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RESPONSE:
Christian readers of Revelation who are not well-versed in the Old Testament may not realize how often John alludes to the Old Testament in this book. Scholars estimate there may be as many as five hundred references, though there are no formal quotations from any passages. It becomes apparent that the author of Revelation knew his Scriptures well. Like other biblical writers, John has taken some of this material and adapted it for his current situation. He has also made use of common apocalyptic imagery.
Since the passage about “Gog and Magog” comes out of nowhere (and is given no further explanation), it is not surprising to find these terms in the Old Testament, specifically in Ezekiel. In chapters 38 and 39, Ezekiel talks about “Gog” from the land of “Magog”, who was the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Here in Ezekiel, then, Magog is a place, whereas in Revelation it seems to refer to a cohort of Gog’s. Scholars think the confusion comes from two other passages. In Gen 10:2 and 1 Chronicles 1:5, Magog is listed as a descendant of Noah’s son, Japheth (along with Meshech and Tubal). Interestingly, some Assyrian documents list Meshech and Tubal among the people who were warring against them. Earlier, Ezekiel referred to Meshech and Tubal as trading partners of Tyre (27:13), and then as lying in the Pit (32:26-28), having met an ignoble end for spreading “terror across the land.”
In the Ezekiel passages, God tells him to prophesy against Gog. Indeed, when Gog comes to invade unsuspecting Israel, accompanied by the Persians and Ethiopians, Ezekiel describes his demise in great detail. Because it is never actually recorded, some scholars think he was simply a representative of an evil force. In that sense, he becomes an apocalyptic figure who marches in from the north, devastates Israel, and, in turn, is defeated by God. That is also the impression given in Revelation, where these two terms represent nations who gather to wage war against God’s people. They are in number as “the sand from the sea,” i.e. innumerable. Led by Satan, they come to oppose Christ and all his followers. But regardless of their numbers or the strength of their weapons, they are quickly destroyed by a fire that comes down from heaven. The battle is never waged. This is the point where Satan is defeated and cast into the lake of fire. It is that moment when God’s sovereignty is made plain. It never was a real contest. Satan’s defeat was always inevitable; it happens here.
MJC |
