Russia and Its Hordes
While the Roman Empire awakes from its slumber in Europe its old nemesis to the north, Russia, has been busy building an alliance of its own. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied twenty-five hundred years ago of the formation of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics and its strange group of unlikely allies, and of their joint fate in the end time. A knowledge of the tribes of Noah and where they settled (Map 1) is the key to unlocking the specific characters of the prophetic alliance which will meet its day of judgment in supernatural fashion in the mountains of Israel. The opening verses of Ezekiel 38 speak of the leader of the alliance:
“Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshach and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
And say, thus saith the Lord God; Behold I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshach and Tubal:
And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army.” (Eze. 38: 2‑4)
Map 1 exposes the ancient land of Gog as modern day Russia. Ezekiel's prophecy declares Gog (Russia) to be the chief prince of Meshach and Tubal; ancient tribal names of the descendants of Noah's son Japheth. Map 1 also shows these tribes settled in the lands that today make up the residue of the U.S.S.R.. But the prophecy does not stop there. Russia is not only declared to be the leader of the U.S.S.R., but is declared to be the head of a much larger confederation of nations which will someday soon descend upon tiny Israel to devour her. Since World War II, Russia has been building this global alliance which prior to 1945 (given Russia's lack of colonial presence) seemed impossible even though the Scriptures had forecast it in detail.
WW II gave Russia the opportunity, largely lost during the First World War, to expand its influence into all regions of the world. As a result of the war Russia created a Communist Block of nations and suddenly we were resting on the doorstep of the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38. As it is written, "Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarter [which Map 1 shows to be Eastern Europe], and all his bands: and many people with thee [Gog]. Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou [Gog] a guard unto them. After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years." (Eze. 38.6‑8) Map 1 pinpoints the home of the ancient tribe of Gomer as Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland; and the home of the tribe of Togarmah as Rumania, Albania, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria - all familiar Russian satellites.
To confirm the prophecy three other nations, readily identified today by their ancient names, are also pinpointed as members of this ungodly alliance: verse 5 proclaims that, "Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya [will go] with them; all of them with shield and helmet." Just a few years ago this prophecy was scoffed at for being ridiculously far fetched, but miraculously, almost overnight, it seems very possible. The United States, and the Roman Spirit in general, seemed to have a secure hold on Persia (Iran), Ethiopia and Libya. None of the traditional ties of the three nations indicated they would ever drift into the Russian camp yet they have done just that. Iran was always a reliable, enthusiastic ally of the West during the decades of the Shah's rule; in every way it seemed to be a true believer. Ethiopia, during the fifty year reign of Haile Selassie, was a fortress of Western support in Africa. And Libya's recent history was closely connected with the West (and the U.S. particularly) until failures of diplomacy in the 1970s caused Colonel Khadafy to buy arms and secure loans from Russia. In less than half a decade these ancient peoples have gravitated to their place in end times prophecy as if they were being drawn by God's supernatural magnet. They stand in spirit with the prince of the north, Russia, waiting for their appointed day when then they will greedily attack Israel.
The point of agreement between Persia, Libya and Ethiopia, and the alliance of Gog is not ideological, or economic, as we might naturally expect, it isn't even Communism, as it appeared to be for so long; no, their common ground is purely spiritual and God is bringing this would-be band of thieves together as part of a special prophetic sting operation. We will be mistaken if we think these characters must agree politically or religiously; their common bond is simply contempt for the Jewish state of Israel. The large Moslem populations in all of the conspiring countries, including Russia, gives each one of the nations a jealousy and hatred so strong that it will cause them to act together. Historically, deep within their spirits, these nations have been jealous of the promises of God to the nation of Israel. They are consumed by that jealousy and will try to spoil the land of the Jew and usurp the blessings of God. Hence they will ambush Israel together out of mutual hate and envy.
“After many days thou [Russia and the alliance] shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
Thou shall ascend and come like a storm, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.
Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought;
And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go up to them that are at rest that dwell safely, 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, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.” (Eze. 38.8‑12)
All the characters are being put into place and the situation for Israel to think they dwell in relative safety is being worked today by United States peace efforts. Israel has been returned to the land that for centuries stood desolate under Ottoman rule. Now because of the presence of the Jew, the land is being restored; it is becoming fat and fertile, teeming with the blessings of God. Only the PLO problem causes the Jew to be in a state of constant military alert, but soon that problem will somehow be resolved, perhaps by making a moderate Palestinian State in the Gaza Region (refer to Zeph. 2.2‑6). Maybe the Antichrist will be the one to forge this seemingly impossible deal, perhaps it will involve some kind of compromise allowing the Jews to build the Temple in Jerusalem in exchange for a homeland for the Palestinians - we can't tell the details - but somehow, someway, the Jews will be "at rest" according to the prophecy and once that happens the way for Russia's attack will be open.
The only other variable in the prophecy that may not be in place yet is the character Turkey. Map 1 shows that the tribes of Meshach and Tubal not only dwell in parts of the U.S.S.R. but also in Turkey as well. Turkey is the old Ottoman Empire and as a prophetic empire of God's history, is likely to be revived along with the other empires of prophecy. All the "trees" are being raised up again to meet with God's judgment; all are flexing their muscles, limbering up for a fight with God. The Ottoman Turks are likely to be one of those who go with Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya when Russia makes its ill‑fated attack. But for now Turkey is a part of the Roman alliance, but could it be a hot‑bed of controversy any day soon? Then all parts of the alliance would surely be in place, and the attack would be waiting only for Israel to acquire her false sense of security.
Again let it be emphasized that this sinister alliance will not gravitate to Israel under the banner of Communism alone. It is being assembled according to God's prophetic word, his ancient grievances, and his 6,000 year plan. The one common denominator is hatred and jealousy for the Jew. And it will soon be vented in a surprise attack. Exactly when this surprise attack will occur no one can be sure; obviously if it were revealed then it would not be a surprise. It may come just before, or simultaneous to, the formation of the revived Roman Empire of the Ten Kings; it could come at or before the appearance of the Antichrist himself when Daniel's 70th "week" begins; or it could come in the midst of that seven year period or at the final judgment of Armageddon. It is most likely that it will come just after the Antichrist has made his covenant with Israel, the one that will kick off the Tribulation - but more about that in the next act. When it will happen is not a vital matter. What is important is that we know it will happen, and that the alliance is miraculously in place and that it serves as yet another convincing sign of the end times.
Seeing this alliance for what it is and recognizing the supernatural force behind its formation gives the believer another sign that the end of the age, that the catching up of ready believers, and the second coming of Christ are all close at hand. A second facet to the understanding of the prophecy is that it helps us to see that we are sojourners here, in search of an heavenly city and country; and in hope of the divine government, that we should not be taken in by nationalism or the hopes held out by any of the governmental systems of the world. It helps us not to confuse the ungodliness of Communism with the Antichrist and his western civilization roots. Communism is openly atheistic, refusing to recognize any spiritual power and for their folly they will be judged; but compared to the Antichrist, Russia and its horde is a bit player. The Antichrist, remember, is a believer in spiritual power and desires to be the object of affection and worship. For that reason it may be the Lord will judge the Russian alliance before the Antichrist sets up his throne and declares his "New Empire" or this judgment may very well come right after the Antichrist seizes the Empire of the Ten Kings.
Russia: The Wedge of God
Many times throughout this age Russia has played the role of God's "wedge" driven hard into the middle of the Roman Empire, keeping it divided and partly weakened. It has been the historical scourge of any aspiring Antichrist. Remember it was Russia's barbarian hordes that were instrumental in splitting the original Roman Empire in two; remember Russia broke Napoleon's momentum; and remember it was Russia that brought Hitler's mighty armies to its knees and gave them their first defeat in World War II. Russia has served God's purposes in keeping the Roman Empire split, as Babylon was called the "Hammer of the Whole Earth", Russia might well be dubbed the "Wedge of God". This calling is by no means out of a righteous worthiness, no more than Babylon can be construed as righteous, and Russia will be judged just as Babylon is to be thoroughly judged.
God Will Judge Russia
The remainder of Ezekiel's prophecy deals with the actual attack and its consequences. Sheba and Dedan (probably signifying the Southern Kingdom) and the merchants of Tarshish (symbolic of the Roman world) will speak out against the attack, but will do nothing about it. But that is the way God has ordained it to be because it is his battle. He will destroy the alliance in the mountains of Israel by a supernatural judgment in order to show his might to his people. It has been suggested that this alliance will have credibility in the world community through a coalition backed by a U.N. mandate in much the same way that the U.S. coalition of nations surrounded Iraq and fulfilled much of the prophecies of Jeremiah 50 and 51 concerning the judgment of the nation Babylon.
The prophecy indicates there will be great hordes of cavalry involved in the attack. There have been reports of Russian building a modern cavalry; they may believe it will give them an army of horsemen in the tight streets of Israel or the open spaces of the battle field that can outmaneuver smart bombs and high‑tech, heat seeking, radar guided missiles. It could be the Russian military believes horses will not be as vulnerable to heat sensitive weaponry as their inadequate machinery was during the Iraqi War. They may feel it will give them an advantage against possible petroleum shortages; and they would be much less limited in city warfare. Granted the likelihood of a massive cavalry attack in the Middle East seems very remote in our technological age but with the offensive weapon designed to destroy machinery, the horse could ironically become a mobile and yet undetectable target. And remember the Cossack horseman were renowned throughout the world; it may not be as outrageous as it first sounds.
But regardless of the attack and its components, this storm, this wave of man, machine, and animal will be supernaturally defeated. God will rain his terror on the entire army; they will encounter a massive earthquake and he will cause them to be confused so that they turn on each other. In the midst of their death and confusion, while they are busy destroying one another, the entire army will be stricken with disease. And finally, God will destroy them with a storm of raining hailstones, fire, and brimstone from the heavens. As with the horses this could be literal or it could be fulfilled by the use of atomic weaponry or high tech destruction from Israel's own defenses (though I don't think it will be done by Man's means). The important fact is that everyone will know that the Russian defeat was a miracle wrought by God himself.
Whether this is a nuclear storm, or a new kind of cosmic storm, only time will tell; but it is certainly the doing of God. This is his judgment over Russia and its ungodly alliance. The defeat will be total and devastating; only one‑sixth of the armies' massive strength will be left to limp home. The defeat of the Russian alliance could be the very thing needed to clear the way for the Antichrist to seize complete control in Europe and the rest of the Roman World. With the "Wedge of God" gone who would be able to keep the Empire from solidifying? A broken Russia would be forced into a shaky alliance with the West. The Soviet Union has tested the waters since World War II in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and now Poland; it has risked advancing into the Middle East in Afghanistan, and it has not been confronted by the Roman World directly. The merchants of Tarshish have only voiced their disapproval. These tests by Gog have given him courage, and despite his internal problems, that courage grows today, and someday he will be bold enough to attack Israel when the Jew is laying at rest thinking he is safe. It will be a surprise to the whole world. That day is fast approaching.