Prophetic Studies

GOG MAGOG WAR The Invasion of Israel

Ezekiel 38 (New King James Version)

38:1 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
38:2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
38:3 "and say, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.

Note: First of all, we must identify who is Gog and what is the land of Magog. First it is stablished that Gog is an individual and Magog is the region that individual governs. According to the study of the Division of the Nations described in Genesis and in accordance to historical facts, the regions named in this prophesy refer to the land mass we today know as the former Soviet Union States, mainly Russia.

38:4 "I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.
38:5 "Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
38:6 "Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops-many people are with you.
38:7 "Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them.

Note: This will be a military campaign. The language used here for the weaponry is very ancient and for that reason alone many see this prophesy as already fulfilled. but we must uderstand that in the days of Ezequiel, there were no tanks, jets, bombs cruisers and all the modern weapons of war. he had to describe what the Lord showed him in the terms of his days. According to the terms mentioned, the nations that potentially will unite in this military campaign will be: Iran, Iraq, Lybia, Arabian countries south of Israel, Ethiopia, European Union Nations- All led by Russia or possibly a newly created Russian Empire or revived Soviet union. What do all of these countries have in common? Anti-Semitism.

38:8 "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.

Note: The Jewish people has been in exile since 70 AD, when Roman General Titus destroyed the Holy city of Jerusalem. They were dispersed through out all the nations of the world, suffering persecution until the State of israel was restored in May 14, 1948. Since then, the restoration of the Jews has been a top priotity of the Israeli State. The modern State of Israel launched two succesful immigation efforts for Jews. Starting first with Operation Salomon, which rescued the Jews from Ethiopia and the Exodus II, from the former Soviet Union States. The regathering of the Jews to their land is still an ongoing process, but it will not last longer. According to the prophesy here, only one nation has been dispersed, persecuted with the sword and regathered to the mountains of Israel. That qualifies only Israel as that nation. The prophesy also states that Israel will be dwelling in safety. Notice that safety is not the absence of conflict. Modern weapons and ensures Israel a relative state of security.

38:9 "You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you."

Note: In military terms, Israel will be totally surrounded by enemy forces, north, south, east and west. The verse also hints that this will be a swift campaign, possibly a surprise strike that Israel will not be prepared for or not accounted for.

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:
38:11 "You will say, 'I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates'-
38:12 "to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.
38:13 "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?' " '

Note: Verse 11 is quite fascinating. In the past, most cities were built inside huge walls. Those walls were meant for protection against attacks from enemy forces. Huge gates and massive walls guaranteed the citizens of those cities, relative security. Thsi verse speaks of a state of existing peace. We know that Israel today has signed and ratified the WYE Accord. This accord has the potential of bringing in a relative state of peace between Israel and the Paslestinians. Recently we have received word from the Jerusalem Post and other media outlets that there is the potential of a major breakdown in the implementation of the Accords. But President Clinton is quickly moving in the area to secure peace. Israel is under tremendous US and world pressure to give up the land to the Palestinians according to the Accords. I believe that Israel will give in, eventually. They desire peace above all. Then we will have a relative peace. Remember, there will be no total and lasting peace until Jesus rules the nations Himself. The WYE Accords have the potential to bring in that relative peace predicted in that verse. Why then the motive of the invasion of Israel?
Verse 12 gives us the reason: greed. Israel is rich in natural resources, industry, technology and agriculture. According to irrefutable historical evidence, the Soviet Union has always had interests in the Middle East. The interest was oil, strategic importance and a warm water port for the Soviet Fleet. Some assume that since the Soviet Union does not exist anymore, that those interests are not currently pursued. The denial of these facts clearly shows a lack of knowledge of Russian activities. According to Western Media Outlets, such as CNN, Israel has shown alarm over the aid the Russians are giving the Iranians in their Nuclear Program. Today Russia is a brewing military giant. It's economy is in chaos and Democracy has failed in that nation. There is strong resentment from the populace towards the current governmen and there are many signs pointing to the creation of a Communist State. According to the prophesy, a strong Russian leader will one day arise, together with a coalition of nations and invade Israel to plunder the riches of the region. Then what would be the catalyst for the invasion?
The Decalaration of the Palestinian State. Yasser Arafat has continually decalred the unilateral declalation of a Palestinian State. Currently Yasser Arafat has officially been currying the favor of many nations and sought their recognition of a Palestinian State. Currently Yasser Arafat has the unofficial blesing from the USA. President Clinton has pledged over $400 million dollars towards the Palestinian Authority. Arafat has had high level meeting with China, Beijing has given them economic backing as well. Arafat has also the backing of the European Union countries and the Palestinian Authority has received additional rights from the UN. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that it would not tolerate the creation of an Independent Palestinian State. Arafat has also declared that Jerusalem will be the Capital of the Palestinian State. This is very explosive. Israel will never give up Jerusalem. If Arafat follows suit with the declaration, no matter when, there will be war. Then the stage will be set for the Invasion of Israel. Russia will seize the opportunity to move against Israel and lead the attacking forces against the Jews.

38:14 "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?
38:15 "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.
38:16 "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."
38:17 '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?

Note: God will cause this future leader of Russia to invade Israel. Why? Why would the Lord do such a thing? So that when the Lord delivers Israel from total destruction, then Israel and the nations of the world will indeed realize that the Lord alone is God. Currently the nations of the world, including Israel, is asleep spiritually. Only a supernatural intervention from God will wake the nations and make them see the existence of the only true God.

38:18 "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.
38:19 "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,
38:20 '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.'
38:21 "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.
38:22 "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.
38:23 "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." '

Note: When Israel is at the point of anihalation, the Lord's fury will arise against the invading armies. First there will be a massive earthquake in Israel. This will cause whole mountain ranges to fall and great destruction to the land. Then there will be great confusion and histeria in the invading armies. Soldiers will turn against their own armies. There will be great bloodshed. Pestilance speaks of biological warfare, which the armies will use against each other. There will be flooding rain and hailstorms mixed with fire. The invaders will meet the judgment of God. Note that there is no action from the Israelis, this is the Lord Himself fighting for Israel.

Ezekiel 39 (New King James Version)

39:1 "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;
39:2 "and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel.
39:3 "Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand.
39:4 "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.
39:5 "You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken," says the Lord God.
39:6 "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.

Note: So we see the complete destruction of the invading armies on the mountains of Israel by the hands of the Lord. Does God desires the death of the wicked? By no means. He wishes that all will come and experience His love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. The destruction of the invading armies will be inpart God's judment on the nations that has persecuted the Jews before.

39:7 "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. Then the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.
39:8 "Surely it is coming, and it shall be done," says the Lord God. "This is the day of which I have spoken.

Note: This will result in a great worldwide revival. The nations of the world will be sensitive to the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many will in those days receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Israel's heart will be softened by the Lord.

39:9 "Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years.
39:10 "They will not take wood from the field nor cut down any from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will plunder those who plundered them, and pillage those who pillaged them," says the Lord God.
39:11 "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.
39:12 "For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land.
39:13 "Indeed all the people of the land will be burying, and they will gain renown for it on the day that I am glorified," says the Lord God.
39:14 "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. At the end of seven months they will make a search.
39:15 "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.
39:16 "The name of the city will also be Hamonah. Thus they shall cleanse the land." '
39:17 "And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord God, 'Speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field: "Assemble yourselves and come; Gather together from all sides to My sacrificial meal Which I am sacrificing for you, A great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel, That you may eat flesh and drink blood.
39:18 You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, Drink the blood of the princes of the earth, Of rams and lambs, Of goats and bulls, All of them fatlings of Bashan.
39:19 You shall eat fat till you are full, And drink blood till you are drunk, At My sacrificial meal Which I am sacrificing for you.
39:20 You shall be filled at My table With horses and riders, With mighty men And with all the men of war," says the Lord God.
39:21 "I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them.
39:22 "So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward.
39:23 "The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.
39:24 "According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them." '
39:25 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name-
39:26 'after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid.
39:27 'When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations,
39:28 '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.
39:29 '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."

Note: Starting verse 9, Israel will gain much in weaponry from the defeated armies. There will be also much fuel left over, which they will use for the nation's energy needs. There will also be an effort to cleanse the land of the rotting corpses. This burial effort will take seven months ro complete. There will be a great revival and the nations will aknowledge that only god could have saved Israel. The Jewish State will aknowledge the Lord and His grace. Many will come to the faith after the failed invasion. There then remains a question of timing. When will all of this take place. According to human logic and the turn of events, this war could take place as early as March 1999, if we use the declaration of the Palestinian State as a point of reference. I want to remind you that I am only a human being. I do fail and I claim no special revelation from God during this study. I do however believe that the Bible is the Word of God and will happen just as God showed Ezequiel. This war however is important, because according to prominent theologians, this war leads to the Rapture of the Church. We will cover the Rapture in detail in the next prophectic study.

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