PSALM 83 -- The Mid East in the Last Days
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Syria...what's happening in the Middle East?
The world, and the liberal church, are blinded. But the Bible-believing Church is reminded. Reminded that the Middle East breaking news is leading somewhere...
"Breaking News" in the Middle East has been "breaking" since God delivered Israel into its land as a people and nation in 1948--"breaking" to the point of repetitious monotony.
But that is exactly what the Bible prophecies foretell for the Last Days. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Libya will continue marching to the drumbeat of Bible Prophecy "as written" thousands of years ago--"breaking" daily in our day as never before--"breaking" always first and foremost against God's chosen people Israel--"breaking" the "news" in the direction prophesied, not pre-fitted in the direction of international-analysis theory .
Don't become become "sleepy" with the Mid-East "Breaking News."
Jesus is near! SPECIFICS BELOW...
The Mid East in the Last Days
We mourn for the loss of innocent lives on both sides in the continuing Mid East violence. But the Bible prophesies these events.
Scripture clearly says that there will be enmity between Satan and the promised seed of the Messiah. (Gen. 3:15)
The seed of the Messiah, as promised, came through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the Jews. (Gen. 12:1-2; 17:18-19; 35:9-12) Jesus affirmed that “God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”—the God of the Jews. (Matt. 22:32)
Jesus further said that “salvation is from the Jews.” (John 4:22) Paul added that the Messiah (the Christ) is from the Jews. (Rom. 9:5)
Paul said that the Jews will continue to be a distinct people until Jesus appears to them at the end of this age. (Rom. 11:26)
Therefore, Satan’s war against the Jews is also against the Messiah. It will not stop until Messiah comes. There is, then, a continuing war by Satan against the Promised Seed. This war began at the dawn of creation. Since the call of Abraham as the heir of the Promised Seed, it has been against the Jews. Since the time of King David it has been against the Jewish nation of Israel.
But who are those Satan will raise up to make war against the Jews? The Bible leaves no room for question. We are not in the dark on this issue.
Psalm 83:1-8
1 O God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still.
2 For, behold, Thine enemies make an uproar; And those who hate Thee have exalted themselves.
3 They make shrewd plans against Thy people, And conspire together against Thy treasured ones.
4 They have said, “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
5 For they have conspired together with one mind; Against Thee do they make a covenant:
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined with them; They have become a help to the children of Lot.
(Take note especially of the highlighted words below)
Verses 2-3, “who hate Thee,” and “against Thy people”— Those who hate God will be against His people Israel.
Verse 4, “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more.“— This is an almost word for word prediction of the published statements of the PLO, Hamas, Hezbol lah and other Muslim groups, and of the Iranian president. CHECK THEIR WEBSITES!...That the name of Israel be remembered no more“? This is a Divinely-assured impossibility. CHECK JEREMIAH 31:35-36!
Verse 5, “Against Thee”— When they make their goal to wipe out Israel as a people and a nation, they set themselves against God!
Verses 6-8, the nations “who hate Thee,” (v.2) “Edom, Moab, Gebal, Ammon” [Jordan], “Ishmaelites, Hagrites” [Saudi Arabia peninsula], “Tyre” [Lebanon], “Assyria” [Syria, Iraq], “Philistia” [Gaza], “the children of Lot”— These were Moabites and Ammonites, which in modern terms is [Jordan]. Jordan is 95% Muslim. Included in Jordan’s population are a million and a half Palestinians. Note the phrase, “They [the various Islamic-Arabic nations] have become a help to “the children of Lot.”
The purpose of God’s wrath against these peoples is neither national or racial—but spiritual. His desire is that “they may seek Thy name.” (v. 16)
Fill their faces with dishonor, That they may seek Thy name, O LORD. Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever;
And let them be humiliated and perish, That they may know that Thou alone,
whose name is the LORD, Art the Most High over all the earth. (Psalms 83:16-18
The context of this prophecy in Psalm 83 is primarily set in the End Times. Two facts make this clear.
1) Their defeat is “forever.” (v. 17)
2) This will result in a universal acknowledgment that God alone is “the Most High over all the earth.” (v. 18) Both of these can only occur at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. (Isa. 2:11; Zec. 14:9)
Many are saying that we are on the edge of World War III. We must remember that Jesus set forth a sequence of events leading to the Great Tribulation in Matthew 24:6-9.
First, there will be “wars and rumors of wars.” That is a prediction of the general course of history throughout this church age—and that is exactly the way it has turned out! Any history book will show that wars have proliferated for the past 2000 years. We learn from 2 Timothy 3:13 that “evil men…will proceed from bad to worse.” And that, too, is exactly what has happened. Wars and rumors of wars have turned into greater and deadlier wars with the advent of nuclear and mass-destruction weapons.
Second, Jesus goes on in His sequence of events to say this, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom”—AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED! There will be a World War III involving the Russian-Islamic invasion of Israel, with Iran as a major player. All of this will trigger the final 7-year Tribulation. Here, from Psalm 2, is the admonishment the Lord gives to those nations bent on the destruction of the Promised Seed,
Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth.
Worship the LORD with reverence, And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son [JESUS], lest He become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! (Psalm 2:10-12)
Yes, “His wrath may soon be kindled.” But here is the good news. How much closer is the Rapture in light of all of these headlines overflowing like a flood out of the Mid East? Luke 21:28 says “But when these things BEGIN to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Friends, that is the Rapture! Jesus will deliver us from the “wrath” that “may soon be kindled.” Here is the promise:
…serve a living and true God, and…wait for His Son from heaven,
whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus,
who delivers us from the wrath to come.
(1 Thess. 1:9-10)
Keep Looking Up, in His Name SEE ALSO The Four Horns In Prophecy