Gog of Magog

Note that we have titled this document Gog of Magog (pronounced Gōg of Mah-gōg), not Gog and Magog (as found in Revelation), because in Ezekiel, Gog is spoken of as being from the land of Magog; and this is a discussion of both prophecies. Also, the account in Revelation could be referring to Gog and his land of followers (Magog).

The term Gog of/and Magog is found in two places in the Bible, in Ezekiel 38, 39, and at Revelation 20:8. Yet, despite the fact that the description of this individual, his land, and the things that the prophecies say he will do are strikingly similar, most religious groups teach that the prophecy in Ezekiel doesn’t correspond to the one in Revelation, and this doesn’t seem logical to us.

The ‘Gog of the Land of Magog’ of Ezekiel

Ezekiel 38:1, 2 says, ‘And the word of Jehovah came to me saying, O son of man, firmly fix your face against Gog and the land of Magog, the ruler of Ros, Mosoch, and Tubal, and then prophesy against him!’

Then verses 14-16 read, ‘In that day; Won’t you rise against Israel My people, who will then have settled in peace? Won’t you come from your place in the far north, and bring many nations along with you… horsemen all riding horses… a huge gathering and a great force? Against My people Israel you’ll come, like a cloud that covers the land… at the end of the days this will be. Then against My land I will lead you, and all the nations will know Me, when before them I’m made holy through you.’

The ‘Gog and Magog’ of Revelation

Revelation 20:7-10 says, ‘Now, when the thousand years are completed, the Slanderer will be freed from his prison. Then he will go and mislead people in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, and bring them together for a battle. And there will be as many as the sands of the sea. They will march across the earth and surround the camp of the Holy Ones and the loved city. But fire will come from heaven and consume them. Then the Opposer who misled them will be thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the wild animal and the false prophet already are, and they will be tortured day and night for ages of ages.’

NOTE: There is another mention of Gog in the Bible, at Amos 7:1 in the Septuagint. However, this doesn’t appear to have reference to the same series of events mentioned in Ezekiel and Revelation.

Why People Believe They Are Not the Same

As you can see, there are clear similarities between both prophecies. And our experience with the Bible has taught us that whenever we want to understand what Bible prophecies mean, we must simply look for similar descriptions in other places in the Bible. So, to understand the meaning of whom this character is and what his land represents, we should look to both accounts to see if they describe the same individuals and events.

However, as we pointed out earlier, most religious groups have concluded that there is no connection between these prophecies. Why? Because they choose to believe that the prophecy in Ezekiel is describing something that will happen at Armageddon, while the prophecy of Revelation clearly describes something that will happen a thousand years after the Battle of Armageddon. So, let’s look at these common teachings and see if they really are speaking of the same, or of two separate events.

An Attack on Jerusalem?

One of the most common teachings among many Protestant religions is that armies from many countries will be led by Gog to attack the modern city of Jerusalem and its surrounding country, which battle will end at the nearby Plane of Megiddo and will result in the Battle of Armageddon (or, Mountain of Megiddo). They also teach that the modern Jews in that land are still God’s chosen people.

In addition, they teach that Gog represents the country of Russia. There are three reasons for this:

1. Magog is described as being in ‘the far north’

2. The term Ros (at Ezekiel 38:2, which is really pronounced Rosh) is said to be an early term for Russia

3. Mosoch is said to be the person from whom the city of Moscow derived its name.

Now, these conclusions not only sound possible, they may also sound probable, given the current state of world affairs. However, is this really what the Bible was foretelling? Not if the prophecy of Ezekiel was actually speaking of an event that will happen a thousand years after Armageddon.

Also, throughout the Christian Era Scriptures (NT) Jesus spoke of Jerusalem as having been rejected as God’s people, and Paul (in particular) showed how gentiles would be accepted (along with certain chosen Jews) to make up a ‘New Jerusalem’ and a spiritual (not literal) nation of Israel.

An Attack on Spiritual Jerusalem?

It is due to all the things that Jesus said and Paul wrote about Jerusalem being rejected that some religions have come to the conclusion that Gog (who they say represents the Slanderer) will lead a worldwide attack along with all the nations of the world on spiritual Jews (anointed servants of God), and this will lead to Armageddon.

This theory also sounds reasonable. For, things that Jesus said at Matthew 24 and prophecies in Revelation do indicate that there will come a time of persecution on Jesus’ true disciples. And this persecution will likely follow (or happen during) the destruction of unfaithful religions referred to in Revelation 17 and 18 as ‘Babylon the Great.’

But, what if we really can trust the Bible to do its own interpreting, and allow that the attack by Gog of Magog in the prophecy of Ezekiel is going to happen more than a thousand years into the future?

An Attack at the End of 1,000 Years

Contrary to common teachings that Armageddon will be ‘the final battle,’ we know that there will be an attack by Gog of Magog at the end of the thousand years, for Revelation 20:7-10 tells us so. And whom will Gog attack? The account tells us that his armies will ‘surround the camp of the Holy Ones and the loved city.’

Who are the ‘Holy Ones’ and what is their ‘loved city’? The ‘holy ones’ are apparently faithful people who will be resurrected to life here on the earth (for more information, see the attached document, The Resurrection), and regardless of whether the sacred city that they will live in is real or symbolic, we do know that it – and they – will be attacked by Gog and his armies. Notice that those who comprise these armies will be taken from among (unholy) people from ‘the four corners of the earth.’

Now, if we can accept the fact that those whose names are found written in God’s book of life are pictured by the priestly tribe of Levi (not the Anointed Priestly descendants of Aaron and Moses), and then perhaps we have a picture of what this ‘loved city’ is. In ancient Israel, these lesser priests weren’t given an inheritance of land. Rather, they had six of their own cities (the ‘refuge cities’), and many others lived apart from the rest of Israel in small enclaves or suburbs just outside each city’s walls, where they served as judges and teachers of God’s Word. (For more information, see the linked document, God’s Promise of an Inheritance.)

So, if this arrangement is a type of what God plans, perhaps there will be some earthly arrangement for ‘the blest and holy’ to live apart from (but close to) what will then be called ‘Israel’ (possibly those who are referred to as ‘the dead’). And if so, these enclaves could be ‘the camp of the Holy Ones’ or ‘the loved city’ (or ‘cities’) that will be attacked then.

The Sequence of Ezekiel’s Prophecy

As further proof that the attack of Gog of Magog in Ezekiel’s prophecy refers to what happens at the end of the thousand years (not Armageddon), consider the similarity to the sequence of events in both Ezekiel and Revelation. While we admit that there is quite a lapse between the visions in the Chapters of Ezekiel, the similarities between the recorded sequences are quite striking.

Ezekiel Chapter 36 – The pronouncements against the mountains of Israel
Revelation Chapters 17, 18 – The destruction of Babylon the Great (Apostate Christian Religions).

Ezekiel Chapter 37 – Israel’s valley of dry bones coming to life
Revelation Chapters 19, 20 – The Battle of Armageddon, the marriage of the Lamb, and the resurrection.
(There is also the mention of two witnesses coming to life at Revelation 11:7-13).

Ezekiel Chapters 38, 39 – The attack by Gog of Magog
Revelation Chapter 20 – The attack by Gog of Magog.

Ezekiel Chapters 40 through 48 – Description of New Jerusalem, the healing waters, etc.
Revelation Chapters 21, 22 – Description of New Jerusalem, the healing waters, etc.

So, our conclusion is that the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 and 39 and the prophecy of Revelation 20 are speaking of the same people and the same period in time.

So Where is Magog?

Does Magog (of Ezekiel’s prophecy) really represent Russia? That could be; however, notice that Gog was also the leader of Mosoch, and Tubal. These were the names of two of Japheth’s sons (grandsons of Noah)… as was Magog. And together their descendants make up most of the Arian peoples, or the white races of Europe and the Americas (see Genesis 10:1-4)… and possibly the people of the far Orient and the native Americans.

It is interesting that the descendants of Japheth were the first ones who were collectively referred to as the ‘gentiles’ or ‘the nations’ in the Bible. Whereas, the descendants of Shem (people of the Middle East) and the descendants of Ham (Middle East and the African continent) were not originally called that (see Genesis 10:5 & 14:2 and the linked Note).

The fact is; there seems to be more to this story than what we find in the Bible’s history. Why were the Arian races alone called ‘the nations’ (or gentiles)? Were they perhaps the only races that was scattered and whose languages were confused by God in ancient Babylon? Also, since Magog was an actual person (the son of Japheth and the brother of Mosoch and Thobel), then who is Gog, and why was Magog referred to as Gog’s land in Ezekiel and Revelation? Could Gog (or the Opposer, Slanderer, and Devil) have been the god of Magog?

There is a strong argument for the belief that descendants of Japheth were early devil worshipers, in that these people are the primary worshipers of dragons, that is, if the Orientals and early inhabitants of the Americas are (as it is thought) also Aryan races. This dragon worship differs greatly from the views of the descendants of Shem and Ham, who either pay no attention to the worship of dragons or consider such worship detestable. For more information on dragons and what they represent see the linked Note in the book of Job, ‘Dragon.’

The Significance of Ezekiel’s Prophecy

How do we know that the prophecy of Ezekiel concerning the attack by Gog has any modern prophetic significance, since the account is bundled between prophecies concerning what would happen to Jerusalem and the nations round about, the return of Israel, and the rebuilding of God’s Temple… things that actually happened back then? Because there is no record of nations from the far north ever actually attacking Jerusalem. So this, as well as the other prophecies, must be assumed to have an even greater future fulfillment.

The Outcomes for the Nations

It appears as though many of those who are referred to as ‘the dead’ in Revelation 20 will eventually prove faithful and finally receive an inheritance (see Revelation 21:7), and they will be added to the existing ‘twelve tribes of Israel.’ And if this is true, it simply stands to reason that God will call all the unfaithful who join the Slanderer in his final battle against the Holy City by the names of the people who were first referred to as ‘the gentiles’ or ‘the ethnics’ – those of Magog, Mosoch, and Tubal.

Revelation 20:8 says that this final attack by Gog of Magog will come against ‘the people who are living in security,’ the faithful ‘holy ones’ who have been granted ‘life.’ So, Gog likely represents the Slanderer (Devil), while Magog and his associates are likely those who are called ‘the nations’ (see Revelation 20:5) who will not prove to be ‘holy’ at the end of the thousand years. For more detailed information, read Ezekiel Chapters 38, 39.

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