Interview with Derek Gilbert, a View from the Bunker, January 24, 2016

THE NEXT GREAT WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST: RUSSIA PREPARES TO FULFILL THE PROPHECY OF GOG AND MAGOG.

Once again, I was privileged to be interviewed by one of the best interviewers in Christian Radio and Television – Derek Gilbert.  His show, A View from the Bunker, (VFTB.net) has been a mainstay for those of us who study eschatology and “fringe issues” of the paranormal that have bearings on Christianity.  Here is a link to the show. CLICK HERE.

The show runs about 87 minutes.  I think you will find the conversation highly intelligent (mostly due to Derek, although I try to help contribute some intelligence too!)

Here is a summary of subjects and topics we discuss.  This is oversimplifying what we covered (so many other related subjects were tackled including why the U.S. is supporting ISIS, a “soft coup d’tat” by the Joint Chiefs against the Commander-in-Chief, and what’s up with Hillary Clinton and Benghazi).

What is the book about? Two primarily theological issues:

1. Who Gog is, and where is the land of Magog?
2. Who is the Antichrist and why he is NOT Islamic.

Half of the book addresses why the U.S. is in such a precarious place in the Middle East.

The book also devotes about one-half of its words to explain how the U.S. has botched its foreign policy in the Middle East, making friends with Iran, supporting ISIS/Al Qaeda, and alienating Saudi Arabia, and especially Israel. It documents the woeful efforts of the prior two administrations, but especially the current President, in handling a series of wars in the Middle East. Bungling policy makers today have energized global terrorism.

Two major changes have nearly BECOME STANDARD (almost so) in eschatology:

1. Psalm 83… that it describes a contemporary war, therefore it is prophetic, and especially it must transpire BEFORE the war of Gog and Magog. This view favors Israel and encourages a form of Zionism that could harm how the world sees Israel.
2. The rise of Islam means that the Antichrist will be a Muslim. The eschatology community seems quite open to this position about the Antichrist. The Mahdi is identified with the Antichrist.

I challenge these viewpoints…

1. The powerbase of the Antichrist will be Turkey. (This is not the case)
2. Mystery Babylon is Saudi Arabia. (This is not at all true).

I affirm these viewpoints…

1. The War of Gog and Magog is distinct from the War of Armageddon. The Psalm 83 war has been an ongoing conflict for the past 100 years. It is not a future war.
2. Gog is a distinct personage from the Antichrist. Gog is not the Mahdi. Gog is not the Antichrist.

Who are the Players?

• The main proponents are Joel Richardson and Walid Shoebat. They are certainly good brothers. They are certainly evangelical Christians. They are right to warn us of the dangers of Islam. However, if they are correct, major chunks of Bible prophecy are invalidated. One cannot reconcile their views with most of conventional eschatology.
• They have drawn encouragement from Chuck Missler who is a pillar in the eschatology movement. Avi Lipkin, a good friend to evangelicals, also believes the Antichrist will come from Turkey. Other TV and media personalities have supported them uncritically.

These are the factors that have motivated me to write a book tackling these most strategic eschatological perspectives that have almost become “assumptions” of today’s most popular prophetic scenarios.