Reading for March 15th

The Gog and Magog oracles. In chs. 38-39: Ezekiel's oracles against God, ruler from the land of Magog, express an apocalytic drama of God's vistory over the nations that threaten Israel. The original identity of Gog is uncertain, although some have identified him with Gypes, a seventh-century BCE ruler of Lydia in Asia Minor. The land of Magog appears together with Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, (Cimmerians in central Asia Minor), and Togarmath (compare Beth-togarmah, in Armenia), apparently lands in Asia Minor and Greece. Ezekiel's oracles, however, draw upon Isaiah's prophecies concerning the downfall of a Mesopotamiah ruler (Isa 14) and Jeremiah's prophecies concerning a "foe from the north" (Jer 2-3). The orginal identitiy of Gog matters little as later interpreters have understood him to be a trans-national symbol of evil, much like Edom and Egypt (for example, Isa 34; 63.1-6; Mal 1.2-5, Ex 15) or chaos monsters such as Leviathian or Behemoth (Ps 74; 104; Job 38-41). Read Ezekiel 38.1-16. In verses 1-9: God's initial instructions to Ezekiel present Gog as the leader of a host of nations that threaten Israel, a well-known motif in the tradition about Zion as an invincible fortress (see Ps 2; 46-48). Persia, Ethopia, and Put (Libya) are dustant lands from throughout the ancient New East world. In verses 10-13: God portrays Gog's intentions to plunder nations. Sheba: Southern Araba. Dedan: rhodes. Tarshish: Tartesso in Spain. In verses 14-16: God's portrays Gog's advance with a mighty aramy against Israel. In the latter days normally refers to the futre, and many believe the expression to have eschatological meaning. The nations' knowledge of God draws upon earlier traditions (for example, Ex 15; Isa 2.1-4; Mic 4.1-5; ps 46-48) in which the nations recogbnize God's power and sovereignty. Comments or Questions..