Ezekiel 40:1

Ezekiel 40:1 says, In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the Lord was upon me, and brought me thither.  Ezekiel is very specific about when God’s word came to him this time.  It was in the twentieth year and day after the captivity of Isreal began and was also fourteen years after the fall of Jerusalem.   This would imply that Ezekiel was taken away captive eleven years before the fall of Jerusalem.  We have not all been captives of sin for the same amount of time, but until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are all captives of sin.  

Verse two adds, In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.  Ezekiel said that on this occasion, that in a vision God brought him to the land of Israel and set him on a high mountain overlooking Jerusalem.  The first time Ezekiel was brought to Jerusalem in a vision, it was to see their shame.  This time, it was to see the hope of their restoration.  I won’t say that God doesn’t speak to us in dreams or visions today, but if He does, it won’t be to give us some new revelation about Who He is or what is going to occur when He comes in judgment.  He has already revealed this.  

Verse three continues, And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.  Ezekiel said in this vision he saw a man like a man of brass, which would refer to Jesus Christ and not an angel, who stood at the gate of Jerusalem with line of flax and a measuring reed in his hand.  These were instruments to make sure that a building was erected correctly.  Jesus Christ is our measuring standard today, and if we would be cleansed spiritually, He is the One Who will set us straight.   

Verse four states, And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.  Ezekiel was told to see and hear what was revealed to him and set his spirit on declaring these things to the people of Israel.  He was also told that this was the reason he had been brought there.  We as Christians need to share with the world what God revealed to us when we came to Him by faith, and that is that Jesus Christ is the only One Who can set us straight spiritually.  

Verse five adds, And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.   Ezekiel said that God then revealed to him the dimensions of the building that was going to be erected.  Matthew Henry points out that there was no outer courtyard, because there was no longer a difference between the Jew and the Gentile, I believe.  We don't need to know the dimensions of heaven, but we can be certain that it is large enough to contain all of the followers of Christ.

Ezekiel 39:23

Ezekiel 39:23 says, 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.  God sad that the heathen, all those nations around Isreal who worshipped other gods, would know that the nation of Israel fell because they stopped being obedient to Him and He stopped protecting them.  If we fall as spiritually as Christians today, it will always be because we have stopped being obedient to God, and one day, everyone will realize this.   

Verse twenty-four adds, According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.  God said that He had hidden His face, or no longer looked on the people of Israel with His protection, because of their uncleanness and transgressions.  If those who profess to be Christians, and even we who are, turn away from being obedient to God, He will no longer provide us with His protection spiritually, even if we prosper materially.   

Verse twenty-five continues, Therefore thus saith the Lord God; 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;  God said that He was going to restore the whole house of Jacob, or all the people of Israel.  He was going to do this for the sake of His holy name.  God may allow people who are called Christians to prosper today just to keep His name from being profaned by those who do not put their faith in Him, but if they are still not obedient to His word, this does not mean that they will be spiritually blessed forever.  It is only by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord that we can be blessed spiritually.  

Verse twenty-six states, 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 afraid.  God said that this would happen after the people of Israel bore all the shame of their defeat when they refused to obey His commandments.  I believe that if they were feeling shame about their defeat that they would know that they had failed to live up their covenant relationship with God.  Until we feel shame about our sins and turn to God for forgiveness by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, no matter what happens in the world will be of little importance.  I don’t believe that the people of Israel were restored because of their actions but because they were known as God’s people and their current state in the world was bringing dishonor to His name.  I also don’t believe that this means that they were all to be spiritually redeemed forever.  It would only be those who truly put their faith in God who would be.  

Verse twenty-seven adds, 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;  God said He was going to bring the people of Israel out of all their enemies lands and sanctify them in the sight of many nations.  It will always be God Who delivers us from sin in the world today and this can only happen by our putting our faith in Jesus Christ.  We might be physically delivered to keep God from being seen as unpowerful, but I don’t believe that we will ever be victorious spiritually simply because we profess to be Christians but don’t really put our faith in God and obey His word.  

Verse twenty-eight continues, Then shall they know that I am the Lord 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.  God said that when He restored the people of Israel that they would know that He is God.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, which is the only way to be restored to a spiritual relationship with God, we have to know that God is the only God.  

Verse twenty-nine concludes. 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.  God said that when this happened, He would no longer be hidden to the people of Israel and that He would pour out His Spirit on them.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, God is no longer hidden from us, and He pours out His Spirit on us. 

Ezekiel 39:17

Ezekiel 39:17 says, 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.  God told Ezekiel that he was to command the fowl of the air and the beasts of the field that they were to feast on the slain presented by God like a sacrifice or gift to them.  Before they were buried, those slain would be food for the animals.  Once more, it really doesn’t matter what happens to our body after we die but only matters where our soul will live forever.  

Verse eighteen adds, 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.  God said that the flesh of the mighty and blood of the princes would be of no more value than the flesh of the rams, goats, lambs, and bullocks that had died, which Matthew Henry says refers to the rich men who had grown fat by abusing the people of Israel.  It is not our body that separates us from other animals but our soul.  

Verse nineteen continues, 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 said that these beasts and foul of prey were to eat and drink until they were drunk.  God gave mankind the responsibility of caring for the animals, and even if we fail to do so, God will still provide for them.  

Verse twenty states, 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.  God said that these fowl and beasts of prey would be filled at His table.  Matthew Henry says that God keeps a table for His animals and provides for them.  Though animals will never be equal to people, they are still an important part of God’s creation, and I believe that we as followers of Christ are never to abuse them.  

Verse twenty-one adds, 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.  God said that the heathen would see His judgment on those who fought against His people.  They would understand that it was God Who brought about the destruction of Gog.  Ultimately, it is God Who will bring about the destruction of all who fight against His people, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  

Verse twenty-two continues, So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward.   God said this was going to happen so that the house of Israel would know that He is God.  Today, when we look by faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, we will know that God is the only God.