Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah

Since the nation of Israel (more correctly Judah – not the 12 tribes) was restored to its God given land (Genesis 17:8 “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God”) in 1948, it seems to have been almost one long war in the Middle East. Zechariah 1:12 “Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?”

These troubles are likely to continue then for several years yet, spurred on by extremists who take advantage of the Arab character (descendants of Ishmael) Genesis 16:11-12 “And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”

Even to this day the sectarian violence seen in the Middle East witnesses to that wildness, but, in turning it against Judah, they are fighting against God’s will. Zechariah 12:2-3,6 “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. [6] In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.”

Eventually, after America and Britain (Manasseh and Ephraim, two of the leading tribes of Israel) are brought down because of their sins, Judah will be surrounded by enemies. Zechariah 12:9 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” Zechariah 14:2 “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” Revelation 9:14-16 “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.”

Judah will fight in this battle (Zechariah 14:14 “And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance”) in the Kidron valley, East of Jerusalem - but it will be her last war, and the victor will be Jesus Christ with His angelic armies, her soon coming King !

Revelation 19:11-15 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” {Also read Zechariah 14, the whole chapter.)