Ezekiel 38 War

Ezekiel 38:10 “‘Thus says the Lord God: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan:”

We are living in a time of great change–from wars and rumors of wars, to climate catastrophes, unprecedented bloodshed, disease, signs in the heavens and upon the earth. There is a coalition of countries forming in the middle east that was foretold long ago in God’s Word, they will attack Israel in the last days and it will be a sign of the end of the age.

We have the unique advantage of watching prophecy develop right before our eyes. Recent tensions with muslim worshippers in the Al Aqsa mosque has galvanized many muslim dominated countries against Israel. What does this mean on the timeline of events leading up to the great and awesome day of the Lord?—-The time of Christ’s appearing is very, very, close.

War of Gog and Magog

Having grown up in the church I was always confused about biblical references that people would use, seemingly never explaining things in ways I could understand. If we look at prophecy from a practical standpoint, we can make sense of what it means today.

Ezekiel 38:1-2 “Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,“

When examining scripture remember to whom the message was given, whether a reference is relevant to us today or a principle that carries a truth, when examining references they need to be applied to the people to whom they were given.

In Ezekiel, Gog was an individual and Magog was his land. This reference can be confusing since historically speaking, Magog was a grandson of Noah, (Genesis 10:2). The descendents of Magog settled to the far north of Israel in what is currently known as Russia or China.

 “Rosh” is a reference to Russia, “Meshek” is either Moscow or the people north of the Black Sea (the area of southern Russia and Ukraine), and “Tubal,” which is always listed with Meshek in Scripture, is identified as a city in Siberia or an area in central Turkey.

Ezekiel 38:7-9 “Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them. After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”

Russia will have a prominent role in this last days battle, currently some of the events that are occurring in the middle east are setting the stage for what is yet to come, a massive coalition of armies converging on Israel. Whoever Gog is, whether it is an individual leader from Russia or a particular nation we know that it will come from a far northern kingdom in respect to Israel. Vladimir Putin has positioned himself in Russia where he has been able to maintain power for over two decades. In August 1999, after the resignation of Yeltsin, Putin became acting president, and less than four months later he was elected outright to his first term as president and then was re-elected in 2004. Since he was constitutionally limited to two consecutive terms as president, Putin chose to become the prime minister again from 2008 to 2012, and was re-elected as president in 2012 and again in 2018.

Putin has found a way to remain in power and seems to be forming a hold on power since his days in the KGB.

Land of Put

Putin’s ability to stay in power has allowed Russia to not only grow their economy but expand their military prowess to levels it once knew. One of the regions they have quietly been building a military presence in is Put which today is known as Libya. This north African nation has been embroiled in tribal warfare since the fall of Muammar Qaddafi during the Arab spring uprising in 2011.

Russia is not only aiming for a permanent deployment of its troops in Africa but it is also increasingly relying on private armies or proxy groups like the Wagner Group, infamous for supporting putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar in Libya, said a recent report.

Ministry experts labeled the group a Russian “hybrid instrument to exert political, economic, and military influence.” This North African nation is in a strategic location for soon and coming events.

Land of Cush

Ethiopia is located in what was known as Cush. Russia has had strategic relations with this country since 1890, interestingly Russia’s relationship with Ethiopia and other African countries largely centers on military ties.

Russia is planning to step up its military cooperation with African countries as part of its new Africa strategy, including building bases in six countries, Germany daily Bild reported, citing a secret German Foreign Ministry report.

The classified document on what it calls “Russia’s new Africa ambitions” says Russian President Vladimir Putin had made “Africa a top priority.” Furthermore, it said, the Kremlin was “contractually assured” it would “be allowed to build military bases in six countries,” namely the Central African Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Sudan.

Ancient Persia

The relationship between Iran (Pershia) and Russia has been strengthened by the rising tensions between Tehran and the United States, and there is no doubt Iran views Russia as one of its closest allies. The Iranian foreign minister has traveled to Moscow some 28 times in his tenure and has said the ties between the two countries has never been better. Known for issuing threats against Israel, the leaders of Iran have said they planned to wipe Israel off the map. Recently, Iran has been supportive of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With President Biden of the United States slowly removing support from Israel, Israel has said they will be forced to attack Iran’s nuclear program to protect itself. As Israel has been fighting a proxy war with Iran in the region of Syria, so Iran has continued to bolster the military strength of Hezbollah. Any war with Iran would most certainly have the backing of the Russian military and tensions between Israel and Iran have never been higher.

Gomer

Controlled by a radical muslim party, modern day Turkey has become increasingly opposed to any western influence. “Whoever is on the side of Israel, let everyone know that we are against them,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned, according to Iran’s Press TV. Erdogan has a history of slamming the Jewish state and its leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has a history of slamming him back. Israel’s difficulty in dealing with the nomadic people known as “Palestine”, has much of these Islamic nations up in arms. “The order of occupation and oppression in Palestine, which is the bleeding wound of humanity, continues to hurt consciences,” Erdogan said in his prerecorded video address. The Turkish Armed Forces is the second largest standing military force in NATO, after the U.S. Armed Forces, with an estimated strength in 2015 of 639,551 military, civilian and paramilitary personnel.

Rise of Anti-Semitism

Published in a recent article for the UN news, there is a belief that since the Covid pandemic an increase in antisemitism has been made increasingly evident. “We have seen shocking examples in this nation’s capital in recent days. The Anti-Defamation League found that the American Jewish community experienced the highest level of antisemitic incidents in 2019 since tracking began in 1979.” “In Europe, the United States and elsewhere, white supremacists are organizing and recruiting across borders, flaunting the symbols and tropes of the Nazis and their murderous ambitions”, he said.  The radical right and left are both showing increasing signs of issuing blame toward Israel for a myriad of woes. The reason these trends are so disturbing in America is that if Israel loses American support there will be very little to discourage these radical islamic countries from attacking Israel again.

God’s Intervention

The last line of Ezekiel 38 reads, “Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.” ’

The Jezreel Valley which includes the Valley of Megiddo is a large valley that can accommodate many soldiers. When the coalition of armies march on Israel the 4 major nations that surround Israel will be prepared to eliminate this tiny nation, it is then that God says, enough.

Ezekiel 38:18-22 “And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord God, “that My fury will show in My face. For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: ‘Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.’ I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord God. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother. And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 

The Rise of the Anti-Christ

The battle of Gog and Magog is the precursor to the elevation of the man who will lead the final attack against God and His people. The confusion concerning the natural events that destroys this army will also bring infighting among the people who are apart of this attack. This war will shake the world and the fear of an impending WWIII will give rise to the Antichrist. The good news for God’s people is the Rapture of the Church and it will happen right before this event occurs.

Revelation 3:10 “Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.“

Immediately after the rise of the AntiChrist, the 7 year tribulation begins. God’s people have been foretold that He will remove them from the world when this great testing begins.

The focus on the Ezekiel 38 war is one that focuses on the events surrounding Israel. Israel serves like God’s timepiece in world history and prophetic revelations. We see the formation of all that is necessary for this event to take place…soon.

Are you ready for Jesus’ return? I hope so, as of now it’s not too late. Confess your sins to the Lord, believe that Jesus is the resurrected Messiah who came to redeem the world unto Himself and follow Him…..you too will be saved from this period of time that will be unlike anything in history.