Gog/Magog
Magog is the territory under the rule of Gog as described in
Ezekiel 38-39. According to the historian Josephus, Magog was the
land of the nomadic Scythians, the region north and northeast of
the Black Sea and east of the Caspian Sea. The area would have
included territory that is occupied today by Russin, the Ukraine,
and Kazakhstan. Ezekiel 38:2 also speaks of Gog as the prince of
Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. These entities could be either components
of Magog or allies. Some Bible versions have also translated Rosh,
not as a proper name, but as �chief. Dr. Edwin Yamauchi writes of Magog and the others:
Though the identification of Gog and Magog still remains disputed,
the identifications of Meshech and Tubal have for a long time not
been in doubt. The association with Moscow and Tobolsk is
untenable. Since the late nineteenth century, Assyrian texts have
been available which locate Mushku (Meshech) and Tabal (Tubal) in
central and eastern Anatolia (Turkey)respectively (Yamauchi, Foes
from the Northern Frontier) (1)
Another key indicator pointing to Russia the reference to Gog coming from the North.
There is Lebbon and Turkey to the North Israel, but both of these nations are unable to field a massive army that could
threaten Israel.
Eze 38:6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: [and] many people with thee.
Eze 38:15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:
Eze 39:2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
Oddly enough, Moscow is directly north of Israel. If you draw a straight line north of Jerusalem on the map, you will hits Moscow.
Randall Price: Israel, at present, fits the description given to
Ezekiel 38 of 'living securely' without walls, and having no bars
or gates (verse 11). Only the old city of Jerusalem is walled, but
the majority of Jerusalemites live in the new city outside of these
walls.(2)
Chuck Missler: God apparently sends 'fire' down, not only
upon Magog and his allies, but on some distant people living in the
'isles' or 'coastlands.' Who are they who dwell carelessly
[securely} in the Isles? The word for isles could be an idiom for
remote continents. Could this be an allusion to the United States?
Is the 'fire on Magog'-and these others-a result of a nuclear
exchange?(2)
Grant R. Jeffrey: When Russia is defeated by God's miraculous
power, the newly united European Union will emerge as the greatest
economic, political, and military power on the planet. These pivotal
events will set the stage for the rise of the new European
superstate and the emergence of the newleader who will ultimately
assume the role of the Antichrist, the final world dictator who will
rule the planet during the last seven years leading to the climatic
battle of Armageddon.(2)
The fact that the Antichrist is not mentioned in these
verses is viewed by some as a good indication that Russian invasion
occurs before he arrives on the scene. If the Antichrist were a
great world leader at this time, it is not likely that he would
stand on the sidelines and leave Russia unchallenged. If this were
the middle of the Tribulation Period, he would be in control of
some of these nations and they would not be in Russian coalition.
His absence is a good indication of a Pre-Tribulation Period attack. (2)
(1)Ice, Thomas., and Demy, Timohty. "Fast Facts on Bible Prophecy."
Harvest House Publishers. 1997. 126
(2)Duck, Daymond R., and Richards, Larry Ph.D.
"Gods Word for the Biblically-Inept Series". Starburst Publishers.
2000. 89
