INSIGHT FEATURE
Israel, The Unwalled Nation?
Written by David Ettinger
EDITOR’S NOTE: One particular section of this article may appear to paint Israel in a very unsavory and negative light, hence providing fuel for Israel’s detractors. However, no such intention exists. The ministry of Zion’s Hope staunchly supports and loves the nation of Israel, prays for the peace of Jerusalem, and wholeheartedly believes that God will fulfill every biblical promise He has ever made to His beloved people. In the meantime, Israel – as does every other nation on the face of the earth – struggles with issues concerning sin and immorality. The facts in this article are presented to show the Israeli people’s desperate need for the Lord Jesus Christ, and also to illustrate how current issues of sin and immorality could possibly lead to the fulfillment of prophetic events concerning Israel’s future.
Introduction
It is rare to watch a news report about Israel without reference to the nation’s military prowess. This is as it should be: pound for pound, Israel is a powerhouse. For her size, Israel packs as much proportionate punch as any nation on earth. It is with great perplexity, therefore, that we read end-time prophecies concerning Israel’s lack of military potency. Here is one of those puzzling prognostications:
“Dwell safely?” Israel? Really? Before we examine this confounding oracle, let’s explore this portion of Scripture a tad more deeply. The above prophecy is addressed to “Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2). It is beyond the scope of this article to attribute precise identities to Gog, Magog, Meshech, and Tubal, but suffice it to say that what is being pictured here is an invasion of Israel in the last days. This invasion will consist of a confederacy of nations primarily north of Israel, and several from south of the Holy Land. Possible aggressors include Russia (the main player), Turkey, Iran, Libya, Ethiopia, and many people with them (Ezekiel 38:5). What is most fascinating about this gathering of nations with bad intent is that they will not act on their own volition, but will be drawn into battle by God. Ezekiel 38:4 says:
So, Israel will be invaded in the end days. However, at that time, according to verse 8, the people of Israel “shall dwell safely all of them.” Again, we must incredulously ask: “Dwell safely?” How can this be? Ever since Israel reemerged as a modern entity in 1948, the surrounding nations have wanted to obliterate her from the face of the earth. Article 22 from the infamous PLO Charter of 1964 states:
Such proclamations of doom give Israel no hope of dwelling in safety. Another Scripture, Ezekiel 38:11, asks us to digest this rather hard-to-swallow revelation:
“Unwalled villages?” A people who are “at rest,” “dwell safely,” and “dwelling without walls”? Israel? How can she possibly allow herself to be “unwalled,” which can more accurately be read “unarmed”? Consider the hatred and vitriol the nations continue to hurl at Israel. During a speech in Iran on August 16, 2012, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spewed the following:
Sadly, Ahmadinejad’s statement is not the isolated ranting of one lone lunatic, but the rallying cry of those ravenously craving Israel’s destruction. No one understands this better than Israel. With such satanic hatred focused on her, how in the world will this beleaguered nation permit itself to be transformed from what it is now – a formidable military power – to what Ezekiel prophesies it to be – an unarmed nation at peace? . . . NOTES 1 www.france24.com, “ ‘Cancerous tumour’ Israel will soon be destroyed, says Ahmadinejad” (August 17, 2012).
Israel, The Unwalled Nation?
Written by David Ettinger
EDITOR’S NOTE: One particular section of this article may appear to paint Israel in a very unsavory and negative light, hence providing fuel for Israel’s detractors. However, no such intention exists. The ministry of Zion’s Hope staunchly supports and loves the nation of Israel, prays for the peace of Jerusalem, and wholeheartedly believes that God will fulfill every biblical promise He has ever made to His beloved people. In the meantime, Israel – as does every other nation on the face of the earth – struggles with issues concerning sin and immorality. The facts in this article are presented to show the Israeli people’s desperate need for the Lord Jesus Christ, and also to illustrate how current issues of sin and immorality could possibly lead to the fulfillment of prophetic events concerning Israel’s future.
Introduction
It is rare to watch a news report about Israel without reference to the nation’s military prowess. This is as it should be: pound for pound, Israel is a powerhouse. For her size, Israel packs as much proportionate punch as any nation on earth. It is with great perplexity, therefore, that we read end-time prophecies concerning Israel’s lack of military potency. Here is one of those puzzling prognostications:
After many days thou shalt be visited: in
the latter years thou shalt come into the
land that is brought back from the
sword, and is gathered out of many
people, against the mountains of Israel,
which have been always waste: but it is
brought forth out of the nations, and
they shall dwell safely all of them
(Ezekiel 38:8).
“Dwell safely?” Israel? Really? Before we examine this confounding oracle, let’s explore this portion of Scripture a tad more deeply. The above prophecy is addressed to “Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2). It is beyond the scope of this article to attribute precise identities to Gog, Magog, Meshech, and Tubal, but suffice it to say that what is being pictured here is an invasion of Israel in the last days. This invasion will consist of a confederacy of nations primarily north of Israel, and several from south of the Holy Land. Possible aggressors include Russia (the main player), Turkey, Iran, Libya, Ethiopia, and many people with them (Ezekiel 38:5). What is most fascinating about this gathering of nations with bad intent is that they will not act on their own volition, but will be drawn into battle by God. Ezekiel 38:4 says:
And I will turn thee back, and put hooks
into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth,
and all thine army, horses and horsemen,
all of them clothed with all sorts
of armour, even a great company with
bucklers and shields, all of them handling
swords (italics added).
So, Israel will be invaded in the end days. However, at that time, according to verse 8, the people of Israel “shall dwell safely all of them.” Again, we must incredulously ask: “Dwell safely?” How can this be? Ever since Israel reemerged as a modern entity in 1948, the surrounding nations have wanted to obliterate her from the face of the earth. Article 22 from the infamous PLO Charter of 1964 states:
Zionism [Israel, the Jewish state] is a
political movement organically associated
with international imperialism
and antagonistic to all action for liberation
and to progressive movements in
the world. It is racist and fanatic in its
nature, aggressive, expansionist, and
colonial in its aims, and fascist in its
methods. … Since the liberation of
Palestine will destroy the Zionist and
imperialist presence and will contribute
to the establishment of peace in the
Middle East, the Palestinian people
look for the support of all the progressive
and peaceful forces and urge them
all, irrespective of their affi liations and
beliefs, to off er the Palestinian people
all aid and support in their just struggle
for the liberation of their homeland.
Such proclamations of doom give Israel no hope of dwelling in safety. Another Scripture, Ezekiel 38:11, asks us to digest this rather hard-to-swallow revelation:
And thou shalt say, I will go up to the
land of unwalled villages; I will go to
them that are at rest that dwell safely,
all of them dwelling without walls, and
having neither bars nor gates.
“Unwalled villages?” A people who are “at rest,” “dwell safely,” and “dwelling without walls”? Israel? How can she possibly allow herself to be “unwalled,” which can more accurately be read “unarmed”? Consider the hatred and vitriol the nations continue to hurl at Israel. During a speech in Iran on August 16, 2012, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spewed the following:
The Zionist regime and the Zionists are
a cancerous tumor. Even if one cell of
them is left in one inch of [Palestinian]
land, in the future this story [of Israel’s
existence] will repeat. The nations of
the region will soon finish off the usurper
Zionists in the Palestinian land. … A
new Middle East will defi nitely be
formed. With the grace of God and
help of the nations, in the new Middle
East there will be no trace of the
Americans and Zionists.1
Sadly, Ahmadinejad’s statement is not the isolated ranting of one lone lunatic, but the rallying cry of those ravenously craving Israel’s destruction. No one understands this better than Israel. With such satanic hatred focused on her, how in the world will this beleaguered nation permit itself to be transformed from what it is now – a formidable military power – to what Ezekiel prophesies it to be – an unarmed nation at peace? . . . NOTES 1 www.france24.com, “ ‘Cancerous tumour’ Israel will soon be destroyed, says Ahmadinejad” (August 17, 2012).
