CHAPTER 23
GOG-MAGOG
SCENARIO
King of the South:
Egypt, Sudan & Libya
Vs.
“The Willful
King”
By Doug Krieger
Pergamos Ministries
The Tribulation Network
www.the-tribulation-network.com
“Then
the king (a.k.a., Antichrist, the leader of Western Civilization) shall
do according to his own will (i.e., “the Willful King”): he shall exalt and
magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies 
against
the God of gods . . . At the time of the end the king of the
South shall attack him (“The Willful King”) . . . and the king of the
North shall come against him (“The Willful King”) . . . he (Antichrist;
a.k.a., “The Willful King”) shall stretch out his hand against the countries,
and the land of Egypt (a.k.a., the “King of the South”) shall not escape”
(Daniel 11:36, 40A, 42).
THE
GOG-MAGOG SCENARIO
During
the past week, we have presented a series of articles outlining the prophetical
events and participants surrounding the final conflict prior to, or immediately
following, the commencement of Daniel’s 70th Week, which shall be
signified by the signing of the infamous “Treaty with Death and Sheol” by that
final figure who shall present himself as Israel’s “Deliverer” and
“Protector”—having vanquished Gog’s armies (a.k.a., Magog) in a stunning
military defeat against Gog’s Northern Alliance (“King of the North”) and the
Southern Confederacy as (a.k.a., “The King of the South”).
Again, the focus of this horrific
conflagration as witnessed through Ezekiel’s prophetic utterances in chapters 38
and 39 of his text is
Israel; whereas, the
focus of Gog’s outrage in Daniel 11:40-45 is Antichrist. Initially, the
“King of the South” “shall attack him,” and then in a colossal pincer movement,
the “King of the North,” “shall come up against him like a whirlwind, with
chariots, horsemen, and with many ships.” The nations aligned with Gog from the
north, as we outlined in our previous article, are ancient designations
primarily within Turkey,
and, of course, primarily in modern; whereas the “southern strategy” of Gog
(a.k.a., “King of the South”) is dominated by
Egypt
in Daniel 11:43.
Egypt’s
participation in the Gog-Magog incursion is substantiated by Put (Libya)
and Cush (Sudan).
Both these ancient lands are mentioned in Ezekiel 38:5 (where Israel is the
target of the attack) and, in context with
Egypt,
in Daniel 11:43 (where Antichrist is the focus of the onslaught). The name of
“Egypt” in Ezekiel 38 is not absent; historically, the “King of the South” in
the context of Daniel 11 is, of course, “heading up” the “Southern
Confederation” (i.e.,
The House of Ptolemy, the Greek-Macedonian) is well known to be domiciled in
Egypt; and, in the context of the Maccabean revolt and of Daniel’s immediate
understanding of the “early prophetic fulfillment” (i.e., pitting the
Ptolemy/Egyptian dynasty against that of Antiochus/Syrian) it would be
historically accurate to equate the “King of the South” with Egypt.
Clearly, the involvement of
Put (a.k.a., Libya) in 
both
Ezekiel 38 and Daniel 11 gives unquestioned confirmation that her military
alliance is to the west of Egypt and wholly engaged within the constellation of
nations headed up by the “King of the South” (a.k.a., Egypt).
It is the adumbrative connotations which project
these immediate prophetic fulfillments during the Maccabean revolt into the
future end-times Gog-Magog Scenario, wherein the human face of Antiochus
Epiphanes morphs into the hideous expression of the cosmic Antichrist, at the
close of this age (this was confirmed by other expositors in our
last missive; from Daniel 11:36 through 45 the intrusive presence of
THE Antichrist is observed).
Sudan’s
defeat
(a.k.a. Cush or ancient Ethiopia; cf. Isaiah 17:12-14)) within the
“Southern Confederation” of nations appears to orchestrate a separate peace in
Isaiah 18:1-3 with “a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation
powerful and treading down, whose land the rivers divide” (whom we conclude is
that final end times’ “Empire” of Antichrist) (Note: Sudan clearly represents
those “African States” to the south of Egypt AND, undoubtedly, allied with Egypt
against a mutual enemy; therefore, these “nation states” would hold substantial
Islamic majorities.).
THE RISE OF THE “KING OF THE
SOUTH”
“At the time of the end the king
of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him
. . . he shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt
shall not escape . . . he shall have power . . . over all the precious things of
Egypt; also the Libyans and Cush shall follow at his heels” (Daniel 11:40,
42-43).
Although the “initial thrust” of
the Gog/Magog consortium of nations appears committed to a “Southern strategy,”
that conclusion would be “faulty strategic thinking” in that the entire flavor
of Daniel’s presentation typifies the classic “pincer movement” of two military
behemoths encircling their objective—their movements are totally coordinated.
However, it is of note that the “King of the South” receives proprietary
mentioning in the joint maneuvers recorded in Daniel 11:40a.
“‘While the U.S. and its allies are fighting
Islamist ideology and terror,’ Michael Meunier
observes, ‘Egypt, a supposed
Western ally, is drastically undermining their efforts.
In an alleged attempt at ‘historic reconciliation,’ President Mubarak has
recently released Egypt’s most notorious and dangerous Islamist leaders, along
with
1,000 of their cohorts.”
“This is bad news for the nation’s Christians:
‘Among the chief leaders of the Gammaa el Islamiya, Karam Zohdi, Fou'ad El-Dawalibi
and Assem Abdel-Maged were released last month on the supposition that for the
past several years they had taken an active role in the spread of a pacifist
ideology within the characteristically violent group. The violent Gamma el
Islamiya revitalized their campaign of terror in the 1990s, seeking to overthrow
the government and killing hundreds of people, including police, tourists, and
their easiest targets – the Christians.” (Robert Spencer,
Jihad Watch)
Andrew G. Bostom (Professor of Medicine at Brown
University) stresses the entrenched and
ubiquitous nature of Islamic fundamentalism throughout Egypt’s “educational
system” in “Textbook
Jihad in Egypt.” Tracing Jihad’s
serpentine progress throughout Egyptian society demonstrates—notwithstanding
the $2B in US “aid” afforded Egypt each year as recognition of her “peace” with
Israel and totaling some
$58B since 1948)—the ascendancy of
radical Islamism in the region (i.e., Sudan and Libya and North Africa in
general).
The tenuous nature of Egypt’s “alliance” with
the US, and the mercurial nature of “Peace
Broker” amongst the nations of Islam, appears to have reached the breaking
point, with overwhelming consternation over US endeavors throughout the region,
not only
past but wholly present! I think it behooves us to consider President
Mubarak’s January statements this week (January 20-26, 2005), especially
as they pertain to Syria—notwithstanding Egypt’s smokescreen and
incessant overtures for peaceful relations with the West (Al-Aram
English on-line Weekly from Egypt); also, listen to the Egyptian press, its tone
and equivocation, as well as pathetic rhetoric as it attempts to “balance” its
anti-Americanism with Arab angst:
“The president has been making no secret of his
profound concern over the regional situation. In two lengthy interviews he
accorded this week to the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on US TV, and the
Saudi satellite TV channel Al-Arabia, President Mubarak expressed his concern
not just on developments in Palestine and Iraq, but the situation on the Syrian
front.
“‘We are in a swamp,’ the president said.
“The analysis by the president reflected the
huge losses sustained by Arabs in general, especially by the Palestinians, and
for that matter the Syrians. Reconciliatory stances taken by Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas on relations with Israel have been shrugged off by
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who decided to suspend contacts with the
Palestinian Authority and to order his army to act with even more force against
the Palestinian people.
“Syrian
attempts to re-initiate talks with Israel
have also been brushed aside by Sharon. Meanwhile, Iraq seems to be sitting on a
time bomb in view of the determination of the interim government to go ahead
with national elections on 30 January despite the violence and an inter-Iraqi
civil disagreement on the poll’s date.
“‘I think things could get very complicated if
the [Sunnis] insist on boycotting the elections,’ Mubarak told Al-Arabia.
“In both interviews, Mubarak cautioned against
moves not fully thought through in handling the Palestinian and Iraqi files.
According to Mubarak, a good part of the problems faced in Palestine and Iraq
are due to miscalculations and poor judgment. He alluded to several warnings he
gave the US over its tolerance of Sharon’s intransigence and aggression against
the Palestinian people ‘who are suffocating under occupation and dire living
conditions.’ He also made reference to his repeated warnings to the
Americans about invading Iraq.
“Mubarak resumed renewing his warnings,
especially on Iraq. On air, he told Americans that if they remain stuck in
house-to-house warfare, they could end up in a situation as complicated and as
degrading ‘as the one faced by the American army in Somalia’ in the 1990s.
“The subtle language used by the president in
blaming the Americans for the current regional situation was not about finding
excuses for Washington’s misguided diplomacy in the Middle East.
The rationale, diplomatic sources say, is that
Cairo hopes to ‘talk some sense into the
Americans.’”
The violent overthrow in Egypt of the so-called
pro-US regime of Mubarak by Jihadists or the legitimate election of an
Islamicists government (e.g.,
Islamic Brotherhood) becomes more likely each day!
“DAMASCUS
SHALL BE A RUINOUS HEAP”
Updating the “Syrian
Card” (which we forecasted on December 24, 2004 and entitled: “The Road to
Damascus . . . Catalyst for the Gog-Magog War”) is this confirmation from
DEBKAfile (an Israeli intelligence blog) released on January 11, 2005, 2:44 PM
(GMT+01:00):
“US and Iraq All Set for Strike against Syria.
Israel Is Braced for Hezbollah Second Front
1. It will not take place before President Bush
is sworn in for his second term on January 20 or Iraq’s general election ten
days later.
2. The Americans will not start out with a
large-scale, orderly military offensive, but rather short in-and-out forays;
small US and Iraqi Special Forces units will cross the border and raid bases
housing Iraqi guerrillas or buses carrying them to the border. If these brief
raids are ineffective, the Americans will upscale the action.
3.
The Allawi government will formally request the
United States to consign joint Iraqi-US forces
for action against Syrian targets, so placing the US operation under the Baghdad
government’s aegis. In other words, Iraq will be at war with Syria without
issuing a formal declaration.
4. It is fully appreciated in Washington,
Baghdad and Jerusalem that intense American military warfare against Syria could
provoke a Hezbollah backlash against Israel.
Damascus
may well activate the Lebanese Shiite group to open a second front on Israel’s
northern border. The Syrian ruler is expected will tolerate a certain level of
American low-intensity, low-profile action. But, because of his reluctance to
strike back directly at American or Iraqi targets, he will field the Hezbollah
– and not just for cross-border attacks but to galvanize the terrorist cells it
controls and funds in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip into a stepped-up offensive against Israeli targets. These
Palestinian cells have proliferated over the years, particularly in the Fatah
and its branches, encouraged by Yasser Arafat’s cooperative pact with the
Hezbollah which remains in force after his death.
“Therefore, the key Middle East happening
in the coming weeks will be US military strikes against Syria. The
election of Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian Authority chairman, his invitation to
the White House, the formation of the Sharon-Peres government coalition - albeit
on very shaky legs, and the talk of imminent Israel-Palestinian peace
negotiations, will prove to be no more than sideshows of the main event.”
THE “SPOIL” OF THE WILLFUL KING
This crushing account of
Egypt’s defeat, along with her
confederated states—as Gog’s southern flank crumbles in disarray—turns the
“economic tables” on end. Whereas the “treasures” and “precious things” of
Daniel 11, and the would-be “plunder” and “booty” (i.e., “spoil”)—and, decidedly
the “gold and silver” in both accountings (Ezekiel 38:13 and Daniel
11:43—sought after by Gog and his allies (Magog), have been incorporated by the
Willful King! Alas! “Power over” the treasures and precious things has gone
full circle.
The operative phrase here is
POWER OVER. That is precisely what the Willful King’s intentions
have been from the commencement of this conflagration. The Apostle Paul inserts
this understanding into the fray: “We are not ignorant of his (i.e., “Satan’s”)
devices” (II Corinthians
2:11). For “he was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the
truth, because there is no truth in him . . . when he speaks a lie, he speaks
from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 4:44).
Murder and lies go hand in hand.
Wherever there is “the lie” there is murder . . . this is precisely what is
involved here; however, this is all the more accentuated as materialism (a.k.a.
“merchandise”) is thrown into the mix:
“Your riches, wares, and
merchandise . . . all your men of war who are in you . . . by the abundance of
your trading (i.e., “merchandising”) you became filled with violence within, and
you sinned” (Ezekiel 27:27; 28:16a).
Ezekiel’s expose of the King of
Tyre, much like that of Daniel’s prophetic revelations of Antiochus IV, the
Syrian king who ruled from 175 to 163 B.C. (Antiochus Epiphanes or “Glorious
One”—i.e., “god manifest”), initiates the temporal character of a man who morphs
into the transcendent disfiguration of the one who was “in Eden, the garden of
God . . . the anointed cherub who covers” (Ezekiel 28:13a, 14a)—the infamous
King
of Tyre, whose violence
filled the pre-diluvium earth (Genesis 6:11), and whose merchandising signature
is inseparable from violence, war, and death. Thus, the one termed “Epimanes”
(not the legitimate “Antiochus Epiphanes” or “Glorious One”) rightly fits his
metamorphosis : “Madman” (a.k.a., the Willful King) (Please see footnotes on
p. 1251 of the NKJV, Spirit Filled Life Bible, Thomas Nelson).
The point to
made in all of this is obvious: War and violence—and those who “traffic”
therein—shall, under the incites of the UBER MERCHANT (a.k.a., King of
Tyre), like two incensed vultures contending over the same carcass, biting and
devouring one another, inflict death and destruction until there is but one
standing who takes the hapless prey.
GIVE THEM
LIBERTY OR GIVE THEM 
DEATH!
Europe, the
world in general, and especially Islamic nations, predictably greeted the
President’s inaugural address with vitriol and invidious statements in
abundance. Coupled with
Vice President Cheney’s remarks that liberty’s extensions upon our foes, in
order to defend and protect our friends, would be “by force of arms if
necessary,” just about put the Iranians over the top!
This
administration has issued its final answer: POLLS TO THE WIND (throw them out)!
On Sunday
(January 16, 2005), the New Yorker magazine (“The
Coming Wars” by Seymore M. Hersch) reported U.S. forces have penetrated
Iran, seeking out targets for possible military strikes (although Bush officials
have disputed the account, they certainly did not categorically deny its
substance). Now we hear from Cheney’s own lips that Israel (which she denies
“at the moment”) just might attack
Iran
(January 23, 2005):
“‘If, in fact, the Israelis became convinced the
Iranians had significant nuclear capability, given the fact that Iran has a
stated policy that their objective is the destruction of Israel, the Israelis
might well decide to act first, and let the rest of the world worry about
cleaning up the
diplomatic mess afterwards,’ Cheney said.” (Jerusalem
Post, January 23, 2005).
Not to be outdone by the
Cheney/Israel remark, Mohammad Emami Kashani, a top Iranian cleric, fired back
with defiance:
“Americans and Zionists” (to whom he was speaking) . . . ‘The world will catch
you red-handed. If you ask the people in the world, everyone will tell you how
despised you are . . . People will become 
increasingly
aware of your plots and hopefully you will not achieve anything’” (John
Daniszewsky, “U.S. Tough Talk is Greeted with
Defiance in Iran” Los Angeles Times,
January 22, 2005).
The above article continues:
“Israeli politicians said they have no imminent
plan to attack Iran, while some commentators in other parts of the world
expressed unease at the sweeping and what some termed ‘messianic’ tone in
President Bush’s inaugural speech marking the start of his second term.”
In sum: The “liberty” proposed by President
Bush throughout the world, has not been greeted with glee but with a deep sense
of foreboding, confirmed by Vice President Cheney’s follow-up remarks.
I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS:
The world sits on the brink of its
most formidable conclusion. Though the storm clouds of international disasters
encroach; and armies march in demonic formation “against the Lord and against
His Anointed” – the final outcome has been announced:
23And in the latter
time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
24His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
25 Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be broken without human means.
He shall come to his end, and no one will help him .
. .
(Daniel 8:23-25; 11:45b).
23 Thus he said:
The fourth beast shall be
A fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth,
Trample it and break it in pieces.
24 The ten horns are ten kings
Who shall arise from this kingdom.
And another shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue three kings.
25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand
For a time and times and half a time.
26 But the court shall be seated,
And they shall take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.
(Daniel 7:23-27)
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