No Quarter!

One of the traditions I believe to be in error is the one that teaches that Ezekiel 38 prophesies a physical battle between the geopolitical country called the State of Israel and its neighbors, Turkey, Iran, Russia, China, Libya, and others. I have read about this teaching, and I have seen it is quite prolific in the world today and is supported by people who claim to be scholars of the Bible. This teaching, that Ezekiel 38 prophesies a physical battle, with a physical Israel, against physical enemies, must be tested against genuine Scriptural doctrine to see whether it actually stands and is true. I believe that the tradition of a physical interpretation is false, and I shall prove this with Scripture.

Ezekiel 38:19 In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.

– This fury caused the earthquake, the splitting of rocks, and the tearing from top to bottom of the curtain in the temple, all of which caused the Roman centurion to declare, “Surely, this was the Son of God!”

Ezekiel 38:23 I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the Lord.”’

– God accomplished this when Christ was crucified in the sight of all the people, and when the first gospel sermon was preached, and three thousand persons believed and were baptized into Christ.

Ezekiel 39:3 I will strike your bow from your left hand and dash down your arrows from your right hand.

– Jesus first defeated his enemies by not sinning.

– God will defeat death, by the death of Christ on the cross. This verse is fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Christ.

– At this point in the prophecy, Christ has accomplished his mission of giving his life on the cross to take our sins away, and has been raised from the dead, and will soon be seated at the right hand of God the Father, while his enemies become his footstool.