Libya in Bible Prophecy

    Libya is in the news a lot these days. The nation of Libya was formed by Italy (under a UN trusteeship) when they united three desert kingdoms into one, Cyrenaica, Tripolitania, and Fezzania. The resulting nation, under King Idris, was a western friendly kingdom, and gained its independence from Italy in 1951. But in 1969, Moamar Quadaffi effected a coup d'etat and became dictator of that African nation. Under Quadaffi, Libya has been a major player in international irritation and terrorism. Quadaffi has long held Socialist and Marxist style tendencies, and closely aligned himself with the former Soviet Union and Arab/Muslim supremacists. Quadaffi was a weapons client of Russia, and used that weaponry to solidify his dictatorship, and to spread radical Islamic power via terrorism into Chad, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Egypt.

   Libya is mentioned several times in the Bible. In ancient times, Libya was also known by the name of Phut, one of the sons of Ham. Many people will remember the name "Simon of Cyrene," who carried the Cross of Jesus. This very same Simon was from Libya, or Cyrenaica.

   Libya is also mentioned in Bible prophecy. It is one of the coalition of allies mentioned in the Ezekiel 38 scenario of the great Magog invasion against Israel in the Latter Days. (Ezekiel 38:1-6 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.)

   Libya is plainly portrayed as being a sublevel ally of Magog in the Last Days invasion of Israel. While Quadaffi was in power, it was easy to see how Libya would readily be compliant with any aggression against Israel. The same is true today of Iran and all the rest of the Ezekiel 38 war partners. However the fall of Quadaffi would seem to make that picture a little bit more clouded.

    But when one remembers the geo-political fact that ancient Rome had a unique history in the development of Libya, and that if the eventual Antichrist is to emerge from a greater EuroMed union, then the recent so-called Arab Spring upheavals in North Africa (Tunisia, Egypt and Libya) may just be a precursor of events to create the political platform for the rise of the Antichrist.

    Presently, there is no certainty as to who will rule in Libya in the near future. There are possibilities that terrorists-connected elements of Islamic networks could emerge as leaders, much like the situation in Egypt with the Muslim Brotherhood. Bible prophecy doesn't particularly reveal anything specific about that, but one thing is for sure, Libya will join Russia and Iran in a future war against Israel, and the current geo-political events show that Libya is a battleground between several major forces; Europe and the West, Russia, and several competing Muslim networks. If there is a single verse that sticks out about the Arab Spring, and the multi-pronged Arab-Muslim networks involved in international intrigue, it is the following prophecy from Genesis.

(Genesis 16:11-12 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.)