EZEKIEL 38-39
There is a tendency for contemporary Bible students to think that prophecies found in the Old Testament pertain to events to be fulfilled in our future. In reality, such prophecies were fulfilled by the time of the coming of Christ and the establishment of the Church/Kingdom in the First Century of our Common Era.
One prophecy that is often mistakenly looked to for future fulfillment is that of Gog and Magog found in Ezekiel 38-39. This prophecy speaks of a multi-national army that invades and plunders Israel. However, God brings destruction to this army and, in so doing, brings honor to His Holy Name.
The timing of this invasion is given in Ezekiel 38:8-9. The invasion would occur after the Israelites return from their exile in Babylon and live in relative security. The Israelites did begin their return home from the Babylonian Captivity with the Decree of Persian King Cyrus in 537 BC. Thus, the invasion must date after 537 BC.
Now we must try to identify the nations and peoples that comprise the invasion force. Very few of the nations and tribes mentioned in Chapter 38 are recognized to exist today. However, their identities are revealed by ancient historians.
We can successfully identify the nations and tribes mentioned in our passage as follows:
MAGOG - Syria and southern Scythia, center of the Seleucid Empire (confirmed by Pliny, Josephus, and Grotius).
MESCHECH - Moschi, a Scythian tribe of North-Central Armenia; later called Cappadocians in the New Testament.
TUBAL - Thobelites, Scythians of eastern Armenia and northern Syria, later called Iberians in the New Testament.
PERSIA - A well-known nation that was located in today’s Iran.
ETHIOPIA - The African nation.
LIBYA - The northern African nation.
GOMER - A tribe of central Armenia, later called Galatians in the New Testament.
TOGARMAH - A tribe of southwestern Armenia, later called Phrygians in the New Testament.
SHEBA - Arabic tribe
DEDAN - Arabic tribe
TARSHISH - The northern Mediterranean coastal peoples stretching from Italy to Spain. Later, a seaport in Spain.
Now that we have identified these ancient nations and tribes, we must ask whether or not these nations ever joined together in an invasion of Israel after 537 BC?
The answer is a resounding "yes"!!
All of these nations and peoples were either a part of the Seleucid Empire or joined the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV, when he invaded Israel during the period of 170-165 BC. This is attested to by the Greek historian Appian and by the Jewish historian Josephus. Further confirmation is found in the apocrypha books of Maccabees.
There is a long-standing consensus by scholars (such as Porphyry, Jerome, Adam Clarke, Matthew Henry, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and Matthew Poole) that identifies GOG as Antiochus (Epiphanes) IV and that Ezekiel 38-39 prophesies his invasion of Israel and the destruction of his coalition army.
The following is an overview of the Scriptural prophecy and its historical fulfillment by the Antiochian invasion:
Chapter 38:9 -
170 B.C. Antiochus and his army invade Judea and take Jerusalem by storm. He killed 80,000 Jews and sold the same number into slavery. He entered the Temple and stole its sacred furniture. He entered the Holy Place sacrificed a sow upon the altar on the altar of burnt offerings and poured its broth throughout the Temple, including the Holy of Holies.
Shortly thereafter, Antiochus sent 22,000 troops - under General Apollonius - to kill all the Jewish men in Jerusalem and enslave the women and children. This was rigorously executed and only those who hid in caves and fled to the mountains survived the attack.
168 B.C. Antiochus’ troops again attacks Jerusalem. Many citizens are killed and 10,000 sold into slavery. The Temple is again plundered and then dedicated to the Grecian god Jupiter Olympius. Again, a sow is sacrificed upon a small altar. Antiochus decides to exterminate Judaism and worship to Jehovah. The Scriptures are burned wherever found. Heathen temples are erected in every Judean city. Faithful Jews are tortured: youths and old men are beaten with rods and torn to pieces, mothers are crucified with the infant boys they have circumcised strangled and hanging about their necks.
Chapter 38:21 -
166 B.C. Judas Maccabeus, with an army of faithful Jews, conducts guerrilla warfare against Antiochian troops and apostate Jews to regain freedom for Israel and restore Judaism.
Chapter 39:3-5 -
Syrian General Apollonius and his army attack Judas and his troops. Apollonius is killed and his army is entirely routed.
Seeking revenge for Apollonius’ death, Seron (deputy-governor and military commander of the Coelesyrian province) and his army march against Judas. Judas kills Seron and 800 of his men, while the other Syrian survivors flee out of the country. Judas and his army has become a formidable threat to Antiochus’ control of Israel and the Jews.
An enraged Antiochus sends 40,000+ infantry, 7000 cavalry, and a large number of auxiliaries (mercenaries from the "isles" - note 39:6) under Governor and Chief General Lysias. Assisting Lysias were expert generals Ptolemy, Nicanor, and Gorgias. Expecting a Syrian victory, Arab and European booty and slave merchants accompanied Lysias’ forces (note 38:13). With only 3000 ill-armed soldiers, Judas confronted the foe; killing 35,000 infantry, 6000 cavalry, and a mixed army of 6000!
165 B.C. Lysias returned with a larger army of 60,000 infantry and 5000 cavalry. Judas and an army of 10,000 killed 5,000 and put the rest to flight without suffering one casualty!
Judas had lessened the Syrian control of Israel to the extent that the Jews were able to cleanse the Temple and restore its worship services. Religious freedom had now been secured.
Strangely, even though they witnessed Israel’s ability to militarily stand firm against the great power of Antiochus and his Seleucid Empire, several small nations that surrounded the Jews rose-up together and made expeditions into Israel. Judas, after destroying about 15,000, put an end to the foes’ folly.
Lysias, in the meantime, had enlisted loyal Syrian troops and many foreign nations to fight against Israel, including those of Africa, Arabia, Scythia, and Persia. The army numbered 800,000 men and 80 elephants. Judas killed 11,000 infantry and 1600 cavalry. The enemies’ survivors retreated, but not before making a peace treaty with Israel.
Antiochus Epiphanes died before the treaty was signed as a result of his crimes against Jehovah and the pious Jews.
The invasion by Antiochus IV was a historically significant event because, for the first time in history, a heathen power tried to completely destroy worship to Jehovah. The defeat of Antiochus IV and the restoration of true worship in Jerusalem was commemorated yearly by the Feast of Dedication, which Jesus observed in John 10:22.
Revelation 20:8-9 teaches that God’s people and true worship will again be threatened before Jesus’ Return. Figuratively, Gog and Magog will return again only to be destroyed forever.
