The two wars of Gog and Magog
Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 represent two separate battles which are given backwards by the Holy Spirit. Some events are recorded backwards throughout the bible. Notice how Psalms 89:36-37 presents Christ in His Millennial kingdom, but verses 38-45 go backwards and picture Christ in His humiliation at His crucifixion. Throughout the Old Testament, you will not only see the two advents pictured together with no intervening time period (Gen. 49:11, 24; 1Peter 1:11), you will sometimes see the two reversed as you find in this Psalm.
Ezekiel 38 has nothing to do with the invasion of Israel during the tribulation. Verse 22 is the key to the passage: it clearly marks the "Gog" in this chapter as the one who attacks Jerusalem at the end of the Millennium in Revelation 20:8-9(Verse 38:5) The last, final rebellion against God is also led by countries that are predominantly Communist and Moslem.Note the continued emphases on the massive amounts of people coming against Jerusalem in verses 4,6,9,15,16, and 22, which would have accumulated by the end of the Millennium.
Ezekiel 38: 8, 11, and 14 do not describe the state of Israel in the tribulation, which is another reason this chapter cannot be dealing with Armageddon. The Jews do not "dwell safely" in Israel before, or at any point during, the tribulation; that is their state at the end of the Millennium."Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel "shall dwell safely": and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer. 23:5-6).
The "therefore" at the beginning of chapter 39 just connects the same cultures going against Jerusalem, not the same battle. Notice there is no mention of Israel dwelling safely in chapter 39. Chapter 39 deals with the battle of Armageddon. This verse (as well as vss. 17-20) clearly matches Rev. 19:17-18. The "fire" that comes down for the Antichrist (typified here by "Magog") becomes a lake of fire (Isaiah 66:15-16, 24, 34:8-10) into which the Antichrist is "cast alive" (Rev. 19:20). Moreover it will take "seven months" to bury the dead and "cleanse the land" (vss. 11-12). After the battle of Rev. 20:8d-9, the universe is destroyed by fire (2Pet. 3:10 cf. Rev. 20:11), so chapters 38 and 39 can't describe the same battle. (KJV)
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