Is Russia Magog?

By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, February 24, 2022.

Is Russia the “Magog” of the Bible? Or is Turkey Magog? Why would that even matter right now?

It matters because the Trumpist right wing is currently defending and supporting Russia and its actions. Which means, if Russia is Magog, they’re advocating for the region and nation (or nations) that will come up against Israel in the end times (Ezekiel 38 and 39).

I wonder how right wing Christian believers feel about this and how they are getting around it.

I suspect it’s by redefining what country or region Magog represents, perhaps identifying it as Turkey rather than Russia.

My belief is the traditionally accepted one: Russia is Magog. But Turkey might be included with Magog as part of a possible alliance.

To settle the issue, let’s first look at what the Bible itself says. From Ezekiel 38:

2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

14 ¶ Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?
15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:
16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

The land of Magog is located in “the north parts”, to the north of Jerusalem. Turkey is north of Israel. But farther to the north, so is Russia.

The leader and his people come riding on horses—all of them mounted, a “great company”. Russia has access to many horses—Mongolia is home to millions of them, and a concerted breeding program could produce millions more battle-ready horses in 36 months or less. Why they’re a mounted army rather than mechanized one is open to speculation, but to me it’s confirmation that an oil shortage is coming.

The number of people—“as a cloud to cover the land”—suggests a bigger country than Turkey. Turkey’s estimated population is about 86 million as of this writing. Russia’s is about 146 million. And Turkey doesn’t have the number of horses needed for a mounted army that covers the land as described.

Turning to more secular sources, the historian Josephus identified Scythia as the region of Magog. That’s the area of Khazakhstan, eastern Ukraine—and Russia.

This article mentions an even earlier source than Josephus:

One of the earliest references to Magog was by Hesiod, “the father of Greek didactic poetry,” who identified Magog with the Scythians and southern Russia in the 7th century B.C.

So yeah, Russia is Magog. And the leaders of the right wing are supporting and advocating for Magog, not only against Ukraine, but also by association against American democracy. And in advocating for Magog, they are advocating for a land that will eventually target Israel.