mh_parser/vol_split/26 - Ezekiel/Chapter 38.xml

<div2 id="Ez.xxxix" n="xxxix" next="Ez.xl" prev="Ez.xxxviii" progress="64.43%" title="Chapter XXXVIII">
<h2 id="Ez.xxxix-p0.1">E Z E K I E L.</h2>
<h3 id="Ez.xxxix-p0.2">CHAP. XXXVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ez.xxxix-p1" shownumber="no">This chapter, and that which follows it, are
concerning Gog and Magog, a powerful enemy to the people of Israel,
that should make a formidable descent upon them, and put them into
a consternation, but their army should be routed and their design
defeated; and this prophecy, it is most probable, had its
accomplishment some time after the return of the people of Israel
out of their captivity, whether in the struggles they had with the
kings of Syria, especially Antiochus Epiphanes, or perhaps in some
other way not recorded, we cannot tell. If the sacred history of
the Old Testament had reached as far as the prophecy, we should
have been better able to understand these chapters, but, for want
of that key, we are locked out of the meaning of them. God had by
the prophet assured his people of happy times after their return to
their own land; but lest they should mistake the promises which
related to the kingdom of the Messiah and the spiritual privileges of
that kingdom, as if from them they might promise themselves an
uninterrupted temporal prosperity, he here tells them, as Christ
told his disciples to prevent the like mistake, that in the world
they shall have tribulation, but they may be of good cheer, for
they shall be victorious at last. This prophecy here of Gog and
Magog is without doubt alluded to in that prophecy which relates to
the latter days, and which seems to be yet unfulfilled (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Rev.20.8" parsed="|Rev|20|8|0|0" passage="Re 20:8">Rev. xx. 8</scripRef>), that Gog and Magog shall
be gathered to battle against the camp of the saints, as the
Old-Testament prophecies of the destruction of Babylon are alluded
to, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.18.1-Rev.18.24" parsed="|Rev|18|1|18|24" passage="Re 18:1-24">Rev. xviii.</scripRef> But, in
both, the Old-Testament prophecies had their accomplishment in the
Jewish church as the New-Testament prophecies shall have when the
time comes in the Christian church. In this chapter we have
intermixed, I. The attempt that Gog and Magog should make upon the
land of Israel, the vast army they should bring into the field, and
their vast preparations (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.4-Ezek.38.7" parsed="|Ezek|38|4|38|7" passage="Eze 38:4-7">ver.
4-7</scripRef>), their project and design in it (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.8-Ezek.38.13" parsed="|Ezek|38|8|38|13" passage="Eze 38:8-13">ver. 8-13</scripRef>), God's hand in it, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.4" parsed="|Ezek|38|4|0|0" passage="Eze 38:4">ver. 4</scripRef>. II. The great terror that
this should strike upon the land of Israel, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.15-Ezek.38.16 Bible:Ezek.38.18-Ezek.38.20" parsed="|Ezek|38|15|38|16;|Ezek|38|18|38|20" passage="Eze 38:15,16,18-20">ver. 15, 16, 18-20</scripRef>. III. The divine
restraint that these enemies should be under, and the divine
protection that Israel should be under, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.2-Ezek.38.4 Bible:Ezek.38.14" parsed="|Ezek|38|2|38|4;|Ezek|38|14|0|0" passage="Eze 38:2-4,14">ver. 2-4 and ver. 14</scripRef>. IV. The defeat
that should be given to those enemies by the immediate hand of God
(<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.21-Ezek.38.23" parsed="|Ezek|38|21|38|23" passage="Eze 38:21-23">ver. 21-23</scripRef>), which we
shall hear more of in the next chapter.</p>
<scripCom id="Ez.xxxix-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38" parsed="|Ezek|38|0|0|0" passage="Eze 38" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ez.xxxix-p1.10" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.1-Ezek.38.13" parsed="|Ezek|38|1|38|13" passage="Eze 38:1-13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Ez.xxxix-p1.11">
<h4 id="Ez.xxxix-p1.12">The Judgment of Gog and
Magog. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxix-p1.13">b. c.</span> 585.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.xxxix-p2" shownumber="no">1 And the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxix-p2.1">Lord</span> came unto me, saying,   2 Son of man,
set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of
Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,   3 And say, Thus
saith the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxix-p2.2">God</span>; Behold, I
<i>am</i> against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and
Tubal:   4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy
jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and
horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts <i>of armour, even</i>
a great company <i>with</i> bucklers and shields, all of them
handling swords:   5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them;
all of them with shield and helmet:   6 Gomer, and all his
bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his
bands: <i>and</i> many people with thee.   7 Be thou prepared,
and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are
assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.   8 After
many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt
come into the land <i>that is</i> brought back from the sword,
<i>and is</i> gathered out of many people, against the mountains of
Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out
of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.   9
Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud
to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with
thee.   10 Thus saith the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxix-p2.3">God</span>; It shall also come to pass, <i>that</i> at
the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think
an evil thought:   11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the
land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that
dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having
neither bars nor gates,   12 To take a spoil, and to take a
prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places <i>that are
now</i> inhabited, and upon the people <i>that are</i> gathered out
of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in
the midst of the land.   13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the
merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say
unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy
company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away
cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxix-p3" shownumber="no">The critical expositors have enough to do
here to enquire out Gog and Magog. We cannot pretend either to add
to their observations or to determine their controversies. Gog
seems to be the king and Magog the kingdom; so that Gog and Magog
are like Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Some think they find them afar
off, in Scythia, Tartary, and Russia. Others think they find them
nearer the land of Israel, in Syria, and Asia the Less. Ezekiel is
appointed to prophesy against Gog, and to tell him that <i>God is
against him,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.2-Ezek.38.3" parsed="|Ezek|38|2|38|3" passage="Eze 38:2,3"><i>v.</i> 2,
3</scripRef>. Note, God does not only see those that are now the
enemies of his church and set himself against them, but he foresees
those that will be so and lets them know by his word that he is
against them too, and yet is pleased to make use of them to serve
his own purposes, for the glory of his own name; surely <i>their
wrath</i> shall <i>praise him,</i> and the <i>remainder thereof he
will restrain,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.10" parsed="|Ps|76|10|0|0" passage="Ps 76:10">Ps. lxxvi.
10</scripRef>. Let us observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxix-p4" shownumber="no">I. The confusion which God designed to put
this enemy to. It is remarkable that this is put first in the
prophecy; before it is foretold that God will <i>bring him
forth</i> against Israel, it is foretold that God will <i>put hooks
into his jaws</i> and <i>turn him back</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.4" parsed="|Ezek|38|4|0|0" passage="Eze 38:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), that they might have assurance
of their deliverance before they had the prospect given them of
their danger. Thus tender is God of the comfort of his people, thus
careful that they may not be frightened; even before the trouble
begins he tells them it will end well.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxix-p5" shownumber="no">II. The undertaking which he designed to
engage him in, in order to this defeat and disappointment. 1. The
nations that shall be confederate in this enterprise against Israel
are many, and great, and mighty (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.5-Ezek.38.6" parsed="|Ezek|38|5|38|6" passage="Eze 38:5,6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>), <i>Persia, Ethiopia,</i>
&amp;c. Antiochus had an army made up of all the nations here
named, and many others. These people had been at variance with one
another, and yet in combination against Israel. How are those
increased that trouble God's people! 2. They are well furnished
with arms and ammunition, and bring a good train of artillery into
the field—<i>horses and horsemen</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.4" parsed="|Ezek|38|4|0|0" passage="Eze 38:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>) bravely equipped <i>with all
sorts of armour, bucklers and shields</i> for defence, <i>and all
handling swords</i> for offence. Orders are given to make all
imaginable preparation for this expedition (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.7" parsed="|Ezek|38|7|0|0" passage="Eze 38:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): "<i>Be thou prepared, and do
thou prepare.</i> See what warlike preparations thou hast already
in store, and, lest that should not suffice, make further
preparation, <i>thou and all thy company,</i>" Let Gog himself be a
guard to the rest of the confederates. As commander-in-chief, let
him engage to take care of them and their safety; let him pass his
word for their security, and take them under his particular
protection. The leaders of an army, instead of exposing their
soldiers needlessly and presumptuously, and throwing away their
lives upon desperate undertakings, should study to be a guard to
them, and, whenever they send them forth in danger, should contrive
to support and cover them. This call to prepare seems to be
ironical—<i>Do thy worst,</i> but I will <i>turn thee back;</i>
like that <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Isa.8.9" parsed="|Isa|8|9|0|0" passage="Isa 8:9">Isa. viii. 9</scripRef>.
<i>Gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces.</i> 3. Their
design is against <i>the mountains of Israel</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.8" parsed="|Ezek|38|8|0|0" passage="Eze 38:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), against <i>the land
that is brought back from the sword.</i> It is not long since it
was harassed with the sword of war, and it has been always wasted,
more or less, with one judgment or other; it is but newly
<i>gathered out of many people,</i> and <i>brought forth out of the
nations;</i> it has enjoyed comparatively but a short
breathing-time, has scarcely recovered any strength since it was
brought down by war and captivity; and therefore its neighbours
need not fear its being too great, nay, and therefore it is very
barbarous to pick a quarrel with it so soon. It is a people that
<i>dwell safely, all of them, in unwalled villages,</i> very
secure, and <i>having neither bars nor gates,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.11" parsed="|Ezek|38|11|0|0" passage="Eze 38:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. It is a certain sign
that they intend no mischief to their neighbours, for they fear no
mischief from them. It cannot be thought that those will offend
others who do not take care to defend themselves; and this
aggravates the sin of these invaders. It is base and barbarous to
<i>devise evil against thy neighbour while he dwells securely by
thee,</i> and has no distrust of thee, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.7" osisRef="Bible:Prov.3.29" parsed="|Prov|3|29|0|0" passage="Pr 3:29">Prov. iii. 29</scripRef>. But see here how <i>the clouds
return after the rain</i> in this world, and what little reason we
have ever to be secure till we come to heaven. It is not long since
Israel was brought back from the sword of one enemy, and behold the
sword of another is drawn against it. Former troubles will not
excuse us from further troubles; but when we think we have <i>put
off the harness,</i> at least for some time, by a fresh and sudden
alarm we may be called to <i>gird it on again;</i> and therefore we
must never boast nor be off our guard. 4. That which the enemy has
in view, in forming this project, is to enrich himself and to make
himself master, not of the country, but of the wealth of it, to
spoil and plunder it, and make a prey of it: <i>At the same</i>
time that God intends to bring this matter about <i>things shall
come into the mind</i> of this enemy, and <i>he shall think an evil
thought,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.8" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.10" parsed="|Ezek|38|10|0|0" passage="Eze 38:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>.
Note, All the mischief men do, and particularly the mischief they
do to the church of God, arises from evil thoughts that come into
their mind, ambitious thoughts, covetous thoughts, spiteful
thoughts against those that are good, for the sake of their
goodness. It came into Antiochus's mind what a singular people
these religious Jews were, and how their worship witnessed against
and condemned the idolatries of their neighbours, and therefore, in
enmity to their religion, he would plague them. It came into his
mind what a wealthy people they were, that they had <i>gotten
cattle and goods in the midst of the land</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.9" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.12" parsed="|Ezek|38|12|0|0" passage="Eze 38:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), and withal how weak they
were, how unable to make any resistance, how easy it would be to
carry off what they had, and how much glory this rapine would add
to his victorious sword; these things coming into his mind, and one
evil thought drawing on another, he came at last to this resolve
(<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.10" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.11-Ezek.38.12" parsed="|Ezek|38|11|38|12" passage="Eze 38:11,12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>):
"<i>I will go up to the land of unwalled villages;</i> yea, that I
will; it will cost me nothing to make them all my own. I will go
and disturb <i>those that are at rest,</i> without giving them any
notice, not to crush their growing greatness, or chastise their
insolence, or make reprisals upon them for any wrong they have done
us (they had none of these pretences to make war upon them), but
purely <i>to take a spoil and to take a prey</i>" (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.11" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.12" parsed="|Ezek|38|12|0|0" passage="Eze 38:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), in open defiance to
all the laws of justice and equity, as much as the highwayman's
killing the traveller that he may take his money. These were the
thoughts that came into the mind of this wicked prince, and God
knew them; nay, he knew them before they came into his mind, for he
<i>understands our thoughts afar off,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.12" osisRef="Bible:Ps.139.2" parsed="|Ps|139|2|0|0" passage="Ps 139:2">Ps. cxxxix. 2</scripRef>. 5. According to the project
thus formed he pours in all his forces upon the land of Israel, and
finds those that are ready to come in to his assistance with the
same prospects (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.13" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.9" parsed="|Ezek|38|9|0|0" passage="Eze 38:9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>): "<i>Thou shalt ascent and come like a storm,</i>
with all the force, and fury, and fierceness imaginable, and
<i>thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land,</i> to darken it,
and to threaten it, <i>thou and</i> not only <i>all thy bands,</i>
all the force thou canst bring into the field, but <i>many people
with thee</i>" (such as are spoken of <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.14" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.13" parsed="|Ezek|38|13|0|0" passage="Eze 38:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), "<i>Sheba and Dedan,</i> the
Arabians and the Edomites, <i>and the merchants of Tarshish,</i> of
Tyre and Sidon and other maritime cities, they and their <i>young
lions</i> that are greedy of spoil and live upon it, <i>shall say,
Hast thou come to take the spoil</i> of this land?" Yes he has; and
therefore they wish him success. Or perhaps they envy him, or
grudge it to him. "Hast thou come for riches who art thyself so
rich already?" Or, knowing that God was on Israel's side, they thus
ridicule his attempts, foreseeing that they would be baffled and
that he would be disappointed of the prey he promised himself. Or,
if he come to <i>take the prey,</i> they will come and join with
him, and add to his forces. When Lysias, who was general of
Antiochus's army, came against the Jews, the neighbouring nations
joined with him (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p5.15" osisRef="Bible:1Macc.3.41" parsed="|1Macc|3|41|0|0" passage="1 Mac. iii. 41">1 Mac. iii. 41</scripRef>), to share in the guilt, in
hopes to share in the prey. <i>When thou sawest a thief then thou
consentedst with him.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ez.xxxix-p5.16" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.14-Ezek.38.23" parsed="|Ezek|38|14|38|23" passage="Eze 38:14-23" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Ez.xxxix-p5.17">
<h4 id="Ez.xxxix-p5.18">The Judgment of Gog and
Magog. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxix-p5.19">b. c.</span> 585.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.xxxix-p6" shownumber="no">14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto
Gog, Thus saith the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxix-p6.1">God</span>; In
that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not
know <i>it?</i>   15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of
the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them
riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:   16
And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to
cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring
thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be
sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.   17 Thus saith
the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxix-p6.2">God</span>; <i>Art</i> thou he of
whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of
Israel, which prophesied in those days <i>many</i> years that I
would bring thee against them?   18 And it shall come to pass
at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel,
saith the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxix-p6.3">God</span>, <i>that</i> my
fury shall come up in my face.   19 For in my jealousy
<i>and</i> in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that
day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;   20
So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the
beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the
earth, and all the men that <i>are</i> upon the face of the earth,
shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down,
and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the
ground.   21 And I will call for a sword against him
throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxix-p6.4">God</span>: every man's sword shall be against his
brother.   22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and
with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon
the many people that <i>are</i> with him, an overflowing rain, and
great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.   23 Thus will I
magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the
eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxix-p6.5">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxix-p7" shownumber="no">This latter part of the chapter is a
repetition of the former; the dream is doubled, for the thing is
certain and to be very carefully regarded.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxix-p8" shownumber="no">I. It is here again foretold that this
spiteful enemy should make a formidable descent upon the land of
Israel (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.15" parsed="|Ezek|38|15|0|0" passage="Eze 38:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>):
"<i>Thou shalt come out of the north parts</i> (Syria lay on the
north of Canaan) with <i>a mighty army,</i> shalt come like <i>a
cloud,</i> and <i>cover the land of my people Israel,</i>"
<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.16" parsed="|Ezek|38|16|0|0" passage="Eze 38:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. These words
(<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.14" parsed="|Ezek|38|14|0|0" passage="Eze 38:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), <i>When my
people Israel dwell safely, shalt thou not know it?</i> may be
taken two ways:—1. As intimating his inducements to this attempt.
"Thou shalt have intelligence brought thee how securely, and
therefore how carelessly, the people of Israel dwell, which shall
give rise to thy project against them; for when thou knowest not
only what a rich, but what an easy prey they are likely to be, thou
wilt soon determine to fall upon them." Note, God's providence is to
be acknowledged in the occasion, the small occasion perhaps, that
is given, and that not designedly neither, to those first thoughts
from which great enterprises take their original. God, to bring
about his own purposes, lets men know that which yet he knows they
will make a bad use of, as here. Or, 2. As intimating his
disappointment in this attempt, which here, as before, the prophecy
begins with: "<i>When my people Israel dwell safely,</i> not in
their own apprehension only, but in reality, forasmuch as they
dwell safely under the divine protection, shalt not thou be made to
know it by the fruitlessness of thy endeavours to destroy them?"
Thou shalt soon find that there is <i>no enchantment against
Jacob,</i> that <i>no weapon formed against them shall prosper;</i>
thou shalt know to thy cost, shalt know to thy shame, that though
they have no walls, nor bars, nor gates, they have God himself, a
<i>wall of fire, round about them,</i> and that he who <i>touches
them touches the apple of his eye;</i> whosoever meddles with them
meddles to his own hurt. And it is for the demonstrating of this to
all the world that God will bring this mighty enemy against his
people. Those that <i>gathered themselves against Israel</i> said,
<i>Let us take the spoil and take they prey,</i> but they <i>knew
not the thoughts of the Lord,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p8.4" osisRef="Bible:Mic.4.11-Mic.4.12" parsed="|Mic|4|11|4|12" passage="Mic 4:11,12">Mic. iv. 11, 12</scripRef>. <i>I will bring thee
against my land.</i> This is strange news, that God will not only
permit his enemies to come against his own children, but will
himself bring them; but, if we understand what he aims at, we shall
be well reconciled even to this: it is "<i>that the heathen may
know me</i> to be the only living and true God <i>when I shall be
sanctified in thee,</i> O Gog! that is, in thy defeat and
destruction <i>before their eyes,</i> that all the nations may see,
and say, <i>There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, that rides
on the heavens for the help of his people.</i>" Note, God brings
his people into danger and distress that he may have the honour of
bringing about their deliverance, and suffers the enemies of his
church to prevail awhile, though they profane his name by their
sin, that he may have the honour of prevailing at last and
sanctifying his own name in their ruin. Now it is said, This shall
be <i>in the latter days,</i> namely, in the latter days of the
Old-Testament church; so the mischief that Antiochus did to Israel
was; but in the latter days of the New-Testament church another
like enemy should arise, that should in like manner be defeated.
Note, Effectual securities are treasured up in the word of God
against the troubles and dangers the church may be brought into a
great while hence, even in the latter days.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxix-p9" shownumber="no">II. Reference is herein had to the
predictions of the former prophets (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.17" parsed="|Ezek|38|17|0|0" passage="Eze 38:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>): <i>Art thou he of whom I have
spoken in old time,</i> of whom Moses spoke in his prophecy of the
latter days (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.43" parsed="|Deut|32|43|0|0" passage="De 32:43">Deut. xxxii.
43</scripRef>, <i>He will render vengeance to his adversaries),</i>
and David, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.9.15" parsed="|Ps|9|15|0|0" passage="Ps 9:15">Ps. ix. 15</scripRef>
(<i>The heathen are sunk down into the pit that they made</i>) and
often elsewhere in the Psalms? This is the leviathan of whom Isaiah
spoke (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Isa.27.1" parsed="|Isa|27|1|0|0" passage="Isa 27:1">Isa. xxvii. 1</scripRef>), that
congress of the nations of which Joel spoke, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Joel.3.1" parsed="|Joel|3|1|0|0" passage="Joe 3:1">Joel iii. 1</scripRef>. Many of the prophets had perhaps
spoken particularly of this event, though it be not written, as
they all had spoken and written too that which is applicable to it.
Note, There is an amiable admirable harmony and agreement between
the Lord's prophets, though they lived in several ages, for they
were all guided by one and the same Spirit.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxix-p10" shownumber="no">III. It is here foretold that this furious
formidable enemy should be utterly cut off in this attempt upon
Israel, and that it should issue in his own ruin. This is supposed
by many to have its accomplishment in the many defeats given by the
Maccabees to the forces of Antiochus and the remarkable judgments
of God executed upon his own person, for he died of sore diseases.
But these things are here foretold, as usual, in figurative
expressions, which we are not to look for the literal
accomplishment of, and yet they might be fulfilled nearer the
letter than we know of. 1. God will be highly displeased with this
bold invader: <i>When he comes up</i> in pride and anger <i>against
the land of Israel,</i> and thinks to carry all before him with a
high hand, then <i>God's fury shall come up in his face,</i> which
is an allusion to the manner of men, whose colour rises in their
faces when some high affront is offered them and they are resolved
to show their resentment of it, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.18" parsed="|Ezek|38|18|0|0" passage="Eze 38:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. God will speak against them in
his <i>jealousy</i> for his people and in <i>the fire of his
wrath</i> against his and their enemies, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.19" parsed="|Ezek|38|19|0|0" passage="Eze 38:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. See how God's permitting sin,
his laying occasions of sin before men, and his making use of it to
serve his own purposes, consist with his hatred of sin and his
displeasure against it. God <i>brings this enemy against his
land,</i> letting him know what an easy prey it might be and
determining thereby to glorify himself; and yet, <i>when he comes
against the land,</i> God's <i>fury comes up,</i> and <i>he speaks
to him in the fire of his wrath.</i> If any ask, Why does he thus
find fault? for who has resisted his will? It is easy to answer,
<i>Nay, but, O man! who art thou that repliest against God?</i> 2.
His forces shall be put into the greatest confusion and
consternation imaginable (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.19" parsed="|Ezek|38|19|0|0" passage="Eze 38:19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>): <i>There shall be a great shaking of</i> them <i>in
the land of Israel,</i> a universal concussion (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.20" parsed="|Ezek|38|20|0|0" passage="Eze 38:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), such as shall affect the
<i>fishes</i> and <i>fowls,</i> the <i>beasts</i> and <i>creeping
things,</i> and much more <i>the men that are upon the face of the
earth,</i> who sooner receive impressions of fear. There shall be
such an earthquake as shall <i>throw down</i> the <i>mountains,</i>
those natural heights, and the <i>steep places,</i> towers and
<i>walls,</i> those artificial heights; they shall all <i>fall to
the ground.</i> Some understand this of the fright which the land
of Israel should be put into by the fury of the enemy. But it is
rather to be understood of the fright which the enemy should be put
into by the wrath of God; all those things which they both raise
themselves and stay themselves upon shall be shaken down, and their
hearts shall fail them. 3. He shall be routed and utterly ruined;
both earth and heaven shall be armed against him (1.) The earth
shall muster up its forces to destroy him. If the people of Israel
have not strength and courage to resist him, God will <i>call for a
sword against him,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.21" parsed="|Ezek|38|21|0|0" passage="Eze 38:21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. And he has swords always at command, that are
<i>bathed in heaven,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.6" osisRef="Bible:Isa.35.5" parsed="|Isa|35|5|0|0" passage="Isa 35:5">Isa. xxxv.
5</scripRef>. Throughout all the mountains of Israel, where he
hoped to meet with spoil to enrich him, he shall meet with swords
to destroy him, and, rather than fail, <i>every man's sword shall
be against his brother,</i> as in <i>the day of Midian,</i>
<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.83.9" parsed="|Ps|83|9|0|0" passage="Ps 83:9">Ps. lxxxiii. 9</scripRef>. The great
men of Syria shall undermine and overthrow one another, shall
accuse one another, shall fight duels with one another. Note, God
can, and often does, make the destroyers of his people to be their
own destroyers and the destroyers of one another. However, he will
himself be their destroyer, will take the work into his own hand,
that it may be done thoroughly (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.8" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.22" parsed="|Ezek|38|22|0|0" passage="Eze 38:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>): <i>I will plead against him
with pestilence and blood.</i> Note, Whom God acts against he
pleads against; he shows them the ground of his controversy with
them, that their mouths may be stopped, and he may be clear when he
judges. (2.) The artillery of heaven shall also be drawn out
against them: <i>I will rain upon him an overflowing rain,</i>
<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.9" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.22" parsed="|Ezek|38|22|0|0" passage="Eze 38:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. He comes
like a storm upon Israel, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.10" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.9" parsed="|Ezek|38|9|0|0" passage="Eze 38:9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. But God will come like a storm upon him, will rain
upon him <i>great hailstones</i> as upon the Canaanites (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.11" osisRef="Bible:Josh.10.11" parsed="|Josh|10|11|0|0" passage="Jos 10:11">Josh. x. 11</scripRef>), fire and brimstone as
upon Sodom, and a <i>horrible tempest,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.12" osisRef="Bible:Ps.11.6" parsed="|Ps|11|6|0|0" passage="Ps 11:6">Ps. xi. 6</scripRef>. Thus the Gog and Magog in the New
Testament shall be devoured with <i>fire from heaven,</i> and cast
into the <i>lake of brimstone,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.13" osisRef="Bible:Rev.20.9-Rev.20.10" parsed="|Rev|20|9|20|10" passage="Re 20:9,10">Rev. xx. 9, 10</scripRef>. That will be the
everlasting portion of all the impenitent implacable enemies of
God's church and people. 4. God, in all this, will be glorified.
The end he aimed at (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.14" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.16" parsed="|Ezek|38|16|0|0" passage="Eze 38:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>) shall be accomplished (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxix-p10.15" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.38.23" parsed="|Ezek|38|23|0|0" passage="Eze 38:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>): <i>Thus will I magnify myself
and sanctify myself.</i> Note, In the destruction of sinners God
makes it to appear that he is a great and holy God, and he will do
so to eternity. And, if men do not magnify and sanctify him as they
ought, he will magnify himself, and sanctify himself; and this we
should desire and pray for daily, <i>Father, glorify thy own
name.</i></p>
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