MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By Joel Richardson – “On November 29, 2012, 138 nations passed U.N. Resolution 67/19 on ‘The Question of Palestine’. The resolution expresses support for the right of ‘the Palestinian people… to their independent State of Palestine’.

In light of this deeply profound and historical event, and in light of the overwhelming emerging global bias against the Nation of Israel, it is essential that all students of the Bible stop to consider what the it says about the future of both the nation of Israel and ‘Palestine’.

When one surveys the many Biblical passages that speak of the return of the Messiah, it quickly becomes apparent that among the primary issues that Jesus returns to confront, is the persecution, marginalization and unjust treatment of Israel by the nations of the earth. Despite the fact that the anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist propaganda of the age are widely embraced even by large segments of the Christian Church, the Bible is clear that when Jesus returns, he will specifically execute judgment against the enemies of Israel.

According to the prophet Joel, just prior to the return of Jesus, a vast number of nations will invade Israel and surround the city of Jerusalem. Joel tells us that Jesus will execute judgment against all parties involved in this invasion as well as any who force the dividing of His land:

I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they have divided up My land. —Joel 3:2

It is clear from this prophecy that a distinct Palestinian State will become reality. The prophet goes on to speak of the Lord executing vengeance against Read more…

By Joel Richardson – “On February 11, 2011, addressing the success of Egypt’s revolution that he himself had enthusiastically supported, President Barack Obama stood in the Grand Foyer of the White House and triumphantly declared, ‘The people of Egypt have spoken, their voices have been heard, and Egypt will never be the same.’

But the fruit of this change quickly became bitter to the Egyptian people. It has now become clear that the Egyptian people traded a more secular autocrat for an Islamist dictator.

As Americans everywhere stopped to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, 2012, President Muhammad Morsi appeared on Egyptian television and shocked the nation, issuing a presidential decree effectively banning all challenges to his decrees, laws and decisions. The decree stated,

“The president can issue any decision or measure to protect the revolution… The constitutional declarations, decisions and laws issued by the president are final and not subject to appeal.”

The decree also stated that the courts have no authority to dissolve the country’s Constituent Assembly, which is now rewriting the constitution.

Disparate groups within and outside of Egypt have expressed their alarm and rage.

Within Egypt’s Constituent Assembly, various secularist opponents to Morsi quit, including Coptic Christians and representatives of the April 6 Youth Movement, the very group which initiated the revolution in Egypt.

Mohamed ElBaradei, an opponent of Morsi, accused the president of establishing himself as ‘a new Pharaoh.’

In a typically toothless statement, the European Union ‘urged’ Morsi to ‘respect the democratic process’.

Now, in Tahrir Square, and throughout the country, thousands have gathered to protest what many are referring to as a ‘coup’. Reacting to the cry for genuine freedom, Islamist supporters of Morsi are Read more…

Ezekiel 38:2, “Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him …”

Recommended: What Is The War Of Gog-Magog?

By Joel Richardson – “The primary purpose of this article is to catalogue a partial list of historians, Bible scholars, commentators and teachers, both Jewish, Christian, and secular, whose interpretations of ‘Gog of Magog’ of Ezekiel 38-39 support the view that Gog is one and the same with the Antichrist / Beast of the New Testament. We will also identify the scholars who identify Gog and his hordes as coming from the region of modern day Turkey or just over the border in Syria, as opposed to in modern day Russia. In this survey, it will become apparent that the popular modern view of Gog as an eschatological character distinct from the Antichrist who comes from Russia is largely a modern novelty, representing a significant minority position within Church history.

Pliny the Elder was a first-century Roman military commander, author, naturalist, and philosopher. He spoke of a city called, ‘Bambyce, otherwise called Hierapolis; but of the Syrians, Magog [or Mabog].’ Ancient Heirapolis sat on the border of modern-day Turkey and Syria; thus, according to Pliny, so did Magog, the home of Gog.

Hippolytus of Rome, (170—235), an early Christian theologian, in his Chronicon, written in the early third century, rejected the now well-known claim by Josephus, identifying Magog with the Scythians north of the Black Sea. Instead, Hippolytus connected Magog with the Galatians in Asia Minor or modern-day Turkey.

Moses Ben Maimonides, (aka., Rambam) (1135—1204), the revered Jewish sage, in Hichot Terumot, along with Hippolytus and Pliny, identified Magog as being on the border of Syria and modern day Turkey.

Rabbi David Kimchi, (aka., Radak) (1160–1235), another famous medieval Jewish rabbi, commenting on Zechariah 14, says this portion of Scripture—which virtually all Christians affirm refers to the Antichrist—is a reference to the war of Gog of Magog.

Nicholas of Lyra (1270—1349), a Franciscan scholar of Hebrew, and renowned Biblical exegete from the University of Paris. Lyra’s works were greatly influential among the reformers. Lyra believed that Gog was another title of the Antichrist. Lyra argued that Gog means ‘covered’ which is a reference to the Antichrist as Satan covering himself with the shape of a man. According to 17th century exegete John Mayer, Lyra’s view of Gog as the Antichrist ‘is most generally received’. Lyra also affirmed that the religion of the ‘Turks’, a term used to refer to Muslims in general, was the religion of the Antichrist.

Martin Luther (1483—1546), the German monk, priest and iconic reformer, understood Gog to be a reference to the Turks, whom God had sent as a scourge to chastise Christians.

Franciscus Junius (1545—1602), a French Huguenot scholar and theologian. Junius saw Gog as