granted to the prophet. God anticipates the gravest evil. He reveals to his people that this criminal conspiracy will end in complete disaster to its originators, and that Israel's triumph will oo complete e.nd perpetual. Ezekiel's face was set firmly against Gog, because God's face was against him. I. GOD'S KINGDOM IS SEOURE AGAINST THE GREATEST WORLDLY CONFEDERACY. The theory that is propounded in this prophetic picture is that possibly all peoples e.dvers<i to righteousness will combine against the righteous nation. The empires of the extreme North will, sooner or later, coalesce with the great empires of Asia and Africa in a common greed for the territory and possessions of Israel. The world• power is provoked into active opposition by the presence of a righteous and spiritual kingdom. As darkness is the foe of light, water_ the foe of fire, death the foe of life, so selfish wickedness is the foe of goodness. Sooner or later, these two great forces shall meet for final and mortal combat on the earth. But the mightiest forces are not those which are visible. Victory will not finally sit on the banners of largest battalions. These numbers count for nothing with God. Minor rivalries are often forgotten by reason of a mightier passion, viz. a common hatred of truth and God. II. GoD's KINGDOM IS SECURE AGAINST THE CLEVEREST MILITARY TACTICS. Men have enormous faith in swords e.nd shields, in rifles, cannons, e.nd dynamite. Against the empire of righteousness the most complete and prudent preparations will be made. No precaution foreseen by human sage.city will be omitted. Each nation will fight with such weapons as they can most skilfully wield. The most clever inventions in offensive artillery will be pressed into service. The hostility will be pressed on with all the arts and machinations possible to the human mind. Yet there is a force enlisted upon the side of the righteous kingdom that shall be.Ill~ all human combina- tion, and make all human energy to appear as an embodiment of weakness. Man's strength and skill are only borrowed instruments. III. GoD's KINGDOM IS BEOURE AMID UNFRIENDLY NEUTRALS. "Sheba, e.nd Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish . . . shall say to thee, Art thou come to take a spoil?" These peoples were neighbours to Israel, unwilling to join openly the ranks of Israel's foes, yet secretly desiring to see Israel humbled. They were heartless enough to cheer on the aggressive leaders of the foe, moved by e. selfish hope that they wight a.void the toil e.nd the peril of war, and yet gain some advantage out of Israel's defeat. Neutrality e.t such e. time and in such a manner we.s a crime scarcely minor to the crime of invasion, e.nd such neutrality will be covered with disgrace. The most hidden motive of man, Israel's Ruler will detect, and in proportion to wrong- uoing will be the a.ward. Neutrals are usually despised by both sides. Nor can we forget how deeply God felt a selfish neutrality upon a former occasion, when the voice of the angel said, "Curse ye Meroz; curse ye bitterly tho inhabitants of Meroz, because they came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty I" IV. GOD'S KINGDOM IB SE0UBE BE0AUBE EVERY FOl!I IB UNDER THE RESTRAINT OF JEHOVAH. Every selfish passion of me.n is under the control of God. A world of meaning is in that phrase, "I will put hooks into thy jaws." At o.ny point in the development of the hostile project, God could have defeated it. Ho could have bridled tb.e malicious impulse of Gog, the originator. He coultl have deprived him of reason or of life. He could have smitten with blindness 1111 the leaders of the expedition. But God sees it to be best to allow large liberty to wicked men. The inner nature of wickedness is seen when it bears its full e.nd proper fruit. Some plants look well in the shoot and in the leaf, but the fruit thereof is deadly. Men are seldom couscious o~ the action of God upon them. He "girded Cyrus" with strength and courage for his work, although Cyrus knew him not. And Gog would pursue his brilli11nt m,1rch, proud of himself and of his forces, least of all imagining that his Royal Foo had put already_ 11 hook in his jaw, and was simply leading him on to destruction. Utterly Insane 1s the man who dares fight against God. The issue may bo early forescen.-D.
Vere. 14--23.-Human malice a contribution to God's glory. God has e. variety of methods for dealing with rebellious men. Sometimes ho allows them to hnve their wilful way up to the margin of success, when suddenly the tables are turned, nTHl apparent success becomes conspicuous defeat. With vain confidence they press on t.b.eir daring measures, e.nd are led, ns it were, into an ambush and completely destroycu. 298 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [oa. xxxvm.1-23.