Ezekiel 38:1-23 Prophesy Against Gog

[Study Aired December 2, 2024]

INTRODUCTION

In Today’s study, we turn our attention to Gog, who is described as a leader of a great army, whose kingdom is called Magog, whom the Lord is going to use to attack the people of Israel who had come back to their land from captivity and are living peacefully and unsuspectingly at the time.

Apart from the fact that Magog appears as grandson of Noah, there are limited references to Gog and Magog in the Bible. They appear only in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 and Revelation chapter 20. In order for us to understand Today’s study and the subsequent one, we need to know what Gog represents spiritually. From the Book of Ezekiel, we can deduce that Gog and his kingdom Magog represents a formidable challenge to the Lord’s elect (the people of Israel) after they have come back from captivity and are living without walls in Israel.

Eze 38:10  Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
Eze 38:11  And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
Eze 38:12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

In the Book of Revelation chapter 20, Gog and Magog again poses a threat to the reign of the Lord’s elect over the kingdoms of this world.

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

As we have learnt in the study of the word of the Lord, there is past, present and future application of the word of the Lord. The present reality of the word of the Lord is the “is” part of the word of the Lord and the future application is the “will be” part of the word. Since Jesus Christ represents the word of the Lord, “Jesus today” is the “is” part and “Jesus forever” is the future application part.

Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.  

Heb 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

With this in mind, let’s see how the study of Ezekiel chapter 38 today applies to us now. In this chapter and chapter 39, there is no mention of Satan. However, in the Book of Revelation, we are given additional information that it is Satan who will deceive the people of the world to engage the Lord and His elect in a battle. In other words, the chief prince, Gog, represents Satan. In today’s and the next study, there are references in the two chapters (38 and 39) which confirm this assertion that Satan represents Gog, who uses the people of this world (many nations) as His great army to fight the Lord’s elect. The Lord calls this invasion of Gog and his great army against the Lord’s elect, a great shaking in the land of the people of Israel.

Eze 38:19  For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 

This great shaking is the Lord’s judgement of our old man or flesh using Satan or the devil as His instrument that blows the coals in the fire.

Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

Here in this study, we shall see the Lord using the tools of His four sore judgements – every man’s sword being against his brother, and pestilence to destroy the old man or flesh within us. This destruction implies the ruin of the influence of the devil or Gog in our lives.

Eze 38:21  And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.
Eze 38:22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

Eze 14:21  For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

Ezekiel chapter 38 comes right after the Lord had brought to life the dry bones and is gathering us, His elect from the four corners of the earth. Today’s study therefore shows us the present danger – the devil (Gog), who can derail our restful life in Christ. As the Lord’s elect, we need to be watchful of the devices of the devil.

2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Our protection is therefore to put on the full armor of the Lord, so that we can be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

We also need to know the future application of Today’s study which is consistent with that of Revelation chapter 20. After the symbolic thousand year reign with Christ over the kingdoms of this world, all humanity shall be deceived by the devil to rebel against the Lord and His elect, which will cause the Lord to destroy all flesh or human beings living at that time by His fire from heaven. That is how death shall be destroyed.

1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Having this understanding that Gog represents the devil and Magog, the people of this world whom Satan has blinded and therefore uses them against the Lord’s elect, our study today becomes easier to understand.

Eze 38:1  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 38:2  Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 
Eze 38:3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 

As indicated in previous studies, the word of the Lord coming to Ezekiel signifies our Lord Jesus coming with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to His elect. It is in this coming that we are gradually given the keys of the kingdom of the Lord to understand its mysteries.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

In verse 2, we are introduced to Gog as the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, ruling over the land of Magog. Gog means ‘mountain’. In other words, Gog signifies a formidable opposition that the Lord has raised against His elect. Magog means ‘the land of Gog’ or ‘the kingdom of Gog’. The Jewish historian Josephus recognized Magog as the Scythians, known for their destructive warfare. In the subsequent verses, the army of Gog encompasses several nations. In the Book of Revelation, we can easily infer that the leader who is playing the role of Gog to gather together the armies of the whole world (the kingdom of Magog) against the Lord and His elect, is Satan. Gog is therefore a symbol of Satan, whom the Lord has fashioned as the waster to destroy.

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

Gog, being the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal is significant. Meshech means ‘drawing out’ and Tubal signifies ‘thou shall be brought’. The devil’s role is to draw out or bring out sin in our lives. As we can remember, before the devil showed up, Adam and Eve did not know their state as sinful beings. That is what it means to be naked and not know it. However, the devil coming to the scene exposed their nakedness.

Gen 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Gen 3:9  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
Gen 3:10  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Gen 3:11  And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

In verse 3, the Lord is telling us that He is against the adversary, the devil. Being against the devil means our Lord opposes or resists the devil. As the Lord’s representatives here on earth, we are therefore called to resist the devil and we can only do it when we first submit to Christ our Lord.

Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Eze 38:4  And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 
Eze 38:5  Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 
Eze 38:6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 

Turning Gog back and putting hooks into Gog’s jaws in verse 4 signify that  the Lord controls all that the devil does. As we are aware, in this world, we go through an experience of evil orchestrated by the devil. However, all that the devil does is in accordance with the counsel of the Lord’s will. The fact that the devil comes with an army of horses and horsemen, clothed with all sorts of armor implies that we, His elect are in a spiritual warfare against the devil and his cohorts. This is described as follows:

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

It is instructive to note that in verse 4 this great army of Gog or the devil are all capable of handling the sword. The sword here refers to the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition. This great army is Satan’s messengers of false apostles parading as angels of light.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

In the Book of Revelation, this great army represents the locusts that come out of the bottomless pit.

Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Rev 9:3  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Rev 9:4  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Rev 9:5  And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
Rev 9:6  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Rev 9:7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

The countries mentioned who are part of the army included Persia, Ethiopia, Libya and Gomer. These four countries represent a significant portion of the world at that time and as we are aware, the number four symbolizes the whole of the issue at stake. Therefore, these countries represent the whole of the world and as we can see, later in the Book of Revelation, the army of Gog comes from the people of the whole world.

Eze 38:7  Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 
Eze 38:8  After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. 
Eze 38:9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. 

It is instructive to note that the devil and his cohorts have been prepared for us, the Lord’s elect as shown in verse 7. As we come out of the churches of this world, or Babylon, and become part of the church of the firstborn or the Jerusalem above which is symbolized here in verse 8 as the mountains of Israel, that is when the Lord calls the evil one and his cohorts to service in verse 8, to be used as instruments of His judgement of our old man or flesh. The story of Job, a symbol of the Lord’s elect shows us how the Lord uses the devil (Gog) to administer His judgement of our flesh with the view of destroying it.

Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

The handing over of the man in the church in Corinth to the devil after sleeping with his father’s wife affirms how the Lord uses the devil for the destruction of our flesh.

1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
1Co 5:2  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
1Co 5:3  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Verse 9 tells us that the coming of the evil one in our lives as an instrument of judgement is like a storm or a cloud that covers our land, representing our bodies. In the Book of Psalms, the Lord had vividly shown us what we go through when He raises a storm, through the agency of Gog or the devil.

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

When the devil comes with his cohorts as a cloud over our land, we barely can see the sun which is Christ during this period. Our Lord Jesus also went through this experience of the devil as a cloud covering Him when He said why had the Lord forsaken Him.

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

In all of this evil experience that we go through, we are assured by the Lord that we shall come out victorious and that no weapon formed or fashioned against us shall prosper.

Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Eze 38:10  Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: 
Eze 38:11  And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 

Verses 10 and 11 are saying that a time shall come that ideas will enter Gog’s head and will make wicked plans of attacking the Lord’s elect who are at rest in the Lord after their exit from Babylon. We know from the word of the Lord that our thought process and what we settle on to execute in our lives all originates from the Lord. This also applies to Satan or Gog. As indicated in Ezekiel 38:4, it is the Lord that drags Satan to attack the Lord’s elect for the destruction of our flesh.

Pro 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Eze 38:4  And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

Eze 38:12  To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 
Eze 38:13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? 

In verses 12 and 13, we are told that the aim of the Lord dragging the devil to attack us is to take a spoil or prey. This spoil or prey is our old man or flesh which is the result of the Lord’s judgement.

1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

In verse 13, it is stated that Sheba, Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish shall all conclude that Gog and his army have come to the people of Israel to take a spoil or prey. Sheba means ‘complete’, Dedan signifies ‘low country’ and Tarshish refers to ‘jasper’. What these names suggest is that we were like a low country (Dedan) that had been overrun by the Philistines which represents our flesh and as we mature spiritually or become complete in Him (Sheba), we come to see through the word of the Lord (jasper) that the judgement of our flesh is through the agency of the devil and that it is for the purpose of taking a prey or spoil of our flesh.

2Ch 28:18  The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.

Eze 38:14  Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? 
Eze 38:15  And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 
Eze 38:16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. 

In verse 14, a rhetorical question was asked of Gog if he recognizes that the people of Israel are dwelling in safety. The answer of course is that the devil (Gog) knows when we are dwelling in safety. In the Book of Jeremiah, we are told what it means to dwell in safety, as follows:

Jer 32:37  Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
Jer 32:38  And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
Jer 32:39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:

From these verses, we can see that dwelling in safety means being delivered from captivity (Babylon) and brought together to Jerusalem where we are given one heart as we all follow one way.  In other words, we have been delivered from the physical churches of this world or Babylon and brought together from every tribe and kindred to become the New Jerusalem. It is in the church of the firstborn that we dwell in safety.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

In verse 15, we are made aware that it is as we come to the New Jerusalem that the Lord drags the devil (Gog) to gather his forces from the north to attack us, His elect. It is instructive that the army of Gog comes from the north which means judgement. What this implies is that it is when we have come to the New Jerusalem that our judgement begins. As mentioned earlier and in verse 16, this army of Gog from the north comes against us like a cloud that covers our land or bodies. That is to say that during this period of our trials, we barely see Christ working all things according to the counsel of His will. However, the Lord has shown us in verse 16 that it is through our trials that He is sanctified. The Lord’s sanctification is our sanctification.

Jer 1:14  Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
Jer 1:15  For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set everyone his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.
Jer 1:16 And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.  

Jer 10:22  The voice of tidings, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals. (ASV)

Eze 38:17  Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Art thou he of whom I spake in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, that prophesied in those days for many years that I would bring thee against them? 

Verse 17 affirms to us that Gog is the old serpent who had been prophesied in old time by the servants of the Lord that he shall come against the Lord’s people or elect. That is why the devil is called an old serpent. Right in the beginning of the Lord’s creation, when the serpent deceived Eve we are warned by the Lord of the impending attacks of the devil against the Lord’s people.

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Gen 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Eze 38:18  And it shall come to pass in that day, when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah, that my wrath shall come up into my nostrils. 
Eze 38:19  For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 
Eze 38:20  so that the fishes of the sea, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

These verses show us that Gog, who signifies the devil, is the instrument that the Lord uses to judge our old man. Statements such as the Lord’s wrath coming up into his nostrils, the jealousy and the fire of the Lord’s wrath, and the great shaking in the land of Israel on that day, all signify the judgement of our old man, or flesh, through the agency of the devil or Satan.

Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

2Ki 22:13  Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

2Ch 12:12  And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well.

In verse 20, we are shown what the wrath of the Lord or His judgement accomplishes. The fishes of the sea denote our lives dominated by our flesh, the birds of the heavens signifies the influence of the evil one on our hearts and mind, and the beasts of the field is our flesh. The creeping things upon the earth represent the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition which we imbibe or eat to defile ourselves.

Lev 11:41  And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.

Lev 11:43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

The statement that all men upon the face of the earth shall shake at the presence of the Lord means that all men shall be judged. Concerning the Lord’s elect, our judgement is meted out to us in this age. The rest of humanity shall be judged in the lake of fire age. At the end of the Lord’s judgement, all our mountains, the steep places and every wall that separates us from the Lord shall be destroyed.

Eze 38:21  And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother. 
Eze 38:22  And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 
Eze 38:23 Thus will I magnify myself and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD. 

The whole of the Lord’s tools for judging us are the sword, famine, pestilence and noisome beast.

Eze 14:21  For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

In verses 21 and 22, we are shown some of the tools that the Lord uses to judge us and they are the sword and pestilence. The overflowing rain, hailstones, fire and brimstones that the Lord will rain on the devil and all his cohorts all relates to the truth of the Lord’s words which destroys the works and devices of the adversary in our lives.

Isa 28:17  Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

In verse 23, we are shown the effects of the Lord’s judgement. The Lord shall be magnified and sanctified in our lives. The Lord’s sanctification is our sanctification. As the Lord is magnified and sanctified in us, we shall come to know Him intimately.

May the Lord continue His work of sanctification in us. Amen!!