"Don't Mess With ... Israel"

Good morning!

Today's post is one of those "I wonder" posts, because it deals with a piece of Bible prophecy yet to be fulfilled.  I hesitate to be dogmatic regarding future events about which the Bible speaks.  I am know that they will occur, but the how and the when of them are unclear.  I always think back to how the majority of Jews in Jesus' day got it so wrong and completely missed His first coming to earth as Messiah.  So, I offer this post to you this morning for your meditation, not as dogma, but as things for you to ponder.

If you have time, stop here and read Isaiah 17 and Psalm 83.   Then, bookmark Ezekiel 38 and 39. The extensive texts are too much to reprint here.

There is currently an adage:  "Don't Mess With Texas".  Let me tell you - - - that warning is nothing compared to the warnings we find in Scripture to not "mess with Israel".

The first text we'll examine is Isaiah 17;  the city being discussed there is Damascus.  Today, the city of Damascus remains located where it has been for over 7,000 years - - - in the country of Syria.  You may not know that Damascus is judged to be "the oldest continuously inhabited city on the planet".  It has remained for thousands of years, without ever having been destroyed.
Yet...
In Isaiah 17:1-3, we read that Damascus will be reduced to a pile of dust and rubble.  This is an unfulfilled, futuristic prophecy.  Although Isaiah prophesied this over 2500 years ago, it has not occurred.

In the next few verses, 4-8, we read that Damascus Syria's next-door-neighbor to the south, Israel, will be abandoned except for a very small remnant.  The prophecy is not that the whole of Israel will be destroyed (the northern cities will be most heavily impacted by Damascus's destruction), but rather the majority of the people will flee the land of Israel, as if in fear.

Through Isaiah, God explains why He has allowed this to happen to Israel:  they have forgotten God-Their-Salvation.

Then, in verses 12-14, a huge, thundering invasion of Israel is described.  The implication is that, while Israel is desolate and perceived weak, a large coalition of nations will descend upon weakened Israel, to overtake her.  But, in verses 13 and 14, we read that God will silence them with a word from His mouth and then He'll "blow them away like dead leaves off a tree" {The Message version}.
Wow.  No long battle....God just utterly destroys these nations.

Does the Bible give any clue as to who these marauding nations are?

Interestingly, we see parallels between the Isaiah 17 passage and Psalm 83, a prophetic psalm written by Asaph.  Some of the same language is used in both.  Psalm 83 lists the nations who will be involved in this future coalition to "wipe Israel from the face of the earth" (Ps. 83:4).  I've listed them below, along with their modern-day geographical equivalents:

Edomites, Moabites, Hagrites, Ammonites, descendants of Lot  - - - Jordan & the West Bank
         (where the Palestinians are concentrated)
Ishmaelites: the entire Arab peoples
Gebalites, Tyre: Lebanon (where Hezbollah is headquartered)
Amelekites, Philistia: Gaza (where Hamas is headquartered)
Assyria:  Syria and parts of Turkey and Iraq (where ISIS/ISIL is headquartered)

Sound eerily contemporary?

But, to give you something else to think about, there is a similar war described in Ezekiel 38 & 39, commonly referred to as the war of Gog and Magog.  The description in Ezekiel 38 includes in addition to the Psalm 83:5-8 countries additional countries to the far north of Israel (possibly Russia), and west to Africa (Put and Cush - - possibly Egypt or Libya?)

At any rate, it's a vast, vast army - - - World War III, Y'all.

In verses 10-12 of Ezekiel 38, the land of Israel is described as the target of this vast group of evil allies.  Look at verses 8 & 9 of chapter 38:

"In the distant future you'll arrive at a country that has recovered from a devastating war (with Damascus?).  People from many nations will be gathered there on the mountains of Israel, for a long time now a wasteland."

And, again, as in Isaiah 17, Ezekiel says God will judge Israel's enemies with {vs. 22} "disease and massacre, torrential rain and hail, volcanic lava pouring down on you and your mobs of troops and people".

Whoa. As a country, America, we'd better say on Israel's "good side".  I'd like to continue with this eschatological theme in tomorrow's post.

Dear Jesus, thank you for the warnings you give us in Your Word, about the special place Israel holds in Your heart.  Help us to diligently watch the signs that you have given us in Scripture and not use them as points of contention in Your Church, but rather consider them and have our hearts ready. Because, we realize that, in light of today's current events, this war described in Ezekiel, Isaiah and Psalm 83 could begin at any moment.  I thank you, Father that, when these things occur your awesome might and glory will be on display for all to see.  Whether I'm in Heaven or on Earth, I hope I get to see Your Chosen People, Israel, return to You.  What a glorious sight that will be!  In Jesus' name, amen.