The Battle of Gog and Magog

[acceptedintheBeloved]

Agreed! :thumb

[Notindarkness]

When the enemy is smashed upon the mountains of Israel, there will be still be those who will not believe. But, if there are people who are on the edge of a decision and they have any respect for God, they will be convicted.

I can only hope that someone has the foresight to have some sort of cameras and NASA grade survelience on the region. I would love to see a shot of some flaming brimstone hurling through space right at the forces of Gog/Magog. OOOHHH Ahhhhh, coooool.Wow , did ya see the size of that one!

Peace

Jeff
No matter to me when it comes, all the major networks and cable news outlets would kill to get the video of Gog/Magog war. Also can you imagine the coverage of the two witnesses in Revelation 11 that the news networks will provide for all the world to see.

[Julian4JC]

From Joel Rosenberg's site (i agree with what he says here):
Many of the theologians I have cited in this book believe the war will occur after the Rapture. In the novel Left Behind, Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins describe the War of Gog and Magog as having already happened before the Rapture takes place. In The Ezekiel Option, I also chose to portray the war occurring before the Rapture.

In Matthew 24:14, Jesus says, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (NASB). We also know from Ezekiel that God will use the War of Gog and Magog to display his glory to all nations and to pour out his Holy Spirit, particularly on the nation of Israel. As a result of the entire world seeing God defend Israel from the onslaught of the Russian-Iranian coalition, a dramatic spiritual awakening will occur around the globe. It would certainly be consistent with God’s heart for humanity that he would cause this cataclysmic moment to occur before the Rapture in order to shake people out of their spiritual apathy and/or rebellion and give them at least one more chance to receive Christ as their Savior before the terrible events of the Tribulation occur.

But let me be clear: I believe that the Rapture could occur at any moment, and I would certainly not be surprised in any way if it occurred before the events of Ezekiel 38 and 39 come to pass.

Christian theologians speak of the “doctrine of imminence.” This means that according to the Bible there is no prophetic event that has to happen before Jesus snatches his church from the earth. That is, the Bible teaches us that we should be ready for Jesus to come for us at any moment. I fully believe that. But it should be noted with regard to this doctrine that while no major prophetic event has to happen before the Rapture, that doesn’t mean no such event will happen first. Perhaps the clearest evidence of this truth is the rebirth of Israel. This major prophetic event was foretold in Ezekiel 36–37, yet its fulfillment happened before the Rapture. Thus, it is certainly possible that other events—such as the events of Ezekiel 38–39—could happen before the Rapture as well.

Joel is awesome.

[canuckmedic]

And the antichrist? I'm wondering because it's largely thought the Gog/Magog war happens before the AC appears. Further it says the whole world will know it was God who stopped the Gog army. So doesn't it seem it'll be along time between the two, where people forget it was God who stopped Russia? It doesn't make sense to one minute say "Wow God laid the smackdown" and then the next falling in love with the AC.

I don't know...do we have any idea how long the gap will be?

[kgreen20]

I don't believe that Gog-Magog will happen before the Rapture, for the very reason you mentioned above. Because if God took out Russia before our departure, Israel would recognize that God had done it, and it would be a force to be reckoned with. It would not be in the defensive, vulnerable position it will have to be in to end up entrusting its protection to the Antichrist. Moreoever, Israel has to be living in peace and safety when Russia and its allies attack, and that's not going to happen till the peace treaty is signed and confirmed.

I believe that Gog-Magog will be part of the War of Armageddon, which will begin at the Tribulation's midpoint and end with the Battle of Armageddon. Hal Lindsey has made a very good case for that.

[HisAlways]

I don't believe that Gog-Magog will happen before the Rapture, for the very reason you mentioned above. Because if God took out Russia before our departure, Israel would recognize that God had done it, and it would be a force to be reckoned with. It would not be in the defensive, vulnerable position it will have to be in to end up entrusting its protection to the Antichrist. Moreoever, Israel has to be living in peace and safety when Russia and its allies attack, and that's not going to happen till the peace treaty is signed and confirmed.

I believe that Gog-Magog will be part of the War of Armageddon, which will begin at the Tribulation's midpoint and end with the Battle of Armageddon. Hal Lindsey has made a very good case for that.

At the tribulation midpoint, there will only by 3 1/2 years until Christ comes back to Earth. We are told in the book of either Ezekiel or Daniel (I'll have to check) that it will take 7 years to bury the dead after the Gog invasion.

There will not be 7 years left, if Gog/Magog is half way through the tribulation.

[kgreen20]

That doesn't mean that Israel can't spend the first 7 years of Millennium burying the dead and burning the weapons. Because they'll have to take some time off from that task anyway, during the 2nd half of the Tribulation, just to try to stay alive.

Planet Earth is going to be due for a massive clean-up job, anyway, when Jesus returns!! This little clean-up job Israel will face will fit into the larger one nicely.

[BornAgain123]

That doesn't mean that Israel can't spend the first 7 years of Millennium burying the dead and burning the weapons. Because they'll have to take some time off from that task anyway, during the 2nd half of the Tribulation, just to try to stay alive.

Planet Earth is going to be due for a massive clean-up job, anyway, when Jesus returns!! This little clean-up job Israel will face will fit into the larger one nicely.

Either way-the next 2-3 months will be VERY telling.

What we're seeing now will likely go non-stop, truce, ceasefires, or no. And it will only get worse.

[metroames]

I am of the belief that the antichrist will have signed the peace treaty before Gog/Magog and the war is likely at the beginning of the Tribulation and will fulfill the Seal Judgments. I am however open to it being a pre-Trib, but still post-rapture event.....but right now am more convinced that it will be at the beginning of the Tribulation.

Here is a part of the Gog/Magog study I put together a while back. Hope this helps. :)

Question: Where on the prophetic time clock is the Gog and Magog War?

Answer: It will either precede Daniel’s 70th Week or coincide with the beginning of it. There will be a renovated earth in the Millennium (Isaiah 65:17-25), so there will be no cleaning up bodies or burning weapons after the Tribulation week is over. This means the war must occur at least 7 years before the Millennium begins. In fact, the “7 years” in Ezekiel 39:9 may even be a clue that the War is at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week.


Ezekiel 39:9 “Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years.

Also, the Gog and Magog War will pave the way for the Mystery Babylon religion, depicted by a harlot, to rise. This religious system will rule during the first half of Daniel’s 70th Week, before the 10 kings destroy her and hand over their power to the antichrist. The reason, being, is that this war will effectively wipe out radical Islam and atheism. The result will be that almost everybody will be looking for an answer, likely through religion, because of the supernatural nature of this war. Unfortunately, many will be looking in the wrong place and will be led into deception; first through the Mystery Babylon religion, which will likely be a religion promoting peace and tolerance, and then later by the resurrected antichrist.


Revelation 17:15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.:

During the Gog and Magog War, God will be revealing Himself again to the Jews. Ezekiel 40-48 shows that God will restore their Old Covenant relationship. This means that they will demand to build a temple, the one outlined for them in Ezekiel. This also shows that they will still not believe their Messiah has come yet, which won’t happen until the second half of the Tribulation week. This timeline fits with the fact that the temple has to be rebuilt before the middle of the Tribulation week when the antichrist will cause the “abomination of desolation” there.


Daniel 9:27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

Another argument for Gog and Magog coinciding with the beginning of the Tribulation is that most of the Seal Judgments in Revelation 6 parallel the Gog and Magog judgments.

Revelation 6:1-2 - 1st Seal - One ultimate false Christ, the Antichrist that will bring a false peace.
Revelation 6:3-4 - 2nd Seal – Peace taken away and people kill each other.
Revelation 6:5-8 - 3rd & 4th Seal - Scarcity and death as a result of war.
Revelation 6:9-11 - 5th Seal - Martyrs of Saints
Revelation 6:12-17 - Wrath of the Lamb worldwide earthquake.

This is a strong possibility, considering the carnage described in Ezekiel 38&39 compared to the quarter of the population on earth that will be killed from the 4th Seal Judgment alone (Revelation 20:8). However, the judgment poured out on Gog and Magog in Ezekiel deals with a specific group of nations, save for the worldwide earthquake. But it is not hard to see how the decimation of these particular nations will cause a ripple affect to the whole world, especially considering the global dependence on oil from that region.

However, one thing that seems misplaced in this scenario is the 5th Seal. If the Seal Judgments are actually describing Ezekiel 38&39, why is the Martyr of the Saints Seal broken in the middle of the war? We know from other Scripture that the martyring of God’s people continues throughout the Tribulation week. So, a possibility is, that the breaking of the 5th Seal is just signaling God’s go ahead to Satan and the powers of darkness to allow them to begin to persecute and kill believers without restraint at that point.

One other thing to consider is the fact that the antichrist will have confirmed a seven-year peace covenant with Israel at the beginning of the Tribulation week, so they will be living in a false sense of “peace and safety”. 1 Thessalonians 5 also depicts the world demanding “peace and safety” at the beginning of the “day of the Lord”. This would fit with the emphasis that the Lord put in Ezekiel 38&39 of telling us over and over that Israel will be living in “peace and safety”.


1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

The numerous parallel verses between Joel 2, Ezekiel 36-39 and Revelation 6 may also point to this war being in the “Day of the Lord”, or during the Tribulation. For the parallels see: http://www.rr-bb.com/showpost.php?p=506399&postcount=12

It is also possible that the Gog & Magog War is a pre-tribulation war that will in effect cause a power vacuum that will allow the rise of the antichrist. One argument for this is that a remnant of the Jewish people will be in hiding at Petra during the Great Tribulation, so they will not be around to burn the weapons. However, a closer look at the passage reveals that it is the inhabitants of Israel that will be burning the weapons.


Ezekiel 39:9 “Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years.

This may not necessarily be limited to the remnant that flees to Petra, considering there will be still people (likely unbelieving Jews and maybe Palestinians) inhabiting and defending Jerusalem just prior to the Lord’s return at the 2nd Coming.


Zechariah 14:2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity…

However for Gog and Magog to be pre-Tribulation, Israel must feel like they are living in peace and safety first. As previously discussed, despite the “wars and rumors of wars” it is possible this is already “checked off God’s to-do list”. But the continual emphasis on the prerequisite of “peace and safety” seems to indicate it will be more than just a “feeling”, but something more concrete like a “covenant”, which Scriptures says will be made.


Daniel 9:27 Then he [the antichrist] shall confirm a covenant with many for one week…

Revelation 6: 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow [no arrow means diplomacy instead of war]; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Isaiah 28:15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.”

Question: Will the rapture of the Church take place before the Gog and Magog War?

Answer: Scripture seems to indicate so. God will be pouring out His Wrath during the Gog and Magog War and the Church is promised to not have to endure the Wrath of God.


Ezekiel 38:18-23 “And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “that My fury will show in My face. For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: ‘Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.’ I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord GOD. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother. And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”’

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Romans 5:8-9 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

This may also explain why the United States is not there to defend Israel or restrain Russia and its coalition, as the rapture is sure to cause great chaos, especially in a country where presumably a big chunk of the Bride of Christ resides. What is left of the United States may very well be protesting on the sidelines with Tarshish, , Sheba, and Dedan (Ezekiel 38:13), but unable to do anything about it.

Question: Why are Israel’s immediate neighbors not listed in Ezekiel’s prophecy? Considering the fact that they are all enemies of Israel and they are at the top of the headlines virtually everyday making threats to “wipe Israel off the map” or to “throw the Jews into the sea”.

Answer: Some prophecy teachers, like Joel Rosenberg, lump Israel’s neighbors in with “the many people” in Ezekiel 38:6. But the context seems to be speaking of the vastness of the army, not other countries in addition to what is listed in Ezekiel.

According to Scripture, God thinks that Israel’s neighbors are very important. As we will see, He specifically mentions Israel’s neighbors by name over and over in Scripture. I doubt He would just assume that we know they are included in the Gog and Magog War. So perhaps instead, the Lord intentionally left these countries out of Ezekiel 38 & 39, because they will not be in this war. Remember, a lot of times what isn’t in Scripture can be just as important as what is there and we need to be careful not to assume anything.

In just the past year, several prophecy teachers have taken a second look at this and are seeing in Scripture that there is another war that may occur first that ends up being the “hook in the jaw” for Gog. Psalm 83 and several of the OT Prophets, including Isaiah 14-17, Jeremiah 47-49, Ezekiel 35-36, Amos 1-2, Zeph 2, and Zech 9 may give us clues as to what will happen to Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank that will keep them from joining the Gog and Magog coalition. All of these passages listed above have either been only partially fulfilled in history or yet to be fulfilled. Until recently, it has been assumed these prophecies will be fulfilled at Armageddon. As for Iraq, the United States has of course neutralized that threat for now and Israel currently has a peace treaty with Egypt that has stood for nearly 30 years.

For more on this pre-Gog/Magog War see: http://www.rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=40429

[Angelita]

I would'nt mind seeing the war in Ezekiel before the rapture..................God says He will make his name renown and hallowed in the eyes of the world by how He protects His people Isreal.

I honestly would like to see that!