Ezequiel 39

Ezequiel 39

Morris - Remarkably, the earthquake and the storm will be so providentially controlled by the Lord that it will destroy Gog's armies while leaving the cities of Israel virtually unaffected. No wonder the people of Israel and the other nations will recognize the hand of God. Seven years - While this might be interpreted by some as symbolic (seven is number of completion), there is no reason to not interpret it as a literal seven years. The number of enemy weapons burned defies one's imagination and indicates a vast army (cf "a great assembly and a mighty army" - Ezek 38:15). This also shows that men's weapons (no matter how great the quality or quantity) are of no value against the omnipotent weapons of the Almighty! There is another seven-year period described in Daniel 9:27, however the relationship if any is unclear. When does this seven year burning begin? One cannot be dogmatic. If you believe (as does John MacArthur) that the battle described in Ezekiel 38-39 corresponds with the battle Revelation 16:16 and Revelation 19:19-21, then the burnin g would extend into the Millennium. Ezekiel 39:10 "They will not take wood from the field or gather firewood from the forests, for they will make fires with the weapons; and they will take the spoil of those who despoiled them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them," declares the Lord GOD.: DIVINE REVENGE: God's Chosen People are finally, fully vindicated. Plunder...plundered (0962)(bazaz, Lxx uses skuleuo -see below) means to loot, plunder, spoil, rob. Bazaz - 39v - Gen 34:27, 29; Num 31:9, 32, 53; Deut 2:35; 3:7; 20:14; Josh 8:2, 27; 11:14; 1Sam 14:36; 2Kgs 7:16; 2Chr 14:14; 20:25; 25:13; 28:8; Esther 3:13; 8:11; Ps 109:11; Isa 10:2, 6; 11:14; 17:14; 24:3; 33:23; 42:22, 24; Jer 20:5; 30:16; 50:37; Ezek 26:12; 29:19; 38:12-13; 39:10; Amos 3:11; Nah 2:9; Zeph 2:9. NAS translates Bazaz as - booty(1), completely despoiled(1), despoiled(1), looted(3), pillage(1), plunder(11), plunder of those who plundered(1), plundered(6), plunderers(1), prey(2), seize(4), seize the plunder(1), seize their as plunder(1), take(3), take as booty(1), take spoil(1), taken booty(1), taking(1), took(3), took as our booty(1), took as their plunder(1). The Lxx uses skuleuo (for bazaz) which means to despoil a slain enemy of his arms and was used to describe Israel's "despoiling" of the Egyptians when they began their exodus (Ex 3:22, 12:36). Ezekiel 39:11 "On that day I will give Gog a burial ground there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea, and it will block off those who would pass by. So they will bury Gog there with all his horde, and they will call it the valley of Hamon-gog.: On that day (Ezek 38:10, 14, 18, 19, 39:11) - This is the day Gog is defeated supernaturally. It will block off those who would pass by - God is saying that mopping up the remains of weapons and warriors will be so massive, it will literally cut off the flow of traffic in this area! The New Living Translation (which I find very helpful after I study a more literal translation like NAS or ESV) says... And I will make a vast graveyard for Gog and his hordes in the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Dead Sea. The path of those who travel there will be blocked by this burial ground, and they will change the name of the place to the Valley of Gog's Hordes. HCSB - The name of the valley will be changed to the Valley of Hamon-gog. The only major valley that ran in an east-west direction in Israel was the Jezreel Valley, a vital strategic link on the route from Egypt to Damascus in biblical times. The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge suggests (although this is somewhat speculative) that this roadway is "Probably the valley near the Sea of Gennesaret (See map of Gennesaret), as the Targum renders, and so called because it was the great road by which the merchants and traders from Syria and other Eastern countries went into Egypt. Perhaps what is now called the plains of Haouran, south of Damascus." Hamon-Gog (note) - This means "The Multitude of Gog." (Also in Ezek 39:16). Ezekiel 39:12 "For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the Land . For seven months - Stop for a moment and ponder what God is saying. There will be such overwhelming destruction of human lives that it will take seven months to bury the bodies of the slain! Not to mention the seven years worth of enemy weapons! Cleanse - See Nu 19:16 Dt 21:23 HCSB - Because corpses were considered unclean (Lev 21:1,11; 22:4; Num 5:2; 6:6-12; 31:19), the Mosaic law required all humans to be given a proper burial (Dt 21:22-23). Numbers 19:11-22 explains not only the contaminating effects of a corpse but also the process by which a person so defiled could be ceremonially cleansed. The land (Erets) - The Promised Land. Israel. God's land ("My land" - Ezek 38:16) It is notable that Israel is NEVER called "Palestine" in the Bible. Other names of "the Land" include "Canaan" and "the land of Israel." The Land - This specific phrase 12x in 12v - Ezek 38:2, 8, 9, 11, 16, 18, 19; 39:12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and all but Ezek 38:2 refer to the Land of Israel. Ezekiel 39:13 "Even all the people of the Land will bury them; and it will be to their renown on the day that I glorify Myself," declares the Lord GOD.: Someone has tried to calculate seven months worth of bodies! They estimated that if one person buried two bodies a day the total of enemy bodies would likely have been in the millions. KJV Bible Commentary - This gruesome task would appear to have a very sobering influence spiritually. No doubt it will prove to be one of the means of leading Israel, as well as the Gentiles, to repentance and faith in the Lord. Ezekiel 39:14 "They will set apart men who will constantly pass through the Land , burying those who were passing through, even those left on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search.: Ryrie - A group of investigators will be appointed to finish the work of removing the bones (v14), and ordinary people will also help (v15). Ezekiel 39:15 "As those who pass through the Land pass through and anyone sees a man's bone, then he will set up a marker by it until the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamon-gog.: A man's bone - After several days the flesh of the dead bodies would have begun to decay and predators scavenged the remains (Ezek 39:4) leaving nothing but skeletons. Ezekiel 39:16 "And even the name of the city will be Hamonah. So they will cleanse the Land ."': Hamon - This means "The Multitude." (see Ezek 39:16). Ezekiel 39:17 "As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Speak to every kind of bird and to every beast of the field, "Assemble and come, gather from every side to My sacrifice which I am going to sacrifice for you, as a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood.: Carnivorous birds and beasts consume the flesh of the fallen enemy. Ezekiel (son of man) is to address the carnivores directly (Ezek 39:17-20) My sacrifice - The beastly predators will eat the human predators. The image is of a sacrificial meal. And what is especially noteworthy is that the carnivores will eat fat (Ezek 39:19) and drink blood (mentioned 3 times for emphasis - Ezek 39:17, 18, 19!), elements which were reserved exclusively for the Lord when the Hebrews made animal sacrifices (Lev 3:17). Garland (commenting on Rev 19:18) observes - Normally, men are to offer up animals in sacrifice to God. Here, as when God judges Gog on the mountains of Israel, He reverses the normal roles and offers up men as a sacrifice to animals (Eze. 39:17-20 cf. Isa. 34:6-7). Goliath threatened David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” (1Sa 17:44). David replied, “This day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (1Sa 17:46). We see a similar description in Revelation 19... Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in mid-heaven, "Come, assemble for the great supper of God; 18 in order that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great."...21 And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat upon the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:17-18, 21-notes). Comment: The repetition of the word flesh, occurring five times over, flesh, flesh, is very revealing. The race has walked in carnal enmity against God, living after the flesh, and now the day of His patience is at an end (Donald Barnhouse). The most graphic portrayal of Christ’s second coming is found in Revelation 19:11-21. In this extended passage Jesus Christ is described as leading a procession of angels and saints or armies in heaven to claim the earth, destroy the armies of the world, and defeat the Antichrist and False Prophet. This passage shows that Christ’s return will be one that entails great physical destruction and many deaths. For those who are not Christ’s own, it will be a terrifying and terrible event. For those of us who know Him as Savior, it will be a time of great joy, vindication, and anticipation. . . . Let us remember that for the believer this present life on Earth is the worst things will ever be for us. But, for the unbeliever, this present life will be the best they will ever experience. (Thomas Ice) People may indulge their unbelief and passions during these days of forbearance and grace, and see no disadvantages growing out of it. They may be angry at our earnestness, and account us croakers and fools when we put before them the demands and threatenings of the Almighty. But “woe to him that striveth with his Maker!” There is a deluge of bottled fury yet to be poured out on them that refuse to know God, and on the families that call not on his name, from which there is no escape, and from whose burning and tempestuous surges there is no deliverance. God help us to be wise, that we come not into that sea of death! (Seiss) Ezekiel 39:18 "You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, as though they were rams, lambs, goats and bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan.: NLT: Eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of princes as though they were rams, lambs, goats, and fat young bulls of Bashan! See comments on Ezekiel 39:17. This is still addressed to the carnivores. HCSB - The mention of the fattened bulls of Bashan is further confirmation that this is the Lord's sacrificial feast because fat and blood were normally reserved for Him (Ezek 44:15; Lev 3:17). Bashan, east and northeast of the Sea of Galilee, was famous for its fertile land and fat cows (Dt 32:14; Ps 22:12; Am 4:1). (Holman Christian Study Bible - Type in Scripture - under Study Bible click "Read" for full note - very nice!) Ezekiel 39:19 "So you will eat fat until you are glutted, and drink blood until you are drunk, from My sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.: NLT: Gorge yourselves with flesh until you are glutted; drink blood until you are drunk. This is the sacrificial feast I have prepared for you. See comments on Ezekiel 39:17. This is still addressed to the carnivores. Ezekiel 39:20 "You will be glutted at My table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all the men of war," declares the Lord GOD.: NLT: Feast at my banquet table--feast on horses, riders, and valiant warriors, says the Sovereign LORD. See comments on Ezekiel 39:17. This is still addressed to the carnivores. HCSB - In standard sacrificial practices, the human worshiper slaughtered an animal before the Lord and partook of the food. For this present feast, the Lord will slaughter humans, and animals will devour their bodies, in contrast to the standard sacrificial procedure and the future banquet meal that Israel will celebrate on Mount Zion (Isa 25:6-10). The feasting of wild animals and birds recalls the threatened covenant curse (Lev 26:22; Dt 28:26). Although humans were to have dominion over nature, in their pursuit of evil they become victims of the natural order. Ezekiel 39:21 "And I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them.: Set (nathan) - put, give My glory among the nations - "Glory" in Hebrew speaks of that which is heavy or weighty, a good word picture of the omnipotent God, Who indeed is "weighty!" The corresponding Greek word (used in this verse for the Hebrew noun kabod) is doxa, which in simple terms speaks of that which gives a proper opinion of something or someone, in this case of God. In other words, God's "glory" will give to the nations a proper opinion of His character, His person, His attributes as seen in the Glorious One, the Messiah, Who Himself will reign on earth. Hallelujah! Maranatha! My judgment - In context this refers to the defeat of Gog. As discussed these events at the end of Ezekiel 38-39 are such that they strongly suggest that they take place at the very end of this present age and are terminated by the return of the Messiah in glory to take up His glorious throne in Jerusalem for all the nations to behold. All the nations will see My judgment - This certainly could be at the end of the Daniel's Seventieth Week - The Seven Year Period often referred to as the "Tribulation." At that time the King of kings returns (Rev 19:16-note) in great glory to take up His throne over Israel and all the nations of the world. ISRAEL'S RESTORATION Rosenberg feels that this description "gives us indications that the greatest spiritual awakening in human history will set into motion." Ezekiel 39:22 "And the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God from that day onward.: Will know that I am the LORD - Unless the LORD God opened the eyes of our heart none of us could know Him as Jehovah! So here we see His Spirit promises to open Israel's heart to see and know and love the LORD as their personal God. This will happen in the day when they repent (which is also a gift - cp Ro 2:4) and believe in their long awaited Messiah (cp Ro 11:26-27-note) Their God - This is covenant terminology for in the prophecy of Jeremiah Jehovah promises... this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days (at the end of Daniel's Seventieth Week)," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Jer 31:33-note) From that day onward - What day? Know (yada; Lxx uses ginosko = know by experience) means the nations will know by observing and reflecting (thinking) and by experiencing these events - they will come to see and understand God is the One and Only Living and True God. This "revelation" of His character to the entire world suggests that this is at the end of this age and at the dawn of the "new age" of the Millennium, which would place these events in the last 7 years (Daniel's Seventieth Week - The Seven Year Period). This is of course not meant to be a dogmatic statement, but is presented for you to ponder. Will know that I am the LORD - most in Ezekiel - 59x in 59v in NAS - Ex 14:4, 18; Isa 49:23; Ezek 6:7, 10, 13, 14; 7:4, 27; 11:12; 12:15, 20; 13:14, 21, 23; 14:8; 15:7; 17:24; 20:38, 42, 44; 22:16; 23:49; 24:24, 27; 25:5, 7, 11, 17; 26:6; 28:22-24, 26; 29:6, 9, 16, 21; 30:8, 19, 25-26; 33:29; 34:27; 35:4, 9, 15; 36:11, 23, 38; 37:6, 13, 28; 38:23; 39:6-7, 22, 28; Joel 3:17 Ezekiel 39:23 "The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity because they acted treacherously against Me, and I hid My face from them; so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and all of them fell by the sword.: The nations will know - God does not try to hide the sins of His people, but even His hand of discipline is a testimony to His justice and holiness and impartiality. I gave them into the hand of their adversaries - Indeed, over the centuries the Jews have been subjected to punishment and death by a host of adversaries, most dramatically in Hitler's Holocaust of the Jewish people. Hid My face - This speaks of His presence and ultimately of communion with Him. In Isaiah we have parallel passages... "In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you," Says the LORD your Redeemer. (Isaiah 54:8, cp Isaiah 8:17, Isa 45:15) "Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain ("covetousness" = KJV; "sinful greed" = NIV) I was angry and struck him; I hid My face and was angry, And he went on turning away ("backsliding" - ESV), in the way of his heart. (Isa 57:17) Comment: At the heart of idolatry is covetousness (Ep 5:3 Col 3:5). An inordinate desire to possess and control is at the root of our refusal to submit ourselves to God in trust and obedience. Frequently, such self-centered desires are the cause of backsliding, as well (Lk 8:13, 14). So - The idea is "therefore" a term of conclusion. Based on their iniquity and their treacherous actions which resulted in broken fellowship, Israel was severely disciplined. Gave up (05414) (nathan; Lxx uses paradidomi = give over to the power of another) Ezekiel 39:24 "According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I dealt with them, and I hid My face from them."' ": Uncleanness (02932) (tumah from tame = to be or become unclean) means filthy, impurity such as ceremonial uncleanness for a violation of a standard of the covenant (Lev 5:3; 16:16). It is used to refer to the sexual impurity of a woman during the menstrual cycle (Lev 18:19, Num. 5:19; Lam. 1:9). It can refer to dross, foreign particle in a physical mass of metal (Eze 24:11). "It can also denote any unclean thing from which the temple needed to be purified (2 Chr. 29:16). Finally, both ethical and religious uncleanness were dealt with: in the laws referring to proper behavior (Lev. 16:16); and in the heart, referring to an unclean spirit that causes one to lie (Ezek. 24:13)." (Baker) NAS translates tumah as filthiness(4), impure(2), impurities(3), impurity(3), unclean(1), unclean thing(3), uncleanness(20). The Lxx uses akatharsia for tumah in Ezek 39:24. Tumah - 31v - Lev 5:3; 7:20-21; Lev 14:19; 15:3, 25-26, 30-31; 16:16, 19; Lev 18:19; 22:3, 5; Num 5:19; 19:13; Jdg 13:7, 14; 2 Sam 11:4; 2Chr 29:16; Ezra 6:21; 9:11; Lam 1:9; Ezek 22:15; 24:11, 13; 36:17, 25, 29; 39:24; Zech 13:2. Ezek 22:15 “And I shall scatter you among the nations, and I shall disperse you through the lands, and I shall consume your uncleanness (Lxx uses akatharsia = physical uncleanness in Mt 23:27, moral uncleanness or corruption, especially sexual sins and used with porneia - Gal 5:19-note, Col 3:5-note, Eph 5:3-note) from you. Ezek 24:13 “In your filthiness (Lxx uses miaino - means to stain and figuratively to defile) is lewdness. Because I would have cleansed you, Yet you are not clean, You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again, Until I have spent My wrath on you. Ezek 36:17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. Ezek 36:25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness (Lxx uses akatharsia) and from all your idols. Comment: Filthiness, especially of the immoral variety, and idolatry are repeatedly linked together in Scriptures. When we begin to worship other "gods," we lose a proper respect and fear of God, and seek to gratify self rather than please God. HCSB - The image of God hiding His face, turning away from Israel and choosing not to help them, also appears in Dt 31:17-18; Ps 13:1-2. Ezekiel 39:25 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name.: KJV Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; NET "Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name. ESV "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel, and I will be jealous for my holy name. NIV "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. NLT "So now, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will end the captivity of my people; I will have mercy on all Israel, for I jealously guard my holy reputation! YLT Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Now do I bring back the captivity of Jacob, And I have pitied all the house of Israel, And have been zealous for My holy name. RESTORATION OF THE FORTUNES OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL Therefore - Therefore is a term of conclusion, and should always prompt us to pause and ponder the text, asking at least "What's it there for?" "What is being concluded?" "Why now?" "Who is involved?", etc. Restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel - Note that the mention of the Southern and Northern divisions of the nation of Israel is strong support for this prophecy referring to a time yet future. While Israel was re-born in May, 1948, that rebirth does not fulfill the restoration of Israel's fortunes which awaits the return of her Messiah when "all Israel (all that believe in Jesus = the remnant) will be save." (Ro 11:26-note). Restore the fortunes = “turning back the captivity” or “turning back the turning”. Charles Feinberg (in his comments on Jeremiah 30-note) on restore the fortunes - I will bring back from captivity - This sense accords well with the theme of Jeremiah 30-33. However, there are instances - e.g., Job 42:10 (with regard to his misfortunes); Ezek 16:53 (a prediction concerning Sodom) where captivity is not in view. In such eases a derived meaning such as reverse or restore the fortunes fits well. (Expositor's Bible Commentary, 1984 edition) The NET Note explains the Hebrew idiom restore your fortunes noting first that it can also be translated "I will bring you back from exile.” This idiom occurs twenty-six times in the OT and in several cases it is clearly not referring to return from exile but restoration of fortunes (e.g., Job 42:10; Hos 6:11–7:1; Jer 33:11). It is often followed as here by “regather” or “bring back” (e.g., Jer 30:3; Ezek 29:14) so it is often misunderstood as “bringing back the exiles.” The versions (LXX, Vulg., Tg., Pesh.) often translate the idiom as “to go away into captivity,” deriving the noun from שְׁבִי (shévi, “captivity”). However, the use of this expression in Old Aramaic documents of Sefire parallels the biblical idiom: “the gods restored the fortunes of the house of my father again” (J. A. Fitzmyer, The Aramaic Inscriptions of Sefire [BibOr], 100–101, 119–20). The idiom means “to turn someone’s fortune, bring about change” or “to reestablish as it was” (HALOT 1386 s.v. 3.c). In Ezek 16:53 it is paralleled by the expression “to restore the situation which prevailed earlier.” This amounts to restitutio in integrum, which is applicable to the circumstances surrounding the return of the exiles. (NOTES on Jeremiah 29) Restore (turn back) (07725)(shub/sub) describes movement back to a point of departure. In Ezekiel 39:25 shub is translated in the Septuagint (Lxx) with apostrepho which means to cause to turn from incorrect to correct behavior and so to turn back or to change one's belief or behavior. It is also noteworthy that apostrepho is the very verb Paul used to describe the time of national restoration of Israel in Romans writing " thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE (apostrepho) UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” (Ro 11:26-note ). Shub is used in Ps 23:3 when David declared that it is the Good Shepherd Who "restores (Lxx = epistrepho) my soul." Similarly in Ps 19:7 he declared that it is "law of the LORD (which) is perfect, restoring (Lxx = epistrepho) the soul." The Hebrew word shub combines two requisites of repentance - a turn from evil and a turn to good. Shub conveys the idea of a radical change in one's attitude toward sin. It Implies a conscious moral separation and personal decision to forsake sin and enter fellowship with God. We see a striking example in Nineveh in Jonah 3:8 ("turn from his wicked way" = Lxx = apostrepho, same verb used here in Jer 30:3). The phrase "restore your fortunes" is a Hebrew idiom (2 Hebrew words = shub shebuth - see NET Note above) found over 20 times in the OT. In every usage Jehovah is the Subject, the One doing or carrying out the restoration. The recipient of the restoration is most often Israel (and Judah), but other recipients of restoration include Job, Moab, Ammon, Elam and Egypt. Deuteronomy 30:3 then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. Job 42:10 And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold. Psalm 14:7 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad. Psalm 53:6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores His captive people, Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. Psalm 85:1 For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. O Lord, Thou didst show favor to Thy land; Thou didst restore the captivity of Jacob. Psalm 126:1 A Song of Ascents. When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream. Psalm 126:4 Restore our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the South. Jeremiah 29:14 (Read the preceding context Jer 29:11-13) ‘And I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’