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GOG is a symbolical name for the powerful and proud chief of the vast hordes of Scythia and Tartary. MAGOG, the son of Japheth (Gen. 10: 2), whose descendants spread over the vast steppes in the north, after whom the land is here called. Ezek. 38: 2 should read "Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal." Gog is the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal answering to Russia, Moscow or Muscovy, and Tobolsk: all now in the Russian empire. These, 'coming out of the north,' as a cloud to cover the land,' will attack Israel in the land of Palestine,
but will be smitten by God. Ezek. 38: 2, 18; Ezek. 39: 1, 6, 11. The valley where they will be buried will be called HAMON-GOG, the 'multitude of Gog,' Ezek. 39: 11, 15. The destruction of these hordes will cause the heathen to know the Lord, that is, the nations extern to the Anti-christian Empire of the West.
In Rev. 20: 8 we also read of Gog and Magog attacking "the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city," Jerusalem; but this must not be confounded with the prophecy in Ezekiel, for here they come out of 'the four corners of the earth;' and the battles do not coincide as to time. In Ezekiel the attack is before Israel is finally settled in the land, as may be seen by the context; whereas in the Revelation it is after the thousand years of the millennium, and is followed by the final overthrow of God's enemies who are led on by Satan. There is doubtless an allusion to the names in Ezekiel; 'Gog and Magog,' being symbolical names, are employed to describe all the proud and powerful hordes of post-millennium times, whose number is 'as the sand of the sea,' and whom Satan will collect together from all quarters to attack the kingdom of the Lord Jesus as established on earth, only to be devoured by fire from heaven: for Satan, when loosed, will not be able to raise up an empire against the Lord.