Could Ezekiel's prophecy about Magog's invasion of Israel be ready to take place?

[xcav8tor]

Hey Guys,

Where did everybody go?

[One Bad Pig]

Hey Guys,

Where did everybody go?

Been battling the flu. :sick: When I can think straight again, I'll get back to you.

[Cow Poke]

Been battling the flu. :sick: When I can think straight again, I'll get back to you.

[xcav8tor]

Hey Guys,

Where did everybody go?

[One Bad Pig]

I often post during breaks at work, when I don't have the time to give this the attention it deserves. Eschatology is largely an academic subject to me. We should be ready for Christ to return at an hour we do not expect. We should be prepared to endure persecution. Beyond that,

[Cow Poke]

I often post during breaks at work, when I don't have the time to give this the attention it deserves. Eschatology is largely an academic subject to me. We should be ready for Christ to return at an hour we do not expect. We should be prepared to endure persecution. Beyond that,

EGGzackly - like my African-American Associate Pastor loved to say "I just STAYS ready!"

[xcav8tor]

EGGzackly - like my African-American Associate Pastor loved to say "I just STAYS ready!"

Hi Cow Poke,

I also, "STAYS ready," but if I hear on the news that Damascus has suddenly become "a heap of ruins" or that the combined armies of Russia, Turkey and Iran have begun their march through Syria into Israel as Saudi Arabia protests their motives, I'll be right there telling my neighbours that Isaiah's prophecies from 3700 years ago are being fulfilled before their very eyes and they are about to see the Hand of God miraculously deliver Israel from their enemies - so it's past time to wake up. I'll be ready to tell them the subsequent details revealed in the prophecy as well. Will you?

[Cow Poke]

Hi Cow Poke,

I also, "STAYS ready," but if I hear on the news that Damascus has suddenly become "a heap of ruins" or that the combined armies of Russia, Turkey and Iran have begun their march through Syria into Israel as Saudi Arabia protests their motives, I'll be right there telling my neighbours that Isaiah's prophecies from 3700 years ago are being fulfilled before their very eyes and they are about to see the Hand of God miraculously deliver Israel from their enemies - so it's past time to wake up. I'll be ready to tell them the subsequent details revealed in the prophecy as well. Will you?

I'll stick to preaching Jesus -- Him crucified, buried and risen again - regardless of what's going on in the rest of the world, while continuing to help meet the needs of the poor and lowly in my community. And, meanwhile, I will continue to "occupy til He comes".

[seanD]

Ezekiel 36 to 39 describe a series of events to take place in "the Last Days," beginning with the restoration of Israel as a nation (which took place in 1948) after a worldwide dispersion. Israel has since flourished economically and in the last 10 years has developed oil and gas reserves worth $100 billion (providing the spoil given as the motivation for Gog's attack). Currently, Russia, Turkey and Iran (the key allies mentioned in the text) have aligned themselves politically and amassed their combined military forces in Syria just north of Israel (the northern direction from which the prophesied invasion of Israel is to take place). There has been recent earthquake activity in the Golan Heights (one of the interventions God will use to destroy the invaders - along with friendly fire, hail, fire and brimstone). We know this attack has not yet taken place, because Israel has never buried the bodies of any invaders in a valley named, Hamon-Gog near a city called Hamonah. They do not yet exist.

From the Futurist perspective, this invasion could not take place within the 7 year Tribulation Period (the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy, Dan. 9:24-27) because Israel is to use the enemy's weapons as fuel for 7 years - something they will not likely be doing while running for their lives from the antichrist after he turns on them after defiling the rebuild temple in the middle of the Tribulation. This would suggest the invasion of Gog must take place at least 3 1/2 years prior to the beginning of the 7 years of Daniel's 70th week. Btw, Israel has already created all the furniture and implements required to reinstate Mosaic sacrifice (including the Menora, the Altar, the Breastplate and Crown of the High Priest, etc. They have the blueprints and financing ready for the temple, have chosen a High Priest, have reconvened the Sanhedrin, found the ancient anointing oil, procured a pure red heifer, and have said they know where the Ark of the Covenant currently resides).

With all this in mind, what do you think is the likelihood that the invasion of Israel as foretold by the prophet Ezekiel may be "right around the corner"?

Or is all this to be written off as a long, long, long series of mere coincidences?

As much as I want to believe that that Ezekiel prophecy happens after the millennium (as seems to be clearly indicated in Rev 20:8), it's looking more and more from a geopolitical perspective that it's shaping that way, especially with the core hostility between Israel and Iran and all the superpowers surrounding that situation.

[xcav8tor]

As much as I want to believe that that Ezekiel prophecy happens after the millennium (as seems to be clearly indicated in Rev 20:8), it's looking more and more from a geopolitical perspective that it's shaping that way, especially with the core hostility between Israel and Iran and all the superpowers surrounding that situation.

Hi SeanD,

Regarding the referrence to Gog and Magog at the end of the Millennium, it makes more sense to me that the the unbelievers at this time merely typify the rebellious nature of those who were destroyed by God during the prior invasion of Israel (the same way Jerusalem is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt in Rev. 11:8). Note that at this point, the purpose of the invaders is not to take spoil (Ezek. 38:11-13), but to try to take over Christ's kingdom, and they do not come primarily from the north (as in Ezek. 38:6 and 39:2), but from all over the world (the 4 corners of the earth - north, south, east and west - Rev, 20:8). And after they are destroyed and Christ puts down this final rebellion, the Great White Throne Judgment immediately takes place - followed by the creation of the New Heaven and Earth. This leaves no time for Israel to burn the enemies weapons as fuel for 7 years or bury the bodies for 7 months, so the attack from "Gog and Magog" in Revelation 20 cannot be the invasion to which Ezekiel is referring. There are at least 1,000 years between the two events.

[seanD]

Hi SeanD,

Regarding the referrence to Gog and Magog at the end of the Millennium, it makes more sense to me that the the unbelievers at this time merely typify the rebellious nature of those who were destroyed by God during the prior invasion of Israel (the same way Jerusalem is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt in Rev. 11:8). Note that at this point, the purpose of the invaders is not to take spoil, but to try to take over Christ's kingdom, and they do not come primarily from the north, but from all over the world (the 4 corners of the earth - north, south, east and west). And after they are destroyed and Christ puts down this final rebellion, the Great White Throne Judgment immediately takes place - followed by the creation of the New Heaven and Earth. This leaves no time for Israel to burn the enemies weapons as fuel for 7 years or bury the bodies for 7 months, so the attack from "Gog and Magog" in Revelation 20 cannot be the invasion to which Ezekiel is referring. There is at least 1,000 years between the two events.

You have a point. Just to clarify, since I don't think my last post was clear the way I phrased it, I am beginning to think the pre-millennium Ezekiel invasion is correct just by the way geopolitical events are taking shape now. All the superpowers that futurists believe are represented in the names in Ezekiel are definitely in alignment now for such a scenario.

[xcav8tor]

You have a point. Just to clarify, since I don't think my last post was clear the way I phrased it, I am beginning to think the pre-millennium Ezekiel invasion is correct just by the way geopolitical events are taking shape now. All the superpowers that futurists believe are represented in the names in Ezekiel are definitely in alignment now for such a scenario.

Hi SeanD,

Yes, it seems unlikely that for the first time in over 3,000 years that Sheba and Dedan (Saudi Arabia) would align with Israel; that Russia, Turkey and Iran would all position their armies in Syria north of Israel; and that Eqypt (Israel's ancient enemy) would have a standing peace accord with Israel - all at the same time - only for this to all evaporate and fall into place again at some distant time in the future. In addition, the Russian, Turkish and Iranian economies are desperately hurting at the same time Israel has discovered over 100 Billion $ in offshore oil and gas reserves. It is amazing to me that something as obvious and significant as this impending fulfillment of God's Word can be so easily brushed aside by fellow Christians on this forum. Go figure.

[xcav8tor]

I'll stick to preaching Jesus -- Him crucified, buried and risen again - regardless of what's going on in the rest of the world, while continuing to help meet the needs of the poor and lowly in my community. And, meanwhile, I will continue to "occupy til He comes".

Hi Cow Poke,

Be assured that I too, continue, "preaching Jesus -- Him crucified, buried and risen again," but are you telling me that should these events (destruction of Damasus, Russian and their allied troops begin marching south into Israel) appear on the news that you will say NOTHING about this to your neighbours? You will make NO APPEAL to the fulfilment of prophecy, even though Jesus and the apostles often did so?

[Cow Poke]

Hi Cow Poke,

Be assured that I too, continue, "preaching Jesus -- Him crucified, buried and risen again," but are you telling me that should these events (destruction of Damasus, Russian and their allied troops begin marching south into Israel) appear on the news that you will say NOTHING about this to your neighbours? You will make NO APPEAL to the fulfilment of prophecy, even though Jesus and the apostles often did so?

There will be wars and rumors of wars.... In my nearly seven decades on the planet, there have been numerous "this is IT" proclamations. I regularly declare the fulfillment of prophecy in the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord, and the preaching of the Gospel to all nations.

We used to have 'evangelists' come with their charts and graphs and full color wall-sized timelines of what all must happen before Jesus returns. I'm ready right now.

[Darfius]

The Israel of Ezekiel's prophecy is America, the primary home of the lost 10 tribes. The Israelites in the land of Israel are referred to as Judah. For example:



The tribes called "the Jews" today descend primarily from Judah, Benjamin and Levi, as in Paul's day. The other "lost" tribes will be reunited with them as foretold in the glorious prophecy of Ezekiel 37:



America is called both Israel and Babylon, to reflect it being the home of both God's people and the devil's people. God's people will be preserved in a "greater exodus" to the land of their fathers in Israel. The land that is invaded by Russia is America, at least primarily. It's not until the abomination of desolation that the Antichrist invades Israel.

For those fools and liars who claim to "always be ready", if you have no idea about these things, you aren't ready for jack squat except to be exposed as the charlatans you are. Words are cheap. When your options are the mark of the beast or death, you'll compromise and rationalize lickety-split. You'll say it "isn't the mark of the beast and those who say it is take the Bible too literally."