Teachinghearts	The Prophecies Of Ezekiel "Explore the Word. Change the World"
Home  | Contact  | Become a Christian  | Lessons  | 700+ New Messianic Prophecies  | Modern Science In The Bible

Passover	Wavesheaf	Pentecost		Trumpets	Day of Atonement					Tabernacles
1-3	4-5	6	7	8-11	10	11	12-13	14-15	Wrath (16-19)		Rescue (14, 20-22)
Church	Lamb	Seals	Sealing	Judgment	Remnant	Legal	Babylon	Warning	** The Day of the Lord **
Ezekiel	God's Throne	The Law		Judgment in the temple			Marked	Warning			Millennium	Heaven
Daniel	The Beast	Little Horn		Sanctuary Cleansed			King of the North			Time of Trouble		Heaven
Isaiah	-						Babylon	Warning		War	Desolation	Heaven
Jeremiah	-						Babylon	Warning		War	Desolation	Heaven
Joel	-							Rain		War	Harvest	Heaven
Zephaniah	-							Remnant		Desolation		Zion
Habakkuk	-						Babylon	Warning	Wrath of God			Salvation
Zechariah	The Scroll	4 Horse men		Measuring Line			Build God's House		Rain	War	Judgment	Heaven

12 Tribes						722	Assyria takes 10 tribes				2 Tribes of Judah	609	Babylon				539	Medo-Persia
Obadiah	Joel	Jonah	Amos	Hosea				Nahum			-	Daniel									-
Elisha			-			Micah		-	Zephaniah		Habakkuk	-		Ezekiel				-	Zechariah		-
-				Isaiah						Jeremiah					-				Haggai	-	Malachi

Pray First
Navigation
Ezekiel's Temple Isaiah Jeremiah Joel Zephaniah Habakkuk Zechariah Elijah
Resources
Lessons Symbols Glossary Daniel Revelation
Study Help
Methodology
Texts
Revelation Ezekiel

Background
The prophecies of Ezekiel parallel the prophecies of Revelation. The difference between the two is the perspective of the narrative. Ezekiel is written from the point of view of the people of God. Revelation is written from the perspective of the wicked under the same circumstances. For example, Revelation 13 is a warning about receiving the mark of the beast. Ezekiel 9 is about receiving the mark of God.

Ezekiel is really about a prophecy that has mostly come through for Israel after the return from Babylon. In it, the promises of God are prophesied in a future that God wants to give them according to His promises. But Israel kept on disobeying. So, now we come to the end of time, when God extends the unfulfilled prophecy and promises to global Israel. So, although we have striking similarities, we can see that the differences are related to a bigger plan. All the nations of the earth join Israel and have the same rights of inheritance as the twelve tribes.

The Day Of The Lord
Christ is the "Son of Man" and every reference to "son of man" in Ezekiel are instructions to Christ. Most of these Old Testament prophecies are about the coming day of the Lord. It is a period when God conquers the evil nations and establishes a kingdom of righteousness. The day of the Lord is characterized by several events.

• Warning the Righteous. Israel is warned to repent and return to the Lord. Joel says it should be a time of fasting and mourning.
• Warning the Nations. The world is warned to repent. Their sins and the reason for their judgment is made open.
• Leave Babylon. Israel is warned to come out of Babylon so that they do not suffer her punishments.
• Gathering of Nations. Nations gather to fight Israel. But it is God who really gathers them for a slaughter.
• The Wrath of God. God sends plagues to punish the wicked and to destroy the earth.
• Desolation. The land is devastated and Satan is punished.
• Judgment. The nations are gathered for judgment. Even the dead are resurrected for this final judgment.
• Rescue. Israel receives salvation and a new, peaceful land.

The Structure Of Ezekiel
As I give short examples of the similarity between the two prophecies, notice that they appear to be written in the same order. So, we cannot understand Revelation without understanding the Old Testament. All the New Testament prophecies are repetition of the unfulfilled Old testament prophecies or the repeat of a pattern that God has demonstrated in His history with the Jews. Revelation indicates that Babylon would return at the end of time. It cannot be the same Babylon, because the prophecies state that that Babylon would never rise again. So we look for a new power with the same behavior as the old. We can learn from that ancient history.

Symbols of Revelation and Ezekiel Compared
Chapter	Revelation	Chapter	Ezekiel	Comments
4-5	The Throne of God	1	The Throne of God	The majesty of God
10	The Scroll is Eaten	2 - 3	The Scroll is Eaten	The prophet is called
12	Siege by Babylon	4	Siege of Babylon	The sign of doom to Israel
6-7	The Seven Seals	5-7	The curses sent	The wicked reject the covenant
13	The first four commandments changed and broken	8	The first four commandments broken	The law of God is changed to worship the beast
13	The Mark of the Beast	9	The Mark of God	The world is separated into two
10	Day of Atonement	12	No more delay	No more delay. Judgment begins
14-18	The Three Angel's Message	13-33	The Nations are warned	The final warning to the world
17	Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots	23	Babylon, Mother of Harlots	Harlot judged by her lovers
17	Satan	28	The king of Tyre	The judgment of Satan
18	The Fall of Babylon	26-27	The Fall of Babylon	The Fall of Babylon
11, 19	Judgment of the church	34	The Sheep are Judged	The judgment of the church
19	The Slayer with the sword	21	The polished sword	The sword flashes like lightning
14	The Gathering of Israel	36	Israel Regathered	Jews return to the land of Israel
20	The resurrection	37	The Dry Bones Revived	The resurrection of the righteous
19-22	Armageddon	38-39	Armageddon	The final battle
21-22	Heaven	40-48	Heaven	The Temple and Tribes of God

The Son Of Man: A Messianic Prophecy
Ezekiel contains the most references to the term "son of man" An examination of the comparison above shows that the "Son of man" also experienced this sequence of events on the cross.

• The Throne Of God. Jesus was nailed, sitting on the sedulum of the cross between two thieves with a crown of thorns on His head. Now God can show a picture of Satan to the world. How could Satan's rebellion come to this point? The innocent God was displayed in such horror, yet His glory and compassion shone through.
• The Scroll Is Eaten. Jesus suffered the bitterness of the words written down in the curses.
• Siege of Babylon. Jesus was besieged by an angry mob, stirred up by Satan.
• The Curses Sent. Satan poured out the curses on Him as He suffered the seven last plagues.
• The First Four Commandments. Satan broke the commandments about honoring God. Jesus obeyed.
• The Mark Of God. Seemingly abandoned, He nevertheless submitted and was obedient to the point of death. Was there a mark on Jesus? He had spots and stripes from the punches and whipping. He had nail holes and thorn pricks. The soldier who said "Truly this man was the Son of God" saw the glory of God in Him (Mark 15: 39). The character of God was revealed in the way He responded to God and His tormentors.
• No More Delay. It is finished! God had completed the work He needed to do in our salvation.
• The Nations Are Warned. The sins of the people were before Him.
• Babylon, Mother Of Harlots. Rome
• The King Of Tyre. Satan was put before the authorities in the universe and judged a criminal.
• The Fall Of Babylon. Satan fell.
• The Sheep Are Judged. The church is judged righteous because of His sacrifice.
• The Polished Sword. A Roman sword was shoved in His side.
• Israel Gathered. Israel had gathered for the Passover. They had the seder that night.
• The Dry Bones Revived. When He died some people were resurrected.
• Armageddon. God fought an important battle before Jesus' own resurrection. Perhaps, like Moses, Satan objected to His resurrection.
• Heaven. He was raptured to heaven.

Chapter 1: The Throne Of God

The Burning Man	Ezekiel's Vision of the Throne of God

Although this vision came after some of the other visions, it is written first. Ezekiel starts with a vision of the throne of God, because this validation supports all the previous visions that he had. The man that he saw in previous visions was now identified as God Himself.

Then I noticed the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. As the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. (Ezekiel 1: 27-28)

Chapter 2-3: A Prophet Is Called
Then I looked and behold, a hand was extended to me and lo a scroll was in it. When He spread it out before me, it was written on the front and the back, and written on it were lamentations, mourning and woe. (Ezekiel 2: 9-10)
This scroll was the covenant which was written on both sides. The lamentations, mourning and woes are a result of the curses. We find the same sequence of events in Revelation. When He ascended the throne, the Lamb opened the sealed scroll which was also written on both sides. When the seven seals were opened, the curses were sent. This is the same as the lamentations on the scroll.

» The Bitter Sweet Scroll. Then He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat the scroll and go speak to the house of Israel." So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. He said to me "Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you". Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.
So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away and I went embittered in the rage of my spirit, and the hand of the Lord was strong on me. (Ezekiel 3: 1-3, 14)

The Angel With The Book
Revelation 4 and 5 also introduces the throne of God, a sealed book written on both sides and the same creatures that Ezekiel saw in chapters one to three.

I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. (Revelation 5: 1)
We even have an angel who has the same description of God on the throne.
I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun and his feet like pillars of fire. and he had in his hand a little book which was open. He put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. (Revelation 10: 1-3)

When both prophets eat the book, it tastes like honey but later became bitter.
» The Bitter Sweet Book. So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey". I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, "You must prophecy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings". (Revelation 10: 9-11)

» The Flying Scroll. Zechariah saw a flying scroll which had the curse written on both sides.
And he said to me, "what do you see?" And I answered, "I see a flying scroll, its length is twenty cubits and its width is ten cubits". Then he said to me, "This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole land. Surely everyone who steals will be purged away by the writings written on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other side". (Zechariah 5: 2-3)

The Book Of The Covenant
We demonstrated in the lesson on the seven seals, that this book is the book of the covenant. The opening of the seals revealed the legal terms of the covenant. The blessings and curses. For a rebellious people this caused the curses, or the lamentations and woe. Ezekiel follows the same pattern. The rest of Ezekiel shows that application of this punishment to Israel and the whole world and the promised blessings.

Chapter 4-5: The Prophet As A Sign
Ezekiel was a prophet to the generation that would see the fulfillment of the prophecies. His life and actions became a sign or a living prophecy to the people.
Load the baggage on your shoulder in their sight and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel. ... Say, "I am a sign to you. As I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile, into captivity". (Ezekiel 12: 6, 11). See also Ezekiel 24: 24.

So, the generation that will see the fulfillment of a major prophecy should expect to see signs that will warn them of the coming fulfillment. The signs will be seen in the odd behavior of their prophets and in the environment around them. The signs will duplicate the fulfillment of the prophecy or their actions while the fulfillment is occurring.

• Siege. Jerusalem would be surrounded.
• Confinement. Judah would be confined for forty years and Israel for 390 years.
• Unclean Food. He ate bread and water. The bread was baked over dung.
• Fleeing in the Dark. They would dig a hole in the wall and try to sneak out in the dark.
• Shaving His Head. The disposition of his hair was a sign of how they would die by the sword.

Israel	Assyrian Captivity (390 Years)																	Freedom
	721	Assyria	609	Babylon Rules (70 Years)									539	Persia			331	Greece	Rome
	Judah		Carcemish		587	588	Siege	586	Temple Destroyed			546	Judah Free
Independent			Controlled by Babylon					All People Exiled (40 Years)				546	538	First Decree to Rebuild

• 390 Years. The northern kingdom of Israel was exiled to Assyria in 721 until the Greeks defeated the Persians in 331. Only when the Persian and Babylonian regions were defeated could the people taken into these regions by the Assyrian captivity be freed. Instead of there being ten "lost tribes" they seem to be the ancestors of the Samaritans. The Samaritans are descendants of intermarriage between native Israelites and settlers brought in by the Assyrians and Babylonians. By the time of Christ they were outcasts because they were not as pure as the Jews (descendants of the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin).
• 40 Years. Although the ruling class was exiled in 597 BC, the rest of the people were exiled in 586 BC when the temple was destroyed. The eighteen month siege of Jerusalem began in 588 and Cyrus issued his first decree in 538. But the Persian empire began its expansion in 546BC with the defeat of the Medes and Lydians. This is the forty years of exile which began with a siege that was prophesied by Ezekiel.
  Jerusalem Besieged. Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem. Then lay siege against it and build a siege wall, raise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around. Then get yourself an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face towards it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This is a sign to the house of Israel.
  Israel Exiled (390 Years). As for you lie down on your left side and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it. You shall bear their iniquity for the number of days that you lie on it. For I have assigned you a number of years corresponding to the years of their iniquity, three hundred and ninety days, so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
  Judah Exiled (40 Years). When you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah. I have assigned it to you for forty days, a day for each year. (Ezekiel 4: 1-6)
• 70 Years. Judah was controlled by Babylon from the time they lost independence at the Battle of Megiddo in 609 until the Persians invaded in 539. This is the seventy years of captivity prophesied by Jeremiah.

Chapter 5-7: Warning: The Wrath Of God
As God warns the people about their sins, He reminds them of the curses. Lamentations and woe will come in His judgments.
Moreover, I will send on you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you of children; plague and bloodshed also will pass through you, and I will bring the sword on you. I, the Lord have spoken. (Ezekiel 5: 17)
... "How much more when I send My four severe judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beasts and plague to cut off man and beast from it". (Ezekiel 14: 21)

On the day of wrath every precious thing will be useless.
They will fling their silver into the streets and their gold will become an abhorrent thing; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. (Ezekiel 7: 19)
And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more. cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet ... for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste ... "So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence and will not be found any longer. (Revelation 18: 11-12, 17, 21)

Chapter 8: The First Four Commandments And The Abomination

#	Commandment	Ezekiel 8	Revelation 13	Revelation 14: 9,11
1	Worship One God	Worship the idol of Jealousy (Verse 5)	They worship the beast (Verse 4)	Worship the beast
2	Do not worship images	Carved images in the temple (Verses 10-11)	Worship the image of the beast (Verse 14-15)	Worship the image of the beast
3	Do not take the name of the Lord in vain	Loved the name of Tammuz (Verse 14)	Blasphemed God and took the name of the beast (Verse 6, 17)	Receives the mark of his name
4	Sabbath	Sun worship (Verse 16)	The mark of the beast. (Forced Sunday worship) (Verse 17)	No rest day or night. No Sabbath rest
-	Day 7	Time (665) (Verse 1)	The number of his name is 666 (Verse 18)	-

There was abomination in the house of God because the priests broke the commandments and changed the worship of God. This apostasy occurred while the people were captives in Babylon. At the end of time, while we are living in Babylon the Great a similar apostasy occurs. The church and state create a new covenant when they change the law of God and force the whole world to worship the dragon through these laws. They also change the first four commandments.

Christ	Tammuz
Maker of the Sun	Sun god
Promised Seed	Vegetation god
Crucified and resurrected	Death and rebirth

This pattern also validates our claim that the breaking of the fourth commandment involves sun worship, or in our case, a change from the Sabbath to worship on Sunday, a day dedicated to the Sun. What is also remarkable is that God described each abomination as being worse than the former.
Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them. (Ezekiel 8: 15-18)
So the apostasy is complete when Sun worship occurs.

An Earlier Abomination. Tammuz was the god of the sun, vegetation, death and rebirth. He rose from the dead every spring. He appears to be usurping the role of Christ. The name of Christ is the name that we should call upon to be saved. Not Tammuz, a prototype of the Antichrist.

Chapter 9: The Mark Of God
When the end comes, the righteous and wicked are separated by a mark. This mark allows death to pass over you. In Ezekiel, one man did the marking and six executed the punishment. During the exodus, it was the house that was marked by the blood of the Passover lamb. Everyone inside the house was saved by the blood of the lamb.
» Mark the Righteous. The Lord said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst".
» Kill the Wicked. But to the others He said in my hearing, "Go through the city after Him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare." Utterly slay old men, young women, maidens, little children, and women,
» Save the Righteous. but do not touch any man on whom is the mark;
» Start with the Church. and you shall start from My sanctuary. So they started with the elders who were before the temple. (Ezekiel 9: 4-6)

In Revelation, both the righteous and the wicked are marked. This is for the purpose of bringing judgment and justice.
» The Mark of God. Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty four thousand, having His name and the name of the Father written on their foreheads. (Revelation 14 : 1)

» The Mark of the Beast. And he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. (Revelation 13 : 17)
... they have no rest day or night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name (Revelation 14 : 11)
This condemnation mentions perversions of the first four commandments (beast, image, name of the beast and no rest).
665. It came about in the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month ... (Ezekiel 8 : 1)
This was the date after the Babylonian captivity when he had the vision of the apostasy in Jerusalem. Sunset was 666. If you think of the number 666 as any measurement in three dimension then this is also a correlation to the 666 of the parallel story in Revelation 13 with the dimensions related to time.

The Abomination And The Mark Of Christ
This prophecy has multiple applications as if it is based on a law about the steps involved in punishing abominations against God - breaking the first four commandments. The same pattern is shown in the final abomination when The Mark Of The Beast apostasy infects the world. Ezekiel wrote this prophecy from the perspective of God's condemnation of the priests and their abominations in the temple. This time we will look at it as a Messianic prophecy from the perspective of how the priests viewed their God as an abomination and how they tore down His body temple.

• The Image Of Jealousy In The North. Accused of being a false God who was misleading the people, Jesus was crucified outside the north gate of the temple, lifted up on high like an abominable idol.
  Blasphemy: A False God In The Temple. Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry. (Ezekiel 8: 5)
  Sedetion: A False King In The Nation. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. (John 19: 7, 12)
  Public Execution And Burial In The North. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. (John 19: 41-42)
  
  » A God Who Inspired A Jealous Reaction. It makes no sense, but amazingly, instead of being in awe of the power, it was jealousy that made them decide to kill Jesus.
  Resurrection Miracle! And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
  The Reports Of Fame. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
  The Jealous Reaction. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
  The Plot To Kill. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. (John 11: 43-48,53)
  They solidified this decision after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and He was becoming popular.
• Surrounded By The Unclean. On the cross Jesus was surrounded by sinners, Jews and Gentiles. Jesus was also treated as the serpent on a stick.
  Serpent Idols. So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. (Ezekiel 8: 10)
  The Writing On The Wall. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was Jesus Of Nazareth The King Of The Jews. (John 19: 19)
  
  » The Hole In The Wall. They saw these abominations after they dug the hole. Five holes were in the body of Jesus. The first four nail holes were dug before He was put on display and surrounded by the abominable sight of people mocking and cheering and demons urging the people to riot. The fifth was the hole in His side.
  Digging A Hole. And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall. Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. (Ezekiel 8: 7-9)
• Women Weeping. The women were weeping for the dead Tammuz.
  Respecting Tammuz. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. (Ezekiel 8: 14)
  Women were weeping for Jesus on the road to Golgotha and His execution.
  Weeping Daughters. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. (Luke 23: 27-28)
  Mary was weeping at the tomb which was also in the north, near the place of crucifixion.
  Weeping Disciple. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. (John 20: 11-13)
• The Rising Sun In The East. Jesus was resurrected by the time of the rising of the sun when the women came.
  Sun Worship. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. (Ezekiel 8: 15-16)
  They came at sunrise on Sunday to see their God.
  A Rising With The Sun. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. (Mark 16: 2)
• The Mark Of Christ. In Ezekiel's prophecy we learn that only the righteous receive the mark of God. In Revelation 13 we learn that even the wicked are marked - but not by God.
  
  • Marked By The Beast. He was marked from head to toe with bruises. The Romans slapped, kicked, whipped, punched, pummeled and gouged His skin with a flagellum and pierced His body with nail holes and a sword.
    The Dragon Named Rome. Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. (John 19: 1-3)
    Mangled By Rome. And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. (Mark 15: 15,17,19)
  • Marked By God. In Gethsemane, bleeding from His pores must have created bruises. God sent an angel to encourage Him to continue the Plan of Salvation.
    A Cup From God. Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22: 42-44)
    When He accepted this duty and prayed for sinners the agony tore open His skin, like a million pricks.
    This was the offering that God accepted for atonement for sin. God asked Him to accepts these bruises for us and the bruises to come at the hand of Rome.
    Bruised By Our Sins. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53: 10)
  Since He was marked by the beast He would be killed. Since He was marked by God His life would be spared when the angel of death came.
  So both events occurred and the angel of God rolled away the stone from His grave.
  The Angel Of The Resurrection. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. (Matthew 28: 1-2)

Chapter 12: No More Delay
The people were beginning to express doubt because the prophecy took a long time to be fulfilled.
Son of man, what is this proverb you people have concerning the land of Israel saying "The days are long and every vision fails"?.
For I the Lord will speak and whatever word I speak will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord God. (Ezekiel 12: 22,25)
and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets. (Revelation 10: 6-7)

In the last days the mockers will essentially claim that the delay was from the beginning of creation.
Know this first of all that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation". (2 Peter 3: 3-4)

Chapter 13-33: Warning The Nations
Several chapters were a warning to Israel and the surrounding nations and the leaders. This is equivalent to the message of the three angels, who have the gospel for every tribe, nation and language.
And I saw another angel fly in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. And he said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give Him glory because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and springs of waters". (Revelation 14: 6-7)
All these nations usurped the power of God as ruler and creator and rejoiced in the suffering of Israel.
In punishing these nations God seemed to be saying that the nations sinned when they took advantage of Israel. They should have helped her and comforted her. Instead they looted and plundered and laughed at her calamity. So, even though we will be persecuted, we should have pity on the nations when they are punished.

• Sodom. Sodom fell because of a sin of immorality during the time of Abraham. Hundreds of years later Sodom fell again because of another set of sins. These seem to be the sins of Laodicea.
  Look, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom; she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but did not help the poor and the needy. So they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. (Ezekiel 16: 49-50)
• Egypt. Israel turned to Egypt for support instead of God. Egypt was the great monster that was in the river. She claimed to have made the Nile. This is the same as the dragon who was in the sea in Revelation 12 and 17. Israel would become a lowly kingdom after this and never rule the nations again. After this time, no Egyptian national became king again. The dynasty of pharaoh passed to foreign conquerors. These foreign kings were later eliminated by the Romans.
• Babylon. Falls because it tries to be god.
• Tyre. The king thought that he was god. They were wealthy traders and had a strong army from many nations. They traded in the same merchandise listed in Revelation 18. The were punished for their pride and their predatory behavior. They took advantage of Israel in their weakness.
  Tyre has said concerning Jerusalem, "Aha, the gateway of the peoples is broken; it has opened to me, I shall be filled now that she is laid waste". (Ezekiel 26: 2)
• Sidon. They may also have scorned and mocked Israel in her suffering. (Ezekiel 28: 21-24)
• Ammon. They were happy about the destruction of Israel. They had no mercy.
  Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the scorn of your soul against the land of Israel. (Ezekiel 25: 6)
• Moab and Seir. They had no respect for Israel. And they saw no difference between the holy and the unclean.
  Because Moab and Seir say "Look, the house of Judah is like all the nations". (Ezekiel 25: 8)
• Edom. They took revenge on Israel and treated them with scorn. Ezekiel 25: 12.
• Philistines. They took revenge on Israel and treated them with scorn. Ezekiel 25: 15.

Chapter 21: The Sword
Son of man, prophesy and say, thus says the Lord. Say, "A sword, a sword sharpened and also polished! Sharpened to make a slaughter. Polished to flash like lightning! Or shall we rejoice, the rod [scepter] of My son despising every tree?" It is given to be polished, that it may be handled. The sword is sharpened and polished, to give it into the hand of the slayer. (Ezekiel 21: 9-11)
The Rod Which Despises. Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the officials of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with My people, therefore strike your thigh. For there is a testing; and what if even the rod which despises will be no more? says the Lord. (Ezekiel 21: 12-13)

• The Executioner's Sword. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "King Of Kings, and Lord Of Lords." (Revelation 19: 15-16)
  » Rod. The sword may be His scepter which becomes a rod of iron that He uses to subdue the nations of the iron kingdom. It is also a rod which despises or a rod which shows His hatred.
• Lightning. The lightning from His polished sword flashes across the sky at His coming.
  For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. (Matthew 24: 27)
• Thigh. Striking the thigh may be a symbol of testing because of a breach of the covenant based on His name. His name is written on His thigh. So striking the thigh is like striking His name.
  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King Of Kings, and Lord Of Lords. (Revelation 19: 16)
  In Genesis 47: 29 a hand under the thigh was a sign of a covenant between Abraham and Joseph.
• Righteous and Wicked Cut Off. The reaping cuts off the righteous and the wicked and separates them into two piles. He begins with the righteous in the south and ends with the wicked in Babylon in the north.
  Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go forth from its sheath against all flesh from south to north. (Ezekiel 21: 4)
• Divination and Sorcery by Babylon. Babylon consulted the occult forces when they decided to destroy Israel.
  For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of two ways, to use divination. He shakes the arrows, he consults the household idols, he looks at the liver. (Ezekiel 21: 21)
  Babylon the Great is also full of sorcery (Revelation 16: 13-14 and 18: 2).
• The Throne Is Lost. And you, O slain, wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of the punishment of the end. thus says the Lord God, "Remove the turban and take off the crown; this will no longer be the same. Exalt that which is low and abase that which is high. A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, I will make it. This also will be no more until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him." (Ezekiel 21: 25-27)
  The throne will be taken away until the right king comes. Israel lost their monarchy after the Babylonian captivity when Jehoiakim was captured by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC and it has never been restored. When Jesus Christ died in 31 AD, He received the throne of David forever and called the Gentiles.
  » A Ruin, A Ruin, A Ruin. This may refer to three times that the monarchy will be taken away. These were Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece. When Rome, the fourth kingdom, came the Messiah took the Monarchy during their reign because He is the Son of David who has the right to the throne.

Chapter 22: The Sins Of The People
Son of man, say to her, you are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation. (Ezekiel 22: 24)
On the Day of the Lord the wicked are without the Holy Spirit. They missed the Latter Rain and are filthy with sins.

• Idolatry. You have become guilty of the blood which you have shed, and defiled by your idols which you have made. (Ezekiel 22: 4)
• Useless Dross. Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the furnace. They are the dross of silver. (Ezekiel 22: 18)
• Unfaithful Priests. Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the clean and the unclean and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. (Ezekiel 22: 26)
• Sabbath Breakers. You have despised My holy things and profaned My sabbaths. (Ezekiel 22: 8)
• False Prophets. Her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them saying, "Thus says the Lord" when the Lord has not spoken. (Ezekiel 22: 28)
• Prosperity Prophets. There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured lives, they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in the midst of her. (Ezekiel 22: 25)
• Oppression. The people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery, and they have robbed the poor and needy and have oppressed the sojourner without justice. (Ezekiel 22: 29)
  Money Hungry. In you they have taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by oppression, and you have forgotten Me, declares the Lord God. (Ezekiel 22: 12)

Chapter 16 and 23: Babylon, The Mother Of Harlots
Samaria and Jerusalem are described as two harlot sisters. They were unfaithful with Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon.
Jerusalem and Her Daughter are Whores. Behold, everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb concerning you, "Like mother, like daughter". (Ezekiel 16: 44)
Jerusalem is a Naked Whore. ... They will take your sons and your daughters; and your survivors will be consumed by fire. They will also strip you of your clothes and take away your beautiful jewels. They will deal with you in hatred, take all your property, and leave you naked and bare ... (Ezekiel 23: 25-26, 29)

Babylon the Great is also condemned for prostitution and prostituting her daughters and nakedness.
... "Come here and I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality ...
Babylon and Her Daughters are Whores. and on her forehead a name was written, "Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth".
Babylon is a Naked Whore. ... And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. (Revelation 17: 1-2, 5, 16)

Burned with Fire. They shall not take a woman who is defiled by prostitution. ... And the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by harlotry, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire. (Leviticus 21: 7, 9)
The daughter of a priest who prostitutes herself is burned with fire. Babylon the Great has a religious origin so she is punished with fire.

Chapter 26-28: The Fall Of Babylon And The King Of Tyre
This chapter is divided into two distinct parts that describe one person. It captures the description of Satan in Revelation 17 who is an eighth head that is part of the seven heads. They are separate, yet one. So we see that the little horn who is pretending to be god is an extension of Satan who is trying to remove God from His throne.

• The King of Tyre. Verses 1 to 10 describe a man who wants to be like God.
  ... because your heart is lifted up and you have said, "I am god, I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the seas; yet you are a man and not god, and you make your heart like the heart of God. " (Ezekiel 28: 2)
  It uses the same language that is used to describe the little horn power that usurped the throne of God. (Daniel 8: 23-24; Daniel 11: 36; Revelation 13: 5-7; 17: 3)
• Satan. Verses 11 to 19 describes this same person as Satan who coveted the throne of God. So, as he condemns the king of Tyre, God is comparing his sin to the sin that caused Satan to fall. So God merges the descriptions. Because, in the end, similar kingdoms will arise and emulate Satan and God will make them and Satan fall in the same way, and for the same reasons that He made the king of Tyre fall.
  ... you had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God, every precious stone was your covering ... You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you ... all who know you among the peoples are appalled at you. You have become terrified and you will cease to be forever. (Ezekiel 28: 12-13, 15, 19)
• The King of Babylon. Isaiah 14: 12-21 describes Satan in the same way. Satan is the king of Babylon.
  How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars of God ... I will make myself like the Most High". ... Those who see you will gaze at you, they will ponder over you saying "is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a wilderness and overthrew cities, who did not allow his prisoners to go home?" (Isaiah 14: 12, 16)

Chapter 34: Judgment Of The House Of God
This chapter describes the duties of the good shepherd and the judgment that will fall on both the bad sheep and the bad shepherds. In the prophecy of the seven churches in Revelation 1 to 3, we show how Jesus was the good shepherd to a series of bad churches. By the time of the judgment, it would be the time of the seventh church. The church of Laodicea would be the church that would be judged.
Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them, "Behold, I even I will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep". ... Therefore I will deliver My flock, and they will no longer be a prey; and I will judge between one sheep and another. (Ezekiel 34: 20, 22)

The Fat Sheep Of Laodicea. So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing", and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. (Revelation 3: 16-17)

Chapter 36: The Gathering Of Israel
Since he lived during the Babylonian captivity Ezekiel must be prophesying about the return from Babylon. However, certain features of the prophecy clearly place the promises after the coming of the Holy Spirit in 31 AD and during the reign of Babylon the Great at the end of time.

Babylon	Greek	Roman	31 AD			Holy Spirit	136 AD	Scattered	2000 Years	1948	Babylon The Great
Captivity	Occupation		Roman Captivity and Scattering							Israel Gathered

• The Mountains of Israel Possessed By Foreigners. Mount Zion is the everlasting heights because it is the symbol of the throne of God while He dwells among men. They have been occupied by various foreign governments since 605 BC. Some have desecrated the Holy Temple on the Temple mount (Antiochus Epiphanes, Pompeii and Hadrian) and two have even destroyed the temple (Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and Vespasian and Titus of Rome).
  The Occupation of The Temple Mount. Thus says the Lord God, "Because the enemy has spoken against you, 'Aha!' and 'The everlasting heights have become our possession,' Therefore prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord God, for good reason they have made you desolate and crushed you from every side, that you would become a possession of the rest of the nations and you have been taken up in the talk and the whispering of the people." (Ezekiel 36: 2)
  But it has never been continuously occupied by the structure of another god until 681-713 when the Muslims completed the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque compound.
  This prophecy also fulfills the hatred of the surrounding Muslim nations as they try to destroy Israel while claiming the land as theirs.
  During the ensuing 2000 years all the nations and the Christians have been whispering about the punishment of the Jews. Although they were severely persecuted by the Christians, the church actually tried to keep a small number of Jews in poverty and on display as an example of the punishment of God and the history of the Bible.
  Revenge. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, "I have sworn that surely the nations which are around you will themselves endure their insults. But you, O mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel, for they will soon come." (Ezekiel 36: 7)
  One day the tables will be overturned and the tormentors will be punished and Israel will return to their land. The largest mass exodus of Israel back to their land occurred after their slavery in Egypt, after the Babylonian captivity and after World War 2 when the modern state of israel was formed. They also returned around the northern regions after they were expelled from Jerusalem by Hadrian.
• Never Bereaved Again. We know that this promise has not been fulfilled because they were driven out by the Romans and it took almost 2000 years for them to return to their land as a sovereign nation again.
  Repossessed by Israel. Yes I will cause men - My people Israel - to walk on you and possess you, so that you will become their inheritance and never again bereave them of children. I will not let you hear insults from the nations anymore, nor will you bear disgrace from the peoples any longer, nor will you cause your nation to stumble any longer, declared the Lord God. (Ezekiel 36: 12)
  This is certainly not the Muslim occupation over the previous centuries. It could apply to the return of the Jews or even occupation by Christians who are heirs of Abraham and the spiritual nation of Israel.
  
  » Never Scattered Again. This particular repossession refers to the physical nation of Israel because they were the ones who were disgraced. This promise shows that the prophecy extends beyond the Babylonian captivity because we know that they were carried off again and scattered after that by the Romans between 70 AD and 136 AD. Applying this to global Israel or the Jews and the Christian church does not fulfill the prophecy because the other information does not apply to the experience of the Christian church. We were never in the land and never thrown out so that God had to gather us again from the nations. The Christians do not have this history of derision and expulsion from Israel. However, it could be fulfilled when we walk on the ashes of the wicked in the new earth. This means that our experience of explusion occurs during the final persecution.
• Edom Possesses Israel. The House of Herod are the Edomites who gained sovereignty over Israel when the Romans allowed them to rule. They were in possession with Rome when the crucifixion occurred.
  The House of Herod. Therefore thus says the Lord God, "Surely in the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who appropriated My land for themselves as a possession with whole hearted joy and with scorn of soul, to drive it out for a prey. (Ezekiel 36: 5)
• The Gathering of Israel. God will place Israel into their land again. The Christians have never been gathered as a group into Israel as a result of a mass exodus. During the crusades the church tried to lure them into the land, but they only came as tourists on a pilgrimage. As a result, the church could not fend of the encroaching Muslims who took over completely in the seventh century until the collapse of the Ottoman empire after World War 1 brought it under the control of the west again.
  Israel Rebuilt. For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. (Ezekiel 36: 24)
• The Holy Spirit And the Covenant. The first outpouring of the Holy Spirit was given to Israel 50 days after the crucifixion and after 3.5 years their rejection caused the covenant to go to the Gentiles. After 100 years the two communities split. According to Zechariah 12, in the latter days the Jews will accept the Messiah they pierced after they receive the Holy Spirit. This is when this prophecy witll be completed, and it must also occur after they have been gathered into the land. It took 2000 years for that exodus to occur and the scattering to be reversed.
  The second outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain has not occurred yet.
  The Latter Rain. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe all My ordinances. (Ezekiel 36: 25-27)
  Both the Christian and Jewish branches of the church still have a heart of stone and are still rebellious. They both need to be purified by the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 37: The Restoration Of Israel
The Revival Of The Dry Bones
After the judgment of the church comes the resurrection of the church. The concept of a resurrection is fully described in at least three places in the old testament.
Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12: 2)
Your dead will live. Their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits. (Isaiah 26: 19)
So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceeding great army. Then He said to me "Son of man, this is the whole house of Israel ..." (Ezekiel 37: 10-11)

Revelation describes two resurrections, one thousand years apart. The first is for the righteous, the second is for the wicked.
... and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years ... this is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20: 4-5)

The Whole House of Israel. This is not only the physical nation of Israel. It is everyone who accepts Christ as their Messiah. They will come to life. It could also include the time when they are born again, just before the first resurrection.

The Separation And Reunion Of Israel
The tribes of Israel were divided after the death of Solomon and the ten northern tribes were taken away into captivity by the Assyrians in 721 BC and never returned to Israel. Then the Babylonians took the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin and their priests in 539 BC and they returned to the land seventy years later.
How can we date the events of this prophecy? Ezekiel lived during the Babylonian captivity, 200 years after the northern tribes of Israel had been taken away. So Ezekiel must be describing another separation of the sons of Israel, using the division of the northern and southern tribes as a pattern.

• Separated By The Son of Man. Christ was the Son of Man who held the two groups in His hands. Judah is the original Jews and Joseph represents the father of the Gentile Jews (Ephraim and Manasseh) with an Egyptian mother.
  Judah and Joseph. And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick, and write on it, "For Judah and for the sons of Israel his companions", and take another stick and write on it, "For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the sons of Israel, his companions". (Ezekiel 37: 16)
  At the crucifixion the two branches of spiritual Israel were separated by the will of God.
• Reunited by The Son of Man. Christ will also unify them into one inheritance. While the Jews are the first son, the Gentiles are the second son (the youngest and the largest).
  The Unity Of The Church. Then join them for yourself one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand. and say to them "Thus says the Lord God, Look, I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand. (Ezekiel 37: 17,19)
  Ephraim is the second son who holds Joseph's inheritance in trust (in his hand) until the reunion.
• Two Kingdoms of Israel Reunited. Notice that the "sons of Israel" are part of both Judah and Joseph.
  The Gathering Of Israel. Say to them "thus says the Lord God, behold I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land. and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king of all of them; and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms. (Ezekiel 37: 21-22)
  As far as the world is concerned, the ten northern tribes are lost, scattered among the nations for over 2700 years. But God promises that He will bring them back. We know how. Christ declared that everyone of His followers are children of Israel and heirs of the promise. At some point after physical Israel is restored in their land, He will reunite the two groups of the separated spiritual tribes.
  When He places Israel into their land several things will happen that parallel the prophecies of Zechariah.
  • The Giving Of The Holy Spirit. Christ gave the Holy Spirit and resurrected the first fruits within fifty days of the crucifixion. But just before the first resurrection, the Holy Spirit will be poured out again.
    A Spiritual Resurrection and Rebirth. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it, declares the Lord. (Ezekiel 37: 14)
    After the crucifixion, Israel actually lost their land and the Christians were scattered around the four corners of the world. The entire world is their legal possession, with Israel as the capital.
    Zechariah also describes their rebirth through the Holy Spirit when they have gathered into the land.
    The Coming Of The Holy Spirit. I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication, so that they will look at Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like bitter weeping over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12: 10)
  • King David. David will be our prince and we will obey the laws of God.
    My servant David will be king over them and they will all have one shepherd; And they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them. ... and David My servant will be their prince forever. (Ezekiel 37: 24-25)
  • The New Covenant. Jesus ratified the new covenant with His own blood, reconciling Jews and Gentiles.
    Eternal Peace. And I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. (Ezekiel 37: 26)
  • The Sanctuary. The sanctuary will be built after the resurrection when David is king, not by the people before the Antichrist appears.
    God Lives With Us. My dwelling place also will be with them, and I will be their God and they will be My people. And the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever. (Ezekiel 37: 27-28)

Chapter 38-39: Armageddon (Gog And Magog)

Jesus Christ The Plagues And The Battle The events of the crucifixion followed the pattern of the seven last plagues. On the cross, Christ fought a battle against all the attacks of Satan.

The Feast Of Tabernacles. During this feast the Jews read this portion of Ezekiel on the second day. The pattern shows that this battle is part of the feast.
Jesus also fulfilled the events of this feast when He tabernacled with humanity and that fulfillment will be summarized here in the inserts. However, the larger fulfillment at the end of time is presented here in detail.

Satan, who was confined to prison for the millennium, will be brought out to face the final judgment with his army.
I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords. (Ezekiel 38: 4)

This occurs at the Third Coming when the wicked have been resurrected for the final judgment.
After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. (Ezekiel 38: 8)

Jesus Christ The Evil Army The Roman army from the north was used by Satan to arrest and murder Jesus. In fact, the army was stationed in Caesarea in the north.

• The Evil Army. This is the attack of the nations gathered for Armageddon during the sixth plague. This attack will be interrupted by the Second Coming and the millennium.
  Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-Togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops - many peoples with you. (Ezekiel 38: 5)
  These are the nations of Iran, Ethiopia and Somalia, Libya and Turkey, possibly including Armenia and Azerbaijan.
• Many Days. This is the 1000 years confined to the devastated earth prison.
• Latter Years. The final days when evil will be totally destroyed.
• Land Restored From the Sword. The nation of Israel is no longer at war.
• People Gathered from the Nations. Spiritual Israel is gathered from people of all nations.
• Mountains of Israel. The New Jerusalem lands on the Mount of Olives and it splits into two mountains.
• Continual Waste. The earth was desolate during the 1000 years.
• People Living Securely. The children of God are secure within the holy city of the New Jerusalem.

After the wicked are resurrected and judged and condemned to death, they try to fight for the city of God.

Jesus Christ The Evil Plans Against Him Judas and the priests in the Sanhedrin plotted to capture Jesus. He was beseiged by the people on the cross where He suffered the curses of the seven last plagues.

Son of man, set your face towards Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal and prophesy against him
Evil War Plans ... This says the Lord God, it will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan, and you will say, "I will go up against the land of unwalled villages, I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates".
Siege of Jerusalem. You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army.
Plagues. With pestilence and with blood I will enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him and all his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a torrential rain, with hailstones, fire and brimstone. (Ezekiel 38: 2, 10-11,15, 22)

At the end of time, the people are divided into two nations. The righteous nation of global Israel will be safely in the city of God. The wicked are the nation of Gog from the land of Magog. They are led by Satan. Ezekiel gives us much more information. But Revelation gives us more context.
Siege of the New Jerusalem. When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. And they come up on the broad plain of the earth and surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. (Revelation 20: 7-9)

Jesus Christ Two Nations He reconciled the Jews and Gentiles, making one nation. However, as we accept or reject Him, the world is being divided into two camps.

The Last Two Nations
Before the millennium there are two nations, the righteous and the wicked.
After the millennium there are only two nations.

• Israel. Twelve tribes whose leader is Jesus. These are those who are righteous by faith like Abraham.
• Magog. One tribe whose leader is Gog (Satan). These are the disobedient who chose not to believe.

The Last Plague
A plague and a rain of fire fall on the wicked when they surround the city of Jerusalem and try to attack the righteous.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark? Now this is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem, their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth. (Zechariah 14: 12)

• Before the Second Coming. The plague will be the seven last plagues and the rain of fire will be the hail stones at the Second Coming. The siege will be the persecution of the church and the surrounding of real Israel.
• After the Third Coming. The plague will cause them to rot while they are still standing and the hail of fire will be hell fire. The city will be the New Jerusalem. Their death will be instantaneous. No torture.

Who Is The King Of The North?
One common interpretation of the identity of Gog and Magog is that it is the nations of Russia and China who will attack Israel during the battle of Armageddon. They are the kings from the remote parts of the north. Revelation clearly places the siege of Jerusalem by Gog and Magog after the millennium. Therefore Satan is Gog, the king of the North.

Jerusalem surrounded	Judgment (plagues)	Preparation (War)	Righteous Resurrected	God comes	Satan Bound	God comes	Wicked Resurrected	Judgment (Hell fire)	Jerusalem surrounded	Destruction (War)
Preparation for Armageddon			Feast of Birds (Millennium)					Battle of Armageddon
Gog: Antichrist and the USA								Gog: Satan

However, we notice that the events before and after the millennium are a copy of each other.

• War. Before the millennium there is only preparation for the battle of Armageddon. The war occurs after the millennium.
• Israel Regathered. Before the millennium the physical nation of global/spiritual Israel is regathered out of the nations in the last days. At that time the nations will start a war against them.
• God Comes. Christ physically comes to the earth at the beginning and end of the millennium.
• Judgment of the Wicked. The wicked are judged and punished with the seven last plagues before the millennium and with hell fire after.
• Resurrection. There is a general resurrection before and after the millennium. The righteous are resurrected before the millennium and the wicked after.
• Jerusalem is Surrounded. Jerusalem is surrounded by the wicked in anticipation of killing the righteous both before and after the millennium. It seems that literal Israel will be surrounded at the same time as the latter rain (Zechariah 12). This leads us to conclude that the beginning of the persecution will be marked by signs of persecution and siege in Israel. The powers that do this also deserve the title of Gog.
• Gog. If Satan is Gog, the king of the north after the millennium, then there is probably an evil, human copy before. Because Satan will impersonate Christ in a false Second Coming before the millennium, he is probably the ultimate king of the north before the millennium who controls the evil, global ruler.
  This person convinces the world to start a war against the righteous and Satan appears in person to reinforce this edict. Prophecy describes both Satan and two world leaders as controlling the world at the end of time. It takes the combined power of these three forces to push the world into persecution. All these powers sit in the temple of God acting like God. And, Satan transfers his authority to these groups to act on his behalf.
  • The Eighth Head. Satan is the eighth head who has been controlling the seven headed beast.
  • The Insolent King (Antichrist). At the end of time one religious ruler attempts to control the world by using the power of another government.
  • United States. The military power that is mentioned as both controlling the world and creating an environment for the religious power to take control is the second beast of Revelation who initially behaved like a lamb.
  They are all servants of Gog.

Gog: The Princes Of Rosh, Meshech And Tubal
These are some rival arguments used to support the identity of these princes.

• The Origin of the Words. This is supposed to be Russia because "Rosh" sounds like Russia and "Meshech" sounds like Moscow. I disagree.
  The descendants of Noah who were the ancestors of these tribes lived in the region of Turkey.
  The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras. (Genesis 10: 2)
  Isaiah 66: 19 describes Meshech, Rosh, Tubal and Javan as being in the distant coast lands. This is in the north of the Mediterranean sea.

  The Original Dispersion of the Nations			The Sons of Noah
  			Shem. His descendants lived in the Middle East on the Arabian peninsula. Abraham gave this land to his children. » Sarah (Isaac). Israel » Hagar (Ishmael). West Arabia » Keturah. East Arabia Ham. His descendants migrated to the south in Egypt and Africa and the regions south of the Mediterranean sea. Japheth. His descendants migrated north to the European continent and north of the Mediterranean sea.
  North Turkey: Magog	South Turkey: Meshech, Tubal	Greece: Javan, Tiras

• The Remote North. The other argument from Ezekiel 39: 2 is that they come from the remote north. Russia, China, Canada and the United States are in the remote north.
  Ezekiel 38: 6 also describes Beth-Togarmah as being from the remote parts of the north. But it is actually in eastern Turkey. Perhaps the ancients thought that the inhospitable cold regions beyond the Black Sea were the remote parts that are not suitable for humans.
• The Remote Parts Of The North. The United States is in the north and it is the most remote nation and it is exactly half way around the world from Israel and Alaska is in the far north. It is a combination of location and actions that define this entity.

These princes are in the land of Turkey. An examination of these dual prophecies show that when the fulfillment occurs the power in charge will control the physical region of the nations named. Therefore, Gog has influence over Turkey.

The Battle In The Valley Of Hamon-Gog
The forces of good and evil will meet on the plains of Megiddo in a final battle when Gog will attack Israel.
On that day I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea, and it will block off those who pass by. So they will bury Gog there with all his horde, and they will call it the valley of Hamon-Gog. (Ezekiel 39: 11)

The prophecy of Ezekiel is set after the millennium when Satan tries to attack Israel himself. His last failed attempt was just before the Second Coming when his human armies failed.

Ancient Babylon defeated Israel on the plains of Megiddo at the battle of Carcemish in 609 BC and began their seventy year captivity for iniquity. At the end of time Israel is faithful. So when Babylon the Great meets Israel at Megiddo in the Battle of Armageddon, God will fight for them. Interpreters have really confused two separate issues in the last war.

» Preparation for Armageddon. Before the millennium, there will also be a battle with the forces from the north and east. We have a picture of war with the Islamic countries as the king of Babylon the Great spreads confusion to all the nations from within the country of Babylon.
Babylon the Great is distressed at "rumors from the north and east" (Daniel 11: 44-45). It causes them to launch a furious attack in which it is defeated. In this same battle Israel is attacked by the nations around them. This is because Satan takes the opportunity to try to kill all the people of God in this global confusion because the enemies of the people of God try to blame them for the global terror.
Those who hate Israel will try to blame them for the deteriorating conditions in Palestine. Those who hate Christians will try to blame them for the actions of a Christian nation gone bad. And this nation tries to silence the real Christians who raise their voices against the atrocities and their war on religion. In fighting the Muslims with any tactics they learn to fight all religion so they attack their own.

The Combined Map of the Last War between Good and Evil
Jewish: Hamon-Gog	Christian: Armageddon	Muslim: Battle of Qaim

• Jewish. This war comes from the north as Ezekiel prophecies. But Zechariah also prophesies about a battle on the day of the Lord in which Jerusalem is surrounded and almost defeated before they recognize the Messiah. At that point God fights for them. The political conditions also mimic the first fall of Ancient Babylon. At that time Babylon was in control of Israel before they were attacked from the north and east. At this time the United States is in control of Israel and Iraq. Their presence in Israel attracts their mutual enemies.
• Christian. This war comes from the north after the millennium. But before the millennium there is a war in the Holy Land and Babylon the Great is defeated by forces from the north and east.
• Muslim. Iraq is north and east of Israel. Iran (Persia) is north and east of Iraq (Babylon). So we can see how the dual fulfillment applies to the nation of Israel and to Babylon. Babylon attacks Israel and Persia attacks Babylon and Israel. The Jewish prophecies predict that God will deliver Israel when the nations surround them, but the Muslim prophecies tell them to attack Israel and God will give them victory. Therefore there are two opposing forces with contradictory instructions from prophecy that propel them to work towards their roles in the same prophesied events. One is told to be the aggressor, the other is told that they will be victims who will be successful.

Cleansing The Land For Seven Months

Jesus Christ Searching For The Dead It is the people and the dead who continually defile the land. With His death Jesus cleansed the people in preparation for cleansing the whole earth.

Cleansing The Land. For seven months the Israelites will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. All the people of the land will bury them, and the day I display my glory will be a memorable day for them, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Employees Search. People will be continually employed in cleansing the land. They will spread out across the land and, along with others, they will bury any bodies that are lying on the ground.
Detailed Search. After the seven months they will carry out a more detailed search. As they go through the land, anyone who sees a human bone will leave a marker beside it until the gravediggers bury it in the Valley of Hamon Gog, (Ezekiel 39: 12-15)

Global Israel. The righteous nation will be gathered at the end of time. Since touching and handling the dead is a defilement, we could not possibly be burying the dead after we are in our glorified bodies.

• Cleansing And Restoring The Land. During the millennium the land will be at rest and it will be cleansed from death.
• Seven Months. The period of time during the Millennium in which we will judge the wicked.
• People Employed. The righteous in heaven will be engaged in the task of judging the wicked.
• The Glory Of God Displayed. This is the glorious Third Coming with the saints and the city of New Jerusalem.
  Awesome Judgment. And I will set My glory among the nations, and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them. (Ezekiel 39: 21)
  After this Israel will know God personally because He will formally make His dwelling with us.
• The Restoration of Israel. The once despised and rejected global nation of Israel who are the righteous of the earth who have been quarantined as sinners, will be restored in front of all the inhabitants of the universe.
• Searching For The Dead. The wicked dead will litter the surface of the earth, unburied.
• The Detailed Search. While we are in heaven, we will judge the wicked, making a detailed search of their life.

Local Israel. This prophecy is clearly about the end of time, after the Battle of Armageddon. Yet Jesus also fulfills them during the 2000 years after the crucifixion.
The fate of Israel is a pattern for the fate of all the righteous who will be reconciled with the rest of the universe.

• Cleansing And Restoring The Land. Jesus' death cleared the people of sin and He is in the process of restoring and cleansing the sanctuary (the church). With the cleansing of the people and sanctuary the land can be cleansed.
• Seven Months. The seven months are related to the seven churches and the seven month period of time between the Passover death of Jesus Christ and His second Coming during the Feast of Tabernacles.
• People Employed. These are the evangelists, partors, teachers, missionaries and workers for God who search for those who are dead in sin.
• The Glory Of God Displayed. At the end of time, God will be magnified before the world. The bright angel with the rainbow from Revelation 18 is a testimony to the glorious Gospel being spread in the last generation.
  Israel Recognizes God. And the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward. (Ezekiel 39: 22)
• The Restoration of Israel. From this time forward God will restore His holy name when He restores all Israel again before all the nations.
  Israel Gathered. The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity because they acted treacherously against Me, and I hid My face from them; so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and all of them fell by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I dealt with them, and I hid My face from them.
  Israel Restored. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name. They will forget their disgrace and all their treachery which they perpetrated against Me, when they live securely on their own land with no one to make them afraid. When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, then I shall be sanctified through them in the sight of the many nations. (Ezekiel 39: 23-27)
• Searching For The Dead. The dead on the surface of the earth are those dead in sin.
• The Detailed Search. At this final time, a more detailed search will be made as men seek God earnestly.

The Feast Of Birds
God invites the birds to eat the bodies of the unburied wicked that cover the surface of the earth. This occurs at the Second Coming when the wicked are killed with fire and brimstone. However, in this context it seems that it will also occur after the third coming. At that time there will be a representation of the plague as the wicked rot while they are still standing. So there will probably be another feast for the birds before their dead bodies are thrown in the lake of fire.
And, you son of man, this says the Lord God; Speak to 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, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh, and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth ... (Ezekiel 39: 17, 18)

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, "Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great." (Revelation 19: 17-18)
Revelation describes the hail of fire at the Second Coming.
And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe. (Revelation 16: 17-21)

The Final Gathering Of Israel
Ezekiel prophesied about the gathering of Israel when they returned from exile in Babylon. Samaria would be exiled for 390 years in Assyria and Judah for forty years. Babylon would control Judah for seventy years but exile most of the population for forty of those years.
So the gathering was not the return after the modern state of Israel was created or after the collapse of communism. But those modern events were a sign to the generation that would see the final ingathering. Christ would return and gather the righteous nation during their life time. At the end of time, the last nation that tries to conquer global Israel is also called Babylon the Great. God will gather people from all tribes and nations and tongues from out of the earth and save them from the persecution of Babylon. Then this prophecy will come through again for the global Israel.
But the final gathering of Israel triggers a war in which God reveals Himself as the defender of Israel.
When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, then I shall be sanctified through them in the sight of many nations. (Ezekiel 39: 27)
Then they will know that I am the Lord their God because I made them go into exile among the nations, and then gathered them again to their own land, and I will leave none of them there any longer. (Ezekiel 39: 28)
In a cosmic sense, Adam and Eve and their children went into exile. And when God saves us and takes us to heaven, it will be a great victory to the rest of the nations in the universe that did not sin.

Chapter 40-48: The City And Temple And People Of God

Jesus Christ The City And Temple Jesus is the temple that was raised up after three days. This is the temple in which He now ministers as High Priest for us. He went to heaven to build the city to receive us.

The end of both books describe the city of God and the twelve tribes who will live there. The exact meaning is discussed in the lesson on the twelve tribes of Israel because it cannot be understood without this knowledge. The temple is also described in the lesson on Ezekiel's temple. Both cities have certain common features.

• River. A river flows out of the sanctuary.
• Tree of Life. It grows on the banks of the river and bears twelve fruit every month.
• Twelve Tribes. There are twelve tribes, but Dan is missing in the end and the city is larger. Since God knows the future, we must assume that the future in prophecy is based on His promises. He will create this alternate future, if we are faithful. If we are unfaithful, another future, also based on our decisions will happen. So Dan was promised an eternal inheritance in Ezekiel, but according to Revelation, that is not the final future. What would have been the psychological effect on the tribe of Dan at this moment in time if God told them that there is no future for the tribe because they would eventually abandon him? Ezekiel's conditional future city had to include Dan because Dan had not been judged.

  The Conditional Future The future is based on the promises of God and our response. It is not set in stone by the arbitrary will of God. So we see a remarkable thing. A prophecy of the future changes because our response required an alternate response by God.

  
  In the lesson of the 12 tribes we show that this future sanctuary exists between the resurrection of Christ and the Second Coming as the interaction between the perfect High Priest and His imperfect church.
  
  Over and over again, God says in Ezekiel that He is acting for the sake of His name, not because of the merits of Israel. Therefore, this city and these tribes and their future are based on this renewal of the covenant. The city of the New Jerusalem is based on the covenant He established with Christ. That covenant will never be broken or changed because Christ is always faithful. So that future will not change. And the foundations of that larger city includes both the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles and there is room for all nations. This new covenant is a better covenant that saves more people in a larger city.
• God. He lives in the city with us.