While similarities exist between gogmagog and armageddon, their differences far outweigh their similarities. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophetpriest ezekiel, and is one of the books of the prophets. The battle described in ezekiel 3839 involves numerous nations, but the chief antagonist appears to be gog. Ezekiel identifies him as the prince of rosh, meshech and tubal. Ezekiels gog and magog and johns gog and magog flows in different directions. The meaning of the name gog remains uncertain, and in any case, the author of the ezekiel prophecy seems to attach no particular importance to it. This is apparent not only from the fact that gog is mentioned first in the list but also that the invading force is subsequently referred to summarily as gog e. Books that unlock the secrets of the end times sell millions of copies, and who. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are i. Many sermons, articles and videos have attempted to explain this end times battle in which a group of nations will attack the nation of israel.
Through the prophet ezekiel, god says to gog of the land of magog, you. In ezekiels prophecy, gog will be the leader of a great army that attacks the land of israel. Is gog a prophetic name for satan the greatest of all enemies of true worship. This is a miracle in itself in terms of natural history. The interpretative key to the vision is found in the old testament. Gog is the name of a leader of the land of magog, the prince of meshech and tubal, territories named after noahs grandsons gen. Its in that passage that we find a detailed invasion of israel. Just the kind of war described in the prophecies of ezekiel 38, which begins with verses like. For centuries, it was taught that this was another view of the final battle of armageddon. For many decades, that is what our publications said. Ezekiel 38 english standard version esv prophecy against gog. The exact meaning of these names will be discussed below, but ezekiel identifies gog as being of magog. In that book, certain hostile forces rose against israel. In the book of ezekiel, god predicts that in the future, a wicked king from the north named gog, from the land of magog, will come against israel and try to defeat it think ice wall plot in game of thrones.
Gog is the name of a leader of the land of magog, the prince of meshech and. They are mentioned again with gog and magog twice as those against whom the prophet is to set his face ezekiel 38. The bible speaks not only of the attack by gog of magog but also of the attack by the king of the north. In ezekiel s prophecy, gog will be the leader of a great army that attacks the land of israel. God reveals a fascinating and detailed prophecy about a future war campaign against israel in the book of ezekiel. Scripture teaches that there are two distinct battles involving the gogmagog coalition. He assembles all these traditions and also refers to several hundreds of scholarly works on these many texts. Their depiction with the hooked noses noted by paul meyer. Lindseys interpretation of a bible passage in ezekiel 38 and 39. Gogmagog ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 give details of an end times battle. Like the view that proposes ezekiels gogmagog battle is the uprising of satan at the end of the millennial kingdom, the view that places the timing at the end of the tribulation proposes that ezekiels gogmagog battle is armageddon. Scripture clearly teaches that this particular war will be a turning point for israel, with regard.
Toward the fulfillment of the gog and magog prophecy of ezekiel. Now this could mean that there are two gog magog wars, the first with rain, hail, burning sulfur, and fire, and the second with just fire. Gog is probably the political leader who organizes this alliance. Gog and magog are referred to in ezekiel 3839 and in revelation 20. Theyre the distant barbarian hordes that god drags in from the far north. Nov 29, 2017 the following post is largely adapted from chapter 40 of his book.
The prophecies in ezekiel 3839 were written approximately 2,500 years ago from today in the early 21st century. Next, compare the visions of ezekiel concerning gog and magog with other prophecies to see a more complete picture. The names are mentioned together in ezekiel chapter 38, where gog is an individual and magog is his land. This explanation was based on the fact that the book of revelation identifies satan the devil as the leader of the worldwide attack on god s people. The gog magog prophecies are actually a series of 5 messages given to the prophet ezekiel directly from god. Gog, magog and many with them who is gog and magog. That is why they study the future and ancient prophecies.
First, consider the setting and context of ezekiels visions. The battle of gog and magog is found in ezekiel 3839. Armageddon differences and contrasts by chris schang. This war is known as the gog and magog war because the people of magog and their leader gog will lead the attack against israel. If not russia, which or what nation is the gog and magog of. The order in the bible shouldnt determine the sequence of.
Ezekiel chapter 38 is a prelude to ezekiel chapter 39 by craig white this is my second commentary covering the battle of gog and magog. Ezekiel says gog s armies are destroyed by rain, hailstones, and burning sulfur ezek. Jan 02, 2020 in ezekiels prophecy, gog will be the leader of a great army that attacks the land of israel. Ezekiel 38 gnv 2 he prophesieth that gog and magog bible. Behold, i am against you, o gog, chief prince of meshech and tubal. We cannot identify these areas precisely, but ezekiel likely has in view the peoples to the far north of the land of israel in modernday turkey and beyond. Who is gog of magog mentioned in the book of ezekiel. Now this could mean that there are two gogmagog wars, the first with rain, hail, burning sulfur, and fire, and the second with just fire. Bible prophecy about the gog and magog war described in ezekiel 38 and 39. The position of these chapters show us the timing of these events the gog and magog war will occur somewhere between israel becoming a nation again and the return of jesus. For a number of years, our publications have explained that gog of magog is the name given to satan the devil after his ouster from heaven. Reihe english and hebrew edition william a tooman on. In most aof these texts gog and magog are persons or nations opposing gods people in the endtimetribulations. The following post is largely adapted from chapter 40 of his book.
My purpose in this brief essay is to propound an explanation for this passage that i have not encountered in any of my commentaries, but that makes more sense to me than any other. To understand the topic of gog and magog, it is best to approach the matter systematically. Russia wasnt in ezekiels vision the conspiracy rose from mr. Reuse of scripture and compositional technique in ezekiel 3839 forschungen zum alten testament 2. According to the prophecy contained in the 38th and 39th chapters of the book of ezekiel, on a distant day when the jewish people are living secure in israel. Oct 15, 2017 scripture teaches that there are two distinct battles involving the gog magog coalition. Ezekiel was instructed to denounce these enemies and prophesy their overthrow by the lord himself. With ezekiel, written roughly 2,500 to 3,000 years ago and the book of revelation written 2,000 years ago, there are two ancient prophecies talking about the modern future.
Gog and magog occur widely in mythology and folklore. Sverre boe focuses on johns use of various gog and magog traditions in revelation 19,1720,10. In my first commentary i identify the people and places involved in the battle of gog and magog. The ultimate message of the revelation of christ is the glorious prophecy of his ultimate triumph for the cause of the almighty. Gog is described as of the land of magog, the prince of rosh, meshech, and tubal ezekiel 38. The final temple vision, in which ezekiel sees a new commonwealth centered around a new temple in jerusalem, sometimes called the third temple, to which gods shekinah divine presence has returned 15. Jan 16, 2018 the battle of gog and magog is found in ezekiel 3839. Ezekiel 3839 foretells a massive future invasion of israel by the armed forces of six nations. Ezekiel 3839 gogmagog are followed by chapters 4048, which talk about the millennium. The 3rd book of the sibylline oracles, for example, which originated in egyptian judaism in the middle of the 2nd century. Mar 20, 2019 they are mentioned again with gog and magog twice as those against whom the prophet is to set his face ezekiel 38.
So there are two battles referred to as gog and magog, the first right before the second coming and the other at the end of the millennium. The gog and magog war, hal lindsey, and the russian. Gog is the leader or head of an alliance of nations. Gog and magog, in the hebrew bible, the prophesied invader of israel and the land. Ezekiel 3839 is what is known in biblical hermeneutics interpretation as a double fulfillment. For more information please first read my commentary titled. Who are gog and magog, and whats so evil about the north. In ezekiel 38, gog is an individual and magog is his land.
Timing gogmagog tribulation lamb and lion ministries. A topic of great importance in the bible prophecy community is whether the conflict mentioned in ezekiel 3839 is the same one as mentioned of armageddon in the book of revelation. This and the following chapter form a section dealing with gog, of the land of magog. To answer that question, we need to search the scriptures to find out who attacks gods people. The two wars of gog magog ezekiel 38 and 39 explained. Ezekiel says gogs armies are destroyed by rain, hailstones, and burning sulfur ezek. However, a further consideration of ezekiels prophecy led to an adjustment in our.
Ezekiels battle of gog and magog occurs in the tribulation period, more specifically in the first 3. Magog made easier battle of gog and magog ezekiel 39. Ezekiel presents in his book a unique prophecy concerning gog from the land of magog. But squeezed in between these two book ends are ezekiel 38 and 39. One of the most challenging prophecies in the bible is the war of gog and magog as detailed in ezekiel 38 and 39. Son of man speaking to ezekiel, set thy face against gog, the land of magog, the chief prince of meshech and tubal, and prophesy against him ezekiel 38.
The prophetic description in ezekiel 3839 of the invasion of gog, of the land of magog ezekiel 38. From ezekiels description, we may conclude that gog is an enemy of pure worshippers. The order in the bible shouldnt determine the sequence of events of prophecy. While these two instances carry the same names, a close study of scripture clearly demonstrates they do not refer to the same people and events. Andy woods discusses the battle of gog and magog in ezekiel 3839 and answers who, when, why, what and how. Commentator henry wallace makes a strong case against the russian conspiracy. He assembles all these traditions and also refers to. Mar 10, 2019 just the kind of war described in the prophecies of ezekiel 38, which begins with verses like. Gog and magog what is the meaning of revelation 20.
The first battle is the maneuverings of the nations during ezekiel. In the times in which we live, the modern american prophecy industry has turned ezekiel 3839 gogmagog into a completely separate event. Ezekiel 3839 nkjv gog and allies attack israel now the bible. They detail an attempted surprise attack on the nation of i. A coalition of nations against gods people came to be used as a synonym for that which is brutal and degraded, a fallen state or position of debasement, analogous to the position assigned to satan and his angels following the war in heaven and. The book of jubilees, from about the same time, makes three references to either gog or magog.
As mentioned at the beginning of this study, chapter 40 starts a completely new vision that was given years after that of chapters 3339. The background behind the names gog and magog is found in the book of ezekiel. Ezekiel 38 esv prophecy against gog the word of the. Gog and magog prophecy in the book of revelation ancient pages. With ezekiel, written roughly 2,500 to 3,000 years ago and the book of revelation written 2,000 years ago, there are two ancient prophecies talking about the. Gog and magog prophecy in the book of revelation ancient. Oct 11, 2018 that is why they study the future and ancient prophecies.
They are variously presented as men, supernatural beings giants or demons, national groups, or lands. In the book of ezekiel, gog is the name of an individual and magog the name of his land. We are going to discuss gog the individual as he is mentioned in ezekial, but it is worthy to note the. For example, ezekiel gog and magog is rather physical to spiritual opposition while johns gog and magog is spiritual to physical opposition to the new temple being jesus himself. Ezekiels battle of gog and magog occurs in the tribulation period, more specifically in the first 3 12 years. Therefore, gog does not refer to satan in either ezekiels prophecy or the book of revelation. I offer it here in the hope that others can enter into conversat. Ezekiel 38 is the thirtyeighth chapter of the book of ezekiel in the hebrew bible or the old testament of the christian bible. Gog of magog the friends of israel gospel ministry. The destruction of gog and magog, in which ezekiel sees israels enemies destroyed and a new age of peace established. Gog and allies attack israel now the word of the lord came to me, saying, son of man, set your face against gog, of the land of magog, the prince.
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