Josephus tells us that the Magogites are known by the Greeks as the Scythians. The Scythians were a nomadic people who roamed the crescent-shaped steppe that stretches from the confines of China to the banks of the Danube. Today, it is known as Russia or the U.S.S.R. Even the Great Soviet Encyclopedia agrees with this identification.
Since World War II Christians have been deeply concerned with Marxist Communism and its influence. Now, it has spread over the entire world, including America. We have judges, congressional leaders, governors, and other political positions in America who espouse Marxist views. It is an atheistic philosophy that is designed to irradicate every semblance of Christianity. While Moscow was the center of this deception, it is difficult to pinpoint any particular geographical area as it has many centers of influence today. The two most powerful mass movements in history are democratic socialism and revolutionary communism. From the very beginning, the Marxist goal is to reach universal dominion. Before his major works, Marx wrote articles in which he concluded, “the social emancipation of the Jews could only be achieved together with the emancipation of society from Judaism, i.e., commercialism” (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th ed., “Marx,” 807). The Communist aversion to capitalism is, a mask to disguise an effort to destroy the Judeo-Christian heritage. We are seeing that their goals are quickly being fulfilled in our day. They are not far from realizing their objectives.
Russia will gather innumerable troops from the four corners in a final effort to destroy God’s people. Before this final effort is reached, however, it seems that the true children of God will be revealed during the pressures to conform to the political pressures promoted by media lies. Many so-called “Christians” will compromise their faith to merge into the status quo of society. By the time the troops are gathered, true Christians will be much easier to identify. They are the “camp of the saints.” While they will be targeted, their consolation is that their redemption is near. The troops will go up and over the breadth of the earth to encompass the camp of the saints. One implication of this pursuit is that this war is not started by missiles with nuclear warheads. This war uses conventional troops and weapons. The camp of the saints is probably a reference to their last refuge. There is a strong alliance between the United States and Israel after World War II. The “beloved city” is clearly Jerusalem that is to be surrounded. When God’s people see the city surrounded, they know the desolation of Jerusalem and the redemption of saints are at hand (Luke, 21:20, 28). Both periods end in judgment and the binding of Satan into torment (19:19-20:3, 10-15). However, it is not clear that the reference to the Beloved city implies the physical city of Jerusalem. That city was destroyed with its temple and the new Jerusalem established. The “beloved city” may refer to the New Jerusalem, the spiritual Zion. If this is accurate, the camp of the saints and the beloved city are the same and imply not a dispersion of Christians throughout the world, but a small location in which God’s people are cornered. This is a contrast to Satan’s first attempt in the short time of the first century in which he forced God’s people out of Jerusalem into the whole world. Now, in his second seasonal period of deception, he will force God’s people who are dispersed into all the world back to Jerusalem or a small place of refuge. They will be surrounded by Magog and its allies. As was true in the first period of work, Satan masterminds his own defeat as he only accomplishes what God has foreordained.