THE TIMING OF GOG & MAGOG AND THE LENGTH OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD

THE TIMING OF GOG & MAGOG AND THE LENGTH OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD

I am thankful for those who shared their comments on the last article (especially those who commented AFTER they read the article…). It is in the prophetic Scriptures that we acquire a thirst for the things to come and find motivation to run the race with patience. I am not dogmatic about the various details of these interpretations; yet I have tested these ideas for some time, and hope they will encourage further studies in this area.

In last week’s article, “How Long is the Tribulation Period?,” I noted some passages from the Bible that require a longer age than simply 7 years for the Tribulation period. It appears that in recent times it has become somewhat of a tradition, bordering on “Gospel truth,” that the Tribulation age (from rapture to Armageddon) must be limited to Daniel’s 70th week (i.e. 7 years). However, I have already shown that many of the hoary-headed warriors of dispensational truth never held to so narrow a Tribulation age in their days. Clarence Larkin, George N.H. Peters, Joseph Seiss, Robert Govett, Billy Sunday, A.G. Tilney, James R. Graves, E.W. Bullinger, and scores of other writers (obscure in this day and age, but popular in their own) never confined the Tribulation age to the 7 years of Daniel 9. For example, the famous book “Jesus is Coming” by W.E.B. (1908 edition) revolutionized the thinking of men like R.A. Torrey and J. Wilbur Chapman in regard to the Lord’s Coming. On page 98, W.E.B. states:

“We use the this term [i.e. the Tribulation] to designate the whole period of earthly history, between the rapture and the Revelation, or between the Church and the Millennial Kingdom….Doubtless it embraces the last one of Daniel’s seventy weeks…yet it is probable that it includes MUCH MORE than the seven years of that week.”

The popular dispensational work by H.W. Fry called “God’s Plan in the Bible” (endorsed and praised by such diverse writers as Pember and Bullinger, etc.) states:

“…the ready saints will have gone possibly YEARS BEFORE this [i.e. the 70th week]! Antichrist will then arrange a treaty with the Jews for 7 years…”

Some older writers do believe the Tribulation period to be limited to only seven years. Yet, they do so by interpreting many last day prophecies as near, historic fulfillments. And it would appear that their statements in regard to the 7 years are a bit guarded. For example, C.I. Scofield (“Addresses on Prophecy,” p,101) states:

“What will be the duration of this period? I THINK seven years.”

He does not sound too certain about it. Of course, unless one interprets the ministry of the Two Witnesses (Rev.11:3) as occurring at the same time as the Antichrist’s reign, it can be immediately proven that the Tribulation age is longer than 7 years. The 5th Trump contains a period of 5 months (Rev.9:5). The 6th Trump contains a period of one hour, one day, one month, and one year (Rev.9:15), as well as the two periods of 3.5 years each (one for the Two Witnesses and one for the Beast in Revelation 11:2,3). Already, this is a Tribulation period longer than 8 years. But 8 years goes beyond the boundaries of the 70th week, which is a 7 year period. And this is before we begin to look at the numbers in the Book of Daniel. Also, the Gospels reveal that there is still a short (though undefined in the Gospels) period of time between the conclusion of the Great Tribulation period (the 3.5 years) and the setting up of the Millennium.

The 70th week of Daniel is only part of a larger age. The 70 weeks, as a whole, describe the age that includes the Cross of Christ and the punishment of the Jews, leading up to the cleansing of the tribulation temple. It seals up THE vision and prophecy given by Gabriel, not ALL of prophecy. The Second Coming of Christ to destroy the Antichrist, the final resurrection, and the Millennial Reign are all part of OT prophecy. Yet, all of these are outside the scope of Dan.9. But my intention in this article is to discuss Ezekiel 38 and 39.

Gog and Magog

Ezekiel 38:2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the LAND OF MAGOG, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him…

“Gog” is the leader or prince of this land. “Magog” has been traditionally defined, almost unanimously, as the land of Russia. “Meshech” would be Moscow. Scofield writes:

“That the primary reference is to the northern (European) powers, headed up by Russia, all agree.” (“Scofield Reference Bible,” 1917)

However, a long study of word origins is unnecessary. The Bible itself describes this power as arising from the north of Israel:

Ezekiel 38:15 And thou shalt come from thy place OUT OF THE NORTH PARTS…

Russia is north of Israel. Gog will come from the north and attack the land of Israel:

Ezekiel 38:16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel…

In my New Year’s Eve study, I documented in detail how Russia is still alive and well as a world military power.

There are a number of nations that will be aligned with Russia in this attack on Israel:

Ezekiel 38:5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

Persia is, of course, Iran. Gomer is Germany and Togarmah appears to be Turkey.

This attack does not consist of ALL the nations of the earth. Some nations oppose this attack, but appear powerless to stop it:

Ezekiel 38:13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the MERCHANTS OF TARSHISH, with all the YOUNG LIONS THEREOF, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil?…

The “merchants of Tarshish” have been traditionally defined as Great Britain. The “young lions” or offspring of Great Britain would perhaps include Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States of America. In 1880, Baxter writes:

“The merchants of Tarshish, who are understood to represent the mercantile nations of Great Britain, or the United States, are there depicted as ineffectually remonstrating against the invasion….”

When Does this Battle Occur?

A. Before the Rapture?

Some say this attack upon Israel occurs in this age, before the Tribulation period. The Holy Spirit sometimes makes secondary applications of prophecies to the NT age before the Tribulation period (e.g. Peter quoting Joel at Pentecost). However, these applications never replace the ultimate, literal fulfillments. For example, Jesus implied that John the Baptist was a fulfillment of the Elijah prophecy given by Malachi (Mt.11:14). Nevertheless, He assured His disciples that the prophecy would still have a literal, future fulfillment (Mt.17:11). Let’s look at Ezekiel 38 and 39 and see, by their context alone, if it could apply to this age before the rapture:

Ezekiel 38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall DWELL SAFELY all of them.
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of UNWALLED villages; I will go to them that are AT REST, that DWELL SAFELY, all of them dwelling WITHOUT WALLS, and having neither bars nor gates,

In this age, Israel lives under constant threat of attack. It has gates, bars and walls. Israel is not resting at this present time! Furthermore, the warfare in Ezek.38 and 39 is fought with swords and horses (Ezek.38:4, 39:3). This certainly does not speak of present circumstances. Notice another problem with interpreting this invasion before the rapture or Tribulation period:

Ezekiel 38:20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall SHAKE AT MY PRESENCE, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

The battle never really gets off the ground. God defends Israel, shakes the earth and manifests His “presence.” How can this occur BEFORE the rapture takes place? Or to put it another way, how can this occur before the Tribulation period begins? This “presence” is obviously more than God simply saving Israel by His Providence! It would be a strange doctrine indeed to have the world shaking at God’s “presence” when even the rapture has not yet occurred.

How would the following verses apply in light of that scenario?

Ezekiel 39:6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I WILL NOT LET THEM POLLUTE MY HOLY NAME ANY MORE: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God FROM THAT DAY AND FORWARD.

The Tribulation age is filled with examples of Israel polluting God’s name! They make an unholy covenant and much of Israel will fall into idolatry (John 5:43, Rev.11:8). Therefore, this battle cannot take place before the Beast reigns and DECEIVES much of Israel.

And finally, can it be imagined that this battle will take place before the terrible Tribulation age in light of the following verse?:

Ezekiel 39:29 Neither will I hide my face ANY MORE from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

The battle ends with God coming to the rescue Israel and He promises that He will never turn away His face. That means they will always be defended and will never utterly be cast out of their land again. Aside from the fact that it is erroneous to attempt to read prophecy into this current age before the Tribulation period (other than indirectly, through stage-setting), it is obvious that the context of Ezekiel 38 and 39 could in no way apply to this age.

B. Immediately After the Rapture at the Start of the Trib?

The reasoning behind this view lies in the fact that there is a 7 year period after the battle has ended. In this period, Israel will cleanse the land and burn the weapons for fuel:

Ezekiel 39:9 And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire SEVEN YEARS:
10 So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire…

There are many that hold to this view (Zola Levitt, “The Coming Russian Invasion of Israel,” etc.). Yet, I believe this is one more example of how holding to only a 7 year Tribulation age can cramp literal interpretation. The whole teaching of these chapters is that God will defeat Gog and pour out His Spirit on Israel. There is a 7 year period of burning weapons for fuel and general house-cleaning. This is a far cry from being beheaded by Antichrist (Rev.20:4)! The objections listed previously apply also to this interpretation. God will never turn His face away from Israel again. If this battle takes place at the start of the Tribulation period, then the persecution under the Beast is still future. That is when God hides His face from Israel (Mic.3:4). Therefore, the battle cannot be at any time before the Beast’s persecution.

C. At Armageddon?

H.A. Ironside and others hold to this interpretation. This view escapes the problems mentioned previously. The battle of Armageddon is after the Beast’s 3.5 years of persecution. Therefore, if the battle of Gog and Magog refers to the battle of Armageddon, then there is no problem interpreting the promises made in Ezek.39:6,7,22,29, since God will not hide His face from Israel in the Millennium which follows Armageddon. On the other hand, the problem with this view is that the invaders in Ezek. 38 and 39 mainly consist of a northern confederacy. All nations are not involved (Ezek.38:13). Yet, at Armageddon, Satan stirs up the whole world:

Revelation 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and OF THE WHOLE WORLD, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

The second problem is that this invasion in Ezekiel 38 and 39 is headed up by “Gog” (not the Beast). But Gog is plainly not the Antichrist since his body goes to the grave, while the Beast’s body is thrown into the Lake of
Fire:

Ezekiel 39:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and THERE SHALL THEY BURY GOG and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet…These both were CAST ALIVE into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

This view must place the seven years of burning the weapons (and the seven months of cleansing the land) into the Millennium (Ezek.39:9). Gaebelein’s view is similar to Ironside’s, only he has the Antichrist already destroyed and Jesus already returned before Gog attacks. Each end up placing the 7 years into the Millennial Kingdom.

It can be seen that there is a tendency to “borrow” time from the Millennial age in order to find a place for many of these Tribulation prophecies. Why not rather expand the Tribulation age until it is large enough to contain these prophecies? Let me therefore give the reader another interpretation that differs from all the scenarios mentioned previously.

The Battle of Gog and Magog: After the 3.5 years of the Beast – but Before Armageddon

When Ezekiel 38 opens, the Tribulation age has almost run its course and the Great Tribulation of the Beast has come to an end. The Beast has lost absolute world dominion. His 3.5 years are ended. The persecution has come to an end. The small remnant of Israel is regathered back to their land. The time of Jacob’s Trouble is over. What happens next? As Israel, by God’s grace, begins rebuilding, Gog plans an attack on the feeble nation. The world is no longer united. There is a northern power and the “kings of the east” have united. The Beast (with his ten kings) is soon to plan his last, Satanic assault. But for now, all is at relative rest. Israel has just come out of the worst persecution that the world has ever seen. They had gone into captivity, but now they are brought back to their land:

Ezekiel 38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the LATTER YEARS thou shalt come into the land that is BROUGHT BACK from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

I take this to be the “latter years” of the Tribulation age. Israel’s captivity under Antichrist is now over (Ezek.29:23). But Gog dares to attack Israel after such a horrible persecution. But God is not about to let that occur! The time of Israel’s persecution has ended. God will therefore defend Israel from Gog and rain fire upon him (Ezek.38:22, 39:6).

And then will begin a period where God will once again warn the nations. They will know that He has saved Israel:

Ezekiel 39:7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

This final time of warning is at least a seven year period (Ezek.39:9). During this final seven year period, God pours out His Spirit on Israel and their sons and daughters will prophesy:

Ezekiel 39:29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have POURED OUT OF MY SPIRIT upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

This outpouring will come BEFORE the final, TERRIBLE day of the Lord (at Armageddon):

Joel 2:27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
28 And it shall come to pass AFTERWARD, that I will POUR OUT MY SPIRIT upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, BEFORE the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

The same type of deliverance is seen in Joel 2 as in Ezek.38 and 39. The Lord saves Israel and ushers in a time of restoration. Notice the word “afterward” (2:28). However, this revival and restoration period occurs BEFORE the final, terrible day of the Lord (2:31).

Let us put this together, in order:

1. The Beast persecutes Israel and Tribulation saints and rules the world.
2. The persecution comes to an end and the Beast’s world-wide kingdom disintegrates.
3. Israel is regathered by God’s grace.
4. Gog and his northern confederacy attack Israel.
5. God saves Israel and promises to never turn away from them.
6. God pours out His Spirit on Israel.
7. This spiritual period lasts for at least 7 years and God warns the nations; whoever calls on the Lord will be saved.
8. Satan inspires the nations of the world to unite once again under Antichrist and attack Jerusalem and its King. 9. Jesus descends upon the Beast and slays the rebellious nations of the world, fulfilling His promise to never turn away from Israel again.
10. Satan is bound and the Millennium begins.

The Lord’s “Presence”

There is one more item to clear up in this interpretation. Notice the Scripture in Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 38:18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.
19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at MY PRESENCE, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

Ezekiel 39:21 And I will SET MY GLORY among the heathen…

The Lord’s “presence” is manifested in Israel and to the whole world. This occurs immediately after the Beast has persecuted Israel. The 3.5 years of persecution end and then Gog immediately attacks. God then destroys Israel and the Lord manifests His “presence.” When this “presence” occurs, the kingdom of God is nigh at hand! It will only be seven years before Jesus destroys the world at Armageddon. Notice how this harmonizes with the Gospels:

Matthew 24:29 IMMEDIATELY after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

This is the defeat of Gog (Ezek.38:20) where there will “shaking.” The sun and moon turning to darkness will occur while the Lord is pouring out His Spirit on Israel in the seven years that follow. Joel said these signs occur BEFORE the final Day of the Lord, but AFTER the restoration and deliverance has begun (Joel 2:28,31).

Matthew’s Gospel continues:

Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear THE SIGN of the Son of man IN HEAVEN: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and THEY SHALL SEE the Son of man COMING in the CLOUDS of heaven with power and great glory.

The whole earth now knows that the Lord’s presence is in the sky above earth (the whole city, the New Jerusalem that is “to come,” is now hovering over earth, soon to descend on earth for the Millennium). Yet, this is a stationary “coming,” as seen in the Transfiguration (2Pet.1:16-18). This final “coming” is a process, in stages. Christ first comes to the sky above the earth. He remains there throughout the whole period in which He is pouring out His Spirit upon Israel. The nations know that He is present:

Ezekiel 38:23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I WILL BE KNOWN IN THE EYES of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Luke’s Gospel agrees:

Luke 21:27 And then shall THEY SEE the Son of man COMING in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things BEGIN to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
31 So likewise ye, when ye see THESE THINGS come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is NIGH AT HAND.

Luke’s Gospel shows that there will still be a short period from the time Christ’s presence is manifested, to the time that the Kingdom of God begins. Once the sign of the coming in manifested, the Kingdom is “nigh.” We have already been told that Tribulation saints are not to think the Kingdom is near based simply on the events that occur at the beginning of the Tribulation age:

Luke 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but THE END IS NOT BY AND BY.

Yet, when the Great Tribulation ends, and Christ’s presence is manifested in the clouds, and all the nations mourn and prepare for battle, the end of this world is certainly then nigh at hand:

Revelation 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and UPON THE CLOUD one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

The nations that gather with Antichrist know they are fighting the Lord. They know He is present in the sky over the earth (Rev.19), and they gather together, not simply to attack Israel, but to attempt to stop this “King” who has come to take possession of the earth:

Revelation 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together TO MAKE WAR AGAINST HIM that sat on the horse, and against his army.

The nations gather together for the purpose of making war against the Lord. They know He is there (Ezek.38:23) and through Satanic deception, most have rejected His final warning and plea. He will therefore, from henceforth, plead with them by destroying them in His fury.

In conclusion, Ezekiel 38 and 39 reveal a new, short period of time (at least 7 years) from the time of the conclusion of both the Beast’s persecution and Gog’s attack, until the Millennial Kingdom begins. In this parenthetical age, God pours out His Spirit on Israel, the sun is turned to darkness and then, once the brief age has run its course, all nations launch their final rebellion. The Lord will be in the midst of Israel, only in the since that He is in the clouds above it (though not bound). Yet, the glory of this “coming” will be seen from east to west.

This interpretation alone makes for at least a 14 year Tribulation age. However, there are also other prophecies that may extend the period even longer.

KAU #98p.2 (1-20-01)