Why the Battle of Ezekiel 38-39 cannot be the same as Armageddon

I believe the endtime events occur in the following order. If you compare the events surrounding Ezekiel 38-39 with what happens during Armageddon I'm sure you'll see they could not have occurred at the same time because too many details are different.

Since Israel became a nation in 1948 comparing prophetic scripture about the endtimes with what we see going on in the world today helps us to see the possible scenario of endtime events. Scripture says we will not know the day or hour but we will know when the time is near, and it's getting very close.

 

Ezekiel 38-39 Russia and Muslim nations Attack Israel

  • Leader: Gog of the land of Magog (Russia or at least weapons supplied by Russia)
  • Other nations: all Muslim nations (regional nations only)
  • Direction of attack: Come from North of Israel
  • Purpose: to take spoils and attack people of Israel (Ez. 38:12)
  • Status of Israel: living in peace, in safety (Zech 2:4) via peace treaty?
  • Savior of Israel: God
  • Enemy Destroyed: by natural disaster in mountains of Israel (Ez. 39:4)
  • God's Judgment To bring Israel to Repentance (Ez. 39:22-29, Joel 2:20).
  • Aftermath: 1/6th of enemy survivors driven into Siberia (Joel 2:20). The Jews bury dead for 7 months, burn Russian weapons for 7 years [1]
  • Divine Natural Events: fire, brimstone, earthquake, hail.
  • Temple Rebuilt: Dome of the Rock likely destroyed during the war or removed after the war
  • Israel changed: They are now believers in Christ, and are not harmed.
  • Christ Doesn't Return yet

Gog and his Hordes are ALL MUSLIM NATIONS surrounding Israel

  • Gog and Magog - Asia Minor - some say Russia
  • Meshech - Mushki of Central and western Asia Minor
  • Tubal - Tabal of Eastern Asia Minor
  • Persia - Iran
  • Put - Libya
  • Ethopia or Cush - not present Ethopia (Upper Nile of Egypt, Northern Sudan)
  • Gomer - N. Central Asia Minor (Cimmerians, Cappadocia)
  • Beth Togarmah - S.E. Turkey [2]
 

Rapture of the Church

  • The Church is removed before the Antichrist calls himself God and sits in the temple of God (2 Thes.:2)
  • The Temple of God isn't built until after the war of Ez. 38-39.
    • (If the rapture occurred after Ez. 38-39 then the Jews would be Raptured also and there would be no believing Jews to be persecuted by the Antichrist during the Tribulation).
 

The Great Tribulation Begins

  • Great Tribulation lasts 7 years (Dan. 9:27)
  • Everyone is crying for peace due to the war of Eze 38-39
  • The AntiChrist appears
  • The AC signs a peace treaty with Israel (Dan. 9:27).
  • 3 years of false peace
  • Israel rebuilds the temple
 

Mid Trib

  • Satan is let loose on the earth (Revelation 12:12-13)
  • Satan Empowers the AntiChrist
  • Antichrist supposedly Assinated and Resurrected (mimics the resurrection of Christ)     (Zech.11:17; Rev. 11:7, 13:3, 12, 14, 17:8)
  • AntiChrist controls the worlds economy, religion and military
  • AntiChrist claims to be God - Abomination of Desolation in the rebuilt Temple (Matt. 24:15-18)     (Dan. 9:27, Rev. 13:6, 2nd Thess. 2:4, Matt. 24:15)
  • Believing Jews flee to the wilderness in Petra where they are protected by God, from the AntiChrist for 3.5 years
  • The two witnesses are killed in the middle of the Trib (Rev. 11:8-11)
  • A great Earthquake in middle of the tribulation (Rev. 11:13)
  • The rest of the Jews and Tribulation Saints are persecuted by AntiChrist for 3.5 years (Rev. 12:17)
  • God's Wrath on the World begins
 

End of Tribulation - Armageddon

  • Leader: The Beast / AntiChrist of Revelation
  • Other nations: All nations (Zech. 14:2), Kings of the Earth, 200 million from East of Euphrates (revived Roman Empire?)
  • Direction of Attack: From the East, beyond the Euphrates (Rev. 16:12)
  • Purpose: To Destroy Israel and the Jews, Lord of Hosts against the Nations.
  • Status of Israel: Not at peace, or safety or rest.
  • Savior of Israel: Jesus Returns and slays the enemy with the Word of his mouth (Zech. 13:8-9, Rev. 19:15)
  • God's Judgment: on AntiChrist and Gentile Nations with him.
  • Enemy Destroyed: The enemy is either all destroyed in the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2) or taken to the Sheep and Goats Judgment (Matt 25:31-46) (no one escapes).
  • Divine Natural Events: Mount of Olives splits in two (Zech. 14:4:)
  • Aftermath: Cleanse the land for 75 days (not 7 years)
  • Israel Changed: 2/3 died.
  • Christ Returns (Rev. 19:15)
 

Christ Returns

  • Christ returns to Earth (Matt. 24:30, Rev. 19:11-13) Christ returns with the Church
 

Satan Bound

  • Christ throws the Antichrist and his False prophet into Hell
 

Millennial Kingdom

  • 1000 year reign of Christ from Jerusalem.
 

Satan Destroyed

  • Satan and his cohorts destroyed in lake of fire
 

Eternity

  • Christ's Eternal reign.

References

[1]  Lignostone (Russian weapons being made of wood).

[2] no longer available. Gog and Magog - A Battle Looms


Other Articles comparing Ezeliel 38, 39 with Armageddon.

Is Ezekiel 38-39 Armageddon

Lori Eldridge
© Copyright 8-9-09 - updated 2-16-19
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