Invasion From The North - Part 2

by Joseph Hunting

On Monday December 9th, 1968, the following significant headline appeared on the front page of the Melbourne "AGE", "ALBANIA GIVES CHINA A EUROPEAN FOOTHOLD" . The leading paragraph then read as follows: "China's missile technology has taken great steps forward with the development of a ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead over ranges of up to 1,500 miles."

This startling news item coincided with a massive build-up of Soviet warships in the Mediterranean.

A glance at a map shows how vital the Suez Canal is to Russia now that China is capable of launching missiles within striking distance of the heart of the U.S.S.R. Indeed, the Suez Canal has more significance for Russian warships and nuclear submarines than for any other of the great powers.

If the present peace talks in Geneva reach a stalemate, Russia may take the necessary steps to reopen the Canal -- AND THAT COULD RESULT IN A FULL-SCALE INVASION OF ISRAEL!

Four times in twenty-five years Israel has fought off Arab armies equipped with Russian-made guns, tanks and missiles. Yet one may be forgiven for being a little skeptical about Israel's ability to emerge victorious over the mighty impact of a full-scale invasion of Russian troops together with a formidable array of Arab and European allies.

EGYPT AND SYRIA NOT INCLUDED IN THE INVADING FORCES

Egypt has led four attempts to liquidate the State of Israel during the first twenty-five years of statehood. On three of these occasions Syria launched savage attacks on Israel's northern settlements. Yet each attempt resulted in their spectacular defeat.

In 1948 Egypt and Syria combined with Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon in an abortive attempt to annihilate the infant state. In 1956 Egypt stockpiled the Sinai Peninsula with Russian-built weapons for the sole purpose of destroying Israel, but Egypt was again defeated in one of the most spectacular and brilliantly-led desert campaigns of all time. In 1967 the world looked on with astonishment as Israel smashed the Arab armies on three fronts in six incredible days. On this occasion the Egyptian and Syrian forces received a terrible battering. On the Day of Atonement in 1973 eleven Arab states headed by Egypt and Syria armed with the latest Russian equipment made their fourth attempt to reverse the three previous humiliating defeats. When the cease-fire was called on October 22nd Israeli forces were only 30 miles from Damascus and 50 miles from Cairo.

I have purposely outlined the major role played by both Egypt and Syria in their attempts to liquidate Israel during the past twenty-five years because neither Egypt nor Syria are included in the line-up of nations that will be confederate with Russia according to Ezekiel's prophecy.

"THE LAND OF UNWALLED VILLAGES ... AT REST"

"Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought; And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates; To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thy hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land." (Ezekiel 38:10-12)

Thus Ezekiel describes the land of Israel as I saw it recently. One can appreciate the meaning of the words, Israel "at rest" in the peaceful Galilean countryside or "the desolate places that are now inhabited" . It is into this scene of peaceful prosperity that Russia swoops with savage ferocity.

The prophet foretells a period of peace prior to the Russian-led attack. The present talks in Geneva, or some such future peace conference, could be the prelude to the great drama described by Ezekiel. The focal point of the invasion is the land of Israel "at rest" , and upon "the people that are gathered out of the nations which have gotten cattle and goods."

Whereas Russia has invaded Hungary and Czechoslovakia with impunity in the past and may well invade other countries in the future, the invasion of Israel will result in disaster. The destruction of the invading forces will be sudden and terrible.

Divine fury and judgement will completely demoralize the invaders. "And it shall come to pass at the same time when God shall come up against the land of Israel, that My fury shall come up in My face."

The first act of Divine judgement will be a great earthquake that will strike terror into their hearts. "For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; So that the fishes of the sea, and fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at My presence ..."

Confusion and panic will accompany the earthquake. "The mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. And I will call for a sword against him throughout all My mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be against his brother."

God says that this will be a war against "MY PEOPLE" dwelling in "MY LAND" and Divine fury will be poured out upon forces of the northern confederate nations. "I will plead against him with PESTILENCE and with BLOOD: and I will RAIN upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, AN OVERFLOWING RAIN, and GREAT HAILSTONES, FIRE, and BRIMSTONE." Note the diversity of the judgements.

When Russia and the allied nations invade Israel all mankind will stand in awe as the sacred palm that was once pierced becomes a clenched fist that smashes the invading forces. This awful destruction will be the most devastating the world has yet witnessed.

ISRAEL WILL TAKE SEVEN YEARS TO BURN THE WEAPONS

"And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and shall burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years."

Sceptics have objected that whilst bows and arrows could be gathered and burned, massive 50 ton tanks are a different proposition. It is an interesting fact that thousands of tons of battered tanks and other disabled war equipment abandoned in the Sinai desert after the Six Day War of 1967 have now been melted down to provide metal for the giant oil pipeline that links Eilat with Ashkelon. The interesting fact concerning this prophecy is that the amount of material abandoned by the invading forces is so vast that it will take Israel seven years to burn it.

ISRAEL TO TAKE SEVEN MONTHS TO BURY THE DEAD

"Seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land". (Ezekiel 39:12)

This suggests a casualty list of gigantic proportions – a whole army destroyed. It is also interesting to note that the slain will require special burial squads . "And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain on the face of the earth, to cleanse it."

Ezekiel describes the invading forces as a "great company, and a mighty army." (Ezekiel 38:15) One can be sure that when the time comes for this prophecy to be fulfilled that Russia will take no chances. Already Russian technicians and observers have witnessed the destruction of their war material at the hands of the Israelis in 1956, 1967 and 1973. Russia has also borne the humiliation of seeing vast quantities of equipment intended to be used for the destruction of the Jewish State completing journey to Israel manned by the very Jews the weapons were to destroy, and bearing the insignia of the Star of David instead of the hammer and sickle.

God is not mocked, neither can His Word be broken. Russia has worked behind the Arab peoples to bring about the destruction of Israel. For thirty-five centuries God has remained faithful to His promises, "I will curse him that curseth thee", and "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper". This lesson has been learned the hard way by the Arab nations. But when Russia raises its fist against Israel the world will witness super-natural judgement, "And all the nations shall see My judgement that I have executed, and My hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward."

The timing of the invasion from the north is prophesied for "THE LATTER DAYS" . At no time since the prophet foretold the events described in the 38th and 39th chapters have they had their fulfilment. However, the stage could now be prepared for this great drama to be enacted. During the final crucial days of the Yom Kippur War when Egypt's armies were on the point of collapse Russia threatened immediate intervention with crack airborne divisions. Only the American red alert and Israel's acceptance of the cease-fire terms circumvented the Russians' carrying out of their threat.

The result of the invasion will be the destruction of the enemy forces upon the mountains of Israel, not as in previous occasions when Israel's armed forces won the victory, but by Divine intervention by means of earthquake, blood and fire from heaven etc.

Ezekiel's prophesied invasion from the north involving Russia and its allies is to be distinguished from "The Time of Jacob's Trouble" and the Battle of Armageddon, at which time the Lord "will gather ALL nations against Jerusalem to battle." (Zechariah 14:2)

Just as the Yom Kippur war resulted in a complete change of attitude by the Israelis from the jubilation that accompanied the Six Day War, so there will be a change of heart following the invasion from the north. "Therefore thus saith the Lord God; now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for My holy Name;

"After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against Me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.

"When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out from their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;

"Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them into their own land, and have left none of them any more there.

"Neither will I hide My face any more from them: for I have poured out My Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 39:25-29)