THE EZEKIEL WAR CONNECTION-Part 1

            The next set of connections we’re going to examine are from the prophet Ezekiel, as recorded in chapters 38 and 39. As with the connections we’ve seen from 2 Thess. 4 & 5, Rev. 12, Zech. 14, and Daniel 7, these connections will probably disturb your end-time views. But that’s okay. We’ve seen how important it is to know what Scripture says through the Spirit-inspired connections rather than simply trying to reason with our limited human reasoning. We’ll see another example of this in this blog.  
            For a quick recap, we know the four features of His coming: (1) our resurrection (rapture); (2) which is a timely harpazo gathering; (3) as the Day of the Lord begins; but (4) after the initial invasion by the Antichrist (birth pains).
            Why do we need to be reminded of this? Because what we’re going to see in Ezekiel 38 and 39 is how this initial invasion happens, how it unfolds, how it ends, and why it happens. For some of you, going through the details of a war may bring up not-so-pleasant memories of boring history classes. But bear with us, because we assure you—these are important details to see.
            In fact, even as we write this, a misconception is being circulated based on our current events. More on that later. The majority of believers recognize that the time of Christ’s return is soon—very soon. So it’s time that we get a clear picture of what is in our near future, especially as it concerns our next assignment as the Church.
            Chapter 38 begins with Ezekiel prophesying to Gog of the land of Magog. In short, Ezekiel declares on earth, as God’s representative, what God has spoken in Heaven. Ezekiel calls Gog the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Meshech and Tubal refer to tribal lands in Turkey named after the offspring of Japheth (table of nations in Gen. 10).
            God—via Ezekiel—tells this chief prince that God will put thoughts in his mind for an evil plan. Namely, to attack Israel. We know this refers to modern Israel because it has unwalled cities and the people think they are safe because of their defense system. Ancient cities had walls for protection. Notice that this happens as “that Day” is about to dawn. From our connections, we now know that this wording doesn’t refer to any day, but to the Day—the Day of the Lord.
            Also from our previous connections, we know that a war that comes at the Day of the Lord is the final end-time war against the Antichrist. Ezek. 38:17 confirms that he is the one prophesied by God’s servants. It is the war that brings down the oppressive empires that have come against Israel. It is the end of the times of the Gentiles. More on that later in another video in this series.
            The chapter goes on to tell us that it is a sudden, destructive, and fast-moving invasion. Israel is experiencing agonizing birth pains, to say the least. But then God responds. First, we know from our previous connections, that He turns out the celestial lights and plunges the world into total darkness. That temporarily stops the invasion.
            “And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord God, “that My fury will show in My face” (Ezek. 38:18). Also from our previous connections we know that this fury is the wrath of that Day. It’s how the 3½-year war unfolds (remember times, time, and half a time). More on this in the next video.
            Ezekiel 38:23 tells what results from this war. “Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ Needless to say, that will can only happen at the final end-time war against the Antichrist. So we can conclude that Gog of Magog is the chief prince or leader of this war—namely, the Antichrist. We’ll see more proof of this in this series.
            How did we miss this important detail? As we’ve said so many times before, we miss the specific details in God’s Word because we don’t make the necessary connections to determine the meaning of key phrases. Instead, we read a passage and make assumptions based on our own context.
            In this case, the popular view thinks Gog of Magog is Russia simply because we see them as a superpower—both in the past and now—that has been allied with the Gentile oppressors seeking to destroy Israel. We read “Rosh” and think it sounds like Russia. We read “Meshech” and think it sounds like Moscow. We read the headlines today and can see Russia going to war. So we “interpret” Ezekiel’s prophecy to be another invasion before the end of this age and before Christ’s coming. But all that does is add more confusion—dare I say, the fog of war—because that interpretation doesn’t fit the rest of the details and connections in these two chapters. Stay tuned if you want to see the biblical sequence of events.