Chapter 4: WHY do they invade? - Part C

In other places, God confirms He is the one who sovereignly sets the stage: “You will be summoned” (38:8), “I will bring you against My Land” (38:16), “I will turn you around, drive you on, take you up . . . and bring you against the mountains of Israel” (39:2). Is God violating the will of these invaders by bringing them into Israel? No. They want to come. They: “devise an evil plan,” and God holds them responsible for it (38:10). Nothing here diminishes human responsibility. The point is God is ultimately and finally in control.

Other nations will certainly see and know what Russia’s real motive is (to take control of the wealth of the Middle-East), and what is really going on and they will register a protest, but it seems that is all they do. They certainly don’t declare war on Russia and her allies:

Ezekiel 38:13: “SHEBA, DEDAN (the Arabian States, who presently allied with the West, and whose own existence would be threatened by Russia and Iran taking control of the Middle-East) the Merchants of TARSHISH (WESTERN EUROPE, especially the UK. These were nations the seafaring Phoenicians traded with to the far west of the known world, including Spain and the British Isles), and ALL their young LIONS (their historic Colonies, including the USA, Australia, Canada and the Commonwealth) will say to you: 

“Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder (the spoils of war)?” 

It is interesting and amazing that these protesting nations also are currently aligned exactly as Ezekiel’s Prophecy requires, implying that the conditions are ripe and the time is near! 

Who are these nations that greet force with mere diplomacy? 
Sheba and Dedan represent the ARABIAN States led by Saudi Arabia. Although are very Muslim, they are allied with the West against Russia and Iran, and would oppose their invasion of Israel. They would be against Russia and Iran gaining control of the Middle-East, because they would then come under their dominance, and even be their next target, with the USA losing its main ally in the region.

The other main protesters are the WESTERN democracies, aptly described as the Lions of TARSHISH (the region to the far WEST of Israel), just as you would expect from the current international scene, for the West would now immediately lose all her influence and power in the Middle-East, thus losing control over its Oil Supplies. This would make the West highly dependant and weaken it greatly.

Tarshish were ancient trading nations in the far west, believed by many Bible scholars to refer to Great Britain and Spain. But it is not just ‘Tarshish’ but “Tarshish and her young lions (or strong lions).” This is a Hebrew idiom describing the colonies. The symbol for Britain is a lion, and so her young lions are her (former) colonies. Thus America, Canada, Australia, and other western democracies are the ‘cubs’ of Great Britain and Spain. These will oppose Russia and object to her actions. This is in agreement with the political situation today. The very East-West division of power that we see today is perfectly reflected in Ezekiel’s Prophecy.

Unfortunately for Israel, instead of meeting force with force, the western democracies will meet the invasion with diplomacy. Instead of sending help at the moment when Israel needs the support of her allies, they will send a diplomatic note (perhaps through the UN) that simply questions the motives of Russia and her hordes. They clearly see that Russia’s motive is for wealth and power, but all they do is lodge a weak protest. Due to the speed of this invasion, their only alternative is to threaten to go to war unless the invading armies retreated immediately, but they do not have the nerve as that would mean World War 3, which would probably be nuclear. Thus it will not be the West that responds with force to this unprovoked attack. The superpower that intervenes to save Israel in her greatest hour of need will be her great Defender, the God of Abraham. It does not go beyond the protest stage, for Russia succeeds in invading, but then the invading army is quickly disposed of with no help from the protesters.

This may be the most breathtaking, dramatic moment in the history of modern Israel. Until this time, Israel could depend at least on the USA (in 2010, President Obama said the USA would no longer automatically back Israel). Israel’s sin now is trusting in the USA, rather than God to defend her, but in this crisis, none of her allies act to rescue her. All they are able to do is to launch a mild protest. The invasion will initially seem to be successful. Israel will be overwhelmed with no one to help, so now only God can save them. In this crisis, Israel will have no choice but to turn to her God for her deliverance. Then He will show Himself strong for Israel, and He will be glorified as a result, and many in Israel and the nations will come to faith in Him.

Of course, the primary reason why Russia will invade Israel is that God has decreed it (Ezekiel 38:3-4, 8,10; 39:2), because it is time for the Judgement of anti-Semitic Russia and Islam. God will pour out His wrath upon them not only to demonstrate His power, but also to heap judgement on those who have persecuted human beings, especially Israel. God has proclaimed that He raises up who He will and puts down whom He will (Ezekiel 21:26; Daniel 4:34-35). These events will happen so “they will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 39:6,7, 28). The purpose of God's Judgement is to cause Israel and the nations: “to know that I am the Lord” (repeated over 65 times in Ezekiel). The Islamic nations will realise that God has intervened against them, causing a crisis of faith, and a turning to the true God (the God of the Bible, the God of Israel, Yahweh - not Allah, the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ). 

Thus the ultimate purpose of this Battle and Judgement is to lead many men and women to see the glory, majesty and sovereignty of God, so that they turn to Him and come to know who He really is. This will be a major factor of the final soul-harvest of the Church-Age.