TEXT: EZEKIEL 38: 1- 23 1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog (mount), the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (to draw) and Tubal (you are carried):

4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, 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 (perfect), and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (you destroy her) of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.

10 Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:

11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,

12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? Hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord God; In that day when my people of Isreal dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?

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:

16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

17 Thus saith the Lord God; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?

18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my fury shall come up in my face.

19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;

20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.

22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord. (KJV)

Today I would like to deliver a message entitled “THE NORTH COUNTRY, GOG IN THE LAND OF MAGOG.” When we read the Bible, we find it written in the Bible many times that the God’s people would be attacked by the north country in the end time.

JEREMIAH 6: 22 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. (KJV)

It is Ezekiel chapter 38 that describes clearly about the north country. We would like to learn through it. Let’s look at the text.

2 “Son of man, set thy face against Gog (mount), the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him.”

It is the event also written on Revelation that God would attack the people of God’s heart in the end time.

Well, what does this Gog of the land of Magog refer to? One of the important points of interpretation of the Bible is to examine the meaning of the original word. The principle of interpretation has the point in meaning as the example of Melchizedek on Hebrews. Magog means the land of Gog and Gog mount. Therefore, do remember that Gog in the land of Magog has relation to the things of a church. For, mount is the metaphor of a church, as churches are likened as Mount Zion and Mount Sinai on Hebrews.

3 “And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (to draw) and Tubal (you are carried).”

Gog will attack the God’s people from the north country. They are living in the north. The geological center in the Bible is Jerusalem and the north country is Northern Israel of the ten tribes. I understand that they are the type of the Catholic now. Therefore, I think Gog of the north country is in fact the hidden name of the Catholic. As Gog attacks the people of God’s heart, the God’s people would be attacked by the teaching of the Catholic of the north country.

And, the people who do not follow the Lord firmly would be push away by their teachings. The word “O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (to draw) and Tubal (you are carried)” suggests this. Meshech means to draw and says that those who do not firmly follow the Lord in the end time would be drawn and be out of the way of true faith. And the word Tubal says the same. There would be people who are shaken and carried from the land of their fathers, the long and firm ground of faith of Christian church.

4 “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.”

It is written that God would turn and bring forth Gog. So, the Christians who are called Gog and out of the way of God would go forth for battle. And, because of the battle, they will be judge. So, this battle will be the trap for them.

As the king of northern Israel was deceived by the spirits to go out for the battle to Ramothgilead according to the voice of the four hundred false prophets, and as a result lost his life in the days of Micaiah, they will lose their life and be judged due to the battle at that day.

The opponents of the battle will be those who they call the cult but are the true God’s people who do not hear Pope.

5 “Persia, Ethiopia (Cush), and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet.”

One of the peoples who follow them is Cush (black). Black is the opposite color of white which is cleansed of sin and is the color to symbolize sin. It suggests that this people are sinful.

6 “Gomer (perfect), and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (you destroy her) of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.”

The name of another people of Togarma is also symbolic. The meaning is “to destroy her” and suggests that this people would destroy the Protestant church who should be “her.”

7 “Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.”

The mistaken God’s people whose leaders are the Catholic are prepared for themselves for the day. Now the preparation is under way and will be ready. It is also one of the preparations that Pope has impudently spoken even now, “The Catholic is superior to any other denomination.” The procession of ecumenical movement like WCC is also one of them. The preparation for all the Christian denominations to sit at the same table is ready. Soon, it will be discussed at this table, “To defend the orthodox doctrine and to exclude heresy.” The heresy that does not accept the revivals of that gold powder and gold teeth (occult alchemy) and the cult that does not worship the spirit that has the name of the Holy Mother Mary and does signs and wonders will be persecuted and excluded.

They may think, “Such a foolish thing cannot be decided,” we should remember one thing. It is that those who cannot see are many more than others who can see both in the Catholic and the Protestant so that their opinion will be certainly passed when the thing is decided by majority voting at meeting. A majority vote is the principle that is never applied in the Bible, but it is actively applied in the meetings of the churches that are unfaithful to the Bible but faithful to this world.

8 “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land.”

The people of mountains of Israel written here do not mean the Jews who are living in Israel now. They pervert in interpretation of the Bible with their own commentaries. It is not that God says to help such people. Then, what is true Israel in the Bible? It is written in the Bible as below.

GALATIANS 6: 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (KJV)

Therefore, as many as walk according to this rule as Paul said are all Israelites regardless of their nationality of Japanese or American. As long as the Bible says so, it is so. Such a thing like this has been already written in the Bible from the beginning, and it should be no reason to change to accept it in deceit, “Replacement theology is no use,” by the Messianic Jews. We should not be deceived even now.

It means of course the end time, “After many days, in the latter years.” It is written that Gog “shalt come into the land” at that time. Therefore, the people of north country who have the Catholic leaders will more and more set about for cult suppression. This is the time that the Lord said as, “The time will come when those who kill you think to serve God.” And this is the time when, “Brother delivers his brother.”

“that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste.”

It is the expression with metaphor, “is brought back from the sword.” The sword is the metaphor of the Word, as said, “The sword of Spirit, which is the word of God.” They are brought back from the false teaching and theology and are restored. But because of that, they may be said as the cult by the orthodox and mistaken people.

And, do pay attention to the expression, “the mountains of Israel.” The Bible does not say, “the cities of Israel,” or, “the houses of Israel,” but, “the mountains of Israel.” We know that there is some meaning in the expression of the mountains.

This is in fact connected with the expression of Gog (mount). It is the hint to make us understand the word Gog. The Bible says in contrast as below.

* the mountains of Israel: the God’s chosen people, Church.

* Gog (mount): the God’s people, churches to be judged of God

“but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.”

It is also the expression with metaphor, “it is brought forth out of the nations.” It says that the people who follow the Lord will be chosen and brought forth out of the nations of Abraham’s descendants, that are now various denominations of Christians. And, it also refers to this, “He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other,” written on Matthew chapter 24. Therefore, this people are the God’s elect in the end time. They are in peace and safety.

9 “Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.”

It is anyway emphasized that their number is great, as is written, “like a cloud to cover the land.” We should know that the people of Gog are overwhelming majority in the churches of the end time.

10 “Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:

11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates.”

As is written, “thou shalt think an evil thought,” religious evil thought will be planed one after another. Now, such evil thought as the law to regulate cults has already begun in Europe and America.

“Unwalled villages” is connected with the following word.

5 For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. (KJV)

Therefore, we know here that it is Jerusalem, that is, the people of God’s heart that are attacked by Gog. And the defense of the villages is not by the political power or power of men but only by the Lord Himself.

12 “To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.”

What does it mean, “the desolate places that are now inhabited?” This is the metaphor of churches. It says that many churches now are “the desolate places that are now not inhabited,” regardless of our thinking so or not. There are surely fine buildings, but those who receive the spirits of the revivals of beasts and of the beasts to make them behave like monkeys or horses are no more men before God.

The Lord says, “No people dwell in churches.” But, at this time there is churches restored, “the desolate places that are now inhabited.” “The people that are gathered out of the nations, that dwell in the midst of the land” means his elect gathered together from the four winds of north, south, east and west on Matthew chapter 24.

The people “which have gotten cattle and goods” mean those who do not have human wealth but are rich before God. They are filled with faith of gold and silver and many gifts of the Spirit.

13 “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? Hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?”

At this time the multitude of Gog will make a great attack on the people of true Israel who defend the way of God to the end. It will be to them doing such things, “We just correct those who have strange faith,” and they will be used badly.

They will do just the opposite of God’s will with the thought, “We are serving God,” like the Pharisees and scribes who argued with and delivered Jesus to crucifixion in the end or the Jews who continued to accuse Paul. They will deprive their faith of gold and silver, saying such as, “We will accuse them of having such cultic faith,” as is written, “to carry away silver and gold.”

14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord God; In that day when my people of Isreal dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?”

This day, the day when Gog knows it, is the day when it is written, “Brother delivers his brother,” and the tribulation age.

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.”

The land of Gog is called “thy place out of the north parts.” As I have repeated, they are far out of the north parts from Jerusalem that is said, “God watches her,” and is the center of the world. It is not far or near in distance, but their faith and walk are far from the Word of God.

They are the people of the nation that is certainly far from the truth, with no doubt about the words of Pope of certain false freemasonry such as, “The theory of evolution is science,” which simply makes fool of the Person who is the Word of God.

16 “And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.”

As is written, “in the latter days,” it is the event of the end time. Concretely speaking, it is the event of the tribulation age. The description, “I will bring thee against my land,” refers to the words in the Gospel, “Great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

17 “Thus saith the Lord God; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?”

There are given several hints of God in this chapter to understand what Gog refers to. This verse is one of them. It is written here, “my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied (about Gog) in those days many years.”

Then, let me ask you? Where then do the prophets prophesy for Gog in the Bible? This will be the key to understand this chapter.

The word Gog is found once on Chronicles. And others are on this Ezekiel and on Revelation. And the passage where the prophets prophesied is only on this Ezekiel, except on Revelation. So only prophet (of the Old Testament) Ezekiel prophesied with the word of Gog.

But the Bible says, “which (about Gog) prophesied in those days many years.” What does this contradiction mean? The answer is this. Many prophets prophesied the same kind of things that were prophesied for Gog without using the name of Gog.

We should look for these prophecies. Otherwise, we would not be able to understand this passage.

As a conclusion, the answer is that this prophecy of Gog is about the tribulation age of the end time. So, such descriptions on Daniel, Jeremiah and others of the Old Testament and on Matthew chapter 24 are all the same as this one of Gog that the God’s people would be afflicted by the other deceived God’s people in the end time.

Therefore, this word, “which (about Gog) prophesied in those days many years,” is the hint to understand the description of Gog, and those who cannot explain it have not received the revelation about this passage.

18 “And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my fury shall come up in my face.

19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.

It is written, “in the fire of my wrath.” It is written about the fire. Fire and water are metaphor of the spirits, and so the God’s people who are represented in the name of Gog and are out of the way of God will be entangled into the false revivals. It is also written, “there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.” This may be the same as the following.

REVELATION 16: 16, 18 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

If this earthquake is the same one, this battle of Gog and Magog may be the same as the battle at Armageddon. The battle at Armageddon is the story that the kings who are deceived by devils of doing signs go out against the true servants of God. They would be made sinful and judged through this battle.

Likewise, Gog will be deceived to go out for battle against the true servants of God and be judged. Earthquake shakes houses, and so shows the time of the temptation and trial for the Church. The churches and Christians that are not fallen and remain before God through this trial (earthquake) will be blessed of God.

This tells about the temptation, trial or selection of God. For, it tells, “the fishes of the sea shall shaken (by earthquake).” Fish are the metaphor of Christians, as the word, “I will make you fishers of men.” Once we hear, “the fishes shall shake,” we feel strange. But in short, that means, the temptation comes to the Christians, and they will be divided into some who are shaken but still remain and others who are fallen. It tells about the churches that are fallen, “the mountains shall be thrown down.”

21 “And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.”

A sword is the metaphor of the Word, as is written, “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The perverted word of God by the false theology would bring in disaster on the God’s people called Gog of the Catholic and others in the end time. It tells this, “And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains.” They will be thrown down by the false sword such as, “Buddhists will be save, too. There will be no end time or hell.”

Adam and Eve who swallowed the false word, “Ye shall not surely die,” threw out the Word, and ate the fruit forbidden of God were eventually separated of the tree of eternal life and ousted of the eternal life for the right consequence. Likewise, those who distort the straight Word and eat the false fruit and teaching greedily will receive the same reward as they did.

It is in short dispute about the Word and doctrine, “Every man’s sword shall be against his brother.” The dispute will naturally occur, as there would be some who are completely deceived and others who are not so.

22 “And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.”

Pestilence means sickness and unhealthy. For example, we are sick of eyes, we cannot see. As we are sick of spiritual eyes, we cannot discern the Holy Spirit from devils. Those who can see can discern that the tear of blood from the image of Mary and all other Mary including Mary of Fatima are devils that do signs and wonders, but others who cannot see because of the sickness quite receive these devils and would head for the eternal destruction as a result though they go to church. It tells all about the spirits and about churches to be filled with devils, “An overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.”

23 “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.”

As said above, the Lord is living even now and He knows how to deliver out of the judgment and disaster those who truly follow the Lord and also how to deliver into judgment and deception others who actually make the Word false though they look devout superficially. Let’s fear such a Person like this.

We will all be able to understand that there are no such descriptions about Russia, Moscow or Tobarsk on Ezekiel like many say so. Such a principle of interpretation as that Meshech sounds like Moscow is basically never found in the Bible. Pronunciation is not the issue, but to the contrary the point is in the meaning of the word in the Bible as the example of Melchizedek, the king of righteousness and peace is shown on Hebrews.

Gog means mount and those who interpret from it will get to the right conclusion. There are many deceptions and disinformation for the end time. Let’s interpret properly what the mouth of the Lord says without being deceived.

Let us do the will of the Lord in the end time.

End.