God’s News In The News – Special Edition

Week One Hundred Seventy-Four

Israel At War – Day 3 With Psalm 83 Explanation

Israel Fights Back

As they told us, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) has responded and taken back control of the areas Hamas attacked. This shouldn’t surprise anyone as they are now at war. There will not just be targeted surgical strikes to push back on Hamas only to have Hamas regroup and attack again. All reports that I have seen more than suggest that eradicating these terrorist completely and taking back the Gaza strip. Many reports from the Israeli government and by those in the know there are saying that the experiment of a peaceful co-existence of Palestinians and Israel is not working. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hamas is totally destroyed or, at the very least driven out of the area. The bigger question is if attacks from other areas will ensue. We know what is happening from a multitude of news sites the actions taking place so I won’t give those to you as you can easily find them on your own. Rather, I will spend some time now and perhaps in the next few podcasts telling you about if this is the beginning of a war predicted in the Bible

What Is The Psalm 83 War?

As I said in the previous podcast, this war could be taking place right now if not leading up to it. It’s hard to know where we are in prophecy now since the Psalm 83 war doesn’t have a fixed time or timeline. We know the where, the who, and mostly the how, but the when isn’t given to us in Scripture. This shouldn’t deter us from exploring it further, it just means we should refrain from nailing the specific times of it. And like all prophecies, it doesn’t make total sense until after it is fulfilled. So, as I alluded to, what is this war? Who are the players and who are not? And, most importantly, what happens to all the parties involved? Let’s dig in then, shall we?

Is Psalm 83 Prophetic?

2 See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads. 3 With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. 4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” (Psalm 83:2-4, NIV)

It only makes sense to begin with this question since the idea that this portion of scripture has prophetic significance has only recently been proposed by the author. His work has already been criticized. People have said that Psalm 83 is only a prayer of lament concerning Israel’s enemies is one explanation. Another is that it is prophetic but was fulfilled in 2 Chronicles 20. Some have also said that it was fulfilled in the Arab-Israeli wars of 1948 and/or 1967, while others have said that Psalm is not a separate prophecy but is one and the same with Ezekiel 38. And then people have said that Psalm 83 is part of the Armageddon scenario that finds fulfillment on the Tribulation period.

God Gathers The Jews Into the Land Of Israel

24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.(Ezekiel 36:24, NKJV)

This alludes to the Jews coming back to their land a second time.

11 It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar,
From Hamath and the islands of the sea. 12 He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth. (Isaiah 11:11-12, NKJV)

Since there is not a 3rd or 4th time mentioned in the Bible we can safely say that the second time is the final time they will need to be gathered. And this miracle is still occurring in our lives.

Israel: The Next Middle East Superpower

We will address all the above criticisms and provide arguments that Psalm 83 is a separate conflict and will not only give Israel the geographic breathing room is has always wanted, but also establish the logic behind the Gog and Magog war which clearly states that Israel is a coveted area. And as part of winning the Psalm 83 war Israel will become an exceedingly great army:
 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Ezekiel 37:10, NJKV)

Ezekiel prophesies about an Israeli army that will rise up and make the Jews victors instead of victims. There are many things that must happen for this army to appear and these conditions do not happen overnight. Rather they happen over a span of years beginning with the scattered nation coming home. But to have a war in this region, Israel has to exist there. As we know, that happened officially in 1948. Not only will they become a nation, but Israel establishes an army in self-defense. While there are many scriptures to support this, common sense, and a study of recent wars against the Jews has shown us that Israel is constantly making itself ready for any assault against it. And they do so by improving on any weaponry they obtain from other countries. We have no idea how prepared they are and won’t know until they need to use it.

They Rebuild The Ruins

In Ezekiel 36:1-5 and Psalm 83 we read that the surrounding Arab nations have taken the land given to the Jews and will not give it up without a fight:

5 therefore thus says the Lord God: “Surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with wholehearted joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder its open country.”’ (Ezekiel 36:5, NKJV)

12 Who said, “Let us take for ourselves The pastures of God for a possession.” (Psalm 83:12, NKJV)

But when the Jews come back, they will rebuild the land:

10 I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. (Ezekiel 36:10, NKJV)

They Will Meet With Resistance In The Area

“I have heard the reproach of Moab, And the insults of the people of Ammon, With which they have reproached My people, And made arrogant threats against their borders. (Zeph 2:8, NKJV)

The Arabs will not go away peacefully from the land, but we still keep trying to offer them land for peace. After the Psalm 83 war ends, the Arab world in the area will be under Israeli control so there will not be a need for the land for peace or two-state plan again. And before we go on, we need to let people know that there are citizens in these Arab nations that want peace and are not supportive of their leaders fighting with Israel. Social media will almost certainly portray Israel as taking a scorched earth approach to these nations, but just a cursory look at what Hamas is doing to Israelis, taking them hostage and killing them should give you an idea of what is happening and what Israel intends to stop. Once the Psalm 83 war is over, people will welcome the peace and help Jews have always shown to the surrounding nations. However, if you’re waiting on the mainstream media to tell you that you’ll be waiting a very long time.

The Surrounding Arab Nations Form A Confederacy

We mentioned this group of nations last week, but we have seen earlier groupings in the previous attacks on Israel in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973. But the confederacy mentioned in Psalm 83 will be yet another confederacy. And their purpose is not peaceful:

4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” 5 For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You… 12 Who said, “Let us take for ourselves The pastures of God for a possession.” (Psalm 83:4,5,12, NKJV)

War Breaks Out In The Middle East

2 Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war In Rabbah [Amman, Jordan] of the Ammonites; It shall be a desolate mound, And her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,” says the Lord.

8 Flee, turn back, dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Dedan [Saudi Arabia]! For I will bring the calamity of Esau [Southern Jordan] upon him, The time that I will punish him.

19 “Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the floodplain of the Jordan Against the dwelling place of the strong; But I will suddenly make him run away from her. And who is a chosen man that I may appoint over her? For who is like Me? Who will arraign Me? And who is that shepherd Who will withstand Me?” (Jer 49:2,8,19, NKJV)

These three scriptures along with others mention a war that many prophetic teachers do not appear to recognize. But it will occur and the surrounding people will be soundly defeated. Ezekiel 25 mentions the areas surrounding Israel as Moab, Edom, Philistia, and Ammon. Syria, Jordan, and the Gaza Strip will all come back into the hands of Israel reshaping the area and giving Israel the security it has wanted for years:

The South shall possess the mountains of Esau [southern Jordan], And the Lowland shall possess Philistia [Gaza Strip]. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim And the fields of Samaria [West Bank]. Benjamin shall possess Gilead [West Bank & Golan Heights]. (Obad 1:19, NKJV)

Lebanon and Saudi Arabia will also come under Israeli rule in form or another.

Who-domites?

With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you—6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, 7 Byblos, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. 8 Even Assyria has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants. (Psalm 83:5-8, NIV)

Since the Bible is 100% accurate we need to know who these Edomites are and what place they play in the coming Middle East conflict. So who are the Edomites? Simply put, they are the descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob of the Old Testament. They formed the nation of Edom, from which comes the term Edomites. Here is simple list of the 10 member coalition and who they could be today:

  • Tents of Edom: Palestinians and Southern Jordanians
  • Ishmaelites: Saudis (Ishmael is the father of the Arabs)
  • Moab: Palestinians and Central Jordanians
  • Hagrites: Egyptians (Hagar is the matriarch of Egypt)
  • Gebal(Byblos): Hezbollah and Northern Lebanese
  • Ammon: Palestinians and Northern Jordanians
  • Amalek: Arabs of the Sinai area
  • Philistia: Hamas of the Gaza Strip
  • Tyre: Hezbollah and Southern Lebanese
  • Assyria: Syrians and Northern Iraqi’s

Who Are the Palestinians?

Unlike the Jews, Palestinians come from no one common historical lineage. Their genealogies can be traced back to the Edomites, Egyptians, Assyrians, Philistines, Sidonians, Ammonites, Moabites, Yemenites, Saudi Arabians, Moroccans, Christians from Greece, Muslim Sherkas from Russia and Muslims from Bosnia just to name a few. So where do the Edomites currently live? These people do still exist and can be located in Southern Jordan. The phrase “tents of Edom” can be translated as “tents of Palestinians” and in the Bible “tents” represent a population assembled in refuge, and/or military encampments. This is important to notice since Palestinians have been seen as living in tents under the United Nations flag for some time.

That’s All For Now

I will explore more about this in our next video, but I want you to know one thing and that is that God doesn’t hate these people. I think after all of this talk of Arab judgments it is important to broach this subject. God loves the whole world! Yes, it is true and we need to remember that. And many people will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus even in the Tribulation so we need to pray that Arabs who fight in the Psalm 83 war will repent and accept Jesus. While we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, let us pray for the people coming against Israel and the innocent people living in those areas who just want to live in peace.