Ezekiel 39 continues from chapter 38 and concludes the
prophecy against Gog and Magog. God says He will make a full destruction to Gog
and Magog (vs 1-24). The chapter ends with God promising again to restore
Israel and Judah (vs 25-29).
How on earth the premillennialists can come up with a
fanciful story on the great battle of Gog and Magog as the final battle between
God and the nations and which He will set up His kingdom on this earth right at
that tiny land beside the Mediterranean Sea is beyond my comprehension. It
shows an utter lack of understanding of the divine scheme of redemption. Our
Lord says His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Is God interested in
being an earthly king in Israel?
Gog was the name of a king and Magog was his land
(Ezekiel 38:2). It could be an empire that still has not been dug out by
archaeologists. Most likely they are names given in prophetic language to
conceal the identity of the existing kingdom known to Ezekiel. We see such
language in the book of Revelations. The reason to conceal the actual names is
to protect the prophet and God’s people from harm.
As God’s judgment of other nations would glorify Him
as God, God’s judgment of Gog would likewise glorify Him greatly in the eyes of
the rest of the world (vs 21-23). The nations would understand that it was not
out of weakness that Yahweh permitted the Israelites to go into exile and die
but because He was punishing them for their sins (vs 23-24). Israel too would
learn in a fresh way that He was their God (vs 22). God will make sure Israel
reveres His holy name and that it isn't profaned anymore.
God says in verse 7: “I will not let them pollute
my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy
One in Israel.”
God’s name is important to Him. The first three of the
Ten Commandments deal with Yahweh and His powerful Name: “Thou shalt not
take the name of the LORD thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7). So, what does it
mean to pollute the name of God?
The word “pollute” means to profane. To profane is to
show no respect. Here, it is to show a lack of respect to God’s holy name. Yes,
God’s name is holy. But Israel sinned; they were not holy. Hence, by their
ungodly lives they polluted the name of God.
You know what happened when an environment is being
polluted. Likewise, God’s name is polluted whenever a professed Christian is
not living the Christ-like lifestyle. The apostle Paul in writing to the Jewish
Christians reminded them that their former lifestyle of sin brought dishonour
to God and as a result, “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles”
(Romans 2:24). Today, the unbelievers will accuse the Christian who is not
behaving as one: “How can you call yourself a Christian?” The name of Christ is
blasphemed, evil spoken of, ridiculed, shamed, when a Christian is not behaving
as a Christian.
The name Christian is closely attached to its founder
which is Christ. It is a God-given name (Acts 11:26). To pollute this name is
to pollute the name of Him whom we profess to follow (1 Peter 4:13-16). God
wants us to uphold this glorious name He has given us. Let us conduct our lives
in holiness that we do not pollute the name of God: “But like as he who
called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because
it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16).
Jimmy Lau
Psa
119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
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