“And thou (Gog) shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages (Israel); I will go to them that are at rest, THAT DWELL SAFELY (capitals mine), all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates. To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places THAT ARE NOW INHABITED (capitals mine), and upon the people THAT ARE GATHERED OUT OF THE NATIONS (capitals mine), which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.”

Ezekiel 38:11-12

Last week President Trump, along with the leaders of Israel, UAE and Bahrain, signed the now famous Abraham Accord which normalizes diplomatic relations between them. This was a very significant because these two Arab countries, along with Egypt (in 1979) and Jordan (in 1994), have now formally recognized the rights of the Jews to the Land of Israel. This accord, named after Abraham who is viewed by the three largest monotheistic world religions (Islam, Judaism and Christianity) as the founder of their faith, basically takes them out of the state of war they have been in since the founding of modern day Israel on May 14, 1948.  It encourages economic, military, cultural and technological relationships. It allows travel between the countries, especially significant because Jerusalem is the home of the third most revered Muslim site (the Al-Aqsa mosque), which has been inaccessible to foreign Muslims for over 70 years. They may now go there to worship.

However, it is absolutely critical this “peace” agreement is not to be confused with THE Peace Covenant confirmed by the anti-christ between “many” and the Jews:

“And he (the anti-christ) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (7 years): and in the midst of the week (after 3 1/2 years) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate (the Abomination of Desolation), even until the consummation (the end), and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”

Daniel 9:27

Let me be clear! The War of Gog and Magog spoken of in Ezekiel 38 & 39 and it IS NOT the War of Armageddon detailed in the Books of Daniel and Revelation. They are two very different battles. How do we know this? Because in the War of Gog and Magog the Jews have already been returned to their land “…out of the nations” where they had been dispersed by the Romans for 2,000 years and will then be living SAFELY in their land. That is when Russia, Turkey and Iran, along with others, will invade “…to take a spoil”.  In the Daniel scripture above the anti-christ will simply  “…confirm the (peace) covenant with many for one week (7 years).” Obviously, the Jews must not be living safely in their land at that time if the anti-christ must sign a peace agreement between them and many of their Arab neighbors.

Also, let’s do some math. In Ezekiel 39:9 and 39:12 we are told it will take 7 years to burn the implements of the War of Gog and Magog and 7 months to bury the dead. In Daniel 9:27 above we see the anti-christ will sign a 7 year peace agreement but halfway through the Abomination of Desolation (What is the Abomination of Desolation in Biblical Prophecy?) will occur and the Jews are told to flee from Israel to a place where God will protect them. So, if the Jews will be burying the dead for 7 months and then burning the implements of war for 7 years but are told by God to flee at the Abomination of Desolation, who will burn the instruments of war AFTER they have fled? Or said another way, I believe the Bible is clear the War of Gog and Magog must occur at least 7 years prior to the Abomination of Desolation which happens 3 1/2 years before the Battle of Armageddon and the Glorious Return of Jesus Christ. This shows me at the very least, the War of Gog and Magog MUST occur at least 10 1/2 years before Christ Returns at Armageddon unless you believe the Jews will return during the Millennium to continue to bury the dead. Yep, I don’t believe it either! I have to say I have raised this issue with many skeptics and not one has ever been able to dispute the math!

Let’s now go back to my original premise and the purpose of this article. A “peace” agreement is in place between Israel and a few of her Arab neighbors Egypt and Jordan, and now with the UAE and Bahrain. If you watch the news media, word is being leaked out, in fact by the President himself, that perhaps 7 or 8 more Arab countries are exploring the possibility of signing their own peace accords with Israel. Saudi Arabia has specifically been named, as has been Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, and others. You know what makes these countries unique? They ARE NOT named as the countries of the Gog and Magog “alliance” that will include Russia, Turkey, Iran, Libya, Ethiopia and others. In other words, while a peace agreement with Israel for the non-Magog players will be extremely beneficial to them, what they are actually looking at is a way to suppress Iranian and Turkish aggression in the area. In my recent post  Why the U.S. will NOT come to the aid of Israel?, I name the countries like Sheba and Dedan (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, etc.) that will sit back with the USA and ask the invaders why they are invading Israel. They will not come to the defense of Israel. So far, none of the invading countries of the War of Gog and Magog have aligned with Israel in a peace agreement. In reality, they are all actually calling for the total destruction of Israel. But the ones that will sit back and wonder why the others are invading are the same seeking today to sign peace agreements and  align with Israel. Both sides have been clearly named in the Bible. Do you believe this is coincidence or Bible prophecy coming true today?

Keep an eye on further developments of other Arab countries signing peace agreements with Israel. They WILL NOT be those listed in Ezekiel that will invade Israel with Russia. If I was you, I would also look for Turkey to exit NATO and join an “alliance” with those countries (Russia, Iran, et.al.) named to invade Israel in the War of Gog and Magog. When you see that happen, know the war of Ezekiel 38 & 39 is not far off.

Now, let me give you a possible timeline of events based on Biblical prophecy and injected common sense.

1. In the very near future a fair number more of Arab countries will align with Israel and against Iran and Turkey by signing peace agreements..
2. These peace agreements will give Israel a false sense of security and peace for the first time in the Modern Era.
3. Knowing Israel will only get stronger and economically more affluent with the backing of these Arab nations and the USA, Russia and her allies will decide it is time to once and for all destroy Israel and take back the land for the Arabs. Also, to take a “spoil”.
4. Russia and her allies will invade and in only one day will be totally destroyed by God, not by Israel or her allies.
5. There will be so much carnage it will take 7 months to bury the dead and 7 years to burn the implements of war.
6. At this time, much of the Islamic world will see what the God of the Jews has done and when you couple that with the death and destruction that just occurred in the Middle East, the world will be looking for a final peace agreement.
7. The anti-christ will arise and sign a seven year peace agreement between Israel and “many”.
8. The 3rd Holy Jewish Temple will be allowed to be rebuilt on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and worship there will resume after 2,000 years of not having their own Holy Temple.
9. Midway through the seven year period (3 1/2 years) the anti-christ will enter the rebuilt Temple, cause worship and sacrifice to cease, and he will demand to be worshipped as God.
10. This will usher in the Great Tribulation, the worst time in the history of the world.
11. At the end of the anti-christ’s 3 1/2 year reign, 7 years after he signed the covenant with Israel, the War of Armageddon occurs where the anti-christ will attempt to finally destroy the Jews.
12. Jesus Christ Returns at His Second Coming to defeat the anti-christ and slay all those assembled at the Battle of Armageddon.

There you have it, a brief look at the peace and war that will proceed from events of today until Christ Returns. While I have not mentioned the Rapture of Believers from this world PRIOR to the unveiling of the anti-christ and the start of the Tribulation period, take comfort in knowing that Jesus said in Revelation 3:10 He would keep us from God’s Wrath. There will be peace agreements signed which will upset other countries resulting in wars. But you know what? God is in command and He will protect the Jews and the Nation of Israel. Just look what He will do at the War of Gog and Magog:

“Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: And I will smite thy bow out of they left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it , saith the Lord God.”

Ezekiel 39:1-5

When Jesus Returns at Armageddon to throw the anti-christ and false prophet into hell forever and then to bind up Satan and throw him into the bottomless pit for 1,000 years He also destroys the armies that have come with the anti-christ to destroy the Jews. Notice, the Bible says it is Jesus that will defeat them where it was God who destroyed the armies of Gog and Magog:

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven (notice these are the Raptured Saints that already were with Jesus in Heaven BEFORE He returned. He didn’t Rapture them on His way down!) followed him upon the white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

Revelation 19:11-15

On the one hand, God Himself defeats the invaders of the War of Gog and Magog. On the other hand, Jesus Returns at Armageddon to defeat the anti-christ, false prophet and Satan. Here again we have clear proof these are two distinctly different wars. Who can stand against God or His Son Jesus Christ? That is so comforting to know not only that He told us BEFORE all this happens but what the end result will be. If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal Savior and asked for forgiveness of our sins, we will join Jesus as a member of His Army coming back down from Heaven to defeat Satan and his minions at Armageddon and then reign with Him for His 1,000 year Millennium rule on earth. Now that is so comforting to know my future. If you agree, then please share this with your friends and family as we have all been told to “…therefore comfort one another with these words.”

Many thanks to my friend DH in AL for asking me to explain this as it has strengthened my views of prophesied events coming true today. May Peace be with you!

Ezekiel 38:23