Page 278 - NOTES ON EZEKIEL

272 NOTES ON EZEKIEL.
for the age to come before eternity, and the fulfilment
of prophecy in the blessing of Israel and the Gentiles
under the reign of the Lord Jesus, when He shall have
come with all His saints in glory. Unbelief of the
truth is natural, and reasoning against it is not difficult,
but the word of God remains as plain and sure as ever;
and blessed are they who, confessing the future joy and
rest which await Israel on earth, converted in the grace
and faithfulness of God, are the more free to await the
Son of God from heaven, our Deliverer from the coming
wrath. To see with distinctness the place of the earthly
people, first under the old legal responsibility, next
under the Messiah and the new covenant, helps greatly
those who through grace now believe against the
efforts of Satan, who would darken and destroy, if
possible, their intelligence and enjoyment of their own
proper blessedness and calling on high, as the body of
Christ and bride of the Lamb. Mysticism is thus
avoided, and scripture received in simple faith.
One more section leads us to the close of the pro­
phecy. “ And these [are] the goings forth of the city :
on the north side four thousand and five hundred
measures ; and the gates of the city [shall be] according
to the names of the tribes of Israel; three gates north­
ward, one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate
of Levi. And at the east side four thousand and five hun­
dred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one
gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. And at the south
side four thousand and five hundred measures: and
three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar,
one gate of Zebulun. At the west side four thousand
and five hundred, [with] their three gates; one gate of