Oops. God vs. Gog

Submitted by Micael S., Apr 20, 2018 at 20:00

"...and Erdogan (God)'s big head..."

Oops. I meant "Gog's" big head (cf. Ezek. 38-39)

In Ezekiel's day, what is now western Turkey was largely part of the very prosperous and powerful Lydian Empire, ruled by Croessus of the house of Gyges (equiv. to Hebrew "Gog"). The "Land of Magog", mentioned in this prophecy, alludes to one of the sons of Japheth (cf. Gen. 10) who settled in the area. Ezekiel takes advantage of the similar sounds, as a mnemonic device. "Gog and Magog" is also referenced in the New Testament Book of Revelation; but it does not refer to Turkey there. Instead, it is a metaphor for "the ends of the earth", which Turkey was in Ezekiel's day and, to a lesser extent, during the time of John the Revelator. Many prophecy buffs conflate the two references, leading to confusion.

President Erdogan is the modern-day counterpart to Croesus in the day of Ezekiel. Croesus was called the richest man on earth, yet he still was overcome eventually by the Persians in a surprise attack. Today's Turkish leader may THINK of himself as a Croesus, in terms of his opulent palace; but his on-again, off-again relationship with Iran (modern-day Persia) suits him better. I expect him, in a few years, to lead an attack against Israel, as his figurative ancestor Croesus did as a general of Cyrus.

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