Ez 39:1-29

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Destruction of the armies of Gog (Eze 39:1-29)

Ezekiel repeats that God was the one who drew out the forces of Gog, his purpose being to destroy them (Eze 39:1-3).

Their dead soldiers lie unburied in the fields, and their cities are in ashes (Eze 39:4-6).

The terrible massacre helps people to see how frightening is the power of God when he acts in holy anger against evil (Eze 39:7-8).

So great were the armies of Gog in size, that their weapons provide firewood for the people of Israel for the next seven years (Eze 39:9-10).

Collecting and burying the corpses takes seven months (Eze 39:11-13).

When this task is finished, people search the land thoroughly to make sure that not even a bone of one of Gog’s men remains in Israel. All trace of the forces of evil must be removed, so that the land is completely cleansed (Eze 39:14-16).

Returning to the picture of the unburied corpses, Ezekiel invites wild beasts and foul birds to come and feast on them. It will be a feast such as they have never had before (Eze 39:17-20).

The destruction of Gog, like the captivity of Israel, shows to people everywhere that God is holy and just in dealing with sin (Eze 39:21-24).

But whereas Gog is the power of evil, Israel is the people of God. Gog is destroyed, but Israel is restored. The people come back to their land, to live in close fellowship with Yahweh, their redeemer and saviour (Eze 39:25-29).