Ezekiel 37:24-38:16 The Battle of Gog and Magog

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The Battle of Gog and Magog
Ezekiel 37:24 to 38:16
September 19-20, 2026

We have now come to the last section of Ezekiel. It contains some of the most significant prophecies of the latter days. These chapters bring together the restoration of Israel, the return of the King, a covenant of peace, and a great battle against a coalition of nations. But the purpose is more than understanding what will happen. God reveals these things to strengthen faith and to prepare our hearts.

As we have been seeing, Ezekiel was called to speak to the exiles in Babylon. They had lost almost everything they held dear. Their city had fallen, their temple was destroyed, and many had come to the point of despair. But God sent a better word. Their circumstances were not the end of the story; God would bring restoration and revival. This prophetic word was sent to cut through their despair and give them hope; something amazing to hold onto!

In chapter 36, He promised to gather them from the nations and bring them back into their land. But He also promised to remove their heart of stone and give them a new heart. God wasn’t going to just change where they lived. He intended to change what was living within them.

Then, in chapter 37, Ezekiel was brought into a valley filled with bones, and the bones were very dry. God explained the vision: these bones represented the house of Israel, who had given up; who said that their hope had perished. But at the word of the Lord, the bones came together, and when the breath entered them, they stood on their feet. God would bring life where they could see only death. It was a spiritual picture of God bringing them from despair to hope; he would restore the nation, they would yet live and it would be by the Spirit of the Living God!

That brings us to the verses we are studying today. God promises one King and one Shepherd over a restored people. He promises an everlasting covenant of peace and His sanctuary in their midst. Then chapter 38 introduces Gog from the land of Magog; a powerful leader who brings an alliance against Israel. The question is how these prophecies fit together and what they mean for us today.

Those who study biblical prophecy focus on these chapters because Ezekiel supplies details that must be understood alongside Daniel, Zechariah, the teaching of Jesus, and Revelation. No one book gives every detail. We must compare Scripture with Scripture, allowing each passage to contribute to what God has revealed.

Isaiah 46:9-10, “I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’”

Why study prophecy in our modern days? Because we are seeing the signs of the times all around us. Because when the world is troubled, you need something more certain than the next tragic news report. You need to know that God is still on the throne and still in control. He gives these promises so that you can stand on His faithfulness when circumstances tempt you to fear.

When you study scriptures of prophecy, they can sometimes be difficult to understand. We need discernment, certainly, but we also need faith, hope, and the spiritual awakening these passages are meant to bring.

There are details in Ezekiel 38 that faithful Bible teachers understand differently. I will tell you how I understand them, but we should distinguish between what the text declares and how we connect the details. The outcome, however, is not uncertain. God will prevail, His promises will stand, and His people will know that He is the Lord.

I. The King Will Return

Verse 24 – “And My servant David will be king over them, and they will have one Shepherd…”
This points directly to the promised King, the Son of David, Jesus the Messiah, who will reign over His people; He Himself will be their Shepherd.
The same promise was in chapter 34. God promised to shepherd His people Himself. Here the promises come together: the King who reigns over them will have the heart of a Shepherd.
Near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the disciples came to Him privately on the Mount of Olives. He had just spoken of the destruction of Jerusalem’s temple, and they wanted to understand. Their question takes us directly into the connection between Ezekiel’s promises and the teaching of Jesus.

Matthew 24:3, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered with the signs of the times, with warnings of many troubles in latter days. There will be wars and rumors of wars; there will be famines and earthquakes.
But He did not leave them thinking only of the trouble. He also told them that the Son of Man would come with power and great glory. The end of the story is not that darkness overwhelms all things – no, the end of the story is that the King returns in glory and victory!
The first time Jesus entered Jerusalem as her King, He came in humility, riding on the colt of a donkey. He came to give His life as a ransom for many.
Revelation 19 describes His return at the end of the age; He comes in glory, riding a white horse, bearing the name “King of kings and Lord of lords.” The Savior who gave His life will return as the reigning King!
These promises in Ezekiel 37 reach also into the millennial kingdom described in Revelation 20 when Christ returns to the earth and reigns for a thousand years.
Notice also that He reigns over a transformed Israel.
Verses 24-25 – “…and they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes… and they shall live in the land I gave to Jacob My servant…and David My servant will be their prince forever.”
Their King, their land, and their spiritual restoration belong together. God intends to restore the relationship that their rebellion had broken.

A. He makes a covenant of peace

Verse 26 – “And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them.”
What kind of peace is this? Certainly, it includes the peace and security of the kingdom, but it reaches deeper than the absence of war. God is speaking of a people restored to Himself. There cannot be the fullness of the promised peace while the heart remains in conflict with the One who gives it.

Jeremiah 31:33-34, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people … for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

That is the promise of the New Covenant. God would do what outward religion could never accomplish: forgive sin and transform the heart.
On the night Jesus was betrayed, at the last supper, Jesus took the cup with His disciples, He identified the New Covenant with His own blood. The peace God offers was purchased by the Savior who gave His life for us.
Christians live under the blessings of that covenant even now. We have not earned a place before God by our good behavior. Jesus took the judgment of our sin upon Himself, and through faith in Him we are forgiven and brought near. That is why a believer can stand before God with confidence rather than with the fear of condemnation.

Romans 5:1, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:1-2, There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

But receiving those blessings does not mean God has forgotten His promises to Israel. Jeremiah addressed the New Covenant to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. The grace that has reached us is not evidence that God has abandoned them. It is evidence of how great His mercy is.
Zechariah describes a coming work of God upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. God will pour out the Spirit of grace and supplication, and they will look upon the One whom they pierced and mourn. This will be more than recognizing their history. It will be a deep awakening of the heart before their Messiah.

Zechariah 12:10, “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son.”

Then Zechariah 13 speaks of a fountain opened for cleansing from sin and impurity. Do you see the heart of God? He brings them to recognize their sin, but not so that they remain in despair. He brings them to the One who can wash it away. The pierced Messiah is also their Redeemer.

Romans 11:25-27, A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved … “This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”

Paul is describing a future turning of Israel to her Messiah. This does not mean that Jewish ancestry saves someone apart from Christ. There is one Savior and one way of reconciliation. Israel will be saved under the blood and banner of Jesus Christ, the returning King whom they will recognize and receive.
That is the beauty of the promise. God will not merely bring a scattered people home; He will bring their hearts home. They will know Him, love Him, and walk with Him. The covenant of peace reaches into the depths of the soul because peace with God is the foundation of the life God intends.

Illus – There is a difference between a quiet house and a peaceful home. Two people can stop arguing and go to opposite ends of the house without having settled anything. The house is quiet, all right, but the relationship is still broken. Reconciliation brings something far greater than silence; it brings true peace; it draws people near again.

Some people want God to quiet the trouble around them while leaving the distance in their hearts untouched. But God offers something more. He wants you near.
There is peace with God, and then there is the peace of God ruling in the heart. You can know that your sins are forgiven and still become troubled by everything happening around you. That is when faith takes hold of what God has said: the One who secured your eternity has not abandoned you in the troubles of today.

B. His dwelling place will be there

Verses 27-28 bring us to the heart of the promise: God’s dwelling place will be with them, and His sanctuary will be in their midst. This is not simply a promise that Israel will have a temple in Jerusalem again. The greatest part of the promise is the presence of God Himself among His people.
Remember what happened earlier in Ezekiel. God showed the prophet the abominations being committed in the temple, and Ezekiel saw the glory depart. The building remained for a time, but the glory was leaving. Here God promises restoration that will be greater than rebuilding stone walls; He promises to dwell among them.
Beginning in chapter 40, Ezekiel is given a detailed vision of a temple, and in chapter 43 he sees the glory of the Lord return to that temple.
That has always been God’s heart: Emmanuel, God with us. He told Moses to build a sanctuary so that He might dwell among His people. When Jesus came, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Savior did not come to keep sinners at a distance, but to reconcile them to the Father.

Exodus 25:8, “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.”

And in the latter days, He will be Emmanuel, God with Israel. The promises of the prophets will be fulfilled by the presence of the Messiah Himself. The King who reigns will also be the Shepherd who feeds them and the Savior who has cleansed them.
They will know the One who dwells among them.
He desires to be with His people. The glory of our future is not merely what God gives us or what we might do there. The glory is that God Himself will be with us.

Illus – Imagine being invited to a beautiful house, but when you arrive, the person you came to see never comes home. You could admire the rooms, look over the furniture, and enjoy the view, but the most important part would still be missing. The presence of the one who invited you is why you came.

Paul says that the Holy Spirit dwells in believers; we are the temple of the Living God! He has come near so that we might walk with Him and be transformed in that relationship.
That brings us back to the promise of a new heart. His Spirit dwells within you. As you receive His Word and draw near, your desires begin to change. You find that the presence of God is more desired than the things that once seemed so important.

II. Watch for the Signs of the Times

Chapter 38 now gives us another prophetic scene. Ezekiel describes a battle; the battle of Gog from the land of Magog.
The vision is not given in a consecutive timeline. It comes before the reign of the king we just read about at the end of chapter 37.
Here in chapters 38-39, Ezekiel is describing a war in the period leading toward the great latter-day events. Ezekiel has first shown us the certainty of God’s promises, and we now consider an enemy who cannot prevent their fulfillment. The promised kingdom will not be overturned by this great enemy.
This brings us back to the disciples’ question in Matthew 24. Jesus told them the signs to watch for, but He also told them how to respond. He forewarned them about wars and rumors of war, and He told them not to be frightened.

Matthew 24:6-8, “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end … all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”

Notice both parts of that answer. There will be trouble, but God reigns over the events of the latter days. And a war does not, by itself, tell us that we have reached the end. Jesus calls us to discern without panic or fear.
The picture of birth pangs tells us that the trouble is moving toward an appointed outcome. But Jesus does not give us a formula for calculating dates from the number of earthquakes or wars. The signs of the times are meant to awaken faith.

A. There will be wars

Verse 38:2 – “Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him…”
Gog is the prince in the prophecy, from the land of Magog. He does not come alone; he forms a deep alliance of nations. Meshech and Tubal are named, along with Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, Beth-togarmah, and many peoples with them.
The military description is overwhelming. Ezekiel sees an equipped army and a coalition large enough to cover the land like a storm cloud. The people of Israel would understand that picture immediately. They had already seen what happens when a great army descends upon a nation that cannot withstand it.
But this is not another description of the Babylonian invasion. Verse 8 places it after many days, in the latter years, against a people gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel.
Verse 16 again places the scene in the last days. Those statements are central to why students of prophecy study this passage so closely.
There is another detail we must not pass over.
Verses 8, 11, and 14 describe Israel dwelling securely, and Gog plans to attack settlements without walls, bars, or gates. The setting is not simply that Israel exists in the land. It includes a condition of security that gives the invader an opportunity he intends to exploit.
We should let the whole description govern our understanding. We cannot select the names that interest us and overlook the conditions Ezekiel gives. Israel lives in security. That’s not the case today.
I believe this is a distinct war leading toward the latter days, rather than the battle of Armageddon described in Revelation 16 and 19.
Neither is this battle the war of rebellion called Gog and Magog in Revelation 20. That rebellion is explicitly placed after the thousand years, when Satan is released and deceives the nations from the four corners of the earth.
Ezekiel also describes an aftermath that deserves attention. Chapter 39 speaks of seven months spent burying the dead and seven years of burning weapons.

B. God is against the prince of Rosh

Verse 3 contains the decisive statement: God declares Himself against Gog. Before we are told how the army will fall, we are told where the Lord stands in relation to its leader.
Whatever confidence Gog places in his forces, he is setting himself against the God whose purposes he cannot overturn.
Many interpreters of prophecy connect this northern power with Russia, and Russia could certainly be a possible identification.
Meshech and Tubal are commonly associated with ancient peoples of the Anatolian and Black Sea regions. Ezekiel is describing a coalition that attacks Israel from the north, south and east. To the west lies the Mediterranean Sea.
Ezekiel doesn’t tell us why God is against this prince from the land of Magog. The tragic history of persecution of the Jewish people in the Russian Empire comes to mind, but we don’t know for certain.
The pogroms included violent attacks upon Jewish communities, with people murdered and their property looted. That history should not be forgotten. But Ezekiel does not identify the reason for God’s judgment against Gog.
Could that history be part of the wider account of injustice that God knows? We can ask the question, but we cannot answer it from this passage.
What Ezekiel does reveal is Gog’s own evil intention. Verse 10 says he devises an evil plan, and verses 11-13 describe his purpose of taking spoil and seizing plunder.
Gog sees people living securely in wealth and success and imagines what he can take from them. He sees the recovered cities and gathered possessions as an opportunity for himself.
God sees an evil plan against His people.
The coming judgment is not arbitrary; the invader is accountable for what he intends to do.

C. God will be victorious

There is an important tension in the chapter. Verse 10 says Gog devises an evil plan – yet verse 4 describes God putting hooks in his jaws and bringing him out to the battle.
Gog acts with his own intentions, but he does not act beyond the sovereignty of God. The Lord will turn his rebellion into his defeat.
Notice how personally God speaks in Ezekiel 38:16. He calls Israel His people and the land His land.
When we read farther into chapter 38, the Lord describes His intervention. There is a great earthquake; the invading forces turn their swords against one another; pestilence, bloodshed, torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone come upon them.
The victory belongs to God.
This would have been a powerful word for the exiles. They knew what it was to feel helpless before an army. Now God was declaring that the strength of an army could not make His promises void. He would make His greatness and holiness known, and the nations would recognize that He is the Lord.
Chapter 39 makes the purpose of Gog’s defeat unmistakable. The Lord will make His holy name known among His people and among the nations of the world.
The clearing of the battlefield shows the scale of the defeat, but the revelation of God is the greater result. The armies are brought low; His name is made great.

D. Watch and be ready

Jesus declared His teaching about the latter days so they would watch and be ready. Those two commands belong together. We are to understand what He has revealed – and then live according to what we know.

Matthew 24:42, 44, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming … For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

The purpose of these chapters has not been fulfilled in us until the truth we study begins to affect the way we live.
There is urgency in those words, but it is not the urgency of fear. It is the urgency of something precious that must not be neglected. God has given you life, given you His Word, and offered you an eternal relationship with Him.
How you respond matters.
Be on the alert; it’s more than watching the news. It means bringing what you see under the authority of God’s Word. Jesus warned about deception as well as conflict, so not every confident voice deserves our trust. We need to be discerning about what we receive and what we hear.

Illus – You can check the weather on your phone ten times a day and you’ll never change the weather – not even once. At some point you must decide how to prepare for it.

In the same way, gathering more information about the storm is not the same as building your house on the rock.

Jesus compared the days before His coming to the days of Noah. People were eating, drinking, and marrying, carrying on with the ordinary matters of life.
Ordinary life occupied them while they remained unprepared for what God had said was coming.
That can happen to anyone. Work must be done, bills must be paid, and families need attention. But a person can become so occupied with the schedule of life that the soul is neglected. You can be responsible about so many things and still leave the most important relationship unattended.
Your parents cannot have a relationship with God for you, and neither can your spouse. You can be surrounded by people who love the Lord and still keep Him at a distance in your own heart.
Each one must respond personally. God is not asking whether you know people who know Him; He is calling you to know Him.

Illus – Watching YouTube videos of people exercising won’t help you at all. There comes a time when you must move. There comes a time when your faith needs to stand up and be counted.

The King will return. Until that day, let us be faithful with what He has given, confident in the peace He has purchased for us, and near to Him in the life we are now living.
May He find us on the alert, watching and waiting – and ready. If Jesus were to come back tonight, would you be ready?

The Battle of Gog and Magog
Ezekiel 37:24 to 38:16
September 19-20, 2026

We are back, everyone. We are back. Go ahead and have a seat, if you would. Hey, tonight let's open our Bibles to Ezekiel 37. We're going to begin at verse 24. We're now moving into the prophecy section of Ezekiel. The title of our message, The Battle of Gog and Magog. Very interesting, very prophetic, and very important. Let's receive from God's word. Let's pray and open our heart to receive. God, thank you so much. We are so thankful that you send your word to show us the revealing of the latter days.

God, I pray that in understanding such that we would be alert, that we would pray, that we would watch for the signs of the times, that we would be discerning as we understand the events of the latter days as you reveal them in your word. We pray that you would meet us here by your Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus' name. Everyone said? Amen.

Prophecy, very significant. These chapters bring together the restoration of Israel in the latter days, the return of the king, a covenant of peace, a great battle against a coalition of nations. Interestingly, Scripture highlights in the latter days that there are three different, distinct battles of nations gathering against Israel for the first two, and the third one is distinctly separate from that. Very interesting as we look into these verses. Of course, the purpose is more than just understanding, but God reveals so that we would have faith strengthened and that we would be ready, be prepared. That's what Jesus said: be on the alert, be ready.

Now, as we've been seeing throughout Ezekiel so far, he's speaking to the exiles there in Babylon. They are in a place of despair, you might say. They've lost everything they've ever held dear. The city is fallen, the temple is destroyed. They've come to a point, they've lost everything, and they're in despair. They need hope. We were looking recently; they had given up. They've given up all hope. He speaks a word to them, a prophetic word: God's going to bring restoration, revival; we looked at that, and then a prophetic word to cut through that despair, to give them hope, something amazing to hold onto in faith.

In chapter 36, we were looking at this last weekend; he promised to gather them from nations, bring them back into the land. He promised that he would remove that heart of stone, that cold, rebellious heart, and give them a heart that's alive by the Holy Spirit. He's not going to just change where they live; he's going to change how they live. The Spirit of the living God is going to bring a revival to Israel, and we're going to see this revealed as an aspect of the latter days. Then Ezekiel 37, where we're going to be also, but in the first part of 37, he gives a vision of a valley filled with bones, and they're dry bones. Many of you have heard, no doubt, I think, the vision of the valley of dry bones. God explains the vision.

These bones represented the house of Israel, again, who had given up. They were as good as dead, you might say. The hope had perished, but then the word of the Lord that this vision, that these bones came together in this vision. In other words, this nation is not dead. God is going to do something amazing, miraculous. This is not beyond hope. This nation is not dead. The breath entered them; they stood on their feet, this vision of the valley of dry bones. God's going to bring life where they could only see death. It's a spiritual picture of God bringing them out of their despair and into hope. God breaks through the despair by giving them something amazing, prophetically, to hold onto.

They would live, and the Spirit of the living God is going to do it. That brings us to the verses that we're going to study here in verse 37, and also we're going to look into chapter 38. Here, God promises, in the latter days, one king, we know his name, one shepherd over a restored people. He speaks of an everlasting covenant of peace, and that He would Himself, His sanctuary would dwell in their midst. This is amazing. Then chapter 38, we're going to cover a lot of ground tonight. Chapter 38 speaks about a battle. He introduces the leader of this coalition of nations, Gog. His name is Gog, and he's from the land of Magog. Of course, he's a powerful leader who leads this alliance against Israel in the latter days.

Of course, how these fit together. What they mean for us today is what we want to look at in these verses. Of course, those who study prophecy, they go to these chapters. You'll hear oftentimes those who teach prophecy speak of Ezekiel 38, 39, and other places. It brings, of course, details from Daniel, Zechariah, Jesus himself spoke prophetically, Revelation. All of these, Scripture upon Scripture, bring a picture of what God does in the latter days.

Notice, for example, what he said in Isaiah 46:9-10, he says, "I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning. From ancient times, things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish my good pleasure." That speaks very powerfully that he is still sitting on the throne over the nations of the world as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You can put your faith in understanding. We know how this story ends. It ends victoriously. He will rule and reign the nations of the world, to which we say, "Oh Lord, Jesus, come quickly, because this is a messed-up world."

Why do we study prophecy? Because we are told to watch for the signs of the times. I submit to you that we are seeing the events leading up to the signs of the times spoken of in Scripture. When you see these, know that the end is near. He says, "Like when you see the buds forming on the tree, you know then that summer-- it means that summer is drawing near. In the same way, when you see these signs, then you will know that the end is drawing near." Therefore, it's important to study Scripture for that very reason. You need to understand, of course, that prophecy can be difficult sometimes. We need discernment. We need faith and hope and awakening of the soul.

That's what these Scriptures are meant; don't just study them. Let them awaken. Let them bring a spiritual awakening in the soul. That's important. Don't just be a student of the Word. Be a doer that is alive because the Word of God is alive and sharper than any two-edged sword. Now, there are details in Ezekiel 38 that Bible teachers understand differently. I'm going to tell you how I understand them. You have a different understanding. I respect that. We should certainly distinguish between what the text declares, how we connect the details.

However, the outcome is clear. God will prevail. His promises will stand. His people will know that He is the Lord. The nations of the world will know that He is the Lord when He reveals these promises in His word. We're going to read in two sections. We're going to read some verses out of 37, then we'll consider them, and then we'll look into chapter 38. Chapter 37, verse 24. Again, this is just after the vision of dry bones. Then he says, "And my servant David will be king over them." Now, whenever you see that, you can just insert: Jesus is the Son of David. He is that Messiah. He is that promised king.

I. The King Will Return

They have not had a king sitting on the throne since Zechariah. Before or just at the culmination of the destruction of Israel by Babylon, they have not had a king sitting on the throne since those days. He says, "But in the latter days, they will have a king, and it will be my servant who is," he says, "David or the Son of David, and they will have one shepherd over them. They, Israel, my people, will walk in my statutes," which is to say there will be a revival. We're going to see this when we look. "They will keep my statutes and observe them, and they will live on that land that I gave to Jacob, my servant."

Israel being in the land is one of the prerequisites to the fulfilling of Scripture in the latter days, which we are now seeing Israel in, of course, the land that he gave to his fathers. In which your fathers live, they will live on it, they and their sons and their sons' sons forever. David, my servant, shall be their prince, their Messiah, their king forever. I will make a covenant of peace, a new covenant, not like the old covenant, a new covenant with them. It will be a covenant of peace. We're going to look at this. It will be an everlasting covenant. I will place them and multiply them, and I will set my sanctuary in their midst, and it will be there forever. My dwelling place also will be with them.

I will be their God. They will be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, or sets Israel apart, distinct among the nations of the world. That's what the word sanctifies means. It says, they will know that I am the Lord when I set my sanctuary there in their midst forever. It's a very monumental event of the latter days. We're going to see this. Let's go over these verses. We'll look at chapter 38 here in a few minutes. I want us to begin with this. The king will return, verse 24. My servant David will be king. We know it's Jesus the Messiah. He will reign Himself as their shepherd.

Jesus declared, "I am that good shepherd. I lay down my life for my sheep." He points clearly. We saw that when we were in chapter 34. God promised that He would shepherd the people Himself, which is interesting. Through His servant David, He would shepherd His people. The promises come together. Now, near the end of Jesus's earthly ministry, the disciples came to Him privately on the Mount of Olives. He had just spoken to them about the destruction of Jerusalem's temple an they wanted to understand. The question then takes us directly into the connection between Ezekiel and the teachings of Jesus.

Notice Matthew 24:3. The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us when will these things be? When will these things happen? What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered by giving the signs of the times, with warnings that there will be many troubles that come in the latter days. There will be wars. There'll be rumors of wars. There'll be famines and earthquakes. "These," he says, "Are merely the beginning, like a woman in childbirth, the pangs of having a baby." Any woman who's had a baby knows what He means: that the pangs of childbirth grow greater in intensity and grow closer together as the event draws near.

Watch for these and understand that they will grow closer together and greater in intensity as the time draws near. Now, he did not only leave them with an understanding that the signs of the times would be trouble. No, he gave them hope that the Son of Man would return in the latter days in power and in glory. The end of the story is not darkness overwhelms. No, the end of the story is that the king returns in glory and in power and in victory. That's the end of the story. The first time Jesus entered Jerusalem as their king, He came in humility. We know it as the triumphant entry. Palm Sunday, we celebrate this.

Riding on the foal of a donkey, the colt of a donkey, He came to Jerusalem to give his life as a ransom for many. Revelation 19 describes His return at the end of the age very distinctly different. He says, "He comes in glory, riding on a white horse, bearing the name written on Him, King of Kings and Lord of Lords." The Savior who gave His life is going to return at the end of the age as the King of Kings, reigning over the nations of the world. Then these promises, therefore, of Ezekiel 37, interestingly, reach then into the millennial reign of Christ.

This is mentioned, of course, in Revelation 20, that when Christ returns to the earth, He will rule and reign the nations of the world, Himself being present there for 1,000 years, a millennial reign of Christ. Notice that He reigns over a transformed Israel, an Israel that is in spiritual revival. Notice verses 24 and 25. "They will walk in my statutes, they'll keep my statutes, and they will live in the land I gave to Jacob. David, my servant, will be their prince forever." Their king, their land, their spiritual restoration all come together. God intends to restore that relationship in the Holy Spirit, which we're going to see.

A. He makes a covenant of peace

In other words, Paul wrote, "All Israel will be saved in the latter days." See, I'll read this in a minute. All Israel will be saved in the latter days. Notice what he means here in verse 26. "He will make a covenant of peace." He means here with Israel. Now, we live under that covenant of peace ourselves, but He says it first to Israel. Verse 26, "I will make a covenant of peace, and it will be an everlasting covenant." What peace? Certainly security in the kingdom, yes, but it reaches farther than that. It's not just the absence of war. He's speaking of a peace that resides in the soul, a peace because there is revival in the soul.

See, there cannot be the fullness of promised peace when there's conflict with God in the soul. No, the soul is right with God, and that brings revival. This is the new covenant. We studied it when we were in Jeremiah 31:33-34, "I will put My law within them." In other words, "On their heart I will write it." In other words, they will desire to live to the glory and the honor of God because He's written it on the heart that is alive. The heart of stone is gone. Now it's alive to the Spirit. "I will write My word upon their heart. I will be their God, and they will be My people. I will forgive their iniquity and their sin; I will remember no more."

The covenant of peace then includes the forgiveness of sin. That is very important. God's going to do something that outward religion can never do. Transform the heart, forgive sin. On the night Jesus was betrayed, at the Last Supper, we recognize it whenever we receive communion. He took the cup, and He said, "This cup is the cup of the new covenant initiated in My blood." He connected the new covenant to His blood. The peace that God offers was purchased by that Savior who gave His life as a ransom for many. We live under that blessing of that covenant right now. If you have received Jesus Christ, the blood that He shed covers your sin and my sin.

As far as the East is from the West, so has He removed our transgressions from us. We are so thankful for that. Anybody want to agree with this? Let's just give the Lord praise because He's done something marvelous.

We have not earned a place before God by anything that we have done. He took the judgment of our sin upon Himself, and then through faith we are forgiven and reconciled, drawn near. That's why we who are standing in Jesus Christ have confidence. He wants you to have confidence that you can stand before the throne of the living God because He's made a way for sinners to have their sins removed from them and the righteousness of Jesus Christ given as a robe of righteousness. Take your stand before the living God in all humility, but with all confidence. Never doubt the provision that God has made for you. Amen?

That's why a believer stands with confidence and not fear of condemnation. That word, condemnation, is a big word. If anyone is still in their sins, that condemnation is hanging over their head. It's a looming threat over their head. If you're in Jesus Christ, there is no condemnation. Really, if you want to say it more accurately, you say condemnation because that's the way it's meant. Notice Romans 5:1, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ." That leads us to Romans 8:1-2. You've got to memorize Romans 8. It's one of the greatest chapters in the Bible,

Romans 8, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death. He whom the Son sets free is free indeed." That's our glorious hope right there. We celebrate that. See, by receiving those blessings does not mean that God has forgotten His promises to Israel. Jeremiah addressed the new covenant to Israel. The grace that reached us does not mean that God has abandoned them. It's evidence of how great His mercy is. You can see many places of Scripture that speak of it.

For example, Zechariah. We get there when we get to the minor prophets. It describes a coming work of God upon the house of David, the inhabitants of Jerusalem. It says that when the returning King steps foot into Jerusalem, they will see Him. He will pour out upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on Him whom they have pierced, and they will mourn as one mourns for an only child. You say, "Wait, if their King and their Messiah is returning to them at the end of the age, then why are they mourning?" Answer: because they see that it was He who they pierced. Then they take it to heart, "Oh, our King, our Savior, we pierced His hands and His feet."

You can imagine the weeping when they realize what they have done. "Our King, our Redeemer, oh." In fact, Zechariah says, "They will say to Him, how did You suffer the wounds You have on Your hands?" He says, "These I suffered in the health of my friends." Then Zechariah 12:10, "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace," wonderful grace, "and supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced, and they'll mourn as one mourns for an only son." Zechariah 13, the next chapter, speaks of a fountain that is opened for the cleansing of sin and for impurity.

He brings them to recognize their sin, but not to the point of despair, no, to the point of hope. The pierced Messiah is their Redeemer. Romans 11, I referred to it earlier, verses 25 to 27, "A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." We are living in that time when the Gentiles are coming in. He says, "And so all Israel will be saved. This is My covenant with them when they take away their sins." He's describing a future turning of Israel to their Messiah. To me, this is a very beautiful thought because you go to Israel today, and they do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

I wish I could speak to that to a greater degree. It's a very interesting thing. All right, I'll bench in. Two or three times ago, I was in Israel, and some pastors were invited to a house of a Jewish rabbi for the Sabbath dinner. That's a real privilege to be invited to a rabbi's home for dinner on the Sabbath. It was really an amazing event. The blessings of their show, it was just amazing. Afterwards, we're sitting and just discussing. One of the pastors said to the rabbi, "You don't believe that Jesus is the Messiah?" He says, "No, I do not." He says, "Why not?" He says, and it's a very interesting answer.

Actually, it's a pretty thoughtful answer. He said, "Jesus did not fulfill all the Scriptures that the Messiah would do. Scripture says that when the Messiah comes, He would defeat the enemies of Israel. Jesus did not do this." Then he added, "However, I know you Christians believe that He will come at the end of the age." Then I said, "Question: if then you believe that will be fulfilled when Jesus comes at the end of the age, then when does He fulfill Isaiah 53?" Now, do you know Isaiah 53? This is the amazing prophecy that the Messiah would take our sins upon Himself, that He would be scourged, He would be pierced, He would be killed, and that the iniquity of us all would fall on Him.

Now, Jesus fulfilled that when He came into Jerusalem on the fold of a donkey to give His life as a ransom for many. He fulfilled Isaiah 53. You look at Isaiah 53, you look at the events of the cross, and they are amazingly fulfilled. I said, "Then, will He fulfill Isaiah 53, then when He comes at the end of the age, the time you say that He's going to defeat the enemies of Israel?" He became silent and thought for a long, long time. Then He said, "I don't know the answer to that question." I wanted to be respectful, so I didn't say anything to confront because the answer is right before us. He came the first time as a matter of payment of sin. He comes the second time as a matter of King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Now, it doesn't mean, of course, that the Jewish ancestry saves someone apart from Christ. Back in the days when I was in Bible college-- I'm just realizing I am way ahead of my time. This is Saturday night. We can take our time. I was in Bible college. I mentioned I worked in the restaurant, waiter. I was at this particular restaurant. I was in the break room, and I strike up conversations. As I mentioned, I tell people who I am. I'm in the break room. I say to this fellow, I said, "Question: when you die, will God allow you to enter into heaven?" He said, "I believe so." I go, "Why? On what basis would God invite you and open the door for you to come into heaven to be with Him forever? On what basis?"

You can see I'm leading to something, but I'm asking his view. He says, "Because I'm a Jew." I say, "Oh, let me make sure I understand. You're saying that because you have the blood of Abraham, because you're a son of Abraham, that that qualifies you?" He said, "Correct." I said, "Wasn't Abraham a man of faith? Should not the sons of Abraham also then believe?" You can inherit the blood of Abraham, but you cannot inherit the faith. You must believe for yourself. I said, "Jesus was a Jew. Those who believe in Him will have everlasting life." He said, "That's very interesting."

There is one Savior. There is one way of reconciliation. Israel will be saved by the blood and the banner of Jesus Christ. The returning King whom they recognize and receive will pour out the Spirit of grace upon them. That is a beautiful promise. God will not merely bring a scattered people home. He will bring their hearts home. They will know Him. They will love Him. They will walk with Him. A covenant of peace reaches to the depths of the soul. A peace with God that is the foundation of life that God intends. There's a big difference between a quiet house and a peaceful home.

B. His dwelling place will be there

Two people can stop arguing and go to the opposite ends of the house, and the house is quiet. It's quiet all right, but the relationship is still broken. No, reconciliation brings something far greater than silence. It brings peace. It draws people back again. This is what God does. He reconciles to draw them to Himself. There's peace with God. They didn't notice; He says in verse 27 and 28, that "His dwelling will be there amongst them." He brings this to their understanding. His sanctuary will be in their midst. This is amazing. It's powerful understanding.

You remember earlier in Ezekiel that God showed Ezekiel, the prophet; He brought him in a vision to Jerusalem and showed him the abominations that were committed in the temple. Ezekiel then saw the glory of God depart. It was a tragic chapter. He saw in this vision the glory of God left. He left the temple. God promises in the latter days that His sanctuary would dwell with Him. Then later on in Ezekiel 43, Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord return to the temple. Oh, we can't wait to get there. It's a glorious understanding. This has always been God's heart: that He would be God with us, Emmanuel.

That's why God reconciles sinners, so that we could be in relationship to Him as our Emmanuel. That's God's heart. That's God's desire. Now, chapter 38, watch for the signs of the times. Let's read now this description of a battle that takes place in the latter days. This is important because it's an aspect of the signs of the times to be watchful and on the alert. We'll read just some of these. As I mentioned, we'll cover the other verses around this at our Wednesday midweek service.

II. Watch for the Signs of the Times

Chapter 38, verse 1, "The word of the Lord came to me saying, Now, Son of Man, set your face toward Gog, that's a person, of the land of Magog, far north, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal." All these are north. "Prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord God, because I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, I will turn you about, I'll put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out." In other words, He's going to bring him; He's drawing him into this battle. All your army, horses, horsemen, all of them splendidly attired. Great company with buckling shield, all of them wielding swords.

Along with Persia, Ethiopia, put with them, all of them with shield and helmet. Gomer with all his troops, Beth-togarmah from the remotest parts of the north with all of his troops. Many peoples coming with you. Be prepared, prepare yourself. You and your companies that are assembled about you, be a guard for them. For after many days, notice, you will be summoned in the latter years. Prophetically, he's speaking of the latter years. You will come into that land that has been restored from the stored. That's Israel, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had been in continual waste.

His people were brought out from the nations, and they were living securely, all of them. You will go up, you will come like a storm, and you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops. Many peoples with you. For thus says the Lord God, it will come about on that day, the thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan. You will say, "I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. They seem safe, secure, right? I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely. I'll leave them living without walls, having no bars or gates. I will capture spoil.

I'll seize plunder to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired now cattle, goods. They live at the center of the world. That is amazing. It says in another place that Israel is the glory of all the lands. I love that. Sheba, Dedan, all the merchants of Tarshish, all its villages will say to you, "Have you come to capture spoil? Have you summoned your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?"

Therefore prophesy, send a man and say to Gog, Thus says the Lord God, on that day when my people in Israel are living securely, will you not know it? You will come up from your place out of the remote parts of the north. What great nation lives to the remote parts of the north? We would say Russia and her alliance. You and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army, and you will come up against my people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It will come about in the last days that I will bring you against my land, in order that the nations may know when I shall be sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog.

Now he speaks later that he's going to defeat them in amazing, powerful, victorious fashion, and it will be to the glory of God when He does it. In other words, the nations will know that God is the Lord when this is fulfilled. He speaks of the signs of the times. It brings us back to the disciples' question in Matthew 24. He forewarned them of wars and rumors of wars. Matthew 24:6-8, "You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you're not frightened, for these things must take place, but that is not yet the end. All these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs." The picture of birth pangs I explained.

A. There will be wars

He doesn't give a formula for calculating dates. He gives you signs to watch for, that when you see these signs, like the budding of a tree, means summer is drawing near, then you must awaken faith, for he says, "There will be wars." I submit that the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38 could well be what he is also describing. Gog is the prince in the prophecy. From the land of Magog, which is north, the far north, a deep alliance of nations, Meshech and Tubal, from the north, Persia, that's Iran. We pay very close attention to what's happening in Iran when it comes to Ezekiel 38 and 39. Iran is an important piece to this.

Cush and Put, these are in North Africa, Libya, Sudan. Gomer, Beth-togarmah, these are in modern-day Turkey. Many peoples come. In other words, they will be surrounded from the north and from the south and from the east. Of course, to the west is the Mediterranean. He describes them as dwelling securely in the land. He thinks, "What a great opportunity. They're successful." You look at Israel today; the wealthiest nation of the Middle East is Israel. They see the plunder, they see the spoil, they see the goods, they see the wealth, and they hatch in their minds. That's why it says, "God is against the prince of Rosh.

B. God is against the prince of Rosh

Verse 3 contains that divisive statement. God says, "I am against you." Doesn't specifically tell us why, although we can surmise the tragic history of persecution against His people comes to mind. We don't know for certain. He doesn't tell us. The pogroms of anti-Semitism, violent attacks, Jewish communities destroyed, murder, property looted, hundreds of thousands, of course, the holy gods brought millions. Of course, that history should not be forgotten. He doesn't tell us the reason, but we know the answer from the passage. That He devises an evil plan, yet it is God who draws him out. Speaking of the sovereign hand of God over it all, for it tells us that God will be victorious firsthand.

He devises an evil plan, but God brings hooks in His jaws to draw him out to the battle. He has his own intentions, but God's intention is to make His glory known amongst the nations of the world. "Make no mistake," He says, "the nations of the world will know that I am God when I make My name known by sanctifying Myself," He says, "in that great battle." His name will be great. Lastly, we'll close with this. Watch and be ready. Jesus declared His teaching about the latter days so that we would watch, He said, and be ready. Those two commands belong together. Watch and be ready.

Matthew 24, "Therefore, be on the alert." This is important today because we are seeing the signs of the times before our eyes. Be on the alert spiritually. "Be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. For this reason, you also must be ready. For the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will." The urgency. There's urgency in these words. Not fear. Urgency of getting your heart right with God. See, how you respond matters. Being on the alert means more than just watching the news. It means come under the authority of God's word and bring revival in your heart.

C. God will be victorious

You need to be discerning. Watch, but be ready. Here's an illustration. You can check the weather on your phone 10 times a day, and you will never change the weather. No matter how many times you check, you will never change the weather. That's not the point of it. The point of it is that you watch for what the weather will be so that you can prepare for when it comes. That's why you watch the weather. In the same way, prophetically, that's why you watch for the signs of the times so that you can be prepared and be ready. It says it'll come like the days of Noah. People were marrying and giving in marriage, going about life, partying. Oblivious to the urgency and the matter.

If Jesus were to come back tonight, would you be ready? He says, "Watch and be ready." Would you be ready? See, there's an urgency here. Settle this with God today. That your soul would dwell in that place of nearness to God, such that it's settled with God in your heart. I know in whom I have belief. I am convinced. I am persuaded. In other words, I know my God, and I rest on the assurance of that faith. Are you ready? If He were to come back tonight, are you ready? Settleness with God. That's why looking into these signs of the times brings such an urgency to the matter. Are you ready?

Let's pray. Lord, thank you for revealing to us that you sit on the throne above the earth, sovereign over nations. That we can have every assurance of knowing how this story ends. That you will rule and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. You tell us so that we would be ready, alive, at peace with God, a deep, residing confidence in who you are. I know in whom I have believed. Settle this, church, as we're praying to God. Settle this. If you are here and you want to be sure that this is settled with God, that you would say to the Lord today in that declaration of faith, I believe. I believe, God, that you are my savior, my lord, my king, my redeemer. That what you did for me on the cross means life to me.

You paid for my sin by shedding Your blood. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reconciling me by that blood that was shed that day. God, I want to just declare it. I want to just say it. I believe. I know in whom I have belief and I am persuaded. I know my God, and I know how He moves. Would you just declare that by raising your hand to the Lord today? God, I want to just declare it. I want to just settle this matter with God. I want to just declare my heart to you, my allegiance to you, my faith in you. I want to just declare it, oh God, for you have done great things, and we honor you for it all. In Jesus' powerful name, and everybody said-- can we give God praise and glory and honor?

Ezekiel 37:24-38:16 NASB

²⁴“My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them. ²⁵They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons’ sons, forever; and David My servant will be their prince forever. ²⁶I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. ²⁷My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. ²⁸And the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.”’”

38 ¹And the word of the Lord came to me saying, ²“Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him ³and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. ⁴I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; ⁵Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; ⁶Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops—many peoples with you.

⁷“Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. ⁸After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. ⁹You will go up, you will come like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you.”

¹⁰‘Thus says the Lord God, “It will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan, ¹¹and you will say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates, ¹²to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.’ ¹³Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will say to you, ‘Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?’”’

¹⁴“Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On that day when My people Israel are living securely, will you not know it? ¹⁵You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army; ¹⁶and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog.”

La batalla de Gog y Magog
Ezequiel 37:24 a 38:16
19-20 de sept de 2026

Hemos llegado a la última sección de Ezequiel. Contiene algunas de las profecías más significativas de los últimos tiempos. Estos capítulos reúnen la restauración de Israel, el regreso del Rey, un pacto de paz y una gran batalla contra una coalición de naciones. Pero el propósito va más allá de comprender lo que sucederá. Dios revela estas cosas para fortalecer la fe y preparar nuestros corazones.

Como hemos visto, Ezequiel fue llamado a hablar a los exiliados en Babilonia. Habían perdido casi todo lo que amaban. Su ciudad había caído, su templo estaba destruido y muchos habían llegado al borde de la desesperación. Pero Dios les envió un mensaje de esperanza. Su situación no era el final de la historia; Dios traería restauración y avivamiento. Esta palabra profética fue enviada para disipar su desesperación y darles esperanza; ¡algo maravilloso a lo que aferrarse!

En el capítulo 36, prometió reunirlos de entre las naciones y traerlos de regreso a su tierra. Pero también prometió quitarles el corazón de piedra y darles un corazón nuevo. Dios no solo iba a cambiar el lugar donde vivían, sino que también iba a transformar lo que habitaba en su interior.

Luego, en el capítulo 37, Ezequiel fue llevado a un valle lleno de huesos, y los huesos estaban muy secos. Dios le explicó la visión: estos huesos representaban a la casa de Israel, que se había dado por vencida; que decía que su esperanza había perecido. Pero a la palabra del Señor, los huesos se unieron, y cuando el aliento entró en ellos, se pusieron de pie. Dios traería vida donde ellos solo veían muerte. Era una imagen espiritual de Dios sacándolos de la desesperación y llevándolos a la esperanza; Él restauraría la nación, ellos vivirían y serían revividos por el Espíritu del Dios viviente.

Esto nos lleva a los versículos que estudiamos hoy. Dios promete un solo Rey y un solo Pastor sobre un pueblo restaurado. Promete un pacto eterno de paz y su santuario en medio de ellos. Luego, el capítulo 38 presenta a Gog de la tierra de Magog; un líder poderoso que se traía una alianza en contra de Israel. La pregunta es cómo encajan estas profecías y qué significan para nosotros hoy.

Quienes estudian la profecía bíblica se centran en estos capítulos porque Ezequiel proporciona detalles que deben entenderse junto con Daniel, Zacarías, las enseñanzas de Jesús y el Apocalipsis. Ningún libro ofrece todos los detalles. Debemos comparar las Escrituras entre sí, permitiendo que cada pasaje contribuya a lo que Dios ha revelado.

Isaías 46:9-10 – Nueva Biblia de las Américas

Acuérdense de las cosas anteriores ya pasadas, Porque Yo soy Dios, y no hay otro; Yo soy Dios, y no hay ninguno como Yo, que declaro el fin desde el principio, y desde la antigüedad lo que no ha sido hecho. Yo digo: “Mi propósito será establecido, Y todo lo que quiero realizaré”.

¿Por qué estudiar profecía en nuestros días? Porque vemos las señales de los tiempos a nuestro alrededor. Porque cuando el mundo está convulso, necesitas algo más seguro que la próxima noticia trágica. Necesitas saber que Dios sigue en el trono y que sigue teniendo el control. Él te da estas promesas para que puedas confiar en su fidelidad cuando las circunstancias te tienten a temer.

Al estudiar las escrituras proféticas, a veces pueden resultar difíciles de comprender. Sin duda, necesitamos discernimiento, pero también fe, esperanza y el despertar espiritual que estos pasajes pretenden brindar.

En Ezequiel 38 hay detalles que los maestros bíblicos fieles interpretan de manera diferente. Les explicaré mi interpretación, pero es importante distinguir entre lo que el texto declara y cómo relacionamos esos detalles. Sin embargo, el resultado no es incierto. Dios prevalecerá, sus promesas se cumplirán y su pueblo reconocerá que Él es el Señor.

El Rey regresará

Versículo 24 – “Y mi siervo David será rey sobre ellos, y tendrán un solo pastor…”
Esto apunta directamente al Rey prometido, el Hijo de David, Jesús el Mesías, que reinará sobre su pueblo; Él mismo será su Pastor.
La misma promesa se encuentra en el capítulo 34. Dios prometió pastorear a su pueblo personalmente. Aquí confluyen las promesas: el Rey que reinará sobre ellos tendrá el corazón de un Pastor.
Hacia el final del ministerio terrenal de Jesús, los discípulos se acercaron a él en privado en el Monte de los Olivos. Acababa de hablar de la destrucción del templo de Jerusalén, y querían comprender. Su pregunta nos lleva directamente a la conexión entre las promesas de Ezequiel y las enseñanzas de Jesús.

Mateo 24:3, “Dinos, ¿cuándo sucederán estas cosas, y cuál será la señal de tu venida y del fin del mundo?”

Jesús respondió con señales de los tiempos, advirtiendo sobre las muchas tribulaciones que vendrán en los últimos días. Habrá guerras y rumores de guerras; habrá hambres y terremotos.
Pero Él no los dejó pensando solo en las dificultades. También les anunció que el Hijo del Hombre vendría con poder y gran gloria. El final de la historia no es que la oscuridad lo invada todo; no, el final de la historia es que el Rey regresa en gloria y victoria.
La primera vez que Jesús entró en Jerusalén como su Rey, lo hizo con humildad, montado en un pollino. Vino para dar su vida en rescate por muchos.
Apocalipsis 19 describe su regreso al final de los tiempos; vendrá en gloria, montado en un caballo blanco, y será llamado «Rey de reyes y Señor de señores». ¡El Salvador que dio su vida regresará como el Rey reinante!
Estas promesas de Ezequiel 37 también abarcan el reino milenario descrito en Apocalipsis 20, cuando Cristo regrese a la tierra y va a reinar durante mil años.
Nótese también que Él reina sobre un Israel transformado.
Versículos 24-25 – “…y andarán en mis ordenanzas y guardarán mis estatutos… y habitarán en la tierra que di a Jacob, mi siervo… y David, mi siervo, será su príncipe para siempre.”
Su Rey, su tierra y su restauración espiritual están intrínsecamente ligados. Dios se propone restaurar la relación que la rebelión de ellos había roto.

Él hace un pacto de paz

Versículo 26 – “Y haré con ellos un pacto de paz; será un pacto eterno con ellos.”
¿Qué clase de paz es esta? Ciertamente, incluye la paz y la seguridad del reino, pero va más allá de la mera ausencia de guerra. Dios habla de un pueblo restaurado a Él. No puede haber plenitud de la paz prometida mientras el corazón permanezca en conflicto con Aquel que la otorga.

Jeremías 31:33-34 Nueva Biblia de las Américas

33 «Porque este es el pacto que haré con la casa de Israel después de aquellos días», declara el Señor. «Pondré Mi ley dentro de ellos, y sobre sus corazones la escribiré. Entonces Yo seré su Dios y ellos serán Mi pueblo. 34 No tendrán que enseñar más cada uno a su prójimo y cada cual a su hermano, diciéndole: “Conoce al Señor”, porque todos me conocerán, desde el más pequeño de ellos hasta el más grande», declara el Señor, «pues perdonaré su maldad, y no recordaré más su pecado».

Esa es la promesa del Nuevo Pacto. Dios haría lo que la religión externa jamás podría lograr: perdonar el pecado y transformar el corazón.
La noche en que Jesús fue traicionado, en la Última Cena, Jesús tomó la copa con sus discípulos e identificó el Nuevo Pacto con su propia sangre. La paz que Dios ofrece fue comprada por el Salvador, quien dio su vida por nosotros.
Los cristianos vivimos aún hoy bajo las bendiciones de ese pacto. No nos hemos ganado un lugar ante Dios por nuestra buena conducta. Jesús tomó sobre sí el juicio de nuestros pecados, y mediante la fe en Él somos perdonados y acercados a Él. Por eso, un creyente puede presentarse ante Dios con confianza, en lugar de con temor a la condenación.

Romanos 5:1, Por lo tanto, habiendo sido justificados por la fe, tenemos paz con Dios por medio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.

Romanos 8:1-2, Por lo tanto, no hay condenación para los que están en Cristo Jesús, pues la ley del Espíritu de vida los ha librado de la ley del pecado y de la muerte.

Pero recibir esas bendiciones no significa que Dios haya olvidado sus promesas a Israel. Jeremías dirigió el Nuevo Pacto a la casa de Israel y a la casa de Judá. La gracia que hemos recibido no es prueba de que Dios los haya abandonado, sino prueba de su gran misericordia.
Zacarías describe la obra venidera de Dios sobre la casa de David y los habitantes de Jerusalén. Dios derramará el Espíritu de gracia y súplica, y ellos contemplarán a Aquel a quien traspasaron y llorarán. Esto será más que un simple reconocimiento de su historia; será un profundo despertar del corazón ante su Mesías.

Zacarías 12:10, “Derramaré sobre la casa de David y sobre los habitantes de Jerusalén el Espíritu de gracia y de súplica, para que miren a mí, a quien traspasaron, y lloren por él como se llora por un hijo único.”

Zacarías 13 habla de una fuente que se abre para purificarnos del pecado y la impureza. ¿Comprendes el corazón de Dios? Él los lleva a reconocer su pecado, pero no para que permanezcan en la desesperación. Los lleva a Aquel que puede lavarlo. El Mesías traspasado es también su Redentor.

Romanos 11:25-27, Israel ha experimentado un endurecimiento parcial hasta que haya entrado la plenitud de los gentiles; y así todo Israel será salvo… “Este es mi pacto con ellos, cuando yo quite sus pecados”.

Pablo describe una futura conversión de Israel a su Mesías. Esto no significa que la ascendencia judía salve a alguien sin Cristo. Hay un solo Salvador y un solo camino de reconciliación. Israel será salvado bajo la sangre y el estandarte de Jesucristo, el Rey que regresa, a quien reconocerán y recibirán.
Esa es la belleza de la promesa. Dios no solo traerá de vuelta a un pueblo disperso; traerá de vuelta sus corazones. Lo conocerán, lo amarán y caminarán con Él. El pacto de paz llega hasta lo más profundo del alma porque la paz con Dios es el fundamento de la vida que Él desea.

Ilustración: Hay una diferencia entre una casa silenciosa y un hogar pacífico. Dos personas pueden dejar de discutir e irse a extremos opuestos de la casa sin haber resuelto nada. La casa está en silencio, sí, pero la relación sigue rota. La reconciliación trae algo mucho más valioso que el silencio; trae la verdadera paz; vuelve a unir a las personas.

Algunas personas desean que Dios calme los problemas a su alrededor sin alterar la distancia que sienten en sus corazones. Pero Dios ofrece algo más. Él quiere que estés cerca.
Existe la paz con Dios, y luego está la paz de Dios reinando en el corazón. Puedes saber que tus pecados han sido perdonados y aun así sentirte angustiado por todo lo que sucede a tu alrededor. Es entonces cuando la fe se aferra a lo que Dios ha dicho: Aquel que te aseguró la eternidad no te ha abandonado en las tribulaciones de hoy.

Su morada estará allí.

Los versículos 27-28 nos llevan al corazón de la promesa: la morada de Dios estará con ellos, y su santuario estará en medio de ellos. Esto no es simplemente la promesa de que Israel volverá a tener un templo en Jerusalén. La parte más importante de la promesa es la presencia de Dios mismo entre su pueblo.
Recuerden lo que sucedió antes en Ezequiel. Dios le mostró al profeta las abominaciones que se cometían en el templo, y Ezequiel vio desaparecer la gloria. El edificio permaneció en pie por un tiempo, pero la gloria se estaba yendo. Aquí Dios promete una restauración que será mayor que la reconstrucción de muros de piedra; promete habitar entre ellos.
A partir del capítulo 40, Ezequiel recibe una visión detallada de un templo, y en el capítulo 43 ve cómo la gloria del Señor regresa a ese templo.
Ese siempre ha sido el propósito de Dios: Emmanuel, Dios con nosotros. Le ordenó a Moisés construir un santuario para habitar entre su pueblo. Cuando Jesús vino, el Verbo se hizo carne y habitó entre nosotros. El Salvador no vino para alejar a los pecadores, sino para reconciliarlos con el Padre.

Éxodo 25:8, “Que me construyan un santuario, para que yo habite entre ellos.”

Y en los últimos días, Él será Emmanuel, Dios con Israel. Las promesas de los profetas se cumplirán con la presencia del Mesías mismo. El Rey que reinará será también el Pastor que los alimenta y el Salvador que los ha purificado.
Ellos conocerán a Aquel que habita entre ellos.
Él desea estar con su pueblo. La gloria de nuestro futuro no reside simplemente en lo que Dios nos da o en lo que podamos hacer allí. La gloria reside en que Dios mismo estará con nosotros.

Ilustra – Imagina que te invitan a una casa preciosa, pero al llegar, la persona a la que viniste a ver nunca regresa. Podrías admirar las habitaciones, observar los muebles y disfrutar de las vistas, pero lo más importante seguiría faltando. La presencia de quien te invitó es la razón por la que viniste.

Pablo dice que el Espíritu Santo mora en los creyentes; ¡somos el templo del Dios viviente! Él se ha acercado para que podamos caminar con Él y ser transformados en esa relación.
Esto nos lleva de nuevo a la promesa de un corazón nuevo. Su Espíritu mora en ti. Al recibir Su Palabra y acercarte a Él, tus deseos comienzan a cambiar. Descubres que la presencia de Dios es más deseada que las cosas que antes parecían tan importantes.

Esté atento a las señales de los tiempos.

El capítulo 38 nos ofrece ahora otra escena profética. Ezequiel describe una batalla: la batalla de Gog, procedente de la tierra de Magog.
La visión no se presenta en una línea de tiempo consecutiva. Ocurre antes del reinado del rey del que acabamos de leer al final del capítulo 37.
En los capítulos 38 y 39, Ezequiel describe una guerra que precede a los grandes acontecimientos de los últimos días. Primero nos mostró la certeza de las promesas de Dios, y ahora consideramos a un enemigo que no puede impedir su cumplimiento. El reino prometido no será derrocado por este gran enemigo.
Esto nos lleva de nuevo a la pregunta de los discípulos en Mateo 24. Jesús les habló de las señales a las que debían estar atentos, pero también les indicó cómo reaccionar. Les advirtió sobre las guerras y los rumores de guerra, y les dijo que no tuvieran miedo.

Mateo 24:6-8: «Oirán hablar de guerras y rumores de guerras. No se asusten, porque es necesario que todo esto suceda; pero aún no es el fin… todo esto es solo el principio de los dolores de parto».

Fíjense en ambas partes de esa respuesta. Habrá dificultades, pero Dios reina sobre los acontecimientos de los últimos días. Y una guerra, por sí sola, no significa que hayamos llegado al fin. Jesús nos llama a discernir sin pánico ni temor.
La imagen de los dolores de parto nos indica que la adversidad se encamina hacia un desenlace determinado. Pero Jesús no nos da una fórmula para calcular fechas a partir del número de terremotos o guerras. Las señales de los tiempos tienen como propósito despertar la fe.

Habrá guerras

Versículo 38:2 – “Hijo de hombre, vuelve tu rostro hacia Gog, de la tierra de Magog, príncipe de Ros, Mesec y Tubal, y profetiza contra él…”
Gog es el príncipe de la profecía, procedente de la tierra de Magog. No viene solo; forma una profunda alianza de naciones. Se mencionan Mesec y Tubal, junto con Persia, Cus, Fut, Gomer, Bet-togarma y muchos otros pueblos.
La descripción militar es abrumadora. Ezequiel ve un ejército bien equipado y una coalición lo suficientemente grande como para cubrir la tierra como una nube de tormenta. El pueblo de Israel comprendería esa imagen de inmediato. Ya habían visto lo que sucede cuando un gran ejército se abalanza sobre una nación que no puede resistirlo.
Pero esta no es otra descripción de la invasión babilónica. El versículo 8 la sitúa muchos días después, en los últimos años, contra un pueblo reunido de muchas naciones en los montes de Israel.
El versículo 16 sitúa nuevamente la escena en los últimos días. Estas afirmaciones son fundamentales para comprender por qué los estudiosos de la profecía analizan este pasaje con tanta atención.
Hay otro detalle que no debemos pasar por alto.
Los versículos 8, 11 y 14 describen a Israel viviendo en seguridad, y Gog planea atacar asentamientos sin murallas, rejas ni puertas. El contexto no se limita a la mera existencia de Israel en la tierra, sino que implica una situación de seguridad que le brinda al invasor una oportunidad que pretende aprovechar.
Debemos dejar que la descripción completa guíe nuestra comprensión. No podemos seleccionar los nombres que nos interesan e ignorar las condiciones que Ezequiel establece. Israel vive en seguridad. Hoy no es así.
Creo que se trata de una guerra distinta que conduce a los últimos días, en lugar de la batalla del Armagedón descrita en Apocalipsis 16 y 19.
Esta batalla tampoco es la guerra de rebelión llamada Gog y Magog en Apocalipsis 20. Esa rebelión se sitúa explícitamente después de los mil años, cuando Satanás es liberado y engaña a las naciones desde los cuatro confines de la tierra.
Ezequiel también describe las consecuencias que merecen atención. El capítulo 39 habla de siete meses dedicados a enterrar a los muertos y siete años de quema de armas.

Dios está en contra del príncipe de Rosh

El versículo 3 contiene la declaración decisiva: Dios se declara en contra de Gog. Antes de que se nos diga cómo caerá el ejército, se nos indica la postura del Señor con respecto a su líder.
Por mucha confianza que Gog deposite en sus fuerzas, se está oponiendo al Dios cuyos propósitos no puede frustrar.
Muchos intérpretes de profecías relacionan esta potencia del norte con Rusia, y Rusia ciertamente podría ser una posible identificación.
Mesec y Tubal suelen asociarse con pueblos antiguos de las regiones de Anatolia y el Mar Negro. Ezequiel describe una coalición que ataca a Israel desde el norte, el sur y el este. Al oeste se encuentra el Mar Mediterráneo.
Ezequiel no nos dice por qué Dios está en contra de este príncipe de la tierra de Magog. Nos viene a la mente la trágica historia de la persecución del pueblo judío en el Imperio ruso, pero no lo sabemos con certeza.
Los pogromos incluyeron violentos ataques contra comunidades judías, con asesinatos y saqueos. Esa historia no debe olvidarse. Pero Ezequiel no especifica el motivo del juicio de Dios contra Gog.
¿Podría esa historia formar parte del relato más amplio de injusticias que Dios conoce? Podemos plantear la pregunta, pero no podemos responderla a partir de este pasaje.
Lo que Ezequiel sí revela es la malvada intención de Gog. El versículo 10 dice que trama un plan malvado, y los versículos 11-13 describen su propósito de apoderarse del botín y saquearlo todo.
Gog ve a la gente viviendo cómodamente, con riqueza y éxito, e imagina qué puede arrebatarles. Ve en las ciudades recuperadas y las posesiones acumuladas una oportunidad para sí mismo.
Dios ve un plan malvado contra su pueblo.
El juicio que se avecina no es arbitrario; el invasor es responsable de lo que pretende hacer.

Dios será victorioso

Existe una importante tensión en este capítulo. El versículo 10 dice que Gog trama un plan malvado, pero el versículo 4 describe cómo Dios le pone garfios en las mandíbulas y lo lleva a la batalla.
Gog actúa según sus propias intenciones, pero no traspasa la soberanía de Dios. El Señor convertirá su rebelión en su derrota.
Fíjate en lo personal que habla Dios en Ezequiel 38:16. Llama a Israel su pueblo y a la tierra su tierra.
Al leer más adelante en el capítulo 38, el Señor describe su intervención. Hay un gran terremoto; las fuerzas invasoras se enfrentan entre sí; la peste, el derramamiento de sangre, la lluvia torrencial, el granizo, el fuego y el azufre caen sobre ellas.
La victoria pertenece a Dios.
Estas palabras habrían sido muy poderosas para los exiliados. Sabían lo que era sentirse indefensos ante un ejército. Ahora Dios declaraba que la fuerza de un ejército no podía invalidar sus promesas. Daría a conocer su grandeza y santidad, y las naciones reconocerían que Él es el Señor.
El capítulo 39 deja claro el propósito de la derrota de Gog. El Señor dará a conocer su santo nombre entre su pueblo y entre las naciones del mundo.
La limpieza del campo de batalla evidencia la magnitud de la derrota, pero la revelación de Dios es el resultado aún mayor. Los ejércitos son derrotados; su nombre es glorificado.

Observa y prepárate

Jesús proclamó su enseñanza acerca de los últimos días para que estuvieran atentos y preparados. Estos dos mandamientos van de la mano. Debemos comprender lo que Él ha revelado y luego vivir de acuerdo con lo que sabemos.

Mateo 24:42, 44, “Por tanto, estad alerta, porque no sabéis en qué día vendrá vuestro Señor… Por esta razón, vosotros también debéis estar preparados; porque el Hijo del Hombre vendrá a la hora que menos penséis.”

El propósito de estos capítulos no se habrá cumplido en nosotros hasta que la verdad que estudiamos comience a afectar nuestra forma de vida.
En esas palabras hay urgencia, pero no es la urgencia del miedo. Es la urgencia de algo precioso que no se debe descuidar. Dios te ha dado la vida, te ha dado su Palabra y te ha ofrecido una relación eterna con Él.
Tu respuesta importa.
Manténganse alerta; va más allá de ver las noticias. Significa someter lo que vemos a la autoridad de la Palabra de Dios. Jesús advirtió sobre el engaño y el conflicto, así que no toda voz segura merece nuestra confianza. Debemos discernir lo que recibimos y lo que oímos .

Ilustración: Puedes consultar el tiempo en tu teléfono diez veces al día y nunca lo cambiarás, ni una sola vez. En algún momento tendrás que decidir cómo prepararte.

Del mismo modo, recabar más información sobre la tormenta no es lo mismo que construir tu casa sobre la roca.

Jesús comparó los días previos a su venida con los días de Noé. La gente comía, bebía y se casaba, ocupándose de los asuntos cotidianos de la vida.
La vida cotidiana los mantenía ocupados mientras permanecían desprevenidos ante lo que Dios había anunciado.
Eso le puede pasar a cualquiera. Hay que trabajar, pagar las facturas y atender a la familia. Pero uno puede estar tan absorto en la rutina diaria que descuida su bienestar emocional. Uno puede ser responsable de muchas cosas y aun así dejar de lado la relación más importante.
Ni tus padres ni tu cónyuge pueden tener una relación con Dios por ti. Puedes estar rodeado de personas que aman al Señor y aun así mantenerlo alejado en tu corazón.
Cada uno debe responder personalmente. Dios no pregunta si conoces a personas que lo conozcan; te llama a

Ilustración: Ver videos de YouTube de personas haciendo ejercicio no te ayudará en absoluto. Llega un momento en que debes moverte . Llega un momento en que tu fe debe hacerse valer.

El Rey regresará. Hasta ese día, seamos fieles a lo que nos ha dado, confiados en la paz que nos ha brindado y cercanos a Él en la vida que vivimos ahora.
Que Él nos encuentre alerta, vigilando y esperando, y preparados. Si Jesús regresara esta noche, ¿estarías preparado?

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