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by
Ron Rhodes
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April 2 - April 7, 2022
In the first scenario, Israel is presently in a state of security, and this sense of security does not depend on the antichrist’s signing of the covenant with Israel. Seen in this light, the invasion of the northern military coalition could take place at any time before the tribulation period begins.
In the second scenario, however, Israel’s state of security depends on the antichrist’s signing of the covenant with Israel. This means that the invasion cannot take place until the tribulation period begins—perhaps right after the tribulation period begins.
the invasion will likely take place sometime after the rapture but before the beginning of the tribulation period.
This unique alignment of nations has never occurred in the past but is occurring today, which lends credence to the idea that we are living in the end times.
Israel must be living in a state of security when this invasion occurs (Ezekiel 38:8,11). I suggested that such a state now exists and that the invasion will likely take place sometime after the rapture but prior to the beginning of the tribulation period—perhaps even three and a half years prior to the beginning of the tribulation period (see Ezekiel 39:9-10).
The only regathering of Jews from “many peoples” around the world in Israel’s history is that which is occurring in modern days (especially since 1948, when Israel achieved statehood).
this passage refers to a yet-future invasion into Israel that will take place when Israel is in a state of security, likely after the rapture but before the tribulation period.
Israel will be vastly and overwhelmingly outnumbered. If this were merely a human battle, the outcome would be easy to predict.
Ezekiel 38–39 reveals that the invading force will be annihilated by God before any damage falls upon Israel.
Scripture reveals that this all-powerful God will utterly thwart the invasion of the northern military coalition.
The invaders may think their success is all but guaranteed, but God sees all, and Israel’s attackers stand no chance of success.
The Russians and Muslim nations may also turn on each other.
The term Magog seems to refer to the southern part of the former Soviet Union—perhaps including the former southern Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and possibly even northern parts of modern Afghanistan. We are told in this prophetic verse that God will rain fire down upon this area of the world and on Magog’s allies “who dwell securely in the coastlands.”
The signal for the beginning of the tribulation is not the rapture, but rather the antichrist signing a covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:26-27).
“The eastern balance of power will collapse with the fall of Russian forces and her Muslim allies in Israel and the destruction of Russia itself. With the eastern power destroyed, this will open the way for a one world government.”7
the single event that starts the tribulation period is the antichrist’s signing of a covenant with Israel.
In both cases, the day of the Lord is characterized by God supernaturally intervening in order to bring judgment against sin in the world.
The day of the Lord is a time in which God actively controls and dominates history in a direct way instead of working through secondary causes.
Likewise, the apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 reveals that this eschatological day of the Lord is yet future. Paul warned that this day would bring sudden, inescapable destruction upon the unsaved of the world. The context of 1 Thessalonians 5 clearly points to the end-times tribulation period.
Thankfully, Christians will escape this day because of the rapture.
Paul says a day is coming in which a specific individual will come into power in the future tribulation period who will be the embodiment of sin and lawlessness (compare with 1 John 2:18; Revelation 11:7; 13:1-10).
He is presently being restrained by the Holy Spirit, but after the rapture (when Christians indwelt by the Holy Spirit will be removed from the earth), he will be made manifest (verse 6) and will deceive multitudes (Revelation 19:20).
the antichrist will be a genius in intellect (Daniel 8:23), commerce (Daniel 11:43; Revelation 13:16-17), war (Revelation 6:2; 13:2), speech (Daniel 11:36), and politics (Revelation 17:11-12). This individual will perform counterfeit signs and wonders and deceive many people during the future tribulation period (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). In the book of Revelation, the apostle John describes this anti-God individual as a beast (Revelation 13:1-10).
his desire to dominate the world, he
The false prophet will control the global economy by forcing people around the world to receive the mark of the antichrist in order to buy or sell (Revelation 13:16-17).
The antichrist is therefore not likely to be a Jew. Besides, he will persecute the Jews in the tribulation period (Jeremiah 30:7; Matthew 24:15-21; Revelation 12:6,13-14).
To say the very least, a Muslim antichrist who claimed to be God would be trashing the Muslim creed, “There is one God named Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.”
A Muslim antichrist would thus be viewed as an infidel among Quran-believing Muslims.
A Muslim leader would not be likely to sign a covenant to protect Israel.
Still further, the Israelites—fully aware of Muslim animosity and hatred toward them—would never place their hopes of survival and security in the hands of a Muslim. Such a view makes no sense.
The antichrist heads up a revived Roman Empire (Daniel 2; 7),
These four beasts reveal much about prophetic chronology.
The first, Daniel says, was “like a lion and had eagles’ wings,” but “its wings were plucked off” (verse 4).
represents Babylon, its lion-like quality indicating p...
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a second one, like a bear.
This is the Medo-Persia kingdom, and the ribs are vanquished nations—perhaps Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt.
a third beast in verse 6. “And behold, another like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it.”
This imagery represents Greece under Alexander the Great.
The four heads depict the four generals who divided the kingdom following Alexander’s death, ruling Macedonia...
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fourth beast—a mongrel that was more terrifying and powerful than the three preceding beasts.
This wild imagery refers to the Roman Empire.
an eleventh horn—a little horn (the antichrist)—starts out apparently in an insignificant way but grows powerful enough to uproot three of the existing horns (kings).
Many modern biblical interpreters see the European Union (which is characterized by both unity and some division) as a primary prospect for the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy.3 The stage is now appearing to be set for the fulfillment of Daniel 2 and 7. Once the antichrist emerges into power in a revived Rome, it is just a matter of time before he comes into complete global domination.
First and foremost is the prerequisite that Israel be back in her homeland as a nation.
Second, we know that the temple must be rebuilt at least by the middle of the seven-year tribulation because Jesus in the Olivet discourse warned of a catastrophic event that assumes the existence of the temple: “When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matthew 24:15-16).
The only possible conclusion is that the temple of Jesus’s day would be destroyed and that the abomination of desolation would occur in a yet-future temple.
various Jewish individuals and groups have been working behind the scenes to prepare various materials for the future temple, including priestly robes, temple tapestries, and worship utensils. These items are being prefabricated so that when the temple is finally rebuilt, everything will be ready for it.
We are never to set dates (Matthew 24:36)—we do not know the specific day or hour of Jesus’s coming (Acts 1:7)—but we can know the general season of the Lord’s return by virtue of the signs of the times.
the stage is being set for a prophecy to eventually be fulfilled.
just as tremors (or foreshocks) often occur before major earthquakes, so preliminary manifestations of some of these signs may emerge prior to the tribulation period.
