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The fact that Israel was "at Rest" during the time of ASA affirms that Israel, as an "Armed Camp" in a State of War Threats, can be "at REST" TODAY!
The Reign of ASA is strong evidence that Israel is "at REST" TODAY Return to Main Page
Ezekiel 38-39 prophesies that In the latter years Israel will be Supernaturally Rescued from the massive Invasion of the Magog Coalition in an Event that will Magnify God’s Name across the World.
The Timing of the invasion is keyed to two (2) statements...
1. Eze. 38:8—"After many days you will be summoned [to Israel when] …they are living securely, all of them.”
2. Eze. 38:11—"and you will say…I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely..."
In the Ezekiel passage, the Hebrew word for "secure" is “betach”, and for "rest" it is “shaqat”. As demonstrated in the graphs 1 below, the use of these same words elsewhere in the Bible, in conditions which parallel modern Israel,, show that TODAY Israel can be said to be "secure" and "at rest."
How can Israel be “at Rest” while under a state of War?
How can Israel be “an armed camp” and “at Rest” at the same time?
The answers are found in the time of KING ASA
EZEKIEL 38:11’s “shaqat” Rest IN LIGHT OF JUDEAN KING ASA’s “shaqat” Rest
The land was undisturbed (“shaqat”/Rest) for ten years during [Asa’s] days… and there was no one at war with him…
Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days; 1 Kings 15:16 & 32)
…and he built fortified cities...since the land was undisturbed (“shaqat”/Rest) ...gates and bars…[a huge] army...2 Chr. 14:1-8
1. Since the “(shaqat) rest” period of Asa was marked by some degree of external enemy border-war or cold-war (i.e., “war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days; i.e., threats, harassment, political, economic or military opposition), 9 and since there was a massive ‘armed-camp’ buildup by Asa during that “(shaqat) rest” period (1 Kng 15:16, 32; 2 Chr. 14:1-8), 10
2. Then the same could be true of the “(shaqat) rest” experience of Israel in the Magog passage of Ezekiel 38:11.
3. The 2 graphs below show the close correspondence of “Rest” in Asa’s time and Israel TODAY—both in “Armed Camp” mode. 10
Was Israel an "ARMED CAMP" under the threat of War while "at Rest"? 10
The Bible says, Yes--in the days of King ASA!
TODAY Israel is in the same condition (below).
Can Israel "at REST" co-exist with Israel in Cold-War Armed-Camp mode? Two facts DURING the "shaqat" REST-period of King Asa demand a "YES" Answer!
1. There was a chronic “cold war” (border skirmishes, threats, harassment, etc) directed at Asa king of Judah by Baasha king of Israel DURING Asa’s 10 years of “shaqat rest”. 9
2. What necessitated Asa to fortify Judea and build a large army DURING his 10 years of “shaqat rest” if not the existence of dangers and threats from enemy nations ? 10
BELOW: The 10-year "shaqat Rest" period of King ASA, punctuated by a "Cold War" 9 with King Baasha of the northern kingdom, and saturated with a major build-up of Judean "ARMED-CAMP" state of readiness. Note the recurrent War/Rest periods continuing on into the reign of King Jehoshaphat.
King ASA's "Rest" period
LEFT: King Asa fortifies his cities during Judea's "REST" periods.
Two Scriptures that imply a "COLD WAR" 9
2 Chronicles 14:1-6
…Asa became king ... The land was undisturbed ["shaqat" rest] for ten years during his days… and there was no one at war with him during those years…
1 Kings 15:16 & 32
Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
(For BOTH of the above Scriptures to be true, there must have been a mode of "Cold War")
Below is a common objection to the statement, "Israel is at-Rest TODAY."
"Today Israel is NOT at ' shaqat' rest, for today Israel is an 'ARMED CAMP'.” 10
But the days of King Asa strongly refute that objection. NOTE BELOW-- the 'Underlined' "Armed Camp" 10 preparations DURING the repetitive, 'Boldfaced', "shaqat rest" condition of Israel.
The land was undisturbed ["shaqat" rest] for ten years during [ASA's] days...
And the kingdom was undisturbed ["shaqat" rest] under [ASA].
“SECURE” & “AT REST” TODAY, Israel awaits its date with Glory
in the MAGOG INVASION of Ezekiel 38-39
The Four (4) Biblical examples in this study provide a solid rationale that TODAY…...
1. Israel has been under (betach) SECURITY since 1948, protected through multiple “miracle-wars” (EXODUS example) from the brink of annihilation amid the on-going shadow of enemy terrorists states (SOLOMON example).
2. Israel has experienced a series of (shaqat) RESTS between these wars at a level which has permitted Israel to fortify as an “armed camp” (ASA example) and become a world-class socio-economic super-state while under the ever-present shadow (JUDGES example) of another war. The SECURITY of Israel TODAY is a sign of the imminent fulfillment of Ezekiel 38.
3. The Reign of ASA is 1 of 4 Old Testament eras that witness to Israel's Security TODAY. All 4 Old Testament Security-eras in this study are highlighted in bold in numbers 1 & 2 above; follow the links to them get the full scope of this study. (But it's best to START with the Main Page which provides a Summary Introduction