Fear Not, God Controls World Leaders - Ezekiel 37-42

Ezekiel 38:1-6 (ESV)

(Prophecy Against Gog)

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. And I 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 clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords. Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.

Is that not inspirational reading?  Probably not, to most of us.   Our first question might be, “Who is Gog, Magog and Tubal?”    The second question we might ask is, “Why do I need to know this?”   The above text stretches us in regard to what the Bible tells us about all Scripture:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

ALL Scripture is said to be profitable for us to read.   Therefore, that makes the above passage on Gog and Magog and Tubal important to us.   There has been much discussion as to the exact location, meaning and/or identification of these “cities, countries and/or leaders.”   The passage seems to have a general and somewhat ambiguous approach to it.   The point that we do know is that in the future God is going to bring all the most powerful nations on the earth to fight against His people, Israel.   In chapter 37 we read God bringing Israel and Judah back together as one nation. In chapter 38 we read God bringing all the nations of the earth into one army to attack Israel.  That is the point of the passage.  God is controlling the nations and will bring them to a place.  At that moment and time God will destroy all nations that do not honor Him and His chosen people.   The take-a-way for us can be multiple truths, but at the top of that list is that God determines the course of the nations.  Note:

 Acts 17:26 (ESV)

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,

Proverbs 21:1 (ESV)

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;

he turns it wherever he will.

We may lose heart when we see the turmoil in the world today.   We can certainly get confused as to what is happening in the world as we watch the world powers unfold their plans.  But, it is God who has a plan.  He is control of all kings and supremes and governments.   He is in total control to work His final plans for the earth.  Whoever these are in Ezekiel 38, they are controlled by God and brought to a certain point, at a certain time, for definite reason.