Israel... Down, but not out

By J. M. Ramsey

For the past week, since the UN Sponsored "cease fire", television news and internet blogs have been abuzz with talk of Israel's defeat by the terrorist group, Hezbollah. Commentators have declared Israel's mighty power a thing of the past and have openly wondered if the Israeli war machine that defeated so many Arab armies was but a distant memory.

Muslim rulers such as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Syria's Bashar al Assad have cockily pranced on the world stage boasting of the future defeats that they assert they will lay upon the Jewish nation. In doing so, they confirm to the world (who blissfully ignores the obvious) that peace is never what they have wanted. Rather, they have always desired and it has always been their goal to annihilate Israel.

Ahmadinejad's apocalyptic rants are dismissed as bluster (much like the anti-semitic rants of a certain German dictator were dismissed some 70 years ago), and Israel's allies, including the United States pat themselves on the back for bringing about the so-called cease fire that was Israel's defeat in the Summer War.

Such is the situation as it stands. Or, such is the situation as it now appears. But is that the reality?

Was Israel truly defeated? The media quotes her soldiers as saying that she was unprepared. But was she ever even fully deployed? Certainly, Israel had the wherewithal and supplies to completely obliterate Hezbollah and its nasty sponsors Syria and Iran. Yet, the whiners of the world almost immediately began to cry "disproportionate response" and Israel blinked - or rather her leadership blinked. Many Israelis are furious at the leader of their nation for bringing them into a battle that he was not prepared to win. They shudder at the thought that the great Israeli Army was not allowed to accomplish a single one of its war goals. If Olmert had written the script for Hollywood, it would be utterly unbelievable to the viewing audience that one in such a position of power could prosecute a war so poorly.

And, yet, Ehud Olmert was not Israel's main problem. Their main problem is that they have lost, as a nation, their sense of destiny - their part in this world. They have believed the bad press that a Jew-hating world has put on them, that they somehow are where they are illegitimately, that they have no spiritual significance, and that really, maybe the nation of Israel is some grand mistake that they must continually apologize for and make amends for. From returning land to the "aggrieved native Palestinian Peoples" to electing those who wouldn't know a backbone if they saw it to lead their country, the self-loathing of the Jewish and Israeli people seems to be leading to their own defeat.

Yet, as a biblically versed Christian, I know that Israel will not ultimately be defeated. And so, as I sit here at my keyboard and reflect upon what I am seeing I draw certain conclusions as to what is happening in reality "behind the scenes" that we are not privy to in the natural.

Looking at this situation, the first thing that becomes apparent is that all of the players that the Bible says will form a confederacy against Israel seem to be growing closer and closer together. After studying Ezekiel 38 for some time, it is my opinion that a coalition of armies, led by the nation of Russia but also including Iran, Libya, [probably] Sudan, Eastern European nations and Northern Middle Eastern peoples along with a probable UN force will join together at some point in time to attack Israel. I do not believe that time is yet; but, I do believe the Bible leaves a clue as to when.

The book of Ezekiel, chapter 38 and verse 11 refers to Israel as a land of "unwalled villages." Unwalled Villages. It has occurred to me that the Lord put that particular phrase in there to show us that the defensive wall that Israel has been building between itself and Gaza will not be there at the time of the attack. This will come at a time where the people are recovering from war (v. 8), and feel that they are now at long last "safe." Obviously, they are not truly "safe" or the coalition of nations wouldn't be marching on them. But, they feel assured of their own safety.

Yet, the Bible says that at that time, God will put "hooks in the jaws" of the leader of the great army to bring him against Israel - to take a spoil. Zechariah 14:1 also speaks of Israel's spoil. It says: "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee." The dictionary definition of a spoil is "Goods or property seized from a victim after a conflict, especially after a military victory." So, thinking back over Israel's history, what has been her "spoil" of war? Just look at a map. It has been her land. During each of her victories over aggressive Muslim forces, she has picked up territory. The "occupied territories" were such a spoil of war as was the Sinai Peninsula. So, Zechariah is stating that the time will come when armies will come against Israel (apparent in verse 2 of Zechariah 1) and her spoils of war or her "land" will be divided in the midst of her.

Personally, I believe that this latter division of spoil occurs at the end of the period the Bible refers to as the Great Tribulation. Yet, I now look at this battle in Ezekiel and note that it is the "spoil" that the Magog army is after. Thus, it appears, that at a time where Israel thinks she is so safe that she even dismantles the Gaza wall -- a great army comes against her to take back the spoils of Israel's wars -- I.E., her land.

If one continues to read, things don't go so well for that Army and all but 1/6th of that Army is completely destroyed. So many die that it takes Israel 7 months to bury all the dead. It takes 7 years to burn the weapons of their warfare. But the clincher is here... why even have this battle? The answer is in Scripture...First, God will bring [the army] against His land, so that the nations may know Him when He shows himself holy through the defeat of that great army before their eyes.

Ezekiel 38:16. Second, God says He is doing this so that He "will make known [His] holy name among my people Israel.(Ezekiel 39:7)"

The Israeli Army is a thing of legendary status. Against all odds, they have survived masses of people against them. Yet, they, like the rest of us, may have succumbed to their own successes. Hezbollah appeared to be an easy foe to conquer. Yet, the IDF failed to carry out its mission. Why? Certainly, as mentioned before, the strategy of their government was abysmal.

But, even more than that, it is likely because they needed to be reminded that their victories do not come through their own strength and might. They have been divinely assisted and protected throughout their history - and yet, most of Israel is secular in its belief. Perhaps the IDF lost this little skirmish (and it was but a skirmish) because they need to know that the LORD HIMSELF will be their rock and defender and their hope in this life and forevermore.

Well, those are my thoughts on the matter. I do not worry about Israel because I know God's got her. I don't worry so much about Assad of Syria, because according to Isaiah 17, things aren't going to end up so good for Damascus either. And, as far as the mad-man of Persia, Ahmadinejad, I take his threats very seriously. But I don't worry for Israel's sake, because God's got her covered there as well.

As for America, her destiny is largely silent in Scriptures. There are a few obscure passages that could be referring to America, but one can't be dogmatic about it. So, I'm but left to wonder what side of God's words to Israel in Numbers 24 and other passages "Blessed is he that blesses you, and cursed is he that curses you" we will be on. Time will tell.

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