Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 20:8

"and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea." — Revelation 20:8 (ASV)

And shall go out to deceive the nations. (See Barnes on Revelation 12:9).

The meaning here is that he would again, for a time, act in his true character and in some way delude the nations once more. In what way this would be done is not stated. It would be, however, clearly an appeal to the wicked passions of humankind, exciting a hope that they might yet overthrow the kingdom of God on the earth.

Which are in the four quarters of the earth. Literally, corners of the earth, as if the earth were one extended square plain. The earth is usually spoken of as divided into four parts or quarters—the eastern, the western, the northern, and the southern. It is implied here that the deception or apostasy referred to would not be confined to one spot or portion of the world, but would extend widely.

The idea seems to be that during that period, though there would be a general prevalence of the gospel and a general diffusion of its blessings, the earth would not be entirely under its influence, and especially that the native character of the human heart would not be changed. Humans, under powerful temptations, would be liable to be deluded by the great master spirit that has so often corrupted the race. Once more he would be permitted to make the trial, and then his power would forever come to an end.

Gog and Magog. The name Gog occurs as the name of a prince in Ezekiel 38:2-3, 16, 18; Ezekiel 39:1, 11.

He is an invader of the land of Israel, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal (Ezekiel 38:2). Magog is also mentioned in Ezekiel 38:2, the land of Magog; and in Ezekiel 39:6, I will send a fire on Magog. As the terms are used in the Old Testament, the representation would seem to be that Gog was the king of a people called Magog.

The signification of the names is unknown, and consequently nothing can be determined about the meaning of this passage from that source. Nor is there much known about the people to whom Ezekiel refers. His representation would seem to be that a great and powerful people, dwelling in the extreme recesses of the north (Ezekiel 38:15; Ezekiel 39:2), would invade the Holy Land after the return from the exile (Ezekiel 38:8–12).

It is commonly supposed that they were Scythians, residing between the Caspian and Euxine Seas, or in the region of Mount Caucasus. Thus Josephus (Antiquities 1.6.3) has dropped the Hebrew word Magog and rendered it by Skuthai—Scythians; and so does Jerome. Suidas renders it Persai—Persians; but this does not materially vary the view, since the word Scythians among the ancient writers is a collective word to denote all the northeastern, unknown, barbarous tribes.

Among the Hebrews, the name Magog also would seem to denote all the unknown barbarous tribes around the Caucasian mountains. The fact that the names Gog and Magog are in Ezekiel associated with Meshech and Tubal seems to determine the locality of these people, for those two countries lie between the Euxine and Caspian Seas, or at the southeast extremity of the Euxine Sea (Rosenmuller, Biblical Geography, volume 1, page 240).

The people of that region were, it seems, a terror to Middle Asia, in the same manner as the Scythians were to the Greeks and Romans. Intercourse with such distant and savage nations was scarcely possible in ancient times; and hence, from their numbers and strength, they were regarded with great terror, just as the Scythians were regarded by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and as the Tartars were in the Middle Ages.

In this manner they became an appropriate symbol of rude and savage people; of enemies fierce and warlike; of foes to be dreaded; and as such they were referred to by both Ezekiel and John. It has been made a question whether Ezekiel and John do not refer to the same period, but it is not necessary to consider that question here.

All that is necessary to be understood is that John means to say that at the time referred to there would be formidable enemies of the church who might be compared with the dreaded dwellers in the land of Magog; or, that after this long period of millennial tranquility and peace there would be a state of things which might be properly compared with the invasion of the Holy Land by the dreaded barbarians of Magog or Scythia.

It is not necessary to suppose that any particular country is referred to, or that there would be any one portion of the earth which the gospel would not reach, and which would be still barbarous, heathen, and savage; all that is necessary to be supposed is, that though religion would generally prevail, human nature would remain essentially corrupt and unchanged; and that, therefore, from causes which are not stated, there might yet be a fearful apostasy, and a somewhat general prevalence of iniquity.

This would be nothing more than what has occurred after the most favored times in the church, and nothing more than human nature would exhibit at any time, if all restraints were withdrawn and people were allowed to act out their native feelings. Why this will be permitted, what causes will bring it about, what subordinate agencies will be employed, is not said, and conjecture would be vain.

The reader who wishes more information regarding Gog and Magog may consult Professor Stuart on this book, volume 2, pages 364-368, and the authorities referred to there. Compare especially Rosenmuller on Ezekiel 38:2. See also Sale's Koran, Preliminary Discourse, section 4, and the Koran itself, Surah 18:94 and Surah 21:95.

To gather them together to battle. As if to assemble them for war; that is, a state of things would exist regarding the kingdom of God and the prevalence of the true religion, as if distant and barbarous nations should be aroused to make war on the church of God. The meaning is that there would be an awakened hostility against the kingdom of Christ in the earth. (See Barnes on Revelation 16:14).

The number of whom is as the sand of the sea. This is a common comparison in the Scriptures to denote a great multitude (Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12; Genesis 41:49; 1 Samuel 13:5; 1 Kings 4:20, et al.).

Condition of things in the period referred to in Revelation 20:7-8:

1. This will occur at the close of the millennial period—the period of the thousand years. It is not said, indeed, that it would be immediately after that; but the statement is explicit that it will be after that, or when the thousand years are expired. There may be an interval of an indefinite time before it will be accomplished; the alienation and corruption may be gradual; a considerable period may elapse before the apostasy will assume an organized form, or, in the language of John, before the hosts will be gathered to battle. But it is to be the next marked and prominent event in the history of the world and is to precede the final consummation of all things.

2. This will be a brief period. Compared with the long period of prosperity that preceded it, and perhaps compared with the long period that will follow it before the final judgment, it will be short. Thus, in Revelation 20:3, it is said that Satan must be loosed a little season. (See Barnes on Revelation 20:3).

   There is no way of determining the time with exactness, but we are assured that it will not be long.

3. What will be the exact state of things then can be only a matter of conjecture. We may say, however, that it will not be:

   • Necessarily war. The language is figurative and symbolical, and it is not necessary to suppose that an actual and bloody warfare will be literally waged against the church.
   • Nor will there be a literal invasion of the land of Palestine as the residence of the saints and the capital of the Redeemer's visible empire, for there is not a hint of this—not a word to justify such an interpretation.
   • Nor is it necessary to suppose that there will be literally such nations as will be then called "Gog and Magog"—for this language is figurative and designed to characterize the foes of the church as being in some respects formidable and terrible, as were those ancient nations.

   We may thus suppose that at that time, from causes which are unexplained, there will be:

   • A revived opposition to the truths of religion;
   • The prevalence, to a greater or less extent, of infidelity;
   • A great spiritual declension;
   • A combination of interests opposed to the gospel;
   • Possibly some new form of error and delusion that will extensively prevail. Satan may set up some new form of religion, or he may breathe into those that may already exist a spirit of worldliness and vanity—some new manifestation of the religion of forms—that will for a limited period produce a general decline and apostasy.

   As there is, however, no distinct specification of what will characterize the world at that time, it is impossible to determine what is referred to any more than in this general manner.

4. A few remarks may, however, be made on the probability of what is here affirmed—for it seems contrary to what we should suppose would be the characteristics of the closing period of the world. The following remarks, then, may show that this anticipated state of things is not improbable:

   • We are to remember that human nature will then be essentially the same as now. There is no intimation that humans, as born into the world, will then be different from what they are now, or that any of the natural corrupt tendencies of the human heart will be changed. People will be liable to the same outbreaks of passion, to be influenced by the same forms of temptation, to fall into the same degeneracy and corruption, and to feel the same unhappy influences of success and prosperity as now—for all this pertains to a fallen nature, except as it is checked and controlled by grace. We often mistake much regarding the millennial state by supposing that all the evils of the apostasy will be arrested and that the nature of humans will be as wholly changed as it will be in the heavenly world.

   • The whole history of the church has shown that there is a liability to declension even in the best state and in the condition of the most striking manifestation of Divine mercies: the early Christian church, and how soon it declined; the seven churches of Asia Minor, and how soon their spirituality departed; the various revivals of religion that have occurred from time to time, and how soon they have been succeeded by coldness, worldliness, and error; the fact that great religious denominations, which have begun their career with zeal and love, have so soon degenerated in spirit and fallen into the same formality and worldliness evinced by those who have gone before them; and the case of the individual Christian, who, from the most exalted state of love and joy, so often soon declines into a state of conformity to the world.

     These are sad views of human nature, even under the influence of true religion; but the past history of humanity has given but too much occasion for such reflections and too much reason to apprehend that the same things may occur, for a time, even under the best forms in which religion may manifest itself in a fallen world.

     Human nature will be better in heaven, and religion there in its purest and best form will be permanent; here we are not to be surprised at any outbreak of sin or any form of declension in religion. What has often occurred in the world on a small scale, we may suppose may then occur on a larger scale.

     "Just as on a small scale, in some little community like that of Northampton, as described by President Edwards, after the remarkable sense of God's presence over the whole town had begun to grow feeble, the still unconverted persons of it, though subdued and seemingly won over to Christ, would little by little recover themselves, and at length venture forth in their true character; so it will be, in all probability, on a vast scale, at the close of the latter day. The unconverted portion of the world—long constrained by the religious influences everywhere surrounding them to fall in with the spirit of the day, catching apparently its holy impulses, but never coming savingly under its power—this portion of mankind, which we have reason to fear will not be small, will now be freed from these irksome restraints, no longer obliged to breathe an atmosphere uncongenial to their nature." (Brown on the Second Coming of Christ, page 442).

     "No oppression is so grievous to an unsanctified heart as that which arises from the purity of Christianity. A desire to shake off this yoke is the true cause of the opposition which Christianity has met with in the world in every period and will, it is most likely, be the chief motive to influence the followers of Gog in his time." (Fraser's Key, page 455).

   • The representations of the New Testament elsewhere confirm this view regarding the latter state of the world—the state when the Lord Jesus will come to judgment. Luke 18:8: When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 2 Peter 3:3–4: There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3: The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. See especially Luke 17:26-30: As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.