Page 212 - NOTES ON EZEKIEL

206 NOTES ON EZEKIEL.
are to help those formally told off for the work, “ men
of continuance,” whose task is to bury every relic of
the prodigious slaughter of the enemy, all the dwellers
in the land also taking part in the work. The multitude
thus slain and buried will give its name to a city in the
land. But it is the day when all impurity disappears
from the land which Jehovah recognizes as His own,
when He is then and there glorified. Can there be a
legitimate doubt of the epoch when these conditions
meet ? It is plain to see that it is a question of God’s
judging the last leader of the Kussias in the Holy Land
when Israel have been brought back from the lands of
their dispersion. But pre-occupation with our own
place as Christians hinders here as elsewhere—hinders
not only our seeing the faithfulness of God to Israel
and His mercy to them yet, but also our discernment
of the church’s peculiar blessedness. If we are to appre­
ciate either, we must distinguish them, and see the
-connection of each with Christ. The mystical inter­
pretation gives its due place to neither, and hence
envelops all in fog.
Next a message of remarkable force is sent through the
prophet to all birds and beasts of prey. Now is their
time for a feast on a sacrifice such as they have never
had before nor can have again. Vast hosts have been
decimated, and the rest dispersed or taken, where they
failed to make good their retreat ; but has the world
seen such a slaughter as this ? It is assuredly to come.
“ And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord Jehovah,
Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of
the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather your­
selves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice