Before the invasion of Magog, they are referred to as MY PEOPLE once again by God. And I believe in that reference alone, not alone is the CHURCH not around, but it emphasizes just what an important marker Israel being a nation again truly is.
It is a common believe that the reference to gog-magog in the OT is a reference to our times, now. It has been pegged by some to happen before the return of the Messiah Jesus. But what if this foundation belief is wrong?
The Battle involving Gog-Magog is referenced twice in the Bible. Once in the OT in Ezekiel and once in the NT in the Book of Revelation.
In the Book of Revelation it tells of the final battle that will happen 1000 years after the return of the Messiah Jesus. Just before the final judgement.
Revelation 20
7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 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. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.
It will be of great benefit for all to take the time to read the entire Chapter of Revelation 20 to see the wonderful chronological order of events it reveals. You will note if you read the latter part of Revelation 19 that this describes the return of the Messiah Jesus. So Jesus has already return before the start of Revelation 20.
So now we go to the scriptures in the OT. Now we look at what was revealed to Ezekiel:
Ezekiel 38
1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against
Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you.
Stop there. Now it mentions the troops from Persia Ethiopia and Libya. Why does the prophecy not mention the Egyptians? Where are they Syrians? or Sinar/Iraq? Where are all these peoples? Are the Libyans going to march through Egypt to attack Israel while the whole Egyptian nation sits quietly as the tanks roll by? Are the Iraqi's going to be doing the same when the Persians head west to Israel? And likewise is Syria and Lebanon going to take no part with the armies of the north? What has happened to these nations like Egypt and Syria? Could it be at the time of this war that these nations no longer exist? That they where destroyed 1000 years before and their lands where incorporated into the Messianic Kingdom?
God promised to the descendants of Abraham a promised land that was far bigger than the one that He established for them in the time of Moses. lets read about it.
Genesis 15
17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. 18 On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying:
“To your descendants I have given this land,
from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates
So God has promised the descendants of Abraham will have a Land that streches from the Nile to the Euphrates. Now Persia borders the land of the Euphrates to the east and Libya borders the land of the Nile to the west and Ethiopia borders the land of the Nile to the south. So at the time of Ezekiel the nations of Libya Ethiopia and Persia will border the greater Messianic Kingdom of the Messiah Jesus.
So the reason that the nations like Egypt and Syria are not mentioned in Ezekiel 38 is because they will have long been destroyed 1000 years before the battle detailed in Ezekiel 38.
Now let us continue to read Ezekiel 38:
7 “Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them. 8 After many days you will be
visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and
now all of them dwell safely.
Now stop."visited". Who is going to visit them in the latter years? lets read Revelation 20 again:
Revelation 20
7 Now when the thousand years have expired,
satan will be released from his prison 8
and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them
Also note how Ezekiel describes the condition of safety of the people dwelling in Israel: "now all of them dwell safely." Does that describe the state of affairs of Israel today?? No not in the slightest. But to make the distinction more clear read on for the next 2 verses that more clearly describe the idyllic situation that will prevail in Israel at this time:
Ezekiel38
9 You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”
10 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan:
11 You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’
With no walls? no bars nor gates? Look at Israel today look at the walls, the barbed wire, the compounds, the bars, the perilous state of security. Do the people of Israel dwell in peace and safety? Or in a state of siege and under threat of terror?
What kind of society needs no walls no bars or even gates? Israel today or Israel during the Reign of The Messiah Jesus? Come to think of it does any society today live in peace and safety with no need for security walls or bars or gates?
Ezekiel 38
12 to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. 13 Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’”’
During the 1000 year rule of the Messiah Jesus, we are told that many of the nations will give up their precious things and make great offering of the wealth of the nations to the Messianic kingdom. Will it be all this wealth that they will be seeking to plunder, great plunder?
I believe most people have got the timing of this Ezekiel 38 battle wrong. It is not soon at all but ot fore tells of the final satanic rebellion that will happen at the 1000 year of the reign of the Messiah Jesus.
All Praise The Ancient Of Days