This section of scripture describes how God uses the enemies of His people to discipline and mature his willfully sinful people. At the same time, He brings about or turns some of His enemies by converting them as they recognize this discipline process, Matt 4:19.
Mt 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Most people are preoccupied with identifying the characters and locations involved in these chapters. That preoccupation causes them to gloss over the way God deals with his rebellious people. These chapters contain parables or mysteries that reveal that method.
In Revelation 18:23 the city of “Babylon” represents the group of people who could at one time “Hear” God’s voice but sadly that ability is “no longer” found among those people.
Re 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
This corresponds to Jeremiah 51:37, and the condition of “Being Babylon” is what Jesus calls us out of in Rev 18:4.
Jer 51:37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and a hissing, without an inhabitant.
Two chapters later Revelation 20:8 and 9 explain that Gog and Magog represent people who are called “the nations”. They are not God’s people, they are unbelievers.
In Ezekiel Chapter 38 God brings His enemies against His “Continually dry”/desolate” (38:8) or “careless” (38:14) people in order to bring about their correction.
God uses conflict for His purposes.
These events are happening on a continuous, individual, and worldwide basis.
This knowledge can comfort people when they understand that conflict is used by God as an evangelistic and developmental tool.
By recognizing this method we can become more effective in His service, as we recognize which particular stage of this process God is currently bringing about in the lives of the people we come into contact with.
Re 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
These chapters show Ezekiel speaking in tongues or parables. The purpose of a parable is to disguise the truth so that unbelievers and unlearned Christians (1 Cor 14:23 and Matt 17:20) do not understand the message. God has used this method in these chapters, and it has been very effective (Matt 13:10-11). There are many different opinions about these chapters.
Mt 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mt 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
1 Corinthians 14:23 KJV — If therefore the whole church come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
Remembering that God does not change (Mal 3:6), I have focused on the method involved when God deals with His rebellious followers.
It is useful to know that God’s grace teaches people how to depart from ungodliness. Without this teaching, a person will not learn how to behave in a Godly manner. His grace can be seen by all people, however, it is not given to everyone who can see/perceive it, Titus 2:11.-12
God’s grace is not “unmerited”. It is not possible for something to be unmerited if you have to do something to obtain it. Grace is given to those who are humble before God, James 4:6. This produces an intentional rivalry between Christians and non-Christians. One group knows how to be Godly and one group does not know how.
I can see two groups of people in these chapters. God’s people (Israel), and the heathen. This is supported in Rev 20:8 where Gog and Magog are identified as the “nations”.
Ezekiel 38
38:1 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
38:2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
38:3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
38:4 And I will turn thee back (Hebrew word “shuwb” Strongs # 07725) and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
The Hebrew word “shuwb” is translated as “I will turn thee back”. This same Hebrew word is translated using the word “repent” in the following verses – Ps 19:7, Ps 51:13, Isaiah 1:27, and Isaiah 6:10.
This suggests to me that the phrase “I will thee turn back” can simply refer to God encouraging the inhabitants of Gog to “convert” in Ezekiel 38:4 and 39:2.
Since one of the stated goals of these verses is to cause the “Heathen to know God” (Ez 38:16), the change of mind called “repentance” can in these chapters also be seen to accompany the physical action of changing direction or “turning back”. Not only were the enemies of God “turned back”, but some of the Heathen changed their minds/repented and came to know God.
This is reminiscent of Jesus and John the Baptist calling Israel to repent in Matt 4:17 and Matt 3:2.
38:5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 38:6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.
38:7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always (continually Strong’s #8548) waste (dry #02723): but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
Here we can see that God’s solution to what we would call a backslidden or “continually dry” Christian is to bring their enemies against them. Since God had to turn them in order to bring them against his “Dry” people, the enemies had to be fleeing from the backslidden people of God before they turned and fought/confronted (Gen 3:15) them. God will defeat these enemies as is seen further along in the account.
Ge 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
38:9 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.
God is here bringing His judgment upon Israel, and the enemies He uses for the judgment are likened to a cloud. He is coming on a cloud. He leads them against His people. This resembles His coming through the instruments of His indignation in Isaiah 13:5,6 and 19:1.
Isa 13:5 (YLT) They are coming in from a land afar off, From the end of the heavens, Jehovah and the instruments of His indignation, To destroy all the land.
Isa 13:6 ¶ Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Isa 19:1 ¶ The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
38:10 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:
38:11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages (villages without boundaries, as in lawless): I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, (“safely” is the Hebrew word “betach” and is translated using the word “carelessly” in Eze 39:6). all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
38:12 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.
The abomination of “willful sin” had already brought about their desolation.
38:13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions 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?
God likens the invaders to a cloud in 38:9, hence the phrase “The Lord comes seated on a cloud and reaps the harvest (John 4:35, Rev 14:14, Matthew 24:30). He also likens the enemies to young Lions in 38:15, hence the phrase “the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5). This means that (as the Lion of the tribe of Judah) Jesus oversees and supervises the discipline of his people.
Mt 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (KJV)
Re 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Re 5:5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Weep not; lo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (RSV)
38:14 ¶ Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely (“betach”, carelessly #0983) shalt thou not know it?
38:15 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:
38:16 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.
The purpose here is seen to be “that the Heathen May Know God”. John 17:3 tells us that to know God is eternal life.
God is against Gog, meaning they are His enemies. He is going to visit them and an evil thought will come into their minds (God allows this demonic inspiration). They will then decide to go against Israel. They are going to be brought against the “Inhabited desolate places” as is said in 38:12.
Being defined in 38:12 as desolate places, the individuals spoken of were already receiving divine discipline as a result of their personal “willful sin” which is the abomination that causes “desolation”, Dan 9:27.
They were involved in willful sin before the invasion. That abomination is a “willful sin”, and it has been allowed to continue long enough that the people have become desolate as a result of God’s judgment. Being desolate, however, has not brought about their correction. So in a further attempt at correction, God is allowing His enemies to attack them.
If a Christian does not recognize an activity as being sinful they will behave in a lawless or careless fashion, and they will not seek forgiveness, and the sin will then become willful. God has given them over to delusion (2 Thess 2:11) so that they can be judged (2 Thess 2:12) and ultimately corrected (1 Cor 11:32).
In Old Covenant terminology not confessing an action as sinful can be likened to not making a sacrifice (the sacrifice ceases) to obtain forgiveness. In the New Covenant, it would simply be not confessing an action as sinful, and requesting forgiveness. This is how the “sacrifice ceases” during the time in which God is “confirming the covenant” with His people in Dan 9:27.
Zephaniah 2:15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly (0983 betach) that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how has she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
When something becomes a desolation it becomes a “place for beasts (demons)” to lie down in.
So from the information from Zeph 2:15, we know that before the invasion the people of God were already under judgment, and had become a place for beasts to lie down in. In other words, they had become demonized. In New Testament terminology the Christians would already as a result of previous judgment be open to the influences of demonic spirits before the actual invasion by the enemies of God that are being described in these two chapters.
The “abomination” of willful sin causes “desolation”, bringing about the Lord’s judgment referred to here as a place for “beasts”.
Jer 51:37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and a hissing, without an inhabitant.
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
God’s enemies (Gog) are encouraged to think evil thoughts towards God’s sinful desolate people (Israel) in Eze 38:10. His enemies are likened to a cloud in and Ezekiel 38:10 and Isaiah 19:1.
According to verse 16, this is happening “so that the Heathen may know God”.
38:17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou 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?
38:18 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.
God’s enemies are brought against His already willfully sinful people, Heb 10:26.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
God gets mad when His enemies come against His people. So even though He caused it to happen because of their willful sin He still gets mad at His enemies for attacking His people, Mt 24:22.
Matt 24:22 is a reference to the judgment called the “Day of the Lord” being tempered for the sake of God’s people.
Mt 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake, those days shall be shortened.
38:19 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;
38:20 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.
38:21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.
38:22 And I will plead against him 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.
Disease will be a part of this discipline.
38:23 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. (KJV)
Many nations will come to know God.
Chapter 39
39:1 ¶ 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:
39:2 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:
The first Hebrew word in Eze 39:2 is translated using the phrase “And I will turn thee back (shuwb, Strong’s #07725)”,
The second Hebrew word is translated as “and leave but the sixth part of thee” (#08338), and it means “to divide by sixths”).
2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn (shuwb, Strong’s # 07725) from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the word (07725) is used to reference God’s people, however, in Ezekiel 39:2 the same word is directed towards God’s enemies.
When this concept is applied to God’s enemies is brings to mind Acts 11:18.
Ac 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. (KJV)
The concept of dividing by sixths would result in a divided group and not a united group. This is the Hebrew word H8338 (שָׁשָׁא phonetically shaw-shaw). It is only used once in the Bible. Phonetically it resembles the word meaning “humble” (H7812 שָׁחָה phonetically shaw-khaw (bow down). This is the only similarity I am aware of which could further define the action God is taking in this verse. God uses division for His purposes, as He did when He divided the languages at the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9), and it would make sense that the use of the concept with regard to His enemies in this verse would be similar.
Dividing the enemy by sixths would serve God’s purposes regarding the discipline of His people and causing the heathen to know Him, and brings to mind – Ex 23:29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
In Ezekiel 39:2 God divides the group that He is bringing against His willfully sinful people as He uses them to discipline Israel. Any number of reasons could be given for this division. In general, it could be simply so that they do not attack Israel as a unified force.
39:3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
39:4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
This is a word picture of the Demons devouring God’s enemies. In verse 4 God is giving Gog to the beasts.
39:5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
39:6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly (Hebrew word “betach” #0983) in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD, Rev 20:9.
Re 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
God says here that He will send fire upon two groups, the multitude of Gog (Magog) and upon those who live “carelessly” in the Isles and they will “know the Lord”.
God spoke of the “Day of the “Lord” as Discipline coming upon His “careless” people in Eze 39:6. We can see the fire coming upon His people in Matt 24:28 and Luke 17:37 as Jesus referred to it.
39:7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
39:8 ¶ Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.
The preceding verses have illustrated the “Day of the Lord”, not the Second Coming.
39:9 And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the hand staves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years:
The burning of the weapons for seven years indicates that this is not a literal thing but a parable. Israel using only discarded weapons as a source of firewood for seven years would have required Gog to move entire forests and suggests that this is not a literal occurrence. Since a literal view is unlikely a spiritual interpretation can be suggested by the text.
The seven years mentioned here correspond to Daniel’s seventieth week, and the millennium or thousand years mentioned in Rev chapter 20.
The seventieth week of Daniel is the time in which Jesus confirms/strengthens the covenant with his followers, Dan 9:27. This involves the elements (carnal impulses, Gal 4:3) melting/burning during the judgment of the Day of the Lord. In the case of Ezekiel chapter 39, it involves the burning of the weapons used against Spiritual Israel. The “Day of the Lord” strengthens God’s people in that it highlights their willful sin and encourages them to rid themselves of carnal activities, 2 Pet 3:10-12.
2 Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2 Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
The “thousand years” or “millennium” represents the obedient Christian life or the First Resurrection as is seen in Revelation 20:5.
Israel (God’s people) will then burn all the weapons that were used against them in the battle. A concept to remember here is that the weapons need not be physical, but can include spiritual weapons as Ezekiel indicated in 7 chapters previous to chapter 39, where He said that weapons can go down to Hell.
Eze 32:27 And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
39:10 So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD.
Verse 10 is a word picture, and even if the symbolism of the burning of the enemy’s weapons is hard to understand, the result of the symbolic action spoken of is easy to understand. The end result of the “wood being burnt” is that the Israelites take back that which was taken from them. This suggests that Israel takes something back that the thieves had stolen from them. Similar to the truth expressed in Joel 2:25, where the years stolen from God’s people are restored to them.
39:11 KJV And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it the Valley of Hamon Gog.
God stops Gog at a valley in Israel and He calls it the valley of those enemies who were “passing by/over”, and they are buried there.
The stated purpose of this conflict from Eze 38:16 was that the “Heathen would know God”. Here the result is stated another way, and after their defeat, the Heathen involved in the battle with God’s people are granted a burial place in Israel.
The idea of “bringing the heathen to know God in 38:16” can speak of –
1. Those heathen who learned of this battle after it was over. Such people would learn of it through stories of the battle they heard from others. Some of them come to know God.
This is a spiritual scenario that plays out continuously and individually on a worldwide basis in people’s lives. God does not change (Mal 3:6), and in these chapters, He shows us one of the ways that He both disciplines his people and allows others to perceive, and come to know Him.
The idea of “coming to a knowledge of God” could also speak of –
2. Those who personally participated in the battles themselves at that time, as they recognized God’s providence, I feel that this also is a correct concept. Some of them came to know God.
Romans 1:21 shows that a person can refuse to “glorify” God even when they know or are aware of him.
Ro 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Individual Unbelievers are given the opportunity to “glorify” God, and recognize Him as God as a result of these events.
39:12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse/purify the land, (remove the dross from the silver/their land).
Burying the defeated enemies of God in Israel is here likened to “cleansing the land”.
39:13 Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD.
It will be an honor for God’s people to bury the inhabitants of Gog.
39:14 And they shall sever out men of continual employment (#08548 men who continue to pass through the land) passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.
Through God’s intervention/judgment either the invaders unite with the people of God and come to know Him, or God allows the beasts (demons) to devour them as they choose to persist in unbelief, v 17. Coming to know God need not necessarily be instant, it may occur as they ponder their encounter with God’s people. God himself judges those outside the church, and we know that they will ultimately perish if they reject faith in Christ all their lives.
39:15 And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man’s bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog.
39:16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.
Jesus taught that a person could be metaphorically filled with dead men’s bones in Matt 23:27-28. Which could lend credence to the concept that cleansing the land involves defeating sin.
Mt 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Mt 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
39:17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.
Those who have fallen upon the mountains of Israel are the enemies of God who attacked Israel. They are to be devoured by the beasts/fire (Demons), and they comprise God’s sacrifice. This is a word picture of the “supper” of God mentioned in Revelation 19:17.
The fowls (Demons) of the air are invited/summoned to consume the enemies of God. As the person who threw Satan out of heaven, God uses the Devil and His angels to accomplish his purposes. This is the supper of Rev 19:17. This happens on the “Day of the Lord”, Eze 39:8.
This entire invasion scenario happens after “the inhabited places (God’s people) had become desolate” (Eze 38:12) or become involved in willful sin. If a person’s ways please the Lord then God keeps the enemies at peace with the person, Pr 16:7.
Pr 16:7 ¶ When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
The willful sinfulness (falling away or sleeping 1 Thess 4:13) of God’s people sets this in motion the Day of the Lord, 2 Thess 2:3, which results in some of the Heathen/unbelievers coming to know God.
2Th 2:3 ¶ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (KJV)
God brings His enemies against His sinful people “so that the Heathen will come to know Him”. This shows God exposing His sinful people to His enemies to evangelize the Heathen, while at the same time teaching His people to deny ungodliness, Titus 2:11-12.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
39:18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
39:19 And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.
God’s enemies attack God’s sinful people, and some of the enemies are defeated and buried in Israel. The fallen attackers comprise God’s sacrifice for His people and they are devoured by the beasts.
Hence – Isa 43:4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
Jesus is, of course, God’s ultimate sacrifice, and this parable is fulfilled in the picture of Him at the cross bearing our sins.
Some of those who fall on the mountains of Israel are metaphorically the former enemies of God who put to death the misdeeds of the flesh and are granted burial/baptism (Rm 6:4) in Israel. They are converts to Christianity.
These things are a shadow of Jesus’ sacrifice/crucifixion for sinful Israel and unbelievers.
39:20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
39:21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.
God sets His glory (Ex 33:18-19) among the Heathen in Eze 39:21. He brings His enemies against the “inhabited desolate places” of His people (Eze 38:12) and causes the enemies to fall, inviting the beasts to devour them.
Some of the enemies that attacked Israel at that time came to know God. Additionally, some of God’s enemies today learn from this pattern, and come to know God today as these events are played out in each of our lives.
The enemies then become aware of His judgment and know Him (Eze 38:16). In this way sets His Glory/goodness among the Heathen.
Ex 33:18 And he (Moses) said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. Ex 33:19 And he (God) said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
Ps 9:16 Jehovah hath made himself known, he hath executed judgment: The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah
Ps 48:3 God hath made himself known in her palaces for a refuge. (ASV)
39:22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
39:23 ¶ And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.
39:24 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.
39:25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again (shuwb, Strong’s #07725) the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
God turns or reverses the captivity of His people in this summary statement. God’s people are freed as they learn from the teaching of His grace and depart from ungodliness, Titus 2:11-12.
39:26 After that they have borne their shame (Heb 10:26-27), and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.
Israel has, in the preceding scenario born its shame, in that they have been attacked by God’s enemies.
They have sinned willfully after coming to a knowledge of Christ (Heb 10:26) and been judged per 1 Cor 11:32. The heathen or foreigners now understand that the willfully sinful Christians went into captivity because they disobeyed God, and they also perceive that God is a refuge, Ps 48:3.
39:27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
These events are to be observed by other nations. As I understand it, this knowledge is also given to some of those involved in the invasion themselves. Meaning that some of the enemies attacking Israel came to know God and became His followers.
39:28 Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them anymore there.
39:29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. (KJV)
The Lord caused Israel to be led into captivity among the heathen because of their iniquity and because they were continually dry. This did not produce their “repentance” so God caused His enemies to attack them.
He caused Gog to attack Israel because Israel was “continually” (08548) “Dry” (02723), Eze 38:8.
This results in some of the heathen coming to know God 38:16.
The attack by Gog then angers God, and Gog falls (39:5) on the mountains of Israel and is devoured by beasts and buried by Israel.
This entire scenario appears to be a representation of the supper of God when He invites the beasts to consume the attacking enemies of his people, resulting in some of the heathen coming to know Him. It is also a picture of the marriage supper of the Lamb found in Revelation chapter 19, where God helps the bride make herself ready.