GNITN – Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 23
God Sets Everything Into Place

What Will Happen Next?

As I’ve mentioned before, both the Psalm 83 and Gog and Magog war seen in Ezekiel 38 are up next and for the Ezekiel war’s boundaries to be in place, the nations mentioned above will need to be defeated. Land will need to change hands for Israel to dwell securely and without walls. My point in bringing this history up is to show how God orchestrates all the nations to exist and be in their places for prophecy to be fulfilled. I find it amazing that history shows this if we are open to seeing it happen. The question then is, what is God moving into place with the current war in Israel? How will this play out according to the Bible? There are cities that are going to be destroyed like Damascus and we are left to wonder in what order does that fit? Some think that Syria will do something that causes Israel to attack and obliterate that city and that single event may cause others nations to retaliate. Talk of that being a consequence has come up already in the back and forth rhetoric between Iran and Syria and Israel so we know plans are in place now by both sides.

Israel Must Win Now

There is no turning back, no cease fire as an option in the minds of leadership of Israel. If they allow Hamas to survive after the attack on October 7th it will be a sign of weakness and opportunity for all of Israel’s enemies. Both sides know this so any offers of an end to the war by Hamas is only a means to an end and that end is to annihilate Israel and all Jews wherever they live. Don’t be fooled by social and legacy media sites that want to make you believe a peaceful end can happen if Hamas survives. In an address to the nation yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu said this in a quote from CBN.com (see https://www2.cbn.com/news/israel/netanyahu-our-allies-understand-if-israel-doesnt-win-they-will-be-next) :

Netanyahu also welcomed the support from the U.S. and major leaders in Europe, noting, "Our allies in the West and our partners in the Arab world [in the war against 'barbarism'] understand today that if Israel does not win, they will be next in line in the axis of evil's campaign of conquest and murder."

On the outside, diplomacy and appeasement may be the message, but behind the scenes, make no mistake about it that Netanyahu words ring true. Ask France, the UK or Germany about how things are going with the pro-Hamas population inside their borders. If at any point these people decide to become violent in their protests, it will not be a pretty sight. Understand, though I am not condoning violence at all, I’m just seeing what could happen. Peaceful protests are fine, but there are signs that that could change.

Prisoner Swap Could Happen

Military leadership appear to be willing to an even swap with Hamas if that was put on the table as seen in this quote from a Times Of Israel article (see https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-october-29-2023/#liveblog-entry-3138685) :

If there is no military pressure on Hamas, nothing will progress,” (Defense Minister Yoav) Gallant said, according to a statement from the Defense Ministry.

“The stories published by Hamas are part of their psychological games … Hamas is cynically using those who are dear to us — they understand the pain and the pressure,” Gallant told relatives of some of the 239 hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to the statement.

According to a recording from the meeting broadcast by Channel 12, Gallant told the families that an “everybody for everybody” prisoner swap (all Israeli hostages for all Hamas prisoners) is not doable.

“If it were that simple [to do a swap] then it would not be a problem,” Gallant said. “If those were the terms it would happen tomorrow morning. Those aren’t the terms.”

While possible, Israel will have to rescue the prisoners apart from a swap of any sort.

West Bank Could Erupt

As I’ve said before, the places where Israel needs to respond could keep growing including quelling violence in the West Bank. In another article from The Times Of Israel we read from the head of Shin Bet (see https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/report-shin-bet-chief-warns-west-bank-could-erupt-given-rise-in-settler-violence/) :

“The specific warning notes a rise in violence by settlers [and] incidents between settlers and Palestinians that result in the deaths of Palestinians.”

It says the US and EU are also warning that the West Bank is at a boiling point.

“These incidents are likely to set the area alight” and harm the war effort against Hamas, the report quotes Israeli sources as saying. It says some Israeli “decision-makers” are urging far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir “to take responsibility and calm things down.”

And now we see that rockets have been fired from Syria which would enlarge the fronts even more. While they landed in an open area that posed no threat to damage or injuries, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) responded by sending artillery shelling where the rockets were shot from.

Not Just Israel Was Needed

Thus says the Lord: “Against all My evil neighbors who touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit—behold, I will pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15 Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land. (Jer 12:14-15, NKJV)

I want to segue to a prophetic point now as I move the Biblical perspective side of this podcast. We know that Israel needed to exist for many end time prophecies to be fulfilled, but what about the other countries that are coming against them now? Interestingly, WWI and WWII set up the nations we see now in the Middle East. In the first world war, the Ottoman Empire was defeated and they controlled the Middle East from 1517 to 1917 or for 400 years. The Arab lands were not separate and after WWI Israel was able to come back to their land because of the Balfour Declaration. Simply put, WWI prepared the land for Israel and WWII prepared the people for the land. Then the surrounding nations became nations again as we saw Egypt became a nation in 1922, then Saudi Arabia and Iraq in 1932. Moving on, Persia became Iran in 1935 then Jordan and Syria became Nations in 1946. Lebanon became a nation again in 1943 reestablishing the Arab states and putting them back into their lands as these verses prophesied. Of course in 1948, Israel completed the process and became a nation again so the Psalm 83 inner circle of nations were put into place.

Amazing Accuracy

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jer 29:11, NIV)

We already know about the extreme accuracy of the messianic prophecies in respect to the first coming of Jesus and the mathematical odds of just 8 of them coming to pass let alone 300 of them, but when you look at all the things that needed to happen to setup the Middle East for those prophecies it is amazing as well. While we watch things transpire in this war in Israel, we do need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, but there is a more personal view to this. You see, God intensely cares for you as well. And His plans for you are prophetic as well. He also is a master of orchestrating all the ways to bring you to Him. I could tell you all the obvious things that brought me to the point where I accepted Jesus as my lord and savior, but I’d miss all the unknown things He used as well. Which brings me to anyone watching now and how I would be remiss if I didn’t take the time to tell you that He even brought you to this point where you are seeing Him work in big ways in the Middle East. And He wants to do more for you now if you let Him. As a believer you need to let Him do more in you. As an unbeliever, allow me to lead you in a prayer for salvation from your sins. Trust me, it will be life change that you will never regret.