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RUSSIAN, IRANIAN AND TURKISH LEADERS MEET, reads the headlines today (AP/RIA Novosti, June 8, 2010). "As Israel becomes increasingly isolated from the world, Russia, Iran and Turkey are meeting today in Istanbul, Turkey to discuss how to form a closer alliance......Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti Monday that in Istanbul, Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also discuss bilateral cooperation....Putin said he will meet with Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Istanbul Tuesday ahead of a UN Security Council vote to impose a fourth round of sanctions on Tehran."
Through the Third Lens of Scripture: I will make very little comment here, other than to point out some of the modern names for countries listed in Ezekiel's prophecy. While there is not unanimous agreement among Bible scholars, the majority seem to agree on these names. Most also agree that Ezekiel is not describing the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16, 19) nor any other event which takes place during the 70th week of Daniel, but rather some yet future event which will precede this last 7 years of human history as we know it.
Ezekiel 38 begins with these words: "Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Son of man, set your face against God, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, 'This says the Lord God: "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all of its troops; the house of Togarmah from the north and all its troops - many people are with you....After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely." (Ezekiel 38:1-6, 9)
Ezekiel goes on to describe a vicious war in which God intervenes, wiping out the combined forces arrayed against Israel, granting her victory. To understand how today's headlines might be a portent of this event, it helps to know the modern names of the nations.
Gog probably refers to the name of the ruler of Magog.
Magog was identified by Josephus as the land of the Scythians, now occupied by Russia.
Rosh, Meshech and Tubal - parts of modern Turkey.
Persia - Iran
Ethiopia - Ethiopia and northern Sudan
Libya - Libya
Gomer - Eastern Turkey
Togarmah - part of Turkey bordering with Syria
Land of those brought back from the sword - modern Israel
This is not a time to be caught up in the temporary pleasures of the world. It is a time to remain prayerful and alert. It is a time for watchmen to mount the walls and blow the alarm. "....When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life." (Ezekiel 33:2-5)
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