| THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON |
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| This is the prophecy of the great battle of Armageddon. In Ezek 38:19, we read about the great earthquake described in Rev 16:18. In Ezek 38:20, we learn that the mountains shall be thrown down, as described in Rev 16:20. Ezekiel Chapters 34 to 38 are a prophecy of the physical Israel, and the spiritual Israel. Israel will be the center of Christianity in the last days, and will be attacked by the forces of the Antichrist, the same forces described in Ezekiel Chapter 39. This is the final deception and attack of Satan, “three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet” (Rev 16:13). Satan will once again use political and spiritual forces in his final attack of the saints. But God will absolutely destroy him, “I will magnify Myself” (Ezek 38:23). |
| 1 The word of Yihvah 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 Yihvah: Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal: 4 and I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords; 5 Persia, Cush, and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer, and all his hordes; the house of Togarmah in the uttermost parts of the north, and all his hordes; even many peoples with you. |
| Ezek 38:2 Gog – who is the leader of these forces, which include three of the seven sons of Japheth: Magog, Meschech, and Tubal. These are the three sons in Gen 10:2. Gomer is also included in verse 6, along with Togarmah, a son of Gomer. (The three sons of Japheth not included among these forces are Madai, Javan and Tiras. There is also Persia, Ethiopia and Libya mentioned in verse 5.) In 70 AD, the Jewish Historian Josephus told us who these people are: Now they were the grandchildren of Noah, in honor of whom names were imposed on the nations by those that first seized upon them. Japhet, the son of Noah, had seven sons: they inhabited so, that, beginning at the mountains Taurus and Amanus, they proceeded along Asia, as far as the river Tansis, and along Europe to Cadiz; and settling themselves on the lands which they light upon, which none had inhabited before, they called the nations by their own names. For Gomer founded those whom the Greeks now call Galatians, [Galls,] but were then called Gomerites. Magog founded those that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians. Now as to Javan and Madai, the sons of Japhet; from Madai came the Madeans, who are called Medes, by the Greeks; but from Javan, Ionia, and all the Grecians, are derived. Thobel (Tubal) founded the Thobelites, who are now called Iberes; and the Mosocheni were founded by Mosoch (Meschech); now they are Cappadocians. Book 1, Chapter 6 of “Antiquities of the Jews.” We’ll summarize Josephus’ explanation of the other three Sons of Japheth: Madai is the father of the Iranian people. Javan is the father of Ionia, in modern day Turkey and Greece. Tiras is the father of the Thracians, who are in the Balkans, north of Greece. Of course, various scholars have arrived at different interpretations as to where these people eventually migrated and who they are. Gog Himself appears to be from approximately around Russia. Although many say the name “Rosh” has nothing to do with Russia. How do we interpret these sons, and who are they? Certainly, Tubal is the father of the Latin people of the Iberian Peninsula., the three kings subdued by the beast, whom Irenaeus identified as Lateinos, the fourth Kingdom of Daniel. These are the people who conquered the Greek Empire of Javan. Magog, Gomer and Meschech seem to represent the people directly north of Israel.  |
| 7 Be prepared, yes, prepare yourself, you, and all your companies who are assembled to you, and be a guard to them. 8 After many days you shall be visited: in the latter years you shall come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, on the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought forth out of the peoples, and they shall dwell securely, all of them. |
| Ezek 38:8 In the latter years – at the time of the end, as per Dan 11:40. brought out of the nations – Ezekiel prophesied the restoration of Israel, which occurred in 1948. |
| 9 You shall ascend, you shall come like a storm, you shall be like a cloud to cover the land, you, and all your hordes, and many peoples with you. |
| Ezek 38:9 coming like a storm – describing the irrational behavior of this leader who has been deceived by Satan, see Rev 16:14. |
| 10 Thus says Adonai Yihvah: It shall happen in that day, that things shall come into your mind, and you shall devise an evil device: 11 and you shall say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to those who are at rest, who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates; 12 to take the spoil and to take the prey; to turn your hand against the waste places that are [now] inhabited, and against the people who are gathered out of the nations, who have gotten cattle and goods, who dwell in the middle of the earth. 13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions of it, shall tell you, Are you come to take the spoil? have you assembled your company to take the prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take great spoil? 14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and tell Gog, Thus says Adonai Yihvah : In that day when my people Israel dwells securely, shall you not know it? |
| Ezek 38:11 to a peaceful people – in Isa 2:4, we read that in the last days the nations will beat their swords into plowshears. The final deception of Satan follows a long period of peace, and safety, as Paul mentions in 1 Thess 5:3. |
| 17 Thus says Adonai Yihvah: Are you he of whom I spoke in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for [many] years that I would bring you against them? |
| Ezek 38:17 Are you he…? – this fulfillment of this prophecy is well expected by all. |
| 18 It shall happen in that day, when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, says Adonai Yihvah, that my wrath shall come up into my nostrils.19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20 so that the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky, and the animals of the field, and all creeping things who creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the surface of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21 I will call for a sword against him to all my mountains, says Adonai Yihvah : every man’s sword shall be against his brother. 22 With pestilence and with blood will I enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him, and on his hordes, and on the many peoples who are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and sulfur. 23 I will magnify myself, and sanctify myself, and I will make myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am Yihvah. |
| Ezek 38:18 My fury will show in My face – called “the Great Day of their wrath” in Rev 6:17. Ezek 38:19 a great earthquake – the great earthquake described in Rev 6:12; and 16:18. Ezek 38:20 the mountains shall be thrown down – as described in Rev 6:14, “every mountain was moved out of its place,” and in Rev 16:20: “the mountains were not found.” Ezek 38:22 great hailstones – in Rev 16:21, each hailstone is said to be about the weight of one talent, 60 to 100 pounds. |
