THE ULTIMATE TRIUMPH In this chapter, God consummates His talk about ‘Gog,’ proclaiming his utter devastation; cleansing the land of His people from the corpses of Gog’s army. Finally He ends His talk about the preparation for the Messianic reform, by proclaiming the goal of God from chastening His people; clarifying the difference between the punishment of Gog, the representative of Satan and his hosts, and the chastisement of the children of God; in whom God desires to be glorified. 1- The perdition of Gog 1-7. 2- Cleansing the land 8-16. 3- The sacrificial meal for the birds 17-25. 1- THE PERDITION OF GOG He once again confirms the ultimate perdition of Gog, being the sign of the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom over the kingdom of darkness. It is amazing how God, in proclaiming His opposition against Gog, says: “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” (Ez 39:2). As though the violence that Gog does against God and His children, is not hidden from God, but is allowed by Him, to glorify His name in His people. Before allowing for their perdition, God will knock the bow out of his left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of his right hand (Ez 39:3). God did not start by judging Satan, but He first destroyed his authority; breaking down his evil weapons on the cross, in order to give His children the chance to prevail on him. The fall of Gog and all his troops and the peoples who were with him (Ez 39:4), on the mountains of Israel, is a proclamation of the location of the battle: the firm hearts of believers, which become like rocks, that would never shake before the temptations of Satan. As the Lord Christ defeated Satan on the mountain; so we enter with him in a battle within the heart, where he will be destroyed, and will have no more place in us. He intended to reign over the heart; but there, we have him fall, by the divine grace, under our feet. As Gog falls, he becomes prey for the believers who, by grace, exalt like birds and soar in the heavenliness. Those who practice spiritual war, become like mighty beasts before which sin cannot stand. As to the fire that consumes him; that is the fire of the divine Spirit that dwells in us, purifies us of every sin and weakness, and consumes every evil and satanic work. This is the source of our conquest over Satan: Our life, by Christ Jesus, soars toward the heavenliness; persists on practicing strife, with hearts flaring with the fiery Spirit of God. 2- CLEANSING THE LAND The goal of destroying Satan and his hosts, is to bring believers into a state of ultimate peace; As Satan is cast into the everlasting fire, the believer enters the eternal kingdom; and subsequently becomes in no need for weapons, as there will be no more war nor enemy: “They will set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years” (Ez 39:9). The figure 7 refers to the end and perfection. As the believers conquer, the devils 5 are defeated, and there would be no place for uncleanness; the people would bury the corpses in “the valley of Hamon-gog” (or Abarim, i.e. passers-by, regions beyond or crossed over); to cleanse the land of those unclean corpses. The name of the city will also be ‘Hamonah;’ namely “a multitude;” as in it the multitude of the followers of Gog; namely of Satan, would be buried. ‘Abarim’ is a range of mountains, east of the Dead Sea and the Jordan River valley, so called because they are across the River. They are outside the sacred land; mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah among the mountains in Syria, Lebanon and Bashan (Jer 22:20); where the Hebrews dwelt before crossing the River of Arnon (Numbers 21:11); then given to the children of Reuben (Num 32:2-37). Mount Nebo was part of this mountain range. These mountains gave a panoramic view of the surrounding country. From Mount Nebo Moses surveyed the Promised Land before he died (Numbers 27:12; Deuteronomy 32:49; 34:1). The Lord probably intended to proclaim that Gog’s multitude would be buried in Abarim, a reference to the conquest of God’s children while still in the world, before crossing to the other life. They would, like the prophet Moses, go up on the mountain of Nebo, to see the heavenly Jerusalem, and behold the divine glories; to be cleansed by the Holy Spirit from every defilement, and to overcome all hosts of darkness. The work of a believer in this life; as confirmed by this chapter, is to bury Gog’s multitude; namely to bury the devils of darkness; to deny them any place in his heart. “Whenever anyone sees a man’s bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-gog” (Ez 39:15). By the marker he means a sign; as the believer, on seeing the marks of the falls of Satan, he makes the sign of the cross, the sign of conquest; in order that Satan would be completely buried in that valley, and would have no more place in him. Our mission is to holdfast to the sign of conquest and triumph, until we get crowned in the end. 3- THE SACRIFICIAL MEAL FOR THE BIRDS By this end, He probably meant to clarify the difference between the fall of Gog’s multitude in the holy land, and the great sacrifice in which many of His children died. While Gog’s multitude would utterly come to an end in the eternal fire, the children of God would be chastised for a certain time, until they repent, then would return to God, to have His name glorified in them. He probably meant by the great meal, there on the holy mountains, the slaughter of Gog’s multitude that perished. Anyhow, the Lord has completely clarified the return of His children to Him by repentance and in an exalted peace; and God’s jealousy for them for the sake of His holy name; “I will not hide My face from them anymore; For I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel” (Ez 39:29). By that, the book of Ezekiel comes to its final goal; the glory of God departed from His people and temple because of the sin; But now through chastisement, they return to Him repentant; and the glory of God returns to them; and His name is sanctified in them. Now, in the following chapters, the divine glory is proclaimed, through the new temple, the new city, and the new people. 6 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF E ZEKIEL 39 A CONQUEST AND A CROSSING Gog, the symbol of Satan has the intention to destroy God’s kingdom completely. And his war will become more fierce in the end of ages! But he, together with all his hosts, will be destroyed on the holy mountain! The enemy will fall dead under the feet of believers; while they will get exalted to heaven itself. Instead of reigning on the heart; My heart will become a grave for him! Instead of wounding me with his arrows, he will die by his same weapon! O my Savior, When shall I conquer by the sign of Your cross? When will the war come to an end. And I am exalted to the bosom of Your Father; There, I will need a weapon no more. As the enemy would be no more! There, I will behold the enemy, go down eternally into the fire of hell. And behold Your believers enjoy Your glory and exalted peace!
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