Ezekiel 38:16 states that one result of God’s defense of Israel will be that “Then all the nations will know that I am the LORD.” Would you please explain the probable extent of this prophecy? How many and who will this prophecy apply to?
The Hebrew wording of Ezekiel 38:16 implies that the knowledge of God’s intervention on Israel’s behalf will be world wide following this battle. It’s important to remember that those who stand against God and His people do so not out of ignorance of Him, but out of rebellion.
Romans 1:18-20 says man is without excuse where the knowledge of God is concerned, having the creation as His silent witness.
But knowing He is God will not bring them to belief in Him. Paul said those who perish in the end times will do so because they refused to believe the truth and be saved (2 Thes. 2:9-10).
From Rev. 6: 15-17 we see that the leaders of Earth will know when the Wrath of God has come, and Rev. 16:11 tells us that during the Great Tribulation men will curse the God of Heaven because of their pains and sores but will refuse to repent of what they have done.
Jesus said all the nations of Earth will mourn when they see the sign of the Son of Man in the sky (Matt. 24:30). They will mourn because they will know that what they’ve refused to believe is true and it will be too late for them.