38:1 The word of the Lord came to me:
The word of Jehovah came once again to Ezekiel. Jehovah would give advance information to Ezekiel about the invasion of Israel by Gog.
38:2 “Son of man, turn toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him (בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם שִׂ֤ים פָּנֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־גֹּוג֙ אֶ֣רֶץ הַמָּגֹ֔וג נְשִׂ֕יא רֹ֖אשׁ מֶ֣שֶׁךְ וְתֻבָ֑ל וְהִנָּבֵ֖א עָלָֽיו׃)
Ezekiel was once again called a “son of man,” because he was a human being born into the genealogy of Adam.
Ezekiel was to turn north of Israel and prophesy to Gog. Gog was a royal title, meaning "king.” This title is very similar to king, czar, kaiser, emperor, or shah. Gog will be king over “the land of Magog,” which is modern Russia.
The Hebrew word for “prince" is נְשִׂ֕יא (nasi), meaning prince.
The Hebrew word for “chief” is רֹ֖אשׁ (rosh). This is a proper name for the land of northern Russia. Many English versions mistranslate this Hebrew word as “chief,” but it should be translated as Rosh or Russia.
The Hebrew word for Meshech is מֶ֣שֶׁךְ (mescech), which is another proper name for Moscow. Moscow would be the area of southern Russia.
The Hebrew word for "Tubal" is תֻבָ֑ל (Tubal), which is another proper name for Tobolsk. Tobolsk is the modern capital of Siberia. During World War I, Czar Nicholas and the royal family were assassinated in this city by the Bolsheviks. Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, a tremendous Jewish Messianic believer and teacher, was born in this city.
Gog will become the king over the land of Magog. He will become the prince over Rosh (northern Russia), Moscow (southern Russia) and Tobol (Siberia).
According to the rabbinic view in The Artscroll Commentary on Ezekiel, it states, “The Gaonim had a tradition that these controls were indeed located in Russia … One tradition passed down from the Vilna Gaon states: When the Russian navy passes through the Bospores (that is, on the way to Dardanelles), it will be time to put on Sabbath clothes (in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah).”
According to the rabbi, the Messiah ben Joseph (the Suffering Messiah) will be killed in the war of Gog and Magog. This event will cause Jehovah to bring the coming of the Messiah ben David (the Reigning Messiah). This is all rabbinic superstition. The rabbi could not see how one Messiah could suffer and die, but then reign forever. They attempted to solve this problem by inventing two different Messiahs with one coming, instead of one Messiah with two different comings. Jesus came first to die for the sins of mankind. He will come a second time to put and end to sin and reign over the Millennial Kingdom.
38:3 and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
Jehovah is sovereign over all nations, including Russia. Jehovah is against Gog. Gog is the leader of Rosh (northern Russia), Meshech (southern Russia, including Moscow), and Tubal (Siberia, including the capital city of Tobolsk).
38:4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them fully armed, a great company with shields of different types, all of them armed with swords.
Gog will command an army to attack possibly north, but Jehovah will place hooks in the jaws of Russia. Jehovah will drag Russia away from her future conflict and enter into a battle against Israel.
38:5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Put are with them, all of them with shields and helmets.
The Gog (political leader of future Russia) will lead five nations into war against Israel.
The first Russian ally is Persia, which is modern day Iran. At the time of this writing, Israel views Iran as her most dangerous enemy. Currently, ISIS is an Iranian terrorist group who is attempting to build nuclear arms to use as a first strike weapons against Israel.
The second Russian ally is כּ֥וּשׁ (Cush), which is modern day Ethiopia. Many commentators like to look at current events and label this ally as Syria and Iraq. However, if taken literally, then proper hermeneutics show this to be modern Ethiopia.
The third Russian ally is פּוּט (Put), which is Somalia. Somalia borders Ethiopia. Many commentators like to claim that פּוּט (Put) is Lydia, but this is not the case. If this third ally was actually Lydia, then the Hebrew word לוּדֿ (lub) would have been used.
38:6 They are joined by Gomer with all its troops, and by Beth Togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops—many peoples are with you.
The fourth Russian ally is Gomer, which is Germany. This was also the rabbinic view. The Midrash and the Talmud both refer to Gomer as “Germania.”
The fifth Russian ally will be Beth Togarmah, which is present day Armenia. The “many peoples” may be only the five nations listed in verses 1-6, or they may be additional nations under the control of this Russian confederacy. It could also be a mixture of Islamic terrorists who operate in many of the Islamic nations.
Notice that the the focus of this six-nation confederacy is on the geography, not the type of government. Although the physical names of these nations have changed, the geography has not.
Russia has always been a very anti-Semitic nation. After Russia’s cup of iniquity is full, then God will drag Russia into a war with Israel. Russia will violate the Abrahamic Covenant and be destroyed.
38:7 “ ‘Be ready and stay ready, you and all your companies assembled around you, and be a guard for them.
Gog leads the six-nation confederacy against Israel. Israel needs to be ready for this invasion.
38:8 After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come to a land restored from the ravages of war, with many peoples gathered on the mountains of Israel that had long been in ruins. Its people were brought out from the peoples, and all of them will be living securely.
This invasion will take place in the latter years in the mountains of Israel. At the time of this invasion, the ruined cities of Israel must be rebuilt from the ravages of war. The people of Israel would have to be brought out of other lands to live in this rebuilt land. This military advance must be upon a restored Israel while they are living in the land in a state in unbelief. (According to later verses, Israel will not become believers until after this war). The only time in which Israel has existed in this condition is the modern Israel of today (which was established in 1948). Israel will have to live in their land in peace. The Antichrist will give a false peace to Israel during the first 3.5 years of the Great Tribulation.
38:9 You will advance; you will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the earth, you, all your troops, and the many other peoples with you.
The advance of this six-nation confederacy is compared to the advance of a dark storm which covers the whole earth.
38:10 “ ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan.
The judgment of Russia begins with her premeditated evil thoughts of invading Israel. This is a foolish thing for Russia to do, because Israel is protected by the Abrahamic Covenant.
38:11 You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled towns; I will advance against those living quietly in security—all of them living without walls and barred gates—
Israel is a land of many unwalled kibbutzim. Kibbutzim are unwalled farming communities. Russia will feel confident that she can defeat Israel.
38:12 to loot and plunder, to attack the inhabited ruins and the people gathered from the nations, who are acquiring cattle and goods, who live at the center of the earth.”
The purpose of the Russian invasion will be to plunder Israel. Russia is interested in the cattle, silver, gold, and goods of Israel. This verse says nothing about Russia wanting Dead Sea minerals, standard oil, or a warm water seaport to launch Russian nuclear submarines (as many commentators have suggested).
38:13 Sheba and Dedan and the traders of Tarshish with all its young warriors will say to you, “Have you come to loot? Have you assembled your armies to plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to haul away a great amount of spoils?” ’
There are three future nations who will protest this invasion. Sheba and Dedan are countries in northern Arabia. Some of the Arabian states will not favor this invasion.
Tarshish will also protest this future Russian-led invasion. There are three locations of Tarshish in Scripture. First, there is the unknown Tarshish city which was located somewhere on the east coast of Africa. Second, Spain was founded by the city of Tyre. The young warriors of Spain would be the colonies which she founded in Central and South America (excluding Portugal). Third, there is the British Tarshish, which gave birth to the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other present-day western democracies.
Since Ezekiel used Tarshish in other passages of his book as the Phoenician colony in Spain, then the protesters must be from Spain. Their “young warriors” would be the nations which Spain founded (Central and South America). Since Spain discovered America, this protest could also come from many of the nations of the western hemisphere.
38:14 “Therefore, prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day when my people Israel are living securely, you will take notice
Jehovah commanded Ezekiel to prophesy to the future leader of this Russian-led confederacy invasion against Israel. Jehovah is sovereign over all nations, including these nations who will attack Israel in the future. Israel will live in peace and security for the first 3.5 years of the Great Tribulation.
38:15 and come from your place, from the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a vast army.
Notice that the Russian-led confederacy comes from “the remote parts of the north.” From Israel, the remote part of the north is Russia. Notice that this confederate army will be riding on horses and not jeeps, tanks, and airplanes. In the future, metal, oil, and technology might be confiscated by the Antichrist. The first six seals will devastate the global economy.
38:16 You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud covering the earth. In the latter days I will bring you against my land so that the nations may acknowledge me, when before their eyes I magnify myself through you, O Gog.
The Russian confederacy will advance against Israel like a dark cloud which covers the earth. Things will look very bad for Israel. This invasion will happen in the latter days. In earlier passages, Jehovah gave Russian’s motive for invading Israel. She wanted plunder. In this verse, Jehovah gave His own motive for allowing this Russiam invasion. He wants to supernaturally destroy Russia in front of the entire world so that all off the nations on the earth will know that Jehovah is Lord.
38:17 “ ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days that I would bring you against them?
Jehovah warned Russia of the results of this invasion by His Jewish prophets.
38:18 On that day, when Gog invades the land of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord, my rage will mount up in my anger.
When Russia touches the apple of God’s eye, when the Wife of Jehovah is violated, when Russia's cup of iniquity is full, then God will become angry and move out in judgment against Russia.
38:19 In my zeal, in the fire of my fury, I declare that on that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.
Jehovah will cause a supernatural earthquake to destroy the armies of the Russian Confederacy.
38:20 The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the wild beasts, all the things that creep on the ground, and all people who live on the face of the earth will shake at my presence. The mountains will topple, the cliffs will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground.
The earthquake will not only kill the Russian confederacy, but it will also effect the animal kingdom living in that area. Mountains, cliffs, and walls will fall to the ground and kill these Russian Confederacy soldiers.
38:21 I will call for a sword to attack Gog on all my mountains, declares the sovereign Lord; every man’s sword will be against his brother.
Jehovah will cause the soldiers to attack each other in civil war. This was a similar tactic which Jehovah used against the Midianites in Gideon's day.
38:22 I will judge him with plague and bloodshed. I will rain down on him, his troops and the many peoples who are with him a torrential downpour, hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
The soldiers will die by disease and bloodshed. Fire and brimstone will come down from heaven and devour many of the soldiers. This supernatural Sodom-and-Gomorrah-like destruction will be a powerful witness to the world that Jehovah is the one true God.
38:23 I will exalt and magnify myself; I will reveal myself before many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’
The protesting nations will not have a chance to get involved in this conflict. When Russia’s cup of iniquity is full, when the apple of God’s eye is touched, when the Wife of Jehovah is violated, then God will supernaturally destroy Russian and her confederacy. Then, the whole world will know that Jehovah is the Lord.