Name: Ron
Question: It clearly states in Ezekiel 37 that God’s children are gathered out of the world, even describing the reunification of the tribes. A time of learning and doing God’s statutes and judgments. God says that his servant David will be king (note small k) over them. It goes on to double witness Eze 37:27 & Rev 21:3 that God’s tabernacle is established and God will dwell with his people. This seems to be a clear indication that the scriptures are talking about the 1000 year reign and beyond.
Rev 21 clearly timelines the Gog Magog battle at the end of the 1000 year reign. I’ve noted that it is popular today to try and place the Gog Magog of Eze 38 in the very near future and as a “different” battle than Gog Magog of Revelation 21. I was curious as to your position on this?
Answer: Ron, thank you for the question.
I’ll explain when the battle of Gog and Magog take place. I’ll also define who Gog and Magog are today.
In Ezekiel 37:15-28, God explains the 12 Tribes of Israel will one day be rejoined together in their own land. I agree, that has not happened yet. When that prophecy is fulfilled, king David will sit on the throne, and Israel will not “defile themselves,” (Ezekiel 37:23).
As you stated, Ezekiel 37:27 and Revelation 21:3-4 explain, “God himself shall be with them” and “there shall be no more death.” That’s certainly not happened yet. In fact, it does not transpire until after the Millennium.
So, the Gog and Magog war in Revelation 20 occurs at the end of the Millennium.
However, Ezekiel 38 does not occur during the Millennium, it is reserved for the final moments of the Tribulation. I know there are similarities, and I understand why you are asking, so let’s dive in on this one.
The Battle Of Gog And Magog
Ezekiel 38:8 tells us, these Scriptures pertain to the “latter years,” while Ezekiel 38:16 states, they are for the “latter days.” The Last Days that we find ourselves in.
Yet, since we have some doubt, let’s seal this into our minds.
We can become confident the events of Ezekiel 38 belong to the closing moments of the Great Tribulation. We are going to obtain this knowledge by analyzing what occurs in Ezekiel and comparing it to other Scriptures in the Bible.
In Ezekiel 38:13-14, God explains Gog is concerned with “cattle,” “goods,” “silver,” and “gold.” Yet, those are not objects people will be concerned about during the Millennium. Instead, those are desires and treasures men focus on today.
Further, in verse 16, God tells Gog and Magog,
“I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.”
There will be no “heathen” during the Millennium. Nor will there be a need for God to be “sanctified,” as everyone will know God and Christ are real during the Millennium. There will be no doubt about it.
Yet, we have more important details to consider.
The Great Earthquake
In Ezekiel 38, we are told about a great earthquake that will occur “in the land of Israel.”
Let’s read about that.
Ezekiel 38:19-20
19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
Where have we read about this before?
Zechariah 14:4
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
“His feet” are Messiah’s.
When Jesus returns, He will appear at the Mount of Olives, the same place He left, and the same place we are promised He will return to, (Acts 1:11-12). As soon as Jesus returns to this location, it will trigger a massive earthquake “in the land of Israel.”
Let’s see what the Book of Revelation tells us.
Revelation 6:12-13
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
There are Seven Seals in the Bible, and they all unfold before the Millennium. This tells us, Ezekiel 38 belongs to the closing moments of the Tribulation, it does not belong to the Millennium.
Now, what we have to understand here is, the 6th Seal covers events from the 6th all the way through the 7th Seal. In verse 12, we are simply given a summary of the final events of the Tribulation.
In verse 13, we are given specifics. The “stars of heaven” are symbolic of the wicked angels that appear along with Satan, (Mar 13:24-25, Lu 21:25-26, Rev 12:7-9). In fact, this is the Locust Army being discussed. The 200 million wicked angels of Revelation 9:16.
We can be assured of this, as we read in verse 14 “The heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” This once again discusses a great earthquake at Christ’s appearance.
In fact, once the 7th Vial is poured out we read, (Revelation 16:17),
Revelation 16:20
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
There is our earthquake.
The same event is described in Ezekiel 38 and Zechariah 14.
Now, there is much symbology in all of this.
The point is, the events of Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 16 all align and belong to the “latter years,” the “latter days.” Specifically, the conclusion of the Tribulation, just before the first day of the Millennium.
Let’s see what else we can discover…
God Will Plead Against Gog With Blood
In Ezekiel 38:21-22, God tells us,
“I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood.”
God is talking about destroying the flesh bodies of Gog and Magog. Including, “his bands, and upon the many people that are with him.” That means, death of the flesh. However, during the Millennium there will be no flesh at all.
In fact, once Jesus appears, we are “changed” into our true body, which is our spiritual body that never gets sick, old, or dies, (1 Corinthians 15:35-55).
So we know this event must belong to the conclusion of the Tribulation.
The Scriptures go on to state, God will cast hailstones on Gog and Magog.
What does that do?
It causes the death of the flesh.
Speaking of the death of the flesh, look what else we find…
God’s Great Sacrifice
Ezekiel 39:17, 20
17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 39:4, 18-19
God is speaking of Gog and Magog, He will give their dead bodies to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. Again, this indicates more flesh as the animals will eat the flesh of these dead men. This tells us, Ezekiel 38-39 cannot belong to the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ.
Now, where have we read about these events before?
Right after the 7th Seal, Trumpet, and Vial.
Revelation 19:17-18
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
Not only do these two accounts align, the details are precise.
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Who Is Gog And Magog Today?
We are going to learn, Gog and Magog are Satan’s armies.
While we may have some doubts as to the timing of events when we read Ezekiel alone. After we read Revelation 19, we can confirm the account along with its timing. It will transpire once the 7th Trumpet and Vial have been initiated, (Revelation 11:15-19, 16:17-21).
What happens next?
Revelation 19:19
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
What Beast?
The Beast from Revelation 13, including the Dragon who is Satan the Antichrist.
In fact, it will be Satan who leads “Gog and Magog,” “the kings of the earth,” and “the kings of the east,” who make war against Jesus Christ and His Armies who appear at the 7th Trumpet, (Revelation 16:12, 17:14, 19:11, 14, 16).
As I have covered, Ezekiel 38:17, 20 along with Revelation 19:17-20 completely prove, Gog and Magog are tied to Satan’s Tribulation reign on earth. Moreover, these Scriptures tie Gog and Magog to “the kings of the earth” and “the kings of the east.”
This tells us, Gog and Magog may very well be symbolic in meaning today. Gog and Magog simply include all of those who have turned their backs on God. Those who have followed Satan today, and those who will certainly follow him when Satan is cast from Heaven, (Revelation 12:9).
“The kings of the earth” are even the Ten Clay kings from the book of Daniel.
After reading all of these Scriptures, the symbolic nature of “Gog and Magog” becomes very apparent to me.
Further, in Ezekiel we read about:
- “Horses and horsemen” – Ezekiel 38:4
- “All of them handling swords” – Ezekiel 38:4
- “Riding upon horses” – Ezekiel 38:15
- “I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand” – Ezekiel 39:3
- “Cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand” – Ezekiel 39:3
I guarantee you, no military today is going to use any of those weapons to fight any modern war. Certainly not a war against the King of Kings.
When we consider history, the above were the only known tools of warfare. Today, much of this is even spiritualized.
I say that, as once Jesus appears,
Revelation 19:20
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
The point?
When Jesus returns, there will be no literal war as we think of it.
Christ will simply send His Angels to gather the tares, which are “All things that offend, and them which do iniquity,” and that will be that, (Matthew 13:40-42).
The Beast we just read of is not the Dragon who is Satan. This Beast is the government system of Satan that he has used since the dawn of time, (Revelation 12:9, 13:11).
What else occurs when Gog and Magog, Satan, and his armies rally against Jesus Christ?
Great Hailstones From Heaven
Turn your Bible with me to,
Ezekiel 38:22
And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
God will plead against who?
Gog and Magog and all his bands. Being all of “the many people that are with him.”
Now, let’s align this Scripture for added context.
Revelation 16:21
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
The “pestilence” of Ezekiel 38:22 means, “plague.”
As Revelation explained, this plague is of hail that rains upon Gog and Magog. The hail and plague that rains on Satan’s armies, the hail that falls on those who oppose Jesus Christ.
This causes death of the flesh, and is the Great Sacrifice we just learned about.
The Nations Will Know Jehovah
In case there is any doubt, let’s cover one more verse in Ezekiel.
“Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
Ezekiel 38:23
This cannot speak of the Millennium.
Jehovah God would have no need to make Himself known during the Millennium. At that time, it will be clear as day, there is a God. Some of us will even walk with Christ, we will be “priests of God and of Christ,” (Revelation 20:6).
Therefore, Ezekiel 38 definitely belongs to the “latter days.”
Specifically, the very end of the Tribulation.
The Millennial War
On the other hand, Revelation 20 certainly explains the final battle between God and Satan.
The moment when Satan is loosened from the bottomless pit at the end of the Millennium. The moment when Satan rallies multitudes, “Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea,” (Revelation 20:8).
As the hordes encompass the camp of the Saints, God instantly destroys them all, (Revelation 20:9). There is no great sacrifice, there is no flesh, nor birds or beasts to consume it. Instead, the Fire of Almighty God consumes them, this is even, the White Throne Judgement.
The Anti-Christian Party
Before I conclude, I mentioned earlier that “Gog and Magog” are today most likely symbolic in meaning. I feel this was confirmed through this study, even pointing to Satan and his armies.
Moreover, we should note “Gog and Magog” are only mentioned one time in the New Testament. That occurs in Revelation 20:8, which speaks of the closing Millennial war.
Nevertheless, if you open your Strong’s Concordance we find “Gog” means,
“A symbolic name for some future Antichrist.”
While “Magog” means,
“An Antichristian party.”
While Ezekiel speaks of “Gog and Magog” from a past perspective, including its weapons of war. We can see in the future sense, these words have taken on a completely new meaning. No longer do they refer to specific tribes of people.
Instead, these words are used to define those who rebel against our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. “Gog and Magog” are used to define any group or “party” that is “Anti-Christian.”
My friends, one’s race or national identity does not determine our fate. Instead, it is about our faith, belief, hope, and trust in Jesus Christ. When we accept Him, we become of Abraham’s seed, though it once was solely literal in meaning, (Galatians 3:16, Romans 4:13-16).
Our faith in Christ is what really matters, and it determines which army we belong to.