THE MIDDLE EAST

Gog and Magog

Gog and Magog Won't be at the Battle of Armageddon

When I was a new Christian, I read The Late, Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey, and was sure that Russia was going to attack Israel and begin the end times at the Battle of Armageddon. This view of Russia as the new Magog dovetailed with the fact that Communism and the USSR were the major political and military threats to Western Christianity. But I was sure these enemies would be defeated at the Battle of Armageddon and then Christ was going to reign on earth physically for 1,000 years (the Millennium), before some last final temptation.

However, there is a major problem in the chronology . The problem is that Gog and Magog do not attack until after the Millennial reign of Christ is completed! (Revelation 20:8) the Battle of Armageddon has nothing to do with Gog and Magog. It has everything to do with Kings of the East, whomever they may be. (Revelation 16:12)

Destruction of Gog of Magog by Fire at the End of the 1000 Years..

After the Millennium, "Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea" (Rev. 20:7b-8). "Despite the duplication of names, this Gog and Magog incursion after the thousand years is not the same as the invasion of Israel before the thousand years. The combatants in the two battles are quite different from each other and the outcomes are drastically different. It may be that the names are the same because the new leaders of the rebellion come from the same northern regions of Eurasia as the leaders of the earlier invasion of Israel. This occurs after "the thousand years" (Millennium) are "expired." This is the ONLY reference to "Gog and Magog" in the New Testament, and it refers to an event after the Millennium.

The land of Israel had been transformed from "desolation" to being "like the garden of Eden" and the inhabitants "know the Lord" at the CLOSE of Ezekiel 36. This chapter summarizes the history of Israel from its beginning [17], its disobedience [18], the "scattering among the nations" [ 19], the long desolation in unbelief [ 20], God's patience with Israel [ 21], God's regathering of Israel [v. 24], His saving them [ 25-27], His restoration of Israel to the land [ 28], and of its becoming "like the garden of Eden" [35] Ezekiel 37 further describes the restoration of Israel [ 1-14] and of the rule of Christ [ 24-25] over them in the Millennium [27-28].

Following this, the "Gog and Magog" event begins to come into view. Note, it is "AFTER MANY DAYS" [Ezekiel 38: 8] that this takes place. It is at a time when Israel had been enjoying rest, safety, and was without defenses [ 38:11] - such as in the Millennial years of perfect peace, after Israel had been "gathered out of the nations" [ 38:12] and it is after that restoration of Israel and AFTER THE MANY DAYS OF THE MILLENNIUM that the invasion of Gog and Magog occurs [38:11-23]; The destruction of Gog and Magog by the Lord is by "fire" ( 38:22, 39: 6], just as we see in Rev. 20: 9. (Dr. Henry M. Morris, The Defender's Study Bible )

Ezekiel chapter 38 and 39 describes an invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations under the leadership of a man called Gog of the land of Magog. ....This invasion occurs "in the latter years" (Ezek. 38:8) at the end of the 1000 year reign of Jesus the Messiah "in the latter days." The Word of God is very precise. As God addresses Gog, He declares, "And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes" (Ezek. 38:16).

God said to Gog, "And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company,, and a mighty army" (Ezek. 38:15). And again God speaks, " And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and I will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel" (Ezek. 39:2).

The invasion will occur at a time when Israel is dwelling safely. To Gog, God says in Ezek:38:11: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,:14: Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?

Here are some of the scriptures that tell about the rest Israel will have.

Jer:30:10: Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. Jer:31:2: Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. Jer:46:27: But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. God will give Israel their rest during the thousand year reign of Christ, the Millenium.

The reason for the attack

The invasion will occur at a time when Israel is prospering as a nation and dwelling safely. The reason for the attack is clearly given. "To take a spoil and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land" (Ezek. 38:12). These invading armies will attack Israel in the latter days. The principal armies will come from the north.

Who are these armies?

Gog is said to rule over Magog. The Magogites were the ancient Sycthians. In the time of the prophet they dwelt in an area which was, then to the far north of Israel, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea with the Caucasus Mountain Range as their southern border. Gog of Magog is the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Both Meshech and Tubal, along with Magog are listed in Gen. 10:2 as sons of Japheth, a son of Noah. The ark landed on Mount Ararat in the Caucasus Mountains. These three grandsons of Noah settled north on the mountains in the southeastern region of the former Soviet Union.

Gog's forces will be augmented by other armies, among them Persia, Cush, and Put . Coming against Israel from the east will be Persia. Persia changed it's name in 1935. It is now known as Iran. Cush and Put will attack Israel from the south. Cush is located to the south of Egypt and is today the eastern part of the Sudan and Ethiopia. Put is to the west of Egypt in the region of Libya (Ezek 38:5). Both are descendants of Noah through Ham (Gen. 10:6). Also allied with Gog in his invasion will be Gomer and Togarmah. These Japhethite grandsons of Noah settled in Asia Minor; Gomer in Germany and central Turkey, and Togarmah in eastern Turkey and Armenia. It is very unlikely that Gog or Magog is Russia. ROSH appears 456 times in the Old Testament and NEVER used as a proper noun! ROSH is a Hebrew word meaning chief. The first or chief day of the Jewish calendar year is called ROSH HASHANA. whereas "Russia" is a Finnish word meaning rowers (of a boat). There is no connection between these two words, which originate from two different languages. The fact that Gog controls all of Russia only indicates that Russia will be a part of Gog's empire.

These eight nations surrounding Israel on the North, South, and East, ( with the Mediterranean to the West ) will invade Israel in the last days. But their attack will not succeed. God has decreed, " And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be agaainst his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezek. 38:21-23).

One of the earliest references to Magog was by Hesiod, "the father of Greek didactic poetry" who identified Magog with the Scythians and southern Russia in the 7th century B.C. Hesiod was a contemporary of Ezekiel. In the 5th century B.C. Herodotus of Harlicarnassus, known as "Father of History" wrote extensively about the the Scythians, and how they terrorized the southern steepes of Russia from the 10th century B.C. to the 3rd Century B.C "No one confronting them can escape on foot, and if they wish not to be discovered it is impossible to engage with them. The reason is that they do not build towns or fortresses, but all of them are mounted archers and carry their homes with them... How can they fail to be invincible, and immune from attack?" - Herodotus, 5th century B.C. Another well known source is Josephus Flavius, who records that the Magogians were called "Scythians" by the Greeks. In the New Testament the word Scythian occurs once. Paul stresses the point that even people with the most diverse backgrounds (Scythians) can still be one in Christ. Colossians 3:11

Put, the 3rd son of Ham. Josephus identifies him as the founder of Libya whose inhabitants were originally known as "the Putties." is associated with "North Africa" populated by the Berbers and tribes distinct from Cush, and reaches from Libya to Mauratania and the Mahgreb: Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco.

The Biblical Gomer, the father of Ashkenaz, is rendered Germania or Germany In the Babylonian Talmud,. Gomer is also associated with the people referred to as the Cimmerians who eventually established themselves in the Rhine and Danube valleys. Riphath, another son of Gomer, is identified by Josephus as associated with the Paplagonians.

Togarmah : (Another son of Gomer.) from the Hittite city of Tegarama and carried into classical times as Gauraema. (modern Gurun), 70 miles west of Malayta. The city was destroyed by Sennacherib in 695 B.C. Josephus refers to them as Phrygians. The Armenians still refer to themselves as "The House of Togarmah" even to this day, although they are only one of the people descending from these ancient tribes. The tribal associations also appear to include Turkey and Turkestan.

Meshech: The 6th son of Japath; identified with the ancient Mushki of the Assyrians and the Muschoi of the classical Greek writers. The Assyrian inscriptions describe them as inhabiting Phrygia in Northern Anatolia (modern Turkey). Herodotus identifies the Mushki with the mountains southeast of the Black Sea or the Northeast part of Turkey. Josephus also identifies the descendents of Meshech as dwelling in Eastern Turkey.

Tubal: The 5th son of Japath and brother of Meshech. 9th century B.C. Assyrian inscriptions refer to it as Tabal, West of Meshech in Eastern Anatolia. Geographical neighbors, they became allies against the Assyrians in 713 B.C. The classical Greek writers called them the Tibareni and the Moschi. Herodotus also places them both along the Southeast shores of the Black Sea.

Sitting on the Sidelines "Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? " Sheba and Dedan are cities in what is now Saudi Arabia, sitting on the sidelines watching this unfold. All the young lions refers to the U.S. and other countries associated with Great Britain. Egypt has a Peace Treaty with Israel and will probably not be involved.

Note: Syria is not listed in this battle. This may be because they have been destroyed in the Great Tribulation. As described in: Isaiah chapter 17, Jeremiah 49:23-27, and Amos 1. "The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.... And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us." Isaiah 17:1, 14 "Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail. How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!" Jeremiah 49:24-25 Damascus Syria, the oldest continuously inhabited city on the face of the earth and the Capital of the Islamic World, has never yet been "taken away from being a city" . Many terrorist organizations have their bases within Damascus. God declares that Damascus Syria, the Capital of the Islamic World, will become a ruinous heap.

 

Damascus Syria

 

Islamic world	MODERN NATION	BACKGROUND
Magog	Central Asia	Ancient Scythians - Islamic southern republics of the former Soviet Union with a population of 60 million Muslims.
Meshech	Northeast Turkey	Ancient Muschki and Musku in Cilicia and Cappadocia.
Tubal	Eastern Turkey, Southern Russia	Ancient Tubalu in Cappadocia.
Persia	Iran	Changed from Persia to Iran in 1935.
Ethiopia (Cush)	Sudan and Ethiopia	Ancient Cush, south of Egypt. generally viewed as embracing "Black Africa".
Put	Libya	Ancient Put, west of Egypt. Libya , Mauratania and the Mahgreb: Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco.
Gomer	Central Turkey, Germany,	Cimmerian settlers along the Rhine and Danube valleys. From the seventh century to first century B.C. in central/western Anatolia.
Togarmah	Turkey, Armenia, Turkestan	from the Hittite city of Tegarama and carried into modern times as Gurun (Gauraema)
Many peoples with you	Other ( possibly Islamic ) nations	Jordan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tadzhikistan, Kyrgyzstan

Other fulfilled scriptures concerning invasion coming from the "north,"

"And thou (Gog) shalt come from thy place out of the north parts...and will cause thee to come up from the north parts..." (Ezek. 38:15; 39:2). Sometimes it is said these two passages prove that "Gog and Magog" are from Russia because Russia lies far to the north of Israel. The Bible uses the word "north" to designate any invader who approaches Israel from that direction even if their country lies elsewhere in another direction. Examples are:

 Ezekiel 26:7 ... 7 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people. (KJV)

Jeremiah 4:6-7 ... 6 Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

Jeremiah 10:22 ... 22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons. (KJV)

Jeremiah 25:9 ... 9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. (KJV)

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God is Furious !

18: And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19: For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20: So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21: And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother. 22: And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23: Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 39: 1: Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 2: And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 3: And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. 4: Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. 5: Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 6: And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD. 7: So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

 

Satan after being loosed out of his prison, is defeated at the Battle of Gog
and Magog and cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone for ever.

 

Rev. 20: 7-10 And when the thousand years (millennium) are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, (and have been for 1000 years) and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever...

From Ezekiel 38:15-17 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?