“Gog and Magog” refers to enemies of the Jewish people. Jewish texts describe how, at the dawn of a messianic era, Gog and Magog will wage war against Israel, and God will miraculously defeat them. The terms Gog and Magog first appear together in Ezekiel 38–39, where Gog is the name of a leader, and Magog is his land. In rabbinic literature, Gog and Magog are understood to be the names of two nations or one nation with two names.
Notable Sources
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Divine Orchestration in the Prophecy of Gog and Magog
TANAKH
The prophecy of Gog and Magog first appears in the Book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel describes a divinely orchestrated future scenario where Gog, leading a vast coalition, invades Israel.
The Uncertain Details of the Messianic Era
HALAKHAH
Rambam emphasizes that the specifics of the messianic era, including the war of Gog and Magog, are not essential to Jewish faith. In his famed 12th-century code of Jewish law, Mishneh Torah, he argues for a focus on the general belief in the coming of the Messiah rather than the exact details of the messianic era.
The Mystical Prophecy of Gog and Magog
KABBALAH
In the Book of Exodus, Moses and the Israelites sing a Song of the Sea as they successfully cross the Red Sea. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, describes how this biblical text alludes to future messianic events.
Protection Through Shabbat Meals
TALMUD
Eating three meals on Shabbat is said to protect one from the pangs of the Messiah, the judgment of Gehenna, and the war of Gog and Magog. Tractate Shabbat in the Babylonian Talmud demonstrates this point using biblical sources.
From Egypt to the Final Retribution
MIDRASH
The future retribution against the enemies of Israel is seen as a continuation of the divine retribution that began with the ten plagues against Egypt. The Midrash Tanchuma, a medieval collection of midrash, links the biblical narrative of the Exodus to eschatological themes involving the ultimate defeat of Israel's foes.
The Twelve-Month Judgment
MISHNAH
The Mishnah provides a glimpse into Jewish eschatological beliefs, including the duration of the judgment of Gog and Magog. This first codification of Jewish law from the early third-century land of Israel offers insights into the length of divine judgments.
A Prophecy Unfulfilled
JEWISH THOUGHT
Joseph Albo, in his 15th-century philosophical work Sefer HaIkkarim, argues against aligning historical events with the biblical prophecy of Gog and Magog, rejecting potential arguments that individual wars might have been a fulfillment of the prophecy.
Prophetic Events in the Month of Tishrei
HALAKHAH
The prophetic events associated with Gog and Magog are linked to the festival of Sukkot, as they are believed to occur in the month of Tishrei. The Kol Bo, a medieval compendium of Jewish law and custom, explains the connection between the haftarah reading on Sukkot and these prophetic events.
Conflicts of Strength and Numbers
JEWISH THOUGHT
The Maharal distinguishes between conflicts characterized by the strength of nations and those characterized by the sheer number of people involved. In his work Netzach Yisrael, the Maharal of Prague delves into Jewish eschatology.
The Messiah's Ultimate Triumph
TARGUM
The future Messiah is described as leading Israel to ultimate victory over its enemies, purifying the land. The Targum Jonathan, an Aramaic translation and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, offers a messianic prophecy about the future reign of the Messiah and the triumph over Israel's adversaries.
The Gathering of Nations
COMMENTARY
The gathering of all nations to Jerusalem is a pivotal event in Jewish eschatology. Rashi, the renowned 11th-century Jewish commentator, interprets Psalms 118:10 as referring to this apocalyptic event.
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