Christian archeologist Dr. Jeffrey Goodman in his book “THE
COMETS OF GOD” pokes a big hole in
the theory long held by most
evangelical Christians that Russia will be one of the bad guys during the end
times. Based on misconceptions about
Russia’s origins, many evangelicals believe Russia is to be
the evil empire of Ezekiel 38-39 that is to attack Israel during the end times. Goodman says this error about Russia
has the potential to create an international
misunderstanding that could provoke unwarranted political action.
Most end times Bible prophecy authors wrongly believe that Russia’s
origins trace back to the ancient nation of “Magog” of western Asia Minor, and that Magog was the ancient
“tribal name” of the “Scythians.” The
“Scythians” were a group of nomadic tribes from Central Asia traveled
across the Russian steppes, and came to live in the territory north of the
Black Sea. The erroneous belief that Russia is Magog from Ezekiel
38/39 can be traced back to a small group of 18th and 19th
century theologians who based their assertions on historical references that
had been purposefully altered. These altered references include
statements attributed to the Jewish historian Josephus, and the Roman historian
Pliny. Within academia today, no
professional archeologists or historians or serious Bible researchers associate
Magog with the Scythians or the Scythians with the Russians. The truth is that modern scholars have unequivocally
documented that a group of Scandinavian Viking traders called the Rus began the Russian state during the mid AD 800’s, and gave their
name to Russia.
So if Russia is not Magog of end times Bible prophecy, who
is? Dr. Goodman says archeologists and
historians know the correct identity of the nations of Ezekiel
38-39 based on the dealings these ancient nations had with the Assyrian Royal Court. Records
of the ancient Assyrian Royal Court talk about these ancient nations the same way
that the Bible does. Based on the Assyrian records, archeologists
recognize the Bible’s Gog as a historical militant king who indeed led a
multinational force that included the nations of Mesheck and Tubal, as called
for in Ezekiel 38-39. Gog of Magog means
“Gog of the land of Gog” and the Assyrian
records identify this land as Lydia of
western Asia Minor. To the Greeks Gog
was known as Gyges of Lydia.
Goodman says that
since Gog, Lydia (Magog) and their confederates no longer exist, Ezekiel 38-39 uses them as “historical types” of those
who are to be involved in the end times battle described in Ezekiel 38-39. As King David is used as a type of the
Messiah, Gog is used as a type of the antichrist. The Bible says this battle is
to take place in the mountains (Ezekiel 38:8, 21 and Ezekiel 39:2, 4, 17) where
God fights for Israel and reveals Himself to Israel. Moreover, the Bible’s books of Daniel and
Revelation both indicate that a revived Roman Empire (in essence) will be
involved in such a battle.
Dr. Goodman explains that there is a
connection between ancient Lydia and ancient Rome. Historians know migrants from Lydia called the Etruscans took control of the population of central Italy and put
them on the fast track to becoming the powerful Roman Empire.
The Etruscans were responsible for the urbanization of Rome, as well
as its army and its economic advancement. The Penguin Dictionary of Archeology
says “the influence of the Etruscans on Roman civilization was enormous.” In the Fifth century BC the famed Greek
historian Herodotus told how the Etruscans came to Italy as a result of a migration from Lydia. From fancy pottery
to oriental style burial tombs, the culture of Lydia was lifted and replanted in Tuscany, north of the city of
Rome. As Gog’s descendents became the Kings of Lydia, their Etruscan cousins became the monarchs or Kings of
Rome, and they even used the word “Etruria” as a synonym for Italy.
The historical record shows a clear connection between Magog (an
eponym for Lydia) and what the Bible says will be the final expression of Roman
Empire, since an Etruscan last sat on the throne of Rome before it became a
Republic, and the Etruscan right to rule traces back to Lydia.
For details and illustrations please go to FREE DOWNLOADS at www.thecometsofgod.com
and see “Russia is Not Magog” and “Armageddon, Magog and the War of Ezekiel
38/39.”