Our study today took us through Revelation 20:1-9 encompassing the 1,000 year millennial kingdom of Messiah King Jesus. This follows the triumphant 2nd Advent return which includes the final battle known as Armageddon that is recorded in Ezekiel 39:1-29, Isaiah 63:1-6, and Revelation 14:17-20, 16:13-21, 19:11-21. This is not all the prophetic scriptures, but gives us a clear representation of the events that describe the events that lead up to and include the time known as the Day of the Lord.
Gog and Magog are introduced as the chief antagonist leader and country in Ezekiel 38 and 39. Gog is the title of the leader and Magog is area of the world this army comes from. The language of the two chapters is different causing myself to wonder if they describe two separate events.
Chapter 38 describes the entire army being destroyed. Chapter 39 states that 5/6 of the army will be destroyed in the battle. Chapter 38 records nothing concerning the burning of weapons or burying the dead of the battle. Chapter 39 states that the weapons will be burned for seven years and it will take seven months to bury the dead. Chapter 38 does not mention the call of the fowls of the air to come and feast on the dead bodies. Chapter 39 and Revelation 19 both record God's invitation to eat the flesh of the fallen soldiers. Chapter 38 describes the destruction of Gog and Magog and its allies by hail, fire and brimstone which has similar language to Revelation 20:8-9. Chapter 39 does not record their destruction with this language.
These differences cause me to believe that Ezekiel 38 lines up with Revelation 20, while Ezekiel 39 lines up with Revelation 19. Why they are juxtaposed is anyone's guess, but I believe it is one of those instances where God challenges us to study the Word comparing scripture with scripture seeking to understand the “plain sense makes good sense” truth in these scriptures. I do not expect anyone to simply accept what I believe these chapters teach us...that these two battles occur 1,000 years apart...first, at the end of the tribulation – Ezekiel 39 & Revelation 19, and second, after the completion of the millennial kingdom – Ezekiel 38 & Revelation 20.
It is amazing to think that all of the fallen angels are destroyed at the 2nd Advent because they were cast down to earth after losing the war in heaven that is recorded in Revelation 12:7-9. They are imprisoned on planet earth for the final weeks of the great tribulation. When the King of kings and Lord of lords returns, he will purge the world of all wickedness including the government of Satan described in Ephesians 6:12. That is why Satan alone is bound with a chain and cast into the bottomless pit until the 1,000 years are completed. Only then will he be loosed to convince the masses who will be born in the millennium to rebel against our Lord. All through scripture, in each dispensation, God always presents mankind with a choice. One leads to life and fellowship, and the other leads to separation and destruction. This is why Satan must be loosed!
April 12th, we will study the Great White Throne judgment that separates all of the eternally dead in the lake of fire from all of the eternally alive who will enjoy the new heavens and new earth. It will be a great time of study.
