Pastor Victor Tafoya The Latter Days Pt 3
Devotion In Motion
Ezekiel 38:12-38
In Chapters 40-48 Ezekiel tells us about the Millennial Temple and the boundaries of Israel after Jesus returns and reigns over the Earth. But between the regathering of the Jews and the reestablishment of God’s kingdom a clash of northern nations will occur in the mountains of Israel. Russia and her allies fight, not only Israel (as a matter of fact, Israel is the least of Russia’s worries) – for Russia’s invasion picks a fight with God.
Russia and her coalition will be destroyed and the result will be the spiritual regeneration promised by the New Covenant. Ezekiel 38-39 is NOT the Battle of Armageddon. It’s NOT the battle in Revelation 20 that occurs at the end of Jesus’ 1000 year reign. Though that battle goes by the same name, it’s characteristics are far different. This is another battle that occurs in “the latter days.” When exactly, we don’t know, but this battle will help set the stage for the events of the Great Tribulation.
Verse 12 declares the invaders’ ambitions, “to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.” As it says in the RSV, “the center of the earth.” Literally, Jerusalem is “the world’s navel or belly button.”
In the Jewish Midrash, a commentary on the Jewish Scriptures, there is a statement, “As the navel is set in the centre of the human body, so is the land of Israel the navel of the world… situated in the centre of the world, and Jerusalem in the centre of the land of Israel, and the sanctuary in the centre of Jerusalem, and the holy place in the centre of the sanctuary, and the ark in the centre of the holy place, and the foundation stone before the holy place, because from it the world was founded.”
According to Ezekiel 38:12 you are literally standing at the center of the universe! In verse 13 four more characters enter the drama… “Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’”’ “Sheba” and “Dedan” were two tribes that lived on the Arabian Peninsula. Today, this is the country of Saudi Arabia. Tarshish was an island in the western Mediterranean, probably Spain – possibly the British Isles. Ezekiel 27:12 identifies Tarshish as a producer of tin. “Britannia” means “land of tin.”
Remember, when God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, he ran the opposite direction. He bought a ticket to Tarshish, the farthest west he could travel. If Tarshish does refer to Britain that means “their young lions” could be her offspring – the United States, Canada, Australia. If that’s true, this would be the only place in the Bible where the United States is mentioned. And notice what these young lions do… In the face of the naked aggression of this Russian/Arab alliance – all they do to help Israel is to scold the invaders. Rather than take action all they do is talk.
They defend Israel with rhetoric not rifles. All they do is sponsor a UN declaration. These nations slap Russia on the wrist, but don’t lift their little finger to help Israel. That certainly resembles What’s happening with Ukraine today. Perhaps the most interesting sign when it comes to end times prophecy may just be the United States slow and subtle abandonment of Israel. Pro-Palestinian sentiment continues to grow in Europe and in America. Obama is the first United States president who is not ideologically committed to Israel. And it’s shameful the way The US has snubbed the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on past visits to the US. With the deterioration of our Judeo-Christian values in our nation, the reason for us supporting Israel is eroding.
And if we lack a biblical basis for supporting Israel, will sheer pragmatism be enough? Given the Arab world’’s oil reserves, will Israel being our only democratic ally in the region stay reason enough to warrant our support? It’s sad, but I believe the chief reason God continues to bless the United States is because of His promise to bless those who bless Abraham and his descendants. It’s our support of Israel that’s warranted God’s blessing. But you’ve got to assume, if we turn our backs on God’s people – then God will turn His back on us.
Verse 14, “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army.” Those who keep to a strictly literal interpretation of this passage point out that Armenia in the Caucasus has always been home to the Russian cossacks or cavalry. Horses are also still employed in combat in places with mountainous terrain, like Afghanistan. Though you’d think in an era of tanks and humvees a horse would be outdated, perhaps not if an army faced an oil crisis.
But the Hebrew word “horse” literally means “leaper.” Which could broaden the identification of what Ezekiel is describing to a modern Russian attack helicopter. “You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.” Notice God’s purpose for this invasion, “that the nations may know Me…” God will reveal Himself – His military might and His faithfulness to His people! This invasion sets up a David and Goliath scenario…
This is Gideon’s 350 versus the Midianite thousands… Rocky versus the Russia… Hickory vs South Bend… This invasion sets up impossible odds God intends to defy to show His incredible might and amazing mercy. Verse 17 tells us, “Thus says the Lord God: “Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them? Apparently, this invasion is prophesied elsewhere in Scripture. I’m just not sure where!… There are several possibilities. Jeremiah 1:14-15 speaks of a calamity from the north. It could reference Ezekiel 38. There Are others.
Verse 18, “And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord God, “that My fury will show in My face.” God’s fury – His anger – will show in His face. What vivid imagery – God’s face will turn red. He’ll be infuriated by this unprovoked invasion against His special people. “For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: ‘Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
’” An earthquake will originate in Israel, of such magnitude, that it’s shockwaves will be felt all around the world. This earthquake will reshape the entire Jordan Rift Valley. Verse 21, “I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord God. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother.” Thanks to God’s earthquake, the invading 16 troops will be confused and discombobulated. They’ll turn on one another… “Every man’s sword will be against his brother.” And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”’ The invasion will be stopped by the hand of God – supernatural intervention – a great earthquake.
But this sounds like a different phenomena. Perhaps the Russian coalition will launch its bombs on itself. Ezekiel sees the sky raining hailstones, fire, brimstone (or sulfur) – it all sounds like a thermonuclear explosion. Apparently, Iran will get her Islamic bomb, but God will turn it on the Iranians, with this coalition of Russians and muslims, who dare to wage war with His people, Israel. God will be revered (or hallowed) in the eyes of the world. After their defeat, everyone will recognize the existence and power of the God of Israel. And as we’ll see later, this is the event that will wake up the Jews.
Victor Tafoya
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