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The future prophetic war known as “Gog-Magog” is found in Ezekiel 38-39. We know this war is in the future because nothing like this has ever happened in history before. Also, Ezekiel 38:8 says, “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.”
In part I of this article, Is the Gog-Magog War Armageddon? :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready, I cover the basics, including the participants involved in this war and different interpretations of its timing. These two subjects appear to be the basis for most of the points of contention among scholars, theologians, and ‘Berean’ students of the Bible throughout the ages.
Most Bible students are familiar with Ezekiel 38-39. They know this prophecy foretells a future military invasion of Israel by many Muslim nations led by a ‘prince’ or ‘commander’ known as Gog, of the land of Magog. Meshech and Tubal are also mentioned. Magog, Meshech, and Tubal are names mentioned in Genesis 10 in the Table of Nations. The list of 70 names in Genesis 10 is often called the Table of Nations because each man named was the original ancestor of an ethnic group that later became a nation.
These post-diluvian men are the sons and descendants of Noah’s three sons. Japeth was Noah’s eldest son. His descendants are mentioned in Genesis 10:2-5. Japeth had seven sons. “The sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras” (Genesis 10:2).
Magog, the second son of Japeth, fathered the children who in time became known to the ancient world as the Scythians. They primarily lived in Central Asia and are widely regarded as the ancestors of today’s Russians. Many historical references support this view. Josephus Flavius, a Jewish historian, wrote, “Magog founded the Magogians, thus named after him, but who were by the Greeks called Scythians.” And in some ancient Arabic documents, the Great Wall of China is referred to as the Ramparts of Gog and Magog. It was built to keep the Scythians out of China.
Tubal and Meshech founded the areas of Turkey and the Central Asian Republics of the former Soviet Union, southeast of the Black Sea. Josephus identified Meshech with Cappadocia, the region of eastern Turkey that was home to the ancient Hittite Empire. Cappadocia is a historical region in central Anatolia, Turkey. Historically, ancient sources, including Herodotus and certain Assyrian records, place Meshech and Tubal in Asia Minor—modern-day Turkey.
Regarding the participants in this “latter years” war, the major point of contention is who or what the Hebrew word “רֹ֖אשׁ” refers to. The transliteration word is ‘rōš‘ or rosh. This word is found three times in the opening verses of Ezekiel 38-39. These three verses are essentially the same, so we will focus on Ezekiel 38:2. The KJV, ESV, NIV, and most other versions translate Ezekiel 38:2 as, ‘Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him.” These translations reckon the tenth word (in Hebrew), ‘ros,’ as ‘chief’ or ‘head.’ So, in this translation, Gog would be the chief (or head) prince (or commander) of Meshech and Tubal (modern-day Turkey).
However, the NASB, AMPC, DARBY, EHV, and a few other versions translate it as, “Son of man, set thy face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him.” These versions (including the LXX Septuagint) render ‘ros’ as a proper noun, as in ‘Rosh’ (Russia). This translation suggests that Ezekiel identifies Gog as the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. These three names have been linked to: 1) Russia, including the cities of Moscow (Meshech) and Tobolsk (Tubal), or 2) Russia (Rosh) and Turkey (Meshech and Tubal).
So, because there are different English translations for these verses in Ezekiel, the question remains, “Is Gog the leader of Turkey, Russia, or Russia and Turkey? This question has been debated countless times over the centuries with no overwhelming consensus, but I would like to examine these verses more closely, with particular attention to Hebrew grammar and spelling. Let’s look at the ninth and tenth words of Ezekiel 38:2. The ninth word in the sentence is ‘נָשִׂיא’ (the transliteration is nāśî’). It is translated as ‘prince,’ ‘captain,’ or ‘chief.’ The tenth word is ‘רֹאשׁ’ (or rō’š ) and is translated as ‘head,’ ‘chief,‘ or ‘top’ in most versions.
However, there are a few reasons not to interpret it as “chief prince.” In English, we would consider ‘chief’ in this sentence to be an adjective. In Hebrew, both of these words are (masculine) nouns, which is acceptable, as it is known as a construct chain. This is defined as “a core grammatical feature of Biblical Hebrew that expresses possession, association, or specification between two or more nouns.
Unlike English, which uses prepositions or apostrophes (“the king’s house,” “a song of praise”), Hebrew typically relies on a tightly bound noun-to-noun relationship, where the first noun (the construct) is grammatically dependent on the following noun (the absolute). The construct chain is a grammatical construction in which two (or more) nouns are joined to form a genitive or possessive relationship. The first noun is in the construct state, and the second noun is in the absolute state. The absolute noun determines the meaning and definiteness of the entire phrase. The construct noun cannot stand alone—it requires its absolute counterpart to complete its meaning.” {1} The Construct Chain (סְמִיכוּת) and How It Modifies Nouns in Biblical Hebrew | Biblical Hebrew.
Let’s look at a few similar examples of this construct chain. Jeremiah was a contemporary of Ezekiel, and both were priests of Israel at one time. Jeremiah 52:24 can be compared to Ezekiel 38:2 in that they both use the Hebrew word ‘ros’ in a construct chain. In English, this verse is translated as “And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door.” The sixth word in this verse is כֹּהֵן (kohen) or ‘priest.’ It is classified as a masculine singular construct noun. The seventh word (and the one we are interested in) is הָרֹ֔אשׁ (hā-rōš), a form of ‘ros’ (with one extra letter). ‘Haros’ is translated as “the chief.” It is classified as an article (the) and a masculine singular noun (chief).
The same verse and two nouns, “chief priest,” are mentioned again in 2 Kings 25:18. It is believed by many that Jeremiah was the author of the book of 2 Kings. The same two nouns, “haros kohen” (the chief priest), are mentioned again in 2 Chronicles 19:11 and other O.T. Scriptures.
I believe if the intent of Ezekiel 38:2 was to write “the chief prince,” then it would have been written as “הָרֹ֔אשׁ” (haros) נְשִׂ֕יא (nāśî’). If that were the case, there would have been no doubt that this was the meaning in all the different translations of the Tanakh. However, since it was written as נשיא ראש, certain translators took it to mean “prince of Rosh.” There are two listings for ‘ros’ or ‘rosh’ in Strong’s concordance. They are both spelled the same in Hebrew (רֹאשׁ). Strong’s H7218 (ros) is the one I have been referring to, and it means ‘chief’ or ‘head.’
Strong’s H7220 (ros) is translated as ‘Rosh.’ H7220 – rō’š – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (KJV). It appears once in Genesis 46:21 and refers to the seventh son of the Israelite, Benjamin. So, Rosh is a proper name of an individual or a group of people. I am not saying the Russian people are descendants of Benjamin; I am just saying that the Hebrew word ‘ros’ can also refer to a person or people.
“The LXX (Septuagint) was written only three centuries after the time of Ezekiel. As early as 2600 B.C., ancient Egyptian and other Middle Eastern inscriptions and texts – such as Sargon’s inscriptions, a cylinder by Assurbanipal, an annal by Sennacherib, and five times in Ugaritic tablets – all record the existence of the Rosh/Rash/Reshu people. There are 9th-century BC Assyrian texts, predating Ezekiel’s time, that refer to the Rosh or Rashu.” {2} Timing Gog and Magog | Tribulation | Lamb and Lion Ministries.
Those who interpret ‘ros’ as ‘chief’ (or ‘head’) believe Gog, “of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal,” is from Turkey, and that Turkey is the main antagonist against Israel. They believe Russia might have a minor role in this invasion and could be one of the “and many people with thee” in Ezekiel 38:6. In this eschatological scenario, the Antichrist would be a Muslim Turkish leader attempting to revive the glory of the Ottoman Empire by regaining territory lost after World War I. What better way to restore their glory days than to eradicate the Jewish people once and for all? Currently, Turkey’s Erdogan and Israel’s Netanyahu despise one another, and Turkey has threatened Israel several times.
Some Bible teachers who think Russia is not the ‘Ros’ in the Gog coalition, and that Turkey is the leader of the anti-Israel alliance, also believe Gog is the Antichrist, and that Ezekiel 38-39 describes the battle of Armageddon before Jesus’s Second Coming. Supporters of this view, such as Louis Bauman and Charles Feinberg, believe the Gog-Magog Battle and the final battle of Armageddon are one and the same. Joel Richardson also adheres to this view and has written several books and produced several YouTube videos on the subject, including End Time Talks 6: Is Russia Gog of Magog – YouTube.
However, I doubt that Gog and the Antichrist are the same person, and that the timing of the Gog war (Ezekiel 38-39) is the same as the campaign of Armageddon (Zechariah 12-14, Isaiah 63, Revelation 16-19, & others). I believe Gog could be the person referred to in Ezekiel 38:17 as “the Assyrian,” but he isn’t the Antichrist. One of the main reasons they are two different people is their different fates at the end of these wars.
Ezekiel 39:11 says Gog (and all his multitude) will be killed and buried in Israel. They will even name the area where he is buried after him. On the other hand, after the campaign of Armageddon, the Antichrist and the false prophet are both captured and are cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone, according to Revelation 19:20. Satan is also thrown in the lake of fire after the millennium, as mentioned in Revelation 20, where the beast (the Antichrist) and the false prophet still are after a thousand years.
Regarding the timing of these two wars, we know that the campaign of Armageddon occurs at the end of Daniel’s 70th week (the Tribulation) and culminates in Jesus coming to the earth with the armies of heaven and single-handedly destroying the Antichrist and his armies. The timing of the Gog war is less specific. Of course, those who are in Richardson’s camp believe it occurs at the end of the Tribulation, as it is the same war as Armageddon. With this view, the Jewish remnant who survive the Gog war will spend the first seven months of the millennial kingdom digging graves for the bodies of the dead invaders, according to Ezekiel 39:11-16. I seriously doubt that the first seven months of Jesus’ millennial kingdom will be used for such an endeavor.
YOU SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD
God declares in Ezekiel 39:7, “So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.”
After God destroys the allied forces of Gog on the mountains of Israel, God will not allow the Jews to profane His holy name anymore by allowing them to offer illicit sacrifices and worship idols (see Ezekiel 20:39 also), as they did in the past. It is my belief that, after this war, Israel will renew its covenant with God (the Mosaic Law), and Daniel’s 70th week will begin shortly afterward. A third temple will be built in Jerusalem, and the sacrificial system will be renewed.
Of course, the Jews and the whole world will know that Yahweh (the LORD) intervened on Israel’s behalf and destroyed Gog and his army, as Israel, nor any other nation, will be responsible for the devastation of the Muslim coalition. It’s interesting to me that the exact phrase “know that I am the LORD” appears 77 times in the Bible, all in the Old Testament. Ezekiel mentions it 63 times, followed by Exodus with 9 (Note: 63 = 7 x 9. Seven is God’s number for perfection and completion. Nine is the number for judgment in the Bible). Only 5 of those mentions in Ezekiel appear in chapters 38 & 39, referring to the aftereffects of the Gog – Magog war.
Why did Ezekiel mention it so often? Ezekiel prophesied about the destruction of Jerusalem, Judah, and the surrounding nations (due to their exceeding sin and apostasy) during the time of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Israel and the nations would know that the Jewish God, Yahweh, was responsible for their destruction and evacuation from their lands.
God pronounced judgment against Judah and the Jews in chapters 4-24. 29 times the phrase “you (or they) shall (or may, might) know that I am the LORD” was used in these chapters. However, the LORD also promised an eventual restoration for Israel and a regathering to the land at the end of the age. With this physical restoration comes a spiritual restoration, as well. The first mention in Ezekiel of this end-time regathering, restoration, and regeneration is found in chapter 11 (not in chapter 39).
A NEW SPIRIT
“Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone. Therefore, say, Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 11:16-20).
Ironically (or not), God’s Shekinah glory left the Temple and Jerusalem after the LORD gave Ezekiel the prophecy of a future restoration in chapter 11. “Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city” (Ezekiel 11:22-23). The mountain was the Mount of Olives. Ezekiel 43:1-4 stipulates that the “glory of the God of Israel” will return the same way He left, when He comes back to His Temple at the beginning of His millennial reign.
The prophecy of regeneration (a new spirit) and the end-time regathering of the children of Israel, as mentioned in Ezekiel 11, is essentially the same message found at the end of Ezekiel 39, “Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God” (Ezekiel 39:29). Just as this prophecy wasn’t fulfilled at the end of chapter 11, the same could be said of chapter 39. As a matter of fact, this message or prophecy of a “new spirit” is mentioned several more times in different chapters of Ezekiel and other Old Testament books.
A NEW COVENANT
In the latter years, when God pours out His Spirit on the house of Israel, He will make a new covenant with His people. Only then will the remnant of Israel be able to keep God’s law. Jeremiah spoke about this new covenant in Jeremiah 31. “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:33-34).
Actually, Isaiah mentioned this ‘covenant’ first in Isaiah 59:21, “As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”
Of course, Ezekiel also mentions this same covenant in Ezekiel 37. “Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore” (Ezekiel 37:26).
The “new spirit” Ezekiel referred to in chapter 11 is mentioned again in Ezekiel 39. “And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord God” (Ezekiel 39:29). The new spirit will make it possible for Israel to keep the “new covenant” with the LORD. That they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 11:16-20).
So, there you have three of the greatest Israelite prophets of old prophesying that there will one day be a new covenant between the LORD and Israel. This covenant God makes with Israel will not take place until after the last ‘week’ of Daniel’s 70th week (the Tribulation), when Jesus returns and initiates His millennial kingdom.
MESSAGES AGAINST FOREIGN NATIONS
Chapters 25-32 in Ezekiel are God’s word of judgment concerning the seven nations or city/states surrounding Judah: Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt. God says that all of them shall face judgment or vengeance and “shall know that I am the LORD.” God would use Babylon to bring judgment on Judah and these seven nations. He would eventually bring judgment on Babylon as well. When the word of the LORD condemned the king of Tyre for thinking he was a God, He then began talking about Satan, the spiritual king of Tyre, and his eventual judgment and destruction, as mentioned in Ezekiel 28:11-19. All created beings or nations that rebel against God will eventually face judgment.
RESTORATION AND REGATHERING
Ezekiel 34 compares Israel to a flock of sheep, and the LORD is the shepherd who will protect and take care of His flock. He will even set up another shepherd, God’s servant David, as their prince. In verse 25, God says He will make a covenant of peace with His sheep.
Ezekiel 36 describes future blessings and renewal upon Israel (during the millennium), after the LORD scattered them among the nations. “And they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they have gone out of His land.’ But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went” (Ezekiel 36:19-21).
“And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord,” says the Lord God, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God” (Ezekiel 36:23-38). Once again, Ezekiel refers to the new spirit and the covenant that the LORD will make with Israel in the millennium.
THE VALLEY OF DRIED BONES
The LORD, through the Holy Spirit, brought Ezekiel to a valley full of dried bones and told him to prophesy to the bones so that they might live. “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 37:4-6).
After Ezekiel prophesied and the Holy Spirit breathed on them, the bones came to life and stood upon their feet, forming an exceedingly great army. The LORD told Ezekiel that these bones were the whole house of Israel (both Judah and Israel).
The LORD then gave Ezekiel this message, “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it, says the LORD” (Ezekiel 37:12-14).
Many Bible teachers believe the dry bones coming to life in Ezekiel 37 is a prophecy of Israel becoming a nation again on May 14, 1948, like what was prophesied in Isaiah 66:8, “Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day, or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”
However, John Walvoord takes a different view of the timing of this prophecy. “The prediction that she would be brought up from the grave is partly symbolic in that the nations seemed to be dead and will be restored to physical life. But it is also to be considered literally, because according to Daniel 12:1-3, at the close of the great tribulation, when Christ returns in His second coming, there will be a resurrection of Old Testament saints. Both figuratively and literally, Israel will be restored and given new life. Those who have died and who were saved will be resurrected to share in the millennial kingdom as resurrected saints.” {3} Book – Every Prophecy of the Bible by John F. Walvoord
I agree with Dr. Walvoord’s assessment that this prophecy of the dry bones occurs after Daniel’s 70th week and the beginning of the millennial kingdom. David will be one of the Old Testament saints who are resurrected. He will be the King of Israel, whereas Jesus Christ will be the King of the world. Of course, David will be subordinate to Christ. That is why verse 25 calls David a ‘prince.’
Ezekiel 37:21-28 is another prophecy of a future restoration and regathering, essentially the same message as in previous chapters, but this one indicates that it will be for the whole house of Israel under one king, David. “Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed, I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore” (Ezekiel 37:26-28).
These verses clearly indicate that this prophecy of a future restoration and regathering of Israel will occur only during the millennial reign of King Jesus. The tabernacle and sanctuary mentioned in these verses refer to the millennial temple as described in Ezekiel 40-46.
So, as you can see, the end-time restoration of Israel mentioned in Ezekiel 39:21-28 is not unique to chapter 39 and doesn’t necessarily correlate to the time immediately after the Gog-Magog war, as it also appears in several other chapters of Ezekiel (11, 34, 36, & 37) and in the other major prophets’ books (Isaiah and Jeremiah). This end-time restoration and regathering for Israel in Ezekiel 39 is definitely not proof positive that this war occurs at the end of the Tribulation. Like the other verses in Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Isaiah, it only proves that it will occur when Christ returns.
Regardless of whether Gog is Russian or Turkish, and regardless of the exact timing of this war, we know how it ends for Gog and his troops. “Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God” (Ezekiel 39:4-5). Verse 8 says, “Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord God; this is the day whereof I have spoken.” When that day of destruction comes, God reminds us that it is the day He foretold back in Ezekiel’s time.
Gog’s demise is recorded in Ezekiel 39:11. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.”
Gog will be killed and buried in Israel (Ezekiel 39:1-5, 11), as will all his army. Gog will not be thrown alive into the Lake of Fire at this time, as the Antichrist and the false prophet are in Revelation 19:20. These must be two separate events. Gog will be killed, buried, and his soul/spirit sent to Sheol to await judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. He will eventually join the unholy trinity (Satan, Antichrist, False Prophet) in the Lake of Fire.
“For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense, says the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 11:30-31).
After the campaign of Armageddon, the LORD will pour out His Spirit of grace and mercy upon the surviving faithful Jews, according to Zechariah 12:10. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”
The surviving Jews will now be able to enter their Messiah’s Kingdom, as the six conditions of Daniel 9:24 have finally been satisfied. “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Randy Nettles
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