I was not looking forward to my morning devotions, knowing that I would be reading more of Ezekiel’s warnings and pronouncements of doom. I would rather study something “brighter” or “happier”. That’s when it hit me….
That’s probably just how the people felt when they saw Isaiah, Jeremiah or Ezekiel coming. “Oh no, here comes the “gloom and doom” guy again, bringing everybody down”. I’m glad that I didn’t skip over it, though…because the content was completely different than what I expected.
Chapters 38 and 39 could be prophetic. I say “could be” because there isn’t enough historical detail from Israel’s past for us to know if these events have already happened. For instance, there was a battle recorded by Josephus that could have been the fulfillment of this prophecy, but we don’t know if it took 7 months to bury the dead, or if the Israelites used the wood as fuel for years afterwards. Since we aren’t sure if the great battle described here has taken place yet or not, we have to consider that it may take place in the future. Knowing that, we wonder if it’s the “end times” battle spoken of in Revelation 20; Gog and Magog is mentioned in both so on one hand it seems likely…but there are some differences.
In Revelation the great battle is followed by the “white throne judgment”, so the idea of burying the dead and using the wood as fuel would seem to be out of step with that. The idea that Israel would live in unwalled cities with defenses lends itself to a time in the past…because it’s hard to fathom Israel ever having unwalled cities or no defenses today. Perhaps the battle that was waged with Antiochus Epiphanes during the Maccabean period (Josephus) was a foreshadowing of the battle of Armageddon…we simply can’t know for sure. What we do know for sure is that there are a large number of similarities between the Maccabean battles and this prophecy.
So what else do we know?
We know that the nations around Israel will look with envy upon what they have, and want it for themselves. We know that they will attack from the north, or be led by people from the north, and the invading army will be vast. To the observer unaware of prophecy and history it will seem that Israel is about to be completely destroyed. Israel will be living in peace at the time, not preparing for war. And we know that God intervenes with several supernatural events that clearly turn the battle in favor of Israel. These events are so remarkable that everyone who attacks them will quickly realize that God is real and is protecting Israel.
Perhaps you think that “every nation has fables that support the idea of their longevity and military victory, who’s to say that this isn’t simply wishful thinking?” I would call you to remember the 6 day war, in which Israel was opposed on several sides by a combination of enemies, but emerged victorious following a preemptive assault on several fronts. It shouldn’t have happened the way it did, but somehow Israel seems to emerge victorious when opposed. Let the aggressor beware.
We also know that God blesses Israel in the end. At the end of all this carnage, Israel will emerge as a land of peace and prosperity, where the throne room of heaven will be located, and where the peoples of earth will flock to worship God Almighty.
Clearly, everything prophesied in these two chapters hasn’t occurred for the final time yet. Has it happened even once? I don’t think we have enough historical data to know for sure.
All that it says to me is that God has a special claim on Israel, and on the people who identify with it. You and I as Christians are part of the “new Israel”, and this assault could be the metaphor for the tribulation that lies in the future.
Faithfully,
PR