The invasion of Israel by a Russian led coalition which is known as the “Gog-Magog” war could happen at any time. The attempted Gog-Magog invasion of Revelation chapter 20 is not to be confused or compared with the Gog-Magog invasion of chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel.
“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 and Magog, to gather them together to 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” (Revelation 20:7-9).
The very beginning of verse 7 makes it abundantly clear that this gathering of Gog-Magog will take place “when the thousand years have expired.”
However, the last five verses in the book of Ezekiel make it abundantly clear that the Gog-Magog invasion described in chapters 38-39 of Ezekiel is an entirely separate event than that described in Revelation chapter 20.
“These are the exits of the city. On the north side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits (the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel), the three gates northward: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi; on the east side, four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan; on the south side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun; on the west side, four thousand five hundred cubits with their three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali. All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE” (Ezekiel 48:30-35).
These verses describe the rebuilt city of Jerusalem as it will exist during the millennial kingdom of Christ and they also clearly describe a city completely surrounded by walls, for no gate can exist without a wall.
However please note that the land described in Ezekiel chapter 38 has no walls:
“You will say, ‘I will go up against a 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’” (Ezekiel 38:11).
There can be no doubt that the Gog-Magog battle as described in Ezekiel 38-39 takes place before the city of Jerusalem is rebuilt in preparation for her kingdom service to the Righteous King.
A clue may also exist as to whether or not Gog-Magog of Ezekiel 38-39 will take place before or after the Rapture of the true Church.
God says in Ezekiel that when He supernaturally defeats the Gog-Magog alliance, He will make the world know that He is the God of Israel.
“So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel” (Ezekiel 39:7).
Notice that any reference by the Lord as the Holy One of the true Church is missing. Our Almighty God is recorded by Ezekiel as referring to Himself only as “the Holy One in Israel.”
And as we who believe in the Pre-Trib Rapture know, the true Church will be absent after the Rapture takes place. Yes, there will remain a false harlot church after the Rapture but God would certainly not claim Lordship over a false church.
This may not mean anything, but it is interesting nonetheless:
President-elect Donald Trump made his willingness to work with Russia as an ally in the fight against ISIS abundantly clear during his campaign, and also since his election. In conjunction with Assad’s latest offer to work with the United States as an ally in the fight against ISIS [1], does Ezekiel 38:13 now seem plausible under a Trump administration?
“Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’” (Ezekiel 38:13)
If anything else it appears certain that the battle of Gog-Magog will take place very soon, as new and stronger alliances are forming between Russia and the other nations that the Bible says will make up the cursed coalition (Russia, Iran, Turkey, etc. Ezekiel 38:2-6).
Endnote
[1]http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-16/syria-would-be-ally-if-u-s-fights-terrorists-assad-says