We are fast approaching the time when the Antichrist will appear on the scene so it is important we search the scriptures to find out what God wants us to know about this entity who dominates the last three and a half years of world history prior to Jesus’ return to destroy him, the false prophet, and their army at the Battle of Armageddon.
We read a lot about Gog an “end times” despotic leader in Ezekiel and it is obvious that he is the Antichrist of Revelation. However, there is an earlier Gog prophecy that is in an extremely unlikely place, the Balaam Oracles in Numbers 22-24. It is important to know therefore that AGAG in the Balaam Oracles is GOG. The manuscript evidence is clear in both the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch the translation is Gog, not Agag. Listen to Travis and Nelson explain why it is Agag in most of the English Bible translations and yet no Agag in history fits with the prophesied events in the Balaam Oracles.
The video below from Faithwire is helpful in explaining why Christians need to be looking at the many Biblical prophecies about the end times prior to Jesus’ return first to take out the Saints and then to pour out His wrath upon an unrepentant world.
I would not agree with Jeff Kinley’s comment that Rosh is Russia. Rosh is a common Hebrew word that is used hundreds of times in the Bible and means ‘chief,’ ‘head,’ or ‘beginning.’ For example, Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year. I believe Gog will be a leader of Magog, a confederation of Muslim nations e.g. Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and others. What part Russia plays in the end times scenario I am not sure, but what is playing out now fits with Jesus saying that there will be wars and rumours of wars but this is just the beginning of the “end times” events
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Matthew 24:6-8
Author Jeff Kinley breaks down why so many theologians’ eyes are on Russia. He dives into the Prophet Ezekiel’s writings on Israel, Russia, and other nations — and explains how current events could play into the end times paradigm. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine upon us, this helpful explainer with the reservation I have given does help put these events in context.
In my opinion, the next major “end times event” in Biblical prophecy is Daniel’s vision of the Ram (Iran) and Goat (Turkey) battle (Daniel 8) which ends with Turkey establishing a revised Ottoman Empire. It is short-lived and is broken up into four nations probably by the United Nations forces. Note: out of one of these comes the Antichrist.
“Then the goat (Turkey now Revised Ottoman Empire) became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven. Out of one of them came a little horn (Antichrist), which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.” Daniel 8:8-9
The following two paragraphs have been extracted from an article entitled “AFGHANISTAN: A name that will live in infamy” by Dr. Richard Land, BA (Princeton, magna cum laude); D.Phil. (Oxford); Th.M (New Orleans Seminary). Dr. Land served as President of Southern Evangelical Seminary from July 2013 until July 2021.
“The great American “bugout” from Afghanistan — a betrayal revealing a level of incompetence from our American military, security and political establishment is both breathtaking and incomprehensible. This collection of buffoons and pretenders has just presided over a national humiliation that will reverberate around the globe with truly legally dangerous consequences extending for the entire life span of virtually all currently living Americans.
This fully preventable foreign policy debacle is a humanitarian and security disaster which has generated potentially horrendous conflicts across the globe that will now be very difficult to contain or prevent.”
America’s flight from Afghanistan will embolden jihadists around the world -The Economist August 28th 2021
Radical Muslim extremists will be emboldened by the “level of incompetence of our American military, security and political establishment” to quote Dr Land.
Exactly as prophesied, in the “end times” all of the nations surrounding Israel (Muslim nations) are intent on its destruction which will eventually lead to the “Time of Jacobs Trouble” when Israel is invaded by the Antichrist (Gog).
Numbers 24:7 and Ezekiel 38-39 prove that Gog is the Antichristand that he will be defeated by Jesus
Of all people that God would give an “end times” prophecy to, it is hard to conceive Balaam, or is it, God often uses the most unlikely people for His purposes.
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star (Jesus) shall come out of Jacob, and a sceptre (King) shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!”Numbers 24:17-19
“How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel!Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; His king (Jesus) shall be higher than Gog (Agag) and His kingdom shall be exalted… He shall eat up the nations, His adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces.” Numbers 24:5, 7, 8
It is only in recent years with the aid of teachers such as Travis Snow and Nelson Walters that I have come to realise how much of Ezekiel is “end times” prophecy.
“Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and say to Gog, Thus says the Lord God: On that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it? You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army. You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.” Ezekiel 38:14-16
The following four paragraphs are taken from Travis Snow’s book ,The Passover King: Exploring the Prophetic Connection Between Passover, the End Times, and the Return of Jesus. I can highly recommend it to you.
also available as an eBook on Amazon
Once we grasp that Gog is the Antichrist, and that he first made his appearance in Numbers 24, it is hard to argue that Gog’s invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38 could take place at any other time than the beginning point of the Great Tribulation (halfway through Daniel’s 70th week). We know from Daniel 9:27 that the Antichrist turns on Israel halfway through Daniel’s 70th week, which consequently leads to a period of unparalleled distress and suffering in Israel (cf. Dan. 12:7-13).
So when we compare Scripture to Scripture, it can be argued that Gog’s invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38 is a more detailed description of the events described in Daniel 9:27 and 12:7-12, which are also tied to the period of time Jeremiah called the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7; cf. Zechariah 12:3;14:1-2).
In simple terms, Gog’s invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38 is what happens after the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel, which then starts the timeclock of Israel’s final 3 ½ years of suffering and exile before the return of Jesus. Since Gog is the Antichrist, and since it appears from Daniel 9:27 that the Antichrist will establish a false peace treaty with Israel during the first half of the Tribulation, it is not possible that his invasion of Israel could occur before the midpoint of the 70th week.
From previous posts you will know that I believe we are already seeing the “end times” prophecies in Daniel 8 unfolding in our time with Shia Iran (the Ram) with its proxies, Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis and al-Ashtar Brigades “charging westward and northward and southward”
“I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.” Daniel 8:4
Next major prophesied event will be Sunni Turkey (the Goat) of Daniel 8 will subjugate Shia Iran (the Ram) and attempt to re-establish its Ottoman Empire.
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