Ezekiel 38:2–6

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

In self-will this powerful ruler would seek to crush the people of God and to enrich himself with the spoils of war. But God will step in and, in His government, draw him and his armies on to the judgment He has prepared for them… Gog does his own will, yet God is still drawing him to the place of slaughter, just as hooks in the jaws lead an animal there.

Here the case stands clearly defined in all but the name, which is probably symbolic. This is the last enemy of Israel who confronts us. He lives in the land of Magog. Magog was a son of Japheth, whose descendants later spread over the vast plains once called Scythia. He is sole ruler of all the Russias, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. So we have the man, his land, and his people. But the Lord Jehovah is against him. Instead of seeing the good that comes to a long-troubled people, he would make himself great, and so he stands in battle line against not only the Israel of God but the God of Israel.

The correct translation of "the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal" is "Prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal." I have no doubt this rendering is right. It comes from the elder Lowth, about a hundred and fifty years ago, before anyone raised these prophetic views.

Then one last lesson will be clear. The size of an army saves no king. Great strength rescues no strong man. A horse is useless for safety. Israel are poor in spirit at last, and Jehovah brings the plans of the nations to nothing, while His own plan stands for ever. There they come, dressed to perfection, a great company, with shield and buckler, all of them gripping swords.

The invasion of "Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal" is Israel's last trouble before the thousand-year kingdom is set up in blessing. It comes from the same direction as the invasion by the King of the North (Dan. 11:41), but it differs in two ways. First, all the tribes are in the land when it happens. Second, Jehovah does not allow it the smallest success… By contrast, God Himself overthrows Gog and his armies in the northern mountains of Israel… the later invasion is unprovoked attack by an envious enemy.

The size of the attack looks out of all proportion to how small the prize is. So it may look to human eyes, but Jehovah's answer gives the deep reason underneath. He draws out this whole army so that, as He says, "the nations may know Me when I show Myself holy in you, O Gog, before their eyes."… Here we see an example of how the wheels of God's government turn, carrying forward the throne and its glorious Occupant.

God's answer is "Because you have raged against me… I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came" (Isa. 37:29). Compare these words with God's words to Gog in Ezekiel 38:4… The angel of the Lord went out to carry out God's sentence and struck down 185,000 men of Sennacherib's army.

Phut or Put is an example of the more degraded stock of Ham's descendants in Africa, next to Egypt and Ethiopia, and named with one or the other at times. But Phut can hardly be the Libyan, as the Authorised Version makes out of Jeremiah 46:9, or Libya as in Ezekiel 30:5 and Ezekiel 38:5, where it should be Phut as in Ezekiel 27:10. The very obscurity that covers this African branch of Ham's sons shows how low they had fallen.

The author had no need to go so far north-east of Persia to look for the confederates. If he had taken the trouble to read the chapter in Ezekiel, he would have found it was just Persia itself, and the nations south-west of it: to give them their Hebrew names (which I do, because then Scripture will direct us), Cush and Phut. All the district about the Euphrates and the Tigris is Cush according to Scripture, and perhaps large districts in Arabia. Further, in Jeremiah 46:9, we find Cush and Phut connected with the Egyptian army... Nahum shows that Cush and Phut were naturally connected with Egypt.

Gog will have many allies. They are given to us in three groups in Ezekiel 38:5-6, some from Japheth, some from Shem, and some from Ham. A very able hand will be needed to draw them together into one compact mass. Greed is apparently the cause of this terrible coalition against restored Israel.

There they come, perfectly equipped, a great company, with shield and buckler, all of them grasping swords. Persia too is there, forced to follow in the train of the mighty northern leader, with Cush and Phut. Gomer is there with all his bands, and the house of Togarmah from the far north with all his bands. Many people indeed with Gog!

Persia, Ethiopia, and so on are under the power of Russia and follow in the train of Gog, the last ruler of the Russian peoples (Ezekiel 38:2-6)... Egypt will be subordinate to and an ally of the Beast, and so an object of attack by the king of the north — Israel's determined political foe. 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.

Israel will not need to fight: Jehovah will fight for them, and, as on the shores of the Red Sea, they have only to stand still and see His salvation. He will dispose of their enemies in the coming day as easily as He disposed of Pharaoh's armies in the distant past.

Gog will have many allies. Ezekiel 38:5-6 gives them in three groups: some descended from Japheth, some from Shem, and some from Ham. It will take a very able hand to draw them together into one compact mass. Greed is apparently the cause of this terrible coalition against restored Israel.

"Gomer and all his bands" are north-eastern; but the Cimri and others may be some of the race that migrated westward. "The house of Togarmah" of the north quarters I take to be the Armenian stock, as that people say of themselves. They will follow Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, that is, the last head of the Russian Empire.

Should we assume, without proof, that "Gomer and all his bands" means France and most of Continental Europe? Or that "Togarmah of the north quarters" means the countries around the Baltic Sea? Genesis 10:3 tells us the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. Scripture is silent about where Riphath lay, but Jeremiah 51:27 makes it certain that Ashkenaz belongs among the Asiatic kingdoms, probably the district between the Caspian and the Black Seas. What Scripture says of Togarmah leads me to look for it near the Caucasus range, far to the north of Palestine, and not on the borders of the Baltic. It is a fair subject for discussion, but it is well to weigh the evidence of Scripture before drawing conclusions.

Persia, Ethiopia and the rest are under the power of Russia. They follow in the train of Gog, the last ruler of the Russian peoples (Ezekiel 38:2-6)… 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 says, "I will go up to the land of unwalled villages. I will go to those at rest, dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates." God tells the prophet to say to him, "In that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it? You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north… and come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land." So this northern confederacy invades only after Israel has returned and settled peacefully in the land, under the protection of their Messiah. The terrible judgment that falls on the invaders comes after that too.

In self-will this powerful ruler would seek to crush the people of God and enrich himself with the spoils of war. But in His government God will step in, drawing him and his armies on to the judgment He has prepared for them… Gog does his own will, yet God is drawing him to the place of slaughter, just as hooks in the jaws lead an animal there.

Then, as a final lesson, it will appear that the size of his army saves no king… There they come, perfectly dressed for battle, a great company with shields, all of them grasping swords; Persia too is there, forced to follow the train of the mighty northern leader, Cush and Put with them; Gomer and all his bands; the house of Togarmah from the far north, and all his bands: many peoples indeed with Gog! With grave irony God tells him to be prepared and prepare himself, he and all his vast confederacy, and to be their guard — if he can!