MAGOG and the Ezekiel War
Years ago when I was writing my book on the Antichrist, I emphasized several key points:
many clues pointed to the Antichrist achieving great and sudden political power around June 2016
many clues point to America as the land of Mystery Babylon, and New York as its great city to be destroyed in one day
a clash of civilizations between Islamic and Christian nations is central to the end times prophecies as are Israel, Jerusalem, a new temple, and a false peace treaty brokered by the Antichrist.
the most likely political seat for the Antichrist to hold will be the American presidency.
At the time, I thought the Islamic Caliphate (ISIS) and Barack Obama would play a larger role. I emphasized the clues specifically pointing to Obama - and there are many, like:
As Morgan Freeman approached Obama at a fundraiser, Obama once said: “This guy was president before I was.” Obama said this before he was even elected president – referring to Freeman’s role in Deep Impact. But the amazing quote comes from what he said regarding Freeman’s role in Bruce Almighty: “This guy was God before I was."
Everyone who cares to listen has already seen the videos on Luke 10:18, in which Jesus said: “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning” or “I perceived Satan as lightning from the heights.” Lightning in Hebrew is pronounced “Bah-Rock.” Some Hebrew conjunctions are reduced down to an “O” sound just like we replaced the fifteenth century “of the clock” down to “o’clock.” Heights in Hebrew is pronounced “Bah-Mah.” Jesus may have left us a clue when (it sounds the same in Hebrew and in Aramaic) He said He perceived Satan as “Bah-Rock” “O” “Bah-Mah.”
...but I downplayed the clues that suggested Obama would merely be a PRECURSOR to the Antichrist.
For example, there is an Islamic prophecy from Persia: "a 17th century Islamic prophecy which may very well be describing Barack Obama. This is not in the Koran, (which is a thousand years older) but it is still a centuries-old Shiite “Hadith” (tradition.) Shi’ite Mullah Majlisi wrote Bahar al-Anvar (Oceans of Light) – 132 volumes of religious commentary that (along with the Koran it comments on) is the foundation of modern Shiite Islam.
Mullah Majlisi wrote that, Imam Ali Ibn Abi-Talib (Mohammed’s cousin and son-in-law) prophesied that just prior to the return of the Twelfth Imam – the Mahdi – the Ultimate end times Savior of Islam – a “tall black man will assume the reins of government in the West.” Leading “the strongest army on earth,” the new western ruler in the West will carry “a clear sign” from the third imam, (whose name was Hussein Ibn Ali.) Obama’s middle name, Hussein, is believed to be that sign. The Hadith also says that “Shiites should have no doubt that he is with us.” The name Barack, in both Arabic and Farsi (Persian) means blessing; Barack Hussein means “the blessing of Hussein” in both languages. Even the surname Obama, written in the Persian alphabet as O-Ba-Ma, means “he is with us,” another key point of Majlisi’s tradition.
This Persian prophecy seems to describe Obama well - a tall black man in charge of the strongest government/army in the West, with links to "Hussein" and "O-ba-ma."
But it also clearly states that this black leader (presumably Obama) comes PRIOR TO the Mahdi - a messiah for Muslims but arguably an anti-messiah for Christians - someone who arrives on a white horse and aims to conquer and rule from Jerusalem and destroy Judaism and Christianity... is arguably the Christians' Antichrist.
Obama no longer seems to be in play as the potential Antichrist. In fact there are few contenders left to consider who fit the key points I was considering. Turkish dictator Recep Erdogan did stage a fake coup against himself and seize dictatorial control of a major Muslim nation in July 2016. Turkey is directly north of Israel, and all the place names associated with Israel's northern enemy during Ezekiel's War - Meschech, Tubal, Gog, Magog - they are all associated with Turkey.
Also note "the seven Churches of Revelation are the focus of the opening chapters in Revelation. Those Churches were in..." Turkey
Erdogan rules from the location (Turkey) of the previous (Ottoman) Caliphate, where the prophet Daniel said the beast empire in the end times would rule over Greek, Babylonian, and Persian dominions… Erdogan as Antichrist would even fit with Nostradamus prophecies of WWIII in the early 21st century in the form of an Islamic Invasion of Europe.
I have heard rumors in February 2019 that Turkey intends to bring Turkish troops into Lebanon, to allow terrorists to fire into Israel but simultaneously discourage Israeli counterattacks against targets in Lebanon, as Turkish forces would be human shields and if Israeli strikes kill Turkish troops such incidents could bring on a larger war... Just the kind of war described in the prophecies of Ezekiel 38, which begins with verses like:
"set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against you.... all of them wielding swords; Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops...." This seems to describe an Islamic coalition against Israel from at least Libya to Iran, led by a nation to Israel's north including Magog, Meshech and Tubal.
Isaiah 11:15 "And the Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea, and with His scorching wind will He shake His hand over the River, and will smite it..."
Joel 4:19 "Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom [Jordan] shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah..." (Joel 4:20 "But Judah shall be inhabited forever.")
Isaiah 17:1 "Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap."
Many lands (in the Islamic world) will be allies of Magog/Meshech/Tubal/Turkey against Israel, as described in Ezekiel 38:15-16:
"You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army; and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog.”
Is there any reason not to expect Magog will be Turkey?
Some interpreters, heavily influenced by their disdain for the godless communists of the Soviet Union, saw Rosh as Russia and noted that it is north of Israel and a powerful enemy with many Muslim allies. Russia blames Israel for tricking Syrian Air Defenses into shooting down a Russian plane in September 2018. With the Russian military heavily involved in Syria, we cannot completely rule out their involvement in a future war with Israel.
And while I don't think Trump could prove to be the Antichrist, he did rise to sudden political power in 2016. He rules America - which fits the traits of Mystery Babylon very well. He hails from New York, the very city of Mystery Babylon described so well in prophecy. Trump could be more than “the LAST TRUMP” of 1st Corinthians 15:51-53...
We know that the city of Mystery Babylon sits on many waters (New York is coastal) – it rules over many kings/nations (NY hosts the HQ of the United Nations) – it dominates World Trade (Wall Street, New York banking cartels, the infamous World Trade Center towers…) the city has a lot of Jews whom the Bible warns to flee it (NY had 2 million Jews at one time, and still well over a million now…)
Besides being from this city, Trump is extremely wealthy (Ezekiel 28:4-5 warns that the Antichrist will be rich) he rose to high political office quickly (Daniel 7:8 and 8:9-11 warns the Antichrist is a “little horn” with a short political path to suddenly hold great power, not a long political career. Daniel 11:37 warns that the Antichrist will show no regard for “the desire of women” and this could mean he is disrespectful towards women….
The Trump family bought the most expensive single building ever purchased in the United States, at 666 Fifth Avenue, a street symbolic of money (Mammon), hubris, excess and greed. Another Trump Fifth Avenue property, the famous Trump Tower, is 203 meters tall according to multiple reports. And 203 meters = 666 feet. Donald Trump lives there in gold-plated opulence on the 66th floor! Trump inherited his grandmother’s real estate empire when she died on June 6, 1966 = 6-6-6
More important than any 666 symbolism - President Trump made the world acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. And any good student of end times Bible prophecy knows the Antichrist is supposed to broker a peace deal for Israel and her enemies. On April 9, 2019 - Trump is scheduled to announce his peace plan to the new Israeli government (just after their upcoming elections, to avoid influencing the elections) and some Israelis are already annoyed at being kept in the dark: "Israeli education minister calls on U.S. president to reveal plan before April 9 election: 'Deal of the century is progressing and everyone knows what's in it other than Israelis.'"
George W. Bush apparently brought up prophecies of Gog and Magog to "sell" his plan for an invasion of Iraq to other nations. It was "the U.S. president who had brought up Gog and Magog in a conversation with Chirac on current events in the Middle East. Bush had explained that he saw Gog and Magog at work, and that biblical prophecies were being fulfilled." Then there is the strange letter from the Sanhedrin: "on January 6th, 2008, the recently reconfigured Jewish religious council known as the Sanhedrin, wrote a letter to US President George Bush. Signed by key Jewish leaders, incredibly, this letter was addressed to the “Esteemed Mr. George W. Bush, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, leader of the West.” Some Israelis must see America differently than most of us do.
Do I really think Donald Trump is "the last trump" or the Antichrist? No. Can we completely ignore the possibility? No, because the Antichrist is supposed to fool everybody and Trump is doing some things to draw our attention to Israel, Jerusalem, peace, and security. The United States still has a major military presence in the Middle East. If you cross the North Pole, America is north of Israel in the remotest parts of the north - past Turkey and past Russia. Some people even see a potential link to Magog in MAGA.
Like most biblical prophecy, the details are intentionally vague. We will understand more only as events play out in the end times. Until then, we should keep an eye on the news about Israel and Turkey - and America.