The Lord names five nations with their armies that will be in alliance with Russia when she invades Israel. The five are: Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer, and Togarmah.

1. Persia.

Persia is prophesied to be allied with Russia in the “latter years” (v.8) and “latter days” as stated in Verse 16. Since this invasion will not occur until after the Rapture, yet we see evidence now of Russia supplying aid and weapons to Persia. If they are together now, how close the Rapture must be! This alignment did not just start; but was being formulated many years ago. As far back as 1932, Moscow signed a treaty with Persia. Should there be a war, Russia was promised free access through Persia to the Middle East and to Palestine. Three years after this treaty, in 1935 Persia changed her name to Iran, which we are so familiar with today. Remember her leader, Ahmadinejad, has vowed they would exterminate Israel completely. As we will see later on, it will be the Lord who exterminates the Army of Iran. Iran is under the curse of Almighty God.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to travel to Moscow for talks, Russian news agency Interfax has reported. Of course, at this writing, Ahmadinejad is no longer top man in Iran (2015); however, the one who has replaced him has the same objectives.

The invitation followed a meeting between Mr. Putin and Mr. Ahmadinejad, who is fighting calls from Western powers to stop nuclear work that the US says is aimed at building atomic bombs. Tehran says it only wants nuclear technology to generate power.

"Ahmadinejad accepted the invitation with gratitude," Interfax quoted the two leaders as saying in a joint statement. "The parties agreed to clear the dates for the visit through diplomatic channels." Mr. Putin also agreed to bring Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant into operation on schedule following talks in Tehran. "The Bushehr nuclear power plant will be constructed and brought into operation in line with the agreed upon schedule," the statement said. (Note: As of 8/30/10, Russia has given Iran the uranium necessary to bring the plant into operation. Iran now has nuclear capability.)

"The parties... reaffirmed that it will continue to be pursued strictly in line with their commitments under the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons." “The US, which sees the plant as part of a nuclear drive through which Iran may try to produce weapons, has urged Moscow to halt construction.”

“Mr. Putin has called for patience in the international dispute. In his address to the leaders’ summit Mr. Putin has warned against the use of force in the region. Iran is seeking Russia's support in blocking further UN sanctions and continued assistance in building Iran's first nuclear power station.”

1a. Relations with Russia.

“Ahmadinejad has moved to strengthen relations with Russia, setting up an office expressly dedicated to that purpose in October 2005. He has worked with Vladimir Putin on the nuclear issue, and both Putin and Ahmadinejad have expressed a desire for more mutual cooperation on issues involving the Caspian Sea. More recently, Iran has been increasingly pushed into an alliance with Moscow due to the controversy over Iran's nuclear program. By late December 2007, Russia began to deliver enriched batches of nuclear fuel to Iran as a way of persuading Iran to end self-enrichment.” (Wikipedia)

2. Ethiopia.

The Hebrew for “Ethiopia” is always “Cush. In the past, Haile Selassie, who claimed to be a Christian, was a friend of the United States. This would not last, as a revolution was about to take place.

"After a period of civil unrest which began in February 1974, the aging Emperor Haile Selassie I (Pictured on the left) was deposed. On September 12, 1974, a provisional administrative council of soldiers, known as the Derg ("committee") seized power from the emperor and installed a government which was socialist in name and military in style. The Derg summarily executed 59 members of the former government, including two former Prime Ministers and Crown Councilors, Court officials, ministers, and generals. Emperor Selassie died on August 22, 1975. He was allegedly strangled in the basement of his palace.

Lt. Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam assumed power as...head of state. He killed his two predecessors, and thousands of other suspected opponents. The new Marxist government undertook socialist reforms, including nationalizations of landlords' and church's property. Before the coup, the Ethiopian peasants' way of life was thoroughly influenced by the church teachings; 280 days a year are religious feasts or days of rest. Mengistu's years in office were as a dictator and the country's massive militarization was financed by the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, and assisted by Cuba.

In December 1976, an Ethiopian delegation in Moscow signed a military assistance agreement with the Soviet Union. The following April, Ethiopia abrogated its military assistance agreement with the United States and expelled the American military missions. --Wikipedia

In December 2007, the Peace Corps returned to Ethiopia after a 10-year absence. Volunteers serve in the realm of health and HIV/AIDS. The United States and Ethiopia supposedly have a "bi-lateral" relations for counter-terrorism. This is a "social democracy" and our countries have resumed ambassador relations. The U.S. also gives Ethiopia much famine relief.

Today Ethiopia has the biggest economy in East Africa and Central Africa, Recently, human rights abuses have been reported in Ethiopia under Premier Meles Zenawi (pictured on the right) despite the country becoming a leading economic, diplomatic and political force in Africa. The ideology of its ruling power is social democracy, advocating democratic socialism, which boils down to just socialism.

2a. Ethiopia’s Relations With Russia.

Russia donated on (July 25, 2010), 805 metric tons of wheat to World Food Program (WFP) Ethiopia. Alexander Letoshnev, Charge d’ Affaires of the Russian Embassy in Addis Ababa, said the Russian government commended Ethiopia’s success in the agriculture sector. He said his country will remain a development partner of the country. The people and government of Russian will assist the development activities in Ethiopia.
3. Libya.

I believe it was in 1972 that Libya expelled our Air Force out of her country and closed our air bases. One of the great Bible scholars and Bible teachers, who has gone on to be with the Lord, Dr. Mark G. Cambron, had something interesting to say concerning Libya in his book, While We Wait, on pages 43,44.

“Several years ago (1979), I was speaking in a Bible Conference held in St. Petersburg. Florida, on this same subject. After the message a dear Brother in the Lord came up to me. saying, ‘Dr. Cambron, “I want you to know that your message thrilled me, I saw in the paper where you were going to speak on this subject, and I just had to hear you.” He handed me his card, showing that he was a U.S. Army Lt. Colonel, Retired, Chaplain Corps. He then added. “I was in Libya as an officer when they kicked us out several years ago; and I was in Turkey when they kicked us out of there. Our ‘brass’ could not understand why these two countries which had been befriended by the United States with substantial financial aid, etc., could do this, but I found that answer today while listening to your message. It has been in the Word all the time that Libya and Turkey would be with Russia in the last days, and they are with her right now. If only those who are in the high offices of our country could have been warned by the Word, the United States would have saved face in Libya and Turkey, and of course, in IRAN!”

The first outcome of the visit was the settling of Libya's debt to the former Soviet Union. Tripoli recognized the $4.6 billion sum named by Moscow. In reply, Russia wrote it off in exchange for new and promising contracts with Russian companies. One of them is a Russian Railways (RZD) contract to build a 500-kilometer railroad between Sirt and Benghazi. Its sum is 2.2 billion euros. According to Russia's Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, the contract will finance 70% of Libya's purchases of plant and equipment in Russia.

Altogether, ten agreements on trade, economic and military cooperation were signed. For understandable reasons the military ones are not publicized, but in the view of Russian analysts they involve deliveries of between $2 and $4 billion worth of weapons and equipment.

The Libyan military is interested in the most advanced Russian armaments, many of which have not even been adopted by the Russian army. But Putin did a great thing in Tripoli: he cleared and staked out a patch for Russia's oil and gas companies and paved the way for Rosoboron export in the Libyan arms market, which is worth a lot. (EN.RIAN.RU)

Libya’s government is in a state of transition since their revolution and the overthrow and death of  the Marxist dictator, Muammar Qaddafi. It is not clear who is in leadership in this country now, which still has ties to the Russia. Even when a cruel dictator is taken down, unless strong leadership is immediately assumed, the wrong kind of leadership will soon fill the "vacuum." However, in early June 2011, Russian envoy Mikhail Margelov was received in Benghazi, the de facto headquarters of the Libyan opposition. Margelov's stated objective was to broker a truce between anti-Gaddafi forces and the Gaddafi-led government. He left Benghazi with an invitation from the NTC for Russia to open a representative office in the city, though it opted not to do so before recognizing the council as Libya's sole legitimate representative, which it did on 1 September 2011. (source:en.rian.ru/world/20110608/164511285.html">"

Libyan rebels ask Russia to open mission in Benghazi." RIA Novosti. 8 June 2011. RIA Novosti is the Russian International News Agency.) Sadly, soon after, the United States Embassy in Libya was overrun and our Ambassador and others killed!

We find that on September 1, 2011, Russia recognized Libya’s Transitional Council. It appeared to be “business as usual.” (Gutterman, Steve 1, September, 2011. "Russia recognizes Libya's Transitional Council." Reuters.”)

In a surprise to the world, the interim leader of Libya declared in his "liberation" address that Libya would be an Islamic state and that sharia law would be a fundamental source of legislation.

4. Togarmah.

Who in the world is Togarmah?” In Ezekiel 38:6 we are told,

“... the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.” (Ezekiel 38:6)

“North” is north of Jerusalem. This country makes up almost all of Asia Minor. One may also check your maps of the First Century showing the site of Turkey, which was called in ancient times “Armenia.” She is none other than Turkey today.

In 1975, Turkey closed some 20 of America’s Air Force bases and expelled our military out of its country. She also controlled the Dardanelles; a waterway between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean. Prior to 1975 she had already opened this passageway to the Russian Navy, allowing their ships to access the Mediterranean Sea. America and Russia both have ships there now.

Note: The 4th Infantry Division was scheduled to take part in the Iraq War in the spring of 2003 by spearheading an advance from Turkey into northern Iraq. The Turkish Parliament, at the last minute, refused to grant permission for the operation and the division's equipment remained offshore on ships, arriving through Kuwait after the invasion had started. However, the 4th I.D., commanded by Col. James Hickey, captured the "Ace of Spades" Saddam Hussein.

Yes, Turkey is allied with Russia just as God had said 2600 years ago. She will not invade Israel with Russia until after the Rapture; yet here she is, ready to go! The signs of the times are everywhere. For the Christian, it won’t be long. “Look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.”

5.  Gomer.

Gomer is Germany of today. Should one trace the travels of Gomer’s descendants (A grandson of Noah, Genesis 10:1,2), through the millennia, they would run into Germany. To this most Bible Scholars agree.

“Thus Gomer's children and his children's children went far up into Europe, where, despite their separation both in time and distance, the name of their ancient forebear was preserved among them. Indeed, there is even the possibility that the very name of Germany preserves for us Gomer in slightly inverted form.” (Arthur C. Custance, noted ethnologist and linguist, Roots Of The Nations, Chapter Two, The Family of Japeth).

Germany was divided after World War II in 1945, by the invasion of Russia, and East Germany was Communist for many years. However, since President Ronald Reagan made the famous statement, “Mr. Gorbachov, tear down this wall!” on June 12, 1987, the Brandenburg Gate is open and Germany is now one nation. However, God says that Germany (Gomer) will send their soldiers to fight alongside Russia against Israel.