The Coming Invasion of Israel

Those of us who believe whole-heartedly that the Bible is indeed the infallible and inspired Word of God also realize that when the Bible declares something is going to happen, it is going to happen! To date, Bible prophecy has been fulfilled with 100% accuracy. It has never been wrong. But, it has not only been accurate every time, we know it was accurate because it was fulfilled literally. This is another reason I believe we should look at Bible prophecy with a literal mind-set rather than figurative. Because Bible prophecies have been fulfilled literally gives us every reason to believe this trend will continue with the yet to be fulfilled prophecies in God's Word.

One such prophecy is found in Ezekiel 38 & 39, which was written some 2,600 years ago. It details an attempted surprise attack on the nation of Israel. However, it is not a surprise for any student of God's Word. This Passage in Ezekiel list, in detail: WHO is involved - WHAT they will do - WHY they will do it - and HOW they will be defeated. It even details the clean-up activity following the battle.

A multi-national army, including a massive Islamic alliance are going to invade Israel!! If I had made this statement sixty years ago, it would have seemed ridiculous. First of all, I was only 6 years old sixty years ago. But, more to the point, it would have seemed ridiculous because there was no nation of Israel to invade. Who could have imagined that a few years later the Jew would have part of their own homeland back. At the same time, none of the Islamic nations that are so dangerous today were even blips on the international radar screen. Their thought of attacking anybody was a joke. But it's anything but a joke today.

The world today is like a powder keg with an already-lit fuse. And present conditions all over the world indicate that the fuse could burn its way to the end very soon.

Although the rise of militant Islam has shocked and surprised many people around the world, the God of Scripture has not been taken off guard. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God predicted events that are strikingly foreshadowed by what we see every day on the evening news.

Ezekiel 36 - 39 is history written beforehand. In Ezekiel 36, we are told of the dispersion of the Jews throughout the world. In Ezekiel 37 we read a fascinating vision given to this prophet about the regathering of the Jews to their own homeland. Ezekiel sees a vision of a valley with some very dry bones. In verse 11, God tells Ezekiel, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel." There is no doubt this text is speaking only of the nation of Israel.

God asked Ezekiel a strange question: "...can these bones live?" (verse 3). Ezekiel responded to God by saying, "O Lord God, You know." Then God asks Ezekiel to do something strange. He tells him to preach the word of the Lord to these bones. It was a message to the deadest congregation in the history of preaching.

Ezekiel 37:7-8 NKJV

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

The dry bones in Ezekiel's vision represent the nation of Israel during the diaspora (dispersion, scattering), beginning in A.D. 70. Gradually the bones came together, and the sinews and flesh came upon them.

Then, in Ezekiel 37:21 (NKJV), we read:

21 "Then say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land;

This was fulfilled on May 14, 1948, at 4:32 p.m. The state of Israel became a nation once again. And this prophecy continues to be fulfilled as more than 2,000 people are immigrating to Israel every month.

Notice again what we read in verse 8 just a moment ago.

Ezekiel 37:8 NKJV

8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

This is where most of Israel is today - they are physically being ushered back to their homeland but they are still spiritually dead. But God depicts several methods by which the Jews will come to recognize their need of God, as well as helping them understand that Jesus is their Messiah. One of those methods is the prophecy found in the following two chapters - Ezekiel 38 & 39.

Ezekiel 38:1-8 NAS

1 And the word of the LORD came to me saying,
2 "Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him
3 and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal.
4 "I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords;
5 Persia, Cush and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
6 Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops - many peoples with you.
7 " Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.
8 " After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.

To understand a passage like this, it is essential first to determine who the players are. In these eight verses, we find 10 names that may not be especially familiar to you. You might say that this list of names is "God's 10-most-wanted list". God says in Ezekiel 38:3 and 39:2, "I am against you."

These ten names have been tried in the supreme court of the universe and found guilty. All that remains is for the sentence to be executed, and the one who will execute judgment is God Himself. When these nations come against Israel, they meet their final doom.

Before answering the question as to who these 10 nations are, let's answer a few other questions.

1. When will this invasion of Israel occur?

2. What must happen before this invasion happens?

3. Who is really in control?

4. Is this battle the same as the Battle of Armageddon?

The Timing

FROM THE PASSAGE WE JUST READ, HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN THIS EVENT WILL OCCUR?

HOW DO WE KNOW THIS PROPHECY DIDN'T COME TO PASS 2000 YEARS AGO?

By far, the most controversial issue of Ezekiel 38 & 39 is the timing of this invasion. While the specific timing might be difficult to pin down, the general time can be ascertained with some certainty. While some believe the events of Ezekiel 38 & 39 have already occurred, most Bible scholars agree that this invasion has not been fulfilled in the past.

There are a number of reason for saying this battle is yet future. First, look at Ezekiel 38:8. God speaks to these invaders, and says:

8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land…

Notice that phrase, "in the latter years." This is the only occurrence of this exact phrase in the Old Testament. Another similar phrase occurs in verse 16.

Ezekiel 38:16 (NKJV)

16 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."

Here we have the phrase, "in the latter days." This phrase is often used to signify Israel's final time of distress, or to Israel's final restoration to the Messianic kingdom (Isaiah 2:2; Jeremiah 23:20; 30:24; Hosea 3:5; Micah 4:1) It is speaking or referring to the end-times. The phrase, "in the last days" is a technical term that refers to the end-times.

In other words, this invasion will occur during the final events of this age, as preparation is made for the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom of Christ.

Here is another reason for thinking the events of this invasion are yet future. The land of Israel has been the scene of countless battles, wars, and invasions, but nothing even remotely similar to the events in Ezekiel 38 & 39 has ever happened. Since we have yet to identify the nations involved in this invasion, trust me when I say these nations have never forged an alliance like this. Ezekiel is describing an invasion that is still in the future - even in our day. Another reason for saying this invasion could not have already happened, certainly not in the last 2000 years, is because, as we said earlier, there was no nation of Israel to invade. This also will answer one of our other questions, namely, what must happen prior to this invasion?

Look at Ezekiel 38:8 (NKJV) once more:

8 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.

The Jews must be back in their land. This goes right along with the previous two chapters in Ezekiel - 36 & 37 - which describe the process of Israel's restoration and re-gathering to their land. The modern restoration of Israel to her land began back in the late 1800's. But the key date was May 14, 1948, when modern Israel was officially born. With Israel restored as a nation, the first necessary precondition for this invasion moved strategically into place.

Preconditions to the Invasion

In addition to the timing of this event, we also looked at what must precede this invasion. We have already mentioned that the Jews must be back in their land before this battle.

One more thing that must occur prior to this invasion that also has an affect on the timing is found in the last phrase of the verse we just read (Ezekiel 38:8). Speaking of Israel, God describes them as having been "brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely." This says the invasion will not occur until they are dwelling safely in their land.

Ezekiel 38:11 (NAS) adds:

11 And you will say, 'I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates,

The word translated "rest" here, means, be quiet, undisturbed. It is true that there are no walls around the cities in Israel today. But with modern-day weapons, walls would not be a deterrent. Israel, however, is not living undisturbed and unthreatened. This does not describe modern Israel. Since 1948 Israel has never felt secure enough to lower her defenses. For the past half-century, there has not been peace in Israel, only times when there has been an absence of outright war.

WHEN WILL ISRAEL EVER FEEL AT PEACE?

The Bible describes two such periods of time still to come. The first is a short period of time during the first half of the future era known as The Tribulation. This is a future period of time - 7 years in length - that begins with a treaty brokered by the Antichrist between Israel and their neighbors.

This treaty is mentioned in Daniel 9:27. But the same verse informs us that in the middle of that 7-year treaty, the antichrist will break his treaty. So, the first 3˝ years of this treaty finds the nation of Israel living in peace, where the combined forces of this leader guarantee such a peace. The second time of peace for Israel will occur during the reign of Christ. This period of time is the 1000-year period sometimes called the Millennium.

During His reign on earth, the Bible says, in Isaiah 2:4 (NKJV):

4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.

Since Jesus will not let one nation attack another nation during His reign, then this invasion must not happen during this time. So, the only period of time in the future, where Israel will be at peace and unthreatened, is during the first half of the 7-year tribulation. I cannot be dogmatic about the timing, but I personally believe it will occur near the end of that 3˝-year period.

The Battle of Armageddon

Several well-known commentators and prophecy teachers view the battle of Gog and Magog as being part of the campaign or war of Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation. I think there are at least four obstacles to that scenario.

1. Ezekiel lists the names of specific countries involved in this invasion. But Armageddon involves all the nations of the earth.

Zechariah 14:2-4 - "For I will gather all nations."

Zechariah 12:2-3 - "all the people of the earth…"

Revelation 16:16 is the only verse in the Bible that uses the term "Armageddon." Two verses earlier - verse 14 - says it involves "the whole world."

2. Look at who is not involved in Ezekiel 38.

Egypt is not involved, but is called the King of the South in the Battle of Armageddon. Iraq is not mentioned, but they are involved - center stage - in the Battle of Armegeddon.

3. Is Gog the Antichrist?

For these two battles to be synonymous would require that Gog is the Antichrist. But in Ezekiel 38, Gog is the ruler of a specific nation or place, while the Antichrist is the ruler of the entire world.

4. Israel is not a safe place during Armageddon.

Ezekiel 38 describes a surprise invasion of Israel. The last 3˝ years of the Tribulation - leading up to the Battle of Armageddon, will be a very difficult time for Israel. Jeremiah 30:7 describes this period as the time of "Jacob's Troubles." These 3˝ years will see the Antichrist persecuting the Jews in every way possible. Many of them, according to Matthew 24, will flee into the wilderness to escape.

What's in a name?

Have you ever wondered why the Biblical prophets always seem to refer to various people by such strange names? It's actually our fault. We keep changing the names of things. There are a number of cities that have changed their name during their history. The city of Byzantium was later named Constantinople, and is today called Istanbul. Down in Florida, we once had a place called Cape Canaveral, which was changed to Cape Kennedy, then back to Cape Canaveral.

But we do not change the names of our ancestors. So, if you are the prophet Isaiah and were called upon to speak of the Persians over a century before they emerged as an empire, how would you refer to them? You would speak of them as the descendants of Elam, the forebears of the Persians.

Despite some controversies, the participants in the battle prophesied by Ezekiel are well identified. Just who are the people represented here by these ancient tribal names? Five of the 10 names on God's "10-most-wanted" list are found in Genesis 10. Before we read that passage, do you realize we are all related to one another. All of us are not only descendants of Adam and Eve, but also from Noah and his wife. Noah and his three sons and their wives repopulated the entire Earth after the flood. The genealogical records of Noah and his sons are listed in Genesis 10, and the 70 original tribal groups which are described there are often called by Biblical scholars, the Table of Nations. Specifically, to understand the prophecies of Ezekiel 38 & 39, we need some background on Magog and her allies.

Genesis 10:1-2 NKJV

1 Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood.
2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

These verses, and the ones that follow, describe the repopulating of the earth following the flood. Although we are given the seven sons of Japheth in verse 2, they are also a table of the nations they fathered. It was customary in ancient times for the descendants of a man to adopt his name for their tribe. Like the 12 tribes of Israel, for instance. Genesis 10:5 reinforces this thought.

Genesis 10:5 NKJV

5 From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

From these - Gomer, Magog, Tubal, Meshech and others, "from these" families and nations sprung. By understanding this, historians and Bible students have been able to trace the movements of many of these tribes. And now we can know where their descendants can be found today.

Let's see if we can identify these names on God's "10-most-wanted" list.

GOG

Let's read once more that first two verses of the prophecy by Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 38:1-2 NKJV

1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

The first name that appears on God's "10-most-wanted" list is the strange name of GOG. There are four things we can say about Gog.

1. Gog is a person, not a place.

Ezekiel says that Gog is "of the land of Magog." It also says that he is the "prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal." This clearly identifies Gog as a ruler or prince of nations. Again, Gog is definitely a person.

o Personal pronouns are used of him. (vss. 2-4, 6, 11, 13-17, 39:1-7)

o He has a mind and thinks thoughts and makes decisions. (38:8-9, 11, 15-16)

o He goes from place to place like other people do. (38:8-9, 11, 15, 16)

2. Gog is the leader of this invasion into Israel.

In Ezekiel 38 & 39, the name Gog appears eleven times, more than any other name that is mentioned in these two chapters. God directly addresses Gog on several occasions in these chapters. This leads me to believe that Gog is the leader or key figure in this invading force.

3. Third, although Gog could be the persons name, it is probably a title.

Gog is a term like President or General or Kaiser or Czar. It is probably the title of a leader in the end-times, who personifies the evil forces who gather against Israel to destroy her.

4. Fourth, we know that Gog is from the land of Magog.

Verse 2 said he is from the land of Magog and rules over Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. To discern the precise land from which Gog arises, we must identify the land of Magog.

MAGOG

As we read in Genesis 10, Magog was the second son of Japheth. There are a number of historians from ancient times that help us identify Magog.

Flavius Josephus, the 1st-century Jewish historian writes:

"Magog founded the Magogians, thus named after him, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians." (Antiquities 1.6.1)

One of the earliest references to Magog was by Hesiod, the father of Greek didactic poetry. He also identified Magog with the Scythians, who lived in the southern parts of what we today call Russia. Hesiod lived in the 7th century BC, and was a contemporary of Ezekiel.

In the fifth century BC, the historian Herodotus lived. He is known as the "Father of History." He wrote extensively about the Scythians, and how they terrorized the southern steppes of Russia from the 10th to 5th century B.C.

The people of Magog (Scythians) were somewhat nomadic, and populated the region north of the Black and Caspian seas eastward, through central Asia to the borders of China.

Here is a very interesting fact. In an eighth century writing, the Great Wall of China was called: Sud Yagog et Magog - meaning the Rampart of Gog and Magog. In Arabic, the Great Wall of China is called "the wall of al Magog." The great wall was built, in part, to keep out the invading armies from Magog.

This area has long been known as the southern steppes of Russia or central Asia. Today the land of Magog is inhabited mostly by the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and possible even northern parts of modern Afghanistan. All of these nations have one thing in common today - Islam. And within their borders they have a combined population of 60 million.

When the Soviet Union came crashing down in December 1991, the people of Central Asia immediately and exuberantly embraced Islam, the religion they had been forced to renounce or secretly practice for 74 years. Each of these Muslim republics are being courted by their Islamic neighbors, especially Iran and Turkey. It is not difficult for me to imagine a scenario where these Muslim nations could be drawn into an end-time invasion of Israel.

ROSH

The next name mentioned in Ezekiel is Rosh. There are scholars who disagree on who is represented by this name. Many would say it is indicating the nation of Russia. Other counter that by saying, "You can't establish a fact just because two words are similar." Still others argue that the name Russia did not exist until the Middle Ages. I agree that we should not equate an English word with a Hebrew word just because the two words sound somewhat alike. But I do believe there is other evidence for maintaining this name is speaking of the nation of Russia.

Before examining the historical evidence, let's look at how this word appears in the various Bible translations.

We have already read from the New King James Version (NKJV).

Ezekiel 38:2 NKJV

2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

Here is how this verse looks in the New International Version (NIV).

Ezekiel 38:2 NIV

2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him

Do you notice the difference? The NIV translates the Hebrew word "rosh" as "chief." But the NKJV leaves it as a proper name, rather than as an adjective. Other translations that leave ROSH as a name include: NAS, ASV, Ampl., Darby, New Jerusalem Bible, and Young's Literal Translation. Those translating it as an adjective are: NIV, KJV, RSV and New Living Translation.

By way of example, take my name. My father's given name was John, the same as mine. Because of that, I was called Jack by everyone, including my family, during my younger years. The word "jack" can be represented two ways. It can be used as a proper noun, representing a name, or it can be used as a common noun to refer to something used to lift a car - called a jack.

Almost all proper and personal names in the Bible had meanings other than identifying a person. For instance:

o Peter means "a rock."

o Abraham means "father of many nations."

o Bethlehem means "house of bread."

The word Rosh in Hebrew simply means - head, top, summit, or chief. It is a fairly common word and is used by all Semitic languages. And it may surprise you to know that it occurs over 600 times in the Old Testament.

So, does Ezekiel's "Rosh" have any relation to the nation we know today as Russia. Wilhelm Gesenius, who died in 1842, was considered by modern Hebrews scholars as one of the greatest Hebrew authorities in recent centuries. He unquestionably believes that ROSH in Ezekiel was a proper noun identifying Russia. I quote him:

"Rosh in Ezekiel is a proper name of a northern nation, mentioned with Meshech and Tubal; undoubtedly the Russians, who are mentioned by the Byzantine writers of the tenth century, under the name The Ros, dwelling to the north of the Taurus (Mtns)…and as dwelling on the Volga (river)."

I also believe there is considerable historical evidence that a place known as ROSH was very familiar in the ancient world. While the word had a variety of spellings and forms, it is clear that the same people are in view. In Egyptian inscriptions, Rosh (or RASH) is identified as a place that existed as early as 2600 BC. Another Egyptian inscription dated to 1500 BC refers to a land called Reshu that was located to the north of Egypt. I could quote a number of other experts and archaeological inscriptions which add to the weight for believing that Ezekiel is speaking of a place called ROSH.

One more source for treating "ROSH" as a name rather than an adjective is found in a document that follows Ezekiel by a couple hundred years. It is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament called the Septuagint version and translated in the third century B.C. This document left ROSH as a place name.

Another reason is geographical. Ezekiel says several times that the invading force comes into Israel from the remote parts of the north. We see that in Ezekiel 38: 6 & 15 and in 39:2. Let's look at one of these passages.

Ezekiel 38:15 NKJV

15 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.

The NAS version translates it as "from your place out of the remotest parts of the north."

Keep in mind that all directions in the Bible are always in relation to the nation of Israel. Every commentary I have read - every Bible scholar I have read or listened to, has not failed to point out that the Hebrew word translated "north" in the KJV means more that just a northerly direction. It means the "farthest north" or the "remotest north" or "uttermost or extreme north." Get yourself a map, go straight from Jerusalem, north, and you will what I mean. Moscow is almost directly north of Jerusalem. And the remotest place to the north is the nation of Russia. Any farther north and you would be in the Arctic Ocean.

If you had been able to talk to Israel's former prime minister, Menachem Begin, before he died in 1992, and ask him his interpretation of Ezekiel 38, he would have told you it speaks of a Russian invasion of his country.

Yes, I believe there is evidence that:

1. The word "ROSH" should be treated as a proper name.

2. The place this word identifies is the nation of Russia.

MESHECH AND TUBAL

The next two names seem to be shown as associated with Rosh and Magog. Meshech was the 6th sons of Japheth, the son of Noah. Tubal was the 5th son of Japheth and brother of Meshech. Some scholars identify these two names as the people who populated the north and east of present day Turkey. Others say they represent two districts or cities in Russia.

In the 5th century B.C., Herodotus identifies Meshech as being the Muschovites. Josephus writes: "...the people of his day called Moschevi and Thobelites were founded by Meshech and Tubal."

Gesenius, the Hebrew scholar wrote: "Meshech was founder of the Moschi, a barbarous people, who dwelt in the Moschian Mountains." He also wrote that the Greek word "Moschi" is derived from the Hebrew name Meshech and is the source word from which we get Moscow.

Some would say that Tubal is the origin of the Russian city, Tobolsk. There is very little, if any, evidence for that, although it would fit if Moscow is derived from Meshech.

PERSIA

The next name mentioned by Ezekiel is in verse 5.

Ezekiel 38:5 NIV

5 Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets,

Persia is probably the easiest of all the names to identify. The nation of Persia existed until 1935, when its name was changed to Iran. In 1979, with the Ayatollah Khomeini and the overthrow of the Shah, its name changed again to The Islamic Republic of Iran.

Let me quote from a prophecy book that was written back in the 1930s. I found its comments very interesting.

"There must be a shifting of the international scene and a realignment of nations in order for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled. This is a most troublesome issue for those of us who take the Bible literally. For instance, Togarmah, which is traced to Turkey, is bound to France and Great Britain. Persia is tied to Great Britain by mutual interest and treaties, and it's hard to imagine that Persia could ever be tied to the Soviet Union."

70 years later, it's all changed. Iran used to be a friend of the United States - no longer. Today it is one of the closest allies of Russia.

Since 1979, Iran has been one of the world's greatest troublemakers. The Iranians are 80% Shiite Muslims (as opposed to the Sunni branch of Islam) and the Shiites are the most radical branch of Islam in the world today. If you believe Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, they would jump at a chance to invade and annihilate Israel. Iran is probably the strongest ally of Russia in this invasion into Israel.

CUSH (SUDAN/ETHIOPIA)

There are two North African nations mentioned in Ezekiel's list. The first is Cush. Ancient Cush was called Kusu by the Assyrians and Babylonians, Kos or Kas by the Egyptians, and Nubia by the Greeks.

Some Bible translations, like the KJV, NKJV, NAS, translate this country as Ethiopia. Most, however, do not translate it, leaving it as Cush. The ancient nation of Cush in Ezekiel's day was the nation directly south of Egypt on the Nile River. Today, the nation that occupies that land is Sudan.

Following a successful military coup-d'éta in 1989, Sudan became a militant Islamic nation. Sudan supported Iraq during the first Gulf War, and gave refuge to Osama bin Laden from 1991 to 1996.

The nations are coming together just as Ezekiel prophesied 2600 years ago. Ezekiel places Persia and Cush next to each other in verse 5, as allies together with many other nations in this invasion into Israel. This is incredible because Iran and Sudan today have a very close relationship. Iran has supplied Sudan with much military supplies, oil, and military training. Sudan, in return, gives Iran docking rights at Port Sudan on Red Sea shipping routes. This unholy alliance is being fulfilled right before our eyes.

PUT/PHUT (LIBYA)

The next ally of Gog mentioned in Ezekiel 38 is called Put or Phut. Like Cush, Put was a son a Ham, Noah's second son (Genesis 10:6). The name PUT occurs in the Old Testament six times outside Ezekiel 38. The most commonly accepted placement of Put is modern Libya. In ancient times, it was the land just west of Egypt. An ancient Babylonian inscription records that Nebuchadnezzar did battle with Egypt in his 37th year and penetrated as far as Puta. The direction Nebuchadnezzar's penetration would have been from the east of Egypt, so this would suggest that Puta was the western neighbor of Egypt, or modern Libya. The Septuagint, which is a Greek translation of the Old Testament, renders the word PUT as Libues.

Ever since the rise of Colonel Mu'ammar al-Gadhafi to power in 1969, the nation of Libya has been a constant source of trouble for Israel and the West. I believe Libya would jump at the chance to join forces with Russia, Sudan, Iran, Turkey and others.

GOMER AND ALL HIS BANDS

Gomer is another son of Japheth. Some place Gomer and all his bands in eastern Europe. Others place them in present-day Turkey. There is evidence they are identified with the Cimmerians, who migrated through Turkey to Eastern Europe and Western Asia.

BETH-TOGARMAH

Most Bible versions translate the word "beth." The NIV and NAS versions leave it as part of the proper name. The word "Beth" means "House," and most translations render this verse to say "house of Togarmah." I really can understand why they might want to leave it as part of the name. We have other biblical names where "Beth" is part of the name, names like Bethlehem, Bethel, Bethsaida.

Bethsaida means: House of Fish

Bethel means: House of God

Bethlehem means: House of Bread

According to Genesis 10:3, Togarmah was a son of Gomer - or a great-grandson of Noah. Its roots are tied to the Armenian peoples. Togarmah comes from Sanscript - "Toka" (tribe) and "Arma" (Armenia). These people were located in northeast Turkey and the area between the Black and Caspian Seas.

We have completed our identification of God's "10-most-wanted" list. But when you look at our map, all of them are some distance from Israel. None of them border Israel. Those that border on Israel - Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are not mentioned.

Also, notice that all but Russia, and possibly Gomer, are Muslim nations today. Iran, Libya and Sudan, three of Israel's most ardent opponents, are also listed by the U.S. government as states that support terrorism. Also notice that Iraq is not mentioned.

The Battle and its Outcome

We have now come to the end of God's Top Ten Most Wanted List in Ezekiel 38:2-6. I hope the picture is coming into focus. All the nations we have seen in Ezekiel 38 are currently on the world scene, and are developing ties with one another, and are vehement enemies of Israel.

We have seen that Gog will devise his evil plan to destroy Israel in the last days. But who or what is the ultimate force behind this invasion? Does Gog make his own plans and do his own bidding, or are there unseen forces at work behind the scenes? The Bible tells us clearly that Satan is the god of this world religiously, and the prince of this world politically. Three times in the Gospel of John, Jesus says that Satan is the prince of this world. We read in 1 John 5:19 that "the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." Revelation 20:3, 7-8 states that one of Satan's primary functions is to "deceive the nations." Therefore, while Gog and his allies will believe that their relentless attack on Israel is for their own purposes, the Bible declares that behind the scenes Satan will be the instigator of Gog's evil plan.

Let's carry this invisible war that is going on a little farther. Gog will clearly be the agent - the instigator - of this invasion, and Satan will be a strong force behind it. But, who is ultimately in control. Is our God just waiting on the sidelines to see how it will all come out? The Prophet Ezekiel declares that the directing force behind this invasion is God Himself. Gog is only the agent, and Satan is only a secondary motivating power.

In Ezekiel 38:4, God says,

..."And I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out."

When Russia and Iran and their allies decide to invade Israel, there will be no stopping them. They will be bent on war and destruction. It will look to them like the perfect time. When these nations invade the land of Israel, it will look like the biggest mismatch in history. It will look like Israel is finished. They will be completely surrounded. When Russia and its allies march into Israel, they will be expecting to march out in victory. There will be no indication to them of what really awaits them.

At the end of every movie when the credits begin to run, one of the first items to appear is, "Directed By…" If Bible prophecy had a list of credits, it would read, it would read, "Directed by God." God is not only the author of the script, He is the producer and director as well. He is orchestrating, organizing, and overruling world events to set the stage so that all the props and players will be in the right place when the curtain goes up. Over and over again, God makes it clear that He is in charge. He says of these future invaders, "And I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out." (Ezekiel 38:4). 7 times in Ezekiel 38 & 39, we read the same words: "Thus says the Lord God." (38:2, 10, 14, 17; 39:1, 17, 25). Another 8 times we find the refrain, "declares the Lord God." Obviously, God does not want us to miss the point. The predictions of these two chapters come directly from Him.

Ezekiel 38:8 - "You will be summoned."

Ezekiel 38:16 - "I will bring you against My land."

Ezekiel 39:2 - "...and I will turn you around, drive you on, take you up…and bring you against the mountains of Israel."

The question might be raise, "Is God violating the free will of these invaders?" I don't think so - they want to come. Ezekiel 38:10 says they "devise an evil plan." There really is nothing implied here that takes away human responsibility. God is holding them responsible for their plans and actions.

So, what happens when Gog meets God?

The prophet Ezekiel writes that when God comes into the land of Israel, God and his forces will cover the mountains of Israel like a storm or a cloud covering the land (Ezekiel 38:9, 16). They will look invincible. But God will intervene on behalf of his people.

BY WHAT MEANS DOES GOD DEFEAT THIS ALLIANCE OF ARMIES?

He uses four primary means to destroy Gog and his allies and their armies

1. Earthquake (Ezekiel 38:19-20)
2. Infighting among the troops (Verse 21)
3. Pestilences or disease (Verse 22)
4. Fire and brimstone (Verse 22)

God will use an earthquake of unparalleled strength to the land of Israel to wipe out the invading horde. But we have no record that this earthquake destroys or damages any cities in Israel.

God has used this tactic before. In Judges 7, Gideon and his 300 troops blew their trumpets, and the Philistines turned their swords against each other. The Bible does not indicate that Gideon and his 300 even took weapons. All 300 had a trumpet in one hand and a pitcher (lamp) in the other. The only sword they had was in what they yelled as they broke their pitchers. "The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon." They blew their trumpets, and confusion caused the Philistines to kill each other.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, there will be infighting among the troops. The troops in this army will speak Russian, Turkic, Arabic, Farsi and others. When mass confusion breaks out, soldiers will probably begin killing anyone who does not speak their language. This will be the largest occurrence of death by "friendly fire" the world has ever seen.

The word pestilence is the same word used to describe the plagues on Pharaoh's livestock in Egypt in Exodus 9:13. God will visit Gog and his troops with a horrible plague that will add to the misery and devastation already inflicted.

The final climactic judgment God will use to eradicate Gog's horde will be fire and brimstone from heaven. Two of the most infamous cities that ever existed in history were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why were they famous? Their fame arises from the fact that they no longer exist. These are the two cities where God poured out fire and brimstone because of their great sin and iniquity, and they were obliterated from the earth.

Notice what it says in Ezekiel 39:6. (NKJV)

6 "And I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

This verse suggest that judgment is coming not only to the invading forces, but also on the headquarters of that power that is, within the safe borders of their homeland. God will not only send fire upon the armies of Gog, but will also pour out fire on God's homeland and headquarters in Magog (Ezek 39:8) Russia's attack on Israel will be her greatest military blunder. Though the battle is brief, the conflict will be one of the most destructive in history.

Ezekiel 39:1-2

1 and you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal:
2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:

The casualties of these invaders are so great that only one-sixth of the fighting force is left after the battle. That casualty rate is unheard of in modern warfare. Talk about shock and awe. It is hard to understand this severe defeat except as an act of God, and that is exactly what Ezekiel says it is. It accomplished the purposes of glorifying God before Israel and the World, and of finally restoring the much-chastened Israel to her God.

God is totally in control. He is leading Russia towards her final destruction. Apparently Russia is overwhelmed early in her campaign, virtually following the moment of the invasion. We see no lengthy scenes of battle. The invasion does not appear to affect population centers, and we hear of no destruction of Israel. The reason I say this is because of Ezekiel 39:4-5.

Ezekiel 39:4-5 NKJV

4 You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken," says the Lord GOD.

We are told that the invading armies fall in defeat upon the mountains and the open fields, not in the metropolitan areas of Israel.

Ezekiel goes into quite a bit of detail about the aftermath of the battle. The dead bodies of the invaders apparently will strew the fields and mountains of the holy land. Chapter 39, verse 11 & 12 (NKJV) says:

11 "It will come to pass in that day that I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea; and it will obstruct travelers, because there they will bury Gog and all his multitude. Therefore they will call it the Valley of Hamon Gog.
12 For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land.

How many dead will there be? According to these verses, the physical death is going to be so massive it will take every able-bodied man in Israel 7 months to bury the dead. Vs. 13: "Indeed, all the people of the land will be burying them." Some will even find full-time employment at it.

Ezekiel 39:14 NKJV

14 They will set apart men regularly employed, with the help of a search party, to pass through the land and bury those bodies remaining on the ground, in order to cleanse it.

Even travelers through the land are asked to watch for stray remains, and to mark the spot for the burial details.

Ezekiel 39:15 NKJV

15 The search party will pass through the land; and when anyone sees a man's bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog.

Hamon-gog is the Hebrew for "the multitude of Gog" which is to become the name of this vast cemetery for these invaders. This large amount of information about the burial emphasizes the very large size of the invading forces. It also speaks of the totality of their defeat. Gog and his allies came into Israel to take over the land. The only piece of land Gog will claim in the land of Israel will be his burial plot. Gog will set out to bury Israel, but God will bury Gog in Israel.

There is no doubt as to the victor. But, what was it all for? Why did this battle take place. Answering the WHY question concerning any matter is often the most difficult. This is especially true when it comes to determining why God acts as He does in certain circumstances. There are times when we never know why and are left to trust God that He is sovereign and always does what is right.

That, however is not the case with this battle. God has been pleased to tell us why the devastation of God and his allies will occur. The answer to the WHY question in these chapters is threefold:

1. For God to bring glory to himself.
2. For God to redeem sinful people.
3. For God to begin the final spiritual restoration of Israel.

The first reason for the destruction of Gog and his horde is to bring glory to God. God does not help Israel because she deserves his help, but because his reputation is on the line. He acts to vindicate His own holy name and show forth his power.

In Ezekiel 38:23 (NKJV),God says,

23 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."'

In Ezekiel 39:21, God says,

21. And I shall set my glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them.

God will bring glory to Himself by vindicating his holy name. But He will also use this judgment as a great sign to convert multitudes of Gentiles during the Tribulation time. This is stated over and over in these two chapters.

Ezekiel 38:26 - That the nations may know Me.

Ezekiel 39:7 - And the nations will know that I am the Lord.

Another purpose that God will achieve through his judgment on Gog will be the beginning of the final restoration of Israel This supernatural intervention by God will be a sign not only to the Gentiles but to the Jews as well. God will use this event to bring about the repentance of many of the Jewish people.

Ezekiel 39:7 NKJV

7 So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore.

Ezekiel 39:22 (NKJV) adds:

22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward.

This event will be so amazing and so clearly supernatural that through it God will make His holy name known in the land of Israel.

Closing

As I ponder the future of the world - and our own future, the truth is that none of us knows how much time we have personally or prophetically. Personally, we don't know if we will live to see tomorrow. God gives us no guarantee of another breath. Prophetically, the events of the end times appear to be in our news every day. Jesus could come today, and all who do not know Him personally will be left behind. Jesus chided the Scribes and Pharisees for not knowing the signs and seasons. But, to us, He has shown both ominous and glorious signs. What are you and I doing about them.

There is no doubt that our world faces an unparalleled predicament. The storm clouds of Iran continue to gather around us. No human knows the details of how it will all play out or when the end will come. But I hope that you are convinced that God has revealed enough to help us see that what's happening right now is part of His master plan. There is no such thing as a crisis with God. He knows all.

My prayer is that each of you be found faithful when Christ comes.

Last Updated: Wednesday September 07 2011
©2001 John's Notes