Scott Huckaby The Real…

Today’s Discussion: How developments in the Mid- East reveal Ezekiel 38 is near How we should respond to these Signs of the Times

Who is Gog? The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. (Ezekiel 38:1-2, NIV) Isn’t this interesting in light of Putin’s interest in Georgia? Georgia Armenia Peoples North of the Black Sea (Russia)

What is significant about Gog being “the chief prince”? The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. (Ezekiel 38:1-2, NIV) It fits the leader of Russia today... Vladimir Putin as the Prime Minister of Russia is the real power behind the Russian presidency; Dmitry Medvedev is but a puppet of Putin.

What does Gog do? The Lord compels him to make an armed attack outside their land. The Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. (Ezekiel 38:3-4, NIV)

What hooks could draw Russia south? The Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army (Ezekiel 38:3-4, NIV) 1.To help their Islamic allies resolve their "Israeli problem" 2.To gain control of Mideast oil so that they may dominate the world.

Why is the timing right for Russia to pursue their interests in the Mideast? They have come to understand how market economies work from first-hand experience. What does the world economy have to do with it?

Why is the timing right for Russia to pursue their interests in the Mideast? They have come to understand how market economies work from first-hand experience. How can the world’s economy be brought to its knees? The key to dominating the world is to control the oil that market economies need to flourish.

Why is the timing right for Russia to pursue their interests in the Mideast? They have come to understand how market economies work from first-hand experience. The key to dominating the world is to control the oil that market economies need to flourish. What does Iraq have to do with it? US success in Iraq means that the US will soon be freed from this entanglement.

Why is the timing right for Russia to pursue their interests in the Mideast? They have come to understand how market economies work from first-hand experience. The key to dominating the world is to control the oil that market economies need to flourish. US success in Iraq means that the US will soon be freed from this entanglement. Israel threatening Iran's nuclear weapon production capacity may give them enough legitimacy to catch the world by surprise. What does Iran & Israel have to do with it?

Why did Russia invade Georgia? The timing was right with the world (and especially China) being distracted by the Olympics. What does the timing have to do with it?

Why did Russia invade Georgia? The timing was right with the world (and especially China) being distracted by the Olympics. What does Georgia’s location have to do with it? Logistically, Georgia is a key land-barrier between Russia and their Mideastern allies.

Why did Russia invade Georgia? The timing was right with the world (and especially China) being distracted by the Olympics. Logistically, Georgia is a key land-barrier between Russia and their Mideastern allies. What does testing the world’s response have to do with it? They needed a test of the US resolve… if the US response lacks substance, they’ll have confidence to press on into the Mideast.

Why did Russia invade Georgia? The timing was right with the world (and especially China) being distracted by the Olympics. Logistically, Georgia is a key land-barrier between Russia and their Mideastern allies. They needed a test of the US resolve… if the US response lacks substance, they’ll have confidence to press on into the Mideast. Georgia must be assimilated into The Russian alliance to fulfill Bible prophecy. What does revealing the nature of God have to do with it?

Who joins Gog of Magog? Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you. (Ezekiel 38:5, NIV) Iran Sudan Libya TurkeyArmenia/Georgia

Whom does Gog attack? In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. (Ezekiel 38:8, NIV) Israel is attacked by Gog and the nations allied with him.

What is the timing of Ezekiel 38? Israel is re-gathered from dispersion and live in a false safety from either: 1.a peace confirmed by the Antichrist or 2.a prosperity foreshadowing this In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. (Ezekiel 38:8, NIV)

You will say, "I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. (Ezekiel 38:11, NIV) No; Israel’s walls only deter opportunistic terrorists, they are nothing to a modern armored force. This is more of a reference to the openness & complacency of western society. Does Israel’s security wall need to come down to fulfill Ezekiel 38?

Why does Gog attack Israel? I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land. (Ezekiel 38:12, NIV) Gog takes advantage of Israel’s unsuspecting vulnerability to attack them for financial gain having coveted their prosperity.

What nations challenge Gog? Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages will say to you, "Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder? (Ezekiel 38:13, NIV) Saudi Arabia, Yemen Jordan Spain Spanish Colonies (USA)

Why would Persian Gulf nations protest Gog’s action? Oil is wealth… the event that draws Gog to the Mideast is a pretext for the real motive Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages will say to you, "Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder? (Ezekiel 38:13, NIV)

Is Magog really Russia? Son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. (Ezekiel 38:14-15, NIV) Magog is Russia… Moscow is the only major city to the far north of Jerusalem

Why does God allow Gog to invade Israel? Out of His grace... so that people will recognize Him intervening in our world. In days to come, O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. (Ezekiel 38:16, NIV)

I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man's sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. (Ezekiel 38:21-22, NIV) God will destroy them in such a way that everyone know that He intervened. What will happen to the armies of Gog?

What else happens in the Magog war? Escalation to ICBMs: destruction in the land of Magog and the coastlands… nuclear war between Russia and the United States. I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 39:6, NIV)

Why wouldn’t this destruction be supernatural? The usual pattern of God is to work through natural means so those who’ve rejected Him may continue in unbelief. The fact that this was foretold in ancient times makes it supernatural. I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 39:6, NIV)

What will be the result of the Magog war? I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel. (Ezekiel 39:7, NIV) Many people from all nations of the world, Israel included, will know that the Bible is true about God.

Those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up—the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel. (Ezekiel 39:9, NIV) The Israelis will salvage Gog’s ammunition supplies and use it for peaceful purposes. What will happen in the aftermath of the Magog war?

Those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up—the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel. (Ezekiel 39:9, NIV) The seven years of the tribulation; there is just too many references to this same 7-year period to be coincidental What is the significance of the time frame?

Men will be regularly employed to cleanse the land. Some will go throughout the land and, in addition to them, others will bury those that remain on the ground… As they go through the land and one of them sees a human bone, he will set up a marker beside it until the gravediggers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. (Ezekiel 39:14-15, NIV) Special workers are needed… people killed by nuclear weapons may still be radioactive What is special about the burials?

An oracle concerning Damascus: “See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.” (Isaiah 17:1, NIV) See also Jeremiah 49:24-27 Since Russia is allied with Syria, this could be the event that draws Gog into the Mideast. Hezbollah, a proxy of Iran, is sheltered by Syria and like Iran exists for the destruction if Israel. How does this relate to Ezekiel 38?

1.Israel attacks Iran to squelch their plans to develop nuclear weapons. 2.Iran’s proxy Hezbollah retaliates with missile attacks on Israel. 3.Israel’s response draws Syria into the battle escalating to chemical weapons. 4.The carnage in Israel results in their using a nuke to end it. How could the destruction of Damascus come to pass? Or… Damascus could simply be collateral damage from the destruction of Gog’s army

Why is the Magog War a good time for the Rapture of the Church? The rapture must occur prior to the Antichrist stepping forward to guarantee peace for Israel. (The Antichrist takes credit for delivering Israel from Magog on behalf of NATO.)

Why is the Magog War a good time for the Rapture of the Church? The rapture must occur prior to the Antichrist stepping forward to guarantee peace for Israel. (The Antichrist takes credit for delivering Israel from Magog on behalf of NATO.) What better time for the rapture to occur than during some world-wide crisis like a nuclear war?

Why is the Magog War a good time for the Rapture of the Church? The rapture must occur prior to the Antichrist stepping forward to guarantee peace for Israel. (The Antichrist takes credit for delivering Israel from Magog on behalf of NATO.) What better time for the rapture to occur than during some world-wide crisis like a nuclear war? Who would miss the disappearance of a few million Christians when there is so much turmoil?

Why is the Magog War a good time for the Rapture of the Church? The rapture must occur prior to the Antichrist stepping forward to guarantee peace for Israel. (The Antichrist takes credit for delivering Israel from Magog on behalf of NATO.) What better time for the rapture to occur than during some world-wide crisis like a nuclear war? Who would miss the disappearance of a few million Christians when there is so much turmoil? God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie (2 Thess 2:11, NKJ) Some war-related explanation will given…

How should we respond when we see Russia acting like Magog? Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. (Luke 21:28, NKJV) Make sure you are ready for the Rapture of the Church!