What connections exist between Ezekiel 38:13 and other prophetic scriptures about end times? Ezekiel 38:13 in context “ ‘Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its young lions will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your armies to loot, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to seize great plunder?” ’ ” • The verse sits in the middle of Ezekiel’s prophecy of Gog’s northern invasion of Israel (38–39). • A group of nations observes the invasion and protests, but does nothing to stop it. • Their words connect them with several other end-time prophecies that feature the same names, themes, and sequence of events. Who are Sheba, Dedan, Tarshish, and the young lions? • Sheba – Arabian people descended from Cush (Genesis 10:7); linked with wealth and trade (Isaiah 60:6; Psalm 72:10). • Dedan – Northwestern Arabia, noted for caravan trading (Ezekiel 27:20). • Tarshish – A far-western maritime power, famed for ships (1 Kings 10:22; Isaiah 23:1). • Young lions of Tarshish – Colonies or offspring nations tied to Tarshish’s seafaring expansion (cp. Ezekiel 19:2–3 for imagery of young lions representing related powers). Prophetic echoes in other Old Testament passages • Daniel 11:40–43 – “the king of the North” sweeps through many lands, but Edom, Moab, and the chief of the Ammonites escape, paralleling Gulf-region territories like Sheba and Dedan. • Psalm 72:10 – “May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.” Armageddon’s aftermath sees these nations bringing homage to Messiah. • Isaiah 60:6 – Sheba’s wealth ends up honoring the Lord in the millennial kingdom. Their current neutrality in Ezekiel 38:13 foreshadows later submission. • Isaiah 23:6 & Ezekiel 27 – Tarshish-linked merchants are prominent in judgments against the world’s trading hubs, pointing forward to Revelation 18. Parallels in the Book of Revelation • Revelation 16:14–16 – Unclean spirits gather “the kings of the whole world” for the final battle at Armageddon, matching Ezekiel’s picture of Gog mustering a multinational force. • Revelation 18:11–17 – “The merchants of the earth weep and mourn” over fallen Babylon; Ezekiel 38:13 shows merchants distressed by Gog’s plunder. • Revelation 20:8 – After the millennium, “Gog and Magog” rise again, confirming Ezekiel’s Gog as a type that finds its ultimate, literal replay at the close of the thousand years. The merchant motif across the ages • Ezekiel 27 portrays Tyre’s merchants; Revelation 18 reprises their lament. • Ezekiel 38:13 introduces the last-days “merchant voice” questioning aggression. • This through-line shows global commerce disrupted twice: at the campaign of Gog (pre-millennial) and at Babylon’s collapse (end of the tribulation), underscoring judgment on materialistic world systems. What these links signal about the end-time timeline 1. A northern confederacy attacks regathered Israel before the tribulation’s climax. 2. Certain Arabian and maritime powers remain on the sidelines, protesting but not intervening. 3. Their neutrality positions them to survive and later bring tribute to Messiah (Psalm 72; Isaiah 60). 4. The merchant lament theme builds toward Babylon’s destruction in Revelation 18, then culminates after the millennium when a final Gog-inspired revolt is crushed (Revelation 20:8–9). 5. Repeating place-names (Gog, Magog, Sheba, Dedan, Tarshish) tie Old and New Testament prophecies into a unified, literal framework. Key takeaways • Ezekiel 38:13 is a strategic hinge linking Ezekiel’s war, Daniel’s northern invasion, and Revelation’s global conflicts. • The same merchant nations reappear from Psalms and Isaiah to Revelation, showing Scripture’s cohesive prophetic thread. • The passage affirms God’s sovereignty: He allows certain nations to question but not prevent Gog’s assault, reserving ultimate victory for Himself and His Messiah. |
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