Is The Current Israeli Situation a ‘Psalm 83’ Conflict?
Word-Of-The-Day: ‘(1)…O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. (2) See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads. (3) With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. (4) “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”’ (Psalm 83:1-4)
Asaph was a minstrel within David’s court and with several Psalms attributed to his authorship, it is possible that he transcribed these Psalms on direction from David or wrote these Psalms upon hearing and then contemplating David’s thoughts and placing them upon paper. In writing Psalm 83, Asaph gives us a Lamenting Psalm, one of calling out to God in distress. Asaph describes the situation of his lament; Israel is surrounded by nations and people who want to take over the land promised to them by God, and his plea is to have God protect Israel from them.
Many have asked if the situation of today is a ‘Psalm 83’ event; we do know that throughout it’s history Israel has been threatened by its neighbors and quite a few times (due to Israel turning their back on God) they have been overrun and subjugated by foreign governments. Babylon, the Roman Empire, Knights Templar, the Muslim Levant, the Ottoman Empire, and the British Empire have all had their time of rule over Israel. In 1948, the modern state of Israel came about after the Holocaust of Jews during World War II, and since then their Arab neighbors have tried on several occasions to take back the ‘land of Canaan’ from Israel. Of the three major wars fought by Israel since 1948 (1956, 1967, and 1973), the 1967 and 1973 wars could be considered ‘Psalm 83’ wars, where its neighbors (particularly Egypt and Syria) fought to eliminate the Israeli state by surprise attacks upon Israel. (The 1956 war was initiated by Israel to force Egypt to open the Suez Canal to Israeli shipping, with support from Britian and France.)
The current conflict between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas-led Palestinians is not yet at the level of a ‘Psalm 83’ conflict, though it could end up being so. More so, it could exceed that of Psalm 83 and become the ‘Zechariah 12’ conflict (also this is in Ezekiel 37-38) that is the ‘end of times’ conflict where nations come to destroy Israel and Jerusalem and are thwarted by God, who will destroy ‘Gog and Magog’ (the nations attacking Israel). If allowed to play out without interference from others, (the US, Russia, Iran) this likely will not rise to the level that Psalm 83 encompasses. However, should others decide to move in to either support or attack Israel, it is conceivable this conflict will grow with Israel and Jerusalem as the focal point.
What we must always remember is regardless of what happens, it happens because God is allowing it to happen according to His plan. God is not surprised by this and will not be taken off-guard by future events regarding Israel. Do not be anxious or fearful of these events as the Lord has told us of ‘wars and rumors of war’ (Matthew 24:6). It may not be clear to us, but it is clear to God. Now is a good time for us Christians to provide to those around us the Word of the Lord, and His plan of Salvation. We should take the current Israeli conflict as a warning that our time may be running short to provide others the Gospel message of Jesus. Have Faith! God is in control!
