TURKEY’S WAR: Every time armed conflicts heighten in Turkey, many end-times pundits stir up expectations of the prophesied Gog-Magog war against Israel. Specifically, he who leads this war will be “Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal” (Ezek. 38:2).
Most Bible maps locate Magog, Meshech and Tubal in western and central Turkey. (Historical and geographical difficulties beset the popular identification of Rosh with Russia; see “Rosh” in ISBE).
However, only three Bible chapters speak of the Gog-Magog war: Ezekiel 38-39 and Revelation 20. Ezekiel 38-39 occur in the context of the millennial kingdom passages Ezekiel 37:15-23 and Ezekiel 40-48. And Revelation 20:7-10 places the Gog-Magog war directly after the Millennium.
The idea of an imminent Gog-Magog war only confuses the real issues in that region. These issues are confusing enough already, the way things now stand. I don’t pretend to have the solutions.
But I do think that Turkey’s invasion of Syria clarifies the real issues there.
Apparently, Erdogan informed Trump that Turkey was going to invade Syria no matter what. Erdogan has long intended to defeat his enemy the Kurds in Syria. He plans this as a first step to establishing a revived Sunni caliphate ruled from Turkey. Moreover, he can recruit former Sunni ISIS fighters in that cause to help defeat Shiite Syria, and then Shiite Iran.
Making converts by force, not faith
If Sunni Turkey does as it plans, Shiite Iran—even with Russia’s help—will no longer dominate that part of the Middle East as much as it now does. As Turkey’s role grows, the US should focus on protecting Kurds as best it can. Also on defeating ISIS forces with air strikes. And most important of all, on protecting Israel, which is threatened by both Sunnis and Shiites.
A more direct conflict between Sunnis and Shiites would draw their attention away from Israel. It would expose the Muslim religion as essentially warlike. These two main Islamic sects have always sought to make converts by force and not by faith.
In contrast, Christianity now more than ever makes converts by persuasion. We must pray that Muslims will now gain freedom from totalitarian bondage to Islam. That they will turn to Christ, the true Desire of all nations (Hag. 2:7. KJV}. And that the fullness of the Gentiles will come in, including those from Muslim-dominated countries. For only then will Israel at last be saved (Rom. 11:25-27).
DailyInsight. Bullies & demons won’t listen to persuasion, only to a greater force (see Isa 59:7-8)
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