A question for Bible Scholars?

Question

(Ezekiel38:2) "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him"

My Question is: Who is Gog? And where is the land of Magog? Can some one explain? Thanks in advance

Well Excuse me! Joe Citizen66, for using as term that you disaprove of I didn't know you would, bongernet, you must not have much to do with the Bible, is that why you call it fairy tales? Why, then, give an answer for fairlytales?

Answer 1

The central figure, or leader, of the earth-wide assault against the Messianic Kingdom and its subjects, according to Revelation, is Satan the Devil. He is the only person in the Biblical record who can be said to fulfill adequately the description and role assigned to ‘Gog of Magog’ in the prophecy given to Ezekiel. The prophecy in Ezekiel concerning Gog therefore points to a vicious, earth-wide assault on God’s people, an assault engineered and led by the abased Satan the Devil. This attack is what triggers the complete wiping out of such Satanic forces by means of God’s awesome power.—Eze 38:18-22.

Both names (Gog and Magog) are shown to apply to “those nations in the four corners of the earth” who allow themselves to be misled by Satan after he is released from the symbolic “abyss.” Since other texts show that the Millennial Rule of Christ brings an end to national rule and divisions (Da 2:44; 7:13, 14), it would appear that such “nations” are the product of rebellion against his earth-wide dominion. They advance “over the breadth of the earth” to encircle “the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city.” This comes after the Millennial Rule over earth by Christ Jesus has reached its completion.—Re 20:2, 3, 7-9.

Answer 2

[38:1-39:20] These three oracles against Gog may refer either to a specific foreign invasion in the future, or to the apocalyptic struggle between good and evil at the end of time. By some they are ascribed to a later author than Ezekiel, who lived after the exile and the return to Palestine.

[2] Gog: the name is almost certainly a symbolic one taken from that of Gyges, king of Lydia, whether or not the prophet has a specific person in mind. The gloss Magog may be an Akkadian expression, mat-Gog, "the land of Gog." Meshech and Tubal, as well as Gomer and Beth-togarmah (Ezekiel 38:6), were countries around the Black Sea, the northernmost countries known to the Hebrews: the north (cf also Ezekiel 38:22(15)) was the traditional direction from which invasion was expected; cf Jeremiah 1:13-15.

Answer 3

One explanation that I heard recently: The word 'gog' in hebrew has the numerical value of 12. So Gog from Magog can be rendered as 12 from 12...meaning a unifier amongst 12 nations. Which 12 nations? The 12 nations that arose from Ishmael....ie Islam.

Therefore, Gog from Magog will be a unifier in the muslim world who will then lead a war against Jews and Christians culminating in the final battle at Megiddo.

Answer 4

Gog: Rather, "Gog (the prince) of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal." By Magog is most probably meant the Scythians or Tartars, called so by Arabian and Syrian writers, and especially the Turks, who were originally natives of Tartary; and by Rosh, the Russians, descendants of the ancient inhabitants on the river Araxes or Rosh. Rev_20:8-9
Magog: Gen_10:2; 1Ch_1:5
the chief prince of: or, prince of the chief of
Meshech: Eze_27:13, Eze_32:26; Isa_66:19

Answer 5

There is much controversy about exactly "who" Gog and Magog are. We are confident that they were known at the time this was written.
Rabbi David Kimchi says the Christians and Turks,some scolars say GOG Cambyses, king of Persia; Mr. Mede supposes the Americans are meant who were originally colonies of the Scythians, who were descendants of Magog,
Magog he supposes to mean the country of Syria.
One thing is clear, as Gog and Maygog are against Israel...and therefore God himself is against them. Both in Ezekiels time and ours!

Answer 6

Gog and Magog represent all the forces of evil that band together during Armegeddon to battle God. In Ezekiel presents Gog as a force against Israel. Read Revelations 20.

Answer 7

Indo-European Theory: Gog and Magog include the nations descending from Japheth: Russia, the Caucasus(Turkey), Iraq, and the Islamic republics of Central Asia. The coalition is an alliance of Arab nations, Muslim republics, Georgia, southern Russia and the Black sea area.

The prophetic book of Ezekiel has several interpretations of what nations will invade Israel.

Best wishes!

Answer 8

According to Easton's Bible Dictionary.

Gog
(1.) A Reubenite (1 Chr. 5:4), the father of Shimei. (2.) The name of the leader of the hostile party described in Ezek. 38,39, as coming from the "north country" and assailing the people of Israel to their own destruction.

Magog
region of Gog, the second of the "sons" of Japheth (Gen. 10:2; 1 Chr. 1:5). In Ezekiel (38:2; 39:6) it is the name of a nation, probably some Scythian or Tartar tribe descended from Japheth. They are described as skilled horsemen, and expert in the use of the bow. The Latin father Jerome says that this word denotes "Scythian nations, fierce and innumerable, who live beyond the Caucasus and the Lake Maeotis, and near the Caspian Sea, and spread out even onward to India." Perhaps the name "represents the Assyrian Mat Gugi, or 'country of Gugu,' the Gyges of the Greeks" (Sayce's Races, etc.).

Answer 9

Good question. Those were ancient places corresponding roughly to modern day Turks, etc., as explained so well by another answerer here.
I have seen some television ministers say that Gog and Magog and present day U.S. and Europe. That is kind of a stretch....to take ancient prophecies and try to apply them to the modern day is rather tricky. Prophecies meant for these times are tricky enough!

Answer 10

Cookyduster seems to give the literal explanation.
Symbolically Gog is Satan and Magog is the area under his influence ...this world.
Read Ezekial 38 thinking how it might apply to Satan