Ezekiel 38:20
The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that crawls upon the ground, and all mankind on the face of the earth will tremble at My presence. The mountains will be thrown down, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground.
The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that crawls upon the ground, and all mankind on the face of the earth will tremble at My presence.
This phrase emphasizes the universal scope of God's power and judgment. The inclusion of all creatures—fish, birds, beasts, and humans—indicates that no part of creation is exempt from God's authority. This echoes the creation narrative in Genesis, where God is sovereign over all life. The trembling at God's presence signifies awe and fear, reminiscent of other biblical instances where God's presence causes a profound reaction, such as at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-18). The comprehensive nature of this trembling suggests a cataclysmic event, possibly eschatological, aligning with prophetic literature that speaks of a future day of the Lord (Joel 2:1-11).

The mountains will be thrown down, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground.
This imagery of geological upheaval symbolizes the dismantling of human pride and security. Mountains and cliffs often represent stability and permanence, while walls signify human efforts to protect and fortify. The destruction of these elements indicates that nothing can withstand God's judgment. This is consistent with other prophetic texts, such as Isaiah 2:12-17, where human arrogance is humbled before the Lord. The language also recalls the fall of Jericho (Joshua 6:20), where walls fell by divine intervention, underscoring the theme of God's power to overthrow human defenses. This passage may also foreshadow the ultimate renewal of creation, as described in Revelation 21:1, where the old order is replaced by a new heaven and earth.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Fish of the Sea
Represents the entirety of marine life, indicating the comprehensive impact of God's presence.

2. Birds of the Air
Symbolizes the creatures of the sky, showing that all creation is affected.

3. Beasts of the Field
Refers to terrestrial animals, emphasizing the universal scope of God's power.

4. Every Creature that Moves Along the Ground
Encompasses all living beings, highlighting the totality of God's dominion.

5. All Mankind
Indicates that every human will recognize and respond to God's presence.

6. Mountains, Cliffs, and Walls
Symbolic of stability and strength, their destruction signifies the overwhelming power of God.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty Over Creation
God's presence causes all of creation to tremble, reminding us of His ultimate authority over the natural world. We should live in reverence and awe of His power.

The Universality of God's Judgment
The passage highlights that no part of creation is exempt from God's judgment. This serves as a call to repentance and readiness for His return.

The Fragility of Human Constructs
The imagery of mountains and walls falling illustrates the temporary nature of human achievements. We should focus on building our lives on the eternal foundation of God's Word.

The Call to Recognize God's Presence
Just as all creation will tremble at God's presence, we are called to be aware of His presence in our daily lives, responding with worship and obedience.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of all creation trembling at God's presence in Ezekiel 38:20 affect your understanding of God's power and authority?

2. In what ways can we prepare ourselves for the day of the Lord, as described in Ezekiel 38:20 and related scriptures?

3. How does the destruction of mountains and walls in this passage challenge our reliance on earthly security and stability?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to live in reverence and awe of God's presence in our daily lives?

5. How do the themes of judgment and redemption in Ezekiel 38:20 connect with the message of hope found in the New Testament?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 2:19-21
This passage also describes a time when people will hide from the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty, similar to the trembling described in Ezekiel 38:20.

Revelation 6:15-17
Echoes the theme of all creation, including kings and mighty men, hiding from the wrath of God, paralleling the universal trembling in Ezekiel.

Psalm 46:2-3
Speaks of the earth giving way and mountains falling into the sea, resonating with the imagery of mountains being overturned in Ezekiel.
The Invader DiscomfitedJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 38:14-22
Human Malice a Contribution to God's GloryJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 38:14-23
People
Dedan, Ezekiel, Gog, Gomer, Magog, Meshech, Phut, Rosh, Tarshish, Togarmah, Tubal
Places
Cush, Dedan, Jerusalem, Meshech, Persia, Put, Sheba, Tarshish, Tubal
Topics
Air, Along, Animals, Ascents, Beast, Beasts, Birds, Cliffs, Collapse, Creature, Creep, Creeping, Crumble, Face, Fall, Fallen, Falleth, Falling, Field, Fish, Fishes, Fowl, Fowls, Ground, Heaven, Heavens, Mankind, Mountains, Moves, Moving, Overturned, Pathways, Places, Presence, Quake, Rushed, Shake, Shaking, Sky, Steep, Surface, Thrown, Tremble, Tumble, Wall
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 38:20

     4266   sea

Ezekiel 38:14-23

     6702   peace, destruction

Ezekiel 38:18-22

     9155   millennium

Ezekiel 38:18-23

     1025   God, anger of
     8370   zeal
     9220   day of the LORD

Ezekiel 38:19-20

     4820   earthquake

Library
The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
The Medes and Cimmerians: Lydia--The conquest of Egypt, of Arabia, and of Elam. As we have already seen, Sennacherib reigned for eight years after his triumph; eight years of tranquillity at home, and of peace with all his neighbours abroad. If we examine the contemporary monuments or the documents of a later period, and attempt to glean from them some details concerning the close of his career, we find that there is a complete absence of any record of national movement on the part of either Elam,
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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