Does Psalm 83 predict an imminent war that is about to break out in the Middle East? Is Israel about to conquer its surrounding neighbors and occupy their lands, expanding its territories? Some students of prophecy believe this, but is it consistent with Scripture? While it is fair to say that Psalm 83 is a prophetic Psalm with application beyond its original context as an imprecatory prayer written in the 10th Century B.C., the view that it is referring to a specific war that takes place prior to and distinct from other antichristic end time battles, as we will see, stands in direct conflict with Scripture.
Those who teach that Psalm 83 is to be understood as a specific war, distinct from the Battle of Gog of Magog, or other wars of the Antichrist, base their view on a series of inferences and assumptions. We need to understand what these assumptions are. First, proponents of this view point out that the nations listed in Psalm 83 are not listed in Ezekiel 39-39. Despite the fact that this is not entirely true (both passages include Turkey), it is from this observation that the first assumption is made that these passages must be speaking of two separate wars or battles. Then it is observed that the nations listed in Psalm 83 are close to Israel, forming what is often called an “inner ring” of nations, whereas the nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39 form a larger “outer ring” of nations. So the second assumption is that in the future, Israel will first utterly defeat, even annihilate and occupy, the “inner ring” nations, and then at a later time, engage the “outer ring” of nations in war.
Before we turn to the Scriptures to examine the problems with this theory, it is important to stop and consider exactly what is being proposed by those who teach this theory. One teacher, for example holds that the nations of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon will all be defeated and occupied by Israel:
“Because of this Israeli conquest over the inner circle of the core surrounding Arab populations of Palestinians, Syrians, Saudi Arabians, Egyptians, Lebanese, and Jordanians, Israel’s borders are enlarged, prosperity increases, and national stature is enhanced.” (Israelestine: The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East, Bill Salus)
Other prophecy teachers, seem to differ slightly from this view, teaching that these nations will all simply be “annihilated” by Israel, in what is referred to as “The War of Extermination”. In my opinion, both positions strain the bounds of believability on a few levels. The idea that Israel, a single nation with approximately 6 million Jews, will either subdue and concurrently occupy, or worse yet, “annihilate” several nations with a total population of approximately 170 million Arabs is quite a claim, making Israel responsible for the equivalent of 30 Holocausts. In my opinion, not only is this view difficult to believe, but it also casts the people of Israel in a murderous and imperialistic light far worse than what even the most obsessed anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists, so common throughout the Islamic world, would ever claim.
But let us turn to the primary reason why the popular Psalm 83 War of Extermination theory stands in direct conflict with Scripture. Before we do however, it is necessary to identify which nations are mentioned in Psalm 83. The following chart lists the names of the nations and people as they appear in Psalm 83 as well as their modern equivalents:
Egypt?
It is important to take note of the fact that the nation of Egypt is not included among the nations listed in Psalm 83. While some have made the claim that the Hagrites correlate to Egypt, this is simply not accurate. When Psalm 83 was written, Egypt was a well known nation. If the Psalmist had intended Egypt to be included among his list of nations, he would simply have listed Egypt. Instead he listed the Hagrites along with the other nation-tribes that occupied the region that makes up modern day Jordan. During the life of Asaph, the author of this Psalm, in the 10th century B.C., the Hagarites were a people who lived in the region of northern Jordan, east of Gilead. Of this, the Scriptures are clear:
“In the days of Saul, they (the tribe of Rueben) made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead.” —1 Chronicles 5:10
When do the Psalm 83 nations meet their judgment?
The simplest way to demonstrate that the nations of Psalm 83 are not destroyed in a war several years before the return of the Lord, is to examine when the Bible states that these regions will be judged and defeated. As we will see, every name, nation, or region listed in Psalm 83 is specifically mentioned numerous times throughout the prophets as being judged and defeated by Jesus, after He has returned. Lets consider just a few examples from Scripture.
Edom and Moab
The first of the conspirators in Psalm 83 is Edom. Edom refers to the region of southern Jordan and northwestern Saudi Arabia. Moab was Edom’s neighbor just to the North in what is today, central Jordan (see map). There are numerous prophetic passages that portray the ultimate judgment of these peoples and regions in the context of the return of Jesus.
Numbers 24:17-19
Lets begin with Numbers 24:17-19, a prophecy that speaks of the coming King Messiah:
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a star shall come forth from Jacob, a scepter shall rise from Israel.”
Bible scholars believe this prophecy was among those that were looked to by the Magi in their effort to seek out the Messiah, the King of Israel, the account of which is recorded in the Gospels. But according to the prophecy, who will the King Messiah defeat when he arrives? According to the text, it is both Moab and Edom:
“He shall crush through the forehead of Moab, and tear down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be a possession.”
The crushing of the heads of Israel’s enemies here is actually an expansion of the protoevangelic prophecy in Genesis 3:15 wherein the Messiah is predicted to ultimately crush the head of Satan. But here, that victory of the Messiah over Satan and his seed is expanded upon and actual names are given to identify the seed of the serpent. Thus Edom and Moab are the peoples identified.
While proponents of the Psalm 83 War theory claim that Edom and Moab will be utterly annihilated by the Israeli Defense Forces several years before the return of Jesus, the Scriptures tell us that this will be carried out by Jesus when He returns. Why would Jesus need to engage in war and judgment with a people who were annihilated only several years prior?
Isaiah 34, 66
Edom is also judged most clearly by Jesus in Isaiah 34 and 66. Together these two passages form a graphic prophetic picture of the judgment of Edom personally carried out by Jesus, while he is on the earth. The entire chapter of Isaiah 34 is a poetic portrayal of the people of Edom being ritually sacrificed by the Lord Himself. The Lord’s wrath is executed against the people of Edom specifically because of their unjust treatment of Israel:
For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction. The Lord has a sword; it is sated with blood; it is gorged with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom . . . Their land shall drink its fill of blood, and their soil shall be gorged with fat. For the lord has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion. And the streams of Edom shall be turned into pitch, and her soil into sulfur; her land shall become burning pitch. (vv. 5–9)
The context is the Day of the Lord, the Day of His vengeance. It occurs when Jesus returns. The people of Edom are destroyed specifically as a just recompense for the “cause of Zion”. Later, in Isaiah 63, the same event is described again in very graphic detail:
Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come.” (vv. 1–4)
In this highly dramatic passage, Isaiah the prophet is looking south-eastward from Jerusalem. In his mind’s eye, he sees a majestic and determined figure—it is Jesus the Messiah—marching victoriously toward His throne in Jerusalem, out of Edom and Bozrah. Bozrah was the capital city of ancient Edom. Today it is called Petra. Once more, the timing is the Day of the Lord’s vengeance, and Jesus HImself is clearly on the ground, personally executing the justice of the Lord.
If anyone would still question whether or not Isaiah 63 and 34 are speaking of the return of Jesus, all doubt is put to rest when we see that the quintessential passage concerning the return of Jesus—Revelation 19—finds the theme of Jesus treading “the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” directly from Isaiah 63. The two passages are both speaking of the return of Jesus as He executes vengeance against His enemies. The armies of the Beast in Revelation 19 are identified as Edom in Isaiah 63. In both passages, Jesus crushes his enemies like grapes.
Obadiah
In the Book of the Prophet Obadiah, once more the same reality is described in great detail. The entire theme of this short prophecy is the ultimate victory of “the Mountain of Zion” over “the Mountain of Edom.” Mountains are a commonly used biblical motif for kingdoms. The prophecy is ultimately about the Kingdom of Israel triumphing over the Kingdom of Edom. Calvary Chapel founder Chuck Smith rightly states that the final fulfillment of this prophecy and the judgment of Edom will occur during “the day of the Lord when God blesses Israel once again when the deliverer is in Zion and the Lord reigns.” The “Day of the Lord” context is also seen in the final verse of the prophecy, which states that in that “Saviors (or, salvation) shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s” (Obadiah 1:21). So the ultimate victory of Israel over Edom will be seen when the Kingdom belongs to the Lord Jesus who will be present and ruling from Jerusalem.
We could look at several other passages as well. In Isaiah 25, Amos 2 and Zephaniah 2:9, Moab is portrayed as being judged specifically in the context of the return of the Jesus.
Again we must ask; If Edom and Moab are utterly conquered, “annihilated”, or even “exterminated” by the Israeli Defense Forces several years prior to the return of Jesus, how is it that the Messiah is consistently and repeatedly portrayed over and over again, throughout the prophets, as carrying out these things personally when He returns? But it is not merely Edom and Moab that this can be said of. This same pattern occurs with every name or place mentioned in Psalm 83. In Zephaniah 2, for example, we find the Day of the Lord judgment of the Philistines and Assyria. In Joel 3, Philistia, as well as Lebanon (Tyre and Gebal) are judged at the Day of the Lord. In Ezekiel 30, several nations, including Arabia are specified as being judged in the Day of the Lord. In the end, every last people, nation or region listed in Psalm 83 are described, often in great detail, within the prophets as being judged in the Day of the Lord, at the return of Jesus. Any effort to argue that these peoples, nations or regions are going to be utterly annihilated before the return of Jesus will result in a view which stands in stark conflict with the Biblical prophets.
In conclusion, the Psalm 83 theory wrongly interpret the prophets, setting the Church up for confusion through unbiblical and false expectations. But the most worrisome error of the Psalm 83 War theory is that it takes the righteous judgments of Jesus, and reallocates them to mere men. As a strong supporter of the Israeli Defense Forces, I say that the aforementioned righteous judgments described in the prophets belong to the Lord Jesus alone. No man or no army will ever be able to claim the victory of the Lord for themselves. The Lord alone will be exalted in that day (Isaiah 2:17).
89 Responses
Hi Joel
Thanks for your excelent writing.
Did you see my update mail ?
Blessings to you from Norway !
David
Those who have ears to hear… will her. Those who have eyes to see… will see. In other words, there are those who no matter what you do or say, will not listen. Even if/when the writing is on the wall. In 2 Peter 3 we see that in the last days, Christians will be made fun of (scoffed at) for believing in the doctrine of pre-trib rapture. For “all these things” that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24 will have occurred and yet no Jesus rapturing Christians prior to all “these things.” So even in the very last days, many Christians will not have ears to hear nor eye to see, even when the writing is on the wall.
My heart yearns dearly for my brethren and sistren in Christ who hold to the false doctrines. It is so hard too. This must have been how the Prophets felt when they would give warnings that would go unheeded. Imagine how Noah must have felt when the people would ask him what he was doing and laugh or ignore him and his warnings. I can only imagine the sorrow Noah must have felt.
I feel that sorrow when I hear so many in church and other places speak of all these false doctrines.
I cannot help but echo Ron’s lament regarding the unsealing of biblical prophecy in THIS modern generation that I live in and see it being played out. The Islamic paradigm is the “Master Key” but individual prophetic doorways (i.e., specific events) are still yet to open as time progresses. But that should not deter us watching, praying and studying the prophetic Word of God. The false doctrines regarding prophecy are deeply rooted in the Church and only with prayer, constant sound teaching of spreading the word regarding the Islamic paradigm will change come to darkened minds. Islamic paradigm supporters are like OT prophets…ignored until you need them! At least, that is what it feels like when talking to my pastor. LOL!
That is okay, God knows and we will be there ready to assist when the time is deemed ready.
Blessings!
Joel,
Blessings in our Saviour’s name. I am a Christian from Northern Ireland and recently have been enjoying both your messages and also messages from Walid Shoebat. I want to encourage you in the Lord for the work you have been called to do.
God bless you and your family
Gareth
Thanks Joel
Remove the repetition of the children of lot and we have 10.
When the statue falls, the exile will be over.
the plot thickens!
Excellent article! I have long felt as though the Psalm 83 book as well as the author’s previous book consisted of some of the most terrible reasoning and poor interpretation. Keep up the good work.
Jay,
I’m not even sure what you are asking. Are you asking me when I believe that Jesus will return?
Nailed it Joel! Thanks for putting this up. Love the map.
Joel, well done. I agree the inner ring nations are judged on the Day of the Lord. Revelation 20:8 seems to indicate however that the Gog/Magog war is at the end of the 1000 years when Satan is loosed. How do you read it?
Jim
Hi Joel,
Thank you for this very clear explanation of the Psalm 83 war. I have now shifted my view from seeing this as a war of extermination prior to the Day of the Lord to seeing it in the context of Christ fighting on earth on behalf of His people on the Day of His wrath. I have two quick observations:
1. Would I be right to take the Day for a year principle that is often used in prophecy to conclude that the Day of the Lord actually lasts for a year as opposed to battles that occur during a 24-hour period?
2. I also wanted to challenge yours and Walid Shoebat’s view shared via a talk show regarding the three horns uprooted by the Antichrist. Your opinion was that the Antichrist will remove the leaders of Egypt, Cush (North Sudan) and Phut (Libya). I agree with the fact that the Egyptian leadership will likely be one of the leaders uprooted by the Mahdi given the fact that Turkey is already clashing with the Egyptian Military backed government and the fact that he is referred to as the Pharaoh of Egypt. I propose that his other names; the King of Tyre and the King of Babylon are used to refer to him because he also deposes the leader of Lebanon. According to your book “God’s war on Terror”, Babylon in end times points to Saudi Arabia the harlot. It is not unforeseeable that Turkey will clash with Saudi Arabia. Many hadiths refers to a group of Muslims who will clash with the Mahdi. Some Islamic teachers refer to these Muslims as the Qurayesh. The Mahdi will clash with the Qurayesh and defeat them. I see the Qurayesh as representing Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the three leaders I see as being plucked by the Mahdi are the Egyptian, Lebanese and Saudi Arabian leaders. Let me know what you think.
Christine,
The Day of the Lord is a period of time, but I would not use the day year theory myself.
On the other issues, the three nations are taken early, whereas Babylon is destroyed at the end.
And I would never look to Islamic prophecy as if it is actually prophetic. Muslim apocalyptic material is worth understanding only to see that Satan has been working to create a counter narrative for those who are deceived. But I do not look to it as any source of truth.
Blessings
Jim,
The invasion carried out by Gog of Magog as described in Ezekiel 38 & 39 must be viewed as distinct from the Post-Millennial Gog and Magog War described in Revelation 20. Consider for instance that Ezekiel’s war concludes with all Israel getting saved, and all returning to their land, being freed from captivity. If Ezekiel’s war happens at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ, and it is only then that Israel finally comes to know Him, followed with Jews being delivered from their status as captives among the nations, then this would cast Jesus as as a rather impotent ruler during the millennium to say the least. The portrayal of the Jews during the millennium is consistently as entirely Holy and belonging to the Lord. There really is no way to reconcile the descriptions of what occurs at the conclusion of Ezekiel’s War with the conditions described throughout the Millennium. Ezekiel’s War and the War described in Revelation 20 must be seen as two separate wars. This is a very brief and partial explanation of why I hold to the view I do, but I hope it has helped.
Blessings
Joel, very good in a limited amount of space. Refuting a book in a few paragraphs, but that is actually all it takes. Irenaus lists these three as the 3 horns as well. And haven’t we already seen it? Why does it have to be yet future? Are we not living now in these very days? Also Mystery Babylon? Why can’t it be the US. Is not that nation and its leader acting in the spirit of Anti Christ? Mystery to me is a hint, who is betraying Israel? Who betrayed YESHUA? A friend…
Our country is making itself most despicable changing laws, and times and seasons. I agree with the Islamic essence of all that the scripture presents yet there is something more not being said.
Also this false doctrine of pre trib is like watching a frog taking a bath in boiling water.
joel, I think I saw a comment of yours that you back the the post tribulation. I’m not sure my timeline is correct but if it is I don’t see how post-trib is even plausible. Could you correct me if I’m wrong on this. The 7 year peace treaty with Israel is what sparks the beginning of the 7 year tribulation. The first 3.5 years of the tribulation you would have the 2 witnesses on the scene that would have power from god to cause earthquakes,famines,disasters as judgement from god and if anyone tries to harm them they will be killed. Also, I think the two witnesses are the ones that get the rebuilding of the temple going in that first 3.5 years of the tribulation. Now imagine if you were a atheist and you saw these two men on earth as well as the rebuilding of the temple going on. The people would start searching for god, especially after the two witnesses are overcome by the beast and god resurects them to heaven after they have been dead for 3.5 days. “The coming of the son of man will be like in the days of noah, the people were eating,drinking, and marrying, then the floods came” The floods hit the people by surprise. When that 7 year treaty is established with israel the dynamics of the world change on a dime and the two witnesses on the scene. The people would already see the “floods” especially with the power the two witnesses have. It only makes since to me if the rapture happens right before that 7 year peace treaty is established.
James,
First, this is all speculation on your part. It is based on how you imagine or cannot imagine unbelievers will act or respond. Essentially, you are expecting unbelievers and rebels to act rationally. Was this the case after the plagues in Egypt? Of course not. Another example in Rev 19 tells us that even after the son of man bursts forth from heaven with fire and the armies of heaven, the kings of the earth and their armies will actually go to make war with the “rider on the horse”. Is this rational in any way shape or form? I think you see my point. If they were rational, they would all repent. But the Scriptures say that they will only continually harden their hearts. Thus we should expect them to act as hardened and blinded rebels. For this is what they are.
That said, you didn’t quote a single verse from Scripture. This must be our standard. For example, Scripture says clearly that the rapture happens after the tribulation (Matthew 24:29). It says that the rapture cannot happen until after the Antichrist is revealed (2 Thess 2:1-3).
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction
And it says that unlike the peoples of the earth who are hardened in their rebellion, we will not be surprised when he returns (1 Thess 5:4-5).
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you fnlike a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness
Ultimately, even if you continue to reject Paul and Jesus’ words on these things, I think you would acknowledge that it is always wisdom to hope for the best but to be prepared for the worst.
I hope that this has helped.
Blessings!
I do quote from scripture I’m just doing this on the fly so I don’t have time to say rev15253726. 7 year treaty, 7 year tribulation, The two witnesses, beast overcomes the two witnesses, beast sets up abomination of desolation at midway point, god ressurects the two witnesses, ext. You know what I’m saying is all biblical so don’t try and make it like you quote from scripture and I dont. “Another example in Rev 19 tells us that even after the son of man bursts forth from heaven with fire and the armies of heaven, the kings of the earth and their armies will actually go to make war with the “rider on the horse”
This is my point, The people following the system of the beast aren’t surprised by the 2nd coming of christ because they are prepared to make war with him. They say, “who can make war with the beast.” It’s not that they don’t believe christ wont return it’s just they believe the beast can defeat christ. They will have already witnessed the two witnesses ressurected to heaven at this point by god, as well as the beast causing fire to come down from heaven. They will know both posess power. Just like pharoe knew moses had a source behind him, he just thought his source could defeat moses source. A hardened heart doesn’t take away all logic. A hardened heart is what made them refuse to follow god, but they still knew that source was there. “The coming of the son of man will be like in the days of noah” is a surpise. Mathew24:29, zackeriah14 are easily predictable which deals with the lord returning to earth as king of kings and lord of lords. two dif. events. We will agree to disagree, god bless.
Hi there Joel. 🙂
I believe that your explanation is very valid, but you forgot one very bim portant thing.Edom will be attack and made waste by the people of Israel too and therefore there must be another war before God;Magog or the Messiah destroying Edom. Here it goes:
Eze 25:13,14 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the HAND of MY PEOPLE ISRAEL: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.
It is the hand of Israel, not the Messiah, that God uses (This time) to defeat Edom, Dedan and Teman. How can you explain this?
God bless you.
Hi Marcus,
This is an important verse indeed. But it is important to acknowledge that your argument cuts both ways. On one hand, it would be wrong to simply write off this passage and say that Messiah clearly destroys Edom, so it cannot be Israel and visa-versa. But I think many who support the Psalm 83 War theory say that it cannot be Messiah because there are some passages that speak of Israel executing the judgments against Edom (or Esau). There are a couple options in terms of how to reconcile this seeming tension, the best of which I believe is that the two must together be the same. Jesus will lead his people Israel in victory over their enemies after he returns. There is after all abundant scriptural evidence that suggests this. Zechariah 12 for instance speaks of Jesus returning and also speaks of Israel becoming a fire to the nations that surround them. So on one hand they are fire to the surrounding nations which are portrayed as wood, but so also does it say that he himself defends them at that time. It is also at the same time that the Lord returns and Israel is repenting of having had rejected him. Mind you “in that day” is a common term used to describe the Day of the Lord (when Jesus returns):
Obadiah also describes the same thing, which is the Lord with Israel destroying Edom:
Notice that the victory of Israel over Edom is at the time when the Kingdom is established. Notice also that it is the remnant, or survivors of Israel who defeat Edom. I think far too many Christians believe that when Jesus returns, he simply snaps his fingers and all of his enemies are destroyed. But this is not the picture painted by the prophets. One thing is clear: If anyone were to look at these clearly Day of the Lord centered passages and try to move them back several years before the return of the Lord, they would be making a huge mistake. The context simply doesn’t allow for it.
I hope this has helped.
Blessings
Thank you Joel you are right on, God has used you to open up the word to us and also Walid Shoebat and company.We now can enter these last days with understanding and our eyes open. Joel please check out my website endtimesprophecywatchman.org. Thank you and God bless our heritage Israel.
Thanks for the reply Joel.
A very good and strong argument that you are using. You are probably right.
However there is still the possibility that they are 2 different events.
It is important to notice that Eze 25:13,14 does not uses ‘the day of the Lord or in that day” and still can be different events if it is not the Day.
Very nice site David. Blessings!
Why cannot the psalm 83 war be the already historic 1967 war when Israel defeated its arabic neighbours ?
Hi Joel,
This was quite a great post; hope you have the spirit of YHWH to guide you and may you be humble in front of him and in front of his son Yeshua. Regarding Psalm 83, I have reading it several times, and I see NO WAR at all. All I see in Psalm 83 is exactly what has been happening for quite some years now, the surrounding nations of Israel want to destroy Israel, I would call this “RUMOR of WAR”, but not an exact war.
Hi Joel,
Have you looked at your map in this article lately and compared it to the new lines being drawn in the middle east by ISIS?
Wow…
Blessings,
Tina
Praise King Jesus!!! Thank you Joel for your Truth that you continue to give to us your fellow brethren. I pray that the Lord encamps His angels around you and your family. I also pray that no weapon formed against you will prosper in the name of Jesus. We need more men like you in the body of christ brother. Keep removing scales brother. God bless!!!
Joel, I have been reading your articles with great interest. You have been a big factor in my renewed interest to read the Old Testament. I used to skip these “day of the Lord” passages because I couldn’t make out the time frame. But now every passage comes alive and I am just hungering for more understanding.
But still I find your explanation somewhat very weak specifically about how to reconcile the seeming contradiction of these passages: Isaiah 63:3,5 and Obadiah verses 18-19, if you insist that these are not 2 separate wars but just one and the same war. For in Isaiah 63:3 we find the Lord Jesus Christ fighting alone. But in Obadiah, Israel annihilates the surrounding nations.
“I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger and trampled them in My fury”
“I looked but there was no one to help, And I wondered that there was no one to uphold; therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me; And My own fury it sustained Me.”
And yet in the Obadiah passage (and other passages you mentioned in this article) we find the people of Israel, specifically the remnant of them, defeating the surrounding nations, or literally putting them on fire.
“The house of Jacob shall be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; but the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and devour them. And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau. For the Lord has spoken.” Obadiah v.18
I hope you can enlighten us furthere. Thank you, and shalom!
Hi Rod,
I’m presently extremely short on time, so forgive my brief response here. But I find that answers discovered on ones own always stick better anyway. So let me begin by asking you a couple questions to better understand your present perspective.
Are you claiming that when Jesus returns, He will be all alone?
When exactly do you see Obadiah 18-19 occurring?
How does Obadiah 17 fit into your present scenario?
Do you feel as though Bill Salus’ scenario of Obadiah taking place minimally several years before Christ returns fits the context of the various internal language used in Obadiah?
Thanks for your comments.
Blessings,
Joel
Hi Joel, it is an honor to finally get to speak to you regarding a subject that I am unsure of.
Which war brings the 7 year peace treaty to Israel?
A. Psalm 83
B. Ezekiel 38-39 or
C. Isaiah 17 destruction of Damascus?
I know it has to be one or more of these battles. Without these battles, there cannot be a peace treaty. Which one brings the “peace making ” Antichrist to the scene?
Please share with me your thoughts
Thank you
Hi Paul,
In my reading, these three passages are not three separate “battles” but all part of the same final period. Psalm 83 is not a distinct war, as many wrongly claim.
Hi joel,
Actually you helped me see how there cannot be a psalm 83 war prior to the 7 year period or treaty. I used to look forward to the day Israel finally settles the score with her enemy neighbors and used ps. 83 and Obadiah as basis. But after reading your article you had me reconsider my view.
Another thing that caught my attention why the Obadiah passages cannot happen before the AC invades Israel is that in Daniel 11:41 it says that Edom, Moab and the main part of the Ammonites shall be delivered out of his hand.
That got me into thinking, if Edom, Moab and the Ammonites are annihilated in a prior war how could they still be existing and delivered in the time that the AC will be ravaging Israel? They probably will pledge allegiance and support the AC hence are spared from invasion and destruction, at least for a time. Until they are torched by the remnant of Jacob.
But still i am looking for answers as to why God would say He would be alone with none to help Him as he delivers judgment to Israel’s neighbors.
Perhaps i am taking the Word too literal this time? My best guess at this point is that Isaiah 63: 3,5, probably is more poetic than litetal. Probably at that time all the nations of the world would be too afraid or cautious to get involved, God would look but no nation, no NATO or anything would dare help Him. So He and His army executes judgment alone.
You see i am not really a scholar that’s why i was looking to you for a more scholarly explanation. But i understand that you are a busy person, that’s ok. Just get back to me when you can. Just want to say “thank you” for your insights, you are a gift to the body in these last days. Blessings! -rod.
Hi Rod,
Essentially, we know that Jesus returns with the armies of heaven behind him ala Rev. 19. So He is not alone as in all by Himself per se. I think that we need to take His comments in Is. 63 as you inferred as none from among the nations, gentiles are executing His righteous vengeance or justice. That said, I think the Scriptures also demand that we recognize that Israel’s victory happens after He returns, not before. Salus’ big error is that he takes passages, the context of which are clearly the Day of the Lord. or even the millennial Kingdom, and he tries to move them back as much as fifty years before the return of Jesus. Unfortunately, I’ve invited him to have a public discussion of these things, but he has never been willing to do so. I think if the larger Body of Christ could weigh the Scriptural evidence, they would recognize that there is no distinct Psalm War as so many wrongly believe today.
So are you saying there is no “battle” before the antichrist comes?
This doesn’t make sense to me. Why would there be a peace treaty if there is no war or fighting going on?
I always thought Israel goes to war with the surrounding nations, they are defeated, and then the antichrist comes and brings a peace treaty for 7 years. Then he rebuilds the Jewish temple.
After Ezekiel 39, comes the passages describing the Rebuilt temple.
Can you just explain to me how the peace treaty is established?
Peter,
Daniel tells us the Antichrist will make “a covenant with many.” Isaiah informs us that Israel will make “a covenant with death.” Whether this will be a “peace treaty” or not is pure speculation. We must stick with what the Scriptures say. We know the AC will be shrewd, deceptive and manipulative. Somehow he will manage to make some form of agreement with Israel that will likely include concessions for her to build the temple. But until it happens, we can only speculate.
Now, of course there will indeed be wars and ongoing conflict. However, to equate these wars or battles with Psalm 83, and go so far as to claim that Israel will actually defeat and occupy the surrounding nations of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, as Bill Salus and other proponents of the “Psalm 83 War” theory do, is just downright unscriptural and dangerous. Nowhere do the Scriptures say that Israel is going to defeat the surrounding nations prior to the return of Jesus. No where. In fact, the Scriptures say just the opposite. Zechariah and Joel both speak of the surrounding nations gathering together against Jerusalem in the last days. Jesus says that many Jews will be taken captive among the nations (Luke 21:24).
As for Ezekiel 39, this concludes at the return of Jesus. The Temple described there is the millennial temple, not the tribulation temple.
I would highly encourage you to consider reading Mideast Beast.
Forgive my brevity. I hope this has helped.
Blessings
I am ordering the Mideast beast.
Can you explain to me why the United states of America is not mentioned anywhere in “end time ” prophecy.
For a country that dominates the world and the Middle East,a country that always comes to Israel’s aid,it is pretty shocking that it is not mentioned in prophecy.
And this actually scares me. Is our Country going to be destroyed before then?
Speculation is fine.
The Bible is not about us, its about Israel.
Are the ships of Tarshish a reference to Europe or America because many scholars say Ships of Tarshish were Western traders.
In Isaiah, GOD seems pretty angry at Tarshish and says he will destroy them. Later we see Tarshish questioning the Gog and Magog invasion in Ezekiel.
Who are they exactly?
Thank you
Hi joel,
There is so much confusion with Bible Prophecy that often i actually cry over the frustration of wanting the truth, which i shall be given through the Holy Spirit in his time. I have the Psalm 83 book written by Bill Salus and he claims that the 7 year tribulation cannot begin immediately after this war as the Jews need to burn the weapons which takes 7 years. I had always thought the Ezekiel war was during the 7 years anyway. I can see I was wrong. The Psalm 83 war is still a debate in my family (smiles) Hubby says its before Ezekiel and I am still waiting for the answers from studying Gods word. If we depart from the timing of the tetrads and the 70 years when Israel became a nation and the 50 years when Jerusalem was recaptured then it was all in vain and many of us were then wrong. Not date setting just wondering what all the hype was in the first place unless we do see war break out before 2017. My son asked me why I worry about these things as once I am raptured we won’t know what takes place but for me its very important to know as much as we can as we can see the the personality of God through studying his word.
When do you see the timing of Ezekiel’s war. Before the trib of just soon after.? Thank you.
Hi Vanessa,
I believe that Gog of Eze. 38-39 is simply the Antichrist. Ezekiel was merely retelling the same story that all the prophets are telling. Its not nearly as confusing as so many make it with all of these multiple wars. Thats not to say that there will not be various wars, but the story the prophets are telling is not a convoluted story. ITs a very Day of the Lord centric story that is much more simple than confusing. I highly encourage you to get my book Mideast Beast. I deal with these things in great detail. In the meantime, I have several articles that address Ezekiel 38-39 or various aspects of it in the article section. I hope this has helped.
Bless you!
please how can i get this book “Mideast Beast” and please brother Joel do you believe Wiliam Marion Branham to be the prophet of MAL 4;5-6.thanks
David,
You can order it in the store or on Amazon. Also, I do not believe this about Branham.
I am curious about the historicist versus the constant futurist view. How can the historicist view be so readily dismissed when Israel becoming a nation was a futurist view in 1945 and fulfilled a few years later. That alone seems to support the one over the other, or at the least support taking a less hard lined view.
I can think of a prophecy thr must be fulfilled prior to the rapture.
Futurism comes in various forms. Pre-tribulational Dispensationalist Futurism argues that all prophecy lies within the final seven years. That nothing must happen before the return of Jesus. In my opinion, this is silly as it is clear that Israel had to be reborn as a state and this cannot happen overnight. Non-dispensationalist futurism simply holds that the overwhelming emphasis and burden of the prophets is the final period that surrounds the return of Jesus and the age to come.
Historicism on the other hand is little more than preterism spread out over a very long time.
I watched you on The Jim Bakker Show last week and was intrigued by all you spoke about. Your heart and burden for those in the Middle East came through clearly. I pray that God will continue to open wide doors of opportunity for you to declare the gospel of Jesus in those countries as God leads you.
I was, also, intrigued by Jonathon Cahn and his messages.
Do you two see eye to eye as it pertains to the Middle East?
I now the bible is not centered around the U.S. But that is where I live. His view and message is powerful. Do you subscribe to this revelation as it pertains to our nation?
Hi Joel,
Thank you for sharing this very important message. God bless you and make you strong always.
Israel was an unlikely victor in all its wars with its Middle East foes from 1947 to the 1990s. The testimonies of Arab soldiers who were miraculously frozen at the point of overrunning the Israelis give credence to the idea that God intervened.
So, this is my contention: the Psalm 83 war prophecy has already been fulfilled in Israel’s victories against the odds during the 20th century.
Dear Joel Thank you for this article. The PSALM 83 war enjoys much speculation nowadays and it is very confusing. My understanding (I am not a theologian) is that there will be ONE war (invasion of Israel) before the TRIBULATION, namely the EZEKIEL WAR and that GOD will intervene to save Israel. The second war will be ARMAGEDDON, the day of the LORD, after the seven year TRIBULATION. Is my understanding correct? Please advise.
Another theory is that the PSALM 83 war already happened and might be in Biblical times OR even the recent wars in 1948, 1967 OR 1973 wars. Your opinion please. Regards Andre
Joel,
I’m curious about your thesis in light of Russia’s actions today. Further, I am still looking for an answer to a couple of nagging questions. First, who and when is Damascus destroyed to the extent mentioned in Isaiah 17? Secondly, what events would have to take place prior to Ezekiel 38 to provide a sense of peace and security characterized by Ezekiel as the climate in Israel at the onset of Gog-Magog? Sorry Joel but I find many more reasons to support a Psalms 83 war scenario .
Doug,
What Russia is doing is facilitating the Iran invasion and defeat of the heart of the Middle East. Notice that Turkey, which is the primary nation highlighted in Ezekiel 38-39 is not on board with what Russia is doing. This is key.
Damascus is destroyed at the end of the final seven years. This is why it says that (if you read the rest of the chapter), not only Damascus, but all of northern Israel, and Jordan are nearly desolate as well.
What is necessary to provide that false sense of security of Ezekiel 38-38 is exactly what the Scriptures state the Antichrist will accomplish. He will arise as a deceitful regional leader who emerge who gains control over much of the region and makes a great show of peaceful overtures and promises. The Scriptures say he will conquer wondrously through peace. When the provinces feel secure, he will invade them etc.
No need to find some fanciful scenario where Israel defeats and occupies several nations with over 300,000,000 people. Israel has no desire to occupy the entire Middle East. We need to be realistic.
Blessings,
Joel
I’m curious what you think about the idea that Psalm 83 was fulfilled during the wars of 1948-49, 67, & 73. I am aware that you reject the notion that what is currently taking place in the mid-east has anything to do with Psalm 83, but I haven’t seen you comment on the former idea that folks are mentioning, that Psalm 83 was already fulfilled in the past few decades. I think the reason people are considering this possibility, is because the nations mentioned in Psalm 83 were the very nations involved in 1948 & 67. It’s really hard to deny that. So if you believe Psalm 83 is fulfilled at the Day of the Lord, is it possible this is another prophecy with a dual fulfillment? An earlier foreshadowing (in ’48 & ’67) followed by the complete fulfillment at the day of the Lord?
I simply think the popular pre-seven-year “Psalm 83 War” theory with Israel conquering (and even occupying) all of these nations is simply not biblically feasible. I’m not dogmatic about what it must mean, as the passage is not clearly defined. There is no clear “war” per se. But I think your suggestion is a fairly reasonable interpretation.
I haven’t read Bill Salus’ books, and although I agree generally with the notion of Psalm 83 being fulfilled prior to Daniel’s 70th week, I don’t personally believe Israel is going to “exterminate” or “annihilate” those nations. I simply believe Israel will defeat them militarily, not wipe them all out. It seems clear that we are heading right now towards a scenario in which many of those same Psalm 83 players are going to make another invasion attempt of Israel, now that they have the Russian & Iranian militaries as potential cover. I believe the end result of this next ill-fated invasion attempt will be the fulfillment of Ezekiel 28:24-26.
Then Israel will have finally met the conditions of apparent security, in order for Ezekiel 38/39 and the rise of the AC to then take place. Ezekiel 28:24-26 is a crucial yet often overlooked piece of scripture, and is key to this whole debate.
First, every one of the names listed in Psalm 83 are described as being defeated in the context of the Day of the Lord. Not a few years before.
Second, nothing is in line right now. The idea that Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, (and Salus says Egypt, though its not even in the Psalm) are about to unify and invade Israel is the last thing that is about to happen. The Middle East right now is in the midst of a Sunni Shia war. And Russia is taking the Shia side. The past few years have destroyed the Psalm 83 scenario.
As for living in security, Israel of the past couple generations already fulfills the general descriptions of the text.
One of the interesting things about Psalm 83 is that the text doesn’t really say what the end result of the plotted invasion attempt is. It only contains a prayer for God’s help in the situation. Therefore, I think it’s a perfectly reasonable theory to believe that Israel might engage in another war with the Psalm 83 nations and defeat them militarily prior to Daniel’s 70th week, and I believe that still leaves room for Jesus to defeat or annihilate them upon His return. I don’t see how Israel defeating them militarily in the near future might eliminate the Lord’s opportunity to judge or destroy them when He returns.
Also, given the increasing tension brewing over the Temple Mount right now between Israel and the Palestinians (and Jordan also), as well as the increasing tension on Israel’s northern border as Hezbollah creeps closer and closer under the cover of Russian military, the current relative peace in Israel really stands on a razors edge. One small misstep right now could easily trigger a situation in which the Psalm 83 nations are uniting in all out war against Israel again. I’m really scratching my head wondering why you would dismiss that scenario as having been “destroyed.” If all that is going to happen right now is a Sunni/Shia war, then where/how do you see Israel fitting into this war as it continues to escalate? Do you really see them just sitting on the sidelines? Also, if Israel currently already meets the criteria of “security,” then what is Ezekiel 28:24-26 all about exactly?
Because the nations listed are not talking about any alliance. Rather they are at war with one another on multiple levels. ISIS and Russia have both thrown a massive wrench in the gears of any notion this could happen soon.
Thanks Joel. Great information. Now I’m gonna sit back and wait for Israel to blast these towel heads off the planet. I’ll be sittin in my bean bag chair and eaten a bag of Cheetos as I watch it all on Fox News.
When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Luke 9:54-56
Hi Joel, I have read several of your articles on this site and I too believe what you have been saying about Psa 83. What I find so sad is that so many of the people who have left a reply sound to blood thirsty about wanting Israel to “kick butt”. Is this a Christian attitude we should have? Not to me! Plus when your answer doesn’t agree with theirs, they sound some what upset. Again is this the right Christian attitude to have? NO! To many Christians are having this attitude, which makes all Christians look bad. I look forward to reading a lot more of your articles. Thank you also for putting Gog in Turkey not Russia. My God Bless!
Joel,
You make a very compelling argument and while I am swinging your way, there is still a question mark in my mind. At the time of the beginning of the Gog-Magog war, Damascus has already been destroyed, presumably by a nuclear blast. My question is who destroyed Damascus with nuclear power and what was the provocation. We know that Israel stands alone right now in the face of the Iranian nuclear threat. Does it not hold that Israel will ultimately have to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities and when they do, does it also follow that Syria acting by proxy for Russia and Iran, will step up the chemical lobs into N. Isral. I believe at that time, Israel will have to employ the Sampson option and this action ignites the short-lived but very violent warfare outlined by the prophet Asaph. Explain to me if you would where I am misinterpreting scripture??
First, you are speculating far too much. Second, nothing in Scripture says Damascus is destroyed before Gog Magog. Quite to the contrary, there is one possible indicator that Syria is with the Gog invasion (Ezekiel 39:18). Watch this and see what you think.
https://joelstrumpet.com/?p=8110
The Holy Spirit whispered Psalm 83 to me, all night long, about 6 mos. ago. I didn’t have Psalm 83 memorized so I didn’t know it. I awakened and read the Psalm and wept. It must be at the door or the Lord, by His Holy Spirit wouldn’t have whispered it all night long. Jesus is coming sooner than we expect.
One of the main problems some people have in understanding this is because they do not realize what Yeshua will really do when he returns…others I have talked to see a war coming before the pre-trib rapture so they use this to explain,what they see is not Armageddon.
Thank you for sound teaching on a subject that has perked a lot of ears, and rightly so due to all of the turmoil in the region of Syria. My view is that my Savior can return at any moment and no future events need to unfold first. The concept of a psalm 83 war is intriguing , future connection to it is vague, and my question would be …is there any possibility that this was a prophecy already fulfilled in the 6 day war?
I would add to the above Ps 83 is a prayer to God that He intervene on Israel’s behalf but I find no indication in the Psalm the prayer is answered.
Thanks, Brother, YHWH bless you.
Pastor. Joseph Cortes of Teachingfaith.com ministry has done a through. studying on Psalm 83. Also about who is the 7th and 8th beast. All the proceeding beast were empires who controlled the area around Jerusalem, why should the 7th beast be any different. He explains it well.
Thanks for your article regarding Psalm 83 – I don’t see a war taught in this passage! I see a prayer for God’s protection over their enemies. This passage is not like Ezekiel 38-39. Perhaps Ezekiel 38-39 are an answer to this Psalm 83 prayer. Thanks – Bob Jones
You lost me with your comment about Israel being blamed for a holocaust of 130M people…
First. It is God and his supernatural power… not the IDF…
Second… not all the citizens of the peoples mentioned will be killed… other portions of scripture do specify that all peoples should be wiped out… but not here… the texts describes taking out the leadership… kings and princes…
Joel Richardson is a wolf in sheeps clothing. He is here to stir up trouble among Christians. No one but a few illiterate people could conceive of the Anti Christ coming out of a Moslem country.
Actually it is Bill Salus who specifically teaches that it will be the IDF. Not me.
Bob.
People always tend to fear that which they don’t understand, and demonize that which they fear.
Why is it so hard to believe the antichrist will come out of Islam? Just for sake of argument, it could be anyone, But the muslim beliefs have so much in common with end times prophecy, So much more than most anyone else. Thanks Joel for giving plenty of Food for thought.
Joel’s trumpet is the reason for my belief that Israel 6 day war, was the psalms 83 war. The reason I believe it, and the way I have connected the two to the 1967 war has to do with what few have ever truly understood concerning Joel’s prophecy. What we need to understand is what IN-PART means when it speaks of what the disciples have given to us and that we are still presently working in and through.
If at the hour of the DAY of Pentecost was indeed the fulfilling of Joel’s prophecy of the Holy Spirit coming upon ALL FLESH, then why is it that there were Jews who stood around at that hour seemingly unaffected, and of whom questioned what it was that had taken place in assembly of 500. I believe the truth, while obscure and partially hidden lays in the relationship to what took place IN-PART was not the fulfilling of Joel’s prophesy but only the down payment in-part.
Many have trouble understanding or actually having been present to experience the pouring out of God’s spirit upon ALL flesh, including the unbeliever, because of there bias in believing that God would ever allow the Holy Spirit to come upon them. This is where the difference between the Holy Spirit coming upon ALL flesh and the receiving of the Holy Spirit in US, to seal the witness of Jesus Christ as the spirit of truth, is two entirely different things. I believe the hippie movement of free love and all the other accompanying movements at that hour in 1967 testify’s to the truth of it being Joel’s TRUMPET fulfilling and AWAKENING for the first of two AWAKENINGS prophesied by Jesus to take place for the virgins, who have now fallen back asleep.
I was alive during this period of time as a young adult and can tell you of a truth, that not only were the people moved and changed by the influence of the Holy Spirit but there was also a explosion of knowledge for both man and the word of God. It happened not only in this country but throughout the world as young and old began to protest for human rights from every corner of the earth. Not only this and probably most important we had a explosion of small store front Pentecostal church’s open up, and what is even more unlikely, is that even the main line traditional church’s like the catholic’s had the charismatic movement to begin in and around that very same period of time. For those old time main stream church’s to do anything in unity or at the same time has to be God doing it, because they have never been moved like that since.
Psalm 83 is new to me as i have just read for the first time today, indeed Israel is currently the ire of its surrounding nations ( US embassy ). I believe a war is coming primarily with Israel and the inner circle nations ,that will shift to a Shia -Sunni war leading to a 10 nation confederacy ( Psalm 83 laid the ground work ) led by Turkey. The new Turkish caliphate with the Caliph in Instanbul will restore order in the region. The Gog-Magog war must follow Psalm 83 war and be a precursor to the end time events because Ezekiel 38 clearly states the 3rd temple is built on the ashes of the Gog Magog war.
When Jesus returns in Revelation 19 with His armies in white following Him, Jesus is described wearing a robe dipped in blood. Since we know that Jesus’ robe is red (bloody) from the battle at Bozrah/Edom (Isaiah 63), wouldn’t this necessarily imply that Jesus fought the battle against Edom earlier than His return at Revelation 19?
Thanks
That is possible. Or Rev. 19 is simply more of a broad vision of the whole period of His return, rather than a precise description of how He appears when He is revealed from Heaven.
Hi Joel, I am from India, congratulation for the fantastic article, I am following your articles for some time now. I even have a copy of your Mystery Babylon. I always felt Psalm war-Ezekiel’s war-Armageddon are all same, different prophets talking about the very same war of the end times and Gog is the Antichrist. The more I study bible prophecies I have a strange feeling that the coming Jewish Messiah, Jesus and the Kalki avatar (tenth and final incarnation of Lord Vishnu) in our Hindu texts is one single person, the savior of the world against Islam.What do you think? Have you studied Hindu eschatology? Will India become Muslim majority and Islamic country in future? What is your opinion? The situation is very grave in India because of continuous infiltration from Bangladesh for almost 50 years. Our leaders are busy in appeasement. And I would love if you have a look at Sri Bhagwat Gita- the oldest gospel of the world.
The children of Lot were Ammon and Moab. Edom (Esau) was a child of Isaac, brother of Jacob.
Psalm 83 is a cry for God’s help by the Judean refugees who have fled to Moab in Jordan. After three and one half years Jordan, Lebanon, and northern Iraq have conspired to wipe them out. Jesus will return to save the tents of Judah in Jordan first and then enter Jerusalem from the East.
Please forgive me if this was argued already as I didnt read all of the comments.
Joel I do believe you make great arguments on the Psalm 83 War theory. However, I believe you are mistaken on some of your thinking for the post tribulation rapture.
You mention 2 Thessalonians 2 as proof the rapture does not happen until after the midpoint of the tribulation. I also used to hold that belief until someone showed me my mistake. Once I investigated it, I was forced to change my mind.
If you compare that verse with different versions of the Bible, you will find that the KJV and Youngs are the only two Bibles that use the phrase “day of Christ”. Every other major version uses “day of the Lord”. The reason for this was the oldest manuscripts we had at the time of KJV translation said “day of Christ”. However, we have many more older manuscripts now and the oldest ones all say “day of the Lord”.
If you type “day of Christ” into Biblegateway.com (using the quotes to keep the phrase literal) every verse that comes up (other than the verse in question) is about the rapture. When you do the same with “day of the Lord” you find that every verse (other than the one in question) is about God’s wrath or Gods anger or the Great Tribulation.
Those who hold to the belief that the KJV is the only trust worthy bible are forced to believe that the rapture happens after the antichrist is revealed for who he is. But the KJV is not using the oldest manuscripts anymore and most scholars agree that “day of the Lord” is correct. This means that God’s Wrath or the Great Tribulation doesnt happen until after the antichrist is revealed.
The church then was afraid they had missed the rapture because they had received news that the “day of the Lord” (Great Tribulation) was at hand. They believed the rapture was coming before the midpoint of the tribulation.
On top of this evidence, I ask you to try and put the different verses of the rapture and second coming together and notice something. The rapture verses have Christ calling us up. It happens quick in the twinkling of an eye. We are changed. Never does it mention that anyone sees Jesus coming. All of the second coming verses are accompanied by great signs in the heavens with the sun darkening the moon turning to blood. There is no mention of anyone changing. Jesus doesnt call us up but He sends His angels forth to gather his elect.
My greatest evidence is in Revelation 19:7 we have the marriage of the Lamb to the bride (the saints). Right after that it goes into the second coming. The army that follows him is dressing in line clean and bright. Those are the saints. His bride. If Jesus does not rapture his church until on his way down in the second coming, it leaves no room for the marriage of the bride.
All of this is IMO clear evidence that the rapture and the second coming are absolutely two different events. Pauls letter to the Thessalonian church when you use the oldest manuscripts shows they believed the rapture would be before midpoint, and the Marriage of the Lamb shows there must be time between the rapture and the second coming. The fact that Jesus calls us up to him in the rapture and he sends his angels to gather His elect in the second coming also shows they are different events. The elect are those who turn to Christ after they see the proof when the rapture does happen. They arent gathered into the clouds, but are gathered to Armageddon. After that when Jesus reigns for a thousand years, the Elect are still in normal bodies and alive like we are now and they will repopulate the earth during that thousand years and their descendants will be the army Satan turns against Jesus at the end.
The pre-wrath rapture answers this. Also, the marriage supper has to happen on the earth, not in heaven.
➡The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks,⬅which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Joel do you think Isaiah 17:2 could be part of Psalms 83 war ? Seeing the Aroer is north Jordan ?
Deuteronomy 3:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer,➡ which is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof, gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites
.
Aroer Map . https://bibleatlas.org/full/aroer_2.htm
https://joelstrumpet.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Isaiah-17.pdf
Hi Joel. We met at Kononia 2017. As you are aware Chuck Missler held that Psalm 83 was a distinct war of hate by Israel’s neighbors.
As you are also aware The Parable of the Fig is often cited as the 1948 Declaration of Independence by Israel as the starting of the clock. A declaration incidentally that had the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency force the Orthodoxy to not make reference to God in the language of the declaration. God’s Chosen were restricted by a bunch of atheist Zionists, of the ilk of Herzl and Dayan, to not make mention of God in their Declaration of Independence. Contrary?
However, as applied to Psalm 83, the Parable of the Fig has contingent language that states: “When the leaves broaden and the branch becomes tender.” These citations premise the end generation by requiring a form of maturity of the nation of Israel, not a 1948 Zionist declaration void of any reference to God.
The current nation of Israel is a sliver of land compared to the land mass of the Promised Land. If you compare the geographical borders of the Promise Land and compare it to the resultant boundaries of the War of Psalm 83, they are identical. Further if you compare the US, Saudi, Mossad invention of ISIS and realize the current involvements are all, without exception, on the same border designations as the Promised Land and War of Psalm 83, it begs the question that can there be so much coincidence without probability entering into the conversation.
It makes sense to me that Israel would control the region and the assets would be huge, which spawns Ezekiel and dry bones, etc., a war of resources. In addition for Jewish diaspora to be addressed, since only 46% of the Jewish population is in Israel, it would lend to being able to manage a mass influx of Jews to the region.
All said, if the maturity cites as contained in the Parable of the Fig are not fulfilled by the restoration of the Promised Land, then how do you propose those maturing statements get fulfilled?
I proposed this to Chuck during his live Q&A and he conceded that while it was not what KHouse taught it was a defendable argument.
Saudi Arabia is not part of the promised land, nor is Iraq.
Joel there has to be maturity for Mathew 24 to fulfill.
Your assertion that Saudi Arabia and Iraq are not part of the Promised land has to disregard Deuteronomy 19:8-9 and strictly limit the boundary to a Genesis 15, Moses Exodus and your definition of what was Canaan and what lands East of the Jordan River were occupied.
While I largely refrain from wiki cites, as follows:
“A smaller area of former Canaanite land and land east of the Jordan River was conquered and occupied by their descendants, the Israelite’s, after Moses led the Exodus out of Egypt (Numbers 34:1-12), and this occupation was interpreted as God’s fulfillment of the promise (Deuteronomy 1:8). ”
I realize border designations are moving targets and that it depends on where you want to set the stake in time. Do we having any scriptural reference to the exact land that was conquered east of the Jordan River? I am assuming land reference as to being East of the Jordan River does not necessarily mean land immediately adjacent, but could be Southeast as well.
I am sure you are aware that when you Google Promised Land, most maps have segments of Saudi and Iraq. how do they get there to come to those border conclusions?
Thanks in advance.
Respectfully, can we unpack your opinion a little more please?
“In my opinion, both positions strain the bounds of believability on a few levels. The idea that Israel, a single nation with approximately 6 million Jews, will either subdue and concurrently occupy, or worse yet, “annihilate” several nations with a total population of approximately 170 million Arabs is quite a claim, making Israel responsible for the equivalent of 30 Holocausts. In my opinion, not only is this view difficult to believe, but it also casts the people of Israel in a murderous and imperialistic light far worse than what even the most obsessed anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists, so common throughout the Islamic world, would ever claim.”
1. We know that the 6 million is potentially three times higher when considering total Jews worldwide and how diaspora has to be resolved and the people return to the land.
2. Your holocaust reference would be quite a claim if it did not factor atheist Zionists and not God fearing orthodoxy at the helm. In addition to the U.S. Foreign Military Funding program that does come attached with all sorts of stipulations and overtones to include good ole U.S. imperialist superimposition globally.
3. Please don’t marginalize reality with conspiracy theorist glaze assertions. I challenge you to find any beyond metaphoric reference to God in God’s Chosen People Declaration of Independence.
4. There are over 300,000 orthodoxy Jews that hold to the assertion that they were not to seek statehood or occupy until the arrival of Messiah. This is a fact that cant be overlooked.
5. Who would have ever thought Germany would have had controlled so much and so much more to include England if Hitler would have listened to Rommel regarding Normandy and if Russia was not engaged.
As we sit on the verge of AI and quantum computing is it really that difficult to believe that when perdition rises that the deceived who hold onto what they deem as God’s Chosen are in essence void of God all together?
Do you really think that the evil and deception that the geopolitical force in Israel currently represents is what our God and Lord aspire “The Chosen” to be? It cost Israel judicial rule just because Samuel had three degenerate sons.
Do you not think what most Westerners who proclaim Yeshua as Lord and Savior and so dearly want to be in line with blessing those who bless His people have been blinded to the painstaking obvious fact that what most wayward Westerners hold as the idea of a Jew: A Hasidic with the black hat and payot sidelocks of hair, are in reality the Chosen, a small minority, and are in favor, even though the wild olive shoot is bringing in the fullness of the gentiles, for now, emphasis added.
I do not believe God wants His people killing as you stated yourself would seem to be an imperialistic contortion, yet that is the very place we are today. If there are false lying Jews from the Synagogue of Satan, then there has to be True Honest Jews from the House of David, not those sucking up foreign military funding from the United States.
Incidentally, if you believe in geographic spiritual strongholds it is an interesting fact that Hitler and the Founding Father of Zionism, Theodor Herzl, were both from Austria-Hungary.
Also, since I have been known to attend intelligence meetings, out of the mouth of an agent boots on the ground after i had just listened to a former crew member of the USS Liberty fill with tears when telling about holding the guts of his friend together with a life preserver :
We gave Israel the green light to initiate first strike on Syria during the 6 Day War, then shared Israeli troop movement and asset inventory with the Russians and Syrians once the war teed up. All in the name of protracting the war way beyond 6 days in order to sell “God’s Chosen” more weapons of war from the God fearing nation we live in that proclaims the Beatitudes at church then raves over our support of a Zionist War Machine that is void of the love of the One I serve.
To He be the glory and the power and the kingdom, not the rot ways of man.
Hard to get around these corners it you are ever inspired to fully address what I am asserting, in its entirety. With love my brother, here or there or in the air, let iron sharpen iron and to Act 4:11 and be good stewards until His return. Thanks.
“BOB WUNDERLICH, Posted at 17:58h, 10 February
Joel Richardson is a wolf in sheeps clothing. He is here to stir up trouble among Christians. No one but a few illiterate people could conceive of the Anti Christ coming out of a Moslem country.”
Bob, patience and kindness are hallmarks of love. Joel, whether right or wrong, induces us to be good Bereans, Acts 4:11. Please take the high road and engage in a loving manner that would serve the Prince of Peace.
Joel has opened my eyes on this issue, mostly because of his citations that the vengeance extracted on the nations is reserved for the Lord. Come let us reason, lets us be of one mind and in one accord.
QUESTION, Sir Joel Richardson: The Ezekiel War will ONLY happen when the Israelis dont have walls anymore. TODAY, Israel have walls. For those walls to be torn down by the Israelis, it would mean they have subjugated decisively the Arabs around them. PLS EXPLAIN HOW THOSE WALLS WOULD COME DOWN WITHOUT PSALM 83 WARS TAKING PLACE – because when the Ezekiel War takes place, Israel will be a “…land of unwalled villages —all of them living without walls and without gates and bars.” Ezekiel 38:11
The passage is not saying that there are no walls whatsoever. This would be a svery silly interpretation. The passage is referring to a land that is not comprised of fortified, walled cities, as was common in ancient times, nothing more. The security wall that runs through segments of the Palestinian controlled territories in no way, shape or form disqualifies present-day Israel from being precisely what is being referred to in Ezekiel’s passage.