The Battle of Gog and Magog

OK, time to take a look at Gog and Magog—another of those well-worn phrases that have been interpreted by some in one way and by others in other ways. What is the Revelation telling us?

First, let us note those passages from the OT that speak of Gog and Magog. For starters Magog is one of the sons of Japheth (Hebrew: "enlarge"), who  was one of the three sons of Noah. He is considered to be the progenitor of European, and some Asian, peoples.

The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. - Gen 10:2 ESV

The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. - 1Ch 1:5 ESV

By the 7th century B.C. in the days of the prophet Ezekiel (Eze 38:2; 39:6), Magog had become the name of a nation, probably some Asian tribe like the Scythians or Tartars.

"Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him - Eze 38:2 ESV

I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the LORD. - Eze 39:6 ESV.

In the days of the NT the Scythians were ever the enemies of Rome, never conquered by them. They are described as skilled horsemen, and expert in the use of the bow. The Latin father Jerome says that Magog denotes "Scythian nations, fierce and innumerable, who live beyond the Caucasus and the Lake Maeotis, and near the Caspian Sea, and spread out even onward to India." 

Many are the opinions about what the Revelation refers to when it speaks of Gog and Magog. 

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. - Rev 20:7-10 ESV 

Some argue for a battle before the literal thousand years of the Millennium; others speak of a battle at the end of the thousand years. Below is but one example from the blog Countdown to Armageddon. Study that blog and you will discover some very fascinating and rather far fetched prophecies about the end times.

Building an Iron Wall to keep the Barbarians out

You’ll notice Gog and Magog are mentioned in the previous passage. Back in Chapter 11 on Armageddon in The Rise and Fall of the Antichrist we read how Ezekiel 38 and 39 refer to the Antichrist as “Gog” and his followers as “Magog.” But even though the Battle of Armageddon and the Battle of Gog and Magog both refer to Gog and Magog, these are not the same battle, but are 1000 years apart. The Battle of Armageddon occurs at the end of the Plagues of the Wrath of God period, just before the beginning of the Millennium. This Battle of Gog and Magog takes place at the very end of the Millennium.

How does one respond to literalists who pick and choose what they want to be symbolical language and what they decide is literal prophecy? As always, it is best to consider the historical context into which John wrote the Revelation. Gog and Magog most likely did refer to the Scythians who constantly threatened Rome. These peoples also become a symbol of those enemies that Satan gathers to surround and destroy the saints and the beloved city of God. Dr. Bruce Metzger (Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation, pg. 95) urges us to take seriously the realism of Jesus' parable of the weeds among the wheat:

He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'" ... 

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. - Mat 13:24-30, 36-43 ESV

The point is clear. Christ will return as He promised. We live in the in-between time (symbolically indicated by 10x10x10 = 1,000). When He will return remains in His hands and in the hands of His Father. However, when He returns He will destroy the forces of evil and establish God's eternal kingdom. So we will rejoice in His presence forever. The remaining verses of the Revelation help us to celebrate this gracious Good News.