Is the Antichrist a Jew, Gentile, or Supernatural?

By Bill Salus

When determining the true content of the false covenant of Daniel 9:27 it proves helpful to determine the origin of the Antichrist. Will he be a Jew, Gentile, or a Supernatural being like an Alien or Nephilim as some have recently proposed?

Up until the time of Abraham there were no Jews, all of mankind was Gentile. Abraham, the ancient Hebrew patriarch, fathered the Jewish race through his son Isaac, grandson Jacob, and great grandsons Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.

According to Deuteronomy 7:6 the Lord formed this unique ethnicity from Abraham’s loins for His exclusive divine purposes. One of which, we are informed in Ezekiel 38:8 and 39:7, is to uphold His holy name through; for the watchful eyes of the international community in the latter years. Many eschatologists believe the prophecies of Ezekiel 38 & 39 are about to find final fulfillment, making current events involving Israel and the Jewish people extremely important.

If the Antichrist is Jewish, the content of the false covenant might favor Israeli covenantal claims made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These claims include Promised Land extending into Gaza, the West Bank, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia according to Genesis 15:18.

Additionally, the pages of the false covenant might grant Israel the ability to build their third Jewish Temple upon its former site in the world’s most controversial holy city of Jerusalem. Presently, the preponderance of Muslims vehemently opposes this prospect, claiming Jerusalem is Islam’s third holiest city behind Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. However, blueprints, Levite priests, and ceremonial religious instruments for the construction and operation of this prophesied coming Temple are already being assembled by several religious Jewish organizations.

Is the Antichrist a Jew?

One of the best research works addressing the subject of the origin of the Antichrist was performed by Dr. David Reagan of Lamb and Lion Ministries. He questioned eleven end time’s experts in a series of interviews, which aired on his Christ in Prophecy TV show in May of 2009, regarding this topic. The manuscript for the segment addressing whether or not the Antichrist is a Jew or Gentile can be obtained here:

In a nutshell the Reagan study concluded with seven no’s to the Antichrist being a Jew, one yes, one could be, one maybe, and one he will be a Jewish - Muslim. In Reagan’s closing summary, he concurred with the seven who suggested the Antichrist will be a Gentile rather than a Jew. Thus, there were eight out of twelve experts agreed upon the Gentile descent of the coming apocalyptic world leader called the Antichrist.

Had I been among those interviewed, I would have concurred with the eight favoring the Gentile Antichrist. Additionally I would have added an argument to theirs given below:

The Gentile Antichrist Arguments

1. Antichrist will be a Gentile of Roman origin. Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum brought this argument forward by quoting Daniel 9:26-27. Similarly, I wrote an article called, “Does Daniel Debunk the Assyrian Antichrist,” that agrees with his conclusion.

2. Antichrist will command worldwide attention. Don McGee states, “For a Jew to be in that position (commanding worldwide attention) would be a very, very long shot.” Don also suggests the Antichrist will not be associated with Judaism, Islam, or any other religion apart from the one he “institutes for himself.” This is determined by Daniel 11:37.

3. A Jew won’t make treaties with Jews. Ed Hindson points this out and goes on to remind us that the Antichrist will be an unbeliever according to Daniel 11:37.

4. Antichrist will lead the final great Gentile world empire. Dr. Mark Hitchcock firmly points this out. He declares this would be “inconsistent for a Jew.” Hitchcock argues this keeps in stride with “the other empires in Daniel 2 and Daniel 7, the leaders of those were all Gentiles.”

5. The Antichrist prototype was Antiochus Epiphanes, a Gentile. Dr. Mark Hitchcock aptly points this commonly taught fact out. Epiphanes was the ruler of the Greek - Seleucid Empire that oppressed the Jews between 171-164 BC.

6. The Antichrist rises out of the Gentile world. Several of the experts interviewed, including Hitchcock, brought forward the Revelation 13:1 argument, which identifies the Antichrist as the “Beast” rising out of the “Sea.” The scholarly consensus is the Sea in Revelation 13:1 represents the Gentile world.

7. The Jews will never accept the Antichrist as their Messiah. Dr. Reagan makes this statement in his closing arguments. He qualifies this by stating “In fact we are specifically told that when the Antichrist reveals himself in the middle of the Tribulation and claims to be god the Jews will be horrified and will totally reject him causing him to turn on them in fury and launch an attempt to annihilate them.” He goes on to distinguish between the possibility that the Antichrist may become the ‘Political Savior” of the Jews, but never their “Spiritual Savior.”

8. The Jews will never be offered the “Mark of the Beast.” This point was not brought up in the Reagan interviews; however, Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum makes this important point elsewhere in his teachings available though Ariel Ministries. This fact also identifies the Antichrist as a Gentile. One can safely conclude that if the Antichrist was a Jew, the Jews would be among the recipients of the benefits of his cashless Mark of the Beast program alluded to in Revelation 13:14-18.

The Antichrist Seeks Jewish Genocide Making Him a Gentile

Although the arguments above strongly suggest the Antichrist will be a Gentile, the one not listed that I believe most compelling is that he orchestrates the final genocidal campaign against the Jewish Race. Zechariah 13:8 points out the Antichrist will be responsible for the deaths of two-thirds of the Jewish population in the land of Israel during the Tribulation period. Many scholars suggest that totals several million more than were killed by Hitler during the Holocaust.

The repeated Gentile genocidal attempts targeted at the Jews remain atop the list of humanities worst historical crimes against the will of God. The Egyptians, Persians, Romans, and Germans all attempted to destroy the Jewish Race. Deuteronomy 32:10 and Zechariah 2:8 identify the Jews as the “apple of God’s eye.” The destruction of the Jews is the scheming of Satan and the Antichrist is his seed according to Genesis 3:15 and Revelation 13:4.

The plan of Satan is to prove God is a promise breaker, a liar, with a flawed covenant making character. If Satan can accomplish this he justifies his and his fallen angelic cohorts' rebellious campaign against God and His perfect divine will. Satan has clearly evidenced throughout human history that his modus operandi is to discredit God by killing Abraham’s Jewish descendants.

In Genesis 13:15, 22:17 and elsewhere God promised Abraham descendants forever. If there are no more Jews, then God is in breach of His covenant with Abraham. Furthermore, the promise of eternal security for all believers, justified by the similar faith of Abraham can be questioned. (Romans 4 and Galatians 3)

Therefore the Antichrist will be a Gentile; otherwise Satan must also execute him alongside his Jewish brethren. I’ve often wondered why Satan, supposedly so cunning, decided to even have a “seed.” Had he not, he could have discredited God right out the Genesis 3:15 garden gate. The Lord prophesied the coming of Satan’s seed and the bruising of Messiah’s heel by that seed. Should no satanic seed come, then the God of the Bible would be an obvious liar for prophesying such a future fictitious event. To the contrary, the satanic seed is coming and may be birthed already.

The Jewish Antichrist Arguments

The arguments for the Antichrist being a Jew can be found in the Reagan project referenced above. There are a few who believe that John 5:43 and Daniel 11:37 point to the Antichrist being a Jew. However, the Reagan study evidences that the arguments for a Gentile Antichrist far outweigh those of a Jewish Antichrist.

The Supernatural Alien (Nephilim) Antichrist Argument

Interestingly, there are some scholars suggesting since the Antichrist is the “seed of Satan,” who according to 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 rises to power supernaturally, that he might not be human at all. They, suggest Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 24:37 and Luke 17:26 comparing the end time’s to the “days of Noah,” should be taken literally.

Genesis 6:4 informs us that there were unnatural offspring called the Nephilim, inhabiting the earth during the days of Noah. If this relatively new argument has merit it adds an interesting twist to what the true content of the false covenant may be.

Is the Church identified in Psalm 83?

by Bill Salus

Recently I received and email asking a very interesting Church related question regarding the "hidden ones" of Psalm 83:3.

They [Arab confederates] have taken crafty counsel against Your people [national Israel], And consulted together against Your sheltered [hidden] ones. (Psalm 83:3; NKJV) Some translations use the word "hidden" instead of sheltered.
Question: I have a question concerning Psalm 83:3 and its link with Isaiah 26:20. The last section of the Psalm verse reads..” and consulted against thy hidden ones “, and Isaiah explains who these are that are hiding. I understand these passages refer to the Saints/Church.

That being the case would not the inference in the psalm be that the Church has already been taken before the fulfillment of that prophecy?

Kindest Regards
Garry M.Answer: Brother Gary, since Psalm 83 appears to be a Pre-Tribulation event, I presume that makes you a a Pre-Trib Rapture believer. I'm also a Pre-Tribber. In fact, I get goose bumps at the sound of a trumpet. However, I don't believe the Church is identified anywhere in Psalm 83. Furthermore, since the Rapture is an imminent event, Psalm 83 is about to occur, and the Church is still present, it is very possible that Christians may witness the final fulfillment of Psalm 83.

In Psalm 83:3, the Hebrew word for "hidden" in "hidden ones" is Tsaphan. This word does not appear in Isaiah 26:20 or anywhere else in the book of Isaiah. The first usage of Tsaphan is in Exodus 2:2-3 alluding to the baby Moses being hidden by his mother from Pharaoh's edict of death in Egypt. At the time all newborn Hebrew males were being killed at birth in order to keep the Hebrew ethnicity weak and enslaved. However, a remnant led by Moses ultimately survived and departed for the Promised Land.

Typologically, from an end time’s perspective, the mother of Moses likely represents national Israel and Moses, the faithful end time’s remnant that eventually emerges from within it. Similarly, the next usage of Tsaphan is found in Joshua 2:4 whereby Rahab was hiding the two spies. These two also typologically signify a select sub-group or remnant of Israel.

I believe that Psalm 83:3 alludes to both national Israel (Your people), which exists today in a condition of unbelief, and the faithful remnant (hidden ones) that comes out from national Israel in the end times in a condition of belief. Although the faithful remnant hasn’t emerged yet from within Israel, one will in the Tribulation period. They are currently “Tsaphan”, within national Israel. Presently, they remain unidentified but probably exist on the world scene somewhere unknowingly. However, omniscient God knows who and where they are.

Psalm 83 represents a genocidal attempt of the Jews and the final destruction of the Jewish State, that the name Israel be remembered no more. (Ps. 83:4). Geo-politically the Arab confederates want to destroy Israel and confiscate the Promised Land. We see this stage setting in the Middle East today. Geo-prophetically, Satan wants to destroy all Jews worldwide, especially the infamous coming faithful remnant, to prove God is not a covenant keeper.

In Genesis 13:15, 22:17, and elsewhere, God unconditionally promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, descendants forever. In Genesis 15:18 these patriarchs were promised land from the Nile River in Egypt to the Euphrates in Iraq and Syria. The Psalm 83 Arabs dwell upon a majority of this “Holy Land” today. They want to destroy the Jews and possess the land (Psalm 83:12).

Psalm 83 represents the first of three end time’s genocidal attempts against the Jews. Ezekiel 38 & 39 appears to follow soon and sequentially on the heels of Psalm 83. In Ezekiel’s prophecy Russia, Iran, Turkey, and several other nations will confederate to kill the Jews and confiscate the plunder and booty that Israel will possess after they defeat the Psalm 83 confederacy.

Lastly, the Antichrist will muster up his Armageddon forces in the Tribulation Period in a final Jewish genocidal attempt. This is when the Tsaphan, faithful remnant, of Israel will emerge. They become the saved remnant of Romans 9:27 and 11:26. They are also the “sons of the living God” in Hosea 1:10 and Romans 9:26. I believe the Psalmist Asaph was informing us that Israel’s Arab enemies will attempt to kill all Jews, even the hidden faithful end time’s remnant, so that God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would be broken.

Although the Church may be here to witness Psalm 83, it does not appear to be indentified anywhere in the Psalm. Psalm 83 is Satan's attempt to inspire the Islamic Arabs that hate and surround Israel to destroy the Jews and the Jewish State in order to prove God is a promise breaker. In fact, the Church needs to come out of hiding on Psalm 83 and preach the possibility that it’s about to find final fulfillment.

Best reading regards
Bill Salus
info@isralestine.net

Understanding the Geopolitics of Zionism vs. Palestinianism

By Bill Salus

Presently there are two conflicting ideologies competing for sovereignty over the Holy Land. They are Zionism and Palestinianism. Recognizing their powerful affects upon the geo-politics of the Promised Land is prerequisite for achieving a comprehensive understanding of what’s driving today’s Israeli - Palestinian conflict.

On the surface this conflict appears as a resolvable territorial dispute of strategic soil inside the Fertile Crescent, but at the core it involves the complexities of the angelic conflict, Arab hatred of the Jew, and ultimately, the epic battle between good and evil. God’s covenant making character is held in contest by Satan and it’s acting out in its final stages through this Mideast conflict.

The world wants to broker a two state solution forcing Israel to forfeit land to the Palestinians assuming this will enable the two ethnicities to live side by side in lasting peace. However, genocide of the Jew, not peace with the Jew, is the end game of Israel’s enemies. It always has been and always will be until the Messiah, Jesus Christ, returns to punish Satan and subsequently set up the millennial kingdom bringing peace on earth and goodwill to men.

Satan determined long ago that his best course of action to discredit God’s character was to destroy the “apple of God’s eye”, the Jewish people. A careful review of Hebrew history dating back to the time of Moses’ conflict with Pharaoh, on to Haman’s Persian genocidal plot of the Jews, followed by Herod’s “Babes of Bethlehem”, and more recently Adolph Hitler’s holocaust attempt, offers sufficient historical precedent attesting to this truth.

The International Community wants Israel to give back lands captured by the Israeli Defense Forces in the aftermath of the six day war of 1967. According to Genesis 15:18 these territories belong to today’s Israeli descendants of Abraham. This Holy Land standoff between Satan and God, played out through the Arabs and Jews, is what the world witnesses almost daily on the 6 o’clock news.

The underpinnings of the Israeli - Palestinian conflict are indelibly rooted in their contemporaneous struggle for religious and geo-political autonomy in the Biblical Promised Land. It is an ideological war between Zionism and Palestinianism.

The term Zionism was coined by Nathan Birnbaum and later popularized by Theodor Herzl in his 1896 book entitled Der Judenstaat (the Jewish State in German). Zionism, as it was originally understood, advocated the best way to avoid the Anti-Semitism spreading rampantly throughout Europe at the time was to create an independent Jewish State in Palestine.

The word was derived from Mount Zion in Jerusalem, which was the historic symbol of the Jewish homeland since 6th Century BC. Today Zionism banners the Israeli government's view that it is Israel’s God given right to possess their fair portion of the Holy Land and to declare a Jewish State therein.

Conversely, Palestinianism is a term the Egyptian born British scholar, Bat Yeor, alludes to in her 2005 book “Eurabia”. Palestinianism condenses jihadist values, by promoting the destruction of Israel and the denial of Hebrew biblical history and hence Christianity. It preaches Islamic replacement theology and the Arabization and Islamization of the Holy Land’s biblical archeology.

In a nutshell, Zionism promotes the rightful existence of a Jewish State in the Holy Land and Palestinianism vehemently opposes any such State! This is why the Palestinians and the preponderance of their Arab and Persian supporters today refuse to accept Israel’s right to exist. In fact, it is almost impossible to find a Palestinian school text book that includes a Middle East map with Israel located upon it.

Additionally, Palestinianism is at the center of Arab Nationalism. The Palestinian refugee plight ignites the Arabs to unite and will ultimately cause many of them to collectively fight against Israel. With each passing conventional Arab – Israeli war or conflict the Palestinianism rally call gains more momentum among Israel's predominately Islamic enemies. Ultimately it seemingly escalates into the climactic concluding Arab – Israeli war foretold to come in Psalm 83.

Secular world leaders can’t fix the Middle East problem because it is a deeply rooted in the supernatural. In the center of the geo-political equation are the three major religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, listed in the order of their advent upon the world scene. Many Jews and Christians believe God gave the disputed Mideast territories to the Jews for their eternal homeland called “Israel”. Conversely, the pro-Palestinian Arabs and Persians seek the creation of one final Arab State instead called “Palestine”. They perform Islamic Jihad to accomplish this end.

Presently this ideological controversy has pushed the Middle East to the brink of war. Decade old political attempts to resolve the matter through land for peace deals have served to salt the wound. The Promised Land in question is the central issue and threatening to take it from Israel and dangling it like a carrot on a stick in front of the Palestinians is like playing Robin Hood for all the wrong reasons. It portrays Israel as the wealthy villain and the Palestinians as the unjustly impoverished.

Israel in political moves of conciliation has attempted to appease the Arabs and Palestinians by withdrawing from portions of the disputed territories. In May of 2000 Israel unilaterally withdrew from the security zone in Southern Lebanon only to be punished by a 34 day conflict in the summer of 2006 with Hezbollah. Four thousand rockets struck Israeli soil during that conflict. Today, less than four years later, Hezbollah has 15 times as many rockets (60,000) inclusive of scud missiles recently obtained from Syria.

However, the fateful pivotal episode that should lead to the soon coming Mother of all Mideast wars occurred in the summer of 2005. That dreadful August Israel’s government experienced enormous pressure from the George W. Bush American administration to unilaterally withdraw from the Gaza. Gush Katif was a bloc of 17 Israeli settlements inside of Gaza at the time. At the risk of provoking an Israeli civil war, these Gush Katif settlers were forced to vacate their homes. Some of them still seek proper assimilation back into Israeli society today.

On the day the last settler was removed from Gush Katif the storm clouds of Hurricane Katrina were forming over the Atlantic. In probable fulfillment of the curse for curse in kind clause contained in Genesis 12:3, America was forced into its own Katrina refugee crisis much like was created in Israel as result of Gush Katif.

That following January 2006 the Palestinians elected the Hamas of the Gaza territory, a vowed enemy of Israel, as their representative government. George Bush did nothing to prevent this from occurring. In fact, he had previously publicly discounted the potential for a Hamas election victory over the Fatah party. Shortly thereafter, Hamas began to indiscriminately lob Katusha rockets into neighboring Israeli cities.

This led to the 22 day Operation Cast Lead war between Israel and Hamas in December 2008. This conflict, in my prophetic estimation, is the straw that may end up breaking the camel’s back. This conflict caught Hamas’ allies with their tales between their legs. None of them were able to do anything but rattle their sabers from the sidelines. This infuriated them as it mocked the fabric of their supposed Arab Nationalism in support of Palestinianism.

However, this is not the case today. Hamas’ friends are boldly showing their disdain toward Israel. Turkey, for instance, has severed most of their political ties with Israel. By Turkey’s own admission, this is a direct result of Israel’s decisive victory in Operation Cast Lead. Additionally, bonafide war pacts were confirmed in December 2009 between Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, and Hamas. This means that should Hamas be attacked by Israel in the future, which holds a high degree of probability, Israel runs the risk of provoking a major Mideast war.

Furthermore, Lebanon’s president Michel Suleiman has pledged his support to Hezbollah in the likely event Israel and Hezbollah go toe to toe again. Even Israel’s moderate peace partner Jordan’s King Abdullah is warning of a summer time 2010 war if a Palestinian - Israeli peace is not achieved immediately.

Jeremiah 12:14-17 informs us that the Arabs of Palestine, i.e. today’s Palestinian Refugees, were to be assimilated into their ancient surrounding Arab homelands. The Arab nations that were to assimilate these refugees have chosen to banner their refugee plight rather than bear the burden of their resettlement. Historically many of these Arab nations warred against each other, however today they are unified in their support for Palestinianism and opposition of Zionism.

Palestinianism and Zionism have no common ground. They represent opposing ideologies. Allowing them to coexist is a recipe for disaster. The scripturally supported solution is for the Arabs to support Zionism, abandon Palestinianism, and resettle the Palestinian refugees back into their historical homelands. According to the forthcoming foretold prophetic episodes described in Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38, and elsewhere, this is not the course Israel’s modern day enemies apparently take.

Why Arabs Hate Jews!

by Bill Salus

Present Middle East hostilities between the Arabs and Jews can be traced to a disposition of hatred originating almost four thousand years ago. At that time God made an unconditional covenant with the Hebrew patriarch Abraham. Due to the inherent blessings contained within this covenant, the infamous family characters of the Bible; Hagar, Ishmael, Esau, Moab, Ammon, and Amalek, coveted the contents of this covenant. These jealous individuals and their descendants that followed came to hate the Hebrews, the heirs of this blessed covenant.

Throughout time the neighboring Gentile peoples of the region found it advantageous to embrace rather than resist this adversarial disposition. Ultimately it evolved into a cleverly conceived religious package giving it license to unleash itself in a holy war. The “Jihad”, as it is often labeled, presently underway in the Middle East, finds its justification in Islam, but its roots are in this longstanding hatred.

The Bible describes this disposition as an ancient hatred or in some translations a perpetual enmity. The two Hebrew words are olam ebah, and when used together they describe a condition stemming back long ago in ancient times, perpetuated throughout time, manifesting into hostility with no apparent end in sight. They are only paired together in the entire Bible in these two passages listed below:

"Because you have had an ancient (olam) hatred (ebah), and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end. (Ezekiel 35:5 NKJV; emphasis added)

'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because the Philistines dealt vengefully and took vengeance with a spiteful heart, to destroy because of the old (olam) hatred (ebah).” (Ezekiel 25:15 NKJV; emphasis added)

The first passage refers contextually to Mount Seir located in Edom, which is the territory of Esau . Today this area is known as Southern Jordan. In the Ezekiel 35:5 passage we see that the hatred was "had", or spawned, in the territory most closely associated with Esau. In the second passage of Ezekiel 25:5 we find that the Philistines embraced what was already preconditioned ("because of") in Edom by Esau. Today what was formerly known as Philistia, the land of the Philistines, is now sometimes referred to as "Hamastan", home of the Hamas, in the Gaza Strip. In both scriptures it is an enmity exhibited exclusively against the Jewish people. For a better understanding of the conflicts between the twin brothers Esau and Jacob, click here to read my article "The Twin Prophecies of Jacob and Esau".

The Bible teaches that this continuous and contagious disposition of hatred will evidence itself in a final Arab - Israeli showdown. It predicts a major war in the Middle East between those Arab nations that have refused to abandon the angered ancient attitude of their ancestors, and the Jews. It amounts to the final contest over the blessed contents contained within the Abrahamic covenant! The victor is once and for all exalted as the true heir apparent! This soon coming war is described in Psalm 83 and is the central theme of my book; Isralestine, The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East.

This article briefly identifies below the roots of the hatred through scriptural accounts centered on the main patriarchs of the modern day Middle Eastern peoples. Much of the population in the region has their heritage traceable back to the patriarchs contained within this article. These ancestors were notable characters on the world scene, from which several historical nations were born.

These individuals were involved in significant events relative to the plan of God intended for the benefit of man. Therefore their interactions proved to be consequential in the history and development of the Middle East. The attitudes they adopted have been kept alive in the region throughout time immemorial.

In order to understand the family feuds that took place between the Arab and Israeli patriarchs it helps to note that Abraham was a legendary figure during his day. By the time the blessed Abrahamic Covenant was issued and popularized throughout the Holy Land, Abraham had undergone several significant notorious events.

In the Genesis 12:10-20 encounter between Abraham and Pharaoh, Abraham's notoriety became widespread throughout Egypt. Subsequently, Genesis 14 informs us that Abraham fought in a Mideast battle to redeem his nephew Lot from captivity. In the aftermath of Abraham's victory we see that the seven influential kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar esteemed Abraham mightily. A theme also picked up in Hebrews 7:1.

With Abraham's infamy firmly in place, rivalries began to take place between Sarah and Hagar, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, the Israelites and their cousins the Moabites and Ammonites, and lastly the Great-Great grandchildren of Abraham, the Hebrews and the Amalakites (Genesis 36:12). These family feuds centered on, Hagar's, Ishmael's, Esau's, Moab's, Ammon's, and Amalek's coveting of the content of the Abrahamic Covenant. The chapter called "Olam Ebah", The Ancient Arab hatred of the Jews in Isralestine details the adversarial episodes that took place between the patriarchs according to the references below:

Sarah vs. Hagar - Genesis 16, Genesis 21
Isaac vs. Ishmael - Genesis 16 - 17, Genesis 21
Jacob vs. Esau - Genesis 25 - 28, Genesis 32-33
Israelites vs. Moabites and Ammonites - Numbers 22- 25, Judges 3, Judges 10-11, 2 Kings 3, 2 Chronicles 20.
Hebrews and Amalakites - Numbers 14, Judges 3.

Disputes developed and festered over time throughout the Middle East among the above patriarchal kinships. All of them staked claim to portions of the Promised Land. As per Genesis 13:8-11, Moab and Ammon claimed rights to modern day Central and Northern Jordan. As per Genesis 36, Esau and his Edomite descendants declared sovereignty over modern day Southern Jordan. Additionally, several other ancient non-family related populations like the Philistines, Assyrians, Syrians, and Tyrians staked their own territorial claims around Israel as well.

Deep rooted concerns developed among these peoples over Israelite claims to the land promised them through Abraham as per Genesis 15:18. Even today, Arabs adamantly refute Israelite claims to this territory.

The reestablishment of the nation Israel on May 14, 1948 served as a deafening echo of the past to the surrounding Arab States of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The Arab nations responded with wars in 1948, 1967 and 1973 in an attempt to eliminate the Jewish nation to settle the territorial dispute. While all of these Arab States regained their national identity in the aftermath of World Wars I & II, most of them still refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist as the Jewish State.

Whenever a Jew tries to raise a blue and white flag over more Middle East land, the Arab states turn red with anger as the ancient Arab hatred of Israel is re-kin-dled. Psalm 83:4 declares there are Arabs who hate the LORD. Psalm 83:6-8 identifies them as Hagar, Ishmael, Esau, Moab, Ammon, and Amalek. Ultimately, this ancient Arab hatred of God's covenantal promises to the Jews that has incubated in the Middle East for centuries will manifest into the Psalm 83 war. It is at that fateful point that the Israeli Defense Forces, empowered by the LORD, (Ezekiel 25:14, Obadiah 1:18) will put to rest the age old disposition of the Arab hatred toward Israel and conclusively settle the territorial disputes.

Ezekiel 37:10 foretells of today's Israeli Defense Forces. They are emerging today, please watch video below.


Enjoy Jordan Chaviv's video called "We Will Survive" regarding Israel

The Twin Prophecies of Jacob and Esau

By Bill Salus

This article introduces two important Prophecies regarding the twin brothers of the Bible, Jacob and Esau. Jacob was renamed Israel in Genesis 32:28 and he fathered Israeli descendants. Esau, Jacob's older twin brother, fathered the Edomites according to Genesis 36:1,9. Invaluable insights into the roots of the present Palestinian - Israeli conflict can be gleaned from understanding these twin prophecies.

Presently the international community desperately seeks to join the Israelis and Palestinians at the hip in a peaceful “Two State Solution”: a Jewish State, and a Palestinian State. Did you know that there once was a time when the ancestors of these two people groups, the Israelis and the Edomites, successfully operated in a “Two State Solution” of sorts? However there were two prophecies written in ancient times that foretold of both Israel’s and Edom’s national decline, and at the time of the fulfillment of these two prophecies, their operational “Two State Solution” disintegrated.

Hosea issued the first of the two prophecies, and Jeremiah along with Obadiah issued the second. Hosea declared that the Israelites would be declassified from “My people Israel”, to “not My people”, and Jeremiah, and Obadiah predicted that the Edomites would become “small among the nations”.

Hosea’s prophecy regarding Israel

Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then God said: “Call his name Lo-Ammi, For you are not My people, And I will not be your God. (Hosea 1:8-9; NKJV)

Jeremiah’s and Obadiah’s prophecies regarding Edom

I have heard tidings from the LORD, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Gather yourselves together and come against her, and rise up for battle!” For behold, I will make you (Edom) small among the nations, despised among men. (Jeremiah 49:14-15; RSV)

The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom: We have heard tidings from the LORD, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Rise up! let us rise against her for battle!” Behold, I will make you small among the nations, you shall be utterly despised. (Obadiah 1:1-2; RSV)

In a twist of fate, twin brothers Jacob and Esau would have their descendants share in a similar divine disciplinary action. The two historically infamous peoples, the Jews and the Edomites, would experience their national decline in the same place and at the same time. Both ethnic groups were conquered by the Roman Empire on or around 70 A.D. in what turns out to be the final fulfillment of these two important Bible prophecies.

Back then these two populations co-existed semi-peacefully in a “Two State Solution” of their own. The Jews inhabited Judea, and Samaria, which comprised the Northern and Southern kingdoms of Israel, and the Edomites occupied “Idumea”, and were known as the Idumeans, which was the Greek word for Edomites. Idumea / Edom encompassed land in Southern Israel, Northeastern Sinai, and Southwestern Jordan. The Jewish capitol was Jerusalem, and the central Idumean city was Hebron approximately 19 miles to the south. At the time the Idumeans and Jews both practiced Judaism, evidencing a common bond between them.

When the Romans conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the second Jewish temple in 70 A.D., they also fought against the Idumeans. According to the historian Josephus, many Idumeans were either killed, or sold into slavery, and ultimately about 40,000 remaining Idumeans were freed by Caeser to go wherever they desired enabling them to keep their ethnicity in tact. (1) Indeed by 70 A.D. Edom / Idumea had undeniably been made “small among the nations”.

The attached map represents the layout of the region around 135 A.D. at the time of the Bar Kokhba Jewish revolt. This map depicts Idumea still in existence as a recognized territory. As such one might safely presume that Idumeans still resided in the subject land on or around 135 A.D. (2) This suggests that at least some of these 40,000 freed Idumeans continued to reside, and repopulate in the territory of Idumea.

To further understand the declassification of the Israelites to “not My people” it is important to read the “My people Israel” chapter in my book Isralestine; The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East. For now it is important to recognize that the declassification of the Jews into “not My people” began at the rejection by the Jewish leadership of Jesus Christ, and found its final fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem and the second Jewish temple in 70 A.D. at the defeat by the Romans. Lastly the assumption of the title “not My people” was not prophesied to be a permanent condition, and ultimately the Jews would be reclassified as “My people Israel”, and furthermore “sons of the living God”. (3)

Although Edom was made small among the nations in 70 A.D, Edom continued on a gradual decline. Shortly thereafter, Edom seemingly disintegrated as an ethnic group off the pages of further history. If it were not for the end times prophecies contained in Psalm 83, Ezekiel 25:14 and elsewhere regarding the restored Edomite element, there would be no further cause to remember them. They would be for all intents and purposes extinguished, however the Bible suggests they have merely been “made small among the nations”, and will resurface in that reduced national condition in a final confederate effort, described in Psalm 83, aimed at the destruction of the nation Israel.

Herein lies the problem; the Middle East conflict is the derivative of these two former nations attempting to reclaim the land of Israel-Palaestinia. This may seem an over-simplification of the matter; however it is at the root of the conflict. Both formerly notorious nations who experienced their decline at the same-time and in the same-place, are attempting to pick up where they left off in 70 A.D. They are seeking to reestablish themselves now, centuries later, at the same-time and in the same-place.

When Israel became a nation again in 1948, the Palestinians for all intents and purposes became a people. They became the refugees of Palestine as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The surrounding Arab nations protested the reestablishment of the nation Israel and confederated in a war effort against the returning Jewish people. They instructed the Arabs residing within Israel at the time, to vacate temporarily until the Jewish nation was destroyed, at which time these departing Arabs could return into the land.

Amongst the Arabs who left Israel at the time were some of those who had descended from Esau, i.e. the Edomites. History reports that the Jewish people were victorious, and these Edomites became numbered among the refugees of Palestine. Hence at the time they became refugees residing in tents. The Edomites were for all intents and purposes at the time the “tents of Palestine”, or as they are called today, the Palestinian people.

Baqaa refugee camp of Palestinian Refugees (Photo: 1949 UNRWA)

The present plight of the Palestinians is, in large part, the result of the failed Arab war against Israel and therefore primarily the responsibility of the surrounding Arab nations. These Arab nations have done little to absorb and assimilate them into their lands, but have done much to use them as pawns against the developing nation of Israel. Hence we see Israel aspiring to become “My people Israel” again, which is prophesied to successfully occur, and Edom wanting to become greater than the tents of Palestine, which will likely never occur!

Edom will never be great among the nations, as they were permanently “made small among the nations” and that is the best condition they will ever experience. In fact, because of their present attempt to curse the developing nation of Israel, the Edomites will be extinguished as a people according to Obadiah 1:18. In other words the Palestinians of today will likely never nationally ascend much beyond a refugee condition. Listen to what the Psalmist labeled them as in the coming Arab war against the Jews, which is still to find its final fulfillment.

PSALM 83
1 - 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:
6 - The tents of Edom (Palestinian Refugees) and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites;
7 - Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 - Assyria also has joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot.
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End Notes
(1) The Works of Josephus: Book of the Wars 6 Chapter 8
(2) The Bar Kokhba Revolt map in this chapter http://www.studylight.org/se/maps/browse.cgi?st=170
(3) Hosea 1:9-10, and regarding “My people Israel” Ezekiel 25:14, 36:12, 38:14,16, 39:7
(4) Jeremiah 49:15, Obadiah 1:2

Blockade the Waterways; Gog of Magog's "EVIL PLAN"

By Bill Salus

In the summer of 2009 Russia and Iran, for the first time ever, conducted joint naval maneuvers in the Caspian Sea. In April 2010 Iran test fired five new coast-to-sea and sea-to-sea missiles during their “Great Prophet 5” war game in the Persian Gulf. Shortly thereafter, in May, 2010 during their “Judgment Day” war game, according to the Iranian press, Iran demonstrated its fitness for sole responsibility over the security of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, through which 40 percent of the world's crude is channeled to market. What is running through the apocalyptic minds of Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and his Iranian Mullocracy?

Military events like these involving Russia and Iran are among the reasons scholars are justifiably stirring over the possibility that the Ezekiel 38 & 39 Bible prophecy is about to find final fulfillment. The Hebrew prophet predicted approximately 2600 years ago the coming of a Russian – Iranian led nine member strong coalition seeking to destroy Israel and confiscate great booty. Scholars are split as to what the great booty is and if Israel presently possesses all of it.

Some suggest Israel becomes wealthy by discovering oil under her soil, while others, including myself, believe Israel captures Arab spoils of war resulting from an Israeli Conquest over the confederacy of nations listed in Psalm 83. However, it could be a combination of both Israeli oil and Arab spoil, inclusive of much OPEC oil.

Others, like me, suggest that the Israel described in Ezekiel 38 & 39 doesn’t presently exist. Ezekiel’s Israel will be a wealthy sovereign Jewish State that dwells securely, without walls, in the center of the Promised Land. The land Ezekiel likely alludes to is far greater than that defined by the Partition Plan of 1947 (UN Resolution 181). Rather it probably involves the landmass described in Genesis 15:18. This would make the center of the Promised Land inclusive of modern day Jordan.

Israel doesn’t possess Jordan presently; however, according to Jeremiah 49:1-2 and elsewhere, someday they will. Jordan is a member of the Psalm 83 confederates and their bitter consequence for participating in the coming Arab – Israeli war appears to be their surrender of sovereignty to a victorious Israel.

Prophetic events facilitated by the surrender of Jordanian sovereignty to Israel would probably include the burial of the hordes of Magog invaders in the future valley of Hamon Gog, east of the Dead Sea, and the flight from the coming Antichrist of the faithful Jewish remnant into Edom, which is modern day Southern Jordan. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to develop these two prophecies in greater detail at this point.

The point of this article is that the Russian – Iranian led coalition of Ezekiel invaders seems to have at least a two - prong strategy in place for invading Israel. The goal of the invasion is the destruction of the Jewish State and confiscation of plunder and booty as per Ezekiel 38:12-13. The two - pronged strategy appears to involve an economic boycott/blockade of Israel’s booty coupled with a subsequent overwhelming military assault upon Israel.

Identifying the Ezekiel invaders on a map suggests this consortium is assembled in part for the purpose of blockading Israel’s ability to commercially export its plunder and booty into world markets. Observe from the table and map of invaders that they all border the major bodies of water surrounding Israel. Is this coincidence or calculated on Russia’s part? Israel will desperately need freedom of passage through these waterways in order to export its plunder and great booty to world markets.

Even the countries of Saudi Arabia (Dedan) and Yemen (Sheba) who apparently abstain from joining the Ezekiel confederacy border the Red Sea, which is South of Israel. Should they have enlisted the Red Sea would be potentially blocked by them on the eastside and Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia on the Westside. This would render the Red Sea entirely impassable for Israeli cargo ships. It may be that they are invited into the coalition by Russia, however, perhaps due to their genuine fears of the Israeli Defense Forces and perhaps the Jewish God Jehovah, they opt out.

Consider the strong possibility that the Israel Defense Forces will already have executed the vengeance of God against the Psalm 83 confederates described Ezekiel 25:13-14, Obadiah 1:18, and elsewhere. Thus, Israel could potentially be in receipt of more land, plunder, and great booty prior to the official formation of the Russian coalition. Saudi Arabia is a participant of Psalm 83 under the banner of the Ishmaelites. According to Ezekiel 25:13, at least Northern Saudi Arabia (Dedan) is part of the affected Psalm 83 warzone.

Presently Russia is bidding to regain its former Soviet Union superpower status. In the process it is unknowingly locking arms with the other Ezekiel invaders. Russia reportedly has large military export contracts with Iran, Turkey, Libya and most of the other Ezekiel 38 invaders. Additionally, Russian national relations with these coming invaders are stronger than ever. Thus, part one of Russia’s two - pronged strategy, the enhanced arming of the invaders for a coming overwhelming military assault against Israel, is already taking place.

The other potential component of interest to add into the Ezekiel 38 equation is the untapped oil wealth landlocked in the Caspian Sea. Estimates suggest the world’s largest lake hosts enormous amounts of untapped oil. Presently littoral rights are a major matter of tension between the nations of Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan, which all surround the Caspian.

The Russian - Iranian joint naval exercises referenced earlier suggest they ultimately intend to share domination of this potential oil fortune. They will want to transport Caspian oil out into world markets and presently the main distribution is the BTC pipeline running through Baku Azerbaijan, Tbilisi Georgia, and Ceyhan Turkey.

Russia and Iran presently lack the necessary exclusive control of this critical pipeline. However, that could easily change since Turkey ultimately enlists with the Ezekiel invaders and some suspect so will Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. This would give the Russian coalition the ready means and access to control the Caspian oil and its exportation. Only Georgia would possibly stand in the way and we know Russia can overpower Georgia. Russia temporarily shut this pipeline down during its invasion of Georgia in August of 2008.

Sovereignty over all major oil export pipelines and distribution waterways in tandem with control of robust Iranian and Caspian oil reserves will make Russia’s coalition a commercial force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, they will not be content with that but will also seek Israel’s plunder and great spoil. If Russia and Iran control all the Caspian and OPEC oil supplies in the future, they could possibly become unstoppable in their bid for collective world control. It is probably this goal that partially allures the other members to join in the Ezekiel coalition.

THE EVIL PLAN

‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your [Gog of Magog] mind, and you will make an evil plan: You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; [Israel] I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’—to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army [formed your coalition] to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’”’ (Ezekiel 38:10-13; NKJV)

We are told in Ezekiel 38:10 that the Magog confederacy acts upon an "EVIL PLAN". Ezekiel 38:11-13 give clues into the size and scope of this "EVIL PLAN". Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the merchants of Tarshish suggest Russia is inviting nations to strategically coalesce with them to steal Israel’s wealth. This is the underlying feature of the plan, "to take plunder". This suggests Russia campaign's upon this "to take plunder" platform as it forms it's coalition.

The theme of commerce is found in these above passages within the usage of terms like “merchants” and “livestock and goods”. The merchants are probably would be purchasers of Israel’s wares, which consist of “livestock and goods”. “Livestock” likely represents agricultural interests and “goods” probably commercial interests, such as oil and natural gas etc. These are "acquired" goods probably alluding to spoils of war collected by Israel in the aftermath of their victory in the Psalm 83 war.

In conclusion, it appears Russia formulates a comprehensive campaign involving strategically located allies intended to invade Israel in the aftermath of the Psalm 83 war. Israel wins that war according to scripture and in the process renders the inner circle of Arab nations and terrorist populations sharing common borders with Israel of little utility to Russia and its coalition.

This is probably why they are not listed among the Ezekiel invaders. It is important to note that Ezekiel writes about the Psalm 83 nations in other chapters, but omits them from the Ezekiel 38 invaders. This is most likely because they are not part of Russia’s coalition.

In the aftermath of Psalm 83, Israel probably annexes more territory and captures Arab spoils of war making it potentially a very wealthy nation. Russia then forms its campaign and alliance to prevent Israel from blossoming into a significant oil exporting nation. Russia assembles predominately Muslim nations sharing a dislike for Israel. This coalition seems to be specifically selected in order to blockade Israel’s exports first and then destroy the Jewish State should it resist. Perhaps the infamous; “I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out," in Ezekiel 38:4 has something to do with a waterway related campaign against Israel. However, perhaps instead of catching fish on the seas it may be regarded with exporting oil through them.

Israel, the apple of God’s eye, becomes the ripe carrot dangling on a string that entices Russia, Iran, and their coalition to invade. They covet Israel’s newfound plunder and booty and seek to choke off Israel’s ability to conduct world commerce. Ultimately they militarily come to take it for themselves and wipe Israel off of the map. Ezekiel 38 & 39 informs us that the God of Israel will divinely defeat the Magog alliance and uphold His Holy Name in the process. (Ezekiel 39:7)

The Psalm 83 Revealing; Coincidence or Providence

By Bill Salus

The summer of 2006 appears to have been a prophetically eventful period. While the Israelis were fending off Hezbollah, the Irish found a forgotten Psalm 83 prophecy buried under some bog soil.

Psalm 83 predicts the formation of a ten member Arab confederacy that someday seeks to wipe Israel off the map. Coincidentally, Hezbollah appears to be listed among the Psalm 83 confederates as the “inhabitants of Tyre”. Tyre is located in Lebanon and has become infiltrated by the Hezbollah terrorist organization.

That summer I was 75% completed with my book Isralestine, of which Psalm 83 is the central theme. I had become enamored with the Psalm 83 prophecy after the events of September 11, 2001. My goal was to find out what the Bible had to say about the Arab – Israeli conflict and terrorism, its ugly bi-product. I was seeking to make prophetic sense out of the decades of Mideast chaos coupled with the catastrophic events of September 11th. In the midst of my research I discovered Psalm 83.

Several years later I discovered that the Psalm had surfaced in Ireland at the same time Hezbollah was warring against Israel and I was penning Isralestine. In retrospect it appears that the past, present and future became infused together during that eventful summer. Psalm 83 made front page headlines worldwide at that time. Was God attempting to tell humanity something through these above correlating coincidental events?

Past

July 26, 2006: In what was heralded as the Irish equivalent to the “Dead Sea Scrolls”, numerous notable newspapers reported that Psalm 83 had been discovered in Irish bog soil. Preserved and opened in place, this parchment potentially represents a seedling planted in the past designed to be uncovered at the opportune time. Apparently that was the summer of 2006.

I find it curious that, although there are 150 Psalms, 1189 chapters, and 31,173 verses in the Bible, this one Psalm with a mere 18 passages was discovered preserved and open in place. It simply required a little careful handling and some skilled dusting off in order to read its prophetically timely contents. Other Psalms were found alongside at the time, however, they were severely fragmented and scarcely salvageable.

Analysts were shocked that this ancient parchment buried for over 800 plus years under heavily weathered bog soil was virtually unblemished. Additionally, they were astonished that the manuscript wasn’t destroyed during the time of discovery. This wasn’t a skilled carefully orchestrated archaeological dig, rather a bulldozer trying to clear some landmass.

Present

July 12 - August 14, 2006: Israel and Hezbollah, opponents of each other in the Psalm 83 prophecy, were involved in a 34 day conflict. The Hezbollah-Israeli conflict was a turning point for Israel. Single handily Hezbollah humiliated Israel, something the Arabs failed to do in their 1948, 1967, and 1973 conventionally fought wars against the Jewish State. In so doing, Hezbollah, a terrorist group turned political party, elevated the Palestinian plight and reinvigorated Pan Arab Nationalism in favor of it.

The Palestinians appear to be listed in first position among the ten-member confederacy of Psalm 83. They seem to be identified as the “tents of Edom” in Psalm 83:6. Being identified in a “tents of” condition probably identifies them as the "Palestinian refugees". Biblically, a "tents of" condition often represents an ethnicity dwelling as refugees. Thus, the plight of the Palestinian refugees today is the likely modus operandi of the Arab confederacy. Psalm 83:4 declares the confederacy’s intention to destroy the Jewish State and Psalm 83:12 describes their intent to form a final Arab State called Palestine.

Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim group, has emboldened and united Israel’s enemies. Hezbollah’s successes in the summer of 2006 have served to unite predominantly Sunni populations, like Hamas and Syria, with Shiites like, Iran and Hezbollah. Such unifications are additionally beginning to erode longstanding divisions between Persians and Arabs.

Perhaps the Lord is telling eschatologists today to keep a close watch on Hezbollah-centered Mideast events. Hezbollah military actions could easily initiate the Psalm 83 event.

Future

July 26, 2006: As stated above, Isralestine, a book detailing the prophetic significance of Psalm 83 was being penned for future publication at the time of the discovery of the Psalm 83 parchment in Ireland. It is now available and has caused many eschatologists to rethink their end time’s models.

Historically many Rabbis have taught that “Coincidence” is not a kosher word. When we consider the above correlating summer of 2006 events and their seeming past, present, and future infusion, should they be classified as coincidental or providential? Should eschatologists be rethinking the time placement of Psalm 83? Is it possible that the summer of 2006 was a prophetically relevant season?

After all, Amos 3:7 declares; Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Is it possible the Lord used the summer of 2006 to warn the world that the Psalm 83 prophecy is about to find final fulfillment?

to read more on this subject visit this link now.

Did the Bible Predict Today's Terrorism?

Part One - By Bill Salus

Suicide Bombers, Car Bombers, Shoe Bombers, Underwear Bombers, and the latest, Brazier (breast implant) Bombers, what will the terrorist think of next? Terrorism has high-jacked humanity causing long airport lines with stricter security worldwide. What is it and did the Bible predict it?

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001 George W. Bush declared war on Terrorism. Thus, Terrorism has officially become recognized as a bona-fide method of warfare. Israel had been waging war on Terror for decades, but the fighting was primarily confined to the Middle East. This isolation enabled the world to maintain a deaf-ear foreign policy regarding terrorism. However, since September 11, 2001 terrorists have toppled twin towers in America, derailed trains in Spain, and bombed subways in London. Terrorism has expanded from the Middle East into the backyards of most every nation.

Terrorism, as we identify it today, predominately originated in the Middle East. It began within the ranks of the Palestinians (1) in an effort to antagonize the further development of the nation Israel. It quickly gained the support of the surrounding Arab nations that most closely border the nation Israel. These countries had waged four unsuccessful conventional military attempts against Israel, in 1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973, in order to destroy the nation. As a result of these four failed attempts, these Arab nations adopted and generally embraced the unconventional means of Terrorism as a method of conducting war.

A close examination of Jeremiah 49:16 and Obadiah 1:3-4, suggests the Bible predicted today’s Terrorism. According to these prophets, terrorism is the inspiration of the Edomites, who have ancestral ties to the Palestinians of modern day. (2) Furthermore the Palestinians are depicted in these passages as being deceived into thinking that the god of their religion endorses their terrorist behavior. As this prophecy unfolds in our day we have just cause to consider that the prophets Jeremiah and Obadiah were alluding to a link between the Palestinians, Arabs, Allah, Islam, and Terrorism.

By cross – correlating, paraphrasing, and indentifying the idioms used by the prophets in the passages listed below we might conclude that they were attempting to warn us about today’s terrorism. Certain key terms and phrases are highlighted in order to explore the possibility of their modern application:

The terror “tiphletseth” you [Edomites] inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill. Although you make your nest as high as the eagle’s, from there I will bring you down, says the LORD. (Jeremiah 49:16) (3)

The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars From there I will bring you down,” says the LORD. (Obadiah 1:3-4)

Jeremiah and Obadiah speak of inspired terror coming from the ethnic group formerly known as the Edomites. What’s left of the Edomites today are a small group of Bedouins residing in Southern Jordan, and a larger remnant somewhat obscured within the modern day Palestinian contingency. The Hebrew word Jeremiah uses is “tiphletseth”, and it is translated in the Hebrew vernacular of his time, as a shuddering, horrific act of terror . (4) This gripping term is uniquely utilized within the entire Bible only in this single instance, yet it is possibly the most descriptive word available in the ancient Hebrew language to identify the relatively recently fashioned terrorism plaguing the nation Israel today.

By cross – correlating and paraphrasing these two prophetic passages we discover the interesting possibility of a link between the Palestinians, Terror, Islam, and Allah.

The terror you (Palestinians) inspire and the pride (arrogance) of your heart have deceived (mislead) you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, (spiritual covering) (5) Though you ascend as high as the eagle, (religious thinking) (6) And though you set your nest among the stars (angelic typology), (7) From there I will bring you down,” says the LORD (divine judgment)

This suggests terrorism is the inspiration of a deceived group. Their deception is caused by their misguided theology. They are under the allusion that they are nestled among the stars, which in Bible typology is a reference to the angelic host. Their deception is rooted in their perception that from their vantage point they believe themselves to be divinely justified to inspire terror, and therefore protected from its consequence.

The problem for this specific type of terrorism however, is that it is primarily targeted at the Jewish people through whom the Abrahamic Covenant is in force. This covenant formatted approximately 4000 years ago (8) between the God Jehovah, and Abraham the patriarchal father of the Jewish people, is still operable and in good standing. It specifically calls for a curse-for-curse-in kind reaction to all terrible-treatment-targeted at Abraham and / or his descendants. (9) This is where the “pride” of their “heart” has “deceived” them, them being the “Edo-Palestinians” . (10) It has misled them into thinking that their Islamic faith has the ability to override this critical “curse” component contained in the Abrahamic covenant.

Analyzing these pertinent scriptures causes us to consider their potential for more than a literal interpretation. Phrases like, “you ascend as high as the eagle”, “you set your nest among the stars” and “you live in the clefts of the rock”, make it difficult to limit our thinking to airplanes, bird’s nests, and cave dwellers. Fortunately all of these phraseologies have Biblical typologies from which we can perhaps draw better conclusions as to what the prophets Jeremiah and Obadiah were describing.

This concludes Part one of this two part article. In part two the biblical typologies will be analyzed to see if they hold the key to the biblical forewarning of modern day terrorism.

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Endnotes
(1)http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=7&x_issue=11&x_article=795 - Yasir Arafat’s Timeline of Terror, dated 11/13/2004 by CAMERA: Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America
(2)Read the chapter contained within Isralestine called “Who-domites
(3)New Revised Standard Bible Translation, also translated the same in the New International Version
(4)New American Standard Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries
(5)Exodus 33:22 exemplifies typologically the cleft of a rock as a place of spiritual protection or covering.
(6)Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
(7)Stars in Biblical typology are often used to represent the angels. Revelation 1:20, Revelation 12:4, Job 38:7, Daniel 8:10, Jude 1:12. Isaiah 14:3
(8)He probably lived between 2166 BC and 1991 BC. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham
(9)Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you;
(10)Edomites later became known by their Greek name “Idumeans”, and now are best identified as a contingency within the Palestinians. Edo-Palestinians is used here as a bridge term to identify the Edomite remnant within the Palestinian ethnicity. More can be found on this in the chapter called “Whodomites”.

The Two End Time's Judgments Upon Edom - Part Two

By Bill Salus

Part One covered the first judgment upon Edom illustrating that the Israeli Defense Forces would be the tool used by God to end the Arab – Israeli conflict. In the aftermath of the first judgment Israel seems to expand its sovereignty over modern day Jordan, the West Bank, and Gaza. This would correlate with the prophecies in Jeremiah 49:1-22 and Obadiah 1:19. Israel annexing the territory of Southern Jordan paves the way for the final end time’s faithful Jewish remnant to flee there during the Antichrist genocidal campaign against the Jews.

The Bible foretells a remnant of Jews will come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation period (Hosea 5:15). Additionally the Bible declares at the same time the Antichrist will be attempting a final campaign to destroy the Jewish race. This impetus to destroy the Jews is a major theme in what is often called the Armageddon campaign.

During this campaign, the Antichrist assembles the armies of the world (Armageddonites) to kill the Jews, prevent the return of Christ, and prove that Jehovah, the God of the Jews, is a promise breaker. Scripture points out that the Jewish people are instrumental in provoking the Second Coming of Christ and upholding the covenant making character of Jehovah. Thus, Satan and his seed the Antichrist seek to destroy the Jews during the Tribulation period.

Second Judgment upon Edom

Whereas the Jewish people are instrumental in the execution of the first judgment destined for Edom, the second judgment deals with the Armageddonites rather than the Edomites and is not delivered by the Jewish people, but by the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ!

The first judgment on Edom will mainly destroy the Edomites rather than Edom, the territory. However, the second judgment will devastate the land of ancient Edom making it inhospitable for humans and converting it into a habitation for demon possessed wild animals. (Isaiah 34:9-15, Joel 3:9, Malachi 1:3-4 and elsewhere.)

The second judgment upon Edom has nothing to do with terminating the end of the Arab – Israeli conflict and everything to do with preserving the faithful Jewish remnant and destroying the Antichrist and his armies. The I.D.F. victory in the first judgment of Edom will be short lived. Soon afterwards the Antichrist will be masterminding his attempt to destroy the Jews.

Zechariah 13:8 says that the Antichrist will kill two-thirds Israeli Jews in the Tribulation period. Most of the final third flees to Edom, modern day Southern Jordan. They can safely seek refuge there only after Israel annexes Edom in the aftermath of the first judgment. This could not happen presently since Edom today is under Jordanian sovereignty. Part one pointed out that the first judgment upon Edom is a Pre-Trib event; however, the second judgment occurs within the Tribulation period.

Prophecies regarding the second judgment of Edom depict the return of Christ to Edom in order to fight for the survival of the Jewish remnant. Even though this remnant flees to higher safer ground in the mountainous region of Edom, (Southern Jordan), they will remain under imminent threat from the Antichrist.

Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength?—I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save [Messiah Christ].” Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me [Christ alone and not the I.D.F.]. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes. For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come. I looked, but there was no one to help, And I wondered That there was no one to uphold; Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me; And My own fury, it sustained Me. I have trodden down the peoples [Antichrist and Armageddonites] in My anger, Made them drunk in My fury, And brought down their strength to the earth.” (Isaiah 63:1-6; NKJV)

Isaiah makes clear that Christ touches down in Edom to protect “My redeemed”, the faithful Jewish remnant. Furthermore Isaiah declares that Christ single handedly destroys the “peoples” assembled against the Jews. Isaiah 34:5 makes a similar prophetic assessment.

For My [Messiah Christ] sword shall be bathed in heaven; Indeed it shall come down on Edom, And on the people [Armageddonites] of My curse, for judgment. (Isaiah 34:5; NKJV)

Summary of Parts One and Two

The first judgment upon Edom is intended to severely impact the Middle East, and leave a lasting impression upon all the inhabitants of the world. It will serve in the future as an echo of God’s past as well as His present foreign policy contained in Genesis 12:3. Obadiah 1:15 declares; “As you [Edomites] have done it shall be done to you”, which appropriately describes the curse-for-curse-in-kind clause of the Abrahamic Covenant. The Edomites and their Psalm 83 cohorts will seek to destroy Israel militarily, but conversely the I.D.F. will prevail.

The first judgment of Edom occurs when “the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near.” (Obad 1:15) It serves as a final worldwide warning that the end of life on earth as it will be understood at that time draws near. It will also be a call to remembrance that God blesses and curses in relationship to the treatment or mistreatment of Abraham and his descendants.

The execution of tremendous fury and vengeance against the Palestinians, leaving none to carry on the lineage of Esau according to Obadiah 1:18, will demonstrate to the world that if God did not spare the descendants of Jacob’s own twin brother Esau, then none seeking to bring future harm to the Jewish people will escape the curse-for-curse-in-kind clause of Genesis 12:3.

In contrast to Jacob, who was promised descendants, a homeland, and a King forever, his twin brother Esau will have none of the above. The first judgment against Edom eliminates all of Esau’s descendants including any would be kings, and the second judgment against Edom leaves Esau’s homeland unsuitable for human habitation. Indeed one will be caused to consider the severity of cursing Israel when they think about the contrasting fates of the twin brothers Jacob and Esau.

For greater detail on the two prophetic judgments pending against Edom, read “Isralestine; the Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East“ Chapters called: Whodomites; Who are the Edomites Today, and The Final Palestinian Farewell.