This is not a finished analysis, but I wanted to get it out there to solicit some comments. The completed analysis will be available as a PDF document when it is done. If you have comments to send to us, please contact us through our contact form. I will respond to all serious e-mails and will post the best of them whether they are supportive of my position or not.
Outline
Who is involved in the Ezekiel War?
Why do people thing Gog is Russia?
So – Who are the progenitors of modern day Russia?
Where are The Uttermost Parts of the North?
Who are the people of Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Togarmah, and Gomer?
When will the Ezekiel war take place?.
Opinion 1 – The end of the Millennium
Opinion 2 – The end of the Tribulation – It is Armageddon
Opinion 3 – During the Tribulation
Opinion 4 – Before the Tribulation
What is the Ezekiel War?
Chapters 38 and 39 of the book of Ezekiel describe a war of Israel’s enemies against Israel. Many know this as the Gog and Magog war. Actually, like most wars against God and his chosen people, it is not an entire war, but a single battle. And, actually, it is simply an attempted attack against Israel in which Israel does nothing, but their enemies are soundly defeated by God.
Here’s what Ezekiel says in Ezekiel 38 (all translations used here, unless otherwise noted, are from the English Standard Version of the Bible):
The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords. Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes–many peoples are with you. “Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them. You will advance, coming on like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your hordes, and many peoples with you. “Thus says the Lord GOD: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme and say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates,’ to seize spoil and carry off plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places that are now inhabited, and the people who were gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell at the center of the earth. Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its leaders will say to you, ‘Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hosts to carry off plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to seize great spoil?’ “Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and say to Gog, Thus says the Lord GOD: On that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it? You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army. You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. “Thus says the Lord GOD: Are you he of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who in those days prophesied for years that I would bring you against them? But on that day, the day that Gog shall come against the land of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, my wrath will be roused in my anger. For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground. I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Lord GOD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur. So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.
(Ezekiel 38:1-23)
First things first
Who is involved in the Ezekiel war?
The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him (Ezekiel 38:1-2)
Who is Gog and who are Magog, Meshech, and Tubal? There has been a lot of speculation and there are a lot of prophecy and Hebrew scholars who are sure they know who is being talked about here. There are some who say that Gog is a reference to the Antichrist, but there is not even the tiniest of biblical or nonbiblical evidence to support this. This is not to say that Gog is not a reference to Satan, just that there is no scriptural support for this position. Gog is a noun in Hebrew and occurs 12 times in the Old Testament. All but one of those are in Ezekiel 38 and 39. The only other occurrence is in 1 Chronicles 5:4 in reference to a son of Joel. Other than proving that it can be a name, this passage lends nothing to our current study. The name means “high, supreme, a height, or a high mountain.”
L. Sale-Harrisonsays in his booklet, The Coming Great Northern Confederacy: ‘It is interesting to note that the very word ‘Caucasus’ means ‘Gog’s Fort.’ ‘Gog’ and ‘Chasan’ (Fort) are two Oriental words from which it is derived.[i] Arnold Fruchtenbaum informs us: “Who Gog will be can only be determined at the time of the invasion, for ‘Gog’ is not a proper name but a title for the ruler of Magog, just as the terms ‘pharaoh,’ ‘kaiser,’ and ‘czar’ were titles for rulers and not proper names.”[ii]
Regarding the remaining experts, there are differences from one expert to the next. The differences of opinion start with, but certainly don’t end with, the translation of a single word in the Hebrew text. That word is rō’š (rosh). In the verse above, it is translated as “chief.” Everyone agrees that the word is a noun. The disagreement is around whether it is a proper noun (a person’s name, “Rosh”) or a common noun (a title, meaning “chief”). If it is a person’s name, then this passage is translated as “… prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal …” If, on the other hand, it is interpreted as a common noun (a title) then this passage is translated as “… chief prince of Meshech and Tubal …” As an example of how firmly held these two interpretations are, we need look no further than how the word is translated in some of the leading translations of the Bible. The King James Version, the New International Version, and the English Standard Version translate it as “chief.” However, the New American Standard Bible, the Revised Version, Young’s Literal Translation, and others, translate it as a proper name, Rosh. In addition, the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Torah from the 3rd century BC) translated it as a proper name (Rosh).
Let’s look at these two positions.
Is Rosh a proper name?
Two of the oldest versions of the Old Testament text are the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint Translation. The Masoretic Text (Hebrew) was copied, edited, and distributed by a group of Jews known as the Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries AD. The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures from several hundred years BC. Both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint interpret Rosh as a proper name. According to those who hold this position, Rosh is the old root word for the land of Russia. They also claim that Meshech is the translation of Moschi, from which (according to them) is derived the name “Moscow” and that the Russian city of Tobolsk is the same as Tubal.
Magog, Meshech, and Tubal were all sons of Japheth (one of the three sons of Noah) and according to adherents to this position, they migrated to the area of modern-day Russia and later came to be known as Sythians.
In support of this position, Ezekiel 38:15 is often quoted:
You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army.
Adherents to this position say that the expression “the uttermost parts of the north” means the country to the extreme north of Israel, which (if you look at a current world map) would be modern-day Russia. Thus, those who hold that Rosh is a proper name believe that Gog is a future (or possibly present) Russian leader.
As a student of prophecy, former president Ronald Regan, before he became president, said this in a meeting with California legislators:
Ezekiel tells us that Gog, the nation that will lead all of the other powers of darkness against Israel, will come out of the north. Biblical scholars have been saying for generations that Gog must be Russia. What other powerful nation is to the north of Israel? None. But it didn’t seem to make sense before the Russian revolution, when Russia was a Christian country. Now it does, now that Russia has become communistic and atheistic, now that Russia has set itself against God. Now it fits the description of Gog perfectly.
Or, is Rosh a title?
As noted above, if Rosh is interpreted as a title rather than a proper name, Ezekiel 38:2 is translated as “…chief prince of Meshech and Tubal …” Recent archeological work has discovered extensive writings of the Assyrians. As a result of studying these records, archeologists and historians now know the exact identities of the nations in Ezekiel 38 and 39 based on the interactions these nations had with the Assyrian Royal Court. These archeological records identify Meshech’s capital as being near the ancient city of Gordion (south of Ankara, Turkey). They also give the locations of Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Togarmah, and Gomer as part of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey).
In the 7th century BC, according to Herodotus and others, the land of Magog was known as Lydia (or Ludu). In the Assyrian records, the leader of Magog was called Gog (this was about 100 years before Ezekiel declared his prophecy.
Why do people think Gog is Russia?
For more than a century now, the preponderance of evangelical theologians and “End Times” scholars have been teaching us that Gog of the land of Magog is none other than the leader of modern day Russia. This has been based on more than just the assumption that rosh is a proper name instead of a title. They believed (and many still believe today) that the nation of Magog in western Asia Minor was the ancient tribal name of the Sythians and that the modern Russians descended from the Sythians. As a result, many in secular academia today look at these “End Times” authors with derision because of their faulty research and blatant disregard for the facts.
So, how do these Christian theologians and other End Times writers arrive at their conclusion? Most of them refer to a single questionable sentence written by the 1st century Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, in his work entitled The Antiquities of the Jews. The particular sentence in question says that the Greeks called the Magogites the Scythians. However, this statement is not corroborated by other ancient historians of the time who wrote more detailed historical records than Josephus. It is also in conflict with ancient Assyrian texts that provide firsthand information about both the people of Magog and the Scythians. Further, many statements in The Antiquities are suspect because it is known that Josephus wrote this work with a slant toward the greatness of the Jews and the Jewish religion as a rebuttal to Roman writings that touted the greatness of the Romans. At the same time, Josephus’ writing intentionally stripped Judaism of its fanaticism to make it more appealing to the cultivated and reasonable man. He did so by virtually ignoring the Prophets, embellishing biblical narratives, and by stressing the rationality of Judaic laws and institutions. Since Josephus is known to “alter” certain facts to make his case, it is difficult for a serious student of his work to take any of it as an unquestionable representation of the truth.
Josephus even contradicts his own writings in some cases. Shortly after he claims that the Greeks called the Magogites Scythians, he says that the Greeks identified Ashchenaz (Scythians) with Rhegium (a port city in southern Italy). Both Scythian and Ashchenaz are transliterations (the spelling of a word with the alphabet of another language) of the Greek name Skythes. The Assyrian word for the Scythians (Ishkuza or Ashguza) is similar to the Hebrew word for the Scythians (Ashkenaz). Also note that the table of nations found in Genesis 10:2, 3 lists Magog and the Ashkenaz as separate peoples. This casts great doubt on the notion that Magog is a name for Russia.
Josephus cites the ancient Greek historian Herodotus’ book, “The History” a number of times, but is in direct conflict with the ancient historian in his statement about Magog and the Scythians. Herodotus, from the 5th century BC, is considered the Father of History. He was born in, lived in, and traveled throughout all of ancient Asia Minor and thus had a thorough knowledge of the land and its people. In his “History,” written about 100 years after Ezekiel’s writing, he gives a detailed account of all the ancient nations of Asia Minor. Specifically, he wrote detailed information about the three different Scythian tribes and the ten different tribes that neighbored them, He also wrote in detail about the Lydian Royal Dynasty. From his writing, it is clear that Magog (Lydia) and the Scythians were not related. He says that Magog, as led by the historical figure Gog (Gyges to the Greek, Gugu to the Assyrians) and the Scythians, were in fact enemies! In Gyges of Lydia we have the leader the Assyrians called “Gugu, King of Ludu,” and “Gugu of Magugu.” Could this be the Bible’s Gog of Magog?
Furthermore, Josephus’ reputation among theologians and historians (both Christian and secular) is that he shares the faults of many ancient writers: his analyses are superficial, his chronology is often faulty, and his facts are exaggerated at times. Therefore it is, at best, tenuous to rely on a single non-verified statement from Josephus to categorically state that Magog refers to Russia.
In a further effort to prove that Gog of the land of Magog refers to Russia, many current “End Times” writers refer to a book written in the 19th century by Pastor John Cummings. In his book, “The Destiny of Nations,” Cummings misquotes a statement made by the first century Roman historian, Pliny the Elder, in his multi-volume book entitled “Natural History.” Pliny said, “Bambyx, the other name of which is Hierapolis, but by the Syrians is called Magog …” Thus, we see that Pliny referred to the Lydian city of Hierapolis as part of Magog. However, Cummings, in his book misquotes Pliny and claims that Pliny said, “Hierapolis, taken by the Scythians was afterwards called Magog.” This misquotation makes it appear that Pliny believed Magog was related to the Scythians rather than the Lydians. This same quote has been carried forward by other authors, including Hal Lindsay in his book, “The Late Great Planet Earth.”
So – Who are the progenitors of modern day Russia?
For decades, and still today, most Bible prophecy scholars have erroneously assumed that the ancient nation of Magog in western Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) is related to the ancient Scythians, a group of Iranian speaking nomadic tribes from central Asia north of Iran, that ranged across the steppes to the Ukraine and Russia. As we have explained above, they also assume that the ancient Scythians were the progenitors of the modern Russians. In addition, they assume that Meshech and Tubal (two nations of Asia Minor) associated with Magog in Ezekiel 38-39 are related to the Russian cities of Moscow and Tobolsk.
Although evidence that contradicts this conclusion has become common knowledge within academia, this misconception is still prevalent in “End Times” Bible prophecy books. Actually, among academics today, no professional archeologist or historian associates Magog with the Scythians, nor the Scythians with the origins of the Russians. In the May 2000 issue of National Geographic, it is explained that a group of Scandinavian Viking traders called the Rus began the Russian state during the mid-800’s AD. According to the article:OrWhy
“The Slavs and Finns there (near today’s St. Petersburg) called them Rus, after the Finnic term for Swedes, Ruotsi … These Rus eventually founded the first Russian state, centered on Kiev, in today’s Ukraine – and gave their name to Russia, a cultural inconvenience the Soviet historians were compelled to dispute for decades.”
The name “Rus” or “Rhus” appears in the writings of Bishop Troyes in 839 AD. According to the 12th century document known as the Primary Chronicle, the land around Kiev was named “Rus” and the inhabitants called “Russes” in 852 AD. The National Geographic article goes on to tell how Novgorod (east of St. Petersburg), an early Russian capital, was founded by the Rus, and how in the city of Kiev, the Rus Prince Vladimir converted to Christianity in 988.
It is also interesting to note that the renowned Arab chronicler Ibn Fadlan wrote how in 921 AD during the course of his journey to meet with the King of the Upper Volga Bulgar he “met a people called the Rus, a group of Swedish origin acting as traders in the Bulgar capital.” In his account Ibn wrote, “I have seen the Rus as they came on their merchant journeys and encamped by the Volga. I have never seen more perfect physical specimens, tall as date palms, blonde and ruddy … they are big men with white bodies.”
Today no contemporary history book or textbook accepts the unfounded popular prophecy book claims about Russian origins, instead they clearly show that Russian origins are Scandinavian. Simply put, the Scythians, who were never historically identified as the people representing Magog, had ceased to be a cultural group at least 500 years before the Russians became a recognized culture. Russians trace their origins back to Scandinavia. There is neither a genetic nor a cultural connection between the Scythians and the Russians.
Where are The Uttermost Parts of the North?
Part of the justification for saying that Rosh is a proper noun (a name) and that it is a reference to Russia, stems from the fact that Gog is said to come from “the uttermost parts of the north.” This is the translation given in the ESV. The NIV translation says, “from the far north.” The NASB translated this as “the remotest parts of the north,” the KJV says, “from the north parts,” and the NKJV says, “from the far north.” Each of these translations seem to say that Gog is located in the extreme north of Israel, which would be Russia, without question.
Translation, however, is not an exact science. So, we must use Scripture to interpret Scripture. Specifically, we want to find the same expression elsewhere in Scripture to help us determine what the writer was referring to. The closer in time the two writings are, the more accurate the comparison is likely to be. In this regard, we hit the jackpot because we have the same expression by the same writer (Ezekiel) in the same prophecy. In Ezekiel 38:6 we see:
“… Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north …”
The words, “… the uttermost parts of the north …” in this verse are translated from the same Hebrew words as “… the uttermost parts of the north …” in Ezekiel 39:2. The Hebrew is, yerayka tsawphone. Therefore, it is most reasonable to assume that Ezekiel was referring to the same geographical location for both Gog and Beth-Togarma. The prefix “Beth” means “house of” or “the people of.” So all we have to do is locate where the people of Togarma were and we will see that Gog is from the same locale. Fortunately, there is almost universal agreement among historians, archaeologists, and theologians that Togarma was located in Anatolia, which is modern day Turkey.
Therefore — Gog will not be a leader in Russia. It is more likely that he will be a leader in Turkey.
But, what about?
There is one more thing that we need to consider before we leave the subject of “where is Gog?” Who is the perpetual enemy of Israel? Of course, it is Satan. In the 14th chapter of Isaiah, we have a description of the fall of Satan, which Jesus referenced when he said,
I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. (Luke 10:18)
How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. (Isaiah 14:12-14)
The expression “far reaches of the north” is from the same two words we saw above, “veraykaw tsawphone.” Therefore, it is quite possible that Ezekiel was using the title, “Gog” as a metonym for Satan as the “chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.”y
Conclusion: Who is Gog?
Based on what we have covered above it is clear that Gog is NOT a reference to a leader in Russia. In fact, the evidence presented here makes it difficult to describe Gog as anyone except the leader of Turkey. This is especially poignant given the fact that Turkey has long held a desire to restore the Ottoman Empire and to restore the Caliphate with the intent of destroying Israel for good, two objectives that are shared with a growing number of Muslims throughout the Middle East and northern Africa.
Who are the people of Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Togarmah, and Gomer?
Today, archeologists and historians know the exact identities of Magog, Meshech, and Tubal based on the dealings these ancient nations had with the Assyrian Royal Court. These Assyrian records give the locations of Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Togarmah, and Gomer. They were nations of ancient Asia Minor (Anatolia in modern-day Turkey). These nations spread in a geographic arc from west to east in the land north of Israel. These nations all coexisted in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) at a time when Magog (also known as Ludu or Lydia in both the Bible and the Assyrian texts) was led by a militant leader called Gog (685-652 BC), about 100 years before the Book of Ezekiel was written. The Assyrians made great use of eponyms (words or names of places derived from the name of a person) and even published eponym lists. In the Assyrian language “the land of Gugu” is rendered as Ma-gugu, just as “the land of Zamua” is rendered as Ma-zamua. The Hebrew spelling of Magugu translates directly to “Magog,” and thus, “Magog” simply means “the land of Gog.”
Who else is with Gog?
Several other nations are mentioned in Ezekiel 38.
Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you. (Ezekiel 38:5-6)
We have established that Magog actually refers to Lydia, (in modern day Turkey) and that Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Togarma, and Gomer were also in the area of Anatolia (modern day Turkey). In Ezekiel 38:5 we are introduced to three other nations that will join with Gog and his armies. They are Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya. The country that currently occupies the area formerly occupied by Persia is Iran. In fact, prior to 1935 the country was called Persia. Since the fall of the Shah it has been called the Islamic Republic of Iran. The country here referred to as Ethiopia is more likely the modern country of Sudan. The nation of Libya (which is “Put” or “Phut” in some Bible translations) is most likely modern day Libya, possibly including Algeria and Tunisia. Finally, as we mentioned earlier, Togarma is an area in modern day Turkey.
These countries have never aligned themselves together in the past, partly because of their geographic diversity. However, today they all have two things in common. The first is that each of them is completely or, at least, predominantly Muslim. The second, which may be a result of them being Muslim, is that they all hate Israel.
(More to come)
When will the Ezekiel war take place?
The next thing we need to understand is: when will this war take place? Since there are no historical events that match this prophecy, it must still be in the future. There are a number of prevailing opinions among Biblical prophecy “experts.” These are each addressed in reverse chronological order.
Opinion 1 – The Ezekiel war is at the end of the Millennium
This theory is based on the fact that both Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 20:8 talk about a war fought with the intent of eliminating Israel and both mention Gog and Magog as the aggressors. This is like saying that Portland, Oregon and Portland, Main are one and the same because they are both cities and both are called Portland. There are several problems with this view:
- The first problem is that in the Ezekiel war it is God who draws Gog and his hoards to Israel
And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen … (Ezekiel 38:4).
But, the final battle at the end of the Millennium it is Satan who draws them to fight against Israel.
And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. (Revelation 20:7-8)
2. The 2nd problem with this theory is that the Ezekiel War causes the Jews to awaken spiritually.
So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel. (Ezekiel 39:7)
Yet, throughout the 1000 years of the Millennium the Jews are in fact already wide-awake spiritually.
And they shall teach no more …”Know the LORD”: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them …as the waters cover the sea. (Jeremiah 31:34; Isaiah 11:9)
3. The 3rd problem with this theory is the fact that the geography of the earth will be different during the Millennium. Say what?! Bear with me and I will explain. During the Tribulation there will be a total of 21 judgments against those who are dwelling on the earth (the permanent earth dwellers). These judgments include the 7 seal judgments, the 7 trumpet judgments, and the 7 bowl (or vial) judgments. Actually, there are 28 judgments if you include the 7 thunders mentioned in Revelation 10:3, 4.
And – there are at least 5 earthquakes mentioned in Revelation: with the 6th seal judgment (Revelation 6:12), just before the 1st trumpet judgment (Revelation 8:5), at the resurrection of the two witnesses, just before the 7th trumpet judgment (Revelation 11:13), after the 7th trumpet judgment (Revelation 11:19),and with the 7th bowl judgment (Revelation 16:18).
The last of the bowl judgments is described in Revelation chapter 16:
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe. (Revelation 16:17-21)
After this earthquake (at the final days of the Tribulation) there will be no more islands in the sea and no more mountains (except Mt. Zion, as we will see in a little bit). This will occur just before Christ returns to destroy the armies of the Antichrist at the battle of Armageddon. He will then set up His millennial kingdom on the earth in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy:
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)
Also, Micah chapter four is a description of how it will be during the Millennium and he starts off this chapter with:
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Micah 4:1-2)
Thus we see that during the Millennium the earth will be relatively flat (as it was before the flood, but that’s a whole other study). Mount Zion will be the tallest of the mountains.
So, why is this important in determining whether the Ezekiel war is the same as the final war of Revelation 20? Here’s what it says in Revelation 20:9
And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, (Revelation 20:9)
But Ezekiel says:
After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them. (Ezekiel 38:8)
And in Ezekiel 38:20 he says: “… And the mountains shall be thrown down …” Also, in the first part of chapter 39 God says to Ezekiel:
And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. And I will turn you about and drive you forward, and bring you up from the uttermost parts of the north, and lead you against the mountains of Israel. Then I will strike your bow from your left hand, and will make your arrows drop out of your right hand. You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your hordes and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. (Ezekiel 39:1-4)
In the Ezekiel war, Gog and his confederates will be in the mountains of Israel, but during the Millennium there will be no mountains except Zion itself. Therefore, these are two different wars that involve Gog and Magog trying to destroy Israel.
4. The 4th issue with identifying the Ezekiel war as the same as the Gog and Magog battle in Revelation chapter 20 is what we are told in Ezekiel 39. Notice that after the battle in Ezekiel 39, the people dwelling in Israel will go around burying the dead from the war for seven months and they will burn the weapons of war for seven years. However, immediately after the Gog and Magog battle in Revelation chapter 20 is the Great White Throne Judgment, before which the heavens and earth are destroyed.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
(Revelation 20:11)
Conclusion: The Ezekiel war, although its description includes a reference to Gog and Magog, is not the same as the end-of-the-Millennium battle of Gog and Magog described in Revelation 20.
Opinion 2 – The Ezekiel war is at the end of the Tribulation – It is Armageddon
Some believe that the Ezekiel war is the same as Armageddon. Their theory is based on the fact that there are similar descriptions and events contained in the descriptions of these two conflicts:
Similarities:
New York and San Francisco are both large cities situated between the ocean and large bodies of inland waters. However, similarities don’t indicate congruence. The distinct differences identify them as different cities. New York is on the Atlantic Ocean and San Francisco is on the Pacific Ocean. Likewise, the Ezekiel war and Armageddon have similarities in their descriptions, but there are glaring differences as well. The similarities include:
- A great earthquake
In the Ezekiel war there will be a great earthquake that some commentators claim is the earthquake mentioned in Revelation at the end of the Tribulation. Ezekiel says:
But on that day, the day that Gog shall come against the land of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, my wrath will be roused in my anger. For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, on that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground. (Ezekiel 38:18-20)
Trying to identify this as the same earthquake as one at the time of Armageddon is challenging, primarily due to the fact that there are, as mentioned earlier, at least five earthquakes mentioned in Revelation and none of them happen at the battle of Armageddon.
2. Birds called to feast on the dead bodies
In the war of Gog and Magog, Ezekiel tells Gog and his people that they will fall in the mountains of Israel and that they will be eaten by the birds of prey. He also says that their bodies will be eaten by the beasts of the field.
You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your hordes and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. (Ezekiel 39:4)
As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD: Speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field, “Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood.” (Ezekiel 39:17)
The battle of Armageddon is described in similar terms in which the birds are called to come and feast on the dead bodies.
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. (Revelation 19:17-21)
Although this is hard for many Christians to accept, this feasting of the birds on the dead bodies of the enemies of God is referred to in Revelation 19:9 as the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Differences
1. The Attacking Armies are Different
Even though there are a number of commentators (some of them being noted Biblical Scholars) who claim that the Ezekiel war is the battle of Armageddon, there is a glaring problem with this theory that is just as obvious as the difference between New York and San Francisco. That difference involves the nations who are attacking Israel. As noted in the earlier section of this study, the people attacking Israel in the Ezekiel war are primarily Muslim countries led by a person identified as Gog,
Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords. Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes–many peoples are with you. (Ezekiel 38:2-6)
However, we see from the sixth bowl (vial) judgment that those who are assembled against Israel in the battle of Armageddon include armies of the kings of the whole world:
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12-16)
2. The Condition of the Nation of Israel is Different
Gog and his hoards will attack Israel while they are at peace and dwelling safely
After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. (Ezekiel 38:8)
Yet at the end of the Tribulation Israel is anything but “dwelling safely.” Throughout the second half of the Tribulation Israel is the direct target of history’s worst nightmare, the Great Tribulation (Jeremiah 30:7; Matthew 24:21) The prerequisite that Israel is in a secure state when Magog attacks is not the case at the end of the Tribulation, for Israel is in the crosshairs of the nations at Armageddon.
3. The Geography is Different
Another problem with this theory is one of geography. As we explained above in our discussion of whether or not this battle is the same as the one in Revelation 20, during the 7th bowl judgment, there will be a great earthquake that will level all mountains and fill-in every valley. The earth will be flat, except for Mount Zion. There will be no mountains and there will be no valleys.
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)
But in Ezekiel 39 it says:
On that day I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the sea. It will block the travelers, for there Gog and all his multitude will be buried. It will be called the Valley of Hamon-gog. (Ezekiel 39:11)
Since there will be no valleys after Armageddon, they can’t bury the dead in the Valley of Hamon-gog.
Conclusion: The Ezekiel war is not the same as the battle of Armageddon.
Opinion 3 – The Ezekiel war occurs during the Tribulation
Many students of prophecy have claimed that this has to refer to the first half of the Tribulation because of Ezekiel 38:8 and Ezekiel 38:11, which say:
After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them.
and say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates,’
The word translated “securely” is betah and those who hold to the view that this war must take place during the 1st half of the Tribulation claim that it means that they are living “at peace.”
There are two primary Biblical prophecies that refer to the Tribulation, Daniel chapter 9 and Revelation chapters 3 through 19. The only war on earth that is directly alluded to in either of these passages is the battle of Armageddon. There is a war in heaven talked about in Revelation chapter 12, but this is a war in the heavens between Michael (with the good angels) and Satan (with the rebellious angels). This occurs at the middle of the Tribulation period (mid-trib) and, as a result, Satan is cast out of heaven. Once he is cast to the earth, Satan makes war against the Israelites and those who believe that Jesus is their Messiah (Revelation 12:17). This may be a time of “warfare” but it is not a reference to a specific war. The implication is that Satan continues to pursue the Israelites until he is defeated in the battle of Armageddon.
If we try to make Satan’s warfare against the Israelites the same as the Ezekiel war, we have a major problem. At the end of the Ezekiel war, the Israelites will be burying the dead in the valley of Hamon-gog for seven months, yet at this time (2nd half of the Tribulation) the Israelites are fleeing from Satan. Also, at the end of the Ezekiel war the Israelites will burn the weapons of war for seven years, but there are only 3 ½ years left of the Tribulation (during which the Israelites will be fleeing and hiding from Satan) and then the Millennium.
Some will argue that the second seal judgment talks about a war. However, a careful reading of Revelation 6 shows that this is not so much a time of war against the Israelites as it is a time of fighting among the inhabitants of the earth. And – it is not described as a war.
When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword. (Revelation 6:3-4)
Some would speculate that this is an allusion to the Ezekiel war, but it is only speculation since there is no Scriptural support for this. This is not described as warfare against the Israelites, but among unspecified inhabitants of the earth.
6th Trumpet? Some people speculate that the Ezekiel war is alluded to in the sixth trumpet Judgment in Revelation 9:13-21. However, this is not an attack specifically leveled against Israel. It also indicates that 1/3 of all the inhabitants of the earth will perish as a result of the warfare described in this passage. The attacking army in this warfare is described as being 200,000 strong. However, 1/3 of the earth’s population could be as much as 2 to 3 billion.
Conclusion: The Ezekiel war does not occur during the tribulation.
Opinion 4 – The Ezekiel war is before the Tribulation
There is no direct scriptural evidence for the Ezekiel war occurring any time before the Tribulation. This is not to say that it won’t happen before the Tribulation, just that there is no direct scriptural evidence for it. However, there is empirical evidence that suggests that it will, in fact, occur before the Tribulation. We have already shown that it can’t be during the Tribulation, at the end of the Tribulation (Armageddon), or during the Millennium. Actually, we have shown that it isn’t at the end of the Millennium and in that refutation we showed that during the Millennium there will be no mountains on the earth except Mount Zion. And, we showed that the Ezekiel war conflict will occur in the mountains:
You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your hordes and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. (Ezekiel 39:4)
As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD: Speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field, “Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood.” (Ezekiel 39:17)
Conclusion: Since the Ezekiel War can’t occur any time during the Tribulation or the Millennium, it must occur before the Tribulation.
Some other timing considerations
There are several crucial timing clues given in Ezekiel 38:8:
After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them. (Ezekiel 38:8)
This is a message delivered to Gog and it says that he and his armies will go against Israel “In the latter years.” Later, in verse 16 it says:
You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. (Ezekiel 38:16)
According to this verse, the invasion occurs “In the latter days.”
Both of the expressions, “The latter years” and “The latter days” are used repeatedly throughout the Bible to indicate the time just before the Day of the Lord and/or the return of the Messiah. Since the Day of the Lord begins with the Great Tribulation (the second 3 1/2 years) and the return of the Messiah occurs at the end of the tribulation, it could be any day now. This is particularly revealing given that the Muslim nations are aligned now as they have never been and they are aligned in the manner described by Ezekiel.
(More to come)
Some recent history
In Joel C. Rosenberg’s book “The Ezekiel Option,” the author points to Ezekiel’s prophecies in chapters 36-37, which have largely come true.
Rosenberg then asks the obvious question: If prophecies such as “the rebirth of the State of Israel, the return of the Jews to the Holy Land after centuries in exile, the re-blossoming of desolate desert land to produce abundant food, fruit and foliage, and the creation of an exceedingly great army” materialized in the late 20th and early 21th centuries, then why shouldn’t the next prophecies come true in our lifetime?
Also, consider the fact that Turkey has now emerged as one of the primary antagonists of Israel in the Middle East. Historically, Turkey has been an ally of Israel and the U.S., and one of the more “moderate” Muslim nations in the world, with a western-style democracy. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, Turkey began to shift to a more anti-West position. This is a result of Islamic supporters gaining a firmer foothold in Turkish politics, which eventually led to the election of now president Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the Prime Minister’s office in 2002. He has since been elevated to president of Turkey. Erdogan is a fundamentalist Sunni Muslim. He despises democracy and one of his primary goals is to re-establish Turkey as the leader of a revived Ottoman Islamic Empire. Since coming to power, Erdogan has systematically silenced, jailed, or executed most of his opponents in the military, media, business sector and in academia. In December 2017 the state-run Turkish newspaper ran an article calling for a united “army of Islam” to invade Israel.
The recent civil war and chaos in Syria has brought unprecedented Russian and Iranian military support in the region. In 2017, the president of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to Israel as “one of the dirty chapters of history that will soon be closed, with the grace of Allah.”
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