EZEKIEL 39 THE INVASION OF ISRAEL CONTINUED2010 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Ezekiel 39 The Invasion Of Israel Continued

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2010.

Ezekiel chapter 39, but in order to get to 39, we need to go back and do a little bit of a review of Ezekiel chapter 38. Because Ezekiel chapter 38 and 39 really go together. They're one thought, they're one thing that's going on, one vision that God is speaking to Ezekiel.

And so a couple of weeks ago, we looked at Ezekiel chapter 38, and the subject of Ezekiel chapter 38 is really the invasion of Israel. If you look with me in Ezekiel chapter 38,

You find here that the invasion in verse 2 is done by this person or this prince named Gog in the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshach, and Tubal. And God tells Ezekiel to prophesy against him. And so there's this person here.

who would be the leader of the region of Magog, and he is the one who is leading this invasion of the nation of Israel.

Now this is something that is yet future for us and we'll talk about the timing of it in just a moment. But it's something that has not taken place yet and at some point in the future, this Gog, this person, Gog is probably a title, much like we would think of Pharaoh as the king of Egypt. Gog would be like the title of the prince or the leader of the region of Magog.

And so he leads this invasion along with some other nations and they come against Israel. They actually set foot in the nation of Israel and then God is going to deal with them quite severely. It tells us there in verse 2 that this Gog is leading the land of Magog and he's the prince of Rosh, Meshach, and Tubal.

Now these areas we dealt with and we talked about when we went through Ezekiel chapter 38. And these are the principal nations or the principal groups that are coming against the nation of Israel. And so I have a map here for you to kind of give you a sense of

where these locations and where these nations probably are. There is some scholarship that suggests slightly different regions and divisions, but this is what's generally accepted to be understood as the regions that are being specified here. And so Rosh and Magog would be north of Israel there. That represents the land of Russia, the nation of Russia.

Meshach, Tubal, and then Gomer that's mentioned later, also there in the red, is the area of Turkey. And so you have these two nations that are joined together. They're the primary group that is invading the land of Israel. We see that here in chapter 38, verse 2. But then also in verses 5 and 6,

you have some allies that are coming along with these guys to invade Israel. And that's the colored orange there on the map. You have Persia, you have Kush, and you have Put, which is Iran is Persia. Put is, I think, Libya. And then Kush is Ethiopia. And those three join with the other nations as they're making this invasion on the land of Israel.

If you haven't noticed it yet, Israel is right there. It's the little small nation in the blue shading. And it's a small territory, but of course you know it's highly focused on upon the world. And there's going to be a time where Russia, along with Turkey, lead this invasion. And these other nations, Iran, Libya, and Ethiopia, join along with them and head into the land. They set foot on the land. And while they're in there,

God is going to do a tremendous work. Now there's a couple other nations that are mentioned as well here in chapter 38. You have Sheba and Dedan that are mentioned there in verse 13, along with the merchants of Tarshish.

So Sheba, Dedan and Tarshish are in the green there. And Sheba and Dedan, that represents Saudi Arabia. And then Tarshish is believed to be either Spain or the United Kingdom or the area of England. And so there's some discussion about that. But these guys, they don't actually participate in the battle. They're what are called protesters. They kind of stand on the sidelines and say, hey, what are you doing? That's not right. But they don't.

step up to defend Israel against this invasion. They don't try to stop it. They just talk about it and protest verbally against this invasion. Well, verse 8 here in chapter 38 tells us that these people, these nations who invade Israel will be gathered on the mountains of Israel. And

And so we know very clearly that it's not going to be some plot that is happening and it is defeated somewhere outside of Israel. There's going to be armies that actually march into the land of Israel and on the mountains of Israel, there's going to be a victory for God and a defeat for these invading nations.

Now the purpose of this invasion tells us in verse 12 that the nations, as they're invading Israel, their thoughts, their intention, their purpose is to take plunder. And what plunder is there for them to take in Israel? Well, of course, you have the religious value of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount and the things that are involved there. But we also know recently in 2009, they discovered a temple

a very large natural gas reserve, which is highly coveted and there's disputes about that reserve. And then this last year, in August of 2010, they also found evidence of about 1.5 billion barrels of oil

And so it turns out that there is much value in the land of Israel, much more than what was previously thought. And so it's possible that those things are some of the things that they are seeking to plunder and to take for themselves by invading the land of Israel.

Well, as this invasion army comes, it's really described as a massive army. It talks about like a cloud, they cover the entire land, that it's a huge army, a big amount of people that are coming into the land. And then in verses 19 through 22, we see God responding to this invasion.

And God has been declaring all along that He is the one who is bringing this invasion. He's the one who's inspired them in bringing it about so that He can deal with these nations that are in rebellion against Him. And there in verses 19 through 22, we see that God responds to this invasion by bringing a great earthquake in Israel that is just completely devastating to this army that is invading.

Then we see in verse 21 that there's internal fighting that takes place. And so the soldiers in this army begin to fight against each other because of this great confusion of the earthquake and the things that are going on. Then in verse 22, we see that God brings against this army pestilence, hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

There's going to be a great devastating blow to this invading army that comes against Israel as they're there on the mountains of Israel. God's going to shock them with an earthquake. They're going to begin to fight one another and then he's going to wipe them out with disease, with hailstones, with fire and with brimstone.

And God's purpose is declared here in chapter 38 and we'll see it again in chapter 39. His purpose in all of this is that the world will know that He is God.

That is his goal. That is his purpose in accomplishing these things. He makes it very clear. He's the one who's leading these armies. He's the one who's allowing them to come. He's inspiring them to come. And as they come against the nation of Israel, now he's going to rain down judgment upon them and deal with them in their rebellion against God and in their dealings with the Jewish people.

Now one of the big subjects that you have to deal with in looking at Ezekiel chapter 38 and 39 is the timing of this invasion.

Because we know that it's going to happen. We know that it's very clear here in Ezekiel 38 and 39. There is an invasion that will occur. But when will it occur is a question that has been discussed by many. And of course, I don't have all of the answers, but I can give you some of the options for you to consider.

And so here is some of the different timings that are suggested. The first option is that this is an invasion. This is a description of something that has already taken place. I already crossed it out. Don't worry about that one because that is not true. It has not happened. These particular characters, these particular nations have not ever invaded the land of Israel altogether in the way that is described here.

And so, it's not already happened. It's something that's going to happen. So, when is it going to happen? Well, the second option, as far as timing, is that it could happen before the rapture. This is certainly possible. This is not something that, you know, the church has to be taken out of the world in order for this to occur.

Ezekiel chapter 39, which we'll get into in just a moment, describes a seven-year cleanup process as a result of this invasion and the defeat that is brought upon this army.

And so this seven-year cleanup process is going to take place and it suggests that perhaps, you know, seven years of this cleanup process, seven years of tribulation, there's a strong correlation there perhaps that this takes place and that seven-year cleanup process corresponds with the seven years of tribulation that will come upon the earth that we've been studying through in Revelation on Sunday mornings.

And so it could happen before the rapture. In other words, this is something that you and I could see take place before Jesus catches us up to be with him. Now, option number three is that it could happen after the rapture, but before the tribulation begins.

We often think of the tribulation beginning with the rapture of the church, but actually in Daniel chapter 9 it's clear, the tribulation begins when the Antichrist signs a covenant with the nation of Israel. And so it's possible that the rapture happens, that the rapture takes place, and there's a certain amount of time that transpires before the tribulation begins.

And so it's possible between the rapture of the church and the beginning of that agreement that the Antichrist makes with Israel that this invasion could take place. And then again, the seven-year cleanup process could correspond with the seven years of tribulation that we're studying on Sunday mornings.

Now what's interesting about that idea is if the Islamic nations are wiped out because the nations that are invading the land of Israel that are described here in Ezekiel 38 and 39 are largely Islamic and they're radically Islamic. Their goal is to push Israel into the sea or to wipe them off the map.

And so if those nations are dealt with by the judgment of God because they invade Israel, it could easily pave the way for the Antichrist to make the covenant for them to be able to build the temple there on the Temple Mount. And that might be one way that God deals with that. And so that's one option and that's definitely possible. Option number four is,

This could take place in the middle of the tribulation period. Now this one is possible as well and it corresponds with things that are dealt with in the book of Daniel and the king of the north that comes against the beast or the antichrist.

We'll get to that in a little bit when we head into the book of Daniel, and we'll probably deal with it more at that time. But it's possible that it takes place right in the middle of the tribulation period, and then that seven-year cleanup process, half of it,

is taking place during the tribulation, and then the other half is taking place at the beginning years of the thousand-year reign of Christ. And so as the earth is renewed and restored by the Lord, it's going to be a process, and there's going to be a renewal process as he establishes his kingdom, and that cleanup process might continue into that period.

Well, the fifth option is the end of the tribulation period. People suggest that it's the same as the Battle of Armageddon.

Now, the trouble with that, the problem with that is that these are not the same nations or players that are described as being involved in the Battle of Armageddon. And so it's not likely that this is that battle. Then finally, the sixth option that some suggest is that this is what takes place at the end of the millennium.

At the end of the millennium, you know, Satan is released and he leads one final rebellion against God. And so some suggest that this is that rebellion. This invasion of Israel is that final rebellion that's led by Satan.

And that's suggested because in Revelation chapter 20, the name Gog is mentioned in regards to that rebellion. But then the problem with that is the seven years of cleanup that follow that we'll deal with this evening would have to extend into the

The rest of eternity. And that just does not seem to fit. And so they're circled or squared in the green boxes. The three options that I believe are most likely that it happens either before the rapture or after the rapture but before the tribulation.

or right in the middle of the tribulation period. And there's lots of good scholars on all sides of those options, and so you're free to wrestle with that and come to your own conclusions about when these events may occur.

The point, of course, is that they will occur. It is going to take place, and that we know for sure. And so let's continue on now in this look at the invasion of Israel and check out Ezekiel chapter 39 and pick it up in verse 1. It says, And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshach, and Tubal.

And I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north and bring you against the mountains of Israel.

Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand. You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to the birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. You shall fall on the open field for I have spoken, says the Lord God."

Here we see in verses 1 through 5 of chapter 39, again God is speaking to Ezekiel and he's saying, Ezekiel, prophesy against Gog. This is a prophecy, this is a vision or a message that is against Gog. This prince, this leader of this invading army that is coming against Israel. And so God says, hey, I'm against you and I'm going to destroy you.

He mentions again the Rosh, the Meshach, and the Tubal. These are regions that are located in Russia and in Turkey.

And notice how many times, over and over, God says, I will, in these verses. He says there in verse 2, He says, I will turn you around. Verse 3, then I will knock the bow out of your left hand. Verse 4, He says, I will give you to the birds. And then we'll see in verse 6, I will send fire. Verse 7, I will make my holy name, and I will not let them profane my holy name anymore.

It's very clear here as we look at chapter 39, God is wanting to make sure we understand this is His work. This is something that He is going to do. There is going to be a radical work of God on behalf of the nation of Israel as this invasion takes place.

He says there in verse 2, I will turn you around and lead you on. I'm going to bring you from the far north. And so we see God in the beginning stages. He's the one bringing them from Russia, from Turkey, from Iran, from Libya, and from Ethiopia. He's the one drawing them and bringing them. But then, as they get there, as they're on the mountains of Israel...

He's going to disarm them. He says in verse 3, I'm going to knock the bow out of your hand and knock the arrows out of your right hand. He's going to disarm them. He's going to render them, make them to have no threat. They're going to be without arms before the Lord.

And then, verse 4, he says, you're going to fall on the mountains. And so they're going to be defeated there as they seek to invade the land of Israel. And it's pretty graphic the way God says it. He says, I will give you to the birds of prey and to all the beasts of the field to be devoured. And so they're going to be defeated in such a way that, well, their bodies will just be strewn across the mountains of Israel.

As they will be slain right where they are, then the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, will come and feast on their flesh. And we'll see that a little bit later in the chapter as well. God says you're going to fall in the open field. And so God is the one who's bringing them, then he's going to disarm them, and then he's going to feed them to the birds and the beasts.

This is a work of God from beginning to end. God is going to destroy this great multitude who comes against His people in rebellion against God.

Well then verse 6 it goes on to say,

Surely it is coming and it shall be done, says the Lord God. This is the day of which I have spoken.

God wants us to know this day will happen. He says, surely it's coming. I've spoken of this day. I'm the one who's doing it. This is something that will take place. The timing, yeah, we might have some different opinions in regards to when it will take place, but the reality is it will happen. This invasion will occur. And when it does, God will defeat that army,

Doing some kind of supernatural work. Again, noticing the I wills that are found here in these first few verses. I think it's safe to say that this is not going to be a work of the Israeli military. This is going to be a supernatural work of God in defending His people.

As we saw back in chapter 38, He's going to rain down fire and brimstone and hailstones. There's going to be a radical work of God defending the nation of Israel when this invasion occurs.

Well, he goes on here in verse 6 to say, he will send fire on Magog. And again, that is the region that is located there in Russia. And then he also says, and those who dwell in security in the coastlands. And that's not very clear. That's, you know, we don't really know. There's lots of suggestions, but it's really just speculation about where those coastlands are and who God is referring to there. But he's going to bring fire upon them.

So he's going to rain down fire and brimstone and hailstones upon the army, but he's also going to send fire back to the land where they came from and deal with and judge the nation that they were sent out of.

And so perhaps like we saw in Sodom and Gomorrah in the book of Genesis as God rained down fire and brimstone upon them, God's going to do a similar type of judgment sending fire upon Magog and upon those who dwell in security in the coastlands as he deals with this invading army. Verse 9.

Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears, and they will make fires with them for seven years. They will not take wood from the field nor cut down any from the forest because they will make fires with the weapons and they will plunder those who plundered them and pillage those who pillaged them, says the Lord God.

Here in verse 9 and 10, we find some interesting things to consider. Basically, God tells Ezekiel that Israel will be able to make fires from the weapons of this invading army.

Somehow they're going to be able to use those weapons as a source of energy. And so instead of collecting wood to burn in their fireplaces or to make energy, they're going to use the weapons that were left behind by this army that was defeated by God. And they're going to be able to use them for seven years to provide energy or warmth or fire for themselves.

Now, what's interesting about this and what brings up a lot of discussion is, you know, as we look at these things, I think it's pretty clear, it's pretty obvious that you and I, we interpret prophecy based upon what we understand right now, right? And so we're reading these things and we're thinking of things that we know and trying to figure out, well,

How would this work? Based on what we understand, based on what we know, how could these weapons be burned? How could, let's say, you know, there's an invading army and they've got tanks and planes and, you know, rockets and missiles and all of these things. And how could those things

be used for energy and be used to burn it or for some type of resource for the nation of Israel. We always interpret prophecy based upon what we understand as if it were to happen today. And there's some validity to that, but we also need to leave the door open to understand that there's probably more going on here than we can even imagine.

There's probably more going on. We don't know what's around the corner. We don't know what lies ahead. And so we don't necessarily have all the answers. We can speculate and kind of try to figure out how's God going to do this. And we can come up with some interesting conclusions. But the reality is we don't have all of the answers.

So, of course, one suggestion that is used in regard to this verse 9 and 10 and the energy that is described here is that perhaps this invading army is carrying nuclear weapons. And then Israel is able to go and to take those nuclear weapons, dismantle them, and use them to perhaps power a nuclear reactor and to supply power to the nation for seven years. That's certainly a possibility here.

But of course, that's not the way, you know, the only way that it can occur. There's many other ways that God could accomplish this as well. But it's an interesting possibility of what might take place there as this invasion is happening upon the nation of Israel. So they're going to go out and it says that they will plunder those who plundered them. So,

So you remember this invading army, their intention is to go and to plunder Israel. So it sounds like they were able to get some things. They were able to obtain some things. They were able to plunder Israel, at least partially. And then God deals with them. And now the nation of Israel, they come out of hiding basically. And they're able to go and to plunder the empty camp now because all of the enemy has been slain. And they're able to take what was taken from them.

As this army has been defeated. Let's go on to verse 11. It will come to pass in that day that I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea. And it will obstruct travelers because they will bury Gog and all his multitude. Therefore they will call it the valley of Haman-Gog. For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land.

Indeed, all the people of the land will be burying, and they will gain renown for it on the day that I am glorified, says the Lord God. Verse 14, They will set apart men regularly employed with the help of a search party to pass through the land and bury those bodies remaining on the ground in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months, they will make a search. Verse 15,

Verse 2.

And so here in verses 11 through 16, what we have described here is the burial process of this invading army that has been defeated and put to death. Now, this burial process takes seven months.

And they have professional barriers who go out and take care of the remains of this army. And they bury the remains of this army in order to cleanse the land. These professional barriers also have the help of a search party. And the search party goes out and they find...

All throughout the land where the army was scattered, they find the remains, the bones of those who died. And then they set markers by those bones. And then the professional buriers come and collect the bones, take it to the valley of Haman Gog, which is the horde of Gog valley, which is where they're going to bury this army that was defeated.

Now this brings up some interesting speculation as well. Because of the description that's given here, it seems that perhaps there's some nuclear activity that's going on. That perhaps in this exchange, perhaps in God defeating them, a nuclear bomb goes off or something to that effect. And as a result, you know, there needs to be special...

professional barriers who will handle the bones with the protective equipment required so that the radiation poison does not infect them. And so it makes sense then that there would be a search party, that they wouldn't actually touch the bones, they would just see them, okay, set a marker, and then the professionals could come in with their gear and safely handle the remains of the army. And so it's a possibility that there's some type of nuclear activity that is

gone on as a result of this invasion and defeat of the land of Israel. Verse 17.

And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord God, speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field. Assemble yourselves and come, gathered together from all sides, to my sacrificial meal, which I am sacrificing for you, a great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood.

You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams and lambs, of goats and bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan. You shall eat fat till you are full, and drink blood till you are drunk at my sacrificial meal, which I am sacrificing for you. You shall be filled at my table with horses and riders, with mighty men, and with all the men of war, says the Lord God."

And so here in verses 17 through 20, we have God preparing a great feast for the birds and the beasts. This army that has been defeated there on the mountains of Israel, as we saw earlier, they are going to be just laying all around the mountains, dead where they lay,

And so the birds of the air and the beasts of the field are going to come to this feast that God has prepared for them. And so it's like a formal invitation here to the birds and to the beasts to come and partake, to enjoy this feast that has been set before them.

And so God says, hey, birds and beasts, I'm prepared to feed you. I've set up a great banquet for you. It's an all-you-can-eat buffet. And here on the mountains of Israel are all of these bodies for these animals and creatures to consume.

Again, it's going to be a great devastation. As this army comes against Israel, God is going to radically, supernaturally defend it. And those who invade will be killed on the mountains of Israel. God is going to protect His people and His nation from this invasion. Verse 21 says,

I will set my glory among the nations. All the nations shall see my judgment which I have executed and my hand which I have laid on them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward.

The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, because they were unfaithful to me. Therefore I hid my face from them, I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them and hidden my face from them.

And so the result of this invasion is going to be clarity. This is going to make clear kind of once and for all who is God. It's going to make clear once and for all that Israel is God's chosen people. It's God's chosen nation. That the land of Israel is their inheritance from God. It's going to make crystal clear to the world that

Who's in charge? Who's on the throne? And as a result, he says, they will know that I am the Lord.

There in verse 21, He says, I will set My glory among the nations and all the nations will see My judgment. This is going to be something that is not just taken casually around the world, but the world is going to notice and to know that God did this work. It's not going to be some sort of speculation where some people are thinking, well, perhaps God did this. No, it's going to be clear.

And that's why, you know, it's kind of questionable whether or not it's going to be an involvement of the Israeli military. Because if it's, you know, the Israeli military, then you know how it is. They get the glory. That's why you remember with Gideon and they were being oppressed by the Midianites. And so he amassed together an army. I think it was like 10,000. And God did some tests for them and reduced the army down to 300 people.

And the Midianites is described as an innumerable multitude. And so you have 300 verses unlimited. Those aren't very good odds, but those are the odds that God likes to use.

He declares to Gideon, so that way everyone will know this is a work of God. That's how God works. He likes to do the impossible. And he's going to use this invasion as an opportunity to declare to the entire world that all the nations will know that he is God. They will know that this is a judgment of God. That he has accomplished this. That it's his hand that has done this.

Not only will it be a billboard in neon lights to the entire world, but it's going to be a wake-up call for the nation of Israel as well. There in verse 22, he says, Notice,

And so there's going to be an awakening at this time. As this invasion occurs, the people of Israel are going to wake up and they are going to know that He is the Lord. Right now, the nation of Israel exists, but the nation as a whole does not know that He is the Lord. Many of the Jewish people that are populating the land of Israel are atheists. Some, of course, are

and some hold to the Old Testament and follow the rabbinical teachings and they follow the orthodox religion of Judaism. Very few have received Jesus Christ as their Messiah and are genuinely saved. But as a whole, in general, the nation of Israel does not recognize the Lord. They have not for thousands of years. But at this time, when God does this work,

this incredible defeat of the enemy that's invading Israel, they will know that He is the Lord. And from that day forward, they will know that He is... It will never be a question again for the nation of Israel. From that day forward, they will know that He is the Lord.

Now, quick side note here. This is an indication that perhaps this battle does take place in the middle of the tribulation because that's when it's described as the Jewish people waking up and realizing that Jesus is the Messiah and as a whole, the nation of Israel, the people of Israel turn to Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

That's a possibility and you can continue to wrestle with the timing of the invasion. But the reality is that this will take place and it will make clear once and for all to all of the world and to the nation of Israel that He is the Lord God. Now, this is pretty interesting because, you know, as we're studying through the book of Revelation on Sunday mornings, we're going through some pretty severe judgments, some pretty severe things that are taking place upon the earth.

And as we continue in Revelation on Sunday, we'll be going through chapter 16 and looking at those final seven judgments, the bowls of wrath that will be poured out upon the earth. And sometimes as we study through the judgments that will take place,

It can be pretty difficult and kind of confusing. You know, how can God bring these things and how is He going to be doing this when He is a God of love and we consider and wrestle with those types of things. But if you understand a little bit of the context here, it brings a little bit more clarity to the judgments that we're studying on Sunday morning in the book of Revelation.

understanding that the people who are there experiencing those judgments are in rebellion against God and refusing to acknowledge Him as God when they have seen, remember this takes place before or right in the middle of the tribulation period, and so they're continuing in rebellion when it's been made clear to the whole world that He is God.

And so it's not an ignorance that God is bringing judgment upon. It's a known rebellion. It's a knowledgeable resistance against God. A refusal to repent and to turn to God. This takes place and the whole world and all of Israel knows that He is God. And then they have the choice, knowing that He is God, they have the choice whether or not they're going to follow Him and submit to Him and surrender to Him.

Just to know that He is God, well, that's not really sufficient. To know that He is God requires then that we make a choice either to follow Him or to reject Him. And much of the world will reject Him and that will bring upon them the judgments that we're studying through in the book of Revelation.

And so this battle that takes place, this invasion that takes place is going to make it clear for all of the world and specifically for the nation of Israel that they will know that He is the Lord God from that day forward. Verse 25, Therefore thus says the Lord God, Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel and I will be jealous for my holy name.

After they have borne their shame and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to me when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid.

When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hollowed in them in the sights of many nations, verse 28, then they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land and left none of them captive any longer. And I will not hide my face from them any more, for I shall have poured out my spirit on the house of Israel, says the Lord God."

Here God says, look, in regard to the nation of Israel, this is going to be that ultimate event in which they recognize that He is the Lord and they recognize that they went into captivity, that they were dispersed among the nations as a result of their own sin.

Now as Ezekiel is writing these things, if you'll remember, Ezekiel is a captive in Babylon because Nebuchadnezzar has conquered the nation of Judah. The survivors were taken captive back to Babylon. Some were dispersed around the world. The Jews have experienced this several times in their history as a result of their sin, as a result of their rebellion against God.

But at this time, as Ezekiel is there captive in Babylon, along with others from the nation of Judah, they still have not recognized and confessed that he is the Lord. They're still thinking they're fine. They are still thinking, even at this time as Ezekiel is writing these things, that they're going to be delivered and brought back to Jerusalem. They're refusing to acknowledge their sin. They're refusing to acknowledge their rebellion.

And it won't be until this time, until this invasion occurs, that the nation of Israel finally recognizes this is what our history has been all about. We have rebelled against God and as a result we lost our homeland. As a result we went into captivity. Now God's doing a regathering work.

But it's not full and it's not complete. And it will not be complete until after this event occurs. Then God will really begin to bring the people back to the land as they turn to Him and recognize Him as Lord. They'll recognize that He's the one who sent them into captivity among the nations. But also it says there in verse 28, "...brought them back and left..." Notice, "...none of them captive any longer."

This is the discipline of God, the chastening of the Lord. He does send into captivity. He does bring chastening. But it's not to bring an end. It's so that none of them will be captive any longer. Because they refuse to recognize Him as Lord, they are captive. They're bound. They're slaves to sin. They're slaves to their rebellion. And as a result, they're in bondage.

And so God sends them into bondage since that's the life they've chosen so that He can bring them out free from that bondage. So that He can deliver them through that chastening, through that discipline, through the captivity which finally brings them to the place where they know that He is the Lord God. Then He says in verse 29, He won't hide His face from them anymore. His face has been turned away. His face is hidden from Israel. But not anymore.

as that invasion takes place. As God reveals Himself for the world to know that He is God. He will have poured out His Spirit upon the house of Israel. And they're going to walk with Him. It's going to be an incredible work that God's going to do amongst His people. You know, there's some that teach that God is done with the nation of Israel. There's some that teach that the church has replaced Israel. But the Bible is very clear. That is not the case.

God's made a covenant with Israel. And as long as the sun rises, as long as the waves continue to crash, God will be faithful to His covenant with His people. Paul deals with this in the book of Romans and makes it very clear. He's not done with them. Now right now, he's poured out his spirit upon the church. He's working in the church and it's our job to be the light of the world. But that role is coming to an end very soon.

And God will once again focus His full attention on the nation of Israel. We'll regather them back. We'll protect them supernaturally against this invasion. And we'll do a tremendous reviving work in the land. There's some incredible things for us to consider here. Of course, we like the prophetic aspect. It's fun to speculate about the things that may happen and may occur. And there's nothing wrong with that and I encourage you to play with those ideas. That's part of this. Understanding that these things will take place.

But as you consider the principles that are involved here, there's some things that I think God would have us consider. Sometimes God, in dealing with our sinful condition, with our refusal to submit to Him, dealing with our refusal to recognize Him as Lord, He will send us into captivity. He will bring judgment. He will bring discipline and chastening.

Not because He's angry with us and He wants nothing to do with us ever again. Not because He's fed up and He's just had enough and you just continue to rebel and He doesn't want anything to do with you anymore. God allows those things. He brings those things. He sends us into captivity so that He can bring us out delivered, free, completely redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

The author of Hebrews tells us this in Hebrews chapter 12. He says, look, don't despise the chastening of the Lord, knowing that the Lord chastens the ones that He loves. Now, not all difficulties and hurts and wrongful things that are done to us are as a result of chastening or as a result of our sin, consequences of sin. Some things are just part of life and God allows them and He works through them in our lives. That being said...

I would encourage you to consider, where do you stand? Do you know that He is the Lord? Because if you're going through some type of captivity, some type of bondage, some type of discipline, some type of trial or difficulty, perhaps it is the work of God as He desires to bring you deliverance. God sent His people into captivity because

there in Ezekiel's day, to deal with their idolatry because they insisted on worshipping these false gods and they would not give them up. Now, idolatry is bad for you, just like all sin is bad for you. And so God, because they're destroying their lives, sent them into captivity so that their lives could be spared, so that the nation could be brought back to Him, so that redemption could be made.

And God has an amazing way of using trials and afflictions and difficulties to purge, to cleanse, and to bring us back to the awareness and the recognition that Jesus Christ is Lord. All throughout the book of Ezekiel, we've been noticing and highlighting this phrase, "...then they will know that I am the Lord."

And once again, here in Ezekiel 38 and 39, we need to ask that question. When will you know that He is the Lord? For the nation of Israel, it's going to take an awful lot for them to finally recognize, to finally admit, to finally surrender and say, He is the Lord. There's captivity, there's dispersion, there's trouble and affliction on every side. Look at all of the turmoil that Israel is facing right now.

It's because they don't know that He is the Lord. All of the world refuses to recognize Him as Lord in general. There's individuals who recognize Him as Lord, but in general, all of the world has rejected Him as Lord. And it's going to take a radical event for them to finally admit and know that He is the Lord as God defends the nation of Israel here in Ezekiel 38 and 39.

So what will it take for you, personally, individually, to know that He is the Lord? We have the choice. We have the option. We can insist on our own way and continue in rebellion and refuse to listen to God or to follow His directions. What we're saying, what we're testifying is He's not the Lord. We're not recognizing Him as Lord. And if we do that, if that's our behavior, God will bring us to the point

Perhaps through judgment, through discipline, through calamity, through difficulty, through affliction. However He chooses to do it, He will bring us to the point where we will know that He is the Lord. And then at that time, we will have the option. Now that we know, now that it's crystal clear, there's no second guessing here. Then we'll have the option to serve God or not. But that's a great gamble to wait until then, hoping that you'll make the right decision at that point.

What's it going to take for you to know that He is the Lord? We can insist on rebelling against God or right now, today, this evening, we can humble ourselves, we can repent, and we can recognize that He is Lord. You know, I encouraged you earlier about setting aside some time and determining ahead of time how you're going to be spending time with God in 2011. This is something very important.

Is God the Lord of your life or not? Because if you don't have time for God, if that's what you use as your excuse of why you don't spend time in the Word, you know, it's just hard, it's difficult, you don't have time, He's not your God. If you don't have time for God, He's not your God. That's the bottom line. He's not your Lord if you can't make time for Him. Your life doesn't center around Him. You're not surrendered to Him.

That's why spending time in the Word is so important. Because it's part of us recognizing, Lord, You are the Lord. And you open up the Word each day. It's an opportunity. You're saying, God, You speak to me because You're the Lord of my life. It's not up to me what I do. It's not up to me the decisions that I need to make. It's not up to me what needs to be accomplished today. It's up to You. So, Lord, You direct me.

Lord, it's not up to me what I need to hear, what I need to learn, what I need to know. That's why it's good to have a Bible reading plan, that we don't just read our favorite things or the things we like to read about or spend time considering. Because it's God who knows what we need to learn, what our hearts need. Sometimes our hearts need Leviticus, and man, we don't like it, but is He the Lord or not? Are you going to be surrendered to Him or not? Is your life...

centered around your relationship with God. If your life is not centered around, if everything does not revolve around your relationship with God, He's not your Lord. So as we consider Ezekiel chapter 38 and 39, I ask you the question, what will it take for you to know that He is Lord? What will it take for you to finally and fully surrender to Him? Royce is going to come back up and lead us in some worship. And as he does, as they do,

Let's take this time to let God deal with our hearts. Let's take this time to surrender to Him. Let's not go another day refusing to know that He is the Lord. But let's make today the day that we choose. Lord, I'm not going to force You to send me into captivity. I'm not going to force You to bring this chastening and discipline. Not that I won't experience difficulty, but I'm not going to continue to rebel against You.

Instead, Lord, right now, I'm going to surrender to you. I'm going to give my life to you. I'm going to be fully committed and devoted to you. You're going to have complete authority and control of my life. That's the place that God requires. It's the only place he'll accept in our lives. So let's give it to him as we worship the Lord together.

We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.