Does Psalm 83 set the stage for Ezekiel 38?

[ftwspursfan]

By Bill Salus

Current Mideast rumblings have many eschatologists revisiting a prophetic psalm vastly overlooked. This is Psalm 83, which discusses the formation of a ten member, predominately Arab, confederacy destined to someday seek the utter destruction of the nation Israel. Psalm 83 has recently popped up on the prophetic radar screen because many of Israel’s most observable enemies today, like the Palestinians, Hezbollah, and Hamas, appear to be enlisted among the ten member coalition. Thus an increasing number of end time’s experts are attempting to gain greater understanding of the psalm and its timeline placement.

The psalm was authored by Asaph approximately 3000 years ago at a time in Israel’s history when King David reigned, the Israelites were preparing to build their first temple, and the nation as a whole was divinely blessed and empowered. Furthermore, we are told in 2 Chronicles 29:30 that Asaph was a seer, chozeh in the Hebrew, meaning he was gifted with prophetic inclinations.

Oddly, at a savory point in Israel’s history, Asaph received his genocidal vision of Israel’s possible destruction. This daunting prophecy must have disturbed the Israelites at the time since most of the confederates were comprised of surrounding populations that had demonstrated a sincere hatred toward them at various points throughout their history. Additionally, Assyria, one of the ten confederate members, was becoming a conquering empire to the Northeast of Israel at the time. These populations are listed in Psalm 83:6-8 and are connected with their modern day equivalents later in this article.

continued at PROPHECY DEPOT: Does Psalm 83 set the stage for Ezekiel 38?

[readytogo]

Great article by Bill Salus. I think that I'm going to email the link to my pastor. He's still not convinced that this is a prophecy that hasn't been fulfilled yet, but he's willing to look into it.

[Sean Osborne]

Thank you. Though Bill wrote this article, I did conduct some of the key Biblical research that went into it. One example is the second paragraph from 2 Chronicles 29:30 about Asaph being a chozeh, a seer, a prophet, which elevates Asaph up from being a mere singer or offerer of an imprecatory prayer as ciritcs of the Psalm 83 exegesis previously attempted to make points with.

[Robert]

I too think it is a prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled; if you look, the nations mentioned in it are now gathering, and the storm clouds of war loom on the horizon. Plus, if you look at the lists of the participants in psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38, they aren't the same.

[Sean Osborne]

I hear that Chuck Missiler will be throwing his support behind Bill Salus' researched exegesis in Isralestine.

[AnnS]

One verse that I am confused about is Ez: 38 vs 8 ..."and now all of them live in safty"

If the war of 38 brings about this safety, then where does it fit in with the Rapture, 7-year reign of the Beast/False Prophet/AntiChrist, and conversion of the Jews to the Messiah and then the millenium fit it .....

Then in chapter 40 Ezekie starts the Vision of the New Temple.

But I am always having problem with putting Biblical Scripture chronological order.

[Sean Osborne]

One verse that I am confused about is Ez: 38 vs 8 ..."and now all of them live in safty"

If the war of 38 brings about this safety, then where does it fit in with the Rapture, 7-year reign of the Beast/False Prophet/AntiChrist, and conversion of the Jews to the Messiah and then the millenium fit it .....

Then in chapter 40 Ezekie starts the Vision of the New Temple.

But I am always having problem with putting Biblical Scripture chronological order.

AnnS,

Ezekiel 38:8 chronologically occurs after the war of Isaiah 17 and Psalm 83 but prior to Daniel's 70th Week.

Israel achieves great wealth and safety within secure borders as a direct result of the total defeat of all Arab states surrounding her today - from Lebanon, to Syria, to Jordan, to Saudi, the Egypt - and is the reason why none of these nations are mentioned in either Ezekiel 38 or 39.

[GlennO]

Just got my copy of Israelestine today...

probably be a late night tonite

[Chris]

Here's a list of Psalm 83 players I think I got from Bill's site:

[GlennO]

I ordered my copy of Israelestine through Amazon a week ago and got it yesterday. Today I found our church bookstore just started stocking it

Great read and brings new light to a vital subject

[GlennO]

I hear that Chuck Missiler will be throwing his support behind Bill Salus' researched exegesis in Isralestine.

Just received C.Missler's April 2010 Personal Update. I'd say his is all in on the Psalm 83! Pages 3-7 are feature an article titled "A Surprise in Psalm 83?....The Magog Invasion: an Alternative View" . He has also produced a 2 hour on the topic with the same title.

On pages 9-15 there is an excellent overview of the EU "2010 and Beyond ...The European Union" by Director of Research Director, Mary Miller.

[ngraham]

But I am always having problem with putting Biblical Scripture chronological order.
AnnS,

Ezekiel 38:8 chronologically occurs after the war of Isaiah 17 and Psalm 83 but prior to Daniel's 70th Week.

Israel achieves great wealth and safety within secure borders as a direct result of the total defeat of all Arab states surrounding her today - from Lebanon, to Syria, to Jordan, to Saudi, the Egypt - and is the reason why none of these nations are mentioned in either Ezekiel 38 or 39.

OK help me here. :) I was taught that it will probably be the Ps. 83/Is. 17 war that comes first. And Israel with be hurt terribly and have many casualties , but still victorious over her Arab neighbors. But they will have used the majority of the military equipment to the point that they have nothing left to fight the the Ez. 38-39 war and God supernaturally delivers them and they realize that it was God who does deliver them through Ezk. 38-39. If this is the case, how can she achieve great wealth and safety?

[Robert]

Well, consider the fact that in the war of Gog/Magog, it's Russia and a confederation of states that comes against Israel; a far LARGER army than all her close neighbors combined. even at full strength, it would be a losing battle for her if she had to take all that on by herself. Until then, she would be safe from immediate enemies around her, as the world would not want to mess with israel after she demonstrated her "teeth" in psalm 83. But Ezekiel 38 says that Russia will be motivated by something to invade israel at a point after teh psalm 83 wars.

Just a thought to consider.

[GlennO]

ngraham

The things that have rung my bell since I have been reading Israelestine, is that whether Israel is attacked, or she attacks preemptively, she will prevail in the style of David and Goliath on steroids. To me, that is just like the Lord. In the vacuum resulting from their utter defeat, as Israel expands into both their territory and their wealth allowing her to dwell securely.

I never really noticed that none of Israel's direct neighbors are mentioned in the Ezek 38 scenario.

Her wealth [oil and strategic control of the three continent land bridge] appears too much for Russia to resist [coveting is such a predictable "hook"].

I wondered about Israel dwelling securely in unwalled cities as that is certainly not the case today, but I never heard any of the mainstream Pre-Trib teachers I knew address the inconsistency. my bad.

I'm thankful the Lord is giving us this additional "light" so I may be better "prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in us".

[A Rogue Spook 777]

Hello, one of my first post, thought I'd share an interesting thought or two.


I believe we can ascertain the battles are two different battles separated by a short period of time. In the Ezekiel 38 & 39 account, none of the bordering nation of Israel are mentioned, being Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Gaza, all known entities at that time. All the participants Ezekiel mentions are nations away from Israel and do not have a history of directly attacking Israel from their declaration of statehood in 1948 to the present, as the bordering states have.

It is hard to contemplate the Ezekiel battle not having these bordering nations participating under today‘s analyst of the tensions between Israel and her bordering neighbors, unless some event has neutralized them prior to this battle. I believe Psalm 83, and possibly Amos 1, could be the reason the bordering nations are not mentioned. If a pre-battle to the Ezekiel account takes place it may explain the peace and security Israelis are experiencing, even if it is for a short period of time.

Looking at a possible scenario at present, Israel may soon attack Iran’s nuclear facilities capable of breeding/producing Plutonium from enriched Uranium. In retaliation, Iran may attack Israel in proxy via the terror groups in the bordering nations. This could be the fulfillments of Psalm 83, Amos 1, and possibly culminate with Isaiah 17, the destruction of Damascus. This scenario may be the correct contemplation on the catalyst for the Ezekiel battle. Also as mentioned in Ezekiel 39, Israel after this battle Israel will burn the weapons for 7 years. GOD could be pinpointing when this battle takes place,….. just prior to a 7 year period.

The scenario I have had privy to, believes frustrated terror groups, infiltrated by Iranian agents, being heavily defeated by the IDF now under Netanyahu, could possibly launch chemical and/or biological warheads in a missile salvo at Israeli population centers from Syria. If such an attack transpires killing hundreds or thousands of Israeli citizens, we may possibly see Israel respond by destroying Damascus, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy.

[GlennO]

Spook -

Sounds like an informed perspective! WELCOME!

[mlb]

Hi yes i do believe that Psalm 83 does set the stage for the Ezikiel 38-39 war, I posted this a few weeks ago and still believe thing may go something like what I have writen... here it is again.


What’s happening in Israel, All is quiet???.. Hardly……..



All is quiet; well we know that isn’t so, the world is still working on the two state solution Islam still wants all of Israel, and we are waiting for all out war to break out.
We know this will happen because the Bible tells us it will, Ezekiel describes it in some detail, but the scene is not set for this war not yet.

Eze 38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought forth out of the peoples, and they shall dwell securely, all of them.
Eze 38:9 And thou shalt ascend, thou shalt come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy hordes, and many peoples with thee.
Eze 38:10 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: It shall come to pass in that day, that things shall come into thy mind, and thou shalt devise an evil device:
Eze 38:11 and thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates;
Eze 38:12 to take the spoil and to take the prey; to turn thy hand against the waste places that are now inhabited, and against the people that are gathered out of the nations, that have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the middle of the earth.
Eze 38:13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take the spoil? hast thou assembled thy company to take the prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take great spoil?

As Ezekiel prophesised, Israel has to be in a secure position and have some vast wealth and something Gog and Magog want, also this wealth has to be notable enough for the rest of the world to consider enough for some other nation to go to war over.
Is Israel in that position now?
Things may be beginning to look that way; this is part of a news report from a few months back.
The gas find has much greater possibilities than first meet the eye. It is a great find and an asset to Israel. But the significants to Russia is a big financial disaster. Russia has been positioning itself to be Europe and the Mediterranean communities energy source, and now they have to pull back from the Mediterranean area they were already laying their pipe lines so I was informed, by news sources. A major setback for Russia, as she wants to be the major force in that area, not just as an energy supplier.
Israel Strikes "Natural Gas" Pocket, Promising Energy Independence for 15 Years Amidst all its struggles to develop clean and cleaner technologies (and a war with Gaza), it seem that Israelis got a huge gift this week: Israelis were celebrating this week over the discovery of a massive 3 trillion cubic feet natural gas pocket found buried 1.5 km below the sea floor, some 90 km off the coastal city Haifa.


Then there is the issue of OIL,
How would that change the game with Israel? Probably in a big way, as the oil card is the one the negotiators, always pulls out first, when it come to “land for peace”
Up to date Israel is totally dependent on America’s help to get her oil needs supplied, as the OPEC nations are all Islamic and would like to see Israel go down forever. And as the current American administration is now supportive of Israel, the is a real issue here

An oil find for Israel would change things a great deal for Israel. And that may be the next big news that comes from the land God calls the apple of His eyes.
Here is a web site that tells of that very possibility, these men have taken the bible and looked at the end time prophesies regarding Israel’s wealth in the last days and believe there is oil in the prophecies. Jan Markell, on her radio program Olive tree Ministries interviewed the men and they explained the reasons and the verses, and believe they will soon strike oil.

Oil in Israel

Here is possibly the wealth that Russia may want and come after, but the scriptures from Ezekiel also mentioned that Israel was dwelling I peace.

Eze 38:11 and thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates;
That is not the case in Israel today, it is pretty well accepted that the war described in Psalm 83 will take place first before the Ezekiel 38-39 war. Could OIL be a reason the nations mentioned in Psalm 83, go to war to close down Israel. But the word of God tells us that Israel is victorious, and with all her nebours subdued, Israel can now take down the walls and relax.
She has peace on her borders and is independently wealthy, no oil card daggling over her head, Peace for land is a dead deal, and she may even have OPEC over her own barrels, and control the oil from the Middle East.
Israel now has become a very attractive target for a greedy nation to target and with Iran’s encouragement, the Ezekiel 38-39 war, then the world will have to come to Israel to negotiate a treaty for its oil needs, and future peace. The bible tells us this will only last for a short time. Untill the world leader turns on them with the help of the Asian nations the Kings of the East.

[mikhen7]

I am in total agreement here. Ps 83 is definitely a prelude to the Ez 38 war. I believe its end will indeed cast somewhat of a peace in Israel knowing her immediate enemies have been quieted.

My consternation is where to place Jer. 4: 3-29? I posted in the prophecy forum but no one replied. Do you think it is a pre-trib event, trib event, or was fulfilled 2500 years ago? Could it be fulfilled as part of Psalm 83? Questions questions.

It seems that Jeremiah is speaking about war that is coming as well. My intrigue with the passage may come from all of the Television images that showed sirens blasting night and day in Israel during the Iraq war and people leaving the cities to get away from possible disater. This passage asks:

19 O my soul, my soul!
I am pained in my very heart!
My heart makes a noise in me;
I cannot hold my peace,
Because you have heard, O my soul,
The sound of the trumpet,
The alarm of war.
20 Destruction upon destruction is cried,
For the whole land is plundered.
Suddenly my tents are plundered,
And my curtains in a moment.
21 How long will I see the standard,
And hear the sound of the trumpet?

We know the standard was lifted in war. But the sound of the trumpet blasting sounds too much like the sirens blasting in Israels cities. and destruction upon destruction? Could that be missle upon missle?

The passage below seems to be that alarming Information is coming from the North sides of Israel. The same place Israel seems to get blasted from the terrorist rockets coming from Lebanon etc.

15 For a voice declares from Dan
And proclaims affliction from Mount Ephraim:

16 “ Make mention to the nations,
Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem,
That watchers come from a far country
And raise their voice against the cities of Judah.
17 Like keepers of a field they are against her all around,
Because she has been rebellious against Me,” says the LORD.

Then this passage is scary in that it reminds me of Chemical warfare.

Jer 4: 11,12 state:
11 At that time it will be said
To this people and to Jerusalem,
“ A dry wind (or burning wind) of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness
Toward the daughter of My people—
Not to fan or to cleanse—
12 A wind too strong for these will come for Me;
Now I will also speak judgment against them.”

This dry, desolate hot burning wind that is not intended to cleanse is said to be coming from God. God is the judge and he is sovereign in all things judge worthy.

At any rate I would just like see what opinion you all hold concerning this unblievable passage. As you read it you will also not the sky above turning black.

[Robert]

Okay: is it just me, or has ANYONE ELSE noticed that "Psalm 83" and "Ezekiel 38" are mirror OPPOSITES of one another?


83<-->38

Does anyone else think there is any significance to this?

Could I have eaten one too many cheeseburgers?

[mattfivefour]

Personally, I think you have spent too much time around people who eat Nutella ... which is a known destroyer of brain cells. But hey, that's just one man's opinion.

I personally see no harm in cheeseburgers. Especially doubles with bacon.