Apocalypse Revealed # 858
858. 20:8 And he will go out to lead astray the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for battle. This symbolically means that those meant by the dragon here drew to their side from any land throughout the world of spirits all who lived the life of an external, natural worship only and no internal, spiritual worship, and roused them up against those who worshiped the Lord and lived according to His commandments in the Word.
His going out to lead astray the nations which are at the four corners of the earth means, symbolically, that the people meant by the dragon, described just above in nos. 856 and 857, drew to their side all throughout the world of spirits. To lead astray here means, symbolically, to draw to their side. The nations symbolize both good people and evil (no. 483). The four corners of the earth symbolize the entire spiritual world (no. 342), here people throughout the entire world of spirits, which is midway between heaven and hell, and where all first gather after their departure from the earth (see nos. 784, 791). For people who were in hell could not be seen by the dragon, nor those who were in heaven.
Gog and Magog symbolize people who engage in external, natural worship divorced from any internal, spiritual worship, as discussed in the following number. To gather the nations together for battle means, symbolically, to rouse up those meant by the nations against those who worship the Lord and live according to His commandments in the Word, since all who do not worship the Lord and live according to His commandments are evil, and evil people act in concert with the dragon and its followers. The battle means a spiritual battle, which is one of falsity against truth, and of truth against falsity, as may be seen in nos. 500 and 586 above.
Ezekiel 39:1-16
1
You, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal:
2
and I will turn you around, and will lead you on, and will cause you to come up from the uttermost parts of the north; and I will bring you on the mountains of Israel;
3
and I will strike your bow out of your left hand, and will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand.
4
You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you, and all your hordes, and the peoples who are with you: I will give you to the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the animals of the field to be devoured.
5
You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken it, says the Lord Yahweh.
6
I will send a fire on Magog, and on those who dwell securely in the islands; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.
7
My holy name will I make known in the midst of my people Israel; neither will I allow my holy name to be profaned any more: and the nations shall know that I am Yahweh, the holy One in Israel.
8
Behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord Yahweh; this is the day about which I have spoken.
9
Those who dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall make fires of the weapons and burn them, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the war clubs, and the spears, and they shall make fires of them seven years;
10
so that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall make fires of the weapons; and they shall plunder those who plundered them, and rob those who robbed them, says the Lord Yahweh.
11
It shall happen in that day, that I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the valley of those who pass through on the east of the sea; and it shall stop those who pass through: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude; and they shall call it The valley of Hamon Gog.
12
Seven months shall the house of Israel be burying them, that they may cleanse the land.
13
Yes, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown in the day that I shall be glorified, says the Lord Yahweh.
14
They shall set apart men of continual employment, who shall pass through the land, and, with those who pass through, those who bury those who remain on the surface of the land, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.
15
Those who pass through the land shall pass through; and when any sees a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, until the undertakers have buried it in the valley of Hamon Gog.
16
Hamonah shall also be the name of a city. Thus shall they cleanse the land.
