“Therefore,
Thus says Yahweh God!
‘Now I will restore
The fortunes of Jacob.
I will have mercy
On the whole house
Of Israel.
I will be jealous
For my holy name.’”
Yahweh God, via Ezekiel, was clear. He was going to restore the fortunes of Jacob. He was going to have mercy on the whole house of Israel. However, he was still going to be jealous about his holy name.
“The house of Israel
Shall know
That I am Yahweh,
Their God,
From that day forward.
The nations
Shall know
That the house of Israel
Went into captivity
For their iniquity.
They dealt
Treacherously
With me.
So,
I hid
My face
From them.
I gave them
Into the hand
Of their adversaries.
They all fell
By the sword.
I dealt with them
According to their uncleanness.
I dealt with them
According to their transgressions.
I hid my face
From them.”
Yahweh, via Ezekiel, said that the house of Israel would finally know that he was their God, from that day forward. The various countries knew that the house of Israel went into captivity, because of their iniquity in dealing treacherously with Yahweh. Thus, he hid his face from them. He gave them over to their adversaries, where they all died by the sword. Yahweh had dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their transgressions. He hid his face, until finally the Israelites recognized Yahweh as their God.
“I will display
My glory
Among the nations.
All the nations
Shall see
My judgment
That I have executed.
They shall see
My hand
That I have laid
On them.”
Yahweh, via Ezekiel, seemed very happy. He was going to show his glory to all the countries of the world. Everyone would see his judgment in action. They would realize his power when his hand would be put on them.
“‘You shall eat
The flesh
Of the mighty!
You shall drink
The blood
Of the princes
Of the earth!
You shall eat
Rams,
Lambs,
Goats,
Bulls,
All of them fatlings
Of Bashan.
You shall eat fat
Until you are filled.
You shall drink blood
Until you are drunk.
I am preparing
This sacrificial feast
For you.
You shall be filled
At my table
With horses,
With charioteers,
With warriors,
With all kinds of soldiers.’
Says Yahweh God.”
What were they going to do at this great festival? Yahweh God said that they were going to eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the earthly princes in some symbolic way. However, they were also going to have some real food with rams, lambs, goats, and bulls from the great grazing land on the east side of the Jordan River in Bashan. They were going to eat until they were full and drink until they were drunk. Gluttony and drunkenness was not a problem since Yahweh was preparing this sacrificial feast for them. With them at the table would be horses, charioteers, warriors, and all kinds of soldiers. However, I don’t know why.
“As for you!
Son of man!
Thus says Yahweh God!
Speak to the birds
Of every sort!
Speak to all
The wild animals!
‘Assemble!
Come!
Gather from all around
To the sacrificial feast
That I am preparing
For you.
This will be
A great sacrificial feast
On the mountains
Of Israel.
You shall eat
Flesh.
You shall drink
Blood.’”
Once again, Yahweh called Ezekiel, the son of man, to speak to the various birds and the wild animals. They were all to gather at a sacrificial feast that Yahweh was preparing on the mountains of Israel, where they would eat flesh and drink blood. Yahweh seemed to imply that the birds and the animals would sacrifice themselves for Yahweh.
“‘The house of Israel
Shall spend
Seven months
Burying them,
In order to cleanse
The land.
All the people
Of the land
Shall bury them.
It will bring them honor
On the day
That I show my glory.’
Says Yahweh God.
‘They will set apart men
To pass through
The land continually.
They will bury
Any invaders who remain
On the face of the land.
It will then be cleansed.
They will make their search.
For seven months.
As the searchers
Pass through the land,
Anyone who sees
A human bone
Shall set up
A sign by it,
Until the buriers
Have buried it
In the Valley of Hamon-gog.
A city Hamonah
Is there also.
Thus,
They shall cleanse
The land.”
The house of Israel was to spend 7 months burying the men with Gog, so that they could cleanse the land of Israel and its people. These grave diggers would gain honor on the day when Yahweh was going to show his glory. These body searchers would be set apart to pass through the land continually. They would bury any remains they found. Anyone who saw a human bone was to set up a sign by it, until these buriers buried them in the Valley of Hamon-gog or the city Hamonah, next to it. Thus, the land would be cleansed by removing these dead bodies in 7 months.
“On that day,
I will give to Gog
A place for burial
In Israel,
The Valley
Of the Travelers,
East of the sea.
It shall block
The path
Of travelers.
There,
Gog
With all his troops
Will be buried.
It will be called
The Valley of Hamon-gog.”
Yahweh, via Ezekiel, explained that Gog would be buried on the east side of the Jordan River in the Valley of the Travelers, which apparently was near Dibon, in Moab. This area had been part of the old Gad territory, apparently a well-traveled route. Many people would see it and have to walk around it. Gog was to be buried there with all his troops and people, so that it would become known as the Valley of Hamon-gog, that literally means Gog and his multitude.
“‘Then those who live
In the towns
Of Israel
Will go out.
They will make fires
Of the weapons.
They will burn them,
Shields
Bucklers,
Bows
Arrows,
Hand pikes,
Spears.
They will make fires
Of them
For seven years.
They will not need
To take wood
Out of the field
Or cut down
Any tree
In the forests.
They will make
Their fires
Of the weapons.
They will despoil
Those who despoiled them.
They will plunder
Those who plundered them.’
Says Yahweh God.”
Yahweh God, via Ezekiel, said that the Israelites in the various towns would gather all the weapons from the army of Gog. They would use weapons in place of wood to keep their fires going for 7 years. They were going to burn all the equipment that they found, whether it was shields, hand bucklers, bows, arrows, pikes, or spears. Thus, they would not have to go out and collect wood for their fires. They would not have to cut down trees in the forest for their house fires. This was a form or recycling by saving the trees, since they used war weapons as fuel for your home. They would get the spoils and plunder of those who had tried to do the same to them.
“‘It has come!
It has happened.’
Says Yahweh God!
‘This is the day
Of which
I have spoken.’”
This day of reckoning represents a prime example of apocalyptic literature. The day that they were expecting has come. This is the day that Yahweh had been talking about. The future is now.
“‘I will make known
My holy name
Among my people Israel.
I will not let
My holy name
Be profaned anymore.
The nations
Shall know
That I am Yahweh,
The Holy One
In Israel.’”
There is no doubt that Yahweh, via Ezekiel, wanted to protect and make known this holy name, especially among the people of Israel, but also among the various nations. He did not want his holy name profaned anymore. In case there was any doubt, he was Yahweh, the holy one of Israel.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 