Ezekiel 38:7-13: a reflection

7“‘“Be prepared, yes, prepare yourself, you, and all your companies who are assembled to you, and be a guard to them. 8After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, on the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought out of the peoples and they will dwell securely, all of them. 9You will ascend. You will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud to cover the land, you and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.” 10“‘The Lord GOD says: “It will happen in that day that things will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan. 11You will say, ‘I will go up to the land of unwalled villages. I will go to those who are at rest, who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 12to take the plunder and to take prey; to turn your hand against the waste places that are inhabited, and against the people who are gathered out of the nations, who have gotten livestock and goods, who dwell in the middle of the earth.’ 13Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all its young lions, will ask you, ‘Have you come to take the plunder? Have you assembled your company to take the prey, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’”’

In this vision, an enemy called Gog gathers a great host and devises an evil plan against God's people, who are living at rest in an unwalled land. He schemes to fall upon them, to plunder and destroy those who dwell securely. It is a picture of a hostile power plotting against the peaceful people of God. Yet the larger vision, unfolding in the chapters that follow, shows that God himself draws Gog out, and turns his evil plan into the occasion of his own defeat and of God's glory.

Notice that the enemy's plot against God's people does not unfold outside God's control. Gog devises his evil plan; but God is sovereign even over that scheme, drawing the enemy out to display his own holiness and to defend his people. The hostile plan, meant for harm, becomes the very stage on which God shows his power and glory. The plotters against God's people are not beyond his rule; he overrules even their schemes for his purposes.

That is a comfort when we sense hostility or scheming against us or against God's people. Plans may be devised against us, and they are real; but they do not unfold outside God's sovereign control. He is able to overrule the schemes of the hostile, to turn what is meant for harm toward his own purposes, even his glory and our good. Do not be ruled by fear of the plans devised against you or against God's people. The God who drew out Gog and turned his plot to his own glory is sovereign over every scheme against his own. Trust him, who overrules the plans of the hostile, and can turn even what is meant for harm to good; the plotters are not beyond his rule.

Lord, in this vision an enemy devised an evil plan against your peaceful people, yet the larger vision shows that you drew him out and turned his scheme into the occasion of his defeat and your glory. Comfort me with that when I sense hostility or scheming against me or against your people. Plans may be devised against us, and they are real; but they do not unfold outside your sovereign control. You are able to overrule the schemes of the hostile, to turn what is meant for harm toward your own purposes, even your glory and our good. Keep me from being ruled by fear of the plans devised against me or against your people. You who drew out Gog and turned his plot to your glory are sovereign over every scheme against your own. Help me trust you, who overrule the plans of the hostile, and can turn even what is meant for harm to good. The plotters are not beyond your rule; I rest in you.