Ezekiel was describing a battle that will involve Israel's remotest neighbors. They will sense their opportunity to attack when Israel feels secure under the false protection of the Antichrist sometime at the beginning of the seven-year period. The nations involved in the attack will include the [former] Soviet Union, Turkey, Iran, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Libya. Ezekiel first pictured the invasion by Gog and his allies (38:1-16), and then described the judgment of Gog and his allies (38:17---39:29). (Bible Knowledge Commentary, pg 1300)

Should these names be connected with the Soviet Union? One must first identify the areas against which Eekiel prophesied and then determine the countries that occupy those land areas today. Ezekiel's "rosh" does not point to "Russia" merely because the words sound similar. Neither should one identify "Meshech" with "Moscow" or "Tubal" with "Tobolsk." Ezekiel had historical places in mind (not modern-day names) and these areas must be located in Ezekiel's time. However, while one must avoid dogmatic assertions, three reasons suggest including the Soviet Union within Ezekiel's prophecy: (1) Some of the countries named by Ezekiel were located in what is now Russia. (2) The armies are said to come "from the far north" (Ezek. 38:6, 15; 39:2). This probably includes the land bridge between the Black and Caspian Seas, now part of the Soviet Union. (3) Ezekiel spoke of a coalition of several nations, many of whom are today aligned with or under the influence of the Soviet Union. These include Iran (Persia), Sudan and nothern Ethiopia (Cush), Libya (Put), and Turkey (Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Beth Togarmah). All these nations (see 38:2-3, 5-6), possibly led by the Soviet Union, will unite to attack Israel. (Bible Knowledge Commentary, pg 1299-1300)

No past historical events match this prophecy, so it still awaits a future fulfillment. Some think this attack on Israel should be identified with the attack of Gog and Magog at the end of Christ's millennial reign (Rev. 20:7-9), but this identification has several flaws: (1) The results of Ezekiel's battle do not coincide with the events that follow the battle in Revelation 20. Why bury the dead for seven months after the battle (Ezek. 39:12-13) when the next prophetic event is the resurrection of the unsaved dead? (Rev. 20:11-13) Why would the people remain on earth after the battle to burn the weapons of war for seven years (Ezek. 39:9-10) instead of entering immediately into eternity? (Rev. 21:1-4) The events after each battle are so different that two separate battles must be assumed...(2) The effect on the people is different. In Ezekiel the battle is the catalyst God will use to draw Israel to Himself (cf. Ezek. 39:7, 22-29) and to end her captivity. But the battle in Revelation 20 will occur after Israel has been faithful to her God and has enjoyed His blessings for 1,000 years.

If the battle of Ezekiel 38-39 is not at the end of the Millennium, could it be at the beginning of the Millennium? This also seems extremely doubtful. Everyone who enters the Millennium will be a believer (John 3:3), and will have demonstrated his faith by protecting God's Chosen People.... At the beginning of the Millennium all weapons of war will be destroyed (Micah 4:1-4). Thus it seems difficult to see a war occurring when the unsaved warriors have been eliminated and their weapons destroyed.

It seems best to place Ezekiel's battle of Gog and Magog in the Tribulation period. Other internal markers indicate that it should be placed in the first three and one-half years of the seven-year period. The attack will come when Israel is at peace (Ezek. 38:8,11). When Israel's covenant with the Antichrist is in effect at the beginning of Daniel's 70th Week (Dan. 9:27a), she will be at peace. But after the covenant is broken at the middle of the seven-year period, the nation will suffer tremendous persecution (Dan. 9:27b; Matt. 24:15-22). This will provide the time needed to bury the dead (Ezek. 39:12-13) and to burn the weapons of war (39:9-10). So the battle described by Ezekiel may take place sometime during the first three and one-half years of the seven-year period before Christ's second coming. Possibly the battle will occur just before the midpoint of the seven-year period [or perhaps even right before Antichrist comes into power]. (Bible Knowledge Commentary, pg 1300)