[sam_paine]

Here's a question for the End Times set. Not a jab, just a serious question. If the prophesies foretell future, indescribable events, why don't they include the future, unknowable-at-the-time names, too?

If I were to lay that many names on a map and not have any but Ethiopia match (and not even Iran for Persia?) then I'd tend to think I don't have a match.

What if Gomer, Rosh and Togarmah are future colonies on Mars or planets in an interstellar empire somewhere else and we're wasting time here tying to apply the wrong prophesies to our own little backwater when the real fight is going on somewhere else, or long time from now (or happened eons ago already somewhere else?)

Just askin.

[Genoa]

If I were to lay that many names on a map and not have any but Ethiopia match (and not even Iran for Persia?) then I'd tend to think I don't have a match.

I'm inclined to think that this prophecy is destined to be fulfilled at a time in the future when artificial "nations" like Turkey and Iraq are long gone. But I think it's quite possible that the blessed hope (Titus 2:13) will burst through at any time and the kingdom of God on earth will begin, when Christ shall rule from heaven until his enemies have been made his footstool (Psalm 110:1).
Planets in an interstellar empire?
Nah.

[Karliner]

Here's a question for the End Times set. Not a jab, just a serious question. If the prophesies foretell future, indescribable events, why don't they include the future, unknowable-at-the-time names, too?

The prophecies are true. Even the prophecies to the very day Israel became a nation again. The names of countries countinually change. Ezekial prophecied for both his and our( and all) generations. It doesn't take much digging to see exactly who and where the nations of which Ezekial, or Zecheriah, Isaiah, Danial, or John or Jesus spoke and prophesied about.

If you don't believe, and have to see to believe then I suggest a good ppastor that can show you the scriptures and how they relate to these times, if secular maybe an ancient historian that knows the names of said nations, they really haven't changed that much. If Jewish I suggest a very smart rebe that will tell you these things, such as Elam=Iran...not such a distance in time nor language really; but mars my friend, ain't the kind of place to raise your kids, in fact it's cold as hell( Elton john)

For me, and for many, believing is seeing; and once we began to believe our eyes were opened to the scriptures and to some of the mysteries as the ruach gives us. For many who feel seeing is believing, I doubt very highly anything anyone says or tells you will not be met with disbelief or skepticism.