Ezekiel 39

Ezekiel 39:1-7

Section 4 (Ezekiel 39:1-7).Creature impotence: the overthrow of the proud foe. We return to the announcement with which we began, so that by reiteration emphasis is given to what Jehovah declares. His unalterable “I will” assures complete accomplishment. Added to the repetition of Jehovah’s purpose we now have location specified -“from the uttermost (or farthest) north.” This helps to identify Gog with whatever power may occupy Russian territory at this time, while the similarity of detail in many prophecies leads us also to link him with the Assyrian, or King of the North. As Jehovah has told of Gog’s coming and purpose, also revealing His own relation and purpose now He shows Gog’s impotence to accomplish his plan -he is only a creature, vanity. The bow and arrows are smitten from his hands -at the very moment they are drawn ready for the attack, bow in left hand, arrows in right, the blow falls. How often the attainment of some self-cherished object or wilful plans seems within the grasp, and sudden blight comes. Instead of vanquishing, we are vanquished. The self-chosen way or plan is suddenly turned to our destruction. Why?

God has been left out of the carefully devised arrangements. Sensual wisdom has ruled instead of that wisdom which is from above which is first pure; and God must sanctify Himself in relation to us by showing Himself in opposition. “With the froward, Thou wilt show Thyself froward.” And here we must mark a distinction, for the Hebrew words for “froward” are different. The first means perverse, crafty, false, and “is said only of the mind falling from rectitude” (Gog’s sin, Ezekiel 38:10); while the second speaks of the wrestling of one opposed, who strives until he overcomes. These chapters illustrate this text. But are there not chapters in our individual lives which convey the same lesson? How slow we are to learn!

Yet God has given many warning lessons in His holy Word. Gog then is permitted to reach the mountains he has lusted after, only to be given a prey to the ravenous bird and beast. “Lust when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is completed, bringeth forth death” (James 1:15). How often the grave is the answer to the heart’s folly! Instead of taking a spoil, proud Gog falls a prey. “Extension” he did not find, nor “the topmost” place, for which he strove in pride and self-sufficiency; instead, he ignominiously falls without striking a blow to advance his selfish interests, and finds a grave in the valley. The results of this overthrow shall be as a fire on Magog, reaching to the distant isles where they had thought to dwell securely, secure, perhaps, from the disastrous judgments that had fallen in rapid succession in the land at the time of the Lord’s appearing in glory. In this Jehovah lets the nations know that His judgment can reach to the uttermost bounds, and so “they shall know that I am the Lord.” Their security must be found in knowing Him, and this at once destroys every other fancied safety, opening the only true sanctuary to them. In all this a threefold purpose finds accomplishment. Jehovah is manifest as dwelling in the midst of Israel. He is there in holy, preserving, delivering power. This will make true in the fullest way the desire expressed by Moses: “Wherein shall it be known that I have found grace in Thine eyes, I and Thy people, except in that Thou goest with us? and we shall be distinguished, I and Thy people, from all the people which are on the face of the earth.” Then, “Neither will I suffer My holy name to be profaned anymore.” This had taken place in the past. Though Jehovah had humbled and stricken Israel in judgment, using the nations as the rod of His anger, they whom He used had not considered; mocking and boasting, they had blasphemed Jehovah’s name. Surely He was of less account than their own idol-gods.

He could not defend nor save His professed people! They gloried in wasting the land and the people that bore that name. Israel had made Jehovah to serve with their sins, so that His name was dishonored among the Gentiles. The very judgments His holiness must visit upon His sinful people resulted to His dishonor in the eyes of the nations. The overwhelming judgment of Gog will cause this reproach to pass away, for it will demonstrate His power over the mightiest of earth. Furthermore, all that profaned that holy name in Israel will also have been purged out, and the nation will be holiness unto the Lord.

Finally, through this consummation of judgment “the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.” There is a voice in this for us. We, too, individually or collectively, stand identified with the holy name of Christ. Is that name sullied because of our failure? Do we commend Him before the eyes of the world? Or does our carelessness, our indifference, make Him serve with our sins in the world’s eyes because His name is named upon us? He is not visible; we are to be His living representatives, His ambassadors. May the impress of His image be upon us! For this we must be much in the secret place of communion, learning from Him, sitting at His blessed feet.

Ezekiel 39:8-16

Section 5 (Ezekiel 39:8-16).Almighty strength: the glory brought to Israel through its exercise.
Judgment executed upon proud flesh always leaves its aftermath to which the torch must be applied, or for which the grave must be dug. The collapse of every self-willed fleshly plan leaves that which must be removed or buried out of sight as loathsome and corrupt. Who that has experienced deliverance out of a snare by God’s blight falling upon some cherished plan conceived in the will of the flesh, has not found plenty to burn and bury? Yet it is thus we spoil the spoiler and plunder the plunderer, while the graves of our lust are a memorial, warning by the lessons they teach, but leading the exercised soul to confidence in an ever faithful God, so that after all He is glorified. The prophet is first assured of the absolute certainty of these events. It is the day of which Jehovah has spoken (Ezekiel 38:18-19), the day referred to in the many prophecies already mentioned. The arms of a stricken foe are usually gathered and preserved as trophies, or if fit for use stored in the arsenals of the victor. Not so here; they are consumed by fire. Might not Israel have future use for all this vast store? Would it not be prudence to preserve it?

Why? They who dwelt in peace without walls or gates or bars had not used a weapon to strike the foe! They had not been called to fight, Jehovah had accomplished the overthrow. It was like that of the ancient Assyrian host, the foreshadow of Gog, when the angel of the Lord went forth and smote 185,000, and “behold, they were all dead corpses” (Isaiah 37:36) . The day for sword and spear had passed. The fires that burned for seven years would witness to this, as also to Israel’s confidence being in Jehovah.

For how different a purpose to that of Gog shall then the gathering of the nations to Jerusalem be (Isaiah 2:1-4). The land is now cleansed of its defilement through death by the burial of Gog’s multitude. This place of a grave will abide a memorial to posterity; they who pass by will stop there to consider Jehovah’s judgment. Geographically this valley is difficult to locate, though the language suggests the vicinity of the Dead Sea, and also a route of general communication between the land and the east of the sea. That the lesson may not be forgotten the valley shall be called Hamon-Gog, “multitude of Gog,” and a city shall bear a name memorializing this judgment. This burial of the slain shall be for Israel a renown. It will give them a name of fame, of honor, before all nations. They bury the foe, instead of being buried under the weight of Gog’s avalanche. This is so, because it is the day upon which Jehovah is glorified in overcoming their enemies.

Ezekiel 39:17-21

Section 6 (Ezekiel 39:17-21).The mighty a prey The sacrifice of judgment provides a feast for bird and beast. It is spread upon the mountains of Israel which had been laid waste when the nations surfeited themselves with the spoil of Jehovah’s people; but there now the rich and mighty of the nations fall to utter destruction. Where once they had spoiled, they are now taken for a spoil. Such is the sowing and the reaping.

Ezekiel 39:22-29

Section 7 (Ezekiel 39:22-29.)The perfect completion of God’s ways with His people
The perfect completion of God’s holy ways in government with His people, and their establishment in full blessing, is now expressed as a fitting conclusion. First, the work of judgment confirms Israel beyond all question in the knowledge of Jehovah as their God. Secondly, it answers conclusively every question raised to profane Jehovah’s name because of Israel’s abject condition for the centuries of her dispersion. It was not because He was weak, unable to save, though it might appear so to the mocking eyes of unbelief. It was because He was holy, and must hide His face from them because of their iniquity. So He gave them into the hands of the adversaries, otherwise they could have had no power.

This history read in the light of Gog’s judgment will witness to the righteousness and holiness of Jehovah to whom now all the earth must bow. It also becomes the lesson book for the restored nation (ver. 28), while none shall be left out of blessing, nor shall God’s face be anymore hid from them. The Sun of Righteousness has arisen, and in its perpetual shining they shall ever rejoice. Likewise shall we, when in the glory of Christ’s day we read the lesson book of life’s history, which the judgment-seat of Christ will enable us to interpret according to divine righteousness and holiness. What a blessed knowledge this will give us of the Holy and the True, while being then forever like Him no cloud shall ever come between us and the glorious shining of His face! God is jealous of His holy name, He acts to vindicate it, and in this His people get their full blessing. How gloriously redemption accomplishes both -His glory and our blessing. And so with Israel in that day. But their dwelling securely as regathered will only give them a deeper realization of their shame and trespasses. The grace that restores and blesses writes more deeply upon the heart the failure of which we may be guilty than does the rod of judgment, which may leave of necessity a bleeding furrow. Thus shall the matchless glory of His presence, the perfect grace and kindness displayed in our being there, only make us read more deeply the awful meaning of sin, while we raise our anthem before the throne, “Unto Him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by His blood.” The blessing of those Millennial days will be found through the outpoured Spirit (ver. 29). Whatever may be the difference in dispensation, He has always been the active Divine Agent of blessing. From the time of His brooding upon the face of the waters, He has wrought in loving ministry for the creature. For us the blessing is the highest because of His personal indwelling of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and His baptism. of all such into one Body united to Christ in glory. Though this will not be true of Millennial days, and the presence and activity of the Spirit will then be after the order which the Old Testament makes known, yet it will be in greater fulness and with effects far more widespread than known in the days of old. It will be the glorious time of creation’s deliverance from its groan and its enjoyment of the liberty of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8:21).