A Great Battle is Brewing

By Gary Fisher

One great interesting feature in Bible prophecy is the battle that is described in Ezekiel 38 & 39! Bible prophecy students for centuries have examined this prophecy that talks of the future invasion of Israel by Russia and Iran along with a few other nations. Of particular interest is the fact that God will miraculously judge this invading army. Ezekiel 39:4 says that God will feed this invading army to the ravenous birds.

On a trip to Israel in December of 2005, I discovered something there that I had never had the luxury of observing before. Our tour guide had the bus driver stop at an out-of-the-way place up on the Golan Heights. At this particular site in the northern part of Israel, our tour guide asked us to join him for a walk from the bus. We walked until we reached an overlook where several high hilltops could be viewed. Soaring from one hilltop to another and sometimes above us were large vultures with about seven-foot wingspans. The guide told us that these vultures had taken up residence in Israel and had been there for years, but in the last few years, for some unexplained reason, they have started multiplying at a rapid rate. We opened and read Ezekiel 38 & 39 and shared with the tour group that God was preparing the birds mentioned there. How awesome this moment was! There before us was evidence that God was already gathering the birds for this great battle.

Inspired by this experience, I decided to do some research when I arrived back home. I reasoned that it was going to take a lot more birds of prey for the task described in Ezekiel 39 than what we observed on the Golan Heights that day and to consider that we might be so close to this great battle, then there would be evidence of many more birds presently in Israel. What I discovered was just as amazing as observing the vultures that day!

By visiting a couple of websites at my office computer, I found that Israel has become the major flyway for all kinds of birds that migrate between Africa, Asia, and Europe. This becomes more meaningful to realize that the birds now stop in Israel whereas before there was no reason for them to stop because the land was desolate some fifty or so years ago. Because of agricultural efforts, Israel has since become a land of plenty. As a result, Israel now has small agricultural animals, wildlife, and fish that are raised in ponds that would be attractive to the birds and give plenty of reason to stop and linger in Israel. Surprisingly, but accordingly, over one million raptors were observed in Israel during 2005! Among them were the Honey Buzzard, Levant Sparrowhawk, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle,Steppe Buzzard, Black Kite, and others. For verification of this, seethe following websites:

http://www.science.co.il/Birding/Yizrael.asp
http://www.birdcare.com/bin/shownews/26

Not only are the birds taking their place for the fulfillment of the Ezekiel 38 & 39 prophecy, but the political situation is lining up as well. Russia is allied with Iran and supports Iran's efforts to become a nuclear power and has a history of being very anti-Israel. Russia has also invited Hamas, a terrorist organization against Israel, after winning seats in the recent Palestinian Authority elections, to Moscow for diplomatic talks. This places Russia as having a political ally inside Israel that is hostile to Israel. Also, Iran is working defiantly against the United Nation's desires to become a nuclear power and at the same time saying that Israel must be "wiped off the map". It is estimated that soon Iran will have the ability to build a nuclear bomb that Israel is sure will be used against them.

Israel cannot allow Hamas to take up a stronghold in the heartland of Israel and use it a staging ground for more suicide bombings against the people of Israel. Also, Israel cannot afford to quietly stand by and watch Iran build nuclear weapons. If Israel soon retaliates against either, will this be the catalyst that brings Russia and her allies listed in Ezekiel 38:5&6 against Israel?

How soon all these things might take place is not evident but there are certain things concerning the Ezekiel 38 & 39 prophecy that are taking shape. The people of Israel, after almost nineteen centuries of being dispersed all over the world, are now returning to the land and Israel is now functioning as a country again. Russia has taken her place as a major military power and is located to the north of Israel just as Ezekiel 38:2 says and is allied with the countries listed in Ezekiel38:5&6 including Iran (Persia). Iran has emerged as one of Israel's most threatening enemies and is telling the world they will "wipe Israel from the map". Then, there are the birds. Why are they showing up now? Is the Ezekiel 38 & 39 battle soon to take place?

Seeing all of these things developing can only mean one thing, that we are living in the last of the last days and Jesus is coming soon. The prophecies that are to precede His coming are lining up. The stage is being set. All of the players are taking their places. The curtain is about to rise and will take many by surprise.

People be aware! God is "about to act" (Ezekiel 36:22)! It is a good time to be right with Him and, if not right, there is no better time to get right! Romans 10:9 is the place to start. It says, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved".