Chapter XXXVII
Ver. 1-28. The Vision of Dry Bones kevivified, symbolizing Israel's Death and Resurrection. Three stages in Israel's revival present themselves to the prophet's eye. 1. The new awakening of the people, the resurrection of the dead (ch. 37. 1-14j. 2. The reuni(m of the formerly hostile members of the community, whose contentions bad affected the whole (ch. 37. 15-'28). 3. The community thus restored is strong enough to withstand the assault of Gog, &c. (chs. 38., 39). [Kwald.J 1. carried ... in the Spirit—The matters transacted, therefore, were not literal, but in vision, the valley—probably that by the Chebar (ch. 3. 22); the valley represents Mesopotamia, the scene of Israel's sojourn in her state of national deadness. a. dry—bleached by long exposure to the atmosphere. 3. can these bones live ! . . . thou knowcst implying that, humanly speaking, they could not; but faith leaves the question of possibility to rest with God, with whom nothing is impossible (Deuteronomy 32. 39). An image of Christian faitli which believes in the coming general resurrection of the dead, in spite of all appearances against it, because God has said it (John 5. 21; Romans 4. 17; 2 Corinthians 1.9). 4. Prophesy—Proclaim God's quickening word to them. On account of this innate power of the Divine word to effect its end, prophets are said to do that which they prophexi/ as about to be done (Jeremiah 1. 10). 5. I . . . cause breath to enter into you—so Isaiah 26. 19, containing the same vision, refers primarily to Israel's restoration. Cf. as to God's renovation of tne earth and all its creatures hereafter by His breath, Psalm 104. 30. ye shall live—come to life again. 6. ye sliall kitow that I am the Lord—bj' the actnal proof of my divinity which I will give in reviving Israel. 7. noise—of the bones when coming In mutual collision. Perhaps referring to the decree of Cyrus, or the noise of the Jews' exultation at their deliverance and return, bones came together lit., "ye bones came together;" as in Jeremiah 49. 11 (Hebrew), "ye widows of thine shall trust in me." The second person puts the scene vividly before one's eyes, for the whole resurrection-scene is a
tified" before the heathen, and God's people be prepared
for outward blessings, sprinkle . . . water—phraseology taken from the law; viz., the water mixed with the ashes of a heifer sprinkled witli a hyssop on the unclean (Numbers 19. 9-18) ; the thing sigtiitled being the cleansing blood of Christ sprinkled on the conscience and heart (Hebrews
9. 13, 14 ; 10. '22 ; cf. Jeremiah 33. 8 ; Ephesians 5. 26). from all your Idols—Literal idolatry has ceased among the Jews ever since the captivity ; so far, the prophecy has been already fulfilled ; but "cleansing fromall their idols," e.g., covetousness, prejudices against Jesus of Nazareth, is yet future. 'iG. new heart—mind and will, spirit—motive and principle of action, stony heart— unimpressible in Keriou% tilings ; like the "stony ground" (Matthew 13.), nutit for receiving the good seed so as to bring forth fruit, heart of flesh—not " carnal" in opposition to "spiritual ;"
but impressible and docile, fit for receiving the good seed. In cii. 18. 31 they are commanded, " Make you a new heart, and a new spirit." Here God says, "A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you." Thus the responsibility of man, and the sovereign grace of God, are shown lobe coexistent. Man cannot make himself a new heart unless God gives it (Philippians 2. 12, 13). 27. my Spirit—(Ch. 11. 19; Jeremiah 3'2. 39.) Tlie partial relorination at the return from Babylon (Ezra 10. 6, Ac.
Neheniiah 8., 9.) was an earnest of the full renewal hereafter under Messiah. 38. ye . . . my people . . . I . . . your God—(Ch. 11. 20; Jeremiah 30. 22.) 29. save . . . from all . . . uncleannesses—The province of Jesus, according to the signification of His name (Matthew 1. 21). To be specially exercised in behalf of the Jews in the lalterdays (Romans 11. 26). callfor . . . com—asamaster "calls for" a servant ; all the powers and productions of nature are the servants of Jehovah (Psalm 105.16; Matthew 8. 8, 9). Cf. as to the subordination of all the intermediate agents to the Great First Cause, who will give " corn" and all good things to His people, Hosea 2. 21, 22; Zecliariah 8. 12. 30. no more reproach of famine among tlie heathen—to which their taunt (v. 13), "Thou land de-
j)rop/»eej/ in ociton to render more palpably to the people the prophecy in word (v. 21). 8. So far, they were only cohering in order as unsightly skeletons. The next step, that of covering them successively with sinews, skin, and flesh, gives them beauty; but still "no breath" of life in them. This may imply that Israel hereafter, as at the restoration from Babylon was the case in part, shall return to Judea unconverted at first (Zechariah 13. 8, 9). Spiritually: a man may assume all the .semblances of spiritual life, yet have none, and so be dead before God. 9. wind—rather, the spirit of life or life-breath {Margin\ For It Is distinct from "the four wind.<i" from which it is summoned, ft-om the four winds—Implying that Israel
voure.st up men," in part referred. 31. remember your
. . . evil ways—with shame and loathing. The unexpected grace and love of God, manifested in Christ to Israel, sliall melt the people into true repentance, which Raere legal fearcould not (ch. 16. 61, 6;i; Psalm 180.4; Zechariah 12. 10;- vf. Jeremiah .33. 8, 9). 35, they shall say—The toeatjaen, who once made Israel's desolation a ground of reproach against the name of Jehovah Himself (ti. 20, 21); but now Hi; so vindicates its sanctity {v. 22, 2.'S) that these game heathen are constrained to acknowledge Israel's more tlian renewed blessedness to be God's own work, and a ground for glorifying His name (v. 36). Kdcn—as Tyit? (Ihe type of the world-powers in general: so Assyria,
Is to be gathered from the four quarters of the eartfc (Isaiah 43.5,6; Jeremiah 31. 8), even as they were "scattered Into all the winds" (ch. 5. 10; 12. 14; 17. 21 ; cf. Revelation 7. 1,4). 10. Such honour God gives to the Divine word, even In the mouth of a man. How much more wheu
«10
Tht Union of Israel and Judah. EZEKIEL
XXXVIII. The A rmy and Malice of Oog.
In the month of the Son of God ! (John 5. 25-29). Though
to be withdrawn from him, and to be made one with the other, Judah 's rule, in God's hand, them—the "stick of Joseph," would strictly require "it:" but Ezekiel expresses the sense, viz., the ten tribes who were subject to
this chapter does not dtrertiy prove the resurrection of the dead, it does so indirectly ; for it takes for granted the fu-
ture fact as one recognized by believing Jews, and so made tlie image of tlieir national restoration (so Isaiah
it. with him i.e., Judah; or "it," i.e., the stick of Judah. 82. one nation—(Isaiah 11.13; Jeremiah 3.18; Hosea 1. 11.) one king—not Zerubbabel, who was not a king either in fact or name, and who ruled over but a few Jews, and that only for a few years; whereas the Kinj{ here reigns for ever. Messiah is meant (ch. 34. 23, 24). The union of Judah and Israel under King Messiah symbolizes the union of Jews and Gentiles under Him, partly now, perfectly hereafter (u. 24; John 10.16). 23. (Ch. 36.
^5. 8; 26. 19; Daniel 12. 2; Hosea 6. 2; 13. 14; cf. Note, v. 12).
11. Our bones arc dried—(Psalm 141. 7), explained by "our hope is lost" (Isaiah 49. 14); our national state is as hopeless of resuscitation, as marrowless bones are of reanimation, cut off for our parts—t. e., so far as we are concerned. There is nothing in us to give hope, like a withered branch "cut off" from a tree, or a limb froma the body. Vi. my people—in antithesis to "for our partis" («.
25). out of . . . their dwelling-places—(Ch. 36. 28, 33.) I will remove them from the scene of their idolatries to dwell in their own land, and to serve idols no more. 24. David—Messiah (Notes, ch. 34. 23, 24). 25. For ever— (Isaiah 60. 21; Joel 3. 20; Amos 9. 15.) 26. covenant of peace—better than the old legal covenant, because an unchangeable covenant of grace (ch. 34. 25; Isaiah 55. 3; Jeremiah 32. 40). I will place them set them in an established position ; no longer unsettled as heretofore, my sanctuary—the temple of God : spiritual in the heart of all true followers of Messiah (2 Corintliians 6. 16) ; and, in some literal sense, in tjie restored Israel (chs. 40.^). 27. My tabernacle . . . with them—as foretold (Genesis 9.
11). The hope that is utterly gone, if looking at themselves,
is sure for them in Ood, because He regards them as His people. Their covenant-relation to God ensures His not letting death permanently reign over them. Christ makes the same principle the ground on which the literal resurrection rests. God had said, " I am the God of Abraham," &c. ; God, bj' taking the patriarchs as His, undertook to do for them all that Omnipotence can perform: He, being tho ever-living God, is necessarily the God of, not dead, but living persons, i. e., of those who.se bodies His covenant love binds him to raise again. He can and because He can,—He will,—He must. [Fairbairn.] He calls them "mj/ people" when receiving them into favour; but people," in addressing His servant, as if He would put them away from him (ch. 13. 17; 33. 2; Exodus
27); John 1. 14, "The Word . . . dwelt among us" (tit., tabernacled); first, in humiliation; liereafter, in manifested glory (Revelation 21. 3). 28. (Cli. .36. 23.) sanctify Israel—set it apart as holy unto myself and inviolable (Exodus 19. 5, 6).
32. 7). out of your graves—out of your politically-dead
state, primarily in Babylon, finally hereafter in all lands
(cf. ch. 6. 8; Hosea 13. 14). The Jews regarded the lands of their captivity and dispersion as their "graves;" their
i-esi oration was to be as "life from the dead" (Romans U. 1.5). Before, the bones were in the open plain (y. 1, 2); now, in the graves, i. e., some of the Jews were in the graves of actual captivity, others at large but dispersed. Both alike were nationally dead. 16. stick—alluding to Numbers 17.2, the tribal rod. The union of the two rods was a prophecy in action of the brotherly union which is to reunite the ten tribes and Judah. As their severance under Jeroboam was fraught with the greatest evil to the covenant people, so the first result of both being joined by the spirit of life to God is, they become joined to one another under the one covenant King, Messiah-David. Judali, and . . . children of Israel Itis companions