The prophecy of the attack of Gog of Magog is interesting. Ezekiel and many of the other prophets had foretold that Jehovah was going to assign Babylon as his punishing agent to destroy Jerusalem and take the surviving Jews into captivity. But then God would judge Babylon and repurchase the Jews and return them to their homeland. This actually happened. Under Cyrus, the Medes and Persians overthrew mighty Babylon on October 5th, 539 BCE. However, the repatriated Jews were never attacked by the coalition of nations under the leadership of the prophetic Gog of Magog.
The Watchtower recognized many years ago that the prophecy of Gog and his attack on defenseless "Israel" did not have any ancient fulfillment but it applies to an attack on the restored Christian organization and provokes the war at the place called Armageddon. Considering the nonsensical drivel published by Evangelicals -- Gog supposedly is some sort of cryptic reference to Russia and of course, Israel is nuclear-armed modern Israel -- the Watchtower actually had a spark of insight. However, as we might expect, no true understanding of the prophecy is possible in the Watchtower's 1914 framework. 1914 throws everything askew. That is what it is intended to do. After all, it is an operation is Satan.
To really understand why God would rain down fire, sulfur, and hail on the world because of the attack on "Israel" we must grasp the significance of what leads up to it. The Watchtower would have you believe that one fine day for no particular reason the nations will gather together and come against Jehovah's Witnesses. That is not realistic. Nor is it scriptural. There are monumental events that lead up to the final world-ending attack.
It is not possible to go into detail in this daily column but suffice it to say that the repurchase and restoration of "Israel" have not taken place yet. That is because the antitypical exile in Babylon has not begun. If we consider the chapters leading up to Gog's attack Jehovah explains why he had to punish his people to disabuse them of their idolatry and to sanctify his name, which they profaned. Yes, only Jehovah's Witnesses can cause the name of God to be profaned. It will be as though all of God's people are slain because God will withdraw from them. Then miracle of miracles. “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Here they are saying, ‘Our bones are dry, and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.’ So prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: “I will open your graves and raise you up from your graves, my people, and bring you to the land of Israel. And you will have to know that I am Jehovah when I open your graves and when I raise you up out of your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit in you and you will come to life, and I will settle you on your land; and you will have to know that I myself, Jehovah, have spoken and I have done it,’ declares Jehovah.” - Ez 37:11-14
When Jesus walked through the land of Israel he brought the dead to life. He even had a grave opened and commanded his friend Lazarus to come out. The second coming of Christ will commence the first resurrection. We know that. But the remnant who are on earth will come to life in the fullest sense, having been briefly under God's disfavor and virtually dead spiritually, having been cut off from God, they will be restored to God's favor and sealed with the spirit of immortality. "Israel" will come to life as the 144,000, part of which will be in spirit and a remnant still in the flesh. Speaking of this restoration Jehovah goes on to say: “And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an eternal covenant with them. I will establish them and make them many and place my sanctuary among them forever. My tent will be with them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. And the nations will have to know that I, Jehovah, am sanctifying Israel when my sanctuary is in their midst forever.” - Ez 37:26-28
Having God's sanctuary tent in the land of Israel means nothing less than Christ being alongside the chosen ones as they give testimony before governors and kings. An attack upon them is an attack upon God's Kingdom; hence, the response in the place that is called Armageddon.
The attack of Gog from the land of Magog
Wednesday, February 8 I [will] sanctify myself through you before their eyes, O Gog.—Ezek. 38:16. Shortly before the remaining ones of the 144,000 are taken to heaven, Gog will attack God’s people. What reaction does this provoke? On earth, God’s people will appear
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Who is Gog of Magog?
QUESTION: I'm confused as to who Gog is. Is it Satan? Or something influenced by Satan? __________ ANSWER: Your confusion is understandable. For years the Watchtower taught that Gog was a reference to Satan after his ouster from heaven in 1914. But
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Lately my own people have risen up as an enemy
The first edition of Jehovah Himself Has Become King (2005) considered some of the so-called minor prophets, which included Micah. It was apparent to me that the prophecy of Micah, although set in ancient times, actually contains
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