We have recently sensed that hostilities in the Middle East are strikingly reminiscent of the months preceding the significant war of June, 1967. (The 1967 war was a short, decisive conflict that resulted in Israel gaining control of Old Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza strip.) In recent weeks, verbal exchanges seem more pointed and acrimonious than a year ago and there are more violent confrontations. We had not researched the matter so it went no further than a mental impression until, in rapid succession, we received Bro. MacDougall’s Signs of the Times and noted several newspaper items.
The Wall Street Journal on July 11 carried an extended article headed, “Mideast Mood Is Turning to Talk of War — Tensions May Be Near Breaking Point, Many Fear.” The Toronto S tarofJuly 10 carried a report headed, “12 killed as Israeli jets hammer south Lebanon.” And the same clay the WSJ noted the approval of a contract to supply 350 next-generation M-1 tanks to Saudi Arabia.
Sliding toward war
“Violent rhetoric is the common fare of Middle Eastern discourse. But veteran rulers, politicians and diplomats see the latest round of tough talk as just one indication of a region sliding toward war.” This was one comment in the WSJ article. Another sentence was, “Arabs liken the current mood to the months before the 1967 war…”
The major factors heightening tensions were recently noted by Bro. MacDougall: anew hard-line government in Israel (considered the most right-wing in 42 years); the pressure of up to 1 million Jewish immigrants demanding places to live; the need for Iraq to find an outlet for her war machine now that the Iran-Iraq war is over, and the flooding of the Mid-East with weapons as the superpowers disarm in Europe. There is also pressure from the U.S. defense industry to sell military equipment abroad thereby softening the impact of reduced pentagon expenditures.
Other factors include the chemical weapons Iraq has used and the nuclear ones that Israel possesses giving both sides confidence they can win a war. In addition, there is the diminished likelihood the superpowers would quickly interfere on behalf of their client states to terminate or expand a war. Syria, for example, has publicly acknowledged she cannot count on Russia as before. And a senior U.S. military official who works closely with the Israelis commented “this region has been the third priority, now it’s about tenth” (WSJ 7/10/90). Events have thus turned so that Israel and the Arabs might go to war with the intent of settling their situation for the foreseeable future.
Something must happen
We feel the wording of Ezekiel 38 and 39 demands that some dramatic developments must occur regarding Israel before the Gogian invasion.
The prophecy contains no reference to the inner circle of Israel’s enemies — Syria, Iraq (Assyria in Ezekiel’s day), Jordan (Moab and Ammon), Egypt and Lebanon. The outer circle of Iran (Persia), Libya and Ethiopia-Sudan (Ethiopia) is included, as well as Moslem nations such as Turkey (Meshech,Gomer and Tubal in Ezekiel’s time). But where is the inner circle of enemies? Furthermore, Israel is described as being wealthy and dwelling “safely,” being a land of “unwalled villages…having neither bars nor gates” (Ezek. 38:8,11-12). Where is the wealth and security?
Some have taken dwelling safely to mean dwelling confidently in their own ability to win a war. That describes the average Israeli attitude toward their military prowess but, to our mind, does not satisfy the terms of Ezek. 38:11-12. We feel scripture describes a nation truly at peace, not one which is a confident armed camp.
After Christ in Jerusalem?
Other brethren feel this prophecy is post-enthronement because they believe it describes conditions after Christ and the saints have overthrown an Arab conquest of Israel. Under this interpretation, true safety exists and the nearby Arab nations have been destroyed. The Gogian invader attacks but does not conquer; she is destroyed by Christ and the saints who are already installed in the area.
Two points of Bible exposition are often advanced to support this approach: 1) it is claimed that in Ezekiel, “dwell safely” is always used of conditions in the kingdom of God: 2) it is contended that various prophecies prove the Arabs will overcome Israel at the time of the end.
The Hebrew for “safely” is betach; the phrase “dwell betach” occurs in Ezek. 28:26 (twice); 34:25,27; 38:8,11,14; 39:6 (translated “carelessly”), 26. It refers to the kingdom age in Ezek. 28 and 34; but in 39:6, it speaks of Magog and “them that dwell carelessly [betach] in the isles.” The other verses are the ones in question. Therefore, the statement is not true that Ezekiel always uses “dwell betach” with reference to peace in the kingdom. Elsewhere in the prophets, the phrase is used of the kingdom age (Jer. 23:6; 32:37; 33:16; Hos. 2:18) and of this present era (Isa. 47:8 ” carelessly ;” Jer. 49:31 “without care;” Zeph. 2:15 “carelessly”). In our opinion, the phrase is used in such a manner that it must be understood from the context and is not, in itself, proof that the kingdom age is in mind in Ezek. 38.
We have carefully looked at every prophecy that is purported to prove an Arab victory over Israel. Psalm 83 is often quoted in this regard and exemplifies the weakness of the evidence. In that Psalm, Israel’s enemies take “crafty counsel” against her but that is as far as the prophecy goes. Just as has happened in our day, these enemies are all bluff and threat but nothing is said of any conquest of Israel.
Furthermore, Ezek. 39 makes it clear that the Gogian invader marches throughout the land and is not stopped at its borders. “I will…bring thee upon the mountains of Israel…thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel…they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury” the destroyed of Gog (vs.2,4,14). It is not plausible to think this mighty military machine would invade throughout the land without wreaking havoc in its wake. And it is not conceivable that she could do so with Christ and the saints in control of Israel.
Major change
We feel the evidence is clear that the Gogian invasion is prior to the arrival of Christ and the saints in the land. We therefore feel that Israel must either conquer her immediate neighbors or make peace with them. The most likely option is that she will thoroughly immobilize Syria and Iraq and make peace with the others. She will then be at peace in her land, living without bars and gates.
In the months ahead, watch Israel!
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One