Bible Studies
Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38-39)
Series: God Speaks to Our People In Exile (read 38:1-5)Introduction:
1. Fanciful interpreters are given to taking challenging passages of Scripture and connecting them to current events. By doing this they inflame people’s emotions and excite interest in their so-called “ministries.” They gain their following for a time and then they are gone, until the next inventive interpreter comes along and repeats the pattern. 2. Such has been the case with Ezek. 38-39. 3. In the 4th century Abrose identified Gog with the Goths, a migrating people that took control of a large mass of land between the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. 4. In the 7th century, Gog and Magog were the Arab armies who threatened the Bible lands. 5. By the 13th century God was associated with the Mongols from the East. 6. By the 17th century William Greenhill says that some in his day identified Gog with the Roman Emperor, the Pope or the Turks. 7. In the 19th century, William Gesenius identified Rosh as Russia. This was popularized by the Scofield Reference Bible. Meshech and Tubal were associated with Moscow and Tobolsk. 8. During WW I, Amo Gaebelein argued that Gomer was Germany. 9. Hal Lindsey, in the 20th century, interpreted Ezek. 38:5 as a prediction of a Russian invasion of Persia. 10. Today Jack Van Impe and R. F. Campbell, Grant R. Jeffrey, and Joel C. Rosenberg perpetuate similar interpretations. 11. What does this text mean? And what is its implication for today?Discussion:
I. First some observations about the text and what it actually says.A. Gog is the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. He is an individual, a leader of those allied with him from various lands, including Pesia, Ethophia and Put, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north.
B. Magog is the land from which Gog comes.
C. Gog is allied together with peoples, many of them are on the fringes of Israel’s association.
D. All of these are allied to come against Israel.
1. Gog says, “I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, without walls and having no bars or gates; to capture spoil and to seize plunder” (38:11-12).
2. But God says, “I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains” (38:21). Chapter 39 focuses attention on the devastation of Gog and his allies. It will be so complete that Israel will use Gog’s weapons as firewood for seven years. It will take Israel seven months to bury all Gog’s dead.
3. The end result is that God defeats these invaders and protects His people.
II. Who is this Gog of the land of Magog?A. Gen. 10:2 mentions Magog.
1. He was one of the grandsons of Noah, a son of Japheth (cf. 1 Chron. 1:5).
2. Evidently the nation of people in Ezek. 38-39 was descended from Japheth.
B. The only other mention of Gog and Magog is in Rev. 20:8.
1. There it refers to those deceived by Satan coming from the four corners of the earth who assembled to do battle against the saints.
2. Fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
C. That is the totality of the biblical information.
1. It is not much to go on and certainly not enough to conclude that there is going to be a great physical battle in Israel at some future date with Russia, the United States, and other nations participating.
2. Such an interpretation divorces the text from its context in Ezekiel. How would such a battle yet in the future be of any encouragement to the people of Ezekiel’s day?
3. 38:17 says that the prophets had prophesied for many years that God would bring Gog against Israel. Perhaps Gog symbolizes and represents all those throughout the world who would oppose God and God’s people, no matter the time.
4. Such an understanding would fit both in Ezekiel 38-39 and Rev. 20.
III. Perhaps some observations about the context of Ezek. 38-39 will help.A. The first part of Ezekiel chapters 1-24 is a message of condemnation.
B. The second part, chapters 25-48, is a message of hope.
1. It begins with the destruction of the enemies of Israel (Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon), but Israel will be restored.
2. Though they perceive themselves as a valley of dry bones God will make them live.
C. There are two passages that book-end Ezek. 38-39.
1. Ezek. 37:24-28 and Ezek. 39:25-29.
2. The first predicts the Davidic (Messianic) kingdom, a covenant of peace and God dwelling in the midst of His people. I take this to be a reference to the kingdom of God established on Pentecost in Acts 2 and going forward from there. The land promised to them is that referred to in Heb. 11:10, 13ff, referred to elsewhere as the new heaven and new earth and the heavenly city.
3. The second refers to God taking them out of captivity and gathering them on their own land and pouring out His Spirit on them. Again this fits with Acts 2 and Heb. 11 and the new heaven and new earth and the heavenly city.
D. As God rescues His people from captivity and establishes them again in His promised land their hope is dependent upon His taking care of them. Satan and his agents will do whatever they can to destroy them, but the message of Gog and Magog is: GOD ACCOMPLISHES HIS PURPOSE FOR HIS PEOPLE IN SPITE OF ALL OPPOSITION AGAINST THEM.
IV. This is the message of the Rev. 20 text as well.A. Though Satan be freed and deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth (Gog and Magog) and all these surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city to destroy them, God will deliver His people.
B. This has always been the message of the prophets (cf. Ezek. 38:17-18).
C. It still is.
D. The battle described in Rev. 20 is not a physical one between modern nations. It is a moral and spiritual battle. Gog and his allies represent the forces of this world such as atheism, humanism, communism, materialism, false religion, corruption in governments and businesses; immorality, attacks on the family, and abandonment to the things of the world (Rom. 1:18ff; 1 Pet. 4:3ff).
E. We need to be less worried about the politics of the world and more concerned about “putting on the full armor of God, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness” (Eph. 6:10ff).
F. We need to be worried about being numbered among the people of God and not being deceived along with the rest of the world.
Conclusion:
1. The message for the exiles was “God will deliver you,” even if Satan deceives the nations of the remote parts of the world to join forces against you. 2. God will be glorified. 3. Even though He has taken us into captivity because of our sin, He will deliver us, and protect us and pour out His Spirit upon us. 4. All will know that we are His covenant people!
