Take Your Pick: Isaiah 17 (Syria), Psalm 83 (Iran/Arab Confederacy), Ezekiel 38-39 (Russia)

[WARNING: The content of this post is not consistent with the Lutheran position on this subject! It was written while I was still in the process of purging the last remaining elements of American Evangelicalism in my spiritual system, and before I actually sat down to read and study the depths of the Amillennialist perspective, or what is truly the Biblical position on the popular topic of Bible prophecy. I'm only leaving it here as an example for others about how we are to respond when the Lord corrects us, and how He then expects us to admit our error, confess our sin, recall His unmerited forgiveness, grace, and mercy, and turn away from that sin and toward Him from that point forward. Lord, please forgive me for misrepresenting your Word and for misleading any of your little ones astray! I'm so sorry and I thank you for bringing me to the truth of your Word!]


I get that we Lutherans are not big on Bible prophecy as it pertains to sermons and studies about the end times or "last days" as the Bible calls them.

Even so, I just had to take a moment to address the apparent nearness (dare I say imminency?) of the fulfillment of the last days prophecies found in Isaiah 17, Psalm 83, and Ezekiel 38-39.

Do we really grasp the gravity of the present day geo-political situation in the Middle East right now? Do we really understand how prophetically relevant it all is?

After all, each of those prophecies I just mentioned include a specific key nation...nations that just happen to all be in the news right now and that are also consistent with Jesus' comments recorded for us in Matthew 24:6.

Isaiah 17 -- Syria
Psalm 83 -- Iran And Arab Confederacy
Ezekiel 38-39 -- Russia

Take your pick, because any one of those could be fulfilled at any moment. That should give you a pretty good idea of where we are on God's prophetic timeline.

I mean, today it was news of Russia deploying a fleet of nuclear submarines to the Mediterranean, earlier in the week it was news of Syria receiving military aid in the form of weaponry from Russia, and a few days ago it was the war of words between Israel and Russia.

Interestingly enough, it was also approximately one year ago when we wrote and published this piece on the very same subject, but with a particular focus on Syria and Isaiah 17.

Let's not forget Israel in all of this either. When it comes to the nation of Israel and eschatology, we have undeniable proof that we can trust what God and the Bible has to say about EVERYTHING.

PROPHECIES CURRENTLY BEING FULFILLED

1. The Jewish people will be regathered in unbelief from the four corners of the earth (Isaiah 11:11-12).

Fulfillment: 20th Century and continuing.

2. The state of Israel will be re-established (Isaiah 66:7-8 and Ezekiel 37:21-22).

Fulfillment: May 14, 1948.

3. The Jews will once again re-occupy the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 8:4-8).

Fulfillment: June 7, 1967.

4. The land of Israel will be reclaimed from its desolation, becoming once again a land of agricultural abundance (Ezekiel 36:34-35).

Fulfillment: 20th Century and continuing.

5. The Hebrew language will be revived from the dead (Zephaniah 3:9).

Fulfillment: 19th And 20th Centuries.

6. All the nations of the world will come together against Israel over the issue of the control of Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:1-3).

Fulfillment: Currently occurring.


PROPHECIES YET TO BE FULFILLED

1. The Arab nations of the world will attack Israel in a coordinated effort to annihilate the state (Psalm 83).

2. Israel will soundly defeat the Arab alliance (Zechariah 12:6).

3. Israel will dwell in security and prosperity (Ezekiel 38:11).

4. A Russian coalition consisting mainly of Muslim nations will invade Israel (Ezekiel 38:1-17).

5. The Russian coalition will be destroyed supernaturally by God (Ezekiel 38:18-23 and 39:1-8).

6. The Antichrist will intervene and guarantee the security of Israel, enabling the Jews to rebuild their Temple (Daniel 9:27).

7. At the end of three and a half years, the Antichrist will enter the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem and declare himself to be God (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15-18, and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

8. The Jews will reject the Antichrist, and he will respond with an attempt to annihilate them, killing two-thirds of them in the process (Revelation 12:13-17 and Zechariah 13:8-9).

9. At the end of the Tribulation, when the Jews have come to the end of themselves, they will turn to God and receive Yeshua as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10, Romans 9:27-28, and Romans 11:25-27).

10. Jesus will return and regather all believing Jews to Israel (Deuteronomy 30:1-9).

11. Israel will be established as the prime nation in the world (Isaiah 2:1-4 and Micah 4:1-7).

12. The Lord will bless the Jewish remnant by fulfilling all the promises He has made to Israel (Isaiah 60:1-62:7).

13. The blessings of God will flow out to all the nations through the Jewish people during the Millennial rule of Jesus (Zechariah 8:22-23).

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we share these things with you to encourage you that the hour is late and that time is short. Let's remember Jesus' own words about such clear signs of the times.

Luke 21:28 (ESV) Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

In layman's terms, keep looking up, because your redemption is drawing near regardless of what anyone else might say (2 Peter 3)!

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