What truth will all people, including the entire house of Israel, eventually know as a result of the battle of [Gog and Magog]?

Ezekiel 38–48

Ezekiel saw in vision a great battle that will precede the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. He also saw in vision a latter-day temple that will be built in Jerusalem. He saw water flowing from this temple through the surrounding land and into the waters of the Dead Sea, which were then healed. Many of the details regarding these prophecies have not yet been revealed.

Ezekiel 38–39
Ezekiel prophesies of the battle that will precede the Second Coming

If you could pick two things that you would like the world to know about Jesus Christ, what would they be? Why?

As [you] study the prophecies of Ezekiel in Ezekiel 38–48, ask [yourself] …what the Lord will make sure everyone knows about Him as part of His Second Coming.

Read Ezekiel 38:1–3 aloud, looking for whom the Lord declared He was against.
Gog was the king (or chief prince) of a land called Magog, located north of Jerusalem. Ezekiel used Gog symbolically to represent a wicked leader or leaders who will seek to destroy God’s people in the last days.
Summar[y] of Ezekiel 38:4–6: Ezekiel prophesied that Gog would assemble a great army from many nations…Look in verse 5 for three countries that would gather.


What countries gathered to Gog?

[A]ncient Persia was east of Jerusalem, ancient Ethiopia was south of Jerusalem, and ancient Libya was west of Jerusalem. Ezekiel may have used these countries symbolically to illustrate that this army would come from many surrounding nations.

Summar[y] of Ezekiel 38:7–14: after the army of Gog gathers “against the mountains of Israel” (verse 8), their purpose will be to attack what they perceive to be the defenseless kingdom of Israel “dwelling without walls” (verse 11). This prophecy refers to the great battle commonly referred to as the battle of Armageddon, which will precede the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. (Note: The battle at the end of the Millennium described by John is also referred to as the battle of Gog and Magog [see Revelation 20:7–9; Bible Dictionary, “Gog”].) The army of Gog symbolizes the great army that will attack Jerusalem.

Read Ezekiel 38:15–16 aloud, looking for the Lord’s purpose in allowing the army of Gog to attack the people in Jerusalem in the latter days.

What did the Lord say is His purpose in allowing Gog to battle the people of Israel?

[C]onsider marking the phrase “that the heathen may know me” in verse 16… [T]he word heathen refers to people who do not know the Lord… [T]he phrase “I shall be sanctified in thee” in verse 16 means that the Lord will manifest Himself as He sustains the people of Israel against the army of Gog.

[R]ead aloud from Ezekiel 38:18–23, looking for how the Lord will demonstrate His power against the army of Gog.

How will the Lord demonstrate His power against Gog?

According to verse 23, what will many nations come to know as they witness the destruction of Gog?

Summar[y] of Ezekiel 39: After most of the army of Gog is destroyed, it will take seven months for the house of Israel to bury the dead and seven years to clean up after the battle. Sometimes in the scriptures, writers use numbers to convey symbolic meaning beyond the literal understanding. Thus, the number seven may refer to a long time or to the land becoming complete and whole again.

[R]ead Ezekiel 39:7, 21–22 aloud and look for what the children of Israel will know after this battle…mark what [you] find.


What will the children of Israel know after this battle?


According to Ezekiel 39:7, what name or title did the Lord use to refer to Himself?


What truth will all people, including the entire house of Israel, eventually know as a result of this battle? (All people will know that Jesus Christ is the Lord.)

Lesson 145: Ezekiel 38–48