Chaoskampf against Empire: Yhwh’s Battle against Gog (Ezekiel 38–39) as Resistance Literature

The tale of Yhwh’s conflict with Gog of Magog in Ezekiel 38–39 has long perplexed scholars. Commentators remain at odds about the identity of Gog himself perhaps more than any other question. Stated simply, for whom or what does that enigmatic figure stand as a cipher? Modern identifications have been especially speculative, ranging from the Ottoman Turks (Martin Luther’s proposal) to Napoleon (a popular option in 19thcentury Britain) to Russia (a view that was very prominent in some American circles during the cold war and persists even until this day).¹ In order to address this question, it is