For the Scriptures this morning I
would suggest you read chapter 38 of Ezekiel and Psalm 83.
Hey Gang:
This morning I am addressing a problem that has bothered me for many
years. I would challenge you to not take
my conclusions as the truth, nothing but the truth, so help you, God; but it will spur you on to seek answers
for yourself. The Holy Spirit stands
ready to lead you through the study and research process.
In the early
years of my interest in prophecy the Economic European Union was in the
formative stages and the buzz word was Gog and Magog; the hour when the Bear
from the North and of its confederates would come forth from the North and try
and blow Israel away seemed very near.
I confess I
was not “up to speed” in all the ramifications leading up to the invasion but
there appeared to be two prerequisites that Ezekiel pointed that must be in
place before the Gog-Magog invasion. In
verse 11 of chapter 38 we find these words: “I will go up against the land of unwalled villages”.
After
checking a dozen or so resources, I came to the conclusion we could change the
verse to read, “I will go up against the land that is at peace”.
Having been
to Israel on several occasion, most recent two years ago, I can attest that is
not a fitting description for Israel today. To
drive the streets of the land you cannot alwaays see the military might but you
certainly know it is there. On one of
our trips to Israel there was an incident in the Mediterranean that placed the
land on alert; within one hour Jerusalem looked more like an army post than a
thriving city. So, I concluded
prerequisite one was not yet in place for Gog – Magog invasion.
The second prerequisite, reason for the invasion, is found in verse 12 of chapter 38: “…to capture spoil and seize plunder”. At the time of my study, Israel was
recovering from another war with their neighbors and the major interest of the
fledgling nation was survival, not building a Fort Knox for all their
wealth.
In other
words, I could not see how the next step in the Middle East on-going-saga could
be the invasion of Gog-Magog. But there
was an even greater reason that anyone with a map could see- a hole in the
reasoning that Gog-Magog was next. When
you line up the nations that are listed as participants in the Gog-Magog
invasion something is conspicuously missing, not a single nation that would be
considered a butting-up-neighbor of Israel is listed yet they are the most
verbal in their hatred of Israel!
My
question? Where are they? Isn’t it wonderful when you find some
creditable person that agrees with you?
Several years ago, Bill Salus wrote a book titled Psalm 83, The
Missing Prophecy. It was a wonderful
read for it agreed with everything I thought but had no backing to stand on a
street corner and proclaim as truth. Now,
here in living color – Psalm 83- are all the nations that butt up against
Israel and listed as part of a coming invasion; and they will be reduced to
rubble!
Keep in mind
as you translate the ancient names with current names, every inch of Israeli’s
boundaries is covered. The question now
is “when?” The arguments rage as to whether it will be pre-tribulation or
during the seven year tribulation period and how does it stack up against Gog-
Magog?
Well, good
buddies, I pray I have not confused you.
I challenge you again to get into the Word and test me out. I confess I am a prophet only by study and
not by revelation and, therefore, prone
to take wrong side-roads once in a while.
But when you rely of two or three study and prayer sources, the Holy
Spirit does right our ship and get us back on track.
Blessings,
Gramps
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