Russia has an evil intent, and she is going to be seriously wounded when she perpetrates it.  Russia is regaining her old aggressiveness and brutality. White House correspondent Bill Koenig and I discussed it on air Saturday, March 21, on my live broadcast.  We know this for sure: The Russian invasion of Israel has not yet happened.  It is a future event but we don’t know how future. It is often called the Gog-Magog War. According to Josephus, the ancient Scythians inhabited the land of Magog that is now Russia.

Here’s what else we know from Ezekiel 38. Many Islamic nations will participate (verse 5). It is in the “latter days” (verses 8 and 16). Israel is “living securely” (verse 8). A major motive will be to seize Israel’s wealth (verse 12). Many nations will object but will not get involved (verse 13). God is angry because forces are invading His land (verse 16). God raises severe judgment on the invaders (verse 22). Many nations are awed at this and recognize that He is Lord (verse 23).

The scenario in chapter 39 states that the devastation of the enemy will be great (verse 4). God will send fire upon the lands of some of those involved in this invasion of Israel (verse 6). God’s holy name is made known in Israel, and they will know He is the Holy One of Israel(verse 7).  Israel will burn weapons for seven years, which may indicate this is a Tribulation war (verse 9). Russia and her allies will be buried in Israel for seven months (verse 12). Israel will know that the Lord God of Israel orchestrated this. His glory is set among the nations and in Israel(verse 21). Israel will have some kind of spiritual awakening (verse 22). God will not hide His face from them any longer for He will pour out His Spirit on the house of Israel (verse 29). This should not be confused with “all Israel saved” at the Second Coming.

Since Bible prophecy is in a fast-forward mode, we need to be paying attention to major events taking place. One of the issues that those with their eye on the sky have wondered about is what is the wealth Israel possesses that is so vital that Gog (Russia) and her allies are willing to invade Israel to seize it.  A story many seem to think significant is the fact that Israel has just discovered five trillion feet of natural gas off the shore of Haifa. And that is just for starters. It is believed there is much more soon to be tapped into, as well as oil not yet discovered in various parts of the country. Oil may be a speculation but the natural gas is a reality.
Russia needs natural gas! That was, in part, her reason for invading the former Soviet state of Georgia. Additionally, Russia is building seaports in Syria and Libya. Libya is one of the participants in this forthcoming war. Another participant — Turkey — is now more aligned with Russia than ever before. A primary participant in the Gog-Magog war is Iran who is always strengthening her ties with Russia.

As for other items of wealth or a “spoil” in Israel, we should include herDead Sea assets and technological wealth. But it is the natural gas find that everyone should keep an eye on. This was the missing piece of the puzzle! And hardly anyone is paying attention to it. The media just says this will be a great asset for Israel as they are clueless about the Ezekiel 38-39 passage and how this find might apply to biblical prophecy.

Returning to the theme of the rapid escalation of events today, Dr. Thomas Ice says, “Things are moving so fast in the last six months that stage-setting events are happening at a speed no one person can keep up with. Prophecy is on fast-forward!”

Dr. Ice also says, “God’s plan for history always moves forward in relation to what He is doing with Israel. Thus, the fact that Israel has been and continues to be reconstituted as a nation is prophetically significant, so significant that it makes Israel God’s ‘super-sign’ of the end-times. Were Israel not a nation again it would be impossible for events of the end-time to occur since so many of them take place in that tiny country or in reference to her. But she has returned and so it is that all other aspects of Bible prophecy are also being prepared for the grand finale of history.”

Yes, it is a tragedy that the church today does not care about this topic, but the Bible predicted scoffers near the end (II Peter 3:4). Too bad much of the scoffing is coming from church pulpits. And it grieves many of us that once-solid denominations and churches now embrace Replacement Theology that says the church is the new Israel. Nonetheless, in this dark day, keep looking up — even if you get a stiff neck. Keep listening for the sound of a glorious trumpet! Stage-setting signs have never been so prolific! Not everyone has this blessed hope!

While Christian Zionists and evangelicals in general agonize that Jews are literally violently being torn from parts of the covenant land of Israel, I think there is a scenario few are considering: Will God allow this tragedy to go through to fulfillment and the ultimate, a Palestinian state on Jewish land? While some of this will be much more understandable in August if the disengagement goes through, I continue to sense that God will put a sovereign stop to it.

The push for this since 1967, intensified in 1993 with Oslo I, followed by Oslo II, Tenet Plan, Mitchell Plan, Camp David Plan, ad nauseum, has generally run into roadblocks where negotiators go home with their tail between their legs and regroup and try again.

My questioning is based on what is happening right now. Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority (PA but formerly the PLO) is besieged on all sides. Though a brutal terrorist himself and planner of the 1972 Munich Olympic slaughter of Israeli athletes, he is under relentless attack and opposition from other terrorist factions such as Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and even al-Qaida. He is a walking target as are his assistants. Many say he has lost all control and the ultra-violent factions are seeking ultimate control.

To put it in simple terms, the entire Palestinian Authority is descending into chaos. They have their own civil war going on. The 50,000 plus PA security and police forces are not doing their job. One of the world’s worst terrorist outfits, Hamas, is seeking to take over PA leadership and while Washington remains much too friendly with Hamas, it is hard to see America allow Hamas turn the entire region in chaos.

But here’s what would force America to back out of the pressure-tactics: An Israel 9/11. While that is drastic and would be tragic beyond words since Israel is following disengagement orders to the letter and truly seeks a deluded and false peace, America would have to step back or look like one gigantic hypocrite nation. Would we invite Osama bin Laden to occupy one of our 50 states and reward him for his terror? America simply could not pressure Israel if she suffered a devastating attack. To be sure the heartless E.U., U.N., and Russia, all members of the “Quartet” along with America could still push for it, but the likelihood of a Palestinian state emerging out of an Israeli 9/11 seems unthinkable, except in our upside-down world.

A disaster was averted last week. A young Palestinian woman, a suicide bomber, came into an Israeli hospital for treatment with legitimate burns. However, she was strapped with explosives and planned to detonate herself in the middle of a “crowded area of the hospital.” Only Israel treats injured people in such circumstances that are sworn to kill them.

Many attacks are thwarted daily due to the Hand of God. But multiply that incident on an even larger scale: A major office complex, hotel, or even the Knesset (parliament). Consider the slaughter of hundreds or even thousands of innocent Israelis, with the proven perpetrators being your average PA terrorist of any of the factions, and “peace plans” would take a terrible, if not permanent, set-back. The PA has a marvelous affinity for shooting themselves in the foot (while they massacre Israelis) and putting “peace plans” on hold over the years.

Could America support such a state or even special concessions for a regime that would pull off mass slaughter?

Yet Zechariah 12 says that ALL nations will turn on Israel, so we cannot rule out the fact that America may still push the creation of a Palestinian state no matter what the situation is in that region. Joel 3 clearly says that all nations who have participated in the dividing of God’s land will be severely judged. However, God’s land has been divided many times including in 1917, 1947 – 1949, and more. The reference to division may end there. There may, in fact, never be a Palestinian state on Israeli land. The clock is ticking and we may know sooner rather than later. Continue to pray for the situation, that the truth of the debacle could be revealed in a far less horrific manner than violence and bloodshed to awaken politicians and diplomats to the mistake they are making.

(Jan Markell is founder/director of Olive Tree Ministries. To learn more or sign up for her e-mail alerts or print newsletter, visit the Web site, www.olivetreeviews.org.)