THE CHRISTMAS STORY: THINKING ABOUT JOSEPH and the WISE MEN

Joseph was selected by God because he was a righteous man. When Mary was about 6 or 7 months along in her pregnancy, Joseph became aware of that reality (Matt. 1:18-25). He probably tried to believe Mary’s story about how she became pregnant, but he simply couldn’t buy into her rather creative account of an angel coming to her, and more importantly the point that no man was involved in her becoming pregnant. So, Joseph decided (because he was a good man) not to publicly shame her, but rather to quietly and privately end their relationship. When he was about to put his plan into motion, an angel appeared to him one night and informed him that Mary was telling the truth, and that he was now part of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s “virgin birth” prophecy (Isaiah 7:14). Joseph was to name the baby boy “Jesus” because He would be the One who would bring salvation to people. In obedience to the angel, Joseph got up and immediately, formally married Mary thus affording her protection from any negatives that would come from society. Interestingly, from this moment on God did not speak to Mary directly but all divine communication came to Joseph, who was now the head of this newly formed family.

As Matthew continues with the “Christmas story”, he does not record anything about the journey to Bethlehem, or of Joseph and Mary ending up in a place where animals were kept (probably a cave) for the birth of Jesus because there was no shelter in any inn. Instead, Matthew jumps ahead to tell of the arrival of “wise men” from the east who came to see and to worship the baby king, Jesus. The wise men have become an important part of the Christmas story. But why include this account? Matthew’s gospel targeted the Jewish people; who were very familiar with the promises and prophecies found in the O.T. They knew about the coming rule of the Messiah over Israel and also over the gentile nations of the world. From the beginning, God has planned for the restoration of all nations, and this is where the account of the wise men fits in. However, not everything found in our Christmas traditions related to the wise men are necessarily accurate. Let’s separate fact from fiction.

1. WISE MEN FICTIONS

Who hasn’t received a Christmas card with three wise men on their camels crossing the desert from somewhere in the east with a bright star overhead; or perhaps one with the wise men crowding into the manger area with a number of shepherds and a variety of animals in attendance as well. These, however, are not what the Bible’s account reveals.

• THE WISE MEN WERE NOT THERE AT THE BIRTH OF JESUS. There are a number of points in the biblical text which show that they perhaps arrived as much as a year after the birth of Jesus. First, the wise men did not bring their gifts and their worship of Jesus to a manger, but rather to a house where Joseph and Mary now resided (Matt. 2:11). Second, it is clear that Herod the Great ordered the deaths of all infants two and under, just to make sure he got rid of this baby king. This level of destruction makes little sense if the baby Jesus was going to be born the same night that the wise men saw Herod the Great in Jerusalem (as they sought the specific location of the birth of the messiah). Just have the executioners find all the just born babies and kill them. Third, the wise men brought expensive gifts to baby Jesus. These would have made Joseph and Mary fairly wealthy. However, when they were required by the Levitical law to bring an offering at the time of Mary’s purification (Luke 2:22-24), they brought the least expensive offering of two birds. This they could not do if they were in possession of gold (and they were) as well as very expensive ointments (and they were). This time of purification was 40 days after the birth, making the minimum time for the wise men’s arrival at least 40 days after the birth. The wise men did not arrive in Bethlehem on the night of the birth of Jesus.

• THE STAR GUIDED THEM ACROSS THE DESERT. The wise men went to Jerusalem because they supposed that was where the king of Israel would be born. It was there that they learned of Micah’s prophecy (Micah 5:2) that the king would be born five miles south of Jerusalem, in the little village of Bethlehem. When they exited Jerusalem to head for Bethlehem, they saw the star. This caused great rejoicing because it had been months since they had seen it, which was back home. The star then guided them the five miles and stood over the very house where Joseph, Mary and Jesus were now living. The “star”, I believe is best understood as the Shekinah---the glory of God which spoke of the very presence of God. And indeed, God was present in the God/Man Jesus.

• THERE WERE THREE WISE MEN. The idea of there being three wise men most likely comes from the fact that three different gifts were brought to baby Jesus. But travel in those days was always dangerous and the wise men would have been part of a large caravan made up of many more than three. Maybe there were 15 wise men.

2. FACTS

• THEY WENT TO THE HOUSE WHERE JOSEPH, MARY AND JESUS WERE LIVING. Matthew’s account is perfectly clear. The wise men did not go to the place of Jesus’ birth, but to a house (Matt. 2:11). This reveals two basic things. First, some time had passed after the birth before the wise men arrived in Bethlehem. The family had now taken up residence in the town. And second, the “star” was not a comet, alignment of planets, or any other heavenly body. None of those has the ability to appear above a single, specific house in a neighborhood in Bethlehem. However, the “shekinah” (glory of God) could do that just as it did in the days of Moses, when it appeared over the Tabernacle as a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day (Exodus 40:36-38).

• THEY ARRIVED AT LEAST 40 DAYS AFTER THE BIRTH. When a Jewish woman gave birth to a male child, she had to go through the rites of purification 40 days after the birth (Leviticus 12). Then an offering was made. As noted above, if the wise men had arrived and given them the expensive gifts, Joseph and Mary would not have been able to bring the least expensive gift. The rite of purification requires the arrival of the wise men after the 40 days. 

• THE WISE MEN PICTURED WHAT WOULD BE TRUE IN THE KINGDOM OF MESSIAH.  Matthew is the only one that gives the account of the wise men. Why? Matthew wrote his gospel with a Jewish audience in mind, presenting Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah/King of Israel. In the future, when King Jesus returns to the earth at His Second Coming, the gentile nations of the earth (as pictured by the wise men) will come to worship Him and declare their loyalty to Him. Here is a sampling of scriptures that speak of this.

• Zechariah 14:16---The nations of the earth will come to Jerusalem annually to worship King Jesus.

• Isaiah 60:56---During the messianic age, the gentile nations will come and worship with gold and frankincense. 

• Psalm 2:6-9---Messiah, the Son, will rule over all the nations of the earth and they will worship Him; nations which today have a very different attitude towards Him

• Revelation 19:15-16---King Jesus will rule and is said to the King over all the kings of the earth. His rule will not tolerate overt sin and wickedness.

• Hebrews 2:5-8---King Jesus’ kingdom is an earthly one, ruling over all mankind on this earth. However, that rule has not yet begun, but is future.

• Daniel 2:44---King Jesus begins His reign over the earth, after all the kingdoms of mankind have been eliminated, and His kingdom is the only one on this earth.

• Isaiah 66:18, 23---As Messiah Jesus reigns, all the nations of the earth will come to Jerusalem to worship Him.

3. OUR RESPONSE. The Christmas season can be a very pleasant and wonderful time of the year. The Apostle Paul informs us that God has given all things to us to enjoy if they are sanctified (set apart in their proper place) by the Word and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4-5). So, as we enter into the Christmas season, for us there is a lot that can be enjoyed. We can appreciate the food, the decorations, the fun, and time with friends and family. As long as God’s Word gives us perspective and as we prayerfully look for chances to share materially and spiritually, there is much we can enjoy. Of course, the Christmas season can also be a challenging time for people who have lost loved ones; who face difficult relational or financial circumstances; or who are dealing with deep disappointments. But there are certain things that Christmas reminds us of that are not determined by life’s circumstances.

• The Coming of the Savior Has Solved the Sin Problem. Sin is a problem for each and every person on this planet. Religions attempt to deal with that in one way or another. But when baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem, God’s plan of dealing with sin once and for all began to take place. For everyone who places their faith in the Son of God, who died on the cross for all our sins and then rose from the dead, a secure eternal life is given (John 20:30-31). His once for all death on the cross was a full and a complete payment for all of our sins, and has satisfied God’s righteous requirements for life eternal (Heb. 9:25-28; 10:10-14). Even if we are unsure about the wise men or other aspects of the Christmas story, baby Jesus’ purpose in entering this world is a certainty. He came to pay the necessary price for our sin. And gladly, “it is finished”.

• Our Place in King Jesus’ Future Kingdom is Secure.  The story of the wise men was included by Matthew to remind his Jewish readers (and us as well) that when King Jesus reigns, the gentile nations will come and worship Him. This is pictured by the coming of the wise men. This coming kingdom, with all its magnificence, is detailed in the O.T. prophets. It will be a time of harmonious relationships among people; a time of universal prosperity; a time when righteousness, not crime and evil, will be the order of the day; a time when the curse put on creation will be lifted; and a period when joy will dominate life on the earth. All are invited to be part of this wonderful period of 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1-10), which is pictured as a wedding feast (Rev. 19:9; Matt. 22:1-14). God’s invitation is accepted when the individual places faith in Jesus. At that moment the “reservation” is made and is secure (1 Peter 1:3-5).

• God Uses Godly People. The key players in the Christmas story were all declared to be godly, righteous people. That was true of Joseph, Mary, and the parents of John the Baptist. God commits His important work to those who faithfully walk with Him. He does not require perfection, but He does require that we be clean and obedient. Being famous is not a requirement. If we desire to serve King Jesus in meaningful ways, we need to remember people like Joseph. The Lord God delights in taking the “little people” of the world to work through in accomplishing eternal things. What a great way to live! Jesus promised that our lives would be fruitful and very meaningful if we would “abide” (remain in fellowship) with Him. (John 15:1-5). Christmas reminds us that Jesus came, and so our lives can be meaningful and satisfying (not necessarily easy) right now; and that our best days are yet ahead of us. So, when you receive a Christmas card this year with three men riding on three camels out in the middle of nowhere, with a brilliant star overhead, let it remind you of why Matthew included the wise men in his gospel narrative. The Savior/King came into this world in a most humble fashion to do the great work of restoring everything that mankind lost back in the Garden of Eden; not just Jews, but gentiles as well. And, maybe soon He will come again and gather His own sheep together to enjoy His incredible 1,000-year reign on this transformed earth. I hope to see you there!!!

HAMAS, ISRAEL and the UNSEEN WAR

The United States government and the mainstream media work hard at keeping religion out of most everything. And in doing so, they have again missed the main issue of what is really going on in Israel with the Hamas’ war. On the surface it is presented that this is an issue of territory or race, but it is deeper and older than that. This unseen war, made visible at this moment with Hamas vs. Israel, is really between the “god of this world” (Satan) and the Lord Jehovah, and it started back in the Garden of Eden. We, as believers, must keep this in our mind. To correctly see and interpret present events we need to keep the main point the main point. And the main point is that God is fulfilling His purpose and the intense opposition to His purpose by the “principalities and powers” under the control of the Evil One. There are some theological basics that ought to be remembered as we think about current events.

God’s Original Plan. Mankind was unique among God’s creation. God designed man to rule the earth and live in wonderful fellowship with Him. But even the most wonderful setting did not keep mankind from sinning and experiencing staggering losses. One was the loss of his position of ruling authority, which then shifted to Satan. God’s original plan was a beautiful one and one that God did not abandon. As Revelation 20-22 reveals, it will eventually be fulfilled, and even enhanced; a kind of Creation 2.0.

The Fulfilling of God’s Plan.  God’s way of restoring His original plan was to do so through mankind (“the seed of the woman,” Genesis 3:15). But more specifically it was to be through the man Abraham and his descendants, Isaac, and Jacob. God entered into an eternal, unconditional covenant with this man and through him restoration would take place. And from that moment on, the Jewish people became the hated target of Satan. This hatred for the Jewish people is an irrational hatred because it is Satanic. He knows that it is a descendant of Abraham that will crush him and remove him from his present role. Even though that descendant, Jesus of Nazareth, has come and sealed his fate, the Evil One will continue using individuals, nations, and groups to be his “useful idiots” in wreaking as much havoc and pain as possible. This time it is Hamas. 

Satan’s Position. Satan has attained authority over this world. Jesus and the Apostle Paul refer to him as the “god of this world” (John 12:13; 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4), and the Apostle John adds that the “whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). He has immense power and great authority in his control of the nations. We recall that, in His temptations, Jesus never debated the Devil’s claim to own the nations of the world (Luke 4:1-14). And as Daniel 10 makes clear, demonic beings are assigned to nations and that would include groups like Hamas. Demons are fallen angels who carry out Satan’s purpose, as is seen in a great war described in Revelation 16:13-16, where they are involved in the killing of one-third of humanity during the Tribulation.

Satan’s Purpose.  This world is Satan’s “system” which he has created to rival that of God’s kingdom. His system, of course, leaves the true God out. Satan is not opposed, at the present time, to religion as long as the true God is not included. Satan sells his “God-free” system as something attractive where Self has top priority. While not everything is raw evil in this system, it is nevertheless deadly to people, which is why believers are forcefully commanded not to love this world system (1 John 2:15-16). Satan’s system is quite flexible and can adapt to “nice” Americans or to “evil” terrorist groups. Whatever cultural form it takes, the purpose is the same; thwart God’s plan of restoration and reconciliation.

Satan’s Character.  Jesus was perfectly clear about Satan’s character when He said that he is a liar and that he simply cannot tell the truth (John 8:44). And, as Jesus noted, Satan is the “father” of those who lie. Along with Jesus’ description, John adds that the Devil is a deceiver (Rev. 12:9; 20:3, 8, 10). So, it ought not be a surprise to us when blatant lies and constant deception come from the mouths of those who hate God’s covenant people, Israel. Jesus also stated, in John 8, that Satan is a murderer. He hates human beings, but particularly those who are Jewish. Bloodshed always surrounds those who do the will of the Evil One. The horrible atrocities committed by Hamas in their surprise attack is an unmistakable sign as to the evil one behind it all.

Satan’s Forces.  Satan is the “prince of the demons” (Matt. 12:24) and he has a vast array of highly organized and powerful demonic beings under his authority (Eph. 6:11-12). And these demons act as the Devil’s assistants in promoting his agenda and in attempting to thwart the grand purpose of God. The various philosophies of Satan are the “doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1), the “deep things of Satan” as the church at Thyatira thought (Rev. 2:24). Some do not seem too bad on the surface, while others produce the kind of carnage and evil recently witnessed by the world. The Scriptures speak of their varied approach from “schemes” to “flaming missiles” (Eph. 6:10-17). But their purpose is the same and that is to promote Satan’s kingdom and resist God’s plan.

Satan’s Last Stand.  As powerful as the forces of wickedness might be, their end is clear. When the final seven years of the Tribulation arrives, the “god of this world” will see his world system and his dreams of being like the true God crushed under the feet of Jesus Messiah. But Satan will have his last fling. Much to his dismay, he will be forcibly removed from the heavenlies by Michael and the holy angels (Rev. 12:7-12). This takes place at the mid-point of the seven years of the Tribulation. This inflames Satan’s hatred and his desire to destroy as well as his passionate desire to be worshiped. Using his two minions, the Antichrist and the False Prophet (Rev. 13), Satan will experience the worship of many people on this planet. Promising much, this evil trinity will bring nothing but heartache, fear, and death to mankind. Then, Jesus will appear in the heavens and return to this earth as the glorious, all-powerful King of kings and Lord of lords. Satan will be crushed and his fate is forever sealed; first in the Abyss for 1,000 years followed by eternity in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19 and 20).

God’s Desire to Save.  We often view the Tribulation as a time of judgment and death. And it certainly has those elements. But God really does not need 7 years to execute His judgment, as Sodom and Gomorrah can testify. But time is needed to save people. And the great and grand purpose of the coming Tribulation is to save the people of Israel. And these wayward chosen people will come to believe in Jesus as their Messiah-Savior. By the millions they will be saved. And then, as saved people, Israel will become that “light to the gentiles” which will result in millions being saved out of every tribe and nation on the earth (Rev. 7). The spiritual blindfold on the eyes of Israel will be removed and then “all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:25-29) and God will bring His people into His “New Covenant” (Jer. 31:31-35). 

God’s Restored Plan.  God’s wonderful plan for mankind, seen momentarily in the Garden of Eden, was lost from view. But Revelation 20-22 shows that this wonderful plan will be restored; and, actually enhanced. This is where we are headed. 

Hamas and Israel.  Since there is no biblical description or prophecy of the current war, we cannot predict all the twists and turns. We do not know how many will die; what the level of destruction will be; what nations may or may not become involved; or what will be the fall-out in our own country. We will have to be like everyone else and just wait and see. But unlike so many, we do have a biblical framework in which to place this Hamas’ war. It is very likely that this Hamas war will put additional pieces in place for the biblical “Gog/Magog” war of Ezekiel 38-39. And as many now believe, this war will take place after the Rapture but before the Tribulation, during an interval of several months. Iran, Russia, and many Islamic nations will come against Israel with overwhelming armies, but will be annihilated by the God of Abraham. These nations will experience the end of God’s patience and Israel will begin to come to faith (Ezek. 39:22). 

God’s purposes will not be thwarted and His plans will not be delayed by a single minute. He is sovereign. He is all knowing. He is all-powerful. Psalm 2 gives us great insights about things present and future. Four points to particularly note: (1) The leaders of nations, and their people, hate the Lord God and they particularly hate His Anointed One, Jesus (2:1-3). (2) God the Father is unfazed by them and they are now going to be recipients of His righteous wrath (2:4-5).  (3) The Father has already installed the Son as King in Zion. It is a done deal. (2:5). And (4) the Son will receive all the nations of the earth as His inheritance, and He will rule with a “rod of iron”, which means there is no place anymore for overt evil or terrorists like Hamas.

God’s grace is rich as is His mercy. He continues to offer His matchless gift of eternal life. He can do this because Jesus’ death on the cross completely took care of the sin issue. The God-man Jesus rose from the dead and obtained victory over Satan, sin, and death (Col. 2:13-15). Our prayer is that many in Israel today, who witness the horrors of the Hamas war, will turn in faith to Jesus Messiah and receive God’s great gift of eternal life. And that many in America will see the fraudulent nature of Liar-murderer Satan’s system and come to the Savior.

5 MINUTES AFTER THE RAPTURE

 

If the Rapture of the church were to take place tomorrow morning at 10:30, the world would become a dramatically different place by 10:35. The Bible, of course, does not give detailed information about the exact situation at 10:35, but it does not leave us without an idea about what things will look like after the Rapture.

The Rapture Event. There are some basic facts we know about the Rapture event as the Apostle Paul discusses it in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. First, everyone who has placed their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation will be taken up. There will be no believer from this church age, living or dead, who will be forgotten or left behind. All in the Church (regenerate people) will suddenly be transported to meet Jesus Christ in the air. Second, the Rapture is a sign-less and supernatural event. The Bible gives no signs indicating that the Rapture is about to take place. So 10:30 is possible. But when it happens, it will not be a silent event. The voices of Christ Himself and the Archangel will be heard, as well as a trumpet blast that will echo around the world. It is probable that unbelievers will be aware that something momentous and supernatural has taken place, though they might not be clear on just what that might be. The moment after the Rapture occurs, there will be no saved (regenerated) person on the earth.

The World’s Condition 5 Minutes After the Rapture. At 10:35 on the day of the Rapture, several things will undoubtedly be true. 

The Salvation of Many. As just noted, there is not one saved person left on the earth. But there will be hundreds of thousands who have heard the gospel prior to the 10:30 Rapture, but who never turned in faith to Jesus. Some have taught that if a person heard the gospel prior to 10:30 on the morning of the Rapture, they could not be saved later. This idea is based on 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. But a careful reading of Paul’s teaching shows that Paul is not talking about people who were simply exposed to the gospel. He is talking about those who have purposefully, willingly rejected it and instead embraced the deceptions and the evils of the Antichrist and false teachers. Paul uses the present tense to emphasize their persistent rejection of the “love of the truth that they might be saved” (2 Thes. 2:12) and their taking “pleasure in wickedness.” On the other hand, it is very probable that many people who have heard the gospel from Christians prior to the Rapture will be motivated to respond positively to that glorious gospel and be saved shortly after the Rapture.

The Explosion of Evil.  We look at our world today and we see the fermentation of evil everywhere. More and more, good is being called evil, and evil good. The raw wickedness that is emerging in our culture is causing some to compare western culture to Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet, today is just a foreshadowing of the explosion of evil that is going to begin at 10:35.  The Holy Spirit’s ministry of the restraining of sin will be withdrawn from the earth (2 Thes. 2:6-7) when He takes the Church out of the world.  Imagine if you can, what the United States will look like. As bad as our nation might be these days, we have the true church and we have morally sound Christians in government, in education, in the military and just everywhere in our towns and neighborhoods. These are resisting the evil that is growing so quickly. But imagine when those resisters of evil and promoters of good are suddenly removed at 10:30. Evil will indeed explode.

Shock and Confusion. There is always confusion and shock when a disaster occurs. Remember the terrible recent fires in Maui and in California, or the earthquakes and floods bringing death and deep trauma to thousands. And the closer one is to such events the greater the shock. So, when 400,000,000 people suddenly disappear with no trace, we can imagine the fear and uncertainty that will be present. (This number assumes that 5% of the world’s present population are truly born-again people). The Rapture is known (for a variety of reasons) by millions of unsaved people in the world. This sudden event will confront the world with a level of supernaturalism that will rock them to their core. Some will respond and seek Christ, others will not. But the confusion, fear and uncertainty will further prepare the world for a man who will promise to bring stability and peace to them. That man, of course, is the Antichrist. It all begins at 10:35.

10:35 Will Begin Evangelism’s Greatest Time. Many believers sincerely believe that when the Rapture takes place that unsaved relatives and friends are forever doomed to an eternity in the Lake of Fire. But that is not necessarily the case. Despite the terrors of the Tribulation, judgment is not the main reason for that period.  If judgment was all God wanted to do, then he could do it in 7 minutes (such as with Sodom and Gomorrah). He would not need 7 years but could get His point across much quicker.  But the saving of people is God’s great purpose and salvation does take some time.  The gospel must be proclaimed and people hear it and then choose to respond to Jesus Christ, or not.

Saving Israel.  In His covenant promises to Abraham (and Abraham’s descendants) God declared that He would bring Israel into the New Covenant, which is the covenant dealing with salvation and the forgiveness of sins.  In all the centuries since Jesus came the first time and died on the Cross, the nation of Israel has never turned to Him. However, Jesus was abundantly clear when He declared that He would not return to the earth again (the 2nd Coming) until Israel turned to Him in faith (Matt. 23:39).  Saving Israel is God’s first and primary order of business in the Tribulation. Romans 11 reveals that it does happen.

“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in: and thus, ALL ISRAEL will be saved; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. ‘And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’” Romans 11:25-27

Israel begins the Tribulation as an unbelieving nation, but that rapidly begins to change, probably as the 144,000 Jewish evangelists begin to make an impact.  Jesus noted that half way through the Tribulation Israel would begin to be persecuted “on account of My name” (Matt. 24:9).  Now Israel has been and continues to be persecuted by the gentile nations, but not because she has identified with Jesus Christ!  The 144,000 (Rev. 7) along with the “two witnesses” (Rev. 11) apparently have a huge impact on the nation of Israel, so that by the end of the Tribulation “all” Israel has come to faith in Christ. With the salvation of Israel, the Great King Jesus can now return.  But before He does there are many more that need saving.  This will be the ultimate fulfillment of Genesis 12:3---“in you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”

(2) Saving gentiles.  In the Old Testament, it was always God’s plan to reach the gentile nations through Israel.  The Israelites were to be a light to the gentiles.  Unfortunately, Israel behaved badly and rarely was that light bringing the knowledge of the Lord Jehovah to the nations.  But that changes dramatically in the Tribulation.  They will be a beacon light in that terribly dark time.  According to Revelation 7:9-14, millions upon millions from every nation will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. It is important to observe that these people (of Revelation 7) were saved during the Tribulation period and are not the saved of all the ages. And while they will die for their faith, the number of them runs in the millions. This shows the great saving power of God in those days.

A Final Thought. While we may not know a lot of details about what happens after 10:30, we do know the world will be different at 10:35 as the Lord God inaugurates His plan to bring in the future aspect of the Kingdom of God. Until 10:30, we believers in Jesus ought to live for Him with energy and excellence and adjust our living so we can do so. In Hebrews 3 and 4, the author placed great emphasis on “today.” His point to the recipients of the message was that they must not procrastinate on vital spiritual matters. They must not delay making the necessary adjustments and changes in their lives as believers. Sometimes our intentions for making needed changes are good ones, but we put off doing it “today.” For example, we vow to become more disciplined in our devotional lives or be bolder in public in representing Jesus Christ. But “today” is replaced by tomorrow or next week. Obviously, a 10:30 Rapture tomorrow morning will negate that plan to make changes next weekend.  

PSALM 83 and THE NEXT PROPHETIC BATTLE

Psalm 83 has been a focus for some prophetic teachers who claim that there will be a future battle that will take place before the Gog-Magog battle, near the time of the Rapture. Psalm 83 has been presented as evidence that the end times will begin very soon. It is good for us to review this Psalm because it comes up frequently in sermons and on the internet. The chart illustrates the position.

   

The Basic Idea of Psalm 83

In Psalm 83, ten peoples are mentioned which align themselves against Israel, and declare that they will “wipe out” Israel as a nation and that “the name of Israel will be remembered no more” (Psa. 83:4). In this Psalm, the author Asaph asks God to show His strength and thoroughly defeat these enemies of Israel. Asaph points out that Judah is in a terrible situation as the hatred for Israel is intense and God needs to intervene. In the past, God has brought about some tremendous victories on behalf of Israel and He needs to do so again.

The Basic Idea of Psalm 83 Being a Still Future Battle

Those who see this Psalm as prophetic, see it as speaking of a future battle just before the well-known “Gog-Magog” war. First, they note that the hateful attitude found in Psalm 83 is exactly what is seen today in the middle-east. The constant cry today from Israel’s enemies is to “drive Israel into the sea” and it is said this shows that the Psalm 83 battle is probably quite close. 

Second, they also state that the author of the Psalm, Asaph, is called a “seer” (prophet) in 2 Chronicles 29:30 which would qualify this psalm as prophetic, and one that has yet to be fulfilled. This psalm is part of the ministry of the prophet Asaph.

          Third, concerning the alignment of the ten peoples/nations, it is stated that this alignment never has had a historical fulfillment, and so must await a coming day. The idea is that this battle of the Ten versus Israel is imminent and will occur just before the Gog-Magog battle (discussed in Ezekiel 38-39). In Psalm 83, God is asked to thoroughly defeat this group of enemies, something God will do, thus giving Israel a time of peace. This is the peace that is mentioned as Israel’s condition in Ezekiel 39:8 and 11. However, this newly achieved peace will be short lived as the defeated Arab nations will call on Russia and Islamic nations to come and destroy Israel, which then triggers the Gog-Magog battle. No dogmatic position is taken on the timing of the battle, but it is viewed as near the Rapture and therefore “soon”.

The Alignment of the Ten in Psalm 83:6-8 

                                    (1) EDOM - Jordan (southern part)     (6) AMMON – Jordan (northern part)

           (2) ISHMAELITES - Father of Arabs    (7) AMALEK – Sinai area (Egypt)

                                    (3) MOAB - Jordan (central part)         (8) PHILISTIA – Gaza area 

                                    (4) HAGRITES – Egypt                        (9) TYRE - Lebanon

                                    (5) GEBAL – Lebanon                          (1O) ASSYRIA – Parts of Iraq & Syria 

                                   While it is always challenging to line up the ancient names with the modern

 

boundaries, the above list generally gives the areas involved with the alignment of the Ten. Whether it was in O. T. times or today, these same groups have had an “everlasting” animosity towards the people of Israel.

Is Psalm 83 a Prophecy or Not?

             In evaluating Psalm 83 as a prophecy of a future battle, several points can be made. First, it seems accurate to conclude that there is no OT historical fulfillment of such a battle. As Dr. Merrill Unger states: “there is no such comprehensive anti-Israel alliance…mentioned in the OT.” (Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, p. 867). That these nations were the subject of coming judgment is found often in the OT prophets, but not packaged as they are here. So, Unger is likely correct that there is no historical fulfillment when this group of Ten was defeated.

          Second, in evaluating Psalm 83, it should be noted that a deep hatred for Israel is hardly a new thing. This same spirit predominated the wars in 1948, 1967 and all the rest of the Arab-Israeli conflicts. This hatred is found frequently in the Prophets. For example, Ezekiel says that the descendants of Ishmael and Esau have an “everlasting enmity” against Israel (Ezek. 35:5), and that because of their anger and envy they will attempt to take Israel’s land through violence and bloodshed (35:10-12; 36:5). Ezekiel sounds very 2023. The fact that this antagonism is “everlasting” lets us know that this attitude is not going away any time soon. However, it will end at the return of King Jesus. Then all the rebellious gentile nations will be judged severely (Psa. 2), including those mentioned in Psalm 83. But because Psalm 83 speaks of a hatred for Israel does not automatically put this psalm into life in the middle-east in 2023.

Third, the critical issue is whether Psalm 83 is really a prophecy at all. This, of course, goes to the heart of the matter.  Psalm 83 is a “lament psalm”, one of many in the Psalter. A lament psalm centers on the sad situation that the psalmist sees and contains a request for God to do something about it. Lament psalms always include a statement of trust in the Lord. Psalm 83 contains all these elements. Asaph complains to the Lord that Judah is in a sad situation and there is hatred for Israel and a desire to do them harm. Asaph asks God to deal with this situation, which is typical of a “lament psalm.” But what this Psalm does not include are the tell-tale phrases such as “in the latter days'', or “in that day”, which would immediately point to a prophetic element. There is a request for God to deal severely with these peoples, but it is not framed as a prophecy. For example, it does not say that “in the last days Jehovah will judge these people''. Now it is pointed out that Asaph is called a “seer”; that is a prophet.  While that is what 2 Chronicles states, this does not automatically mean that the psalms of Asaph were prophecies or contained prophetic elements. In fact, it is hard to locate that element in his writings.  Isaiah, Jeremiah and others are all seen as prophets, but not everything they wrote was prophetic.  Much of what they wrote were exhortations to obey the Lord and return to keeping the Law. When they spoke prophetically, it was very clear that the matters being spoken of were indeed prophecies. Psalm 83 simply lacks that kind of clarity. And these facts point to Psalm 83 as not being prophetic.

A fourth observation has to do with what this view has spawned, which is date setting and colorful prophetic speculations. Preachers and teachers, using Psalm 83, speak of this battle taking place “soon” and often state that it will most likely take place during this calendar year. While spectacular interpretations garner a lot of attention, they also diminish biblical prophecy when such events do not take place.  A lack of solid exegesis of the text of scripture almost always produces this phenomenon. 

Fifth, the case for Psalm 83 being the forerunner of the Gog-Magog battle is built on the point that Israel needs to have a time of peace for the setting to be right for the Gog-Magog battle. Psalm 83 is said to be that which produces that needed moment of peace. But is that true?  Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum has a significant contribution to make about the word “securely” found in Ezekiel 39:8. He notes that the Hebrew word batach means “security”. “This is not the security due to a state of peace, but a security due to confidence in their own strength.” (“Footsteps of the Messiah”, p. 121). Therefore, the need for “peace” in Israel for Gog-Magog to take place is not what is required by the Ezekiel text. And this would remove the need for a preliminary battle of some sort.

Sixth, for those who insist that this is a prophecy, there is something else to consider. And that something is Israel’s 1967 war.  Michael Oren in his excellent book “Six Days of War”, speaks of the tremendous impact that this short war had on the world. He stated, “Rarely in modern times has such a short and localized conflict had such prolonged, global consequences.” (Oren, xii).  This war made the modern Middle East what it is today. In the first days of that war, various Arab leaders were once again making their intentions clear. “Our goal is clear---to wipe Israel off the face of the map. We will, God willing, meet in Tel Aviv and Haifa.” “We have decided that this battle will be one for the final liberation from imperialism and Zionism…We shall meet in Tel Aviv.”  (Oren, p. 164, 195)

In great detail, Michael Oren chronicles both the participation and military movements of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and even Saudi Arabia and Yemen. In other words, all the people mentioned in Psalm 83 are covered geographically in the 1967 war. The 1967 war did indeed help prepare for end time events. For those who teach that Psalm 83 speaks of a future conflict, perhaps they should consider that the war has already taken place and it is not a future war.  Ultimately, all those who hate Israel will be dealt with when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to this earth. This will take place at the end of the coming 7-year period of Tribulation and then that “everlasting” hatred for Israel will end. Asaph’s request will be answered.

Concluding Thoughts

Because of the lack of compelling textual evidence that Psalm 83 itself is prophetic, it would seem best to not view it as the prophecy of some battle that has not yet taken place. The evidence that Psalm 83 is prophesying a coming battle and that this battle prepares the world for the Gog-Magog battle is very weak.  It is best to view it as a lament psalm which asks the Lord God to intervene and to deliver them from a difficult situation, which He ultimately will do.

And while we applaud those who take biblical prophecy seriously and teach it, we should be a little concerned with those who are declaring boldly that Psalm 83 will be fulfilled “soon”, or that it is in this calendar year that it will come to pass. What if the year 2026 or 2031 comes around and Psalm 83 is still not “fulfilled”?  It would diminish biblical prophecy in the minds of a multitude of people, Christian and non-Christian alike. The view that biblical prophecy is “irrelevant” or “nonsense” would once again be reinforced.