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All Bible prophecy has its fulfillment in situations which prevailed at the time or shortly thereafter. There is also a dual or even a multiple condition when the prophecy will come into action once again. For instance, in the statement of Isaiah, ìThe Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it lighted upon Israel.î Isa. 9:8 In other words, what was meant to fit a state of affairs in Jacob was also found in Israel. Thus, the Lord reacted accordingly toward both. We are also aware that the execution of a prophecy may be like viewing a mountain range, there are many peaks, each one being higher than the others until we come to the highest. So it is with many of the prophecies of the Word. A prophecy will speak to current circumstances, and peoples, with a final grand climax in view. With that in mind, we consider the final verses of Ezekiel thirty eight.
The judgment of the sword. In the climax of the ages, at the time of the warfare between the forces of righteousness and the powers of evil controlling this world, the battle will be most awesome. It is not to be a simple skirmish on earth but the future holds a cosmic warfare which even reaches into the heavens. Rev. 12:7 It may be a play on words but it is also interesting to note that the Lord made reference to ìall my mountains.î Eze. 38:21 The sword in the warfare which will be conducted the sword of the Lord will sweep though the land and annihilate all. Eze. 14:17 Every manís sword shall; be against his brother.î The Lord periodically used this strategy to defeat the enemy who came against His people. He used Gideonís special forces against Midian. Judges 7:22 For Saul the Lord caused the Philistines to use their swords on one another. 1 Sam. 14:20 The singing of praise was used by the Lord to defeat Ammon and Moab. They too fought one another until when the forces of Judah arrived for the battle, the enemy were all dead. 2 Chron. 20:23
The sword or war is not the only weapon used to defeat the enemy. The Lord will also send a plague or unnamed pestilence among them. There will also be a great shedding of blood by the enemy. A statement which makes one question as to the particular timing of this prophecy. Will these who come up in the second resurrection, these who surround the New Jerusalem, have the blood of life in them? In connection with this, there will be literally ìtorrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfurî poured out upon them. Eze. 38:22 NIV All of this that the Lord might convince the ungodly nations that He and He alone is the true and living God. Eze. 38:23 When comparing this portion of Ezekielís prophecy I find that this corresponds with the picture given by the Apostleís and the book of Revelation to the battle of Armageddon and the second coming of Christ..