23<\/strong>. Jehovah’s dealing with his people Israel is the great lesson which he reads to the heathen; it is the history of Israel in the hand of Jehovah their God that reveals to the nations what Jehovah is. For the nations knew Jehovah only as God of Israel, and it was thus only through Israel that he could reveal himself to them. This last great event in the history of Israel, Jehovah’s signal defence of them now that they are his people in truth, casts light on his former hiding of his face from them. Deeper elements than mere power enter into his rule of his people; a conception of God is suggested to the nations unlike any they had hitherto entertained there is a God who is omnipotent and who rules the nations in righteousness, the God of Israel.<\/p>\n The sottish heathen thought meanly of the God of Israel, and reckoned they came into captivity because the people of some greater god had by the power of their god prevailed against Israels God and his people; but by this overthrow given to Gog, they shall see it was not impotence in Israels God, but iniquity in Israels people, that brought them into captivity. <\/P> Trespassed; <\/B>committed sin perversely, continually, and with a high hand. <\/P> Hid my face; <\/B>withdrew my favour, would no more regard them, and then it was soon a night of trouble to them. <\/P> Into the hand, <\/B>into the power, <\/P> of their enemies, <\/B>which could not have hurt Israel if Israel had not first forsaken his God, but then God forsook them. When God withdrew his defence, as fenceless, they fell under the sword of the enemy; for it is he that subdueth enemies and giveth victory. <\/P> <\/p>\n 23. hid I my face<\/B> (Deu 31:17<\/span>;Isa 59:2<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n And the Heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity<\/strong>,…. Before this they thought the captivity of the Jews, and all their distresses, were owing to their own weakness, and the weakness of the God they served, and to the superior strength of their enemies, and the power of their gods; but now, by this strange and amazing destruction of Gog and his army, they will see that it was not owing to those things, but to the sins and transgressions of the people of the Jews:<\/p>\n because they transgressed against me<\/strong>; prevaricated with him, acted a perfidious and treacherous part to him, as the word i signifies; which they did, when they delivered Jesus of Nazareth, the true Messiah, into the hands of the Gentiles, to be crucified; it is their disbelief of Christ, and rejection of him, and maltreatment of him, that is here more especially pointed at; and which is the cause of their present long captivity and exile, and of all the afflictions and troubles they have since met with: so the Targum renders it,<\/p>\n “they dealt falsely with my Word;”<\/p>\n the Word made flesh, the incarnate Saviour:<\/p>\n therefore hid I my face from them<\/strong>; took no notice of them, showed them no favour, took no care of them; disregarded their prayers and cries, and removed his presence from them, and all the tokens of it. So the Targum,<\/p>\n “I caused my Shechaniah (or majesty) to remove from them;”<\/p>\n and thus it has been ever since, and now is:<\/p>\n and gave them into the hand of their enemies<\/strong>; the Romans, who took away their place and nation; which they feared would be the case, should many believe in Christ; but the true reason of it was because they did not believe in him, Joh 11:48<\/span>:<\/p>\n so fell they all by the sword<\/strong>; that is, through the sword of the conquering Romans; they fell into their hands; some perished by the sword, and others were carried into captivity; and all were punished for their iniquity, trespass, and perfidy.<\/p>\n i “praevaricati essent contra me”, Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Polanus, Cocceius, Starckius.<\/p>\n Mercy Promised to Israel.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> B. C.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN> 585.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE> 23 And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. 24 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. 25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD<\/B>; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; 26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them<\/I> afraid. 27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; 28 Then shall they know that I am<\/I> the LORD<\/B> their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. 29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD<\/B>.<\/P> This is the conclusion of the whole matter going before, and has reference not only to the predictions concerning Gog and Magog, but to all the prophecies of this book concerning the captivity of the house of Israel, and then concerning their restoration and return out of their captivity.<\/P> I. God will let the heathen know the meaning of his people’s troubles, and rectify the mistake of those concerning them who took occasion from the troubles of Israel to reproach the God of Israel, as unable to protect them and untrue to his covenant with them. When God, upon their reformation and return to him, turned again their captivity, and brought them back to their own land, and, upon their perseverance in their reformation, wrought such great salvations for them as that from the attempts of Gog upon them, then it would be made to appear, even to the heathen that would but consider and compare things, that there was no ground at all for their reflection, that Israel went into captivity, not because God could not protect them, but because they had by sin forfeited his favour and thrown themselves out of his protection (Eze 39:23<\/span>; Eze 39:24<\/span>): The heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity,<\/I> that iniquity which they learned from the heathen their neighbours, because they trespassed against God.<\/I> That was the true reason why God hid his face from them<\/I> and gave them into the hand of their enemies.<\/I> It was according to their uncleanness<\/I> and according to their transgressions.<\/I> Now the evincing of this will not only silence their reflections on God, but will redound greatly to his honour; when the troubles of God’s people are over, and we see the end of them, we shall better understand them than we did at first. And it will appear much for the glory of God when the world is made to know, 1. That God punishes sin even in his own people, because he hates it most in those that are nearest and dearest to him, Amos iii. 2<\/span>. It is the praise of justice to be impartial. 2. That, when God gives up his people for a prey, it is to correct them and reform them, not to gratify their enemies, Isa 10:7<\/span>; Isa 42:24<\/span>. Let not them therefore exalt themselves. 3. That no sooner do God’s people humble themselves under the rod than he returns in mercy to them.<\/P> II. God will give his own people to know what great favour he has in store for them notwithstanding the troubles he had brought them into (Eze 39:25<\/span>; Eze 39:26<\/span>): Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob.<\/I><\/P> 1. Why now? Now God will have mercy upon the whole house of Israel,<\/I> (1.) Because it is time for him to stand up for his own glory, which suffers in their sufferings: Now will I be jealous for my holy name,<\/I> that that may no longer be reproached. (2.) Because now they repent of their sins: They have borne their shame, and all their trespasses.<\/I> When sinners repent, and take shame to themselves, God will be reconciled and put honour upon them. It is particularly pleasing to God that these penitents look a great way back in their penitential reflections, and are ashamed of all their trespasses which they were guilty of when they dwelt safely in their land and none made them afraid.<\/I> The remembrance of the mercies they enjoyed in their own land, and the divine protection they were under there, shall be improved as an aggravation of the sins they committed in that land; they dwelt safely, and might have continued to dwell so, and none should have given them any disquiet or disturbance if they had continued in the way of their duty. Nay, therefore<\/I> they trespassed because they dwelt safely.<\/I> Outward safety is often a cause of inward security, and that is an inlet to all sin, Ps. lxxiii.<\/span> Now this they are willing to bear the shame of, and acknowledge that God has justly brought them into a land of trouble, where every one makes them afraid, because they had trespassed against him in a land of peace, where none made them afraid. And, when they thus humble themselves under humbling providences, God will bring again their captivity: and,<\/P> 2. What then? When God has gathered them out of their enemies’ hands, and brought them home again, (1.) Then God will have the praise of it: I will be sanctified in them in the sight of many nations,<\/I> v.<\/span> 27<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. As God was reproached in the reproach they were under during their captivity, so he will be sanctified in their reformation and the making of them a holy people again, and will be glorified in their restoration and the making of them a happy glorious people again. (2.) Then they shall have the benefit of it (v.<\/I><\/span> 28<\/span>): They shall know that I am the Lord their God.<\/I> Note, The providences of God concerning his people, that are designed for their good, have the grace of God going along with them to teach them to eye God as the Lord, and their God, in all; and then they do them good. They shall eye him as the Lord and their God, [1.] In their calamities, that it was he who caused them to be led into captivity;<\/I> and therefore they must not only submit to his will, but endeavour to answer his end in it. [2.] In their comfort, that it is he who has gathered them to their own land,<\/I> and left none of them among the heathen. Note, By the variety of events that befal us, if we look up to God in all, we may come to acquaint ourselves better with his various attributes and designs. (3.) Then God and they will never part, v.<\/I><\/span> 29<\/span>. [1.] God will pour out his Spirit<\/I> upon them, to prevent their departures from him and returns to folly again, and to keep them close to their duty. And then, [2.] He will never hide his face any more from them,<\/I> will never suspend his favour as he had done; he will never turn from doing them good, and, in order to that, he will effectually provide that they shall never turn from doing him service. Note, The indwelling of the Spirit is an infallible pledge of the continuance of God’s favour. He will hide his face no more from those on whom he has poured out his Spirit.<\/I> When therefore we pray that God would never cast us away from his presence<\/I> we must as earnestly pray that, in order to that, he would never take his Holy Spirit away from us,<\/I> Ps. li. 11<\/I><\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n (23) For their iniquity.<\/strong>In the times foretold Gods dealings shall no longer be misunderstood, nor the sufferings of Israel considered as the result of His want of power to protect them. All the world shall so far understand His righteousness, that they shall see the reasonableness and necessity of His punishing even His chosen people for their sins, and purifying them that they may become His indeed.<\/p>\n Eze 39:23 And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.<\/p>\n Ver. 23. And the heathen shall know.<\/strong> ] They shall be convinced of the equability of my proceedings, and the truth of my menaces.<\/p>\n iniquity. Hebrew `avah. App-41. <\/p>\n trespassed = committed treachery. Hebrew. ma’al App-44. <\/p>\n the heathen: Eze 36:18-23, Eze 36:36, 2Ch 7:21, 2Ch 7:22, Jer 22:8, Jer 22:9, Jer 40:2, Jer 40:3, Lam 1:8, Lam 2:15-17 <\/p>\n hid I: Eze 39:29, Deu 31:17, Deu 31:18, Deu 32:20, Psa 10:1, Psa 30:7, Isa 1:15, Isa 8:17, Isa 59:2, Isa 64:7, Jer 33:5 <\/p>\n gave them: Lev 26:25, Deu 32:30, Jdg 2:14, Jdg 3:8, Psa 106:41, Isa 42:24 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Isa 54:8 – I hid Eze 37:28 – the heathen Eze 39:28 – which caused them<\/p>\n Eze 39:23. The heathen shall know, etc., has this logical meaning. The heathen (or nations in general) knew that Israel had been in exile with one of those strange nations for 70 years. They might have concluded it was be-cause the Lord wanted to show his favor for the heathen world. But when they see the great destruction of the people of Gog (another heathen group). they will know the mentioned conclusion was wrong. They will then be able to form the correct conclusion namely, that Israel went into captivity <\/p>\n for their iniquity, and not as a favor to the Babylonians.<\/p>\n Eze 39:23. And the heathen shall know, &c. The heathen nations shall be made sensible that my people were not carried away by their enemies because I wanted power to save them, but as a just punishment of their sins. Because they trespassed against me Committed sin with a high hand. Therefore hid I my face from them Withdrew my favour and protection; and gave them into the hand of their enemies Who could not have hurt them if they had not first forsaken me their God, and exposed themselves to my displeasure. So fell they all by the sword My defence being withdrawn, they fell under the sword of the enemy.<\/p>\n 39:23 And the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for {l} their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore I hid my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so they all fell by the sword.<\/p>\n (l) The heathen will know that they did not overcome my people by their strength, neither yet by the weakness of my arm, but that this was for my people’s sins.<\/p>\n Then the nations would understand that it was not out of weakness that Yahweh permitted the Israelites to go into exile and die but because He was punishing them for their sins. That is why they had suffered as they had and the Lord had not responded to their cries for deliverance.<\/p>\n And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. 23. Jehovah’s dealing with his people Israel is the great lesson … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 39:23”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21482","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21482","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21482"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21482\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"