fromthe effects of God's judgement on the nations. In fact those judgements oftenprovide part of the tribulation process by which the characters of the faithful aredeveloped (cf. Daniel and his companions and the effect of the Babyloniancaptivity upon them).

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c. Ezekiel was next to use the sword(v. 14)—literally he was to "let thesword be doubled into three". In doingthis the prophet was representing thecomplete destruction to be brought bythe sword of Yahweh against Judah.The RSV renders it, "let the swordcome down twice, yea thrice". It is areference to the fact that Nebuchad-nezzar had already invaded Judah ontwo occasions capturing Jerusalemand taking some of the royal familycaptive (2 Kings 24:1 cf. Dan. 1:3;2 Kings 24:8-17). The third invasionunder discussion would be the finalone.

d. Verse 17 brings this part of theprophecy to a conclusion—that whichEzekiel did represented what God wasabout to do, using the Babylonianarmies as His sword (cf. v. 18, 20).

The next few verses proceed to elaborate stillfurther on the sword of Yahweh, but beforedealing with that we want to enlarge ourconsideration of verse 10. "It is sharpened tomake a sore slaughter; it is furbished that itmay glitter: should we then make mirth? itcontemneth the rod of my son, [as] everytree".

In chapter 19 we considered the two parables of the lion and her whelps,and the vine and her sceptre. There appeared to be a reference there to theprophecy about Judah and the sceptre that belonged to that tribe asproclaimed by Jacob in Genesis 49:9-12. Because of the unfaithfulness ofthe Royal House, God's judgements would soon bring about the situationwhere, for a temporary period, there would be "no strong rod to be asceptre to rule" (Ezek. 19:14).

8 Again the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,9 Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thussaith the LORD; Say, A sword, asword is sharpened, and also furbished:10 It is sharpened to make a soreslaughter; it is furbished that it mayglitter: should we then make mirth? itcontemneth the rod of my son, [as]every tree.11 And he hath given it to befurbished, that it may be handled: thissword is sharpened, and it is furbished,to give it into the hand of the slayer.12 Cry and howl, son of man: for itshall be upon my people, it [shall be]upon all the princes of Israel: terrorsby reason of the sword shall be uponmy people: smite therefore upon [thy]thigh.13 Because [it is] a trial, and what if[the sword] contemn even the rod? itshall be no [more], saith the LordGOD.14 Thou therefore, son of man,prophesy, and smite [thine] handstogether, and let the sword be doubledthe third time, the sword of the slain: it[is] the sword of the great [men thatare] slain, which entereth into theirprivy chambers.15 I have set the point of the swordagainst all their gates, that [their] heartmay faint, and [their] ruins bemultiplied: ah! [it is] made bright, [itis] wrapped up for the slaughter.16 Go thee one way or other, [either]on the right hand, [or] on the left,whithersoever thy face [is] set.17 I will also smite mine handstogether, and I will cause my fury torest: I the LORD have said [it].

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In chapter 21 Ezekiel again refers to this same prophecy1. In verse 10 theword rod in the Hebrew is the same word as "sceptre" in Genesis 49:10.The words my son confirm the allusion to Jacob's prophecy about Judah—"Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up..." (Gen.49:9). What then is the meaning of Ezekiel 21:10? It appears that the senseis this:— The prophet comes with a message, 'a sword is sharpened andpolished and is coming to slaughter you, both people and princes.' Thepeople laugh {make mirth) and, in effect, say, 'This cannot happen to thedynasty of David, for it would mean that the sceptre the of one referred toby Jacob as my son (Judah) was thereby being treated like any othercommon tree.' But Ezekiel has the answer. It is the same answer as inchapter 19—What if the sword contemn even the rod (sceptre)? It shall beno more (v. 13; compare 19:14 and note the use of the words it shall be nomore in verse 27). The present line of kings would come to an end and for atime there would be no one to hold the sceptre. We shall return to this in theexposition on verses 25-27'.

4. The king of Babylon on his way (v. 18-24)

Now the prophet is required to performanother sign before the people. He had toappoint (RSV "mark") two ways for thesword of the king of Babylon. Perhapsdrawing in the sand, or on a tile, Ezekiel hadto sketch a map of the route from Babylon tothe land of Israel. He notes the progress of theking along the road from Babylon. Nebuchad-nezzar in the prophet's diagram is shown toarrive at a point in the road where it diverged.Should he go to the right, he would go againstJerusalem2. If he chose to go to the left, hewould go against the Ammonites who alsoappear to have rebelled against him. Verse 21should be in the present tense, as in theRSV— "The king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way...". Here we

18 The word of the LORD came untome again, saying,19 Also, thou son of man, appoint theetwo ways, that the sword of the king ofBabylon may come: both twain shallcome forth out of one land: and choosethou a place, choose [it] at the head ofthe way to the city.20 Appoint a way, that the sword maycome to Rabbath of the Ammonites,and to Judah in Jerusalem thedefenced.21 For the king of Babylon stood at theparting of the way, at the head of thetwo ways, to use divination: he made[his] arrows bright, he consulted withimages, he looked in the liver.

See comments on verses 25-27 where there is another reference to Jacob'sprophecy about Judah.

2 The description of Jerusalem in v. 20 as "the defenced" (Heb. batsar) calls tomind Deut. 28:52 where the same word is used—"Thy high and fenced (Heb.batsar) walls [shall] come down, wherein thou trustedst."

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see the drama of the situation —"Thedestroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he isgone forth from his place to make thy landdesolate" (Jer. 4:7). The ancient trade routesdiverged at Damascus, one going south-westto Jerusalem, the other south-east to Rabbathof Ammon, capital city of the Ammonites.Nebuchadnezzar was probably at Damascusas Ezekiel spoke these words.

The king of Babylon could not decidewhich route to take, and so he used variousforms of divination: —

22 At his right hand was the divinationfor Jerusalem, to appoint captains, toopen the mouth in the slaughter, to liftup the voice with shouting, to appoint[battering] rams against the gates, tocast a mount, [and] to build a fort.23 And it shall be unto them as a falsedivination in their sight, to them thathave sworn oaths: but he will call toremembrance the iniquity, that theymay be taken.24 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Because ye have made your iniquity tobe remembered, in that yourtransgressions are discovered, so thatin all your doings your sins do appear;because, [I say], that ye are come toremembrance, ye shall be taken withthe hand.

a. he made his arrows bright— a kind ofdrawing of lots with arrows1.

b. he consulted the teraphim (RV) — a word thought by some to berelated to "seraphim"2 and probably an idolatrous representation ofthe cherubim that were worshipped as gods themselves. Since thefamily of Shem lived in Ur and its surroundings this should notcause surprise.

c. he looked in the liver of sacrificial victims—the Babylonian equiv-alent of reading the tea leaves!

It was a case of "the lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereofis of the LORD" (Prov. 16:23), although the king of Babylon knew it not. Itwas to be the road to Jerusalem; against that city the might of Babylonwould be brought to bear in all the horrors of siege warfare described inverse 22. The people rejected Ezekiel's warning —it was to them a false

"Probably each of the arrows had the name of a city marked on it. The arrowswere then drawn as lots" (Kay).e.g. A. R. Fausset, Critical and Explanatory Pocket Bible, vol. 2, p. 535 and,W. Cooke, The Shekinah, p. 410.If this connection between "teraphim" and "seraphim" is correct then the primarymeaning of "teraphim" is not images or household gods, but they refer torepresentations of the cherubim comparable to those in the tabernacle. Thiswould render more intelligible such scriptures as Judges 17:5; 18:5, 14-31; Hos.3:4; and Gen. 31:19. It is easy to see how the "images" (Heb. teraphim) of2 Kings 23:24 could refer to a form of idolatry which copied the figures on theark in the temple and worshipped the pattern itself, not appreciating that towhich it pointed.

Ezekiel 21 213

25 And thou, profane wicked prince ofIsrael, whose day is come, wheniniquity [shall have] an end,26 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Removethe diadem, and take off the crown:this [shall] not [be] the same: exalt[him that is] low, and abase [him thatis] high.27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn,it: and it shall be no [more], until hecome whose right it is; and I will giveit [him].


divination; not because they trusted in God's ability to save them, butbecause they had sworn oaths (v. 23) of allegiance to Egypt (Jer. 37:5-7).Their iniquity... transgressions... and sins (all those things removed on theday of Atonement, Lev. 16:21) being unconfessed, their guilt being beyonddispute, therefore the outcome was certain—Ye shall be taken with thehand (v. 24).

5. Against the prince of Judah (v. 25-27)

The effects of the sword of Yahweh comingagainst Judah are considered in these well-known verses. The profane wicked princeaddressed is Zedekiah. He was the one ofwhom the people spoke in verse 10 whenthey said with mirth, 'The sword destroyJudah! Never! If it did it would be dealingwith the sceptre of my son (Judah) as withthe kings of the ordinary Gentile nations.'Zedekiah was the one who held the sceptre. Itshall be no more (v. 27) reminds us of verse13 where, speaking of the sceptre, it was saidlikewise, "It shall be no more!"

The time had come to make an end of sin—the cup of iniquity was full(v. 25), and so, Remove the diadem (Heb. mitsnepheth, 'the priestly mitre'as in Exod. 28:4 etc.) and take off the crown (Heb. atarah, 'the king'scrown' as in Jer. 13:18). The coming judgements would bring the end ofkingly rule and priestly function. The utter devastation to be visited uponthe Kingdom of Judah is conveyed in the words / will overturn, overturn,overturn it(\. 27). The Kingdom being overturned it would be no moreuntil he come whose right it is (v. 27). The coming judgements, whichwould abase him that is high (v. 26) would pave the way in theoutworking of the purpose of God for the exalting of him that is low. Theword low in the Hebrew is shaphal and the connection between this oneand the one described as "the basest (Heb. shephal) of men" who is toinherit the kingdom of men (Dan. 4:17) is not difficult to see. The wordsused in Ezekiel ("exalt him that is low") are the same as those used byMary in her Psalm— "He hath put down the mighty from their seats, andexalted them of low degree" (Luke 1:52), by which we are encouraged toshare with the Lord in his lowliness that we might be exalted with him.

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He...whose right it is refers of course to Messiah — "my son" of2 Samuel 7:14. Ezekiel again appears to be alluding to Jacob's prophecy ofGenesis 49:10 where "Shiloh" means, according to several Hebraists, "Hewhose right it is".1 The kingly crown and the priestly mitre were thus to beremoved, but when the time of restoration came / will give it him (v. 27).The restored nation with its rulership and priesthood would be given toMessiah. Thus there is implied in the verse 27 the fact that in the person ofhe "whose right it is" there would be united both kingship and priesthood atthe time of the restoration. This of course, is confirmed by other prophets,e.g. he "shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon histhrone" (Zech. 6:13).2

Concerning Genesis 49:10, J. H. Hertz, Pentateuch and Haftorahs, says "Theexplanations of this verse, especially of the Hebrew words [translated 'untilShiloh come'] is very difficult" (p. 185). H. Browne, Genesis, Speaker'sCommentary, Vol. 1, p. 228, points out that the rendering of the word shiloh as'He whose right it is' has "the almost unanimous consent of the versions andTargums". G. J. Spurrell, Notes on the Text of the Book of Genesis, p. 381,having gone into great detail in considering the various translations says, "Thisis the only one that is based on any definite evidence". A. P. Ross, A Guide tothe Study and Exposition of Genesis, p. 703 favours this translation comment-ing, "The sceptre—that is, the Theocratic administration—would remain in thetribe of Judah until the one comes to whom it belongs." D. J. Wiseman, Genesis,p. 218 directs attention to the RSV translation—"until he come to whom itbelongs"—and says, "The latter, elliptical though it is, seems to be taken up andinterpreted by Ezekiel 21:26f in words addressed to the last king of Judah..."

Zechariah 6:13 would appear to be a reference to Psalm 110:

(1)

(2)

(3)

"He...shall sit...

"And rule upon his throne

"And he shall be a priest upon hisThrone..."

Sit thou at my right hand (v. 1)

Rule thou in the midst of thineenemies (v. 2)

Thou art a priest for ever after theorder of Melchizedek (v. 4)

If this be so then the "sitting" in Zechariah does not refer to Jesus sitting onDavid's throne but to his sitting at God's right hand. Thus the order of events inZechariah is:(1) "He shall bear the glory"—the ministry of Jesus (John 1:14; 17:22 etc.).(2) "He shall sit"—his resurrection and ascension (Acts 2:33, RVmg; Heb. 1:3,

13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2).(3) "And rule upon his throne"—his second coming (Luke 1:32).

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6. The fate of the Ammonites(v. 28-32)

The restoration of Israel at the hand ofMessiah stands in marked contrast to the fateof the Ammonites who were the perpetualenemies of God's people. "Thou shalt be forfuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midstof the land; thou shalt be no [more] re-membered' (v. 32).

Where are the Ammonites today? Theyhave disappeared, and their territory is oc-cupied by Arabs.1

Herein lies a message for us. The sins ofthose who are in covenant relationship withGod will not frustrate His purpose. TheKingdom will be established and the promisesfulfilled. The enemies of God's people willultimately be destroyed.

28 And thou, son of man, prophesyand say, Thus saith the Lord GODconcerning the Ammonites, andconcerning their reproach; even saythou, The sword, the sword [is] drawn:for the slaughter [it is] furbished, toconsume because of the glittering:29 Whiles they see vanity unto thee,whiles they divine a lie unto thee, tobring thee upon the necks of [them thatare] slain, of the wicked, whose day iscome, when their iniquity [shall have]an end.30 Shall I cause [it] to return into hissheath? I will judge thee in the placewhere thou wast created, in the land ofthy nativity.31 And I will pour out mineindignation upon thee, I will blowagainst thee in the fire of my wrath,and deliver thee into the hand ofbrutish men, [and] skilful to destroy.32 Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire;thy blood shall be in the midst of theland; thou shalt be no [more]remembered: for I the LORD havespoken [it].

The fate of the Ammonites is the subject of another prophecy by Ezekiel in25:1-7. For more detailed comment see that chapter. Some commentators seethe Ammonite here as referring to unfaithful Israel but the statement "thou shaltbe no more remembered" makes this untenable.

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Reprobate silver (22:1-31)This chapter is closely connected with the previous two, and enlarges uponthe present sins of Judah at the time the prophet was writing. It shows thatthe judgements previously announced were fully justified. The chapterconsists of three separate, but related, oracles each introduced with thephrase, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying...

Jerusalem—city of blood (v. 1-16)1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me,saying,2 Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thoujudge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all herabominations.3 Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The citysheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time maycome, and maketh idols against herself to defileherself.4 Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hastshed; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thouhast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near,and art come [even] unto thy years: therefore have Imade thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mockingto all countries.5 [Those that be] near, and [those that be] far fromthee, shall mock thee, [which art] infamous [and] muchvexed.6 Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in theeto their power to shed blood.7 In thee have they set light by father and mother: inthe midst of thee have they dealt by oppression withthe stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless andthe widow.8 Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hastprofaned my sabbaths.

9 In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and inthee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of theethey commit lewdness.10 In thee have they discovered their fathers' nakedness:in thee have they humbled her that was set apart forpollution.11 And one hath committed abomination with hisneighbour's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled hisdaughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled hissister, his father's daughter.12 In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hasttaken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gainedof thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me,saith the Lord GOD.13 Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thydishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy bloodwhich hath been in the midst of thee.14 Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong,in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD havespoken [it], and will do [it].15 And I will scatter thee among the heathen, anddisperse thee in the countries, and will consume thyfilthiness out of thee.16 And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in thesight of the heathen, and thou shalt know that I [am] theLORD.

As in 20:4, Wilt thou judge (v. 2) is an impatient imperative and means'you most certainly will judge the city of blood'. The prophet was topronounce judgement on Jerusalem, to cause her to know all herabominations (v. 2, RV). Just as God had waited until the Amorites filledup the cup of their iniquity (Gen. 15:13-16) so there was a time limitimposed on sinful Israel. So, the city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, thather time may come (v. 3), and thou hast caused thy days to draw near,and art come [even] unto thy years (v. 4). This was because Jerusalem wasa city of blood (v. 2, RV). No less than seven times in these sixteen versesthis connection is emphasized by the use of the word blood.

The sins which led God to speak of Jerusalem (representative of thepeople in the land) as a city of bloodshed (v. 2, NIV) were not confined to

217


murder and manslaughter, but fall into four groups of transgressions ofGod's law. The following table summarizes this section and references aregiven to the various laws referred to.

Ezekiel 22

1. v. 4-5

2. v. 6-8

3. v. 9-11

4. v. 12-13

Sin

They had shed blood by:

idolatrous worship

The princes in her had shed blood by:

making light by father and mother,

oppressing the stranger,

wronging the fatherless and widow,

despising holy things,

profaning the Sabbath

Slanderous men had shed blood by:

eating on the mountains committinglewdness,

discovering their father's nakedness,

humbling the unclean woman,

committing adultery

defiling the daughter in law,

by committing incest

They had shed blood by:

taking bribes,

taking usury and increase,

gaining from neighbours by extortion.i.e. by oppression

Teaching of the Law

Exod. 20:3-5Lev. 19:4

Exod. 20:12;Lev. 19:3; 20:9

Exod. 22:21Lev. 19:33

Exod. 22:22;Deut. 24:17

Lev. 22:2 etc

Lev. 19:30;Exod. 31:13-14

Deut. 18:9; 12:30;Lev. 18:28-29

Lev. 18:7

Lev. 18:19

Lev. 18:20; 20:10

Lev. 20:12

Lev. 18:9; 20:17

Exod. 23:8; Deut.16:19

Exod. 22:25; Lev.25:36

Exod. 22:21; Deut.23:16

Why is it that such a wide range of sins is associated with blood? In thescriptures blood is representative of life taken violently. After Cain hadkilled Abel, God said, "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me

218 Ezekiel 22

Reprobate silver (22)

from the ground" (Gen. 4:10). Judgement followed. In Noah's day the sonsof God (the unfaithful Sethites) had mingled with the descendants of Cainand filled the earth with violence (Gen. 6:11). Like Abel's blood theirviolence came up before God, and judgement followed. So in Ezekiel's dayall the sins catalogued in this chapter are sins of violence. Some of them(for example, idolatry) involved actual blood shedding, but all of them ledto oppression and violence—and therefore like Abel's blood, this violencecried out from the wicked city for judgement.

The underlying cause of Israel's sin was thou hast forgotten me(v. 12)—as Deuteronomy 32:18 predicted they would. The anger of Godthere foretold because of their abominations (32:16) was about to berevealed—/ will scatter thee among the nations and disperse thee in thecountries, and will consume thy filthiness out ofthee. And thou shalt beprofaned in thyself, in the sight of the nations; and thou shalt know that Iam the LORD (v.15-16, RV).

Israel in the furnace (v. 17-22)

With a slight variation on a well-knownprophetic analogy Ezekiel now expands on thecoming judgements. Isaiah had spoken ofIsrael in his day—"How is the faithful citybecome an harlot! it was full of judgement;righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixedwith water..." (Isa. 1:21-22).

The refining of silver was accomplished bya two-fold process. Initially the ore wasmelted in a furnace and the metallic extractrun out and separated from the slag. The slagor dross contained small amounts of silvertogether with the sulphides of copper, tin,iron, lead, and other impurities. As far asIsrael was concerned the metallic extractcontaining most of the silver had already beentaken away by the fire of the previouscaptivities. What was left in the land was thedross with its small amount of silver and large amount of impurities. It isthis impure dross which appears to be under consideration in these verses —Israel is to me become dross...(v. 18). Jerusalem was to become like the

17 And the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,18 Son of man, the house of Israel is tome become dross: all they [are] brass,and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midstof the furnace; they are [even] thedross of silver.19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Because ye are all become dross,behold, therefore I will gather you intothe midst of Jerusalem.20 [As] they gather silver, and brass,and iron, and lead, and tin, into themidst of the furnace, to blow the fireupon it, to melt [it]; so will I gather[you] in mine anger and in my fury,and I will leave [you there], and meltyou.21 Yea, I will gather you, and blowupon you in the fire of my wrath, andye shall be melted in the midst thereof.22 As silver is melted in the midst ofthe furnace, so shall ye be melted inthe midst thereof; and ye shall knowthat I the LORD have poured out myfury upon you.

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smelter's furnace when God's wrath would blow the fire upon it (v. 20),like the bellows heating up the dross to melting point in the forlorn hopethat a small amount of silver could be retrieved.

A similar figure is employed in Zechariah 13:9 and Malachi 3:2, 3, butthere the emphasis is on the final product—the purified remnant. Here inEzekiel the emphasis is on the fact that there was very little silver in themidst of the impure dross, and that more intense heat than normal would berequired to extract it.

The second part of the refining process —the further refining of themetallic extract separated during the first melting of the ore was takingplace in Babylon. This final stage of purification would ultimately producea remnant eager to return to the land at the end of the 70 years' captivity.For the most part those in the land of Israel at the time of Ezekiel werecalled "rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them" (Jer. 6:30,NASB).

No rain on the land (v. 23-31)

There are few problems of exposition in thisfinal section, and little comment is required.God had promised His people —"If ye walk inmy statutes, and keep my commandments, anddo them; then I will give you rain in dueseason... (Lev. 26:3-4; see Deut. 11:13-14).But in the day of indignation (v. 24) Judahwould be a land not cleansed, nor rainedupon (v. 24) or, with Roth., a land "that is notto be rained upon, nor to receive fruitfulshowers" —which could only be because thepeople were exceedingly sinful. It should benoted that prophets (v. 25 is rendered"princes"1 by the RSV). This is most probablycorrect for the prophets are referred to in theirturn in verse 28. The RSV in this case follows the LXX, which presumablywas made from a Hebrew manuscript that read nasi (prince) instead of navi(prophet, as in our text). If this were accepted, then the prophet Ezekiel

23 And the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,24 Son of man, say unto her, Thou[art] the land that is not cleansed, norrained upon in the day of indignation.25 [There is] a conspiracy of herprophets in the midst thereof, like aroaring lion ravening the prey; theyhave devoured souls; they have takenthe treasure and precious things; theyhave made her many widows in themidst thereof.26 Her priests have violated my law,and have profaned mine holy things:they have put no difference betweenthe holy and profane, neither have theyshewed [difference] between theunclean and the clean, and have hidtheir eyes from my sabbaths, and I amprofaned among them.

1 The RSV rendering, "Her princes in the midst of her are like a roaring liontearing the prey", together with Proverbs 28:15, makes an interesting commen-tary on the frequently wrested scripture, 1 Peter 5:8.

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Reprobate silver (22)

once again emphasizes the sinfulness of thepeople of Israel at all levels. The princes(v. 25),priests (v. 26), nobles^ (or "officials",NIV, NJV) (v. 27), prophets (v. 28) andpeople (v. 29) were all guilty of flagrantdisregard for the laws of God and wantonpursuit of their own selfish ends. Thereforethere would be no rain.

With this prophecy should be comparedEzekiel's later prophecy of restoration. "I willcause the shower to come down in hisseason..." (34:26), which will be when "myservant David...shall be their shepherd"(34:23). But that was very much in the future;for, in the days of Ezekiel, says God, / soughtfor a man among them, that should make upthe hedge, and stand in the gap2 before mefor the land, that I should not destroy it: butI found none (v. 30).

The indignation of God to be poured out upon them would be arecompense for them walking in their own way (v. 31) instead of followingthe appeal of God through the prophets.

27 Her princes in the midst thereof[are] like wolves ravening the prey, toshed blood, [and] to destroy souls, toget dishonest gain.28 And her prophets have daubed themwith untempered [morter], seeingvanity, and divining lies unto them,saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD,when the LORD hath not spoken.29 The people of the land have usedoppression, and exercised robbery, andhave vexed the poor and needy: yea,they have oppressed the strangerwrongfully.30 And I sought for a man amongthem, that should make up the hedge,and stand in the gap before me for theland, that I should not destroy it: but Ifound none.31 Therefore have I poured out mineindignation upon them; I haveconsumed them with the fire of mywrath: their own way have Irecompensed upon their heads, saiththe Lord GOD.

Heb. sarim, rendered "princes" in the AV, but it does not necessarily denotepeople of royal descent.Jeremiah was not allowed to "stand in the gap" or intercede for them (Jer.11:14). He was God's representative making the search to see if there was sucha man (Jer. 5:1).

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The parable of Aholah and Aholibah(23:1-49)Chapter 23 consists of a parable in which, in very explicit language, theNorthern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah arepresented as God's unfaithful wives. The chapter bears many similaritiesthroughout with chapter 16 where the people of Jerusalem (Judah) werepresented as God's unfaithful bride, but the emphasis is different. There themain problem being highlighted by the prophet was the unfaithfulness ofJudah in turning aside to idols. Here it is the unfaithfulness of God's peoplein making political alliances, although as we shall see, the two were closelyinter-related.

God's two wives (v. 1-4)

Aholah and Aholibah were sisters who arepresented as being married to Yahweh.Aholah represents the Northern Kingdom ofIsrael (or Ephraim) with its capital city ofSamaria. She is the "elder", or morecorrectly "greater", for she has ten tribes.Aholibah represents the Kingdom of Judahwith its capital city of Jerusalem. The samefigure of God being married to these twowomen is used in Jeremiah 3:6-10, whichshould be compared with this chapter. Theconception of God being married to Hispeople is one that we examined in somedetail in the consideration of Ezekiel 16. Sons and daughters (v. 4) wereborne to God by both woman-kingdoms. For example, even in the sinfulNorthern Kingdom in the time of Elijah there were seven thousand who hadnot bowed the knee to Baal—they were God's children. At the time thisprophecy was given there were still some faithful men such as Ezekiel andJeremiah in Judah. These too were God's children.

These two women are expressly stated to be the daughters of onemother (v. 2). From chapter 16 we have already learned concerning Judahthat her "mother was a Hittite", indicating that the life of the people ofJudah was essentially Canaanitish. They demonstrated these Canaanitishways from their national youth, for they committed whoredoms in Egypt

1 The word of the LORD came againunto me, saying,2 Son of man, there were two women,the daughters of one mother:3 And they committed whoredoms inEgypt; they committed whoredoms intheir youth: there were their breastspressed, and there they bruised theteats of their virginity.4 And the names of them [were]Aholah the elder, and Aholibah hersister: and they were mine, and theybare sons and daughters. Thus [were]their names; Samaria [is] Aholah, andJerusalem Aholibah.

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The parable of Aholah and Aholibah (23)

(v. 3). Chapter 20 pointed out that all Israel had been seduced by Egyptianidolatry. Although when in Egypt "they sighed by reason of the bondage"(Exod. 2:23), their miraculous deliverance by Yahweh did not cure thenation's longing for things Egyptian. Their making of the golden calf—arepresentation of the Egyptian deity Apis (Exod. 32:4), their subsequentrebellion and longing for the things of Egypt, and an expressed desire toreturn to Egypt (Num. 14:2-4; 20:2-5) when God was putting them to thetest "to prove [them], to know what was in [their] heart" (Deut. 8:2), allshow that this was so. Given the opportunity, they would have gone backagain to that pagan nation because their desire for Egypt and its gods wasgreater than their desire for Yahweh their God.

The names, as always in Hebrew, have meanings. Aholah means 'herown tent' and Aholibah 'my tent [is] in her' ^ and no doubt the names referto the forms of worship carried out in each Kingdom. In the NorthernKingdom there was the system established by Jeroboam the son ofNebat—'her own tent' (1 Kings 12:31-33), whereas in Judah was the placewhich God chose for His habitation (Deut. 12:5; Psa. 132:13, 14)—God'stent was in her. In the context of this chapter another point is surely beingmade. These tents—representing the two forms of worship in Israel andJudah—are being compared with the tents set up for prostitution, for eventhe worship of Yahweh in Jerusalem, as seen later in this chapter, becamethe centre of Judah's unfaithfulness.

One point needs to be stressed. In this chapter God is presented asmarrying two wives who were sisters. To marry two sisters was contrary tothe Law (Lev. 18:18). Thus we cannot argue from what is a parabolicpresentation of the situation that existed between God and His people andsay, 'Because God in the parable presents Himself as doing this thereforeHis people are permitted to do the same thing', for as we have seen it wasexpressly forbidden by the Law.

Aholah's wantonness and punishment (v. 5-8)Even though from the beginning the Northern Kingdom of Israel, followingJeroboam, established her own priesthood and system of worship, andsubsequently in the time of Ahab brought Baal to occupy the centre of herreligious life, yet God did not forsake them.

1 In view of the statement in ch. 16—"Thy mother was a Hittite" (16:20, RV)—there could well be in these names a reference to Aholibamah (= my tent is ahigh place), Esau's Canaanitish wife, thus emphasizing the apostasy of Israel.

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5 And Aholah played the harlot whenshe was mine; and she doted on herlovers, on the Assyrians [her]neighbours,6 [Which were] clothed with blue,captains and rulers, all of themdesirable young men, horsemen ridingupon horses.7 Thus she committed her whoredomswith them, with all them [that were]the chosen men of Assyria, and withall on whom she doted: with all theiridols she defiled herself.8 Neither left she her whoredoms[brought] from Egypt: for in her youththey lay with her, and they bruised thebreasts of her virginity, and pouredtheir whoredom upon her.

He describes their Kingdom as mine (v. 5)and as the books of Kings show clearly,God, by sending His prophets, sought toshow this people the error of their ways(2 Chron. 36:15-16; Jer. 25:3, 4; 26:5). Butshe played the harlot. The harlotry referredto in this chapter is that of forming politicalalliances with fleshly nations. It is the atti-tude which even in the time of Samuel said,"Make us a king to judge us like all thenations" (1 Sam. 8:5), thereby showing alack of confidence in God's ability to rule.To seek help from Assyria as the NorthernKingdom had done was to say that they hadno confidence in God's ability to save.

Israel's Assyrian lover and her inordinate relationship with him is de-scribed in verses 5-7. Hosea refers to this folly of the Northern Kingdom inchapter 8:9—"for they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself:Ephraim hath hired lovers" (see also 5:3; 7:11; 12:1). Examples are to befound historically in 2 Kings 15:19, when Menahem formed an alliancewith Pul, and 2 Kings 17:3, which speaks of the alliance made by Hoshea,who bought off Shalmaneser of Assyria and "became his servant, and gavehim presents". However, Israel's relationship with Assyria had commencedmuch earlier than either of these events. Although there is no Biblicalrecord of it, the black obelisk of Shalmaneser III (overleaf), which is in theBritish Museum, has a picture of Jehu kneeling before the Assyrianemperor followed by Israelites bearing gifts.

Political alliance so often led to (or was preceded by) religious alliance;and so verse 7 says, with all their idols she defiled herself. It is interestingto note, in this connection, on the photograph of the black obelisk, that inthe picture of Jehu bowing to Shalmaneser (opposite the arrow) theAssyrian monarch is offering a libation to his gods, and incense is beingoffered by his companions. So Jehu was a party to this. Thus furtherapostasy was added to the whoredoms brought from Egypt (v. 8); that isthe worship of Apis with whom Israel committed fornication in the desertand which Jeroboam the son of Nebat introduced at the beginning of theNorthern Kingdom (1 Kings 12:28). The ten tribes never forsook thisparticular form of idolatry and Jehu at the time of his outlawing of Baalworship allowed the worship of the calves to continue (2 Kings 10:25-31).

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The top picture on the obelisk(which is enlarged below) showsJehu, King of Israel, kneelingbefore Shalmaneser III king ofAssyria.

The inscription on the stonereads—"Tribute of Jehu, son ofOmri. Silver, gold, a golden bowl,a golden beaker, golden goblets,pitchers of gold, lead, staves forthe hand of the king, javelins Ireceived from him."

The black obelisk of Shalmaneser III

The punishment of Aholah (v. 9-10)

The judgement of the Northern Kingdom isparabolically described in verses 9-10. Israelwas delivered.. into the hand of her lovers(v. 9) in 722 BC when Hoshea was dethroned

9 Wherefore I have delivered her intothe hand of her lovers, into the hand ofthe Assyrians, upon whom she doted.10 These discovered her nakedness:they took her sons and her daughters,and slew her with the sword: and shebecame famous among women; forthey had executed judgment upon her.

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and the ten tribes carried captive into Assyria (2 Kings 17:4-6).

Aholibah's sin (v. 11)11 And when her sister Aholibah saw[this], she was more corrupt in herinordinate love than she, and in herwhoredoms more than her sister in[her] whoredoms.

Aholibah, the Southern Kingdom, ruled overby Hezekiah at the time of Aholah'sjudgement, should have taken heed andmended her ways. Instead she became morecorrupt. Jeremiah likewise noted Judah'sfolly—when "backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away,and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not,but went and played the harlot also" (Jer. 3:8).

Judah's lovers as given by the prophet, are listed below, together with thehistorical events referred to.

(a) Assyria (v. 12-13)

The Assyrians are said to be neighbours(v. 12) of Judah. The word can mean one ofthree things: 'near of place, near of time ornear of personal relationship' (Ges. OnlineBible). Asshur was the brother of Arphaxad,the latter being one of the ancestors ofAbraham (Gen. 10:22; 11:10-26). The military organization of Assyriamade Judah envious and led to a desire torely on flesh rather than on the armies of theliving God. This resulted in such alliances asthat made by Ahaz with Tiglath-pileser inorder to ward off the king of Syria (2 Kings16:7-10; cp. Isa. 7:3-17 and 2 Chron. 28:20).

12 She doted upon the Assyrians [her]neighbours, captains and rulers clothedmost gorgeously, horsemen ridingupon horses, all of them desirableyoung men.13 Then I saw that she was defiled,[that] they [took] both one way,

(b) Babylon (v. 14-18)

The reference is no doubt to the friendshipshown by Hezekiah to Merodach-baladan, asrecorded in 2 Kings 20:12-13. The words ofEzekiel 23:16 indicate that the move to makethe alliance was not one-sided—Judah rushedheadlong into it, receiving in consequence theterrible prophecy of the future Babylonianinvasion (2 Kings 20:17-18).

14 And [that] she increased herwhoredoms: for when she saw menpourtrayed upon the wall, the imagesof the Chaldeans pourtrayed withvermilion,15 Girded with girdles upon theirloins, exceeding in dyed attire upontheir heads, all of them princes to lookto, after the manner of the Babyloniansof Chaldea, the land of their nativity:16 And as soon as she saw them withher eyes she doted upon them, and sentmessengers unto them into Chaldea,17 And the Babylonians came to herinto the bed of love, and they defiledher with their whoredom, and she waspolluted with them, and her mind wasalienated from them.18 So she discovered her whoredoms,and discovered her nakedness: then mymind was alienated from her, like asmy mind was alienated from her sister.

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19 Yet she multiplied her whoredoms,in calling to remembrance the days ofher youth, wherein she had played theharlot in the land of Egypt.20 For she doted upon their paramours,whose flesh [is as] the flesh of asses,and whose issue [is like] the issue ofhorses.

21 Thus thou calledst to remembrancethe lewdness of thy youth, in bruisingthy teats by the Egyptians for the papsof thy youth.

(c) Egypt (v. 19-21)

In verse 19 the phrase in calling to remem-brance the days of her youth, shouldperhaps be understood in the sense ofreliving, or repeating the folly of her youth,and the reference is to the frequent overturesmade by Judah to Egypt. We have earlierreferred to the oaths of allegiance made byZedekiah to Egypt, which were to proveuseless (Ezek. 21:23; Jer. 37:5-7). Jehoiakimhad also formed an association with Egypt which did not protect him fromNebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 23:34-24:1). (See also Isa. 30:1-2; 31:1; Jer.2:18; and note especially Lam. 4:17).

The punishment of Aholibah (v. 22-43)

(a) The Babylonians to come against her(22-27)

As in the case of Aholah (the NorthernKingdom), so with Aholibah (Judah); herlovers were to be her judges. Sated with herinordinate passion, her heart became alien-ated (v. 22) from Babylon firstly whenJehoiakim rebelled against Nebuchadnezzaras recorded in 2 Kings 24:1 and later whenZedekiah likewise rebelled (2 Kings 24:20).

The invasion recorded in 2 Kings24:11-17 was the result of the first of these"alienations", and the final devastation ofJudah (2 Kings 25:1-17) was the result ofthe second. It is to this final invasion thatEzekiel refers in verses 22-27. The armiesof Babylon with those of her vassal statesPekod, Shoa, Koa1 (Aramean tribes from the

22 Therefore, Ο Aholibah, thus saiththe Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise upthy lovers against thee, from whom thymind is alienated, and I will bring themagainst thee on every side;23 The Babylonians, and all theChaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa,[and] all the Assyrians with them: allof them desirable young men, captainsand rulers, great lords and renowned,all of them riding upon horses.24 And they shall come against theewith chariots, wagons, and wheels, andwith an assembly of people, [which]shall set against thee buckler andshield and helmet round about: and Iwill set judgment before them, andthey shall judge thee according to theirjudgments.25 And I will set my jealousy againstthee, and they shall deal furiously withthee: they shall take away thy nose andthine ears; and thy remnant shall fallby the sword: they shall take thy sonsand thy daughters; and thy residueshall be devoured by the fire.

Pekod (which means 'retribution') appears to be used by Jeremiah (50:21) as asymbolic name for Babylon. It is possible that Pekod together with Shoa('crying') and Koa (from a Hebrew root meaning 'to wound') are here used byEzekiel both symbolically and literally. The combined Babylonian armiesinvading Judah would bring with them 'retribution', 'crying' and 'wounding'!

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26 They shall also strip thee out of thyclothes, and take away thy fair jewels.27 Thus will I make thy lewdness tocease from thee, and thy whoredom[brought] from the land of Egypt: sothat thou shalt not lift up thine eyesunto them, nor remember Egypt anymore.

east of the River Tigris) and Assyria, cameagainst Judah in the reign of the "wickedprince of Israel", Zedekiah, and utterlydestroyed her kingdom. It was a custom withthe pagan invaders that wives, who normallywore rings of gold in their noses and ears, ifthey were unfaithful, had their noses andears mutilated in punishment. So Judah theharlot nation was to be cruelly treated—they shall take away thy nose andthine ears (v. 25).

This disfigurement of the body politic of Judah was to be performed bythe fire and the sword of the divinely appointed Babylonian judge who wasto judge thee according to their judgements (v. 24) i.e. the way in whichthey normally dealt with errant wives. The stripping of her clothes and theremoving of her jewels (v. 26) may be a reference to the removal byNebuchadnezzar of the precious things of the temple (2 Kings 25:13-17;Dan. 5:3) which were the ornaments of God's bride-nation.

As a result of this final Babylonian invasion thy lewdness.. and thywhoredom [brought] from the land of Egypt (v. 27) were to cease. Thetendency towards idolatry manifested persistently from the time of theExodus was to be eradicated. It is historical fact that following theBabylonian invasion and the subsequent restoration Israel, although se-duced by Gentile philosophy, never again turned aside to idols.

(b) The reason why her lovers cameagainst her (28-31)

This section (v. 30) clearly states the point,which we have already made, that politicalalliances were usually associated withreligious apostasy. This is demonstrated byreference to the black obelisk ofShalmaneser III. To separate the two, exceptfor emphasis, is artificial. The result of thejudgement is that Judah became naked andbare (v. 29), which was her state when inthe bondage of Egypt (16:7).

28 For thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, I will deliver thee into thehand [of them] whom thou hatest, intothe hand [of them] from whom thymind is alienated:29 And they shall deal with theehatefully, and shall take away all thylabour, and shall leave thee naked andbare: and the nakedness of thywhoredoms shall be discovered, boththy lewdness and thy whoredoms.30 I will do these [things] unto thee,because thou hast gone a whoring afterthe heathen, [and] because thou artpolluted with their idols.31 Thou hast walked in the way of thysister; therefore will I give her cup intothine hand.

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(c) Aholah's cup to be given to Aholibah (32-35)

Because of her loathsome unfaithfulness thecup which God had given Samaria to drinkwas to be given to Jerusalem also (v. 32).The figure is a common one in scripture.This cup is given by God (Jer. 25:15) andcontains the judgements of the Almightyupon the nation that drinks it (Jer. 49:12).Politically that nation reels to and fro (Isa.24:20), is made naked, and covered withvomit (Hab. 2:16). Some even drink them-selves to death and become as though theyhad not been (Obadiah 16). Of this cup Sa-maria had supped, and ceased to exist; Judahwas about to drink the very dregs (v. 34).

32 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thoushalt drink of thy sister's cup deep andlarge: thou shalt be laughed to scornand had in derision; it containethmuch.33 Thou shalt be filled withdrunkenness and sorrow, with the cupof astonishment and desolation, withthe cup of thy sister Samaria.34 Thou shalt even drink it and suck[it] out, and thou shalt break the sherdsthereof, and pluck off thine ownbreasts: for I have spoken [it], saith theLord GOD.35 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Because thou hast forgotten me, andcast me behind thy back, therefore bearthou also thy lewdness and thywhoredoms.

who would have providedin the land—was killed by

The act of intoxicated madness referred toin verse 34, pluck off thine own breasts,may well refer to the way in which Gedaliah—sustenance and strength to the tiny remnant leftIshmael after the Babylonian invasion (Jer. 41:2).

Recapitulation (v. 36-49)This final section recapitulates that which has already been set forth,enlarging on some of the details. Only brief notes are necessary.

(a) Verses 36-37. The adultery of the twowomen was associated with idolatry ofthe grossest kind, even to the extent ofoffering their children in sacrifice totheir gods.This practice has previously beenreferred to by the prophet in 16:21 and20:26. On each occasion the phrase"cause to pass" is used. In the Hebrewthis is one word {abar , meaning 'topass', as well as several other nuances).The same word is found in Exoduscommanded to "set apart (Heb. abar) unto

36 The LORD said moreover unto me;Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholahand Aholibah? yea, declare unto themtheir abominations;37 That they have committed adultery,and blood [is] in their hands, and withtheir idols have they committedadultery, and have also caused theirsons, whom they bare unto me, to passfor them through [the fire], to devour[them].

13:12 where Israel wasthe LORD" all the firstborn

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38 Moreover this they have done untome: they have defiled my sanctuary inthe same day, and have profaned mysabbaths.39 For when they had slain theirchildren to their idols, then they camethe same day into my sanctuary toprofane it; and, lo, thus have they donein the midst of mine house.

whether man or beast. The offering of the firstborn (Ezek. 20:26) topagan deities was a terrible transgression of this divine obligation.

(b) Verses 38-39. God's sanctuary in Judahwas desecrated by their unfaithfulness,the people entering it on the same day(v. 38) in which they had participated inthe offering of child sacrifices. God'sSabbaths, the sign of the covenantpeople, were thus profaned.Although in reverse order, in the sameway their forebears in the wilderness"offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings"—They "satdown to eat and drink" at Yahweh's table—and then "rose up to play"before their idols (Exod. 32:6; 1 Cor. 10:7). Thus on that occasion,too, God's feast was profaned.

(c) Verses 40-44. Like a harlot withpainted eyes (cf. Jer. 4:30, RSV),Aholibah (Judah alone now appears tobe the subject of the prophecy) reclineson her couch (v.41; cf. Prov. 7:16)sending messengers to bring in herclients: from the mighty Babylonians(v. 40) who came with their treasures,to the riff-raff from the desert whoassembled with their trinkets (v. 42).With her on the very harlot's couch wasYahweh's incense and...oil (v. 41).They were there as mere forms ofworship that were not in any wayinfluencing her actions—a form ofgodliness, but denying the powerthereof.

40 And furthermore, that ye have sentfor men to come from far, unto whoma messenger [was] sent; and, lo, theycame: for whom thou didst washthyself, paintedst thy eyes, anddeckedst thyself with ornaments,41 And satest upon a stately bed, and atable prepared before it, whereuponthou hast set mine incense and mineoil.42 And a voice of a multitude being atease [was] with her: and with the menof the common sort [were] broughtSabeans from the wilderness, whichput bracelets upon their hands, andbeautiful crowns upon their heads.43 Then said I unto [her that was] oldin adulteries, Will they now commitwhoredoms with her, and she [withthem]?44 Yet they went in unto her, as theygo in unto a woman that playeth theharlot: so went they in unto Aholahand unto Aholibah, the lewd women.(d) Verses 45-49. Under the Law the

adulteress was stoned (Lev. 20:10). Soin this final section the punishment of this unfaithful people ispresented under this figure (v. 47). The judgement stones would bethrown by the Babylonian armies, but verse 45 says, the righteousmen., .shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses. If this refersto the Babylonian armies then it can only be in the sense that they, as

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opposed to Zedekiah, had right on theirside (cf. 17:15, 16), or, that they wereinstruments through which God's right-eousness would be displayed. Morelikely the righteous men were the fewfaithful who "sigh and that cry for allthe abominations that be done in themidst thereof (9:4). By their prayersthey brought God's judgements uponthe wicked nation.1

All women (v. 48) are to take heed of thefate of these two women. What powerful ex-hortation there is for those who have beencalled to be the bride of Christ, in the recordof the terrible unfaithfulness of God's peopleset out in this chapter. Let us take to heartthe lessons that this prophecy contains sothat it will not be said of us as it was saidbrethren—

45 And the righteous men, they shalljudge them after the manner ofadulteresses, and after the manner ofwomen that shed blood; because they[are] adulteresses, and blood [is] intheir hands.46 For thus saith the Lord GOD; I willbring up a company upon them, andwill give them to be removed andspoiled.47 And the company shall stone themwith stones, and dispatch them withtheir swords; they shall slay their sonsand their daughters, and burn up theirhouses with fire.48 Thus will I cause lewdness to ceaseout of the land, that all women may betaught not to do after your lewdness.49 And they shall recompense yourlewdness upon you, and ye shall bearthe sins of your idols: and ye shallknow that I [am] the Lord GOD.

of some of our first century

"Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity withGod? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself anenemy of God" (James 4:4, RV).

1 With this should be compared the similar situation in Israel in apostolic times.Concerning those days, in the parable of the unjust judge, the Lord said, "shallnot God avenge (from the Gk. ekdikeo) his own elect, which cry day and nightunto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge (from theGk. ekdikeo) them speedily" (Luke 18:7-8). This refers to the judgement of thatunfaithful nation by the Romans. Jesus referring to that coming judgement said,"These be the days of vengeance (Gk. ekdikesis)" (Luke 21:22). Thus theRoman judgement came as a result of the "righteous men" (God's own elect)crying day and night to Him in prayer. [On this see J. Thomas, Last Days ofJudah's Commonwealth, Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, vol. 9, p.149, and J. Allfree, The Lord's Mount Olivet Prophecy, page 40.]

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The fall of Jerusalem (24:1-27)Chapter 24 marks the turning point in Ezekiel's prophecies to the exiles. Itis his final message concerning the inevitable judgement of Jerusalem andthe people of Judah in the land, given at the very time that this judgementwas commencing.

After brief introductory details (v. 1, 2), the chapter consists of theparable of the boiling caldron (v. 3-14) and then the account of the death ofthe prophet's wife, which provided the basis for a message to the people.Finally there is a message from God for Ezekiel himself (v. 25-27).

The siege begins (v. 1-2)

This prophecy was received by Ezekiel anddelivered to his fellow exiles in Babylon inthe ninth year, in the tenth month, in the

•̂ saying,

tenth [day] of the month (v. 1)—just twoyears and five months after the prophecyfound in chapter 20 (see 20:1). The years ofJehoiachin's captivity, which Ezekiel uses todate his prophecies, correspond to the yearsof Zedekiah's reign. This was the very day that Nebuchadnezzar began thesiege of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1; Jer. 39:1; 52:4), which subsequently wascelebrated by the Jews as "the fast of the tenth" month (Zech. 8:19).

Ezekiel was to write down the name of the day (v. 2). Presumably thiswas so that when the news arrived in Babylon some months later about thecommencement of the siege on that very day, he could point to the writing,remind the exiles of his message, and thus convince them of the Divineorigin of his prophecies.

That this day was the beginning of the execution of God's judgements isemphasized by saying that the king of Babylon set himself againstJerusalem this same day (v. 2). The words translated set himself areliterally 'laid himself upon', and would remind the Israelites of the way inwhich witnesses of a crime were required to "lay (same word) their handsupon" the head of a blasphemer before he was stoned (Lev. 24:14).

1 Again in the ninth year, in the tenthmonth, in the tenth [day] of the month,the word of the LORD came unto me,

2 Son of man, write thee the name ofthe day, [even] of this same day: theking of Babylon set himself againstJerusalem this same day.

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The fall of Jerusalem (24)

The parable of the boiling caldron (v. 3-14)

The parable is related in verses 3-5,although further details are added as theinterpretation proceeds in verses 6-14.

The parable is related in verses 3-5,although further details are added as theinterpretation proceeds in verses 6-14.

The parable concerns a caldron, filled withwater and pieces of meat, which is placedupon a fire to boil until the pieces are wellcooked. The message is so plain and soobviously related to Ezekiel's previousprophecies that the exiles to whom he spokewould have had little difficulty in graspinghis message, although, in spite of itsurgency, it seems that they paid but littleheed.

In the Hebrew the word pot (v. 3,"caldron" RV) carries the definite article. Itwas the caldron—the caldron to which thepeople of Jerusalem themselves had referredwhen they said, "This city is the caldron, andwe be the flesh" (11:3). Jerusalem, then, wasthe caldron, as the prophet here confirms inverse 6 where he adds the detail that thecaldron had scum1 in it which according toverses 12-13 represented that sinfulness ofIsrael discussed in chapters 22 and 23.

The pieces of flesh in the caldron repre-sented the members (in the sense of 1 Cor.12:14) of the body politic of Israel. Evenevery good piece and the choice bones (v. 4)were to be in the caldron when it was placedon the fire—no doubt referring to the royal

3 And utter a parable unto therebellious house, and say unto them,Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot,set [it] on, and also pour water into it:4 Gather the pieces thereof into it,[even] every good piece, the thigh, andthe shoulder; fill [it] with the choicebones.5 Take the choice of the flock, andburn also the bones under it, [and]make it boil well, and let them seethethe bones of it therein.6 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Woe to the bloody city, to the potwhose scum [is] therein, and whosescum is not gone out of it! bring it outpiece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.7 For her blood is in the midst of her;she set it upon the top of a rock; shepoured it not upon the ground, to coverit with dust;8 That it might cause fury to come upto take vengeance; I have set her bloodupon the top of a rock, that it shouldnot be covered.9 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Woe to the bloody city! I will evenmake the pile for fire great.10 Heap on wood, kindle the fire,consume the flesh, and spice it well,and let the bones be burned.11 Then set it empty upon the coalsthereof, that the brass of it may be hot,and may burn, and [that] the filthinessof it may be molten in it, [that] thescum of it may be consumed.12 She hath wearied [herself] with lies,and her great scum went not forth outof her: her scum [shall be] in the fire.13 In thy filthiness [is] lewdness:because I have purged thee, and thouwast not purged, thou shalt not bepurged from thy filthiness any more,till I have caused my fury to rest uponthee.14 I the LORD have spoken [it]: itshall come to pass, and I will do [it]; Iwill not go back, neither will I spare,neither will I repent; according to thyways, and according to thy doings,shall they judge thee, saith the LordGOD.

1 RV "rust" is unlikely since it was a "brass" pot (v. 11).

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house, the priesthood, and others in authority.

The fire, as we have before noted, represented the judgements of Godupon Israel to be brought about by Nebuchadnezzar and his armies (cp.10:2; Deut. 32:22; Jer. 4:4; 15:14). In this parable it has special reference tothe siege of Jerusalem which, as we have seen, began on the day that theparable was uttered.

This invasion and siege would be final. There would be no lot (v. 6), atthe end of this conquest, which would decide who would go into captivityand who would stay behind, but the flesh would be taken out of the pot tobe consumed by God's judgements. The Israelitish blood shed by thewicked in that nation1 cried out like Abel's for vengeance (v. 7-9; see Gen.4:10, cf. Matt. 23:35; 27:25) and these were indeed "the days of vengeance,that all things which were written [concerning the Babylonian captivity]might be fulfilled".

The people having been taken out of the city, God had not finished withJerusalem, the city of blood. The caldron was to be set empty upon thecoals so that the brass might burn and the filthiness (cf. the dross of 22:19)and the scum be destroyed (v. 11).

This was Ezekiel's message to the exiles as Nebuchadnezzar's army wasengaged in the very act of building fortifications for the long siege ofJerusalem. The siege had commenced. The outcome was certain. / will notgo 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(v. 14).

There is even in this dramatic message of judgement upon this reprobatenation a reassuring note of the certainty of the fulfilment of God'spromises. God's repeated attempts at purging the filthy caldron (e.g. thereforms by Hezekiah and Josiah (2 Chron. 29:15, 18; 34:3-5) having cometo nothing thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till Ihave caused my fury to rest upon thee (v. 13). By using the word till2 we

1 Discussed in chapter 22.2 Compare: Ί will overturn, overturn, overturn, it...until..." (Ezek. 21:27),

"Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until..." (Luke 21:24),

"Whom the heaven must receive until..." (Acts 3:21).

All of them speak of the end of the down-treading of Israel, and her time ofrestoration under her Messiah.

234 Ezekiel 24

The fall of Jerusalem (24)

are given just a glimpse of the final purging [which is considered in detailin chapter 36:25, 33] as a result of which Israel will be reconciled to God.

Ezekiel's wife dies (v. 15-24)

The message of these verses is so plain thatlittle comment is required.

On the evening of the very day in whichhe gave to the exiles the parable of thecaldron, his wife (the desire of thine eyes,v. 16) was to die. The taking away of one sodear to him by a stroke (a sudden and fatalillness) was not to be marked in the usualway. There was to be no mourning, noweeping—no tears. His grief, which wouldbe very great, was to be entirely of theheart—"sigh but be silent" (v. 17, RVmg.)The normal customs of mourning were to beignored (v. 17) and his grief was to be hisown, and he mxxsl pine away (v. 23) withoutthe support and sympathy of fellowmourners.

He gave the parable to the people in themorning of the tenth day, and at even [his]wife died (v. 18). The next morning, full ofgrief within, he went about his normalbusiness. The exiles wanted to know thereason for this apparent lack of respect forhis wife. Ezekiel was a sign (v. 24) to them.Just as he had done, so they would do. Thesiege had commenced and the destruction ofthe city and sanctuary were certain. There, inJerusalem, was the sanctuary that in the AVis referred to as the excellency of yourstrength (v. 21), but in the RV is described as "pride of your power". Thesame words occur in Leviticus 26:19 where God predicted that rejection ofHis law would compel Him to "punish you seven times more for your sins.And I will break the pride of your power..." (Lev. 26:18-19). That timehad come. When the city fell, the sanctuary in which they placed suchsuperstitious trust was destroyed. The sanctuary afforded no protection to

15 Also the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,16 Son of man, behold, I take awayfrom thee the desire of thine eyes witha stroke: yet neither shalt thou mournnor weep, neither shall thy tears rundown.17 Forbear to cry, make no mourningfor the dead, bind the tire of thine headupon thee, and put on thy shoes uponthy feet, and cover not [thy] lips, andeat not the bread of men.18 So I spake unto the people in themorning: and at even my wife died;and I did in the morning as I wascommanded.19 And the people said unto me, Wiltthou not tell us what these [things are]to us, that thou doest [so]?20 Then I answered them, The word ofthe LORD came unto me, saying,21 Speak unto the house of Israel,Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, Iwill profane my sanctuary, theexcellency of your strength, the desireof your eyes, and that which your soulpitieth; and your sons and yourdaughters whom ye have left shall fallby the sword.22 And ye shall do as I have done: yeshall not cover [your] lips, nor eat thebread of men.23 And your tires [shall be] upon yourheads, and your shoes upon your feet:ye shall not mourn nor weep; but yeshall pine away for your iniquities, andmourn one toward another.24 Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign:according to all that he hath done shallye do: and when this cometh, ye shallknow that I [am] the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 24 235


the people of Judah, and the relatives of the exiles perished in the holocaustbrought upon them by the Babylonian army. Your sons and your daughterswhom ye have left [i.e. left behind] shall fall by the sword (v. 21). Then theexiles would be in the same position as Ezekiel—mourning the loss ofrelatives, the destruction of Jerusalem and, above all, the loss of the temple,"the pride of their power".

There could be no public expression of desire for the rebuilding andrestoration of Jerusalem, for that would be construed as treason in the statewhere they were exiled. Their grief must be theirs alone; they must mournone toward another. Again referring to Moses' prophecy, they would pineaway for [their] iniquities (v. 23); and Moses adds, "in your enemies'lands" (Lev. 26:39). This inward mourning for Jerusalem was written in thehearts of the nation. It was theirs alone, and could not be shared by thepeople among whom they were scattered; a private grief that would only beassuaged when Zion was resurrected from the dust.

A message to Ezekiel (v. 25-27)

In the concluding verses of this chapter theprophet himself is given a message fromGod. When the city of Jerusalem fell at theend of the long siege then an escapedmessenger from the city would bring thedreadful news. Ezekiel would then be nomore dumb (v. 27). We have alreadyconsidered the dumbness of the prophet(3:26) and noted that Ezekiel's dumbnesswas not an inability to speak, for even in thischapter he has told us, "I spake unto thepeople..." (v. 18), but rather an inability tomake the people understand the things ofGod. His dumbness was the result of their refusal to hear. But when all thathe had foretold came to pass he would be no longer dumb, for thefulfilment of his prophecies would demonstrate their truth and the peoplewould come to acknowledge that I am the LORD (v. 27). The fulfilment ofthis private message to Ezekiel is recorded in chapter 33.

25 Also, thou son of man, [shall it] not[be] in the day when I take from themtheir strength, the joy of their glory,the desire of their eyes, and thatwhereupon they set their minds, theirsons and their daughters,26 [That] he that escapeth in that dayshall come unto thee, to cause [thee] tohear [it] with [thine] ears?27 In that day shall thy mouth beopened to him which is escaped, andthou shalt speak, and be no moredumb: and thou shalt be a sign untothem; and they shall know that I [am]the LORD.

236 Ezekiel 24

SECTION 3

PROPHECIESAGAINST THENATIONS

chapters 25-32

IntroductionWith chapter 25 we begin the consideration of a new section of Ezekiel'sprophecies—a series of prophecies directed against Israel's neighbours.Some of them had been thorns in Israel's side from the time of the Exodus,and throughout her occupation of the land they proved to be a constantsource of trouble—leading them astray with their idols, and harassing themwith their armies. Israel was to receive God's judgement because she hadallowed herself to be led astray, and had not faithfully dealt with thesenations according to God's law. But these nations too were answerable toGod. They had been brought into a close relationship with His people, thedescendants of Abraham, the nation which even at the time of the captivitycontained an ecclesia of faithful men like Jeremiah, who were Abraham'strue children, being children of faith; and therefore the divine pronounce-ment applied—"I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseththee" (Gen. 12:3, and see Gen. 27:29).

These prophecies were not all given at the same time, and, indeed, theyare not in chronological sequence. The following table sets out thechronological order in which the prophecies were given:

YEAR BC

590

587

586

585

570

YEAR OFCAPTIVITY

9th

10th

11 t h

12th

27th

?ch25

ch 29:1-16

ch 26-ch 28

Ch32

ch29:17-ch

; ch 30:20-26; ch 31

30:19

During the

siege of

Jerusalem

Whatever the chronological order in which they were given it is clear thatthe sequence in which the prophecies are recorded is geographical, and thesection may be summarized as follows:-

(1) Prophecies against the East—Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites(25:1-14).

(2) Prophecies against the West—Philistines (25:15-17).(3) Prophecies against the North—Tyre, Sidon (26:1-28:26).(4) Prophecies against the South—Egypt (29:1-32:32).

238

Introduction

Bearing in mind the well-established significance of the number seven inscripture as denoting completeness and finality, it is surely not withoutsignificance that the prophet speaks of God's judgements on seven nations,and, in his consideration of the last of the seven, delivers seven propheciesagainst Egypt. This sevenfold structure is set out in the following table.

THE SEVENFOLD STRUCTURE OFEZEKIEL'S PROPHECIES AGAINST THE NATIONS

1. Against Ammon 25:1 -7

2. Against Moab 25:8-11

3. Against Edom 25:12-14

4. Against Philistia 25:15-17

5. Against Tyre 26:1-28:19

6. Against Sidon 28:20-23

[Statement of ultimate effect of God's judgements onthe nations "round about" Israel 28:24-26]

7. Against Egypt 1. The crocodile and the fishes 29:1-16

2. Nebuchadnezzar's wages 29:17-21

3. Egypt and her allies judged 30:1 -19

4. The breaking of Pharaoh's arms 30:20-26

5. A warning to Pharaoh 31:1-18

6. A lamentation for Pharaoh 32:1 -16

7. Egypt's shame in Sheol 32:17-32

Ezekiel 25 239

EZEKIEL Section 3: Prophecies against the nations (25-32)

Rabbath-Ammon

4-Εβτη

240 Ezekiel 25

1. Against the East (25:1-14)

1. Prophecies against the East (25:1-14)

(a) The Ammonites (25:1-7)

Background - Being descended from Lot(Gen. 19:38), the Ammonites were aSemitic people related to Israel. However, itis clear that they were enemies from theearliest times. Originally they settled on theeast of the southern part of Jordan, butbefore the Exodus they had been pushednorth-eastwards by the Amorites. WhenIsrael conquered the land and dispossessedthese Amorites, the Ammonites continuallymade claim to this territory that originallythey had occupied (see Judges 11:13 andNum. 21:21-24). Conflict between theAmmonites and Israel punctuates the pagesof Old Testament history—e.g. Judges 3 (atthe time of Ehud), Judges 10 and 11(Jephthah), 1 Samuel 11:1-4, 11-15 (Saul),2 Samuel 10:1-14; 1 Chron. 19:6-15;2 Samuel 11:1-27, 2 Samuel 12: 26-29(David) and 2 Chronicles 20:1-4, 10-26(Jehoshaphat). When the tribes east of theJordan were taken into captivity (2 Kings15:29; 17:6) the Ammonites gleefully beganto occupy the land which they had covetedfrom the time of the Judges (Jer. 49:1-5).During the final days of the kingdom ofJudah they sent out guerilla bands into the territory of Judah (2 Kings 24:2).

After the overthrow of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, Gedaliah wasappointed ruler of the few Jews who remained in the land (Jer. 40:7). It wasBaalis, king of the Ammonites, who conspired with Ishmael resulting in theassassination of Gedeliah (Jer. 40:14; 41:1-3), and Ishmael was subse-quently given asylum by the Ammonites (Jer. 41:10-15).

The prophecy - This, then, is the historical background against whichYahweh's pronouncements against this people must be viewed. Historyshows that they had indeed said Aha! against my sanctuary (v. 3) when

1 The word of the LORD came againunto me, saying,2 Son of man, set thy face against theAmmonites, and prophesy againstthem;3 And say unto the Ammonites, Hearthe word of the Lord GOD; Thus saiththe Lord GOD; Because thou saidst,Aha, against my sanctuary, when itwas profaned; and against the land ofIsrael, when it was desolate; andagainst the house of Judah, when theywent into captivity;4 Behold, therefore I will deliver theeto the men of the east for a possession,and they shall set their palaces in thee,and make their dwellings in thee: theyshall eat thy fruit, and they shall drinkthy milk.5 And I will make Rabbah a stable forcamels, and the Ammonites acouchingplace for flocks: and ye shallknow that I [am] the LORD.6 For thus saith the Lord GOD;Because thou hast clapped [thine]hands, and stamped with the feet, andrejoiced in heart with all thy despiteagainst the land of Israel;7 Behold, therefore I will stretch outmine hand upon thee, and will deliverthee for a spoil to the heathen; and Iwill cut thee off from the people, and Iwill cause thee to perish out of thecountries: I will destroy thee; and thoushalt know that I [am] the LORD.

Ezekiel 25 241


Nebuchadnezzar invaded the land (v. 3). They had clapped [their] handsand stamped with the feet (v. 6)—outward expressions of joy—at Israel'soverthrow. Because of this attitude to God's people they were to be judged:

• They themselves would be delivered for a spoil to the nations. Godsays, / will cause thee to perish out of the countries (v. 7). That is theywould cease to exist as a distinct people.

• They and their land would be given to the men of the east for apossession (v. 4). These people were the Bene-Kedem, or children ofthe east, the nomadic Arab tribes descended from Ishmael and the sonsof Abraham by Keturah1. These Arab peoples would set their palaces(more correctly, as in RV "encampments") in the country of Ammon,eating the fruit of the land. Even Rabbah, the capital city, would beoverrun, and would become a dwelling place for camels and the wholeterritory of Ammon a place for feeding flocks (v. 5).

Fulfilment - The Ammonites have been mentioned previously by Ezekiel(21:28-32). It appears that when Judah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar,the Ammonites also rebelled. Nebuchadnezzar set out to put down theseuprisings, and Ezekiel 21:20 presents him at a certain point on his journeywhere he "stood at the parting of the way" considering the question:'Should he first go against Jerusalem, or should he go against Rabbah of theAmmonites?' He went to Jerusalem, but 21:28-32 made it quite plain thatAmmon would not escape. After the conquest of Judah, the king ofBabylon turned to the surrounding nations, and one by one they had todrink from the cup of God's fury at Nebuchadnezzar's hand. Ammon didnot escape (Jer. 25:17, 21) and they, like Judah, went into captivity (Amos1:13-15).

Although it seems likely that the Ammonites, like Babylon's othercaptive nations, did to some extent return to their land when Cyrusconquered Babylon (cf. Neh. 2:10, 19; 4:3), yet the Ammonites never fullyrecovered. They were still in existence as a people at the time of theMaccabees, when they fought, as might be expected, with the Syriansagainst the Jews. By the 1st century BC the Ammonites came under thedomination of the Nabateans (Ezekiel's "children of the east" —a powerful

1 For an interesting account of the origins of these Children of the East, of whomJob is perhaps the best known, the reader is referred to "The Wisdom of theChildren of the East", R. Walker, Bible Student, volume 1, pages 12-15. For asummary of this see Proverbs, A. Crawford, Volume 1, pages 19-24.

242 Ezekiel 25


Arabian state established in the 3rd century BC with Petra as its capital). Bythe 3rd century AD the Ammonites had completely disappeared from thepages of history, for they ceased to be a distinct people. What remained ofthem after the Babylonian judgements had by this time become completelyabsorbed by the Arabs, who, in fulfilling Ezekiel's words, occupied theirterritory. To quote another of God's prophets, Ammon became "as Go-morrah... for their pride, because they have reproached and magnifiedthemselves against the people of the LORD of hosts" (Zeph. 2:9, 10).

Latter day Ammon? There is a finality in Ezekiel's words which isjustified by history. Ammon has perished. But even if we do applyJeremiah 49:6 ("I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon")to the restoration of the Ammonites that followed the decree of Cyrus, yetthe way in which we, with good scriptural justification, handle similarprophecies about Israel, surely leaves the way open for a latter dayfulfilment of this prophecy. The following scriptures are of interest:—

"...they shall lay their hand upon Edom...and the children of Ammon shallobey them" (Isa. 11:14).

"...but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and thechief of the children of Ammon" (Dan. 11:41).

These demand the presence of an Ammonite nation at the time of the end. Itseems to this writer that the amazing emergence of the kingdom of Jordan,with its capital city built on the ancient Rabbah, at this time in history is a'coincidence' too great to be ignored. There is no contradiction herebetween Ezekiel and the other prophets, for the Ammonites were destroyed,and the modern occupants of Ammon, the latter day Ammonites, are Arabs.

(b) The Moabites (25:8-11)Continuing his prophecies against thenations east of Israel Ezekiel now turns hisattention to the Moabites.

Background - Moab was the son of Lot byhis elder daughter and was thus the halfbrother of the ancestor of the Ammonites(Gen. 19:37). They dwelt on the east of theDead Sea, south of the Ammonites (Judges11:17-18). By the time of the Exodus theywere a powerful kingdom, referred to in theSong of Moses as the "mighty men of

8 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Becausethat Moab and Seir do say, Behold, thehouse of Judah [is] like unto all theheathen;9 Therefore, behold, I will open theside of Moab from the cities, from hiscities [which are] on his frontiers, theglory of the country, Bethjeshimoth,Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim,10 Unto the men of the east with theAmmonites, and will give them inpossession, that the Ammonites maynot be remembered among the nations.11 And I will execute judgments uponMoab; and they shall know that I [am]the LORD.

Ezekiel 25 243


Moab" (Exod. 15:15). At the beginning of the Exodus, because of theirconnection with the Abrahamic branch of the Semitic peoples, Israel wascommanded, "Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them inbattle" (Deut. 2:9). Although Israel appears to have faithfully carried outthis charge, Moab certainly did not reciprocate.

Ruth was a Moabitess (Ruth 1:4), and Ithmar, one of David's valiantmen, also belonged to that nation (1 Chron. 11:46). But with very fewexceptions the nation was antagonistic to Israel from the Exodus onwardsand exhibited no affection for the Truth.

The pages of scripture abound with references to war and intriguebetween the two nations. Moab opposed Israel at the time of the Exodusand would not allow God's people to pass through the land (Judges11:16-17). At that time also they aligned themselves with Midian andsought Balaam's curse upon Israel (Num. 22:4-7). During the early periodof the Judges Moab came to occupy considerable Israelite territory until thetime of Ehud, who killed the King of Moab and delivered Israel for a timefrom Moabite oppression (Judges 3:14-22). Israel was further harassed bythem in the reign of Saul and his victory against them is recorded in1 Samuel 14:47. David (who was related to them through Ruth1) wasvictorious against them when the kingdom was established under his hand(2 Sam. 8:2-12).

Moab rebelled from Israel after the death of Ahab (2 Kings 3:4-5) andabout the same time attacked Judah in the reign of Jehoshaphat, inassociation with Ammon and Seir (2 Chron. 20:1, 10), but God brought amiraculous deliverance for His people. The final conflict between the twopeoples recorded in Bible history was the invasion of Moab by Jehoram,Jehoshaphat and the King of Edom, when again the Moabites weremiraculously defeated (2 Kings 3).

The prophecy -Seir in verse 8 is, of course, to be identified with Edomwhich is next considered (in verses 12-14), and the translation byKeil2 appears to convey the sense of this verse—"Because Moab, like Seir,saith," etc. For Moab to say that Israel was like unto all the heathen (v. 8)was to deny the power of Yahweh, Israel's God. Moab trusted in Chemosh(Jer. 48:7) and rejoiced at the fall of Israel at the hand of the Babylonians

1 Was this the reason why David committed his father and mother to the care ofthe King of Moab while he was being pursued by Saul (1 Sam. 22:3)?

2 C. F. Keil, Ezekiel, in Commentary on the Old Testament, Keil and Delitzsch.

244 Ezekiel 25


for this was, to them, evidence of the impotence of Yahweh, Israel's God.This attitude of Moab was all the more reprehensible since Jeremiah,several years before this prophecy was given, had been expresslycommanded to prophesy to Edom, Moab and the Ammonites, together withTyre and Zidon. Yahweh's message was:

"I have made the earth, the man and the beast that [are] upon the ground, bymy great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom itseemed meet unto me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand ofNebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and...it shall come to pass,[that] the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Neb-uchadnezzar... will I punish, saith the LORD..." (Jer 27:5-8).

Moab chose to listen to her own prophets which said, "Ye shall not servethe king of Babylon" (Jer. 27:9), ignored the warnings of Israel's God, andreproached the nation of Israel (cp. Zeph. 2:8).

Because of this attitude toward Israel and her God, He declares / willopen the side of Moab (v. 9)—that is to say, access would be given to theenemy (cf. the similar language of Nahum 3:13) with the result that Beth-jeshimothy Baal-meon and Kiriathaim would be taken. There is a touch ofirony in the reference to these cities as his cities.. .the glory of the country(v. 9), for these were cities that actually belonged to Israel (Num. 32:38;Josh. 13:20), who had taken them from Sihon and Og, kings of theAmorites. Moab appears to have occupied these cities after the northernkingdom was taken into captivity by Assyria.

Like Ammon, Moab—opened up to the invader—would be given untothe men of the east (v. 10). When Yahweh's judgements were thusrevealed, Moab would come to acknowledge the supremacy of Israel's Godfor they shall know that I am the LORD (v. 11). Jeremiah fills out thisprophecy and indicates that Nebuchadnezzar would be the instrument inGod's hand for the judgement of this people (Jer. 48:40; 27:1-7).

Fulfilment - As in the case of Ammon, so with Moab. The prophecy ofEzekiel was fulfilled to the very letter. Moab, together with Ammon, wassubjugated by Nebuchadnezzar about five years after the final overthrow ofJerusalem. Josephus comments:

O n the fifth year after the destruction of Jerusalem, which was the 23rd of thereign of Nebuchadnezzar, he made an expedition against the Ammonites and

Ezekiel 25 245


Moabites; when he had brought all those nations under subjection, he fellupon Egypt".1

Moab does not appear to have recovered from this. Presumably in the reignof Cyrus the Moabites were allowed to return as was the case with Israel,thus providing a primary fulfilment at least of Jeremiah 48:47 —"I willbring again the captivity of Moab". Certainly the Moabites are mentionedin Ezra 9:1. But they do not appear to have developed politically after thereturn and the feeble remnant of the Moabites was completely overrun bythe "men of the east" —the Nabatean Arabs to whom we have referred inconnection with Ammon.

Latter day Moab? Ezekiel's prophecy was fulfilled. Moab disappearedfrom history soon after the return from captivity. But again, as in the caseof Ammon already considered, there are a number of interesting indicationsof a latter day restoration of Moab. Jeremiah's "I will bring again thecaptivity of Moab in the latter days" (48:47) may have been fulfilled in thereturn from Babylon, but a connection with Numbers 24 seems to be calledfor—"I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in thelatter days...there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall riseout of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all thechildren of Sheth" (24:14, 17). This prophecy at least appears to demand apresence of a latter day Moab.

This conclusion is confirmed by Isaiah 11:14 (which appears to be sayingthe same thing as Numbers 24), and by Isaiah 16. This latter passage speaksof the time when it will be said, "Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab".Of that time it is written, "in mercy shall the throne be established: and heshall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seekingjudgement, and hasting righteousness" (Isa. 16:4-5). This seems to demanda Moabite nation at the time of Messiah's return. The mention of Moab inDaniel 11:41 should also be noted. The Moabites were either destroyed orassimilated by the Nabateans, and these prophecies of the last days maywell refer to the Jordanian Arabs now in possession of the territory ofancient Moab, as was suggested with regards to Ammon.

(c) The Edomites (25:12-14)

Background - Edom is the last of the nations east of Judah to receivepronouncement of judgement from Ezekiel.

1 Antiquities 10:9.7.

246 Ezekiel 25


When the pregnant Rebekah went toenquire of Yahweh concerning the fruit ofher womb, she was told, "Two nations are inthy womb, and two manner of people shallbe separated from thy bowels; and the onepeople shall be stronger than the otherpeople; and the elder shall serve theyounger" (Gen. 25:23). Thus was foretoldthe antagonism that would exist between thetwin sons of Isaac—Jacob and Esau.

12 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Becausethat Edom hath dealt against the houseof Judah by taking vengeance, andhath greatly offended, and revengedhimself upon them;13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;I will also stretch out mine hand uponEdom, and will cut off man and beastfrom it; and I will make it desolatefrom Teman; and they of Dedan shallfall by the sword.14 And I will lay my vengeance uponEdom by the hand of my people Israel:and they shall do in Edom according tomine anger and according to my fury;and they shall know my vengeance,saith the Lord GOD.

Esau married three wives—two Canaan-ites and one a daughter of Ishmael (Gen.36:2, 3). From him, by these wives, weredescended the Edomites, for "Esau is Edom" (Gen. 36:8, 9). Before thedeath of Esau these Edomites established themselves in Mount Seir (Gen.36:8). This had divine approval, for the descendants of Jacob were toldmany years later, "Meddle not with them, for I will not give you of theirland, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given Mount Seirunto Esau for a possession" (Deut. 2:5). The Edomites did not reciprocatethis kindly attitude shown towards them by Israel, and they refused to allowthem to pass through their land toward the end of the wilderness journey(Num. 20:14-21).

The Edomites thus embarked on a path which was to be troddenthroughout their history—the path of unreasonable and relentless oppo-sition towards Israel their brethren. Thus Saul found it necessary to wagewar against them (1 Sam. 14:47). David, who defeated them in the Valleyof Salt, thought it expedient to "put garrisons in Edom" to prevent furthertrouble (1 Chron. 18:13; 2 Sam. 8:13, 14).

When Isaac blessed Esau he said, "Thou shalt serve thy brother". In thereign of David these prophetic words were fulfilled. However, Isaacproceeded to predict, "Thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck" (Gen.27:40). Edom resisted Israel's rule during the reign of Solomon (1 Kings11:14). During the reign of Jehoshaphat Edom formed an alliance withMoab and Ammon and came against Judah, but they were miraculouslydefeated (2 Chron. 20). So even at this point in their history, Jacob still hadthe supremacy over Esau, and we are told, "there was no king in Edom"(1 Kings 22:47). It was in the reign of Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, thatEdom broke the Israelite yoke (2 Kings 8:20-22; 2 Chron. 21:8-10). Thisrevolt of Edom continued, and in the reign of Ahaz appeal was made for

Ezekiel 25 247


help to Assyria because Edom had "come and smitten Judah, and carriedaway captives" (2 Chron. 28:17).

When the Babylonians overturned Judah, the Edomites demonstratedtheir perpetual hatred toward Israel when they rejoiced at her downfall andhelped her oppressors (Psa. 137:71). It is of this rejoicing that Jeremiahspeaks in the Lamentations —"Rejoice and be glad, Ο daughter of Edom,that dwellest in the land of Uz" (4:21). But he proceeded to warn thatEdom's treachery had not gone unnoticed by the God of Israel —"the cupalso shall pass through unto thee...he will visit thine iniquity, Ο daughter ofEdom; he will discover thy sins" (4:21, 22). It is of this judgement of Edomthat Ezekiel speaks in the 25th chapter.

The Prophecy - The whole history of Edom in relation to Israel is thusseen to be as expressed by Ezekiel— Edom hath dealt against the house ofJudah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revengedherself upon them (25:12). Israel would have lived in peace with thispeople who had descended from Jacob's brother, but Edom was, of all thepricking briers and grieving thorns (Ezek. 28:24), the most offensive.Because of this, God would judge Edom, and would cut off man and beast,and make it desolate (v. 13).

Ezekiel was not alone in predicting the desolation of Edom. Isaiah,Amos, Obadiah, Joel and Malachi all speak of Edom's desolation. It will benecessary to refer to some of these when we arrive at chapter 35 which isentirely devoted to a consideration of Edom. At this point, since Jeremiahwas contemporary with Ezekiel, it is interesting to note that he, too,pronounced Edom's desolation by one who would "come and fly as theeagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart ofthe mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs" (Jer.49:22).

Fulfilment - The one who, according to Jeremiah, would "come up andfly as the eagle", striking terror into the hearts of the Edomites, wasundoubtedly Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 25:9, 15, 21; 27:2-7). AlthoughNebuchadnezzar's invasion of Judah would have badly affected theEdomites, yet it seems to be a future invasion to which Ezekiel andJeremiah (especially Lam. 4:22) refer. According to Josephus2, Nebuchad-

1 Some expositors (e.g. G. Booker, Psalms, vol. 2, p. 805) consider this Psalm torefer to the Assyrian invasion of Judah at the time of Hezekiah.

2 Josephus, Antiquities 10:9.7.

248 Ezekiel 25


nezzar invaded Moab and Ammon in his 23rd year. Although Edom is notnamed it seems unlikely that it would have escaped Nebuchadnezzar'sattention. As an impoverished power which never fully recovered fromNebuchadnezzar's invasion, they were still in existence in the days ofMalachi (Mai. 1:4). No doubt they were a source of trouble to the returnedexiles, although they are not specifically mentioned as being Israel'senemies at that time. The emerging power of the Nabatean Arabs beganpushing against Edom from about the fifth century BC, and by the thirdcentury Petra in Edom was the established capital of the Nabatean Empire,the Edomites having been pushed northwards. About 128 ΒC they wereagain placed under the yoke of Jacob when they were subjugated by JohnHyrcanus1 and forced to accept Judaism. By this time, they were known asIdumeans, and the Herods of the New Testament period were of Idumeandescent. The Idumeans were one of the factions in the internal strife thattook place during the siege of Jerusalem in AD 69-70. A force of severalthousand Idumeans supported the Zealots and brought about the downfalland execution of the High Priests Hanan ben Hanan and Joshuah benGamla2. After the fall of the Jewish state and their massacre by theRomans, the Idumeans vanish from the pages of history. Thus Edomreceived her judgement as foretold by Ezekiel and Jeremiah.

The future? - As we have seen to be the case with Ammon and Moab,Edom also figures in prophecies that have to do with the time of the end.Psalm 83, Isaiah 11:14, Daniel 11:41 and Obadiah all demand the presenceof a latter day Edom. But the most detailed consideration of Edom at thetime of the end is to be found in Ezekiel 35 and 36.

1 Josephus, Antiquities 13:9.1-2; C. Pfeiffer, Old Testament History, p. 580.2 Η. Η. Ben-Sasson, A History of the Jewish People, p. 301.

Ezekiel 25 249

2. Prophecies against the West(25:15-17)

The Philistines (25:15-17)

Having considered the nations on the east of Israel the prophet is nowmoved to direct his remarks to that nation on the west—the Philistines.Being descended from Ham (Gen. 10:14), unlike those nations on the east,they had no ties of kinship with God's people.

Background - The Philistines appear to have settled along the westerncoast of Canaan, having come there from Crete (i.e. Caphtor, cf. Jer. 47:4;Amos 9:7). They were well established in the land when Abraham arrivedin it (Gen. 21:32 cf. 20:1). He appears to have lived in reasonable harmonywith them (cf. Gen. 21:30-34), although subsequently the prosperity ofIsaac, when he lived in their territory, appears to have excited their envy(Gen. 26:12-17).

This antagonism towards Abraham's descendants persisted throughouttheir recorded history. At the time of the Exodus Israel was prevented fromjourneying by "way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near"(Exod. 13:17), for their warlike attitude would have been too much forIsrael's feeble faith.

When Israel finally entered the promised land, and the aged Joshua cameto apportion the land, the territory of the Philistines remained unconquered(Josh. 13:2). The fact that the Philistines are mentioned by name over 240times in the historical records of Judges, Samuel, Kings and Chronicles isan indication of the size of the problem they presented for Israel. The storyof the Judges is punctuated by references to the continual feuding betweenIsrael and the Philistines. During the early days of Samuel the Philistinesovercame the Israelites in battle and captured the ark of the covenant. Thefeuding continued into the period of the Kings. Israel's first king, Saul, andhis son Jonathan met their deaths in a battle with this warlike nation.

However, in the time of David—the man who won the hearts of thepeople of Israel when he destroyed Goliath the giant—the Philistinemenace was finally controlled. Although on one occasion he nearly lost hislife in battle with them, after a number of battles the Philistines, togetherwith the other nations about Israel, were placed "under the soles of his feet"(1 Kings 5:3; and see 2 Sam. 5:22-25; 8:1; 21:15-22). Solomon's reign wasuntroubled by the Philistines, but in the divided monarchy they again

250

2. Against the West (25:15-17)

manifested their antagonism towards Israel. However, they never appear tohave fully recovered from the Davidic conquests, so that Hezekiah appearsto have had no difficulty in smiting them "even unto Gaza" (2 Kings18:8)—the last reference to them in the historical record of scripture.

The Prophecy - From this section ofEzekiel and similar prophecies in Jeremiah47 and Zephaniah 2:5-7 we learn that thePhilistines were still in existence as a nationat the time of the Babylonian invasion ofIsrael. Like Edom and the other nations eastof Israel, they rejoiced to see their enemybeing harshly treated by Nebuchadnezzar.This appears to be the significance of verse15—the Philistines had taken advantage ofthe earlier Babylonian invasion to troubleIsrael and settle old scores.

15 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Becausethe Philistines have dealt by revenge,and have taken vengeance with adespiteful heart, to destroy [it] for theold hatred;16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, I will stretch out mine handupon the Philistines, and I will cut offthe Cherethims, and destroy theremnant of the sea coast.17 And I will execute great vengeanceupon them with furious rebukes; andthey shall know that I [am] the LORD,when I shall lay my vengeance uponthem.

But the Philistines would not escape. Because they had taken vengeance(v. 15), vengeance would be taken against them. When Jerusalem and thecities of Judah drank of the cup of Yahweh's fury in the final overthrow ofthe nation in the reign of Zedekiah, then the Philistines with the othernations around Israel would likewise "drink...and be mad because of thesword that I will send among them" (Jer. 25:15-20).

With a play on words Ezekiel speaks of this time of judgement—Godwould cut off(Heb. karath) the Cherethims (Heb. /£erei/iry=executioners1)and destroy the remnant of the sea coast (v. 16). There is a finality in thispronouncement which is confirmed by Zephaniah in his message ofjudgement against them—4! will even destroy thee, that there shall be noinhabitant" (Zeph. 2:5).

Fulfilment - The prophecy has been fulfilled. The invasion of the land byNebuchadnezzar weakened still further the already weak Philistine nationso that never again did they rise as a power. History records that Alexanderthe Great took the city of Gaza and either killed or sold the inhabitants intoslavery, and presumably the other cities of the Philistines were similarlydealt with. By the time of the Hasmoneans (from 165 BC) the formerPhilistine cities were inhabited by people who considered themselves to be

1 BDB, Online Bible edition.

Ezekiel 25 251


Greeks, and to all intents and purposes the Philistine people proper haddisappeared from history.

Latter day Philistines - As was the case with the nations east of Israel, sowith the Philistines on the west—prophecies regarding Israel in the lastdays seem to demand the presence on the west, in the territory that weknow today as the Gaza Strip, of a people antagonistic to Israel. Take, forexample, Isaiah's prediction that at the time of Israel's regathering, "theyshall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines towards the west" (Isa. 11:14;see also Psa. 83:7). The present inhabitants of the Gaza strip, thePalestinian Arabs, are the latter day Philistines.

252 Ezekiel 25

3. Prophecies against the North(26:1-28:26)

Having disposed of the nations to the east and west of Israel in one shortchapter, Ezekiel now directs the Spirit's words towards Tyre and Zidon inthe north. With the exception of the last six verses of chapter 28, which aredevoted to Zidon, no less than three chapters are devoted to pronouncingGod's impending judgements on Tyre. The three chapters against the northconsist of five separate prophecies, each beginning with "the word of theLORD came unto me":

(a) The prophecy of Tyre's destruction (26:1-21)(b) Tyre made shipwreck—a lamentation (27:1-36)(c) A prophecy against the Prince of Tyre (28:1-10)(d) A lamentation for the King of Tyre (28:11-19)(e) A prophecy against Zidon (28:20-26).

(a) Tyre's destruction (26:1-21)

Background - Unlike the nations to the east and west which we havealready considered, Tyre generally maintained a friendly relationship withIsrael. There is, to my knowledge, no clear statement regarding the originof the people of Tyre, although the origin of Zidon from Canaan indicatesthe Canaanite origin of the Phoenician peoples1. At the time of theconquest of the land by Joshua, when it came to be one of the borders of thetribe of Asher (Josh. 19:29), Tyre was already a fortress, but it seems not tohave troubled Israel.

In the time of David, Tyre was very friendly towards Israel, Hiram, kingof Tyre, supplying him with materials and labour for building (2 Sam. 5:11;1 Chron. 14:1; 1 Kings 5:1). He also provided David with materials inpreparation for the construction of the temple and subsequently cooperatedwith Solomon in the actual building of it (1 Chron. 22:4; 1 Kings 5) and inother building activities too (1 Kings 9:11).

1 So, A. J. Hoerth, G. L. Mattingly, Ε. Μ. Yamauchi, Peoples of the Old TestamentWorld, p. 184. However, C. C. Walker, Isaiah, p. 388 argues that the people ofTyre were descended from Japhet on the basis of Tyre's association withTarshish, who was descended from Japhet.

253


By the time of Solomon, Tyre was a sea trading power and supervisedthe training of Solomon's navy. Their combined fleet sent ships to Tarshish(2 Chron. 9:21; Isa. 23:1; 1 Kings 9:26-28; 10:11).

In spite of this close cooperation with Israel there is no evidence thatTyre became attracted to the Truth. Assuming that the term Zidonians is ageneral term for the Phoenicians of Tyre and Zidon, Baal was the accepteddeity of this northern kingdom1 in the time of Ahab of Israel.

Getting rich as a result of its commerce and industry (especially pro-duction of metal, glass and purple dye), Tyre became arrogant and morallydecadent. This was the situation at the time of Ezekiel.

The Prophecy - This consists of four announcements by the Almighty.

/. The reason for the judgement (v. 1-6)

The prophecy was given in the eleventh yearof Jehoichin's captivity, which was the sameyear (11th of Zedekiah) that Jerusalem fell(2 Kings 25:2). The month is not given, butsince Tyre says against Jerusalem,, Aha, sheis broken (v. 2) it would appear that Jerusa-lem had already fallen. It would thus havebeen the fourth month or later. Tyre wasselfishly rejoicing at Jerusalem's downfalland anticipating the extra trade that thiswould bring—she is turned unto me: I shallbe replenished, now she is laid waste (v. 2).

But Tyre too would receive judgement, asT . Λ , Λ /-»o\ IT · ι /r\c r\r\\ Λ ι of nets in the midst of the sea: for IIsaiah (ch. 23) and Jeremiah (25:22) had

1 And it came to pass in the eleventhyear, in the first [day] of the month,[that] the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,2 Son of man, because that Tyrus hathsaid against Jerusalem, Aha, she isbroken [that was] the gates of thepeople: she is turned unto me: I shallbe replenished, [now] she is laid waste:3 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, I [am] against thee, Ο Tyrus,and will cause many nations to comeup against thee, as the sea causeth hiswaves to come up.4 And they shall destroy the walls ofTyrus, and break down her towers: Iwill also scrape her dust from her, andmake her like the top of a rock.5 It shall be [a place for] the spreading

have spoken [it], saith the Lord GOD:and it shall become a spoil to thenations.6 And her daughters which [are] in thefield shall be slain by the sword; andthey shall know that I [am] the LORD.

both previously warned.

This section is a general statement ofcoming judgement. It should be carefullynoted that the Spirit warned of many nationscoming against Tyre as the sea causeth hiswaves to come up (v. 3). Like the waves of the sea, the nations would comeagainst Tyre one after the other, until she was destroyed, even to the extent

1 This is confirmed by Josephus, Antiquities 9:6.6: "Baal was the god of theTyrians".

254 Ezekiel 26

3. Against the North (26:1-28:26)

of being scraped bare to the rock, eventually becoming a place wherefishermen spread their nets (v. 5).

ii. The instrument of judgement (v. 7-14)

As in Jeremiah 25:9, 22; 27:3, 6 and 47:2, 4the principal instrument of judgement was tobe Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (v. 7),who would come and lay siege against Tyre(v. 8, 9). There can be little doubt that theTyre referred to included the island fortress.Preparatory to the conquest of Tyre, Neb-uchadnezzar would slay thy daughters inthe field (v. 8), which is thought by most torefer to those towns on the mainland thataccepted Tyre's authority.

Tyre would be forced to submit to thepower of Babylon (v. 9) and the peoplesubjected to slaughter and humiliation(v. 10,11).

The reference to the strong garrisons(v. 11) being cast down to the ground isinteresting. The word is best translated'pillars' as in RV and RSV. There were twofamous pillars in the temple of Melkarth (thename by which the Philistines knew Baal) atTyre. These may well be the pillars to whichthe prophet refers. These could properly bedescribed as "the pillars...of Tyre'sstrength", that is, of their god—a strengththat would be powerless before the Babylo-nian instrument in the hand of the God ofIsrael.

7 For thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, I will bring upon TyrusNebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, aking of kings, from the north, withhorses, and with chariots, and withhorsemen, and companies, and muchpeople.8 He shall slay with the sword thydaughters in the field: and he shallmake a fort against thee, and cast amount against thee, and lift up thebuckler against thee.9 And he shall set engines of waragainst thy walls, and with his axes heshall break down thy towers.10 By reason of the abundance of hishorses their dust shall cover thee: thywalls shall shake at the noise of thehorsemen, and of the wheels, and ofthe chariots, when he shall enter intothy gates, as men enter into a citywherein is made a breach.11 With the hoofs of his horses shallhe tread down all thy streets: he shallslay thy people by the sword, and thystrong garrisons shall go down to theground.12 And they shall make a spoil of thyriches, and make a prey of thymerchandise: and they shall breakdown thy walls, and destroy thypleasant houses: and they shall lay thystones and thy timber and thy dust inthe midst of the water.13 And I will cause the noise of thysongs to cease; and the sound of thyharps shall be no more heard.14 And I will make thee like the top ofa rock: thou shalt be [a place] to spreadnets upon; thou shalt be built no more:for I the LORD have spoken [it], saiththe Lord GOD.

The chapter proceeds to say of Tyre(v. 14), thou shalt be built no more, but, as we shall observe when weconsider the historical fulfilment of the prophecy, Nebuchadnezzar did notbring about this degree of destruction of Tyre.

We have already seen that many nations (v. 3) would come against Tyre,not Babylon only. So we note with interest in verse 12 of this prophecy thechange of person from "he" to "they". Up to the end of verse 11

Ezekiel 26 255


Nebuchadnezzar is the instrument of judgement—He shall slay thy people.But verse 12 commences, And they... In other words the completedesolation of Tyre in which she would be scraped bare to be built no morewould be left to successive waves of the sea of nations.

Hi. The effect of Tyre's fall on the isles (v. 15-18)

The fall of Tyre would have tremendousrepercussions among the nations with whomshe carried on her trade. The isles (RSV"coastlands") have reference to thePhoenician colonies of the Mediterraneanand her trading friends beyond. The tradingprinces with whom Tyre had dealings, andwho in consequence were clothed with thefinery brought by Tyrian trade, wouldbecome clothed instead with terrors. The fallof Tyre would be a day of trouble for thenations, producing widespread economictrembling and dismay.

iv. The finality of Tyre ys fall (v. 19—21)

The last three verses provide a summary ofthe overthrow of Tyre. The city wouldbecome desolate and covered by the sea;Tyre would join all the great cities of theancient world and be cast down to the pit.The finality of Tyre's overthrow is veryplainly stated—though thou be sought for,yet shalt thou never be found again (v. 21).

Fulfilment - Nebuchadnezzar came as itwas written of him and besieged Tyre for 13years before he conquered it1. The frequentexplanation that he destroyed mainland Tyrebut could not take the island city is notuniversally accepted, and to this writer

15 Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus;Shall not the isles shake at the sound ofthy fall, when the wounded cry, whenthe slaughter is made in the midst ofthee?16 Then all the princes of the sea shallcome down from their thrones, and layaway their robes, and put off theirbroidered garments: they shall clothethemselves with trembling; they shallsit upon the ground, and shall trembleat Levery] moment, and be astonishedat thee.17 And they shall take up alamentation for thee, and say to thee,How art thou destroyed, [that wast]inhabited of seafaring men, therenowned city, which wast strong inthe sea, she and her inhabitants, whichcause their terror [to be] on all thathaunt it!18 Now shall the isles tremble in theday of thy fall; yea, the isles that [are]in the sea shall be troubled at thydeparture.19 For thus saith the Lord GOD; WhenI shall make thee a desolate city, likethe cities that are not inhabited; when Ishall bring up the deep upon thee, andgreat waters shall cover thee;20 When I shall bring thee down withthem that descend into the pit, with thepeople of old time, and shall set thee inthe low parts of the earth, in placesdesolate of old, with them that godown to the pit, that thou be notinhabited; and I shall set glory in theland of the living;21 I will make thee a terror, and thou[shalt be] no [more]: though thou besought for, yet shalt thou never befound again, saith the Lord GOD.

1 Josephus, Antiquities, 10:11.1 (referring to the writings of Philostratus); AgainstApion 1:19-21 (referring to the writings of the Chaldean, Berosus, and theannals of the city of Tyre).

256 Ezekiel 26


appears doubtful1. The evidence available would suggest that the whole ofTyre was taken after this long siege, although it may be safely assumed thatthe mainland city suffered most at the hand of Babylon's king2.

Although Tyre never fully recovered from the blow inflicted byNebuchadnezzar, at the time of Israel's return Tyre had recoveredsufficiently to help her with the supply of materials for the reconstruction ofthe city and temple (Ezra 3:7) and was again active in trade (Neh. 13:16;cp. Zech. 9:3-4). This is sufficient to show that it was not Nebuchadnezzarwho brought Tyre to the point where she was destroyed to be built no more.He was but the first of the "many nations" destined to come against Tyre"as the sea causeth his waves to come up" (26:3).

The next wave of the sea (a wave of great significance) to come againstTyre was Alexander the Great in 332 BC. It is well known how he literally

1 According to the writings of Josephus referred to above, after the thirteen yearsiege Tyre surrendered. Nebuchadnezzar replaced the defeated King (IthobaalII = Ittobaal, or Ethbaal) by King Baal who ruled together with a Babylonianminister for 10 years. After the end of Baal's reign a series of magistrates hadthe jurisdiction over Tyre for a period of about eight years. The next ruler wasKing Marbalus from Babylon itself—probably a Tyrian whom Nebuchadnezzarallowed to return.It is difficult to see how anything other than the submission by both mainland andinsular Tyre could have produced that state of affairs. The known historical factslead to the conclusion that the Tyrian government was subjected to theChaldeans. (For a full discussion see Currey, Ezekiel, Speaker's Commentary,Vol. 6, p. 113; Fairbairn, Exposition of Ezekiel, p. 287-293, and see, Moscati,The World of the Phoenicians, p. 45).

2 It has been suggested that the statement in Ezek. 29:18 that Nebuchadnezzarreceived no wages for his service against Tyre coupled with the known difficultyexperienced by Alexander the Great in taking the city is strong evidence thatNebuchadnezzar failed to capture the island fortress. This is far from convincing.Alexander, with admitted difficulty, took the city after a siege of only sevenmonths. By contrast Nebuchadnezzar was occupied for thirteen years in theconquest of Tyre. We cannot imagine that it took the experienced Babylonianarmies thirteen years to subdue mainland Tyre—the length of time involveddemands that the record be concerned with the island city also. By one of thoseunusual coincidences which establish the veracity of the Biblical account, thelength of the siege would also explain why Nebuchadnezzar had no wages. TheTyrians being a maritime power would have had plenty of time during thethirteen years of the siege to remove their wealth to safer havens—"When theTyrians saw themselves closely attacked, the nobles conveyed themselves andtheir richest effects on shipboard, and retired to other islands" (Ancient History,M. Rollin, p. 29).

Ezekiel 26 257


scraped the ruins of mainland Tyre into the sea to make a causeway to theisland city which in turn was taken and destroyed. This work of Alexanderwas of phenomenal proportions. The causeway was some 60 metres wideand extended over half a kilometre to the island city. It resulted in theformation of a peninsula with the insular city of Tyre forming its western

Alexander's

causeway

MAP SHOWING MAINLANDAND ISLAND TYRE WITH

ALEXANDER'S CAUSEWAY

This conquest of Tyre by Alexander is also the subject of a detailed prophecy inZechariah 9. Zechariah, of course, wrote long after the siege of Tyre by Neb-uchadnezzar. He is principally concerned with the island city—"Tyre built herselfa stronghold [Heb. matsor = a strong rocky fortress]" (9:3). It is of this"stronghold" that Zechariah says, "The Lord will cast her out, and he will smiteher power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire" (9:4). There can be nodoubt that this refers primarily to the work of Alexander who, having massacredsome 8,000 of the city's inhabitants, set fire to the houses.

258 Ezekiel 26


The island city was subsequently rebuilt only to be subjected to furthersiege in 315 BC by Antigonus of Syria, one of Alexander's successors. Itcame under Roman domination when Pompey occupied Phoenicia in64 BC. Essentially a Greek city of some considerable size, it was in NewTestament times a prosperous seaport. It was a city visited by Jesus (Matt.15:21; Luke 6:17; Acts 12:20; 21:3).

The waves continued to beat against Tyre—Khalif Omer in AD 638; theCrusaders took it after a five-month siege in AD 1124; Egypt took it anddrove out the 'Christians' in AD 1291. But it was the Saracens who finallydestroyed Tyre at the beginning of the fourteenth century, leaving it in ruinsthat can still be seen today. (See following map and photo).

Latter day Tyre - Ezekiel's prophecy has been fulfilled. Tyre has perishedfor ever. But, as with those nations on the East and West of Israel, there areprophecies which, in speaking of the events of the latter days, demand thepresence of a power spoken of in the scriptures as Tyre.

.yj-S *^ Egyptian harbour·> *-"** and ruins

MAP SHOWING TODAY'SCOASTLINE AND MODERN

VILLAGE OF SUR

Ezekiel 26 259


Photograph of modern Sur with ancient Tyre in thebackground (arrowed) "a place to spread nets upon" (Ezek. 26:14)

260 Ezekiel 26

1 The word of the LORD came againunto me, saying,2 Now, thou son of man, take up alamentation for Tyrus;3 And say unto Tyrus, Ο thou that artsituate at the entry of the sea, [whichart] a merchant of the people for manyisles. Thus saith the Lord GOD; ΟTyrus, thou hast said, I [ami of perfectbeauty.

4 Thy borders [arej in the midst of theseas, thy builders have perfected thybeauty.5 They have made all thy [ship] boardsof fir trees of Senir: they have takencedars from Lebanon to make mastsfor thee.6 [Of] the oaks of Bashan have theymade thine oars; the company of theAshurites have made thy benches [of]ivory, [brought] out of the isles ofChittim.7 Fine linen with broidered work fromEgypt was that which thou spreadestforth to be thy sail; blue and purplefrom the isles of Elishah was thatwhich covered thee.8 The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvadwere thy mariners: thy wise [men], ΟTyrus, [that] were in thee, were thypilots.9 The ancients of Gebal and the wise[men] thereof were in thee thy calkers:all the ships of the sea with theirmariners were in thee to occupy thymerchandise.10 They of Persia and of Lud and ofPhut were in thine army, thy men ofwar: they hanged the shield and helmetin thee; they set forth thy comeliness.11 The men of Arvad with thine army[were] upon thy walls round about, andthe Gammadims were in thy towers:they hanged their shields upon thywalls round about; they have made thybeauty perfect.

(b) Tyre made shipwreck—a lamentation (27:1-36)

Having in chapter 26 described the fall of (

Tyre which would ultimately result in herbeing "no more" (v. 21), the prophet is nowmoved by the spirit to take up a lamentationfor Tyrus (27:1). Although the identificationof some of the places involved in the Tyriantrade mentioned in this chapter is difficult,the general meaning of the chapter is clearand provides few problems of exposition.

Tyre boasted of her greatness. Situated at the entry of the seas (the wordis plural and should read "entrances"—her northern and southern ports),she was a merchant of the people for manyisles (v. 3); that is, she traded with manydistant coastlands. She was in her own eyesperfect in beauty, and this beauty consistedof her maritime greatness. The prophet hasspoken of the time when all Tyre's glorywould be placed in the midst of the water(26:12). It is this irony of a power, depend-ent upon the sea, being cast into the sea thatis now expanded in this chapter.

The remainder of the chapter may beconsidered under four headings:

i. The Tyrian ship (v. 4-11)ii. The ship's cargo (v. 12-25)iii. The shipwreck (v. 26-31)iv. The nations lament for Tyre

(v. 32-36).

i. The Tyrian ship (v. 4-11)

Tyre is presented in the record as a merchantship, to the construction and operation ofwhich all her trading allies and dependenciescontributed. The timber for its constructioncame from the trees of Senir (v. 3) (theAmorite name for Hermon); the masts weremade from the cedars of Lebanon (v. 5) and

261


her oars were of Bashan oak (v. 6). The AV's the company of Ashuriteshave made thy benches is almost certainly incorrect. The RV and RSVread the Hebrew word translated "Ashurites" as bith-ashurim (= fromboxwood) instead of bath-ashurim (= the daughters of Ashur). The wordtranslated "benches" is a singular noun and so, with the RVm we read,"They have made thy deck of ivory inlaid in boxwood from the isles ofKittim"—Kittim being a reference to Cyprus, which is known to havesupplied excellent box pine. The sails of this Tyrian ship were of fineembroidered linen from Egypt (v.7). The Hebrew word translated in theAV "sail" is nes, elsewhere translated "banner" or "ensign" (e.g. Isa.11:12). The pattern embroidered on the sails served the same purpose asflags do today and the RV reads "that it might be to thee for an ensign".That which covered thee (v. 7) —"thine awning" RV—made of blue andpurple material was from Elishah, a place that cannot be identified withcertainty. Elishah was one of the sons of Javan (the progenitor of theGreeks, Gen. 10:4) and purple dye made from murex shells was commonthroughout the Mediterranean region.

Her mariners were from Zidon and Arvad (Phoenician cities associatedwith Tyre) and her pilots were the men of Tyre themselves (v. 8). The menof Gebal (Byblos) were her calkers. These were experienced craftsmenreferred to in 1 Kings 5:18 as the "stonesquarers" (RV Gebalites) employedby Solomon in the preparation of the temple materials. Their ability to workwith wood is referred to by Ezekiel.

Assisting Tyre, who is likened by the prophet to a mighty merchant ship,were all the merchant fleets of the then known world (v. 9). Thus thedependence of Tyre upon the nations and the reliance of these nations uponTyrian trade is depicted.

Because of its relatively small population Tyre relied on a paid profes-sional army drawn from various nations—the fact that she could afford thisis another indication of Tyre's wealth. Serving in the army of Tyre,supporting the vast trading empire, and represented as hanging their shieldson the sides of the Tyrian ship, were mercenaries from Persia, Lud (Lydia)and Phut (Libya) (v. 10). This is the first mention in scripture of Persia bythis name. It was at that time emerging as a power in preparation for thework appointed in Isaiah 44 and 45. These were required to set forth[Tyre's] comeliness—to fight in the field. They stand in contrast to thePhoenician peoples, the men of Arvad with thine army (v. 11), whose workappears to have been mainly domestic. The Gammadims (v. 11) appear to

262 Ezekiel 27


be unknown to history. It may be, as some suggest, that the word simplymeans "warriors", or "brave soldiers".

ii. The ship's cargo (v. 12-25)

These verses detail the cargos carried by the Tyrian ship, and provide uswith an extensive directory of Tyrian trade. From this we can only marvelat the wealth of Tyre which attracted trade from all parts of the world.Some nations entered voluntarily into a trading partnership with Tyre;others were dependencies paying tribute in the form of goods.

Tarshish (v. 12) is usually identified withTartessus, a port and mining district on thecoast of Spain but it seems that there is moreto it than this. Smith comments, "TheTarshish of the Hebrews and the Tartessus ofthe Greeks may be taken to include all they knew of Spain, and perhaps ofthe western regions within and without the Straits [of Gibraltar]"1. Theterm "ships of Tarshish" is used on a number of occasions in scripture (e.g.1 Kings 22:48; Psa. 48:7; Isa. 2:16) and is a way of describing large sailingvessels capable of making journeys into these extreme western waters.There is no doubt that the Phoenicians did visit Britain and obtained metals,especially tin, from its southern shores. Britain, as part of the extremewestern outreach by the Tyrian trading ships, would be included in theword Tarshish. More will be said about Tarshish in the consideration ofchapter 38:13.

12 Tarshish [was] thy merchant byreason of the multitude of all [kind of]riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead,they traded in thy fairs.

13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they[were] thy merchants: they traded thepersons of men and vessels of brass inthy market.

Javan (v. 13) (mentioned in Genesis 10:4)refers to the Ionian Greeks of Asia Minor.

Meshech and Tubal (v. 13), together withthe Greeks, were engaged in the slave trade(persons of men) and in the manufacture and selling of copper (brass isunlikely) vessels. The identity of Meshech and Tubal is important and isconsidered in detail at chapter 38:2.

Togarmah (v. 14), a people descendedfrom Gomer (Gen. 10:3), known to theAssyrians as the Til-garimmu, were locatedin the region we know as Armenia and were

14 They of the house of Togarmahtraded in thy fairs with horses andhorsemen and mules.

1 P. Smith, History of the Ancient World, Vol. 2, p. 356.

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noted for breeding horses and mules. Togarmah is also mentioned inEzekiel38.

15 The men of Dedan [were] thymerchants; many isles [were] themerchandise of thine hand: theybrought thee [for] a present horns ofivory and ebony.

The men of Dedan (v. 15) - The RSVfollows the LXX and makes this refer toRhodes, the Greek island off the southwestcoast of Asia Minor (mentioned in Acts21:1). This is arrived at by reading Redaninstead of Dedan, the letters R (Resh) and D (Daleth) being very similar inHebrew. The fact that Dedan is mentioned again in verse 20 is held bymany to support this —why would Dedan be mentioned twice? Certainlythe Phoenicians colonized Rhodes and they in turn could have supplied theTyrian trade with ivory and ebony, having first imported it from northAfrica.

However, there are in fact two distinct tribes of Dedan mentioned inscripture. One was of Hamitic origin (Gen. 10:7); the other was of Semiticdescent (Gen. 25:3). There is thus no reason why Dedan should not bementioned twice in this list. The Hamitic Dedan, settling in Africa, wouldcertainly have been in a position to supply Tyre with horns of ivory andebony.

Syria (v. 16). In the Hebrew the wordrendered in the AV as Syria is Aram. Insome Hebrew MSS and in the Syriac theword is Edom, and the RSV follows this. Thedifference between Aram and Edom is not sogreat as appears in English. The fact thatDamascus, the capital of Syria is mentioned later (v. 18) favours the RSV's"Edom". The precious stones, purple, linen and broidered work were theraw materials from which the Tyrians made the robes and jewellery forwhich they were famous.

Judah and Israel (v. 17). It may seemsurprising to read that wheat was supplied bythe land of Israel. However, this is in, · ι Α Λ η ^^ ι · ι ι Pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm.

harmony with Acts 12:20 which states that

16 Syria [was] thy merchant by reasonof the multitude of the wares of thymaking: they occupied in thy fairs withemeralds, purple, and broidered work,and fine linen, and coral, and agate.

17 Judah, and the land of Israel, they[were] thy merchants: they traded inthy market wheat of Minnith, and

Tyre was "nourished by the king's (i.e.Herod's) country" (also cf. Ezra 3:7). Whether the wheat was grown in theland of Israel or whether they acted as 'middle-men' in the wheat trade isnot clear. Minnith, the centre of the wheat trade, is mentioned as one of theAmmonite towns subdued by Jephthah (Judges 11:33) but the location is

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18 Damascus [was] thy merchant inthe multitude of the wares of thymaking, for the multitude of all riches;in the wine of Helbon, and white wool.

19 Dan also and Javan going to and frooccupied in thy fairs: bright iron,cassia, and calamus, were in thymarket.

unknown. Panag is not a place name but refers to some kind of sweetmeatwhich, together with honey, and oil, and balm, was also supplied by Israeland Judah.

Damascus (v. 18) was the capital of Syria.The wine of Helbon, a village near Damas-cus, is mentioned as a choice wine in As-syrian inscriptions. White wool was a specialfleece from sheep which foraged in thedesert lands of Syria and Arabia.

Dan and Javan (v. 19). The tribe of Danhad long since gone into captivity. Followingthe RVmg, Roth, and others it is best to read,"Vedan and Javan from Uzal" (the Hebrewword m'uzal, translated "going to and fro" inthe AV being rendered "from Uzal"). Uzal (Gen. 10:27) is the ancient namefor the capital of the Yemen and Vedan may be a reference to Aden. Javanis Greece and the inference from this verse is that the Greeks were carryingon trade between these Arab peoples and Tyre. Yemen was noted for itsiron production and especially for the manufacture of sword blades.

Dedan (v. 20), if the comments on verse15 be accepted, refers to the Semitic Dedanwhich provided precious clothes (i.e."saddle blankets", NIV) for the Tyrianhorses.

Arabia and the princes ofKedar (v. 21) were nomadic tribes descendedfrom Ishmael (Gen. 25:13), who roamed theSyro-Arabian desert looking after their sheep(cf. Isa. 60:7). They provided Tyre withlambs... rams, and goats (v. 21).

Sheba and Raamah (v. 22), descendedfrom Cush (Gen. 10:7), traded in gold,precious stones and aromatic spices from thePersian Gulf area of Arabia.

20 Dedan [was] thy merchant inprecious clothes for chariots.

Haran, Canneh and Eden (v. 23) (the lastnamed being spelled differently in Hebrew tothe Eden of Genesis) were neighbouring

21 Arabia, and all the princes ofKedar, they occupied with thee inlambs, and rams, and goats: in these[were they] thy merchants.22 The merchants of Sheba andRaamah, they [were] thy merchants:they occupied in thy fairs with chief ofall spices, and with all precious stones,and gold.23 Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, themerchants of Sheba, Asshur, [and]Chilmad, [were] thy merchants.

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24 These [were] thy merchants in allsorts [of things], in blue clothes, andbroidered work, and in chests of richapparel, bound with cords, and madeof cedar, among thy merchandise.25 The ships of Tarshish did sing ofthee in thy market: and thou wastreplenished, and made very glorious inthe midst of the seas.


towns on the trade route from Babylon to Syria. They are described asmerchants of Sheba, that is, they traded with Sheba, implying a veryextensive trading consortium. This tradethey, in turn, passed on to Tyre.

Asshur and Chilmad (v. 23) were townsin the vicinity of the Euphrates. Theysupplied Tyre with choice garments carriedin splendid chests of cedar wood.

By this vast network of trade the Tyrianship was made glorious in the midst of theseas (v. 25). The words made glorious in the Hebrew imply 'weighteddown', 'heavy laden'. The RSV renders this as, "So you were filled andheavily laden."

iii. The shipwreck (v. 26-31)

This overloaded ship, representing theKingdom of Tyre, was led by her rowers (v.26)—those who guided the affairs of theTyrian State —into the open sea. In thissituation, self-sufficient, and negotiatingwith pride the sea of nations, she is lashed bythe east wind. The ship sinks and her cargoand crew are cast into the sea (v. 27, 28).The great trading power comes to an end tothe consternation of all the nations withwhom she has engaged in trade and who hadhelped enrich her.

The east windA in the time of Ezekiel wasNebuchadnezzar of Babylon (cf. 17:10 and

26 Thy rowers have brought thee intogreat waters: the east wind hath brokenthee in the midst of the seas.27 Thy riches, and thy fairs, thymerchandise, thy mariners, and thypilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers ofthy merchandise, and all thy men ofwar, that [are] in thee, and in all thycompany which [is] in the midst ofthee, shall fall into the midst of theseas in the day of thy ruin.28 The suburbs shall shake at thesound of the cry of thy pilots.29 And all that handle the oar, themariners, [and] all the pilots of the sea,shall come down from their ships, theyshall stand upon the land;30 And shall cause their voice to beheard against thee, and shall crybitterly, and shall cast up dust upontheir heads, they shall wallowthemselves in the ashes:

The destruction, by the east wind, of Tyre with its "ships of Tarshish" reminds usof Psalm 48:7—"Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind". Thishad happened to Jehoshaphat's ships of Tarshish when he made a fleshlyalliance with Ahaziah, the wicked king of Israel. These ships of Tarshish, themighty works of men, are symbols of fleshly pride and power so evident in Tyre.In contrast, "Although the earth be removed and though the mountains be castinto the midst of the seas; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled...Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in themountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is

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31 And they shall make themselvesutterly bald for thee, and gird themwith sackcloth, and they shall weep forthee with bitterness of heart [and]bitter wailing.

19:12) who at a time of great political unrest(the raging sea) came against Tyre setting inmotion the chain of events that led to herfinal destruction that was considered inchapter 26.

iv. The lamentation (v. 32-36)

The fall of Tyre was an economic disaster ofunprecedented proportions. Her fall causeddistress to many nations who had put theirtrust in her and built their national livesaround an economic system brought to itsknees by the Babylonian east wind. Whatcity is like Tyrus? they asked in dismay.How could this happen to such a successfulcommercial power? They could not seebeyond the present evil world. They wereunlike the faithful of all ages, who, followingAbraham as pilgrims on the earth in itspresent arrangement, look for that "citywhich hath foundations, whose builder andmaker is God" (Heb. 11:10).

The fall of Tyre holds a great lesson forus. The system of commerce and finance which props up the modern worldis every bit as vulnerable as was Tyre, and like Tyre is soon to pass off thescene and never shalt be any more (v. 36). We cannot avoid involvementin the financial and commercial activities of the world. But it ill behoves usto become too concerned with a system which is to pass away in a politicalupheaval far greater than that which brought an end to the influence ofTyre.

"Where your treasure is there will your heart be also".

32 And in their wailing they shall takeup a lamentation for thee, and lamentover thee, [saying], What [city is] likeTyrus, like the destroyed in the midstof the sea?33 When thy wares went forth out ofthe seas, thou filledst many people;thou didst enrich the kings of the earthwith the multitude of thy riches and ofthy merchandise.34 In the time [when] thou shalt bebroken by the seas in the depths of thewaters thy merchandise and all thycompany in the midst of thee shall fall.35 All the inhabitants of the isles shallbe astonished at thee, and their kingsshall be sore afraid, they shall betroubled in [their] countenance.36 The merchants among the peopleshall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror,and never [shalt be] any more.

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mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king" (Psa. 46:2, 3;48:1-3). Thus will the kingdom of God be established and fleshly pride beremoved from the earth.

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(c) A prophecy against the Prince of Tyre (28:1-10)

i. The Prince's claim to divinity (v. 1-5)Having described the fall of Tyre under theparable of a shipwreck in chapter 27, theprophet now singles out the Tyrian monar-chy for special condemnation in elaboratingthe purpose of God with Tyre. At the timethis prophecy was given the king of Tyrewas Ithobal II1 (= Ethbaal or Ittobaal)2 butit seems that the king, or monarchy, ispresented as embodying all that the powerof Tyre was in God's sight—a rich, proud,godless people.

In the time of David and Solomon Tyrehad been very friendly with Israel, supplyingher with materials for the construction of thetemple. On the basis of "I will bless themthat bless thee" (Gen. 12:3) this had nodoubt resulted in great blessings on the Tyrian people. There was in thosedays, too, an acknowledgement of the God of Israel (1 Kings 5:7; 2 Chron.2:12); but now all this had been forgotten. The prince of Tyre in whom wasmanifest the pride of all the Tyrian people, looking at all the riches andsuccessful commerce of Tyre, became inflated with pride, and, feelingsecure in his island fortress, said, / [am] a God, I sit [in] the seat of God, inthe midst of the seas3 (v. 2). This appears to be a sin to which mankind is

1 The word of the LORD came againunto me, saying,2 Son of man, say unto the prince ofTyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD;Because thine heart [is] lifted up, andthou hast said, I fam] a God, I sit [in]the seat of God, in the midst of theseas; yet thou [art] a man, and not God,though thou set thine heart as the heartof God:3 Behold, thou [art] wiser than Daniel;there is no secret that they can hidefrom thee:4 With thy wisdom and with thineunderstanding thou hast gotten theeriches, and hast gotten gold and silverinto thy treasures:5 By thy great wisdom [and] by thytraffick hast thou increased thy riches,and thine heart is lifted up because ofthy riches:

Sometimes referred to as Ithobal III. Ithobal I is the Ethbaal of 1 Kings 16:31.There is another Ethbaal who was placed on the Tyrian throne by Sennacheribin 701 BC. He is also known as Tuba'lu but is sometimes referred to as Ithobal II.

Josephus Against Apion 1:19-21, Antiquities 10:11.1.The phrase the "midst (Heb. = heart) of the seas", used also in ch. 27:4; 25:27,is used of Jonah who was cast out of the whale's belly into the "midst of theseas" (Jonah 2:3). Psa. 46:2 speaks of the mountains being carried into "theheart (same Hebrew word) of the seas" (RV). The idea thus conveyed is not thatof being far out at sea or of being surrounded by many different seas but that ofbeing surrounded by deep water.Since in ch. 27 Tyre, under the figure of a ship, is said to be "broken by theseas" (27:34) there may be a secondary meaning. The sea is used as a figure of


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particularly prone. There are many examples in scripture where men,blessed by God, have as a result of those very blessings become filled withpride. Being supplied with everything they need, they have failed to see theneed for God at all and have come to sit, in their own imaginations, in theseat which belongs to God alone (cf. 2Thess. 2:4). This was the folly ofNebuchadnezzar who, fully aware of the teaching of Daniel regarding theinfluence of Israel's God in the world of politics, yet said, "Is not this greatBabylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of mypower, and for the honour of my majesty?" (Dan. 4:30). He had to learn thehard way that "the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it towhomsoever he will" (v. 32).

The people of God were not exempt from this tendency and so Israel waswarned,

"...it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into theland...to give thee great and goodly cities...houses full of all good[things]... vineyards and olive trees... be ware lest thou forget the LORD..."(Deut. 6:10-12).

There is a temptation in the world of today for us to be carried away withits self-sufficient humanism. The judgements of God that fell on Tyre,Nebuchadnezzar, and Israel, should convince us of the folly of followingthe world in its proud ways.

Daniel had confirmed Nebuchadnezzar's title to the then known world(2:38), and had also spoken of the end of all human government (2:44).Ithobal, king of Tyre, had also received a special revelation from Yahwehvia Jeremiah (27:3-6) telling him that he would become subject toNebuchadnezzar. But he chose to disbelieve, and rejected the divinemessage, trusting in his own fleshly strength. Thus the prince of Tyreconsidered himself to be wiser than Daniel (v. 3).

footnote continued from previous pagenations (Isa. 57:20; Rev. 17:15). Tyre negotiates these waters at the height ofher power, full of self-confidence and pride. Those same waters—the "manynations" which come against Tyre "as the sea causeth his waves to come up"(26:3)—brought about the downfall of the proud nation.

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ii. Yahweh's judgement on the man of Tyre (v. 6-10)

Because of the prince of Tyre's claim todivinity, and because of the pride and arro-gance of the nation he represented, Godwould visit him with judgement. AsJeremiah previously had warned (Jer. 27:3),so now Ezekiel warns that the terrible ofthe nations (v. 7) would come and destroythe Tyrian monarchy. The "terrible of thenations" is Nebuchadnezzar (cf. 30:11;31:12; 32:11, 12), who began the destruc-tion of Tyre as discussed in chapter 26. Hewas but the first wave in a series ofinvasions that led ultimately to the situationdescribed in 27:36 and 26:21, when Tyrewould be no more. History has demon-strated the impotence of Tyre and the sovereignty of God. The Tyrianmonarchy is no more. It was brought down to the pit (v. 8).

Though the prince of Tyre considered himself secure "in the midst of theseas" yet, says God, thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain (v. 8)and verse 10 enlarges, Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised bythe hand of strangers. The plural deaths is a Hebraism indicating a violentdeath (used of the death of Jesus in Isa. 53:9 AVmg). Like Israel, thePhoenicians practised circumcision as part of their religion. But like Israel(Jer. 9:26) they too were "uncircumcised in the heart", and would suffer theviolence to be meted out to the uncircumcised (or, godless) nations.

6 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Because thou hast set thine heart as theheart of God;7 Behold, therefore I will bringstrangers upon thee, the terrible of thenations: and they shall draw theirswords against the beauty of thywisdom, and they shall defile thybrightness.8 They shall bring thee down to the pit,and thou shalt die the deaths of [themthat are] slain in the midst of the seas.9 Wilt thou yet say before him thatslayeth thee, I [am] God? but thou[shalt be] a man, and no God, in thehand of him that slayeth thee.10 Thou shalt die the deaths of theuncircumcised by the hand ofstrangers: for I have spoken [it], saiththe Lord GOD.

(d) A lamentation for the King of Tyre (28:11-19)

Both from a textual and an expository standpoint this section of Ezekiel isdifficult. However, those (such as the Jehovah's Witnesses and SeventhDay Adventists) who see in this passage support for the idea of a fallen-angel devil fail to place the lamentation in the context of these propheciesagainst Tyre, and read into it preconceived ideas which are not found in the

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text. Nowhere in the text of whichever version is used is there any mentionof a fallen angel, devil, or Satan1.

Our principal interest in this section is the description of the prince ofTyre as the anointed cherub (v. 14). First we offer some brief expositorynotes on the text; then we examine the use of the term "cherub" withreference to the prince of Tyre to demonstrate that its use is consistent withthe principles of cherubic activity set out in Section 1, pages 20-34.

i. The creation of Tyre (v. 11-15)

The conclusion of the prophecy of 28:1-10was that the prince of Tyre (representative ofthe people and Tyre) was man (Heb. adam -v. 9) although like Adam and Eve before himhe had aspired to "be as God" (Gen. 3:5).The mention of Eden (v. 13), cherub (v. 14,)and created (v. 15) all combine to give theimpression that a connection with the earlychapters of Genesis is being developed.

Thus in verses 11-15 the King of Tyre,representative of the nation, is presented asbeing created by God. Here is the creationof a political man, comparable to the cre-ation of Adam as the following pointsdemonstrate:-

11 Moreover the word of the LORDcame unto me, saying,12 Son of man, take up a lamentationupon the king of Tyrus, and say untohim, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thousealest up the sum, full of wisdom, andperfect in beauty.13 Thou hast been in Eden the gardenof God; every precious stone [was] thycovering, the sardius, topaz, and thediamond, the beryl, the onyx, and thejasper, the sapphire, the emerald, andthe carbuncle, and gold: theworkmanship of thy tabrets and of thypipes was prepared in thee in the daythat thou wast created.14 Thou [art] the anointed cherub thatcovereth; and I have set thee [so]: thouwast upon the holy mountain of God;thou hast walked up and down in themidst of the stones of fire.15 Thou [wast] perfect in thy waysfrom the day that thou wast created, tilliniquity was found in thee.He was perfect in beauty (v. 12) or

perfect in thy ways from the day thatthou wast created', till iniquity was found in thee (v. 15)—comparedwith Adam who was "very good" (Gen. 1:31) until he sinned. Theperfection of Tyre lay in its political structure that as the Hebrewword suggests was sound and fully developed.He was in Eden the garden of God (v. 13) as was Adam. In the caseof the King of Tyre this statement is expanded to include themountain of God (v. 14), which, since there appears to be noconnection between Tyre and Sinai, must refer to Zion. The way in

1 An answer to those who thus use this scripture is to be found in WrestedScriptures by Ron Abel, pages 170-173.

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which Eden is used in Ezekiel 31:2-18, where the nations aroundIsrael are spoken of as trees in Eden, suggests that it is the rela-tionship of Tyre with Israel which is being referred to. The referenceto walking up and down in the midst of the stones of fire (v. 14) mayhave reference to the tribes of Israel which were represented by thestones of the breastplate of the high priest (Exod. 28:17-20).

• An interesting point emerges from verse 13 where the AV has "theworkmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee inthe day that thou wast created". Fairbairn1 points out that the Hebrewword nekevim, translated pipes, is found only here. This may be theplural of the word nekevah, a female, even though it has a masculineending—nekev-im2. If this be accepted then there is the interestingsuggestion that on the day when Tyre was created, there was alsocreated these women who played the tabrets —which should becompared with "male and female created he them" (Gen. 1:27).

• The reference to the anointed cherub that covereth is the finalconnection with the Genesis record, although there the cherubim arenot mentioned by name until after the fall of man.

THE ANOINTED CHERUB

We must now examine the reason why the prince of Tyre is described asthe anointed cherub that covereth (v. 14). There are two possibilities, bothof which appear to be in harmony with the principles of cherubic activitypreviously set out in Section One.

(1) The King of Tyre himself a cherub: The verse concerns the king ofTyre as representative of the nation. Tyre was placed in a specialposition in relation to the nation of Israel, especially in the reigns ofDavid and Solomon (2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kings 5:1-12; 1 Kings 7:13). Itis of particular note that the king of Tyre participated in the buildingof the temple in Jerusalem. In this sense he was upon the holymountain of God. He walked up and down in the midst of the stonesof fire, in that he enjoyed an intimate relationship with God's peoplewho were represented by the gleaming stones on the breastplate of the

P. Fairbairn, Ezekiel, p. 311.There are other words that show this same anomaly, e.g. nash-im which has amasculine ending although it means "women", and av-gt which means "fathers"but carries a feminine ending.

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high priest. At this time he acknowledged Israel's God (1 Kings 5:7)and, on the principle that "I will bless them that bless thee" (Gen.12:3), Tyre was blessed materially.

This rich, powerful nation, placed in this special relationship withIsrael and strategically situated on her northern border, was a vehiclethrough which God manifested Himself politically for Israel's good.Thus in the protection and nurturing of Israel Tyre performed acherubic work—a keeping of the way of the tree of life. But it wasshort-lived. So God, who on the principle of Daniel 4:17 had"created" Tyre for Israel's benefit, brought judgement on her at thehand of Nebuchadnezzar as detailed in this section of Ezekiel.

(2) A cherub with the King of Tyre: There is an alternative view thathas much to commend it. The wording of verse 14 in the RSV says ofthe king of Tyre, "with an anointed guardian cherub I placed you."Because of Tyre's special relationship with Israel in the days ofDavid and Solomon, the angelo-cherubic protection afforded to Israelwas extended to Tyre. Because Tyre abused this relationship, "I castyou as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and the guardiancherub drove you out from the midst of the stones of fire" (v. 16).In this way we see an example of the angelic over-ruling of nationsfor the benefit of Israel through whom, at that time, passed the way ofthe tree of life.

(ii) The sin and judgement of Tyre(v. 16-19)

Like Adam, Tyre sinned. Tyre's sin, ofcourse, was political, becoming, as we haveseen from verses 1-10, lifted up with prideto the extent of grasping after equality withGod.

Because of Tyre's pride, and particularlybecause of the king of Tyre's abuse of thespecial relationship into which he had beenbrought with Israel, the mountain of God, hewould, in the words of the RSV, be cast "asa profane thing from the mountain of God".The guardian cherub would drive him outfrom the midst of the stones of fire (v. 16).This finds its obvious echo in the exclusion

16 By the multitude of thymerchandise they have filled the midstof thee with violence, and thou hastsinned: therefore I will cast thee asprofane out of the mountain of God:and I will destroy thee, Ο coveringcherub, from the midst of the stones offire.17 Thine heart was lifted up because ofthy beauty, thou hast corrupted thywisdom by reason of thy brightness: Iwill cast thee to the ground, I will laythee before kings, that they maybehold thee.18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries bythe multitude of thine iniquities, by theiniquity of thy traffick; therefore will Ibring forth a fire from the midst ofthee, it shall devour thee, and I willbring thee to ashes upon the earth inthe sight of all them that behold thee.19 All they that know thee among thepeople shall be astonished at thee: thoushalt be a terror, and never [shalt] thou[be] any more.

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of Adam from the Garden. "Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return"in the Genesis record, here finds its counterpart in / will cast thee to theground (v. 17).

Thus Tyre would be politically destroyed never to rise again, thefulfillment of which has already been considered.

(e) A prophecy against Zidon (28:20-23)

Background - The Zidonians were Canaan-ites, being descended from Sidon thefirstborn son of Canaan (Gen. 10:15).Although in later history Tyre assumed thesupremacy as here in Ezekiel's prophecies,Zidon was the most ancient of thesePhoenician cities (Gen. 10:19).

When Israel embarked on the conquest ofthe land, the Canaanites should have beendriven out and Zidon incorporated into theterritory of the tribe of Asher (Josh.19:24-28). However, the Zidonians werenot driven out and the tribe of Asherestablished a peaceful co-existence with them (Judges 1:31-32; 3:1-3).

The consequences of Asher's folly had been clearly spelled outprophetically before Israel entered the land—"they will turn away thy sonfrom following me, that they may serve other gods" (Deut. 7:4). It is notsurprising, then, to read that "the children of Israel did evil again in thesight of the LORD, and served...the gods of Zidon" (Judges 10:6).

Thus an evil influence entered God's nation from the Zidonians, who ledIsrael (especially during the reign of Ahab) to the degrading worship ofAshtaroth and Baal (Judges 10:6; 1 Kings 11:5; 1 Kings 16:31).1

The prophecy - This prophecy against Zidon should be viewed against thisbackground. The only reference to Zidon harassing Israel is in Judges

20 Again the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,21 Son of man, set thy face againstZidon, and prophesy against it,22 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, I [am] against thee, Ο Zidon;and I will be glorified in the midst ofthee: and they shall know that I [am]the LORD, when I shall have executedjudgments in her, and shall besanctified in her.

23 For I will send into her pestilence,and blood into her streets; and thewounded shall be judged in the midstof her by the sword upon her on everyside; and they shall know that I [am]the LORD.

1 It should be noted that "Ethbaal king of the Zidonians" the father of Jezebel(1 Kings 16:31) was also king of Tyre. He is known to history as Ithobal I. Hewas priest of the fertility goddess Ashtaroth (Astarte) and obtained the throne bymurdering king Phelles—Jezebel and Athaliah kept up the family traditions!

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11:12, and we do not read in the historical books of Zidon co-operatingwith Israel's oppressors. It must be evident that whatever judgement fell onTyre, as previously considered, would involve also the Zidonians, for thetwo were so closely connected. But Zidon, associated as she was with thevery beginnings of this branch of the Canaanite peoples, is perhaps singledout for special mention because of the way in which those Canaanites hadcorrupted God's chosen people.

By God's judgements upon Zidon, even the worshipper of Baal andAshtaroth would come to acknowledge Yahweh's supremacy.

Fulfilment - Profane history has little to say about Zidon, although a greatdeal can be inferred from what is recorded about her sister city Tyre. Zidonsuffered with Tyre at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar (as Jeremiah hadpredicted, 25:22; 27:1-8). What aspect of Zidon's judgement is indicated inthe reference to the pestilence (v. 23) can only be speculation, but diseaseoften follows in the footsteps of war. After the conquest by Nebuchadnez-zar Zidon was successively subjected to the oppression of Persia, Greeceand Rome. It still existed as a town in the first century AD (cf. Acts12:20-23) but gradually faded into oblivion. The settlement of modernZidon (Saida) is thought by most to be of fairly modern origin, being builtfrom the ruins of ancient Zidon on the site of the old city. Thus by therepeated and ultimately final humiliation of Zidon, Yahweh's word wasseen to be fulfilled, and in this way He was sanctified in her (v. 22).

(f) The nations round about (28:24-26)The final verses of the chapter are of greatimportance for they provide the backgroundto an understanding of the situation whichwould prevail in Israel at the time of theend—a subject which is considered in greatdetail by the prophet in chapters 35-39.

Ezekiel has pronounced Yahweh's judge-ments on the nations to the east, west andnorth of Israel. Now, before he proceeds togive the seven prophecies against Egypt inthe south, he pauses to consider brieflycertain events which would take place at thetime of the end. It becomes clear that, al-though the judgements of God fell on theneighbours of Israel exactly as outlined by

24 And there shall be no more apricking brier unto the house of Israel,nor [any] grieving thorn of all [thatare] round about them, that despisedthem; and they shall know that I [am]the Lord GOD.25 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When Ishall have gathered the house of Israelfrom the people among whom they arescattered, and shall be sanctified inthem in the sight of the heathen, thenshall they dwell in their land that Ihave given to my servant Jacob.26 And they shall dwell safely therein,and shall build houses, and plantvineyards; yea, they shall dwell withconfidence, when I have executedjudgments upon all those that despisethem round about them; and they shallknow that I [am] the LORD their God.

Ezekiel 28 275


the prophet, the judgements were not exhausted in those historical eventsthat we have considered.

The events now briefly brought before our attention have to do with thetime when God shall have gathered the house of Israel from the peopleamong whom they are scattered (v. 25). At this time, as a result ofexecuting judgements upon all those that despise them round about them(v. 26), Israel comes to dwell safely in the land (v. 26).

We must then look to thesituation prevailing in the territoriesof those ancient neighbours of Israelat the time of Israel's regathering. Apoint of great importance is the factthat the words "all them that areround about them" (v. 24) and "allthem that despise them round aboutthem" (v. 26) are words used inscripture to denote the immediateneighbours of Israel.1 Thus whenIsrael entered the land after theExodus they were commanded, "Yeshall not go after other gods, of thegods of the people which are roundabout you" (Deut. 6:14; see also13:7). With these people they couldmake no peace—"Thou shalt savealive nothing that breatheth, butshall utterly destroy them" (Deut.20:16, 17). In contrast, with thenations "which are very far off fromthee" they could enter into treatiesof peace (Deut. 20:10-15).

The modern nations occupying

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1 The reference to the Gentile armies in Joel 3:12 who are described as "all theheathen round about" would superficially appear to contradict this. However, atthis time the nations are in the land and are therefore correctly described asbeing "round about" Israel.

276 Ezekiel 28


the territories of these ancient neighbours of Israel —the people roundabout—are shown on the map.

Since the declaration of Israel's independence in 1948 these nations, liketheir counterparts in the days of Ezekiel, have been pricking briars andgrieving thorns (v. 24) to the nation of Israel.

In memorable victories over these modern Arab nations Israel hasrepeatedly asserted her military superiority. The Six-Day War in 1967 wasthe great turning point in Israel's relationship with these nations. At thattime the "governors of Judah [were] like a hearth of fire among the wood,and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and devoured all the people roundabout, on the right hand and on the left" (Zech. 12:6) and Jerusalembecame once again the capital city of Israel.

Since that time Israel has negotiated with these nations from a position ofstrength. The results are becoming evident. The unthinkable occurred inMay 1994 when Israel entered into a peace agreement with their arch-enemies the Palestinians, represented by a man who for years had been athorn in their side —Yasser Arafat. A peace treaty with Jordan quicklyfollowed. Syria is playing "hard to get" but a peace agreement is expected.This will remove the threat to Israel from her northern (Lebanese) borderthat is intentionally fomented by the Syrians to needle Israel intoconcessions with respect to the Golan Heights as a basis for peace.

Thus, gradually, as a result of Israel's military superiority, negotiatingfrom this position of strength, the pricking briars and grieving thorns arebeing removed.

The effect of this on Israel's economy will be dramatic. As an indicationof the coming economic boom it is of interest to note that, as a result of thepeace process to date, in the 1990's Israel's GDP increased by over a thirdand foreign investment went up from $400 million in 1992 to $2.4 billion in1996.1 The map on the next page illustrates the plans Israel has made inanticipation of the peace accords with the people round about her.

1 Benny Gaon, Jerusalem Post, quoted in "Middle East Update", ed. C. French,August 1997.

Ezekiel 28 277

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EXISTING TAPLINE:runs from Saudi Arabiathrough Jordan and theGolan Heights

RED DEAD CANAL:a project to run seawater into the Deadsea along the Aravavalley

NEW INLANDHARBOURS: dug in thedesert, freeing up theshore-line for hotels.Existing harbor ulddisappear

TOURISM: a Red Sea'Riviera' taking resortsalong the Egyptian,Israeli and Jordanian

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NEW RAILWAY LINE:running north toBeirut and south toCairo.

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NEW ROADS: from TelAviv to Cairo and northof Tel Aviv to Beirut andDamascus, and east toIraq.

ROAD: linking Egyptthrough Eilat andAqaba and on toSaudi Arabia.

Map showing proposed developments following the achievment of peace with the Arabs


By this process, which we must emphasize is founded on ungodlyprinciples, Israel will create an economic miracle and bring into existencethe "great spoil" (38:12) that will attract the invasion from the north whichEzekiel considers in chapter 38. Thus the settled, prosperous position thatIsrael is required to occupy prior to the invasion from the north, is herebeing presented to us.

A comparison of the situation in these verses with that described inchapter 38 is impressive.

RESULT OF REMOVING THEPRICKING BRIARS AND

GRIEVING THORNS(28:24-26)

When I have gathered the house ofIsrael (v. 25)

They shall dwell in their land that Ihave given to my servant Jacob (v. 25)

They shall dwell safely [betach](v.26)

Shall build houses and plant vineyards(v. 26)

Yea they shall dwell with confidence[betach] (v. 26)

SITUATION PRIOR TO THEINVASION FROM THE NORTH

(38)

The people that are gathered out ofthe nations (v. 12)

The desolate places that are now in-habited... that dwell in the midst of theland (v. 12)

They shall dwell safely [betach](v.8)

Which have gotten cattle and goods(v. 12)

Them that dwell safely (betach, withconfidence AVmg), all of them dwell-ing without walls, having neither barsnor gates (v. 11)

This peace, established on the basis of their own achievements with verylittle recognition of the divine hand in their affairs, will turn out to be afalse and short-lived peace—a peace to be shattered by the invasion fromthe north described in Ezekiel 38.

The only problem in the exposition set out above is the statement thatwhen the pricking briars and grieving thorns have been removed—when

Ezekiel 28 279


Israel dwells safely and prosperously in the land—then they shall knowthat I am the LORD (v. 24, 26).1 This difficulty is easily resolved. Thechapter is concerned with the ultimate result of God's judgement of Israel'sevil neighbours, not with the Gogian invasion. Israel will come to knowYahweh after the removal of the latter day pricking briars and grievingthorns, but between the two events must be placed the terrible Gogianhumiliation of Israel and her rescue by Messiah—a subject which is treatedof elsewhere and which leads to the acknowledgement by Israel, "That I amthe LORD their God from that day and forward" (39:22).2

The fact that God is said to be "sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen"(v. 25) does not imply more than that God will be seen to be keeping His wordby regathering Israel, His "witnesses", just as He was "sanctified" in Zidon (v. 22)when the prophecy about her was fulfilled.

There is an interesting reference in Ezekiel 39 to the fact that "they havetrespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land..." (v. 26). If thisdwelling safely is, as expounded above, the result of making peace with theirArab neighbours, then their trespass could well be the ungodly basis upon whichthey have sought that peace—that is, their willingness to give up parts of theland covenanted to Abraham in return for material prosperity. For furthercomment on this time when Israel dwells safely see exposition at Ezekiel38:8-13).

280 Ezekiel 28

14. Prophecies against the South(29:1-32:32)

Having pronounced the fate of the six nations to the east, west, and north ofIsrael, the prophet now turns to deliver seven prophecies against theseventh of Israel's enemies—Egypt in the south. The fact that fourchapters—one twelfth of the entire book of Ezekiel—consisting of someone hundred verses are devoted to prophecies about Egypt should alert us tothe importance of this nation in relation to Israel.

Historical background

As the meeting place of the two great continents of Africa and Asia, Egyptprovided the world's greatest civilization until the rise of the Greeks. Thehistory of God's chosen people became interwoven with that of Egypt fromthe time of Abraham.

The Egyptians were descended from Mizraim the son of Ham (Gen. 10:6,13), Mizraim being the Hebrew word translated Egypt in the OldTestament. In fulfilment of the prophecy of Genesis 15:13 the nation ofIsrael came into being in Egypt, later being subject to Egyptian bondagefrom which God delivered them by the hand of Moses.

From the time of the Exodus to the reign of Solomon there is no mentionof contact between the two peoples. 1 Kings 3:1 records that "Solomonmade affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt" and that he married Pharaoh'sdaughter. Relations between them appear to have become strained, forPharaoh harboured Hadad, Solomon's enemy (1 Kings 11:17-19), and itwas to Egypt that Jeroboam the son of Nebat fled from Solomon, where hewas sustained by Shishak King of Egypt (1 Kings 11:40). These events maywell explain why, within five years of the death of Solomon, Shishakmarched on Judah, spoiling the temple that Solomon had built (1 Kings14:25-26).

During the last days of the Northern Kingdom Hoshea appealed toPharaoh for help against Assyria (2 Kings 17:4-7), but there is noindication that this help was given. In the days of Hezekiah, Judah alsoappears to have looked in vain to Egypt for help, as may be inferred from2 Kings 18:21 and Isaiah 31:1.

One of the outstanding Pharaohs of this period was Necho II. Upon thedecline of Assyria he set out to re-establish Egypt's greatness. Jeremiah

281


47:1, 5 refers to this time, speaking of his conquest of Philistia, and it wason the occasion of his subsequent northern thrust that Josiah went outagainst him and was killed at Megiddo (2 Kings 23:29). Necho II, havingthus taken the whole of Syria, recovered the entire Egyptian Empire at astroke. Jehoahaz son of Josiah was deported to Egypt, and Jehoiakim wasplaced on the throne and compelled to pay tribute (2 Kings 23:34).

In the fourth year of Jehoiakim, Necho II was defeated by Nebuchad-nezzar at Carchemish on the Euphrates (Jer. 46:2). From then on "the kingof Egypt (Necho II) came not again any more out of his land: for the kingof Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates allthat pertained to the king of Egypt" (2 Kings 24:7).

The last king of Judah, Zedekiah, sent ambassadors to Egypt for helpagainst Nebuchadnezzar (Ezek. 17:15-17), and, when Pharaoh Hophra(also known in history as Apries) responded by sending an army,Nebuchadnezzar lifted his siege of Jerusalem and proceeded south to dealwith Pharaoh, before returning to complete the siege (Jer. 37:5, 8). It was atthis time that Ezekiel's first prophecy against Egypt was delivered.

(a) The crocodile and the fishes (29:1-16)

The allegory (v. 1-7)The prophecy was given in the tenth year1 ofthe captivity, exactly one year after Neb-uchadnezzar had begun the siege ofJerusalem (cf. 2 Kings 25:1), and would begiven therefore at approximately the sametime as the events recorded in Jeremiah 37,when Pharaoh set out to help Zedekiah. ThePharaoh is Hophra who, like Necho II, had great ambitions and dreamed ofrestoring Egypt to its former greatness.

1 In the tenth year, in the tenth[month], in the twelfth [day] of themonth, the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,2 Son of man, set thy face againstPharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesyagainst him, and against all Egypt:

This prophecy was given earlier than those in chapters 26-28 (see 26:1).Similarly 29:17-21 was given much later than 31:1-18; 32:1-16 and 32:17-32.In fact the 29:17-21 prophecy was given almost two years after the propheciescommencing at 40:1. From this it is clear that Ezekiel's prophecies do notalways follow in chronological order. This will be important when considering theprophecies of chapters 35-39 which some would force into a rigid chronologicaltimetable which results in the unwarranted conclusion that the Gogian invasionin chapter 38 takes place after the kingdom is established in 37:24-25.

282 Ezekiel 29

4. Against the South (29:1-32:32)

Hophra in his royal city of Sais amidst thewaters of the Nile delta is pictured as thegreat dragon that lieth in the midst of hisrivers (v. 3). No doubt the reference is to thecrocodiles which, according to Herodotus,were to be found in the Nile at that time.1

Similar imagery is used in Psalm 74:13;Isaiah 27:1 and 51:9. The arrogance ofPharaoh, represented by this fearsome crea-ture, can be traced to the fact that all thePharaohs considered themselves to be divine— incarnations of the pagan deity Ra. Like acrocodile proudly parading the Nile, soPharaoh, full of pride, surveyed the Nile-dependent Egypt2 and, in like vein to Neb-uchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30), declared, / havemade it for myself (v. 3). He too had yet tolearn that "the most High ruleth in the king-dom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever hewill, and setteth up over it the basest ofmen" (Dan. 4:17).

3 Speak, and say, Thus saith the LordGOD; Behold, I [am] against thee,Pharaoh king of Egypt, the greatdragon that lieth in the midst of hisrivers, which hath said, My river [is]mine own, and I have made [it] formyself.4 But I will put hooks in thy jaws, andI will cause the fish of thy rivers tostick unto thy scales, and I will bringthee up out of the midst of thy rivers,and all the fish of thy rivers shall stickunto thy scales.5 And I will leave thee [thrown] intothe wilderness, thee and all the fish ofthy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the openfields; thou shalt not be broughttogether, nor gathered: I have giventhee for meat to the beasts of the fieldand to the fowls of the heaven.6 And all the inhabitants of Egypt shallknow that I [am] the LORD, becausethey have been a staff of reed to thehouse of Israel.7 When they took hold of thee by thyhand, thou didst break, and rend alltheir shoulder: and when they leanedupon thee, thou brakest, and madest alltheir loins to be at a stand.

Herodotus describes the way in which swine's fleshwas placed on a hook by the riverside, and when thecrocodile had swallowed the bait, he was pulled ashoreand killed.3 This is the figure employed of Pharaoh inverse 4. His power would come to an end, and with itthat of the fishes sticking to his scales—the Egyptianpeople. Thus, like a crocodile drawn from the waters,his carcase dumped in the wilderness to be preyed onby the birds and the beasts (cf. Isa. 18:6; Jer. 7:33;

Deut. 28:26), Phar-aoh's kingdom wouldcome to the end of itsglory.

PHARAOH HOPHRA"The great dragon that lieth in the

midst of his rivers"[black granite head in the Louvre, Paris]

1 Herodotus 2:68.2 According to Kay in The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel Roman coins have been

found that show the crocodile as a symbol of Egypt.0 Herodotus 2:70.

Ezekiel 29 283


Verses 6 and 7 give the reason for these divine judgements, this timeusing the figure of the reed that grew abundantly by the side of the Nile. Asthe above review of Egypt's historical relationship with Israel shows, Israelhad on several occasions asked Egypt for help. The staff offered them byEgypt proved to be only a reed that broke when leaned upon, the sharp endpiercing the shoulder. Rabshakeh had rightly assessed the situation whenJudah in Hezekiah's day approached Egypt for help—"thou trustest uponthe staff of this bruised reed, [even] upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, itwill go into his hand, and pierce it..." (2 Kings 18:21). So too now,Zedekiah's appeal for help to resist the forces of Nebuchadnezzar wouldproduce nothing more than token support (cf. Ezek. 17:7-21).

Explanation (v. 8-12)

The next five verses are given in explanationof the allegory. Egypt would be invaded andsubjected to a most humiliating defeat. Therewould be great slaughter and the land wouldbe made desolate (v. 8) The pride of Egyptwould thus be laid low (v. 9).

The phrase in verse 10 concerning thedesolation of the land is best rendered as inthe RV margin: "I will make the land ofEgypt an utter waste and desolation, fromMigdol to Syene, even unto the border ofEthiopia". Migdol was a town in the Niledelta and Syene is the modern Aswan.Ethiopia, or Cush, corresponds to modernSudan, south of Egypt. Migdol to Syenewould be, then, the Egyptian equivalent ofthe Hebrew "from Dan to Beersheba"—thatis, the entire extent of the land.

Egypt would remain desolate for fortyyears (v. 11), and during this time the Egyptian people would be scatteredamong the nations (v. 12). Jeremiah 46:19 also refers to this desolation andcaptivity of Egypt.

8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee,and cut off man and beast out of thee.9 And the land of Egypt shall bedesolate and waste; and they shallknow that I [am] the LORD: becausehe hath said, The river [is] mine, and Ihave made [it].10 Behold, therefore I [am] againstthee, and against thy rivers, and I willmake the land of Egypt utterly waste[and] desolate, from the tower ofSyene even unto the border ofEthiopia.11 No foot of man shall pass throughit, nor foot of beast shall pass throughit, neither shall it be inhabited fortyyears.12 And I will make the land of Egyptdesolate in the midst of the countries[that are] desolate, and her citiesamong the cities [that are] laid wasteshall be desolate forty years: and I willscatter the Egyptians among thenations, and will disperse them throughthe countries.

284 Ezekiel 29


13 Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; Atthe end of forty years will I gather theEgyptians from the people whitherthey were scattered:14 And I will bring again the captivityof Egypt, and will cause them to return[into] the land of Pathros, into the landof their habitation; and they shall bethere a base kingdom.15 It shall be the basest of thekingdoms; neither shall it exalt itselfany more above the nations: for I willdiminish them, that they shall no morerule over the nations.16 And it shall be no more theconfidence of the house of Israel,which bringeth [their] iniquity toremembrance, when they shall lookafter them: but they shall know that I[am] the Lord GOD.

Egypt's restoration (v. 13-16)

The predictions in this section are bold.After the forty years of desolation thecaptivity of Egypt would come to an end andthe Egyptians would return into the land ofPathros (v. 14) where the kingdom of Egyptbegan (cf. the Pathrusim of Gen. 10:14).Egypt would once more become a nation,but it would never attain to its formergreatness, and throughout the remainder ofits pre-millennial history would remain abase kingdom (v. 14).

Thus the broken reed upon which Israelfrom time to time had placed her confidencewith such disastrous results would be nomore the confidence of the house of Israel (v. 16). Israel, herselfdisciplined by God, and seeing the judgements poured out upon Egypt,would thereby accept that Yahweh was indeed Lord—the ruler among thenations.

Fulfilment

The prophecy is not without its difficulties. That Nebuchadnezzar was theinstrument of judgement, the sword (v. 8), cannot be doubted1. The wordsof Jeremiah are plain—"I will deliver them into the hand of those that seektheir lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and intothe hand of his servants" (Jer. 46:26). In his next prophecy Ezekiel alsostates unequivocally, / will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar(29:19). That Nebuchadnezzar wrought havoc on Egypt and carried theEgyptians into captivity is further confirmed by Jeremiah (43:10-13).

Historical confirmation is meagre but comes down heavily in favour ofthe Biblical record. Herodotus who records the history of Egypt makes nomention of a Babylonian conquest but he is unreliable in this regard. Heobtained his information from Egyptian priests who would not haveinformed him of events that discredited their nation. This bias is illustratedby the fact that he records the success of Pharaoh Necho in the battle of

1 There are in fact more verses in prophecy regarding Nebuchadnezzar's invasionof Egypt than there are with respect to his invasion of Judah!

Ezekiel 29 285


Megiddo but does not mention his defeat at Carchemish. He does, however,mention that the fall of Apries (Hophra) was due to an internal revolt inwhich the Egyptians themselves imprisoned and later killed Apries, puttingAmasis on the throne.1 This seems to be generally accepted.

Josephus2 maintains "another" (i.e., Amasis, see chart) was put on thethrone by Nebuchadnezzar, although this is almost certainly not the case.But at least it shows an interest, on the part of Nebuchadnezzar, in Egyptianaffairs at around the time Ezekiel leads us to expect it, and confirms that thejudgements of God fell on Hophra exactly as Ezekiel predicted.

There is a fragmentary cuneiform inscription by Nebuchadnezzar himself[now in the British Museum] that confirms Nebuchadnezzar's invasion ofEgypt. The significant part reads: "In the 37th year, Nebuchadnezzar king ofBabylon marched against Egypt to deliver a battle."3 The remainder of thetext is even more fragmentary, but it appears to refer to Amasis as the kingof Egypt at the time of the invasion. The time of this battle, the 37th year ofNebuchadnezzar (568/67 BC), was just after Apries (Hophra) was succeed-ed by Amasis, so Josephus' mistake is understandable.

Putting this apparently conflicting testimony together it would appearthat Apries was killed by Amasis and that subsequently Egypt was invadedby Nebuchadnezzar, and placed under tribute although Amasis was left onthe throne. W. H. Boulton makes the following interesting comment:"Nebuchadnezzar went up the valley of the Nile as far as Elephantine, andon the way back completed the ravage of Egypt, but the course of hissubsequent operations is unknown. Records of Nebuchadnezzar have beenfound in the Delta area, in the Isthmus of Suez, so that the fact of hisinvasion of Egypt is really beyond dispute."4

The period of 40 years' desolation of the land of Egypt presents us withone of the main problems of this section. The historical testimony withrespect to the reign of Amasis is that he led Egypt into almost half a centuryof prosperity engaging in the development of the economy at home andabroad.5 Thus it would appear to be political desolation to which Ezekielprimarily refers. At the end of the reign of Amasis, Egypt tried to struggle

1 Book 2:169.2 Antiquities, 10:9.7.3 James B. Pritchard, The Ancient Near Eastern Texts, Vol. 1, page 205.4 W. H. Boulton, Egypt, page 141.5 See for example P. Smith, History of the Ancient World, Vol. 1, p. 135-137.

286 Ezekiel 29


out of the political wilderness for one brief moment when Amasis sent anarmy of 120,000 to join with Croesus king of Lydia and Nabonidus ofBabylon against Cyrus, king of the rising power of Persia, but to no avail.

When Cambyses, son of Cyrus, later invaded Egypt he met littleopposition. He dealt ruthlessly with the Egyptians, removing any hope ofindependence they might have cherished. By the time of this invasion byCambyses, Psammetichus III had succeeded Amasis. Cambyses executedhim and established a new dynasty of Persian kings over Egypt.

In the light of this it is difficult to be dogmatic with respect to the fortyyears' period of Egypt's desolation. Certainly the available historical tes-timony does not indicate a literal desolation of the land similar to that ofJudah at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. Most commentators give a symbolicmeaning to the 40 years, and certainly Nebuchadnezzar's invasion marksthe beginning of Egypt's entry into a political wilderness. However, it maywell be that the figure refers to the period from the invasion byNebuchadnezzar (567 BC) to the invasion by Cambyses (525 BC)—notexactly forty years, but it was only a matter of two years after the expiry ofthe forty year period that the invasion by Cambyses took place. It is alsoworth noting that since we have no historical details with respect to howlong Nebuchadnezzar was involved in the subjugation of Egypt it may wellbe that the 40 year period should be dated from some time after 567—i.e.from the time when Egypt was actually conquered by Nebuchadnezzar.

After Cambyses had executed Psammetichus III, Egypt did undergo aperiod of resurgence but, as would be expected from Ezekiel's prophecies,it was under Persian control. Once Cambyses had brought the Egyptians toheel, he and his successors exercised the typical Persian conciliatory policytowards Egypt as towards all her subject peoples.

Egypt remaining a base kingdom since that time is undeniable. Anyhopes the Egyptians might have entertained of resurrecting her pastgreatness were dashed to the ground by Cambyses during the Persianperiod and Alexander the Great at the beginning of the Greek period.Macedonian rule (until 305 BC) was followed by the Ptolemies (until30 BC) when the Romans became supreme. Arabs, Turks and Britons haveall in turn dominated the nation of Egypt, and, although in 1936 it becamean independent nation, it remains a base kingdom.

Ezekiel 29 287


ISRAEL BABYLON PERSIA EGYPT

610 Jehoiakim 609

First

Nebuchadnezzar 604

invasion

600Battle of

--> Carchemish <--600

Jehoiachin 598<Second

Zedekiah 597

590

580

570

560

i-inaiJerusalem falls 587

37th yr

Nebuchadnezzar

Amel Marduk

Neriglissar

NabonidusBelshazzarco-regent

invades Egypt

562

560

556

553

550

540

530

520

Pharaoh Necho II 609

Psammetichus II 593

Hophra (Apries) 588

Amasis 569567

Fall of Babylon 539

The exiles return

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLEof the period of Ezekiel'sprophecies against Egypt

Cyrus 539

Cambyses 529

End of 40 years 527

Psammetichus III 525

Conquest of Egypt

Darius I 521

288 Ezekiel 29


17 And it came to pass in the sevenand twentieth year, in the first [month],in the first [day] of the month, theword of the LORD came unto me,saying,18 Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar kingof Babylon caused his army to serve agreat service against Tyrus: every head[was] made bald, and every shoulder[was] peeled: yet had he no wages, norhis army, for Tyrus, for the service thathe had served against it:19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, I will give the land of Egyptunto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;and he shall take her multitude, andtake her spoil, and take her prey; and itshall be the wages for his army.20 I have given him the land of Egypt[for] his labour wherewith he servedagainst it, because they wrought forme, saith the Lord GOD.

(b) Egypt—Nebuchadnezzar's wages (29:17-21)

Invasion predicted

This second of Ezekiel's seven propheciesagainst Egypt is chronologically the latest ofall his prophecies, being delivered even afterthe visions of the temple in chapters 40-48.The last of the seven prophecies againstEgypt was given in the twelfth year (32:17),whereas this one is dated the twenty-seventhyear of the captivity (29:17). The captivityreferred to is, of course, Jehoiachin's cap-tivity which took place in 597 BC, and so theseven and twentieth year would be about571-570 BC, which would be about the timeof the conclusion of Nebuchadnezzar'scampaign against Tyre. Presumably thisprophecy is placed at this point in the recordbecause of its close connection with theevents of the first prophecy, and it wouldappear from the dating that it was given at a time not long before theBabylonian armies brought upon Egypt the desolation predicted in the firstprophecy.

This prophecy makes it clear that the desolation of Egypt was to beaccomplished by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (v. 18). He had beenGod's instrument in the judgement of Tyre when for some thirteen years helaid siege against the city, finally bringing it to submission, as predicted inthe prophecies of chapters 26-28. Nebuchadnezzar's forces had to workvery hard to bring about the subjugation of Tyre, even to the extent of everyhead being made bald by the constant wearing of helmet, and everyshoulder peeled by the bearing of burdens for the construction of the siegeworks (v. 18). For all this the king of Babylon had received no wages. Thefall of Tyre did not produce its anticipated rewards, for many of that citymade their escape by sea taking their most precious possessions with themas noted in the comments on Ezekiel 26:19-21. Egypt was to be God'swages to Nebuchadnezzar for his service against Tyre. The land of thePharaohs would be desolated by the king of the North who would come,and, carrying the Egyptians captive, would spoil them of their riches (v. 19,

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20) which had been accumulated by the considerable commercial activitiesof the kings of the twenty-sixth Dynasty.

We have already noted that this prediction of Egypt's conquest by Neb-uchadnezzar had also been made by Jeremiah. It will be recalled that, afterthe fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC, a remnant of Israel remained in the land.After the murder of Gedaliah, they were intent on going down to Egyptbecause they feared the Chaldeans. Jeremiah warned them that, if they didgo into Egypt, then "the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there inthe land of Egypt, and the famine..." (42:16). This warning went unheeded,and the remnant went into Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them. In Egypt hecontinued to warn them, and, like Ezekiel who was in Babylon, predictedthat Nebuchadnezzar would be God's instrument of judgement againstEgypt-

"I will send...the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne uponthese stones...and when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, anddeliver such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity tocaptivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword. And I will kindle a fire inthe houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry themaway captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as ashepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace"(Jer.43:10-12—see also the detail in Jeremiah 44 and 46).

We refer at length to Jeremiah's prophecies to demonstrate how clearlyboth he and Ezekiel predicted with unmistakable clarity that Egypt wouldbe invaded and conquered by Nebuchadnezzar.

Fulfilment

In the previous chapter we noted the scant but definite reference in profanehistory to the invasion of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar. In spite of this Cooke1

reaches the conclusion that "There is no evidence that the Babyloniansinflicted the complete disaster which Ezekiel had foretold, and again hisprophecy was not fulfilled, at any rate not in the way expected". But thereare none so blind as those who will not see, as is illustrated by twocontributors to the Cambridge Ancient History. The first of these2

comments, "We have no warrant to suppose that the Babylonian king, whowas now growing old, ever carried out the great warlike operations againstAmasis, far less that he conquered or even entered Egypt, either personally

1 G. A. Cooke, I. C. C. Ezekiel, page 329.2 H. R. Hall, Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. 3, p. 299 (quoted by W. M. Smith in

Egypt in Biblical Prophecy, p. 119).

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or by proxy". The second1, faced presumably with the same documentaryevidence, wrote, "The great campaign of Nebuchadnezzar's later years wasdirected against Egypt in retaliation for the trouble caused by Hophra...thesmall fragment of Babylonian chronicle first published by Pinches showsthat Nebuchadnezzar launched an expedition against Egypt in his thirty-seventh year, that is, about 567 BC".

Thus, while it remains true that we have no detailed profane historicalconfirmation as to the extent of the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar,there is ample historical confirmation that the invasion did take place. Someof this evidence was presented on pages 286-287. We quoted there fromW. H. Boulton who noted that records of Nebuchadnezzar have been foundin the Delta area of Egypt in the Isthmus of Suez, confirming that he didactually invade Egypt. We may now add to this the fact that Urquhart2

refers to two Babylonian cylinders, the "only two yet known which bear anEgyptian inscription. Both of them bear the name of Hophra, in Egyptianhieroglyphics. It seems likely that these cylinders were executed byEgyptian prisoners carried off to Babylon in this campaign".3 EvenDriver4, one of the most critical of Old Testament scholars, was compelledto admit the evidence that is available, "There exist...inscriptions showing(what had previously been doubted) that Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt,thereby fulfilling, at least in their general sense —for we do not knowwhether the fulfilment extended to details—the predictions of Jeremiah43:9-13; 44:30 uttered shortly after 586, and of Ezekiel (29:19; cf. vs. 8-12)uttered in 570".

Thus archaeology has repeatedly confirmed, and continues to confirm,the Bible's historical and prophetic accuracy. The student of the scripturescan have absolute confidence that the Bible record is reliable.

1 R. Campbell Thompson, ibid., p. 304.2 John Urquhart, The New Biblical Guide, Vol. 8, p. 111.3 This confirms the truth of the prediction in verse 12 that the Egyptians were to be

scattered among the nations, for these cylinders were found in Babylon.4 S. R. Driver, Authority and Archaeology, p. 116, 117 (Quoted by W. M. Smith in

Egypt in Biblical Prophecy, p. 122).

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21 In that day will I cause the horn ofthe house of Israel to bud forth, and Iwill give thee the opening of the mouthin the midst of them; and they shallknow that I [am] the LORD.


The horn of Israel (v. 21)

Having pronounced the impending invasionof Egypt, where it must be remembered theremnant of Israel had fled against the adviceof Jeremiah, the prophet now turns to Israeland gives them a message of hope. Egypt'sjudgement, and therefore the judgement ofthe Jews who had fled there for refuge, would not mean that God's purposewith them would not be fulfilled. Yahweh would cause the horn of thehouse of Israel to bud forth—in that day (v. 21).

There is undoubtedly in these words a reference to the covenant that Godmade with David. In his last words David rehearses his confidence in thecovenant and declares, "Although my house be not so with God; yet he hathmade with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure: forthis is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow"(2 Sam. 23:5). The Hebrew word tsamach, translated 'to grow', is the sameword rendered to bud forth in Ezekiel 29:21. It is interesting to trace thisword through Scripture and to observe its frequent connection with theDavidic covenant.

Jeremiah speaks of the time when God would "raise unto David arighteous Branch (Heb. tsemach) and he shall reign as king and deal wisely,and shall execute judgement and justice in the land. In his days Judah shallbe saved, and Israel shall dwell safely..." (23:5, 6, RV). Thus the one whowas 'to bud, or grow up' (Heb. tsamach) in David's house becomes knownas the 'Branch' (Heb. tsemach). So, in 33:15, Jeremiah uses the verb andthe noun—"In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch{tsemach) of righteousness to grow up {tsamach) unto David". Zechariah,too, speaks of David's descendant in this way—"Thus speaketh the LORDof hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is the Branch {tsemach); andhe shall grow up {tsamach) out of his place, and he shall build the temple ofthe LORD" (Zech. 6:12)1. Isaiah makes a beautiful allusion to this son ofDavid. Referring first to the Davidic covenant, the invitation is given,"Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and Iwill make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of

1 A clear reference to "He shall build an house for my name" in the covenant in2 Sam. 7:13.

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David" (55:3). He then proceeds to speak of this work of salvation that Godwould achieve through the one referred to in the covenant—

"For as the rain cometh down...from heaven, and returneth not thither, butwatereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud (tsamach), that it maygive seed to the sower and bread to the eater: so shall my word be thatgoeth forth out of my mouth, it shall not return unto me void, but it shallaccomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sentit" (55:10, 11).

The Word (Gk. logos, John 1:14) went forth and became flesh. Thus theearth was made to bud and Jesus, Son of God and Son of David, was theresult. He faithfully performed the work entrusted to him by his Father, sothat the Word "prospered (cf. Isa. 53:10; and Psa. 1:3) in the thing whereto[God] sent it"1.

From the standpoint of Ezekiel 29:21, the most interesting reference tothis growing up unto David of the promised seed is to be found in Psalm132. Here the idea of him being the horn of the house of Israel is alsopresent. First we note the covenant context—"The LORD hath sworn intruth unto David; he will not turn from it; of the fruit of thy body will I setupon thy throne" (v. 11). The centre of this divinely appointed rulershipwas to be Zion—"The LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for hishabitation" (v. 13). Of this place, God declares, "There will I make thehorn of David to bud (Heb. tsamach): I have ordained a lamp for mineanointed. His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall hiscrown flourish" (v. 17-18).

In view of this very clear background to the words of Ezekiel it isdifficult to insist that in that day, that is, the time when the horn of thehouse of Israel would bud forth (v. 21), must refer to the time whenNebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt. It could be that there is a general referenceto those days in that it was during the 40 years of Egypt's desolation that, asa result of the decree of Cyrus, Zerubbabel, David's descendant, led theexiles back to the land. This was an important and necessary step leadingultimately to the appearance of Messiah (see Luke 3:27 and Matt. 1:12, andnote that the genealogies of Luke and Matthew converge in Zerubbabel). Inthat sense the appearance of Zerubbabel could be viewed as a budding forth

1 There are other references in Isaiah to the 'growing up' of the son of David tofulfil the covenant. E.g. 42:9 and 43:19 where tsamach is rendered "spring forth"and refers to the things of the new covenant that would replace the "formerthings" of the old covenant dispensation.

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of the horn of the house of Israel.1 Certainly Ezekiel was given an openingof the mouth2 in the eyes of the returning exiles who would have beencompelled to acknowledge that his prophecies were indeed the word ofYahweh and that Yahweh who had spoken through him was the true God.

However, the Messianic application is put beyond all doubt by thereference to the Davidic covenant by Zacharias, the father of John theBaptist. He describes Jesus as "an horn of salvation" for Israel and as "theBranch (Gk. anatole, the equivalent of the Heb. tsamech) from on high"3

(Luke 1:69, 78, AVmg). This work of salvation commenced by Messiah isby no means finished. He has "grown up" as the Branch but does not ruleon "the throne of his father David" (Luke 1:32). When this happens Ezekielwill be given an opening of the mouth as the nation of Israel comes to seethe wonderful way in which his prophecies of judgement and restorationhave been wonderfully fulfilled. Then will they in the fullest sense come toacknowledge that I am the LORD (v. 21 and see. 39:28).

1 There are those who would see in the statement, "In that day will I cause thehorn of the house of Israel to bud forth", a simple reference to the reversal ofIsrael's fortunes at the decree of Cyrus, but the scriptural connections of the'horn' and the 'budding forth' with the son of David seem to be overwhelmingly infavour of the view set out.

2 This cannot refer to the termination of the prophet's dumbness since this is saidto have happened in the 12th year of the captivity (33:21-22) whereas thisprophecy was not given until the 27th year (29:17).

3 This is clarified by The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament: "The NTmakes at least two references to this messianic title 'Branch' using the LXXtranslation of the root smh: anatole and anate//o... [Heb. 7:14; Luke 1:78]", page770.

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(c) Judgement on Egypt and her allies (30:1-19)

This third prophecy against Egypt provided further details of the invasionwhich was shortly to be launched against her by Nebuchadnezzar. Thisprophecy, unlike the other six in the series, is undated and there is little tobe gained in speculating when it might have been delivered. The languageof the section is straightforward and, bearing in mind the detail alreadygiven in our consideration of the two previous prophecies against Egypt,little comment is called for. Most of the questions centre around geo-graphical details given and these can best be resolved by the use of maps.

Ezekiel 30:1-12

1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 8 And they shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I2 Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord h a v e s e t a f i r e i n Egypt, a n d t w h e n ] a 1 1 h e r h e l P e r s s h a 1 1

GOD; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! b e destroyed.3 For the day [is] near, even the day of the LORD [is] 9 I n t h a t d a y s h a 1 1 messengers go forth from me in shipsnear, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen. t 0 m a k e t h e c a r e l e s s Ethiopians afraid, and great pain„ A , t, j . , i Γ - . J . • shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it4 And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain c o m e t hshall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt,and they shall take away her multitude, and her 1 0 T h u s s a i t h t h e L o r d G 0 D ; l W l 1 1 a l s o m a k e t h e

foundations shall be broken down. multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of

c riU. . , T ., , T ,. . ,, , · ι J Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.5 Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingledpeople, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in n H e a n d h l s P e o P l e w i t h h i m ' t h e t e r r i b l e o f t h e

league, shall fall with them by the sword. nations, shall be brought to destroy the land: and theyn rru · . i U T ^Γ,ΤΛ -π. Ι .u . ι_ υ τ - . ^ail draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land6 Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt w i t h t h e s ] a m

B &Jt^shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down:from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the 12 And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land intosword, saith the Lord GOD. t n e hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste,_ . . ', , ,,, , , , · , r , and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the7 And they shall be desolate in the midst of the LORD have spoken [it]countries [that are] desolate, and her cities shall be inthe midst of the cities [that are] wasted.The point anticipated in the two previous studies, that Nebuchadnezzar was

to be the instrument of judgement on Egypt is here settled beyond doubt—/ will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand ofNebuchadrezzar king of Babylon (v. 10). This needs stressing because ofthe doubt expressed by some commentators as to whether or not theseprophecies were fulfilled—for us there can be no doubt.

This invasion by Nebuchadnezzar was to be the day of the LORD (v. 3)on Egypt. This is a term not necessarily restricted to the time of the end butapplicable to any time of judgement upon a nation (e.g. Joel 1:15; Zeph. 1:7both of which primarily refer to judgements long since past). But Egyptwas not to be alone in experiencing the effects of the Babylonian in-vasion—it was to be the time of the heathen (v. 3) or, as the RSV has it, "atime of doom for the nations". The first map shows that these nations listedare, with the one exception discussed below, the neighbours of Egypt who

Ezekiel 30 295


would be confederate with her in the face of an invasion from the Northernpower.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

THE BABYLONIANINVASION OF EGYPT eth/O / ) ,

The Jews in Egypt

Considerable difficulty has been experienced by the commentators inexplaining who are the men of the land that is in league (v. 5), who wouldfall by the edge of the sword when the Egyptians fell. The RV margincorrectly translates this "the children of the land of the covenant". Therecan be little doubt that there is here a reference to those Jews who,disobeying the voice of God (Jer. 42:13-18), had rebelliously left the landcovenanted to them and sought refuge in the land of Egypt (Jer. 43:7 etc.).Here is the reason for Ezekiel's preoccupation with Egypt in this series ofprophecies. What happened to the Jews in Egypt was of very great interestto the Jews in Babylon to whom Ezekiel addressed his words. Ezekiel wasbut reiterating to the Jews of the captivity the message God had given to theJews in the land through Jeremiah, and as they saw the events come to passas both prophets had predicted, they would come to know that I am theLORD (v. 19).

Thus not only would they ...that uphold Egypt... fall (v. 6) and bedestroyed (v. 8), but Egypt herself would be humiliated from Migdol

296 Ezekiel 30


(rendered the tower in the AV of verse 6) in the north, to Syene in thesouth, her land becoming desolate and her cities waste (v. 7-8) and the landfilled with slain (v. 11).

Desolation of Egypt's cities (v. 13-19)

Ezekiel 30:13-1913 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also destroy the 17 The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth shall fallidols, and I will cause [their] images to cease out of by the sword: and these [cities] shall go into captivity.Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of γ 8 A t Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened,Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt. w h e n j s h a l l b r e a k t h e r e t h e y o k e s o f E g y p t : a n d t h e

14 And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in pomp of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, aZoan, and will execute judgments in No. cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into15 And I will pour my fury upon Sin, the strength of captivity.Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No. 19 Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt: and they16 And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, s h a I 1 k n o w t h a t l [ a m l t h e LORD,and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph [shall have]distresses daily.

These final verses of the prophecy have to do with the effect of the invasionupon various cities of Egypt. Most of these have been identified archae-ologically and are given on the map overleaf.

One point that needs special emphasis emerges from a consideration ofverse 13. It will be recalled that the plagues on Egypt were directed atEgypt's gods (see, for example, Exod. 12:12). So with the Babylonianjudgements on Egypt—they would demonstrate the impotence of Egypt'sgods to which some of Israel had turned in fleeing to Egypt for protection.Jeremiah had warned, "The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith;Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, withtheir gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him"(46:25). Thus Israel's God would demonstrate His unique position as theliving God in contrast to the worthless deities of the broken reed in whichsome of Israel trusted.

And there is an abiding witness to His omnipotence, for verse 13 states,And there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt. Already wehave noted (29:14) that subsequent to these judgements on Egypt she wouldbe a "base kingdom". Now the prophet makes the bold prediction that theroyal house of Egypt would become extinct. History has been unerringlypoured into the mould of God's prophetic word. Nebuchadnezzar allowedAmasis to continue as king. After his death Amasis was succeeded by hisson Psammetichus III who reigned for only six months before beingexecuted by Cambyses. Since then Persians, Macedonians, Ptolemies,Romans, Saracens, Mamelukes, Turks and British have ruled the "basekingdom", and as one writer observed, "Each successive ruler was raised tosupreme authority from being a stranger and a slave; no son of the former

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ruler, no native of Egypt succeeded to the sovereignty; but a chief waschosen from among a new race of imported slaves... again and again hasEgypt changed masters, but among them no son of hers is numbered". Thishas remained true up to the present time when her rulers are neithermembers of a royal house nor true Egyptians.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

Sin• Tehaphnehe

Pibeseth

MAP SHOWING CITIESCONQUERED BY

NEBUCHADNEZZAR

298 Ezekiel 30


(d) The breaking of Pharaoh's arms (30:20-26)

In this section Ezekiel continues his pronouncement of Yahweh'simpending judgement of the nation of Egypt. As previously noted theprophet's concern with the nation of Egypt is more readily appreciated ifthe relationship which existed between God's people and that nation isborne in mind. Contrary to the repeated warnings from their prophets not toform an alliance with Egypt (e.g. Isa. 30:2; 31:1), Israel had turned to Egyptfor help in rebelling against Babylon (2 Kings 24:20; Ezek. 17:15). Further,when this rebellion was crushed by the King of Babylon and Jerusalem wasdestroyed, many of the remnant of Israel fled to Egypt for succour inopposition to the advice of Jeremiah (Jer. 42:14, 19; 44:14). This section ofEzekiel is meaningful only when viewed against this background.

The prophecyWhen this prophecy was delivered Yahwehhad already broken the arm of Pharaoh kingof Egypt, shattering the limb so that it couldnot be healed and rehabilitated to hold thesword (v. 21). He would proceed to breakboth arms—the strong one and that alreadyinjured (v. 22), and the Egyptians would beoverthrown and scattered (v. 23, 26). Thiswork of judgement would be performed byNebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon whowas to be Yahweh's instrument in the judge-ment of Egypt (v. 24, 25).

FulfilmentIf the accompanying chronological chart iskept in mind the explanation is straightfor-ward. The arm represents the power ofPharaoh with special reference to his mili-tary strength (cf. Dan. 11:6; Psa. 10:15;37:17; Jer. 21:5). Some time after Nebu-chadnezzar began the siege of Jerusalem inthe ninth year of the reign of Zedekiah,Pharaoh Hophra sent an army to assistZedekiah. The Babylonians lifted the siege and went to repulse thisEgyptian force. They were successful and returned after a short time to

20 And it came to pass in the eleventhyear, in the first [month], in theseventh [day] of the month, [that] theword of the LORD came unto me,saying,21 Son of man, I have broken the armof Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, itshall not be bound up to be healed, toput a roller to bind it, to make it strongto hold the sword.22 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, I [am] against Pharaoh king ofEgypt, and will break his arms, thestrong, and that which was broken; andI will cause the sword to fall out of hishand.23 And I will scatter the Egyptiansamong the nations, and will dispersethem through the countries.24 And I will strengthen the arms ofthe king of Babylon, and put my swordin his hand: but I will break Pharaoh'sarms, and he shall groan before himwith the groanings of a deadlywounded [man].25 But 1 will strengthen the arms of theking of Babylon, and the arms ofPharaoh shall fall down; and they shallknow that I [am] the LORD, when Ishall put my sword into the hand of theking of Babylon, and he shall stretch itout upon the land of Egypt.26 And I will scatter the Egyptiansamong the nations, and disperse themamong the countries; and they shallknow that I [am] the LORD.

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resume the siege of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:5; 34:21). It seems reasonable toassume that the humiliation of Hophra by Nebuchadnezzar was the break-ing of Pharaoh's arm, which had already taken place when Ezekieldelivered this message1.

The reference to the Pharaoh at the time of the final overthrow of Egyptby Nebuchadnezzar as the strong (v. 22) tends to confirm this view. ForHophra, humiliated by Nebuchadnezzar, was subsequently removed frompower and murdered by Amasis who thus showed himself to be the strongPharaoh.

THE BREAKING OF PHARAOH'S ARMS588

587

586

585

573

567

EVENTS

<—Nebuchadnezzar invades Judah (10th mo.)

Pharaoh Hophra sends an army to assistJudah and is defeated-the breaking ofPharaoh's arm

<—Ezekiel delivers the message of 30:20-26

<—Jerusalem falls (4th month)

Nebuchadnezzar marches against Tyre

13 year siege of Tyre

<—Fall of Tyre

<—Nebuchadnezzar invades Egypt

40 years of desolation —thus both ofPharaoh's arms are broken

REFS

Jer. 52:4

Jer. 34:21;37:5, 11;Ezek. 30:21

Ezek. 30:20

Jer. 52:5, 6

Ezek. 26:7

Ezek. 29:18, 19

Ezek. 29:11 ;30:22

1 Some believe that the first breaking of Pharaoh's arm refers to the defeat ofPharaoh Necho by Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish (2 Kings 24:7; Jer. 46:12).

300 Ezekiel 30


The message was given in the first month of the eleventh year of the reignof Zedekiah. Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar a matter of three monthslater (2 Kings 25:3), following which, as was seen in consideration ofchapters 26-28, he turned his attention to the Phoenician cities of Tyre andSidon. Tyre held out for some 13 years before capitulating and acceptingBabylonian rule. The long siege of Tyre must have sapped the strength andmorale of the Babylonian armies. It was some five years before Neb-uchadnezzar embarked on the conquest of Egypt—thereby bringing an endto Egyptian power. Or in the language of the prophet, having earlier brokenthe weak arm of Pharaoh Hophra, he meant to complete the task ofbreaking both the arms of Pharaoh by defeating Amasis. In contrast thearms of Nebuchadnezzar were strengthened by God for the work ofbreaking the power of Egypt (v. 25).

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(e) The fall of Assyria—a warning to Pharaoh (31:1—18)

Assyria's glory (v. 1-9)

Ezekiel gave this fifth prophecy againstEgypt in the third month of the eleventhyear of his captivity, which was just over amonth before the end of the final siege ofJerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. As previ-ously mentioned, Pharaoh Hophra (Apries)had sent an army in an endeavour to helpKing Zedekiah to break the siege. Thisinterference by Pharaoh, and the trusting byJudah upon the Egyptian arm of flesh,provides one of the reasons for the attentiongiven to Egypt by the prophet Ezekiel as heis moved by the Spirit of God to speak ofevents which were soon to overtake thatnation.

In this chapter, under the figure of thefelling of a lofty cedar tree, the glory of theAssyrian monarchy and its fall is presentedas typical of the impending fate of Pharaohking of Egypt.

Strangely, in the RSV, Assyria is notmentioned in verse 31, and in that versionthe entire prophecy is held to be a picture ofEgypt's glory and fall. Quite apart from thefact that there is no reason to doubt that theword assur is correctly rendered Assyria asin the AV, RV and NIV, the contextdemands that it be so rendered. Theprophecy is speaking about the fall of a mighty nation in the past (seev. 12) which was to serve as a pattern of the future fall of Egypt (v. 18).

The Assyrian monarchy is pictured as a lofty cedar in Lebanon (v. 3).The figure is a familiar one. In chapter 17 Israel's royal house was similarly

1 And it came to pass in the eleventhyear, in the third [month], in the first[day] of the month, [that] the word ofthe LORD came unto me, saying,2 Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh kingof Egypt, and to his multitude; Whomart thou like in thy greatness?3 Behold, the Assyrian [was] a cedar inLebanon with fair branches, and with ashadowing shroud, and of an highstature; and his top was among thethick boughs.4 The waters made him great, the deepset him up on high with her riversrunning round about his plants, andsent out her little rivers unto all thetrees of the field.5 Therefore his height was exaltedabove all the trees of the field, and hisboughs were multiplied, and hisbranches became long because of themultitude of waters, when he shotforth.6 All the fowls of heaven made theirnests in his boughs, and under hisbranches did all the beasts of the fieldbring forth their young, and under hisshadow dwelt all great nations.7 Thus was he fair in his greatness, inthe length of his branches: for his rootwas by great waters.8 The cedars in the garden of Godcould not hide him: the fir trees werenot like his boughs, and the chesnuttrees were not like his branches; norany tree in the garden of God was likeunto him in his beauty.9 I have made him fair by themultitude of his branches: so that allthe trees of Eden, that [were] in thegarden of God, envied him.

1 This is the result of reading te' assur (= pine tree) instead of Asshur (= Assyria)as in the received text. There seems to be no justification for this emendation.

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represented by a cedar (17:3, etc.), whereas in Daniel 4 the Babylonianmonarchy was pictured as "a tree in the midst of the earth" (4:10). Thefigure is maintained in these verses, for the other nations of the AssyrianEmpire are spoken of as the trees of the field (v. 4). The little rivers (v. 4)that nourished these trees are said to derive from the great deep whichsurrounded the roots of the Assyrian cedar, denoting the dependence of thenations, politically and economically, on the power of Assyria which inturn grew and flourished at their expense (v. 5, 6). The figure in verse 6 isanother familiar one. Here the birds and beasts (RSV) represent the nationsin their attitude of receiving help from the Assyrian power (cf. Ezek. 17:23;Dan. 4:12).

Literally, Assyria was situated on the Tigris (the Hiddekel of Gen. 2:14),one of the rivers that flowed out of the Garden of Eden. There is thus in thisprophecy a mixture of the literal and the figurative that would make theprophecy more relevant to the Egyptians whose greatness was in largemeasure due to their association with the Nile. To emphasize the glory ofthe mighty Assyrian cedar it is now described as being the envy of all thetrees of Eden (v. 9), none of whom could match the splendour of theAssyrian.

The trees of Eden appear to represent thesurrounding nations under Assyrian domina-tion.

Assyria's fall (v. 10-14)

The proverb," pride goeth before destruction,and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov.16:18), finds its outworking in the experi-ence of monarchies and governments as wellas in the lives of individuals. The accounts ofthe downfall of the prince of Tyre (Ezek.28:2) and of the Babylonian monarchy (Dan.4:30; 5:20; 5:22) both illustrate the truth ofthe proverb. So also does the experience ofthe Assyrian whose pride is presented inverse 10; the sense being that the Assyriancedar was "lifted up [because of] his height".An example of the pride of the Assyrian isseen in his attitude towards Hezekiah and hisGod—"who are they among all the gods of

10 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Because thou hast lifted up thyself inheight, and he hath shot up his topamong the thick boughs, and his heartis lifted up in his height;11 I have therefore delivered him intothe hand of the mighty one of theheathen; he shall surely deal with him:I have driven him out for hiswickedness.12 And strangers, the terrible of thenations, have cut him off, and have lefthim: upon the mountains and in all thevalleys his branches are fallen, and hisboughs are broken by all the rivers ofthe land; and all the people of the earthare gone down from his shadow, andhave left him.13 Upon his ruin shall all the fowls ofthe heaven remain, and all the beasts ofthe field shall be upon his branches:14 To the end that none of all the treesby the waters exalt themselves for theirheight, neither shoot up their topamong the thick boughs, neither theirtrees stand up in their height, all thatdrink water: for they are all deliveredunto death, to the nether parts of theearth, in the midst of the children ofmen, with them that go down to the pit.

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the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that theLORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?" (2 Kings 18:35). Hewas indeed lifted up in height (v. 10), and because of this pride was givenby the One who rules in the kingdom of men into the hand of the mightyone of the heathen (v. 11). This "mighty one of the heathen" was thepower of Babylon which, by a confederacy with the Medes, caused the fallof Nineveh around 612 BC. Harran, the western stronghold of Assyria, fellsome two or three years later at about the time Nebuchadnezzar becameco-regent with his father Nabopolassar—the king who had engineered therise of Babylon. It should be remembered that Egypt at this time wasconfederate with Assyria, and it was the Babylonian conquest of Assyriathat brought Pharaoh Necho out of Egypt to Carchemish on the Euphrateswhere he, too, was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 46:2).

Thus, after reigning supreme in Asia for almost half a millennium, theAssyrian cedar tree came crashing to the ground. The birds and beasts thathad enjoyed the shelter of its government turned to prey upon its remains(v. 13). The fall of this mighty empire became an object lesson on agigantic scale to all lesser powers—the trees of the field— showing the fateof arrogant human rulership (v. 14).

The effect on the nations (v. 15-17)

These next three verses graphically depictthe effect of the fall of the Assyrian powerupon the nations of the Empire. The wholepolitical system was thrown into confusion.The streams that had poured in their wealthand service to the waters of Assyria, thuscontributing to the power and greatness ofthe Assyrian cedar, were interrupted, so thatthe waters (the deep) were covered (i.e.caused to mourn, v. 15). There was greatconsternation among the lesser powers (treesof the field). The crashing to the ground ofthe mighty cedar produced a politicalshaking that reverberated through the then-known world (v. 16). This descent of theAssyrian into a political grave was shared bythose lesser nations that comprised the arm (v. 17) of Assyria—the subjectnations which assisted him in his economic and military expansion.

15 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In theday when he went down to the grave Icaused a mourning: I covered the deepfor him, and I restrained the floodsthereof, and the great waters werestayed: and I caused Lebanon to mournfor him, and all the trees of the fieldfainted for him.16 I made the nations to shake at thesound of his fall, when I cast himdown to sheol with them that descendinto the pit: and all the trees of Eden,the choice and best of Lebanon, all thatdrink water, shall be comforted in thenether parts of the earth.17 They also went down into sheolwith him unto [them that be] slain withthe sword; and [they that were] hisarm, [that] dwelt under his shadow inthe midst of the heathen.

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18 To whom art thou thus like in gloryand in greatness among the trees ofEden? yet shalt thou be brought downwith the trees of Eden unto the netherparts of the earth: thou shalt lie in themidst of the uncircumcised with [themthat be] slain by the sword. This [is]Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith theLord GOD.

Warning to Pharaoh (v. 18)

Here is the whole point of the prophecy, asthe lesson of Assyria's history is brought tobear on Pharaoh's position at that time.Egypt had been one of the arms (v. 17) ofAssyria when, as previously mentioned,Pharaoh Necho had formed an alliance withhim against Babylon. Egypt should havelearned her lesson, but failed to so do. Evenas the prophecy was being delivered Pharaoh Hophra (Apries) was active inintrigue against Nebuchadnezzar, whose forces were besieging Jerusalem.Hophra entered into an alliance with Zedekiah king of Judah in an attemptto break the siege of Jerusalem and assert his own supremacy. His armywas repulsed and the attempt unsuccessful. His attempts to encourage theking of Tyre to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar were more successful, butthis was short-lived. Jerusalem fell in 586 BC, and although Tyre held outagainst Nebuchadnezzar for some 13 years, once Tyre had fallen the day ofreckoning with Egypt came. As soon as it was opportune to do so,Nebuchadnezzar set out to bring the power of Egypt crashing down, as theAssyrian had fallen earlier.

There was, of course, this difference between the fall of Assyria and thatof Egypt that is not mentioned in this chapter. The fall of Assyria wascomplete and its empire swallowed up by Babylon. Egypt was to continueafter her fall as a "base kingdom", never to return to her former greatness.

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1 And it came to pass in the twelfthyear, in the twelfth month, in the first[day] of the month, [that] the word ofthe LORD came unto me, saying,

(f) A lamentation for Pharaoh (32:1-16)

This sixth prophecy against Egypt wasdelivered some nineteen months after the fallof Jerusalem (cf. Jer. 39:2—the years ofZedekiah's reign correspond to the years ofEzekiel's captivity). So Egypt, by this time(585 BC), had shown herself to be a "broken reed" to Zedekiah and theinhabitants of Jerusalem, having provided no protection against the forcesof Nebuchadnezzar. Although, as already mentioned, Nebuchadnezzar wasprevented by his preoccupation with Tyre from going directly into Egypt tocrush the power of Pharaoh, yet the removal of the buffer kingdom of Judahhad taken out of his way an important obstacle to the conquest of Egypt.

The doom of Egypt was certain, and in anticipation of this the prophet isnow bidden to take up a lamentation for Pharaoh —to emphasize thecertainty of his destruction.

The Dragon destroyed (v. 2-6)

Verse 2 which begins the lamentationpresents a contrast, the sense of which isbrought out very clearly in Rotherham'stranslation—"The young lion of the nationsthou didst deem thyself; whereas thou wastlike the crocodile in the seas." This imageryhad already been introduced in Ch. 29:3.Instead of the noble, invincible lion thatPharaoh set out to be when he marched toCarchemish to confront the emerging powerof Babylon, he had demonstrated himself tobe the crocodile (AV has whale; RV"dragon") of the Nile1 whose activitiesamong the rivers—the lesser nations—hadserved only to trouble the waters as acrocodile thrashing around stirs up mud.

The time of judgement on Egypt wasapproaching. God would take the dragon in His net (v. 3), cast [him] forthupon the open field and leave the carcass as a prey to the nations, who are

2 Son of man, take up a lamentationfor Pharaoh king of Egypt, and sayunto him, Thou art like a young lion ofthe nations, and thou [art] as a whale inthe seas: and thou earnest forth withthy rivers, and troubledst the waterswith thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I willtherefore spread out my net over theewith a company of many people; andthey shall bring thee up in my net.4 Then will I leave thee upon the land,I will cast thee forth upon the openfield, and will cause all the fowls ofthe heaven to remain upon thee, and Iwill fill the beasts of the whole earthwith thee.5 And I will lay thy flesh upon themountains, and fill the valleys with thyheight.6 I will also water with thy blood theland wherein thou swimmest, [even] tothe mountains; and the rivers shall befull of thee.

Seas in v. 2 is a word applicable to any great water.

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represented by the fowls of the heaven and beasts of the whole earth (v. 4,also see 31:13 and cf. the fate of Israel, Deut. 28:26).

There may possibly be here an allusion back to the destruction ofPharaoh's hosts in the Red Sea at the time of the Exodus, concerning whichthe psalmist declared,

"Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces,And gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness"

(Psa. 74:14).

It is also possible that the prophecy contains an allusion to the superstitionsof the pagan world at that time which have been left on record inBabylonian writings. Marduk, the god of the city of Babylon, was believedto have gone forth to battle with the Chaos monster, the dragon Tiamat, andafter a long and fierce battle to have captured the dragon in a net and killedhim. The fate of Tiamat was to be the fate of the power of Egypt. If this isthe case, and there is in these words of Ezekiel an allusion to this paganteaching, then here is an Old Testament precedent for the way in whichJesus based his teaching in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke16) upon the superstitions of his contemporaries.

The fate of Pharaoh's Egypt is again, in these verses, being compared tothe fate of Assyria. That nation too was said to be given to the "fowls of theheaven...and all the beasts of the field" (31:13). This is reinforced by thewords which follow—And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fillthe valleys with thy height (v. 5, cf. 31:12). This conveys the extent ofEgypt's desolation—so complete that it would figuratively cover themountains and fill the valleys.

The Heavens darkened (v. 7-10)

This destruction of the power of Egypt ispresented now in a different figure, but onefamiliar to Bible students. Political powersare frequently spoken of as consisting of aheavens (the rulers) and an earth (the ruled),and the collapse of a kingdom is presentedas the darkening of the heavens (e.g. Isa.13:10; 34:4). Thus, following the RV, theextinguishing of Pharaoh's (Amasis) poweris represented as the clouding of Egypt'ssun, moon and stars, bringing politicaldarkness over the land of Egypt (v. 8).

7 And when I shall put thee out, I willcover the heaven, and make the starsthereof dark; I will cover the sun witha cloud, and the moon shall not giveher light.8 All the bright lights of heaven will Imake dark over thee, and set darknessupon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.9 I will also vex the hearts of manypeople, when I shall bring thydestruction among the nations, into thecountries which thou hast not known.10 Yea, I will make many peopleamazed at thee, and their kings shall behorribly afraid for thee, when I shallbrandish my sword before them; andthey shall tremble at [every] moment,every man for his own life, in the dayof thy fall.

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Verses 9 and 10 speak of the international repercussions that would nec-essarily follow the fall of such a power as Egypt.

Explanation (v. 11-16)

The One who would cause the dragon to betaken up in the net and bring about thedarkness of the Egyptian heavens would bethe God of Israel, and the instrument in Hishands would be Nebuchadnezzar king ofBabylon (v. 11). This invasion of Egypt byNebuchadnezzar has been discussed on anumber of occasions in the consideration ofthese prophecies against Egypt. There is noneed to repeat the points already covered.

However, there may be more than Neb-uchadnezzar's invasion in mind here. Theinvasion by Nebuchadnezzar was to bringdesolation on Egypt for 40 years (29:12).Here a more prolonged period of desolationappears to be in view for, concerning thewaters in which Pharaoh, like the crocodile,thrashed around, it is said, Neither shall thefoot of man trouble them ANY MORE(v. 13).

With this in mind, we may now compare verses 11 and 12 with ch.26:7-14. In that prophecy concerning the overthrow of Tyre we saw thatNebuchadnezzar was to commence the work of Tyre's desolation—"Heshall slay with the sword...he shall break down thy towers" (v. 8, 9). Butothers were to finish the work that he had started—"They shall make aspoil of thy riches...and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thydust in the...water." This referred to the subsequent invasions of Tyrecommencing with that by Alexander the Great (see pages 257-258). Sohere, Nebuchadnezzar was to commence the work—the sword of the kingof Babylon shall come upon thee (v. 11), but then—by the swords of themighty will I cause thy multitude to fall...THEY shall spoil the pomp ofEgypt (v. 12). The work commenced by Nebuchadnezzar was continued byCambyses the Persian king who ruthlessly crushed the attempt of PharaohPsammetichus III to break free of foreign domination. As earlier noted, thePersians then, with their own appointed kings on the throne of Egypt,

11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Thesword of the king of Babylon shallcome upon thee.12 By the swords of the mighty will Icause thy multitude to fall, the terribleof the nations, all of them: and theyshall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and allthe multitude thereof shall bedestroyed.13 I will destroy also all the beaststhereof from beside the great waters;neither shall the foot of man troublethem any more, nor the hoofs of beaststrouble them.14 Then will I make their waters deep,and cause their rivers to run like oil,saith the Lord GOD.15 When I shall make the land ofEgypt desolate, and the country shallbe destitute of that whereof it was full,when I shall smite all them that dwelltherein, then shall they know that I[am] the LORD.16 This [is] the lamentation wherewiththey shall lament her: the daughters ofthe nations shall lament her: they shalllament for her, [even] for Egypt, andfor all her multitude, saith the LordGOD.

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adopted a beneficent attitude to the Egyptians. Troubled times soonfollowed—so troubled, in fact, that the invasion of Egypt by Alexander theGreat in 332 BC came as a great relief to most Egyptians. This resulted in along succession of fifteen Ptolemaic kings who were Greek in blood andculture. Thus Egypt was subjected to tremendous Greek influence so that itscities, and a great deal of rural Egypt too, became Hellenic in outlook.Egypt fell to the Romans in 30 BC and subsequently it came under Araband Turkish domination. Even the language of Egypt disappeared, beingdisplaced first by Greek and then by Arabic. The ancient Egypt of thePharaohs is no more.

The verses that follow convey the extent of Egypt's political desolationand have to do with Egypt as a political power, not with literal animals andwater. Aptly represented by many waters that were agitated by animals andman (i.e. the scene of great political strife and upheaval), the watersrepresenting Egypt were to become deep (v. 14) or, more correctly as in theRV, 'clear'1. No longer turbulent and muddy, the sediment of politicalagitation (especially that caused by the crocodile) having settled, the waterswould become still and would run like oil (v. 14)—tranquil, slow andsilent. So would Egypt's political life decline as a result of the activities ofthe terrible of the nations (v. 15).

The effect of the outpouring of judgement upon Egypt would be to letmen know that / am the LORD (v. 15). This is a recurring statement inEzekiel's prophecies. Israel was to come to "know that I am the LORD" asthe result of God's judgements falling on them (e.g. 6:7; 7:4; 11:10, 12;12:20). Ammon (25:7), Moab (25:11), the Philistines (25:17) and Tyre(26:6) were all to be brought to the realization that "I am the LORD". This isto say that, as the result of the judgements poured upon them, Yahweh'sword would be vindicated—the God of Israel would be shown to be theOne who could declare "the things that are to come hereafter" (Isa. 41:23).It is a phrase that had special relevance to the Egyptians, for it was of theEgyptians at the time of the exodus that God first declared, "I will lay my

1 The word literally means 'to sink down, to subside' (Brown, Driver and Briggs).There is therefore another way of looking at this verse. There may be here theidea of the evaporation of Egypt's power —i.e. her waters were drying up andsinking in their channels. Cf. the drying up of the Euphratean power in Rev.16:12.

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hand upon Egypt...and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD"1

(Exod.7:4,5,RV).

Verse 16 reminds us that this prophecy, as already stated in verse 2, is αlamentation for Pharaoh as representative of the Egyptian power. Egypt'sdownfall would have repercussions in surrounding nations. These nationsare likened to professional mourning women (cf. Jer. 9:17), lamenting thedemise of this great power.

(g) Egypt's shame in Sheol (32:17-32)

This section of Ezekiel's prophecy is the lastof seven prophecies against the nation ofEgypt. As we have considered the previoussix oracles we have come to appreciate theimportance of the fall of Egypt at the hand ofNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon—a factwhich receives but scant attention in therecords of profane history. The history ofancient Egypt really ends with this invasionof Nebuchadnezzar.

One historian, speaking of the history ofEgypt subsequent to Nebuchadnezzar's inva-sion, had this interesting comment:

"The fall of Egypt and the close of hercharacteristic history were already anirrevocable fact long before the relentlessCambyses knocked on the doors of thePelusium. The Saitic state was a creation ofthe rulers who looked into the future, whobelonged to it, and had little or noconnection with the past. They were asessentially non-Egyptian as the Ptolemieswho followed the Persians. The Persianconquest in 525 BC, which deprivedPsametik III, son of Amasis, of his throneand kingdom, was but a change of rulers, apurely external fact. And if a feeble burst ofnational feeling enables this or thatEgyptian to thrust off the Persian yoke for a

17 It came to pass also in the twelfthyear, in the fifteenth [day] of themonth, [that] the word of the LORDcame unto me, saying,18 Son of man, wail for the multitudeof Egypt, and cast them down, [even]her, and the daughters of the famousnations, unto the nether parts of theearth, with them that go down into thepit.

19 Whom dost thou pass in beauty? godown, and be thou laid with theuncircumcised.20 They shall fall in the midst of [themthat are] slain by the sword: she isdelivered to the sword: draw her andall her multitudes.21 The strong among the mighty shallspeak to him out of the midst of hellwith them that help him: they are gonedown, they lie uncircumcised, slain bythe sword.22 Asshur [is] there and all hercompany: his graves [are] about him:all of them slain, fallen by the sword:23 Whose graves are set in the sides ofthe pit, and her company is roundabout her grave: all of them slain,fallen by the sword, which causedterror in the land of the living.24 There [is] Elam and all hermultitude round about her grave, all ofthem slain, fallen by the sword, whichare gone down uncircumcised into thenether parts of the earth, which causedtheir terror in the land of the living; yethave they borne their shame with themthat go down to the pit.

1 This does not mean that they began to worship the true God, but that they wereforced by circumstances to admit that Yahweh was stronger than all their idols.

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brief period, the movement may be likenedto the convulsive contractions which some-times lend momentary motion to limbs fromwhich conscious life has long departed.With the fall of Psametik III Egypt belongedto a new world, toward the development ofwhich she had contributed much, but inwhich she would no longer play an activepart. Her great work was done, and, unablelike Nineveh and Babylon to disappear fromthe scene, she lived on her artificial life fora time under the Persians and thePtolemies, ever sinking, till she becamemerely the granary of Rome, to be visitedas a land of^marvels by wealthy Greeks andRomans...» 1

We have quoted at length from this writerbecause on the one hand he confirms theaccuracy of Ezekiel's prophecies againstEgypt in asserting that the great turningpoint in Egypt's history was pre-Persian (i.e.as a result of the Babylonian invasion), andon the other he presents Egypt becomingunconscious and sinking, as it were, into thegrave of history, thus demonstrating theappropriateness of the prophet's language inthe section before us.

Sheol—the grave

In the English language we use the word'grave' in two senses—related, but never-theless distinct in meaning. We speak of 'agrave' by which we mean a hole in theground in which a dead body is buried. Thenwe speak of 'the grave' by which we meanthe ultimate destiny of all men; and whethera man is buried, burnt, or lost in outer space,we say, "He has gone to the grave". TheHebrew language has different words for

25 They have set her a bed in the midstof the slain with all her multitude: hergraves [are] round about him: all ofthem uncircumcised, slain by thesword: though their terror was causedin the land of the living, yet have theyborne their shame with them that godown to the pit: he is put in the midstof [them that be] slain.

26 There [is] Meshech, Tubal, and allher multitude: her graves [are] roundabout him: all of them uncircumcised,slain by the sword, though they causedtheir terror in the land of the living.27 And they shall not lie with themighty [that are] fallen of theuncircumcised, which are gone downto hell with their weapons of war: andthey have laid their swords under theirheads, but their iniquities shall be upontheir bones, though [they were] theterror of the mighty in the land of theliving.28 Yea, thou shalt be broken in themidst of the uncircumcised, and shaltlie with [them that are] slain with thesword.29 There [is] Edom, her kings, and allher princes, which with their might arelaid by [them that were] slain by thesword: they shall lie with theuncircumcised, and with them that godown to the pit.30 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 oftheir might; and they lie uncircumcisedwith [them that be] slain by the sword,and bear their shame with them that godown to the pit.31 Pharaoh shall see them, and shall becomforted over all his multitude,[even] Pharaoh and all his army slainby the sword, saith the Lord GOD.32 For I have caused my terror in theland of the living: and he shall be laidin the midst of the uncircumcised with[them that are] slain with the sword,[even] Pharaoh and all his multitude,saith the Lord GOD.

J. H. Breasted, A History of Egypt, as quoted by W. M. Smith, Egypt in BiblicalProphecy, page 118.

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these two things, and the word Sheol (rendered "hell" here in Ezekiel)equates with our use of 'grave' in the general sense—the second of our twomeanings above.

Sheol is used of individuals and of nations. The Bible teaching aboutSheol and the individual is plain—those in Sheol are silent (Psa. 31:17),cannot praise God (Psa. 6:5; Isa.38:18), are unconscious (Ecc. 9:5, 10) and,apart from bodily resurrection, remain there (Psa. 16:10; Acts 2:31; Job7:9). Therefore anyone appealing to Ezekiel 32 in support of a belief in thepopular concept of souls in hell should be asked to explain such statementsas which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war (v. 27), andthey have set her a bed (in Sheoll) in the midst of the slain (v. 25).

Sheol and the nations

Ezekiel is not speaking of the descent of individuals into Sheol. He isspeaking of nations in Sheol, and in so doing, is using a way of speaking ofthe fall of great powers and cities which is frequent in the pages ofscripture. Nations and individuals are both referred to by the psalmist whenhe says, "The wicked shall be turned into hell (Sheol), and all the nationsthat forget God" (9:17). Already, in ch. 31, Ezekiel has spoken of the fall ofthe Assyrian power using this same figure—In the day when he went downto the grave (Sheol) I caused a mourning (v. 15). Isaiah speaks of the fallof Babylon in a similar way (Isa. 14:9, 11, 15). In the New Testamentwhere Hades is the Greek word equivalent to the Hebrew Sheol Jesushimself used the same figure when he predicted the fall of the Galileantowns which rejected him—"Thou, Capernaum, which art exalted untoheaven, shalt be brought down to hell" (Matt. 11:23).

Pharaoh's tour of Sheol

This section of Ezekiel is easily understood when seen against thisbackground. Pharaoh, representing the power of Egypt, is taken on animaginary tour of this national Sheol—the grave of history. He sees themighty nations of the past which rose to greatness, exercised terror in theland of the living (v. 23), and then crashed to ruin.

In turn he is shown:Asshur (v. 22)—the mighty power of Assyria which had fallen to the

Babylonians around 612 BC.Elam (v. 24)—the nation known from the time of Abraham for its

warlike spirit (Gen. 14:1), which had been subdued by Ashur-banipal in 650 BC.

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Meshech and Tubal (v. 26)—the warlike peoples descended fromJapheth (Gen. 10:2) that profane history records as troublingAssyria on her northern border. These, too, Pharaoh would see inSheol, for the RV margin is surely correct when it renders verse27 as an interrogative: "Shall they not lie with the mighty...whichare gone down to hell?"

Edom (v. 29), the Princes of the North and the Zidonians(v. 30)—all these powers too are seen prostrate in the nationalSheol.

The word of God had gone forth from the prophet decreeing the fall ofEgypt. The fall was therefore certain. The only consolation (v. 31) facingthe power of Egypt at this time was the fact that she was following the pathtrodden by all the powers of history.

There is a certain irony in speaking thus of Egypt. There has been nopower in history that has given more attention to the burial of its kings andpreparation for their supposed afterlife—but shame in Sheol was the divinedecree for Egypt and the Pharaohs, to be brought about by Nebuchad-nezzar, as we have discussed at length.

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SECTION 4

PROPHECIESREGARDINGISRAEL'SRESTORATION

chapters 33-39

Ezekiei's introduction to new laboursChapter 33 begins a new section of Ezekiei's prophecies in which we areintroduced to a new phase of the prophet's labours among the exiles inBabylon. The chapter is straightforward and does not present manyproblems in exposition since much of the ground has been covered inearlier chapters. We are shown that the turning point in Ezekiei's ministrywas the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. It was this signal event whichvindicated his previous warnings of final judgement coming upon thoseJews still in the land, and demonstrated that he was indeed the chosenchannel of Yahweh's prophetic word.

Whereas previously Ezekiei's messages tothe exiles had been heavy prophetic burdensof coming destruction upon Jerusalem andthe people still in the land, from this pointonwards he is mainly concerned with givingencouraging messages of future restoration.But, first, as this new phase of labour begins,there is a reiteration of the duties of theprophetic watchman, a call to the people torepent, and a restatement of the principlesupon which God would bring salvation tothem.

The watchman (v. 1-9)

This is largely a reiteration of the principlesset out in ch. 3:16-21, which introducedEzekiei's earlier labours. The watchman oc-cupied a responsible position. The safety ofthe inhabitants of a city depended on hiskeeping a careful lookout and sounding thealarm at the approach of the enemy. Failureto faithfully discharge this responsibilitywould result in disaster for those in the cityand the watchman would be responsible fortheir deaths. However, if he sounded thealarm and the people refused to take heed,then the watchman was guiltless. So it waswith the prophet. He must speak God'swords and warn the wicked of the work of

1 Again the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,2 Son of man, speak to the children ofthy people, and say unto them, When Ibring the sword upon a land, if thepeople of the land take a man of theircoasts, and set him for their watchman:3 If when he seeth the sword comeupon the land, he blow the trumpet,and warn the people;4 Then whosoever heareth the sound ofthe trumpet, and taketh not warning; ifthe sword come, and take him away,his blood shall be upon his own head.5 He heard the sound of the trumpet,and took not warning; his blood shallbe upon him. But he that takethwarning shall deliver his soul.6 But if the watchman see the swordcome, and blow not the trumpet, andthe people be not warned; if the swordcome, and take [any] person fromamong them, he is taken away in hisiniquity; but his blood will I require atthe watchman's hand.7 So thou, Ο son of man, I have setthee a watchman unto the house ofIsrael; therefore thou shalt hear theword at my mouth, and warn themfrom me.8 When I say unto the wicked, Οwicked [man], thou shalt surely die; ifthou dost not speak to warn the wickedfrom his way, that wicked [man] shalldie in his iniquity; but his blood will Irequire at thine hand.9 Nevertheless, if thou warn thewicked of his way to turn from it; if hedo not turn from his way, he shall diein his iniquity; but thou hast deliveredthy soul.

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EZEKIEL Section 4: Prophecies regarding Israel's restoration (33-39)

the great enemy—Sin. If he failed to do this he would be guilty of murder,since sin leads to death—his blood will I require at thine hand (v. 8). Onthe other hand, if the prophet spoke the words of God, sounding the alarm,warning of the dangers of sin, but was ignored, then he [the listener] shalldie in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul (v. 9).

The reason for this re-emphasis on the prophet's duties as Israel'swatchman, just before he begins to speak of coming restoration, is that thepromised restoration depended upon repentance and turning to God, asMoses showed when he wrote,

"It shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessingand the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call [them] to mindamong all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, And shaltreturn unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that Icommand thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with allthy soul; That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and havecompassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations,whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee" (Deut. 30:1-3).

Since the restoration of which the prophet speaks in the later chapters refersto a restoration far greater than that which occurred some 70 years afterEzekiel's prophecies were given, it follows that this work of the son of man(v. 2) was also a typical work. It was a shadow of the work of the greaterSon of man whose work was foretold by the prophet Isaiah—"Cry aloud,spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people theirtransgression, and the house of Jacob their sins" (58:1). Not until Israellistens to the voice of this Son of man will her restoration be accomplished.

A call to repentance (v. 10-20)

It would appear that at the time when this prophecy was given, Jerusalemhad fallen, and the sickening truth had begun to dawn upon the people ofthe exile that, after all, Ezekiel's predictions of the fall of Jerusalem and aprolonged captivity were indeed from God. Following the RV margin ofverse 10, the people of Israel were saying, "Truly our transgressions andour sins are upon us, and we pine away for them; how then should welive?" The prophet is bidden to show them that all was not lost. If only theywould accept God's ways He would save them. The message is a call torepentance—turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, Οhouse of Israel? (v. 11).

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Ezekiel's introduction to new labours (33)

The emphasis throughout is on theindividual, again pointing to the fact thatEzekiel's work was typical of that of the Sonof man himself. The principles upon whichGod offers salvation to the children of Israelare the same as those upon which He offersit to others. When Israel is brought as anation into "the bond of the covenant" it willbe as a result of the individuals of that nationaccepting "the truth as it is in Jesus". We,who have been grafted into the Israelite olivetree, do well to take heed to these principles:

• No matter how righteous a man hasbeen in the past, that righteousness willnot save him from death if he turnsaway from God and becomes wayward(v. 12, 13). This is a principle confirmedby the apostle when he says, "For ifafter they have escaped the pollutions ofthe world through the knowledge of theLord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they areagain entangled therein, and overcome,the latter end is worse with them thanthe beginning" (2 Pet. 2:20).

• On the other hand, God is merciful andgracious. If the wicked turn from hissin, and do that which is lawful andright, then God will pardon and givelife(v. 12, 14-16).

• From this it is seen that true repentanceis manifested by a walking in thestatutes of life, without committinginiquity (v. 15), and it is on the basis ofthis kind of walk that the repentantsinner, whether Jew or Gentile, shallsurely live, he shall not die (v. 15). It ispossible, as was the case with some ofthe Roman brethren, to presume on God'principle set out here in Ezekiel when he

10 Therefore, Ο thou son of man,speak unto the house of Israel; Thus yespeak, saying, If our transgressions andour sins [be] upon us, and we pineaway in them, how should we thenlive?

11 Say unto them, [As] I live, saith theLord GOD, I have no pleasure in thedeath of the wicked; but that thewicked turn from his way and live:turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways;for why will ye die, Ο house of Israel?12 Therefore, thou son of man, sayunto the children of thy people, Therighteousness of the righteous shall notdeliver him in the day of histransgression: as for the wickedness ofthe wicked, he shall not fall thereby inthe day that he turneth from hiswickedness; neither shall the righteousbe able to live for his [righteousness]in the day that he sinneth.

13 When I shall say to the righteous,[that] he shall surely live; if he trust tohis own righteousness, and commitiniquity, all his righteousnesses shallnot be remembered; but for his iniquitythat he hath committed, he shall die forit.14 Again, when I say unto the wicked,Thou shalt surely die; if he turn fromhis sin, and do that which is lawful andright;15 [If] the wicked restore the pledge,give again that he had robbed, walk inthe statutes of life, without committinginiquity; he shall surely live, he shallnot die.16 None of his sins that he hathcommitted shall be mentioned untohim: he hath done that which is lawfuland right; he shall surely live.17 Yet the children of thy people say,The way of the Lord is not equal: butas for them, their way is not equal.18 When the righteous turneth from hisrighteousness, and committethiniquity, he shall even die thereby.19 But if the wicked turn from hiswickedness, and do that which islawful and right, he shall live thereby.20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord isnot equal. Ο ye house of Israel, I willjudge you every one after his ways.

s mercy. Paul upholds thesays that "we also should

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walk in newness of life... let not sin therefore reign in your mortalbody, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof...but yield yourselvesunto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as]instruments of righteousness unto God" (Rom. 6:4,12-13).

Thus, in these words of Ezekiel, we see beautifully balanced, on the onehand the willingness of God to forgive our sins if we repent, and on theother, the need for vigilance and faithfulness in our walk before Him.

The Jews grumbling about their plight—captives in exile—said, The wayof the Lord is not equal (v. 17). It is the same argument as in 18:2—"Thefathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge", i.e.we are suffering for the sins of our fathers. The answer given here is thesame as the answer given there, that in the outworking of His ultimatepurpose God deals with them on an individual basis—Ο ye house of Israel,I will judge you every one after his ways (v. 20). Whether or not thechildren of Israel in Ezekiel's day would live in the future age woulddepend on how they received God's word then as individuals. Repentanceand faithfulness would ensure life.

Ezekiel's dumbness removed (v. 21-22)

At this point Ezekiel records that on the 5th

day of the 10 th month in the 12th year of thecaptivity the message reached him that, Thecity is smitten (v. 21). Jerusalem actually fellon the 9th day of the 4th month in the 11th

year (2 Kings 25:2, 3). Thus the eventrecorded here in Ezekiel occurred some 18months after the city fell. It is difficult toaccept that the news of the fall of Jerusalemwould take so long to reach Babylon, andmany argue that Ezekiel 33:21 should read "in the eleventh year" ratherthan in the twelfth, but there appears to be no justification for this.

This arrival of one that had escaped had been predicted in 24:25-26:

"Shall it not [be] in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy oftheir 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 comeunto thee, to cause [thee] to hear [it] with [thine] ears?"

Here it is clear that "he that escapeth" has reference to those who survivedthe siege of Jerusalem. Joel too spoke of a destruction of Jerusalem and

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21 And it came to pass in the twelfthyear of our captivity, in the tenth[month], in the fifth [day] of themonth, [that] one that had escaped outof Jerusalem came unto me, saying,The city is smitten.22 Now the hand of the LORD wasupon me in the evening, afore he thatwas escaped came; and had opened mymouth, until he came to me in themorning; and my mouth was opened,and I was no more dumb.

Ezekiel's introduction to new labours (33)

concerning it said, "In mount Zion and Jerusalem there shall be those thatescape, as the LORD hath said..." (Joel 2:32, RV). "Those that escape"again refers to those who survived the invasion. So here in Ezekiel 33 thereference to one that escaped coming to the prophet is recording the arrivalof the captives who were brought back by the returning Babylonian troops,this arrival happening some one and a half years after the fall of Jerusalem.The actual news that Jerusalem had fallen would have been received someconsiderable time before—but here now were the survivors who couldrecount all the details. They would confirm that Ezekiel's words had beenfulfilled to the letter. He had been speaking the truth!

This resulted in the removing of the prophet's dumbness. Whether thiswas a literal dumbness, or whether, as we have before suggested, it was afigurative expression of the people's refusal to hear the prophet's words,the arrival of those that had escaped changed the situation. The Jews of theexile were now ready to listen to the words of the prophet, even to theextent of saying, Come, I pray you, andhear what is the word that cometh forthfrom the LORD (v. 30).

The wicked remnant in the Land(v. 23-29)

Before turning to the exiles whose attitudehad changed, Ezekiel speaks first of the fewJews who had been left behind in the landunder the leadership of Gedaliah the son ofAhikam (Jer. 40:7). It was not long beforeJews who had fled into the surroundingcountries, particularly to Edom, Moab andAmmon, returned to the land. They provedto be an arrogant, faithless group (v. 24).They rebelled against God's laws andmurdered His faithful children (v. 25 and cf.Jer. 41:3, which records the murder ofGedaliah). This remnant did not receive theland as an inheritance as they arrogantlyboasted, but, rebelling at the words ofJeremiah, rejected the authority of the kingof Babylon, and fled for safety to Egypt,

23 Then the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,24 Son of man, they that inhabit thosewastes of the land of Israel speak,saying, Abraham was one, and heinherited the land: but we [are] many;the land is given us for inheritance.25 Wherefore say unto them, Thussaith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with theblood, and lift up your eyes towardyour idols, and shed blood: and shallye possess the land?26 Ye stand upon your sword, ye workabomination, and ye defile every onehis neighbour's wife: and shall yepossess the land?27 Say thou thus unto them, Thus saiththe Lord GOD; [As] I live, surely theythat [are] in the wastes shall fall by thesword, and him that [is] in the openfield will I give to the beasts to bedevoured, and they that [be] in theforts and in the caves shall die of thepestilence.28 For I will lay the land mostdesolate, and the pomp of her strengthshall cease; and the mountains of Israelshall be desolate, that none shall passthrough.29 Then shall they know that I [am]the LORD, when I have laid the landmost desolate because of all theirabominations which they havecommitted.

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leaving the land to become desolate (v. 27, 28; Jer. 43).

The Jews in Babylon (v. 30-33)

The exiles with Ezekiel in Babylon werenow eager to listen to his words, but theirattitude left much to be desired. He became asort of entertainment—here was the prophetwhose word had come to pass! His wordsproduced little effect on those who came tolisten. They listened with their ears but notwith their hearts.

But God's purpose did not depend on theresponse of the exiles. "The gifts and callingof God are without repentance" (Rom.11:29). The prophecies of restoration, whichare now to engage our attention, would cometo pass whether they would hear or whetherthey would forbear. The only thing whichtheir own failure to respond would affectwas their own individual standing in God'ssight at the time of the restoration. For the most"I do not [this] for your sakes, Ο house of Israelsake, which ye have profaned among the heathen

30 Also, thou son of man, the childrenof thy people still are talking againstthee by the walls and in the doors ofthe houses, and speak one to another,every one to his brother, saying, Come,I pray you, and hear what is the wordthat cometh forth from the LORD.31 And they come unto thee as thepeople cometh, and they sit before thee[as] my people, and they hear thywords, but they will not do them: forwith their mouth they shew much love,[but] their heart goeth after theircovetousness.32 And, lo, thou [art] unto them as avery lovely song of one that hath apleasant voice, and can play well on aninstrument: for they hear thy words,but they do them not.33 And when this cometh to pass, (lo,it will come,) then shall they know thata prophet hath been among them.

part it would be a case of,, but for mine holy name's

(Ezek. 36:22).

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Having in chapter 33 been reminded of his duties as Israel's watchman,Ezekiel now proceeds in chapters 34-39 to deliver seven prophecies, all ofwhich have to do with the restoration of Israel. All of these prophecies areundated. It is possible that there may have been a preliminary fulfilment ofsome of the verses during the prophet's own lifetime and the subsequentreturn from Babylon when there was a restoration of sorts. Yet it is clearthat their complete fulfilment has to do with the work of Messiah—theestablishment of his kingdom and the circumstances surrounding that greatevent. Peter declared that the heaven must receive Jesus Christ "until thetimes of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of allhis holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21). Ezekiel was one ofthose "holy prophets", and this section of his prophecies deals particularlywith the "restitution".

We shall consider in turn the following seven prophecies:

1. The One Shepherd and His sheep—ch. 342. God's judgement on Edom—ch. 35:1-36:153. The restoration of Israel—ch. 3 6:16-3 84. The vision of the Valley of Bones—ch. 37:1-145. The parable of the Two Sticks - ch. 37:15-286. The destruction of Gog and his allies—ch. 38:1-39:167. God's glory among the nations—ch. 39:17-29.

1. The One Shepherd & His sheep (ch. 34)Judgement on the faithless shepherds (v. 1-10)Israel was God's flock; He was theirShepherd. Thus the psalmist wrote, con-cerning the deliverance from Egypt, that God"made his own people to go forth like sheep,and guided them in the wilderness like aflock" (Psa. 78:52). Later in their historymen were appointed to perform the work of ashepherd on God's behalf. So God asks, feedtheflocks?

"...spake I a word to any of the judges ofIsrael, whom I commanded to feed (Heb.raah, elsewhere translated 'shepherd') mypeople, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?" (1 Chron.17:6).

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1 And the word of the LORD cameunto me, saying,2 Son of man, prophesy against theshepherds of Israel, prophesy, and sayunto them, Thus saith the Lord GODunto the shepherds; Woe [be] to theshepherds of Israel that do feedthemselves! should not the shepherds

3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you withthe wool, ye kill them that are fed:[but] ye feed not the flock.


Of David we are told,

"He (God) chose David also his servant,and took him from the sheepfolds: fromfollowing the ewes great with young hebrought him to feed (Heb. = to shepherd)Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.So he fed (Heb. = shepherded) them ac-cording to the integrity of his heart; andguided them by the skilfulness of his hands"(Psa. 78:70-72).

Thus the shepherds of Israel were therulers—the judges and the kings who ruled,or should have ruled, as God's representa-tives. Men like David were few in the historyof God's people but a contemplation ofDavid's reign, and the reigns of other faithfulkings, demonstrates what great influencesuch men had over the flock of Israel.During the reigns of such "shepherds" theflock was fed with the truth and led bycareful example and loving discipline intoways of faithfulness which brought theblessing of God upon them. On the otherhand, the many worthless shepherds inIsrael's history exerted a bad influence overthe flock, encouraging them to sinful waysthat met with divine displeasure. Particularlywas this so of the kings of Judah during theperiod covered by Ezekiel and his contemporary, Jeremiah. Greatresponsibility rested upon the shepherds of those days—Jehoahaz,Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah—and the various captivities arepresented as being in large measure due to the failure of these men to tendGod's flock—

"Woe be unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of mypasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel againstthe shepherds that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock, and driventhem away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil ofyour doings, saith the LORD" (Jer. 23:1-2, RV).

It is this same theme which is taken up by Ezekiel in chapter 34 when heproclaims, Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves!(v. 2). The scattering of the flock of Israel that had become meat to all the

4 The diseased have ye notstrengthened, neither have ye healedthat which was sick, neither have yebound up [that which was] broken,neither have ye brought again thatwhich was driven away, neither haveye sought that which was lost; but withforce and with cruelty have ye ruledthem.

5 And they were scattered, because[there is] no shepherd: and theybecame meat to all the beasts of thefield, when they were scattered.6 My sheep wandered through all themountains, and upon every high hill:yea, my flock was scattered upon allthe face of the earth, and none didsearch or seek [after them].7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear theword of the LORD;8 [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD,surely because my flock became aprey, and my flock became meat toevery beast of the field, because [therewas] no shepherd, neither did myshepherds search for my flock, but theshepherds fed themselves, and fed notmy flock;9 Therefore, Ο ye shepherds, hear theword of the LORD;10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I[am] against the shepherds; and I willrequire my flock at their hand, andcause them to cease from feeding theflock; neither shall the shepherds feedthemselves any more; for I will delivermy flock from their mouth, that theymay not be meat for them.

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1. The One Shepherd and His sheep (ch. 34)

beasts of the field [i.e. the Gentiles] (v. 5 and cf. Deut. 28:26) is presentedas being a direct consequence of the failure of Israel's rulers to faithfullydischarge their work as shepherds.

The prophet lists the failures of the shepherds in verses 3 and 4. AlthoughIsrael was God's flock, it was a nation of men and women afflicted by sin.They were diseased...sick...broken...driven away...lost (v. 4)—all figurativedescriptions of a people overwhelmed by sin. The shepherd-rulers shouldhave tended to these spiritual needs and led the people back to God. Butinstead, with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them (v. 4), even to theextent of plundering the flock, for, Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you withthe wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock (v. 3).Consequently, the state of the flock went from bad to worse because theydid not receive care from the shepherds. So the prophet lays at the feet ofIsrael's shepherds the responsibility for the scattering of the nation—"theywere scattered, because there was no shepherd" (v. 5, RV).

Judgement is therefore pronounced against the rulers — Behold, I amagainst the shepherds; and I will...cause them to cease from feeding theflock... (v. 10). The work of Israel's rulers was finished, as Ezekiel hadearlier proclaimed—"Remove the diadem, and take off the crown...I willoverturn, overturn, overturn, it—and it shall be no more, until he comewhose right it is; and I will give it him" (21:26, 27). There would be nomore kings—no shepherds—until the coming of Messiah. Thus it was thatsome 600 years later Jesus, seeing the multitude of Israel, "was moved withcompassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having ashepherd" (Mark 6:34). Ezekiel's prophecy had been fulfilled!

Yahweh the Good Shepherd (v. 11-16)The shepherds of Israel having proved to beworthless, Yahweh now declares Hisintention of becoming a Shepherd to Israel.I, even I, will both search my sheep, andseek them out(\. 11).

11 For thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, I, [even] I, will both search mysheep, and seek them out.12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flockin the day that he is among his sheep[that are] scattered; so will I seek outmy sheep, and will deliver them out ofall places where they have beenscattered in the cloudy and dark day.

This work of shepherding Israel was not tobe performed personally by the Almighty.He was to do it by manifesting Himself as ashepherd through His Son. This great work was foretold in the words ofJacob when he declared concerning "The mighty God of Jacob"—"fromthence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel" (Gen. 49:24). When Yahwehthus revealed Himself as Israel's Shepherd He would, in great contrast to

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13 And I will bring them out from thepeople, and gather them from thecountries, and will bring them to theirown land, and feed them upon themountains of Israel by the rivers, andin all the inhabited places of thecountry.14 I will feed them in a good pasture,and upon the high mountains of Israelshall their fold be: there shall they liein a good fold, and [in] a fat pastureshall they feed upon the mountains ofIsrael.15 I will feed my flock, and I willcause them to lie down, saith the LordGOD.16 I will seek that which was lost, andbring again that which was drivenaway, and will bind up [that whichwas] broken, and will strengthen thatwhich was sick: but I will destroy thefat and the strong; I will feed themwith judgment.

the faithless shepherds, seek that which waslost, and bring again that which was drivenaway, and will bind up that which wasbroken, and will strengthen that which wassick (v. 16).

Thus a basic knowledge of the fundamen-tal doctrine of God-manifestation opens upthe beautiful teaching of this section of theprophet's message. Yahweh became theGood Shepherd by manifestation in His Son.Thus, when Jesus declared, "I am the goodshepherd" (John 10:11, 14), he was speakingof this work of God who was, through theSon, revealing Himself as the Good Shep-herd in Israel. In Jesus we see displayed allthe shepherd-qualities of the Father Himself.It was true of the work of shepherding Israel,as of every other aspect of his work, that "he that hath seen me hath seenthe Father" (John 14:9). It was in this context of his work as shepherd thatJesus said, "the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness ofme" (John 10:25), i.e. they testify that I am Yahweh manifest in the flesh asIsrael's shepherd. It was again in this context that he proceeded to say, "Iand my Father are one"—i.e. One Shepherd—Yahweh manifest in His Son.

Israel in the time of Jesus, as in the days of Ezekiel, was a flock strickenwith sin—diseased, sick, broken, driven away and lost. Yahweh, throughHis Son, offered them a complete cure, even the forgiveness of sins andeternal life.

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I giveunto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluckthem out of my hand" (John 10:27, 28).

This great work of Israel's Shepherd through His Son necessitated the deathof Jesus—"I lay down my life for the sheep" (v. 15).

The work of Jesus as shepherd did not end with his death. It goes on still,for "other sheep I have, which are not of this fold (Israel): them also I mustbring, and they shall hear my voice" (v. 16). Thus Gentiles too would cometo know the Good Shepherd of Israel, for which we have reason to be glad.Of them it is true, when they experience this goodness of God toward themin the message of the gospel, that "Ye were like Sheep going astray; but

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have now turned back to the Shepherd and Guardian of your lives" (1 Pet.2:25,Diaglott).

One final statement from John 10 will take us back to Ezekiel. Gentilesas well as Jews would hear the Shepherd's voice, "and there shall be onefold, and one shepherd" (v. 16). Yahweh is yet to do a great work withIsrael, concerning which, centuries before Ezekiel gave his message, Moseshad prophesied. At the time when Yahweh blesses Israel there will be someGentiles concerning whom Moses declared, "Rejoice, Ο ye nations(Gentiles), with his people" (Deut. 32:43; and see Rom. 15:10). TheseGentiles, who during Israel's down treading have heard the Shepherd'svoice, will rejoice with Israel when, in the words of Ezekiel, Yahweh willbring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, andwill bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains ofIsrael... (v. 13). Thus the nation which rejected Yahweh manifest in theSon will at last come to accept Him, for "blindness in part is happened toIsrael, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in". Then "there shall beone fold, and one shepherd" (John 10:16).

Sheep and Goats (v. 17-22)

There were those in Israel who would nothear the Shepherd's voice. "Ye believe not,because ye are not my sheep, as I said untoyou. My sheep hear my voice and I knowthem" (John 10:26, 27). This is the ideabehind this section of Ezekiel. The judge-ments of God upon Israel were directed notonly against the shepherds, but also againstthe unfaithful sheep. "As for you, Ο myflock...Behold, I judge between small cattleof lambs and kids" (v. 17, AVmg.).

Following the appearing in Israel of theGood Shepherd, and their rejection of him,the judgement of God fell upon the nation.They had trodden down the pasture andfouled the water in rejecting the food fromheaven and the fountain of living water thatwas offered to them by the Shepherd ofIsrael. They have continued to foul it through nearly twenty centuries,clinging fast to their superstitions by which they make the word of God of

17 And [as for] you, Ο my flock, thussaith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judgebetween cattle and cattle, between therams and the he goats.18 [Seemeth it] a small thing unto youto have eaten up the good pasture, butye must tread down with your feet theresidue of your pastures? and to havedrunk of the deep waters, but ye mustfoul the residue with your feet?19 And [as for] my flock, they eat thatwhich ye have trodden with your feet;and they drink that which ye havefouled with your feet.20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GODunto them; Behold, I, [even] I, willjudge between the fat cattle andbetween the lean cattle.21 Because ye have thrust with sideand with shoulder, and pushed all thediseased with your horns, till ye havescattered them abroad;22 Therefore will I save my flock, andthey shall no more be a prey; and I willjudge between cattle and cattle.

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none effect. Only the appearing of the Shepherd in immortal power willchange it. Meanwhile, the tribulations of Israel continue with the northernwild beast preparing to ravage the flock. Clearly visible to Israel'swatchmen is the approach of that day of blessing when it will beproclaimed to Jerusalem "that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquityis pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all hersins" (Isa. 40:2). Then the Shepherd of Israel will be revealed to effectIsrael's salvation. The wild beasts of the Gentiles will be driven away, andthe rebels purged out of Israel's flock. Then Yahweh "shall feed his flocklike a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them inhis bosom, and shall gently lead those thatare with young" (Isa. 40:11), or as Ezekielhas it, therefore will I save my flock, andthey shall no more be a prey (v. 22).

The blessing of the faithful sheep(v. 23-31)

The passage referred to above from Isaiah 40says, "The Lord GOD will come...He shallfeed his flock..." But, as we have seen, thisshepherding work of God was to be perform-ed through the Son. Micah, who speaks ofthis shepherd work of "him that is to be rulerin Israel", declares, "He shall stand, and shallfeed his flock in the strength of the LORD, inthe majesty of the name of the LORD hisGod" (5:4, RV). Thus Jesus will perform thisfuture shepherding of Israel as his Father'srepresentative. Then will be fulfilled thesewords spoken through Ezekiel—/ will set upone shepherd over them, and he shall feedthem, even my servant David; he shall feedthem, and he shall be their shepherd(v.23).

It is a matter of some importance that weappreciate that the 'David' here referred to isnot King David of ancient times. Of coursehe will be raised from the dead, for thepromise to him was, "thine house and thy

23 And I will set up one shepherd overthem, and he shall feed them, [even]my servant David; he shall feed them,and he shall be their shepherd.24 And I the LORD will be their God,and my servant David a prince amongthem; I the LORD have spoken [it].25 And I will make with them acovenant of peace, and will cause theevil beasts to cease out of the land: andthey shall dwell safely in thewilderness, and sleep in the woods.26 And I will make them and theplaces round about my hill a blessing;and I will cause the shower to comedown in his season; there shall beshowers of blessing.27 And the tree of the field shall yieldher fruit, and the earth shall yield herincrease, and they shall be safe in theirland, and shall know that I [am] theLORD, when I have broken the bandsof their yoke, and delivered them outof the hand of those that servedthemselves of them.28 And they shall no more be a prey tothe heathen, neither shall the beast ofthe land devour them; but they shalldwell safely, and none shall make[them] afraid.29 And I will raise up for them a plantof renown, and they shall be no moreconsumed with hunger in the land,neither bear the shame of the heathenany more.30 Thus shall they know that I theLORD their God [am] with them, and[that] they, [even] the house of Israel,[are] my people, saith the Lord GOD.31 And ye my flock, the flock of mypasture, [are] men, [and] I [am] yourGod, saith the Lord GOD.

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kingdom shall be established for ever before thee" (2 Sam. 7:16). But theDavid referred to by Ezekiel is the Son promised to King David, to whom,in the words of the angel,

"the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shallreign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be noend" (Luke 1:32, 33).

Of this Son of David, Jeremiah, in the context of gathering "the remnant of(the) flock out of all the countries" where they had been scattered, writes, "Iwill raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king anddeal wisely, and shall execute judgement and justice in the land. In his daysJudah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely" (Jer. 23:3, 5, 6, RV).Later he speaks of this promised king who would be raised up unto David,and styles him "David their king"—"they shall serve the LORD their God,and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them" (30:9). This sameidea is conveyed by Ezekiel in the passage before us—/ the LORD will betheir God> and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD havespoken it (v. 24).

The remaining verses describe the great blessings to be brought to theremnant of Yahweh's flock at the second appearing of the "One Shepherd"in Israel.

The words / will make with them a covenant of peace (v. 25) summarizethe teaching of the prophets that at this time the remnant of Israel willbecome sharers in the New Covenant; for example, "Behold, the dayscome, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house ofIsrael, and with the house of Judah" (Jer. 31:31). For Israel to enter into theNew Covenant means for them to accept the Lord Jesus as the onepromised to Abraham and David. Consequent upon this, they will receivethe forgiveness of their sins —"I will forgive their iniquity, and I willremember their sin no more" (Jer. 31:34). It is this forgiveness of sinsconsequent upon their entering into the New Covenant that is implied bythe description "a covenant of peace". Of Israel generally in apostolic timesit was true that "the way of peace have they not known" (Rom. 3:17; Isa.59:8), while those who did accept Jesus were "justified by faith" and had"peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1). Justification,or making righteous, on the basis of belief, yet awaits the remnant of Israelwho then, too, will "have peace with God".

/ will cause the evil beasts to cease (v. 25) reminds us of Moses'warning, "thy carcase shall be meat unto all the fowls of the air, and untothe beasts of the earth..." (Deut. 28:26). The body politic of Israel has been

Ezekiel 34 327


ravaged by evil beasts for some 1,900 years and the Russian bear has yet toinflict its wounds and pick Israel's bones bare (see exposition on ch. 37).But the time will come when "strangers shall no more serve themselves ofhim" (Jer. 30:8). Then Israel will dwell in safety and security under the careof their Shepherd-king.

Showers of blessing (v. 26) no doubt has a literal element. The giving ofthe early and latter rain was contingent upon the faithfulness of Israel(Deut. 11:13, 14) and the future fertility of the land (to be considered in ch.36) will likewise be the result of accepting the "truth in Christ". Thepromise that the tree of the field shall yield her fruity and the earth shallyield her increase (v. 27) will literally follow the repentance of Israel asGod's blessings are poured upon them.

But there will be other showers too. Moses speaks of this in hissong—"My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as thedew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon thegrass" (Deut. 32:2). This will be accomplished by the Lord Jesus who"shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water theearth" (Psa. 72:6). This watering of the earth with the teaching of the truthwill cause the people of Israel to yield her fruit, or, as the psalmist proceedsto say, "In his days shall the righteous flourish" (Psa. 72:7). Thus Jeremiahspeaks of the time when God "will gather the remnant of [his] flock"—"they shall be fruitful and increase" (Jer. 23:3). Again there is in thesewords, no doubt, a mixture of the literal and the figurative. It is worthnoting here that in his work of being a Shepherd to Israel the Lord Jesuswill be assisted by his brethren. So God says through Jeremiah, "I will setup shepherds over them which shall feed them" (23:4) and the nature of this"feeding" of God's flock is seen in Jeremiah 3:15 —"I will give youshepherds according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledgeand understanding" (RV).

/ will raise up for them a plant of renown (v. 29) appears to be aplantation (RV) which will supply food for Israel so that they are no moreconsumed with hunger in the land (v. 29). Apocalyptically, this plantationis represented as a wood of life "which bare twelve manner of fruits...andthe leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations" (Rev. 22:2). Thiswood, or plantation, consists of individual trees all of whom sought tofollow in the steps of the One of whom the psalmist spake,

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, norstandeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But hisdelight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and

328 Ezekiel 34


night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringethforth his fruit in his season" (Psa. 1:1-3).

The faithfulness of this righteous man results in the establishment of a"congregation of the righteous" (Psa. 1:5). This is the "plantation ofrenown" which will provide spiritual food for the nations. The first nationto benefit will be the flock of Israel, who, being thus supplied with the goodthings of the Truth, will no longer be "consumed with famine" (v. 29, RV;cf. Amos 8:11). Instead they will come to rejoice in the knowledge that /the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house ofIsrael, are my people, saith the Lord GOD (v. 30).

Ezekiel 34 329

2. God's judgement on Edom (35:1-36:15)Ezekiel has already delivered one prophecy against Edom in chapter25:12-14. The notes given at that point in the exposition, showing historyfulfilling prophecy in Edom's downfall, provide a background for an under-standing of this further prophecy against Israel's inveterate enemy. It ispertinent to ask why—at this point in his prophecies, when he hascommenced talking about Israel's future restoration—Ezekiel should heredeliver this new and more extensive prophecy against Edom? It may wellbe that the prophet had become aware of the treachery of the Edomites inthe events associated with the fall of Jerusalem brought about byNebuchadnezzar. Edom took advantage of Nebuchadnezzar's invasion ofJudah to pursue their own territorial ambitions (e.g. Obad. v. 10-14). In thelight of this it may well be that he was moved by the Spirit to pronounceafresh the doom of Esau's descendants; just as Jeremiah, at roughly thesame time, was also moved to predict this coming judgement onEdom—"The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, Ο daughter ofZion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thineiniquity, Ο daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins" (Lam. 4:22).

But even if this be the case, the prophet is not digressing from the themeof restoration introduced in chapter 34. The Edomites were saying, Thesetwo nations and these two countries shall be mine..They are laid des-olate, they are given us to consume (35:10, 12). How could Israel berestored unless the enemy which laid false claim to the land be removed?Ezekiel had spoken of the time when Israel would "no more be a prey to theheathen" (34:28). In the remaining chapters, the theme of restoration iscontinued; but that restoration would involve the judgement of Israel'simmediate enemies (ch. 35 & 36:1-15) and also the judgement of thosenations that would come from afar against God's land (chs. 38 and 39).

A prophecy against Mount Seir(35:1-4)

During Jacob's sojourn in Padan-Aram, Esau("who is Edom" Gen. 36:1, 8, 11) began tomove towards the land of Seir (Gen. 32:3).When Jacob settled in the land, Esau com-pleted his move to Mount Seir (Gen. 36:7, 8).Moses confirms that Edom and Seir areidentical when, at the end of the wilderness

1 Moreover the word of the LORDcame unto me, saying,2 Son of man, set thy face againstmount Seir, and prophesy against it,3 And say unto it, Thus saith the LordGOD; Behold, Ο mount Seir, I amagainst thee, and I will stretch out minehand against thee, and I will make theemost desolate.4 I will lay thy cities waste, and thoushalt be desolate, and thou shalt knowthat I am the LORD.

330 Ezekiel 35

2. God's judgement on Edom (35:1-36:15)

journey, he reminds Israel that the LORD destroyed "...the children of Esauwhich dwelt in Seir..." (Deut. 2:22). There is an appropriateness in thedesignation of Esau as 'Edom' and 'Seir'. At his birth we are told that "thefirst came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his nameEsau" (Gen. 26:25). The word "red" in the Hebrew is adam—identical toEdom in the original unpointed Hebrew text. The word "hairy" in theHebrew is sair—identical to Seir in the unpointed text. Although Esau wascalled Edom because of the red (Heb. = adam) pottage for which he soldhis birthright (Gen. 25:31), that he came ultimately to dwell in the land ofred (Heb. adam) sandstone with its rough (Heb. seir) landscape was surelyno coincidence.

Today the land of Edom is a mountainous and mostly arid country, but atthat time it must have contained areas that were fertile and well watered, forwe read that Esau took there "cattle...beasts and his substance" (Gen.36:6). Years later, when Israel wanted to pass through the land of Edom ontheir way from Egypt to the land of promise, it was described as possessing"fields.. .vineyards.. .and wells" (Num. 24:17).

Ezekiel is told to set thy face against Mount Seir and prophecy againstit (v. 2). So it would be to this land inhabited by the descendants of Esau,the Edomites, that the prophet turned his gaze. The land at that time wasindeed inhabited by the Edomites, as indicated in verse 15 where it isreferred to as Idumaea (which is equivalent to 'the land of Edom') and it iswith these Edomites, the descendants of Esau, that most of the prophecy isconcerned.

The reason for the coming judgements (v. 5-13)The same terrible judgements are pronounced on Mount Seir that we haveseen earlier proclaimed against Edom. God is going to make it desolate (vv.4, 7, 9, cf. 25:13) cutftingj off from it himthat passeth out and him that returneth (v.7 cf. 25:13). All this was to happen becauseof the perpetual hatred (v. 5, cf. 25:12)manifested by the inhabitants of Mount Seirtowards their brothers, the people of Israel.

5 Because thou hast had a perpetualhatred, and hast shed the blood of thechildren of Israel by the force of thesword in the time of their calamity, inthe time that their iniquity had an end:6 Therefore, as I live, saith the LordGOD, I will prepare thee unto blood,and blood shall pursue thee: sith thouhast not hated blood, even blood shallpursue thee.

rf*r(*nt hi^torv Tt IQ Hpsr thiit whpn thf* 7 Thus will I make mount Seir most

recent History, it is clear that when me desolate>andcutofffromithimthat

Babylonians invaded Israel, the Edomites passeth out and him that returneth."helped forward the affliction". Therefore,Ezekiel 35 331

Ezekiel is particularly concerned with thebehaviour of the Edomites during their more


the prophet directs attention particularly tothe way in which they had shed the blood ofthe children of Israel by force of the swordin the time of their calamity, in the time thattheir iniquity had an end (v. 5). This refer-ence to the time when their iniquity had anend reminds us of the words addressed toZedekiah the last king of Judah when he waswarned of the fate that awaited him and hisnation at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king ofBabylon—"Thou, profane wicked prince ofIsrael, whose day is come, when iniquityshall have an end..." (21:25). Thus the useof these words indicates that Ezekiel's graph-ic description of the behaviour of theEdomites has reference to the time of theBabylonian invasion.

Obadiah speaks of this same attitudemanifested by Edom at the time of Israel'soverthrow by Nebuchadnezzar:

"For thy violence against thy brother Jacobshame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. In the day that thoustoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captivehis forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots uponJerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not havelooked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neithershouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of theirdestruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of theircalamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day oftheir calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of theircalamity; Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off thoseof his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of histhat did remain in the day of distress" (v. 10-14).

Psalm 137 likewise, speaks of this behaviour of Edom—"Remember, ΟLORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, raseit, even to the foundation thereof (v. 7). The punishment of Edom for thistreachery was certain. The instrument of Edom's judgement was in the firstinstance to be Nebuchadnezzar who, according to Josephus, invaded that

8 And I will fill his mountains with hisslain men: in thy hills, and in thyvalleys, and in all thy rivers, shall theyfall that are slain with the sword.9 I will make thee perpetualdesolations, and thy cities shall notreturn: and ye shall know that I am theLORD.10 Because thou hast said, These twonations and these two countries shallbe mine, and we will possess it;whereas the LORD was there:11 Therefore, as I live, saith the LordGOD, I will even do according to thineanger, and according to thine envywhich thou hast used out of thy hatredagainst them; and I will make myselfknown among them, when I havejudged thee.12 And thou shalt know that I am theLORD, and that I have heard all thyblasphemies which thou hast spokenagainst the mountains of Israel, saying,They are laid desolate, they are givenus to consume.

13 Thus with your mouth ye haveboasted against me, and havemultiplied your words against me: Ihave heard them.

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region in the 23rd year of his reign.1 The work was completed by theRomans in AD 70, as has already been detailed at chapter 25.

Ezekiel's contemporary, Jeremiah, had also foretold the desolation ofEdom—"Edom shall be a desolation: everyone that goeth by it shall beastonished" (Jer. 49:17). Jeremiah did not name the nation that would bringabout this judgement of Edom. He described it as a nation that would"come up as a lion" (49:19), and also that would "come and fly as theeagle" (49:22). Interestingly, both these descriptions fit the nation thatMoses predicted would invade Israel in Deuteronomy 28:26, 49. There canbe no doubt that Jeremiah intends us to understand that just as Nebuchad-nezzar invaded Israel, so also would the king of Babylon be the instrumentof God's judgement upon Edom. But the fact that no name is mentionedleaves it open to a possible further fulfilment. Thus, although Nebuchad-nezzar greatly weakened Edom, essentially destroying it as a power andplacing the Nabatean Arabs in Petra, it was, in fact, the Romans who,fulfilling Deuteronomy 28 (cf. Matt. 24:28) came against Israel "as swift asthe eagle flieth" and who brought about the extinction of the Edomites.

Thus the Edomites passed from the pages of history in the first centuryAD, but there are clear indications, as we intimated in our consideration ofthe prophecies in chapters 25-28, that at the time of the end there is to exista nation referred to in the prophecies as Edom that will occupy ageographical relationship with Israel. It will help us to appreciate themessage of Ezekiel 35 and 36 if the other scriptures that speak of Edom atthe time of the end are now examined briefly.

Edom in Old Testament prophecy—a synopsis(1) Isaiah 11: This chapter, which speaks of the work to be performed bythe "rod out of the stem of Jesse" (v. 1), tells of the time when "he shall setup an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel andgather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth"(v. 12). It is against this background of Israel's regathering that the prophetdeclares, "they [Israel] shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistinestowards the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall laytheir hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obeythem..." (v. 14). Thus, at the time of Israel's regathering there will be a

1 See historical notes on ch. 25:12-14 on pages 248-249.

Ezekiel 35 333


people, spoken of here as Edom, that will be linked to a geographicallocality— i.e. east of the regathered people of Israel.

(2) Psalm 83: Whether the opposition against Israel referred to in thispsalm had its historical basis in the Assyrian invasion of Judah in the timeof Hezekiah,1 in the invasion during the reign of Jehoshaphat,2 or, morelikely3, at the time of Shishak's invasion of Judah,4 is only of passinginterest in the context of this study. There can be little doubt that it has alatter day fulfilment. The following points are important.

(a) The Psalm speaks of a time when Israel is in the land. It deals withevents that lead to the situation where the nations come toacknowledge Yahweh as "the most high over all the earth" (v. 18). Itis reasonable to conclude that the Psalm is concerned with events thatovertake the regathered nation surrounded by hostile nations who say,"Let us cut them off from being a nation" (v. 4). Thus at the time ofwhich the psalmist speaks, Israel is referred to as a nation. Bydefinition this word denotes a people politically and territoriallyorganized.

(b) The nations mentioned, who desire to exterminate the nation of Israel,are largely Semitic peoples, certainly nations that historically have aclose geographical relationship with Israel. The list which is headedby Edom is as follows: the tents of Edom, the Ishmaelites, Moab, theHagarenes, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, the Philistines, Tyre and Assur(v. 6-8).5 (See map on next page).

(c) The only point that we seek to make here is that in the events of thetime of the end, a number of nations are seen to be antagonistic

1 G. Booker, The Psalms, vol. 2, page 489.2 E. Whittaker, T. Benson, The Testimony, vol. 46, page 335.3 (It being a psalm of Asaph).4 A. M. Waller, Notes on the History Behind the Psalms, page 42 etc.5 Apart from the fact that there are ten nations listed here, there is nothing in this

psalm that would remotely suggest any connection between these nations andthe latter day manifestation of Gentile power represented by the image, with itsten toes, in Daniel 2.

334 Ezekiel 35


towards Israel and one of these (perhaps significantly mentioned first)is Edom.1

Finally, it is pertinent to note what the psalm does not say. The intention ofthese, mainly, Semitic nations towards Israel is to "cut them off from beinga nation" (v. 4). It does not say that they succeeded, or even nearlysucceeded, in fulfilling their ambitions. The psalm simply indicates thatthese nations who sought to do such a thing to Israel their neighbour wouldbe severely punished.

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(3) Obadiah: We have already drawn attention to the fact that Obadiah setsout in detail the disgraceful conduct of Edom in the past and declares amessage of judgement against Edom similar to that pronounced by Ezekiel."Every one of the mount of Esau [shall] be cut off by slaughter" (v. 4). Thejudgement would be visited on Edom because of her attitude towardsIsrael—"for violence against thy brother Jacob" (v. 10). In particular,

Although Ezekiel mentions only Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, Tyre andSidon (ch. 25-28 and ch. 35), the psalm includes other nations which appear toinclude Iraq (Assur) and the Gulf States (Hagarenes and Ishmaelites). It shouldbe remembered that the twentieth century opposition and antagonism towardsIsrael has been largely funded by the oil-rich Arab nations.

Ezekiel 35 335


because of the violence in the day of her calamity when "strangers carriedaway captive his forces" (v. 11). As we have seen, history shows that thisdesolation upon Edom was accomplished.

Then Obadiah, using the same words as Joel 2:32 (see RV), speaks of thepreservation of a remnant of Israel—"In mount Zion there shall be thosethat escape, and it shall be holy" (v. 17, RV). According to Joel 2 this"escaping" occurred in that period in Israel's history when God

[a] poured out his Spirit,[b] showed wonders in the heavens and earth of Israel's political

organization, and[c] God turned to the Gentiles—"whosoever (that is, Jew or Gentile)

shall call on the name of the LORD" (Joel 2:32 cf. Rom. 10:11).It was in the apostolic period that these things happened. The Spirit waspoured out, the Gentiles were offered salvation, and the Mosaic system wasdissolved as Israel's commonwealth came to an end. But the destructionwas not absolute. Some of Israel's "flesh" survived the Roman holocaust inAD 70, as Jesus said they would (Matt. 24:22). They have been passingthrough the fire of affliction for nigh on 2,000 years. But God is workingmightily with them and Joel, having spoken of "those that escape", spansthe centuries and proceeds to speak of "those days, and in that time, when[the LORD] shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem" (Joel3:1). Obadiah is speaking of this same restoration of Israel's fortunes (cf.NASB) when he says concerning those that escape—"they shall possesstheir possessions" (v. 17).

It is after this mention of the return of the Jews to the Land that theprophet speaks of another desolation of Edom. "The house of Jacob shall bea fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble,and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be [any]remaining of the house of Esau" (v. 18).

This raises a point which is not noted in Ezekiel 35: that the desolation ofthis latter-day Edom is to be brought about by the house of Jacob. Thejudgement on the Edom of history was not accomplished by Israel (unlesswe accept that the subjugation of the declining Idumean nation by JohnHyrcanus in 128 BC fulfilled the prophecy). Nebuchadnezzar, the Naba-teans and Rome were the instruments of Edom's judgement. This tends toconfirm the suggestion made in the exposition on chapters 25-28 that theearlier prophecies of Ezekiel against the nations round about Israel have notas yet received their entire fulfilment. For there, too, it was said of Edom, "I

336 Ezekiel 35


will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel"(25:14).

(4) Zechariah 12: In this chapter Zechariah commences a series ofprophecies which have to do with a period of time in the world's historystyled "that day" (e.g. 12:3, 4, 6, 9, 11; 13:1; 14:4). It is in "that day" thatJerusalem will be besieged by a confederacy of Gentile nations, whenYahweh's feet will stand upon the mount of Olives which will then bedivided by an earthquake, and when, eventually, "the LORD shall be kingover all the earth." One of the events in the program of "that day" isdescribed in 12:6—"In that day I will make the governors of Judah like anhearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and theyshall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left."Although the names of the nations devoured by the governors of Judah arenot given, they are described as "the people round about"—a phrase that wehave already demonstrated (page 276) relates to the immediate neighboursof Israel, including Edom (and see map on page 335).

It is of interest to note here that the effect of the burning up of thesepeople round about is that "Jerusalem is inhabited again in her own place"(v. 6). That is, the people that belong in Jerusalem shall inhabit it.

(5) Daniel 11: Speaking of the invasion of Israel by the king of the northDaniel says, "He shall enter into the glorious land, and many countries shallbe overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom andMoab, and the chief of the children of Ammon" (11:41). Quite clearly inthis prophecy, Edom refers to a nation in existence at the time1 of theGentile invasion of Israel. Its association with Moab and Ammon againsuggests a location east of Israel.

(6) Isaiah 63: Here we simply note that the prophet speaks of the One who"cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah" in "the year of hisredeemed" (v. 1, 4). Unless Edom refers to a geographical location, thewords are meaningless.

(7) Joel 3: This prophecy has to do with events subsequent to the timewhen God begins the work of bringing "again the captivity2 of Judah and

1 The writer believes the king of the North in Daniel 11 to be the same power asEzekiel's Gog of the Land of Magog. See footnote 2, page 406.

2 That is, "restoring the fortunes", NASB.

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Jerusalem" (v. 1). It is the time when the might of the Gentiles is broughtinto collision with the LORD who roars from Zion and utters his voice fromJerusalem (v. 16). The result of all this is that when Yahweh comes to dwellin His holy mountain (v. 17) Judah is blessed, "Egypt shall be a desolation,and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness for the violence against thechildren of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land"(3:19). Again, it is difficult to see in this reference to Edom anything otherthan a reference to a people at the time of the end which has an antagonisticattitude towards Israel identical to that attitude manifested by Edom of oldtowards God's people.

(8) Isaiah 34: This prophecy which speaks of the desolation of Edom,should be viewed as being one prophecy with Isaiah 35 which proceeds tospeak of the restoration of Israel. It gives a picture of utter politicaldevastation:

"All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolledtogether as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth offfrom the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.1 For my sword shall bebathed in heaven: behold it shall come down upon Idumea (RV, Edom), andupon the people of my curse, to judgement" (v. 4, 5).

This judgement to be poured out upon Edom is said to be, "The day of theLORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy ofZion" (v. 8). The utter desolation that ensues—the perpetual burning ofEdom with fire and brimstone—is clearly a depiction of political devas-tation, for the prophet proceeds to say, emphasizing its desolation, "Thepelican and porcupine shall possess it; and the owl and the raven shalldwell therein" (v. 11, RV). This could hardly be so if the land were literallyaflame continually. Similarly, thorns, nettles and brambles growing in thestrongholds of Edom; jackals, ostriches, wild beasts of the desert, wolves,he-goats, screech owls, arrow snakes and vultures (v. 13-15, RV) wouldnot flourish in a land that was literally burning perpetually. In summary theprophet says, "He shall stretch upon it the line of confusion (Heb. tohu),and the plummet of emptiness (Heb. bohu)" (v. 11). Here he uses wordsemployed to describe the state of things before God began the work of

This allusion to the vine and the fig tree may well be a reference to the nation ofIsrael which is spoken of as a vine (Isa. 5, Psa. 80 etc.) and a fig tree (Joel 1:7).For Edom to be subjected to a judgement compared to "the leaf [falling] from thevine, and as the falling fig from the fig tree" is a way of saying that Edom willsuffer a fate in the future comparable to that suffered by Israel in the past.

338 Ezekiel 35


creation —"The earth was waste (Heb. tohu) and void (Heb. bohu)"(Gen. 1:2, RV).

Opinions differ as to the proximate historical fulfilment of this prophecy.The most appropriate would appear to be the Babylonian judgement ofEdom which was later completed by the Romans as we have seen inJeremiah (Jer. 49 and Lam. 4:22), and Obadiah (v. 1-15). Certainly, theEdom of history being totally destroyed could fittingly be described in theterms of utter devastation used here by Isaiah.1

However, the use of the words, "It is the day of the LORD'S vengeance,and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion" (v. 8 cf. Isa. 63:4and 35:4), coupled with the comparison of Edom's desolation with Israel'srestoration when "God will come with vengeance" to save Israel, suggests areference to latter day events. Thus the desolation of Edom brieflymentioned by Joel (3:19) is here pictured in bold and graphic detail. Itsrelevance to Ezekiel 35 is clear. Isaiah's prophecy of the utter desolation ofEdom which is linked to the wonderful picture of Israel's restoration inIsaiah 35 is paralleled by Ezekiel's description of Edom's desolation in35:1-36:15 which similarly is linked to the picture of Israel's restoration in36:16-38.

The identity of EdomIsaiah 34 raises a problem, the resolution of which is crucial for anunderstanding of the prophecies about Edom, and it is appropriate that thisnow be addressed. Although the prophet's message of judgement concernsEdom (v. 5, RV), yet he says, "Come near ye nations, to hear; and hearkenye people...for the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and hisfury is upon their armies...for my sword shall be bathed in heaven: beholdhe shall come down upon Idumea (Edom, RV), and upon the people of mycurse to judgement" (v. 1-5).

The clear association of Edom with a geographical location, whichemerges from the other scriptures considered above, and this association ofEdom with "all nations" has provided expositors with a considerable

1 Some (e.g. H. A. Whittaker, Isaiah, page 334) maintain that it refers to the timeof the Assyrian invasion of Judah during the days of Hezekiah. However, it isdifficult to see that this would have produced such a devastation of Edom as thatdescribed here.

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challenge. Thus C. C. Walker 1 identified the geographical Edom with aBritish presence in that area—"We recognize in Britain's occupation ofthese ancient territories the Edom and Moab at the time of the end..." —anidea which he borrowed from J. Thomas.2 However, the Edom-nations aresaid to be "the European powers who are to make war upon Christ at hiscoming...the desolation of Edom...speaks not only of the past, but of theoverthrow that awaits the great anti-Jewish world of the latter days."3 Fromthe standpoint of the end of the 20 th century this seems like expositionaleccentricity but at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century itwas an honest attempt to accommodate the prophecies to the politicalsituation then extant. Clearly the ideas were misguided.

Although Britain's change in circumstances has forced most to re-thinkthe identity of the geographical Edom,4 the idea persists that the Edom-nations represent the aggregate of European Gentile power that will opposeChrist.5

The equating of Edom with the European Gentile power hostile to Christdepends on identifying "the nations" of Isaiah 34:1-2 and Obadiah 16 withthese Gentiles. This idea would appear to be faulted by the following:

(1) It is clear that Edom refers both to a geographical location and to apeople (e.g. Dan. 11:41; Joel 3:19). The desolation of Edom men-tioned in Joel 3, and elaborated in Ezekiel 35, 36, Isaiah 34 andObadiah, is an event that occurs in the same period of time as thejudgement of the Gentile confederacy of nations that comes against

1 C. C. Walker, Isaiah, page 508.2 J. Thomas, Eureka, vol. 3, page 603; Elpis Israel, page 444.3 C. C. Walker, Isaiah, page 508 and see J. Thomas, Eureka, vol. 3, page 287

where Edom is said to represent "the beast and his image."4 For example, G. E. Mansfield, The Book of Daniel, page 337—"The territories of

Edom, Moab and Ammon describe the modern kingdom of Jordan and theArabian peninsula." However, several decades earlier in Logos, vol. 23, page241 the previous editor, H. P. Mansfield, maintained that the Moab of the latterdays represented the British power.

5 H. P. Mansfield, Logos, vol. 23 (1957), page 213 states, "Modern Edom is todayrepresented by the U.N.O., but it is ultimately destined to be revealed in theGogian confederacy of nations." About 10 years later in Ezekiel's Prophecies ofthe Restoration, page 42, he writes, "When Babylon the Great is overthrown,then Israel will be completely restored to their land and antitypical Edom, as apolitical force, will be no more."

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Israel but, in Joel, it is mentioned as something independent andseparate from the judgement of those nations. When the nationsreceive their judgement then Edom and Egypt will also receive theirs(Joel3:9,14cf.v. 19).

(2) The phrase "all nations" cannot be taken in every place where itoccurs to refer to the totality of Gentile power. Each occurrence mustbe interpreted in its immediate and its wider scriptural context. Wehave seen in Ezekiel 25-28, Psalm 83 and Zechariah 12 (for exam-ple), that Edom is frequently linked with the other nations roundabout Israel. It would seem reasonable to interpret the "all nations" ofIsaiah 34:1-2 and Obadiah v. 15 as referring to all the nations roundabout Israel, that is her immediate neighbours. This interpretation is,confirmed by Ezekiel 36:7. There, in the context of the judgement ofEdom, God declares to Israel, "Surely the heathen that are roundabout you, they shall bear their shame" (RV).

(3) This leads to the conclusion that Edom, because of its historical"perpetual hatred" going back to the time of Esau himself, isrepresentative of all those nations round about Israel who have, inthe past—and in modern times —manifested this same animositytowards Israel.

Thus it is suggested that the Edom-nations of today are identified as Israel'sArab neighbours whose characteristics are like those of ancient Edom.

It should be carefully noted that in none of these Edom prophecies isthere any indication that Edom will destroy Israel. The concept of a latter-day Arab victory over Israel based on these scriptures is not sustainable.1

Suggested fulfilment of latter day Edom propheciesIn seeking to set out the details of the latter day fulfilment of theseprophecies, we do well to avoid adopting a position of intransigence that isunable to adjust itself to events as the Divine program becomes plain. Thefollowing is a suggested way of putting these prophecies together, inharmony with the current political situation as it exists in the land, and inharmony with what is further revealed.

For a discussion of this see D. Styles, Israel's Defeat: By Gog or the Arabs?Although he favours the idea that Edom represents the latter day manifestationof Gentile power the discussion contains many useful arguments against theconcept of a latter-day Arab victory over Israel.

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(1) Edom (Esau, Mount Seir) was to be made desolate and the Edomitepeople would cease to exist. This happened in history. However, therewould be a latter day Edom occupying the same geographicalrelationship to Israel as Edom of old. This geographical Edomroughly coincides to modern Jordan and part of the Arabianpeninsula.

(2) But latter day Edom is also used in the prophets as a representativenation. It represents a group of nations round about Israel whomanifest the same unbrotherly, antagonistic, hateful, vengeful,treacherous attitude towards Israel, as Edom of old. Thesepeople—sometimes referred to as Edom, Mount Seir, Esau, andsometimes as "the people round about"—are to receive Divinejudgement. The instrument of Divine judgement against latter-dayEdom will be the regathered people of Israel.

(3) It seems that this judgement will take place in two distinct phases:(a) Before the Gogian invasion: At the time of the Gogian invasion

described in Ezekiel 38, regathered Israel will be dwelling safelywithout walls, having neither bars nor gates (vv. 8, 11). Further theyare said to be rich in silver and gold and they have cattle and goods(v. 12) —all the trappings of a prosperous and thriving economiccommunity dwelling in undisturbed peace.Clearly Israel does not occupy this position at the present time andthis is largely due to the hatred and envy of the "nations round about."These grieving thorns and pricking briars have to be removed so thatIsrael can develop her economy. The three wars between Israel andher Arab neighbours that have taken place since the State of Israelwas established in 1948—especially that decisive victory over Egypt,Jordan and Syria in 1967—has seen Israel "flying upon the shouldersof the Philistines toward the west...spoiling them of the easttogether... lay ing their hand upon Edom and Moab..." (Isa. 11:14)."Like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in asheaf; they [have] devoured all the people round about on the righthand and on the left" (Zech. 12:6). This was further demonstrated inthe conclusive victory against the invading Arab armies in the YomKippur War in 1973. These military victories which have resulted inIsrael being able to negotiate with her Arab neighbours from aposition of strength, have led to a formal peace with Egypt andJordan, a somewhat shaky peace treaty with the Palestinians and, atthe time of writing, negotiations towards peace with the Syrians that

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clearly would involve Lebanon. However, the activities of Islamicterrorists continue and Judah may yet be called upon to inflict more'burning' upon the house of Esau. There is certainly no indication thatIraq (the Assur of Psalm 83) will sue for peace. Iraq, more than any ofthe other neighbours of Israel, still proclaims, "Come, and let us cutthem off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no morein remembrance" (Psalm 83:4). It may well be that the business of the1990 Gulf war remained uncompleted by the United States and herallies because the work of bringing Iraq to her knees is destined to beperformed by Israel. Certainly it is difficult to see how Israel couldever be secure —dwelling without walls having neither bars norgates—with an antagonistic Iraq within easy missile reach of Israel.

(b) After the Gogian invasion: Having secured peace, Israel willprosper and the surrounding nations will share her prosperity. Butthen comes the Gogian invasion bringing devastation to Israel as willbe seen at chapters 37 and 38. Edom's rivalry, hatred and antagonism,suppressed during the period of peace, will then burst out afresh. Thepeople round about will take advantage of the situation to expandtheir borders into that land which they have coveted. Their ambitions,however, will be brought to a dramatic end by the appearance in theearth of Israel's Messianic King who will lead his people into victoryagainst the Gogian aggressor and will at the same time free them forever from the harassment of "the people round about" —thus fulfillingthe relevant parts of Isaiah 34, Obadiah and Joel 3. It is of particularimportance to note that "the house of Joseph" 1 is involved in thisfinal judgement of Edom. This confirms that it takes place after Christhas appeared in his Kingdom. This will be the time when Edom entersthe political wilderness, never again to rise from oblivion.

1 It should be noted that according to Zechariah it is Judah that devours thepeople round about. It will be shown at chapter 37 that "Judah" relates to thepeople in the land, whereas "Joseph" relates to the Jews who are still scattered(see section A united nation, page 375). Thus it is Judah, the people of the land,that causes Jerusalem to be inhabited again in her own place (Zech. 12:6) bydevouring the people round about. But it will be "the house of Joseph"—thedispersed Jews who return after Christ has appeared in his Kingdom who willcomplete the burning of Edom (Obad. 18).

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Edom's future desolation predicted (35:14-15)

We may now bring this scriptural back-ground to bear on the prophecy of Ezekiel.As previously indicated, the entire section ofch. 35:1-13 appears to relate primarily to thedesolation of Edom at the hand of theBabylonians. As we have seen, this deso-lation was completed by the Romans. At

I ORO

verse 14 the prophet returns to the theme of

14 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Whenthe whole earth rejoiceth, I will makethee desolate.15 As thou didst rejoice at theinheritance of the house of Israel,because it was desolate, so will I dounto thee: thou shalt be desolate, Οmount Seir, and all Idumea, even all ofit: and they shall know that I am the

Israel's restoration which he has alreadyintroduced in chapter 34. There the time of Israel's return to favour withGod is spoken of—the time when the heir to David's throne will be "aPrince among them" (34:24). The coming blessing of the land of Israel isdescribed:

"I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I willcause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers ofblessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth (Heb. haeretz = the land) shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in theirland..." (34:26-27).

It is to this time that Ezekiel now refers. He had commenced his firstprophecy against Mount Seir with the words —"Thus saith the LordGOD..." (35:3). These same words are now used to mark a new prophecy."Thus saith the Lord GOD; when the whole earth (Heb. ha eretz = theland) rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate" (v. 14). This is exactly the samemessage as that found in Joel 3. There we are told that when Israel's"mountains shall drop down with wine, and the hills shall flow withmilk" —or as Ezekiel here has it, when the whole land rejoiceth — "thenEdom shall be a desolate wilderness" (Joel 3:18, 19). So, Ezekiel conveysexactly the same message of future desolation, a message which isdeveloped in the first fifteen verses of chapter 36.

The first part of Ezekiel 36 continues the two themes of the desolation ofEdom and the restoration of Israel.

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Edom made desolate (36:1-7)

The prophecy is actually addressed to theland of Israel rather than to the people—Yemountains of Israel hear the word of theLORD (V. 1). The reason for this is that theattitude of Israel's "evil neighbours" ismanifest by their attitude towards the land.As we have explained earlier, wheneverIsrael was invaded by the great powers, thenations round about "helped forward theaffliction", thus bringing more plunder anddesolation in the wake of the Gentileinvasion. We have suggested that this willalso happen when Gog invades the land. TheEdom nations will take advantage of Israel'shumiliation saying, Aha...the ancient highplaces are ours in possession (v. 2). It maybe that the they of verse 3 which make Israeldesolate refers to the Gogian Confederacy.This is the signal for the residue of theheathen (v. 3, 4, 5) and especially Idumea(Edom) to appoint my land into theirpossession (v. 5). Thus the prophet describesthe situation in which the mountains.. .thehills...the rivers...the valleys...the desolatewastes..the cities [of Israel] that areforsaken become a prey to the residue of theheathen that are round about (v. 4, 5).

1 Also, thou son of man, prophesyunto the mountains of Israel, and say,Ye mountains of Israel, hear the wordof the LORD:2 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Becausethe enemy hath said against you, Aha,even the ancient high places are ours inpossession:3 Therefore prophesy and say, Thussaith the Lord GOD; Because theyhave made you desolate, andswallowed you up on every side, thatye might be a possession unto theresidue of the heathen, and ye aretaken up in the lips of talkers, and arean infamy of the people:4 Therefore, ye mountains of Israel,hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thussaith the Lord GOD to the mountains,and to the hills, to the rivers, and to thevalleys, to the desolate wastes, and tothe cities that are forsaken, whichbecame a prey and derision to theresidue of the heathen that are roundabout;5 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Surely in the fire of my jealousy have Ispoken against the residue of theheathen, and against all Idumea, whichhave appointed my land into theirpossession with the joy of all theirheart, with despiteful minds, to cast itout for a prey.6 Prophesy therefore concerning theland of Israel, and say unto themountains, and to the hills, to therivers, and to the valleys, Thus saiththe Lord GOD; Behold, I have spokenin my jealousy and in my fury, becauseye have borne the shame of theheathen:7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Ihave lifted up mine hand, Surely theheathen that are about you, they shallbear their shame.

The interesting phrase "the residue of theheathen that are round about" should becarefully noted. The word residue (Heb.sheerith = remnant) indicates that what isbeing considered here is the second phase of Edom's final desolation whichwill take place in association with the overthrow of the Gogianconfederacy. It is the remnant left of the Edom-nations after Israel hassuccessfully established herself as a nation rich in cattle and goods,achieving—by conquest and negotiation—the situation when she dwells"safely...without walls and having neither bars nor gates." Thesesubjugated nations, compelled by circumstances beyond their control to

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accept peace with those to whom they have showed a "perpetual hatred",will upon the Gogian invasion, true to form, take advantage of the situationto seek their own unworthy ends. Therefore says God, Surely in the fire ofmy jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the nations, and againstall Idumea (= Edom) which have appointed my land into their possession(v. 5). This residue of the nations, in which Edom clearly is worthy ofspecial mention, is later referred to by that familiar phrase "the heathen thatare round about you" when God declares, / have lifted up mine hand,saying. Surely the heathen that are round about you, they shall bear theirshame (v. 7). This total humiliation of Edom will be brought about by theintervention on Israel's behalf of Messiah and his brethren (the "saviours"of Obad. v. 21) in what Isaiah terms "the day of the LORD'S vengeance,and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion" (Isa. 34:8). Edomwill enter the political wilderness as is graphically described in Isaiah 34.This is the time of which Joel speaks when, "the LORD will roar out ofZion" and "be the hope of His people" in their extremity, and which willresult in Edom becoming "a desolate wilderness" (Joel 3:16,19).

Israel restored (v. 8-15)

In contrast to the desolation to be visited on the Edom nations, attention isnow directed to the blessing to be brought to Israel. The time in view is theMessianic restoration of David's kingdom. Subsequent to the fall of thearmies of Gog the good news sounds forth to the land to prepare for thepromised "regeneration":

"Ye, Ο mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield yourfruit to my people of Israel; for behold they are at hand to come" (v. 8).

It is clear from what follows that this coming of Israel into the land is thatwhich is to take place under Messiah1, and not the partial regatheringwhich we are seeing now. The State of Israel, as at present constituted, isdestined to be brought to ruin by the northern invader as Ezekiel presentlywill show in chapters 37 and 38. But here the restoration is one in which /will settle you after your former estates, and will do better unto you thanat your beginnings.. .and thou (the land of Israel) shalt be their

1 This blessing to overtake the land of Israel obviously will follow the cleansing ofthe land and the burial of Gog's dead described in ch. 39:9-16. Clearly it is follyto try to squeeze these restoration chapters into a continuous historicalsequence.

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inheritance and thou shalt no morehenceforth bereave them of men...neitherwill I cause them to hear the shame of theheathen any more, neither shalt thou bearthe reproach of the heathen any more,neither shalt thou cause thy nations (Israeland Judah) to fall any more, saith the LordGOD (V. 11-15).

The wonderful fertility to be introduced tothe land causing it to yield your fruit to mypeople of Israel, is also the theme of Isaiah35 which follows the description of Edom'sdesolation in Isaiah 34. There are some in-teresting details in Isaiah 35 that help to fillout the picture of Israel's restoration. Wehave seen that Edom's desolation comes in"the day of the LORD'S vengeance" (Isa.34:8). So in chapter 35 Isaiah declares toIsrael, humiliated and fearful as a result ofthe Gogian invasion, and again suffering atthe hands of the adjacent Edom-nations—"Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Bestrong, fear not: behold, your God(Heb. Elohim = mighty ones) will come withvengeance, even God with a recompense; hewill come and save you" (v. 4). The Elohim destined to perform this workof vengeance are of course the long awaited King of Israel and his immortalbrethren. They bring not only a wondrous fertility to the land but also aspiritual regeneration to the people.

"The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall beunstopped; then shall the lame man leap an hart, and the tongue of the dumbsing" (v. 5).

That is to say, the people of Israel who are at present blind and deaf to theword of God in Christ, walking in their own ways, unable to offeracceptable praise, will be brought into fellowship with their Saviour-king.Thus, "in the wilderness [of their national life] will [living] waters breakout, and streams in the desert" (vv. 5,6).

This regeneration of the people at the hands of Israel's Elohim is thesubject of the remaining verses of Ezekiel 36.

8 But ye, Ο mountains of Israel, yeshall shoot forth your branches, andyield your fruit to my people of Israel;for they are at hand to come.9 For, behold, I am for you, and I willturn unto you, and ye shall be tilledand sown:10 And I will multiply men upon you,all the house of Israel, even all of it:and the cities shall be inhabited, andthe wastes shall be builded:11 And I will multiply upon you manand beast; and they shall increase andbring fruit: and I will settle you afteryour old estates, and will do betterunto you than at your beginnings: andye shall know that I am the LORD.

12 Yea, I will cause men to walk uponyou, even my people Israel; and theyshall possess thee, and thou shalt betheir inheritance, and thou shalt nomore henceforth bereave them of men.13 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Becausethey say unto you, Thou landdevourest up men, and hast bereavedthy nations;14 Therefore thou shalt devour men nomore, neither bereave thy nations anymore, saith the Lord GOD.15 Neither will I cause men to hear inthee the shame of the heathen anymore, neither shalt thou bear thereproach of the people any more,neither shalt thou cause thy nations tofall any more, saith the Lord GOD.

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3. The restoration of Israel (36:16-38)Israel humiliated (v. 16-20)

16 Moreover the word of the LORDcame unto me, saying,17 Son of man, when the house ofIsrael dwelt in their own land, theydefiled it by their own way and bytheir doings: their way was before meas the uncleanness of a removedwoman.18 Wherefore I poured my fury uponthem for the blood that they had shedupon the land, and for their idolswherewith they had polluted it:19 And I scattered them among theheathen, and they were dispersedthrough the countries: according totheir way and according to their doingsI judged them.20 And when they entered unto theheathen, whither they went, theyprofaned my holy name, when theysaid to them, These are the people ofthe LORD, and are gone forth out ofhis land.

When the words in these verses were ad-dressed to the children of Israel, they were inthe land of the captivity. But it is more thanthat Babylonian captivity of which theprophet now speaks. This becomes clear bynoting the terms of the restoration from thecaptivity spoken of in verses 24-28. ThereGod says, "I will take you from among theheathen, and gather you out of all countries,and will bring you into your own land...anew heart will I give you, and a new spiritwill I put within you...I will...cause you towalk in my statutes, and ye shall keep myjudgements and do them...and ye shall bemy people and I will be your God." Israelhas never enjoyed this total regeneration andwill only do so, as will be presently shown,in the day when "there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turnaway ungodliness from Jacob" (Rom. 11:26). Since this regeneration ofIsrael is future, it seems reasonable to consider the punishment of theirunfaithfulness described in v. 18-19 when the house of Israel dwelt intheir own land (v. 17) as being not confined to that punishment at the timeof the Babylonian invasion. Seen thus, the scattering of the Jews outlined inverses 18-20 embraces all the centuries of Israel's down-treading andwandering among the nations even down to our own day and beyond, untilthey are fully and finally restored. Thus the punishment described includesthe future overthrow of the modern Jewish State by the armies of Gog(ch. 38) when there will be a further (and final) scattering. This lastscattering will be for the same reason as the others—when the house ofIsrael dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and bytheir doings...(v. 17). This is confirmed in chapter 39 where, speaking ofthe time prior to the Gogian invasion when Israel dwells safely, we are told,"I will have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous formy holy name; after that they have borne their shame, and all theirtrespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dweltsafely in their land, and none made them afraid" (39:25, 26).

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3. The restoration of Israel (36:16-38)

Undoubtedly, there were among the pioneers of the Jewish State, andhave been ever since, many pious and God-fearing Jews having a zeal forthe God of Abraham even if it be not according to "the truth as it is inJesus." However, viewed as a whole, the Jewish State today is littledifferent from those previous Jewish nations that God saw fit to visit withHis wrath. Crime, immorality and unbelief abound. In the most part theirreligion is a blend of Mosaic law, Jewish superstition and Gentile philoso-phy. Many have no religious inclination at all. Pride in self-achievement isprominent in political, social and military activities. In their endeavours tosecure peace with their Arab neighbours they have shown such a disregardfor the covenants of their God, that they are prepared to barter landpromised to them for the sake of short term advantage. We can see why,from God's standpoint, a time of trouble must yet overtake this people.

It is of interest to note that Israel's sins are said to be as the uncleannessof a removed woman (v. 17). The reference is to the laws of uncleanness.The law stipulated that anyone with an issue was to be regarded asceremonially defiled and unfit for fellowship with God. They had to beremoved—put outside the camp (Num. 5:2). Specifically of the womanwith an issue it was commanded, "If any woman have an issue, and herissue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: andwhosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even" (Lev. 15:19). Inthis connection, the miracle of the woman with the issue in Mark 5 is ofinterest especially when compared with Isaiah's depiction of Israel inIsaiah 64. We may conveniently set them out side by side:

MARK 5(1) The woman had suffered withthe issue for 12 years—thenumber 12 suggesting anassociation with Israel (v. 27).

(2) The woman touched the LordJesus (v. 29).

(3) Instead of defiling Jesus, thewoman was healed (v. 29).

(4) Jesus then turned and "lookedon the woman" (v. 30).

ISAIAH 64(1) Israel is said to have become"as one that is unclean, and all ourrighteousnesses are as a pollutedgarment" (v. 6 RV).

(2) "There is none that stirreth uphimself to take hold of thee" (v. 7).

(3) Israel remain "afflicted and verysore" (v. 12).

(4) Because they refuse to take holdof the LORD—"Thou hast hid thyface from us" (v. 7).

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Thus, only when Israel, whose sins are like the uncleanness of aremoved woman, stirs up herself—like the woman in the miracle1—to takehold of Yahweh as revealed in His Son, will she be healed of her sins.Then, says God, / will save you from all your uncleannesses (v. 29).

To this day Israel persists in her unfaithfulness. As has happened in thepast, so in the future, when Gog, the instrument in God's hands, bringsfurther judgement upon this people, the nations who observe Israel'smisfortune will say, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forthout of his land (v. 20). But the sins of Israel, past, present and future,cannot frustrate the purpose of God. He will bring about the fulfilment ofHis promises, not for their sakes, but for my holy name's sake (v. 22).

God's name vindicated (v. 21-28)

We have previously commented briefly onthe significance of God's Name.2 AllHebrew names have meanings. Yahwehmeans 'He will be'. It is expressive of God'spurpose to manifest His glory in a people ofHis creating. It is clear that Israel is involvedin this purpose, for He declares, "I amYahweh, I change not; therefore ye sons ofJacob are not consumed" (Mai. 3:6). Theapostle makes the same point when,speaking of the future repentance of Israel,which is necessary if they are to be a part ofthe people through whom God will manifestHis glory, he says, "As touching the gospel,they are enemies for your sakes: but astouching the election, they are beloved forthe fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling ofGod are without repentance" [i.e. there is noturning from His purpose] (Rom. 11:28, 29).

21 But I had pity for mine holy name,which the house of Israel had profanedamong the heathen, whither they went.22 Therefore say unto the house ofIsrael, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I donot this for your sakes, Ο house ofIsrael, but for mine holy name's sake,which ye have profaned among theheathen, whither ye went.23 And I will sanctify my great name,which was profaned among theheathen, which ye have profaned in themidst of them; and the heathen shallknow that I am the LORD, saith theLord GOD, when I shall be sanctifiedin you before their eyes.24 For I will take you from among theheathen, and gather you out of allcountries, and will bring you into yourown land.25 Then will I sprinkle clean waterupon you, and ye shall be clean: fromall your filthiness, and from all youridols, will I cleanse you.26 A new heart also will I give you,and a new spirit will I put within you:and I will take away the stony heart outof your flesh, and I will give you anheart of flesh.

The author is of the opinion that the miracles of Jesus were in effect actedparables designed to teach important principles, especially about His purposewith Israel.

See footnote on page 91.

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27 And I will put my spirit within you,and cause you to walk in my statutes,and ye shall keep my judgments, anddo them.28 And ye shall dwell in the land that Igave to your fathers; and ye shall bemy people, and I will be your God.

A further point needs to be made about thename before the words of Ezekiel underreview can be appreciated. We have said thatthe name "Yahweh" (= 'He will be') ex-presses God's intention of manifesting Hisglory in a people to be created. The glory andthe name are inseparable. It is so in humanexperience. A man's glory is that for which he is noted—his character—whether that have reference to his moral attributes, his intellectualachievements or his political acumen. And of these characteristics we mayremark, he has a good name for this or that. So with the Almighty. Hisname is synonymous with His glory. When Moses asked, "Show me thyglory" (Exod. 33:18), God acquiesced and said, "I will make all mygoodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of Yahweh..."(33:19). Although He is all-powerful and unfathomable in intellect thesewere not proclaimed as His glory. That which was proclaimed as His glorywas His moral excellence—"the LORD descended...and proclaimed thename of Yahweh.. .Yahweh a God full of compassion and gracious, slow toanger, and plenteous in mercy and truth; keeping mercy for thousands,forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin: and that will be no means clearthe guilty..." (34:5-7,RV).

Israel had been chosen to be His people. Therefore, God had declared, "Iwill walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people"(Lev. 26:12). Again, "Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holynation" (Exod. 19:6). The high priest was to bless the nation in the wayappointed in Numbers 6:24 and in so doing was to "put my [Yahweh's]name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them" (Num. 6:27).

But this could only be if they behaved as God's children—"If ye willobey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant" (Exod. 19:5). Only thenwould it be seen that they were indeed the children of God, for His moralexcellence—His glory or character—would be reflected in them; a dem-onstration that they were His children. Failure to do this would be toprofane His name, which is what they have done throughout history. Theirscattering and oppression by the Gentiles has been entirely due to this.Because they refused to "fear this glorious and fearful name, Yahweh thyGod". God has kept His promise "to make thy plagues wonderful[extraordinary, RSV] (Deut. 28:58, 59). It was in this sense that theyprofaned the name when in the land and in this sense too, when theyentered unto the nations, whither they went, they profaned my holy name

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(v. 20). Men of the nations saw in them nothing different from otherpeoples. This was a reflection on Yahweh their God, who had expresslybidden them concerning His statutes and judgements:

"Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understandingin the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, surelythis great nation is a wise and understanding people" (Deut. 4:5, 6).

But, as we have earlier remarked, the purpose of God epitomized in Hisname could not be frustrated by their sin. So He says, / had pity for mineholy name, which the house of Israel...profaned among the heathen(v. 21). This having pity for God's name does not mean that He felt sorryfor it. It means that He was sympathetic to the purpose enshrined in it. Inspite of their unfaithfulness, He would further that purpose. So this 'havingpity' for His name involved raising up in the house of David a special manwho would "build a house (or family) for my name" (2 Sam. 7:13). ThisOne would not only be David's son (of whom Ezekiel has already spokenin 34:23 and of whom he will say more in 37:24, 25), but he would also beSon of God, for, says God, "I will be his father and he shall be my son"(2 Sam. 7:14). So, Jesus was miraculously born, and having lived out hislife in perfect obedience, was able to say, "I have manifested thy nameunto the men which thou gavest me out of the world" (John 17:6). Of thismanifestation John declared, "We beheld his glory, the glory as of the onlybegotten of the Father" (John 1:14). Jesus spoke of this exhibition of theFather's glory when he said to Philip, "He that hath seen me hath seen theFather" (John 14:9).

This righteous man being delivered by the wicked conniving of theleaders of that nation (who now profaned God's name to the uttermost) tothe Romans to be crucified, was raised from the dead and given, in thefullness of immortality, "the name which is above every name"(Phil. 2:9 RV). So, in his physical nature as well as his moral excellence,Jesus now manifests the name. He is the "firstborn from the dead"(Col. 1:18)—the first of "many sons" in whom God's glory will bemanifested (Heb.2:10). In the outworking of God's purpose they willultimately form "the house for God's name" that Jesus was raised up tobuild.

So now there is an opportunity for Gentiles to become "a people forGod's name" (Acts 15:14). This they do by believing the gospel and beingbaptized "into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the HolySpirit" (Matt. 28:19). At the return of the Lord those who have not profanedthe name, together with the faithful of ages past, will be given eternal life to

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share with their Lord in the establishment of his Kingdom. These illustriousindividuals we have already met in chapter 34—the shepherds of the age tocome, who will feed Israel with truth and lead them to their God. It is ofthis work of leading Israel into the right ways of God, so that they can playtheir part in the development of a people for God's name, that the prophetnow speaks.

/ will sanctify my great name (v. 23), says God. He will yet work withthem but / do not this for your sakes, Ο house of Israel, but for my holynameys sake (v. 22). He will fulfil that which was indicated in His name.The king of the age to come will soon appear. The holy ones who will helphim as his associate kings and priests, having been selected (Rev. 5:10),will be made manifest "at His coming" (1 Cor. 15:23). The people of that"great nation" must yet be prepared and the prophet sets out the process forus. It will involve:

(1) Their regathering (v. 24).(2) Their cleansing with clean water (v. 25).(3) Their being given a new heart of flesh to replace their heart of stone

(v.26).(4) The putting of God's spirit within them, which will result in their

walking in God's statutes and keeping His judgements (v. 26, 27).

1. The regathering

What we see in the land now is but a preliminary step towards therestoration of Israel. There are at present far more Jews out of the land thanthere are in it. That which we know as the State of Israel will be overturnedby the Gogian invasion. That regathering of which Ezekiel now speaks isfuture still—/ will take you out from among the heathen, and gather youout of all countries, and will bring you into your own land (v. 24). This isnot that regathering which is preparatory to their time of trouble at theGogian invasion, but it is that regathering of which Jeremiah speaks—"Alas! for that day is great so that none is like it: it is even the time ofJacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass inthat day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thyneck, and will burst thy bands, and strangers shall no more servethemselves of them: but they shall serve the LORD their God, and David(i.e. Messiah) their king, whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore, fearthou not, Ο my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed ΟIsrael: for, lo, I will surely save thee from afar, and thy seed from the landof their captivity; and Jacob shall return and shall be in rest, and be

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quiet, and none shall make him afraid" (30:7-10). This is the timereferred to in Ezekiel 39:25 when, after the Gogian invasion, "the wholehouse of Israel" will have been "gathered...into their own land and haveleft none of them any more there" (that is, among the heathen) (39:25, 28).Thus the overturning of the modern State of Israel and the humiliation ofthe Gentile nations that come against Israel have to occur before this finalregathering of Israel takes place.1

2. The cleansing

Their journey through the wilderness of the people, having finally come toits end (see 20:35), the remnant of Israel will be given an opportunity toaccept Jesus —whom their fathers crucified—as their saviour.2 Zechariahspeaks of this time when "they shall look on me whom they have piercedand mourn for him" (Zech. 12:10).3 Chapter 13 proceeds to say that "in thatday there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to theinhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness" (13:1). Just as Israel'suncleanness in verse 17 refers back to the laws of uncleanness, so theirnational cleansing is also given in terms reminiscent of the rituals of theLaw. Zechariah's use of the words "sin (Heb. chattat) and uncleanness(Heb. niddah)" appears to direct us particularly to the cleansing, throughthe ritual of the red heifer in Numbers 19, of those defiled by contact withhuman death. The same words are used in Numbers 19:9 where the ashes ofthe sacrificed heifer, mixed with water, were to be for "a water for

1 This must not be understood as saying that there must therefore be a great dealto be accomplished before the coming of the Lord. More is said on this at ch. 38.

2 Malachi 4:5, 6 (and see Matt. 17:11) indicates that Elijah will be active in theaffairs of the nation preparing them for their meeting with Messiah. The presentungodly condition of the nation shows the need for such a work of preparation.The fact that, in the context of his prophecy of the coming of Elijah, Malachi alsoexhorts, "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant" (4:4) makes it likely thatElijah's work will be to direct them back to a faithful observance of the Law. Inthis connection it is interesting to note that Jesus said the work of Elijah will beto "restore all things" (Matt. 17:11). This "all things" was that which ended inAD 70 (1 Pet. 4:7)—Israel organized as a nation under the Law.

3 There is an interesting use of pronouns in this verse. The speaker is Yahweh, asis seen from verses 2 and 4. It is He who says, "They shall look on me whomthey have pierced." But, clearly, Israel did not literally put Yahweh to death. Theycrucified His Son who, as we have seen, manifested his Father's character sothat he could say, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." It is of thismanifestation that Yahweh is here speaking and therefore He continues to say,"And they shall mourn for him."

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separation (Heb. niddah): it is a purification for sin (Heb. chittaty'. Thisconnection between Zechariah 13 and the red heifer has been elaborated byothers.1 In the red heifer ritual this one sacrifice was carried, by the highpriest elect, out of the camp. The flesh was destroyed by burning and theashes when mixed with "running water" (Heb. = 'living water'), wascontinuously effective for the cleansing of those defiled by contact withhuman death. Clearly, it was a sacrifice that pointed forward to the work ofour great high priest whose sacrifice once offered is always effective. Butin order to be effective the sacrifice must be mixed with "living water".This living water, which makes the sacrifice of Jesus effective for a man orwoman, is "the word of the cross, [which] is to them that are perishingfoolishness; but unto us which are being saved it is the power of God"(1 Cor. 1:18, RV). Only through "the waters" of God's living word can"everyone that thirsteth" come to partake of the good things of the"everlasting covenant" (Isa. 55:1-3)—the new covenant sealed and madesure by the sacrifice of God's son. And so it will be that the remnant fromIsrael, faced with the evidence of the risen and glorified Lord, will come toexperience this "washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5:26).

The effect of this education in God's ways will be the means whereby theLord will cleanse them from all their filthiness and from all their idols(v. 25). Zechariah elaborates on this—"I will cut off the names of the idolsout of the land, and they shall be no more remembered: and also I willcause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land" (13:2). Allaspects of false religion, which they have learned from the Gentiles, will berenounced. Their perverted ritual which has become to them an object ofworship in itself; their seeking after the modern idols of the Gentiles insystems of education, finance and politics —all will give way to the sweetinfluences of "Jesus Christ and him crucified".2

3. A new heartWe have already met the idea of unfaithful Israel having a heart of stone inchapter 11:19, which also looked forward to this time when they will begiven a heart of flesh. Zechariah summarizes the attitude of Israel towards

e.g. J. Carter, Prophets After the Exile, page 140; D. Barron, Visions andProphecies of Zechariah, page 460.

2 The verse just quoted makes it clear that the idols and false prophets of Gentilereligion which abound in and around Jerusalem will also be unceremoniouslyremoved by Israel's Messiah. On this see comments on page 419.

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God's laws which were designed to teach them to "love thy neighbour asthyself" (Lev. 19:18). He says, "Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying,Execute true judgement, and show mercy and compassions every man tohis brother: and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger northe poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in his heart.But they refused to hearken, and pulled the shoulder, and stopped their earsthat they should not hear, yea, they made their heart as an adamant stonelest they should hear the law..." (7:9-12). Nowhere was their hardness ofheart more in evidence than when they stubbornly refused to accept theevidence of their own eyes and ears when the Son of God walked amongthem speaking God's words and performing His works. They hardenedtheir heart towards him. "This people's heart is waxed gross," said the Lord(Matt. 13:15). This being so, God co-operated with them and "hardenedtheir heart" still further (John 12:40), as he had done with Pharaoh of old(Exod. 8:15 cf.Exod. 9:12).

But, faced with the risen Lord who will intervene on their behalf at thetime of the Gogian invasion, all that will change. In the experience of thisobstinate people "God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness"will shine in their hearts "to give the light of the knowledge of the glory ofGod in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6). Christ then dwelling in theirhearts by faith (Eph. 3:17), they will be in the state described byEzekiel—A new heart will I give you.. I will take away the stony heart outof your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh (v. 26).

4. A new spiritThis process of discipline and education that will lead to their cleansing andhaving a new heart will also result in a new spirit. A new spirit will I putwithin you..I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in mystatutes, and ye shall keep my judgements and do them (v. 26, 27). Thisputting of a new spirit into Israel will be considered in chapter 37, whereGod again says, "I...shall put my spirit in you and ye shall live" (37:14).Meanwhile, we note simply the comment of John that "the spirit is thetruth" (1 John 5:7, RV). Again we see that what is involved is theacknowledging by Israel of "the truth as it is in Jesus."

"Ye shall be my people and I will be your God"

This section concludes with the statement, Ye shall dwell in the land that Igave to you fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God(v. 28). This takes us back to the idea of God working with Israel for His"holy name's sake" (v. 22), for there appears to be in these words a

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reference to Exodus 6 which is very much concerned with the Name1. Inthis remarkable chapter, God sets out before Moses the reason why He wasto bring Israel out of Egyptian bondage. The reason, simply stated, was —"Iam Yahweh" (v. 2). The sense of verse 3 is obscured by the AV translationbut it is really an enlargement and emphasis of this sublime statement—"Iam Yahweh" (= 'He will be'). The sense of the verse appears to be asfollows: "I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as GodAlmighty (El Shaddai), but did I not also appear by the name Yahweh,2

which name (in Gen.15:7) I linked to the covenant?"3 Now, says God, Ihave, in moving to bring Israel out of Egypt, "established my covenant withthem, to give them the land of Canaan..." (v. 4). Then in verses 6-8 thispurpose, which God was to work out with Israel in the fulfilment of theAbrahamic covenant, is set out in seven (the covenant number) statementsof His intentions:

I am Yahweh (= 'He will be')

/ will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians

/ will rid you out of their bondage

/ will redeem you...(v. 6)

I will take you to me for a people

I will be to you for a God (Elohim = mighty ones).. .(v. 7)

/ will bring you into the land...

/ will give it you for a heritage

I am Yahweh (= He will be) (v. 8).4

See footnote 1 on page 195.2 In fact on only one occasion each did God appear to the patriarchs as El

Shaddai. He appeared to them, or is referred to by them, as Yahweh more than80 times.

3 As previously noted W. J. Martin, Stylistic Criteria and the Analysis of thePentateuch, page 18, has shown that this verse can legitimately be rendered asa question and, indeed, the context demands it. The NIV at this verse adds afootnote—"by my name the LORD did I not let myself be known to them?"

4 These seven statements of God's future intentions so clearly identified with Hisname strongly support the view set out in this exposition that the name of God,Yahweh, must carry the future sense—He will be.

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This work which God commenced in Egypt He will conclude when, in theperson of His son and his associated brethren (the Elohim of Exod. 6:7), Hedelivers Israel from the northern invader, regenerates them with His truthand, in fulfilment of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will causethem to dwell in the land (v. 28). They will then indeed be His people andreigning over them will be their Elohim.

The Land brings forth fruit (v. 29-38)

The effect of Israel's repentance will bereflected in the condition of the land. Thelaw had said, "If thou shalt diligentlyhearken unto my commandments which Icommand you this day, to love the LORDyour God, and to serve Him with all yourhearts and with all your soul, that I will giveyou the rain of your land in his due season,the first rain and the latter rain, that thoumayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, andthine oil" (Deut. 11:13,14). Thus in responseto their turning to the LORD, God will givethem their "rain in due season" (Lev. 26:4;Isa. 30:23), with the result that the land,which for centuries has been barren anddesolate, will once again be "a land flowingwith milk and honey." The prophets singforth the wonders of the land in the age tocome.

"The LORD shall comfort Zion: He will comfort all her waste places; and Hewill make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of theLORD" (Isa. 51:3).

"There shall be an handful of corn upon the top of the mountains; the fruitthereof shall shake like Lebanon" (Psa. 72:16).

"The plowman shall overtake the reaper, and treader of grapes him thatsoweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shallmelt" (Amos 9:13).

"The mountains shall drop down wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and allthe rivers of Judah shall flow with water, and a fountain shall come forth of thehouse of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim" (Joel 3:18).

All this is summarized in the words of Ezekiel—The desolate land shall betilled whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they

29 I will also save you from all youruncleannesses: and I will call for thecorn, and will increase it, and lay nofamine upon you.30 And I will multiply the fruit of thetree, and the increase of the field, thatye shall receive no more reproach offamine among the heathen.31 Then shall ye remember your ownevil ways, and your doings that werenot good, and shall lothe yourselves inyour own sight for your iniquities andfor your abominations.32 Not for your sakes do I this, saiththe Lord GOD, be it known unto you:be ashamed and confounded for yourown ways, Ο house of Israel.33 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In theday that I shall have cleansed youfrom all your iniquities I will alsocause you to dwell in the cities, andthe wastes shall be builded.

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shall say. This land that was desolate isbecome like the garden of Eden (v. 34, 35).However clever the Israelis may be in re-claiming land from the desert; howeveringenious their systems of irrigation—all thiswill pale into insignificance when the Onewho has caused the land to "enjoy hersabbaths" (Lev. 26:34), will open the win-dows of heaven and "cause the shower tocome down in his season; there shall beshowers of blessing" (Ezek. 34:26). Theseblessings will be seen in the abundance thatthe land will bring forth.

Israel enjoying the blessings of that agewill rebuild the waste and desolate andruined cities (v. 35). They will be citiesorganized on Divine principles whose inhabitants will give God pleasure.The population will thrive—so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks ofmen (v. 38). These flocks will be tended by the Good Shepherd of chapter34:23 helped by his brethren, together constituting the "pastors(= shepherds) according to [God's] heart, which shall feed [Israel] withknowledge and understanding" (Jer. 3:15).

One final point. In this blessed condition, the house of Israel will nomore have to contend with the nations round about. These nations will lookwith wonder on the prosperity of Israel and, because of it, the heathen thatare left round about you shall know that I am the LORD (ν. 36).

34 And the desolate land shall betilled, whereas it lay desolate in thesight of all that passed by.35 And they shall say, This land thatwas desolate is become like the gardenof Eden; and the waste and desolateand ruined cities are become fenced,and are inhabited.36 Then the heathen that are left roundabout you shall know that I the LORDbuild the ruined places, and plant thatthat was desolate: I the LORD havespoken it, and I will do it.37 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I willyet for this be enquired of by thehouse of Israel, to do it for them; I willincrease them with men like a flock.38 As the holy flock, as the flock ofJerusalem in her solemn feasts; soshall the waste cities be filled withflocks of men: and they shall knowthat I am the LORD.

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4. The vision of the Valley of Bones(37:1-14)

In this vision the prophet is transported to a valley which is full of bones(v. 1). These bones, he is told, represent the whole house of Israel (v. 11).He is commanded to prophesy over the bones and to cause them to hear theword of the LORD (v. 4). In response there is a noise and a shaking (v. 7)and Ezekiel looks on in wonder as the bones come together, sinews andflesh are laid upon them, they are clothed with skin, and breath is put intothem. Then they stand upon their feet, an exceeding great army (v. 10).

Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones

This chapter is frequently expounded as referring to the regathering of theJews and the establishment of the modern State of Israel1. In this view most

For example, W. H. Boulton writing of events leading up to the creation of theState of Israel in 1948 comments, "Israel was a nation! It had its own govern-ment; its own parliament and institutions. The dry bones became alive! It wasnot all that might have been hoped for, but Israel was once more a nation in itsown right. It was no longer a collection of dry bones, nor a lifeless body" (TheBook of the Prophet Ezekiel, pages 163-164). But compare Graham Pearce:"The substance of the prophecy that brings bone to bone, flesh on the bones to


360

4. The vision of the Valley of Bones (37:1-14)

of the prophecy has been fulfilled. The "noise" and the "shaking" men-tioned in verse 7 are considered to be various important events in theprogress of Zionism, from the work of Herzl in founding the ZionistOrganization in 1897 to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 —the two world wars perhaps. Israel, it is alleged, has been caused to standupon its feet an exceeding great army, the victories of the Israeli armiesover the Arabs since 1948 being witness to this.

There is something very wrong with this approach:

(1) Subsequent prophecies (chs. 38 and 39) will show that Israel is tosuffer greatly at the hands of the northern aggressor. If Ezekiel 37takes place before the Gogian invasion and Israel, possessed ofGod's spirit, stands on its feet an exceeding great army, why suchdefeat and humiliation?

(2) The prophecy of chapter 37 presents an unbroken chain of eventswhich is as follows:-• The son of man prophesies over the bones (v. 7)• There follows "a noise and a shaking" (v. 7)• The bones then come together (v. 7)• Flesh then comes upon the bones (v. 8)• Skin then covers them (v. 8)• Breath (God's spirit) next enters them (v. 10,14)• In consequence of this they are said to "live" (v. 10)• They then stand upon their feet an exceeding great army (v. 10)• They are then placed (= caused to rest) in the land (v. 14).Where can the Gogian invasion be located in this series of events? Itis difficult to see how it could be placed anywhere other than priorto the events described in chapter 37.1


make a body, and the spirit that makes it a living body, is all in the future"(Milestones 1988, page 70, emphasis J.A.). See also H. P. Mansfield, Ezekiel'sProphecies of the Restoration , page 57 etc. where he too expounds the chapteras having reference to the resurrection of Israel that is brought about in thefuture by Christ and the saints.

1 It is important to note that a right view of Ezekiel 37 is pivotal to anunderstanding of the events of the time of the end. If, as many modernexpositors argue, Ezekiel 37 is applied to the modern revival of the State ofIsrael then, in view of the unbroken chain of events presented in the chapter,logic demands that Ezekiel 38 will take place after Christ has returned and


Ezekiel 37 361


(3) The final event in the restoration depicted in this 37th chapter is thatIsrael stands upon its feet an exceeding great army (v. 10). This ispreceded by the giving of God's spirit to the nation. It is difficult tosee how this can have any application to Israel today.1 On the other


restored Israel. This introduces confusion into prophetic interpretation for it isinconceivable that Gog could overthrow Israel if Christ is reigning in Zion. Suchprophecies as Zechariah 14—which speak of the overthrow of the Jewishstate—have to be applied by those who hold modern views to something else,for example an Arab victory over Israel. Thus, a failure to appreciate themessage of Ezekiel as set out here is one of the reasons for such divergentviews on the events of the time of the end as are becoming manifest within thebrotherhood.

I first came to appreciate the importance of Ezekiel 37 in determining the orderof end time events, in the 1970's. At that time I wrote, "It will be of interest toreaders to learn that the conclusions reached were arrived at gradually, as therestoration prophecies were perused afresh, and that I became uncomfortableas I realized that these conclusions differed from commonly held views...Because of this difference I was led to seek out what the early brethren hadwritten about this prophecy. In fact, they wrote remarkably little, but it wasexciting (and not a little comforting) for me to find that, by and large, whatBrother Thomas had written was in complete agreement with the conclusionsthat I had reached...he did not consider the pre-adventual colonisation ofPalestine by the Jews (i.e. the creation of the modern State of Israel) to be inany way the restoration spoken of by the prophets...he considered that therewould be a desolation of the State of Israel by Gog's hosts, and this would be[in] fulfillment of Ezekiel 37 [causing Israel to say, Our bones are dried, and ourhope is lost"...and] that Messiah and the saints will be involved in causing thebones of the nation of Israel to come together and stand up an exceeding greatarmy." (Bible Student, vol. 9, page 75. Brother Thomas' writings to which Ireferred were Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, vol. 2, page 195 etc.,Eureka, vol. 2, page 559 and Eureka, vol. 3, page 656).

Subsequently Bro. Bernard Burt did an extended literature search for referencesto Ezekiel 37 in early Christadelphian literature. He concluded—"It appears clearfrom researches into these published expositions that the view that the return ofthe Jews to the land, which began with the Zionist movement in 1897 was thefulfillment of the prophecy of the valley of dry bones, was the interpretation givento the prophecy by some leading Zionists and non-Christadelphian studentsof the day and that the brethren adopted this interpretation and publicized itdespite the existence of quite different exposition of the prophecy in thewritings of Dr Thomas" (Bible Student, vol. 15, page 204).

1 By no stretch of the imagination can the spirit of independence and self-reliancewhich pervades modern Israel be correctly styled God's spirit, as some maintain.


362 Ezekiel 37


hand, subsequent to the overthrow of Gog, God declares, "Neitherwill I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out myspirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD" (Ezek. 39:29).

Thus, this attempt to provide an exposition of the vision will proceed on thebasis that it is highly questionable if any part of this prophecy has, as yet,been fulfilled, and that it is the Gogian invasion that will reduce the modernnation of Israel to the dry bones condition depicted here by the prophet.

The bones (v. 1-3)

As mentioned above (anticipating the expla-nation of the vision given in verses 11-14),the bones represent disobedient and unre-pentant Israel who had chosen death ratherthan life (Deut. 30:19). This death of thenation is a recurring theme in Scripture.Jeremiah spoke of Israel as a sheep slain bythe Assyrian and Babylonian lions:

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me,and carried me out in the spirit of theLORD, and set me down in the midstof the valley which [was] full of bones,2 And caused me to pass by themround about: and, behold, [there were]very many in the open valley; and, lo,[they were] very dry.3 And he said unto me, Son of man,can these bones live? And I answered,Ο Lord GOD, thou knowest.

"Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions havedriven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last thisNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones" (50:17).

The well-known Deuteronomy 28 also speaks of Israel in similar terms:

"The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies...thy carcaseshall be meat unto all the fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth,and no man shall fray ['frighten', NASB] them away" (v. 25, 26).

This has been the experience of Israel through the ages—to be slain,devoured and picked bare—by Assyria, Babylon, Rome and all the nationsamong which she has been scattered. However, Ezekiel's vision refers tonone of these, but to a destruction of the nation which is still future (as willpresently be shown). It is from the dead, hopeless state of Israel heredepicted that the nation is transformed into Messiah's Kingdom.


new spirit will I put within you" (36:26), which causes them to "walk in [God's]statutes, and...keep [His] judgements and do them" (36:27).

Ezekiel 37 363

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The stages in the resurrection of the nation ofIsrael as seen by Ezekiel


At the present time there has been a change in the condition of the Jewishpeople. Israel is a nation again in the land. But it should be carefully notedthat this is not a fulfilment of this vision of revival, for verse 14 clearlyteaches that before God places^ them in the land He will put His spirit inthem. Modern Israel is in the land, but certainly does not have this spiritwhich leads them, as we shall see, to walk in God's statutes.2

Ezekiel's vision of Israel as a valley of dry bones is a vision of thingsstill future. It represents the condition of modern Israel and world Jewrywhich will result from the Gogian offensive. It is the picture of Israel at thetime depicted by Jeremiah—"Alas! for that day is great, so that none is likeit: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble..." (30:7). Likewise Zechariahspeaks of these days, saying that Jerusalem "shall be taken, and the housesrifled, and the women ravished..." (14:2). Habakkuk too writes of the timewhen Gog will "invade them with his troops", and the subsequentdesolation is described in the words, "the fig tree shall not blossom, neithershall fruit be in the vines" (3:16, 17). All this speaks of a time of devas-tation yet to come upon Israel. This view of Ezekiel 37 is confirmed bynoting the words used in verse 9 —"Breathe upon these slain". The effect ofthe Gogian invasion upon modern Israel will be terrible—Our bones aredried\ and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts ("clean cut off,RV) (v. II).3 Since the prophet is told these bones are the whole house of

1 The word used does not mean simply to cause them to return to the land asmany have already done. The Hebrew word nuach signifies 'to rest, settle downand remain' (BDB, page 628). See notes on this at page 370.

2 "The colonization of Judea by Jews under the protection of a Gentile govern-ment is neither 'restitution,' 'restoration' nor 'regeneration.' Nothing short of anational establishment in the land under Messiah and his brethren constituteseither of them in the scriptural sense...Restitution is not simply the return of therace, but the setting up again of institutions that once existed there..."(J. Thomas, Preadventual Colonization of Palestine, Herald of the Kingdom andAge to Come, 1852, page 199).

3 Although brother Thomas saw the process of Israel becoming a valley of drybones as starting with the Roman invasion in AD70 (Last Days of Judah'sCommonwealth, Herald, vol. 9, page 178), he saw it as a work to be performedin its fullness by the latter day Power from the North—"Thus all the nations ofthis northern confederacy are gathered by Yahweh against Jerusalem, after Hisdescent to Sinai and before His own entrance into the city. He permits it to betaken, and rifled by the spoiler and its inhabitants to be partly expelled and sentinto exile (Zech. 14:2). Their hope would now seem to be lost, and themselvesfinally cut off from their parts (Ezek. 37:11)" (J. Thomas, Eureka, vol. 2, page559).

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Israel [that is, Judah and Israel] (v. 11), it would appear that this state ofdesolation is not confined to the Jews in the land. Gog's invasion of theState of Israel will be accompanied by anti-Semitic activity in the countriesof Gog's armies.

The great question that will be asked then is, Can these bones live? Willthe nation of Israel, devastated by the Northern invader, be able to riseagain in fulfilment of the promises of God? The vision answers thisquestion .

Prophesy over the bones (v. 4-8)

It should be noted at this point that Ezekiel ispresented to us as a part of the vision. He isin the valley with the bones, and he iscommanded to prophesy upon ("over", RV)the bones (v. 4). Further, not until he proph-esies upon the bones does anything happento them (v. 4,7). Since it is Yahweh manifestin David's Son who is to save Israel from theGogian invader (as will be presently shown),and who then proceeds to "restore again thekingdom to Israel" (Acts 1:11), it seemsreasonable to conclude that Ezekiel the Sonof man in the vision is representative of theSon of man whose word will bring about therestoration of Israel. Perhaps the title "Son ofman" is a description of Christ and hissaints—the multitudinous Son of man.1

In the vision the Son of man prophesies concerning the revival of thenation, with the result that there is a noise, and behold a shaking whichcauses the bones to come together (v. 7). The skeletons thus formed arethen clothed with sinews., flesh and skin; but it is expressly stated thatthere was no breath in them (v. 8).

4 Again he said unto me, Prophesyupon these bones, and say unto them,Ο ye dry bones, hear the word of theLORD.5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto thesebones; Behold, I will cause breath toenter into you, and ye shall live:6 And I will lay sinews upon you, andwill bring up flesh upon you, and coveryou with skin, and put breath in you,and ye shall live; and ye shall knowthat I [am] the LORD.7 So I prophesied as I wascommanded: and as I prophesied, therewas a noise, and behold a shaking, andthe bones came together, bone to hisbone.8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinewsand the flesh came up upon them, andthe skin covered them above: but[there was] no breath in them.

1 So G. Pearce—"Ezekiel here is a man of sign, as in so many parts of his book.He represents the saints and their Lord" (Milestones 1988, page 71).

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11 Then he said unto me, Son of man,these bones are the whole house ofIsrael: behold, they say, Our bones aredried, and our hope is lost: we are cutoff for our parts.12 Therefore prophesy and say untothem, Thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, Ο my people, I will open yourgraves, and cause you to come up outof your graves, and bring you into theland of Israel.

Fulfilment (v. 11-12)

In seeking to offer an explanation of thisvision thus far, there are three elements to beconsidered:

1. the prophesying of the Son of man,

2. the noise and the shaking,

3. the resurrection of the nation.

The prophesying of the Son of man

It is interesting to note that in the vision of the one like the Son of man inRevelation 1, it is said of him that "out of his mouth went a sharp.. .sword"(v. 16). Revelation 19:15 adds, "that with it he should smite the nations".Isaiah speaks of the Lord Jesus in similar language when he says, "He shallsmite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lipsshall he slay the wicked" (11:4; see also 49:2). That which comes out of hismouth is his word, and when he speaks it is done. His word, like that of hisFather, "is quick ('living', RV), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword..." (Heb. 4:12).

The Lord Jesus Christ, together with his saints, will emerge on thepolitical scene after the Gogian invasion (Ezek. 38:20; Zech. 14:2, 3; Hab.3:3,4; Joel 3:II).1 He speaks the word which brings about the overthrow ofGog's armies and the revival of the nation of Israel. With regard to thelatter, it is not simply a call to the Jews in the land who have survived thenorthern invasion, but a call to the whole house of Israel (v. 11). So Isaiahspeaks of that word which will go forth over the bones:

"I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring mysons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth" (43:6).

It is reassuring that in spite of all their waywardness God still calls Israelmy people (ν. 12).2

We shall at this point assume that these scriptures refer to the same event. Theevidence that this is so will be set out at chapter 38.

This resurrection of Israel is couched in terms reminiscent of the deliverance ofthe nation from the land of Egypt at the time of the exodus—"I will cause you tocome up" (v. 12). Here we have the same words as in Exodus 3:8—Ί am comedown to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up outof that land into a good land and a large..."

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The noise and the shaking

In the noise and shaking (ν. 5)1 that will take place with the appearing ofthe Son of man in the political arena, there is a mixture of the literal and thesymbolic. Jesus has all nature under his control and will use these powers tojudge the nations. Habakkuk says of him: "He stood, and shook the earth:he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the eternal mountains werescattered, the everlasting hills did bow; his goings were as of old" (3:6, RVmg.). Ezekiel's description of the downfall of Gog's armies is couched insimilar language: "There shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel... allthe men that are upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence, andthe mountains shall be thrown down..." (38:19, 20). Thus, the noise andshaking has to do with the overthrow of the armies of Israel's invader.

The resurrection of Israel

It will be after this political upheaval that Israel will be restored as God'snation in the land. This is clearly taught in Ezekiel 39 where, after theoverthrow of Gog, God says, "Now will I bring again the captivity ofJacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealousfor my holy name". Of this time of restoration God says, " . . .I havegathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any morethere (i.e. among the nations)" (39:25, 28).

Thus the national resurrection of Israel spoken of in Ezekiel 37 is not thecreation of the State of Israel which we have witnessed2, but something

The words noise (Heb. qol) and shaking (Heb. raash) occur together in Ezekiel3:12 where, concerning the cherubic chariot, it is said, Ί heard behind me avoice (Heb. qol) of a great rushing (Heb. raash)...". It may be that, in using thesewords here in ch. 37:7, there is implied the cherubic activity of Christ and thesaints in these events associated with the resurrection of Israel. Certainly it willbe the introduction of repentant Israel to the "way of the tree of life" that willmake them "live" before God. It will be through this revived and regeneratednation that the "way of the tree of life" will be made known to the Gentiles of thatage. (See comments on cherubic activity, pages 21-34).

2 The regathering of the Jews to Israel in the 19 th and 20 th centuries is indeed aremarkable sign of the times. Brother Thomas saw this with amazing accuracy—"There is, then, a partial and primary restoration of Jews before themanifestation [of Jesus, JA], which is to serve as the nucleus, or basis of futureoperations in the restoration of the rest of the tribes after he has appeared in thekingdom" (Elpis Israel, page 441). "There must be a resettlement of the Land bythe Jews to a limited extent before the battle of Armageddon" (Preadventual


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more wonderful —the recreation and regeneration1 of the nation byMessiah, subsequent to the Gogian invasion.

Prophesy to the spirit (v. 9-10)

9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy untothe wind, prophesy, son of man, andsay to the wind, Thus saith the LordGOD; Come from the four winds, Οbreath, and breathe upon these slain,that they may live.10 So I prophesied as he commandedme, and the breath came into them, andthey lived, and stood up upon theirfeet, an exceeding great army.

The bones of the nation having been broughttogether and clothed with flesh, the Son ofman is given another duty to perform. He istold to prophesy to the wind (v. 9). The wordwind is the Hebrew ruach and is translated"spirit" in verse 14. This part of the visionconcerns the giving to the dead nation thespirit that makes it live in God's sight. Onlywhen the Son of man prophesies ascommanded does the spirit enter the nation, causing the people to live inGod's sight and to stand upon their feet an exceeding great army (v. 10).

Fulfilment (v. 13-14)

This is not the first time, nor the last, thatthis spirit is referred to by the prophet. Theother occasions are most instructive.

1. Ezekiel 11. Here the prophet speaksof the time of Israel's restorationwhen the people would be regathered(v. 17) and "they shall take away allthe detestable things thereof and all thethence. And I will give them one heart,

13 And ye shall know that I [am] theLORD, when I have opened yourgraves, Ο my people, and brought youup out of your graves,14 And shall put my spirit in you, andye shall live, and I shall place you inyour own land: then shall ye know thatI the LORD have spoken [it], andperformed [it], saith the LORD.

abominations thereof fromand I will put a new spirit


Colonization of Palestine, Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, 1852, page138).

However, he did not see this resettlement of the Land as being, in any way, afulfilment of the restoration prophecies—"The restoration of Israel will not takeplace until after the appearing of Messiah in power" (ibid., p. 137). His reasoningwas that since Gog is to invade Israel there must of necessity be an Israel in theland for him to invade—"There must be a resettlement of the land by theJews...for it is the prosperity of the Jewish Colony that whets the avarice of theAutocrat" (ibid., p. 137).

1 Cf. Acts 3:21 "restitution" and Matt. 19:28 "regeneration". The disciples expectedthat Messiah would perform this work (Acts 1:6).

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within you...that they may walk in my statutes, and...they shall bemy people, and I will be their God" (v. 18-20).

2. Ezekiel 36. In this chapter, too, Ezekiel speaks first of a regathering(v. 24), a cleansing (v. 25) and then "a new spirit will I put withinyou...I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in mystatutes" (v. 26, 27).

3. Ezekiel 39. This reference confirms the exposition already given ofthe vision of the valley of dry bones by showing that it has to dowith events after the Gogian invasion. Having described theoverthrow of Gog and his armies, and events subsequent to theoverthrow, God proceeds to speak of the restoration of Israel—arestoration which is complete and enduring (v. 25-28), unlike thatwhich we see in the land today. It is of this time, after the Gogianhosts have been overthrown, that it is written, "Neither will I hidemy face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit uponthe house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD" (v. 29).

It is with this process of giving God's spirit to the dead body of Israel thatthe vision in chapter 37 is now concerned. What is this spirit that will begiven to Israel, which will make the nation live and walk in God's statutes?

The spiritThe time spoken of in this prophecy is the time when God shall place(v. 14) Israel in the land covenanted to their fathers. The word place istranslated from the Hebrew root nuach, which means, "to give rest" 1. Theword "rest" in the following passages is a derivative of the same root:

"Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a peoplethat do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom Isware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest." (Psa. 95:11).

"And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensignof the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious"(Isa. 11:10).

This would suggest that to "place" Israel in the land is far more than toregather them as Israel is regathered at the present time. It is to settle themin the land in fulfilment of the promises. Ezekiel confirms this, for hemakes it plain that for Israel to be "placed" in the land depends upon themreceiving the spirit—God says I will put my spirit in you and ye shall live,and I shall place you in your own land (v. 14).

1 GES, p. 538. B. Davidson, Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, p. 539.

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That there will be in evidence, in the millennial reign of Jesus, wonderfuloperations of the spirit there can be no doubt. But it is not to such powersthat this vision refers. Rather it is to the spirit that quickens (John 6:63),giving new life (John 3:5), making men live before God. It is that which isreceived by the hearing of faith in contrast to the works of the law (Gal.3:2). It is that within the child of God which stands opposed to the mind ofthe flesh (Gal. 5:17; 6:8). It is that which produces in a man's life the fruitof love, joy, peace, etc. (Gal. 5:22). It is the Truth (1 John 5:6). Israel willbe brought face to face with the Truth about Jesus. Those who accept it infaith will be God's people. They will thus live in His sight, being energizedby that spirit which is the Truth.1 This spirit will be communicated to themby those of whom we read in Jeremiah:

"I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you withknowledge and understanding" (3:15).

The same order of events was seen in Ezekiel chapter 36:

(1) "I will take you from among the heathen...and bring you into yourown land" (v. 24).

(2) "...A new spirit will I put within you..." (v. 26).(3) "And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers" (v. 28).

In conclusion, the reader is asked to compare the exposition of Ezekiel37:1-14 given above with Hosea 5:14-6:3. Hosea also presents Israel asdead and revived again. The following points are of interest:

(1) Both houses of Israel are referred to—just as Ezekiel 37 concerns,not a part of the nation, but the whole house of Israel (v. 11). Thejudgements of God, under the figure of a lion, are presented astearing the bodies of both Ephraim and Judah (5:14). This theAssyrian lion did when he invaded Israel in the reign of Hoshea(2 Kings 18:9), and Judah in the reign of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:13).However, the glorious nature of the envisaged restoration, involvingIsrael and Judah, would suggest that the Assyrian invasion was atype of Gog's latter day offensive.

(2) God hides His face from them until they acknowledge their offenceand turn to Him to seek His face (5:15).

So, too, G. Pearce—"This putting of the spirit into the body of Israel is theinstruction they receive which gives them a new heart" (Milestones 1988, page72).

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(3) This will be in a time of affliction (5:15) just as (we believe) is thecase in Ezekiel 37 when they say, Our hope is lost.

(4) They will then say (being instructed by Christ and the saints),"Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and Hewill heal us" (6:1).

(5) Then follows the wondrous spiritual revival of that deadnation—"After two days he will revive us: in the third day he willraise us up, and we shall live in his sight" (6:2).

Only when Israel has thus come to accept the truth concerning the Messiahwill she stand upon her feet an exceeding great army (Ezek. 37:10). Shewill then become the centre of Messiah's operations in the earth. Rulingover Israel in the midst of the nations of the Gentile world the Lord with hissaints will administer the work of establishing the kingdom throughout theearth. Then it will be said to Israel:

"Arise and thresh, Ο daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I willmake thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I willconsecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of thewhole earth" (Micah 4:13).

372 Ezekiel 37

5. The parable of the Two Sticks(37:15-28)

An acted parable (v. 15-20)

This section of the prophecy is introducedwith instructions given to Ezekiel detailing aparable he was to act out before the people.He was to take two sticks; on one he mustwrite For Judah and the children of Israelhis companions and on the other he was towrite For Joseph\ the stick of Ephraimand the children of Israel his companions.Before the eyes of the children of Israel withhim in the captivity, the prophet was to takethese two sticks and place them together inhis hand, thus giving the impression that thetwo sticks had become joined together as inthe following diagram.2

When the people came to him with thequestion, Wilt thou not show us what thoumeanest by these! (v. 18) he was to explainthat by this act he was representing some-thing that God was going to do to His people. Yahweh was to take thepeople represented by Judah, together with the people represented byEphraim, and they shall be one in mine hand (v. 19). The full significanceof this is explained in the remaining verses of the chapter.

15 The word of the LORD came againunto me, saying,16 Moreover, thou son of man, takethee one stick, and write upon it, ForJudah, and for the children of Israel hiscompanions: then take another stick,and write upon it, For Joseph, the stickof Ephraim, and [for] all the house ofIsrael his companions:17 And join them one to another intoone stick; and they shall become one inthine hand.18 And when the children of thypeople shall speak unto thee, saying,Wilt thou not shew us what thou[meanest] by these?19 Say unto them, Thus saith the LordGOD; Behold, I will take the stick ofJoseph, which [is] in the hand ofEphraim, and the tribes of Israel hisfellows, and will put them with him,[even] with the stick of Judah, andmake them one stick, and they shall beone in mine hand.20 And the sticks whereon thou writestshall be in thine hand before their eyes.

Joseph held the primogeniture [i.e. exclusive right of inheritance of the eldestson] of the other tribes (1 Chron. 5:1), forfeited by Reuben.We may dismiss at once the eccentric exposition of this vision advanced by theMormons that there is in these verses "the coming together of the stick of Judah,and the stick of Joseph, signifying the Bible and the Book of Mormon" (James E.Talmage, A Study of the Articles of Faith, page 276). Those who wish to pursuethis matter further are recommended to see R. Abel, Wrested Scriptures, p. 27.

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374 Ezekiel 37

5. The parable of the Two Sticks (37:15-28)

At this point it is interesting to note that Ezekiel has a part to play inrepresenting the Son of man, as in the vision of the dry bones. Here histaking of the two sticks in his hand represents Yahweh taking the twopeoples and placing them together in His hand. The "Yahweh" in the caseis, of course, the One mentioned in the following scriptures:

"Then shall the LORD (Yahweh) go forth, and fight against those nations, aswhen he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day uponthe mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount ofOlives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west,and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall removetoward the north, and half of it toward the south" (Zech. 14:3-4).

'The LORD (Yahweh) also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice fromJerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will bethe hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel" (Joel 3:16).

"And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off astrong nation: and the LORD (Yahweh) shall reign over them in mount Zionfrom henceforth, even for ever" (Micah 4:7).

This "Yahweh" whose feet shall stand upon the mount of Olives, who willroar out of Zion and who will reign over Israel in mount Zion is, of course,the Lord Jesus. At his first coming he came in his Father's name (see John5:43). On that occasion, having been rejected by Israel, he wept over thecity of Jerusalem and said, "Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall sayBlessed is he that cometh in the name of the LORD" (Matt. 23:39). Thistime he comes with power to reign as King. He it is who will take the twonations and unite them as described in this section. Thus Ezekiel, Son ofman (v. 16), is again seen to represent the Son of man himself.

A united nation (v. 21-22)The reader who has followed carefully theexposition of the first half of this chapterconcerning the valley of dry bones will haveno difficulty in seeing that when—in expla-nation of the taking of the two sticks —Godsays, / will take the children of Israel fromamong the heathen, whither they be gone,and will gather them on every side, andbring them into their own land (v. 21), He isnot speaking of the partial regathering of theJews which has happened in recent years. At the very most, what we see inthe land today is but the beginning of a process that will lead ultimately to

21 And say unto them, Thus saith theLord GOD; Behold, 1 will take thechildren of Israel from among theheathen, whither they be gone, and willgather them on every side, and bringthem into their own land:22 And I will make them one nation inthe 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 twokingdoms any more at all:

Ezekiel 37 375


the fulfilment of this prophecy. We are presented here with the regatheringto the land of both Judah and Ephraim, that is all the tribes of Israel. Wehave previously shown that this will take place after the overthrow of theGogian confederacy, for it is at that time that God "will bring again thecaptivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel" (Ezek.39:25).

We must at this point consider the significance of the gathering andunification of these two nations (v. 22) in the latter days. Israel was dividedinto two nations during the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 12). The NorthernKingdom, with its capital city Samaria, continued until about 720 BC when,during the reign of Hoshea, it was taken into captivity by the king ofAssyria (2 Kings 17:1-6). The southern kingdom of Judah, with its capitalJerusalem, continued for a further 134 years until, in 586 BC, that kingdom,too, was taken into captivity—by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon(2 Kings 25). Ezekiel was in this captivity of Judah in Babylon. Thus, at thetime when this prophecy was given, the kingdom of Ephraim and the king-dom of Judah had both been overturned and were both in captivity.

The return of Jews to the land under the leadership of Zerubbabel,seventy years after the overthrow of Judah, did not fulfil this prophecy ofEzekiel. It is true that Zerubbabel was a descendant of David, but he wasnot their prince for ever (v. 25), neither did the people of his day observe[God's] statutes, and do them as a perusal of Ezra and Nehemiah clearlyshows. Again, while it is true that a temple was built at that time, it was nota setting of my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore (v. 26);neither was God's glory established in their midst as implied in the wordsmy tabernacle (= dwelling place) also shall be with them (v. 27).

It is clear that both Ephraim and Judah were not reunited on themountains of Israel in the time of Zerubbabel. When God said throughJeremiah, "After seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you,and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to thisplace" (Jer. 29:10), He was speaking to the people of Judah. However, it isnot always appreciated that the Kingdom of Judah contained members ofall twelve tribes. At the time of the division of the Kingdom there werethose from the Northern Kingdom who migrated into Judah (2 Chron.11:16). There were further migrations in the reigns of Asa (2 Chron. 15:9)and Hezekiah (2 Chron. 30:6-13). Thus even before the captivity Judahcontained a mixture of tribes. During the captivity there would have been afurther mingling as Babylonian captives were brought into an associationwith the Assyrian captives. At the end of the seventy years when Judah was

376 Ezekiel 37


restored under Zerubbabel, Ezra 8:35 indicates that all twelve tribes wererepresented among the returning exiles. In no way was this a returning oftwo nations in the sense of Ezekiel's prophecies. It was a restoration ofJudah, and that partially, in response to the cry, "...how long wilt thou nothave mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thouhast had indignation these threescore and ten years?" (Zech. 1:12). Ephraimremained scattered.

JUDAH(Jerusalem)

EPHRAIM(Samaria)

BC720(To Assyria)

BC586(To Babylon)

ISRAEL _Joseph)

inspersionZtribes)

JUDAHthe land2 tribes)

Similarly with Ephraim, there would have been a mingling of the peopleof Judah with Ephraim during their joint captivities. Certainly when James,many years later, wrote to the Jewish brethren in the diaspora he addressedhis letter to "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad" (James 1:1).

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There was thus after the restoration under Zerubbabel a nation of Judahin the land (which included members of all the tribes) and a people, greaterin number, still scattered, that also consisted of twelve tribes. The point weare making is this—that although the regathered people may have containeda mixture of all the tribes, it was, according to the scriptures, a restorationof Judah. The people in the land in possession of Jerusalem are spoken ofas Judah (e.g. Ezra 2:1; 5:1). On the other hand the people in the diasporaare referred to as Israel (in contrast to Judah) or as Joseph or Ephraim as inZechariah 10:7,8.

The same principle, we believe, applies at the time of the end, i.e. theJews in the land, regardless of tribal origin, constitute the people of Judah.With an amazing grasp of the prophetic teaching, Bro. Thomas in 1848wrote:

"There is then a partial and primary restoration of Jews before the manifes-tation [of Jesus (J.A.)] which is to serve as the nucleus, or basis, of futureoperations in the restoration of the rest of the tribes after he has appeared inthe kingdom."1

From his reference to "the rest of the tribes" it is clear that he consideredthe primary and partial restoration to be that of Judah. In other words,regardless of their tribal origin, the people in the land are counted as Judah.We today are witnessing this partial and primary restoration which is yet toenter into the situation described in the 38th chapter as being "at rest, thatdwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither barsnor gates" (v. 11) —a scripture that we examine in detail in the next chapter.

As we have tried to show earlier in the exposition, this people of Judahare yet to suffer greatly. It will be at this time of Judah's extremity thatJesus their Messiah will intervene dramatically with overflowing fury andburning indignation to save them from Gog. Zechariah, who refers to thosein the land as Judah, indicates that Judah is first visited by Messiah whomakes "them as his goodly horse in the battle" against the Northern invader(Zech. 10:3; 14:14). But then Joseph, that is the Jews still scattered, willfind a place in the purpose of God, for:

"...I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them...and they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty [man], and their heart shallrejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see [it], and be glad; their

1 J. Thomas, Elpis Israel, page 441.

378 Ezekiel 37


heart shall rejoice in the LORD. I will hiss [whistle, NASB] for them...and theyshall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, andturn again. I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gatherthem out of Assyria..." (Zech. 10:6-10).

Jeremiah also speaks of this restoration of both Israel and Judah when hewrites, "The days come saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivityof my people Israel and Judah..." (30:3). The first part of the restorationprocess is the deliverance of the people in the land from the Gentileoppressor and the establishment of 'David' their king in Zion as detailed inthe 30th chapter. Chapter 31 is very much concerned with the subsequentrestoration of Ephraim. It begins, "At the same time, saith the LORD, will Ibe the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people"(v. 1). Then follows the details of Ephraim's restoration:

"Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from thecoasts of the earth...for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn"(v. 8-9).

Thus Ezekiel in his acted parable was presenting a picture of the restorationof the whole house of Israel which will be completely regathered, restoredand united under the leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ, the one king(who) shall be king to them all (v. 22).

Cleansing (v. 23)This restoration of the whole house of Israelis conditional upon their turning to God. Itwill be necessary for them to be cleansedfrom their idols. This will be effected by thecircumstances into which they will bebrought. The cleansing will commence inJudah when, after the appearing of Jesus astheir Deliverer, they will look on him "whom they have pierced, andmourn" (Zech. 12:10). There will then follow a cleansing of the land—"Iwill cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more beremembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit topass out of the land" (Zech. 13:2). The idols of modern Jewry will thus beremoved from God's land, as also will all the Gentile churches, mosques

23 Neither shall they defile themselvesany more with their idols, nor withtheir detestable things, nor with any oftheir transgressions: but I will savethem out of all their dwellingplaces,wherein they have sinned, and willcleanse them: so shall they be mypeople, and I will be their God.

Ezekiel 37 379


and other abominations1. Yahweh alone will be exalted in that day. Thecleansing begins in Judah2, but will be continued among the tribes ofEphraim (the people of Israel still dispersed among the nations), who arenoted for their preoccupation with the things which men covet("covetousness, which is idolatry", Col. 3:5) —money, houses, lands andpowerful organizations. The tribes of Israel, still scattered at the time of theLord's return, will be brought, through the troubles and afflictions whichwill overtake the world in that day, back to the land. Those of Ephraim whorespond to the "hissing"3 of Yahweh's Son (Zech. 10:8) will say, "Ariseye, and let us go up to Zion unto Yahweh our God" (Jer. 31:6). To themYahweh will be as the dew, healing their backslidings and loving themfreely (Hos. 14:4). Their response will be to say, "Neither will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ye are our gods... Ephraim shall say, Whathave I to do any more with idols?" (Hos. 14:3, 8).

We have earlier, in our examination of the vision of the valley of bones,considered the way in which God's spirit will be given to the nation ofIsrael. This cleansing of Israel refers to the same process (see 36:25, 26where the giving of the spirit and the cleansing are put in apposition). It isthe imparting to Israel of "the Truth in Christ". No doubt the calamities thatare to overtake them will produce in many of that nation the frame of mindthat will facilitate their acceptance of the truth. But it will be the truth aboutMessiah crucified, raised from the dead and now in the earth again that willbring about their repentance. This Truth will be conveyed to them by theresurrected and glorified saints—the pastors of Jeremiah 3:15 to whom we

Almost certainly most religious structures will be destroyed by the physical phe-nomena that are manifestations of Messiah's wrath at Armageddon.

The preaching to Judah may well commence before or coincidental with theGogian invasion. Isaiah speaks of the message being proclaimed to "the cities ofJudah" that "the Lord GOD will come as a mighty one, and his arm shall rule forhim: behold his reward is with him and his work before him" (Isa. 40:9, 10). Thewords of Malachi, that Elijah the prophet begins his work "before the great anddreadful day of the LORD" (4:5), support this.

The words of Zechariah 10:8 in the AV read, Ί will hiss for them, and gatherthem; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they haveincreased." The word "hiss" denotes "hiss, whistle... in Zech. 10:8 the whistlingis God's signal to Israel, inviting them to return to enjoy God's blessing in theland of promise. [Here] it can be construed as piping with a shepherd's pipe"(Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, vol. 2, page 957).

380 Ezekiel 37


have previously alluded. They are referred to in those wonderful words ofIsaiah:

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth goodtidings...that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth" (Isa.52:7).

These "feet" are Yahweh's feet. Paul shows that they refer to the saintswhen, quoting the above words from Isaiah he says, "How beautiful are thefeet of them that preach the gospel..." (Rom. 10:15). In apostolic timesthey proclaimed the gospel of salvation to the Gentiles, but in days soon tocome they will prepare Israel for their meeting with the Kings of Kings.This meeting will have a joyous outcome for those who accept him in faith,for "there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungod-liness from Jacob" (Rom. 11:26).

"David"-King and Shepherd (v. 24-25)There is no difficulty in identifying this onewho is to be king of the united nation of 24 And David my servant [shall be]

king over them; and they all shall haveone shepherd: they shall also walk inmy judgments, and observe mystatutes, and do them.25 And they shall dwell in the landthat I have given unto Jacob myservant, wherein your fathers havedwelt; and they shall dwell therein,[even] they, and their children, andtheir children's children for ever: andmy servant David [shall be] theirprince for ever.

Israel. It is the "David"1 of Jeremiah 30:9raised up by God. It is the "Branch" ofJeremiah 23:5, raised up in the house ofDavid according to God's covenant, whowill "execute judgement and justice in theearth" and of whom the prophet declares, "inhis days Judah shall be saved, and Israelshall dwell safely" (Jer. 23:6). Thus Jeremiahconfirms what we believe Ezekiel to besaying, i.e. that the restoration of both Judah and Israel (Ephraim) in theterms of these prophecies is to be accomplished after the return of the Sonof David. We have in our examination of chapter 34 considered Messiah asthe Shepherd of his people. As Son of David, it is surely appropriate thathis work as Israel's future shepherd begins when he comes to take Judahout of the paw of the Russian bear! (cf. 1 Sam. 17:37).

It is worth noting at this point that Jesus is spoken of as "my servantDavid...their prince" (v. 25). When later in Ezekiel 44:3 and 48:22 we read

That is, the beloved.

Ezekiel 37 381


of "the prince" it is this same illustrious member of David's house who isbeing referred to.

They dwell in the Land

Disciplined and educated by the Good Shepherd and his associates, thepastors (shepherds) of Jeremiah 3:15 will feed God's people with knowl-edge and understanding. Thus the repentant of Israel and Judah will alikecome to "walk in God's statutes". Only then can they enter into possessionof the land in the terms of the Abrahamic covenant. Always in the prophets,from Moses on, the inheritance of the land is predicated upon theirrepentance and obedience (see Lev. 26:40-42). We have already seen thissequence in Ezekiel 36 where the people are said to be taken out of thenations, then sprinkled with clean water (= cleansed from their idols), thengiven a new spirit (that is, come to acknowledge the truth about Messiahand walk in God's ways), and finally are caused to "dwell in the land that Igave to your fathers" (36:24-28).

The fact that there are Jews in the Land today does not mean that they are"dwelling" in it in the terms of God's covenant promises. Before they cando that they must turn to God in faith.

A covenant with them (v. 26)The covenant that God makes with Israel andJudah at this time is said to be a covenant ofpeace and an everlasting covenant. Both ofthese terms indicate that it is the covenantmade with David that is in view (cf. Isa. ofthemforevermore·

26 Moreover I will make a covenant ofpeace with them; it shall be aneverlasting covenant with them: and Iwill place them, and multiply them,and will set my sanctuary in the midst

55:3, 12; 2 Sam. 23:5; 1 Chron. 22:10). Thecovenant with David provided not only for a king who would reign onDavid's throne for ever, but also for one who would be chastened with therod of men. This chastening was, in the words of the prophet, "thechastisement of our peace" (Isa. 53:5) which brought the forgiveness ofsins and peace between God and man1. Israel, at the time of which Ezekielhere speaks, will accept Jesus as King and Saviour and enter into a

1 Note that in the verse previously referred to in which Isaiah speaks of "the feet ofhim that bringeth good tidings" offering salvation to Israel it is said "that [he]publisheth peace" (Isa. 52:7).

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27 My tabernacle also shall be withthem: yea, I will be their God, and theyshall be my people.28 And the heathen shall know that Ithe LORD do sanctify Israel, when mysanctuary shall be in the midst of themfor evermore.

relationship with God on the basis of this "new covenant". Thus will God"make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house ofJudah" (Jer. 31:31 and see Rom. 11:26,27).

The sanctuary and tabernacle (v. 27-28)

While it is true that "the most High dwellethnot in temples made with hands", yet theclear teaching of the prophets is that therewill be a literal sanctuary erected inJerusalem. Such scriptures as Isaiah 2:2;60:13; Psalm 68:29; and Haggai 2:9 allindicate a material building as the centre ofdivine worship in the age to come.

The connection here of the tabernacle with the sanctuary is interesting.The word tabernacle is the Hebrew word mishkan which means 'a habita-tion or dwelling'1. This reference to both tabernacle and sanctuary goesback to Exodus 25:8 —"Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell(Heb. shaken) among them". The tabernacle among His people will be thedwelling of God Himself among them, the Shekinah glory. But this timethat glory will not be manifest through angels as in the Mosaic tabernaclearrangement, but through the Son and his saints. The phrases "I will betheir God, and they shall be my people" also take us back to the Exodus.The whole purpose of God, covenanted with Abraham, is thereepitomized—"I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to youElohim (mighty ones)" (Exod. 6:7). Thus in the time of which Ezekielspeaks, Jesus and his immortal brethren will be the Elohim for Israel—theglory of God dwelling in the midst of a redeemed and regenerated nation.

1 B. Davidson, Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, page 715.

Ezekiel 37 383

6. The destruction of Gog's armies(38:1-39:16)

Chapters 38 and 39 comprise a series of prophecies that have to do withevents which are to overtake Israel at the time of the end. There are sevenoracles, each of which is introduced with the phrase, "Thus saith theLORD". We shall consider each of these in turn. They are:

i. Description of Gog's armies (38:1-7).ii. Gog invades Israel (38:8-13).iii. God's purpose with Gog (38:14-16).iv. The presence of the LORD in the earth (38:17-23).v. The burial of Gog's army (39:1-16).vi. The sacrificial feast (39:17-20).vii. Israel restored (39:21-29).

It is clear that chapter 38 does not follow on chronologically from theevents of chapter 37. Chapter 37 ends with the Kingdom established, Israeland Judah united under one King and God's sanctuary established in theirmidst. The dead bones of Israel have been caused to stand upon their feet asan exceeding great army, and God's spirit is in them. To understand chapter38, then, it is necessary to see it describing events that overtake Israel atsome time prior to that happy state of things described at the end of chapter37. As has been shown earlier1, the Gogian invasion is responsible for thedevastation of the modern State of Israel. It is this, coupled with Gogiananti-Semitic policies, which causes Israel to say, "Our bones are dried, andour hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts" (37:11). The 37th chapter islargely concerned with the restoration of Israel by Messiah in all thefullness of God's promises, subsequent to the Gogian invasion.

It is therefore fitting that the events that turn Israel into a valley of drybones should be considered in some detail—and chapter 38 provides this.This 38th chapter has given commentators considerable difficulty andmany2 opt to treat it as a complicated allegory, details of which will not begiven here. A point made by Feinberg, in connection with any attempt tointerpret this chapter, is well worth quoting—"It is either the grammatical,literal, historical...interpretation or we are adrift on an uncharted sea with

1 Pages 367.2 e.g. A. R. Fausset, in Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary on the Old

Testament, vol. 2, page 348.

384

6. The destruction of Gog's armies (38:1-39:16)

every man the norm for himself. There is not a syllable at the beginning ofthis chapter to alert us to explain the passage in any other than the literalmeaning."1 With this we heartily agree.

(i) Description of Gog's armies (v. 1-7)

It is important to note that, whoever theselatter-day powers might be, they have aconnection with powers in existence at thetime of Ezekiel.

1 And the word of the LORD cameunto me saying,2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,the land of Magog, the chief prince ofMeshech and Tubal, and prophesyagainst him,3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD;Behold, I [am] against thee, Ο Gog, thechief prince of Meshech and Tubal:4 And I will turn thee back, and puthooks into thy jaws, and I will bringthee forth, and all thine army, horsesand horsemen, all of them clothed withall sorts [of armour, even] a greatcompany [with] bucklers and shields,all of them handling swords:5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya withthem; all of them with shield andhelmet:6 Gomer, and all his bands; the houseof Togarmah of the north quarters, andall his bands: [and] many people withthee.7 Be thou prepared, and prepare forthyself, thou, and all thy company thatare assembled unto thee, and be thou aguard unto them.

Most of the nations listed by the prophet inverses 2-6 have already been mentioned inprevious chapters. Meshech and Tubal(27:13; 32:26), Persia (27:10), Ethiopia(29:10), Libya (30:5) and Togarmah (27:14),were recognized by Ezekiel as being inexistence in his day. Thus, when the prophetwas commanded to set thy face against Gog,the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal (v. 2),it may be safely assumed that he was beingbidden to address his prophecies to a knowncontemporary power.

We shall see that this power—"Gog of theland of Magog, the Prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal" (v. 2, RV)—hadreference, in the prophet's day, to the barbaric Scythian peoples in the darknorthern extremity of the then-known world.

The Land of Magog

Magog was the son of Japheth (Genesis 10:2) and from him weredescended those people known to history as the Scythians. Josephus wrote,"Magog founded those that from him were named Magogites, but who bythe Greeks are called Scythians."2 Thus, Ezekiel was to set his face againstthe Scythians—the Hebrew actually reads "the land of the Magog." Onehistorian refers to them as an "Aryan people, who (in the time ofHerodotus, c. 400 BC) were distributed over southern Russia." 3

C. F. Feinberg, The Prophecy of Ezekiel, page 219.2 Antiquities, 1:6.1.3 H. G. Wells, The Outline of History, page 127.

Ezekiel 38 385

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In 521 BC, when Darius wanted to invade the Scythians who threatenedhim on his north east frontier, he marched from his capital Susa throughArmenia and Asia Minor, crossed the Bosphorus on a boated bridge, ad-vanced along the coast of Thrace (modern Bulgaria) and crossed theDanube. He prepared to do battle against the Scythians and take their citiesonly to find that they had no cities.1 This gives us an indication as to thelocation of these nomadic Scythian peoples at that time—they were to befound in what we today would call the Ukraine and southern Russia.Riasanovski, a respected modern Russian historian, states, "The Scythsruled southern Russia from the 7th to the end of the 3rd century B C . A t itsgreatest extent the Scythian state stretched south of the Danube in itswestern flank and across the Caucasus and into Asia Minor on its eastern."Referring to Herodotus he notes, "From the northern shores of the BlackSea they held sway inland for a distance travelled in the course of twentydays' journey."2

To the settled civilizationsof the Fertile Crescent, theemergence of these wildScythian hordes from beyondthe mountain ranges in the farnorth must have been a fright-ening experience. From aboutthe 8th century BC onwards,these northern peoples consti-tuted "a storm always ready toburst with its discharge ofhorses and horsemen, ofswords and shields, of bowsand arrows, of staves andspears, and innumerablebands, horde succeedinghorde, a convulsion whichshould send a universalshudder through all living

Scythian invasion of the Middle East in thetime of Josiah King of Judah

ibid., page 161.Nicholas V. Riasanovski, A History Of Russia, page 13.

Ezekiel 38 387


creatures..." 1 "Their swiftness and savagery brought panic and despair tothe settled civilizations south of the Caucasus; there was somethinginhuman about warriors who scalped their enemies and fashioned theirvictims' skulls into drinking cups." 2

The Scythians dominated western Asia for some 28 years.3 Their attackson the northern border of the Assyrian Empire helped to bring about its fall.Many of Ezekiel's older contemporaries would actually have rememberedthese Scythians, in the reign of Josiah, sweeping south, looting and burningthrough Assyria where they harassed the army of the Medes who wereengaged in a siege of Nineveh. Then, descending through Palestine (wherethey occupied en route the city of Bethshan which was renamedScythopolis4) they pressed southwards to the border of Egypt. HerePsammetichus (Psamtik I) king of Egypt bought them off.5 Thus, Ezekiel'sproclamation of a future invasion by these wild North-men would havestruck terror into the hearts of his listeners.

Gog of the Land of Magog

Gog was the leader of these descendants of Magog for that is thesignificance of the description, Gog of the land of Magog (v. 2, RV).Curry6 refers to Smith's "History of Assurbanipal7 From the CuneiformInscriptions" where side by side with Birighudri, a chief of Madai [Media]are found Sariti and Pariza, sons of Ga-a-gi a chief of the Saka [Scythians]whom Smith identifies with Gog. It was the grandson of Gaagi, Madyes,who led the invasion into Assyria and Palestine mentioned above. Thus, it

1 A. P. Stanley, History of the Jewish Church, vol. 2, page 434.2 R. Flenley and W. N. Weech, The Growth of Western Civilization, page 61.3 Herodotus 4.1; F. F. Bruce, The History of Israel and the Nations, page 75.4 W. Keller, The Bible As History, page 269.5 Herodotus, 1.103-105.6 G. Curry, Ezekiel (Speaker's Commentary, vol. 6), page 155. So, too, Zenaide

A. Ragozin, Assyria, page 383—"...it was not one of the least surprises we oweto Assyriology to find that the "Gog, King of Magog," of Ezekiel (chapters 38 and39), was originally a real and historical person, no other in fact than the chief ofthe Scythians in Assurbanipal's time, probably a warrior sufficiently renowned tohave survived as a by-word of terror in the memory of later generations. Thisname of Gog occurs in one of Asshurbanipal's cylinders under the formGAG I...".

7 The "great and noble Asnappar" of Ezra 4:10.

388 Ezekiel 38


is reasonable to conclude that Gaagi [Gog] was the family name of theScythian leaders of those days.

Rosh

This Gog of the land of Magog was also, according to the RV, "the princeof Rosh, Meshech and Tubal."

There is great debate among translators and commentators with respect tothe translation of the Hebrew nisi rosh. The AV renders it "chief prince ofMeshech and Tubal", translating rosh as the adjective "chief. However,the RV, NASB, NEB, JB and Roth, all give rosh the sense of a proper nounand translate nisi rosh as "prince of Rosh". It is of more than passinginterest to note that the translators of the LXX, in about 250 BC, consideredRosh to be the name of a people or country.1

It is objected by some that Rosh cannot be a proper name since there isno nation known to history as the Rosh and also the word Rosh is nowhereelse used in the scriptures as the name of a people. These objections arehardly valid. Chilmad (Ezekiel 27:23), and Chub (Ezekiel 30:5) are alsoonly found on one occasion and are peoples unknown to history. While it isgranted that the Hebrew word rosh is found frequently in the OldTestament as an adjective meaning 'head' or 'chief, yet the use of thephrase here in Ezekiel demands that it be translated as a proper name. Soargues Hitzig —"an epithet formed by the junction of these two words isnowhere else known in the Bible; and that the full title, if it were simply acompound title, should be so formally repeated three times (v. 2, 3 and39:1) is rather improbable."2 It would appear then "that Rosh is here thename of a people or country like Meshech and Tubal."3 Another writerstates, "Rosh...ought to be rendered as a proper noun...'the prince ofRosh.' Rosh thus appears as a northern nation, along with Meshech andTubal."4

There are two routes that may be taken in an endeavour to identify thenorthern nation referred to. They arrive at the same conclusion and there isno doubt merit in both of them.

1 See also extensive commentary on this by J. Thomas, Elpis Israel, page 424.2 Quoted by P. Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel, page 415.3 J. Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 4, page 314.4 J. McClintock & J. Strong (Eds.), Cyclopaedia of Biblical Theological and

Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. 9, page 135.

Ezekiel 38 389


(1) Meshech and Tubal are mentioned in Genesis 10 as sons of Japhethand it is strange that Rosh nowhere appears in this genealogy.However, it may well be that Rosh is there under another name. Theseventh son of Japheth was Tiras (Genesis 10:2). "From theconjunction of Tiras with Meshech and Tubal in Genesis 10:2, VonHammer [the renowned orientalist, JA] conjectured the identity ofTiras with Rosh."1 Fairbairn, commenting on Rosh, says that"traces have been found of a northern people anciently bearing sucha name [i.e. Rosh, JA]" and he then refers to the writings of Tsetzeswho states that "the Tauri are expressly called Ros." 2

Smith in his "Map of the Ancient World Physical and Ethno-graphical" 3 shows the people of Tiras on the west of the Black Seain Thrace, which accords with Josephus.4 In the Greek word forThrace the connection with Tiras is more apparent. However, thereare traces of Tiras beyond the mountains of northern Thrace.Herodotus has an interesting comment in this connection: "That partof Thrace which stretches to the sea, has Scythia immediatelycontiguous to it; where Thrace ends Scythia begins, through whichthe Ister [the Danube, JA] passes commencing at the south east andemptying itself into the Euxine [Black Sea, JA]." He proceeds thento speak of the mountainous country above this place, in the samedirection, as far as what is called the Trachean Chersonese [which Itake to be the Crimean peninsula, JA], as possessed by the people ofTaurus.5

The Encyclopaedia Britannica refers to the Crimea as the TauricChersonese and confirms that the Tauri people lived there.6

Another map in Smith—a map of ancient Greece—shows the RiverTyras flowing into the north west of the Black Sea.

ibid., vol. 9, page 135.2 Fairbairn, op. cit, page 415.3 In P. Smith, A History of the Ancient World, volume 1.4 Antiquities, 1:6.1.5 Herodotus, 4.99. In this connection it should noted that while what we know

today as the Taurus mountains are to be found running from west to east of AsiaMinor the word Taurus was used of other mountains. Herodotus here appears touse it of the range of mountains in northern Thrace.

6 Ashmore, H. (Ed), Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 5, page 452.

390 Ezekiel 38


Euxine (Black) Sea

The Scythian descendantsof Tiras—known to

the Greeks as the Ros

(2)

This river is better known as the Dnester, which runs throughMoldova south of the Ukraine. The capital of this state was, at onetime, Tiraspol1, which is situated on the river Tyras. Vernadskystates that "in the Byzantine chronicles the Russes [= Ros, JA] areoften called Tauro-scythae. Leo Diaconus calls them simplyTauriT 2 The Russian historian Gregov states, "Kiev Rus was for along time known among the Greeks as Scythia or Tauro-Scythia,with a remark now and then that these Tauro-Scythians calledthemselves Rus."3 From this it seems reasonable to conclude thatthe descendants of Tiras —the Rosh —at the time of Ezekiel'sprophecy were to be found in an extensive area to the north of theBlack Sea.Some commentators point out that there is a connection between thepeople known as the Ros and the River Araxes (= the Aras) whichtoday forms the southern boundary of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

ibid., vol. 15, page 658.G. Vernadsky, The Origins of Russia, page 189.Ashmore, H. (Ed), Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 5, page 452.

Ezekiel 38 391


Bochart and Frahn, the ancient historians, found traces of the nameRos in Ar-ras, the Arabic name for the River Araxes and the peoplewhich inhabited its shores.1 Plumptre and Whitlow note that"Byzantine and Arabian writers of the tenth century AD wereacquainted with a people called the Ros2 who were Scythianmountaineers dwelling north of the Taurus on the shores of theBlack Sea and on the banks of the Volga." 3 Interestingly, "theVolga River is [itself] called Rhos by an anonymous Greek authorof a geographic treatise compiled in the fifth century AD." 4

From the evidence presented it would appear that in Ezekiel's day theRosh-Scythae were a nomadic people who had settled in an extensive areanorthwards from the northern shores of the Black Sea. P. Schwartzkopffreaches this conclusion, albeit by a different route, in his Nations InProphecy. He states, "Rosh refers to the territory which approximates to themodern Ukraine rather than Russia as we know it today...according tomost, if not all, historians the territory now known as the Ukraine was onceknown as 'Ros' by the Greeks and 'Rus' by the Europeans and Arabs."5 Itis not surprising to find an eminent Russian historian stating: "As anintroduction to Russian history proper, we must turn to the northern shoresof the Black Sea and to the steppe beyond" 6—territory that we would referto as the Ukraine and southern Russia.

Commenting on the word "Rosh", Gesenius states that it refers"undoubtedly to the Russians, who are mentioned by the Byzantine writersof the 10th century under the name of the Ros " 7 Stanley, in his History ofthe Jewish Church, says concerning Ezekiel 38, "Here, first in any historic

P. Fairbairn, Exposition of Ezekiel, page 415.2 The words Ros, Rhos, Rus used by various historians all refer to the same

people.3 Ε. Η. Plumptre and T. Whitlow, Ezekiel (Pulpit Commentary, vol. 12), page 284.

Although this was centuries after the time of Ezekiel one historian correctlyobserves; "Although Arabic writers refer primarily to the 9 t h century, thewidespread and well established relations of the Rus with the East at that timesuggest an acquaintance of long standing" (Nicholas V. Riasanovski, A Historyof Russia, page 26).

4 George Vernadsky, Ancient Russia, page 96. See also footnote 3, page 395.5 P. Schwartzkopff, The Christadelphian, vol. 129, page 255.6 Nicholas V. Riasanovsky, A History of Russia, page 11.7 GES, page 754.

392 Ezekiel 38


record, is the only indication which the Bible contains of any modernEuropean nation. The mighty people of Russia through this wild [Scythian]invasion has won a place in the sacred books."1

Meshech and Tubal

As already noted, like Tiras (?Rosh), Meshech and Tubal were sons ofJapheth (Gen. 10:2). They are mentioned in Ezekiel 27:13 and 32:26, wherethey are presented as a warlike people engaged in the export of slaves andcopper to the Phoenicians. Herodotus referred to Meshech and Tubal in thetime of Darius and Xerxes as the Moschi and Tibarenoi.2 Bochart speaks ofthem as a barbarous people of Asia inhabiting what were known as theMoschian Mountains between the Black and Caspian Seas.3 In OldTestament times, they were a part of that Scythian host that brought aboutthe fall of the Assyrian Empire. They appear frequently in the Assyrianinscriptions as the Mushkai and Tabali and are known to have movedsouthwards and settled temporarily in Asia near the north western side ofAssyria.4 With the fall of Assyria and the rise of Babylon and Persia, theMushkai were subdued and there can be little doubt that large numbers ofthem were pushed northwards beyond the Caucasus where they resumed anomadic existence, wandering over the northern steppe-lands, minglingwith the other Scythians. "There they became known as the Muskovs, andgave their name to the Russian nation and its ancient capital." 5 A similarfate no doubt overtook the Tibareni. Josephus6 identifies Tubal with theIberians, a people which, with the Moschi, then inhabited a tract of countrybetween the Caspian and the Black Seas which approximates to modernGeorgia. Thus, in the time of Ezekiel, Meshech and Tubal would roughlycorrespond to modern Georgia, Armenia and perhaps parts of Turkey.

At this point the question needs to be considered as to whether or notthere is, in these Bible names, a reference to the modern names of Russia(Rosh), Moscow (Meshech) and Tobolski (Tubal). It is certainly an over-

1 A. P. Stanley, History of the Jewish Church, Vol. 2, page 434.2 For example Herodotus, 3.94; 7.78.3 J. McClintock and J. Strong, Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesias-

tical Literature, vol. 6, page 126.4 ibid., vol. 6, page 127; vol. 10, page 571; F. F. Bruce, History of Israel and the

Nations, page 68; J. B. Taylor, Ezekiel, page 194; G. Curry, Ezekiel, page 118.5 J. McClintock and J. Strong, op. cit, vol. 6, page 127.6 Antiquities, 1:6.1.

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simplification to say, for example, that the city of Tobolski in Siberiaderived its name from Tubal the son of Japheth, for the city of Tobolskiwas not founded until AD 1587. However, it seems quite reasonable toargue that the name of Tubal was carried by his descendants when theymigrated into the region we now call Siberia, and that it was their namethat, at some stage, became attached to a river (R. Thobol) from whence thename of the city of Tobolski was ultimately derived. We have earlier seenthis to be the case with the descendants of Tiras who gave their name to theriver Tyras and then eventually the town situated on the river becameknown as Tiraspol. A similar line of reasoning is advanced by McClintockand Strong with respect to Moscow, the name being derived indirectly fromthe Mushkai, the descendants of Meshech. Meshketia in Eastern Georgiaalso appears to have been similarly derived from the name of thedescendants of Meshech.

The suggestion that "Russia" is derived from the word "Rosh" is not infavour with most modern western historians and commentators. Theymaintain that the word "Russia (in Russian, Rossiya) is derived through theSlavonic Ros (a name first given to Scandinavian settlers on the Dnieper inthe 9th century AD), from an earlier form, Ruotsi, a Finnish name for theSwedes." 1 However, the dogmatism exhibited by the moderns isunwarranted. Riasanovski reviews the evidence for a Scandinavian originof the word Russia. He makes the point that "The role of the Normans [theScandinavian north-men, JA] in the establishment of the Kievian state [theearly Russian state, JA] itself remains highly controversial. The question ofthe Kievian state is closely connected with a group, tribe, or people knownas the Rus, and it is also from Rus that we derive the later name Russians."He concludes, "The deduction of Rus from the Finnish word for Swedes,Ruotsi, developed by Thomsen and upheld by Stender-Petersen and others,seems linguistically acceptable, but has been criticized as extremelycomplicated and unlikely on historical grounds." 2 Vernadski pointedly

1 Frederick A. Tatford, Dead Bones Live, page 221.2 Nicholas V. Riasanovsky, A History of Russia, page 25. George Vernadski's

view is that "around AD 750 the Swedes penetrated into Southern Russia, wherethey mixed with the Rus and even assumed their name" (A History of Russia,page 30). The same point is made by Tikhonirov in The Origin of the names Rusand the Russian Land—"The Varangians and the Novgrodites who settled in[Kiev] were known as Rus because they began to live in Kiev" (Quoted by B.Gregov in Kiev Rus, page 602).

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asks: "If the name Rus were derived from the alleged Finnish word Ruotsi,how are we to explain the fact that the name Rus (in the form Ros) wasknown to the Byzantines long before the coming of the Varanians [theScandinavians, JA] to Novgorod?" He proceeds to state, 'The name Rus, orRos, in South Russia.. .existed there from at least the fourth century." 1

Another Russian historian points our a number of toponymical namesderived from the root ros that existed long before the arrival of theScandinavians. "The Volga was called the Ros, and...there was a citycalled Rosia at the mouth of the Don. There are a number of southern riversreflecting the name Ros: the Oskol-Ros; the Ros, a tributary of the Dnieperand the Narev; The Roska in Volyn and many others...There is no doubtthat the name of the people Rus was in use in the south and south-east ofthis country in the ninth century without any participation of theVarangians...it was in use long before the ninth century."2 Thus thederivation of the name Russia from the Ros or Rus (and therefore Rosh)who lived in the area north of the Black Sea in Ezekiel's day, has thesupport of respected authorities in Russian history and is therefore not asfar fetched as some would have us believe3.

At this point it must be emphasized that the identification of Gog of theland of Magog with modern Russia does not rest simply on the similarity ofthe word "Rosh" to "Russia". We identify the power with Russia becauseshe is the modern power which, with her confederate Independent States,occupies today the territories of the ancient Scythians—the Magog knownto Ezekiel.

G. Vernadski, Ancient Russia, page 278.2 B. Gregov, Kiev Rus, page 599.3 This support by Russian historians for identifying the Ros with southern Russia

is referred to in the Penguin Historical Atlas of Russia by John Channon andRobert Hudson—'Soviet historians argue...that there was no Scandinavianinfluence on early Russian language, literature, religion or law. Furthermore, theGreek "Rhos" was familiar in southern Rus prior to the Varangians (the Vikings,JA), "Rus" in fact referring to the area around Kiev—where there is also a rivernamed "Ros"...' (page 15).For an excellent and detailed examination of the Scandinavian theory from ahistorical and archaeological standpoint see D. M. Elliott, The Origin of Russia,The Testimony, vol. 63, page 175.

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Persia, Ethiopia and Libya

There has never been any real doubt as to the identity of these nations.

Persia is not mentioned in the list of nations in Genesis 10, butthroughout scripture it is frequently associated with the Medes, who weredescended from Madai, son of Japheth (Gen. 10:2). Together they foundedthe Medo-Persian Empire. Persia was beginning to come to prominence inthe time of Ezekiel and the Scythian invasion of Assyria to which we havereferred (page 388) resulted in a weakening of Median influence in thepost-Assyrian Middle Eastern milieu. From then on the Persians weremoving towards a dominant role in Middle East affairs —a position whichwas finally achieved at the end of Israel's 70 years captivity when Cyrusbecame the ruler of Medo-Persia. At the time Ezekiel gave this prophecythe Medes and Persians occupied territory that corresponds to modern Iran,but would also have included parts of Southern Turkestan and Afghanistan.

Ethiopia (the word is Cush in the Hebrew) and Libya (the word is Phutin the Hebrew) were both descended from Ham (Gen. 10:6). The Cushitesmigrated in two streams, one going into East Africa, occupying theterritories of modern Sudan and Ethiopia, the other stream going towardsIndia. In the Bible when Cush is mentioned it is usually the African sectionof the descendants of Cush to which reference is being made. Josephus1

places it south of Egypt beyond Syene and this accords with Ezekiel 29:10,AVmg. It corresponds more or less to modern Sudan and Ethiopia. In viewof the anti-Semitic role here allotted to this people in the prophecy therecent exodus from Ethiopia of the Falasha Jews is of interest.

The descendants of Phut eventually moved into North Africa, west ofEgypt, into the territory of modern Libya but probably covering a muchwider area of the African continent especially in the north.

Thus in the time of Ezekiel, Ethiopia and Libya would relate to countriesto the south and west of Egypt.

Gomer and Togarmah

Gomer was a son of Japheth; Togarmah was Gomer's son (Gen. 10:2, 3).The descendants of Gomer are mentioned in the Assyrian inscriptions asthe Gimarrai who were known to the Greeks as the Cimmerii.

1 Wars, 4:10.5.

396 Ezekiel 38


Gomer and Togarmah

These Cimmerians are mentioned a number of times by Herodotus1 fromwhom we learn that they originated north of the Black Sea. Smith writesthat "the Cimmerians were a people who came unquestionably from theregion now called the Ukraine, north of the Black Sea, between the Danubeand the Sea of Azov."2 Gesenius states that the Cimmerians inhabited theTauric Chersonese [the Crimea, JA] and the region near the Don and theDanube.3 "They ruled southern Russia from roughly 1000 BC to 700 BC" 4

until they were driven out by the Scythians.

Josephus informs us that "Gomer founded those whom the Greeks nowcall Galatians, [Gauls] but were then called Gomerites." 5 Small bodies ofCimmerians had entered Asia Minor from earliest times (with theirThracian allies) from the west by way of the Hellespont and the Bosporus.

e.g. Herodotus 1.4; 4.12; 5.103.P. Smith, A History Of The Ancient World, vol. 1, page 254.GES, page 175.Nicholas V. Riasanovsky, A History of Russia, page 13.Josephus, Antiquities, 1:6.1.

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It was not until the 7th century BC that, under pressure from the Scythiantribes from the north, a vast horde of Cimmerians marched round the shoresof the Black Sea along the foot of the Caucasus and poured into Asia Minorfrom the east. Their conquest of Asia Minor was relatively short lived sothat by the time of Ezekiel, they had been largely expelled from Asia Minorby Alyettes, King of Lydia. However, memories of their savageryremained. Their name was engraved in Asia Minor, part of which becameknown as Galatia (Acts 16:6; 18:23).

The Scythian pressure from the north, which pushed the Cimmerianssouthwards into Asia Minor, also pushed them westwards into Europe.1

These westward migrating Cimmerians are known in history as the Cimbri,the Celts and the Gauls.2 Commenting on the Cimmerians, one writerstates, "There can be little doubt that both the name and the people are to berecognized in the Cimbri of the north of Europe, described by the classicalwriters sometimes as German, sometimes as a Celtic race." 3 These Celts orGauls "passed north of the Alps into the fertile country which took fromthem the name of Gaul...after seizing the best lands some of them crossedthe Channel and settled in Britain and parts of Ireland. Others marched overthe Pyrenees and occupied most of northern Spain." 4

Thus, at the time Ezekiel delivered his prophecy these descendants ofGomer were wandering over a great part of what we know today asWestern Europe.

Associated with Gomer in Ezekiel 38:6 is the house of Togarmah. Theword "house" is the Hebrew bayit, one of the meanings of which is "family,clan or tribe" 5 which is clearly the meaning here.

The connection between the descendants of Togarmah and Armenia iswell established. The Armenians associate the name Togarmah with theirearly history and claim that the founder of their nation was Hiak, son of

1 Ashmore, H. (Ed.) Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 5, page 773.2 Interestingly, R. Young, Analytical Concordance, page 380, states, "Roman

writers call the inhabitants of Galatia Galli, just as the Greek writers call thepeople of ancient France Galatia".

3 J. McClintock and J. Strong, op. cit, vol. 3, page 920.4 R. Flenley and W. N. Weech, The Growth of Western Civilization, page 47.5 J. Botterweck and H. Ringgren (Eds.), Theological Dictionary of the Old

Testament, vol. 2, page 113.

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Thorgom.1 However, Josephus states that, "from Togarmah were descend-ed those who the Greeks called Phrygians."2 The connection between theArmenian and Phrygian peoples is universally accepted but, followingsome remarks of Herodotus, it is commonly thought that the Armenianswere Phrygian colonists. However, it seems more likely that Phrygia wascolonized from Armenia. Speaking of the Phrygian people, McClintock andStrong state, "There can be little doubt that they were once the dominantrace in the peninsula, and that they spread westwards from the confines ofArmenia to the shores of the Aegean."3 This also was the opinion ofFausset—"The Phrygians, the race that overspread Asia Minor, probablymigrated from Armenia." 4 Thus, in early times Phrygia comprehended thegreater part of the peninsula of Asia Minor. However, by the time ofEzekiel, the descendants of Togarmah, by now under Median domination,were to be found in what we refer to today as central and eastern Turkeyand Armenia. According to McClintock and Strong, "the Jews say that byTogarmah, or the house of Togarmah, we are to understand the Turks." 5

Ezekiel says that the house of Togarmah was of the north quarters, or asthe RV has it, "from the uttermost parts of the north" and the NASB, "theremote parts of the north". From the standpoint of Israel in Ezekiel's day,Asia Minor was the "uttermost part of the north" of the then known world.Beyond it was the dark unknown world of the Magogites.

In summary, then, this confederacy of nations which is to come againstIsrael will at least include (in modern terms) the following:

Gog of the land ofMagog, prince of Rosh,Meshech and Tubal

Persia, Ethiopia, Libya

Russia and her confederates.

Iran, Sudan and Ethiopia, Libya and almost certainlyother north African nations. (The eastern migration ofCush means that it is possible that nations from theIndian subcontinent may be involved.)

1 GES, page 856; J. McClintock and J. Strong, op. cit, vol. 1, page 406; vol. 10,page 451.

2 Antiquities, 1:6.1.3 op. cit, vol. 10, page 451.4 A. R. Fausset, Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia, page 695.5 op. cit, vol. 10, page451.

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Gomer

Togarmah

A number of Western European nations especiallySpain, France, Italy and Germany. Eastern Europeannations which have thrown off (? temporarily) theRussian yoke also belong to Gomer's "bands".

Turkey is modern Togarmah.

This then, is the confederacy of nations to be led by Gog of the land ofMagog. He is now challenged by the Almighty—"Be thou prepared, yea,prepare thyself, thou, and all thy companies" (v. 7, RV). In the words ofJoel, "...Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war drawnear..." (Joel 3:9). No matter how diligent the preparation, no matter howcareful the battle plans are thought through, the outcome is foreknown andassured. Gog and his forces will fall on the mountains of Israel.

Like the Assyrian of old, Gog's work is divinely appointed. "I will sendhim against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath willI give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey..." (Isa. 10:6, cf.Ezek. 38:13). The Assyrian came against Judah in the days of Hezekiah.The cities of Judah were devastated. Hezekiah and a remnant were shut upin Jerusalem and had to endure the taunts of Rabshakeh. But God heard theprayers of his servant and addressed the might of Sennacherib—"Becausethy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, thereforewill I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turnthee back by the way by which thou earnest" (Isa. 37:29). For Gog therewill be no going back "by the way by which thou earnest". Yahweh says toGog, "I will turn thee back, and put hooks1 into thy jaws, and I will bringthee forth...thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel" (Ezek. 38:4; 39:4).

It is interesting to note that all the nations referred to except Rosh andPersia are specifically mentioned in Genesis 10. Rosh, since it is so closelyallied to Meshech and Tubal, would appear to belong to the Scythianpeople. Since Persia is connected elsewhere in scripture with the Medes,the nation is almost certainly descended from the family of Japheth, as werethe Medes through Madai. This would mean that all the nations referred toare of Japhetic or Hamitic origin. There is not one Semitic nation amongthem.

1 Like the hooks in the jaws of a crocodile being pulled to land for destruction. See29:4.

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COMPOSITION OF GOG'S ARMY

JAPHETH

Rosh

Meshech

Tubal

Gomer

Togarmah

Persia

HAM

Ethiopia

Libya

SHEM

This tends to confirm the suggestion made in our consideration of chapters25-28 and 35-36 that the neighbouring Arab Semitic peoples have alreadyentered into a period of peaceful co-existence with Israel before the Gogianinvasion. As a result of this that Israel occupies the position described inEzekiel 28:26, "They shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, andplant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence", which is preciselythe picture presented in this 38th chapter at the time when Gog invadesIsrael—they shall dwell safely all of them (v. 8); a land of unwalledvillages.. .that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and havingneither bars nor gates (v. 11).

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402 Ezekiel 38


This prophecy has not been fulfilled in any way at any time in history.1

After the return from Babylon there is no record of any such invasion and,indeed, at no time in history other than our own days could such aninvasion have taken place. We alone are privileged to see Israel partiallyrestored and Russia the greatest power in Eurasia. In spite of thedismantling of the USSR and the apparent "humanizing" of Russia she isstill covertly pursuing a policy of world domination. There is sympathywith Russia, for various reasons2, in most of the areas referred to by theprophet. We shall watch in wonder as these nations are drawn closertogether.

(ii) Gog invades Israel (38:8-13)

The description of Israel at this time given in verse 8 should be carefullynoted:

1. The land that is brought back from the sword, that is a land whosepeople have recovered from the ravages of war. This suggests atime of peace.

2. Gathered out of many people was not true of the return from theBabylonian captivity and indicates that we are correct in applyingthe latter years (v. 8) to modern times and Israel's "gathering" tothat which has happened in recent history.

The idea set out by E. Whittaker (The Gogian Invasion, The Testimony, vol. 42,p. 50) that Ezekiel 38:1-7 actually refers to the invasion during the days ofJosiah and that the words "I will turn thee back..." (v. 4) is speaking of theremoval of the Scythian armies from Israel in Ezekiel's day is unlikely. There isnothing in any historical record to suggest that the Scythians "were stilloccupying parts of Palestine and the nations around" at the time whenNebuchadnezzar invaded Israel and carried Ezekiel captive. Neither is there anysuggestion that Ethiopia and Libya were confederate with the Scythians at thattime even if Persia had been subdued by the Scythians in 640 BC.Including• ethnic connections and a sharing of Islam between the southern CIS states

and Iran (Persia), together with rabid anti-Semitism;• a sharing of the ideology of dictatorship, Russian military hardware and

ardent anti-Semitism between Russia, Libya, and Ethiopia;• anti-Semitism harboured in Catholicism shared between Gomer and Russia,

and an intense dislike of Israel's effective control over religious sites.

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3. They shall dwell safely, coupled withthe further description of Israel at thetime of Gog's invasion in verses11-12, as already noted abovesuggests a time of peace and securitywhich modern Israel has not yetexperienced. We anticipate, as wehave before maintained, that Israelwill enter a period of prosperity anddominance in the Middle East priorto the Gogian invasion.

The above paragraph, given in an address inthe late 1960s, was first published in 19781.It is encouraging to note that since thenIsrael, negotiating from the position ofstrength attained by her past militaryvictories over the Arabs, has signed peacetreaties with Egypt and Jordan, has enteredinto a peace accord with her arch foes thePalestinians and has commenced negotia-tions with Syria (which will clearly includeLebanon). On the basis of scripturespreviously examined (pages 275-278,332-342), and the picture of a settled andprosperous community presented here inEzekiel 38, much is yet to be achieved, byeither further conquest or negotiation.

At this point further comment must be made on the fact that at this timeIsrael is said to dwell safely (v. 8, 11). This is taken by some2 to imply thatIsrael has at this time entered into the blessings of the Kingdom, and thatMessiah is already reigning in Zion at the time of the Gogian invasion.3 It

8 After many days thou shalt bevisited: in the latter years thou shaltcome into the land [that is] broughtback from the sword, [and is] gatheredout of many people, against themountains of Israel, which have beenalways waste: but it is brought forthout of the nations, and they shall dwellsafely all of them.9 Thou shalt ascend and come like astorm, thou shalt be like a cloud tocover the land, thou, and all thy bands,and many people with thee.10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shallalso come to pass, [that] at the sametime shall things come into thy mind,and thou shalt think an evil thought11 And thou shalt say, I will go up tothe land of unwalled villages; I will goto them that are at rest, that dwellsafely, all of them dwelling withoutwalls, and having neither bars norgates,12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey;to turn thine hand upon the desolateplaces [that are now] inhabited, andupon the people [that are] gathered outof the nations, which have gotten cattleand goods, that dwell in the midst ofthe land.13 Sheba, and Dedan, and themerchants of Tarshish, with all theyoung lions thereof, shall say untothee, Art thou come to take a spoil?hast thou gathered thy company to takea prey? to carry away silver and gold,to take away cattle and goods, to take agreat spoil?

The Bible Student, vol. 9, page 149.For example, D. Fifield, "What Shall befall Israel in the Latter Days", in The NewBible Student, vol. 3, page 91.This reasoning leads to the erroneous conclusion that Zechariah 14, Joel 3,Daniel 11, etc. refer to events other than the Gogian invasions. See commentson page 406.

404 Ezekiel 38


is acknowledged that the idea of Israel dwelling "safely" (Heb. betach) isused of the blessed state of Israel in the Kingdom in such scriptures asJeremiah 23:6; 33:16; and Ezekiel 34:25, 27, 28. However, it is the contextin which the word is found that determines whether or not the Kingdom isbeing referred to, not the use of the word betach itself. In each of thefollowing uses of the word we would never see implied an enjoyment ofKingdom blessings! —

• The Ethiopians are said to dwell in a "careless" (Heb. betach,'safely, without care') way in Ezekiel 30:9.

• Hazor is described as dwelling "without care {betach)...which haveneither gates nor bars, which dwell alone" (Jer. 49:31). This is veryreminiscent of the words used of Israel in Ezekiel 38:11.

• The Chaldeans are said to dwell "carelessly" (securely, RVmg; Heb.betach) in Isaiah 47:8.

Guided by the context, in each of these references the use of the wordbetach implies nothing more that a time of perceived but unwarrantedsecurity. In each case the "dwelling safely" was short-lived and interruptedby a time of intense trouble. So it will be with Israel prior to the Gogianinvasion. The Gogian invasion will be the punishment for "all their tres-passes whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safelyin their land and none made them afraid" (Ezek. 39:26). Like theEthiopians, the inhabitants of Hazor, and the Chaldeans; Israel dwellingsafely in the time of Ezekiel 38:8, 11 implies no more that the nation isenjoying a period of peace and is unaware of the impending invasion that isabout to overwhelm them from the north.

This time of peace, however, will be shattered by Gog and his armiescoming like a storm — like a mighty hurricane —into the land of Israel(v.9).

Some indication has been given on page 276-278 of the prosperity that islikely to accrue as a result of the peace accord between Israel and thesurrounding Arab nations. It will be the prosperity of the nation of Israel,the desirability of the conquest of that strategically-important land, and aningrained anti-Semitism that will cause Gog to think an evil thought (v. 9)and go to war against the State of Israel.

It is worth commenting at this point on the statement that Gog willascend (v. 9) or go up (v. 11) [the Hebrew word is the same in both places]against Israel. It has been argued from these statements that in order to "goup" to Israel, Gog must be in the south, for one would only use the phrase

Ezekiel 38 405


"go up" if one were travelling north. Thus it is said that the invasion ofIsrael by the Northern power (called the King of the North1 in Daniel 11)takes place after he has invaded Egypt (Dan. 11:42). However, the phrase"go up" does not indicate movement in a northerly direction. When Cyrusgave the Jews permission to return from Babylon to Jerusalem, he said,"Who is there...let him go up to Jerusalem" (Ezra 1:3). Similarly thenations in the Kingdom, regardless of their geographical location, will berequired to "go up from year to year to worship the King" (Zech. 14:16).Thus, there is no reason why the invasion of Israel by the King of the Northshould not take place as he descends through the land towards Egypt—justas the Scythian hordes in the time of Josiah occupied Bethshan on their wayto Egypt. Certainly this is the order of events that a plain reading ofDaniel 11 conveys:

"And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and theking of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, andwith horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries,and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the gloriousland, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out ofhis hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. Heshall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egyptshall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of

1 The writer is of the opinion that the King of the North in Daniel 11 is the same asthe Gogian power in Ezekiel 38. This conclusion is scripturally and historicallysound as a careful examination of Daniel 8 and Daniel 11 will show. The littlehorn of the Grecian goat in ch. 8 is the same as the King of the North in ch. 11.This little horn power was representative of Rome as she emerged as a power inthe East, on the northern or Seleucid division of Alexander's empire. She fulfilledall the work divinely assigned to her in Daniel 8:9-12, crucifying the Prince ofIsrael's host and then, in AD 70, taking away the daily sacrifice and destroyingthe sanctuary. With the division of the Roman Empire it was the Eastern Empire,with its Greek connections, that assumed the mantle of the little horn. With thefall of the Eastern Empire in 1453 the Turks continued the desolating work butthe drying up of that power in 1917 has left the position vacant awaiting the trueheir to the little horn throne—Greek connected Russia (by virtue of the removalof the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate from Constantinople to Moscow—See Romeand Jerusalem, page 45). Before long Russia will fulfil the role providentiallydetermined. As King of the North—"the Libyans and the Ethiopians [being] at hissteps" (Dan. 11:43) as we have seen in Ezekiel 38—he will unwittingly findhimself in conflict "with the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken withouthand" (Dan. 8:25), or as in 11:45, "He shall come to his end, and none shall helphim."

406 Ezekiel 38


silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and theEthiopians shall be at his steps" (Dan. 11:40-43).

There is here added detail not found in Ezekiel. The powerful invadingarmy is presented just the same but in addition we are informed that "manyships" will be involved in the invasion. This confirms the fact that Turkeywill be a part of the Gogian confederacy because for Russia to use manyships against a Middle Eastern power would necessitate the free passage ofthose ships through the Bosphorus.1

The intention of the invader is clear—To take a prey...to carry awaysilver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil2

(v. 13). Gog will therefore seek to occupy the land of Israel and in this hewill be successful. This is made plain from other parallel prophecies suchas Zechariah 14:1-2 and especially Daniel 11:45 where we are informedthat the northern invader "shall plant the tabernacle of his palace betweenthe seas in the glorious holy mountain."

At this point in Ezekiel's prophecy another group of nations areintroduced into the picture—Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants ofTarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thoucome to take a spoil? (ν. 13)3. It is now necessary to try to identify thesenations.

In a sense Russia was the main victor in the 1967 war between Israel and theArabs. For her ships then sailed unchallenged through the Bosphorus into theMediterranean and have done so ever since. Thus Russia obtained, withoutfiring a shot, what she has always longed for—free passage into theMediterranean waters. The alliance of Togarmah with Gog shows that at thetime of the Gogian invasion this facility will still be available to the Northerninvader.

2 In connection with the "great spoil" see notes on page 279. There is here anindication that the invasion described by Ezekiel is the same as that referred toby Zechariah where we are told that "thy spoil shall be divided in the midst ofthee" (14:1).

3 Most commentators see in these words of Sheba, Dedan and the merchants ofTarshish an expression of their eagerness to participate in the spoils of war.That such an expression should come from the adjacent nations of Edom, Moaband Ammon would have been understandable, but to see it come from nationsso far removed from Israel makes this unlikely. Rather the question is, in the firstinstance one of surprise—"What? All this vast army to carry off booty from sopeaceful a people!" (Wm. Kay, Ezekiel, ad loc). But the reference to "younglions" being associated with Tarshish suggests, by comparison with Jeremiah


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Sheba and Dedan

Scripture mentions a Sheba and Dedan who were descended from Hamthrough Cush (Gen. 10:7) and also a Sheba and Dedan descended fromAbraham through Keturah (Gen. 25:3). It is impossible to be sure whichSheba and Dedan are referred to in the various Old Testament passageswhich speak of nations carrying these names.1 Since both the HamiticSheba and Dedan, and the Abrahamic (Semitic) Sheba and Dedan appear tohave settled in the Arabian peninsula, it is of no great importance.2 Shebaand Dedan point to the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula.

This leads us to consider a remarkable "sign of the times". Saudi Arabiais an emerging, potentially powerful, very rich nation. During the heyday ofthe Soviet Union when the USSR had bases and/or influence in Libya, theSudan and Iran (and at one time even in Egypt), in Saudi Arabia there wasnot even an illegal communist party operating within her borders. Thesituation in Russia has changed and her expansionist aims have been put onhold; but we can expect to see Russian interest and influence rekindled inthe nations surrounding Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, as we shallpresently show, we shall expect to see Saudi Arabia's ties with the UK andUSA becoming stronger.

Tarshish

Tarshish was descended from Japheth through Javan (Gen. 10:4). He gavehis name to the people who, in Old Testament times, settled the Westernend of the known Mediterranean world. An Assyrian inscription from thetime of Esar-haddon (7th century BC) states that in consequence of hisvictories over Tyre and Egypt all the kings of the islands from Cyprus "asfar as Tarsisi" paid him tribute, which, since Cyprus is in the easternMediterranean, suggests that Tarsisi (Tarshish) was to be looked for in the

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2:15, that here is a company organized as an attacking army, asking by whatright these invaders attack the Jewish State. "As much as to say, Thou shalt notspoil Israel and subdue their country, if we can help it" (John Thomas, ElpisIsrael, page 433).

1 There is another Sheba who is not associated with a corresponding Dedan. Thisis Sheba the son of Semitic Joktan (Gen. 10:26). The Joktanites founded akingdom in S. Arabia which for centuries was known as the Kingdom of Sheba.The other Shebas appear to have mingled with these Joktanites and it is verydifficult to separate them.

2 J. McClintock and J. Strong, op. cit, vol. 2, page 725; vol. 9, page 626.

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west. Jonah boarded a ship at Joppa, now known as Jaffa in Israel, to go toTarshish as he fled from Nineveh. This, too, suggests a place in the westernMediterranean (Jonah 1:1-3). The Phoenicians traded with Tarshish (Ezek.27:25) which, Tyre being on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, againsuggests that Tarshish is in the western part of the Mediterranean world.This conclusion is endorsed by most commentators and historians —"Most...are agreed that...the allusion is to Tartessus in Spain." 1 Tartessusappears to have been the name of a city and a region in what we know asSpain. "The Tarshish of the Hebrews, and the Tartessus of the Greeks, maybe taken to include all they knew of Spain, and perhaps the western regionswithin and without the Straits [of Gibraltar]." 2

"All the kings of theislands from ladanna

(Cyprus) as far asTARSIS paid him

tribute"

Solomon's navywent to Tarshishevery three years

But while the name Tarshish was connected to this region of Spain itseems that it embraced far more. The quotation above applies it to areaswithout the Straits. The Phoenicians who regularly went to trade withTarshish in silver, iron, tin and lead (Ezek. 27:12) certainly passed throughthe Straits. "There can be little doubt that they worked the tin and leadmines in Cornwall and the Scilly Islands...Besides the British Isles, thePhoenician navigators traded to others in the Atlantic, called the

J. McClintock and J. Strong, op. cit., vol. 10, page 219.P. Smith, A History of the Ancient World, vol. 2, page 356.

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Oestrymnides, which are probably the Azores...the north west coast ofAfrica was occupied at several points." 1

There is in 1 Kings 9:26; 10:22; 2 Chronicles 8:17; 9:21 an interestingreference to Tarshish where we learn that Solomon and Hiram king of Tyrehad a navy at Ezion-Geber in the Gulf of Aqaba. These ships went toTarshish and returned with gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks. This gaverise to the concept of an eastern as well as a western Tarshish. The politicalcircumstances of the time led our early brethren to identify this with India,which was part of the British Empire2. However, it has been argued that"ships of Tarshish" simply means 'ships built for long sea voyages' andthat the ships did not go to Tarshish (the limits of the known westernworld), but to Ophir in S. Arabia (1 Kings 9:28). The words in 2 Chronicles9:21 translated "the king's ships went to Tarshish" —it is argued—areprobably better translated as, "the king had Tarshish ships."3 So the NIVgives, "the king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram's men..."

However, even if we accept (as the author is inclined to do) that the AVof 2 Chronicles 9:21 is correct and the ships "went to Tarshish", it is by nomeans definite that an eastern Tarshish is intended4. Since Tarshish wasnormally reached via the Western Mediterranean, this may suggest thatSolomon's navy went to Tarshish either by canal from the Red Sea to the

ibid., page 357.2 e.g. John Thomas, Elpis Israel, page 434; Exposition of Daniel, page 97.3 See Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary on the Books of Chronicles, page 338.4 The argument that the Tarshish of 2 Chronicles 9:21 must be India since

peacocks do not come from Africa but from India is an argument based on threequestionable premises:(a) That the Hebrew word tukkiyim does refer to the bird we know as the

peacock. Opinions on this are divided. Some believe it to refer to a crestedparrot, others to the guinea fowl (see F. C. Cook, Speakers Commentary,vol. 2, page 546). Koehler and Baumgartner see it as referring to thebaboon (Theological Wordbook to the Old Testament, vol 2, page 969).

(b) That there were no peacocks in Africa. However, "the belief of thenaturalists was shattered in 1936 when the Congo peacock wasdiscovered in the Belgian Congo" (F. Drimmer ed., The Animal Kingdom,vol. 2, page 988.

(c) That the peacock could not have been obtained from an intermediatetrading post. Coastal trading by stages was quite common.

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Mediterranean1, or they went around the African continent, reaching thenorth-west African coast. In the time of Pharaoh Necho, Phoenician sailors,at his bidding, circumnavigated the African continent.2 Human naturebeing what it is it is highly unlikely that having accomplished this and seenthe richness of the African lands they could have resisted the temptation toextend their interests along those shores.3 4

In the time of Ezekiel, then, Tarshish was the extreme western world asknown to those trading nations and included all the territories we havementioned—Southwest Spain, Northwest Africa and trading islands beyondthe Straits (see map page 409).

There is some suggestion that a canal existed in the time of Seti I [in the latterhalf of the second millennium BC] running from the northern tip of the Red Seainto the Nile delta, but its "existence at Solomon's time is not yet establishedbeyond doubt" (Emil G. Kraeling, Bible Atlas, page 222). P. Smith maintains that"It is now proved, by inscriptions beside the banks, that he [Rameses JA] wasthe originator of the canal to unite the Mediterranean and the Red Sea" (Historyof the Ancient World, vol. 1, page 121). Further, T. Benson (The Testimony, vol.64, page 373) refers to Ecclesiastes: A New Translation by John Coleman(1866) in which he sets out in considerable detail arguments in favour of thecanal constructed by Rameses II being still in use during Solomon's reign,dredged by Pharaoh Necho and still in use "long after the Christian era". Thewidth of the canal was "in every part...sufficiently wide and deep to admit thenavigation side by side of two of the largest vessels in antiquity."

2 Herodotus, 4:42.3 Ray Walker, The Christadelphian, vol. 101, page 321, sets out convincing

historical reasons why the Phoenicians may well have been pushed intoapproaching Tarshish by circumnavigating Africa.

4 There is another explanation of the words in Chronicles which states thatSolomon's ships "went to Tarshish". It could be that the navy at Ezion-geber inthe Red Sea which went to Ophir (1 Kings 9:26-28) is a different navy to thatwhich went to Tarshish (1 Kings 10:22; 2 Chron. 9:21). The reasons for sayingthis are that (1) both Kings and Chronicles mention two separate navies; (2) thename "ships of Tarshish" is only applied to the one fleet and not to the other; (3)in Chronicles it is said that the fleet of Tarshish went to Tarshish; (4) the specialconnection of this fleet with the abundance of silver which was not imported fromOphir; (5) the fact that the commodities imported by the two fleets have only onearticle in common: gold. If two navies are intended, then the Ezion-geber fleet inthe Red Sea went to Ophir and the fleet that went to Tarshish would have beenlocated in the Mediterranean (F. C. Cook, ed., Speakers Commentary, vol. 2,page 545).

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There has been much discussion over the years as to the identity of theTarshish of Ezekiel 38.1 Since Britain and the USA are the major powersthat have emerged in the "latter years" in the territory of the ancientTarshish—that is, the extreme west of the known world—it seems to bequite reasonable to suggest that Britain and perhaps the USA are referred toby the prophet.

The involvement of the UK and the USA with the development of SaudiArabia serves to reinforce this viewpoint. The way in which they had thewilling co-operation of Saudi Arabia in the Gulf War further serves tounderline the closeness of the modern Tarshish powers with latter-daySheba and Dedan. These events may well herald the development of thatalliance to be revealed at the appropriate time—the Sheba, Dedan, and themerchants of Tarshish who will say, art thou come to take a spoil? Theevents also offer an indication of the nature of their response to the Gogianthreat—the placing in the Arabian peninsula of USA and UK militaryforces.

All the young Lions 2

Young lions have been mentioned earlier in Ezekiel (ch. 19:1-9) wherethey represented Israel's leaders. It is tempting to see the young lions inch. 38 as referring to co-operation between the Sheba, Dedan and Tarshishpowers on the one hand and certain leaders of Israel (the young lions) onthe other—a co-operation which was indeed in evidence in the Gulf Warwhen Israel's leaders, at the request of the USA, agreed not to retaliateagainst Iraq's Scud missiles. But the Hebrew will not allow of thisinterpretation. The sense of the Hebrew is that the young lions belong toTarshish. So the versions translate—"the merchants of Tarshish with all herstrong lions" (NIV mg); "the traders of Tarshish with all her young lions"(Roth.); "the merchants of Tarshish with all its young lions" (NASB mg);"the traders of Tarshish and all its young lions" (JER).

See for example series of articles in The Christadelphian—A. Winter Moore,"Britain and Israel", vol. 100, page 257 etc.; Albert T. Abbotts, "Surely the IslesShall Wait For Me", vol. 101, page 7 etc. Also, "Tarshish, Ancient and Modern"by H. Taylor in The Testimony, vol. 61, page 84.The NIV, NASB and RSV all render "young lions" as "villages". In this they followthe LXX and repoint the Massoretic text kephirim = "young lions" and readkepharim = "villages". Most commentators favour the translation, "young lions".

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It would seem reasonable that the young lions refer to those countrieswhich, with Sheba and Dedan, form an alliance with the Tarshish power. Atthe present time the member nations of the British Commonwealth appearto be those most likely to be so designated. Some consider the USA to beone of the young lions rather than it being included in Tarshish1.

This whole scenario would suggest that in the events depicted in Ezekiel38, at the time of the end the sympathies of Britain will be with herCommonwealth allies and with the USA, not with Europe. This writer isinclined to the view that Britain may well leave, or be forced to leave, theEU, which, at the time of writing, appears, under German influence, to beheading towards a political United States of Europe.2

(iii) God's purpose with Gog (v. 14-16)

Gog's invasion of Israel is to take place at atime when my people of Israel dwellethsafely (v. 14). The word translated "safely"(Heb. betach) is from a root that means "tofeel secure; to be unconcerned" 3.

Although there are occasions when thefeeling of security is so unwarranted as toamount to carelessness (e.g. Ezek. 30:9), yetthe way in which the word is usually used isto convey the idea of a fully justified feelingof security. So in the reign of Solomon,"Judah and Israel dwelt safely every manunder his vine and under his fig tree..."

14 Therefore, son of man, prophesyand say unto Gog, Thus saith the LordGOD; In that day when my people ofIsrael dwelleth safely, shalt thou notknow [it]?15 And thou shalt come from thy placeout of the north parts, thou, and manypeople with thee, all of them ridingupon horses, a great company, and amighty army:16 And thou shalt come up against mypeople of Israel, as a cloud to cover theland; it shall be in the latter days, and Iwill bring thee against my land, thatthe heathen may know me, when Ishall be sanctified in thee, Ο Gog,before their eyes.

For example, Donald Pearce, Milestones 1995, page 44.

It has been interesting to see comments from the USA as they look on helplesslyat their natural ally, Britain, becoming embroiled in a potentially disastrous unionwith Europe. One interesting development is the move to woo Britain away fromEurope by offering her a place in NAFTA (North American Free TradeAssociation). Headlines such as Forget Europe and join us, Gingrich tellsBritain have appeared in the serious British press. One British commentatorcontributing to the debate wrote perceptively, "We may dislike aspects ofAmerican culture, but it is part of our lives, as French, German, Italian orSpanish isn't...we think and feel American." (Daily Telegraph, June 1 s t , 1998).Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, vol. 2, page 88. See notes onIsrael dwelling safely on page 404-405.

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(1 Kings 4:25). This appears tobe the sense here in Ezekiel38:14 and the means wherebythis position of safety is achievedhas already been considered atchapter 35 and 28:24-26.

In the prosecution of hiscampaign against Israel, Gogcomes out of the north parts(v. 15). The importance of thisstatement cannot be over-emphasized. Moscow is duenorth of Jerusalem. Thus theidentification of Gog with thepower of Russia is geographi-cally substantiated.

Those who object to theidentification of Gog with Russiamust supply an alternative powernorth of Israel able to do thework that the prophet assigns toGog. The great message of theseverses is that the futuremovements of Russia and herallies are the result of the Divinehand at work with them—anillustration of the fundamental

teaching of scripture that "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men"(Dan. 4:17).

Circumstances surrounding the movements of the nations are supervisedby the angels who, working in the context of man's free will, ensure theprogress of the Divine purpose.1

1 An excellent example is to be seen in the activities of the angels working to getCyrus to issue his decree in Daniel 10:13.

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It is difficult for us to enter into the wonder of this.1 Russian foreignpolicy will be developed by the powers in Russia and the decision to invadethe Middle East will be made by the Russian leaders of their own volitionin response to circumstances that appear to call for such action. But whenthat decision is made, it will be made at exactly the right time, and in theway mapped out beforehand in the prophets.

Thus God says, / will bring thee against my land (v. 16). It is indeedGod's land. Though He has allowed it to be "trodden down of the Gentiles"for centuries this will be the time when, says God, "I will remember theland" (Lev. 26:42). The result of the Gogian invasion will be that thenations will know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, Ο Gog, beforetheir eyes (v. 16). Thus history will again repeat itself. Of Pharaoh it wassaid, "For this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power"(Exod. 9:16). So it will be with Gog.

1 The Ways of Providence, by Robert Roberts (available from CMPA) and StormyWind Fulfilling His Word by Tony Benson (available from CSSS) are recom-mended for further reading on this subject.

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(iv) The presence of the LORD in the earth (v. 17-23)

The first verse of this section is interesting.[Art] thou he of whom I have spoken in oldtime by my servants the prophets? Ezekielwas not the only prophet to speak of theattitude of Gog towards God's people and thesubsequent humiliation of the invader.

The first nation to fight against Israelduring her journey from Egypt to the Land ofPromise was Amalek. Of this encounterBalaam was compelled to write, "Amalekwas the first of the nations [to fight againstIsrael, JA]; but his latter end shall be that heperish for ever" (Num. 24:20). It is clear thatthere is far more in this expression of God'sintentions than the annihilation of theAmalekites. To celebrate the victory of Israelover the Amalekites an altar was to beerected. It was to be named Yahweh Nissi—'Yahweh my ensign' —and the reason why itwas so called is explained:

"Because the hand of Amalek is against thethrone of the LORD, therefore the LORD willhave war with Amalek from generation togeneration" (Exod. 17:15, 16, AVmg).

17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; [Art]thou he of whom I have spoken in oldtime by my servants the prophets ofIsrael, which prophesied in those days[many] years that I would bring theeagainst them?18 And it shall come to pass at thesame time when Gog shall comeagainst the land of Israel, saith theLord GOD, [that] my fury shall comeup in my face.19 For in my jealousy [and] in the fireof my wrath have I spoken, Surely inthat day there shall be a great shakingin the land of Israel;20 So that the fishes of the sea, and thefowls of the heaven, and the beasts ofthe field, and all creeping things thatcreep upon the earth, and all the menthat [are] upon the face of the earth,shall shake at my presence, and themountains shall be thrown down, andthe steep places shall fall, and everywall shall fall to the ground.21 And I will call for a sword againsthim throughout all my mountains, saiththe Lord GOD: every man's swordshall be against his brother.22 And I will plead against him withpestilence and with blood; and I willrain upon him, and upon his bands, andupon the many people that [are] withhim, an overflowing rain, and greathailstones, fire, and brimstone.23 Thus will I magnify myself, andsanctify myself; and I will be known inthe eyes of many nations, and theyshall know that I [am] the LORD.

The implication in this is that the war withAmalek would proceed apace when Yahwehrevealed Himself as Israel's ensign. This Hedid when He sent His son, who lived a life of obedience, and was finally"lifted up" onto "the pole" (the Hebrew word is nes = the ensign) "asMoses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness" (Num. 21:8, 9; John 3:14).Thus he destroyed in himself the diabolos principle which energized theAmalekite nation and which motivates and guides those who prosecute thatanti-Semitic, anti-throne-of-Yahweh war which Amalek began. Beingsuccessful in this fundamental battle against sin, Jesus became the Oneappointed to fight against the Amalek principle politically manifested. He isthe "ensign" to which his future assistants in that conflict rally; the root of

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Jesse, which stands for an ensign of the peoples, unto whom the faithful ofthe Gentiles now seek (Isa. 11:10, RV; Rom. 15:12).

The Gogian confederacy on the mountains of Israel is the latter-daymanifestation of Amalek. It is in his destruction that the words of Balaamwill be at last fulfilled—"His latter end shall be that he perish for ever." Itis no coincidence that Balaam also spoke of the time when "the shout of aking will be among them [Israel]" (Num. 23:21), and of this time "his[Israel's] king shall be higher than Agag (LXX "Gog")1 and his kingdomshall be exalted" (Num. 24:7).

Thus in the earliest of the prophets (in old time, v. 17) God spoke of thehumiliation of Gog, the latter-day champion of the Amalekite cause. Thisgreat theme subsequently formed the basis of many a prophetic message.This should lead us to view with extreme caution those explanations ofEzekiel 38 that relate it to a different time to the great future theophaniesreferred to in scriptures such as Joel 3 and Habakkuk 3 that were givenbefore Ezekiel's, and to those such as Zechariah 14 given after Ezekiel's.All of these are expansions of those early predictions of Moses and Balaam.

When Gog touches Israel, he touches "the apple [that is, the pupil] of[God's] eye" (Zech. 2:8). There is in consequence a vigorous reaction! Myfury, says God, shall come up in my face (v. 18) and there will be inconsequence a great shaking in the land of Israel (v. 19). This shakingtakes place as a result of God's presence being revealed in the land (v. 20).

In Old Testament times the presence of God was revealed through thatangel concerning whom God declared, "My name is in him" (Exod. 23:21).He was called "the angel of [God's] presence" (Isa. 63:9). At this futuremanifestation of divine power the name-bearer will be the Lord Jesus

1 Agag was the king of the Amalekites in the time of Saul (1 Sam. 15:8). This wasalso the name of the Amalekite king in the time of Balaam hundreds of yearsbefore. Thus it appears that Agag may have been the name of the kings ofAmalek in the same way that Pharaoh was the name of the kings of Egypt. Wehave seen that this was the case with Gog—it was the family name of theScythian kings. For some reason the translators of the LXX and SamaritanPentateuch saw fit to give "Gog" rather than "Agag" as in the MT of Num. 24:7.(One suggestion is that these early translators were using a Hebrew text thatdiffers from the Massoretic text—Botterweck and Ringgren, TheologicalDictionary of the Old Testament, vol. 2, page 422). This may well be the firstmention of Gog in scripture and if this be so, "Art thou he of whom of whom Ihave spoken in old time..." has a special reference to Numbers 24.

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Christ. He will come in the name of Yahweh in fulfilment of His promise toIsrael—"Ye shall see not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is hethat cometh in the name of the Lord" (Matt. 23:39). Thus all the latter dayprophecies of the Old Testament that speak of the LORD (Yahweh)manifesting Himself in power on behalf of Israel—including Zechariah14:3; Isaiah 66:15; and Joel 3:16—are actually foretelling the coming of theLord Jesus into the political arena.

This shaking in the land of Israel (v. 9) will indeed be political, but thepictures in the prophets indicate that Yahweh will use the powers ofnature—earthquake, pestilence, rain, and hail, etc.—to bring about thegreatest political upheaval of all time.

The parallels here with Habakkuk 3, Joel 3, and Zechariah 14 arestriking. There can be no doubt that they all refer to the same event.

EZEKIEL 38

There shall be agreat shaking inthe land (v. 19)

At my presence(v. 20)

HABAKKUK 3

He stood andshook the earth(v. 6, RVmg)

God came fromTeman (v. 3)Thou didst rideupon... thychariots ofsalvation (v. 8)

JOEL 3

The heavens andthe earth shallshake (v. 16)

Yahweh shall roarout of Zion (v. 16)Thither cause thymighty ones tocome down (v. 11)

ZECHARIAH 14

The mount of Olivesshall cleave in themidst thereof (v. 4)

Then shall the LORDgo forth, and fight...And his feet shallstand in that dayupon the mount ofOlives (v. 4)

The presence of Yahweh (from Ezekiel), the chariots of salvation(Habakkuk), Yahweh's mighty ones (Joel) and Yahweh's feet1 (Zechariah)all denote the emergence—into the world of politics—of Christ and hissaints, whose work will be to "execute upon them [Gog and his armies] thejudgements written" (Psa. 149:9). It should be noted most carefully that

1 That Yahweh's feet refers to the saints may be deduced from a comparison withIsaiah 52:7 which proclaims, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet ofhim that bringeth good tidings...". The apostle applies this to the preaching ofthe gospel and renders it, "how beautiful are the feet of them that preach thegospel..." (Rom. 10:15). That we are justified in applying this interpretation tothe Zechariah passage is seen from the words that follow in Isaiah 52:7—"Howbeautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him...that saith unto Zion, ThyGod reigneth! Any remaining doubt is dispelled by Zechariah who proceeds tosay that "the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee" (14:5).

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these prophetic chapters are not speaking of the return of Jesus back to theearth, but of his active emergence with the saints into the world of politics.Jesus will have returned long before to judge the household and organizethe saints for the great work before them.

Faced with such omnipotence, where the powers of nature are harnessedby the One unto whom all power has been given, Gog's armies will fall topieces. Like the Midianites in the time of Gideon (Judges 7:22), panic willseize the armies of Gog so that every man's sword shall be against hisbrother (v. 21, cf. Zech. 14:13; Hab. 3:14, RV). The world-wide impli-cations of the manipulation of the powers of nature that will be used todestroy Gog's armies will be discussed at chapter 39. At this point wemention the fact that steep places (or, "towers" AVmg) shall fall and everywall shall fall to the ground (v. 20). This may well be part of the cleansingprocess whereby all the churches and other "holy" places will be removedfrom the Land.1

The eyes of the nations will thus be directed to the great victory achievedon behalf of the remnant of Israel by Yahweh their King. With greatinterest, amazement and, in some quarters, apprehension and antagonism,the nations will watch as the King of Israel begins to "rule.. .in the midst of[his] enemies" (Psa. 110:2). With his brethren, he commences the longawaited task of raising Zion from the dust (Psa. 102:15,16).

1 See comments at 39:17-20.

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(v) The burial of Gog's armies (39:1-16)

The 39th chapter begins by giving a briefsummary of the overthrow of the armies ofGog as recounted in Ezekiel 38 and thenproceeds to give more details of the utterannihilation of the power from the north.

Verse 2 begins, / will turn thee back,which corresponds to the turning back, orenticement into the land, of the prince ofRosh, Meshech and Tubal as mentioned in38:4. Here, as in 38:15, he is said to comefrom the north parts (v. 2) to meet his doomupon the mountains of Israel. The phrase inthe AV, / will...leave but the sixth part ofthee, which has often been used to maintainthat five-sixths of Gog's army will be de-stroyed, is better rendered, according to RV,RSV, Rotherham and others, "I will lead theeon". There is nothing in the chapter or elsewhere in scripture to suggest thatone-sixth of Gog's forces will be spared. The picture presented is one ofutter annihilation. The Lord Jesus Christ who, as we saw in ourconsideration of 38:19-23, will have all the powers of nature at his disposalin his confrontation with Gog, will render his adversary impotent anddefenceless—/ will smite thy bow1 out of thy left hand, and will causethine arrows to fall out of thy right hand (v. 3) so that thou shaltfall uponthe mountains of Israel (v. 4).

In verse 4 the fall of Gog is said to be a giving of his power unto theravenous birds of every sort, and [to] the beasts of the field to bedevoured. This is a common figure in the prophetic scriptures. Jeremiah12:9, for example, speaks of the nations in this way: "Mine heritage [is]unto me [as] a speckled bird, the birds round about [are] against her; comeye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour". On this occasion itis the Gentiles who do the devouring and Israel is the prey. But who

Ezekiel 39:1-51 Therefore, thou son of man,prophesy against Gog, and say, Thussaith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am]against thee, Ο Gog, the chief prince ofMeshech and Tubal:2 And I will turn thee back, and leavebut the sixth part of thee, and willcause thee to come up from the northparts, and will bring thee upon themountains of Israel:3 And I will smite thy bow out of thyleft hand, and will cause thine arrowsto fall out of thy right hand.4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountainsof Israel, thou, and all thy bands, andthe people that [is] with thee: I willgive thee unto the ravenous birds ofevery sort, and [to] the beasts of thefield to be devoured.5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field:for I have spoken [it], saith the LordGOD.

1 The mention here of the "bow", as the principle weapon of the "great companyand...mighty army" (38:15) reinforces the Scythian connection set out in ourconsideration of 38:2, 3. The bow and arrow was the characteristic weapon ofthe Scythian hordes.

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6 And 1 will send a fire on Magog, andamong them that dwell carelessly inthe isles: and they shall know that I[am] the LORD.7 So will I make my holy name knownin the midst of my people Israel; and Iwill not [let them] pollute my holyname any more: and the heathen shallknow that I [am] the LORD, the HolyOne in Israel.8 Behold, it is come, and it is done,saith the Lord GOD; this [is] the daywhereof I have spoken.

devours Gog? Who are these birds and beasts? This is important, for, as weshall later see, the same terminology is employed at verses Π-24. We shallreturn to it at that point in the exposition.

Verse 5 concludes the introductory summary of the fall of Gog that hasalready been given in greater detail in chapter 38; thou shaltfall upon theopen field: for I have spoken [it], saith the Lord GOD.

Fire on Magog and the Isles (v. 6-8)

In addition to the destruction of Gog's armiesupon the mountains of Israel, we are nowtold that "the fire of [God's] wrath" (38:19),will extend beyond the confines of theMiddle East battleground and will penetratethe home territories of Gog and his allies—/will send fire upon Magog, and upon themthat dwell carelessly in the isles (v. 6). The"isles" here ("coastlands", as in RVmg)denotes all those distant nations allied with

Gog. The word carelessly should be understood as 'without a care,securely'. They were confident in the ability of their mighty army toachieve its objectives in the Middle East. This display of Divine power onbehalf of Israel marks the great turning point for which saints of all ageshave looked—so will I make my Holy Name known in the midst of mypeople Israel; and I will not let them pollute my Holy Name any more(v. 7). Exactly what form these judgements will take is not expressly stated.Fire is a general term used in Scripture for divine judgement (e.g. Deut.32:22; Jer. 7:20; Lam. 2:3). However, there will undoubtedly be a dramaticmanipulation of the powers of nature by the One to whom all power inheaven and earth has been given. As in the destruction of Gog's armies(38:19-22), earthquake, horrendous storms, and eruption of volcanoes willbe involved. We know the havoc that can be brought about by one 'naturaldisaster'. But when the whole of nature is turned against the enemies ofGod's people, what devastation will be visited upon them! Disruption ofpower lines, breakage of water and gas pipe lines, disease from waterpollution, crop failure and starvation from the disruption of road, rail andair transport systems will all combine to bring these nations to their kneesand render them politically impotent. Some idea of the effect of thesejudgements may be had from the words of Zechariah 14:16 where thewords "every one that is left" implies a major disaster among the nations.

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Ezekiel's summary of this great work of destroying the assembled armiesof latter day Agag and visiting their home territories with judgement issignificant. Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this isthe day whereof I have spoken (v. 8). We have already noted, at 38:17, thatthe destruction of Gog was predicted from earliest times. So, now, at thedecimation of Gogian power—it is done!

This declaration—"It is done!"—is quoted in Revelation 16:17 withreference to the events of the seventh vial. At this point it will be as well tofit the events so far considered in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, into thescheme of things presented in Revelation 16. This will prepare the way forour consideration of chapter 39:17-24. First, we set out the events ofEzekiel in parallel with the corresponding events of the vials.

EZEKIEL

1 will put hooks in thy jaws and bringthee forth...

1 will bring thee against my land

Overthrow of Gog—"it is done"

In that day there shall be a greatshaking in the land of Israel

Fire on Magog and the Isles

REVELATION

...to gather them to the battle of thegreat day of God Almighty

[Behold 1 come as a thief]

He gathered them to a place called inthe Hebrew tongue Armageddon

"It is done"

There was a great earthquake

The cities of the nations fell

From this comparison we learn something that is not made clear inEzekiel's prophecies—the second coming of the Lord Jesus occurs duringthat period in which the nations are being gathered. As far as the world isconcerned he comes "as a thief, that is secretly, and will raise the dead andconduct the work of judgement unbeknown to the mass of mankind. Thusthe coming of the Lord may be at any time for we are seeing in themovement of the nations that gathering process already taking place. Thewarning of the Lord is clear—"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he thatwatcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see hisshame" (Rev. 16:15). In this respect a keen interest in Bible prophecy isimportant for it sharpens our vision with respect to God's purpose, but"where there is no vision, the people is made naked" (Prov. 29:18, AVmg).

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Further, the comparison shows that the overthrow of Gog comprises the"battle of the great day of God Almighty"—Armageddon! It is significantthat the Revelation record says, "He gathered them together into a placecalled in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." Nowhere in the OldTestament is there a place called Armageddon. Most translators andcommentators opt for the rendering Har-Magedon (as in the RV) and give"hill of Megiddo" as the meaning of this name1. However, this is far fromsatisfactory. The Old Testament knows of no mountain called Megiddo.Surveying the attempts of orthodox expositors to explain this name, thewriter of the article on Armageddon in the Theological Dictionary of theNew Testament concludes, "Thus far there has been no satisfactoryexplanation of the name... the riddle of Armageddon still awaits solution"2.

However, there is an explanation which has escaped that writer'sattention. Bro. John Thomas derived the word from the Hebrew arma (aheap, rendered "sheaves" in Neh. 13:15), gai (a valley) and don (judge-ment)—a heap in a valley of judgement. And hence, since sheaves weregathered in heaps for threshing in a valley where the wind could blow thechaff away—"a heap of sheaves in a valley of threshing".3

This has the advantage of providing a derivation of the word Ar-mageddon and at the same time offering a meaning that is in completeharmony with the following Old Testament scriptures which deal with thissame time of trouble.

Joel 3

This refers to events which will take place among the Gentile nationssubsequent to the regathering of Judah —"Proclaim this amongst theGentiles; prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war drawnear; let them come up: beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say I am strong...let the heathen bewakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat (= the valley ofYahweh's judgement)" (3:9-12). The figure of a threshing of harvestsheaves then follows—"Put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe..." andthen, "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of threshing; for the day of theLORD is near in the valley of threshing" (v. 14, AVmg).

1 For example, A. Plummer, T. T. Randell and A. T. Bott, Pulpit Commentary.2 Joachim Jeremias, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, vol. 1, page

468.3 J. Thomas, Eureka, vol. 3, page 604.

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Micah 4

This speaks of the part to be played by Israel as the instrument in theLORD'S hands at this time—"He shall gather them (Israel's enemies) as thesheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, Ο daughter of Zion: for I willmake thine horn iron, and I will make thy hooves brass: and thou shalt beatin pieces many people" (v. 12, 13).

Habakkuk 3

This chapter, using that way of speaking in which things that have nothappened are presented as though they have already occurred, speaks of thefuture theophany of Israel's mighty One who will come fromTeman—"Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didstthresh the heathen in anger. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thypeople, even for salvation with thine anointed" (3:12, 13).

Isaiah 41

Here Isaiah speaks of the part to be played by Israel in these events. "Fearthou not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee saith theLORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make theea new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh themountains,1 and beat them small and make the hills as chaff. Thou shaltfan them and the wind shall carry them away.. .and thou shalt rejoice in theLORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel" (41:14-16).

Daniel 2

This presenting of the judgement of the assembled might of the Gentiles asthe threshing of a heap of sheaves also finds its echo in Daniel 2. Here themetals of the image, representing the kingdom of men in its latter daymanifestation, are "broken to pieces" by the little stone so that they become"like the chaff of the summer threshing floor; and the wind carried themaway, that no place was found for them" (2:35).2

Thus Ezekiel 38 is describing this coming conflict of Armageddon whenthe Russian-led confederacy of nations, having "touched the apple of

Mountains are frequently used in the scriptures as representative of nations: forexample, Isa. 2:14; Jer. 51:25; Zech. 4:7; 6:1.

2 This little stone then grows into a "great mountain [which] filled the whole earth"(Dan. 2:35). Thus the greatest political power that ever will be seen in theearth—the Kingdom of God—is also represented as a mountain.

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[God's] eye", will become a heap of sheaves in the valley of Divinejudgement—and 39:8 declares, It is done!

Summary

At this point we will summarize events detailed by the prophet thus far, forthe rest of chapter 39 has to do with events subsequent to Armageddon.

(1) The partly regathered nation of Israel is presented to us as havingachieved a position of security, "dwelling safely...without wallshaving neither bars nor gates" (38:8, 11).

(2) In this situation they have become rich "in silver and gold...cattle,and goods" (38:13) to such an extent that they are seen by Gog as"a great spoil" (38:13).

(3) We have seen from Revelation 16:15 that Christ returns "as a thiefto raise the responsible dead and to judge them.

(4) Russia, pursuing a policy of world dominion, will lead aconfederacy of nations into the Middle East and will humiliate theState of Israel.

(5) After the conquest of Israel by Gog, Christ Jesus (with his immortalbrethren) will emerge on the political scene as the Saviour of Israeland, using Judah as "his goodly horse in the battle", will rise injudgement against the Gogian invader.

(6) The armies of Gog will be decimated, and the home territories ofGog and his allies will also be visited with Divine judgement.

This is the broad outline that, we have suggested, is presented to us in thesechapters so far. It leads to the point where Christ, his saints, and theremnant of Judah are in possession of the Holy Land, so that the work ofestablishing the Kingdom can now begin.

The cleansing of the Land (39:9-16)

Verses 9-16 describe the cleansing operation that will take place in the landfollowing the overthrow of Gog. We are told that, they that dwell in thecities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and shall burn theweapons (v. 9). Some have seen a problem in this burning of the weaponsfor, it is argued, modern weapons cannot be burned. This comes from toorigid an interpretation of the prophet's words. No one would seriouslyargue that the Gog of the latter days will come against Israel riding horses(38:4, 15) and using swords, spears, shields, bows and arrows (38:4; 39:3).Just as the prophet describes a modern army in terms of his own day, so, we

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suggest, he describes the disposal andutilization of Gog's arms in terms of his ownday.

No doubt the combustible materials willbe burned, so that they shall take no woodout of the field, neither cut down any out ofthe forests; for they shall burn the weaponswith fire (v. 10). In this connection it is ofinterest to note the development by theDutch of a substance known as lignostone.This is densified beech wood impregnatedwith resin and compressed in presses to atleast 10,000 tons. It is used in industry inplace of metal1 and can be tooled like steel.According to a report by J. V. Collyer2 itwas already being used in 1987 in the Sovietarmaments industry in the construction oftanks. From this it is clear that a modernarmy of the future may well contain morecombustible material than has hitherto beenthought likely. The incombustible materialswill also, no doubt, be, burned withfire—that is, melted down so that all tracesof the ingenuity of men of war will beremoved from the land of promise.

This process of destruction and utilizationof the materials of Gog's armaments willtake seven years (v. 9) —an indication of thesize of the military operation itself.

Verse 10 states that Israel will spoil those that spoil them, and rob thosethat rob them. This suggests not only that the army of Gog will bedestroyed and Israel will reclaim the spoil taken by the aggressor, but alsothat Israel's King will exact from the nations which sent forth their armies,reparations for the damage caused by the invader.

9 And they that dwell in the cities ofIsrael shall go forth, and shall set onfire and burn the weapons, both theshields and the bucklers, the bows andthe arrows, and the handstaves, and thespears, and they shall burn them withfire seven years:10 So that they shall take no wood outof the field, neither cut down [any] outof the forests; for they shall burn theweapons with fire: and they shall spoilthose that spoiled them, and rob thosethat robbed them, saith the Lord GOD.11 And it shall come to pass in thatday, [that] I will give unto Gog a placethere of graves in Israel, the valley ofthe passengers on the east of the sea:and it shall stop the [noses] of thepassengers: and there shall they buryGog and all his multitude: and theyshall call [it] The valley of Hamongog.12 And seven months shall the houseof Israel be burying of them, that theymay cleanse the land.13 Yea, all the people of the land shallbury [them]; and it shall be to them arenown the day that I shall be glorified,saith the Lord GOD.14 And they shall sever out men ofcontinual employment, passing throughthe land to bury with the passengersthose that remain upon the face of theearth, to cleanse it: after the end ofseven months shall they search.15 And the passengers [that] passthrough the land, when [any] seeth aman's bone, then shall he set up a signby it, till the buriers have buried it inthe valley of Hamongog.16 And also the name of the city [shallbe] Hamonah. Thus shall they cleansethe land.

F. A. Tatford, Dead Bones Live, page 227.The Christadelphian, vol. 124, page 467.

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Gog's hosts having fallen onthe mountains of Israel, they areto be buried in the valley of thepassengers on the east of thesea (v. 11). The location of thisvalley is not readily ascertained.It is scarcely conceivable thatthe sea referred to is the Med-iterranean since the burial ofGog's hosts east of that seawould pollute the centre of theHoly Land. Thus it wouldappear that it is the Dead Seathat is referred to. The Hebrewword translated passengers isabarim and the designation ofthe valley on the east of the seaas "the valley of Abarim" maywell point to the vicinity of theAbarim chain of mountains inthe north east of the Dead Sea.1

The valley of the passengers on the east—the burial place of Gog

Wherever the location, there the hosts of Gog will be buried and theplace will be named the valley of Hamon-gog (v. 11). There are a numberof significant points worth noting in connection with the burial of Gog'sarmies.

• We have already observed the length of time taken in disposing of theweaponry which will litter the Middle East battlefield as indicative ofthe size of the invading forces. Now we have a further indication —seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them (v. 12). Wemay safely assume that the burial of the dead will be given priorityover the collection and dismantling of the weapons. While all thepeople of the land (v. 12) will participate in the work of burying theGogian dead, it will be an appointed task of certain people, describedas men of continual employment (v. 14), to search through the land forall traces of the destroyed Gentile armies. Their work will be madeeasier by the instruction to any passing through, to set up a sign (v. 15)

1 So Botterweck and Ringgren, Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament,vol. 2, page 419—"the valley of Abarim in Transjordan."

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by any dead body. Thus shall they cleanse the land (v. 16) —a processthat will take seven months.

The name of the burial place of Gog—Hamon-gog—and the name ofthe city which will be built close by—Hamonah (v. 16) are surelysignificant. We have earlier seen the connection between Amalek,Agag and Gog1. When Israel fought with Amalek of old it was said,"Because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of the LORD,therefore, the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation togeneration" (Exod. 17:16, AVmg). Nowhere in history was that con-flict more clearly illustrated than in the experiences of the Jews in thetime of Esther. Haman, a descendent of Agag the Amalekite, plotted todestroy the Jews. But in the outworking of His purpose and in harmonywith His declaration of war upon Amalek, God brought about thehanging of Haman on his own gallows. How appropriate then that inthis final phase of Yahweh's ongoing contest with Amalek, the utterdestruction of this latter day Agagite (i.e. Gog) should be celebrated bythe naming of the place the valley of Hamon-Gog. The word Haman isa Persian word which probably means 'illustrious'. The word hamon isderived from the root hamar which means "to...roar, rage".2 Althoughthe words are not the same, they sound very similar. The alliteration issurely not coincidental3. This valley will be the valley of the roaring,raging, multitude of Gog. Listen to them—they are silent like death!Haman has been hanged on his own gallows again!

It may be asked why the valley should be so named and why a cityshould be built to celebrate the destruction of Gog. Jesus warned hisfollowers that it is better for men to be faithful in this life and not toplease themselves, which could only result in them being "cast intoGehenna fire; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched"(Mark 9:47, 48). Jesus was quoting from Isaiah where, speaking of theage to come, the prophet declares, "It shall come to pass that from onenew moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all fleshcome to worship before me saith the LORD. And they shall go forthand look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against

cf. page 417.2 B. Davidson, Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, page 192.3 This point has not been lost on the Jews. At the feast of Purim they assemble in

their synagogues and read through the book of Esther. Each time the wordHaman occurs they use their rattles (called gragers) to make a noise (hamon).

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me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched:and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh" (66:23, 24). ThusGehenna, the Valley of Hinnom on the south west of Jerusalem, will bethe awful reminder of what happens to those who "obey not the gospelof our Lord Jesus Christ", whereas Hamon-gog will be a memorialcelebrating the fate of those "who know not God", both categories ofpeople having been "punished with everlasting destruction from thepresence of the Lord" (2 Thess. 1:8,9).

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7. God's glory among the nations(39:17-29)

(vi) The sacrificial feast (39:17-20)

Having considered in detail the cleansing ofthe land from the effects of the Gogian over-throw, we are now introduced to events thatwill take place some time after Christ hasestablished His throne in Zion where he willreign "in the midst of [his] enemies" (Psa.110:2). The prophet describes the destructionof the princes of the earth.. .horses andchariots... mighty men... men of war (ν. 18,20) under the figure of a sacrificial feast tobe offered upon God's table (v. 20). Aninvitation is extended to every feathered fowland...every beast of the earth (v. 17) toattend this feast.

17 And, thou son of man, thus saith theLord GOD; Speak unto everyfeathered fowl, and to every beast ofthe field, Assemble yourselves, andcome; gather yourselves on every sideto my sacrifice that I do sacrifice foryou, [even] a great sacrifice upon themountains of Israel, that ye may eatflesh, and drink blood.18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty,and drink the blood of the princes ofthe earth, of rams, of lambs, and ofgoats, of bullocks, all of them fatlingsof Bashan.19 And ye shall eat fat till ye be full,and drink blood till ye be drunken, ofmy sacrifice which I have sacrificedfor you.20 Thus ye shall be filled at my tablewith horses and chariots, with mightymen, and with all men of war, saith theLord GOD.

These birds and beasts have already beenintroduced in connection with the overthrow of the Gogian hosts at 39:4.We need now to ask who are represented by these birds and beasts of preywho devoured Gog's armies and who, now, in this new prophecy areinvited to God's sacrificial feast?

Again, the prophecies of Balaam, which we have seen to be closelyconnected with these events, are helpful. In the section which declares thatIsrael's "king shall be higher than Agag (i.e. Gog)", the prophecy states thatIsrael's "kingdom shall be exalted. God brought him forth out of Egypt; hehath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations hisenemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with hisarrows. He couched, he lay down as a lion and as a great lion: who shallstir him up? Blessed [is] he that blesseth thee and cursed [is] he that curseththee" (Num. 24:7-9). This prophecy is a reversal of the process ofDeuteronomy 28:26 and Zephaniah 1:7-8, which leads ultimately to the"dry bones" state described in chapter 37. For centuries Israel has been thecarcase, and the nations the birds and beasts of prey. This is to change, andIsrael will devour those who devoured them. Let Balaam speak again—"Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as ayoung lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the

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7. God's glory among the nations (39:17-29)

blood of the slain" (Num. 23:24). Israel at this time will be led by "the lionof the tribe of Judah". He was represented in type by Cyrus the conquerorof Babylon, of whom it was said, "He is my shepherd, and shall perform allmy pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to thetemple, Thy foundation shall be laid" (Isa. 44: 28). This is the work that, inits fulness, is yet to be done by Yahweh's Anointed (Isa. 45:1), the LordJesus Christ. He is the greater than Cyrus, and therefore, in a greater sensethan he, is "a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth mycounsel from a far country" (Isa. 46:11; note the reference to the "farcountry" in Luke 19:12).

The use of this figure in 39:4 at the time of the overthrow of the Gogianarmies, and here on the occasion of God's invitation to His sacrificial feast,has led many commentators to regard these verses as simply anotherreference to the destruction of the military might of Gog. The book ofRevelation provides the key to an interpretation of this section of Ezekiel.We have shown that the Gogian overthrow corresponds to "the battle ofthat great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14), which takes place at thebeginning of the seventh vial and which is marked by the exclamation(quoting from Ezekiel 39:8), "It is done!" (Rev. 16:17). These events, as wehave seen, lead to the Kingdom being proclaimed—a Kingdom that will notbe welcomed by many of the nations that survive Armageddon. When Jesusbegins his reign he will remove from his Kingdom all that is unclean andoffensive. This will involve far more than the burial of Gog and thedestruction of his weapons:

"...I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no morebe remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit topass out of the land" (Zech. 13:2).

Thus the Jewish people, brought face to face with their Redeemer, will becleansed from all their idols (Ezek. 36:25). It is inconceivable that thepagan monuments of the Gentiles will be left in place and, as we havealready suggested, the upheavals associated with Gog's overthrow willcause most of the great demolition. All churches, shrines, mosques, and so-called holy places will be removed from Messiah's Kingdom. All priestsand other practitioners of Gentile religion will be banished.

The psalmist summarizes the tremendous reaction among the nations:"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,against the LORD and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bandsasunder and cast away their cords from us" (Psa. 2:2, 3).

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Revelation 17-19 provides an enlarged view of certain events, subse-quent to the establishment of the Kingdom, that will involve the crushing ofall opposition to Messiah's reign. Here we learn that the focus of resistanceto Christ's rule will be the western European beast-nations of whom we aretold, "The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have receivedno kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast"(Rev. 17:12). A united Europe will rise up in opposition to Christ. Surely inthe events now taking place we are privileged to see the groundwork beingprepared for this political movement. In Western Europe things are movingrapidly in the direction of a Federal super-state. The constituent nationshave "one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast"(v. 13). They will proclaim a holy war against the imagined usurper whohas closed the holy places and banned false religion from the Holy Land."These shall make war with the Lamb" (Rev. 17:14). This is not thesituation that prevailed at the time of Gog's entry into the land. The eventsof Ezekiel 38 occur before Christ is in his kingdom. There the object ofaggression is the prosperous and peaceful Israel. The invader is Gog who,having humiliated that proud people to the point where they say, "Ourbones are dried up and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off (Ezek. 37:11,RV), is taken by surprise in the appearance on the scene of Israel's king. InRevelation 17 the object of aggression is Christ, and the invader is theEuropean beast-power. The outcome is clearly stated—"the Lamb shallovercome them: for he is Lord of lords and King of kings: and they that arewith him are called and chosen, and faithful" (Rev. 17:14).

Revelation 19 presents us with further comment on this conflict betweenthe beast with his "kings of the earth", and the "King of kings". The Kingof kings is said to sit upon a white horse. His name is "Faithful and True,and in righteousness he doth judge and make war" (19:11). As inRevelation 17:14, where the called and chosen and faithful are with theKing of kings, so here also, in the prosecution of this war he is accom-panied by a multitude of individuals who are styled "the armies which [are]in heaven". There is no doubt who these helpers are for they are said to"ride upon white horses" and are "clothed in fine linen, white and clean"(v. 14). This fine linen, mentioned earlier at 19:8, "is the righteousness ofsaints".

Thus these armies of heaven which follow their illustrious leader into theconflict are the immortal saints. The conflict itself is described in verse19—"I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gatheredtogether to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his

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army." Again we note, as in chapter 17, it is the kings of the earth whoinitiate the conflict—they make war with the Lamb.

These events have reference to the crushing of the rebellion spoken of inthe second psalm, as we have previously stated. This is confirmed by theapplication to these events of words that have their basis in that psalm. Theadversaries of the Lamb are styled "the kings of the earth" (cf. Psa. 2:2).Faced with Omnipotence, these kings are soon subdued and we learn "Heshall rule them with a rod of iron" (Rev. 19:15, cf. Psa. 2:9).

The order of events suggested by this brief excursion into Revelation is:(1) The gathering of the nations to Armageddon,(2) The overthrow of the Gogian-led hosts,(3) The opposition to Messianic rule from the "kings of the earth",(4) The conflict between these "kings of the earth" and the "King of

kings".We may now consider the significant words to be found at Revelation19:17-18. The King of kings and his armies having been described inverses 11-16, before the battle is enjoined (verses 19-21), we are told—

"I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying toall the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselvestogether unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings,and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh ofhorses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free andbond, both small and great" (Rev. 19:17-18).

This is a clear reference to Ezekiel 39 as the following table shows:-

EZEKIEL 39:17-20

"Speak unto every feathered fowl, andto every beast of the field,

Assemble yourselves, and come; gatheryourselves on every side to mysacrifice that I do sacrifice for you,even a great sacrifice upon themountains of Israel, that ye may eatflesh, and drink blood.

REVELATION 19:17-18

"And I saw an angel standing in thesun; and he cried with a loud voice,saying to all the fowls that fly in themidst of heaven...

Come and gather yourselvestogether unto the supper of the greatGod...

continued

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EZEKIEL 39:17-20

Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, anddrink the blood of the princes of theearth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats,of bullocks, all of them failings ofBashan. And ye shall eat fat till ye befull, and drink blood till ye be drunken,of my sacrifice which I have sacrificedfor you.

Thus ye shall be filled at my table withhorses and chariots, with mighty men,and with all men of war, saith the LordGOD."

REVELATION 19:17-18

That ye may eat the flesh of kings,and the flesh of captains, and theflesh of mighty men...

...and the flesh of horses, and ofthem that sit on them, and the fleshof all men, both free and bond, bothsmall and great".

On the basis of scriptures previously advanced, these birds and beast ofprey include the nation of Israel organized now as the people of Messiah'sKingdom. Zechariah speaks of that time—"They [Judah] shall be as mightymen which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle:and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders onhorses shall be confounded" (Zech. 10:5). For the "riders on horses to beconfounded" by the people of Judah is, in the apocalyptic language ofEzekiel, for Judah to be filled at my table with horses and chariots, andmighty men, and with all men of war (v. 20).

The results of the sacrifice are stated in verse 21 — the heathen shall seemy judgement that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid uponthem. In these words Ezekiel describes the conquest of the beast power thatwill arise in Europe to fill the vacuum left by the overthrow of the Gogianpower.

From the above table we see that the invitation, Assemble yourselves,and come (v. 17), finds its counterpart in Revelation 19:17—"Come andgather yourselves together". This is interesting in view of what follows inthe next section of Ezekiel 39, which has to do with the completerestoration of Israel. Christ and the saints, together with the remnant ofJudah (that is, the people in the land), will begin the establishment of theKingdom subsequent to the overthrow of Gog. Then will follow the call tothe remaining tribes, still scattered, to return to the land. Jeremiah speaks ofthis return—"I will bring them from the north country, and gather them

434 Ezekiel 39


from the coasts of the earth.. .a great company shall return thither.. .for I ama Father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn" (Jer. 31:8-9). Isaiah, too,having described how God will come to set His glory in the earth andestablish a sign in the middle of the nations (that is, the kingdomproclaimed from Zion), relates how that the Jews still scattered will bebrought "out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters andupon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem"(Isa. 66:20). The invitation in Ezekiel, assemble yourselves and come, maywell be a call to the still scattered Jews to return to participate in thesacrificial judgement of the nations.

"A great sacrifice·.."TIME

Magazine

"Ye shall eat the fleshof the mighty, anddrink the blood of theprinces of theearth...of bullocks, allof them failings ofBashan"(Ezek 39:18)

"The Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords,and Kings of kings; and they that are with him are called,

and chosen, and faithful."

Ezekiel 39 435


(vii) Israel restored (v. 21-29)

In the foregoing exposition, especially in theconsideration of the restoration prophecies,the point has been made on a number ofoccasions that what we are seeing in the landof Israel today is not the full restoration ofwhich the prophets speak. It is indeed awonderful sign that God is still working withHis people and that His purpose is movingtowards its grand climax.

Since, from Ezekiel 38, it is clear thatthere has to be a nation in the land at the timeof the Gogian invasion, it follows that whatwe have witnessed over the past century is anamazing "sign of the times". What we see inthe land today is a source of great encourage-ment. But there is a time of great troubleahead for Israel when, if our exposition iscorrect, the modern State of Israel, afterconsiderable local success in her confronta-tion with the Arabs, will be overthrown bythe Gogian invader to become a valley of drybones; a nation in despair which cries, "Ourhope is lost" (37:11).

21 And I will set my glory among theheathen, and all the heathen shall seemy judgment that I have executed, andmy hand that I have laid upon them.22 So the house of Israel shall knowthat I [am] the LORD their God fromthat day and forward.23 And the heathen shall know that thehouse of Israel went into captivity fortheir iniquity: because they trespassedagainst me, therefore hid I my facefrom them, and gave them into thehand of their enemies: so fell they allby the sword.24 According to their uncleanness andaccording to their transgressions have Idone unto them, and hid my face fromthem.25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;Now will I bring again the captivity ofJacob, and have mercy upon the wholehouse of Israel, and will be jealous formy holy name;26 After that they have borne theirshame, and all their trespasses wherebythey have trespassed against me, whenthey dwelt safely in their land, andnone made [them] afraid.27 When I have brought them againfrom the people, and gathered them outof their enemies' lands, and amsanctified in them in the sight of manynations;28 Then shall they know that I [am]the LORD their God, which causedthem to be led into captivity among theheathen: but I have gathered them untotheir own land, and have left none ofthem any more there.29 Neither will I hide my face anymore from them: for I have poured outmy spirit upon the house of Israel,saith the Lord GOD.

The appearing of Christ in the politicalarena will begin the final restoration process.First he will save the remnant of Judah andthen he will proceed to restore the whole nation in all the fullness of therepeated messages of the prophets. All these things we have tried to showin the exposition. These final verses appear to confirm that this approach iscorrect. We will select a few points in summary:

1. "Now will I bring again..." (v. 25) is after the overthrow of theGogian invasion while Christ faces the opposition of the othernations.

436 Ezekiel 39


2. "Have mercy upon the whole house of Israel" (v. 25) refers not tojust the Jews in the land. The subject of this great restoration1 is allthe tribes of Israel.

3. "After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasseswhereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely intheir land" (v. 26). Their trespasses today are evident. They willcontinue to withhold from the Almighty the service that is His afterthey attain the position of safety in the land, which ourconsideration of chapters 35-38 leads us to expect. For this theywill bear their shame at the hands of Gog. Thus these verses speakof a time after the Gogian invasion.

4. "And am sanctified in them" (v. 27)—points to the establishment ofthe kingdom by Messiah, when God's sanctuary is in the midst ofthem (37:28).

5. "Have left none of them any more there" (v. 28) —this isconclusive. It shows that the restoration spoken of here is the finalrestoration by Messiah—the restoration of all Israel (both Israel andJudah) when there will be no Jews left scattered among the nations.

6. "Neither will I hide my face any more from them" (v. 29) —againshows that this must be after the overthrow of Gog. It is the time ofJeremiah 30:8, 9 when, says God, "I will break his yoke from offthy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no moreserve themselves of him: but they shall serve the LORD their God,and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them."

7. "I have poured out my spirit upon [them]" (v. 29). This, as we sawin our consideration of chapter 37, has reference to the bringing ofIsrael into the bond of the covenant when they accept the truth inJesus.

Thus this series of prophecies comes to a close with a brief picture ofIsrael's restoration at the hand of Messiah and his brethren. We are directed

This is confirmed by the apostle in Romans 11:25-27. Quoting from Isaiah 59,he refers to the manifestation of Messiah to the nation of Israel—"There shallcome out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: forthis is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." This time herefers to as the time when "a// Israel shall be saved". This reference to "allIsrael" is directing us to the time when the words of Ezekiel we are consideringwill be fulfilled—"Now will I have mercy upon the whole house of Israel",elsewhere referred to as "Israel and Judah" (e.g. Jer. 30:3, 9-11).

Ezekiel 39 437


by this final prophecy to anticipate the time when the Seed of Abraham willpossess the gate of his enemies (Gen. 22:17); when God's glory, manifestin the King and his immortal princes, will come to rest in the midst ofIsrael, and, resting there, will shine out with irresistible splendour to thenations of the earth (v. 21).

The remaining chapters of Ezekiel's prophecy are so full of fascinatingdetail of the Divine arrangements that will be introduced in the earth at theestablishment of the Kingdom, that they warrant a separate volume—a taskto which we may set our hands if the Lord remains away.

Meanwhile, we rejoice in the clear signs that the prophecies of Ezekielare being fulfilled. While we see ahead a time of trouble, both for Israel andthe nations, yet we can see beyond the blackness and look with greatanticipation for the dawn of Zion's glad morning.

438 Ezekiel 39

Maps and IllustrationsChapter Page

1 Map of the times of Ezekiel (Jehoiakim) 14Whirlwind 19The throne vision 27Cherubim in the tabernacle 33Wheels with living creature 35Genesis 1 and Ezekiel 1 compared 42

4 Clay tablet which mentions Nebuchadnezzar 66430 years diagram 70

5 Map showing Israel at the centre of the continents 768 Diagram of temple 97

Diagram of abominations 9910 The glory departs 12019 The capture of the lion's whelps 19023 Part of the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III 22525 Structure of Ezekiel's prophecies against the nations 239

Nations around Israel mentioned in Ezekiel 25-32 24026 Map showing mainland and island Tyre with

Alexander's causeway 258Map showing coastline at Tyre and village of Sur 259Photo of Sur with ancient Tyre in background 260

28 Map showing Israel' s modern neighbours 276Map showing proposed developments after peace 278

29 Pharaoh Hophra the dragon of "Egypt" 283Chronological table of the period of Ezekiel'sprophecies against Egypt 288

30 Babylonian invasion of Egypt 296Map showing cities conquered by Nebuchadnezzar 298Chart illustrating the breaking of Pharaoh' s arms 300

35 Nations in Psalm 83 33537 Picture of dry bones 360

Vision of dry bones coming to life 364

439

EZEKIEL

37 Stick of Judah and Joseph joined 374Development of two sticks 377

38 Map of ancient world 386Scythian invasion of the Middle East 387Descendants of Tiras 391Gomer and Togarmah 397Composition of Gog's army 401Ezekiel 38 and the modern world 402Tarshish 409The power from the north 414

39 Abarim "east of the sea" locator map 427A great sacrifice 435

AcknowledgementsThe author gratefully acknowledges his indebtedness to the following:

The picture of the valley of dry bones on page 360 has been reproducedfrom Thine is the Kingdom by permission of the author, P. J. Southgate.

The diagram on page 364 is based on a drawing that appeared in Lightmagazine published by the Dawn Christadelphians.

The front cover illustration, the Babylonian Chronicle, © by The BritishMuseum, is reproduced by arrangement.

The publishers thank all those who assisted in the production ofthis book.

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Abel, R.

Allen, L. C.

Allfree, John

Ashmore, H. P. (Ed)

Barron, David

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Block, Daniel I.

Booker, G.

Botterweck, G. J.,Ringgren, H. &Fabry, H. J.

Boulton, W. H.

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"Ezekiel", Word Books, Dallas, USA, 1994.

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Davidson, Benjamin

Elliott, D. M.

Fairbairn, P.

Fausset, A. R.

Feinberg, C. F.

Flenley, R. &Weech, W. N.

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"The Origin of Russia", Testimony Vol. 63, (Ed. T. Benson),Norwich, 1993.

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"The Prophecy of Ezekiel", Moody Press, Chicago, USA,1978.

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"Middle East Update", Gospel Publicity League, Epping, SouthAustralia.

"Ezekiel", (Ellicott's Bible Commentary), Nelson, Bristol,ND.

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"Kiev Rus", Foreign Languages Publishing House, Moscow,1959.

442 Ezekiel

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Harris, R. L.,Archer, G. L., &Waltke, Β. Κ.

Hastings, James

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Hertz, J. H.

Hoeth, J.,Mattingly, G. L.,&Yamouchi, Ε. Μ.Jamieson, R.,Fausset, A. R., &Brown, D.

Josephus, Flavius

Kaye, Wm.

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Keller, W.

Kidner, D.

Kittel, G. &Friedrich, G.

Kraeling, Emile G.

Lewis, M.

Mansfield, G. E. andH. P.

Mansfield, H. P.

Martin, W. J.

McClintock, J. &Strong, J. (Eds.)

Moscati, S.

Pearce, Donald

"Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament", Moody Press,Chicago, USA, 1980.

"Dictionary of the Bible", (5 vol. edn.), T. & T. Clarke,Edinburgh, 1910.

"The Histories" (Translated by Wm. Beloe), Jones & Co.,London, 1830.

"Pentateuch and Haftorahs", Soncino Press, London, 1979.

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"Theological Dictionary of the New Testament", (10 vols),Wm.B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, USA, 1974.

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"Making Prayer Powerful", Logos, West Beach, SouthAustralia, 1974.

"Stylistic Criteria and the Analysis of the Pentateuch",Tyndale Press, London, 1955.

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Pearce, Graham

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Plumptre, Ε. Η. &Whitlaw, T.

Plummer, Α.,Randle, Τ. Τ. &Bott, A. T.

Pritchard, J. B.

Ragozin, Z. A.

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Schwartzkopff, P.

Smith, James E.

Smith, P.

Smith, W. M.

Spurrell, G. J.

Stanley, A. P.

Styles, D.

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Taylor, J. B.

Thayer, J. H.

Thomas, John

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Ezekiel 445

Index to Bible referencesGenesis1 & Ezek 1 comparison 04210:2 39012:3 23822:17 163,43848:16 02349:10 21549:10-11 19

Exodus3:8 3676:02-4 19517:15, 16 41619:05 35119:06 35119:20 02320:4-5 10023:21 98,41728 stones 03634:05-7 35134:13, 14 100

Leviticus6:13 1169:24 11610:01-2 11815:19 34916:4 10926:12 35126:15 07826:25 08126:26, 39 07226:27, 30 08626:29 13426:31-33 13426:40-42 38226:42 41526:44,45 169

Numbers2 tribes 036

5:02 3496:24-26 03214:04 20014:21 20019:09 35423:24 43124:17 33124:20 41624:7 41724:7-9 430

Deuteronomy01:09-10 16302:09 24404:05, 6 35204:5 07804:5-6 07507:04 27207:07-8 16328 history unfolding 19828:25, 26 36328:26, 49 33328:48 06728:65, 66 08130:1-2 08831:17 03232:02 32832:18 21932:22, 24 08132:22 115,42132:23-25 202

Judges10:06 274

1 Samuel22:3 244

2 Samuel3:39 17623:3-4 047

446

Index

1 Kings8:11 0988:32 1129:26 41010:20 different navy11:01,6-8 16414:25-26 281

2 Kings16:18 16517:13-15 19817:9 10318:9 37119 15, 16 02320:12-18 22621:03-6 16525:01-7 19225:18-21 125

1 Chronicles17:06 321

2 Chronicles8:17 4109:21 41011:16 37615:09 37616:09 03830:06-13 376

Ezra3:07 2575:05 0387:06 0298:22 0298:35 377

Nehemiah13:16 257

Job2:10 029

411

Psalms1:1 3292:2, 3 4318:4-6 04311:04 01517:08-9, 15 03018 02134:07 02334:15,20 03837:09,28 14248:07 26657:04, 1 03068:29 38369:28 14272:06 32872:16 35874:13 28274:14 30778:52 32180:08-10 15580:14-17 15680:17 05083 33483:07 25283:13 04091:3-4, 11 03195:11 370102:15, 16 419102:16 048105:15 195105:37 162106:20,23 139110 historical basis 176110:01-4 215110:02 419110:03 176110:2 193132:17-18 293135:04 163137:07 191,248,332149:05-9 046149:09 418150:01 042

447

Index

Proverbs28:15 22029:18 422

Isaiah5:01-2 1558:14 1288:18 00511:10 37011:14 243,25211:32-34 17514:05 41829:03 06734:04, 5 337 33940:02 32641:14-16 42442:06 20142:07 out of prison43:02 08243:06 36744:28 43146:11 43151:03 35852:07 41852:70 38153:50 38254:07 12855:01-3 35555:03, 10-11 29359:20 18460:1,3 4661:1 20163:01,4 33763:09 41764 349

66:15, 18 46,41866:20 43566:23, 24 428

Jeremiah3:15 328,3804:04 1154:26 0267:08-11 126

202

7:16 15111:14 11812:09 42015:01-4 15223:01-2 32223:03, 5, 6 RV 32723:05, 6 29223:05 17423:06 38125:12 01325:15-20 25125:30 02827:9 24528:14 06729:10 temporary 178,37630:3 37930:3,9-11 43730:7-10 353,36530:8, 9 328, 43730:9 38131:8, 9 43531:10 18631:31, 34 327, 38331:31-34 18631:8-9 37933:5 03236:29-31 05337 28240:07 31942:13-18 29643:10-12 29044&46 29046:26 28548:47 24649:17 33349:22 248

Lamentations1:17 0944:22 330

448

Index

Ezekielexposition of 1 -39 343:12 3686:11 02911:16, 17 08211:17 36912:4-6 00518:23 digression 18620:35 20621:27 19327:25 40928 & 38 compared 27929:18 25729:19 28533:11 18634:28 33035:10, 12 33036 order of events 37136:24-27 37036:24-28 38236:25, 26 38037 & 38 not chronological 38437 interpreting 360- 36237:11 43637:22 20538 parallel prophecies 41738 map 40238:04 420, 42538:04,1 5 42538:08, 11 42538:11 37838:13 42538:17 41638:19,20 36838:19-22 42138:19-23 42039:22 28039:25, 26 348 35439:25, 28 36839:25-29 37039:26 28039:29 363

Daniel2:35 4244:17 214,4147:10 0319:24, 26 20110:13 41411 404,40611:40-43 40711:41 243,33712:02 04212:7 & Rev. 10:1,5,6 109

Hosea2:14-16 1705:14-6:3 3719:03-4 07214:03,8 380

Joel2:32 319,3363 before Ezek 4173 337, 4043:11-16 4183:12 2763:16, 19 3463:16 3753:18 3363:18 3583:9-14 423

Amos3:6 042

Obadiah10-14 330 33216 34018 343

Jonah10:01-3 409

Micah1:03 0284:12 424

449

Index

4:13 28,3724:7 3755:02 2015:04, RV 326

Habakkuk3 before Ezek 4173:06-8 4183:12, 13 424

Zephaniah1:8,9 1102:05-7 2502:09, 10 2432:02 0402:08 245

Haggai1:12 0832:09 383

Zechariah1 3623:9 0374:2, 10 0386:12 2926:13 2158:12 1589:03-4 25810:03; 14:4 37810:06-10 379,38012:03-11 33712:06 27712:10 204,354.37913:01, 17 35413:02 355,379,43113:7 08414 after Ezek 41714 40414:03,4 41814:2 36514:21 17014:3-4 26,375

Malachi3:1,2 0833:6 3504:5, 6 3544:1,3 0474:2-3 0284:5 380

Matthew10:15 16913:43 04217:11 35418:6, 10, 14 08421:42-44 05623:31-32 20123:38 09523:39 375,41824:16 11324:48 135

Mark1:15 2025 cp. Isa. 64 3496:34 3239:47, 48 42812:30-31 18214:62 016

Luke1:52 2141:71 2011:72, 73 cf. Exod 2:24; 6:5 20118:07-8 23119:12 43121:18 084

John1:51 0165:26, 27 0676:44 1868:44 16210:16 32510:25 32410:26,27 325

450

Index

12:48 06714:09 324

Acts2:17 1443:21 201,32115:14 352

Romans1:21 -27 background 19910:11 33610:15 41811:25-27 43711:26 184,38111:26, 27 38311:26 205, 34811:26 34811:26,27 201,20411:28, 29 35015:8 201

1 Corinthians3:16 112

Gaiatians3:15-17 202

Ephesians5:11, 12 103

1 Thessalonians1:2,4 186

2 Thessalonians1:8, 9 429

1 Timothy2:4 187

2 Timothy4:3,4 149

Hebrews2:5 422:8 434:12 3678:6-13 2028:8-11 1869:23 015

James1:1 3774:4 231

1 Peter2:25 Diag. 3254:17 1135:8 roaring lion 220

2 Peter2:1-2 1433:4,9 1363:9 brethren not all 186

Jude3-4 143

Revelation4:1-7 0165:6 0395:9-10 0448:3-5 11611:4 36716 & Ezek 38 compared 42216:15 42516:17 43116:17 42217-19 43219:11 43219:17-18 & Ezek 39:17-20 43322:2 32822:3 44

451

Index144,000 111430 days 5, 64430 years for Israel, 40 for Judah 69430 years or 70? 6970 years' captivity 201abar 229Abarim location 427Abominations of Judah 105Abominations removed from land 419Abominations which Ezekiel saw 99Abortions like Molech worship 101Above the firmament 44Abraham: harmony with Philistines 250Abrahamic covenant ratified, blood 202Achor, valley of hope 203Acting out judgement to fall 68AD 70 336, 354AD 70 79,92, 136,365AD 70 overthrow of Judea 203adam 107Adamant to destroy wicked 55Adopting wrong interpretation 362Adulteress stoned 230Adulteress, Israel as 156Adultery & shedding blood 218Adultery and idolatry 229Affliction, Edom helped the 331Agag (LXX'Gog') 417Agag name of Amalek kings 417Agag, latter day 422Agenda For Change—A Warning 137Agents in God manifestation 26Ahab and Baal worship 223Ahab, Moab rebelled after 244Ahaz' alliance with Tiglath-pileser 226Aholah and Aholibah 222aion 90Alexander in Egypt 287Alexander invades Egypt 309Alexander the Great 257Alexander took Gaza 251

Alexander's causeway to island 258All Israel shall be saved 437All nations 341Allegory concerning Jerusalem 159Allegory, Jerusalem or people? 160Alliteration and Gog 428Allusions in 2 Samuel to Psa 110 176Altar fire 115Altar styled lion of God 110Altar to Israel's victory 416Amalek 416Amalek, Agag and Gog 428Amasis defeated 301Amasis' economic development 286Amber or bronze 45Ammonites 212, 216Ammonites, Semitic 238, 239, 241Amorites intermarried with Israel 161Amorites'punishment 150anatole 294Angel as an enemy 79Angel of execution 110Angel of God's presence 417Angelic protection 28Angelo-cherubic chariot 43Angels and free will 414Angels and God manifestation 23Angels and nations 414Angels and rulership of God 23Angels as God's eyes 38Animals worshipped in Egypt 102Annals of city of Tyre 256Annihilation of Gog 420Anointed cherub 272Antagonism towards Israel 335Anti-Jewish world 340Antiochus Epiphanes 70Antiochus Eupator 70Anti-Semitic activity 366Anti-Semitic nations judged 330Apathy and wealth 269

452

Index

Aphrodite same as Ishtar 104Apis 223, 224Apocalyptic language in Ezekiel 17Apocalyptic temple 21Apocalyptic visions 61Apostasy of Israel 107,145Apostolic period & Joel 2 336Apparent contradiction reconciled 132Appeal for personal righteousness 182Appearance of a man 45Apple of God's eye 417Apries (Pharaoh Hophra) 282Arab neighbours of Israel 341Arabia & Kedar 265Arabs 243Arabs help Gog 346Arabs, confrontation with 436Aramean tribes east of Tigris 227Archaeology confirms Bible 291Ark captured 250Arm represents military strength 299Armageddon 422Armageddon, derivation 423Armies of heaven 432Arms destroyed 426Arms melted down 426Army of Tyre mercenaries 262Army, great 362, 369Aromatic spices 265Ar-ras 392Arrogance of Tyre against Jerus. 254As I live...I will be King over you 200Ascend 405Asher peaceful coexistence 274Asherah, Baal's consort 101, 274Assembly the faithful 142Assimilation notions of Jews 199Assyria 226Assyria attached by Scyths 388Assyria, return from 203Assyria's glory ceased 302Assyrian army assisted Babylon's 228Assyrian axe of judgement 175Assyrian captivity 376

Assyrian inscription & Tarshish 408Assyrian inscriptions 396Assyrian invasion and angels 23Assyrian lion 371Attitude of elders 148Attitude toward God's word 134Attitude toward prophecy 134,136Azerbaijan 391Baal and Asherah, Baal's consort 101Baal god of Tynans 254Baal in Temple 165Baalis king of Ammonites 241Babylon, out of 200Babylon's idols worshipped 165Babylonian & Assyrian captives 376Babylonian as God's sword 211Babylonian captivity 71Babylonian invasion of Egypt map 296Babylonian judgement like Noah's 89Balaam prophecies of 430Balaam's curse 244Balaam's prophecy 416Barber's razor 74Bartering promised land for peace 349Basest shephal of men 214Basics of interpretation 31, 65Battle goes beyond ME 421Battle of great day of God 431Beast of prey represent 430Beast wages war against Christ 432Beech wood arms 426Bene-Kedem children of east 242Beryl means 'to destroy' 35, 36betach an analysis of scripture 405Bible prophecy, importance of 422Birds & beasts symbolic of nations 420Birds and beasts represent nations 303Birds of the air—Gentiles 177Bitterness of speaking against sin 57Black obelisk Shalmaneser III 224Blessing of faithful sheep 326Blessing of the land 346Blessings fill with pride 269Blinded their eyes 88

453

Index

Blood 217Blood of Jesus ratified covenant 202Blood of Jews shed by Edom 332Bond of the covenant 202Bondage and Gentile dominion 201Bondage, return to 203Bones = disobedient Israel 363Bones picked bare 363Bones, valley of dry 360Bosphorus 407Bow 27Bow weapon of Scythian hordes 420Bow, appearance of 47Bozrah geographical location 337Branch Messianic equiv. of smh 294Branch of God's planting 176Branch of Jer. 23:5 381Branch, a tender one 174Branch, the 37Breach in the wall of Jerusalem 132Bread from six grains 71Breaking of Pharaoh's arms 299, 300Breastplate 35Briars and thorns removed 279Bribes and shedding blood 218Bride's ornaments 164Briers and thorns, Edom 248Britain 263Britain and EU 413Britannia 409British Commonwealth nations 413British Empire 410Bubonic plague 151Burden 131Burial of Gog 427Burnt with fire 80Caldron, parable of 232Call of Ezekiel 12Call to repentance 316Called, chosen and faithful 432Calling 187Calling and election, make sure 157Cambyses crushed Psammetichus 308Cambyses put Persians over Egypt 287

Canaanite no more 170Canaanite, Jerusalem a 159Canaanites corrupted Israel 275Canaanitish in character 168Canal from Red Sea to Med. 411Captain of our salvation 44Captives respond to message 127Captivity had not changed Judah 199Captivity, Ezekiel sent to children of 51Carcasses of transgressors 428Carchemish 282Cargo of ship of Tyre 263Catholicism and anti-Semitism 403Cauldron and the flesh 122, 125Cedar of Lebanon 171Cedar tree symbol of flesh 302Cedar wood from Asshur 266Centre of divine worship 383Certainty of judgement 149Chaff made of nations 424Chaff of threshing floor 424Chain illustrates capture of king 5Chaldea, Ezekiel resident in 13Chariot of Yahweh 26Chariots of salvation 418Chart on breaking of Pharaoh 300Chart showing 430 years 70Chastisement of our peace 382Chebar, river 13Cherub 21

Cherub with king of Tyre 273Cherub, anointed 271Cherubic chariot plan of 35Cherubic protection to Messiah 31Cherubim (from Phanerosis) 25Cherubim and judgement 114Cherubim in Ezekiel 20, 24Cherubim in the tabernacle 33Cherubim, meaning of word 21Cherubim, work of 22Child cast out, Israel in Egypt 162Child murderer to be stoned 166Children do suffer consequences 180Children enter the Holy Land 200

454

Index

Children of God 351Children offered in sacrifice 229Children offered to Molech 165Children, spoken to by God 197Christ and the saints 26Christ emerges on political scene 367Christ object of aggression 432Christ rules in midst of his enemies 419Christ, events after throne est. 430Christ's coming 422Christ's emergence into the world 419Chronological table against Egypt 288Churches, mosques removed 379Cimmerians 397Cities of nations fall 422Cities rebuilt 359City of Jerusalem judged 114City of remembrance 429City on the tile, Jerusalem 66Clay tablet & Nebuchadnezzar 66Cleansing of Israel 379Cleansing of land 425Climax of sin in Manasseh 164Clothed in linen 108Coming judgement & responsibility 178Composition of Gog's army 401Confederacy, reasons for 403Conquest or negotiation 404Consecration of Ezekiel the priest 57Context, importance in interpretation 19Cooking by human dung 72Correspondence between prophets 13Countries of exile 203Covenant and promise to Abraham 202Covenant people and depravity 199Covenant: New with Israel 382Creation of a political man 271Creation of Tyre 271Crocodile and the fishes 282Crocodile baiting 283Crocodile of the Nile destroyed 306Crop failure 421Cross or taw? 111Cuneiform inscription by Neb. 286

Cup of God's judgements 229Cup of iniquity full, Israel's 54, 169Cup of Israel's iniquity full 199Cush & Ethiopia 284, 385Cush and Phut 396Cut down 79Cyprus 262Cyrus conqueror of Babylon 201Cyrus in type 431Cyrus' decree Dan. 10:13 414Daily sacrifice removed 406Damascus 213Dan and Javan 265Daniel prophesying 13Darius and Scythians 387Darkness & Zedekiah's blindness 132Darkness of heathendom 78Darom 209Dating problems in Ezekiel 64Daughters (towns) in the field 255Daughters of Philip 144David delivered by Yahweh 21David typical of greater son 176David, promise to tsemach 292Davidic covenant 175David—King and Shepherd 381Day of Atonement 109Day of Yahweh's anger 92Days are prolonged 135Dead raised 422Deaths of uncircumcised 270Dedan 2565Dedicated though unpopular 5Defiled bread 72Defiling the temple of God 112Delay in coming of Jesus? 137Deliverer pierced 379Deliverer shall turn ungodliness 348Demolition of churches, mosques 431Depravity of Judah not understood 100Desire: for God or idols? 223Destroying angel 80Destruction of beast power 434Destruction of men of war 430

455

Index

Deuteronomy: restatement of Law 198diabolis principle 416Diagram of abominations 99Diagram of glory departing 120Diagram of the throne vision 27Diagram of two sticks 377Diagram of wheels with cherub 35Diaspora 12 tribes in 377Die for own sin 178Diet inadequate? 64Difficulties in interpreting Ezekiel 64Dig through the wall 131Disease from pollution 421Divination 140Divine clues to interpretation 75Divine origin of prophecy 232Divine program unfolding 341Divine purpose & angels 414Division into thirds 80Do we worship idols today? 103Dragon destroyed 306Dragon of Egypt 283Drop thy word 208Dry tree period 177Dumbness to cease 236Dungy gods 72Dwelling safely 342Dwelling safely 413,414Eagle 32Eagle also Egypt 173Eagle, Nebuchadnezzar as 171, 248Eagle, parable 171Earthquake at Armageddon 337Earthquake in Israel 417East wind of Nebuchadnezzar 266East wind: divine anger 172Eating sons and daughters 134Ecclesia of firstborns 193Ecclesia will not save us 152Economic crash of Assyria 304Economic disaster 267Economic miracle 279Eden the garden of God 271Edom 191,330

Edom desolated by house of Jacob 336Edom east of Israel 337Edom geographical & a people 340Edom made a political wilderness 337Edom took advantage of fall 330Edom, latter day judgement 342Edom, latter day? 249Edom, various views about 340Edom: Gentile powers? 341Edom's desolation, Israel restored 339Edom's final desolation 344, 345Edom's identity 339Edomites 238,246Effect of economic collapse 304Egypt a broken reed 173Egypt and final siege of Jerusalem 174Egypt encouraged Tyre to revolt 305Egypt geographical details 295Egypt God's wages for Neb. 289Egypt humiliated 296, 297Egypt invaded 406Egypt judged 238Egypt still a base kingdom 287Egypt to suffer humiliation 284Egypt, prophecies against 281Egypt's 26th dynasty 290Egypt's decline 282Egypt's forty year desolation 284Egypt's idols worshipped by Israel 196Egypt's restoration a base kingdom 285Egypt's royal house extinct 297Egypt's supposed afterlife 313Egyptian language disappears 309Egyptian politics run like oil 309Egypt—Nebuchadnezzar's wages 289Ehud 244ElShaddai 195,357Elam 312Elders, faithless 148Election, not all 186Elijah prepares nation 354Elijah to prepare the way 47Elijah unheeded but by a few 100Elijah's work of conversion 380

456

Index

Elohim for future Israel 383Elohim reigning over Israel 358Elohim save Israel 347Elpis Israel 368End is come (flood) 89End of the age 135, 138Enemies are routed 21Enemies of Israel map 335enosh 108Ensign for Amalek assistants 416Ensigns 262Enticement into the land 420Ephraim 374, 376Esau as Edom and Seir (red) 331Esau's Canaanite wife 223Esther's conflict with Haman 428Ethbaal 268Ethiopian anti-Semitism 396Eureka 423European beast opposes Christ 432Events subsequent to est. Kingdom 432Every on that is left i.e. few 421Evil at God's hand 29Evil thought 405Evil upon inhabitants 90Executioners 251Exhortation for Bride of Christ 231Exile's baggage 130Exiles now would listen 319Exiles return 288Exiles, message to 153exodus of Jesus at Jerusalem 201Exodus record, additional detail 194Extortion & shedding blood 218Eyes 39Eyes of Yahweh 112Eyes to protect and judge 37Ezek 1 and 9 compared 108Ezek. 37 pivotal to understanding 361Ezek. prophecies not chronological 282Ezekiel 38 and the modern world 402Ezekiel 38 is before 37 384Ezekiel a man of sign 5Ezekiel and his times 13

Ezekiel bears Israel's iniquity 68Ezekiel commissioned & instructed 51Ezekiel divinely strengthened 50Ezekiel eats defiles bread 71Ezekiel enacts 586 BC captivity 130Ezekiel enacts siege conditions 134Ezekiel involved in visions 48Ezekiel played a part in visions 61, 123Ezekiel removes his hair 74Ezekiel represents saints & Christ 366Ezekiel transported in vision 96Ezekiel's dumbness removed 318Ezekiel's last prophecy 289Ezekiel's message to exiles 13Ezekiel's prophecies vindicated 315Ezekiel's vision helps captives 127Ezekiel—Israel's watchman 57Face hidden no more 437Faces of cherubim 32Faces represent rulership 31Faith and Conversion 186Faith and righteousness 152Faith manifested by remnant 204Faith protects us 113Faithful and True 432Faithful ones marked 110Faithlessness end of wild, journey 198Falasha Jews 396Fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchad. 232Fallen angel, Satan, no 271False prophet's results 135False prophets 186False prophets in demand 149False prophets in ecclesia? 144False prophets in Jerusalem 138False prophets in Judah 13False prophets to be exposed 136False prophets will yet arise 137, 138False teachers among exiles 57False teachers will yet arise 137False teaching in Babylon 15Famine for apostasy 150Fate of king and people 130Father and shedding blood 218

457

Index

Father's nakedness & shed blood 218Father's name in foreheads 111Federal super-state EL) 432Feet 28Feet of the cherubim 26Feet that preach the gospel 418Female prophets 144Female tendency 144Feminist influence 147Fertile Crescent 387Fertility to follow restoration 347Few left 133Fiery judgement by Nebuchad. 115Fig leaf falling 338Figs, good and bad 125Final judgement of Israel by Gog 113Final scattering 348Final siege 234Finance system of world shaky 267Fine linen 432Fire and sword 208Fire and the few 81Fire at Sinai 20Fire of affliction 336Fire of God's fury 18, 46, 421Fire of Yahweh's judgements 209Fire on Magog and isles 421Firmament 27Firmament in Genesis 40, 41Firmament, the, in Ezekiel 40, 41First captivities not humbling 96Fleshly achievements unimportant 87Flock, Israel God's 321Folly of world 269Forest fire: Babylonian invasion 209Forest of the south 208Forgiveness 153Forgiveness based on repentance 318Forgiveness of sins 382Forms of worship, denying power 230Fouling the water of life 325Four living creatures 20French, ancient called Galatia 398Friendship of the world 231

Fruit necessary to be acceptable 156Fruit of the spirit 157Fruitless state of Israel 155Galatia 398galgal 39Garden of Eden 359Gas pipe explosions 421Gauls 397Gaza strip antagonism 252geber 107Gedaliah 319Gedeliah 229Gehenna fire 428Gen. 1 and Ezek. 1 comparison 42Gentile armies destroyed in Israel 427Gentile opportunity 54Gentiles a sacrifice 110Geographical location conclusive 414Germany 400Gesenius and Rosh 392Glory and name inseparable 351Glory departs 96Glory departs from temple 119,120Glory left mercy seat 114Glory of God moves out of temple 97Glory on threshold 106Glory returns in Jesus 121Go up 406God "sanctified" in Israel 280God a sanctuary to some exiles 82God and the altar fire 115God blessed Israel in land 163God is not willing that any... 187God judging His enemies 29God leaves His sanctuary 102God places Israel in the land 365God rules in kingdom of men 133God sanctified by Gog 415God saw affliction of Israel in Egypt 162God sees not is common thinking 103God vindicated 87God's abhorrence of idols 93God's four sore judgements 148God's fury like fire 18

458

Index

God's glory among the nations 430God's instruments of war 308God's judgement on Edom 330God's judgements in AD 70 49God's living word 355God's moral excellence 351God's name vindicated 350God's offer of salvation 317God's purpose not frustrated by sin 92God's purpose revealed in name 197God's purpose to continue 85God's purpose unshakeable 200God's purpose with Gog 384, 413God's purpose with Israel 183God's purpose with Tyre 268God's representatives 322God's rulership over earth 20God's servant Nebuchadnezzar 93God's two unfaithful wives 222God-manifestation doctrine of 324Gog 385, 388Gog a historical person 388Gog conquers Israel 425Gog invades Israel 384Gog invades Israel 403Gog is latter-day Amalek 417Gog, first mention 417Gog, instrument in God's hands 350Gog, Overthrow of 420Gog, was Hitler? 7Gog's armies described 384, 385Gog's army, burial of 384Gog's army-no Semite nation 400-401Gog's destruction 384Gog's power destroyed 420Gog's work divinely appointed 400Gogian Confederacy 399-400Gogian invasion 343Gogian invasion 361Gogian invasion, after 370Golden calf incident 196Goliath 250Gomer 263Gomer & Togarmah map 396, 397

Gospel preached to Abraham 202Grace and works necessary 152Graphic of beast sacrifice 435Grave of history 312Great sacrifice of bullocks 435Grecian Goat little horn 406Greece 265Greek Orthodox Patriarchate 406Green tree 177Gulf States 335Gulf War 412Hadad harboured by Egypt 281Hair divided into three parts 5, 74Ham, descendant of 250Ham, descendants 408Ham, descendants of 396Haman 428Hamon & Haman connected 428Hamonah 428Hamon-gog 427Hanan ben Hanan 249Hananiah's death predicted 13Hananiah's false hope 124Hand of the Lord was upon me 60Hands and side pierced 204Hands symbolize Divine action 29Haran and Eden 265Harlot to be burned 166Harlot with painted eyes 230Harlotry political alliance 224Hasmoneans 165 BC 251Hatred of Jews to be judged 331Having pity, God 352hayah—I will be 91Heads of the living creatures 43Heap of sheaves for judgement 423Heart of flesh 128Heart, a new 355Heart, new and new spirit 185Heat of spirit an emotional response 56Heavens darkened 307Heavens declare glory of God 42Heavens were opened 16Hebrew tongue 423

459

Index

Heir to little horn throne 406Hellenic influence in Egypt 309Herodotus c 400 BC 385Herodotus unreliable 285Herods 249Hezekiah 226Hezekiah childless 24Hezekiah's friendship to Babylon 226Hezekiah's prayer & angel response 23Hiddekel 303High places destroyed by God 86Hiram 253Hiram 410Historical and prophetic context 20, 26Historical atlas of Russia 395History of Edomites 247, 248History of Egypt 310History unfolding Deut. 28 198Hittites 161Hole dug in wall 102Holy given eternal life 352Holy places 95Holy war against antichrist 432Hope lost Hos 5:15 372Hophra on Babylonian cylinders 291Horn of Israel to bud 292Horrors of Roman siege 78Horrors of siege warfare 213Horse in battle 378Horses and mules 264Hoshea's bribery of Shalmaneser 224House of Esau 336House of Togarmah 398Humanism self-sufficient 269Humiliation of Gog 417Husband of Israel 169Ideology of dictatorship 403Idiom of awfulness 79Idol's impotence 87Idolatry of Israel in Egypt 195Idolatry practised in secret 102Idols 72Idols (gillulim) of defilement 86Idols engraved in wall of temple 102

Idols in our heart? 148Idols of Gentiles removed 355Idols removed from Israel 379Idols: education, finance & politics 355Idumaea 331Idumeans 249Image of jealousy 99Immortal members of Adam's race 43Immortal saints 432Impotence of Egypt's idols 297Impudent foreheads 55In the wilderness of Israel 51Incense and fire in temple 117, 118Incense and prayers of saints 116Incest & shedding blood 218Inclination to apostasy 145Individual repentance 317Inheritance based on repentance 382Iniquity had an end 332Interpreting Ezekiel's visions 65Intoxicated madness 229Invader from north is eagle 171Invader will make a chain 95Invasion by Nebuchadnezzar 172Invasion of Israel 406Iran 399Iraq in Psalm 83? 335Iron = iron power of Rome 67Iron pan 66Iron pan = irrevocable sentence 67ish 107Ishmael, descendants of 242Ishtar consort of Tammuz 104Islam and anti-Semitism 403Islamic terrorists 343Israel & Judah involved in exile 71Israel acknowledges their sin 371Israel among the Gentiles 72Israel as a wilderness 52Israel as an unclean woman 349Israel as olive tree 157Israel at rest dwelling safely 378Israel centre of Messiah's plans 372Israel deceived no more 149

460

Index

Israel divided 376Israel dwelling safely 276Israel gathered our of many people 403Israel grafted in again 158Israel humiliated 348Israel in the furnace 219Israel in the land 198Israel instrument of destruction 424Israel like foolish woman 165Israel measured by the Gentiles 80Israel moved God to jealously 100Israel profaned God's name 351Israel refused to reveal God 78Israel restored 47, 346, 384, 436Israel returns to God 372Israel reunited 375Israel saved because of promises 197Israel seduced by Egypt's idols 223Israel shall be saved 205Israel still afflicted 73Israel the vine 154Israel to be forgiven 327Israel to be scattered 198Israel to defeat Iraq 343Israel to destroy idolatry 77Israel unaware of invasion 405Israel unfaithful 164Israel were to be God's witnesses 75Israel, whole house of 437Israel, cleansing of 354Israel, failure as God's nation 76Israel: enemies rejoice at fall of 251Israel: individual not national 183Israel: national judgements still 184Israel's continued apostasy 198Israel's cup of transgression full 24Israel's down-treading 348Israel's end had arrived 90Israel's ensign 416Israel's evil neighbours 345Israel's failure and judgement 76Israel's future trouble 349Israel's idolatry: scribes & prophets 198Israel's location fitted to teach 75

Israel's military superiority 277Israel's modern neighbours 276Israel's moral state in Egypt 194Israel's strategic importance 405Israel's watchman 57Israel—centre of the earth illus. 76Israelis a great sign of the times 436It is done! 422It is not near!! 124Ithobaal 257Ithobal II 268Ivory and Ebony 264Jacob and angel's protection 23Jacob and Esau antagonism 247Jacob's prophecy about Judah 192Jacob's prophecy re Judah 210,211Japhet 253Japheth, sons of 390Jehoahaz 190Jehoiachin 189Jehoiachin's captivity 13,14Jehoiakim 189

Jehoiakim burns roll but he burns 53Jehoiakim's captivity 14Jehoshaphat repelled Moab 244Jehoshaphat's ships of Tarshish 266Jehovah's Witnesses 270Jehu continued calf worship 224Jehu kneeling before Assyrian 224Jeremiah prophesying in Jerusalem 13Jeremiah taken to Egypt 290Jeremiah's prophecy to neighbours 245Jeremiah's whirlwind 18Jeremiah's word rejected 124Jeroboam 100Jeroboam hid in Egypt 281Jerusalem a woman 159Jerusalem and her sisters 167Jerusalem besieged 15,64Jerusalem inhabited again 337Jerusalem refined 220Jerusalem, fall of 51,232Jerusalem—city of blood 217Jeshurun waxed fat 164

461

Index

Jesus assisted by brethren 328Jesus came from few restored 83Jesus delays his coming! 135Jesus delivered from snare 133Jesus manifests Yahweh name 352Jesus name-bearer of Yahweh 417Jesus saves Israel 366Jesus spoke the words of God 51Jesus standing on Mt. Olivet 375Jesus the beloved 381Jesus the glory of the Father 352Jesus the true vine 156Jesus the Way 24Jesus to reveal God's character 49Jesus whom they pierced 354Jewellery 264Jewish control over religious sites 403Jewish state ungodly 349Jews accept Messiah 437Jews cleansed of their idols 431Jews flee to Egypt 319Jews fouled living water 325Jews in Babylon 320Jews in Egypt who disobeyed God 296Jews in land & judgement 128Jews in land are Judah 378Jews preoccupation with wealth 380Jews refined in Babylon 220Jews reject Messiah so burned 84Jews remember Haman 429Jews sought Babylon's gods 104Jews taught by immortal saints 380Jews, call to remaining tribes 434Jews, none of them left 437Jews, rest of the tribes 378Jews: attempt to lose Jewishness 199Jews: one nation again 205Jezebel's father king of Tyre 274Job was answered out of whirlwind 19John eats scroll 55John Hyrcanus 128 BC 249, 336John Thomas on Ezek 37 365Joining of two sticks 373Joktan 408

Jonah fled towards Tarshish 409Jordan latter day Edom? 340Jordan, latter day Ammon? 243Joseph burns Edom 343Joseph is the Jews in diaspora 343Joseph restored 436Joseph, Jews scattered still 378Joseph's primogeniture 373Josiah 189Josiah and Scythian invasion 403Josiah killed at Megiddo 282Judah a goodly horse in battle 425Judah a reproach to Syria 168Judah and Israel united 373Judah and Israel, wheat 264Judah and Joseph in prophecy 343Judah Canaanitish 222Judah cleansed first 380Judah contained 12 tribes 376Judah fell 586 BC 376Judah ignored Israel's punishment 226Judah in land 378Judah is people in land 343Judah lived like pagans 105Judah nucleus of kingdom 378Judah sought Egypt's help 173Judah turned to Egypt for help 102Judah's alliances with Egypt 227Judah's apostasy 102Judah's Babylonian captivity 43Judah's desire to be like Gentiles 200Judah's idolatry & judgement 85Judah's idolatry purged 228Judah's supremacy among tribes 193Judgement 419Judgement and protection 22Judgement begins at house of God 113Judgement begins with teachers 112Judgement impending 149Judgement of God's enemies 37Judgement of God's unfaithful wife 166Judgement of Israel's enemies 330Judgement of nations & Armag. 113Judgement of nations by saints 46

462

Index

Judgement of Northern kingdom 225Judgement of prophets 140Judgement on faithless shepherds 321Judgement through God's presence 28Judgement upon evil nations 151Judgement upon Gog's homelands 425Judgement upon land, people 85Judgements by Nebuchadnezzar 19Judgements of Heaven 18Justification by faith 152Justified by faith & righteousness 152Keeping of tree of life 273kepharim villages 412Keturah 242Kiev Rus: Scythia 391King of Babylon on the way 212King of Kings 432King of the North 406King over all 12 tribes 379Kingdom and God's rulership 42Kingdom proclaimed 431Kingdom proclaimed 435Kingdom tree 177Know that I am the LORD 309Koa (to wound) 227Lamb shall overcome 435.Lambs gathered by Jesus 326Lamentation 53, 188Lamentation for king of Tyre 270Lamentation for Tyrus 261Land brings forth fruit 358Land brought back from sword 403Land made desolate 86Land of plenty and spirituality 195Last Days OfJudah's Common. 231Law and shedding blood 218Leaders not totally responsible 112Lewdness and shedding blood 218Libation to idols 224Liberty to the captives 201Licence? 223Licentious entanglement 104Licentious forms of idol worship 86Light from Israel to Gentiles 77, 78

Lignostone 426Likeness of the glory of Yahweh 48Limiting God's power 127Lion 32Lion eats of the prey 430Lion of the tribe of Judah 431Lion power 110Lion's whelps parable 188Lioness common in Canaan 188Lions, young 412Literal and figurative 328Liver divining 213Loins downwards 46Loins upwards 45Long captivity 15Longsuffering exhausted 199Longsuffering of God 112,135,150Longsuffering of God exhausted 136Lord's Mount Olivet Prophecy 231Lord's sacrificial ministry 33Lost sheep of house of Israel 51Lot cast in the lap 213Love neighbour as thyself 356Lovely song, Ezekiel's words 320Lying of side for 390 days? 64Maccabees, deliverance by 71Madai, son of Japheth 396Magic bands 145Magog 385Major world disaster 421Man and Woman 146Man in cherubim 32Man in Ezek. & Rainbowed angel 45Manasseh the point of no return 101Manifestation of God's presence 20Map of Ezekiel, ancient & modern 402Map of times of Ezekiel 14Marduk god of Babylon 307Marked in forehead 106, 110Marriage covenant at Sinai 163Materialism at the end 124Meaning of Ezekiel's visions? 66Mediation, limit to 151Melchizedek 160

463

Index

Menahem allied with Pul 224Merchant powers 261, 262Mercy of God 183Mercy seat 33Mercy, presuming upon is wrong 317Meshech and Tubal 263, 385Meshech and Tubal 393Message of hope 153Message of judgement ignored 130Messages of restoration 315Messiah 215Messiah and Shiloh 193Messiah cleanses abominations 380Messiah crucified so nation burnt 83Messiah intervenes in fury 378Messiah recognized 204Messiah reigning as Gog invades? 404Messiah rescues Israel 280Messiah restores David's throne 346Messiah restores Israel 384Messiah the true shepherd 323Messiah through Nathan strong rod193Messiah to regenerate Israel 369Messiah, opposition to rule 433Messiah, rejection of 325Messiah, sanctified by Jews 437Messiah's fire of judgement on Jews 84Messiah's kingdom 363Messiah's reign crushes opposition 432Messiah's victory over Gog 343Messianic application to horn 294Messianic psalms 30Michael the archangel 98Midian 244Migdol 284Mighty one of the heathen 304Migrations in reign of Asa 376Migrations in time of Hez. 376Mind, what's there is important 111Mingling of 12 tribes 377Miracles of Jesus acted parables 350Mission difficult for Ezekiel 52Mizraim 281

Moab given to Bene-Kedem 245Moab, latter day? Jordan? 246Moabites 238, 243Modern Israel in wilderness still 204Modern views on prophecy 404Modern worship a smoke 89Molech: children offered in fire 101, 165Moral excellence of Yahweh 98Moral glory of the Father 48Mormons 373Morning of judgement 92Mosaic age, end of 143Moscow 393Moscow due north of Jerusalem 414Moses & golden calf incident 139Most holy place 33Mother lion 188Mount of Olives 120Mount Seir 247Mountains in prophecy 424Mountains of Israel 417Mountains of Israel 85Mourning for loss of temple 236Mourning loss of relatives 236Movement of cherubim 32Multiply, Israel 163Multitudinous Son of man 366Murex shells 262My name is in him 417Mystery of Covenant of Holy Land 206Mysticism 147Nabatean Arabs in Petra 333Nabateans 242, 246Nadab and Abihu 119Name above every name 352nasi (prince) 220Nation afflicted by sin 323Nation rejected God's blessings 203Nations allied with Gog 421Nations answerable to God 238Nations in Psalm 83 335Nations round about 275Nations symbolized: fowls & beasts307

464

Index

Native Egyptians do not rule 298Nature of the Cherubic chariot 23Navy in Ezion-Geber 410Navy of Solomon 254Nebuchadnezzar had no wages 257Nebuchadnezzar the lion hunter 189Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Edom 333Nebuchadnezzar's conquers Egypt 298Nebuchadnezzar's name on tile 66Nebuchadnezzar's three invasions 211Necho II 281Negev 209Nets to be spread where Tyre was 255netser 176New covenant 169, 202New Covenant, Israel to accept 327New creation of immortals 42News of fall of Jerusalem to Neb. 236Nineveh's fall 304Nineveh's repentance 136Noadiah 145Noah, judgements at time of 153Noah, reaction to warning 135North parts 420Northern beast will ravage flock 326Northern confederacy 365Northern Kingdom in exile already 100Oath to Abraham 201Objects of worship 102Occult practices 145Odours and prayer 117Offal 125, 127Offering of firstborn transgression 230Olive tree, Gentiles grafted in 317Olivet prophecy 56Olivet prophecy and faith 113One Shepherd and His sheep 321Opinion of self wrong 125Opportunity to Gentiles, Israel fails 55Oppressing the stranger & blood 218Ox 32Pagan parable an OT precedent 307Pagan practices 145Palestinian Arabs 252

Pan and meal offering? 68Panic seizes Gog 419Parable of eagle, cedar, and vine 171Parable of Egypt & crocodile 283Parable of vine and sceptre 188Parallel prophecies 407Parallel prophecies to Ezek 418Partial restoration of Israel 368Patterns of things in the heavens 15Peace agreements 277Peace between God and man 382Peace for Israel 327Peace published 382Peace shattered: northern invasion 279Peace treaties 404Peace with Egypt 342Peacocks 410Pekod (retribution) 227Pelatiah drops dead 126People for God's name 352People not excused 112People of strange speech 54People round about 337Persia 262, 385Persia, Ethiopia and Libya 395Petra 243Pharaoh Hophra, head of 283Pharaoh's tour of Sheol 312Pharaoh-necho 189Phases in purpose with Israel 205Philistine territory unconquered 250Philistines judged 238, 250Philostratus, historian 256Phoenician people 253Phoenician colonies of Tyre 256Phoenician sailors 411Phylacteries 145Picture of Babylonian army 66Pierced, look on him 379Pilgrims or materialists? 267Pillars of Melkarth 255Place in your own land 370Plague of serpents 198Plagues against idols 297

465

Index

Plagues because of apostasy 150Plagues of Egypt & God's wrath 196Plagues of Jews 203Plans after peace, map of 278Plantation of renown 328Poetic parable of judgement 154Political alliance & religious 224Political alliance & religious apost. 228Political desolation of Egypt 286Position of intransigence 341Position of Israel among nations 75Possess gates of enemies 438Power disruptions 421Powers of nature harnessed 419-421Prayer 118Prayer and incense 117Prayer sometimes an abomination 118Prayer to be balanced 117Preaching gospel to Judah 380Preadventual colonization 365, 368Presence of God 19, 26Presence of God 417Presence of Yahweh on earth 384Present physical deliverance 113Preservation of a remnant 48Prickling briars and grieving thorns 277Pride from blessings 269Pride goes before a fall 303Pride of Pharaoh 283Pride removed 266Priest of Astarte 274Priest upon the throne 215Priest, Ezekiel a 15Priestly activity 109Priests at centre of idol worship 104Primitive instincts in sister's dress 101Prince of Rosh 385Prince's claim to divinity 268Princes addresses 188Private grief 236Prophecies against Judah 59Prophecies against neighbours 238Prophecies against the East 241Prophecies against the nations 237

Prophecies against the North 261Prophecies against the South 282Prophecies against the West 250Prophecies not chronological 282Prophecy against prince of Judah 214Prophecy against Tyre 255, 257Prophesy to the spirit 369Prophet made mute 60Prophet's credentials 135Prophetesses 144Prophetic role 144Prophetical confusion 361Prosperity whets avarice 369Prostitute, Jerusalem a 159Protection of God's people 30,31Protection of the faithful 29Protection of the Way 22Proverbs vol. 1 242Provoking God to anger 79Psammetichus III 287Ptolemies in Egypt 287Punished for own sin 181Punishment of Judah 66Purging Judah's idolatry 234Purified remnant returned 141Purim 428Purple dye 254Rabbath 213Rabshakeh's assessment of Egypt 284Rain, doctrine as 47Rain, none 220Rameses II canal 411Ravenous bird from the east 431Rebellion in the wilderness 196Rebellion: to return to Egypt 200Rebellious Israel 188Rebels addressed 204Rebels are being purged now 203Rebels purged 169Records of Nebuchadnezzar found 286Red and adam same in Heb. 331Redeemer shall come to Zion 184Redemption of firstborn 193Redemption of Israel 40

466

Index

Reed, broken 284Re-establishment of temple worship 71Refined third of Malachi 84Refining process 219Refining process of captivity 83Reforms of Judah's kings 234Regathered Jews encouragement 436Regathered nation not restoration 201Regathering is not restoration 184Regathering of Israel 353, 368Regeneration of Israel 347-8, 365-8Rehoboam 377Rejoicing at Israel's downfall 244, 251Remnant & election of grace 202Remnant accept Jesus 354Remnant becomes unfaithful 83Remnant from exiles 127Remnant humiliated 204Remnant of Arabs 345Remnant of Judah saved 436Remnant purified 220Remnant return to land 204Remnant returns 83Remnant saved 87Remnant to become sharers 327Remnant would respond 51Remove the diadem 323Reparations for damage 426Repent 180Repentance & faithfulness needed 318Repentance brings fruitfulness 358Repentance individual not national 185Repentance of Israel 328Representation in Scripture 20Reprobate silver 217Residue of the heathen 345Responsibility of being a watchman 58Responsible raised 425Rest 176Rest 370Restitution 321Restoration by Branch 37Restoration depends on repenting 316Restoration mainly future 128

Restoration message 122, 126Restoration of Israel 15, 314, 365Restoration of Judah 377,378Restoration only by Messiah 201, 268Restoration still future 201Restoration under Messiah 234Restoration, previous: temporary 178Restored nation 215Resurrection 422Resurrection of Israel 367, 368Resurrection stages picture 364Return so Jesus could be born 201Return to weak elements 203Revelation compared to Ezekiel 16Rhodes 264Riblah, slain at 126Righteous man, case of 178Righteous man's wicked son 179Righteous not exempt, judgement 210Righteousness of past will not save 317Righteousness, personal needed 151Rings full of eyes 37Rings of gold 228Roaring lion 1Pet. 5:8 220Rod, passing under the 202Roll eaten by Ezekiel 52Rom. 1 not about pagans but Israel 199Roman armies as tool of Jesus 83Roman coins show Egypt & croc. 283Roman judgement AD 70 231Romans come in judgement 54Romans in Egypt 287Root of Jesse 417Ros 391Rosh a proper noun 389Rosh north of Black sea 391, 392Round about, nations 276Royal house 191Royal house & priesthood 234Royal palace 172Rulers corrupt 123Rulers for God 322Rulership of heavens over earth 41Russia and world domination 403

467

Index

Russia leads confederacy 425Russia north of Israel map 414Russian bear to pick bones 328Russian foreign policy 415Russian historians 387Russian historians on Rosh 392-394Ruth a Moabitess 244Sabbath polluted 196Sabbath, and shedding blood 218Sacrifice: the Babylonian army 110Sacrificial feast 384Sacrificial feast 430Sacrificial judgement of nations 435Safely, betach perceived security 405Safely, dwelling 401Safely, dwelling and prosperity 404Saints organized for work 419Sais on Nile delta 283Salvation and righteousness 151Samaria 376Samaria and Sodom 167Samaritans worship God & idols 148Sanctuary and tabernacle 383Sanctuary contained pagan idols 165Sanctuary defiled 79Sanctuary desecrated 230Sanctuary destroyed 235Sanctuary in countries of exile 128Sanctuary, fate of 94Sanctuary, the greater 15sarim 221Saudi Arabia & UK ties 408Saul 244Saving of a remnant 133Saviours of Obadiah 346Scandinavian origin of Russia? 394-5Scattered to the wind 81Scattering of the flock 322Sceptre to cease 212, 214Sceptre weak through Solomon 193Schools of prophetic thought 134Scum in Jerusalem 233Scythian descendants map 391Scythian invasion a model 406

Scythians 385-388Scythians invaded Palestine 388Scythopolis 388Scyths, extent of 387Seas, midst of 268Secrets of the heart 111Seduced by Gentile philosophy 228Seir 330Seir is Edom 244, 330Seleucid division 406Semitic opposition to Israel 334Sennacherib 400Sensual lust or wedded love? 88Sequence of Ezekiel's prophecies 282Sequence of prophecies 238Serpent in the wilderness 416Setil 411Seven in scripture 239Seven means completeness 38Seven months to bury dead 427Seven statements of intention 357Sevenfold structure of prophecies 239Seventh Day Adventists 270Seventh vial 431Seventy representative of all 103Seventy years 37Seventy years captivity 88Seventy years: captives mix 376Shaking in the land of Israel 368Shaphan assists Josiah's reform 103Shaved head represents Jerusalem 75Sheba after spoils of war? 407Sheba and Raamah 265Sheba, Dedan 407, 408Sheep and goats 325Sheep, I lay down my life for 324Sheep, unfaithful 325Sheol, Egypt's shame in 310Sheol, two meanings 311Shepherd of Israel, God 321Shepherd work continues 324Shepherd's pipe to call Jews 380Shepherd's rod of selection 202Shepherds of age to come 353

468

Index

Shepherds, false 322Shiloh 215Ships involved in invasion 407Ships of Tarshish 263Shipwreck of Tyre 253, 261, 266Shishak king of Egypt 281Shishak spoiled temple 281Shishak's invasion of Judah 334Shoa (crying) 227Showers of blessing 328, 359Siege because Judah did not listen 67Siege begins 232Siege of Jerusalem 5, 64, 66, 93Sign unto all Israel 5, 131Sihon and Og 245Silver is become dross 219Sin and judgement of Tyre 273Sin associated with blood? 218Sin can be pardoned 317Sin of Adam 180Sinai covenant 196Sinai covenant redundant 202Sinai, manifestation of God 20Sinful nations punished 151Sinfulness at all levels 221Sins affecting one's neighbour 182Sins against God's person 182Sins forgiven 183Sins of false prophets 138Sins of Israel threatened tree of life 24Sins of the elders 102Sin—the great enemy 316Sister, Judah did not learn from her 228Sisters with prophetic gifts 146Sisters' classes: going too far 147Sixth part of thee left? 420Size of invading force 427Skeletons clothed with flesh 367Skirts of protection 82Slaves in Egypt, true state 201Slavonic Ros 394Smiting the nations 367Smitten with the sword 81Smooth things 139

Snare, Rome to take Israel in 174Sojourn in Egypt part of scheme 195Sojourning in foreign land 71Solomon a leader in sin 164Solomon friendly with Tyre 253Solomon, time of prosperity 164Solomon: two navies? 411Solomon's affinity with Egypt 281Solomon's navy 409Son and sun 45Son of David 327Son of God the Shepherd 323Son of man 16, 43, 49Son of man, Israel must listen 316Sons of God and Cain 219Sorcery 144Sounding the alarm 58Sour grapes parable 178-184Sovereignty of God 270Spirit enters body 361Spirit in millennium 371Spirit in the wheel 39Spirit is the truth 356Spirit is truth 371Spirit poured out on Israel 370Spirit whirlwind 32Spirit, a new 356Spiritual food for Israel 329Spiritual state of Judah 105Spoil 279Spoil reclaimed by Israel 426Spoil, Ezek & Zech. 407Spoil, to take a great 407Sprinkled with clean water 382Standards of tribes? 31Starvation 421State of Israel 1948 361State of Israel not restoration 346, 360State of Israel not restoration 353Statement of faith of Israel 195Stick of Joseph 373Stick of Judah 373Sticks, Parable of the Two 373Stone power 424

469

Index

Stone which the builders rejected 56Stone, foundation of Zion 38Stones in Exod. 28 36Stones of fire 272Storm 405Storm cloud 26Storms 421Strange vine 155Streams in the desert 347Sudan 399Summary of events 425Sun worship by priests 104Superficial message not correct 180Sur and Roman ruins map 259Survivors of siege 318Sword destroys a third 5Sword ofYahweh 210Sword used as a razor 80Sword, famine and pestilence 88Syene: modern Aswan 284Symbols of God's judgement 18Syria or Edom? 264Tabernacle of his palace 407Tabrets 272Taking God for granted 118Tammuz a fertility god 103Tarshish 254Tarshish 263Tarshish and Britain 413Tarshish defined 410Tarshish of Ezek. 38 412Tarshish, map of 409Tarshish, Merchants of 407, 408Teaching role for brethren 146teman 209Teman 418Temple defiled by idolatry 94Temple diagram & buildings 97Temple of Yahweh 15Temple stripped 228Temple, heavenly 41Ten horns 432Tents for prostitution 223teraphim 213

The idol called Materialism 101The Way 22Theophanies 417Thief like advent 422Third destroyed by siege 5Third scattered to wind 74Third survive Roman holocaust 84Third taken into exile 5Third to be given protection 82Thorns in Israel's side 238Thorns to be burned 52Threshing the heathen 424Throne of God & the Lamb is one 44Throne symbolic 44Tiamat dragon captured 307Time limit on sin 217Time of Jacob's trouble 204Time of the end 384Tin mines of Cornwall 409Tiras called Ros by Greeks 390, 391Tithe of the flock 202Tobolsk! 393, 394Togarmah 263, 385Togarmah and Armenia connection 398Togarmah in Turkey and Armenia 399Tohu bohu 338Toponymical names from Ros 395Torah and taw 111Trade routes 266Trade routes, ancient 213Transportation systems destroyed 421Treachery of Edom 332Treading upon their enemies 28Treasure and heart in one place 267Trees of Eden in symbology 303Trees of the field—nations 177Trespasses of Jews today 437Tribes in Numbers ch. 2 36Tripartite destruction of Jerusalem 5Trodden down by Gentiles 415Trumpets, seven & fire 116Trusting in arm of flesh 302Turks desolating work 406Turn thee back 420

470

Index

Two sticks 373Two ways for the sword 212Twofold relationship with God 182Tyras River (Dnestr) 390, 391Tyre and Sidon judged 238, 253-255Tyre scraped bare 255Tyre, built no more 255Tyre, divine message to 269Tyre, latter day 259Tyre, map of old and island 258Tyre, prophecy against 254Tyre, ruins of (photo) 260Tyre, successive invasions 259Tyre's relationship with Judah 272Tyrian materials to rebuild temple 257UK military forces in S. Arabia 412Ukraine and S. Russia 387Ukraine know as Ros and Rus 392Understanding visions by context 19Until 234USA 408,412Usury and shedding blood 218Valley of Abarim 427Valley of bones meaning 360-362Valley of dry bones: how? 384Valley of Hinnom 429Valley of passengers 427Valley of threshing 423Vehicle of God's manifestation 22Vernadski History of Russia 394Vine cast into fire for sin 156Vine decorated temple of Herod! 157Vine, parable of useless 154Violence and sin 219Vision of bones future 365Vision of coals of fire 114Vision of restoration of glory 121Vision of Valley of Bones 360Visions not symbolic actions 61Visions of God 18Visions require interpretation 17, 62Volcanoes 421Volga River called Rhos 392Wall built to 'protect' besieged 140

Walls shall fall 419Wandering in Gentile wilderness 203Wandering sentence 194,197War because of apostasy 151War with the Lamb 432War, all traces removed 426Warning others can cause bitterness54Warning to us to be prepared 135Warnings to the house of Israel 6Watchman 315Water pipes broken 421Way of the tree of life 22Ways of Providence 415Weak same as tender one 176Wealth a stumbling block 94Weapons burned 425Weapons, interpretation of 425Wedlock broken 166Western Europe 398Wheels of cherubic chariot 34Where is the promise of coming? 136Whirlwind, cloud, and fire 18Whole house of Israel 371Whoredom with daughters of Moab 198Why was Ezekiel written? 143Wicked man's righteous son 179Wicked remnant in Land 319Wife of Ezekiel 6,61Wife of Ezekiel dies 235Wife, Israel an unfaithful 159Wilderness journey 71Wilderness of people 203Wilderness of peoples, views 206, 207Wilderness parallel with Jews 205Wilderness rebellion by little ones 197Wings of protection 30Witchcraft 145Witnesses (unwilling) to Gentiles 78Witnesses of a crime 232Wives of Esau 247Woman speakers? 147Women and apostasy 145Women to keep silent in ecclesia 146

471

Index

Women weeping for Tammuz 99, 103Wood of life 328Works of flesh abolished 89World Destroyed By Fire 136World map, ancient 386Worship of idols of Gentiles 105Worshipping with idols in heart 148Written in a book 142Yahweh as a Hunter 133Yahweh comes down 21Yahweh enthroned in heaven 26Yahweh had visited His people 201Yahweh in Christ Jesus 375Yahweh Nissi 416Yahweh revealed to Abraham? 195Yahweh rides cherubic chariot 34Yahweh that smiteth 91, 92Yahweh the good shepherd 323Yahweh: He will be 357Yahweh's cherubic protection 30Yahweh's feet 418Yahweh's mighty ones 418Yahweh's name vindicated 309Yahweh—He who will be 91

Ye shall be my people 356Yemen and Aden 265Yoke of iron for 1900 years 67Yom Kippur war 342Young lions 407, 412Zacharias, psalm of 201Zealots 249zebach 68Zechariah 13 & red heifer 355Zedekiah 189, 191-3Zedekiah a vassal king 172Zedekiah reigning in Jerusalem 14, 131Zerubbabel as Branch 38Zerubbabel, chronology converges 293Zerubbabel, return under 376Zerubbabel's work 38, 82Zidon 253,274Zidon harassed Israel 274Zion raised from dust 419Zion, controversy of 338Zion's glad morning soon to dawn 438Zionism 361Zionist interpretation of Ezek. 37 362Zionist organization 1897 361

472

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