Are Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 About to be Fulfilled?

Is the Current Israel-Hezbollah War a Fulfillment of Prophecy?

Britt Gillette Oct 1

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Two weeks ago, Israel pulled off what previously had only been imagined by Hollywood screenwriters and authors of best-selling spy thrillers. To initiate an offensive against Hezbollah, Israel detonated explosives hidden within the communication devices of thousands of the terror organization’s top operatives. In the first 48 hours, they killed at least 27 and injured thousands more. Since then, aerial strikes have taken out additional Hezbollah targets, including high profile individuals such as Ibrahim Aqil (long wanted by the U.S. for the 1983 attacks on the U.S. Embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut) and Hassan Nasrallah (the longtime leader of Hezbollah). As I write this, news reports confirm Israel has launched a targeted ground invasion of southern Lebanon named Operation Northern Arrows to uproot Hezbollah positions.

It’s clear Israel is determined to destroy Hezbollah as a threat to Israel. For decades now, Iran has funded, trained, and equipped Hezbollah. Iran has expended a significant amount of time, energy, and financial resources building proxy forces and positioning them around Israel. Their aim is to threaten (and eventually destroy) Israel from a distance while maintaining plausible deniability when it comes to their direct involvement. Nevertheless, it’s no secret Hezbollah is an extension of Iran. It’s the crown jewel of Iranian proxy forces.

Right now, Israel is in the process of wiping out that prized proxy force. The big question is what will Iran do? Will they simply stand by and watch all their efforts training, funding, and equipping Hezbollah come to nothing? Will they watch the destruction of Hezbollah from a distance and not come to its aid? If not, then what will they do?

What Will Be Iran’s Response?

As it stands, I believe Iran has only four options it can pursue. Iran can:

1) Do Nothing

Iran could make the choice to simply do nothing. They can stand by and idly watch as Hezbollah is uprooted, dismantled, and destroyed. To do so, means Iran is willing to watch as years of meticulous planning and investment in Hezbollah as a military asset literally goes up in smoke. Is Iran willing to watch their proxy army get erased in short order all while they do nothing? It’s highly unlikely, but it can’t be completely ruled out.

2) Engage in an All-Out Direct War with Israel

Iran could also make the choice to directly engage Israel in all-out war. I don’t think they have the option of launching an attack as they did back in April unless they’re willing to follow through with additional attacks and engage in all-out war. Based on statements from Israel’s leadership, any attack from Iran will likely be viewed as a declaration of war. And given the timing of events (the U.S. election is just five weeks away) and the prospect of another four years of the Biden-Harris administration, Israel will likely use any opportunity it has in the near term to eliminate any threats – including Iran.

If Iran chooses this option, they need to be confident they can survive such a choice. The missile and drone attacks Iran launched back in April were a total failure. If reports are true, the Ayatollah is currently in hiding because he fears for his life following a series of surgical strikes on high profile Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iranian leaders in the region. Based on the failure of the April attack, Iran may fear the repercussions of a direct assault on Israel – especially if they’re incapable of striking a significant blow. It also begs the question – why build a proxy army if your first option is a direct strike? Given Iran’s past investment in its proxy forces (most notably Hezbollah), I think it’s unlikely they’ll engage in all-out direct war with Israel. However, this too cannot be ruled out.

3) Engage in an All-Out Proxy War with Israel

A third option available for Iran is to respond through its proxies by engaging in an all-out proxy war with Israel. I believe this is the most likely scenario. After all, why build up Hezbollah for decades only to see it destroyed without ever using its full capability? If reports are true, Hezbollah has over 150,000 rockets, missiles, and drones at its disposal – many of them hidden in deep underground caverns. No doubt, Israel has identified many of these installations. It’s highly likely they will act swiftly to destroy as many of them as possible while Hezbollah struggles to reorganize following the decapitation of their leadership. With Hezbollah in disarray, Israel will move quickly to destroy them before they have a chance to rebuild their communications and backfill their leadership ranks. If Hezbollah is at all capable of acting and launching an all-out assault on Israel, now is the time. Iran will most likely give them a green light to do so.

4) Apply International Pressure on Israel

A fourth option available for Iran involves the application of extreme international pressure on Israel to call off its attack on Hezbollah positions. This fourth option could be pursued alone or in tandem with Option #2 or Option #3. Iran could even pursue Options #2, #3, and #4 simultaneously. While Israel’s enemies constantly appeal to the international community hoping to apply pressure on Israel, Iran is unique in its ability to apply pressure guaranteed to make world leaders act. How? Just as its Houthi rebel proxies managed to close the Red Sea to all shipping traffic related to Israel and its allies, Iran is capable of closing the Strait of Hormuz – the most critical shipping lane in any body of water on the globe.

As the only way in or out of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz sees 21% of global oil production flow through its waters on a daily basis. Moreover, this equates to 40% of all the world’s exported petroleum. If Iran decides its best option is to appeal to the global community by closing the Strait of Hormuz until Israel ceases hostilities toward Hezbollah, then many world leaders will be desperate to find a resolution in order to restore the free flow of oil at market prices. Foremost among these world leaders will be U.S. President Joe Biden. His Vice President, Kamala Harris, is in a tight election race with only five weeks to go. A prolonged closure of the Persian Gulf would cause oil prices to skyrocket. That, in turn, would solidify the current global downturn into a global depression. Gasoline for most U.S. consumers would exceed $10 per gallon. It’s hard to imagine such a scenario takes place and Harris doesn’t lose in a landslide. So faced with this prospect, President Biden would likely demand Israel cease its assault on Hezbollah.

Other world leaders, whether engaged in reelection battles or not, will also want a quick resolution to such a crisis. Energy is the lifeblood of all economic activity. Without it, nothing moves. Elevated oil prices will result in much higher prices for everyday essentials, and the most important of those is food. Hungry people spark revolutions. So every leader in the world will have a vested interest in seeing oil prices return to normal.

I’ll be very surprised if Iran chooses Option #1. I’ll be equally surprised if they don’t choose Option #4. My best guess is they’ll pursue Options #3 and #4. If they choose Option #3 – an all-out proxy war with Israel – then I believe Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 have a high probability of being fulfilled.

Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17

How do Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 factor in? It’s possible they don’t. Many people who have diligently studied the Bible believe Psalm 83 is not prophetic in nature. Others believe Isaiah 17 was fulfilled in the past, and it does not prophesy a future event. I believe differently. However, I’m not rigid in this position. I could be wrong. In fact, I hope and pray I’m wrong, because of what it means for the people of Syria and Israel.

However, this is why I believe these two passages in the Bible point to a coming conflict involving great devastation.

The consensus view says Psalm 83 is an imprecatory prayer and nothing more. I believe it’s a prayer and a prophecy. First, Asaph – the author of Psalm 83 – is named as a prophet in Matthew 13:35. Second, when you read verses 4 thru 8, they cite many of the same people groups standing against Israel today, and they say the same things today that Asaph cites in verses 4 and 12:

“‘Come,’” they say, “‘Let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.’” Psalm 83:4 (NLT)

and

“For they said, “‘Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!’” Psalm 83:12 (NLT)

Verses 9 thru 18 consist of a prayer asking God to take specific actions against Israel’s enemies.

So why do I believe Psalm 83 is more than a prayer, but a prophecy of things to come? Because God says He will answer this prayer. In verse 13, Asaph says:

“O my God, scatter them like tumbleweed, like chaff before the wind!” Psalm 83:13 (NLT)

In Isaiah 17:13, we read about God’s response:

“But though they thunder like breakers on a beach, God will silence them, and they will run away. They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind, like a tumbleweed whirling before a storm.” Isaiah 17:13 (NLT)

Because of this, I believe these two passages describe the same event. Both use the same words for “tumbleweed” (Strong’s 1534) and “wind” (Strong’s 7307). Also, both verses use different words for “chaff” (Strong’s 7179 and 4671), but the translated meaning of both words is the same. Therefore, it’s reasonable to conclude both verses describe the same event – Psalm 83:13 as a prayer and Isaiah 17:13 as God’s response to the prayer.

So if both passages describe the same event, what does Isaiah 17 point to? Isaiah 17 prophesies a future devastating event. Again, some people disagree. They say this has already happened, and maybe they’re right. But this is what I believe the scriptures point to.

Verse 1 says Damascus will disappear:

“This message came to me concerning Damascus: ‘Look, the city of Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins.’” Isaiah 17:1 (NLT)

Some believe this occurred in 732 B.C. when Assyria defeated the Arameans, captured Damascus, and carried away its people as slaves (2 Kings 16:9). However, this did not result in the complete destruction of Damascus. It continued to exist. In fact, Damascus is believed to be the longest continuously inhabited city on earth with a history dating back almost 5,000 years. So I believe this is a prophecy yet to be fulfilled.

As if this isn’t bad enough, Isaiah 17 paints a picture of widespread destruction in Israel as well:

“‘The fortified towns of Israel will also be destroyed, and the royal power of Damascus will end. All that remains of Syria will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,’ declares the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. ‘In that day Israel’s glory will grow dim; its robust body will waste away. The whole land will look like a grainfield after the harvesters have gathered the grain. It will be desolate, like the fields in the valley of Rephaim after the harvest. Only a few of its people will be left, like stray olives left on a tree after the harvest. Only two or three remain in the highest branches, four or five scattered here and there on the limbs,’ declares the Lord, the God of Israel.” Isaiah 17:3-6 (NLT)

How could all this happen? We can only speculate. But it’s not difficult to envision a cornered Hezbollah firing thousands of missiles, rockets, and drones into Israel. If they overwhelm the Iron Dome defense system or if a weapon of mass destruction makes it through, Israel will respond with overwhelming force – quite possibly using nuclear weapons. One of the most likely targets? Damascus – a city long known for harboring terrorist leaders.

Where Will This Lead?

So what is the likely end result of the events we’re seeing play out in Israel and Lebanon right now? Whether or not Psalm 83 or Isaiah 17 play into this, I believe once the dust settles from this current conflict, we will see the stage set for the events prophesied in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. These chapters foretell a future surprise invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations involving Russia, Iran, Turkey, and a number of other nations. The Bible is clear this invasion will come against the modern day nation of Israel in the last days. It also clearly states Israel will be a land of unwalled villages, living in a state of tranquil peace (Ezekiel 38:11). Israel is currently not in such a state. However, if Israel pursues the goal of destroying Hamas, Hezbollah, and all the enemies on its border – all those enemies that pose an existential threat at the current moment – then we could see Israel end up in such a state of tranquility (at least for a time).

What Happens Between Now and Then?

In the meantime, what happens between now and then? I don’t know. I’m not a prophet. However, I know what the Bible says. Israel as a nation state will not be destroyed (Amos 9:14-15). Between now and the events of Ezekiel 38-39, something has to take place in order to create the state of peace Israel will be living in prior to the Gog of Magog invasion. It’s quite possible the events we’re witnessing right now will result in the destruction of Hezbollah, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations committed to the destruction of Israel. If Israel wipes out these threats, they may well find themselves in the state of peace outlined in Ezekiel 38-39.

If Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 are yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecies, then it’s highly likely we’ll see them fulfilled in the very near future as this conflict unfolds. Again, I hope I’m wrong. To be right means catastrophic war. It means the destruction of Damascus. It means devastation to a large part of northern Israel. It means an entire world in turmoil.

But it also means Jesus is coming. Because no matter what happens, the world is currently setting the stage for the seven-year Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ at the end of that Tribulation. That means the rapture of the church (which I believe the Bible teaches will come before the Tribulation) will occur even sooner. In other words, Jesus could return at any moment. Make sure you’re prepared!