UPDATE 24 February 2016: When Gog of Magog leads his confederated military forces into Israel as foretold by Ezekiel 38/39, he will almost certainly launch his attack from the Caucasus region seen in the map above. In particular, from the nation of Armenia which has become a fully functional satellite state and forward operating base for Vladimir Putin's military forces. My inclusion of the Russian Federation leader's name in the same paragraph as Gog of Magog is not by accident but by intention. I think they may well be one and the same individual.
Since late December 2015 Russia has been pouring its military forces into Armenia with whom it has just inked a defense agreement which extends Russia's military presence in the country through the year 2044. The sprawling Russian base at Gyumri, Armenia is within walking distance (less than 6 miles) of the Turkish border (NATO ally). Armenia is a virtual dagger pointing at the heart of critical U.S. allies Georgia and Azerbaijan. It would make all kinds of military sense for Russia to overwhelm Georgia and Azerbaijan prior to moving south against Israel.
It is instructive to look at the types of weaponry pouring into Armenia at present: advanced drone aircraft, attack helicopters, Iskander-M (SS-26 'Stone') tactical strike ballistic missiles with a range of 30 to 300 miles, a full division of combat troops, a thousand artillery pieces plus an additional 5,000 troops to operate all this hardware. Notice also that all of this military force is of the air mobile or air assault type.
The questions to ask are: Why are you just now hearing about this; why is this immediate threat not being reported by mass media? (25FEB - Forbes.com has reported this; Drudge.com links to the report) I still think you know the answer.
22 February 2016: The first hints of a dissonance in the Russia-Iran-Syria military alliance are being heard in recent OSINT reports. I mention this only because it is an interesting item to note given what has been occurring around Aleppo and Dera'a.
Accordingly, Russia wants a gradual winding down of its military operations and withdrawal of its combat forces from Syria in favor of a political resolution to end the 5-year old conflict in Syria. Part of the envisioned political process is Russia's tacit admission that Bashar al-Assad will be required to step down. In other words, Russia has no real interest in an open-ended war against Sunni Islam.
For Iran and Syria, Bashar al-Assad in particular, it is only total military victory over all of the anti-Assad forces that will suffice to determine Syria's future. They see negotiations as a means to an end of their choosing, meaning that negotiations are a distraction from their true objective of military conquest over all rebel factions. Such a tactic worked against compliant American and European foreign ministers in nuclear negotiations, so why not against an incohesive, and fratricide-happy mix of anti-Assad rebel militias?
No matter what, newspaper headlines and insider reports will always have to take a back seat to what Bible prophecy has to say about current events in Syria. The texts of Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49:23-27 are what will be in the future, and it is toward that future reality that events will inevitably maneuver.
19 February 2016: Nothing should change the military dynamic in the Middle East faster than precision airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force directly against Syrian military targets. This is precisely what transpired on Wednesday evening, 18 February, according to the SOHR (Syrian Observatory on Human Rights) as reported by Reuters News Service and multiple Israeli news sources. Now the wait is on to see how the dynamic changes.
Background: Russian military forces are in Syria to defend the regime from several groups of rebel Sunni forces. So are the Iranians (IRGC), Hezbollah and other Iranian-led Iraqi and Afghan Shi'a militias. Since the Russians and these other foreign forces arrived in Syria, this is the second such IAF strike in the country, and it occurs at a time when increased Russian airstrikes are occurring very close to the Golan border. Wednesday evening's IAF airstrikes scored direct hits on a Syrian regime military facility located between Damascus and Dera'a. There has been, thus far at least, no Russian or Iranian military response to the Israeli strikes.
There is little doubt these strikes, as with the previous strikes, were an Israeli red-line crossed response for the ongoing transfer of advanced weaponry to Lebanese Hezbollah by Syria, Iran, or both, in southern Syria. These strikes very probably destroyed the advanced weapons in a Syrian government depot, as has occurred on multiple previous occasions in the past couple of years as reported on Eschatology Today.
So we watch and wait...
Meanwhile, according to Arab media over in the Hafr al-Batin, region of northwestern Saudi Arabia, in the desert just southwest of Kuwait where the 1991 Operation Desert Storm was launched against Iraqi forces 25 years ago this month, there is an ongoing Saudi-hosted military exercise of Arab and Sunni Islamic countries known as Exercise North Thunder. The number of troops and war materiel involved in the exercise appear to be somewhat exaggerated as reported by "unconfirmed sources." Nevertheless, this exercise is being touted as a message to Iran and intended to get the apocalyptic, Mahdi-hastening Shi'a clerics to modify their ambitions.
Participating nations in Exercise North Thunder are: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Senegal, Sudan, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Chad, Tunis, Djibouti, Comoros, Oman, Qatar, Malaysia Egypt, Mauritania and Mauritius. North Thunder is scheduled to conclude on 10 March 2016.
15 February 2016: The dynamics of ongoing wars in the Middle East are changing pretty much as expected ever since the Russian military intervention in Syria commenced a few short months ago.
Since late December 2015 Russia has been pouring its military forces into Armenia with whom it has just inked a defense agreement which extends Russia's military presence in the country through the year 2044. The sprawling Russian base at Gyumri, Armenia is within walking distance (less than 6 miles) of the Turkish border (NATO ally). Armenia is a virtual dagger pointing at the heart of critical U.S. allies Georgia and Azerbaijan. It would make all kinds of military sense for Russia to overwhelm Georgia and Azerbaijan prior to moving south against Israel.
It is instructive to look at the types of weaponry pouring into Armenia at present: advanced drone aircraft, attack helicopters, Iskander-M (SS-26 'Stone') tactical strike ballistic missiles with a range of 30 to 300 miles, a full division of combat troops, a thousand artillery pieces plus an additional 5,000 troops to operate all this hardware. Notice also that all of this military force is of the air mobile or air assault type.
The questions to ask are: Why are you just now hearing about this; why is this immediate threat not being reported by mass media? (25FEB - Forbes.com has reported this; Drudge.com links to the report) I still think you know the answer.
22 February 2016: The first hints of a dissonance in the Russia-Iran-Syria military alliance are being heard in recent OSINT reports. I mention this only because it is an interesting item to note given what has been occurring around Aleppo and Dera'a.
Accordingly, Russia wants a gradual winding down of its military operations and withdrawal of its combat forces from Syria in favor of a political resolution to end the 5-year old conflict in Syria. Part of the envisioned political process is Russia's tacit admission that Bashar al-Assad will be required to step down. In other words, Russia has no real interest in an open-ended war against Sunni Islam.
For Iran and Syria, Bashar al-Assad in particular, it is only total military victory over all of the anti-Assad forces that will suffice to determine Syria's future. They see negotiations as a means to an end of their choosing, meaning that negotiations are a distraction from their true objective of military conquest over all rebel factions. Such a tactic worked against compliant American and European foreign ministers in nuclear negotiations, so why not against an incohesive, and fratricide-happy mix of anti-Assad rebel militias?
No matter what, newspaper headlines and insider reports will always have to take a back seat to what Bible prophecy has to say about current events in Syria. The texts of Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49:23-27 are what will be in the future, and it is toward that future reality that events will inevitably maneuver.
Background: Russian military forces are in Syria to defend the regime from several groups of rebel Sunni forces. So are the Iranians (IRGC), Hezbollah and other Iranian-led Iraqi and Afghan Shi'a militias. Since the Russians and these other foreign forces arrived in Syria, this is the second such IAF strike in the country, and it occurs at a time when increased Russian airstrikes are occurring very close to the Golan border. Wednesday evening's IAF airstrikes scored direct hits on a Syrian regime military facility located between Damascus and Dera'a. There has been, thus far at least, no Russian or Iranian military response to the Israeli strikes.
There is little doubt these strikes, as with the previous strikes, were an Israeli red-line crossed response for the ongoing transfer of advanced weaponry to Lebanese Hezbollah by Syria, Iran, or both, in southern Syria. These strikes very probably destroyed the advanced weapons in a Syrian government depot, as has occurred on multiple previous occasions in the past couple of years as reported on Eschatology Today.
So we watch and wait...
Meanwhile, according to Arab media over in the Hafr al-Batin, region of northwestern Saudi Arabia, in the desert just southwest of Kuwait where the 1991 Operation Desert Storm was launched against Iraqi forces 25 years ago this month, there is an ongoing Saudi-hosted military exercise of Arab and Sunni Islamic countries known as Exercise North Thunder. The number of troops and war materiel involved in the exercise appear to be somewhat exaggerated as reported by "unconfirmed sources." Nevertheless, this exercise is being touted as a message to Iran and intended to get the apocalyptic, Mahdi-hastening Shi'a clerics to modify their ambitions.
Participating nations in Exercise North Thunder are: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Senegal, Sudan, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Chad, Tunis, Djibouti, Comoros, Oman, Qatar, Malaysia Egypt, Mauritania and Mauritius. North Thunder is scheduled to conclude on 10 March 2016.
15 February 2016: The dynamics of ongoing wars in the Middle East are changing pretty much as expected ever since the Russian military intervention in Syria commenced a few short months ago.
It is painfully evident at this juncture that the Russian military alliance with Syria's Alawite-Ba'athist regime under Bashar al-Assad, the Twelver-Hojjatieh-led Islamic Republic of Iran and their terrorist proxy Hezbollah of Lebanon have declared total war against the Sunni Muslims in Syria, and by extension, in the entire Greater Middle East that is populated by Sunni Muslims.
The tactic being ruthlessly employed in battles raging around Aleppo in the north and Dera'a in the south of Syria by these Russian-led allies is one of ethic cleansing, pure and simple. Russia, Syria, Iran and Hezbollah have jointly come to the conclusion that winning this war requires nothing less than the systematic extermination of the Sunni population in Syria by carpet bombing and the forced migration of Sunni refugees towards Syria's international borders with Turkey, Jordan and even Israel.
As one might expect, the newly established Sunni Arab military alliance led by Saudi Arabia has now taken up a position to enter the war against the Russian-Syrian-Iranian alliance, and has joined the Turkish military in a build up of joint forces on the Turkish-Syrian border. Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE and other Sunni nations are also taking positions with their Sunni allies in the south. Reports of a multi-national Sunni Arab force of 150,000 troops being assembled continue unabated.
American combat forces are once again entering Iraq and Afghanistan in large numbers, and the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve stands as the overall command structure for military operations in Syria and Iraq against the Islamic State. If ever there was a formula for a 'perfect storm' military conflagration in the Middle East, the dynamic inherent in the proximity of these various forces coming into direct, large-scale contact such a confrontation a very real possibility.
Since all these countries involved are close in proximity to Israel, will this
ReplyDeletewar in Syria morph into the Psalm 83 war? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm just trying to understand. Since Russia and Iran are involved it sounds like the build up to the war described in Ezekiel 39?
Rhonda,
ReplyDeleteIn other SITREPs posted about the Syrian war the postulation has been for the fulfillment of Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49:23-27.
The fulfillment of these twin prophecies are believed to occur prior to Psalm 83s final fulfillment because neither Damascus the city nor Syria the country are mentioned in Psalm 83. Nor are Persia or Magog for that matter.
The destruction of Damascus, is complete and total, and Syria will cease to be a nation. Neither is mentioned again in any Bible prophecy. Israel is involved in the possibly nuclear destruction of Damascus due to what I believe will be a devastating chemical attack upon Israel that comes from Syrian territory (Isaiah 17:4-11).
The final battles of Psalm 83 should commence thereafter with both sects of Islam involved and the aggressor Arab armies being completely destroyed by Israel.
It may happen during the Isaiah 17 through Psalm 83 conclusion that "allah" is proven to be a false god (similar to how Baal was proven to be a false god through fire in ancient times), and the Arabs come to accept YHWH, the God of Israel, as the One True God.
"...because neither Damascus the city nor Syria the country are mentioned in Psalm 83. Nor are Persia or Magog for that matter."
ReplyDeleteSean,
I have a question and I apologize beforehand if you've written about this particular thing already. If I understood the situation correctly, the Russian and the Iranian forces which are in Syria right now, they are going to leave Syria behind in the (perhaps) not too distant future and they are going to return when the Ezekiel 38/39 war happens. My question: is there any idea/notion of WHAT is going to make the Russian (and Iranian) forces which are now fighting in Syria leave the country? The Russians seem to be hell-bent to stay in Syria until they reach their goals. Something serious must happen to make them and the Iranians leave Syria behind! Do you have idea(s) what could that be?
I did post something with respect to your question in a SITREP right after Russian forces began arriving last fall.
DeleteI believe the answer is found in Jeremiah 49:23-27. I'll post a link to that item for you shortly. This is a good question as it probably needs repeating at this point.
Actually, truth be told, I just did reference the answer just three days ago (13 FEB) in SITREP A7:16. I mentioned in in a response to LD, but did not include an active URL.
ReplyDeleteSame response, but now with active link.
"Turkey has reportedly shelled the jihadists who over-ran the Menagh Air Base which is just south of the Turkish border. That entire region is a 'weapons free' fire zone; a no-mans-land for at least the past month, and possibly as far back as late November 2015.
This is the exact same region mentioned in Bible prophecy (Jeremiah 49:23-27) that I was referring to back on 15 September 2015 in Global SITREP D6-15."
From what I saw in OSINT reporting today (16 FEB), Turkey and Saudi Arabia are working out the finer details of their planned military intervention in Syria. Details such as who is responsible for achieving what military objective and the prioritization of those objectives.
Saudi Arabia also just intercepted an Iranian ship off the coast of Yemen that was supposed to be carrying humanitarian supplies but was actually stuffed with war materiel for the Shi'a Houthi rebels. If the Saudi are smart they will confiscate the ship and send the materiel to their allies fighting Assad, Ruusia, Iran and Hezbollah.
Also in OSINT, Hezbollah's chief, Hassan Nasrallah, is currently undergoing an emergency procedure for stage four cancer in Tehran.
Waiting a minute, turkey and Saudi Arabia against Russia and iran? Am I mistaken, or does that sound like Ezekiel 38:13? Perhaps I'm reading too much into it at this very early stage
ReplyDeleteSean,
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking the sitrep! The possibilities you mentioned why Russia might leave Syria behind seem unlikely to me right now (thinking of Islamic terrorism overthrowing the government) but time will tell. Russia had to deal with that kind of terrorism way before 9/11, they had to endure several terrorist attacks and it didn’t stop them. I could be wrong but I don’t think that Mr. Putin didn’t think it through/know what he’s dealing with. Also, the Russians joined the mess in Syria relatively late. I think something big has to happen within the borders of Syria that affects the Iranians just as much as the Russians thus making both of them leave. I’m just hoping (strongly hoping) that it won’t be a confrontation with NATO. Suddenly everybody started to talk about the imminence of WW3, how it could break out in any minute. What do you think about it? You mentioned that Ezekiel 38/39 might be followed by a world war but it’s still a few years away. (I guess we have to wait at least 1 or 2 years until Ezekiel 38/39 happens.)
hartdawg,
ReplyDeleteEzekiel 38/39 is about an attempt to invade and take total control of Israel, not Syria.
Bashar al-Assad, let's call him the king of Syria, invited the Iranians and then the Russians into Syria to tip the military balance against the Sunni rebellion.
There is no prophecy in the Bible which addresses details such as these now established facts; not even in hindsight is there anything like this that is foretold to occur. This is probably because none of this has anything, prophetically speaking, to do with Israel, not yet anyway.
In Ezekiel 38/39 it is an idea placed in Gog of Magog's mind that causes him to want to invade Israel; Gog of Magog is not invited to invade, and he comes from the utmost north. Coming from Syria is not coming from the utmost north.
However, all this aside, the prophecies of Isaiah 17, and Jeremiah 49:23-27 both say that something tremendous is about to happen in Syria.
Sorry, I should have been a little more specific, or general, I was just referring to Saudi Arabia (sheba and dedan) becoming allies with turkey (the nato alliance in vs 13??). The Ezekiel 38 & 39 prophecy, I believe, is still a number of years out. Then again....
DeleteNora,
ReplyDeleteThe possibilities that I mentioned mentioned in SITREP D6-15 about why Russia might leave Syria behind seem unlikely to you?
Begging pardon, did you skip over the second paragraph which addresses specifics of Jeremiah 49:23? This is not future prophetic fulfillment - it is real-time current events - these things are occurring right now. In our face fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
This is in conjunction with the point made that the ethnic cleansing of Sunni Muslims from Sunni muslim lands by Orthodox Russian Christians and their Shi'a Muslim allies is insanity defined.
Everyone - have many of us forgotten that in 1980 the USSR was a world superpower when it caused a coup d'etat in the government of Afghanistan. After the overthrow the USSR got the new puppet communist government of Afghanistan to invite Soviet armed forces into the country. The Soviet Union willingly entered into a war against Sunni Islam on its home turf. And after a couple years of conventional warfare against the Sunni mujahideen the formerly mighty armies of the Soviet Union fled back over the border into the USSR with their tails between their legs. In short, the superpower Russia lost the war against militant Sunni Islam in Afghanistan to the Taliban.
Then Russia had to deal with two Sunni rebellions on its home turf in Chechnya. That war found its way right into Moscow's housing blocks and theaters and schools. Has this not-so-distant history all been forgotten? Not by me, I followed it on a daily basis, and since last September I've seen the likelihood of it happening again. But this time there are a lot more Sunni muslims in Russia, and they have the ability to create chemical weapons. This time it could actually be worse than the last time.
I need to repeat this: "The Russian troops can now look forward to IEDs, VBIEDs and suicide bombers hitting them where they live and the routes they drive on with their supplies for forward operating bases inland. Al Qaeda has promised this will happen. No Russian soldier can tell a Syrian ally from an Al Qaeda enemy anymore than an American soldier could tell an Iraqi from an Al Qaeda enemy. They will operate in the midst of Russian soldiers. They will likely pose as Syrian soldiers with Syrian soldier ID cards. Then boom. Russia has entered a quagmire from which the Putin government will have no option but withdraw its troops, or what's left of them."
Just as they had to do in Afghanistan!
The SITREP D6-15 assessment said nothing about Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Operation Inherent Resolve actively joining the fight against Russia, Iran and Syria. I left that possibility entirely within the subsequent mid-November to mid-December 2015 posting of SITREP E4-15: An Inherently Dangerous Situation in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, which can be ex-summed via the following paragraph:
"Can you now see where this is all leading? Does the greater Middle East now not have the essential driver for and catalyst to bring about war on a scale never before visited upon these lands? Do you now see the enabler of flood-like Bible prophecy fulfillment that exists from southern Europe to northern Africa to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Arabian Peninsula to the Indian Ocean? And there is tiny but nuclear-armed Israel standing in the midst of it all."
This is very likely the sound of the other shoe dropping in the ongoing war between Iran and Saudi Arabia and which was the subject of the lead-off post 2016: Global SITREP A1-16: The Sunni-Shi'a War Continues.
====
By the way, everyone, does Ezekiel 38:13 really appear to be something that would be said by the defeated side of a previous conflict between Russia/Iran and the Sunni Arabs and the West?
I certainly do not read it that way. Never have. It sounds to my mind's ear to be all but a virtual mockery of the invaders.
Hey sean, I must confess that I also used to think that it used to be a powerless protest by weakened nations until George Bush took office. After that,I thought that it was just meaningless talk by nations that claim to stand for israel, but in reality do not. Much like the current administration. "Mockery of the invaders" brings it into a whole new light.
Deletehartdawg,
ReplyDeleteMore important is that most expositors continue to cling to an interpretation that has Turkey as a member of the Magog confederation of Ezekiel 38/39.
I have been in disagreement with this interpretation for some time and have made clear my reasons for this disagreement four years ago, in an Eschatology Today post that began 6 years ago, and I quote with added emphasis:
"At this point I need to say that the nations represented in Ezekiel 38:6 by Gomer and Togarmah might well be a different matter than discussed above, and might well indicate both a Turkish and Caucasian nation(s) participation in this attempted invasion. But, again, the prophetic truth in the sum of Ezekiel's prophesy is that they are secondary players not meriting a mention in chapter 38 until verse 6, definitively after the mentioning of Iran (Paras), Sudan (Kuwsh) and Libya (Puwt). These five nations are all of secondary importance because they are omitted completely in the text of Ezekiel 39 where God again repeats in verse 1, the primary importance of "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal."
Additionally, if one researches the history of the Turks in modern day Turkey one would learn that they arrived in this land from Central Asia in the early part of the 11th century (1092 AD) following their invasion of Persia. The modern Turks are the descendants of the ancient Seljuk Turks who descended from the more ancient Oghuz Turkic peoples of north-central Asia. The historical fact is that the approximately 52-year lifespan of Ezekiel (c. 622 to 570 BC) pre-dates any Turkic presence in Anatolia (the ancient name for Turkey) and for the entirety of the 1,600 year long era of classical antiquity (600 BC through 1000 AD). The forebears of the modern Turkish nation were living in regions anywhere from 2,500 to 3,500 miles northeast of present day Turkey.
Do any of the Genesis 10 Table of Nations names given by God for Ezekiel to prophesy against 2,600 years ago reference modern day Turks? No, they apparently do not. They reference locations associated with the names only of Gomer and Togarmah who today are a multi-ethnic mix of the original inhabitants and invaders from the far northeast of Asia."
Sean,
ReplyDelete“By the way, everyone, does Ezekiel 38:13 really appear to be something that would be said by the defeated side of a previous conflict between Russia/Iran and the Sunni Arabs and the West?"
All the studies I’ve read on Ezekiel 38/39 so far interpreted it that way. You’re the first person I met, who interprets it as mockery instead of fear and weakness. That’s an interesting new point of view to me; I try to keep an open mind. We’ll find it out sooner or later how things are going to unfold. There’s one problem I can’t wrap my mind around.
1.NATO forces have to remain powerful and mostly undamaged because the AC will need them (as one of the pillars of his power), right?
2.But… Iran and especially Russia also have to remain powerful in the military sense because of the following reasons: a., the way Ezekiel describes the Gog-Magog forces it seems to me that they will have a robust and formidable army, b., God is going to demonstrate His divine power on this army not just to reveal and show Himself to Israel but to the WHOLE WORLD! This fact alone suggests that the Gog-Magog forces couldn’t be laughable, pathetic armies (not that it matters to the Lord how big and powerful a human army is, but that’s the point).
3.Maintaining such armies Russia&Iran need to be relatively well-off economically in the future.
I don’t know if I’m wrong but I think so that the above mentioned conditions preclude such a serious clash between Western forces and Russia&Iran where Russian and Iranian forces are seriously decimated and those countries are economically destroyed BEFORE Ezekiel 38/39 happens. Still, something serious has to happen to make Russia&Iran flee from Syria. Maybe I’m wrong in some point(s), correct me please if you think I’m wrong in anything! Plus, I’d still like to know what do you think, are people rightly assuming that WW3 could happen in any moment, more importantly BEFORE Ezekiel 38/39? Or "just" a major regional war (including Russia&Iran)happens before Ezekiel 38/39? Sorry for the long comment!!!
Nora,
ReplyDeleteIt has not been until fairly recently that folks who truly study eschatology noticed that Iran is missing and without a trace from the Psalm 83 prophecy. It's modern-day allies are there, but Iran itself is AWOL.
Except for Jeremiah 49:34-39 and Ezekiel 38/39 it is nowhere to be found. This indicates to me that Jeremiah's and Ezekiel's prophecies are very much relative to one another.
An interesting thing to make note of here is that Iran became an existential enemy of Israel fully 32 years after Israel came into existence. Prior to the Twelver-Hojjatieh revolution in Iran, it was an ally of Israel. So for the past 36 years Iran has been a blood enemy of Israel.
====
As someone who has spent his entire adult life in military affairs, I say with great certitude that Ezekiel 38/39 is a prophecy describing an airborne assault the greatest part of which comes from the extreme north, over the Caucasus mountains. "to cover the land like a cloud."
The Russian air assault forces that I think would take part in Ezekiel 38/39 are the 106th Guards Abn Div in Tula and its subordinate units in Ryazan, Yefremov; the 7th Air Assault Div from Novorossiysk and its subordinate units from Stavropol; and the 76th Guards Air Assault Div in Pskov, and its subordinate units in nearby Cherekha. This is the greater part of Russia airborne forces, but not all of them; there would still be plenty for the Antichrist to have to deal with during the 70th Week. Are you aware of anyone else who has gone to such lengths to look at the details of what Ezekiel 38/39 might really look like at that time? Me neither, and this is the tip of an iceberg of research I have done since the collapse of the USSR.
As I have stated from the get-go of the Russian operation in Syria, those forces in Syria right now amount to virtually nothing compared to what is still available up north.
Iran is a paper tiger; in Ezekiel 38/39 they are a minor accompanying force as are Libya and Sudan.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for all these information! I forgot to add something. I agree with you about the possible leadership change in Russia before Ezekiel 38/39 happens (regardless of my previously shared opinion about the ways how that might happen). I’ve been thinking about it for a good while and I can’t really see the current Russian government as the one which will lead the attack against Israel (despite that the Lord is the one inciting them). There’s one more thing about the Gog-Magog prophecy. I remember reading an article long ago, the article was about the person of Gog. The author of the article said that he doesn’t think that Gog is a human being but an evil spiritual entity. He said he arrived at that conclusion studying all the mentions of, references and appearances of Gog in the Old Testament and in all the prophecies of the Bible. He thought so that Gog is probably a high-ranking angel in Satan’s army (a kind of counterpart of the Archangel Michael) who’ll influence the attacking nation’s armies.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteIn thinking about your response to Nora Feb 17, 3:37PM, I am trying to get my mind around what seems to be your point of view that Ezekiel 38/39 and Jeremiah 49: 34-39 would appear to happen BEFORE the Ps 83 prophecy, which is new thinking for me. It makes sense now that things seem to be setting up, but I am troubled specifically by Ezek 38, verse 11 which states "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".
Having recently been to Israel, there are gates, checkpoints, walls and the Israeli people are confident and go about their business, but I would not say they are "at rest". So, this is where my confusion lies. I was always under the belief that Ps 83 would happen first, as it would seem these surrounding enemies are the daily enemies of modern day Israel, and most likely to make war (yet again) with Israel in the very near term. Your comment about Ezek 38-39 and Jer 49 happening first, makes a lot of sense as to why the Iranians are not part of the Ps 83 battle, but Ezek 38:11 is my stumbling block.
If you could help me to understand this, or point me to the appropriate SitRep that would be great. I thank you and all of the posters on this site, as I truly get more education about end times right here, than anywhere else. It is truly a blessing to be able to make sense of the geopolitical and Biblical happenings as we are watching them unfold nightly.
God bless you brother,
LD
Ld,
DeleteHere is the post for the Eze 38/39 from Sean's website.
The Prophetic Road to Revelation (Part IV):The War of Gog of Magog.
In there gives the order of events. Hope this helps.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteYesterday I kept seeing reports that there was radioactive material stolen in Iraq... Could be a catalyst!? What would tick BB of more?
IS has been taking radioactive materiel wherever they can get their paws on it, particularly from hospitals in Mosul.
DeleteYesterday's reports were regarding radioactive material stolen last year from a bunker in Basra. This may be 10 grams of Iridium-192 that was stolen.
IS is building an RDD.
LD,
ReplyDeleteFor a long time now I have referenced Psalm 83 with its companion prophecies in Isaiah 11:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:24-26. Together they provide a more fully developed prophetic picture for us. This is why I often refer to all of these prophecies together, plus Joshua 12:1-7, as the "Psalm 83 scenario." Together they all form a Divinely-inspired prophetic vignette.
I believe that Ezekiel 28:24-26 is very instructive with respect to your question.
At the present time Israel regards Iran (and Hezbollah) as its primary enemy. So, if Iran was not dealt with (per Jeremiah 49:34-39) to remove it from this position, then what is stated in Ezekiel 28:24-26 could not be perfectly accurate, could it?
It is written:
" And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them... And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them..."
How could this prophecy be accurate if an existential threat and enemy to Israel like Iran was not dealt with in such a way as to permanently remove the existential threat?
Hey Sean, Sorry I didn't see your reply to LD until after I sent him the info for Eze 38/39. I had just finished reading part iv and thought it would help.
ReplyDeleteMy bad. :/
No problem at all; you remind me that I need to update some things. Thanks!
DeleteSean,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading again Ezekiel 28:24-26 and all the current events coming to pass, I couldn't help but remember when Daniel saw the 70 years of Jeremiah's prophecy coming to conclusion, he began to beseech God on behalf of Israel, it got me thinking we also as we see these events in our day coming to pass we should be praying to God on behalf of Israel concerning Eze 28ths fullfillment.
Agreed!!! This should be an integral part of our daily prayers! So be it.
Delete"IS is building an RDD."
ReplyDeleteI hope they won't succeed! Seriously, when will they be defeated/wiped out?
At the final Psalm 83 war?
Yes, during final act of Psalm 83 scenario. I have long interpreted 'Assur' in Psalm 83 to be Islamic State. Islamic State originated in Iraq,
DeleteSean and jmoll106...Thank you. I will dig into the references and Scriptures you both brought up.
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciated,
LD
I just heard a good one on the radio. Rush Limbaugh program. Rush noted that upon his departure from Mexico the Pope stated that Donald Trump is not a Christian due to all his talk about building a wall along the US-Mexican border. "Christians do not build walls, they build bridges," said the Pope.
ReplyDeleteRush then observed that by his own definition the Pope is not a Christian either due to the fact that the Vatican in Rome is surrounded on all sides by gargantuan walls which make the city-state a virtual fortress.
The purpose of the fortress walls surrounding the Vatican City?
To keep enemies and other undesirables out; and to offer passage into the city-state through appropriate border control points of access.
Mr. Pope: stay out of my country's business and mind your own affairs of state.
.Sean,
ReplyDeleteThe pope thing spurred a discussion with a guy at work today.
I have witnessed to him before and even gave him the bible I keep at my desk...
He's receptive and interested but I don't know that he gets the urgency. Say a prayer for Michael !
Afterwards I was thinking to myself, it's really hard to be salt and light when the world wants bland food in the dark!
Ken B
"Yes, during final act of Psalm 83 scenario."
ReplyDeleteOne more reason added why I'm looking for the final war of Psalm 83. I hope that it happens as soon as possible, within a year at least. (Not saying that I'm sure it happens at least within a year that's just my wish and hope.) Although, if the Rapture happened before the conclusion of Psalm 83, I wouldn't be sad either. :)
Hey, quick question, this has been asked in the past, but the political environment has changed so I'll ask again, do you see Netanyahu acting in a "psalm 83 way"? Meaning he'll complete the task at hand, or do you think that'll have to wait till the next leader?
ReplyDeleteThe 10g of radioactive Iridium-192 comment of Feb 18 is now a moot issue.
ReplyDeleteAll of that materiel was recovered a few days ago still sealed in its transit case.
IS may be building an RDD, but the Iridium-192 won't be included.
Sean, everything "seems" quiet and "good"....but keep your powder dry, as the scenarios you've so adroitly brought out will soon come to pass. A blunt surprise I think, followed by a flood of events. When it's like this, we should double down on prayer and study, instead of coast.
ReplyDeleteScipio.
ReplyDeleteIt just "seems" quiet because global corporate media aren't reporting events, or have them embargoed from publication for some undetermined amount of time. Mostly a great many journalists aren't acting as professional journalists should act, and/or they are 'toeing the line' in order to remain gainfully employed.
The world continues at break-neck speed down the one-way road to Revelation.
True! Good point. Occasionally VICE news will have a piece from the battlefield. But the rest of them have puff pieces or irrelevant "news" about politics or Hollywood.
ReplyDeletehartdawg,
ReplyDeleteI have no comment at this time; I don't have any first-hand information about it.
Ok. I'm probably going to order it this weekend. He's usually pretty spot on for the most part. It's called the "now prophecies".
DeleteSpeaking of the news silence, I was talking to a prophecy skeptic, he's a Christian but doesn't believe prophecy is very important and thinks the coming of the Lord can still be a hundred years, anyway I was talking to him about Isaiah 17 and psalm 83 and he has no clue what's going on over there. Isn't that sad? These preachers should have their pulpits taken away, and the mainstream media should have their jobs taken away.
The name "Gog" is a proper masculine noun (as seen in 1 Chronicles 5:4).
ReplyDeleteTherefore, in Ezekiel 38/39 this "Gog of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal" is very literally a man, a human being.
This 'Gog' will literally be killed in the battle and he will be buried along with his slaughtered army in the 'Valley of the Passengers' (Valley of Hamongog).
To begin with, the LORD God instructed the prophet Ezekiel (i.e. "thou son of man") to prophesy against this man named Gog. There is nothing in any Biblical text where any man is told by the LORD God to prophecy against a demonic spirit. Men are told to prophecy against other men by God.
This man Gog has a left hand and a right hand that hold weapons of war. What demonic spirit being handles weapons of war against men, particularly the sons of Israel?
Gog and his armies will literally fall dead upon the mountains of Israel; their dead carrion will be eaten by carnivorous birds and beasts of the field. The remnant shards of Gog's and his armies bones will be buried in the earth, which will then become known as the Valley of Hamongog.
Things which are not Biblical will not be posted to this blog.
hartdawg,
ReplyDeleteI had some time to look into your question about Bill Salus new book, "The NOW Prophecies."
Here is the order of Bill's "NOW" series of upcoming prophetic fulfillments.
1) Jeremiah 49:34-39
2) Isaiah 17, Jer. 49:23-27
3) Jeremiah 49:1-6, Zephaniah 2:8-10
4) Isaiah 19:1-18
5) Psalm 83
6) Ezekiel 38/39:13
7) Obadiah 1:19-20, Jeremiah 49:2, Zephaniah 2:9, Isaiah 19:18
8) I Corinthians 15:51-52, I Thessalonians 4:15-18
I cannot speak to why these prophecies have been ordered in this manner by Bill.
I believe a couple are out of the sequence I would assign to them based upon how I interpret them.
For example: I would reverse the order of number 6 and 7 because my view is that Israel will become larger as a result of the Psalm 83 fulfillment rather than as the result of the Gog of Magog fulfillment.
I would also not set the Harpazo to occur with respect to any sequence of these fulfillments. I believe the Harpazo is an always imminent event and we all should be at full readiness to hear the announcement of our Groom's arrival.
I also think "stage setting" is taking place at present for all of these prophecies to occur with flash flood-like suddenness.
All of these topics have been discussed within this blog at one time or another, or in series of SITREPS.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteI was watching a "Prophecy Watchers" youtube video with Bill Salus and Gary Stearman.
It was published or uploaded on Feb 24 with the title "Bill Salus: The Middle East Powder Keg"
At about 8:45 in Gary asks "when the rapture will happen" and chuckles about the question.
Bill definitely states it is an imminent event and he isn't placing it in any order but goes on to explain if you buy his book... you can find out why he is pre-trib...
Ken B