Ezekiel 38
Originally written by David Guzik
THE DEFEAT OF GOG AND DEFENSE OF ISRAEL
Who is Gog:
Gog is a ruler of many nations with a powerful army. His allies will include Iran, Turkey, Ethiopia, Libya and Europe.
Note that this conferedacy may still be forming and be completed in the future.
(Gog has no direct ties to any modern day country, and it is still possible an alliance is to be formed in Europe, with allies of the six noted countries above, these countries having allegience to a coming "Anti-Christ", who leads them into battle against Israel).
Magog: The Land of Gog.
When will this happen: In the latter days, in the end-times.
Gog dreams an evil plan in his mind (Eze 38:10-13), to attack Israel and take its riches. ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’— to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited"
Then God draws Gog to go forward with the attack against Israel. (Eze 38:4-6)
".. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. "
Gogs army will be well equipped, powerful and modern and ready for conquest, the mightiest alliance that has ever acted against Israel.
With Gog being an imperial power with vast military resources. With armies invading from every direction against Israel (Europe and Turkey North, Iran West, Ethiopia South, and Libya East).
The nations allied with Gog and Magog will come from every direction against Israel and, The number of listed nations allied with Gog and Magog is seven.
(Eze 38:7-9) Magog’s armies come into the land of Israel.
“Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them. After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”
This battle happens after Israel is dwelling in peace safety and security in their reclaimed land. (After 1967). The chapters of Ezekiel allude to this battle being fulfilled in the very last days, alluding to the battle of Armageddon.
d. You will ascend, coming like a storm: The armies of Gog would come against Israel as a great destructive power, something like a plague.
(Eze 38:14-17) Gog will come upon God’s people Israel.
“On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.”
Thus says the Lord God: “Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?
Certainly this includes the seven nations or peoples mentioned in Ezekiel 38:3-6 and possibly means more. (Remember, 70 countries turn on Israel, to split the property lines of Jerusalem).
- The Attack on Israel in the Last Days:
- A leader from the north (Gog), who was not an ancient enemy of Israel, will lead a confederation of nations against Israel (Ezekiel 38:1-6).
- He will be motived by his own evil plans and pulled by God (Ezekiel 38:10).
- It will happen in the latter days.
- The allied nations will come from every point on the compass, including Persia (modern Iran), and peoples from the lands of modern Turkey, Libya, Ethiopia, and perhaps Europe, Armenia and Germany (Ezekiel 38:1-6).
- Gog and his allies will come as a massive, swift, and well-equipped army (Ezekiel 38:4-6).
- Gog will come against Israel when they gathered back to their land (Ezekiel 38:8, 12) and when they enjoy considerable safety (Ezekiel 38:8).
- Gog will come against Israel when they are prosperous (Ezekiel 38:12-13).
- Other nations will watch and wonderful and how they might benefit themselves from Gog’s conquest of Israel (Ezekiel 38:12-13).
- Yahweh will defend Israel and defeat Gog, and thereby glorify Himself among the nations (Ezekiel 38:16).
- This victory would fulfill the prophetic expectation of several previous prophets of Israel (Ezekiel 38:17).
One possibility is this battle to happen at the end of the last seven-year period of human government (the end of the tribulation) before the glorious return of Jesus Christ.
See the connection to Revelation 19:17-18 and Ezekiel 39:17-20.
This battle may happen as referenced by Revelation 20:7-9. Not all Christians agree on the specific concepts of God’s plan for the future, but some of those who see the establishment of a physical, material kingdom of Jesus over this earth for 1,000 years think that the Gog invasion happens at the end of that 1,000 years, as Revelation 20:7-9 mentions Gog and Magog.
God's fury against Gog and a Great Earthquake (Eze 38:18-20):
“And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord God, “that My fury will show in My face. For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: ‘Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.’
This leads us to believe the timing is right before the battle of Armageddon, when Jesus ascends in Great Glory, and splits the Mt. Of Olives in Two! Every face will see him and every knee will bow, including the ones who pierced him!
Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel: One way God would defend Israel and come against Gog was to send a great earthquake.
All men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence: The great earthquake would humble man and bring glory to God. As mountains and every wall fell, they would know it was the hand of the Lord at work. (Men will hide in caves).
(Eze 38:21-23) God’s judgment against Gog.
I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord God. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother. And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”’
I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed: Yahweh would also send disease and death against attacking armies. This would be a demonstration of His justice.
Flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone: The instruments of previous judgment would all be sent against Gog and his allies.
“The invaders are destroyed by earthquake (cf. Zechariah 14:4-5), by violent distrust of one another (Zechariah 14:13), by pestilence (Zechariah 14:12), and by torrential rain and fire from heaven (Revelation 20:9).” (Wright)
Jesus will be magnified and sanctified, and will prevail:
This overwhelming and obviously divine defeat of Gog and her allies would testify to the whole world of God’s character and power.
