GOG
Who or What is Gog
“Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of
Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against
thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.”Ez.38:2-3
The term ‘Gog’ is a strange
little word that has limited use in the Bible, and is rarely found in
application outside the scriptures.
In the Hebraic language the
name ‘Gog’ means, ‘high mountain’, and could be of some significance, since,
most Old Testament names were given as a sign or to commemorate an event.
When we read “Gog, the land
of Magog.”, Gog is clearly identified as a land mass.
Eze.38
Yet, as we continue to read,
we find that the verse suggests Gog is also a person, “chief prince
of Meshech and Tubal.”
Since, there is some
confusion, we need to take a closer look at the phrase “chief prince,” and find
its precise Hebraic meaning.
When researching a term,
whether in Hebrew or Greek, a biblical concordance is a necessity, as it
defines the exact meaning of a word, while also indexing its usage throughout
the scriptures.
In Eze.38&39 the word
“chief” means ‘head’ and is read as Rosh. It is used as a noun to express a
rank of command that is held by Gog.
The word “prince” in
Eze.38&39 is used as a verb, rather than a noun and means lifted up or
exalted.
In direct contrast, the word
‘prince’ in Dan.1:7, 8, 9,10,11,18 is used as a noun, and refers to a moral
being.
Also, the term ‘prince’ in
Dan.10:13, 20, 21, is used as a noun, but in this instance, it refers to a
spiritual being.
Clearly, the phrase “chief
prince,” as found in Eze.38&39 has nothing to do with a person or a
spiritual being.
When we read, “Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of
Meshech and Tubal,” it is understood that Gog is a land ‘lifted up
or exalted’ as the ‘head’ of Meshech and Tubal.
Meshech and Tubal were
regional areas of several ancient kingdoms that existed before and during the
days of Ezekiel.
They were mentioned in
scripture for the exact purpose of pinpointing a specific area that would one
day become a major factor in the fulfillment of end time prophecy.
Today, they are part of the
ancient geographical history of Turkey, with Meshech having existed at one time
in the west, and Tubal toward the east.
The Lord continues to sketch
out the land of Gog by explaining its northern and southern borders in Eze.38:6
were we read of Gomer, and the house of Togarmah of the north quarters.
The land of Gomer was first
known as Kashka in the second Millennium BC.
And, by the 8th century BC, it had become the home of the
Cimmerians.
It was during the prophetic
years of Ezekiel that this same tribal region was occupied by the Cappadocia’s,
in the land of Gomer, an area that was rooted in what is now part of
northeastern Turkey.
The house of Togarmah of the
north quarter came forth from the descendants of Japheth, the eldest son of
Noah. Yet, their land was part of the Hittite Empire in 1350 BC, which was
founded by Ham, the youngest son of Noah, and would be located today in
southeastern Turkey.
The phrase “of the north
quarter” means ‘far north’, and refers to the land that extends beyond the
cedars of Lebanon and the nation of Syria, two places that have retained their
identity from the days of Ezekiel until now, and which lay just north of
Israel.
Beyond the borders of Lebanon
and Syria is ‘far north’ or “of the north quarter,” and is acknowledged
as southern Turkey.
When we gather all the data
on Gog that was given to the prophet Ezekiel over 2500 years ago, there is no
doubt the LORD was speaking of modern day Turkey; whose borders were
neither defined nor recognized by the world until 1923.
After identifying Gog, we
might want to consider its name, which was selected by the LORD, and would
therefore seem to hold some sort of significance.
I tend to think that Gog, meaning ‘high
mountain’ might actually be a reference to Mt. Ararat, unique in both its
biblical context, and its exclusive geographical location to modern day Turkey.
And, what a magnificent and
exceptional ‘sign’ Mt. Ararat makes, remaining a biblical site of renown
throughout the eons of time.
Sources:
King James Bible
Young’s Analytical
Concordance
Atlas of the Bible Lands by
Hammond; used in locating ancient biblical regions
Wikipedia