Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against them. Ezekiel 38:2
Look as hard as you will at any map or atlas, and you will find no evidence of a place called Magog, or of cities called Meshech or Tubal. But that doesn’t mean that these places don’t exist; they do and are well known by their modern names. And there is a strong prophecy against them. If you knew where those places were, you would be concerned for them, wouldn’t you? They are in deep trouble, according to today’s text, and the subsequent chapters. Just as are all those who oppose God and His Word.
According to wise and careful Bible scholars, the land of Magog is Russia, and Meshech and Tubal are the Russian cities of Moscow and Tobolsk. Ezekiel outlines how these will array themselves with Persia (modern-day Iran) and other allied nations to oppose Israel in a coming day. Even today, in the events surrounding Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, we can see this confrontation in the making, although we have no way to tell when the war will begin. Most if not all of this conflict will occur after the rapture, so it does not directly affect us, anyway. But the principle does affect us – the reality of God’s impending judgment against those who oppose Him and His people. Just as Ezekiel was not to mince words in condemning Magog, so we need to be faithful today in acknowledging that the world around us is ripening rapidly for judgment because of its sin.
Why is God going to judge and destroy Magog in a coming day? Because of her sin, in particular because of her opposition to Israel and to God. Why is He going going to judge and destroy the unsaved around us in a coming day? Same reason, because of their sin, including their opposition to God and to His people. And, like Ezekiel, we have been given a responsibility to warn sinners of the consequences of their sin. When we consider the Gospel and its three-part message, we have no difficulty in addressing the second and third parts: God’s remedy and man’s responsibility. But it’s not so easy addressing the first part: man’s ruin. Nobody likes to hear about how bad they are, how hopeless their condition. But that is exactly what people need to hear and understand before we can see them saved. Most people won’t accept the message, but that’s not our responsibility. The apathetic and the opposers will have to pay for their apathy and opposition. And a few will believe.
Faithfulness means telling the truth about God’s judgment against sin. And leaving the results to the God of Salvation. -Jim MacIntosh