The following commentary covers Chapters 38 and 39.
Gog's
assault on the land and its result
Gog, not fearing Jehovah,
seeks to take possession of the land. He has no thought
that Jehovah is there. His pride blinds him.
Ezekiel's subject:
Jehovah's judgments on the earth
It is very important to
remark that Ezekiel speaks neither of the first nor the
second coming of Christ, nor of the circumstances of the
Jews in connection with the empire of the Gentiles. The
latter only appear as instruments performing the will of
God. The prophet brings Jehovah and Israel into the
scene. He presents Christ indeed, but as being there
already and in the character of David. Jehovah raises up
for them a plant of renown. His coming is not the
question. The judgments of Jehovah upon the earth make
Him known to the nations and to Israel (to the latter His
blessings also). The nations learn through these, a point
of capital importance in God's ways, that Israel went
into captivity because of their sins, and not because
their God was like the idols of the heathen. But in all
the ways of God thus presented, not only is the coming of
Christ not mentioned, but it has even no place. It
belongs to another series of thoughts and revelations of
the Spirit of God—another order of events.
The connection of
chapters 36 to 39
It is well also to observe
that chapters 36 and 37, and the two following ones taken
together, are not consecutive; but each of the first two
by itself, and the last two, taken together as a whole,
treat of distinct subjects, each subject being complete,
and presenting the introduction of Israel's blessing in
connection with the subject treated, and closing with the
assurance that it will be final and perpetual. The
subject of all these prophecies is the land, and the
blessings of God upon the land of Israel. This land,
which belonged to Jehovah, He would not have defiled. He
drives out Israel from it in judgment; and when He has
cleansed the people, He makes the nations, as well as
Israel, understand His ways in this respect. He acts in
full grace towards His people He makes it known that they
are His people, that He will be sanctified, and that He
is sanctified, in their midst.
God's final
judgment on Gog
I think, then, that Gog is
the end of all the dealings of God with respect to
Israel, and that God brings up this haughty power in
order to manifest on earth, by a final judgment, His
dealings with Israel and with the Gentiles, and to plant
His blessing, His sanctuary, and His glory in the midst
of Israel (none of the people being henceforth left in
exile afar from their land).
The manifestation
of God's government on earth
Besides the numerous
verses in which it is said, "And they shall know
that I am Jehovah," the following passages may be
referred to, which will shew the leading thought in those
declarations and judgments of God, namely, the
manifestation of His government on the earth—a
government making manifest the true character of God in
His rule, and securing its demonstration in the world, in
spite of the unfaithfulness of His people; and that, in
grace as well as in holiness, chapters 36: 19-23, 36; 39:
7, 23, 24, 28. With respect to Israel, see chapter 34:
30; to the enemy, chapters 35: 12 and 37: 28.
The only subject
of the book
That which I have just
said of Gog supposes that all the events which relate to
the coming of the Son of man are omitted in the writings
of this prophet—which I believe to be the case. The
Book treats only of the governmental ways of God on the
earth, of Jehovah in Israel. The power designated by
"Gog" is that of the north, outside of the
territory of the beasts in Daniel. I doubt not that the
right translation would be "Prince of Rosh, Meshech,
and Tubal," as learned men have remarked. Cush and
Phut were on the Euphrates, as well as on the Nile.
Persia is known. Togarmah is the north-east of Asia
Minor. The audaciousness of this king causes the wrath of
Jehovah to break forth.
Jesus suffering
and reigning as David before ruling as Solomon
I will add, in order to
facilitate the establishment of the connection of this
with other passages, that I doubt not Jesus will reign in
the character of David before assuming that of Solomon.
He suffered as David, driven away by the jealousy of
Saul. The remnant will pass through this in principle.
This is the key to the Book of Psalms. He will reign as
David, Israel being blessed and accepted, but all their
enemies not yet destroyed. And, finally, He will reign as
Solomon, that is to say, as Prince of peace. Many
passages, such as Micah 5, several chapters in Zechariah,
Jeremiah 51: 20, 21, Ezekiel 25: 14, speak of this time,
in which Israel, already reconciled and acknowledged and
at peace within, shall be the instrument for executing
Jehovah's judgments without (compare Isaiah 11: 10-14).
God making Himself
known in Israel characteristic of Ezekiel's prophecies
All, then, that related to
the destruction of the empires which are the subject of
Daniel's prophecies has no place in the prophecies of
Ezekiel; nor that which takes place in order to put
Israel again in relation with God; nor the consequences
to the Jews of their rejection of Christ. These subjects
will be found elsewhere, as in Daniel, Zechariah, and
more generally in Isaiah. Here God makes Himself known in
Israel. Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal,
falls upon the mountains of Israel, and Jehovah makes
Himself known in the eyes of many nations (chap. 38:
21-23). The judgment shall reach the land of Gog, and the
isles (chap. 39: 6). The name of Jehovah shall be known
in Israel, and the heathen shall know that Jehovah, the
Holy One, is in Israel (v. 7). And, the glory of Jehovah
being thus manifested in the midst of the nations, Israel
from this day forth shall know that it is Jehovah Himself
who is their God, and the nations shall know that it was
the iniquity of Israel that brought judgment upon them,
and not that Jehovah had failed either in power or in the
stability of His counsels (v. 22-24). In a word, Jehovah
and His government should be fully known in Israel, and
by means of this people in the world; and from that time
God would no more hide His face from them. His Spirit
should be poured out upon His people. Verses 25-29
recapitulate the dealings of God towards them for the
establishment of His government, and to make Himself
known among them.
Ezekiel 38 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
Gog's assault on the land and its result
Gog, not fearing Jehovah, seeks to take possession of the land. He has no thought that Jehovah is there. His pride blinds him.
Ezekiel's subject: Jehovah's judgments on the earth
It is very important to remark that Ezekiel speaks neither of the first nor the second coming of Christ, nor of the circumstances of the Jews in connection with the empire of the Gentiles. The latter only appear as instruments performing the will of God. The prophet brings Jehovah and Israel into the scene. He presents Christ indeed, but as being there already and in the character of David. Jehovah raises up for them a plant of renown. His coming is not the question. The judgments of Jehovah upon the earth make Him known to the nations and to Israel (to the latter His blessings also). The nations learn through these, a point of capital importance in God's ways, that Israel went into captivity because of their sins, and not because their God was like the idols of the heathen. But in all the ways of God thus presented, not only is the coming of Christ not mentioned, but it has even no place. It belongs to another series of thoughts and revelations of the Spirit of God—another order of events.
The connection of chapters 36 to 39
It is well also to observe that chapters 36 and 37, and the two following ones taken together, are not consecutive; but each of the first two by itself, and the last two, taken together as a whole, treat of distinct subjects, each subject being complete, and presenting the introduction of Israel's blessing in connection with the subject treated, and closing with the assurance that it will be final and perpetual. The subject of all these prophecies is the land, and the blessings of God upon the land of Israel. This land, which belonged to Jehovah, He would not have defiled. He drives out Israel from it in judgment; and when He has cleansed the people, He makes the nations, as well as Israel, understand His ways in this respect. He acts in full grace towards His people He makes it known that they are His people, that He will be sanctified, and that He is sanctified, in their midst.
God's final judgment on Gog
I think, then, that Gog is the end of all the dealings of God with respect to Israel, and that God brings up this haughty power in order to manifest on earth, by a final judgment, His dealings with Israel and with the Gentiles, and to plant His blessing, His sanctuary, and His glory in the midst of Israel (none of the people being henceforth left in exile afar from their land).
The manifestation of God's government on earth
Besides the numerous verses in which it is said, "And they shall know that I am Jehovah," the following passages may be referred to, which will shew the leading thought in those declarations and judgments of God, namely, the manifestation of His government on the earth—a government making manifest the true character of God in His rule, and securing its demonstration in the world, in spite of the unfaithfulness of His people; and that, in grace as well as in holiness, chapters 36: 19-23, 36; 39: 7, 23, 24, 28. With respect to Israel, see chapter 34: 30; to the enemy, chapters 35: 12 and 37: 28.
The only subject of the book
That which I have just said of Gog supposes that all the events which relate to the coming of the Son of man are omitted in the writings of this prophet—which I believe to be the case. The Book treats only of the governmental ways of God on the earth, of Jehovah in Israel. The power designated by "Gog" is that of the north, outside of the territory of the beasts in Daniel. I doubt not that the right translation would be "Prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal," as learned men have remarked. Cush and Phut were on the Euphrates, as well as on the Nile. Persia is known. Togarmah is the north-east of Asia Minor. The audaciousness of this king causes the wrath of Jehovah to break forth.
Jesus suffering and reigning as David before ruling as Solomon
I will add, in order to facilitate the establishment of the connection of this with other passages, that I doubt not Jesus will reign in the character of David before assuming that of Solomon. He suffered as David, driven away by the jealousy of Saul. The remnant will pass through this in principle. This is the key to the Book of Psalms. He will reign as David, Israel being blessed and accepted, but all their enemies not yet destroyed. And, finally, He will reign as Solomon, that is to say, as Prince of peace. Many passages, such as Micah 5, several chapters in Zechariah, Jeremiah 51: 20, 21, Ezekiel 25: 14, speak of this time, in which Israel, already reconciled and acknowledged and at peace within, shall be the instrument for executing Jehovah's judgments without (compare Isaiah 11: 10-14).
God making Himself known in Israel characteristic of Ezekiel's prophecies
All, then, that related to the destruction of the empires which are the subject of Daniel's prophecies has no place in the prophecies of Ezekiel; nor that which takes place in order to put Israel again in relation with God; nor the consequences to the Jews of their rejection of Christ. These subjects will be found elsewhere, as in Daniel, Zechariah, and more generally in Isaiah. Here God makes Himself known in Israel. Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, falls upon the mountains of Israel, and Jehovah makes Himself known in the eyes of many nations (chap. 38: 21-23). The judgment shall reach the land of Gog, and the isles (chap. 39: 6). The name of Jehovah shall be known in Israel, and the heathen shall know that Jehovah, the Holy One, is in Israel (v. 7). And, the glory of Jehovah being thus manifested in the midst of the nations, Israel from this day forth shall know that it is Jehovah Himself who is their God, and the nations shall know that it was the iniquity of Israel that brought judgment upon them, and not that Jehovah had failed either in power or in the stability of His counsels (v. 22-24). In a word, Jehovah and His government should be fully known in Israel, and by means of this people in the world; and from that time God would no more hide His face from them. His Spirit should be poured out upon His people. Verses 25-29 recapitulate the dealings of God towards them for the establishment of His government, and to make Himself known among them.