The Psalm 83 War - The Complete and Glorious Victory

Back on October 28, I began the first of a two-part series on the Psalm 83 War. At that time we looked carefully at verses 1-8, focusing our attention upon who the participants in that war would be, and the reasons for their attack upon Israel. You might remember that we identified those nations that presently surround Israel as being the ones the psalmist Asaph described. And the reason for their attack was simply their desire to drive Israel into the sea.

Today we want to examine the remaining verses of this chapter. The prevailing thought of verses 9-18 is of the impending destruction to be wrecked upon those nations by God. We read in verses 9-12: "Do to them as you did to Midian, as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, who perished at Endor and became like refuse on the ground. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said 'Let us take possession of the pasturelands of God.'"

Two events, recorded in the book of Judges, are cited here by the psalmist. The first is a reference to the victory of Deborah and Barak over the forces of the Canaanites under the leadership of King Jabin and General Sisera. You can read this story in Judges 4. It was a tremendous victory actually leaving General Sisera dead on the ground "like refuse." You will remember that he lay dead inside the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, with a tent peg driven through his skull.

The second event is found in Judges 7 and 8. Gideon and his army of 300 are in hot pursuit of the fleeing Midianites. The Ephraimites who soon joined the pursuit captured two of the leaders of the Midianite army - Oreb and Zeeb. The text tells us that they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. As for Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of the Midianites, Gideon captured them and killed them, thus ending the the threat of the Midianites. You see the Midianites had thought they would take possession of the Promised Land for themselves. They paid an awful price for their greed with 120,000 soldiers falling on the battlefield (Judges 8:10).

History has shown the powerful involvement of God on behalf of His people. In recent times we have witnessed the miracles of 1948-49 (the War of Independence), 1967 (the Six-Day War), and 1973 (the Yom Kippur War). Does another victory lie on the doorstep? I believe it does.

The psalmist then continues, "Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind" (verse 13). Both tumbleweeds and chaff have no economic value. They are both driven by the wind and soon disappear. They have no lasting value. The psalmist reminds his readers that that is the way these nations who oppose Israel will be shown. They have no value. They will be drive before the wind of His wrath.

"As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze, so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm" (verses 14-15). I have seen pictures of the destruction wrought by a forest fire. Those pictures show an all-encompassing devastation. So will be the totality of the destruction upon those nations who conspire together to cause the eradication of Israel from the face of the earth.

"Cover their faces with shame so that men will seek your name, O LORD. May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD - that you alone are the Most High over all the earth" (verses 16-18). One of the resultant consequences of the Psalm 83 War is that men will know that God is sovereignly in control. Some eyes will be opened; most, however, will not, or if they are, it will only be temporary. Sort of like the acclamation of the people of Israel following the fire coming from heaven upon Mt. Carmel (see 1 Kings 18).

Let's see if we can summarize the events of the Psalm 83 War. First, there will be a coalition of nations that presently surround Israel: Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, the Jordanians, the Saudis and the Egyptians. The purpose of the coalition is "let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more" (Psalm 83:4). We have heard this cry often in recent months. So war will be engaged, but the outcome will be very similar to those wars of the past: God will grant Israel the victory. And it will be a complete victory, thus ending the immediate threat of a Palestinian aggression.

Are you not glad that God is in absolute control? And I am glad that He has chosen to reveal His plans to us. We just need to stay focused upon Him. We just need to stay in the Word. We just need to have a firm resolve to trust Him. Then we, too, as with Israel can say, "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

A Startling Announcement from the Palestinians: What Does It Bode for Israel?

A surprising announcement came forth from Ramallah, the de facto capitol of the Palestinian Authority. Current President, Mahmoud Abbas, announced that he has "no desire" to run in the January 24, 2010, presidential elections in the PA territories. Later in the week, several of the key Fatah personnel surrounding President Abbas also indicated that they were "thinking" of walking away from their posts as well. Now you need to remember that the Fatah Party is one of the oldest political parties among the Palestinians, dating back to the early 1960's when it was founded by Yassir Arafat. He led that party for forty years, before his death in 2004.

If the Fatah Party becomes weakened because of these announcements, then one can only wonder exactly what the outcome of those January 24, 2010, elections might be. It is no secret that Hamas has been salivating at the thought of controlling the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). You might remember the elections within the PA territories several years ago when Hamas actually captured enough votes to control the Palestinian Parliament. If not for the leadership of President Abbas, who knows what might have happened. And you will remember what happened in the Gaza Strip, one of the PA territories, when Hamas actually gained the leadership role there through a violent take-over. The Gaza Strip has become one of the most tightly controlled terrorist camps in the world. Over the past eight years, thousands of rockets have been launched from the Gaza Strip into the surrounding Israeli towns and villages, causing untold human suffering.

What do you think would happen if Hamas captured, not only the Palestinian Parliament, but also the leadership positions? How soon before the West Bank would become another terrorist camp. Now all of Israel would become vulnerable to the threats of daily rocket attacks. What would the family of world nations do? What would be their response to such a situation?

In answer to those questions, one needs to look no further than the recent approval of the Goldstone Report by the United Nations General Assembly. That report, commissioned by the UN to investigate the actions of Israel and Hamas during last winter's Operation Cast Lead offensive into the Gaza, was highly critical of Israel for the heavy loss of civilian lives. The essence of the report was to condemn Israel and to seek its punishment for war crimes through the International Court of Justice at the Hague. Last week, when the voting occurred, 114 nations approved the Goldstone Report, only 18 nations voted against the Report, with another 44 nations abstaining. The result of this vote caused one writer to issue these headlines: "An Evil Wind Is Blowing" (Joel Rosenberg's Weblog - www.flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com). Did 158 nations really care about the continual rocket attacks from Gaza into Israeli towns? Don't think so! Did 158 nations really care to check the manner in which Hamas used human shields - even hospitals and schools - in this fight? Don't think so! Will 158 nations really care if Israel becomes surrounded on all sides by enemies firing rockets, not just into small towns like Sderot, but cities of Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem? Don't think so.

Let's see if we can begin to put some pieces together. Presently, on Israel's southwest border is Hamas in the Gaza Strip. And on Israel's northern border is Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon. (Thankfully they are 500 tons short of rockets, mortars, and grenades because of Israel's quick actions against the ship trying to bring the munitions from Iran to Lebanon). And there is Syria on Israel's northeast border...announcing just this past week that the time for peaceful negotiations for the Golan Heights will soon end, then war will begin to reclaim that strategic piece of land for Syria. And, if Hamas wins in January, then the West Bank will also become a place for terror. Israel will be totally surrounded.

Now this sounds like the script right from Psalm 83. Go back and reread those verses. The only ones missing are the Egyptians and the Jordanians. But both those regimes are being pressed hard by radical Islamists, so who knows how they might fall.

More pieces of the end-times puzzle is beginning to take shape. The Bible tells us repeatedly that Israel will stand alone during the last days. I think we are already seeing how the world will respond. But let us not despair, God is in control. His promises and His plans for Israel and for us can never be changed because He is a God who never changes. Now, that is some good news we need to hear.

A Post Election Analysis...Perhaps Room for Optimism

Yesterday was election day in many places in our country. Two of the most closely watched races were in Virginia and New Jersey where governorships were up for grabs. Both states voted solidly for Obama during the 2008 presidential elections. New Jersey has been a predominately Democratic state for many years - identified as being a blue state; Virginia, more recently had become a Democratic state after many years of Republican leadership - identified by many as a purple state. Both Virginia and New Jersey had been served by Democratic governors the past four years. President Obama had campaigned often in both states.

As the results were being tabulated last night, it was clear early on that Bob McConnell, the Republican candidate in Virginia, was closing in on a landslide victory over his Democratic challenger. I believe the final margin of victory was 59-41. That was huge! In New Jersey, the Republican challenger, Chris Christie, held on to win an upset victory over the incumbent Jon Corzine by a margin of 49-45. Thus, Mr. Christie becomes the first Republican to hold a state-wide elective office in New Jersey in over twelve years.

Does this mean that the Republican party is poised for a successful run in 2010? Two elections do not determine a mandate. But, I think there is a note for optimism here that should not be overlooked. From exit polling done in Virginia and New Jersey, the number one concern on the minds of voters was the economy and jobs. The Obama stimulus plan simply has not produced jobs. It has not softened the economic blows as it was purported. I believe Americans are finally waking up to the reality of the sea of red-ink that our government is creating right now. This is a debt that will certainly not be erased during my lifetime, nor the lifetime of my children, nor even of my grandchildren. What a legacy we are leaving for them...an unfettered debt and an uncontrolled entitlement program! Through the "tea parties" of this past fall and now this election, American voters are stating, fairly loudly I am convinced, that government spending needs to be reined in. I think that those members of Congress who are "blue-dog" Democrats or who represent districts that went marginally for Obama in 2008, need to take a serious look at what bills they should or should not be supporting in Washington right now. The electorate has been aroused. They have begun to shun fancy rhetoric. They are doing their homework. They are following what is happening. And they want their voice to be heard. Perhaps some real change is coming!

Let me also comment on an important ethical issue that was defeated in Maine yesterday. You might remember that last May, Governor John Baldacci had signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Maine. However, a conservative group obtained enough signatures to force that piece of legislation to be presented to the voters of Maine for their approval. And the people of Maine rejected the matter by a 53-47 margin. Maine becomes the 31st state whose electorate has affirmed that marriage should be defined as being between a man and a woman. Just think of that...31 states have seen people rise up in defense of traditional marriage. They are strongly stating that there are some things that just should not be changed. Brian Brown, spokesman for the National Organization for Marriage, stated it best: "even in a New England state, if the voters have a chance to have their say, they're going to protect and defend the commonsense definition of marriage."

So, yesterday was a great day for those of us with conservative principles. Gay-rights marriage was defeated once again...still batting 100% in that category, and fiscally conservative advocates were put into positions of leadership in two key states. It is a small step forward...but at least it was in the right direction for a change.

Sorry for not getting into Psalm 83 this week...will continue that study next week.

Psalm 83 War: Who and Why?

During the past year I have been spending some time focusing upon the teachings of Asaph, one of the musical directors within the court of King David, especially as those teachings related to the end times. My focus has been upon Psalm 83. For the next couple of weeks I would like to have us turn our attention to that Psalm. Let's see what God is revealing to us through this 10th century BC music director.

First, I immediately notice that the psalmist is inviting God to become involved in a matter...and that matter is concerned with the enemies of God's people, thus they are enemies of God Himself. The psalmist writes: O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people, they plot against those you cherish (Psalm 83:1-3). Notice how Asaph makes the strong assertion that those who oppose God's people were also opposed to God. Now who were God's people at the time Asaph was writing this particular hymn? Of course they were the people of Israel. Throughout the Old Testament God continuously refers to them as "my people." Therefore, Asaph lets us know that this psalm concerns a time when God's people are being threatened...therefore, God Himself is threatened.

But let us continue: "Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more." (Psalm 83:4). This is the battle cry of Israel's enemies. They do not want merely a battlefield victory over the Jews; but will be content with nothing less than the complete and total destruction of the Jewish State and the Jewish race itself. Theirs is the cry of Haman, the archenemy of the Jews in the story of Esther. Theirs is the cry of Adolf Hitler and his "final solution." Theirs is the cry of the radical Iranian President Ahmadinejad who declared that "Israel will be wiped off the map." Theirs is the cry of Hamas and Hizbollah and the Palestinian Organization (today's Palestinian Authority) as expressed in the 1964 Palestinian Charter: The partitioning of Palestine in 1947 and the establishment of Israel are fundamentally null and void (Article 19). Theirs is the cry of Nasser, the Egyptian dictator who led Egypt into the 1967 War: The Arabs' aspiration is the full restoration of the rights of the Palestinian people. In other words, we aim at the destruction of the State of Israel. The immediate aim: perfection of Arab military might. The national aim: the eradication of Israel. The cry of the nations mentioned in Psalm 83 is echoed by the cry of the nations today. This is the heartbeat of the Middle East Conflict.

Finally, the psalmist identifies those members of this focused coalition: With one mind they plot together, they form an alliance against you - the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the descendants of Hagar, Gebal, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. Even Assyria has joined them to lend strength to the descendants of Lot (Psalm 83:5-8). Now let us see if we can make some modern day equivalents to these ancient people groups:
1. Tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites - many Bible scholars believe this is a reference to the Palestinian people today.
2. Moab - this represents the southern portions of the Kingdom of Jordan
3. Descendants of Hagar - Hagar was an Egyptian
4. Gebal - this is the ancient area of northern Syria known today as Byblos
5. Ammon - this represents the central portions of the Kingdom of Jordan
6. Amalek - these were nomadic people who wandered the areas of the Saudi Arabian peninsula and the Sinai peninsula
7. Philistia - this is the region of today's Gaza Strip
8. Tyre - the southern region of Lebanon
9. Assyria - this is a reference to the northern portions of Iraq

Now, let's summarize this coalition: Egypt, Hamas (Gaza Strip), Hizbollah (Lebanon), Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. If you look at a map of the Middle East, you will find that this coalition represents those people who are immediately contiguous to the nation of Israel. In other words, the Psalm 83 war is a battle between Israel and her neighbors. This will not be the first time such a conflict has been incurred. We witnessed it in 1948-49 (The War of Independence), in 1956 (the Suez Canal Crisis), in 1967 (The Six-Day War), and in 1973 (The Yom-Kippur War).

As one listens carefully to the dialogue coming from the Middle East, especially from the lips of those leaders from the above mentioned nations, it is easily discerned that the antagonism against Israel is increasing. What will Israel do? What will God do on their behalf and for the sake of His Name? We will continue that discussion next week. Until then, keep looking up for our Redemption comes soon!

Can You Hear Me Now?

A few years ago the Verizon company ran a series of television commercials that featured this question: "Can you hear me now?" In each of the commercials the focus of attention was on the clarity with which the people were able to hear each other via cell phones. Now, those commercials implied two principles: one, someone was doing the talking, and two, someone else was doing the listening. In order for communication to become valid, listening is as important as is the talking.

Our politicians in Washington these days feign to be listening, but in reality they only hear what they want to hear. We had a tremendous example during August when hundreds of grass-roots "tea parties" were held. There voices were raised primarily in opposition to a proposed government take-over of our health care. At times shouting was heard. And, unfortunately, at times rudeness became commonplace. Were our political leaders really listening? Or, did they want to do all the talking? Or, was their listening through the sieve of their own biases? To hear what is happening behind closed doors in hallways and closets of power in Washington today, one could state that, even through the shouting, they did not hear us. Perhaps they needed Verizon cell phones.

I don't know about you, but I find this very disturbing. It is almost as if our leaders look down upon us and think, "Well, what do you know?" Being a Senator, Representative, Governor, or President does not automatically give a person the right to believe he or she is above another. It seems that we have forgotten that our country was founded upon the principle of "the consent of the governed." Today, it is more like "the consent of the government." Our Founding Fathers would roll over in their graves if they witnessed our nation's leaders today. "Can they hear us now?" "No, and they do not want to hear us."

As you know I spend time doing research on what God is doing in the world today especially as it relates to the end times. Over the course of the past months we have talked about several of the findings through this blog. I believe that God is shouting to us, "Can you hear Me now?" Yet we pay no attention to what God is saying. We are quick to explain God's work with human efforts. Earthquakes in unusual locations; tsunamis that wreck incredible damage; early snowfalls in many parts of our nation's heartland...caused by too much carbon in the atmosphere. Are we listening for what God is saying? No! Rush toward a centralizing of currencies; a treaty to be signed that will in effect deny our First Amendment rights of free speech; and a hate-crimes bill that threatens to stifle any teaching of biblical truth about sexual perversity...all done for the sake of advancing the cause of humanity. Hey, are we listening for what God is saying through these and knowing what the Bible is stating so clearly? No!

Sadly I know of many Christians who just do not want to know what God is screaming these days. They are content to continue in their apathetic state: don't rock my boat! At times I can almost hear God screaming: "Church, wake up! There is not much time left! Take notice of what I said I would do and of what I am doing! Can you hear Me now?"

Yes, God, I can hear You. I am glad that You dare to speak, yes, even to scream today. Help me to show others how they, too, can be listening.

Interesting Days...Interesting Thoughts

Winter in October! Impossible, you say! This past week those of us who live in Minnesota experienced something that had last happened in October 1909...three inches of snow before the 15th of October. I must admit that the white ground looked very picturesque. Some of the children in our neighborhood created a snowman...of course they had to dress him in a Adrian Peterson football jersey. And, a few of the kids got very entrepreneurial...they opened a stand along the street selling snowballs. On several of the golf courses in the Twin Cities area, instead of golf clubs it was cross-country skis that were prevalent. So, this is what "global warming" looks like!

But this wacky-weather started me thinking about a verse of scripture. It is found in Romans 8 - one of the outstanding chapters in the Bible. There the Apostle Paul writes: "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" (Romans 8:22). It seems to me that the natural world is letting out some pretty loud groanings right now. From the powerful earthquakes that recently struck the Samoan Islands and Indonesia to record-setting cold temperatures in many parts of our country, one can almost get the sense that the natural world is shouting to us: "Wake up, the Redeemer is coming!" And so, as I don a sweater about 6-weeks too early, I say, "Thank you, Lord, for reminding me of the nearness of Christ's return and that the natural world is excited as well." It helped my "I-am-not-ready-for-winter" attitude...a little.

So, our President is now joins a long list of prestigious winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. He is the third American President to win the award, the others being Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. The question everyone is asking is this: What has President Obama done to promote peace around the world? Remember, nominations for this award were closed on February 1...only 11 days after Obama was inaugurated. What has this virtually unknown leader done that is worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize? And here is what I find fascinating. According to testimony from the 5-member Nobel Committee, the award was issued not on what President Obama has accomplished, but what they anticipate that he will accomplish. Again, it seems to me...and it is only my opinion...that this is another sign of how desperate the world is for leadership. They will award one of the most honored prizes to someone they hope will bring peace. Could this not be another indication that the world is ready for a world-leader? (Note: I am not saying that President Obama is the antichrist).

Yesterday the Senate Finance Committee, by a 14-9 vote, gave approval to its version of the Health Care Reform Act. One lone Republican voted with the Democratic majority on the committee. Now, behind closed doors, the two Senate plans are being melded together into one bill that will be presented to the full Senate. That vote will probably occur before the Thanksgiving Senate recess. Will the federal government take over the management of the largest piece of the GDP within the American economy? Healthcare presently accounts for nearly one-third of the national GDP. How has it managed Medicare? Not well! And Medicare was only targeted toward the elderly. What will the government do when it has to manage healthcare for each of us...from the cradle to the grave? What will doctors do? I have read reports that as many as 45% of America's doctors will quit medical work if a national healthcare plan is enacted. Just think of what that will do to your already long wait at the doctor's office.

I don't have an answer to the problem of healthcare. I know that medical costs are terrifically high. But, then again, we have come to expect the best medical care in the world; that means the best in medical technology - not cheap; the best in drugs and prescriptions - again, not cheap to research and develop. Perhaps we need to allow for greater competition between pharmaceutical companies, thus bringing down prices. Perhaps, instead of reforming the healthcare system, the subject of medical lawsuits should be addressed. The threat of litigation adds significantly to medical costs. I am not confident that having politicians and bureaucrats administer my healthcare is really in my best interest.

From a scriptural point of view, in the end times...at least according to my understanding of Revelation...the government will be responsible for every aspect of life, even to buying and selling. Perhaps this is just another indication that the coming of Christ is sooner than we would think.

I cannot help but think that God is at work in ways we often do not understand. Yet we know what His ultimate plan entails...preparing the world to receive His Son as its King. And what a day that will be!

Tabernacles, Temple Mount, and Trouble

This week the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot is being celebrated by our Jewish friends. This is one of the three "pilgrimage" feasts defined in the Book of Leviticus. During this week, Israelis eat and sleep in a "sukkot" or booth that they build and decorate. The Feast is a celebration of God's faithfulness to them during those long years of wandering in the wilderness. It is a time of joy and gladness.

Yet, this year, the Feast of Tabernacles has been marred by persistent violence in Jerusalem, especially in and around the Temple Mount area of the Old City. Muslims were throwing stones at Israeli police after Israel had barred all men between the ages of 18 and 45 from ascending to the Temple Mount. This order came after the Palestinian Authority and an Al-Aqsa Mosque group known as the Islamic Movement, called on Arabs to come and to defend the Mosque against supposed Jewish threats.

Muslims consider the Temple Mount to be the third most holy place in Islam. They teach that it was from here that Mohammed took his night ride into heaven. And, in recent years, they have come to strongly deny that the Jewish people had any presence there. They deny that a Temple ever existed. Dimitri Diliani, a spokesman for Fatah - the Palestinian faction that now controls the West Bank area - said earlier this week, "Don't use the term Temple Mount. It doesn't exist. I don't know where it is. I cannot see any Temple. Can you? No one can find any trace of it. The area you refer to is only a Muslim holy site." I know what you are thinking: How can they deny the vast quantity of archaeological evidence that has been unearthed in and around the Temple Compound? They just choose to ignore it, and, if possible to have it destroyed. And sadly, tons of "archaeological dirt" has been destroyed from the Temple area.

Why are Muslims so determined to deny any Jewish presence at the Temple Mount? If they acknowledge a Jewish presence at the Temple Mount, if they accept that there was a Jewish Temple that stood upon that location centuries before their Dome of the Rock was built, then they would also be forced to admit that the entire land had a Jewish presence before there was any Muslim presence. Every archaeological discover in and around the Old City is confirmation of the truth they wish to deny...this land was Israel long before it ever was Palestine. And, what I find incredibly interesting, the archaeological discoveries around Jerusalem are increasing at a rapid pace. From stone quarries to palace foundations to pottery shards bearing biblical names, the discoveries elicit great excitement from both students of ancient history and of the Bible.

Could the land of Israel be on the verge of a third Intifadah. You might remember that it was during this same time period in 2000 that Defense Minister Sharon (he would later become Prime Minister) made a visit to the Temple Mount. He was met by Muslims throwing stones. That was the beginning of the second Intifadah. Only time will tell how this event will be resolved. But tensions are running high. You can only keep the lid on a boiling pot for so long before the pot boils over.

Speaking of archaeological discoveries, did you hear about the discovery of Egyptian coins bearing the image and name of Joseph which were recently found at the Museum of Egypt in Cairo. The report, published in Cairo's "Al Ahram" newspaper said: "A thorough examination revealed that the coins bore the year in which they were minted and their value, or effigies of the pharaohs who ruled at the time of their minting. Some of the coins are from the time when Joseph lived in Egypt, and bear his name and portrait." I will be anxiously awaiting the publication of photos of these coins.