In order to understand Ezekiel 38, you must understand the time period in which Ezekiel is prophesying and read Ezekiel chapters 38-40 altogether.
Ezekiel is prophesying during the Babylonian exile, specifically around 593â571 BC. So the first temple (Solomon’s Temple) was totally destroyed by the Babylonians, and the Israelites don’t know if there will ever be a 2nd temple.
Ezekiel 38 Summary – Gogâs invasion of Israel, revealing Godâs sovereignty in defeating pagan nations for His glory.
Ezekiel 39 Summary – Gogâs total defeat, Godâs judgment on the nations, and Israelâs restoration to know the LORD fully.
Ezekiel 40 Summary – A detailed vision of a future temple, with exact measurements and features shown by a heavenly guide. (This future temple is the 2nd temple)
Now we can use these key details to help us unlock, with full clarity, who the prince of Rosh really is.
Ezekiel 38:2-4 (NKJV)
âSon of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, âThus says the Lord GOD: âBehold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.”
“Put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out” = The Lord will catch this wicked leader like a fish, reel him up from the dark depths, and expose him into the light.
Job 41:1-2 (NKJV) – leviathan
âCan you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? 2 Can you put a reed through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a hook?
Job 41:34 (NKJV) – leviathan
He beholds every high thing; He is king over all the children of pride.
Revelation 9:7-19 (NKJV)
The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like womenâs hair, and their teeth were like lionsâ teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things. 13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, âRelease the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.â 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killedâby the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.
Isaiah 27:1-2 (NKJV)
In that day the LORD with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.
That wicked sea serpent from the dark depths!
Remember all those beasts of Daniel and Revelation came out of the SEA?
Out of the sea = led by satan, brought forth from the dark depths
Revelation 13:1 (NKJV)
Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
Revelation 20:7-8 (NKJV) – Satanic Rebellion Crushed (cf. Ezek. 38; 39)
Now when the thousand years have expired, satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
The prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal is satan.
He’s truly the leader of all the pagan unbelieving nations from Genesis 4 to the very end.
Ephesians 2:1-2 (NKJV) – And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) – For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Implications of Rosh being Russia
Bad Bible interpretation leads to great foolishness. One very popular but deeply flawed view claims that âRoshâ in Ezekiel 38 refers to modern-day Russia, which forces current events and American CNN newspaper headlines into the Babylonian exile just before the 2nd temple period for the Jewish people.
The error of Rosh equalling Russia also leads to even more dangerous anti-gospel conclusions: that after Jesus returns in all His glory on the final Day, He will establish a physical temple and reinstate animal sacrifices. That idea is not just wrongâitâs absolute heresy. It denies the finality of Christâs once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10-14) and undermines the gospel. Misreading prophecy doesn’t just confuse peopleâit distorts the person and work of Jesus.