I think we have gotten tied up in some kind of semantic argument that has distracted us from the intended purpose of the posts. Too many of us are trying to read current events (either 1st century or present day) into a text that was intentionally cryptic.

Here’s the deal. I view the Revelation as the completion of OT prophecy. As such, it MUST deal with the establishment of something bigger than the 1st century. As Joel has pointed out by his constant reference to Ezekiel 38-39, to interpret the Apocalypse in a narrow preterist light is to totally ignore the fact that it makes blatant reference to events prophecies centuries before which have not come to pass.

Consider the events of Ezekiel 38-39. 

1. God will draw an invading armies composed of many nations, marked as the descendants of the sons of Noah (Japheth - Magog, Meschah, Tubal, Gomer, Togarmah; Ham - Cush, Put; Shem - Persia)

2. The invading army will attack all over the world and bring them into domination (Sheba and Dedan in Africa, Tarshish in Asia Minor)

3. Gog will lead an invading army into Israel, arousing YHWH’s anger

4. As Gog’s armies descend on Israel from the north, they will be destroyed through a divine intervention. 

5. They will strike each other with their swords, and they will be weakened and die.

6. The people of Israel will use their weapons for firewood and the burial place of the army will choke up a valley - being renamed Hamon Gog (the hords of Gog).

7. It will take 7 months to bury the dead.

The entire reason for this invasion is a demonstration that although Israel went into exile, they are still YHWH’s chosen people. This is explained at the end of chapter 39:

“I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them. From that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.

“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivityj and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.” (Ezekiel 39:21-29, NIV)

I think I am safe in saying that nothing like this has occurred in history, pre-Roman or post-Roman. Therefore, I would have to say that the great battle of Revelation 20, which is clearly marked as the same event, has not yet occurred.

I know that I am probably reading this too literally for some of the participants in this discussion, but be that as it may, it seems pretty straightforward to me.