THE THREE END TIME BATTLES

Matthew 24:1-8

The Bible has a lot to say about the end times. Nearly every book of the Bible contains prophecy regarding the end times. The question is when will all of this happen?

There is much turmoil in Israel today. Israel is persecuted, surrounded by enemies. Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, etc. But this hatred and persecution of Israel is only a hint of what will happen in the end times (Matthew 24:15-21). The latest round of persecution began when Israel was reconstituted as a nation in 1948. The six-day Arab-Israeli war in 1967 was the "beginning of the end." 

The battle that is mention in Psalms 83 is one of the things that will happen before the end times so when this happens we will know something prophetic is happening. Then we will see some major changes as the end time events unfold. If this is true, and we are the last generation many of us who are here will be present when Jesus comes to take his church. 

THE BATTLE OF EXTERMINATION: PSALM 83

This psalm states that the immediate neighbors of Israel will launch a war for the purpose of “wiping out Israel as a nation” (verse 4). The nations described as being a part of this effort are those with a common border with Israel today (verses 6-8). The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, that’s southern Jordan and Arabia. Moab and the Hagrites, that’s central and north Jordan. Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, that’s Lebanon and Syria and the Sinai Peninsula. Philistia, that’s the Gaza Strip. The inhabitants of Tyre, that’s more of Lebanon. Assyria (Syria), Lebanon, and Iraq.

We know from other scriptures that Israel will be victorious (Zechariah 12:6). Also, in Amos 9:15 we are told that once the Jews are re-established in their land, “they will not again be rooted out from their land.”

This battle will result in victory for Israel, resulting in great territorial expansion and enhanced national resources. It will also produce the security spoken of in Ezekiel 38:11.

The Gog and Magog battle in Revelation 20 occurs at the end of the Millennium. However, Ezekiel 38 does not occur during the Millennium, it is reserved for the final moments of the Tribulation.

Ezekiel 38:8 tells us, these Scriptures pertain to the “latter years,” while Ezekiel 38:16 states, they are for the “latter days.” The Last Days that we find ourselves in. We can become confident the events of Ezekiel 38 belong to the closing moments of the Great Tribulation. In Ezekiel 38:13-14, God explains Gog is concerned with “cattle,” “goods,” “silver,” and “gold.” Yet, those are not objects people will be concerned about during the Millennium. Instead, those are desires and treasures men focus on today.

THE FIRST BATTLE OF GOG & MAGOG: EZEKIEL 38 AND 39

The next great end time battle will be the Battle of Gog & Magog that is described in Ezekiel 38 and 39. This battle will start when Russia invades Israel with certain specified allies, all of whom are Muslim nations today.

This battle will occur 3 1/2 years prior to the Tribulation. One of his most important reasons for this conclusion is that Ezekiel 39:9 says the Jews will spend seven years burning the weapons captured in the battle, and the book of Revelation says they will be run out of the land in the middle of the Tribulation (Revelation 12:13-17). Since the middle of the Tribulation will occur 3 1/2 years into that seven year period that means the only way the Jews could spend seven years burning the weapons is for the battle to start at least 3 1/2 years before the Tribulation begins. The “burning of weapons” could refer to captured nuclear fuel.

Does this mean the battles of Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 and 39 must occur before the Rapture? The Rapture could occur anytime before, during, or after these wars. Keep in mind that the Rapture is not what marks the beginning of the Tribulation. The Tribulation will begin when the Antichrist signs a security treaty with Israel (Daniel 9:27). There could be a period of several years between the Rapture and the beginning of the Tribulation.

The Ezekiel war pictures Russia coming against the nation of Israel with certain specified allies. In Revelation 20 Russia is portrayed as leading all the nations of the world against Jesus Christ.

The timing of the Gog-Magog Battle after the Rapture of the Church but just before or at the very onset of the Tribulation best fulfills these prerequisites and makes the most logical sense in the prophetic timeline:

1. The Rapture of the Church removes the Restrainer.

2. Israel defeats her surrounding neighbors in fulfillment of Psalm 83.

3. The first Gog-Magog battle destroys the Russian and Muslim influence in the Middle East, makes the world aware of God’s presence, and restores Israel’s belief in the God of the Torah.

4. The Antichrist makes a peace covenant with Israel which starts the seven-year Tribulation, then conquers what is left of the Middle East, and birth’s his Revived Roman Empire (Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Turkey, North Africa and other European Nations).

5. Israel spends the seven years of the Tribulation burning the weapons.

6. Jesus returns at the end of the seven years to defeat His enemies at Armageddon resulting in Israel acknowledging that Jesus is God’s Son.

7. Jesus gathers the people from all over the world (all nations) for the Judgment, which results in only believers entering the Millennial Kingdom.

8. At the very end of the Millennial Kingdom, a final battle, the second battle of Gog-Magog.