Prophecy Update #3 - Spirits and Spoil
Updated: May 17, 2022
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. ~Revelation 1:1, ESV
“Look, I am coming soon!” ~Revelation 22:12, ESV
*** Disclaimer ***
I'm a watchman for Christ's coming (Ezekiel 33:6), but not a time traveler. I can't say with absolute certainty that anything will happen this year or any other year, simply because I haven't been to the future and come back to tell all about it. All I'm doing is investigating physical phenomena with the Bible as my guide and using the brain that God gave me to do what He commanded all Christians: to watch for Jesus' return and to tell others when I see that day coming closer (anyone who has an ear to hear).
That being said, I'm incredibly excited by what I'm seeing, both in our world today and in God's word. The way that scripture and world events are merging, both hugely encourages my faith and gives me the chills. God is definitely getting ready to do something new...are you ready?
Do you know what time it is?
Coming Soon, or Coming Quickly?
Jesus tells us repeatedly in the book of Revelation that He is “coming soon,” but what does that really mean? The root word for “soon” is Strong's G5034 – tachos (no, not tacos), which is associated with quickness or speed. Many popular translations of the Bible render this word as “soon,” which suggests an event not long in the future. However, after 2000 years of waiting for Christ's return, we're forced to conclude that this meaning was not the prophet John's intent. Even the people of Jesus' day could have known that Jesus wouldn't return right away, if they were paying attention to His teachings. In His parables about the coming of the kingdom of God, an authority figure is always gone for an extended period of time. Those who are waiting for him are tempted to think he isn't coming:
“But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed...’” ~Matthew 24:48
“As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.” ~Matthew 25:5
“Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.” ~Matthew 25:19
Jesus was very direct here:
And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.” ~Luke 17:22
Other translations of the Bible settle on a different meaning of tachos – shortly. Revelation 1:1 reads like this in the NKJV:
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants —things which must shortly take place.
This slight but very significant difference in translation makes all the difference in the world, because in one, John says that, “The end of this present age will be over soon, as in one month from now!” And in the other he says that, “The end of this present age will conclude suddenly. There will be some time before it happens, but when it does, oh MAN...If you aren't watching for it you'll be caught off guard!”
This Greek word, tachos, is where we derived the name for our cars' tachometers. The circular measurement thingy on the left in the picture below is a tachometer. It displays the rotation speed of the shafts in your car's engine.
The idea behind the tachometer is an action (rotations) taking place right now, in the present. That's the same idea behind tachos in Revelation 1:1 and Revelation 22:12; when end times events start to take place on the earth they will happen suddenly, rapidly, and with acceleration. This also ties in with all of the biblical descriptions of the rapture and tribulation period being likened to childbirth, which also happens suddenly (in a moment), after the birth pangs and contractions grow both in frequency and intensity. Jesus said that the fulfillment of end times prophecy would be this way:
“So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!” ~Luke 21:28
Why would Jesus tell us to look up when these things begin to happen and not at any other time during last days events? Because He knew that these things come tachos (swiftly, rapidly). The implication is if we don't look up right as these things begin to happen, we'll miss our chance! Don't blink, it's coming hard and fast. :)
As I have continued studying end times prophecy, I've come to realize that at least three events have to take place before the Tribulation period can begin, and thus the rapture of the church. Those events are: the Gog-Magog War, the destruction of Damascus, and an end time outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all flesh. I believe they will happen quickly, one right after the other, and I'll show you why by pointing us to scripture.
Agog at Magog
Required reading:
Ezekiel 38 & 39
Isaiah 17 & 18
Joel 2: 18-32
***Extra Credit***
2 Chronicles 20:1-29
Since there's so much scripture to cover, I'll have you read these on your own (it's too much to copy here). Then, come back and we'll cover the important bits together. To start out, I'll paraphrase Ezekiel 38 and 39 as accurately as I can. I'll substitute the modern names for the ancient nations:
Yahweh declares through the prophet Ezekiel that He will lead Gog, the “chief prince” of Russia, out against Israel for war; God's in full control of that coming battle. Iran, Sudan, Libya, Eastern Europe, and Turkey will combine their armies and join themselves with Russia. This will be an incredibly massive army, in full battle array, and riding horses.
Gog conceives the evil idea to attack Israel for “spoil,” the nature of which is kept vague in the passage. As Gog and his horde are moving in on Israel, the leaders of Saudi Arabia protest loudly, saying, “What are you doing? Are you really attacking to take Israel's wealth?” God reminds us that He's the one making all of this happen, for the purpose of vindicating His holiness in Israel's eyes. Despite this, God's wrath is kindled against Gog and his army. He intervenes in a powerful way, leading the army onto the mountains of Israel, where he triggers an earthquake so violent that every wall will break down; even the mountains and cliffs will crumble away! As the earthquake wreaks havoc, the soldiers will be confused and start to fight among themselves. Then God sends some kind of sickness on them, along with torrential rains, hailstones, and fire and sulfur from above. No one in the army survives. It's an absolute bloodbath. Birds of prey feast on the flesh of the dead in the open fields. Fire falls on Russia and those who live on the coastlands. Many nations will know that the Lord God has done this.
Then the Israelis do a curious thing: they go out and gather the weapons of the army and use them for fuel. They burn them for the next seven years. It will take seven months time to bury all the slain soldiers. Israel will now remember forevermore that Yahweh is the Lord their God. They are effectively restored to Him, having been previously scattered by God (in 70 A.D.) as punishment for their unfaithfulness to Him. The Lord proves that He is strong and fully capable of protecting Israel from her enemies.
Other ancient names:
Sheba and Dedan (Saudi Arabia)
Now we have a basic framework for the rest of this update, because each of the prophetic scripture readings I gave at the beginning all seem to be connected to this account of the Gog-Magog War.
Let me show you what I mean.
Isaiah 17 reveals that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be completely destroyed:
Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid. ~Isaiah 17:1-2
Damascus has never been completely destroyed at any time in history, so we know that this is describing a future event. Evidently, it will be leveled so totally that sheep will be able to lie down in it without being afraid of any person, living or dead.
A couple of years ago, I took a biblical leadership class which examined the life of King David in 1st and 2nd Samuel. My fellow students and I ended up learning a fair amount about how to take proper care of sheep (David was a shepherd), and it turns out that sheep will not be willing to lie down unless they are completely comfortable, not agitated in any way whatsoever. In his book, a Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Phillip Keller writes in chapter 4, “Owing to their timidity [sheep] refuse to lie down unless they are free from all fear.” Later he goes on to say, “It is not generally known that sheep are so timid and easily panicked that even a stray jackrabbit suddenly bounding from behind a bush can stampede a whole flock. When one startled sheep runs in fright a dozen others will bolt with it in blind fear, not waiting to see what frightened them.” So, the picture I imagine when I think of Damascus destroyed is one entirely deserted of both people and animals, save the sheep of course.
I might be wrong, but I believe Verses 4 - 6 are describing some kind of attack (out of Damascus?) that leaves Israel crippled, with the survivors being compared to gleanings that are left at the end of a harvest season; a remnant for the Lord. There's a possibility that Syria attacking Israel is the reason Damascus ceases to be a city: Israeli retaliation. That's only a guess, so we'll leave that there.
Continuing on:
In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense. ~Isaiah 17:7
During this time, there will be an acute awareness of God and an abandoning of the idols of people's hearts. The text doesn't specifically mention the people of Israel or Damascus, which leads me to believe that this will apply to all of humanity. We'll explore that idea more later on.
For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge; therefore, though you plant pleasant plants and sow the vine-branch of a stranger, though you make them grow on the day that you plant them, and make them blossom in the morning that you sow, yet the harvest will flee away in a day of grief and incurable pain. ~Isaiah 17:10-11
God is addressing Israel's unfaithfulness to Him, which has continued to the present day in much of the state. Israel is presently a largely liberal and progressive city, not especially concerned with the Lord or His ways. In judgment, the Lord removes much of Israel's glory in order to expose their inability to provide a harvest that lasts. No matter how successful they may be in developing their cities, only the “Rock of their refuge” can truly provide the security they need. We need to be praying for Israel, that the Lord would deal mercifully with them in this coming time.
What do the scriptures say after Damascus is destroyed and Israel is judged?
Ah, the thunder of many peoples; they thunder like the thundering of the sea! Ah, the roar of nations; they roar like the roaring of mighty waters! The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm. At evening time, behold, terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us, and the lot of those who plunder us. ~Isaiah 17:12-14
This sounds like the massive army of Ezekiel 38 & 39! Like that army, these peoples from many nations are rebuked by the Lord, specifically on the mountains of Israel, and are judged severely for “looting,” and “plundering” Israel. The similarities are too numerous and specific to ignore. It's for this reason that many believe that the destruction of Damascus will serve as a catalyst for the Gog-Magog war.
We also get a general time frame in which we can expect these things to happen: starting in the evening and concluding before morning in Israel.
We can go further than that, however. We gain valuable insight into the timing of the Gog-Magog War in the very next chapter, where God is making a proclamation concerning Cush (modern day Sudan, which is among the conglomeration of nations that attack Israel). After He destroys them:
They shall all of them be left to the birds of prey of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth. And the birds of prey will summer on them. And all the beasts of the earth will winter on them. ~Isaiah 18:6
This means that the bodies of the fallen soldiers have to be on the mountains during three seasons: summer, fall, and winter. Additionally, Ezekiel 39:12 tells us that the bodies will be exposed on the earth for seven months; that length of time does span across three seasons.
And after Gog's army is completely annihilated, something amazing happens...
Patterns and Parallels
Joel 2:18-32 is our next passage, which deals with the Spirit being poured out in the last days. To begin, I'd like to start at the end before working our way through the whole passage:
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. ~Joel 2:28-29
The book of Joel is a call to repentance to Israel, which is facing the very near judgment of God. This judgment takes the form of a monstrously large swarm of locusts, which can be taken literally or as an allusion to invading nations and spiritual devastation. I believe that the locusts definitely serve as metaphors, because Joel repeatedly calls the day of their appearing “the Day of the Lord.” The Jewish audience Joel was speaking to would have understood that he was talking about the end of the age, when God pours out final judgment on all sinners, not only in Israel, but the entire world. This is further supported by Joel predicting that the nations of the world will be brought to one location, dubbed “the Valley of Jehoshaphat,” to be destroyed by the wrath of God.
Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow — so great is their wickedness! ~Joel 3:12-13
These verses depict God's wrath as harvesting grapes and crushing them underfoot in a winepress. This same picture is repeated almost word for word in Revelation:
Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe." The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia. ~Revelation 14:17-20
This event takes place at the very end of the Tribulation period, when Jesus appears a second time to execute the judgment Himself:
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” ~Revelation 19:11-16
The great battles of Joel and Revelation run parallel to one another, and reference the same event. However, at first glance there seems to be a contradiction between the two passages. Joel's battle is said to occur at the Valley of Jehoshaphat, while Revelation's is in a place called Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). Why do these locations have different names if both battles are the same? Well, the answer actually ties these two accounts together even more strongly.
The historical record seems to be clear of any place called the Valley of Jehoshaphat; as far as we can tell, it never existed, even in Joel's day. Nevertheless, the name Jehoshaphat would have been instantly recognizable to ancient Israelites as one of the kings of Judah, as well as the only other Jehoshaphat in scripture. There's an account of a daunting battle he led in 2 Chronicles 20:1-29, and it's there where we discover the reason behind the name given in Joel. It's extra-credit, but so rewarding to read through! Like Ezekiel, Joel, and Revelation, the story of Jehoshaphat's battle also features a massive, multinational army that God defeats himself. The invading force is completely annihilated as well, all while the armies of Israel begin to praise God before they ever see Him fully rescue them. Israel plunders the plunderers and the Lord is glorified in the eyes of the surrounding nations. “The Valley of Jehoshaphat,” then, is describing the events of the Day of the Lord: Jesus will come, fight His enemies, and conquer them. Far from the meek and mild Jesus with whom most people are familiar, in His second coming He's a warrior King very literally out for blood. There will be no mercy for the enemies at Armageddon.
As a side note, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica: “It is thought that the word Armageddon is derived from Megiddo, since the prefix har means 'hill' in Hebrew; hence, Armageddon means 'Hill of Megiddo.' It overlooks the Valley of Jezreel in northern Israel."
So we have a scriptural tapestry being woven, between Ezekiel, Joel, Revelation, and now, 2 Chronicles. In them the Bible gives us a type of the last days, parallels and mirrors – a foreshadowing of what will ultimately be fulfilled at the end of the Tribulation period, and thus the end of the age.
Remember our starting verse from Joel, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...”? In the context of the entire book, the word “afterward” is showing us that God's Spirit comes after the Day of the Lord (the Tribulation) is over, all of Israel's enemies have been defeated, the land of Israel is fully restored from the conquests of invaders, and the people have returned to God and give Him the glory for their blessings.
This begs the question: why am I applying scripture that points to the end of the Tribulation to an event that happens before the Tribulation takes place? It may seem like a stretch to some, but the Bible itself does this. Let's take a look at the first large outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.'” ~Acts 2:14-18
Peter was aware that Jesus hadn't returned and the end hadn't come, but he recognized that the “last days” had begun because of the Spirit being poured out - we've been in the last days for the last 2000 years! And even though the last days hadn't been consummated with the Tribulation, he knew that God was starting to fulfill this promise of the Spirit, with the work not being completed until God's kingdom is physically established on the earth.
So, just as we've seen from the parallels, foreshadowing, and other déjà vu moments in the Bible, there can also be multiple fulfillments of God's promises.
There are other parallels that tie Joel to the war of Gog and Magog...
Spirit Poured from the LORD
Just as Isaiah 17:7 says, "In that day man will look to his maker." Incredibly, everyone on earth will know that God has saved His people, Israel, from certain death. In fact, Ezekiel tells us it's the main reason for the entire war:
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 38:16
...the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. ~Ezekiel 39:7
The KJV Bible translates nations in Ezekiel 39:7 as heathens, “The heathen shall know that I am the Lord...!” Unbelieving men and women will be shown spiritual knowledge! How? Through a last days outpouring of the Holy Spirit:
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. ~1 Corinthians 2:12-14
If it's true that everyone feels the influence of the Spirit, that would explain how everyone knows that there is a God defending Israel. In this modern day, materialistic, and skeptical American society, it's all too easy for us to explain away strange phenomena and evidence of supernatural workings. We tend to dismiss or ignore what makes us feel uncomfortable or vulnerable, especially when it comes to being accountable to a holy God. It would take something of a miracle for everyone on earth to know for certain that a) there is a God, and b) He intercedes for people called His own. The Holy Spirit bridges this knowledge gap, and plays a critical role in causing unbelievers to recognize these spiritual truths.
Continuing on in Joel:
Then the Lord became jealous for his land and had pity on his people. The Lord answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations. “I will remove the northerner far from you, and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his vanguard into the eastern sea, and his rear guard into the western sea; the stench and foul smell of him will rise, for he has done great things. ~Joel 2:18-20
After the judgment of Israel's glory being taken away (which sounds an awful lot like Isaiah 17:4-6), the Lord begins to restore Israel again. It seems that there will be a provisional and economic restoration at some point (as the grain, wine, and oil sent from the Lord signifies). I'm tying this into the Gog-Magog War because of the phrase, “I will remove the northerner far from you.” Some Bible commentaries I read connected that phrase with the Assyrian and Babylonian empires, both of which had their homelands in the north. However, neither of those empires met their end in the vicinity of the eastern or western sea (the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, respectively). There are mountains in Israel that are near both seas, so Magog fits here. In addition, the passage also says the army is scattered in all directions, just like Isaiah 17:13 describes. The smell of the dead will rise because they will not be completely buried for seven months.
Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. ~Joel 2:23
Rain in scripture represents the blessings of God, as we see in Matthew:
"I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." ~Matthew 5:44-45
Because the land depended so heavily on consistent rain to produce the food they ate, it makes sense that it shows the favor of the Lord, whether that favor is deserved or not.
Joel 2:23 clearly says that the rains come for Israel's vindication, which is a wonderful word!
Vindication (noun):
the action of clearing someone of blame or suspicion.
proof that someone or something is right, reasonable, or justified.
Joel says that God, in His amazing grace, will clear Israel as a nation from any unfaithful wrongdoing! He'll forgive them and prove it by pouring out his Spirit on them! In the context of Ezekiel 38 & 39, all of Israel will know that the Lord has saved them. They will be confident that they are His people and that He is their God. This is just the beginning of Israel growing in intimacy with the Lord, and more than ever before. No longer needing a priest to go into the most holy place on their behalf, each individual person will be united with the Lord in a powerful way (though they won't initially realize that it's Jesus who is drawing their hearts).
Are there additional effects of the Holy Spirit being poured out? Verses 24 and 25 show us that the land of Israel is filled to bursting with blessings, but more importantly Israel:
...shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame. ~Joel 2:26-27
Israel will be spiritually on fire as they suddenly start worshiping the Lord, whom many of them had not known previously. Some who read this will claim that this outpouring doesn't actually occur until the end of the Tribulation period, when God opens the eyes of Israel to see Jesus as the messiah. That teaching is just incorrect. We can go back and read Ezekiel 39:25-29 to show this! What does it say? It echos Joel 2...
Therefore thus says the Lord God: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel, and I will be jealous for my holy name. They shall forget their shame and all the treachery they have practiced against me...
We know they will, but when?
...when they dwell securely in their land with none to make them afraid, when I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from their enemies’ lands, and through them have vindicated my holiness in the sight of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations and then assembled them into their own land. I will leave none of them remaining among the nations anymore. And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord God. ~Ezekiel 39:25-29
In the aftermath of the war, God declares that He will restore Israel, have mercy on Israel, and erase their shame when His holiness is vindicated through them in the sight of many nations. That's at the time of the war, not after a seven year long Tribulation period! At that time, the Spirit comes down.
And then comes that oft repeated passage in Joel:
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. ~Joel 2:28-29
Notice the phrasing: after all these things, God will pour out His Spirit. After what things? In Ezekiel, it's after God has vindicated His holiness before the nations in the Gog-Magog War, blessed and restored Israel, and poured out His Spirit on Israel. Does this part of Joel also parallel Ezekiel? I suspect that it does, not fully as in the millennial reign of Christ, but Ezekiel tells us that the eyes of the world will be opened to the reality of God in a dramatic way. How could this be done without the Spirit showing them the truth?
If it is a parallel, Ezekiel tells us God has already poured out the Spirit on Israel at this point, so this outpouring is for those outside of Israel, on all flesh to be exact. Some will argue that this outpouring only applies to believers, but I believe that when the Bible says all flesh, it really means all flesh, which would include non-believers as well. This idea isn't too strange, considering that Israel's unrighteous king, Saul, was overcome with the Spirit while pursuing David (1 Samuel 19:18-24). People even started to ask, “Has Saul become a prophet?”
Timeline and Takeaway
Taking everything we've read so far, we have a pretty good picture of the events that are involved in the coming Gog-Magog War. Just for the sake of argument, and also to help us to look for these things coming to pass, I'm going to try to make them fit together the best way I know how. This is guesswork coupled with my understanding of scripture. You may have a different order of events from me, and that's okay. This is merely my attempt to make sense of the scriptures.
Here's my basic timeline:
1. Damascus destroyed (retaliation?)
2. Israel's glory taken away (from an attack of some kind?)
*Editor's note: probably from the earthquake of Ezekiel 38:19-20.
3. The Gog-Magog War (God saves)
4. Holy Spirit poured out on/restoration of Israel
5. Holy Spirit poured out on all flesh
So what's the bottom line here? What does this all mean? Remember Jesus' words:
So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near! ~Luke 21:28
The birth pangs are coming very rapidly now, and with intensity, and we need to be aware of them. Rarely do you see a prophecy as specific and detailed as the one in Ezekiel 38 & 39, and we'll definitely know it when we see it. Seeing the day our Savior comes fast approaching both spurs us on to greater faith and allows us to respond to prophetic events as they're happening! After all, if your unbelieving friend starts to prophesy of Jesus' soon return, and you're equipped with the knowledge of Joel's prophecy of the Spirit's outpouring, you'll know how to respond to the miracle happening right in front of you. These things will happen, and, by my estimation, very soon.
Some Christians believe that the Gog-Magog War takes place during the Great Tribulation, so we can't be seeing it soon. Well, I would just point them back to Ezekiel 38:8, where God clearly says that Gog will attack, “In the latter years.” The term “latter” is used in scripture to describe that time leading up to Jesus' second coming (i.e. the Day of the Lord, the Great Tribulation), and wouldn't be used for a Tribulation event. That's like saying, “I'm going to a party on Christmas Eve,” when you really mean Christmas Day.
Also from Ezekiel:
Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and make fires of the weapons and burn them, shields and bucklers, bow and arrows, clubs and spears; and they will make fires of them for seven years... ~Ezekiel 39:9
Whenever you see the number seven in scripture, you're either going to see it representing perfection or judgment. The Great Tribulation is seven years long, and that's immediately what I thought of when I read this verse. The way I see it, we have been given a very big clue for the timing of the start of the Tribulation. The Bible is incredibly exact; If we see these things coming to pass, we can be sure that the Tribulation, and thus the rapture of the church, is right around the corner. May we prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts. The kingdom of heaven is at hand! And coming quickly...
Maranatha!
Eagerly waiting for Him,
-Daniel
Originally posted 04/18/18
Revised on 09/28/19
Suggested reading
A study of the root word for quickly (Tachu), and its use in scripture:
An insightful, verse-by-verse exposition of Ezekiel 38-39:
-Update (05/12/18)
The day I first posted this update, the Lord put the story of the wise and foolish virgins heavily on my heart:
Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, "Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him." Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out." But the wise answered, saying, "Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves." And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us." But he answered, "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you." Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. ~Matthew 25:1-13
There is an aspect to this parable that I've never understood properly: all of the virgins have lamps with oil in them. It was confusing, because the Holy Spirit is compared to oil several times in scripture, mainly in a symbolic fashion (such as in the anointing of the priests, prophets, and kings for the service of God). Parables, by definition, are metaphorical; they are stories with deeper meanings hidden within them. The Spirit is most directly linked to oil in the following verses:
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound...” ~Isaiah 61:1
...God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ~Acts 10:38
Anointing is a religious term that means to smear or rub, typically with oil. This brings us back to the parable of the virgins. Both the wise and the foolish virgins have lamps full of oil, which is a biblical picture of the Holy Spirit. In the middle of the story, the foolish virgins' lamps begin to go out. So, the question that kept coming back to me was this: “How can the Spirit leave the people who have Him?”
In the context of the Gog-Magog War, and the resulting outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all flesh, this parable begins to make much more sense. At that time, we'll have a situation where both believers and nonbelievers will have oil (the Spirit) poured out on them. This event, while wonderful and miraculous, brings with it the potential for deception, as the Holy Spirit coming upon a person is NOT the same as the Holy Spirit filling that person. In other words, the presence of the Spirit in someone's life does not necessarily equate to that person being saved. Let me explain what I mean.
Previously, we looked at Saul, the unrighteous king who was overcome by the Holy Spirit. He's a perfect example of someone who had the Spirit upon them, but not in them. In the following passage, Saul has just been anointed king of Israel. The Lord confirms his anointing by giving him highly specific signs for which to watch, which take place soon afterward:
And all these signs came to pass that day. When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them. And when all who knew him previously saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, "What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” ~1 Samuel 10:9-11
However, we read later that Saul breaks the commandments of God and has the anointing given to David instead. After this happens:
...the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. ~1 Samuel 16:14
The Spirit was empowering Saul to rule with authority, for the express purpose of protecting the Lord's heritage, Israel (1 Samuel 10:1). When Saul rebelled the Spirit left him to go to David, the one who would rule in submission to the Lord. So, the Spirit can leave a person. It's only in the New Testament, after Jesus had come, where we learn that the Spirit fills (or lives in) a person who gives their life to Jesus. When that happens, the Spirit will never leave.
In John 4, Jesus speaks about the Spirit to the Samaritan woman at the well:
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water...Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” ~John 4:10,13-14
The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that we will see heaven:
“In [Jesus] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” ~Ephesians 1:13-14
If all this wasn't enough, Jesus also says, concerning the Spirit:
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." ~John 14:15-17
We can safely conclude that the Spirit will never leave a true believer in Jesus Christ.
I say all that to say this: when the Spirit is poured out on all flesh, don't assume that it means that all people who have the Spirit upon them are saved. We need to be pointing people to the gospel of Jesus Christ, making sure that they understand that they are guilty of sin and need a savior. We need to call them to turn away from sin in their lives and turn to God, so they can be healed and have the Spirit living inside of them forever!
I believe that many lives will be radically transformed during this coming time; what will be happening will simply demand an explanation. This is your time to shine, Christian! This is why you have been put on this Earth, at this time, and in this place. There will be many foolish virgins who will lose the Spirit at the time of the rapture, but before then the harvest of souls will be ripe! Ask the Lord to show you ways to share the good news, and He will give them to you. More “virgins” will be given “flasks of oil” in these last days, and you are going to be a part of that!
I love you all, and am excited for how the Lord will soon use your life. :)
The Holy Spirit as oil:
-Update (08/30/18)
Isaiah 17:4-6 may very well be referring to the damage and casualties caused by the big earthquake in Ezekiel 38:19. It would make sense because the Lord sends it, and He even says why in Isaiah 17:10-11: it's a punishment for Israel forgetting Him. Ezekiel 38:19 also tells us that the earthquake is sent in God's “jealousy...and blazing wrath,” jealousy for His name being disregarded by Israel nationally, and blazing wrath for Gog, whom the Lord fights Himself.
-Update (08/30/18)
Here a Gog, There a Gog
There is some confusion regarding the timing of the Gog-Magog War from Ezekiel. This stems from the fact that there seems to be two accounts of wars being fought by this same character, Gog. One is in Ezekiel 38 & 39, and the other is in Revelation:
And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. ~Revelation 20:7-10
There are several clues that reveal that these wars cannot be the same event. Very briefly:
Ezekiel takes place in the latter days. Revelation takes place at the end of the Millennial reign.
Ezekiel's army is defeated on the mountains of Israel. Revelation's army is defeated at Jerusalem.
Ezekiel's army is defeated with a massive earthquake, hail, fire, etc. Revelation's army is defeated by fire in the presence of the glorified saints.
Ezekiel happens when Israel is regathered from the nations. Revelation happens when the saints are ruling on earth.
Ezekiel's war is waged by specific Islamic nations. Revelation's war is waged by all the surrounding nations.
Ezekiel's dead army requires seven months to remove from above ground. Revelation's army is burned away instantly.
Ezekiel's battle is not preceded by Satan being bound. Revelation's battle only happens when Satan is released, after being bound for 1000 years.
Ezekiel's army is commanded by an agent of Satan, Gog. Revelation's army is commanded by Satan himself.
Then why is Gog mentioned in both accounts? Wouldn't Gog be defeated in Ezekiel, thereby preventing him from appearing later, in Revelation? There could be a couple reasons for these repeated appearances in scripture.
First, it's very likely that Gog is the name of a spirit inside of a man, so it wouldn't be strange for him to appear in two separate accounts (when the host body dies, the spirit survives). The second reason is that, because the battle of Revelation bears strong similarities to Ezekiel's war, the two are simply compared to one another in Revelation. I think this interpretation is correct, as Magog is very clearly a single country North of Israel in Ezekiel, whereas in Revelation Magog is described as being "at the four corners of the earth," or everywhere in other words. Unless scripture is saying that the land of Magog has been established as a large and spread out country in the millennium, it's safe to say that the name is used for illustrative purposes and is not a literal description.
-Update (09/01/18)
La Bomba
I've heard from a couple sources, including the otherwise excellent documentary The Coming Convergence, that the Gog-Magog war will feature a nuclear explosion. They assert that scripture describes this explosion in the following verse:
With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur. ~Ezekiel 38:22
They note that, along with fire (from a supposed explosion), "pestilence" can imply sickness (like radiation sickness). They further support this idea by tying in the Magog war with Zechariah 14. I do agree that this sounds very much like the damage caused by a nuclear bomb:
And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. ~Zechariah 14:12
While there are many reasons to conclude that Zechariah is describing a separate event that will happen at the end of the Tribulation (Jesus physically stepping down on the Mount of olives, ruling over all the earth, and very literally setting up His kingdom, to name a few), I want to focus on the claim that a nuclear bomb will destroy Gog's army. I believe that a careful reading of Ezekiel 39 will show that this is extremely unlikely.
Proponents of the bomb theory quote the following:
They will set apart men to travel through the land regularly and bury those travelers remaining on the face of the land, so as to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make their search. And when these travel through the land and anyone sees a human bone, then he shall set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-gog. Thus shall they cleanse the land. ~Ezekiel 39:14-16
When I look at these verses by themselves, I can see how some scholars say that a special designated group of people (set apart men) will be required to dispose of the bodies because of nuclear radiation. They must be set apart because they require special equipment and training to do the job. And after all, why wouldn't those who see the bones touch them to bury them? The bones are probably dangerous in some way.
But all of those conclusions are completely shattered by the preceding verses!
For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land. All the people of the land will bury them, and it will bring them renown on the day that I show my glory, declares the Lord GOD. ~Ezekiel 39:12-13
This is why it's so important to read the Bible for ourselves, to see if what we are taught is true. Each word is important here. Ezekiel clearly tells us that ALL the people will bury the army for seven months; no special group and no special hazmat equipment needed. Only after the seven months are completed will the set apart men be sent out to search for the remaining bodies: "At the end of seven months they will make their search."
Why do the set apart ones who discover human remains put a sign next to them for "buriers" to deal with? I think (and sorry if this is too gross) that this is just the most efficient way to find and remove a massive quantity of decaying flesh in the shortest time possible. Those who bury bodies are going to be traveling back and forth frequently between the site of the battle and the army's final resting place. They need to quickly find where the bodies are without looking for them every time they return. In other words, it's a logistical strategy.
-Urgent Update (09/04/18)
War AFTER the rapture!
The more I learn about prophecy and how it connects to the times in which we live, my presuppositions about scripture are challenged by new information (or by old information I didn't put together until later on). In this case, my understanding has been changed pretty dramatically regarding the timing and overall function of the Gog-Magog War.
Over the last few months, it's become increasingly apparent to me that the war of Gog and Magog is right around the corner. Although we can't know everything happening behind the scenes politically, what we do know is that what we see happening on the world stage matches scripture and sets up this prophetic event perfectly. We've been a breath away from seeing it happen for some time now.
As the Feast of Trumpets has drawn closer and closer, I've considered one possibility more and more: that Christians will not see this war. As it stands today, I'm convinced that Gog-Magog will not happen until after the rapture of the church. There are several reasons for this.
Reason #1: The "Thief in the Night"
Jesus told us that His return would come like a "thief in the night." I posted about that phrase being connected to the captain of the temple guard in Jesus' day in a separate prophecy post, which is linked below.
The idea behind the "thief" reference is that Jesus is coming secretly, but only to those who are NOT watching. People who are paying attention to prophecy coming to pass and the signs of the end of the age coming together, converging, and increasing in intensity will not be surprised at His coming, but people who pay no attention will be caught completely off guard. We know that this secret appearance of Jesus is talking about the rapture, because it stands in stark contrast to other passages describing His dramatic and obvious Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation (2 Thessalonians 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 2:8, Jude 1:14-15, Revelation 1:7).
For the rapture, there will be no grand announcement, no attention grabbing spectacle, no obvious warning immediately preceding it. Up to this point, I had assumed that the Gog-Magog War would happen and be followed by a quiet period that would allow many people to spiritually fall asleep, but, with the subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit after the war, this quiet period makes less and less sense the more I think about it.
Reason #2: God's wrath is poured out during the war
This is the most convincing reason for me. I'm not sure why I glossed over it before. The Bible teaches that God's wrath will never fall on Christians; the reason being that His wrath is reserved for sin (which believers don't have, being washed in the blood of Christ):
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ... ~1 Thessalonians 5:9
Jesus, speaking about the Tribulation period, the time when God pours out His wrath on a Christ-rejecting sinful world, said this:
"For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” ~Luke 21:35-36
The problem with Ezekiel's war taking place before the rapture is that God Himself sends fire on Magog (Russia) and the coastlands:
"I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the Lord." ~Ezekiel 39:6
We live in a fallen world where people die in natural disasters all the time, but this destruction doesn't have a natural root cause - God takes credit for it! This is His wrath on display, from which believers are exempt. Assuming that there are Christians living in Russia and the coastlands, they either have to be protected somehow or taken out before this happens. I suspect that the latter option is going to happen.
Not only that, but Ezekiel 38:18-20 records a great earthquake, so violent that everyone on earth will feel it. This quake is sent expressly in God's "jealousy and blazing wrath."
Reason #3: The Lord is recognized as the God of Israel
The Lord is recognized as the God of Israel and has effectively returned to them. This hasn't happened since the gentile church began with the apostle Paul's conversion in Acts 9:15 (see also Romans 11:7, 11). God never utterly rejected Israel, but is growing His church until He catches her away to be with Him. Only after the church is gone does the Lord begin to dramatically intervene on behalf of Israel again. Thus, the rapture must happen before the war of Gog and Magog can come to pass.
Reason #4: It's possible for the Feast of Trumpets and the seasons of the war's aftermath to match up
Scripture reveals the seasons in which the aftermath of the war takes place, as Isaiah speaks of Cush (modern day Sudan, which is one of the countries that joins Gog to take the spoils of Israel) and how its army will be destroyed:
They shall all of them be left to the birds of prey of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth. And the birds of prey will summer on them, and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them. ~Isaiah 18:6
This tells us that summer, fall, and winter are the three seasons during which the massive fallen army will remain on the mountains of Israel. Now, if the war truly happens after the rapture, the Feast of Trumpets will need to be celebrated during the summer, and not technically in the fall (even though it's a fall feast). Trumpets can only begin at the sighting of the first sliver of moonlight. This year (2018), the crescent moon appears (exactly when it's sighted remains to be seen) on September 9th, in the summer, but next year the crescent moon doesn't appear until September 30th, seven days after the start of fall 2019!
Am I saying that I know the rapture will happen this year? No, I will never say that. I'm not an all-knowing time traveler, but anyone who believes that Magog happens after the rapture, as well as that the Feast of Trumpets is the festival that coincides with the rapture, has to conclude that the probabilities of the rapture happening this year are very high. The next time the Feast of Trumpets comes in the summer will be in 2020.
I would be more hesitant to believe Gog-Magog happens after the rapture if Trumpets did not come during the Summer any time soon (as the war appears to be set up to happen at any time now), but - because it does occur in the Summer - it fits with the rapidly rising tensions in the Middle East like a glove. Again, only God knows what will happen this year for sure.
Reason #5: The time gap between Trumpets and Atonement is a perfect transition
I always wondered about what will be happening between the Feast of Trumpets (the rapture) and the Day of Atonement ten days later. As we explored in my second prophecy update, Trumpets (the Jewish new year) is moved up to Atonement in the year of the Jubilee. This will happen at the very end of the age, when Jesus physically comes down to the earth. That means that the Tribulation officially starts on Atonement, because Atonement to Atonement seven times brings us to the end of the Tribulation seven years later. This leaves us with a transition period, a gap between Trumpets and Atonement, that is neither the Church Age or the Tribulation period. The events of Gog-Magog can occupy this space and, more than that, set up The seal judgements of Revelation seamlessly.
Reason #6: Antichrist's confirmed covenant
makes more sense
The first seal broken in the Book of Revelation brings the Antichrist onto the world stage. He confirms (or makes stronger/more grand) a previously established covenant (or deal of some kind), and this starts the Tribulation:
He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. ~Daniel 9:27
Eventually, halfway through the seven year Tribulation period, the Antichrist will show his true colors and kill anyone who doesn't worship him, especially the people of Israel. For someone who hates Israel so much it seems strange that he would make a deal with them at all, let alone offer a better deal than a previous one. However, if the confirmed deal comes as a response to Israel's increased status and influence in the world (having most of their enemies destroyed in a single day), this makes a lot more sense. Kill 'em with kindness...
Reason #7: A new potential function for the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit
It never occurred to me before, but the Holy Spirit being poured out on all flesh could be to make up the body of Tribulation saints (post-rapture believers in Jesus). This makes the transition period make more sense as well, because the Lord will send a strong delusion on those who reject Jesus:
The coming of the lawless one (Antichrist) is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. ~2 Timothy 2:9-12
For those who reject Him, God essentially says, "Okay, I'll let you go. I'll let you have your choice." As 2 Timothy says, the delusion that God sends has everything to do with people believing the Antichrist's blasphemous lies. The transition period provides a window of time for the Tribulation saints to believe on Christ. Perhaps at the end of it, on Atonement ten days later (the start of the Tribulation), those who are in Christ are shut in, while those who have chosen to walk away are shut out.
In conclusion, the rapture is incredibly close. Jesus gave us many signs to watch for that would signal His coming, but we're seeing much more than most scholars expected we would. Many believed that the Gog-Magog war, and anything leading up to it, would be confined completely to the Tribulation period. But we've seen it coming together for a long time now.
Make no mistake, we are literally seeing the beginning of the Tribulation fall into place. We're going to be with our bridegroom soon! Get your hearts ready and keep your lamps burning! Be watchful and in prayer.
I can't know how short, but our time is VERY short.
The fig tree generation (including the 7 year Tribulation) which will not pass away is 77 this year, and 79 in 2020.
Have you allowed Jesus to save you? Are you ready?
He's right at the door.
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