End of Times in Judaism: Gog and Magog and the Coming Redemption

Many books have been written about the War of Gog and Magog, and many kabbalists have addressed the subject. Despite the range of opinions, Judaism broadly agrees that at some point in the near future a very difficult war will break out, after which Mashiach will come and humanity will enter a new era in which the people of Israel will have a special standing. Until that day arrives, we can’t know exactly what will happen or when.

Rabbi Pinchas Badush explains: “It’s impossible to ignore that even today we’re seeing fulfillments of what the holy Zohar writes — that the children of Yishmael are destined to rouse the whole world to war. Today everyone is against Israel. Some prophecies say the King of Persia will go out to war against the entire world, and indeed we see Iran arming itself very rapidly.”

Will Gog and Magog Be a Nuclear War?

The Vilna Gaon wrote that the War of Gog and Magog will last nine seconds. In his era that sounded strange, as people fought with swords, shields, and horses. Today, in the nuclear age, it’s clear a future war could be ‘push-button’ and last mere seconds. Even so, Maimonides (the Rambam) writes that there are things we won’t know until they happen. Everything depends on the type of redemption — be’itah (in its set time) or achishenah (hastened). Be’itah means the time God established from the outset — the end of the sixth millennium. Achishenah could occur earlier.

Rabbi Yitzhak Gabay adds that there are many biblical prophecies about Gog and Magog, but there is a rule that good prophecies (like redemption) must be fulfilled, while harsh prophecies do not necessarily need to be. Repentance can always cancel a harsh decree.

Edom and Yishmael: A Clash of Civilizations?

Rabbi Gabay explains that there are prophecies that claim there will also be a war between Edom and Yishmael — that is, between Christianity and Islam. Zechariah says, ‘Then I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to wage war’. The great war will occur when many of the nations that oppressed Israel throughout history — rise up.

The Zohar says Gog (the king) and Magog (the nation) are names that will be forgotten, and only when it arrives will we understand whom they referred to, as God calls them by these names alone.

According to the Zohar, all the kings who oppressed Israel throughout history including Sancheriv (Sennacherib), Nevuchadnezzar, and others, will come to the war again via ‘ibur neshama’ (a soul entering another). Their souls will ‘enter’ the heads of states who come to fight Israel. Everyone will want to conquer Jerusalem. At first it will be a war between Christianity and Islam, and God will arrange that Israel does not participate actively. The goal is to exact retribution from all who oppressed Israel through the ages.

Where Does Israel Enter the Fray?

It is written that they will come against us, but Israel will not fight. ‘The Lord will fight for you, and you shall be silent.’ The war will be among themselves.

Prelude to Mashiach

This will be a process leading up to the coming of the Mashiach, when God will reveal His kingship over Israel and the entire world. The miracles in the war will be open and even greater than those of the Exodus.

Timelines and the Sixth Millennium

Rabbi Yitzhak Fenger explains: “It’s clear that the world is moving closer to a war far more powerful than anything we’ve known. Some see World Wars I and II as phases of Gog and Magog, but regardless, the final phase will center on the only place desired by all major religions — Jerusalem. We can’t know exactly how close this is, but considering that about 230 years remain until the end of the sixth millennium — when Mashiach will certainly come, the processes of Resurrection of the Dead, the coming of the Mashiach, the building of the Temple, and Gog and Magog are all expected to occur within those 230 years.”