In Ezekiel chapter 38, we get a picture of what the nations are doing just before the Lord Jesus Christ visibly returns to establish his Kingdom in Jerusalem.

We know the prophecy is set in our day for it is clear that it takes place after the Jewish people have returned to their land. This has occurred in recent times - notably from 1948 onwards when the modern state of Israel was announced.

There are two groups of nations mentioned by their ancient names.

Group one is detailed in verses 1-6. It’s made up of the following (and we’ve give their general modern equivalents):

• Magog - Eastern European nations
  
• Rosh, Meshech, Tubal - Russia
  
• Persia - Iran
  
• Ethiopia and Libya - African nations
  
• Gomer - Western European nations
  
• The house of Togarmah - Turkic nations
  

We see this group at war with God’s people of Israel. They are headed up by a mysterious character, called in the prophecy, “Gog”. The prophecy says of this group “thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:”

Then there is another group mentioned. This second Group is in verse 13 of the prophecy. Again we’ve given their ancient names as listed in the prophecy and their modern equivalents:

• Sheba - Yemen
• Dedan - Saudi Arabia
• Tarshish - UK
• Young Lions of Tarshish - Britains independent colonies (e.g. America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc).

This group are not with the invading force which comes against the people of Israel. This group in fact challenge the invader, boldly asking “Art thou come to take a spoil?”.

Our Modern World

This being the case we look up from the pages of scripture and review the current world state.

We can see many of the pieces of this prophecy in place. The Jews are back in their land and this is causing international upset. We see a powerful and aggressive Russia allied with Iran and many African nations.

But when it comes to Europe we see Russia at war in Ukraine - one of the areas which would come within the ancient Scythian territory of Magog. We see the Western European powers very anti-Russia at the moment. And we see a NATO alliance, backed by America.

It would appear from the prophecies of Ezekiel 38 that this will all change soon. That Europe will stop its resistance to Russia and will eventually follow her. That the NATO alliance will fail. Because the destiny of the UK and her great ally the United States will be to unite to trade in the gulf. And that militarily and economically the future of the nations of Europe are to be intertwined with that of Russia.

Biden and NATO

So what’s happening in America? The new British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, visited on the 11th July. The BBC ran a headline “UK-US relations 'strong' says PM as he meets Biden”. Within the article it stated: “UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says his first face-to-face talks with US President Joe Biden were an opportunity to "recommit" to Nato and the "special relationship" between the UK and US.” The two leaders met in Washington and had attended a Nato summit there. 

The outcome of the summit was reported by the BBC in an article entitled “Nato vows 'irreversible path' to Ukraine membership”. The report said “The ongoing invasion of Ukraine was top of the agenda at Nato's summit, and a declaration agreed by all members said Russia "remains the most significant and direct threat" to security… Mr Biden [The US President] used the summit to reaffirm his support for Ukraine and call for more defence investment from other members which have lagged behind on spending. He said Russia was on a "wartime footing" in terms of defence production with support from China, North Korea and Iran - and leaders "cannot allow the alliance to fall behind". "We can and will defend every inch of Nato territory", the president added.”

But that is Joe Biden, the current US president. And by all accounts one who is struggling with age. It is unlikely at 81 he will be able to see out another term in office. But in the wings is Donald Trump.

The return of Trump

This week Trump officially became the Republican nominee for president. On the 13th July, while addressing a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt as he was shot at and his ear injured. It may be there is still work for Trump to do.

His attitude to NATO seems quite different to Biden. He has long called into question why America so heavily funds NATO and had threatened to withdraw from the alliance when he was previously in office. 

In another report by the BBC entitled “US allies try to 'Trump-proof' Nato - but is that even possible?” the article stated: 
“Only one US president has been at the Nato summit in Washington this week, but the shadow of another - his predecessor - has loomed over this meeting of the world's most powerful military alliance.
While the host Joe Biden has presided over a message of unity from the group's 32 members, the Nato-sceptic views of his rival for power, Donald Trump, have imbued conversations here with an urgency and an anxiety.” 
“The Republican's election as president in November "could change everything”, the diplomat said. The fact that Mr Biden has been trying to fend off a political crisis over his frailty has only sharpened the sense that a second Trump term could bring far-reaching changes to an alliance forged in the ashes of the World War Two and still reliant on hard US military power to deter adversaries.”

This rhetoric has also been fuelled by Trump’s recent selection of James Vance as his running mate and vice president. Sky News ran a report on this on the 16th of July. It stated:
“The choice of JD Vance - an arch critic of US aid to Ukraine and of American taxpayers bankrolling European security - as Donald Trump's running mate signals a "very significant shift" in US foreign policy should they win the election, defence insiders say. The 39-year-old Republican senator, a former Marine and relative political novice, could well be the next vice-president of the US come January. It means his views on foreign affairs, expressed in multiple interviews, articles and speeches, are being studied with a new intensity. They reveal - in line with his boss - a forceful push to put America first even at the expense of old alliances, such as the transatlantic NATO bond as well as the West's fight to counter Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.”

It seems then that if, in November, Trump becomes president things could change swiftly in Europe and perhaps Russian dominance will indeed be something which occurs - either by military or political means - setting the scene for the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 to unfold.

The coming Kingdom of God

So. We observe. We watch. We take note of the news with our Bibles in hand. We might not know all the steps but we see the signs that God’s plan will shortly come to pass and that all of these events are moving the world into the groups of nations the prophets of old set out in the scriptures. 

How this world of conflict and suffering needs the Lord Jesus Christ to return. Of him it is said in Psalm 72:
“He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.”

This has been Matt Davies joining you. Come back again next week God willing for another Bible in the News.