War is Coming

                War is coming to the Middle East soon! A casual observer would reply “What’s new?” In a way he would be correct.  War is the rule not the exception in that part of the world.  However, this is a completely different war, and we need to be ready for it.

                On the night of May 7-8, 2012, Prime Minister Netanyahu forged a national unity government when he managed to bring Kadima, the main opposition party, into his ruling coalition.  This was completely unexpected because hours before the Knesset had been discussing a bill calling for early elections that Netanyahu was sure to win.  Instead, he called off the elections and announced the new coalition that gave his administration an unprecedented 78% of the seats in the Knesset.  Including Kadima in the coalition meant that Netanyahu had compromised in some points such as the law that exempts ultra-orthodox Jews from military service.  Why did he do this, rather than wait until September and win by a comfortable margin?

                May 1967 was the only other time in the short history of the Jewish state when a national unity government was formed. Egypt had kicked the U.N. peacekeepers out of the Sinai, blockaded the Straits of Tiran, and signed a pact with Jordan.  Syria was aiming for the destruction of Israel.  Israel launched a preemptive strike on the Egyptian air force on June 5.  The war that followed, the Six Day War, was brief and ended with an Israeli victory.  Furthermore, Israel captured the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria.

                The formation of yet another national unity government very strongly suggests that Israel is seriously preparing for war.  Everybody expects an attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities, followed by either a direct attack from Iran or through its proxies, Syria and Hezbollah.  The Palestinians in the Gaza Strip will be glad to help.

                Can war be averted?  A quick look at some Old Testament prophecies suggest that this war has been appointed and cannot, or will not, be avoided.  I am talking about Isaiah 10, Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38. 

                Isaiah 10 is a prophecy about the Lord’s judgment of Assyria.   At its peak, Assyria included modern eastern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, western Iran, Kuwait and Egypt.  In other words, it is Israel versus Israel’s modern day foes. 

                Psalm 83 speaks of an upcoming war in which the nations that immediately surround Israel will form a confederacy with the intention of “cutting them off from being a nation that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” As a result, Israel will gain sovereignty over much of the Middle East and become one of the wealthiest nations of the world.

                Finally, the peace and prosperity that Israel will enjoy following the Psalm 83 war will lead to the war of Gog and Magog, as described in Ezekiel 38.  Most scholars believe that it will be an attempted invasion of Israel lead by Russia accompanied by a number of Muslim nations.  It will have an Apocalyptic ending with the Lord raining down great hailstones, fire and brimstone on the forces attacking Israel.

                It is obvious that Ezekiel 38 must follow Psalm 83, but it is not so clear which war will come first. Regardless, it is my belief that Israel’s preparations for war are just part of the events appointed in the prophetic calendar.  War will come, because to the best of my knowledge, the Lord says that it will!

                As a side comment, there are other signs that P.M. Netahyahu is in the center of God’s will.   Last November President of France Nicolas Sarkozy was heard over an open microphone saying about P.M. Netanyahu, "I can't stand to see him anymore, he's a liar." Where is Sarkozy today?