The Invasion:

"Get ready, be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them." Ezekiel 38:7

Magog (Russia), is to be both the leader and provider. It is no coincidence that Russia is presently the major provider of weapons and technology to the very allies listed. "After many days you will be called to arms. 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 Magog (Russia) will lead the invasion against Israel. After being dispersed for almost 2,000 years. God, miraculously regathered the Jewish people back to their promised land, just as the Bible predicted. "You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land." Ezekiel 38:9

All the allies of Magog are Islamic and are united in their hatred of Israel. They will be united by their common denial of Israel to exist as a nation and the commitment to there complete annihilation. "'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. 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 38:10-11

Israel today, is not living a peaceful lifestyle. Every Israeli has to be constantly alert and be prepared for an attack or act of terrorism. So this indicates that at the time of the Magog invasion, they will be living under some sort of peace agreement. They will be living under a false sense of security, Israel will let it's guard down. "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

It's only been about 50 years ago that Israel was a desert wasteland, you would have to walk miles just to see a tree. Now it's known as the "Fruit Basket of Europe. A country about the size of Rhode Island, is now the fourth largest exporter of fruit in the world. "Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, 'Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?'" Ezekiel 38:13

Sheba and Dedan were cities in what is now Saudi Arabia. They are not part of the invasion, but they do question what the invasion is for. Saudi Arabia is fearful of an attack by Iran, Iran wants to control all of Islam. By attacking Saudi Arabia not only would they have all the oil, but they would also gain control over Mecca. Thus they would control Mecca and Medina, the two most holy sites in all of Islam. No wonder Sheba and Dedan are sitting out this invasion. Who is Tarshish? Tarshish first appears as one of the sons of Javan, a brother of Magog, both sons of Japheth (1Chronicles 1:7). Scripture clearly identifies Tarshish as a very remote sea-trading island, as much as three years distant. Jonah, in fleeing his call to Nineveh, boarded a ship to Tarshish. While nothing is concrete, most Bible teachers believe that Britain is modern day Tarshish. Tarshish was known as a source of tin. "Britannia" means a source of tin. Wessex people enjoyed trade with the Eastern Mediterranean as early as 1500 B.C. Some even suggest that the "young lions" associated with Tarshish are the colonies Britain founded. This would include the United States. Interesting to note that scripture does not mention the United States. Israel is our ally, could something happen to the US to prevent us from rushing to Israel's side? "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army." Ezekiel 38:14-15

The far north is literally the "extreme or utmost" parts of the north. Any map will show you that Russia is due north of Israel. The reference to horses, comes from the Hebrew word "soos", which means "leaper". That can also be translated as "bird" or "chariot-rider". Ezekiel gave it his best when trying to describe a modern day military army. Israel's main battle tank is the Merkeva, or "Chariot." "You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes." Ezekiel 38:16

Read carefully what God says, the Magog invasion will literally be going up against God's people and God's land. The land doesn't belong to Israel or the Palestinians, but to God alone. I don't know about you, but I'm placing my bet on God! "Thus says the Lord GOD: "Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them? And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "that My fury will show in My face." Ezekiel 38:17-18

God does not pull any surprises. He is giving everyone plenty of warning. Through His prophets, we have known about the Magog invasion for about 2,500 years. God is going to intervene, not because Israel deserves His help, it's because His reputation is on the line! Magog is throwing sand in God's face, God says enough is enough!

"For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: 'Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, 'so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground." Ezekiel 38: 19-20

We have had some bad earthquakes where I live, but nothing compares to the earthquake described above. The whole world will feel this one, and the whole world will know that God's hand is behind the shaking. "I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains," says the Lord GOD. Every man's sword will be against his brother. And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone." Ezekiel 38:21-22 This could be God literally raining fire down on Magog or it could be nuclear. Israel has nuclear and neutron technology. If forced, they will pull out all stops to protect themselves. Or, they just might use the "Samson Option", and attempt to take everyone with them if they feel they have no other choice. A earthquake of this magnitude could clear the way for Israel to rebuild it's Third Temple and the battle could usher in the reign of the Antichrist.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord!

God declares through His prophet Ezekiel that He will defeat Russia and its allies in the greatest military disaster in history. According to Ezekiel 39:2, five-sixth's of the Russian led armies (85 percent) will be annihilated by God upon the mountains of Israel. The Lord will trigger the greatest earthquake experienced thus far in history, centered in the mountains of Israel, but affecting the cities around the globe. In addition, the supernatural destruction will be accompanied by God's additional judgments, including "pestilence, overflowing rain, great hailstones, fire, brimstone" (38:22). The Lord will send such confusion and chaos upon the enemy that "every man's sword shall be against his brother" (verse 21). The devastation and loss of human life will be so great that "seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them" (Ezekiel 39:12). The captured weapons and fuel supplies will provide fuel for the towns and villages of Israel for seven years. (verse 9)

It is interesting to note that new Russian weapons are being produced using a new material known as lignostone. Prepared from compressed wood-product, this material was developed in Holland to be used as fuel. However, the Soviet weapons laboratories discovered that this unique substance, called lignostone, is as strong as steel, light, pliable, and almost invisible to radar. These unique characteristics encouraged the Russian military to utilize this material in many military vehicles and weapons. One of the characteristics of lignostone is that it burns at very high temperatures and can be readily used as an alternative fuel. The use of lignostone, and the fact that mobile Russian military units can carry large amounts of fuel (in containers 100 yards across) for their tanks and helicopters, may explain the prophecy that the defeat of this army will provide ample fuel for Israel for a period of seven years. The prophecy recorded in Ezekiel 38:21 and 39:21­22 indicates that God's purpose in this extraordinary intervention in history is to glorify and sanctify His Holy Name in the sight of Israel and the Gentile nations. The awesome destruction associated with this victory over the Russian led armies will not be confined solely to the invading armies. God declared, "And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 39:6). Russia (Magog) will be devastated by the wrath of God, as well as those nations "dwelling carelessly in the isles" which may refer to Europe and America. Russia has pre-positioned enormous military supplies in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Egypt in preparation for the coming Russian-Arab invasion of Israel. It is both easier and more efficient for Russia to airlift huge numbers of lightly armed men into Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon to pick up previously positioned weapons, than to airlift the military supplies for them. Military equipment often weighs five to ten times the weight of the soldier who will use that equipment. The same logic motivates the United States military to preposition enormous amounts of military supplies in Europe to be available for American and Canadian troops who would be flown into France and Germany in the event of a Russian invasion of Western Europe. The PLO, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, and Syria are themselves already so heavily armed that they have little practical use for this additional equipment.

Prophecy author, Grant Jeffrey gives some possible insight into the timing of the Magog invasion. He writes: Although Scripture does not indicate the year in which this future invasion and defeat of Russia will occur, the prophet Haggai gives us a strong indication of what the actual day may be. Haggai reveals that on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (Chisleu) of the Jewish calendar, the day before Hanukkah, God will deliver Israel as He did twice before on this day: (1) the defeat of the Syrian army and recapture of the Temple in 165 b.c. and (2) the British capture of Jerusalem from the Turks in 1917 during the closing battles of WW1. The prophet Haggai declares: "The Word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month [Chisleu], saying, Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother" (Haggai 2:20­22).

This description by Haggai, and the exact language of his prophecy, is uncannily like the language of Ezekiel 38 and 39 that describes Russia's defeat. The interesting point is that Haggai names the exact day of the year on which this will occur. Since so many other prophecies have been so precisely fulfilled to the day, there is a strong probability that this prophetic event will also occur on its appointed anniversary date of the biblical calendar. "Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord God; this is the day whereof I have spoken" (Ezekiel 39:8). God's appointment with Russia is set; it will not be postponed.

Russia and it's allies have their date with destiny, we also have a destiny "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) and "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23), but unlike Russia and it's allies, we can change our destiny!