Sudden Destruction / November 2000

We have witnessed the ending of the seven year agreement. From September 1993 to October of 2000, according to the Hebrew calendar, the Rabin agreement lasted seven years. The prophets of Israel were right. It was not a six and a half year agreement nor an eight year agreement. It is the only seven year agreement in the history of Israel and it matches what the prophets told us would happen, right down to Paul's admonition, "While they are saying Peace and Security, sudden destruction will come."

In recent days we have watched Arafat give the green light to violence in the land. He has made a fundamental decision that his goals are best served with violence instead of negotiations. Mobs of rock throwing youths have attacked Israeli soldiers; Israel has responded with excessive force. At least that is what the western press would like us to think. The truth on the ground is something else.

What you don't see or hear about are the Palestinian snipers first shooting at the Israeli soldiers, then the so-called protesters come out throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails. Have you ever had a rock thrown at you? It is deadly force. The Palestinians are claiming that Israel has used excessive force, responding with rubber bullets and tear gas. When directly threatened with gun fire, the soldiers fire live rounds back. The western press only reports the number of Palestinian casualties and explains that each of them were not involved in the protest (that Israel wounded them for no reason). Actually, some of them weren't with the rock throwing youth. They were in buildings with guns.

As the violence escalated, the Palestinians shifted to a new tactic. Roadside bombs meant to harm Israel's buses weren't as successful as they wished, so suddenly an automatic weapon would open fire from a roof top or top floor of a building. The height advantage coupled with the rate of fire made the task of defending Israeli targets (civilians) very difficult. Israel answered with their own height advantage B helicopter gun ships. Again the Palestinians cried foul, that Israel was using excessive force.

Arafat, from his headquarters in Gaza, instructed all Palestinians to take to the streets and kill the Jews. Palestinian radio and television began broadcasting old scenes of the previous intifada (uprising) representing it as present activities and playing patriotic songs to stimulate their people. All of these broadcasts were for one purpose: to incite the Palestinians to become violent. "Days of Rage" were called. Offers to pay parents $300 for every injury and $2000 for each child's death were offered. The Palestinian Authority was actually willing to pay for children to be sent in harm's way. They believe that world opinion will be behind them and that Israel will eventually back down. For those of us who know the truth, sending children out to protest with the hope of them being harmed is nothing less than manipulation and cowardice.

Finally, the Palestinians did something really terrible. A couple of reserve Israeli soldiers en route to their duty stations made the mistake of driving down the wrong road and being arrested by the Palestinian police. After being taken to the Police station in Ramallah, a community north of Jerusalem, a mob gathered hot for blood. The police and the mob then unmercifully beat and tortured the men to death, throwing one of them out a second floor window before television cameras. The images of the soldiers being hurled from the window made its way to Israel and the world press. The Italian television owners begged the Palestinians forgiveness for showing the images to others. But this image said more about the Palestinians than any speech of Arafat’s.

Barak, Israel's prime minister, said that was enough. He then ordered the police station in question, Arafat headquarters, and other Palestinian Authority buildings issuing riot orders to be hit by the helo gun ships. Of course, this was also after a three hour warning period to be fair. The Palestinians set up the western press in the best position. Three hours later, the helo did its duty and the Palestinians claimed the explosions were another evidence of Israeli excessive force. Israel also sent special units into the city and captured six Palestinians pictured in the video killing the soldiers.

The struggle continues to this moment of writing. In fact, Israel is digging in for a long conflict. Barak is trying to keep some game face on for peace to appease Clinton, but Arafat has made his decision. Israel will have to make some decisions also.
So what does this all mean to us and what part is this in the Biblical prophecy?

We have watched the words of Isaiah and the Apostle Paul come alive before our eyes.

And your covenant with death shall be canceled, and your pact with Sheol [hell] shall not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, then you become its trampling place.

Isaiah 28:18

While they are saying, "Peace and safety! [security]" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

I Thessalonians 5:3

The world is stunned that a mere month ago we were on the brink of an historic agreement and now suddenly we have watched the agreement go out the window .

Is the Peace and Security Agreement really over and finished? Barak is desperately trying to keep his government alive, but a unity government with the Likud party will require stopping the peace agreement permanently. Likud is insisting that the agreement is over and canceled. Without a unity government, new elections will be called and the replacement government, probably Likud, will definitely move away from the peace agreement.

On Arafat's side, his response to Barak's call to return to the peace table was a simple and direct, "Go to hell." So much for Arafat being a peace partner. But, Arafat went further. He says that it is time for war and he will not stop the uprising until some Palestinian boy or girl raises the Palestinian flag above Jerusalem. For the uniformed, these words mean after Israel is no more.

So there we have it. Israel is faced with Palestinian terror on a wide open scale. Arafat is inciting riots and calling upon his Arab neighbors to join the struggle and wipe out Israel. Clinton is watching his foreign policy go up in black smoke like burning tires in the west bank. Clinton doesn't get the Nobel peace prize. The Republicans may win back the White House and still keep control of the House and Senate. Hillary may not win the senate seat. This could be a bad year for the Clinton's to solve problems on a biblical scale. Instead, Zechariah's warning about Jerusalem seems to be taking its full effect.

And it will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all [including the Clintons] who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.

Zechariah 12:3

It has been interesting in these last few months to watch the Middle East go from peace to war, from negotiations to rocks, from peace partners to the prophesied Gog and Magog. It is on this last transformation that we should take particular note.
The prophets have a lot more to say about this situation in the Middle East than just the cancellation of the seven year agreement.
The prophet Daniel says that the conflict of this seven year agreement will cause other events to unfold affecting Israel and the world. The Prophet Jeremiah says that this will be real trouble for Jacob. Isaiah says it will be sheer terror to understand what it means. Ezekiel says that there will be a war in the unwalled villages of Israel and upon the mountains of Israel. Consider their words.

…and there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time…

Daniel 12:1

Alas! for that day is great, there is none against him, and say, >Thus says the Lord God, ABehold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. And I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia, Ethiopia, and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth–togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops–– many peoples with you.

Ezekiel 38:1-6

For centuries, Bible scholars have sought the identity of Israel's enemy Gog and Magog. The rabbi's have concluded that Gog and Magog are enemies of Israel after the coming of the Messiah. Popular end time teachers have jumped on the Soviet Union, the great power to the north in confederation with Arabs as the most likely identity. That was fine until the Soviet Union went away a few years ago. Modern Russia is not the old Soviet Union. So, who is this enemy of Israel spoken of by the prophets?

It is right before our eyes. It is Islam. It is the Muslim world. Israel needs to look no further for a more qualified enemy. The prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal is Syria ,Iraq, and Jordan. Persia is Iran. Ethiopia is Ethiopia and Put are the other Muslim nations south of Egypt. Gomer and Beth-togarmah are Muslim nations north of Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Conspicuously absent from this list is Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Arafat used the Arab League meeting of October 21 to call for full condemnation and war against Israel. While the rest of the Arabs were somewhat more moderate, Libya walked out because it wasn't a declaration of war. You can be assured, however, that war plans are being worked right now among the moderates. Arafat has summoned his Arab brothers to come help him destroy Israel. The prophet Ezekiel explains it to us this way.

Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. And you will go up, you will come like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you.

Ezekiel 38:7-9

Arafat has summoned his Arab brothers. The people living securely in the land brought out from the nations is Israel. The west bank of Israel is where the Palestinians are predominantly. These are the Samarian and Judean mountains of Israel. Ezekiel explains the deeper plan.

Thus says the Lord God, It will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan, and you will say, >I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls, and having no bars or gates, to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.= Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all its villages, will say to you, Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?

Ezekiel 38:10-13

The plan starts out to be the destruction of Israel, but they won't be satisfied with just plundering Israel. The invaders from the north will also have designs on plundering Sheba and Dedan. These are the ancient names for what we call Saudi Arabia today. The evil plan in the Arab mind set is more than to destroy Israel. They will see this as an opportunity to control the entire Middle East. But it turns out God also has some plans for the Middle East that take precedence.

Therefore, prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, "Thus says the Lord God, on that day when My people Israel are living securely, will you not know it? And you will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army; and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It will come about in the last days that I shall bring you against My land, in order that the nations may know Me when I shall be sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog."

Ezekiel 38:14-16

The God of Israel is going to permit Gog to invade the mountains of Israel for the purpose of revealing Himself to the world.

Thus says the Lord God, "Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days through My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for many years that I would bring you against them?"

Ezekiel 38:17

It is interesting how the Lord asks Gog if he is one whom has been prophesied about. The fact is that the prophets of Israel have prophesied about a group of nations being gathered to do battle with the Lord. Isaiah for example whistles for a group of nations to come fight and later explains what will happen to them (Isa 5:26-29; 34:1-6; 63:1-6). Joel speaks the rallying words of a foe gathering his courage and forces. For example, Joel speaks of beating plowshares into swords and calling themselves "mighty men." But in each case, both Isaiah and Joel speak of another battle B the one we call the day of the Lord. Is this present dispute with the Palestinians the battle for the day of the Lord? Are the Palestinians and the Muslims the great foe that Messiah fights upon His return? The answer is no. It turns out that the God of Israel is mocking Gog and asking if they are the foe who has been prophesied before. The answer is no; the Palestinians are not important enough to merit other prophets forecasting their rise and fall before God. This is a real put-down in the Biblical sense. This is a rebuke from God concerning the Palestinian ego. As you know, the Palestinians have an ego, a huge ego. In any dispute, they believe the world owes them. They are constantly complaining of how others (Israel, etc.) have embarrassed them and treated them in such undignified ways. Wait until you see the undignified end that God has in store for them.

"And it will come about on that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel," declares the Lord God, "that My fury will mount up in My anger. And in My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. And the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all the creeping things that creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the face of the earth will shake at My presence; the mountains also will be thrown down, the steep pathways will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground. And I shall call for a sword against him on all My mountains," declares the Lord God. Every man's sword will be against his brother. And with pestilence and with blood I shall enter into judgment with him; and I shall rain on him, and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a torrential rain, with hailstones, fire, and brimstone. And I shall magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the Lord.

Ezekiel 38:18-23

It will be decisive and it will be a slaughter. If you think Israel has used excessive force, wait until you see God's definition of excessive force. I can only imagine the shock upon the Palestinians as they watch their leaders lead them into hailstones, fire, and brimstone. When they are done, it will not be Allah being praised. Only the God of Israel will be left standing over the nation of Israel and even the gentile nations will know that He is the Lord. But wait, the prophesied battle is not limited just to the land of Israel.

And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, "Thus says the Lord God, >Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal; and I shall turn you around, drive you on, take you up from the remotest parts of the north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel. And I shall strike your bow from your left hand, and dash down your arrows from your right hand. You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops, and the peoples who are with you; I shall give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and beast of the field. You will fall on the open field; for it is I who have spoken,= declares the Lord God. And I shall send fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the coastlands in safety; and they will know that I am the Lord."

Ezekiel 39:1-6

In this last expression, you should take note of God's admonition upon Magog (those with Gog) and the coastlands. The Biblical word for population centers in the world is "coastlands." This is where the overwhelming majority of the population exists. In the Middle East, the major population centers of the Arab world are their capital cities.

Listen to this peculiar prophecy of Isaiah that has never yet been fulfilled.

The oracle concerning Damascus. "Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city, And it will become a fallen ruin. The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they will be for flocks to lie down in, and there will be no one to frighten them. The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and sovereignty from Damascus and the remnant of Aram; they will be like the glory of the sons of Israel," declares the Lord of hosts.

Isaiah 17:1-3

The city of Damascus is the capital of Syria. The cities of Aroer are the cities of Jordan including Ammon, Jordan. The remnant of Aram includes Syria, Iraq, the Lebanese, and the present day Palestinians. Today, many Palestinians are living in the ancient cities of Ephraim, the Samarian mountains in Israel. But according to this prophecy, they won't be around much longer.

Let me offer a theory to you for further thought. Let's say that this Middle East intifada (uprising) continues to heat up. Let's say that Arafat gets the Syrians and some others to invade the mountains of Israel and join the Palestinians in a dog fight with Israel. Israel would have no choice. Israel, for the sake of survival would unleash their nuclear arsenal on their enemies. In the course of one night, the Middle East would be a different place with no Syrians, Iraqi, Jordanians, nor Palestinians left. Isaiah concludes his oracle this way.

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

There is only one weapon known to man that can make an enemy be blown in the wind like chaff or become a whirling dust. It is nuclear weapons and Israel has them. Israel also has the resolve to use them. But God will be the real instrument of judgment. We know that because God beforehand has spoken these things to be.

"And My holy name I shall make known in the midst of My people Israel; and I shall not let My holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. Behold, it is coming and it shall be done," declares the Lord God. "That is the day of which I have spoken."

Ezekiel 39:7-8

Syria has given the Palestinians and Iranians in southern Lebanon the "Okay" to attack Israel over the border into northern Israel. Israel has said that it will hold Syria directly responsible. The new Syrian leader, the son of the former leader, is untested and unknown. If he has any personal grandiose plans then this is his opportunity. Israel has warned him to learn from history, but he is an unknown and untested leader. However, we know the results of such an attack against Israel. Can you imagine waking up one morning and there is no Syria, Jordan, or Iraq? Ezekiel describes the aftermath of the battle.

Then those who inhabit the cities of Israel will go out, and make fires with the weapons and burn them, both shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears and for seven years they will make fires of them. And they will not take wood from the field or gather firewood from the forests, for they will make fires with the weapons; and they will take the spoil of those who despoiled them, and seize the plunder of those who plundered them, declares the Lord God.

Ezekiel 39:9-10

Even the burial procedures are outlined in the aftermath of this battle.

And it will come about on that day that I shall give Gog a burial ground there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea, and it will block off the passers–by. So they will bury Gog there with all his multitude, and they will call it the valley of Hamon–gog. For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. Even all the people of the land will bury them; and it will be to their renown on the day that I glorify Myself," declares the Lord God. And they will set apart men who will constantly pass through the land, burying those who were passing through, even those left on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. And as those who pass through the land pass through and anyone sees a man's bone, then he will set up a marker by it until the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamon–gog. And even the name of the city will be Hamonah. So they will cleanse the land."'

Ezekiel 39:11-16

This is probably the strongest evidence of nuclear weapons in this particular battle. There are special burial procedures for a nuclear battlefield. Setting up markers, transporting the remains to a particular place, using specially designated burial personnel, all of these indicate a different kind of warfare from the normal war of attrition.

Given the history of modern war in the Middle East, why would any reasonable minded Arab nation attack Israel? Haven't they learned anything? In answering this question i.e., why has Israel won tactically, you will discover the very reason why Syria and others will invade again. In all times past, Arab tank columns have penetrated Israel's defenses only to stop and wait. Why? Because they didn't have the supporting infantry to fight with their tanks. In modern warfare, tanks do not fight alone. The concept is called combined arms. Infantry and tanks support each other. Infantry can kill tanks at close range. In all past Arab/Israeli battles, the Arabs have learned to never attack without infantry.

What makes the present situation so dangerous for Israel? Arafat is already in the mountains of Israel with three infantry divisions. He can field 45 to 70 thousand armed soldiers to support any invading armor from the north. This is the missing ingredient from all previous wars for the Arabs. This one tactic will be the hook to draw Syria into the battle. Arafat's plan is simple: I have the infantry; you bring the tanks. Arafat's infantry can tie up and block Israel's ability to respond to any invasion. The very real possibility of the invaders joining forces in the mountains of Israel is a very real possibility. The Iraqi's have three armored divisions on the Jordanian border ready to roll past Jordan to Israel's western side with Jordan's permission. This is why Jordan is in such great danger. Israel will have no choice but to hit the Iraqi's in Jordan rather than on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem. Thus Jordan receives the same result.

There is one more factor concerning Ezekiel's prophecy that must be addressed.

Then those who inhabit the cities of Israel will go out, and make fires with the weapons and burn them, both shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears and for seven years they will make fires of them.

Ezekiel 39:9

The prophet speaks of a seven year aftermath. Because so many believers have been indoctrinated with a seven year tribulation, they suppose that these may be the same. Now appearing after the seven year Middle East Peace Accord, some are suggesting that there will be another seven year scenario (seven years of plenty and seven years of famine), a play on Joseph's prophecy. So let us be clear and precise in our understandings, brethren.

There is no seven year tribulation. The prophecy says it is three and half years. The tribulation does not begin with war in Israel. The tribulation begins with an altar shutdown and the abomination of desolation in Jerusalem. Therefore, if we see the war in the mountains of Israel in the near months or years, it is not likely to be the great tribulation unless the other specific prophecies of the tribulation also occur. Is it possible for both to occur? Sure, anything is possible, but what is most likely given what we see? More likely the war will be the breakthrough for Israel to get a piece of the temple mount and the renewed altar worship. More likely, the overwhelming response of the God of Israel will cause even more concern about Israel and will bring a very negative response from the rest of the world. Thus, all nations come against Jerusalem and Israel. These are prerequisites to the Great Tribulation.

Then there is the issue of the seven year battlefield cleanup. Two points are relevant: this cleanup is completely consistent with the theme of the millennial kingdom (when swords are beaten into plowshares) and, two, the seven year scenario could be early details in the millennial kingdom just as the observance of the feast of tabernacles is prophesied first in the kingdom (Zec 14:16). However, if the Lord wants to hold out for another seven year scenario prior to the great tribulation, it will be "Okay" with me. I'm planning on living for eternity anyways.

There are other signs indicating that the great tribulation is not far off. Take for example the European Union's new monetary unit (the Euro Dollar) and its soon to be reformulated European Council of Ministers. Present plans call for a 10 or 11 member council forming in a future springtime, maybe next year or the year after. We know that the antimessiah comes to power early in the great tribulation rising in the midst of a 10 ruler council. Add to this coming scenario, the announcement in New York this month of the latest generation of implant technology. It is called the Digital Angel and produced by Advanced Digital Solutions. You can get more info on this via internet (www.digitalangel.net). This appears to satisfy the prophetic requirements of the Mark of the Beast used on the back of the hand and forehead. We are moving quickly into a special time the prophets call the last day. It's not over yet, but we are getting there. The words of the prophets are ringing true in our days.

WHOSE FAULT IS IT?
The people of Israel began to return to the land of Israel after the second world war.
They bought land and began to build homes and communities. But the Arabs didn=t like the people of Israel building and establishing. Just the same, they sold their land at outrageous prices to the Jews.
As the nation Israel began to form, the Arabs planned their destruction. Israel won the battle and a nation was born. The Arabs lost and called it a catastrophe. Israel said they would live peacefully with all the inhabitants of the land. The Arabs demanded that all Arabs leave so that they might destroy all of Israel before them. Some Arabs left; some stayed. Israel kept a record of whose land belonged to whom.
The Arabs said that Israel stole everything and demanded it all back. Israel showed the promise their father Abraham, their purchase receipt, and said there was no other place for them to go. But the Arabs said that Israel should go to hell and exist no more.
Wars were fought again and again. Israel won each time, giving back what they had won if peace was granted. Israel didn't want Arab land; Israel wanted to exist and call the land they were standing on Israel.
Then the Palestinians began a new tactic: terrorism. They attacked women and children, civilians and the defenseless. They argued that all persons and things with the name Israel were targets. But terror became to expensive to the terrorists, so they told their children that they should throw stones and hate.
Suddenly Palestine was claiming that they were David and Israel was Goliath. They stole even the Bible story. They also stole cars and murdered the innocent. They hijacked airplanes and infected other nations with their new warfare. Instead of being called murderers, they called themselves freedom fighters. The world bought it.
Then the peace talks began. Israel offered land and peace to the Palestinians. It seemed good at first, but the Palestinians wanted more. They wanted Israel to lose and be no more.
For seven years Israel negotiated and hoped for peace but it was a covenant with death and a pact with hell. Arafat, the Palestinian leader, didn't want a home or place for his people. He wanted to build his strength so Israel would be no more. He build bunkers and stored guns.
Now the seven years are done and Arafat is suddenly back to his original plan. Destroy Israel and remove any thing or persons associated with Israel. This time they have snipers and machine guns. They send their children to the front to increase their injuries. They blame the Jews. It is all the Jews fault.
"It's the Jews fault because they defend themselves and defeat us when we try to kill them. It's their fault because they formed a nation when no nation existed. It's their fault because of Abraham and Isaac. Isaac stole the blessing from Ishmael. It's their fault because they exist. If Israel didn't exist then we wouldn't have this problem and the Palestinians wouldn't have to kill Jews. It's Israel's fault." The world is buying it.

YAVOH - He is Coming is a monthly newsletter published as an outreach ministry of Lion and Lamb Ministries.
The ministry is a non-profit organization with an end time prophetic message in a Messianic Jewish context.
Subscription to YAVOH - He is Coming is without cost and supported only by donation.

Permission is granted to reprint any article in YAVOH - He is Coming with attribution given to YAVOH - He is Coming.

Editor - Monte Judah
Electronic Editor - Ephraim Judah

Lion and Lamb Ministries
PO Box 720968
Norman, OK 73070
Phone: (405) 447 4429
Fax: (405) 447 3775
E-mail: info@lionlamb.net
Web: lionlamb.net