God’s GLORY!
That seems to be the ultimate Theme of this two-chapter Span in Ezekiel.
Here’s what I mean.
Our Lord is clearly preparing a “feast,” one of dead bodies!
In an event that will recur at the Battle of Armageddon, the predatory birds of the air (but here, the beasts of the field too) are divinely summoned to eat their fill!
“And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan. And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD. And I WILL SET MY GLORY AMONG THE HEATHEN, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.” Ezekiel 39:17-21
Without irreverence, this is like another “Lord’s Supper!”
At the expense of Russia and her (dead) allies!
The noun “sacrifice” in our text (“gather yourselves on every side to my SACRIFICE that I do sacrifice for you”) is “zebach,” meaning “slaughter!” It is translated “kill” or “slay” nearly a dozen times. God the Avenger!
Mankind has a “choice” here it seems.
One can eat Jesus’ Flesh and drink Jesus’ Blood and go to Heaven, the internalizing (eating and drinking) being a “picture” of faith and belief and salvation … “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man EAT OF THIS BREAD, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:51
Add to this John 6:53 … “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye EAT THE FLESH of the Son of man, and DRINK HIS BLOOD, ye have no life in you.”
Wow!
That’s the first choice!
The second?
Or … the ravenous birds and wild beasts of God’s Wrath will “eat” your flesh and “drink” your blood some day. Here at the defeat of Gog and his gang this threat is actualized, or will be. “Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may EAT FLESH, and DRINK BLOOD. Ye shall EAT THE FLESH of the mighty, and DRINK THE BLOOD of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan. And YE SHALL EAT FAT till ye be full, and DRINK BLOOD till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.” God does feed the birds!
But still, WHY?
To defeat a long standing group of Israel’s enemies.
To show Israel God’s mercy and love, to protect her from annihilation.
And … to bring glory to our great God!
Our last verse today … “And I WILL SET MY GLORY among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.” Verse 21
Note here God’s Glory is associated with His Judgment!
In our day, to us Believers … God’s glory is most often associated with His GRACE!
How blessed we are.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
The reference to “Bashan” (meaning “fruitful” in Hebrew) in our text indicates a part of the Holy Land east of the River Jordan, and sometimes associated with the fattest, most wealthy (and often most wicked) of all the area. The devil’s wicked “champions” will be defeated.
And I am just now noticing God’s inviting the birds and beasts to “His table!” Wow, God the Caterer! “Thus ye shall be filled at MY TABLE with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.” Verse 20
The Lord willing, more tomorrow.