Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
God tells Ezekiel to turn and face a distant power in the north and speak against it. The names — Gog, Magog, Meshech, Tubal — hold the whole difficulty of the verse: who are they, when do they come, and why does God single them out?
Commentators treat Gog as the ruler and Magog as the territory and people behind him, tracing the line back to the table of nations in Genesis.
GOG is a symbolic name for the powerful and proud chief of the vast hordes of Scythia and Tartary. MAGOG, the son of Japheth (Gen. 10:2), whose descendants spread over the vast steppes in the north; the land takes its name from him. Gog is the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal — answering to Russia, Moscow, and Tobolsk... They will come "out of the north," "as a cloud to cover the land," and attack Israel in the land of Palestine, but God will strike them down.
Translations split here. The ESV reads "the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal." Others read "the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal" — three peoples instead of a title.
It is worth noticing that "the chief prince" should be the "prince of Rosh." The word is not only an ordinary word meaning head or chief. It is also the Hebrew proper name for Russia, or the Russians. The names that follow prove it should be taken that way here. Nor is this merely the device of modern interpreters after events pointed out the way. The oldest version of the Old Testament is the Septuagint, the old Greek translation made by the Seventy. It supports the sense just mentioned... Now, what could be less expected, if we turn back to Ezekiel's own times, than a description of such a power?
The chapter itself dates the invasion, and describes an Israel already settled and at peace.
From Ezekiel 38:8 we learn that this invasion is "in the latter years." They will come into a land brought back from the sword and gathered out of many peoples... They will all dwell safely. This is clearly after the beast and his armies have been destroyed, and it may also be after other conflicts have taken place. At any rate, the invader comes after the first of the regatherings of the nation, when they are settled down in safety.
Readers often confuse Gog with the ruler called the beast. The two want opposite things.
The beast and Gog are opposing powers. Their policy and aims are widely different. The former is the would-be protector of the Jewish people; the latter their destroyer.
Gog comes from the far north, which links him to another figure the prophets call the king of the North, or the Assyrian.
We are told that Gog comes out of the "north parts," or the "uttermost north," with his "many peoples" and "a great assembly, and mighty army." Geographically, then, there is ground for believing Gog is closely linked with the king of the North, or Assyrian. Mr. Darby suggested that Gog is "the last phase of the Assyrian," and that appears to be very probably correct.
God sets Ezekiel against Gog because He is against Gog first. Gog's ambition is the reason.
But the Lord Jehovah is against him. Good comes at last to a long-troubled people, and instead of seeing it, he would rather enlarge himself. So he finds himself lined up against not just the Israel of God, but the God of Israel. Cursed must he be who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm; and so Gog proves.
The outcome turns the attack inside out.
Gog was to learn what Pharaoh, in his day, had to learn. In attacking Israel he was challenging the God of Israel, for Israel were God's beloved people... Gog would not enrich himself at the expense of God's land and God's people. Instead, he would be the means of displaying the glory of the God of Israel before the nations.
The same two names come up again in Revelation. The two scenes are not the same.
In Revelation, Gog and Magog are used in a wider sense than in Ezekiel. Their invasion differs in time and details, though it agrees in character and aim with the one Ezekiel foretells... There the names describe the nations, not just from the north, but from all parts, "the four quarters of the earth." Again, the invasion Ezekiel names is at the beginning of Christ's reign; the one in Revelation is at the end.
- Name — Gog is the ruler. Magog is his land and people, descended from Japheth and spread across the northern steppes.
- Reading — Many read "chief prince" as "prince of Rosh." The Septuagint supports it, giving three peoples rather than one title.
- Timing — The attack falls in the latter years. Israel is back in the land and living in safety, and the beast has already fallen.
- Motive — Greed for a settled land drives him. By coming against Israel, he sets himself against Israel's God.
- Outcome — The invasion he plans as plunder ends as a public display of God's glory before the nations.
and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.
God names one man, lists his lands, and then says what no army can answer: He Himself is against him. Two questions follow — who is this ruler, and why does God confront him in person?
The verse names a man, and the wider passage gives his land and his peoples.
It is the last enemy of Israel who confronts us. He lives in the land of Magog. Magog was that son of Japheth who in time spread over the vast steppes of the region once called Scythia. He rules all the Russian lands — prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. So we have the man himself, his land, and his people. But the Lord Jehovah is against him. Instead of recognising when good comes to a long-troubled people, he would rather make himself great. So he finds himself lined up against not just the Israel of God, but the God of Israel. Anyone who trusts in man like this, and leans on human strength, must be cursed — and Gog proves it.
Commentators differ over the words "chief prince." Several argue that the word is also a proper name. They point to the oldest Greek translation of the Old Testament for support.
It is worth noting that "the chief prince" should be "prince of Rosh." The word is not only an ordinary term meaning head or chief. It is also the Hebrew proper name for Russia, or the Russians. The proper nouns that follow prove it should be taken that way here. Nor is this merely a modern interpreter's device, invented after events pointed the way. The oldest version of the Old Testament is the Septuagint, the Greek Bible of the Seventy, and it supports the sense just mentioned… From the land of Magog, or old Scythia, comes this prince of certain races — the Russians (Rosh), the Muscovites (Meshech), and the people of Tobolsk (Tubal). Driven by greed for land, and above all for the Holy Land, he will lead countless armed followers against the land of Israel in the last day. But it will end in his own total destruction and theirs, under the judgment of God.
On that reading, the three names are traced to regions and cities still on the map.
Rosh, we believe, stands for Russia. Meshech stands for Moscow, the ancient capital of European Russia… Tubal, we believe, stands for Tobolsk, the capital of Asiatic Russia, that is, of Siberia.
God does more than denounce an invader. The next verse's picture of hooks in the jaws shows how He handles him.
In self-will this powerful ruler would seek to crush the people of God and enrich himself with the spoils of war. But God will step in, in His government, to draw him and his armies onward to the judgment He has prepared for them… Gog is doing his own will. Even so, God is drawing him to the place of slaughter, just as an animal is led with hooks in its jaws to the place of slaughter.
No army is big enough to save Gog once God stands against him. One writer hears a sharp edge in the order that Gog should guard his own hosts.
If this were only a question between Israel and the enemy, the enemy would now wipe out the descendants of Jacob for good… But Jehovah will not give His chosen ones as prey to their teeth. He will turn on their enemies in righteous fury and indignation. We notice a little divine sarcasm in the words, "Be a guard for them." The hosts of Gog will find their leader unable to protect himself when Jehovah rises up to defend His people's cause.
Commentators draw two distinctions. First, Gog and the Beast are not the same power.
The Beast and Gog are opposing powers. Their policy and aims are widely different. The former is the would-be protector of the Jewish people; the latter their destroyer.
Second, Gog and Magog appear again in Revelation 20. Writers keep the two events apart, mainly by their timing.
There need be no confusion between them. The invasion in Ezekiel comes before the thousand years; the one in Revelation comes after. It happens when Israel are just back in their land (Ezek. 38:14), and from that time God's name is known in Israel, and they pollute His holy name no more (Ezek. 39:7). The nations too learn to know Him (Ezek. 38:16, 23).
- Named. God names the ruler (Gog), his land (Magog), and his peoples. He marks out all three before judgment falls.
- Traced. Many read "chief prince" as "prince of Rosh." The Septuagint supports taking Rosh as a proper name. Writers then link Rosh, Meshech and Tubal to Russia, Moscow and Tobolsk.
- Opposed. God does not say Israel is against Gog; He says He is. Gog's grab for gain sets him against the God of Israel, not just the people of Israel.
- Drawn. Gog acts in self-will. Yet the hooks in his jaws show God drawing him to the judgment already prepared.
- Distinguished. Gog is not the Beast, who claims to protect the Jewish people. He is not the gathering of Revelation 20 either. Ezekiel's invasion comes before the thousand years.