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The Overview of the Plan of God, Part 8B

Last Great Day:  I Will Put Hooks Into Your Jaws Ezekiel 38

[Study Aired October 5, 2025]

Eze 38:3  And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
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:

We paused our last study on the spirituals significance of the last great day with the verses which demonstrate that the function of that day in the plan of God can be fulfilled only by those who are blessed to have a part in the first resurrection, which occurs at the beginning of the thousand-year reign of our Lord and His Christ. We have learned that the thousand-year reign is the fulfilling of the first part of the double portion which belongs only to the firstborn. The last great day, signifying the last rebellion of “the nations in the four quarters of the earth”, ushers in the great white throne judgment where all men of all time are raised up from their graves and are “judged according to their works”:

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

The “firstborn” possesses the birthright, and the birthright is the double portion.

Deu 21:17  But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

Chist is called the firstborn of every creature and the firstborn of the dead:

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Reigning and judging the nations of this world for a thousand years is the first part of the blessing of the double portion which is the right of the firstborn. ‘Judging angels’ in the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/ second death is the second part of the double portion which is the right only of the firstborn:

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? [Rev 20:1-6] and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? [Rev 20:7-15] how much more things that pertain to this life?

Now there are indeed many degrees of glory within both of the two resurrections (1Co 15:35-44), but rulership with Christ over this physical world and the judging of angels in the spiritual realm are promised only to those who are part of that “blessed and holy…first resurrection.”. That is the double portion of the Lord’s firstborn, firstfruits, and it is theirs only:

Rev 14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits [“the firstborn”] unto God and to the Lamb.

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years [the first part of the double portion of the firstborn]

The “lake of fire… is the second death”. No one who is cast into the lake of fire is in the purview of the promise given here in Revelation 20:6 and in Revelation 2:26-27.

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Those who are “hurt of the second death” will not be given to rule the nations during the thousand-year reign of “The Lord and His Christ” (Rev 11:15). Only those who are overcomers before the thousand-year reign, those who are symbolized by the 144,000, will be given the honor of being in that “blessed and holy… first resurrection” to rule the nations of this world with Christ:

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Rev 14:4  These [144,000] are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits [“firstborn”] unto God and to the Lamb.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

“It is appointed unto [all] men once to die”, followed by judgment.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

The fact that we are told “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” proves that the death being spoken of in Hebrews 9:27 is death to sin, and the process of “dying daily” which is now taking place only within those who “first trusted in Christ” and who now, in this age, have Christ living within them.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

That is a legitimate question, and it deserves a Biblical answer, and we have given that Biblical answer by showing that the lake of fire and the work accomplished therein is the answer to that question.

What Hebrews 9:27 and 1 Peter 4:17 tell us is that the death with which the scriptures concern themselves includes our “dying daily” as the first to die to the sins of our old man. Those who die first to sin are the first to be judged as “the house of God”.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

“The second death” has to do with those who are not the first to die daily to the sins of their old man in this life. The ‘second death’ is given that name because it is speaking of those who are the second group to die to sin and to be judged in the great white throne judgment.  ‘The second death’ has nothing to do with anyone dying twice. “It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb 9:27). “The second death” has to do with the order in which one dies to the sins of his old man. The first resurrection is the resurrection of those in this age who are the ‘first to trust in Christ’ and ‘die daily… as a living sacrifice… crucified with Christ, nevertheless [a]live’. (Eph 1:12, 1Co 15:31, Rom 12:1, Gal 2:20)

What is the spiritual purpose for the thousand-year reign with a rod of iron?

Now it certainly is not reading into the scriptures to say that being given “power over the nations” is speaking outwardly of a period of time signified by “a thousand years.” It is during this period of time that the firstfruits, also called the firstborn, are given “to rule the nations with a rod of iron.” Yes, “power over the nations” has an inward and present application, which must always be primary to us. However, reigning over the outward nations of this world is given only to those who are given part in the first resurrection. For this reason the thousand-year reign of “the Lord and His Christ” and “the second death” cannot be only an inward experience of those who “overcome the wicked one… [in] this present time.”

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

It is not possible to be in both resurrections because we are told that “the rest of the dead live not again “until the thousand years are finished.”

Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

In this Biblical overview of the plan of God, we are focused on the dispensational application of the power over the nations of this world which is given only to “Him that overcometh.” Only those who “overcome the wicked one” in this age, in “this present time” (Rom 8:18)  will rule with Christ over “the nations of this world… for a thousand years” (Rev 11:15).

We are also focusing upon what we are told of the spiritual condition of those who are populating this earth during that time. Are we anywhere told that the spirit will be dragging them to God? Where are any verses which tell us that “All those who are born during the Millennium… will still have to freely repent and believe the Gospel, personally choosing Christ as Savior and Lord?” The answer is that we are not told anything of the kind.

The fact is that even the sacrifices which are commanded to be offered during the feast of tabernacles point and signify the diminishing appreciation of the rule of God’s elect during the thousand years of their rule with a rod of iron. Notice what offerings are commanded to be offered during the feast of tabernacles:

Num 29:12  And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days:
Num 29:13  And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish:
Num 29:14  And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams,
Num 29:15  And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs:
Num 29:16  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Num 29:17  And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:
Num 29:18  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Num 29:19  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their drink offerings.
Num 29:20  And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish;
Num 29:21  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Num 29:22  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Num 29:23  And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
Num 29:24  Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Num 29:25  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Num 29:26  And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:
Num 29:27  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Num 29:28  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Num 29:29  And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
Num 29:30  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Num 29:31  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Num 29:32  And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
Num 29:33  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Num 29:34  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.

In the Old Testament, physical wealth symbolizes spiritual wealth as this description of Abraham reveals:

Gen 13:1  And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
Gen 13:2  And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

Not just everyone in Israel was wealthy enough or capable of offering a bullock to God. Those who could do so were usually the leaders of the people. What the diminishing numbers of the offering of the bullocks tells us is that the leaders of the people who are alive during the symbolic one thousand years of the rule of the nations of this world by the elect saints of God, are becoming progressively less appreciative of that rule with a rod of iron. This time of being ruled by God’s elect will be carried out in a no-nonsense manner, just as God used Moses and Aaron to rule over Israel for forty years. That forty years symbolized the time of trials which Israel endured as they demonstrated how little they appreciated the rule of God over that nation with a rod of iron.

Here are just two examples of how God dealt with the rebellions of Israel during this forty years of being ruled with a rod of iron under Christ, through Moses and Aaron, as types of God’s elect rulers of this world:

Exo 32:4  And he [Aaron] received them [golden ear rings] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Exo 32:5  And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
Exo 32:6  And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt [typifying the ways of man versus the ways of God].
Exo 32:9  And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: [typifying all people “in the four quarters of the earth”]
Exo 32:10  Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. [This is what God will do after the “little season” of rebellion which follows the millennium]

Those were trying times for Israel, and they grew progressively more rebellious as this time of trial continued. Our next example makes clear that it was the whole “camp of Israel”, signfying “the nations in the four quarters of the earth”, who rose up against Moses and Aaron, the Lord’s appointed leaders who signify “the camp of the saints” at the end of the thousand-year reign.

Num 16:1  Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
Num 16:2  And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

We covered this story in our last study. The phrase “all the congregation… gathered themselves against Moses and against Aaron” first appears here in verse 3. It is repeated in verse 19 lest we think it was a minority of the congregation who sided with Korah against Moses and Aaron:

Num 16:19  And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
Num 16:20  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Num 16:21  Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
Num 16:31  And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
Num 16:32  And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33  They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Num 16:34  And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
Num 16:35  And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

To show us just how foolish and rebellious our own flesh is the phrase “all the congregation of the children of Israel… gathered together against Moses and Aaron” appears a third time, signifying the judgment we must endure for our rebellion against the leaders of God. This is the very next day after the earth opened up and swallowed Korah and company:

Num 16:41  But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
Num 16:42  And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.

The Lord Himself has just caused the earth to swallow up the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. The Lord had sent fire to devour the 250 men who had burned incense for Korah’s cause, and yet here we are in type the very next day gathering ourselves against the Lord and His Christ, and “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against [our] unrighteouness and  ungodliness.”

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

This is what God’s wrath did to rebellious Israel:

Num 16:46  And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
Num 16:47  And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
Num 16:48  And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
Num 16:49  Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
Num 16:50  And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

These two examples serve to tell us the meaning of these two sections of scripture we mentioned in our last study:

Psa 2:7  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Psa 2:8  Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Psa 2:9  Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Mic 4:3  And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

In the Old Testament these promises are made to Christ, but in the New Testament we discover that these promises are extended to the overcomers who are the Christ of Christ:

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

These promises  have no application to any who are not the firstborn firstfruits unto God and the Lamb. They, and they alone, will rule with our Lord a thousand years and then judge angels in the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/ second death.

That time of being ruled with “a rod of iron” becomes less and less appreciated, as the diminishing number of bullocks offered during the seven days of the feast of tabernacles indicates. The physical leaders of those days, just like the “two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown”, will become weary of the rulers whom God had placed over them as signified by Moses and Aaron.

It is also instructive to take note that the number of bullocks offered over those seven days are 70 in total, indicating the completion of what God is doing in the flesh of mankind at the last great day.

It should now be crystal clear that the phrase “the nations in the four quarters of the earth” is not a symbol for a minority of mankind, but it rather signifies “all the congregation” of “the nations in the four quarters of the earth”, and that the thousand-year reign of “our Lord and His Christ” is not intended to be a time of great revival, but is rather a time in which the rebellion of mankind against the rulership of God will come to its zenith and will thereby furnish God with the “occasion” which He is seeking to destroy all flesh and thereby “destroy… death” (1Co 15:26). Mankind has no choice in the matter of the destruction of all flesh because God tells us:

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:
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:

These words here in Ezekiel 38  are the foundation for the inspired words of John who gives us the knowledge of what Gog and Magog signify:

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. [“The nations in the four quarters of the earth”]

There is yet one more step to be taken in the overview of the plan of God for all mankind, and there is yet one more commandment of God which Israel was to observe which reveals the all-in-all goal which God has as the outcome of His dealings with the flesh of all of mankind.

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

In our next study we will show that many of the prophecies which the churches of Babylon apply to the thousand-year reign have been misapplied to that period of time, and are in reality to be applied to the kingdom of God which is even now in “earnest” within God’s elect, and to the time that follows the thousand-year reign. This is the time when God will be all in all.

1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

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