The Resurrection Revealed, Book 3 · Chapter 2 · Section 34
SECT. XXXIV.
THE fourth place in Ezekiel is in the 37th. Chapter throughout.*This chapter alſo Jerom confeſſeth hath been alleadged afore his time for the glorious …tate of the thouſand ye…rs, both by Jewes and Chriſtians. Quod ſi (inquit.) Judaei, & Judaizantes Chriſtiani, hae… ad mille annorum voluerunt referre regnum &c. vide Hieron. in hoc caput.
§. 1 The two parables ſet forth the ſubſtance of the deliverance of the Jewes. The reſt of the chapter ſets forth the notable circumſtances of their ſtate being delivered.
The firſt parable, of the reviving of the dry bones, with the Prophets Expoſition thereof, from v. 1. to ver. 15. doth mainly ſet forth the matter of their deliverance, viz. that the dry bones ſignifie (as the prophet expreſſeth it with great emphaſis) the WHOLE houſe of ISRAEL. So that no leſſe then the twelve Tribes muſt be the matter delivered.
§. 3 The ſecond parable, of the connexion of the two ſticks, ver. 15. to ver. 23. the one to have written upon it Judah, to ſignifie the Tribe of Judah, and his Companions that were of Iſrael, i. e. Benjamin, that is the Tribe of Benjamin that clave to Judah in one Kingdome: The other to have written upon it Ephraim, to ſignifie, as the Prophet emphaſizeth it v. 16. ALL the houſe of ISRAEL, and both theſe integrated into one ſtick, doth ſignifie the forme of the deliverance of the twelve Tribes, viz. to be reſtored into one intire Kingdome as it was at firſt, in Davids and Salomons time, &c. and that upon the mountaines of Iſrael, v. 22.
§. 4 The eminent circumſtances of this deliverance are, 1. That they ſhal as marvelouſly be brought out of all quarters of their captivity, into their owne Land, as dry …ones made to live, or dead men to be raiſed out of their graves, So verſ. 9, 11, 12, 19, 21. 2 Circumſtance that they ſhall have but one King, and that muſt be David, that is one of Davids …eed that muſt needs be (as the Rabbins doe well underſtand) Chriſt, or the Meſsias the ſonne of David, as often upon theſe like places and phraſes they expreſſe themſelves. And he ſhall be their Prince for EVER. v. 25. The third eminent Circumſtance is, that they, their children, and their childrens children ſhall dwell in their own Land FOR EVER v. 25. The fourth and laſt Circumſtance is, The ſpiritualizing of this their happy deliverance in ver. 26, and 27. Moreover (ſaith the Lord) I will make a Covenant of PEACE with them, it ſhall be an EVERLASTING Covenant with them; and I will place them, and will multiply them, and I will ſet my ſanctuary in the midſt of them for evermore. And my Tabernacle alſo ſhall be with them; yea I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people.
§. 5 Now ſome extend theſe things eſpecially that of the dry bones, as far as the laſt reſurrection, minding more the fitneſſe of the compariſon to that in the ſimile of the dry bones reviving, and Gods bringing them out of the graves, then that which is immediately annexed, as ver. 12. O my people, I will open your graves, and cauſe you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the LAND OF ISRAEL. Repeated againe v. 13, 14. which things are utterly inconſiſtent with the laſt generall reſurrection or day of Judgement. And in nature and uſe of ſpeech among men (as Grotius well notes) may meetly be applyed to deliverance from captivity. Populus in captivitatem deductus deſinit eſſe populus, ideo que optimè comparatur oſsibus, aut corpori mortuo. Sic oppidorum cadavera dixit Sulpitius in Ep. 8. Ciceron. Intelligitur ergo per ſpiritum vitalem inditum, libertatis & ſtatus reſtitutio. Grot. in loc.
§. 6 Others again reſtrain this ſo narrow as to Judah's returne from Babylon, and explaine David their King to be Zerubbabel. In anſwer whereto we ſay onelyonly this. 1. Theſe things in this chapter of the deliverance of all Iſrael, for matter, and forme, and circumſtances, as afore ſet down plainly according to the Text, were in no wiſe fulfilled at Judahs two Tribes returne from Babylon, under the conduct of Zerubbabel; who though of the kindred of David, yet no King, nor called a King, nor could he be accounted a King, whiles they were under the Medio-Perſian Monarch. And ſecondly, Daniel, and the Apoſtles in the New Teſtament doe carry down and apply the phraſes and things of this chapter, unto future times, to ſucceed after them, at the great and generall call of the Jewes and reſtitution of all things. Dan. 12. ver. 1, 2. At that time (viz. after the tyranny of the Roman Empire hath been long time rampant (as had been propheſied by Daniel chap. 11.) Michael ſhall ſtand up, the great prince which ſtandeth for the children of thy people, and there ſhall be a time of trouble, ſuch as never was ſince there was a Nation, &c. and at that time thy people ſhal be delivered &c. and MANY of them that ſleep in the duſt ſhall awake, ſome to everlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame, and everlaſting contempt: which things prudently weighed in all the circumſtances, cannot be applicable to the laſt and general reſurrection, or ultimate day of judgement, as is fully diſcuſſed elſewhere in this Volume; but do clearly comport with the beginning of the buſineſſe of the great reſtauration at the generall call of the Jewes. See in this third Book, Chap. 2. Sect. 37. §. 20. ¶. 5. &c. So likewiſe the Apoſtle Paul applies the phraſes and things of this 37 of Ezekiel to the times of the generall call of the Jewes; Rom. 11.15. If the caſting away of the Jewes be the reconciling of the World, what ſhall be the receiving of the Jewes, but LIFE FROM THE DEAD? So likewiſe St. John in Revelation chap. 11.11, to 14 ſhewes plainly, that the witneſſes muſt firſt riſe, and then there was a great Earthquake, and then the tenth part of the City (of the whore of Babylon) fals, and thouſands are ſlaine: which things can have no fellowſhip with the ultimate day of judgement; eſpecially if we marke, that the Earthquake, the fall of the City, and the ſlaughter, are mentioned afore the ſounding of the ſeventh Trumpet. Now within the laſt of the ſpace of which ſeventh Trumpet fals the ultimate judgement: and therefore theſe things belong to the great reſtauration, at the ruine of Antichriſt, and the call of the Jewes, and the ſetting up of the glorious Church of Jewes and Gentiles: for preſently after (ver. 14, 15.) the ſeventh Trumpet ſounds, and the Kingdomes of the World become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Chriſt.
Thus of the places in Ezekiel.