27 February 2015: I know this is an inherently dangerous thing to do, but I've been thinking, or rather, I've had thoughts come to me that I've had to consider fully. Here are a few of them.
What if the prophecy of Ezekiel 38/39, commonly known as the 'War of Gog/Magog,' and the prophecy of Jeremiah 49-34-39, commonly known as 'Judgment on Elam' were the Lord's prophetic warning about the same event. What if Ezekiel was given the full prophetic picture the Lord wants us to know about in advance and Jeremiah 49:34-39 gives us the detailed picture that is simply a single verse found in Ezekiel 39:6a
"And I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the LORD."
What if those coastlands are the 1,520 miles of the Iranian coast a great portion of which was ancient Elam, on the northern side of the Persian Gulf. Prior to having this thought come to me I had thought that Iran would be militarily reduced through a brief but violent event such as Jeremiah has prophesied. Now as we move closer to the actual prophetic events it appears to me that they might both me with respect to the same prophetic event.
Most interpretations of Ezekiel 38/39 do not hold to a view where human armies and weapons destroy the confederation of Gog's allies who fall upon the mountains of Israel. No, on the contrary the prevailing interpretation is that God Himself directly intervenes here in order to reveal Himself to Israel as their Savior and magnify and sanctify Himself before the nations of the world.
What if there is a direct connection between these two verses where the Lord is speaking:
In context and in literal similarities, the possible connection here of these prophecies is something to be considered.Most interpretations of Ezekiel 38/39 do not hold to a view where human armies and weapons destroy the confederation of Gog's allies who fall upon the mountains of Israel. No, on the contrary the prevailing interpretation is that God Himself directly intervenes here in order to reveal Himself to Israel as their Savior and magnify and sanctify Himself before the nations of the world.
What if there is a direct connection between these two verses where the Lord is speaking:
"Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand." Ezekiel 39:3
"Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the foremost of their might." Jeremiah 49:35
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Highway 8 north of Kuwait City, February 1991
The next item is not so much a thought as it is a realization: despite the fact that US, British and other allies in the Middle East are attacking Islamic State targets in both Syria and Iraq, these are mere pinpricks. This so-called "Coalition" is not truly waging war against the Islamic State.
If the Coalition, led by the US and the UK were truly waging war against the Islamic State, then we would be seeing and hearing about sustained strikes against Islamic State targets by B-52, B1 and B2 bombers reaching out and touching them with napalm, fuel-air explosives (FAEs) and very heavy ordnance as was done by a real Coalition during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm; the desert highways in territory held by the Islamic State would look like Highway 8 running north out of Kuwait City in 1991.
Remember when the feared Iraqi Army of Saddam Hussein was surrendering to unarmed journalists and photographers and anyone passing by? That's what happens when your the enemy in open desert being fed a 'shock and awe' daily diet of heavy Coalition ordnance coming out of a clear blue sky and no amount of prayers to a false god can save you. That was war back then. This is a PR sham now.
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About Psalm 83, there are also some new interpretive thoughts swirling around. I am starting to think that the final action of this ongoing might not be as the first actions were in 1948, '67 and '73 that involved the armies of nation states such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt with support from 8 or 9 others. I'm thinking the final action will be about a confederated act of war that involves large formations of Islamic Jihadists attacking from Lebanon, Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza and Sinai. A confederation that is, more or less, what we know right now as the Islamic State.
I've never been comfortable with the notion that Assur in Psalm 83:8 is a reference to modern-day Syria. As most know by now I believe this Assur literal in the text and refers to the area of Assur in Asaph's time, seen in the above image as circular purple-colored area; what was referred to during Operation Iraqi Freedom as "The Sunni Triangle." In 1076 BC the great Assyrian Empire collapsed after Tiglath-Pileser I's death, swiftly crumbling and falling backwards into a rump state where it had originated. The map above directly correlates to the period when Asaph lived and wrote Psalms.
Also seen in the map image above is the land inhabited by Israel at this same time in a light purple on both side of the Dead Sea. This is the Israel and the region that Asaph knew and is very likely how the Psalm 83 prophecy was framed. Arameans at this time controlled wide swaths of territory from Aram-Damascus eastwards to the modern-day Saudi Arabian border at the head of the Persian Gulf. Look closely and this territory almost resemble what the territory of the Islamic State look like today, give or take a wilayat or two.
The peoples and locations named by Asaph is Psalm 83:6-8 closely resemble in the physical and ideological sence what we see today in these same places controlled by Islamic jihadism in Lebanon, Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza, Sinai and with some strength coming to them from the Islamic State heartland of ancient Assur.
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The Middle East circa Asaph's time of 1000 BC
About Psalm 83, there are also some new interpretive thoughts swirling around. I am starting to think that the final action of this ongoing might not be as the first actions were in 1948, '67 and '73 that involved the armies of nation states such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt with support from 8 or 9 others. I'm thinking the final action will be about a confederated act of war that involves large formations of Islamic Jihadists attacking from Lebanon, Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza and Sinai. A confederation that is, more or less, what we know right now as the Islamic State.
I've never been comfortable with the notion that Assur in Psalm 83:8 is a reference to modern-day Syria. As most know by now I believe this Assur literal in the text and refers to the area of Assur in Asaph's time, seen in the above image as circular purple-colored area; what was referred to during Operation Iraqi Freedom as "The Sunni Triangle." In 1076 BC the great Assyrian Empire collapsed after Tiglath-Pileser I's death, swiftly crumbling and falling backwards into a rump state where it had originated. The map above directly correlates to the period when Asaph lived and wrote Psalms.
Also seen in the map image above is the land inhabited by Israel at this same time in a light purple on both side of the Dead Sea. This is the Israel and the region that Asaph knew and is very likely how the Psalm 83 prophecy was framed. Arameans at this time controlled wide swaths of territory from Aram-Damascus eastwards to the modern-day Saudi Arabian border at the head of the Persian Gulf. Look closely and this territory almost resemble what the territory of the Islamic State look like today, give or take a wilayat or two.
The peoples and locations named by Asaph is Psalm 83:6-8 closely resemble in the physical and ideological sence what we see today in these same places controlled by Islamic jihadism in Lebanon, Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza, Sinai and with some strength coming to them from the Islamic State heartland of ancient Assur.
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Welcome to the new China
This segment of SITREP B2-15 takes us to the new China. Not the China we often and normally think of in the fearful terms of the "kings of the East" per the prophecies of The Revelation of Jesus Christ (more on that below). This is the new China that is rising up in leaps and bounds from within the Communist state founded by Mao Zedong. This is the China in which Father, Son and Holy Spirit are resident in Beijing!
I must first graciously thank our Brother-in-Christ, Lawrence of India, for sending me the research that I joyously poured through and then digested in order to write this long-planned segment. Brother Lawrence is an India-born academic who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Madras, Chennai, India, and is the Associate Professor of Strategic Studies and International Relations at Madras Christian College as well as being the Adjunct Research Fellow at the former Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies, now known as Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Thank you Lawrence!
Let's go the the video tape!
This segment of SITREP B2-15 takes us to the new China. Not the China we often and normally think of in the fearful terms of the "kings of the East" per the prophecies of The Revelation of Jesus Christ (more on that below). This is the new China that is rising up in leaps and bounds from within the Communist state founded by Mao Zedong. This is the China in which Father, Son and Holy Spirit are resident in Beijing!
I must first graciously thank our Brother-in-Christ, Lawrence of India, for sending me the research that I joyously poured through and then digested in order to write this long-planned segment. Brother Lawrence is an India-born academic who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Madras, Chennai, India, and is the Associate Professor of Strategic Studies and International Relations at Madras Christian College as well as being the Adjunct Research Fellow at the former Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies, now known as Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Thank you Lawrence!
Let's go the the video tape!
Some facts: The current conservative estimate is that there are 80 million born-again Christians, and that is a very, very conservative estimation because the evidence for a much larger number is found in the fact that China is being transformed before our eyes, and this change is transforming the global balance of power. As Lawrence has told me, there is a "silent revolution" occurring in China these days. As each week passes by thousands upon thousands of Chinese are confessing Jesus as their Lord and Savior; the sheer numbers of our new born-again brethren are increasing exponentially and will likely reach or exceed 160 million in a very few years. They say that by 2030, should we get to that year, China will be the largest Christian nation on earth. This is not to say that Communist persecution does not exist, it does, but the persecution is a symptom of the exponential growth that the control freaks in Being have feared for some time. But this also may be changing for the better very rapidly as well.
Did you know that the city of Nanjing in Jiangsu Province is the largest Bible-producing city on planet earth? Did you also know that the current communist government of China proudly boasts of this fact! What the Chinese government is also proud to reports is that 49 million of the 69 million Bibles produced in a year are for the Chinese market - in China. Nanjing also produces Bibles in 80 different languages destined for use in 70 different countries around the world. Here's another inescapable fact: there are more born-again Christians in China then there are members of the Communist Party. Tell me the atheist founders of modern China would not be rolling in their graves were that possible!
Yes, they would be, but then again, they would not recognize the China of today. The 40th anniversary of Mao's death rolls around on 9 September 2016. In those forty years China has transformed from an impoverished agrarian nation of about 800 million to an industrial market capitalized nation of 1.4 billion people. A little over a decade ago a Chinese government economist did a study of market economies with and without churches. The author of that study marveled during coast to coast on a tour of America and wondered about what was the key difference between the most prosperous material civilization in the history of human society and the China that he knew. After apples to apples comparisons in all categories imaginable the Chinese economist realized that America's strength, it's economic miracles and blessings rested in that fact that America was a nation of people of faith in God. The difference between China and America lie in the respective absence and presence of churches across the entire land of each. The economist realized that market economies and active churches filled with people of faith were at the heart of American success, and for China to repeat that success the answer was obvious.
I have always wondered about how in the Book of Revelation, chapter 16 which prophesies about the massive 200-million man army of the 'kings of East' which march westwards across Central Asia towards the River Euphrates which the 6th angel has dried up in preparation for their arrival. As discussed here previously, it is the Antichrist that this massive army from the east marches against. For certain our brethren Bride of Christ in China will be taken in the Harpazo, but it is and will be until that blessed day the rise of the Christian church in China that powers the free market economy making that massive army possible.
Sean, I kinda wondered the same thing, I still think the Elam prophecy is a separate prophecy but I'm open to correction. Concerning China and the oriental nations, my thinking is that they don't play a role until a little later on. Just my thoughts
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely worth considering given the time that appears to remain for the current generation.
ReplyDeleteAbout China... not to give away where I'm going with that coming part, but is probably not going to be what many folks are assuming I will write about. ;)
Meanwhile, what do you think of the just added Psalm 83 portion?
Sean,
ReplyDeleteThe Elam portion does seem to tie into the Gog Magog text. That is a good find and perhaps Someone is trying to tidy up the expectations of the watchmen? =)
Psalm 83 portion makes complete sense with the territory that has been collected lately Libya is certainly full of weapons and in position to come at Israel! The northern areas not mentioned by Asaph are being lost!
My only question would be if Iran really is at odds with ISIS then what is with their build up on the Syrian border? Unless they leave at will or are pushed out leaving their weapons behind for others use? I may be digging to micro though.
Ken B
Completely agree that Assyria was very small in Asaph's Time when he prayed that prayer/prophecy.
ReplyDeleteHowever Assyria definitely included a much larger territory when Zeph's answer prophecy was given 2:13 "And He will stretch out His hand against the north And destroy Assyria"
So it looks like Zeph's destruction does cover much of Syria.
Zephaniah 2:13 is specific in location as the same area as in the map of Assur ... this connection is through this verse' naming of Nineveh which lies on the east bank of the Tigris River.
ReplyDeleteThis is also future because Nineveh is said in this prophecy to be dry like a desert wilderness. Nineveh today is lush with greenery and all manner of vegetation.
And this raises up an important point.
Are we aware that Biblical Nineveh is one and the same ancient city but today known as Mosul in Iraq, the metropolis currently occupied by Islamic State!!!
Seems to me Zephaniah 2 is confirming the new interpretive thoughts that have come of late.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteWhen the prophets spoke of Jesus' first coming it was like your suggesting in this sitrep. Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, called out of Egypt, and be called a Nazarene. Just to name a few. It was all there but it took some praying and diligent searching. Yet it is clear now in hindsight. I'm sure they were scratching their heads too. God bless Simeon and Anna. They knew by revelation.
Thanks for the thought provoking insight.
Ok sean, since you asked what I think about the psalm portion, I'll tell you.
ReplyDeleteFirst, however, the fact that you're rethinking you're original interpretation on both Jeremiah 49 and psalm 83 is commendable. It shows that you're open to correction and that you're still teachable. That's great!
Second, concerning Jeremiah 49:34-39, there appears to be striking parallels. Also, considering the lateness of the hour and the fact that the west refuses to deal with Iran gives even more credence to the thoughts you posted. That said, I'm not fully convinced because it seems to me that Iran has to be taken down a notch prior to psalm 83, Jeremiah 49 is the only scenario that explains Iran's absence in psalm 83.....and again, I'm open to correction.
Third, concerning psalm 83. Concerning the timing,(i know it was not discussed but since I'm on the subject i thouht i would mention it) I'm going to come right out and say this, I believe zephaniah 2:1-3 makes a connection with psalm 83 and the harpazo. Therefore, I believe that the harpazo occurs on the heel of psalm 83. Concerning what you just wrote about the matter, what makes the most since to me is pretty close to what you wrote. I think isis is the vehicle through which psalm 83 will come about. I think it's the jihadists within the nations that'll attack israel. As for the identity of assur, Syria and Iraq of today makes the most sense to me. I'll have to re study these prophecies yet again, but I'm open to correction
hartdawg,
ReplyDeleteEven though we're looking at these prophesies on a kind of compressed time scale due to the lateness of the hour, so to speak, is there a reason why Jeremiah 49:34-39 can't commence just prior to the final act of Psalm 83 and still conclude in conjunction with Ezekiel 38/39. I think this would be consistent with the condition of Israel as living in peace and security when Gog and allies suddenly come calling only to have God severely rain (fire and brimstone) on their parade, so to speak.
Since I view Psalm 83 as a prophecy in the process of fulfillment over the past 66 or 67 years, what's another 5 or 6 years among brethren for this entire prophetic process to complete just as the 70th Week commences?
This is how I'm trying to look at the "big picture."
I agree sean. Speaking of looking at the "big picture", that reminded me of something that you said to me once years ago in response to a comment I posted. You said something to the effect of "bible prophecy is not something that you look at and then is recalibrated every time something happens that doesn't seem to fit, prophecy is written to show God's overall redemptive plan for man"
ReplyDeleteI probably botched it up because this was a few years back when you said it but that was the effect of it. By the way, can you believe that this blog site has been up now for 6 years? Where did the time go?
Sean,
ReplyDeleteDragging out books that have not seen the light of day for ages and you made me dig a whole lot deeper than ever before. At least, it is shaping up now and there is something that I have had lots of questions about over the years.
Why would God limit his righteous indignation just on the foes of Isreael approaching from the northern mountains of Israel? Why not take all of them out at the same time. Tree frontal attacks thus limiting any friendly assistance from the likes of Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and the Golan Heights? The passage you liken from Jeremiah and Ezekiel really caught my hair on fire today and too much alike not to be related.
But I have always thought that the Is. 17 and Ps. 83 were closely related in time sequence for a lot of reasons. If Syria isn't knocked out of any conflict with Israel real soon, how would there ever be an opportunity to stop ISIL from completing their grand goal?
Just so you will know, I have loved the study of End Times Prophecy ever since I was first saved. Maybe because my grandfather taught it when I was a child growing up in the war years of WW-II and how he fought to make people understand that Hitler was not the AC and we were not quite there for the Last Days scenario. He would really enjoy conversing with you but now he is in the most Holy place and probably is cheering us all on to get to the place of our total understanding God's word for this Age.
Daniel's dream that was sealed up for all of those generations is being revealed on a daily basis and I am still wondering if the stories I heard from the old timer of prophecy teachers is true. Did Daniel become so very ill that he could not attend to his chores because of what was revealed to him? Was the vision so diabolical that he became physically ill just recalling it?
Still more questions and so enjoy how you dig into the fray of it all and then share with all of us.
GG5/Shalom
One more thing before I retire for the evening: Reading again your take on Ps. 83 and another question for all of you. Why is China being so very quiet right now and is there something to be read into the news I received today from the Billy Graham Association? The grandson of Billy has been invited to come to China and preach; all with the blessings of the Chinese government.
ReplyDeleteGG5/Shalom
Sean,
ReplyDeleteI have always thought in my own mind that an attack on Iran will be the catalyst for the Psalm 83 finally. I personally think it will be a reactionary after Israel takes a preemptive strike.
Like the way Jordan just responded to the murder of their pilot. Of course Israel will mop the sand with them...
Sean,
ReplyDeleteI have read and re-read this Sitrep several times and I believe you hit the nail on the head with the Ps 83 prophesy. The fact that ISIS is clearly situated in these territories, and has "lifted up their heads" against the Almighty and His people…and that Iran is behind most of this terror in these surrounding nations, really give credence to your thoughts. I also can't but help noticing the words in verse 4 "Come, let us cut them off from being a nation"…and then thinking about our own "leader's" obvious complicit behavior…as it seems that he is bent on the destruction of Israel as his master plan and gift to the side of evil. All authority comes from God, and his becoming president is making a whole lot more sense these days. Just look at his decisions in the middle east…every time he has chosen the side of the enemy…and now his JV crime regime is treating Bibi with such disdain, that it pains all of us who love Israel. God has used our "leader" to bring about chaos and more importantly, the actual set up that will terminate in the Ps 83 prophesy. Our "one hand tied behind the other" military efforts to crush ISIS is a joke. Our government has no intention to do so (PR sham as you said), and without the USA leading this front, no nation will take the lead, while our Christian brothers and sisters are martyred for all to see on the nightly news. I am sure all of us reading your blog feel the burden of this persecution on Christians, and lack of response to ISIS with righteous anger. Our enemies make a tumult for sure. Among those whose faces will be filled with shame and know that Jehovah "art the most high over all the earth" I believe, will include even our leader. He will be shamed, for sure, and will have to answer to Him in due time. Great Sitrep, and great comments in this blog from the folks. Thank you for what you do! May He come quickly.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteI have long believed that Isaiah 17 would precipitate the final Psalm 83 battles. I still do.
And i think Isaiah 17 is the result of the fulfillment of Jeremiah 49:34-39, at least the start of the process of it.
Who knows how many months or years will pass between the fulfillment of verse 35 and verse 37, but I don't think the process of fulfillment will span anywhere near the 67 years that Psalm 83 has to date.
Amen LD, Amen!
ReplyDeleteGG5,
ReplyDeleteI still believe that as the final pre-70th Week prophetic dominoes begin to fall, that very last few will fall in rapid succession. A flood of falling dominoes, if you will.
I am putting final touches on the China segment just now, but want to say before i post it that you have fairly identified the crux of what i am about to post.
When you stop and think about it, they almost have to fall in rapid succession. If a generation is 80 years by reason of strength, and the rebirth of israel is the shooting of the fig tree then the time of Jacob's trouble has to commence between now and 6 years so these prophecies have to be fulfilled before then.
ReplyDeleteHi sean, would it be possible for you to do a sit-rep about the rumors of obama threatening to shoot down IAF planes if they attack iran? I'm having a difficult time believing these reports. If they're untrue I'm sure you would know and you can just say it's utterly untrue with no further comment. Thank you. I visit this site every morning before work to see if there are any new developments.
ReplyDeleteSean,
ReplyDeleteWe had the pleasure of an exchange school teacher from China visit our high school in 2013 until May of 2014. She came to our school to teach all of the students about China and their language and we took her to every church service that we had. Even the Christmas and Easter celebrations and she loved them. She was Buddhist but became very interested in every facet of our faith. She stayed with two retired teachers that live across the street from us and we fell in love with her.
When she left we gifted her with a Bible with parallel English/Chinese languages. In the fear of it being taken away from her one of the remaining citizens of China made arrangements to mail it. She now has it and big things are taking place because of it.
She is a very beautiful hearted lady with a very small son and a husband that is a professor in one of the China Mainland universities.
So, what you have shared here is of very great interest to me and I am elated greatly to learn of the things you have shared.
God bless you Sean and of course,
GG5/Shalom
hartdawg,
ReplyDeleteYou do VERY well INDEED to have a difficult time believing these reports.
See:
SITREP B3-15: Psychological Warfare
GG5,
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome!
No doubt prayers have been lifted up to the Lord that His Word now safely in her hands will be translated into her heart and the hearts of her entire family and her entire community in China!
The report about is China is soul stirring. I'd heard the rumors for sometime, but did not know if the numbers were inflated. The Chinese put western christians to shame in their devotion to God and His word.
ReplyDeleteIndeed it is soul stirring Roz.
ReplyDeleteI have had more than my fill of fellow Americans and Euro-centrists not accepting they have untold numbers of Bride-of-Christ brethren in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Where is the outcry over the blood-curdling persecution of our brethren while hundreds are being slaughtered.
Much of what I have seen in the past couple of years from some of the "Harpazo-Me" crowd is a total lack of concern and less than willing attitude to do whatever possible to help them in a great time of need. All they think and write about is "Jesus get ME outa here." It makes me ill.