Captivity of the Grave

Ezekiel uses the expression “Day of the LORD” (Ezek. 13:5 & 30:3) when describing the armies of Babylon that would shortly come against Israel and her neighboring nations. Jeremiah prophesied of the coming of the armies of Babylon as being like a rising flood of waters to cover the land. Jer. 47:2 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein. Though not literally a flood of water, this flood would be just as effective in clearing the land. Ezekiel 6:14 So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD. Eze. 12:19-20: her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. 20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Eze.14:15-16: If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: 16 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
Many of Israel were taken captive by Babylon before the fall of Jerusalem. Among the captives were Ezekiel and Daniel and many others who where preserved in Babylon. Ezekiel 11:16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. Though their lives were preserved, their breath or spirit was taken away as a nation, just as all with the breath of life died in the flood of Noah's day. For those Jews in Babylon it was as if their inner self had died. Their identity as a people was centered in Jerusalem and the Temple. Before the city was destroyed some were saying they would shortly return from captivity with the vessels of the temple. But this was not to happen. Jer. 27:16: Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you. Ezekiel also prophesied of the coming fall of Jerusalem. In Ezekiel 24 the death of Ezekiel’s wife is used as an occasion to warn Israel of what was coming. Just as Ezekiel’s wife was the desire of his eyes, so also was Jerusalem and the temple to the captives. As the desire of Ezekiel’s eyes would die, so shortly would Israel's desire die when hearing of Jerusalem's fall. Though they had been in captivity for a time, once hearing the nation of Israel had been sweep away, the outlook of the captives was quite different. Ezek 24: 20 Then I answered them, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 21 Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword. 22 And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men. 23 And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another. Ezekiel 37 describes their low state of mind. Eze 37:11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Ezekiel describes there captivity as like being in the grave, and there return from captivity like a resurrection. Ezek 37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
Matthew, when speaking of those children killed by Herod in Bethlehem, quoted a prophesy describing those who were taken captive to Babylon. Matthew is associating the Babylonian captivity with the grave. Jer. 31:15-16 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. 16 Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. Another interesting passage Psa. 90: 5-7 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. 6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth. 7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Once the storm of the Day of the Lord was over, the great sea of Babylon that covered the land would now begin to give up her dead. Zechariah describes this time Zec 1:10-13 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. 11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. 12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? 13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
King Cyrus of Persia made it possible for Israel to return from captivity. He is believed by some to be a picture of Christ, this maybe true. He clearly opens the symbolic graves of Israel in Babylon and permits the captives to leave. Isa. 44:24-28 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; 25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; 26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: 27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: 28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Isa. 45:1-5 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; 2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: 3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. 4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. 5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
I have tried to bring out what I see as a parallel between the day of the Lord of Noah's day and that of Ezekiel's day. One common point, they each would bring complete subjection. Another place in the scripture where you can see the same pattern is when Joseph who was at Pharaohs right hand. The Day of the Lord in that time was the great famine that Joseph saw in the dreams of Pharaoh. Notice a few parallels between Joseph's day and that of Daniel's day. Joseph was forcibly taken from Canaan as was Daniel. Both men interpreted dreams for the ruler of the land and by doing so became the second most prominent ruler. The interpretations were similar, showing that the Lord would bring a great many people under each ruler's subjection. The period of subjection would come to an end in each case with the children of Israel returning to their own land. Isaiah gives us a good description of the Day of the LORD. Isa 2:12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: Whether by flood or famine or by Babylon the Lord has sent out his armies to bring the high of this earth low. Often among the captives are the Lord's people. In this low estate it is common that a change of heart takes place. Humility may be one of the more difficult qualities to learn. The grave seems to be the most notable of all captivities. But as the Lord made a way for Israel to return from each of her captivities, we have learned the Lord has made a way of return even from the captivity of the grave.