The War of Gog and Magog Part 1, מלחמת גוג ומגוג חלק א

Israeli troops in Sinai war

Just like everyone else, I read books; books about redemption.  From the reading of these books, sometimes confusing, I understand that there are two ways in which the war of Gog and Magog will come about. The first way is where people of the country of Israel is not directly involved. The second way is where the people of Israel will, chas v'shalom, be affected in a negative way.

Rabbi Zamir Cohen in his lecture, "The End of the World", said that every negative prophecy does not  have to come to pass, and that depends upon the spiritual state of the Jewish people at the time. If we (the Jewish people) do teshuva, on time, we will merit Moshiach painlessly, and the redemption will come mercifully. 

Some sources say that the War of Gog and Magog will preempt the arrival of Moshiach. This includes the Malbim in his letter to Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kalisher:

... I have many proofs from the simple meanings of the Scriptural text that the redemption will unfold gradually.  First, individuals of the nation of Israel will settle in the Land of Israel with the permission of the upright and devout kings of the earth, and the resettlement of the Land of Israel will precede the coming of Moshiach.

The Chofetz Chaim said that the War of Gog and Magog will be split into three parts: World War I, World War II, and World War III.  He predicted that WWII would take place 25-30 years after the first one, and he was right; it occurred exactly 25 years after.  After WWIII, then comes the final redemption. He also said that the entire world will suffer in this war, lo aleinu, v'lo aleichem.

There are others who say otherwise, that first Moshiach will come, and then the war of Gog and Magog will occur. These sources include Midrash Rabba 96:15, 6, Maharsha Sukka 52a, 'A1', and Rambam, Hilchos Melachim, 12:2.  Regardless, this article is about the war. Prophet Yechezkiel had this to say:

The word of Hashem came to me, saying: Son of man, direct your face toward Gog, the land of the Magog, the prince who is the leader of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy about it.  You shall say: Thus says Hashem, G-d: Behold, I am directed toward you, Gog... I will cause you to stray, and to put hooks in your cheeks.  I will take you and all your army out ... Persia, Cush, and Put will be with them.  All of them will have sword and helmet.  Gomer and all its legions, the house of Togarmah in the far north and all its legions, many nations with you... You will be a guard for them.  You will be held accountable for what happened long ago.  In the end of years, you will come to a land repaired from the sword, gathered from many nations, on the mountains of Israel which had been barren always.  It had been brought out from the nations, all of them living in security.  You will rise up against them. You will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud, covering the earth, you and all your legions, and many peoples with you. (Yechezkiel 38:1-10)

I will summon a sword against him to all my mountains, says Hashem, G-d.  There will be a sword of each man against his brother.  I will carry out judgment against him with epidemic, with blood, and with pouring rain and hailstones, fire and sulfure I will rain down upon him and his  legions, and on many peoples who are with him.  I will be aggrandized and sanctified and become known before the eyes of many nations, and they will know that I am Hashem. (Yechezkiel 38:21:23)

The inhabitants of the cities of Israel will go out and arm themselves with arms, shield and curved shield, bow and arrows, cudgel and spear.  They will burn fire with them for seven years.  They will not carry wood from the field or chop it from the forests, for they will kindle fire with weapons.  They will plunder those who would plunder them, and pillage those who would pillage them, says Hashem, G-d. On that day, I will give Gog a burial place in Israel ... They will bury Gog there and all its hordes.  They will call it the Valley of the Horde of God.  The House of Israel will bury them in order to purify the Land, for seven months (Yechezkel 39:9-12).

This is the course in which the war of Gog and Magog could take place, if Israel is worthy, because this war does not directly involve Israel, as Hashem will confuse our enemies and bring judgments upon them.  Israel will benefit from their weapons to fuel the country, so we don't need the Arab oil. The entire goal of this war is to publicize the idea of belief in Hashem to those nations who denied Him throughout history.  Just like Hashem punished the people of ancient Egypt with the ten plagues so that they would come to realize that there is a Creator, so too, Hashem will punish these nations of today who denied Him for centuries, and be sanctified through them.

Go here for part 2.

Source: The Ishmaelite Exile by Rabbi Yechiel Weitzman