‏ Ezekiel 39

* The destruction of Gog. (1-10) Its extent. (11-22) Israel

again favoured. (23-29)

1-10 The Lord will make the most careless and hardened

transgressors know his holy name, either by his righteous anger,

or by the riches of his mercy and grace. The weapons formed

against Zion shall not prosper. Though this prophecy is to be

fulfilled in the latter days, it is certain. From the language

used, it seems that the army of Gog will be destroyed by

miracle. 11-22 How numerous the enemies which God destroyed for the

defence of his people Israel! Times of great deliverances should

be times of reformation. Every one should help the utmost he

can, toward cleansing the land from reproach. Sin is an enemy

every man should strive against. Those engaged in public work,

especially of cleansing and reforming a land, ought to be men

who will go through with what they undertake, who will be always

employed. When good work is to be done, every one should further

it. Having received special favours from God, let us cleanse

ourselves from all evil. It is a work which will require

persevering diligence, that search may be made into the secret

recesses of sin. The judgments of the Lord, brought upon sin and

sinners, are a sacrifice to the justice of God, and a feast to

the faith and hope of God's people. See how evil pursues

sinners, even after death. After all that ambitious and covetous

men do and look for, "a place of graves" is all the Lord gives

them on earth, while their guilty souls are doomed to misery in

another world. 23-29 When the Lord shall have mercy on the whole house of

Israel, by converting them to Christianity, and when they shall

have borne the shame of being cast off for their sins, then the

nations shall learn to know, worship, and serve him. Then Israel

also shall know the Lord, as revealed in and by Christ. Past

events do not answer to these predictions. The pouring out of

the Spirit is a pledge that God's favour will continue. He will

hide his face no more from those on whom he has poured out his

Spirit. When we pray that God would never cast us from his

presence, we must as earnestly pray that, in order thereto, he

would never take his Holy Spirit from us.