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How Close Are We to the Gog Magog War and Armageddon?
By Author Eli of Kittim
“Understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end” (Dan. 8:17). The angelic messenger named Gabriel expounds the oracle, which refers to a particular man whom we call the Antichrist:
“Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation [God’s wrath], for it pertains to the appointed time of the end. The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. And the shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king [Alexander the Great]. And the broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation [Hellenistic Empire], although not with his power. And in the latter period [in the last days] of their rule, when the transgressors [the succeeding empires] have run their course, a king [Antichrist] will arise insolent and SKILLED IN INTRIGUE. And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power, and he will destroy to an extraordinary degree and prosper and perform his will” (Dan. 8:19-24, emphasis added).
Interestingly enough, the abovementioned phrase “skilled in intrigue” means that the Antichrist is someone who has received training in secret or underhand schemes and plots, which would be the equivalent of a modern-day spy who is highly trained in carrying out secret schemes or missions. Not surprisingly, the famed seer Nostradamus refers to him as “the spy.” But, according to Nostradamus, first he will feign amity and tranquility: “Peace and semblance the spy will simulate” (The Prophecies, Century 9, Quatrain 88). Keep in mind that the current leader of Russia, Vladimir Putin, was a spy, an officer in the KGB (more on that later).
Ezekiel, a dominant force in Jewish apocalyptic literature, prophesies that “in the latter years” a mysterious “prince of Rosh” and “Meshech” will come “from the remote parts of the north,” from “the land of Magog,” to invade Israel, “whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations” (Ezek. 38:2, 8). It is customary for Bible scholars to identify the abovementioned locations with modern day Russia, which will be in league with many nations during its latter-day military campaigns. Historical investigations reveal that the term “Rosh” is derived from the tribe of the “Rus” who migrated from Scandinavia and founded Russia (Kievan Rus) roughly around the 10th century of the Common Era. By the same token, the term “Meshech” originates with the clan whom the Greeks called “moshoi,” and whence the name Moscow is traced.
The Septuagint, an early Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, translates the term “Rosh” (Ezek. 38:2) with the Greek word Ρως, which stands for Ρωσία (the Greek word for Russia). The earlier Ezekiel quotation referred to “the land of Magog.” In ancient times, it comprised the lands where the Scythians once lived, and thus represents contemporary Russia. In his sobering book, Footsteps of the Messiah, the biblical scholar Arnold Fruchtenbaum provides a supplementary elaboration of Ezekiel 38:
“The identification of Magog, Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal is to be determined from the fact that these tribes of the ancient world occupied the areas of modern day Russia. Magog, Meshech and Tubal were between the Black and Caspian Seas which today is southern Russia. The tribes of Meshech and Tubal later gave names to cities that today bear the names of Moscow, the capital, and Tobolsk, a major city in the Urals in Siberia. Rosh was in what is now northern Russia. The name Rosh is the basis for the modern name Russia. These names, then, cover the modern territories of northern and southern Russia in Europe and Siberia to the east in Asia” (70).
The celebrated seer Nostradamus confirms this conclusion and gives us an insightful clue in this regard:
“Then the great Empire of the Antichrist will begin, where Attila and Xerxes descended, in numbers great and countless” (The Prophecies, Epistle to Henry II).
Attila was a Hun. According to historians, “the Huns were a group of Eurasian nomads, appearing from east of the Volga [a river which flows through central Russia and into the Caspian Sea, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia], who migrated into Europe c. 370 and built up an enormous empire there” (Grousset, Rene, The Empire of the Steppes, 38). Maps that show the extent of Attila’s and Xerxes’ empires reveal that they comprised areas of the former Soviet Union and modern-day Russia. Moreover, Nostradamus calls the Antichrist the new Xerxes (see 666 = χξς cf. Ξέρξης/Xérxēs)! The differences between Russia and Persia (Modern-day Iran) are worlds apart! Nevertheless, similar to the future alliance between Russia and Persia (Ezek. 38.5) that’s prophesied in the Bible, Nostradamus pierces through the opaque veil of prophecy to glimpse an intimate alliance built for conquest: “Arabs will be allied with the Poles” (The Prophecies, Century 5, Quatrain 73). The term Poles refers to those who dwell in “the remote parts of the north” (Ezek. 38:6). Here, following, is a prophecy that might lend support to the idea that a military buildup in Asia could ignite the end of the world: “When those of the arctic pole are united together, Great terror and fear in the East” (The Prophecies, Century 6, Quatrain 21).
The book of Daniel furnishes more intriguing clues about the prophesied Antichrist:
“A despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred [he is initially appointed, not elected], but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue” (Daniel 11:21).
This is the one who “will speak out against the Most High” as well as “wear down the saints [believers] of the Highest One” (Dan. 7:24-25). Hence, this figure will speak pompous words “against the Most High” God (Dan. 7:8, 25). The Bible says thusly:
“he will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done” (Dan. 11:36).
Paul contributes to this discussion by adding the following remark:
“[This is] the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (2 Thess. 2:3-4).
He will forge an immense military alliance (Dan. 9:26; 11:23, 31; Ezek. 38:4-7) that exacts conformity to his One World Government: those who show reluctance will ultimately perish (Rev. 13:8, 15). Scripture says that the Antichrist will rule the world, “but not by his own power” (Dan. 8:23-24), indicating that other governments will “give their power and authority to the beast” (Rev. 17:13). Interestingly enough, the designation “dragon” – who “gave his authority to the beast [Antichrist]” (Rev. 13:4) – happens to be the national symbol of the People’s Republic of China. The reference to “the kings from the east” makes it quite possible that China will eventually unite with, and lend support to the Russian Antichrist (Rev. 16:12). In fact, China is currently one of Russia’s strongest allies. In their unquenchable thirst for power, both the Antichrist and his allies are ultimately bent on world domination. Nostradamus writes:
“A colonel with ambition plots, He will seize the greatest army,” (The Prophecies, Century 4, Quatrain 62).
Bear in mind that Vladimir Putin was a spy, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before entering the political arena. But let’s continue.
According to Bible prophecy, the believers in God “will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time” (Dan. 7:25). This interim is equivalent to 1260 days (Rev. 12:6, 14) or three and a half years. Apparently, the Antichrist will enjoy success for this particular length of time, which is equivalent to forty-two months (Rev. 11:2; 13:5-6). In reference to this specific time period, Jesus warns: “when you see Jerusalem [Israel] surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand” (Luke 21:20). The Antichrist’s forces will soon cover the earth, gathering on the horizon to decimate the world (Isa. 60:2; Joel 2:1-2).
Now, when we look at the four horsemen of the apocalypse, several things become immediately discernible. The white horse of the first seal is an omen given by scripture to indicate the conspicuous purity of the first rider, Jesus Christ (Rev. 6:2). There is no hint of a counterfeit symbol anywhere in the Bible! Hence, we must take this sign at face value. On the other hand, the second seal reveals a terrifying red horse that will “take peace [away] from the earth” (Rev. 6:3-4). It has been traditionally linked to the red dragon that has 7 heads and 10 horns (Rev. 12:3-9). Therefore, the red horse turns out to be a sign of the Antichrist’s arrival, which happens to be contemporaneous with Christ’s earthly visitation (Rev. 12; 19).
The signs of the Antichrist are legion. Of the few and far between literary references which are known, two parallel passages may hold the key to the perennial mystery of the Antichrist who is said to be incarnated at the final point of time (cf. Rev. 12:9; 13; 2 Thess. 2:3-10; John 14:30; Dan. 7:8, 25-26; 8:10-11). One passage – well-known, but not fully explored – is found in the book of Revelation:
“And he causes all, the small and the great … to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate [‘psifisato’ in Greek, which means ‘vote’] the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six” (13:16-18).
In Greek, the phrase “psifisato ton arithmon tou thiriou” means to cast one's vote for the number of the beast and by implication refers to the year of his public appearance. The other passage, equally popular, is encountered in the Nostradamus text:
“The year 1999, seventh month, From the sky will come a great King of Terror: To bring back to life the great King of the Mongols, Before and after Mars [Roman god of war] to reign by good luck” (The Prophecies, Century 10, Quatrain 72).
Nostradamus tells us the precise year in which the Antichrist will make his first public appearance: nineteen hundred and ninety-nine. According to popular culture, this was not only the last year of the 20th century (cf. Dan. 10:13), but it also marked the end of the thousand year period that is said to coincide with Satan’s release from prison, when he will gather the armies of “Gog and Magog” for a final great battle while “the beloved city” of Jerusalem will come under siege (Rev. 20:7-9; cf. Rev. 19:19; Luke 21:20-22; Ezek. 38:8-9, 15-16; Ps. 83:2-8). But the most interesting part of Nostradamus’s quatrain is that “the year 1999” confirms biblical prophecy. In accordance with the Nostradamic oracle, if we simply invert the cryptic number of the beast that is embedded in the book of Revelation, namely, the coded trilogy of 666, we get the triple-digit number 999. Astoundingly, this equation confirms the quintessential sign, indeed, the precise year of the Antichrist’s public appearance that is prophesied by Nostradamus, to wit, the year 1999! Accordingly, the year 1999 becomes the all-important sign of the Antichrist; not only a very critical date in human history, but also one that bears a conspicuous similitude to the cryptic number of the beast: 666. Just because that date has elapsed does not make this sign any less significant. The reason for this is quite obvious; the current leader of Russia, Vladimir Putin, actually became acting president in “the year 1999” when Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned! As predicted by the Bible, he did come in a time of peace (“the year 1999” encoded in the number “666”), and was initially appointed, rather than elected, not to mention that he is in fact “skilled in intrigue,” having been a former high ranking Russian spy! Hence why Daniel 8:25 calls him “a master of deception.”
According to all these prophecies, we can thus say with confidence that the Antichrist has not only stepped onto the world stage, but due to the incessant expansion of his military operations is daily increasing in fame and stature. Hippolytus Romanus (circa 170-236 A.D.), a highly prolific theologian of the Roman Church, composed a treatise on Christ and Antichrist in the early part of the third century. To dispel any notions that the term Antichrist is a purely metaphorical construct, Hippolytus writes:
“The Saviour appeared in the form of a man, and he too [the Antichrist] will come in the form of a man.”
The famous War Scroll, also known as 1QM (Dead Sea Scrolls), contains prophecies about a pivotal episode in human history: the final battle at the end of time between the forces of light and the forces of darkness, otherwise known as Armageddon. This decisive conflict has been known since the time of the ancient Persian prophet Zoroaster. According to the War Scroll, Belial emerges in the text as the unequivocal chief antagonist to the Deity. The conspicuous opponent of Belial is the king of the Kittim, one of the professed sons of Greece (cf. Gen. 10:4). And who is Belial’s greatest rival? Insofar as scripture is concerned, it is none other than Jesus Christ. Paul writes:
“What harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols” (2 Cor. 6:15-16)?
Notice that after the death of the king of Kittim (Messiah), which is the main implication of column 16.7-9, the people lose heart and consequently halt their signal to advance. Yet, even though Belial [Antichrist] is prevailing against the forces of Kittim, the devoted priests continue blowing on the trumpets of the slain (cf. Rev. 8:2-13). These specific War Scroll symbols may be traced back to “First Thessalonians, [which] is probably the earliest letter of Paul that we have, written in AD 50” (New Jerusalem Bible, 1367). According to this New Testament letter, Christ will reappear “with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first” (4:16; cf. 1 Cor. 15:51-52). This Pauline death and resurrection theme may help explain why we find several references to Christ’s atonement in the last days, such as “The Offering of God” (4.1), within the 1QM manuscript. Therefore, the War Scroll story seems to portray the redemptive death of a future king, whose priests nevertheless continue to call on his name insistently and without respite:
“Then they shall gather …. In the morning they shall come to the place of the battle line, where the mighty men of the Kittim fell …. When they stand before the slain of the Kittim, they shall praise there the God of Israel. And they shall say in response: … to God most high” (Column 19, Lines 9-14).
The foregoing quote supplies further evidence that the slain king of the Kittim is associated with the highest divinity. Astoundingly, the faithful stand at his grave and praise him! Other portions of the War Scroll also attest to an incarnate God amongst men during this end time period. Here is such a line: “and he (Moses) [Sic] told us that You are in our midst, a great and awesome God” (10.1). Moreover, the Essenes recount the riveting, Messianic resurrection prophecy of the end times: “the King of Glory is with us …. The Hero of War is with our company …. Rise up, O Hero, take your captives, O Glorious One” (12.8-10), they exclaim. Equally important are the following lines that concentrate on the same resurrection theme:
“Rise up, rise up, O God of gods, and raise Yourself in power, O King of Kings … let all the Sons of Darkness scatter from before You” (Column 14, Lines 16-17).
This messianic death and resurrection theme is reminiscent of an Isaian prophecy concerning “the last days” (2:2):
“Men will go into caves of the rocks and into holes of the ground before the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty, When He arises to make the earth tremble” (Isaiah 2:19).
In fact, Isaiah describes this apocalyptic battle in the starkest terms, as he prophetically envisions God “waging war with the dragon” (Rev. 12:7; Isa. 27:1) in the air. He writes: just “like flying birds, so the Lord of hosts will protect … and deliver” (Isa. 31:5) his people. In like manner, the War Scroll manuscript indicates that the “king of the Kittim … shall go forth with great wrath to do battle against the kings of the north” (1.4). This is reminiscent of Ezekiel’s prophecy pertaining to the “prince of Rosh” (prince of Russia) who “will come from … the remote parts of the north” (38:15-16) to overwhelm the nations, and “whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth” (2 Thess. 2:8). Therefore, the War Scroll reveals that during this ultimate war of the gods (Christ and Antichrist), “The princes of God” (3.3) will do battle on humanity’s behalf: “You appointed the Prince of Light from of old to assist us” (Column 13, Line 10). You may recall that the book of Daniel references Christ as “Michael, one of the chief princes” (Dan. 10:13; cf. 12:1). In the same vein, the Essenes’ “banners” reflect the signposts that point to the approaching Messiah: “Michael” (War Scroll 9.16), “The right hand of God,” “The appointed time of God,” “The tumult of God,” “The slain of God” (4.6-7; cf. Dan. 10:6), and the like.
It is our contention that we cannot profit by the War Scroll manuscript unless we fully understand its connection to the Old and New Testament writings. In contradistinction to public opinion, our assiduous detective work shows that the king of the Kittim literally represents the God-Messiah in one form or another: as the slain of God or the Offering of God. Here is such an excerpt depicting the death of an anointed one:
“On the day when the Kittim fall there shall be a battle and horrible carnage … for it is a day appointed by Him [God] from ancient times as a battle of annihilation for the Sons of Darkness” (Column 1, Lines 9-10).
The aforesaid quote appears to reflect the terrible violence that will ensue in the aftermath of Christ’s death (cf. Luke 21:22; Dan. 7:21, 25). This prophetic story resonates in other spiritual traditions and personages as well. In short, a messianic figure dies, and then comes a horrible carnage:
“Mabus very soon then will die, [then] will come, A horrible undoing of people and animals, At once one will see vengeance…” (Nostradamus, The Prophecies, Century II, Quatrain 62, Translation by John Hogue).
Although most of the Nostradamus experts, like John Hogue, have mistakenly identified “Mabus” as Nostradamus’ 3rd and final Antichrist, the reality is that this figure actually represents Christ, as this underlying messianic theme is prevalent amongst many prophetic traditions. Accordingly, the word “Mabus” may not be an anagram at all, but rather an acronym derived from the Jewish tradition for Mašīaḥ Ben Yōsēf, the prophesied Messiah who will soon die after making an appearance on the world stage. Similarly, the Scriptures teach that the Antichrist will unleash apocalyptic horrors of such an unimaginable magnitude the world has never known (Matt. 24:21). Since the Antichrist will be infuriated by the manifestation of the Messiah, the intensification of this onslaught against the nations, and especially against all Christians, will be completely overwhelming (cf. Dan. 11:30). That this savage slaughter is not exclusively prophesied in the Bible is indicated by its inclusion in the 1QM (War Scroll):
“On the day of their battle against the Kittim, they shall go forth for carnage in battle” (Column 1, Lines 12-13).
One such paradigm can be found in the Apocalypse of John, commonly called the “book of Revelation,” where we find a book sealed up with seven seals, which has yet to be opened (Rev. 5:1). Teeming with fantastic glimpses of the coming apocalypse, the seven seals represent the great signs of the last days on earth. The book in question appears to hold all the secrets concerning these prophetic events and is itself connected to them. More importantly, the unveiling of its mysterious contents is somehow associated with the commencement of Armageddon, the last great battle of human history. Here is an example featuring a strong angel who puts forth a profound question: “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” (Rev. 5:2). An incorrect answer will ultimately lead to an utter misinterpretation of the entire Bible and its oracles. Fortunately, the correct answer is made explicit: “The Lion … has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals” (Rev. 5:5). Notice the phrasing of the previous sentence: “The Lion … has overcome so as to open the book.” In other words, “the Lion” – “the Root of David” (Rev. 5:5; 22:16) – is Christ, whose victory over death has something to do with the opening of this book of signs (Fruchtenbaum, Footsteps of the Messiah, 117). It will become increasingly clear that the content of the aforesaid quote is a metaphor for the Messiah initiating the final events on earth. After the aforesaid question is proclaimed, we encounter a scene taking place in heaven where a Lamb is standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes … sent out into all the earth (Rev. 5:6). Implicit in this eerily evocative phrase is the idea of “a resurrected individual” (Fruchtenbaum 117). The following verse reads: “And He [Jesus] came, and He took it [the little book] out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne” (Rev. 5:7). Pay particular attention to the fine print, as it were: And He came; but whence did he come? If Christ was already in heaven, as most people believe, he would have been holding the little book in advance. In contradistinction, we are first exposed to the powerful image of a slain lamb that is sent out into all the earth, and then we become privy to the information that Christ arrives in heaven in dramatic style to take the little book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne so as to initiate the coming apocalypse. The foregoing scriptural imagery is haunting in its directness as it attempts to disclose that Jesus is not in heaven during the last days of the world, but on the earth as the slain sacrificial Lamb of God (cf. Rev. 13:8). This messianic ascension theme is a throwback to the vision of the son of man in the book of Daniel:
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man [“bar enash” means human being], coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).
In addition, the little book which Christ obtains from the Father anticipates how the final apocalyptic events will eventually unfold once he initiates or breaks the seven seals (Rev. 6; 8). This scenario fits well within the overall apocalyptic context of the “great sign” of Revelation 12 in which an expected child will be born, devoured (killed), and will later be “caught up [ascend] to God and to his throne” (Rev. 12:1-5). Then Christ “broke one of the seven seals” (Rev. 6:1):
“Immediately I saw a white horse appear, and its rider was holding a bow; he was given a victor’s crown and he went away, to go from victory to victory” (Rev. 6:2, NJB).
The biblical term victory is intimately associated with Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, which ultimately results in the conquering of death itself (1 Cor. 15:54, 57), while the metaphor of the bow represents God’s covenant with the human race. The background to the latter symbol can be found in the writings of the Old Testament. In the wake of the great flood, the deity declares to Noah, the apparent savior of the human species:
“I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth” (Gen. 9:13).
Therefore, the first horseman of the Apocalypse (6:2), who is in possession of a bow (the covenant), is evidently none other than Christ himself (cf. Rev. 14:14). Irenaeus, a second century theologian, held the same view, namely, that the first rider of the white horse who is depicted as a peacemaker represents Jesus Christ (Mounce, Robert H, The Book of Revelation, 141). Here is another passage that introduces the prelude to this same event; it represents a deeply unsettling episode in world history:
“And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. … And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God” (Rev. 19:11-13).
The above phrase – “and behold, a white horse” – is identical to the one used in the book of Revelation chapter 6 and verse 2 concerning the first horseman of the Apocalypse. Just as the latter horseman conquered death, the former horseman (from Rev. 19:11-13) is “dipped in blood,” as both scenarios imply that he has been slain. Essentially, Revelation 6:2 and Revelation 19:11 appear to be two sides of the same coin. The composite biblical message indicates that Christ will be the first person to be revealed in the final days of the coming apocalypse. In point of fact, Revelation 19:11 provides more in-depth details into the specifics of Revelation 6:2.
Thus, we have the same story in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Bible), the War Scroll (Dead Sea Scrolls), and in Nostradamus (The Prophecies), namely, a Messiah (Mabus or Mašīaḥ Ben Yōsēf) will appear on earth and will soon die (cf. Rev. 12:4), followed by the appearance of the Antichrist and the horrible carnage of WWIII.
The rebirth of Israel represents, to use a popular phrase, the prophetic clock that started ticking on 14 May 1948 and which continues to wind down to zero so as to proclaim the appointed time of the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10). The rebirth of Israel marks a turning point in apocalyptic expectations, and Christ’s message concerning end time events seems to point toward this 1948 prophetic countdown:
“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matt. 24:34).
But what on earth does he mean by this? In order to comprehend this terse remark, we must inquire into the standard time limit of a biblical generation. The book of Psalms makes known that a generation is equal to 70 actual years (90:10). This 70 year timeline also points to Christ’s incarnation because after its completion God himself vows to walk the earth. Jeremiah prophesies: “For thus says the LORD, ‘When seventy years have been completed …, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you’” (29:10). This implies that somewhere toward the end of this lengthy time interval the Messiah will appear and intervene in human affairs. Compare Jeremiah’s prophecy to the seventy week prophecy of Daniel (Dan. 9:2, 24-25). Jesus is indicating that it will take one generation since the rebirth of Israel “until all these things take place” (Matt. 24:34; cf. 1 Thess. 4:15). Modern Israel, then, becomes the preeminent sign as regards the end of days. As to what might occur, we refer the reader to peruse certain key biblical sections – (See Ezek. 38; Dan. 7; 8; 9; 12; Matt. 24; Luke 17; 21; Rev. 9; 13; 19; 20) – among others, so as to gain a more comprehensive view of end time events. Suffice it to say that a great war is headed our way. Jesus warns us of the cataclysmic events that will soon occur during the winter of the great Sabbath (Matt. 24:20). That is when the heavenly signs will begin and all hell will break loose on earth:
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of [the] birth pangs” (Matt. 24:7-8).
According to Dr. Fruchtenbaum, a noted Bible scholar, this passage suggests “a world-wide conflict” such as “World War I” and “World War II” (63-64). Enter World War III (cf. Ezek. 38:4-9, 15-17; Rev. 6:4, 8; 9:14-19; 20:8)! This dire war will inevitably trigger the last great battle between Christ and Antichrist known as Armageddon (Rev. 16:16; 19:11-15). This is essentially the end-time road map. The Jewish sages say:
“If you shall see kingdoms rising against each other in turn, then give heed and note the footsteps of the Messiah.” —Bereshit Rabbah XLII: 4
Astoundingly, both the biblical and extra-biblical prophecies concerning the coming Messiah seem to converge in the latter half of the 2010 decade or thereabouts: the Mayan (their twenty-six-thousand-year cycle ended in 2012), the Sikh (in which, according to Sakhee 15th, the avatar or god man is said to appear after the year 2015), Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri’s prophecy (according to which the messiah will appear after Ariel Sharon’s death—or c. 2015); Malachy’s prophecy of the 112 Popes (Pope Francis being the last, according to experts, who was inducted in 2013); Daniel’s Seventy-Weeks prophecy (in which Messiah is said to appear approximately seventy years after the restoration of Israel: 1948+70=2018); Vilna Gaon’s prophecy, which predicts the Russian invasion of Crimea as a sign of the coming Messiah; Judah Ben Samuel’s prediction of the Messiah appearing after 2017; the Four Blood Moons that fell on Jewish holy days (recent apocalyptic omens that culminated in 2015), the two total solar eclipses that occurred in the span of about seven years (2017 & 2024), and many more. Therefore, the arrival of the Messiah is imminent!
To sum up, both the biblical and extra-biblical prophecies indicate that the latter half of the 2010 decade & the beginning of the 2020 decade are of extreme importance to all the inhabitants of the earth because it is during this time that the long-awaited Messiah will appear to change the course of human history. There is overwhelming evidence that the 2010/2020 decades are the Messianic decades, as we are told in one prophecy after another! Apparently, we are the messianic generation that the prophets of old longed to see. The signs are everywhere:
“But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase” (Daniel 12:4).
In conclusion, the underlying theme prevalent amongst all of the aforementioned spiritual traditions is that the Messiah will be the first person to be revealed on the world stage, and will soon be killed. In other words, the Antichrist will not be revealed unless the Messiah’s death precedes this event (2 Thess. 2:1-9). Then a horrible carnage will ensue the likes of which the world has never known (Dan. 12:1, Matt. 24:21). According to Daniel and the prophecies of Jesus, the end will come roughly 70 years after the restoration of Israel, or one generation thereafter. Since seventy years after the restoration of Israel (1948) brings us to the year 2018, we must therefore consider ourselves as being part of that prophesied last generation.
The apocalyptic biblical theme of a full-scale Russian invasion at the end of days (the so-called Gog Magog war) carries a lot of weight with prophecy scholars and is one of the most intriguing prophecies of the Bible. Russia's war with the west, its increasing military presence in the Levant, coupled with the rising number of its Muslim allies proves that the Gog Magog war of Ezekiel is coming true! The Russian invasion of Ukraine, coupled with the current war between Israel and Iran, might indicate that the beginning of the Gog Magog War is close at hand! There’s no doubt about it, a Great War is brewing in the Middle East, which will soon trigger a world war. In fact, the Bible predicts a nuclear war (cf. Zech. 14:12) in the end times that will kill over 2 billion people. According to a recent article entitled NATO vs. Russia War Could Begin Today Or Tomorrow, “Russia is actively preparing for a conflict with NATO, and NATO is preparing for a possible confrontation with Russia.” According to The Guardian, The US plans to retaliate against Russian expansion. So, how close are we to the Gog Magog War? We “know that it is near, right at the door” (Matt. 24:33) because NATO & the US are on the precipice of a major conflict with Russia!
