THE GOG-MAGOG WAR

 EZEKIEL 37 -39 IN CONTEXT TO REVELATION 20.7-10 AND 21:1-11

Most, if not all Bible prophecy teachers see the Gog-Magog war as a pre-millennial event. A close reading of the scriptures, allowing the Bible to interpret itself, sheds new light on this event.

Revelation 20:7-9…And when the thousand years 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.

Obviously after reading these verses it is clear that the Gog-Magog war is after the thousand year millennium. Once I saw that, I began to pray and ask the Lord for further understanding and confirmation on this. I desire to allow the Bible to interpret itself…it is clear what this says but many teachers refuse to acknowledge this.

This is often a pattern. If the verses don’t fit we just ignore it and find verses that fit into what we want to believe. If we really believe the Bible is the word of God it should all fit. Sometimes we don’t understand or know how to answer so we make up something. Isn’t better to wait on God and allow the word to interpret itself?

The only other reference to Gog-Magog war is in Ezekiel 37 through 39. The answer must be in there somewhere I thought, so I read it over and over and continued to wait on the Lord for many moons. During this time I continued to study other issues and increase in understanding. My goal was to understand the Book of Revelation.

In order to understand the Bible in a deeper way we must allow it to interpret itself and we must understand that both the Old and New Testament carry the same weight. It is important to understand the Torah—the first five books of Moses—in order to understand the difficult passages.

God’s Law is eternal and everlasting. Yeshua never broke the written law. He was constantly under pressure by the leadership of His day on questions of the Torah. Yeshua always had correct interpretation. He always quoted the word and allowed it to interpret itself. He confounded the leaders and gave true interpretation of the Torah. Torah is key—God always has and always will obey His own laws.

One quick example: He gave a life for a life…His life for ours (Deut 19.21). The law cost Him his own life!

Getting back on our subject, one area I studied was the shedding of blood. This study spoke of the atoning power of blood, blood libel, and how blood defiles the earth. Ref: The Shedding of Innocent Blood handout. This study would later give me some clues to this war. At first I just read Ezekiel 38 and 39 for clues. Then I read the last paragraph of Ezekiel 37:

Ezekiel 37:20-28…And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince forever. 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.

 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

God is talking about the children of Israel living peacefully in the land as one people—no longer divided. He is setting His sanctuary in the midst of them forever. This sounded like the MK (Millennial Kingdom) to me.

Going back and reading the rest of Ezekiel 37 began to put it all into perspective. Ezekiel 37.1-14 speaks about the dry bones coming together. In Jewish teaching these verses are symbolic of the restoration of the Jewish people. When the Shabbat falls during the week of Passover the Jews read these verses (Ezekiel 36.37-37.14) envisioning them as a second liberating Passover experience (From Jewish Study Bible—JSB).

I’ve always looked at these dry bones as a metaphor of the Holocaust. The word for a burnt offering in Hebrew is “holocaust”. During World War II the Jews were offered up to Satan as a burnt offering! These bones come together and God breaths on them and they become alive.

I always picture in my mind the photos of piles of bones found in the concentration camps. It looked like the end of the Jews. They were now displaced persons with nowhere to go. But, alas, the land of Israel was there due to the Zionist movement. There was a place to go—and go they did by the millions. This part of the prophecy has been accomplished in our time.

Ezekiel 37.15-28 describes the vision of the two sticks coming together. This represents the Jews (Judah) and the ten lost tribes (Joes, Gentiles) coming together. Ref: Lost Tribes of Israel teaching. This is also taking place in our day. This is the reason so many Gentiles are being drawn to understand the Hebrew roots and meanings of the scriptures. God is regathering the lost tribes which were scattered among the Gentiles. They lost their identities but are now rediscovering who they really are.

All of these things must come into total fulfillment before we can enter into the MK. Ezekiel 37.24-28 seem to be describing the MK. It is a time of peace and the presence of God. This is not what we see now.

As I went from Ezekiel 37 into 38 I saw God’s word to Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38.1-7). Now verse eight in Ezekiel 38 jumped out at me: 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.

The phrase, in the latter years jumped off the page. I realized that every other prophecy about the end of the age says, “In the latter days!” This is the only place where it says, “in the latter years!” To be absolutely sure I looked up “latter years” in my Strong’s Hebrew/Greek Concordance. Sure enough, this was the only reference to “latter years.” All other prophetic references to the end of the age say either, “latter days” or “in that day.” My Jewish study Bible uses the term, “in the distant future” here. This is definitely speaking of a different time—a far distant time.

Then look at Ezekiel 38.11: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of un-walled 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….

This verse describes a future land of Israel without walls and people dwelling in safety! This is not the reality in Israel today. I’ve been to Israel and seen the walls that were constructed to keep suicide bombers out. There is constant fear in Israel of war breaking out at any time. Armed Soldiers patrol the streets and guard the Holy Places day and night.

I have a Jewish Study Bible (JSB) that is published by the Jewish Publication Society. I thought I should look at their commentary and see if anything interesting was there. I found some really interesting things:

It says that these verses express an apocalyptic scenario of God’s victory over the nations that threaten Israel. Notice in Revelation 20.9 that Gog-Magog surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. God burns them up (the nations with God-Magog) devouring them. The devil that deceived the nations is then cast into the Lake of Fire and tormented forever.

It seems the wicked are burned up like stubble and devoured and the devils are tormented forever! Ref: Resurrection, heaven, and hell handout.

Getting back to the Jewish Study Bible: Gomer, Magog, Meshech, and Tubal were sons of Japheth (Gen 10.2), who is associated with Europe and Asia beyond the Middle East. This combination of nations symbolizes evil.

It then says that these scriptures (Ezekiel 38.18-39.16) are read during the intermediate days of Sukkot (Tabernacles) and the relevant day’s passage from Numbers 29.

The passage in Numbers 29 describes the sacrifices of 70 bulls for the nations which take place during Sukkot. In addition the Jews see Exodus 33.12--34.26, the restoration of the tablets of commandments after the golden calf incident, relating to this same passage about Ezekiel’s restoration.

This is a lot of information to process, but confirmed God’s point about understanding the Torah and whole Old Testament.

Revelation 20 shows Gog-Magog attacking after the MK. Prior to this many things have been restored. The sticks have come together, the believers in Yeshua reign, rule, and teach in the MK, the land is at peace, but the nations are still going to rebel after the MK. There will not be total restoration until after Gog-Magog is devoured and Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire!

The Feast of Sukkot symbolizes the thousand year reign of Yeshua. It is a thousand year Shabbat. At the end of Sukkot, on the eighth day, that day is called the “Last Great Day.” Eight signifies the Bride and Groom spending an extra intimate day together. It also signifies “a new beginning” as it is the first day of the new week. This symbolizes the new heavens, earth, and Jerusalem. It begins the eighth (1000 year) day after the 1000 year MK.

I was seeing how all this connects—and fits in prophetically. But I’d never see it if I wasn’t into Hebrew roots! I’d miss it because the only thing I’d be reading is the New Testament. Which, by the way, is commentary on the Old!

These verses in Ezekiel 38.8-13 are describing the Millennial Kingdom (MK). Revelation 20.7-9 specifically say, “After the thousand years”. Even the Jewish people are seeing some of these things in a shadowy way---but we can see it clearly because Yeshua clears up all the doubts and questions. The New Testament and Book of Revelation are only understood fully by understanding Hebrew roots and the new birth (and the insights) believing in Yeshua brings.

Moving forward to Ezekiel 39 it became clearer. The Lord says he is going to burn them up and all the heathen will know He is God (Ezekiel 39.5-7). Ezekiel 39.11-16 speaks of cleansing the land from the blood that has been shed during this great battle. The earth must be cleansed from blood. The blood must be covered with earth and the land cleansed. Why?

I believe the answer is in Revelation 21.1-10. The present earth must be cleansed from blood so that the new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem can be established. This would fulfill the Torah command to cleanse the land from blood. The Torah is always fulfilled—the law must be kept.

The seven years of fire burning from the destruction of the weapons was also interesting when I looked at the JSB. Here is what they say:

“The victory fires that burn for seven years represent the vast amount of weaponry that could not defeat Israel. It also recalls the sabbatical seven year agricultural and economic cycle. The burial of Gog marks the final stage of the cleansing of the land prior to its restoration.

“The valley of Travelers (or Multitude of Gog) is a word play on (Heb;”gei’hamon gog”) which means “the valley of Hinnom” (the area of “gehenna” or the dump where the garbage was thrown) known for idolatry, the burning of children, and dead bodies. Ref: Resurrection, heaven, hell handout.

The seven months of burial purify the land so that God’s glory or presence may appear.”

This is all described in Revelation 20 through 22…yes, it is a lot of information—a lot to process. Back in 2010 the Lord told me I needed to understand His calendar. That has been a quest of mine since then. I’m beginning to understand why.

The Jewish people read the entire Torah through each year. Along with that they also read the haftarah and other O.T. passages along with those. The cycle is completed each year and started again on the 8^th day of Sukkot—a new beginning!

When reading the JSB commentary it shadows what we are taught in Revelation about what happens after the MK. The advent of the new heavens, earth, and Jerusalem will complete the restoration of all things beginning on “The Last Great Day” of the Feast of Sukkot. Ref: Isaiah 65.17-25

The seven months of burial prepare the earth for God’s presence to appear. Ref: Revelation 21.3…God’s tabernacle is with men…and Revelation 21.22-27…the city has no need for the sun…for the glory of God did lighten it.

It is truly amazing how this all fits together in God’s word, if we allow the Bible to interpret itself, and by studying the Jewish scripture readings based on their calendar cycle.

Once the new heaven, earth, and Jerusalem are established the Universe will hear the gospel message. Jerusalem will be the capital of the Universe and the Word of GOD—the Torah and gospel of Yeshua will be heard throughout the entire Universe! Wow! Ref: Isaiah 2.3 and Micah 4.2.

I began to consider that the final war of this current age is Armageddon as described in Revelation 16 and 19. Prior to this time there will be other wars. Some scriptures to consider are: Isaiah 17, where Damascus is destroyed, the Psalm 83 war, where a confederation of Arab states comes against Israel, and Jeremiah 50 and 51 where Babylon is destroyed (an Arab coalition or Mystery Babylon?). These are future wars that are yet to occur. They will set up Armageddon.

Another interesting fact in Revelation 16.12 is that the Euphrates dries up in “preparation for the kings of the east.” The Gog-Magog coalition comes from the north (Ezek 38.6; 39.2) and Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya (Ezek 38.5) which are south west, and east of Israel.

The Gog-Magog war is a much later event as described in Revelation 20.7-9. It prepares the way for the new heavens, earth, and Jersusalem.

This ends the first week of mankind’s existence (7000 years) and is the beginning of the second week—the eighth day!