God vs. Gog: Russia in Prophecy
“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle..”
(Zechariah 14:2)...

“Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. "It will come about on that day...you will devise an evil plan, and you will say,' I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely...Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all its villages, will say to you, 'Have you come to capture spoil?...Prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord GOD," On that day when My people Israel are living securely...And you will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you...a mighty army; and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It will come about in the last days that I shall bring you against My land, in order that the nations may know Me when I shall be sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog. " (Ezekiel 38:2, 10-11, 14-16)

With nation after nation coming against the City of Peace, Jerusalem has often been a hotspot of history. However, prophecy speaks of the time when “all nations” will come against Jerusalem. In the past, the Babylonian empire destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, only for both to be rebuilt and then destroyed by the Romans. But, now, in the last days, “Gog of the land of Magog” along with “many peoples” will descend upon Israel and “all nations” will attack Jerusalem. What is the prophetic time table for these events? The predicted time is when Israel is regathered (Ezekiel 36-37) and dwelling “securely” (Ezekiel 38).

Who or what is “Gog of the land of Magog”?

The identity of Gog is obscure—but Magog, Meshech and Tubal are mentioned in Genesis 10:2 among the sons of Japheth (grandchildren of Noah). After the Flood, Noah’s three sons and their wives repopulated the earth. Evidently, Japheth migrated northward and populated what is now Eurasia. Ham migrated southward and populated Africa. Shem, Israel’s ancestor, remained in the Fertile Crescent East of the Mediterranean. It is important to remember the words of Moses, “When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:8) Many nations have descended upon Israel, However, this army is defined as from the remote parts of the north—north of Israel. Ezekiel’s prophecy names Japheth’s descendants as the leaders of the attack!

The word “Rosh” means “head” or “chief.” The Jewish historian Josephus said, “Magog founded the Magogians, called Scythians by the Greeks. Scythians were a nomadic tribe who inhabited the ancient territory from Central Asia across the southern part of ancient Russia.” Today this area is inhabited by the former Soviet Republics. The possibility that four of the names mentioned in Ezekiel are now in Turkey makes a pretty strong argument for even Turkey also being a part of the invasion. In any case, the invaders come from the North—from Europe. Sheba and Dedan are ancient names for what is known today as Saudi Arabia. “Tarshish” in Ezekiel’s day was the farthest west region of the known world. So this name might represent Western powers just standing by with a lame protest to this last attack on Israel. Even though much criticism has been leveled at the association of Rosh with Russia, the evidence of the past half Century places Russia in an adversarial relationship with Israel. Ultimately Russia fits the characterization as chief and leader of a confederated attack including a wide assortment of peoples.

Where is Russia Today?

During the last two decades Russia seemed to have been weakened from its superpower status. However, U.S. News & World Report in August of 2008 claimed: “Putin’s Russia Acts Like a Great Power Again.” Russia’s military occupation of parts of neighboring Georgia has sent a decisive signal that the Kremlin intends to behave as great powers traditionally have done. Russia is also experiencing a 20-year demographic crisis--and “youth camps” supported by Putin, now Prime Minister, are indoctrinating attendees with a heavy dose of Russian Nationalism. The long-term goal is simple: rebuild Russia’s superpower status. In early 2009 Russia let it be known it was looking to Cuba as a potential base for its bomber class aircraft. This also is not the behavior of a weak former superpower.

Russia has, with the rest of the world, experienced a economic downturn and many of their “one-industry” cities have been hardest hit. Reports suggest Moscow is wary of civil unrest. But, being an oil producing nation, as goes the price of oil, so may go their economy and power.

Newly seated as Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin used his country’s gas reserves as a political lever to alert Western Europe to his potential. The New York Times (Jan. 14, 2008) reported, “The natural gas crisis in Europe continued...the standoff between Russia and Ukraine left millions of homes without heating fuel for another day.” Having reached the old term limit last year, Mr. Putin chose to install a trusted protégé, Mr. Medvedev, as successor. Now many expect the president to return the favor by resigning and permitting Mr. Putin’s return to office! Clearly, Russia is becoming more assertively powerful on the world scene. Still, how would this convert into a belligerent state which might threaten Israel?

Enter: the Russian Orthodox Church

The Russian Orthodox Church—which claims about two-thirds of Russia’s 142 million people as its flock—has enjoyed a major revival since the Soviet Communist collapse of 1991. The close alliance between the Russian government and the Russian Orthodox Church has been described as working “in symphony” (NY Times). The Moscow-based Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) which “claims more than 70 million adherents” (Time/CNN) recently reunited with the U.S.-based Russian Orthodox Church Abroad “believed to be “1.5 million strong.” In this recent ceremony of reunification, the Patriarch in his speech “paid homage to Russian President Vladimir Putin [a former KGB agent].” But might the Russian Orthodox Church influence affect Russia’s motivation for an attack on Jerusalem?

The “Third Rome”—the New Jerusalem?

“Third Rome” refers to the doctrine that Russia—or specifically Moscow—succeeded Rome and Byzantium (Constantinople) as the ultimate center of true Christianity and of the Roman Empire. “Third Rome” thinking served to elevate Russia’s self-conception of its place within the Orthodox Christian world as most preserving the faith and its rituals in unadulterated form. The notion first goes back to Constantinople as the “New Rome”—and its later claims to be a “New Jerusalem,” the center of a Messianic Kingdom on earth. But this claim is effectively “replacement theology”—stealing God’s “irrevocable” promises to the “Children of Israel”! Romans 11:26-29 NAS

In any case, in 1187 A.D. the “New Jerusalem Monastery” in Russia was built. It was intended to become the international center of the whole Orthodox Church—far from the ravages of Islam and the Vatican alike. While Leninist atheists closed the monastery in 1919, it has now been restored—confirming to the Russian Church its importance on the international stage.

Russian Orthodox Church thinking is that the “First Rome” lost its way because it turned into a Caesar-Papist State. The “Second Rome” (centered at Byzantium/Constantinople) lost its way because it betrayed its faith. A unified Russian Church sees itself now as the only bulwark in this world against the coming of Anti-Christ and the only church that can establish God’s Kingdom.

Jerusalem will be the Capital of God’s True Kingdom

Will the capital of God’s Kingdom on earth be at Rome or Moscow? No! Certainly not—it is literally to be at Jerusalem! Yes, while the “New Jerusalem” will rule invisibly from heaven (Revelation 21:1-4), its visible representation will be Jerusalem on earth. All peoples of the earth will look to Jerusalem to learn about the “God of Jacob” (Isaiah 2:2-4) They will turn all their resources for war into peaceful purposes instead. “Swords into plowshares. . .” Then there will finally be universal and real “peace on earth.”

But Satan can read Bible prophecy too! And Satan is now the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2; John 16:11) standing behind the governments of earth. He knows about Jerusalem! In that way he might considered the “rosh”—the chief, the “prince”—behind this last endeavor to thwart the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. How appropriate to use Russia—which sees itself as the head the what is left of troubled world governments and the Christian Church—to try to invade and spoil the “Old Jerusalem.”

An Arab Confederacy—“Chaff Before the Wind”

At some time, yet future, Jerusalem will then be seen as an easy target because of its “unwalled villages”—defenseless condition. In ancient times, walls were for military protection. So it is possible that at some time in the near future, Israel may be disarmed by the international community. Why? Probably because of Israel may some day soon have to silence those enemies who since 1945 have “conspired together” as members of the Arab League with one objective: to obliterate the children of Israel. But in answer to prayer, ours and the prayers of Jews, those Arabs and/or Muslims will first be defeated but will eventually come to know and learn about the God of Jacob:

Psalms 83

“O God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still. 2 For, behold, Thine enemies make an uproar; And those who hate Thee have exalted themselves. 3 They make shrewd plans against Thy people, And conspire together against Thy treasured ones. 4 They have said, "Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more." 5 For they have conspired together with one mind; Against Thee do they make a covenant: 6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites…13 O my God, make them like the whirling dust; Like chaff before the wind. . . .That they may seek Thy name, O LORD. . . .18 That they may know that Thou alone, whose name is the LORD, Art the Most High over all the earth.” NAS

Thus seen the final attacks of Ezekiel and Zechariah will follow Israel’s suppression of the hostile “nations round about” (Zechariah 14:14). In the concluding troubles Israel will awaken to their hoped for Messiah, and the LORD will be exalted in the eyes of all nations.

Jerusalem, the Throne of the LORD

In spite of the apparent warlike posture Israel has had to take, the whole purpose of Israel’s regathering and preservation and exaltation in God’s Plan is to bless the world!

“And it will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing” (Zechariah 8:13). Instead of gathering against Jerusalem to destroy it, Jerusalem will be honored and represented as the Throne of the Lord. “At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart” (Jeremiah 3:17).

Gog and Magog Attack the “Beloved City”

But let us now look ahead in time to the end of the last book of Prophecy, at the end of Christ’s 1,000-year Kingdom. Satan will then be loosed to test earth’s billions (Revelation 20:1-3). Those who have benefited from the blessings of the Christ’s Kingdom (Genesis 22:12) will number “as the sand of the sea.” However, really only a small minority from the “four quarters of the earth”—called in the symbolic language of Revelation “Gog and Magog”—will rebel. Led by a desperate Satan, they will attack the “camp of the saints,” the earthly representatives of the Kingdom, at Jerusalem.

Revelation 20:7-9

“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And 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. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”

Israelis, Russians, Arabs—Literally All Families of Earth Blessed

No, there will be no Magog at this time (no more than “Jezebel” or “Babylon” are literal in Revelation). Actually, other than Israel no nation state will be carried over into the Kingdom (Jeremiah 30:11). But the people of Russia—and all the peoples of this old world, in fact—will be blessed in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. “In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

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