What’s going to happen at the end of time? Isn’t it going to be scary, with a big war between the forces of good and evil? Well, some folks read the first part of this chapter that way, and compare it to the mention of Armageddon in the Book of Revelation (16:16).

But if you look closely at Revelation 16, there isn’t much of a fight. The armies of evil gather in verse 16, and then God does His thing – thunder, lightning and an earthquake in verse 18, the overthrow of all the evil cities in verse 19, and huge hailstones rained down upon God’s enemies in verse 21. Let’s face it – if the armies of evil manage to put up a fight, it won’t be much of one. No one in Heaven or Earth is anything close to a match for our God, so we need not fear His enemies now, no matter how formidable they might appear.

And that’s the main point of today’s passage from Ezekiel as well. The armies of evil may gather against God’s people, but they will only end up as buzzard food (v. 4). All their proud cities will only end up being burned with fire (v. 5). And all their weapons will end up being used as firewood for God’s people (v. 9).

So, what’s the main point of all of this prophecy? In the first place to remind God’s people of His perfect justice. As He says in verse 7, He will not tolerate His enemies making a mockery of Him forever. As verse 10 points out, He will not allow His enemies to despoil His people forever. When Christ returns, He will make all wrongs right, and set all His enemies to flight.

Until that time, those who love and trust the Lord must content ourselves with what will ultimately turn out to be the greatest blessing of all – that the Lord is our God, and He has made of us His people (v. 7). And we can trust in His power and His justice, no matter what happens.

Ezekiel 39:7-10 (ESV)

“And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
2 And I will turn you about and drive you forward, and bring you up from the uttermost parts of the north, and lead you against the mountains of Israel.
3 Then I will strike your bow from your left hand, and will make your arrows drop out of your right hand.
4 You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your hordes and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 You shall fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.
6 I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 “And my holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is coming and it will be brought about, declares the Lord GOD. That is the day of which I have spoken.
9 “Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and make fires of the weapons and burn them, shields and bucklers, bow and arrows, clubs and spears; and they will make fires of them for seven years,
10 so that they will not need to take wood out of the field or cut down any out of the forests, for they will make their fires of the weapons. They will seize the spoil of those who despoiled them, and plunder those who plundered them, declares the Lord GOD.

Revelation 16:16-21 (ESV)

16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.
19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.
21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.