And have left none of them, &c.— Amid the variety of conjectures passed upon these Chapter s, may we not be allowed to add one more;—proposed merely as a quaere to the learned, and as a subject of investigation? namely, that this prophesy primarily refers to the judgment of God by Cyrus upon the Babylonians, and the restoration of the Jews in consequence; and secondarily to some future judgment, introductory to their grand restoration; for that the last verse of this chapter refers to the effusion of Gospel-grace, there can be no doubt. The last clause of it should be rendered, After, or when I shall have poured out my Spirit, &c. according to Houbigant. Certainly, it is as reasonable to understand this of Cyrus as of Cambyses; and Calmet has well observed, that it is nothing extraordinary in the style of the prophets, to disguise the proper names of the princes or persons of whom they speak. If they were always to name persons, and to express them in a formal and exact manner, the prophesy would differ nothing from a history. I would just add, that, to understand this of the fall of Babylon, and the restoration of the Jews, seems far more consonant to the general tenor of Ezekiel's prophesies, than to refer it to any distant and unknown people and event; and we shall find by turning back to those great prophets, whom we have before considered, that they have not failed to foretel this event; and it is reasonable to suppose, that Ezekiel, who is so similar to them in subject throughout, would not omit to do so. The reader will observe several very similar traces in their prophesies respecting the fall of Babylon, to this of Ezekiel's, concerning the fall of Magog; and if Ezekiel's prophesy (on this subject suppose) be more dark and obscure than theirs, we have a very sufficient reason for that obscurity in the circumstances and situation of Ezekiel, who was a captive in the land of the Chaldeans; and who, having foretold the fall of Egypt by the Babylonians, (see chap. Ezekiel 30:24.) could not well predict the fall of the Babylonians themselves, otherwise than in dark and figurative terms.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, When God begins he will make an end; his enemies shall feel his vengeance and perish utterly.
1. He threatens the destruction of Gog and his army, and the desolation of his country. His soldiers, for whom he drained his kingdom, and left but a sixth part behind him, shall be disabled from hurting God's people, and fall upon the mountains of Israel, a prey to every beast and bird; and, while the king with his army miserably perishes there, the fire of God, some consuming judgment, shall devour his country; and even the isles of his dominion, which promised themselves security from their situation, shall be consumed together: for, when God riseth up to judgment, no place or person is privileged, or may hope for exemption. Note; (1.) The mightiest armies before God are as easily crushed as the moth. (2.) While the ambitious unjustly labour to usurp the rights of others, God justly punishes them with the loss of what was their own.
2. God will thus make himself known and glorious. His people will prove his power, faithfulness, and grace, signally manifested on their behalf, and be engaged thereby, renouncing all their former idolatries, to cleave to him alone: for nothing tends to separate the heart from sin so effectually as the right knowledge of God. And his enemies the heathen shall know him too by these examples of his vengeance, shall fear to provoke his jealousy, nor dare any more to molest his people. Note; The judgments of God on others should be our warnings.
2nd, What God hath spoken as absolutely to be accomplished, is as sure as if it were already done. It is come, it is done: for faith realizes both as present.
By three things the dreadful destruction of the army of Gog is represented.
1. By the vast quantity of weapons of war which, among other spoil, should be collected, and furnish the people of Israel with fuel during seven years; and every chip that they burned would serve to remind them of God's mercy, and to awaken their gratitude.
2. By the length of time which it will take to bury the dead, and the numbers employed in the service. The whole house of Israel, assisted by the passengers, who would willingly labour to remove so great a nuisance, shall be no less than seven months employed in cleansing the land, and collecting the bodies to their burying-place, the valley of the passengers, on the east of the sea, of the sea of Gennezareth, which shall from this event receive a new name, and be called the valley of Hamon-gog, and the city near thereunto Hamonah, alluding to the multitudes there buried. And it shall be a renown to Israel in that day, when God shall be glorified; such an astonishing instance of the divine interposition in their favour shall make them respected, and their humanity to the dead redound greatly to their honour. And at the seven months' end, when the multitudes that fell together are covered in the earth, certain persons shall be appointed to go through the land, and bury the scattered corpses; whilst every traveller who passes by, when he sees a bone, shall set up a mark for the notice of the searchers appointed, until the land be thoroughly cleansed. Note; (1.) When our nostrils are offended with the putrefaction of a corpse, we should remember the sin which has made these bodies so vile. (2.) They who have experienced great national mercies, should unite in their labour to cleanse their land from every pollution of sin; and to this every lover of his country will gladly lend a helping hand. (3.) To advance God's glory is Israel's great renown.
3. There will be enough for every bird and beast to feed upon; and they are commanded to come and devour the slain, sacrificed to divine justice. Corpses enough there will be, not merely for a meal, but to fatten them; and this not only of the common soldiers, but of the mighty, and the princes of the earth, strewed around with their horses and chariots, fallen in one promiscuous ruin.
Thus God will make the heathen to see and observe his judgments against the enemies of his people, and will advance his own great glory thereby: while the house of Israel shall exult in his salvation, and receive fresh confirmation of God's care and love, engaging their confidence in him from that day forward. Let God's Israel then to the end of time trust in the Lord, yea, for ever: for he will never disappoint the expectations of them who place their whole confidence in him.
3rdly, Much had the people of God suffered from the blasphemies of their enemies, much under the heavy hand of God upon them in afflictions; but now he will deliver them out of all their troubles.
1. The heathen shall be silenced, and convinced of God's designs in the sufferings of his people. They thought the captivity of Israel was owing to their weakness, or the inability of their God to protect them; but by this amazing exertion of divine power on their behalf, they shall see that the only cause of their suffering was their sin, for which they were given into their enemies' hands; and that God dealt with them according to their transgressions, in all the evils that he brought upon them. So that what he did was with a view to his own glory, visiting their iniquity with a rod; yet, as by the event appeared, not suffering his truth to fail, nor wanting power to recover and restore them to their former splendour, when they had smarted sufficiently under his corrections.
2. God's faithful people shall know his designs of grace towards them, notwithstanding all that they have suffered. Jealous for his own honour, which the heathen had reproached, he will magnify himself in Israel's deliverance, since they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses, and testified unfeigned repentance for their provocations, aggravated by the mercies, peace, and comforts that they had enjoyed, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. Therefore he will now turn his hand, recover them from their dispersion, and bring them to their own land; and hereby God will be sanctified in the sight of many nations, who will own his dispensations towards his Israel to have been righteous, just, and good. And the faithful, while they acknowledge God's justice in their sufferings, shall experience his rich grace in their salvation, and know him to be their God, their covenant God, who will no more withdraw the light of his countenance from them as a nation, but will pour out his Spirit upon them in a most glorious manner. Note; (1.) True penitents are willing to bear their shame, and own their sufferings to be less than their iniquities deserve. (2.) When by divine grace we return to God, he will return to us, and lift up again upon us the light of his countenance.