CHAPTER 38

1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. 9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. 10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: 11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

Who is Gog and Magog? Hmmm, well, I don't really know. And I don't think anyone else REALLY knows for certain. Magog was the second son of Japheth, a grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:2). History tells us that this family migrated to the North of Mesopotamia.

However, we do know that Gog seems to be the leader of the people Magog. And we do see that many nations (Persia, Ethiopia, Libya) will JOIN Gog and Magog to fight against Israel. This seems to be a "world alliance" against Israel.

This prophecy is yet for a future time, "in the latter years" (verse 8). It will be fulfilled after Israel has reinhabited and rebuilt the land. Then, these nations shall "ascend and come like a storm" (verse 9).

Revelation 20:7-9 tells us that Satan will be "loosed" and gather his armies from Gog and Magog to do battle against the Messiah at the end of the millenial reign. But they will be destroyed by fire coming down from heaven.

But BEFORE they come, God is saying they will be TURNED BACK (verse 4). No matter how well prepared they are (verse 7), God will cause their venture to be worthless, and it will cost them many lives.

God is always looking FORWARD in care of His people! Before the devil can devise a plot against you or the church, God is prepared to DEFEAT him! PRAISE GOD for His "watchcare" over us!!

14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? 15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. 17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? 18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother. 22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

God uses ALL things to bring glory to His Name! Even the "wicked" will glorify God in the end! For they shall be a testament to His merciful provision and to His holiness.

From the pages of God's Word, many a song has been written. Squire Parsons wrote a song once that comes partly from verse 20 of this chapter.

"Who is this One I see, in the pages of God's Word?
His hair a white as snow, and with gold about His gird?
His eyes a flaming fire, His feet as brass of old;
Robed in brilliant righteousness, His voice as mighty waters flow!
He is the King of Kings, coming down to earth again!
He is the King of Kings, triumphant over sin!
He is the King of Kings, forever He shall reign!
He is the King of Kings, and evermore the same!

And, Praise His dear Name, one day - God will come and show Who is the ONLY "Potentate" (Ruler) of earth and eternity (see 1Timothy 6:15). He is JESUS, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords!

Today, while you are living your life, Christian, be aware that God is watching over you! The enemy is DEFEATED! God is SOVEREIGN! And the plots devised against you may FEEL successful at times, but God will tear them down!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.