(REFLECTIONS ON EZEKIEL 38:1-23)

In Ezekiel 38 and 39 there is reference to Gog in the land of Magog and events that will take place in the future. Although there is much debate on who Gog is and what Gog and the land of Magog symbolizes, the main point of emphasis is that Gog will gather Persia, Cush, and Put, the lands surrounding Israel from all four points of a compass, and coming together to attack God’s defenseless people.

10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. 11 You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. 

Israel is surrounded by this great hoard, described as a cloud that covers the land, with forces beyond imagine. Looked upon as weak, unprotected, with unwalled villages, a peaceful and unsuspecting people, seems like an easy target right? Wrong!

17 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You are the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel. At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. 18 This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord.

When Gog attacks the land of Israel, His anger will be aroused, and He will be their protection, their defender, and their comfort. Yes, they are living in a land of unwalled villages, a peaceful and unsuspecting people, living without walls and without gates and bars, but they are living with something more important than that, they are living with the living God.

This image of being surrounded from all corners of the earth reminds us of the church, existing within a city, also surrounded by the world. What happens when the church is pressed on every side, by the world and its values? What happens when the church rather than fighting with weapons of mass destruction, preach a message of peace, living without walls and bars to protect itself?

What happens to believers surrounded by the world, by injustice, violence, and destruction? Today’s Scripture remind us that although we may not be people of war, that we like Israel are people of the living God. We may not have defense towers, but we have a God that watches over us, cares for us, and is always ready to defend.

In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul writes,

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 

Yes, we may be physically weak, like jars of clay. These jars can easily be broken and damaged beyond repair. But within these jars of clay is a treasure, and that treasure is the all-surpassing power from God. Yes, like Israel, we are at times surrounded in our life, but Paul reminds us that even though we are hard pressed on every side, we are not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

This is a message for Israel, surrounded by an worldly army ready to attack. This is a message for the church, surrounded by the secular world ready to devour. This is also a message for each and every one of us, that is surrounded by all kinds of temptations and challenges. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We have this treasure in jars of clay, and that is the all-surpassing power of the living God.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Ezekiel 38