In 1980, before Iraq was significant in world news, I interpreted verse 21 as the political seizure of Iraq by the anti-Christ (i.e. Gog). Verse 21 indicates that he will not initially seize that country militarily, but rather a political seizure will precede a military seizure. The same verse indicates that Gog will be rejected by the Iraqi people as he takes the ruling position of the country.
If the above takes place, this chapter will spread quickly to Christian internet readers. Please do your share to spread it, for the time will then be short.
In 1980, I interpreted verse 22 as the fall of Iraq's military prior to Gog's seizure of Iraq. I interpreted that fall as occurring at the hands of a large but unidentified army (i.e. God does not, in the prophecy, identify which nation would conquer Iraq). That fall is believed by myself to be the Iraqi invasion under the command of George Bush.
Along with the fall of Iraq, the prophecy (still in verse 22) tells that there will be, at the hands of the same unidentified army, the fall of a "ruler of a covenant." This ruler I interpreted as the leader of a multitude of parties sworn to destroy Israel. Until 2004 I did not know whom he could be, but since then I feel confident to interpret him as Osama bin Laden...a perfect fit for the phrase, "Ruler of a Covenant." It is a fact that Osama's military machine was broken just prior to the fall of the Iraqi army (in 2003).
I predict, from my interpretation of verse 23, that the fallen Iraqi military and its supporters, including Osama's factions and his supporters (i.e. the so-called "Insurgents"), will join Gog in a pact (i.e. Gog will join the said "covenant"). The Iraqi citizens whom have already given themselves over (and those who are yet to commit themselves) to the New Iraq will reject Gog at that time (probably because the same Iraqi people now reject the Insurgents in their making a terrorist-stench of themselves).
Verse 23 (and subsequent verses) also tells me that Gog and the Insurgents, though few in numbers, will succeed. The verse reads like so: "He will come and be strong with a few people."
From verse 24 I predict that Gog, upon entering Iraq and seizing the nation politically (i.e. by diplomatic smooth talk), will use his Insurgent supporters to seize the country militarily, especially the "rich places of the province," which I think must include Baghdad and surrounding region.
I predict from the Old-Testament book of Nahum that the anti-Christ/Gog will enter Iraq at Mosul, by which I mean to say that modern Mosul (ancient Nineveh) will be the location of his initial base of Iraqi operations.
If this string of predictions comes true, and especially if they come true before 2009, this chapter (written and published in May of 2006) will spread worldwide. As a result, the post-tribulation message in my book -- the message that many other writers are sharing (in hopes that all believers will prepare themselves to endure the great tribulation) -- will likewise be read by multitudes that have never heard of it. Please bookmark this chapter and help spread it around when/if these predictions come true.
I predict further that, according to verse 25, Gog and his supporters, after seizing Iraq, will invade Egypt. They will be successful as per verse 28, the same verse that tells of his military stab against Israel in conjunction with his invasion of Egypt. Note that the Egyptian leadership is to this day opposed to the Insurgents.
Verse 29 gives yet more information: a second attempt against Egypt that will fail due to stern pressure on Gog from Western (U.S. ?) powers upon the Mediterranean. The result is that Gog becomes furious and sets his heart against Israel, which leads to the Abomination that causes desolation, defined in verse 31 as a military invasion of Jerusalem by Gog's forces, including the related profaning of the Temple Site.
Enough here. For an expounded version of these predictions, see my chapter on the topic.