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Please choose a passage in Ezekiel 39
Ezekiel 39:1-6 continues the prophecy: The LORD strikes Gog's bow, gives his army to birds and beasts, and sends fire on Magog and the coastlands. The defeat of the army invading Israel is total. The LORD destroys the homeland of the enemy as well as its armies.
Ezekiel 39:7-8 states that the LORD will make His name known to both Israel and the rest of the nations of the world. No one will speak ill of God's name anymore when that day comes, when the enemies of Israel (personified as Gog) are defeated completely. The entire earth will know and fear God. The LORD assures that this day is approaching and will happen.
Ezekiel 39:9-10 describes the size of the army of Israel's enemies by numbering how long it will take to burn its tools of war. Gog (Israel's enemy) will be defeated and all the weapons it brought will be used as firewood for seven years. There will be no reason to chop down trees or gather brush for burning; the weapons of the defeated enemy will be so plentiful that it will take seven years to exhaust its supply.
Ezekiel 39:11-16 describes how Israel buries Gog's army. Such is the size of the defeated enemy, that it takes seven full months to bury their remains. God declares a designated site for the army's burial, a valley, which will be called Hamon-gog (the multitude of Gog). It will become a special job for certain Israelites to gather the dead and make sure every bone is found and buried. This will make the land pure and clean.
Ezekiel 39:17-20 shows that the LORD will summon bird and beasts to His "sacrificial feast" on the mountains of Israel. Animals of all kinds will eat the flesh of the dead men who came to invade Israel. God uses sacrificial language, describing the corpses of the enemy as though they were lambs, goats, and cattle made to be offerings on an altar. The birds and beasts will eat and drink of the dead, to the shame of the defeated, who were once strong princes of the world, and now are food for vultures and wolves.
Ezekiel 39:21-24 records the LORD's declarations of how the world will see all that He has done when this prophecy is fulfilled. Every country on earth will see how the LORD defeated Israel's enemies. Israel too will understand that the LORD is their God, and that their exile has ended. God will no longer hide His face from Israel or allow their enemies to subjugate them. Their sins and covenant-violations were dealt with through this exile, but it will be over completely after this battle. God's glory will be known worldwide.
Ezekiel 39:25-29 shows that the LORD will restore the fortunes of Jacob (the Israelites), by bringing the people of Israel from all nations back into the Promised Land. He will have mercy on them, and pours out His Spirit, ending the hiding of His face. They will be forgiven of their sins and live peacefully in the land of Israel, never to be threatened or attacked again. God's return of Israel to its land will be known to all the peoples of the world. The nations will understand that the LORD is the God of Israel and will not exile them again. He will not turn His favor from them, but will pour out His Spirit upon His people.
An invading force of enemies (called Gog in this prophecy) will come to Israel to conquer it. But God will defeat them. The LORD strikes Gog's bow, gives his army to birds and beasts, and sends fire on Magog (Gog's homeland) and the coastlands. The defeat of the army invading Israel is total. The LORD destroys the homeland of the enemy as well as its armies.
The LORD will make His name known to both Israel and the rest of the nations of the world. No one will speak ill of God's name anymore when that day comes, when the enemies of Israel (personified as Gog) are defeated completely. The entire earth will know and fear God. The LORD assures that this day is approaching and will happen.
The size of the army of Israel's enemies is so large that its tools of war will be used as firewood for seven years. There will be no reason to chop down trees or gather brush for burning; the weapons of the defeated enemy will be so plentiful that it will take seven years to exhaust its supply.
Such is the size of the defeated enemy, that it takes seven full months to bury their remains. God declares a designated site for the army's burial, a valley, which will be called Hamon-gog ("the multitude of Gog"). It will become a special job for certain Israelites to gather the dead and make sure every bone is found and buried. This will make the land pure and clean.
The LORD will summon bird and beasts to His "sacrificial feast" on the mountains of Israel. Animals of all kinds will eat the flesh of the dead men who came to invade Israel. God uses sacrificial language, describing the corpses of the enemy as though they were lambs, goats, and cattle made to be offerings on an altar. The birds and beasts will eat and drink of the dead, to the shame of the defeated, who were once strong princes of the world, and now are food for vultures and wolves.
The world will see all that God has done when this prophecy is fulfilled. Every country on earth will see how the LORD defeated Israel's enemies. Israel too will understand that the LORD is their God, and that their exile has ended. God will no longer hide His face from Israel or allow their enemies to subjugate them. Their sins and covenant-violations were dealt with through this exile, but it will be over completely after this battle. God's glory will be known worldwide.
The LORD will restore the fortunes of Jacob (the Israelites), by bringing the people of Israel from all nations back into the Promised Land. He will have mercy on them, and pour out His Spirit, ending the hiding of His face. They will be forgiven of their sins and live peacefully in the land of Israel, never to be threatened or attacked again. God's return of Israel to its land will be known to all the peoples of the world. The nations will understand that the LORD is the God of Israel and will not exile them again. He will not turn His favor from them, but will pour out His Spirit upon His people.
What began as a terrifying invasion ends with Gog's army removed, Israel preserved, and the LORD's name made known among both Israel and the nations.
The chapter closes by returning to the larger restoration theme of Ezekiel 36-37. The LORD says He will restore the fortunes of Jacob, have mercy on the whole house of Israel, and pour out His Spirit on them.
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