Ezekiel 38.17-39.8-The Lord Destroys the Russian Led Invasion of Israel and Its Aftermath (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Wednesday May 8, 2024

The Day of the Lord Series: Ezekiel 38:17-39:8-The Lord Destroys the Russia Led Invasion of Israel and Its Aftermath

Lesson # 22

In Ezekiel 38:17-23, Ezekiel predicts the destruction of the invading force led by Russia.

Ezekiel 38:17 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You are the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel. At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. 18 This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord. 19 In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. 20 The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22 I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. 23 And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’” (NIV)

There are three great judgments against Gog and his armies: (1) Great earthquake (Ezek. 38:19-20) (2) Friendly fire (Ezek. 38:21). (3) Convulsions of nature (Ezek. 38:22).

Notice, that there will be no armies defeating and destroying Russia and her allies on the battlefield.

Gog will reap what he sows.

Ezekiel 38:23 reveals that this attack against Israel by a confederation of nations led by Russia will be another means of God’s displaying to the nations His holy and righteous character and sovereign power over human history.

This is referred to several times in the book of Ezekiel (Ezek. 20:41; 28:25; 36:23, 27; 38:23).

Ezekiel 39:1-6 records the place in which this massive invasion led by Russia will be destroyed by God.

Ezekiel 39 is not another invasion by Gog but is inextricably connected with chapter 38 and it is an amplification and to some extent, a repetition for emphasis, stressing the importance in biblical prophecy of the attack by the Russian led invasion of Israel prior to Daniel’s seventieth week.

This chapter also describes the results of the destruction of this Russian led invasion while Ezekiel 38 deals with the composition, motives and defeat of Gog’s armies by God’s intervention.

Ezekiel 39:1-8 also describes Gog’s fall, but the subsequent verses present the aftermath of this failed invasion.

Ezekiel 39:1“Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. 2 I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. 3 Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. 4 On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. 5 You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. 6 I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the Lord.” (NIV)

This imagery of foreign armies being given as food to the birds and beasts of the field also appears in other passages of Scripture: (1) Pharaoh’s Egypt (Ezek. 29:1-6); Antichrist and the Tribulation armies (Rev. 19:17-21).

Ezekiel states here that the Lord will send fire upon the nation of Russia, which implies destruction and military devastation (Ezek. 30:8; 14, 16; cf. Hosea 8:14; Amos 1:7, 10, 14; 2:2, 5).

The Lord Himself will herself destroy Russia who along with her allies invaded Israel.

“The coastlands” refers to the lands and islands in the Mediterranean Sea area and is used often by Ezekiel (26:15, 18; 27:3, 6-7, 15, 35).

Ezekiel 39:7-8 reveals that God’s purpose for permitting Russia and her allies to attack Israel was to reveal His holiness to not only Israel but the entire world!

Ezekiel 39:7 “‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy One in Israel. 8 It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord. This is the day I have spoken of.’” (NIV)

This destruction of the Russia led coalition of nations will have the same effect on the world that the destruction of Pharaoh’s Egyptian army in the days of Moses and the Exodus generation.

The Lord is very much concerned about His reputation and holiness and this destruction of the Russian led invasion will vindicate His holy Person.

God’s purpose for permitting Russia and her allies to attack Israel during the Tribulation was to reveal His holiness to not only Israel but all the world!

This annihilation of the Russian led invasion will serve notice to the nations that the Lord will no longer tolerate His Holy Person to be profaned.

The holiness of God is the aggregate of perfect divine attributes that form the nature of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Thus, God’s holiness is related to all of His divine attributes.

The holiness of God is simply the harmony of all His perfections or attributes.

The term holiness has become an obscure term.

Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines holiness, “the quality or state of being holy; sanctity.” They define sanctity, “sacred or hallowed character.”

One of the definitions that Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary gives for the adjective holy is, “entitled to worship or profound religious reverence because of divine character or origin or connection with God or divinity.”

Therefore, holiness pertains to the absolute perfection of the divine character.

The perfect character or holiness of God is the excellence of the divine nature and it is the very antithesis to sin, evil, moral blemish or defilement.

The Word of God devotes many passages to the holiness or righteousness of God since it is the excellency of His divine nature and because it was attacked by Satan in eternity past and continues to be attacked throughout human history, which is the appeal trial of Satan.

Holiness is used often to describe the Person of God (Lev.22:2; 1 Chron. 16:10; Psalm 30:4; 97:12).

Psalm 30:4 Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name. (NASB95)

This absolute perfection of God’s character is celebrated throughout the Scriptures.

Isaiah 6:3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” (NASB95)

Revelation 4:8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.” (NASB95)

The holiness or perfect character of God is the perfection of the glory of God and every Person of the Trinity and is the rule of all His actions and relationships with both men and angels.

The Lord’s holiness manifested by His abhorrence of the evil perpetrated by Russia and her allies against Israel will cause Him to destroy their armies.

The fact that God is concerned about His holiness not being profaned among the nations is mentioned in Ezekiel 36:23 and 39:27.