For the Gog and Magog prophecy from Ezekiel 38-39 which was duplicated in Revelation 20, those "four quarters of the earth" out of which Gog's army was gathered was the same as the "four corners" of THE LAND OF ISRAEL in particular, as found in Ezekiel 7:2-3. God prophesied against the land of Israel, saying, "An end, the end is come upon the FOUR CORNERS OF THE LAND; now is the end come upon thee..."
Gog would come out of his place in the north parts of ISRAEL, which would be "Galilee of the nations" - the northernmost quarter of Israel. Galilee was known to be the location in the far north of Israel where rebels against Rome originated, such as Judas of Galilee who had made insurrection against Rome in Acts 5:37. (These four quarters of the land of Israel are a bit different than other scripture predictions which involve "the four winds of heaven", which would tend to have a global application.)
Scripture never says that Gog the chief prince would have to be in league with the entire nations of Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, etc. In the LXX for Ezekiel 38:5 , all it says is that individuals who had descended from these countries would be present within Gog's army, ("Persian, Ethiopians, Libyans" etc.) which was the case with Simon bar Giora's army numbering 40,000 which included mixed nationalities culled from the nations around Israel in those first century days.
That Zealot rebellious activity was already circulating in Israel in Christ's days, which is why Christ made mention of that increasing civil strife within Israel itself . Christ asked, "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division. For FROM HENCEFORTH there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father;...." (Luke 12:51-53). This division among families was more than just OC Judaism versus Christ's NC disciples. Even in Christ's days on earth, those in Israel wishing to preserve the status quo with Rome in charge became increasingly opposed to those with Zealot sympathies who wished to rebel and cast off their Roman governance. This division in families over this issue extended even to the high priesthood's family (the high priest Ananias who put Paul on trial, and his son Eleazar, governor of the temple in AD 66 who favored the rebels against his father's wishes).
Gog the chief prince (Simon bar Giora) capitalized on this civil discord among Israelite families, and he recruited restless malcontents who wanted to see a change of governance in Israel by casting off the Roman yoke. The "every man's sword shall be against his brother" was the result of this internecine warfare in Israel in those first century days.
Anyone who thinks this battle of Gog is descriptive of modern warfare with horsemen, "all of them handling swords", with shields, bucklers, spears, bows and arrows, and hand-staves is strongly deluded. This was an ancient battle that has already taken place. The Zealot forces in Israel were well known for the distinctive, concealed curved daggers they carried (a "Sica"), and which is why the Zealots were nicknamed "sicarii". Swordsmanship was a notable feature of this Gog battle.
Gog would come out of his place in the north parts of ISRAEL, which would be "Galilee of the nations" - the northernmost quarter of Israel. Galilee was known to be the location in the far north of Israel where rebels against Rome originated, such as Judas of Galilee who had made insurrection against Rome in Acts 5:37. (These four quarters of the land of Israel are a bit different than other scripture predictions which involve "the four winds of heaven", which would tend to have a global application.)
Scripture never says that Gog the chief prince would have to be in league with the entire nations of Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, etc. In the LXX for Ezekiel 38:5 , all it says is that individuals who had descended from these countries would be present within Gog's army, ("Persian, Ethiopians, Libyans" etc.) which was the case with Simon bar Giora's army numbering 40,000 which included mixed nationalities culled from the nations around Israel in those first century days.
That Zealot rebellious activity was already circulating in Israel in Christ's days, which is why Christ made mention of that increasing civil strife within Israel itself . Christ asked, "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division. For FROM HENCEFORTH there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father;...." (Luke 12:51-53). This division among families was more than just OC Judaism versus Christ's NC disciples. Even in Christ's days on earth, those in Israel wishing to preserve the status quo with Rome in charge became increasingly opposed to those with Zealot sympathies who wished to rebel and cast off their Roman governance. This division in families over this issue extended even to the high priesthood's family (the high priest Ananias who put Paul on trial, and his son Eleazar, governor of the temple in AD 66 who favored the rebels against his father's wishes).
Gog the chief prince (Simon bar Giora) capitalized on this civil discord among Israelite families, and he recruited restless malcontents who wanted to see a change of governance in Israel by casting off the Roman yoke. The "every man's sword shall be against his brother" was the result of this internecine warfare in Israel in those first century days.
Anyone who thinks this battle of Gog is descriptive of modern warfare with horsemen, "all of them handling swords", with shields, bucklers, spears, bows and arrows, and hand-staves is strongly deluded. This was an ancient battle that has already taken place. The Zealot forces in Israel were well known for the distinctive, concealed curved daggers they carried (a "Sica"), and which is why the Zealots were nicknamed "sicarii". Swordsmanship was a notable feature of this Gog battle.
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