Hello Gino, Nansings, John and Doves,Wow! Gino and Nansings both brought up 'a little season' in Revelation 20:3. Suggesting that there certainly could be time for the 'seven year burning of weapons' after the Gog and Magog war.... if this war occurs after the 1,000 year reign of Christ but before the New Heaven and Earth.They have both provided an answer (and more) to my quandary about Ezekiel 39."and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season." Revelation 20:3"When the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and he shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea." Revelation 20: 7,8"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city (Jerusalem): and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them." Revelation 20:9I had not thought of that: 'a little season'. That 'a little season' could provide the explanation for the placement of that seven years of burning the weapons accumulated after that war. And, if, as Gino suggests, those weapons are weapons (like those of the Middle Ages) - wooden shields, wooden spears, wooden swords, etc. because "Jesus may set aside the use of internal combustion engines in the thousand year kingdom, as well as gunpower, guns, bombs, and fighter aircraft."Gino's letter:
Gino asked "how long the little season might be?" And "Is there any possibility that it could be at least seven years, when they could burn the weapons?"Sure, it is a possibility. And that would 'take care' of my concerns for Ezekiel 39 and the Gog and Magog War occurring after the thousand years. It does seem very odd that the Lord would end that war with "Thus will I magnify myself and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord." Ezekiel 38:23 I just can't see THAT going into the Tribulation period with the AC et al. Sounds like a good ending for the Revelation's Gog and Magog War.Gino also asked about the 1,000 Years not having any of the military equipment we have today..."gunpowder, guns, bombs and fighter aircraft"'...as this would point to the actual use of "horses and horsemen" that come against Israel in the Gog and Magog War. Not "allegory, or similitude, but possibly actual?"I've thought about that also.And I've wondered how would it be possible for such a huge army to move against 'unwalled villages'/people 'dwelling safely without walls, bars, gates' in Israel in this modern area...and catch them off guard like is described in Ezekiel 38/39? Israel has radar, satellites, etc. No way could an army, or a massive army like this, approach Israel's northern border without them being aware of this...unless...we have the timing wrong. (And there is no way Israel is going to be living safely when surrounded by countries following Islam, however, as Gino pointed out, the 1,000 year reign of Christ could provide such safety for Israel/Jerusalem.)What if the Gog and Magog War doesn't happen with today's technology...but a thousand or so years in the future...after all the wars/destruction during the Tribulation period and the 1,000 year reign of Christ? And as Gino asked, what if all they have then is horses, along with war implements: shields, bucklers (small round shields), helmets, swords, bows and arrows, spears, handstaves, etc . I can see the burning of the wooden weapons for years with this huge of an army. (Can we see modern tanks, jets, rifles, etc. burning for seven years? I'd think any burning would stop once the fuel was burned up.)"And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire for seven years."And, like Gino, I've wondered about: Why would there be fighter jets, tanks, aircraft carriers, modern weapons of war, etc during the Millennial reign of Christ? Maybe man's 'military might' is knocked back to the Middle Ages - horses, swords, spears, shields, etc...Nansings' letter:In this letter Nansings pointed out that in Revelation 20:3, Satan will be released for "a little season". "That means the new Heaven and the new Earth won't occur right after the millennial reign of Christ, but rather God, in Revelation 20:9, rains down fire and destroys Satan and his forces...Then in Revelation 20:10 Satan is thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Great White Throne Judgment of God occurs in Revelation 20:11 - all before the New Heaven and Earth are seen in Revelation 21. So, yes, there would be plenty of time for the weapons to be burned for seven years after the millennial reign of Christ."Thank you Gino and Nansings for your most thought provoking response to my issue with the seven years....your answers make the Revelation 20 'Gog and Magog War' a good possibility for being the Ezekiel 38/39 Gog and Magog War', imo. At least this can explain the burning of the weapons for seven years...and the weapons used in the battle.Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!Maranatha!Chance