The "Russian Invasion of Israel" ERROR

by BOB L. ROSS

(written in the early 1990s)

I watched a religious program on December 12, 1993 on a local television station, WB Channel 39, in Houston Texas. The speaker had been to Russia and seen the amazing changes that are taking place, especially those relating to the Gospel. I rejoiced that this well-known Baptist preacher went to Russia, preached the Gospel, passed out Bibles, New Testaments, and Gospel literature, and gave this message in our nation about his trip. I was blessed by what he presented.

The only "fly in the ointment" was in his introduction to the message. He prefaced it by referring to the theory held by some (NOT ALL) Premillennialists that Ezekiel 38 & 39 foretells of a "Russian invasion of Israel" during the Tribulation. I reject this theory for the following reasons —

"And when the thousand years ARE EXPIRED, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breath of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." [Revelation 20:7-9]

This is plainly after "the thousand years" (Millennium) are "expired," — not during the Tribulation which precedes it. This is the ONLY reference to "God and Magog" in the New Testament, and it refers to an event after the Millennium.

(2) Revelation 20:7-9 perfectly corresponds to the record in Ezekiel.

|A| The land of Israel had been transformed from "desolation" to being "like the garden of Eden" and the inhabitants "know the Lord" at the CLOSE of Ezekiel 36. This chapter summarizes the history of Israel from its beginning [vs. 17], its disobedience [vs. 18], the "scattering among the nations" [vs. 19], the long desolation in unbelief [vs. 20], God's patience with Israel [vs. 21], God's regathering of Israel [vs. 24], His saving them [vs. 25-27], His restoration of Israel to the land [vs. 28], and of its becoming "like the garden of Eden" [vs. 35].

|B| Ezekiel 37 further describes the restoration of Israel [vs. 1-14] and of the rule of Christ [vs. 24-25] over them in the Millennial age [vs. 27-28].

|C| Following this, the "Gog and Magog" event begins to come into view. Note, it is "after MANY DAYS" [Ezekiel 38:8] that this takes place. It is at a time when Israel had been enjoying rest, safety, and was without defenses [vs. 38:11] — such as in the Millennial years of perfect peace, after Israel had been "gathered out of the nations" [vs. 38:12] and it is after that restoration of Israel and AFTER THE "MANY DAYS" OF THE MILLENNIUM that the invasion of God and Magog occurs [vs. 38:11-23]; it is in these "latter days" [vs. 16] — the days after the Millennium.

|D| The destruction of Gog and Magog by the Lord is by "fire" [vs. 38:22, 39:6], just as we see in Revelation 20:9.

The reason the Russian invasion theory developed was because of the 20th century build-up of the Communist military power in the Soviet Union, causing a "prophetic paranoia" which "jumped to confusion" so as to disregard the chronology of Ezekiel and Revelation.

An invasion by Gog and Magog will come, but after the Millennium. Premillennial "last days" major prophetic events in Israel are presented in Daniel, and have to do with the "Little Horn" and his career, not in Europe, but in the ARABIC NATIONS of the Middle East [Daniel chapters 7 thru 12]. He will get control of the Arab nations of the Middle East thru political chicanery, terrorism, Israeli-compromise, and military conquest [vs. 11:21-45]. He will be destroyed at the second coming of Christ.

Then comes the Millennium — and when that is "expired" comes the Gog and Magog invasion and their destruction by the Lord.

God bless Russia! The fact that the Lord is working in Russia, making such drastic changes, shows that Russia is not in a current preparation to invade Israel. Communism is no longer the threat that it was, despite "prophecy experts" in the USA who "fell flat on their faces" with their books and still "pray for its recovery." The threat to Israel today is in the Middle East itself — from the Arab states, especially Iraq. Saddam's goal is to "take-over" everything — just ask the U.S. military leaders.

While the Lord is using witnesses to spread the Word in Russia, the "toes" (the Arab states) of the Gentile image are "closing in" on Israel. Their dictator will be the "Little Horn," who will subdue them and set-up his hand-picked "kings" in those nations [Revelation 17:12, Daniel 11:40-45]. He will eventually build his empire's capitol-place in Jerusalem [Daniel 11:45]. Russia will probably have little-to-nothing to do with this.

While most "prophecy teachers" today sound like "broken records" as they "go-round-in-circles" repeating each other, their thoughts focus on Europe, Russia, the Common Market, and the so-called "Restored Roman Empire," preached by Herbert W. Armstrong and his followers. This is NO-WHERE close to Daniel's scenario of the Antichrist (the "Little Horn"), for the prophet confines this to the Middle East nations [Daniel 11:21-45]. The modern "prophecy experts" are selling a lot of books, videos, seminar and conference "registration fees," but they are far removed from presenting the truth of Ezekiel and Daniel as to the future.

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Author: Bob L. Ross

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