(Suggested Chronological Order and Noteworthy Facts)
- Regional Israeli-Arab War: Psalm 83 (pre-Tribulation): “Inner-Ring” Islamic nations attempt to destroy Israel in a regional war.
- Saudi Arabia (“Ishmaelites”) and Lebanon (“Gebal,” “Tyre”) did not participate in the Six-Day War. Therefore, this coalition has not happened yet.
- Egypt is involved (“Hagarenes”) and defeated. This possibly explains why Egypt (as well as the other Muslim nations in Psalm 83) will not be involved in the Gog and Magog invasion.
- First Gog and Magog War: Ezekiel 38-39 (pre-Tribulation or beginning of Tribulation): Russia and “Outer-Ring” Islamic allies (e.g. Turkey, Iran, North Africa) attempt to destroy Israel.
- Due to the victory over the Psalm 83 coalition, Israel rests securely in the land of Israel. While some say this is due to the Antichrist’s peace treaty with Israel, the issue of burning the weapons remains a problem. The burning of weapons is an expression of victorious rejoicing (i.e. spoiling the would-be spoilers). It is, therefore, difficult to push this into Jacob’s Trouble, when the people of Israel will flee for their lives into the wilderness (Remember, the burning takes place in the “cities of Israel.”). Ezekiel 38-39 will likely take place several years before the Tribulation begins, though it is possible it will coincide with the start of the 70th week of Daniel 9 (i.e. seven years of burning=seven years of Tribulation).
- Egypt does not participate in this war, apparently because it has not yet recovered from the Psalm 83 conflict. Ethiopia (includes Sudan) and Libya are frequently seen in Scripture as allies of Egypt, so the fact that they participate in this battle without Egypt is odd enough to demand an explanation. While Egypt was crushed by Israel in the Psalm 83 War, Ethiopia and Libya were for some reason not involved and so are eager to join Russia and its allies.
- Antichrist’s Egypt Campaign: Daniel 11 (mid-Tribulation): Antichrist conquers Egypt and its neighbors surrender (i.e. Libya and Ethiopia).
- Verses 21-25 concern Antiochus Epiphanes, while verses 36-35 concern the Antichrist. The former is a type of the latter.
- Egypt obviously has regained some of its former strength and confidence, given its bold attempt to defeat the Antichrist (“king of the north”).
- This conflict is clearly different than Gog and Magog, for Ethiopia and Libya are not seen as allies (as in Ez. 38), but conquered foes. Ethiopia and Libya most likely don’t put up much of a fight and surrender to the Antichrist in light of Egypt’s crushing defeat.
- Gog is defeated (“upon the mountains”), while the king of the north has nothing but unmatched success (passes through the “glorious land” and overthrows “many countries”).
- Gog takes the offensive for spoil, while the king of the north retaliates after being attacked by Egypt (possibly a final Muslim attempt to oppose the Muslim-apostate Antichrist).
- The invasion of Gog results in a time of victorious peace, while the king of the north’s campaign takes place just before the Great Tribulation. The beginning of Daniel 12 indicates that the return of the Antichrist to Jerusalem signals the start of Jacob’s Trouble, or the second half of the Tribulation. The news of the northeast might be about the Two Witnesses (Rev. 11).
- All pretenses of peace will be shattered toward the middle of the Tribulation. “Mystery Babylon” (i.e. Rome/Vatican-Rev. 17:9, 18) will be betrayed by the Beast when he begins to promote a Luciferian religion (New Age) with himself at its center. The Beast will be assassinated and resurrected (Rev. 13, 17).
- Apollyon is probably Satan, who is given temporary control over the Abyss (Rev. 9), or dwelling place of fallen angels (demons) and their offspring (Nephilim).
- The Beast is the son (or “seed”) of Satan (Gen. 3:15; 2 Thess. 2:3-“perdition”=apoleia or Apollyon). Thus, being Nephilim, he will go to the Abyss when he is assassinated, but will be brought back by Satan. The chief weakness of the reincarnation/possession view is that there is no differentiation between the Beast before and after death. No personality change is suggested. The Beast is simply the Beast, a person who dies, goes to the Abyss and then comes back.
- Whether or not the ancient Watchers will be released is up for debate (Jude 6- What does “unto judgment” mean?[1]), but clearly many inhabitants of the Abyss are set free to wreak havoc on the earth. This horde most certainly includes Nephilim from the past.[2] As the days of Noah were (Matt. 24:37)…
- Battle of Armageddon: Revelation 19 (post-Tribulation): Christ wipes out Antichrist’s forces and rescues persecuted Israel.
- Gog and Magog cannot be Armageddon, for Israel is not at rest towards the close of the Tribulation, but fleeing the wrath of the Dragon and his Beast (Rev. 12-13).
- Second Gog and Magog War: Revelation 20 (post-Millennium): Christ rains fire down from heaven to consume Satan’s forces before Jerusalem’s walls.
- Ezekiel limits the First Gog and Magog War’s participants to specific number of nations that attack from the north. The Second Gog and Magog War involves participants from all over the earth.
- The First Gog and Magog War takes place on the mountains of Israel, while the second specifically takes place before Jerusalem’s walls.
- The First Gog and Magog War sees the participants defeated in multiple ways (earthquake, sword, fire, etc.), while during the Second Gog and Magog War the participants are all killed by fire. Moreover, while all participates are killed in the second war, the first war leaves a sixth part of Gog’s forces as survivors.
- The First Gog and Magog War is described in Ezekiel as occurring before the Millennium (Ez. 40-48) and being a catalyst in bringing the people of Israel back to faith in the Lord. The Second Gog and Magog War comes after the Israelites accept Christ and reign with Him for 1,000 years.
- The First Gog and Magog War results in many corpses that must be buried for seven months and weapons for seven years. The Second Gog and Magog War results in the enemy being “devoured” by fire (The word in Greek means to “eat up till it is finished.”). Therefore, there will likely be no bodies to bury. Moreover, it is hard to believe that God will leave corpses to be buried during the New Heaven and New Earth, which is spoken of as being free from defilement (Rev. 21).
[1] “Unto judgment” may refer to the Tribulation, when God will use the inhabitants of the Abyss to punish the wicked, or it could refer to the judgment of the angels in question.
[2] The Abyss is always associated with fallen angels in the New Testament (2 Pet. 2:4) and Nephilim are likewise associated with it by virtue of their angelic parentage. Moreover, we have a clear case of one of the Nephilim being at least shortly confined to the Abyss, namely, the Antichrist.
Author: James Buddy Smith
Ark of Hope
Jasper, Georgia
Ark of Hope Baptist Fellowship - Jasper, Georgia 