I WILL PLUNDER THOSE WHO PLUNDER YOU

Text: Ezekiel 39:1-16

God is not insensitive to the suffering of his people. He will ultimately avenge every wrong. Today He promises to plunder those who plunder us. In other words, God's mercy and grace does not in any way exclude his Judgement. Rather, at the failure of man to appreciate God's olive branch of peace extended to him and accept God's window of mercy, he exposes himself to God's inevitable wrath. This passage summarises the judgement that began in Ezekiel 38. The judgement is going to be thorough and complete. Gog and Magog represents the ruling power of that end time when God will perfect his final act of salvation and restore Israel his people completely to himself. 

So in verse 7 he says; "I will make known my holy name among my people Israel, I will no longer let my holy name be profaned. And the nations will know that I the lord am the holy one in Israel". This shows that even after the restoration spoken of in Ezekiel 37, the people of Israel will still be found wanting in hallowing Jehovah's name as well as the entire world. Yahweh would not have this. He must sanctify his name over all the earth and cause all of its inhabitants to identify and declare him as holy; separated and lifted high. Hence, the people of the north and those of the western coast lands (a yet undeterminable people) will be his battle axe to achieve this. They will become the sacrifice of his final judgement. The lord will draw them out and cause them to attack Israel. The outstanding effect will be the massacre that would follow (verses 2-6). Such that a great spoil of ammunitions will take seven years to be destroyed and the surrounding environment (physical and spiritual) seven months to clean up.

So what? God may seem silent over certain oppressions and injustices going on in our lives in particular and the world at large. However, in keeping with his character, he cannot exercise judgement without first extending mercy. Yet in his mercy he will by no means acquit the guilty. God's word will prevail over every wickedness done against any of his servants. He will surely repay all evil doers but at his own time and in his own way. Consequently, the battle is not ours but God's. He only needs us to trust that even though he does not avenge wickedness in our own lifetime, he will ultimately eradicate evil completely. It is for this reason Jesus is made manifest to put an end every works of darkness. So, be at rest the lord is watching he will repay!