What Will the Outcome of All this Be?

What Will the Outcome of All this Be?

Daniel Chapters 9-12

The Covenant of Love

The story in Chapter 9 does not begin with a vision, but with a prayer. In verses 1-3 we are told that Daniel made preparation to pray by studying scripture. There was no formal cannon in Daniel’s time as there is in ours. Still, it seems unusual that Daniel, a contemporary of Jeremiah, would include the book of Jeremiah in the classification of scripture. In any case, Daniel was aware of Jeremiah’s prophecy that Israel would be exiled for 70 years. This prophecy is found in Jeremiah (25:11-10 and 29:10-12) and in 2 Chronicles (36:20-23). The rise of Darius may have made the future seem uncertain for the exiles, and perhaps Daniel wanted to know how much longer they had to wait, and what would happen afterwards, and what would happen while they were waiting, so he prayed.

Daniel’s prayer, contained in verses 4-19, is very interesting in at least three ways. First, Daniel says that God keeps his covenant. That is, the current situation is not God’s fault. When we know that God is in control of everything and therefore nothing can happen unless God permits it to happen, it is sometimes hard to refrain from blaming God for our predicament. But Daniel knew that God is a just and loving God, and that the fault lay with the people, who had sinned.

This is the second interesting thing about the prayer. Daniel says “we have sinned against you.” How do you suppose Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego felt about this “we” business? Do you suppose they told Daniel to count himself among the sinners if he wished, but to leave them out of it? After all, they had been in the fiery furnace, for heaven’s sake. But we are all sinners, and Daniel came right out and admitted it. “We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.”

The third thing to note is that Daniel did not make any specific request. He did not bargain with God. Daniel asked that the Lord forgive them, and look with favor upon them. That is faith.

While Daniel was praying a vision began. This vision was somewhat different in character from the others. In it, Gabriel comes and speaks to him, and tells him of the “seventy sevens”. This may be interpreted literally as seventy weeks, or as seventy “hebdomads” or weeks of years (490 years). In verses 25-27, Gabriel tells Daniel some of the things that will come about during this time.

This is a very interesting answer to prayer. Daniel begins to pray about the seventy years, some number of which are already complete by the time he begins to pray, and he is answered with, as best we can understand, a vision regarding 490 years. The visions only get stranger.

Gabriel and Michael

The whole of Chapter 10, and also the first verse of the following chapter, is introductory to another great vision. Daniel has been in a state of mourning, which includes a partial fast. In this state, Daniel has a vision in which he again encounters the angel Gabriel. Those around him at the time do not see the angel, but something frightens them so that they run and hide. The initial encounter with the angel is very strange. He says he would have come sooner, but he was delayed by the “prince” of the Persian kingdom. We do not know who this prince is, but Gabriel does refer to Michael as “one of the chief princes” who came to his aide. In the end, he seems to say that he is battling against the prince of Persia and the prince of Greece, and no one supports him except Michael.

In Chapter 11, Gabriel gives Daniel a long account of the political conflicts that will arise in the future. There are no beasts at all in this account, and therefore no horns. Instead, there are kingdoms of the North and South, A king who exalts himself, and a place called the Beautiful Land – there is less symbolism, but it is still not very direct. In general, it is a longer version of the previous visions.

What Will the Outcome of All this Be?

In Chapter 12, the vision from the previous chapter continues. Verses 1-4 are interesting and important for a number of reasons. First, Michael is revealed as the “prince” or angel “who protects your people”. Exactly what this means, we really do not know. The Bible itself does not provide many details about angels. We know that Michael is an archangel from Jude 1:9, where we are told he argued with the devil over the body of Moses. There must be a story there somewhere, we just do not know it, or very much else about angels.

These verses also speak of the resurrection from the dead. Daniel is the earliest book to show a theological understanding of the resurrection. Though the psalmist used similar phrases, Daniel is the only Old Testament book to use the phrase “everlasting life” as it was used in the New Testament.

Finally, given that Gabriel is talking about a time when the dead are rising from their graves, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame, it is clear that we are no longer talking about 70 years, or 490 years, but the very end of time.

In verses 5-13, the vision continues. Someone asks how long, and the very enigmatic answer comes again “a time, times and half a time.” Daniel, who has been silent for so long, finally asks “What will the outcome of all this be?” He is answered that the wicked will not understand, but the wise will understand. I find this troubling, since I do not understand much of it.

Daniel is told that it will all be fine in the end, which does not really seem like that much comfort, given that he has been told there will be enormous trouble, perhaps continuous trouble, before the end. But, to be fair, it is the question Daniel asked: what will the outcome be? On the one hand, it may seem unsettling that the answer to that question is beyond this world – that nothing in this world will ever be quite right. On the other hand, it is good to know that nothing in this world will cause that outcome to fail.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39)

In his daily life, Daniel bravely faced the difficulties of being a child of God in an unbelieving world. In his visions, he saw that these difficulties would continue until the very end of time. Though the words of the prophecy are sealed, we like Daniel want to know what the outcome will be. This much we do know: the answer is in the love of God. It is what the wise will understand and the wicked will never understand.

Not by Human Power

Not by Human Power

Daniel Chapters 7&8

Apocalypse

With these chapters we leave the familiar stories found in the narrative section of Daniel and transition into the apocalyptic section, which features Daniel’s dreams or visions. The word “apocalypse” is the Greek word for “revelation”. On that basis, all scripture is apocalyptic, but because of the association of the word with the book of Revelation, in modern times, the word “apocalypse” has become associated with eschatology, or the end of the world, and “apocalyptic literature” has come to mean literature which contains prophecy of the end times. A common characteristic of this literature is that it is highly symbolic, with the meaning purposely obscured.

With the book of Revelation, the original purpose of the heavy symbolism was to use a shared code that would be understood by its immediate intended audience, but not by others. Over the years, we believe we have reestablished some of this code, but certainly not all of it. Daniel does not understand his visions, himself. When they are explained to him, he pronounces the explanation “beyond understanding.” (8:27) All scripture is profitable, but we do well to approach this latter half of Daniel with a different expectation than we might with most other scripture.

The Four Beasts

The setting in Chapter 7 returns to the time of Belshazzar. As recorded in verses 1-14, Daniel has a vision, though it is at first called a dream. The vision is of four terrible beasts, the fourth with ten hours. The horn is a symbol for power, and one of these horns becomes powerful, itself. The Ancient of Days comes in judgment, and strips the beasts of their power. One like a son of man comes and is given all authority and a kingdom that will never be destroyed.

In verses 15-27, Daniel, still in his vision, asks one of those attending the Ancient of Days for an explanation of what he has seen. This guide tells him that the beasts stand for four great kingdoms, though he does not name them. The fourth will be a kingdom like no other, and the horn a very powerful king of that kingdom. The saints, he says, will be handed over to that king for a time, but his power will be taken away, and the everlasting kingdom will be established.

The End of the Matter

In verse 28, Daniel says, “This is the end of the matter,” causing some to speculate that the book initially ended at this point, an idea that is further reinforced by the fact that the Aramaic section of Daniel does end at this point, with the rest of the book continuing in Hebrew.

Another possibility is that Daniel was speaking only of the matter of the vision which ended at that point. In any case, there is evidence of some editorial work at this point, as the vision recorded in this chapter begins in the third person, and the words “he wrote down the substance of his dream” in verse 1 either indicate that the editor is beginning to quote from Daniel’s record of the dream, or it may mean that Daniel “wrote it down” by dictating it to a scribe. The transition to Hebrew probably indicates that a different source for that section of the text, though that need not indicate a different source for the original words of the text.

The Ram and the Goat

The activity of Daniel’s vision found in Chapter 8 is contained in verses 1-14. It has only two beasts, a ram and a goat. Again the symbolism of the horn, meaning power, is very prominent. In this vision, the first beast, the ram, is very powerful and it seems he cannot be defeated. Immediately, however, there comes a goat, who also has powerful horns, and who defeats the ram. Then there is a strange business with the horns of the goat: the single horn becomes four, and there is intrigue among them. One of them becomes treacherously powerful, and unholy. Someone in the vision asks how long it will take for the vision to be fulfilled, and the answer, given to Daniel, is 2,300 evenings and mornings.

As the vision continues in verses 15-27, it continues with an explanation of the activity which has occurred. As Daniel stands wondering what he has seen, he hears a voice commanding the angel Gabriel to explain the action to him. Gabriel explains that the first beast, the ram with the two horns, represents the kingdoms of Mede and Persia, and that the Goat stands for the kingdom of Greece, which will destroy the Median and Persian empires. From Greece will arise an unnamed, deceitful, wicked king, who will come to power for a time.

Not by Human Power

It is easy to think Of Daniel only as the man we read of in the familiar stories in the early chapters of the book of Daniel: the strong, healthy, wise man who is rewarded for his diplomacy and insight. But these visions show another side of Daniel: a man deeply troubled by his exile in a foreign land.

Indeed, the book of Daniel is written for a people in exile, to show the people of God how to live in a world of unbelievers and give them hope that times will change. When they will change is an interesting question. On the face of it, it seems as if the angel Gabriel plainly says that one of the beasts represents the kingdom of Greece, but it would be hundreds of years before the Greeks would become a factor. Gabriel also says that these prophecies should be “closed up” because they pertain to the end times. Perhaps he meant that symbolically, in that the meaning of the prophecy should be hidden. There are certainly ways in which the prophecy could apply to this, or almost any time. Christ told us that we will continue to hear of wars and rumors of wars before the end (Matthew 24:6).

If we cannot be sure when these events will occur, we can be sure how they will occur. The angel Gabriel tells Daniel they will come about, but “not by human power” (8:25). It is a good thing that we do not depend on human power to set things right, or on human standards of what is right.

So, these exiles had a promise of a better future – a promise that remains today, now that the exiles are long dead. We must understand what the promise meant to them in order to see what it can mean to us. There is, on the one hand, the ultimate promise of a secure future, no matter what happens: one day there will be a perfect order and the present evil will no longer have any power over us, no longer separate us from God. But, if there is a future promise, then there is also a present promise. We cannot be secure in the future if we are not secure in the present moment. Though evil is at work in the present world, some times in the form of our very selves, God is present with us and, though terrible things may happen, though we may do terrible things, God’s promise is secure; we are secure.

Daniel in the Lion’s Den

Daniel in the Lion’s Den

Daniel Chapters 5&6

Some Historical Notes

Before considering the very familiar stories contained in these chapters, we must first take note of historical references which raise some issues. First, there is the mention of Belshazzar, son of Nebuchadnezzar, who succeeded his father as king. There is no historical support for the existence of this Belshazzar. Instead, there is a record of a Belshazzar, son of Nabonidus, one of the kings of Babylon. There are other aspects, such as the madness of Nebuchadnezzar described in Chapter 4, which are historically similar to Nabonidus, and these lead some scholars to believe that there is some confusion of names in Daniel between the two kings.

There is also the succession from Belshazzar to Darius the Mede, and the concept of the Median rule of Babylon before its conquest by the Persians. Again, this goes against current historical evidence. There is a Darius mentioned in Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah, but this seems to be Darius I, the first of three Persian rulers, not a Mede.

The resolution of historical discrepancies like these is certainly beyond the scope of this discussion, but we should never be ignorant of their existence. Still, the Bible is not, primarily, a historical document. Not, at least, in the common sense. To the extent that it is a history, it presents the history of God’s interaction with man. But it is more than that. Through the Bible, God continues to interact with us and reveal himself to us.

These two stories, though very familiar, have meaning that has an impact on our daily lives, and they are worth reading again and again. These historical issues do not lessen the meaning of the stories in any way.

The Handwriting Is on the Wall

Though the story in Chapter 5 is not quite as familiar to us as the other narratives in Daniel, it has given us an idiom that has become a very familiar part of our English usage. In fact, we use it in two ways. We say “The handwriting is on the wall” when we mean that the outcome is definite, and “He cannot see the writing is on the wall” when we mean that someone is not aware of the fact that their outcome is definite.

As we can see from verses 1-9, the latter usage does not quite fit the story, as Belshazzar was in the middle of a banquet and enjoying the good life of being a king when, in fact, he did see the writing on the wall, but he could not understand it. As is the pattern in the Daniel stories, he called all his wise men, but they could not interpret it, either, and the king was greatly troubled.

The queen, or possibly the queen mother, intervenes and tells Belshazzar that there is a wiser wise man, Daniel by name, who can surely interpret the writing. Daniel is brought forth, makes a lengthy address to the king, and in verses 25-31, interprets the writing.

The choice of words in the writing is very interesting, they are all words for coins, but which also have other meanings. The words are as follows.

Mene: This is the word for mina, a unit of money, but it also meant numbered.

Tekel: This is the word for shekel, but it also meant weighed.

Peres: This is the word for half mina or half shekel, but if can also mean divided or Persia. It appears in three forms in the text: Peres, the singular form, Parsin, the plural form, and, in the KJV, Uparsin, which means “and Parsin”.

Daniel tells the king that his days are numbered, he has been weighed in the balance and found wanting, and his kingdom will be divided among the Medes and Persians. The king acknowledges Daniel, but we are not told that he acknowledges the authority of the Lord in any way.

This story is reminiscent of two passages from the New Testament, both from Luke Chapter 12. In verses 16-21, there is the story of the Rich Fool, who made plans for himself on this earth, but like Belshazzar, was not rich towards God. In verses 54-56, Jesus calls the crowd hypocrites, because they could interpret the simple signs that affected them materially, but not the greater signs that affected them spiritually.

Perhaps some of us are like Daniel and have the gift to help others see the handwriting on the wall, but all of us are like Belshazzar, the Rich Fool. We are weighed in the balance and found wanting. We have no means to restore the balance ourselves, but it has been restored for us through the grace of God.

Daniel in the Lion’s Den

Chapter 6 has what is most certainly the most famous story in Daniel: Daniel in the lion’s den. Like the rest of the narrative in Daniel, it is quite wordy. In the beginning verses, there is jealousy brewing against Daniel among the other administrators and satraps (provincial governors). These schemers look for a weakness in Daniel, but find none. Finally, as recorded in verses 5-9, they decide the only way to trap Daniel is through “the law of his God.” So, they convince the king to issue a decree forbidding anyone but himself to pray for the next thirty days.

In verses 10-18, we read that the trap works perfectly. The king, who does not appear to have asked many questions when the subject first came up, is distressed when he hears that Daniel will be sent to the lion’s den. But, the law is the law, what can be done?

In verses 19-28, we read what we already know from this very familiar story. Daniel is saved from the lions and prospers, the schemers (along with their wives and children) are killed by the now very hungry lions, and the witness of Daniel causes the king to praise the living God.

Of course, there is no way that the king could have said “I made a mistake!” That is not the order of things any more than it is the order of things for a den of hungry lions to sit all night and stare at a fine specimen. It is comforting to know that our God is the God, not only of the natural world he created for us, but of that complex of society and ego we create for ourselves.

The Fiery Furnace

The Fiery Furnace

Daniel Chapters 1-4

Introduction

As we begin to address each book of the Bible, it is always good to attempt to establish some understand of the original authorship and audience of the book, in order to understand the general purpose of the book. Many books, such as the book of Daniel, are not “signed” by the author, and the authorship must be determined through traditional or analytical evidence. The book of Daniel presents a number of analytical problems.

Perhaps most surprising is that the book is written in both Hebrew and Aramaic. The book begins in Hebrew, switches to Aramaic in the second chapter, and then returns to Hebrew in the seventh chapter. With the change in language, the book also has a change in form. The Aramaic chapters are narrative, and speak of Daniel and his companions in the third person. The Hebrew chapters contain Daniel’s visions, which he relays personally, and which are apocalyptic in nature.

This notion of the two sections of Daniel having so obviously been formed into one is a strong indication that some editor, probably later than Daniel himself, is responsible for the collection and organization of scripture we have today. There are indications that this editor was very late, and that the work of the editor involved some application of the scripture to his own age, which was possibly as late as the second century B. C. Such application is always a temptation with apocalyptic writing, which seems either to apply only to the age for which it was written, or equally well to all ages.

We must not let this idea of authorship challenge us. We know that all scripture is inspired by God. When we approach scripture, we put our faith in a process which begins with original authorship and continues down through our modern translations. Each time we read scripture, we participate in its purpose: the ongoing revelation of God to mankind.

Nonconformists

Chapter 1 tells one of the stories from the book of Daniel that every child in Sunday School knows. If, in a child’s Sunday School class, it is taught as a lesson in the importance of eating the right foods to grow up healthy and smart, maybe that is not a bad thing, but there is more to the lesson.

These four young men were of the Lord’s chosen, but were forced to live among as strangers in a foreign land. Even their names, all of which honored their God, were changed to honor the pagan god of the land in which they were held captive. But these four showed that changing what they were called did not change them. The Israelites had very strict dietary laws. They could not eat meat offered to idols, they could only eat certain kinds of meat, the meat had to be slaughtered a certain way, and they could not eat meat cooked with milk or milk products, just to mention a few things. The cooking utensils had to be ritually clean, as well, and cooking of anything clean would make the vessel unclean.

So, though they had been offered food and wine from the kings table, the safest thing for them to do, if they wished to follow their dietary regulations, was to eat raw vegetables and drink water. They found a way to do this without disparaging what they were given and insulting their host. One wonders what the others were eating, as in only ten days Daniel and crew were healthier than those eating the king’s fare. The Lord blessed them and they learned the ways of the Babylonians and entered the king’s service.

In Romans 12:2 Paul tells not to be conformed to this world. The writer of Daniel knew full well that the fall of Israel began as the Hebrews came to accept the customs and religions of the indigenous peoples of the area. Daniel and his friends refused to accept the customs of the Babylonians. In the John, Chapter 17, there is an amazing prayer, as Jesus prays for us, the believers that will come. He prays that we will be in the world, but not of the world.

The First Dream

In Chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream. Apparently, it is a troubling, recurring dream. His reaction to the dream is somewhat strange. He calls in his wise men and tells them they must not only interpret the dream, but first tell him what he has dreamed! There is some beating around the bush, but then the king orders all the wise men killed, because they have failed to do as he commanded.

Daniel himself becomes involved in verses 12-19. Imagine the surprise of Daniel when the commander of the king’s guard showed up to put him to death because he had not interpreted a dream he had never heard about. Daniel reacted calmly. He discussed the matter with the commander; he asked the king for time; he and his friends prayed to God for mercy. It is very significant that they should pray. Many of the Israelites had abandoned God for their idols. Others had abandoned God for their religion. These believed in the god of Israel, or the god of the Temple, but they did not believe in the God of heaven who could hear their prayers wherever they were.

In verses 24-29, Daniel is brought to the king to interpret the dream, but he s careful to say that he is not the source of the interpretation, but that God has provided the interpretation, because God has a message for the king. Daniel refused to take credit for the work God did, or the gift God gave him.

The Fiery Furnace

Chapter 3 has another very famous story from the book of Daniel. The king had an image made, and ordered the people to bow down to it. We do not know were Daniel was in this story, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not bow down to the image, even though they were threatened with death. Their calm assurance is instructive: “Our God is able to rescue us from your hand… but even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not worship the image of gold that you have set up.” (Verses 17&18) We have the benefit of hindsight, and know that they were saved, but they did not know they would be, yet they still refused.

How many images does our society ask us to worship? Do we always even notice? We may never be tried by fire, but there is always one with us, one on which we cam depend. His presence does not allow us to say that nothing will ever happen to us, but to have faith that we will be safe, no matter what happens to us.

The Second Dream

Chapter 4 contains the story of a second dream, the nature of which is very strange. The form of the chapter is a letter written by the king, telling the people that he had a dream, it was interpreted by Daniel, and the events came true. The reason that is very strange is that the prediction of the dream is that the king would be driven from the kingdom and live like a wild animal. According to the king’s letter, about a year after the dream occurred, he was on the roof of his royal palace when a voice from heaven came to him and restated what was to happen. Then, he had what today we might call a “psychotic break” and lived out in the wild for a while.

As was predicted in the dream, he eventually got over it.

The City Called “The Lord Is Here”

The City Called “The Lord Is Here”

Ezekiel Chapters 40-48

The New Temple

The final chapters of the book of Ezekiel recount another grand vision, one which bookends the vision Ezekiel experienced in the very beginning of his ministry. The vision begins in Chapter 40, where in verses 1-5 Ezekiel introduces the vision by saying that 14 years after the fall of the city of Jerusalem, God took him to some future manifestation of the city. There Ezekiel met his guide, a man whose appearance was like bronze, and who had a measuring device in his hand. This guide instructed Ezekiel to watch and listen carefully and tell everything he learned.

Immediately, Ezekiel does begin recounting the vision in considerable detail. Verses 5-16 provide the nature of these extended passages, which continue through Chapter 42. They record the elaborate way in which the guide shows Ezekiel the various features of the temple area and measures each feature as they come to it. Many of these features have little meaning to modern gentiles: the inner and outer courts, the inner and outer sanctuaries, the North Gate, the South Gate, the rooms for the priests, and the rooms for the sacrifices. It all sounds very foreign and very complicated and somewhat like a dream. But anyone who reads the Bible seriously knows that all these features had been very real. And Ezekiel may have been experiencing this new temple in a vision, but his guide was there with a measuring rod, measuring out each detail, letting Ezekiel know that the vision was of something very real.

But what is reality? Philosophers, poets, theologians and others have long discussed this question, and with it: what is truth? What is right and what is wrong? The Bible often reminds us that there is no reality, no truth, morality apart from God.

The New Covenant

It is in Chapter 43 that we truly see how this vision is a closing compliment to the early vision of Ezekiel found in the first ten chapters of the book. In the very first chapter and the first verse, Ezekiel says that he was standing with the other exiles by the Kebar River, and he began to experience God. This was not supposed to happen, so far as any Israelite knew, as God was supposed to dwell in the temple. In Chapter 10, as Ezekiel’s vision progressed, he saw the glory of the Lord leave the temple.

In chapter 43, verses 1-5, Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord come and fill the new temple. Why should the temple remain so important to the people when they have seen through Ezekiel that God is not limited to the temple? We also know a personal God who is available to each of us at any time, but it is still very important to have a dedicated place of worship, a place for us to go into the presence of God. We also, may try to limit God to the confines of that building, which is not a good thing, but it is good to go into the house of the Lord.

But, if the people may have been primarily concerned with the temple, verses 6-9 show that the Lord had something else in mind. In this passage, the Lord offers Israel a new covenant. They were to put away their idolatry, and the Lord would be their God forever.

From this promise of a renewed covenant, the vision returns briefly to measurement, as the altar is measured. This mention of the altar introduces sacrificial laws, and this establishes a minor Deuteronomy within Ezekiel. These chapters of revised law and administration are interrupted in Chapter 47 as the guide returns and, in verses 1-12, shows Ezekiel a river flowing from the temple, getting wider and deeper the farther it flowed from the temple. The river was filled with life, and blessed the land on both sides.

The symbolism of this river is not hard to understand: it was giving life in abundance because the glory of the Lord was there.

The City Called “The Lord Is There”

After this brief return to the narrative nature of the vision, the remainder of the vision (and the book of Ezekiel) deals with boundaries and division of land. Finally, in the last verse of Chapter 48, we are told that this new city will be called “The Lord Is Here.” Does this refer to a real city? Is it, like a number of prophecies, one that has more than one fulfillment?

There is no reality without the Lord. God’s reality always goes beyond our existence. It goes beyond the rebuilding of a single city or nation, beyond a single place or time. The temple at Jerusalem was rebuilt, but was lost again; and any city that can be built can be destroyed, any temple we may erect can be torn down. Our Lord has promised us that wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he will be with us (Matthew 18:20).

The message of Ezekiel is not so different than other profits. We have sinned, as individuals and as a nation. There are consequences to sin and they cannot be escaped, save one. One of the consequences of sin is that we separate ourselves from God. God is worthy to judge us, but is always ready to bridge any gap, go any distance. If we choose, God will put away our sin and come to us again.

Gog of Magog

Gog of Magog

Ezekiel Chapters 38-39

Gog of Magog

Chapter 35 contained a prophecy against Edom, which at first seemed out of place, as it was not among the group of prophecies found in previous chapters against the nations surrounding Israel and Judah. There was a literary significance for the placement of the prophecy, however, as it was presented as a prophecy against Mount Seir, a landmark of Edom, and this prophecy was paired with the prophecy in Chapter 36, which is directed towards the mountains of Israel. While the former is a prophecy of destruction, the latter is a prophecy of redemption. Chapter 38 also contains a prophecy against a foreign nation, but it is not clear what nation it addresses.

In verses 1-5, the Lord addresses the leader of the nation as “Gog” and refers to the nation itself as “Magog”. These names are unknown to us in this setting. “Magog” is known to us as one of the descendents of Noah (Genesis 10:1-2) and the other names mentioned in these verses are known from Biblical and extra-Biblical sources. Because the book of Ezekiel has no direct reference to the Babylonians, many have supposed that Ezekiel, who was a captive in Babylon, could not refer to the Babylonians directly, and the names Gog and Magog are code words in Ezekiel for the Babylonians, as they are in Revelations 20:8 for the Romans.

There may be some difficulty with this interpretation, however. In verses 7-9, the Lord makes clear that this prophecy concerns future events that will happen after the nation of Israel is restored in the Promised Land. So, this cannot simply be a coded denunciation of Babylon, it is something different. It is a prophecy of the future, a future that perhaps has not yet happened, or perhaps happens all the time.

In verses 10-16 we read that Gog and the people of Magog will make up their own minds, and come out of their own strength and with their own motives without any regard for the will of God. In Ezekiel, this is the consistent judgment of the nations; it is not a question of whether their motives are good or bad by the standards of the world, but that they are not the motives of God. The passage goes on, though, to say that event through the action of people who are completely separated from the will of God, God is in control. It is a difficult thought, but a comforting one.

Know that I Am the Lord

In the final passage of the chapter, verses 17-23, the Lord says that Gog of Magog is the one who has been long prophesied. This prophecy may be what is known as “The Day of the Lord” and had not yet been fulfilled in Jesus’ day (Luke 21:10-11). Chapter 39 tells us that the Lord will protect Israel from Gog. Verses 11-20 describe the glory of the defeat of Gog in two different ways. The first says that the burial of the defeated will be so vast that it will block the way of travelers, and will take months to complete. The second is even more gruesome, and describes the blood and meat of the dead as being offered up as a sacrifice eaten by the birds and wild animals, which are invited to gather and feast.

To a nation that has been wronged, this promise of utter conquest must have sounded very good indeed. But the Lord has no need of conquest, and is not driven by revenge. There is another motivation here, another force at work.

In verses 21-29, the Lord speaks of the people’s separation from the presence of the Lord because of their own sin, because they had rejected the covenant relation the Lord offered. But the Lord promises a day when the people will be brought back into that relationship and forget their former shame and unfaithfulness.

The words “They will know that I am the Lord their God” echo as a refrain throughout the book of Ezekiel, as God continually reveals himself to us. Sometimes that God is the Sovereign Lord, the all-powerful being seated in an indescribable throne. Sometimes that God is the Good Shepherd, ready to lift us up even out of our graves. But always he is our God, and we are his people.

Can These Dry Bones Live?

Can These Dry Bones Live?

Ezekiel Chapters 34-37

The Good Shepherd

In Chapter 34, the word from God through Ezekiel begins with a condemnation of the “shepherds of Israel”. In verses 1-6, the Lord says that the shepherds, the priests and other leaders of Israel, had concern only for themselves, that they made no attempt to help their flock, and instead ruled them brutally. As a result, according to the Lord, the flock was scattered over the earth with no one to care for them.

In the following verses, the Lord says that he is at odds with his appointed shepherds, and in verses 11-16 says that he himself will shepherd the sheep with kindness and justice. We are familiar with this imagery from the New Testament, but the Lord is described as our shepherd beginning in Genesis (Genesis 49:24, for example). The Lord goes on to say, in verses 23 & 24, that he will place one shepherd over them: his servant, David. How can this be? How can the Lord be our shepherd and David be our only shepherd, especially given that David is long dead?

When Jesus, who was the “Son of David” and who was both God and man, said “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11), he was not only describing the nature of his ministry, but stating his fulfillment of this prophecy. Whereas the corrupt shepherds thought of themselves and treated the sheep brutally, “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” It is easy to think of this as an act that happened once in history. But in Revelation Christ is called the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8) The all-powerful God, who created us and everything we know (and everything we do not know), sacrifices his will to us from moment to moment, as we reject his love. Jesus was God as man, the embodiment of that sacrifice, the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.

Prophecy for the Mountains

Chapter 35 contains a prophecy against the Mount Seir, which is a mountain in Edom, and in fact, the chapter is a prophecy against the nation of Edom, and the reference to Mount Seir is just a literary device. There has already been a brief prophecy against Edom in Chapter 25. The prophecy in this chapter is more detailed, but is consistent with the earlier prophecy against Edom and the other nations. Basically, it states that Edom saw the fall of Israel and Judah as an opportunity for itself, and disregarded the will of God. The Lord says that, Since Edom acted in violence and out of anger and jealously, they would experience violence, anger and jealousy.

We may certainly wonder why this prophecy against Edom is here, and not with the previous collection of prophecy against the neighboring nations. The answer is found in Chapter 36, where there is a paired prophecy of redemption for mountains of Israel. In verses 1-12, the Lord says to the mountains that though the enemy has taken them as a possession, they will once again be home to the people of Israel.

In verses 16-21, the Lord reminds the people that it was because of their own actions that they came to their situation. In verses 23 and 24, the Lord says that he will redeem the people “For my own names sake”. This idea has also been recorded in Chapter 20. On the surface, it might seem to portray a god who is more concerned about his image than the well-being of his people. Of course, a god of that nature could find better ways of making himself look good. For the ancient people, a name had great meaning. It revealed something of the bearer’s true nature, and that is why the people of God were so careful with the name of God. Having reminded the people how they had behaved, God is saying that he would act, not in response to their behavior, but in keeping with his nature.

Can These Dry Bones Live?

Chapter 37 has, in verses 1-14, the most famous passage in Ezekiel, and one of the most famous passages in the Bible. Though this vision was not as difficult for Ezekiel to describe as the earlier vision of the moving throne platform, it must have been terrifying to see, as first the bones and then the breath came together to form a living army.

Much has been said and written about this passage, as it is rich in meaning. Two things stand out on this occasion. First, there is the wisdom of Ezekiel. When the Lord asked if the bones could live, Ezekiel answered “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” Ezekiel could have answered that it did not seem possible to him, and that would have underestimated the power of God. He could have answered that all things are possible for God, but that would have been a theoretical answer to a specific question. The truth is that we never know, and God always knows.

The second is the wonderful promise of this passage. It was a promise to the nation of Israel, perhaps not carried out as they expected, as Jesus later said that God can create children of Abraham even out of stones (Matthew 3:9). It is a promise that speaks of God’s power over the grave, which is a comfort for all of us, not just for our own lives, but for the lives of those we love.

But this promise was originally to the living, who felt like they were nothing but dry bones, and had no hope. God says “I will open your graves and bring you up from them” and we must remember that, for the Israelites, the grave was an unclean place. This is the image of God finding us in our most hopeless, shameless place, and breathing new life in us.

You Alone Know

What is the will of God? We read Old Testament stories and have our own experiences that make it seem like a cold, horrible thing. Ezekiel knew the answer. Only the Lord knows his will; only the Lord accomplishes his will. The book of Ezekiel has some ground-breaking theology, as the Lord reveals that he deals, not only with nations, but with individuals. “The soul who sins shall die” (18:4) and, with the voice of the Good Shepherd, “I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak” (from 34:11-16). Even in the imagery of the valley of the dry bones, if the Lord chooses to raise up a vast army, he does so by finding hopeless, helpless individuals in their secret, shameless places, and giving them new life.

Not the Righteousness of the Righteous

Not the Righteousness of the Righteous

Nor the Wickedness of the Wicked

Ezekiel Chapter 33

The Watchman

We do not know who edited the book of Ezekiel, whether it was Ezekiel himself, some contemporary student or scribe, or some later editor, but someone collected and recorded the prophetic sayings and actions of Ezekiel and formed them into the text of the book. The work of the editor is evident in the dramatic pause created by the prophecy to the nations in the previous chapters, and in the recapitulation in the first half of Chapter 33 of some points made in earlier chapters before moving on to new and important material.

God’s call for Ezekiel to be a watchman over the house of Israel, found in verses 1-9, is somewhat more elaborate, but essentially the same as the account in 3:16-21, where it is included as a part of Ezekiel’s call to the prophetic ministry.

Not the Righteousness of the Righteous

Nor the Wickedness of the Wicked

Verses 10-20 also reiterate an earlier theme, one that was discussed at some length in Chapter 18. This passage, particularly verse 12, puts the message to us a little differently, telling us that judgment is not about the “Righteousness of the righteous or the wickedness of the wicked.” The Lord knew us well (of course) and expected us to say that this does not sound like justice to us.

There is some explanation to be had in the passage. The Lord says, speaking strictly hypothetically, “if the righteous man trusts in his righteousness” and this is certainly something we can observe in the behavior of the people of Israel. They believed they were the holy people and that God was on their side, and they forget to be holy and to be one the side of the Lord. Further, the Lord says, in summary, that if the wicked man turns away from his sin, he has done what is right.

Righteousness is not something we obtain. It is not a cloak we put on, not a pill we take, not a place we can go and stay there and be righteous. Righteousness is a part of our ongoing relationship with God.

The City Has Fallen!

In verses 21 and 22 we read that word has come to the Babylonian exiles of the fall of the city of Jerusalem, and that the prophetic silence that had come upon Ezekiel since the time of his wife’s death was lifted.

Verses 23-29 tell of Israel’s corruptions and foretell their fate. They have broken the law of sacrifice, depended on their own strength instead of relying on the Lord and engaged in all kinds of immorality. As a result, many would be killed and others would be exiled. Many of the exiled would also suffer and die.

Why Will You Die?

We must consider why the editor of Ezekiel placed the reiteration of the call of the watchman and the nature of God’s justice here before the fall of the city of Jerusalem. It could be that it was to let the people know that they had been warned. They had a watchman, and the watchman delivered his message, and they did not listen. Further, they had depended on their own righteousness and that righteousness had failed them.

But, if this were merely a way for Ezekiel to wash his hands of them, then why would the passage have the voice of the Lord pleading “Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?”

Times were already bad for the people of Israel, and their last hope was about to fall, but their trust was misplaced. They believed themselves to be the chosen ones, and they forgot that they had been chosen; they believed themselves to be righteous, and they forgot who made them righteous.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

(1 John 1:8-10)

Ezekiel and the Nations

Ezekiel and the Nations

Ezekiel Chapters 25-32

The Nations

After the dramatic events of the death of Ezekiel’s wife, the narrative turns from prophecy regarding the fate of the nation of Judah to that of the surrounding nations. The prophecy recorded in Chapter 25 concerns the nations of Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. Each of these nations is denounced for their treatment of Judah. In the case of the latter three nations, the exact nature of the charges is not clear, but for Ammon we are told (in verse 3 and again in verse 6) that the nation took pleasure in the downfall of Judah.

No matter what our station in life, weather we are comfortable at ease or poor and oppressed, it just seems a natural emotion to take pleasure in seeing someone else get what we think they deserve. To our way of thinking, it does not seem right to be condemned for something we only think or feel about someone who was in the wrong, in any case. But this is not God’s way of thinking. We have been commanded to “Do unto others…” We must only feel compassion, but actively show compassion.

Tyre

Chapter 26 begins an extended lament on the fall of the nation of Tyre which continues through several of the following chapters. In this first chapter of the lament, we are given an immediate sense of the sinful attitude of the nation of Tyre. In verses 1-3 we are told that Tyre looked upon the fall of Judah as their opportunity to gain power. In addition to the failure of compassion of which the other nations were accused, the nation of Tyre made its plans, either without considering the will of the Lord, or assuming that the Lord would be on their side. What the people of Tyre certainly did not do was seek to be on the side of the Lord, and so they found themselves working against the Lord.

Also in this chapter we begin to see why the prophecy against Tyre, a foreign city and an enemy of Judah, was presented as a lament. In verses 17 and 18 we are told that Tyre was a great power, and though some were afraid of that power, many were afraid of the vacuum that would be created when that power fell.

The greater part of Chapter 27 gives tribute to the beauty, power, and riches of the nation of Tyre. We are told (in verse 3) that the nation was well aware of its admirable qualities. Though there is no condemnation in this chapter for such utter patriotism, it is easy to see that the words are about Tyre and Tyre alone, and in Chapter 28 we read (in verse 2) the accusation of ultimate idolatry: the people had set themselves up as gods, believing either that they had no need for God, or that they exclusively knew and acted on the will of God.

In the second half of this chapter, verses 11-19, we have a very interesting account. The Lord begins by telling the people of Tyre that they were once perfect in the Garden of Eden. Almost exclusively, genealogy from Garden of Eden is used in the Bible to show the legitimacy of the Israelites as the chosen ones of God. Here God says to Tyre, an enemy of Israel, that they also had lineage from the garden, that they also are children of God, and that they were separated from God, not by God choosing one nation over another, but by the consequence of their own actions.

Egypt

The prophecy against Tyre is followed by another extended prophecy, this time directed towards Egypt. This prophecy is also presented as a lament, as Egypt was a great nation, as well. The prophecy begins in Chapter 29, where we read in verse 3 that, like the ruler of Tyre, Pharaoh had set himself as a god. Pharaoh was so far gone on the idea as to claim that he had made the Nile for his own purposes. This, of course, was mere play-acting, and Pharaoh would soon find out the true nature of things. Chapter 30, verses 20-26 contains the prophecy of how Pharaoh will lose his illusions about being a god. The reference to arms in this passage is symbolic of strength, and the passage indicates that Egypt will be dealt a significant military blow and, before it can recover, will be finished by another terrible blow.

Though we have been reading a lament for Egypt for some time, it is in Chapter 31 that we get a sense of why we should morn over the passing of such a corrupt nation, as the very Sovereign Lord declares Egypt to have beauty and majesty without compare. (We should note that the text names Assyria, when the context is clearly Egypt. The reason is not clear, but it may be that a comparison of Egypt to Assyria is intended.) Though we would never question the morality of the Sovereign Lord, that same Lord is not willing to dismiss an entire nation as simply “evil”. In these verses we are reminded that even a corrupt nation is a home to many, as the tree was home to the birds, beasts, and even all the great nations. Further, though the Lord has in many places decried Egypt as corrupt and idolatrous, here he says “I made it beautiful, with abundant branches.” This is the great tragedy of Egypt’s idolatry. The towering tree was made by God and should have been a force for good, but the nation of Egypt said “We made this ourselves, for our own purposes.”

Who Is Listening?

Chapter 32 contains the conclusion for the Egyptian lament and the section of prophecy for the nations, as in verses 17-32 we find a review of all the nations beyond the grave in Sheol. It is reasonable for us to wonder at this point about the intended audience of this prophecy. While it might have been possible for those who remained in Judah to hear Ezekiel’s prophecy regarding their actions and their fate, it is unlikely that Ezekiel had access to all the nations mentioned in these chapters. In any case, Ezekiel was delivering his message to those around him, just as he delivers it to us, even if it was a message regarding some other set of people far away and, for us, long gone.

How then, are we to react to the judgments of the Lord against nations long gone? One theme among these stories is that we must react with compassion to those around us, even those whom we believe deserve the judgment of the Lord, because:

1. At the hear of even the worst situation, there are people like you and me,
2. The Lord, who is the ultimate authority on good and evil, does not view people as wholly good or evil, and
3. We are all children of God – and all sinners.

For My Own Name’s Sake

For My Own Name’s Sake

Ezekiel Chapters 18-24

The Soul Who Sins

In Chapter 18, the Lord delivers a lengthy discourse which begins with an idea exemplified by a proverb of the day. This proverb is set forth in verses 1-3: “the fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” The idea being that the failures of one generation are afflicted upon those that follow. In the following passage, the Lord carefully reiterates that this idea is not accurate. Though it would be instructive, given the focus of ethics today, to review the morality that is reiterated in this passage, the verses are somewhat repetitive, and we will not go into them in detail.

In verses 19-32, the Lord goes on to say that, not only is the proverb about fathers and children not true, but a wicked man may be redeemed, and someone who has acted righteously may sin and, in any case, it is the one who sins who will die. The Lord knows us and speaks for us to say “That is just not right”. It is against our logic. In our world, the innocent pay for the actions of others, sometimes people they have never even heard of, and it is against our logic and even our morality to say that a guilty man should simply change his ways, or that a righteous man be condemned for a single act; the former seems to lenient and the latter too harsh. How can this be justice?

There are two things we must consider. First, there is no promise here that the fall of Jerusalem would be stopped. The people of Israel and Judah had acted sinfully, and as a consequence of their actions, the nations fell. The living and dying talked about in these verses is what we might call the wages of sin (Romans 6:23), not the immediate, earthly consequences, but the eternal significance of our actions – actions that would separate us from God. Theologically, it is significant that Ezekiel is one of the earliest books in which this idea of individual sin and responsibility are discussed.

We must also consider that the Lord does not delight in the death of the wicked. We often act as if the opposite were the case. As if, in fact, the Lord were quite as delighted as we are, and had just the same notion as we do of who “the wicked” are. But we must be very careful. The verses at the end of the chapter that say: “Why would you die, Oh house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord of Israel. Repent and live!” are directed to the Lord’s own people – the wicked ones.

For My Own Name’s Sake

Chapter 19 has two different laments, one comparing Israel to a lioness with two lion cubs, Israel and Judah, and another comparing Israel to a vine. In the first case, the two young lions are mistreated by the neighboring nations; in the second case, the vine is badly treated by some unknown hand. The laments concern the sad state of the nations, but make no mention of how this state came to be.

This is sharply contrasted with Chapter 20, which contains an indictment of the people of Israel who continually rebelled against the Lord. There are very interesting passages here, for example, in verses 13-14, where the Lord says that he could have destroyed the people of Israel, but did not, “for my own name’s sake.” A passage like this taken out of context can be quite disturbing, as it seems to portray the Lord as prone to genocide, but stopped by vanity.

The phrase “for my own name’s sake” is used again later in the chapter, when its meaning is more understandable. In verse 44, the Lord tells the people that, though their actions may deserve destruction, the Lord would deal with them according to his name’s sake, that is, according to his nature, and not according to their actions. Though we may deserve destruction, it is the nature of the Lord to redeem us.

Swords, Sins, and Sisters

Chapter 21 contains a number of oracles which are loosely related around the symbolism of the sword. Just to keep in mind the kind of thing that God asked Ezekiel to do, we should consider that, in one of these, the Lord had Ezekiel mark out the two possible paths the king of Babylon might take, either against Judah or the Ammonites. He was supposed to set up signposts, etc. and show how the king would stop at a certain place and cast lots and consult the liver of a slaughtered sheep. All this playacting must have been pretty weird.

Chapter 22 is a long catalog of Jerusalem’s sins. They are not all that shocking to the modern world. We seem to have invented a few new ones since Ezekiel’s time.

Chapter 23 tells a story of two sisters, one that represents Samaria, the other that represents Jerusalem. The first sister makes some really bad choices and falls on hard times. The second sister sees her mistakes, but then does the same thing. The language in the story is of a spurned lover, hurting over his loss.

The Lord’s Will

In Chapter 24, in verses 15-24, we read a very moving story. The word of the Lord comes to Ezekiel that his wife will die. Moreover, the Lord tells Ezekiel that he must not engage in the common mourning rituals that were the expected practice of his day. After Ezekiel’s wife dies and the people see that he is not mourning in the accepted way, they ask him what it means. Ezekiel says that it is a message from the Lord that the city of Jerusalem will fall, and so many will die in such panic, that there will be no time or energy for mourning. This is not unlike the command God gave to Jeremiah to refrain from marriage, mourning, and feasts.

Because we believe in a loving God who is in control of this world, we sometimes make the mistake of trying to comfort people in times of crisis by telling them “It’s the will of God.” Ezekiel knew that we can find the will of God, even in the most difficult times. While the situation we are in may not have been a part of God’s plan, God has a plan for us, no matter what situation we are in.