Ezekiel

 

Ezekiel Chapter 38

 

  • Ezekiel 38:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
  • 2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 
  • 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 
  • 4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 
  • 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 
  • 6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 

Previous to this time this Gog who may be the future antichrist will have invaded Israel and then went to defeat countries in the north like Russia and Germany and now he is bringing them against Israel with many nations of the earth. 

Some believe these passages refer to Russia invading Israel. In studying other passages in Daniel it would seem as if the antichrist comes from either Greece, Turkey, Syria or Egypt which was part of the old Grecian Empire. Since Egypt was to the south and the antichrist is the king of the north, he may come from Syria. No doubt though that Russia will help this man just before the time of the 2nd coming of Christ. 

Right now though Syria is almost destroyed by wars and fighting. Many refugees have had to flee the country so something is going on and will play out in the future and become more clear.  Nothing is taking God by surprise. So we shall see, but one that is called Gog will be coming from the north to invade Israel.

  • Ezekiel 38:7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 
  • 8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. 

This is definitely foretelling a great battle in the latter days of the armies of Gentile nations coming against Israel after they have been gathered back into their own land from all the nations of the world. It would seem as if the world was not satisfied that they left their nations and formed their own nation but they want to go after them and try to destroy them. 

I don't believe this battle is referring to the time of 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed and Israel was scattered into all nations because that battle scattered them. This battle referred to here is when Israel is back in their own land after being out of it for centuries. 

They came back in 1948 so this battle has to be some time after that. They've had many battles since then but this one is when all evil nations come against them to try to usurp God's plan and devour their land. 

Israel must have gotten rich and prosperous by this time or else why would the enemy want their land? Then again Satan would love to devour all Israel to keep bible prophecy from being fulfilled. Israel has to be in that particular land in order for prophecy to be fulfilled. 

I believe this battle is the battle of Armageddon led by the antichrist described in the book of Revelation. Chapter 39 leads us to believe this is the battle of Armageddon that happens just before the coming of Christ. Some believe the battle of Armageddon is later than this battle Ezekiel refers to. In other words there is more than one battle altogether. Fascinating subject to study and ponder over. 

  • Ezekiel 38:9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. 
  • 10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: 
  • 11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 
  • 12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 

It would seem as if Israel was dwelling safely at this time and was increased with goods and cattle. That may be what lures other nations against them. 

  • Ezekiel 38:13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? 

Other nations with merchants begin to inquire as to the reason for this war. 

Perhaps the world at this time is suffering economic set backs and to invade Israel would seem to be an answer to their need. Israel must be a wealthy nation at this point in time. Most battles in all history is because of greed and desiring to increase one's wealth. 

  • Ezekiel 38:14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? 
  • 15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 

This is why many think this is Russia and Gog is the leader of Russia. Yet we must remember that Germany, England, Syria, Greece and Turkey are also north of Israel. I wonder why the bible mentions horses here. It could be the bible has to be written so all can understand it. If cars, tanks or airplanes were mentioned, earlier centuries would not understand what that was. We know that its an army and who knows perhaps they do use horses for some reason. Some us us may be alive to see the news cover this in the near future the way things are going in the Middle East now.

  • Ezekiel 38:16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. 

Now we see clearly that this is a war that takes place in the latter days or just before the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. All battles before this one is like a preview or type of the last battle. 

  • Ezekiel 38:17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? 

This was prophesied before so those that know bible prophecy will understand what this is. 

Here is the description of the battle of Armageddon:

  • Revelation 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 
  • 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 
  • 14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 
  • 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 
  • 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Notice that they also come from the east as well as the north here. This is one reason that the battle in Ezekiel 38 and 39 is believed by some to be a battle with Russia and the battle of Armageddon to be a different battle. However, I tend to believe this is the same one mentioned in Revelation. 

More prophecies on this:

  • Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. 

Satan also called the dragon is behind all wicked world leaders.

  • Micah 5:5 And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. 
  • 6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders. 

This Gog is also called the Assyrian here that comes against the land of Israel. 

There was a Grecian king spoken of in the book of Daniel that was like a forerunner of this Gog that also came against Israel similar to the latter day antichrist. His name was Antiochus Epiphanes. 

Many similar things happen all through history and it sometimes makes us think that each time it is the final time but they are like previews or glimpses into what is the end time war of all wars. 

There is actually another war after this one that takes place after Jesus has ruled the earth for 1000 years. It is the final test for human beings to see whether they choose God or desire the wicked one to rule. Of course God does not allow the wicked one to rule ever again at that time but it will allow us to see who is still in rebellion and who is on the side of righteousness. 

  • Ezekiel 38:18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 
  • 19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 
  • 20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 

We may wonder where is the United States in all this? Are they not defenders of Israel?

It is possible that God uses the United States to help Israel but I kind of doubt that because of the last verse that shows that God will be sanctified and this final battle lets the world know who God is and who it is that delivers Israel. Of course it could be that the United States has turned its back on Israel at this time.

Perhaps the United States at this time has had a change in leadership that refuses to get involved with the Middle East or has taken the side of the enemies of Israel. Perhaps too that the United States is no longer in existence as a nation because of their own sin. 

This is not a farfetched idea seeing what is going on in the United States right now. They have turned their backs on God, thrown out the authority of His word and are getting further away from God at this time. God cannot bless a nation if He is not there to bless it. He is not going to bless sin. 

We have, abortion, sexual immorality that is getting worse even as I write this study, divorce, drugs, alcoholism, Hollywood teaching our children, lack of moral restraint and many other things. Child pornography is on the rise. The legal rape of children is on the horizon if we don't repent and get back to God. People think I'm nuts for saying these things but I see it coming. We have human trafficking that targets children right now.

Many see a worse disease than aids coming upon the our promiscuous society. This makes children a target because they will be considered safe targets to avoid disease. Other nations already use children for sexual purposes. It is coming if we do not get back to God and be cleansed of sin and return to biblical holiness. I've warned of this many times. Since updating this from 2020, we now have such gender confusion that som want to destroy little bodies of children trying to change their gender. It does not do that but only ruins their little bodies. They will never be able to have children of their own.

The church needs to return to holiness and the teaching of sanctification. We are going around trying to be filled with the Holy Spirit while we are still living in sin. Jesus cleanses us from sin first and then we receive the Holy Spirit, not the other way around. 

Its up to the church. If the church goes further in apostasy, the nation will fall. Perhaps that is why God has to save Israel Himself. 

The United States may even be one of the nations coming against Israel with the armies of the antichrist. I hope not though because it would mean the end of us for sure.

  • Ezekiel 38:21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother. 
  • 22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 
  • 23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD. 

Gog then is another name for the antichrist. By this time other nations are following this beast or antichrist or they have been made too weak to help Israel. God Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ is the only one to save them. Jesus will return at just the right time with His saints with Him.

The saints are those that have previously been raptured or resurrected before this time either 3 1/2 or seven years previous to this battle. Those saints are the faithful church which were spiritually ready when the Lord came to take them out of the world while the wicked one took over the earth and tried to destroy Israel. 

Chapter 39 tells more of this battle and the enemies of Israel. 

Whatever happens here is a wake up call to all nations. They will know who is the Lord and that we don't mess with Israel. God's word cannot change. When He promised Israel that land, He meant it. The reason Israel has so much trouble keeping the land is because of their sin and rejection of the one who God sent to take away their sin. 

Even though the first followers of Jesus Christ were Jews, the number was small compared to the Jews who rejected Christ. Later Gentiles received Jesus Christ and the gospel went to the Gentiles. 

After many years from their beginning, the Gentile church went into apostasy and those that stayed faithful to the truth were persecuted. The Protestant Reformation opened the door to bring the church out of Apostasy but they still had much error themselves. It wasn't until the time of preachers like John Wesley and later the latter day Holy Spirit outpouring that the church came out of apostasy and learn to love one another again. 

It would seem though that now apostasy is creeping back into the church and the gospel is returning to the Jews. There is still those faithful in the Gentile church and we must remain faithful to the gospel first preached and not substitute our own doctrines and traditions of men. Both the Messianic (Jews that believe in Jesus) and the Gentile church need to earnestly contend for the original faith once given to us in the days of the apostles. We need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and continue in the word. 

The faithful, not the apostate church will be taken to be with Christ to return with Him when Israel as a nation finally understands the true gospel and is saved from the armies of the antichrist by Jesus at His 2nd coming. Some of these writings is according to my understanding at this time. My words are never to be taken as truth over the bible. In fact my words are not to be taken as equal to the word. We must study these things with prayer ourselves and not take the word of anyone. Stay faithful to Jesus Christ and God's written word. The words from the bible are the words I put in bold letters.

Ezekiel Chapter 39

Ezekiel Index


 
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