In my previous post, I submitted evidence that there are insurmountable difficulties associated with Richardson's theory that Gog/Magog in Ezekiel 38 and 39 refers to the Antichrist. {1} Richardson's attempt to shoehorn the Antichrist into Ezekiel 38 and 39, is, in my view, a gross misrepresentation of the text and is incredibly misleading. In the above video, Richardson's attempt to disprove the view that Ezekiel 38 and 39 refers to the end of the millennium is equally problematic.
Gog/Magog at the end of the millennium
When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore. And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed (katesthió) them. And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:7-10 cf.2 Kings 1:10).
When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore. And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed (katesthió) them. And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:7-10 cf.2 Kings 1:10).
Richardson: "What does consume mean.. it means there is nothing left." This is a critical point for Richardson because if there is absolutely nothing left of Gog and his hordes when they are devoured by fire, they cannot be buried in the Valley of the Travelers as it says in Ezekiel 39:11.
The same word, katesthió is used in Revelation 11:5 regarding the fate of those who attempt to harm the two witnesses i.e. they are also devoured by fire: If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours (katesthió) their enemies.
Ezekiel 39:4-6,12 presents significant difficulties for Richardson. The unequivocal statement that the Antichrist and false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire in Revelation 19:20 conflicts with the prophecy against Gog in Ezekiel 39 where it specifically says that Gog and his hordes will fall in the open field. Subsequently Gog and his multitude will be buried in the Valley of Travelers east of the sea.
If the Antichrist is Gog, then how is he eaten by birds, and how can he be buried, if he is thrown alive into the lake of fire without undergoing bodily death? (Revelation 19:20). Revelation 19:20 seems to correspond to the earth swallowing up Korah and his company alive. (Numbers 16:33 cf. Daniel 7:11). The details are very specific:
You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your hordes and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. You shall fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 39:4-6).
On that day I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the sea. It will block the travelers, for there Gog and all his multitude will be buried. It will be called the Valley of Hamon-gog. (Ezekiel 39:12).
But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. (Revelation 19:20).
Above ~ Richardson has recently brought out a subsequent video defending his view that the Antichrist is killed, and he cites various scriptures in order to prove his theory. The Old Testament verses Richardson cites often refer to various historical kings/kingdoms with allusions to the Antichrist. These alleged "proof texts" are not definitive and they do not validate his view.
He shall come to his end
And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him. At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. (Daniel 11:45-12:1 cf. Matthew 24:21).
Daniel 11:40-45 describes the Antichrist's conquest of the surrounding nations when the tents of his armies are pitched either in, or close to, Jerusalem. These events precede the abomination of desolation event at the mid point of the 70th week and the subsequent great tribulation.. "he shall come to his end" may refer to the apparent "deadly wound" from which the Antichrist recovers. (Revelation 13:3). Richardson's alleged proof text regarding the death of the Antichrist at this point in the chronology does not fit the timeline of Armageddon which occurs at the end of the 70th week.
Habakkuk 3 - Crush his head from thigh to neck
This verse does appear to be an allusion to the Antichrist. Pharaoh/Egypt is mentioned in the commentaries, possibly as a past partial fulfillment. It confirms that Jesus will strike the head of the house of the wicked. The meaning of the Hebrew words do not signify that the Antichrist is killed.
You struck מָחַ֤צְתָּ (ma·chatz·ta) 4272: to smite through, wound severely, shatter a prim. root
the head רֹּאשׁ֙ (rosh) 7218: head a prim. root
of the house מִבֵּ֣ית (mib·beit) 1004: a house a prim. root
of the evil רָשָׁ֔ע (ra·sha,) 7563: wicked, criminal from an unused word
To lay him open עָרֹ֛ות (a·ro·vt) 6168: to be naked or bare a prim. root
from thigh יְסֹ֥וד (ye·so·vd) 3247: foundation, base from yasad
to neck. צַוָּ֖אר (tzav·var) 6677: neck, back of neck from an unused word {3}
Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’ (Isaiah 14:16-17).
Richardson's claim that "the man" in Isaiah 14:16 refers to the Antichrist is unreliable. Isaiah 14:1-22 is a taunt against the king of Babylon (with allusions to Lucifer.) (Isaiah 14:3). But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. (Isaiah 14:9,11,15). Sheol is not the lake of fire. According the Old Testament, Sheol/Hades is a temporary place where souls are kept as they await the final resurrection. The lake of fire Revelation 19:20 and 20:10, 14-15, is the final hell, the place of eternal punishment, both for apostate angels and wicked human beings. (Matthew 25:41). The scriptures are unequivocal, the destination of the Antichrist is the Lake of Fire, not Sheol. (Revelation 19:20).
Consume - anaireó
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-14).
When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore. And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them. (Revelation 20:7-9).
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Now I will restore Jacob from captivity and will have compassion on the whole house of Israel, and I will be jealous for My holy name. They will forget their disgrace and all the treachery they committed against Me, when they dwell securely in their land, with no one to frighten them. When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them out of the lands of their enemies, I will show My holiness in them in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, when I regather them to their own land, not leaving any of them behind after their exile among the nations. And I will no longer hide My face from them, for I will pour out My Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 39:25-29).
the head רֹּאשׁ֙ (rosh) 7218: head a prim. root
of the house מִבֵּ֣ית (mib·beit) 1004: a house a prim. root
of the evil רָשָׁ֔ע (ra·sha,) 7563: wicked, criminal from an unused word
To lay him open עָרֹ֛ות (a·ro·vt) 6168: to be naked or bare a prim. root
from thigh יְסֹ֥וד (ye·so·vd) 3247: foundation, base from yasad
to neck. צַוָּ֖אר (tzav·var) 6677: neck, back of neck from an unused word {3}
Gill: "There seems to be a double metaphor in the words, expressing the utter ruin and destruction of antichrist and his party; who, being compared to a building, will be demolished, and razed to the very foundation; that will be dug up, and laid bare, and no trace of an edifice to be seen any more; and, being compared to a human body, will be plunged into such distresses and calamities, as to be as it were up to the neck in them, from whence there is no escape and deliverance. Some understand this of the princes of this head, or of his friends, and those of his family that are nearest to him, as the neck is to the head; or of the whole body of the people under him, of which he will be deprived; and so be as a head without a body, and who cannot long survive them. Selah" {4}
Is this the man?
Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’ (Isaiah 14:16-17).
Richardson's claim that "the man" in Isaiah 14:16 refers to the Antichrist is unreliable. Isaiah 14:1-22 is a taunt against the king of Babylon (with allusions to Lucifer.) (Isaiah 14:3). But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. (Isaiah 14:9,11,15). Sheol is not the lake of fire. According the Old Testament, Sheol/Hades is a temporary place where souls are kept as they await the final resurrection. The lake of fire Revelation 19:20 and 20:10, 14-15, is the final hell, the place of eternal punishment, both for apostate angels and wicked human beings. (Matthew 25:41). The scriptures are unequivocal, the destination of the Antichrist is the Lake of Fire, not Sheol. (Revelation 19:20).
2 Thessalonians 2:8 whom the Lord shall consume (anaireó) with the breath of his mouth. The meaning of anaireó is - to take up, take away, make an end. {5} anaireó frequently does mean kill or slay, but not always. (e.g. Acts 7:21 and Hebrews 10:9). The definitive Greek word for kill is apokteino as in Matthew 10:28 Mark 12:5 etc. {6}
Working on the hermeneutic principle that we should always interpret unclear passages in the light of clear passages, Revelation 20:20 is the clearest verse.
Further Evidence
In Revelation 20:10 we read that the Antichrist and the false prophet are in the lake of fire when Satan suffers the same fate and joins them after a thousand years. If we take Revelation 20 chronologically, which I think we should, we find that the dead (sinful humanity), are judged at the great white throne judgement after Satan is thrown into the lake of fire. The Antichrist and the false prophet are not judged along with the rest of humanity at the great white throne judgement. This indicates that their particular fate differs from that of the dead. Sinful humanity suffer the second death after they are judged, whereas the Antichrist and the false prophet are fast tracked to the lake of fire without being killed or judged.
Ezekiel 39:4: Success or failure?
Richardson's claim that from Gog's point of view, the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39 is "incredibly successful", whereas the battle in Revelation 20 is an "abysmal failure" is spurious. The details are more sparse in Revelation 20 than in Ezekiel 38 and 39, but there is no conflict between the two passages. We see that Satan (via Gog) is "incredibly successful" in deceiving the nations in Revelation 20. The battle itself in both passages results in the overwhelming defeat of Gog.
After many days / In the latter years
After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them. (Ezekiel 38:8).
In the scriptures, the expression "after many days" often refers to something in the distant future. In this instance "after many days" corresponds to the “latter years” of the next clause. Keil and Delitzsch's lengthy commentary on Ezekiel 38 concludes that in the context of the passage, "after many days" refers to the final future i.e. the millennium. (see Genesis 49:1; Numbers 24:14; Isaiah 2:2; Daniel 10:14; Micah 4:1).
Keil and Delitzsch: "Moreover, Gog has already been appointed leader of the army in v.7, and therefore is not 'to be placed in the supreme command' for the first time after many days. מיּמים רבּים, after many days, i.e., after a long time (cf. Joshua 23:1), is not indeed equivalent in itself to בּאחרית השּׁנים, but signifies merely the lapse of a lengthened period; yet this is defined here as occurring in the אחרית השּׁנים. - אחרית השּׁנים, equivalent to אחרית היּמים (Ezekiel 38:16), is the end of days, the last time, not the future generally, but the final future, the Messianic time of the completing of the kingdom of God (see the comm. on Genesis 49:1). This meaning is also applicable here. For Gog is to come up to the mountains of Israel, which have been laid waste תּמיד, continually, i.e., for a long time, but are now inhabited again.." {7}
Ezekiel 39:25-29
Ezekiel 39:25-29 summarizes the entire message contained within the book of Ezekiel. This resolves the alleged difficulty brought up by Richardson that these final verses do not fit the millennial view of Gog/Magog.
Expositors Bible Commentary: "39:25-29.-The closing verses do not strictly belong to the oracle on Gog. The prophet returns to the standpoint of the present, and predicts once more the restoration of Israel, which has heretofore been assumed as an accomplished fact. The connection with what precedes is, however, very close. The divine attributes, whose final manifestation to the world is reserved for the far-off day of Gog’s defeat, are already about to be revealed to Israel. Jehovah’s compassion for His people and His jealousy for His own name will speedily be shown in "turning the fortunes" of Israel, bringing them back from the peoples, and gathering them from the land of their enemies. The consequences of this upon the nation itself are described in more gracious terms than in any other passage. They shall forget their shame and all their trespasses when they dwell securely in their own land, none making them afraid. The saving knowledge of Jehovah as their God, who led them into captivity and brought them back again, will as far as Israel is concerned be complete; and the gracious relation thus established shall no more be interrupted, because of the divine Spirit which has been poured out on the house of Israel." {8}
1. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: JOEL RICHARDSON: SIX REASONS THAT GOG IS THE ANTICHRIST DEBUNKED (bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com)2. Strong's Greek: 2719. κατεσθίω (katesthió) -- to eat up (biblehub.com)
3. Habakkuk 3:13 Lexicon: You went forth for the salvation of Your people, For the salvation of Your anointed. You struck the head of the house of the evil To lay him open from thigh to neck. Selah. (biblehub.com)
4. Habakkuk 3:13 - Meaning and Commentary on Bible Verse (biblestudytools.com)
5. Strong's Greek: 337. ἀναιρέω (anaireó) -- to take up, take away, make an end (biblehub.com)
6. Apokteino Meaning in Bible - New Testament Greek Lexicon - New American Standard (biblestudytools.com)
7. Ezekiel 38 Keil and Delitzsch OT Commentary (biblehub.com)
8. Ezekiel 39 Expositor's Bible Commentary (biblehub.com)
1. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: JOEL RICHARDSON: SIX REASONS THAT GOG IS THE ANTICHRIST DEBUNKED (bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com)2. Strong's Greek: 2719. κατεσθίω (katesthió) -- to eat up (biblehub.com)
3. Habakkuk 3:13 Lexicon: You went forth for the salvation of Your people, For the salvation of Your anointed. You struck the head of the house of the evil To lay him open from thigh to neck. Selah. (biblehub.com)
4. Habakkuk 3:13 - Meaning and Commentary on Bible Verse (biblestudytools.com)
5. Strong's Greek: 337. ἀναιρέω (anaireó) -- to take up, take away, make an end (biblehub.com)
6. Apokteino Meaning in Bible - New Testament Greek Lexicon - New American Standard (biblestudytools.com)
7. Ezekiel 38 Keil and Delitzsch OT Commentary (biblehub.com)
8. Ezekiel 39 Expositor's Bible Commentary (biblehub.com)
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