Magog is the territory under the rule of Gog as described in Ezekiel 38-39. According to the historian Josephus, Magog was the land of the nomadic Scythians, the region north and northeast of the Black Sea and east of the Caspian Sea. The area would have included territory that is occupied today by Russin, the Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Ezekiel 38:2 also speaks of Gog as the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. These entities could be either components of Magog or allies. Some Bible versions have also translated Rosh, not as a proper name, but as “Chief.” Dr. Edwin Yamauchi writes of Magog and the others:
Though the identification of Gog and Magog still remains disputed, the identifications of Meshech and Tubal have for a long time not been in doubt. The association with Moscow and Tobolsk is untenable. Since the late nineteenth century, Assyrian texts have been available which locate Mushku (Meshech) and Tabal (Tubal) in central and eastern Anatolia (Turkey)respectively (Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier) (1)
Another key indicator pointing to Russia the reference to Gog coming from the North. There is Lebbon and Turkey to the North Israel, but both of these nations are unable to field a massive army that could threaten Israel.
Eze 38:6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: [and] many people with thee.
Eze 38:15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:
Eze 39:2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
Oddly enough, Moscow is directly north of Israel. If you draw a straight line north of Jerusalem on the map, you will hits Moscow.Randall Price: Israel, at present, fits the description given to Ezekiel 38 of ‘living securely’ without walls, and having no bars or gates (verse 11). Only the old city of Jerusalem is walled, but the majority of Jerusalemites live in the new city outside of these walls.(2)
Chuck Missler: God apparently sends ‘fire’ down, not only upon Magog and his allies, but on some distant people living in the ‘isles’ or ‘coastlands.’ Who are they who dwell carelessly [securely} in the Isles? The word for isles could be an idiom for remote continents. Could this be an allusion to the United States? Is the ‘fire on Magog’-and these others-a result of a nuclear exchange?(2)
Grant R. Jeffrey: When Russia is defeated by God’s miraculous power, the newly united European Union will emerge as the greatest economic, political, and military power on the planet. These pivotal events will set the stage for the rise of the new European superstate and the emergence of the newleader who will ultimately assume the role of the Antichrist, the final world dictator who will rule the planet during the last seven years leading to the climatic battle of Armageddon.(2)
The fact that the Antichrist is not mentioned in these verses is viewed by some as a good indication that Russian invasion occurs before he arrives on the scene. If the Antichrist were a great world leader at this time, it is not likely that he would stand on the sidelines and leave Russia unchallenged. If this were the middle of the Tribulation Period, he would be in control of some of these nations and they would not be in Russian coalition. His absence is a good indication of a Pre-Tribulation Period attack. (2)
(1) Ice, Thomas., and Demy, Timohty. “Fast Facts on Bible Prophecy.” Harvest House Publishers. 1997. 126
(2) Duck, Daymond R., and Richards, Larry Ph.D. “Gods Word for the Biblically-Inept Series”. Starburst Publishers. 2000. 89