How does Ezekiel 38:12 relate to God's sovereignty over nations and wealth? Reading the Verse Together “to seize spoil and carry off plunder, to turn your hand against the desolate ruins now inhabited and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who live at the center of the land.” (Ezekiel 38:12) Setting the Scene • Ezekiel 38–39 describes Gog’s future invasion of Israel. • God Himself brings Gog (38:4) yet also holds him accountable for his greedy intent (38:12). • The prophecy highlights a restored Israel rich in resources, making her a tempting target. Observations about Nations and Wealth in Ezekiel 38:12 • “to seize spoil and carry off plunder” – wealth is the immediate lure. • “people gathered from the nations” – God has regathered Israel (cf. 36:24), displaying His rule over geopolitical movements. • “desolate ruins now inhabited” – the land’s transformation demonstrates God’s blessing, not human ingenuity alone. • “livestock and goods” – prosperity exists only because God has provided it (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). • The verse exposes human rulers’ covetous motives while unveiling God’s larger purpose. God’s Sovereignty over Nations • God foretells precise international aggression long before it occurs (Isaiah 46:10). • He “will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws” (38:4) showing rulers move only as far as He permits (Proverbs 21:1). • Even hostile powers become instruments of divine judgment and revelation (Isaiah 10:5-7; Daniel 4:35). • The regathering of Israel from “the nations” is a sovereign act promised and fulfilled by God (Ezekiel 37:21). God’s Sovereignty over Wealth • Wealth belongs to God: “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine” (Haggai 2:8). • He distributes it at His discretion, whether to bless His people or expose the greed of their enemies (Job 1:21; Psalm 24:1). • God allows Israel’s prosperity as bait that draws Gog, thereby setting the stage for His own glory (38:16, 23). • What appears to be the invader’s triumph is actually the Lord’s plan to demonstrate that “I am the LORD” (38:23). Takeaway Truths for Today • Nations rise, plot, and fall under God’s unshakable hand; no geopolitical move escapes His decree. • Earthly riches can serve divine purposes far beyond human control—either for blessing or for judgment. • Believers can rest in the certainty that the same God who directs kings and controls wealth is faithful to His covenant people. |
    |