The Future
WARNING: This is not for the faint-hearted.
This has to do with the future of Israel. You skeptics out there aren’t going to like this. But let me say one thing: in no way, shape, or form am I telling you when all this is going to transpire. For not even Jesus knows. [Matthew 24:36-41]. Just read on and make your own conclusions (or go away).
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So…what about Israel’s future? You might want to take a look at Ezekiel 38. I think it’s pretty obvious here that God will put into the hearts and minds of Israel’s enemies to gather for a massive military strike against Israel. Even the timing – the latter days – is mentioned. [Ezekiel 38:4-9].
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This chapter even describes Israel as a land of unwalled villages (just as it is today) and mentions other nations questioning the intent of the attackers yet seeming doing nothing about it otherwise [Ezekiel 38:10-13]. There’s even mention of attackers from the far north – Russia perhaps? [Ezekiel 38:6]
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To summarize, Ezekiel 38:14-16 seems to indicate a massive sneak attack – again from the far north – upon the nation of Israel. This attack is intended to show the world that God is in charge and that Israel is His people.
**
When we read on through chapter 39, it reiterates that Israel’s enemies will be led out to destroy Israel yet be destroyed themselves. Verses 11-16 even tell us where the dead will be buried and that it will take seven months to find all the remains.
**
So who are all the players in this drama besides Israel?
WARNING: This is not for the faint-hearted.
This has to do with the future of Israel. You skeptics out there aren’t going to like this. But let me say one thing: in no way, shape, or form am I telling you when all this is going to transpire. For not even Jesus knows. [Matthew 24:36-41]. Just read on and make your own conclusions (or go away).
**
So…what about Israel’s future? You might want to take a look at Ezekiel 38. I think it’s pretty obvious here that God will put into the hearts and minds of Israel’s enemies to gather for a massive military strike against Israel. Even the timing – the latter days – is mentioned. [Ezekiel 38:4-9].
**
This chapter even describes Israel as a land of unwalled villages (just as it is today) and mentions other nations questioning the intent of the attackers yet seeming doing nothing about it otherwise [Ezekiel 38:10-13]. There’s even mention of attackers from the far north – Russia perhaps? [Ezekiel 38:6]
**
To summarize, Ezekiel 38:14-16 seems to indicate a massive sneak attack – again from the far north – upon the nation of Israel. This attack is intended to show the world that God is in charge and that Israel is His people.
**
When we read on through chapter 39, it reiterates that Israel’s enemies will be led out to destroy Israel yet be destroyed themselves. Verses 11-16 even tell us where the dead will be buried and that it will take seven months to find all the remains.
**
So who are all the players in this drama besides Israel?
Two names mentioned are still used in modern day language – Persia and Ethiopia. Granted, Persia is now called Iran (but only since 1935). This is the same Iran who won’t let UN inspectors look at their nuclear facilities, has tested a missile that can reach Israel, and whose leader has allegedly asked his nuclear scientists to produce two bombs by January. In a broader sense, Ethiopia can also mean Nubia, which encompasses much of “Black Africa.”
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Many ancient sources identify Magog as Scythians, who settled in the steppes of what is now modern Russia, and ancestors of today’s Russians.
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Put (or Phut) refers to Libya and in a broader sense encompasses a large portion of North Africa, including Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.
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Gomer can be traced to the Cimmerians, who eventually settled in the Rhine and Danube valleys. In other words, Germany.
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Beth Togarmah refers to Turkic tribes in Turkey, Turkistan, and Armenia.
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Meshach and Tubal represent tribes that settled in Turkey and perhaps even southern Russia.
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There are some significant non-players in this drama as well. Sheba and Dedan were cities in what is now Saudi Arabia.1 Not surprising when you consider that they are perhaps the United States’ strongest Muslim ally.
Tarshish is likely a reference to the Phoenician settlement of Tartessus located in southwestern Spain. It was also the far-away place that Jonah was trying get to in order to avoid God [Jonah 1:3]. There is a phrase in the Bible – Ships of Tarshish – which often is attributed to any large, far-sailing ships regardless of they were traveling to or from Tarshish. Still another meaning of Tarshish is “sea coast” and may have referred to any coastal area in Europe. There’s an interesting article regarding the Merchants of Tarshish.
**
Russia is a plausible enemy in this scenario. Just look at all the problem Russia has experienced since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Communism failed miserably in the old USSR. Democracy and capitalism aren’t doing much better now, either; Russia is still paying dearly for a lack of infrastructure that was largely ignored while the old USSR was busy spending precious resources on the Cold War arms race.
**
One thing the old Soviet-style of government did well is eastern Europe was to keep the minorities in their place. Repressed actually.
**
I witnessed this personally in 1990 when I visited the former Soviet Union and Poland. The difference between Poland (where communism fell the year before) and the USSR (where communism would fall the next year) was like night and day. In Poland you could sense the exuberance. In the USSR, you could sense the frustration.
**
I had actually visited two republics of the USSR – Russia and Estonia. In 1990, communism was already crumbling and everyone knew it. It was like the elephant in the room that nobody wanted to talk about. The coup that overthrew the communist regime in 1991 was not a matter of if, but when.
**
But there was a glimmer of hope. This was very apparent in Estonia – a minority republic of the USSR. They were expressing their freedom – and getting away with it.
**
Despite their new-found freedom, democracy is failing in Russia. All the years of oppression by the Russians upon all the peoples of the former Soviet bloc is coming back to haunt Russia. Look at the mess in Chechnya. Look at the recent terrorist attacks, most notably two downed jetliners and horrific hostage situations in an opera house in Moscow and a school in Breslan.
**
Russian President Vladimir Putin, a former KGB agent and director of Russia’s Federal Security Service and Security Secretary, has had it. He’s made his views clear on Chechnya. Don’t be surprised to find a more repressive regime taking over in Russia, whether it be by Putin’s hands or by someone who thinks he can do better.
**
Then there’s the United States. Did you know that we aren’t even mentioned in end-time prophecy in any way? It could very well be that when the stuff hits the fan in Israel, we will continue to be pinned down in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention the skeleton crew we have keeping the peace along the 38th Parallel on the Korean Peninsula.
**
Perhaps we will be stymied by our economic ties as well. After all, we sell weapons to Israel to defend against the same people we buy our oil from (who in turn buy their weapons from Russia and China). Oh, what a tangled web we weave.
**
Again, I stress that I’m not setting a timeframe for this to happen, nor am I saying this is going to happen exactly in the way I’ve outlined here.
**
What can you do? Do as St. Francis of Assisi suggested: "Preach the Gospel everywhere you go, and if necessary, use words." Pray for this big, scary world of ours. And be ready.
______________
Notes:
1. “Magog” [Online] Available: http://www.harpazo.net/magog.html
**
Russia is a plausible enemy in this scenario. Just look at all the problem Russia has experienced since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Communism failed miserably in the old USSR. Democracy and capitalism aren’t doing much better now, either; Russia is still paying dearly for a lack of infrastructure that was largely ignored while the old USSR was busy spending precious resources on the Cold War arms race.
**
One thing the old Soviet-style of government did well is eastern Europe was to keep the minorities in their place. Repressed actually.
**
I witnessed this personally in 1990 when I visited the former Soviet Union and Poland. The difference between Poland (where communism fell the year before) and the USSR (where communism would fall the next year) was like night and day. In Poland you could sense the exuberance. In the USSR, you could sense the frustration.
**
I had actually visited two republics of the USSR – Russia and Estonia. In 1990, communism was already crumbling and everyone knew it. It was like the elephant in the room that nobody wanted to talk about. The coup that overthrew the communist regime in 1991 was not a matter of if, but when.
**
But there was a glimmer of hope. This was very apparent in Estonia – a minority republic of the USSR. They were expressing their freedom – and getting away with it.
**
Despite their new-found freedom, democracy is failing in Russia. All the years of oppression by the Russians upon all the peoples of the former Soviet bloc is coming back to haunt Russia. Look at the mess in Chechnya. Look at the recent terrorist attacks, most notably two downed jetliners and horrific hostage situations in an opera house in Moscow and a school in Breslan.
**
Russian President Vladimir Putin, a former KGB agent and director of Russia’s Federal Security Service and Security Secretary, has had it. He’s made his views clear on Chechnya. Don’t be surprised to find a more repressive regime taking over in Russia, whether it be by Putin’s hands or by someone who thinks he can do better.
**
Then there’s the United States. Did you know that we aren’t even mentioned in end-time prophecy in any way? It could very well be that when the stuff hits the fan in Israel, we will continue to be pinned down in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention the skeleton crew we have keeping the peace along the 38th Parallel on the Korean Peninsula.
**
Perhaps we will be stymied by our economic ties as well. After all, we sell weapons to Israel to defend against the same people we buy our oil from (who in turn buy their weapons from Russia and China). Oh, what a tangled web we weave.
**
Again, I stress that I’m not setting a timeframe for this to happen, nor am I saying this is going to happen exactly in the way I’ve outlined here.
**
What can you do? Do as St. Francis of Assisi suggested: "Preach the Gospel everywhere you go, and if necessary, use words." Pray for this big, scary world of ours. And be ready.
______________
Notes:
1. “Magog” [Online] Available: http://www.harpazo.net/magog.html
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