Everlasting Kingdom: Unraveling the Bible’s Secrets

Ezekiel’s Warning to Gog & Magog

And The 12 Captive Tribes of Israel

(America, Canada, Britain, Australia, etc)

war war war

Back Next Chapter 22, Part 1 Preview: The reality of Ezekiel’s warnings to the twelve nations of Israel (and Gog & Magog) will come as a complete shock to the millions of survivors of the Tribulation as they learn that the captivity and eventual escape from captivity of the millions of primarily English speaking people of the world is all recorded in extreme detail in their dust covered Bibles that lie around as good luck charms. Our friends, those fortunate enough to survive, will learn about these things when they are summonsed by Yehovah (God) to the New Israel!

New Jerusalem
INDEX

Today few even consider that the twelve tribes of Israel could be be taken into captivity again. To misunderstand that is to misunderstand most of Biblical prophecy! This summarization of the book of Ezekiel shows from a single book of prophecy the overwhelming error of the rose tinted glasses approach. Only a few complementary Bible passages are added.

The purpose of this overview of the book of Ezekiel is to emphasize what Ezekiel had to say about the suffering of the twelve nations of Israel prior to the Battle of Gog and Magog! The twelve tribes-turned-nations will be reduced to being tribes again before the next population explosion.

Lamentations 2:14 The visions your prophets have seen were false and foolish. They haven’t exposed your guilt to prevent your captivity. They presented to you false revelations [not oracles] and deceptions.—The Gabriel Bible

There are many articles on the Battle of Gog and Magog. Google finds nearly half a million references on the web. It is the purpose of this chapter to use the entire book of Ezekiel as the context for this coming battle rather than begin the explanation toward the end of Ezekiel’s prophecy. The entire book is a cohesive account. If you don’t factor in the first 37 chapters you will not understand the conclusion! The battle of Gog and Magog takes place following the Day of the Lord Yehovah which is the Jubilee year immediately after the “Great Tribulation”, the time I call The Time After Jacob’s Trouble. This is after the Millennium has already begun, but the Everlasting Kingdom is still small like a mustard seed, like leaven (Matthew 13:31-33). If you are not familiar with prophecies concerning all twelve tribes of Israel (Jacob) then you would really be advised to read the “troubling” untold story of the Second Exodus at the above link! What almost all commentators ride roughshod over is the simple fact that all twelve tribes of Israel are the intended victims of this great army, not simply today’s Jewish state of “Israel”. There are separate prophecies for “Judah and Jerusalem”. (Ezekiel 5:8 comes to mind.) But we need to understand that there are still twelve tribes of Israel today and they are part of a very well thought out plan. This is the best article on the topic I have found. I sent this comment to the writer: “I will be linking to it. But the NLT reference to “unburied" is not supported by the Hebrew by any stretch, tho it is a fair assumption. I would love to see references to all 12 tribes of Israel returning (Ezekiel 37, the previous chapter), which is easily demonstrated, and not an uncommon understanding among the Jews. The BritAm.org site has several whole books on that.”

Unless you live in Gog and Magog, the other 46 chapters of Ezekiel are likely to be of far more personal relevance to you. The fact that you are reading this information—written in English—means that you are more likely of Israelite descent, or a grafted in Israelite and that these other chapters are likely to be about your own future!

Was Yeshua (Jesus) answering figuratively when He told Peter (Cephas) his destiny?

Matthew 19:27-29 Then Cephas said in reply, “Look, we’ve forsaken everything to follow You. What is in store for us?” 28 Yeshua told them, “I assure you that when the Human Son sits on His magnificent throne on the Renewed Earth, those of you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, presiding over the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 Anyone who has had to abandon their homes or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields because of My name will receive a hundred times as much, and inherit eternal life.

Weren’t most of the tribes “lost”? Was Paul speaking figuratively when on trial for his life?

Acts 26:6-7 I now stand on trial for believing the promise that Yehovah made to our ancestors. 7 This is the promise that our twelve tribes expect to see fulfilled, praying for it diligently day and night. It is because of this very anticipation, king Agrippa, that the Jews are accusing me.

Was James confused about who he addressed his book to? Yes, there are twelve tribes in the diaspora—not just the Jews!

James 1:1 From “James” [Yakub, “Jacob”], a servant of Yehovah and of our Sovereign Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion [Gr. diaspora] among the nations. Greetings [1].

This is by no means the place to digress into finding out who Israel is today, but if you want historic, scientific and Scriptural proof that Israel is the foundational stock of the USA and the British commonwealth nations of Canada, Australia and South Africa etc., then you should absolutely check out the Brit-Am website and begin checking out his sources. But I always add this disclaimer!

The whole purpose for this chapter of Mysteries of the Everlasting Kingdom book series is to demonstrate that the entire book of Ezekiel is about the future CAPTIVITY of these modern tribes of Israel during the Tribulation. It’s about a Second Exodus out of that captivity, followed by the incredible battle of Gog and Magog waged against the newly reunited twelve tribes of Israel. The final nine chapters of Ezekiel describe the time after Israel conquers the Special (holy) Land, in particular the Temple site at the beginning of the Everlasting Kingdom.

There are many “prophecy buffs”. A small minority understand who Israel is, but the message of our captivity is very unpopular and some are trying to divorce the captivity from end time prophecy. Ezekiel has something to say about these people as we are about see!

Here is how Matthew Henry’s Commentary begins the book of Ezekiel. Henry states, “our salvation does not depend upon” understanding the book”. But what he failed to understand is that your life may very well depend on it! (as Ezekiel explained in chapters 3 & 33):

“... Here is one continued vision, beginning at this chapter, to the end of the book, which is justly looked upon to be one of the most difficult portions of scripture in all the book of God. The Jews will not allow any to read it till they are thirty years old, and tell those who do read it that, though they cannot understand every thing in it, ‘when Elias comes he will explain it.’ Many commentators, both ancient and modern, have owned themselves at a loss what to make of it and what use to make of it. But because it is hard to be understood we must not therefore throw it by, but humbly search concerning it, get as far as we can into it and as much as we can out of it, and, when we despair of satisfaction in every difficulty we meet with, bless God that our salvation does not depend upon it, but that things necessary are plain enough, and wait till God shall reveal even this unto us ....”

While Ezekiel was a watchman to his generation of Israelites, the reason that the book was recorded was to record for our time the principle of responsibility: If you have the knowledge and the means to prevent needless loss of life of your Israelite countrymen in the next manifestation of the Exodus, and you fail to warn them, then you are to blame for their deaths.

Matthew Henry’s commentary was written in 1712, so the fantasy about the creation of the State of fulfilling all of these prophecies beginning in 1948, as so many teach today, was not a part of his thinking. The pains that people often take in accurately identifying the peoples of Gog and Magog are of almost no value until you understand who they are going to attack—who Israel is in prophecy. Even now, some of the wise are falling—people who know who Israel is are falling for deceptions and flatteries about a future United States of Israel becoming a nation again without the birth pangs of slaughter and slavery. Ezekiel’s prophecy is not a collection of disconnected prophecies laid out like a smorgasbord where you can pick out just what you like. The 1948 crowd must leave out of their scenario the vast number of Bible chapters that don’t fit their ideas. They call these passages “figurative”, or essentially irrelevant, or that they were fulfilled long ago, or that they are in major fulfillment right now—basically saying that you should cover certain passages with your finger as you read around them. They would prefer that you just read their commentary and their carefully isolated passages.

The following is a bare bones (dry bones) chapter by chapter sketch of the of the book of Ezekiel, with the Second Exodus in mind.

CHAPTER 1

We begin the book with Ezekiel already in captivity. So to believe that most of this prophecy is really the history of the fall of ancient Israel is to miss the whole point of the book! There was a small scale return to the land of mostly Jews after the ancient holocaust. Yet it was only a foretaste of the massive end-time prophetic New Israel. The events since 1948 are just laying the groundwork for the Everlasting Kingdom, headquartered in Jerusalem, that will conquer the entire planet, to prevent our extinction!

The Promised Land will again be the possession of the twelve tribes of Israel by Jubilee 2031 AD. Again, quoting from Matthew Henry’s Commentary he notes that the prophecies concerning the promised land are a future hope.

“...The date of this vision. It was in the twenty-fifth year of Ezekiel’s captivity (v. 1), which some compute to be the thirty-third year of the first captivity, and is here said to be the fourteenth year after the city was smitten. See how seasonably the clearest and fullest prospects of their deliverance were given, when they were in the depth of their distress, and an assurance of the return of the morning when they were in the midnight of their captivity: “Then the hand of the Lord was upon me and brought me thither to Jerusalem, now that it was in ruins, desolate and deserted”—a pitiable sight to the prophet. 2. The scene where it was laid. The prophet was brought, in the visions of God, to the land of Israel, v. 2. And it was not the first time that he had been brought thither in vision. We had him carried to Jerusalem to see it in its iniquity and shame (ch. viii. 3); here he is carried thither to have a pleasing prospect of it in its glory, though its present aspect, now that it was quite depopulated, was dismal. He was set upon a very high mountain, as Moses upon the top of Pisgah, to view this land, which was now a second time a land of promise, not yet in possession ....”

Ezekiel 1:1 During 'my' thirtieth year on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the skies parted and I saw visions from Elohim. (God).

This was more than a simple vision because Yehovah was doing some literal hands on teaching:

1:3 the Word of Yehovah came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar. The hand of Yehovah came on him there.

The very first thing that Ezekiel saw was Yehovah’s awesome set of wheels! Surely this was to impress on Ezekiel the importance of the phenomenon that he would be witnessing.

VS 15-20 As I watched the living beings, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of the four faced beings! 16 The wheels looked as if they were constructed of 'sparkling' beryl, and all four of them were identical. They looked like wheels within wheels [gyroscopes?]. 17 Whenever they 'moved', no matter which of the four directions, they 'moved' without turning as they 'moved'. 18 As for their rims, they were dreadfully high, and all four had rims full of eyes all the way around. 19 When the living beings 'moved', the wheels 'moved' with them, and when the living beings lifted off the ground, the wheels retracted. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went with her. The wheels lifted off 'simultaneously', because the spirit of the living beings was collectively in the wheels.

I don’t recall anyone else seeing Yehovah’s radiance in color, yet Ezekiel said that His appearance was like a “rainbow”.

v.28 It looked like a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. That’s how the surrounding brilliant light appeared. The splendor of Yehovah appeared in this form. When I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.

CHAPTER 2

Yehovah told Ezekiel that the message that he was going to give to the “nations” of Israel would be met with resistance but that eventually they would know that he had truly “been a prophet among them”.

VS 3-5He said: “Human son, I’m sending you to the descendants of Israel, to two rebellious heathen nations [goim] that have rebelled against Me. They and their ancestors have been in rebellion against Me to this very day. 4 The descendants are unyielding and 'headstrong'. Tell them, ‘This is what Sovereign Yehovah says.’ 5 And whether they listen or not—since they are such a rebellious 'people'—they’ll realize that a prophet had been among them.

CHAPTER 3

Again we are told, so that we do not forget, that the first captivity was already finished, so we need to figure out what Ezekiel was warning about. Was he really warning those of the first captivity about their present captivity? Here we find Yehovah explaining to Ezekiel the importance of warning future generations of the wicked, as well as the righteous but ignorant of a future captivity. Not only are the lives of future Israelites at risk but a principle is being explained: if you see a fire in the building but you don’t yell “fire” then their “blood will I require at your hand”.

VS 15-21 Then I went to where the exiles in Tel Aviv lived, near the Kebar River. I sat there among them for seven days in astonishment. 16 At the end of seven days, the Word of Yehovah came to me. He said: 17 “Human son, I’ve made you a watchman for the House of Israel, so listen to 'what' I 'say', and give them a warning from Me. 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You will certainly die’, and you don’t give them a warning or attempt to warn the wicked of their wicked ways and save their lives, that wicked person will die a sinner, but I’ll hold you responsible for their blood. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and they don’t turn from their wickedness, or from their wicked way, they’ll die as sinners; but you will have saved yourself. 20 “Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I set a stumbling block in front of them, they’ll die, because you haven’t given them a warning. They’ll die a sinner, and the righteous things that they did won’t be remembered, but I’ll hold you responsible for their blood. 21 But if you warn righteous people not sin, and they don’t sin, they’ll certainly live, because they listened to your warning, and you will have saved yourself.”

CHAPTER 4

Here we see Ezekiel prophesying against BOTH houses—the ‘people’ of Israel and the ‘people’ of Judah. He is predicting yet another siege of Jerusalem! Surely death and captivity will follow this as we will see.

VS 1-7 And you, human son, take a tile and set it in front of you and draw an outline of the city of Jerusalem. 2 Prepare the siege, build a siege wall against it, build an assault ramp, set up army camps and surround it with battering rams. 3 Then take an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, then face it and besiege it. You’ll personally besiege it. This will serve as a sign to the House of Israel.

4 “Then as you lie on your left side, lay the sins of the people of Israel on it. You must bear their sins for the number of days that you lie on your side. 5 I’m assigning you a number of days equal to the number of years of their sins. So for 390 days you’ll bear the sins of the House of Israel.

6 When you’ve finished these, you must then lie on your right side and bear the sins of the 'people' of Judah for 40 days. I’ve assigned you a day for each year. 7 “You must be facing Jerusalem under siege with your arm uncovered as you prophesy against it.

CHAPTER 5

In this part of Ezekiel’s prophecy he gets very specific as to the number of Israelites who will be killed in the coming attack. There will only be a remnant of survivors who come “out of the Great Tribulation”. Of the hundreds of millions of Israelites alive today, only a small fraction will survive! Revelation 7:1-8 describes only 144,000 Israelites in particular plus a vast number of others of other nations. It specifies 12,000 from each of the twelve named tribes. These are not spirit born Israelites as many want to believe. Notice that a spirit messenger is told not to “harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of Yehovah on their foreheads!” it goes on to say that...14 “These are those who came out of the Great Tribulation”.

I hope that there will be other Israelites among that “great multitude” of survivors of the Great Tribulation who are not among this “virgin” group and who are not of course among those who will be protected—those “counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man”.

VS 1-7 You, human son, take a sharp sword and use it like a barber’s razor on your head and beard. Then take a set of scales and divide the hair. 2 A third you must burn in the fire at the city center when the days of the siege are finished. Then take another third and slash it with a sword thruout the city; the other third you must scatter to the wind, and I’ll pursue them with My sword drawn. 3 But take from these a small number of hairs and bind them in folds of your robe. 4 Take some more of them and throw them into the fire and burn them up. From there a fire will spread to the House of Israel.

5 “The Sovereign Yehovah says: This is Jerusalem. I’ve set her in the center of the nations with countries all around her. 6 But she rebelled against My regulations more wickedly than the heathen nations, and against My unchanging rulings more than the countries that surround her. She has rejected My regulations and not 'lived by' My unchanging tenets. [1] 7 “So this is what the Sovereign Yehovah [2] says: “You’ve been more insubordinate than the nations around you. You haven’t 'lived by' My unchanging rulings or kept My regulations; you haven’t even 'lived up to' the standards of the nations around you.

CHAPTER 6

Chapter 6 is entirely about the coming slaughter and captivity:

VS 3-9 You mountains of Israel, listen to the Word of the Sovereign Yehovah. The Sovereign YEHOVAH [“Yeshua”] says to the mountains, the hills, the ravines and the valleys: I’m personally going to bring swords against you. I’m going to destroy your high places! 4 Your altars will be demolished and your obelisks will be shattered. I’ll have your slain cut down right in front of their sun god idols. 5 I’ll lay the corpses of the people of Israel before their idols, and I’ll scatter your bones around your altars. 6 Wherever you live the cities will become wastelands and the high places obliterated so that your altars will lie in ruins and rubble, your idols smashed and desolate, your obelisks broken down, and your relics wiped out. 7 The 'wounded' will fall among you, and you’ll realize that I am Yehovah. 8 “But I’ll leave some 'survivors'. You’ll have some who escape the 'warfare' when you are dispersed among the nations. 9 Then the survivors among the nations will remember Me where they were taken captive, and how I’ve been grieved by the adulterous mindset of those who abandoned Me, who with wonton eyes prostituted themselves to their idols. They’ll be loathsome in their own sight for all of the highly detestable evils that they’ve committed.

CHAPTER 7

Chapter 7 is also exclusively about what is to happen to the nations of Israel. Perhaps tribes of Israel will become the better term again. We grew from tribes of Israel into nations of Israel as was prophesied: “A nation and a ‘commonwealth’ of nations will come from you. Kings will be among your ‘descendants’! 12 The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I’ll give to you and to your descendants after you. I will give the land.” (Genesis 35:11) It looks as tho we will be reduced to tribes again.

VS 1-2,6-7,11,16,24-25 The Word of Yehovah came to me. He said: 2 “You, human son, this is what the Sovereign Yehovah says to the people in the land of Israel: An end! The end has come on the four remotest parts of the land... 6 The end has come! The end has come! It has awakened against you. It’s coming! 7 Your doom has come to you, inhabitants of the land. The time is coming. The day of trouble is near. There will be chaos rather than joyful shouting on the mountains... 11 Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness. None of them will remain, none of their people, none of their wealth. Nothing of value will be left... 16 The survivors will escape to the mountains, all moaning like doves from the valleys, each of them moaning because of their own wickedness... 24 So I’ll bring the worst of the nations to take possession of their houses. I’ll put an end to the pride of the strong, and their 'holy places' will be profaned. 25 When destruction comes they’ll seek peace, but there won’t be any.

CHAPTER 8

Chapter 8 deals with the aftermath of the Antichrist taking over the Temple of Yehovah as Paul described, only in far more detail! The focal point of the coming apostasy is within the Third Temple! This is the time when Yehovah is going to bring destruction upon the people in Jerusalem who followed the Antichrist, yet even some of these people are marked by Yehovah for salvation.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 Don’t let anyone deceive you with some scheme, because that Day won’t come prior to the apostasy [rebellion] [2] and a certain man of lawlessness appears—the son of destruction. 4 He is an adversary who exalts himself above every so-called “god” and anything religiously venerated. He’ll sit in Yehovah’s Temple and “prove” that he is Yehovah.

Yeshua also mentioned the abominator and the apostasy, citing Daniel, and explaining its benchmark significance. This is the point in time when Israel must “flee” or else go into captivity—this captivity being the primary purpose of this commentary on the book of Ezekiel:

Matthew 24:15 When you see the sign of the detestable desolation mentioned by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Cherished Place—may the reader discern

Here is some of Ezekiel’s very detailed elaboration concerning the aftermath of the Beast’s original abomination:

v.3-17 He stretched out what appeared to be a hand, and took me by a lock of hair on my head. Then the spirit lifted me up between the earth and sky and brought me to Jerusalem and she transported me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court where the seat of the image of Jealousy was [the Queen of Heaven] that provokes His jealousy! 4 The splendor of the Elohim of Israel was there. It looked like what I had seen on the plain!” 5 Then he told me, “Human son, 'look' toward the north.” So I 'looked' toward the north, and I saw to the north of the altar gate the idol that provokes His jealousy in the entrance! 6 He said, “Human son, do you see what they’re doing, the highly detestable things that the House of Israel is committing here to drive Me far from My 'Cherished' Place? But you’ll see even greater detestable things than these.” 7 Then He brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked in I saw a hole in the wall. 8 Then he told me, “Human son, dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and found a doorway! 9 Then he told me, “Go in and see the wicked highly detestable things they’re committing here.” 10 So I went in and looked around, and there were all kinds of creeping critters, unclean animals, and all the carved idols of the House of Israel surrounding the walls! 11 Seventy elders from the House of Israel were standing before 'the idols', and among them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, each man with his censer in his hand, as the scent from the cloud of incense ascended. 12 Then he asked me, “Human son, have you seen what the elders of the House of Israel are doing in the dark, each at the 'shrine 'of their own idol? They’re saying, ‘Yehovah doesn’t see us; Yehovah has abandoned the land.’” 13 He also told me, “You’ll see even more highly detestable things that they’re doing.” 14 Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of Yehovah’s 'Temple', and I saw women sitting there, mourning for Tammuz! 15 Then he asked me, “Have you seen this, human son? You’re about to see even worse highly detestable things than these.”

16 Then he brought me into the inner courtyard of Yehovah’s 'Temple', and I saw at the door of Yehovah’s Temple between the portico and the altar that there were about twenty-five men with their backs toward Yehovah’s Temple, facing east, and they were 'bowing' toward the sun! 17 Then he asked me, “Did you see that, human son? Is it a trivial thing for the house of Judah to be committing the highly detestable things that they’re doing here? Must they fill the land with violence and repeatedly provoke Me to anger? They’re thumbing their nose at Me! 18 So I’ll deal with them in rage, I won’t look toward them with pity or spare them. Even if they cry loudly in My ears, I won’t listen to them.”

Yehovah showed Ezekiel that the (or a) priesthood had adopted a new religion—a revival of a sun worshiping religion (verse 16)! I don’t believe that this is just a vestige of ancient sun worship (as in an Easter sunrise service), this is the Beast’s newly proposed one world religion. The key to the prophecy here is the duality. We saw that four times Ezekiel was told that Israel would “again” be in religious depravity when the second captivity would take place.

CHAPTER 9

This chapter is about Judgment Day in Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s immediate future is not pretty! Yehovah is able to distinguish the wicked from the righteous even among children. Either you come to that conclusion or you must conclude that Yehovah enjoys slaughtering innocent bystanders! You’ve heard of the mark of the Beast, but have you heard of the mark of Yehovah? Certainly nothing quite like this has ever happened. In this turn of events rather than the righteous being martyred; Yehovah will strike dead any Israelite who continues to follow the Beast. The judgment in Jerusalem will be similar to that of Sodom and Gomorrah, in fact Yehovah equates Jerusalem to those cities:

Revelation 11:8 Their dead bodies will lie in the open street of the great city that is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where their Sovereign was crucified.

Ezekiel 9:4-11 Yehovah said to him, “Go thruout the city, thru central Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the highly detestable things that are committed there.” 5 Then I heard him say to the others, “Go thru the city after him and kill. Don’t look on them with pity or spare them. 6 Kill all of the old men, young men, maidens, little children and the women. But don’t come near anyone who has the mark, and begin at My 'Cherished' Place. So they began with the elders who were in front of the 'Temple'.” 7 He told them, “Defile the 'Temple' by filling the courtyards with the dead. Go!” So they went out and began killing in the city. 8 As they were killing people, I was left alone, and I fell facedown and cried, “Oh Sovereign YEHOVAH, are You going to destroy all of the 'survivors' of Israel as You’re pouring out Your anger on Jerusalem?” 9 Then He told me, “The wickedness of the House of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of perversion. They’re saying, ‘Yehovah has abandoned the land’, and ‘Yehovah isn’t watching.’ 10 But as for Me, I won’t show any pity or spare them, instead, I’ll bring down on their own heads [condemn them for] what they have done.” 11 Then the man in linen who had the inkhorn by his side, reported back: “I’ve done what you commanded me!”

CHAPTER 10

Chapter 10 consists entirely of another detailed description of the cherubim that escort Yehovah around the universe. He actually uses transportation because the idea of Him being “omnipresent” (everywhere at once) is a pagan trinitarian) concept:

Source vanished—poof: “The fifth occult element, the omnipresent power which permeates the universe. It embraces the other elements (earth, air, fire, water) which are said to stem from it. Some consider it the ‘other’ of the two worlds that a witch walks between.”

This description of Yehovah’s transportation is acknowledged in verses 15 and 21 to be further elaboration on the visions of Elohim that Ezekiel saw and described in Chapter 1.

v.15-22 Then the cherubim rose up. They were the same living beings that I had seen by the Kebar River. 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the cherubim spread their wings to lift off from the ground, the wheels beside them didn’t turn. 17 When 'the cherubim' stood still, 'the wheels' also stood still; and when the cherubim lifted off, 'the wheels' lifted off with them, because the spirit of the living beings was in them. 18 The splendor of Yehovah moved away from the threshold of the 'Temple' and stood over the cherubim. 19 The cherubim spread their wings, and lifted off the ground while I watched, with the wheels beside them, and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of Yehovah’s 'Temple', and the splendor of the Elohim of Israel 'hovered' over them. 20 These were the living beings that I saw beneath the Elohim of Israel by the Kebar River, so I knew that they were cherubim. 21 Each one had four faces and each one had four wings, and what looked like human hands could be seen under their wings. 22 Their faces appeared to be the same faces I had seen by the Chebar River. Each one went straight ahead.

The entire fourth chapter of Revelation also concerns the time of Yehovah’s visitation to earth in this “living vehicle”.

CHAPTER 11

A most notable event in this chapter is the fact that this “living creature” will arrive “at the door of the east gate of Yehovah’s house”. The fact that all of this is taking place at the location of the coming third temple should not be overlooked! The much acclaimed, and much misunderstood “sea of glass” (a part of New Jerusalem also accompanies this “portable throne room”. That these events occur at the coming physical temple should strongly reinforce the temple Scriptures that so many are “spiritualizing away” as not being literal events because they are being pawned off as “all being fulfilled by the “church”)”. The temple in Jerusalem will literally become the “house” of Elohim! John’s Revelation presupposes that you know about Ezekiel’s account. He is adding more information about Jerusalem’s future and the end time period.

Revelation 4:6-8 In front of the throne was a sea of glass [2] shining like crystal. In the center near the throne and around the sides were four living beings 'covered' with eyes in front and behind. 7 The first living Being resembled a lion, the second living Being resembled a calf, the third living Being had a face like a man, and the fourth living Being resembled a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living beings having six wings around them, and covered with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop saying, “Cherished, cherished, cherished, Yehovah Aloha, the Sovereign, who was, and is, and is to come.

[2] The “transparent sea of glass shining like crystal in verse 6 mirrors the “watery expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal spread out over their heads” of Ezekiel 1:22.

Here is more of what Ezekiel saw in our future. How Ezekiel may have seen into the future is covered in Does Father Travel in Time?

11:1-3,10,12,16-21 The spirit lifted me up and she brought me to the eastern gate of Yehovah’s 'Temple'. Twenty-five men were at the entrance of the gateway, and among them I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. 2 She told me, “Human son, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked advice in this city. 3 They say, ‘It’s not the right time to build houses, this city is a pot and we’re the meat.’... 10 You’ll 'die violently' and suffer punishment all the way to the borders of Israel. Then you’ll realize that I am Yehovah... 12 You’ll realize that I am Yehovah. You didn’t live by My unchanging rulings or obey My regulations. You adopted the standards of the nations surrounding you.”... 16 The Sovereign Yehovah says: ‘Tho I’ve removed them far off into the nations and scattered them among the countries, it was a 'Cherished' Place for them for a little while in the countries where they had gone.”

17 The Sovereign Yehovah says, “I’ll gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you’ve been scattered, and I’ll give you the land of Israel again.’ 18 When they return there, they’ll remove all its detestable things and highly detestable practices. 19 I’ll give them 'unity' and I’ll put a new spirit within them. I’ll remove the stony 'sentiments' from their beings and give them 'human sentiments' 20 so that they can 'live by' My unchanging rulings and put My regulations into practice. Then they’ll be My people and I’ll be their Elohim. [This describes the “New Covenantas in Jeremiah 31] 21 But as for those whose minds are set on their detestable things and their highly detestable things, I’ll bring their deeds down on their own heads, declares the Sovereign Yehovah.”

Just prior to the time when the New Covenant with Israel is implemented, Israel will be coming out of the captivity, “out of the countries where you have been scattered and I will give you the land of Israel”.

The twenty five would be the high priest and twenty four elders who were giving “wicked counsel”. I would think that the statement “The time is not near to build houses” is a statement of the continuing reluctance to live in Israel as Yehovah’s people. The attitude is no different than that of the exiles of Egypt who died in the wilderness rather than obey Yehovah and claim the Promised Land.

It is interesting to note that the issue of whether or not to settle the land is an issue right up until Judgment Day, which begins at the very temple of Yehovah.

CHAPTER 12

Chapter twelve is another duality chapter which closely parallels the coming captivity. It is primarily focused on the continuing bad news of Ezekiel’s own day and age.

v.14-28 I’ll scatter everyone with him to the 'four' winds—his staff and all his troops, and I’ll unsheathee My sword and chase them down. 15 They’ll realize that I am Yehovah once I’ve dispersed them among the nations and scattered them thruout the earth. 16 But I’ll spare a few of them from the 'war', the famine and the plagues, so they can acknowledge all of their highly detestable things among the nations where they’re going. Then they’ll realize that I am Yehovah... 20 The [over] populated cities will lie in ruins once the [farm] land is devastated. Then you’ll realize that I am Yehovah... 26 Again the Word of Yehovah came to me, and said: 27 “Human son, the House of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many years from now, he’s prophesying about the distant future.’ 28 So tell them that the Sovereign YEHOVAH says: ‘Nothing I say will be postponed any longer. The message I give will be fulfilled,’ declares the Sovereign YEHOVAH.

The people who were hearing the bad news said: “He prophesies of times that are far off”. But Yehovah said that there would be no delay. This is another classic duality segment of Scripture. When Yehovah again sends prophets (Revelation 11:10) to the people of all twelve tribes of Israel, the false prophets will continue saying that these events are for another period of time—they’re already saying it’s for ancient Israel. Yet the prophecies of Ezekiel, taken as a whole includes way too many events that never by any stretch of the imagination occurred in the past. Absolutely none of the hundreds of positive and joyful prophecies of any of the prophets concerning Israel has come to pass yet! (Tho Judah is tenuously established.)

CHAPTER 13

Here is an entire chapter prophesying about the end time “prophets”. While we tend to think of prophets as people claiming to be “inspired or instructed by Yehovah to announce future events” it also means “an interpreter of [heavenly] will” as well as “one who speaks for a group or cause”, according to my Living Webster Dictionary. That definition is in agreement with the original Hebrew usage. So essentially, a prophet is referring to anyone out there preaching or teaching about Yehovah. From the context you have to wonder if there are any true prophets in the crowd! Apparently there are so few that no mention of them is made. This of course is for dramatic effect because there will be a few in the Seven Assemblies of Revelation 2-3.

v.1-5 The Word of Yehovah came to me. He said: 2 “Human son, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who continue prophesying, and tell those delusional prophets: ‘Listen to the Word of Yehovah! 3 This is what the Sovereign YEHOVAH [“Yeshua”] says: It will be dreadful for the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and haven’t seen anything!’ 4 “Israel, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins. 5 You haven’t gone up to repair the breaches or fortify the wall of the House of Israel to withstand the battle on the Day of Yehovah.

True prophets would be building up the “wall” [defenses] for Yehovah’s people so that they will be prepared to “stand in the battle in the day of Yehovah”—a reference to taking back the entire expanded land of Israel for all twelve tribes. In Acts, Paul called one of these turkeys a whitewashed wall. I take it that being whitewashed meant only paying lip service to a truth:

Acts 23:3 Paul said to him, “Yehovah will hit you later, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there and judge me by the Torah, while violating the Torah by ordering me to be struck?”

Those preachers who persist in their lies will be terminated!

Ezekiel 14:6-9 Their dreams are shams and their divinations are lies. They’re saying, “Yehovah says...” when Yehovah never sent them, and they hope that their predictions will actually happen. 7 Haven’t you seen fraudulent visions and fabricated occult prophecies when you claimed, “Yehovah says...” even tho I never said anything? 8 “So the Sovereign Yehovah says: Because you’ve spoken falsehoods and had fraudulent visions [1]. I’m against you,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 9 My hand will oppose the prophets who see fraudulent visions and utter occult prophecies. They won’t be included in the council of My people, and they won’t be recorded in the register of the House of Israel or immigrate to the land of Israel. Then you’ll realize that I am the Sovereign Yehovah.

However some preachers will shut their yaps in time:

Zechariah 13:3-5,9 If anyone continues to prophesy, then his father and his mother who gave birth to him will say, ‘You must die because you’ve told lies in the name of Yehovah.’ Then his father and his mother who gave birth to him will stab him with a dagger [daqar] when he prophesies.

4 “During that future time every “prophet” will be ashamed of the visions that they had prophesied. They’ll no longer wear a hairy mantle [religious costume] in order to deceive. 5 He’ll say, ‘I’m not a prophet, I’m a farm worker. I’ve been one since a man bought me as a slave in my youth.’... 9 If anyone continues to prophesy, then his father and his mother who gave birth to him will say, ‘You must die because you’ve told lies in the name of Yehovah.’ Then his father and his mother who gave birth to him will stab him with a dagger [daqar] when he prophesies.

Paul also repeated this idea:

1 Thessalonians 4:1-4 So friends, we ask you and strongly encourage you on behalf of our Sovereign Yeshua, to 'live your lives' in the way you learned from us, and strive to please Yehovah with ever increasing progress. 2 You know the instructions we gave you from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. 3 It is Yehovah’s will that you remain dedicated, and that you stay away from any sexual immorality, 4 and that each of you would know how to control your 'body' in dedication and honor,

This is a very revealing chapter, but I’ll cut to the conclusion:

Ezekiel 13:22-23 Because you’ve discouraged the righteous with lies, when I intended no grief, and encouraged the wicked not to turn from their wicked ways and save their lives, 23 you women will no longer see false visions [1] or practice divination. I’ll rescue My people from your grasp, and then you’ll realize that I am Yehovah.”

For more on this subject, chapter 34 condemns the “shepherds”, who are really wolves in sheep’s clothing, more than any other chapter in the Bible. It repeatedly says that they only desire to feed themselves—they are only in it for money! (Big surprise?) The second condemnation, in an end time context, is that these false shepherds could prevent Israel’s captivity. Instead, they only speak smooth things and if they deny the coming captivity or simply do not talk about it, then they actually worsen the captivity!

CHAPTER 14

The first nine verses of this chapter also deal with false prophets and idolatry. Then we move to the punishment phase. Both ministry and “laity” will learn from the Great Tribulation—captivity etc., so that they will “will no longer stray from Me”. So few people will escape the trials that if “Noah, Daniel and Job” were there they would not be able to set their own children on the right course.

v.10-21 They’ll bear the consequences of their wickedness—the prophet will be as guilty as the inquirer. 11 Then the House of Israel will no longer stray from Me or defile themselves any more with their rebelliousness. They can be My people, and I can be their Elohim,” declares the Sovereign YEHOVAH.’” 12 The Word of Yehovah came to me. He said, 13 “Human son, when a nation sins against Me by being unfaithful, and I reach out My hand against it and cut off its supply of 'food' and send famine against it to wipe out both man and beast. 14 Even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job—were there, they could only save themselves by their righteousness,” declares the Sovereign YEHOVAH. 15 “If I send vicious animals thru a country and they ravage its children and it becomes so desolate that no one will travel thru it because of the animals, 16 As long as I live,” declares the Sovereign YEHOVAH, even if these three men were there, they couldn’t even save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the country would be a wasteland. 17 “Or if I bring 'warfare' against that country, and send the 'enemy' thru the country to destroy the people and the animals, 18 as long as I live,” declares the Sovereign YEHOVAH, even if these three men were in it, “they couldn’t save their own sons and daughters, they could only save themselves. 19 “Or if I send a plague against that country, and pour out My wrath on it in blood to wipe out man and beast, 20 as long as I live,” declares the Sovereign YEHOVAH, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were there, they couldn’t save their own sons or daughters, they could only save themselves by their righteousness. 21 “This is what the Sovereign YEHOVAH says, “How much worse will it be when I send My four severe judgments against Jerusalem—'war', famine, wild animals and plagues, to wipe out man and beast from it!

As is so often mentioned, there will be a remnant of Israel to come out of the Great Tribulation. There are 144,000 specified in Revelation 7:14 who clean up their act during the Great Tribulation. John, speaking as an eye witness, said that they “came out of the Great Tribulation”. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.

Ezekiel 14:22 Yet there will be some survivors who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. They’ll be coming out to you, and you’ll see the way they’ve lived, how they’ve conducted themselves, then you’ll be comforted over the disaster that I’ve brought on Jerusalem—every disaster that I’ve brought against it!

Will it really require all of this suffering to bring about a righteous people? It may require hindsight!

v.23 Yes, [the survivors] will comfort you [exiles] when you see how they’ve lived and their good conduct [1], and you’ll know that I haven’t done anything without a reason for having done it,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah.

CHAPTER 15

This tiny chapter makes only one point—that the residents of Jerusalem who do not flee when the time comes, as Yeshua warned of in Matthew 24:15-16, will be burned up! The wickedness of Jerusalem will be as the wickedness of Sodom (Jeremiah 23:14). Apparently the inhabitants will be burned up outside of Jerusalem as they try—far too late, to flee.

v.6-8 So the Sovereign YEHOVAH says: Just as vine wood growing on the trees in a forest is used as fuel for a fire, that’s how I’ll treat the residents of Jerusalem. 7 I’ll 'turn' against them. They may have escaped the fire, but a fire will completely incinerate them. Then you [survivors] will realize that I am Yehovah, when I turn against them. 8 I’ll destroy the land because they’ve been unfaithful,” declares the Sovereign YEHOVAH [“Yeshua”].

CHAPTER 16

My commentary begins with a verse from the common theme concerning Yehovah’s marriage covenant with Israel—the first or “old” covenant.

v.8 And when I passed by you again, I and saw that you were old enough for love! I spread My robe over you and covered your nakedness. I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah, “and you became Mine.

Long story short, we move to a problem with our food supply that will precede our captivity:

v.27 So I’ve stretched out My 'fist' against you and reduced your provisions. I handed you over to those Philistine women who hate you, and even they were shocked by your lewd behavior!

Here begins a long discourse on Israel’s prostitution with the surrounding nations. While imitating their heathen ways is condemned as well as marrying people with foreign religions; this segment is about trusting in political alliances with the enemy rather than trusting in Yehovah—the Elohim who made an actual marriage covenant with our ancestors. This is about buying off our enemies to appease them and to influence them to do what we want. All the while Israel built churches on every corner.

v.28-36 Then you committed prostitution with the Assyrians because you were insatiable; and even after committing prostitution you still weren’t satisfied. 29 You maximized your prostitution toward the land of merchants—'Babylon', and even then you weren’t satisfied. 30 “How weak willed you are,” declares the Sovereign YEHOVAH, “when you do all these things, acting like a dominatrix. 31 You build your vaulted shrines on every street corner, and establish your churches on every square. Yet unlike a whore, you refuse payment. 32 You adulterous wife who prefers strangers to your own husband! 33 Men give gifts to every prostitute, but you give your gifts to all your lovers, bribing them [politically] to come to you from everywhere for your sexual favors. 34 So you are different from other women in your prostitution, since no one practices prostitution like you do—you hire men instead of being hired. You’re certainly different! 35 “So listen to this 'message' from Yehovah, you whore: 36 This is what the Sovereign YEHOVAH says: Because of your overflowing lust, and because you exposed your naked body in prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your highly detestable idols, and because you gave your children’s blood 'to idols',

The end result of these monetary contributions is that at some point all of our enemies will turn on us at once.

v.37-42 I’m going to gather all the lovers you pleased—everyone you loved and everyone you hated; I’ll gather them against you from every direction and strip you in front of them so they can gawk at your completely naked body. 38 I’ll sentence you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are sentenced. I’ll bring about your bloodshed in wrath and jealousy. 39 I’ll hand you over to your lovers, and they’ll tear down your 'fornication shrines' [JFB], demolish your high places, strip off your clothes, take your beautiful jewels and leave you stark naked. 40 They’ll bring a mob against you to stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. 41 They’ll burn down your houses and inflict punishment on you in the plain view of many women [nations]. I’ll halt your prostitution, and you’ll no longer hire your lovers. 42 “I’ll calm My fury against you and My jealousy will vanish. I’ll be pacified and angry no longer.

Yet Yehovah says that our enemies are relatively more righteous than we are!

v.51-52 But Samaria didn’t commit half the sins you did! You amplified your highly detestable things more than they did. You’ve made your sisters seem righteous by all the highly detestable things you’ve done. 52 You must bear your own shame, since you’ve been an advocate for your sisters. Your sins are more highly detestable than theirs. They are more righteous that you. So be ashamed, and bear your humiliation, because you’ve made your sisters look righteous by comparison.

Sodom Restored?

v.53-59 I’ll bring them back and restore them from their captivity by bringing back Sodom and her daughters and by bringing back Samaria and her daughters along with your own captives [2], 54 so that you can bear your humiliation and be ashamed of everything that you’ve done as you comfort them! 55 Your sisters, Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former state, as will Samaria and her daughters to their former states, and you and your daughters will also be returned to your ancient state Israel. 56 You didn’t even mention your sister Sodom’s name in your day of pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered. Now you’ve been scorned by the daughters of Edom and all her neighbors, including the daughters of the Philistines—all those surrounding you who despise you. 58 You bear the penalty of your lewdness and your highly detestable things,” declares Yehovah. 59 “This is what the Sovereign Yehovah says: I’ll cause what you’ve 'effected'. You 'trashed' your oath in breaking your marriage vows [covenant].

[2] When I checked verses 53-55 in the Douay-Rheims (Catholic) Bible I was skeptical about what it said, until I read the very detailed Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on Ezekiel 16. These, and a close look at the puzzling translation of the Hebrew word shebuth lead to my rendering. The commentary writers acknowledged that they couldn’t explain this. Even some of the people who lived in ancient Sodom may have a bright future, as explained in Are the ‘Unsaved’ Lost?

Now for the happy ending. This is the part where duality is a certainty because the happy ending never came about in the first go around.

v.60-62 But I’ll remember the marriage vow I made with you in the days of your youth [the “Old Covenant”], and I’ll establish a [New] Everlasting Covenant with you. 61 Then you’ll remember the way you lived and be ashamed when I return your older and younger sisters to you, and I’ll give them to you as daughters, but not due to My covenant with you. 62 Then I’ll affirm My [marriage] covenant with you, and you’ll realize that I am Yehovah.

The Everlasting Covenant is what Jeremiah referred to as a New Covenant. While some refer to it as the Renewed Covenant, neither the Hebrew or the Greek support it. Oh, and it’s not just for the Jews—it’s a Covenant with all twelve tribes!

Jeremiah 31:31-34 Yehovah says: “The time is coming [1], when I’ll make a New [marriage] Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. 32 It won’t be like the [marriage] Covenant that I made with their ancestors during the time when I took them by the hand led them out of the land of Egypt, since they broke My Covenant, tho I was their Husband,” says Yehovah. 33 “In this [marriage] Covenant that I’ll make with the House of Israel after those days,” Yehovah says, “I’ll put My Torah in the very seat of their thoughts and emotions, and I’ll write it into their minds [hearts]. I’ll be their Elohim, and they’ll be My people. 34 People will no longer teach their neighbors or their relatives, or ask, ‘Do you know Yehovah’ [the Lord], because they’ll all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” says Yehovah. [No more evangelism!] “I’ll forgive their wickedness, and I’ll never again remember their sins.”

[1] Jeremiah 30 and 31 are one long prophetic monologue about the events to occur at the time of the Second Exodus (Jeremiah 23:7-8), when all 12 tribes of Israel return to the land (not just the Jews!) AND The Time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7)—better known as the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:1-22). Not one verse of this 2 chapter prophecy has been fulfilled, including the Torah being written on anyone’s hearts. Why single verse 33 out of all this futuristic context?

Lonnie Martin, zech14@proton.me
Part 1, about 2007
 
Now for Part 2 of Ezekiel’s Warning to Gog & Magog Back Next

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