Today the promises get even better - God will heal the rift between Judah and Israel.
The sign of the two sticks
Ezekiel 37:15-19
Judah and Israel to be one nation
Ezekiel 37:20-28
The malice of Gog
Ezekiel 38:1-13
God’s punishment of Gog
Ezekiel 38:14-23
The defeat and burial of Gog
Ezekiel 39:1-20
Israel’s restoration
Ezekiel 39:21-29
In a parable that reminds me of a magic trick, God promises to make one stick out of two, to restore Judah and Israel to the state they were in in David’s time - one nation.
Chapters 38 and 39 detail God’s judgement against Gog. I’m not quite sure who or what Gog is, but it seems to represent (one of) the nations opposed to Israel. So, God is promising a blessing to his people by bringing judgement to their enemies.
Although chapter 39 is full of strange specifics, such has the length of time it will take to bury all of Gog’s soldiers (7 months, apparently) it still doesn’t read to me like a literal happening, but a metaphorical one. So verse 20 talks of “eating your fill of horses and riders” - obviously metaphorical.
Israel's recent fortunes, then, will be reversed. Instead of being the victims, they will be victors.In this way, these two chapters fit with what goes before - the theme of blessing for Israel is the same.
The sign of the two sticks
Ezekiel 37:15-19
Judah and Israel to be one nation
Ezekiel 37:20-28
The malice of Gog
Ezekiel 38:1-13
God’s punishment of Gog
Ezekiel 38:14-23
The defeat and burial of Gog
Ezekiel 39:1-20
Israel’s restoration
Ezekiel 39:21-29
In a parable that reminds me of a magic trick, God promises to make one stick out of two, to restore Judah and Israel to the state they were in in David’s time - one nation.
Chapters 38 and 39 detail God’s judgement against Gog. I’m not quite sure who or what Gog is, but it seems to represent (one of) the nations opposed to Israel. So, God is promising a blessing to his people by bringing judgement to their enemies.
Although chapter 39 is full of strange specifics, such has the length of time it will take to bury all of Gog’s soldiers (7 months, apparently) it still doesn’t read to me like a literal happening, but a metaphorical one. So verse 20 talks of “eating your fill of horses and riders” - obviously metaphorical.
Israel's recent fortunes, then, will be reversed. Instead of being the victims, they will be victors.In this way, these two chapters fit with what goes before - the theme of blessing for Israel is the same.
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