Armageddon OT Background to the Battle for the Cosmic Mountain 5

By Cris D. Putnam

THE BATTLE

The Antichrist figure finds his counterpart in the Hebrew Bible as Gog in Ezekiel 38-39. To demonstrate this point, a brief examination of the name גּוֹג Gog is required. In Ezekiel, Gog is clearly the enemy of Israel from the land of Magog or possibly “from the land of Gog.” In scripture, the proper names Agag and Gog were rendered somewhat interchangeably from the Hebrew.  For instance, Agag appears in 1 Samuel: “And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword”(1 Sa 15:8). He was the King of the Amalekites, a nephilim tribe, who was defeated and spared by Saul, but later killed by Samuel. It is interesting that the Septuagint translators rendered the name “Gog.” Yet, modern translations render it Agag. For instance, Numbers 24:7 which is a poetic oracle by Balaam concerning Israel and how they have God’s favor.

Remember, Balaam was a sorcerer hired to curse Israel but his diabolical efforts were frustrated by God. Thus, in the traditional rendering, the context is appropriate that Israel’s king will be superior to Gog. For instance,the ESV renders it,“Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag (Gog), and his kingdom shall be exalted”(Nu 24:7). Well enough, this traditional rendering of the prophecy is assuredly concerning Saul’s defeat of Gog, nephilim king of Amalekites. Yet strangely the LXX translation by Brenton reflects a different manuscript which makes it seem as if Gog is from Jacob’s seed:

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and sees Israel encamped by their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him. And he took up his parable and said, Balaam son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says, he says who hears the oracle of the Mighty One, who saw a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened: How goodly are thy habitations, Jacob, and thy tents, Israel! as shady groves, and as gardens by a river, and as tents which God pitched, and as cedars by the waters. There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased. ( Num 24:5-7 LXX Benton 1851 )[1] (emphasis added)

The kingdom of Gog will be exalted? This is astonishing! Is this just a bad translation or could this reading infer the sorcerer Balaam was predicting the kingdom of Antichrist? Many have speculated he must be Semitic for the Jews to accept him as Messiah. Balaam is an odd character for a pagan sorcerer as he also predicted Christ and the star of Bethlehem in his final oracle (Num 24:17). The prophetic literature gets even stranger.

Missler makes reference to the name Gog being used in the Septuagint while drawing a parallel to its use Ezekiel and Revelation. The LXX Translation by Brenton 1851 renders, “Thus has the Lord God shewed me; and, behold, a swarm of locusts coming from the east; and, behold, one caterpillar, king Gog” (Am 7:1). The original context of this passage is that judgment is coming to the Northern kingdom, Israel. It is a vision given to Amos of a locust army invasion similar to that in Joel. Yet, Amos begs the Lord to repent of it and the Lord does not carry it through (cf. Am 7:3). The thing that makes this use of Gog distinct is that it is not a variant translation from the Masoretic text because the Masoretic uses no name at all. See a comparison here.  Missler draws significance from juxtaposing “locusts have no king” (Pr 30:27) against the “locusts” in Amos and Revelation who do have a king, arguing that it implies Amos and John must not be talking about insects:

The locusts in Revelation 9 have a king, Apollyon or Abaddon, but Proverbs 30:27 says that locusts have no king. So these locusts are not natural locusts; they are demon locusts. If that’s the case, then Gog, who is the king of the locusts, is a demon king.[2]

While the purpose of proverbs was not entomology, this reasoning seems quite reasonable. The terms grasshopper and locust are interchangeable as their is no taxonomic difference between locust and grasshopper species. In English the term “locust” is used for grasshopper species that change morphologically and behaviorally to form swarms. Research at Oxford University has identified that swarming behaviour is a response to overcrowding. Clearly the prophet is using locusts and caterpillar symbolically for invading hoards. The ancient Israelites had an agrarian economy. Invading armies are destructive to cities as insects are to crops. It implies annihilation. In the case of Amos’s original context, it would be the Assyrians who did in fact completely destroy the Northern kingdom. But the future context of Revelation speaks of a devastation by demonic entities.

Yet the only use of the proper name Gog in the NT appears in the book of Revelation and applies to a war after the millennium when Satan is released after being bound for 1,000 years. The locust imagery also recalls imagery from the book of Revelation 9 and the locust army of Joel:

In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces,(Re 9:7)

Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run. As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle.(Joe 2:4–5)

The two passage must refer to the same event because their really can be only one ultimate Day of the Lord. The locusts/war horses here are thought to represent the demon hoards who attack during the tribulation. The descriptions harken chimeric monstrosities. Tom Horn explores possible biotech avenues for making these monsters a reality in his books Apollyon Rising and Forbidden Gates. In the former he ponders Joel’s insectoid horde:

When the numerous ancient texts from inerrant Scriptures to extra-biblical sources are added up, there is persuasive evidence that Joel’s army could indeed be more than simple grasshoppers, and that this massive Gibborim army that runs upon the wall from which nobody can escape could be the result of man’s willingness to play “god” in reviving forbidden science and opening “gates” to what lurks beyond.[2a]

Others see what is widely believed to be “aliens” also taking part in this scenario. There does seem to be cultural trend toward belief in extraterrestrial life. It seems a likely cover story for demonic entities. In fact, the entities that gather the worlds armies for the battle of Armageddon bear an uncanny resemblance to what are commonly believed to be aliens.

“And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.(Re 16:13–14)

Many believe this is the strong delusion mentioned by Paul (2 Thes 2:11). Dr. David Allen Lewis and Robert Shreckhise postulate that these demonic spirits that look like frogs are indeed what the popular media deems “greys.” [2b]  Paradox Brown carries this line of thought a little further offering:

But note that John doesn’t say the three evil spirits “ARE three frogs”. He says they “looked like frogs”… Let’s say that John was shown in his Revelation vision an image of something he had never seen before… It makes sense that if John didn’t know what this creature was, and had never seen anything like it, that he would describe it as “looking like” something he was familiar with. [2c]

Thus, it appears we have a menagerie of insectoid and reptilian transgenic entities involved in the Armageddon scenario. The secular world will likely assume they are from outer space as they have been heavily propagandized in that direction. We can infer that since Gog is the “caterpillar king” of this army, he is likely one and the same as Apollyon or Abaddon (cf. Am 7:1 LXX ; Rev 9:11). It seems likely that Gog in Ezekiel 38 & 39 is the Satanically empowered general in the end time war, the Beast.

Much has been written associating the Magog war of Ezekiel 38-39 with the battle of Armageddon. There are demonstrable parallels yet seemingly the book of Revelation explicitly places it one thousand years after Armageddon (cf. Rev 19:19; Rev. 20:8 ). Amillennialists (those who deny the 1000 year kingdom) like Kline attempt to conflate the battles described in Revelation 19 and 20.[3] Yet this lacks coherence as Heiser points out several insurmountable difficulties to this view. [4] Still, both Kline and Heiser agree that Gog can be associated with the Antichrist. This finds support in the Qumran War Scroll (1QM), which reveals it is Satan and his powers that are behind the usurpers:

For this shall be a time of distress for Israel, [and of the summons] to war against all the nations. There shall be eternal deliverance for the company of God, but destruction for all the nations of wickedness. All those [who are ready] for battle shall march out and shall pitch their camp before the king of the Kittim and before all the host of Satan gathered about him for the Day [of Revenge] by the Sword of God.[5]

The Qumran War Scroll reflects the same end time war as the Ezekiel text and accredits it to Satan. However, in Revelation 20 the Antichrist has been defeated and what is described is the release of Satan. Heiser convincingly solves this by viewing Gog as both. He writes, “I have argued that Ezekiel 38-39 will be fulfilled in two events: (1) Armageddon, which also is the fulfillment of Daniel 11:40-45; and (2) The subsequent, separate battle of Rev. 20:7-9.”[6]

“He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites.(Da 11:41)

“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.(Re 20:7–8)

Thus the Satanically possessed Beast of Revelation is Gog in the battle of Armageddon and Satan himself is Gog in the post-millennium war. While Heiser argues that the Magog war is fulfilled in two stages of the “already but not yet” fulfillment scenario, this present treatment suggests a similar but novel solution.

One of the better arguments against placing the Magog war prior to the tribulation as many traditional dispensationalists do as well as against the recapitulation view of Amillennialists is that Ezekiel 38 describes Israel as already completely regathered in the land (Eze 38:8, 12) and dwelling securely without defenses (Eze 38:11).[7]  This certainly does not apply to Israel’s current situation or to the preconditions for the battle of Armageddon. Today Israel is under constant threat and has very real barrier walls. It is also inconsistent with Armageddon because it is in the latter part of the great tribulation. Surely after enduring the trumpet and bowl judgments they will not be together in a secure peaceful state. Furthermore, the dry bones prophecy of Ezekiel 37 describes Israel’s rebirth contingent with the Messiah (Eze 37:15-28). Interestingly, Ezekiel 39:28 is a world wide call to Jews to return from the diaspora. Accordingly, it seems that chapter the 39 war precedes what is described in 38. Only after Ezekiel 39:28 will the diaspora be completely undone and the nation at peace. While others have postulated an earlier Psalm 83 war, The Ezekiel 38 war makes more sense in light of it being post millennium exactly as it says in Revelation 20. The biblical text solves the problem without an extra war. Thus, I completely agree with Heiser that Ezekiel 38 is the satanic showdown after the millennium. However, from this point forward an alternative interpretation is offered.

It is the proposal here that Ezekiel 39 describes the battle of Armageddon which temporally precedes the Magog war of chapter 38.  The prophetic books are in a state that makes it extremely challenging to determine where one oracle ends and another begins. The modern chapter divisions are arbitrary and were imposed during the thirteenth century AD. While, the traditional view is that chapter 39 is restatement of 38, this is a tacit acknowledgement that chapter 38 resolves satisfactorily.[8] In other words, because they are both complete units and not dependent upon each other, they can arguably represent distinct battles. In Ezekiel 38, some of the Nations question and do not battle (Eze 38:13) but at the battle of Armageddon (Zec 14: 12) it seems all the nations of the world will be gathered against Jerusalem. The Ezekiel 39 battle is addressed to all the nations (Eze 39:7). Furthermore, chapter 39 is inaugurated with a new “Thus says the Lord God.” This interpretation suggests that chapters 38-39 are two distinct wars for the following seven reasons: One, Gog and his armies are described as brought out to battle at the beginning of each chapter in unique circumstances (38:4-9; cf. 39:2). Two, chapter 38 clearly states that the land was restored from war (Ez 38:8). It is suggested that this refers to the Ezekiel 39/Armageddon war. Three, the chapter 38 war ties together with the post millennium release of Satan (Rev.20:7-10; cf. Eze 38:16, 22) and the white throne judgment (Rev.20:11-15) with “I will enter into judgment with him” (Eze 38:22). Four, the nations will know that their defeat was by the Lord and that Israel will know the Lord from that day forward (Eze 39:21-22). This arguably convenes the inauguration of the millennium. Five, the nations will understand why Israel was exiled and abandoned by God (Eze 39:23). This explains the tribulation. Six, the Lord will restore and gather Israel (Eze 39:25-27). This seems to be concurrent with the return of Christ in Ezekiel 37:15-28 and is a precursor to the chapter 38 war. Seven, Israel knows their God from that day forward and God never hides his face from them again (Eze 39:28-29). Consequently, the prerequisite regathered and secure status of Ezekiel 38 (Rev. 20) is arguably the result of the previous Ezekiel 39 (Rev. 19) war. All that is required for one to accept is that these are two oracles in a non-chronological order, a contention which is hardly unprecedented.

It is also compelling that in the Ezekiel 39 war, Gog is described as coming “from the uppermost parts of the North” and “against the mountains of Israel” (v.2). This language strongly concurs with the “mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north” interpretation of Armageddon. Brevard Childs’ scholarship on the enemy from the north and the chaos tradition suggests a possible connection:

Isa 14:12 ff. is a taunt against the king of Babylon and not directly related to the enemy tradition. Nevertheless, it is quite remarkable that the king who dared to “sit on the mount of assembly in the far north is described as the one “who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms.”[9]

It may be helpful to view this as cosmic north referring generally to the supernatural realm. In the aftermath, Gog falls on the mountains of Israel. In light of the case for supernatural warriors, it is interesting to note the distinction made between his hordes and people (Eze 39:4). In other words, his hordes are not necessarily human. There is a massive feast of carrion for the birds (39:4; cf. 17-20) which is correlated directly with Revelation 19:17-19. This also finds a parallel in Isaiah 18 and oracle addressing the inhabitants of the world (Is 18:3) and which culminates with the inauguration of Gods’ millennial kingdom (Is 18: 7ff).

Isaiah 18 Ezekiel 39 Revelation 19
 “They shall all of them be left to the birds of prey of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth. And the birds of prey will summer on them, and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them.”(Is 18:6) “You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your hordes and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.(Eze 39:4)“As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord God: Speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field, ‘Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood.” (Eze 39:17) “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army.(Re 19:17–19)

There is only one time on the prophetic timeline in which one could say that God will reveal himself to all the nations and no longer tolerate his name being profaned (Eze.39:7; cf. Rev. 19:15). There is really only one day that he will regather all of Israel to their land while pouring out his spirit (Eze.39: 29;  cf. Joel 2:28).  Because these things are established “from that day forward”(Eze 39:22), this war will necessarily conclude just prior to the Millennium (Rev 20:4). That necessitates that this war happens on the narrow sense Day of the Lord, Armageddon or the battle of Har Mô∙ʿēḏ – the Cosmic Mountain of God.

Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain!

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming;

it is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness!

Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people;

their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations.

Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns.

The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness,

and nothing escapes them.

Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run.

As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains,

like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble,

like a powerful army drawn up for battle.

Joel 2:1-5

Get a signed copy of Pandemonium’s Engine here for $10.00


[1] Septuagint Online, http://www.ecmarsh.com/lxx/Numbers/index.htm (accessed 9/03/2011).

[2] Chuck Missler, “Hosea and Amos: Prophets to the Northern Kingdom,” http://www.khouse.org/articles/2011/962/ (accessed 9/02/2011).

[2a] Thomas Horn, Apollyon Rising 2012: The Lost Symbol Found and the Final Mystery of the Great Seal Revealed (Crane, MS: Defender, 2009), 221.

[2b] David Allen Lewis and Robert Shreckhise, UFO: End-Time Delusion (Green Forest, Ark.: New Leaf Press (AR), 1991), 46.

[2c] Paradox Brown, A Modern Guide To Demons And Fallen Angels (Roswell NM: Seekye1 Publishing, 2008), 255.

[3] Kline, “Har Magedon,” 219.

[4] Heiser, Islam, 98-101.

[5]Vermes, The Dead Sea Scrolls in English, 141. [1 QM 15.2-3]

[6] Heiser, Islam, 102.

[7] Heiser, Islam, 100.

[8] Ralph H. Alexander, “Ezekiel” In , in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 6: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), 934.

[9] Brevard S. Childs “The Enemy From the North and the Chaos Tradition.” (Journal of Biblical Literature, 1959), 196

About Cris Putnam
Logos Apologia is the ministry of Cris D. Putnam. The mission of Logos Apologia is to show that logic, science, history and faith are complementary, not contradictory and to bring that life-changing truth to everybody who wants to know.

Comments

  1. Eric says:

    Perhaps another thought…while not totally agreeing with Peter Goodgame’s Red Moon Rising and Doug Berner’s The Silence is broken views, these books really opened my eyes when combined with Tom Horn’s Neo-Nephilim/transhumanist writings. Heisner has forgotten more then most of us will know regarding the original texts, but could this famous battle be in three parts in lieu of two.

    There are significant problems with the Ez. 38-39 battle occurring during a defined 7 year Tribulation period, although, this could be resolved if you view the Judgment Day of the Lord as a longer undefined period of time that the 7 years fits within. Still, the traditional view of Ez. 38-39 typically is of a very human horde led by a very human Russian leader that uses very physical weapons (they’ll burn to provide fuel for 7 years/nuclear).

    Could it be that the rules that the Lord Himself established (unknowable to us) in ages past at the outset of this great cosmic battle for some reason require 3 different cosmic levels of defeat of the Dragon in order to fully reclaim the deed of the earth that he stole back in the garden? Could this cosmic dual be broken down as follows:

    1. Ez. 38-39 (Gog & Magog) being the first phase defeat of Satan as he only “spiritually possesses” Gog who is a very human leader of human hordes from the north (Russia/Islamic) with the boundary b/w the physical and spiritual realms remaining mostly intact. Jews are spared from Satans possessed human tools.

    2. Rev. 19 (Armageddon) being the second phase of defeat for Satan as his “son” who is most likely a full fledge Nephilim hybrid and only part human with the boundary b/w the physical and spiritual realms greatly removed (think the final battle in Lord of the Rings), a mixture of physical and spiritual. Jews are spared from Satans human/hybrid tools.

    3. Rev. 20 (End of Millenial battle) being the third and final defeat of Satan himself as he personally does battle with the Lord and is finally crushed forever as the physical & spiritual realms are completely remade in the new heavens and the new earth. All Gods elect are spared forever from the tool maker himself, Satan.

    Afterall, 3 is a perfect number repeatedly used throughout scripture.

  2. Eric says:

    Also, for further consideration…I failed to mention the impact of Bill Salus’ book Isralestine which shows that Ps. 83 is really the next big event describing a significant, but regional battle that deals with Israels enemies that directly surround her and explains why they’re not listed in the Ez.coilition (Jordan, Syria, Egypt, etc). It is during this war the the Is. 17 prophecy against Damascus will be fulfilled and I strongly believe we see developing currently in the M.E. This upcoming great victory will be the context in which Israel will tear down it’s walls and believe they can now dwell in safety. It’s in this context that Gog from the north with his horde will then attack soon afterwards, because he see’s the recently acquired spoil that Israel gained in the Ps. 83 war. So you really have 3 great wars on the horizon proceeding the Millenium:

    1. Ps 83 (Isralestine)
    2. Ez 38-39 (Gog & Magog)
    3. Rev 19 (Armagaddon)

  3. onefeather says:

    I like reading the views and subject , but I have a problem with some of the thinking of Dr. David Allen Lewis and Robert Shreckhise, in saying the “frogs” may look like the greys or that is the only way they knew how to discribe them. There is a big difference between something human or not human looking like a frog. Frogs in no way look like a human form. This is stretching something a Way Out of context. I think it is wrong and what makes things hard to believe and are made up to go along with their belief or teaching or thinking.

  4. Vince says:

    I’ve really enjoy reading this blog, and I love eschatology. I wanted to add my perspective here, (doesn’t mean I’m right) John was transported across the vail into the spirit realm and he saw Satin as a dragon, the unclean spirits like frogs, Angels pouring bowels etc.. For natural man on our side of the vail most of this may not be seen at all, only the effects of these things will be seen unless the vail to the unseen spirit world is lifted first. However I am pretrib so I expect to see as John did from the other side.

    • Cris Putnam says:

      That’s an interesting take Vince. So would you argue that the people present would only see regular natural appearing events, while behind the veil all the supernatural action takes place?

  5. Vince says:

    Hi Cris, yes basically, I think that when we consider other scripture’s like 2 kings 6:17 when God lifted the veil for Elisha’s servant and he saw they were surrounded by chariots of fire, we realize that anyone else present would probably only have seen an entire army suddenly go blind because the veil was only lifted for Elisha’s servant. So after John was “in the spirit” he is seeing all the things we can’t. If we consider the demon locust from this viewpoint, well we can’t see demons from our physical reality perspective, we may only see many people apparently ill in serious pain for 5 months and unable to kill themselves maybe due to paralysis or because the demons are in control ( who knows?). Or the unclean spirits like frogs, we don’t see spirits John did. So that could simply be describing the Anti Christ and False Profit sending demons to Presidents or their advisers to draw the nations to war. (Reminds me of 1 Kings 22:20-22 lying spirits) But I do agree about the demon alien connection and the frog description, I just think the alien encounters are spiritual encounters where they are able to temporarily pierce the veil which hides them. These are glimpses into the spirit warfare which has guided history all along I believe.

    • Cris Putnam says:

      I think that is a very reasonable view. I agree that “alien encounters” are spiritual in nature. Of course it is all speculative, but have you considered that perhaps the tribulation period will be a time when the curtain is pulled back so to speak? There is plenty of biblical evidence for it. “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.”(Mk 13:22) & “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,”(2 Th 2:9). Of course the two witnesses call down fire from heaven and what not as well. It seems to me that it will be a time of unprecedented supernaturalism. Do you also think these passages imply that?

  6. Vince says:

    Sure God can take down the curtain any time he chooses. After I posted that last comment I realized I should not have started with “yes” as a response, I know many things during the tribulation will be obviously supernatural like the things you mention and more. In fact my 2 Kings example of an army blinded is obviously supernatural. I was just wanting to point out that we don’t have to find physical things to fit John’s descriptions necessarily since his view was from the spirit.

  7. Justina says:

    you’re not going to like this. First, there is a range of identifications of Gog, see Wikipedia, which incl. the Goths and England and Ireland and the Scythic turkic peoples. Probably all are correct. Gog of Magog, seems to imply a core
    origin and something established outside that place. Therefore all interpretations could be correct. while Ezekiel speaks of the uttermost north (and if you treat the world as flat, going north and keep going in a straight line from Jerusalem you will cross the pole and end up in the “new world” so this can incl. Russia AND North America), Revelation speaks of ” the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog” and the four corners would incl. Russia, China,
    Mongolia, at least one of the turkic countries, and the USA or one of its descendants if it breaks up.

    USA population is nordic, scythic turk aka amerindian heavily british. This as I pointed out is Gog material. The controlling element is British derived mostly, and wikipedia points out the brits honor Gog and Magog as two giants in old tradition.

    See where I am going? prophecy can refer to a specific single event and to several “dry runs” or similar events. and partial fulfillment. Right now, the USA is indeed being drawn with hooks in its jaws like a fish who has taken the bait. The bait is Iran, but Russia and China will defend it, they are in a relationship with it (BRIC, Brazil Russia Iran and China) and heavy oil interests there. I think if the USA attacks Iran, we had all better start learning Russian and Chinese real fast, because we will lose, and probably be annexed, at least major parts of the country.

    Now, in the final revolt after satan is released, I see a certain danger of some right wing anarchist type thinking playing a role, in rejecting Christ as king over His own one world government. Govt. by the people for the people of the people is not Biblical. Romans says essentially that it is by the people of whatever element is useful FOR God’s purposes.

    an ex Mossad official is saying that attacking Iran will lead to disaster. The present govt. of Israel and for a long time
    the govt. and de facto govt. of USA are in bed with the elite bankers and other elements who have nothing to lose and
    everything to gain by WW 3.

    • Cris Putnam says:

      I don’t dislike it… I think it is really interesting! If anything the study of prophecy leads me to be flexible as to how things play out. This is a possibility. Thanks for your comment!

    • This is exactly the problem with the word of god – it is multi-dimensional. One prophecy has many fulfillings, and behind the visible rulers are also the invisible ones (king of tyre – prince of tyre).

      Knowing that is like a safetybelt – in all our reasonings we need to remember the possibility that we could be wrong and we will be wrong without the help of the holy spirit.

  8. John says:

    Cris, Very interested in your idea of reversing Ezekiel 38/39. Have you written anything else on this?Also, could you elaborate on Heiser’s vviews on Gog as his ‘Islam’ is o/p. Thanks.

    • Cris Putnam says:

      Hi John, This was actually a research paper I wrote for Dr Heiser when he was my OT instructor at LBTS. In his book, he sees Gog Magog as a re-occuring paradigm:

      These progressive fulfillments of Ezekiel 38-39 will be:

      (1) The attack of Revelation’s Antichrist on Jerusalem (which will be from the north, as the historical Antiochus did). This event will precipitate Armageddon, and will both ultimately fulfill Daniel 11:40-45 and prefigure the ultimate fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39. Since Daniel 11:40-45 calls for an invader from the north and Gog of Ezekiel 38-39 meets this criterion of Daniel (but does not meet others), I believe the Armageddon / Antichrist event of Daniel 11:40-45 / Rev. 19 partially fulfills Ezekiel’s prophecy and sets the stage for that prophecy’s ultimate enactment.
      (2) The “ultimate enactment” of Ezekiel 38-39’s Gog invasion will be the battle described in Rev. 20:7-9.

      So Gog would be the antichrist at Armageddon and I suppose Satan in the latter war.

      • John says:

        Hi Cris, Thanks for your reply. I think you could be on to something here. Have you ever thought of extending your research paper into book form because I think lots of readers would be interested in such an intriguing theory?

        • Cris Putnam says:

          Yes I have thought about using it in a book project, I’m currently busy working on a book with Tom Horn on the Vatican ET connection and ufos.

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