Ok, we have identified Gog and Magog, but who are the other members that make up this massive military alliance that will descend upon the tiny nation of Israel?

'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army--your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops--the many nations with you. " Ezekiel 38:3-6

This invasion by Magog includes a number of allies listed by their ancient tribal names:

Meshech: Meshech was the sixth son of Japheth, the son of Noah. He is identified with the ancient Mushki of the Assyrians and the Muschoi of the classical Greek writers. Assyrian inscriptions describe them as inhabiting Phrygia in northern Anatolia (modern Turkey). Herodotus identifies the Mushki with the mountains southeast of the Black Sea, the northeast part of modern Turkey. Josephus also identifies the descendants of Meshech as dwelling in eastern Turkey. Some also link the Muschkoi with Mushkovi, the ancient name for Russia.

Tubal: Tubal was the 5th son of Japheth and a brother of Meshech. 9th century B.C. Assyrian inscriptions refer to Tubal, just west of Meshech in eastern Anatolia. Herodotus also places them both along the southeastern shores of the Black Sea. Some associate Tubal with the naming of Tobolsk of Russia. So we have Russia and most of countries that made up the old Soviet Union.

Persia: Persia includes the descendants of Elam, the first son of Shem and is now modern Iran. Iran was known as Persia until it changed it's name in 1935. The name Iran is derived from the term airyana; Middle Iranian, 'ry'n, "Aryan;" New Persian, Iran. Iran is the leading ally in the Ezekiel list and the present major exporter of "Islamic Fundamentalism". So Persia covers present day Iran and Iraq.

Cush: Cush refers to the land lying to the south of Egypt, usually translated in English Bibles as "Ethiopia". Originally Cush referred to a piece of territory lying between the second and third cataracts of the Nile. Later it came to refer to a broader area known as Nubia. It is presently viewed as the area referred to as "Black Africa".

There are a dozen strategic materials essential to the modern military and industrial world which are available in only two regions of the world, Russia and Africa. Zaire for example has 95% of the world's known reserves of chromium, 52% of its cobalt, 53% of its manganese, 64% of its vanadium and 86% of its platinum group of metals. This is why Zaire is called, "The Persian Gulf of Minerals." The US is almost totally dependent upon import for these critical materials. It is interesting to note that South Africa and Russia control over 90% of the world's supply of platinum, over 94% of the world's supply of manganese, over 90% of the chrome, over 95% of the vanadium. Russia is self sufficient in 26 of the 36 mineral considered essential for an industrial society, importing only three important minerals, bauxite, barium and fluoride. So we have Ethiopia and parts of central and southern Africa.

Put: Put, the next ally of Magog in Ezekiel 38. Put was the third son of Ham, the son of Noah. Josephus identifies him as the founder of Libya, whose inhabitants were called Putites. Put is associated with North Africa, populated by the Berbers and tribes distinct from Cush. Put encompassed the area from present day Libya to Mauritania and the Mahgreb: Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. So we have Libya, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.

Gomer: The next ally mentioned is Gomer. In the Babylonian Talmud the Biblical Gomer, the father of Ashkenaz, is rendered "Germania." Gomer is also associated with the Cimmerians who eventually established themselves in the Rhine and Danube valleys. So Gomer covers present day Germany and Austria.

Togarmah: Togarmah is one of the sons of Gomer. The Assyrians called them Til-Garimmu, a name derived from the Hittite city Tegarama and carried into classical times as Gauraema, presently known as Gurun, 70 miles west of Mylayta. The city was destroyed by Sennacherib in 695 B.C. The Armenians still refer to themselves as "The House of Togarmah" even to this day. So Togarmah is the present day area that covers Turkey and Turkestan.

All the allies of Magog (Russia) are very well defined and one thing that they all have in common is that they are Muslim. The intense hatred of Muslims towards Israel will unite them in a common cause, to completely annihilate Israel off the face of the earth. The breakup of the Soviet Union released the Central Asian Republics: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tadzhikistan, and Kyrgzstan to join their Islamic brothers in the Magog invasion. These five independent republics are Islamic, have nuclear weapons, and may be the "hooks in the jaw" that draw Magog into battle.

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