Matthew 25 Rapture Blog

The Omega Letter Intelligence Digest
Vol: 101 Issue: 2 – Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Psalms 83 Revisted

There’s something strange taking place in the Middle East. All the signs appear to be pointing toward an imminent outbreak of hostilities against Israel.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted on Sunday as saying that Iran will “deliver a harsh blow to global arrogance” on February 11.

It is not clear whether he’s referring to the ongoing demonstrations in Tehran.

Iran’s opposition group, called the “Green Way”, has also designated February 11 as “the day Iranians demand their rights back” as citizens.  February 11 is also the date set aside to commemorate Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Whatever else the February 11 date signifies, it is worth noting that the US has just ordered Patriot missiles dispatched to the area. Four countries, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait will be receiving the missiles.

Washington also has two ships in the Gulf capable of shooting down Iranian missiles. US officials say the move is aimed at deterring attacks by Iran and at reassuring Gulf states that the US will protect them against Iranian missiles.

In addition, US intelligence has gathered detailed war plans drawn up by Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, and Hamas that the US has already shared with Israel.

The plan calls for five Hezbollah brigades to sweep down into northern Israel and sweep five sectors in the Galilee as part of a general Israeli-Arab uprising against the Jewish state.

Debka reports that Iranian Revolutionary Guard instructors at specially established training facilities near Tehran are already well advanced in training those Hezbollah fighters.

Debka-File has even published a battle map showing the objective of each brigade complete with detailed topographical and demographic studies.

The first objective is the coastal city of Nahariya, near the UN peacekeeper headquarters in Naqura. This battalion has orders to capture large numbers of Israeli hostages for use as human shields against an Israeli counterattack.

Syria’s initial involvement will be limited to offering artillery and air cover for Hezbollah, but, Debka says, could be invited to join in the fighting in the event the battle turns against Hezbollah.

In the Debka scenario, Damascus could open up a fourth front against Israel, invading via the Golan Heights.

Debka gets high marks for courage in its reporting — not so high for accuracy. Sometimes they get it spectacularly right. Sometimes they get it spectacularly wrong.

But reports of two explosives-packed containers that washed up onto beaches in Ashdod and Ashkelon just north of Gaza tend to lend confirmation to Debka’s analysis.

Iran had previously used floating barrels drop by merchant vessels at prearranged locations to deliver explosives to their Palestinian surrogates in Gaza.

These containers may well have washed up on the beaches as a result of miscalculation of the current, but that’s doubtful, given Hamas’ claim of responsibility.

One thing is certain — something is up.  But what?

Assessment:

Each of the parties involved here are part of the overall alliance that is forecast in Psalms 83 to come against Israel in the last days.

“They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: “

Many thought that the Hezbollah/Lebanon War was a fulfillment of Psalms 83, mainly because of the players in the drama.

“. . . Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot.”

Let’s first identify the various players (with a hat tip to Bill Salus for much of the research)

Ishmael was the eponymous father of the Arabs, his brother Isaac being the father of the Jews.  The Ishmaelites most probably refers to the Saudis, but that identification is admittedly speculative.

The Tents of Edom refers to the Palestinians of the West Bank and southern Jordan.  The Moabites refers to the Palestinians and central Jordanians.

The Hagarites corresponds with Egypt, Gebal with Hezbollah and the Lebanese.  Ammon includes the Palestinians and northern Jordanians, Phillistia corresponds with Hamas and the Gaza Strip.

Last but not least are Assyria (Syria and Kurdish Iraq) and Tyre, (Hezbollah and South Lebanon).

Persia — modern Iran — doesn’t make the list.  Iran’s fingerprints are all over the battle plan, but the combatants are all Arabs.  Iranians are Persians, not Arabs.

The Gog-Magog Alliance does not include Syria or the rest of the Psalms 83 nations, and the Psalms 83 nations does not include any of the protagonists from Gog-Magog Alliance.  The obvious conclusion is that this battle plan is NOT Gog-Magog.

And since Iran is listed first among the Islamic nations of Gog-Magog, it obviously survives the Psalms 83 confederacy.

But Egypt is not listed on Ezekiel’s Roster. Neither is Syria — or any of the other nations of Psalms 83, for that matter.  Indeed, according to Ezekiel 38, the Gog-Magog invasion takes place at a time when Israel is dwelling in peace and safety.

Ezekiel is even inspired to include a reference to Israel as a “land of unwalled villages” currently, Israel is building a wall — against the Psalms 83 nations.

I note with interest that Iran’s battle plan does NOT include Iran directly — it is a proxy war.  I also note with interest the Patriot missile batteries are in place to protect the Arabs, not the Israelis.

Finally, compare Debka’s battle map to the Psalms 83 battle map above.   Look closely and you will see it is essentially the same map.

The Psalms 83 war won’t end as did the 2006 Hezbollah, with a whimper from Hezbollah and an immediate UN intervention.  It marks both Egypt’s and Syria’s final appearance in end times prophecy.

When it is over, it will be over, the Scriptures say.

“As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire, so persecute them with Thy tempest and make them with Thy storm.” (Psalms 83:15)

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)