Gog And Magog

Q

Can you share your viewpoint of the Gog/Magog reference in Revelation and how it relates to the Gog/Magog battle passage related in Ezekiel? Are they talking about the same or different events? I often hear people confusing the two. The Ezekiel passage seems to imply occurrence in the End Times and you have made reference to this in your writings on the End Times events, but the Revelation passage seems to indicate occurrence during the Millenium.

A

The answer to your question is found in Ezekiel. His prophecies about Israel in the end times are chronological. Chapters 36-37 predict the end times restoration of Israel. Then comes the Battle of 38-39. Finally, Chapters 40-48 cover the beginning of the Millennium. So the rebellion involving Gog and Magog at the end of the Millennium in Revelation has to be different than the battle of Ezekiel 38-39 that precedes it.

It was this difference that led me to conclude that while Magog represents the Russian people, who are involved in both events, Gog is a supernatural personage, likely Satan’s counterpart to the Archangel Michael. In the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Old Testament, Gog is mentioned in Amos 7:1 as the King of the locusts, in addition to the two references you cite. Since Amos wrote 200 years before Ezekiel, this would give Gog close to a 3000 year lifespan. He’s not listed in Genesis 10 as the father of a people so there’s no justification for thinking that these references speak of his descendants, as with Magog. Some believe that his name is really a title, but I’m of the opinion that he’s one of Satan’s chief lieutenants.