T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
January, 1941
10
The Invasion of Palestine
By LOUIS T. TALBOT*
blasphemous, blatant philosophy will be one of the most God-defying men this world ever has produced. He will belong in the class with the Antichrist, who will rule in that day. The Soviet' Union has always been against God, but at the time of the fulfillment of this prophecy, the north ern confederacy will form a diabolical expedition utterly to wipe from the face of the earth every vestige of the wor ship of God, symbolized first by the Jewish people; and then by their Prom ised Land with its capital city of Jeru salem. Therefore, judgment swift and complete will come upon Gog and all his hordes, because our all-powerful God will Himself defend His name, His people, and His chosen city. He will bring irrevocable doom upon all who oppose Him in that day. The N orthern Confederacy As has been noted already, the God- given list of allies of Russia includes “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya . . . Gomer, and all his bands: and many people with thee [i.e. with Gog]” (Ezek. 38:5, 6). 1. Persia is to be in this confederacy. We need tq remember that, when Ezekiel wrote' these words, Persia was just about to reach world supremacy. Then after ruling the world for a time, Persia was conquered by Greece, which was in turn subdued by the mighty legions of imperial Rome. Notwith standing the fact that Persia has been a weak, helpless country from that time, she has continued to exist as a nation down to the present hour. Today Persia is well known to the world’s press as Iran. 2. Ethiopia and Libya will be in this confederacy. Some Bible students have found no little difficulty in making Ethiopia, which.is today a part of the [Continued on Page 12]
identified R o s h with m o d e r n Russia: Meshech with M o s c o w , ahd Tubai with T o b o l s k . He made his indenti- fication through the phonetic sim ilarity between these names in the Hebrew and in the Russian. Since E z e k i e l tells us in verse
T HE CHAPTER on which this present study is based, Ezekiel 38, presents a threatening pic ture, for it describes a powerful prince called “Gog” from the land of “Magog” who will invade Palestine with a vast horde of men and machines at the end of this age. In Daniel 11 there is a mention of “the king of the north.” This king will be displeased with the Antichrist in his invasion of Egypt and Palestine, had will come "against him like a whirlwind with chariots and with horsemen, and with many ships” (v. 40). Doubtless this “king of the north” in Daniel’s prophecy is the same person described in the chapter before us as “Gog” from “the land of Magog.” And it will be seen th a t Gog is the name of the dic tator of the vast country of Russia, which lies to the north of Palestine. Who Is Gog? And Where Is Magog? Let us read verses 1 to 3 of our chapter from the Revised Version. The question before us is the identity of Gog, referred to in this passage. Vfho is he? And where is “the land of Rosh” that is mentioned here? The great Hebrew scholar, Gesenius, has * Pastor, Church o f the Open Door, and President , The Bible Institute o f Los An geles.
15 (R. V.) that Rosh is in “the utter most parts of the north,” there can be little doubt of the correctness of the interpretation of Gesenius. When God speaks of “the king of the north,” or “the king of the south,” or “the kings of the east,” He refers to them in their relation to Palestine. Therefore, “the uttermost parts of the north” from Palestine could mean only Russia and countries in that direction from the Holy Land. In verse 3, God addresses this person age who is called Gog, the prince or ruler of Rosh. Gog is the coming dicta tor of the vast northern confederacy, which will include not only the spraw ling empire of the Soviets, but Germany and her dependents as well. Verses 5 and 0 identify some of these nations that will be a part of this great north ern confederacy: “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them . . . Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people” with Gog. Who is Gog? Gog is the mighty dictator* who will rule over this coalition of countries a t the time the events of this chapter take place. “ I Am Against Thee, O GogM We hardly need to ask, “Why is God a'-n'rnt P ot ?” Gog with his ungodly.
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