Ezekiel: The Hook :: By Zachary Everett

 

As watchmen on the wall, it is our job to warn those who do not believe in the end times that lay before us. For it is written: “If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand” (Ezekiel 3:18). For many, it is not easy to speak to someone about their sins or where this world is heading. But the warning signs increasing before us tell us that Jesus Christ’s return is even more imminent than we imagine. It has been put in my heart by the Lord Jesus to share something that is forming right before our eyes, and that is the “The Gog and Magog War.”

Sometime in the future, an alliance of nations will attack and seek to plunder Israel and the Lord’s people (Ezekiel 38:12). This alliance of nations is chiefly made up of Russia, Turkey, and Iran, along with a few other nations such as Libya and Sudan. We know this from the prophet Ezekiel:

“The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you” (Ezekiel 38:1-6).

If you are not familiar with the names of these ancient nations and their location compared to their modern brethren, here is a quick list:

Rosh is Russia.
Magog is the “Stans” like Afghanistan, Tajikistan’s, etc.
Meshech and Tubal is Turkey.
Persia is Iran.
Cush is Sudan.
Put is Libya

What must be noted is how Ezekiel mentions these nations in order. Russia and Turkey are mentioned first as the primary lead nations to invade, with Russia being the chief leader of the alliance, especially of Turkey and Iran. What is most astonishing about these three nations today is that they all face severe economic problems that have only gotten worse.

Meshek and Tubal (Turkey): is in severe inflation, and the currency, Lira, is falling.

Persia (Iran): is strangled by severe sanctions because of its nuclear program.

Rosh (Russia): is facing devastating sanctions in the event of an invasion of Ukraine, which seems more likely by the day.

Ezekiel makes it very clear as to why these nations will launch an invasion of Israel, and that is the plunder that they will greatly desire:

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. You will say, ‘I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.’ Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages will say to you, ‘Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?'” (Ezekiel 38:10-13).

The hooks are almost in place. Iran is being strangled, Turkey’s Lira is falling more each day, and Russia is ever closer to being torn away from the global economy because of its actions against Ukraine. The hooks of plunder and riches are now ever closer to thought than imagined. Those who rule these nations are not men of democracy but dictatorship, and if they cannot feed their population and keep their currencies alive, they will surely fall.

The Lord Jesus says: “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28)

We are closer to the edge than ever. If you fear sharing the word, worry not; Jesus Christ is with you. Do a little bit here and a little bit there. Even handing out a small card to people passing by on a sidewalk with steps about the ABCs of salvation can work wonders in ways you cannot imagine.

God bless you all,

Zachary Everett