The Imminent Arab-Israel War of Psalm 83
I just returned from Israel (September 9-21, ’09). While there is a shaky peace there at this time, there is also recognition that a major war could break out at any moment. They know Iran is near getting the nuclear weapons and missiles to “wipe them off the map.” Mary Jo and I met many pastors there who have sons and daughters serving in the Israeli military, which is compulsory. It is, indeed, a crisis time in Israel. What does the Bible say about this? It fits the war against Israel described in Psalm 83. The Psalmist, Asaph, cries out to God to protect Israel from a confederacy ready to destroy their nation.
Psalm 83:1-5: “Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God! 2 For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head. 3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones. 4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” 5 For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You:”
Doesn’t this sound like what Iran’s President Ahmadinejad has said many times, “Israel will be wiped off the map”? He and many other Muslim extremists have repeatedly said the Jews have no right to have a nation in the Middle East and must somehow be removed.
This war described in Psalm 83 has not happened yet, but the Bible says it will. Some say it was fulfilled in the Arab/Israel wars of 1948, 1967 or 1973, but those wars were very different. Egypt had a big part in all of them but is not mentioned in Psalm 83. Why not? Apparently Egypt tired of losing to Israel in every modern war they had, and signed a treaty recognizing Israel in 1979. They have not fought Israel since; in fact, they have tried to prevent the Hamas from re-arming in Gaza, and do not trust Iran.
Also, the Nile River is the lifeline of Egypt’s economy. In the 60’s, the Russians helped Egypt build the Aswan Dam on the upper Nile River, completing it in 1970. 169 Billion Cubic meters of water are backed up in that flood control and hydro-electric project. This forms Lake Nasser, which is the third largest man-made water reservoir in the world. Now if Egypt were to attack Israel, one or two well-placed bombs from an Israeli jet could knock the Aswan Dam out and Egypt would be history. They have a veritable “Sword of Damocles” hanging over their heads. No, Egypt will not be in the Psalm 83 war.
Who are these countries described in this Psalm 83 confederacy seeking to destroy Israel? They are listed in Psalm 83:6-8. The names of most of them have changed but they are the following countries and people groups in bold type:
1. Edom (6a) - Descendants of Esau (Gen. 36:1)-Land-areas around the southern shores of the Dead Sea, now known as part of Southern Jordan and also some land now occupied by the Palestinians.
2. Ishmaelites (6b) - Son of Abraham by Hagar (Gen. 25:12ff). Saudi Arabia.
3. Moab (6c)–descendants of Lot’s older daughter (Gen. 19:30ff), land east of Dead Sea, South Jordan.
4. Hagrites (6d) – Children of Hagar, lived east of Gilead. (1 Chron. 5:10, & 18-22). North Jordan.
5. Gebal (7a) – Northern coastal area of Lebanon.
6. Ammon (7b) – Descendants of Lot’s younger daughter (Gen. 19:38), east of Israel –central Jordan.
7. Amalek (7c) – A son of Esau whose people lived in the desert between Israel and Egypt.-Palestinians
8. Philistia (7d) – Gaza area, where the Hamas enemies of Israel live today. Hamas Palestinians
9. Tyre (7e) – An ancient coastal city of what is today Lebanon, especially the Hezbolah in Lebanon
10. Assyria (8a) –Syria and Iraq.
Though Iran is Muslim (though not Arabic), and is clearly provoking this Psalm 83 war, it is not listed as a part of the Psalm 83 confederacy. This surprises me. How can they stay out of it? Interesting.
All these countries in bold type above are filled with Muslim extremists who hate Israel and refuse to recognize it as a Jewish nation with the right to exist in the Middle East. Like Egypt, Jordan has a treaty with Israel, but it does not have the liability of the vulnerable Aswan Dam that Egypt has.
Notice that four people groups attacking Israel in Psalm 83 are now part of modern Jordan; Edom, Moab, the Hagrites and Ammon. Jordan can not stay out of this Psalm 83 war. It has been estimated that more than 70% of the people in Jordan hate Israel and want to destroy the Jews. It is quite possible that there may soon be a regime change in Jordan and the treaty with Israel abrogated.
How can Iraq be in the Psalm 83 war? At this time Iraq is still occupied by American troops and a few allies, but Iraq has their own government and U.S. troops are withdrawing. While it would be awkward with U.S. troops still in Iraq, there is no question whose side Iraq would be on in the event of an Arab/Israel war.
President Ahmadinejad of Iran has said many times, “Israel should be wiped off the map.” It has also been clear that Iran is developing nuclear weapons and rockets to reach Israel and beyond. How long can Israel ignore this threat to their very existence?
I fully expected Israel to take Iran’s nuclear capability out before now. In fact, the likelihood of that happening soon, was a factor in our recent delay in our mission trip to Israel. I fully expect it to happen any day now. So if it happens soon, do not think this cancels our planned trip to Israel next March. I expect the Psalm 83 war to happen before spring of 2010, and relative peace restored there by that time.
The Psalm 83 war actually began in 2006 when both the Hezbollah (from Lebanon) and Hamas (from the Gaza strip) attacked Israel with support from both Iran and Syria. It continued until the U.N. and U.S. forced a cease-fire. It was resumed in late December of 2008 with the Hamas in Gaza after the Hamas had fired 1700 rocket bombs into Israel. It stopped again in mid-January of 2009.
If Israel takes action to remove Iran’s nuclear threat, this could trigger the resumption of the Psalm 83 war. All the countries in bold type above are likely participants in this Psalm 83 war against Israel, either directly or indirectly, i.e. with troops, weapons, money, intelligence and propaganda, etc. But the enemies of Israel will fail.
The Bible says Damascus, capital of Syria, will be destroyed. “Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap” (Isaiah 17:1). Damascus claims to be the oldest continuously occupied city in the world. There’s no record of it ever being destroyed to the point of not being occupied, but the Bible says it will, and it could be in this Psalm 83 war Israel’s victory is described in Isaiah 17:1-5, Jeremiah 49:23-27, Amos 1:3-5, and Zephaniah 2. These Scriptures record the defeat of the countries named in Psalm 83.
Israel’s victory in this war is also described in Psalm 83:9-18. Many of the leaders from earlier Biblical wars with these countries are mentioned, comparing how this victory will be similar to those victories. God will help Israel, but He will also undoubtedly use the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
However, Israel will suffer much damage. In Isaiah 17 where the future destruction of Damascus is described, Isaiah goes on to say, “In that day it shall come to pass that the glory of Jacob [Israel] will wane and the fatness of his flesh grow lean” (vs. 4). Israel will undoubtedly suffer serious damage in this war, but God will also give them a great victory.
Some say that the Psalm 83 war is the same as the Ezekiel 38-39 war of Gog-Magog. Compare the countries listed in the Ezekiel 38-39 war found in Ezekiel 38:2-6. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, published by Dallas Seminary says these countries are Russia (including many of the former USSR republics), plus Persia (now known as Iran, vs. 6), Sudan, Ethiopia, Cush (southern Egypt), Libya, Turkey (Togarmah) and Gomer, whose people were originally in Turkey but many bands of them migrated to Europe. Many people in central and eastern Europe trace their roots back to Gomer.
It is striking that none of the countries listed as Israel’s enemies in the Psalm 83 war are mentioned in the Ezekiel 38-39 war and vice versa. This proves that they are not the same war. Why aren’t the Psalm 83 enemies of Israel involved in the Gog-Magog war? They may be virtually taken out by God and Israel Defense Forces in the Psalm 83 war, or at least so reduced in power that they are unable to significantly participate in the Ezekiel 38-39 war. Some think Israel will have such a victory in this Psalm 83 war that they may occupy the territories of their Psalm 83 war enemies. This would simply be an expansion of Israel into the land-area God promised Abraham and his covenant descendents in Genesis 15:18, “On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates.”
How this could be? With God all things are possible.
It is also very interesting that Ezekiel 38:11, God says to Israel’s enemies, “You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates.’”
As stated earlier, I was in Israel recently. Ezekiel 38:11 would not be true today. I saw many walls Israel has built to control terrorism. Israel is clearly living in fear today, not in peace. In other words, it does not sound like the Ezekiel 38-39 war is likely to happen at this time. Some suggest that there could be a time of peace and safety in Israel following the Psalm 83 war, leading to a time of peace described in Ezekiel 38:11 before the Magog war.
The Bible is not clear on when the Ezekiel 38-39 war will happen but it is future. Some believe it will happen before the rapture of the church. Others believe it will be early in the period referred to as “The Tribulation.” We do not know. Also, I do not believe the Ezekiel 38-39 war is the same as Armageddon but is very likely a prelude to Armageddon.
God will help Israel in the Psalm 83 war as described in verses 9-18 but he will also use the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) to defeat their enemies. This is the mighty Israel army described in Ezekiel 37 from the “dry bones.” This has been happening since 1917 when Jews being scattered all over the world in the Diaspora were as helpless as dry bones for protecting the Jewish people. May 14, 1948 the independent nation of Israel came into existence again after more than nineteen centuries of being scattered. Now, the military prowess of Israel is highly regarded and feared in the Middle East and around the world.
However, Ezekiel 38-39 describes an entirely different war. God will do all the fighting, virtually destroying the forces of Gog-Magog and their allies. Ezek. 38:19 -23 describes God fighting Israel’s enemies. In verse 19 He uses a great earthquake. Mountains are thrown down on the invading enemies in verse 20. Then the enemy troops start killing each other in verse 21. Finally God uses diseases, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire and brimstone in verse 22. Israel will not have to fight in that battle. God will do it all.
The KJV translation of Ezekiel 39:2 quotes God saying to the Gog-Magog forces, “And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, …” However, the Hebrew text is apparently not that clear because other contemporary Bible versions do not confirm that translation. The 5/6th casualty rate sounds right in the context of what was described. In any event, the enemies of Israel lose big. Ezekiel 39:11-14 clearly states that so many in the armies of Magog and her allies will be killed in this Ezekiel 38-39 war against Israel that it will take seven months for Israel to bury them (Ezekiel 39:11-12).
It is interesting that none of these countries attacking Israel in Psalm 83 or in Ezekiel 38-39 are clearly mentioned in the end-time activities described in Revelation nor is the United States.
In conclusion I will say that we are seeing Scripture fulfilled before our eyes. We must pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-8). However, let me say that Jesus said in Luke 21:28, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Paul described these end-time events like birth-pangs, coming closer together and with increasing intensity (1 Thes. 5:3). If you are not saved, trust Jesus today. We may well be near His coming. We must be faithful to spread the gospel to the lost. This should also cause us to live righteous lives, lest we be ashamed at His coming (1 John 2:28). Amen!
Note: I want to acknowledge my indebtedness to Bill Salus and his book, Isralestine, HighWay Publishers, subsidiary of Anomalos Publishing House, Crane, Missouri. Copyright 2008 by Bill Salus.
I highly recommend this book. It is well done, even though I disagree with his interpretation that the Hagrites refer to Egypt and that Egypt is in the Psalm 83 war. The Hagrites became a people in the Middle East. There is no record that they ever lived in Egypt. (See 1 Chron. 5:10 and 18-20). The Hagrites lived east of Gilead and it took three tribes of Israel to defeat them in a war. There is no other evidence the Hagrites represent Egypt except that the word, “Hagrites” is built on the name Hagar, Egyptian maid of Sarah, who became Abraham’s second wife. It would be as logical to say Abraham represents Iraq because he lived in Ur until he was 75 years of age. Ur is part of modern Iraq. Bill & I have discussed this by email and we have agreed to disagree on that. However, I really appreciate his excellent research and writing otherwise. Bill’s book is well worth buying and reading. -DBM.
Check Bill’s website, http://www.isralestine.org, for current updates on the Psalm 83 war, etc.