Ezekiel 38 – The footnote
introducing this chapter says that this
is the earliest apocalyptic, eschatological, vision in scripture. Other
examples are Isaiah 24-27, Daniel 7-12, Zechariah 9-14. This type of literature
bloomed in the 2nd c. BC (Book
of Enoch, etc.). The countries of Meshech and Tubal were on the Black Sea;
Magog is not known. Gog is a “type” of victorious barbarian who will inflict
the final ordeals on Israel.
In
an unspecified future time, Gog will assault Israel after they have been
returned for a long while. He will come “like a cloud” and many nations shall
come with him. Unaware of being an instrument of Yahweh’s, Gog will work out a
wicked plan and march against the peaceful nation Israel will be to plunder
them. Jerusalem was thought to be at the center of the world – its navel.
Ezekiel
is told to prophesy to Gog and say he
will be used to “display my holiness to them [Israel]” (38:16). When Gog
invades, God’s anger will come and he will bring a fearful quaking of the land.
Mountains will fall, cliffs crumble. Men will turn their swords on each other
and he will punish them with all kinds of disasters. All of this is designed to
display His greatness and make the nations acknowledge Him.
Revelation 7 – Four angels are at the
four corners of the earth holding the winds back, ready to devastate the earth. Another angel in the east where the
sun rises carries God’s seal and tells them to hold off until the saved can be
marked with God’s seal - 144,000 of them.
The “saved”
will be of every land and nation. They have been “through the great
persecution” (Nero’s) and their robes have been washed white “in the blood of
the Lamb” (7:14).
“They will
never hunger or thirst again; neither the sun nor scorching wind will ever
plague them, because the Lamb who is on the throne will be their shepherd and
will lead them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away all tears
from their eyes” (7:16-17) Quote echoes Hosea 2 and Isaiah 11.
No comments:
Post a Comment