I agree that Rosh is a title, not a name for Russia. That said, I don’t think Eze 38 was fulfilled with the Maccabean Revolt. Eze 38 follows Eze 37, the rebirth of the State of Israel which took place in 1948. In fact, it is not time for Eze 38 yet, since God promised in Eze 39:28 that no Jew would be left behind. Another reason I don’t think the Maccabean Revolt was Eze 38 is that Israel was not “a land of unwalled villages; [...]a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates” (Eze 38:11). When do I think Eze 38 will take place? Well, not before Israel lives at peace, which makes me think that another war with Israel’s neighbors have to take place first. Psalm 83? Isa 17?
How did you get that out of Ezekiel 37? That is quite a stretch.
>>>In fact, it is not time for Eze 38 yet, since God promised in Eze 39:28 that no Jew would be left behind.>>>
This is the context:
"After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there." (Eze 39:26-28 KJV)
What are the names of the enemy lands where Jews are held captive today? New York City? LOL!
The Lord sent Antiochus (Gog) against Israel (Eze 38:16) because they had become complacent after more than 300 years of peace: peace that began during the reign of Darius. Antiochus had taken captives (Dan 11:33,) and in this prophecy the Lord promised they would all be allowed to return. Regarding the captives, Josephus said:
"And when he had pillaged the whole city, some of the inhabitants he slew, and some he carried captive, together with their wives and children, so that the multitude of those captives that were taken alive amounted to about ten thousand." [Antiquities XII.5.4]
Recall that under Cyrus all were allowed to return, but many chose not to. I assume the same here. When the Lord says "he left none any more there," I would be hesitant to take that as if he dragged them back into Israel. Rather, I see it as simply releasing them from captivity.
Of course, if you insist on taking that literally, and you have exhausted all Hebrew and Greek translations and have assumed there is no ambiguity; then should you not also take 39:9-13 literally?
For example, imagine the size of the army where Israel would need no firewood for seven years, but the wood of the army's shields, bucklers, spears, handstaves, and bows and arrows (Eze 39:9-12.) Can you think of any army today that carries any kind of wood? Even rifle stocks are plastic these days. And does Israel even use firewood these days?
Now imagine the number of corpses from Gog's army that are scattered about that would require all the people of Israel (millions of Israeli's) a total of 7 months to bury (Eze 39:11-15.)
Either it is all literal, or it is all figurative. You can't have it both ways.
>>>Another reason I dont think the Maccabean Revolt was Eze 38 is that Israel was not a land of unwalled villages; [...]a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates (Eze 38:11). <<<
I recall the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt during Ezra, but I don't recall the villages having walls. Do you have scriptural references for that?
>>>When do I think Eze 38 will take place? Well, not before Israel lives at peace, which makes me think that another war with Israels neighbors have to take place first. Psalm 83? Isa 17?<<<
I understand there was a great period of peace for Israel, beginning in the reign of Darius, that lasted over 300 years, even during the reign of Alexander. That peace ended upon the invasion of Antiochus IV.
Philip
The army that fights against Israel:
“Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet,
Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets,
And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.”
Sounds like a microwave pulse from a nuke. The eyeballs and tongue would burst into flames in the skull because of their relatively high water content.