God will hook Gog and bring him against the people of Israel. Israel will be unsuspecting as the vast hoard of soldiers come against them. God will defeat this army and the world will know that it is God who is the protector of Israel.
Make no mistake. This chapter is a strange, wild ride. And anyone who thinks they have it all figured out probably doesn’t.
But here’s what we do know from this chapter:
From David Guzik on Enduring Word:
Though there is much we do not know about Gog’s attack against Israel, there is collectively much we do know.
· A leader from the north (Gog), who was not an ancient enemy of Israel, will lead a confederation of nations against Israel (Ezekiel 38:1-6).
· He will be motived by his own evil plans and pulled by God (Ezekiel 38:10).
· It will happen in the latter days, distant from Ezekiel’s time (Ezekiel 38:8).
· The allied nations will come from every point on the compass, including Persia (modern Iran), and peoples from the lands of modern Turkey, Libya, Ethiopia, and perhaps Armenia and Germany (Ezekiel 38:1-6).
· Gog and his allies will come as a massive, swift, and well-equipped army (Ezekiel 38:4-6).
· Gog will come against Israel when they are gathered back to their land (Ezekiel 38:8, 12).
· Gog will come against Israel when they enjoy considerable safety (Ezekiel 38:8).
· Gog will come against Israel when they are prosperous (Ezekiel 38:12-13).
· Other nations will watch and wonder how they might benefit themselves from Gog’s conquest of Israel (Ezekiel 38:12-13).
· Yahweh will defend Israel and defeat Gog, and thereby glorify Himself among the nations (Ezekiel 38:16).
· This victory will fulfill the prophetic expectation of several previous prophets of Israel (Ezekiel 38:17).
Now in Revelation says that people will come from the 4 corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, and they will come against Israel (Rev 20:7). Now this isn’t so much geographical as it is a statement that just like Gog and Magog in Ezek 38, there will be a gathering of multiple armies that will come against and surround the people of God (cf v. 8). But God will win. He will get the victory and he will be praised throughout the earth.
