Gog and Magog are the names of two characters or groups that are presented in the Bible, especially in the books of Ezekiel and Revelation, as the ultimate enemies of Israel and God. Their exact identity is a matter of debate among religious commentators, but in general, they are seen as symbols of evil and opposition to God.
Gog and Magog in the Old Testament
Reading the book of Ezekiel, it is difficult to distinguish between dreams that refer to the state of Israel at the time of the book’s writing and dreams that refer to end-time events (or both).
However, the Gog and Magog of the Old Testament are different from the Gog and Magog of the Revelation of John.
In the Old Testament, the term “Gog” is found in the book of Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39. Gog is described as the leader or ruler of the land of Magog. This section narrates the prophecy of Gog’s future attack on Israel, along with a coalition of other countries. This prophecy involves divine intervention in which God defeats Gog and protects Israel. The exact identity of Gog and Magog and the specific historical background of this prophecy is the subject of debate between religious scholars and theologians.
“The word of God came to me and said: Son of man, turn your face to Gog, from the land of Magog, the chief of the chiefs of Meshach and Tubal; And prophesy against him and say: Thus says the Lord Jehovah: O Gog, chief of the chiefs of Meshach and Tubal, I am against you. And I will turn you back, I will put a hook in your jaws, and I will bring you out with all your army, with your horses, and your horsemen, all fully armed, and a great multitude with large and small shields, all with swords in hand… (Ezekiel 38:1-4)
“Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: Thus says the Lord Jehovah: Gog, chief of the chiefs of Meshach and Tubal, I am against you, and I have turned you back, and I will follow you. I will bring you from the far north, and send you to the mountains of Israel. So I will shoot your bow from your left hand, and shoot your arrows from your right hand. You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your army and the nations that are with you. I will give you as food for the birds of the sky of every kind and for the beasts of the field…” (Ezekiel 39:1-2)
As mentioned in the previous section, it is difficult to distinguish between symbolic dreams and historical events in the book of Ezekiel. At the same time, the Gog and Magog of the Old Testament seem to be different from the Gog and Magog of the Revelation of John.
References to Gog in the Old Testament:
Gog is mentioned in parts of the Old Testament:
In 1 Chronicles 5:4, Gog is introduced as a descendant of a prophet named Joel: “The descendants of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shemei his son, Micaiah his son, Reiah his son, Baal his son, and Beirah his son. that Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria, took him captive.
Apart from the fact that Gog comes from the north and seeks to attack and plunder Israel, not much is given about him.
The connection between Gog and Magog:
Whether Gog and Magog are the same person or whether Gog comes from the northern region called Magog is a matter of debate. Some commentators believe that:
“It seems that Gog is the king and Magog is his land; Therefore, Gog and Magog are like Pharaoh and Egyptians. (Matthew Henry’s commentary on Ezekiel 38)
Possible inspiration from northern lands:
Some commentators have speculated that Magog referred to a specific kingdom in the north that sought to destroy Israel, including the Lydians, the Sabians, the Scythians, or the Seleucids.
Other references to Magog:
Elsewhere, Magog is identified as the son of Japheth, one of Noah’s three sons (Genesis 10:2) (1 Chronicles 1:5).
Some of Josephus’ writings indicate that Magog ruled a northern land similar to that of the Scythians.
Conclusion:
In any case, it seems that a nation or several nations have united (or wanted to unite) against Israel and will fail before the power of God Almighty. We also know that they were skilled warriors who came from the northern kingdoms of Israel, but again we don’t get many details about them other than that they looked like a threat.
Today in the article : Who Are Gog and Magog in Bible Prophecy? We reviewed useful information about the Bible and the way of Jesus. If you wish, you can view other articles of Ali Vahidi about Christianity
