Have you ever considered the war of Gog and Magog is the same as the battle of Armageddon as we study Ezekiel 38:1-6 which actually names all who will come against Israel in the end of days being Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands. In this battle, this Gog-Magog War, this Armageddon battle, is a different type of battle from any other ones found in scripture including the king of the north and south in Daniel 11. Within this battle the first six trumpets of God's wrath will be poured out into the world, Ezekiel 38:17-19, as we read in Rev 8:6 being the first trumpet sounding that takes us to the seventh trumpet of God's great wrath in Rev 11:15-19 and the timing of the son of perdition during the time of the seventh trumpet that promises a false peace and safety if all will take the mark of this beast, 2Thessalonians 4:1-12; Rev 13.
Ezekiel 38-39 calls this the battle of Gog and Magog and Rev 16:12-16 the place called Armageddon.
Rev 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Armageddon, Harmageddon, Mageddon known in a few ways of different spellings, but being a city called Megiddo found in the Jezreel Valley between Nazareth and Jerusalem being a place of troops, an assembly of troops, a gathering of troops; a mountain assembly of troops, a mountain rendezvous of troops, or a mountain gathering of troops.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rev 20:7-10.
Let's take a closer look at Rev 20:7-10.
1. After the 1000 years are expired Satan will be set loose, but doesn't say how long he is set loose before he is cast into the lake of fire.
2. Satan goes out immediately to deceive the nations.
3. These nations are in the four quarters of the earth, (N S E W) that Satan gathers together as the enemies of God are great as the numbering of the sand of the sea.
4. Four quarters of the earth are east, west, north and south as described in Ezekiel 38:1-6 in all who come against Israel in the final battle called Armageddon.
5. The breadth of the earth means the saints that are camped not only in Jerusalem the beloved city of God, but also throughout the breadth of the earth.
6. God sends fire down from heaven to devour/destroy the enemies of God and Satan is cast into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet are.
Notice where it says the beast and false prophet are, as that happens when Christ returns in the air with His army of angels, Rev 19:11-21, before planting His feet on the Mt of Olives.
Rev 20:7-10 is the defeat of Satan after the battle of Armageddon where he calls all the nations to come against Israel one last time as prophesied in Ezekiel 38:1-6 that describes these nations. In this battle, this Gog-Magog War, this Armageddon battle, is a different type of battle from any other ones found in scripture including the king of the north and south in Daniel 11 as this takes place after Satan is bound and then set loose for what I believe 1000 years is symbolic in it's numbering like that of a figurative number, not a literal number as in Deuteronomy 7:9; 1Chronicles 16:15; Psalms 50:10; 90:4; 105:8 Ecc 6:6; 7:28; Daniel 5:1; 2 Peter 3:8. 7:9;1Chronicles16:15; Psalms 50:10; 90:4; 105:8 Ecc 6:6; 7:28; Daniel 5:1; 2 Peter 3:8.
Those that have rejected Christ that still remain on earth after the beast, false prophet and all the ruling leaders from every nation that followed after the beast are destroyed, Rev 19:11-21, are those who are the numbering as the sand of the sea. These are the enemy of God that Satan uses to battle against the saints during the battle of Armageddon that are camped upon the breadth of the earth after Satan is released for a season. The saints are camped not only in Jerusalem the beloved city of God, but also throughout the breadth of the earth. It's only the 144,000 generational Jews that believe in Christ that have returned to Jerusalem. After the 1000 years are fulfilled Satan is set loosed for a season and goes out to deceive the nations as he gathers the enemies of Christ to battle against the saints as the numbering of unbelievers is like the sand of the sea. As the enemy surrounds the camp of the saints God sends fire down from heaven and destroys the enemy and Satan is cast into the lake of fire. Zechariah 14; Luke 21:20-22 and Rev 16:16 mentions the battle of Armageddon when Christ and His army of angels return as Christ plants His feet on the mount of Olives for the final battle as Gog and Magog found in Ezekiel Chapter 38 is the battle of Rev 20:7-9.
Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
There are ten nations that will compass the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire will come down from God out of heaven, and devour them, Rev 20:7-10.
These 10 nations of Ezekiel 38-39 wars consisted of, Rosh, Magog, Tubal, Meshech, Gomer, Togarmah, Persia, Put, Ethiopia and Sheba & Dedan.
Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:7-10 Battle of Armageddon that we read about in Rev 16, happens when Christ returns to Earth with the saints that have been gathered up to Him, 1Thessalonians 4:13-18. These are the countries that come against Israel being present day Russia, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Saudi Arabia that make up the ten nations of Ezekiel 38-39.
As I understand all of this it happens at the time of Christ return as I see everything happening very quickly as being the last day when Christ returns for at that time all evil will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming, this present heaven and earth will pass away and restored again before the New Jerusalem will be ushered down from heaven, Rev 21:1-8.
IMO, I do not consider 1000 years as being literal in 2 Peter 3:8 or Rev 20, but symbolic as in Deuteronomy 7:9; 1Chronicles 16:15; Psalms 50:10; 90:4; 105:8 Ecc 6:6; 7:28; Daniel 5:1; 2Peter 3:8.
