A covenant of peace— Could this expression at all agree with the ancient covenant? When have we seen an age, half an age, of peace in Israel, except in the time of the Judges? The whole history of the Jewish nation is nothing more than a recital of wars and continual divisions; and if we understand it of peace between God and his people, where shall we find this people faithfully attached to the Lord during one century only? We have only to open the books of the prophets, and the other sacred records, to remark their infidelities and perpetual rebellions against God. This expression, therefore, can only respect the New Testament, whereof Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, is the Mediator, and who gives us that true peace which surpasses all conception. See Philippians 4:7 and Calmet. Instead of, I will place them, Houbigant reads, I will be their leader. The expression, my sanctuary or tabernacle, which refers to the tabernacle or temple placed among the Jews, is typical of Jesus Christ, who is the true tabernacle, pitched by God, and not man. See Psalms 89:3.Jeremiah 32:40. Ezekiel 34:25. 2 Corinthians 6:16. Revelation 21:3.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, We have here,
1. The vision. Under the powerful impulse of the Spirit, the prophet is carried into the valley full of dry bones, disjointed and scattered in confusion; an emblem of the Jewish people now captives in Babylon, so dispersed that, to human view, their recovery was as much despaired of as the restoration of dry bones to life. Therefore, when asked, Can these bones live? he replies, O Lord, thou knowest. Nothing short of Omnipotence can effect the amazing miracle.
2. The prophet is commanded to prophesy upon or over these dry bones, and to call on them to attend; O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. And since, without a divine energy accompanying his word, their restoration to life could not be accomplished, he is ordered to pray unto the Spirit for his quickening influences; Come, O Breath, or Spirit, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live: and, though the work might seem strange and fruitless, the prophet obeyed. Note; While the ministers of the Gospel are crying aloud to sinners, they must be looking up to God, and pouring out their souls in prayer to him who quickeneth the dead.
3. A wonderful effect followed his prophesying; for they who go forth in dependence on the divine power, shall see the wonders of God's grace. A noise and shaking ensued, each bone joined his fellow, and flesh and sinews grew upon them; and, at the prophet's invocation, life entered into them, according to the promise, and they stood up, an exceeding great army. Thus, by the proclamation of Cyrus, the captives were assembled; and, by the divine Spirit animated, they were enabled to overcome all the difficulties in their way. And we have here also a representation, [1.] Of our spiritual resurrection from the death of sin; by the preaching of the word a shaking is occasioned among the souls dead in trespasses and sins; deep convictions make them tremble; and to those souls which yield to those convictions, spiritual life is communicated by the power of the Holy Ghost through faith in Christ. [2.] Of the resurrection of the body in the last day, when all our scattered atoms shall be reunited, and the same body be raised by the power of God to life eternal.
4. The application of the whole to the house of Israel. They were these dry bones; reduced to the lowest state of abject misery, and abandoning themselves to despair. But in the time of our deeper distress God will make his power and grace more eminently known, if we turn to him; therefore the prophet is commanded to assure them, that God will deliver them from their captivity, which was like opening the graves to the dead, and give them life, in their restoration to the comfortable and peaceable possession of their own land. God hath spoken, and will perform it; they may confidently trust him. Note; (1.) In times of sore temptation, and long continued distress, our faith is too often ready to faint, and unbelief to prevail. (2.) Though we despair of ourselves, our state is not therefore desperate; God can do for us more than we can think.
2nd, For the encouragement of the faithful among the captives, great things are promised which God will do for them.
1. The two kingdoms of Judah and Israel, so long separated, and so often vexatious to each other, shall be reunited, and become one people; and this is represented by the joining of two sticks in the prophet's hand; on one of which was inscribed the name of Judah and his companions, the tribe of Benjamin and those of the other tribes who on the revolt cleaved to the house of David; on the other the name of Ephraim, and his companions the house of Israel, of which Samaria, that lay in the lot of Ephraim, was the capital. The people who saw the sign would naturally be inquisitive, and desire to know the meaning; and he must inform them, that as these sticks became one in his hand, so should they become one people in God's hand; no mutual jealousies, no jarring discord, shall remain; but, returning together from their captivity, they shall become one nation, under one king: which was primarily fulfilled on their return from Babylon; but seems principally to refer to Gospel times, when, under the king Messiah, Jews and Gentiles shall become one people, the partition wall being broken down, and they shall have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and be one fold under one Shepherd.
2. All their idolatries shall be for ever done away. After their return from Babylon they never more relapsed into idolatry: God, having saved them from the places of temptation, delivered them also from all inclination to their former idolatrous abominations. Note; (1.) It is a singular mercy when God saves us from the places and persons who have been a temptation to us, and by his gracious providence removes us from the evil. (2.) God will save all sincere believers from their sins; not only from their actual prevalence, but he will mortify also their desire after them; and indeed, unless the heart be cleansed, it would signify little to have the temptation merely removed.
3. They shall be taken into covenant with God: They shall be his people, his grace will cause the glorious change in their repentant souls; and he will be their God, to bless, preserve, and protect them. David, the Messiah, the Son of David, shall be their king and shepherd, to guard them from their enemies, to feed them under his care, making all his believing people obedient in all things to his blessed will, if they simply, fully, and constantly cleave to him.
4. They shall enjoy in peace the inheritance of their ancestors, transmitting it to children's children; and shall be safe and happy under the rule of their anointed king Messiah. And this seems to direct us, for the full accomplishment of the prophesy, to future times; when this unhappy people, now so dispersed, shall receive the Lord's Christ, and to the end of time enjoy the blessings of his government. Note; Christ's subjects, the children of Zion, may well be joyful in their king.
5. God himself will dwell in the midst of them in a glorious manner in those last days. They shall not only be increased and established, but enjoy the special tokens of his presence. His sanctuary and tabernacle, erected among them, shall never more be destroyed; Jesus, the true tabernacle, in whom dwelt all the fulness of the God-head bodily, shall be in the midst of them; and in his church they shall see his glory, and maintain communion with him in the ordinances of his service, and find, to their unspeakable comfort, God to be their god, while they share in all the blessings of his people.
6. God will be glorified among the heathen in such his dispensations of mercy toward his Israel; They shall know that he doth sanctify Israel, by such evident marks of his love, by such powerful operations of his grace upon them, and by the erection of his sanctuary among them. Note; They who enjoy the privileges of the sanctuary, must shew the influence it has upon them in the sanctification of their hearts and lives.