There has been a whole lot that has happened revolving around the war that Israel is involved in over the last week or so – and much of it under the radar of the mainstream press. I’ll just give you some of the headlines and then we’ll look at the possible prophetic implications.
- On Feb 9 Egypt began to deploy antiaircraft artillery to its’ to the Egyptian-Israeli border.
- By Feb 10 Egypt had moved tanks, troops and armored vehicles adjacent to the Gaza Strip. Egyptian government officials warned that an IDF advance into Rafah, causing Palestinian refugees to flee toward Egypt would force that country to withdraw from the Egypt-Israeli Peace Treaty of 1978-79.
- Iran’s Foreign Minister warned Israeli PM Netanyahu that he would be killed if Israel invaded Lebanon.
- In a private phone call, Israel advised Egypt of its’ plans to invade Rafah taking both sides of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Of course, Egypt objected. Hal Turner: “Saturday 10 February, Egypt reminded Israel of the Camp David Accords, negotiated by then Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and then Israeli Prime Minister, Menachem Begin at the invitation of then-U.S. President, Jimmy Carter. According to that Treaty, the Rafah area is “Zone D” of the geography covered by the Treaty, and that zone cannot be occupied by Israeli troops as a condition for terminating the war between Israel and Egypt.” This would result in a state of war between Egypt and Israel. “Sunday, 11 February 2024, M60A3 “Patton” Tanks from the Egyptian Army began arriving at the border.”
- Jordan and Saudi Arabia have also now warned Israel of serious repercussions if they persisted in their plans to invade Rafah.[i]
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It was reported that Israel began bombing and moving into Rafah on February 11th.[ii]
- Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad announced “said that his country was ready to liberate parts of its territory occupied illegally by Israel (Golan Heights), the United States (Conoco Oil Fields) and Turkey (Northeastern Syria / Kurdistan).” He said, “Syria has waged several wars against Israel and is ready for new ones.”[iii]
- As the week went on, the fighting on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon continued to heat up. Hezbollah launched rocket attacks against Israel. The IDF countered with a series of deadly airstrikes in Lebanon.[iv]
- Despite all this action, hostage and cease fire negotiations were being conducted. Newsweek reported: “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has offered Hamas a six-week cessation of hostilities and more Palestinian prisoner releases in exchange for the remaining hostages, numbered at 136. Hamas is willing to release the hostages, but only on its terms. The Islamist group came back with a draft proposal of its own, a three-stage plan that would be implemented over a period of four and a half months and result in Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners (including senior militants), withdrawing from Gaza and ending the war permanently. Netanyahu strongly opposed Hamas’ framework, calling it ‘delusional.’”[v]
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In a last minute development, it is now being reported that Egypt is constructing a “buffer zone” to house Palestinians fleeing the fighting in Rafah and elsewhere in Gaza. “Construction is underway to create a security zone along Gaza’s border with Egypt that could receive Palestinian refugees fleeing an expected Israeli assault on Rafah, according to an Egyptian rights group.” According to Tariq Kenney-Shawa, an American with the Palestinian Policy Network, the war is putting Egypt in an unenviable position. The Egyptians are being forced to choose between keeping “the borders closed and watch thousands be massacred by Israeli forces or open the borders and be complicit in the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.”[vi]
- Former IDF Major-General Yitzhak Barik warned in the Jerusalem Post that the threat from Egypt is one to be taken very seriously. “Although it’s a poor country, it’s the strongest army in the Middle East today – 4,000 tanks, 2,000 modern ones, hundreds of the most advanced aircraft, and a navy of the best there is. For years, they’ve been building highways into Sinai. We’re the target. They’re not building the army for anywhere else. This means one decision to cancel peace, they become an enemy state, and we don’t even have a brigade to stand against it.[vii]
THE PROPHETIC TAKE
Like all events – and especially those involving Israel, what we are watching going on is fully in the permissive will of God. All of this is happening with a purpose. And a central part of that purpose is to advance God’s prophetic plan for Israel and the world. I am not alone in recognizing that this may be signaling the start of the Psalm 83 War. . Here’s the set up. Right now, Israel is at war with Hamas in the south. The fight with Hezbollah, based across Israel’s northern border in Lebanon is already brewing. Israel has warned an invasion is coming if Hezbollah does not withdraw from the border region. Arab fighters in Iraq and Syria have moved toward Israel’s eastern frontier. Then there are the moves of the Egyptian forces. There is a coalition forming – and we yet don’t know who will be all the way in – with the express purpose of destroying Israel as a state.
First some context. Scripture tells us clearly that the nation of Israel faces a tough road in the last days. It appears that there are two prophetic wars facing the Jewish nation before the return of Messiah Jesus. Most are aware of the famous Gog-Magog prophecies found in Ezekiel, chapters 38 & 39. The players are clear, even after about 2,600 years; Russia (in the view of many) / Turkey, Iran, some of the former Islamic Soviet Republics. However, Syria, Egypt and the Palestinians are pointedly missing! Yet we know from Micah 5, Isaiah 19, Ezekiel 31 and Obadiah that these nations will suffer devastating defeat after they come against God’s people in the end times. Many prophecy scholars have concluded that there will be a prior war in which Israel will be facing this inner-ring of Arab / Islamic nations: Syria, Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinians. After that, there will be a time of peace, after which Israel will face the infamous Gog-Magog invasion. They are basing this on Psalm 83. Now, there has been some debate over which specific countries may be involved, there exists general agreement on the vast majority of the ten listed peoples.
But specific countries there are – all listed in scripture. Now, this began as an attack by a single power. But it turns out there is a little bit more to this. The attack against Israel was not conceived by Hamas alone. The Wall Street Journal reports: “Iranian security officials helped plan Hamas’s Saturday surprise attack on Israel and gave the green light for the assault at a meeting in Beirut last Monday, according to senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah.” The whole thing was part of a “broader plan” to “strangle Israel” from all sides. “The IRGC’s [Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps] – broader plan is to create a multi-front threat that can strangle Israel from all sides—Hezbollah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the north and Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank, according to the senior Hamas and Hezbollah members and an Iranian official.” Other sources have maintained that there was indeed a broader plan, but Hamas – for whatever reason – jumped the gun and attacked on their own.] Though we are still not sure, this revelation brings it a closer to the demands of scripture.
“‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.’ With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you- the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. Even Assyria has joined them to lend strength to the descendants of Lot. Selah” (Psalm 83:4-8) Thus has been the battle cry of the Arab nations that surround the State of Israel ever since its modern inception in 1948. “Let us destroy them as a nation!” There have been many calls in the past to “wipe Israel from the face of the earth.” There is a clause in the Palestinian Charter that denies Israel its existence.
So, who are these nations mentioned in Psalm 83 that will be going against Israel. The Scripture is very specific. Edom refers to Jordan. The Ishmaelites are Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Moab again is Jordan. The Hagrites” refers to the Egyptians and possibly other North African peoples. Ammon yet once more refers to Jordan, Philistia is the Palestinians, Tyre is in Lebanon. Finally, Assyria takes in part of the areas of Syria, Iraq and Iran. Who can deny this is the purpose of these Arab / Muslim nations? Certainly not they! Like I said, there is some disagreement as to the exact list but this is the general list.
Then look at the nations that are becoming potential foes in this fight. Hamas checks the Philistine box. Tyre is in Lebanon where Hezbollah resides. Egypt is mobilized and deploying. Fighters from Syria and Iraq, areas once controlled by the Assyrians. Yes, Jordan is missing right now. There are however around 2 million Palestinians living in Jordan. So, is this the prophetic Psalm 83 War? Not yet. But the conditions could evolve into fulfilling that prophecy. That could serve as the entrance ramp to further End Times events. So, we know it is the purpose of Arab / Islam to drive Israel into the sea. Three wars have proved it.
[i] Israel Warned By Egypt, Jordan, and Saudis Against Rafah Invasion, Hal Turner Radio, February 11, 2024
[ii] Israel Begins BOMBING Rafah, Hal Turner Radio, February 11, 2024
[iii] SYRIA FOREIGN MINISTER: “WE ARE READY FOR WAR WITH ISRAEL”, Hal Turner Radio, February 11, 2024
[iv] Israel launches airstrikes on Lebanon following rocket attack, NBC News, February 15, 2024
[v] Daniel R DePetris, While Israel Continues the War in Gaza, Another War Looms, Newsweek, February 15, 2024
[vi] War on Gaza: Egypt building buffer zone to receive Palestinian refugees, rights group says, Middle East Eye, February 15, 2024
[vii] Egypt may become an unstoppable enemy for Israel, former IDF general warns, Jerusalem Post, February 11, 2024
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