Upcoming Conflicts in the Bible but not in book of Revelation (by Pastor Ray)

Noted below is a link to a brief  teaching from Pastor Ray noting upcoming conflicts not profiled in the book of Revelation.

 This teaching is presented by Restoration Church. Restoration Church is one year old.  Pastor Ray serves as pastor–he is a Church Planter with the Northwest Baptist Convention in the Pacific Northwest. Your prayers and support are appreciated. For additional information visit the church website at:   www.RestorationChurchCamano.com

Upcoming conflicts not profiled in the book of Revelation

• The expansion of the land of Israel (Genesis 15; Ezekiel 47-48). These verses note that the borders of Israel will be expanded beyond that of current or ancient Israel. The new borders will include land in the current nations of Egypt, Jordan and Syria
• Israel attacked by surrounding nations  (Psalm 83).  This passage likely refers to a near-future attack on Israel by the nations geographically proximate to Israel 
• The destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17).  Damascus is the oldest continuously occupied city in the world. The coming  judgment on this city will be swift, and will render the city uninhabitable.
• A preemptive strike against Elam  (Jeremiah 49).  Elam is an area within current-day Iran (near where nuclear development facilities are). When Israel feels threatened, a successful attack against this area will be launched. Note that the area of Elam is not mentioned in late Tribulation-period conflicts (such as the Ezekiel 38-39 conflict noted below)
• The Gog/Magog War  (Ezekiel 38-39). This late Tribulation period attack on Israel will be led by Russia, and will involve nations not proximate to Israel.
• A BRIEF PROFILE OF THESE CONFLICTS IS PRESENTED BELOW:

1. The expansion of Israel’s borders (Genesis 15; Ezekiel 47-48)

¹⁸ On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— ¹⁹ the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, ²⁰ Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, ²¹ Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”   (Genesis 15)

This is likely the outcome of a war against Israel (perhaps the Psalm 83 war). The results are:

• Israel feels secure
• The ‘walls’ come down
• Israel will control the area known as the Temple Mount (and have the freedom to begin rebuilding the third temple.

2. The Psalm 83 Conflict

¹ O God, do not remain silent;  do not turn a deaf ear,  do not stand aloof, O God.
² See how your enemies growl,  how your foes rear their heads. ³ With cunning they conspire against your people;  they plot against those you cherish. ⁴ “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation,  so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”  ⁵ With one mind they plot together;   they form an alliance against you—⁶ the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,  of Moab and the Hagrites,  ⁷ Byblos, Ammon and Amalek,  Philistia, with the people of Tyre.  ⁸ Even Assyria has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants. ⁹ Do to them as you did to Midian… ¹³ Make them like tumbleweed, my God,  like chaff before the wind. ¹⁴ As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze…¹⁶ Cover their faces with shame, Lord, so that they will seek your name.

      The Coalition / Axis forces:

     Tents of Edom = [decedents of Esau] Palestinian Refugees and Southern Jordanians
     Ishmaelites = Saudi Arabians    *     Moab = Palestinian Refugees and Central Jordanians
     Hagrites = Egyptians   *   Gebal = Northern Lebanese    *  Amalek = Arabs South of Israel
     Ammon = Palestinian Refugees and Northern Jordanians    
     Philista = Palestinian Refugees and Hamas of Gaza Strip
     Inhabitants of Tyre = Hezbollah and Southern Lebanese
     Assyria = Syrians and perhaps Northern Iraqis included  *  Children of Lot = Moab and Ammon

              The controversy:

• Some teach the prophecy was fulfilled historically in 2 Chronicles 20. However, the 2 Chronicles 20 engagement did not involve all the parties mentioned in Psalm 83.   

             The outcome/result:

• In general, the border nations surrounding Israel will attack, but Israel will prevail
• Most scholars believe Israel will be helped by God, but the victory will not be perceived as supernatural
• Perhaps this event will open the door for the prophecy noted above (the expansion of Israel’s borders) to be fulfilled

3. The destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17; Jeremiah 49:23-27)

“See, Damascus will no longer be a city  but will become a heap of ruins. ² The cities of Aroer will be deserted…³ The fortified city will disappear…    ⁹ In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation.  ¹⁰ You have forgotten God your Savior;  you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress. Therefore, though you set out the finest plants…yet the harvest will be as nothing in the day of disease and incurable pain.

      The controversy:

• Some believe this prophecy is figurative or spiritual—and/or that past battles involving Damascus fulfill this prophecy. However, Damascus remains the oldest continually inhabited city in the world and if this prophecy is to be understood literally, it has not yet been fulfilled.

     The outcome/result:

• The area of Damascus will be left barren, uninhabited and associated with  “disease and incurable pain”
• Many suggest that this prophecy will be fulfilled as part of the Psalm 83 conflict

4. A strike on Elam (Jeremiah 49)

 ³⁵ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “See, I will break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might.      ³⁶ …I will scatter them to the four winds, and there will not be a nation where Elam’s exiles do not go.  I will       shatter Elam before their foes, before those who want to kill them; I will bring disaster on them…
           

        The controversy–there is a distinction between Iran, Persia, and Elam):

• Elam existed in what is now west-central Iran.  Media existed in eastern Iran and beyond. Persia occupied the northerly parts of today’s Iran.
• This event is not part of the Psalm 83 conflict as the Psalm 83 conflict is an Arab coalition. Iran does not consider itself  an Arab nation

The outcome/result:

• “Elam’s” desire to strike Israel will be thwarted   
• “Elam” is not mentioned in the Psalm 83 coalition
• “Elam” is not mentioned in the Gog/Magog war (Ezek 38-39)…perhaps because her strength is diminished and she is not able to mount (or join) an offensive against Israel

5. The Gog/Magog conflict (Ezekiel 38-39; Gen. 49:22-27; Joel 2:2-20)

² “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him ³ and say…⁴ I will turn you around…⁵ Persia, Cush and Put will be with them…⁶ also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops…  ¹¹ You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people… ¹⁸ This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused… ¹⁹ … there shall be a great earthquake²⁰…The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble…²² I will execute judgment on him…I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops… CHAPTER 39   ¹⁴ People will be continually employed in cleansing the land… [for] seven months…¹⁵ … anyone who sees a human bone will leave a marker beside it until the gravediggers bury it in the Valley of Hamon Gog, ¹⁶ near a town called Hamonah. And so they will cleanse the land.’

    The coalition / Axis forces:

     Magog, Rosh = Russia and the former Soviet republics  *   Persia = Iran     *    Cush = Sudan,

     Ethiopia, and  Eritrea  *    Put = Libya, Algeria, and Tunisa    *    Gomer, Meshech, and Tubal  =

     Turkey (and possibly Germany and Austria)  *   Beth-togarmah = Turkey, Armenia, and some parts of

     Asia Minor  and Central Asia

   The outcome/result:

• A coalition, led by Russia, will attack Israel
• This attack against Israel will be supernaturally stopped by God
• This battle (or series of battles) is referenced in Revelation 16-19
• This battle does not include countries proximate to Israel (probably because it’s strength is diminished in previous battles)
• This battle does not include Elam   (probably because it’s strength is diminished in previous battles)

• Possible order of the 5 events noted above: 4, 2, 3, 1, 5