BY PETE GARCIA
George W. Bush once believed that his coalition of the willing was in some way, helping defeat the forces arrayed against Israel by preemptively defeating Gog and Magog. At least, that is what the Prime Minister of France at the time (Jacque Chirac) was led to believe. While we do not often see the three as interlinked, I believe the timing of the battle of Gog and Magog, is intricately linked with the Rapture of the Church and the opening of the Day of the Lord.
There are two major reasons why I make that statement. The first is the absence of any United States "like" nation anywhere in the Bible when dealing with the topic of the last days. The second reason is the Rapture of the Church. While the collapse of the US may be caused by any number of reasons (economic, natural disasters, war, pandemic, etc.), the Rapture of the Church will absolutely collapse the current structure of the United States. If you run the scenario where the US collapses, the second and third order effects involve a world thrown economically, politically, and militarily into massive upheaval.
Enter Gog of Magog.
According to Scripture, there is a future, massive battle prophesied to occur in the latter days. Historically speaking, this war has not yet happened. Furthermore, the nations mentioned below have never been politically or militarily aligned in this particular configuration before...ever.
Ancient Name Modern Nation
Rosh (Rashu, Rasapu, Ros, and Rus) -Russia
Magog (Scythians) -Central Asia and possibly Afghanistan
Meshech (Muschki and Musku) -Turkey
Tubal (Tubalu) -Turkey
Persia -Iran
Ethiopia (Cush) -Sudan
Libya (Put or Phut) -Libya
Gomer (Cimmerians) -Turkey
Beth-togarmah (Til-garimmu or Tegarma) -Turkey
(Source: The Battle of Gog and Magog-Dr. Mark Hitchcock)
While some of the players recorded in the above list are disputed (in terms of nationalities), what is not disputed, is that this coalition contains both Russia, Iran, and Libya. This horde (as it were) does not unite because of religion or even motivation per se. It seems that each has sufficient and different motivation in their own right, but see this coalition of the willing, as an opportunity.
Blow the trumpet in Zion,
And sound an alarm in My holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble;
For the day of the Lord is coming,
For it is at hand:
A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains.
A people come, great and strong,
The like of whom has never been;
Nor will there ever be any such after them,
Even for many successive generations. Joel 2:1-3
These forces come against Israel swiftly, and in such frightening numbers, the shock of it stuns the senses of the rest of the world. You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you." Ezekiel 38:9
Russia sees energy, wealth, and Mid-East dominance. Iran sees the destruction of Israel and the return of the Mahdi. Turkey wants their old Ottoman Caliphate back. As to Libya and Sudan, it is hard to say other than they are acting as mercenaries for hire. This attack on Israel may also be in retaliation for (or because of) another prophecy found in Isaiah 17, in which Damascus is destroyed and ceases to be a city seemingly overnight.
Here is the conundrum.
This massive coalition attacks (or attempts to) Israel. Where are Israel's allies? Although the United States is not mentioned specifically anywhere in Scripture anyway, the only time that it might be is through associative symbolism (Tarshish and all their young lions) found in Ezekiel 38. Moreover, in that symbolism, the United States is found not coming to the aid of Israel. This strikes me as extraordinarily bizarre, given the current closeness between our countries.
Likewise, Sheba and Dedan (modern day Saudi Arabia), are also not willing to support Israel. While this might not have seemed weird ten-years ago, but the current regime under Mohammad Bin Salman (Saudi Crown Prince) has softened his position because of the growing Iranian threat coming out of the east. Iran has already done considerable destabilization to the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in Qatar, Bahrain, and Yemen.
Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, 'Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?'"' Ezekiel 38:13
If President Nixon (who was apparently Anti-Semitic) could come to Israel's aid in the 12th hour during the Yom Kippur War (1973), why doesn't President Trump? Our current president is definitely the most pro-Israel president we have ever had. Not only him, but also his Vice President Mike Pence, as well as his son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump. If President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu do not have any daylight between them, then something prevents us from acting. Nevertheless, I am making a major assumption here that the battle of Gog and Magog occurs sometime in President Trump's first or second term. But here is why I make that assumption.
Current Events
When I first wrote about this topic in March 2012 (Hook in the Jaw), the Syrian civil war was still in its infancy. The US president (and his administration) at the time were increasingly growing hostile to Israel. They reluctantly and flaccidly drew a "red line" on the ground that Bashar Assad simply skipped gleefully over. He knew we would not respond and thus felt no compulsion to change his tactics of using chemical weapons against his enemies.
In 2012, there were no US, Turkish, Iranian, nor Russians boots on the ground actively and openly fighting there.
Now they are.
In fact, so much geopolitical/prophetic maneuvering has occurred in just the past six years, it is hard to keep track of it all.
In 2011, South Sudan (primarily Christian) had officially broken away from the primarily Muslim North Sudan. Although Cush speaks to the region that currently, several nations now occupy, the North Sudanese enjoy strong relations with Russia and Turkey. Their current relation to Iran is icy considering their closeness to the Saudis, but they could set that aside rather easily if called upon by Russia and/or Turkey to support operations against Israel, of whom they have long had issues.
In 2012, Libya was still in full melt down mode with the Obama / Clinton sanctioned death of Muammar Gaddafi. After the Benghazi fiasco, our intentions in the Syrian Civil War became more apparent as the Obama Administration essentially got caught funneling money and weapons to rebel groups opposed to Assad by way of Libya.
Furthermore, the weapons we were sending to the "freedom fighters," could not be controlled, nor could our "allies" be vetted. We (the US) in varying degrees, helped create ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) through massive amounts of money and weapons. Since then, ISIS has largely been driven from Iraq and Syria and have found safe harbor again in the Clinton-induced vacuum in what used to be Libya.
Turkey has gone from friendly relations (pre-2003) to semi-icy relations with Israel up to 2010. From 2010 onward, it has been subzero, blisteringly frigid and now openly hostile towards Israel, courtesy of Turkish Prime Minister for life, Tayyip Erdogan. The outright hostility began with the Israeli stoppage of the Turkish backed Freedom for Gaza flotilla in 2010. Since then, he (Erdogan) is absolutely bent on retaking Jerusalem so as to control the Temple Mount for his imaginary caliphate. At this point, he would collaborate with just about anyone (even the Pope) to delegitimize Israel's sovereignty over the Holy city.
The only problem Erdogan has at the present (aside from a failing economy, jailed dissidents, internal strife, etc.), is that the Kurds (who are friendly to Israel) are at his border and they want a nation of their own. To prevent this, he has moved his own troops into northwestern Syria in the area known as Afrin.
Since 2012, the US has done a 180 on our Middle East policy with the election of Donald Trump. We have largely defeated ISIS in Mesopotamia. We bulldozed a Syrian airfield suspected of being the launch point for a chemical attack with 36 Tomahawk missiles.
We have recognized Jerusalem as the undivided and eternal capital of the Jewish people. We are moving our embassy there as well.
We have put boots on the ground in Syria to support the anti-Assad freedom groups. We have countered both Russian, Iranian, and Hezbollah forces through effective military force.
We have finally given the defunct Palestinian "government" the ultimatum of either working toward peace (cutting off terrorist funding and support), or we will cut them off diplomatically and financially. This has since driven the Palestinians into the open arms of the Russians and Iranians, which has helped cement the ire of the Saudis and Egyptians.
Russian forces, Iranian Quds forces, Hezbollah fighters, and Fifth Column elements have secured a land-bridge from Iran through Iraq, to Syria, and have inched ever closer to the Golan Heights. To date, numerous skirmishes with the US and Israel have/are occurring with increased frequency on Israel's northern border.
Conclusion
This brings us back full circle to my opening salvo. Why does Israel's closest ally, not come to her aid in her most dire hour? We are really left with only two courses of prophetic development.
- If the battle of Gog and Magog occurs before the Rapture, it appears that the US is stricken by some calamity other than the Rapture that renders us unable, or unwilling to help.
- If the Rapture happens before the battle of Gog and Magog, it will be because the Rapture makes the US (and by extension Western civilization) unable to come to Israel's aid. The Rapture and the social, economic, and political upheaval this will unleash may be the "window of opportunity" Gog uses to finally attack and finish Israel.
Here is what we know:
- We know this battle has NEVER occurred historically, yet the Bible emphatically states that it will happen. Thus, the only conclusion we are left with is to understand that Ezekiel 38-39 is still a future event destined to occur.
- We know the battle of Gog and Magog happens and the US is nowhere in the picture. We know with our current administration, this would not be the case. It is either the Rapture, or some other calamity that makes us unable or unwilling to support Israel.
- We also know that at least three of the major players in the battle of Gog and Magog, are currently positioned to the north of Israel in what used to be Syria. Furthermore, with each passing day, they are amassing more and more troops and weapons.
- Currently, Israel is the most secure she has EVER been (apart from when Kings' David and Solomon ruled the land). While living in "peace" and un-walled villages exists within Israel proper, she does maintain security between herself and other nations.
"Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord God: "On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes." Thus says the Lord God: "Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them? Ezekiel 38:14-17
While the implication here is that in the latter days, God would once again identify the nation of Israel as His people and Israel as His land (My people, My land). This is not to say that God had forgotten or reneged on His promises to the Patriarchs (Romans 11). Rather, national Israel was set aside for a time, and her timeline put on hold for the dispensation of the church to occur (Rom. 11:25-29, Eph. 1:3-6). This would be the Church, Christ Himself , would build (Matt. 16:18-19).
Remember, Jesus had foretold of Israel's impending destruction (Luke 21:20-24) and resulting diaspora until the times of the gentiles had come to its appointed end. THEN, we see the prodigal-like return and miraculous rebirth of the nation of Israel. This is discussed very clearly in the Valley of Dry Bones and United kingdoms (two branches) visions Ezekiel has in chapter 37.
Just as the generation in which Christ was rejected would become the cursed and withered fig tree generation (Matt. 23, 27:25; Mark 11:12-14, 20-21), the one who saw Israel's rebirth would be the budding fig tree generation. Compare Matthew 21:19 to 24:32.
It stands to reason, that all of the major players are either already in position to the north of Israel, or could be very easily. We also see Israel dwelling securely in her land of un-walled villages. Furthermore, the United States and Israel are enjoying the closest relationship they have had since Israel's rebirth as a nation. Therefore, this special relationship will not change unless something forces that change upon the status quo.
Lastly, the deliverance God provides Israel will be unmistakably supernatural. This overt, divine, rescue-mission will be the cause behind Israel's drive to WANT to rebuild the temple. It will squash any political hesitation or deliberation on whether it should be done or not. I imagine in the process of this deliverance, God Himself will destroy the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock to remove any delay in its construction.
...then they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord God." Ezekiel 39:28-29
IF this occurs because of the Rapture, and the Church (as we know it today) is no longer on the earth, then it makes sense that God pours out His Holy Spirit on the 144,000 Jews as indicated in Revelation 7 to seal them. They begin performing the job that the Church used to do in its role on the earth in our day and age. We assume that these are only on the male virgins because of a later text in Revelation 14, but the passage in Revelation 7 does not indicate it is only male, but on the children of Israel. These sealed would be the 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes (minus Ephraim and Dan) which may work in conjunction as an actual fulfillment of Joel 2.
"And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joel 2:28-29
Perhaps Gog is cursed more for what he unleashes, which is the Day of the Lord, the 70th Week of Daniel, or what we know more commonly referred to as, The Tribulation, rather than what he actually accomplishes (Ez. 38:3). This means that his defeat must precede the Day of the Lord. For clarity sake, there is both an actual "day" [the Second Coming] as well as the general period being known as the day of the Lord.
"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.
The subsequent seven months, Israel spends burying the Gog-coalition in what will be known then as the Valley of Hamon Gog (Ez. 39:11). I suspect that during that time, the world is reorganizing (the rise of the Seven Heads and Ten Horns of Rev. 13), which results in one man (The Antichrist) rising to the top. He confirms the treaty with the many (Dan. 9:27) that officially initiates the start for the 70th Week of Daniel seven months after Gog's supernatural defeat.....MORE TO COME....
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