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.
____________________________
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?

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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”.