Ezekiel 38:2 Study Archive
Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him
Ezekiel 38:2
Gog and Magog
Gary DeMar (1996)
“Edwin M. Yamauchi, noted Christian historian and archeologist, writes that rosh “can have nothing to do with modern ‘Russia,’” and “all informed references and studies acknowledge that the association with Moscow and Tobolsk is untenable.” (Last Days Madness Obsession of the Modern Church, Atlanta, GA: American Vision, 1996, p. 363)
Patti and Paul Lalonde (1992)
“Bible scholars agree that ‘Gog’ also described as ‘prince of Rosh,’ is the leader of what is modern day Russia.” (In the Edge of Time: The Final Countdown Has Begun)
Tim LaHaye (1992)
“Etymology is the study of linguistic changes and the history of words. We will investigate the etymology of the names of nations. As we will see, “Magog” is an ancient name for the nation now known as Russia. “Gog” merely means “the chief prince of Magog,” or more literally, the chief prince of Meschech and Tubal (38:2-3; 39:1).
The name “Moscow” derives from the tribal name “Meshech,” and “Tobolsk, the name of the principal state, from “Tubal.” The noun “Gog” is from the original tribal name “Magog,” which gradually became “Rosh,” then “Russ,” and today is known as “Russia.” (“Will God Destroy Russia, in Storming Towards Armageddon: Essays in Apocalypse, ed. Wm. James (Green Forest, AR: New Leaf Press, 1992), p. 260-261)
“Russia is unquestionably the nation identified in the prophecies of Ezekiel 38 and 39.” (“Will God Destroy Russia, in Storming Towards Armageddon: Essays in Apocalypse, ed. Wm. James (Green Forest, AR: New Leaf Press, 1992), p. 259)
Hal Lindsey (1970)
“When the Russians invade the Middle East with amphibious and mechanized land forces, they will make a ‘blitzkreig’ type of offensive through the area.”
“The current build-up of Russian ships in the Mediterranean serves as another significant sign of the possible nearness of Armageddon” (The Late Great Planet Earth, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970, p. 145-146)
“Dr. Cummings, writing in 1864, said, “This king of the North I conceive to be the autocrat of Russia.. that Russia occupies a place, and a very momentous place, in the prophetic word has been admitted by almost all expositors.” (ibid., p. 52)
(Hal Lindsey changing tune after fall of Russia)
“But world domination — as Ezekiel makes clear — was never in the script for Russia!” (italics in original, Cited in Pate and Haines, p. 138)
OTHER SOURCES
Johann van Rooyen and Dennis Humphrey
“In Ezekiel 38:2, “Magog” occurs as the name of a country (with the definite article); in Ezekiel 39:6 as that of a northern people, the leader of whom is Gog. The Gematria of the Hebrew letters of the expression Gog-uMagog (“Gog and Magog”) is 70. The sages interpreted this as the 70 nations of the world rising up against Yisra’el and the Mashiach.” (Expository Glossary of Hebraic Terms used in Messianic Teaching)
Pate and Haines (1995)
“Historian Edwin Yamauchi notes that, even if one transliterated the Hebew ro’s as a proper name (as the Septuagint does), it can have nothing to do with modern Russia. Yamauchi writes, “This would be a gross anachronism, for the modern name is based upon the nameRus, which was brought into the reign of Kiev, north of the Black Sea, by the Vikings only in the Middle Ages.” Yamauchi goes on to analyze the nomenclature “Gog and Magog” and reaches the majority scholarly opinion, namely, that we simply cannot positively identify the antecedents of these historical names. However, the identifications of Meshech and Tubal are not in doubt. Few scholars today equate them with Moscow and Tobolsk. Rather, combined ancient testimony attests to the fact that Meshech and Tubal were located in central and eastern Anatolia (Asia Minor), respectively.” (C. Marvin Pate and Calvin B. Haines, Jr., Doomsday Delusions: What’s wrong with Predictions About the End of the World, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1995, p. 62-63)
“The point we wish to make is that is seems difficult for those who predicted the Soviet Union would be the great enemy to the north that would swarm over Israel to acknowledge the fact that the empire is no more. Instead, they amend their interpretations to fit the current scene.”
“Lindsey offers a concluding remark: “Yes, the Evil Empire may be gone, but Russia’s role in the endtimes scenario remains the same. The mainstream media may not be tracking developments in Russia with much scrutiny and depth or giving them the attention they deserve, but, behind the scenes, there are momentous and profound events taking place in Moscow. The great bear may not look dangerous as it once did, but looks can be deceiving.
Clearly, Lindsey is rationalizing the error of predicting.. He avoids dealing with the reality of the false prediction by saying now that the Soviet collapse was inevitable.” (ibid., p. 138)
EZEKIEL 38:2 IN THE VERSIONS
Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, (WEB)
Son of man, set thy face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, (ASV)
Son of man, let your face be turned against Gog, of the land of Magog, the ruler of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and be a prophet against him, (BBE)
Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, (DBY)
Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, (KJV)
Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. (WBS)
Son of man, set thy face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, (JPS)
Son of man, set thy face unto Gog, of the land of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy concerning him, (YLT)
Date: 03 Feb 2004
Time: 07:43:51
Magog,Tubal Meshech are all listed as sons of Japheth. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided, every one after His tongue, after his families, in their nations. I do not know where Slavs came from but I do not think of them as European or Gentile. I understand that the first Russians were believed to be related to Sythians.I believe the premillenium pronosticators missed it on this one (and others.)
Date: 10 Feb 2004
Time: 14:56:07
Your wrong, In 1st Chronicles 5:4, Gog is shown to be a Reubenite. 1st Chronicles 5:26 says they were taken into Assyria and are there …unto this day. In Micah 5, it tells us that Jesus will someday go to war against Assyria. I doubt if you will get the spiritual significance of Micah 5 (not to mention the prophetic significance of this important chapter). Paul Swinford
Date: 28 Nov 2004
Time: 11:33:19
I think your claim that Lindsey has changed hs tune is laughable. Even in your qoute he does not say that Russia would be a world empire and the fall of it as a world power (not empire) does very little to change the position. A nation does not have to be a world power to attack. Preterism is bankrupt as a theology because it takes an unnatural interpretation of scripture that has no basis in the Jewish Tanach. The Jews rightfully await for a physical coming of Moshiach and no amount of scripture twisting can escape the fact that that is precisely what is called for over and over in the Old Testament. Prophecy culminates at that return of Messiah not the first century
Date: 20 Apr 2005
Time: 07:35:59
if this great war between jesus and satan is to take place in armageddon ,in the near future, i dont see how we can compare these awsome and spiritual events to todays study of linguistic changes and the history of words,etymology.
Date: 26 Nov 2005
Time: 09:13:03
The Coming Total Destruction
Destruction of Russia and America.
To every person the world round.
Have you ever read in the Scriptures what Yahweh is going to do?
Ezekiel 39:6
“And I send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am Yahweh the Almighty.”
Yahweh, in the Scritpures, through the prophet Ezekiel, is foretelling in Chapters 38-39 what is going to happen to Magog, which is Russia, and other nations such as; Iran, Ethiopia, Libya, Turkey, in their invasion of Israel, which Yahweh says will happen, in the latter years.
We are now living in the latter years, and this prophecy had not yet happened, but these nations are now building up where it can happen at any minute. The fulfillment of Yahweh’s prophetic Word, as spoken by Ezekiel, is at hand. Yahweh will protect Israel.
“And among them that dwell carelessly in the isles;” Who are they that “are dwelling carelessly in the isles”?
This means that there are people that are living carelessly toward Yahweh and His people and not keeping His Commandments. What nation is it in the “isles” that had been blessed of Yahweh? What nation is it? It is The United States of America.
Time is growing short. This country is beginning to see that Hand of Yahweh been lifted from America, such as 9/11 and the hurricanes, and this is not the beginning. Greater tribulation are coming.
Are you ready? Are you prepared for the coming tribulation? May the blessings of Yahweh be with you when these tribulation comes. In the Name of Yahshua the Messiah I pray. Praise Yahweh.
Date: 03 Sep 2006
Time: 14:37:35
When you have “prophecy experts” like Jack Van Impe insisting that “rosh” is modern day Russia, it is no surprise just how much confusion exists amongst Christians. We need to stop relying on our favorite teacher, and study for ourselves. I believe most of these prophecy teachers are in the business of making money….lots of it!
Date: 14 Jan 2007
Time: 09:17:08
First I think that one would have to learn the hard lesson that the Scribes and Pharosees had to lern in Jesus’ time. Be open minded God may be speeking to you in a form you aren’t accustomed to.
That being said, the Koran expounds upon Ezekiel’s words. I believe the Rabi’s of Mohammed’s time would try to test him to see if he was really recieving devine inspiration, and they questioned him on this topic in the A. D. 600’s. Pretty interesting what his reply to them was.
Date: 31 Mar 2008
Time: 22:33:37
Well I am www.RevKev.TV and Gog being Russia and Meshek being Moscow and any other wording for this to mean a future of end time events to attack Israel after the flesh has got me saying impossible but not because I don’t believe in miracles but because I do believe in Miracles but since the bible is to interpret the bible we must not let wording in itself be the final authority but overall scripture and this infers then to some past by gone episode. God demands faith to make belivers not the sight of the killing of its enimies to make believers. The cross is where faith is born not in the destruction of enimies. just like the dry bones was not literal in Ezekiel so we must not make absolute conclusions for that is saying God hates Russia and loves Israel but that would make God a respect of persons but God respects ONLY indervidual faith. Faith bassed on love in God and from God that lays its self for others or expects God to move this way of self giving for others is what what move
Date: 19 Feb 2009
Time: 09:30:51
My Words are Spirit and they are life. God has spoken to the prophets using similitudes, as it is written. John receive the Revelation of Jesus Christ and prophecy that was then, yet to be fulfilled. He saw images, symbols and pictures to describe these forthcoming events. If the woman riding the beast is a picture of apostate Israel in fornication with Rome, then why can we think Gog and Magog or even the battle of Armgeddeon are literal events, yet to be filled 2,000 years later? Perhaps the Lord is speaking to us prophetically, that is, in images. I understand Gog and Magog to be fallen Israel and Rome — both who were enemies of the Church and sought to destroy her. I do not subscribe to Hal Lindsey’s or Tim LaHaye’s (or other dispensational writers) that the Jerusalem that now is, are the chosen people of God that Russia and other nations seek to destroy. The Jerusalem that now is, that is to say, the Church are the royal priesthood spoken of by Peter and not a nation that has rejected the Son of God. If there is any attack occurring, it is on the Truth revealed through Jesus Christ, spoken by those imbued with His Power to proclaim the good news – salvation through Jesus Christ alone. That truth has been under attack since the first church and that major battle ensues until this day – the battle between good and evil, between Christ and Satan – Armgeddon.
Date: 02 Mar 2009
Time: 20:42:53
There are a number of scholastic/academic sources that cite a number of medieval manuscripts concerning MAGOG, that state he settled in the vicinity of Kiev coming from Tanais and originally from the Gogarene Province in mountains of northern Armenia. He appears to be connected to the archaeological Trypillian Culture of the Ukraine. (SJL3)
Among the followers of Tengrism, the ancient faith of the steppes, the deity is symbolized by what they term “the Celestial Blue Sky”. I am told that in the Turkic language, GOK/KOK, as in the “Gok-Turks” takes its meaning from “celestial blue”. If perchance, GOG has its roots in this term, then just perhaps the biblical GOG will be a title of one claiming to be the “celestial” God Almighty himself!!
Sam Lawson
Date: 25 Nov 2009
Time: 12:40:48
For years I beleived that crapola spouted by the likes of LaHaye,Lindsay,et al…..I bet they are laffing all the way to the bank!!
Date: 19 Mar 2010
Time: 18:27:30
I beleive that any futurists are serious as to what they believe, however I dont beleive thay wouold ever come to their conclusions without news reports. If you really really study your bible, and History you will find that Jerusalem is the very place and topic of almost all Prophesy.
She is killed because of Her whoredoms towards GOD. She is stoned to death as the law allows and demands.
Johns Revelation is found in the Bible , not outside of it. REV 17 is Jerusalem with GODs cup in Her hand as she fornicated with all the kings of the earth. Read Song of Solomon, it is a story of GODS love for His Bride who betrays Him over and over again until like Daniel states 490 years 7 X 70 in the New Testament then He will not forgive Her again, instead He will surround Her with the armies of earth nations of 70 AD. And stone Her to Death. The Romans did that with thier Catapolys. As Gods word Describes and Demands. Just as the Testator of the Law had to die, so that another could be written. (new Covenant)So should His wife in Like manner be destroyed. Now the Son can inherit the Kingdom which He did, and get married to a New. Which He did. Keep your mind only on scripture and listen to the spirit not to the Newspaper. rcscrolls@aol.com
Date: 18 Dec 2010
Time: 19:09:11
http://2012forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=17601
Website above is to shows the document of Prince of Meschech and Tubal and its certification.
Revelations: Birth date of Messiah = 09/11/0003
9-11-91 Bush Sr. New World Order
9-11-01 Bush Jr. 91 1 terror attacks
9-11-11 What will happen on this date
Numerology 186660003
Date: 25 Sep 2012
Time: 18:11:19
I’m looking for first why some versions say rosh and other versions say chief with the order of the words reversed. Second I’d like to read of some preterist interpretations of this passage.