There is much discussion that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is Gog of Magog from the end time prophecy in Ezekiel 38. He is not. This is an example of how mankind, wanting to believe something, mistranslates the Bible and repeats it until it becomes something. Study your Bible. Do not be deceived. Prophecy’s timepiece is Israel and how it is impacted by the nations found in and emanating from the table of nations in Genesis 10. For example, Noah’s grandsons from Japheth—Gomer, Magog, Meshech, Tubal are specifically mentioned in Ezekiel 38 as part of a coalition led by Gog of Magog against Israel. These nations are located in what is now modern Turkey—not Russia, as is often erroneously taught.
The assertion of Russia in the Bible is a mistranslation of the word “Rosh.” The Ezekiel 38:2 King James translation says, “Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him.” Whereas the New American Standard errs in its translation, “Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him.” The Complete Jewish Bible translation is: “Human being, turn your face toward Gog (of the land of Magog), chief prince of Meshekh and Tuval, and prophesy against him.” The mistranslation is such: “Rosh,” or “Ros” in Hebrew, translated correctly is always “Chief” or “Head,” never “Russia” (i.e., Rosh Hashana, meaning “Head” of the year).
Another misinterpretation of prophecy is found in the translation of “Grecia” in Daniel 8. In Daniel 8:19, Gabriel says, “Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. The ram which you saw having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia.” Strong’s Concordance interprets the word “Grecia” in Hebrew as “Yavan, a son of Japheth (the third son of Noah), his descendants and their land.” The Genesis 10 table of nations indicates this area was not only Greece (as Bible interpretations imply), but also the Eastern Mediterranean, including parts of modern Turkey (Magog, Tubal, Meshech).
Gabriel’s interpretation of Daniel’s vision of “what shall be in the last end” and “for at the time appointed the end shall be” is clearly an end-time prophecy, which, therefore, was not completely fulfilled by Alexander the Great and his generals as is widely taught. These events are yet to occur for the little horn (antichrist) to rise to power. Neither America nor Russia are mentioned in the Bible. The context of symbols such as the eagle and the bear does not align with the events. The prophets knew the Table of Nations and the descendants of Noah’s sons. From them, we find the line of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as the enemies of God’s people descending from Ishmael and Esau. The Russian invasion of Ukraine may impact the world order and lay the groundwork for Ezekiel 38, but Putin is not Gog and the end is not yet.
