Jacob’s Trouble continued
Ezekiel expresses it eloquently: "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, surely, in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel. . . And I will plead against him [Gog] with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people, that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire and brimstone" (Ezek 38:18, 19, 22).
This is (generally and supposedly to be taken as) symbolic language (but in this particular case, is it? I believe that we are entering a time in which many things written will have both literal and symbolic fulfillment's and that we would be wise to consider this and to be on the lookout for both so as not to be stumbled). The prophet uses the words fury, jealousy, wrath, a great shaking, pestilence, blood, an overflowing rain, great hailstone, fire, and brimstone. These were the most destructive things men knew at that time. Today men consider modern artillery, rockets, tanks, planes and ships and of course nuclear weapons to be the ultimate in destructive force. Although Gog and his allies will be liberally equipped with these, they are but puny things indeed compared with the power of God. So we can only imagine the form in which this tremendous power of God will be expressed against the enemies of Israel. But we do know that it will be demonstrated in a most spectacular manner and that the whole world will witness it, will know that a most unusual thing has taken place—something that can only be attributed to God. What they see will convince them that it is indeed the Almighty God who is fighting for his people Israel.
Millions of atheists, agnostics and heathen the world over will be instantly converted to God, when they witness this amazing event (Not necessarily to Christianity, but to a belief in THE God of Israel.)
"Thus will I 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" (Ezek 38:23). This is confirmed two chapters earlier: "And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen [or nations]... And the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes" (That is to say God will be sanctified, i.e. set-apart, proven as the one and only true God in the eyes of the world when he miraculously intervenes on the part of the nation of Israel) Ezek 36:23. “The Future of the Nation of Israel”
“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.” (Ezek 38:18)
As God said through Isaiah, “I have long time held my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once,” and so God’s fury will come up in His face (Isa 42:14). This expression of course is figurative because no man can see God’s face and live. The expression indicates that,
(1) God has had enough. He will lay bare His holy arm (reveal His righteous indignation) in the sight of all and execute judgment (Isa 52:10).
(2) A person can be angry, but that anger can be hidden and go undiscerned by others. However, for fury to come up in God’s face means an outward manifestation of His indignation against this invading host. God will be “seen” (revealed) in this trouble. One of these ways in which he will be discerned is by means of “a great shaking [earthquake] in the land of Israel.”
“For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 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.” (Ezek 38:19, 20)
We will continue with this thought in our next post.
Ezekiel expresses it eloquently: "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, surely, in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel. . . And I will plead against him [Gog] with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people, that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire and brimstone" (Ezek 38:18, 19, 22).
This is (generally and supposedly to be taken as) symbolic language (but in this particular case, is it? I believe that we are entering a time in which many things written will have both literal and symbolic fulfillment's and that we would be wise to consider this and to be on the lookout for both so as not to be stumbled). The prophet uses the words fury, jealousy, wrath, a great shaking, pestilence, blood, an overflowing rain, great hailstone, fire, and brimstone. These were the most destructive things men knew at that time. Today men consider modern artillery, rockets, tanks, planes and ships and of course nuclear weapons to be the ultimate in destructive force. Although Gog and his allies will be liberally equipped with these, they are but puny things indeed compared with the power of God. So we can only imagine the form in which this tremendous power of God will be expressed against the enemies of Israel. But we do know that it will be demonstrated in a most spectacular manner and that the whole world will witness it, will know that a most unusual thing has taken place—something that can only be attributed to God. What they see will convince them that it is indeed the Almighty God who is fighting for his people Israel.
Millions of atheists, agnostics and heathen the world over will be instantly converted to God, when they witness this amazing event (Not necessarily to Christianity, but to a belief in THE God of Israel.)
"Thus will I 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" (Ezek 38:23). This is confirmed two chapters earlier: "And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen [or nations]... And the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes" (That is to say God will be sanctified, i.e. set-apart, proven as the one and only true God in the eyes of the world when he miraculously intervenes on the part of the nation of Israel) Ezek 36:23. “The Future of the Nation of Israel”
“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.” (Ezek 38:18)
As God said through Isaiah, “I have long time held my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once,” and so God’s fury will come up in His face (Isa 42:14). This expression of course is figurative because no man can see God’s face and live. The expression indicates that,
(1) God has had enough. He will lay bare His holy arm (reveal His righteous indignation) in the sight of all and execute judgment (Isa 52:10).
(2) A person can be angry, but that anger can be hidden and go undiscerned by others. However, for fury to come up in God’s face means an outward manifestation of His indignation against this invading host. God will be “seen” (revealed) in this trouble. One of these ways in which he will be discerned is by means of “a great shaking [earthquake] in the land of Israel.”
“For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 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.” (Ezek 38:19, 20)
We will continue with this thought in our next post.
