Turkey’s Role in Bible Prophecy and Why It Matters

Over the weekend, the world has been on edge watching the events transpiring in Turkey with an attempted “Coup” that apparently ended in failure. However, some are reporting that the coup was actually staged by Turkey’s own leader. The sudden conflict resulted in more than 2,800 detained and 250 dead. So here is the big question many believers have. Why do we need to pay attention to Turkey? Well, for one, 2,600 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel foretold of a time when a coalition of predominately Muslim Nations would gather together to invade the nation of Israel.

This well-known war is known as “The War of Gog and Magog.” According to the book of Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39, this confederacy of nations will attack Israel during a relatively peaceful state that appears to be generated by a recent conflict resulting in a “state of peace” for the Jewish nation. According to the prophet, “After many days you shall be called. In the latter years you shall come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered out of many peoples, against the mountains of Israel which had been always a waste. But its people were brought out of the nations, and they, all of them, are dwelling safely … and you shall say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates'” (Ez. 38:8, 11, MEV).

Notice in this passage the prophet tells us that in the “latter years” of Israel they would actually dwell in a time when they would be “without walls,” having no bars or gates. This is definitely not the case in 2016. Israel has many walls that prevent terrorists and her enemies from breaching the city of Jerusalem and the surrounding cities of Israel. However, the Word of God tells us that the day is coming that they will come into a false sense of peace, in which they will lower their guards making them vulnerable for these nations to invade. Personally, I believe this will fulfill the Bible passage that says:

1 Thessalonians 5:3: “When they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.”

The nations cited by Ezekiel are each referenced in the Old Testament, yet they all represent nations which exist today. Long before Russia became a major world power, most biblical scholars identified Magog as the nation of Russia and Gog as the ruler of Russia. These other nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38 are:

Magog = Russia
Persia = Iran
Cush = Ethiopia
Put = Libya
Gomer = Turkey (Some have identified as eastern Europe)
Beth-Togarmah = Turkey

The Bible indicates that in the “latter days” the Lord will put a “hook in the jaw” of these nations listed, including the nation of Turkey, and according to the prophet, “you shall ascend and come like a storm; you shall be like a cloud to cover the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you” (Ez. 38:9).

So Turkey will be significant in the near future regarding biblical prophecy. They will unite with several other nations and attempt to destroy the nation of Israel but will ultimately fail, according to what has been foretold in the Bible. So just what will befall these nations? Well, Israel will not need to rely on America, Britain or any of her allies to defend her because God Himself will step into the scene and the following will take place:

Ezekiel 38: 18-23: “And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog comes against the land of Israel, says the Lord God, that My fury shall come up in My anger. For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea and the fowl of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep upon the earth and all the men who are upon the face of the earth shall shake at My presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains, says the Lord God. Every man’s sword shall be against his brother. I will enter into judgment with him with pestilence and with blood. And I will rain upon him and upon his troops and upon the many peoples who are with him, an overflowing rain and hailstones, fire and brimstone. Thus I will magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”‘ {eoa}

This article originally appeared on End Times Headlines.