(Originated in the summer of 2006)
Before we do this, let's look at the big picture for a moment. - In my understanding of Bible prophesy, the next big event on the calender will be the Rapture of the church. Everyone know what this means? --- If not, go to "Teachings" and refresh yourself.
Somewhere close in proximity of the time of the Rapture, many nations will join together and attack Israel. (Ezekiel 38's war). -- A large force from the extreme north of Israel, identified in the Bible as Magog, and believed by almost all students of prophecy to be modern-day Russia, will join with allies that are hostile toward Israel.
It’s fascinating to note that these nations the Bible mentions are hostile toward Israel at this very time! -- Think of it. -- This was written some 2600 years ago!
When Israel is attacked, the Bible says God will intervene, defend Israel, and turn back the majority of that army.
It is thought by many that this battle will occur right before the Tribulation Period, because a seven year chronology follows. - But somewhere or sometime before, during or right after this battle, the Rapture of the church will take place.
Then, a coming of a world leader arrives on the scene. - The Bible calls him the Anti-Christ, the Beast. - He will be a charismatic, powerful, economic and military leader that will have all the answers. He will be able to do what no other leader has ever been able to do.
He will develop a peace treaty between the Jews and Arabs in which they actually will stop fighting! He will even possibly help the Jews rebuild their temple.
After all this happens, half way into the seven year tribulation, the Anti-Christ will show his true colors. He will erect an image of himself in the temple and command people to worship it. Daniel 9:27 says, "He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven'. In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple, he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."
The seven year tribulation period will culminate in the Battle of Armageddon. It will be the war to end all wars. Then, Jesus will visibly return to earth in the Second Coming and will establish His kingdom. We know this as the Millennial, or 1000 Year Reign of Christ.
Now, to Ezekiel 38!!
"The word of the Lord came to me: Son of Man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against them...." (Ezekiel 38:1-2)
Gog is a word for "ruler", which literally means "the man at the top". -- Can't think of a better name for a dictator than Gog.
The verse tells us that Gog was" "chief prince" of the Land of Magog. Chief, which means "head", is the hebrew word "rosh". - In his ancient Hebrew lexicon, Gesenius (1786-1842), the great Hebrew scholar identified "Rosh" as an ancient name for Russia.
In his book, The Destiny of Nations, Dr. John Cumming said, "The King of the North I conceive to be the nation of Russia." -- In fact, almost all expositors believe this to be true. Ezekiel's scripture puts extreme emphasis on the fact that Israel's great enemy would come from the "uttermost north". It is mentioned in 38:6, 38:15, and again in 39:2. -- Just for grins, take out a globe, locate Jerusalem, and then follow the longitude line upward. Moscow is directly due north!! - Amazing!!
In 1968, General Moshe Dayan said, "The next great war will not be with the Arabs, but with the Russians."
Now we come to a theological phenomenon that helps us to further identify Gog and Magog with Russia. -- Verse 3 says, "This is what the sovereign Lord says: I am against you, o Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal".
Throughout the history of Israel, God has said that He is against certain nations that oppress the Jewish people. - God destroyed Egypt for their persecution of the Jews -- God set His face against Babylon for their destruction of Jerusalem.
Now comes a nation in the last days of the extreme north that will attack Israel, and God says, "I am against thee." It is intriguing to note that Ezekiel was prophesying about a nation that wasn't even in existence at that time.
What do we see in the uttermost north of Israel? -- A nation that is devoid of God and in fact prides itself on its atheistic foundation. -- It is no wonder God is against it.
There is no doubt about the fact of Russia's atheistic government under communism. -- Joseph Stalin said, "We have deposed the Czars of the earth and we shall now dethrone the Lord of Heaven."
When Russia put Sputnik past the moon, as it neared the sun the following comment was heard on the radio in Russia -- "Our rocket has bypassed the moon. It is nearing the sun. We have not discovered God. We have turned out lights in Heaven that no man will be able to put on again. We are breaking the yoke of the gospel, the opiate of the masses. Let us go forth and Christ shall be relegated to mythology." (God have mercy on their souls.)
Who are Meshech and Tubal?
God declares He is against Gog, the chief prince of MeshechJapheth (10:1).
In Genesis 10:2, the sons of Japheth are given as "Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras." -- All of the names referred to in Ezekiel 38 are the sons of Japheth.
Ethnologists -- historians who track the migrations of people -- tell us that after Noah's flood, the Japhethites migrated from Asia minor to the north, beyond the Caspian and Black Seas. They settled in the area of Rosh that we know today as Russia. -- In fact, it has been established that the Greek name Moschi, derived from the Hebrew name Meshech, is the source of the city of Moscow.
Russia's Invasion of Israel
"I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army -- your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords." Ezekiel 38:4
So why will Russia come to Israel? Here's some points of interest:
1. They need a warm-water port into the oceans of the world. - The middle east offers that. - Russia, under Putin's leadership, made a $50 billion oil contract with Saddam Hussein, before his demise, and has allowed Russian scientists to direct Iran's nuclear weapons programs to destroy Israel. - Putin is the former director of the KGB who is systematically removing the democratic process from Russia, and at the same time, charming the west into neutrality.
2. More oil - more control of the world's major oil supplies -- oh how they hunger for Arabia's oil!!
3. The mineral deposits in the Dead Sea are so great they can't be properly appraised on today's market. -- It is estimated that the Dead Sea contains two billion tons of potassium chloride, which is potash needed to enrich the soil that is rapidly being depleted around the world.
The Dead Sea also contains 22 billion tons of magnesium chloride and 12 billion tons of sodium chloride. -- The wealth potential of the Dead Sea has the Russian Bear salivating!!
Through Ezekiel, God said to Russia, "I will put hooks in your jaws." - God is going to drag Russia into Israel. - Why? -- Throughout its history, Russia has been anti-Semitic and, in its final form, will be led by a dictator who will lead an Arab coalition of nations to crush Israel. -- God makes it clear that He will judge Russia in the land of Israel, and Russia will not come out alive.
The Allies of Russia
Who are the allies of Russia? Who will join her in this unholy war to destroy the nation of Israel and exterminate the Jews? -- God gives their names and addresses through the prophet Ezekiel: -- “Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops -- the many nations with you." (Cush is Ethiopia and Put is Libya.)
Persia
Persia is modern day Iran. As intelligence has shown how Russia and Iran have joined forces to create long-range nuclear missiles that can hit London, Jerusalem, and even New York. This same intelligence has produced photographic proof that Russian scientists are directing and supervising Iran's nuclear weapons programs.
There is no doubt a nuclear collision is coming in the very near future in the Middle East. -- If Israel goes after Iran's growing nuclear sites, it could easily launch Ezekiel's war described in Ezekiel 38 and 39.
Ethiopia and Libya
Ethiopia and Libya are used in two distinctly different senses in the Old Testament. - There were nations in Africa known as Ethiopia and Libya, and their names continue until today. - There were also states adjacent to Persia that were known by the same names. - When Moses fled from Egypt, he went into the wilderness and there he married an Ethiopian. He did not go south into African Ethiopia, but went into Ethiopia of the Arabian Peninsula, where he married an Ethiopian who was a Shemite. - Therefore, when Ezekiel speaks of Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya, he is speaking of the Arab states.
We are watching this courtship between Russia and Iran in daily media reports on an almost daily basis. -- In an article dated June 4, 2005, for Asia Times Online, journalist Jephraim P. Gundzik said this:
" In the past several years a number of Russian companies have have faced U.S. sanctions for selling missiles and missile technology to Iran. Rather than slowing or stopping such sales, the pace of missile acquisition and development in Iran has accelerated. -- Russia's relations with Iran have also advanced considerably in the past eighteen months." --- And it hasn't slowed down since then.
In addition to increased investment in Iran by Russia and burgeoning arms trade between the two countries, Russia has been heavily involved in Iran's rapidly developing nuclear energy industry.
After much wrangling and repeated U.S. intervention, Russia and Iran finally signed, in February 2006, a deal clearing the way for shipments of Russian nuclear fuel to Iran's nuclear power plant at Bushehr. Soon after, the BBC news UK edition called Russia Iran's main partner in its efforts to develop nuclear power.
So what's the pay-off for the Arabs? They believe the Islamic fanatical vision of exterminating the Jews can be realized with Russia's help. Absolute control of Jerusalem as the capitol for the New Palestinian state will be within their grasp.
However, there is one problem looming on the horizon: God Almighty, whom the Russians defy and Islamics denounce, will bring this evil axis of power into Israel to bury it before the eyes of the world. The destruction of Russia and its Islamic allies is going to be the most powerful object lesson the world has seen since Pharaoh and his army were drowned in the Red Sea.
What is America's Role?
Ezekiel 38:12 says, "I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land." -- Russia and its allies are going into Israel "to take plunder and to take booty." Russia is going to move militarily against Israel from the north to seize the great mineral wealth and natural resources that are there. -- They will promise the Islamic nations control of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.
-- So what will America's response be? Ezekiel 38:13 states, "Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages will say to you, 'Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?'"
"Sheba, Dedan, merchants of Tarshish" -- "Sheba" is believed to be today's Yemen. "Dedan" was a tribe (Dedanites) that dwelt in Edom, an area just south of the Dead Sea. "Merchants of Tarshish" is believed to be the southern coastal area of Spain. As for "All her villages", this is the N.I.T. version. In the King James translation, it says, "All their young lions." -- One theory presented is that "young lions" represents England, and America, England's offspring. England's symbol is that of a lion. -- Whatever, the overall opinion of most students of prophecy is that this verse represent the future western powers. And they will not come to Israel's rescue. They will not send massive military forces to drive Russia and the Arabs out of Israel. -- Instead, they will make this passive remark described in verse thirteen.
-- What a ridiculous response!! -- It's obvious to the nations of the world what Russia and her allies are doing, and yet the west is doing nothing to stop them.
-- Why won't America respond? -- Let me say that after our prolonged involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, the next administration will most likely be democratic and will begin the withdrawal from at least Iraq, vowing to stay out of the Middle East in the future.
Many people are very bothered by the fact that the world's single reigning superpower is absent from Bible prophecy -- the U.S.A.
As we look at the "last days" battles leading up to and including Armageddon, it is very interesting to note the nation's of the Bible that play key roles:
Persia - modern day Iran
Libya and Ethiopia - already discussed
Russia - King of the North
China - King of the East (Announced in 1997 that it could field an army of over two hundred million. Revelation 9:14 says, "The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million".)
Israel - Of course, the centerpiece!!
So where is America? -- Here are several plausible answers.
A) Isolationism - Already talked about this in one form -- "Get out and stay out!"
B) Nuclear war -
1. Nuclear event -- Look at the rogue nations who support all these terrorist organizations. They could easily set off a chain of events, especially as we distance ourselves from 9/11 and let down our guard.
2. E.M.P. -- Intelligence reports show that Iran is now developing something that is called an electromagnetic pulse (E.M.P.) designed to be used against America. -- This is what it does. It doesn't kill people, it kills electrons! -- In short, it stops every form of electricity instantly and for months, maybe years. -- No lights, no refrigeration, no public water supply, transportation in chaos, no radio, no TV, no Internet! We would stop being a superpower in one tenth of a second!!
C) Decline as a world power -- As our nation becomes more and more secular, systematically eliminating God and His word from our government, judicial system, education systems -- we will begin to reap the inevitable results of sin and will begin to rot from the inside out. -- Historian Will Durant pointed out that a great nation is not destroyed from the outside until it has first fallen apart on the inside.
Also, America faces future peril on the economic front. The current trade deficit (as of 2006) along with ongoing war costs will eventually cause our dollar to weaken. Barring any catastrophe, this (the economy) will be the cause of America's weakening and then "backing up" to the other nations of the world. Simply put, if you can't balance the checkbook, you won't survive in the long term.
D) The Rapture!! -- If America experiences the great revival, it would have a far-reaching impact when the Rapture occurs.
Think about it!! This could be the explanation as to why America is of no mention in prophecies concerning the last days.
We, as a church, need to do as much as we can -- pray and preach the gospel. America's only hope is for God to be invited back into our society. -- Without it, we, as a nation, are doomed.
I do know this, when Russia and its allies invade Israel, and America and Europe fail to respond, "He who sits in the heavens will laugh," Psalm 2:4. - as He crushes Israel's enemies. - He will crush them as He crushed Pharaoh, Hitler, and all the others. - All the world "Shall know that I am the Lord." (Ezekiel 38:23)
Throughout the rest of Ezekiel 38 and part of 39 are more verses pertaining to Ezekiel's war. -- Much discussion has occurred with 38:22 and 39:6 -- Many think that this indicates nuclear war. America is specifically thought of in 39:6 when it says, "Those who live in safety of the coastlands." -- I certainly will not discount that possibility.
Watch the Signs
So what does this all mean to us? Anytime you see any hostility toward Israel, anytime you see her becoming more isolated from the other nations of the world, anytime you hear talk of the Jewish Temple being rebuilt, pay attention!! - These are super signs of the times!
It is my opinion that before God will pour out His spirit on Israel, the church must be removed. Romans 11:25 says, "Blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." -- Over most Jewish people today, there is a spiritual blindness in which they are not all that open to hearing about Jesus as their Messiah. -- God says that He will lift the blinders. But before He does this and pours out His spirit upon the Jews, the full gathering of the Gentiles must take place. -- Put another way, before God can pour out His spirit on Israel, he must take the church out of the way.
As I see in our world today, these movements toward a global economy, toward the isolation of Israel, toward a one-world religion, and toward a one-world ruler and leader, it says to me that Jesus is coming back very, very , very soon.
May God richly bless you.
~ R.M.
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