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Ezekiel Chapter
Thirty-eight
Ezekiel 38
Chapter Contents
The army and malice of Gog. (1-13) God's judgments.
(14-23)
Commentary on Ezekiel 38:1-13
(Read Ezekiel 38:1-13)
These events will be in the latter days. It is supposed
these enemies will come together to invade the land of Judea
and God will
defeat them. God not only sees who are now the enemies of his church
but he
foresees who will be so
and lets them know by his word that he is against
them; though they join together
the wicked shall not be unpunished.
Commentary on Ezekiel 38:14-23
(Read Ezekiel 38:14-23)
The enemy should make a formidable descent upon the land
of Israel. When Israel dwell safely under the Divine protection
shalt not thou
be made to know it by finding that endeavours to destroy them are made in vain?
Promises of security are treasured up in the word of God
against the troubles
and dangers the church may be brought into in the latter days. In the
destruction of sinners
God makes it appear that he is a great and holy God. We
should desire and pray daily. Father
glorify thine own name.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Ezekiel》
Ezekiel 38
Verse 1
[1] And the word of the LORD came unto me
saying
Saying — God now forewarns the Jews
what enemies and troubles
would interpose
before he would fully deliver them.
Verse 2
[2] Son of man
set thy face against Gog
the land of Magog
the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal
and prophesy against him
Gog — This cannot be one single person
or prince
though
perhaps it points out some one
by whom the troubles foretold were begun. Some
believe the time is still to come
wherein this prophecy is to be fulfilled.
And that it must intend those enemies of God's church who descended from the
Scythians
and are now masters of Cappadocia
Iberia
Armenia
or are in
confederacy with the Tartars
and those northern heathens. But others think
all the enemies of Israel in all quarters
both open and secret are here
intended
and that the Antichristian forces and combination
are what the
prophet foretells.
Magog — Magog is
at least
part of Scythia
and comprehends
Syria
in which was Hierapolis. taken by the Scythians
and called of them
Scythopolis. It is that country
which now is in subjection to the Turks
and
may be extended thro' Asia minor
the countries of Sarmatia
and many others
under more than one in succession of time. And in the last time under some one
active and daring prince
all their power will be stirred up against
Christians.
Verse 4
[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 of armour
even a great company with bucklers and
shields
all of them handling swords:
Handling swords — That is
very ready
expert and
strong in using the sword.
Verse 6
[6] Gomer
and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the
north quarters
and all his bands: and many people with thee.
Gomer — Inhabitants of Galatia.
Togarmah — Paphlagonia
and Cappadocia.
The north quarters — The more northern
people
the numerous Tartars.
Verse 7
[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.
Be thou prepared — God and the church
deride this mighty preparation.
Verse 8
[8] After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter
years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword
and is
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.
After many days — In the latter days of the
Messiah's kingdom among men.
In the later years — These must be
cotemporary with the many days already mentioned.
Thou — Gog with all thy numbers.
The land — The land of the Jews
a people recovered from
captivity
into which the sword of their enemy had brought them.
Always waste — It is already two thousand four
hundred years since the ten tribes were carried away by Salmanezer.
But it — The land of Canaan
that is
the people of it.
Verse 11
[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
Unwalled — Weak
and without any considerable defences.
Verse 13
[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?
Sheba — This Sheba was southward
and contains all of that
coast which assisted Gog.
Dedan — By these are noted
the eastern nations that assisted.
Tarshish — The inhabitants of the sea-coast westward
and Magog
north.
The young lions — Young men thirsty of blood
but
more of spoil
resolve to join
if they may rob and spoil for themselves.
Art thou come — This repeated enquiry seems to be
an agreement to come to his assistance
on condition they might have
possess
and carry away what they seize.
Verse 14
[14] Therefore
son of man
prophesy and say unto Gog
Thus
saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely
shalt
thou not know it?
Know it — Thou wilt be informed of it.
Verse 15
[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:
The north parts — From Scythia
from the Euxine and
Caspian seas
and countries thereabouts.
Verse 16
[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.
I will bring — I will permit thee to come.
Sanctified — Confessed to be a great God over
all
a gracious and faithful God to his people
and a dreadful enemy and
avenger against the wicked.
Before — ln the sight of all the heathen that are with Gog
and
much more in the sight of God's own people.
Verse 17
[17] Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have
spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel
which prophesied in
those days many years that I would bring thee against them?
Spoken — All these enterprises I have spoken of
and will as
well defeat as I did foretel them.
Verse 19
[19] For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I
spoken
Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of
Israel;
For — For my own people
and for mine own glory.
Have I spoken — Against mine enemies Gog
and all
his herd.
A great shaking — A great disturbance and tumult
like an earthquake.
Verse 21
[21] And I will call for a sword against him throughout all
my mountains
saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his
brother.
Sword — Israel.
Throughout — From all parts of the land
which
was full of mountains.
Every man's sword — As it was in
Jehoshaphat's time; and these swords may be meant by the sword God will call
for through all
for they ranged all over his mountains.
Verse 23
[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 am the
LORD.
Magnify — Undeniably prove that I am the mighty
just
faithful
wise
holy
and merciful God.
Sanctify — Declare I am holy
and true to my word.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Ezekiel》
38 Chapter 38
Verses 1-23
Verse 10
Shall things come into thy mind?
The Prince of Meshech; or
thought and sterling character
There is much mystery about the Prince of Meshech. Anyhow
there
was much terror spread by him and his people when they overran Israel.
Malicious intentions were fostered by the prince. Many things came into his
mind
and among them a special “evil thought.” His intention was to go up
against the defenceless
“to take a spoil and to take a prey.” God rebuked him
and threatened that “Divine fury should come in his face.” Evil thoughts reveal
our characters and bring Divine condemnation. God looks at the thoughts
and
measures the man by his thoughts. All men have a character of some sort. It is
something that attaches itself to us as closely as our shadow. We cannot
separate ourselves from the one any more than from the other. The general tone
of the thoughts determines the real character
whether of the Prince of Meshech
or a peasant of the mountains.
I. The
constituents of a really sterling character.
1. In a man of real worth there will be transparency of life. He will
be easily seen through
--not in the sense of being detected
but of being so
upright that there shall be nothing wrong to detect. Some only pretend to be
transparent
like the cobwebbed
unwashed
dust-covered window
opening into
some close alley. These affect an openness of life
and yield to practices of
which it would be a shame to speak. Others are transparent
because pure; and
are like the beautiful rose window in the Cathedral at Amiens
where there is
such a charming combination of colours that even the sun’s rays passing through
it are tinged with a brighter glory.
2. In the man of sterling character there will be a ready recognition
of the supremacy of conscience. Too many have double consciences
one for
church life
the other for commerce; one for the sanctuary
the other for the
shop and the counting house. They forget that that which they approve in the
one must be carried out in the other. If they have principles
let them cling
to them; if they claim to be men of sterling worth
let them bow ever before
conscience.
3. In the man of sterling character there must ever be a recognition
of the value
and the actual possession of real piety. Morality apart from
reverence for God is self-glory. It may even produce pride. Pride generally
takes up its abode where piety is not enshrined. Pride hides from us our real
state in God’s sight. Pride hinders from the acceptance of the Gospel of love
and mercy.
4. The man of sterling character must love truth and purity for their
own sake. To be good because it brings gain
or pious because it pays
or
religious because it is respectable
is hypocrisy. There are inseparable
advantages attaching to the possession of good character. Solomon said
“A good
name is better than precious ointment.” The Divine approval will be followed by
men’s approval
and in this the reward of character will come. But apart from
this
we should seek to be true
noble
and pious
for the sake of goodness and
truth itself.
II. The way in
which true piety of character may be obtained. The desired possession will not
be obtained as by some “lucky stroke of business.” It must grow. To obtain it
among our fellows is easy when we deserve it. A steady course of uprightness
and purity will bring it. We must not be spasmodic in our goodness. We must
watch little things
avoid habits that offend in the slightest degree. Getting
rid of these things
we must retain our individuality. We must not measure
ourselves by other persons
and think because we live just after the same
manner
and on the same moral plane as some others
that therefore we are good
enough. There are higher possibilities in the nature of each. There is room
for
and should be enthusiasm--enthusiasm for the truth
for the welfare of
humanity
for the glory of God our Father
and of Christ our Saviour. The
Prince of Meshech had those around him who were ready to approve his dastardly
intention
when he said
“I will go up
” etc. The mind is coloured by the
thoughts and sayings of those surrounding us
even as the lake is blue or
greyish according to the qualities of the mountains down the sides of which the
streams and torrents flow that fill it. How important then that we should seek
to associate chiefly with Christians
and ever keep ourselves surrounded by
Christian influences. There is a Persian fable which tells us that a man one
day picked up a piece of scented clay
and said to it
“What are you; are you
musk?” “No
I am only a poor piece of clay
but I have been near a beautiful
rose
and it has given me its own sweet smell.” Keep
therefore
in the society
of the good
and live as near as possible to Christ
and then you will gain
such purity and nobility of nature that the world will take knowledge of you
that you have been with Him. Let me say that we should beware of seeking to
build up character in our own strength. Christ’s example
Christ’s sacrifice
Christ’s pardon
Christ’s help
Christ’s love
Christ Himself
in the fulness
of His power
these form the only true and safe foundation. (F. Hastings
M.
A.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》