By Dr. Jeffrey
Johnson
Dr. Jeffrey Johnson is a humanitarian, author, and
sought-after lecturer on Jewish roots and Bible Prophecy. He was a pastor
for over 17 years and received his Master’s Degree from Moody Bible Institute
and his Doctorate from Louisiana Baptist University. He is a member of the American
Society of Church History as well as Evangelical Theological Society. He
has authored several books including God Was There, Childhood of
Jesus, and Life After Death: What Happens Next? His latest
book, The Moses Papers, will be released this fall. For more
information visit www.IsraelTodayMinistries.org.
The
Arab Spring turns out to be not so “springy.” To bring
democracy to basically a nomadic world will be challenging at best.
Israel is the only stable democracy in the region.
Let’s
look at the facts: you have Hezbollah (Lebanon) in the north with 50,000
rockets aimed at Israel; Hamas (Gaza) launching several thousand rockets into
Israel’s border cities in the last few years; Syria, who does not recognize
Israel, killing over 100,000 of their own people and just waiting to blame
Israel for their problems; Iran, with their evolving nuclear program would use
rockets to eradicate the Jewish State; Egypt, whose peace treaty with Israel is
faltering; Jordan, also holding a treaty with Israel, is struggling to care for
the thousands of refugees fleeing Syria. Then you have Russia, empowering
Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah. Quite a mess!
So
what does the Bible have to say about all this?
The
Prophet Ezekiel gives us a daunting presage of a military campaign. The
military advance is set within the context of the prophet foretelling Israel’s
rebirth as a nation within the purview of the final years before the cosmic
transforming Messianic Kingdom unfolds.
Much
of Israel’s rebirth is attested in Ezekiel 36 & 37, and then in 38:1-39:16
the seer describes a coalition that has evil intentions. The first nation
listed in the coalition is Persia, 38:5. The first nation listed is
always the most influential of the group. Persia is modern-day
Iran. The nations in the list are Muslim – and the leader of the
coalition comes from the north, “far north” of Israel, Gog, of the land of
Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, 38:2,15. Many theologians
today believe this to be a description of Russia.
Motivated
by the great power from the “far north,” Persia (Iran) will develop a league of
nations to attack Israel, 38:1-7. As you read the prophet’s words you
wade through horrible carnage stemmed from natural and supernatural venues. The
earth will quake, 38:19; disease and blood, 38:22; fire and brimstone will fall
from the sky, 38:22; beasts will eat human bloodied mangled flesh, 39:4; bones,
flesh, and special detachments of people to bury bodies and body parts,
39:11-16. The carnage of this war is so terrible that Israel will create a
city-sized cemetery, 39:15,16. Sounds to
me like the launching of a limited nuclear & chemical war. Israel
survives, but at great cost.
From
38:17 to chapter 48 in Ezekiel, you have global peace beginning to unfurl as
Messiah comes at the dawn of the Messianic Kingdom. Isaiah’s profoundly
hopeful words will begin: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore”(Isaiah 2:4).
Isaiah
elaborates on the Kingdom of Messiah, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be
full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (11:6, 9).
According to the prophet, the Arab-Israeli conflict will finally come to an
end.
In
fact, Isaiah’s trajectory gives the world an infusion of deep hope. “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And
the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate…and they shall call
you The City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel” (60:1, 3, 14).
The
prophet is saying that nations will be at peace; political, tribal, racial and
religious hatred will cease, and the world will call Jerusalem the City of the
Lord. The Apostle Paul, echoing Isaiah’s
words, stated, “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, and every
tongue shall confess to God…that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father” (Romans 14:11; Isaiah 45:22; Philippians 2:11).
When
looking at prophetic themes, one must always look for the hope, the goal, and
end result. God always brings hope to the table – at times it seems a
long way off – nonetheless, hope arrives.
Are
today’s events the beginning of the Sage’s prophecy? Let the readers
judge, meanwhile Christians should pray for peace – and when praying be sure to
pray as Jesus taught, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in
Heaven.”
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