Israeli WEALTH Bait For The Russian Invasion
The prophecy claims that Russia will invade the land “to take a spoil, and to take a prey” (Ezekiel 38:12). It describes the confederated Eurasian forces under Gog as being drawn out like a huge whale with hooks in its jaws in the midst of the seas. God is represented as saying: “I will put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth . . .” (v. 4).
There are some well baited hooks in the Middle East, well calculated to draw the Gogian forces to their doom. Part of the bait is the lure of oil which is a key element in modern conditions. At the present time, Russia has ample oil, and supplies much of this commodity to the European Union. But Russia has a vested interest in controlling the price of oil as it amasses great wealth from it. So they might well be persuaded to take action against the vast Oil reserves of the Middle East in order to allow them greater control over pricing of this commodity and so this may comprise a most attractive bait to the Russian dictator.
A further “bait” is the strategic position of Israel and Egypt; for the Middle East is the bridgehead to three main continents: Europe, Asia and Africa, and its domination is necessary to a nation bent on world conquest.
A third attractive “bait” is the fact that Jerusalem is a holy city to the three great religions of the world: Catholic Christianity, Judaism and Mohammedism; and the recent moves between Catholicism and the Orthodox Church of Russia on the one hand, and Russia and the Moslems on the other, could make that consideration of prime importance to an invading force that desires to unite the world around a Holy Place.
But what of the Western powers?
The prophecy speaks of nations who will protest against the Russian invasion of the Middle East:
“Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou
come to take a spoil, hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? … to take a great spoil” (Ezekiel 38:13).
Sheba and Dedan are the ancient names for Arab countries that today remain sympathetic to the West, and are opposed to Russia. Tarshish can be identified with Great Britain, whilst “the young lions” are familiar symbols of English speaking nations.
The statement, therefore, relates to the English speaking world, whose officials will make an ineffectual protest against the Russian invasion of the Middle East. And well they might protest, for a Soviet dominated Middle East, with its wealth of oil, will spell doom for the future of Western Democracy.
And here, again, the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel is of greatest significance. For one of the terms, signed by President Carter on behalf of the USA, is that military forces will be established in the Middle East to buttress the terms of the treaty. Accordingly, this peace treaty will bring USA and other English speaking nations, physically back into the Middle East, in such a way as to justify the protest suggested by the prophet Ezekiel as emanating from powers that can be identified with Britain, USA, Australia, Canada and so forth.
Events now taking place in the world answer exactly to the requirements of this amazing prophecy of Ezekiel 38.
And this shows that Christ is at the door.
For two protests are voiced in Ezekiel 38: an ineffectual one, and a powerful one. The ineffectual one is represented as coming from the powers of the West, as cited above; the effectual one, is that uttered by God’s representative then returned to earth: the Lord Jesus Christ.
The former one is expressed in the terms of enquiry: “Art thou come to take a spoil? Hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey?” (v. 13). It is the type of ineffectual protest that is normal with the UNO, and which might well be ignored by an aggressor like Russia.
Nevertheless, it would appear from Daniel’s prophecy, that the West will make preparations to resist the Russian challenge for world domination, and will aim to fortify Jerusalem, and so cut off Gog’s line of communications, because, the prophet declares, “tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him” (Daniel 11:44). These shall cause him to withdraw his main troops from Egypt, and aim at the conquest of Jerusalem. He shall set up his headquarters “between the seas (the Mediterranean and Dead Seas) in the glorious holy mountain” but there his might shall be broken “without hand” (Daniel 8:25; 11:45), that is, by divine instrumentality.
And this introduces us to the second protest. It is a protest made with power. God through Ezekiel declares:
“It shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that My fury shall come up in My face. . .” (Ezekiel 38:18).
God’s anger at the power-crazed attack of Gog, will be manifested through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. For Bible prophecy indicates that before the judgment of Armageddon on the nations, Christ will return; the resurrection of those responsible (a comparatively small percentage of humanity. See Psalm 49:19-20; Isaiah 26:14; Ephesians 2:12) will take place, and those judged worthy will receive eternal life, and will be appointed positions of responsibility in the government to be set up by the Lord.
Daniel predicted these events. He wrote:
“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many (not all) of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:1-2).
The time referred to is “the time of the end” of Daniel 11:40: the time that will witness the attack of the power of the north against Israel and Egypt. Whilst that is taking place, Christ will be supervising the judgment of those resurrected from the dead. The site of the Judgment, most likely, will be in the isolated area of Sinai. This is east of Egypt, and probably will comprise the “tidings out of the east” that shall trouble the king of the north. If so, they will be tidings that he will not understand, and, therefore, tidings that he will ignore, as he makes his drive towards Jerusalem, to meet the threat in the north. His action will bring him, and “all nations to Jerusalem to battle” (Zech. 14:1).
But the prophet, having predicted such a gathering of nations to Jerusalem, and current events illustrating how such a battle is likely in these days when the Middle East is the key to world domination and power, proceeds to state:
“Then shall the Lord go forth to fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle . . . and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee” (Zechariah 14:3,5).
Consider the significance of such a statement. It means that when Russia attacks Israel and Egypt, Christ already will have returned. And as a Russian attack on the Middle East is already a possibility, how close is Christ’s coming?
And how important is it that we make our peace with God in the way appointed, for at the Lord’s return the door of opportunity to attain eternal life at his coming will close.
It would seem from the outline of prophecy above, that the Camp David Peace Treaty is contributing considerably to the development of things in the Middle East, as predicted by Bible prophecy over 2,500 years ago. For example:
- Bible prophecy requires that Israel be “at rest, dwelling in safety (in confidence)” at the time that Russia attacks from the north. The peace treaty is adding to Israel’s confidence.
- It predicts that Israel would continue to trespass against God because of self confidence induced by peace, so that the nation is indicted by God for its attitude (Ezek. 39:26). Israel’s self-confident attitude, and its ignoring of the help of God is indicative of this.
- It anticipates the physical presence of Western troops in the area to strengthen the ties of peace between Israel and Egypt. The prophecies of Ezekiel, Daniel and elsewhere require the same thing. “All nations” will be drawn to Jerusalem to battle (Zech. 14-1-2), whilst Ezekiel predicts a protest on the part of nations that can be identified with the English speaking world (Ezek. 38:13).
- It necessitates Egypt being in the Western camp, so as to be attacked and invaded by Russia (Daniel 11:40-45). Since the signing of the Peace treaty, Egypt has become tied more completely with the West, and has received the bitter hostility of Russia.
- Russia will invade Egypt and so secure a prize of great wealth (Daniel 11:43). Today the possession of oil is of more value than gold, and in recent years, oil has been discovered in the area dominated by Egypt and more recently by Israel.
Therefore, in a remarkable way, thoroughly vindicating the predictions of Bible prophecy, the peace accord signed between Israel and Egypt has contributed towards the development of a situation that answers to the requirements of Bible prophecy.
What this means to you
The time is rapidly approaching when the world will no longer be able to ignore the claims of God and the Bible. A crisis is developing that will force every person to make a decision. How important then, to make it now, and to make it wisely.
That Christ is to return to the earth to bring to consummation the divine purpose therein is beyond doubt. It is a doctrine clearly taught in the Bible, and one tied in with personal salvation. Consider the following appeal:
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you; whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21).
Your personal salvation is bound up with Christ’s second coming, and the fulfilment of Bible prophecy in our day teaches that his coming is near at hand.
Why not seek further information concerning these matters. It costs you nothing to do so, but it is to your advantage to seek it out. Remember! the times are significant, the issues are vital. You owe it to yourself and your family to seek God’s way.
JERUSALEM FUTURE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
