Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. –II Timothy 2:15.
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. –II Peter 1:20.
With regard to Biblical prophecy, World War III is found in Revelation 9:13-19, NOT in Ezekiel 38 and 39! Tensions in the Middle East are high right now, and we are headed toward this dreaded war; a war that will engulf the world, killing one-third of mankind. As Christians, we need to keep our eyes on Christ, and our values of a Heavenly nature.
It is commonly taught, however, that the prophecy found in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 involves present day Israel and Russia, and will soon come to pass. I was also taught to think this, but after becoming far more grounded in the Word, I clearly saw that this wasn’t the case. This misinterpretation of prophecy has been handed down over the last 70 years or so, and is a rather quick and light evaluation of some prophetic “high points,” instead of an accounting for the full Word of God.
The simple evaluation of the Ezekiel prophecy goes something like this; 1) We know that we are in the last days, and that Israel will come back to statehood at that time. 2) Israel has now been a nation again for 70 years, after being non-existent for over 2,000 years; incredible! 3) The geographic area of Gog and Magog is where Russia is now. 4) Russia has been our enemy, and is deemed a “bad” nation. The conclusion is therefore reached that Israel today is the one spoken of in Ezekiel, and that at some point Russia will move against them, and that this will be (or spark) WWIII. As for the real prophecy about this war in Revelation, it is usually as portrayed as something believers won’t encounter- the rapture will take us away before this. In fact, some do not even view the prophecy in Revelation 9:13-19 as a war at all. As believers, we need the entire Word of God, and this commonly reported prophetic “truth” does NOT reflect this! This view is someone’s private understanding, and handed down through several generations. It is understandable how ordinary laymen might come up with this conclusion, but it should not be so for church leadership; those that especially labor in the Word and doctrine (I Timothy 5:17). What follows next is a simple BIBLICAL accounting of what the Ezekiel 38 and 39 prophecy really is, and why the common view is in error. Don’t take this lightly! Satan uses these lies for our destruction: he gets us looking in the wrong direction for the wrong things.
FIRST: God deliberately gives us a 2nd account of the Ezekiel war to solidify the time frame. God knew in advance the error that would be taught. Read on;
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. –Revelation 20:7-9.
You may have to read all of Revelation 19 and 20 to get a better picture, but it goes like this; at the end of the tribulation, God calls the very few remaining Christians home to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Later that day, seemingly within the hour, Jesus leads these armies in the battle of Armageddon, and then sets up His millennial kingdom in the Palestine area. Satan is bound during those years, but afterward he is loosed for a season. He will go forth to deceive the nations, and gather them together to try (one last time) to destroy the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). Gog and Magog are referred to again. So we are still a long way off from the Ezekiel war.
SECOND: The Bible shows us that in New Testament times, God has shifted His accounting of Israel to the Christian Church; Jews and Gentiles alike that have been saved through Jesus Christ. God has shown this determination throughout the New Testament. It is the rejection of the political, temporal Israel in favor of a spiritual one.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. –John 4:21-24.
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. –John 10:16.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. –Matthew 23:37, 38.
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. –Romans 9:6-8. I can’t emphasize enough how you need to read all of Romans 9-11 for this topic.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. –Galatians 3:28, 29.
Many more scriptures could be added, but hopefully this will help you to see the truth. Since God has changed, or more accurately, CLARIFIED His view of Israel, then we need to accept that the Old Testament prophecies concerning Israel in the latter days (like Ezekiel 38:8) were referring to the church, the body of Christ, rather than a political entity.
THIRD: Ezekiel 38 and 39 is really part of a larger prophetic reference, found in chapters 34-39 altogether. There are numerous items found within this section that describe the “Israel” being discussed, and that disqualify it from being the Israel in the Middle East today.
38:5: Along with Gog/Magog, other countries in this war are listed, such as Ethiopia and Libya! Why is there so much focus on only Russia? Ethiopia and Libya don’t even border Israel today, but they will in the millennium; Egypt will be a part of Israel then (Isaiah 19:24).
37:1-14: This is a well known prophecy about the valley of dry bones, and God bringing them back to life. This agrees well with the 1st resurrection and rapture, and then returning for the thousand year reign of Christ! Compare these verses;
Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. –Ezekiel 37:12. Now compare that with I Thessalonians 4:16, 17;
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
David will be king: David will literally be raised up and be the king, which makes perfect sense in light of the rapture and 1st resurrection. See Ezekiel 34: 23, 24; 37:24, 25; Hosea 3:5, and;
But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. –Jeremiah 30:9. Tell me- is the real, original David now the king of Israel?
36:25-28: Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
These verses are a description of baptized, born again, spirit-filled Christians, not orthodox Jews that have rejected Jesus as their messiah! The Jews are still looking for their messiah, and so they will embrace the antichrist.
36:33: This next verse sounds like the rapture, and the set-up of the millennium;
Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.
36:35: Israel today isn’t even close to being like the garden of Eden;
And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
38:8 and 11: Does Israel today dwell safely, without bars and gates? Not at all- they are constantly under threat. Just because they aren’t in Nazi concentration camps doesn’t mean they are safe! And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates. –Verse 11.
FOURTH: It is often said that Jesus’ “parable of the fig tree” is referring to Israel’s return as a nation. NO!!! That is a private interpretation of prophecy, such as we were warned about in II Peter 1:20. Let’s check out this parable in Luke 21:25-32. How is there even a hint that this parable is about Israel’s return? Jesus explains the parable very simply and plainly;
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. How can it be any clearer? Bold type was added to emphasize.
FIFTH: The Israel in the Middle East today was brought about through the ungodly intrigues of the Illuminati and Freemasons. This comes to light through a letter from Albert Pike in 1871. In this letter he details how the world can be brought under one rule through the means of 3 world wars. A key part of World War II is to bring back Israel as a nation! You can look up “Albert Pike and the 3 world wars” on-line. This plan was given to him by his “spirit guide.”
SIXTH (?): In 39:9, 10 we read the following; And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD. Wow! That is a great act of God, and promise. But how can we burn metal instead of wood? We couldn’t do that today, certainly not for an average citizen. Yet at the outset of the millennium, “swords will be beaten into plowshares,” remember? MAYBE at that time, when Satan again deceives the nations into warring against Israel, they will then turn to manufacturing wooden weapons, as in days of old. It’s a MAYBE, not definite.
So that’s what the complete testimony of what God’s Word has to say. Whether or not Russia attacks Israel soon would have no bearing on the fact that Ezekiel 38 and 39 aren’t prophesying about the Israel in the Middle East today. World War III is spoken of in Revelation 9:13-19, and the Lord’s return, both rapture and judgment, happen on the same day at the end of said tribulation period, not before. Such gross mishandling of scripture comes from the devil, and is meant to destroy us.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. –John 17:17.
You may have to read all of Revelation 19 and 20 to get a better picture, but it goes like this; at the end of the tribulation, God calls the very few remaining Christians home to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Later that day, seemingly within the hour, Jesus leads these armies in the battle of Armageddon, and then sets up His millennial kingdom in the Palestine area. Satan is bound during those years, but afterward he is loosed for a season. He will go forth to deceive the nations, and gather them together to try (one last time) to destroy the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). Gog and Magog are referred to again. So we are still a long way off from the Ezekiel war.
SECOND: The Bible shows us that in New Testament times, God has shifted His accounting of Israel to the Christian Church; Jews and Gentiles alike that have been saved through Jesus Christ. God has shown this determination throughout the New Testament. It is the rejection of the political, temporal Israel in favor of a spiritual one.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. –John 4:21-24.
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. –John 10:16.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. –Matthew 23:37, 38.
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. –Romans 9:6-8. I can’t emphasize enough how you need to read all of Romans 9-11 for this topic.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. –Galatians 3:28, 29.
Many more scriptures could be added, but hopefully this will help you to see the truth. Since God has changed, or more accurately, CLARIFIED His view of Israel, then we need to accept that the Old Testament prophecies concerning Israel in the latter days (like Ezekiel 38:8) were referring to the church, the body of Christ, rather than a political entity.
THIRD: Ezekiel 38 and 39 is really part of a larger prophetic reference, found in chapters 34-39 altogether. There are numerous items found within this section that describe the “Israel” being discussed, and that disqualify it from being the Israel in the Middle East today.
38:5: Along with Gog/Magog, other countries in this war are listed, such as Ethiopia and Libya! Why is there so much focus on only Russia? Ethiopia and Libya don’t even border Israel today, but they will in the millennium; Egypt will be a part of Israel then (Isaiah 19:24).
37:1-14: This is a well known prophecy about the valley of dry bones, and God bringing them back to life. This agrees well with the 1st resurrection and rapture, and then returning for the thousand year reign of Christ! Compare these verses;
Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. –Ezekiel 37:12. Now compare that with I Thessalonians 4:16, 17;
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
David will be king: David will literally be raised up and be the king, which makes perfect sense in light of the rapture and 1st resurrection. See Ezekiel 34: 23, 24; 37:24, 25; Hosea 3:5, and;
But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. –Jeremiah 30:9. Tell me- is the real, original David now the king of Israel?
36:25-28: Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
These verses are a description of baptized, born again, spirit-filled Christians, not orthodox Jews that have rejected Jesus as their messiah! The Jews are still looking for their messiah, and so they will embrace the antichrist.
36:33: This next verse sounds like the rapture, and the set-up of the millennium;
Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.
36:35: Israel today isn’t even close to being like the garden of Eden;
And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
38:8 and 11: Does Israel today dwell safely, without bars and gates? Not at all- they are constantly under threat. Just because they aren’t in Nazi concentration camps doesn’t mean they are safe! And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates. –Verse 11.
FOURTH: It is often said that Jesus’ “parable of the fig tree” is referring to Israel’s return as a nation. NO!!! That is a private interpretation of prophecy, such as we were warned about in II Peter 1:20. Let’s check out this parable in Luke 21:25-32. How is there even a hint that this parable is about Israel’s return? Jesus explains the parable very simply and plainly;
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. How can it be any clearer? Bold type was added to emphasize.
FIFTH: The Israel in the Middle East today was brought about through the ungodly intrigues of the Illuminati and Freemasons. This comes to light through a letter from Albert Pike in 1871. In this letter he details how the world can be brought under one rule through the means of 3 world wars. A key part of World War II is to bring back Israel as a nation! You can look up “Albert Pike and the 3 world wars” on-line. This plan was given to him by his “spirit guide.”
SIXTH (?): In 39:9, 10 we read the following; And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD. Wow! That is a great act of God, and promise. But how can we burn metal instead of wood? We couldn’t do that today, certainly not for an average citizen. Yet at the outset of the millennium, “swords will be beaten into plowshares,” remember? MAYBE at that time, when Satan again deceives the nations into warring against Israel, they will then turn to manufacturing wooden weapons, as in days of old. It’s a MAYBE, not definite.
So that’s what the complete testimony of what God’s Word has to say. Whether or not Russia attacks Israel soon would have no bearing on the fact that Ezekiel 38 and 39 aren’t prophesying about the Israel in the Middle East today. World War III is spoken of in Revelation 9:13-19, and the Lord’s return, both rapture and judgment, happen on the same day at the end of said tribulation period, not before. Such gross mishandling of scripture comes from the devil, and is meant to destroy us.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. –John 17:17.
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