Well, once again, this is Dr. Phil Fernandez, the founder of the Institute of Biblical Defense and the academic dean of Farriston Theological Seminary. Today's lecture is End Times lecture number nine, lecture number nine in eschatology. We'll be discussing the end time wars, World War Three and the Battle of Armageddon. Of course, when we say World War Three, we're assuming that the next world war would be the Russian invasion of Israel in the last days. So that's assuming that these are the last days that we live in today. So we'll be discussing the end time wars and if you open up to Revelation chapter 6 we'll get started. Revelation chapter 6 verses 3 and 4. Revelation chapter 6 verses 3 and 4 tells us about the second seal and that reads And when he broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. And another, a red horse went out, and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men should slay one another, and a great sword was given to him. This discusses global war. A sword, a great sword was given to him to take peace from the earth, global war, that men should slay one another. And so what type of global war is it going to be? What type of global war is going to occur in that last half of the tribulation period, those last three and a half years? And that's what we're going to look at at this point. And so let's take a look at what many theologians refer to as World War III, the Russian invasion of Israel. Ezekiel chapter 38. Ezekiel chapter 38. and verses, verse 1 of Ezekiel 38 through Ezekiel 39 and verse 16. Starting with verse 1. Take a look at verses 1 and 2 in fact. The word of the Lord came to me saying, Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog. the prince of Rosh, Meshach, and Tubal, and prophesy against him." Now a little brief introduction, in Ezekiel 37 you have the prophecy of the dry bones, so the nation of Israel is regathered in the last days. We see that going on right now. So you have God saying, Hey, I'm going to gather the people of Israel from the nations of the earth and bring them back into the land. This is going on right now. Well, Israel became a nation in 1948. They reunified Jerusalem in 1967. And now there's a tremendous regathering of Jews. Even many Soviet Jews are entering the promised land at this time. But then God says the next important thing that's going to happen is the Russian invasion of Israel. Now, Magog and Gog God apparently is just the leader of this tribe, Magog. And when we look back in the book of Genesis, we find that Magog was a grandson of Noah, and his tribe was probably named after him. Now the Jewish historian that lived from 37 to 97 AD, named Josephus, Jewish historian who was writing to the Jews, this Jewish historian named Josephus identified Magog as the land of Ascidians. the land of the Scythians. And he states in his historical works that the Scythians dwelt to the north of the Black Sea and to the north of the Caspian Sea and stretching indefinitely into the innermost parts of Asia. Now this is a perfect description of what was once known as the Soviet Union. Now you've got many different nations and Russia being one of the probably the most important of those nations So this is pretty much a description of the modern Soviet Union, which is now the Russian states. And so, Magog, apparently the mighty power to the north, is none other than Russia and her allies. Now, again, Gog would be the leader. We don't know if that's a literal name, if there's going to be some Russian leader named Gog come up. There's some Soviet people who want to see a return of the Tsar at this point. We don't know if God is a literal name or a symbolic name. Remember in Isaiah, God did predict that the king of the Persians would be King Cyrus. Then Ross, Meshach, and Tubal are mentioned in verse 2. Meshach and Tubal were also grandsons of Noah. Remember, the 12 tribes of Israel, they were named after the 12 sons of Jacob. Jacob's name was changed to Israel. So Israel was named after him. The nation was named after him. The 12 tribes, Reuben, Joseph, Levi, Judah, right on down the line were named after them. It's the same way ancient tribes, ancient nations were named after people, their founders. and Meshach and Tubal were grandsons of Noah and they could possibly could possibly be the ancient names Meshach, the ancient name for Moscow and Tubal, the ancient name for Tobolsk Rosh could possibly be the ancient name for Russia now a lot of people, now there's some Bible scholars who are a hold of this Meshach, the ancient name for Moscow Tubal, the ancient name for Tobolsk and Ross the ancient name for Russia. A lot of scholars hold to this. At the same time there are many scholars who say, no, no, that's too much speculation. True, it's speculation, but I think we need to recognize that it is possible. After all, the word for... I've got a guy that I used to work with named Kieser. His last name was Kieser, and I asked him if that ever came from the word Caesar. And he said no, that it came from the German word Kaiser. And then I informed him that the German word Kaiser, they traced that back to the Roman title Caesar. So this guy's name is Kaiser and you can trace it all the way back to Caesar. And it's often the same way. Here you have the same land, same approximate land, and it would seem to be possible that Rosh is an ancient name of Russia, Meshach an ancient name of Moscow, and Tubal an ancient name of Tubal. Verse 3 tells us of Ezekiel 38 that God is against them. And say, Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against you, O Gog, that's the ruler, Prince of Rosh, Meshach, and Tubal. Look at verses 4 and 5. And I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords. So God is going to bring them, like when you go fishing and you sink your hook into a fish and you reel them in, God's going to hook this nation and bring them down, bring them for battle, and they're obviously prepared for battle, with the description that is given there. Verse 5, Persia, Ethiopia, and put with them all of them with shield and helmet. Now Persia apparently is modern Iran, Ethiopia is apparently modern northern Sudan, and put is modern Libya. So apparently Russia will be aligned with many of these other nations. Look at verse 6, Gomer with all his troops, Beth Togarmah, from the remote parts of the north with all its troops, many peoples with you." Gomer and Togumar, many say modern Turkey, some say, I don't know how much speculation is involved there, some even say it would be Germany, but that might have been because at one time East Germany was aligned with the Soviets. Now that's not the case apparently at this point, but some say modern Turkey, others say also Germany. Look at verses 7 and 8. Be prepared and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. After many days you will be summoned. In the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste, but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. So when Israel is secure, in the last days, Russia and her allies will invade her. Now this is something that even during the Nixon administration, there was a gathering of Soviet troops and there was speculation that the Soviets might invade the nation of Israel. And President Nixon put our nuclear bases on alert and the Soviets backed down. And I don't think they were really planning something. but they just wanted to see what kind of response the Americans would give and so this is something the Soviets could align themselves with many of the Arab states would back the Soviets or the Russians at this point but for them to take full control of the Middle East there's no doubt about it they would have to defeat Israel in battle look at verses 9 to 12 and you will go up and will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you. Thus says the Lord God, it will come about on that day that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan. And you will say, I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them without walls and having no bars or gates, to capture spoil and to seize plunder. to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited and against the people who are gathered from the nations who have acquired cattle and goods who live at the center of the world." So here it says that their motive is to capture spoil and to seize plunder. Now there's some speculation that the spoil has to do with oil, that there's going to be much oil found in Israel, that's possible. Another alternative is the fact that if they just gain control of Israel, they'll gain control of the Middle East. And it talks about Israel being the center of the world. It's a strategic piece of land that connects three continents, Africa, Europe and Asia. It's a strategic, very attractive strategically when you talk in terms of military strategy. and so the Soviets have much to gain by taking it over. Look at verse 13. Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will say to you, have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder? To carry away silver and gold? To take away cattle and goods? To capture great spoil? Sheba and Dedan are Arab tribes and Tarshish is in South Spain so it might The fact that southern Spain is coming into this, it might be that other nations like Spain begin to question why the Soviet Union has done this. So there might be even more and more rumors of wars, more nations getting involved. Look at verses 14 to 16. Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to God, Thus says the Lord God on that day, when my people Israel are living securely, will you not know it? And you will come from your place. By the way, they're living securely. I believe this is after the Antichrist has signed that treaty with them. So it's at least in the first half of the tribulation period. But I believe it's going to occur in the second half of the tribulation period. But it's they've signed a peace treaty with the Antichrist, so they feel secure and protected. They feel like nobody's going to mess with them because the Antichrist who rules the world is going to be offering them protection. That reads, Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to God, Thus says the Lord God, On that day when my people, Israel, are living securely, will you not know it? And you will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north. You and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army. and you will come up against my people Israel like a cloud to cover the land and it will come about in the last days that I shall bring you against my land in order that the nations may know me when I shall be sanctified through you before their eyes O God and so God will make himself known to all nations because of this war look at verses 17 to 20 thus says the Lord God Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days to my servants, the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for many years that I would bring you against them? And it will come about on that day when God comes against the land of Israel, declares the Lord God, that my fury will mount up in my anger. And in my zeal and in my blazing wrath, I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. And the fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all the creeping things that creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the face of the earth will shake at my presence. The mountains also will be thrown down, the steep pathways will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground." So tremendous earthquake. that occurs during this time. Divine intervention. Verse 21. And I shall call for a sword against him on all my mountains declares the Lord God. Every man's sword will be against his brother. And so just as with the Midian troops in Judges chapter 7 verse 22 when they invaded the Israelites just as they God caused confusion there and brother killed brother so too when the Russians invade Israel The Russian troops will be killing Russian troops. It may be because there may be Christian troops among them who refuse to war with the nation of Israel. Let's read further on, verse 22. And with pestilence and with blood I shall enter into judgment with him, and I shall rain on him and on his troops and on the many peoples who are with him a torrential rain and hailstones, fire and brimstone. And so you have pestilence, plagues, contagious diseases, hailstones, fire and brimstone. This may be talking about nuclear exchanges, I don't know. It might just be talking about direct divine intervention. Rush's defeat is prophesied in verses 1 to 5 of Ezekiel 39. In fact, first let's take a look at verse 23. And I shall magnify myself, sanctify myself, and make myself known in the sight of many nations, and they will know that I am the Lord. 39 verses 1 to 5. And you, son of man, prophesy against God, and say, Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against you, O Gog, Prince of Rosh, Meshach, and Tubal. And I shall turn you around, drive you on, and take you up from the remotest parts of the north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel. By the way, if you go north from Israel, directly north, you run right smack through the center of Moscow. And I shall strike your bow from your left hand, and dash down your arrows from your right hand. You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you I shall give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and beast of the field you will fall on the open field for it is I who have spoken declares the Lord God and so Russia's defeat is prophesied look at verse 6 and I shall send fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the coastlands in safety and they will know that I am the Lord so There's fire that comes upon the coastlands of Russia, the Russian homeland. Again, it might be those who back the nation of Israel and Israel themselves. Israel has gone on record saying that if we are invaded by the Soviet Union or if all nations come and invade us, we will start pushing buttons. We'll push buttons and nuke everybody if that's what it takes before we're annihilated, wiped off the face of the earth. So the Russian homeland receives fire and brimstone, and it may be nuclear exchanges. I know there's many theologians say there won't be nuclear exchanges. I think there's either going to have to be nuclear exchanges or much chemical warfare or a combination of both, because we're going to need to have the last seven to ten. And my holy lessons will know that I am the Lord, the Holy Word. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. Behold, that is the day of which I have spoken. And those who inhabit the cities that I have spoken, and those who inhabit the cities of Israel will go out, and make fires with the weapons of them. And they will not take fires of them. And they will not take fires of them. and they will not take fires with the weapons and they will take fires with the weapons and they will take fires with the weapons and they will take spoil with the weapons and they will take spoil with the weapons and they will take spoil of those who despoiled them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them declares the Lord God and so the Israelites will use Russian weapons as firewood for seven years and I believe that's going to go right on into the Tribulation, the Millennial Kingdom, they'll still be using it as firewood, the Russian weapons. Look at verses 11 and 12. And it will come about on that day that I shall give Gog a burial ground there in Israel, and the valley of those who pass by east of the sea, and it will block off the passersby. So they will bury Gog there with all his multitude. So apparently they're going to bury even the leader with all his multitude and they will call it the Valley of Ham and Gog which means the multitude of Gog. For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. So for seven months they're going to be burying dead Soviet, dead Russian bodies. Look at verses 13 and 16. Even all the people of the land will bury them And it will be to their renown on that day that I glorify myself, declares the Lord God. And they will set apart men who will constantly pass through the land, burying those who are passing through, even those left on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months, they will make a search. And as those who pass through the land pass through, when anyone sees a man's bone, then he will set up a marker by it until the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Ham and Gog. And even the name of the city will be Hamana. So they will cleanse the land. And so you have the Israelites not only will use Russian weapons as firewood for seven years, But you also have the Israelites will be burying Russian corpses for seven months. Now, the next passage talks about the verses 17 to 20. We're not going to read it right now. We'll come back to it a little later. But it talks about the fact that in the last days, God is going to assemble birds to eat the corpses of many princes from many different nations. from the princes of the earth so this goes into the battle of armageddon now i think world war three is going to be a stop and go type thing where there's going to be the russian invasion the israelites defeat them through the power of god through divine intervention uh... there might even be the neutron bomb is a bomb it's a nuclear weapon where the the burst occurs in the sky and what happens is the uh... It's not the explosion that kills anybody, so it doesn't destroy any buildings. It just leaks the radiation. And it does it in such a way that it only lasts for a few days. So that if you were to have decent fallout shelters, you would survive. It wouldn't even knock a vase off a fireplace. It wouldn't knock chairs down. It wouldn't destroy any houses. But then you'd have to wait a few days for the radiation to clear and then you come up and you wonder, well, what's the sense of it? Well, the sense of it is it defeats invading armies without killing your people or your allies. And the United States of America says that we have these neutron bombs, we will use them if our allies ask us to. So if the Soviets invaded Israel, God may use America as his instrument to bring fire and brimstone on the Soviets, or possibly the revived Roman Empire, under the Antichrist, maybe God would use them. But whatever the case, that would have the thing. You see, for seven months they're burying dead Soviet bodies, and there's not even one mention of them burying Israelites. And I'm sure they're going to be burying some, but that's not the big thing. The big thing is that it's almost all the people that are laying there dead are Soviets, and a neutron bomb would get that kind of effect. But I think World War III is going to be ongoing type thing, and it's going to eventually lead into the Battle of Armageddon, and I think that's why the next four verses or so discuss what would be referred to as the Battle of Armageddon. So we talked about World War III, the Russian invasion of the Middle East. Now let's talk about the Battle of Armageddon, the final battle of mankind until Jesus Christ up to the point that Christ returns. The battle of Armageddon, let's take a look at this point at Zechariah chapter 14. Take a look at Zechariah chapter 14. Take a look at verses... In fact, let's make that verses 1 to 5. verses 1 to 5 of Zechariah chapter 14. Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. In other words, the spoil that was taken from Israel will be returned to the Israelites. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle. uh... pat robertson makes a good point in his new book the new world order that uh... you know it almost seemed impossible that all nations would go to war with just one nation until you had world war one world war two but now with the persian gulf war you had the united nations gathering a force one force to go and do battle against iraq uh... if the israelites don't go along with these peace plans the day could come when All of a sudden, the United Nations decides that all nations are going to turn on Israel. Verse 2. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured. The house is plundered, the woman ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. And the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. Apparently where he lands is on the Mount of Olives, where he also gave the Olivet Discourse, where he talked about the end times. And in that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move towards the north, and the other half towards the south. And you will flee by the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Hazel. Yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come and all the holy ones with him." Footnote here, this is talking about the deity of Christ. Because it says there, the Lord, my God, will come and all the holy ones with him. And we know that's talking about Jesus returning, so it's calling Jesus God. But also, apparently, there's going to be some Jews saved after the rapture. Remember, we're in Romans chapter 11 where it says all Israel will be saved when the hardening of the hearts gets removed. I believe it's Romans 11 25 When the hardening of the heart gets When all Gentiles the falls of the Gentiles comes in when the last Gentile gets saved the hardening of the hearts is going to be removed from the Jews and all Israel is going to be saved all true Israel is going to be saved and And it may occur as they see Christ returning right after the raptures occurred because these people apparently don't get, these Jews don't get the resurrection bodies yet because they need protection. As the earthquake splits, they go through the crack in the earthquake for protection as Christ then returns and fights the battle for them. And as verse 3 said, Zechariah 14, then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations Remember, verse 2 said he'd gather all nations against Jerusalem. Verse 3 says, then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. Look at verse 12. Verse 12 and the following verses. Now this will be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem. Their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets. And their tongue will rot in their mouth. So you have this horrible, horrible devastation as Christ returns. Rotting eyes in their sockets, tongues in their mouth. Also in Revelation it says that the horse of the slaughter on the day of the battle of Armageddon, the slaughter is going to be so horrible that you're going to have blood right up to the horse's bridle. Now a lot of people say, well the blood is going to splash up to that for a distance of 200 miles. I think it's literally going to be that high. I think if you put human beings in a blender and reduce them to liquid, that's how much devastation there's going to be. Now that sounds horrible, that sounds gross, but I really believe that that's what it is talking about. Jesus Christ is going to literally devastate those who come to war against Israel. Verse 13, And it will come about in that day that a great panic from the Lord will fall on them, and they will seize one another's hand, and the hand of one will be lifted against the hand of another. And Judah also will fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold and silver and garments in great abundance." So also like the plague will be the plague on the horse, the mule, the camel, the donkey, and all the cattle that will be in those camps. Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. That's when Jesus Christ rules in Jerusalem. Look at verse 17. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no reign on them. and the passage goes further talking about Jesus Christ ruling in Jerusalem so the battle of Armageddon what you have is all nations going to war against the nation of Israel they invade Jerusalem they attempt to defeat the nation of Israel and to wipe them off the face of the earth and just when it appears that Israel will be wiped off the face of the earth that they'll cease to exist as a people that they'll become extinct. Just at that point, the Israelites began to say, hey, we're going to be wiped off the face of the earth. The sun is dark and the moon isn't giving its light. The stars are falling from the sky. We're going to be wiped completely off the face of the earth. And our Messiah never came. And then all of a sudden it's going to click. And wait a minute. What about the carpenter from Nazareth? 2000 years ago, the one who claimed to be God, the one who claimed to be our Messiah, the one who claimed to die on the cross for our sins, and his followers claimed to be eyewitnesses, that they had seen him risen from the dead, and that he would someday return. At that point, that's the final domino to fall, to usher in the return, the second coming of Jesus Christ to the planet Earth, is when the Israelites recognize that Jesus Christ is their Messiah, And at that point, when they turn their hearts back to Him, that is when He'll return. You also find that in Hosea chapter 5, the last few verses and the first few verses of Hosea chapter 6. In fact, let's take a look at that passage real quick. Hosea chapter 5, last few verses of it, because it also gives us a little indication, it may be an indication of around approximately what time Christ will return. We can't be dogmatic on it, but it is possible. Hosea chapter 5, look at verse 15, God is talking in verse 15 of Hosea chapter 5, He says, I will go away and return to my place. He's probably talking about the ascension when He ascended back to heaven, about 30 AD. Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, in their affliction they will earnestly seek me. So once the Jews admit that they were wrong and that Jesus Christ is their Messiah, and then in the tribulation, during their affliction, they will earnestly seek Christ. Chapter 6, verse 1, is what they say. Come, let us return to the Lord, for He has torn us, but He will heal us. He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days. He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him. So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn, And He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth. Now it says there that He will revive us after two days, and He will raise us up on the third day. We're going to see in the next lecture that when the Lord speaks prophetically, a thousand years arise a day, and a day is a thousand years. Now it says that He'll raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him. Well, if that third day is the Millennium Kingdom, a thousand years, the thousand year reign of Christ, then the first two days would be 2,000 years. Now the question comes up, is it 2,365 day years from 30 A.D. which would take it to about the year 2030 would be when Christ returns? Or is it 360 day years which would put it right about the year 2000? Or is this just not meant to be taken so literally? Are we getting a little too far-fetched in their speculation. I don't know for sure, but what I do know is the Lord wants us to live as if Jesus Christ could return during our generation. And so I'll just throw that out to you at this point. Look at the Book of Revelation, the New Testament Book of Revelation. In fact, getting on this theme, not to drill it home too deep, but Romans chapter 11, just on the fact that we're talking about the day when the Israelites Once they turn to Christ, then Christ will return. Look at Romans 11, verses 25 to 27. Romans chapter 11, verses 25 to 27. And that reads, "...for I did not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles is coming." So when that last Gentile gets saved, verse 26, "...and thus all Israel will be saved, just as it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will remove ungodliness from Jacob, and this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." So the hardening of the hearts will be removed from the nation of Israel and Jesus Christ will return. Take a look at the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation. And let's take a look at Revelation 9, verses 13-21. Revelation 9, verses 13-21. And a sixth angel sounded, a sixth trumpet, and I heard a loud voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God. One saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. And the four angels who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year were released so that they might kill a third of mankind. And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them. Maybe the kings of the east, India plus India's got between 800 and 900 million people. China has over a billion people. If you just combine those two alone and take one of every 10 people, you've got armed forces of 200 million people. And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them. The riders had breastplates the color of fire and hyacinth and of brimstone, and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. Third of mankind was killed by these three plagues by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, and their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm. And the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood, which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their immorality, nor of their thefts." Apparently John here is describing what may be modern warfare. He didn't know any better way to describe it, and so he began to describe it as horses that Heads of the horses, like the heads of lions, and out of their mouth proceed fire and smoke and brimstone." I don't know if he's talking about tanks here, or what he's talking about. But I believe the 200 million men are the kings of the East, which are mentioned a little further on in Revelation. Look at Revelation chapter 16, verses 12 to 16. This is the sixth bull. Revelation chapter 16, verses 12 to 16 reads as follows. And the sixth angel poured out his bowl upon the great river, the Euphrates, and his water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings from the east. And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. Behold, I am coming like a thief, Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments lest he walk about naked and men see his shame. And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Armageddon. So there the battle of Armageddon, the kings of the east, the Euphrates river is dried up to make way for the kings of the east to boldly march into the nation of Israel. And again Zechariah says this is when all nations do battle against Israel. However, when all nations do battle against Israel, that is when one Jew returns who is so tough that he's able to take on all the nations of earth, all their militaries, and defeat them in battle. Revelation chapter 19, verses 11 to 21. And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And he who sat upon it is called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and wages war. And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems, and he has a name written upon him which no one knows except himself. And he is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. The armies which are in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. And from his mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it he may smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, and he treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has the name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in mid-heaven, Come assemble for the great supper of God, in order that you may eat of the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great." birds of the sky eating the flesh of all the kings and all the warriors. That's also mentioned in Ezekiel chapter 39 verses 17 to 20. Let's pick it up in Revelation 19 verse 19. And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against him, against Christ, who sat upon the horse and against his army. And the beast, that's the Antichrist, and the beast was seized and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone and the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of him who sat upon the horse and all the birds were filled with their flesh and so that's the battle of Armageddon when all nations do battle with the nation of Israel They march on Jerusalem in an attempt to wipe them out in the last days, but then the Israelites return, they repent, and they accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah, their Savior and their Messiah. At that point, Jesus Christ returns to the planet Earth, His feet land on the Mount of Olives, and then He does battle for the nation of Israel, and defeats those who attack them. And then Jesus Christ defeats the nations, sets up his kingdom, the millennial temple is built, and Jesus Christ rules from Jerusalem, rules the entire world for 1,000 years, the millennial reign of Christ, when Jesus Christ reigns on the earth for 1,000 years. That's what our next lecture is about, the millennial kingdom. Remember Jesus Christ said that in this world you have tribulation. But be of good cheer, take courage, for I have overcome the world. Jesus Christ is going to return, he'll defeat the nations of the earth, and he'll rule the earth for a thousand years. And when the Prince of Peace returns, then and only then will this planet experience world peace. Thank you, and God bless you.