And though I love to read these prophecies and then read about their fulfillment, the ones that catch my imagination are the ones still unfulfilled. There are old testament propechies that have not been fulfilled, you say? Yes. And I'm not referring to just the ones that will come to pass during the Tribulation period or the Millenial reign of Jesus.
There are some other ones that have not been fulfilled and it is my belief that we may see their fulfillment at some point in the near future. Read on and see if you agree....
According to Wikipedia, "Excavations at Tell Ramad on the outskirts of the city have demonstrated that Damascus has been inhabited as early as 8,000 to 10,000 BC. It is due to this that Damascus is considered to be among the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world."
Damascus has been conquered and ruled by many different people. The city has been built up as each period of rulers came through. It is estimated that there may be older sections of the city up to 8 feet below the modern level.
The website olddamascus.com describes Damascus as the "eye of the whole east" and the gateway to Mecca, the pavilion of all Muslims.
At no time however, is it recorded that Damascus ceased to be a city and became a heap of ruins as the Bible predicts in Isaiah. What would cause a city of over 1.5 million people to cease to exist and become a heap of ruins?
Ezekiel 38 and 39 describe an invasion of peoples against the nation of Israel. These people include Gog, who is from the land of Magog. Gog is listed as the prince of Rosh, Meschech and Tubal. With Gog, shall come Persia, Cush, Put and Gomer (Ez. 38:2-5). What modern peoples or nations are represented by these ancient names?
Interestingly, in Genesis 10, the descendants of Noah and his sons are listed. Noah's three sons were Shem, Ham and Japeth. Genesis 10:2 says that the sons of Japeth were: Gomer, Magog, Javan, Tubal, Meschech and Tiras. Four out of the six are part of the Magog invasion. Japeth's descendants are believed to have migrated north from the Promised Land following the dispersion of peoples after the Tower of Babel. Ezekiel 38:15 further confirms this with "And you will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north..." The other nations listed as part of this invasion are: Persia (modern day Iran), Cush (modern day Ethiopia), Put (modern day Libya) and Rosh (believed to be the early ancestors of those who live in Russia).
Therefore, this prophecy predicts the invasion of Israel by Russia, Iran, Ethiopia, Libya and other unspecified descendants of Japeth from the north. This invasion will be a "great host, a mighty army" [Ez. 38:15]. It will incite the wrath of God and He will rain down upon the armies with torrents of rain, great hailstones, fire and brimstone. There will be a great shaking in Israel. The mountains will be thrown down and the steep places shall fall and every wall [natural or artificial] shall fall to the ground. The armies will be defeated by God and will fall dead upon the mountains of Israel and in the open fields.
Once the armies and their hosts are defeated, Israel will go forth and shall collect the battle gear and the weapons. There will be so much weaponry collected that they shall burn everything as fuel for seven years!
In addition, Ezekiel 39:11 says that the burial place for all of the bodies will be a valley to the east of the Dead Sea, on a highway which is between Syria, Petra and Egypt. There are so many bodies that it will take seven months to bury them. The bodies will "delay and stop those who pass through". So, the highway which would normally support people travelling through that area, will be blocked off by the bodies being buried there.
Where might this valley be that will be the burial site for all these bodies? The above Bible verse says that the valley is on a highway which is between Syria, Petra and Egypt. This is most likely the King's Highway in modern day Jordan. It was an ancient trade route that began in ancient Egypt, went across the Sinai peninsula and then turned north past Petra, up the east side of the Dead Sea and continued to Damascus (Syria) and to the Euphrates River. There is one section of the Highway, just south of the shallow Wadi Wala valley, which plummets 600 meters into a miniature Grand Canyon-like section called the Wadi Mujib. The King's Highway continues through this ravine until it re-emerges on the south bank of the Mujib onto a plateau. Is it possible that this is the valley spoken of in the Bible?
Wherever this valley burial ground will be, it will be re-named the Valley of Hamon-gog [which means "multitude of Gog"]. There will also be a city there called Hamonah [which means "multitude"]. The people who live in this city of the dead will be tasked with "cleansing the land". After the seven month burial period, there will be men who are set apart to work continually passing through the land collecting the bodies and/or bones of those who are not yet buried.
What is the point of the Magog invasion? Obviously, these nations intend to destroy Israel. However, several verses of Ezekiel 38 and 29 state God's intent for this invasion:
38.16 - And you shall come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. In the latter days, I will bring you against My land, that the nations may know, understand, and realize Me when My holiness shall be vindicated through you [vindicated and honored in your overwhelming destruction], O Gog, before their eyes.
38:23 - Thus will I demonstrate My greatness and My holiness, and I will be recognized, understood, and known in the eyes of many nations; yes, they shall know that I am the Lord [the Sovereign Ruler, Who calls forth loyalty and obedient service].
39:7 - And I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name any more; and the nations shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
39:28-29 - Then shall they [Israel] know, understand, and realize positively that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them into captivity and exile among the nations and then gathered them to their own land. I will leave none of them remaining among the nations any more [in the latter days]. Neither will I hide My face any more then from them, when I have poured out My Spirit upon the house of Israel, says the Lord God.
Look at today's current events. Iran is working against international pressure to finalize their ability to produce nuclear power. They are being assisted in this endeavor by Russia. The Iranian President has publicly called for Israel to "be wiped off the map". Iran is in league with Syria in providing weaponry to Hezbollah in Lebanon and the terrorists in Iraq. Russia has been flexing its military muscles in various "war games" throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. Putin controls the Russian political structure, which can no longer be deemed "democratic" in nature. It will be interesting to see what connections will develop or be revealed between these nations and Ethiopia and Libya - the other two nations named in the Magog Biblical prophecy.
President Bush is pushing for the dismantling of various Israeli settlements and the giving back of land to the Palestinians. This is supposed to be finalized before the end of 2008. Ezekiel 38:16 states that this land belongs to God - He calls it "My land". Yet, the U.S. and other nations are demanding that Israel relinquish it to the Palestinians. Do we really think that God will allow that to happen?
Though I am no Bible scholar, it seems apparent that this invasion serves three main purposes. It is punishment against these nations for their desire to annihilate Israel. It is God's desire that all nations see that He does exist and is involved in this world. [What better time than now for all nations to "see" His punishments than through the lenses of CNN or other international new organizations, with their TV and Internet presence?] And third, that Israel may see that they still belong to Him and are His chosen people.
I believe in a pre-Tribulation rapture of Christ's church from the Earth. I also believe that this Magog invasion will occur before the Rapture. Why? Though we all are sinners, it is God's desire that not one person should perish [be delivered to Hell].
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises,
according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extra-ordinarily
patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all turn to repentance.
Our world is callous and self-centered. The majority of the last two generations have been raised without a Biblical worldview and are therefore deceived by worldly desires, ideals and false religions. They do not believe that the God of the Bible even exists. They will not heed the words of God's saved ones for Christians are condemned as intolerant, or worse. What better way to get the world's attention, sort of a "last ditch effort" so to speak, than for God to reveal His power and glory in this way?
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