Prophecy Updates 22 through 28 have involved a line-by-line exposition from Ezekiel 37:1 through 38:3.  I have established a case to show that the Antichrist is likely to arise in Syria, and will launch his initial attack again Israel from that position.  Although he will have the support of ten Arab nations, I believe the nations directly involved in the initial attack will be Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran from without, and the Palestinians from within.  I believe the other nations, which will then immediately become involved in the Jihad, are most likely Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Sudan.  Now, let us continue from Ezekiel 38:4 – “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.”  This portrays a man overtaking a fleeing beast, putting hooks into its jaws, then turning and pulling it  along a path the man desires to lead it.  The Antichrist will have no choice in this matter.  God will create political and economic circumstances whereby he must come down at exactly the appointed time.  I protest the efforts of some commentators to take the weapons of Ezekiel’s day, and attempt to carry them into our day and time.  Suppose God had inspired Ezekiel to write 1020 tanks, 923 MIG JETS, 3283 katyusha launchers, 12000 katyusha rockets, 723 SAM shoulder held launchers with 4673 SAM’s, and 2073 flamethrowers.  The readers of Ezekiel’s day would have laughed him to scorn.  I am persuaded that God meant for our final generation to picture a great, mighty, army, fully armed to the teeth with all the known modern weapons of warfare.

Verse 5 names three of the peoples from which the Antichrist will draw his initial attacking horde: “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:” Persia was basically the peoples east of the Euphrates, which today would be Iran and Iraq.  Libya corresponds with the location of modern day Libya.  And Ethiopia in Ezekiel’s day was made up mostly of what we call Sudan today.  Once again the point is made that they will be fully armed for all out war.  I do not believe this attack will occur prior to 2003, but I am of the OPINION it will occur before 2008, with the most likely time being 2004 to 2006.  Again, I emphasize, this is an OPINION based on the events in Israel since 1967, and it may be totally incorrect.  The Scriptures clearly teach it will occur, and my GUESS is that it will be before 2008.

Verse 6 continues to name the peoples of Ezekiel’s day from which he will draw his support, and by knowing where they lived at that time, we can at least attempt to identify those nations that occupy these areas today:  “Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.”  Quite frankly, I have searched, and researched, the writings of many historians, both ancient and modern, and, in the end, knowing that honesty is the best policy, I can only say that there is a wide diversity of opinion.  Up to this point, as regards the locations of Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Persia, Libya, and Ethiopia, I have presented a case from both the Scriptures and historical records, which I believe is substantial.  But in the case of Gomer, and the house of Togarmah, as to where they were settled in Ezekiel’s day, I can only give a rough approximation.  The house of Togarmah and the descendants of Gomer were sandwiched between the Magogites (Scythians) to the north, and Meshach, Tubal, and Persia to the south. They stretched from west to east across modern day Turkey into the area south of the Caucasus Mountains, and through extreme northern Iraq and Iran.