Hello everyone! It's been too long since I last posted on Unsealed, but time and energy are precious commodities these days. During this blog break, however, I've had some opportunity to do some further research on a topic that I have been meditating on ever since I encountered a compelling variant reading in the book of Numbers a few years back.
Based on the title of this post, I have already tipped my hand and given away the fact that we will be discussing the ever-mysterious Gog as depicted by the prophet Ezekiel (chapters 38-39). You can also thank me in advance for not going with the original title, which would have been "Of Gog and Eggnog"—you know, reason being that I was feeling a bit festive and it's the winter holiday season and all that (so it wasn't one of my best ideas...don't judge me too harshly, ok?).
Anyway, during this study, I've had to challenge some old assumptions and be open to the fact that I had been misapplying Ezekiel in order to shoe-horn the events of 38–39 into my own eschatological calendar. Don't get me wrong, I am still adamantly Pre-Trib, Pre-Millennial in my eschatology, but I think we (and by "we" I mean modern evangelical, dispensational believers) have tortured the text of Ezekiel to the point where it no longer coheres with its immediate context. And, as a result of trying to wedge the Gog/Magog war within our charts, graphs, and timelines, I believe we are further obscuring the overall intent of the author (and Author).
My first exposure to Ezekiel 38–39 came immediately after becoming a born-again believer by way of Joel Rosenberg's book Epicenter, a non-fiction best-seller that speculated at length about the Gog/Magog alliance being formed right before our eyes on the world stage. The ideas put forth in Joel's book held by many evangelical Christians are largely influenced by works such as the Scofield Reference Bible, Tim LaHaye's Left Behind series, and other 20th-century dispensational forerunners. While I agree with a lot of Joel's theology, I find it extremely difficult now to get the image of Vladimir Putin out of my head whenever I think of Gog, because this connection was etched into my brain very early on. I'm guessing the same goes for many reading this, too.
That being said, I still wholeheartedly affirm that we are in the last minutes of the last days and that the stage is being set for the events of the Rapture of the Church and Israel's Tribulation. But when it comes to identifying Gog of Ezekiel 38-39, are we placing too much emphasis on the physical, geo-political realm while devaluing and under-appreciating the spiritual, unseen dimension of what is being revealed in these prophetic texts? If Russia attacks Israel tomorrow, then would that really fulfill everything shown to us in chapters 38-39? And here's an even thornier question to camp out on: Is Gog even a flesh-and-blood, human leader? Could he possibly be one of the current ruling class of fallen angels that hold sway over particular nations? (e.g., Dan. 10:13; 20–21; and Deut. 32:8–9—see ESV, NET, NLT, and the forthcoming LSV)!
Some will surely misunderstand my intentions or think that I am abandoning the literal approach to Scripture altogether in order to open wide the doors for full-blown allegory. Not so.
I am only trying to take into account all of the data that we currently possess and interpret the data in its own context and cultural setting. Too much of the Gog speculation, in my opinion, has been fraught with hasty proof-texting and cherry-picking to suit the headlines. Plus, I get the impression from some teachers of Bible prophecy that the only purpose for Gog/Magog is to set the table for greater, even more climactic battles, when in reality, Ezekiel 38-39 could very well represent the climax in a long history of wars and rumors thereof.
Think about it: In our eagerness and zeal to bring on the last days by voraciously following Russia and/or Turkey's latest move and power-play—however sincere or well-meaning—we might also be sincerely misinterpreting and misapplying Ezekiel 38–39 in the process. There is a legitimate reason for the content and arrangement of chapters 38–39, but I am having serious second thoughts about using these texts to uphold the proposition that Gog/Magog is on the cusp of fulfillment, especially before the Rapture of the Church and Israel's Tribulation.
The main interpretative issues in the Gog/Magog narrative are well-summarized by Ralph Alexander, professor of Hebrew Scripture at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary:
Students of biblical prophecy are familiar with the major two-fold problem within these chapters: the identity of Gog and the position of his invasion in the time continuum of biblical eschatology. (from "A Fresh Look at Ezekiel 38 and 39", Journal of the Evangelical Society, Summer 1974, pg. 157).
In short, the root issues are Gog's identity and the timing of his invasion against Israel. It is my intention in this study to get a handle on these two issues, because I get the sense that many faithful and well-meaning believers are simply parroting what they've heard from other teachers instead of examining the evidence and thinking for themselves. Also, the watching community could really benefit by putting some fresh eyes on an old, well-worn passage, and my hope is that some things presented here will get the wheels turning (Ezekiel pun intended; cf. Ezek. 1:19–21). First, in order to arrive at a more accurate interpretation and application of Ezekiel 38–39, we will start with an examination of Gog's identity. Then, in a separate post, I will tackle the issue of timing.
By God's will and design, we do not have many inspired books that mention Gog, and, as a result, his name/character isn't as developed compared to other major players in the Bible. Given the scarcity of personal details, we might be more successful in our search for a true identity if we ask ourselves questions that focus primarily on what his presence and activity represent within the entire narrative of Scripture. Therefore, this particular quest for an accurate character profile will be divided into two main tasks:
By God's will and design, we do not have many inspired books that mention Gog, and, as a result, his name/character isn't as developed compared to other major players in the Bible. Given the scarcity of personal details, we might be more successful in our search for a true identity if we ask ourselves questions that focus primarily on what his presence and activity represent within the entire narrative of Scripture. Therefore, this particular quest for an accurate character profile will be divided into two main tasks:
(1) Identify Gog's status/rank among other leaders, princes, and kings in the Bible (Is he a high-ranking stormtrooper or someone more like Darth Vader?)
(2) Identify Gog's nature and origin (Is he a man, devil, or something in between? Is he from the dust of the earth, the heights of heaven, or somewhere in between?)
Are You the One I Spoke About in Former Times?
The most obvious starting point for any study on Gog is Ezekiel 38–39. From these key passages we are able to learn a great deal about the LORD's purpose for Gog and the diverse armies that he leads against Israel in the end-times or "last days" (cf. Ezek. 38:8, 16).
Someone brand new to the Bible may find that key details are somewhat lacking and conclude that there isn't enough to justify further inquiry into a character as minor and insignificant as Gog. After all, it's just two chapters out of the entire Bible, right? And, to add insult to injury, Gog's all-out surprise attack on Israel seems like a real dud based on a cursory read-through. How important and powerful could he be to fall so fast and fail so miserably?
Points well-taken. However, if you keep reading you will discover that compared to other dreams, visions, and narrative sections of Scripture, Ezekiel 38–39 is a huge chunk of text and would appear to be major overkill were Gog some unsuspecting chump who becomes the set-up guy and stepping stone for the Antichrist and his future ten-king confederation (cf. Rev. 13:1–2; 17:12–13). Honestly, if he were simply an overambitious head-of-state, then perhaps he should only get two or three sentences—not two crucial chapters at the end of Ezekiel (one of the "major prophets").
And then there's Ezekiel 38:17:
Whoa. Let that verse sink in for a minute. The God of all creation addresses Gog and asks him directly if he is the one referred to by prophets of Israel's past. Surely then, there has to be something about Gog that predates Ezekiel found in either the Law, the Prophets, or the Writings (TaNaKh). And based on the well-known "law of first mention" and the deliberate, chronological arrangement of the biblical books, shouldn't there be at least one place in Genesis through Deuteronomy where Gog is mentioned to make any sense of Ezekiel 38:17?
Well, for the English reader, it won't be too long before the search ends in disappointment, because there is only one other place in the Old Testament where the term "Gog" shows up (especially if you rely on the Strong's concordance; see H1463). And, alas, the context of 1 Chronicles 5:4 indicates that the other usage of the term is not even remotely close to the figure in Ezekiel. However, this doesn't mean we have to give up the search for the referent of Ezekiel 38:17 just yet! If we keep going, there is another place in the Old Testament that holds even more promise. But we'll have to do some more digging first and will need an able guide to get us there.
Enter: The late John Sailhamer, associate professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. I first heard of Mr. Sailhamer from various citations in Michael Rydelnik's book The Messianic Hope (which I have referenced many times in previous posts), and this scholarly saint, who is now with the Lord, has put forth tremendously helpful articles and books about interpreting the Hebrew Bible based on what he calls a "canonical approach".
Regarding the first five books of the Bible, he demonstrates that there are a total of three "macro-structural junctures" or "compositional seams" in the Pentateuch (Genesis 49; Numbers 24; and Deuteronomy 31). He writes:
These three compositional seams highlighted by Sailhamer are more than summary accounts of Israel's history; rather, they are primarily forward-looking (eschatological) and messianic in focus. In particular, Numbers 24 (as emphasized above) contains an overt messianic text with a view to Israel's ultimate future King. Let's first look at a representative sample of Numbers 24:7 as translated by an English version that strictly adheres to the primary Hebrew manuscript evidence called the Masoretic Text (MT):
The references to Israel's ultimate King and Messiah are in bold (notice especially that the phrase "his seed" harkens back to the overcoming "seed of the woman" in Gen. 3:15 as well as the prophecy in Gen. 49:10 that speaks of the Messiah being a descendant of Judah, son of Jacob).
Now for most of us, there is nothing too earth-shattering about the typical English rendering of Numbers 24:7. Knowing that we are dealing with future prophecy, we should expect to find many verses in Numbers 24 that are about the Messiah. However, take a look at Numbers 24:7 again—this time from the main Greek version of the Old Testament (the Septuagint/LXX):
For a second witness, here is another English translation of the Greek text of Num. 24:7 from Peter Flint (New English Translation of the Septuagint, or NETS):
If you were in the middle of eating while reading that, you might have just "Agag"-ed! Things just got a little more interesting—or confusing depending on where you are in your spiritual journey. What exactly is going on between these two readings and how do we explain the discrepancy? Is Christ greater than Agag, or Gog?
Well, wouldn't you know—every other manuscript witness to Numbers 24:7 agrees with the Septuagint reading of "Gog", except for the Masoretic Text...it stands alone with "Agag." There's a lot that could be said for this, but there is one thing that every sober-minded student of the Word should know: The Masoretic Text is an excellent witness and arguably the most reliable manuscript evidence we have in regard to the Old Testament, but it is not the inspired text. That might sound harsh or heretical, but it's the truth.
Perhaps, after spending some time in 1 Samuel 15–16, one of the Masoretic scribes saw "Gog" (Hebrew consonants G-W-G, "gimel, vav, gimel") and thought: How odd? This should really be "Agag" (A-G-G, "aleph, gimel, gimel"). Moreover, there is a known tendency in the Masoretic Text noted by a few sharp scholars where the scribes provide a more historical, "anti-messianic" (i.e., anti-Jesus) translation (or, really an "interpretation"). In some places it's more of a sub-conscious, accidental type error; however, in other places the scribal mix-up reeks of a bias against anything that looks and sounds like Y-E-S-H-U-A.
Here's Michael Rydelnik to weigh in:
He goes on to summarize the interpretative issue in Numbers 24:7:
Sailhamer, in two of his scholarly works, also summarizes this significant issue between the Masoretic reading versus every other textual witness to Numbers 24:7:
Next, he concludes and drives the point home:
Wow, I don't know about you, but if indeed the Masoretic Text is corrupted in Num. 24:7 and all the other versions are correct, this is a game-changer when it comes to interpreting the events of Ezekiel 38–39. Balaam's vision, as recorded by Israel's prophet, Moses, isn't about the historical David conquering the historical Agag at all—it's a last days prophecy about the greater David (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12–13; Ps. 110:1; Ezek. 37:24) defeating and overthrowing the rule of a fearsome enemy named "Gog" (notice also, inside the same oracle about Israel's Messiah-King, a direct allusion is made to Gen. 49:9 in Num. 24:9)!
So, is the Gog of Ezekiel 38–39 just the set-up guy for the Antichrist and his kingdom? It's kind of hard to justify that assumption if Numbers 24:7 speaks of Gog as a direct rival to the Messiah before the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom and beyond. In other words, it doesn't appear that Gog is a mere human puppet who gets dragged into a suicide mission in order to set the table for even greater and more fearsome kings in the Tribulation.
Stormtrooper, Darth Vader, or perhaps even a Palpatine? Decide for yourselves, but consider the internal and external evidence presented thus far:
Summary of Gog Identification Task #1 (His Status/Rank): According to Numbers 24:7, Gog is no third-string, minor league villain; the prophecy portrays this end-times player as a legit rival and threat to Israel's Messiah and His Kingdom
Flesh or Spirit? Prince of Rosh or Chief Prince?
Building on the paradigm-shifting discovery in Numbers 24:7, let's turn now to look more closely at other Gog descriptors that will help us form an educated interpretation about his true nature and place of origin.
Before we discuss any adjectives or place names associated with the eschatological tyrant, let's look at the noun "Gog" by itself. The Hebrew term "Gog" is shrouded in mystery, and many scholars aren't clear about the etymological root meaning. One dictionary entry concludes that the name Gog functions more as a "cipher" or code word rather than a proper name like "Bob" or "Joe":
Thus, the noun "Gog" would be functionally equivalent to a term such as "Satan" (which means
"adversary" in Hebrew), or "Babylon" (e.g. 1 Pet. 5:13; Rev. 16:19; and Rev. 17:5; the name "Babylon" is a cipher that transcends the historical kingdom of Babylon and serves to alert biblically-informed readers about the nature of a particular city/empire in the future).
Michael Heiser, scholar in the fields of biblical studies and the ancient Near East, suggests that "Gog" might derive from the Sumerian word gug, which means "darkness." If true, that would jive really well with Paul's spiritual "powers of darkness" in Ephesians 6. Additionally, on subject of Gog's supernatural identity, Heiser writes:
We've already seen from Numbers 24:7 that the name "Gog" is used in reference to an end-times enemy that rivals the Messiah; therefore, on the surface at least, he is depicted as one who is in the same league as the Antichrist, or even Satan himself.
Heiser also comments on the literary and theological backdrop of Ezekiel 38–39:
And, if you've never heard of the concept of a "supernatural north" existing alongside the geographical north, then consider this:
This supernatural side to Gog sort of adds a whole new dimension to Ezek. 38:17, doesn't it? Are you the one spoken of from long ago? Well, maybe Gog has existed from that long ago! From the viewpoint of an ancient Jewish believer there is definitely more going on than meets the eye, and it sure seems like the specter of Gog looms larger than, let's say, the memory of a historical tyrant such as Napoleon or Adolf Hitler. In short, the place where Gog comes from, "the heights of the north" (Ezek. 38:6, 15; 39:2), isn't limited exclusively to the literal, geographical plane, it can also refer to unseen geography—another dimension—such as the place where God and His angels dwell (see especially Isa. 14:13–14).
Furthermore, in addition to Numbers 24:7, there are other variant readings within the Greek translation of the Old Testament that, at the very least, demonstrate that early scribes and readers of the Bible understood the personage of "Gog" to be a supernatural being.
Here's Heiser again:
While the strength for these variant texts in Amos and Deuteronomy isn't as overwhelming as the weight of evidence for the Numbers 24:7 translation, the fact that scribes as early as 2nd/1st-century BC were associating "Gog" with descendants of the Nephilim/giants and a supernatural king of demonic locust armies is highly suggestive. Ancient readers and translators of the biblical text weren't thinking in terms of a flesh-and-blood earthly dictator—Gog was code for something supernatural and superhuman.
At this point, after examining key biblical evidence, I find it more and more challenging to justify prior assumptions about a Russian, Turkish, or European autocrat filling Gog's shoes. That being said, supernatural Gog aside, I do not deny a literal fulfillment of earthly armies invading Jerusalem in the last days—they'll be there too. However, there is still a need for the watching community to be exposed to the biblical evidence that supplies the supernatural and climactic backdrop to Ezekiel 38–39. The supernatural element within these monumental end-times passages has been lacking in our prophecy circles.
Finally, there is one other Gog descriptor that has been a source of stumbling. The controversy centers around the Hebrew term "Rosh" as seen in Ezek. 38:2; 39:1. In short, the English versions are divided on whether to translate the word as an adjective "chief, head" (see KJV, NIV, NET, ESV, et al) or as a proper noun (i.e., a place named "Rosh"; see NASB, NKJV, ASV, YLT, et al).
J. Paul Tanner, research professor and writer in the field of Old Testament studies, addresses the issue:
As you can see, one misunderstanding of grammar and syntax can lead to a huge misconception that can later turn into a misapplication. In the case of Ezek. 38:2 and 39:1, many prophecy teachers of the past and present have leaned heavily on "Rosh" being a geographical location, which phonetically resembles modern-day Russia. Consequently, the mistranslation is then accepted and parroted by the Church-at-large as biblical proof that Russia is Magog, and by default, "Gog" must be the Russian "prince" leading the rest of the armies against Israel.
Generally speaking, the Hebrew word rosh in the majority of OT contexts means "chief, head" (as in Rosh Hashanah, "head of the year"). Therefore, the evidence to support "Rosh" as a proper name or geographical location is lacking, stemming from a mistranslation of Hebrew syntax, and likely used in order to prop-up a personal belief that Russia is Magog.
Whether or not the common Hebrew terms for "prince/ruler" such as sar (Ezek. 11:1; Dan. 10:13), nasi (Ezek. 38:2), or nagid (Dan. 9:26) refer to a human or divine leader is entirely dependent upon the context. Even a Hebrew word like malach ("angel/messenger"), which carries a connotation of clouds, harps, and a heavenly residence for many, has such flexibility that it can describe both a human or heavenly creature—all entirely dependent on context (compare Mal. 2:7 and Zech. 3:1).
The same principle applies to the "chief prince of Meschech and Tubal." Is he human or divine? Natural or supernatural? It all depends on the immediate context and other inner-biblical associations. Michael, for example, the supernatural ruler who has delegated rule and authority over Israel from the Most High, is also a "chief prince" (a.k.a. "archangel"; cf. Dan. 10:13; 12:1; 1 Thess. 4:16). Consequently, when we view Ezekiel 38–39 in isolation, we are more likely to see only a human leader. However, once we bring in other inner-biblical associations such as the material shown throughout this article, the "chief prince" of Ezek. 38:2 and 39:1 suddenly resembles one of the fallen angels who has dominion over certain nations/people groups, or at the very least, he could also be a powerful, hybrid creature from both heavenly and earthly realms (i.e., Nephilim/giant; cf. Gen. 6:4; Num. 13:32–33).
Summary of Gog Identification Task #2 (His Nature/Origin): According to inner-biblical links and associations which provide the theological background to Ezekiel 38–39, Gog is no mere mortal or run-of-the-mill communist dictator; rather, the biblical portrait reveals him as a powerful, supernatural entity who wields significant influence over both demonic and human armies.
End of Part I (Gog's Identity)
This concludes Part I of the series. Hopefully I've given you enough to chew on for awhile (at least enough time for me to write up the next installment!). In the next post, we will take a look at the second major interpretative issue concerning the Gog/Magog invasion: The timing of the war in light of other more well-defined eschatological events inside a pre-millennial, dispensational framework.
Stay tuned, and stay armored up (Eph. 6:10–12)!
Are You the One I Spoke About in Former Times?
The most obvious starting point for any study on Gog is Ezekiel 38–39. From these key passages we are able to learn a great deal about the LORD's purpose for Gog and the diverse armies that he leads against Israel in the end-times or "last days" (cf. Ezek. 38:8, 16).
Someone brand new to the Bible may find that key details are somewhat lacking and conclude that there isn't enough to justify further inquiry into a character as minor and insignificant as Gog. After all, it's just two chapters out of the entire Bible, right? And, to add insult to injury, Gog's all-out surprise attack on Israel seems like a real dud based on a cursory read-through. How important and powerful could he be to fall so fast and fail so miserably?
Points well-taken. However, if you keep reading you will discover that compared to other dreams, visions, and narrative sections of Scripture, Ezekiel 38–39 is a huge chunk of text and would appear to be major overkill were Gog some unsuspecting chump who becomes the set-up guy and stepping stone for the Antichrist and his future ten-king confederation (cf. Rev. 13:1–2; 17:12–13). Honestly, if he were simply an overambitious head-of-state, then perhaps he should only get two or three sentences—not two crucial chapters at the end of Ezekiel (one of the "major prophets").
And then there's Ezekiel 38:17:
This is what the Lord GOD says: Are you the one I spoke about in former times through My servants, the prophets of Israel, who for years prophesied in those times that I would bring you against them? (HCSB).
Whoa. Let that verse sink in for a minute. The God of all creation addresses Gog and asks him directly if he is the one referred to by prophets of Israel's past. Surely then, there has to be something about Gog that predates Ezekiel found in either the Law, the Prophets, or the Writings (TaNaKh). And based on the well-known "law of first mention" and the deliberate, chronological arrangement of the biblical books, shouldn't there be at least one place in Genesis through Deuteronomy where Gog is mentioned to make any sense of Ezekiel 38:17?
Well, for the English reader, it won't be too long before the search ends in disappointment, because there is only one other place in the Old Testament where the term "Gog" shows up (especially if you rely on the Strong's concordance; see H1463). And, alas, the context of 1 Chronicles 5:4 indicates that the other usage of the term is not even remotely close to the figure in Ezekiel. However, this doesn't mean we have to give up the search for the referent of Ezekiel 38:17 just yet! If we keep going, there is another place in the Old Testament that holds even more promise. But we'll have to do some more digging first and will need an able guide to get us there.
Enter: The late John Sailhamer, associate professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. I first heard of Mr. Sailhamer from various citations in Michael Rydelnik's book The Messianic Hope (which I have referenced many times in previous posts), and this scholarly saint, who is now with the Lord, has put forth tremendously helpful articles and books about interpreting the Hebrew Bible based on what he calls a "canonical approach".
Regarding the first five books of the Bible, he demonstrates that there are a total of three "macro-structural junctures" or "compositional seams" in the Pentateuch (Genesis 49; Numbers 24; and Deuteronomy 31). He writes:
A close look at the material lying between and connecting the narrative and poetic sections reveals the presence of a homogenous compositional stratum. It is most noticeably marked by the recurrence of the same terminology and narrative motifs. In each of the three segments, the central narrative figure (Jacob, Balaam, Moses) calls an audience together (imperative: Gen. 49:1; Num. 24:14; Deut. 31:28) and proclaims (cohortative: Gen. 49:1; Num. 24:14; Deut. 31:28) what will happen (Gen. 49:1; Num. 24:14; Deut. 31:29) in the 'end of days' (Gen. 49:1; Num. 24:14; Gen. 31:29). (from "The Canonical Approach to the OT: Its Effect on Understanding Prophecy" in Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Sept. 1987, pg. 310, emphasis mine).
These three compositional seams highlighted by Sailhamer are more than summary accounts of Israel's history; rather, they are primarily forward-looking (eschatological) and messianic in focus. In particular, Numbers 24 (as emphasized above) contains an overt messianic text with a view to Israel's ultimate future King. Let's first look at a representative sample of Numbers 24:7 as translated by an English version that strictly adheres to the primary Hebrew manuscript evidence called the Masoretic Text (MT):
Water shall flow from his [Jacob/Israel's] buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. (ESV).
The references to Israel's ultimate King and Messiah are in bold (notice especially that the phrase "his seed" harkens back to the overcoming "seed of the woman" in Gen. 3:15 as well as the prophecy in Gen. 49:10 that speaks of the Messiah being a descendant of Judah, son of Jacob).
Now for most of us, there is nothing too earth-shattering about the typical English rendering of Numbers 24:7. Knowing that we are dealing with future prophecy, we should expect to find many verses in Numbers 24 that are about the Messiah. However, take a look at Numbers 24:7 again—this time from the main Greek version of the Old Testament (the Septuagint/LXX):
A man will come forth from his seed and prevail over many peoples, and he will be raised up higher than the kingdom of Gog, and his kingdom will increase. (Rick Brannan et al., The Lexham English Septuagint).
For a second witness, here is another English translation of the Greek text of Num. 24:7 from Peter Flint (New English Translation of the Septuagint, or NETS):
A person will come forth from his offspring, and he shall rule over many nations, and reign of him shall be exalted beyond Gog, and his reign shall be increased.
If you were in the middle of eating while reading that, you might have just "Agag"-ed! Things just got a little more interesting—or confusing depending on where you are in your spiritual journey. What exactly is going on between these two readings and how do we explain the discrepancy? Is Christ greater than Agag, or Gog?
Well, wouldn't you know—every other manuscript witness to Numbers 24:7 agrees with the Septuagint reading of "Gog", except for the Masoretic Text...it stands alone with "Agag." There's a lot that could be said for this, but there is one thing that every sober-minded student of the Word should know: The Masoretic Text is an excellent witness and arguably the most reliable manuscript evidence we have in regard to the Old Testament, but it is not the inspired text. That might sound harsh or heretical, but it's the truth.
Perhaps, after spending some time in 1 Samuel 15–16, one of the Masoretic scribes saw "Gog" (Hebrew consonants G-W-G, "gimel, vav, gimel") and thought: How odd? This should really be "Agag" (A-G-G, "aleph, gimel, gimel"). Moreover, there is a known tendency in the Masoretic Text noted by a few sharp scholars where the scribes provide a more historical, "anti-messianic" (i.e., anti-Jesus) translation (or, really an "interpretation"). In some places it's more of a sub-conscious, accidental type error; however, in other places the scribal mix-up reeks of a bias against anything that looks and sounds like Y-E-S-H-U-A.
Here's Michael Rydelnik to weigh in:
...the Masoretic Text is a post-Christian, Jewish version of the Old Testament. As such, it reflects the theological perspective of post-Christian, rabbinic Judaism. Thus, there are several significant examples of the Masoretic Text interpreting Old Testament messianic texts in a distinctly non-messianic (or historical) fashion, whereas other ancient versions interpret the same texts as referring to the Messiah. (from "The Messianic Hope: Is the Hebrew Bible Really Messianic?", 36).
He goes on to summarize the interpretative issue in Numbers 24:7:
The Masoretic Text of Num 24:7 presents a prophecy that would find its fulfillment in Israel's history. However, the alternate versions of this verse look forward to an eschatological messianic fulfillment. (Ibid., 38-39).
Sailhamer, in two of his scholarly works, also summarizes this significant issue between the Masoretic reading versus every other textual witness to Numbers 24:7:
The Masoretic Text, which developed over a period of nearly a millennium, shows many signs of post-biblical, that is, secondary interpretation...the identification of the prophetically announced future king in Numbers 24:7b as the victor of Agag (Masoretic text) rather than Gog (Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion) is clearly intended to link the fulfillment of the prophecy to David's day (e.g. 1 Sam. 15:8) rather than the Messiah's (Ezek. 38:3). (from "Introduction to Old Testament Theology: A Canonical Approach", 220-21).
Next, he concludes and drives the point home:
Ezekiel himself acknowledges he knows of Gog from earlier Scripture (Ezek. 38:17). According to Num 24:24, this king will come after the defeat of Assyria, Babylon, and the rise of the Kittim. This can hardly be David. There is, thus, in the textual history of the Pentateuch a running debate over the identity of this king. The Masoretic Text sees the historical David as the focus of these prophecies. The earlier and more widely represented texts (including Ezekiel's own copy of the Pentateuch) identify the king with an eschatological Redeemer who will defeat Gog (from "The Messiah and the Hebrew Bible" in Journal of the Evangelical Society, Mar. 2001, pg 21).
Wow, I don't know about you, but if indeed the Masoretic Text is corrupted in Num. 24:7 and all the other versions are correct, this is a game-changer when it comes to interpreting the events of Ezekiel 38–39. Balaam's vision, as recorded by Israel's prophet, Moses, isn't about the historical David conquering the historical Agag at all—it's a last days prophecy about the greater David (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12–13; Ps. 110:1; Ezek. 37:24) defeating and overthrowing the rule of a fearsome enemy named "Gog" (notice also, inside the same oracle about Israel's Messiah-King, a direct allusion is made to Gen. 49:9 in Num. 24:9)!
So, is the Gog of Ezekiel 38–39 just the set-up guy for the Antichrist and his kingdom? It's kind of hard to justify that assumption if Numbers 24:7 speaks of Gog as a direct rival to the Messiah before the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom and beyond. In other words, it doesn't appear that Gog is a mere human puppet who gets dragged into a suicide mission in order to set the table for even greater and more fearsome kings in the Tribulation.
Stormtrooper, Darth Vader, or perhaps even a Palpatine? Decide for yourselves, but consider the internal and external evidence presented thus far:
Summary of Gog Identification Task #1 (His Status/Rank): According to Numbers 24:7, Gog is no third-string, minor league villain; the prophecy portrays this end-times player as a legit rival and threat to Israel's Messiah and His Kingdom
Flesh or Spirit? Prince of Rosh or Chief Prince?
Building on the paradigm-shifting discovery in Numbers 24:7, let's turn now to look more closely at other Gog descriptors that will help us form an educated interpretation about his true nature and place of origin.
Before we discuss any adjectives or place names associated with the eschatological tyrant, let's look at the noun "Gog" by itself. The Hebrew term "Gog" is shrouded in mystery, and many scholars aren't clear about the etymological root meaning. One dictionary entry concludes that the name Gog functions more as a "cipher" or code word rather than a proper name like "Bob" or "Joe":
Many [scholars] are convinced that the name Gog is not related to a historical personage...He is a cipher for the evil darkness of the north and personifies the powers hostile to the Lord. (Johan Lust, "Gog", in Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, 374).
Thus, the noun "Gog" would be functionally equivalent to a term such as "Satan" (which means
"adversary" in Hebrew), or "Babylon" (e.g. 1 Pet. 5:13; Rev. 16:19; and Rev. 17:5; the name "Babylon" is a cipher that transcends the historical kingdom of Babylon and serves to alert biblically-informed readers about the nature of a particular city/empire in the future).
Michael Heiser, scholar in the fields of biblical studies and the ancient Near East, suggests that "Gog" might derive from the Sumerian word gug, which means "darkness." If true, that would jive really well with Paul's spiritual "powers of darkness" in Ephesians 6. Additionally, on subject of Gog's supernatural identity, Heiser writes:
The failure to find any secure historical referent for Gog and the fact that the 'far north' from which Gog hailed was so clearly associated with dark supernatural powers have led many scholars to consider Gog as a supernatural terror. This trajectory is in fact more coherent. (from "Reversing Hermon: Enoch, the Watchers, & the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ", 174).
We've already seen from Numbers 24:7 that the name "Gog" is used in reference to an end-times enemy that rivals the Messiah; therefore, on the surface at least, he is depicted as one who is in the same league as the Antichrist, or even Satan himself.
Heiser also comments on the literary and theological backdrop of Ezekiel 38–39:
An ancient reader would have looked for an invasion from the north, but would have cast that invasion in a supernatural context. In other words, the language of Ezekiel is not simply about a human invader or human armies (from "The Unseen Realm", 364–65).
And, if you've never heard of the concept of a "supernatural north" existing alongside the geographical north, then consider this:
While Magog and 'the heights of the north' aren't precisely defined in the Gog prophecy, the point is not about literal geography per se. Rather, it is the supernatural backdrop to the whole 'northern foe' idea that makes any such geographical reference important...[a] supernatural enemy in the end times would be expected to come from the seat of Baal's authority—the supernatural underworld realm of the dead, located in the heights of the north. Gog is explicitly described in such terms" (Ibid., 366, emphasis mine).
This supernatural side to Gog sort of adds a whole new dimension to Ezek. 38:17, doesn't it? Are you the one spoken of from long ago? Well, maybe Gog has existed from that long ago! From the viewpoint of an ancient Jewish believer there is definitely more going on than meets the eye, and it sure seems like the specter of Gog looms larger than, let's say, the memory of a historical tyrant such as Napoleon or Adolf Hitler. In short, the place where Gog comes from, "the heights of the north" (Ezek. 38:6, 15; 39:2), isn't limited exclusively to the literal, geographical plane, it can also refer to unseen geography—another dimension—such as the place where God and His angels dwell (see especially Isa. 14:13–14).
Furthermore, in addition to Numbers 24:7, there are other variant readings within the Greek translation of the Old Testament that, at the very least, demonstrate that early scribes and readers of the Bible understood the personage of "Gog" to be a supernatural being.
Here's Heiser again:
...the Septuagint text of Amos 7:1 mentions Gog as the king of the locust invasion described in that chapter. Locust imagery for invading armies is familiar in the Old Testament, but Revelation 9 connects that language with demonic entities from the abyss...[also] the Septuagint at times interchanges the names Gog and Og, the giant of Bashan. (see for example: LXX Deut. 3:1, 13; 4:47; plus one Greek manuscript curiously has "Og" in place of "Gog" in Ezek. 38:2; "The Unseen Realm", 365, footnote 12).
While the strength for these variant texts in Amos and Deuteronomy isn't as overwhelming as the weight of evidence for the Numbers 24:7 translation, the fact that scribes as early as 2nd/1st-century BC were associating "Gog" with descendants of the Nephilim/giants and a supernatural king of demonic locust armies is highly suggestive. Ancient readers and translators of the biblical text weren't thinking in terms of a flesh-and-blood earthly dictator—Gog was code for something supernatural and superhuman.
At this point, after examining key biblical evidence, I find it more and more challenging to justify prior assumptions about a Russian, Turkish, or European autocrat filling Gog's shoes. That being said, supernatural Gog aside, I do not deny a literal fulfillment of earthly armies invading Jerusalem in the last days—they'll be there too. However, there is still a need for the watching community to be exposed to the biblical evidence that supplies the supernatural and climactic backdrop to Ezekiel 38–39. The supernatural element within these monumental end-times passages has been lacking in our prophecy circles.
Finally, there is one other Gog descriptor that has been a source of stumbling. The controversy centers around the Hebrew term "Rosh" as seen in Ezek. 38:2; 39:1. In short, the English versions are divided on whether to translate the word as an adjective "chief, head" (see KJV, NIV, NET, ESV, et al) or as a proper noun (i.e., a place named "Rosh"; see NASB, NKJV, ASV, YLT, et al).
J. Paul Tanner, research professor and writer in the field of Old Testament studies, addresses the issue:
The NASB adds that Gog is the 'prince of Rosh, Meschech, and Tubal.' The NIV, on the other hand, translates the same phrase as the 'chief prince of Meschech and Tubal' (cf. also RSV). Hence the question arises as to whether 'Rosh' is a place name or a descriptive adjective modifying 'prince.' The question is quite relevant, because if 'Rosh' is eliminated...[t]he more plausible explanation is that the text should be translated 'the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal' (so NIV)...see also footnote 9: Aquila, the Targum, and Jerome (Latin Vulgate) viewed rosh adjectively 'chief prince' (from "Rethinking Ezekiel's Invasion by Gog" in Journal of the Evangelical Society, Mar. 1996, pg. 31).
As you can see, one misunderstanding of grammar and syntax can lead to a huge misconception that can later turn into a misapplication. In the case of Ezek. 38:2 and 39:1, many prophecy teachers of the past and present have leaned heavily on "Rosh" being a geographical location, which phonetically resembles modern-day Russia. Consequently, the mistranslation is then accepted and parroted by the Church-at-large as biblical proof that Russia is Magog, and by default, "Gog" must be the Russian "prince" leading the rest of the armies against Israel.
Generally speaking, the Hebrew word rosh in the majority of OT contexts means "chief, head" (as in Rosh Hashanah, "head of the year"). Therefore, the evidence to support "Rosh" as a proper name or geographical location is lacking, stemming from a mistranslation of Hebrew syntax, and likely used in order to prop-up a personal belief that Russia is Magog.
Whether or not the common Hebrew terms for "prince/ruler" such as sar (Ezek. 11:1; Dan. 10:13), nasi (Ezek. 38:2), or nagid (Dan. 9:26) refer to a human or divine leader is entirely dependent upon the context. Even a Hebrew word like malach ("angel/messenger"), which carries a connotation of clouds, harps, and a heavenly residence for many, has such flexibility that it can describe both a human or heavenly creature—all entirely dependent on context (compare Mal. 2:7 and Zech. 3:1).
The same principle applies to the "chief prince of Meschech and Tubal." Is he human or divine? Natural or supernatural? It all depends on the immediate context and other inner-biblical associations. Michael, for example, the supernatural ruler who has delegated rule and authority over Israel from the Most High, is also a "chief prince" (a.k.a. "archangel"; cf. Dan. 10:13; 12:1; 1 Thess. 4:16). Consequently, when we view Ezekiel 38–39 in isolation, we are more likely to see only a human leader. However, once we bring in other inner-biblical associations such as the material shown throughout this article, the "chief prince" of Ezek. 38:2 and 39:1 suddenly resembles one of the fallen angels who has dominion over certain nations/people groups, or at the very least, he could also be a powerful, hybrid creature from both heavenly and earthly realms (i.e., Nephilim/giant; cf. Gen. 6:4; Num. 13:32–33).
Summary of Gog Identification Task #2 (His Nature/Origin): According to inner-biblical links and associations which provide the theological background to Ezekiel 38–39, Gog is no mere mortal or run-of-the-mill communist dictator; rather, the biblical portrait reveals him as a powerful, supernatural entity who wields significant influence over both demonic and human armies.
End of Part I (Gog's Identity)
This concludes Part I of the series. Hopefully I've given you enough to chew on for awhile (at least enough time for me to write up the next installment!). In the next post, we will take a look at the second major interpretative issue concerning the Gog/Magog invasion: The timing of the war in light of other more well-defined eschatological events inside a pre-millennial, dispensational framework.
Stay tuned, and stay armored up (Eph. 6:10–12)!
This post first appeared on UNSEALED - World News | Christian News | Prophecy, please read the originial post: here
