War drums on the horizon: beating loudly

In Ezekiel’s prophecy in chapter 38, a war breaks out when an alliance of nations make a surprise attack on Israel. Gog is named as the leader of this great army of nations who leads the attack. Gog is described as “of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2-3). Scholars translate this reference as Russia, with a suggestion that Meshech, and Tubal are the capital names for Moscow and Tobolsk, though that translation is not uniformly accepted.

The armies come primarily from the north and involve a few nations of the earth (Ezekiel 38:6, 15; 39:2).These are Russia (Magog/Tubal/Meshech), Libya (Libya) Gomer (Turkey), Beth Togarmah (Armenia), Iran (Persia), Sudan (North Africa-Put), Ethiopia (North Africa-Put)

The verses also go on to say that the surprise comes as Israel has laid down its defenses and is at peace, unsuspecting. When God Himself directly intervenes (38:3-7) from then on 'they shall know I am their LORD.' His act restores the covenant with Israel, when the Israelites see His hand in their rescue: "My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let My holy name be profaned anymore And the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel."

The verses say that Israel buries the dead for seven months and burns the fuel for 7 years (ch 38:9). It stands to reason that this battle takes place immediately prior to the Tribulation or just as the Tribulation begins. This is Jack Kelley's opinion also: "I believe the Battle of Ezekiel precedes the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week, which precedes all the seal judgments. The 70th week can’t begin until Israel officially recognizes God’s involvement in their affairs, which happens in Ezekiel 39:22 at the end of Ezekiel’s battle." In any case the battle happens and it is devastating to the attacking armies.

It seemed for years that this battle couldn't happen, because Turkey was firmly pro-Western, never siding against Israel. Also, the Soviet Union had fallen and broken apart into mini-states. Russia was in decline militarily and economically throughout the 1990s through half of the first decade of the 2000's. It seemed that Russia was done for and had no political capital to be a mighty anything, never mind a leader of a "mighty army."

All that has changed in the last year. Turkey is moving ever faster away from Israel and into the waiting arms of its Muslim brothers. Libya's Gaddfi was a washed-up terrorist laughingstock. Not so any more: he is president of the African Union and highly respected, due to his having forged alliances in and among several of the (prophesied) north African countries such as Ethiopia and Sudan. Russia the Bear is back and charging ahead with its never-ending plans or world domination. The headlines this week caught my eye and seem to confirm the Gog-Magog event's near fulfillment:

Russia announces military deal with Libya: 1.8bn
Russia is to supply Libya with small-arms and other weapons to the value of $1.8bn (£1.1bn, 1.3bn euros), Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has announced. The contract is worth nearly a quarter of Russia's entire foreign arms sales last year, put at $7.4bn by the state arms exporter. Mr Putin said the deal had been signed on Friday during a visit by a senior Libya defence official.

Opinion-Analysis: Russia builds up arms export
Despite the world crisis Russia in 2009 exported 7.4 billion dollars worth of arms, 10 percent more than in the previous year. Expert attribute this to the multi-polarity of the modern world. Latin America has shrugged off many of Washington's controls, and other countries wish to diversify supplies, too. The main hopes of Russia's defense-industrial complex are pinned on India, which has been arming itself quickly and eagerly, and on markets in the Persian Gulf...

[I recommend reading the rest of the article...it outlines Russia's aims in terms of military strength. One thing they are doing is eying India as the anchor in a regional superpower. Russia is also wooing Saudi Arabia, a move which Britain-France-US are fighting against. Remember, the ten super-states the world will be broken into as per Revelation and the Beast's eventual dominance over them. The article is clear and understandable, and from an analytical perspective rarely offered here in the Obama-centric US.]

Russian, Turkish presidents in telephone talk discuss coop issues
Russian and Turkish Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Abdullah Gul had a telephone talk on Saturday on the Turkish side's initiative, the Kremlin press service said. The two leaders discussed Russian-Turkish cooperation in international affairs.

Libya Renews Call for United States of Africa,
A pre-summit meeting of African foreign ministers has opened with a Libyan call for prompt action to realize Moammar Gadhafi's dream of a continental federation. Ministers are preparing for a summit of African leaders beginning Sunday.

China suspends military deals with US
China suspended military exchanges with the United States and threatened sanctions against American defense companies Saturday, just hours after Washington announced $6.4 billion in planned arms sales to [The Kings of the East figure in the Tribulation battles: Rev. 16:12)

China, India, Pakistan, Russia, and North Korea are nuclear powers, and Rev. 9:18, Revelation 8:7and Joel 2:30 and Zechariah 14:12 seem to describe effects of a nuclear war on the earth and on the body.

It is a grim picture, no doubt. There's Ezekiel's war of Gog and Magog, with so many dead it takes 7 years to burn the fuel from downed materiel, the Psalm 83 war (which many think will precede the Gog-Magog war), the utter destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17:1), and the final wars of the Great Tribulation, ending with Armageddon, where nuclear holocaust is loosed upon the earth.

Psalm 83 begins thus:
"See how your enemies are astir,
how your foes rear their heads.
With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.
"Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation,
that the name of Israel be remembered no more."

Sound familiar?
Iran's Supreme Leader Promises Israel's Destruction
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called Israel a "cancerous tumour" that must be wiped from the map, but the new comments mark the first time in years he has openly speculated about Israel's demise. "Definitely, the day will come when nations of the region will witness the destruction of the Zionist regime," Khamenei was quoted as saying. "How soon or late (Israel's demise) will happen depends on how Islamic countries and Muslim nations approach the issue."

Jews flee Malmo as anti-Semitism grows
Threats and harassment are becoming increasingly commonplace for Jewish residents in Malmö in southern Sweden, leading many Jews to leave the city out of fear for their safety. Last year there were 79 crimes against Jewish residents reported to the police in Malmö, roughly double the number reported in 2008, according to the Skånska Dagbladet newspaper.

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