They shall burn them with fire seven years] These may be figurative expressions, after the manner of the Asiatics, whose language abounds with such descriptions. They occur every where in the prophets. As to the number seven it is only a certain for an indeterminate number. But as the slaughter was great, and the bows, arrows, quivers, shields, bucklers, handstaves, and spears were in vast multitudes, it must have taken a long time to gather them up in the different parts of the fields of battle, and the roads in which the Syrians had retreated, throwing away their arms as they proceeded; so there might have been a long time employed in collecting and burning them. And as all seem to have been doomed to the fire, there might have been some found at different intervals and burned, during the seven years here mentioned. Mariana, in his History of Spain, lib. xi., c. 24, says, that after the Spaniards had given that signal overthrow to the Saracens, A.D. 1212 they found such a vast quantity of lances, javelins, and such like, that they served them for four years for fuel. And probably these instruments obtained by the Israelites were used in general for culinary firewood, and might literally have served them for seven years; so that during that time they should take no wood out of the fields, nor out of the forests for the purpose of fuel, ver. 10.

Ezek. 39:1-10 The Lord will make the most careless and hardene transgressors know his holy name, either by his righteous anger, or by the riches of his mercy and grace. The weapons formed against Zio shall not prosper. Though this prophecy is to be fulfilled in the latter days, it is certain. From the language used, it seems that the army of Gog will be destroyed by miracle.

Ezek. 39:11-22 How numerous the enemies which God destroyed for the defence of his people Israel! Times of great deliverances should be times of reformation. Every one should help the utmost he can, towar cleansing the land from reproach. Sin is an enemy every man shoul strive against. Those engaged in public work, especially of cleansin and reforming a land, ought to be men who will go through with what they undertake, who will be always employed. When good work is to be done, every one should further it. Having received special favours from God, let us cleanse ourselves from all evil. It is a work which wil require persevering diligence, that search may be made into the secre recesses of sin. The judgments of the Lord, brought upon sin an sinners, are a sacrifice to the justice of God, and a feast to the faith and hope of God's people. See how evil pursues sinners, eve after death. After all that ambitious and covetous men do and look for "a place of graves" is all the Lord gives them on earth, while their guilty souls are doomed to misery in another world.

Ezek. 39:23-29 When the Lord shall have mercy on the whole house of Israel, by converting them to Christianity, and when they shall have borne the shame of being cast off for their sins, then the nation shall learn to know, worship, and serve him. Then Israel also shal know the Lord, as revealed in and by Christ. Past events do not answe to these predictions. The pouring out of the Spirit is a pledge tha God's favour will continue. He will hide his face no more from those of whom he has poured out his Spirit. When we pray that God would neve cast us from his presence, we must as earnestly pray that, in orde thereto, he would never take his Holy Spirit from us __________________________________________________________________

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