Zao is life
Well-Known Member
I don't understand why you say God is still hiding His face from them until Gog is judged.Much of what you posted in this post I am somewhat on the same page with you for the most part. In particular what you posted concerning Ezekiel 37. But even so, in my mind, unless I'm just reading things entirely wrong in Ezekiel 38-39, the house of Israel meant in those 2 chapters, God is hiding His face from them until He executes His judgment against Gog and his multitude. In my mind then means He is still hiding His face from the house of Israel meant in Ezekiel 38-39, as we speak, the fact that judgment is still future.
I read Ezekiel 39:23-29 as closing the prophecy regarding Israel's restoration which opened in Ezekiel 36. It's against this restored people that the armies of Gog of Magog gathers against:
Ezekiel 36 - opening the prophetic promise:
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19 And I scattered them among the nations, and they were scattered through the lands. I judged them according to their way and according to their doings.20 And when they entered the nations where they went, they even profaned My holy name by saying to them, These are the people of the Jehovah, and they are gone out of His land.
21 But I had pity for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
22 Therefore say to the house of Israel, So says the Lord Jehovah: I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.
23 And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. And the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord Jehovah, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
24 For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all lands, and will gather you into your own land.
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Ezekiel 39:23-24 - closing the same prophecy - talking about the same thing Ezekiel 36:19 (first verse above) is talking about.Compare:
Ezekiel 36
19 And I scattered them among the nations, and they were scattered through the lands. I judged them according to their way and according to their doings.
Ezekiel 39
23 And the nations shall know that the house of Israel was exiled for their iniquity. Because they sinned against Me, therefore I hid My face from them and gave them into the hand of their enemies. So they all fell by the sword.
24 According to their uncleanness and according to their sins I have done to them, and have hidden My face from them.
Then in closing, Ezekiel 39:25-29 repeats Ezekiel 36:22-28.
Compare:
Ezekiel 36
22 Therefore say to the house of Israel, So says the Lord Jehovah: I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.
23 And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. And the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord Jehovah, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
24 For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all lands, and will gather you into your own land.
25 And I will sprinkle clean waters on you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from your idols.
26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments and do them.
28 And you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. And you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
Ezekiel 39
25 Therefore so says the Lord Jehovah: And I will return the captivity of Jacob, and will have mercy on the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for My holy name;
26 after they have borne their shame and all their sins by which they have sinned against Me, when they dwell securely in their land and no one terrifies;
27 when I have brought them again from the peoples, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
28 then they shall know that I am the LORD their God who exiled them among the nations. But I have gathered them to their own land, and have not left any of them there.
29 Nor will I hide My face from them any more, for I have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel, says the Lord Jehovah.
To me, Ezekiel 39 above is not talking about God hiding His face from them until He destroys Gog. It's closing the promise that they will be restored to God and to the land of their fathers before Gog comes against them.
It's only after their restoration that Gog of Magog and his armies comes against them.
To me Ezekiel 36:23-28 / Ezekiel 39:25-29 is the gift-wrapped box, and the box itself is also part of the gift.
Inside the box is Ezekiel 37, and the necessary warning that in his enraged jealousy Gog is going to come against them after they have been restored, but he will be judged.
Anyway Revelation tells us that it's the dragon behind the beast at the close of this age.
And Revelation tells us that it's the dragon behind Gog and his armies at the close of:
A period of peace that follows the reconciliation of Israel and Judah, of all Israel to God, and of all Israel to the land of their fathers.
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