THE LORD SPOKE (November 23)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Ezekiel 39

Don’t you wonder sometimes if maybe it has already all happened? If maybe the biblical prophecies about Israel were already fulfilled at some time in the past?

The first question, of course, would be when. There is no point in the historical record when it could be said that the prophecies of Ezekiel 39 have taken place. Apart from the difficulty of understanding exactly who is Gog (vs. 1) and where is Magog (vs. 6), there is no candidate in time that matches the descriptions of the aftermath of war in Israel in terms of weapon collection (vs. 9-10) and grave-digging (vs. 11-16). For sure, there was never a Temple like Ezekiel describes in chapter 40.

There are three possible approaches to this: (1) None of it has ever happened and it never will. At best, the Bible is just a good story and this is part of the fairytale. (2) It has not happened yet but it will because the Bible is to be interpreted literally. (3) It has happened in some allegorical or mystical sense. We just need to “interpret” it spiritually.

That has driven some to spiritualize the very concept of Israel and these future events. Many today see the Church as the fulfillment of the prophecies made concerning Israel. Israel was “the church in the Old Testament” and the Church today is “the Israel of God”. Covenant Theology, across the board, has bought into this and takes these clear biblical statements in some mystical or spiritual sense. It’s a handy-dandy hermeneutic that deftly applies all the curses to Israel and all the blessings to the Church. It amounts to a bankrupt system that doesn’t explain Scripture!

Taken literally, the Bible demands a future for ethnic Israel. If “Israel” means Israel and if God is not a liar, how can we not conclude that there is yet to be a restoration of Israel that matches these words from Ezekiel 39:22-29?

From that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them. “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. 29 I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.” (emphasis added)

If “Israel” means Israel and if God is not a liar, we may yet look forward to the fulfillment of this prophecy. As Jewish people commonly say, “May it be speedily and in our days!”


Psalms 135-136

Framed with “hallelujahs”, Psalm 135 is part of “the Great Hallel”. Along with and coming just after the 15 “Songs of Ascent” (Ps. 121-134) it was especially intended for the Temple liturgy. It would have been fantastic to hear it recited in its original setting but it still speaks to us today.

It speaks of a gracious God who is an integral part of His creation. He is “in the heavens and on the earth” (vs. 6). He is in control of things like clouds and rain, lightning and storms (vs. 7), but He has “compassion on his servants” (vs. 14). He is greater than all other gods (vs. 5) for He really does speak and see and hear (vs. 16-17).

His love for Israel is notorious. He chose Jacob (vs. 4) and, when the time came, He led Jacob’s sons out of Egypt and to the Land of Promise. In doing so He “struck down many nations” (vs. 10) and gave their land as an inheritance to the people of Israel (vs. 12).

In this process, God chose a particular place for Himself to dwell among his people. This has been a recurring theme in the last several psalms:

132:13-14 - For the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling: “This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it....”

133:3 - ...on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

134:3 - May the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth bless you from Zion.

135:21 - Praise to the Lord from Zion, to him who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.

The theme of Mount Zion becomes a picture for heaven in the New Testament (see Heb. 11:10, 13-16; 12: 22-24;13:14. And so we sing also...

Come, we that love the Lord,
and let our joys be known;
join in a song with sweet accord,
join in a song with sweet accord
and thus surround the throne,
and thus surround the throne.

We're marching to Zion,
beautiful, beautiful Zion;
we're marching upward to Zion,
the beautiful city of God.

Then let our songs abound,
and every tear be dry;
we're marching through Emmanuel's ground,
we're marching through Emmanuel's ground,
to fairer worlds on high,
to fairer worlds on high.
Isaac Watts