EZEKIEL LESSON 40

     We will begin this lesson in Ezekiel 38:1 "And the word of the
LORD came unto me, saying," Ezekiel 38:2 "Son of man, set thy face
against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal,
and prophesy against him,"

     This begins a new prophecy. We must look at this from the
standpoint of future prophecy, because the things mentioned in the
following verses have not happened yet. This prophecy is for the day
of the Lord. Some call it the time of the end. This prophecy is
primarily spoken against Gog in the land of Magog. Gog seems to have
been the leader in Magog. Magog seems to be what we call modern
Russia. Meschech is, possibly, speaking of Moscow and Tubal is,
possibly, speaking of Tobolsk of Siberia. Magog was a northern nation,
known for its violence.

     Ezekiel 38:3 "And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am]
against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:"

     This statement is easily understood. God is against them, because
they have been against God. They, until recent weeks, have been
greatly opposed to the church. They have been an atheistic nation.

     Ezekiel 38:4 "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:"

     This speaks of God turning him back with hooks in his jaws, as
you would a wild animal. Russia is known as the bear, so this fits
what we have been saying. This is God calling them to this great
battle.  They have killed many for their religious views. We can see
why God would do this.

     Ezekiel 38:5 "Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them
with shield and helmet:"

     Persia and modern Iran are the same. Ethiopia, is another hostile
country to Christianity. Ethiopia is an African country located south
of Egypt. Libya joins Egypt on the west side. All of these countries
are opposed to Christianity. Notice, they are prepared for war. They
seem to come from every direction; north, south, east, and west.

     Ezekiel 38:6 "Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of
the north quarters, and all his bands: [and] many people with thee."

     The best we can say for sure about Gomer, is that he is from the
north. Many believe Gomer to be Germany. The best we can say about
Togarmah, is that they, also, are from the north.  Many believe this
to be speaking of Turkey.

     Ezekiel 38:7 "Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou,
and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard
unto them."

     This is still speaking to Gog. He is to prepare for war. "Guard",
in the Scripture above, means leader. Russia will lead the other
nations in this battle.

     Ezekiel 38:8  "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."

     This is setting the time for this to happen. The land that is
brought back from the sword, is of course, Israel. This speaks of
Israel after it has become a nation, as it has today. The latter days
is a time spoken of for the troubles of the ages to culminate in this
great battle. Israel is a standard for belief in God, and that is why
they are against Israel.

     Ezekiel 38:9 "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."

     This will be a massive army of all of the above mentioned
nations, coming to attack the little land of Israel. There will be so
many of them they will stir up dust, and it will look like a cloud
covering the land.

     Ezekiel 38:10 "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:"

     This evil thought comes from an evil heart. We must remember,
that God is using Gog's evil thoughts to pull him to this battle.

     Ezekiel 38:11 "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,"

     They are such a small nation, and without walls and gates to hold
the conquerers back. They should be an easy prey. This is the evil
thought they are thinking.

     Ezekiel 38:12 "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."

     Israel has become an affluent land, because the blessings of God
are upon her. Their land has plenty of food, and has a warm port to
the Mediterranean Sea. This would all be a blessing to them. There is
famine in some of these countries today.
     Ezekiel 38:13 "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?"

     Sheba is an Arabian country. Dedan has to do with caravan
merchants. Tarshish were merchant traders. In fact, the three just
mentioned would benefit by trading with Israel. The "young lions", I
believe are speaking of the United States, Canada, and Australia. It
appears, they question what this group, led by Russia, intends to do?

     Ezekiel 38:14  "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]?"

     It appears that Gog, has been watching and waiting for an
opportunity to come against Israel. The people like Iran, Ethiopia,
and Lybia are all as opposed to Israel, as Russia is. When they feel
the opportune time is here, they will attack Israel.

     Ezekiel 38:15 "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:"

     The strangest thing about this is the fact, they are riding upon
horses. One thing we must remember, is that in Ezekiel's day there
were no motorized vehicles. He is giving this prophecy in his
terminology.

     Ezekiel 38:16 "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."

     Notice, who are God's people, in this. God will be glorified in
this.

     Ezekiel 38:17 "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?"

     It is as if Ezekiel is asking him, if he is the one the other
prophets have spoken of. This could be speaking of a symbolic Satan;
as Nebuchadnezzar was symbolic of Satan.

     Ezekiel 38:18 "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."

     God has led these countries, and people opposed to God, to this
place to destroy them. It will not be Israel that destroys them. It
will be God, and everyone will know it is God. God's fury has come up,
because they oppose God's people. They even oppose God Himself.

     Ezekiel 38:19 "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;"

     This is speaking of a huge earthquake. It, also, could be
speaking of the fear of God which comes when all of this happen. God
will fight this battle, Himself. Israel will be safe.

     Ezekiel 38:20 "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."

     This is the great earthquake, which the entire world will feel.
Every living creature upon the earth will fear the Lord at this point.
This could be the time when Lord of Lords and King of kings places His
feet on the Mount of Olives, and it breaks in two at His presence.
Zechariah 14:4  "And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount
of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of
Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward
the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the
mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the
south."

     Ezekiel 38:21 "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."

     The great confusion caused by all of these calamities, will cause
the army of Gog and his companions to turn their swords on each other.

     Ezekiel 38:22 "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."

     In the natural, this appears to be an atomic war of great
magnitude. This, however, comes from God. This fire and brimstone is
like that which fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah. All of this is judgement
upon these atheistic people by God, Himself. This is too horrible to
even imagine. {The Israelites are not harmed, even though they are
near}.

     Ezekiel 38:23 "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."

     The only glory that will come from this, is the glory that God
will get. Everyone who is left will know He is God. No man has to
elevate God, or could even if they wanted to. God is above all of His
creation, including man.
                         Ezekiel 40 Questions


1.  Ezekiel was told to set his face against _______.
2.  When is this prophecy for?
3.  Magog seems to be what country?
4.  Mescheck is, possibly, speaking of ___________.
5.  Tubal is, possibly, speaking of Tobolsk of ___________.
6.  What was this northern nation known for?
7.  Gog was chief prince of __________ and ________.
8.  Why was God against them?
9.  Russia is spoken of as what animal?
10. What is Persia today?
11. Ethiopia is an __________ country.
12. Where is Ethiopia located?
13. Lyba joins __________ on the west side.
14. What do all of these countries have in common?
15. Which directions do they come from?
16. Many believe Gomer to be ____________.
17. Who is Togarmah?
18. What are they to prepare for?
19. When will this war happen?
20. Why will they decide to attack Israel?
21. What benefit do they think it will be to them?
22. Who asks the question in verse 13?
23. Who does the author believe the "young lions" are?
24. What is the strangest thing about this army that descends on
    Israel?
25. When they come against Israel, what happens to God?
26. What is this great shaking, probably?
27. Quote Zechariah chapter 14 verse 4.
28. Every man's sword shall be against ____ _________.
29. What destruction does God rain down on them?
30. Quote Ezekiel chapter 38 verse 23.