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Welcome to the Cross References podcast on the Book of Ezekiel. In this study, you learn how every small piece of the Bible tells one big story- and most importantly, how they all connect to the cross and Christ.
Whether you’re a newbie Christian or a veteran Bible reader, my goal is that God’s Word will make more sense to you after every episode.
Host: Luke Taylor
Why Gog Invades Israel
Ezekiel 38:12-16
Ezekiel series, Part 74
Introduction
You might think that there’s been a lot of things going on the world this past week, and this month, and this year- but that’s nothing in comparison to what’s coming in the future.
The Bible has a lot to say about the future. In fact, if you added up all the things the Bible says about future things that haven’t even happened yet, there would be more pages about things yet to come than it even said about the time that Jesus spent on this earth in the four Gospels.
And one of the next things we could see happening soon is a coalition of nations who invade Israel in the last days.
We aren’t talking about the timing of this attack; we talked out all those theories last week. Today, the question I want to analyze is “why?”
What is it that drives Russia to partner with Turkey, Libya, Iran and Sudan to eliminate Israel?
Most of those nations are Muslim, and it wouldn’t take much to get them to attack Israel. Some of them are already trying. But how does Russia fit into all this?
You’ll find out today on the Cross References podcast.
[theme music]
V10-11, The Land
Welcome to the book of Ezekiel: a Cross References Bible study where we learn how every small piece of the Bible tells one big story- and how they all connect to the cross and Christ.
My name is Luke Taylor, and I’m a newspaper guy, as I said a few weeks back. When we write a newspaper story- which is what I was trained to do in college- we were sent out to come back with the following facts: the who, the where, the when, the what and the why.
And that’s how I’ve tackled Ezekiel 38; we discussed WHO Gog is, WHERE these nations attacking Israel will come from, WHEN this battle may happen, and this week we’ll be talking about WHY. Next week, we’ll discuss what happens when it does happen, but first, let’s establish why Russia will attack Israel.
As I said in the opening, the Muslim nations really don’t need much of a motivation to attack Israel. They already attack Israel any chance they get. They already have a racial and satanic hatred against the Jewish people, based on their religion. But why would Russia want to attack Israel? Well, let’s look at three reasons given here in Ezekiel 38, starting with
Verse 11
(Well actually, let’s go back to verse 10)
10 “Thus says the Lord God: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme 11 and say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates,’
So the first reason they attack Israel is for the land. Last time we discussed how it’s a land of unwalled villages. But don’t forget that the land itself is very precious.
Israel is a land bridge that connects three different continents. It’s one of the most valued places of real estate in the entire world. So much commerce and trade goes through this territory.
It’s kind of funny that the Bible speaks so much of Israel as the center of the earth. Even in our maps of the world, where you see the whole world with North and South America on the left and the Eastern Hemisphere on the right, Israel is just about in the middle of the whole thing. The land of Israel is in an optimal strategic position. Whoever controls that territory controls a lot.
Of course, there are other nations in that area of the world who don’t get nearly so much attention. But Israel knows how to take care of its land. When the Jews got the land back in 1948, it was a barren wasteland. Today, it’s fully of green, it looks healthy, it’s well-maintained.
And then there’s the possibility of what’s underneath Israel’s land: oil. Currently, Israel has very little oil in comparison with its Middle Eastern neighbors. But many wonder if perhaps Israel could someday strike it rich with unknown oil reserves. My uncle buys stock in Zion Oil and Gas, an Israeli oil drilling company, because he believes someday Israel might just discover it had way more than it thought it did lurking under the surface.
And if that would be the case, Israel would suddenly become even more lucrative than it is now. Which could drive some of these oil-focused countries like Iran and Russia to make a play for it. And that brings us to
V12-13, The Wealth
Verses 12 and 13
12 to seize spoil and carry off plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places that are now inhabited, and the people who were gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell at the center of the earth.
Oh look there it is again: the center of the earth. This was written 2500 years ago before they even knew about the American side of the planet, and yet our maps today put Israel at the center of the earth. Literally in Hebrew here: the naval of the earth.
13 Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its leaders will say to you, ‘Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hosts to carry off plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to seize great spoil?’
So the second reason- and I think we can say this is the main reason for Gog’s Alliance- is to enrich themselves off of Israel. To take away spoil and booty, as the King Jimmy puts it. They want to rob Israel and take its wealth.
The other nations observing this question what Gog is up to. They say, “Are you after Israel’s goods? Is this all about greed?” It’s a little questionable why they’re asking this. They may be saying, “Why do you get to have it? We wanted to have it.” At best, if they aren’t jealous, they’re blasé about the whole thing. They aren’t lifting a finger to help Israel, so Israel is truly on its own.
Who are these nations? Sheba and Dedan are in the Arabian peninsula; they would represent the nations today of Saudi Arabia and possibly Yemen. If Sheba sounds familiar, there’s a well-known story in I Kings 10 when the Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon. Sheba and Dedan are not part of the alliance attacking with Gog and Magog, but they are staying out of it as bystanders. I won’t say innocent bystanders, since they aren’t helping, but they aren’t hurting either.
Interestingly, today, Saudi Arabia gets along pretty well with Israel. This is a surprise since it’s a Muslim country, and it’s the birthplace of Islam. And yet they aren’t getting in on this conflict.
Another bystander in this conflict is the merchants of Tarshish. You have probably heard of Tarshish before from the story of Jonah, and in modern terms, we often understand Tarshish to be Spain.
What’s significant biblically about Tarshish or Spain is that it’s the location considered as far away as you can get from the Middle East. For example, when Jonah hopped on that boat to head to Spain, it was Jonah saying, “I’m going to get as far away from Nineveh as I possibly can,” and Tarshish- to him- was as far away as he could get. It’s not that there was anything special about Spain, other than the distance; it was the edge of the known world to Jonah. For what he knew, going from Israel to Spain was going to the other side of the world.
Today, what would be as far away as you can get from Israel? Well, that would probably be considered over here on the Western hemisphere- the Americas. If you’re trying to get as far away from Israel as you can get today, you wouldn’t stop at Spain. You’d keep going until you were on the other side of the world. You’d be right here where we are in America.
So in Ezekiel 38:13, when it says the merchants of Tarshish are watching but not interfering with the attack by Gog, I see it as a possibility that this is talking about America. Now, Ezekiel 38 could be Spain, and I do imagine that Spain doesn’t get involved either. But notice that the verse didn’t simply say “Spain.” It said the merchants of Spain.
This word “merchants” is the Hebrew sahar (saw-khar). It means to go around, go about, travel about in, go about in trade. So it has kind of a businessman flavor to it, someone who goes about and perhaps engages in trade. So maybe this is talking about traders when it says merchants.
But who else could be those who “go about or travel about” from Spain? Well, here’s another possibility: what country discovered America? It was Spain: three ships who “went out or traveled about” from Spain called the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Led by a man named Christopher Columbus.
So I’d say, you could totally refer to America as the merchants or those who go about from Spain. Because it was Spain who first discovered America from that side of the world. So I’m not saying you have to read it this way, but I think it’s totally legit to say that this could be referring to America.
Which makes some sense because America is a much bigger player on the world scene than Spain. If Russia and Iran and Turkey got together and went after Israel, you’d expect Saudi Arabia to weigh in. You’d expect America to have an opinion. Nobody is sitting on the edge of their seat waiting to hear what Spain thinks about all this.
So I can see why America would come up in Ezekiel 38; and since nobody knew about America back then, why it would be referred to as the saw-khar of Tarshish. If you think I’m going overboard by assuming that, that’s fine. But it makes perfect sense to me. And you can do with that what you want.
Lots of people wonder why America doesn’t show up in Bible prophecy. Now, I may have just found a place, but we often wonder: why isn’t America all over the Bible in the end times? It’s the world’s greatest superpower. It should get more mentions.
I was just speaking last week, when I played that clip of Donald Trump on Joe Rogan, about how the nations he talks about as big geopolitical movers and shakers- including Russia- are spoken of a bunch in Bible prophecy. And yet the most significant mover and shaker in the world isn’t there in prophecy: no America.
So where are we in the end times? Well, perhaps this Gog and Magog thing is the reason. I often wonder why God hasn’t judged America yet. We are capable of so much evil. And yet with our Christian heritage, we have such little excuse. God has been long-suffering and gracious with America, but when will that grace wear out?
I wonder if it’s because Gog and Magog. When Israel is left all on its own and no nations come to its aid as it’s ganged up on by Gog’s alliance.
Genesis 12:3 says…
I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
So I believe that America has escaped God’s judgment for so long because it has been a blessing to Israel. It’s been Israel’s longest ally. But if we turn our backs on Israel, that may be when God’s patience runs out and America falls.
And so if this whole scenario takes place a few years prior to the end times, before the Tribulation, then that could explain why America is nowhere to be found in prophecy after this.
Just theorizing on all that, but you can leave a comment or send me an email if you have any thoughts on that.
So we’ve read two reasons Gog attacks Israel: for the land, and for the booty. (you don’t get to say booty a lot in Bible studies or sermons). What’s the third reason?
V14-16, The People
Get your Bane voice ready: For the people.
Ezekiel 38:14-16
14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and say to Gog, Thus says the Lord God: On that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it? 15 You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army. 16 You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.
The third reason Gog and Magog attack Israel is to destroy the people. To wipe out the Jews. Whether everyone in these nations realizes it, there is a Satanically-fueled hatred of the Jewish people. Gog is a demon king, a spiritual entity, a spirit who’s controlling these nations like a puppet, and he wants to kill the Jews.
Why do fallen angels and demons hate the Jews so much? Because Jesus has staked His second coming on the salvation of the Jewish people.
Matthew 23:39
For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Some Christian traditions believe the Second Coming of Christ could be at any moment. I disagree. I think the rapture could be at any moment, but the Second Coming has some prerequisites.
And so if Satan or Gog or any demon wants to stop Bible prophecy and stop Jesus, they have to kill the Jews. And that’s Satan’s Master Plan.
In fact, next month on this podcast I think I’m going to do a special Christmas episode and call it “Satan’s Master Plan.” If you say, what does Satan’s Master Plan have to do with Christmas? Well, you’ll find out if you subscribe.
And next week, we’ll finally be ready to dig into the meat of what happens when Gog attacks Israel. We’ve done all the set-up. We’ve talked about all the theories, the reasons, the who and the where; now let’s spend a couple weeks talking about the what. So come back next week.
The Ukraine War
We’ve talked a lot about Russia coming after Israel; perhaps you’ve wondered, would this really be on Russia’s agenda anytime soon? Aren’t they already a little too busy with Ukraine to be thinking about Israel?
Well, let’s re-read verse 4 of Ezekiel 38
And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army,
The main reason why Gog is attacking Israel is not actually the land, the wealth or the people. That may be what the Russians are thinking, but there’s a deeper spiritual reason that they aren’t even aware of.
The real reason is God. God is doing something to entice them to drive them in the direction of Israel.
Now let’s analyze this language for a moment. It uses the phrase “put hooks into your jaws.” The visual I get is kind of like taking a horse by the reins, but this is even a bit more violent. It’s like he’s dragged into attacking Israel, or he’s enticed so strongly that he can’t possibly resist.
It’s like Russia is looking in one direction and then gets its attention jerked in another direction. He’s looking over here, and then his head is jerked over there (to look at Israel).
Why would Russia try this? Well, perhaps the Ukraine War doesn’t go the way he wants. He wants Ukraine because it’s an oil-rich territory, and Putin feels like that region really belongs to Russia. In his mind, he’s just taking back ownership of something that already belongs to him. He’s running squatters out of a territory that he sees as part of Russia.
And he felt that if Ukraine was soon to be invited to join NATO, his opportunity to ever get Ukrainian territory back would be lost forever.
Now, I’m not sure how long he thought that this war would take. But it has gone on for more than two years now, and I don’t see an end in sight the way things are going. I have no earthly idea how many soldiers he has lost. When googling it, some sources say it’s 70,000, others say 700,000. Ukraine itself says 700,000, but nobody else seems to be reporting that number. They’re probably exaggerating. I have no idea. But I do think Putin is frustrated because I think he expected it to go a lot quicker, and he’s been basically stuck for more than two years now.
Now, as I said, he wants that oil. What if he decides it’s going to be impossible, though, to get Ukrainian oil? Where’s he going to get the oil he seeks? I see it as entirely possible that he looks down at little old Israel, which at some point in the future will be recovering from a war but now feels that it’s dwelling at peace. And Russia or Putin says, “Hey, let’s just take Israel for ourselves.”
And in case you didn’t know, Russia has basically taken over the region of Syria, which is just to the immediate North of Israel. Syria had a civil war in 2015 or 16 and its government collapsed. Russia set up shop down there to, as they said, keep the peace and make sure things didn’t get out of hand and provide relief. But they really wanted more of an anchor in the Middle East. So ever since 2015, Russia has been sitting right on Israel’s doorstep directly to the North. What does Ezekiel 38 say?
Verse 15 again
You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north
They will attack Israel from the North. God is going to get the leader of Russia to say, “Look down there at Israel, sitting defenseless and ripe for the picking.” And they’ll go for it.
And that’s ultimately why Gog attacks Israel. Because God has brought these events about. God has His purposes.
God is sovereign. God is in control of who is in control.
Proverbs 21:1 says
The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.
World leaders think they’re calling the shots. But no matter who is president, Jesus is King.
Prime ministers, kings, emperors, they think they have achieved or been born into this place of prominence to fulfill their visions. But God ultimately the one in charge. They are mere chess pieces in the chess master’s hands.
I am not saying that every last decision a world leader makes is necessarily what God wanted. They do make a lot of decisions. But if God wants a border moved or a transfer of wealth, God has ways of making that happen. And these world leaders don’t get into the position they’re in without God putting them there. And despite how much power they think they have, they don’t even realize the little box God has actually allowed to operate in.
Keep that in mind as we see big events happen like this past week. There’s a plan. God’s in control. And if you think this past week was historic, just wait until you see what’s coming next.
Thanks for listening to this Cross References Bible Study on the Book of Ezekiel. This has been Luke Taylor, and I hope the Bible makes more sense to you after this episode.
Something I learned in my research of this episode: Christopher means “bringer of Christ.” Christopher Columbus was a Christian man, and it was also his exploration that brought the Gospel to the native Americans. So you could say that he was the perfect person to lead this voyage to discover America. He was the bringer of Christ to another entire hemisphere of the planet.
No wonder Democrats are trying to dishonor his name and erase his accomplishments.