Joshua 13:1-7

25 January 2011: Joshua was an old man, the Lord's conquering warrior was nearing the end of his earthly life, yet the Lord informs Joshua that he had much work yet to complete before it would be time to rest. This subject may well have a double relevance in these last days, for the Bride of Christ as well as for the re-established Israel of Ezekiel 37.

"Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the LORD said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed. This is the land that yet remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all that of the Geshurites, from Sihor, which is east of Egypt, as far as the border of Ekron northward (which is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines—the Gazites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites; from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorites; the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath; all the inhabitants of the mountains from Lebanon as far as the Brook Misrephoth Maim, and all the Sidonians—them I will drive out from before the children of Israel; only divide it by lot to Israel as an inheritance, as I have commanded you. Now therefore, divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.”"

We can learn almost all there is to know about Joshua by reading the Book of Numbers. His name was originally Hoshea (Literally meaning salvation) and was changed by Moses to Joshua (Jehoshua and literally meaning Yahweh is salvation). This is the same name that in Greek is Jesus. In Numbers 27:12-22 we learn that Moses was seeking a new leader for Israel, "the congregation," because no flock of sheep of the Lord's can be without a shepherd. And God commanded Moses that Joshua was the man for this task because, as verse 18 tells us, he is a man "in whom is the Spirit." And on a summit of Mount Abarim (Mt. Nebo in Moab) Moses did exactly as God commanded, and Joshua led by the Spirit became the leader of Israel, the entire congregation of Israel in the years circa 1400-06 BC. From this point the conquest of the Promised Land took about 45 years according to Joshua 14:6-14. So the taking of Hebron from the Anakim was the last act in 45 years of war and conquest, and then there was rest from war.

Ezekiel tells us that prior to the attempted invasion of the Gog confederation Israel will be at peace, stable, secure, without fear of any nation - at rest from war. Israel's re-establishment began with war in the period of 1947-49, and then in 1967 Israel was enlarged through the conquest of land to its present size. And from 1967 to the present Israel has maintained its present geographical form. 2012 will mark the 45th year since 1967 and the taking of the whole of Jerusalem. And Psalm 83 is missing one final major action on the battlefield before Israel can become - at rest from war.

Given the destablizing events currently occurring in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, there may not be much more time to expire before that period of rest becomes a reality. And in that day the Lord's attention will move from the Bride of Christ to Israel upon whom He has promised to pour out His Spirit. And the Harpazo of the Bride of Christ is more imminent than ever.

Maranatha! Our Lord is Coming!

Notes on the Latter Years Wars

12 May 2010: Here are some brief notes regarding eschatological issues I have noticed more than a few brethren have been asking questions about concerning the series of imminent latter years wars.

During the Psalm 83/Isaiah17 (and associated prophecies) war, Israel does take an initial hit on its population, but it is not a devastating or incapacitating hit. Nor is it a hit which destroys the county's national infrastructure. This soon-to-be fact is manifest by the Lord in Ezekiel 38/39. Shortly thereafter the war of Psalm83/Isaiah17 the Lord declares that Israel has recovered from this war and is in possession of great wealth. The Word of God came upon Ezekiel describing Israel in the post-Psalm83/Isaiah 17 reality, saying: (bold emphasis added)

Ezekiel 38:8
In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely.

Ezekiel 38:11-13
You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’— to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’”’

Notice in the above verses that Israel is living in complete safety. Israel has zero fear of any nuclear-armed or WMD-possessing enemy, not newly Islamist Turkey, not Shi'ite Iran under the Ayatollah and IRGC, nor Russia under KGB/FSB rule, nor any of the nations of the named Gog/Magog confederation. Is this not indicative of Israel becoming a superpower? In a type-contrast, did not the United States homeland continually live in peace and safety after WWII, until very recent times, due to our overwhelming military and economic superiority? This will almost pale in comparison to what Israel achieves in the near-term due to the sovereign will of God.

Also, notice in Ezekiel 39:21-29 the specific God-given purposes for which this prophetic and ultimate judgment against the Gog/Magog confederation will occur prior to Daniel's 70th Week.

“I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward. The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them.""

“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name— after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid. When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD.”

Brethren, none of us should make any eschatological mistake about these events and what follows them in relatively short order, including our own imminent Harpazo. The prophetic fact of that matter is that Daniel's 70th Week is Satan's and his demons direct intervention in human affairs, centered on Israel and Jerusalem's Temple Mount, in an attempt to physically destroy all of that which God has just accomplished through Psalm 83/Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38/39.

Daniel's 70th Week is brought to an end with the full and indescribably majestic Revelation of Jesus our God and Messiah to the whole world.