Need an explanation of this passage

[Meathead]

Ezekiel 39:17 - 39:21

“As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord God: Speak to the birds of every sort and to all the beasts of the field, ‘Assemble and come, gather from all sides to the sacrificial feast for which I am preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast upon the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood. You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth-of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan. And you shall eat fat till you are filled, and drink blood till you are drunk, at the sacrificial feast which I am preparing for you. And you shall be filled at my table with horses and riders, with mighty men and all kinds of warriors,’ says the Lord God.”

I don’t quite understand this passage, and I would really appreciate someone’s take on it.

 

[Della]

It’s one of the many judgments against the pagan nations that surrounded Israel. It’s a poetic way of saying that enemies of Israel will be defeated in battle.

Or are you thinking of it’s spiritual meaning or some other kind of meaning besides the historical one?

 

[Meathead]

I was thinking of its spiritual meaning, if you don’t mind to elaborate.

 

[Benadam]

It is a prophecy of judgement that has developed since the beginning and is made complete in the Passion of Christ

His Blessed Mother also foresee’s this judgement and acknowledges it’s history.

LUKE 1
51 He hath showed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: 55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

 

[Della]

I was thinking of its spiritual meaning, if you don’t mind to elaborate.

Along with Benadam’s well-taken points, within the context of the Church and our Christian lives, it could be seen as the downfall of the enemies of faith, and by “enemies of faith” I’m not referring to human beings but to “principalities and powers” which are not of this earth.

We all fight the demons that would tempt us to despair–wearing down our hope in Christ and his Church. These forces will be utterly defeated at the final battle. They are being defeated every day within our hearts and souls when we stand firm for Christ and resist sin.

That’s my take on it. And since we are talking about devotional/spiritual understanding here and not doctrinal, anyone with sufficient knowledge of the Bible and the Catholic/Christian faith (not to leave out our more knowledgeable Protestant brethren) can speculate about it.

What are your thoughts?

 

[sawman]

Dear Della,
I like your take on the defeat of our spiritual enemies.
There are some very similar passages in Psalms.
Like Psalm 67.

 

[Della]

Dear Della,
I like your take on the defeat of our spiritual enemies.
There are some very similar passages in Psalms.
Like Psalm 67.

Psalm 67 Douay-Rhiems version? The RSV makes it 68, I believe:

Ps.68
[0] To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.
[1] Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered;
let those who hate him flee before him!
[2] As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
as wax melts before fire,
let the wicked perish before God!
[3] But let the righteous be joyful;
let them exult before God;
let them be jubilant with joy!

 

[Meathead]

What are your thoughts?

In all honesty, I hadn’t really formed an opinion on the piece, because I wanted someone else’s take on it before I came to my own conclusions.

Thank you for explaining it to me.

 

[Della]

In all honesty, I hadn’t really formed an opinion on the piece, because I wanted someone else’s take on it before I came to my own conclusions.

Thank you for explaining it to me.

You’re welcome. I’m curious about why you wanted some spiritual interpretations of this particular passage. I mean, it’s not exactly the kind of passage one usually comes across through a casual reading. Was it part of a daily reading at Mass or something?

 

[Meathead]

Well actually, it was casual reading. I was thumbing through Ezekiel, and I read this passage.

I found it odd, so I decided to ask for some peoples take on it.

 

[sawman]

Dear Della, and Meathead,

Della you nailed it! that is a very powerful psalm. I feel like Braveheart, slaughtering the minions of the devil, when I pray that one.
Meathead, the whole book of Ezekiel is a very good read. It sort of is the science fiction of God’s Word. I’ve always liked it.

 

[Della]

Well actually, it was casual reading. I was thumbing through Ezekiel, and I read this passage.

I found it odd, so I decided to ask for some peoples take on it.

Of course, at the time it was written, the passage was referring to flesh and blood enemies of Israel. These passages are there for us who live in the age of Grace to draw spiritual strength from the knowledge that God defends us in our battles with the evil one and that our God will have the ultimate victory over him, sin and death.

 

[ryanoneil]

Rev 19:17
Then I saw an angel standing on the sun. He cried out (in) a loud voice to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come here. Gather for God’s great feast,
18
to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of military officers, and the flesh of warriors, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of all, free and slave, small and great.”
19
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to fight against the one riding the horse and against his army.
20
The beast was caught and with it the false prophet who had performed in its sight the signs by which he led astray those who had accepted the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped its image. The two were thrown alive into the fiery pool burning with sulfur.
21
The rest were killed by the sword that came out of the mouth of the one riding the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

 

[Benadam]

Rev 19:17
Then I saw an angel standing on the sun. He cried out (in) a loud voice to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come here. Gather for God’s great feast,
18
to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of military officers, and the flesh of warriors, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of all, free and slave, small and great.”
19
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to fight against the one riding the horse and against his army.
20
The beast was caught and with it the false prophet who had performed in its sight the signs by which he led astray those who had accepted the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped its image. The two were thrown alive into the fiery pool burning with sulfur.
21
The rest were killed by the sword that came out of the mouth of the one riding the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Manoman that about buttons it up.

The thing about redemptive suffering for those who are involved and those who are witnesses, it is a sign of contradiction and causes some to rise and some to fall. It is a sword that pierces the heart so that the secret thoughts of many are revealed.

 

[Della]

Rev 19:17
Then I saw an angel standing on the sun. He cried out (in) a loud voice to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come here. Gather for God’s great feast,
18
to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of military officers, and the flesh of warriors, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of all, free and slave, small and great.”
19
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to fight against the one riding the horse and against his army.
20
The beast was caught and with it the false prophet who had performed in its sight the signs by which he led astray those who had accepted the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped its image. The two were thrown alive into the fiery pool burning with sulfur.
21
The rest were killed by the sword that came out of the mouth of the one riding the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

This is the culmination of the age of grace when the King will come to judge the earth. The upshot for us? We’d better have our ducks in a row now instead of thinking we can just slide by. We have to choose between God and the world, today and every day, until Christ comes. After he comes it will be too late to choose–the choices will have been made by men and honored by God, for good or ill.