For years I have wondered what Scripture meant when it says God will put a hook in Russia and have them with other nations attack Israel. This second week of October, 2015 Israel announced a massive oil reserve has been located in the Golan Heights. This is the land that they captured from Syria in the war of 1967. At this time they do not know the total amount of oil or the quality. Scripture says it will be huge. There is also a massive natural gas reserve off the coast of Israel in the Mediterranean Sea.

Isaiah 45:3 – “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”

Approximately 70% of Russia’s income comes from oil and natural gas exports. They supply a large part of oil and natural gas to Eastern Europe and others. What if Israel were to compete with Russia and Muslim’s oil producing nations? Russia, Iran and Syria would claim that the Golan Heights rightfully belonged to Syria. I assume the United Nations would agree. They believe they have every right to attack Israel to recapture lost land. It is not Syria’s land; the Bible says it is God’s land given to Israel.

Ezekiel 38:1–10 – “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you. ‘‘Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land. ‘‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme.”

Magog is identified as Russia and Meshech is Moscow and Tubal is Tubalsk. We must keep in mind that this is Biblical interpretation and not everyone agrees. In fact most of the world would not agree. Otherwise, nations would leave Israel alone. It is very clear that God is going to protect Israel and nations are going to try to destroy them. If this does not happen then the Bible has been very misleading and I can’t accept that. We also know this all happens after Israel becomes a nation as it did in 1948, over 1800 years without being a nation.

During this war, God will make Himself known. Ezekiel 38:23 – “And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” It is starting to make sense. Oil and natural gas, which is the hook that God describes, that is the resources that will start the war against Israel. This is not something that might happen; it is what God says He will make happen. As a result, He will make Himself known and His holiness and greatness will be seen.

God waits until the Armies led by Russia touch covenant land before He stops them. That is when prophecy states He must stop them to keep His promise to Israel. The destruction takes place on the Mountains of Israel, we assume the Golan Heights. Ezekiel 38:21–22 – “I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.” This almost sounds like a nuclear attack.

Damascus is the capital of Syria. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. It reads like Israel will defeat both Syria and Egypt. Damascus will become a heap of ruins indicating that it could also be destroyed by use of nuclear weapons.

Russia has hugely increased their defense budget, including new aircraft, rockets and the size of their army. The Iranian believes it is their duty to prepare the way for the Islamic messiah by destroying the Jews and Christians. Thus, they have vowed to annihilate the US and Israel and are preparing their military and nuclear weapons to accomplish that.

We learn in Ezekiel 39:1 – 6 – “Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD. I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coast-lands, and they will know that I am the LORD.”

These attacks on Israel will prove that God protects Israel because they come out victorious. You would think that these nations would read the Bible and realize the outcome. Remember how hard the heart of the Pharaoh was in his confrontation with Moses? God did everything to prove Himself but Pharaoh rejected all evidence. The Radical Muslims do not believe in the Judeo-Christian’s God or His Word and also reject all evidence.

If you read and believe the Bible, you must see that things are in place to fulfill prophecy. No one knows the day or the hour. However, the discovery of oil in the Golan Heights draws the warring parties closer to attacking. Since God will cause it, as the Bible states, it all depends on His timing for the Rapture of Christians and the 1000 years of Christ’s rule on earth. The churches’ mission is to spread the Gospel as God does not wish that any should perish. All Christians have a responsibility to witness to their relatives, friends and neighbors. You need not share the above information: Just tell them what Christ has done in your life. Don’t be one of those Christians that Christ says: “I never knew you.” Matthew 7:21-23 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”