יחזקאל, פרק ל״ח, פסוק י״ז

At the end of days, when the great final battle breaks out, the identity of the mysterious enemy spoken of by Israel's ancient prophets will finally be revealed. God speaks directly to the leader of the attacking nation, confirming his role in the ultimate global conflict. Throughout history, the names Gog and Magog will be forgotten. It is only when this king actually arrives and attacks the land that everyone will recognize him as the prophesied Gog, bringing the ancient words to life [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, just as false messiahs have arisen over the generations, figures claiming to be Gog might also appear. God's direct address serves to confirm this leader's true, unmistakable identity [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The ancient messengers who foresaw this arrival are primarily Ezekiel and Zechariah. Although Zechariah does not explicitly mention the name Gog, his vision of God gathering all nations for war points exactly to this final event [רש״י, רד״ק]. Some commentators also include Isaiah among the prophets who predicted this invasion [מצודת דוד].

The primary approach among commentators is that the prophecies emphasize a vast passage of time, noting that many years will have passed between the original visions and their actual fulfillment. However, an ancient tradition offers a different understanding, interpreting this detail not as a measure of years, but as the number two. This points to Eldad and Medad, two prophets who shared a single, simultaneous vision about the war of Gog and Magog [רש״י, רד״ק, חומת אנך]. Another perspective suggests this indicates that the prophecies were repeated multiple times, or that Gog is destined to attack the land twice [מלבי״ם].

Ultimately, God draws this enemy to the land not merely to wage war against Israel, but to enact historical justice. The nations of Gog and Magog were originally part of the Assyrian empire, which exiled the Israelite tribes from Samaria and the lands across the Jordan, ruthlessly shedding their blood. God brings them back to the Land of Israel to destroy them and avenge His people. In a perfect act of measure for measure, the very land where they once spilled Israelite blood like water will be the exact place where their own blood is shed [אברבנאל].