June 25, 2017

Yahweh will be angry when Gog attacks Israel (Ezek 38:18-38:19)

“Says Yahweh God!

‘On that day,

When Gog comes

Against the land

Of Israel,

My wrath

Will be aroused.

In my jealousy,

In my blazing wrath,

I declare.

‘On that day

There shall be

A great shaking

In the land

Of Israel.’”

The mood of Yahweh changed as Gog actually attacked Israel. Up to this point, Yahweh had been egging Gog on to attack Israel. But now, there was a complete reversal. On the day of the attack, Yahweh would be angry and jealous, as his wrath would be aroused. There would be a great tumult in Israel. Let us see what happens next.

June 25, 2017

Yahweh speaks (Ezek 38:17-38:17)

“Thus says Yahweh God!

‘Are you he

Of whom I spoke

In former days?

My servants,

The prophets of Israel,

In those days,

Prophesied for years

That I would bring you

Against them.’”

Yahweh, via Ezekiel, asked the question whether the attack of Gog would fulfill a prophesy of the old prophets of Israel. These former prophets often spoke of an attack on Israel. There already had been the Assyrian attack on Samaria and the Babylonian attack on Jerusalem. Was this attack different? In both the other cases, the Israelites lost.

June 25, 2017

The attack of Gog (Ezek 38:15-38:16)

“‘Come from your place!

Come out

Of the uttermost parts

Of the north!

You!

Many people

With you!

All of them

Will be riding on horses,

With a great multitude,

With a mighty army.

You will come up

Against my people

Israel,

Like a cloud

Covering the earth.

In the latter days,

I will bring you

Against my land.

Thus,

The nations

May know me,

When through you,

O Gog!

I vindicate

My holiness

Before their eyes.’”

Yahweh, via Ezekiel, exhorted Gog to attack Israel. Gog was to come out of his home in the far north, along with many people. His whole army would be riding on horses. They would come up against Yahweh’s people Israel. Gog would be like a cloud covering the earth with a great army. This was going to happen later. Yahweh wanted Gog to fight against Israel, so that all the various nations and countries would know about Yahweh. He was going to vindicate his holiness in front of everyone.

June 25, 2017

The idea of an attack (Ezek 38:14-38:14)

“Therefore,

Son of man!

Prophesy!

Say to Gog!

Thus says Yahweh God!

‘On that day,

When my people Israel

Are living securely,

You will rouse yourself.’”

Yahweh once again wanted Ezekiel to prophesize to Gog, but I am not sure how Ezekiel and Gog would connect. When the Israelites had returned to live securely on their land, Gog should rouse himself to plan an attack on them. It seemed like Yahweh wanted Gog to attack Israel.

June 25, 2017

The spoils of plunder (Ezek 38:13-38:13)

“Sheba,

Dedan,

The merchants of Tarshish,

With all its young warriors,

Will say to you.

‘Have you come

To seize spoil?

Have you assembled

Your troops

To carry off plunder?

Do you want

To carry away

Silver,

Gold,

Cattle,

With other goods?

Do you want

To seize

Great spoil?’”

Yahweh, via Ezekiel, now suddenly has the trading partners of Tyre from Sheba, Dedan, and Tarshish, as found in chapter 27, show up in here. They realized that there would be a lot of things to plunder in Israel and Jerusalem. Tarshish had both merchants and warriors to gather up things. They wanted to know if Gog was there to plunder Israel? Would he take away its silver, gold, cattle, and other precious items? Would there be a great amount of stuff to take?

June 24, 2017

Gog’s plan of attack (Ezek 38:11-38:12)

“‘You will say!

‘I will go up

Against the land

Of unwalled villages.

I will fall upon

The quiet people

Who live in safety.

All of them live

Without walls.

They have no bars.

They have no gates.’

You want

To seize spoil.

You want

To carry off plunder.

You want to assail

The waste places

That are now inhabited.

You want to assail

The people

Who were gathered

From the nations.

You want to assail,

Those who are acquiring cattle.

You want to assail

Those with goods,

Who live

At the center

Of the earth.’”

Yahweh, via Ezekiel said that Gog would say to himself that he would go up against this land of unwalled villages. He was going to attack these quiet safe people. They lived without walls with no bars or gates. Gog wanted to seize the spoils and plunder this former wasted land that was now inhabited. These people had been gathered from the various nations. Now they were acquiring cattle with other goods as well. They lived at the center of the earth. Where was the center of earth? Of course, it was Jerusalem. Everyone thinks that where they live is the center of the world.

June 24, 2017

The evil scheme of Gog (Ezek 38:10-38:10)

“Thus says Yahweh God!

‘On that day,

Thoughts will come

Into your mind.

You will devise

An evil scheme.’”

Yahweh, via Ezekiel, told Gog that on that day a thought would come to him. He would devise an evil scheme. Whether Gog knew that Yahweh was influencing him of not is certainly not clear.