A possibly significant prophetic event occurred over the weekend when voters in Turkey passed a referendum to afford the country’s president near dictatorial powers by replacing the nation’s parliamentary system with a presidential government. Associated Press reports that some 18 changes will “allow the president to appoint ministers, senior government officials and half the members of Turkey’s highest judicial body, as well as to issue decrees and declare states of emergency. They set a limit of two five-year terms for presidents.” This means that current president Tayyip Erdogan will have over a decade more of power that already has seen Turkey move rapidly toward a radical Islamic state. There are prophetic implications.
Ezekiel 38:2 says, “…set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against them.” Magog, Meshech, Tubal are all located in what is now modern Turkey. Verse 5 says, “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them…” Persia is modern day Iran.Turkey and Iran are rivals as they are positioning for control of the Middle East. We know, however, that Magog (Turkey) eventually leads and Persia follows. These players represent both Shiite and Sunni Muslims who unite against Israel in the “acharit-hayamim,” meaning the end of days. God will destroy them with earthquakes, fire and brimstone. Ezekiel 38: 21 says, “…every man’s sword shall be against his brother.”
Tensions between Iran and Turkey have been increasing as both countries vie for dominance in the region. The Islamic Sunni Turkey, under Erdogan, has become increasingly totalitarian and Shiite Iran is a formidable terrorist sponsoring state working on a very real nuclear program. Turkey has been supporting the terrorist Islamic State, while publicly denying that support, in an effort to block Iran from gaining a stronger foothold in the Middle East. It’s a complicated mix of treacherous foreign policy involving Syria, Iran, Turkey, Israel and several outside forces, including Russia, Europe, and the US. Russia is simply supplying weapons and skills to Iran and its vassal state Syria against the Islamic State.
We know what the Bible says is going to happen. For Gog (the antichrist) to lead Magog, Meshech, Tubal, and a broader coalition of what are currently Arab-dominated nations and Persia, against Israel, Persia must submit to Gog. The developments in Turkey bear careful watch as its leader seeks to establish a more radical Sunni state and support actions to impede the Shiite ambitions of Iran. For the end time battle of Ezekiel 38 to play out, there must be an alliance, however fragile it may be, to move against Israel. We know that these nations may hold hate toward one another, but it is a greater hate for Israel that unites them even for just a specific time. Watch Turkey and Iran to see how it all comes together.
