I Am Against You, O Gog

 

“This is what the sovereign Lord says: I am against you, O Gog [of the land of Magog], chief prince of Meshach and Tubal. I will turn you around and drag you along.  I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel” (Ezekiel 38:3-4; 39:1-2).

Who is this person named Gog, so eloquently prophesied by Ezekiel? He is a chief prince who leads a huge army against Israel at the end of the age just before Messiah comes back. He is the same person that Paul refers to as the man of lawlessness (II Thes 2). And he is the leader of the eighth-beast alliance of ten kings (Revelation 17). Some would equate him with the Antichrist, although that name conjures up a host of spurious notions about a seven-year world ruler.

Gog is a powerful, deceptive, war-mongering Arab leader arising at the end of the age. He is not truly a world leader, yet his influence and effect will be felt world-wide. He is from the land of Magog and he is the chief prince of Meshach and Tubal (38:2). These are the names of three of the sons of Japheth (Gen 10:2), probably referring to regions in western Asia Minor, what is today Turkey. Most interestingly, these three tribes are descendants of Japheth, not of Shem and Ham. And it was the Semites and Hamites who were the constant, historical enemy of Israel for 2000 years before Christ. But Turkey became part of the Arab bloc of nations after the birth of Islam, and in fact was the very heart of the Islam world during the Ottoman Empire.

Gog will lead an army that combines the forces of many nations, predominantly Arab nations (38:5-6, 9). This correlates to Revelation 17 where it is prophesied that ten kings will give their authority to the eighth beast (Rev 17:11-14). Gog’s army is described as “hordes”, and will advance “like a cloud” (38 :7, 9; cf. Rev 9:16). Gog will “have thoughts come into his mind, and he will devise a scheme” (38:10). This first scheme is to invade unwalled cities, peaceful and unsuspecting people, and plunder and loot their lands (38:11-13). This is probably referring to an initial campaign against other Arab countries, in an effort to bring them into submission to himself as the final Imam-Mahdi, and purify their beliefs and submission to Allah (cf. Dan 11:36-45). Eventually God will turn him around, drag him along, and send him against the mountains of Israel. (38:14; 39:1-20). This is the great battle of Armageddon, described repeatedly in Revelation. When Gog attacks Israel God’s great wrath will be aroused (38:18; cf. Rev 14:17-20, the winepress of God’s wrath). Jesus will defeat this great army, and give the flesh of the soldiers as a feast to the vultures (39:4, 17-20). It will take seven months to bury the dead and cleanse the land (39:12, 14-16). God’s wrath will culminate in the final judgment of earthquakes, crumbling cliffs, plague, bloodshed, rain, hailstones and burning sulfur (38:19-23; obviously correlating to the 6th seal, 7th trumpet, and 7th bowl of Revelation).

God is uniquely against this Arab leader, Gog, and will providentially draw him into these great battles. This is not just a madman that excites God’s wrath, but the culmination of a just anger and wrath against one particular enemy of Israel -- judgment that has been mounting for several millennia. The defeat of Gog by Messiah Jesus serves one great purpose. God will show his greatness and holiness, and “the nations will know that I am Lord” (38:23). Israel, as well, “will know that I am the Lord their God” (39:22). From ages past God planned the great battle of Armageddon, and unfolding history is now beginning to confirm that plan.