ROSH IS NOT RUSSIA

Son of man, set thy face against GOG, the LAND of Magog, the CHIEF PRINCE of Meshech and Tubal . . . I am against thee, O GOG, the CHIEF PRINCE of Meshech and Tubal . . . --Ezek. 38:2, 3 (KJB)

Son of man, set thy face toward GOG, of the land of Magog, the prince of ROSH, Meshech, and Tubal . . . I am against thee, O GOG, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal . . . -- Ezek. 38:2, 3 (Revised Versions)

If there is one thing that overzealous experts on prophecy have had in common down through the years, it has been their propensity to alter, stretch, and manipulate names and places to satisfy their own private prophetic theories. They seem more interested in fascinating their shallow hearers than in arriving at the truth. One elder prophetic enthusiast, who claims to have seen prophetic students come and go, tells the story of a preacher, who was so convinced that Mussolini was the anti-Christ that he wrote a book about it. Before the book had a chance to become a best seller, Mussolini was killed. Upon learning of Mussolini’s death, the preacher author cried out, “My God, I’ve just printed 1,000 copies of my book and they’ve just killed my anti-Christ!” Humorous? Yes, but what is not so humorous is the new breed of prophetic experts who get their theories from the corrupt bible perversions. Corrupt bibles result in corrupt prophecy.

The Theory of ROSH

And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher . . . and ROSH . . . -- Gen. 46:21

The theory of Rosh goes something like this: ROSH means "HEAD" or "CHIEF" but is sometimes translated as a proper name, therefore ROSH is Russia. The ROSH theorists believe this to be the case in Ezekiel 38:2, 3, and it are so rendered in the corrupt Revised Versions. Yet, Russia comes from RUSS or rowers of boats. You know, the Volga Boatmen. What these prophetic zealots neglect is that "ROSH" in Genesis 46:21 is a Benjamite. A Jew! A Semite! Have you ever heard of the Jewish Holiday, "ROSH Hashana?” Now, if the ROSH of Ezekiel is not the same as the ROSHSEMITES of Genesis, the origin is uncertain and, perhaps, contrived (unlike the origin of Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Magog who are all descended from Japheth in Gen. 10:2). If we try to identify a modern people prophetically by merely the similar sound of their names to Bible names, then why not make Japheth to be the Japanese? And while we are on this subject; it seems a little farfetched to us for some to try and make Meshech and Tubal to be Moscow and Tubolsk. Moscow and Tubolsk are cities; Meshech and Tubal are nations or families of people as all the names in Genesis chapter 10.

We have no argument with some, who have the foresight to perceive Russia’s intentions in the Middle East or in any other part of the world. However, to strain and twist a prophecy to support their intuition is religious sensationalism at its worst. Prophetic passages may be approached by trying to prove something that you have already decided on, or they may be approached by diligently comparing the Scriptures and by weighing the Scriptural evidence.

When you arbitrarily assign a meaning to something, you are using a Seven-Day Adventist type of interpretation. There is absolutely no justification for interpreting prophecy outside of the Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian, Roman, Persian, or Assyrian context—all biblical enemies of Israel.

The Northern Parts

Prophesy and say unto GOG . . . thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts . . . -- Ezek. 38:14, 15 (KJB)

Prophesy and say unto GOG . . . Thou shalt come from thy place out of the UTTERMOST parts of the north . . . --Ezek. 38:14, 15 (Revised Versions)

Here we have another instance where modern prophetic experts get their exaggerated views from perverted renderings, which should be rejected. The fact that Russia is located north of Israel does not change the fact that so are Syria and Turkey, two of the four kingdoms which were divided out of the Greek empire (Dan. 8:8, 2l, 22). One of these kingdoms produces a little horn, who moves TOWARDS THE SOUTH, towards the pleasant land (Israel -Dan. 8:9); and in the latter times of this kingdom, as a king of fierce countenance, seeks to destroy the holy people in the pleasant land; but is broken without hand (Dan. 8:23-25).

When we talk about a LAND INVASION WITH HORSES (Ezek. 38:14), Syria and Turkey are even more due north than Russia whose accessible land is NORTHEAST of Israel. Moreover, Syria and Turkey are found within the boundaries of both the old Roman and the old Greek empires whereas Russia is not. The King of the North in the Book of Daniel is always Syria—NEVER RUSSIA, and the King of the South is always Egypt.

We have no guarantee that Russia will even be around after the rapture, during the tribulation, when these prophecies are fulfilled. Russia with all its military might is unable to subdue a backward country like Afghanistan. What kind of threat will she be in a warfare that employs spears and bows and arrows (Ezek. 39:9), a fact that is ignored by many prophetic experts? It seems to us that we might pay a little more prophetic attention to the MOSLEM hordes of Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, and the Arab countries (Note: this was written in the 1980's). It also seems to us that any prophetic theory involving the ten kings of the revised Roman empire that leaves out these key players and also Rome falls far short of interpreting prophecy within a biblical context—the common market notwithstanding.

GOG

. . .in that day, that I will give GOG a place there of the graves of Israel . . . and there shall they BURY GOG and all his multitude . . . -- Ezek. 39:11

When the thousand years are expired, Satan . . . shall go to deceive the nations . . . GOG and Magog, to gather them together to battle . . . -- Rev. 20:7, 8

The appearance of GOG and Magog as nations (and not chiefs nor heads nor individuals), after the millennial kingdom, after they were buried during the tribulation period, presents somewhat of a prophetic problem to Van Impe style interpretation.

Yet, if the term GOG was allowed to describe a direct confederacy or alliance on both sides of the millennium, between Satan and human armies, regardless of which armies are employed, the problem is solved. Then the term CHIEF PRINCE in Ezekiel 38:2, 3 would indeed be significant.

What makes it even more significant is that Michael, in Dan. 10:13, is called “ONE OF THE CHIEF PRINCES,” who was sent to help another heavenly combatant to fight against the PRINCE of PERSIA (distinguished in verse 13 from the kings (plural) of Persia). The fact that the PRINCE of Persia withstood the heavenly combatant 21 days (Dan. 10:13) suggests a supernatural being. Nevertheless, neither ROSH nor GOG is Russia in any of these passages; such a notion is prophetic fantasy.

--by Herb Evans (Undated - early1980's)