Azahari Hassim
Some believe Gog, mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel that invades the Holy Land, is the nation that converted to Judaism. They obsess over the Holy Land and Jerusalem due to their conversion. How is this argument explained?
The argument that Gog, mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel, is a nation that converted to Judaism and will invade the Holy Land can be explained through various interpretations and beliefs held by some individuals.
In the Book of Ezekiel, Gog is described as a powerful ruler who leads an army against the people of the Holy land. Some people interpret this passage metaphorically, suggesting that Gog represents a nation or group of nations rather than an individual. According to this interpretation, these nations are believed to have converted to Judaism and developed a strong attachment to the Holy Land and Jerusalem.
This belief may stem from the idea that conversion to Judaism involves adopting not only religious practices but also a connection with Jewish history and heritage. The Holy Land holds immense significance in Judaism as it is considered the promised land given by God to the Jewish people. Therefore, those who convert might develop an intense focus on reclaiming or protecting this sacred territory.
Additionally, Jerusalem holds great importance in both religious and historical contexts for Jews. It is home to significant religious sites such as the Western Wall and Temple Mount. Consequently, individuals who believe in this argument might emphasize Jerusalem’s role as a central point for their newly adopted faith.
It’s important to note that interpretations of biblical texts can vary widely among different individuals or religious groups. While some may support this argument about Gog being a converted nation invading the Holy Land due to their intense focus on Jerusalem, others may have alternative explanations or reject this interpretation altogether.
Do the Khazars have a direct lineage to numerous contemporary Jewish populations?
Some argue that the Khazars are the ancestors of many modern Jews, particularly those of Ashkenazi descent, and that their conversion to Judaism has resulted in a special attachment to the Holy Land and Jerusalem. How does their argument go?
The argument that the Khazars are the ancestors of many modern Jews, particularly Ashkenazi Jews, provides a fascinating historical perspective on Jewish ancestry and the attachment to the Holy Land. Proponents of this view trace the lineage of a significant portion of modern Jews to the Khazar Empire and its conversion to Judaism, which resulted in a lasting connection to Jerusalem and the land of Israel.
The Khazars were a powerful Turkic people who established an empire in modern-day Russia, Ukraine, and the Caucasus between the 7th and 10th centuries. In the 8th or 9th century, many Khazars converted to Judaism as a strategic move to position themselves between the Christian Byzantine Empire and Islamic Caliphates.
Many historians argue that the Khazar conversion to Judaism involved large segments of the population, not just the nobility. The Khazars eventually became a Jewish nation, practicing Jewish laws and customs. This made them a unique case of a Jewish state in Eastern Europe, far from traditional Jewish centers.
After the Khazar Empire fell in the 10th century, many Jewish Khazars migrated westward into Europe, settling in regions like Poland, Ukraine, and Hungary. They eventually became the ancestors of the Ashkenazi Jewish population in Eastern Europe.
The Khazar origin of many Ashkenazi Jews contributed to the growth of Jewish populations in Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages. The migration of Khazars after their empire fell, along with their established Jewish identity, helped establish Jewish life in these areas. Some believe a significant portion of Ashkenazi Jews can trace their roots back to Khazar ancestry, as they integrated into the broader Jewish world and contributed to Jewish culture and practices.
The Khazar conversion to Judaism instilled in them the central tenets of the faith, including the importance of the Holy Land and Jerusalem. This connection was passed down through generations, leading to a special attachment among their descendants—modern Ashkenazi Jews—to Israel. The Khazar lineage reinforced a sense of Jewish identity that maintained a longing for the Holy Land even while living in diaspora.
The Khazar ancestry theory explains the strong connection between Ashkenazi Jews and Israel. It suggests that many Ashkenazi Jews are descended from the Khazars, who converted to Judaism centuries ago, creating a historical and religious bond with Jerusalem and Israel.
The Khazar theory enhances Jewish history by showing how different peoples have contributed to the Jewish diaspora while maintaining a shared religious and cultural heritage centered on the Holy Land. The Khazars played a key role in shaping Eastern European Jews, particularly Ashkenazi Jews, and their conversion to Judaism created a lasting connection to the Holy Land that still impacts Jewish identity.
Ibn Ezra (Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra) – Jewish Scholar
The 12th-century Jewish scholar Ibn Ezra also comments on Ezekiel’s prophecy of Gog and Magog. He suggests that the prophecy refers to a yet-unfulfilled event, emphasizing that it is mysterious.
“This is a prophecy about a time that is yet to come, and we do not know who these people [Gog and Magog] are, for it is hidden from us.”
(Commentary on Ezekiel 38:2)
Ibn Ezra treats Gog and Magog as a mystery, underscoring that while the prophecy holds significance, its precise meaning and timing remain unclear.
What is the view of Shlomo Sand on the Jewish people?
Shlomo Sand is an Israeli historian and professor who has written several books challenging the conventional views on the Jewish people. According to Sand, the Jewish people are not a distinct ethnic group or a nation with a common origin, but rather a collection of diverse groups who converted to Judaism at different times and places. He argues that the idea of a Jewish people with a continuous lineage from ancient Israel is a modern invention, created by Zionism and supported by nationalist historiography.
Sand’s main arguments are:
There was no mass exile of Jews from the Land of Israel after the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. Most Jews stayed in their homeland and later converted to Christianity or Islam. The Jewish diaspora was formed mostly by voluntary migration and proselytism.
Judaism was a missionary religion that actively sought converts in the ancient world. Many groups of people adopted Judaism, such as the Edomites, the Itureans, the Nabateans, the Khazars, the Berbers, and the Himyarites. These converts became the ancestors of many Jewish communities around the world.
The modern Jews of Eastern Europe, or Ashkenazim, are mainly the descendants of Khazars, a Turkic people who ruled a large empire in the Caucasus and converted to Judaism in the 8th or 9th century CE. They migrated westward and mixed with local populations, adopting their languages and customs.
The modern Jews of Spain and Portugal, or Sephardim, are mainly the descendants of Berbers and Arabs who converted to Judaism in North Africa and later settled in the Iberian Peninsula. They also mixed with local populations and developed their own culture and language.
The modern Jews of Ethiopia, or Beta Israel, are not related to the ancient Israelites, but rather to local African tribes who converted to Judaism under the influence of Christian missionaries.
The modern Jews of Yemen, or Teimanim, are not related to the ancient Israelites either, but rather to Arabs who converted to Judaism in South Arabia under the influence of Jewish traders and refugees from Roman persecution.
Sand’s books have been widely criticized by other historians and scholars for being based on selective use of sources, flawed methodology, ideological bias, and historical inaccuracies. Some critics have accused him of distorting Jewish history and identity for political purposes, and of denying the Jewish people’s right to self-determination and their connection to their ancestral homeland.
“The past was not a single narrative but a complex mix of events and developments, shaped and reshaped by human imagination and mythmaking.”
— Shlomo Sand, “The Invention of the Jewish People”
Exploring the Connection Between Gog, Magog, and the Khazars in the Jewish Encyclopedia
How does Jewish Encyclopedia make a connection between people of Gog and Magog and the Khazars?
The Jewish Encyclopedia, a comprehensive work published in the early 20th century, discusses various historical, religious, and cultural topics related to Judaism. In its entries, the encyclopedia explores the connection between Gog and Magog and the Khazars, drawing upon historical and biblical sources.
Gog and Magog are biblical figures mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel and the Book of Revelation, often associated with apocalyptic prophecies and the end times. Over time, these names have been linked to various groups and regions, sometimes representing distant lands or threatening forces.
The Khazars were a semi-nomadic Turkic people who established a powerful empire in the region of the Caucasus and the Volga River between the 7th and 10th centuries. Notably, the Khazar elite and parts of their population converted to Judaism around the 8th century.
In the Jewish Encyclopedia, the connection between Gog and Magog and the Khazars is explored through the lens of medieval Jewish and Christian writings. Some medieval Jewish authors, influenced by earlier traditions and geopolitical realities, identified the Khazars with the apocalyptic figures of Gog and Magog. This association might have been bolstered by the Khazars’ geographical location on the fringes of the known world and their involvement in regional power dynamics.
It’s important to note that these connections are more interpretative and speculative rather than based on concrete historical evidence. They reflect the ways in which biblical prophecies and historical events were intertwined in the medieval imagination, often serving as a means to understand contemporary geopolitical situations through a religious and eschatological framework.
ABRAHAMIC THEOLOGY 