Understanding Revelation

The Invasion of Gog and the Eighth King

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation 20:6-9 )

In a small, bustling church nestled in the heart of a modern city, Pastor Allen stood at the pulpit, addressing a congregation eager to hear his weekly sermon. This week, however, a heated topic stirred the air: the infamous battle of Gog and Magog.

“Brothers and sisters,” Pastor Allen declared, his voice firm, “many teachers today say Gog and Magog represent Russia, China, or other nations of our time. They claim this prophecy points to modern political conflicts. But is that truly what Scripture says?”

Among the congregation, a young woman named Lydia listened intently. She had been studying Scripture on her own and had grown uneasy with some of the interpretations circulating in her church. After the service, she approached Pastor Allen with her Bible in hand.

“Pastor, may I ask about your teaching?” Lydia inquired, her voice steady but inquisitive.

“Of course, Lydia,” he replied warmly.

“I’ve been reading Revelation 20,” she began, flipping to the passage. “It says the battle of Gog and Magog happens after the thousand years, after Satan is released for a short time. Doesn’t that mean it’s not tied to any modern nation, but rather to a future event?”

Pastor Allen nodded. “That’s correct, Lydia. The text is clear: this battle occurs after the 1000 years. Satan gathers the nations one last time to rebel, but they are swiftly defeated. This has nothing to do with current geopolitics. It’s a future, final event in God’s timeline.”

Lydia smiled, encouraged by his response. “And isn’t it significant that this happens during the Feast of Tabernacles? Doesn’t that symbolize God dwelling with His people?”

“Exactly,” Pastor Allen affirmed. “The Feast of Tabernacles celebrates God’s presence and provision. In that future time, it will mark the culmination of His plan—His dwelling with humanity and ultimate victory over evil. By placing Gog and Magog in today’s world, we distort the true timeline of God’s plan and risk leading others astray.”

Over the following weeks, Pastor Allen and Lydia worked together to clarify these teachings within their church. They led Bible studies, emphasizing the importance of interpreting prophecy within its proper context. Slowly, the congregation began to see the truth.

And so, the church grew stronger in its understanding of Scripture, learning to discern between sensationalism and truth. In their commitment to God’s Word, they found unity, wisdom, and the peace that comes from trusting His perfect plan.

The Invasion of Gog and the Eighth King

Satan is represented as all kings throughout time—he was the king in the past, he is the king during the Great Tribulation, and he will be the eighth king after his release during the Feast of Tabernacles

Satan is the seventh king, reigning during the Great Tribulation, he has been king over all the earthly kingdoms since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. In each era, Satan has worked through different earthly rulers, manipulating and influencing the kingdoms of this world for his own purposes, making him the true ruler behind the scenes of human history.

Satan will be bound for a thousand years at the end of the great tribulation, after his release, he will once again take his place as the king of rebellion, gathering the unsaved from the final resurrection to form a vast army.

This final period marks Satan’s rise to power as the eighth and final king. He will lead his forces against the saints in a last-ditch attempt to overthrow God. But, as Scripture reveals, God will ultimately destroy Satan and his army, sending them to their second death in the lake of fire, where they will never rise again. This marks the ultimate defeat of Satan, the end of his reign over the kingdoms of this world, and the eternal establishment of God’s Kingdom.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. (Revelation 20:5)

Satan will deceive many souls, convincing them to join him in one final rebellion. This immense army, encompassing the majority of unrepentant sinners from the first and second world, will march toward the saints who are camped outside the city of God. Satan’s goal will be to launch a final assault.

However, this rebellion will end in utter failure. God will destroy Satan and his followers in an instant, raining fire from heaven. This marks the ultimate defeat of Satan and the final judgment of the unsaved, who will face their second death in the lake of fire.

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation 20:9)

Today false teachings about the identity of Gog in the Bible benefit Satan in several ways:

1. Distraction from God’s Timeline

By misidentifying Gog as a current nation or political power, people may focus on worldly events instead of God’s ultimate plan. This creates fear, confusion, and speculation, diverting attention from the clear biblical teaching that the battle of Gog and Magog occurs after the 1000 years when Satan is released from his prison. Satan thrives when believers are distracted from the truth of God’s Word.

2. Undermining Biblical Literacy

When people accept speculative interpretations without studying Scripture in context, they become less equipped to discern truth from error. This lack of biblical literacy leaves them vulnerable to further deception, which aligns with Satan’s goal of keeping believers spiritually weak.

3. Distortion of God’s Prophetic Plan

By confusing the timeline of Gog and Magog, false teachings obscure the true hope of God’s plan: His ultimate victory over evil after the millennial reign. Satan benefits when believers are misled about the certainty and timing of God’s justice.

The Bottom Line:

Satan’s goal is to sow confusion, fear, and division among God’s people. Misinterpreting Gog and Magog as modern nations feed these goals by distorting Scripture, distracting from the gospel, and diminishing trust in God’s sovereign plan. Accurate teaching, rooted in the Bible, equips believers to stand firm in truth and resist these schemes.

So who are the real Gog and Magog

Magog: In Genesis 10:2, Magog is listed as one of the grandsons of Noah. Magog will rise in the second resurrection.

Gog in Ezekiel 38–39

  • In Ezekiel, Gog is introduced as “the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2-3)
  • Gog is depicted as a leader of a coalition of nations who come against Israel in a great battle in the “latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8, 16).
  • God directly addresses Gog and declares judgment against him, showing that Gog is a rebellious figure under divine control (Ezekiel 39:1-6).

Meshech and Tubal were sons of Japheth, Noah’s grandsons, as listed in the genealogical record in Genesis 10:2 and 1 Chronicles 1:5

Historical Connections:

  • Meshech is often linked to the Mushki, an ancient people who lived in what is now modern Turkey, particularly in the regions near the Black Sea.
  • These people were known for their military activity and trade, particularly in metals like bronze.

Historical Connections:

  • Tubal is often associated with the Tabali, another ancient people who lived in eastern Anatolia (modern-day Turkey).
  • The Tabali were known as skilled metallurgists, particularly in iron and copper, and participated in trade across the ancient Near East.

Meshech and Tubal -there is no direct indication that they were “bad” people, but rather that they were founders of nations that later became significant players in the ancient world.

While Gog is described as a human leader of evil forces, there is no explicit mention that Gog is Satan. However, Gog does act in alignment with Satan’s purposes: leading rebellion against God’s people.

Gog and Satan’s end

At the end of the Great Tribulation, God cast the Antichrist and the False Prophet into the lake of fire. However, God spared Satan temporarily, reserving him for a specific purpose during the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. God will use Satan to test the people in the second resurrection, giving them the opportunity to choose between following God or falling into deception. When Satan ultimately leads an attack against the saints, God will bring his rebellion to an end, casting him into the lake of fire for final destruction.

The Feast of Tabernacles is the final harvest, representing the gathering of the unsaved who were not part of the first resurrection. During this time, these individuals are given the opportunity to learn about God’s ways and choose their path, aligning with the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan for humanity. This feast underscores themes of restoration, divine judgment, and the chance for redemption for those who were previously outside of salvation.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus enacted the Feast of Tabernacles. Initially, His brothers urged Him to attend the festival publicly, but He chose to go later, in secret (John 7:2-10). At the height of the celebration, Jesus revealed the deeper spiritual significance of the feast by proclaiming, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37-38). Through this, He offered the gift of living water—salvation

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar.
Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts. (Zachariah 14:16-21)

In Revelation 20:7-9, after the thousand years are over, Satan is released from his prison and “will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and gather them for battle.”

  • Here, Gog and Magog represent the rebellious nations deceived by Satan in his final effort to overthrow God.
  • While Satan is the instigator, Gog and Magog are portrayed as the ancient nations he rallies to fight against the saints

The phrase “latter years” refers to the period after the 1,000 years

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 (Ezekiel 38:8)

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. (Ezekiel 38:8,9 )

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, (Ezekiel 38:11 )

Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?
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: 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.
(Ezekiel 38:14-16 )

Satan is fully aware of his inevitable defeat and eternal punishment in the lake of fire. However, his primary goal is to corrupt and destroy as much of God’s creation as possible out of spite and defiance. By attacking God’s saints and deceiving others, Satan wants to take as many people as possible with him into the lake of fire.