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Last Updated on : November 23, 2014

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The Judgment of
Armageddon

 


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SUMMARY

In these articles, we have supplied Scripture evidence for concluding that we are living in the epoch of Christ's second coming, and that the events in sequence are as follows:

  1. Christ returns first to raise the dead and judge his household.
  2. Meanwhile, Russia will complete the invasion of the Middle East, and will occupy Egypt.
  3. The judgment completed, Christ will send forth Elijah and his assistants to Israel scattered abroad, to proclaim to Jewry that Messiah has returned, and to bid them make their way back to the land.
  4. The whole world will be involved in war, and the armies of the nations will converge on the Middle East.
  5. Christ will emerge from Sinai on a work of conquest, and will first discipline and subdue the Arab nations.
  6. He will then turn his hand towards Egypt, and will "smite and heal" that nation, destroying the remnant of Gog's host that will be left there as an occupation force when the main body of the army moved north to Jerusalem.
  7. The representatives of all nations being gathered to Jerusalem to battle, divine judgment, in the form of Armageddon will be poured out upon them.

Our last article considered the prophecy of Israel regarding the downtreading of Bozrah, and set forth the idea that the language is symbolical of the overthrow of Gentile power at Armageddon.

 


THE JUDGMENT OF ARMAGEDDON

Jerusalem's Judgment

There has been a spate of theories in recent years advanced in contradiction to the exposition set forth in Elpis Israel relating to the exposition of Ezekiel 38, which a close examination in the light of Scripture, will reveal are wanting, and will force one back to the conventional exposition.

For example, most of these contrary theories reject the conception that Ezekiel 38, Joel and Zechariah 14 relate to the same episode. But once this is granted the exposition set forth by Brother Thomas must be acknowledged.

But can it be proved that all three are linked indissolubly together?

Certainly it can.

Note this fact: each one of these three prophecies speak of an earthquake of such tremendous dimensions, as could not possibly be repeated.

Ezekiel declares:

"Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel . . . and all the men that are upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground" (Ezek. 38:19-20).

This describes an earthquake of unprecedented extent. Certainly there could not be two earthquakes of such tremendous force close together. Yet Joel prophecies:

"Yahweh also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but Yahweh will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel" (Joel 3:16).

Here, again, is divine intervention at Jerusalem in a time of war; and that, too, by earthquake.

Zechariah adds his testimony:

"His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south . . . " (Zech. 14:4).

Now here are three prophecies, all proclaiming an invasion of Jerusalem which is destroyed by Divine intervention, partly manifested through earthquake. Could it be possible that three such devastating earthquakes could take place one after the other, in the time of the end? It is impossible. And this shows conclusively, that the three prophecies in question, all relate to the one incident.

Granted that conclusion, and it is obvious that the exposition of the Gogian invasion and of Armageddon as set forth in Elpis Israel provides the correct explanation of the last great battle of the nations.

Those theories of prophecy which separate Zechariah, Joel and Ezekiel 38 into different invasions are simply not sound.

Previous supplements (see vol. 388, p.409) have shown that Armageddon relates to a Divine judgment on the nations. Yahweh, through Zephaniah, declares:

"My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all My fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy" (Zeph. 3:8).

That is His purpose, and no more appropriate place for such a gathering could be found than at Jerusalem. In that significant city, nineteen hundred years ago, both Jew and Gentile joined forces to put at nought the Son of God, and to crucify him; how fitting to the crime, to bring representatives of the same two great divisions of mankind to the same city, to witness the power and glory of the one their forefathers previously despised.

So Christ will move north from Egypt for that purpose.

Conditions In The Land

From Daniel 11, we learn that Russia will firstly move rapidly down south through the land of Israel on a lightning attack against Egypt, which country it will occupy. Then, tidings out of the east and north, will cause the same power to move north to Jerusalem, and plant the tents of its power between the seas in the glorious holy mountain.

The Russian attack will take the world by surprise. It will be in the process of saying, "peace and safety" when, unexpectedly, "sudden destruction" will sweep down from the north (1 Thess. 5:1).

Israel, too, will be taken off guard. It is represented as "dwelling safely" in the land. The word signifies "confidently," and can relate to the current confidence of Israel in its own ability and power. But the context would suggest something more than that; and it could be that an epoch of peace could settle down upon the present troubled Middle East, prior to the rapid descent of Gog to "take a spoil and to take a prey."

Ezekiel declares:

"Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee" (v.9).

The expressions denote the suddenness and violence of a storm, as well as the threatening aspect of heavy clouds over the land. Taken together, these figures suggest that Gog's invasion shall burst forth suddenly, rage violently, spread quickly, alarm greatly and then, cease finally.

Storms roar and clash, alarm and destroy; but they do not continue indefinitely. Clouds defuse gloom and fear, but ultimately they disperse. So the very expressions that speak of the aggression of Gog, suggest darkness and gloom over the land of Israel, until, finally, the storm ceases, and in the ensuing calm, the Sun of Righteousness will shine forth in full vigour of power and glory. David prophetically declared:

"He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain" (2 Sam. 23:4).

The sun always seems to shine brightest when storm and rain have subsided, and when the clouds of gloom have been driven away. So it will be for Israel and the world, after Gog has been turned back.

The East Versus The West

The Russian Gog will move north to Jerusalem to besiege it (Zech. 14:1). He will be opposed by the merchant power of Tarshish, together with Sheba, Dedan and the young lion powers (Ezek. 38:13).

Who are they?

We see no reason to differ from the exposition of Brother Thomas, that these powers relate to the English speaking world, together with certain Arab countries. We have read the ideas of others, and attempts to set aside the clearly stated expositions of Brother Thomas; but have found them far from convincing.

Moreover, there is one feature in which Brother Thomas has the edge over his opponents: his anticipations, based upon his exposition in Ezekiel 38, have come to pass to the letter. Consider the clear, incisive words of Elpis Israel:

"But to what part of the world shall we look for a power whose interests will make it willing, as it is able, to plant the ensign of civilisation upon the mountains of Israel? The reader will, doubtless, anticipate my reply from what has gone before. I know not whether the men, who at present contrive the foreign policy of Britain, entertain the idea of assuming the sovereignty of the Holy Land, and of promoting its colonisation by the Jews; their present intentions, however, are of no importance, one way or the other, because they will be compelled, by events soon to happen, to do what, under existing circumstances, heaven and earth combined could not move them to attempt. The present decisions of 'statesmen' are destitute of stability. A shooting star in the political firmament is sufficient to disturb all the forces of their system; and to stultify all the theories of their political astronomy. The finger of God has indicated a course to be pursued by Britain which cannot be evaded, and which her counselors will not only be willing, but eager, to adopt when the crisis come upon them" (p.442).

Clear, powerful words; and proven true by events. What has Brother Thomas' critics to show in support of their theories? Generally a vacillating mind on prophecy, and ideas and prognostications governed by passing events.

It may be profitable to consider the various nations referred to in detail, so as to see more clearly, the confederacy from the west which is to oppose Gog and his eastern confederacy.

Sheba

Sheba was an Arab kingdom adjacent to modern Aden. To the Tyrian merchants with whom the men of Sheba traded (Ezek. 27:22), it was known as the spice country. Archaeologists have uncovered some of the glory of this fabulous kingdom, whose queen visited Solomon. A gigantic dam blocked the river Abhanat in Sheba, conserving water for irrigation purposes. Remains of this technical marvel in walls over 60 feet high, still defy the sands of the desert. Sheba became one vast scented garden of the costliest spices in the world, in the midst of which was the original Marib. It lies at the southern tip of the Arabian peninsular on the eastern spur of the mountain range that skirts the Red Sea. Inscriptions speak of cities of 1,000,000 inhabitants in the important kingdom. Concerning recent discoveries, W. F. Albright wrote:

"They are in process of revolutionising our knowledge of southern Arabia's cultural history and chronology. Up to now, the results to hand demonstrate the political and cultural primacy of Sheba in the first centuries after 1000 B.C."

About 542 B.C., the vast dam burst, and ultimately the desert claimed the spice kingdom of Sheba. In the days of Ezekiel, however, it was an important and powerful Arab kingdom, and representative of the Arabs as a whole. Isaiah speaks of "all they of Sheba" as ascending to Jerusalem in the age to come, to worship at the House of Prayer for all nations, there to be set up (Isa. 60:6).

If Sheba (as representative of the Arabs) is to protest against the Russian attack, it is obvious that the present pro- Russian policy of the Arab nations must undergo a change. This is also implied by Daniel 11:41-43 where the Arabs east of the Jordan are said to "escape" his attack, though Egypt does not. Once Russia moves into Turkey, thus "drying up" the political Euphrates (Rev.16:12), all pro- Russian feelings on the part of the Arab nations will undergo a change, and they will align themselves with the Western nations in voicing a protest to Gog. Thus events will force the Jew and the Arab ultimately to move closer together.

Dedan

Who then is Dedan?

Dedan is identified with Muscat on the far eastern tip of Arabia, bordering the Arabian Sea. Brother Thomas remarks:

"The men of Dedan are in the list of the traders in the Tyrian fairs given by Ezekiel (Ch. 27:15). The Dedanim carried thither the ivory and ebony which they procured from 'the many isles' to the eastward, and 'precious cloths for chariots' . . . The Sultan of Muscat now rules the country of Dedan" (Elpis Israel, p.433).

Isaiah (ch. 21) identifies the Dedanim, generally with the bedouin Arabs. Ezekiel, therefore, in referring to Sheba and Dedan, selected two Arab tribes that elsewhere are used in Scripture as representative of Arabs generally. But why select them in particular? Because Sheba is to the south, and Dedan to the north-east, and between them they link the south and north borders of Arabia. In Sheba and Dedan, therefore, the Arabs generally (both settled and bedouin) can be identified.

Thus the Arabs generally, will oppose Gog at the time of the end.

Tarshish

As we have suggested above, in spite of all that has been said against the identification of Tarshish with Britain, an unbiased consideration of the evidence should confirm one in the concept that Brother Thomas was correct in his exposition; as, indeed, such extracts, as we have quoted above, serve to show.

Despite the decline of Britain, she is still outstanding in mercantile marine power, and in her commercial interests. She is a merchant power, such as the prophecy of Ezekiel requires.

Tarshish, as a proper name, occurs first in Genesis 10:4, as the name of the second son of Javan, who was the fourth son of Japhet, eldest son of Noah. The Javanese settled the coast of the Mediterranean, the Adriatic, and the Atlantic region above the Straits of Gibraltar. The Mediterranean was named the Sea of Tarshish because, it is probable, the settlements of Tarshish were more commercially enterprising than his other brethren. Brother Thomas wrote:

"The southern coast of Spain, abutting both on the Atlantic and Mediterranean, is considered as peculiarly his. One of his Atlantic settlements was called Tartessus, or, as it occurs in Polybuius and Stephanus Brzantinua, Tarscion. Tartessus is probably a contraction of Tarsou nasos. Tarshish's Island, for Tartessus was originally an island formed by the two mouths of the Boetis, or Guadalquiver, and the Atlantic; one of the channels is dried up, so that it is now part of the peninsular" (Herald of the Coming Age, 1858).

It is significant that Britain has occupied Gibraltar (ancient Tarshish) for so long.

Ezekiel wrote:

"Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all riches; with silver, iron, tin and lead, they traded in thy fairs" (Ch. 27:12-13.)

These are products of the mines of Spain and Britain, which were brought to Tyre in "the ships of Tarshish."

An article on Phoenicia, in Chambers Encyclopaedia declares:

"From Tartessus in Spain, outside the Straits, the Atlantic and Bay of Biscay were explored, and a trade with Cornwall and the Scilly Islands was established, and the Baltic Sea possibly was entered in search for amber."

Charles Dickens, in "A Child's History of England" remarks:

"It is supposed that the Phoenicians, who were ancient people famous for carrying on trade, came in ships to these islands, and found that they produced tin and lead, both very useful things and both produced to this very hour upon the sea coast. The Phoenicians coasting about the islands would come without much difficulty to where the tin and lead were. They traded with the islanders for these metals."

It is claimed that a block of tin, bearing Phoenician trade marks, was fished up at the mouth of Falmouth Harbour, England, and is now in the Royal Institute of Cornwall at Truro.

It is further claimed that Britain was once known as the Tin Island. The Encyclopedia Britannica declares:

"There can be no doubt that Cornwall and Devonshire are referred to under the general name of Cassiterides, or the 'Tin Islands'."

Coote's History of England states:

"Bochart is of the opinion that the Phoenicians called the island by the name of Baratanae, i.e. The Land of Tin, an appellation which the Greeks softened into Bretania, and whence arose the Roman Britannia."

In the remarkable prophecy concerning Tyre (Phoenicia) contained in Isaiah 23, the decline of Tyrian mercantile marine power is predicted, at which time, it was predicted, her seapower would "pass over to Tarshish" (Isa. 23:6). Later, in the same chapter, the ships of Tarshish are called upon to howl, "for your strength is laid waste" (v.14). The prophecy thus anticipates the decline of sea power of both Tyre and Tarshish.

Now the Scriptures point to two places called Tarshish, both of which have been linked by trade in the past. They are Britain and India. As to the former, Ezekiel 27:12 shows that Tarshish was noted for tin, and the Book of Jonah (1:3) proves that it lay in a far westerly direction from Palestine. Jonah took ship at Joppa for Tarshish, the furthest country to which he could travel. Leaving Joppa, there was only one direction towards which he could sail: a westerly course down the Mediterranean.

On the other hand, Solomon built a fleet to sail to Tarshish (1 Kings 9:26: 10:22). It was based as Eziongeber, a port on the Red Sea, at the top of the Gulf of Aqaba. Those ships could only sail south and cast towards the Straits of Babelmandeb from whence they might proceed east or north for India. The produce they obtained points to India as the eastern Tarshish, for some of them are indigenous to that country (2 Chron. 9:21). It is a remarkable confirmation of the prophetic requirements that British commercial strength developed largely out of the Anglo-Indian Company.

The Phoenicians also sailed east to India. F.C. Hernshaw, writing in Sea-Power and Empire, shows how the mantle of Tyre fell upon Britain. He declares:

"The Phoenicians vastly improved the art of ship-building, and in their more seaworthy vessels they were able, on the one hand, to venture past the Pillars of Hercules (Gibraltar and Ceuta) and traffic in tin with the British. On the other hand, in the opinion of some authorities, from the Red Sea they traversed the Indian Ocean..."

To summarise what the Scriptures reveal concerning Tarshish:

Tarshish was a son of Javan with whom Phoenicia was identified (Gen. 10:4).

He gave his name to a country identified as the extremity of the then known world (2 Chron. 9:21; 20:36-37).

Tarshish will be identified as a nation at Christ's return (Ps. 72:10).

Its military, political and naval power will be humbled (Ps. 48:7; Isa. 2:16).

Its people will be converted to Christ at his coming (Isa. 66:19).

Its resources will be placed at Christ's disposal when the Kingdom is set up (Isa. 60:9).

A careful analysis of the arguments urged against the exposition contained in Elpis Israel relating to Tarshish, indicates that those advancing them have failed to take into consideration all these points of identification, or have been biased in their consideration of them.

"All The Young Lions Thereof"

Notice that these "young lions" are joined with Tarshish by some point of identification. They are "the young lions thereof." It is true that the RSV has rendered this as "villages," but the Hebrew "kephiyr" has, with but one exception, invariably been rendered "lions." As Ezekial elsewhere uses the word to describe nations (Ezek. 32:2; 19:3), it seems most appropriate to use it here in spite of the RSV. As such it points to the heraldic symbol of Britain.

But who are the "young lions"? There seems no doubt that this is a reference to the nations of the English speaking world. On the basis of such an exposition, Brother Thomas, in Elpis Israel was able to make the amazing statement that he did relating to the work of Britain in conjunction with the restoration of the Jews. What an amazing fluke if his exposition was wrong! A fluke so amazing as to be miraculous!

What can his critics offer comparable to that? Does not the fulfilment of his anticipations indicate that he correctly interpreted Scripture? To our mind, it does without any doubt.

Let it be understood, that a "young lion" is not necessarily an undeveloped cub, but a powerful, virile animal in full strength and vigor of life. This aply describes those nations that have come into existence through the Mother Country. America, Canada, Australia, South Africa are all vigorous "young lions" today.

The prophecy demands that a voice of protest shall arise from such. Thus, whilst the initial attack of Russia may take the western world by storm, it will be opposed by those nations whose interests will compel them to do so. The western group of powers will recognise that their future independence is conditional upon the defeat of Russia. What of Britain and the Common Market then? Will she march at the feet of Gog, in conjunction with the other members of the European confederacy that will surely do so? By no means. If Britain remains that long in the Common Market, the crisis of the last days will drive her therefrom, and she will find that her future welfare is linked with the rest of the English speaking world.

Notice, also, that the prophecy demands that each of these "young lion" powers, together with Tarshish their mother country, independently raise a voice of protest against the attack from the north. Here, again, there is a remarkable fulfilment of prophecy. Originally, a declaration of war on the part of Britain would have automatically involved the colonies; but Ezekial's prophecy requires independent declarations on the part of each of the powers there referred to, including each of the "young lions." This has been brought about in recent years, as Britain has completed the severance from the Commonwealth of her once colonial interests. Whereas America gained her independence by war, the colonies gained it by legislation. The Statute Of Westminster in 1931 granted autonomy to such "young lions" as Australia, Canada and South Africa; and this has been made all the more complete by Britain's entrance into the Common Market. Today, an attack by Russia will call for an independent protest from each of the "young lions" as the prophecy requires.

Thus, as Russia will move swiftly down, along the coastal plains of Palestine, into Egypt, the Western World will coalesce in a voice of protest. The attack of Russia will unite Arab and Jewish interests, and will bring the English speaking world back into the Middle East in force. Jerusalem will be fortified, and will become the focal point of attack. Entrenched in Egypt, the preparations of the Western World in the north, and the confusing incidents taking place east of Egypt in Sinai and Arabia (the significance of which the King of the North will not appreciate), will draw Russia forth "to make away many" (Dan. 11:40-45).

Jerusalem Falls To Russia

Thus representatives of "all nations" will be brought against Jerusalem to battle. But who has brought them there? Here, again care needs to be exercised in the exposition of the Word. In Ezekiel, Yahweh declares that He will put "hooks" in the jaws of Russia, and lead it forth; in Zechariah 14:1, He declares that He will gather the nations to Jerusalem; in Revelation 16:16, it is again stated that the Divine influence will act as a magnet on the nations, and draw them into the place, "called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon."

In other words, Yahweh will use the schemes, plans, and policies of men and nations to bring about His intentions. It is His purpose that will ultimately prevail, even though circumstances, for the time, would suggest otherwise.

Initial success will be with the enemy of Israel. Zechariah declares that Jerusalem shall fall before the attack (Zech. 14:2). The Jewish people must be thoroughly humbled, and forced to recognise that true power is with Yahweh, and not with the arm of flesh. They put to much store in their personal ingenuity and skill, in their ability to fight and endure, and must learn the value and strength of faith. This lesson will only be learned through adversity: so that the "time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:5-7) will be brought to a crisis. Jewish hopes will seem to be completely doomed. Their beloved city will be overwhelmed in disaster and bloodshed; the people will be treated with the greatest indignity; half of the city will be led away as prisoners of war, though the rest of the people shall not be cut off from it.

Thus, at this moment of crisis and climax, the combined forces of the Western World will prove ineffectual for the deliverance of the Jewish people, or to stem the onrush of Gogian power. It will see that the whole world must succumb to the Russian attack; and the triumph of Gog will appear beyond all matter of doubt.

Yet, at that psychological moment, when the initial victory is being celebrated by the heterogeneous forces of Gog, a new and unexpected intervention will take place. Relief will come from the Lord Jesus and the saints marshaled in military array as Yahweh of hosts. But we must reserve our consideration of the interposition of the Lord in the politics of the times for our next supplement (God willing).- H.P.M.

 

 

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