In this series on the prophet Ezekiel, his signs and his messages applying to us in this last days time period, I have been addressing the following overriding theme:
God will be taking back his land and his inheritance for a coming heavenly Kingdom, and will destroy the counterfeit kingdom constructed by those who have rebelled against him and have persecuted his remnant people.
At this point, in Parts 1 through 3 of this series, I have established that God’s corrupt house of Israel as well as the worldwide anti-Christ Chaldeans will be punished and brought down by God.
In this final passage (Part 4) in this series, I will describe the process through which God will install his own people/inheritance in time for his coming heavenly kingdom under Jesus Christ’s reign. I will do this in the following sections in this passage:
- Background: God will overturn current ‘Israel’
- God’s small remnant’s pre-staging in the “wilderness”
- Worldwide exodus and return to the land
- New leadership installed
I will address each of these topics in this passage below.
Background: God will overturn current ‘Israel’
Once God has torn down the anti-Christ Chaldean counterfeit kingdom (including his own wayward house of Israel) in these last days, he will then establish and restore his remnant inheritance in his land. This will be a process that will take place quietly and largely out-of-sight over time during this last days time period, similar to that of a “submarine” below the surface. The full re-establishment of God’s people will happen slowly and will only fully come together and be known to the world towards the end of the Tribulation period.
At the end of this passage, I will address how God will install the house of Israel’s new leadership for his Millennial Kingdom after Israel’s corrupt “ancients” and ‘Israel’s world Chaldean enemies are all defeated by Jesus Christ. In the meantime, consider below God prophetically addressing the evil, corrupt rulers of the house of Israel about his planned re-installation of his chosen remnant, a people of a “foolish nation,” through the prophetic Song of Moses and through Ezekiel, respectively:
- “They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.” (Deut 32:21)
- “Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men.” (Ez 36:12)
God’s overturning and re-establishing of his people was seen and symbolized in the Parable of the Two Eagles that I described in Part 2. I addressed the corrupt tree that was brought down, but the other tree planted in ‘Babylon’-U.S. was the one lesser known, of low stature, and was righteous in the nation of ‘Babylon’-U.S. It also represented one having ancient roots in its connection to God’s tribes, planted from the top of a Lebanon cedar. This humble tree of low profile will ultimately be exalted as an answer to the ancient prayers of the likes of Israel’s famous mothers such as Hannah, Elisabeth and Mary who called for God to send a savior to save and exalt the humble out of the hands of their oppressors. God will answer these ancient prayers once-and-for-all in time for the Millennial Kingdom. We read the following in scripture:
- “In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it.” (Ez 17:23-24)
This holy, royal tree will preside over the larger remnant of God’s people who come to rest in it. Altogether, this will represent the house of Israel- the two sticks of Judah and Ephraim that are rejoined in Ezekiel’s hand (Ez Ch. 36) for the Millennial Kingdom. Given that this ‘tree’ resides and is exalted in last days ‘Babylon’-U.S., a Chaldean nation certainly qualifying as a “foolish nation,” scripture tells us that those of this remnant ‘tree’ will return back to God’s holy land of Israel from the north:
- “In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.” (Jer 3:18)
- “But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.” (Jer 16:15)
As is suggested in these scriptures, and as I have shown in my series entitled, The Lord is with us, the Lord himself will be among his flock (i.e. “in the midst”) and leading them in the last days. I will describe this in more detail below.
God’s small remnant’s pre-staging in the “wilderness”
For the initial ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant wave of God’s people who are in ‘Babylon’-U.S., I have mentioned in my writings on this site that there appears to be an intermediate gathering ground for them prior to their return to the holy land. This would be logical given worldwide troubles in the time of the Tribulation period, especially those that will come onto the land and worldwide people of the house of Israel. End times ‘Jacob,’ likely with his small remnant is delivered in some form out of at least part of this time of Tribulation period terrors.
We are provided some clues in scripture about this time that ‘Jacob’ and his small remnant people appear to be in somewhat of a “holding pattern” in the “wilderness.” Of course, here, you are likely to be reminded of the time God’s ancient tribes were delivered out of Egypt but were waiting in the wilderness prior to entering the holy land. So this looks to be a similar kind of pre-staging event in the last days.
History will repeat and God’s last days remnant will find themselves in the wilderness again after God has “parted the (tumultuous) waters” of world conflict and allowed them a place for temporary refuge and grace. This is the time we learn that God is “doing a new thing” as indicated in the following scriptures:
- “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” (Is 43:19)
- “I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.” (Is 41:18)
- “Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.” (Jer 31:2)
I have described before that this “wilderness” referred to is likely a place that is still in ‘Babylon’-U.S., at a time when God’s righteous remnant people likely remain under some form of (protected) captivity.
This situation may be viewed somewhat similarly to that of Ezekiel and his remnant who were in captivity in the land of Chaldea/Babylon of his day. The last days remnant people who will again be gathered in the “wilderness” or a “field” as biblical history repeats will likely have an Ezekiel- or Moses-‘type’ among them (possibly end times ‘Jacob’ who raises the tribes of Israel) and perhaps some Aaron-‘types’ as well.
In Part 1, I showed how Ezekiel, who as a picture himself of the last days ‘son of man’ was alternating between a heavenly and an earthly state in his visions. As such, it is reasonable to assume that God’s remnant could begin to witness and experience some supernatural signs and events around them just as they did in Moses’ day. Ezekiel, as a ‘type’ of a last days remnant prophet, remarked as follows about his own supernatural experiences between that of the heavenly realm and that of his situation among the captives:
- “Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me. Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the Lord had shewed me.” (Ez 11:24-25)
We also know that the Lord himself will be with his people in some form in this time of their initial escape and refuge from their oppressors and persecutors. This could be in the form of the third member of the Trinity as the “Comforter” or Spirit of truth (i.e. Holy Spirit).
Otherwise, it is hard to tell exactly what this time will look like for God’s initial remnant who are in the “wilderness.” But again, for an idea, we might be advised to recall some of the ways in which the Lord was present with his ancient people when they came out of Egypt and were in the wilderness (i.e. pillar of fire/cloud of smoke, in the Tabernacle, on top of the Mount Sinai, in the burning bush (to Moses), etc.). It is possible that this kind of supernatural presence of God among his remnant people could take place again in this interim period in the last days, prior to them returning to the holy land.
The Lord will plead with his people in the wilderness (again)
Given history, and how God reminded Ezekiel, just as he did with Jeremiah, about his people’s rebellion from ancient times in the wilderness after he had delivered them from Egypt, this last days time period will be a critical time again prior to his remnant people returning to the land. It is important here to remember Ezekiel himself as a warning sign to his people.
We are told that the Lord will “plead” with his remnant people at this time, very likely giving them a message to “come out” of the ‘Babylonian’-Chaldean, anti-Christ system of false gods and idol worship. Some will likely need to be delivered even from a lifetime of the strange language and practices of Baals in ‘Babylon’-U.S.
Accordingly, the last days small flock remnant will receive a combination of grace and scolding after their laboring and persecution in corrupt, oppressive ‘Babylon’-U.S. We are told:
- “Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.” (Jer 31:2)
- “And I will bring you out from the people, and 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. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.” (Ez 20:34-35)
If this is somewhat of a spiritual “childbirthing” process for some, this will be a painful process in travails. We are told that there will be some rebels in the midst at this time who will likely have to be purged (Ez 20:38). These will either not have faith, will be rebellious, or will not be willing to relinquish their anti-Christ, foreign god ways and beliefs. This would be similar to some of God’s rebellious people in Moses’ day. Overall, the Lord in his pleading with his people to repent and turn to him will be sending the following message, possibly through their leader or prophets:
- “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.” (Ez 20:36)
- “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.” (Jer 3:14)
- “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings…” (Jer 3:22)
It will be in this wilderness in which the ‘Daughter of Zion’ (Aholibah) finds herself along with her other harlot “sisters” (See Part 2). These, along with any others who had to “come out” and escape the anti-Christ Chaldean system will be grieving and in need of grace. The Lord, again, as possibly represented by the third Trinity member such as the Comforter or Spirit of truth will be among them in some form. Can you picture a prophet-type person who is among this small remnant, led by the Holy Spirit, repeating words similar to those of Jesus a couple thousand years ago?:
- “And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt 3:2)
This kind of scenario is entirely plausible, especially considering possible supernatural encounters with God as described above, and furthermore since this remnant will be gathered at a time when they are waiting to enter the heavenly Millennial Kingdom. Not to mention all of the other supernatural signs and wonders that occur during the Tribulation period.
The ‘Daughter of Zion’s and the remnant’s grace found in the wilderness
As shown above, it may be inferred in scripture that the ‘Daughter of Zion’ will be with this remnant in the wilderness. We are prophetically told, “And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground” (Ez 19:13). She and others like her will realize their own transgressions and will repent and return. The ‘Daughter of Zion’ will also be grieving over her own lost sheep and “family” who she likely knew about through her underground Chaldean network and whom became persecuted people (see Part 2). Her grieving over her desolate family is represented in scriptures below:
- “A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God.” (Jer 3:21)
- “Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.” (Jer 31:15)
- “My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.” (Jer 10:20) (this verse is applicable to Jeremiah, end times ‘Jacob’ and the ‘Daughter of Zion,’ generally speaking)
There is some good news in addressing the laments above. While many of Aholibah’s (‘Daughter of Zion’s) princes were also wicked in their actions, given their Chaldean associations, some will likely still be redeemed. Perhaps these will be like her in that they will have to proceed through a purging and refining process. Otherwise, keep in mind that some of the royal “whelps” whom she had been “raising” were likely righteous non-Chaldeans, overall, even though they were also subjected to God’s refining wrath in the last days.
As a picture herself and example for her redeemed remnant people, the ‘Daughter of Zion’ is not forgotten by the Lord, will be redeemed, and will become a kingdom queen. Her kingdom likely begins to build as follows during this time in the wilderness and will culminate with the Lord’s return and Millennial Kingdom reign. We are told:
- “Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.” (Jer 31:4)
- “But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.” (Ez 36:8)
- “Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?” (Is 49:21)
Recall that the ‘Daughter of Zion’ I have mentioned before on this site, as a kingdom queen, will be a bride of the Lord himself. The following was spoken upon Jesus’ entering into Jerusalem in his day: “Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass” (Matt 21:5). It appears that this verse is prophetic and will have specific meaning for her in these last days.
Worldwide exodus and return to the land
As part of the slow process of God re-establishing his inheritance in his land, God’s last days remnant of people will move on two-way streets relative to the land of Israel to/from the countries of the world. This will happen during the soon-coming time and troubles of the Tribulation period.
Those who are “scattered” and chased from the country of Israel as a result of invaders and other afflictions God brings (famine, pestilence, etc.) will be the ones who have been fortunate just to survive God’s severe judgment on that nation. These escapees will be running for their lives, while still being pursued by the “sword.” When they arrive among the nations of the world, the following scriptures show God’s refugees’ end-state:
- “Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.” (Ez 5:14)
- “And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.” (Ez 6:9)
These are the ones who will carry the shame of both the people and country of Israel and will become scattered and desolate among the nations and people whom they will serve. Scripture says that they will have been cast out, forgotten by God. We are told through Ezekiel, “But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity” (Ez 7:16).
The good news is that there will be a righteous, redeemed remnant going the other direction on two-way roads back into the country of Israel to inherit God’s Kingdom under Jesus Christ. These are the ones whom the Lord will gather himself. In Ezekiel, God tells the bad shepherds who had persecuted and forgotten their own remnant sheep the following:
- “For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” (Ez 34:11-12)
- “Thus saith the Lord God; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.” (Ez 28:25)
These will include the righteous, persecuted remnant who will return, albeit along with some who have been refined in the fire, and have received some kind of sanctification and grace for their transgressions after their return to the Lord. It is likely that some of these will also be “mourning like doves,” just like their country of Israel counterparts above.
Overall, however, when the story about the ‘Babylon’-U.S. remnant’s persecution becomes known, along with God’s saving grace for them and his returning the favor of punishment on their corrupt Chaldean house of Israel’s enemies, then God’s perfect ways of justice will be more fully understood to and readily accepted by all. We read this as follows:
- “Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord God.” (Ez 14:22-23)
God’s remaining people will witness this event of God delivering and establishing his small remnant people and will know that God has executed his perfect, divine justice. Not only his own people, but scriptures say that the Gentiles will assist in God’s people’s regathering, “carrying their children in their arms” (Is 49:22). This will be a second and final worldwide wave and exodus at the end of the Tribulation period once the Lord reaches out his hand “a second time.” This will be the time about which scripture says that people all over the world will say, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Is 2:3).
New leadership installed
There is very good descriptive detail of the house of Israel’s full restoration in the holy land in the book of Ezekiel (Chs. 40-48). This includes a description of how the tribes and servants will be organized and how the re-established Jerusalem and its temple area will look, including the newfound process of worship of Jesus Christ on his throne, etc.
Scripture in this part of the book of Ezekiel can be taken as literal- it will happen just as it says. So for our purposes, I will not cover this here because it requires very little interpretation from a prophetic perspective. But this is still highly recommended reading for those who look forward to this time and care about having an understanding of how the new heavenly Israel will look in the Millennial Kingdom.
Meanwhile, here, I will address the establishment of the new leadership as described through Ezekiel, since I have shown at this point, especially in Part 2, that the old guard, wicked leaders of the house of Israel will be completely ousted and that God’s inheritance will be installed. To begin, clear indication in scripture through Ezekiel about God’s overturning of the last days house of Israel leadership is as follows:
- “And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, Thus saith the Lord God; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.” (Ez 21:26-27)
Additional description goes back to the same kind of plant- and tree-related symbolism that I mentioned in Part 2 as applying in various scripture in Ezekiel such as that seen in the Parables of the Two Eagles and the Vine Tree. God says that he will cause the “horn” of the house of Israel, ‘Jacob,’ to “bud forth” (Ez 29:21) and also that he will raise up a “plant of renown” for them (Ez 34:29). End times ‘David’ will be the Millennial Kingdom prince, the righteous inheritance and covenant-based alternative to what will be shown as the last days house of Israel’s highly corrupt, evil shepherds and leaders. To the joy of God’s re-gathered people, scripture in Ezekiel says:
- “And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.” (Ez 34:23)
- “And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.” (Ez 37:24)
The Millennial prince ‘David,’ serving under Jesus Christ, will again be a shepherd and king for his people and will be surrounded by priests who also arise according to God’s covenant to direct the worship of Jesus Christ who will be on his throne as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
~
In conclusion of this series on the prophet Ezekiel, his life and signs, it is helpful to remember that some in the next generation of Ezekiel’s remnant people in captivity in his day got to take part in a return to the holy land once their 70-year captivity in Babylon ended. A new temple was built under the leadership of their Governor Zerubbabel.
A similar scenario will repeat again. God’s remnant will ultimately return out of captivity in ‘Babylon’-U.S. as well as out of the Babylonian world kingdom back to the land. They will have a new king ‘David’ who will oversee the temple-building process and who will introduce Jesus Christ in his return as the Messiah. (For more on this, see my passage entitled, A Davidic-line Prince and the Picture of Zerubbabel.)
Grace & Peace,
Lion’s Lair (LL)
Lion's Lair 