Several books
have recently been published that assert that Psalm 83 predicts a fierce attack
soon to be launched on Israel in the Last Days. Asaph,
the author of the Psalm was also a Seer or Prophet (2 Chronicles 29:30) and in
this Psalm this fact is very obvious. In the books that are now appearing it is
suggested that the stage has already been set in the Middle East for the
imminent fulfilment of this amazing prophecy. The nations described in Psalm 83
are all close neighbours of Israel. They are also all Muslim nations whose
fervent desire is to annihilate the State of Israel in the name of Allah. They
also believe that Jerusalem will soon become the capital city of a new Islamic
Caliphate which they believe will rule the whole world. Most, it not all of these new books suggest
that some time after the fulfilment of this war, the war predicted in Ezekiel
38 and 39 will be the next great conflagration involving Israel. However, another book which also presents the
imminent fulfilment of Psalm 83 also asserts that this prophecy is the same war
described by Zechariah in chapter 12. Is this the only book that makes this
prediction and can it possibly be true?
The book to which I refer is entitled “THE MESSIAH COMES TO ISRAEL” which also makes the assertion that in
this scenario, the Messiah actually comes to Israel and appears “in the midst
of Israel”.
Could this
possibly be the true return of the Messiah to Jerusalem as predicted in Acts
1:11 when two Angels appeared to the disciples,
11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you
standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into
heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!" NLT
In Psalm 83,
Asaph appeals to God to take action against His enemies who are making secret
plans to totally annihilate Israel in such a devastating manner that even the
very memory of it will be obliterated for ever. Psalms 83:3-4
3 They devise crafty schemes against your people,
laying plans against your precious ones.
4
"Come," they say, "let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will
destroy the very memory of its existence." NLT
However, they also plan to take possession of the actual land of Israel
to transform it for the glory of Allah.
Psalms 83:12
12 for they said, "Let
us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!" NLT
Unfortunately for these religious warriors, Almighty God Yahweh has His
own plan which is outlined at the close of the Psalm. Psalms 83:15-18
15 chase them with your
fierce storms; terrify them with your tempests.
16 Utterly disgrace them
until they submit to your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be ashamed and
terrified forever. Make them failures in everything they do,
18 until they learn that you alone are called the LORD, that you alone are
the Most High, supreme over all the earth. NLT
God’s plan is to drastically terrify and disgrace Israel’s enemies,
making them totally ashamed and failures in everything they have planned until
they confess that Yahweh is the Most High God, supreme over the whole earth.
Not only will their armies be defeated, their cherished prophetic plans for the
land becoming the centre of the new Islamic Caliphate will also be destroyed.
Zechariah 12 tells a very similar story with several extra features. It
begins with the threat of an attack on Israel by all her surrounding neighbours,
plus the support of all the Gentile nations of the earth. It also predicts
their defeat.
Zechariah 12:2-3
2 "Behold, I will make
Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay
siege against Judah and Jerusalem.
3 And it shall happen in
that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who
would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the
earth are gathered against it. NKJV
The attacking armies will begin to act like a drunken mob, lacking good
sense and coordination. Their efforts will lack cohesion and efficiency.
Zechariah 12:5-6
5 And the governors of Judah
shall say in their heart, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the
LORD of hosts, their God.'
6 In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place — Jerusalem. NKJV
6 In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place — Jerusalem. NKJV
The Hebrew word for governors in verse 5 is alluphim, which is the modern Hebrew word for Generals. Their
forces will become like blazing torches amongst dry sheaves. They will devour
their enemies on the right hand and the left. However, their forces may appear
to be so outnumbered that the Generals declare that their trust has been
transferred to Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of heaven’s Armies who are led by the “Angel of the Lord”
who is actually the Messiah of Israel.
Zechariah 12:8
8 In that day the LORD will defend the
inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be
like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the
LORD before them.
God will decisively defeat all the nations that come against Israel with
a resounding victory. Even the physically feeble elderly citizens and children,
will be strong like David and be like the Angel of the Lord who precedes them.
God will destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.
9 It shall be in that day
that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. NKJV
However, this astonishing defeat will not be the most sensational result,
because immediately following the rousing defeat God will pour out His Holy
Spirit on all the descendants of David. The Holy Spirit will be poured out with
grace (unmerited favour) and
supplications (relevant prayers and intercession). No doubt the prayers will contain cries of
repentance and “Blessed are you who come in the Name of the LORD”. Such prayers
will surely be the most remarkable feature of the day.
Zechariah 12:10-11
10 "And I will pour on
the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and
supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn
for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a
firstborn.
11 In that day there shall
be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the
plain of Megiddo. NKJV
The Holy Spirit of grace and supplications will be poured forth so
powerfully that the eyes of all the recipients will be miraculously healed from
their previous spiritual blindness. They will look face to face upon their Deliverer
and recognize His true identity by the marks of the piercings in His body. This
recognition will initiate a national repentance that will transform their
perception of their Messiah forever. All the inhabitants of Israel will
experience a powerful transformation. This will become the day when the nation
will be truly birthed as predicted by Isaiah (Isaiah 66:8). Surely this will be the most remarkable thing
that has ever happened to Israel. Can it really be true that it will happen in
the very near future? When it does, the whole world will reel in astonished
amazement.
It Will Also Be The Time
Predicted By Jeremiah 31:31-34
31 "The day will
come," says the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the people
of Israel and Judah.
32 This covenant will not be
like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and
brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved
them as a husband loves his wife," says the LORD.
33 "But this is the new
covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day," says the
LORD. "I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their
hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34 And they will not need to
teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, 'You
should know the LORD.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will
already know me," says the LORD. "And I will forgive their wickedness
and will never again remember their sins." NLT
This New Covenant will be written on all Israeli hearts and minds and will
initiate the new spiritual relationship with Israel that God has always planned.
Is this most exciting and glorious event about to take place in the very
imminent future? As certain as the attack predicted against Israel, so
certain also will be the glorious outpouring and subsequent national transformation.
The attack could happen any day now and when
it does Zechariah 12:10 will immediately follow it.
The Messiah Comes to Israel -Gerald Rowlands. Published by Destiny Image Europe can be obtained
from Amazon, or Book Depository UK.
