The carnage left behind by Hamas’ massacre of Israeli citizens and several from other countries shocked and deeply saddened me as I read hundreds of messages and viewed a few pictures of the slain.
Because the tragic events of October 7, 2023, involve Israel, prophetic implications from what’s happening in the Middle East will reverberate long afterward.
There are several prophetic observations that flow from the massacre of so many in Israel.
Is this the fulfillment of Psalm 83? Before the tragic events of October 7, 2023, several respected Bible prophecy experts said the Psalm refers to a future attack, while other such specialists placed it in the past. Although it’s not clear whether or not all the participants listed in verses 6-8 will join the coming war, the opening verses to the Psalm apply to the plotting of Israel’s current enemies:
Psalm 83:1-4 KJV – “Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.”
The terror attack was the result of careful planning with the intent to ultimately eliminate Israel as a nation. As I write, tensions are rising as it appears that Hezbollah in the north and Syria are ready to join the fight against Israel. Should Jordan join the forces rallying against Israel, that would bring in more participants from Psalm 83.
Below are a few observations that I see as they relate to biblical prophecy.
It’s Not The Gog/Magog War, But Could Lead To It
The current conflict is not the Gog/Magog war, but could lead to it in the future. I say this for a couple of reasons:
- This invasion will begin at a time when Israel is restored from war (Ezekiel 38:8). So it could begin after peace is restored from the current war.
- The war of Ezekiel 38-39 will begin at a time when Israel is dwelling “securely” (Ezekiel 38:10-11). There has been talk of a large-scale war in the Middle East for several months.
If Israel were to achieve a decisive victory in the coming months, it could create a sense of security and peace that the Bible says will exist before the coalition led by Russia, Iran, and Turkey invade the Land. Since the attack, Israel has threatened to destroy Damascus, which would be a fulfillment of Isaiah 17:1. This would add further fire leading to the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39.
God Will Restore A Glorious Kingdom For Israel
Regardless of what happens in the future, one thing remains absolutely certain: God will surely keep His promise to restore a glorious kingdom for the people of Israel.
The Lord will restore Israel just as He promised in Ezekiel 36:22-37 and 37:15-28. If we can trust the words of Scripture, and we absolutely can, the nation of Israel is here to stay.
Jesus will reign over a restored Israel during His thousand-year rule over the nations. God will not renege on His covenants with His people nor with David. In fact, according to the prophet Jeremiah, this is just as certain as the appearing of the sun in the morning sky (Jeremiah 31:35-36).
The bad news for Israel is that the path between now and the restoration of the kingdom will include increasing hardship and terror that will reach its peak during the second half of the Tribulation. The prophet Zechariah states that only one-third of the Israelites will survive (13:8-9), but those that remain will inherit the long-awaited kingdom for Israel.
It’s after Jesus returns to a repentant Israel that the words of the prophet Isaiah will surely apply:
Isaiah 40:1-2 KJV – “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”
In the past couple of weeks, the Lord has impressed these verses upon my mind as they speak of a time when Jerusalem’s “warfare” will cease. The situation looks bleak for the city at the moment, but God will keep His solemn promise to preserve Israel and establish His covenant of peace with the nation (Isaiah 54:10; Ezekiel 37:26).
Zechariah wrote about a still future repentance of Israel (12:10-13:1), and Jesus prophesied of a time when the people of Israel would greet Him with the words, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:37-39).
There can be no doubt: Scripture assures us of a glorious future for Israel.
The Current Attacks Will Make The Antichrist’s Covenant More Appealing
The pain and overwhelming grief caused by the current attacks on Israel will make the peace plan offered by the antichrist all the more appealing. This is the covenant that kicks off the seventieth week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27), which we refer to as the seven-year Tribulation.
The leaders of Israel will believe that the terms offered by the man of lawlessness will save them from another devastating war, but he will betray them after three and a half years, which will cause many of them to flee for their lives (Matthew 24:15-21). If the rebuilding of the third temple is part of the deal, it will make his covenant all the more inviting.
The Prophet Isaiah refers to the antichrist’s plan as a “covenant of death” (28:14-22). The one-third of Israel that survive the Tribulation, however, will forever enjoy their Messiah’s “covenant of peace” (Isaiah 54:10; Ezekiel 37:26). Just as it was through much suffering and death that Israel became a nation again, so shall it be leading up to their unending time of security beginning with the millennial reign of Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment