Ezekiel 39:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Indeed, for those who have believed and accepted the message of salvation, the promise stands firm, for God will not forsake them. Conversely, those who stray from His will remain distant from His care and receive no benefit, instead walking in the light of their own fire, as noted by the prophet Isaiah, and in the words of King David, proceeding in their own endeavors. The sacred Scriptures enlighten us on these matters.

It is bewildering to witness the folly not just of the Jews, but also of certain individuals who call themselves Christians, clinging to Jewish myths and asserting that the upheaval of Gog and Magog is yet to come. They ought to recall that the prophecy concerning the seven relates to the return of the Jews from Babylon, foreshadowing that the nations would recognize God's might through this return. Yet, what further sign of God's power do the nations require, now that they have been taught to trust in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to honor God's nature while being liberated from idolatry? What teaching, akin to that of the holy Apostles, could provoke the fall of Gog? Their message reveals to all humanity the mystery of the Trinity, presenting three persons within one essence, and also addresses the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, the rewards for righteous and wicked actions, the eternal kingdom, and the torment of Gehenna, along with instructions in virtue, sound judgment, and all other truths found within the divine Gospel and the holy apostolic texts.

The downfall of Gog demonstrated to the nations that the God of Israel possesses unparalleled power, and that the subjugation of the Jews by the Babylonians was not due to God's impotence, but their moral failings. Therefore, if the events concerning Gog have yet to occur but are foretold for the end times, leading all nations to honor the God of creation, it implies that Gog's destiny holds greater significance than the redemptive cross, the death of Him who conquered death, or the divine Apostles who spread the light of God's truth. Such events alone have not imparted knowledge of the Sovereign God; only Gog's demise, it seems, can make Him known to everyone! This is the reality of the stance taken by those Jews who express these views. In contrast, we remain steadfast in our adherence to the sacred Scriptures, affirming the interpretation that Gog has indeed come to pass as prophesied. Consequently, the nations recognized that the Jews were not in captivity due to God's weakness but due to their own transgressions. In our current time, following the Lord's death and resurrection, the Gentiles bask in the light of divine truth, freed from ancestral sin, and have learned to worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. To Him be glory forever and ever! Amen.