EZEKIEL CHAPTER 37 By the resurrection of dry bones the revival of the lost hope of Israel is prefigured, EZEKIEL 37:1. By the uniting of two sticks is showed the incorporation of Israel with Judah, EZEKIEL 37:15. Their blessings in union under Christ their king, EZEKIEL 37:20. THE HAND; either the... [ Continue Reading ]
CAUSED ME; I was made to go round about them, in the same manner in which I was carried to see them. ROUND ABOUT; round, round, perhaps twice or oftener, to view them well. Behold: he reports what he observed remarkable. VERY MANY; first for number, they were not only many, but very many, as EZEKIEL... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAID; the Lord, who brought Ezekiel hither, asks him what he thought. CAN THESE BONES LIVE? either, is it likely they should? or, is it a future thing that shall be, or possible, that they may live? THOU KNOWEST: the prophet's answer refers all to God, to whom all things are possible which argue... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet had spoken often to things that could as little hear as these bones could, yet when they are deaf to a prophet, they will hear the prophet's God. YE DRY BONES, HEAR: alas, what, dry bones hear! no, not a syllable of this word. THE WORD OF THE LORD; but this they will hear, observe, and o... [ Continue Reading ]
My prophet prophesied and spake, but I, saith the Lord, only can and I will surely give life to them. When God had formed Adam's body, as lifeless as these bones, he created him a living soul, by breathing into his face the breath of life; by a creating power he brings breath into these bones too. T... [ Continue Reading ]
SINEWS tie the bones together. FLESH fills up the hollownesses, and being full of muscles helps motion. SKIN, as the upper silken garment, covers all with a clear and blushing colour. BREATH lastly must be added. All this God declares he will do, and I suppose these promises are what the prophet is... [ Continue Reading ]
I PROPHESIED; declared or pronounced these promises or gracious purposes of God concerning them. AS I WAS COMMANDED: whether it was thus or some other way, the prophet was commanded it, and so he did it; he spake to them which could not but be deaf to him, and which could not but hear when God speak... [ Continue Reading ]
The noise he heard would certainly make any one look, and consider what it was. I BEHELD; looked carefully, and heedfully observed. CAME UP UPON THEM; came gradually, spreading itself, as what grows wider and longer. ABOVE; UPPERMOST the skin covered them. So here were men in skin, with flesh, sinew... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HE; the Lord God. UNTO ME; to Ezekiel, viewing, and no doubt wondering at the sight. PROPHESY; declare to that what my will is. UNTO THE WIND, Heb. _spirit_; and it might be so rendered, but our version hath it _wind_, while the French hath it _spirit_, i.e. the soul, whose emblem here is... [ Continue Reading ]
I PROPHESIED: see EZEKIEL 37:7. THE BREATH, Heb. _the spirit_; the spirit of life, or the soul, GENESIS 2:7. CAME; entered, took up its abode. _They lived_; presently discovered that they did live. STOOD UP; rose with strength, able to support themselves. ARMY; A POWER, so the Hebrew, or army of str... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WHOLE HOUSE; the hieroglyphic or emblem of the house of Israel. THEY SAY; think, discourse, and conclude. OUR BONES ARE DRIED; their state as hopeless, as far from recovery, as dried bones scattered abroad, and, undistinguished, heaped up, are from life. OUR HOPE IS LOST; the hope, not that fals... [ Continue Reading ]
PROPHESY; tell them their mistake, and revive their hope by a new promise and declaration of my purposes of mercy towards them. SAY UNTO THEM; these poor desponding, dejected Israelites. BEHOLD; consider what my prophet assures you he hath seen, dry bones miraculously revived, and standing up in pow... [ Continue Reading ]
When your restitution to your own land, and your prosperity in your land, when your growth to strength and power, shall be so miraculously effected, then you shall acknowledge and publish the glory of my power, faithfulness, goodness, and wisdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SPIRIT: see EZEKIEL 11:19, EZEKIEL 36:27. YE SHALL LIVE, joyful in, thankful for, and contented with the blessings I give. I SHALL PLACE YOU; quietly and in rest settle you in your own habitations, and in your ancient possessions. I THE LORD HAVE SPOKEN IT: this shall demonstrate the truth of my... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE STICK; tablet, i.e. a writing tablet or a tally, such as is fitted to be written upon, or a rod, or staff, on which thou mayst write; the Hebrew calls it wood, without describing its form and fashion; but whatever its fashion was, it must be but one. WRITE UPON IT; the inscription is not only co... [ Continue Reading ]
JOIN THEM: some would have this done miraculously, but I do not think God bade the prophet work a miracle; were it so, God would rather have said, I will make them one, for he can do miracles. It was enough if glued together, or but held in his hand, so that in his hand they were one.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN; so soon as. THE CHILDREN OF THY PEOPLE; to whom thou art watchman by office, and near of kin by natural descent. WILT THOU NOT? there was some reason why they might doubt whether he would, because they had carried it so, frowardly toward him; therefore they request it by an interrogatory, _Wil... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STICK OF JOSEPH; on which Joseph's name is written, and which represents Joseph. WHICH IS IN THE HAND OF EPHRAIM; which was under the government of Ephraim; or thus, which is the tribe of Ephraim, the latter explaining the former. HIS FELLOWS: EZEKIEL 37:16. PUT THEM WITH HIM; Judah and his comp... [ Continue Reading ]
To affect them the more, and to assure them the more fully, let them see these two divided sticks made one in thy hand.... [ Continue Reading ]
See this explained EZEKIEL 36:24. THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; the ten tribes, as well as Judah and Benjamin; at least, many of the ten tribes. WHITHER THEY BE GONE: the expression seems to look to them that were gone among the heathen by a voluntary peregrination, whether before the captivity or after i... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL MAKE THEM ONE NATION: they were one in David's time, who was type of the Messiah, and continued so to the end of Solomon's time, whose name includes peace. So when the Beloved, the Peace-maker, the Messiah shall be King, and on his throne exercising his kingly power, they shall be once more o... [ Continue Reading ]
DEFILE THEMSELVES: idolatry is a very defiling sin, and the Jews in both kingdoms were exceedingly addicted to it, pertinacious in it, to the utter ruin of both kingdoms; but after the return from Babylonish captivity, we find no where that they fell to idolatry. THEIR IDOLS: it may refer to the hea... [ Continue Reading ]
DAVID: see EZEKIEL 34:23,24. It is the Son of David, who was also his Lord, that is here intended. My servant: the Messiah, in his mediatory office, is God's servant and our Saviour. OVER THEM; over their hearts, and rule there in spiritual manner. ONE SHEPHERD; this King shall be a Shepherd, that f... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY; the ten tribes and the two tribes. That I have given: see EZEKIEL 28:25. YOUR FATHERS, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, whose memory you venerate, and greatly affect to be heirs more of their lands and houses than of their virtues and piety. _Their children's children_ for ever: if this prophecy... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL MAKE; as it was my kindness to your fathers to give them, so shall it be to you to give you, my blessings on the sure and inviolable security of a covenant. A COVENANT OF PEACE; comprehending all blessings that may give a people content, and render them happy; peace with God in heaven? peace... [ Continue Reading ]
MY TABERNACLE; the tabernacle of my presence, or wherein I will show my presence among them. Their fathers had a tabernacle of witness, so shall they; that was brought by Joshua into Canaan, but the Messiah shall bring with him a better, a spiritual and heavenly. I WILL BE THEIR GOD: see EZEKIEL 11:... [ Continue Reading ]
When Christ by his Spirit in gospel ordinances is among them, it shall appear they are a consecrated and a sanctified people.... [ Continue Reading ]