The city God loves is Jerusalem. ‘Camp’ is indeed a correct translation in itself, but refers rather to the abode of the saints in and near Jerusalem—indeed, a residence on earth for the people of the first resurrection who rule over ‘cities’ and over sectors of the earth on behalf of Christ.1 Are they crossing over between the Heavenly and earthly dimensions? These hostile nations are called ‘Gog and Magog’. We are acquainted with them from Ezekiel 38 and 39. There, Gog comes from the land of Magog;2 here, both their names represent nations who are enemies of God. Some expositors think that Ezekiel’s prophecies concerning ‘Gog and Magog’ will be fulfilled here, at the end of Christ’s Kingdom on earth, but there are several reasons to assume that this will not be the case. First of all, ‘Gog and its allies’ come from the north, whereas the hostile nations referred to here are from the ends of the earth, north, south, east and west. Furthermore, they have been defeated ‘on the mountains of Israel’ in Ezekiel 38-39, and they do not reach Jerusalem, whereas these hostile nations surround the beloved City Jerusalem. Here, these nations are destroyed by fire from Heaven, ‘cremated’; there, Israel needs seven months to clear away the corpses. Nevertheless, there is a typological link between God and Magog in Revelation and in Ezekiel, of course. Both of them wish to destroy Israel and to exterminate the ‘saints’. The main reason for not placing ‘Gog and Magog’ from Ezekiel at the end of Christ’s government but before it is this: when, in Ezekiel, Israel has experienced the miraculous destruction of that all-powerful enemy, by means of divine intervention, we read that “from that day forward the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God.”3 It is unthinkable to assume that Israel would not yet know that the Lord is their God at the end of the thousand years of Messianic rule. No, ‘Gog and Magog’s attack in Ezekiel indicate to a point in time during the last days when Israel will also receive the revelation about Jesus, just before or during or at the end of the ‘great tribulation’: “From that day forward the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God.”4 That is, after God’s tremendous victory over the ‘Gog and Magog’ powers on the mountains of Israel and before the Millennium. It then takes place in a land that has recovered from war, whose people have been gathered from all the countries of the world and lives in peace,5 a land of villages6 – to which not all the Jews have as yet returned. Does this happen after: not leaving any behind? As Ezekiel says: “When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. I will no longer hide My face from them, for I will pour out My Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.”7 Viewed historically, the battle in Ezekiel 38 and 39 can take place very soon led by Russia and its allies – or Turkey and its allies with Russia in the background perhaps – together with the Islamic, Arabic countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Syria? If the list of Gog’s allies,8 who very probably come from either Russia and/ or Turkey (the far north), is compared with modern countries, then they would be Put (Libya), Persia (Iran), Ethiopia, Gomer (Germany) and Togarma (Turkey or Eastern European countries because of the addition ‘from the far north’). Other identifications with these ancient names with modern states is possible as well, of course! We will see it when it happens, but keep our eyes wide open an also open for other possibilities as well! The ‘neutrals’ looking on in order to share the spoils8 are Sheba (Egypt?) and Dedan (Saudi Arabia?) and the merchants, the rulers from Tarshish. That was the name of a city, but the name came to mean: the uttermost, the far west. (Always looking at the compass points from Jerusalem!) So, Western Europe? Or beyond? The identification of the names with those of the list of nations from Genesis 10 needs a separate study! There are many possible locations that match these ancient names. To read Josephus Flavius’ ‘Antiquities of the Jews’ on this point is very interesting! Israel still has a lot to expect shortly, ‘bad weather’ – verbally and militarily – is coming towards the Middle East, and Israel absolutely should not count on the nice promises and ‘guarantees of safety’ by the USA, or the UN or Europe or whoever else. But the Lord will once again show Himself to be the Mighty One, in the eyes of the whole world.9 That is Israel’s only hope.
• In the light of the Bible there is only one ‘Beloved City’. Founded on the holy mountain; the Lord loves the gates of Zion, more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.10 Mount Zion is that which He loved.11 God will establish Jerusalem and make her ‘the praise of the earth’.12 Jerusalem, which will indeed shake at its foundations of which a tenth will collapse,13 yet will continue to exist at ‘its own place’.14 Jerusalem will be secure,15 even though its local topography will be altered drastically.16
• Titus Flavius Josephus (37 –100 AD), born Yosef ben Matityahu was a first- century Romano-Jewish historian who was born in Jerusalem, then part of Roman Judea, to a father of priestly descent and a mother who claimed royal ancestry. He initially fought against the Romans during the First Jewish– Roman War as head of Jewish forces in Galilee, until surrendering in 67 AD to Roman forces led by Vespasian after the six-week siege of Jotapata.
• Vespasian decided to keep Josephus as a slave and presumably interpreter. After Vespasian became Emperor in 69 AD, he granted Josephus his freedom, at which time Josephus assumed the Emperor’s family name of Flavius.
• Josephus recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the first century AD and the First Jewish–Roman War (66-70 AD), including the Siege of Masada. His most important works were ‘The Jewish War’ (75 AD) and ‘Antiquities of the Jews’ (94 AD). ‘The Jewish War’ recounts the Jewish revolt against Roman occupation. ‘Antiquities of the Jews’ recounts the history of the world from a Jewish perspective – using the Bible as a framework of reference – for an ostensibly Greek and Roman audience.
• These works provide valuable insight into first century Judaism and the background of Early Christianity. In strict Christian homes in the Netherland always 2 books stood on the mantelpiece: the Bible and Flavius Josephus.
Bible References:
1.Luke 19:11–27 2.Ezekiel 38:1 3.Ezekiel 39:22 4.Ezekiel 38:8–9 5.Ezekiel 38:11 6.Ezekiel 39:27-29 7.Ezekiel 38:1–6 8.Ezekiel 38:13 9.Isaiah 49:26, 60:16 10.Psalm 87:1–2 11.Psalm 78:68 12.Isaiah 62:7 13.Revelation 11:13 14.Zechariah 11:6 15.Zechariah 14:11 16.Zechariah 14:4–5
