Magog War Ezekiel 38:1-39:16 By Scott Huckaby 1/19/2020 Provocative Question: Is God really protecting land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples Israel today? with you.” 10 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On that day it shall come to Why don’t we hear about a future coalition of nations pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will 11 threatening war with Israel? make an evil plan: You will say, ‘I will go up against a • Most consider virtually all Old Testament prophecy to land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, have already been fulfilled (preterism). who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and 12 • Too many people take an allegorical view of Bible having neither bars nor gates’— to take plunder and to prophecy giving it some spiritualized interpretation – take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste so why bother to even study it? places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and • It is far too common for Christians to think modern-day goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. 13 Sheba, Dedan, Israel has not connection with biblical Israel the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you Why is it important to have a working understanding of gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and the Magog War of Ezekiel 38-39? gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great • It gives us insight about what is important to God as we plunder?’” ’ get close to Jesus returning. 14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, ‘Thus • Being familiar with this coming war helps us to be says the Lord God: “On that day when My people Israel watchful for Christ as we see the stage being set for it. dwell safely, will you not know it? 15 Then you will come • Seeing the stage being set for this war gives us a sense from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples of urgency to get on with what Christ is calling us to with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and do. a mighty army. 16 You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter Magog Coalition Attacks Israel – Ezekiel 38:1-17 1 2 days that I will bring you against My land, so that the Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the before their eyes.” 17 Thus says the Lord God: “Are you he prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against 3 of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and 4 that I would bring you against them? Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, V1-3 – Who is Ezekiel to prophecy against? all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and 5 • Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, shields, all of them handling swords. Persia, Ethiopia, and Meshech, and Tubal Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; • Magog is an ancient reference to the peoples north of 6 Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the the Black Sea, or Russia. If there is any doubt that this far north and all its troops—many people are with you. is referring to Russia, Ezekiel 38:6 and 38:15 clears 7 “Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your this up saying they come from the “far north.” companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for Moscow is directly north of Jerusalem. them. 8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter • Rosh ~ chief… The leader of Russia (Magog) is called years you will come into the land of those brought back Gog and is described as a “chief prince.” This title from the sword and gathered from many people on the describes Vladimir Putin who as Prime Minister was mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they leader of Russia even when Dmitry Medvedev was were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell president, a mere puppet of Putin. safely. 9 You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the • Meshech – is modern-day Armenia • Tubal – is modern-day Georgia 1 V10-12 – How is Israel described here? V4-6 – How is Gog’s army described? • a land of unwalled villages – secure, open for all to • Horses & horsemen – how Ezekiel described enter… not like ancient times when all villages had mechanized troops walls to protect their people • splendidly clothed – wearing uniforms and combat • peaceful people – not making war with anyone equipment • dwell safely – not under attack or even expecting attack • a great company with bucklers and shields – how • acquired livestock and goods – wealthy (God has Ezekiel described body armor blessed modern-day Israel) • handling swords – weapons, rifles, bayonets • helmet – head protection Does that describe Israel today? • Mostly yes… pretty much unwalled villages (walls are How will God entice Gog to go to war? meaningless in modern warfare – there are better ways • He would be turned around with hooks in his jaws. to secure villages today. They are a peaceful people • As an animal is made to go in a certain direction, God only responding to those who attack them. will use outside influences to direct Gog’s path. • They have however been having to deal with Palestinians lobbing missiles & balloon fire-bombs What other nations are part of Gog’s coalition? from Gaza; and Iran’s proxy Hezbollah threatens them • Persia is Iran from the north. • Cush is Ethiopia & Sudan o So, some say that the Magog War might have to • Put is Libya be preceded with a war with the Palestinians to • Gomer is part of Turkey make these conditions • Togarmah is another part of Turkey What motivation does Gog have for attacking Israel? Do we see these nations aligning against Israel today? • To take plunder and booty – they seek to expand their We have seen Russia’s interest in the Mideast with their wealth with what Israel has. presence in Syria. They have been working with Iran and • Ostensibly, Russia invades the Middle East to help their Turkey in Syria despite Turkey shooting down a Russian Islamic allies with their “Israeli problem” but their real fighter. agenda is to gain control of Middle East oil so that they • Iran is very public about wanting to see Israel destroyed may dominate the world. • Turkey used to be friendly toward Israel bat that is no • Israel has discovered vast gas fields… this threatens longer the case Russia’s virtual monopoly supplying Europe • Russia is still friendly toward Israel but the day will come when the hooks in the jaws turn them around V13 – Who questions Gog’s ambitions? • Ethiopia, Sudan, and Libya are all being led by radical • Sheba – Saudi Arabia, Yemen Islamic warlords who hate Israel and wouldn’t take • Dedan – Kuwait much convincing to get on board with Turkey & Iran • the merchants of Tarshish – Spain or Europe attacking Israel • young lions – former Spanish or European colonies V7-8 – What time-frame is revealed here? Can we see that opposition alliance in place today? This is best described by Israel as we know it today… Pretty much… Europe gets a lot of oil from Saudi Arabia • Latter years – the time-frame of the Messiah setting up which has been aligned with Western nations. Kuwait is His Millennial Kingdom firmly aligned with Saudi Arabia and Western nations. The • brought back from the sword – Israel had been U.S. is a former colony of European nations. persecuted wherever they went • long been desolate – the land was a wasteland when V14 – When will Gog know to go against Israel? Israel wasn’t there When the people of Israel are living safely, not expecting attack and thinking they are secure. • brought out of the nations – Aliyah, the immigration of Jews from the diaspora to the Land of Israel V15-16 – What do we learn of Gog’s army here? • dwell safely – at peace and not expecting attack • From the far north – come from Russia and Turkey v9 – How will Gog’s army attack Israel? • Many peoples – a coalition of nations piling on With many people (as clouds), ascending like a storm. • All riding on horses – cavalry… mechanized, moving very fast like a blitzkrieg 2 • a great company and a mighty army – large numbers of V21-22 – How will God destroy Gog’s army? soldiers • He will turn the coalition against itself • cover the land – occupies a large area • Pestilence – disease • Flooding rain, great hailstones, fire and brimstone v16-17 – Why did God raise up Gog and his army? (brings the destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah to mind) • So that the nations may know that God delivered Israel. • God is all about salvation and goes to great lengths Does this fire and brimstone have to be supernatural or especially in the “latter days” to show His power so could it be Israel attacking from the air and even using that people will embrace His provision for them nuclear weapons? • God is very subtle and uses natural means to fulfill His How will God delivering Israel from Gog bless the prophecies so that only those familiar with His Word nations? knows that it was God who did it.