So I came upon Ezekiel 38:4-5. It reads:
Now if this is end-time prophecy why is there mention of horses, horsemen, shields and swords? I can wrap my head around the fact that helmets are mentioned and even the mentioning of shields. But horsemen? And swords?
Now granted, God could have spoken through a prophet in terms people could understand, but couldn't he have also used more generic terms such as "weapons" instead of swords that no longer seem applicable today? This is something I've wondered about for a long time.
There are other prophecies that speak of chariots, but we do not use chariots today. The only reference to chariots I can think of is to the Israeli main battle tank which is called a Mirkavah (i.e. chariot).
But the language of this prophecy in Ezekiel is very specific and seems less symbolic than it does literal. Why would they be portrayed as brandishing a sword if a sword were an armored vehicle, aircraft, etc? Could it be an assault rifle? I just don't understand.
And please don't think I haven't stopped to consider its metaphorical weight. There is obvious symbolic language in the beginning of the passage. But I have tried to wrap my head around the reason why this passage would go into such detail about supposed symbols. I just can't do it on my own. Brandishing swords? Wielding both large and small shields? So how does one interpret a passage so explicitly literal?
There is just one idea I can think up, and that is this: why are the horses separated from the horsemen here? Is this typical of prophecies spoken of during a time when horsemen were still often used in warfare? If not then why are the horses and horsemen separated from each other? Literal horsemen cannot be horsemen without horses. And why have a surplus of horses with an army if these are literal?
Your thoughts?
Now if this is end-time prophecy why is there mention of horses, horsemen, shields and swords? I can wrap my head around the fact that helmets are mentioned and even the mentioning of shields. But horsemen? And swords?
Now granted, God could have spoken through a prophet in terms people could understand, but couldn't he have also used more generic terms such as "weapons" instead of swords that no longer seem applicable today? This is something I've wondered about for a long time.
There are other prophecies that speak of chariots, but we do not use chariots today. The only reference to chariots I can think of is to the Israeli main battle tank which is called a Mirkavah (i.e. chariot).
But the language of this prophecy in Ezekiel is very specific and seems less symbolic than it does literal. Why would they be portrayed as brandishing a sword if a sword were an armored vehicle, aircraft, etc? Could it be an assault rifle? I just don't understand.
And please don't think I haven't stopped to consider its metaphorical weight. There is obvious symbolic language in the beginning of the passage. But I have tried to wrap my head around the reason why this passage would go into such detail about supposed symbols. I just can't do it on my own. Brandishing swords? Wielding both large and small shields? So how does one interpret a passage so explicitly literal?
There is just one idea I can think up, and that is this: why are the horses separated from the horsemen here? Is this typical of prophecies spoken of during a time when horsemen were still often used in warfare? If not then why are the horses and horsemen separated from each other? Literal horsemen cannot be horsemen without horses. And why have a surplus of horses with an army if these are literal?
Your thoughts?
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