Posted by Elana Janson on September 13, 2015 at 16:38:10:
In Reply to: Re: Trumpet like noises worldwide posted by Susanne Baker on September 07, 2015 at 06:14:46:
The movement of peoples and nations across the globe
The migrations of the peoples of the earth have taken place through the centuries, for economic reasons and from war. As I have often mentioned this is predicted in Daniel 12:4:
“4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
Concurrent with the migrations knowledge of the peoples of the nations of the earth would increase.
The signs of the wind being held back, the great windstorms and the earthquakes of the recent decades, persecution and the possible beginning of sounding of the trumpet of the seventh angel seem to confirm the time of the ‘short season’.
Gog and Magog
The Gog and Magog are mentioned in relation to the gathering of the nations to the final battle. If the signs that we are witnessing in nature and the persecutions of recent times are what is predicted in the ‘short season’ in Revelation then are we seeing the nations gathering to Armageddon?
The word ‘gather’ is repeated in connection with the final battle.
Revelation 16:14-16 King James Version (KJV)
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
In these verses we are told that the accumulative influence of Satan over centuries (“the spirits of devils”) specifically in relation to those misled by man’s own accomplishments and achievements (“working miracles”) and these deceptions on the leaders of the nations and on the peoples of the world, will lead them Armageddon.
“Gather” is used in Revelation 20:7-9 King James Version (KJV)
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan will be loosed out of his prison,
8 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.
9 And they went up on the breadth 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.
Gog and Magog
The words “Gog and Magog” have a massive symbolic meaning in Revelation and therefore reveal much about the dilemma that the nations face in 2015.
The Gog and Magog are mentioned in Scripture, specifically by the prophet Ezekiel.
Gog and Magog have symbolic meaning because of their location in ancient history in relation to Israel and because of what Ezekiel said and prophesied concerning them in the book Ezekiel.
Why is this so significant at the present time?
With the knowledge that the symbolism of Revelation relates to the time essentially from the time of the coming of the Christ and the spread of the Christian faith over the past some two thousand years (this made known to me through the Vision on 22 August 1996) I believe Revelation mentions the Gog and the Magog in relation to the gathering to the final battle to highlight the important factors as to why God is bringing the nations together, to battle during the ‘short season’.
Location of Gog and Magog in relation to Israel
In Genesis 10:2 Magog is mentioned as the second son of Japheth; in Ezekiel 38:2 and 39:1 and 6 Magog is said to be a country of which Gog was the prince. The information given indicates a northern locality in relation to Israel - not only north, but northeast and northwest. It is said by Ezekiel that Gog came up from “the north parts” Ezekiel 39:2 from a country adjacent to that of Togarmah or Armenia. In Ezekiel 38:6 it is said not far from “the isles” which refer to the maritime or coastal regions of Europe. The people of Magog had a force of cavalry (Ezek 38:15) and armed with bows and arrows (Ezek.29:3). This indicates the Scythians and a North Eastern locality.
In my analysis of Revelation, with the knowledge that the book deals with the time since the coming of the Christ, I have interpreted the Gog and Magog as indicating the spread of the peoples originally from a North Eastern and a North Western location of Israel across the globe over centuries and the final generation of these migrants to be the peoples (“the number of whom is as the sand of the sea”) to finally meet at the battle of Armageddon.
Therefore in the final time the descendants having reached the ends of the earth and having spread the faith, will ultimately gather across the breadth of the earth (“went up on the breadth of the earth”) to encompass the “camp of the saints” and the “beloved city”.
Present migration
I see the present migration from Syria to Europe, from east to west as part of this massive movement of peoples over the past two millennia and more.
Are the present migrations part of the final gathering together? We shall have to wait and see.
Ezekiel
What did Ezekiel say about Gog and Magog that is also symbolically evident today now that the time measures of Revelation have been revealed?
Ezekiel was the prophet that was exiled with the Jews to Babylon. For the first seven years of his prophesying (593-586BC) he relayed the distressing fact that Jerusalem would fall. After the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, Ezekiel pronounced judgement on seven nations. After this Ezekiel’s message was hope and restoration and a kingdom of God. The ‘Gog and Magog’ (Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39) falls in the time of hope and restoration.
Gog and Magog in Revelation
Because Gog and Magog are mentioned in the gathering to the final battle in Revelation the apocalyptic prophecies made against Gog and Magog in Ezekiel also apply to the present time. We also know this through words from Ezekiel that are used in the book Revelation.
Ezekiel 38:22 and Rev 11:19 and 19:21. “hail”, “fire and brimstone”.
Ezekiel 39:8 and Rev 16:17 “It is done”.
Ezekiel 39:8King James Version (KJV)
8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.
Revelation 16:17King James Version (KJV)
17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, it is done.
Note Revelation uses the symbol of the “fowls” that “gather” also used in Ezekiel.
Also “the beast”, “the kings of the earth, and their armies” (those misled by Satan) gather to the final battle.
Revelation 19:17-21King James Version (KJV)
“17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”
Ezekiel 39:17-18 King James Version (KJV)
“17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.
18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.”
Today
Therefore, I believe, to accentuate to the nations at the present time that God is going to bring about a battle that is going to make the nations once again realize that God has always been in control of what takes place among the nations and peoples of the earth, John on Patmos was given the instruction by the angel to write down words from the book Ezekiel that symbolically confirm that God is going to destroy the enemies of good and His people beyond 2015 as he did the nations of Gog and Magog as Ezekiel predicted.
In the time of Ezekiel it was the nations against Israel and in the present time it is the enemies of good and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The words of Ezekiel concerning the Gog and Magog echo to the present day.
Ezekiel 38:10-12 New International Version
10 “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On that day thoughts will come into your (God and Magog) mind and you will devise an evil scheme. 11 You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. 12 I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.[”
Today the Gog and Magog are those nations who have no scruples or true Faith and invade the dwellings of the peaceful.
The prophets of the Old Testament and Jesus Christ teach God’s sovereignty over all creation, then and in the time to come.
Every individual
The word “gather” in Revelation also connects to John 15:6 and every individual – those who have died, those living and those to face Armageddon.
(The word “gather” is used in the King James Version, the NIV is also given for clarity.)
John 15:1-7King James Version (KJV)
15 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15:1-7 New International Version (NIV)
The Vine and the Branches
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
As in the time of Ezekiel the world must once again realise that God has always been in control.
Ezekiel 39:6
. 6 I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the LORD.