People
have been fighting each other ever since the first two children of Adam and Eve
started disagreeing with each other. Their first child, a son named
Cain,
killed their second child, a son named Abel (Genesis 4:8). And that was the
beginning of man's assault against man. As we well know, this single
act
of violence has progressed to include the deaths of thousands in countless
wars. Although earlier wars probably occurred, the earliest conflicts recorded
in
the Bible took place during the life of Abraham (see Genesis 14:1-16). When
four kings of the East and their armies attacked the wicked city of Sodom,
overcame
its defenders and captured his nephew Lot, Abraham quickly gathered 318 men
trained for war. They followed the kings, overcame them and released
their
captives-winning a great victory. Since that time, many wars have been
waged-and we can be sure war will continue to be a part of life until the
end
of the age (see Daniel 9:26).
Not
a single day has passed since WWII without the drums of war beating somewhere
on earth. The church, the United Nations, peace treaties, peacekeeping
missions,
peace- promising politicians, peace marchers, peace mongers, peaceniks and multitudes
of sincere peace-loving people have not been able to silence
them.
The record is truly distressing. Those who ask why need look no further than
the Bible for an answer. The apostle James said, "From whence come wars
and
fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your
members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot
obtain:
ye fight and war...(James 4:1,2).
War
is the result of human beings acting on their lusts. People need to be
regenerated through faith in Jesus Christ, but without regeneration they yield
to
the wicked desires of their hearts. And the Bible makes it plain that giving in
to those desires leads to war. When human beings reject the only solution,
Jesus
Christ, the only alternative is war. "There is no peace, saith my God, to
the wicked" (Isaiah 57:21). This insightful revelation from God is very
important.
It means that human beings are caught up in a great struggle, a struggle
between light and dark, good and evil, the ways of Christ versus the
ways
of Antichrist, a struggle with righteousness pitted against sin, truth pitted
against untruth, honesty against deceit, faithfulness against unfaithfulness,
the
way of God versus the way of Satan. Whether we know it or not, opposing principles
are constantly warring within us and forcing us to choose sides.
Choosing
the wrong side leads to war-war between families, races, religions and nations.
To satisfy their lusts, some human beings are willing to do any
vile
thing a depraved mind can think of. The willing submission of many individuals
to the unregenerate desires of their hearts is ravaging the world.
In
1990, Saddam Hussein, lusting after money and power, invaded Kuwait and touched
off the Persian Gulf War. That same kind of lust and violent action threatens
to
ignite war all over the
Middle
East today. In Forewarning: Approaching the Final Battle Between Heaven and
Hell, Chuck Missler writes, The Middle East is a cauldron ready to boil
over.
Egypt wants the southern Negev; the Palestinians want all of Israel and Jordan;
Syria wants all of Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and the West Bank; Turkey
wants
part of Iraq; Iran wants part of Iraq and hegemony in the Persian Gulf; Iraq
wants Kuwait and whatever parts of Saudi Arabia it can get; Yemen also
wants
part of Saudi Arabia; and everyone is desperate for water.
Bible
prophecy declares that the Russian lust for Israel's gold, silver, cattle and
goods will ignite the earth-shaking battle of Gog and Magog (see Ezekiel
38
and 39). The Antichrist will lust after a world government, uproot three
nations to get it, and bring in the last Gentile world kingdom (Daniel 7:24).
The
false prophet will lust after a world religion, impose the infamous "mark
of the beast" to achieve it, and cause many to be cast into the lake of
fire
(Revelation
13:11-18; 14:9-11). China will lust after control of the Middle East, move
across the dried up Euphrates River to seize it, and touch off the
terrible
battle of Armageddon (Revelation 9:14-16; 16:12-14). Acting upon our lusts
leads to war.
Supernatural
phenomena is one of today's hot topics, as evidenced by a steady stream of
books and movies about visitations, UFOs and the spirit world. Society's
fascination
with Satanism, witchcraft, divination, demons and angels is dramatic. The use
of psychics, a worldwide phenomenon, reaches from individuals
to
small-town police departments, the FBI, the CIA, the top brass of the military,
the White House and on up to the most influential people in the world.
In
Fast Facts on False Teachings, Ron Carlson and Ed Decker report that an
estimated 50 to 60 million Americans are involved in some form of the occult.
Many
Christians ridicule these things, but it is a mistake to lightly brush them aside.
The Scriptures are saturated with teachings about the involvement
of
the unseen world in the affairs of human beings. Consider these well-known
examples of visitations for the good of humanity: God visited the earth to
talk
with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15-17); He came again to
talk with Moses in flames of fire from the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-5);
He
came again to lead the Hebrews in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire
by night (Exodus 13:21,22); He appeared to the Hebrews at Mt. Sinai
(Exodus
19:20-25); Jesus, Moses and Elijah visited three of the disciples on the mount
of transfiguration (Mark 9:2- 7); Jesus spoke from heaven when Paul
was
converted on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6); the Holy Spirit came down like
a dove when Jesus was baptized (Mark 1: 9-11); the Holy Spirit came
again
when the 120 believers were praying in the upper room on the day of Pentecost
(Acts 2:1- 4); an angel visited Joseph before Jesus was born (Matthew
1:18-25);
the angel Gabriel visited Mary about the same time (Luke 1:26-38); and
multitudes of angels visited the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus
(Luke
2:8-14). The list could go on and on because earth has been visited by the
supernatural over and over again, including the great 33-year visitation
of
Christ when He lived here on earth as a human being. He had always existed, but
He took on the form of a man and visited this earth so He could qualify
as
a perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world (Philippians 2:5-8). Without that
we would have no hope. Without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit
we
would not be saved.
Many
Scriptures also refer to the unseen world's involvement in the affairs of
government. One good example is when God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to let
the
children of Israel go. Pharaoh refused, so God sent a variety of plagues and
forced Egypt's leader to release the people (Exodus 5-12). One interesting
aspect
of the story occurred when Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh. God
performed a miracle and changed it into a slithering serpent. Then Satan
got
involved and Pharaoh's wise men duplicated the miracle (Exodus 7:10-13).
Supernatural involvement offers the only credible explanation for those acts.
Another
example of supernatural involvement in governmental affairs occurred when a
"watcher and holy one" came to earth from heaven "to the intent
that
the
living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it
to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men" (Daniel
4:17).
The "watcher and holy one" saw to it that King Nebuchadnezzar was
afflicted with a mental illness and lost his kingdom until he acknowledged the
Most
High God seven years later (Daniel 4:29-37).
And
then there was the time when King Belshazzar tried to prove that he wasn't
afraid of anything or anyone, including Almighty God. He sent for the holy
vessels
taken by Babylon from the temple in Jerusalem and desecrated them by drinking
wine from them. Suddenly the mysterious fingers of a man's hand appeared
and
wrote on the wall. God was intervening to put an end to the haughty king and
his kingdom (Daniel 5).
The
Almighty intervened again when King Herod foolishly let the Jewish people
believe he was a god. The angel of the Lord smote King Herod so that he died
a
repulsive death (Acts 12:20-23). In yet another instance, Satan stepped in when
King David took a census in Israel. The Bible says, "Satan stood up
against
Israel,
and provoked David" to do it (I Chronicles 21:1).
Members
of the vast unseen world have also been involved in wars on earth. Upon
entering the Promised Land, Israel's first target was the ancient city of
Jericho.
The people of Jericho prepared by retreating behind the city walls and shutting
the gates. Instead of attacking them, the children of Israel simply
marched
around the city and went back to their camp. They did the same thing every day
for six days. On the seventh day, they marched around the city seven
times,
the priests blew their trumpets, the people gave a shout, the walls of Jericho
fell and the children of Israel took the city (Joshua 6:1-16). On
another
occasion, the angel of the Lord called Gideon to lead the children of Israel in
their struggle against the Midianites. The angel had Gideon reduce
his
32,000-man army to just 300 men. Then he had the 300 men attack the 135,000
Midianites with, of all things, pitchers, lamps and trumpets. The larger
and
well-armed Midianite army panicked and fled (Judges 7).
The
unseen world was involved in war again when the king of Syria decided to
eliminate Elisha the prophet for spying against him for the king of Israel.
The
king took a large army and surrounded Elisha's village. Elisha's servant
spotted the enemy troops and was terrified, but Elisha calmed him by saying,
"They
that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2 Kings 6:16).
Elisha prayed and God revealed an unseen army that was protecting him and his
servant.
When the large Syrian army came in to attack, God's invisible army smote them
with blindness (2 Kings 6:8-23).
On
yet another occasion, the great army of King Sermacherib of Assyria was soundly
trouncing all the militaries around him. He took his experienced troops
and
surrounded the city of Jerusalem. But before he could attack, an angel passed
through his camp and killed 185,000 of his men (2 Kings 19:32-36).
Then
there was the time when King Jabin of Canaan built 900 chariots of iron and
used them to oppress the seemingly defenseless children of Israel. After
the
Israelites repented of their sins, God called a faithful woman named Deborah to
deliver them. He had her assemble an army on the high ground at Mt.
Tabor.
King Jabin's 900 chariots of iron rolled out along the Kishon River and
prepared to attack, but God sent a great rain causing the river to suddenly
overflow
its banks and the chariots and men were washed away. Then the children of
Israel attacked from the high ground and won a great victory (Judges
4-5).
All
of this has significance for Christ's second coming and the battle of
Armageddon, when Jesus returns at the end of the tribulation period with the
unseen
armies
of heaven. The battle of Armageddon will really be a war between the armies of
the earth and the armies of heaven led by the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation
19:11-19).
The powerful weapons of mankind will not work in a war with beings from the
spirit world.
It
does not score points in the secular court of public opinion, but most
Christians are aware of the fact that the Bible teaches that supernatural
beings
are
influencing the human race. Most Christians know that a fallen angel, Satan,
appealed to the lusts of two vulnerable human beings, Adam and Eve, and
caused
the corruption of the entire human race (Genesis 3:1-7). Most Christians
believe the church began when the Holy Spirit came to baptize people into
the
body of Christ (Acts 2:1-4). It may not be fashionable in the secular world to
believe in the Holy Spirit, fallen angels, demons and other such beings,
but
the Bible says they are real and they have a vested interest in what goes on in
this world. Although many educated people scorn the idea, it is important
to
understand that the war-producing struggle between good and evil in the heart
of man is actually the result of a greater struggle between forces in
the
supernatural realm. The Bible even teaches that this struggle will heighten as
we approach the end of the age. The apostle Paul said, "The Spirit
speaketh
expressly,
that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (I Timothy 4:
Seducing spirits have caused a lot of trouble in the world, but they are going
to be an even greater problem in the days to come. The prophet Daniel
actually
called this struggle between supernatural forces in the unseen world "a great
war." He had been fasting and praying for three weeks when he had
a
vision of Christ, fell into a deep sleep, and was touched by a good angel from
the supernatural realm. The good angel told Daniel that he had been trying
to
reach him, but the prince of Persia had prevented him from getting through. He
said he made it only because another angel named Michael helped him.
He
also said he would have to go back and fight against the prince of Persia. Then
the prince of Greece would come (Daniel 10).
Daniel's
vision means there was a literal king of Persia who ruled in the physical
realm. It also means there was a demonic prince of Persia who ruled in
the
spiritual realm. The same thing can be said for Greece: a physical king of
Greece ruled in the natural realm and a demonic prince of Greece ruled in
the
spiritual realm. Furthermore, God had assigned an angel named Michael to rule
over Israel in the spiritual realm, and he assisted the good angel in
his
struggle against the demonic prince of Persia. This provides conclusive
evidence that Satan has a spiritual kingdom that includes a group of fallen
angels
called demons. It does not mean that Satan has demons behind every door or
under every bed, but it does mean that he has fallen angels who are real
and
often influence the natural world in a negative way. Their evil effect on the
vile passions of man is often responsible for war.
This
is consistent with the teachings of Jesus, who spoke of Satan's kingdom and
referred to him as the prince of this world (John 12:3 1; 16: 11; Matthew
12:22-29).
It is also consistent with the teachings of Paul. He said, "We wrestle not
against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against
the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places" (Ephesians 6:12). The apostle called Satan the prince of the
power
of the air (Ephesians 2:2) and the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). Many
of the world's best scholars understand this to mean that Satan has
a
kingdom governed by a system of powerful fallen angels who influence the lusts
of people on this earth. Their evil influence on the lusts of unregenerate
man
fuels the fires of war.
It
may not be a popular concept, but the temporary rule of Satan over unclean
spirits is something the world must contend with. Powerful unseen forces have
a
lot to do with world events now taking place. The spiritual realm will do much
to make the headlines during the great tribulation. Jesus compared the
end
of the age to the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37), whose days were marked by the
"sons of God" marrying the "daughters of men" (see Genesis
6:1-4). That
bewildering
concept is nothing to sneeze at. The list of scholars who believe the
"sons of God" refers to fallen angels is impressive (see also Job 1:6;
2:1).
If they are right in their interpretation, the end of the age will be marred by
the massive involvement of fallen angels in the affairs of the world.
We
know with certainty that the Antichrist will come forth with the power of Satan
and give honor to the "god of forces," who also happens to be Satan
(2
Thessalonians
2:9; Daniel 11:38). We also know that Satan will open the abyss and release
millions of demon-possessed locusts, who will be led by a fallen
angel
king named Abaddon (Revelation 9:1-12). We even know there will be war in
heaven with God's angels fighting Satan and some of his fallen angels.
Satan
and his loathsome followers will be cast down to this earth (Revelation
12:7-12). And we know that demon spirits from the mouths of the satanic trinity
will
go forth to summon the kings of the earth to the bloody battle of Armageddon
(Revelation 16:13-16). Astute scholars can infer different meanings from
these
Scriptures, but one thing is clear: The Bible definitely teaches that fallen
angels and/or demonic spirits will wreak havoc and cause war on this
earth
at the end of this age.
The
prophets of old predict a spooky scenario for the end of the age. Useless
ear-tickling talk about peace will abound, but terrible weapons will be in
the
bloody hands of violent people. The idea of world government will turn sour,
the lusts of power-hungry villains will be great, demonic activity will
multiply
and the end of the age will actually be a time of war for the whole earth. Here
is a random look at some of the Bible prophecies.
God
gave all of the Promised Land to the Jews, and He gave it to them forever
(Genesis 13:15, 17:20,21; 26:1-5; 28:22). He will not allow the Jews to swap
"land
for peace" and get away with it for very long. He will not let the
Arabs-or any nation, group of nations or world government-take the land away
from
Israel
and go unpunished. He intends for Israel to possess East Jerusalem, the temple
mount and a whole lot more; no one can do anything about that (see
Ezekiel
47:21-23). The beautiful land belongs to Israel and because God is God, the
issue is settled forever. Those trying to divide that land are making
a
terrible mistake. Although no doubt skilled in war, they are setting up a
confrontation with God they cannot hope to win.
Israel
is the "rod of God's inheritance" and the Jews are God's "battle
axe and weapons of war." God will use them to "break in pieces the
nations" and
to
"destroy kingdoms" (see Jeremiah 51:19,20). Think about that! Israel
is a weapon, and God is the one who wields it. He will use that little nation
to
chop
up and destroy the big nations of the world. People skillfully destroy each
other today, but they know nothing about the precision of God's war machine.
And
what about Jerusalem? God says He will "make Jerusalem a burdensome stone
for all people; all that burden themselves with it shall be out in pieces,
though
all the people of the earth be gathered together against it" (Zechariah
12:3). Jerusalem is the one city on the face of this earth that God intends
to
use to judge the world. He will bring the armies of the world against it, and
they will be crushed. Even if every army on earth unites against Jerusalem,
they
will all be crushed. Jerusalem has supernatural protection; God will destroy
every army that attacks His chosen city (Zechariah 12:9).
Having
said that, we need to understand that everything is not going to be a pretty
bed of roses in Israel when the end of the age arrives. Concerning the
entire
nation, God said, "It shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the
LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall
be
left therein" (Zechariah 13:8). Concerning the holy city, He said, I will
gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken,
and
the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth
into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from
the
city" (Zechariah 14:2). These Scriptures mean that veteran armies are going
to attack Israel again and again. Eventually, two-thirds of those Jews
who
live outside Jerusalem will perish, but one-third will never perish. One-half
of Jerusalem will be captured, but the other half will never be taken.
Dr.
David Jeremiah says, "The land of Israel has been the nerve center of the
world since the time of Abraham. When Jesus Christ came to earth, Israel became
the
truth center of the world. There is coming a day in the future (the millennium)
when the land will be the peace center of the world. Today, as we look
at
that small piece of real estate in the Middle East, it is the storm center of
the world."'
The
current peace process will produce a temporary and unworkable false peace. Soon
after that worthless document is ratified by the deceitful Antichrist
and
his band of lying cohorts, war will erupt. Israel and Jerusalem will be in the
middle of the storm. Why?
Because
the world refuses to recognize the sovereignty of Israel's God, and He intends
to vindicate His holy name by showing the world that no one can defeat
this
tiny nation.
Ezekiel
38 and 39 record an amazing prophecy yet to be fulfilled. A great power, almost
always identified as Russia by prophecy experts, will organize a
coalition
of nations in the last days and come forth from the north parts to attack the
little nation of Israel (Ezekiel 38:16). Good prophetic scholars
are
clearly divided on the exact time of the attack. Some writers, including this
one, place it at least three-and-a-half years before the tribulation
period.
Others place it at the tribulation period midpoint. Regardless of the timing,
almost all agree that a terrifying day is coming when Russia and
several
of its allies will mount a poorly planned and ill-fated attack against Israel.
Keep
in mind the fact that war, as mentioned earlier, is the tragic result of lust.
The prophet Ezekiel reveals that the Russian leader will think an "evil
thought"
and attack Israel "to take a spoil and a prey" (Ezekiel 38:10,12). He
will desire to possess Israel's silver, gold, cattle and goods (see Ezekiel
38:13).
Also keep in mind the fact that a powerful archangel called Michael has been
assigned to protect Israel (Daniel 10:21). This means that Russia
and
its allies will take a great army with a huge reservoir of terrible weapons and
expect to win an easy victory over the chosen people. But their war
plans
will fail to consider the unseen world, the anger of God and the awesome power
of Michael and his great army of mighty angels (Ezekiel 38:19). The
Russian
coalition will be composed of many mighty people of war, but they will be mere
mortals who cannot prevail against the handpicked angels in God's
unseen
world.
Suddenly
there will be a great earthquake-an earthquake so violent it will be felt the
world over. Every animal and every human being on earth will be shaken.
Experienced
troops in the terrified Russian coalition will fight each other. While they are
furiously destroying themselves, the angels of God will drench
them
with in, hail, blood, fire and brimstone (Ezekiel 38:20-22). Five out of every
six coalition troops will die (Ezekiel 39:2). Liberal preachers and
theologians
have a problem with this, but it will be the judgment of God upon barbarian
nations wrongly trying to destroy His special people, the Jews.
Too
many people ignore the fact that God can use war for His own good purposes. He
can be provoked into setting up devastating battles. When the people
in
the Northern Kingdom of Israel turned against God and refused to change their
ways, He used the Assyrians to destroy their kingdom. When the inconsiderate
people
in the Southern Kingdom of Judah made the same mistake, He used the Babylonians
to destroy their kingdom. When the spiritually blind people of Jesus'
day
refused to accept Him as the Messiah, He used the Romans to destroy their
nation. He uses war to soften hearts, to spark repentance, to influence worship
and
to save souls. He will use the defeat of Russia and its allies to cause a great
revival in many nations (Ezekiel 38:23).
What
do we say to those who want to cast aside this prophecy the people who say
Russia is no longer a threat and America is the world's only superpower?
They
argue that the once evil empire would never attack Israel. But God always
fulfills His Word; that Russia still wants to be a superpower; that Russia
is
still preparing for war; that Russia says she has to keep her nuclear forces
prepared so she can implement alliance commitments. Despite all the changes
in
Russia, the nation still has more than a million soldiers; several hundred
intercontinental nuclear missiles; several hundred bombers; several hundred
fighter
planes; several thousand tanks; several dozen submarines and more. Many in the
intelligence community say Russia still has an appetite for war,
and
some are predicting a Russian attack on Israel before the year 2000.
Persia
(Iran)
Scripture
makes it crystal clear that this ancient nation will be one of the main
end-of-the-age contributors to the Russian coalition of nations (Ezekiel
38:5).
Tehran's Islamic fundamentalist government has many agreements with Russia and
bitterly opposes any agreements with Israel. Iran is adamant in its
opposition
to the Middle East peace process and gives fervent support to terrorist
organizations operating against Israel. It is using the bulk of its
vast
profits from the sale of oil to acquire Scud B and Scud C missiles from North
Korea, cruise missiles from China, nuclear and biological weapons from
Russia,
and it was expected to have long- range missiles capable of hitting Israel with
nuclear and biological warheads by the end of 1998. The Iranians
are
practicing for war. They believe they can temporarily seal off the Straits of
Hormuz, blockade U.S. warships, stop the flow of oil and cause harm to
those
who might support Israel. They even seem to believe that a strong coalition of
Arab nations could quickly defeat Israel.
The
nation of Iran demonizes anyone who does not worship Allah. It persecutes and
kills Christians and Jews alike. And it fails to consider the possibility
that
Israel could be under the supernatural protection of God and His mighty angels.
Get out the long black robes of mourning. The Iranians, their Islamic
religion
and their false god, Allah, are going to suffer a great defeat. Multitudes of
eager young men will delight in the opportunity to go off to war
against
Israel. They will believe they can rapidly march into the Holy Land and push
Israel into the sea. But they will die an embarrassing death on the
mountains
of Israel. And their bodies will become food for the ravenous birds and wild
beasts of the field (see Ezekiel 39:4).
Another
nation headed for certain defeat as a member of the Russian coalition is Libya
(Ezekiel 38:5). This mostly Arab nation was a NATO ally until about
1981,
when the nation turned away from the West and began to strengthen its ties with
"the evil empire." Because of its involvement in and support for
terrorist
activities, Libya is currently suffering under United Nations sanctions. But
Russia claims the nation is being falsely accused by the West and
is
giving Libya badly needed technical and military assistance. With Moscow's
help, Libya is building what CIA Director John Deutch calls "the world's
largest
underground chemical weapons plant." In recent months, Iraq's leader,
Saddam Hussein, and Libya's Muammar Qadhafi have become very friendly. The
Libyan
leader is helping Saddam hide his outlawed weapons of mass destruction from
United Nations inspectors, and the Iraqi leader is returning the favor
with
stockpiles of deadly weapons and sensitive military technology.
Libya
will also lose many troops and weapons as a member of the Russian coalition,
but that will not end the suffering in that godless nation. At least
two
other gloomy prophecies will be fulfilled during the tribulation period. One
prophecy says Libya will join a group of African nations, including Ethiopia
and
Egypt, in another attack on Israel. That coalition will also meet with disaster
(Jeremiah 46:8-10). Another prophecy says the Antichrist will move
his
great army into the Middle East. At some point he will decide to protect his
southern flank by attacking Egypt and Libya. He will easily defeat them
(see
Daniel 11:43).
Cush
(Ethiopia and/or Iraq and/or Sudan)
Another
loser in the Russian coalition of nations is an ally that some Bible
translations call Cush and others call Ethiopia (Ezekiel 38:5). Some
authorities
say
this refers to Iraq and, perhaps, Sudan. Others say it is a reference to the
modern nation of Ethiopia.
Iraq's
population is about 80 percent Arab. Roughly 95 percent are Muslim, so
anti-Semitism is a big problem. This nation of warmongers has "El-
Hussein"
improved
Scud missiles, Katyusha rockets, 115mm cannons, and it seems to be on the brink
of developing nuclear weapons. Most Iraqi missiles can be fitted
with
chemical and biological warheads. The nation has VX nerve gas, mustard gas,
anthrax, smallpox and other biological agents. According to the Jewish
Minister
of Defense, Iraq has enough poison gas to kill every man, woman and child in
Israel. It has already used chemical weapons on its own people, the
Kurds.
It is developing, building and storing weapons of mass destruction in both
Libya and Sudan. Its poorly trained and equipped air force was badly
crippled
in the Gulf War, but the Russians have helped rebuild it. They have also sold
Baghdad large quantities of weapons. Iraq owes Moscow a big debt.
Even
if Iraq does not join the doomed Russian coalition in the battle of Gog and
Magog, Bible prophecy still predicts a turbulent future for the nation.
Isaiah
predicts a tribulation period attack by the Medes (modernists call them the
Kurds) (Isaiah 13:4-6; 17; 18). Jeremiah predicts that God will overthrow
the
famous Iraqi city of Babylon as He did Sodom and Gomorrah (Jeremiah 50:40). The
apostle John says the city will be destroyed in one hour (Revelation
18:8-
10,17,19). Isaiah and the apostle John both predict that it will become the
home of wicked, unclean spirits (Isaiah 13:19-22; Revelation 18:1-2).
The
modern nation of Ethiopia has a very large Muslim population with a built-in
hatred for Israel. In recent years the Ethiopian government has adopted
many
socialist policies and developed strong ties with both Russia and Iran. It has
a large army, a small air force and a small navy. It will probably
join
the Russian coalition and lose most of its military. Even if it doesn't, its
future is still not good. When the Antichrist attacks Egypt and Libya
during
the tribulation period he will also bring the Nubians into submission (Daniel
11:43; Ezekiel 30:4-9; Zephaniah 2:12). The Nubians are from Sudan,
Ethiopia
and possibly Djibouti.
Sudan
is showing the same signs as the other nations scheduled to join the doomed
Russian coalition. This sprawling nation has been transformed into a militant
Islamic
state. Its military is trained and equipped by Iran. It supports the PLO and
many terrorist organizations opposed to the existence of Israel. Having
strengthened
its ties with Iraq, it is helping Saddam Hussein hide his Scud missiles and
chemical and biological weapons from United Nations inspectors.
Sudan
has also jointly built a chemical weapons plant with Iraq on Sudanese property.
The nation has used mustard gas on its own citizens, murdered 1.5
million
Sudanese Christians and may be responsible for the disappearance of 1 million
more. Sudanese citizens are forced to convert to Islam, and some
are
even being sold into slavery. Churches there are being burned, and Christian
pastors are literally being crucified. Can anyone question why God would
use
the Antichrist to conquer this nation of wicked Nubians during the tribulation
period?
Gomer
(Germany)
Not
all Bible scholars agree, but many think that Gomer is Germany (see Ezekiel
38:6). It is hard to believe that Germany will join the Russian coalition
in
an attack on Israel, but the nation does have a bad military history and the
unimaginable will happen. When the Berlin Wall fell and the East and West
were
unified, many hard-line communists were brought into the new government.
Treacherous enemies of the West are still holding high positions and Germany,
a
hard-working industrialized nation, has developed strong ties with Russia, Iran
and Iraq. Some German companies have given substantial help to both Iran
and
Iraq for their chemical and biological weapons programs. Passionate German
anti-Semitic groups are increasing in both number and size. Attacks on Jewish
shelters,
shrines and property are steadily increasing. Germany, now with the largest
army in Western Europe, is deploying troops outside its country for
the
first time since WWII-and it is not unusual for this militaristic nation to act
independently of its European Union allies.
Togarmah
(Armenia and/or Turkey)
The
identity of Togarmah is confusing and debatable, but it is probably Armenia
and/or Turkey (see Ezekiel 38:6). Surrounded by three hostile neighbors-Turkey,
Iran
and Azerbaijan-the small, often-conquered nation of Armenia is vulnerable to
their lusts. So its fearful government maintains strong ties with Russia,
supports
that nation and looks to it for protection. That may be enough to drag her into
the Russian coalition.
Turkey
is also in a difficult position. Following WWI, the nation embraced a
Western-type of government. Following WWII, it was strategically important
to
the West as a barrier to Russia. During the Persian Gulf War, it was an ally
providing badly needed air bases for U.S. planes. For years it was welcomed
as
a member of such Western organizations as the European Economic Community
(EEC), the Council of Europe and NATO. But all that has changed. Turkey has
been
rebuffed in its efforts to join the EEC. Its only option seems to be to seek
other allies, so it is looking toward some of those nations that were
members
of the old Soviet Union. Our once faithful friend may well go down with the
Russian-led coalition on the mountains of Israel.
Sheba
and Dedan (Saudi Arabia)
Sheba
and Dedan, cities in Saudi Arabia, question why the Russian coalition of
nations is invading Israel, but they do nothing to assist God's chosen people
(see
Ezekiel 38:13). Joining their verbal opposition to this hideous attack will be
the merchants of Tarshish, who most commentators believe to be Great
Britain,
and another group of nations called "all the young lions," who most
commentators identify as the English-speaking nations coming out of Great
Britain-in
particular, the United States and Canada. No other specific prophecies are
mentioned about the future of Saudi Arabia, but the oil-rich nation
will
be included in the final world war.
Another
unfulfilled prophecy concerns the fiery destruction of Syria's capital,
Damascus. Isaiah said, "Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city,
and
it shall be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aro-er are forsaken: they shall be
for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid" (Isaiah
17:2).
A few historians say this has been fulfilled, but they are wrong because
Damascus has never ceased to be a city. "The cities of Aro-er" refers
to
the
suburbs of Damascus. That area has not been forsaken and is not at rest, so we
can expect a future war. Concerning the question of when, prophecy experts
have
long been aware that Russia's allies in the battle of Gog and Magog do not
include Syria and Egypt. Many experts think the omission of these nations
could
mean they will be defeated before then. Some even think their defeat may be
what actually triggers the battle.
A
war with Syria seems to be shaping up. After the nation of Israel came back
into existence in 1948, Israeli farmers began to farm land and establish
villages
in
disputed areas along the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria. The Syrians
tried to stop that by using the high ground of the Golan Heights to fire
down
upon the settlements below, but that didn't work. The situation got tense,
tempers flared and Syria attacked Israel. That set off the Six-Day War
of
1967. Israel won the war, captured all of the Golan Heights and established
more farms and villages.
Today,
Syria is insisting that Israel return control of the Golan Heights. But the
nations are still in a stalemate. Israel refuses to return the land without
a
peace treaty with Syria. And Syria refuses to sign a peace treaty as long as
Israel holds the land. Neither side will give in. The prospects for peace
are
- dim; reports of an impending war are common. The reckless Syria has already
begun to get ready by digging bunkers on its border with Israel, moving
large
numbers of well-armed troops into strike positions and upgrading its forces in
several ways. For example, it is spending billions of dollars on weapons
and
has tripled the size of its military in the last two decades. It has acquired
Scud B, Scud C and Russian-made SS21 missiles that can deliver chemical
and
biological warheads. It has acquired multiple launchers so it can fire its
missiles in a barrage. It has a sizeable air force and a large army with
hundreds
of tanks. It has two factories operating at peak capacity producing deadly
biological weapons. Syria has thousands of bombs containing nerve gas
that
can be dropped from planes, and it may soon receive nuclear weapons from Iran.
This is putting a lot of pressure on Israel. It is not hard to find
experts
who say war is inevitable. When it comes, Israel will respond with an
overwhelming force. There will be nothing left of Damascus except a ruinous
heap
of ashes.
But
the prophecies are not all negative. Syria's afflictions will eventually bring
a spiritual change in the nation. God's chastening will "yield the
peaceable
fruit
of righteousness." The nation will finally turn to Christ, form an
alliance with Egypt and Israel, bless God and serve Him during the millennium
(Isaiah
19:23-25). This is a good example of how bad news often has a happy ending.
War
with fiery destruction is also coming to the beautiful mountains of Lebanon.
The prophet Zechariah said, "Open thy doors, 0 Lebanon, that the fire may
devour
thy cedars. Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are
spoiled: howl, 0 ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is
come
down" (Zechariah 11:1,2). Today, the world recognizes Lebanon as a
sovereign nation, but the northern part of the country is occupied by Syrian
forces
.
The government is controlled by Syrian-backed puppets who can't do anything
without Syrian approval. In essence, the nation is nothing more than a Syrian
province.
As Syria goes, so goes Lebanon. So the war between Syria and Israel will be
like the vortex of a fiery whirlpool that sucks in helpless Lebanon.
The
same planes that bomb the city of Damascus will also bomb military targets in
the mountains of occupied Lebanon-the base of operations for some of
the
most barbaric and dangerous terrorist groups in the world. With Syrian
permission and support, they routinely attack Israeli soldiers and targets.
Their
actions have already provoked several clashes with the Israeli army.
Edom,
Moab and Ammon (Jordan)
The
kingdom of Jordan is the most moderate in the Middle East, the friendliest to
Israel and a mixed bag in Bible prophecy. Some prophecies reveal that
Jordan
will become the possession of Israel before the tribulation period begins
(Jeremiah 49:1,2; Obadiah 1:15-19). Others indicate that the ancient Jordanian
city
of Petra (the children of Ammon) will escape the destructive clutches of the
Antichrist during the tribulation period (Daniel 11:41). It is just
speculation,
but
one scenario could be for Israel to get into a war and be forced to expand her
borders for protection-by occupying the land of Jordan. At some point,
the
Antichrist would move in, disarm Israel, break his covenant to protect Israel
and, as a result, many of the Jews would have to flee to Petra. That
will
be the only place on earth to escape his clutches. (Note: The word Edom is used
in different ways in the Scriptures. It refers to Arabs who lived
in
the area of modern day Jordan, and sometimes it refers to all Arabs.)
Next
to Israel and the Revived Roman Empire, there is more prophecy in the Bible
about the poor, dry, windswept nation of Egypt than any other. The nation's
short-term
future looks bleak, but its long-term future looks rosy. One prophecy indicates
that God will use war to make a large part of Egypt desolate
for
40 years (Ezekiel 29:8-12; also see Joel 3:19). There is debate over whether
this has already been fulfilled. Those who think not point to the fact
that
all animals and all humans will completely avoid the area. That has never
happened. So many expect a future nuclear attack with radioactive fallout
that
will make the area desolate.
But
there is wide agreement on several other amazing prophecies. One prophecy
states that Egypt will lose a war and suffer greatly before the tribulation
period
arrives (Ezekiel 30:1-6). Another prophecy indicates civil war in Egypt, with
the government being overthrown and the nation coming under the hand
of
a cruel leader (Isaiah 19:1-15). The Nile River will be diverted, the old
riverbed and all the irrigation canals will dry up and the crops will die.
Another
prophecy has the large Egyptian army going north and being defeated near the
Euphrates River (Jeremiah 46:1-10). Another prophecy specifies that
the
Antichrist will attack and subdue Egypt during the tribulation period (Daniel
11:42). And then there is the good news: Egypt's calamities will cause
the
nation to turn from gloom to glory, from the crescent to the cross, from Allah
to Jesus. God will heal the torn nation so that many of its citizens
will
serve Him during the millennium (Isaiah 19:16- 25).
In
1978, Egypt and Israel signed the heralded Camp David accords. In exchange for
peace, Israel gave the Sinai back to Egypt. The Jews also abandoned several
settlements
and military bases. Even though Egypt agreed to peace, the nation still opposes
Israel in many ways. Some of its leaders still refer to Israel
as
an enemy. "Land for peace" has not worked and normalization of trade
and tourism is nonexistent. In many ways the situation is growing worse, not
better.
A
great struggle is going on in Egypt for the heart and soul of the people.
Islamic radicals are very strong and have made several attempts to oust
President
Mubarak,
even trying to assassinate him. Their extremism and propensity for violence has
forced Egypt to harden its attitude toward Israel. It could even
lead
to civil war.
Military
experts say Egypt possesses nuclear weapons and agree that Cairo has chemical
and biological weapons. The nation is also purchasing missiles to
deliver
them. Its future is laced with war, and these kinds of weapons will bring a
quick and violent response.
Philistines
(Palestinians)
Psalm
83 contains an interesting prophecy that seems to apply to the end of the age.
This song of Asaph identifies a group of Middle Eastern nations who
say,
"Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation: that the name of
Israel may be no more in remembrance" (Psalms 83:4). This psalm seems to
apply
to
the end of the age because the nation of Israel has been neither unified nor
sovereign since the Northern and Southern kingdoms split. Since the eighth
century
B.C., Israel has been a divided nation, a conquered nation or a scattered
nation.
But
prophecy indicated that Israel would come back into existence (as it did in
1948) and be surrounded by many nations who would be its enemies. The
Palestinians
(PLO)
are included among the list of enemies. Psalm 83 turns into a prayer calling
for their destruction. That will happen; the only question is who will
do
it? Will it be Israel when it comes under attack and lashes out? Or will it be
the Antichrist who will move into the Middle East and overthrow many
countries
(Daniel 11:41)? This psalm calls for the unstoppable judgment of God to fall as
it has in the past ... which does not bode well for the Palestinians.
The
Palestinians have a wonderful opportunity to get on the right side, but they
never seem to make the right choice. Every time a Syria, or an Iraq, or
an
Iran threatens war against Israel, the PLO sides with Israel's enemies. Instead
of trying to stop terrorism against Israel, as they have agreed to do,
they
often appear to be supporting it. Instead of changing the articles in their
Charter calling for the destruction of Israel, as they have agreed to
do
in the Oslo accords, they seem determined to keep them. Also, in violation of
the Oslo accords, they are constantly threatening to declare a Palestinian
state.
Instead of encouraging peace, they encourage demonstrations. Instead of
creating an atmosphere of friendly and peaceful relations, they often threaten
another
Intifada. And instead of collecting some of the illegal weapons possessed by
Palestinian extremists, they are often out distributing more weapons.
They
offer up a lot of flowery talk about peace, but all their actions appear to be
preparations for war.
Medes
(Kurds)
Although
approximately 10 million strong, the Kurdish people have no country to call
their own. Most live in Iran, Iraq and Turkey. A few live in Armenia
and
Syria. Descendants of the Medes, they have a long history of war. Struggling
for a nation of their own, they are often betrayed, abused and attacked
by
armies in the countries in which they live. Turkey wants them destroyed, Iran
wants to force them into Islam and Saddam Hussein has used chemical weapons
against
them. According to the Bible, they will reappear as the tribulation period
approaches and join other nations in a successful attack on Babylon
(Isaiah
13). It's very interesting that powerful politicians in the United States are
calling for America to arm and train Kurds so they can overthrow
Saddam
Hussein.
The
United States did not exist as a nation when the Scriptures were written. That
probably explains why the nation is not mentioned by name in Bible prophecy
and
why the nation's prophetic future is such a big question. America's future is a
matter of speculation. And the speculation has produced a variety of
opinions:
1.
The United States is prophetic Babylon (Isaiah 13,21,47; Jeremiah 50-51;
Revelation 17-18).
2.
The United States is one of "the young lions" (Ezekiel 38:13).
3.
The United States is "the eagle's wings" (Daniel 7:4).
4.
The United States is "the great eagle" (Revelation 12:14).
5.
The United States will become a second-rate power before the tribulation period
arrives because of economic, military and/or monetary collapse.
6.
The United States will become a second-rate power before the tribulation period
arrives because so many citizens will be raptured.
7.
The United States will abandon its role as a world leader because of problems
or a military defeat.
8.
The United States will be destroyed before the end of the age arrives.
We
can be sure of one thing: The United States will not glide through the
tribulation period unscathed. For example, American involvement in NATO is an
ominous
sign. This once valuable organization is being transformed into the world's
police-enforcers of United Nations resolutions. That makes America
the
military arm of the emerging world government. Closely connected to this is the
NATO Expansion Treaty currently being considered by the United States
Senate.
This treaty commits the United States to defend Europe's NATO nations. The
problem with this is that Bible prophecy teaches that Europe will take
over
the world government and be involved in many wars during the tribulation
period. With the United States tied to defending the Revived Roman Empire,
Europe's
wars will be America's wars- and Europe is going to fall. We also cannot ignore
the general prophecies that apply to every nation. Three of them
are
as follows:
Every
nation and every army will be involved (Isaiah 34:2). Finland, Denmark,
Germany, Italy, Greece, Austria and possibly Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia
and
others) are uniting to form what many believe will be the largest and most
powerful group of nations on earth. This is the long-awaited Revived Roman
Empire,
the unfortunate group that will produce the satanically inspired Antichrist
(see Daniel 9:26).
But
the uniting of Europe is not the only thing we see on the world's far-reaching
and infallible prophetic radar screen. We also see an elite group of
powerful
bankers, industrialists and politicians constantly working to transform the
United Nations into a powerful world government. They openly admit
they
hope to achieve this goal near the beginning of the next millennium. Bible
prophecy indicates that their new world government will quickly be divided
into
the ten toes-ten divisions with ten powerful kings or rulers - on
Nebuchadnezzar's famous statue (see Daniel 2:42-44).
Following
the rapture, a charismatic leader in Europe will make a foolish agreement with
Satan to obtain power, a throne and great authority (Revelation
13:2).
With satanic help, this leader will rise to power in Europe and soon take over
three of the new world government's ten divisions (Daniel 7:8,24).
Then
the other seven divisions will be turned over to him, and he will transform his
newly acquired world government into a very powerful and evil world
force.
He will move his great army into the Middle East where he will get caught up in
several wars and finally be destroyed (Daniel 11:41-45).
It
should be interesting to watch the development of unity in the previous long
list of European nations that are going to be involved in these tragic wars
before
their combined army is defeated.
The
war of all wars will take place at the end of the tribulation period. No one
will be able to sit on the sidelines. Demonic spirits will lure vast multitudes
from
all over the world to a plain near the Mountain of Megiddo in the northern part
of Israel for what they will believe to be a final battle with Israel.
This
unity will be a grave mistake because, in reality, they will be gathering to
meet the judge of all mankind, Jesus Christ. They will gladly assemble
to
fire their weapons at Israel, but God is in control and they will find
themselves standing before the all-powerful Lord of lords and King of kings.
The
result will be so terrible the Bible pictures these people as being thrown into
the winepress of God's wrath. Their sudden death will produce more
than
little patches or small pools of blood on the ground. The Bible says their
demise will produce a river so great the blood will be up to the horses'
bridles
for about 180 miles (Revelation 14:20; 16:12-16; 19:11-21).
We
are not talking about a scrimmage, military exercises or war games. We are
talking about a great battle when Jesus will pour out His incredible judgments
upon
the armies of the world because of the sins of all mankind and the mistreatment
of His people, Israel. All the armies of the world will be there thinking
they
will easily win a great battle, but Jesus will return to fight for His people
(Zechariah 14:3-12).
We
already see the Jews gathering back in their land. The world already views
Jerusalem as "a cup of trembling" and "a burdensome stone"
for all people
round
about (Zechariah 12:2-11). These are signs that the tribulation period and the.
ultimate battle of Armageddon are rapidly approaching. The final
siege
of Jerusalem will bring Jesus into the war. When it comes, the massacre will be
terrible, but it will also bring an end to wickedness for a long,
long
time.
Jesus
said, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children
of God" (Matthew 5:9). Peacemaking is the high calling of those who seek
to
enter the kingdom of heaven. It involves loving our enemies, praying for those
who spitefully use us and turning the other cheek.
But
the Old Testament offers several examples where God commanded was The apostle
Paul said, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably
with
all men" (Romans 12:18). Whenever possible Christians should seek peace.
When that is not possible, war is viewed as something similar to applying
the
death penalty on a national scale. Christians are not in favor of war, but they
understand that war can be forced upon them.
The
vast majority of Christians believe in a Bible-based concept called the
"just war." This idea was started by St. Augustine in the fifth
century A.D.
Basically
it says that most wars are wrong, some wars cannot be avoided and some wars are
necessary. It even spells out some of the conditions for waging
war.
A few are as follows:
1.
Last resort-War must be the last resort. All nonviolent options must be
exhausted or war cannot be justified.
2.
Just cause-War can be fought in self-defense, to right a wrong, to redress an
injury and for other similar just causes.
3.
Likelihood of success-War can only be fought if there is a real chance of
success because there is no way to justify death and destruction in a hopeless
war.
4.
End result-War can only be fought if the end result will be better than the
conditions that would exist if there was no war.
5.
Ultimate goal-The ultimate goal of war should be to establish justice,
reestablish peace, improve the lives of people, and so on. Otherwise the war is
wrong.
6.
Excessive or unnecessary force-Only that force which is needed to attain the
ultimate goal should be used. When the ultimate goal is reached, the war
should
stop.
7.
Civilians-Innocent civilians should not be targets in war. Unless their deaths
are the unavoidable result of an attack on a military target, it cannot
be
justified.
A
small number of Christians are pacifists who believe all war is contrary to
God's will. Their main doctrine is appeasement and acquiescence, which is
unscriptural.
The Bible does not teach that meekness means weakness. Moses killed a man
before he fled Egypt the first time. When he returned, he faced
down
Pharaoh, the most powerful man on earth. He went up on Mt. Sinai to meet God
and receive the Ten Commandments. He descended from the mountain and
found
some of the ungodly worshiping a golden calf. He had them killed. He was
sometimes opposed by multitudes, but he always stood his ground. He was
a
man of courage, but the Bible calls him "meek, above all the men which
were upon the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3).
Jesus
was also meek (Matthew 11:29). He made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem
"meek, and sitting upon a donkey" (Matthew 21:5). But when He entered
the
temple
and saw that the Jews had turned God's house into a place of profit instead of
a place of prayer, He poured out the changers' money, turned over
their
tables and drove them out with a scourge (John 2:13-17).
The
point is that Christians should be meek before God, humble in His presence and
submissive to His will. But Christians should also fight against wrong.
Few
people, including most world leaders, know or care what the Bible says about
the power and influence of spiritual forces. Some seem to believe in spiritual
forces,
but they are more interested in the occult than the forces of good. They hear
not the voice of God, obey not His commands and totally ignore His
many
warnings of a coming seven-year period of judgment.
Our
wise God has always known that it would come down to this, that people would be
seduced by the powers of darkness; that people would ignore Him; that
people
would not want to know what the Bible says about abortion, homosexuality,
pornography and the like; that people would not want to know what the
Bible
says about worshiping false gods and goddesses; that people would hate Israel
and persecute and kill Christians who tell them they are sinning. That
is
why He made this determination approximately 2500 years ago: "My
determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to
pour upon
them
mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured
with the fire of my jealousy" (Zephaniah 3:8).
Just
keep in mind the fact that good comes from everything God does. When He
completes His terrible judgments the world will finally have rest and peace,
joy
and singing (Isaiah 14:1-8). The nations will "beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword
against
nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:4). Praise God
and amen!