The Consecutive Order of Prophecies for the End Times.
[Very Slightly Edited by Brit-Am, 27 February, 2018, 12 Adar, 5778]
Contents:
A. Modern Day Interpretations are in Error!
B. The Three Geat End Times Wars in Consecutive Order
C. Conclusion. The Messianic Era and the Messiah son of Joseph
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A. Modern Day Interpretations are in Error!
Re
My Comment on an Article 'Did the War of Gog and Magog Begin on Saturday?' by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/102613/war-gog-magog-begin-saturday/#/
Certain 'End-of-Days Experts' have made an innumerable quantity of predictions over and over again, each contradicting the other, especially on the subject of Gog and Magog War. 'In many aspects, the situation in Syria conforms to the descriptions in the prophecies of the War of Gog and Magog,' says Rabbi Pinchas Winston. When ISIS begun the war in Iraq and then moved into Syria in 2014, or Russia invaded Syria in Sept. 2015, or Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in Nov. 2015, or the 'fresh' episode with the Iranian sent drone in Feb.10, 2018, says Rabbi Wilson it all "confirms" the beginning of the War of Gog and Magog according to Ezekiel: 38-39:
'There is a reason to believe we are, indeed, seeing the war of Gog and Magog, despite claims otherwise,'
Moreover, he teaches that the war of Gog and Magog has already occurred twice: one being the WWI while the second was WWII!
The idea that the Gog and Magog War consists of three separate wars, i.e. WWI, WWII, with the third final War of Gog and Magog having already started in Syria, is totally contradictory to the words of the Prophets and opinion of our Sages. It is amazing how those 'mystical kabbalists-prophets,' in predicting the timing of the War of Gog and Magog, disregard the words of the Prophet Ezekiel as well as the opinion of the Sage Maimonides, who is the greatest authority on Rabbinical Law and Tradition. Maimonides said that,
'The plain meaning of the words of the prophets seems to indicate that the war of Gog and Magog will take place at the beginning of the Messianic Era' (Mishneh Torah, Hilkhos Melakhim 12:2).
Simple and clear.
The 11-century a.c. Midrash Wa-Yosha speaks along the same lines:
'And when the days of the Messiah arrive, Gog and Magog will come up against the LORD of Israel, because they will hear that Israel is without the king and sits in safety.'
Speaking of the geographical area of the attack of Gog, Rabbi Yosef Berger, a prominent Hasidic rabbi with thousands of followers in Israel, is also convinced that,
"Contrary to the Biblical sources which describe the War of Gog and Magog as taking place in Israel, the war has already begun and is taking place in Syria."
He even,
"recently heard from several hidden tzaddikim (righteous individuals) that the war of Gog and Magog had finally begun,"in Syria, of course.
He admits that his ideas go,
"contrary to the Biblical sources which describe the War of Gog and Magog as taking place in Israel," but "my heart tells me that God has mercy on Israel and making this war happen in Syria."
I wonder, with whose authority this scholar so drastically corrects the Holy words of the Almighty?
Needless to say, those all above ideas have found no Scriptural confirmation and therefore are false predictions which go against to the simple literal words of God's prophets, especially the Prophet Ezekiel.
Here is one of the many examples. God said to Gog:
Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel. I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea; and they shall call it 'The valley of Hamon-Gog'. And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah (Ezekiel 39:5, 11, 16).
The geographical location of Gog's attack is given beyond any doubt. There are so many strong proofs here that the war and campaign of Gog and its tragic finale will take place on the 'Mountains of Israel,' which is the Land of Israel. The places mentioned in Ezekiel 39:5, 11, 16 were well known to the Jewish people. The Aramaic Translation, referred to as "Targum" identifies the sea of Verse 11 as the Sea of Ginossar i.e. the Sea of Galilee (Commentary of Radak). Ginossar was known as the Royal Gardens for its luscious produce and attracted many tourists, 'passengers' and 'travelers' (Bereishis Rabbah 98).
I will give unto Gog a place there for graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea (Ezekiel 39:11).
The valley of Hamon-Gog will extend to the east of Jerusalem, along with the Jordan to the Lake of Kinneret (i.e. Sea of Galilee) and up to the city of Tiberias.
Is it not obvious that Ezekiel 38 and 39 picture the Holy Land as the target of Gog's attack against Israel? Just take the Words of God at its face value and trust them.
God cannot stand counterfeit prophets:
Listen not to the words of the prophets that prophesy to you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD (Jeremiah 23:16).
In another place, we read:
Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing. Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. Even though the LORD has not sent them, they say, 'The LORD declares,' and expect Him to fulfill their words (Ezekiel 13:3, 6).
By ignoring the words of the Prophets and Sages, those 'mystical kabbalists' are greatly misleading readers and believers. None of their predictions will come to pass. Their ultimate failure lies in the fact that the LORD has not sent them and has revealed nothing to them.
Another important point I have not heard from any proponents on this subject is the fact that the Gog's war will begin when all 12 Tribes of the House of Israel, which include the Jewish people and the Israelites of the Ten Tribes, reunite and move to the Promised Land ('My people Israel,' Ezekiel 38:14). Not even once does the Prophet Ezekiel mention the name of Judah in chapters 38-39. The word 'Israel' therefore means here all the 12 Tribes of the whole House of Israel.
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B. The Three Geat End Times Wars in Consecutive Order
I would like to propose an outline in consecutive order of the future prophetical events according to the Hebrew Bible and my understanding:
1. The War(s) of the Kings of the North and South. This involves Iran and its neighbors.
2. The War(s) of Psalm 83. The Arab Muslims Combined with Assyria Germany against Israel.
3. The Last War of God and Magog.
In more detail:
1. The War(s) of the Kings of the North and South (Daniel 11:40-45 and Jeremiah 49:35-39, and Isaiah 17:1 and Jeremiah 49:23-27) will occur first. This results in the defeating of Iran (the King of the South) and its allies Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia. That is why these nations are absent from the list of the plotter to annihilate Israel in Psalm 83.
2. Then follows the War(s) of Psalm 83, when all surrounding aggressive Arab-Muslim nations, plotting to destroy Israel, will be defeated by the IDF.
Germany is identifiable as Assyria ("Ashur"). Ashur-Germany is identical to the King of the North (Daniel 11:45) or closely aligned with him. He will be judged by God Himself (Isaiah 14:25; Micah 5:6; Nahum 1:14; 3-all). They will fall in the Land of Israel without human interference. This will be done in accordance with the wish of God:
No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns. And they shall dwell safely in it, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God (Ezekiel 28:24-26).
It is important to note here that the war of Psalm 83, which is not by all means identical with the war of Gog, will happen long before the War of Gog and Magog will commence.
3. The Last War of God and Magog. This will start at the beginning of the Messianic Age (Ezekiel 38-39). Israel will not fight. The Almighty will take care of the hordes of Gog in the same way as He did with the King of the North and Assur. This understanding is consistent with the Midrash:
I have many messengers whom I can send into battle. But the war against Gog and Magog I shall wage myself. Their destruction shall be complete (Midrash Esther Rabbah 7:23).
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C. Conclusion. The Messianic Era and the Messiah son of Joseph
The Messiah son of Joseph (or ben David) will accomplish a task of reunification between Judah and the Ten Tribes. That will be one of his priorities. All the surrounding Israel Arab-Muslim enemy nations (Psalm 83) will be defeated. The Land of Israel will be restored to its Biblical borders from the Nile to the Euphrates Rivers according to the Word of God.
The most important point, which the majority of modern prognotications have disregarded, is the convincing words of Ezekiel that in the time of the attack of Gog the Israelites will be dwelling in peace and security.This definitely points to the Messianic Age. This has not yet arrived.
Does Israel live in security and safety now?
Far from it!
By no means does Israel now dwell in safety. It has become a defensive fortress nation among 'evil neighbors' (Jeremiah 12:14-17). Gog will attack Israel only when Israel meets all of the above conditions, and, of course, be at rest and safety, 'having neither bars nor gates' (Ezekiel 38:8, 11, 14).
Since the Messiah has not yet come, the House of Israel has not been reunited and is not living in safety, the Messianic Era has not begun.
How is it remotely possible that the Gog and Magog War has already started -in Syria?!
Alexander Zephyr