In connection with the latest events in Israel, many are wondering whether this is the time of fulfillment of the prophecies of the prophet Ezekiel, described in chapters 38-39. And what arouses more interest are those mysterious names like Gog and Magog.
If you carefully study the prophecies of Ezekiel, you should note a very important detail, namely, that in the events described, not a single country comes to the aid of Israel: neither the European Union, nor Canada, nor the UN, and nor even the United States. It would seem strange because this is not exactly what we see today. However, the prerequisites for this already exist. Unfortunately, these days it is very easy to influence the masses through the media. The exaggerated casualties in the military conflict between Israel and Hamas (Palestine) are falsified because the data provided to the world community is controlled by this terrorist organization. As a result, a negative attitude towards Israel is brewing, which, in turn, is portrayed as an aggressor country. No one mentions that Hamas for many years has incited its young generation since childhood not only against the existence of the statehood of Israel but also against Europe as a whole.
This organization controls most Palestinian media outlets, where for several years children’s programs taught to behead teddy bears as if they were Jews, and also encouraged their people to hate the European world.
According to the latest voting data in the UN Security Council, we see the world turning more and more away from Israel. The time will come when even America will turn its back. Why? I think the Lord will allow this to happen so that they will no longer rely on any fleshly means but God Who will show His glory. And He will! Afterward, Israel will mourn for their once-rejected Messiah and will realize the faithfulness of God throughout generations, which will eventually be revealed in the last days.
In the book of the prophet Ezekiel it is written: ”Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshek and Tubal, and prophesy against him, Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: Thus says the Lord God: On that day when My people of Israel dwell safely, shall you not know it? And you shall come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. And you shall come up against My people of Israel as a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about in the latter days that I will bring you against My land so that the nations may know Me when I shall be sanctified in you, O Gog, before their eyes. And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog comes against the land of Israel, says the Lord God, that My fury shall come up in My anger. For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. Thus I will magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 38:2, 14-16, 18-19, 23)
Who is Gog from the land of Magog? One thing is certain, that he will appear “out of the far north”. Although some theologians believe that Gog and Magog personify Satan and his horde opposing God in the last days, we clearly see that we are talking about a specific event involving nations taking up arms against Israel under the leadership of this mysterious country.
In 1 Chronicles 5:4, Gog is mentioned as a descendant of the prophet Joel. Some modern theologians identify Gog with Gyges, the king of Lydia in the 7th century BC, and with the Akkadian god Gaga. They also claim that the name Magog comes from an Akkadian word meaning “land of Gyges”.
The name Magog itself is mentioned among the descendants of Japheth in Gen. 10:1-2 ”Now these are the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah. And sons were born to them after the flood. The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.“ There are also two other key names represented here: Meshech and Tubal. Because Japheth is the progenitor of modern European nations, then we can draw the conclusion that these names are associated with Europe, and not with the Arab or Muslim world as they represent the south, not the north.
There are several more interesting facts. The ancient historian Josephus calls Magog, the son of Japheth, the progenitor of the Scythians or tribes living north of the Black Sea, i.e. modern Ukraine and Russia. According to him, the Greeks called Scythia Magogia.
Jordanes’ Getica (551) mentions Magog as the ancestor of the Goths (modern Germans), as does the Historia Brittonum. Johannes Magnus (1488–1544) stated that Magog migrated to Scandinavia (through Finland) 88 years after the flood and that his five sons were Suenno (ancestor of the Swedes), Getar (or Gog, ancestor of the Goths), Ubbo (who later ruled the Swedes), Thor and Herman. Queen Christina of Sweden considered herself number 249 on the list of monarchs going back to Magog. Magnus also influenced several later historians, such as Daniel Juslenius (1676–1752), who traced the roots of the Finns to Magog.
According to several medieval Irish chronicles, the Irish people are a mixture, including the descendants of Japheth’s son Magog from “Scythia”. Baat mac Magog (Boath), Joovath and Fatohta are the three sons of Magog. Fenius Farsaid, Partholon, Nemed, Fir Bolg, Tuatha de Danann and the Milesians are among the descendants of Magog. It was also supposed that Magog had a grandson named Heber, whose descendants spread throughout the Mediterranean.
There is a medieval Hungarian legend that the Huns, like the Magyars, are descended from twin brothers named Hunor and Magor respectively, who lived near the Sea of Azov in the years after the flood and took wives from the Alans. The 14th-century Chronicon Pictum version of this legend identifies this Magor as a descendant of Magog, son of Japheth.
According to Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried (19th century), Magog belongs to the Mongols. He quotes an Arab writer who refers to the Great Wall of China as “Magog.”
Regarding the names Meshech and Tubal, the region of Meshech is often defined as being located north of the Black Sea (southern Russia and Ukraine and possibly the Republic of Georgia), and Tubal as the area in central Turkey.
As can be seen above, various sources present different versions. I don’t know how accurate this is, but it looks like it will be either the European Union united with Turkey or Iran, or China, or Russia among some of these countries.
It’s hard to say, but time will tell. One thing is certain the nations are turning away from Israel.
God will manifest Himself in power in the last days, as He clearly did in Old Testament times. For us, let this become an incentive to straighten the lamps, preparing ourselves as wise virgins.
The time is coming when the Lord Jesus Christ will return, no matter whether people believe it or not. ”Do not marvel at this. For the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.“ (John 5:28-29).
”Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tried, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. “To him who overcomes and keeps My works to the end, I will give authority over the nations …” (Revelation 2:10, 26)
Friend, don’t give up! May we remain faithful to Him to the end!
Max Volkov in Christ