Ezekiel 38 Burial Place

Q

My question is: Where will be the location of the fallout from the Ezk. 38-39 war? When the Jews flee to Petra to escape the anti-christ mid way through the tribulation, will they follow a route that takes them near the catastrophic radioactive damage created by the Ezk. 38-39 war?

A

Ezekiel 39:11 says, “On that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, in the valley of those who travel east toward the Sea. It will block the way of travelers, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon Gog.”

Some translations use the phrase east of the Sea rather than east toward the Sea, but the Sea in question is the Dead Sea and the area east of it was not part of Israel in Ezekiel’s day, nor has it been since.

The route the Israelites took toward the Sea that was in Israel in Ezekiel’s day is called the Old Jericho Road today, because as you descend from Jerusalem you wind up just south of Jericho. It’s a steep narrow canyon road, at the bottom of which is a place that was called the Valley of the Shadow of Death. It got that name because it was treacherous to travel through as robbers often lurked there. It’s where the parable of the Good Samaritan took place. The Temptation Wilderness borders this valley on the North. I believe this is where the dead soldiers and rubble from Ezekiel’s Battle will be buried.

The flight to Petra would take the Jews near there, but they’ll likely use the new road, a wide 4 lane just south of the Old Road that leads to the Allenby Bridge Crossing point into Jordan, the country where Petra is located.