Psalm 83 or Ezekiel 38, Which is the Next Middle East News Headline
By Bill Salus
These days there is much talk centered upon the future timing of the Russian and Iranian led invasion of Israel, foretold in the Bible prophecies of Ezekiel 38 and 39. Due to the newsworthy events that are presently occurring, whereby Russian and Iranian relationships are ever strengthening, prophecy buffs are appropriately attempting with god-speed, to connect the prophetic dots.
For those of you who are not familiar with today’s most prevalent prophetic news pervading the Christian and Jewish scholarly communities, you should study Ezekiel 38 and 39, with the understanding that it alludes to a nuclear equipped Russian – Iranian led confederacy, which forms to invade the nation of Israel in the end times. Although scholars are somewhat split as to who all the other enjoining coalition member nations are, they all tend to agree that no explicit reference is made to the inclusion of Palestinians, Syrians, Egyptians, Lebanese, or Jordanians. Furthermore Saudi Arabians apparently abstain from enlisting themselves in the fight alongside Russia, Iran, Turkey, and the additional consortia of nations. The absence of these above listed predominately Arab populations tends to perplex the scholars, often causing them to postulate, rather than promulgate as to the reasons why.
In their zeal have the prophecy buffs managed to put the colloquial cart before the proverbial horse? Certainly the events described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 are slated to arrive soon, but are they indeed scheduled next? There exists a litany of questions that should be appropriately answered before any scholar dare flip the pages of the prophetic calendar forward to the date of this Goliath Ezekiel event. Newspaper exegesis makes for sensational reporting, but has no inherent ability to accelerate the final fulfillment of a Bible prophecy.
Before we list the flurry of questions, let’s ponder the most obvious one, which is; why are the Palestinians, and their Arab neighbors from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan, not declared by Ezekiel to be enlisted members in the Russian – Iranian led coalition? These are the nations that have proven to be the most observable opponents of the Jewish State, since its inception in 1948. It is through much of their Arab soil, that Russia, Iran, and their cohorts intend to travel in order to invade Israel. This question will be answered further on in this article, but for now let’s explore the following additional questions.
Is Israel:
1. A people dwelling securely, yashab betach in the Hebrew language? (Ezek. 38:8)
2. A people dwelling without walls? (Ezek. 38:11)
3. A nation at peace in the Middle East? (Ezek. 38:11)
4. One of the wealthiest nations in the world? (Ezek. 38:13)
5. A people who have acquired "great plunder"? (Ezek. 38:13)
6. Recognized as a Sovereign Nation, by the international community? (Ezek. 38:8)
These questions address some of the prerequisite conditions required for the stage to be appropriately set for the Russian – Iranian led nuclear equipped invasion of Israel. Furthermore Ezekiel 38:8 describes the Jewish people, as being regathered from the nations of the world, and returning to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. Though the Jewish people are being restored back to their ancient promised land, the honest answers to the above questions are, in each case No!
