260625 Middle-east post 02

It must be noted that, no matter what it looks like today, the yet-future Armageddon will establish Israel forever with all her enemies defeated. But all wars must start somewhere. For Israel, this final phase of her struggle for existence began in 1917 with the Balfour Declaration that set aside a large portion of Palestine for Israel’s future use. This portion was then whittled down until only a small amount existed by 1948 when Israel took possession of the meagre portion yet allowed her. Because satan hates God and therefore God’s people Israel with a vengeance, satan caused his followers to violently oppose Israel’s possession of that land (which was still only a small part of the land given to her via the Abrahamic covenant around 4000 years ago). If Israel had followed the religion of most of Palestine, she would not have been opposed so vehemently. After all, it had little to do with the land taken (small as it was to begin with). But, because Israel was not of their religion, she was hated and had to be destroyed. Even though God sidelined Israel for rejecting their Messiah 2000 years ago, He never cast them away (Romans 11:1-8; 20). God’s promise in Daniel 9:24 is that they will certainly one day be redeemed and granted everlasting righteousness. One day, when the gentile Church is taken away (in the Rapture) Israel will then return to being God’s ministry people once again (Romans 11:25-27). They will return to serving the one true God as His people. And this is why they are hated by others in the land around them: because they belong to the God of the Bible and one day will worship Him as His people forever (Ezekiel 37:21-28).

The book of Joel in the Bible, though seemingly written about God’s judgement upon the sin of Judah 3000 years ago, is actually a picture of the tribulation conflicts of the end-times leading up to Armageddon (as noted in Joel Ch.3). In Joel 3:4 he writes about what appears to start the conflicts, or rather, the peoples who will lead the first attacks upon Israel; they are named as Tyre, Sidon, and all the coasts of Palestine (or today we would say southern Lebanon and Gaza). It was terrorists from Gaza and southern Lebanon who initiated the attacks on 7th Oct 2023 (hezbollah was involved in the planning and preparations for Oct 7th and commenced firing rocket barrages into Israel on Oct 8th in support of Gaza). The Bible also prophesies against Gaza and the land of the Philistines (where Palestine is actually the land of the ancient Philistines). Gaza will be forsaken; no inhabitants will remain; those coastlands will be for the use of Israel (Zephaniah 2:4-7). Tyre (the old city as it was in ancient times) also is condemned to be levelled (Ezekiel Ch.26). It is clear that those who mess around with God’s people (even before Israel has repented of her sin and returned to Him) will be in serious trouble. Zechariah 2:8 warns that “he that toucheth you (Israel) toucheth the apple of his eye (or the centre of His attention)”. It is a serious warning to leave God’s people Israel alone.

After Gaza and Southern Lebanon commence attacks on Israel, a group of nations (including Russia, Turkey, Persia [Iran], Libya and Ethiopia) will combine to invade Israel (Ezekiel 38), not because they want to but because God makes them do so.