Israel was shocked on Oct. 7, 2023 when Hamas in the Gaza strip committed terrible atrocities against Israel, killing and abusing and kidnapping many people of Israel. I am writing this on Oct. 21, 2024. Over this year plus Christians friends I know have attempted to put this event into the plan of prophecy. Early on, the popular interpretation of many was that this was the war mentioned in Psalm 83. It actually seemed to me that Psalm 83 is a battle in the past, in OT times. It serves to remind Israel today of God’s faithfulness.
While we did use Psalm 83-85 in considering this event, we also have tried to remind people of the various “current” promises of God that we know to be in effect. For example, God will never deny His covenant with Abraham. Second, Israel is still in that time of judgment when she lives in constant fear from her enemies. Third, God will gather Israel to the land, which it seems He has been doing and is continuing to do. Fourth, Israel still has a time of great tribulation ahead when it will appear that she has been removed from the land. Fifth, God will bring to Himself a saved nation, and that nation will enter the kingdom of Messiah.
Jeremiah 30 is a sometime forgotten but nevertheless valuable chapter in the Bible to clarify God’s plan for Israel. (I say “forgotten” because Daniel 9 is more often recognized for it’s specifics about Daniel’s 70th Week.) In reverse order, Jer. 30:11 gives a sequence: 3) I will save you, 2) though I make a full end of all the nations, 1) I will correct you. These events occupy the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (30:7). What must happen before these three things is that God will bring the Nation back to the land (30:10).
It seems to me that all this must be considered as we think about Oct. 7 as well as Israel’s response. What happened fits the chastening of Israel. They have said that it was the worse event since the holocaust. But the “motto” of Israel has been “never again.” Yet, to a certain degree, it did happen again. That might help Israel to understand that she still is a needy nation, in need of God’s help.
The battle has been long and hard for Israel. But it appears she will be victorious. Yet, she has struggled with her allies among the nations, including the USA. There are now more opposing nations in the UN that there were before. It’s not just the Arab/Muslim nations but much of the West as well. Part of God’s plan involves Israel coming to the point where she is alone in the world.
My point is that God has a plan with various facets, and He is working that plan. I believe we go astray trying to relate any single event to a fulfillment of a prophecy in Scripture. Instead, we should understand that God is at work. These events fit that plan of God. It is apparent the time is approaching. Our response should be: knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed … let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light (Rom. 13:11-14).
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