Eze. 38:8

8 After many [rab] days [yowm] thou shalt be visited [paqad]: in the latter ['achariyth] years [shaneh (in pl. only),] thou shalt come [bow'] into the land ['erets] that is brought back [shuwb] from the sword [chereb], and is gathered [qabats] out of many [rab] people [`am], against the mountains [har] of Israel [Yisra'el], which have been always [tamiyd] waste [chorbah]: but it is brought forth [yatsa'] out of the nations [`am], and they shall dwell [yashab] safely [betach] all of them. KJV-Interlinear

8 After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. NASB

The ruler of the north is under scrutiny here. He, Gog, is the one who originates the plan to overrun Israel.

Though we see lots of hate coming out of the Middle East these days, the Arab states do not initiate any actions against Israel except through the enticements offered by the King of the North. The King of the South, which is all inclusive of the nations to the south, east and west of Israel (the Arab states), does not initiate any plan against Israel, but those nations are certainly quick to join the Northern power. Certainly, everyone knows the history between the Jews and the Arabs. Not much love lost there.

After many days, refers to the passage of time. From the time of Ezekiel s time until our current day, nearly 3000 years have passed. And, the time still is not yet.

These events are reserved until the Tribulation, which is still future.

Jesus Christ controls history. Though many bad dudes will come and go in history, whose self appointed mission in life was or is, to destroy Israel. They will all fail. Even that current leader in Iran, who wants to see Israel destroyed, will find that his plans too will fail.

God controls the events of history, not man. Man s plans vary from ideas of a utopia, where no one has to work, to a tyrannical dictator who would enslave everyone for his own pleasure. Nations are filled with politicians. Governments are filled with regulations and rules designed to presumably make life better for its citizens. Nevertheless, even the best made plans eventually fail, simply because life in this world is far too complicated, with far too many variables, that make it virtually impossible for mankind to run his own world.

When God pulls out of the world (at the Rapture), then man will get to run things all on his own. Disasters will rapidly fill the record books, as man will fail in his every attempt to regulate and control his own environment.

What will eventually happen? Man will look to the extermination of humans, in order to save himself. Stalin did this in Russia after WWII. Oddly enough, today s politicians and professors (the liberal ones), all see Stalin s efforts (cold blooded murder of millions) as necessary and reasonable for that period in history.

And today, the populations of the countries of the world have tripled. Perhaps population numbers are not the problem?

God will not allow anyone in history, to redefine history at their own whim.

The nation of Israel, the literal nation, was placed under the sword way back when the Babylonians invaded them. Since that time, for nearly 3000 years now, the Jewish people have been filtering (ever so slowly) in and out of the land.

A substantial Jewish population lived there prior to WWI, and at the conclusion of WWII, a huge influx of refugees primarily from Europe, moved into the modern day Israel. It did not become a nation until 1948, after the British withdrew from the region, and after civil war had broken out. In our current day, that was a remarkable event.

But this is not the re-gathering which is being referred to here.

Remember that Ezekiel lived in the dispensation, which we call the Age of Israel. During his age, our Church Age was not ever referred to. Ours was a hidden dispensation, a mystery. We were never revealed in the Old Testament.

So, Ezekiel s prophecies refer only to events that occur in the Age of Israel. The Tribulation is the last seven years of the Age of Israel. Therefore, there will occur a huge re-gathering movement, perhaps very soon after the Rapture occurs. It could be due to increased prejudice against the Jews, or for many other reasons. Perhaps many will recognize the Rapture as an event performed by God and somehow this will cause them to feel the need to move to Israel.

In any case the movements of Jewish peoples will occur. This resettling of the land has occurred over a long period of time, but will increase rapidly in the latter days. The period which we call the Tribulation.

Likewise, they (the Jewish people moving back into Israel) will have a sense of peace and security while living in Israel. Presumably, the current problems, which are occurring today in Israel with the Palestinians and the bombing and such, will not be happening. Or, if they are, then perhaps they will not be perceived as deterrents for the residents of Israel. Remember too, that the Temple, will either be rebuilt during the Tribulation or it will already exist prior to the Rapture, which means that it will be rebuilt during our Church Age.

Perhaps the rebuilding of the Temple during the Tribulation will be the attraction, which draws people into Israel.

In either case, we know that the Temple will be abused at the mid point of the Tribulation, so it has to exist, obviously. The existence of the Temple means that the current Mosque which is located there, has to go away. If people are living in security, then that means the Palestinian question has been settled.

But too, remember that this sense of security is a false sense. Remember our Peace, peace, but there is no peace, study of the other day. They draw their sense of security from the treaty with the anti-christ. And, that is no security whatsoever.

For many centuries, God still holds on to His control over history. Man does not. God details out the events of the future. Events, that are certain to occur. Man has difficulty in managing his own future, if even for a few short days or weeks, let alone for ones entire lifetime.

Man has his best made plans. None of them will ever work permanently. And yet, most folks will still ignore God in their life.

Now is the time to post a prayer.