Does Psalm 83 describe next Mideast war?

Exclusive: Joel Richardson identifies line of prophecy thinking that’s ‘a total fantasy’

Published: 3 days ago

By Joel Richardson

Throughout the Christian church, an idea that has gained much traction in recent years holds that the next major Middle Eastern war is described in Psalm 83. According to this view, a contingent of Arab nations that immediately surround Israel will soon make an attempt to invade her, only to be utterly defeated by the Israeli Defense Forces. Many even believe that as a result of this great victory over her neighbors, Israel will literally come to occupy the nations of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. This growing view also holds that after this period of victory and peace, another massive war, this time described in Ezekiel 38 and 39, will follow. If one peruses several of the larger online Bible prophecy discussion forums, it will quickly become apparent just how widespread this view truly is among prophecy students.

But few of these students of prophecy are aware of the many problems with this view. For the past few years, I’ve been highlighting several of these problems, but recently, both Dr. Thomas Ice, the executive director of the Pre-Trib Research Center, and Pastor Mark Hitchcock, another very well-accomplished prophecy teacher and author, have also articulated several of the problems with the popular interpretation of Psalm 83.

The first problem is that most scholars reject the idea that Psalm 83 is even an actual prophecy, but is simply, “a national prayer of lament.” Such a Psalm would not be considered a prophecy in the sense of that which was uttered by the biblical prophets.

Second, even if one does consider Psalm 83 to be a prophecy in the proper sense, the primary reason many have come to accept this two-war scenario is because of the differences between the nations listed in Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 and 39. While Psalm 83 lists what are often referred to as the “inner circle” of nations that immediately border Israel, Ezekiel 38 and 39 lists a series of nations that form a larger “outer ring” around Israel including Turkey, Iran, Sudan, Libya and, many argue, Russia. But a closer examination of both texts reveals that it is far more likely that these two passages speak of the same war.

If one examines the list of nations in Psalm 83, few analysts include the nation of Turkey. Yet Asaph, the writer of this Psalm, mentions that “Assyria” (v.8) will join this coalition. When this Psalm was written during the reign of King David, the Kingdom of Assyria included portions of modern-day Iraq, Syria and Turkey. Analysts of Psalm 83 have included both Iraq and Syria in their coming invasion scenario, but never Turkey. Yet the reality is that the Assyrian Kingdom during the time the Psalm was written included quite a bit more of modern Turkey than Syria. This is significant, of course, because Turkey features so prominently in the Ezekiel 38 & 39 prophecy.

The Assyrian Empire (c. 950 B.C. during the reign of King David.

Another name mentioned in Psalm 83 are the Ishmaelites. Many analysts of Psalm 83 use this name to point exclusively to the nation of Saudi Arabia. However, many Arabs today trace their lineage back to Ishmael. Muhammad himself, the founder of Islam, believed himself to be a direct descendant of Ishmael. Depending on how one interprets the term “Ishmaelites,” then, the inclusion of this term could point us to much of the Islamic Middle East and North Africa, including Libya and Sudan. These nations also feature prominently in the Ezekiel 38 and 39 prophecy.

Another problem with looking to seeming surface differences between these two texts is that many scholars and prophecy analysts believe that Ezekiel 38 and 39′s list of nations is anything but comprehensive. In fact, as Mark Hitchcock points out, the prophet concludes his list of nations by adding the phrase, “and many nations with you.” In other words, Ezekiel only listed one major modern nation from each of the four corners of the compass so as to highlight the massive scale of this coming regional invasion. The following map represents the nations specified by Ezekiel revealing the likelihood of this interpretation.

The invading nations of the Ezekiel 38 and 39 Prophecy. Turkey: north, Iran: east, Sudan: south, and Libya: West.

In the end, if one understands Ezekiel 38 and 39 more accurately, it would seem to be pointing to a massive regional war against Israel including “many nations” not necessarily specified or mentioned within the text. And if we consider the nations mentioned in Psalm 83, if it is an actual prophecy, then it is also far more likely to be speaking of a much larger invasion than most students of prophecy have understood it.

Beyond this, Mark Hitchcock also lists several more similarities between these two texts, further suggesting that they are ultimately pointing to a singular war:

Both texts speak of a plan coming into the minds of the participants or the leader to invade Israel (Psalm 83:4,5; Ezekiel 38:10).

Both texts speak of the purpose of the invasion to wipe Israel out as a nation (Psalm 83:4; Ezekiel 38:9).

Both texts speak of the armies actually turning on each other and attacking one another while in the land (Psalm 83:9; Judges 7; Ezekiel 38:21).

Both texts speak of the judgment of God on the armies through fire (Psalm 83:14; Ezekiel 38:22).

Both texts speak of the result of these wars being that the invaders come to know the Lord in their defeat (Psalm 83:18; Ezekiel 39:7).

In the end, it is clear that tensions in the Middle East are very high. War could be just around the corner. We must pray that this is averted! The day will surely come when all of the prophecies of the Bible will be completely fulfilled. But for now, I am of the opinion that the scenario many students of prophecy are looking for, namely the soon victory of Israel over her neighbors and the subsequent occupation of those lands is a total fantasy. When Jesus returns, only then will genuine justice fill the region. But until then, we are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Interesting article by Gary Stearman from Prophecy in the News around 2012 and what may be ahead for us on Earth. Keep looking up!

2012: The Year of Fear is Here!

By Gary Stearman on January 1, 2012

It has arrived: The year that has captured the world’s imagination has come at last. Before going any further, we should say that the key word for this year is anxiety. People everywhere are displaying a range of unsettling emotion that ranges from apprehension to outright fear.

As we shall see, there are actually many good reasons for this phenomenon. We’ll begin by looking at the issues behind the global fear.

First, we need to offer a word of spiritual sense. The Bible tells us not to fear the urgencies of this world, but rather to fear God, Himself. As the Bible makes abundantly clear, Christians have nothing to fear. A bit later, we’ll see that the Bible speaks words of faith that seem expressly directed to the fears that plague the year 2012. Before that, let’s take a closer look at a list of what the world fears today.

A Litany of Fright

An abbreviated review of the litany of fright includes: Earthquakes (and they are increasing), wild weather (“global warming,” “climate change”), global bankruptcy, monetary pilfering by government leaders, multinational bankruptcies and the threat of collapsing democracies.

On every street corner, the cry is heard: “Buy gold! Soon your money will be worthless!” The specter of class economic warfare is burgeoning into full-blown public demonstrations. Street-marches (“Occupy Wall Street,” to name one) are now commonplace, threatening to become large-scale mass rallies. Revolutionaries are calling for new governments.

In the Mideast, the Islamic Brotherhood moves inexorably toward its vaunted caliphate, first regional, then global. Above all, as it calls for “death to Israel!” and “death to America!” The news is filled with the horrifying portents of an approaching war in Israel. Once they are unleashed, they will almost certainly intensify to global dimensions. Perhaps there will be a nuclear war.

On the cultural side, Christians are increasingly portrayed as the cause of social unrest, as we resist trends toward greater “sexual freedom.” Abortion as birth control, as well as social and population control, is more and more accepted.

As the world moves toward “Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender” equality, we are lampooned as hopelessly outmoded simpletons who cling to a worthless myth led by a first-century charismatic social idealist whose life was cut short by the Romans. Jesus was only a disillusioned idealist whose scattered disciples “invented” a religion that is now outmoded.

At the same time, more and more openly, Christians criticize each other with conflicting views of Israel’s biblical validity, anti-Zionism, replacement theology, amillennialism, postmillienialism, preterism, the Antichrist, the pretribulation rapture, Gnosticism, social justice, etc. etc. Jews are being blamed for the unrest that surrounds their tiny country. Once again, anti-Semitism in the Western nations is on the rise.

As believers attempt to counter such godless trends, they are singled out as foolish idealists who obstruct real progress toward a new world of peace and prosperity.

Nor does this growing agnosticism exist in a vacuum. It brings with it a multitude of bizarre false beliefs. The strange worlds of spiritism … ghost hunting, clairvoyance, vampirism and mentalism in general … are now accepted. These metaphysical beliefs are accompanied by belief in so-called extraterrestrial phenomena.

Threats from outer space are the stuff of videos, computer games and movies. Exposure to such suggestive material has produced the belief that extraterrestrial intervention is man’s only hope. In this arena, recent ominous signs and sightings have produced an escalating anxiety in the hearts of men.

Just beneath the surface of the social order, there is the bubbling ferment of a government UFO conspiracy, which diligently covers up its longstanding interactions with ambassadors from other star systems. There is a widespread yearning for government “disclosure.” Why won’t they tell us what they know? Are they afraid, too? Have they made dark agreements with superior extraterrestrials that they can’t back away from? Are the ETs here because they know that our planet is about to experience a cosmic catastrophe?

“Doomsday!” This word isn’t just being whispered; it’s shouted. Sensing growing public interest, the global media fan the flames of conflict, selling the news as they create it.

The  2012 Prophecies

As if all this weren’t enough, amateur soothsayers of every stripe are excited about the mystical potential of the year 2012. In decades past, as archaeologists began to decipher Mayan pictographs, they discovered the famous “long count” calender. It features a 5,126-year cycle, which began in 3,114 BC. It is divided into 394-year periods called “Baktuns,” the 13th of which ends on December 21st, of our year 2012.

Apparently, because the Mayans considered the number 13 to be sacred, the completion of this grand cycle has been assumed as the fulfillment of conditions that will lead to some prophetic event. However, archaeological experts who can read their ancient pagan hieroglyphs insist that the Mayans, themselves, never prophesied that the end of this cycle would portend anything specific. But even though they never predicted any event, the temptation to connect world events to the end of the 13th Baktun was too great to ignore. Enthusiastic “prophets” felt that this date marked something significant … perhaps the return of the Mayan’s serpent-god Kukulkan.

Some have gone so far as to reason that Kukulkan and his retinue were the “gods from outer space” of popular literature. Perhaps they are the extraterrestrial ufonauts, who birthed our infant culture, and have returned to help mankind surmount its difficult transition.

Others, following two thousand years of Messianic hope fostered by the Christian church, have stated that another Mayan god – Bolan Yokte – would return to save humanity. Amazingly, some of them even link Christ with this strange Mayan god! They say that he was the Mayan revelation of Jesus! Such blasphemies abound among spiritualist believers. To them, the end of the Mayan calendar constitutes the fulfillment of major prophecy.

There is a persuasive resurgence of the decades-old “New Age” philosophy that revolves around “contactees” who ostensibly have received “mental messages” from ufonauts who have piloted their flying saucers here from the famous “Zeta Reticuli,” and a host of other star systems. Whether through meditation or cranial implants, these people claim to have information telling them that massive shifts in the Solar System are about to take place. Earth, they say, is about to be bombarded with cataclysmic transformation, including changes to the Earth’s tilt, orbit, and continental plate tectonics.

And our summary of current anxieties would not be complete without mentioning the belief in the coming of The Twelfth Planet, the title of a 1976 book by Zechariah Sitchin. In an amazingly complex interpretation of ancient Mesopotamian texts, Sitchin reasoned that in ancient days, our Sun was surrounded by twelve planets. Some were destroyed in collisions, leaving the wandering planet Niburu, whose long elliptical orbit brings it back to the inner Solar system every few thousand years.

Now, Niburu, sometimes referred to as Planet X, has returned. Those who follow the theory of a 2012 cataclysm even believe that this planet’s return is timed in such a way that it will coincide with the Mayan “prophecy” of December 21st. They insist that this giant wandering sphere is now so close that it can even be faintly seen. A host of observers claim to have photographs of it, and believe that within a few months it will be here. They believe they’re witnessing the closing days of the Mayan calendar cycle, insisting that humanity is on the brink of its greatest crisis.

They believe that only the intervention of “gods from outer space” can save us. But as a matter of cold fact, theirs is only a confusing counterfeit of the Messianic hope that lies at the center of Christianity.

Prophecies, and Fear

Bible-believing Christians shouldn’t be surprised at the way world events point toward an extraordinary chain of events. Our Lord told his disciples that things like this would happen. And after all, for decades, preachers have been saying that we’re living in the end times and that, “Jesus is coming soon!” Given this proclamation, it would be strange if normal, calm conditions still prevailed. He told them:

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

“Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:25,26).

Concerning this particular prophecy, one could argue that since Jesus is speaking of the Tribulation here, these words don’t apply to us, today. Of course they don’t, but the precursors of this prophecy seem to be manifesting themselves today.

Furthermore, there are many prophecies stating that humanity will begin to experience such cataclysms prior to the Tribulation. Foremost among these is that of the prophet Joel, who specifically stated that there would be fearful signs in the natural world prior to the Tribulation:

“And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come” (Joel 2:30,31).

It seems likely that we are beginning to see these things at the present time.

A Prophetic Psalm

This being the case, it is incumbent upon us to remember that the Lord will always provide peace and security for his saints … even in the worst of times. We recall the fact that many years ago, J.R. Church discovered a prophetic principle that had been noted by others, but never deciphered. Building upon the ancient Jewish idea that the sages considered the Psalms to be a history of Israel, he discerned that the Psalms laid out the history of Israel year by year in the twentieth century, and beyond.

He wrote about this principle in his book Hidden Prophecies in the Psalms, noting that each of the Psalms seemed to apply to a year in the Gentile calendar. Psalm 19, the year 1919, Psalm 48, the year 1948, Psalm 107, the year 2007, and so on. In the year 2012, this would bring us to Psalm 112.

And wonder of wonders, the subject of this particular Psalm is faith, in the face of fearful events to come! This is the very meaning of the Psalm. Its words of consolation speak with special urgency to the believer entering a year of trepidation. It carries a special blessing for the man who heeds its words.

We reprint the Psalm here in its entirety. Note the amazing “coincidences” that link it with the theme of this year. (Of course, in the Lord, there are no coincidences.)

It begins by urging the believer to fear the Lord, not coming events on planet Earth. It promises light in darkness. It speaks of the faithful man as immovable, and unafraid of evil tidings. He will not be shaken by news of threats to come, and not be afraid. The heart of the faithful is established (supported), so that it shall not fall.

In the end, the enemy of the faithful man will be frustrated, finally falling away completely. Read these words carefully. They seem specifically formulated for a time such as this.

Psalm 112

“Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
“His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
“Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
“Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
“A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
“Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
“He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
“His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.
“He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
“The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish” (Psalm 112:1-10).

The year of fear may be here, but we can take refuge in the providence of the Lord. The words of this Psalm directly contradict the world’s evaluation of our current situation. It’s hard to imagine a greater contrast between fear and faith. Throughout the Bible, there are many similar statements. In the year of fear, we would do well to remember the words of Solomon:
“In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge” (Prov. 14:26).

Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. (Deuteronomy 7:9-10, nkjv)

Did you know that there are those who hate the Lord? It seems unfathomable and unimaginable! I’m not alluding to the arrogant atheist that denies the existence of the Lord. Or the Hindu that believes the Lord shares his throne with a multiplicity of pagan deities. Rather, I’m referring to a sizeable block of Arab Muslim populations that want to discredit the Lord’s covenant making character altogether by destroying the Jews.

These Deuteronomy verses clearly state that the Lord repays those who hate Him. But how does one demonstrate a genuine hatred on earth of a God that resides in heaven? One primary method is to attack covenants made between God and man. The specific covenant alluded to in the above verses is the Abrahamic covenant. We recognize this from Deuteronomy 7:12 two verses later.

Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the LORD your God will keep with you [Israelis] the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers. [Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob]

Prefacing all the above, Deuteronomy 7:6-8 reminds us that the Lord elected the Jews as a chosen people making them the benefactors of this oath.

“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

We can surmise that the Abrahamic covenant must still be in effect because Deuteronomy 7:9 declares that the Lord keeps his (Abrahamic) covenant for a thousand generations, which would be 40,000, 70,000, or 100,000 years depending on which biblical generation model you select.

Actually, Genesis 17:7-8, 13, and 19 inform that the Abrahamic Covenant is everlasting, and Genesis 13:15 and Jeremiah 31:35-36 promises that the Jewish race will survive forever. However, for the purposes of this article a thousand generations sufficiently makes the point that the Jews are going to be around for a very long time. Especially when you consider that the Abrahamic covenant has only been operational for approximately 4,000 years.

Interestingly, about 3,000 years ago the Hebrew seer Asaph said the following.[i]

For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head…They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” (Psalm 83:2, 4 nkjv).

Who possesses the gumption to hate the Lord and desires to eradicate Israel? According to Asaph’s above verses the Lord has both enemies, and haters! The enemies make a tumult, but the haters have lifted their head against the Lord, rather than bowed it before Him. The New American Standard Version of the Bible says the haters have “exalted themselves.”

Interestingly 1 Peter 5:5-6 preaches that people should resist pride and be humble, therefore allowing the Lord to exalt the meek in due time. But, apparently patience and humility are not virtues possessed by these haters. Asaph rightly labels them as haters because they want to destroy Israel to defame the Lord.

The attached table identifies and delineates between the enemies and haters listed in Psalm 83:6-8. The probable haters are those boldly italicized within the image. Moreover, the image identifies their modern day equivalents alongside their ancient titles. Coincidentally, the haters all have familial ties with the Jewish patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Edomites descended from Jacob’s twin brother Esau. They are listed first among the Psalm 83 confederates. This identifies them as the lead participant of the prophecy. Moreover, they are dwelling in tents when the Psalm prophecy occurs. This suggests that they are refugees at the time. Interestingly, residing within today’s Palestinian refugees is an ethnic contingency of Edomites. Genesis 27:41 declares that Esau hated Jacob and desired his death. This hatred is still evident today exemplified by the facts that the Palestinians don’t recognize Israel as the Jewish state, or include maps of Israel in their children’s educational text books.

The Ishmaelites descended from Isaac’s half-brother Ishmael. Ishmael is highly venerated over Isaac in the religion of Islam. Ishmael is commonly called the “father of the Arabs.” Ishmael severely mocked Isaac when he was weaned according to Genesis 21:9. Isaac’s weaning identified him as the rightful heir to the Abrahamic covenant. Ishmael’s scoffing displayed his covetous disposition. This disdain toward the Israelis is evident in Ishmael’s Saudi descendants today. Saudi Arabia forbids the building of synagogues and churches along with the worship of the God of the Bible.

The Hagarenes primarily descended through Ishmael, the son of Hagar the Egyptian, concubine of Abraham. Hagar had her share of jealous bouts with Abraham’s wife Sarah.

The Moabites and Ammonites descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot, making them the cousins of the Hebrews. Their history was shrouded with conflicts and territorial disputes over the Promised Land with their Hebrew cousins.

The Amalekites were descendants of Esau’s grandson Amalek, (Genesis 36:12) thus making Abraham Amalek’s great-grandfather. The Amalekites were the first to attack the Hebrews after their exodus from Egypt.

Thus, there were mothers, sons, brothers, cousins, and great grandkids that spawned an ancient hatred of the Jews. This perpetual enmity is acknowledged in Ezekiel 25:15 and 35:5. These haters coveted the rich contents of the covenant the Lord made with the Jewish patriarchs. The patriarchs were promised;

1. 1. A great name and nation (Genesis 12:2),
2. 2. A comprehensive and binding international foreign policy (Genesis 12:3),
3. 3. Eternal descendants (Genesis 13;15),
4. 4. A Promised Land (Genesis 15:18),
5. 5. An eternal throne (kingdom) (2 Samuel 7:12-15)
6. 6. An everlasting law (Jeremiah 31:31-34),
7. 7. A Messianic seed to bless all the families of the earth (Genesis 26:4, 28:14).

The additional attached image displays the biblical accounts of the family feuds between the benefactors of the Abrahamic covenant and those who coveted its rich contents.

The opening verses of this article state that the Lord repays those who hate Him to their face. Unlike the coward that shoots a man when his back is turned, the Lord assures the haters that they will recognize the hand that repays them for their hatred of Israel.

Psalm 83 predicts the formation of an Arab confederacy that will someday attempt the annihilation of the Jews. This futile attempt will fail because the Lord keeps His covenant and mercy for a thousand generations. The Israel Defense Forces appear to exist today as the Lord’s tool to repay those who hate Him to their face. The scriptures concerning this Arab verses IDF face-off are identified in my book Revelation Road, Hope Beyond the Horizon.

God is love according to 1 John 4:16, and yet Malachi 1:3 points out that the Lord has hated Esau. The connection to be made is that long ago through Abraham and Isaac that God covenanted with Jacob, Esau’s twin brother. This covenant is in place for at least 1000 generations, meaning that it is still effective today. Similar to the hatred Esau exhibited toward Jacob nearly 3900 years ago, his Edomite descendants demonstrate today against Jacob’s descendants, the Israelis.

Ultimately Esau’s Edomite descendants, representing today’s Palestinians, make a covenant of their own that is contrary to the longstanding one between the Lord and Israel.

For they [the Arabs] have consulted together with one consent; Against thee [the Lord] do they make a covenant: (Psalm 83:5, asv).

The Hebrew word used here for covenant is berith and it is the same word used for the Lord’s covenant with Abraham regarding the Promised Land in Genesis 15:18. Therefore, in the climactic clash of the covenants, which Psalm 83:12 informs concerns the Promised Land, only one covenant can prevail. The Lord’s will win out!

In conclusion, God is love. He proved this by sending His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to die for man’s sins on the cross of Calvary approximately 2000-years ago. If the Lord had His druthers, He would obviously prefer that the Arabs respected His unconditional covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, since they don’t, they leave Him no choice but to prevent them from destroying the Jews.

Events stage-setting in the Middle East today suggest that Psalm 83 is an imminent event. The Arabs are about to face off with the Jews, but, in so doing they will demonstrate their disdain toward the Lord. Before they pull the trigger and bullets begin to fly they should read Deuteronomy 7:9-10, because once the battle begins it’s too late, and the Lord will repay them to their face for their hatred.