Inspired by Joel Rosenberg’s Epicenter Rob Amos, July

US News & World Report, Nov ’03 It’s getting a little weird being Joel Rosenberg…first he wrote…about a terrorist’s kamikaze attack on a US city and the subsequent hunt for Iraqi WMD’s…well before 9/11. Now he has written The Last Days about a Palestinian attack on a US convoy, just like what happened a few weeks back. And look out, Yasser Arafat: Rosenberg offs you on Page 28. 2

The Babylonian Exile – BC He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword…to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years. 2 Chronicles 36:20-21 (esv) 3 … … 70 Years ~500 Years

Israel Will Be Restored! This is what the Sovereign LORD says….My sheep…were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them….I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. Excerpts from Ezekiel 34 4

Two Exiles 5 586BC 70AD The LITTLE Exile The BIG Exile

Mark Twain on Israel ~1870 There is not a solitary village throughout its whole extent -- not for thirty miles in either direction. There are two or three small clusters of Bedouin tents, but not a single permanent habitation. One may ride ten miles, hereabouts, and not see ten human beings. To this region one of the prophecies is applied: 6 "I will bring the land into desolation; and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. And I will scatter you among the heathen, and I will draw out a sword after you; and your land shall be desolate and your cities waste." [Lev 26] No man can stand here by deserted Ain Mellahah and say the prophecy has not been fulfilled.

Israel Will AGAIN Be Restored! This is what the Sovereign LORD says….My sheep…were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them….I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. Excerpts from Ezekiel 34 7

Two Returns 8 516BC 1948 The LITTLE Exile The BIG Exile 70AD 586BC

Israel Will Bloom 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden…” Ezekiel 36:

Statistics from Israel’s Foreign Ministry Since Israel attained its independence in 1948, the total area under cultivation has increased from 165,000 ha. to some 435,000 ha. and the number of agricultural communities has grown from 400 to 900 (including 136 Arab villages). During the same period, agricultural production has expanded 16-fold, more than three times the rate of the population growth. 10

The War of Gog & Magog Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia, Ethiopia [or Cush] and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops--many peoples with you. After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them…. 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 38:1-8,13 (NAS) 11

The War of Gog & Magog Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia, Ethiopia [or Cush] and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops--many peoples with you. After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them…. 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 38:1-8,13 (NAS) 12

Gog’s Army AllyModernNotes MagogRussiaSon of Japheth, Scythians RoshRussia“Chief (Rosh) Prince of Meshech/Tubal”? MeshechMoscow? Georgia?King Meshech founded Moscow? TubalCaucasus Iberians (Russia)? Georgia? Claimed by both as ancestor 13

14 Historical Textbook and Atlas of Biblical Geography (1854), Coleman Gen 10:2 - The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech… Josephus: Magogites = Scythians = Russia 10 th c. Byzantines: Volga dwellers = the “Ros” 17 th c. Russian text: Moscow founded by King Meshech, son of Japheth Tubal claimed by Georgians and Caucasus Iberians

Anti-Israel Views in Russian Military Mitofanov (2004): I know people in the Russian Military—very nationalistic people— who have ideas that Jewish people have ruined Russia, and they have an idea to attack Israel. Colonel Chernov of the FSB, for example. He believes we should say to the Muslim world, ‘We have the power, the land, and the nuclear weapons. You have one billion people, living bombs. Let’s work together’ He said Russia must be Muslim, not Orthodox Christian…He wanted to push Jews out of all leadership positions in Russia.” 15

Gog’s Plan On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. You will say….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:

Russia, Israel & Natural Gas October 2009: Russia signs $3.5B natural gas trade deal with China, straining its gas reserves June 2010: Israel discovers 15 trillion cu.ft of natural gas, enough to enable it to be a net exporter. Lebanon claims it’s in their waters 17

Gog’s Army AllyModernNotes MagogRussiaSon of Japheth, Scythians RoshRussia“Chief (Rosh) Prince of Meshech/Tubal”? MeshechMoscow? Georgia?King Meshech founded Moscow? TubalCaucasus Iberians (Russia)? Georgia? Claimed by both as ancestor PersiaIranHistorically hostile to Russia, till now 18 Persia, Ethiopia [or Cush] and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;

Gog’s Army AllyModernNotes MagogRussiaSon of Japheth, Scythians RoshRussia“Chief (Rosh) Prince of Meshech/Tubal”? MeshechMoscow? Georgia?King Meshech founded Moscow? TubalCaucasus Iberians (Russia)? Georgia? Claimed by both as ancestor PersiaIranHistorically hostile to Russia, till now Ethiopia/CushSudanSon of Ham (Africa), now pariah 19 Persia, Ethiopia [or Cush] and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;

Gog’s Army AllyModernNotes MagogRussiaSon of Japheth, Scythians RoshRussia“Chief (Rosh) Prince of Meshech/Tubal”? MeshechMoscow? Georgia?King Meshech founded Moscow? TubalCaucasus Iberians (Russia)? Georgia? Claimed by both as ancestor PersiaIranHistorically hostile to Russia, till now Ethiopia/CushSudanSon of Ham (Africa), now pariah PutLibyaSon of Ham, warming to Russia 20 Persia, Ethiopia [or Cush] and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;

Gog’s Army AllyModernNotes MagogRussiaSon of Japheth, Scythians RoshRussia“Chief (Rosh) Prince of Meshech/Tubal”? MeshechMoscow? Georgia?King Meshech founded Moscow? TubalCaucasus Iberians (Russia)? Georgia? Claimed by both as ancestor PersiaIranHistorically hostile to Russia, till now Ethiopia/CushSudanSon of Ham (Africa), now pariah PutLibyaSon of Ham, warming to Russia GomerTurkeySon of Japheth, newly hostile to Israel 21 Gomer with all its troops;

22 Historical Textbook and Atlas of Biblical Geography (1854), Coleman Gen 10:2 - The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech… Josephus: Gomer founded Galatia (Turkey)

Turkey  Turkey: Historical ally of Israel, US  Israel Relationship now at historical low  Trend away from Europe/NATO to Russia/Syria  Increasing Islamicism 23

24 Historical Textbook and Atlas of Biblical Geography (1854), Coleman Gen 10:3 - The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah. Josephus: Beth-Togarmah = Phyrigia

Gog’s Army AllyModernNotes MagogRussiaSon of Japheth, Scythians RoshRussia“Chief (Rosh) Prince of Meshech/Tubal”? MeshechMoscow? Georgia?King Meshech founded Moscow? TubalCaucasus Iberians (Russia)? Georgia? Claimed by both as ancestor PersiaIranHistorically hostile to Russia, till now Ethiopia/CushSudanSon of Ham (Africa), now pariah PutLibyaSon of Ham, warming to Russia GomerTurkeySon of Japheth, newly hostile to Israel Beth-TogarmahArmenia/ ‘StansPhyrigia, now members of the SCO 25 Beth-Togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops;

It Can’t Be Literal?! Commentaries prior to 1948 From Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (1871): “Why [Ezekiel 38] is not literal. (2) The nations congregated are selected from places most distant from Israel, and from one another, and therefore most unlikely to act in concert (Persians and Libyans, &c.).” 26

NOT IN Gog’s Army Non-AllyModernNotes Sheba/DedanSaudi ArabiaSons of Cush 27 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?"

NOT IN Gog’s Army Non-AllyModernNotes Sheba/DedanSaudi ArabiaSons of Cush K’phiyr of TarshishUSA??“Young Lions” or “Merchants” of Tarshish (far West as imaginable, remember Jonah) 28 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?"

NOT IN Gog’s Army Non-AllyModernNotes Sheba/DedanSaudi ArabiaSons of Cush K’phiyr of TarshishUSA??“Young Lions” or “Merchants” of Tarshish (far West as imaginable, remember Jonah) Egypt Historical enemy Peace Accord. Assyria/BabylonIraqHistorical enemy Operation Iraqi Freedom. 29 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?"

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)  10/7/2009: The Director General of the IAEA, Mohamed El Baradei, said  “Israel is the number one rogue state threat to Middle Eastern peace with its nuclear arms and acts of outright aggression towards its peaceful neighbours Syria and Lebanon – and genocidal actions against the marginalised Palestinians of the West Bank – and Gaza in particular.” 30

Outcome of the War It will come about on that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,“ declares the Lord GOD, "that My fury will mount up in My anger. In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel….I will call for a sword against [Gog] on all My mountains," declares the Lord GOD "Every man's sword will be against his brother. With pestilence and with blood I will enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a torrential rain, with hailstones, fire and brimstone. I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 38:18-23 (NAS) 31

Aftermath of the War Then those who inhabit the cities of Israel will go out and make fires with the weapons and burn them, both shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears, and for seven years they will make fires of them. For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. And the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God from that day onward. Ezekiel 39:9,12,22 (NAS) 32

Seven Years?? See Daniel 9! AD Of Gog/ Magog

WHAT ARE WE TO DO?  DO NOT BE ALARMED (Matt 24:6)  Interpret the signs, keep watch (Matt 16:2, 24:42)  The Bible is AMAZING and TRUSTWORTHY  Seekers: Now is the time to take Jesus Christ up on his offer of salvation  Christ Followers: Use this opportunity for evangelism  Everyone: NOT a good time to be in sinful rebellion  Support ISRAEL, over its enemies  PRAY FOR ISRAEL (Psalm 122:6)  Don’t let your love as a church grow cold (Matt 24:10-13) 34