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By Anne T. GarciaIs Israel preparing to attack Iran, as it seems she must to survive?
If that is the case, would that attack then precipitate the Ezekiel War? The Bible actually has more to say about the war of Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 than it does about the Battle of Armageddon. Scholars differ as to the timing of this war. Three possibilities are considered: Before the 7 year tribulation, during the first half of the tribulation or as part of the Armageddon scenario. We can eliminate the third possibility almost immediately by understanding this basic fact. The Battle of Armageddon occurs during the seventh 1,000 year "day," the so-called "Day of the Lord."
The Day of the Lord begins midway through the tribulation. According to the Prophet Malachi, Elijah ministers before the Day of the Lord. "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord" (Malachi 4:5). The Day of the Lord then begins midtribulation (Joel 2:11). However, the Ezekiel War takes place "in the latter days," (Ezekiel 38:16) called in the Jewish Tanach "at the end of days." This terminology represents the sixth 1,000 year day to both Jewish and Christian scholars.
The six (1,000 year) days are well documented in Jewish literature. They are the 6,000 years over which God gave man dominion of planet earth (Genesis 1:28). Rabbi Ketina detailed this belief in about 500 BC. Nachmonides reiterated this truth in the 13th century AD. In Christian terminology the last days are synonymous with the 2,000 year Church Age. This is evident in both Acts 2:17 and the Book of Hebrews. "God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son" (Hebrews 1:1,2). Therefore, the Ezekiel War could occur during the first half of the tribulation, a period that concludes the "latter days." However, it is highly unlikely that the Ezekiel War will occur that late. Why? The answer is gleaned by observing the role of Libya and Ethiopia during these end times, as recorded in both the Books of Ezekiel and Daniel.
Libya and Ethiopia are two of the nations that join Russia and Iran to invade Israel. This is an
unequivocal fact. "Persia, Ethiopia and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet" (Ezekiel 38:5). What follows in the 38th chapter of Ezekiel is a profound and decisive victory for the tiny Jewish State over the combined might of Russia, Iran and their allies. The United States of America, the European Union, Jordan and Saudi Arabia all lodge a diplomatic protest against the Russian-Iranian invasion, but decline to get involved militarily (Ezekiel 38:13). Some time after the Russian-Iranian defeat, Libya and Ethiopia switch sides, from the Shiites to the Sunnis. We know that because the Iranian protege, the antichrist, crushes Libya and Ethiopia when he also defeats Egypt midway through the tribulation, as outlined in Daniel 11:43.Ethiopia and Libya would be crazy to switch sides, if the takeover by the antichrist (al Mahdi) was imminent. Therefore, it is probable that there will be a time lapse and the Ezekiel War will occur before the tribulation begins. This puts the Ezekiel War during the Church Age, which is actually good news. We know there will be a mighty harvest of souls after the Ezekiel War. "Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify myself, and I will be known in the eyes on many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 38:23). The Church will then have the opportunity to disciple many Jewish and Moslem believers and illustrate to them that every word written in the Bible is really true.
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