In its imperial struggle to hold on to its client-states in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, America is employing a DIVIDE AND CONQUER strategy that aims at pitting the Sunnis against the Shi'as. [Please see our article, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" for a discussion regarding the differences between these two sects of Islam."]

This is exactly the strategy that the United States is employing today in Syria where it is desperately attempting to pit the followers of Abdul Halim Khaddam against those of Bashar al-Assad: Khaddam is a Sunni and is allied with the Saudi monarchy, and Assad leads those who are allied with the Shi'as of Iran.

Naturally enough, the American media is attempting to portray the fighting in Syria as a struggle between the forces of enlightened democracy against the autocratic rule of Assad; but it is not that at all — unless one is prepared to consent to the absurd and insist that the Saudi monarchy is a pro-democratic force in the Middle East.

Ali Jawad, a political activist and a member of the AhlulBayt Islamic Mission (AIM), exposes what the US is up to:

"Sectarianism has been pitched as the 'modern' story of the Middle East; it is a story that primarily serves to further the interests of imperialist and colonialist powers in the region ... The 'Balkanization' of the Middle East has for long been an unswerving desire of imperialist powers ... Sectarianism constitutes an important chapter in the 'divide and conquer' strategy [of the United States]."

However, as Jawad says, the Arab -

"... masses are no longer buying such [US] machinations. In the Middle East, we are now witness to a post-sectarian phase; the unity and solidarity that exists between its' peoples — in identifying the key challenges that face this region — is palpable in whichever direction you turn."

And Jawad is right here: the Bible indicates that the Muslims of the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia will indeed throw off their sectarianism and unite against the United States (and Israel) — AND THIS DEVELOPMENT IS BY NOW WELL UNDER WAY; MOREOVER, THE RECENT ASSASSINATION OF BIN LADEN WILL ONLY SERVE TO HURRY THIS PROCESS ALONG. [Please see our recent article, "Assassination Nation."]

NOTE: We speak here mainly of those nations colored in dark brown - excluding Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Somalia and the Palestinian territories.

NOTE: It is vitally important that one differentiate between the Gog / Magog War (which will precede the Tribulation Period) and Armageddon (which will end the Tribulation Period — please see APPENDIX 1: Differentiating between the Gog / Magog War and Armageddon."]

NOTE: From the standpoint of REALPOLITIK, it is inconceivable that America would allow the nations of the Arabian Peninsula (with their small, easily-controlled populations) to slip out of its grasp given the oil wealth of that region; this fact is substantiated by the way the US has so ruthlessly acted to suppress the revolt in Bahrain. [Please see our article, "US-Trained Death Squads in Bahrain."]

IMPORTANT NOTE:

That the Bible (specifically, the prophecies of Ezekiel and Daniel) makes IN NO INSTANCE a reference to Russia or the nations of the European Community, as some ignorantly suggest (and we speak here of Pastor John Hagee and his CUFI supporters — please see "Preparing the Ground in America for the Emergence of Antichrist — Part 2), but rather it (i.e., the Bible) is referencing the Islamic nations of the Middle East, Central Asia and North Africa is made clear by an examination of Ezekiel chapters 38 through 39. Ezekiel 38:1-6 reads:

"The word of the Lord came to me; Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him and say: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army - your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops - the many nations with you." (Ezekiel 38:1-6)

Ezekiel 38:1-6 gives 10 names as participants in the invasion of Israel that will follow the regathering of the Jews to their homeland. First mentioned, is the land of Magog which is located by the ancient Assyrian scripts as being in Turkey.

Interestingly, the word "Rosh" — which many suppose signifies Russia - does not appear in the list given in Ezekiel 38:1-6; it does appear, however, in Ezekiel 38:2, 3 and 39:1 and it appears in the Massoretic texts not as a noun, but as an adjective where the word carries the accents Tiphha and Zaqeph-gadol. The Tiphha appears under the resh of the Hebrew word 'rosh'; the Zaqeph-gadol appears on top of the sin of the Hebrew word 'nish'. The Tiphha to the right, underneath the initial consonant of the world 'rosh', or chief, is prepositive and does not mark the tone syllable. The world 'nish' or prince has the accent Zaqeph-gadol which is disjunctive and indicates a pause. So, verse three would read: "Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the prince, {pause} chief of Meshech and Tubal" rather than: "Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal."

"Rosh" is translated "head" or "chief" 423 other times in the Old Testament. So much, then, for the belief that Russia is signified as a participant in GOG's invasion.

Meshech and Tubal in verses 2 and 6, were the names of the 6th and 5th sons of Japheth, the son of Noah (Gen. 10:2). Ezekiel 27:13 also mentions Meshech and Tubal as trading partners with Tyre (Modern Lebanon). It's likely that Meshech and Tubal refer to the ancient Moshi/Mushki and Tubalu/Tibareni who dwelled in the area around, primarily south of, the Black and Caspian Sea in Ezekiel's day. Today these nations would be in the modern countries of Turkey and Northern Iran - all areas with a Muslim majority.

Verse 6 adds Gomer and Beth-Togarmah to the coalition. "Gomer" was the first son of Japheth. The Gomerites were the ancient Cimmerians, expelled in 700 B.C. from the southern steppes of Russia into what is today Turkey. "Togarmah" is the 3rd son of Gomer and beth at the beginning of the name is the Hebrew word for 'house' or 'place of'. In Ezekiel's time there was a city in Cappodocia (Modern Turkey) known as Tegarma, Tagarma, Til-garimmu, and Takarama.

The locations of Gomer, Magog, Meshech, Tubal, etc. according to the ancient Massoretic texts.

The possibility that four of the names mentioned in Ezekiel are now in Turkey makes a pretty strong argument for Turkey being a part of the invasion of Israel. Current circumstances in that country also lend this view some credibility. Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Turkey has been gaining inroads into Central Asia. It is also linked to Central Asia both ethnically and linguistically, and has a growing number of political parties that support opposition to Israel, establishment of a Turkish Islamic Republic, and the worldwide rule of Islam.

Verse 5 brings three more names into the mix. God tells us that "Persia, Cush and Put will be with them."

Persia is a pretty easy one. In 539 B.C. the Persians conquered the city of Babylon. You only need look at a map of the ancient Persian Empire to see that it was centered in the nation known today as Iran. In fact Iran was called Persia until 1935 when it was changed to Iran and then to the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979 during the Iranian Revolution. It's no secret that Iran is an archenemy of Israel and the West, and a supporter of the Palestinians. They are actively working to get other Arab countries to change camps in their cooperation with the U.S. and Israel.

The ancient kingdom of Cush in Ezekiels time was the land just south of Egypt on the Nile River. Today this land is occupied by Sudan. Sudan is home to the National Islamic Front and is ruled by an Islamic military dictatorship; it was the home to Osama bin Layden from 1991-1996, and harbors countless Islamic terrorist groups. Sudan is already a close ally with Iran, trading military supplies for docking rights on the Red Sea shipping routes.

Ancient Put was the land just west of Egypt, or what is today Libya.

Verse 6 adds "and many people with you." The nations listed specifically are all somewhat distant from Israel. By adding "and many people with you," God may have been indicating that those nations and peoples in closer proximity to Israel will join the Jihad: Syria, Lebanon, etc. All of them are Islamic nations, and all of them would not hesitate to support the destruction of Israel were the opportunity to join such a vast coalition presented to them.

NOTE: Again, it is critically important that one differentiate between the Gog / Magog War (which will immediately precede the Tribulation Period) and Armageddon (which will bring to an end the Tribulation Period. [Please see Appendix 1, "Differentiating between the Gog / Magog War and Armageddon."]

Khaddam: a Saudi and US toad

NOTE: The center of the unrest in Syria is located in the cities of Daraa and Homs where the Saudis control groups loyal to the House of Saud and the Sunni brand of Islam. Khaddam is from this area and is a Sunni. Indeed, he is a relative of Saudi King Abdullah. His entire family enjoys Saudi citizenship; the value of his family's investments in Saudi Arabia is estimated at more than USD 3 billion. As noted in the Preface to this article, the US is doing everything it can to play on the differences between the Sunnis and the Shi`as in order to divide the Muslims. [Again, for an understanding concerning the differences between the Sunni brand of Islam (as practiced by the Saudis) and the Shi`a brand of Islam as practiced by Iran, we urge you to see our article, "Mene, Mene, Tekel Upharsin."]

In the end, it will undoubtedly prove futile — and that's largely because the machinations of the United States are so onerous that — ultimately — they cannot help but push the two branches of Islam together to make common cause against the US. The US is acting on these two branches of Islam in the same way that Nazi Germany did with regard to the United States and the old Soviet Union: driving two otherwise implacable foes together in order to fight a mutual and very powerful enemy.

NOTE: When one speaks about the warming relationship between Turkey and Syria, one is essentially talking about the warming relationship between Turkey and the government of Bashar al-Assad.

NOTE: It isn't as if all this — and we speak here of the reconfiguration of the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia into three divisions — is new to us in Antipas Ministries. We have — as it were — been prophesying this for more than 15 years. [Please see APPENDIX 3].

NOTE: Reuven Doren explains the concept of "JOEL'S ARMY" (referenced above):

"The premise of coming revival [in the United States] hinges upon the rising and completion of the ministry of the prophetic 'Son of Man' company [i.e., the 'New Breed', 'Joel's Army', etc.) who is to prophecy the life-giving Word of God. Today the Lord is calling forth a Son of Man Company (i.e., the 'New Breed')."

Paul Cain elaborates on the supernatural power of Joel's Army:

"So my point is this, that there will be a manifestation of the sons and daughters of God. And it won't be this baloney that we've heard of in the past; I mean, there's been a few people tried to walk through a wall like this over here and knocked their brains loose, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about a manifested son of God; if anyone walks through this wall over here, they're not going to tell you about it - I mean, they're just going to do it. And sons of God don't tell you they're sons of God, they'll just show you! Amen."

Jack Deere goes on to say:

"When this army (i.e., Joel's Army) comes, it will be large and mighty. It's so mighty that there's never been anything like it before ... 'begin the SLAUGHTER and begin it in the temple (i.e., the church) and begin it with the elders, the leaders of my people'. And they walk through the land and they start and they begin to SLAUGHTER ... He has already started the SLAUGHTER ... and it is coming now among the church. He'll start with the leaders, but he'll move out into the church (and beyond)."

Lou Engle, one of the promoters of this perverted eschatology, said recently to a small, intimate group of his followers in Kansas City whom he calls Yahweh Separatists that in order to cleanse the United States, "Yahweh Separatist gotta kill those guys" (meaning homosexuals) in order to cleanse the US. THIS GIVES ONE SOME IDEA OF JUST HOW MILITANT AND EVEN MURDEROUS THESE PEOPLE ARE.

This belief system promotes the unbiblical belief that -

1. The Gog / Magog War is really Armageddon; 

2. Antichrist is headquartered in Europe (which has been subsumed by Islam); 

3. Antichrist is not in league with Israel, but instead leads an unlikely coalition of the EU nations, Russia and the Muslim nations of the Middle East and North Africa against Israel; 

4. The United States — which has been rescued by the church and cleansed of its "unrighteousness" - is allied with Israel against the Antichrist confederation;

5. Together, the United States and Israel prevail and go on to conquer the world "for Christ and the church;"

6. Israel is converted to Christianity and absorbed by the church; 

7. The Millennium begins.

That there exists a clear distinction between the Gog/Magog War and Armageddon there can be no doubt! As J. Dwight Pentecost has pointed out, there are a number of considerations which make it very plain that we are dealing with two great wars rather than one during the Tribulation.

• In the Gog/Magog War, definite allies of Gog are mentioned as opposing Israel - "Magog," "Mescheck," "Tubal," "Gomer" (TURKEY), Ethiopia, Libya, (see Ezekiel 38) and EGYPT (see Daniel 11:42], while at Armageddon all nations are engaged against Jerusalem (Joel 3:2; Zeph. 3:8; Zech. 12:3; and 14:2).

• Gog comes from the North (Ezek. 38:6, 15), while at Armageddon, the armies come from out of the whole earth.

• Gog is the head of the armies at his invasion (Ezek. 38:15), but at Armageddon, the Beast is at the head of the invasion (Rev. 19:19).

• There is a protest against Gog's invasion (Ezek. 38:13), but at Armageddon there is no such protest because all the nations of the earth have joined themselves with the Beast in his attack against Jerusalem.

• Gog is overthrown by divine intervention through the convolutions of nature (Ezek. 38:22), but the armies at Armageddon are destroyed by the sword which goes out of Christ's mouth (Rev. 19:15).

• Gog's armies array themselves in the open fields (Ezek. 39:5), while at Armageddon they are seen in the city of Jerusalem.

• Gog's armies are destroyed outside of Jerusalem on the mountains and in the valleys (Ezek. 39:2-4), while the Beast and his armies are destroyed in the city of Jerusalem itself (Zech. 12:2; 14:2).

• The Lord calls for assistance in executing judgment on Gog (Ezek. 38:21), while at Armageddon He is viewed as treading the winepress alone (Rev. 19:15; Isaiah 63:3-6).

• The invasion by Gog will be sudden and will come with relatively little warning (Ezek. 38:11), while Armageddon will be no sudden and unexpected event.

Thus, as Dwight Pentecost has suggested,

"Two diverse movements (wars) must be acknowledged."

SOMETIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE
BEGINNING OF THE TRIBULATION

Moreover, to suggest, as some NINCOMPOOPS do, that the Scriptures that reference the Gog/Magog War refer to some sort of event that occurred in antiquity is pure nonsense. The truth is, NO prior invasion of the land of Israel is sufficient to be the fulfillment of this prophecy. There have been invasions in the past which have wrought hardship on the land and the people of Israel, but NONE answer to the details given here. The destruction of the Temple in AD 70, for example, was accomplished by the Romans who came from the west. But the invasion described here comes from the direction of TURKEY and Persia to the north, and EGYPT, Ethiopia and Libya from the south.

This fact is attested to by almost all Orthodox Jewish scholars (who themselves consider these prophesies to be as yet unfulfilled). These passages, then, can only refer to some as yet future event in Israel's history - and this is clearly indicated by the phrase, "... in the latter years" (Ezek. 38:8). Dwight Pentecost, Robert Duncan Culver, and David L. Cooper agree with the Orthodox Jews. For example, Cooper writes,

"... it is utterly impossible to locate the fulfillment of this prediction (i.e., the Gog/Magog War) after the Millennial Age. It cannot be placed at the beginning of the Millennium, nor at the end of the Tribulation. It must, therefore, be located (at the beginning) of the Tribulation, because there is no other logical place for it to occur since the three other dates are impossible ... There will (thus) be a time between now and the beginning of the Tribulation when [this war will occur which will initiate the seven years of the Tribulation Period]."

This thesis is substantiated in a somewhat backhanded way by Ezekiel 39 when the prophet reveals that a full SEVEN years will be needed to clear away the wreckage of the Gog/Magog War:

"And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons ... and they shall burn them with fire SEVEN years ..." (Ezek. 39:9)

The seven years referred to here by Ezekiel could be none other than the seven years of the Tribulation Period - since no such seven years will follow Armageddon; after Armageddon, the beasts of the field and the fouls of the air will clear away the wreckage - and that by divine direction and in a short period of time. Then the Millennium will begin - there is no seven year interval here. Thus, the Gog/Magog War will immediately precede the events of the Tribulation period. There is, as Cooper suggests, simply no other place to put it which will conform to the pertinent Scriptures; and it (i.e., the Gog/Magog War) will initiate the great happenings of that era (i.e., the Tribulation Period).

The Gog/Magog War, then, will precede the Tribulation and will act as a catalyst for the great events of that period, while Armageddon will bring to a conclusion the events of the Tribulation Period. A FAIR READING OF THE PASSAGES IN SCRIPTURE THAT DEAL WITH THESE GREAT WARS WILL YIELD NO OTHER RESULT.

The Bible indicates that in the "Latter Days" Israel will be seduced into making an alliance with God's enemy, Babylon the Great; and Christians - especially American Christians - will bear a heavy responsibility in enticing Israel into this alliance; specifically, it says:

"And he [i.e., the "King of Babylon" - again, please see our article, "In Search of Babylon; What do the Scriptures Say?"] shall confirm the covenant with many [Israel] for one week [seven years]: and in the midst of the week [after three and a half years] he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." (Dan. 9:27a) [Please see Chapter IX in the New Antipas Papers, "The Course and Character of the Last Days."]

The living Bible translates this passage thus:

"This king ["Anti-Christ, King of Babylon"] will make a seven year TREATY with the people [Israel], but after half that time, he will break his pledge and stop the Jews from all their sacrifices and their offerings; then as a climax to all his terrible deeds, the enemy [Antichrist] shall utterly defile the sanctuary of God [which is to say, he shall commit the Abomination of Desolation]." (Daniel 9:27a LB)

J. Dwight Pentecost writes:

"According to Daniel 9:26-27 the prince of the Roman empire (i.e., the West, called Babylon) will make a covenant with Israel for a seven year period. This covenant evidently ... guarantees Israel's integrity [is a defense pact] ... [and] also is a Satanic imitation of the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant which ... [guaranteed] Israel title deed to the land. This action is pictured by John [in the Apocalypse] (Rev. 16:2) as a rider going forth to conquer [as the first horseman in the Apocalypse] ... This condition exists for three and one-half years, after which the covenant is broken by the ... [Antichrist]."

The treaty will be in the form of a defense pact between Israel and Prophetic Babylon (i.e., the United States) and will be directed against Israel's enemies - again, no doubt a coalition of Islamic fundamentalist states in the Middle East. One of the most eminent scholars on "Last Things," Sir Robert Anderson, says that the signing of this treaty will signify the beginning of the Seventieth Week - i.e., the "Tribulation Period!" Anderson writes:

"... the Seventieth Week [the seven year period of the Tribulation] will be a definite period of time, of which the beginning, the middle, and the end are definitely marked [by certain well defined events]. [Just as the beginning of the first sixty-nine weeks were signified] ... not by the return of the Jews from Babylon, nor yet by the rebuilding of their Temple, but by the SIGNING OF THE PERSIAN DECREE [TREATY] which restored ... [them], so also the beginning of the Seventieth Week will date not from their restoration to Judea [May 14, 1948], nor yet from the future rebuilding of their shrine, but from the SIGNING OF THE [DEFENSE] TREATY BY THE COMING PRINCE [ANTICHRIST]."

The Bible refers to Israel's defense pact with Babylon the Great as -

"... your [meaning Israel's) COVENANT WITH DEATH ... and your AGREEMENT WITH HELL ..." (Isaiah 28:18)

And it goes on to warn the Jewish people that they will live to rue the day that they ever entered into such an agreement:

"... your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the OVERFLOWING SCOURGE shall pass through, THEN YE SHALL BE TRODDEN DOWN BY IT." (Is. 28:18) [Please see our article, "In Search of Babylon: What Do the Scriptures Say;" please also see, Chapter XII of the New Antipas Papers, "The Beast of Revelation 17."]

Now stop for a moment and consider the appalling and even damning insinuations behind the titles God gives to this treaty:

• Your COVENANT WITH DEATH !

And -

• Your AGREEMENT WITH HELL !

This is, to put it in the vernacular, "HEAVY STUFF."

It's in the light of this that one should ask himself, What's that say about those whom God catches pushing this treaty on Israel? It's not without reason that Jesus said,

"Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; BUT WOE TO THAT MAN BY WHOM THE OFFENCE COMETH!" (Matthew 18:7)

In other words, Woe unto Israel because of this treaty, BUT WOE UNTO THOSE WHO ARE FOUND SEDUCING ISRAEL INTO MAKING IT.

The Prophet Ezekiel

We have now gleaned about as much as we can concerning the Gog/Magog War from the prophet Ezekiel. This much has been made clear:

• A group of Radical Islamic nations shall descend on Israel in the "latter days" to destroy Israel and "take a spoil."

• As foretold in Ezekiel 38:4, it will be a massive invasion. Persia [the land that is today occupied by modern Iran] and TURKEY will join in the attack. Ethiopia and Libya (ancient lands which today bear these same names] and others will evidently coordinate with the northern confederation in an attack from the south.

• There will be a protest from Sheba and Dedan and the "Merchants of Tarshish" - i.e., America's business elites - that will spur the United States into action against Gog.

But, having said this, little else can be gleaned from Ezekiel concerning the Gog/Magog War except that Gog will be almost totally annihilated. But how will the war unfold? Are there other "players?" How exactly does the AntiChrist become involved? These and other questions are left unanswered by Ezekiel. Instead, Ezekiel passes over these questions, bypassing the rest of the Tribulation Period, and moves directly into a picture of a restored Israel during the Millennium.

The Prophet Daniel

We must take up the rest of the Gog/Magog story (where Ezekiel left off) in Daniel chapter eleven. [Please see Daniel and the Latter Days (Moody Press) by Robert Duncan Culver for an excellent treatment of these and other passages.]

Daniel 11:36-39 begins the prophecy with a description of the Antichrist and compares him with Antiochus Epiphanes [the Greek (by ethnicity) not Syrian ruler of the ancient Selussian Empire] who desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem in the Second Century B.C. (Daniel 11:21-35). Among other things, he (Antichrist) is described as a man who shall corrupt with flatteries (Daniel 11:32), and a man infatuated with military power and glory. Daniel goes on to say:

"And at the end time [same as "in the latter years" - cf. Daniel 11:40 and Ezekiel 38:8] the king of the South [the leader of the southern confederation, i.e., EGYPT, Libya, etc.] will collide with him [i.e., the Antichrist - please see Daniel and the Latter Days by Robert Culver], and the king of the North [Gog] will storm against him [again, the Antichrist] with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships; and he [Antichrist] will enter countries, overflow them, and pass through.

"He [i.e., the Antichrist] will also enter the Beautiful Land [i.e., Israel], and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon [i.e., that portion of land east of the river Jordan which sweeps in a large arc (with the Dead Sea as the fulcrum) from about 30 miles northeast of the Dead Sea southward to about 50 miles due south, southeast of the same sea - a barren and desolate wilderness devoid of any significant vegetation. Mt. Nebo is located in this area where it is reputed that Jeremiah hid the "Arc of the Covenant" in order to prevent its capture by the Babylonians - and there are some scholars today (mainly Orthodox Jews) who believe that it is still there (Numbers 35)].

"Then he [i.e., Antichrist] will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of EGYPT will not escape.

"HE [i.e., Antichrist] WILL GAIN CONTROL OVER THE HIDDEN TREASURES [ i.e., THE OIL OF THE MDDLE EAST] AND OVER ALL THE PRECIOUS THINGS ...

"But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him [i.e., Antichrist], and he [Antichrist] will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many.

"And he [Antichrist] will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain ..." (Daniel 11:40-45a)

As described here, the Gog/Magog War will be initiated by a "push" from the king of the south (i.e., the leader of the southern confederation, probably the leader of EGYPT) against the Antichrist, whose forces are at least partially located in the "glorious land" [Israel] - probably as a result of a defense pact between Israel and Babylon, the nation which he leads. Shortly thereafter, the king of the north [Gog] - leading the combined forces of TURKEY, Iran, etc - will launch his attack, and between them, the king of the north and the king of the south will attempt to trap the combined forces of Israel and Babylon in a giant pincer movement. The attack of the king of the north [Gog] has been referred to in Ezekiel 38 and 39. Now new detail is given. Ezekiel 38 and 39 had mentioned the fact that Ethiopia and Libya would join Gog in this attack; now a third nation is added - EGYPT (Daniel 11:42).

Recapitulating and Combining the
Prophecies of Ezekiel and Daniel

As a result of the information contained in the above verses and those in Ezekiel, we have now -

• An outline of how the war will unfold.

• An idea of where U.S. forces will be situated just prior to the beginning of the war, specifically in the environs of ancient Babylon and close to Israel.

• A final list of the MAIN "players" in the war: Israel, the United States, Turkey, Iran, and Egypt.

• The consequences of the war: The occupation of the land of Israel by American forces, and the annihilation of most of the people of the Middle East.

Matters Pertaining to Turkey and Egypt

This, at last, brings us to the matter of Turkey and Egypt; specifically their decline into the fires of Islamic Radicalism. The submergence of both countries in these fires will take place in an atmosphere of increasing turmoil and confusion in the Middle East as the forces of Islamic Radicalism (on the one hand) and America and her client-state, Israel (on the other hand) maneuver for advantage in the upcoming struggle for control of the vast oil riches of the area. In this struggle, both sides will be radicalized because - in the end - only the radicalized elements of each camp are prepared to endure the horrors of the clash that lie ahead; only they possess the esprit de corps (as it were) and the kind of intellectual (really, religious) rigor necessary for such a contest.

Egypt

As the struggle continues, both sides will be progressively driven back to the ancient springs from which their cultures first drew breath; in the case of America, Christianity; and in the case of the Muslim people of the Middle East, Islam. There is no room on this battlefield for the "faint of heart," which in this case means the religious "moderates" on both sides. All this bodes ill for the "secular" governments of Turkey and Egypt. Indeed, what's happening in both countries is that their "moderate" underpinnings are rotting away under the impress of Islamic Radicalism. In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood - a radical Islamic group that has been banned for years - is making an astounding comeback, capturing over 37 percent of the Egyptian vote in recent elections, which by all accounts were rigged in favor of the current government.

The fact is, it's not too much to say that without the police-state apparatus of the Egyptian state, the present secular government of Hosni Mubarik would have fallen a long time ago to the forces of Islamic Fundamentalism. Indeed, the pathology of rot that has taken hold on the Mubarik government resembles nothing so much as the rot that took hold on the Shah's government in Iran shortly before its fall in 1978.

Turkey

In Turkey, the same rot is extant as in Egypt. All that's needed to push the "moderates" out in Turkey is the rejection of their bid for E.U. membership - a bid that looks increasingly shaky. For example, Valery Giscard d'Estaing of France recently asserted in an interview with Le Monde that Turkey has no business in the E.U. It's not a "Western" country at all. He continued:

"Turkey's capital is not in Europe, and 95 percent of its population is outside Europe. It has a different culture, a different approach, and a different way of life ... E.U. membership for Turkey would mean the end of Europe."

And Giscard d'Estaing is not alone in his sentiments. His comments have been echoed by West Germany's former chancellor, Helmut Schmidt, who publicly voiced fears that the admission of Turkey -

"... would open the door for similarly plausible full membership of other MUSLIM nations in Africa and the Middle East. That could result in the political union degenerating into nothing more than a free trade community [without a common culture]."

While the secular elites in Europe continue to press for Turkey's membership in the E.U., most of the differing populations of the E.U. member states are opposed to Turkey's membership for cultural and, yes, even religious reasons. The current population of Turkey is about 70 million; by contrast, Germany is the largest E.U. state with about 83 million residents, but it is shrinking by about 82,000 a year while Turkey's population is exploding. That means that in a few years, Turkey would be the largest state - both in terms of geography and sheer numbers - in the E.U. What that could mean is that Europe could be flooded with Muslim immigrants who would be accorded unrestricted immigration rights under the E.U. Charter. That's something that sends shivers down the spines of most Europeans.

Should Turkey's bid for membership in the E.U. continue to stall, however, Turkey could irrevocably turn away from "moderation" and embrace Islamic Radicalism. Indeed, the current government of Turkey is made up in part from previously banned Islamic parties. The leader of this coalition, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has warned that if things continue as they are, the Turks will look at the E.U. as "nothing more than a Christian Club" which is closed to Islamic participation. AND THE FACT IS, THERE IS ALREADY A GROWING SENTIMENT IN TURKEY AGAINST BECOMING A "PARIAH" MEMBER OF THE E.U. WHEN IT COULD INSTEAD BECOME THE LEADING MEMBER IN A COALITION OF ISLAMIC STATES THAT WOULD STRETCH FROM MOROCCO TO THE PHILIPPINES.

How Close Is the Collapse of the
Egyptian and Turkish Governments?

The question , now, that fairly begs to be asked is, How close are we to the collapse of the present secular governments of Turkey and Egypt? The short answer is, very close! Indeed, as we just indicated, both Turkey and Egypt stand in just about the same situation as the government of Iran did just prior to the fall of the Shah.

When the collapse of the Shah finally came in 1978 - which led to the Middle East's first Islamic government - it looked at the time to have come out of nowhere. But the social rot that led to the collapse of the Shah's government had been eating away at Iran's foundations for years. While the façade remained, the substance was gone; as a result, when the collapse came, it came suddenly. THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN VERY SOON NOW IN BOTH EGYPT AND TURKEY - AND NOTHING WILL BE ABLE TO STAVE OFF THIS COLLAPSE.

Moreover, this kind of rot is extant in almost all the secular governments of the Middle East and North Africa - from Morocco and Algeria in the west, through Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria in the center - and even eastward through Pakistan, the states of Central Asia, and on into Malaysia. The fact is, all of these secular governments are rotten to their very foundations, AND THIS ROT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ALL AMERICAN CLIENT-STATES with very little popular support at the grass-roots level.

Ultimately, the secular governments of each of these states owe their existence to the support of the U.S. military; and all of them are in league with the Americans in the rape of their respective countries by America's huge "multi-national" corporations - corporations such as Exxon-Mobil, Haliburton, Shell (which, despite its British and Dutch façade, is really an American-owned corporation), Conoco-Phillips, Dow, Union Carbide, etc.

But Egypt and Turkey are crucial in the fact that they - together with Iran - possess among themselves more than 80 percent of the population of the Middle East. That makes what happens to them crucial to what happens to the Middle East as a whole.

RESTATING THE FACTS ON THE GROUND

When Egypt and Turkey go, all of the Middle East will go with them! - AND, AGAIN, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME NOW. When that finally happens, ALL THE "PLAYERS" THAT ARE DIRECTLY MENTIONED IN THE PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES WILL HAVE GATHERED THEMSELVES TO WAR:

• TURKEY: Turkey is still a U.S. client-state, but is very close to collapsing into the frenzy of Islamic Radicalism. It should be noted here that when we speak of Turkey in the ancient scripts, we are speaking of Magog, Mescheck, Tubal, and Gomer. It should also be noted in this connection that none of these ancient lands extended northward into what is known today as Russia. RUSSIA IS NOT REFERENCED BY EITHER THE PROPHET EZEKIEL OF DANIEL; the names "Mescheck" and "Tubal" are NOT references to "Moscow" and "Tobolsk" as some have naively suggested. That's conjecture; the facts are these: Mescheck and Tubal are mentioned in ancient Assyrian inscriptions as being located in what is now known as the Transcaucasian Region - the extreme northern horizon of the Hebrews (Ezek. xxxviii. 15; xxxix. 2). This area encompasses what is now known as Azerbaijan, Dagestan, and Turkey. In addition, "ROSH" IS NOT A PSEUDONYM FOR "RUSSIA" as some have alleged; that, again, is conjecture; the facts are these: Rosh is an ancient designation for the tribes north of the Taurus mountains (i.e., in the Caucuses area) ..." [Please see the Biblical and Theological Dictionary and the New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge.]

• IRAN: Already a designated Islamic Republic; in the process of building a nuclear bomb.

• ETHIOPIA (including the Sudan): Already designated Islamic Republics.

• LIBYA: An enemy of the United States; though not yet a declared Islamic Republic, it is already a de facto one.
• EGYPT: Still a U.S. client-state, but - like Turkey - very close to collapsing into the frenzy of Islamic Radicalism.

• ISRAEL: A U.S. client state and America's CAT'S PAW in the Middle East.

• THE UNITED STATES: Already ensconced in the land of ancient Babylon (i.e., Iraq), and is in the process of building fourteen SUPER-BASES out in the Iraqi desert away from Iraq's population centers and the prying eyes of the world press. In addition - and more ominously for Israel - the U.S. is also building a SUPER-BASE in Israel itself that is so huge that it is reputed to be half the size of the city of Tel Aviv.

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