caused to become “like the garden of Eden,” spiritually speaking.—Ezekiel 36:35.

THE CHALLENGE TO ATTACK

15. With what words does Jehovah call upon Gog to ready himself for attacking, and for what kind of war does this mean making preparations?

¹⁵ We are reminded of an ancient challenge to enemies to make war on Jehovah’s people, at Joel 3:9-17c, as we read Jehovah’s call to the captive Gog of Magog to ready himself for assault on the remnant of spiritual Israelites and those dedicated sheeplike “aliens” who have associated themselves with the remnant in their spiritual Paradise: “Be ready, and let there be preparation on your part, you with all your congregation, those congregated alongside you, and you must become their guard.” (Ezekiel 38:7) Thus Jehovah tells Gog of Magog to be the commander-in-chief or “guard” of all the nations and peoples whom he musters for the coming attack upon Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. These preparations are, not for a Third World War with nuclear bombs and rocketry, but for framing effective measures to exterminate the spiritual “Israel of God” from the face of the earth.

16. How long after Ezekiel’s getting the prophecy about Gog would it be fulfilled, and against what land was Gog to come?

¹⁶ That it would be a long time after Jehovah gave the prophecy to Ezekiel before it would be fulfilled, His next words to Gog now show: “After many days you will be given attention. In the final part of the years you will come to the land of people brought back from the sword, collected together out of many peoples, onto the mountains of Israel, that have proved to be a constantly devastated place; even a land that has been brought forth from the peoples, where they have dwelt in security, all of them. And you will be bound to come up. Like a storm you will come in. Like clouds to cover the land you will become, you and all your bands and many peoples with you.”—Ezekiel 38:8, 9.

17. Why must we today be living in the “final part of the years” as mentioned in that prophecy?

¹⁷ Since the “time of the end” for this wicked system of things began at the fulfillment of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E., we today who are living more than half a century after that date are doubtlessly living “in the final part of the years.” Gog of Magog, also, must know that the “short period of time” that was to be allowed to him after his ouster from heaven has not much longer to run.

18. How have the people that are to be attacked been brought back from the “sword,” out of what peoples have they been collected, and how have they dwelt in their God-given estate?

¹⁸ Shortly, now, Jehovah must give Gog attention and turn him around and lead him and his highly militarized forces to their own undoing. By a ruse on the part of Jehovah the outwitted Gog of Magog is maneuvered into coming against the spiritual estate of the spiritual “Israel of God.” The remnant of spiritual Israelites that were preserved from the “sword” of World War I and its persecutions have been dwelling there. They have been liberated and collected together out of the “many peoples” that make up Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. In their God-given estate they have been peacefully living “in security” under Jehovah’s protection since 1919 C.E., in Christian neutrality toward worldly wars.

19. Did the one spoken of as “David my servant” reign over the Jews restored to their homeland in 537 B.C.E., and in this respect what must be said about the restored remnant of spiritual Israel today?

¹⁹ It is not mentioned here that the one whom Jehovah calls “David my servant” is reigning as a King-Shepherd over them. But that is to be understood, since Jehovah promised that, when He brought them back from Babylon to their proper estate, they would have this Messianic descendant of David as their King and Shepherd. (Ezekiel 34:23, 24; 37:22-25) In the case of ancient Israel, when the Jewish remnant left Babylon and returned to the land of Judah they did not there have a descendant of the royal line of David rule as king over them. But in the case of the remnant of spiritual Israel, they have had the Messianic descendant of King David, namely, Jesus Christ, ruling as King over them from the “heavenly Jerusalem” since the Gentile Times ended in 1914 C.E. He has been their Governmental Shepherd to keep them “in security” spiritually.

20. How high up would Gog like to get onto the estate of Jehovah’s people, and how will his war-minded congregation be like clouds to cover the land?

²⁰ Gog of Magog would like to invade and get up as high among the restored people of Jehovah as he can, even “onto the mountains of Israel,” indeed onto “Mount Zion,” the seat of government, to assure himself of success. So he comes with the vast “congregation” of war-minded persons that he can muster, many “bands and many peoples.” “Like clouds to cover the land” with their shadow, so the multitudes of Gog’s army of aggression will swarm over the earth, bedarkening the ground with their presence. This is a warning to the remnant of spiritual Israel and their dedicated sheeplike associates. They should not be surprised that they will have the whole world of mankind under Satan the Devil against them. Not amazed should they be even if military dictatorship world wide came.

21. What are the heart motives of Gog behind his attack, and how is the state of those he attacks described?

²¹ To His people, who are the target of the coming attack, Jehovah reveals what are the motives of the heart of Gog of Magog in that he says to him: “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘And it must occur in that day that things will come up into your heart, and you will certainly think up an injurious scheme; and you must say: “I shall go up against the land of open rural country. I shall come in upon those having no disturbance, dwelling in security, all of them dwelling without wall, and they do not have even bar and doors.” It will be to get a big spoil and to do much plundering, in order to turn your hand back upon devastated places reinhabited and upon a people gathered together out of the nations, one that is accumulating wealth and property, those who are dwelling in the center of the earth.’”—Ezekiel 38:10-12.

THE PURPOSE OF GOG’S ATTACK

22. How is it manifest that the remnant of spiritual Israel trust in Jehovah for protection, and why does the question arise as to one’s being able to plunder them?

²² The remnant of spiritual Israel and their dedicated fellow residents trust in the protection of their God Jehovah. For that reason they do not arm themselves with lethal weapons and join in the extreme military preparations of the nations during this age of violence and international anarchy. They seem to be so lacking in political influence, so unfortified and open to invasion, that Gog is lured on to attack them. But how could Gog “get a big spoil” and “do much plundering” among these spiritual Israelites and their companions? Are they not in general poor people, not having much of the goods of this world? (James 2:5; 1 Corinthians 1:27-29) Their spirituality is not what Gog and his hordes desire, although they would like to destroy it, for in it lies the invincible strength of the spiritual Israelites. But these unarmed, harmless Christian witnesses of Jehovah wield an influence for Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom. They are continually seeking first the interests of that kingdom and persist in preaching it world wide, and are successfully gathering people of all races and nationalities to the side of that kingdom. They have Kingdom interests!

23. How are those “Kingdom interests” something to be plundered, and who on earth are they who discern the objective of Gog’s attack?

²³ Ah, those Kingdom interests! They are things not in line with the schemes of Satan’s nations for world domination. They are what Gog and his hordes would like to spoil and plunder. This ambitious objective of Gog to put out of the way all who do not support world domination by nations under him is discerned by worldly peoples. Jehovah points this fact out by saying with respect to Gog when on the march: “Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its maned young lions—they will say to you: ‘Is it to get a big spoil that you are coming in? Is it to do much plundering that you have congregated your congregation, in order to carry off silver and gold, to take wealth and property, to get a very great spoil?’” (Ezekiel 38:13) The materialistically minded people, like ancient Sheba, Dedan and merchants of Tarshish, and the bold, fearless leaders among them, like “maned young lions,” recognize the selfish objective of Gog. It is to rob those spiritual Israelites of the interests and “fruits” of God’s Messianic kingdom and thus bring these upholders of Jehovah’s universal sovereignty to ruin.

24. Figuratively speaking, in what way are the remnant of spiritual Israel dwelling in the center or navel of the earth?

²⁴ The faithful remnant of spiritual Israel in their spiritual estate figuratively dwell “in the center [Hebrew, navel] of the earth.” (Ezekiel 38:12) They take a Christian neutral stand toward all the political and military conflicts of the nations all around them. They are the focal point, the prime target, of Gog’s hostility. Down to the last they remain the loyal ambassadors and envoys of the established Kingdom of God by Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20) When all other things religious round about them go down in destruction, they will remain standing as the only unconquered living practicers of God’s true religion.

25. After what destruction will Gog go into action against the remnant of spiritual Israel, and why?

²⁵ In the approaching “great tribulation” Christendom will be destroyed as the antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem, yes, all of Babylon the Great will be destroyed by the armed forces of the Eighth World Power. (Luke 21:20; Matthew 24:15-22) But the faithful remnant of spiritual Israel and their dedicated companions will survive this. (Revelation 17:1-11, 15-18) Here, then, will be where Gog of Magog will step into the picture in fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy. The remnant of spiritual Israel are the last religious stronghold to overcome and plunder. It is the “center” of his earthly problem.

26. As with Pharaoh of ancient Egypt, in what way has Jehovah kept Gog in reserve for this very situation?

²⁶ Almighty God, the Sovereign Lord, has kept Gog of Magog in reserve for this very situation. Just as in the case of Pharaoh at the time of the exodus of Israel from Egypt in Moses’ day, so Jehovah has allowed Satan the Devil, who now takes on the role of Gog of Magog, to remain alive till now for a certain purpose. What purpose? To show his irresistible power over this Gog of Magog and thus to sanctify himself as Most Holy in connection with this longtime enemy. (Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17) Jehovah emphasized this unalterable purpose of His as he next said to Ezekiel:

27. How does Jehovah, in further words to Gog, emphasize this unalterable purpose of His?

²⁷ “Therefore prophesy, O son of man, and you must say to Gog, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: “Will it not be in that day when my people Israel are dwelling in security that you will know it? And you will certainly come from your place, from the remotest parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great congregation, even a numerous military force. And you will be bound to come up against my people Israel, like clouds to cover the land. In the final part of the days it will occur, and I shall certainly bring you against my land, for the purpose that the nations may know me when I sanctify myself in you before their eyes, O Gog.”’”—Ezekiel 38:14-16.

28. Why will Gog then know that the spiritual Israelites “dwell in security,” and why will this serve as a lure to Gog?

²⁸ The coming “great tribulation” will affect this entire worldwide system of things. After Christendom and the rest of Babylon the Great have been destroyed in it and the faithful remnant of spiritual Israel still remain alive in their spiritual estate because of Jehovah’s protection, Gog of Magog will indeed know that these spiritual Israelites are “dwelling in security.” These spiritually prosperous people, who alone on earth stand for Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom, will truly be a prize for Gog and the earthly nations under him to capture and display as a trophy of war against Jehovah. This prize should be so easy to grab. Why? Because those spiritual Israelites are, to all outward appearances, so defenseless, so helpless, and so few in comparison with Gog’s vast military force, sweeping in as if on horses, a dense numerous army “like clouds to cover the land.” Thus, as by means of a lure, Jehovah pulls on the hooks in the jaws of the captive Gog of Magog and maneuvers him to “bring you [Gog] against my land.”

29. What does the phrase “in the final part of the days” indicate as to the time of Gog’s attack, and in this matter the nations will have what attitude because of being then without the traditional religions?

²⁹ As Gog’s attack is to occur “in the final part of the days,” it must be in the final part of this “time of the end,” in the final part of the “great tribulation” when the spiritual Israelites are still found to be “dwelling in security” after the antireligious forces destroy Christendom and all the remainder of Babylon the Great. Jehovah’s judgment having in that way been executed upon all of Babylon the Great, the militarized nations under Gog will remain as the last part of this system of things that is to be put out of existence. Those nations, then being without the long-prevalent, traditional religions, will put God out of their minds and consider Jehovah as if he did not exist. Hence Jehovah will have to make them know him as a real, existing God. How will he do this? Before their eyes he will sanctify himself in this encounter with their invisible “head chieftain,” Gog of Magog. In that way he will demonstrate that He is not to be profaned as unholy.

30. How had Jehovah previously shown his foreknowledge of Gog’s attack, and so what did he do for His people?

³⁰ Jehovah is “the One telling from the beginning the finale, and from long ago the things that have not been done.” (Isaiah 46:10) Therefore Jehovah is not left unprepared for the coming attack by Gog of Magog; He shows this by not leaving his dedicated witnesses on earth unprepared for this final attack by the enemy forces under Satan the Devil. In evidence of this he said, in further address to Gog of Magog: “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘Are you the same one of whom I spoke in the former days by the hand of my servants the prophets of Israel, who were prophesying in those days—years—as to bringing you in upon them?’”—Ezekiel 38:17.

MUSTERING THE EARTHLY HORDES UNDER GOG

31. What has Jehovah kept the anointed remnant of spiritual Israel from thinking as to Gog’s attack, and how?

³¹ In addition to having spoken about Gog of Magog by means of his prophets in former days and years, Jehovah fittingly brings this identically same individual to mind again by means of Ezekiel. Knowing how Satan the Devil, who takes on the role of Gog of Magog, got started and what are his motives, Jehovah knows what the finale of Satan’s course will be as Gog of Magog. He knows that it means at last a showdown fight between him and Satan the Devil alias Gog. He keeps his remnant of spiritual Israel from thinking that the ancient prophecy concerning Gog has nothing to do with them as Christians. He does this by foretelling the final maneuvers of Satan or Gog in the book listed as the very last one in the Bible, Revelation or Apocalypse. There, in connection with the next to the last plague, we read, in Revelation 16:12-16:

32, 33. With what descriptions does Jehovah foretell, in Revelation 16:12-16, the final maneuvers of Satan the Devil?

³² “And the sixth one poured out his bowl upon the great river Euphrates [where the prototype of Babylon the Great was located], and its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings from the rising of the sun.

³³ “And I saw three unclean inspired expressions that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. . . . And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har–Magedon.”

34. Whom do the dragon, the wild beast and the false prophet picture, and how is it that Satan controls the worldwide political system?

³⁴ That symbolic dragon is identified as Satan the Devil, now ousted from heaven and playing the role of Gog of Magog. (Revelation 12:3, 4, 7-12) The symbolic wild beast is Satan’s entire political system world wide, to which this dragon gave “its power and its throne and great authority.” (Revelation 13:1, 2) The symbolic false prophet is a part of that worldwide political system and is pictured as the two-horned wild beast that engineers the creating of a political “image” of the first wild beast, for worship by the peoples. So the “false prophet” proves to be the Dual World Power of Britain and America, and the political “image” is today the United Nations as an international organization for world peace and security. So then, since the worldwide political organization, including the Anglo-American Dual World Power, gets its power, throne and authority from the dragon, Satan the Devil, he invisibly controls the whole political system.

35. To what does the inspired expression out of the dragon’s mouth gather earth’s kings, and when does the “great day” come for the “war” against God the Almighty?

³⁵ The froglike ‘inspired expression’ that comes out of the dragon’s mouth goes forth to the “kings of the entire inhabited earth,” which kings therefore make up the entire world-embracing political system under Satan the Devil alias Gog. To where does that ‘inspired expression,’ as backed up by “inspired expressions” from the “wild beast” and the “false prophet,” lead all those political kings of earth? To war against “God the Almighty.” The “great day” for that war is when the symbolic “dragon,” or Gog of Magog, makes his attack upon the spiritual “Israel of God.” Revelation 16:16 calls the “place” of the war, not “the land of Israel,” but Har–Magedon; however, the Hebrew name Har–Magedon apparently denotes a world situation connected with that land.—Compare Joel 3:9-17.

36. War against Jehovah and his remnant of spiritual Israel means war also against whom else, and after what destruction does the war proceed against that one?

³⁶ The aggressive movement of Gog and his international hordes is not just against the land of Jehovah’s restored people but also against their King, whom Jehovah calls “my servant David.” (Ezekiel 34:23, 24; 37:22-25) He is the enthroned Jesus Christ, Jehovah’s Beloved One, the Messianic Descendant of King David. Inevitably, then, a war against Jehovah and his restored remnant of spiritual Israel means also war against Jehovah’s Messianic King, now installed as King in the heavens over the restored remnant of spiritual Israel. Revelation, chapter seventeen, portrays prophetically the order of events: before the political “image” that is now the United Nations (the Eighth World Power) “goes off into destruction,” member nations of it destroy the great religious “harlot,” Babylon the Great. All the political rulers are pictured by the ten horns of this beastly “image,” and regarding these Revelation 17:12-14 predicts:

37. In Revelation 17:12-14, how is the war of those political rulers pictured, and what is the outcome thereof?

³⁷ “And the ten horns that you saw mean ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings one hour with the wild beast [the Eighth World Power]. These have one thought, and so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. These will battle with the Lamb [the once-sacrificed Jesus Christ], but, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those called and chosen and faithful with him will do so.”—Compare Revelation 19:11-21.

HOW JEHOVAH DEFEATS GOG’S ATTACK

38. For what does Jesus Christ fight, and so failure to mention whom in Ezekiel’s account nicely fits in with this?

³⁸ Really, though, Jesus Christ fights, not primarily for his own heavenly throne, but for the vindication of Jehovah’s universal Sovereignty and for the glorification of Jehovah’s name. Nicely, then, in order that the glory may go to whom it primarily belongs, there is no mention made to Gog of the reigning king, “David my servant,” as Jehovah himself foretells what he will do when He is provoked to war by the God-defying attack made by Gog of Magog. He says:

39. In that day when he is provoked to speak in anger, what does Jehovah say will happen in the “land of Israel”?

³⁹ “‘And it must occur in that day, in the day when Gog comes in upon the soil of Israel,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, ‘that my rage will come up into my nose. And in my ardor, in the fire of my fury, I shall have to speak. Surely in that day a great quaking will occur in the soil of Israel. And because of me the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the wild beasts of the field and all the creeping things that are creeping on the ground and all mankind that are upon the surface of the ground will be bound to shiver, and the mountains will actually be thrown down and the steep ways will have to fall, and to the earth even every wall will fall.’”—Ezekiel 38:18-20.

40. What is it that provokes Jehovah to hot indignation, and the expressions that he then makes will bespeak what kind of control?

⁴⁰ The unjustified attack of Gog and his militarized hordes is made on a spiritually prosperous people who have a God-given right to a place on earth and full freedom for the worship of the living and true God. This fact provokes the Sovereign Lord Jehovah to a feeling of outrage, hot indignation. In rebuke to such devilish conduct he will speak with expressions that bespeak control by Him as Creator over the earth and all the forces of earth’s environment.

41. Where would the foretold earthquake have to occur, and what will indicate that Jehovah is causing it?

⁴¹ The quaking of the earth would be in that section of the land where Gog and his attack forces had penetrated. In the case of actual attack by Gog in the future, his predatory hordes will be all around the globe where Jehovah’s Christian witnesses are peacefully worshiping their God. For all of Gog’s hordes to feel it, the quaking of the earth would have to be global. For it to affect mountains, toppling them, it would have to be very bad, the worst in human history. Just how this universally terrifying earthquake will take place we confidently wait to see. The fact that it coincides with Gog’s invasion, just as divinely foretold, proves that Jehovah is causing it in his rage and fury!

42. To what weapon does Gog resort, how does Jehovah meet him, and why do not Jehovah’s witnesses take any action?

⁴² Gog desperately resorts to the “sword” of warfare against Jehovah’s restored remnant of spiritual Israel and the “great crowd” of their fellow worshipers, and so Jehovah meets him with like for like. Jehovah’s peace-keeping witnesses on earth do not take up the “sword” against Gog’s hordes, but Jehovah does. This is His fight! And now at last the nations of this scientifically advanced world will see Him fight—no mistaking of it! And how He can fight! Listen, as He describes his war tactics and operations:

43. How will Jehovah deal with the swords of Gog’s hordes, with what natural forces will he bring himself into judgment with Gog, and thus what will he do in his own behalf?

⁴³ “‘And I will call forth against him throughout all my mountainous region a sword,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘Against his own brother the sword of each one will come to be. And I will bring myself into judgment with him, with pestilence and with blood; and a flooding downpour and hailstones, fire and sulphur I shall rain down upon him and upon his bands and upon the many peoples that will be with him. And I shall certainly magnify myself and sanctify myself and make myself known before the eyes of many nations; and they will have to know that I am Jehovah.’”—Ezekiel 38:21-23.

44. Jehovah will thus outdo what modern means of warfare by all the militarized nations?

⁴⁴ At that point the battlefield of Har–Magedon is reached. The “war of the great day of God the Almighty” is on! (Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11-16, 20, 21) As weapons of warfare Jehovah wields the forces of creation, flooding cloudbursts of rain, hailstones of undeclared size, downpours of streaking fire and sulphur—all of which will release more destructive energy than all the atomic and nuclear energy that the nations hold in reserve in the oversupply of bombs that they have stockpiled for World War III. All their scientific devices for germ warfare and chemical warfare will be surpassed by the raging pestilence with which he can plague them, a pestilence that could kill off 185,000 in a single night in a given locality. (2 Kings 19:35, 36) The blood of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses they are anxious to spill, but it will be their own blood that they will drink by the violent loss of their own lives.

45. Where will panic occur, how will it affect those seized by it, and what will Jehovah judicially do?

⁴⁵ Panic—world panic outside the ranks of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses! Gog’s hordes will be thrown into confusion. Instead of keeping united to strike down Jehovah’s worshipers as their victims, they will turn their swords against their own ranks, brother warrior against brother warrior, not religionist against religionist, but radical against radical, Communist against Communist, anarchist against anarchist, nihilist against nihilist. Those whom this suicidal warfare among themselves does not kill off, Jehovah will execute as if going into a judicial court against them with all his supernatural means of wiping all opponents of His universal sovereignty out of existence. He must be vindicated at Court.

46. So the “great tribulation” comes to its culmination in what way and on what scale?

⁴⁶ Almighty God thus becomes very much alive to all the nations and peoples under Gog’s woeful control. The God of the global flood in Noah’s day again goes into action on a global scale on this his “day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.” (2 Peter 2:5; 3:6, 7, 10-12) The “great tribulation” upon this worldwide system of things reaches its culmination, and the last vestiges of this ungodly system of things are destroyed as the entire human society of God-ignoring people is annihilated.

47. In what sense will Jehovah sanctify himself before the eyes of all the nations, and before their destruction what will they know?

⁴⁷ Before the eyes of all the nations under Gog of Magog Jehovah will thus magnify himself, displaying himself as the Greatest in all the realm of the living. He will sanctify himself, proving that He is holy and not in sympathy with any part of this unholy system of things. He will make himself known otherwise than just on the pages of the Holy Bible. The stubborn-minded nations under Gog will be forced to see that such a world catastrophe could come from only the One who foretold it and warned of doing it. Facing destruction at His hand, they will, just before they go down into it, know what He said, “know that I am Jehovah.”

Chapter 20

Land of Magog No More to Threaten Mankind

1. After the defeat of Gog’s attack on Jehovah’s worshipers, what “land” must come in for attention, and what might persons who could get sucked in with that attack well do now?

THE unseen base of operations from which Gog launches his attack upon the spiritual “Israel of God” is the “land of Magog.” This “land” must come in for attention after Gog’s militant forces on earth have been crushed in defeat. Thus the unseen inhabitants of the “land of Magog” must witness first the disastrous defeat of the devilish campaign against the spiritually prosperous worshipers of Jehovah. The nations