I'm going to add Patricia's take on it....it comes from a big Baptist point of view and she takes this from David Jeremiah, who is well respected in the field. I really liked her maps.
Day 250! AND WHAT A WAY TO SPEND IT!
Chapters 38-39. Before we go any further and you say “Trish I don’t get it”. Let me start by saying…This prophey HAS NOT YET BEEN FULFILLED. “Say what??” But listen here you twisted sister…turn on your choice of news channels…Fox, CNN, MSNBC….they are reporting about it and they do not even know it. Remember Ezekiel is called an Eschatology Book. Fancy Nancy would say that was a fancy word for speaking of end times.
Eschatology ( Eschatos meaning “last” and -logy meaning “the study of”) is a part of theology and philosophy concerned with what is believed to be the final events in the history of the world, or the ultimate destiny of humanity, commonly referred to as the end of the world.
So what in the World are these 2 chapters about. Gog and Magog. (fun to say huh) This is about NATIONS coming together against an Israel with no walls. These chapters written 2600 years ago give us one of the most important and dramatic prophecies in all Ezekiel, it is called the Prophecy against Gog and Magog. It is a prophecy about the invasion of Israel in the last days. An invasion led by Russia and Iran. According to scholars, it will happen shortly after Israel will sign a “peace treaty” with leaders in Europe. It will be fake, especially from Europe, who will join forces with Iran to destroy Israel. Is this happening? I don’t know, but what I do know is the leader of Israel went to Russia last year for a “meeting” and no one knows why or what happened.
So let’s identify the nations in this reading:
First we have Gog. Gog is not a nation, but a term for a ruler. It means “ruler” or “man on top”.
Next we have Magog: made up today of parts of the former Soviet Union (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Afghanistan.) Amen for spell check.
Now we have Rosh: (this term is used 600 times in the Old Testament) referring to people North of the Black Sea, which we call RUSSIA. WHen the Soviet Union collapsed this made Bible Scholars scratch their head since this Prophecy lay out there so boldly. But as we see in the past 20 years Russia is resembling itself and this time will be an extremely strong and hostile power in the world.
Meshech and Tubal are usually named together in the Bible. We just read they traded with Tyre (modern Lebanon) so Meshech and Tubal are parts of present day Turkey.
The next name mentioned in Ezekiel is Persia; which since 1935 we have called it IRAN. It’s official name today is “The Islamic Republic of Iran” with a population of 74 Million people. Ayatollah Khomeini is crowned the leader for revitalizing the Islamic nation while I was growing up (I was oblivious of all this until now) the leader now is a very familiar face (but just a figurehead for their politics)
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
In October 2005 Ahmadinejad said to a group called The World without Zionism “As the imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map…ANybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire if the Islamic nation’s fury” (The United States is a friend of Israel….pay attention)
The next name in this read is Cush. Cush is Ethiopia. The first time we read about some of these nations is Genesis 10 (not kidding). We call this nation today Sudan. I know you know the name but not sure of who they are. They are the nation that supported Iraq in the Gulf War AND harbored Osama bin Laden.
Then we have Put. Ahhh this is Libya. Since 1969 Libya is under the dictatorship of Gaddafi. Libya is an Islamic nation with great hatred for Israel AND has a recent alliance with….that’s right, you guessed it RUSSIA!
Gomer. Gomer is possibly modern day Germany/Turkey. They have an allegiance to Russia and if you watch the nightly news you will hear them say they have a strong military presence in Northern Iraq.
This list is not complete sin Ezekiel says “many others”. On the flip side we read of nations that are NOT to be involved against Israel and that is “Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish and they young lions. Scholars belive Sheba and Dedan to be modern-day Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, and the Gulf Countries of Kuwait and the United Arab of Emirates. The “young lions” are Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the African colonies, and the United States.
(Is your head spinning yet)
I will end here since I know that was a lot of info to digest but out of all that what do I want you to “get”?
The Sovereignty of God’s Plan.
The Inevitable Accomplishment of God’s Purpose.
The Salvation of God’s People.
I don’t undertand everything, but here’s what I do get: God wins! Check out Ezekiel 39:27, “I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land not leaving any behind. I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel…” Note the capital S – that’s a good thing!!
Revelations 20 says:
“When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Thank you soooo much for your detailed description of who these nations are to us today! I really struggle with knowing the modern-day places/names. What do you use to research these? I recently got the Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, & Time Lines AND the Halley’s Bible Handbook…which I’m overwhelmed/in-love with:) I know you recommended both of these…did you use them or another tool to research the places?
Interesting stuff!! Penny, I underlined 39:v 25-29 also!! LOVED that:)
The Book I used to study this chapter took me over 6 Months to read…but WORTH IT. Click here: http://www.christianbook.com/going-prophetic-clues-cannot-afford-ignore/david-jeremiah/9780785231172/pd/231172?item_code=WW&netp_id=749934&event=ESRCN&view=details
Meaty. But is should be read AFTER the Bible is read, and maybe several times. The other source I use is my MOUTH! I ask a lot of questions to woman in my life that I am not embarrassed to ask questions to. I really ask some basic basic questions but I don’t care…God loves humility.
God does love humility & I definitely want to borrow that book!! Thanks:)