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PROPHECY XXII.

The restoration and conversion of Judah and Israel -The conversion of the Gentiles-Jerusalem the

head of all churches, though not by the Mosaical

covenant.

Ezekiel xvi. 46. Thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters, that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters-53. When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters*, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them. -55. When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria

be

* Sodom and her daughters.] "When the fulness of the "Gentiles shall come into the Church, some of whom may "compared with Sodom for wickedness (see Isaiah i. 9.), then "will I also remember you, who were my ancient people-"The conversion of the Gentiles is expressed in Jeremiah by

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returning of the captivity of Moab, Ammon, and Elam; and

by the Egyptians, Assyrians, Ethiopians, and Syrians, bringing "presents to God, and acknowledging themselves his servants, in "the prophecy of Isaiah. And by the same analogy we are "to understand the returning of the captivity of Sodom here, of "the Gentiles coming into the Church." Mr. Lowth in loc.

and

and her daughters* shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate-59. For thus saith the Lord God; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the 'covenant. 60. Nevertheless, I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. 61. Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant f. 62. And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know, that I am the Lord: 63. That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shaine, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.

Samaria and her daughters.] "When the prophets fore"tell the general conversion and restoration of the Jewish nation, "they always join Judah and Israel together, as equal sharers "in that blessing." Mr. Lowth in loc.

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+ Not by thy covenant.] "Not by virtue of that covenant " mentioned ver. 60, you having forfeited all your title to its privileges (ver. 89.), but by virtue of that new covenant "which I will make with you through the Messiah." Mr. Lowth in loc.

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COMMENTARY.

Under the name of Sodom and her daughters, the whole body of the Gentiles is mystically designated. Their conversion to the faith of Christ is here foretold; and this conversion, agreeably to various other prophecies, is immediately connected with the conversion and restoration both of Israel and Judah. Notwithstanding the many heinous offences of God's ancient people, he will still not forget his covenant with them; and, when at length in the latter ages they shall remember their ways and be ashamed, he will give to the church of Jerusalem her two sisters, the church of the Israelites and the church of the Gentiles, for daughters, not indeed by the Mosaical covenant, but by a new and better covenant, that of the Gospel. Then shall mount Zion be the glory of the whole earth, and the spiritual metropolis of the kingdom of the Lamb. All nations shall flow unto it, and it shall be exalted above the hills. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

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PROPHECY XXIII.

The restoration of Israel-The long sufferings of the Jews in the course of their return.

Ezekiel xx. 33. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretchedout arm, and with fury poured out will I rule over you. 34. And I will bring you forth from the peoples*, and I will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched-out arm, and with fury poured out. 35. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples; and there will I plead with you face to face. 36. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. 37. And I will cause you to pass under the rod; and I will bring you under the chastisement of the covenant: 38. And I will purge out from among you the rebels †, and them that transgress

*I will bring you forth from the peoples.] "I conceive this "is to be understood of the general restoration of the Jewish "nation from the several parts of the world where they are "dispersed." Mr. Lowth in loc.

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+ I will purge out from among you the rebels.]" I will sepa

rate the righteous from the wicked in order to destroy the "latter, as I did the rebellious Israelites in the wilderness." Mr. Lowth in loc.

against

against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know, that I am the Lord. 39. As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols: yet hereafter ye shall surely hearken unto me, and ye shall not pollute my holy name any more with your gifts and with your idols. 40. For in my holy mountain, in the lofty mountain of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel serve me, even all of them in the land: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. 41. I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified because of you in the sight of all the nations. 42. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country concerning which I lifted up my hand that I would give it to your fathers. 43. And there shall ye remember your ways and all your doings wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. 44. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name's sake; not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God.

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