Ezekiel Chapter 38 and 39 talks about a war involving an attack on Israel. This war could be the last prophetic event prior to the catching away of the church. There are many interpretations of these passages. A group of nations led by Gog from the land of Magog will band together to attack the nation of Israel. Magog is the land of Russia and Gog is the ruler of Russia. The alliance of nations with him will comprise Turkey, Iran as well as some African and European nations.
[Eze 38:8 KJV] 8 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.
Israel is the land brought back from the sword where God has regathered his people, the Jews, to dwell safely. The Gog alliance will attempt to sweep over this land.
A First World War poster showing the young lions. Arthur Wardle, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The invasion will be protested about by another group of nations. Tarshish with her young lions, Sheba and Dedan. These are essentially the English speaking nations and the Gulf States. You can find out more about this on the page “Great Britain is Tarshish”.
[Eze 38:13 KJV] 13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions 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?
The protests shall be in vain because it is God’s purpose to punish Gog for daring to touch his land.
[Eze 38:18 KJV] 18 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.
The Gog alliance will proceed with their plans but God will destroy them on the mountains of Israel in what seems to be a great earthquake but will also include hailstones, fire and brimstone. Only one sixth of the invading force will survive to retreat home.
[Eze 39:4 KJV] 4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that [is] with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and [to] the beasts of the field to be devoured.
The devastation will be so great that it will take the Israelis seven months to bury the dead and seven years to burn all the weapons that are left behind.
Photo by Chandler Cruttenden on Unsplash
Peace sign in Israel. Josefstuefer, via Wikimedia Commons
There are some important points about this invasion that sometimes get missed.
Firstly, it is in the latter or last days.
[Eze 38:8 KJV] 8 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.
So this is still a future event and the devastation caused may well set the stage for the arrival of the antichrist.
Secondly, it will happen when Israel is dwelling safely without the need for walls to protect itself
[Eze 38:11 KJV] 11 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,
West Bank Barrier. Justin McIntosh,via Wikimedia Commons
Currently Israel is not dwelling securely. It is under constant attack from the surrounding nations and is having to build defensive walls and barriers to protect itself. Ironically the Gog invasion will not happen until a time in the future when Israel feels secure enough to drop its defenses.
Thirdly, this is a time of judgement on nations that have oppressed the Jews and the nation of Israel
[Eze 39:10 KJV] 10 So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down [any] out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD.
It is a specific judgement of the Lord on those who have dared to touch his people and his land