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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》