Epilogue
Today we see the nations of the world starting to gather again in the Middle-East. It may well be in our lifetime that we will see the armies of the nations gather to invade Jerusalem. This last great battle for Jerusalem will not be nation against nation or kingdom against kingdom but against the Lord Jesus the Messiah Himself. This vast army will most probably be an Islamic federation of 10 Muslim states or countries that will follow the Turkish Empire of the Antichrist. They will go to war with the Lord Jesus the Messiah.
John also saw this in his vision. He writes; “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” (Revelation 17:12-14)
The war against Jerusalem and the nation of Israel will be in reality a war against God and His Son our Lord Jesus the Messiah and against the saints. However, the LORD will have the last laugh!
Why do the nations rage?
The Psalmist wrote; “Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”
He who sits in the heavens laughs, The LORD scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall shatter them like earthenware.’” Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! “(Psalm 2)
“Let them Roar!”
Isaiah the prophet also cries out; “Alas, the uproar of many peoples Who roar like the roaring of the seas, And the rumbling of nations Who rush on like the rumbling of mighty waters! The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters, But He will rebuke them and they will flee far away, And be chased like chaff in the mountains before the wind, Or like whirling dust before a gale. At evening time, behold, there is terror! Before morning they are no more. Such will be the portion of those who plunder us And the lot of those who pillage us.” (Isaiah 17:12-14).
The Battle for Jerusalem.
There have been many battles for the city of Jerusalem throughout its long and troubled history. Satan has always wanted to destroy the Jewish people because, through the seed of a teenage Israeli woman, God brought forth our Lord Jesus, the Saviour of the world and the Messiah of Israel. Satan also hates women because of the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus. Islam is a prime example of this hate where women have no recognition or place in its ideology.
God’s promises to restore Israel spiritually and nationally is tied in to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus the Messiah who is destined to physically reign on David’s throne at Jerusalem. Satan thinks that if he can destroy Israel then he will have destroyed God’s prophetic purposes and so prevent Jesus’ Second Coming. He will never succeed of course. His agent the Antichrist will meet his demise in Israel.
An everlasting kingdom
The prophet Daniel spoke about this when he wrote; “He (the Antichrist) will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, (faithful Jews and Christians) and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time (three and a half years).
But the court (of God) will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed (on the mountains of Israel) forever. Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him” (Daniel 7:25-28).
The Antichrist will invade Israel and there in Israel he will die! As Daniel also writes: “He (the Antichrist) will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.” (Daniel 11:45) Satan had his first defeat at Jerusalem and he will have his last one there as well!
A possible scenario!
When Israel dwells as a land restored from war, without gates or bars and dwelling securely (a self-confident security, a false peace also called a covenant with death) the major offensive will happen. (Ezekiel 38-39) (Joel 3) (Zechariah 12 & 14).
Possibly we see this starting to form in the current Arab nations seeking to normalise their relationship with Israel which could well see a so called peace established in the Middle-Eastern region. However, the time will come when suddenly and without any prior warning Israel will be attacked by Turkey, Iran, Ethiopia, Sudan, Libya and the Jihadists in Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. Afghanistan and Pakistan could also be part of this territory. All of these are Islamic nations. Added to these would be the “many nations” also mentioned in Ezekiel Chapter 38.
Israel will be decimated to the point where they will look only to the LORD and He will then deliver them out of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. (Jeremiah 30:1-7). This may well happen in the very near future if there is a sudden migration of Jews in wholesale lots back to Israel due to rabid antisemitism primarily in the western nations as there are still many Jews living in the nations.
Already anti-Semitism is rearing its ugly head throughout Europe and in America in Canada, Australia and New Zealand and in Great Britain. The Jews must be back in Israel before the Lord Jesus comes back. However the gathering of the nations once again in the Middle-East is setting the scene for the final invasion of Israel and their decimation but also the deliverance of Jerusalem.
The last Great War to end all wars will be fought over the City of Jerusalem. The nations may rage against the LORD and His Anointed One our Lord Jesus the Messiah but in the end the Rider on the White Horse wins! This is an event you can place your bets on and will not lose!
“Man proposes but God disposes!”
To sum up…
(Zechariah 12:1-5) “The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah.
It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured (ripped or torn). And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness.
But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘A strong support for us are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through the LORD of hosts, their God.’”
