Each week we like to focus for a few minutes on Bible prophecy. For one thing, as Christians we are encouraged to understand the times in which we live, and act accordingly.
The apostle Paul encourages us that, “Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11 NLT).
The subject of prophecy takes-up about 30% of the Bible. Scholars estimate there are somewhere around 500 unfulfilled last-days prophecies. Since we know they will be fulfilled, we should be able to look around us, in the news, and see trends in the direction the prophecies predict.
One of the more well-known prophecies is found in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 38, God foretold that in the latter days, there would be a major military attack against the tiny State of Israel in their homeland once Israel would be restored. God indicated that military attack would be comprised of the armies of six nations as they were known back in Ezekiel’s day.
One of those nations is named Gomer. In Ezekiel’s day, Gomer was a tribal group of people who were located in the central part of what you and I know today as the nation of Turkey.
Another nation named by Ezekiel is “the house of Togarmah of the north quarters.” In Ezekiel’s day Togarmah was a tribal group of people who were located in the eastern part of what you and I know today as Turkey.
Gog is yet another nation on the list. Many argue it is Russia, but there is evidence that Gog, too, is a people who settled in Turkey.
In other words – Turkey is a major force in the prophesied invasion of Israel.
One commentator stated,
Since the end of World War II Turkey, although it’s a Muslim nation, has had basically a secular government that has allied itself with the Western nations of the world. But that is now radically changing.
What are some of the changes? Turkey’s President Erdogen (pronounced Ur-da-wun) has reiterated on several occasions his ambition to resurrect the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire he speaks of is the same that committed genocide against more than one million Armenians in the wake of the Ottomans’ defeat at the end of World War I. In late October 2014 he stated it was his “grand design to recreate the Ottoman caliphate.” A caliphate is someone appointed by God to lead of all of Islam under a just system of Sharia governance.
One writer said, “No one should dismiss Erdogan’s (Ur-da-wun‘s) yet hidden illusion to commit genocide against the Jews in Israel. Erdogan (Ur-da-wun) is dangerous because he is insane enough not only to think in these incomprehensible terms, but to act on them on numerous fronts, as he is now doing.”
One of the articles I read was titled, “Army Of Islam”: Erdogan’s (Ur-da-wun’s) Plot Against Israel.
Excerpts:
Less than a month ago, in advance of the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, the Turkish daily Yeni Şafak, which is considered one of the mouthpieces of Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), published an article entitled “A Call for Urgent Action.” The same article was also published on the newspaper’s website with the more explicit title, “What if an Army of Islam was Formed Against Israel?” The article openly called on the 57 member states of the OIC to form a joint “Army of Islam” to simultaneously attack Israel from the east, west, north, and south.
According to Israel’s Shin Bet, the source of the article appears to be the Turkish company SADAT, which among other sinister plots is aiding Hamas with funds and military gear to create a “Palestinian” army to join in the fight against Israel.
The idea of creating an “Army of Islam” to destroy Israel was accompanied by an interactive map providing formation of military forces for a joint Muslim attack on Israel. It also provides details on military forces based in various locations and the role they can play to execute their scheme.
https://m.jpost.com/Blogs/Above-the-Fray/Army-Of-Islam-Erdogans-Plot-Against-Israel-546704
That sounds pretty much like Ezekiel 38… Which is exactly what you expect from a futurist, literal reading of unfulfilled End Times prophecy.
You’d mostly expect that Jesus could return at any moment.
Jesus promised He’d return to rapture His church – which entails the resurrection of the dead in Christ of the Church Age, then the translation from earth to Heaven of all living believers.
It is presented in the Bible as an imminent (any-moment) event.
Are you ready for the rapture? If not, get ready, stay ready, and keep looking up. Ready or not, Jesus is coming!