Preface:
When we attempt to understand the prophecy about Gog and Magog, it is important to consider two points: First, God’s initial, optimal plan, to end sin and the world as we know it, originally was to occur about 2,000 years ago, shortly after the end of the 70 weeks of Daniel 9. (Daniel 9:24-27) Second, there was to be only one Advent of Messiah. (Isaiah 9:6,7; 63:1) If the Jews had been faithful to their calling and fulfilled all God asked of them during their 70 weeks of probationary time, the Messiah would have established His eternal kingdom – on Earth, on the throne of David – when He first appeared. (Psalms 132:11; Luke 1:32)
In a series of visions, Ezekiel saw what would happen 600 years later when there would be a final confrontation between God’s people and the people of Satan. God showed the prophet, Ezekiel, that the devil and his followers would be destroyed. Gog is the prophetic identity of the devil, masquerading as a great king coming out of the North shortly after the end of Daniel’s 70 weeks (A.D. 34).
Gog would lead a confederation of nations (Magog) against Jerusalem because once the Messiah established His kingdom, it would rapidly expand to include the whole Earth. Ezekiel’s vision concludes with fire coming down from Heaven, destroying Gog and Magog, thus relieving God’s people from any evil threat.
If you understand John’s visions in Revelation, Ezekiel’s prophecies are easier to understand, since they parallel coming events. At the end of the millennium, the devil (the Antichrist) will physically appear and lead the wicked, who are resurrected at the end of the 1,000 years, against the holy city, New Jerusalem.
The devil, his evil angels and all the wicked people will be destroyed when fire comes down from Heaven and consumes them. Gog represents for Ezekiel the same character the dragon represents for John. The parallel also exists for Magog. Ezekiel’s vision of Magog is the equivalent of Babylon in John’s vision.
Plan A / Plan B
The visions found in Ezekiel represent God’s original plans. He intended to bring sin to an end long before now. If Israel had been faithful, sin could have been eliminated from Earth within the allotted time of 70 Jubilee weeks (490 years). The Messiah would have ruled from David’s throne and established everlasting righteousness on Earth! (Daniel 9:24; Isaiah 9:7)
It is sad, but true that the history of mankind would have been entirely different since the birth of Christ if Israel had been faithful. I call God’s original plan, using Israel as the trustees of His truth, “Plan A.” The visions of Ezekiel concern the climax of Plan A and point to Satan’s complete destruction.
Ezekiel saw Satan lead a host of evil people against the city of Jerusalem, but God rained fire down from Heaven and totally consumed the devil and all who were with him. Lucifer (Satan) will go to his destruction seeking God’s throne. (It is interesting that the English transliteration “Gog” sounds almost like “God”). However, the visions God gave to Ezekiel will not come to pass because they were conditional, based on Israel’s faithfulness. When Israel failed to cooperate with God, He set His original plans aside and started over with “Plan B.” Through His Son, God created a “new” Israel, one that is not based on lineage, but an Israel based on faith in Christ alone. (Romans 8:1; 9:8)
Essential elements found in Ezekiel’s visions will happen at the end of the millennium; however, Israel’s failure as a nation required that certain changes be made to the original plan which are presented in Revelation 20. But, the promise of sin’s destruction and the reign of Christ still stands and the devil and all people who love evil will be destroyed. Notice the parallel: Just as Ezekiel saw the wicked surround Jerusalem of old (Ezekiel 38,39) John saw the wicked rush against the New Jerusalem. (Revelation 20:9)
John purposely uses the language of Ezekiel, “Gog and Magog,” in Revelation, signifying that what was originally planned (Plan A) will ultimately be accomplished (Plan B). (Revelation 20:8) For a deeper discussion on Plan A/Plan B, see Day Star, October 1995.
Take Another Look
The prophecies of Ezekiel and His contemporaries, such as Daniel and Joel, are much misunderstood today. Many Christians erroneously believe that Ezekiel writes of a future glory that the current nation of Israel will receive. Most people fail to realize that the glory and restoration revealed to Ezekiel was to be fulfilled within 10 generations of the decree to rebuild and restore Jerusalem. (The decree described in Daniel 9:24-27 occurred in 457 B.C. See Day Star, May 1996) God identified a specific time-frame during which Israel could usher in “an end to sin and everlasting righteousness.” But, God also specified the results if Israel did not keep His covenant. (Daniel 9:26; Luke 21:22) God used His inspired writers to safeguard a record in Scripture of the Jew’s failure to keep His covenant, so future generations would not question why He revoked His promise to Israel. (Matthew 23:38; Romans 11) But, God’s promise is sure and He will fulfill His plans through another Israel – an Israel built on faith, not genealogy. (Galatians 3:28,29; Romans 11:24,25)
Many scholars claim that God’s promises to Israel were unconditional, citing Paul’s statement in Romans 11:29 “for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” There is no doubt that God will do all that He promises to do. However, Old Testament history demonstrates that God has abandoned a whole generation for faithlessness and rebellion and then, started over with a new generation. (Psalms 95:10,11) God is faithful, and ultimately He will accomplish all that He has promised to do for Abraham’s descendants. The essential question is which group constitutes the seed of Abraham that will see all that God has promised to fulfill? Answer: The people who receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Master. (Galatians 3; Ephesians 2; Romans 9-11). See Day Star April, 1996 for an in-depth analysis of this subject.
Understanding Gog and Magog
To understand the topic of Gog and Magog, it is best to approach the matter systematically. First, consider the setting and context of Ezekiel’s visions. Next, compare the visions of Ezekiel concerning Gog and Magog with other prophecies to see a more complete picture. Last, determine how the specifics of God’s visions to Ezekiel were carried out (as reported by other Bible writers and historians).
Ezekiel the Prisoner
Like Daniel, Ezekiel was a young man, perhaps in his twenties, when he was taken as a prisoner to Babylon during Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem in 605 B.C. A few years later (about 592 B.C.), God anointed young Ezekiel to be His spokesman to the obstinate people of Israel. (Ezekiel 2:3) While Daniel served in king Nebuchadnezzar’s court, Ezekiel lived among the prisoners. I have wondered if the two prophets ever compared notes? They did know each other because Ezekiel mentions Daniel in his book several times.
Messages of Explanation and Hope
The nation of Israel was in Babylonian captivity for a singular reason. They had profaned the exalted name of God. (Ezekiel 20-22) About two-thirds of the book of Ezekiel was directed toward the captives, explaining why the broken nation of Israel – whose God is the Lord Almighty – was in Babylonian captivity. The captives justifiably wondered how they could be in captivity IF Israel’s God was the Lord Almighty? So, God responded to their concerns through His servant Ezekiel and explained why things were the way they were. The remaining third of the book focuses on the restoration and glory that could belong to Israel IF Israel cooperated with God. I say “IF” because even though God promised to unconditionally restore Israel to their homeland, He did not promise an unconditional fulfillment of all He planned to do. Through Ezekiel, He explained that fulfillment would only occur if Israel cooperated. This distinction is important. God unilaterally moved the hearts of pagan kings to set His people free. (2 Chronicles 36:22; Ezra 7) But, how the nation of Israel would respond to their freedom would be their choice.
It is interesting to note that God promised captivity and restoration through the writings of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and many other prophets. Even though He promised to restore Israel to its homeland and give Israel one more chance, His plans were not open-ended. Through Daniel, God revealed the timetable He had graciously extended to Israel to experience a complete turnaround in heart. (Daniel 9:24-27; Review the original terms and conditions set before Israel in Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26.)
Promises of Restoration
Now, try to “put on Ezekiel’s sandals” and understand the visions God gave to him. We will examine portions of five controversial chapters beginning with Ezekiel 35. First, notice that chapter 35 focuses on Mount Seir, the home of the Edomites, a long-antagonistic neighbor of Israel who joined the Babylonians to defeat Israel.
(Note: This prophecy is directed toward Mt. Seir because in ancient times a mountain was believed to be the dwelling place of a nation’s gods. For example, the Jews believed their God dwelled on Mt. Zion. So, a prophecy against a mountain was directed against a nation’s God or gods.)
During Israel’s exile in Babylon, the Edomites occupied the land that once belonged to Israel. God informed Israel (as well as the Edomites) through this prophecy (Ezekiel 35) that He would deal with the nation of Edom. He would exact vengeance on them for their evil ways – just as He had punished Israel for its evil behavior. Notice the prophecy:
Ezekiel 35 “The word of the Lord came to me: {2} “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir; prophesy against it {3} and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against you and make you a desolate waste. {4} I will turn your towns into ruins and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord. {5} “‘Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity, the time their punishment reached its climax, {6} therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. {7} I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste and cut off from it all who come and go. {8} I will fill your mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines. {9} I will make you desolate forever; your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord….”
God did all He said He would do to Edom. Grecian and Roman conquests reduced Edom to poverty and a great wasteland. (Malachi 1:3,4) Can this vision still apply to Edom at some future time – post 1997? No. The point is that God fulfilled all that He promised to do within the context of Israel’s forthcoming restitution to their homeland in 457 B.C. This prophecy cannot pertain to Mt. Seir or the Edomites today or at some future point in time, nor does this prophecy have a dual or multiple fulfillment. The fulfillment has already occurred and history confirms it.
Local Focus of the Visions
Carefully read the following portions of Chapter 36 and notice that the focus is on coming restoration. This is the promised restoration also recorded in Jeremiah (15:19; 16:15; 27:22) and Isaiah (44:26)! Incidentally, the first decree setting the Jews free was issued in 536 B.C., but the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem occurred in 457 B.C. (Ezra 7) The restoration of Israel that God promised to Ezekiel in Chapter 36 had nothing to do with the establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948. Notice this vision’s local and immediate focus. Remember, when God spoke to Ezekiel, Israel was in Babylonian captivity:
Ezekiel 36 “Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. {2} This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The enemy said of you, “Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession.” ‘ {3} Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because they ravaged and hounded you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people’s malicious talk and slander, {4} therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and the deserted towns that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you– {5} this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.’ {6} Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations. {7} Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will also suffer scorn. {8} “‘But you, O mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. {9} I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, {10} and I will multiply the number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. {11} I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the Lord…. {15} No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign Lord.’” {16} Again the word of the Lord came to me: {17} “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness in my sight. {18} So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. {19} I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions. {20} And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’ {21} I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone. {22} “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. {23} I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. {24} “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. {25} I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. {26} I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. {27} And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. {28} You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God….”
A Small Problem
Some people, after reading this chapter, conclude that the Lord is describing a restoration that occurred after the Babylonian exile (457 B.C.). This conclusion is based on the Lord’s promise to place His Spirit in the hearts of Israel and transform their evil ways. God kept His promise. He poured out His Spirit on the returning exiles, especially leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah and the priests that served in the temple.
For a time, Israel responded to God’s Spirit and repentance and reformation was evident. They were dedicated and zealous for the Word of God and faithful to Him. The once desolate land became cultivated and Israel became a nation again. Yet sadly, it never became the nation God desired.
Specifically notice verses 16 through 20. In these verses, God explains why Israel is in Babylon. God repeatedly said that He intended to show Himself holy in the sight of all nations – at an appointed time. This was to occur when the Messiah set up His kingdom. Under Plan A, God planned to gather all the people of the world who loved Him into Jerusalem just prior to the time Gog and Magog arose and He would destroy them. (Isaiah 56:4-7)
God’s temple would be a place of prayer for all people. God’s servants would go throughout the world explaining that the time had come to destroy sin, and they would extend His generous offer of salvation to everyone. (Joel 2:27-32)
Under God’s alternative Plan B, He will demonstrate His Holiness before all nations at the great white throne judgment described in Revelation 20. At that time, all nations will be present – everyone from everywhere. Read the following chapter carefully and notice two things: First, God spoke directly to the captives living in Babylon to encourage them! He did not describe some far-off time period, but He used the “dry-bones” analogy to describe the plight of His people. (See verse 22.)
God had decimated the nation of Israel. The people who had died in Israel (represented by the dry-bones) littered Earth and hope of recovery, from the human perspective, was impossible. Second, God described in Chapter 37 how He was going to completely restore the nation and resurrect all of Israel’s faithful citizens.
In fact, God was going to resurrect king David so he could reign with the Messiah on His throne so the divided nation of Israel would become reunited under one king! This resurrection was to occur at or near the end of the 70 weeks. Look closely at the chapter and notice its appeal to those who would return and rebuild the homeland.
Lots of Dry Bones…
Ezekiel 37 “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. {2} He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. {3} He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” {4} Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! {5} This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. {6} I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” {7} So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. {8} I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. {9} Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” {10} So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet–a vast army. {11} Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ {12} Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. {13} Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. {14} I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’” {15} The word of the Lord came to me: {16} “Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Ephraim’s stick, belonging to Joseph and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ {17} Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand. 18 “When your countrymen ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’ {19} say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph–which is in Ephraim’s hand–and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick, making them a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’ {20} Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on {21} and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. {22} I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. {23} They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. {24} “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. {25} They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. {26} I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. {27} My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. {28} Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’”
What Went Wrong?
Did Israel’s failure during the 70 weeks mean that God failed to do all that He promised in Chapter 37? No. God never fails. (Romans 9:6) Then, what went wrong? Israel rebelled over and over again and again. (Malachi 1:6-14) Can God accomplish His plans through a nation of hard-hearted individuals? No, God unconditionally freed Israel from Babylon so that they might respond to His goodness of their own accord. But alas, they rejected their Benefactor.
Gog and Magog
With the previous sections in mind, we can now consider the following points:
- Gog is a chief prince
- Gog will command a great host from many nations
- Gog will invade Israel – a nation without walls
- Gog comes from the North
- Gog and his followers will be destroyed when God reveals Himself to the Earth.
Ezekiel 38 “The word of the Lord came to me: {2} “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him {3} and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. {4} I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army–your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. {5} Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, {6} also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops–the many nations with you. {7} “‘Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. {8} After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. {9} You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land. {10} “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. {11} You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people–all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. {12} I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.” {13} Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?” ‘ {14} “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? {15} You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. {16} You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. {17} “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Are you not the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel? At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. {18} This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord. {19} In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. {20} The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. {21} I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. {22} I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. {23} And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
Consider these points about the previous texts:
- Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Israel’s enemies: Magog, Gomer, Tubal and Meshech were descendants of Japheth that settled in the Northern lands (Europe and Asia) after the Tower of Babel incident. (Genesis 10:2) Cush and Put were also enemies of Israel. They were the descendants of Ham. (Genesis 10:6) This is significant for two reasons. First, the Jews considered the great regions of the northern frontiers to be where destruction originated. (See Isaiah 41:25; 43:6; Jeremiah 1:14; 4:6; 46:24; 50:9; Ezekiel 1:4; 26:7.) Second, the list of enemies in Chapter 38 are descendants of Noah’s sons, Japheth and Ham. Abraham was a descendant of Shem. The interesting point about the descendents of Japheth and Ham standing in opposition to the descendants of Shem (Israel) is that we find the ratio of 1/3 – 2/3’s. (See Ezekiel 5:12; 2 Samuel 8:2, Zechariah 13:9; Revelation 8 & 9.) It is also interesting that even in God’s palace, we find the 1/3 – 2/3 ratio for 1/3 of the angels followed Lucifier and the remaining 1/3 remained faithful.
- Note the identity of the nations joining with Gog to make war against Israel. God provided their identity so we can make no mistake as to who the partners in war against God’s people really are.
The Final Destruction
We now come to the end of Ezekiel’s prophecy about Gog and Magog. Carefully note God’s plans in light of the full restoration that He intends to do on behalf of Israel. This passage is not mysterious if you blend all that Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and the other prophets have to say about God’s intentions for Israel. It is unfortunate that many Bible students have removed these five chapters from their context and use them to mean something other than what God intends.
If you have a basic understanding of Revelation’s story, you can see how Plan B is very much like Plan A. I have included a few statements to help as you read portions of this chapter:
Ezekiel 39 “Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. {2} I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. {3} Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. {4} On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. (The Greek word from which we get “Armageddon” in Revelation 16:12-16 means on the Mountain of God) I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. (Remember that the birds eat the flesh of God’s enemies in Revelation 19:17-21?) {5} You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. {6} I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the Lord. {7} “‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy One in Israel. {8} It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord. This is the day I have spoken of. {9} “‘Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up–the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel. {10} They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel. And they will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them, declares the Sovereign Lord. {11} “‘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. {12} “‘For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. {13} All the people of the land will bury them, and the day I am glorified will be a memorable day for them, declares the Sovereign Lord. {14} “‘Men will be regularly employed to cleanse the land. Some will go throughout the land and, in addition to them, others will bury those that remain on the ground. At the end of the seven months they will begin their search. {15} As they go through the land and one of them sees a human bone, he will set up a marker beside it until the gravediggers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. {16} (Also a town called Hamonah will be there.) And so they will cleanse the land.’ {17} “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Call out to every kind of bird and all the wild animals: ‘Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrifice I am preparing for you, the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. {18} You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls–all of them fattened animals from Bashan. {19} At the sacrifice I am preparing for you, you will eat fat till you are glutted and drink blood till you are drunk. {20} At my table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, mighty men and soldiers of every kind,’ declares the Sovereign Lord. {21} “I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them. {22} From that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. {23} And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. {24} I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them. {25} “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. {26} They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. {27} When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations. {28} Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. {29} I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Conclusion
Now that you have read these five chapters in their context, hopefully you will be able to grasp a picture of “what was to be.” What God promised to ancient Israel did not occur and Plan A is past. We now live close to the time when Plan B will be fulfilled! This is why God gave us a NEW Testament. The Old Testament reveals Plan A. The New Testament reveals Plan B. In closing, note these words of Paul:
“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.” (Hebrews 8:10-13)
The glorious consummation Paul refers to in these verses did not occur in his day. In A.D. 64, Paul said, “the old covenant is obsolete and will soon disappear.” However, when God does fulfill His glorious covenant with Israel, He will accomplish all that He has intended to do for His people. The Israel which will benefit from this wonderful freedom will be people who have chosen Christ as their Lord, Savior and Master! (Gal. 3:28,29)