Ezekiel 38 & 39 (Part 26)
Dr. Thomas Ice
In The Latter Days
Support for the Gog and Magog invasion occurring after the rapture but before the tribulation can be seen from the fact that the invasion is said to take place Òafter many daysÓ and Òin the latter yearsÓ (Ezek. 38:8), and Òin the last daysÓ (Ezek. 38:16). These are time indicators that place these events near the end of history because it is an absolute phrase referring to the span of history. The term Òlatter yearsÓ is only used in this passage in the entire Old Testament, however, since Òlast daysÓ is used in verse 16 describing the same event, it is safe to conclude that the more frequently used phrase Òlast daysÓ is synonymous with Òlatter years.Ó Such a conclusion is supported by the fact that Òafter many daysÓ and Òin the latter yearsÓ are used in tandem in verse 8. Charles Feinberg says, Òthe time element was distinctly stated as Ôin the latter years,Õ which is equivalent to Ôthe latter daysÕ of verse 16.Ó[1]
When we search the Old Testament for the use of terminology similar to Òthe latter yearsÓ of Ezekiel 38:8 we find three other phrases that are parallel.[2] I have selected only the uses of these three phrases that have a future, prophetic meaning. The first term is Òlatter daysÓ (Deut. 4:30; 31:29; Jer. 30:24; 48:47; Dan. 2:28; 10:14), the second is Òlast daysÓ (Isa. 2:2; Jer. 23:20; 49:39; Eze. 38:16; Hosea 3:5; Mic. 4:1), while the final phrase is Òthe time of the endÓ (Dan. 8:17, 19; 11:27, 35, 40; 12:4, 9, 13). The fact that Ezekiel uses three phrases (Òafter many days,Ó Òin the latter years,Ó and Òin the last days) provides strong support that this battle will take place during a yet future time.
Randall Price tells us, Òwhile the expression "latter days" may refer to the Tribulation period, it is not a technical term for such, since its contextual settings and varieties of usages allow it to be employed in different ways.Ó[3] Thus, references to the latter days phrases include the 70th week of Daniel or the tribulation period, the millennial kingdom and could also include some events that might take place shortly before the tribulation, like the Gog and Magog invasion. Mark Hitchcock notes, ÒThese phrases are used a total of fifteen times in the Old Testament. They are always used to refer to either the Tribulation period (Deut. 4:30; 31:29) or the Millennium (Isa. 2:2; Mic. 4:1). While these phrases do not specifically identify the time of the invasion, they do clearly indicate that the general time period is future even from our day.Ó[4]
Therefore, the designation that this event will take place in the latter days or years of history allows for the pretribulational view as a possibility since it holds that this invasion can take place after the rapture and right before the beginning of the seven-year tribulation period. In fact, this invasion is said to result in the LordÕs holy name being made Òknown in the midst of My people IsraelÓ (Ezek. 39:7). This could be a spark that results in the conversion of thousands of Jews to Christ in the subsequent first half of the tribulation.
Some
Objections
Some
have objected to the timing of this view based upon some statements from
Ezekiel 38:11. The land of Israel
at the time of the invasion is described in this passage in the following four
ways: 1) the
land of unwalled villages; 2) those who are at rest; 3) that live securely; and
4) all of them living without walls, and having no bars or gates.
The first characterization of Israel as a land of unwalled villages means that they will not build walls around their villages for protection as in ancient times. Yet, some have said that the current state of Israel is building the separation wall to keep them and the Arab population apart. Thus, that means that the current state of Israel does not meet this qualification in this passage. Price notes: Òonly the Old City of Jerusalem has a wall and the modern city since the late 1800Õs has existed outside these walls.Ó[5] This probably means that the nation will lack protection from invasion since that was the purpose of building walls in ancient times. Rabbi Fisch says, ÒIsrael will have made no preparations against attack by building walls around his cities.Ó[6] Certainly in contemporary times there is no way that ancient walls would protect against a modern invasion. Instead, this is saying that Israel will not have its defenses up and will be surprised by this attack, but it does not rule out the current situation in Israel. Most of the separation wall is being built today is really a fence that is designed to separate the Jews from the Arabs. It could not help against a modern invasion.
The
second phrase tells of a people who are at rest. The Hebrew participle saqat
describes a people who are Òquiet, undisturbed, and at rest.Ó[7] This verb is used frequently in Joshua
and Judges to note the quiet or rest that resulted from IsraelÕs military
victories over the Canaanites as they conquered the Land under Joshua.[8] This term refers to quiet or rest from
military conflict. I admit that this is the least likely of
the four descriptions that appear true of the current state of Israel. Perhaps it will be the case in the near
future or immediately after the rapture.
It would not take much for this situation to come to fruition in the
current state of Israel.
The third
term is betah and was used in 38:8.
The Hebrew lexicons tell us that the general
meaning is ÒsecurityÓ or ÒconfidenceÓ and is similar to our English word
ÒtrustÓ in range of meaning.[9] It is often used in construct form with
the verb Òto dwell,Ó as is the case here and occurs 160 times in the Hebrew
Bible.[10] It is used in Leviticus and Deuteronomy
as a promise from the Lord that He will cause the nation to dwell securely in
the Land if they obey his law (Lev. 25:18, 19; 26:5; Deut. 12:10). This term is used throughout the
historical and prophetic Old Testament books as a comment whether or not Israel
is dwelling securely in the land.
In fact, this phrase is used in Jeremiah 49:31 in a similar invasion
context as we see in Ezekiel 38. It
says: ÒÕArise, go up against a nation which is at
ease, which lives securely,Õ declares the Lord. ÔIt has no gates or bars; they dwell
alone.ÕÓ This is how it is used in
Ezekiel 38:8. ÒHowever, quite often
this general meaning has a negative ring . . . to indicate a false security.Ó[11] The context supports the false security
connotation in this instance, because of the impending invasion. On the other hand, since God
miraculously delivers the nation, maybe it is not misplaced after all.
Some have tried to equate the notion of Òliving securelyÓ with the Òliving peacefully.Ó It is said that what is described in this passage is a situation where Israel is at peace with all their neighbors and no one is a treat to them. This is not supported by the word betah or the context. ÒNowhere in the entire text does it speak of Israel as living in peace. Rather, Israel is merely living in security, which means Ôconfidence,Õ regardless of whether it is during a state of war or peace,Ó notes Arnold Fruchtenbaum. ÒThere is nothing in the various descriptions of Israel given in this passage that is not true of Israel today.Ó[12]
The fourth characterization
is all of
them living without walls, and having no bars or gates. We have seen earlier that living without
walls would literally mean that none of their cities or towns will have walls that the ancients had in order to hold off
an invading army. This picture is
reinforced by the note that they will not have bars or gates, presumably in
walls that they do not have. Bars
and gates were important points of defense in ancient city walls.
What does this mean in relation to the invasion? First, this passage is the perspective of Gog, who thinks that Israel is not properly defended and thus vulnerable to a surprise attack. Second, Price points out that, ÒIsraelÕs security is based on the strength of its military, which is acknowledged as one of the best in the world and which has defended the country against overwhelming odds in numerous past invasions.Ó[13] Third, these conditions were never true at any time in IsraelÕs past, thus it must refer to a future time as already noted by the phrases Òafter many daysÓ and Òin the latter yearsÓ (38:8). Keil says, ÒThis description of IsraelÕs mode of life also points beyond the times succeeding the Babylonian captivity.Ó[14]
(To Be Continued . . .)
ENDNOTES
[1] Charles Lee Feinberg, The Prophecy of Ezekiel (Chicago: Moody Press, 1969), p. 221.
[2] Based upon a search conducted by the computer
program Accordance, version 7.3.
[3] Randall Price,
Unpublished Notes on The Prophecies of Ezekiel, (2007), p. 40.
[4] Mark Hitchcock, After The Empire: Bible Prophecy in Light of the Fall
of the Soviet Union (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1994), p. 126.
[5] Price, Unpublished
Notes, p. 40.
[6] S. Fisch, Ezekiel:
Hebrew Text & English translation with an Introduction and Commentary
(London: The Soncino Press, 1950), p. 255.
[7] Francis
Brown, S. R. Driver, and C. A. Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old
Testament (London: Oxford, 1907), electronic edition.
[8] See Joshua 11:23;
14:15; Judges 3:11, 30; 5:31; 8:28.
[9] Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Hebrew Lexicon, electronic edition; and
Koehler and Baumgartner, Hebrew Lexicon,
electronic version.
[10] From a search conducted by the computer program Accordance, version 7.4.2.
[11] G. Johannes Botterweck, & Helmer Ringgren,
editors, Theological Dictionary of the
Old Testament, vol. II (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977), p. 89.
[12] Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Footsteps of the Messiah: A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events
(Tustin, CA: Ariel Press, [1982] 2003), p. 117.
[13] Price, Unpublished
Notes, pp. 40–41.
[14] C. F. Keil, Ezekiel,
Daniel, Commentary on the Old Testament, trans. James Martin (Reprint;
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982), p. 165.