Several
years ago I read an internet post that linked the
Gog-Magog War of Ezekiel 38-39 to the festival of
Purim. I do not know for sure if this Purim,
which falls on March 7, 2023, will be prophetically
significant, but the beat of war drums does seem to be
sounding, so, I would like to share the following
information and speculation.
Purim is celebrated on the 14th and 15th of the month of
Adar, which is the final month of the Jewish religious
year. It is based upon the events of the book of Esther
and commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from
genocide. The name Purim is derived from the Hebrew word
for "lots." According to the book of Esther, the evil
Haman plotted to kill the Jews of Persia and cast lots
to determine the best day to kill them.
The Gog-Magog War Connection
Let me explain why the timing of the Gog-Magog War (and
the world-wide earthquake associated with it) might be
relevant to Rapture watchers.
The Rapture is a resurrection event that might be
accompanied by a massive earthquake. This is because
Scripture has connected earthquakes to other
resurrection events: For example, with Jesus in
Matthew 27:50-51, with some Old Testament Saints in
Matthew 27:52, and with the Two Witnesses in Revelation
11:11-13. If this pattern holds true, then the Rapture
of the Church could result in an earthquake of
catastrophic proportions, theoretically because of the
energy needed to resurrect a large number of people
(dead and alive).
Consequently, it is possible that one of the prophesized
earthquakes in the Bible could be the very earthquake
that will accompany the Rapture. So although we are not
given the exact timing of the Rapture, we may have been
given clues from references to the earthquake which
could accompany it.
Significantly, the Gog-Magog War includes a massive
earthquake (see Ezekiel 38:19-20). Although it begins in
Israel, it will have a global impact. If this earthquake
is also the Rapture earthquake, then the timing of the
Gog-Magog War becomes very relevant to us.
Parallels between Purim and the Gog-Magog War
The most obvious parallel between Purim and the
Gog-Magog War is that both have rulers that have set
their minds upon killing all of the Jews. Both end up
getting killed and the Jews are delivered from genocide.
The setting of the book of Esther is in Persia or modern
day Iran. Coincidentally, the participants of the
Gog-Magog War include Iran and other countries of the
Persian Empire.
Quote from internet article "The Purim Connection"
("Notes on Revelation" from juchre.org): "Keep in mind
that the Persian Empire in Esther’s day (around 484
B.C.) comprised all of Asia Minor, which includes modern
day Turkey, Syria, Iran, Iraq, and the area between the
Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. It also stretched over
towards to Egypt and Libya. Interesting that many of
these same countries will be allied with Gog when he
attacks Israel (see Ezekiel 38:3-6)."
The passage for the Gog Magog War may actually make a
connection to the evil Haman of the book of
Esther. The place of Gog’s final burial place will
be called Hamon Gog. (see Ezekiel 39:15.) "Hamon" means
"horde." But it could also be a play on words or a pun
for the name of Haman. Haman, an Agagite (see Esther
3:1) was a descendant of King Agag. (See 1 Samuel
15:20.) The name Agag might also be a sound-alike word
for the name Gog.
The bodies from the Gog-Magog War will be collected and
buried for a period of seven (7) months. See Ezekiel
39:12. Since Purim falls on Adar 14-15, the Feast of
Tabernacles, which begins on Tishri 15, falls
exactly seven months from Purim.
Drunkenness
Purim is also a holiday during which the celebrants are
encouraged to get drunk. After the Gog-Magog War, the
birds and wild animals are specifically told to feast on
the dead bodies and to get drunk on the blood. See
Ezekiel 39:17-19.
Last major holiday
Nisan is the first month of the Jewish religious
calendar. God established this calendar at the time of
the Exodus. "This month [Abib/Nisan] is to be for you
the first month, the first month of your year." Exodus
12:2.
Adar is the twelfth or last month of the Jewish
religious calendar. So, Purim is the last
festival in the Jewish festival cycle. It also precedes
Passover by exactly one month (Adar 14 to Nisan 14).
According to Esther 3:7, Haman cast lots in the month of
Nisan. However, action was not to be taken against the
Jews until the 12th month, practically a full year
later.
Is it possible that Adar 2023 will be prophetically
significant? Will Purim, the last major holiday of the
Jewish religious year, hold prophetic fulfillment for
Israel or the Church? Will the Jews be given
concrete evidence of God’s intervention?
Jesus, Purim, and John 5
Some scholars believe that Jesus observed Purim in John
5:1: "Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a
feast of the Jews."
Quote from The Temple: Its Ministry and Services,
Chapter 17 by Alfred Edersheim: "Purim was never more
than a popular festival. As such it was kept with great
merriment and rejoicing, when friends and relations were
wont to send presents to each other. There seems little
doubt that this was the “feast of the Jews,” to which
the Saviour went up to Jerusalem (John 5:1), when He
healed the impotent man at the Pool of Bethesda. For no
other feast could have intervened between December (John
4:35) and the Passover (John 6:4), except that of the
“Dedication of the Temple,” and that is specially
designated as such (John 10:22), and not simply as a
feast of the Jews.”
Quote from "Jesus Celebrated Purim" by Gordon Franz
(from ldolphin.org): "Most people are unaware of this,
but Jesus celebrated the feast of Purim! In John 5, the
Lord Jesus is up in Jerusalem for an unnamed feast.
Scholars have debated whether the feast was Passover,
Purim, Succoth or even Pentecost (Bowman 1971). Some
have objected to Purim because it is a "minor" feast and
not one of the three "major" pilgrimage festivals (Deut.
16:16). That argument is irrelevant because Jesus also
celebrated another "minor" holiday, Hanukkah (John
10:22; Franz 1998:25, 26). Chronologically, the only
feast that makes sense is Purim in AD 28. The feast of
John 5 fell on a Sabbath (5:9). The only feast day to
fall on a Sabbath between AD 25 and AD 35 was Purim of
AD 28 (Faulstich 1986). The Spirit of God intentionally
left out the name of the feast because the Lord’s name
was deliberately left out of the Book of Esther. In John
5, Jesus healed a man who had an infirmity for 38 years
near the Pools of Bethesda (John 5:1-9). It is also the
first time in His public ministry that He declared that
"God was His Father, making Himself equal with God"
(5:18). He also said that He was the "Son of God" (5:25)
and the "Son of Man" (5:27).
If the events of John 5 occurred on Purim, then the
passage takes on exciting prophetic overtones.
Jesus heals a man who has been an invalid for 38 years.
This increment of 38 years connects us to the wilderness
experience of the Israelites. According to Deuteronomy
2:14, the Israelites were in the wilderness for 38
years, from the point that they rebelled against the
command to enter Canaan. It was only after this period
of time that the Israelites were able to go into the
Promised Land.
Jesus asks the invalid man if he wants to get well. He
then tells him to get up and walk. Later, Jesus tells
the Jews that he also has the power to raise the dead. "I tell you the truth, a time is
coming and has now come when the dead will hear the
voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has
granted the Son to have life in himself." John
5:25-26. So, Jesus may have actually preached a
message about the resurrection/Rapture on Purim!!
In Ezekiel 37, the chapter that directly precedes the
passages about the Gog-Magog War, we find the prophecy
of the dry bones. We see that Israel will be re-gathered
physically before God breathes spiritual life into her.
Consequently, modern-day Israel is like the invalid in
John 5, “unable to get up and walk.” She is waiting to
receive the breath of life. "So I prophesied as he
commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life
and stood up on their feet “a vast army." Ezekiel 37:10.
So will Jesus revive Israel and resurrect the Church on
a future Purim?
Name of God Hidden and Revealed
The book of Esther is known for being the only book of
the Bible that does not have the name of God in it. So,
in a figurative sense, God is hidden.
Purim, then, could be a fitting time for God to reveal
Himself to His Chosen People.
Presently, God has hidden His face from the secular
Jews. But this situation is temporary. God’s purpose
behind the Gog-Magog War is to make His presence known
to the world and, most importantly, to Israel.
"I will display my glory among
the nations, and all the nations will see the
punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them.
From that day forward the house of Israel will know
that I am the Lord their God .... I will no longer
hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit
on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord."
Ezekiel 39:21-22, 29.
God will also make His name known as a result of the
Gog-Magog War.
"I will make known my holy name among my people
Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned,
and the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy
One in Israel." Ezekiel 39:7.
It is interesting that in John 5, and possibly at Purim,
Jesus revealed his true identity to the Jews:
"Jesus said to them, “My Father
is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am
working.” For this reason the Jews tried all the
harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the
Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father,
making himself equal with God." John 5:17-18.
Significantly, Jesus also connects Himself to the name
of God:
"I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not
accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name,
you will accept him." John 5:43.
Conclusion
Regardless of when the Gog-Magog War occurs, I believe
that it will represent the point when God will return
His primary focus onto the Jews. The fulfillment
of Ezekiel’s prophecy will be indisputable to the
Jews. Israel will be dramatically rescued by
God. Secular Jews will have proof that God is real
and that they are His people.
This is
truly an exciting time to watch for the fulfillment of
Bible prophecy.
Maranatha,
– Lisa Taylor