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Ezekiel Chapters 38 & 39

The Final War, Or The Beginning Of Sorrows?

By  Gene Creech
    

THERE SHALL BE WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS

It is not hard in the world today to imagine a war in the Middle East where the Islamic nations mount an attack against Israel.

After the defeats at the hands of Israel in 1967 and 1973, all of the Arab nations, except Jordan and Egypt, have vowed to destroy Israel. With the aid of the oil dependent nations of Europe behind them, will they try again?

Could tiny Israel survive such an attack?

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal". Ezekiel 38:3 describes God’s anger toward Gog, the ruler of Mesheck and Tubal. Meshech and Tubal are Moscow and Tobolsk, which are cities in Russia.

Ezekiel 38:4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen…

At a time when God chooses, He will bring Russia and the armies of Persia (Iran and Iraq), Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer (Germany and Poland), Togarmah (Turkey) and other countries against the land of Israel.

Joel 3:1 – 2 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, …

Ezekiel 38:8 – 9 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.

This attack would take place after the Jews had been gathered back in the land, and were dwelling in safety. This war has not happened yet as the Jews have only been gathering back to Israel since 1948. It could not have happened before that took place.

So, when will it happen? This war has many similarities to the war described in Rev. 15:19 - 20, 16:12 – 16, 19:19 – 21, but are they the same war? Or could the war, described in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, be another war? A war at the beginning of the time known as "The Great Tribulation?" Several things point to suggest that this war may occur at the beginning.

  • It is generally believed that the "Kings of the East" will have a large part in the battle of Armageddon. With their 200,000,000 man army alone verses Israel’s entire population of 7,200,000, Israel would be out numbered more than twenty-seven to one. Why are they not mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39? An army that size would surely be mentioned along with the others if they were in the same war.
     
  • The war in Ezekiel is focused on Gog and Russia. Russia’s long history of persecuting the Jewish people will bring sore judgment upon them to the point that they will no longer be a Super Power. The Armageddon war, however, is focused on the antichrist, who is probably from Syria or Turkey, and his armies. He will be a world dictator, who not only tries to persecute the Jews into extinction, but also tries to enslave the world.
     
  • God will allow 1/6 of Russia’s army to survive. Ezekiel 39:2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee. Unlike the armies of Russia, Christ will destroy all of the armies of the antichrist upon His return. No remnant of the antichrist's army will survive. Rev. 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

The armies of the antichrist will be destroyed by the sword of Christ. Unlike the Russian armies which will be destroyed by pestilence, blood, over flowing rain, great hailstones, fire and brimstone. Every man’s sword will be turned against his brother, much like when Gideon fought the Midianites.

Ezekiel 39:9 – 10 And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD.

Israel will burn the gas, oil and weapons left from the Russian invasion. This will be enough to last them through a period of seven years. What is this "seven years"? Could it be at a time when they will not be able to buy or sell without the "mark". Will God have provided Israel with enough fuel to get them through the time of "Jacob’s Trouble"?

COULD THIS HAPPEN IN OUR DAY?

 A brief look at the news will tell you that the answer to this question is "yes".

Anti-Semitism is growing rapidly throughout the world. The United States is changing it's long standing position of support for Israel. England has even removed the accounts of the "holocaust" from their history books.

This is because the Muslim population is growing throughout Europe at a very fast pace. The pope has ceased all missionary work in Israel. A look at the alliances between Russia, Iran, Syria and other enemies of Israel will show that this group of nations is starting to align. Russian arms deals with these countries show that a war is in the near future. Iran has test fired a missile with a 1200 mile range capable of striking Israel. Even Libya has agreed to an arms deal with Russia. What are they preparing for? Are the nations of this alliance preparing for the war prophesied in Ezekiel? Could the antichrist take credit for ending this war, and make a seven year peace treaty with Israel that will bring him into world power, and begin this time of Jaobs Trouble? God knows.

 

Tiny Israel and the Almighty God will spoil this mighty army.

Ezekiel 39:4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. Amen.

 

Brother Gene Creech