The country of Syria, the civil war raging there, and help the Assad regime is receiving from Russia and Iran is very much in the news. Based on some clear predictions in the Bible, these events could develop into a scenario that brings about one of the final battles on planet Earth:  The Battle of Gog and Magog.  The Bible predicts that at least two significant wars are to occur in the earth’s future.  These will be the battle of Gog and Magog, described in Ezekiel 38-39 and the Battle of Armageddon predicted in numerous places in the Bible. (among these are, Malachi 4:1-5; Revelation 14:14-20; 16:12-16; 19:19-21).

A reading of the unfolding of the battle of God and Magog will show that it will involve the key players of Russia, Iran, and several other Islamic nations teaming up to invade Israel in the latter days. Many students of prophecy believe that this battle probably will occur some time before the final Battle of Armageddon. In other words, these actually will be the two last wars on Planet Earth. While there may be small wars and battles to occur in the Middle East and elsewhere on the earth, these will be wars that will have a global impact unlike any since WWII.  Both of these battles, Gog and Magog and Armageddon will result from the efforts of Russia, along with the Islamic nations, conspiring to destroy Israel.  A few years after the battle of Gog and Magog, all other nations, including the “Kings of the East,” namely, China, will gather against Israel for a final global battle.  They will assemble in the expansive valley of Megiddo in the last days of the Great Tribulation period.

It is interesting to note that the list of Islamic nations that will join with Russia to attack Israel in the Battle of Gog and Magog does not include Syria. Many believe the prophetic verse in Isiah 17:1 which predicts the over-night destruction of Damascus indicates that some nation, probably Israel, will destroy this Syrian capital.  This will essentially decapitate Syria from effectively being a future threat to God’s Jewish nation.  This strategic military strike on the part of Israel may induce Russia, along with Iran, to attack Israel.  Both Russia and Iran are presently supporting Assad’s brutal Shiite regime with weapons, radar, and troops to attack Israel.  Recently Assad is known to have used chemical weapons against the Syrian rebels fighting to topple his regime.

Jesus predicted that in the last days there would be “wars and rumors of wars”(Matthew 24:6; Mark 13:17).  Of course, Satan will instigate these wars which will arise because of demonic hatred of Israel and the Jews. We may be witnessing the set-up and build-up of the end times scenario of the Battle of Gog and Magog.

Late last year there were reports that weapons were being shipped from Libya to Turkey so that they could be brought into Syria. These weapons are reported to be a covert effort on the part of the Obama administration to aid the Syrian rebels.  It is believed by a growing number that Ambassador Christopher Stevens was actually meeting with a Turkish official on the evening of September 11th at the consulate in Bengazi as a part of negotiations to ship more of these weapons to Syria.  These were weapons that the United States provided in the Libyan conflict, but which were never recovered after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. The problem with covertly shipping weapons to Syria to help the rebels there is that there is a known and growing presence of al-Qaeda forces who are fighting among the rebels. Consequently, if these reports bear out, America could actually be assisting al-Qaeda to infiltrate and gain a significant foot hold in Syria to control that country in the event that Assad falls.

This leads many to believe that this is the reason that the Obama administration is stone-walling all questions on Benghazi. Even today, there are new reports of “whistle-blowers” who have some potentially damaging information as to what was going on in Benghazi when the attacks occurred, and how they could have saved the lives of our people there if they had wanted to. Reports are increasing from insiders that these witnesses were threatened to keep silent. Remember that Obama promised to get involved in helping the Syrian rebels if Assad crossed the “red line” by using chemical weapons against them. He now seems to be backing away from that promise. Could President Obama be hesitant to get involved with the Syrian conflict because it would blow the cover as to what was really going on in Benghazi? It is too bad that the liberal news media is helping the President in this apparent cover up. (See “The News Media, False Prophets of our Time?” in this blog.)

A few days ago, the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA), many of whom are working to corrupt news reports by attacking the Associated Press and other news outlets, caused world stocks to plunge.  The news systems hacked by the SEA put forward a false report that President Obama had been injured in a bomb attack on the White House.  This was, of course, a false report.  But it shows the incredible power that hackers possess to corrupt truth and to threaten the national security of the United States.

In parallel to this, prophecies of the future Antichrist indicate that he will understand the awesome power that can be gained by anyone who controls the world’s computer net-works. He will gain full control of the world’s computers and will rule “cyber-space” with propaganda to manipulate the world’s economies and news media outlets.  The world will know only what the Antichrist will want them to know.  Revelation says: “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man:  His number is 666” (Revelation 13:17-18).

Most likely, the Battle of Gog and Magog will occur sometime at the beginning of the Great Tribulation period, after the Rapture of the Church. The Bible predicts that the coming of Jesus Christ to rapture away the Church from the earth to heaven could occur at any time (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  The Tribulation period, which is the 70th week predicted in the book of Daniel, chapter 9, is not a time of judgment for the Church, because the sins of all born-again believers, who make up the true Church, were completely judged and paid for through Jesus Christ on the cross.  The Tribulation will be a time of God’s finishing up the unfolding of prophecy for the Jews and the Gentiles(Daniel 9:24).

The Battle of Gog and Magog will end with God supernaturally destroying Russia and the majority of the Islamic nations.  This will certainly bring peace to Israel and will be a prime time for the future Antichrist to capitalize on this peace to guarantee continued peace for Israel for a seven-year period (Daniel 9:27).  Most of Israel and the other nations will view the Antichrist as the Messiah.  Eventually, from the location of Israel’s re-built temple, he will demand worship as God (Matthew 24:15).  He will seek to dominate the world with the help of a ten-nation confederation.

Christians need to be aware of these Bible prophecies so that they are not surprised at the present day intrigues, cover-ups, evil perversions of immorality, rising crime rates, confusion among nations, earthquakes, and pestilences. These troubles all indicate that the Lord is coming, just as He promised. We can therefore be confident, faithful and prayerful as we continue to serve the Lord.  Jesus told His disciples:  “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)