EZEKIEL 38 In Ezekiel s day, Israel has been trampled underfoot by her enemies, but God will intervene in the future to ensure her safety. This divine intervention by God is in the future; God s final intervention on behalf of Israel will culminate in a battle known as Armageddon (Revelation 16, 19). A confederation of nations will come against Israel prior to the return of Christ, led by Gog of the land of Magog (v.1). The identification of these nations gives us cause to believe we are living in the final moments of the last days, given the current events we find in the news! (v.1-2) Gog is the prince of Rosh. Some have taken the name Rosh to mean Russia, because Rosh sounds like Russia. Rosh never appears as a nation in any other biblical list of places. Rosh refers to a Scythian tribe; a people who lived in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia in the land of Magog, which today we call Russia. We must keep in mind Ezekiel had historical people and places in mind, not modern-day names. Thus, the idea here is this prince, Gog, will be the ruler over a people who occupy the far northern region beyond the Black and Caspian Sea that is modern-day Russia (Ezekiel 38:6, 15; 39:2) (Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament). (v.3-6) (v.2b, 6a) Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Togarmah are ancient peoples who occupied modern-day Turkey. In (v.5a), Persia includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. Ethiopia or (in Hebrew) Cush is Ethiopia, including Somalia and Sudan. Libya or (in Hebrew) Put is modern-day Libya. Along with the list of nations we find here, Daniel also mentions, in Daniel 11:40-45, the king of the north (not the far north ); Syria; and the king of the south, Egypt. Also, Psalm 83:5, 7 speaks of this confederacy of nations; it also includes the Ishmaelites (Psalm 83:5) in modern-day Saudi Arabia, and Tyre (Psalm 83:7) modern-day Lebanon. Here s a video clip produced by apologist and evangelist John Ankerberg, which gives us a visual understanding of these nations. The book: The Beginning of the End: The Alignment of the Nations Against Israel, by Dr. Jimmy DeYoung. We are living at a time in which we can actually see the aligning of the nations the stage being set for this end-times event. Is Putin, the leader of Russia, Gog? We
don t know, but what we do know is the stage is being set! What s exciting about all this is that the setting of the stage is evidence of the fact the rapture of the church is near! (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). Notice: Gog s attack against Israel is orchestrated by God! (v.4); What is the hook? Politics, the final solution, Hitler s solution for the Jewish problem; but more so, I believe, the hook which drags Gog southward will be the rich oil and mineral resources in the land of Israel! According to one recent report: A big oil deposit has been found in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, with enough reserves to last Israel for decades, according to the country's media. The Israeli presence in the Golan Heights is in dispute. The region is internationally recognized Syrian territory that has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War between Israel and several Arab states. UN Resolution 242 (1967) demands the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from the territories occupied in the conflict. Israel disagrees with the wording of the resolution, saying the territories are disputable. https://www.rt.com/business/317906-oilgolan-heights-israel/. In addition, it is widely known that there is an abundance of mineral wealth within the Dead Sea. Even back in 1935, the American journalist George T.B. Davis, the author of Memories of the Welsh Revival, and When the Fire Fell From Heaven, wrote: One is almost staggered by the computed wealth of the chemical salts in the Dead Sea. It is estimated that the potential value of the potash, bromine and other chemical salts of its water is FOUR TIMES the wealth of the United States. With the tremendous world-wide food shortage that threatens mankind, any would-be dictator would take high risks to capture a treasure like this which could furnish enough fertilizer for the whole world, and with its other chemicals provide the explosives needed to subdue all its enemies! Why, do you think, has the Kremlin spent billions helping the Arabs fight Israel? Just because she likes the Arabs? No, there is little love lost between
them, but Russia wants the riches of Israel and its strategic location for world domination. http://www.believersweb.org/view.cfm?id=515. It is my opinion that the reason Putin is in Syria today has very little to do with his love for the ruler of Syria, Bashar-al-Assad, but rather the wealth of the Middle East. With a sagging economy, Russia needs Middle Eastern resources to sustain itself. Gog (the leader of Russia), along with his confederation of nations will advance to loot the land! The great wealth of Israel will be a temptation Gog will not be able to resist! (v.7-13) The scheme (evil plan Gog devises) will only prove to accomplish God s preordained purpose and will for His church and the land of Israel! (v.13) Sheba, Dedan, merchants of Tarshish, their young lions, represent the great trading communities of the South, East, and West. They are depicted here as following Gog. Like vultures in the rear of the army, seeking an opportunity to trade and do business after Gog acquires the bounty of the land of Israel. Some point out that their question here seems to ridicule the smallness of the spoil, given the immense size of Gog s confederation (The Pulpit Commentary). (v.14-23) Gog s attack will be crushed by God Himself. The earthquake will be worldwide the result of Christ s return to the earth! And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come, And all the saints with You. Zechariah 14:4-5
Christ will return and rescue Israel, slaughter His enemies, and judge the world! The slaughter of His enemies will be aided by natural catastrophes, including torrents of rain, hailstones, and burning Sulphur (v.22). This scene is also depicted in (ttt) Revelation 16. Kings from the East (v.12): Simply put, they are rulers from the Orient, or East, who will participate in this final battle (Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament). The recent military buildup in the South China Sea by China, and the ongoing nuclear threat posed by North Korea are further signs that the stage is being set! A recent report revealed: The risk of conflict in the South China Sea is significant. China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines have competing territorial and jurisdictional claims, particularly over rights to exploit the region's possibly extensive reserves of oil and gas. Freedom of navigation in the region is also a contentious issue, especially between the United States and China over the right of U.S. military vessels to operate in China's two-hundred-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). These tensions are shaping and being shaped by rising apprehensions about the growth of China's military power and its regional intentions. http://www.cfr.org/world/armed-clash-south-china-sea/p27883. The stage is being set! What is the application of these things? The sad part about all of this is that many believers have grown apathetic regarding the imminent return of Christ. The rapture is essential to our faith as believers for three reasons: (1) It keeps us from beating up on one another. (ttt) Luke 12:42-48. (2) It keeps us from worldly contamination. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:2-3
(3) It keeps our love from growing cold. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:12-14 Jesus said no man knows the hour or season, but the Father (Acts 1:7). But we should be READY! Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. Luke 21:28 This is our sustaining hope: Jesus is coming soon just like He said He would!