MAGOG, the second to the Last War

 

How will the God of Magog war happen?  Who is Magog anyway?  We know it leader is named Gog, and he is a prince; but we have little on him, rather much more on Magog from the Scriptures alone.  One has only to refer to the most excellent tome by Yoseff Brodansky, “Chechen Jihad, al Qæda’s training ground and the next wave of terror,” ©2007.  Inter alia, on page 112 we read: “The early spring of 1999 saw a series of spectacular new terrorist strikes in the Caucasus and Central Asia.”  The author went on ad naseum with details, history, and the international Jihadists campaign for worldwide sharia law.  It is excellent reading that you do not here in our Liberal press, or any press for that matter.  Unfortunately, our American Central Intelligence missed this threat, to a western slight of hand more focused on old Russia (former Soviet Union); and we were lead sheepishly unto the events of 9-11.

 

This is the Magog from the far region of the north.  Not Russia as many have suggested.  [Hal, Jack, Rexella. Hagee, Stanley, among others such as those who cannot forget their early childhood ducking and covering] for the word Rosh, found as a noun in some modern English bibles (not the King James) lead many to believe it is a place.  Some more silly suggestions offer the Arabic word for Ros from the Quran means Russia.  But the Ezekiel was written a thousand years or more before the Mohammedan musings.  The suggestion is nonsense.  The Hebrew letters resh and shin spell Rosh, and it translates to “prince.” Again Russia is a poor word association.  My Hebrew teacher confirmed my discovery with a warm smile, and an announcement to the class, “this guy really gets it.”

 

It is the Caucasus region that is in view when we read from Ezekiel:

 

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. [Ezekiel 38:3, KJV].

 

The lands of Meshech and Tubal at the time this prophecy was written now encompasses central Turkey.

 

We also read:

 

Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. [Ezekiel 38:5-6, KJV]

 

Gomer and Togarmah were to the further north.   History shows they settled in regions around the Black sea.   And where does the Bible say they come from? We read”

 

And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army. [Ezekiel 38; 15, KJV]

 

And finally we read:

 

And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. {Ezekiel 38:16]

 

There you have it, al Qæda’s and Hezbollah will attack Israel big.   Their recruitment and terror training will come right out of the Caucasus Mountains.   It is a region where terrorism has been fostered for years.   There you find the camps who train in assassination.   But at that time, when they attack the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Magog will die on the mountains of Israel, protected by God for another day.

 

This war of Magog pairs with the killing of one third of mankind by the fire, the smoke, and the brimstone (cruise missiles and nuclear war); instigated by those Islamist once bound at the great river Euphrates.   Those who survive (c.f. Revelation 9:20-21) cannot describe any true Christian or the true Christian Church.   Therefore, at this time, the rapture of Christian Saints will have occurred.   Thereafter we shall see the ministry of the two witnesses.   After the ministry of the two, who will be killed by the Antichrist (a Beast), they shall enter the tribulation of those days.   This is to last, according to the man who spoke to the Prophet Daniel, "a time, times and half of time;" that is: three and one half years.   It will end when Israel calls upon the Name of the Lord (Y’shua).   Thereafter we see the gathering at Har Megiddo, but this gather is not war but only preparation for war.   The final war that Israel was previously given another day will be the final battle for Jerusalem.   Our Lord and Savior will win that battle.   Castings of evil doers, the marriage of the Lamb, and the Millennial Kingdom follows thereafter.

 

Since three of the four angelic messages have been given to the new National Israel, this forth one is coming very soon.    This war of Magog and the killing of one third of mankind is next in the chronological list of eschatological events.    Are you ready?    If not, I submit you knees are due for a major workout.

 

ENDNOTE
Many Christians and non-Christians will die in their physical life.  Those who sleep in the Lord will be taken up, and at this rapture they will be given a new heavenly body.  Some Christians—true believers in the Lord—who were alive physically at this rapture will be given the same.  Yet all those who survive this great conflagration—that killing of one third of mankind—are not in repentance.  In this period following the great conflagration, we see two very different epochs with very different dispensations.  The first, during the ministry of the two, some will hear the message and become saved by calling upon the Name of the Lord.  In the second epoch, during the great tribulation, it will be difficult but not impossible to do so. 

 

And we see another class of people.  Those who say they know the Messiah, but are really not in Christ.  Only the Lord knows who they are.  And it is very true they exist, for we read:

 

“Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.  Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'   Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall.” [Matthew 7:21-27, NASB]

 

And finally there is another group who will not enter heaven.  Theologians say they could have never been true Christians.  These are as we read:

 

I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. [Revelation 22:18-19, NASB]

 

To take away his part from the tree of life must mean nothing less than never to have been written into the Book of Life before the throne judgment; which is really not a judgment after all, but an affirmation.  For all were judged when Adam sinned, we all had fallen short of the glory of God.  Only His offering to you with your repentance are you saved and written into the Book of Life.