A few days ago on July 25th an article appeared in the Israel Unwired online website. The headliner read “The Emerging Unholy Alliance between Russia, Turkey and Iran.” Part of the article said; “Less than a week after U.S. President Joe Biden left the Middle East following a visit that focused on the informal Israeli-Sunni Arab alliance in the region, Russian President Vladimir Putin boarded a plane to Iran, the leader of the opposing Shi’ite axis. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey joined the summit in Tehran. The three regimes represented in Tehran are not friends of the West.
Russia is engaged in a brutal war against Ukraine and dishes out threats to European countries on a weekly basis. Iran funds terrorist proxies across the Middle East, has a robust nuclear weapons project, and has stated many times that it seeks the complete annihilation of the United States and Israel. Finally, Turkey has proven itself an unreliable partner of the West on core issues such as sanctions on Russia, use of Russian defence systems, support for malign Iranian activities and more.
Putin’s summit has worrying implications for the Middle East. It appears that an anti-American alliance is forming at the behest of Russia and China, and it includes Iran and its terrorist proxies. As a result, Iran could soon find itself comfortably exporting oil and weapons and attracting foreign investments, despite Western sanctions. It might well become self-sufficient within its bloc of allies, leaving the West unable to pressure Iran on its nuclear program and other malfeasances. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan revealed last week that Iran already feels emboldened enough to send sophisticated weapons systems to Russia. Putin said last week in Tehran that Russia-Iran relations “are developing at a good pace,” adding that the countries can “boast of record figures in terms of trade growth, including the strengthening of cooperation on international security issues.”
While the western leaders of the free world democracies are alarmed by what is transpiring with this “Unholy Trinity” God still has everything under control. Has He not said; “Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish’” (Isaiah 46:9-10). As the prophet Daniel writes; “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them” (Daniel 2:20-21a).
God knows the beginning from the end because He is eternal and inhabits eternity where time as we know it down here on earth does not exist. In His Word the Bible He has revealed what will happen at the end of this present age because He knows the end from the beginning. In Ezekiel Chapter 38-39 we have revealed the end-time invasion of Israel by the armies of the Antichrist and their demise which we also see clearly described in the prophets Joel, Micah, Isaiah and Zechariah. In Ezekiel Chapter 38:1-6 we see the nations listed that will be in the invading army.
Now most prophecy teachers since the late 19th Century have seen Russia as the nation that will lead the end-time invasion force against Israel and prophecy teachers today who hold to this position believe that this unholy alliance that has amalgamated will be the ones who will orchestrate the invasion of Israel led by Russia. However, six out of the eight regions listed in Ezekiel Chapter 38:1-6 are located within the boundaries of modern day Turkey as you will see marked on ancient maps of the Middle-East. Gog is the Antichrist and Magog the region from which he comes is located in modern day Turkey. It will be Turkey and not Russia that leads the end-time invasion of Israel. There may well be a Russian contingent supporting the Islamic armies. The other regions mentioned are Iran, Sudan, Somalia and Libya and also may include Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania. All of the geographical regions mentioned in Ezekiel Chapter 38:1-6 are entirely Muslim today.
At present Russia is engaged in a war with Ukraine and there is no doubt Putin’s invasion of this country will not stop there. At present Syria is on the Russian ‘radar’ as it were but at present the war with Ukraine is occupying the Russian hierarchy. It is highly possible that the war will expand and we will see another world war emerge on European soil which undoubtedly would see primarily other western nations drawn into the conflict to resist Russian aggression and expansionism. When Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and started its move into Europe other nations were drawn into the conflagration.
Today with the nuclear arsenal of major nations the stakes are much higher, and the collateral damage and wholesale destruction of cities that would occur in nuclear exchanges beggars belief, especially when one watches the film footage of the terrible widespread devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the nuclear bombs dropped on those cities. Today the destructive power of nuclear weapons far exceeds the power of those early nuclear bombs on dropped on Japan in 1945.
It would seem that Putin may well be prepared to use nuclear weapons if he is opposed by European nations or America for that matter. Putin also knows that he has Russia’s alliance with China. As for China its expansionist agenda it would seem is targeting the nations located in the indo and Asia pacific regions and of course Australia is also in the Asia Pacific region and an isolated country. If China does invade Taiwan will America, Japan, South Korea or Australia go to Taiwan’s defence as promised? Everyone is looking to America but with the Biden regime’s fiasco in the withdrawal of American defence forces from Afghanistan, and his consistent insistence on dealing with Iran ‘diplomatically,’ Iran, China and Russia and the whole Muslim world for that matter are ‘laughing up their sleeve’ as it were, at American indolence. It would not be beyond the possibility of seeing missile strikes on American cities!
As for the Middle East the entire region is Muslim and Israel is the sticking point with the whole Muslim world including the Arab kingdoms on the Saudi Arabian Peninsula, not to mention Iran’s militant hate of Israel. Islam cannot change. As it is written “Babylon cannot be healed.” Even though the seemingly ‘moderate’ Arab kingdoms on the Saudi Peninsula are favourable to Israel, at their very core they are Islamic and in a time of Jihad they would not stand with Israel. In fact when Israel is attacked by the Muslim nations of the Islamic Antichrist the Arab states on the Saudi Peninsula will watch from the sidelines (Ezekiel 38:13). Daniel’s prophecies all came true in past history and so his prophecies about the future will also come true. His prophecies have proved to be entirely accurate historically because God has said; “I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come.”
We also know from Revelation Chapter 9:13-21 that there will an army of 200 million mounted troops that will come across the Euphrates River and by their firepower kill a third of mankind. It may well be that when a major world war erupts in Europe with Russian and China pitted against America and the continent of Europe that a major war will break out in the Middle-East and this middle-eastern army will have its major goal as the conquest of Israel including the occupation of Jerusalem itself.
And so we are told by our Lord Jesus; “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short” (Matthew 24:21-22).
The world’s worst unimaginable nightmare is coming. In an instant of time everything will change! The clock is about to strike midnight! How far off this is we cannot tell, but the way the nations are stirring with militant intent on their agendas it is only a matter of time before all hell erupts on earth and time is rapidly running out!
What should our response be as the Bride of the Messiah? Well our Lord Jesus also tells us; “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Our hope is not in this world but in the Second Coming of the Messiah our Lord Jesus and that we should be eagerly awaiting His return and preparing ourselves to meet Him as a bride prepares herself for her wedding day! As it is written; “The Messiah was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him” (Hebrews 9:28).
When He returns He will come for a bride without spot or blemish, having been washed in His blood, sealed with His Spirit, clothed with the garments of salvation, and with the robe of His righteousness, having made her-self ready for the wedding feast! (Revelation 19:6-9) (Matthew 8:11). As New Covenant believers the challenge to us right now is are we eagerly awaiting His arrival?
