All posts by Kameel Majdali

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Middle East At War? Insights from Zechariah 12

We have been exploring the topic of today’s Middle East war and how it compares with end-time prophecy. One of the prophetic signs Jesus predicted in the days before His second coming was ‘wars and rumours of wars’ (Matthew 24:6). Tragic as it may be, on the positive side it is part of the birth pangs of the coming kingdom.

One of the key prophets regarding the last days and Armageddon is Zechariah, He gave some great prophecies of the first coming of Jesus (like the triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey and His betrayal for thirty pieces of silver). Here is a key prophecy about the events leading to the second coming of Christ:

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it — Zechariah 12:2-3 (KJV).

When Zechariah prophesied these words twenty-five hundred years ago, Jerusalem was a humble walled village at the fringe of the Persian Empire. 

In 1867 Mark Twain, the American novelist, visited Ottoman Palestine. His visit inspired the runaway bestselling travel book Innocents Abroad. His description of Jerusalem was anything but flattering:

Renowned Jerusalem itself, the stateliest name in history, has lost all its ancient grandeur, and is become a pauper village; the riches of Solomon are no longer there to compel the admiration of visiting Oriental queens; the wonderful temple which was the pride and the glory of Israel, is gone ….

If you told Twain that one day in the future, this ‘pauper village’ would modernise, grow and become the epicentre of international controversy and conflict, he would have laughed you out of the room! Yet, this is precisely what the prophetic word declared: Jerusalem will increase in stature, and size and become a global obsession.

Cup of Trembling: Zechariah 12:2

Here is God’s declaration regarding the nations and Jerusalem. He will make the Holy City a ‘cup of trembling.’ The Hebrew word for ‘trembling’ is ra’al, which means to ‘shake, reel, quiver, and/or tremble.’ This is more than mere intoxication. It is as if those who drink from the cup will become senseless and lose control. It is dangerous to be unhinged and helpless. 

Who is going to drink from this poisonous cup? The text says ‘all the people round about.’ This could mean the immediate Arab neighbours of Israel (and we addressed this issue in our article on Psalm 83). Yet there is an even more devastating invasion and it does not involve the next-door neighbours – Gog and Magog of Ezekiel 38-39. To answer the question of who is drinking this cup, remember they will be besieging Judah and Jerusalem when the cup is offered. So in theory, the invaders could be near or far, neighbours or regional nations. They will wage a massive invasion and get stunned with senselessness.

The Burdensome Stone – Zechariah 12:3

At the Western Wall Tunnel in Jerusalem is an amazing sight: a larger-than-life single-cut stone called the ‘Western stone.’ It is 13.6 metres (45 feet) in length, 3 metres (10 feet) in height, and approximately 3.5 metres (11 feet) in width. The estimated weight is 570 short tons! How would you lift such a stone into its place? We would be scratching our heads today, let alone two millennia ago in the days of Herod the King. 

Jerusalem is like that immovable stone  Now we come to the heart of the whole matter, God declares that, ‘in that day’ — the day that the nations besiege Judah and Jerusalem, He will make Jerusalem an even ma’amasah, meaning a heavy, un-moveable, and burdensome stone. Humanly speaking, it is an unsolvable problem. Not only will the stone not budge, but those who try to make it do so will be injured. In this verse, it says that those who burden themselves with this stone ‘shall be cut into pieces.’ This is despite the fact that ‘all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.’ The nations are coming to Jerusalem – first for war (12:30), then for peace (14:16).

This is an incredible picture. As we learned earlier, there is nothing about Jerusalem that should make it the object of global attention and armed conflict, at least in the natural. It is neither large, strategic, nor well endowed with natural resources. It does not make sense (and a sip from the cup of trembling will lead to madness).

Jerusalem has key powerful stakeholders beyond just the Israelis and Palestinians, including the US, UN, EU, the Vatican, the Arab and Muslim world, Russia, and others. It is the subject of no less than sixty United Nations resolutions. It is a hot topic in any Middle East peace conference. It continues to evoke emotions and strong rhetoric on all sides. The push for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine has embedded in it a two-Jerusalem solution as well. Will the holy city be partitioned again, like it was from 1948 to 1967? The world community is demanding this outcome, more than ever. If they don’t get what they want by peaceful means, will armed conflict be next? Watch and pray (Mark 13:33, 35, 37).

When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory – Psalm 102:16.

The growth and modernisation of Jerusalem, plus the international controversy and conflict over it, were prophesied long ago. They are a milepost along the road telling us that the footsteps of Messiah are at the door.

Parts of this article are drawn from the book The Burdensome Stone: Jerusalem in the Last Days by K. Majdali, Melbourne: Teach All Nations, 2019. 

 

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Israel @ War: Prophecy Fulfilled? Gog & Magog – Ezekiel 38-39 Part 03

The fire and fury of the war in the Middle East and unprecedented global attention provoked many to wonder: Is this the prelude to Ezekiel 38-39? Apart from Armageddon (Zechariah 14; Revelation 16:16), the Ezekiel prophecy is the best-known of the major end-time events. 

Ezekiel ProphecyGog & Magog

Summary: The Gog and Magog campaign is a massive, spontaneous, latter-day invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations led by a great power from the north. Israel will be at peace, unsuspecting, and unprepared. This unexpected invasion is so overwhelming that, humanly speaking, the Jewish state cannot survive. Yet, at the eleventh hour, God Himself intervenes, annihilates Gog and its allies, and Israel is saved.

If you want to access Part One, Click Here

http://majdali.blogspot.com/2024/02/israel-at-war-prophecy-fulfilled-gog.html

If you want to access Part One, Click Here

http://majdali.blogspot.com/2024/03/israel-at-war-prophecy-fulfilled.html

We continue to build upon what we learned in the first two parts

  • This confrontation with Gog will be on the mountains of Israel:  ‘And I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel’ (39:2 NKJV). What does this phrase mean? Which mountains? Maybe the Central Hill Country, also known as the ‘West Bank’ and/or ‘Judea and Samaria.’ There are also the mountains of Galilee, Golan, the Carmel Range, and/or the Transjordanian Highlands of Gilead Ammon, Moab, or Edom, And the big prize is Jerusalem. 
  • Nations beyond the Middle East are involved:  ‘And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD’ (39:6 KJV). ‘Isles’ could mean those of the Aegean Islands of Greece and areas west of Israel, like Europe. International linkIsres to Israel/Palestine are nothing new, but today this region dominates world attention like no other. Many a US secretary of state or Western foreign minister has been kept awake at night worrying about what to do about the status and ownership of Jerusalem. Zechariah 12:3 says Jerusalem will be the unmovable rock for ‘all nations’ and all those who try to move it will injure themselves. The international chaos following a Gog-like invasion is completely plausible.
  • This force will be divinely destroyed: 38:18 ‘And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord God, “that My fury will show in My face.19 “For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: ‘Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, 22 “And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 39:3 “Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand. 39:4 “You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured’ — Ezekiel 38:18, 19, 22; 39:3, 4 (NKJV). God directly intervenes to defeat the invasion force. So overwhelming is this divine counterattack that it takes Israel seven months to bury the dead (39:12) and seven years worth of fuel will be provided from Gog’s arsenal (39:10). Why seven months? Could it be an earthquake, like what the rabbis and some Christians teach? The problem is that plagues could break out. Bodies cannot be touched but a marker will be set up and then another squad will bury the dead in one of the valleys, perhaps near Amman. Once complete, the valley will be forever sealed and a new city named Hamonah will be set up as a memorial. Some have suggested nuclear, but a group of nuclear scientists have suggested chemical and bacteriological destruction instead.
  • After this invasion there will be a final re-gathering of the Jews to Israel: ‘When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; 28Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there’ — Ezekiel 39:27-28 (KJV). Anti-semitism is rising again in Europe, and after the Gog scenario there will be an influx of Jews to Israel greater than anything that has ever been seen before.
  • The Holy Spirit will be poured out on the Jewish people: ‘And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord God’  Ezekiel 39:29 (NKJV); also see 37:14 and Joel 2:28-29. Psalm 118:5 says that when you call upon God in your distress, He will answer and set you in a broad place. This seems to be what happens to Israel, spiritually speaking: re-gathered and Spirit-filled. It is the fulfilment of what the prophets spake. Like travail before the joy of birth and tribulation before a Millennium, Gog and Magog usher in some of Israel’s major prophetic fulfillments.
  • Possible hindrance to immediate fulfilment: ‘And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’ Ezekiel 38:11 (KJV). Some say that Israel is not living in peace and hence is a fortress, with barbed-wire fences and minefields along the border. A look at its northernmost city of Metullah will reinforce this idea. If this is the correct interpretation, then the invasion cannot happen at this time while there is the threat of military attack. Perhaps a short and savage war with Israel’s immediate neighbours, like the one described in Psalm 83, may result in the neutralising of Israel’s enemies and thus allow it to relax its military preparedness: dismantling the fortified war borders and erecting peaceful ones. Of interest is that not one of Israel’s immediate Arab neighbours is mentioned as a participant in the Gog invasion. With the first circle of enemies out of the picture (Psalm 83), the second bigger and stronger circle, namely Gog and Magog, come to the stage. Then the warning of I Thessalonians 5:3 regarding the announcement of ‘peace and safety’ preceding sudden destruction will be fulfilled, like Gog and Magog. 
  • Arnold Fruchtenbaum takes a different view when he says that ‘unwalled villages’ is a good description of modern Israeli kibbutzim (agricultural communities) and adds:

‘Nowhere in the entire text does it speak of Israel as living in peace. Rather, Israel is merely living in security which means ‘confidence,’ regardless of whether it is during a state of war or peace.’ 

When you understand the grand sweep of this prophecy and see that its details have only been fulfilled in our day – and miraculously so – then this should make even the most casual observer sit up and take notice. 

We have a more sure word of prophecy! (2 Peter 1:19).

This article is from the book, At the Door, Melbourne: Teach All Nations Inc., 2015.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Winning the Spiritual War

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places – Ephesians 6:12 (ESV).

It is as if we are living in a tumble clothes dryer that is in its final spin mode. Universities across the Western world have been battlefields with pro-Hamas protestors challenging their schools or, in some cases, taking over them. At Columbia University in New York City, there was a police pushback. The impression is that the upheaval has less to do with the Middle East conflict and more to do with a leftist revolution. 

In addition, there is inflation, runaway government spending, serious wars in Ukraine and Israel, and a decided change in the world order. In other words, we are in a time of shaking and somehow God is involved in it.

The Scripture teaches us that there will be a shaking in the last days. Haggai 2:6 and Hebrews 12:25-29 speak about it. The main purpose is to rearrange the world order to accommodate God’s kingdom: to shake the old world order out of business to usher in the divine. A secondary purpose is to wake up and sober up those who are spiritually sleeping or drunken. Some look at it either as a judgment for unrighteousness or a chastening to the wayward righteous.

The turmoil on Earth is merely the proxy war for the conflict in the heavens. The shaking on earth shows that all the events listed above are spiritual – and the solution is equally spiritual. The Biblical Christian life is a blessed, abundant, adventurous life but it is also a fight. We are called to be good soldiers of Christ as we fight the good fight of faith. Since the solution to the problems is spiritual, we need to understand and exercise spiritual warfare.

How Did We End Up In This Conflict?

When God created the world, it was good. Everything He makes is good, indeed, very good. As one preacher put it, ‘God doesn’t make junk.’ 

So what went wrong? We know what went wrong on earth: the first couple sinned by eating the forbidden fruit in violation of God’s clear command. But what happened in the heavens? To gain insight, we go to the Word of God.

In Isaiah 14:12-20, the prophet starts addressing the King of Babylon but then changes gears and speaks to Lucifer, son of the morning. He had lofty ideas of himself. He said he would ascend into heaven, exalt his throne above God’s stars, and ascend above the heights of the clouds. Then, waxing more brazen, he declares he will ascend above the heights of the clouds and be like the most High God. Then came the slap down: Lucifer will be brought down to hell.

A similar thing happened in Ezekiel 28:11-19, where a prophecy to the King of Tyre ended up describing Satan’s fall. He started off being ‘full of wisdom’ and the ‘perfection of beauty’ indeed he had been to Eden the garden of God. He was the anointed cherub who covered and walked upon God’s holy mountain. He was perfect in his ways from the day he was created until iniquity was found in Him. The result: He will be cast out of the holy mountain and destroyed.

In other words, sin in the heavens became sin on the earth. And the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

In his hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, the reformer Martin Luther wrote these words:

For still our ancient foe,

Doth seek to work us woe,

His craft and power are great,

And armed with cruel hate,’

On earth is not his equal,’

Is the Day of the Lord Approaching?

The ‘Day of the Lord’ is a prominent theme in Scripture, particularly Joel’s prophetic Book. In short, after humanity has governed the earth, God will have His day and His kingdom. We are called to be ‘watchful’ of what is happening in the world, line it up to Scripture, and ‘pray without ceasing.’

A prominent passage on this, with some choice specifics, is 2 Thessalonians 2:1ff-5 (ESV): 

We ask you, brothers 2. not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4. who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.5. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things.

What are some takeaways from this passage?

  1. The much anticipated Day of the Lord has yet to happen.
  2. Before it comes, there will be a ‘rebellion’ or ‘falling away’ (v. 3).
  3. The man of sin/lawlessness must be revealed. He is the ‘fake Christ’ who precedes the coming of the true Christ? (v. 3)
  4. He will go to God’s temple, declare himself to be God, demand worship … or else. This is called the abomination of desolation, spoken of in Daniel 9 and 12. This is a clear and unique sign of the transition from the earthly kingdom to the heavenly. According to the Book of Revelation, the wrath of God follows.
  5. Verse 7 says the mystery of lawlessness is already present, but the Restrainer hinders his full manifestation. Who is this restrainer? The best answer I heard is ‘the Holy Spirit in the Church.’ As long as there are Bible-based, Spirit-filled Christians on earth, praying, evangelising, and Christian discipleship, evil cannot have full sway.

With the war against truth raging, lying – which is the devil’s language – leads to lawlessness, which leads to rebellion, which culminates in violence.

Only the Church is equipped to face, fight, and win this spiritual battle. In our next article, we will learn how.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

The Resurrection Matters


1 Corinthians 15:1-5 (The Gospel in Summary)

1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

The Easter or Resurrection season is more than cute bunnies who lay chocolate eggs or a long weekend. It is a celebration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and stems from the most important events in human history. In summary, the Gospel can be summarised in four main points:

  • Death: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures
  • Burial: He was buried;
  • Resurrection: He rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures;
  • Witnessed: Acts 1:3: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Two or three credible witnesses are sufficient to establish a testimony (Deuteronomy 17:6; Matthew 18:16; 2 Corinthians 13:1). In the case of Christ and His resurrection, He was seen by Peter, the Twelve, five hundred, James, all apostles, and finally Paul (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). Case closed!

Anyone who believes and receives the Gospel has eternal salvation. That’s what Good Friday and Easter Sunday (Resurrection Day) are all about.

Why Did Jesus Go to the Cross?

Without the cross, there would be no resurrection and crown. Jesus was the Passover lamb who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29) and caused the ‘death angel’ to pass over everyone who had been cleansed by his blood (1 John 1:7). He endured fiery hatred to manifest God’s everlasting love; estranged from His own nation (John 1:11) so that He might bring reconciliation to the world (Ephesians 2:16). The cross was a curse to those who hung on it (Deuteronomy 21:23) but it released blessing on all who believe (Galatians 3:13-14). 

Christ endured the most painful, humiliating and horrible death so that we might live an abundant life (John 10:10). The notion of a cursed and crucified Saviour was a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks. Yet faith in the gospel turns these impediments into the wisdom and power of God (1 Corinthians 1:23-24). God uses the ‘foolishness’ of preaching Christ crucified to destroy worldly wisdom, overthrow temporal realism, and reveal His own irrefutable celestial wisdom. 

Weakness, always shunned and rejected, becomes magnified in death. Indeed, there is nothing weaker than death itself. The weakest living man is mightier than the strongest dead man. The message of the cross is that God uses the weakness and death it brings to reveal God’s power: the power of the resurrection, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the power of changed lives.

Cross-induced power destroys every known foe, no matter how formidable and universal they once were. The cross crucifies and destroys sin, sickness, worldliness, danger, the devil, death and hell. Nothing else can do this. Jesus Christ is a great Saviour who gives us a great salvation.

The Scripture Must Be Fulfilled

Christ took a high view of Scripture — every word of it (Matthew 4:4; Proverbs 30:5). The scripture must be fulfilled & cannot be broken. Here is a sample of Old Testament prophecies which were fulfilled by Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection – the Gospel in cameo:

  • Betrayed by a close friend Ps 41:9/Lu 22:47
  • Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver Zech 11:12/Matt 26:14-15
  • Accused by false witnesses Ps 35:11/Mark 14:57,58
  • Silent to accusations Is 53:7/Mk 15:4-5
  • Spat on and struck Is 50:6/Matt 26:67
  • Hated without reason Ps 35:19/Jn 15:24
  • Vicarious sacrifice Is 53:5/Rom 5:6,8
  • Crucified with malefactors Is 53:12/Mk 15:27
  • Pierced through His hands & feet Zech 12:10/John 20:27
  • Sneered & mocked Ps 22:7,8/Lu 23:35
  • Reproached Ps 69:9/Rom 15:3
  • He prayed for His enemies Ps 109:4/Luke 23:34
  • Soldiers gambled for His clothing Ps 22:17/Mt 27:35,36
  • Forsaken by God Ps 22:1/Matt 27:46
  • His bones were not broken Ps 34:20/John 19:32,33,36
  • His side pierced Zech 12:10/John 19:34
  • Buried with the rich Is 53:9/Matt 27:57-60
  • To be resurrected Ps 16:10/Ps 49:15/Mark 16:6

What’s At Stake? If the resurrection of Christ was ‘fake news,’ we would be in serious trouble. There would be no atoning death, no new birth, no forgiveness of sins, no Christian faith and no future resurrection from the dead. 

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:13-18 a real catalogue of woes. 

If there is no resurrection from the dead, then Christ did not rise either. There is no such thing as a one-time, one-person resurrection. If Christ did not rise, then our preaching is useless and so is your faith. Furthermore, we would be violating the ninth commandment by bearing false witness of God: that He raised up Christ from the dead. Again, no resurrection of Christ, your faith is in vain and you are still in your sins. Frightfully, those who committed their souls to a crucified, dead, buried, and un-resurrected Messiah are eternally lost. Paul concludes this catalogue of woes by stating if only in this life do we have hope in Christ, we are the most pitiful people on the planet.

Despite all these dreadful ‘what if’s,’ they are the ultimate ‘fake news.’ We have nothing to fear. In 1 Corinthians 15:20 Paul triumphantly announces that Christ is indeed risen from the dead and become the first fruits of those who sleep (a metaphor for death). When you see the first fruits on the crop, you know the rest of the harvest is coming. Christ is the first fruit of the dead, then those who belong to Him when He comes back to earth. On earth He will go about destroying all enemies: dominion, authority, and power (1 Corinthians 15:24). The final enemy assigned for destruction is death. Once accomplished, Jesus will hand over the kingdom to God the Father (v. 24).

The splendour and glory of the coming kingdom are so indescribably wonderful that we will vaguely remember the troubles we had in this fallen world. Yet it was all made possible by crucifixion, burial, and an empty tomb – He is not here for He is risen (Luke 24:6).

That is why the resurrection matters: yesterday, today, and forever.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Israel at War: Prophecy Fulfilled?

Gog & Magog (Part 02)

We continue to explore the fascinating and vital topic of end-times prophecy. One of the major themes is that Israel will be ‘at war’ during the last days. We have a few wars to choose from including Psalm 83, Armageddon and Gog and Magog of Ezekiel 38-39. In Part 01, we learned that this conflict was instigated by an enemy from the ‘north quarter’ and in the ‘latter days.’ The identity of Gog has traditionally been Russia but another strong contender is modern-day Turkey. 

To read Part 01, click here:

http://majdali.blogspot.com/2024/02/israel-at-war-prophecy-fulfilled-gog.html

Other major points about this prophecy include (all references are from Ezekiel):

Israel the People shall be living in the land of Israel at the time of the invasion: After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel … (38:8 KJV). Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?  (38:14 KJV). The remarkable thing is that Ezekiel was writing from exile when most of his people no longer lived in the land. In faith, he saw that one day the Israelites would return, not as Israel and Judah but as one nation (see Ezekiel 37). ‘Upon the people that are gathered out of the nations’ (38:12 KJV) shows that this re-gathered Israel will not just return from the Babylonian captivity, but from the global Diaspora it has endured since the time of the destruction of the second temple in AD 70. Today, Jewish migrants to modern Israel come from over one hundred different nations.

The Gog coalition does not invade willingly: ‘I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out…’ (38:4 NKJV). During the Cold War, the old Soviet Union did not rub its hands with glee in great anticipation of invading Israel. Besides, this tiny nation had the distinction of being one of the top six military powers in the world with an undeclared nuclear arsenal. Israel’s Operation Samson, for example, means that a successful Arab-Iranian invasion of Israel, which effectively means the end of the Jewish state, will be met with lightning-fast nuclear retribution on the major cities of the Middle East (may it never be). What this prophecy says is that God will put a hook in Gog’s jaw and lead him out. You do not put hooks in domestic animals, which could cause great pain and infection. Hooks are reserved for those animals that are slated for destruction. So God will drag Gog into a knee-jerk, spontaneous invasion that will lead to his demise.

The Gog Confederacy is highly armed: ‘And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords’ (38:4 KJV). Probably no area of the world is arming more rapidly than Asia: East Asia, South Asia, China, Russia and the Middle East. While other regions are demilitarising, this continent is not. It would not be an exaggeration to call some areas an arsenal. 

References to horses could be symbolic but remember that horses can be used in steep and mountainous areas where mechanised forces cannot reach. Horseback warfare occurred even in the twentieth century. In October 1917, the Australian Light Horsemen captured the city of Beersheba from the Ottoman Turks. This was the end of four hundred years of Turkish rule in Palestine and paved the way to the British Mandate (1917-1948). As the name implies, they had this stunning victory on horseback. In any case, the Arab Muslim world and Russia have enjoyed great cooperation for many decades. Israel has no lack of enemies from this part of the world and the possibility of long-term peace is dim. As Joseph de Courcy says, ‘The Arabs do not—and never will—accept Israel’s right to exist.’ 

The Invasion Force will be as numerous as a cloud that covers the land: ‘You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land’ (38:16 NKJV). Gog, in concert with its allies, will be so numerous as to cause a blackout. Gog will be a massive and well-aimed bowling ball with Israel as the sole pin in the alley.

The allies of Gog might be recent and present-day antagonists of Israel: ‘Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet. 6 Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you’ (38:5-6 NKJV). Persia is clearly Iran. Historically known as Persia until 1935, it was kind to the Jews like in the days of Cyrus the Great, or murderously hostile like in the time of Haman in the days of Queen Esther. In the twentieth century during the era of the Shah, there were strong and friendly bilateral ties. However after the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, Israel obtained a new and major enemy. Ethiopia as ‘Cush’ may also mean Sudan or possibly Eritrea. Libya is Phut, Gomer may mean the people north of the Black Sea, and Beth Togarmah can be in the Caucasus Mountains. Some commentators suggest Turkey could enter into the fray. Turkey, once a secular western-leaning Muslim majority country which until recent years had strong bilateral relations with Israel. Yet its current leadership has caused a major tilt towards Islamism. Add to that the probable future European Union rejection of Turkey’s European Union membership application, would change the balance of power in the Middle East.

What is the purpose of this invasion: ‘To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?’ (38:12-13 KJV). What is the motive for this massive and unprovoked invasion? The apparent reason is spoils. What spoils could Israel have? First, it has a technologically advanced market economy, its own hi-tech Silicon Valley, and a large per-capita income. Then ‘livestock and goods’ could refer to its successful agricultural sector. Next, the Dead Sea has forty-five billion tons of sodium, chlorine, sulphur, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and bromide. To top it all up, Israel was considered to be ‘resource-poor’ until recently when some amazing news came: natural gas was discovered off the coast of Israel. According to Israel Today Magazine: 

The natural gas field in the Levant Basin (the western Mediterranean) is estimated to hold 122 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas, making it the largest natural gas resource ever found. The area is also believed to contain at least 1.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil. 

Israel, as the land bridge to Africa and Eurasia, plus its proximity to Middle Eastern oil fields which contain seventy per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves, could make it a strategic toehold. ‘Sheba and Dedan’ could refer to modern Saudi Arabia, and ‘merchants of Tarshish’ maybe Lebanon, whose forebears, the Phoenicians, were the great ancient maritime people. The text implies that Israel will be in peace (or, at least, security); if so, its resources will no longer be soaked up by the military. Thus, a ‘peaceful Israel’ is a ‘prosperous Israel,’ thus creating more spoils.

To be continued (The third and final part will be in our May edition).

These three articles come from our book At the Door: Key Nations, Last Days and the Coming King, published by Teach All Nations. 

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Patience: Key to the Promises of God Part 03

‘Patience: Why You Need It; How To Get It’

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise – Hebrews 10:36.

Patience matters. It is a Biblical virtue, part of the fruit of the Spirit, and indispensable for surviving and thriving in the last days. Most importantly, along with faith, it is a key to obtaining the promises of God. 

This is our third and final part of the series on patience. Part One was an introduction to this subject with an amplified definition and description. To access Part One, click this link. http://majdali.blogspot.com/2023/09/patience-key-to-unlocking-blessings-of.html

Part 02 spoke about the patience of Job; he is a great case study of patient endurance and experiencing the mercy and compassion of God during trials. For Part 02, click this link:

http://majdali.blogspot.com/2024/02/patience-key-to-promises-of-god-part-02.html

In Part Three, we focus on the practical side: the benefits of patience and why you need it. Also on how to harness patience in your life.

Benefits of Patience

Promotion and enlargement: Everyone likes the notion of ‘getting ahead,’ making progress, reaching and exceeding goals, winning the race and obtaining the prize. The reason many fail to reach their goals is because they do not know or are not prepared to pay the price of achievement. David learned a key secret: if you are going to be enlarged in personal capacity or opportunity, you must pass the stress test. Psalm 4:1: ‘Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress.’ (also Psalm 18:18-19; 118:5). Patiently endure the trying times and you will graduate to the next level.

Fruitfulness for God: God looks for much fruitfulness from those who are redeemed in Christ. It is no mystery how to be fruitful: abide in the vine (John 15:1-14). But remember that the journey is often longer than we imagine. You don’t just plant the seed in the morning and expect a harvest that evening – you have to patiently wait. In explaining the parable of the sower, Jesus tells us in Luke 8:15: But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Patiently keep God’s Word in your heart and you will have a bumper crop.

Reigning with Christ: Much of the patient endurance we must exhibit is in relation to the coming of the Lord (James 5:7-8), either His parousia which is His second coming; a visible, personal, bodily return. Or it could be His spiritual visitation in revival or renewal (Acts 3:19). If, in the walk of faith, we suffer for Christ, we will also reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12). Twice in the Book of Revelation it calls us ‘kings and priests’ to God (1:6; 5:10).

Promises of God: This is the prime benefit of patience – you will see with your eyes the fulfilment of the promises of God (Hebrews 6:12, 15; 10:36). Fruitfulness comes to the mature who are willing to wait. 

How to Be Patient

This list is by no means comprehensive but it provides a good start. 

Fruit of the Spirit: Remember that patience is one of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), though it may be translated as long-suffering or endurance. Learn to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) and you get the fruit as a bonus.

Submit to God while simultaneously resisting the devil – who will flee from you (James 4:6-10). God will give you ‘more grace’ and in it will be all the patience you need.

Rejoice always (Philippians 4:4) and especially in times of trial (Romans 5:3; James 1:2-4). It is possible to rejoice in trouble when you have the fullness of the Spirit and ‘more grace.’ Trouble leads to patience, which leads to experience of approved character, which leads to hope, and hope does not shame us (Romans 5:3-5). If you choose the way of joy and rejoicing, God will work in the heavens while you are celebrating on earth. 

While this is not a Bible verse, it is consistent with Biblical living. It is the British war-time slogan: Keep calm and carry on. Patience is developed in the crucible of life’s challenges. Keep going – in grace and patience – and you will see the glory of God.

Finally, we end this article with an excerpt from The Word for Today quarterly devotional that serves as a parable on patience:

‘and let us run with patience the race that is set before us — Hebrews 12:1ff

SUCCESS: Just beyond the splat:

The story is about a traveller who met a leadership expert along the road and asked him, ‘Where’s the road to success?’ The expert didn’t speak but instead pointed to a place off in the far distance. The man, thrilled at the prospect of quick and easy success, rushed off in the direction indicated. Splat! Down he went! He limped back, bruised and stunned. Assuming he must have misinterpreted the message, he repeated his question, and again the expert pointed silently in the same direction. So the traveller took off once more. This time the splat was deafening. Crawling back bloodied, broken and angry, he shouted at the expert, ‘I asked you which way is success! I followed the directions you indicated, and all I got was splattered! No more pointing—talk!’ 

Finally, the expert opened his mouth and spoke. ‘Success is that way. It’s just a little beyond the splat.’ 

The fact is, all of us have experienced ‘the splat’. There’s no way to avoid it. But it’s what we do after the splat that makes all the difference. And perseverance always wins. The Bible says: and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.’

The Word for Today 29 May 2021. Courtesy of Vision Christian Media vision.org.au

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Israel at War: Prophecy Fulfilled? Gog & Magog

Ezekiel 38:2 (KJV)

Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him.

2 Peter 1:19 (KJV)

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary of Ezekiel 38 

… this prophecy, it is most probable, had its accomplishment some time after the return of the people of Israel out of their captivity … If the sacred history of the Old Testament had reached as far as the prophecy, we should have been better able to understand these chapters, but, for want of that key, we are locked out of the meaning of them.

Introducing Gog and Magog

With war in the Middle East raging and potential apocalyptical scenarios remaining a possibility, it is prudent to explore the vital subject of Bible prophecy. It is a light that shines in a dark place (2 Peter 1:19). A significant part of the last day’s prophecy focuses on Israel at war. We already looked at Psalm 2 and Psalm 83 for insight; now we are looking at TheBook of Ezekiel to one of the most famous and fascinating of all prophecies: Gog and Magog.

This remarkable prophetic passage, found in Ezekiel 38 and 39, after the famous Valley of Dry Bones in Chapter 37, speaks about a massive latter-day coalition attack of Israel from the North. This invasion is so overwhelming and unexpected that the only way the nation survives is through divine intervention. It is a remarkable prophecy for its details, description, and final destiny.

In the above quote Matthew Henry, famous for the commentary that bears his name,  writing in 1712, was totally at a loss as to ascribing a date in history for the fulfilment of this prophecy. He was offering only an educated guess. One option that did not occur to him is that the prophecy could have a future end-time fulfilment. Even one hundred and fifty years ago, scholars would have probably come up with the same conclusion as Henry. Yet the earthshaking changes that have happened in the geopolitical world since the end of World War II mean that today, virtually all the major ingredients for the fulfilment of this prophecy are already in the cupboard, waiting to be mixed, baked and served.

Definition: ‘Gog’ means ‘rooftop’ and maybe even mountain. ‘Magog’ simply means ‘from Gog,’ so Gog and Magog refer to ‘Gog from the land of Gog.’ Gog represents anti-God and antichrist forces which are violent in their antagonism to the Word of God and the people of God. But which nation or nations represent Gog today? Let us look at this prophecy more closely. 

Gog & Magog Step By Step

1. WHEN: It will be in the latter days: Ezekiel 38:8: ‘After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land’ (NKJV). This seems to be clear enough: the invasion will happen in the latter days (verse 16) or years (verse 2), probably the end of this age. But the big question is ‘when’ in the last days? Here are the options:

  1. Before the Great Tribulation?
  2. In the middle of the Tribulation?
  3. At the end of the Tribulation, namely ‘Armageddon?’
  4. After the Millennium (Revelation 20:8)?

Remember that as you look at the details of this prophecy, almost all the components are present today. As such, it could very well have a pre-tribulation fulfilment, as affirmed by some Hebrew Christian scholars like Arnold Fruchtenbaum and Lance Lambert. The fact that there is no mention of the Messiah in this passage lends credence to this view.

The Million Dollar Question: Who is Gog?

2. The enemy will come from ‘the north quarter’: ‘Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters (38:6 KJV); ‘And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts (38:15 KJV); (God) will cause thee (Gog) to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel (39:2 KJV). 

Can we correctly identify Gog? The most popular choice is Russia, arguing from modern translations that the text says Gog comes from the ‘far north.’ What can be more ‘north’ of Israel than Russia? Before 1991, the overwhelming consensus for the identity of Gog was the Soviet Union, which was a tailor-made villain for an Ezekiel-like invasion. The USSR could theoretically invade Israel without a coalition of far-flung nations (remembering it was itself an empire encompassing fifteen nations along with the Warsaw Pact alliance).

Is Russia Gog?

Today the Russian Federation is the successor state of the once-powerful Soviet Union. With the current frostiness in relations between Russia and the Western world, including NATO and the European Union, ‘Russia = Gog’ continues to be the most favoured interpretation. But is this correct? The key to solving this mystery is the place names used, like Mesech, Tubal, and the House of Togarmah.

It is beyond the scope of this article to explore the Biblical place names in-depth. But there is a credible school of thought that says that all the main players in Last days prophecy are all from the Middle East, not Europe. Even if there is a revived Roman Empire in the end times, remember that the Empire had two spears of power: Rome in Europe and Constantinople which is both in Europe and the Middle East. Rome East outlasted Rome West by a thousand years (1453 v. 476 AD).

Furthermore, in the original Hebrew of Ezekiel 38:6, it does not say ‘far north.’ The Hebrew phrase is tsapone (north) yereka (translated part, quarter, side). Hence the KJV translates this as Gog comes from the ‘north quarters,’ not the far north. The point is that there is room to include other countries as candidates for Gog besides Russia.

Note: Russian Christians greatly dislike the interpretation of Russia being Gog. They have been an (Orthodox) Christian country for over a thousand years. Since 1991 churches have grown, both Orthodox and Evangelical. They nominate another northern power: China … and China, they add, is still communist.

So if Russia is not Gog, who is? A viable option is a nation also North of Israel and the current state of its relationship is rock-bottom: Turkey. The place names of Ezekiel 38 could very well be in Asia Minor. Turkey is one of the most important nations in the world due to its strategic location, history, heritage, its de facto Turkic highway and commonwealth from Central Asia to the Balkans in Europe. Whether Turkey is Gog or not, it is very important to ‘watch Turkey.’

To be continued.

(From our book At the Door: Key Nations, Last Days and the Coming King, published by Teach All Nations)

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Patience: Key to the Promises of God Part 02 ‘The Patience of Job’


That you do not become sluggish but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises – Hebrews 6:12

In our changing, trying times, the one thing we need above all else is divine patience; it can help you plough through the obstacles and keep going unto victory. More than that, it is a key to receiving the promises of God. Abraham had it, and so did Job – what about you?

In Part One we defined and described what is Biblical patience, based in part from James 5:7-11. You can read it for yourself at http://majdali.blogspot.com/2023/09/patience-key-to-unlocking-blessings-of.html

The paragon of patience was the patriarch Job. Few people have suffered as much as this man. He was exceedingly blessed by God and then tragedy hit on many fronts: in one calendar day, he lost his flocks, workers, and children. If that weren’t enough, he lost his health. His wife told him to let go of his integrity: just curse God and die. Fortunately for him and us, he did not listen to her. 

And there’s more: three friends came to ‘comfort’ him in such a manner that they made the situation much worse – bad enough that God rebuked them in the end. Then a young man named Elihu rebukes the older Job as having justified himself and not God. Yet, outspoken Elihu does not get divinely rebuked at all.

Finally, mercifully, God speaks to Job out of a whirlwind. He does not tell Job why He allowed all that suffering but because He is God, Sovereign of the universe, we are called to trust Him even when it makes no sense to the natural mind.

How did Job respond to God’s lengthy message? He returned to the fear of the Lord, committed himself to obedience, and repented in dust and ashes. In addition, he also prayed for his friends (42:10). 

What was the result of Job’s patience? In one word: restoration. His net worth was restored: The Lord caused his friends and extended family to come visit and they were compelled to give him money and jewels. His lost livestock was replaced by double the amount than before. 

His family was restored: Job had another ten children to replace the ones who were killed.

Job’s legacy was patient endurance that caused him to be blessed and restored more than ever. James 5:11 says God also was glorified as a merciful and compassionate to him.

Gems of Job

Like silver and gold tried in the fire, so was patient Job. Once the fire ceased, the silver and gold, now purified, remains and are enhanced. Job’s suffering and the book that bears his name have given us some great gems in the Word of God. These include:

Job 42:5-6: I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

The patience that was forged in the furnace of affliction afforded Job an audience with the Lord, which impacted him and others to our day. No doubt Job was humbled by this experience and such humility is a magnet to ever-increasing grace.

Job 19:25-26: For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

What a great Messianic and eschatological statement! Job speaks of a divine redeemer who is coming to ‘stand at the latter day’ upon the earth. Job believed that if death preceded the redeemer’s appearance, and worms ate his body, he spoke with perfect faith that ‘in his flesh’ – namely, his resurrected body – he would see God. 

This is perhaps the earliest statement affirming the bodily resurrection of all humanity (Daniel 12:2). And as Paul clearly affirms in 1 Corinthians 15, if the dead do not rise, then Christ didn’t rise either (v. 13). Fortunately for us all, Christ did rise as the first fruits of many more to come. As a Biblical principle when you see the first fruits early in the harvest season, it is your guarantee that the resMesst of the harvest fruit is coming. A down payment is a putative assurance that the rest of the money is on the way.

Job 23:10: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Speaking of ‘tried as gold,’ that was Job’s experience in summarized form. This verse tells us that if you want the gold, hold tight, be patient, trust God, and He will do the rest. It is a clarion call to patiently persevere or, as UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill told the nation during the Second World War: Never give up.

In Part 03, we will learn about the benefits of patience and how to acquire it in your life.

—TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Prophetic Forecast: An Open Door in ’24

Jesus Christ to the church at Philadelphia in Asia Minor -Revelation 3:8: I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

For a person who is an organic pessimist, there is plenty to be pessimistic about:

  • A furious war in the Middle East rages with the possibility of going regional, if not global (and let’s not forget Russia and Ukraine are in a similar situation).
  • Economists warn of an economic crash – not a correction – the biggest since the stock market crash of 1929.
  • A US Presidential election is in November; even at this early date, it is shaping up to have much turbulence and drama.
  • The UK goes to the polls this year and the outcome is anyone’s guess.
  • The culture war is going into a higher gear, pitting the woke left against conservatives and their new allies – common sense liberals. 
  • The great universal shaking (Haggai 2:6; Hebrews 12:25-29) continues, though this is good news – this shaking heralds the arrival of the unshakeable everlasting kingdom of God.

The waters are deep and uncharted but like everything else in the life of faith, there is the visible temporal realm and there is the invisible spiritual eternal realm. Trust and hope in God are our anchors to counter the choppy seas. 

And there is a silver lining. The path of the just gets brighter and brighter to the perfect day (Proverbs 18:10). God is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble and He knows those who trust in Him (Nahum 1:7). We will see the greatest revivals in church history (Acts 2:17; Revelation 14:6)

The above passage from Revelation 3 was written on the eve of tribulation (though not the ‘great tribulation’) to a God-fearing spiritual church at Philadelphia in Lydia, Asia Minor (modern Turkey). They were given a fantastic promise that is available for us in 2024. God sets before them – and us – ‘an open door.’ Open door means opportunity, answered prayer, breakthrough, insight, anointing and authority,

Almost like an escape hatch, during times of trouble, God prepares for His people – the bride of Christ who is watching and waiting for the bridegroom – an open door. We need to be clear that the open door is God’s doing, not ours. No one can shut the door God has opened for us; however, we would be fools not to go through it.

Many times we are not aware that a door exists at all until we feel trapped and call out to the Lord. Here are some Scriptural precedents:

  1. Pharaoh’s double-dream led to the opening of the door for Joseph so in one calendar day, he was catapulted from prison to the palace (Genesis 41:12-15).
  2. The plagues of Egypt opened the door of freedom and Moses led the children of Israel through that door (Exodus 11:1).
  3. The power of the Spirit and angelic strength raised Christ from the dead. The stone at the mouth of the tomb was rolled away and Jesus walked through that open door (Matthew 28:2; Romans 8:11).

The challenges of 2023 – listed above plus many more – are still with us. They are big, numerous, complicated, and, in some cases unsolvable, humanely speaking. These challenges have been rolled over into 2024. 

Yet remember this: the more pressure and intensity, the more glory. We are being prepared for a glorious kingdom. Our capital is the city with foundations, whose splendour is so overwhelming that we will be speechless (see Hebrews 11:10; Revelation 4; 21; 22). God’s glory replaces the pain, burden, and hopelessness with light, life, and love. Troubles, trials and tribulations will be easily and quickly forgotten. The shame, stain, and stench of sin will be replaced with the sweet incense of the prayers and praises of the saints. And that’s why we need to focus on the open door because it is the gateway to glory.

We can learn a lot from the Philadelphian church about the open door, the glory, and the refuge. Here was their pre-requisites: 

  1. They had little power, 
  2. They kept Christ’s Word;
  3. They did not deny His name (Revelation 3:8). 
  4. Most importantly, they patiently endured. They kept believing, trusting, and walking with the Lord. This separates the mature fruit-bearing believer (John 15:8) from the barren immature believer. Churchill was known to say ‘Never ever give up’ and as the old British war motto says: ‘Keep calm and carry on.’ That’s patient endurance. It makes you an overcomer and earns you an unfading crown.

Here is a shopping list of four things you need to do to patiently endure and go through the open door of glory. They are called the ‘Four ‘W’s’

  1. Wake: Ephesians 5:14: The ‘sleeping saint’ is told to wake up, arise from the dead, and Christ will give him/her light. Revival starts when we are asleep to the world and awake to God.
  2. Watch: Mark 13:35-37: 35. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36. Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Once you are awake, it is time to watch what’s happening and heed the prophetic signs
  3. Wait on God: This means to cultivate the lost art of ‘waiting on God.’ It says in Psalm 62:5: My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. Only God is the only One Who can direct, guide, provide, and protect you. Isaiah 40:31 says those who wait on God shall renew their strength. Those who actively, passionately, devotionally, and prayerfully ‘wait on God’ will not fail to get to the next level.
  4. Work: Nehemiah 4:6: …the people had a mind to work. Once a person waits on God and He speaks to them, it is time to go to work. In Acts 13:2: As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted (this is part of waiting on God), the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. This dynamic duo was deployed into the mission immediately.

Back to the church in Philadelphia, Christ promised to keep them from the hour of temptation which will come and try those who dwell on the earth (Revelation 3:10); in other words, God is providing a way of escape. He does not outline exactly what it is but the church is called to trust Him with the details. The reason He is providing this escape is because they kept the word of His patience. Do your part and God will do His.

Finally, if you want the benefits and blessings of the open door in ’24, then remember in command in Psalm 24:9: Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

When you open the door of your heart to the King of glory, He will reciprocate by opening His door to you. As a bonus, God will give you a transfusion from ‘red blood to blue blood’ as He makes us ‘kings and priests’ (Revelation 1:6 and 5:10). 

It is truly the offer too good to refuse.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Israel at War: Prophecy Fulfilled? Part 03 – Psalm 83

As of this moment, Israel is at war. Not just the ‘state of war’ it has been in since its birth in 1948. It is an actual hot, fierce, and furious war. And unlike earlier wars in 1948, 1956, 1967, 1969-70, 1973, 1982, 2006, and earlier Hamas wars (2008, 2012, 2014), this current war presents an existential threat to the Jewish state and the world.

We have learned that Israel’s current war is multi-dimensional: 

  1. Bi-lateral Dimension: This war is between Israel and Hamas; 
  2. Regional Dimension: Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iran to the east are also part of this conflict; 
  3. Civilisational Dimension: It is a fight between ‘Christianised’ Western civilisation and the part of the non-Western world that is rabidly anti-Judaeo-Christian. 
  4. Theological Dimension: Judaeo-Christian (Biblical) eschatology vs. Islamic eschatology. Eschatology is the doctrine of last things or end times;
  5. Spiritual Dimension: Ultimately this earthly conflict is a proxy war for the heavenly spiritual war. Daniel 10 (Prince of Persia) and Ephesians 6:10-18 have much to say on this topic.

The current war keeps foreign secretaries, military officials, defence contractors and economists abuzz with concern, speculation, and forecasting. To this, we add another group: Bible prophecy teachers. They are eagerly observing these events to get insight into the future

It bears emphasising that Bible prophecy is good for the Christian believer and the Church collectively. It is a ‘light that shines in a dark place’ (2 Peter 1:19), an incentive for holy living and evangelism, builds up and comforts the Church, and provides a heads up to the future. Prophetically awake and aware believers are better equipped to face tomorrow with confidence since they already know what to expect.

When it comes to Israel – a name used 2,568 times in the Bible – it is a prominent subject in the last days (Daniel 9:24). Some of the events surrounding it involve war. There are several armed conflicts to choose from. Psalm 2, which we covered in an earlier article, speaks of general end-time turmoil and resistance to the coming of the King and His Kingdom to earth. There is Ezekiel 38-39, popularly known as the ‘Gog and Magog’ War. Zechariah 12 and 14 provide fascinating details of the last great war awaiting the appearance of the Messiah. Then, of course, is the campaign of Armageddon, mentioned in Revelation 16:16 and detailed in Revelation 19, when Christ appears as the rider on the white horse. 

Our focus in this article will be Psalm 83.

Psalm 83: The Neighbours are Restless

One of the lesser-known but significant last-day prophecies involves an invasion of Israel by the neighbouring nations, found in the Eighty-Third Psalm. Due to its geographical location as a land bridge between Africa and Eurasia, the nation of Israel has been subject to all kinds of invasions, from near and far, throughout the millennia. Did Israel experience the Psalm 83 invasion historically? Or is it yet to come in the future? 

One mandatory requirement is that a nation-state called ‘Israel’ had to be in the promised land during this invasion. Such a nation-state ceased to exist after the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. To the best of our knowledge, the closest possible fulfilment happened in the Arab invasion of the newly declared State of Israel in May 1948. Yet, even here, it appears that Psalm 83 has a more extensive list of invaders than what transpired in 1948. If this is the case, then fulfilment is yet for a future time.

The psalmist is calling upon God to take action against this neighbouring conspiracy against His people. Their goal is simple: to cut Israel off from being a nation so that its name will no longer be remembered. In other words, it is an unprovoked, gratuitous war of annihilation. 

Psalm 83 Invaders

Invader

Location

Edom

Southwest Jordan

Ishmaelites

Arabia

Moab

Central West Jordan

Hagarenes

Sinai

Gebal

Northern Lebanon

Ammon

Northern Jordan

Amalek

Southern Israel or Northern Sinai

Philistia

Southwest Palestine

Tyre

Southwest Lebanon

Assyria

Syria and Northern Iraq

Children of Lot

Moab & Ammon

There is a significant nation that is not listed in the Psalm 83 invasion coalition: Egypt. This is a big omission. It is not as if Egypt is unknown in Scripture; indeed, it is mentioned 611 times in 558 verses in the KJV. Why is Israel’s most important and populous neighbour overlooked? That is an important question but beyond the scope of this article. One guess: the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty stays intact – miraculously.

The 1948 War against Israel involved Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, though the participation of the last four nations was very limited. If our interpretation is correct, Assyria, Gebal, the Ishmaelites and the Hagarenes were not involved either. In Psalm 83, it appears that every nation that shares a border with Israel is part of the invasion force (except for Egypt)

As we consider the plausibility of a Psalm 83 invasion happening in our lifetime, consider this. The historic Abraham Accords of 2020 gave Israel peace treaties with four Arab nations: Morocco, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Sudan. Saudi Arabia is waiting to make peace, too. Yet, despite this breakthrough of peace and moderation, Israel’s enemies today are as ferocious and dangerous as ever, particularly Iran and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah. This current war proves it. So if the Hamas war continues, other parties might join the conflict, making it regional. This means a Psalm 83-style invasion becomes all the more plausible.

What is the result of this unprovoked spontaneous invasion of Israel? The text does not say; however, it offers this curse:

Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: 10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. 11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: 16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD. 17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth — Psalm 83:9-11; 16-18 (KJV)

In summary, Psalm 83 involves a coordinated last-day invasion of Israel by its neighbours, but without the involvement of Egypt. How does Psalm 83 fit into the bigger prophetic picture? One possible outcome is that the neighbours invade and lose the war. They are thus put out of action. This allows for the Gog and Magog scenario with a secondary ring of nations joining a coalition to destroy the Jewish state.

Despite these and other strong words, there is a redemptive side to it all. The last verse is a prayer asking that all involved will know that God alone, named Jehovah, is the Most High over all the earth. As we observe the current unfolding drama in the Middle East, remember that we are called to ‘watch and pray’ (Matthew 26:41; Mark 13:35-37) that the people of the Middle East and nations of the world will come to know the Most High God in their personal lives.