Divine Intervention (Ezekiel 38–39)

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Now here's Stephen with today's lesson.

Around 4,000 years ago, the Lord gave some promises to Abraham's descendants.

Those promises included land, land we know today as Israel.

Well, at this point in our study through the book of Ezekiel, the Jewish people are no longer

in that promised land. Their exiles in the land of Babylon, their homeland has been decimated.

A Jerusalem has been burned to the ground. But as bad as that seems, and as unlikely as it seems

for God's promises to ever come true, Ezekiel begins to prophesy of a glorious future

for Israel in this land of promise. The prophecy of Ezekiel, chapter 38 and chapter 39,

offers a divine assurance that ultimately Israel will indeed possess this land forever. They

don't yet, but they will one day. Now these chapters describe for us a future invasion of Israel

and God's miraculous defense of this chosen people. This is an amazing prophecy here,

but it does raise a number of questions. The first question is this. When does this all take place?

Well, down here in verse 8 of chapter 38, we're told it takes place in the latter years, or the latter

days, verse 16 puts it that way. Now this points us to the end times, since nothing in history

matches what's described here. We know it's still in the future, but okay, when in the future?

Well, verse 8 tells us that it takes place when Israel will dwell securely in their land.

So does this reference to war here in this chapter describe the final battle of Armageddon?

No, it doesn't. Neither is it the Satan-led rebellion described over in Revelation chapter 20,

even though we find the names of Gog and May Gog both there and here in Ezekiel 38.

Well, let me just help by pulling over for a few moments here and setting forth what I believe

is the proper chronology of God's plan for the end times, and when this battle referred to here in

Ezekiel chapter 38 is going to fit into that picture. If you're a wisdom journey partner or would like

to be this timeline is provided in the transcript for today's lesson. But let me just sort of

deliver verbally the timeline. First, the Lord Jesus is going to come in the clouds for his church

that is all born-again believers of this church age we're living in right now that's been going on

for the past 2,000 years since the church was created on the day of Pentecost back in Acts chapter 2.

Those believers who have died during the church age will have their bodies raised from the dead,

reunited with their spirits which have been with the Lord all this time. Then Paul writes in

First Thessalonians chapter 4 that all the rest of the believers who are still alive at that time

will be snatched from the earth to join the Lord in the clouds and be taken to the Father's

house in heaven. We call that event the rapture and it can happen at any time it could happen today.

Now following the rapture will be a 7-year period we call the tribulation. It's going to be a

time when God brings terrifying judgments upon the earth as He prepares the way for Christ's

millennial kingdom which will follow the tribulation that is when Christ returns. Now this time not

in the clouds but he returns all the way to earth. According to Revelation chapter 20 the Lord

doesn't return to earth for the believers while we're picturing Jesus as John describes him

in Revelation 20 returning with believers and that's because the believers the redeemed the church

is already with him. Now the tribulation period which again follows the rapture doesn't begin with

war it doesn't begin with destruction or suffering it actually begins with a powerful world leader

emerging on the scene we know him as the Antichrist and he originally initially brings peace.

He makes a covenant that gives Israel security in their land. Now he's going to break that covenant

midway through the tribulation but during the early part of the tribulation Israel is going to

enjoy a period of time when they will dwell securely in their land and I believe it's during this period

of calm early in the tribulation when the attack the war described here in Ezekiel chapter 38 takes

place by the way this attack corresponds with the red horse mentioned over in Revelation chapter 6

and verse 4 a horse that brings a brief time of war against Israel. Now the next question to

answer would be this who is it here in Ezekiel 38 that's attacking Israel? Well the first six

verses of Ezekiel chapter 38 give us the answer it's a coalition of nations uniting to invade Israel

and most of these names are frankly unfamiliar to us today we're told here in verse 2 that the leader

will be Gog of the land of May Gog the chief prince of Meshach and Tubal while they're coming out

of the north according to verse 6 I believe the land we know today as Russia there in the north

of Israel is represented by Gog and May Gog other nations joining in the invasion are Persia this

is modern day Iran and Kush this is modern day Sudan along with modern day Turkey these are going

to form an alliance and march against Israel now here's another question what's the purpose of this

invasion well let me tell you quite frankly today the religion of Islam is predominant in many of

these lands mentioned here that will invade Israel Islam has a long standing animosity against Israel

and undoubtedly they're they're driven by their religion but there's more to it than religion

in fact verse 12 tells us they want to seize the spoil and carry off the plunder in other words they

are coveting the wealth of Israel which even today beloved is far greater than the nations surrounding

them but there's another reason for this attack and that's revealed again here in Ezekiel's

prophecy the Lord says to these nations here in verse 16 I will bring you against my land see

this is all part of God's plan the purpose is not only to draw Israel back to himself but he says

here in verse 16 his purpose includes this that the nations may know me even through you oh Gog I

vindicate my holiness before their eyes you see it's going to be through God's supernatural

protection of Israel in this attack that these nations will be given just another undeniable

testimony of God's power and holiness well there's a fourth question we need to address and it's this

what is the outcome of this invasion and the text is very clear on this the Lord says here in

verse 19 through verse 22 in my blazing wrath I declare on that day there shall be a great earthquake in

the land of Israel and all the people who are on the face of the earth shall quake at my presence

and the mountains shall be thrown down and the cliffs shall fall and every wall shall tumble

to the ground I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains to clear the Lord God every man's

sword will be against his brother with pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him

and I will reign upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential reigns

and hailstones fire and sulfur in other words the complete destruction of this enemy coalition is

going to have a profound effect on Israel herself in fact we read here in chapter 39 and verse 22

the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward

oh let me tell you Israel will experience a national revival and come to trust the word of God

and ultimately believe the Son of God Jesus Christ is indeed their true Messiah

so chapter 39 now ends with the final regathering of Israel at the end of the tribulation and by

the way this perfectly coincides with Jesus Christ's return to earth to establish his millennial kingdom

in fact God says here in verse 29 I will pour out my spirit upon the house of Israel

can you just imagine this final scene when the nation of Israel welcomes their Messiah

as he as he slowly descends to earth to set up his kingdom this isn't the quick rapture

of the church that's in the twinkling of an eye this is the slow descent all the way to earth

this is the glorious destiny of Israel described here in these chapters well now in the meantime

is eco prophesized that Israel will face still more suffering and scattering in the centuries ahead

but they can be certain that in the end God's promise will finally and fully and forever come to pass

beloved God's purpose is in human history past present and and future is to bring glory to

himself as people recognize that he is the Lord of the universe now I don't know what you're going

through today my friend but I don't want you to forget I don't think God wants us to forget

that's why he's given us books like Ezekiel don't forget this coming day when every knee shall bow

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord when he reigns on his throne one day in his kingdom

so let's let's make it our purpose in everything we do to glorify him and declare to our world

that he is Lord of our lives today we'll until our next wisdom journey beloved me the grace of the

Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all

Amen

That was Stephen Davie and this is The Wisdom Journey, a production of Wisdom International.

Learn more at WisdomOnline.org.