Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2022
Friday, February 4, 2022
I recommend supplication, prayer, and intercession so that we can continue to lead a calm and peaceful life with total devotion to God (1 Tim. 2:1, 2).
In recent years, Russia and its allies have also invaded "the Beautiful Land" (Dan. 11:41). How? In 2017, this modern-day king of the north banned the work of Jehovah's Witnesses and imprisoned some of our brothers. He also banned our publications, including the New World Translation. In addition, he took over the Russia branch, as well as Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls. Following these events, in 2018 the Governing Body identified Russia and its allies as the king of the north. Now, Jehovah's servants do not fight against any government or try to change it, even when it persecutes us harshly. Rather, we follow the biblical advice to pray “for all those in high office,” especially when they make decisions that could affect religious liberty. w20.
Who is "Gog of the land of Magog," and what can prompt him to attack God's people?
A prophecy from the book of Ezekiel helps us understand what is likely to happen in the last days of the king of the north and the king of the south. Apparently, the prophecies of Ezekiel 38:10-23; Daniel 2:43-45; 11:44-12:1 and Revelation 16:13-16, 21 speak of the same period of time and the same events. If so, we can expect the following developments.
Sometime after the outbreak of the Apocalypse, “the kings of all the inhabited earth” will form a coalition of nations (Rev. 16:13, 14; 19:19). The Bible calls this coalition "Gog from the land of Magog" (Ezek. 38:2). This group of nations will launch a final attack against God's people and attempt to destroy them completely. What will cause the attack? In connection with this time, the apostle John saw a storm of unusually large hailstones rain down on God's enemies. Perhaps this storm represents the stern message of condemnation that will be proclaimed by Jehovah's servants. This message may prompt Gog of Magog to attack God's people in order to wipe them off the map (Rev. 16:21).
(a) To what events might Daniel 11:44, 45 refer? b) What will happen to the king of the north and the rest of Gog de Magog?
It is possible that this harsh message and the final attack by God's enemies are the same events mentioned in Daniel 11:44, 45 (read it). There, Daniel says that the king of the north will become uneasy because of “reports from the east and from the north, and he will go out in a rage to . . . destroy many.” Apparently these “many” are Jehovah's servants.* Daniel may here be describing the final attack on God's people.
The attack of the king of the north and the other governments of the world will provoke the wrath of the Almighty and unleash the war of Armageddon (Rev. 16:14, 16). At that point, the king of the north “will come to his end, and he will have no one to help him” (Dan. 11:45). The same will happen to the other nations that make up Gog de Magog.
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