Ezekiel 38:10-13 meaning

Ezekiel 38:10-13 exposes Gog's motive, showing him scheming to invade a defenseless, prosperous nation living without walls in order to seize spoil and plunder, while trading nations look on and question his aim. He describes Gog's planning process: '"Thus says the Lord GOD, "It will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan"'" (v 10).

The LORD looks inside Gog's mind. "On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan" (v 10). The invasion springs from a calculated scheme, conceived by Gog himself. The LORD's earlier claim that He draws Gog out with hooks (Ezekiel 38:4) and this claim that Gog devises his own evil plan join together in God's sovereignty: Gog acts from his own greed and ambition, and the LORD governs the outcome of that choice.

The same two truths run through the whole story of Scripture--real human intention and real divine sovereignty operating at once, as in Joseph's words to his brothers, "you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20). Humans have stewardship of their choices, and those choices have real consequences. But God causes all things to work together for good for His people (Romans 8:28). Ezekiel voices Gog's reasoning: "and you will say, 'I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates,'" (v 11).

Gog chooses the target because it appears defenseless: a land of unwalled villages, a people "at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates" (v 11). Gog sees an unprotected, peaceful nation. The security that the covenant of peace produced becomes, in Gog's calculation, an invitation to plunder. However, what Gog does not take into account is that Israel's safety rests not in fortifications but in the LORD who guaranteed it. Gog's reasoning continues: "'to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world'" (v 12).

The motive is greed: to capture spoil and to seize plunder (v 12). Gog moves against the waste places which are now inhabited (v 12)--the very sites Ezekiel 36 promised would be rebuilt from ruins--and against the people who are gathered from the nations (v 12), the restored community of the previous chapter, now prosperous with cattle and goods.

The phrase center of the world translates a Hebrew expression meaning the navel of the earth, marking the land of Israel as the central place in the LORD's dealings with the nations. Gog reaches for the wealth of the one people the LORD has set at the center of His purposes. Now other nations comment: "'"Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will say to you, 'Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?'"' (v 13).

Sheba and Dedan were commercial peoples of Arabia, and the merchants of Tarshish represented the far-western sea trade. Their questions describe the campaign as exactly what it is: "Have you come to capture spoil?" (v 13). The repetition of plunder, silver and gold, cattle and goods names the prize being sought. Whether these merchants ask in protest or in hope of a share, their words confirm the verdict already given inside Gog's mind: this is a raid for wealth against a peaceful people. The watching world observes the aim.