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Power
Alignments for the End of the Age
(A
New East/West Standoff for a New Century)
Throughout the second half of the
20th Century the paradigm, or model that defined 'how the world worked' was
the great East/West alignment based on ideology; the Communist, Authoritarian
East versus the Capitalist, Democratic West.
Now, in the 21st Century, current events are beginning to suggest the
evolution of a new East/West alignment, but one based on Muslim culture and
religion. It is an alignment lifted from
the Bible, if not in the details, then in the larger scope of End Times
prophecy. As America withdraws from its
Middle East entanglements, the Shiia Muslims of Iraq, with the help of Iran
(a largely Shiia Muslim nation) are beginning to consolidate their hold on
Southern Iraq and on Baghdad. The
Shiias may eventually suppress the Iraqi Kurds (who are largely Sunnis) in the
North with Iranian and Turkish help (as both these nations have large Kurdish
populations and fear Kurdish independence in Northern Iraq). The Sunni Muslims of Western Iraq may hold
out against the Shiia with Syrian, Jordanian and Saudi Arabian help (all
three are predominately Sunni). It is
quite conceivable that the Sunnis of Lebanon and Syria may suppress the
Shiias of Southern Lebanon, with the help of Israel. Shiia Iraq and Iran, together
with Turkey, may then square off with Sunni Syria, Jordan and Saudi
Arabia. Israel may then make peace
with, and support, the Sunni coalition.
Russia will most likely ally itself with the Shiia Iraq – Iran –
Turkey coalition (it currently has good relations with Iran and is developing
relations with Turkey). Egypt, Libya
and Sudan remain on the periphery, but may eventually align with the Shiia
Iraq – Iran – Turkey coalition, as a counterweight to the Sunni
coalition. The European Union, to
counterbalance Russian influence in the Middle East, would most likely back
the Sunni coalition. Below
is a map suggesting how this could work out:
The Gog/Magog War (All roads lead to Jerusalem) The Book of Revelation tells us how the Seven Year
Tribulation will unfold; but other books of the Bible record the short and
brutal war that rockets the antichrist to the heights of world
domination. The details of this war
are found primarily in two sources: the Old Testament Books of Ezekiel and
Daniel. Both Ezekiel and Daniel were
Israelites living at the time of the Babylonian captivity. This was a very hard time in the history
of Israel, a time when the nation had drifted far from obedience to God. He had continually warned them of the
pending consequences of their disobedience, and He continually pleaded with
the Israelites to return to their proper relationship of trust in, and
obedience to, Him. To these ends, God
sent them prophets, who warned the Israelites of their folly and encouraged
them to decide rightly to return to Him.
When they refused and suffered the consequences of their rebellion
(all of which they brought upon themselves) the prophets comforted them in
their captivity, gave them encouragement that their sufferings would one day
end, and declared that the Israelites would again inhabit the land God had
given their ancestors. Ezekiel and
Daniel were two of these prophets. In the Book of Ezekiel, Chapters
38 and 39, the prophet recorded a prophecy of a great (but brief) war waged
against Israel at the end of the age, when Israel is again restored and its
enemies once more seek its destruction.
That this war occurs at the end of the age is implied by two things:
this war is like no other in history regarding the mix and scale of forces
arrayed against Israel, and it occurs at a time when Israel lives within its
borders in seeming peace and safety. That Israel is again living within
its ancient borders as an independent nation has been an 'official' fact
since the Jewish people in Palestine declared their independence and
sovereignty in 1948, a declaration quickly sanctioned by most nations shortly
thereafter. But not all nations
recognize Israel as a legitimate state, and at no time since its
reestablishment has Israel known peace.
At this writing Israel is surrounded by nations that seek its
destruction – it is quite literally an armed camp with enemies at its
gates. To secure the nation's
continued existence Israel maintains military and civilian security forces on
constant alert, fights a running battle with terrorists and its Palestinian
neighbors, and builds walls along its borders to protect its citizens from
attack. Peace for Israel is elusive;
even Israel's attempts to surrender land for peace backfires, encouraging
Israel's enemies to make greater demands on its territory, its sovereignty,
and its security. The prophet Ezekiel received a
vision of a time in the future when Israel has returned to its homeland and
is living in peace within its borders (Ezekiel, Chapter 38, verse 8). At that time, a great coalition of nations
will conspire to attack Israel. The
leader of this coalition is Gog, the ruler of the land Magog and the chief
prince of the lands Meshech and Tubal.
Other nations associated with Gog are identified as Gomer and
Togarmah. Bible scholars have tried to determine the identity of
Gog and the locations of his kingdom and allied nations, but with little
success. It seems the best anyone can
determine is that these lands lie to the utmost north of Israel, perhaps in
what is the modern nation of Turkey, the nations of the Caucasus region,
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus (Ezekiel, Chapter 38, verse 6 and verse 15). Other nations who join Gog in his attack
on Israel may be easier to identify.
These include Persia (modern Iran) and Cush (the land of the Nile
region, or Egypt and Sudan) and Put (North Africa, perhaps Libya), together
with their allies (verse 5). And as I
write these words, we may be seeing the beginning of the gatheri+ng of the
nations that will comprise the Gog/Magog coalition. Today a highly vocal advocate of Israel's destruction is
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who threatens to wipe Israel off the
map even as his nation rushes to develop nuclear weapons and the missiles to
deliver them. A man who believes
strongly in the Shi'ia Muslim equivalent of the End Times, in September of
2005 President Ahmadinejad ended a speech at the United Nations with the
following words: "O
mighty Lord, I pray to you to hasten the emergence of your last repository,
the promised one, the pure and perfect human being, the one that will fill
the world with justice and peace. O
lord, include us among his companions, followers and those who serve his
cause." Address
by H. E. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad President of the Islamic Republic of Iran before
the Sixth Session of the United Nations General Assembly – New York 17
September 2005 www.un.org/webcast/ga/60/statements/iran050917eng.pdf One could almost mistake this as a
Christian's prayer to God for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But it is not. President Ahmadinejad was appealing to Allah for the return of
the Twelfth Imam, or the messiah that many Shi'ia Muslims anticipate will
arrive at the end of the age during a period of widespread warfare and epidemics. According to Shi'ia beliefs, the Twelfth
Imam will destroy Israel and establish Islam as the world's only
religion. No doubt, President
Ahmadinejad and many of his countrymen would prefer this be the Shi'ia
version of Islam widely practiced in Iran, as opposed to the Sunni version
widely practiced in the Arab nations of the Levant, Mesopotamia and Arabia. Ancient Persia was master of empires long before the
founding of Islam, and at times Persian kings ruled most of the Middle
East. But in the seventh century A.
D. the Arabs, united by a new religion (Islam), forged an empire of their own
and eventually conquered Persia, and many Persians converted to Islam. Not long after Islam's founding
differences of belief arose regarding the manner of succession of leadership
and sources of religious authority, resulting in several schisms, the
greatest of which was the Sunni/Shi'ia schism. Over the succeeding centuries the centers of Sunni Islam
gravitated to Arabia (Saudi Arabia) and Anatolia (Turkey) and the centers of
Shi'ia Islam gravitated to Southern Mesopotamia (Iraq) and Persia (Iran),
setting the stage for a cultural tug of war between Sunni Arabs and Turks and
Shi'ia Persians. Persia (now Iran) for centuries sought to control what
is today Southern Iraq with its large Shi'ia population, Shi'ia holy sites
and prominent Shi'ia schools. From
the seventeenth century the Ottoman Turks frustrated Persian ambitions in the
region. In the nineteenth century
British and Russian imperial ambitions in Central and Southern Asia kept the
Iranians off balance. When the
Ottoman and Russian Empires fell in the first decades of the twentieth
century, lingering British influence and power in the region kept the
Persians at bay. Throughout the last
decades of the twentieth century Saddam Hussein and his secular Ba'athist
regime in Iraq held the line against Iran. In 1979 Iran was thrown into turmoil when Shi'ia
fundamentalists overthrew the pro-Western, American-backed Shah and seized
control of the government, a development that raised the prospect of a religious
war between Shi'ias and Sunnis that would engulf the Middle East. The Iranian revolution gave Saddam Hussein
an opportunity to settle old border disputes between Iraq and Iran, and in
1980 Iraqi armies invaded Iranian territory.
After initial successes, the Iraqi invasion bogged down into a war of
attrition. Fearing a possible Iranian
victory and the prospect of Shi'ia fundamentalism spreading throughout the
Middle East, the United States gave Saddam Hussein limited support against
the Iranians, until the two sides negotiated an end to the war in 1988. In the last decade of the twentieth century Ba'athist
Iraq served as a brake on the spread of Shi'ia fundamentalism from Iran, as
well as a growing Sunni fundamentalism (Wahhibism) originating in Saudi
Arabia. The situation remained stable
until America and its allies invaded Iraq in 2003, toppled Saddam, and
promoted democracy in post-Saddam Iraq. America had already invaded Afghanistan on Iran's
eastern border and toppled the Taliban regime in the opening salvo of the war
on terrorism. With America now on
Iran's eastern and western borders, it seemed that yet another world power
had arrived on the scene to frustrate Iranian ambitions to dominate the region. But in the 2005 Iraqi national elections
the majority of Iraqis – who happen to be Shi'ias – established a Shi'ia
dominated government. This generated
much criticism for America and alarm among Sunni Arabs throughout the Middle
East, who feared that Iraqi Shi'ias would align themselves, and their nation,
with Shi'ia Iran. Iran supports Shi'ia militias in Iraq (even as Saudi
Arabia and Syria support Sunni militias), helping to fan the flames of the
sectarian conflict as Iraq struggles to pull itself together in the
post-Saddam era. Iran also supports
Hezbollah and other Shi'ia-terrorists organizations in Southern Lebanon that
continually threaten or attack Israel, most recently with large barrages of
Iranian-made rockets and missiles – weapons of relatively short (but
increasing) range and tipped with conventional (non-nuclear) explosives – for
now. All of this suggests that Iran's
ancient appetite for empire has survived into the twenty-first century, fully
whetted. In contrast to the tensions between Sunni-Arabs and
Shi'ia-Persians, Iran's relations with other nations on Ezekiel's list have
proved to be mutually beneficial: Turkey, Russia and Pakistan, in particular,
maintain good relations with Iran.
Both Russia and Pakistan are instrumental in Iranian progress toward
developing nuclear and missile technologies. Another ongoing development in the region that might
suggest a convergence of alliances among the nations comprising the Gog/Magog
coalition is the issue of Kurdish independence. The Kurds are an ethnic group whose homeland includes Northern
Iraq, Eastern Syria, Eastern Turkey and Western Iran. Since the fall of Saddam the Kurds have
gained considerable autonomy in Iraq, fueling long suppressed desires among
Kurds for independence and a nation of their own. Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran have for decades acted to
suppress Kurdish autonomy within their respective territories. An independent Kurdistan, carved out of
Northern Iraq, would certainly fuel unrest among Kurds throughout the region and
give Turkey and Iran common cause. If
a Kurdish nation carved out of Northern Iraq and possibly Eastern Syria
should become a part of the antichrist's kingdom (perhaps as one of the ten
kings who will comprise the antichrist's confederacy) Turkey and Iran would
have additional motivation to join forces. But before the Gog/Magog coalition
attacks Israel in the End Times, Israel must be living in peace in its own
land. This is something that can only
occur when Israel's peace is secured.
God has always called upon Israel to trust Him for its security, but
throughout its history Israel has trusted in treaties with other nations, to
its downfall. In the End Times, Israel will once
again make a treaty with other nations (this time with the antichrist and his
confederacy) to secure its peace. This
will occur at the beginning of the Seven Year Tribulation, and Israel will
think it has at long last achieved the peace it desires. But this peace will have dire consequences
for the nation. The rise of the
antichrist may seem an answer to regional instability – the arrival of a
strong man who will somehow defuse the sectarian powder keg threatening to
explode in the Middle East. But his
success will be fleeting. Israel's
treaty with the antichrist will tempt the nations beyond the antichrist's
ten-nation confederacy to conspire against Israel. As noted previously, the antichrist's confederacy may include
the predominantly Sunni Arab nations in the Levant, Mesopotamia and on the
Arabian Peninsula. Turkey borders
these nations to the north, Iran to the east, and Egypt and Sudan to the
south. All of these nations will be
principal members of the Gog/Magog coalition. The Gog/Magog attack could be triggered by the antichrist's
peace treaty with Israel and Israel's rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem
– that, together with Kurdish independence and the on-going rivalry between
Sunni Arabs and Shi'ia Persians for dominance of Islam and of the Middle
East, could provide plenty of motivation.
What some call an insurgency in Iraq, and others call a
civil war, is nothing less than the latest manifestation of a centuries-old
intra-civilizational clash between Sunnis and Shi'ias, Arab and Persians, for
dominance of Islam and the Middle East.
The regional war that many see on the horizon between Sunnis and
Shi'ias (and which today is building in war-torn Iraq) may be nothing other
than the war envisioned by Ezekiel over 2,500 years ago. It is sobering to think that America's decision to
invade Iraq, and overthrow Saddam, could serve as a catalyst for this
prophesied war. If this proves to be
the case, the blowback (unintended consequences) of America's actions would
literally be of Biblical proportions. The Gog/Magog attack will take
Israel and the antichrist, as well as the European Union and America, by
surprise. This can be inferred from Ezekiel,
Chapter 38, verse 13, which suggests that the merchants of Sheba, Dedan and
Tarshish will question why Gog has attacked.
Sheba and Dedan are names associated with ancient trading centers on
the Arabian Peninsula. Tarshish is a
name associated with the lands of the Western Mediterranean and Atlantic
coastlines, or modern-day Europe, and by extension America. The question's reference to who is
attacked could apply equally to Israel and the antichrist's kingdom, as both
at the time will be at peace. But God will not be taken by surprise. He will intervene and destroy the bulk of
the invading armies, destroying five-sixths of the forces attacking from the
north in the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel, Chapter 39, verses 1 through
8). So great will be the destruction
of the invading armies that the Israelis will require seven months to bury
the dead (verses 11 through 16). As a
consequence of God's intervention against Israel's enemies, many in Israel
and around the world will begin to understand that He will always honor His
covenant with Israel. They will also
begin to realize that the relationship with Israel God had intended from the
beginning will, in the end, be realized (verses 22 through 29). Often in prophecy, the events in the visions of the
prophet seem to be sequential, with no times or events between. Some have suggested this is a phenomenon
similar to looking up at a near mountain peak and seeing the mountains
beyond, without seeing the valley between.
That may be the case here. The
visions of the Gog/Magog attack and of God's intervention, and the vision of
Israel's restoration to its proper relationship with God, when taken as a
whole, appear directly connected when the prophecy is read alone. But to read the vision by itself may be to read it out
of context with the whole of the End Times prophesies. If the attack occurs at the beginning of
the Seven Year Tribulation (when Israel has made its treaty with the
antichrist and believes falsely that it is living in peace and safety) then
there must be the times of trouble of those seven years yet to unfold before
the final restoration of the nation which, according to prophecy, will occur
after the end of the Tribulation period. Scripture also suggests that the antichrist will play a
part in the Gog/Magog war. This seems
logical in that, at the time of the Gog/Magog attack, he has a treaty with
Israel and his confederation and power base surrounds Israel. To attack Israel, the Gog/Magog coalition
(which surrounds the antichrist's confederacy) must attack the
antichrist. If this logic holds, then
the antichrist must react. This may
be the meaning of a prophecy about the antichrist recorded in the Book of
Daniel. In Daniel, Chapter 11, verses 40 through 44, the prophet
records a vision of a war that the antichrist wages against his enemies. In this vision, he is attacked by Egypt
(from the south) and by enemies to the north. The antichrist counterattacks to the south, defeating Egypt,
Libya and Sudan (ancient Nubia). But
before he can engage his enemies attacking from the north, he receives
'reports from the east and the north' that 'will alarm him' (verse 44). This news could be that the northern and
eastern armies of the Gog/Magog coalition have already been destroyed. The prophecy ends with a suggestion that
he will invade Israel, but there 'he will come to his end' (verse 45). Again, here we may have a prophecy of events that are
contracted, without a record of times and events between the news of the
defeat of Israel's (and the antichrist's) enemies, the antichrist's invasion
of Israel, and his ultimate destruction.
Israel will think it is living in peace at the beginning of the
Tribulation, having secured a treaty with the surrounding nations. But the antichrist will not break this
treaty and invade Israel until three and a half years later, in the middle of
the Tribulation, and he will not be destroyed until three and a half years
after he breaks the treaty, at the end of the Tribulation. The antichrist will claim, and most of the world
(including most Israelis) will believe, that he is responsible for this
miraculous victory. With the
surrounding Gog/Magog coalition defeated and weakened, he will be the
undisputed power in the Middle East and beyond. Most of the world will submit to his dominion out of fear and
admiration for his (supposed) unequaled military strength and prowess. Yet how can this be? Is there a basis for this interpretation
is scripture? Much of End Times prophecy warns of false messiahs who
will deceive many into thinking 'this is the one who will save
humanity'. Jesus warned his first
followers that these deceivers will appear in the End Times and fool many
(Matthew, Chapter 24, verses 23 through 28; Mark, Chapter 13, verses 21
through 23). Later prophets also
warned of this (II Thessalonians, Chapter 2, verses 1 through 12; Revelation,
Chapter 19, verse 20). A study of Christian, Jewish and Muslim End Times
beliefs suggests how this could happen.
Each of these faiths has different concepts of the End Times. There are also different beliefs about who
and what the messiah will be, and what the messiah, or deliverer of mankind,
will do, even within these faiths. It
is no stretch of the imagination, or of interpretation, to suggest that the
antichrist will indeed fool those who do not have correct understanding in
these matters. The warning is clear, and it is repeated throughout the
Bible, that we must be vigilant and avail ourselves to correct understanding,
or we allow ourselves to be deceived (2 Thessalonians, Chapter 2, verses 1
through 12). Unfortunately, too few
bother themselves, or even care, to take the time or make the effort to learn
the truth, but are satisfied to be fed lies by liars and imposters. This has been the case throughout history,
even among the ancestors of the Jewish people who refused to recognize their
Messiah in Jesus Christ and instead followed after false messiahs until the
Romans destroyed their nation and scattered them as a people. And how many messiahs-of-the day plagued the last
century alone? Lenin, Stalin,
Mussolini, Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot and their like come to mind. The end result of this folly has always
been the same and remains the same up to the present – confusion and destruction. It can only get worse as the End Times
approach. References: Green, Oliver B. Daniel: Verse by Verse Study (The
Gospel Hour, Inc., South Carolina, 1968) Haggith, David End-Time
Prophecies of the Bible (Berkley Publishing Group, New York, 2000) Harvey, Robert Global
Disorder: How to Avoid a Fourth World War (Carroll & Graf Publisher,
New York, 2003) Lewis, Bernard The
Middle East, A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years (Scribner, New York,
2003) Unger, Merrill F.
Unger's Bible Dictionary (Moody Press, Chicago, 1976) Library of Congress, Country Studies http://rs6.loc.gov/frd/cs/ (Iraq, Iran) |
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