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Ezekiel--God's Man With God's Message

“The Coming War of Gog and Magog” Ezekiel 38-39

Date:August 4, 2024
Author: Wayne J. Edwards

Introduction:

Years ago, Dr. Ron Rhodes said, “If biblical prophecy teaches us anything, it is that God is in complete control of human history and its culmination.” One such prophecy in Ezekiel 38-39 concerns the Gog-Magog Battle or the War of Gog and Magog.

The prophet Ezekiel was exiled to Babylon in 597 B.C. While in captivity, God revealed to Ezekiel that, in His time, He would regather the Jewish people out of all the countries of the world where they had been dispersed and bring them into their own land. That story is found in Ezekiel 36 and 37. The bones came together, the flesh covered over them, but there was one more event that would lead the Jews to a final reconciliation with God.

At some point in human history, a massive coalition of nations would come against Israel to attack the people and “Plunder and take booty.” (Ezekiel 38:12-16.) However, while it appeared to the invading nations that Israel was undefended and unprotected, once the attacking nations were on Israeli soil, God would release His fury and destroy them with “pestilence, bloodshed, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.” (Ezekiel 38:21-22) God’s ultimate purpose for this display of His supernatural power was to “Magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, [so that] I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 38:23 NKJV).

The fact that we are seeing the alignment of those very nations against Israel today is convincing many prophecy watchers that the Gog-Magog war is about to begin.

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Old Testament: Ezekiel 38:1-23
New Testament: Titus 2:1-15

Ezekiel – God’s Man with God’s Message
“The Coming War of Gog and Magog”
Ezekiel 38-39

Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor

 

   According to Biblical Prophecy, there will be three attempts to destroy the nation of Israel at the end of the age: 

  • The Psalm 83 war – an “inner circle” of Arab nations will come against Israel, primarily out of vengeance, to annihilate the Jews from the earth.
  • The Isaiah 17 war – because of Syria’s threat, Israel will destroy the ancient city of Damascus in one day.
  • The Gog-Magog war – Russia will lead a coalition of Arab nations to come against Israel, not only to exterminate the Jews but to capture the newly discovered oil reserves.

 

 

1. Who are Gog and Magog? – Ezekiel 38:1-6

  • “Gog” – the name of a military and political leader
  • “Magog” – the land from which the leader originates. Jewish historians identify that land as Russia.
  • Conclusion – at the end of this age, a Russian dictator will build a diplomatic and military coalition to come against the nation of Israel.

  •  “Rosh” – Russia
  • “Mesheck/Tubal” – Moscow and Tobolsk – former capital of Siberia
  • “Persia” – Iran
  • “Cush” – Ethiopia – Sudan
  • “Put” – Libya and Algeria“Gomer” – Turkey
  • “Beth Togarmah” – the “stans” of the former Soviet Union

Nations taken by surprise at “Gog’s” action against Israel:

  • “Sheba and Dedan” – Saudi Arabia
  • “Merchants of Tarshish” – Great Britain
  • “Young Lions” – America, Australia, Canada

2. When is the Gog-Magog War? Ezekiel 38:16

  • 16 – “It shall be in the latter days” – the last days of this age, but before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
  • 8 – when the Jews are “gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate!” Israel lay desolate from AD 70 to 1948. Since then, more than 3 million Jews have returned to Israel. 
  • Vs 8. – when Israel has been “brought back from the sword” and “dwells in safety!”
  • Vs 11. – when Israel is a “land of unwalled villages” – possibly after the Psalm 83 war.
  • Ezekiel 39:9-12 – since the Jews will be evicted from Israel midway of the Tribulation, the “Gog-Magog” war must start at least 3 ½ years before the beginning of the Tribulation for them to be burning the implements of war for 7 years.

3. What is the purpose of the Gog-Magog War? Ezekiel 38

  • The contemporary threat against Israel is Russia –
    • They have funded every war against Israel since 1948
    • They have supplied weapons for Israel’s enemies
    • They loaded Iran’s nuclear reactors and have drastically modernized their weapons of war.
  • The “Russians” descended from the tribe of Magog through the Scythians –who have always been against Israel.
  • God is going to allow “Gog” to come against Israel, but in reality, “Gog” will be facing “God”!

“And so, I will show My greatness and My holiness, and I will make Myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
Ezekiel 38:23

4. Who wins the Gog-Magog War? Ezekiel 38:18ff

  • An earthquake will occur so strong that “all the men who are on the face of the earth will shake at My presence!”
  • An “overflowing rain” of hailstones will fall, followed by balls of fire – burning sulfur and brimstone.
  • Great Confusion will fall upon the armies of Israel so much that they will turn upon themselves or run from the battle.
  • God will send the same fires upon “Magog,” – meaning the home nations where the armies came from.

I will set My glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see My judgment that I have executed, and My hand that I have laid upon them!”
Ezekiel 39:21
  • Ezekiel 38-39 describes the end of Radical Islam.
  • Millions of Muslims will abandon the religion of Islam and express their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

“So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward!”
Ezekiel 39:22
  • Ezekiel repeats the phrase – “Then they will know that I am the Lord,” 60 times.
  • On that day, when God pours out His Spirit on the people of Israel, the surviving millions will be “saved in one day”!
  • The “Gog-Magog” War starts the Time of Tribulation and triggers the arrival of the Antichrist.
  • Since the rapture of the church occurs before the Antichrist is revealed, how close are we to the end of this age?
  • Are you ready? What about those you love? If you suddenly disappeared today, would those you love know why?