What role does Iran play in the end times?

Gog is the future ‘prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal' (most likely designations for Russia (Rosh) and its main cities (Moscow and Tubolsk, see Ezk. 38:3), and his land is called ‘Magog' (Ezk. 38:2). Gog, with his mighty armies, will invade the land of Israel with a view to plundering its possessions (Ezk. 38:10-12, 14-16). This will be at a time when Israel has been gathered together from among the nations (v.12) and dwells in the land in peace (v.11), i.e. after they have accepted Christ as their Messiah. But Gog's armies will come to a terrible end when God judges them through a range of terrible calamities (Ezk. 38:18–39: 8). The reference to Gog and Magog in Rev. 20: 8 speaks of a different event that will take place after the millennium (see Q 42).

Lastly, Ezekiel 38, 39, give us still another power, whose rise and growth and attitude in the present day are (along with the revival of Greece and Italy,) among the most striking signs of the times. It is Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, — as the words should read. Russia is here really named; and she too, doubtless all through at the back of Greece, comes up as an enemy of Israel and of God, in days which cannot be far distant.

Few will doubt that Ezekiel 38 and 39 give the last great invasion before the millennium. The leader of this final assault is Gog, from the land of Magog, the Prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. Without a doubt this great host is led by the leader of the Russians, whose chief cities are Moscow and Tobolsk. From the east, he has Persia as his ally, and from the south, Ethiopia and Libya. Besides, there is Gomer and all his bands; Togarmah and all his bands from the north, and many people. Gomer's descendants spread westwards and northwards from the Black Sea, and would probably include the nations to the west of Russia who were not among the kings of the western empire.

From Ezekiel 38:8 we learn that this invasion is "in the latter years," and that they shall come "into a land brought back, from the sword gathered out of many people … and they shall dwell safely all of them." This is evidently after the beast and his armies have been destroyed, and it may be also after other conflicts have taken place. At any rate, it is after the first of the regatherings of the nation, and when they are settled down in safety that the invader comes.

The ruin of her ally, the King of the North, will cause Russia to arise and put forth all her strength for the extermination of the restored Jewish State. A number of satellite powers will join her in the enterprise, among others Persia and Ethiopia (known to us as Abyssinia). Persia and Ethiopia have been for many years centres of political intrigue on the part of the European powers, each endeavouring to checkmate Russian influence and establish its own. The diplomatic game may as well be abandoned; Persia and Ethiopia are destined to fall under the thumb of the Muscovite. The voice of divine inspiration so declared it two thousand six hundred years ago. Every political question will find its solution in connection with Israel. The King of the North and his Asiatic confederates will find their grave in Palestine, the Western Emperor and his European hosts will meet their doom there also, and upon the same rock the vast Russian power will be utterly wrecked. Russia's meddling with the returned Jews will be her last piece of meddling. The prophet graphically describes the fury of Jehovah as it bursts forth against this malignant enemy of His people. His story of slaughter is terrible reading. The carnage will be so great that it will be a national work on the part of the people of Israel for seven months to bury the bones (the birds leaving nothing more); and the number of Russian weapons left upon the field will be so enormous that the whole nation of Israel will not require to cut firewood for seven years afterwards (Ezek. 39:9-16). "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 Jehovah" (Ezek. 38:23).

These nations do not fill a large place in prophecy. Persia alone has any measure of prominence. They are not immediately adjacent to the land, nor do they belong to the western confederacy. They are the Gentile nations external to the groups mentioned in Daniel and Revelation, and largely descendants of Japheth, from whom come the inhabitants of "the isles of the sea" (Gen. 10:5). In a general way these peoples have been located near to and north of the Black Sea, Rosh pointing to Russia. It seems clear that we have in this assemblage a great northern confederacy which becomes the last instrument in Satan's hand by which he will seek the destruction of the chosen people then restored to the land under Messiah.

We see no reason why the Turkish empire should be referred to in the naming of the Euphrates in either of the two texts where the river is named in the New Testament. Turkey is not referred to in the Scriptures at all. It needs no prophetic statement nor remarkable foresight to predict the falling to pieces of that most corrupt and the worst governed power on earth. Its dismemberment has commenced, and its complete and final overthrow is only a matter of time, and not a long one either. Palestine and adjacent countries, now part of the Ottoman empire, are rapidly coming to the front. This assemblage of opposing forces in the Holy Land is prefigured in that millennial chapter, Genesis 14. In and about Judea God will gather the nations and kingdoms to pour upon them His indignation and fierce anger (Zeph. 3:8). Persia, Ethiopia, etc., are under the power of Russia and follow in the train of Gog, the last ruler of the Russian peoples (Ezek. 38:2-6). Greece seems to act an independent part in the near crisis (Zech. 9:13), but all these powers are politically hostile to restored Judah (Ps. 83; Zech. 12; 14). Egypt will be subordinate to and an ally of the Beast, and thus an object of attack by the king of the north — Israel’s determined political foe (Dan. 11:25, 29, 42-44). The Beast and Gog are opposing powers. Their policy and aims are widely different. The former is the would-be protector of the Jewish people; the latter their destroyer.

For instance, Ezek. 38 beyond doubt unveils the judgment of Russia at the end of this age, and lets us see its supporters compelled to follow and share the general ruin. Among those of the north are Gomer and all his hordes, and the house of Togarmah from the uttermost north and all his, as well as the southern races of Persia, Cush, and Phut under the same influence.

Allied with Russia in its final assault will be "Persia, Cush, and Phut … all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah from the uttermost north, and all his bands; many peoples with thee" (Ezek. 38:5-6). Just as Russia used the surrounding Communist lands to assist in the assaulting of the small land of Czechoslovakia, so will it bring with it its allies, making an apparently invincible force to crush a very small country. Persia, Ethiopia and Libya, in joining with this great northern confederation, evidently hope to share the spoils of war.

Gog will have many allies. They are given to us in three groups in Ezek. 38:5-6, some Japhetic, some Shemitic. and some Hamitic. A very able hand will be required to draw them together into one compact mass. Greed is apparently the cause of this terrible coalition against restored Israel. The enemy says, "I will go up to the land of unwalled villages, I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates, to take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land."

A great army with confederates such as Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer, and Togarmah will assemble, and come like a cloud on the Holy Land.