I’ll set fire to Magog and the far-off islands, where people are so seemingly secure. And they’ll realize that I am God. (Ezekiel 39:6 The Message)
Win
A number of nations are mentioned in this chapter of Ezekiel, and many people have spent a lot of time trying to figure out to whom those references refer. Some believe that ancient Gog and Magog represent modern Russia and China. Some have posited that the nations represented here are hints of particular historical characters like Atilla the Hun, Genghis Khan, and Mao Tse Tung. Some have equated the nations and tribes of Ezekiel with religions like Buddhism Taoism, and Hinduism.
But prophetic literature can be tricky.
I believe Ezekiel’s intent is to comfort God’s people whenever wild crazy nations, ideas, or worldviews attack the people of God. The names are monster-like, scary sounding, and threatening.
But whether the events described took place in 70 AD (my personal understanding), the late middle ages, last week Thursday, or at some point in the future, the point being made is simply and profoundly this: God always wins. And not a vague, religious God… but our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Line up with Jesus if you want to live.
Gog, Magog, Russia, China, Atilla, Genghis, Mao, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Islam, humanism, statism, or individualism ultimately do not stand a chance against Jesus. He has won, is winning, and will win.
We can not count on winning, but Jesus can.