XXXVIII. Chapter s 38 and 39 form one continuous prophecy, divided into four main parts by the renewed command to the prophet, “Son of man” (Ezekiel 38:1; Ezekiel 38:14; Ezekiel 39:1; Ezekiel 39:17), and these again into smaller divisions by the repetition of the form, “Thus saith the Lord” (Ezekiel... [ Continue Reading ]
GOG, THE LAND OF MAGOG. — “Magog” is mentioned in Genesis 10:2 (1 Chronicles 1:5) in connection with Gomer (the Cimmerians) and Madai (the Medes), as the name of a people descended from Japhet. Early Jewish tradition, adopted by Josephus and St. Jerome, identifies them with the Scythians; and this v... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHIEF PRINCE. — As in Ezekiel 38:2, the prince of Rosh.... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL TURN THEE BACK. — This is the more common meaning of the word; but if this meaning be retained here, it is not to be taken in the sense of turning back from the holy land, but rather, in connection with the figure of the next clause, of turning away the wild beast from his natural inclination... [ Continue Reading ]
PERSIA, ETHIOPIA, AND LIBYA. — Having summoned the nations from the extreme north, the prophet now turns first to the east, and then to the south and west. No neighbouring nations are mentioned at all, but only those living on the confines of the known world are summoned to this symbolic contest. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
GOMER... TOGARMAH. — Again the address turns to the extreme north. Gomer, like Magog, a people descended from Japheth (Genesis 10:2; 1 Chronicles 1:5), is identified with the Cimmerians; and for the house of Togarmah, the Armenians, see Note on 27:14. In the last clause of the verse, _people_ should... [ Continue Reading ]
BE THOU A GUARD UNTO THEM. — Every preparation is to be made on the part of Gog and the nations, and then Gog himself is to be their guard, or to control and guide the assault.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER MANY DAYS THOU SHALT BE VISITED. — This clause has been variously interpreted. The expression “after many days” is the common one to indicate that what is predicted is yet far in the future, and corresponds to the “latter years” of the next clause. The words “thou shalt be visited” are the usu... [ Continue Reading ]
THINK AN EVIL THOUGHT. — In Ezekiel 38:10 the motives of Gog in his attack upon Israel are fully exposed. It is to be remembered that in Ezekiel 38:4, and again in Ezekiel 38:16, the leading of this foe against the Church is represented as God’s own act; here it is explained that God did this by all... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAND OF UNWALLED VILLAGES. — Again, omit the definite article before _land,_ as in Ezekiel 38:8. The description of a people living in prosperity and security looks quite beyond anything hitherto realised in the history of the Jews, and points to such a state of things as is described in Zechari... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MIDST OF THE LAND. — Literally, _in the navel of the earth._ (See Note on Ezekiel 5:5.) The important position of Israel in reference to the other nations of the earth combined with its unsuspecting security and its riches to tempt the cupidity of Gog and his allies,... [ Continue Reading ]
SHEBA, AND DEDAN.... TARSHISH. — The first two are districts of Arabia, and the last is probably the Tartessus in Spain. These names seem to be added to those of Ezekiel 38:5, to show that all the nations of the world sympathise in this attack upon the Church.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALT THOU NOT KNOW IT? — The second part of this prophecy (Ezekiel 38:14), describing the doom of Gog, is introduced (Ezekiel 38:14) with a repetition of the peaceful security of Israel, and of God’s leading against her this great foe in whose destruction He shall be magnified before all people. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
LATTER DAYS. — The expression is indefinite but concurs with those in Ezekiel 38:8 in indicating a distant future.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHOM I HAVE SPOKEN IN OLD TIME. — This is put in that interrogative form which is often used for emphatic assurance. The word _many_ before “years” is not in the original, but is correctly inserted to mark the accusative of duration. The statement is then an emphatic one, that God had of old and... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MOUNTAINS SHALL BE THROWN DOWN. — In Ezekiel 38:19 the whole earth, animate and inanimate, is represented as affected by the terrible judgment of the Almighty upon His enemies. Such, as has been already noted, is the common language of prophecy in describing great moral events, and it is especia... [ Continue Reading ]