Ringo
A WATCHMAN
Israel Now Prepared For The Inevitable?- Tim Osterholm
Bible prophecy is unfolding before our eyes, and the world is watching too. Israel and Iran are close to war. There are three major end-times prophetic events regarding war and the nation of Israel. They are Psalm 83, Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39. Many Christians want to know which is likely to happen first. Could we witness events of Psalm 83 before Ezekiel 38 or Isaiah 17? Some answers are here.
I believe that Israel is on the verge of a preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. This strike could either initiate the Psalm 83 war or start a chain reaction of events that may quickly lead to that war. Israel has made it known that they intend to disable Iran's nuclear capabilities. Just a few days ago, Israel National News (Arutz Sheva) reported that Israel had completed the development of its Jericho 3 electromagnetic pulse (EMP) nuclear missile. Some are calling it Israel's "preemptive missile" which can be detonated 250 to 300 miles above Iran. This would effectively wipe out Iran's electrical infrastructure, disable their nuclear capabilities, prevent the ability to launch aircraft or missiles, and take down all radar and defense warning systems. Israel government-sponsored radio reported that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) now have "an attainable military option that it can implement independently, without American assistance, against Iran." Israel has also upgraded its Arrow II ballistic missile shield, designed to intercept and destroy medium range enemy rockets and missiles aimed at Israel. American intelligence officials suggested that an Israeli nuclear burst over Iran could "send Iran back to the Stone Age."
Israel isn't waiting much longer. Nuclear experts recently reported that Iran is "defiantly" stepping up its uranium enrichment program, and setting up new centrifuges in its facilities. Iranian officials continue to threaten Israel. In the month of August there were several radical statements made by Iranian leaders, who again vowed that "the Zionist entity" will soon be wiped off of the regional map. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told demonstrators at an annual anti-Israel protest in Tehran that the Jewish state was a "cancerous tumor" that will soon be excised." Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Supreme Leader of Iran) declared that "the fake Zionist regime" will "disappear soon from the landscape of geography." He vowed that "The nations of the region will soon finish off the usurper Zionists in the Palestinian land." Those nations are identified in Psalm 83. Echoing Iran's combative talk, Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon stated, "We stand steadfast along our borders in the face of threats." Iranian military leader Brigadier General Gholamreza Jalali declared that "no other way exists apart from resolve and strength to completely eliminate Israel." The IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz, often responds publicly to Iran's threats. His latest comment was very telling. He said, "We are hearing explicit threats over Israel's security and the wellbeing of its people, threats that demonstrate an underestimation of our capabilities." Perhaps that says it all.
So why wouldn't a preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities initiate the Ezekiel 38 war? The results of an EMP strike would be devastating. Iran's ability to mobilize any kind of a military response would be nearly impossible. Attempting to put together a military alliance with Russia would be futile. Iran would have to spend months, perhaps years to rebuild. We know the events of Ezekiel 38 includes Persia (Iran) and Russia, yet Psalm 83 does not mention Persia or Russia in that coalition. If Iran is immobilized, the attack would quickly ignite a firestorm amongst other Arab nations. They would see it as an attack on Islam, setting the stage for Israel's border enemies to make their move (Psalm 83). Here is what's important to understand: Psalm 83 is about Israel’s conquest over the inner circle of the surrounding Arab populations of Palestinians, Jordanians, Syrians, Lebanese, Saudis and Egyptians. The final result of such a war is that Israel’s borders would be enlarged, prosperity would be increased, and their national stature greatly enhanced. This has to happen before Ezekiel 38-39.
Why? We know that in Ezekiel 38 there is a Russian-Iranian led coalition that will attempt to invade a militarily secure Israel. This condition of security becomes a reality only after the judgments are executed upon the surrounding Psalm 83 nations. If Iran is incapacitated (so to speak), then other Muslim nations will band together to "defeat" Israel. Psalm 83 identifies these nations who come against Israel (see below). Once the Psalm 83 war is complete, Israel will have accomplished all the prerequisites for the Ezekiel 38-39 war (war of Gog & Magog).
What about Isaiah 17? The Psalm 83 war includes the events described in Isaiah 17. Damascus (present Capital of Syria and the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world) becomes a wasteland, as if a nuclear strike had taken place. The prophecy also says that Israel is negatively impacted by this. Syria has thousands of chemical and biological warheads pointed at Israel, many of them hidden in Lebanon.
The events of the Psalm 83 set the stage for the Ezekiel 38-39 war. Note Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39 are different coalitions:
Psalm 83 Coalition (nations that surround Israel today):
Edom = Palestinians (refugees from southern Jordan) and southern Jordanians (descendents of Esau)
Ishmaelites = Saudi Arabians and related groups
Moab = Palestinian refugees and central Jordanians
Hagrites = Egyptians
Gebal = Northern Lebanese
Ammon = Palestinian refugees and northern Jordanians
Amalek = Arabs living south of Israel
Philista = Palestinian refugees and Hamas of Gaza Strip
Tyre = Southern Lebanese (Hezbollah)
Assyria = Syrians and perhaps northern Iraqis
Children of Lot = Moab and Ammon
The end result of the Psalm 83 war is that Israel finally dwells peacefully with extended borders, which is the platform the Antichrist will use to confirm a seven year peace treaty with Israel and the "many" kings of the world (Daniel 9:27), eventually leading to fulfillment of the Ezekiel 38-39 war. Here is a map showing a rough estimate of Israel's land gains following the Psalm 83 war:
Link Removed
Ezekiel 38-39 Coalition:
Gog = Prince of Rosh (ruler of Russia)
Magog, Rosh = Russia and former Soviet republics
Persia = Iran
Cush = Ethiopia, Sudan and possibly Eritrea
Put = Libya, possibly Algeria and Tunisia
Gomer = former western Soviet republics and the European Union (headed by Germany / NATO?)
Meshech = Russia and former Soviet republics
Tubal = Turkish-speaking peoples of Asia Minor & Central Asia
Beth-Togarmah = Turkey, Armenia, and other Turkish-speaking peoples of Asia Minor & Central Asia
