Exegesis of Verses on Gog and Magog

QUR’ANIC ODYSSEY

M. Imran Faruqui

For the sake of God In honour of the pledge I made That I would devote my life in His cause If He gave me guidance

Bear witness that I continue to deliver His message But God is witness enough

CONTENTS

Introduction 6

Chapter 1: Zul-Qarnayn’s Journey to the Land of Gog and Magog 8 Qur’anic Verses on Zul-Qarnayn’s Journey 9 Exegesis of Qur’anic Verses 18:83-97 11 Exegesis of Qur’anic Verses 18:98-108 and 21:95-100 32

Chapter 2: Etymology 48 Etymology of ‘Korea’ 48 Etymology of ‘Gog and Magog’ in the Old and New Testaments 51 Etymology of ‘Magog’ 67 Etymology of ‘Gog and Magog’ in Arabic (‘Ya’juj and Ma’juj’) 68 Meaning of ‘Zul-Qarnayn’ 69

Chapter 3: Other Eschatological Prophecies 75 Colonization of Space 76 Partial Lunar Eclipse of June 26, 2010 83 Eruption of Icelandic Volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, on April 14, 2010 91

Chapter 4: Organization of the Qur’an 97

Chapter 5: A Corrupted World 98 The Islamic World 102 The Second Coming of Jesus is a ‘Hadith Zone’ Fabrication 106 The Qur’an Refutes the Second Coming of Jesus 113 The Islamic World – Summary 118 The Non-Islamic World 119

Chapter 6: God’s Grace and Mercy 123 Prophet Muhammad was not the Last Messenger 124 The Difference between a Messenger and a Prophet 128 The Seal of the Prophets 134 The Last Warner of the Final Hour 139

Conclusion 144

Bibliography 147

FIGURES

1. The Silk Road in the 1st Century 12 2. Geographical Region of the Loess Plateau 13 3. Loess Plateau, ‘Most Erosion Prone Soil on Earth’ 13 4. Yellow River, Aerial View 13 5. Yellow River, seen from Downtown Lanzhou 13 6. Founding Dynasties of China along the Yellow River Basin 15 7. Geographical Region of the Yellow River 15 8. Geographical Region of the Gobi Desert 18 9. Topographical Map of the Korean Peninsula 19 10. Geographic Distribution of Sinitic Language Families 20 11. Han Commanderies; 2CE 23 12. Goguryeo & Proto-Three Kingdoms; 001CE 24 13. Goguryeo at Territorial Prime and Modern Political Boundaries; 476CE 24 14. North and South Korea 25 15. The Nakdong River 27 16. The Silk Road, Hexi (Gansu) Corridor 28 17. The Korean DMZ 39 18. Etymology of Korea: Root origins link back to Biblical ‘Gog’ 50 19. Etymology of ‘Gog’ Root origin links back to the Hebrew, or ‘gag’ 51 20. The Historical GDP per Capita of North Korea 60 21. Height in the Two Koreas 63 22. Night-Time Satellite View of the Korean Peninsula 68 23. Partial Lunar Eclipses of 26 July 1972 and 26 June 2010 with U. Mag. of 0.54 85 24. Images of the 38th Parallel 86 25. Redoubt Volcano in Alaska, 21 April 1990 Eruption Cloud 92 26. Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in Iceland, April 2010 Ash Cloud 92 27. Eyjafjallajökull Ash Plume, 17 April 2010, Satellite View 92 28. Ash Cloud on 15 April 2010 93 29. Ash Cloud on 16 April 2010 93 30. Composite Map of Volcanic Ash Cloud Spanning 14-25 April 2010 94 31. Airspace Completely or Partially Closed to IFR Traffic on 18 April 2010 94

TABLES

1. Summary of Qur’anic Verses 18:83-97 31 2. Summary of Qur’anic Verses 18:98-102 and 21:95-100 43 3. Partial Lunar Eclipses with Umbral Magnitude of 0.54, 601CE to 3000CE 85 4. Countries with Airspace Closings due to 2010 Eyjafjallajökull Eruptions 91 5. Gregorian and Islamic Calendar Dates of Prophecies 99 6. ‘End of Days’ Super Heroes and Villains in ‘The Hadith Zone’ 110

7. Prophet Muhammad was not the Last Messenger – Summary 138

NOTES

1. Abdel Haleem’s English translation of the Qur’an is referenced throughout for all Qur’anic citations, with the following changes:  The spelling of the name ‘Dhu ’l-Qarnayn’ is changed to the more phonetically intuitive ‘Zul-Qarnayn.’  The term ‘unlettered prophet’ is replaced with ‘gentile prophet.’  ‘Prophet’ in parenthesis ( ) as stated in the original translation is omitted.  In some instances, explanatory remarks are inserted in parenthesis ( ).

2. Key portions of Qur’anic verses and referenced quotations are highlighted in bold to draw the reader’s attention.

3. References are listed at the end of each chapter.

INTRODUCTION

In the 1960 Hollywood western classic, ‘The Magnificent Seven,’ a small Mexican farming village is viciously and repeatedly raided by a marauding outlaw gang. Each year the village is left ‘ruined’ through pillage and plunder by these fierce, highly skilled gunmen riders. It seems the outlaws’ only means of existence and sole purpose is systemic raids of targeted villages, while the raids themselves act as practice sessions to further hone their looting skills. Naturally, the farming community is no match for the outlaws, with neither the skills nor the arms necessary to defend itself. Out of desperation, the villagers – left with only meagre harvest rations after an entire year having tilled the land and suffered from repeated confiscation of their wealth, murder of their people and rape of their women – spend what little remain of their resources, and recruit seven professional gunmen (hence the movie title) to fight the fearsome bandits and once and for all put an end to the recurring raids that are literally ‘ruining their land.’

This unlikely Hollywood movie backdrop is a befitting analogy that aptly portrays the scene faced by the agrarian highland community rescued by the messenger, Zul-Qarnayn, about two thousand years ago in the Korean Peninsula as described by the Qur’an in verses 18:92-98. Rather than engage in battle with the heavily armed and fierce warrior horsemen, Zul-Qarnayn instead blocked the only readily accessible alpine passageway to the community and erected an impenetrable iron barrier that ‘filled the gap between two mountainsides.’ The Qur’an asserts this iron barrier will remain standing until God’s Promise is fulfilled – and God never breaks His Promise.

In the pages to follow, evidence is presented to show God’s Promise – that He will level the earth and resurrect the dead – is about to be fulfilled within our very generation. The verses that describe Zul-Qarnayn’s journey are analyzed in detail and correlated to specific physical land formations in the context of historical and contemporary geopolitical events. Definitive arguments identify Gog as present day North Korea (DPRK, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) and Magog as South Korea (ROK, Republic of Korea). The inevitable conclusion is thus reached that the prophecy of the ‘surge of Gog and Magog against each other’ has already been fulfilled with the onset of the Korean War in 1950; which has technically not ended as only an armistice was signed and not a peace treaty.

The realization of other Qur’anic prophecies, including key geological and celestial events as well as the technological progress of human civilization, add to and solidify the mounting proof

6 that mankind, though unaware, is in its final throes. These include the April 14, 2010 eruption of the Icelandic Volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, the June 26, 2010 partial lunar eclipse that produced a half moon, and man’s efforts to pioneer space colonization that began fifty years ago with the first manned space flight. The coalescing of these events as foretold by their associated Qur’anic eschatological verses serves as a beacon for the imminent arrival of the Final Hour.

God, however, does not destroy a community unless it has become corrupt and gone astray – this has always been God’s practice and God does not change His practices. The development of human civilization is now at such a scale that it is effectively one global community. It will be demonstrated the entire global community – including the Islamic and non-Islamic worlds – to a large extent currently meets God’s criteria of corruption, and is therefore slated for destruction by the arrival of the last, overwhelming Earthquake. The Islamic world has taken the Hadith, which are historical documents – the narrations of the alleged actions and sayings of Prophet Muhammad – as religious doctrine, and thereby corrupted the true teachings of the Qur’an. Meanwhile, the non-Islamic religions follow misguided or altered Scriptures, and the secular world, by definition, is Godless.

God’s practice has also been to extend His Mercy to all individuals who lived in a doomed community but heeded God’s signs and returned to the path of true guidance before the certain end came upon them. His Mercy was even offered to Pharaoh and his people, who had placed the Children of Israel in bondage and slaughtered their sons. Surely, then, there can be no doubt God’s Mercy extends to everyone alive today. But since Prophet Muhammad was 33:40‘…the seal of the Prophets…,’ God has encompassed the entire world in His Mercy by preserving His Words intact and unaltered in the Qur’an, and by including eschatological verses; so that mankind may reason and determine ‘End of Days’ signs through them.

The purpose of this work, therefore, and its real value, is only for people to recognize and reflect on ‘End of Days’ signs, and in so doing, perchance make the effort to take God into their lives in a truly meaningful way, by following the guidance illuminated in the Qur’an…before it is too late.

7 CHAPTER 1 Zul-Qarnayn’s Journey to the Land of Gog and Magog

God states in the Qur’an the arrival of the Final Hour cultural insights, in both historical and is a time 7:187‘…that is momentous in both the contemporary settings, in the context of Empire. heavens and earth…’ This momentous time is inextricably linked to the fate of the peoples of Gog A complete text of the English translation of the and Magog when they will be ‘let loose’ and ‘surge Qur’anic verses that describe Zul-Qarnayn’s against each other.’ It is therefore of supreme journey to the land of Gog and Magog is provided. consequence to determine the entities called ‘Gog This is followed by a detailed exegesis that and Magog.’ God furnishes the means to identify systematically breaks down, elucidates and puts into Gog and Magog through the revelation of verses that perspective the meaning and context of each verse. describe the major landscapes associated with each As the exegesis progresses verse by verse, so too of the three communities Zul-Qarnayn encountered does the mystery of Zul-Qarnayn’s journey unravel along his travels. These landscapes function as key in concert; culminating with the irrefutable geographic markers, while the descriptions of each identification of Gog and Magog as present day community yield political, military, economic and North and South Korea.

Qur’anic Verses on Zul-Qarnayn’s Journey and the Peoples of Gog and Magog

18:83-108

83They ask you about Zul-Qarnayn. Say, ‘I will tell between the two mountainsides (he said), ‘Work you something about him.’ 84We established his your bellows!’ and then, when he had made it glow power in the land, and gave him the means to like fire, he said, ‘Bring me molten metal to pour achieve everything. 85He travelled on a certain over it!’ 97Their enemies could not scale the barrier, road; 86then, when he came to the setting of the sun, nor could they pierce it, 98and he said, ‘This is a he found it (seemed to be) setting into a muddy mercy from my Lord. But when my Lord’s promise spring. Nearby he found some people and We said, is fulfilled, He will raze this barrier to the ground: ‘Zul-Qarnayn, you may choose (which of them) to my Lord’s promise always comes true.’ 99On that punish or show kindness to.’ 87He answered, ‘We Day, We shall let them surge against each other like shall punish those who have done evil, and when waves and then the Trumpet will be blown and We they are returned to their Lord He will punish them shall gather them all together. 100We shall show Hell (even more) severely, 88while those who believed to the disbelievers, 101those whose eyes were blind and did good deeds will have the best of rewards: to My signs, those who were unable to hear. 102Did we shall command them to do what is easy for them.’ they think that they could take My servants as 89He travelled on; then, 90when he came to the rising masters instead of Me? We have prepared Hell as of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom the disbelievers’ resting place. We had provided no shelter from it. 91And so it was: We knew all about him. 103Say, ‘Shall we tell you who has the most to lose by their actions, 104whose efforts in this world are 92He travelled on; 93then, when he reached a place misguided, even when they think they are doing between two mountain barriers, he found beside good work? 105It is those who disbelieve in their them a people who could barely understand him. Lord’s messages and deny that they will meet Him.’ 94They said, ‘Zul-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog are Their deeds come to nothing: on the Day of ruining this land. Will you build a barrier between Resurrection We shall give them no weight. 106Their them and us if we pay you a tribute?’ 95He answered, recompense for having disbelieved and made fun of ‘The power my Lord has given me is better than any My messages and My messengers will be Hell. tribute, but if you lend me your strength, I will put 107But those who believe and do good deeds will be up a fortification between you and them: 96bring me given the Gardens of Paradise. 108There they will lumps of iron!’ and then, when he had filled the gap remain, never wishing to leave.

21:95-100

95No community destroyed by Us can escape its We were wrong.’ 98You (disbelievers) and what you return, 96and when the peoples of Gog and Magog worship instead of God will be fuel for Hell: that is are let loose and swarm swiftly from every highland, where you will go – 99if these (idols) had been real 97when the True Promise draws near, the gods they would not have gone there – you will all disbelievers’ eyes will stare in terror, and they will stay there. 100There the disbelievers will be groaning say, ‘Woe to us! We were not aware of this at all. piteously, but the (idols) will hear nothing.

Exegesis of Qur’anic Verses 18:83-97

18:83They ask you about Zul-Qarnayn. Say, ‘I resources at his disposal, including command of will tell you something about him.’ military forces. Of particular importance, the words ‘power’ and ‘achieve everything’ strongly infer the

tasks assigned by God and associated abilities given It can be surmised from this verse that a group of to Zul-Qarnayn were significant in both ‘scope and people from the Prophet’s community enquired scale:’ about Zul-Qarnayn. The story of Zul-Qarnayn’s journey, in turn, was revealed to address the request. The concept of significant ‘scope and scale’ is a Notice the narrative begins with ‘something about central and paramount guiding principle that will him,’ or alternatively, ‘a remembrance of him:’ as is be used throughout to unravel the mystery of Zul- plain from the Qur’anic discourse, God did not Qarnayn’s journey; the validity of its use will detail an extensive biography, but disclosed only the become axiomatic as the exegesis progresses. portion of Zul-Qarnayn’s travels necessary to achieve His intended purpose. 18:85 He travelled on a certain road; Note: There are historical accounts that offer explanations on how the Prophet’s community knew about Zul-Qarnayn in the first place. These In keeping with the central guiding principle of accounts, however, are immaterial and remain significant ‘scope and scale,’ the suggestion is Zul- outside the scope of this analysis. This paper will Qarnayn travelled a great distance along this road, rely, as much as possible, on only Scripturally and hence the road was well established during his derived interpretations. time, quite extensive and likely spanned many lands. Of all roads extant in antiquity, these criteria are perhaps best met by the ancient Silk Road. The 18:84We established his power in the land, and name ‘Silk Road’ is misleading, as it was not simply gave him the means to achieve everything. a singular road, but rather an elaborate, intercontinental network of trade routes that Here, it is clearly stipulated Zul-Qarnayn held a stretched from Asia, through the Middle East and position of leadership amongst his people. Only a into Europe. [1][2][3] The Silk Road consisted of both leader with vested authority has ‘established power overland and maritime trade routes (Figure 1). Since in the land’ and by virtue of this authority the the verse states, ‘He travelled on a certain road,’ availability and capacity to deploy resources that obviously Zul-Qarnayn travelled on an overland ‘gave him the means to achieve everything.’ It is route. Unlike the Roman Empire, which consequently made evident Zul-Qarnayn occupied strategically built stone roads to support its military the seat of a high level office with considerable campaigns, the overland routes of the Silk Road

11 were formed ‘naturally’ by the movement of traffic: carries silt in suspension. It is impossible for a [4][5] relatively stationary body of water to appear ‘muddy’ because silt cannot be held in suspension ‘The Silk Road, which cut through many deserts, due to lack of flow and will deposit on the waterbed was actually opened by the feet of travelers to and leaving the top levels clear. Wetlands such as from China and West Asia who passed along it with swamps and marshes with water shallow enough for their horses and camels.’ [4] their muddy waterbeds to show through and thereby discolour their surface appearance, do not appear as ‘a muddy spring’ because they are checkered with abundant aquatic vegetation. Any pooled shallow expanse of water without aquatic vegetation – that functions to retain water – would quickly evaporate. With the principle of ‘scope and scale’ in mind, the only alternative is a large moving body of water which further eliminates the possibility of creeks, streams and small tributaries. Naturally occurring

Figure 1: The Silk Road in the 1st Century [6] large springs are also discounted; springs contain some of the purest and clearest water in the world as The formation of the various trade routes that the water is filtered by soil and rock before it comprised the Silk Road was an evolutionary emerges. Hence, by method of elimination, the verse process that took place over thousands of years can only refer to a major ‘muddy’ river. dating back to some of the most ancient civilizations. [3][5][7] The main path of the ancient China’s second longest river and sixth longest in the Silk Road, however, is most commonly associated world, is called the Hwang Ho or Huang He, but with a caravan trail opened up during the Western most often known simply as the Yellow River. The Han Dynasty in the 1st century BCE, which linked name ‘Yellow River’ describes the perennial China to the West. [8][9][10] reddish-yellow colour of the muddy water in the middle to lower courses of the river. The Chinese even poetically term the river, ‘the muddy flow.’ 18:86then, when he came to the setting of the sun, [13][14][15] he found it (seemed to be) setting into a muddy

spring... An examination of the geology of the Yellow River and its surrounding terrain reveals how its reddish- Bodies of water can be grouped according to two yellow hue is attained. The Yellow River is basic functions; those that collect and move water, commonly divided into three stages. [15][16] In its such as rivers and streams, and those that primarily upper reaches, the Yellow River starts off clear and [11][12] hold water, such as lakes and oceans. A begins to gather rain water and ice melts from ‘muddy’ appearance is produced by water that surrounding hills and mountains. As it travels

12 through its middle reaches, the river passes through which carved out the Grand Canyon, and 35 times the Loess Plateau (Figures 2 and 3). more silt than the Nile. [20]

The Yellow River then enters its lower reaches, begins to slow down, and no longer having sufficient velocity for the accumulated silt to remain in suspension, the river starts to unload sediment and creates an elevated river bed. [15] The volume of sediment deposited is so massive that a surreal reddish-yellow ‘river above ground’ is produced – a rather unusual geological formation at a vast scale.

Figure 2: Geographical Region of the Loess Plateau [17]

Figure 4: Yellow River; aerial view [21]

Figure 3: Loess Plateau; ‘Most Erosion Prone Soil on Earth’ [18]

It is the peculiar and unique nature of this widespread plateau that gives the river its distinct reddish-yellow colour. Loess is a type of soil known as ‘the most erosion prone soil on earth’ and the plateau readily releases large amounts of mud and sand as it is eroded by the river and the elements. [19] By the time the Yellow River passes through the

Loess Plateau, it is the most sediment-laden and Figure 5: Yellow River; seen from downtown Lanzhou [22] [15] literally, ‘the muddiest river in the world.’ By way of comparison, the Yellow River on average If ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ then the carries 3.5 times more silt than the Colorado River, views in Figures 4 and 5 speak volumes and highlight the beauty, hue and grandeur of the Yellow

River. If Zul-Qarnayn approached the middle to 6:6Do they not realize how many generations We lower reaches of the Yellow River, it would indeed destroyed before them? We established them in the seem like ‘a muddy spring’ as the sun set behind it. earth more firmly than you, sent down abundant rain on them from the sky and made running rivers The question remains, ‘why can it not be any other flow at their feet, yet We destroyed them for their major muddy river?’ Taking into account the misdeeds and raised other generations after them. principle of significant ‘scope and scale’ and that no other major river in the world carries as much silt as 19:74We have destroyed many a generation before the Yellow River, the answer is further revealed as them who surpassed them in riches and outward the exegesis progresses. glitter!

28:78 18:86...Nearby he found some people and We …Did he not know that God had destroyed many said, ‘Zul-Qarnayn, you may choose (which of generations before him, who had greater power them) to punish or show kindness to.’ 87He than him and built up greater wealth?… answered, ‘We shall punish those who have done evil, and when they are returned to their And since God does not change His practices: Lord He will punish them (even more) severely, 33:62 88while those who believed and did good deeds This has been God’s practice with those who will have the best of rewards: we shall command went before. You will find no change in God’s them to do what is easy for them.’ practices.

48:23such was God’s practice in the past and you will Note the verse says ‘nearby’ and not ‘at’ (the muddy find no change in God’s practices. spring), with the implication the community was not necessary located immediately adjacent to the 35:43…Do you expect anything but what happened to Yellow River and may have been found a short earlier people? You will never find any change in distance away within the Yellow River basin. God’s practice; you will never find any deviation

there. Another clue is advanced with the pronouncement,

‘…We shall punish those who have done evil, and A well established and wealthy community, when they are returned to their Lord He will punish therefore, is another criterion that must be met: them (even more) severely.’ Whenever God wills punishment on a people, without exception they are ‘The Yellow River is called “the cradle of Chinese always a prosperous and well established civilization,” because its basin was the birthplace community, not a newly formed or emerging of ancient Chinese civilization, and it was the most society. This has always been God’s practice: prosperous region in early Chinese history.’

[16][22][24]

Commencing approximately 2000BCE the first ‘Xi’an, known as Chang’an in ancient times, is one Chinese dynasties were established along the middle of the oldest capital cities in China. During the to lower reaches of the Yellow River (Figure 6). [25] Western Han…it was China’s political, economic, Over several dynastic periods, the Yellow River and cultural center…as the hub of international basin experienced nearly two thousand years of traffic…it ranked with Rome, and subsequently, settlement and expansion until ancient China Istanbul, in importance…As the starting point for entered its most prosperous era during the Han the Silk Road, Xi’an played an important role in Dynasty (206BCE–220CE). Known as ‘the golden east-west exchange.’ [29] age of Chinese history,’ [26] the Han Dynasty spanned over four centuries and emerged as China’s ‘It was…a cosmopolitan metropolis…a consumer fifth dynasty and second imperial dynasty. [27][28] city, a city whose existence was not primarily predicated upon manufacturing and trade, but rather boasted such a large population because of its role as the political and militaristic center of China. By 2CE the population was 246,200 in 80,000 households. This population was mostly scholar gentry whose education was being sponsored by their wealthy aristocratic families. In addition to these civil servants was a larger underclass to serve to them.’ [30]

Figure 6: Founding Dynasties of China Along the Yellow River Basin [25]

The Han Dynasty is separated into two distinct periods. During the Western Han period (206BCE– 9CE), Xi’an was the kingdom’s capital and seat of power. [28] In the 1st Century BCE, the main path and Figure 7: Geographical Region of the Yellow River; Upper, Middle, Lower Reaches progress west to east [31] eastern terminus of the Silk Road was extended to

Xi’an, [29] which is located in the Yellow River basin In the Eastern Han period (25CE–220CE), the near the river’s middle reaches: capital was moved further east to Luoyang, [28] at the

15 trail end but still within the Yellow River’s middle authority Zul-Qarnayn upheld justice; he punished reaches (immediately west of Zhengzhou, Figure 7). the bad but showed kindness to the good.

Thus, the middle reaches of the Yellow River as the A number of further deductions can now be made: site Zul-Qarnayn first visited conforms to the following criteria: 1. Good and evil are determined not only from people’s actions, but also and sometimes more so,  By the 1st Century BCE, it was innervated by the by their speech. Hence, in order for Zul-Qarnayn to main corridor of the Silk Road connecting China make true judgment on individuals living within the to the West; part of the most extensive network community – a heavy moral undertaking as it of trade routes in ancient times. affected each person’s fate – it was incumbent he  It is carved by massive flows of ‘muddy water’ was fluent in their language. If Zul-Qarnayn could over long distances that appear as ‘a muddy not comprehend a word of what was spoken by the spring.’ community, he could not possibly pass judgment on  It was the location of the most established and individuals amongst them. This is akin to Prophet prosperous communities of ancient China. Muhammad assuming the role of a judge in the Medinan community without understanding Arabic At this point in the exegesis, there is good reason to and therefore unable to converse with his people, make the suggestion Zul-Qarnayn’s first destination relying instead on interpreters; a highly unrealistic was one of the firmly established and affluent scenario. communities that thrived along the middle reaches of the Yellow River, accessible by the Silk Road, no In China, since dialects are far and varied, it can be earlier than the 1st Century BCE during the reign of surmised Zul-Qarnayn spoke the precise or very the Han Dynasty. Xi’an, in particular, the cultural near dialect of the Yellow River community; with center of Imperial China and the starting point of the the implication Zul-Qarnayn was a native of the Han Silk Road, was of primary importance in ‘east-west Empire, raised in one of the communities of the exchange.’ It was, moreover, the seat of political, Yellow River basin. This is consistent with the economic and military power; a place from which a Qur’anic teaching that God has sent many ranked individual would have established ‘power in messengers, each to their own communities: the land’ and ‘the means to achieve everything.’ 6:130‘Company of jinn and mankind! Did messengers Upon reaching the Yellow River community, Zul- not come from among you to recite My revelations Qarnayn, a chosen messenger of God, was given the to you and warn that you would meet this Day?’… ability to distinguish between those who followed God’s guidance from those who had gone astray and 39:71Those who rejected the Truth will be led to Hell spread corruption; ‘…you may choose (which of in their throngs. When they arrive, its gates will them) to punish or show kindness to.’ By God’s open and its keepers will say to them, ‘Were you not sent your own messengers to recite the revelations

16 of your Lord to you and warn you that you would meet this Day?’… It is of value to note, as the verses punctuate, that those who committed evil were not only punished in 30:47Before you (Muhammad), We sent messengers, this life but will also suffer the ultimate and more each to their own people: they brought them clear humiliating punishment in the hereafter, whereas the proofs and then We punished the evildoers. We make believers who did good deeds were treated with it Our duty to help the believers. kindness and will have even greater rewards in the next life and suffer no hardship. It is incomprehensible that one of the most prosperous, well established, highly populated and 18:89He travelled on; then… significant civilizations of ancient times was not sent messenger(s) of their own; Zul-Qarnayn was one such messenger, sent to ancient China. Notice the verse does not say, ‘He continued with his travels on the same road,’ only ‘He travelled on.’ 2. No community would permit a lone individual to If ‘the same road’ was added, it would by necessity essentially ‘walk in unannounced,’ pass judgment limit Zul-Qarnayn’s journey to only a particular and then punish whoever he chooses. Zul-Qarnayn route of the Silk Road, but since this is not the case, needed the support of substantial military forces to other routes which may or may not be part of the exert his authority and will over the community, Silk Road can be explored. especially since it was a prosperous community, presumably with armed forces of its own. He was 18:90when he came to the rising of the sun, he given neither the strength nor capability to dispense found it rising on a people for whom We had punishment single-handedly (see commentary on provided no shelter from it. verse 18:95); he did not possess superhuman strength like the Biblical figure Samson. It follows Zul-Qarnayn either travelled with significant The physical landscape that provides no shelter from military forces at his command, or held a position of the sun is a desert. In continuation with the central authority over regional militia. guiding principle of significant ‘scope and scale,’ it is posited Zul-Qarnayn’s second destination was the 3. While the Qur’an does not detail the nature of the Gobi Desert, the largest desert in Asia that covers punishment, with established authority and military parts of northwestern China and southern Mongolia. [32][33] forces at his command Zul-Qarnayn possessed the If Zul-Qarnayn left by the middle reaches of means of administering whatever form of the Yellow River and headed northeast, the path punishment he pleased; whether physical, would lead him to the Gobi desert (Figure 8), where economic, or both. Punishment of those who spread he found the sun ‘rising on a people’ who were corruption in the land, by one means or another, has provided ‘no shelter from it.’ always been a mainstay of God’s established practices.

established his power in the land, and gave him the means to achieve everything.’ Right away, it is implicitly understood Zul-Qarnayn did not travel only a few miles, cross a tiny creek, and arrive at a small desert plain. Everything is magnified to a large scale: the Silk Road, the most extensive network of trade routes in the ancient world; the Yellow River, China’s second longest and the world’s muddiest river snaking over 5,400km; [13][15] the Gobi Desert, Asia’s largest desert covering 1,300,000 sq. km. [32][33] The thematic consistency of scale and the Figure 8: Geographic Region of the Gobi Desert [34] relative proximity of each landform support and add credence to the journey as described. Each new The cryptic and generalized description of verse verse brings with it more implications and resultant 18:90 begs the question, ‘why did God include a criteria, filtering out alternatives and narrowing the narration bereft of detail?’ No information is possibilities, eventually making it impossible for all revealed about the community Zul-Qarnayn – but the one authentic route – to meet the mounting encountered other than the inference they lived in a conditions. desert. As Figure 8 highlights, however, the Gobi Desert is the key ‘Landscape Bridge’ linking the 18:91And so it was: We knew all about him. middle reaches of the Yellow River (Huang He) to the Korean Peninsula when a northeastern route is followed. It is exceedingly difficult to decipher Zul- God states in the Qur’an: Qarnayn’s journey without identification of the

Gobi Desert – a significant, large-scale, defining 6:59He has the keys to the unseen: no one knows them land formation in Asia. It would appear, then, these but Him. He knows all that is in the land and sea. clues are imparted – each at the appropriate level of No leaf falls without His knowledge, nor is there a detail – so that mankind may unlock the identities of single grain in the darkness of the earth, or Gog and Magog; and hence serve as one last anything, fresh or withered, that is not written in a opportunity, as part of His Mercy and divine plan, clear Record. for the acceptance of the Qur’an as an authentic and protected Scripture authored by God. 7:6-7We shall certainly question those to whom

messengers were sent – and We shall question the Thematic Consistency messengers themselves – and, with full knowledge,

for We were never far from them, We shall tell them To stress, once again, the unifying theme running what they did. throughout Zul-Qarnayn’s journey thus far: God first unveiled a clue by announcing, 18:84 ‘We

And so, through the description of Zul-Qarnayn’s most mountainous peninsulas in the world – the journey, the same message is repeated here, ‘We Korean Peninsula (Figure 9). Evidence is now knew all about him.’ Truly God’s knowledge presented to support this view. encompasses all things. The characterization, ‘…he found beside them a 18:92He travelled on; people who could barely understand him,’ is subtly delineating and thus mandates exposition in the

context of language genealogy and associated Again, as this is a general statement, and does not geographies. The implication of ‘barely understand’ mention a specific road, no restrictions are is minimal mutual intelligibility rather than applicable on the direction Zul-Qarnayn may have mutually intelligible or mutually incomprehensible. travelled. [45][46][47][49] As concluded in the exegesis of verses 18:86-88, Zul-Qarnayn spoke the Chinese dialect of 18:93then, when he reached a place between two the Yellow River community he visited on his first mountain barriers, he found beside them a destination. Hence, another criterion can now be people who could barely understand him. applied: the languages of the Yellow River and

highland communities (i.e. Zul-Qarnayn’s first and

third destinations respectively) must share only minimal mutual intelligibility.

This criterion rules out the possibility of a highland community that spoke only native Korean. Korean is a different language altogether than Chinese, and is classified either as a ‘language isolate’ or less commonly as part of the Altaic language family. [36][37][38][39][40] A ‘language isolate,’ as the name implies, is an independently evolved language and unrelated to any other language genealogy, while the Altaic languages spread across a wide northern geographical arc stretching from Eastern Europe to Figure 9: Topographical Map of the northeast Asia but never penetrated south into Korean Peninsula [35] [41][42] mainland China. The languages of China, on After the Gobi Desert, Zul-Qarnayn journeyed the other hand, are part of the Sino-Tibetan family, towards his third and final destination narrated in the a very different family of languages. [46][49] Korean Qur’an. Since ‘he reached a place between two and Chinese languages, therefore, are mutually mountain barriers,’ and with the principle of unintelligible. If the highland community spoke significant ‘scope and scale’ as a guide, it is only native Korean, they would not even ‘barely proposed Zul-Qarnayn travelled east to one of the understand’ Zul-Qarnayn. This criterion effectively

19 limits Zul-Qarnayn’s last destination to only dialects of Mandarin and are somewhat mutually Chinese colonies of the Korean Peninsula or its intelligible. [45][46][47][49] surrounding regions. The map confirms the regions that encompass Xi’an (i.e. in the vicinity of the Yellow River’s middle reaches, Zul-Qarnayn’s first destination) and the northern Korean Peninsula (near Zul-Qarnayn’s third destination) are part of the Mandarin language group; by far the largest language group by geography and population. Since the regions are far apart, the level of mutual intelligibility of their respective Mandarin dialects is certain to be only marginal [47] – exactly as described in the Qur’an by the term ‘barely understand’ 1400 years ago. It is important to note Figure 10 reflects a contemporary distribution; Han colonies of ancient Imperial China penetrated deep into the peninsula, implanting their culture within their administrative territories:

‘China’s colonial policy does not seem to have been marked by severe political repression. It appears that the Chinese were content to exercise a certain degree of control while permitting substantial political freedom to the people they governed. Nonetheless, the Chinese administration had Figure 10: Geographic distribution of Sinitic language families [43][44][48] considerable impact on the life of the native population and ultimately the very fabric of Old Minimal mutual intelligibility is tied to the concept Choson* society became eroded.’ [50] of dialects. Figure 10 depicts the geographic *An ancient Korean Kingdom, 2333BCE-108BCE. distribution of Sinitic language families. The classification and relationships of Chinese dialects To continue with the analysis, the verse clearly is complex and contentious. At a basic level, implies Zul-Qarnayn visited a hillside and not a however, the main family groups of the Sinitic valley community; ‘then, when he reached a place languages are generally considered mutually between two mountain barriers, he found beside unintelligible; for example, Mandarin and them a people...’ The community is not described as Cantonese. Dialects within a region of the same located between ‘two mountains,’ but as residing language group vary in degrees of mutual beside ‘two mountain barriers.’ The two are very intelligibility; Beijing and Sichuan speech are different settings. If the community was found

20 between two entire mountains it must by necessity plains beyond the earthen fortifications they built lie in an expansive valley, but as it is situated, on hillside plateaus. Although these small walled- instead, alongside ‘two mountain barriers,’ the town states (sometimes called tribal states) retained intimation is a highland community nestled beside a tribal character, their political structure was built two mountainsides. The two mountainsides, or around a territorial unit that subsumed populations barriers, unquestionably comprise a segment of a other than the tribe alone. These walled-town states single larger mountain, which in turn is part of any were the earliest form of state structure to exist in mountain range found in ancient Imperial China’s Korea, and thus they represent the origins of Korean occupied regions within the greater Korean political culture.’ [51] Peninsula. 2. Without protection, such a community would be 18:94They said, ‘Zul-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog an easy and attractive target for raids. As payment are ruining this land. Will you build a barrier of tribute was volunteered, it is a reasonable between them and us if we pay you a tribute?’ assumption the raids were recurrent; tribute would

not be offered if the community experienced a

history of only one single raid with no threat of This is the first mention of Gog and Magog in the future attacks. The raids, most assuredly, were of Qur’an. The verse is also the linchpin that fully sufficient intensity ‘to ruin the land’ by depleting unravels their identities, and, by consequence, their stores of food, seizure of their wealth, damage verifies Zul-Qarnayn’s journey as described: of their property, and abuse of their people – on an

ongoing basis – indeed nothing short of a nightmare 1. The highland community could not have been scenario; and thus the analogy with the movie, ‘The under direct occupation by Gog and Magog, for if Magnificent Seven.’ they were, a barrier would be of no value. Since they asked for a barrier to be erected, it can be concluded In addition, payment of tribute would only be the community was neither inclined towards warfare offered – it was their idea, not Zul-Qarnayn’s – if it nor capable of effective self-defense. The people was already an established custom. It can be argued only wanted to be left alone in peace and carry out the tribute was merely a generic fee for service; a their livelihood, which almost certainly consisted of contract any community in such jeopardy would small scale agriculture and raising livestock. offer. However, this is not the case. The payment of Consider now, the historical evolution of the hillside tribute, or a tributary system, is peculiar to ancient agrarian communities in the Korean Peninsula, China and is reflective of China’s unique dating back to the era of the Bronze Age (1500- perspective on empire and governance. The 300BCE): [51] tributary system was the method Chinese royalty

employed to establish their relationship with greater ‘The territories ruled by Bronze Age chieftains were China. [52][53][54] The offer to pay tribute is perhaps not very extensive. They controlled a modest the most important clue to validate Zul-Qarnayn’s agricultural population that farmed the narrow journey and thereby confirm the true identities of the

21 peoples of Gog and Magog. Here is a closer look at means to control their interests, as well as a means what a tribute is and how a tributary system is of providing exclusive trading priorities to those organized: who paid tribute from foreign regions. It was an integral part of the Confucian philosophy and was ‘The term tributary state refers to one of the two seen by the Chinese as equivalent to the familial main ways in which a pre-modern state might be relation of younger sons looking after older parents subordinate to a more powerful neighbour. The by devoting part of their wealth, assets, or goods to heart of the relationship was that the tributary that purpose. Political marriages also existed would send a regular token of submission (tribute) between the Chinese empire and tribute states...’ to the superior power. This token often took the form [55][56] of a substantial transfer of wealth, such as the delivery of gold, produce, or slaves, so that tribute Throughout the history of Imperial China, the might best be seen as the payment of protection tributary system was far reaching and extended to money… greater China in virtually all directions. A far from an exhaustive list of tributaries of Imperial China An unusually elaborate and formalized tribute includes Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand system developed in East Asia. Historically, the and Vietnam in the south; Tibet, Nepal and India in Emperor of China saw himself as the emperor of the the west and southwest; the Confederate Nomadic entire civilized world. It was not possible for such Tribes across the north; Korea and Japan in the east. an emperor to have equal diplomatic relations with [52][57][58] There is no other empire that was known any other power, and so all diplomatic relations in for implementation of a tributary system at remotely the region were constructed by the Chinese as near this scale and intrinsic to their philosophy on tributary. The disdain of the state ideology of culture and statecraft. [54] China’s imposed tributary Confucianism for trade, and the conceit that relationships, therefore, are consistent with the Chinese civilization had no need of products or central guiding principle of significant ‘scope and technology from outside meant that trade, when it scale.’ It thus follows, by corollary, the highland was permitted, was also constructed as tributary. community Zul-Qarnayn visited must be in a Diplomatic missions and trading parties from non- tributary region of ancient Imperial China as a Chinese regions were interpreted in Chinese further criterion. records as being tributary, regardless of the intention of those regions. Under this construction, The tributary system of Imperial China was the goods received by China constituted a tributary established by the 1st Century BCE during the Han offering, while those that the visitors received were Dynasty and administered by means of interpreted as gifts that the emperor in his kindness organizational districts called commanderies had bestowed upon his distant tributaries.’ [55][56] (Figure 11). [54][59][60][61] Han commanderies penetrated the northwest and central regions of the ‘In China, the tribute system began from ancient Korean Peninsula, and Chinese immigrants, who China period to provide both an administrative settled in the colonized territories, brought with

22 them considerable inflows of Chinese culture. [62] 406,748. It was eventually defeated by the Kingdom Amongst the host of cultural influences exerted by of Goguryeo in 313CE. [62][63][65] the Chinese, two particularly notable, were language and the collection of tributes. [63] Hence, the 3. Successful recurrent raids of the highland communities of the greater Korean Peninsula community demonstrate the aggressive nature and controlled by Chinese commanderies retained military character of Gog and Magog. Raids imply minimal comprehension of Manchurian dialects, speed and cannot be conducted in mountain while at the same time were accustomed to the highlands on foot; they must be executed on tributary system; thus the Qur’anic verses, 18:93‘…he horseback. Effective raids on horseback require found beside them a people who could barely skilled horsemen warriors who are not only able to understand him,’ who volunteered, 18:94‘…Will you negotiate treacherous mountainous terrain, but can build a barrier between them and us if we pay you a do so with speed and agility while at the same time tribute?’ wield weapons of war. Only an engaged class of warrior horsemen have the ability to repeatedly carry out such raids – it is not a hobby that can be pursued part time; it is a profession that requires commitment and continuous practice to hone a very specialized skill set. For the profession to be justified, a solitary village would not suffice but require the wealth from many villages. Once raided, villages needed time to recover and build up enough resources – ‘to fatten up’ – for further attacks to be worthwhile. It would seem, therefore, the community Zul-Qarnayn rescued was not the only community subjected to intermittent raids by Gog and Magog, but one of many, whose resources were exploited to support the fierce warriors.

Figure 11: Han Commanderies, 2CE [64] The ancient Kingdom of Goguryeo (or Koguryo,

37BCE–668CE) ruled over much of the greater Note: The Lelang Commandery (108BCE–313CE) Korean Peninsula for over 700 years (Figures 12 and penetrated the heart of the Korean Peninsula with 13). [66][67] The mountainous land of Goguryeo could its capital located at present day Pyongyang. It grew not support adequate agriculture to sustain its to be the principle commandery in the Korean population. As a result, a highly skilled military Peninsula and throughout the four centuries of its class evolved to forcibly appropriate resources from establishment there was a continuous influx of surrounding lands. [68][69] The Goguryeo military Chinese immigrants who settled in the peninsula. was robust – reputed for its aggressive cavalries of Records indicated Lelang consisted of 25 skilled horsemen who regularly embarked on raids prefectures, 62,812 houses, with a population of

– and to a large extent developed as a result of raiding their neighbors so they could expand their conflict and served as a bulwark against Imperial resource base. In the time of king Taejo of Goguryeo China’s forces in the Korean Peninsula; [70] in 53CE, five local tribes were reorganized into five eventually routing the Chinese by the early fourth centrally ruled districts. Foreign relations and the century: [66] military were controlled by the king. Aggressive military activities may have allowed Goguryeo to exact tribute from their tribal neighbors and to even dominate them politically and economically.’ [65][68]

‘Thus Koguryo came into being and proceeded to develop in a context of conflict with the Chinese. Accordingly Koguryo was in need of strong military forces, and in the course of its early armed struggles the military character of Koguryo’s ruling elite was continuously reinforced. It would Figure 12: Goguryeo & appear that even in times of peace this warrior Proto-Three Kingdoms; 001CE [71] aristocracy did not engage in any kind of productive

activities, but devoted itself entirely to training for combat. For the warriors of Koguryo, in fact, warfare was the most productive activity they might pursue, as is indicated by their consuming interest in such spoils of war as land, populations, and domestic animals. Only through warfare, it seems, could they compensate for the inadequacy of the resources within their boundaries. It is no wonder, then…the Koguryo people gave the impression to the Chinese of being vigorous, warlike, and fond of [69] attacking their neighbors.’ Figure 13: Goguryeo at Territorial Prime [72] and Modern Political Boundaries; 476CE ‘In the north, Koguryo, with its fast-moving cavalry ‘Goguryeo developed from a league of various and mobile populations, became a powerful force in Yemaek tribes to an early state and rapidly the territorial struggles of northeast Asia – in expanded its power from their original basin of constant conflict with the Chinese states to the south control in the Hun river drainage. The Goguryeo and west and the Manchurian tribes of the north. homeland was said to be mountainous and lacked Koguryo was an aggressive, warring state, its arable land and could barely feed its own forces capable of repulsing invasion attempts by population. Goguryeo was known for being fond of the full strength of Chinese arms and even of

24 harboring dreams of aggression against that seems more appropriate, given He is the Most powerful western neighbour.’ [70] Gracious, Most Merciful, that the term ‘Gog and Magog’ was deliberately chosen as an understated 4. It is implausible that agrarian highland means to help mankind unlock their identities. The communities with limited resources could survive one tribe of Gog and Magog refers, therefore, to repeated raids by not one, but two different military arguably the world’s most homogeneous ethnic tribes (i.e. Gog and Magog). This was not a war group of people alive today; the divided inhabitants where allies joined forces to mount a combined of the Korean Peninsula, or present day North and attack against a common formidable enemy. These South Korea (Figure 14). were recurrent raids with the intent of resource acquisition through pillage and plunder or the receipt of tribute through the instilment of fear. Continuous forced transfer of wealth was the prize. If two separate aggressive tribes partnered in combined larger raids, or tag teamed in alternate raids, there simply would not be enough booty to go around, nor could the assaulted communities recover from such severe and repeated onslaught. The villages would be raided to extinction and the strategy rendered counter-productive. More to the point, two highly skilled armed tribes would no doubt be at war with each other in competition over potential gains. It is apparent this scenario is not even a remote possibility.

The only credible conclusion that can be reached is Gog and Magog are not two separate tribes, but Figure 14: North and South Korea [73] one single tribe. They are one people of the same Note: It is suggested that Gog denotes the ethnic stock. God uses the term, ‘Gog and Magog,’ abbreviated first three letters of the ancient as a literary device to show they are one people who Kingdom of Goguryeo, and is further discussed in are later divided. That is why both names have chapter 2, ‘Etymology.’ ‘Gog’ in common; ‘Gog and Magog’ even sound as if they are ‘from’ and ‘of’ each other. 18:95He answered, ‘The power my Lord has

given me is better than any tribute, but if you It does not seem reasonable that God, who is the All lend me your strength, I will put up a Wise, the All Aware, purposefully selected the fortification between you and them: related names ‘Gog and Magog,’ if they referenced two separate and completely unrelated tribes. It

Servants of God do not accept tribute payments; most probably, as protection against rust. The iron their reward is with God alone. God’s Grace is far barrier was purposefully engineered to the necessary better than any tribute. And so, Zul-Qarnayn asked dimensions (width, thickness and height) to nothing from the community other than ‘their effectively seal the passageway and hence, ‘Their strength,’ or manual labour. Any notion, therefore, enemies could not scale the barrier, nor could they that Zul-Qarnayn was some sort of ‘superman’ is pierce it.’ The filled ‘gap between two immediately dispelled for he would not require the mountainsides’ references the very same ‘strength of people’ and be able to construct the passageway Zul-Qarnayn first used to gain access to fortification all alone. Instead, Zul-Qarnayn was the community as previously related in verse 18:93, given, above all else, the qualities of intelligence, ‘then, when he reached a place between two wisdom and faith. As part of his faith, and as a mountain barriers…’ Without doubt, Zul-Qarnayn messenger of God, Zul-Qarnayn was inspired to carefully surveyed and selected an appropriate oversee the design, engineering and construction of construction site along the passageway where the an impenetrable and enduring fortification, and to gap could most easily and effectively be sealed: for ensure the fortification would serve the purpose of example, a narrowing where the two mountainsides protection and separation of the hillside community joined above to form an arched opening that could from the one tribe of Gog and Magog. It must again be completely sealed off to achieve an entirely be stressed; it does not seem at all conceivable that impenetrable and non-scalable fortification. a barrier was erected to keep out two different warrior tribes: Gog and Magog is one tribe which is The project, though manageable – as the later divided. construction site was located, as distinguished earlier, between two mountain barriers and not two 18:96bring me lumps of iron!’ and then, when he entire mountains (the latter a daunting challenge had filled the gap between the two even by today’s standards) – was nonetheless mountainsides (he said), ‘Work your bellows!’ assuredly a ‘mega-structure’ for its time and aligned and then, when he had made it glow like fire, he with the principle of significant ‘scope and scale.’ said, ‘Bring me molten metal to pour over it!’ The technological limitations of the ancient period 97Their enemies could not scale the barrier, nor entailed substantial labour requirements as attested could they pierce it. by Zul-Qarnayn’s request from the community to

‘…lend me your strength…’ A protracted time frame

was thus essential to complete the project, as By the instructions, ‘bring me lumps of iron…Work enormous quantities of iron ore needed to be your bellows…Bring me molten metal to pour over transported over considerable distances by horse- it,’ it is evident Zul-Qarnayn managed the project, drawn vehicles via winding mountainous routes. allocated resources and directed work. The work is This corroborates the prior determination the also sequenced in a rational order: iron is first highland community faced intermittent raids over brought in, the gap is filled, and the iron is then spread intervals by the one tribe of Gog and Magog. heated and sealed with molten metal; functioning, Given the extended timelines involved in the

26 construction project, the alternative of more frequent raids by two separate tribes raises the certain prospect of a mid-construction attack by one tribe or the other; with potentially devastating consequences. However, the Qur’an does not suggest, or give even the slightest hint that a battle took place between Zul-Qarnayn’s forces and those of Gog and Magog.

The infrastructure and supply chain necessary to support large-scale ironworks introduces yet another criterion: iron culture in the region must be Figure 15: The Nakdong River [78] well advanced during Imperial China’s occupation of the Korean Peninsula. Broadly defined, the Iron The ability of the Chinese, furthermore, to Age in China is dated at 600-200BCE and ‘command the labour services of the native [80][81] introduced to the Korean Peninsula in 400–60BCE. population they governed’ substantiates the [74][75][76][77] The Korean Peninsula is noted for its Qur’anic account, ‘…lend me your strength…’ Only rich reserves of iron ore deposits that were mined as the authority of a high ranked office could approve early as the 2nd Century BCE and distributed large-scale projects, recruit labour from indigenous throughout the peninsula; particularly to the Lelang populations and requisition large quantities of iron (or Lo-lang) commandery (with ancient Pyongyang ore and related building supplies at the very as its capital, Figure 15): outskirts of its administrative territories. There can be little doubt, therefore, Zul-Qarnayn was a ‘Around 300 BCE, iron technology was introduced respected leader of the Chinese elite with firmly into Korea from China. Iron was produced locally established ‘power in the land’ and ‘the means to in the southern part of the peninsula by the second achieve everything.’ century BCE. According to Chinese accounts, iron from the lower Nakdong River valley in the Zul-Qarnayn’s Route southeast, was valued throughout the peninsula and Japan.’ [79] Significant evidence has now been presented to firmly make the case Zul-Qarnayn visited an ‘The Chinese were able to command the labour agrarian highland community in a Chinese services of the native population they governed, for administered region of the Korean Peninsula during example for the large-scale cutting of timber. It is the colonial period (100BCE~300CE) – most known, too, that iron ore from deposits in the notably the principle commandery of Lelang, which southeast corner of the peninsula was supplied to occupied the central regions and effectively Lo-lang.’ [51] bifurcated the peninsula in two – a foreshadow, perhaps, of a divided ‘Gog and Magog’ in centuries

27 to follow. But is there, at this point, sufficient ‘Hexi Corridor, also Hexi Zoulang, which is known information to ‘fill in the missing pieces’ and as the main path of the ancient Silk Road, is a east- finalize the specifics of Zul-Qarnayn’s route? To west stretching trading route starting from the gain insight on this question, it may prove useful to ancient capital Xi’an and reaching Dunhuang via re-examine verses 18:86 and 18:90: oasis scattering in the long and narrow desert between Lanzhou and the northern part of the Qilian 18:86then, when he came to the setting of the sun, he Mt. Range. For reasons of simple geography, found it (seemed to be) setting into a muddy spring. travellers leaving or entering China to or from Nearby he found some people and We said, ‘Zul- Central Asia and the West have always been Qarnayn, you may choose (which of them) to punish channelled through this narrow strip of land that or show kindness to.’ runs 1000km northwest of Lanzhou.’ [84]

18:90when he came to the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no shelter from it.

Throughout Zul-Qarnayn’s journey, the Qur’anic narrative stated the obvious ‘without actually stating the obvious.’ As a case in point, implicit in the phrases ‘setting of the sun’ and ‘rising of the sun’ is Figure 16: The Silk Road; Hexi (Gansu) Corridor [85] travels which are generally westward and eastward respectively. That is to say, Zul-Qarnayn must have Traveling west along the Hexi Corridor – the main traveled west on his first destination and east on his artery of the Silk Road developed and controlled by second. And considering, as it has been established the Han [9][10] – Zul-Qarnayn approached the middle Zul-Qarnayn held the position of a high ranked reaches of the Yellow River near Lanzhou, well into office – almost certainly during the reign of the Han the Loess Plateau, by which time the river had taken Dynasty – and that power and authority was seated on its rich ochre-yellow colour (Figure 5); where he in the kingdom’s capital, his route can now be found the sun seemed to be ‘setting into a muddy traced: spring.’

The only way to approach the Yellow River in a Having reached a region near Lanzhou, the second westerly direction is along the Hexi (Gansu) leg of His journey is dictated by the requirement to Corridor, departing from Xi’an, the starting point of arrive at the Gobi Desert by way of an eastern the Silk Road, and heading towards Lanzhou direction, ‘when he came to the rising of the sun,’ (Figure 16). [82][83] The principle of significant again leaving only one possibility; a northeastern ‘scope and scale’ enforces that a major route of the route looping around the top of the Yellow River, Silk Road be followed: turning eastward into the Gobi Desert (Figure 8),

28 where he found the sun ‘rising on a people for whom Thus, Zul-Qarnayn travelled in three different We had provided no shelter from it.’ directions; west, northeast, and east – visiting three separate communities along the way, according to His third leg of the journey is straight-forward; due God’s command: east from the Gobi Desert towards the mountainous Korean Peninsula; 18:92‘He travelled on; 93then, 18:91And so it was: We knew all about him. when he reached a place between two mountain barriers, he found beside them a people who could barely understand him.’

Summary of Qur’anic Verses 18:83-97

Zul-Qarnayn was a messenger of God and held a including, and targeting specifically, the Chinese position of leadership and authority amongst the commanderies of the Korean Peninsula. Zul- aristocracy in ancient Imperial China. He travelled Qarnayn used his established ‘power in the land’ to three different communities within the Chinese and ‘the means to achieve everything’ given to him Empire sometime between the 1st Century BCE and by God to build an iron fortification so ‘their 3rd Century CE during the reign of the Han enemies could not scale the barrier, nor could they Dynasty. On his first destination, he journeyed west pierce it.’ by way of the ancient Silk Road, to a community near the middle reaches of the Yellow River where Zul-Qarnayn’s travels as presented is not only the sun seemed to be ‘setting into a muddy spring.’ credible, but upon scrutiny, the only route possible. It was an established and prosperous community, Through inference and deduction, each verse adds and Zul-Qarnayn punished ‘those who had done mounting conditions, principles and criteria that evil’ while those who believed and did good deeds forge inextricable linkages in the context of were treated with kindness. On his second geopolitical history and Empire, bound and destination, he travelled northeast, and then turned anchored by a common period and the relative east into the Gobi Desert as he approached ‘the proximity of unmistakable large-scale physical land rising of the sun’ where he encountered a people formations which God furnished as timeless who were ‘provided no shelter from it.’ On his third geographic markers. With discernment and critical destination, he headed due east towards the Korean review of these key ‘linkages and anchors’ (Table 1) Peninsula where he found a highland people who not only is Zul-Qarnayn’s journey unraveled and complained, ‘Gog and Magog are ruining this land.’ convincingly affirmed, but by consequence, it is a The one tribe of Gog and Magog was the ancient poignant reminder and undeniable evidence of the Kingdom of Goguryeo: a mountainous land of authenticity of the Qur’an as God’s literal and aggressive warrior horsemen in the habit of protected Word. conducting repeated raids on their neighbours,

Table 1: Summary of Qur’anic Verses 18:83-97 Qur’anic Verse Key ‘Linkage and Anchor’ Key Words in Bold Timelines in Bold Zul-Qarnayn occupied the seat of a high ranked office with substantial 18:84We established his power in the land, and resources and military forces at his command; gave him the means to achieve everything; The central guiding principle of significant ‘scope and scale.’ The expansion of the Silk Road – the most established and extensive 18:85He travelled on a certain road. intercontinental trade network of ancient times – in the 1st Century BCE to Xi’an. The Yellow River, China’s second longest river and the most silt- 18:86then, when he came to the setting of the laden in the world; termed by the Chinese as ‘the muddy flow;’ sun, he found it (seemed to be) setting into a The first leg of Zul-Qarnayn’s journey was in a westward direction muddy spring… along the Hexi Corridor – the main path of the ancient Silk Road – developed and controlled by the Han Dynasty. God’s practice of physical and/or economic punishment, at His 18:86…Nearby he found some people and We discretion, on only well established and affluent communities; said, ‘Zul-Qarnayn, you may choose (which of The Yellow River basin was the most prosperous region of ancient them) to punish or show kindness to.’ 87He China and called ‘the cradle of Chinese civilization;’ answered, ‘We shall punish those who have The Han Dynasty (206BCE–220CE) is renown, in particular, as ‘the done evil, and when they are returned to their golden age of Chinese history;’ Lord He will punish them (even more) severely.’ Zul-Qarnayn spoke the specific or closely related dialect of the Yellow River community and was a native of the Han Empire. The Gobi Desert, Asia’s largest desert – the key ‘Landscape Bridge’ 18:90when he came to the rising of the sun, he – linking the middle reaches of the Yellow River basin to the Korean found it rising on a people for whom We had Peninsula; provided no shelter from it. The second leg of Zul-Qarnayn’s journey was in a northeastern direction, turning east into the Gobi Desert. 18:93then, when he reached a place between two The Korean Peninsula – one of the most mountainous peninsulas in mountain barriers… the world. The concept of minimal mutual intelligibility and dialects; 18:93…he found beside them a people who could The geographic regions of Mandarin within the distribution of Sinitic barely understand him. language families. The rise of the Kingdom of Goguryeo (37BCE–668CE) in the Korean Peninsula – reputed for an aggressive military character with skilled 18:94They said, ‘Zul-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog cavalries who were ‘fond of raiding their neighbours;’ are ruining this land… The abbreviated ‘Gog,’ common to ‘Gog and Magog’ – the one tribe later divided. The imposition of Imperial China’s tributary system (1st Century 18:94…Will you build a barrier between them and BCE) in the Korean Peninsula administered by the expansion of us if we pay you a tribute?’ 95He answered, ‘The Chinese commanderies; power my Lord has given me is better than any The principle commandery of Lelang (108BCE–313CE) established tribute… in the central region of the Korean Peninsula. 18:95…but if you lend me your strength, I will put The ability to command large-scale native labour by Chinese up a fortification between you and them: commanderies. 18:96bring me lumps of iron!’ and then, when he The introduction of iron technology to an iron rich Korean Peninsula had filled the gap between the two (300BCE); mountainsides (he said), ‘Work your bellows!’ Known large quantity shipments of iron ore from the Nakdong River and then, when he had made it glow like fire, he valley to the Lelang commandery (200BCE onwards). said, ‘Bring me molten metal to pour over it!’

Exegesis of Qur’anic Verses 18:98-108 and 21:95-100

18:98and he said, ‘This is a mercy from my throughout the Qur’an and repeated here, ‘But when Lord…’ my Lord’s promise is fulfilled…my Lord’s promise

always comes true,’ has always been that mankind

will certainly face the Day of Judgment, and on that The construction of an iron fortification was a mercy Day, everyone will be resurrected and held from God because it put a decisive end to the accountable for their faith and actions: recurrent raids that were literally ‘ruining their land.’ The alternative of a stationed Chinese 37:18-21Say, ‘Yes indeed, and you will be humiliated.’ garrison or relocation of the community would not Just one blast and – lo and behold! – they will look only be cost prohibitive but ultimately ineffective as and say, ‘Woe to us! This is the Day of Judgement’ Goguryeo eventually conquered the Chinese (It will be said), ‘This is the Day of Decision, which commanderies and occupied most of the Korean you used to deny…’ Peninsula and parts of Manchuria (Figure 13). The barrier safeguarded the village and blocked the only 44:40-41The Day of Decision is the time appointed for easily accessible alpine passageway; lengthy and all; a Day when no friend can take another’s place. arduous alternate routes were undoubtedly an ample deterrent which rendered raids impractical. Thus, 3:8-9‘Our Lord, do not let our hearts deviate after for the ancient highland farming community the iron You have guided us. Grant us Your mercy: You are fortification was truly a lasting mercy from God, the Ever Giving. Our Lord, You will gather all delivered through His servant Zul-Qarnayn. people on the Day of which there is no doubt: God

never breaks His promise.’ 18:98 …But when my Lord’s promise is fulfilled, He will raze this barrier to the ground: my 10:4It is to Him you shall all return – that is the true Lord’s promise always comes true.’ promise from God. It was He who created (you) in the first place, and He will do so again, so that He Many traditional Qur’anic commentators interpret may justly reward those who believe and do good the promise referred to in this verse as the deeds. But the disbelievers will have a drink of destruction of the iron barrier. However, this is a scalding water, and agonizing torment, because misguided view. The verse does not state God’s they persistently disbelieved. promise is to ‘raze this barrier to the ground.’ The destruction of the barrier is the natural consequence God further states on the Day of Judgment the of the fulfillment of God’s promise, not the promise mountains will turn to dust and the earth will be itself. God’s binding promise again and again leveled flat:

proper, the task of finding the iron barrier, though 18:47One day We shall make the mountains move, potentially accessible, would still be and you will see the earth as an open plain. We overwhelmingly daunting for reasons elucidated shall gather all people together, leaving no one. above.

20:105-108 They ask you about the mountains: say, 18:99On that Day, We shall let them surge ‘(On that Day) my Lord will blast them into dust against each other like waves and then the and leave a flat plain, with no peak or trough to be Trumpet will be blown and We shall gather seen. On that Day, people will follow the summoner them all together. from whom there is no escape; every voice will be hushed for the Lord of Mercy; only whispers will be Again, many traditional commentators assert an iron heard...’ barrier will first be ‘razed to the ground’ and thus

‘release’ Gog and Magog upon the world. This is an If the mountains will turn to dust when God’s altogether outlandish interpretation, not grounded in promise is fulfilled, then by consequence, so too reality, and part of fantasy land. In this make believe must the iron barrier that fills the gap between the world, millions of people somehow survive and two mountainsides, and thus validates, ‘…when my prosper while completely secluded and hidden Lord’s promise is fulfilled, He will raze this barrier behind an iron barrier undetected for millennia. to the ground…’ They are supposedly patiently waiting for the

destruction of the barrier and will then ‘surge’ upon It stands to reason that since the iron barrier will the world, which will be caught unaware. They remain standing until the arrival of the Final Hour, continually attempt but are unable to destroy this in principle the barrier can be found. This, however, ‘magical’ iron barrier until God razes it, yet possess at the current historical and geopolitical juncture, is the power to ‘rain down Armageddon’ and a virtual impossibility. After two thousand years, overwhelm the entire global civilization. not only is the barrier buried beneath layers of sediment and vegetation, but the region is an Other commentators suggest the iron barrier is an unending sea of densely forested mountain ranges allegory, that the story of Zul-Qarnayn’s with unexplored and uncountable ‘dead end’ construction of the fortification is some sort of mountain passes in the most isolated and metaphor and not to be taken literally. However, inaccessible country in the world – the hermit state there is nothing whatsoever metaphorical about the of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea description of the iron barrier or Zul-Qarnayn’s (DPRK), or North Korea. travels; the verses are clear and precise, and as has

been amply demonstrated, backed by geographic Note: If the community Zul-Qarnayn visited was in and historical facts. The following is an example of fact situated in one of the mountain ranges of an allegorical verse from the Qur’an: Manchuria just northwest of the Korean Peninsula, and not within the sovereign territory of the DPRK

24:35God is the Light of the heavens and earth. His completely overlooked – and will now be Light is like this: there is a niche, and in it a lamp, expounded upon in detail. the lamp inside a glass, a glass like a glittering star, fuelled from a blessed olive tree from neither east There is a difference between the Day of Judgment nor west, whose oil almost gives light even when no and the Final Hour. The Hour is a subset of events fire touches it – light upon light – God guides within the Day. Hence whatever happens during the whoever He will to his Light; God draws such Hour is also something that is automatically part of comparisons for people; God has full knowledge of the Day of Judgment, but not necessarily the other everything. way around. The Qur’an describes the Hour as a horrific occurrence that will suddenly overtake There is an unmistakable and stark contrast in mankind: content, articulation, and tone between verse 24:35 that describes the Light of God and the verses that 6:31Lost indeed are those who deny the meeting with recount Zul-Qarnayn’s journey; one is their Lord until, when the Hour suddenly arrives, unquestionably allegorical while the others are they say, ‘Alas for us we disregarded this!’ They will clearly defined and tangible. bear their burdens on their backs. How terrible those burdens will be! Verse 18:99, in fact, could not be any more explicit; Gog and Magog will not be ‘let loose’ against the 12:107Are they so sure that an overwhelming world but instead will ‘surge against each other.’ punishment from God will not fall on them, or that The iron barrier will be ‘razed to the ground’ upon the Last Hour will not come upon them suddenly the fulfillment of God’s promise at some point after when they least expect it? the release of Gog and Magog, not prior to. The war of Gog and Magog, or North and South Korea, is in 22:55The disbelievers will remain in doubt about it truth a mercy from God, for it is the key sign that until the Hour suddenly overpowers them or until His binding promise – The Resurrection – is about torment descends on them on a Day devoid of all to be fulfilled; only then will the barrier be razed to hope. the ground. 43:66What are they waiting for but the Hour, which The Day and the Hour will come upon them suddenly and take them unawares? The verse begins, ‘On that Day, We shall let them surge against each other…’ This implies the onset The Day of Judgment is never described this way in of the Day of Judgment must be in advance of, or the Qur’an – not even once – that it will suddenly coincide with, the commencement of the war of Gog arrive without warning. As the verses above clearly and Magog, and further implies the Day will begin indicate however, the connotation with ‘suddenly’ without mankind’s awareness. This is an absolutely and the ‘Hour’ is firmly established. This distinction critical concept – one which Islamic scholars have between the Day of Judgment and the Final Hour is

34 crucial; with the implication the Day of Judgment – may be considerably shorter or longer than one since it will not appear suddenly – will commence another. without mankind’s realization it has begun. Hence, God’s promise of Resurrection will indeed be In the case of the Day of Judgment, this particular fulfilled on the Day of Judgment but not until the Divine Epoch, as outlined in verse 18:99, is marked sudden arrival of the Final Hour. This is made by a sequence of at least three important events. possible because a Day by God’s measurement is a These events do not define the entire Day of great breadth of time when referenced by human Judgment – God knows best what constitutes its standards: entirety – but mark only mankind’s final time on earth. In human terms, these events, variously 22:47They will challenge you to hasten the termed ‘End Times,’ ‘End of Days’ or punishment. God will not fail in His promise – a Day ‘Eschatological’ events, may transpire over with your Lord is like a thousand years by your decades, or perhaps even longer time spans covering reckoning. several generations. The essential point, however, as will now be discerned, is that the Day of Judgment 32:5He runs everything, from the heavens to the has already begun, but without mankind’s earth, and everything will ascend to Him in the end, awareness: on a Day that will measure a thousand years in your reckoning. 1. ‘On that Day, We shall let them surge against each other like waves…’ 70:1-4A man (mockingly) demanded the punishment. It will fall on the disbelievers – none can deflect it – The war of Gog and Magog, or North and South from God, the Lord of the Ways of Ascent, by which Korea, will begin. And, in fact, this prophecy has the angels and the Spirit ascend to Him, on a Day already been realized, over sixty years ago upon the whose length is fifty thousand years. start of the Korean War (1950–1953). The prophecy, however, may not yet have fully played out and may Since the Qur’an compares God’s Day to a thousand still be unfolding, as the Korean War has technically or even fifty thousand human years, the message is not ended: no peace treaty has ever been negotiated not that it is an exact equivalent; only that a Day is and only a fragile truce is in place. Tensions a very long period or what can be considered a between the two Koreas, as of this writing, are on a Divine Epoch – a segment of events within God’s knife’s edge and open hostilities may be sparked at grand design – characterized by specific, any time. A resumption of the Korean War, and distinguishing features. Consequently, each Divine another surge of Gog and Magog ‘against each Epoch, or ‘Day,’ according to God’s standard, is not other like waves,’ is still, therefore, a distinct discerned primarily by length of time, but by what possibility. The fulfillment of the prophecy, transpires during each period. Hence, Divine however, is not dependent upon nor does it Epochs are not necessarily of equal duration, and necessitate a renewed armed conflict. In either case – with or without a physical resumption of the

Korean War – the prophecy of the war of Gog and Magog has already come to pass. It further entails, 99:1-8When the earth is shaken violently in its (last) by definition, that by 1950 upon the onset of the war, quaking, when the earth throws out its burdens, and possibly much earlier, the Day of Judgment had when man cries, ‘What is happening to it?’, on that already begun. Day, it will tell all because your Lord will inspire it (to do so). On that Day, people will come forward 2. ‘…and then the Trumpet will be blown…’ in separate groups to be shown their deeds: whoever has done an atom’s-weight of good will At some point after the ‘surge’ of Gog and Magog see it, but whoever has done an atom’s-weight of has commenced the Final Hour will suddenly arrive; evil will see that. though only God knows exactly when. The events of the Final Hour include the Last Earthquake and The verses on Zul-Qarnayn’s journey close with the the sounding of the Trumpet: warning that Hell is the place for disbelievers, regardless if they, in their own view, are under the 22:1People, be mindful of your Lord, for the illusion and have convinced themselves they are earthquake of the Last Hour will be a mighty doing good work, whereas those who believe and do thing: on the Day you see it, every nursing mother good deeds will be given Paradise as their final will think no more of her baby, every pregnant home: female will miscarry, you will think people are drunk when they are not, so severe will be God’s 18:100-102We shall show Hell to the disbelievers, torment. those whose eyes were blind to My signs, those who were unable to hear. Did they think that they could 39:68 the Trumpet will be sounded, and everyone in take My servants as masters instead of Me? We have the heavens and earth will fall down senseless prepared Hell as the disbelievers’ resting place. except those God spares. It will be sounded once again and they will be on their feet, looking on. 18:103-108Say, ‘Shall we tell you who has the most to lose by their actions, whose efforts in this world are 3. ‘…and We shall gather them all together.’ misguided, even when they think they are doing good work? It is those who disbelieve in their All generations since the time of Adam will be Lord’s messages and deny that they will meet Resurrected from the earth and brought before God Him.’ Their deeds come to nothing: on the Day of for judgment: Resurrection We shall give them no weight. Their recompense for having disbelieved and made fun of 78:18-23A Day when the Trumpet will sound and you My messages and My messengers will be Hell. But will come forward in crowds, when the sky will open those who believe and do good deeds will be given up like wide portals, when the mountains will vanish the Gardens of Paradise. There they will remain, like a mirage. Hell lies in wait, a home for never wishing to leave. oppressors to stay in for a long, long time.

21:95No community destroyed by Us can escape constitution must be homogeneous to begin with. its return. Hence, a divided people at ‘End Times’ – who are

arch-enemies and who share a common, preserved

genetic homogeneity throughout the millennia – is This verse is a prelude to the second mention of Gog another key identifier of the peoples of Gog and and Magog in the Qur’an; a reminder that the war of Magog. Gog and Magog is the key event before the arrival of the Final Hour when all generations will be The Korean people are in fact considered amongst brought before God. the most homogeneous in the world:

21:96 and when the peoples of Gog and Magog ‘Although a variety of different Asian peoples had are let loose and swarm swiftly from every migrated to the Korean Peninsula in past centuries, highland. very few have remained permanently, so by 1990 both South Korea and North Korea were among The characteristics of Gog and Magog at ‘End the world's most ethnically homogeneous nations. Times’ continue to be illuminated by this The number of indigenous minorities was description, which affirms their identities through negligible. In South Korea, people of foreign origin, the addition of yet further qualifications – including Chinese, Japanese, Westerners, Southeast qualifications that are met, exclusively, by only the Asians, South Asians and others were a small Korean people: percentage of the population whose residence was generally temporary. 1. Genetic Homogeneity …Koreans tend to equate nationality or citizenship God refers to the one tribe by the names, ‘Gog and with membership in a single, homogeneous ethnic Magog,’ both during the time of the messenger Zul- group or "race" (minjok, in Korean). Koreans view Qarnayn (18:94) and two thousand years later at a common language and culture as important ‘End Times’ (21:96), when, as a divided people and elements in Korean identity. The idea of multiracial as mutual enemies, their war is prophesized. This is or multi-ethnic nations, like India or the United exceedingly consequential. It implies the genetic States, strikes many Koreans as odd or even constitution of the peoples of ‘Gog and Magog’ contradictory.’ [86] must be maintained – as a separate and distinct ethnicity – in spite of the passage of two millennia; ‘…few other peoples assert such distant origins, otherwise they would no longer be the peoples of with a continuously distinct ethnicity and language ‘Gog and Magog,’ but diverse, heterogeneous down to our time…few of the world’s peoples live people due to the subsequent blending with assorted in a nation with no significant ethnic, racial, or populations. And, in order to be the one tribe of linguistic difference: Korea is indeed one of the ‘Gog and Magog’ which was originally ‘ruining most homogeneous nations on earth, where their land,’ it further necessitates the tribe’s genetic ethnicity and nationality coincide.’ [87]

rest of the tribes even in the bronze culture stage, The homogeneity of the Korean people was the which had to retreat before each Han invasion. result of thousands of years of evolution through a Acting as a breakwater in the north, Koguryo was unique set of contributing factors that together the first to emerge as an ancient state power exerted their influences and can be traced back to capable of resisting the waves of invaders from the peninsula’s Neolithic age commencing in Manchuria…because Koguryo emerged as a power approximately 6,000BCE: in Northeast Asia a few decades earlier than the others, it could borrow from Chinese culture ‘Neolithic culture in Korea thus experienced three selectively according to its own standards. And, by major stages of development, quite likely reflecting avoiding a blind acceptance of Chinese culture, it three successive waves of migration down into the could act as a cultural breakwater at the Liao River peninsula. Unlike the case of Korea’s Paleolithic against the expansion of Chinese culture.’ [89] populations, the ethnic stock of these Neolithic people is seen as continuing unbroken to form one To be identified, therefore, as Gog and Magog, not element of the later Korean race. It is believed, only are all the migratory, geopolitical, military and then, that in the course of a long historical process cultural factors necessary for the evolution of these Neolithic inhabitants merged with one another homogeneity, but the isolated mountainous region and, combining with the new ethnic groups of must also be connected to a mainland that features Korea’s bronze Age, eventually came to constitute the specific large-scale physical land formations and what we now think of as the Korean people.’ [88] communities in a historically verifiable context – all in relative proximity – as narrated by the verses on Geography also played a substantial role; Zul-Qarnayn’s travels. This is an inimitable and surrounded by ocean on three sides and shielded by virtually impossible feat: there is only one a fortress of mountains, the peninsula was a natural population in the world that can and does fit the bill enclave for isolationism. Once the region’s tribes to a tee – the divided people of the Korean ‘merged with one another’ during the Neolithic Peninsula. period to form one ethnic stock, the peninsula’s terrain and geography ensured the maintenance and Note: The requirement of genetic homogeneity propagation of the people’s homogeneity. The dispels the argument Gog and Magog are two mountainous peninsula, especially in the northern separate and distinct tribes for it would obligate two regions, acted as an inherent fortification that separate tribes, instead of one, first attain discouraged infiltration. The ‘alpine fortress’ was homogeneity through a ‘lengthy historical process,’ heavily manned by the war-like tribe of Goguryeo, then independently sustain isolation for over two which guarded the peninsula against invaders, millennia, and then – even though they are isolated repulsing even the might of the Chinese Empire: tribes – set themselves against each other as the key marker for the arrival of the Final Hour. Given the ‘Koguryo, with its long experience of fighting the factors involved in the evolution and subsequent Han commanderies, distinguished itself from the preservation of homogeneity, and the fact they must

38 be the very same tribes who were originally raiding command to be ‘let loose’ and once again ‘surge the ancient highland community concurrently, this against each other like waves.’ scenario is implausible at best. Note: The prophesized release of Gog and Magog 2. An Entirely Mountainous Land mentioned in two separate Qur’anic verses, and its potential significance, is further explored in chapter To 21:96‘…swarm swiftly from every highland’ 4, ‘Organization of the Qur’an.’ augments the verse, 18:93’then, when he reached a place between two mountain barriers, he found beside them a people…;’ for it entails not only did Zul-Qarnayn visit a highland community, but adds to the qualification with the inference the entire territories inhabited by the peoples of Gog and Magog must be largely mountainous. The Korean Peninsula is 70% alpine [90] (Figure 9) – it is essentially an expansive highland and further evidence of a divine and predetermined plan.

3. A Possible Second ‘Surge’ of Gog and Figure 17: The Korean DMZ is shown in red; [98] Magog? Military Demarcation Line (MDL) denoted by black line

The release of Gog and Magog is mentioned twice 4. A Mainly Land Based War in the Qur’an; once in verse 18:99, and the other in verse 21:96. Whether this foreshadows a second The Qur’an describes the war of Gog and Magog as ‘surge,’ and a physical resumption of the Korean mainly land based, fought by infantries with fast- War, remains unknown. It is, however, an unnerving paced ground assaults as suggested by, ‘swarm fact that for the past sixty years, the Korean swiftly from every highland.’ This is a direct result Peninsula has experienced directly opposing, large- of the peninsula’s mountainous terrain; the verse scale militarization on both sides of the Korean accurately depicts the nature of the Korean War Demilitarized Zone (Figure 17) [91] – a thin strip of during the years 1950-1953, and is equally land approximating the 38th parallel which divides applicable in the event of a resumed conflict: the two Koreas. [92] The Korean DMZ is the most heavily militarized border in the world, [93] with 1- ‘Following the initial assault by the north, the 1.2 million troops on the north side of it, and another Korean War saw limited use of the tank and featured 500,000-600,000 troops on the south. [94][95][96] With no large-scale tank battles. The mountainous, escalating regional tensions [97] and the DMZ forested terrain, especially in the Eastern Central literally bulging at the seams, the two halves of the Zone, was poor tank country, limiting their Korean Peninsula appear to be awaiting God’s mobility. Through the last two years of the war in

Korea, UN tanks served largely as infantry support actively resume – with nearly two million soldiers and mobile artillery pieces.’ [99][100] facing each other across the Korean DMZ – [94][95][96] in what has become one of the most densely 5. A Quickly Escalating War militarized regions in the world, Gog and Magog would once again immediately be ‘let loose and To be ‘let loose’ and to ‘swarm swiftly,’ as described swarm swiftly from every highland.’ in verse 21:96, connotes the conflict, once begun, will quickly escalate – an almost immediate ‘all-out 21:97when the True Promise draws near, the war.’ This is a precise characterization of the start of disbelievers’ eyes will stare in terror, and they th the Korean War: on June 25 , 1950, backed by will say, ‘Woe to us! We were not aware of this Soviet air support, North Korea raised the stakes and at all. We were wrong.’ elevated the border skirmishes to a full-scale invasion, sweeping across the 38th parallel with This verse can be interpreted in one of two ways: approximately 150,000 soldiers, 280 tanks and 200 artillery pieces against an unprepared South Korean 1. Soon after Gog and Magog have been released, a force consisting of 98,000 soldiers, zero tanks and a time span which can take several generations mere ‘22-piece air force.’ [99][101] The conflict, according to God’s relative time scale, the Last however, rapidly escalated from an isolated civil Earthquake will suddenly arrive – 56:2‘no one will be war into an expanded, intensely devastating proxy able to deny it has come’ – though the promise of war involving the full might of foreign powers – Resurrection will not yet have been fulfilled. At this including the U.S.-led United Nations supporting point, through the recognition the Final Hour has the South, and China, with Soviet material indeed arrived, and the True Promise of assistance, intervening on behalf of the North – as Resurrection is about to be fulfilled, ‘the each side sought to protect and enlarge their disbelievers’ eyes will stare in terror, and they will respective spheres of influence. [102][103] As the war say, ‘Woe to us! We were not aware of this at all. progressed it eventually settled into a stalemate, We were wrong.’ with troop strengths of over one million soldiers deployed on either side; [99] locked in pitched battles 2. The alternative, and more commonly held view, across a continuous front that ran the full width of is that after mankind has been Resurrected, ‘the the peninsula, roughly bordering the 38th parallel, disbelievers’ eyes will stare in terror’ with the afterwards to become the Korean DMZ, which cut realization God’s Promise is true, and they are about the peninsula in half. [104] to face Judgment.

Over half a century later, with the exception they are Regardless of whichever scenario, by then it will be now virtually all native Korean personnel, the too late; acceptance of truth, after manifestation of combined peninsular troop strength has reached punishment, has never been accepted by God. This almost the same levels as they were at the height of too, has always been God’s practice: the war. There is little doubt that should the war

38:1-3…By the Qur’an with its reminding…! Yet the they will have a painful torment. They will wish to disbelievers are steeped in arrogance and hostility. come out of the Fire but they will be unable to do How many generations We have destroyed before so: theirs will be a lasting torment. them! They all cried out, once it was too late, for escape. As with Zul-Qarnayn’s journey and the first mention of Gog and Magog in chapter 18, the 23:64-67When We bring Our punishment on those second mention of Gog and Magog in chapter 21 corrupted with wealth, they will cry for help: ‘Do closes with the same warning; hell is the destiny of not cry out today: you will get no help from Us. the disbelievers: Time and time again My messages were recited to you, but you turned arrogantly on your heels, and 21:98-100You (disbelievers) and what you worship spent the evening making fun of (the Qur’an).’ instead of God will be fuel for Hell: that is where you will go – if these (idols) had been real gods they 5:36-37If the disbelievers possessed all that is in the would not have gone there – you will all stay there. earth and twice as much again and offered it to There the disbelievers will be groaning piteously, ransom themselves from torment on the Day of but the (idols) will hear nothing. Resurrection, it would not be accepted from them –

Summary of Qur’anic Verses 18:98-108 and 21:95-100

Zul-Qarnayn’s journey and the construction of the world will overtake mankind – firmly establishing iron barrier was not only a mercy for the people of the arrival of the Final Hour; the Day of Judgment, the highland community – who, about two thousand however, would already have begun without any years ago, were saved from the scourge of recurrent obvious signs. The mountains along with the iron raids administered by Gog and Magog – but also a barrier will turn to dust, the earth will be leveled and mercy for the last generation of Adam. Through the become an open plain, the Trumpet will be sounded, tale of Zul-Qarnayn’s travels and the description of and all generations will be gathered before their the divided tribe’s characteristics at ‘End Times’ Lord to face judgment. Those who believed and did (Table 2), God provides the means to identify the good deeds will be given the Garden of Eternity as peoples of Gog and Magog and their all-out war as their own, whereas those who disbelieved and one final opportunity for mankind to recognize and spread corruption will be led to Hell in their throngs. accept the truth of the Qur’an. At some point after And God’s binding Promise will be fulfilled – God the start of the Korean War (i.e. 1950), an never breaks His Promise. overwhelming Earthquake which engulfs the entire

Table 2: Summary of Qur’anic Verses 18:98-108 and 21:95-100 Qur’anic Verse Deduction Key Words in Bold

18:94They said, ‘Zul-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog are ruining this land…; A ‘pure race’ of common homogeneity throughout the millennia; 21:96and when the peoples of Gog and Magog are let A divided people of one ethnic stock. loose…

Gog and Magog at ‘End Times’ are not only a divided people, but are also mutual enemies; The land of Gog and Magog is primarily mountainous; 18:99On that Day, We shall let them surge against each other like waves… Characteristics of the Gog and Magog war:  Quickly escalating. 21:96and when the peoples of Gog and Magog are let  An ‘all-out war’ with wave upon wave of attacks. loose and swarm swiftly from every highland;  Principally a ground war, fought by infantries with rapid waves of attack.  A possible second ‘surge’ / resumption of an armed conflict.

The onset of the Day of Judgment either coincides with, or 18:99On that Day, We shall let them surge against has commenced prior to the release of Gog and Magog each other like waves… ‘against each other’ (i.e. 1950) – but without any obvious supernatural signs. The Hour, however, has yet to arrive.

21:97when the True Promise draws near, the The sudden arrival of the Final Hour will be established by disbelievers’ eyes will stare in terror… the Last Earthquake soon after the war of Gog and Magog has begun, which, according to God’s measurement of 18:98…But when my Lord’s promise is fulfilled, He time, may take several generations; will raze this barrier to the ground: my Lord’s The mountains and the iron barrier will be razed to the promise always comes true.’ ground, and the earth leveled flat. The Trumpet will be blown, and all mankind will be gathered before their Lord 18:99…and then the Trumpet will be blown and We to face Judgment – thus marking the fulfillment of God’s shall gather them all together. Promise of Resurrection.

Chapter 1 - References

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28. Embree, Ainslie Thomas. "Han Dynasty." Encyclopedia of Asian History. Vol. 2. New York: Scribner, 1988. 25. Print. 29. The Silk Road on Land and Sea (1989), p. 40. 30. Schinz, Alfred. The Magic Square: Cities in Ancient China. Stuttgart: Axel Menges, 1996. 428 Print. 31. . 32. Wright, John W. The New York times Almanac. 2006 ed. New York, NY, U.S.A.: Penguin Reference, 2007. 456. Print. 33. "Gobi | Desert, Asia." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 31 May 2015. . 34. . 35. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 June 2015. . 36. Song, Jae Jung. The Korean Language: Structure, Use and Context. London: Routledge, 2005. 15. Print. 37. Campbell, Lyle, and Mauricio J. Mixco. "Korean, A Language Isolate" A Glossary of Historical Linguistics. Salt Lake City: U of Utah, 2007. 7, 90-91. Print. 38. Nam-Kil, Kim. "Korean." International Encyclopedia of Linguistics 2. N.p.: n.p., 1992. 282-86. Print. 39. Róna-Tas, András. "The Reconstruction of Proto-Turkic and the Genetic Question." The Turkic Languages. N.p.: Routledge, 1998. 67-80. Print. 40. Schönig, Claus. "Turko-Mongolic Relations." The Mongolic Languages. N.p.: Routledge, 2003. 403-19. Print. 41. Georg, Stefan, Peter A. Michalove, Alexis M. Ramer, and Paul J. Sidwell. "Telling General Linguists about Altaic." Journal of Linguistics 35 (1999): 65-98. Print. 42. . 43. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 June 2015. . 44. Lewis, M. Paul., Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig. Ethnologue: Languages of the World. 18th ed. Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2015. Print. 45. Mair, Victor H. "What Is a Chinese "Dialect/Topolect"? Reflections on Some Key Sino-English Linguistic Terms." Sino-Platonic Papers 29 (1991): 1-11. Print. 46. Norman, Jerry. Chinese. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1988. Print. 47. Tang, Chaoju, Heuven Van, and J. Vincent. "Predicting Mutual Intelligibility in Chinese Dialects from Subjective and Objective Linguistic Similarity" Interlingüística 17 (2007): 1019-028. Print. 48. Wurm, Stephen Adolphe, Rong Li, and Theo Baumann. Language Atlas of China. N.p.: Longman, 1987. Print. 49. Yan, Margaret Mian. Introduction to Chinese Dialectology. München: LINCOM Europa, 2006. Print. 50. Eckert, Carter J., and Ki-baek Yi. Korea, Old and New: A History. Seoul, Korea: Published for the Korea Institute, Harvard U by Ilchokak, 1990. 14. Print. 51. Eckert (1990), p. 11. 52. Kang, David C. East Asia before the West: Five Centuries of Trade and Tribute. New York: Columbia UP, 2010. 59. Print. 53. Cohen, Warren I. East Asia at the Center: Four Thousand Years of Engagement with the World. New York: Columbia UP, 2000. Print. 54. Vohra, Ranbir. China's Path to Modernization: A Historical Review from 1800 to the Present. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2000. 22-23. Print. 55. "Tribute." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 May 2015. . 56. "Imperial Chinese Tributary System." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 May 2015. . 57. Lockard, Craig A. Societies, Networks, and Transitions A Global History; to 1500. N.p.: Cengage Learning, 2007. 315. Print. 58. Gundry, R. S. "China and Her Tributaries." National Review (United Kingdom) 17 (July 1884): 605-19. Print.

59. Pratt, Keith L., Richard Rutt, and James Hoare. Korea: A Historical and Cultural Dictionary. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon, 1999. 482. Print. 60. Kwak, Tae-Hwan, and Seung-Ho Joo. The Korean Peace Process and the Four Powers. Hampshire, England: Ashgate, 2003. 99. Print. 61. Yu, Yingshi. Trade and Expansion in Han China; a Study in the Structure of Sino-barbarian Economic Relations. Berkeley: U of California, 1967. Print. 62. Pae, Ki-ch'an. Korea at the Crossroads: The History and Future of East Asia. Seoul: Happyreading, 2007. 63. Print. 63. Lee, Ki-baik. A New History of Korea. Cambridge ; London: Harvard UP, 1984. 19-21. Print. 64. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 June 2015. 65. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 May 2015. . 66. Hwang, Kyung Moon. A History of Korea: An Episodic Narrative. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. 2-10. Print. 67. Solberg, S. E. The Land and People of Korea. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1991. 29. Print. 68. Barnes, Gina Lee. State Formation in Korea: Historical and Archaeological Perspectives. Richmond: Curzon, 2001. 22. Print. 69. Lee (1984), p. 23. 70. Solberg (1991), p. 47-48. 71. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 June 2015. 72. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 June 2015. . 73. . 74. Keightley, David N., and Noel Barnard. The Origins of Chinese Civilization. Berkeley: U of California, 1983. 226. Print. 75. Higham, Charles. The Bronze Age of Southeast Asia. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1996. Print. 76. Taylor, Sarah. "The Introduction and Development of Iron Production in Korea." World Archaeology 20.3 (1989): 422-31. Print. 77. Yoon, Dong-suk. "Archaeological Review from Cambridge." Early Iron Metallurgy in Korea 8.1 (1989): 92-99. Print. 78. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 June 2015. . 79. Lee (1984), p.14-16. 80. Eckert (1990), p. 14. 81. Han, U-gŭn, and Grafton K. Mintz. The History of Korea. Seoul: Eul-Yoo Pub., 1970. 21. Print. 82. Hansen (2012), p. 9. 83. Whitfield, Susan. Life along the Silk Road. Berkeley: U of California, 1999. 2-3. Print. 84. "China Trekking." Hexi Corridor Travel Guide, Gansu, Silk Road. Web. 25 Jan. 2015. . 85. The Silk Road on Land and Sea (1989), p. 104. 86. "Demographics of South Korea." New World Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2015. . 87. Cumings, Bruce. Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 25. Print. 88. Eckert (1990), p. 4. 89. Introduction to Korean Studies. Seoul, Korea: National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Korea, 1986. 52. Print. 90. Son, Yong-tʻaek, Chan-young Chung, and Cheeyun Lilian Kwon. Korea: The Land of Morning Calm. Seoul: Korean Educational Development Institute, 2002. 3. Print.

91. Moon, Chung-in, and Sangkeun Lee. "MILITARY SPENDING AND THE ARMS." ASIAN PERSPECTIVE 33.44 (2009): 69-99. Print. 92. "Korean Demilitarized Zone: Image of the Day." Korean Demilitarized Zone: Image of the Day. NASA’s Earth Observatory, n.d. Web. 01 June 2015. . 93. Bermudez, Joseph S. Shield of the Great Leader: The Armed Forces of North Korea. St Leonards, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin, 2001. 1. Print. 94. "2015 North Korea Military Strength." North Korea Military Strength. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2015. . *Estimates for the number of active personnel in the North Korean army vary widely from 650,000 to 1.2 million. 95. "2015 South Korea Military Strength." South Korea Military Strength. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2015. . 96. Jeremy Laurence, Laurence. "North Korea Military Has an Edge over South, but Wouldn't Win a War, Study Finds." The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 04 Jan. 2012. Web. 01 June 2015. . 97. Szoldra, Paul. "The Border Area Between North And South Korea May Be The Tensest Place On Earth." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 02 Mar. 2013. Web. 01 June 2015. . 98. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 June 2015. . 99. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 01 June 2015. . 100. Ravino, Jerry, and Jack Carty. Flame Dragons of the Korean War. Paducah, KY: Turner Pub., 2003. 130. Print. 101. Appleman, R. E. South to the Naktong, North to the Yalu. United States Army Center of Military History, (1988) 1961. 3, 15, 381, 545, 771, 719. Print. 102. Breen, T.H., Frederickson, George M. Frederickson, Hal R. Williams, Adriela J. Gross, and H.W. Brands. America, Past and Present. II: Since 1865. By Robert A. Divine. 8th ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 819-21. Print. 103. Webb, William J. The Korean War: The Outbreak. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, 2000. Print. 104. Millett, Allan Reed. The Korean War: The Essential Bibliography. Dulles, VA: Potomac, 2007. Print.

CHAPTER 2 ETYMOLOGY

The conclusion that the one tribe of ‘Gog and the identities of Gog and Magog as North and South Magog’ is identified with the homogeneous ethnic Korea. The etymological analysis is extensive and group of people inhabiting the divided states of the can be broken out according to four distinct two Koreas was reached through a meticulous divisions: (1) Etymology of ‘Korea;’ (2) Etymology decoding of the Qur’anic verses narrating Zul- of ‘Gog and Magog’ in the Old and New Qarnayn’s travels; bringing into context the Testaments; (3) Etymology of ‘Gog and Magog’ in geopolitical environment of the ancient Chinese Arabic (‘Ya’juj and Ma’juj’); and (4) Meaning of Empire and its relationship to the Korean Peninsula. ‘Zul-Qarnayn.’ When taken together, the This conclusion, however, is not restricted to etymological analyses yield attributes of Gog and evidence derived solely from a geopolitical analysis: Magog that are remarkably consistent with the it is also supported by an etymological analysis, characteristics and historicity of Korea, reflecting which augments the geopolitical evidence, removes comprehensively and conspicuously, only the any traces of lingering doubt, and completely seals Korean paradigm.

1. Etymology of ‘Korea’ agrarian villages of the greater Korean Peninsula – targeting in particular the Han commanderies The Kingdom of Goguryeo (or Koguryo, occupying the region. It was Goguryeo specifically, 37BCE–668CE) and by extension the inhabitants of the Korean Peninsula as a whole, that was consequently The root origin of the modern name, ‘Korea,’ can identified as the one tribe of ‘Gog and Magog’ ultimately be traced back to the name, ‘Gog.’ To which was ‘ruining their land.’ establish this root linkage, it is necessary to refer back in antiquity to the historical period when the From an etymological perspective, the identification geopolitical connections to the Qur’anic narrative of of the Kingdom of Goguryeo as the one tribe of Zul-Qarnayn’s journey were initially ‘Gog and Magog’ raises the glaring observation that contextualized. As discussed in the previous ‘Gog’ – the English transliteration of the name chapter, the ancient Kingdom of Goguryeo ruled mentioned in the Old and New Testaments – just over much of the greater Korean Peninsula for 700 happens to be the first three letters of Goguryeo. The years (Figure 13, chapter 1). The Goguryeo military remarkable correlation, once noticed, is so patently was robust, with skilled cavalry renowned for obvious as to make one marvel how the connection repeatedly raiding their neighbours – the hillside managed to be hitherto overlooked. It is hence

48 suggested that ‘Gog,’ as originally expressed in the commentaries on verses 18:93 and 21:96, chapter 1). Bible, is the abbreviated reference to Goguryeo, and Through root word origins of Goguryeo, therefore, that the matching abbreviation is no coincidence but the noun ‘Gog’ – originally introduced in the Bible rather further evidence of God’s sublime plan; as and later contextualized in the Qur’an – is Gog simultaneously references not only the ancient etymologically bound with Goguryeo in both name Kingdom of Goguryeo, but through this reference, and meaning from the very birth of the kingdom; a also the modern name of the peninsula, ‘Korea,’ as truly astonishing series of connections, as the well as an intermediary kingdom historically definition of Gog and its contextual usage remains sandwiched between the two – the Kingdom of entirely congruent via geopolitical, historical and Goryeo. Biblical ‘Gog,’ therefore, has been Qur’anic analyses. historically affiliated with the names identified with the Korean Peninsula, in one form or another, for the The Kingdom of Goryeo (or Koryo, 918-1392CE) greater part of the past two thousand years. After the fall of Goguryeo (668CE), Gog’s The connection between Gog and the Korean association with the Korean Peninsula remained Peninsula, however, is deeper still and fundamental dormant for the next two and half centuries. in nature. This intrinsic relationship was forged at However, in 918CE, exactly 250 years after the very outset of Goguryeo’s genesis. It will be Goguryeo’s reign came to an end, the association recalled that Goguryeo’s early political structure was resurrected; as the first dynasty to fully unite the retained a tribal character; for it was born through an peninsula paid homage to Goguryeo by adopting a alliance of various Yemaek tribes which inhabited shortened form of the name and called itself the the peninsula’s northern regions. The name of one Kingdom of Goryeo, presiding over the peninsula of these founding tribes, after which Goguryeo was for the next 475 years. As Gog is short for named, was thought to have been either Gauri Goguryeo, and Goguryeo in turn is the progenitor of (‘center’) or possibly Guru (‘walled city’). What is the name, Goryeo; ergo, Gog and Goryeo are significant, however, is that the adjective ‘go,’ etymologically linked. [6][7][8][9][10][11] meaning ‘high,’ [1][2][3] was added in front to yield the name, Goguryeo, as it has since come to be Since Goryeo, furthermore, occupied virtually all of known. Goguryeo thus means ‘high center.’ [4][5] the Korean Peninsula and its predecessor, Goguryeo, occupied most of the peninsula at its Here, two important linkages immediately stand out. zenith; [6][12] Gog, consequently, is historically First, as it is posited that Gog is the contracted form identified with the entire peninsula and not just a of Goguryeo; from a geopolitical/historical context, portion of it: a defining attribute, for it will be Gog is hence associated with the same meaning, i.e. elucidated later in this chapter that ‘Magog’ only ‘high center.’ Second, and rather remarkably, the emerged once the Korean Peninsula was divided in definition of Goguryeo as ‘high center’ fits in the mid-20th century – when Gog was cleaved in perfectly with the Qur’an’s description of the land two. of Gog and Magog as a mountainous highland (see

The Modern Name, ‘Korea’ Biblical ‘Gog’ (500BCE-150CE)*

The English name for Goryeo, which came into use ‘Gog,’ as expressed in the Old and New Testaments, references and is the abbreviated first as early as the 17th century, was ‘Corea.’ However, three letters/first syllable of Goguryeo the modern version, ‘Korea,’ as it is known today, *Approximate canonized dates of gradually supplanted the old spelling. This process Biblical books mentioning Gog/Magog [14]

– of ‘Corea’ morphing into ‘Korea’ – commenced in th the late 19 century, and was the result of expanding trade with Britain and the United States following Kingdom of Goguryeo (37BCE–668CE) the forced opening of the previously insular Korean Goguryeo = high center Peninsula. ‘Korea’ gained preference because it ‘go’ (high) + ‘Gauri’ (center) avoided the ambiguity of the separate hard and soft ‘Cs’ existing in English vocabulary: ‘Korea’ is the form now commonly used by both North and South Kingdom of Goryeo (918-1392CE) [4][5][8][13] Korea in English contexts. Shortened form of Goguryeo

Summary

Corea Figure 18 summarizes the root origin of ‘Korea;’ (in use beginning early 17th Century) linking it back over 2,000 years to Biblical ‘Gog,’ English name for Goryeo common to ‘Gog and Magog’ – the very names God employed to identify the one tribe later divided: Korea th (in use since late 19 Century)

Modern spelling of Corea

Figure 18: Etymology of Korea Root origins link back to Biblical ‘Gog’

2. Etymology of ‘Gog and Magog’ in the center;’ and (iii) the Qur’anic characterization of the Old and New Testaments land of Gog and Magog as a ‘mountainous highland:’ Gog and Magog are mentioned together, or individually, on numerous occasions in five chapters  ‘The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon,’ of the Old Testament (Gen 10, 1 Chron 1, 1 Chron Strong 1136: the meaning of Gog (Γώγ in 5, Ezek 38, Ezek 39) and once in the New Testament Greek) is ‘mountain’ and is of Hebrew origin. (Rev 20). However, it is a pointless exercise to  ‘The NAS Old Testament ‘Hebrew Lexicon,’ in גוּג) conduct a detailed exegesis of the relevant Biblical Strong 1463: the meaning of Gog passages referencing Gog/Magog because the Hebrew) is ‘mountain’ and is of uncertain Biblical account is irreconcilable with the Qur’anic derivation. narrative, the geopolitical analysis of ancient Imperial China, or the etymology of ‘Korea.’ The Since the meaning of Gog, ‘mountain,’ in Greek can Bible depicts Gog/Magog variously as individuals be traced back to the same meaning of Gog in in a genealogy (Gen 10:2, 1 Chron 1:5, 1 Chron 5:4), Hebrew, which in turn is of ‘uncertain derivation,’ geographic regions (Ezek 38:2, Ezek 39:6), or as ostensibly therefore, at least according to warrior tribes and/or Satan’s armies unleashed upon conventional wisdom, the investigation of the root and overwhelming the entire world at ‘End Times,’ word origin of Gog in the Old and New Testaments culminating with a final assault on Israel (Ezek terminates here. However, as this investigation is 38:14-18, Ezek 39:1-2, Rev 20:7-10). The blatant not restricted by conventional wisdom, it is contradistinction between the Qur’anic and Biblical postulated the Hebrew name, ‘Gog,’ is in fact narratives rules out a contextual exegesis of the further derived from the Hebrew, or ‘gag’ (figure verses specifically mentioning Gog and Magog by 19); [15] and in the analysis that follows evidence is name; confining the Biblical investigation to solely presented to support this hypothesis. an etymological analysis of Gog and Magog. Hebrew or gag ‘Highest point of an edifice, roof or housetop’ Old Testament I. Etymology of ‘Gog’

In addition to the obvious phonetic correlation, the or Gog ּגוג premise that Gog is the abbreviated reference to Hebrew ‘Mountain’ Goguryeo is further buttressed as the meaning of Old Testament Gog, in both Greek of the New Testament and Hebrew of the Old Testament, is ‘mountain;’ an altogether remarkable definition especially in Greek Γώγ or Gog consideration (i) Goguryeo ruled over an entirely ‘Mountain’ New Testament mountainous land for the greater part of a Figure 19: Etymology of ‘Gog’ millennium; (ii) the meaning of Goguryeo, ‘high Root origin links back to the Hebrew, or ‘gag’

According to the ‘Theological Wordbook of the Old Gag: ‘highest point of an edifice, roof, or housetop;’ Testament’ (TWOT), gag means ‘the highest point are collectively considered is the wider purport of of an edifice,’ ‘roof’ or ‘housetop:’ the Qur’an’s description of Gog and Magog’s habitat – a ‘mountainous highland’ – fully captured: ‘The word appears thirty times in the Old Testament i.e. ‘an expansive high edifice/roof of the world’ and it usually signifies the highest point of an where people carry out the full force of their lives in edifice…The roof that is referred to is flat, not ‘high locales or centers:’ peaked. This is obvious from several passages. The returned exiles erected booths and observed the 18:93then, when he reached a place between two feast of tabernacles on the roofs of their houses mountain barriers, he found beside them a people (Neh 8:16). Saul slept on the roof when, as a young who could barely understand him. 94They said, ‘Zul- lad, he visited Samuel (1 Sam 9:25-26). It was from Qarnayn, Gog and Magog are ruining this land. this vantage point that David spied Bathsheba bathing, and lust was spawned in his imagination (II 21:96and when the peoples of Gog and Magog are let Sam 11:2). Uriah’s house was built most likely loose and swarm swiftly from every highland. around a central courtyard which was left open to the sky. David’s palace, the highest building of the More importantly, however, delving deeper into the complex, would command a view of the houses word, gag, and its contextual usage in the Old below. In the case of Samson (Jud 16:27) the roof Testament, distinct and peculiar eschatological was large enough to support 3,000 people. Rahab characteristics of Gog, derived from gag, continue hid the spies among the stalks of flax on her roof to be unveiled. On the usage of the word, gag, for (Josh 2:6,8). Probably she had laid out the flax to instance, the ‘Theological Wordbook of the Old be retted by the dew.’ [gag312, TWOT] Testament’ elaborates:

As discerned above, ‘the roof that is referred to is ‘The roof is a place where idolatry is invoked: Isa flat,’ with the implication people can carry out 15:3; 22:1; Jer 19:13; 32:29; 48:38. Three times activities; which would be completely infeasible if (Ps 129:6; II Kgs 19:26; Isa 37:27) in the form of a the roof is peaked. In Judges 16:27, for example, the curse, appears the formula “let them be like the roof accommodates large gatherings of several grass on the ‘housetops’.” The analogy is to grass thousand people. The definition/contextual which springs up quickly on the flat roof of homes inference of gag as ‘the highest point of an edifice’ which are covered with packed earth. Having no or ‘an expansive flat roof/housetop where people depth of soil to take strong root in, the grass carry out activities’ is precisely aligned with the withers and dies (cf. Jesus’ parable of the sower in meaning of Goguryeo, ‘high center,’ and its implicit Mt 13:3f.).’ [gag312, TWOT] connotation that people presumably gather and conduct activities in such high locales or centers. The meaning of gag as ‘roof’ or ‘housetop,’ the Moreover, it is only when the meanings of (i) Gog: association of roof with ‘idolatry,’ and the parable ‘mountain’; (ii) Goguryeo: ‘high center;’ and (iii) ‘let them be like the grass on the housetops,’ when

52 appraised together work in harmony to expose governments, controlled by communist and eschatological characteristics of gag, or Gog, which capitalist powers respectively. [16][17] constructively contribute to the identification of Gog as North Korea; and by consequence, Magog as From an etymological perspective, what is South Korea. significant is that the division of the Korean Peninsula into North and South Korea in the mid- The Distinction between Gog and Magog 20th century is equated to the division of Gog into ‘Gog and Magog’ at ‘End Times’ – i.e. the one tribe Before proceeding with the appraisal of the later divided. Specifically, 1945 onwards, after contextual usage of gag in the Old Testament, it is peninsular division, Gog is no longer identified with essential to first highlight when Gog and Magog the entire peninsula and instead only with North became distinct entities and subsequently embarked Korea, and hence by default, Magog is identified on vastly divergent socioeconomic, political, only with South Korea. The identification of Gog as cultural, and religious trajectories. This distinction North Korea subsequent to peninsular division, and is essential because up until now the etymological not South Korea, is supported by two obvious facts. analyses rendered general characteristics of Gog First, Gog is short for the Kingdom of Goguryeo – which are applicable to the entire Korean Peninsula which spawned from the north – and even at its for at least the past two millennia (up until the mid- height of power never ruled over the very southern 20th century). However, the characteristics of Gog portion of the peninsula. Second, Gog in both derived from the contextual use of gag are Hebrew and Greek of the Old and New Testaments eschatological in nature, and as will now be – means ‘mountain’ – and the Korean Peninsula is demonstrated, apply only to the north half of the more heavily mountainous in the north. Korean Peninsula, after Gog was cleaved in two at ‘End Times.’ With the distinction between Gog and Magog thus established, the parable of the ‘grass on the At the end of World War II, in 1945, the Korean housetops’ can now be explored, and with it, Peninsula was demarcated along the 38th parallel exceptional post-division eschatological into northern and southern halves according to two characteristics of Gog, or North Korea, uncovered. dichotomous ideologies sponsored by two opposing superpower blocs; the centrally controlled The Mountainous Land of Gog is Rife with Idol communist economies led by the Soviet Union, and Worship the capitalist market economies led by the United States. The division of the Korean Peninsula was The roof is a place where idolatry is invoked (Isa formally sealed in 1948 when North Korea 15:3; 22:1; Jer 19:13; 32:29; 48:38)… (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea, ROK) each gained nation state status, with two separate As the ‘roof is a place where idolatry is invoked,’ analogously therefore, in order to remain true to the

53 parable, the mountainous land of Gog must also be 8. Preserve dearly the political life the Great rife with idol worship. Leader KIM Il Sung has bestowed upon you, and repay loyally for the Great Leader’s boundless North Korea is currently the only nation state on the political trust and considerations with high planet with a dynastic communist regime, where political awareness and skill. successive leaders are deified, and where the 9. Establish a strong organizational discipline so founder of the state, Kim Il Sung, though deceased that the entire Party, the entire people, and the is still considered ‘alive in spirit,’ [18][19] holding the entire military will operate uniformly under the office of ‘Eternal President.’ The idol worship of sole leadership of the Great Leader KIM Il Sung. the Kim lineage, for all intents and purposes, is 10. The great revolutionary accomplishments effectively enshrined in the DPRK Constitution, as pioneered by the Great Leader Kim Il Sung outlined in the ‘Ten Great Principles of the Unitary must be succeeded and perfected by hereditary Ideology System.’ The constitution was modified in successions until the end. 1998, four years after Kim Il Sung’s death, with an amendment establishing dynastic succession, The deification and idol worship of the Kim lineage decreed in the 10th principle: [20][21] was established in spite of communism’s traditional distaste for the transfer of hereditary power, which 1. Struggle with all your life to paint the entire has now been twice passed down since the death of society with the one color of the Great Leader the ‘Great Leader,’ Kim Il Sung: first to his son, the KIM Il Sung’s revolutionary thought. ‘Dear Leader,’ Kim Jong Il, in 1994; and then to his 2. Respect and revere highly and with loyalty the grandson, the ‘Great Successor,’ Kim Jong Un, in Great Leader KIM Il Sung. 2011. [22] The remarkably successful ‘cult of 3. Make absolute the authority of the Great Leader personality’ orchestrated around the late Kims, and KIM Il Sung. only just beginning to develop around the young 4. Accept the Great Leader KIM Il Sung’s Kim Jong Un, is all-pervasive, embracing each revolutionary thought as your belief and take the citizen’s entire life in totality: Great Leader’s instructions as your creed. 5. Observe absolutely the principle of ‘‘Thank you, Father Kim Il Sung’ is the first unconditional execution in carrying out the phrase North Korean parents are instructed to teach instructions of the Great Leader KIM Il Sung. to their children. From cradle to grave, North 6. Rally the unity of ideological intellect and Korean citizens are surrounded by the all- revolutionary solidarity around the Great encompassing presence of the “Great Leader” and Leader KIM Il Sung. his son, the “Dear Leader” Kim Jong Il. The Kim 7. Learn from the Great Leader KIM Il Sung and dynasty is much more than an authoritarian master communist dignity, the methods of government; it also holds itself out as the ultimate revolutionary projects, and the people’s work source of power, virtue, spiritual wisdom, and truth styles. for the North Korean people. Heterodoxy and dissent are repressed, quickly and efficiently, with

54 punishments meted out to successive generations of wholly monolithic form of idol worship that is the dissident’s family.’ [23] imposed throughout the country’s mountainous highlands, that permeates across social, cultural, ‘The religious cult around the Kims touches every economic, political and military spheres, that individual and every province in the DPRK. penetrates the very fabric of society and every facet Students are required to memorize the “Ten of life, and does so at the virtual exclusion of all Principles for the Establishment of the One- other belief systems, is without precedence and Ideology System of the Party,” and every North without peer: North Korea is arguably, as at least Korean is expected to attend one or more of an one historian noted, ‘the most perfected example of estimated 450,000 “Kim Il Sung Revolutionary totalitarianism in the history of human civilization.’ Research Centers” at least weekly for instruction, inspiration, and self-criticism. In Kang Chol- The Idolatry in the Land of Gog is an ‘End Hwan’s memoir even the notorious “Yodok” prison Times’ Innovation camp had a shrine to the Kim family where the inmates, despite wearing only tattered rags for …Three times (Ps 129:6; II Kgs 19:26; Isa clothes, were required to keep a special pair of 37:27) in the form of a curse, appears the [24] socks for entrance to the shrine.’ formula “let them be like the grass on the

‘housetops’.” The analogy is to grass which ‘It is now known that every home in the country springs up quickly on the flat roof of homes has a portrait of the “Great Leader” Kim Il Sung which are covered with packed earth. Having and the “Dear Leader” Kim Jong Il. Inspectors no depth of soil to take strong root in the grass visit homes to hand out fines and admonishments if withers and dies… the portraits are not well kept. Every government building and subway car displays the two portraits, and every adult citizen wears a button of Kim Il Since the cursed idolatry on the roof is compared to Sung. Movies and propaganda constantly repeat the ‘grass on the housetops’ which has ‘no depth of the blessings bestowed on them by the two Kims. The soil to take strong root in,’ the cursed whole-scale veneration required is so complete that the former idolatry in the mountainous land of Gog, North Koreans interviewed for this report did not correspondingly, cannot be a deeply rooted practice believe that religious activity was permitted seeded in antiquity. Instead, it must be a relatively because, among other reasons, it would be recent, contemporary innovation with ‘shallow perceived as a threat to the government’s authority.’ roots’ and one which has ‘sprung up quickly.’ [24] The roots of the ‘Monolithic Ideology System’ in Although there are numerous regions in the world North Korea, also known as the ‘Juche Idea’ or today where various forms of ‘idolatry are invoked’ ‘Kimilsungism,’ [26] can be traced back to no earlier by populations much larger than North Korea’s than 1945 – the year that marked the division of the (with approximately 24 million people), [25] the Korean Peninsula along the 38th parallel, and with it,

55 the emergence of Gog and Magog, signaling the Land and building assets of religious institutions onset of ‘End Times.’ It is hence necessary to review were also confiscated. To put into perspective the the ideological transformation in North Korea, from extent of the persecution: 1945 onwards, in order to fully expose the shallow roots of its idolatry, and the speed with which it ‘At the end of WWII, there were upwards of 52,000 sprung. Korean Catholics north of the 38th parallel…On the eve of the Korean War, fewer than two dozen In the early to mid-20th century, the Korean Catholic priests remained in their parishes in Peninsula was a vibrant mosaic of six main religions North Korea…According to official DPRK figures, and belief systems including Shamanism, presently there are only 800 Catholics in North Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, Korea.’ [26][28] Confucianism/Neo-Confucianism, and ‘an indigenous faith called ‘Eastern Learning’ Summary executions of Christian leaders and priests (Tonghak) or ‘the religion of the Heavenly Way’ intensified during the war years (1950-1953). With (Chondokyo).’ [27] After the division of the peninsula the death of Stalin in 1953, Kim Il Sung took the at the end of World War II, this dynamic religious concept of a communist state to an entirely new pluralism continued to propagate south of the 38th level as he embarked on ‘one of the most successful parallel, but came to a screeching halt on the north and intensely coercive social engineering feats of side. modern times:’ [29]

North of the 38th parallel, the Soviets oversaw the ‘Kim Il Sung went in a direction different from the development of a Stalinist modeled communist post-Stalinist Soviet Union and instituted a series of regime. Mirroring the templates of Eastern and inter-related policies that historians have termed Central Europe, the formation of the communist “national Stalinism”. One of the elements of this party, or Korean Worker’s Party (KWP), led by Kim policy was the elimination of all public religious Il Sung, was the foundational step that paved the practice in North Korea. By the 1960s, there were way for a series of sweeping reforms that were no churches, Buddhist temples, or Chondokyo deemed essential for the evolution of socialism in places of worship operating in North Korea, which North Korea. These included land and labour became one of only two countries in the world where reforms for the establishment of a state controlled religion was fully prohibited (the other was economy, along with the complete suppression of all Albania).’ [30] competing socio-political parties, which in the North at the time, were mainly organized by ‘Resolution 149 of the North Korean Council of religious groups. By the time the Korean War broke Ministers initiated the forced relocation of out in 1950, all religious movements were “unreliable elements” to remote mountains in dismantled and religious leaders were either various parts of the country. Large scale purges executed, imprisoned, fled south, or left with no were extended to common people, in what has been option were forced to lend their support to the KWP. termed the “greatest witch hunt in North Korean

56 history,” when, during nine months between 1958 and 1959, more people were persecuted for political ‘We (could not) turn into a communist society crimes than in the previous thirteen years, including along with the religious people. Therefore, we during the Korean War. This process included the purged the key leaders above the rank of deacons in forcible transfer of religious families from Protestant or Catholic churches and the wicked Pyongyang to industrial cities on the east coast. among the rest were put on trial. The general Subsequently, other groups, including the families religious people were…put into prison camps (and of executed religious believers, were sent to the given a chance to reform)…We learned later that Yongpyong-ri district for “total control zone” those of religion can do away with their old habits lifetime administrative detention at forced labor only after they have been killed.’ [34] camp (gwalliso) No. 15 at Yodok.’ [31] The rapid and efficient replacement of all competing ‘By the 1960s North Korean ideologues had ideologies and belief systems with a forced transformed communism into an apologia for the indoctrinated idol worship of the Kim lineage, of a ethnic-state. By the 1970s the adulation of Kim Il population that inhabits the mountainous highlands Sung had become a civic religion without of North Korea, is the temporal manifestation of the competition. In the absence of other Biblical parable that compares the curse of idolatry religious/political foci, the cult absorbed symbolism to the ‘grass on the housetops’ associated with the from Confucianism, State Shinto, and even word gag. It is an unsaid truth that any belief system Christianity until Kim had become a Korean which ‘springs up quickly’ by means of repression Messiah.’ [32] and persecution, stained with the blood of its people, is ‘like a curse’ that has no ‘depth of soil to take ‘Today, as this report shows, conditions for strong root in.’ religious freedom north of the 38th parallel are strikingly different than those found to the south. The Nation of Gog will Spring Up Quickly and The number of people in the two Koreas officially Slowly Wither reported to be religious adherents also diverges widely. Some 50 percent of the South Korean …The analogy is to grass which springs up population is identified by the Republic of Korea quickly on the flat roof of homes which are government as claiming adherence to one of a large covered with packed earth. Having no depth of variety of belief systems. In the North, however, the soil to take strong root in the grass withers and number of religious believers in the five dies… “permitted” religions amounts to only two-tenths of one percent (0.2 percent) of the population, Just as the ‘grass on the housetops’ springs up according to the information provided by the DPRK quickly, so too, conversely, will it slowly ‘wither.’ to the UN.’ [33] The identification of Gog as North Korea, and its

correlation to this Biblical parable continues with Kim Il Sung reportedly admitted:

57 astonishing precision. The idol worship of the Kim to the mid-1960s. [36][37] It is exceptional because lineage ‘sprang up’ almost immediately upon the this staggering growth was not only world beating, division of the peninsula along the 38th parallel, and but was achieved in spite of the 1950-1953 war so too did the North Korean economy – the key years that devastated the peninsula as a whole, more yardstick by which the health of a nation is so especially in the North, which was left with the measured – gather steam and spring forward in enormous task of rebuilding nearly its entire concert with the indoctrination of ‘Kimilsungism.’ industrial framework. The parable, however, is in fact a hidden Biblical prophecy; foreshadowing the slow decay of Gog, The North Korean economy’s rapid initial growth and thus the gradual demise of the North Korean was greatly facilitated by substantial reconstructive, economy. To highlight the striking parallels with the technological, and economic aid advanced by both parable of the ‘grass on the housetops,’ the the Soviets and the Chinese. The North’s communist declining trajectory of the North Korean economy, regime took full advantage of this ongoing after its robust initial expansion, and the manner and assistance, undertaking tremendous pains to rebuild extent to which North Korea has since ‘withered’, and improve upon the prewar, albeit largely will now be examined. inefficient industrial infrastructure inherited from Japan, which had led a brutally harsh colonial rule The Economy Takes Flight (1940s to mid-1960s) over the peninsula during the first half of the 20th century (1910-1945): Shortly after peninsular division, the North Korean economy launched like a rocket; a somewhat ‘The result of this extraordinary effort to get the common pattern observed with other communist industrial economy functioning again was that, from states within the Soviet orbit. This phenomenon can the 1940s into the mid-1960s, minus the period of be partially ascribed to the nature of centrally the war and recovery from it (1950-1956), North controlled economies: initial efficiencies are readily Korea grew far more rapidly than did the South, as gained as the direct result of marshaling, redirecting, rapidly perhaps as any postwar industrializing and managing previously underused resources at a regime.’ [38] nationwide scale; a task for which, generally speaking, totalitarian states are particularly well In short, exactly analogous to the parable of the equipped. [35] ‘grass on the housetops,’ the idolatrous nation of Gog, or North Korea, ‘sprang forth’ almost However, even within the ambit of high initial immediately upon its birth, precipitated by the growth patterns exhibited by some communist forced division of the Korean Peninsula by outside economies, North Korea is an exceptional case, powers. registering arguably the most rapid growth of any country during the first 20 years of the cold war: Economic Growth Begins to Decline (mid-1960s averaging impressive gross output increases of 20- to late-1980s) 25 percent per annum from the mid-1950s through

The strategic emphasis on the development of its industries. Moreover, both land and marine industrial infrastructure, targeting heavy industry, as transportation lacked modern equipment and well as receipt of ‘unprecedentedly large amounts of infrastructure. The inability of the energy and aid from the Soviet bloc,’ including China, markedly mining sectors, as well as of the transportation contributed to the North’s economic success in its network, to supply power and raw materials as early stages. [37] The pronounced growth achieved rapidly as the manufacturing plants could absorb over the first twenty years, however, was them began to slow industrial growth.’ [40] unsustainable and it soon became increasingly evident the efficiencies gained from structural The North Korean economy – additionally burdened changes to the industrial base, reallocation of by sizable international debt obligations, massive underused resources, and employment of idle diversion of scarce resources to the military (nearly labour, had reached their limits. By the early 1970s, 25% of its GNP), debilitating U.S. trade sanctions North Korea ‘clearly had exhausted the extensive enforced since the 1950s, general economic development of its industry based on its own or mismanagement, and sustained drought – had prewar Japanese or new Soviet technologies…:’ [39] entered, what would end up being, the initial stages of an unceasing downward spiral. In the two decades ‘Until 1960 North Korea’s economy grew faster leading up to the mid-1980s, the average per annum than that in the South. During the reconstruction industrial growth, while not insignificant, had period after the Korean War, there were reduced dramatically to between 12-15%; thus opportunities for extensive economic growth. This establishing the transition to decline. [37][39][41][42] general pattern of initially high growth resulting in a strong rate of capital formation was mirrored in Economic Decay and Chronic Agricultural the other Soviet-style economies. Toward the end of Failure (1990s to present) the 1950s, as reconstruction work was completed and idle capacity began to diminish, the economy In the early 1990s, with the fall of the Soviet Union had to shift from the extensive to the intensive stage, and demise of the communist regimes in Eastern where the simple discipline of marshaling Europe, ‘the North Korean economy saw stagnation underused resources became less effective. In the turning into crisis.’ [41] The gradual economic new stage, inefficiency arising from emerging deterioration experienced over the previous two bottlenecks led to diminishing returns. Further decades escalated into a full blown economic growth could be attained only by increasing catastrophe. The collapse of the socialist bloc, North efficiency and technological progress. Korea’s traditional trade partners and benefactors, brought with it an end of unprecedented economic Beginning in the early 1960s, a series of pervasive assistance, concessionary prices, and favourable and serious bottlenecks began to impede trading terms. It also ended the transfer of both development. Blockages generally were created by Soviet and Chinese technologies, which were the lack of arable land, skilled labor, energy, and instrumental for industrial and military advances in transportation and by deficiencies in the extraction North Korea during the years of the Cold War. [43]

The rigidity, furthermore, ‘in the political and acknowledged “big losses in our economic economic systems of North Korea left the country construction” and “a most complex and acute ill-prepared for a changing world. The North internal and external situation” at the Twenty-first Korean economy was undermined and its industrial Plenum of the Workers’ Party, in December 1993. output began to decline:’ [41] Most of the blame was attributed not to North Korea’s ponderous socialist system but to “the ‘The end of the Cold War (1945–89) severely shook collapse of the socialist countries and the socialist North Korea. During the Cold War, North Korea market of the world,” which “shattered” many of had been able to rely on extensive Soviet and Pyongyang’s trade partners and agreements.’ [44] Chinese military, technological, and economic aid. This aid had been large in absolute terms, and, more The North Korean economy’s staggering collapse importantly, had provided North Korea access to and entrenched stagnation (1990s to present), after more advanced technology than it could otherwise its initial rapid expansion (1950s-1960s) and have obtained on its own. Beginning in 1989, the gradual decline/plateau (1970s-1980s), is North Korean economy underwent a series of summarized in Figure 20, which depicts the shock waves. The limits to a centrally planned historical GDP per capita of North Korea since the economy had already begun to be reached during 1950s: the 1980s, and to compound these problems, the Soviet Union and China abandoned North Korea and stopped providing aid and materials at “friendship prices”…The severe problems inherent in a centrally planned economy had fully manifested themselves by the mid-1980s, and the economy had started its decline even before the Soviet Union and China abandoned aid to the North. By 1990 North Korea’s economy had begun to contract, experiencing negative GDP growth rates from Figure 20: the Historical GDP per Capita of North Korea [45] 1990 to 1998…’ [43]

The entrenched decay of North Korea, however, is ‘The collapse of the socialist bloc deprived not limited to solely economic stagnation; it is also Pyongyang of major markets, leading to several coupled with chronic agricultural failure. This years of declining GNP in the early 1990s. South coupling is a direct result of the organizational Korean figures put these declines in the 2 to 5 framework of the North’s agriculture, which is percent range [per annum], and American intimately tied to the country’s industrial base. government analysts thought that the worst was over North Korea’s agricultural system is organized as an for the North Korean economy by the end of 1993. ‘industrial-agricultural complex,’ heavily dependent But it was a general crisis for the leadership, to the upon an intensive energy regime. Energy is needed degree that Pyongyang for the first time publicly for the manufacture of petroleum based fertilizers,

60 an extensive irrigation infrastructure, operation of ‘However, while these increases in fertilizer use, agricultural machinery, and for transportation and irrigation, and electrification explain the past distribution of agricultural inputs and outputs. The success of North Korean agriculture, they also ‘industrial-agricultural complex’ is highly explain the subsequent decline in the 1990s. productive when the economy is functioning well Pursuit of food self-sufficiency led to a heavy because energy inputs are abundantly available, as reliance on chemicals and fertilizer. Overuse of the was the case from the 1950s through to the 1980s. arable land led to acidification and erosion of the However, beginning the 1990s, with the dismantling soil. Marginally productive areas increasingly were of the socialist bloc and the sudden cut-off in the converted to farmland, and this practice led to supply of oil, coal, and fertilizers, including the flooding as the topsoil eroded and deforestation broad-scope termination of ‘friendship pricing,’ occurred...According to UN agronomists, the soil agricultural output, like the economy, collapsed in deposition into the river system raised river bottoms concert: [46] to such a degree that the rivers are no longer capable of absorbing the water from heavy rains or ‘…the curious economic structure of North Korea spring thaw. The annual flooding that occurs thus that bound agriculture extremely close to industry has become increasingly severe. Furthermore, and the energy regime, creating a domino effect fertilizer use dropped dramatically in the 1990s as such that when the North Korean energy regime the North lost the ability to import fertilizers at collapsed, so did industry and then agriculture friendship prices from China and the former Soviet (which depended heavily on industrial inputs). [47] Union. For example, although North Korea had used 319 kilograms of nitrogenous fertilizers per ‘…agriculture has been adversely affected by the hectare in 1990, that amount had dropped to 35 decline in the non-agricultural part of the kilograms per hectare by 1996. economy. The two primary fertilizers used in North Korea, urea and ammonium sulfate, are both As a result of these problems, by the early 1990s the petroleum-based, and shortages of petroleum agricultural system was even less able to produce feedstocks have adversely effected domestic enough grains and other foodstuffs to feed the production of fertilizer. A shortage of coal has shut population. For example, in 1992 grain demand down a coal-fired fertilizer plant. Periodic blights exceeded supply by more than 1 million tons. have been worsened by a shortage of agricultural Initially, North Korea drew down stockpiles and chemicals. Fuel shortages and a lack of spare parts attempted other short-term measures, such as have impeded the use of agricultural machinery, exhorting the citizens to eat only two meals a day. forcing the reintroduction of draught animals. However, even before the ecological disruptions of Electrical shortages have interfered with irrigation, the mid-1990s, the system had begun to collapse.’ which is based heavily on electrically powered [49] water pumps.’ [48] As if to rub salt on the wound, the systemic economic and agricultural malaise gripping North

Korea was further compounded by a series of ‘Occurring primarily in the years 1995 through devastating natural disasters which commenced in 1998, this famine was truly biblical in scope, if the mid-1990s; including, in particular, record estimates of casualties running as high as 2.5 floods and pronounced droughts of ‘Biblical million are accepted. If this excess mortality rate is proportions.’ [50][51] The end result of the confluence credible, then the North Korean famine would be a of these contributing factors was the onset of a catastrophe more severe, in proportional terms, severe famine, one of the most crippling of the late than famines which befell China during the Great 20th century, with estimates of the number of lives Leap Forward (claiming anywhere between 18 claimed varying widely – from 250,000 [52] on the million to 30 million people), or India during its last lower end, to as much as 3.5 million on the upper major famine, the Great Bengal Famine of 1943, end of the scale: [48] said to have claimed anywhere between 1.5 million deaths to double that figure.’ [54] ‘As well as can be ascertained, North Korea is now into its eighth year of economic decline [as of 1998]. ‘International aid agencies say they have never seen It has been facing food shortages at least since the anything quite like it. Recent visitors say it is like early 1990s, and is experiencing a famine of watching a famine in slow motion. Everybody unknown severity. US Congressional staffers who seems to be getting something to eat, but rations visited the country concluded that from 1995 to have been reduced to starvation levels over a long 1998 between 900,000 and 2.4 million people had period of time and the agencies have given warning died from starvation or hunger-related illnesses that millions are now at risk of malnutrition and with deaths peaking in 1997. Non-governmental death.’ [55] organizations, extrapolating from interviews with refugees in China and observations on the ground, Whereas the famine was undoubtedly the have produced estimates of famine-related deaths exclamation mark underscoring agricultural failure, on the order of 2.8-3.5 million.’ [48] the agricultural crisis, however, was not limited to only the famine years (1995-1998). This was a ‘Since the mid-1990s, erratic weather conditions, general, systemic agricultural failure, a ‘slow motion particularly devastating floods in 1995 followed by famine,’ [56][57] in the making since at least the 1980s, a prolonged drought, have contributed to a likely brought upon by ‘soil exhaustion, precipitous drop in agricultural production overfertilization, and…surfacing shortages of (caused by serious failures of government energy.’ [58] North Korea, to this day, has never agricultural policies as well as poor weather, escaped its clutches, and is still woefully unable to deforestation, and soil erosion) and led to one of the feed its people. worst famines of the late twentieth century, resulting in the death of more than 1 million North Height Trends in the Two Koreas Koreans.’ [53] Chronic food shortage, fundamentally, is an issue of supply and demand; with agricultural supply

62 insufficient to meet food demand. The North Korean populations of North and South Korea subsequently agricultural supply/demand imbalance has acutely followed two distinct height trajectories: [61] persisted since the early 1990s, and continues unabated. While many conventional indicators can be referenced to demonstrate chronic food shortage (e.g. agricultural output and nutrition metrics), these indicators, however, are wholly or largely unreliable in a country such as North Korea, which is frequently described as a ‘complete statistical blackout,’ a ‘quantitative terra incognita,’ and a ‘virtual black hole.’ [59][60] In such cases, where traditional metrics are highly questionable or Figure 21: Height in the Two Koreas [62] unavailable, the most reliable indicators of chronic food shortage and associated malnutrition are ‘Whereas a remarkable secular growth spurt of anthropometric measurements, as they are height occurred in South Koreans, North Korean independent indicators which effectively sum up the height rather stagnated during that period, hence, net manifestations of malnutrition in the human height gap between the two Koreas became more [61] body: pronounced in time.’

‘Specifically, anthropometric measurements such It should be remembered that Koreans have as height and weight are sensitive and reliable remained genetically homogeneous for millennia, indicators for malnutrition, economic development and thus the emergence of the widening height gap, and social welfare of people living in historical which coincides with peninsular division, cannot societies and developing countries. Making use of even remotely be attributed to genetic influences. these measurements is all the more important Consequently: because conventional welfare indicators for North Korea are often absent from statistical databases.’ ‘As height is a sensitive indicator for the underlying [59] environment in early life, it is safe to say that nutrition, health and socioeconomic living The anthropometric measurement which will now conditions did not become better in socialist North be discussed is the height trends in the two Koreas Korea from the 1940s to the 1980s, yet these factors from the mid-1930s through to the mid-1980s have obviously greatly improved in market-oriented [61] (Figure 21). The graph clearly reveals that South Korea during the same period.’ Northerners were slightly taller than their Southern counterparts during the trail end of colonial era. It is also significant that the height of North Koreans However, after division of the Korean Peninsula began to steadily decline after peaking in the early (1945) and formation of the two dichotomous nation 1970s. As this was a well-established, secular states (1948), this condition began to reverse, as the decline, the empirical evidence strongly points to

63 underlying agricultural structural issues and competition – a ‘Monolithic Ideology System’ – resultant chronic food/nutrition deficiencies; which effectively enshrined in the DPRK constitution. were patently extant well prior to the 1990s economic and agricultural collapse. 2. The Idolatry in the Land of Gog is an ‘End Times’ Innovation. The deification and adulation of the The Parable of the ‘Grass on the Housetops:’ Kim dynasty is a relatively recent, contemporary Summary and Context innovation, with ‘shallow roots’ and one which ‘sprung up quickly’ – dating back to no earlier than It was postulated the root of the Hebrew name, Gog, 1945 – the year that marked the division of the stems from the Hebrew, gag, which means ‘the Korean Peninsula along the 38th parallel, and with it, highest point of an edifice,’ ‘roof’ or ‘housetop.’ the emergence of Gog and Magog, signaling the Apart from the obvious congruence with the onset of ‘End Times.’ The rapid and efficient meanings of Gog, ‘mountain;’ Goguryeo, ‘high elimination of all competing ideologies – which, in center;’ and the Qur’anic description of the land of North Korea at the time, consisted of a rich mosaic Gog and Magog as a ‘mountain highland;’ the of six main belief systems – was brutally achieved contextual usage of gag in the Old Testament has through severe coercion and a forced indoctrinated additional, peculiar connotations that conspicuously idol worship of the Kim lineage. It is an unsaid truth and comprehensively parallel the conditions and that any belief system which ‘springs up quickly’ by characteristics of one, and only one contemporary means of repression and persecution, stained with nation state in the world: the Democratic People’s the blood of its people, is ‘like a curse’ that has no Republic of Korea, or North Korea. In particular, the ‘depth of soil to take strong root in.’ Biblical parable of the ‘grass on the housetops’ was decoded and contextualized according to three key 3. The Nation of Gog will Spring Up Quickly and eschatological qualities, which function as Slowly Wither. The North Korean economy initially fingerprints – uniquely identifying the nation of Gog launched like a rocket; the direct result of at ‘End Times:’ marshaling, redirecting, and managing previously underused resources at a nationwide scale – a task 1. The Mountainous Land of Gog is Rife with Idol for which, generally speaking, centrally controlled Worship. North Korea is the only nation state with a economies are particularly well suited. After the war dynastic communist regime, where successive (1950-1953) and recovery from it, the North generational leaders are deified through an all- achieved staggering, world beating economic pervasive ‘cult of personality;’ sponsored, growth; averaging 20-25 percent per annum gross monitored and enforced by a highly manipulative output increases from the mid-1950s through to the and punitive state propaganda and police apparatus. mid-1960s. The deification of the Kim lineage is all encompassing; to the extent that the idol worship of The rapid initial growth achieved during the first the Kim lineage is the de facto civic religion without two decades of the cold war, however, was unsustainable as efficiencies gained from structural

64 changes to the industrial base, reallocation of termination of ‘friendship pricing,’ agricultural underused resources, and employment of idle output, like the economy, collapsed in concert. labour, had reached their limits. What’s more, the North Korean economy was burdened by other In the mid-1990s, the secular economic and constraints including sizable international debt agricultural malaise gripping North Korea obligations, massive diversion of scarce resources to precipitated into a severe famine, one of the most the military, debilitating U.S. trade sanctions, and crippling of the late 20th century, triggered by general economic mismanagement. From the mid- devastating floods and prolonged droughts; 1960s to the late-1980s, consequently, the average resulting in surplus deaths of as many as 3.5 million per annum industrial growth reduced substantially people. The famine, however, was long in the to between 12-15%; thus establishing the transition making, as the DPRK has been incapable of to decline. adequately feeding its population for decades; a fact clearly demonstrated through analysis of an In the early 1990s, the gradual decline experienced anthropometric measurement – the pronounced, over the previous twenty years deteriorated into a widening height gap between Northerners and full blown economic catastrophe. The demise of the Southerners, which began immediately upon Soviet Union brought with it an end of division of the Korean Peninsula. Since Koreans are unprecedented economic assistance, concessionary genetically homogeneous, the divergent height prices, favourable trading terms, and the transfer of trajectories, therefore, can only be attributed to both Soviet and Chinese technologies, which were fundamental, disparate underlying nutrition, health, instrumental for industrial and military advances in and socioeconomic living conditions in the two North Korea. The rigidity in the political and Koreas. This conclusion was underscored by the economic systems, accordingly, ‘left the country ill- marked declining height of North Koreans after prepared for a changing world.’ [41] From 1990 peaking in early 1970s, in contrast to the continuous through to 1998 the North Korean economy began growth spurt experienced by South Koreans. to contract, experiencing sustained negative GDP growth rates. Notwithstanding the definitive identification of Gog as North Korea by virtue of the profound The entrenched decay of North Korea, however, is metaphorical comparisons elucidated above, the not limited to solely economic stagnation; it is also parable of the ‘grass on the housetops,’ however, is coupled with chronic agricultural failure. This principally about faith; about the truth of the coupling is a direct result of the organizational Oneness of God; and what happens when an entire framework of the North’s agriculture, which is nation, en masse, abandons that truth in favour of intimately tied to the country’s industrial base and falsehood – the falsehood of whole-scale idolatrous heavily dependent upon an intensive energy regime. practices. For, after all, that is what is meant by ‘the Beginning the 1990s, with the dismantling of the roof is a place where idolatry is invoked.’ It is the socialist bloc and the sudden cut-off in the supply of forced, communal indoctrination and invocation of oil, coal, and fertilizers, including the broad-scope idolatry, which is the central issue: it is the root

‘curse,’ because idolatry – an uncompromising and 1. Entirely Mountainous Land. The parable of the absolute abomination, and a hideous and ‘grass on the housetops’ dictates that idolatry is unconditional curse – cannot, by its very definition, practiced exclusively on a ‘roof,’ ‘housetop,’ or and very essence, have any ‘depth of soil to take ‘high edifice.’ Large geographic regions at strong root in.’ The land of Gog was ‘cursed’ from continental scales, however, are not completely or the get go, because from the very inception of North even primarily mountainous, and are invariably Korea the great lie of the divinity of the Kim lineage comprised of diverse landscapes in significant was seeded, and the height of North Koreans, at that proportions. Due to a simple matter of geography, precise moment, at the inception of that ‘curse,’ therefore, it is physically impossible for idolatry – stagnated in concert. The rest – the initial ‘economic pervasive monolithic idolatry in particular – to be miracle,’ the immediate ‘agricultural growth,’ the practiced exclusively at ‘high locales’ in expansive great ‘promises of collectivism’ – like idolatry, are territories, because such territories inevitably nothing more than a façade and a lie which ‘sprung encompass populations inhabiting extensive low up quickly.’ It was only a matter of time before the lying regions. The requirement of principally an inevitable manifestations of that grotesque and alpine region, and by obligation, a territory of unforgiveable lie eventually caught up with the moderate size, is further reinforced by the Qur’anic nation of Gog. North Korea, to this day, is an characterization of the land of Gog and Magog as a impoverished state that has been in decay for ‘mountainous highland.’ decades, politically and economically isolated, bereft of modern industry and infrastructure, with a 2. Widespread Idolatrous Practices. The ‘roof is a stunted and enfeebled population, the country has place where idolatry is invoked;’ consequently, as long since been ‘withered.’ the parable is expressed in the form of a curse, the implication is the land is ‘cursed’ because idolatry Other Inferences is ubiquitous and exclusively practiced. The land of Gog, therefore, must be entirely idolatrous with no In addition to the preceding, there are also other, competing ideologies. Once again, this necessitates significant inferences that can be drawn from the the population of Gog inhabits a moderate scale, Biblical parable of the ‘grass on the housetops,’ relatively isolated, and thus ‘theologically which, when combined with select Qur’anic manageable region;’ as belief systems over qualifications of Gog and Magog, completely continental sized territories are difficult, if not discredit the long held view that the prophecy of the impossible to extensively monitor and strictly war of Gog and Magog refers to a global level ‘End regulate; ergo, they inevitably consist of a collage of Times’ Armageddon, as has been the presumption assorted ideologies which tend to coexist and mix by most Christian and Islamic scholars alike. These freely through vast lands with porous borders. inferences are thus a litmus test against which any contemporary nation, region, or people, proposed as 3. Genetically Homogeneous Population. As being identified with ‘Gog’ must pass: previously expounded upon, the Qur’an refers to the one tribe by the names, ‘Gog and Magog,’ both

66 during the time of the messenger Zul-Qarnayn (18:94) and two thousand years later at ‘End Times’ According to the ‘Theological Wordbook of the Old (21:96). Hence, the genetic constitution of the Testament’ (TWOT), min means ‘from,’ ‘out of’ or peoples of ‘Gog and Magog’ must be maintained as ‘more than.’ a separate and distinct ethnicity in spite of the passage of two millennia; otherwise they would no The applicable usages and nuances of this longer be the peoples of ‘Gog and Magog,’ but preposition, as defined in TWOT, are now examined diverse, heterogeneous people due to the subsequent as they relate to South Korea’s (Magog) relationship blending with assorted populations. The nation of to North Korea (Gog), after division of the Korean Gog, moreover, must not only be genetically Peninsula: [min1212, TWOT] homogeneous, but is obliged to share this genetic homogeneity with the nation of Magog, with which 1. From: ‘With verbs of motion or separation; to go it must also share a common border or is within its from, or to be away from, i.e. without; or away regional vicinity. The requirement of genetic from in relation to some other spot or direction, homogeneity, likewise, limits the nation of Gog to a therefore: on the east or beside a city.’ restricted and relatively isolated geographical area, because it is virtually impossible for large, South Korea is ‘separated;’ ‘away from;’ ‘without;’ continental scale, expansive territories to house only in ‘some other spot;’ and on the ‘south side’ of one population of common genetic constitution. North Korea.

The above three Biblical and Qur’anic derivations, 2. Out of: ‘With other verbs, it means out of, e.g. in short, all reinforce and drive home the same out of Egypt. It is used for material out of which qualifications: the land of Gog must be primarily something is made. Allied with this is the causal mountainous, of moderate scale, and of relative force: to shake from the noise, or on account of our isolation, and by virtue of these qualifications, a transgressions.’ ‘theologically manageable region’ inhabited by a population of one ethnic stock. The localized and The people of the two Koreas are of ‘one ethnic restricted war of Gog and Magog, therefore, is no stock,’ and hence South Koreans are ‘made out of more than a marker – a key sign the world is about the same genetic material’ as North Koreans. The to come to an end…as ‘the Hour draws near.’ ‘causal force’ of their separation was ‘on account of the transgressions of foreign powers (United States and Soviet Union),’ which prosecuted the artificial II. Etymology of ‘Magog’ division of the peninsula along the 38th parallel.

In Hebrew, Magog is simply Gog with the prefix 3. The partitive min: ‘He took some of, or even, ‘mem,’ which is derived from the preposition or one of. This last becomes anyone, a single hair, etc.’ ‘min.’ Min is often expressed as the singular mem. [15]

Definition of ‘partitive’ in grammar: ‘Indicating that a noun involved in a construction refers only to These nuances of min ‘fit like a glove’ and are thus a part or fraction of what it otherwise refers to.’ [63] an affirmation that Magog is indeed South Korea. While the first three usages of min apply equally to South Korea ‘took some of’ Korea and is ‘only a part either of the two Koreas, the fourth usage restricts or fraction of’ the entire Korea, prior to its division. the applicability of min to only South Korea since it is ‘too great for’ North Korea in virtually all aspects. 4. In comparisons: ‘Min is often used in That the word ‘gag’ is applicable only to the North comparisons to mean more than, above, beyond, and ‘min’ (expressed as the singular, ‘mem’) is etc., sometimes too much for, too great for.’ applicable only to the South; together, the two Hebrew words, ‘gag and memgag,’ corroborate South Korea is ‘more than, above, beyond, too much their respective identities as North and South Korea, for, and too great for’ North Korea across all while at the same time, confirm that they are the root categories by which the prosperity of a country and origins of the names, ‘Gog and Magog,’ well-being of its citizens are measured including: respectively. industrial and technological development, gross domestic product (about 40 times that of the North), life expectancy, standard of living, [25][64] military 3. Etymology of ‘Gog and Magog’ in capability, [65] education, [66][67] freedom of Arabic (‘Ya’juj and Ma’juj’) speech/religion, [68][69][70] health/quality of life, and even average height. [71][72] How far ‘beyond’ the The names, ‘Ya’juj’ and ‘Ma’juj,’ as they appear in South currently is relative to the North, is perhaps the Qur’an, are the Arabic names of Gog and best captured by a single image: the night-time Magog, respectively. The Arabic, ‘ajuj’ (common to satellite view of the Korean Peninsula (Figure 22). both Ya’juj and Ma’juj), is derived from the Arabic The North, outside of a faint dot of light (at root, ‘ajij,’ which means ‘to run or walk quickly’ or [74] Pyongyang) is in complete darkness; in sharp ‘to burn, blaze, or flame fiercely.’ Since these contrast to the South, which is nearly fully lit. characteristics apply equally to Ya’juj and Ma’juj, they complement and hence reinforce the Qur’anic eschatological prophecy of the war of Gog and Magog. Over and above, the root meanings of Ya’juj and Ma’juj emphasize the violent and intensely devastating nature of the Korean War, as was indeed the case; the two Koreas were ravaged by a virtual holocaust, with approximately 2.5 million casualties, [75] nearly the entire peninsula was laid to waste and left to ‘to burn, blaze, or flame fiercely.’ Figure 22: Night-Time Satellite View of the Korean Peninsula [73]

It should also be noted that in Arabic, Ya’juj is the mean either ‘horn’ or ‘epoch / age / era.’ [77] active tense, and Ma’juj is the passive tense; [76] a However, since the usage of the word, ‘qarn,’ in the remarkably accurate qualifier. North Korea, Quran is always in the context of time, the identified as Ya’juj, escalated the conflict by appropriate translation of Zul-Qarnayn is ‘the two- launching a sudden full-scale invasion and was thus aged one.’ [78] This meaning is exceedingly apropos the aggressor, or active party. South Korea, in because Zul-Qarnayn’s journey is relevant and contrast, was invaded and was thus the defender, or impacts upon two different ages: (i) the age in which passive party. However, once the all-out war of he lived – as he saved the ancient highland Ya’juj and Ma’juj commenced in earnest, the community from the scourge of recurrent raids attributes of ‘ajij’ applied equally to both Koreas administered by ‘Gog and Magog’ through the without distinction; i.e. ‘to run or walk quickly’ or construction of an iron fortification; and (ii) the age ‘to burn, blaze, or flame fiercely.’ of the Last Hour – which is destined to decode Zul- Qarnayn’s journey, and, through the identification of Gog and Magog, serve as a final warning to 4. Meaning of ‘Zul-Qarnayn’ mankind of the imminent arrival of the Overwhelming Earthquake. The literal translation of the Arabic, ‘Zul-Qarnayn,’ is ‘possessor of two ‘qarns’.’ In Arabic, ‘qarn’ can

Etymology – Summary

The etymological investigation was conducted in In conjunction with the Qur’anic narrative of Gog four distinction divisions: and Magog, likewise, five additional eschatological characteristics of Gog, through its root, ‘gag,’ were 1. Etymology of ‘Korea.’ It was demonstrated that extracted from the Biblical parable of the ‘grass on the root origin of the modern name, ‘Korea,’ can the housetops,’ including: (i) the mountainous land ultimately be traced back to the name, ‘Goguryeo’ – of Gog is rife with idol worship; (ii) the idolatry in the very kingdom identified as the one tribe of ‘Gog the land of Gog is an ‘End Times’ innovation; (iii) and Magog,’ which was renowned for administering the nation of Gog will spring up quickly and slowly repeated raids on their neighbours, targeting wither; (iv) the nation of Gog is not only genetically specifically, the Han Commanderies of the Korean homogeneous, but is obliged, moreover, to share Peninsula. It was further posited the Biblical name, this genetic homogeneity with the nation of Magog, ‘Gog,’ is the abbreviated reference to Goguryeo; a with which it also shares a common border or is premise supported by: (i) the Greek and Hebrew within its regional vicinity; and (v) the land of Gog meanings of Gog, ‘mountain;’ (ii) the meaning of is primarily mountainous, of moderate scale, and of Goguryeo, ‘high center;’ (iii) the Qur’anic relative isolation, and by virtue of these characterization of the land of Gog and Magog as a qualifications, a ‘theologically manageable region’ ‘mountainous highland;’ and (iv) the Korean inhabited by a population of one ethnic stock. Peninsula’s mountainous terrain, predominantly in the north, the birthplace of the Kingdom of Since these five, extraordinary, defining attributes Goguryeo. of Gog are met precisely and exclusively by only the contemporary nation state of North Korea, when 2. Etymology of ‘Gog and Magog’ in the Old and taken together, they therefore serve as exceptional New Testaments. Evidence was presented that the and resounding validations of North Korea’s Biblical name, ‘Gog,’ is derived from the Hebrew, identification with Gog. ‘gag,’ which means ‘the highest point of an edifice,’ ‘roof’ or ‘housetop.’ It was further qualified that the With the identity of Gog firmly sealed, focus was ‘the roof that is referred to is flat,’ and hence, it is a then turned to the etymology of Magog, which is place where people can carry out activities. This simply Gog with the prefix ‘mem,’ derived from the qualification is wholly congruent with both the preposition ‘min.’ South Korea is unequivocally meaning of Goguryeo, ‘high center,’ and the equated with Magog because it remarkable reflects Qur’anic depiction of the land of Gog and Magog as the meaning of ‘min’ in Hebrew; i.e. it is ‘from,’ ‘out a ‘mountainous highland,’ where people live out of,’ was formerly ‘part of,’ and is currently ‘more their entire lives in high locales. than’ North Korea in virtually all aspects. The stark contrast between the North and the South is profoundly illustrated in a single image: the night-

70 time satellite view of the Korean Peninsula – the definition, as his travels affected, or had an impact North is nearly completely dark; whereas the South upon, two separate ages: (i) the age in which he is nearly completely lit. lived, for he saved the ancient highland community from the scourge of repeated raids administered by 3. Etymology of ‘Gog and Magog’ in Arabic Gog and Magog that were literally ‘ruining their (‘Ya’juj and Ma’juj’). The root origin of the Arabic, land;’ and (ii) the age of the Last Hour, which is ‘ajuj,’ was linked back to ‘ajij,’ which means ‘to run destined to decode his travels so that it may serve as or walk quickly’ or ‘to burn, blaze, or flame a final warning to mankind of the imminent arrival fiercely.’ As ‘ajuj’ is common to both Ya’juj and of the Overwhelming Earthquake through the M’ajuj, its meaning, therefore, is applicable to both identification of Gog and Magog. North and South Korea – which is entirely apt, as the 1950-1953 war years decimated the Korean The above four distinct divisions of etymological Peninsula as a whole, leaving both sides to ‘burn, investigations lend additional, irrefutable arguments blaze, or flame fiercely.’ The active tense, Ya’juj, supporting the identities of Gog and Magog as North and passive tense, Ma’juj, delineate, specifically, and South Korea, and in so doing, augment the their respective identities as North and South Korea, comprehensive, unprecedented geopolitical- because the North initially escalated the conflict historical evidence already presented in the previous with a sudden, active all-out invasion, leaving the chapter. Consequently, as the identities of Gog and South, by comparison, in the defensive or passive Magog are now categorically substantiated, the position, at the war’s commencement. division of the Korean Peninsula and the subsequent 1950-1953 Korean War, is a critical and defining 4. Meaning of ‘Zul-Qarnayn.’ Given the consistent moment in human history and a clear marker the contextual usage of ‘qarn’ in the Qur’an, it was world is about to come to an end, as the Hour draws concluded that the most appropriate meaning of near… ‘Zul-Qarnayn’ is ‘the two-aged one’ – a striking

Chapter 2 – References

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