Context No. 2681 of 4322 · Ezekiel

Ezekiel 39:1-6: in context

1“You, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 2I will turn you around, will lead you on, and will cause you to come up from the uttermost parts of the north; and I will bring you onto the mountains of Israel. 3I will strike your bow out of your left hand, and will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand. 4You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you, and all your hordes, and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to the ravenous birds of every sort and to the animals of the field to be devoured. 5You will fall on the open field, for I have spoken it,” says the Lord GOD. 6“I will send a fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the islands. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel is still delivering the oracle against Gog, the shadowy ruler from the far north who gathers a vast host against God's people. The Lord declares himself the enemy: I am against you, I will turn you around, I will strike the bow from your hand. Gog falls on the open mountains and is given to the birds and the beasts.

The imagery is martial and hard, but the refrain carries the meaning: then they will know that I am the LORD. The point is not the slaughter for its own sake. It is that no coalition, however far it reaches and however secure it feels on its islands, stands outside the reach of God. The threat that looks too large to name is not too large for him to answer.

When some danger looks bigger than anything I can face, do I still believe it finally answers to God?

Sources

Ezekiel 38:23: "I will magnify myself, and sanctify myself, and I will make myself known... and they shall know that I am the LORD."
Psalm 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations."
Revelation 20:9: "Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them."