Daily reading
Today’s reading is: Ezek. 37-39; 32:1-16
Video
Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-Seven
- Ezekiel is taken on another spiritual journey (Ezek. 37:1).
- The dry bones prophecy describes the national resurrection of Israel and also forms the clearest Biblical description of the bodily resurrection of individual believers (Ezek. 37:7-14).
- Ezekiel performs another skit to teach Bible class. Two sticks are joined into one stick in order to teach the unified nation of Israel during the eschatological theocratic kingdom of the Lord (Ezek. 37:15-23).
- The restored Throne of David is seen, with the resurrected David in view (Ezek. 37:24-28).
Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-Eight
- Chapters 38 & 39 describe an invasion of Israel by Gog, from the land of Magog (Ezek. 38:2).
- Magog (land of Gog) was the 2nd son of Japheth, & grandson of Noah (Gen. 10:2).
- Chief prince (nesiy’ ro’sh) of Meshech & Tubal. The alternate reading: prince of Rosh, Meshech, & Tubal is preferred by those who find etymological affinity between Rosh and Russia.
- Gog heads a coalition of nations unified in the necessity to invade Israel (Ezek. 38:4-7).
- Persia (modern Iran). A blend of Japhetic peoples.
- Cush (Ethiopia/Sudan). 1st son of Ham (Gen. 10:6-7).
- Put (modern Libya). 3rd son of Ham (Gen. 10:6).
- Gomer (historical Cimmerians, through intermarriage disappeared from history in the 6th century BC; modern Turks could claim such descent). 1st son of Japheth (Gen. 10:2-3).
- Beth-Togarmah (modern Armenians). 3rd son of Gomer, grandson of Japheth (Gen. 10:3).
- The Gog federation will be summoned to attack a disarmed Israel (Ezek. 38:8-16).
- Gog will have hooks in his jaws, and be summoned (Ezek. 38:4,8).
- Israel has returned from “many nations” (not all nations) (Ezek. 38:8,12).
- Israel has unwalled cities (Ezek. 38:8,11,14; 39:26).
- The purpose for this invasion will be for the instruction of the nations (Ezek. 38:16).
- The Lord promises to personally destroy Gog and his armies (Ezek. 38:17-23).
Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-Nine
- The Lord repeats His promise to Gog and indicates how Israel & the nations will respond to Gog’s destruction (Ezek. 39:1-8).
- The cleanup for this invasion will take seven years (Ezek. 39:9-16).
- The inability to fit a seven year cleanup within the Tribulation has led many scholars to place this event within the Millennium.
- Another possibility places the event within the Tribulation, and places the cleanup within the Millennium.
- A third possibility places the event and the cleanup before the Tribulation.
- After the Church Age, but before the Dan. 9:27 covenant with Antichrist.
- A time-gap between the Rapture and the Dan. 9:27 covenant is entirely likely. Dan. 9:26 encompasses 37 years.
- It’s even possible for this warfare to take place prior to the Rapture, during the Dispensation of the Church. The establishment of the modern State of Israel in 1948 demonstrates how God can set the table for the coming Tribulation even during the Church’s presence on earth.
- The destruction of Gog is a witness to the nations (Ezek. 39:21-24).
- The restoration to the land is once again promised (Ezek. 39:25-29).
Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-Two
- Pharaoh, the Dragon of Egypt, is lamented once again (Ezek. 32:1-16).
- The Lord destroys this dragon (Ezek. 32:3-10 cp. 29:3-7).
- The fall of the dragon will leave other kings horrified (Ezek. 32:9-10; Rev. 6:12-17).
(Chapter Thirty-Two continues on Day 248)’