Gog and Magog.

Hey, Bible buffs, just wanted to say that what's going on in Ukraine has nothing to do with Gog and Magog, or Ezekiel 38-39.

I was just listening to a Moody Radio show featuring the "Prophecy Pros" -- seriously, that's their show name -- and the nonsense Pat Robertson was talking about yesterday. Here's why:

1. Gog is a person, not a country. He's the king of Meshek, which at the time consisted of what we call Ukraine, Armenia, and a part of central Turkey. Vladimir Putin is not the ruler of those regions.

2. Ezekiel 38 is set in the end-times, and we are not in the end-times. Paul said we would know the end-times when the Anti-Christ sits in God's temple and declares himself God (2 Thessalonians 2). That hasn't happened. 

3. The armies of Ezekiel 38 are armed with ancient weapons. You can't champion literal interpretation but then fudge on that.

4. "Gog" leads an army allied with Iran, Egypt, and Libya. Russians ("Gomer") are a part of a larger larger multi-national force. What's happening now is not fulfilling that prophecy. The Russians are doing this on their own, alone.

Ezekiel 38 predicts what many of us know as the battle of Armageddon. You can read about it in Revelation 19:17-21.