Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39 – Part II

TheTruth

When Could It Happen?

Before the 70th Week???

Ezekiel 39:8-10
Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken. And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD.

In reality, I don’t believe there is any further defining of when Gog/Magog specifically happens, but once it does we will know. The views that are left are that Gog/Magog happens either before the 70th week or before the abomination of desolation. This passage is used by some to imply that Gog/Magog happens before the 70th week since they burn the weapons for 7 years. I personally think that’s a big assumption that can’t really be supported. There’s nothing in the above scripture which says these weapons can’t be burned during the millennium when Christ is reigning.

Before the abomination of desolation:

Ezekiel 39:6,7
And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD. So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

I don’t believe that God allows Israel to pollute His holy name during the millennium. He rules with a rod of iron. It is the fire on Gog/Magog that marks the point where God doesn’t allow them to pollute His holy name anymore. I think that means that when it happens, Israel will begin to come back to God again out of their current secularism. Of course it will start by going back to the daily sacrifice because that’s what they know and accept. But later on 2/3 will be killed and 1/3 refined through fire. Zechariah 13:8,9 They will accept Christ as the Meshiach Nagid.

Also, Chuck Missler brought up a good point. The names of our countries, they’re boundaries, and cities change over time. The one thing that doesn’t change is our ancestor’s names. Magog was a grandson of Noah. They are identified later as the Scythians. From my understanding, this was Northern Turkey to North of the Black sea and even into China at one point. The great wall of China is called the “ramparts of Gog and Magog.” I would recommend listening to Chuck Missler’s presentation on this. It’s only $7.95 to download. The Magog Invasion

Not all of Magog will be destroyed in the Gog/Magog invasion. At the end of the millennium, more descendents will again come against Christ at Jerusalem. I believe Ezekiel 37-47 is chronological. If you look at what is described, it walks through history.

Notice how Gog/Magog is nestled neatly in-between Israel becoming a nation and the chapters describing the millennium? I believe there’s a reason. God leaves 1/6 of the Magog invaders that are wiped out in the mountains of Israel. I think 1,000 years is plenty of time to build up an army again. If the ones who are left have children and raise them as they were raised, there will be an animosity against God building for 1,000 years.

Some other points to consider:

  • Israel is dwelling in peace and security when they are attacked. There are two times we know this will be happening:
    • False peace just before the abomination of desolation (I believe the security may be the false peace that will soon come that will allow the rebuilding of the temple. Perhaps this means that Israel will be allowed to rebuild the temple, and will be living securely but then will be attacked by the Gog/Magog armies?)
    • Millennium
  • There are several battles where God intervenes on Israel’s behalf. Here are three at the end:
    • Gog/Magog – God destroys the armies in the mountains of Israel with fire and brimstone from heaven
    • Armageddon – Christ destroys the gathered armies with the Word of His mouth
    • End of Millennium – Christ destroys the armies Satan gathers from the four corners of the earth
  • “In Ezekiel, Gog is buried while in Revelation the AC is cast alive into the lake of fire. Gog and his alliance of nations comes against the mountains of Israel while all nations come against Jerusalem at Armageddon.” –1whowaits
  • “Revelation 20 also mentions Gog-Magog at the end of the millennium. The conditions described in Ezek. (God hiding His face from Israel) would not be consistent with Christ’s rule during the millennium.” –1whowaits
  • “There is something a little different-Satan is released and goes out to deceive the nations of the 4 corners of the earth and he is successful. At Armageddon it is not only Satan but also the AC and FP that send out demons to gather the nations, a minor difference perhaps.” –1whowaits
  • “Could Gog be Satan’s fall guy, the one he uses to deceive the world about who the real AC is? Could Satan be the one that places the evil thought in the mind of Gog? Could this be the reason Gog-Magog and Armageddon are so similar, almost indistinguishable? Could the death of Gog and his identification as the ‘beast’ of Rev. be the cover that Satan needs to put his man in place?” –1whowaits

After the 70th week, Armageddon?:

Ezekiel 38:8-12
After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

This passage tells us first and foremost that this takes place in the latter years. This also tells us that Israel, gathered from the nations to the land of Israel, is living at rest, dwelling safely without walls, bars, or gates. This removes the possibility of this coinciding with Armageddon because Israel isn’t even in Jerusalem at that point.

Revelation 12:14
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Some believe that the attack takes place in conjunction with Armageddon, and that’s when the armies are wiped out. However, Israel will not be living in peace in Jerusalem when Christ returns in glory. They will be in the wilderness protected from the dragon. Revelation 12:14

At the end of millennium:

Revelation 20:7-9
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Is Gog/Magog representative of all “the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth?” Or are they just a part of that army? I think that would make a difference in determining if this is the same time being spoken of. I don’t know, I’m just really cautious about what I link because I’ve been in error on it before in other matters.

Ezekiel 39:6,7
And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD. So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

From what I understand of Bible prophecy, this eliminates Gog/Magog from after the millennium. Why? The heathens recognize God through the time His wrath is poured out. Also, does that mean that Israel will pollute God’s name through the millennium?

It’s because of this passage that I view Gog/Magog as the initial clear intervention by God during the end times. This is the point where the earth has to either accept God or reject Him, but they won’t be able to deny Him because Ezekiel 38,39 are so clear. When this event happens, the world will know the God of Israel exists.

This is also why I believe Gog/Magog is what brings more of Israel back to following God as a nation. I think they will take Him seriously after that and it will spur their desire to rebuild the temple.

So given the scriptures above, here’s how the possibilities look:

  • Before the 70th week (This is still in the realm of possibilities, but I personally think it will be during the first part of the 70th week of Daniel.)
  • Before the abomination of desolation (If you look at my Gog/Magog news page, I think you’ll agree how close we could be.)
  • Armageddon (Israel not dwelling in Jerusalem, they’re in the wilderness)
  • End of the millennium (Israel and the world will know God long before Gog/Magog if this is when it happens. It seems pretty clearly stated though that this event will make everyone realize God is real and present. This doesn’t fit if Christ has been ruling from Jerusalem for 1,000 years already.)

 

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