(Quite a while back, I was taught that this battle happens at the beginning of the tribulation.Then, over the years, that is what I only read about or heard about since that time, as well.The reason, I was shown, for this battle happening at the beginning of the tribulation, was because of the following:)
Ezekiel 39:9 And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years:
(They said that the seven years burning of the weapons must be the seven years of the tribulation.There are others who do not agree with this, and point out things like:After the first 3½ years, when there will be the abomination of desolation, many of Israel will flee to the wilderness.They won’t be in the land of Israel, again, for the entire second 3½ years of the tribulation, the 1260 days:)
Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
(Also, those remaining in the land, will face the great tribulation, the time of Jacob’s trouble, where ⅔ will die in the land, rather than to be still burning the weapons:)
Zechariah 13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
(Then there are some other things mentioned in Ezekiel, that appear to possibly happen after the tribulation, at the second advent:)
Ezekiel 38:16c that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 39:6b and they shall know that I am the LORD.7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.13b and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD.21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.28a Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God,29b for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
(Do those lines sound more like they happen after the time of Jacobs trouble, than before?Especially considering that during the tribulation, Israel still rejects Jesus, and the nations go after the antichrist?If this battle is before, or in the beginning of the tribulation, and the LORD also says in Ezekiel 39:7b and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more,but that is exactly what many in Israel appear to do with the antichristIf this battle is before, or in the beginning of the tribulation, and the LORD also says inEzekiel 39:22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward,however, it seems that most do not really know this until the second advent.Is it all possible that this battle is not at the beginning of the tribulation, or before it?)
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