Paul the Poke

Ezekiel 38:2 Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him…

Revelation 20:7-8 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.

There is plenty of discussion about these two sets of Bible verses. Some would say this is the same scenario and is to take place after Jesus Christ’s Millennial Kingdom.

Others would say these are two different events in history. The Ezekiel scenario takes place before the Millennial Kingdom and the Revelation scenario takes place after the Millennial Kingdom.

Full disclosure, it is the website’s position these are two different events in history.

The first difference is the calling of Gog of Magog. In Ezekiel, it is God Himself who calls Gog. The good Lord is going fishing.

Ezekiel 38:4 And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords.

In Revelation, Gog and Magog are manipulated and tricked by Satan.

Revelation 20:8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.

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A second observation is the audience. In Ezekiel 38-39, it is stated multiple times that Gog of Magog will come from the north. All things are relative to the center of the earth (Ezekiel 38:12), Israel. What are the uttermost parts of the north, modern day Russia.

Ezekiel 38:15 You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army.

For other references to the north, see Ezekiel 38:6, 39:2.

In Revelation, Satan deceives the nations or ἔθνος/ethnos in the Greek from the entirety of the earth, the four corners of the earth.

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The third consideration is the time point.

The Revelation reference is straight forward. It is post Millennial Kingdom, 1,000 years after Jesus Christ has returned to earth to establish the Kingdom.

Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison…

In Ezekiel 38-39, there are a couple of references to “the latter years“. The Hebrew term acharith could also be translated “end“. This is often a time referred to as prior to the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of the Kingdom.

Ezekiel 38:8 After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them.

See also Ezekiel 38:16 for latter or end years reference.

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Personally, the most compelling evidence lies in the geographical differences. The Revelation reference refers to the broad plain of the earth.

Revelation 20:9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them…

…the broad plain of the earth… Notice the term is singular, one land mass. Mountains and islands are not mentioned. They have been removed. The Greek word for “broad plain” is platos (πλάτος). Per Strong’s Concordance, the term suggests great extent. The Greek word for “earth” is ge (γῆ). The term is defined as: arable land; the ground, the earth as a standing place.

As of today in the 21st century, the “beloved city” is Jerusalem. And it sits on a mountain top. At some point in the future, geography will change.

Prior to the physical return of Jesus Christ to earth and at least another 1,000 years to the events in Revelation 20 with Gog and Magog, this takes place.

Revelation 16:20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.

The idea of no more mountains and changed geography is noted in multiple places in the Bible. Revelation is not the only source of this concept.

Psalm 97:5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

Psalm 46:6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.

Isaiah 24:1 Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants.

Isaiah 24:19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken.

Micah 1:4 And the mountains will melt under him, and the valleys will split open, like wax before the fire, like waters poured down a steep place.

The level of destruction is unimaginable. We cannot comprehend. It says what it says.

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In the Ezekiel 38-39 scenario there are multiple references to the mountains of Israel. Notice the context of the verse below is a great earthquake. The result speaks for itself.

Ezekiel 38:20b …And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground.

See also Ezekiel 38:8, 21, 39:2, 4 for Israel mountain references.

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It stands to reason, these are two separate events which are separated by at least 1,000 years.

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