Ezekiel's Warning to Israel, Judah, Gog & Magog

Ezekiel’s Warning to Israel, Judah, Gog & Magog

Part 1—the Coming Captivity (& Exodus) of America, Canada, Britain, Australia, etc.

Chapter 36 Preview: It will come as a great shock to the millions of survivors of the twelve nations of Israel to 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 God to the New Israel!

Yet today there are some men teaching that the twelve tribes of Israel will not be taken into captivity. To believe 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 scriptures 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 before 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 Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not uncovered your iniquity, to bring back your captives, but have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions. WEB

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 battle rather than begin the explanation toward the end of Ezekiel’s prophecy. The entire book is a cohesive account. If you dont factor in the first 37 chapters you will not understand the punch line! The battle of Gog and Magog takes place after the “Great Tribulation”, that is The Time After Jacob’s Trouble. 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 todays Jewish state of “Israel”. There are separate prophecies for that Israel (which is really “Judah and Jerusalem”). So we need to understand that there are still twelve tribes of Israel today and they are part of a very well thought out plan.

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 likely of Israelite descent, or a grafted in Israelite and that these other chapters are likely to be about your own future!

Was Jesus answering figuratively when He told Peter his destiny?

Matthew 19:27-29 Then Peter answered, “Behold, we have left everything, and followed You. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of His glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life. WEB

Werent most of the tribes “lost”? Was Paul speaking figuratively when on trial for his life?

Acts 26:6-7 Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!

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 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the ‘Dispersion’ [Greek: diaspora]: Greetings.

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!

The whole purpose for this chapter of Mysteries of the Everlasting Kingdom is to demonstrate that the entire book of Ezekiel is about the future CAPTIVITY of these modern tribes of Israel during the Great 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 Holy Land and the temple 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 shall soon see!

Here is how Matthew Henry’s Commentary begins the book of Ezekiel. While, as Henry states “our salvation does not depend upon” understanding the book—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 ....”

This commentary was written in 1712, so the fantasy about the creation of the State of “Israel” 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 large segments of passages that do not fit their ideas. They call these passages “figurative”, a code word for irrelevant—essentially 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.

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!

The promised land will again be the possession of the twelve tribes of Israel by Jubilee 2027 AD. Again, quoting from Matthew Henry’s Commentary he notes that the prophecies concerning the promised land are again 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 Now it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

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

1:3 ... the word of [Yehovah’] came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of [Yehovah] was there on him.

The very first thing that Ezekiel saw was God’s awesome set of wheels! Surely this was to impress upon Ezekiel the importance of the messages that he would be receiving.

v15-20 Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didnt turn when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes all around. 19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

I dont recall anyone else seeing God’s radiance in color, yet Ezekiel said that His appearance was like a “rain” “bow”

v28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of [Yehovah]. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One that spoke.

CHAPTER 2

God 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”.

v3-5 [God] said to me, son of [Adam], I send you to the children of Israel, to nations that are rebellious, which have rebelled against Me: they and their fathers have transgressed against Me even to this very day. 4 The children are impudent and stiff-hearted: I am sending you to them; and you shall tell them, Thus says the Lord [Yehovah]. 5 They, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them.

CHAPTER 3

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

v15-21 Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel Aviv, that lived by the river Chebar, and to where they lived; and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days. 16 It happened at the end of seven days, that the word of [Yehovah] came to me, saying, 17 son of [Adam], I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me. 18 When I tell the wicked, You shall surely die; and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand .... 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you have delivered your soul.

CHAPTER 4

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

v1-7You also, son of [Adam], take a tile, and lay it before yourself, and portray on it a city, even Jerusalem: 2 and lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around. 3 Take for yourself an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between you and the city: and set your face toward it, and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel. 4 Moreover lie on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it; according to the number of the days that you shall lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity. 5 For I have appointed the years of their iniquity to be to you a number of days, even three hundred ninety days: so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. 6 Again, when you have accomplished these, you shall lie on your right side, and shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah: forty days, each day for a year, have I appointed it to you. 7 You shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with your arm uncovered; and you shall 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, perhaps only thousands 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 an angel is told not to “harm the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our God 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 along with the Two Witnesses—those “counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man”.

v1-7You, son of [Adam], take a sharp sword; You shall take it as a barber’s razor to you, and shall cause it to pass on your head and on your beard: then take balances to weigh, and divide the hair. 2 A third part you shall burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and you shall take a third part, and strike with the sword around it; and a third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them. 3 You shall take of it a few in number, and bind them in your skirts. 4 Of these again you shall take, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; from it shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are around her. 6 She has rebelled against My ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that are around her; for they have rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they have not walked in them.

CHAPTER 6

Chapter 6 is entirely about the coming slaughter and captivity:

v3-9 ... Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places. 4 Your altars shall become desolate, and your incense altars shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. 5 I will lay the dead bodies of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones around your altars.... 8 Yet will I leave a remnant, in that you shall have some that escape the sword among the nations, when you shall be scattered through the countries. 9 Those of you that escape shall remember Me among the nations where they shall be carried captive, how that I have been broken with their lewd heart, which has departed from me, and with their eyes, which play the prostitute after their idols: and they shall loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

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 ‘company’ [commonwealth] of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body. 12 The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and to your seed after you will I give the land.” (Genesis 35:11) It looks as tho we will be reduced to tribes again.

v1-25Moreover the word of [Yehovah] came to me, saying, 2 You, son of [Adam], thus says the Lord [Yehovah] to the land of Israel, An end: the end is come on the four corners of the land.... An evil, an only evil; behold, it comes. 6 An end has come, the end has come; it awakes against you; behold, it comes. 7 Your doom has come to you, inhabitant of the land: the time has come, the day is near, a day of tumult, and not of joyful shouting, on the mountains.... Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness; none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of their wealth: neither shall there be eminency among them.... 16 But those of those who escape shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, every one in his iniquity.... 24 Therefore I will bring the worst of the nations, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pride of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be profaned. 25 Destruction comes; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.

CHAPTER 8

Chapter 8 deals with the aftermath of the antichrist taking over the Temple of God 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 God is going to bring destruction upon the people in Jerusalem who followed the Beast, yet even some of these people are marked by God for salvation.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, because that Day will not come unless first comes the ‘falling away’ [apostasia: Strong’s 646], and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 the one opposing and exalting himself over everything being called God, or object of worship, so as for him “to sit in the temple of God” as God, setting forth himself, that he is God. [Compare to: Daniel 11:36 & Ezekiel 28:2] LIT

Jesus 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, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel [11:36] the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. WEB

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

v3-17 ... the Spirit lifted me up between earth and the sky, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner court that looks toward the north; where there was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy ... and see, northward of the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry. 6 He said to me, son of [Adam], do you see what they do? Even the great abominations that the house of Israel do commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? But you shall again see yet other great abominations.... 12 Then said he to me, son of [Adam], have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his chambers of imagery? For they say, [Yehovah] doesnt see us; [Yehovah] has forsaken the land. 13 He said also to me, You shall again see yet other great abominations which they do. 14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of [Yehovah’s] house which was toward the north; and see, there sat the women weeping for ‘Tammuz’ [or Nimrod, founder of the Babylonian Mystery religion]. 15 Then said He to me, Have you seen this, son of [Adam]? You shall again see yet greater abominations than these. 16 He brought me into the inner court of [Yehovah’s] house; and see, at the door of the temple of [Yehovah], between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs toward the temple of [Yehovah], and their faces toward the east; and they were worshiping the sun toward the east. 17 Then he said to me, Have you seen this, son of [Adam]? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence, and have turned again to provoke Me to anger: and behold, they put the branch to their nose.

God showed Ezekiel that the (or a) priesthood had adopted a new religion—a revival of a sun worshiping religion (verse16)! I dont 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! God is able to distinguish the wicked from the righteous even among children. Either you come to that conclusion or you must conclude that God enjoys slaughtering innocent bystanders! You’ve heard of the mark of the Beast but have you heard of the mark of God? Certainly nothing quite like this has ever happened. In this turn of events rather than the righteous being martyred; God 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 God equates Jerusalem to those cities:

Revelation 11:8 Their [the Two Witnesses’] dead bodies will be in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

v4-11 [Yehovah] said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the ‘men’ that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in its midst. 5 To the others He said in my hearing, Go through the city after him, and strike: dont let your eye spare, neither have pity; 6 kill utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but dont come near any [person] on whom is the mark: and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house. 7 He said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go forth! They went forth, and struck in the city. 8 It happened, while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell on my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord [Yehovah]! will You destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem? 9 Then said he to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion: for they say, [Yehovah] has forsaken the land, and [Yehovah] doesnt see. 10 As for Me also, My eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head. 11 Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the ink horn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as you have commanded me. WEB

CHAPTER 10

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

“Bewitched Cafe [off site]—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 God’s transportation is acknowledged in verses 15 and 21 to be further elaboration on the visions of God that Ezekiel saw and described in Chapter 1.

v15-22 The cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar. 16 When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also didnt turn from beside them. 17 When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them. 18 The glory of [Yehovah] went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 The cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and they stood at the door of the east gate of [Yehovah’s] house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. 20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim. 21 Every one had four faces, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. 22 As for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.

The entire fourth chapter of Revelation also concerns the time of Gods 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 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” (off site)”. The temple in Jerusalem will literally become the “house” of God! 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 Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the midst of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. 7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come! WEB

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

v1-21Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the east gate of [Yehovah’s] house, which looks eastward: and see, at the door of the gate twenty-five men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. 2 He said to me, son of [Adam], these are the men who devise iniquity, and who give wicked counsel in this city; 3 who say, The time is not near to build houses.... 10 You shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and you shall know that I am [Yehovah].... 12 and you shall know that I am [Yehovah]: for you have not walked in My statutes, neither have you executed My ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are around you.... 16 Therefore say, Thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they are come. 17 Therefore say, Thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. 18 They shall come there, and they shall take away all the detestable things of it and all its abominations from there. 19 I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you ; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh; 20 that they may walk in My statutes, and keep My ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. [This describes the “New Covenant” as in Jeremiah 31] 21 But as for them whose heart walks after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way on their own heads, says the Lord [Yehovah]. WEB

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 God’s people. The attitude is no different than that of the exiles of Egypt who died in the wilderness rather than obey God 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 God.

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.

v14-28 I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them. 15 They shall know that I am [Yehovah], when I shall disperse them among the nations, and scatter them through the countries. 16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come; and they shall know that I am [Yehovah].... 20 The cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation; and you shall know that I am [Yehovah].... 26 Again the word of [Yehovah] came to me, saying, 27 son of [Adam], behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he sees is for many day to come, and he prophesies of times that are far off. 28 Therefore tell them, Thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: There shall none of My words be deferred any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, says the Lord [Yehovah].

The people who were hearing the bad news said that “he prophesies of times that are far off”. But God said that there would be no delay. This is another classic duality segment of scripture. When God 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!

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 God to announce future events” it also means “an interpreter of divine 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 God. 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 (Revelation 2-3).

v1-5 The word of [Yehovah] came to me, saying, 2 son of [Adam], prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, Hear the word of [Yehovah]: 3 Thus says the Lord [Yehovah], Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! 4 Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places. 5 You have not gone up into the gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of [Yehovah].

True prophets would be building up the “wall” [defenses] for God’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 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

Those preachers who persist in their lies will be terminated!

v6-9 They have seen falsehood and lying divination, who say, [Yehovah] says; but [Yehovah] has not sent them: and they have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed. 7 Havent you seen a false vision, and havent you spoken a lying divination, in that you say, [Yehovah] says; but I have not spoken? 8 Therefore thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: Because you have spoken falsehood, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, says the Lord [Yehovah]. 9 My hand shall be against the prophets who see false visions, and who divine lies: they shall not be in the council of My people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and you shall know that I am the Lord [Yehovah].

However some preachers will shut their yaps in time:

Zechariah 13:3-4 It will happen that, when anyone still prophesies, then his father and his mother who bore him will tell him, ‘You must die, because you speak lies in the name of [Yehovah];’ and his father and his mother who bore him will stab him when he prophesies.4 It will happen in that day, that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision, when he prophesies; neither will they wear a hairy mantle [religious garb] to deceive: 5 but he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground; [a farmer!] for I have been made a bondservant from my youth.’

v10 Because, even because they have seduced My people, saying, Peace; and there is no peace; and when one builds up a wall, behold, they daub it with whitewash:

Paul also repeated this idea:

1 Thessalonians 4:1-4 But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. 3 For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.

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

v22-23 Because with lies you [preachers] have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive: 23 Therefore you shall no more see false visions, nor practice divination. I will deliver My people out of your hand; and you shall know 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 bring on 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 may “go no more astray 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.

v10-21 They shall bear [05753: 1c) consequence of or punishment for] their iniquity: the iniquity of the prophet shall be even as the iniquity of him who seeks to him; 11 that the house of Israel may go no more astray from Me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, says the Lord [Yehovah]. 12 The word of [Yehovah] came to me, saying, 13 son of [Adam], when a land sins against Me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out My hand on it, and break the staff of its bread, and send famine on it, and cut off from it man and animal; 14 though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, says the Lord [Yehovah]. 15 If I cause evil animals [disease carrying rats etc.] to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the animals; 16 though these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord [Yehovah], they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only should be delivered, but the land should be desolate. 17 Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off from it man and animal; 18 though these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord [Yehovah], they should deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only should be delivered themselves. 19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out My wrath on it in blood, to cut off from it man and animal; 20 though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, says the Lord [Yehovah], they should deliver neither son nor daughter; they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. 21 For thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: How much more when I send My four sore judgments on Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the evil animals, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and animal!

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.

v22 Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be carried forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth to you, [the righteous reader] and you shall see their way and their doings; and you shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought on it.

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

v23 They [the survivors] shall comfort you, [the Saints (off site)] when you see their way and their doings; and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, says the Lord [Yehovah].

CHAPTER 15

This tiny chapter makes only one point—that the inhabitants of Jerusalem who do not flee when the time comes, as Jesus 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.

v6-8 Therefore thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 7 I will set My face against them; they shall go forth from the fire, but the fire shall devour them; and you shall know that I am [Yehovah], when I set My face against them. 8 I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, says the Lord [Yehovah].

CHAPTER 16

My commentary begins with a verse among many concerning God’s marriage covenant with Israel—the first or “old” covenant.

v8 Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread My ‘skirt’ [wing or corner of a garment] over you, and covered your nakedness: yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord [Yehovah], and you became Mine.

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

v27 See therefore, I have stretched out My hand over you, and have diminished your ordinary food, and delivered you to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines (off site), who are ashamed of your lewd way.

Here begins a long discourse on Israels’ 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 God—the God who made an actual marriage covenant with our forefathers. This is about buying off our enemies to appease them and to influence them to do our desires. All the while Israel builds churches on every corner.

v28-36 You have played the prostitute also with the Assyrians, because you were insatiable; yes, you have played the prostitute with them, and yet you werent satisfied. 29 You have moreover multiplied your prostitution to the land of merchants, to Chaldea; and yet you werent satisfied with this. 30 How weak is your heart, says the Lord [Yehovah], seeing you do all these things, the work of an impudent prostitute; 31 in that you build your vaulted place [church buildings] at the head of every way, and make your lofty place [church buildings] in every street, and have not been as a prostitute, in that you scorn pay. 32 A wife who commits adultery! who takes strangers instead of her husband! 33 They give gifts to all prostitutes; but you give your gifts to all your lovers, and bribe them, that they may come to you on every side for your prostitution. 34 You are different from other women in your prostitution, in that no one follows you to play the prostitute; and whereas you give hire, and no hire is given to you, therefore you are different. 35 Therefore, prostitute, hear the word of [Yehovah]: 36 Thus says the Lord [Yehovah],

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

v36-42 Because your filthiness was poured out, and your nakedness uncovered through your prostitution with your lovers; and because of all the idols of your abominations, and for the blood of your children, that you gave to them; 37 therefore see, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have taken pleasure, and all those who you have loved, with all those who you have hated; I will even gather them against you on every side, and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. 38 I will judge you, as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. 39 I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your vaulted place, and break down your lofty places [church buildings]; and they shall strip you of your clothes, and take your beautiful jewels; and they shall leave you naked and bare. 40 They shall also bring up a company against you, and they shall stone you with stones, and thrust you through with their swords. 41 They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will cause you to cease from playing the prostitute, and you shall also give no hire any more. 42 So will I cause My wrath toward you to rest, and My jealousy shall depart from you, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.

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

v51-52 Neither has Samaria committed half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all your abominations which you have done. 52 You also, bear you your own shame, in that you have given judgment for your sisters; through your sins that you have committed more abominable than they, they are more righteous that you: yes, be also confounded, and bear your shame, in that you have justified your sisters.

Others get to taste captivity!

v53-59 I will turn again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and the captivity of your captives in the midst of them; 54 that you may bear your own shame, and may be ashamed because of all that you have done, in that you are a comfort to them. 55 Your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate [territory]; and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate; and you and your daughters shall return to your former estate. 56 For your sister Sodom was not mentioned by your mouth in the day of your pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered, as at the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria, and of all who are around her, the daughters of the Philistines, who do despite to you all around. 58 You have borne your lewdness and your abominations, says [Yehovah]. 59 For thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: I will also deal with you as you have done, who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

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.

v60-62 Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth [at Mount Sinai], and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant. 61 Then you shall remember your ways, and be ashamed, when you shall receive your sisters, your elder sisters and your younger; and I will give them to you for daughters, but not by your Covenant. 62 I will establish My Covenant with you; and you shall know that I am [Yehovah]; 63 that you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more, because of your shame, when I have forgiven you all that you have done, says the Lord [Yehovah].

This Everlasting Covenant will be a new (renewed) covenant with—not just the Jews—it will be a Covenant with all twelve tribes!

Jeremiah 31:31-34 Behold, the days come, says [Yehovah], that I will make a New Covenant with the house of ISRAEL, and with the house of JUDAH: 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says [Yehovah]. 33 But this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says [Yehovah]: I will put My ‘law’ [torah] in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people: 34 and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know [Yehovah]; for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says [Yehovah]: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.

CHAPTER 17

While it is wrong for Israel to be making “covenants” with non Israelite nations; it is nevertheless important not to break our word when we do have an agreement. In this chapter the king of Israel breaks an oath with the king of Babylon; expecting an ally to fight on his side and bail him out. To his surprise, God views this as a personal affront and sees to it that he is taken captive to Babylon and killed. God says that: “he has trespassed against Me”.

v16-20 As I live, says the Lord [Yehovah], surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. 17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many persons. 18 For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand [perhaps a handshake] and yet has done all these things; he shall not escape. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: As I live, surely My oath that he has despised, and My covenant that he has broken, I will even bring it on his own head. 20 I will spread My net on him, and he shall be taken in My snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will enter into judgment with him there for his trespass that he has trespassed against Me.

This will result in lethal consequences for many of the people of the nation :

v21 All his fugitives in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and those who remain shall be scattered toward every wind: and you shall know that I, [Yehovah], have spoken it.

As usually accompanies a dire prophecy, there is the promise of a better time ahead. In this instance a cutting is taken from the fallen tree and planted on a high mountain.

v22-23 Thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: I will also take of the lofty top of the cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain: 23 in the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it; and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all birds of every wing; in the shade of its branches shall they dwell.

In Ezekiel 40:2 Ezekiel again used the same description of a “high mountain” to describe the new Israel that he described in his prophecy.

I saw nothing in this particular chapter that is conclusively dual in nature, yet a revived Babylon is a major feature of the book of Revelation and is mentioned in chapters14, 16, 17, 18—these latter two chapters being entirely about it. There are also literally dozens of references to Babylon in the end time prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. The concept of a superpower to the north of Israel and one to the south is the major feature of the longest running prophecy (time wise) in the Bible: Daniel 10:14 thru chapter 12.

Dont let the word “king” (leader) cause you to think that this must be a reference to times past. Every American President can trace his lineage to king David! Furthermore the British royal family has known “forever” that their monarchy goes clear back to David as well.

Chapters 18-48 are still under construction. The reason for the year long delay in resuming work on this chapter (possibly to the day) is that I have spent approximately 1,500 hours revising the html code on this site so that it is more search engine friendly. In that year this site has gone from single digit “hits” per day to well over 2000 hits per week. The numbers keep increasing, however there was not a single positive email generated during this year.