Hi friends. Here in Wyoming, we have had both snow and sunshine this month, with temperatures dropping below zero at times. There are times I wish we were in Boquete, Panama where it is eternally pleasant and warm! During these cold days, I’ve been studying the Ezekiel 37-39 passage to make sure I get it right when I share it with you. Here it is.
The Coming War
By Sheri Schofield
Our generation has seen more prophecies fulfilled than previous generations. Many people have been writing books and theorizing about the order of events which lead up to the return of Jesus to earth. The number of books on prophecy are amazing. Bible scholars have come up with timelines of how things will happen in the future and speculate on when Jesus will catch believers up to be with him forever.
Those timelines change as prophesied events happen. The timelines are man’s attempts to understand God’s plan for the world, to tell the future. The Bible encourages us to study these prophecies. (See Revelation 1:3)
Having studied the prophecies extensively, and knowing about how prophecy works, I suspect these events will not happen the way people think. The subject is very complex. Timelines are hard to justify. My feelings on this are that we should be aware of the prophecies and welcome them when we recognize their fulfillment. But I do not think the prophecies are orderly enough for us to insist on a timetable. At this point in time, we are still guessing.
We can look at how events are lining up and say we are nearing the return of Jesus. He is coming soon. However, since “a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day” to God, we cannot know what “soon” means. We can guess with some accuracy because of current events when certain prophecies are starting to happen. But we cannot know these things for sure until they happen. We know Ezekiel 36 has been fulfilled because Israel has become a great nation again. But we do not know with certainty how the rest of these prophecies play out. I will give you my observations, as a Bible teacher.
The prophecies of Ezekiel 38-39 tell of a massive war we might witness soon, maybe in this generation. Events in Israel and the Middle East seem to be lining up for these things to happen.
The Book of Ezekiel was written between 593 and 571 BC. So why is it important now? Because it seems that it is being fulfilled in our time and that it will affect us. Since shortly before World War II, the world has seen God resurrect the nation of Israel. It had been scattered for about two thousand years. But God brought the nation back to life. The prophecies of Ezekiel 36-37 have been mostly fulfilled. If we want to know what is coming to our world next, we need to see what the prophecy says will happen next.
When will the battle of Ezekiel 37-39 happen?
Ezekiel wrote this prophecy over 500 years before Christ came. He said this battle would happen “in the distant future.” We are certainly distant from those times! It has been over 2,500 years!
It will also happen “at a time when Israel will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel.” (See Ezekiel 38:8)
Who will be involved?
Ezekiel 37-39 tells us that God will draw the enemies of Israel down on the nation—for a great purpose, not to harm Israel, but to rescue the nation from her enemies.
Ezekiel 37-38: The names of Israel’s enemies in this passage in Ezekiel’s times were Gog, Magog, Meshech, Tubal and Magog’s allies. What are the modern names of these nations? Bible scholars are mostly in agreement on this:
Gog is a person, a ruler over Magog. Magog is a country. Ezekiel 38:15 tells us Gog and the land he rules (Magog) are in the far north. Most Bible scholars think this is Russia.
Meshech is one of the nations which will invade Israel with Gog. This group is also from the north. They are thought to be the allies of Russia. Many think this is central Turkey, Russia and Georgia .Possibly Ukraine as well.
Tubal is eastern Turkey
Persia (present-day Iran).
Ethiopia,
Libya
Beth Togarmah (Armenia, if scholars have correctly identified it)
Many other allies are included. Russia’s Middle East allies are mostly Muslim nations which hate Israel.
The “prince” of Russia will lead his people to take over Israel. He and his people will be joined by Turkey, Georgia, Iran, Ethiopia, Libya and (probably) Armenia and their allies.
This is significant in our times because this alliance between those nations has never existed until now. Which means we are living in the day when this battle can and probably will happen.
What will happen during this battle? Where will it happen?
Ezekiel 39:1-6 (NLT) tells us “Son of man, prophesy against Gog. Give him a message from the Sovereign Lord: I am your enemy, O Gog, ruler of the nations of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around and drive you toward the mountains of Israel, bringing you from the distant north. I will knock the bow from your left hand and the arrows from your right hand, and I will leave you helpless. You and your army and your allies will all die on the mountains. I will feed you to the vultures and wild animals. You will fall in the open fields, for I have spoken, says the Sovereign Lord. And I will rain down fire on Magog and on all your allies who live safely on the coasts. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
The enemy’s dead will be buried in the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Dead Sea. From the context of the passage, it appears that the battle will be fought in that location. The way through that passage will be blocked in the future because of the vast number of graves there after the battle.
Ezekiel writes that the enemies of Israel will be drawn to the mountains of Israel. Among the mountains surrounding the Valley of the Travelers there are many volcanoes. It is an unstable region of earthquakes.
Ezekiel describes in detail what will happen as the enemy armies approach the mountains of Israel. “But this is what the Sovereign Lord says: When Gog invades the land of Israel, my fury will boil over! In my jealousy and blazing anger, I promise a mighty shaking in the land of Israel on that day. All living things, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the people on earth—will quake in terror at my presence. Mountains will be thrown down; cliffs will crumble; walls will fall to the earth.”
(this is probably a huge earthquake) (v.18-20)
“I will summon the sword against you (Israel’s enemies) on all the hills of Israel, says the Sovereign Lord. Your men will turn their swords against each other.” (v.21) (absolute terror, turning each against the other)
“I will punish you and your armies with disease and bloodshed.” (v. 22)
“I will send torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur!” (v. 22) (massive hail, great quantities of rain, plus probably volcanic eruptions)
Purpose of God’s judgment:
“In this way, I will show my greatness and holiness, and I will make myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” (v.23) (NLT)
Some scholars think this battle describes a nuclear weapon. But I do not think it is. Here’s why:
1) A nuclear weapon would send fallout into Israel, endangering them.
2) People would not recognize that the LORD did this. God will not share his glory with anyone. Not even Israel. He is intervening to save Israel in a supernatural manner. But God often uses nature to accomplish supernatural things like this. The location of the battle reinforces the probability that he will use nature in a supernatural way in this case.
Some scholars think this passage describes the Battle of Armageddon. I do not think it is.
Why? Because---
1) The passage does not mention the return of Christ, which happens at the Battle of Armageddon.
2) The passage mentions Russia and its allies. But in Relation 16:14, which tells of the Battle of Armageddon, it does not. It tells us ALL the nations of the world will gather for the final battle (Armegeddon).
3) And finally, I do not think this is the Battle of Armageddon because Armageddon (Har-Mageddon in Hebrew) means “Mount Mageddon.” This is specific location. Historically, Israel fought its battles in the valley below Mt. Mageddon, which is called Megiddo. Mount Mageddon is not close to the Valley of the Travelers. It is 29 miles away as the bird flies. But the drive is 46 minutes.
This particular battle is very likely going to be fought in or around the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Dead Sea, on the route Ruth and Naomi would have traveled when they returned to Israel from Moab. The Valley of the Travelers is between Jordan and Israel. It is located in the northern part of the Dead Sea fault area, a deep ravine, where the tectonic plates of Arabia and Africa overlap It is a place of many earthquakes and dormant volcanoes.
I believe God will use the fault area, which dips down low in a long gorge surrounded by mountains. The fault will hem the enemy in and produce the earthquake. The volcanoes will produce the fire and sulfur which will rain down on Israel’s enemies at that time. Great hailstones will fall on the enemy, as well as torrents of rain. This is definitely God coordinating the destruction of Israel’s enemies. He will use the natural terrain against them as well as supernatural rain and hailstones.
Will America be involved in that battle? I do not know. No other nations are mentioned besides Russia and its allies. If America arms Israel for this battle, the Bible does not tell us. But God will not share his glory with America either. He draws the nations into battle in order to show his mighty power, not to show theirs. He rescues Israel because they are the people of the Abrahamic Covenant. He calls them his own. He loves them.
Current Events Are Setting the Table
Russia is allied with the Muslim nations of the Middle East at this time. They have never been united like this before. The Iranians, for instance, have a treaty with Russia. Other surrounding nations may also have treaties with Russia. Certainly, many Muslim countries have treaties with Iran and Russia, major players in end time events. It took World War II to bring about these alliances among nations which were not united until now.
Current events have made these alliances stronger and bolder. This is the first time anything of this nature has ever happened in the history of Earth. It is significant. This battle may usher in the Great Tribulation, but we can only speculate on that issue.
This battle precedes a time when Israel will accomplish something they have longed for. I will cover that in my next blog post.