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The Gog & Magog War Has Begun!
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Nathan E. Jones An in-depth study focusing on the Gog & Magog War has begun! I have just released an academic study of one of the most dramatic end times wars prophesied in the entire Bible. God has dedicated two whole chapters — Ezekiel 38-39 — to describing in detail the world-shattering events that will transform the global geopolitical landscape as we know it and prepare the way for the horrors of the Antichrist and the Tribulation.

This academic study is great for those who have longed to take a deep-dive into Ezekiel's incredible prophecy. It explores exactly what nations are involved in the massive attack on Israel, when this war will likely take place, and how dramatically different the world will look after God steps directly into the fray and summarily vanquishes Israel's foes.

To join in this study, begin by reading below! For the serious student, tackle the whole study all at once. Or, watch while you read along and ask your questions in the Comments section over this seven-part blog series.

Introduction

"If biblical prophecy teaches us anything, it is that God is in complete control of human history and its culmination."

That quote by Dr. Ron Rhodes highlights one of the greatest benefits of studying God's prophetic word — fulfilled Bible prophecy provides an indisputable apologetic for the existence of God. "For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21 NKJV). Intertwined with that apologetic is an evangelistic message that effectively proclaims the triune God of the Bible alone stands apart as the one true God, and only as revealed in Scriptures.

While Bible prophecy constitutes a whopping 27% of the Bible, God's overall plan for the ages appears to be rather like a 100-piece puzzle, and so far, He has only provided 75 pieces. One can definitely make out the outline of a picture, but until certain events unfold, which then adds another new piece to the puzzle, the picture remains incomplete.

These absent proverbial puzzle pieces have been a stumbling block for the apologist wielding Bible prophecy as an evangelistic tool and those to whom they are witnessing, causing both to not properly see the big picture of God's redemptive plan for mankind. And so, to use Bible prophecy as an effective apologetic in one's evangelistic efforts, the student of the Bible must dive into the complete Word and utilize that one dirty word so missing in much of today's "newspaper exegesis" so unfortunately equated with the field of Eschatology — study. The proclaimer of God's Word must be able to study a particular biblical prophecy, and much like a diamond, carefully examine the many glistening facets in order to discern exactly what revelations the Bible desires to impart.

One such "incomplete" prophecy can be found in Ezekiel chapters 38-39 which concerns what is called the Gog-Magog Battle or the War of Gog and Magog. At first read, as one theologian so colorfully commented, the book of Ezekiel can appear as if a "perplexing maze of incoherent visions — a kaleidoscope of whirling wheels and dry bones that defy interpretation," causing readers to "shy away from studying the book and to miss one of the great literary and spiritual portions of the Old Testament." And, he would be right.

In the process of mining the book of Ezekiel for its "rich spiritual truths that strike with peculiar force upon the hearts of men," the hope is the reader will be "brought face to face with a transcendent God, a self-existent being who has absolute power and is constantly revealed in glory."

The Prophecies

A long 2,600 years ago, the great Hebrew nabi, Ezekiel ben Buzi of the priestly family of Zadok, was exiled to Babylon in 597 B.C. There he unveiled a prophecy the Lord God had divulged to him concerning the future of the nation of Israel. Recorded in the book of Ezekiel chapters 36 and 37, the prophet revealed that God would fulfill His promise to regather the Jewish people "out of all [the] countries" of the world where they had been dispersed "and bring you into your own land" that had been promised to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Ezekiel 36:24; Geneses 17:7; 1 Chronicles 16:17-18; Psalm 105:8-11; Romans 9:4).

Like dry bones reanimated into a living person, Israel did indeed become a nation once again on May 14, 1948, after nearly 1,900 years since the Romans in 70 A.D. destroyed Jerusalem and exiled the Jewish people across the globe. But, this reanimation would still lack a soul — the national belief in Yahweh and His Son. As one commentator noted: "The bones came together. The flesh crept up over them. They were ready for life, but as yet there was no life in them. It was still a congregation of corpses."

After all of these centuries, this prophecy found its fulfillment in our modern generation. But, God was not done unveiling the future of Israel to Ezekiel and the world, for the following two chapters portray a great trial for the newly established nation of Israel — the Gog-Magog Battle — a trial that would lead towards granting that reanimated body a soul.

The Details

The Gog-Magog Battle is set between a massive coalition of nations descended from Noah's sons Japheth and Ham against Israel (Genesis 10:2-7). The nations are from the territories of ancient Rosh, Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Persia, Cush, Gomer, and Beth-Togarmah (Ezekiel 38:2-6). Their leader is called "Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal" (Ezekiel 38:2-3). The battlefield is on "the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate" (Ezekiel 38:8). The purpose of the invasion is to "plunder and to take booty" and attack the people of Israel (Ezekiel 38:12-16).

The end result of such a massive invasion by a seemingly invincible army on an unprotected Israel ends up surprising the invaders and shocking the world. The invading nations are, in truth, being manipulated by God, pulled out of their lands as with "hooks in your jaws," so that those nations feel the Sovereign Lord's fury (Ezekiel 38:4,18). God drags these specific nations to the "mountains of Israel" to "bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed… flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone" (Ezekiel 38:21-22). God's ultimate purpose for supernaturally obliterating the invading coalition is so: "Thus, I [God], 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 38:23).

God's supernatural victory over the Gog-Magog invaders allows Him to reintroduce Himself to the world and declare in no uncertain terms that Yahweh is personally defending Israel. Should the people of the world doubt, they only have to look on Israel who "will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons... and they will make fires with them for seven years" (Ezekiel 39:9). As for the invaders' corpses, "for seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land" in the newly named "Valley of Hamon Gog" by a newly built "town called Hamonah" (Ezek. 39:11-12,16).

The Leader

Ezekiel provides the prophetic name of the leader of this coalition of nations — "Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal" (Ezekiel 38:2-3). Whether Gog is a real name as was used of a descendent of Reuben in 1 Chronicles 5:4, or is a title for a supreme position such as king or president, remains to be seen.

Some historians even point to... (read on!)


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