<Sent> Ministries
Messiah
Jesus'
Gog And Magog
Part One
Chapter One
The Hebrew Book of 3 Enoch Chapter XLV states that on the Curtain of the Throne in the Holy of Holies that
divides it from the Holy Place, (according to the pattern Moses was commanded to erect in the wilderness,
that is, the Tabernacle exactly as the heavenly one), are graven all the generations of the world and their
doings, both what they have done and what they will do until the end of all generations.
We often hear from different saints the phrase “Behind the veil,” “Hidden manna,” etc. The Curtain
separates the Throne of Glory and its innermost mysteries from other parts of the highest heaven and from
the world of angels in general … as the curtain veiled off the Holy of Holies in the sanctuary.
The Curtain therefore becomes the symbol of the secrets of heaven and earth that are kept with the
Godhead, hidden even from the angels. Occasional revelations of these secrets, described either as
obtained by “hearing from behind the Curtain (Veil)” or some express it by the phrase ”to know from
behind the Curtain (Veil) indicating, the secrets are as 'written/seen on the inside of the Curtain.' It is called
“Curtain of the Divine Majesty.” Thus we have, “His Word is forever settled in heaven; it is written.”
Now we know that after the death and resurrection of our Lord, Savior, and King Messiah Jesus, He has
entered behind the Curtain as a Forerunner, and Mediating-Attorney for us, we can enter this Most Holy
Place by His blood atonement and speak directly to “Our Father, who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your
name!” Also, in the Scroll of Revelation, the Lord Yeshua, Jesus from
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behind the Veil reveals 'end-time-events' to His people represented by the
Candlesticks. He warns His 'bond-servants' of their “virginity” which they must guard, and of their
endurance, and patient faithfulness they must keep, of their persecutions and even the death of some for
His name. He especially warns of the teaching we are currently hearing “Because you say I am rich, have
become wealthy…and have need of nothing…and do not know that you are wretched, poor, blind, and
naked;” that is, spiritually you do not know just how blind you are and have fallen away form Apostolic
teaching.
The LORD also speaks of the “hidden manna” from behind the Curtain that will show us of things to come
… “As it is written,” according to the heavenly tablets from which the angels mediated to many of the
prophets and that His angels still mediate today! This foreknowledge implies the idea of 'pre-
determination.' So, we should be inquiring of our Father “What is Your perfect will for me, what should I be
preparing within myself, besides purity, to keep the faith and finish my race?” This means my work in
ministry, as a man or woman, father, mother, husband, wife, laborer, anything that your hands find to do.
For in that doing is the healing anointing and prayer. Don't be striving to become “rich and great, owning
lots of land, bla, bla, bla” as Christian TV media is proclaiming! This teaching contradicts Scripture,
especially of the end-time events.
But keep knocking, seeking for a glimpse of the Curtain of Divine Majesty's revelation and Anointing.
Written on this Curtain of Divine Majesty is the 'repository' of all past, present and future events, and it
seems, as if the idea were rather, that the events, the 'generations, their thoughts and their doings,'
portrayed on the Curtain…are images imprinted on it…rather than that the various facts are merely
recorded! In my thinking brothers and sisters, it is like a TV or Movie screen! Isn't that amazing! Let's
remember that the Kingdom of Messiah is not a 'political kingdom of this world!'
In verse 5) it reads of the short eschatological Gog & Magog end-time war. “And I saw the Messiah, through
the medium of the Curtain of the Throne all the fights and wars that the 'nations of the world' wrought
against the people of Israel in the “time of their kingdom.” (This seems to be viewing the fights and wars
against Israel from ancient times in the lands of Gog & Magog, see Chap. Two Map Resources, which
reunite after Israel's final regathering).
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“And I saw Messiah ben (son of) David (as king), and His 'generation,' and all the fights and wars, and their
works and their doings that they (His generation) will do with Israel both for good and evil. And I saw all the
fights and wars (plural) that Gog & Magog will fight in the 'days' of Messiah (see 7 seals, Ezk 38-39; Dan 7-8),
and all that the Holy One, blessed be He, will do with them (His people) in the time to come.” (Note: not do
to (against) Israel, but 'with!' we fight as ONE; also remember that the word is to prophesy against and the
Holy One intervenes, as we shall see, and the Holy One is shown with His inheritance, His Bride in the time
to come Rev 14. Also we are to remember the Scripture “And who shall declare His generation?” Peter tells
us that, “We are His generation!” and we are proclaiming His word and to prophesy against Gog & Magog.
This is 'our time and season to declare this prophecy!' Our inheritance is the Kingdom of eternal life, not
flesh and blood!
Verse 6) summarizes what he has seen “(I saw) all the rest of all leaders of the generations and all the
works of the generations both in Israel and in the nations of the world, both what is done and what will be
done hereafter to all generations until the “end of time,” (when time shall be no more) all were graven
(imaged) on the Curtain of the Divine Majesty. I had seen it, I opened my mouth in praise ”For the King's
word has power and who may say unto Him: What are You doing? Whosoever keeps Your commandments
shall know no evil thing,” And I said, “O LORD, how manifold are Your works.”
A janitor by the name of Marvin Ford had this experience in the 70's after he was pronounced dead in a
Southern California Hospital. He told of wonders and that when he arrived in the Throne Room he fell on his
face while praises and more praises gushed forth from his mouth in worship! I wrote about him, do you
remember? He told of the end-time events that the LORD revealed to him. He and wife stayed in the Visalia
TraveLodge that I managed.
Chapter Two
Ezekiel's Prophecies
According to Ezekiel 36 & 37 Israel must be regathered to their Land before the final wars of Gog & Magog;
this prophecy began it's fulfillment after World War 2 in 1948. According to Luke 21 Jerusalem would be
trodden down by the Gentiles until their times are fulfilled. (Some interpret this
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passage as “Until all the gentiles who are to be saved come into salvation;” or “Until the times of the
Gentile rule over Jerusalem/Israel is fulfilled.” Many quote Paul's statement of Israel's Olive Tree Roman's
11. It is certain that the natural branches are being grafted back into their own beautiful Tree and there is no
statement that the wild branches are raptured out, but cut off)!
There are four verses of Scripture, I think we must keep in mind, and they are Ezekiel 38:8-12 God
prophesying from His foreknowledge, pre-determined plan imaged upon His Curtain, to Gog & Magog: 8)
“After many years you will be visited.” (Indicating that Gog & Magog kingdoms have a past history of wars
& fights, against Israel upon their Land; which is still in process today). “In the latter years you will come
into the land of those brought back from the sword (see dry-bones, Ch 37) and gathered from many people
on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of many nations, and now
dwell safely.” (Has Israel been dwelling safely yet)? 9) “You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the
land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many people with you. 10) Thus says the LORD God: “On that
day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: 11) You will
say, 'I will go up against the land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of
them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates' (as they had in ancient past) 12) 'to take
plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and
against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods. Who dwell in the midst
of the land.' “
The Identity of Gog & Magog Alliance
First, the Messiah Yeshua, Acts 1:6, finishes gathering together Israel unto Himself both physically and
spiritually in Jerusalem, as we are seeing today. But according to the above Scriptures quoted, Israel must
be at peace before Gog & Magog ascend upon the land to take 'a booty.' (Note: not to push Israel into the
sea of no more). So let us identify Gog & Magog.
Ezekiel 38: 1) “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 2) Son of man, set your face against Gog,
the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and
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Tubal. And prophesy against 'him,' 3) and say, Thus says the LORD GOD; Behold, I am against you, O Gog,
the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4) And I will turn you back, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will
bring you forth, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a
great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5) Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with
them; all of them with
shield and helmet: 6) Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his
bands: and many people with you. 7) Be prepared, and prepare for yourself, you, and all the company
(alliance/coalition) that are assembled unto you, and be a guard unto them.”
The following is a modern-day look at the nations mentioned by Ezekiel that will join together to attack
Israel in the last of the last days.
From The End-Time Project Map Resources
There doesn't seem to be any firm proof but most scholars believe that Gog in the land of Magog is
speaking of Russia or the Soviet Union. This may very well be true since the children of Japheth, son of
Noah, settled to the north of Eden going into Turkey and southern Europe. The families that settled
southern Europe are not mentioned here but the ones that settled Turkey are named (Magog, Meshech,
Tubal and Gomer) and would be the ones that eventually continued to migrate due north into the Soviet
Union. If, however, Gog is not the Soviet Union it must certainly be Turkey since Gog is called the chief
prince of the different provinces of Turkey. God calls Gog the Chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal. Gomer
and Togarmah are all past locations in Turkey! Persia does not exist as a nation today but the land-mass
that it used to occupy is currently occupied by Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and parts of Saudi Arabia,
Egypt and Turkey. Iran is the one nation that is directly descended from Persia. Ethiopia and Lybia both
covered a greater portion of the African continent in the past; therefore the name of them in Ezekiel could
mean that there will be other African nations that will join them but not necessarily. Looking at the world
today and comparing ancient maps to modern ones one might think that Sudan could have been included
as a part of Egypt or Ethiopia and Algeria could have been included as part of Libya.
Verses 15 & 16 places the battle of Gog in the latter days; some believe that this battle will take place
before the tribulation, before the antichrist is
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revealed; and that these same nations will rejoin together in a second alliance of ten nations from which
the antichrist will rise up out of and take control of.
I personally do not see this interpretation, because, 14) “On that day when My people Israel dwell safely,
will you not know it,” as quoted earlier, “that Israel will be dwelling safely and without walls.” I am
questioning if Antichrist (a man & his kingdom) will rise from these kingdoms that have fallen on the
mountains of Israel, which take the Israelis seven months to bury!? Unless we are completely wrong in our
interpretation and Israel enters into the Millennium without being resurrected after the Tribulation. But this
can't be according to Daniel 12.
The Four Winds
Revelation 7:1) “After these things I saw “four angels” standing at the four corners of the earth (this makes
the vision given to John universal), holding the four winds of the earth, that they should not blow on the
earth, on sea, or on any tree. These are spirits of destruction over the land, the sea and the trees. 2) Then I
saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of God. And he cried with a loud voice to the
four angels (winds) to whom it was granted to harm the earth, the sea, 3) saying, 'Do not harm the earth, the
sea, or the trees till (until) we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” (4 winds could also
mean “the 4 quarters of the land of Israel and not necessarily universally, I'm not sure, but the enemies fall
on the mountains of Israel, and even the 'four horseman' are spirits of the Tribulation Period).
We know that the number is 144,000 … and that the 12 tribes of Israel are named, not the 12 apostles. It is a
perfect cube of 10x10x10, symbolizing completeness, multiplied by 144, or 12x12, symbolizing the faithful
remnant (some say of both Old and New Testament believing Jews and Gentiles). However you believe,
they are Israel! Note too, that the angel with the seal comes from the East! And we also see that “they and a
great multitude which no one could number, of all the nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues came out of the
'great tribulation' and had washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.” Let us look at Matthew 24 what
Jesus has prophesied. “For in times past God spoke through the prophets…But in these last days He has
spoken to us through His Son to whom He has given everything,” Hebrew 1:1-2. Shalom!
Y SheepShed q Sent
Messiah ben David Is Supported by God's Right Hand,
That is, The Shekinah, Over Gog & Magog
Messiah
Jesus'
Gog And Magog
Part Two
Chapter Three
“God, who at various times and in various ways (in visions, dreams, and even face to face), spoke in times
past to our fathers by the prophets, has in these 'last days' (which began with the appearance of Yeshua,
Jesus) has spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made
the worlds (universe or the world and everything there is), Heb 1:1-2.
The Apostle Paul tells us “Now all these things happened to them (Israel in their 40 year desert wonderings)
as examples, and they were written for our admonition (instruction), upon whom the ends of the ages have
come upon,” 1 Co 10:1-11.
Paul uses this portion of Scripture because Israel was delivered from the bondages of Egypt and all Israel
past through the Red Sea being baptized into Moses at the time of the first Passover; but God was not
pleased with some of them. We who have received Christ, our Passover Lamb, have also been delivered
from “Egypt” and have been baptized into Yeshua, Jesus, and are in a wilderness experience; so Paul adds
“Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” So we must stop going around and around the
mountain! It is “he who endures to the end. ”Israel was in the Old Covenant and we are in the New
Covenant “upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”
The First Coming of Christ, not His Second Coming marks the ends of the ages. The Second Coming
concludes what the first reveals and will bring to completion. We live in an 'overlap' between the former
and the new creation.
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The “Mystery Hidden” (behind the Curtain from OT prophets & the angels who longed to look into these
things), that Paul reveals in Ephesians is that the “Jews and Gentiles are One” in the Body of Christ that
form a new race of people, One New Man, who will in the end inherit eternal life, that is, the Kingdom. This
is an eternal kingdom of which 'flesh and blood' cannot inherit…you must be born-again into it … you must
be in the first resurrection of which there is no 'second death.'
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are Sent to you! How often I
wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not
willing!”
“See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you (Jerusalem) shall see Me no more till you say,
'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' “ Mt 23:37-39. (This prophecy is in 'process' of
fulfillment today.
Matthew 24 & Luke 21 0 Part One
Matthew 24 & Luke 21 are the most logical place in the New Testament to start our study of history and
future events of the “last days,” because it is a chronological illumination or explanation of the endtimes
from the very mouth of Yeshua Himself. It is only an outline of events responding to His disciple's
questions of shock regarding the destruction of the Temple and buildings. The disciples wanted to know
the 'countdown' to “When shall these things be?” and “What is the sign of Your coming and the sign of the
end of the world or ages (on whom the ends of the ages have come)?”
That was indeed what they were asking Him. He began by reciting a list of events such as wars, rumors of
wars and earthquakes that will occur with increasing number, as in frequent repetition, or constant
hammering, before the end-times begin (the 7 or 3 1/2 years?). After describing a few things that would take
place along the journey to the end of the world, He began to tell them about certain things that would occur
before the world, as we know it, comes to an end.
Now the end of the world is not the end of the earth. It will not be a global meltdown, but the heavens will
be shaken and they will pass away. There are some who teach the stars that fall from heaven are Satan and
his angels, (?).
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But we need to understand Matthew 24 in the order that it was written, and Luke 21, because Luke
separates the fall of Jerusalem, its destiny and that of Jerusalem's people (Jews/Israel) until the fulfillment
of the times of the Gentiles … which Matthew 24 does not.
Without properly understanding Matthew 24 & Luke 21 we will not be able to grasp and keep in our spirits
and minds the Book of Revelation or other 'last day' prophecies. We must see and not overlook the 'broad
view' of what the Lord was saying and end up overanalyzing every sentence and every little word to the
point of confusion that we are in today! (Last night I turned on three different Christian TV channels … and
each one was teaching “How to get wealth!” O God help us! This teaching and others have choked the true
Word of God so that it cannot produce the 'truth' of the Spirit within!
Chapter Four
EndTimes Project Outline
We will use the EndTimes Project outline on Matthew 24 (and mine on Luke 21) for this lesson but not its
entire discourse. Please don't look for a hidden message between every syllable and keep yourself, your
'mind' in the context of what God is actually saying.
Let us begin by looking at selected verses because they are like the skeleton of the body on which our
flesh is wrapped. These verses will give us structure for the whole chapters and make it clear as to what
order the different events, especially of the endtimes, will occur.
Most of the other verses that surround the other ones are warnings and/or encouragements not to 'fall
away' under persecutions and hard times which warnings and encouraging words one will need for
endurance to the end. Jesus gives His admonitions in various places and ways, as did His disciples in their
teachings, but they have no bearing on how things will transpire. In other words, at the same time Jesus is
laying out the course of future events, He is giving us certain warnings of what we should or should not do
while those events are unfolding. The 'filler verses' do not help us to understand the chronology of the
endtimes. Because of Jesus' compassion for us, He is speaking to us words that will live in us by the Spirit,
as they lived in Him, making us victorious in the midst of the many trials the future will bring.
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Please pay close attention as you read Matthew 24/Luke 21 to all the words that relate to “when,” “then”
and “after.” These words reinforce for us the fact that Jesus is speaking these things in the order in which
they will occur. He is speaking rationally, intentionally and chronologically and not in some ethereal
spiritualistic way that just kind of floats from one subject to another without any direction or consideration
for appointed timing.
One thing Jesus does not mention in Matthew 24/Luke 21 is the armies of Gog & Magog that will come and
be defeated by God before (?) the rest of the endtime events begin to unfold, unless He was referring to
them as in “wars and rumors of wars” in verse 6. You'll recall that Gog fills the mountainous areas of Israel
with troops in anticipation of total victory, but God intervenes with a great slaughter. Endtime Project.
(Ezekiel's prophecies must be read carefully! Think it out)!
Pastor John Hagee:
On Christian DayStar TV yesterday, January 30, 07, John Hagee taught this. “The Church could be raptured
tonight. The 'EU' will make a treaty with Israel and the Arabs. Then Israel will be at rest and Gog (Russia
who is the Commander, Guard Ezk 38:7, with and of the Arab alliance) will come down to take a spoil (the oil
reserves) and Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish who are Britain and the United States (Britain's
young Lions) will say, “Have you come to take plunder? Have you come to take booty, to carry away silver
and gold, to take away livestock and goods to take great plunder?” which booty Hagee interprets as Arab
oil reserves, 38:10 seq., but in fact will do nothing more. Pastor Hagee continues to predict, “When America
pulls out of Iraq she will never engage in any war in the Middle East again, not even to help Israel! She is
broke. If you are in debt get out of debt, America is broke!” Unquote. That is true America is in debt and
broke! But note: Sheba is in southwest part of the Arabian Peninsula Ezk 27:22; Dedan: see 25:13; 27:22'
the merchants of Tarshish: see 27:12; Jer 10:9. You decide!
Among all the things that will happen before the end, the most important is that the gospel will be preached
in all the world. After that the endtimes start in earnest as a process or series of events. We need to notice
in Revelation 14:6-13 that three angels having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the
earth (at this time) to every nation, tribe,
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tongue, and people … “before” the mark of the beast is commanded. It must be universal because the
angel proclaims the gospel to every human being, (and I do not believe the angel is a Christian satellite)!
There does not appear to be any resurrection as yet because of the angel's statement, “Here is the
patience of the saints (not addressing Jews only), here are those who keep the commandments of God and
the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in
the Lord from now on: Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow
them.” This is the tribulation period of Anti-Christ and not the Wrath of God. This is a warning not to take the
mark of the beast in order to escape the Wrath of God, saints. The gospel that the angel preaches is the
unchanging, eternal, agelong and the unending … it is the same gospel of Yeshua Messiah the Apostles
preached. The Wrath of God that follows immediately after the Tribulation is:
The world system controlled by Satan, that is violently thrown into His Wrath. It is God taking back control
of the earth from Satan through His Son Yeshua, Jesus Messiah and putting those who serve Satan through
a much greater torment than what they have heaped upon the righteous and innocent. However, some do
teach it does not happen in an instant; it will be a series of events that happen over a short multiyear
timeframe before the Millennium begins; or stretching into the Millennium reign? I think we need to study
that interpretation carefully with scriptural facts!
It appears to me, that after the Tribulation, we see immediately the Son of Man coming in the clouds with
great power and great glory sending His angels to gather His elect from the four winds (Mark 13:26-27), who
are the harvesting angels that the Lord spoke of in His Parables of the Kingdom, see also Rev 14:14. Selah!
Chapter Five
Matthew 24 & Luke 21 0 Part Two
1) And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and His disciples came to Him for to shew Him
the temple buildings.
2) And Jesus said to them, do you see all these things? Truly I say to you, there will not be left here one
stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.
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3) And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us,
when shall these things be? And what shall be the 'sign' of Your coming, and of the end of the world?” Mark
tells us that the disciples asking the questions are Peter, James, John & Andrew.
Please notice that the disciples have grouped the days of the destruction of the temple buildings together
with His coming and the end of the world, as though they were somehow one event. But the Lord separates
their questions.
Let us now read Luke's account 21:
7) So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what 'sign' will there be
when these things are about to take place?” (The destruction of the temple buildings? How are we to
know this? What is the sign? It appears here that they did not ask about His coming.
The 'sign' is in verse 7, 20) “When you (the disciples/christian believers) see Jerusalem surrounded by
armies, then know that its desolation is near, (70 A.D..”) 22) “Because these are the days of vengeance,
that all things that are written may be fulfilled.” And from that time of desolations on, Jerusalem is under
Gentile rule until their fulfillment of the 'Appointed Time.' From the times of 70 A.D., the Jewish people are
led captive into every nation…until they are gathered back into their land in 1967 and Jerusalem became
Israel's capital in 1948. Regardless of what some may teach … the Jews/Israel will not be led away captive
into all nations again! See verse 24.
Israel and Jerusalem is still dealing with the Gentile nations even after they have been brought back … the
Arab nations and the EU play leading roles and this is where we are today right here in this verse repeating
the primary fulfillment of Jerusalem and a tribulation period which is a global involvement as indicated in
the next verse:
25) Because it gives the condition of the “earth's distress of nations in perplexity, the sea and waves
roaring, signs in the sun, moon and stars; 26) men's hearts failing from fear and the expecting of those
things coming, for the powers of the heaven will be shaken … then will they see the Son of Man coming on
a cloud with power and great glory.”
27) “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift you your heads, because your redemption
(resurrection, the kingdom) draws near.” See verse 31) “…know that the kingdom of God is near. 32)
Assuredly, I say to you, 'this
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generation' will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33) Heaven and earth will pass away, but
My words will by no means pass away.” This generation is the generation that is seeing these things now.
The year 2007 marks a forty year generation celebration for Israel (1967).
34) “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and the
cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35) For it will come as a snare on all those who
dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36) Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be
counted worthy to 'escape' all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
What does that mean? It means just what it says!
The times of the Gentiles refer to the interval between the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the
second Coming of Christ, during which the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world. Jesus also redefines
the meaning of greatness reversing the values of the world … “the cares of this life!” measured instead in
terms of service without thought of 'any kind' of reward in this our short life as grass that is here today and
gone tomorrow! Nothing must come before Jesus, nothing, Children!
And too, the disciples in Matthew's account must have already known of His impending crucifixion, His
resurrection, His ascension and His coming again; otherwise they could not have asked, “What shall be the
'sign' of Your coming and the end of the world?” So that causes me to have an inquiring mind that wants to
know! Perhaps through His Parables the disciple learned of these events. Also, Jesus foretells His death
and resurrection and the glory of His coming after He says to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom
of the heavens …” “Or what will a man give in place of his life …” “For the Son of Man is going to come in
the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will give back to each according to his actions.” Mt 13;
16:19-28; 25:14-30.
I learned yesterday that Israel is privately seeking help from the EU instead of the United States' 'Road Map'
for a “Peace Agreement” in the Middle East. But the “Big Four” met Friday and the 'Maps' is back on. The
EU's chief deputy, Javier Solana, stated he would have the “Peace Agreement” signed within a few weeks.
This means giving up Judea and Samaria! All this is bringing 'prophecies' into fulfillment! Shame on
America for she is, right now anyway, one of the Big Four!
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The Messiah's Return
The disciples question is twofold: When? And What? Their focus is on the very end. They assume, as
mentioned before, that “all these things” Jesus said will be destroyed at the end when He returns. They
evidently considered His coming and the end of the world to be a single event that would somehow be tied
into leveling of the temple and the other buildings they could see there.
The end, as they thought at the time, was about the last day when God withdraws His grace and starts
pouring out His vengeance on those who hate Him, and not the events that lead up to the end of the world.
However, from verse 4 to verse 28 in Matthew 24, Jesus reveals to them all the things that will happen
before the last signs of His return and the end of the world.
Some of those events become minor signs when placed in context. It is not until verses 29 and 30 that He
discloses to us what that final one great sign will be.
The Lord Jesus begins His reply in verses 4-14. What He says in these verses can be applied in a general
sense to all church history … from the time of His earthly ministry up to the completion of time, or the 'last
day' when the Resurrection occurs just before the Wrath of God begins. His words can also be applied
specifically to the final years of world history just prior to the time of the Anti-Christ and His return.
Jesus proclaims in verse 6 that these tragic things “must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” The Great
Tribulation, Daniel's seventieth week or Jacob's trouble, Jesus does not mention until verses 15-29. The
last thing that must take place when entering into the endtimes leading us into the Great Tribulation is the
Gospel of Messiah Yeshua, which the angels are somehow part of. I know, I know, we have been taught that
the angels do not proclaims the gospel but Revelation 14: 6-13 says they do.
All the tragic wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes in frequent succession are only
the beginning of sorrows. Read 7-10) “They will deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you
shall be hated of “all nations” for My Name's sake.”
The Jews in Jerusalem's 70 A.D. destruction were not hated by all nations; but only by Rome, because the
Jews rose up in revolt against them, but not for
9 Gog & Magog
the sake of Yeshua's name! Again, in the time period before 70 A.D. most of the persecutions of the
disciples came from the Jewish leaders themselves and not from the hatred of all nations. There is no
historical evidence that exists that Messiah came and resurrected anyone at that appointed time!
The greater intensity of the times is right up to the time when we enter the Great Tribulation. The fact of the
matter is that the things which Jesus enumerates above are pre-Tribulation atrocities. They constitute
tribulation in the lives of those who experience them; however, they are not the Great Tribulation. The
majority of the church seems to be in denial, especially in America, over the idea that God will allow His
people to go through “The Tribulation,” even though it suffers tribulation everyday all over the world.
However, this Tribulation will force people to rethink their priorities, and it will open the eyes of many to
their need of a Savior, Deliverer and Provider. It may even be the catalyst!
The Lord Jesus was speaking directly to His future Church, His Body, when He laid out the endtimes to His
apostles, giving them warnings and instructions for the times to come. (And they were not thinking of a
6,000-year time period from the day of creation, nor a 2,000-year time period until His return). Nor was He
speaking to unsaved Jews of Israel, nor was He speaking to a bunch of left-behind Christians)!
But He was speaking to the born-again Jews and Gentiles who would make up His Church (gathered out
ones) as the one Body of Messiah. He was also addressing pure hearts when He said in essence, “Don't let
your hearts become distracted, discouraged or fearful by all the evil things you see taking place all around
you and all over the globe, but keep your attentions directed towards God, His Word and His promised
return. Or, at the very least, focus on your martyr's reward. Never in the Gospels does the Lord Jesus tell
us that His People are going to mysteriously disappear without seeing any kind of tribulations in the last
days. Indeed He does tell us that both sin and righteousness come to their fullness! Praise God
forevermore, Selah!
I would admonish the true Believer to wean yourself from the internet; that is, don't waste your precious
time chit chatting about things that deceitfully lead to sin … be ever so careful! as we will give an account
to God for
10 Gog & Magog
every idle thought-word we convey to another, whether written or spoken, said Jesus. The computer can
easily be a “serpent” coiled-up in your home ready to strike, believe it or not.
Please bear in mind that those things Jesus has described so far are the things that will take place before
the endtimes begin, watch for a “Peace Agreement” with Israel, the Arabs and the European Union … then
when Israel is at rest 'perhaps' the Gog & Magog war.
“Many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many,” verse 11. These prophets teach things contrary to
what the Bible says about the only Name given “among men” under heaven whereby we must be saved!
They teach contrary to the Lord's doctrinal words that cannot be changed. It is by a tree's fruit that you
know what kind of a tree it is. So wait … until you can truly see and taste the prophet's fruit of the Spirit of
Christ Himself.
12) “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax (grow) cold.” Aren't you finding this true
even in yourself? I do.
The end that Christ speaks of in verse 13) “But he (the individual) that endures to the end, the same shall be
saved,” is the end of the Great Tribulation when the tried and purified Saints will be resurrected. Jesus is
speaking of the end of all things that we must endure while in this world. Furthermore, when He resurrects
His Body that will bring about a conclusion to the things we must endure because we are no longer in the
world.
Jesus is not telling us that we must endure to the beginning of the end when the Anti-Christ will make his
Peace Agreement with Israel and then we will be gone. No, He is telling us that we must endure to the final
end when God blows the whistle on the Anti-Christ and the rest of the world and declares the saints to be
the victors. The end is when the final trumpet of the Archangel sounds, the dead in Messiah are raised and
those who are still alive and remain after the Tribulation in the Body of Christ are caught up (by the
harvesting angels from the four winds of heaven) to meet the Lord Jesus, Yeshua in the clouds of the air
where every eye shall see Him. All these events must coincide with the Book of Revelation that unveils
these events for us, both Jews and Gentiles alike for we are One Flock with One Shepherd.
11 Gog & Magog
A Visible Event
Wherever the Resurrection/Rapture is mentioned in the Bible, it is described as a visible event. In Titus 2:
13 the Resurrection is called a “glorious appearing.” In Acts 1:9-11 Jesus was caught up before the eyes of
the disciples and received in a cloud “while they beheld Him.” Two angels appeared and said, “You men of
Galilee, why stand here gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven.” They were speaking of the first
Resurrection, even what some call the Rapture.
Revelation 1:7 proclaims, “Behold, He comes with the clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also
which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen” (So be it)! That
means that not only the saints who are awaiting His blessed and glorious appearing will see Him appear,
but every human being who is guilty of the sin and refused to receive Him as Lord and Savior.
The “sign” of the darkening of the skies that precedes His appearing is the same “sign” that precedes the
Day of God's wrath. This truth is also brought out when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of
Shavuot (Pentecost) Acts 2:20 The sun will be changed into darkness and the moon into blood, before the
great and glorious Day of the Lord is come (manifest). And it will be that everyone who would call upon the
name of the Lord will be saved (from His wrath).”
With the heavens darken, as they will be … His glory will shine brighter and more radiant as He descends
with His angels. Saints notice, that the Holy Spirit is very active even up to the Day of the Lord. Note too,
that the Lord will give wonders in heaven above and signs upon the earth below, blood and fire, and vapor
of smoke, all before His glorious appearing. The declaration that Peter is giving is to Israel … about their
Messiah … and still is today, to all the house of Israel! Read it for yourself, Peter's sermon is to them in Acts
2:1-42. You see, we must compare scripture with scripture. There is no such thing as a Gentile Church only
nor Jew only in the Body of Christ! Never has been, nor ever will be! If it were not for the Abrahamic
Covenant, we gentiles would have no hope! That Covenant is fulfilled in Messiah Yeshua, Jesus as One
New Man, this is the Mystery revealed by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians!
12 Gog & Magog
But the Lord Jesus is now turning His attention not only to the salvation of the gentiles, but especially back
to His own flesh and blood; remember Jesus was a Jew in His earthly life!
Let us read in Revelation the only account of Gog & Magog that is mentioned, by name anyway, to see
whether this may throw some light on this study.
A Thousand Years
This is generally understood to be one thousand, but this word, 'xilia,' was also used in a general sense,
referring to a very large number. Rev 20:1-6.
This, we refer to as the 1000 year reign with Messiah as priests over the nations and Satan has been
chained up in prison until those large number of days are over.
20:7) “Then when the 'xilia' thousand years are completed, Satan will be loosed from his prison 8) and he
will come out to deceive the nations who are in the 'four corners' of the earth, Gog & Magog (can't be
Antichrist),z to gather for the war (battle), whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9) And they went up
upon the breadth of the earth and they surrounded the camp (army some read?) of the saints and the
beloved city (Jerusalem, The New One?), and fire descended from the sky and consumed them. 10) Then
the devil, the one who was deceiving them, was thrown violently into the lake of fire and brimstone where
the beast and false prophet had been cast, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” This
is very interesting, don't you think? But, does it fall into context with the destruction prophesied in Ezk 38 &
39?
In our next Lesson we will study the Book of Revelation as pertaining to the 144,000 Jews that are sealed,
the Gog & Magog surrounding the camp of the saints! Perhaps other chapters as well … Is this the Gog
referred to in Ezekiel?
Hummmmmm, The inquiring mind wants to know.
What do you think? May the Lord keep you and may you keep your whole body, soul and spirit blamelessly
fixed upon Jesus our Messiah.
We love you!
Shalom
Y SheepShed
q Sent
Messiah
Jesus’
Gog & Magog
Part Three
My son-in-law, Jerome, gifted me with a book on The Views of four Approaches/Interpretations of the Book
of Revelation; which are: 1) Historicist, 2) Preterist, 3) Futurist and, 4) Spiritual. However, for Chapters 20-22
the Approaches are changed to the Views of: 1) Premillennium, 2) Amillennium and, 3) Postmillennium.
I have delayed writing this Gog & Magog lesson (Part Three) because I had need to study and do some
research on the subject … other than what I have learned from Bible School (New Tribes Mission), Catholic
footnotes, and Evangelical Pastors and Teachers. I have decided to put to you the Three Approaches in this
book entitled REVELATION Four Views; edited by: Steve Gregg; Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville;
latest addition 1997.
Realizing that the Pastors and saints in Africa, India, and America would not be able to buy this Book; I
would like to share with you what I have finally understood regarding the origins of these Four Doctrines
(Approaches) and the Three Views of Revelation chapter 20. I pray you will be given the anointing ear of
the Spirit to hear Truth! The study of Chapter 20 is the most difficult to ‘interpret’ and most ‘controversial’ in
all Christiandom. The modern day Postmillennialists, especially of the Christian Reconstructionist
Variety, are teaching that Christ is coming at the end of the Millennium.
Premillennialists: Jesus is coming before, and Amillennialism: no 1000 years.
2 Gog & Magog
Chapter Six
Revelation 20:1-3
The Binding of The Dragon
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in
his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a
thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he
should not deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he
must be released for a little while.”
Premillennial View
Then (v1) suggests a chronological sequence following the events in chapter 19:10, where Christ was seen
in His Second Coming upon a white horse, subduing His enemies and defeating the Antichrist and the False
Prophet. Hence, the events of which we now read are to occur after the Second coming.
John sees an unnamed angel coming down from heaven in the possession of the key to the bottomless pit,
or the abyss, and sporting a great chain for the purpose of putting Satan out of commission for a time.
The location of the bottomless pit is unrevealed, although many feel that it must have its opening
somewhere on earth, since this opening is referred to twice in Revelation (v.1; 9:1). In 9:1 the abyss was
opened by a ‘star’ that fell “from heaven to the earth,” suggesting the earth as the location of the pit. The
star that fell in chapter 9 was “given” the key, because, being an evil angel, he did not possess it by right
but by grant from God. The angel in chapter 20, however, is not seen receiving, but “having” the key.
Having laid hold of the dragon the angel deftly discharges his commission to bind him for a thousand years.
The language clearly indicates that the disabling of Satan is very thorough; the restriction by the chain,
being cast into the pit and shut up in it with a seal set on him.
This does not mean there will be no sin in the Millennium, for as Biederwolf write: “This refers to Satan’s
complete banishment from the earth, so that while sin is still to exist in individuals, it is no longer to be the
power forming a fellowship, and thus making a kingdom of sin and Satan.” The effect of this incarceration of
Satan is: he will not deceive the nations for 1000 years!
3 Gog & Magog
This clearly indicates the presence of nations after the destruction of Antichrist and False Prophet in 19:21
… perhaps those who did not participate in the conflict. These will be, according to Alford, “the quiet and
willing subjects of the kingdom,” who will again be seduced when the thousand years are over (vv.7). [SS
note: see Daniel 7 for those nations (beasts) with a lease on life for a season].
There can be no doubt that the nations still experience satanically inspired deception today, which
challenges an interpretation of this vision that would make Satan to be ‘currently bound’. Weidner declares:
“If any one thing is clear, it is this, that the power of Satan has as yet not been bound.” “If he is bound
today,” it is often said, “the chain is too long.”
After the Millennium he must be loosed (released) for a little while. There will be a final rebellion following
Christ’s peaceful reign on earth before the eternal new creation will come.
[SS note: because of the Pauline doctrine that “the ‘end of the ages’ have come upon us, that is, we
Christians, the millennium must be a continuance of our present age, “for in the age to come is eternal life,
in the ‘new creation’.
“Now, once at the ‘end of the ages’, He has appeared to put away sin by His sacrifice …,” Heb 9:26. The end
of the prior ages began with the first appearing of Messiah Jesus and now we are in the ‘end-time-age’. “All
these things happened (OT Scriptures) to them as examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon
whom the ‘ends of the ages have come’,” 1 Co 10:11. “So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you,
there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of
God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time (age) and in the age to come eternal life,”
Luke 18:29-30. Therefore, the SheepShed concludes that the Millennium is not “the age to come”].
Amillennium View
Amillennium means, No Millennium. Amillennialists like Luther and Calvin interpreted Revelation according
to the historicist method. Other Amillennialists, like Jay Adams, take the preterist approach to Revelation.
Then I saw (v.1) speaks only of the order in which the visions were presented to John, not the chronology
of fulfillment. As chapter 12 describes the birth of
4 Gog & Magog
Christ after many chronologically later events are described in previous chapters, so this chapter goes
back to the beginning of the Christian dispensation (age) and looks Christ’s victory over Satan,
accomplished at the Cross.
The angel who comes down to bind Satan may be Michael, who is depicted as defeating the dragon in the
parallel vision of chapter 12.
Several elements in the passage seem to demand a nonliteral interpretation. First, the devil being a
spiritual being, is depicted as being bound by a great chain whereas one would think of spiritual beings as
not being susceptible to confinement by physical restraints. A second indicator of symbolism, is the
reference to Satan as both a dragon and a serpent, neither of which is any more a literal description of this
spiritual being than is a “lamb … having seven horns and seven eyes” (5:6), a literal description of the man
Jesus Christ.
We are further dissuaded from a literal interpretation of the passage by the fact that many of its features, e.
g., a thousand years, a pit, and a seal are used elsewhere in Scripture in a symbolic manner. [SS note:
however, behind all symbols is the literal reality, the real thing]!
The nature of the binding itself is not absolute, so as to preclude every activity of Satan. It is specifically
limited in the passage to the devil’s power to deceive the nations for the duration of the period. That Jesus
bound in some sense bound Satan during His ministry is affirmed by Christ Himself.
Jesus describes His ministry of deliverance to the demon possessed as analogous to the plundering of a
strong man’s house by an invader, Mt 12:29.
Here the strongman clearly is Satan and the intruder is Christ. Jesus explains parabolically that a necessary
first step was to bind the strong man, who otherwise would not allow his house to be pillaged. The
implication is that Jesus’ casting out of demons provides proof that He had already “bound” Satan. This
binding of Satan, however, does not involve a literal incarceration preventing all movement, In the analogy,
“binding” refers only to rendering his opponent incapable of resistance. The parallel account in Luke
replaces the metaphor of binding the strong man with that of stripping the strong man
5 Gog & Magog
of his armor and weapons, Luke 11:22. Thus, according to Christ’s own teaching, the imagery of “binding
Satan” conveys the fact that Satan has been rendered incapable of successfully resisting the forward
advance of God’s kingdom. [SS note: only because Jesus has given the keys of the kingdom to His
disciples to bind and to loose so that the gates of hell cannot prevail]!
Additional passages in the New Testament use similar images to describe the decisive victory of Christ
over His foes. Colossians 2:15 exults in the fact that Christ “disarmed principalities and powers” through
the cross, and Hebrews 2:14 states that Jesus endured death so that He might thereby “destroy” him who
had the power of death, that is, the devil.
The meaning of this binding of Satan, then, is that Christ, at His first advent, brought about a conclusive
victory, leaving Satan impotent to prevent the success of God’s kingdom. The imagery of this passage is
simply a more vivid dramatization of this concept, in keeping with the apocalyptic style of the book itself.
[SS note: see lesson ‘Right Hand of God’ for “binding & loosing” performed by the angels of God, then,
compare it with Michael and the angel who bound Satan in the bottomless pit for the duration of 1000 years
incapable of deceiving the nations, whereby they wage war and hate one another, especially hating those
who love the Lord Jesus and Jerusalem. What does Satan do the moment he is loosed from the pit? He
deceives the nations to do battle against the Camp of the Saints].
Postmillennial View
Postmillennialists find in Revelation 20 a consummation of history in the 1000-year reign of the saints, but
they believe that Christ will accomplish this through church fulfilling of its gospel mission, prior to His
return. The 1000 years of peace will be accomplished through no other agency than that which is already in
the possession of the church, i.e., the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. This early interpretation was
suggested by Jonathan Edwards and most early postmillennialists. The latest approach is: The world will
become christianized, either as a result of worldwide revival and mass conversions, or through the
imposition of Christian ideals by converted governments…or both. This interpretation is held by many
modern-day postmillennialists,
6 Gog & Magog
especially by the ‘Christian Reconstructionist variety. It is put forward that Christ will return at the end of
the Millennium, His coming is thus postmillennial.
Then (v. 1) conveys the idea that the events about to be described are to occur after the events described
in the immediate preceding context. Thus the successful preaching of the gospel worldwide, resulting in
the subordination of all the nations to the authority of Christ, precedes His Second Coming. The Second
Coming of Christ will be seen in verses 9ff. of this chapter, but the events before us in the present verses
(1-3) find fulfillment before that.
The Englishman `often credited with the founding of this school of thought, Daniel Whitby (1638-1725),
identified the events of this chapter as following the seventh trumpet in chapter 11. Followed by Jonathan
Edwards (1703-1758) in America, Whitby taught that the preaching of the gospel will, at some future point,
successfully convert the majority of sinners. Satan’s influence will thus be effectively bound upon earth,
that he should deceive the nations no more for a lengthy period.
A. H. Strong expressed this view: Through the preaching of the gospel in all the world, the kingdom of
Christ is steadily to enlarge its boundaries, until Jews and Gentiles alike become possessed of its
blessings, and a millennial period is introduced in which Christianity generally prevails throughout the earth.
This thousand years speaks of that future period.
David S Clark sees this chapter as beginning a new section, not, as the amillennialists suggest, to
recapitulate a time period discussed earlier, but looking to the end of the Christian era, long after Christ has
subdued Jerusalem and Rome (in Chs, 11 & 19).
Clark suggests that the capture of the Beast and False Prophet occurred at the fall of pagan Rome, [but “no
brightness of His Coming?”] but that the binding of Satan remains to be fulfilled in the future. Most other
postmillennialists (like the Premillennialists) see no break between the chapters, but a progression leading
naturally from the end of chapter 19 into chapter 20. All agree with Clark, however, in saying: “We therefore
conclude that there will be a millennium and that it will result from the preaching and teaching of the
7 Gog & Magog
gospel, when ‘the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord.’” [SS note: this is the prevalent teaching
today among many congregations, it is the teaching of “The Manifest Sons of God,” make an effort to hear
for it on Christian TV: among which some are called “We’ve got the Power,” “Dominionism,” “Third Day,”
“Day of The Spirit” and “Kingdom Now,” just to name a few].
R. J. Rushdoony also believes in this golden era at the end of the church age, but takes a different approach
to the interpretation of Revelation 20. He sees this chapter almost exactly as does the amillennialist. He
writes: “Thus Revelation 20 is in a sense a recapitulation of the entire book.” He sees the binding of Satan
as having already occurred in the past, when Christ was on earth. The thousand years apparently is seen,
with the amillennialist, as the entire church age. [SS note: I wonder who coined “The Church Age”]?
The principal difference between his view and that of the amillennialist is that the latter makes no
prediction about the ultimate success of the gospel in converting the world, whereas Rushdoony, with all
postmillennialists, believes that the church will bring all things under the dominion of Christ. It would seem
that this view of Revelation 20 differs from that of classical postmillennialism only in restricting the golden
age to the end portion of the “thousand years” (which represents the whole church age), whereas the older
postmillennialism identifies the thousand years with the golden age at the end of the world.
In one sense, Rushdoony’s view could be called optimistic amillennialism with reference to the
interpretation of this chapter. Benjamin B. Warfield also took an approach similar to this. In the next verses
4-6, we will learn that Augustine was older amillennialist and proposes a spiritual reign of the believers on
earth in the present age [because amillennialists do not believe there is a millennium].
[SS note: Here are questions we must keep in mind as we study the history of the different views, 1) Has
there been the bodily resurrection yet? 2) Has there ever been a Beast and False Prophet performing
deceiving miracles that caused the nations to believe he is Messiah? Has a mark on the hand or fore-head
been ordered for buying and selling? Has an image of himself been made commanding worship? And
“What is the Lord doing among the Candlesticks”]?
8 Gog & Magog
Chapter Seven
Revelation 20:4-6
The Thousand-Year Reign
“And I saw thrones, and they (they who?) sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw
souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not
worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And
they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the
thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first
resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and
shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
[SS note: emphasis mine to get you to hear what you are reading].
Premillennial View
There is much dispute over the identity of the persons who were seated upon the thrones, whether they
were a) God, Christ, and the angels; b) the twenty-four elders; c) the martyrs and those who refused to
worship the beast [not plural]; or d) all the saints of both the Old and New Testaments, Mt 19:28.
The last view mentioned seems to be preferred by most expositors (e.g., Alford, Milligan, Gaebelein, etc.).
The right of judging was committed to them, which suggests that they participated with Christ in the judicial
rule of the nations during the Millennium. In that John also saw those who had been beheaded and who had
not worshiped the beast, it has been speculated that they might be here standing before the court being
assessed “as to how far they were worthy of being called to the first resurrection” (Lange). However, it is
most likely that they belong to the larger company of those sitting on the thrones and are singled out as
worthy of particular mention. [SS note: Found worthy…a reason for the tempting of Satan and “testing” of
God in order to inherit the kingdom].
The reference to their being beheaded may represent any form of martyrdom, not restricting the number to
those actually decapitated. [SS note: the
9 God & Magog
beheading refers to the time of the Beast’s reign v. 4b “Then I saw the souls”].
The meaning of the expression they lived is hotly debated. Premillennialists prefer to translate the
expression ‘they came to life,’ meaning “they lived (again),” and identify it with the first resurrection with
verses 5 & 6. This is the resurrection of the saints to reign on the earth, 2:26-27; 5:10, during the
Millennium. It is to be followed by the resurrection of the wicked for judgment of the Great White Throne at
the end of the thousand years, hence the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were
finished. [We have studied that the word ‘thousand’ may be translated, too, as ‘many’].
Whereas the amillennialists and the postmillennialists do not consider this the “first resurrection” to be
physical, it seems inconsistent to make this resurrection out to be a spiritual one while acknowledging the
resurrection at the end of the thousand years to be physical, as Alford writes:
“As regards the text itself, no legitimate treatment of it will extort what is known as the spiritual
interpretation now in fashion. If in a passage where two resurrections are mentions, where certain souls
lived at the first, and the rest of the dead lived only in the end of a specified period after the first … if in
such a passage the first resurrection may be understood to mean spiritual rising with Christ, while the
second means literal rising from the grave; then there is an end to all significance in language, and
Scripture is wiped out as a definite testimony to anything.” [SS note: That first means first “there is no
‘before’ the first.” Therefore, the ‘rapture’ is the first resurrection that takes place after the reign of the
Beast, False Prophet and Satan’s incarceration in the bottomless pit].
Though Lange takes the number symbolically, the thousand years may be as readily taken literally as any
of the other time indicators in the Book of Revelation. Stuart writes:
“The great question whether this is to be taken literally or symbolically, is one that must be settled by an
analogy of the book in regard to specific periods. We have seen that the famous period of three- and one-
half years … is to be understood, in all probability, in its literal sense … Here then, assuming a similar
usage with respect to numbers, we may suppose that the thousand years may be taken in their ordinary
sense, or at least for a very long period.”
10 God & Magog
Though this will be long enough for the producing of many generations of people, individual life spans
apparently will be greatly increased over those currently known. Isaiah 65:20 tells us: “No more shall an
infant from there live but a few days, nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; for the child shall die
one hundred years old.”
Peter wrote that with the Lord one day is “as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day” 2 Pet 3:8.
This may mean that the Millennium, coming after six thousand years of world history [first mentioned by
Enoch], should be regarded as the antitype of the seventh day, which followed the six days of creation.
[“There remains a rest for the people of God” Hebrew chapter 4; SS].
A particular blessedness and holiness accrues to the one who has part in the first resurrection, because
only they live in the Millennium and will escape the second death to live on in the New Jerusalem in the
New Creation.
[SS note: This statement “only they live” contradicts, then, Isaiah 65:20 above. And, what happens to all
those generations that are birthed during this period of time? And, who are the resurrected saints to rule
over with Christ, each other? Why is there no mention of the Melchisedec Order of kings and priests?
Could it be the fulfillment of this question the disciples put to Jesus, “Will You at this time restore the
kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6-8. Israel, then, being at ‘rest,’ Satan, after the 1000 years, is loosed to deceive
the nations, Gog & Magog, who surround the Camp of the Saints to do battle against them,
20:7-10. Ahhhhhh, the Inquiring Mind wants to know]!
Amillennial View
Two views prevail among amillennialists concerning the venue of the saints in this vision. The older view,
proposed by ‘Augustine,’ is that the picture is that of the spiritual reign of believers on earth in the present
age, symbolizing the victory through which it is written that “we are more than conquerors through Him
who loved us,” Ro 8:37.
An alternative view, attributed originally to the nineteenth century German scholar Kiiefoth, is that the
vision describes the blessedness of the departed saints in heaven after death, but prior to the resurrection.
This is the more
11 Gog & Magog
widespread view today among amillennialists.
The thrones are apparently in heaven, as were those in Revelation 4:4, upon which the twenty-four elders
sat. Likewise, the souls of those who had been beheaded for Christ are no doubt seen in heaven here, as
they were in Revelation 6:9. The only place for the disembodied souls of saints since the accomplishment
of our redemption has been in heaven, and the only time-frame during which such souls can be found there
is from the point of their deaths till the time of their resurrection at the Second Coming of Christ.
Thus the time-frame would seem to be the present age of the church, from John’s own century to the time
of the resurrection.
That this period is referred to as a thousand years need not give us no trouble, even though the actual age
of the church has by this time run nearly twice this length of time. There is nothing surprising in finding the
use of a symbolic number here as elsewhere in Revelation. The number “a thousand” is frequently used in
Scripture without the intention of conveying statistical information. It is given as the number for
generations to which God keeps His covenants (Deut 7:9), the number of hills upon which God owns the
cattle (Ps 50:10), the number of enemy troops that one Israelite shall chase (Josh 23:10), the number of
those who shall fall “at your side” as opposed to the ten-thousand who will fall at “right hand: (Ps 91:7), etc.
Furthermore, the expression “a thousand years” is never used elsewhere in Scripture for an actual number
of years, but only to suggest the idea of a very long time(Ps 90:4; Eccl 6:6; 2 Pet 3:8). So also here, the
reign of the martyrs during this time of Satan’s incarceration is simply a very long time, as the figure “a
thousand years” generally means. [SS note: please compare this teaching with 1 Co 15 21-28].
This refusal of these victors to worship the beast or to wear his mark, in no sense relegates them to a
period at the end of the present time, since the beast is not necessarily a person or entity restricted to
some brief period at the end of the present age, but can be interpreted as existing to oppose the church
throughout her history (see historicists and spiritual commentaries chapter 13.
[We have not copied their views for you]. [SS note: to me, this is a dangerous doctrine to teach].
12 Gog & Magog
The phrase they lived and reigned with Christ is thought by some (i.e., premillennialists) to be better
translated “they came to life and reigned with Christ.” This version is followed by many leading Bible
translations. If this latter translation is correct, the reference is said to teach a rising from the dead of these
saints prior to the resurrection detailed in this chapter.
If this could be established, it would support only the Premillennial Second Coming of Christ. It may be that
“their coming to life” refers to their entrance into heaven at the point of death and does not speak of their
physical resurrection at the coming of the Lord. Or, “they lived” simply lived on in heaven beyond the point
of their earthly death, stating “they came to life” in heaven. {Please}!
The first resurrection may refer to the life of the departed saints in heaven or merely to the principal feature
of the time period as a whole in terms of the privileges of the living saints as well. The Scriptures
elsewhere teach that there will be only one physical resurrection at the end of time which would include
the righteous and the unrighteous John 5:28-29; Acts 24:14-15; compare “the last day” in John 6:39, 40, 44,
54, and 12:48. We find this resurrection of the bodies from their graves at the end of the Millennium v. 13.
It follows that there can be no other physical resurrection than that mentioned at the end of the chapter and
that the “first resurrection” mentioned in verses 5 & 6 must therefore be a spiritual one.
Such a conclusion is justified by the fact that the Christian's experience of regeneration is frequently
spoken of in terms of a ‘spiritual rising’ from death to life John 5:24; 11:34-35; Eph 2:5-6; Col 2:13; 3:1; Ro 6:
4-5, 13. [SS but note: the saints have not inherited the kingdom as yet … there is a qualification because
“flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom;” flesh is corruptible, therefore, it must put on incorruption to
live in an eternal state for the kingdom of God and Christ is an everlasting kingdom 1 Co 6:9-10; 15:21 seq.;
Gal 5:21. This chapter is speaking of “ruling and reigning’ with a rod of iron with Christ over the nations …
the inheritance is everlasting, but, the nations are not]!
That the saints shall reign with Him a thousand years suggests that the
13 Gog & Magog
church, seen collectively, in some sense participates with Him in His reign over history during the entire
church age.
Postmillennial View
The meaning of the first resurrection is not a unanimously settled matter among postmillennial writers. It is
said of the martyrs that they lived and reigned for a thousand years, which is taken by some to mean that
the future victory of Christianity after its earlier history of persecution amounts to nothing less than a
rebirth of the cause for which the martyrs died. John Jefferson Davis ( a more modern view) writes: “The
‘first resurrection,’ then, Refers to the future restoration and vindication of the cause for which the martyrs
died.
Barnes similarly writes: “They were exalted in their principals and in their personal happiness in heaven,
as if they occupied the throne with Him and shared its honors and triumphs.”
An “older view” of Daniel Whitby, followed by A.A. Hodge in the nineteenth century and James Snowden in
the early twentieth century, was that the first resurrection refers to a revival of the martyr spirit.
As explained by Strong, verses 4 & 5 of this chapter refer to: “a period in the latter days (meaning the
Millennium) of the church militant when, under special influence of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of the martyrs
shall appear again, true religion be greatly quickened and revived, and the members of Christ’s churches
become so conscious of their strength in Christ that they shall, to an extent unknown before, triumph over
the powers of evil both within and without.”
[SS note: This portion explained by Strong does not speak of the first resurrection as being literal here, but
in the spirit of Elijah; however, it seems to be the prevalent teaching of today’s message by many … who
are not necessarily postmillennialists but dispensationalist].
When v. 5 says the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years
14 Gog & Magog
were finished, it may mean, as Clarke understands it, that Christ’s cause and people were dominant during
the thousand years, and Satan’s allies were subdued till the thousands years were ended, and after that
they rose to power again. …They … rose to their old time power and persecution.
Rushdoony takes the view of many amillennialists that the first resurrection is a figurative way of referring
to the regeneration of the believer, whereas Benjamin B. Warfield held the view, also found among some
amillennialists, that the first resurrection is the entrance into heavenly joys and that these verses present a
picture of the souls of the redeemed safe in heaven. This appears to be the view of David S, Clarke also.
Chilton pints out that the “first resurrection” may be a reference back to Christ’s own resurrection from the
dead. Paul refers to Christ as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” 1 Co 15:20 and as the “the
firstborn from the dead” Col 1:18. As Chilton says, when Christ arose, “He rose from the dead, and
resurrected all believers with Him.”
Thus the beatitude is not pronounced upon those who have risen from the dead, but rather “he who has
part in the first resurrection of Christ … those souls seen in heaven illustrate that the life they have
received while on earth continues, uninterrupted by death, in heaven.
Chilton raises a pertinent question, only to answer it: Does this reign of the saints take place in heaven or
on earth? The answer should be obvious: both! The saints’ thrones are in heaven, with Christ Eph 2:6; yet,
with their Lord, they exercise rule and dominion on earth Rev 2:26-27; 5:10; 11:15.
Having been resurrected with Christ (not bodily, but spiritually), Christians are to rule and to promote His
rule in the world at this present time. Chilton, Rushdoony, and other “Christian Reconstructionists” believe
that this rule of the saints on earth will ultimately take the form of “a Christian Republic, where God’s law
rules.” [SS: What ever happened to the Beast & False Prophet]?
The application of the Mosaic civil ordinances to modern case law is one of the principal concerns of this
wing of postmillennialists in anticipation of a time
15 Gog & Magog
when “all kings shall fall down before Him; / All nations shall serve Him” Ps 72:11. If the rulers of the world
are going to seek to honor God in their law making, the church must be prepared to ‘inform’ them of how
civil law can best conform to the divine standard revealed in the Mosaic statutes.
[SS note: The subject of the fifthteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is The Resurrection. And this Chapter is the
one we must understand in order to place solidly in our minds “when the first resurrection takes place,”
that is, in what order of the three different ‘Views.’ All people will be resurrected! As all in Adam die! “For
as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive (not speaking here of the new-birth John 3:16,
but resurrected). But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at
His coming” 15:23. Well then, when is He coming again? Verse 24 says after the resurrection of those who
are His. “After that comes the end.” After He has put an end to all rule and all authority and power … for He
must reign till He has put all things under His feet (authority). Is Paul saying: that the resurrection of His
own, will not take place until He has put all rule etc. under His feet? If he is, then, it must be a
postmillennialist or amillennialist point of view he is taking. To me, this speaks of the Premillennial Coming
of Christ in the first resurrection order. The inheritance of the kingdom by the saints must first be inherited
in order to rule those nations that enter into the one thousand years; “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh
and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. The last enemy is
death? It is then that the Lord Jesus hands “the kingdom” to God the Father].
Before we enter Chapter Eight, Part Four, regarding the different Views of Gog & Magog, and possibly in-
depth study of 1 Corinthians 15, SheepShed would like to send you greetings on this Resurrection Day of
our LORD and soon coming King Messiah Yeshua. May the Lord make His ‘face’ to shine on you and give
you His blessed peace.
Shalom
Y Sheep Shed
q Sent
Gog & Magog
Part Four
What is the Meaning of the 1,000 Years?
Premillennial Approach
The binding of Satan is yet future. It will take place when Christ returns.
Amillennial Approach
The binding of Satan represents the victory of Christ over the powers of darkness accomplished at the
cross.
Postmillennial Approach
Some interpret the chapter essentially as do the amillennialists, but with an added note of optimism about
the success of the gospel in the present age.
Chapter Eight
Revelation 20:7-10
Satan Again “At Large”
“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to
deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog & Magog, to gather them to do battle,
whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the
camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false
prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Please read and reread this portion of scripture, but think carefully, perhaps
2 Gog & Magog
even visualize what you are reading. Ask yourself, is this city Old Jerusalem or New Jerusalem? Who are
the saints encamped there in rest for a thousand years duration? Are these saints ruling and reigning with
Christ? Is there more than one invasion of Gog & Magog against Israel? Is the Millennium this present age
or is it the world to come? Are these saints in possession of eternal life? If so, then, they have inherited the
kingdom!
Premillennial View
Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from prison. Some understand this final
revolt to be exceedingly brief and fierce, but not successful in interpreting the reign of the saints. Others
see the temporary interpretation of the reign of the believers, only to be resumed with Christ after the
“final battle of Gog & Magog” in the coming new heavens and earth.
The reason for God’s permitting Satan this last brief respite seems to be to prove the character of those
generations of men born during the Millennium and never previously having been tempted to rebellion.
Since those deceived by the devil at this time are the nations which are in the four corners of the earth,
some expositors suggest that they comprise of only which are located so far from the center of Christ’s
reign as to never have never come under His rule.
Others think these to be the same nations which had until this time been subject to Christ, but which later
apostatize when seduced by the devil. Gaebelien says that many people during the Millennium will serve
the divine government with feigned loyalty out of fear, all the while maintaining sin in their hearts and
longing for the time when they can rise up to overthrow Christ’s authority.
Gog & Magog are previously known to us ‘only’ from Ezekiel 38 and 39, where they come down from the
uttermost northern parts to invade Israel in the last days! Most understand the battle of Gog & Magog to
occur early in the Tribulation, prior to Armageddon, thus making Ezekiel’s battle a different one from the
one described here. If so, then these nations will have recovered their strength [and hate] during the
thousand years [and spread that hate to all the nations], after suffering a crushing defeat in the earlier
campaign.
The attack is against the camp of the saints, who are apparently viewed as camped around the city,
mobilized for her defense, and the ‘beloved city.’ The
3 Gog & Magog
city is Jerusalem. The Premillennial expositors are nearly unanimous in identifying it the early Jerusalem
and not the heavenly Jerusalem seen descending in chapter 21.
This battle is not fought by the saints protecting their city, but by God, for fire came down from God out of
heaven and devoured the armies of Satan. [I wonder where Satan’s angels are at this time, and, are the
nations his army]?
This resembles the results and the method of destruction of the enemy in Ezekiel’s battle of Gog & Magog
as well: “I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain,
great hailstones, fire and brimstone” Ezek 38:22. This battle being ended, the time has come for the final
judgment of all the lost and their consignment, along with Satan, to the lake of fire v. 10.
Amillennial View
We had been forewarned in verse 3 that when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released
from his prison. In that place we were assured that his freedom would be short lived, though here we learn
that his brief liberty is occupied in the same kind of mischief…but on a more intensive scale…as that in
which he was engaged prior to being bound.
This speaks of a brief period of indeterminate duration at the end of the Christian era, during which Satan
will be permitted to resist the church on a global scale. If Adams is correct, this corresponds to the rise of
“the man of sin, the son of perdition” whom Paul described as being “restrained” at the present, but who is
to be later “unrestrained” to deceive the world and to oppose all that is called God 2 Theses 2:6-12.
The mention of Gog & Magog seems a direct identification with the battle prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39,
thus placing the time of this battle at the end of the Millennium (church age), rather than before the
Millennium, where most premillenarians locate Ezekiel’s battle.
The whole world having turned hostile to Christ and the church, all nations will endeavor to battle against
the ‘camp of the saints.’ [Does this mean that the Christians of the whole earth are now camped around
Jerusalem]?? This
4 Gog & Magog
is warfare of a spiritual sort, but since such battle against the church meant persecution in Revelation 11:7
and 13:7, it is likely that persecution of the church on a grand scale is what is in view here as well. The
beloved city is the New Jerusalem described more fully in chapter 21, which is an image of the church 21:9-
10; Heb 12:22.
The career of this rebel force and their diabolical leader comes to a final end with the Second Coming of
Christ, here depicted with the words fire came down out of heaven and devoured them.
The Second Coming of Christ will be “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and
on those who do not obey the gospel” 2 Theses 1:8. It is the “day of the Lord … in which the heavens will
pass away with a great noise, and the elements melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that
are in it will be burned up 2Pet 3:10. The coming of the Lord with its attendant burning up of the earth
clearly could not have occurred at the beginning of the Millennium since, in such a case, there would be no
venue for the playing out of the earthly drama in this chapter.
[SS note: So clearly, according to this view, if the Lord’s Coming is at the end of the Tribulation, it could not
be “The Day of the Lord” because all things are burnt up with fervent heat! Therefore, His Second Coming
is to destroy “those” (at Armageddon) who are destroying the earth and to cast the beast and false prophet
into the lake of fire. Some believe that the beast is not an individual but a landmass. That’s true! But, one of
the heads that was wounded is! And, if John is speaking of a landmass, then, the entire kingdom of the
beast is cast into the lake of fire without having to face the White Throne judgment].
At the Coming of Christ in firey judgment, the devil is not going to be temporarily chained but, rather, he is
to be cast into the late of fire [where the beast and false prophet have been earlier thrown?]. This appears
to be the meaning of Isaiah 27.
The lake of fire you will recall is where the beast and false prophet are. This statement presents a slight
problem for amillennialism in that it presupposes an earlier judgment upon the Beast and the False
Prophet, whereas this view
5 Gog & Magog
considers both Rev 19:20 and Rev 20:10 both to be describing the same event, namely, the Second Coming
of Christ.
In the attempt to remove the difficulty, R. Fowler White proposes that “20:10” need only to imply that at the
Second Coming the devil is cast into the lake of fire shortly after the beast and the false prophet are cast
there.
Postmillennial View
Now when the thousand years have expired v. 7 that is, toward the very end of the long period of Christian
ascendancy, the release of Satan from his prison will result in a return to his old activities, for he will go out
to deceive the nations v. 7, the very thing he had been restricted from doing in verse 3. He finds no
shortage of sympathy from the nations, for they follow him en masse as the sand of the sea v. 8.
[SS note: this, in fact, would mean then, that all the while Satan was in prison the nations were not deceived
by him at all, and that they knew the truth of the gospel of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ; therefore,
they are without excuse].
Satan’s confederacy is called Gog & Magog v. 8, “names taken from the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 and 39.” In
Ezekiel Gog is the name of a ruler, and Magog the name of the people. For this reason, Gog & Magog may
simply be a way of saying “Prince & People.”
This final revolt of the heretofore suppressed forces of evil targets the church of Jesus Christ, which is
here symbolically designated as the camp of the saints and the beloved city v. 9. This battle may speak of a
spiritual conflict between truth and error waged entirely in the realm of ideas and culture, or it may refer to
political persecution of Christians. Rushdoony writes:
“Some see a defeat of the saints and a victory for Satan in the end-times, but only by importing other Bible
passages into the text, all with doubtful reference, since they can be referred more intelligently to the
Jewish war or “the great Tribulation,” is such an interpretation possible. We are here told only of an
attempt, and the attempt is now described as Satan’s attempt.”
6 Gog & Magog
Chilton writes:
“The apostates rebel, and Satan’s forces briefly surround the Church; but there is not a moment of doubt
about the outcome of the conflict. In fact, there is no real conflict at all, for the rebellion is immediately
crushed: ‘Fire came down from heaven and devoured them,’ as it had the wicked citizens of Sodom and
Gomorrah.”
Will the fire from heaven be literal? Augustine taught that the fire was symbolic for the unwavering resolve
of the faithful not to apostasize or yield obedience to those who rage against them. There is no reason to
exclude the possibility of actual fire, since such is said to accompany Christ in His coming in judgment at
the end of the world 2 Theses 1:8; 2 Pet 3:10, 12.
SheepShed Commentary
Know this first, I am a “literalist;” therefore, my comments are viewed from this belief in Scripture. I, too,
realize that the Spirit uses symbolic language, as did the Lord Jesus, and that this language is interpreted
for us in the Scriptures themselves. It will take me some extra time to write what I under-stand the Spirit
has revealed regarding: “The Beast Was, And Is Not Now.”
When John wrote the Apocalyspe (and that is what it is) the Beast was Rome! The angel explained to
John in chapter 17 that the Beast out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns, the feet of a bear, body of
a leopard and the mouth of a lion was. Therefore, it is not the Roman Empire revived in that sense of the
word. Gog & Magog has an active role in the Beast that was.
We will study an overview of Daniel. The Bible speaks of three classes of people on the earth: the Jews,
the Gentiles and the Body of Messiah; His Body is made up of Jews and Gentiles; outside the Body, all are
Jews and Gentiles.
In the Prophetic World, nations that ruled Jerusalem, Israel and the Jews, are those Gentile nations of
Nebuchadnezzar’s Image and “when their times” are fulfilled, Luke 21:24 seq. This is near fulfillment today.
I hope to print a booklet, if the Lord is willing, entitled
“The Beast Was & Is Not.” That is, “The Beast & The Arabs!” So until later then, May the Lord sincerely
bless and keep you and supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory.
Shalom
Y SheepShed q Sent