MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By Joel Richardson – “The prophecy of Ezekiel 38 and 39, often referred to as the Battle of Gog and Magog, is hands-down one of the most important and influential end-time prophecies in all of Scripture. But it is also one of the most controversial and widely misunderstood prophecies. Throughout the Church today, a vast number of Christians believe that Ezekiel 38 and 39 predicts a Russian-led invasion of Israel in the last days. Ever since the release of the Scofield Reference Bible, this view has been echoed in dozens upon dozens of prophecy books, in thousands of end-time sermons, and today in countless online end-time discussion forums and articles. I cannot understate how well-established and influential the Russian-Gog view is. Consider for example, the comments made by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1971, to a room full of state legislators:

‘Ezekiel tells us that Gog, the nation that will lead all of the other powers against Israel, will come out of the north. Biblical scholars have been saying for generations that Gog must be Russia. What other powerful nation is to the north of Israel? None.’

But how do so many many Christians arrive at this idea? What is the primary basis for such a belief? This view is rooted in the fact that ‘Gog,’ the leader of the Ezekiel’s prophesied invasion, is from the land of ‘Magog,’ which is most-often claimed as a reference to Russia.

If one Googles the terms ‘Gog and Magog’ and ‘map,’ numerous maps created by various prophecy ministries or teachers will pop up. I’ve included several below. Take note of where Magog is always located…” Read more.

Related: What is the War of Gog-Magog? – “One common misconception, in my view, is that the war described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 — often referred to as the War of Gog-Magog — is a war that happens either just before or immediately after the start of ‘Daniel’s 70th week’. If we take the time to closely examine the text, however, I believe that we can ascertain that Gog-Magog is a battle that, without a doubt, can only culminate at Armageddon.” Read more.