Ezekiel Chapter 38 Vs. 19

 Prophecy Against Gog

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; Eze. 38:19





a great shaking... This is speaking of a huge earthquake in Israel and panic will seize the invading soldiers who will turn and use their weapons against one another. It also could be speaking of the fear of God, which comes when all of this happens. God will fight this battle Himself and all of Israel will be safe.




When the armies reach Israel, God’s anger will be aroused against them. He will cause a massive earthquake in… Israel that will interrupt Gog’s invasion plans and spread fear and confusion throughout the ranks of the invading forces.

Romans Chapter 10 Vs. 17

The Message of Salvation to All

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom 10:17

So then faith... Is not man doing his part in response to God’s having done His part. Saving faith can come about only through the gospel. Salvation is God’s work alone. This also shows that there is no other way to be saved but by the explicit gospel of Christ.

Luke 11:28 “But he said, Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

word of God... Or better, the word of Christ. The reference is to the oral communication of the gospel. (The word translated “report” in verse 16 is translated “hearing” here). Notice that it is not faith in what is heard, but faith that comes about by what is heard. This is what Paul meant (in Rom. 1:16), when he said the gospel “is the power of God unto salvation.”

It is the Word of God that is powerful, that convicts us of our sin and sets us on the road to salvation. Look at the next Scripture and see just how powerful this Word is.

Heb. 4:12 “For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Paul explained, Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message (lit., “is out from hearing”; cf. Rom. 10:14) and the message is heard through the word of Christ (lit., “and the hearing is through the saying [rhēmatos; cf. Rom. 10:17] concerning Christ”). The Greek word akoē (“hearing”) can mean the thing heard (the message; Rom. 10:16) or the act or sense of hearing (Rom. 10:17). 

Ezekiel Chapter 38 Vs. 18

 Prophecy Against Gog

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. Eze. 38:18

at the same... At the same time, when Gog comes into the land of Israel at the battle of Armageddon, after he has already conquered the countries north and east of his ten kingdoms which are inside the old Roman Empire territory, and not in some previous war in Israel. This is the only time that God will supernaturally destroy the armies of Gog and the many nations with him. This fact is confirmed by the phrase "in that day," in Eze. 38:19.

my fury shall... The 20 fold destruction of Gog at Armageddon:

1. My fury will come up in My face (Eze. 38:18).

2. In that day there will be a great shaking in the land of Israel (Eze. 38:19).

3. The fish of the sea will shake at My presence (Eze. 38:20).

4. The fowls of the heaven will shake at My presence.

5. The beasts of the field will also shake at My presence.

6. And so will all creeping things upon the earth.

7. Men upon earth will shake at My presence like all other creatures.

8. The mountains will be thrown down.

9. The steep places will fall.

10. Every wall will fall to the ground.

11. I will call for a sword against him throughout all My mountains (Eze. 38:21).

12. Every man’s sword will be against his brother (Eze. 38:21; Zec. 14:12-13).

13. I will plead against him with pestilence (Eze. 38:22).

14. I will plead against him with blood.

15. I will rain upon him.

16. I will rain upon his bands.

17. I will rain upon the many people with him an overflowing rain.

18. And there will be great hailstones (cp. Jos. 10:11).

19. And there will be fire.

20. And there will be brimstone (sulphur).

All this goes far to prove that these chapters (Ezekiel 38-39) refer to Armageddon, not to some battle between Russia and the Jews before the second coming of Christ. Such means of destruction as an overflowing rain, blood, fire, brimstone, hailstones, etc. will be used at Armageddon only, as proved here (Eze. 38:18-22) and in Eze. 39:2-7, 39:17-20; Isa. 63:1-8; Joel 2-3; Zec. 14:1-15; Mat. 24:27-31; 2Th. 1:7-10; 2:8-12; Jugs. 1:14-15; Rev. 16:17-21; 10:11-21. These statements are not figurative but literal, and can only be understood this way.

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.




When the armies reach Israel, God’s anger will be aroused against them.

Romans Chapter 10 Vs. 16

 

The Message of Salvation to All

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? Rom 10:16

Lord, who hath... The 9th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Romans (Rom. 10:16; Isa. 53:1). Next, Rom. 10:19. Paul here answers a question in the Jewish mind thus: "But they have not all obeyed the gospel"; that is, if the gospel was of God it should have divine success, and so, since many do not believe it, then it must not be of God. Paul proves by prophecy that many would not believe and obey the gospel (Isa. 53:1). God sends the message, but He does not obligate people to accept and obey it (Mark 16:16; John 3:16-20; Rom. 1:16).

The good news is not only a gracious offer but a command to believe and repent. “Believed our report” is a scripture quoted from (Isa. 53:1).

The report Isaiah described was of the substitutionary death of Christ, the good news of the gospel (Isa. 53:5).

Israel’s Rejection

Paul had made it clear that God’s gracious offer of righteousness by faith was given to all, Jews and Gentiles alike (cf. Rom. 10:12). His focus in this chapter, however, has been on the people of Israel and their response to that offer (cf. Rom. 10:1). Therefore when he wrote, But not all the Israelites (the Gr. text simply says “all”) accepted the good news, he obviously had in mind the Jews’ failure to respond. (“Accepted” translates hypēkousan, a compound of the verb “to hear.” It means “to hear with a positive response,” and so “to obey, to submit to.”) This is borne out by Paul’s confirming quotation of Isa. 53:1 : Lord, who has believed our message? This failure of the Jews to respond to the good news was true in Jesus’ days on earth (John 12:37-41) and in Paul’s day as well. However, the indefinite “all” of the Greek text (Rom. 10:16) is appropriate, because the response to the gospel among the Gentiles was also far less than total.

Ezekiel Chapter 38 Vs. 17

Prophecy Against Gog

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? Eze. 38:17

Art thou he... Question 79. Next, Eze. 47:6.

whom I have... Refers to the general references to this time and the participants. Even Daniel referred to this time at least 3 decades prior to Eze. 38 (in Dan. 2:41-44). The nature of the question presupposes that the previous generalities are now being particularized in the person of Gog.

The judgment of Gog

The defeat of Gog

Gog’s attack will be crushed by God Himself. God asked Gog, Are you not the one I spoke of in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel? This has caused some confusion among interpreters because no direct reference to Gog is made by any of the previous writing prophets. Perhaps this means earlier prophets had predicted the coming of invading armies against Israel in the last days, which Ezekiel now associated specifically with Gog (cf. Joel 3:9-14; Zeph. 3:15-20).

Romans Chapter 10 Vs. 15

 

The Message of Salvation to All

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Rom 10:15

How beautiful are... The 8th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Romans (Rom. 10:15; Isa. 52:7). Next, Rom. 10:16. This prophecy is only partially fulfilled in New Testament ministers. They cannot now say of Zion, "Thy God reigneth." In the Millennium they will say this, so the passage will then be fully fulfilled.

Paul’s main point in this series of rhetorical questions is that a clear presentation of the gospel message must precede true saving faith. True faith always has content, the revealed Word of God. Salvation comes to those who hear and believe the facts of the gospel.

Isa. 52:7 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”

It is the message of good news which those feet carry that is so welcome.

When one believes in Christ, he “calls” on Him. Believing, in turn, is based on hearing, and hearing is based on someone preaching… and how can they preach unless they are sent? (Since the Gr. word kēryssō, “preach,” means “to be a herald, to announce,” it is not limited to proclamation from a pulpit.) Carrying God’s gracious offer involves human beings whom God has brought to Himself and then uses as His heralds. They share God’s message of salvation because He will save everyone who calls on His name. Paul quoted from Isa. 52:7 concerning the eagerness of the bearers of good news. Those who bear it have beautiful… feet, that is, their message is welcome. In Isa. 52:7 the messenger announced to Judah that God had ended their Exile in Babylon (cf. Isa. 40:9-11). But Paul applied Isa. 52:7 to the Jews of his day to whom the gospel was being given.

Ezekiel Chapter 38 Vs. 16

 Prophecy Against Gog

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. Eze. 38:16




my people of... Notice that “my people of Israel are God's people in this verse. God will be glorified in this.

that the heathen... Is a phrase, frequent in Ezekiel, is part of the theme to glorify God and show His sovereign power. God is the victor, who will be “hallowed” by fire.






They will advance against… Israel like a cloud (cf. Eze. 38:9) that covers the land. This awesome army will overrun all obstacles as effortlessly as a cloud sailing across the sky.

They will advance against… Israel like a cloud (cf. Eze. 38:9) that covers the land. This awesome army will overrun all obstacles as effortlessly as a cloud sailing across the sky.

This attack will be another means of God’s displaying to the nations His holy character and sovereign power. In going against Israel, the nations will come to know God for He will show Himself holy (cf. Eze. 20:41; 28:22, 28:25; 36:23; 39:27). As a result of the unsuccessful attack Israel will be delivered and God glorified.