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By encouraging the war between Ukraine and Russia, who would have thought that evangelical’s and fundamentalist’s relatively new interpretation of the identity of Gog and Magog would have contributed to perilous times?
Identifying Magog with Russia is not a historical interpretation of the church. Consequently, the war may explode into World War III with the US, Europe and NATO (the globalists) fighting a proxy war with Russia on Ukraine’s behalf.
Magog has historically been connected with Scythia, according to an ancient Jewish historian named Flavius Josephus and an ancient Greek philosopher named Herodotus. Scythia encompassed much of the ancient nation of Khazaria, today called Ukraine,
Had western evangelicals and fundamentalists learned who our forebears said were Gog and Magog, they might not be encouraging hatred and warmongering toward Russia—an innocent God-fearing Christian nation that has been maligned by the globalists who control western governments, militaries, churches and religious and secular educational institutions and publishing companies, to include many theological commentaries..
Perhaps the church needs a new infusion of understanding of the biblical meaning of peace—a fruit of the Spirit that God grows in the hearts of those who are genuinely His. The word ‘peace’ as used in the Gospels, and in Galatians means “to bind together those things that were separated.” Jesus made peace through the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20), thus binding together the believing sinner and the holy God. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of peace in the life of that believer. This fruit is manifested in proportion to the believer’s yieldedness to the Spirit.
We are told that God “will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast” (Isa. 26:3). The battleground is the mind—“the mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom. 8:6). The apostle Paul speaks to all of us when he tells the Colossians to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (Col. 3:15). And we are to remember that that peace comes from the Holy Spirit. Peace comes as we take everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).
The life of the believer shows proper growth and development when the power of the Holy Spirit enriches that growth in character. Since God is a God of peace (1 Thess. 5:23) and His Son is the Prince of peace (Isa. 9:6), it follows that this endowment enables the believer to partake in the peace which is a part of the divine nature.
The fruit of the Spirit is a manifestation of Christ’s nature in the life of the Christian by the Holy Spirit. The peace of natural man is very different from the scriptural definition of divine peace. In human concept, peace implies mental tranquility, the absence of tension or a settlement of disputes. Peace, the fruit of the Spirit, is the secure and confident repose of the soul in God Himself. Believers have composure of spirit in all circumstances because they are divinely insulated by the Holy Spirit, not from trials, but from the anxiety of life.
Divine peace has two aspects. The believer has peace with God (Rom. 5:1). The believer also enjoys the peace of God (Rom. 15:13). We must have peace with God before we can have the peace of God. Both are the fruit of the Spirit. Peace with God is the calm assurance that Christ’s atonement for sin has reconciled us with God: we are His children. The peace of God is given to those who love His word: “Great peace have they who love Your law” (Psa. 119:165). In a song of praise Isaiah says to God, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast on Thee” (Isa. 26:3).
The Son of God did not make our peace and then retire. His abiding presence with us is the essence of divine peace. Paul prays, “May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way” (2 Thess. 3:16). Peace, the fruit of the Spirit, is Christ’s gift to us. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you” (John 14:27). After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said, “Peace be unto you” (John 20:19, 26). These powerful words conveyed the Lord’s blessing upon the disciples; in fact they brought divine peace to the troubled hearts of His followers.
All the virtues of the fruit of the Spirit are to be shared with others. What would be the use of love if believers never manifested it to others? Divine peace is a part of Christian character; therefore, it is intended to witness of Christ in social interaction. Our Lord undoubtedly had this in mind when He said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9).
The word “peacemaker” should not be restricted to the reconciliation of those at variance. The Christian peacemaker is an expositor of spiritual peace in all daily activities; words and behavior display the peace of Christ within him. This visible testimony is commended by James who shows its influence upon others: “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:18).
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James F. Linzey received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies at Vanguard University of Southern California (1979), and a Master of Divinity degree at Fuller Theological Seminary (1983). He hosted Operation Freedom television and radio programs worldwide on the baptism with the Holy Spirit. He authored “The Holy Spirit,” “A Divine Appointment in Washington, DC” and with Charisma author Verna M. Linzey co-edited “Baptism in the Spirit” by his father Stanford E. Linzey, Jr. He is the chief editor of the Modern English Version Bible translation.
James Lasher 
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