What does Ezekiel 38 tell us?

[Hobie]

To many Christians, the book of Ezekiel is just as enigmatic and difficult as the books of Daniel and Revelation. They pop in any country they see issues with rising up, and you can look back and see in history many that were put in and have now faded. Years ago the "sick man of the East," or Turkey, was one of the central points of interest among the public. Later, Japan seemed to occupy the interest of many as it grew in its military prowess. And then, of course, Hitler came along, and world attention was focused upon him. Lately with the war in Ukraine, Russia seems to have many Christians like to find a prophetic setting for that country. So what does Ezekiel 38 tell us? Well a introduction to a study of it is found in the last three verses of chapter 37:

26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
28 And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
Ezekiel 37:26-28

This passage tells about God setting up His sanctuary in the midst of His people forever and note there would even be heathen (nations, or Gentiles) who would witness the fulfillment of God's purpose. With that in mind lets look at the start of Ezekiel 38..
1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
Ezekiel 38:1-3

The first question is, "Who is Gog?" It has confused many and taken them to private interpretations that lock them away from Gods Word shows us. Lets take a look in this good study on the issue...
"some students of Bible prophecy were certain that the former Soviet Union would play a major role in last-day events. Identifying the communist behemoth with the Old Testament powers of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38–39), they believed that it was going to attack Israel. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, that identification quietly fell away—that is, until now.

One doesn’t have to be a diligent student of end-time Bible events to look around at the world and think, “Wow! We are living in exactly the kind of times the Bible has warned about.” The people of the world have been hit with increasing natural disasters, pestilence, political turmoil, and “wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6), just as the Bible has predicted.

Earlier this year, on February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine; the world got a lot messier. That ongoing war, which reached its 100th day on June 3, does not look like it’s going to end soon.

Then, on July 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin took a “rare international trip to Iran,” causing a flurry of media activity, including this CBN News article entitled, “Are the Biblical End Times Upon Us? The Shocking Russia-Iran Moment That Just Caused Ezekiel 38 to Trend on Social Media.”

Gog and Magog​

So how in the world did these Bible students conclude that Gog and Magog represented Russia? Proponents of this view hinge on the assumption that the current nation-state of Israel and the hostile nations around it remain the focal point of end-time events. As follows, of deep interest to these scholars are Israel’s wars.

In a nutshell, Ezekiel 38 identifies a certain foe of Israel as “Gog, of the land of Magog” (v. 2): “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes”’” (vv. 14–16).

And since, soon after modern Israel’s inception as a nation-state in 1948, the Soviet Union became one of Israel’s main antagonists and is geographically in “a straight line north of Israel,” these Bible scholars posited that “Magog” stands for the Soviet Union itself and “Gog” for a great leader of the Soviet Union. In fact, book after book has been written from this viewpoint.

There were even predictions that Iran, a long-established enemy of Israel, would join the fray. Author Joel C. Rosenberg claimed in a blog post in 2015: “The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel wrote 2,500 years ago that in the ‘last days’ of history, Russia and Iran will form a military alliance to attack Israel from the north. Bible scholars refer to this eschatological conflict, described in Ezekiel 38-39, as the ‘War of Gog & Magog.’”

No wonder, then, that some are on the edges of their seats at a Russian leader’s excursion to Israel’s foremost aggressor in the Middle East.

On the Other Hand​

Not all students of Bible prophecy, however, buy into this interpretation of Ezekiel 38.

For starters, post-Soviet Russia is not a known enemy of Israel. On the contrary, today’s Russia sees Israel as an ally against the common threat of Islamic terrorism. And no nation in the world right now supports Islamic terrorism more than the Iranians do.

All this, of course, could change. Putin’s recent visit to Iran was touted by The Washington Post as “a show of deepening ties between the two nations, united in their isolation from the West.” Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press secretary, was quoted as saying “that improving relations with Iran was ‘a long-term line of our foreign policy.’”

But earthly politics still does not negate the second, more foundational issue. There are Old Testament prophecies, of which the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel 38 is one, which are conditional; that is, they are prophecies which would have happened had other events taken place. If the nation of Israel would have remained faithful to their covenant obligations, Ezekiel 38 and 39 would have occurred. But Israel did not remain faithful; they forsook God. Thus, the conditional prophecy did not take place.

The Bible actually records when Israel broke their covenant with God; the nation of Israel removed itself from representing God’s people on this earth. It was then that literal Israel became Spiritual Israel. Learn all about the significance of this progression in our free online resource.

Following this viewpoint would mean that events in and surrounding the literal nation-state of Israel are not crucial to the last days. However, it is not unbiblical to think that Gog and Magog are.

The apocalyptic book of Revelation plainly prophesies: “Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea” (20:7, 8). The difference is that these names are symbols. ",,,

 

[Hobie]

So if they are symbols, what can we gather from them. Gog appears to have been a title of the ruler of the Magogim, the inhabitants of Magog, or the land of Magog, as they would be called in the Hebrew. You can compare Pharaoh as a title for the ruler of Egypt, although many different personal names were borne by the different Pharaohs.

In this passage in Ezekiel there are indications that Gog was a ruler in the use of the term "prince". The Hebrew word here used for "prince" is nasT. Now in this connection compare chapter 28 of Ezekiel, where in the first part of the chapter the human ruler of Tyre is called the "prince" of Tyre; while in the latter part of the chapter the real ruler of Tyre, the one behind the scenes, is called the "king" of Tyre, referring to Satan himself. The same thing is found in Isaiah 14:4 where the "king" of Babylon is used in reference to Satan himself. So Gog appears to be Satan leading the nations...

And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Revelation 16:16

And we know how that ends up..

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 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.
9 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.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Revelation 20:7-10

 

[Galgal]

There is no subsequent and previous in Scripture. The sequence of events does not always correspond to the sequence of verses of prophecy.

26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
28 And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
Ezekiel 37:26-28

These verses refer to the events after the construction of the Third Temple and after the construction of the city of Yahweh Shammah, described in Ezekiel 40-48.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel 37:28&version=KJV

2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
Ezekiel 38:1-3

"Gog from the land of Magog" is a generalized, collective image of all who encroach on God's promises given to the Jewish people.

For example, the "replacement theory." Or the messianic claims of the Russian Orthodox religion.

According to Revelation, Gog's invasion will be after the Millennial Kingdom. This is true because during all the years of the current state of Israel, the Jews have not lived there safely in their own land:

After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. (Ezekiel 38:8)

This has not yet happened, so there can be no talk of Gog's invasion - either literal or allegorical.

 

[Galgal]

And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Revelation 16:16

The entire book of Revelation operates in allegorical imagery. Armageddon is not a military battle in any way. Armageddon is a "battle" of carnal Christians for personal prosperity. In this "battle" the shame of such Christians is revealed:

Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. (Philippians 3:19)

Armageddon. "Ar" (הַר) - mountain, "gad" (גַד) - happiness, "megad" (מֶגָד) - a gift from heaven, good, "-on" (וֹן) - a diminutive suffix, with disdain. "Mountain of prosperity", "Mountain of freebies".

"The kings of the earth" are the leaders of the Christian denominations, and they are the ones who are drawing carnal believers to Armageddon. The Gentiles differ from the chosen people in that they seek material goods, not the Kingdom of Heaven:

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things
(Matthew 6:31,32)

This allegorical picture is given in Revelation:

But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months (Revelation 11:2)

The outer court of the temple of Corpus Christi will not be measured. Only those who have offered themselves as a sacrifice to God in Jesus Christ will be "measured" as the temple of the living God.

 

[Hobie]

There is no subsequent and previous in Scripture. The sequence of events does not always correspond to the sequence of verses of prophecy.

These verses refer to the events after the construction of the Third Temple and after the construction of the city of Yahweh Shammah, described in Ezekiel 40-48.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel 37:28&version=KJV

"Gog from the land of Magog" is a generalized, collective image of all who encroach on God's promises given to the Jewish people.

For example, the "replacement theory." Or the messianic claims of the Russian Orthodox religion.

According to Revelation, Gog's invasion will be after the Millennial Kingdom. This is true because during all the years of the current state of Israel, the Jews have not lived there safely in their own land:

After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. (Ezekiel 38:8)

This has not yet happened, so there can be no talk of Gog's invasion - either literal or allegorical.

We will see it with our own eyes, as saints or after the 1000 years as sinners in league with Satan, deceived and going to fight God at the final battle..

 

[TrevorHL]

Greetings Hobie,

So how in the world did these Bible students conclude that Gog and Magog represented Russia? Proponents of this view hinge on the assumption that the current nation-state of Israel and the hostile nations around it remain the focal point of end-time events.

Ezekiel 38 clearly depicts events immediately before the return of Jesus to set up his Kingdom upon the earth for the 1000 years. Before the invasion from the North, Ezekiel 38 speaks of the return of the Jews to their Land, and then Ezekiel 39 speaks of the conversion of a significant remnant of natural Israel when Christ returns.

The following was written by John Thomas in his book Elpis Israel pages 441-442, 1850 based upon Ezekiel 38:
There is, then, a partial and primary restoration of Jews before the manifestation, which is to serve as the nucleus, or basis, of future operations in the restoration of the rest of the tribes after he has appeared in the kingdom. The pre-adventual colonization of Palestine will be on purely political principles; and the Jewish colonists will return in unbelief of the Messiahship of Jesus, and of the truth as it is in him. They will emigrate thither as agriculturists and traders, in the hope of ultimately establishing their commonwealth, but more immediately of getting rich in silver and gold by commerce with India, and in cattle and goods by their industry at home under the efficient protection of the British power. And this their expectation will not be deceived; for, before Gogue invades their country, it is described by the prophet, as “a land of unwalled villages, whose inhabitants are at rest, and dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates; and possessed of silver and gold, cattle and goods, dwelling in the midst of the land” Ezekiel 38:12-13. Now any person acquainted with the present insecure condition of Palestine under the Ottoman dominion must be satisfied from the testimony, that some other power friendly to Israel must then have become paramount over the land, which is able to guarantee protection to them, and to put the surrounding tribes in fear.* This is all that is needed, namely, security for life and property, and Palestine would be as eligible for Jewish emigration as the United States have proved for the Gentiles.

But to what part of the world shall we look for a power whose interests will make it willing, as it is able, to plant the ensign of civilization upon the mountains of Israel? The reader will, doubtless, anticipate my reply from what has gone before. I know not whether the men, who at present contrive the foreign policy of Britain, entertain the idea of assuming the sovereignty of the Holy Land, and of promoting its colonization by the Jews; their present intentions, however, are of no importance one way or the other, because they will be compelled, by events soon to happen, to do what, under existing circumstances, heaven and earth combined could not move them to attempt. The present decisions of “statesmen” are destitute of stability. A shooting star in the political firmament is sufficient to disturb all the forces of their system; and to stultify all the theories of their political astronomy. The finger of God has indicated a course to be pursued by Britain which cannot be evaded, and which her counsellors will not only be willing, but eager, to adopt when the crisis comes upon them.

Kind regards
Trevor

 

[Hobie]

Greetings Hobie,

Ezekiel 38 clearly depicts events immediately before the return of Jesus to set up his Kingdom upon the earth for the 1000 years. Before the invasion from the North, Ezekiel 38 speaks of the return of the Jews to their Land, and then Ezekiel 39 speaks of the conversion of a significant remnant of natural Israel when Christ returns.

The following was written by John Thomas in his book Elpis Israel pages 441-442, 1850 based upon Ezekiel 38:
There is, then, a partial and primary restoration of Jews before the manifestation, which is to serve as the nucleus, or basis, of future operations in the restoration of the rest of the tribes after he has appeared in the kingdom. The pre-adventual colonization of Palestine will be on purely political principles; and the Jewish colonists will return in unbelief of the Messiahship of Jesus, and of the truth as it is in him. They will emigrate thither as agriculturists and traders, in the hope of ultimately establishing their commonwealth, but more immediately of getting rich in silver and gold by commerce with India, and in cattle and goods by their industry at home under the efficient protection of the British power. And this their expectation will not be deceived; for, before Gogue invades their country, it is described by the prophet, as “a land of unwalled villages, whose inhabitants are at rest, and dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates; and possessed of silver and gold, cattle and goods, dwelling in the midst of the land” Ezekiel 38:12-13. Now any person acquainted with the present insecure condition of Palestine under the Ottoman dominion must be satisfied from the testimony, that some other power friendly to Israel must then have become paramount over the land, which is able to guarantee protection to them, and to put the surrounding tribes in fear.* This is all that is needed, namely, security for life and property, and Palestine would be as eligible for Jewish emigration as the United States have proved for the Gentiles.

But to what part of the world shall we look for a power whose interests will make it willing, as it is able, to plant the ensign of civilization upon the mountains of Israel? The reader will, doubtless, anticipate my reply from what has gone before. I know not whether the men, who at present contrive the foreign policy of Britain, entertain the idea of assuming the sovereignty of the Holy Land, and of promoting its colonization by the Jews; their present intentions, however, are of no importance one way or the other, because they will be compelled, by events soon to happen, to do what, under existing circumstances, heaven and earth combined could not move them to attempt. The present decisions of “statesmen” are destitute of stability. A shooting star in the political firmament is sufficient to disturb all the forces of their system; and to stultify all the theories of their political astronomy. The finger of God has indicated a course to be pursued by Britain which cannot be evaded, and which her counsellors will not only be willing, but eager, to adopt when the crisis comes upon them.

Kind regards
Trevor

This refers to those grafted in who are true believers, as many will come as Christ points out, from the east and west while the Jews are left out of the heavenly kingdom gnashing in agony .

 

[TrevorHL]

Greetings again Hobie,

This refers to those grafted in who are true believers, as many will come as Christ points out, from the east and west while the Jews are left out of the heavenly kingdom gnashing in agony .

Your SDA burnt and desolate earth for the 1000 years ignores the detail of the OT prophecies such as Isaiah 2:1-4, Ezekiel 38, Daniel 2:35,44, Micah 4:1-8, Zechariah 14 and many other prophecies such as Acts 3:19-21 "times of restoration and refreshing". Jesus will not be in heaven and no burnt earth in this passage.

There are Old Testament prophecies, of which the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel 38 is one, which are conditional; that is, they are prophecies which would have happened had other events taken place. If the nation of Israel would have remained faithful to their covenant obligations, Ezekiel 38 and 39 would have occurred. But Israel did not remain faithful; they forsook God. Thus, the conditional prophecy did not take place.

This seems to give a different perspective to what you have claimed in your latest post. Are you now saying that Ezekiel 38 and 39 (and Zechariah 14) will never be fulfilled. The Bible is very clear, that Israel were scattered because they were not faithful, but crucified their Messiah, But the prophecies that speak about Israel's scattering also speak of their return to the Land such as in Ezekiel 38 and 39.

Kind regards
Trevor

 

[Hobie]

Greetings again Hobie,

Your SDA burnt and desolate earth for the 1000 years ignores the detail of the OT prophecies such as Isaiah 2:1-4, Ezekiel 38, Daniel 2:35,44, Micah 4:1-8, Zechariah 14 and many other prophecies such as Acts 3:19-21 "times of restoration and refreshing". Jesus will not be in heaven and no burnt earth in this passage.

This seems to give a different perspective to what you have claimed in your latest post. Are you now saying that Ezekiel 38 and 39 (and Zechariah 14) will never be fulfilled. The Bible is very clear, that Israel were scattered because they were not faithful, but crucified their Messiah, But the prophecies that speak about Israel's scattering also speak of their return to the Land such as in Ezekiel 38 and 39.

Kind regards
Trevor

We shall see them at the end as the wicked are brought down, and the saints are in heaven reigning for the 1000 years then come down in the New Jerusalem as Revelation tells us.

Revelation 3:12
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Revelation 21:2
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 

[Hobie]

Here is a excellent post by my friend Amo on the New Jerusalem...

It is the saints, those in Christ, who compose the new covenant Israel of God. They are the citizens of the New Jerusalem. First here, as members of God's spiritual kingdom on earth, later in heaven in the literal New Jerusalem, which will descend to earth at the end of the thousand years. When the wicked will be resurrected unto judgment in the lake of fire, which is the second death, and the new heaven and new earth will be created.

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Rev 21:1-27 (KJV)