I actually wonder if the Gog of Magog War of Ezekiel 38 & 39 describes the beginning of the enslavement with the destruction of Gog not occurring until Jesus physically comes back. This "covenant with the many" may not be a "peace treaty" but rather a form of enslavement instead of total anhilation. It instead will be a "covenant with death and Sheol." The amount of passages describing Israel's capitivity in the end times is pretty overwhelming and is "Jacob's Trouble."
I did not realize that this idea could be "lethal" as said by someone in the shout box because it could lead people to believe in a false messiah if the Antichrist is the one who appears after the Gog of Magog war terminates.
1) IF the Gog/Magog war terminates pretty quickly after it starts and it's near the beginning of the Tribulation... any ruler who comes up IN HIS OWN NAME and blasphemes the God of Heaven and those who dwell there—THAT IS THE ANTI-CHRIST. Do not follow him and do not accept his mark!
2) IF the Gog/Magog war is actually an invasion that occurs and is NOT quashed very quickly (i.e. Israel becomes enslaved, women raped, young men killed, her spoils divided etc etc) but one day someone appears on the Mt of Olives and splits it in two, takes control of Jerusalem, then slaughters all the nations gathered against it in The Valley of Megiddo (not necessarily all in the same day). THAT IS JESUS, THE TRUE MESSIAH.
I'm not claiming that this scenario is how it WILL turn out. I know many people see it as two separate events, usually implying that the Gog of Magog war begins early in the Trib or before. The battle describes the fall of Gog, who in this early/pre-Trib scenario cannot be the Anti-Christ.
However I see the texts of:
Ezekiel 38:17
Thus says the Lord GOD: “Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?
Ezekiel 39:7-8
“So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
“Surely it is coming, and it shall be done,” says the Lord GOD. “This is the day of which I have spoken.
Ezekiel 39:17-20
“And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field:
“Assemble yourselves and come;
Gather together from all sides to My sacrificial meal
Which I am sacrificing for you,
A great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel,
That you may eat flesh and drink blood.
You shall eat the flesh of the mighty,
Drink the blood of the princes of the earth,
Of rams and lambs,
Of goats and bulls,
All of them fatlings of Bashan.
You shall eat fat till you are full,
And drink blood till you are drunk,
At My sacrificial meal
Which I am sacrificing for you.
You shall be filled at My table
With horses and riders,
With mighty men
And with all the men of war,” says the Lord GOD."
I see these texts as definitive that these indicate the following. 1) Gog is the Assyrian, King of Babylon, abominable branch, King of Tyre, etc (aka. THE ANTICHRIST). Who else had God told them about who He would bring?; 2) Gog's destruction is The Day of the Lord, meaning specifically His 2nd coming. His great day when He thoroughly destroys His enemies. When afterward Israel shall never again profane His Holy Name; and 3) The slaughter of Gog and his armies are indeed the "Great Winepress of the wrath of God/His great sacrifice/The Supper of the great God."
Finally I would like to briefly discuss the idea that people will be "unknowingly" deceived, because that is part of this idea that certain discussions can be "dangerous." Yes, there will be a great delusion that comes about. But notice:
2Thes 2:9-12
"The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because
they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
that they all may be condemned
who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."I believe this indicates that NO ONE will be unwillingly deceived/tricked/coerced into following/believing/worshipping/taking the mark of the Anti-Christ. These have ALREADY chosen to reject Christ and love unrighteousness, therefore they will be deluded so that they cannot be saved. Everyone else who has not yet made a decision for or against Christ will be able to make the choice between believing Christ or choosing to be deluded and following the antichrist. No one goes to Hell who does not deserve to be there. No one goes to Hell who does not knowingly choose to reject Christ.
But this is my opinion and belief, and I believe it is founded in scripture. If the idea of simply discussing varying scenarios of end-times timeline etc is "dangerous" or "lethal" then this whole site should close up shop because discussing any of it (if it turns out to be incorrect) could be "dangerous." I'm not saying that this should happen. I'm pointing out the ridiculousness of this argument.
It essentially boils down to this: if discussing various scenarios is "dangerous" or "lethal," then it seems there is an assumption that humans in general are stupid, they can't think for themselves, and the Holy Spirit will be powerless during the Tribulation. I reject all three notions.
Off my soap box now. I apologize if I was at fault for instigating or abetting trouble in the Shout Box. I did feel like I needed to make this clear however.