03.03. Against My People Israel
3 Against My People Israel
After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have always been waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou and all thy bands, and many people with thee (Ezekiel 38:8-9).
The nation of Israel is the focal point for God’s dealings with the Gentile nations of the earth. Jerusalem has been placed "in the midst of the nations," and Israel is the "apple [lit., ’pupil’]" of God’s eye (Ezekiel 5:5; Zechariah 2:8). Jerusalem has been placed at the exact geographical center of the earth, and God looks upon the surrounding Gentile nations through the nation of Israel. Israel has occupied this status since the inception of the nation, and Israel will continue to occupy this status throughout time and eternity.
Today as possibly never before the attention of the world is focused on the Middle East. For forty-two years the two most powerful nations on earth, the United States and Russia, avoided direct intervention in the affairs of nations in the Middle East. Their previous intervention had always been of an indirect nature, with the United States on the side supporting Israel, and Russia on the side supporting Israel’s enemies. But with the United States military buildup in the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia, and the subsequent war with Iraq, intervention of an indirect nature in Middle East affairs is now a thing of the past for one of these two nations. And it is about to change for the other. In the immediate future Russia will directly intervene in Middle East affairs by invading Israel, in fulfillment of Ezekiel 38:1-23; Ezekiel 39:1-29.
It is these things which God, unlike man, views through the nation of Israel. Israel is God’s firstborn son, brought into existence for special and particular purposes, which either have been or ultimately will be realized. And all of these purposes have to do with the well-being of the surrounding Gentile nations throughout both time and eternity.
Israel was brought into existence to give man the Word of God, give man the Redeemer, and be the channel through which the nations of the earth would be blessed. The first two parts of this nation’s three-part calling have been realized; this nation has provided man with the Word of God and the Redeemer. But the fulfillment of the third part awaits a future date; the nations being blessed through Israel awaits the Messianic Era.
The nation which God called into existence for these specific purposes is the very nation in the Middle East which is presently coming under attack, both directly and indirectly by the surrounding nations. This is the nation which the Moslem nations have allied themselves against during the present time, this is the nation which Russia will come against in the immediate future, and this is the nation which Antichrist will come against in the middle of the Tribulation and seek to destroy throughout the last three and one-half years of that time, in accord with Psalms 83:4 (note the ten nations which "have consulted together with one consent" in Psalms 83:5-8, pointing to the future ten-kingdom confederacy under Antichrist).
The nations, in their ignorance, because of the working of Satan in time past, are determined not to let God bless them through the nation of Israel. But in spite of present and future antagonism toward Israel -- brought about by Satan because of Israel’s position as God’s firstborn -- this is the nation through whom God has decreed that He will ultimately bless all the other nations of the earth (Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:17-18). And God’s decree will one day be carried out, for not only is this an integral part of Israel’s birthright (the rights of the firstborn) but "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance [without a change of mind]" (Exodus 4:22-23; Exodus 19:5-6; Romans 11:29). Regardless of the attitude of the surrounding nations toward Israel -- past, present, or future; hostile or friendly -- God cannot, God will not, change His mind concerning the reason He called Israel into existence. The Russian Invasion -- When?
Scripture clearly reveals in Ezekiel 38:1-23; Ezekiel 39:1-29 that Russia, accompanied by five other nations, will, in the immediate future, directly intervene in the affairs of the Middle East by invading the land of Israel. Russia will be the leader of the nations participating in this invasion (translate "guard" as "commander" in Ezekiel 38:7 [ref. NIV]), and the invaders will have one thing in mind: the destruction of the nation of Israel, in order "to take a spoil, and to take a prey..." (Ezekiel 38:11-16). When this invasion occurs, God states, "...my fury shall come up in my face." And God will then directly intervene on behalf of His people, destroying the invaders on the mountains and plains of Israel (Ezekiel 38:18 ff).
Scripture presents this Russian-led invasion after a twofold fashion. Not only is Russia going to "think an evil thought" and willingly make her move against Israel (Ezekiel 38:10-12; cf. Ezekiel 38:15), but Russia is also going to have "hooks" put in her "jaws" and be brought down into the land of Israel by God Himself (Ezekiel 38:4; cf. Ezekiel 38:16-17). God, residing in the midst of the fire in which He and His people have dwelt for the past 3,500 years (cf. Exodus 3:2-4; Daniel 3:19-25; see Chapter II), is literally going to bring Russia, with all her military might, down into the land of Israel for a face-to-face confrontation.
By coming down and being brought down after this fashion, the Russian military might, with its atheistic leadership, is going to be moving not only against the people of God but against God Himself, the very One Whom the leaders of this nation deny even exists. And direct intervention on Russia’s part will result in direct intervention on God’s part.
(Several nations will voice their objection to Russia’s actions, but God will step in and act Himself before these nations have a chance to so do. These nations are identified in Ezekiel 38:13 as "Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof."
"Sheba" and "Dedan" were progenitors of ancient tribes which settled in what is today Saudi Arabia, and "Tarshish" with her "young lions" can only be a reference to Great Britain and those nations emanating from the British Isles, with the United States by far the most powerful of these nations today. Thus, Ezekiel 38:13 would refer to Great Britain, the United States, certain other countries in the Western Block, and Saudi Arabia questioning Russia’s actions [note this alignment in the light of the present U.K.-U.S.-Saudi alliance, with Russia absent].)
The Russian military might (with the accompanying five nations) will be brought into the land of Israel but stopped short by the One bringing the nation down. God will cause a great earthquake to occur in the land of Israel. This will be followed by God producing confusion in the ranks of the invaders of such a nature that they will begin fighting against and killing one another; and He will then rain "great hailstones, fire, and brimstone" upon them. Five-sixths of the invaders will be destroyed on the mountains and plains of Israel, and God will then burn the countries from which they came (Ezekiel 38:19-23; Ezekiel 39:1-6).
The human carnage strewn across the land of Israel will be so great that it will take the house of Israel seven months to bury the dead. Their flesh will be devoured by "the ravenous birds of every sort" and "beasts of the field"; and that which is left will be buried in a valley set aside for this purpose, called, "The valley of Hamon-gog" (Ezekiel 39:4; Ezekiel 39:11).
"Hamon-gog" is simply the Hebrew rendering which has been transliterated rather than translated in the English text. Hamon means "many" or "multitude," and Gog is the name used throughout these two chapters to refer to the invaders (used specifically for their leader at the beginning of Ezekiel 38:1-23 but used beyond that in a more generally fashion for the entire Russian military force [those nations accompanying Russia are mentioned after a separate fashion but still buried with "Gog" in "The valley of Hamon-gog"]). If "The valley of Hamon-gog" were to be completely translated into English, one could translate, in the light of the context, "The valley of a multitude of dead Russians, along with those accompanying them."
When though will this invasion occur? Will it occur during the present dispensation? Or will it occur after the Church has been removed, after the rapture? Or can we even ascertain a time in this respect?
Answers to the preceding are really very simple. The time with respect to the rapture can definitely be known, and seemingly the time within the framework of a specific year can also be known, though not a specific year which one could point to on the Julian calendar which we use today.
1. Old Testament Prophecy
Old Testament prophecy centers around Messiah, Israel, and the nations. And prophecy always moves toward one terminal point -- that future time when Messiah reigns over the earth, Israel occupies her proper place on earth, and saved Gentile nations are blessed through Israel. Old Testament prophecy knows no other subject.
Prophetic events such as those in Ezekiel 38:1-23; Ezekiel 39:1-29 are simply events surrounding Israel and the Gentile nations at a time immediately preceding Messiah’s appearance to reign over the earth. Both chapters are structured after this fashion: The invaders come down against Israel, God overthrows the invaders, and then the Lord sets His Glory among the nations (cf. Ezekiel 38:23; Ezekiel 39:21 ff).
Unlike events in Ezekiel 38:1-23; Ezekiel 39:1-29, millenniums often separate God’s dealings with Israel and the Gentile nations from Messiah’s appearance to reign over the earth. But His dealings with Israel and the nations always have the latter in view. Or to say it another way, There is no such thing in Scripture as God dealing with either Israel or the surrounding nations apart from His looking out ahead to that day when Messiah will reign. The former always has some connection with the latter.
One place which may serve to illustrate this possibly as well as any place in Scripture would be God’s dealings with Israel and the kingdom of Babylon. Babylon, though mentioned very early in Scripture (Genesis 11:1-9), begins to occupy a prominent place in Scripture only when this nation is allowed to take the southern two tribes of Israel (Judah and Benjamin) into captivity (about 605 B.C.). From that point forward, Babylon occupies a central place in the prophetic framework of Scripture. In fact, insofar as Gentile world power is concerned, Babylon occupies the central place.
In the Book of Daniel, God gives the entire history of this kingdom -- from the time Nebuchadnezzar ruled as king in Babylon until that future time when Antichrist will rule as king in Babylon (Daniel 2:31-45; Daniel 7:2 ff). This is a period of time covering about 2,600 years, called in Scripture, "the times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24; cf. Revelation 11:2). And at the end of this time Messiah will be given (by His Father) "dominion, and glory, and a kingdom." Then, Babylon will be utterly destroyed, and the kingdom of Christ will be established (Daniel 2:44; Daniel 7:14; Daniel 7:17-27; Revelation 11:2; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 18:2 ff).
But what about the Church? Where does God’s dealings with a people during the present dispensation fit into the matter? Insofar as Old Testament prophecy is concerned, the Church is not in view at all; nor is the present dispensation in view.
The Old Testament prophet, when prophesying of events beyond 445 B.C., the beginning point of Daniel’s prophecy of the Seventy Weeks (Daniel 9:24-27), saw events only within the scope of the time covered by Daniel’s prophecy (seventy periods of sevens, 490 years). Insofar as Daniel was concerned, and insofar as any sequence of events given by any Old Testament prophet was concerned, this prophecy was to run uninterrupted until it’s conclusion 490 years later. And at its conclusion the Messianic Era would be ushered in.
That is, the Old Testament prophet saw no time-break at any point in the 490 years. So far as he was concerned, the Messianic Era would be ushered in 490 years after the beginning of the prophecy in 445 B.C. And that which he prophesied remained either within the scope of time covered by the prophecy or within time beyond the 490 years, time during the Messianic Era.
However, God stopped the clock at the end of exactly 483 years (at the end of exactly sixty-nine of the seventy sevens), seven years short of the total (the seventieth seven). This corresponded to the year 30 A.D. on our calendar. Messiah was crucified at the end of 483 years (Daniel 9:26 a), and the clock has not moved since.
Time during the interim covers an entirely separate and distinct dispensation, unseen by the Old Testament prophet, during which God is calling out a bride for His Son. This separate and distinct dispensation lies between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks, completely outside the scope of Daniel’s prophecy. And during this time -- during the entire present dispensation, lasting approximately two millenniums -- the clock does not move insofar as the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks is concerned. And, accordingly, it must also remain immobile insofar as any fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy is concerned. The prophets simply did not prophesy of events during the present dispensation, for they did not see this period.
The Old Testament prophet looked out ahead and saw events leading up to and including the crucifixion of Messiah (this is where the sixty-ninth week ended). He then saw a covenant being made with "many [lit. ’the many’]" (which is where the seventieth week begins), that covenant broken (after three and one-half years), a time of unparalleled trouble for the Jewish people (for three and one-half more years), and then he saw Messiah reigning after making a full end of the Gentile nations and establishing Israel in her rightful place.
Thus, if Old Testament prophecy has not been fulfilled in the past, it cannot begin to be fulfilled until at least the beginning of Daniel’s unfulfilled seventieth week, the beginning of the Tribulation when God once again turns to and begins dealing with Israel on a national basis. Accordingly, passages such as Ezekiel 38:1-23; Ezekiel 39:1-29, not having been fulfilled in the past, cannot be fulfilled during the present dispensation, preceding the Tribulation (note also that the period following the removal of the Church but preceding the beginning of the Tribulation likewise falls outside the scope of time in which Old Testament prophecy can be fulfilled). The fulfillment of Ezekiel 38:1-23; Ezekiel 39:1-29, along with all other unfulfilled Old Testament prophecy, can occur only after the clock begins marking off time once again in relation to Daniel’s prophecy of the Seventy Weeks.
Failure to follow this interpretative principle has resulted in confusion in certain instances. A case in point would be the interpretation of Ezekiel’s prophecy surrounding the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-28. This prophecy has to do with a restoration of Israel back to the land, and it is usually interpreted within the framework of that which began to occur in 1948, with the reestablishment of Israel as a nation.
However, such an interpretation cannot be correct. The restoration which is in view in Ezekiel 37:1-28 has to do with "the whole house of Israel" (Ezekiel 37:11), both the dead and the living (Ezekiel 37:12 ff), at a time when Messiah Himself restores the nation and raises David from the dead to be the nation’s king (Ezekiel 37:21 ff). This is exactly the same time also in view at the end of chapter thirty nine, following Russia’s destruction on the mountains and plains of Israel (Ezekiel 39:21 ff). Ezekiel 37:1-28 and Ezekiel 39:1-29 both end at the same point in time, the same point in time as Ezekiel 34:1-31 and Ezekiel 36:1-38 also end.
The present restoration of a remnant to the land is not a subject of Old Testament prophecy. Old Testament prophecy picks up at a point in time after a remnant has been restored. That is, a remnant will be present in the land at the beginning of the Tribulation.
This is necessitated by Daniel’s prophecy of the Seventy Weeks, for how could Antichrist make a covenant involving Israel if there was no remnant in the land? Also in Ezekiel 38:11; Ezekiel 38:16, Russia will come down against a people who had previously been reestablished in the land. Thus, one could know from Old Testament prophecy that a Jewish nation would be present in the Middle East at the end of this dispensation, though the Old Testament prophets do not speak of the rebirth of this nation. They only speak of conditions existing and events occurring at a time over four decades later.
Numerous events presently occurring among Israel and the nations in the Middle East are prophetically significant. But this prophetic significance has to do with prophecy which is about to be fulfilled, not with prophecy being fulfilled. Through events presently occurring, rather than prophecy being fulfilled, the stage is being set for a rapid future fulfillment of innumerable prophecies.
Somewhat within this same realm of thought, students of the Word are sometimes perplexed by the fact that the Old Testament prophet did not make a greater separation between the sufferings and the glory of Messiah. After all, approximately two millenniums separate one from the other. But keeping matters within the framework of the way the Old Testament prophet saw these things, only seven years, in his eyes, separated the two events. The Old Testament prophet saw Messiah suffer at the end of sixty-nine weeks (483 years), he then saw the last week run its course (the last 7 years), and he then saw Messiah enter into his Glory (to last 1,000 years).
Note Isaiah 53:1-12; Isaiah 54:1-17 in this respect. Isaiah 53:1-12 refers to Messiah’s sufferings; then Isaiah 54:1-17 refers to Israel’s restoration, the time when Messiah will reign. Also note the words in Isaiah 61:2 : "To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God..." The two parts of this verse -- having to do with events surrounding Messiah’s two advents (cf. Luke 4:16-21) -- are separated by time covered by the present dispensation, which the prophet did not see and did not prophesy concerning.
(Old Testament typology -- which has to do with Biblical history rather than Biblical prophecy [types are interwoven throughout history, not prophecy] -- is an entirely different matter, even though large portions of typology are prophetic in nature. The present dispensation and the Church are seen throughout typology, beginning with the account of Adam and Eve in Genesis, chapter two [note particularly typology involving Isaac and Rebekah, Joseph and Asenath, and Moses and Zipporah]. Thus, this must not be confused with the manner in which the prophets wrote.
Also, since Israel relinquished the right to rule from heavenly places in the coming kingdom by rejecting the proffered kingdom of the heavens at Christ’s first coming, the Church would have to now be in view in Old Testament prophecies having to do with this heavenly rule, even though the Old Testament prophet had Israel in view when he wrote. Israel was made the repository for both heavenly and earthly promises and blessings, but Israel rejected the heavenly promises and blessings, and the Church was called into existence to be the recipient of that which Israel rejected. Thus, the Church would now be in view in sections of Scripture such as Genesis 22:17-18 [heavenly seed only] and Daniel 7:18; Daniel 7:22; Daniel 7:25; Daniel 7:27, though Israel alone was in view when the prophet wrote.)
2. Time of the Invasion
Ezekiel places this Russian-led invasion at a time immediately preceding God’s restoration of "the whole house of Israel" (Ezekiel 39:21 ff; cf. Ezekiel 37:11; Ezekiel 39:25), which would have to be understood as time during the Tribulation. Then, two places in the prophecy reveal that the invasion will occur during a specific part of this seven-year period.
Ezekiel reveals that Israel will be "at rest" and dwelling "safely" in "unwalled villages" when the invaders enter the land (Ezekiel 38:11-14). This would place the invasion at a point during the first three and one-half years of the Tribulation, between the time Antichrist makes and breaks his covenant (Daniel 9:27 [the ratifying of this covenant begins the Tribulation, and the covenant will be broken three and one-half years later]).
After Antichrist breaks his covenant in the middle of the Tribulation, the people of Israel will no longer dwell in the land "safely" and "at rest." Rather, they will then "fall by the edge of the sword," "be led away captive into all nations," and "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15-22; Luke 21:20-24; Revelation 11:2).
Then Ezekiel appears to be even more specific yet concerning the time of this invasion. After God has destroyed the Russian-led military forces in the land of Israel, those dwelling "in the cities of Israel" will go forth and, for a period of "seven years," burn the weapons left behind by these overthrown invaders (Ezekiel 39:9).
This would appear to clearly indicate that this invasion will occur sometime before the end of the first year of the Tribulation, with the burning of these weapons occurring during the remainder of that year and the succeeding six years of the Tribulation. If it occurred any later, the seven years would have to extend into the Messianic Era beyond the Tribulation, and conditions described by Ezekiel are not in keeping with conditions which will exist during that era.
(The remaining part of the first year, following God’s overthrow of the invaders, would be looked upon as a complete year within the framework of the "seven years" mentioned in Ezekiel 39:9. Scripture looks upon a part of a day or a part of a year as a whole day or year in this respect.) The Russian Invasion -- Why?
Russia has been moving against Israel for over three decades, dating back to the mid-’50’s. Russia’s interest in expanding her borders into the Middle East was actually made known as early as 1940, in a proposed four-power pact between Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Soviet Union. One condition, stipulated by Russia within this pact, stated, "Provided that the area south of Batum and Baku in the general direction of the Persian Gulf is recognized as the center of the aspirations of the Soviet Union" (a quote from the draft of this pact which the Allies found among captured secret documents in the German Foreign Office at the end of World War II). And, now, over fifty years later, Russian aspirations remain unchanged.
For decades Russia has tried to expand her borders into the Middle East through using the Arab nations. Russia has provided them with innumerable billions of dollars worth of military hardware and has provided training for their personnel on the use of this equipment, on military strategy, etc. (this was especially evident immediately preceding, during, and immediately following the Six-Day and Yom Kippur Wars). And this has all been done with one goal in view.
Russia moved in this direction because of a situation which developed in the Middle East -- the emergence of Israel as a nation and the attitude of the Moslem nations (especially those in the Middle East) toward Israel’s presence in the land of Palestine. These Moslem nations all possessed one burning desire: Drive the Jews into the Mediterranean Sea and reclaim the land of Palestine for "Allah" (see Part I of this series). And Russia began to take advantage of the situation through courting several of these nations, particularly those nations bordering Israel. This is the direction Russia took in her attempt to gain a foothold in that part of the world. Russia sought to help the Moslem nations destroy Israel and reclaim that land, though Russia’s interest was much broader.
Very early in this approach, Russia began to train specialists on Middle East affairs at the Institute of International Relations in Moscow, with a view to these specialists occupying diplomatic positions in the Middle East. These individuals, among other things, were trained in all aspects of existing conditions in the different countries to which they would eventually be sent -- local languages, Islamic law with its history and customs, regional economics and politics, etc. Individuals trained in Moscow subsequently began to occupy key diplomatic posts in different Middle East countries, and the whole matter was so effective that the term "Muslim Communist" eventually became part of the Soviet political jargon.
It was through this means that Russia began her penetration into the Islamic nations in the Middle East (information supplied by Vladimir Sakharov, a former member of the elite corps on Middle East affairs, trained in Moscow).
Russia’s main interest though has never been the destruction of Israel per se. Russia has been (and remains) interested in destroying Israel only because this is what must be done for the nation to realize her expansionist aspirations in the Middle East. Russia is interested in exercising control over the whole Middle East -- particularly the oil-rich Persian Gulf area. Exercising controlling over that part of the world is a must for exercising control over the remainder.
In the Six-Day and Yom Kippur Wars of 1967 and 1973, Russia found that the Moslem nations surrounding Israel would probably be unable to ever destroy Israel, even with full Soviet backing. And it is evident that such is even more so the case today. Israel’s military strength has steadily become stronger and stronger since 1973. Thus, Russia is really left with only one recourse. Russia is going to have to go down and try to take care of the matter herself, which is exactly what Scripture states will occur.
Russia will one day directly intervene in affairs of the Middle East by moving her military forces into the land of Israel, with the intention of doing what the Moslem nations, with Russian backing, have never been able to do -- drive the Jews into the Mediterranean Sea. Four Moslem nations and one non-Moslem nation will accompany Russia. These nations are named in Ezekiel 38:5-6. "Persia" and "Togarmah" can be identified with Iran and Turkey north of Israel. "Libya" and "Ethiopia" can be identified with nations south of Israel -- modern-day Libya and probably the area covered by northern Sudan and possibly northern Ethiopia (looked upon in Scripture as one nation, referring to ancient boundaries rather than those of modern times). The Hebrew word translated "Ethiopia [Cush, descendants of Ham]" seemingly refers to a people who settled in the area south of Egypt and eastward to the Red Sea, an area inhabited mainly by Moslems today.
Then there is "Gomer," which can be identified with modern-day Germany, a non-Moslem nation, completely separated from the Middle East geographically and completely outside Russia’s goal of Middle East control through using the Moslem nations. Thus, Why Germany? The answer is obvious, and it can be stated in a word: Anti-Semitism, which dates back to the days of the Third Reich (see Chapter II).
The picture appears to be that when Russia comes down, there will be a Moslem block to the north of Israel and another to the south, with Israel caught in the middle, caught in the vise. Then Russia will attempt, through direct intervention, to help these Moslem nations do what all the Moslem nations in the Middle East have not been able to do in over forty years. Success would, in turn, give Russia more than her present foothold in the Middle East. All the Moslem nations would undoubtedly welcome her with open arms, and Russia could then expand her borders into that part of the world.
However, the results of a Russian-led victory in the Middle East is something the world will never know, for it is not going to happen. Russia’s fate, along with those nations accompanying her, has already been pre-written. And the matter is going to turn out exactly as Ezekiel foretold over 2,500 years ago.