Ezekiel Chapter 38 Vs. 7

 Prophecy Against Gog

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

This is still speaking to Gog. He is to prepare for war. "Guard", in the Scripture above, means leader.

This is the great time of Israel’s cleansing, salvation and spiritual life, getting them ready for Messiah’s return and kingdom.




This attack will be against Israel, whose people will be gathered from many nations and will be living in safety.

Romans Chapter 10 Vs. 5

 

The Message of Salvation to All

For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. Rom 10:5

That the man... Quoted from Lev. 18:5. Perfect obedience was required by the law. Since no man could accomplish this, all people were condemned by the law and cursed by it (Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10-13; Rom. 3:19-20). This shows the impossibility of being saved by the law, and the fact that all can be saved by the gospel (Rom. 10:6-13).

For Christ is the end of the law, although the Greek word translated “end” can mean either “fulfillment” or “termination.” This is not a reference to Christ’s having perfectly fulfilled the law through His teaching or through His sinless life.

Paul means that belief in Christ as Lord and Savior ends the sinner’s futile quest for righteousness through his imperfect attempts to save himself by efforts to obey the law.

Mat. 5:17-18 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

God’s Gracious Offer

In presenting God’s gracious offer of salvation in Christ and the provision of righteousness by faith, Paul first stated the contrast of the by-works approach to achieving righteousness. He wrote, Moses describes (lit., “writes”) the righteousness that is by the Law. Then Paul quoted Lev. 18:5, The man who does these things will live by them. If a Jew were to receive righteousness by keeping the demands of the Law, that would be human achievement; it would not be from God. However, a Jew would need to keep the entire Law perfectly all his life — an impossible task (Jas. 2:10).

Ezekiel Chapter 38 Vs. 6

 Prophecy Against Gog

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




Gomer, and all... Today the area called Gomer is Armenia, which also was known as Cappadocia, having a people called Gomer in Assyrian inscriptions. Togarmah is eastern Turkey today.



God will use Gog and all his allies as pawns in His larger plans for Israel. Yet the idea for attacking Israel also will originate with Gog. Gog will act freely to accomplish his own evil goals. He “will devise an evil scheme,” Eze. 38:10.

Romans Chapter 10 Vs. 4

Israel's Unbelief

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Rom 10:4

For Christ is... The law ends in Christ who fulfilled it by being the real sacrifice of which the law sacrifices were merely typical (Eph. 2:14-15; Col. 2:14-17; Heb. 8:5; 10:1). The law was our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ and was added because of transgression until Christ should come (Gal. 3:19-25; Rom. 5:20; Heb. 9:10). It cannot save, but condemns, making the sinner realize his need of salvation. Christ is the end of the law of sacrifices, types, rituals, and outward religion which foreshadowed Him and the spiritual realities of the New Testament

Lev. 18:5 “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I [am] the LORD.”

There were literally hundreds of the Levitical laws that had to be kept to be righteous in the law. There was absolutely no way that a person could even keep up with them, much less keep them. Jesus came and fulfilled them for us that we might live by the grace of God.

To hope for a righteousness based on obedience to the law requires perfect conformity in every detail, which is an utter impossibility.

The Law did not and could not of itself provide righteousness before God for individuals (cf. Rom. 3:20; 7:7). But Christ fulfilled the Law (Mat. 5:17-18) by keeping it perfectly during His sinless life (cf. John 8:46) and then gave His life in payment for the penalty of sin and the broken Law (cf. Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:13-14). The Law then pointed to Him as the Source of the God-provided righteousness it could not supply (Gal. 3:24). A godly Jew who trusted Yahweh and followed the Levitical system, including the sin offering and the trespass offering, would most likely be inclined to respond to Christ by faith and would receive God’s righteousness (i.e., be justified; Acts 13:39; Rom. 3:24; 4:3, 4:5). He then could meet the requirements of the Law by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:4). Conversely, a Jew who sought by works to establish his own righteousness would not recognize Christ as “the end of the Law” and would stumble over Him. 

Ezekiel Chapter 38 Vs. 5

 Prophecy Against Gog

Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Eze. 38:5





Persia, Ethiopia, and... Persia and modern Iran are the same. Ethiopia is another hostile country to Christianity. Ethiopia is an African country located south of Egypt. Libya is in North Africa and 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.

On whether the horses and weapons are literal, see Eze. 39:9. God will use Gog and all his allies as pawns in His larger plans for Israel. Yet the idea for attacking Israel also will originate with Gog. Gog will act freely to accomplish his own evil goals. He “will devise an evil scheme,” Eze. 38:10.

Romans Chapter 10 Vs. 3

Israel's Unbelief

For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Rom 10:3

ignorant of God’s... This means they were ignorant both of God’s inherent righteousness revealed in the law and the rest of the Old Testament (which should have shown the Jew their own unrighteousness), and of the righteousness which comes from Him on the basis of faith.

We see from the following Scriptures, the self-righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees and how it displeased God.

Luke 18:9-14 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:” “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.” “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” “I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

God loves the humble in heart that are looking to Jesus Christ for their righteousness.

their own righteousness... This means their beliefs were based on their conformity to God’s law which was often the less demanding standards of their own traditions.

have not submitted... This shows their rebellion to the end.

Even though they should have known from their own Scriptures (cf. Gen. 15:6; Psm. 32:1-2). But here preferably the righteousness in view is the righteousness God requires for people to be accepted by Him, which is God’s own infinite righteousness. The Jews did not really understand God’s own infinite righteousness, which is why they were continuing to seek to establish their own (cf. Isa. 64:6). Little wonder then that they did not submit to (“place themselves under”) God’s righteousness, that is, the righteousness God provides through Christ by faith. 

Ezekiel Chapter 38 Vs. 4

 Prophecy Against Gog

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:"

Two invasions of Israel by Gog:


The first will be in the middle of the tribulation of Daniel's 70th week, and only 10 kingdoms of the Revised Roman Empire will be with him (Dan. 11:35-45; Rev. 11:1-2). Between this war and the fulfillment of Eze. 38-39 the combined nations of the north and east of the 10 kingdoms will make war on Gog and these kingdoms. He will leave Israel and his capital (Jerusalem at this time), to go forth against these new enemies until they are defeated in the last 3 ½ years of Daniel's 70th week (Dan. 11:44).


The second invasion of Israel by Gog will be at the end of the last 3 ½ years of Daniel's 70th week, after he has conquered the countries north and east of his 10 kingdoms inside the old Roman Empire boundary lines. By then he will have conquered Russia, and the many countries with her, becoming their ruler as well as being the ruler of the 10 kingdoms and the countries of the north and east. Gog will then lead all these to battle, and many other nations whom he has not yet conquered, but who will cooperate with him through the ministry of the 3 unclean spirits of Rev. 16:13-16. These vast armies being mobilized will converge on Israel in an effort to destroy Israel completely (Zech. 14:1-15) and stop Christ from setting up His kingdom on earth (Rev. 19:11-21). At this time all of Eze. 38-39 will be fulfilled. Then after this battle of Armageddon Christ will set up His kingdom on earth as predicted.

The only time Russia will invade Palestine in fulfillment of Scripture will be as one of many conquered nations under Gog or Antichrist, when he and his armies will fight against Israel and Christ at Armageddon—at the time of the second coming. Russia will not be under Antichrist at the time of his first invasion of Palestine when he takes over Jerusalem and the Jewish temple as his capital; but she will be with him in the second conquest. The second will be necessary because of the Jews gaining control of Jerusalem again while Antichrist is away fighting against Russia and her allies in the north and east of the 10 kingdoms. Thus, after conquering these nations Gog will come back down into Palestine, surround the city, take half of it, and then be suddenly defeated in one day’s battle (Armageddon) by Christ and the heavenly armies (Zec. 14:1-15).

turn thee back,... This very first statement of God dealing with Gog proves that when these chapters (Eze. 38-39) are fulfilled he will be turned back from taking Jerusalem and be destroyed. In this first invasion of Israel some three and a half years before this he will take the whole city of Jerusalem and make it his capital city and the temple his capital building, placing the abomination of desolation in the temple to remain for about three and a half years (Dan. 9:27; 11:40-45; 2Thes. 2:3-4; Rev. 11:1-2). At the second and last invasion of Israel, after he has conquered Russia and her allies north and east of his ten kingdoms, he will surround Jerusalem to take it again but will not succeed; he will be turned back, being able to take only half of the city before Christ suddenly comes with the armies of heaven to stop him from taking the rest of it (Zec. 14:1-15; Rev. 19:11-21).

thine army, horses... Here the army of Gog or Antichrist is predicted as consisting of a great company of horses and horsemen with all sorts of weapons and armor. Ancient weapons are mentioned as they were the only kind known and understood at that time. It is to be expected that the future Antichrist will equip his men with all kinds of modern weapons—all sorts as stated here.

great company with... Sixteen statements—Gog’s army:

1. Rosh (Septuagint in Eze. 38:2; 39:1)

2. Meshech (Sons of Japheth.)

3. Tubal (Sons of Japheth.)

4. Persia (Eze. 38:5; 27:10; 2Ch. 36:20-23; Ezr. 1:1-8; Est. 1:3, 1:14, 1:18; 10:2; Dan. 11:43)

5. Ethiopia (Eze. 38:5; 29:10; 30:4-5)

6. Libya (Eze. 38:5; 30:5; Dan. 11:43)

7. Gomer (Sons of Japheth.)

8. Togarmah (Sons of Japheth.)

9. Many people (Eze. 38:6, 38:9)

10. Ten kingdoms of the Revised Roman Empire (Dan. 7:23-24; Rev. 17:12-17)

11. Many countries (Dan. 11:41)

12. Countries east and north of the 10 kingdoms (Dan. 11:44)

13. All the heathen ... Multitudes, multitudes (Joel 3:11-14)

14. All nations (Zec. 14:1-5)

15. The kings of the earth and their armies (Rev. 16:13-16; 19:19-21)

16. The whole world (Rev. 16:13-16)

Just as God used Assyria and Babylon as human invaders for His judgments, He aims to use this army. In this case, He brings the invader to Israel so that He may visit judgment on the invader itself. He thus uses the language of hooks in the jaws, as in judging Egypt. From the aggressor’s perspective, they think that it is their plan only to seize the spoil which draws them to Israel.

The invasion by Gog 

On the identification of the proper names in these verses see the preceding paragraphs under “6. The Attack by Gog Repulsed (chaps. 38-39).” Gog’s attack on Israel will actually be orchestrated by God. The Lord said, I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws, and bring you out with your whole army — your horses… horsemen… a great horde with… shields and swords.