Prophecy of the Battle of God and Magog, part 2

Gog’s Army Covers the Land Like a Cloud

The “Prophecy of the Battle of Gog and Magog” is unusual among end–times prophecies in the Bible because it is the longest one. Two whole chapters or 52 verses are given to its description. It is found in Ezekiel 38-39. In the last study in Ezekiel 38, three questions were answered. The first question was, “Who will be involved in the battle?” We discovered that Gog was the leader of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. The identities of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal are uncertain. Some people confidently claim that Rosh refers to Russia, but the evidence is missing. So, it is best to understand these three nations as simply being located north of Israel because Gog is the prince of these nations and Ezekiel 38:6 and verse 15 says Gog is from the north. We also discovered in our last study that Gog will lead ten nations that include parts of Europe, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Libya, a country south of Egypt, and most likely China.

The second question was, “Why will the battle occur?” We learned that the answer was that all of these nations will invade Israel to gain wealth or some precious commodity. These nations will invade Israel to plunder it.

The third question was, “When will it occur?” The answer was the battle will occur during the tribulation. Ezekiel 38:17-23 revealed that as Gog and his great army invades Israel, Yahweh will punish Gog and his army. We learned that the descriptions of the plagues that Yahweh will bring upon this invading army overlap with the trumpet and bowl judgments in Revelation 7-16 that will occur during the tribulation. We did not finish answering the question because the answer continues to be revealed in Ezekiel 39.

God Defeats Gog and Magog

This study is part 2 of the “Prophecy of the Battle of Gog and Magog.” It is from Ezekiel 39. It continues describing the battle of Gog and Magog. There are three questions that will be answered in this study. They are: what will God do to Gog and his great army? Second, why are we confident this battle will occur during the last half of the tribulation? Finally, why will God motivate the battle of Armageddon to occur? The first question is answered in verses 1-20. There are three sections that answer the first question. The first section is verses 1-8 and it is titled, “God Defeats Gog and Magog.” So, here are verses 1-2.

“And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal; and I will turn you around, drive you on, take you up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel.’” Ezekiel 39:1-2 (NASB)

Immediately, Yahweh announces that He is against Gog and his great army. In Ezekiel 38:3, Yahweh said the same thing. In verse 2, Yahweh said He will drag Gog and his massive army down to the mountains of Israel. Also in Ezekiel 38:9, Yahweh said that Gog and his army will cover the land of Israel like a cloud. That is, they would surround Israel on the north, east, and south sides, but on the west side there is no land, only the Mediterranean Sea. The point is the invading army will be massive. Israel today is approximately 262.5 miles (420 km) from the north to the south, and 72 miles (115 km) in width from the Dead Sea to the Gaza strip. The narrowest width is 37.5 miles (60 km). It only takes about 90 minutes to drive from the east side to the west side. Yet, just imagine the enormous army that will be required to cover the land like a cloud as God has prophesied.

In verses 3-6, the destruction of Gog and his forces is now described. Yahweh prophesied,

I will strike your bow from your left hand and dash down your arrows from your right hand. You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and beast of the field. You will fall on the open field; for it is I who have spoken,” declares the Lord GOD. And I will send fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the coastlands in safety; and they will know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 39:3-6 (NASB)

History tells us the warriors from the north are skilled archers. So, the description in verses 3 and 4 of the arrows and bows being removed from the hands of the soldiers adds even more weight to the idea that Gog and Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal are from Russia.

Verse 4 says that Gog’s army will be defeated and killed on the mountains of Israel. These dead soldiers will be eaten by every kind of predatory birds. Verse 5 says soldiers will also die in the open field. Verse 6 adds that God will send fire down upon the army of Gog. Verses 2-6 are a quick summary of what will happen to Gog and his army at the end of the tribulation. This prophecy focuses only on Gog and his army—not all of the other nations of the world.

Then in verses 7-8, Yahweh announces that His holy name will become known to everyone. This is a re-occurring message in Ezekiel.

“My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let My holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. Behold, it is coming and it shall be done,” declares the Lord GOD. “That is the day of which I have spoken. Ezekiel 39:7-8 (NASB)

So, why we are told the nations of the world will know that Yahweh is the only God, the Holy One in Israel? The answer will be given to us in verses 21-29. Finally, Yahweh promises that the destruction of Gog and his army is coming! It is going to happen.

Israel Will Burn the Armies’ Weapons

Verses 9-10 is the second section. It is titled, “Israel Will Burn the Armies’ Weapons.” This is still answering our first question, “What will God do to Gog and his great army?” We are now told,

“Then those who inhabit the cities of Israel will go out and make fires with the weapons and burn them, both shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears, and for seven years they will make fires of them. They will not take wood from the field or gather firewood from the forests, for they will make fires with the weapons; and they will take the spoil of those who despoiled them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them,” declares the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 39:9-10 (NASB)

This describes the clean-up operation that will occur after Gog and his great army are annihilated. The people living in the cities of Israel will gather the weapons for seven years. Seven years reveals there will be a massive number of weapons! They will be made of wood and other materials that burn. Most likely massive bonfires will dot the land. We are also told Israel will plunder the dead soldiers and whatever they will bring with them.

The Valley of Jezreel. Used by Permission of BIblePlaces.com

Israel Will Bury the Dead Soldiers

The third section is still answering our first question, “What will God do to Gog and his great army?” This section covers verses 11-16 and it is titled, “Israel Will Bury the Dead Soldiers.” Verses 9-10 describe the removal of the weapons from the battle. Now we are told the corpses of the dead will be buried. Here is verse 11,

“On that day I will give Gog a burial ground there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea, and it will block off those who would pass by. So they will bury Gog there with all his horde, and they will call it the valley of Hamon-gog. For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. Even all the people of the land will bury them; and it will be to their renown on the day that I glorify Myself,” declares the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 39:11-13 (NASB)

Gog and his army will be buried in the land of Israel and not in their own country and cities. I imagine that would be humiliating to the dead if they understood they were buried on a foreign battlefield and not at home near their family. We are also told that there will be so many dead soldiers that their bodies will block those who are trying to travel from the east side of Israel to the Mediterranean Sea. I can imagine that it will be like a massive snowstorm that prevents automobiles and trucks from traveling. Imagine knowing that your body is an inconvenience!

Then we are told the dead will be buried in the valley of Hamon-gog. Sometimes this valley is translated as “The Valley of the Travelers” because that is the Hebrew meaning. We will talk more about the last part of verse 13 in the next study.

Verses 14-16 continue describing the burial process.

“They will set apart men who will constantly pass through the land, burying those who were passing through, even those left on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. As those who pass through the land pass through and anyone sees a man’s bone, then he will set up a marker by it until the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamon-gog. And even the name of the city will be Hamonah. So they will cleanse the land.”’ Ezekiel 39:14-16 (NASB)

For now we must remember that verse 12 said Israel will be burying the dead for seven months. Now verse 14 repeats that message and adds that after seven months, travelers will be asked to look for the bones of the dead soldiers. If a traveler sees any human bones, he will be asked to set a marker so that the bodies and/or bones can be buried in the valley. As the dead are buried, the land will be cleansed. A new city will be added to the Valley of Hamon-gog, which means “the multitude of Gog.” The new city will be called Hamonah, which means “multitude.”

Before we go further, it is important to notice that this valley in which the battle of Gog and Magog will occur is the same valley in which the battle of Armageddon will occur. Why do I say that? First, in Ezekiel 39:11 we learn that the valley of Hamon-gog runs east and west. We are told that people will travel east from the sea, that is, the Mediterranean Sea. That means this valley travels east and west. Second, a topographical map shows us that in Israel only the Valley of Jezreel runs east and west. This means the Valley of Hamon-gog will be a future name for the Valley of Jezreel.

Third, Zechariah 12:11 reveals the battle of Armageddon will occur in the plain of Megiddo which is a wide-open field in the Valley of Jezreel (Ezekiel 39:5), which will be the Valley of Hamon-gog. Therefore, the battle of Gog and Magog will occur in the Valley of Hamon-gog which is the same valley in which the battle of Armageddon will occur. This reinforces the point that the battle of Gog and Magog will occur at the end of the tribulation.

Plain of Megiggo and the Vallley of Jezreel. Used by Permission of BIblePlaces.com

Birds Will Eat the Dead Bodies

The fourth section is still answering our first question, “What will God do to Gog and his great army?” This section is verses 17-20 and it is titled, “Birds Will Eat the Dead Bodies.” Here is verse 17,

“As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Speak to every kind of bird and to every beast of the field, “Assemble and come, gather from every side to My sacrifice which I am going to sacrifice for you, as a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, as though they were rams, lambs, goats and bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan. So you will eat fat until you are glutted, and drink blood until you are drunk, from My sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. You will be glutted at My table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all the men of war,” declares the Lord GOD.”’” Ezekiel 39:17-20 (NASB)

This section tells us that Yahweh will send every kind of bird and land animal to eat the flesh of the dead soldiers. They will be called to eat the soldiers as if they were rams, lambs, goats, or bulls. It will be as though they are invited to a smorgasbord. It is important to notice that every kind of bird will be invited to eat. According to Leviticus 11:13-19, Jews were not allowed to eat unclean birds and unclean animals. But here unclean birds and animals were invited to eat these unclean soldiers. Eating the deceased unclean soldiers is an okay process by unclean animals because verses 12, 14, and 16 said that the land will need to be cleansed.

It is also important to notice that Revelation 19:17-18, 21 says that at the battle of Armageddon, the birds of the air will be called to eat the flesh of kings, commanders, mighty men, horses, the horsemen, and everyone involved in the battle. This helps us understand when the battle of Gog and Magog will occur.

At this point we know the answer to the first question, “What will God do to Gog and his great army?” The answer is that God will defeat Gog and his massive army. Then for seven months their weapons will be burned, the birds and land animals will eat the flesh of the soldiers, and the bones of the soldiers will be buried. It will be a humiliating defeat.

We must not miss the point that Yahweh can and will destroy even this massive army. Revelation 19:19 tells us that they will try to defeat Christ at His second coming, but they cannot and will never defeat Him! Our God is the ruler over the universe and this world. The leaders of nations today do not realize that God made them the leaders. They are His servants. They have failed to recognize that God is King over the nations. This fact will be unavoidable at the second coming of Christ. He will prove there are no other gods.

Conclusion

We will continue our study next time. We will then discover the answers to the second and third questions and also learn more about how the battle of Gog and Magog fits into Daniel 11:40-45. We will also finish Ezekiel 39 which reveals how God will be glorified in the millennial kingdom. For now, we have learned that God will have complete control of everything in the future just as He always has.

We will stop here and continue in our next study.