#interestingstudy
When will the prophecies in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 be fulfilled?
We would like to begin by stating that since God has only given us some eschatological hints of His future plans regarding the time of the war of Gog and Magog, we are using the passages that are available to present our point of view.
As a result, this study must never be a study that divides the brethren, for God is the only one who knows the final outcome of this war and the time when all these things will take place.
Introduction
About 2,600 years ago, Ezekiel revealed the prophecy that the Lord God had given him about the future of the nation of Israel.
Recorded in the book of Ezekiel, chapters 36 and 37, the prophet revealed that God would fulfill His promise to regroup the Jewish people: “I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land” (Ezekiel 36:24). The Lord had scattered them and would now bring them back to the land promised to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 17:7; 1 Chronicles 16:17-18; Psalm 105:8-11).
In Ezekiel 37, we see the prophecies of dry bones coming to life. Israel truly became a nation again on May 14, 1948, after nearly 1900 years since the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70. and scattered the Jewish people throughout the land.
When we read Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, history shows that the war of Gog and Magog is a prophecy yet to be fulfilled. And as we study, we learn that this war takes place with a huge federation of nations descended from Noah's sons, Japheth and Ham (Genesis 10 2-7), invading Israel.
The nations are from the territories of ancient Rhos, Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Persia, Ethiopia, Put, Gomer and the house of Togarma. Their leader is called "Gog, prince of Rhos, of Meshech and Tubal" (Ezekiel 38:2-5); while some translations render it “Gog, prince and chief of Meshech and of Tubal.”
The battlefield is “on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate” (Ezekiel 38:8). The object of the invasion is "in order to take the spoil, and to seize the prey" and to destroy the people of Israel (Ezekiel 38:12, Ezekiel 38:16).
The end result of this invasion will shock the world. The invading nations are being maneuvered by God, torn from their lands like “hooks in (their) jaws” (Ezekiel 38:4), so that these nations can accomplish what God wants them to do and feel His “indignation and wrath” (Ezekiel 38:18).
God draws these specific nations to the “mountains of Israel” to “execute judgment on him (Gog) with pestilence and bloodshed. I will rain down torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone on him and on his troops and on the many peoples that are with him” (Ezekiel 38:22).
God's purpose is: “to reveal His greatness and His holiness, and to be known to many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 38:23).
Through this battle, God declares himself to the world that he is personally defending Israel.
Who is Gog?
Ezekiel 38:2-3 gives the prophetic name of the leader of this federation of nations: “Gog, prince of Rhos, of Meshech and Tubal.” It is not yet known whether Gog is a real name as in 1 Chronicles 5:4 or a title for a supreme position.
Who are the nations involved?
Ezekiel 38:1-6 gives the ancient names of the territories surrounding the invading nations of the war of Gog and Magog: Rosh, Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Persia, Ethiopia, Put, Gomer, and the house of Togarmah.
Rôs = Head, Boss, Top and because of the text, leader in charge of Russia (You will come from your place there from the farthest confines of the north - Ezekiel 38:15)
Magog = Central Asia and Russia
Meshech = Türkiye, ancient Muschki and Musku in Cilicia and Cappadocia.
Tubal = Türkiye, ancient city of Tubalu in Cappadocia
Persia = Iran
Ethiopia = Sudan, ancient Cush, southern Egypt
Put = Somalia
Gomer = Some believe it is Germany, others believe it is part of northwest Turkey. Only history will tell.
House of Togarmah = Armenia, located east of Türkiye
As we noted, absent from this list of Middle Eastern nations are those that surround Israel today, such as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Gaza, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Ezekiel 38:13 describes these nations as just watchers, for many of them are described as “Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish, and all her governors will say to you, ‘Have you come to take spoil? Have you assembled your band to snatch the prey, to take silver and gold, to take livestock and goods, to plunder large spoils?'"
Why these nations are also not actively involved in the battle of Gog and Magog is not revealed in Scripture.
Who is Ros?
Ezekiel 39:1-2 states that Rhos is "from the farthest parts of the north". No other nation exists more remote than modern Russia directly north of Israel.
When will this war take place?
The moment is clearly described in Ezekiel's account as events that must take place to set the stage for war.
1) The first general time clue is Ezekiel's use of the terms "last times" (Ezekiel 38:8) and "last days" (Ezekiel 38:16).
As prophesied in Ezekiel, the war of Gog and Magog must take place in the end-time prophetic scheme as far as the nation of Israel is concerned.
We need to understand that never in the history of the Middle East have the nations described in the coalition been united in an attack against Israel.
And at no point in history did Israel name a valley Hammon-Gog (Ezekiel 39:11), nor a city named Hamonah (Ezekiel 39:16), where the Jews buried the invaders; which lets this happen at a future time.
2) The second evidence is given in Ezekiel 36 and 37, referring to the reunification of the Jewish people back to their homeland. “I will bring them out from among the nations, I will gather them out of all countries, and I will bring them back to their own land” (Ezekiel 36:24).
As we have already stated, Israel actually became a nation again on May 14, 1948, after almost 1900 years since the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70. and spread the Jewish people around the world.
3) Third, we see the economic abundance that Israel now has with its revitalized land and new gas deposits discovered. Israel also has a vast amount of minerals worth a fortune in the Dead Sea. Hence the question in Ezekiel 38:13, “Have you come to take the spoil? Have you assembled your band to snatch the prey, to take silver and gold, to take cattle and goods, to plunder large spoils?”
4) The fourth point can be viewed in different ways, where Ezekiel 38:11-12 states that: You will say: ‘I will invade the land of villages without walls. I will attack a peaceful people living in security, all in cities without walls, bars or gates, to take the spoil, to snatch the prey, and to lift up my hand against the desert lands that are now inhabited, and against the people who have been gathered from among the nations, who has livestock and goods and dwells in the midst of the earth.'
From the Jewish point of view, this is how it could be seen:
I will invade the land of villages without walls – this is a good description of today's kibbutzim.
I will attack a peaceful people who live in security – nowhere in the text does it say that Israel will be living in peace. On the contrary, Israel is just living in security, which means “protected” (due to its large military forces, air force, etc.), regardless of whether it is in a state of war or peace.
From this point of view, the invasion can occur at any time, including some time before the tribulation.
*******
After much biblical research and analysis of what other theologians had to say, here is what we believe:
The war of Gog and Magog will take place after the rapture and at least 3½ years before the tribulation.
The rapture does not start the tribulation, but it is the signing of the peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel (Daniel 9:27) that starts the tribulation.
Placing the war of Gog and Magog three and a half years before the start of the tribulation period would give Israel a full seven years to burn the weapons of war before being forced to flee into the wilderness during the middle of the tribulation, also called the “mid tribulation period”. The Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:15-16).
1) With a world in chaos from a pre-tribulation rapture, this could be the moment when Russia and its Muslim coalition are drawn to attack Israel.
2) After Gog and his troops fall into the mountains of Israel and are buried in the valley of Hammon-Gog; the Muslim world would be in ruins and its faith in Allah destroyed by its defeat. The Muslim world would no longer be an impediment for the Jews to rebuild the temple that the Antichrist will later desecrate (Daniel 9:27 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
3) With the world in chaos due to the Rapture and the Islamic world in ruins from the war of Gog and Magog, the remaining world would be crying out for a savior, someone who would bring some normalcy back to the world. Antichrist would be ready for that moment, making a peace treaty with Israel and easily conquering the lands of Muslim countries in the Middle East, and the Roman Empire could be revived once more.
4) With the Church removed in a pre-tribulation rapture, those left behind would integrate well into the apostate world religion that the False Prophet promotes (Revelation 13:11-15). The only monotheistic religions left to reject the Antichrist would be Judaism and the new believers in Jesus who now recognize the truth of what the Bible has been teaching all along; and which the antichrist persecutes tremendously during the second half of the tribulation.
5) Armies find themselves fighting two different opponents.
The invaders from Gog and Magog seek to conquer a people (Israel) who are peaceful and unsuspecting (Ezekiel 38:11).
The Armageddon invaders and their armies are gathered to make war against the one (Jesus Christ) who sits on the horse and against his army (Revelation 19:19).
final points of view
While there are similarities between the war of Gog and Magog and the battle of Armageddon of the great day of God Almighty (Revelation 16:14); their differences outweigh their similarities.
Furthermore, placing the war of Gog and Magog at the end of the tribulation violates the first prerequisite that Israel be living in peace, a condition that would have been impossible under the intense persecution of the Antichrist and Israel's subsequent flight into the wilderness at the beginning of the tribulation. great tribulation that occurs during the last 3 1/2 years before Jesus returns.
Therefore, placing the time before the tribulation but not in the midst of the tribulation gives Israel seven months to bury the dead and seven years to burn the weapons.
CONCLUSION
Placing the time of the war of Gog and Magog before the start of the seven years of tribulation best meets these prerequisites and, in our opinion, makes the most logical sense for us.
This is how we see the most likely timeline:
The rapture of the church removes the One who holds the wicked. (The Holy Spirit of God is the only person with supernatural power to do this – 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7).
The war of Gog and Magog destroys Russian and Muslim influence in the Middle East.
Antichrist enters the scene, makes a peace pact with Israel to complete the revived Roman Empire.
Israel spends the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation continuing to burn the weapons.
Jesus returns at the end of the seven-year tribulation to defeat His enemies at the battle of Armageddon, resulting in Israel recognizing that Jesus is the Son of God.
Jesus gathers people from all over the world for the sheep/goat judgment, which only results in believers entering the millennial kingdom.
Only time will tell when the war between Gog and Magog will actually take place. But we believe the players are already in place and the scene is almost set for this epic war in the not-too-distant future.
SOURCE: https://mvmportuguese.wordpress.com/.../quanto-serao.../
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