Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Ezekiel · Chapter 35 – Chapter 37
CHAP. XXXV.
IN this chap. the prophesie against Edom, which was very briefly uttered, chap. 25. 12. is againe resumed and prosecuted more largly, as the Edomites for their inveterate hatred against the children of Israel, and their helping the Caldeans in destroying them were well worthy. And they first charged for matter of fact, that they slew them with the sword in the day of their calamity when their iniquity had an end, the Vulg. in the time of extreame iniquity, V. 5.Hebr. foreign in the time of iniquities end, or sorrows end, the meaning being, when they suffered by the Caldees extreamly they being slaine by the sword & by famine and pestilence by means of the siege, and by carrying away into captivity, so that they had even made an end of punishing them, the Edomites most probably stirred up Nebuzaradan the king of Babylons steward, who came after this to burn the City and Temple with fire, which was a most horrible sin, to such as are extreamly miserable to adde more misery, and Note. therefore the vengeance here threatened must needs come upon them to the full, and so all they must expect, that it should be done to them, that sin in like manner hardening their hearts to oppress their oppressed brethren.
I will prepare thee for blood, &c. sith thou hatest not blood, Vulg. and when thou hatest blood, blood shall pursue thee, expounded by Lyra, of those that were of the V. 6.same blood, that is, the Israelites, of their hatred against whom it was spoken before, Heb. if thou hatest not blood, and it is plainly meant, the shedding Lyra.of the blood of their distressed brethren, the Israelites, whose destruction they were so far from hating that they loved and rejoyced at it, wherefore he threateneth, that their blood should likewise be shed in abundance, and Lyra considering, that the Hebrew will not bear the other translation, at last concludeth with this v. 9. I will make thee perpetual desolations, that is, when the Israelites shall return unto their own land, and shall be peopled againe, V. 9.and all the parts thereof replenished with inhabitants, as it was in the time of the Persians, Edom shall yet lye desolate, as is further expressed, v. 14. When all the earth rejoyceth, thou shalt be desolate, that is, all the land of Israel. 2. The Edomites are charged with covetousness and ambition, which carryed V. 14.them on to possess the whole land of Israel now that it was void of inhabitants, as is shewed, v. 10. where it is said, Thou hast said these two Nations, these two countryes shall be mine, that is, the land of the two kingdoms, Judah V. 10.and Israel. v. 11. I will make my self known amongst them, when I have judged thee, that is, by working mightily for their restitution, whereby it should be well V. 11.known what his favour was towards the Israelites and his sury against the Edomites, they still lying under his judgements. v. 12. Thou shalt know, that I have heard all thy blasphemies, which thou hast spoken against the mountaines of Israel, saying, they are laid desolate, they are given us to consume. Hence note, that it V. 12.is blasphemy to derogate from the tenth of Gods word in any thing, for the had promised restitution within seventy yeers to his people, and threatened desolation to their land only so long a time, but the Edomites to discredit the word of God, said contrariwise, that their land should alwayes lye desolate in respect of them, and that they the Edomites should consume hence forward the increase thereof as the owners; or that they had holpen to consume it by fire and sword to this end, that it should never come into their possession nay more for this was an intolerable affront given unto God, who had so often promised the contrary.
CHAP. XXXVI.
IN this chap. the prophet returnes againe to the children of Israel conforting them by renewing the promise of their restitution in many more words, then he had done before.
And he beginneth with speaking to the mountaines and valleys, &c. as the prophets have used to do at sundry other times, intimating hereby, that the V. 1.Lord can give cares to hear to sensless things, and to do, as he willeth them, either for the good or hurt of men, concerning whom he speaks unto them.
But whereas, v. 11. he promiseth to do better for his people of Israel, then in former times, this is not to be understood of that which should be done V. 11.temporally for them upon their return out of the Babylonish captivity, but spititually in the time of the Gospel by Christ, for that good, which is done for the faithful now, is far greater then any worldly benefit before bestowed upon them.
The prophet indeed spends most words from the beginning of the chap. hitherto and from hence to v. 25. in speaking of their deliverance from Babylon, but in this verse he inlargeth himself in brief to the Evangelical times, and v. 25. speaks more fully of that exceeding great good, which should come by Christ for the cleansing away of sin and the grace of regeneration by V. 25. 26. 27.his spirit. By sprinkling with clean water he meaneth the blood of Christ cleansing from all sin, herein alluding to the sprinkling of old appointed 1 Joh. 16.with water made of the ashes of a red heifer, and running water, the sprinkling Numb. 19.wherewith cleansed from legal uncleanness. Of taking away the heart of stone from them, and giving them a new heart, see Jer. 32. 30. From v. 30. to V. 26.the end of the Chap. he both amplifieth the benefit of their deliverance from captivity and planting them in their own countrey againe, and both for that and deliverance by Christ, he teacheth that neither of them were for their own sakes, but for his meer grace and mercy, that none might boast themselves, Note. but acknowledge all the good which they injoy, both temporal and spiritual to come herefrom to give him all the praise and glory for 1 Cor. 4. 7.ever.
CHAP. XXXVII.
IN this Chap. the Lord biddeth the Prophet to teach by similitudes the gracious acts promised to be done in the former Chap. 1. of dry bones to which he is bidden to prophesie, and say Live yee, which he doing they lived and became men and women, whereby a demonstration was made of the living of the children of Israel againe in their own land, whereas now they lay dead, as it were, in Babylon, and so should do many yeers, till that according to man there was no more hope of this, then of their rising againe, who have lyen so long dead, that the flesh is all rotted off their bones. 2. By the similitude of two sticks, upon one of which he must write the V. 16. 17, 18, &c.name of Judah, upon the other the name of Ephraim, which being done, he must joyn them together, and then prophesie of the joyning together of the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel divided to Rehoboam and Jeroboam under David againe, that is Christ, by this name also set forth, ch. 34. 24. and after this he saith; that they shall be divided no more for ever, but continue as one people in a prosperous and happy estate, having the Lords Sanctuary in the midst of them. Here the name of Ephraim is put for the kingdom of Israel, because Jeroboam was of Ephraim. That this prophesie was not touching their estate under Zorobabel, or the Princes succeeding him after their return appears, because he was no King like David, neither were they of the ten tribes united to Judah under him, or any other succeeding him any more, but they still remaine in an exiled estate in expectation of the time, when the Lord by converting them to Christ will make them thus blessed and happy, according to Rom. 11. 25. and as hath been formerly said upon other like places in the Hieron.prophets. The two Kingdoms, saith Jerom, are not precisely to be understood of the children of Israel according to the flesh, but according to the spirit, and so it is meant, whereas the division was before into Jews and Gentiles, now here should no more be any such division, but all should be one in Gal. 3. 2.Christ, the old partition wall being broaken down. Whereas he speaketh of their dwelling in their own land againe after this, it is to be understood only by way of allusion to that which was done in the dayes of David: for as then their happiness lay in part in this, that they dwelt not in a strange land, but their own, which God in mercy had given them, so now the happiness of Christians should likewise lye in this, that in what land so ever they dwelt, it should be unto them no more as prophane but holy, and sanctified by their faith, whereby they should become as Gods Sanctuary in the midst of it, as the Land of Canaan of old was, in which peculiarly the Lord had then his Sanctuary and Temple.