God knows mathematics.

He, being the Creator, even knows fractions!

And Bible Prophecy is FULL of numbers.

For example, today’s Text … “Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: and I will turn thee back, and leave but THE SIXTH PART of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel.” Ezekiel 39:1-2

I am glad God is “for” us! “What shall we then say to these things? If God be FOR us, who can be AGAINST us?” Romans 8:31

Because God can, clearly, be AGAINST some things, some people!

Like the anti-Jewish confederation of Ezekiel chapters 38-39. I say such (anti-Jewish) because this marching (wicked) army is attempting to rob the Land of Israel of all her treasures. Sounds “anti” to me!

So … when that rebellious crowd wars AGAINST God’s people … God in turn will fight AGAINST them! “Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I AM AGAINST THREE, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.”

“Turn thee back” is a verb, of course. Translating the Hebrew word “shub,” carrying the idea of making something do a 180 degree reversal! God will not allow these aggressors to come into the Land, not into its heart! He will repel them! “Shub” here is grammatically intensive in its nature, God will energetically do this! Mightily so!

Now to the math.

God calculating, promising: “I will turn thee back, and leave but THE SIXTH PART of thee.” Only 17% of that army will survive! Does this mean that 83% of them will perish? If my math is correct, that’s the case!

One sixth!

And there’s more detail tomorrow, in the Lesson, about their defeat.

God intervening in a Battle!

God defending His people!

That’s exactly what will happen in this Ezekiel context.

Nations who will never rise to prominence again!

God caring for “the apple of His Eye,” Israel!

“For thus saith the LORD of hosts; after the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled (attacked, plundered) you: for he that toucheth you (Israel) toucheth the apple of his eye.” Zechariah 2:8

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

We’re in the middle of the “marathon” battle of “God and Magog.” Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, actually the “Battle that was not!” Because God defeated Israel’s confederate enemies before they ever did the least bit of damage to her unique Land! Or should I say, “God’s Unique Land?”

Today Ezekiel 38:17-23 is our focus, our Text.

Watch how it begins. “Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou (Gog) he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them (the Jews)?” Verse 17, where the clear (though implied) answer to the question is YES! Gog is the one! 

“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. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken ….” Verse 18 and most of 19 … perhaps one of the “angriest” paragraphs ever written about our great God, in all the Bible anyway! God’s “Fury,” translated “rage” 2 times elsewhere (King James Version) and “poison” 6 times! God’s “jealousy,” also translated “zeal” 9 times and “envy” 8 times and “for My Sake” 1 time! Plus God says, “the fire of my Wrath,” a phrase used only 4 times in Scripture, each of which was employed by Ezekiel!

God is very upset at these Jew-haters!

Now God begins His Plan of Destruction against this invading army with an “earthquake!” Read: “Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel (the earthquake); so that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.” The remainder of verse 19 and all of verse 20, catastrophic! The earth’s topography is rearranged, seems like! Not a wall left standing!

The look! “And I (the Lord) will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.” Verse 21, such confusion (perhaps initiated by such a “great” earthquake) that the Russian Confederation’s soldiers will begin to fight and kill each other! Sheer panic, God induced!

Wow!

But the Lord is not through yet! It’s a whole list! “And I will plead (“shaphat,” judge) against him with pestilence (plague, disease) and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands (hordes, armies), and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain (flood), and great hailstones (literally, stones or gems of God), fire (lightning), and brimstone (molten sulfur).” Verse 22, which will be written in the annals of warfare, for sure! (Sounds like Sodom and Gomorrah’s demise!)

So devastating that no one (not even the so-called atheists) will say “merely another war!” This can only be attributed to God Almighty! Such a “perfect storm” of destruction!

Which apparently was God’s ultimate goal, all along! Read the last verse of the chapter: “Thus will I (God) magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.” God’s Glory made known!

Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, DEAD!

Ezekiel 38, concluded.

Ezekiel 39, coming next, beginning tomorrow, the Lord willing.

But now, in the narrative, the battle is over!

The rest is “clean-up,” the aftermath.

And good news for Israel!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Praise the Lord!

 

This Ezekiel 38-39 Text does unfold rather slowly.

Today’s verses add to the Story, however.

Here God is (still) speaking:  “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth 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 shalt come up against my people of 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.” Ezekiel 38:14-16

Same Text now, with a few notations …

“Therefore, son of man (Ezekiel), prophesy (preach) and say unto Gog (a Jew hating alliance), Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when MY PEOPLE (a term of endearment) of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? And thou shalt come from thy place out of the NORTH PARTS (much of the former Soviet Union, likely including Russia), thou, and many people with thee (allies), all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a MIGHTY ARMY: and thou shalt come up AGAINST my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the LATTER DAYS (the Tribulation, its first half), and I WILL BRING THEE against MY LAND (God apparently holding the Deed to this Holy Land), that the heathen (Gentiles) may know me, when I shall be sanctified (acknowledged, recognized), in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.” Ezekiel 38:14-16

The Text opens with an example of espionage! Spies at work! Russia and her allies “know” of Israel’s peaceful state! “In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?” The question’s implied answer is YES. Reconnaissance!

During the first part of the Tribulation the Anti-Christ will pretend to be at peace with little Israel. The in the middle of that seven year period he will “break” his covenant with them! “And he (anti-Christ) shall confirm the covenant (peace treaty) with many for one week (one “unit” of sevens, seven years): and in the midst of the week (at the 3 1/2 year point) he shall cause the sacrifice (on the altar in the Jewish Temple) and the oblation to cease (seeking to stop the Jews worshipping), and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate ….” Daniel 9:27  (Folks, the anti-Christ beast will demand that the Jews worship HIM thereafter!)

So, during that time of “false peace” Israel dwells (she thinks) in relative safety! That’s … “The day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely.”

Then look, apparently out of greed (as well as hatred of anything Jewish). It is the personal decision of these “enemies” to attack Israel. “THOU SHALT COME (of their own free-will) 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 shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land.”

Bad decision!

But then almost immediately God proclaims: “It shall be in the latter days, and I WILL BRING THEE against my land.” Now God is the Cause of the invasion! He (the Lord) will do this thing! Fulfilling another aspect of His end-time Plan, His perfect Will!

But these aggressors are still culpable, still accountable, still “guilty,” still going to be severely “judged of God” … in fact, they are ALL about to die!

Greed and hatred motivated them … but then God allowed them … why?

The text has the answer. With God still speaking … “that the heathen MAY KNOW ME, when I SHALL BE SANCTIFIED in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.”

All this … for God’s glory!

Which results, ultimately, in the salvation of thousands, if not millions!

Including, the whole little (remaining, the remnant) of Israel!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:31 … “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Amazing!

But do keep in mind, God’s GLORY includes his LOVE and KINDNESS and MERCY too!

He is perfectly Holy, Righteous!

 

Just one verse?

For today, yes. And it is a “hard” one to interpret, at that. I know what I “hope” it means, but that does not count! I know what the army of “commentators” say of it, but they are often wrong! So we must study the words, the names, and see how the Lord leads us.

But we also need to keep 2 Peter 1:20 in mind. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” I have not the right to demand that my unique little “idea” is infallible! That I “alone, privately, without any consultation” can decide with all authority what this little verse means! I require (in my human frailty) the Holy Spirit’s illumination! And the wisdom of others (godly men) who have through the years studied this amazing Text.

But, what Text?

“Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee (Russia and her allies), 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 38:13, to decimate little Israel?

First, let’s see if we can first determine the identity of these places. “Sheba” is a Semitic word meaning “seven,” or an “oath.” It can also be a proper name. It is thought to be a nation in southern Arabia.

“Dedan” is also oriented toward the “sons of Shem,” meaning “low country,” the place is likely another smaller Arab nation who refuses to take part in the upcoming invasion. For whatever reason, we are not told.

Then “Tarshish,” which really means “precious stone.” This is probably a European nation! Some say “Spain.” Others believe “England!” (This is how it was taught when I was a younger Bible student!) “England” with all her “young lions,” with all her “offspring.” Members of the once mighty British Empire! (If this interpretation is accurate, the United States would be included under that “umbrella!”)

I pray so!

Because these national entities at least “question” what Gog and Magog and that wicked horde are planning to do! “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?” As in: “What do you think you are doing? Your aggression is illegal, a violation of international law!”

Opposition … to Russia (clearly much of the area covered by the former USSR) and her allies … may have just surfaced!

I pray America always stands as a supporter of Israel. As a lover of the people from whom Jesus our Lord was born, humanly speaking. (“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing … and I (the Lord) will BLESS them that BLESS thee, and CURSE him that CURSETH thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3)

Now, it would only be honest for me to tell you I have shared (taught) today what is a “minority” view. Increasingly so, in fact. Many today believe that Sheba, Dedan and Tarshish are merely trying to invite themselves to the “spoil,” to the booty of Russia’s conquest. Just 3 more voracious predators!

Other “scholars” now do not see Spain or England or any other European nation in the mix, not at all. But many of these “professors” are not pro-Israel any longer, either! And some may not even be saved!

I’m sticking to my upbringing! To the old fashioned Preachers of bygone years.

“Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish (Britain), with all the young lions (members of her once-mighty Empire) 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 38:13, maybe they’ll not just “say” … but “do something” stronger!

I must close for today.

But let’s at least observe (obey) this verse today. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” Psalm 122:6, where “pray” is indeed an “imperative” verb!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

Israel seems to have had enemies, perpetually!

As long as there has been a Jew, there has been someone to hate that Jew.

One reason being the Jewish people are the family through which God sent His Son into the world.

The nearly supernatural (world-wide) despite for that little nation is PROOF to me my Bible is the Truth. At least one of the (many) proofs I have used to buttress my faith.

Today in Ezekiel 38:9-12 this fact is further elucidated. God is here telling the anti-Semitic armies, a confederacy of vast proportions, some things …

“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.” King James Version, word for word.

Now, King James Version, but I have placed (in parentheses) some brief comments further explaining the sense of the Paragraph.  “Thou (Russia and her allies) shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land (Israel), thou, and all thy bands (cohorts), and many people (united nations, against Israel) 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 (God even knows our thoughts): and thou shalt say (and our words), I will go up to the land of unwalled villages (less protected); I will go to them that are at rest (at peace), that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, to take a spoil (loot, riches), and to take a prey (living things); to turn thine hand upon (against) the (once) desolate places that are now inhabited (a repopulated Israel), and upon the people that are gathered out (no longer scattered) of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods (God has again blessed them materially), that dwell (have homes) in the midst of the land (the Holy Land).”

Does God know the future, or what?

And folks, this has NOT yet happened, not literally. But it will some day. When Israel is “at peace.” (Personally I believe during the Tribulation, its first half. When the anti-Christ has signed a “peace treaty” with Israel. One which he will “break” of course, he being a liar.)

This further indicates that in those latter days, Russia will again be (or still be) a major world power! (If our interpretation of “Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal” be right, quoting Ezekiel 38:2-3, yesterday’s lesson.)

One preacher defines “prophecy” as: “History written in advance!”

Well then, we have a fine example of such in today’s Text!

And tomorrow, more, the Lord willing.

Looks like someone just might stand up for Israel!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell