These are my speaking notes from the second of two classes that likely could have been 3 or 4 classes on this critical subject. I am praying into perhaps revisiting this topic/portion of prophetic scripture. Once again, these being class notes, they might contain references to overheads, etc.
EZEKIEL CHAPTERS 33-39 – WEEK TWO
I am not going to go deep into my thoughts re pre-tri/post-trib/trib-wrath separate events – etc. That is a related but sort of separate topic.
There’s lots more scripture addresses that I am CITING but not READING – for time-sake.
I believe those are good things to understand and pray into and ponder, and if you would like a good overview of MANY end-times doctrines, there’s a book called “The Last Days Handbook” by Robert Lightner. Jack Hayford references it often in the Spirit Filled Bible, as it presents alternative viewpoints. Lightner presents a good description of many current beliefs – BUT I COUNSEL you to pray into and study way more than his one good book. Study THE BOOK. I am more and more seeing that God Himself will honor your SPENDING of your life in His Word.
I spend WAY less time reading other people’s thoughts ABOUT the bible, than I do IN the bible.
Meanwhile, another good book: “The Coming Awakening Of Israel” – by James Goll.
Another important point – I don’t think that NOT UNDERSTANDING end-times a disqualifier of anydisquali he more you can press in to understanding, though, the better. The whole book is for each one of us…
HERE’S WHAT I THINK IS DANGEROUS FOR US ALL: NOT KNOWING (a) who God is or (b) HOW HE OPERATES is a huge issue – it will AT BEST open doors to well-intended inaccuracies. And it can get far worse than that.
He is who He is. His word reveals His personality. He does not change. If the Jews would understand that, they would have a more sober view of their current situations, as well as their future promises. So would the church – in us redeeming the time.
We’re looking into Ezekiel to understand HOW GOD OPERATES – what He HAS done, and what He says He WILL DO. To not do that places us in jeopardy of taking offense (Luke 7:23), having our hearts grow cold or hard (Matt 24:12), or even failing to see what is the work of God (Matt 16:3).
Jesus didn’t condemn ANYONE for being SURPRISED by what He did.
And Daniel (8:26 and 9:24) has God Himself saying some things were sealed up UNTIL THE END – so there’s things that will be unclear until God does them TOWARDS or even AT the very end of the Age. So some “NOT KNOWING” is OK.
But choosing to ignore the signs of the times, proclaiming “life and church as usual” can be Pharisaical, or Phatal (just kidding: Fatal).
God is calling His Bride to ready herself. She MADE HERSELF ready. Rev 19:7. She was not MADE ready by circumstances. That will be one marker of the real Bride – her readiness.
Jesus was furious when the Pharisees, in religious ignorance, raged against God with preconceived philosophy and attitudes. He dubbed them actors. MATT 16:3.
So we want to be humbly, prayerfully prepared, set apart for the Master’s use. Understanding who He is and what He does (Jer 9:24-26) and deep in His word, where we will find favor:
Isa 66:2 (B)
2 ……”But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.
ONE QUICK BACK-TRACK – (to demonstrate the goodness of God to Israel, and His protection over them during this current season of chaos). Last week we read:
Lev 25:1,4,20,21
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying,
4 ‘but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the LORD. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard.
20 ‘And if you say, “What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce?”
21 ‘Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years.
(TELL THE IDF STORY AND THE TERRORIST TUNNELS) – fields were harvested in obedience of harvesting prior to a sabbath year, and that harvest exposed terror tunnel entrances that had formerly been hidden by full grown crops.
ONE MORE BACK-TRACK – to cement the point re HOLY SPIRIT prayer and not knowing how to pray “w our understanding” (IN OUR WORDS) – when we see international trouble throughout the earth – although there is no ques we are called to pray:
BACKGROUND – God was judging the nations around Israel during this same time when He was judging Israel itself (reading Ezekiel 20-32 is enlightening re the period). God, BTW, was calling that time “THE TIME OF THE GENTILES” (Ezek 33) – strikingly similar to Jesus saying the TIMES of the Gentiles throughout the Gospels – which we typically assume means the TIME PERIOD during which SALVATION IS OPEN to the Gentiles….in Ezek it meant the Gentiles’ time for judgment and correction. So factor that prior example into Luke 21:24…
OK – here’s where Holy Spirit, as opposed to “I-understand-what-God-is-doing-and-can- therefore-accurately-verbalize-how-to pray-into-news-events” prayer works:
Ezek 30:10-12
10 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will also make a multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
11 He and his people with him, the most terrible of the nations, shall be brought to destroy the land; they shall draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain.
12 I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked; I will make the land waste, and all that is in it, by the hand of aliens. I, the LORD, have spoken.”
Ezek 29:19
19 “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Surely I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he shall take away her wealth, carry off her spoil, and remove her pillage; and that will be the wages for his army.
GOT THAT? God identifies Babylon as WICKED – He has them on His Judgment-List all the way up to the book of Revelation, and yet here God says He’s using Babylon for His purposes, and paying them for their efforts.
SO – HOW TO PRAY?
…AND THE ANSWER IS…..(envelope, please) – HOLY SPIRIT prayer:
Rom 8: 26
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
I believe it will be a huge breakthrough for the true praying church when we start recognizing how much of the call to prayer is the call to Holy-Spirit-praying in heavenly-language- prayer.
Currently that kind of prayer is often regarded as an option.
I don’t think that will continue, as things progress and times get tougher.
If you think differently, God bless you. But some of the testimonies I have received THIS WEEK, between these two classes, would support this theory.
Eph 6:12-13, 18
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints–
See what’s happening here? As we go back and dig in, it prepares us w understanding and equips us to move forward in God. THIS IS THE END-GAME PLAN OF GOD – A Spirit-filled praying church that understands what God has already said is going to happen, and then determines to pray into those things, understanding that “YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN” means prayerful agreement w the will of God revealed in the Word of God. THAT is progress.
I believe those in-alignment prayers will fill the bowls in Revelation
Rev 5:5, 8
5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (THIS THE VERSE which defines HARP AND BOWL worship, btw)
…and proceeding further, if you are so inclined, would take you to what’s in those bowls. It appears to be the activation of the end-times plans of God. Tough stuff released on the earth, BY the filled prayer/worship bowls.
So we are invited to, and charged with, participating in the activation of the plans of God, which makes sense. We’re His army of volunteers (Ps 110)
GOT ALL THAT???? Pray – invest your time in the eternal plan. The issue is not HOW LITTLE we need to pray – of course He loves our little prayer. The opportunity is HOW MUCH we may want to participate. Why set the low bar? The heroes of faith chose to be extremists.
OK – moving on:
NEBBY’S STATUE – (THE MOTHER OF ALL PROPHECY) – there’s a new understanding for me – as of this week – makes things clearer and more confirmed for me re EZEK as well as many other places where end times are addressed…..
BOOK TO READ – “THE MIDEAST BEAST” by Joel Richardson – Given to me by Michele and Bruce – it has THIS WEEK shifted my understanding re the BOTTOM SECTION of Nebby’s DREAM STATUE in the Plain of Dura – (Daniel 2) – and that shift fits so silly-great into what I believe the Lord has personally been showing me for years re the Anti-Christ and the end-times culmination – and NOT ALL NATIONS totally succumbing to the Anti-Christ.
And this is more evidence why you want the Word in you, so that new information will
• ring true and confirm what you already believe; OR
• ring true and provide confident readjustment.
In this instance, MY GLOBAL thoughts are CONFIRMED, and at the same time an opinion I had held before has been totally adjusted.
BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE, and the INFORMED.
Don’t get constipated by revelations you’ve received, or positions you’ve taken. There is more. (John 16:12-14)
Personally I am now of the mind that the feet of clay and iron describe the Sunni-Shi’ite conflict that will continue within Islam until the very end of this age, and also I am of the mind that the VERY popular theory of the ROMANIC-originated European 10-nation alliance coming under Anti-Christ needs to be carefully reconsidered in light of Joel R’s book – which builds a sound case for the feet NOT describing a sort of resurrected Roman Empire, or an empire comprised of current day or future nations whose roots spring from Romanic influence. It’s almost sort of “Western Arrogance”. Read: “THE MIDEAST BEAST” – pages 57-70.
What does this mean to us/me? Why is this important for our Ezek study?
FIRST: Misunderstanding any scripture can open doors to all sorts of weirdities, and worse. Peter said it this about Paul’s writings (this of course is WORDT CASE SCENARIO):
2 Pet 3:15-16
15 and account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation– as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
Peter is not simply “talking Paul stuff” – he mentions the “rest of Scriptures”. So we want to embrace the invitation to dig deep, and also to understand the jeopardy of being, or remaining either/both untaught or unstable. WE WOULD DO WELL TO GET THIS AS RIGHT AS POSSIBLE.
Joel Richardson’s well-supported conclusion that Islam is the feet of the governmental prophecy of Daniel actually SUPPORTS WHAT I SAID LAST WEEK re: Ps 110 – “He shall slay the heads of MANY NATIONS” (but not ALL). THAT is a huge HOPE for us – to spiritually war for our nation.
I remain inclined to believe most and likely all nations will be influenced and impacted by the spirit of Anti-Christ, but IF ALL NATIONS were under his complete dominion and rule, then:
1. Why would our Lord only slay the heads of SOME nations (Ps 110)? SO HERE’S OUR EVANGELISTIC HOPE and OUTREACH:
2. Let’s go contend for OUR nation, and also for ANY OTHER NATION that the Lord would lead us to. Get that? I often pray Ps 125:3 over America, as our nation made a covenant pact w God when we began our national journey. The little church, where the OATH of covenant (Shaba) was made, was left standing, BY GOD, at the base of the World Trade Center (good book: Cahn – “The Harbinger”)
RE: the statue-feet being Islam and not Romanic – I have not embraced some “new thinking” because it’s a “kinder and gentler” gospel. There’s danger in that process.
But I do believe it aligns w countless scriptures, and I believe it is more accurate, and in that accuracy there happens to be more hope for us as we go about WARNING EVERY MAN” as Paul says (Col 1:28) – which ties into the Ezek 33 watchman charge to the reader of Ezekiel.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATION – RE: TRYING NOT TO MISS ANYTHING – when you read ANY prophecy of scripture, try to ask yourself
1. WHO is God (or the prophet, for God) talking to?
2. WHAT is being said as going to happen?
3. Do I know, from other scriptures, whether this HAS HAPPENED IN FULNESS, YET; OR
4. Is there sound evidence, biblically or historically that it has NOT HAPPENED YET?
5. Words like: ANYMORE, or FOREVER mean what they say. It is also interesting where those words DO NOT APPEAR – there were certain ordinances & provisions NOT intended FOREVER.
EXAMPLE – an “ANYMORE” proclamation – meaning it won’t happen again:
Ezek 36:15
15 “Nor will I let you hear the taunts of the nations anymore, nor bear the reproach of the peoples anymore, nor shall you cause your nation to stumble anymore,” says the Lord GOD.'”
Israel is hearing the taunts of most all nations, including OUR NATION, right now. Therefore: HHY, and something to pray into – looking forward to its fulfillment.
That is prayer-partnership w understanding!!
OK – Ezek 36 – towards the end of the chapter..
WE LOOKED TOO BRIEFLY at the NEGATIVE TESTIMONY OF ISRAEL – because of their TESTIMONY OF CORRECTION AND PUNISHMENT due to their disobedience, the nations around them actually fell into greater confusion and darkness, misinterpreting God bringing HIS PEOPLE INTO CAPTIVITY as a SIGN THAT THEIR OWN FALSE GODS were stronger than the God of Israel. So Israel’s disobedience fueled demonic fires of deception.
That should inspire each of us to recognize the ramifications of our own sins on the ones around us. And the accountability towards others re our sins.
EZEK 36 (GOD speaking) says:
20 “When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name– when they (the heathen) said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.’
21 “But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went.
(re: GOD NO CHUMP, and wanting Israel to know that, even in Ezek’s day)
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do (PROMISE OF RETURN) this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.
23 “And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.
24 “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
(REMEMBER verse 10 – we’re talking ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, ALL OF IT)
25 “Then (meaning, at that time) I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. (HHY – visit Israel today, and sadly see)
26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
28 “Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
29 “I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you.
30 “And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations.
31 “Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations.
32 “Not for your sake do I do this,” says the Lord GOD, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!”
THIS IS WHY KISSING UP TO ISRAEL IS NOT THE ANSWER FOR THE CHURCH. If we present only a GOSPEL-OF-VICTIMIZATION to the Jews – how will they repent?
What will they repent OF?
Their biggest issue is their 2,000 year rejection of their Messiah.
LOVE ISRAEL AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE. SPEAK TRUTH OF THE WORD IN LOVE.
The scriptures make it clear that even in the eventual revelation of their Jesus, there will be sorrow – I believe not only because of the tough times, but also in the realization of the past 2,000 years:
Zech 12:10
10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. (THEY’LL BE GAZING ON THEIR SAVIOR, BUT MOURNING)
Do we want to wait until more Jews perish without knowledge of their Savior because we don’t want to hurt their feelings? That is the danger of a humanistic “gospel of man”. Help us Holy Spirit…to be effective, loving, but speaking the whole bible-gospel – swords are for cutting.
It’s not a message only of God’s ANGER, or only of God’s KINDNESS, or only SYMPATHY or HOLINESS, or even HOW COOL AN OVERALL PLAN.
It is a message of the Spirit – ONLY Spirit led, ONLY Spirit controlled, ONLY Spirit ordained
Isa 55:11
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
But people say: People say: “The word of God does not return void”. Wrong. It does not return void when it is sent by His SPIRIT. We’ve all heard void sermons, void teachings. Something is different when the word is under an anointing of Spirit-guidance. The WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD is required. (ACTS 20:26-27 – and Paul knew the assignment of Ezekiel’s watchmen)
EZEK
33 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt.
34 “The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by.
35 “So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’
Israel today wants to claim this as already having happened (HH). But that logic falls down when you see the land still bereaving them of their children (36:13 – dying in the IDF) and the very same enemy nations still raging war against them. WE CANNOT RUSH THE TIMING OF GOD, but we are invited to PRAY INTO IT so that His plans will come:
Ps 122:6-9
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.”
8 For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.
EZEK:
36 “Then (ON THAT DAY v 35) the nations which are left all around you (some will be left – not all nations destroyed) shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.”
37 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock.
38 “Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”‘” HHY? I would say so.
CIRCLING BACK TO v37 and yet-unfulfilled promises – here’s one of God to Jacob – about which Jacob reminds GOD – a good model for us in our prayers – remind God of His promises towards all His believers (My wife and I are doing that in this season!):
Gen 32:11-12
11 “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.
12 (JACOB’S REMINDER) “For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'”
EVEN EARLIER PROMISES had been made by God to ABRAHAM, and those, by virtue of what they said, were passed along to Jacob as well as all the descendants – and that promise remains a KEYNOTE to all prophecy re the Jews
Gen 12:2-3
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless (BARUCH – “bless”) those who bless (BARUCH – “bless”) you, and I will curse (ARAR – “curse” – as in Ararat – ‘Curse Reversed”) him who curses (QALAL – “treats you lightly”) you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Gen 22:15, 17-18 – more promises to the Jews, and for us to be praying, for God’s fulfillment:
15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,…
17 “blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. (HHY)
18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
THE JEWS ARE NOT YET BLESSING ALL NATIONS. HHY.
EZEK 37 – DRY BONES – verses often used to assure the dry Gentile saints of their restoration – which is glorious and fine – but let’s read it in its prophetic context:
1 The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.
2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.
3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” (ONE OF GOD’S RHETORICAL QUES. Like – “ADAM WHERE ARE YOU?” duh)
4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
5 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
6 “I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”‘”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; (THAT is the SPIRIT-LED prophet – he [a] hears from the Lord and then [b] speaks – compare to Ezek 13:7, 8)
….and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
9 Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath (RUACH – living spirit), prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”‘”
10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
WHO ARE THESE VERSES primarily FOR, and ABOUT? ans:
11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’
12 “Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
13 “Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.
14 “I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.'”
15 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
(The re-unification of the tribes, including the return of the ten lost tribes)
16 “As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’
17 “Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.
(Ezek was actually instructed to tie the sticks together, so the captives standing w him would ask a question, and he’d give them a prophetic answer. PROPHETIC STREET THEATER)
18 “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not show us what you mean by these?’–
19 “say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.”‘
20 “And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.
21 “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land;
22 “and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.
23 “They shall not defile themselves anymore (HHY – visit Israel – you’ll see for yourself) with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
24 “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them.
(GEOGRAPHICAL CONFIRMATION – the land given to Jacob – restored to them):.
25 “Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.
26 “Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore.
27 “My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
28 “The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”‘”
I’m captivated by verse 28 (my blog and FB address www.facebook.com/ez3728 and www.ez3728.com) – V 28 is HUGE in revealing a WHAT, a WHEN and a TO-WHO.
Also it implies NOT UNTIL THAT TIME will the nations understand this…
AT THE TIME OF HIS ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS SANCTUARY the nations that are left will finally, fully recognize the call and separation-for-divine purpose that the Lord has put on the Jewish people. That is why we pray, and teach, and want to understand these amazing plans. And that is why there is so much ranting and raging against Israel – it is spiritual blindness. Anti-Semitism (the Mount Seir spirit) is a primary symptom of spiritual blindness, which biblically can be fatal – inside or outside the church.
Ezek 38:1-23 – HUGE PROPHETIC VERSES right here. And all is not yet fully revealed, although I think a good deal is COMING INTO PLACE.
Is the BEAST from the MID-EAST (or Europe)? I leave this to your opinion, but with my fresh inclination to see ISLAM as the root of the anti-christ BEAST (instead of stemming from a European root) these verses flow yet better when considered in that Middle Eastern context – AND (now obviously) most all of those Middle Eastern nations are named in Ezekiel.
OTHER NATIONS, TOO: THIS does NOT MEAN that many/most other nations and govts from all around the world will not unite under the influence of the Anti-Christ, and in fact I believe we are seeing it in our days, but only ascribing MAGOG to RUSSIA becomes a stretch. We can w/o question understand that these verses are against the united enemies of Israel – of which I believe there may well be a vast majority of all the nations of the earth. Pray for the USA.
A good point to note about the BIBLE – it’s a MIDDLE EASTERN book written w a MIDDLE EASTERN style, but then read and interpreted by all men everywhere. The Middle Eastern culture spoke and wrote in hyperboles (a kind word for some exaggerations). At the risk of sounding less than an absolute literalist, I offer these hyperbolic examples:
Daniel tells Nebby this (obviously Middle Eastern hyperbole):
Dan 2:39
39 “But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.
This commonly is believed as referring to Greece. Greece (700 BC to AD 600) did not rule over the Mayans in Central America (2000BC to AD 250) – so did Daniel blow it w his “over all the earth” word, or was he meaning, as a Middle Easterner – over all the world area in which you live?
(Hyperbole – instantly-speaking wicked babies)
Ps 58:3 – here’s another one (WICKED BABIES don’t have to wait two years to talk???):
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
This is not to dumb-down the scriptures, nor to dispute re the truths of
• ONLY Savior and Him dying for EVERYONE, nor for
• THE FLOOD covering ALL THE EARTH – in fact we have geological proof of that, and flood-accounts in most all cultures (if you’re a guy, come to the men’s meeting next Saturday – we’re having an ark explorer and creation scientist!).
Truth is, we would do better reading our bibles w a Middle Eastern lens rather than a WESTERN lens.
The more we invest in scriptural study, the more the Holy Spirit will assist lens-adjustment.
Hey – WESTERN lens interprets Jehovah “Jireh” as providing 2 flatscreens and 3 cars.
OK – GOG/MAGOG – once again, my speculative opinion. If you think differently, great.
In Hebrew – GOG means ROOF – sometimes associated with a place of demon worship and abomination (although not always – but very much the case during the times of the disobedience of Israel and Judah around the times of the captivities):
2 Sam 16:22 – Absalom went into his father’s concubines in a GOG (roof-top) tent – an abomination.
2 Kings 23:12 (timely to Israel before Ezek writing) – Josiah’s revival included tearing down the roof (GOG) altars the people had erected to sacrifice to demons.
Zephaniah 1:5 – Huge, and timely to Ezek’s prophecy.
Zeph 1:4-5
4 “I will stretch out My hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off every trace of Baal from this place, the names of the idolatrous priests with the pagan priests–
5 Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops (GOG); those who worship and swear oaths by the LORD, but who also swear by Milcom;
“Magog” means – coming out of GOG – related: some think it means “Land of (from) Gog”
EZEK 38
1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
3 “and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. (Identifying these places is longer than this class. Some think Turkey, others think otherwise. ROSH absolutely meaning RUSSIA is likely goofy, although it is not out of the ques that evil Russia could and would align to hate Israel. They hate it today).
IMPORTANTLY – LOOK who’s doing the initiating – GOD. It is His time for His plans to be activated….)
4 “I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.
Here actual nations are named, so there is no negotiation as to who they are (and they are Islamic, and growing in that leaning and intensity, as we sit here tonight):
5 “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
6 “Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops– many people are with you.
7 “Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them.
8 “After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. (HHY actually – the Jews are not dwelling safely yet – I contend things are just beginning)
9 “You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”
10 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan:
ANY PLACE ELSE IN SCRIPTURE that might reveal GOD’S OWN HAND in this invasion? Would God CAUSE wars? (Isa 45:7 says yes)
Directly related to these events:
Zech 14:1-4
1 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst.
2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; (HHY – I see no way how anyone could check this off the prophecy-chart as having occurred in 70AD – which is required in some other eschatological views – “all nations” in 70 AD?) – the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then (“THEN” would have me to conclude: AT THAT TIME = the next event, without a 2,000 year lag, is the appearance of the Man Christ Jesus. HHY) the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.
4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two (HOW? See Ezek 38:19, Rev 16:18 – then come back here!), from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south.
BACK TO EZEK 38
11 “You (enemy nations) will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’-(THEREFORE – HHY even at this moment, and certainly HHY if you want to embrace the popular “all-the-tough-stuff-happened-in-70AD” eschatology. They weren’t living in peace when the temple was destroyed).
12 “to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.
13 “Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?'”‘
14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it?
15 “Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army.
“FAR NORTH” can indeed mean nations other than the Ezekiel-days Islamic nations – it has spread north as well as east west and south since the times of Ezekiel. AND other nations will surely come along with them – unnamed.
16 “You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.”
REMEMBER – GOD IS dealing with all people all the time (Jer 9:24-26, Acts 17:26-31):
• He is dealing w ISRAEL – working on them to bring them to repentance via their own still-rejected Messiah
• He is dealing w ALL NATIONS – not willing that ANY should perish
• He is dealing w the ISLAMIC ALLIANCE – set up for final judgment – and meanwhile calling many sons of Ishmael back to Him…
17 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days (PRE EZEK) by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?
18 “And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “that My fury will show in My face.
19 “For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: ‘Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel,
20 ‘so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.’
21 “I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord GOD. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL US? A warring army, inclined to be fighting among itself to the point of destruction? Is this a confirmation/hint of Gog perhaps being from the root of Esau/Edom, which is Mount Seir, which is integral to Islam?
Gen 36:8 So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom.
Gen 16:11-12
11 And the Angel of the LORD said to her: “Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
THE DARK ALLIANCE OF EDOM AND ISHMAEL as enemies of Israel:
Ps 83:5-8
5 For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against You:
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined with them; they have helped the children of Lot. Selah
EZEK 38
22 “And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. (prophetic weather forecast)
23 “Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”‘
Ezek 39:1-29
1 “And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal;
2 “and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel.
3 “Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand.
4 “You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 “You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken,” says the Lord GOD.
6 “And I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 “So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore (UP TO THIS POINT THEY ARE STILL PROFANING HIS NAME. HHY, THEN, FOR THIS PROPHECY). Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
THAT is a huge verse – because if there is no longer any blasphemy of the name of God, then REV 13:4 has to have occurred prior to the destruction of Gog – which upsets many end-times theories (you’re invited to dig into this yourself):
Rev 13:5 – 5 And he (THE BEAST – which to me is looking to be one and same as Gog) was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
And just as Jesus in Rev 19:13 is “divinely labeled” THE WORD OF GOD, we see yet another “divine label” pointer to the possibility of this final demonic “corporation” coming from Islamic roots:
Rev 17:5
5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
FAIR QUES – Is there any “SPECIAL ANOINTING FOR WICKEDNESS” assigned to Babylon?
Young Zechariah sees heavenly creatures taking a “woman” to a pre-planned place (on a base), to be released at a pre-appointed time:
Zech 5:7-11
7 “Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”;
8 then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth.
9 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven.
10 So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?”
11 And he said to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.”
SHINAR is IRAQ.
GOD IS MAKING THE “SURELY” remark to counter what He knew would be folks wanting to write these prophecies off – which we see being offered to the church right now, as doctrine:
8 “Surely it is coming, and it shall be done,” says the Lord GOD. “This is the day of which I have spoken.
SEE THE JEOPARDY of denying or ignoring this – whether we LIKE it, or even whether we UNDERSTAND IT fully? The DAY when ALL NATIONS are involved in such activity hasn’t happened. I’d think any historical reflections to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, or the Holocaust of WW 2, or the genocides in China, all fail to FULL-FILL this prophetic word, which appears confirmed in Isaiah, Zechariah, Zephaniah, etc. – and our Lord told us not think everything would not be fulfilled. And His answer to the “WHEN-ARE-YOU-RETURNING question was to point the people back to Daniel, who clearly spoke of global events.
I can go on, but I won’t. Michael the archangel, cited in Daniel 12, did not stand up to prevent the destruction of the temple in 70AD. Nor was it glorious times afterward, and Israel did not stop living contrary to God. Nor was Israel delivered. I am personally convinced these events are HHY.
V 9-20 – solid to read but for time-sake I will say they are descriptives of the intensity and result of the judgment on Gog.
9 “Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years.
10 “They will not take wood from the field nor cut down any from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will plunder those who plundered them, and pillage those who pillaged them,” says the Lord GOD.
11 “It will come to pass in that day that I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea; and it will obstruct travelers, because there they will bury Gog and all his multitude. Therefore they will call it the Valley of Hamon Gog.
12 “For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land.
13 “Indeed all the people of the land will be burying them, and they will gain renown for it on the day that I am glorified,” says the Lord GOD.
14 “They will set apart men regularly employed, with the help of a search party, to pass through the land and bury those bodies remaining on the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search.
15 “The search party will pass through the land; and whenever anyone sees a man’s bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog.
16 “The name of the city will also be Hamonah. Thus they shall cleanse the land.”‘
17 “And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field: “Assemble yourselves and come; gather together from all sides to My sacrificial meal which I am sacrificing for you, a great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood.
18 You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams and lambs, of goats and bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19 You shall eat fat till you are full, and drink blood till you are drunk, at My sacrificial meal which I am sacrificing for you.
20 You shall be filled at My table with horses and riders, with mighty men and with all the men of war,” says the Lord GOD.
21 “I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgment (GOOD NEWS: There will be remaining nations after this time of bloodshed) which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them.
22 “So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward. (Ques – how does anyone read these verses and declare them as already having occurred? Therefore: HHY – pointing to future war, future tough times, future fulfillment)
FINALLY THE GENTILES, instead of being deceived by the negative testimony of a disobedient ISRAEL, and/or the negative testimony of a fallen church will finally understand the righteousness of God – THIS IS THE REVELATION OF GOD’S FAIRNESS IN JUDGMENT – which will totally shred all the false doctrines that want to take the teeth out of God’s righteousness:
23 “The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; (NOT SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE VICTIMS OF SATAN) because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.
Softer-than-scripture doctrines mess up all the other scriptures.
WITHOUT an understanding, and proclamation, of God’s righteousness judgments throughout BOTH TESTAMENTS, the plight of the Jews looks like God is helpless to rescue His people. But that has never been the case.
24 “According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them.”‘
25 “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name–
26 ‘after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid.
27 ‘When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations,
28 ‘then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their own land, and left none of them captive any longer.
29 ‘And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD.”
YEA GOD!!
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