We see the situation in the Middle East changing with the advent of Russian Military help to Syria. How does this fit in with Bible prophecy? If Russia is in fact the present representative of "Gog and Magog" of Ezekiel 38 and 39 then it would seem to make sense for Russia to have a military presence in the Middle East for that future invasion of Israel to take place. In the chapters in Ezekiel we see Gog, from the chief cities Meshech and Tubal invade Israel. There is some controversy about who exactly Gog is and from which land area he will come. Derek Walker has written a scholarly article summarizing the point of view I take in this article titled Where is MESHECH and TUBAL? I have included his article below.
Derek Walker writes,
Tubal and Meshech are mentioned together in Ezekiel 38:2. They were the 5th and 6th sons of Japheth, the son of Noah (Genesis 10:2). Some believe these people intermarried and became known as Magog, the dominant tribe. There are two main theories for their location: (1) RUSSIA and (2) TURKEY. Whichever it is does not change the overall picture as both are identified by the other names in Ezekiel.
(1) Regarding Meshech and Tubal, some assign a Russian identification, connecting these 2 nations with the modern Russian cities of Moscow and Tobolsk. Meshech - Moscow, and Tubal - Tobolsk. The first view became well known through the Scofield Study Bible: “That the primary reference is to the Northern powers headed by Russia, all agree. The reference to Meshech and Tubal (Moscow and Tobolsk) is a clear mark of identification.” Thus the name Moscow derives from the tribal name Meshech, and Tobolsk, the name of the principal state, from Tubal. This view is partly based on the similarity of sound in these names and their close proximity to Rosh (Russia). If this is so, the names Meshech and Tubal, point directly to Russia, being identified with Moscow, the capital of modern Russia, and Tobolsk in Asiatic Russia. Modern Tobolsk was founded in 1587 in western Siberia, and from there the Cossacks rode eastward to open up all of Siberia to Russian domination. Meshech and Tubal would then be names standing for Russia in Europe and Asia. L.Sale-Harrison corroborated this identification on linguistic grounds.
Ethnologists, historians who track the migrations of people, tell us after the Flood, the Japhethites migrated from Asia Minor to the north, beyond the Caspian and Black Seas. They settled in the area of Rosh that we know today as Russia.Wilhelm Gesenius, the world class Hebrew scholar, whose Hebrew Lexicon has never been surpassed, said Gog is undoubtedly the Russians. He also identified Meshech as Moscow, the capital of modern Russia. Tubal he identified as Tobolsk, the earliest province in Asiatic Russia to be colonised, and also the name of the city in which Peter the Great built the old fortress after the pattern of the Kremlin in Moscow. “Meshech was founder of the Moschi, a barbarous people, who dwelt in the Moschian mountains.” He went on to say that the Greek name “Moschi”, derived from the Hebrew ‘Meshech’, is the source of the name for the city of MOSCOW. In discussing Tubal he said, “Tubal is the son of Rapheth, founder of the Tibereni, a people dwelling on the Black Sea to the west of the Moschi.” His conclusion was these people make up the modern Russian people.
‘Meshech’ the 6th son of Japheth, settled in the NE portion of Asia Minor. His posterity extended from the shores of the Black Sea along to the south of the Caucasus. He was the father of the Rossi and Moschi, who dispersed their colonies over a vast portion of Russian territory. And their names are preserved in the names of Russians and Muscovites to this day. The Septuagint version of the Old Testament renders the term: “Meshech” by the words “Mosch” and “Rosch”; while “Moscovy” was a common name for Russia, and the city of Moscow is one of her principal cities. ‘Tubal’ or ‘Tobal’ settled beyond the Caspian and Black Seas in the eastern possessions of Russia, embracing a very large portion of these dominions. The name of this patriarch is still preserved in the river Tobal, which waters an immense tract of Russian territory; and the City of Tobalski in Russia is still a monument to him.
(2) Another line of study reveals that Meschech and Tubal are the ancient Moschi/Mushki and Tubalu/Tibareni peoples who dwelled in the area around, primarily south of, the Black and Caspian Seas in Ezekiel's day. Meshech and Tubal are mentioned together in Ezekiel 27:13 as trading partners with ancient Tyre (modern Lebanon). Today these regions are in Turkey, possibly including parts of southern Russia and northern Iran. Meshech was located near what was known as Phrygia, in central and western Asia Minor, while Tubal was located in eastern Asia Minor. So Meshech and Tubal form portions of modern Turkey. (However later migrations north into Russia mean that this view is also consistent with the first theory).
Herodotus, the 5th century BC Greek philosopher, mentioned Meshech and Tubal. He identified them with a people named the Sarmatians and Mushovites who lived at that time in the ancient province of Pontus in northern Asia Minor, SE of the Black Sea [Histories IV], again pointing to modern Turkey.
Josephus said that the people of his day known as the Moschevi and Thobelites were founded by Meshech and Tubal respectively [Antiquities I.6].
Expositors Bible Commentary: “Meshech and Tubal refer to areas in eastern Turkey, southwest of Russia and northwest of Iran.”
Assyrian texts & monuments locate Meshech (Mushku) and Tubal (Tabal) in Anatolia (W.Turkey), the areas that became known as Phrygia and Cappadocia.
Mark Hitchcock concludes: “Meshech and Tubal are identified in ancient history with the Mushki and Tabal of the Assyrians, and the Moschi and Tibareni of the Greeks (according to Herodotus), who inhabited territory in modern Turkey.”
Today this region is predominantly Islamic. While modern Turkey has been secular, pro-western with a good relationship with Israel (particularly in the military), recently Turkey has swung back towards a return to a stronger Islamic and anti-Israel identification (see Appendix 8), which means that Ezekiel’s prophecy could be ready to be fulfilled any time now!
Later migrations north from Turkey to Russia could mean that both identifications are valid, and indeed both Turkey and Russia are directly to the north of Israel (as required by Ezekiel 38:6, 15, 39:2). In any case, between them, Magog, Rosh, Mechesh and Tubal certainly represent RUSSIA leading the CIS Republics along with TURKEY. After RUSSIA it seems that TURKEY and IRAN (see their Appendix 9) must be the major players in this Invasion from the North. (End of Derek Walker's article]
Dennis continues,
So despite some modern day prophets and scholars saying otherwise, there is sound Biblical and scholarly research confirming Russia as Gog and Magog. If we read through the countries that will participate in the invasion of Israel we also find Iran, Ethiopia, Libya, Turkey and some even believe Germany may be included. [1] The countries that dispute the invasion are none other than Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, USA and possibly Canada and Australia. [2] The Oxford Bible Church has written an article explaining this point of view which can be read here. I do not agree with everything they say, but just so you know I am not the only one presenting this interpretation. Their article about the invasion can be read here. They mention that God allows this invasion and America does not seem to be able to stop it. God will bring the Antichrist forces against Israel to punish Israel for her sins and then punish the Antichrist during the Battle of Armageddon some time afterwards for his sins.[3]
All this to say, the current situation in Syria with the Russian presence seems to fit in line with Bible prophecy, with Russia maintaining military presence in Syria which would facilitate a future invasion of Israel by a combined force of Russia and its allies. Have you taken time to study Bible prophecy so you can be ready for the terrible days ahead? Jesus mentioned that unless he cut short the Great Tribulation period, no life on earth would be saved.[4]
In November 25, 1973 D. Brandt Berg published his famous controversial letter called Israel Invaded which was distributed widely throughout the world. I have included it here below. Some of the circumstances have changed, but he still makes some valid points for you to consider. Keep attentive to the situation in the Middle East. Bible prophecy clearly seems to indicate that that is where the war leading to WWIII and Armageddon will take place. Are you ready?
Israel Invaded by D. Brandt Berg
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, (a falling away from the true faith in Christ as the Messiah) and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition (the Antichrist);" 2 Thessalonians 2:3
ISRAEL WILL SOON BE INVADED AND CONQUERED AND AMERICA DESTROYED by a combination of world powers led by Russia, according to the Bible and our own recent revelations. The Bible even names the countries that will participate and the route of their invasion!
THE BIBLE SAYS THIS IS THE ONLY WAY the Arab-Israeli war can be ended and a final agreement reached on the Arab lands and an international pact made concerning the city of Jerusalem.
BECAUSE ISRAEL WILL NEVER WILLINGLY WITHDRAW from the Israeli-occupied Arab territories and has said flatly she will never give up Jerusalem, and because the Arabs have said they will never be satisfied with anything short of an Israeli withdrawal from Arab territories, including and particularly Jerusalem, nothing less than forced intervention by one of the superpowers can solve the situation.
SINCE ISRAEL IS AN AMERICAN COLONY and America's only beachhead in the Middle East aimed at the Arab oil fields, and America cannot survive without the oil which the Arabs are determined not to give her unless she makes Israel give up Jerusalem and the Arab territories and let the Palestinians back in, which she will never do, America will fight for the possession of Israel and Arab oil.
NEITHER RUSSIA, ASIA, AFRICA NOR EVEN EUROPE COULD POSSIBLY TOLERATE SUCH HIGH-HANDED AGGRESSIVE BELLIGERENT AMERICAN ARMED INTERVENTION in the Middle East to achieve her own ends for the protection of Israel and conquest of the Arab oil fields, and thereby complete American domination of the entire Middle East and North Africa to the very borders of Russia.
RUSSIA AND THE MIDDLE EASTERN NATIONS WITH THE HELP OF OTHER ASIAN AND EUROPEAN POWERS WILL CONFRONT SUCH AN AMERICAN THREAT or attempt, by their own armed invasion of Israel to put a stop to it and end the Arab-American Israeli War, restore the Arab lands to their rightful owners, reinstate the rights of the Arab Palestinians with self-determination, and make Jerusalem an international religious capital of the world by a specific pact enforced on the participants by this combination of world powers and its coming world dictator.
SO THE BIBLE SAYS, AND I BELIEVE IT, AND YOU'D BETTER BELIEVE IT too, because it's going to happen and it has to happen soon! Because Arab patience has reached its limits with Israeli refusal to abide by the unenforced UN Resolution No.242 in which virtually the whole world, including America, agreed that Israel should withdraw from Arab lands.
UN Resolution No.242
(i) Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict; (the Six-Day War of 1967)
(ii) Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force."
BUT THE WORLD HAS ONLY PAID LIP SERVICE TO THIS AGREEMENT and, until now, no attempt has been made by the world powers to compel Israel to obey it, and she will never obey it unless forced to do so by the actual armed intervention of a super power.
SINCE THE ARABS ARE NOW AGREED, UNITED AND DETERMINED--BACKED BY RUSSIA, Asia, Africa and Europe--that America must persuade Israel to withdraw or America will get no more oil from the Arabs; and since America will never force Israel to do this, and her economy will collapse without the oil, America herself will feel forced to fight for Israel and Arab oil.
SO THE BIBLE TELLS US THE WHOLE CONFLICT WILL BE SETTLED BY THE DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA AND THE INVASION AND CONQUEST OF ISRAEL BY RUSSIA and other supporting world powers.
BECAUSE OF THESE TOTALLY IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SELFISH AMERICAN AND ISRAELI INTERESTS AND THOSE OF THE REST OF THE WORLD, A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT IS UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE, and an armed invasion and conquest by Russia and supporting powers is inevitable, and this can only be accomplished by the destruction of America herself as a world power.
ONLY THEN WILL WE HAVE PEACE AND ONE-WORLD GOVERNMENT and a proper apportionment of the world's resources "from each according to his ability unto each according to his need" of both fuel and food and other necessities, and an end to the waste of world supplies and environmental pollution!
THIS CAN ONLY BE DONE BY THE EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF A CAPABLE AND POWERFUL ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT which shall arise from the ashes of this war.--The Bible says so!
GOD HIMSELF DESCRIBES THIS INVASION OF ISRAEL AS HIS OWN VENGEANCE UPON HER for her sins, and says it will come from the North led by Russia with the help of Europe, Libya, Turkey, Persia andEthiopia!
LIBYA AND THE OTHER ARAB STATES WILL, OF COURSE, ASSIST, AND ETHIOPIA WILL HELP them to continue the Red Sea blockade at its narrow straits between Ethiopia and the Arabian Peninsula.
WHILE EGYPT RENEWS ITS DRIVE ACROSS SINAI, THE INVASION FORCES FROM THE NORTH AND EAST WILL SPLIT into a two-pronged attack from Bozrah, just inside the southern border of Syria, throughJordan and the Arab territories toward Haifa and Tel Aviv, and a major decisive battle will be fought atArmageddon a few miles south of Haifa near the juncture of the Haifa and Tel Aviv highways in the Esdraelon Valley.
MEANWHILE, ANOTHER MAJOR INVASION FORCE OF UP TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND MEN hidden in the bomb-proof caverns of the impregnable rock city of Petra in Edom, Jordan, just south of the Dead Sea will drive westward across the Negev to the Arab Gaza Strip on the Mediterranean coast, thus cutting off all help from whatever is left of Israeli forces in the Sinai and Negev and Israel's access to the port of Eilat on the Gulf of Aqaba.
ISRAEL'S NORTHERN ARMIES IN THE GOLAN WILL BE CUT OFF from both Haifa and Tel Aviv by the northern drive from Bozrah, and Jerusalem and Tel Aviv will therefore be completely isolated and encircled by the giant pincer's movement of these two major drives, from Bozrah on the Northeast and Edom on the Southeast.
CUT OFF FROM HER TWO MAIN ARMIES IN SINAI AND GOLAN AND SURPRISED BY THIS SUDDEN ATTACK on the soft underbelly of her longest and most indefensible Eastern border, and deprived of the help of her destroyed American partner, Israel will at last be compelled to surrender to these vastly superior forces, and be forced to return Palestine to the Arabs under international rule with Jerusalem as an international world capital.
THE BIBLE DESCRIBES ALL OF THIS IN DETAIL, and if you want to read it for yourself you can find some of the most outstanding passages on the subject in Isaiah 63, Ezekiel 38 and 39, Daniel 8, 9, and 11, Luke 21 and Revelation 11, 13, 17 and 18 as well as many, many others, all of which agree on these same major events and their outcome.
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family International, article found here.
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