by Ester yusufu | 11 July 2025 08:46 pm07
Ezekiel 38:21
“I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother.”
This verse describes a situation where enemies who came united against God’s people suddenly turn their swords against one another. The question is: How does this happen, and why does God allow it?
The answer is that God Himself fights for His people by using confusion and division as a weapon. He breaks the strength of unity among enemies so that they destroy themselves instead of destroying God’s people. This principle is repeated throughout the Bible and carries deep theological meaning for us today.
The first truth we learn is that the battle belongs to the LORD. God is not limited to physical weapons—He can use confusion, division, or even nature itself to bring victory.
Exodus 14:14
“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
This reminds us that ultimate deliverance does not depend on human might but on God’s power and strategy.
When Gideon’s three hundred men blew their trumpets, the Lord caused panic among the Midianites, and they turned their swords on each other.
Judges 7:22
“When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.”
Here, the theology is clear: God does not need numbers to bring victory; He needs obedience and faith. He magnifies His glory by defeating the strong through weakness (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9).
When King Jehoshaphat’s army faced overwhelming enemies, God instructed them to sing praises. As they worshiped, God Himself brought confusion.
2 Chronicles 20:22–23
“As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.”
The theological lesson here: Worship is a weapon. Victory comes not by human effort but by God’s presence when His people exalt Him (cf. Psalm 22:3).
In the New Testament, God also used division as protection for His servant. Paul was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. Knowing that Pharisees and Sadducees disagreed about the resurrection, Paul wisely declared his hope in the resurrection. Immediately, the council turned against itself instead of condemning him.
Acts 23:6–7
“Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, ‘My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.’ When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.”
The theological point: God gives His people wisdom by the Holy Spirit (Luke 12:11–12). Sometimes the Spirit does not remove us from conflict, but gives us words that shift the battle away from us and onto the enemy.
While God uses confusion to defend His people, Satan uses the same tactic to destroy God’s people when they allow sin, bitterness, or division into their lives.
The tribe of Benjamin once defended wicked men who had committed vile sin, leading to civil war in Israel (Judges 19–21). Instead of rooting out sin, they chose tribal loyalty, and the result was destruction.
In the same way, Satan tries to divide the church today.
Galatians 5:14–15
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”
This shows that unity in the Spirit is essential for the church’s survival and witness (Ephesians 4:3).
When Ezekiel 38:21 says that every man’s sword will be against his brother, it reminds us of a spiritual truth: God is sovereign in battle. He can use confusion as a weapon to protect His people and to defeat their enemies.
For the believer, the call is clear: remain in unity, walk in love, and trust in God’s wisdom. If we do, He will preserve us while causing confusion to scatter those who rise against us.
Romans 8:31
“If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Shalom.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2025/07/11/what-does-it-mean-when-god-says-every-mans-sword-will-be-against-his-brother-ezekiel-3821/
Copyright ©2025 Wingu la Mashahidi unless otherwise noted.