Page 178 - NOTES ON EZEKIEL

CHAPTER XXXVI.

F ollowing the denunciation of mount Seir Jehovah
now addresses Himself to the personified mountains of
Israel and declares the consolation in store for them,
whatever the proud malice of the Edomite might have
said against them.
“ Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains
of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the
word of Jehovah.” (Ver. 1.)
It is well to bear in mind that in Israel of old it was
a question of government under the revealed name of
Jehovah, hut on the conditions of law, which, being
taken up by man in the flesh, could only issue as it did
in ruin. Now it is a wholly different state of things;
for on a rejected Christ, who is the Son of God, the
assembly is built, His body and bride in grace pure and
absolute, and hence formed out of believers, Jews and
Gentiles indiscriminatel}7", who are destined to he with
Him on high and reign with Him over the earth. But the
government of the world in Israel is not abandoned by
God for ever. He will take Israel up once more at the
coming of the Lord, the glorious Son of man, and dis­
play His government perfectly then to His own glory
under the new covenant, and hence on a principle
.superior to the weakness or the evil of the creature. This
will be the epoch and turning-point of the world’s
blessing, not merely as now grace gathering out of it
for heavenly glory with Christ, but judgment returning
to righteousness on earth, and all the upright following
it. Hence the second advent of the Lord for the world