Ezekiel's war-The Russians are coming

EZEKIEL’S WAR-THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING

(NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH ARMAGEDDON)

Although the name “Russia” is not in the Bible, God thru Ezekiel made some very clear and specific revelations in the Bible concerning the rise of a great power to the north of Israel that will destroy the peace and stability of the world at the end days.

Daniel 9:27 informs us that there will rise on the world’s scene a man of supernatural power, who, Daniel says, “shall destroy many in their prosperity” (Daniel 8:25). This man will come out of the European Union (the revived Roman Empire) and will and will try to resolve the Islamic/Israeli dispute now raging in the middle east.

This charismatic personality will make a covenant with Israel for 7 years, guaranteeing them safety and protection as a nation.

In Scripture, he is called the antichrist “the son of perdition” meaning Satan’s chief son. (2Thessalonians 2:3).

The Jewish people are confident that the European powers will protect them from any outside aggressor or invader. Israel is aware that Russia is its enemy. For years Russia has been helping Iran develop nuclear weapons to be used against Israel.

Just before the end of the age the worlds military powers are divided into 4 sectors. (see Daniel 2:31-35). These 4 powers are know as the king of the North, the king of the South, the king of the East and the king of the West. It is important to remember that all directions in Scripture are based on their geographic relationship to Israel.

THE KING OF THE NORTH (RUSSIA)

And the Word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him (Ezekiel 38:1-2).

Gog is a word for ruler, which literally means “the man on top”. The verse tells us that Gog was “chief prince” of the land of Magog. Chief, which means head, is the Hebrew word Rosh. In his ancient Hebrew lexicon, Gesenius (1786-1842) the great Hebrew scholar, identified Rosh as an ancient name for Russia.

Ezekiel puts extreme emphasis on the fact that Israel’s greatest enemy would come from the uttermost north. It is mentioned in Ezekiel 38:6 and 15 and again in 39:2.

The King James Bible doesn’t translate this as accurately as the RSV or the Amplified version. The Hebrew word that qualifies north means either “uttermost” or “extreme north”. Any map will instantly verify that the extreme north from Israel is Russia.

The theological phenomenon that helps us to further identify Gog and Magog with Russia: And say, thus saith the Lord God, behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of MESHECH and TUBAL. (Ezekiel 38:3)

Throughout history, God has said that He is against certain nations that oppress the Jewish people. God destroyed Egypt for their persecution of the Jews and God set his face against Babylon for the destruction of Jerusalem. Now comes a nation out of the North in the last days that will attack Israel, and God says, “I am against thee”. Ezekiel is prophesying about a nation that has not even come into existence yet. God says He is against it because that nation would be an atheist nation.

All the nations prior to Russia were polytheistic, meaning they believed in many gods. At the beginning of time God did not give a specific commandment against atheism, His first 2 commandments were against polytheism. “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3) and “you shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exodus 20:4).

Through King David, God covers the topic of atheism in one verse “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God” (Psalm 14:1).

WHO ARE MESHECH AND TUBAL?

In order to determine this, we must go to Genesis 10 where we read about the generations of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 10:1).

In verse 2, the sons of Japheth are given as Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. All of the nations referred to in Ezekiel 38 are the sons of Japheth.

Ethnologists (specialists who track the migrations of people) tell us that 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 states that the Greek name Moschi, derived from the Hebrew name Meshech, is the source of the city of Moscow.

WHY WILL RUSSIA COME TO ISRAEL?

I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. (Ezekiel 38:4)

Russia will come to Israel because they need a warm-water entrance into the oceans of the world. The middle east offers that. Russia, under Putin’s leadership, made a $50 billion oil contract with Saddam Hussein and has allowed Russian scientists to direct Iran’s nuclear weapons programs to destroy Israel. Putin is the former director of the KGB who has removed the democratic process from Russia and charmed the West into neutrality.

Russia needs oil to regain its superpower status. Russia hungers for Arabian oil. They must have it to regain their global influence, which they lost in the collapse of the former Soviet Union.

The mineral deposits in the Dead Sea are so great they can’t be properly appraised on today’s market. It is estimated that the Dead Sea contains 2 billion tons of potassium chloride, which is potash needed to enrich the soil that is being depleted around the world. The Dead Sea also contains an estimated 22 billion tons of magnesium chloride and 12 billion tons of sodium chloride.

Throughout its history Russia has been anti-semitic and, in its final form will be led by a dictator who will lead an Arab coalition of nations to crush Israel. God makes it clear that He will judge Russia in the land of Israel, and Russia will not come out alive.

In Ezekiel God names the allies of Russia in its invasion of Israel:

Persia (Iran), Ethiopia, and Libya with them, all of them with shield and helmet, Gomer and all its troops, the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops-many people are with you. (Ezekiel 38:5-6)

When Ezekiel writes concerning Russia in Ezekiel 38:6, he says that “many people are with you.” He repeats that concept in verse 9. “You (Russia) will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”

This seems to be a clear indication that American influence with Arab nations will become practically non-existent, while Russia’s influence will increase as they join forces against Israel at the end of this age.

What’s the payoff for the Arabs? They believe the Islamic fanatical

vision of exterminating the Jews can be realized with Russia’s help. Absolute control of Jerusalem as the capital of a new Palestinian state is their goal. However, there is a major problem facing Russia and its Arab allies, and that problem is God Almighty, whom the Russians defy and the Islamics denounce, has brought this evil axis of power into Israel to bury it before the eyes of the world. The destruction of Russia and its Islamic allies is going to be the most powerful object lesson the world has seen since Pharaoh and his army were drowned in the Red Sea.

Ezekiel writes to the Russian leadership of this Russia-Arab coalition of nations saying “Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you, and be a guard to them.” (Ezekiel 38:7)

A better translation of the phrase “be a guard for them” is actually “be thou a commander unto them”. Ezekiel leaves no doubt that Russia is leading the attack.

In verse 8, Russia makes its move into Israel. “After many days you will be visited. In the latter years (at the end of the age) you will come into the land (Israel) of those brought back from the sword.”

In verse 11 Israel has made a covenant with the false messiah out of the European Union who promises Israel peace and safety. But the Bible warns, “for when they say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them.” (1 Thessalonians 5:3)

In Ezekiel 38:11, Russia is addressing all its allies, suggesting they go into Israel, which is called the land of the unwalled villaged. Russia says “I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely.” Why is Israel at rest? It is at rest because its leaders are trusting in their peace treaty with the European Union to guarantee their safety from Russia and its Arab allies.

WHAT IS AMERICA’S ROLE?

Where is America in this picture? In verse 12, Russia and its allies are going into Israel “to take plunder and to take booty.” Russia is going to move against Israel from the north to seize the great mineral wealth and natural resources that are there. They will promise the Islamic nations control of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. What will be America’s response to this brazen invasion of Israel? Ezekiel answers in verse 13.

Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish (that is, the Western powers)

will be upset when Russia invades Israel. These nations, and all their young lions (England’s symbol is that of a lion. America is an offspring of England, hence the term young lions) will not come to Israel’s rescue. The West will simply make a passive diplomatic response, saying “Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?” (Ezekiel 38:13)

Why won’t America respond? It is likely that after the extended war in Iraq, the next administration will be Democratic and will withdraw our troops from Iraq, vowing to stay out of the Middle East in the future.

America no longer has the perseverance for long protracted ground wars with casualties on both sides. We are only interested in short high-tech wars, where we can be in and out in a matter of weeks at the most and then have our celebrations and parades.

A Russian-Arab invasion of Israel will simply be beyond our will to respond. This army will be one of the most massive military machines ever assembled and America and Europe will simply not have the will to go into this kind of war. As Ezekiel says “This army will cover the land.”

A description of the invasion is found in Ezekiel 38:16. You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.

Although America and Europe will not come to Israel’s rescue, God will!!!

Ezekiel reveals a day coming when God’s fury explodes against the nations that have tormented His chosen people for so long. Ezekiel writes God’s description of His anger “My fury will show in My face.”

THE WEAPONS OF WAR

God will destroy Russia and its Arab allies with 3 weapons of war that He has used before in Scripture.

1. A mighty earthquake

2. Every man’s sword against his brother

3. Raining from Heaven of fire and brimstone

Ezekiel 38:19-22

When did God use these weapons before? When Moses leadership was being contested by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in Numbers 16,

God told Moses to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram because He was about to give Israel an object lesson on not listening to His chosen leader.

“But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, an they (those who were rejecting Moses’ leadership) go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.” Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men of Korah, with all their goods. (Numbers 16:30-32)

We are now heading towards God’s 2^nd object lesson. Ezekiel makes it clear that God will send an earthquake that will swallow up the enemies of Israel, just as an earthquake swallowed up the enemies of Moses.

God will use the sword of brother against brother as the 2^nd weapon of war. When God sent Gideon to destroy the Philistines, Gideon commanded his meager fighting force of 300 men to sound the trumpets and to break the pitchers. The Philistines turned their swords against each other in massive confusion and slaughtered each other. (Judges 7).

God will bring this battle-tested tactic to wage war against Russia and its allies when they invade Israel. God will cause confusion to come among them as they turn and fight each other, slaughtering each other in history’s greatest demonstration of friendly fire.

The 3^rd weapon in God’s arsenal is great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. This is the weapon with which He so utterly destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, that no trace of them has ever been found.

When Russia and its allies invade Israel and America and Europe fail to respond “He who sits in the Heavens shall laugh” (Psalm 2:4) as He crushes the Russian-Arab tormentors of the apple of His eye. He will crush them as He crushed Pharaoh, Haman, and Hitler so that Israel and the world “shall know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 38:23)

In Ezekiel 39 God reveals the outcome of His meeting with the Russian-Arab coalition. And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north

parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel.

(Ezekiel 39:2)

God declares that He will destroy all but one sixth of the Russian-Arab coalition that invades Israel. Five out of 6 soldiers will die, a death rate of 82% within a few hours.

God continues with His strategy of war by saying:

Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand. You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey and the beasts of the field to be devoured. And I will send fire on Magog (Russia) and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then shall they know that I am the Lord.

(Ezekiel 39:3-4, 6)

The last verse suggests that judgment is coming not only to the invading Russian force but also on the headquarters of that power and upon all who support the attack on Israel.

Notice the words “I will send fire upon those who live in security in the coastlands.” Coastlands of isle in Hebrew is ‘iy.’ The word was used by the ancients in the sense of continents today. It designated the great Gentile civilizations across the sea, which were usually settled most densely along the coastlands, just like America.

This fire Ezekiel sees coming to those living securely in the coastlands could be a direct judgment of God by hurricanes and tsunamis, or it could describe a nuclear war via an exchange of nuclear missiles. It could be that America, who refuses to defend Israel from the Russian invasion, will experience nuclear warfare on our coasts. That’s where most of our population lives today and, in addition, California alone possesses the worlds 6^th largest economy and any nuclear strike on California could destroy that and take the rest of America down with it.

Why would God allow this? “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you.” (Genesis 12:3)

How extensive will be the judgment of God upon the Russian-Arab coalition? Ezekiel 39:9 states that it will take Israel 7 years to collect and burn the weapons of war brought into Israel by the invaders.

How many dead will there be? According to verses 11 and 12, the physical death toll is going to be so massive that it will take every

able-bodied man in Israel 7 months to bury the dead. Those traveling in Israel from north to south have to travel “stopping their noses” because of the stench from the bodies of the enemies of Israel destroyed by the mighty hand of God.