Weekly
message: The Lord’s resuscitation, renewal Spirit and rebirth of nation
(Ezekiel 37-39) By Rev.
Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel
Music May 20, 2019
Introduction
My friends, what is your hope in Christ? Do you
face a devastating scenario, helpless, and hopeless? You have been praying, but
you didn’t see any helper comes in your way? You experienced hopeless and
helpless scenario? It seems the Lord was
silent, the door was blocked, you couldn’t see the way. And your enemies
surround of you, intend to seize your successful, steal your joy, laugh at your
miserable and want to tear you down, and covet of your prosperity and property.
Moreover, you have grown older with gray hairs, and have lost health and strength;
you wonder that God has forsaken you. If these scenarios describe you, don’t
give up, turn your eyes upon the Lord, and keep trusting and waiting upon the
Lord. Psalmist sang out the hope while there is no help in Psalm121, “I
lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from
the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip, he
who watches over you will neither slumber nor sleep…the Lord will keep you from
all harm; he will watch over your life. The Lord will watch over you coming and
going both now and forevermore” (Psalm121:1-4,7-8). The Lord’s words are
trustworthy, who ensured His people, “you whom I have upheld since you were
conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to you old age and gray
hairs, I am he; I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry
you, I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah46:3-4). Habakkuk was questioning the Lord while he wasn’t
understood and got frustrated. Instead of bitter, he put his hope in the Lord
and praised God, “Lord, I have heard of your fame, I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.
Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy (Habakkuk3:1-2)…Though the fig tree does
not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and
the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle
in the stalls, yet, I will rejoice in
the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.”
(Habakkuk3:1-3,17-19).
The Lord
is faithful, just, and compassionate to His people
The
resuscitation of nation by the vision of Ezekiel, and his prophesy. The
dry bones came to life and stood up on their feet and the Lord put His Spirit
in them, when the house of Israel, say, “our bones are dried up and our hope is
gone, we are cut off.” (Ezekiel37:11). The Lord gives hope to those who trust
in Him.
Ezekiel
means God strengthens
Ezekiel grew up in a priestly family; Ezekiel
means “God strengthens”. He spent his early years in Jerusalem, until he was
taken with other hostages by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 597. He settled in
his own house in a village near Nippur, along the river Kebar(Nebuchadnezzar’s
royal canal), in Babylonia.[1] He
prophesied for at least twenty –two years during 592-570B.C. The Lord assured
the house of Israel, “you will know that
I am the Lord” few times in the book of Ezekiel chapter 37 to 39
1)
The
first statement of “You will know that I am the Lord” in Ezekiel37:6
When
Ezekiel was brought out by the Spirit of the Lord, he saw the many bones on the
floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. (Ezekiel37:2) The Lord want him
prophesy to these dry bones, “hear the
word of the Lord! This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will
come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and
cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then
you will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel37:4-6). Ezekiel prophesied
as the Spirit of Lord commanded, the bones came together, bone to bone, tendons
and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.”
(vv.7-8). Then the Lord wants him prophesy to the breath, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that
they may live.” (v.9). so Ezekiel prophesied as he commanded again, and
the breath entered them they came to life and stood up on their feet a vast
army.”(v.10).
2)
“My
people will know that I am the Lord”, the second assurance in Ezekiel 37:13,
The Lord said to Ezekiel, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel, they say, “our
bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.” So prophesy and say
to them, “this is what the Sovereign Lord
says: O my people, I am going to open
your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. (vv.11-12) Then you, my people will know that I am the Lord, when I open your
graves and bring you up form them. (v.13)
3) The third affirmation in Ezekiel 37:14, you will know that I the Lord have spoken
“I will put my Spirit in you and you will
live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the
Lord have spoken and I have done it, declares the Lord” (v14.)
In Chapter 37:1-14, Ezekiel predicts the
political and spiritual revival of his nation and the reuniting of its two
divisions. “The dry bones indicate an army slain in battle, a fitting
description of them hopeless condition of Israel.”[2] There
was no breath in them which indicates “the political revival of Israel in the
end time will be spiritually dead until God breathes life into the people.”[3] And
come from the “four winds” insinuate that from “the four quarters of the globe”.
“The bones signify the hopeless and helpless Israel. And the graves speak of
her political demise. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit, who will effect the regeneration
of the people. The vision doesn’t depict the physical resurrection of
individuals, but the political (the prior to the second coming of Christ), and spiritual
(at the second coming of Christ) revivals of Israel. [4]
According to Ezekiel’s prophesy in Chapter
37:15-28, the promises for Israel that will be fulfilled at the second coming
of Christ. Unification of the two kingdoms (v.22), as Ezekiel’s vision
unveiled,“ I am going to take the stick of Joseph which is in Ephraim’s hand and
of the Israelite tribes associated with him and join it to Judah’s stick,
making them a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.” (v.19). The Judah which is the
principal tribe of the Southern Kingdom, the Israelites associated with them, Benjamin,
Simeon, and Levi. The house of Joseph comprised the two powerful tribes of
Ephraim and Manasseh, the main body of the Northern Kingdom. [5]This
is what the Sovereign Lord says,
“I will
take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them
from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel.
There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two
nations or be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile
themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for
I will save them from all their sinful backsliding. And I will cleanse them.
They will be my people and I will be their God.” (Ezekiel 37:21-22).
Davidic covenant- Christ Messiah will rule
over His people and nations The Lord
unveiled His vision through Ezekiel in 37:24-28, the second coming of Christ
Messiah will rule over His people and nations. The Davidic covenant will be an
everlasting covenant of peace to them; and they will live in the presence of
God, the sanctuary in their midst as dwelling place, and there will be only one
Shepherd Messiah Christ. The vision unveils as follows,
“My servant David will be king over them, and
they will all have one Shepherd. They
will follow my laws and be careful
to keep my decrees. They will live in the land gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They
and their children and their children’s
children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I
will establish them and increase their
numbers, and I
will put my sanctuary among them forever.
My dwelling pace will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them
forever. ( Ezekiel
37:24-28).
The vision of John unveils the same visitation
of New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:1-8. John expressed that he didn’t
see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb
are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it. For the glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp.
The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their
splendor into it.” (Rev.21:22-24). It affirms the vision of
Ezekiel and his prophesy is considerable as Apostle John’s vision. The Davidic
covenant will be an everlasting covenant of peace to His people and nations. They
will live in the presence of God, the sanctuary is in their midst as dwelling
place. The nations will walk by its
light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.”
4). “The
house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God.” The fourth statement in (Ezekiel39:22)
When the
Lord have brought Israel back from the nations and have gathered them from the
countries of their enemies, the house of Israel will know that the Lord is
their God. (Ezekiel39:22). Ezekiel’s vision foretold a future attack on Israel
and the Lord delivers of His people. The invading armies come from the far
north (38:15) to invade Palestine but are destroyed by supernatural
intervention. (39:3). Seven months will be required to bury their corpses. (39:11-15)
and their weapons will supply fuel for Israel for seven years. (39:9-10). The
time of the battle is unclear. Israel will be living in security, whether real
or imagined. (38:11-12), which might indicate that the battle takes place
before the middle of the Tribulation while Israel feels secure under a treaty
with Antichrist. But the consummation of the battle involves birds and beasts
eating the flesh of the warriors, a scene similar to the description of
Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation[6]. In
Ezekiel 39:17-20 says, “Son of man, this
is what the Sovereign Lord says, “call
out to every kind of birds and all the wild animal…at my table you will eat
your fill of horses and riders, mighty men and soldiers of every kind,
declares the Sovereign Lord.” And in
Rev.19:17-18 Apostle John’s vision unveils “the
great dinner” or “the great supper
of God”, it says, “And I saw an angel
standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, come here, gather
yourselves to the great dinner of God. That you may eat the flesh of kings and
the flesh of generals and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and
of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free and slave and
small and great. (Rev.19:17-18).
“The great dinner”, which is in contrast to “the
marriage dinner of the Lamb”, for the
great dinner is for all the birds, but “the marriage dinner of the Lam” is for
the overcomers.
For His
holy name sake
The Lord will bring Jacob back from captivity
and has compassion on all the people of Israel for His holy name sake and pour
out His Spirit on the house of Israel. Israel will forget their shame and all
the unfaithfulness. The Lord will show himself holy through them in the sight
of many nations. At the conclusion of the conflict the nations will understand
the judging hand of God, and Israel will know that the Lord is their God. As Ezekiel39:21-29 states,
“I will display my glory among the nations, and
all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them.
From that day forward the house of
Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. (v.22) And nations will know
that the people of Israel went into exile for their sins 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. (Ezek:39:21-24) …
“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 through I sent them into exile among
the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. I
will no longer hide my face for them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the
house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.” (Ezekiel39:27-29)
The
victory over the Gog and Magog
In Ezekiel’s
vision, he mentioned about Gog, Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Persia, Cush Put, and
Gomer, Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish in chapter 38:2-6, 13. It
states,
“Son of man set your face against Gog, of
the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech
and Tubal. The Sovereign Lord says, “I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you
around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army-your horses, your horsemen fully
armed, and a great horde with large
and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush and Put
will be with them, all with shields
and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops –the many
nations with you.(38:2-6)
Geographically, Gog, it probably refers to the
ruler of the people who live in Magog. Magog was identified by Josephus as the
land of the Scythian, the region N. and NE. of the Black Sea and E. of the Aral
Sea, now occupied by Russia. And the chief prince of Tubal now is the area of
modern Iran. Meshech and Tubal is the area of modern Turkey. Other allies will
include Persia (modern Iran), Cush (northern Sudan, Put (Libya), Gomer (probably
the eastern part of Turkey and the Ukraine), and Beth Togarmah (the part of Turkey
near the Syrian border. Sheba, and Dedan Arab people. Tarshish located in the
S. of Spain near Gibraltar.[7](Jonah1:3)
John envisioned a battle of Gog and Magog at
the conclusion of the millennial kingdom (Rev.20:7-9). “Perhaps the first
thrust will begin just before the middle of the Tribulation, with successive
waves of the invasion continuing throughout the last part of that period and
building up to Armageddon. Perhaps, also, this passage in Ezekiel is describing
two battles of Gog and Magog, one during the Tribulation and the other at the
conclusion of the Millennium. It is not unusual for biblical prophecies to have
more than one fulfillment. [8]
Some
scholars interpreted that Ezek.38 and 39 will occur before the millennium,
whereas what is recorded concerning them in Rev. 20:8 will take place after the
millennium. “The Satan’s deceiving of the nations that are in the four corners
of the earth is his deceiving of Gog and Magog. This may indicate that in
mankind’s last rebellion against God, which will be instigated by Satan, Gog
and Magog will take the lead and the nation s will follow. This will be the
last war on earth. It will be caused by mankind’s last rebellion, which will be
instigated by Satan, God’s enemy, after the millennium. Although mankind will
be in a restored state for one thousand years, man’s rebellious nature will
still remain. It will be exposed by Satan’s last instigation and will be purged
away by the Lord’s final judgment on mankind.” [9]
The camp of the saints is the lodging place of
the overcoming believers, who compose the heavenly armies (Rev.19:14) camping
on earth. The beloved city is the city of Jerusalem, the dwelling place of the
remnant of Israel, the overcoming believers and the remnant of Israel are God’s
faithful people on earth in the millennium, who stand with God and for God. At
the end of the millennium, Satan will instigate rebellious mankind from the
uttermost parts of the north to attack God’s people.[10] Ultimately,
“the devil, who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,
where also the beast and the false prophet were; and they will be tormented day
and night forever and ever.” (Rev.20:10). The lake of fire has been prepared
for the devil and his angels. However, the beast and the false prophet, as well
as the goats in Matt.25:32-33, 41, are cast into it a thousand years earlier
than the devil (Rev.19:20). After the thousand years, the devil also is thrown
into it.
Conclusion:
the Lord is only hope and help to His people.
The Lord is divine and just, for the sake of
His holy name, He redeemed and restored the life and put His new Spirit on the
house of Israel, when there was hopeless, helpless, and devastating scenarios.
The Lord sustains them and unifies of the two kingdoms and makes them one as
rebirth nation. There will be one King over all of them. They will all have one
Shepherd, Messiah rules over them. The Lord makes an everlasting covenant of
peace, and put sanctuary among them as dwelling place. The nations will know
that the Lord make Israel holy, when His sanctuary is among them forever.
(Ezekiel37:22, 24, 26-28). The promise of Israel will be fulfilled at the
second coming of Christ.
Implication
/ Application of Ezekiel 37-39
1)
The Lord’s resuscitation, renewal, and rebirth
of nation by His mighty deeds and supernatural divine power. It request
Prophets, Apostles, Disciples believe the visitation, and prophesy it as the
Lord commands. Even dry bones will come to life with breath, tendon, flesh, and
skin. And the hopeless and helpless Israel revival in political during the
prior to the second coming of Christ and spiritual at the second coming of
Christ.
2)
The Lord will show His mercy, forgiveness, compassionate
to His people, no longer hide his face from them, and pour out His Spirit on
the house of Israel, not because of what they have done, but because of the
Lord is zealous for His holy name, and for His Holy name sake. He wipes away
all their sins, shame and unfaithfulness.
3)
The battle is belong to the Lord, and the Lord
will fight for His people. The war at Armageddon, the Lord will defeat Gog and
Magog who against His people, all the bird will gather to the great dinner of
God, eat the flesh of kings, generals, might men, houses, and all men.
(Rev.19:18; Ezekiel 39:17).
4)
The Lord has established the Davidic covenant
through Jesus Christ as an everlasting covenant of peace with His people. He
put his sanctuary, the dwelling place among them forever. All nations will know
that the Lord make Israel holy. In the New Jerusalem, the Lord God Almighty and
the Lamb is its temple, the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its
light. But only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
(Rev.21:24,27)
5)
The Lord is the inheritance of His people, the
great Father, and we are His sons. He in us dwelling, and we with Him one.
My
friends, no matter how old you are, how worse circumstances you face? How
frustration in your heart? How helpless, and hopeless in your environment? May
God’s vision capture your heart through Ezekiel 37-39 and Apostle John
Rev.19-21. Drench your mind and heart
with the heavenly vision and believe High King of heaven won the victory; He is
your dwelling place from now and always. As a tradition hymn “Be Thou my
vision” says,
1). Be
thou my vision, O Lord of my heart, naught be all else to me, save that Thou
art. Thou my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping, Thy presence
my light.
2). Be thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word, I
ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord. Though my great Father, I Thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
3). Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always, Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
4). High King of heaven, my victory won, May I
reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever
befall, still be my vision O Ruler of all.
Bibliography,
Anderson,
Neil. The Bondage Breaker: Overcoming negative
thoughts, irrational feelings, habitual sins. Sisters Oregon: Harvest House
Publishers, 2006.
Bauer,
Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early
Christian Literature. 3rd Chicago: The University of Chicago
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Brown,
Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English
Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.
Bruce,
Katherine L. Book review: the bondage
breaker by Neil T. Anderson. M.Div. VAN670. Orlando FL: Liberty University
Baptist Theo. Seminary, 2012.
___________.
Can you see the glory of God? Orlando
FL: Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music, 2016.
Countryman,
Jack. If my people. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2016.
Friberg,
Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon
of the Greek New Testament.1st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford
Publishing, 2005.
King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company
Lee,
Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry,
1985.
Lucado, Max. God is with you every day. Nashville, TN:
Thomas Nelson, 2015
__________. Glory Days. Nashville, TN. Thomas Nelson, 2015
Myers, Roth. 31 days of praise. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah Books, 1994.
Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible
(NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.
Strong, James. Strong’s: the expanded
exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 2010.
Towns, Elmer. Fasting for a Spiritual Breakthrough: a guide to nine biblical fasts. Ventura:
Regal Books, 1996 .
[1] Charles C. Ryrie, the Ryrie study Bible (NIV). (Chicago,
IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986),1104
[2] Charles C. Ryrie, the Ryrie study Bible (NIV). (Chicago,
IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986),1156
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Charles C. Ryrie, the Ryrie study Bible (NIV). (Chicago,
IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986),1157
[7] Charles C. Ryrie, the Ryrie study Bible (NIV). (Chicago,
IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986),1158
[8] Charles C. Ryrie, the Ryrie study Bible (NIV). (Chicago,
IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986),1158
[9] Witness Lee, the New Testament. (Anaheim, CA: Living
Stream Ministry, 1985),1320
[10]
Ibid.
