◄ What Does Ezekiel 38:16 Mean? ►

The Lord told Gog, the satanically inspired ruler of end-times events, that a day is coming when he will be summoned to invade the Promised Land of Israel. Together with a vast army of allies from Persia, Ethiopia and many clearly identifiable nations, he will march against God's people and this invasion is to happen at the 'time of the end.' The Lord told Gog that He would 'put hooks in his jaw' and give him and his allies, an irresistible urge to flood into the Land, at a time when God's people were living securely.

The aim of Gog and his co-conspirators will be, 'to take a spoil'. Their evil plan will be to plunder Israel of its great wealth. They will come like a great cloud covering the land. But the Lord, Who knows the end from the beginning, reveals that this is an oracle of judgement against Gog. Although he and his allied troops will rapidly advance through the land like a thunderstorm, they will all be judged and punished, because of their evil ways.

Just as the Lord raised up Pharoah to demonstrate His almighty power to the people, so the Lord will use Gog to show the nations that the Lord is God, and sovereign over all the earth. "You will come up against My people Israel. You will come like a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about, in the last days, that I will bring you against My land, so the nations may know ME when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog."

This great leader called Gog, is told by the Lord, WHAT he is going to do, "You will come up against My people Israel", HOW he will come, "like a cloud to cover the land", WHEN it will take place, "It shall come about in the last days", WHERE this will happen, "I will bring you against My land", and WHY it is happening, "so that the nations may know Me and I will be sanctified through YOU, before their eyes, O Gog."

From the beginning, the enemy of our soul has sought to hide God from us, to distort His character, to disrupt His plan of salvation, to deceive the nations, to destroy His Anointed and to shipwreck the faith of those that put their trust in Him. He has taken control of corrupt minds and used men like Gog, as his puppets to counteract the Lord's glorious plan of redemption, which was planned before the foundation of the world.

Down through the corridors of time, we see a succession of evil men, like Gog, with the spirit of antichrist. The enemy of our soul manipulates their minds to carry out attacks on God's people. He uses evil rulers to deceive the world of the truth about God's goodness and grace. Satan was a liar and a murderer from the beginning who used Cain to slay his brother in an attempt to destroy, "the Seed of the woman who will crush the serpent's head."

Nimrod, Pharoah, Herod, and Jezabel, the wife of wicked King Ahab, were biblical characters that the enemy has used in his attempt to thwart God's plan of redemption. More recent history also records many dictators, who have the evil spirit of antichrist, such as Emperor Nero, Genghis Khan, Mao Zedong and Adolph Hitler. But God used their wicked work to forward His perfect plans for mankind. And the satanically inspired Gog from the land of Magog, is the coming tyrant of Ezekiel 38, whom the Lord will use to show the nations that God is the Lord.

God knows the end for the beginning, and although Gog from the land of Magog, will be prompted by the enemy to attack the beautiful land of Israel in the last days, his assault will be used by the Lord, to overturn Satan's plans, punish the evildoers and reveal Himself to the world, so that the nations may know Him and be sanctified before Gog. On that day, the Lord will exalt Himself and demonstrate His holiness. On that day, He will make Himself known to many people, and all the people of the earth will learn that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the LORD.

There are many that speculate about Gog of the land of Magog, and try to pinpoint the time when this will happen. But perhaps the more urgent thing to consider is that there are still family members, work colleagues, neighbours and people we pass in the street each day, who have not yet trusted Christ as their Saviour.

Let us remember that Ezekiel's prophecy was given to Israel, to encourage them at the time when Gog and a great army with him, sweep into the beautiful land of Israel, like a cloud covering the land, "to take a plunder." God is jealous for His people, and when Gog invades Israel, the Lord has determined to execute judgment on him. He will send a plague on the evil people and bloodshed. The Lord will pour out torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone on Gog, as on all his troops and the many people who are with him.

It is not only the nations that will know that God is the Lord, but Israel will see that God Himself has come to their defence, and rescued them from their enemies, as He did in olden days. Today, Israel is in the land in unbelief, but the invasion of Gog will help to wake up God's people to the truth.

But while the age of grace is still here, let us tell as many as we can, the glorious gospel of Salvation and warn of the wrath to come. Let us be diligent to build ourselves up in our most holy faith, as we wait expectantly for Christ to come in the clouds and take us to be with Himself. And let us have mercy on lost sinners, and those who doubt the truth - let us help to save some by snatching them from the coming fires of judgement, so that they too may know that God is the Lord.

Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, thank You for alerting us to the coming judgement of the world and the many deceptions that seek to distort the gospel, disrupt Your plan of salvation, deceive the nations and shipwreck the faith of those that put their trust in You. Thank You, that You have told us the end from the beginning and that a day is coming when evil will be punished, and the world will know that You are the Almighty Lord of heaven and earth, and that Jesus is coming back to rule this world in righteousness. Have mercy on those that do not yet know You and bring many into the Body of Christ before that time of terrible tribulation, when judgement is poured out on the wicked. Hear my prayer I pray, in Jesus' name, AMEN.