I cannot but believe, though the thing is not plainly revealed, that the Lord hath in this place a spiritual meaning, and which is principally intended by these scriptures. Surely Ezekiel ministry would not be directed, in so large a part of it, to the relation of other nations in their sins, and judgment, and punishment, but with an eye to the people of God for their improvement from them. And what can open an higher improvement than spiritually to contemplate the destruction of all those monarchies for the rejection of God's covenant in Christ? Indeed, from what is said in the book of the Revelation by St. John, we have some authority to look at the subject at least under this view, though not perhaps enough to draw positive conclusions therefrom. There we read that the court which is without the temple is given to the Gentiles, and the holy city they were to tread under feet forty and two months. And as the same scripture proceeds to tell us, that this great city is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, we cannot but be led to conclude, that somewhat of this nature is intended from these scriptures. Revelation 11:2-8. And still more from what is said to be the general intention of the Lord in those chastisements of Egypt, namely, that when the Lord hath made Egypt desolate, and smitten all them that dwell therein, then (he saith) shall they know that I am the Lord. It should seem to be the ultimate object of all visitations, that when Israel is gathered, the Gentile Church also shall be called. So speaks the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah: The Gentiles shall come to thy (Church's) light, (in Jesus), and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Isaiah 60:3. Indeed the whole purport of prophecy is to this effect. Isaiah 2:2-4; Isaiah 4:1 etc. Haggai 2:6-7 etc.
Ezekiel 32:1-16
1 And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whalea in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.
3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my net.
4 Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.
5 And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height.
6 I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
7 And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
8 All the brightb lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
9 I will also vexc the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.
10 Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.
11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee.
12 By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.
13 I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them.
14 Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the Lord GOD.
15 When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country shall be destituted of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am the LORD.
16 This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord GOD.