A Line by Line Exposition of Ezekiel 39 – Part 9
March 24, 2009
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OUTLINE OF GENERAL EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH CORRELATION OF EZEKIEL 38 AND 39 WITH DANIEL 12 AND REVELATION 12.
Ezekiel Chapter 38 deals with the initial attack of Gog the Antichrist against Israel at about the same time the earthquake of Revelation 6:12 occurs in the Jordan River Valley of Israel. When the attack occurs some three and one-half years remain until the battle of Armageddon ends the Tribulation Period.
Revelation 12:6 represents the period of three and one half years between Chapters 38 and 39 in Ezekiel, when Gog drives Israel into the Negev Wilderness, and leaves her there for some three and one-half years, by-passing the Negev and driving across the northern Sinai to conquer Cairo and all Egypt. Gog remains there and establishes a vast Islamic Caliphate from Morocco to New Guinea.
Daniel 12:40-43 represents the initial attack against Israel just described and Gog’s three and one-half year Caliphate reign from Cairo.
Daniel 12:44,45 represents his return to Jerusalem to call all the old world nations to come and assist him in finally destroying the Jews.
The land of Magog (Russia) comes down to join him and the 39th Chapter of Ezekiel begins with attack against Israel at Armageddon and ends with fire coming down on Magog (Russians) as described in Ezekiel 39:6 and also in Revelation 16:16-21.
Ezekiel Chapter 39 deals with the final attack of Gog against Israel in the Negev Wilderness after he drove her there some three and one-half years before. This is the time when he asks the people of the land of Magog (Russia) to come down and help him utterly destroy Israel at Armageddon. The Chapter then continues on into the Millennial Reign events following Armageddon, beginning with the burial of the millions of the bones of Gog’s army scattered across Israel, amounting to 5/6 of his great army.
In Part 8 we continued our exposition of Ezekiel 38:1 that began some time ago, finishing with the last verse in chapter 38. This exposition will continue in chapter 39.
Ezekiel 39:1 – Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
In Parts 1 through 8 the 600 B.C. location where Meshech and Tubal’s descendants were settled was thoroughly covered, and a case was made to prove that Gog is most likely to come out of Syria. The location of Magog’s descendants was also outl ined
in these Prophecy Updates. Once again, we are advised that Gog is the enemy of God.
Gog has ruled as Antichrist in Cairo for more than three years following the war described in Ezekiel 38 and Daniel 11:40-44. He returns to Jerusalem to issue a call to all the nations of the Old World, including the land of Magog (Russia), to come and help him finally end the “Jewish Problem” in the Negev Wilderness forever, once and for all. They come down, but none can help Gog or the nations of the Old World, because God is about to cut loose on them with the greatest earthquake which has occurred since God placed man on the earth. It will destroy five-sixths of God’s army in the Jordan River Valley and upon the mountains of Israel from Dan to Beersheba.
Ezekiel 39:2 – And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
In the time frame this book was written, the expression “the north parts,” was taken to mean what we identify today as Syria and Lebanon. It is important to understand that God will do this without the help of man. He says: I will turn, I
will cause, and I will bring.
What he is about to unleash is the greatest geological upheaval Israel has known up to that time.
It will destroy 5/6 of Gog’s mighty horde (See Birth Pangs 15 and 16 with their associated diagrams).
Daniel 11:44 to 12:1 – But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. [45] And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. [1] And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Revelation 16:16-21 – And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. [17] And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
[18] And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there w as a great earthquake, such
as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. [19] And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. [20] And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. [21] And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
Ezekiel 39:6 –And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord.
Revelation 14:19,20 – And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. [20] And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
Zechariah 14:12-14 – And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. [13] And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour. [14] And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
Ezekiel 39:3 – And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
This verse paints a picture of men abandoning their weapons in horrifying fear. The earthquakes and volcanic holocaust will so frighten the men of war that all thought of combat will be erased from their minds.
They will drop their weapons as they flee for their lives.
Ezekiel 39:4 – Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
There won’t be any flesh left to pick on those soldiers of God caught in the Jordan Valley from the Gulf of Aqabah to the entrance of the Jezreel Valley (See Birth Pangs 15 and 16 with their associated diagrams). But there will be gobs of flesh on the bones found in interior hills of Judea, Samaria, and Galilee.
Ezekiel 39:5 – Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God.
Verse 5 reaffirms the principle of “I will” in verses 2 and 3. It confirms there is no way all this can be changed. Why? “For I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. We have short-changed the power of God ever since man began to develop weapons of massive destruction.
I assure you that, by the end of the terror of the Tribulation Period, we will have seen how puny what we have developed is in comparison to God’s mighty arsenal.