““This is what the Lord God says: Are you the one I spoke about in former times through My servants, the prophets of Israel, who for years prophesied in those times that I would bring you against them?” (Ezekiel 38:17, HCSB)

The prophecy about Gog (the Antichrist ruler who in the future will invade Israel to destroy it) is very intriguing for a variety of reasons. First, God tells Ezekiel that these times have been prophesied before. So this is nothing new to the Old Testament prophets. However, Ezekiel is given further details about the way the battle will go.

“Now on that day, the day when Gog comes against the land of Israel”—this is the declaration of the Lord God—“My wrath will flare up. I swear in My zeal and fiery rage: On that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.” (Ezekiel 38:18–19, HCSB)

This is similar to the passage in Revelation:

“The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; He gave her the cup filled with the wine of His fierce anger.” (Revelation 16:19, HCSB)

In this case, Jerusalem will be split into three parts because of an earthquake. God will cause the great earthquake. God will also cause a great number of people to fight each other (perhaps as a form of confusion.)

“I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains”—the declaration of the Lord God—“and every man’s sword will be against his brother.” (Ezekiel 38:21, HCSB)

Then He will finish the war with a set of supernatural meteorological events:

“I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone on him, as well as his troops and the many peoples who are with him.” (Ezekiel 38:22, HCSB)

Again, there is a similar passage in Revelation:

(Revelation 16:20–21, HCSB)

Why does God release all of this activity?

“I will display My greatness and holiness, and will reveal Myself in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.” (Ezekiel 38:23, HCSB)

He will do this so that everyone will know He is God, and that He is great and holy, worthy of respect. However, as we see in the book of Revelation, the people will not respond to God with respect. Instead, they will curse Him. Does this mean that God is not sovereign? No. It means that the people who refuse to listen to Him are selfish and therefore evil to His ways.

Photo by Chuanchai Pundej on Unsplash