Speaking of the universal battle the Lord wages against the forces of evil, the prophet Ezekiel proclaims the central truth our hope requires: God will triumph. It will be a complete and final victory over evil, and of the day it is accomplished the prophet speaks in the person of...
Speaking of the universal battle the Lord wages against the forces of evil, the prophet Ezekiel proclaims the central truth our hope requires: God will triumph. It will be a complete and final victory over evil, and of the day it is accomplished the prophet speaks in the person of the Lord: “I will make My holy name known.” These words immediately direct us to the final chapters of the Gospel of John, where in His High Priestly Prayer to the Heavenly Father the Lord Jesus says, “I have manifested Your name to the people,” and also, “Father, glorify Your name.” These two texts, the prophecy and its fulfillment, are most closely bound together, and the whole of chapter 39 of the prophet Ezekiel can be understood precisely in connection with the Last Supper and Christ's final discourse with His disciples. The apocalyptic picture of the battle corresponds not to the outward course of the events of Holy Week, but to their inward spiritual intensity. The defeat of Gog's hordes of which the prophet speaks is literally fulfilled when the Lord Jesus declares: “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”
After saying that all God's people will take part in burying the defeated forces of evil, the prophet declares God's will concerning a certain sacrificial feast, and the meaning of his words cannot fail to astonish. First of all, like the battle with evil, this feast is universal. All creation, including the birds of heaven and the beasts of the field, is invited to take part. This is not simply a Temple sacrifice in accordance with the ordinances of Moses and Solomon. All creation participates in it, and at this supper flesh and blood are eaten, although their consumption is categorically forbidden. Moreover, the Lord says of this sacrifice that He Himself will slaughter it for us, whereas the sacrifices of the Old Testament were, on the contrary, slaughtered by human beings for God. It follows that this is something exceptional: not one sacrifice among many, but a unique and only Sacrifice.
Its details are hidden from the prophet's sight. This is not surprising, because the Incarnation of the Son of God is an event too incredible for even spiritually gifted people to comprehend and express before it takes place. Still less can we expect a prophet who sees in the Spirit the essence of the event but thinks in the categories of his own experience to speak of the Flesh and Blood of the Son of Man. Nevertheless, he sees and proclaims the Lord's Sacrifice, which is accomplished in connection with His victory.
Thus, according to the prophet, God's victory and the establishment of the Kingdom of David's Descendant will be connected with the Sacrifice that God Himself will offer and with a feast to which the whole world is invited: all the nations that will see God's judgment, and all creation. From almost this very moment, the feast will become one of the most widespread symbols of the Kingdom of Heaven in Israel's spiritual tradition, which the Lord Jesus Christ will follow when He so often turns to this image.
The chapter ends with incredible and unexpected words, yet words so longed for by the exiles, about the return of the deported and scattered children of God's people. Half a century before King Cyrus and almost six centuries before the New Covenant, the prophet announces that God, who struck and purified Israel, will gather it once more in the Promised Land and never abandon it again. Here, as throughout the book, the prophet returns to his crucial theme of human individuality and personal responsibility. Unlike other prophets who also proclaim that on the last day God will no longer forsake His people, Ezekiel speaks more precisely: “I will leave none of them there any longer... because I will pour out My Spirit.” In other words, the promised outpouring of the Spirit will mean that no person will be separated from God, but God will be close to every person. Once again in the prophet Ezekiel we see a foretelling of the incredible nearness of God that will be granted on the day of Pentecost.
39 A prediction of the utter destruction of Gog and Magog, Eze 39:1-7.
An illustration of the vastness of that destruction, Eze 39:8-22.
God's mercy to his people, Eze 39:23-29.
39:2 The sixth part - I will leave in thy country but one in six.
39:3 Thy bow - What is said of the bow rendered useless, is to be understood of all other weapons of war; this is one kind, the bow, being most in use with the Scythians, is mentioned for all the rest.
39:8 It is come - As sure as if already come. The day - That notable day of recompences against the last great enemies of the church.
39:9 The weapons - The warlike provision, instruments, engines, carriages and wagons. Shall burn - It may be wondered why they burn these weapons, which might be of use to them for defence; but it was done in testimony that God was their defence, on whom only they relied.With fire - In such a country where the need of fire is much less than with us, it will not seem incredible, that the warlike utensils of so numerous an army might be enough to furnish them with fuel for many years.
39:11 Gog - And to many of those with him; but many were given to the birds and beasts to be devoured. Graves - Gog came to take possession; and so he shall, but not as he purposed and hoped. He shall possess his house of darkness in that land which he invaded. The valley of the passengers - So called from the frequent travels of passengers through it from Egypt and Arabia Felix, into the more northern parts, and from these again into Egypt and Arabia. The sea - The Dead Sea. Hamon Gog - That is, the multitude of Gog.
39:13 Glorified - The day of my being glorified shall be a renown to Israel.
39:14 They - The rulers of Israel. Sever - Chuse out men who shall make it their work. Passing - To go up and down over the whole land; for many of Gog's wounded, flying soldiers, died in thickets, and corners into which they crept. The passengers - Whose assistance they would desire of courtesy. Remain - Unburied by the public labour of the house of Israel during the seven months.
39:16 The city - That is, the multitude: the city which is next to this common tomb of Gog.
39:17 I do sacrifice - The punishment of these God calls a sacrifice, which he offers to his own justice. Upon the mountains - Where more thousands are offered at once, than ever were at any time offered; 'tis a sacrifice so great, that none ever was, or will be like it.
39:18 Ye shall eat - In these two and the following verses, God takes on him the person of one that makes a feast, invites his guests, and promises to satisfy them. Of the two former, the first is an Enigmatical invitation, or an invitation in a riddle; the latter is the key to this character. The mighty - Who had great authority, great courage and strength, the giant - like ones, commanders of great note in the army. Princes - Many princes came with their country men and subjects to assist in this war. Rams - These are compared to rams which lead the flock. Lambs - Lambs are the more ordinary in the army. Goats - Goats signify the more lascivious, and impetuous among them.Bullocks - Bullocks, such as though more slow, were of great strength.Fatlings - Well fed. Bashan - A mountain of most rich, and sweet soil.
39:20 At my table - In the field where Gog, his princes, and army, are slain, compared to a table. Horses - Horsemen, not common foot soldiers. Chariots - The men that ride in them.
39:21 All the heathen - In the countries to which the news shall come.
39:26 Their shame - Reproach for their sins.