Ezekiel 38:1

The last conflict of the world with God, and the complete overthrow of the former. This section Ezekiel 38-39 refers to times subsequent to the restoration of Israel. As the Church (the true Israel) waxes stronger and stronger, more distant nations will come into collision and must be overthrown before the triumph is complete. Some have thought that this prophecy is directed against the Scythians who had possession of Asia twenty-three years, and in the course of this time had overrun Syria, and had probably made their appearance in the holy land. But in this prophecy there is little distinctive of one nation. It is a gathering together of the enemies of Yahweh to make their last effort, and to be overthrown. The seer passes to the final struggle between Good and Evil, and the triumphant establishment of the divine rule. It is the same struggle which is depicted in the Book of Revelation EZechariah 20:7-10, where John adopts words and phrases of Ezekiel.

There are four main divisions of this prophecy:

-1Eze 38:1-13, describing Gog's march;

-2Eze 38:14-23, describing his punishment;

(3) Ezekiel 39:1-16, describing his ruin;

-4Eze 39:17-29, the issue of Gog's ruin in Israel's redemption and sanctification.

Each division is broken up like a poem into stanzas.

38:1 Saying - God now forewarns the Jews, what enemies and troubles would interpose, before he would fully deliver them.