Dennis Edwards
Ezekiel 38 is a Parallel Chapter to Zechariah 12
Zechariah 12:1-3 “The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, says the Lord, which stretches forth the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”
Israel will be a burdensome stone, like she is today, as a result of her treatment of the Palestinian people. God will in the end defend Jerusalem and Israel, but only after He first has chastised her for her sins. In Ezekiel 38 God says He will raise up Gog (the Antichrist) to come against Israel dwelling safely in the latter days to judge her for her sins. Here are some of the verses.
Ezekiel 38:8-13 “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. 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. 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: 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, 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. Sheba, and Dedan (Saudi Arabia) and the merchants of Tarshish (UK), with all the young lions (USA, Canada, Australia) 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?”
Ezekiel 38:14-17 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog ( the Antichrist), Thus says the Lord God; In that day when my people of Israel dwells safely, shalt thou not know it? 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: And thou (the Antichrist and his coalition) shall come up against my people 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. Thus says the Lord GOD; Are you he of whom I have spoken in old times by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring you against them?”
Many Old Testament prophecies talk about the day of the Lord or Jacob’s trouble taking place in the last days. God will be sanctified in that he will righteously judge Israel for her sins, and two-thirds of the Jewish population or around 4.7 million people will die. Only one-third, or approximately 2.3 million, will make it through that horrendous period as a direct result of their having repented and called upon the Lord in truth.
To go to Part 5.
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