GLOBAL NUCLEAR WAR
Foretold . . . in Bible Prophecy !!!
THE DEFINITIVE PROOF . . . IT IS COMING !!!
P A R T 3
NOW . . . PREPARE FOR A STUNNING ' NEW , CLEAR ' INSIGHT INTO PSALM 91
As stated earlier this Psalm is among the most well-known and cherished of all Psalms that has provided countless generations of believers with encouragement and spiritual re-assurance. When we are overwhelmed with life or feeling overcome with emotion it is an one of a handful of beloved bible passages that we all go to , for comfort and strength in times of trouble. Yet do we REALLY KNOW what it is truly pointing to ( prophetically ) ? Could it be speaking specifically of ‘ THE FINAL ’ TIME OF TROUBLE ?? And does it ‘ reveal far more ’ than we had ever previously understood ??
Let us consider THE ‘ UNREVEALED ’ TRUTH behind this amazing Psalm.
PSALM 91
Verses 1 & 2 - The Psalm opens with the well-known and enduring words that so expressively describe the LORD’s comfort and protection during times of trial and tribulation. Yet there is clearly implied a ' future tense ' within these verses with the use of phrases “ shall abide ” . . . . " I will say ” and “ will I trust ”. If this is speaking of a specific future event , then the references to the “ secret place of the Most High ” and “ shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty ” do echo of other parallel bible passages that similarly speak of a ‘ place of sanctuary ’ being provided by God during the final ‘ Time of Trouble ’
We would suggest this is a further expansion on other sections of God’s Word that ' seem ' to speak of the ‘ gathering of saints ’ ( believers ) into a ‘ secret place of protection ’ as the world spirals into its darkest hour.
PSALM 27 v5 - For in the ‘ TIME OF TROUBLE ’ he shall hide me in his pavilion :
in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me ;
he shall set me up upon a rock.
ISAIAH 26 v20 - Come , my people , enter thou into thy chambers ,
and shut thy doors about thee : hide thyself as it were for a little moment ,
until ‘ THE INDIGNATION ’ ( Great Tribulation ) be overpast
ZEPHANIAH 3v18 - I will GATHER THEM ( believers ) that are ' sorrowful ' for the solemn assembly ,
who are of thee ( Israel ) , to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
PSALM 18 v19 - He brought me forth also into ‘ A LARGE PLACE ’ ;
he delivered me , because he delighted in me.
Given the context of this ' future ' outworking , from exactly ' WHAT EVENT ' are the ‘ upright in heart ’ being removed from ?? The verses that follow in Psalm 91 are of particular interest , and providing stunning metaphorical language that points once again to the certainty of nuclear war around the world.
Verse 3 & 4 ... As ‘ the righteous ’ are secreted away from the catastrophic events engulfing the world , in Verse 4 we are given an important clue as to the nature of the crisis befalling humanity , when the Psalmist describes this latter day curse as a “ NOISOME PESTILENCE ”. While the preceding adjective “ noisome ” simply means annoying , perverse or odorous , the critical element is the noun “ PESTILENCE ”. There is never any variation ( nor ambiguity ) in the meaning of this Hebrew word throughout scripture. In EVERY instance it is ‘ consistently ’ used in the same manner and with the identical meaning ( as per Strong’s Concordance - below )
‘ PESTILENCE ’
H1698 דּבר deber deh'-ber From H1696 ( in the sense of destroying ) ; ‘ a pestilence ’ : - murrain , pestilence , plague
COMPARE THIS . . . to the Hebrew translation for the word “ PLAGUE ” as we previously examined in Zechariah 14.
‘ PLAGUE ’
H4046 מגּפה maggêphâh mag-gay-faw' From H5062 ; ‘ a pestilence ’ ; by analogy defeat : - plague (-d), slaughter, stroke
They are literally identical in the Hebrew. The words “ THE PESTILENCE ” and “ THE PLAGUE ” are ‘ interchangeable ’ in their meaning and context. If the reader has any doubt as to the validity of the interchangeability of these two words then in Psalm 91 v 6 the word “ Pestilence ” is repeated yet again - while just 4 verses later - verse 10 further underlines their similitude by also introducing “ THE PLAGUE ” in the same context. When we recall the unmistakable language in Isaiah 24 , Zechariah 5 and Zechariah 14 ( wherein “ THE CURSE ”, “ THE PESTILENCE ” or “ THE PLAGUE ” are all mentioned ) each prophecy clearly paints a picture of this nuclear war in the last days. With multiple references to both “ THE PESTILENCE ” and “ THE PLAGUE ” there can be NO doubt Psalm 91 is also chronicling the same terrible event described in the other three prophecies. As this horrific ‘ pestilence ’ ( in verse 3 ) devastates the earth and all its inhabitants, Verse 4 once again reassures ‘ the faithful ’ of the LORD’s overshadowing care and protection through the great tribulation.
Verse 5 & 6 then provide ‘ overwhelming proof ’ that this prophecy - like those previously examined - is unquestionably detailing nuclear warfare. Verse 5 alone details two deadly threats that would otherwise strike fear into citizens everywhere were it not for God’s promise of His overshadowing protection. “ THE ARROW that flieth by day ” and the “ TERROR BY NIGHT ”. Obviously , both references are not literal , but rather figurative or metaphorical. Visualised 2,500 years ago , the imagery of a ‘ deadly arrow in flight ’ is the perfect representation of missiles today in the 21st century and in this respect Psalm 91 is absolutely consistent in its ‘ visual portrayal ’ with the previous prophecies we have looked at.
So what do we deduce from the “ TERROR BY NIGHT ” that is coupled with ‘ the arrow ’ in Verse 5 ?? We only have to look to the land of Israel in recent years to understand exactly what ' terror ' the Psalmist is alluding to here. With the endless hostilities between Israel and the Palestinians , we know the Jewish people live in a constant state of fear and trepidation , particularly at night with barrages of rockets and missiles being continually fired over the border by terror groups such as Hamas. This ‘ terror ’ is amplified considerably at night. Families in their homes unable to sleep for fear of these deadly and indiscriminate rockets roaring out of the dead of night to reign down terror on their homes. We’ve often seen the news reports of panic and fear amid the darkness, emergency sirens wailing across Israeli cities, as ‘ bright ’ glowing rockets streak across the heavens to deliver their evil tidings on the Jewish people. Can there be any shadow of doubt this is the “ TERROR BY NIGHT ” being delivered by these ' fiery ' arrows ?
In Verse 6 we are then presented with two further elements which speak to the ' aftermath ' of nuclear warfare , that is ‘ radiation ’ or ‘ radioactive fallout ’. Firstly , the Psalmist says not to be afraid of “ THE PESTILENCE that walks in darkness ” As in prior instances , we again have a clear reference to ‘ the pestilence ’, highlighting the capacity for this nuclear radiation to be a silent ‘ mass killer ’. Similarly , the following phrase “ nor for THE DESTRUCTION that ' wasteth ' at noonday ” in Verse 6 highlights the ‘ destructive capacity ’ of both thermal and ionising radiation from a nuclear blast that renders the target area utterly devastated and as uninhabitable wastelands for generations. Just think of Chernobyl or Fukushima. Irrespective of whether it occurs ‘ in darkness - or - at noonday ’ we see both the ' deadly ' and also the ' destructive ' effects of nuclear war will prevail.
Verse 7 & 8 All the passages we have considered so far are ominous warnings of the ‘ certainty ’ of a coming nuclear war. However , even if the accumulated evidence presented to this point were still not enough for even the most intransigent sceptic to be totally convinced , then Verse 7 of this ancient prophecy must certainly cross this threshold. This verse , written by the Psalmist more than ‘ two thousand ’ years ago , is a striking statement to the ‘ enormity ’ of these events and we notice here , the scale is measured - quite confrontingly - by the loss of human life. The verse states :
“ A THOUSAND shall ' fall ' at thy side . . . and TEN THOUSAND at thy right hand ”
Please think about this for a moment. Clearly this points to a ‘ multiplicity ’ of events resulting in varying levels of death and destruction , wherein ‘ thousands ’ perish according to the magnitude of that immediate event. A thousand here , and ten thousand there. Not until the advent of the industrial age and the invention of conventional , atomic and (then) nuclear bombs , could such scales of man-made slaughter in any single event have EVER been conceived of. Up until the 20th century there was simply NO means , NOR any mechanism ( outside of divine power ) to effect the ‘ instantaneous ’ death of so many people at once. These startling details revealed by the Psalmist fit intrinsically with the countless arsenals of ‘ nuclear missiles ’ around the globe today that widely possess divergent sizes , potencies and blast capacities.
In Verse 7 ‘ the faithful ’ are then explicitly reassured ‘ IT ’ ( nuclear war ) shall NOT come near to them. This is an utterly ' stunning ' revelation that we hinted at earlier in this document. ‘ Humanly speaking ’ this is not only improbable , but obviously quite impossible. To be clear ... the ' SELECTIVE ' PROTECTION of ‘ believers ’ in the midst of a ' full-scale ' nuclear war !!! It is however an unbreakable promise made by God himself to ‘ the faithful ’ , whereby if they are among ‘ those who believe and trust in God ’ then they will be ‘ protected ’ from the catastrophic effects of this nuclear inferno that will soon engulf the world. [ Knowing these events ARE coming , just imagine how incredibly ‘ powerful ’ this comfort and assured protection would be to ‘ family and ( interested ) friends ’ when considering the hope that the Bible offers , as they contemplate the safety and well-being ( of their loved ones ) , amid these fearful and perilous times ahead. ]
Furthermore , in Verse 8 ‘ the faithful ’ are also told ‘ they themselves ’ will actually witness “ with thine eyes . . . the reward of the wicked ”. A clear and unambiguous reference to the ‘ final judgments ’ upon the nations - the ‘ cleansing ’ of the earth - wherein all ungodliness and wickedness will be forever wiped away.
[ NOTE : Some may suggest there is a contradiction here . . . While some bible passages ( ie. Zech 5 / Psalm 91 ) suggest the faithful believers will ‘ remain in the world ’ ( and in their houses ) but will be protected from the deadly effects of this global nuclear conflict - while other passages ( ie. Psa 27v5 / Isa 26v20 / Zeph 3v18 / Psa 18v19 ) do ‘ seem ‘ to point to the faithful believers being removed to a place of safety ( sanctuary ) away from this world-wide inferno.
These two possibilities are not necessarily ‘ mutually exclusive ’. It is conceivable and perhaps quite probable that both are true , that the ‘ faithful followers ’ of Christ do remain through a large period of the ‘ Time of Trouble ’ witnessing much of the death and destruction ( as explicitly told ) and are only removed towards the end , as these events near their crescendo. ]
Verse 9 & 10 - Finally the Psalmist in Verse 9 takes the time to explain the reasons WHY ‘ the faithful ’ will obtain such a blessed manner of care and privilege during this coming period of world-wide chaos. The Psalmist does this in the most amazing and peculiar manner , leaving no doubt ( whatsoever ) that the prophecies of Zechariah 5 and Psalm 91 have been inextricably woven together by the LORD for the same intended purpose , to fore-warn and strengthen ‘ the faithful ’.
Because thou hast made the LORD , which is my refuge , even the most High ‘ THY HABITATION ’
There shall NO EVIL befall thee . . . neither shall ANY ' PLAGUE ' . . . come nigh ‘ THY DWELLING ’
As the Psalmist commends ‘ the faithful ’ for making God their ‘ their habitation ’ he re-introduces the same unusual feature used ‘ uniquely ’ in the nuclear war prophecy of Zechariah 5. We considered at length the sudden change of context in Zechariah when - as he was outlining the ‘ global ’ implications of this coming war - the prophet then strangely ' zeroed down ' to a ‘ domestic - or - household ’ level , focusing ( almost ' microscopically ' ) on the ‘ house - or - dwellings ’ of the people. The Psalmist adopts this exact same approach to conclude his vision by - not once , but twice - referring to the individual’s house ( “ thy habitation ” / “ thy dwelling ” ) making absolutely clear ' the faithful ' will be protected in their dwellings / homes !! It seems this unique , parallel context has been used not only to ‘ personalise ’ the message to the individual believer , but also to stamp a ' direct and irrefutable connection ' between these two end-time prophecies.
Even beyond this remarkable link , in the same verse the Psalmist also once again raises the spectre of “ THE PLAGUE ” - the same symbolic metaphor used widely in the prophecies examined. Interestingly though , unlike the prior instances where the Hebrew word for “ plague ” meaning a ‘ collective or mass killer ’ was used , in this instance in Psalm 91 the alternative Hebrew word for “ plague ” is used , meaning a ‘ personal wound , stroke or spot ( .. as in a leprous sore ) ’. This vastly different change of meaning for ‘ plague ’ is therefore completely in line with the new ‘ household ’ perspective adopted by the Psalmist and again underlines that no ‘ personal harm ’ will come to the household of ‘ the faithful ’.
If we look to the ' very earliest ' bible references to “ THE PLAGUE ” in Exodus 11 & 12 , yet another stunning parallel can be found , wherein the LORD pronouncing judgment upon the idolatrous Egyptians promised protection to his people thro' the covenant of ' the Passover ' We know how the ' blood of the lamb ' painted upon the doorposts and lintels brought salvation to the individuals within ' THAT HOUSEHOLD ' as the angel of death passed overhead. As we consider the terrible spectre of this approaching ' nuclear war ' unleashed by man, is it just coincidence that Psalm 91 ( also speaking in the context of " THE PLAGUE " ) details the ' exact same ' divine protection WITHIN THE HOUSES of ' the faithful ' during this final ' Time of Trouble ' ??
EXODUS 12
v12 - For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night ,
and will smite ' all the firstborn ' in the land of Egypt , both man and beast ;
and against ' all the gods ' of Egypt I will execute judgment : I am the LORD.
v13 - And the blood shall be to you for a token UPON THE HOUSES where ye are :
and when I see the blood , I will ' pass over ' you,
and " THE PLAGUE " shall not be upon you to destroy you , when I smite the land of Egypt
v23 - For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians ;
and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts,
the LORD will ' pass over ' the door ,
and will NOT suffer ' the destroyer ' to come in UNTO YOUR HOUSES to smite you.
Interestingly , the angel executing this judgment mentioned in Exodus 12 is also described as " the destroyer " [ H7843 שׁחת shâchath A primitive root ; to decay, that is, (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively) : - destroy (-er, -uction), spoiler, utterly, waste ]
This term is ' almost unique ' in all the bible. In only ' ONE ' other bible passage can this exact form be found. It is in Jeremiah 4 v7. In speaking unmistakably of the Russian ' Gog ' that in the last days will descend as an " evil from the north " upon Judah and Jerusalem , the prophet labels this foreboding end-times figure as " the destroyer [ H7843 שׁחת shâchath ] of the Gentiles ". We know from countless other prophecies that Vladimir Putin - with the world's largest arsenal of nuclear weapons - will be the primary protagonist in the events leading up to ( and including . . ) Armageddon. He will be ' the destroyer ' , appointed by God as the ' agent of death ' to execute His righteous judgments upon the nations. Just as it was in Egypt. Similarly , as this approaching nuclear " plague " consumes the earth , it will be ' the faithful ' ( in Christ ) who will be afforded comfort and protection WITHIN the sanctuary of THEIR HOUSES. Just as it was in Egypt. And exactly as described in Psalm 91. Surely , in this we see . . . God's Ways change not !!!
Truly , a most remarkable Psalm. It is worthwhile to ‘ pause for a moment ’ and digest the full spectrum and alignment of ' metaphors and analogies ' along with ' ancient prefigurements ' all brought together in this one small Psalm , which in concert vividly portray a full understanding of the shocking events to come. For the ‘ upright in heart ’ who trust in God , this Psalm does ( and will ) provide the ultimate comfort , re-assurance and protection during the unprecedented and terrifying events soon to explode across the whole earth , as ‘ THE CURSE / PLAGUE / PESTILENCE ’ ( foretold so long ago ) devours the nations and consumes their peoples.
PSALM 91
v1 - He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty
v2 - I will say of the LORD , He is my refuge and my fortress :
my God ; in him will I trust.
v3 - Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,
and from the NOISOME PESTILENCE
v4 - He shall cover thee with his feathers & under his wings shalt thou trust
his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
v5 - Thou shalt not be afraid for the ' TERROR BY NIGHT '
nor for ' THE ARROW ' that flieth by day
v6 - Nor for ' THE PESTILENCE ' that walketh in darkness ( ie. ' nuclear radiation ' )
nor for ' THE DESTRUCTION ' that ' wasteth ' at noonday ( ie. ' nuclear radiation ' )
v7 - ' A THOUSAND ' shall fall at thy side , and ' TEN THOUSAND ' at thy right hand
but ' IT ' shall not come nigh thee
v8 - Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the ‘ reward of the wicked ’
v9 - Because thou hast made the LORD , which is my refuge , even the most High , THY HABITATION
v10 - There shall NO EVIL befall thee, neither shall any ' PLAGUE ' come nigh THY DWELLING
2. “ THE FIRE & THE FLAME ” . . . IN THE ' DAY OF THE LORD '
Another consistent theme repeatedly used in these apocalyptic end-times prophecies is “ THE FIRE ” and “ THE FLAME ”. While these references are often understood to be the product of ‘ divine judgment ’ ( through the forces of nature ), we would contend that , in the vast majority of passages these are - in fact accurate and vivid depictions of the evil that ‘ mankind ’ will soon unleash on himself ( in the form of nuclear war ). We will consider a ‘ lengthy ’ series of bible passages to illustrate this.
However , even a consideration of the terms “ FIRE ” and “ FLAME ” and their ancient Hebrew meanings provide no less than a “ breath-taking ” level of evidence that categorically proves beyond ‘ any doubt ’ that God’s Word is clearly fore-warning of this approaching ‘ nuclear nightmare ’. Throughout the many old testament passages where the “ THE FIRE ” and “ THE FLAME ” are used together , the same Hebrew words for ‘ Fire ‘ and ‘ Flame ’ are used ( in ' almost every ' instance )
As will be immediately noticed [ below ] , the word for “ FIRE ” is translated from the ' identical ' Hebrew word ( H784 ) that was also the primary root for the word “ FIRE ” in the ‘ nuclear war prophecy ’ of Zechariah Ch.5 ( which was mis-translated as ‘ woman ’ ). While the use of this same Hebrew word may not be surprising , it does display the unwavering consistency of scripture ( when translated correctly ) in all the prophecies that describe these ‘ nuclear events ’ during the final tribulation.
“ FIRE ” - H784 אשׁ 'êsh aysh A primitive word ; fire ( literally or figuratively ) : - burning , fiery , fire , flaming , hot
Even more astonishing , is the translation for the word “ FLAME ” in these occurrences where “ Fire and Flame ” are used in conjunction with each other. As will be seen in the Strong’s Concordance renderings below , the Hebrew word ( used in almost every instance ) is H3852 that actually means “ a flaming head [ of a spear ] ”. Simply staggering !!!
“ FLAME ” - H3852 להבה lehâbâh leh-aw-baw', Feminine of H3851 meaning the same :- flame (-ming), head [ of a spear ]
- H3851 להב lahab lah'-hab From an unused root meaning ‘ to gleam , a flash ’ ; figuratively a sharply polished blade
or point of a weapon : - blade , bright , flame , glittering
When we consider the reality of a ' nuclear war ' , together with ( the design and configuration of ) the missiles that will be used , we could not ask for a ' more accurate and emblematic ' representation than a ‘ spear . . . with a flaming / fiery head ’ ( or tip ) !! This perfectly detailed ‘ word-picture ’ of these modern day weapons is actually found ‘ in ’ the Hebrew meaning for " FLAME " . All the more remarkable when we remember these extraordinary words and visions were written by an ancient prophet . . . well over 2,000 years ago !!
In only 3 instances is the ' alternative ' meaning H3851 for " FLAME " used. These also define a visual ‘ flash ’ ( or gleam ) from a sharply polished blade - or - point of a weapon ( ie. spear / arrow ) further underlining the clear allusion to a ' man-made ‘ weapon that actually delivers the ‘ FIRE ’ ( H784 ). So we see “ THE FLAME ” is not merely a bland ‘ repetitive description ’ echoing the meaning of “ THE FIRE ” each time , but rather a separate and ' highly specific ' word-picture. Accordingly , as we proceed through an examination of passages wherein these two words are used together , these ' deeper underlying meanings ' and their ' visual imagery ' need to be remembered as we continue reading of “ THE FIRE ” and “ THE FLAME ”.
PROPHECY of JOEL ( Ch’s 1 – 2 )
We are all familiar with this short and explosive prophecy that is unquestionably describing the final tumultuous events in the lead up to ( and the events of ) the ‘ Day of the LORD ’. The clearly defined pretext is established in Joel 1 v 6 wherein Yahweh through his prophet Joel declares . . . “ For A NATION ( ie. Russia ) is come upon my land ( Israel ) ”. Further on in Verse 12 , the involvement of ‘ all nations ’ in this impending battle is distinctly implied through the symbolic reference to the vine and “ ALL THE TREES of the field ”.
JOEL 1
v15 - Alas for THE DAY ! for the DAY OF THE LORD is at hand
and ' AS ' a destruction from the Almighty shall it come
v19 - O LORD, to thee will I cry : for ' THE FIRE ' hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness ( H784 “ Fire ” )
and ' THE FLAME ' hath burned all the trees of the field. ( H3852 “ Flame (-ming), Head of a SPEAR ” )
v20 - The beasts of the field cry also unto thee : for the rivers of waters are dried up
and ' THE FIRE ' hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness. ( H784 “ Fire ” )
But of vital importance is in Verse 15 the ‘ proclamation ‘ of the arrival of the ‘ Day of the LORD ‘. This pronouncement is then immediately followed by ' a simile ’ ( “ AS ” ). This simile is crucial because it ‘ qualifies ’ the nature and origin of this event. Repeatedly mentioned in vs. 19-20 “ THE FIRE ” and “ THE FLAME ” are compared to “ a destruction from the Almighty ” by the prophet deliberately inserting the word “ AS ”. The correct sense should be , it’s “ AS if …. ” this destruction was sent by God himself. We can therefore reasonably conclude that this is NOT ‘ fires and flames ’ sent direct from the heavens by God ( or even from volcanoes etc. ) but when considered in the accompanying context of Joel Ch.2 and also the deeper meaning of the words “ THE FIRE and THE FLAME ” ( previously discussed ) , this passage is speaking solely and indisputably of a cataclysmic war ( ie. ' nuclear ' ) between the forces of men.
Similarly , every aspect of Joel Ch.2 also points undeniably to the references of “ THE FIRE ” and “ THE FLAME ” being the evil ‘ by-product ’ of man’s weapons of war ( ie. missiles ). In Verse 1 the ‘ blowing of the trumpet ’ and ‘ sounding of an alarm ’ are age old Hebrew practices to herald the beginning of a battle ‘ between armies ’. At length this chapter speaks of the actors “ a great people and a strong ” ; “ their appearance . . . as horsemen . . . and horses ” ; “ the northern army ” ; “ with FIRE that devours before THEM ” and “ FLAME that burns after THEM ” , all indicators that this is a formidable army , who themselves possess the power of “ THE FIRE ” and “ THE FLAME ” . . . harnessed principally in the form of missiles.
Similarly , all the ‘ sensory effects ’ catalogued in Joel Ch. 2 are also the direct results of man-made explosive detonations - whether nuclear weapons or conventional. The prophet Joel paints a bleak picture of the ‘ darkness and gloominess ’ , ‘ clouds and thick darkness ’, ‘ the noise of chariots ’ , ‘ the noise of a flame of fire ’ , a ‘ devouring fire ’ and ‘ burning flame ’ all of which renders the wilderness ‘ desolate ’. All these elements are a vivid description of the after-effects of a military conflict. We see even in Joel 2 there appears to be simply no scope for ‘ fires or flames of judgment ’ coming directly from God or the unleashing of the forces of nature , at least UNTIL after verses 15 - 16 ( appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ and the glorified saints ) and Verse 20 ( the removal of the ‘ northern ’ army ) onwards.
JOEL 2
v1 - Blow ye the trumpet in Zion & sound an alarm in my holy mountain
let all the inhabitants of the land tremble
for THE DAY OF THE LORD cometh , for it is nigh at hand . . .
v2 - A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness,
as the morning spread upon the mountains ;
a great people & a strong ; there hath not been ever the like,
neither shall be any more after it , even to the years of many generations
v3 - A ' FIRE ' devoureth before them ; and behind them ' A FLAME ' burneth
the land is as the garden of Eden before them , and behind them a desolate wilderness
v4 - The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses ; and as horsemen , so shall they run.
v5 - Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap,
like ' THE NOISE ' of a ' FLAME of FIRE ' that devoureth the stubble,
‘ as ’ a strong people set in battle array
█ v11 ... And the LORD shall utter his voice before HIS ARMY : for his camp is very great :
█ v15 ... Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly :
█ v16 ... Gather the people, sanctify the congregation , assemble the elders , gather the children . . .
let THE BRIDEGROOM go forth of his chamber & THE BRIDE out of her closet
█ v20 … But I will remove far off from you ' the northern army ' and will drive him into a land barren
and desolate with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part
So we have consistent and compelling evidence across a range of perspectives that point unwaveringly toward man’s own culpability in these dreadful events. Therefore , while these events do constitute the ‘ DAY of the LORD ’ , we see through all these prophecies , the actual ‘ fiery judgments ’ are principally carried out by man. Herein rests the irony and the lesson :
It is a hallmark of God’s interactions with mankind that - rather than repeatedly meting out
His divine punishments for man’s wickedness and disobedience - the LORD will invariably allow
His children to ‘ reap the consequences ’ of their own foolishness and ungodliness.
If man ' forsakes ' the unsearchable wisdom of God’s Ways , then he is condemned to suffer
the consequences of both his own foolishness and ultimately God’s righteous judgments
upon this untoward and godless world.
Should we expect the FINAL JUDGMENTS upon the ‘ kingdoms of men ’ to be administered any differently ??
We also know that man’s ‘ flawed nature ’ will render him utterly incapable of finding any ' lasting solutions ' to the morass of violence and death sweeping the globe . . . therefore necessitating the righteous and all-powerful intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ to put an end to the terminal death spiral that will soon threaten ' all ' humanity.
PROPHECIES of ISAIAH
We’ve already considered Isaiah’s comprehensive ‘ end-times overview ’ in chapter 24 and the global conditions that will lead to “ THE CURSE ” devouring the earth , burning the inhabitants and leaving “ few ” behind. Yet , beyond Isaiah Ch.24 , and throughout the full volume of prophecies contained within the book of Isaiah , there is a chain of revealing passages that further prove the blighted hand of man is in fact the ' pre-eminent ' source behind this coming global carnage.
Right from the outset , in Isaiah chapter 1 the prophet provides a clear and unbridled account of the end of ‘ those ’ who disobey God , describing the common fate of the ‘ transgressors and sinners ’ whose lot will be to “ BURN together ”. This is NOT a reference as the misguided ‘ churches ’ would suggest , to the “ unquenchable fires ” of Hell or Purgatory , rather it is the end of days “ reward of the wicked ” as is described in Psalm 91. This is the same ‘ discriminatory purging ’ ( previously discussed ) of those who “ steal ” and “ swear falsely ” as declared by the prophet Zechariah. How appropriate and just that the ‘ godless ’ religious institutions that teach ‘ mythological falsehoods ’ such as the literal existence of ‘ The Devil ’ , ‘ Satan ’ , ‘ Lucifer ’ and the ‘ eternal fires . . . of Hell ’ will indeed be destroyed “ by FIRE ” of man’s own making. It will be through “ THE FIRE ” and “ THE FLAME ” of this catastrophic nuclear conflict that the vast majority of the (ungodly) inhabitants of the world will perish.
ISAIAH 1
v28 - And the ‘ DESTRUCTION ’ of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be TOGETHER ,
and they that ‘ forsake ’ the LORD shall be consumed.
v31 - And the strong shall be as tow ( ie. ‘ straw ’ ) and the maker of it ' as a spark '
and they shall both ‘ BURN TOGETHER ’ and none shall quench them.
If we require more proof of this , Isaiah chapter 9 provides additional commentary , specifically focusing on “ THE FIRE ”. Once again , the context is critical. In Verse 5 the prophet references ‘ the battle of the warrior ’ anchoring the narrative in military conflict between armies. Further in Verse 12 we have the prophetic details of the coming ‘ end-times ’ attack by the Syrians and the Philistines ( Palestinians ) on Israel , a conflict we may well be on the threshold of witnessing in 2019.
Verses 13-17 are a commentary of the faithlessness and ungodliness prevailing ‘ in the land ’ ( of Israel ) in the last days . . . before ‘ judgment comes ’ in Verses 18-19. In these two verses we see the outbreak of conflict , characterised by ‘ fire / burning / smoke ’ and the land being ‘ darkened ‘ ( scorched ). This ‘ fiery judgment ’ in the form of war , will consume much of the aforementioned wickedness ‘ in the land ’. In Verse 19 we then have confirmation this is a conflict ‘ between men ’ as Isaiah states :
“ THE PEOPLE shall be as THE FUEL of ' THE FIRE ' . . . NO MAN shall ' SPARE ’ HIS BROTHER ”
Then Verse 20 portrays the terrible aftermath ‘ in the land ’ as anarchy and desperation overwhelm the people. So over and over we see the scriptural record pointing forward to the ‘ scourge of wars ’ in the last days sweeping the earth and wreaking death and destruction. So it is man’s own evil deeds being the ‘ just and righteous ’ means Yahweh uses to recompense the disobedience and godlessness of mankind.
ISAIAH 9
v5 - For EVERY ' battle of the warrior ' is with confused ‘ NOISE ’ ,
and garments rolled in blood;
but this shall be with ‘ BURNING ’ and ‘ FUEL OF FIRE ’.
v18 - For ' WICKEDNESS ' burneth as THE FIRE : ' IT ' shall devour the briers and thorns,
and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest,
and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke
v19 - Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land ‘ darkened ’ ( ‘ scorched ’ )
and THE PEOPLE shall be as ' THE FUEL of THE FIRE '
NO MAN shall ' SPARE HIS BROTHER '.
v20 - And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry ; and he shall eat on the left hand,
and they shall not be satisfied : they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm
In these approaching days of the ‘ final tribulations ’ military conflicts between the nations will be widespread. We know the ‘ principle theatre of battle ’ and the world’s attention will be centered upon God’s people Israel , as widely foretold in scripture. Israel’s involvement will begin as a ‘ regional battle ’ as it defends itself against hostile attacks from Syria and the Palestinians. Although she will prevail , we are told Israel will be ‘ greatly weakened ’ afterwards. This will precipitate the next war. Israel’s sudden vulnerability will be the window of opportunity Russia and its confederate host have waited for. Already positioned in the Middle East ( in Syria , Iraq ) Russia together with the nations enumerated in Ezekiel 38 will seize upon this moment and upon on Israel.
In Isaiah chapter 5 just a ‘ small handful ’ of verses provide a highly detailed insight into these coming events : -
ISAIAH CH. 5
v24 - Therefore as ' THE FIRE ' devoureth the stubble ( H784 “ fire ” )
and ' THE FLAME ' consumeth the chaff ( H3852 “ flame (-ming), head of a spear " )
so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust
BECAUSE they ( Israel ) have ‘ cast away ’ THE LAW of the LORD of hosts
and ‘ despised ’ THE WORD of the Holy One of Israel.
v25 - Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled ‘ against his people ’
and he hath stretched forth his hand against them and hath smitten them
and the hills did tremble and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets.
v26 - And he will lift up ‘ an ensign ’ ( Gog / Russia ) to the nations ‘ from far ’
and will hiss unto them ‘ from the end of the earth ’
and behold , they ( Russia-led nations ) shall come ‘ with speed swiftly ’
v27 - None shall be weary nor stumble among them
none shall slumber nor sleep
neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed,
nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:
v28 - Whose ' ARROWS ' are sharp , and all their ' BOWS ' bent
their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint,
and their wheels like ' A WHIRLWIND ’ ( Russia )
v29 - Their roaring shall be like ' A LION ' ( Russia - ‘ latter-day Assyrian ’ )
they shall roar like young lions : yea, they shall roar,
and lay hold of the prey , and shall carry it away safe , and none shall deliver it.
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Verse 24 - is a dramatic account of “ THE FIRE and THE FLAME ” that will precede these nations, ( illustrating the fearful
firepower that will be used ) and then v.24 spells out Israel’s sin that has invoked this ‘ judgment from God ’.
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Verse 25 - ( in light of God’s righteous anger towards His people ) further confirms this smiting of Israel is ‘ from God ’
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Verse 26 - unveils ‘ the instrument ’ Yahweh will use to execute His righteous judgment upon Israel , through a series of
revealing ‘ phrases ’ ( when cross-referenced to many other bible passages ) irrefutably identify ‘ Russia ’.
- “ from far ” - ( see also - Deut 28v49 , Isa 10v3 , Jer 5v15 , Hab 1v8 )
- “ from the end of the earth ” - ( cp. Deut 28v49 )
- “ they shall come with speed swiftly ” - ( cp. Deut 28v49 , Jer 4v13 , Lam 4v19 , Hab 1v8 )
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Verse 28 - Once again, the use of familiar symbols ‘ ARROWS and BOWS ’ to foreshadow ‘ modern missiles ’ followed by
by yet another representation of Russia in the ‘ WHIRLWIND ’ ( see our article ‘ WHIRLWINDS of the LORD ’ )
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Verse 29 - Finally to seal the vision, Isaiah uses the symbol of a ‘ LION ’ as a fitting emblem for Russia , the power that will
bring together the military might of the Assyrian Empire and the religious/ecumenical might of the Roman .
We note so many of these metaphorical allusions pointing to Russia ( ie. Ensign , Whirlwind , Lion etc. ) are in fact ALSO prefigurements of an even greater ‘ manifestation of power ’ yet to come , that being of the Lord Jesus Christ who will crush the Gogian host of nations and subsequently establish his kingdom and dominion over the whole earth.
Another interesting use of this term “ THE FIRE ” ( H784 ) is found in Isaiah Ch. 26. Some translations of Verse 11 do vary markedly , but the King James Version seems unambiguous when ( concerning ‘ the source ’ of the fiery judgment ) it states : “ THE FIRE ' of THINE enemies ' shall devour them ”. While some translations do offer alternative renderings Webster's Bible Translation also provides a near identical translation “ THE FIRE of THY ENEMIES shall devour them ”. Notwithstanding the variation in bible versions , the translations in both the KJV and Webster’s do align quite perfectly with these “ FIRES ” coming from the ‘ enemies of Israel ’ ( and of God ) rather than fire being cast down from heaven.
ISAIAH 26
v11 - LORD , when thy hand is lifted up , they will not see
but they shall see , and be ashamed for their envy at the people ;
yea , THE FIRE ' of THINE enemies ' shall devour them.
Some may suggest that the phrase “ LORD, when thy hand is lifted up ” is indicative that this is only ‘ after ’ the Lord’s appearance to the world and His presence open and visible ; at a time when ONLY ‘ divine judgments ’ ( via the Lord’s hand ) will be evident and prevailing over the ‘ kingdoms of men ’. We would assert that this is not the case and such a view only creates a nuanced understanding of this passage. More accurately , we would submit the said statement , “ when thy hand is lifted up . . . ” is a ‘ figurative allusion ’ to the LORD’s ‘ providential ’ involvement and His divine will being incontestably ‘ active ’ in the grievous developments wracking the nations. It is another clear scriptural reference , warning that ‘ the world ’ will only see these global calamities solely as the product of man’s own doings and will not recognise God’s hand in these burgeoning events , nor see them as the long foretold ‘ pre-cursor ’ to Christ’s imminent and glorious return.
Similarly , Psalm 83 provides a fascinating overview of these unfurling events that lead to the coming ‘ Day of the Lord ‘ . This well-known Psalm is ‘ the authoritative bible passage ’ that outlines the end-times ‘ conspiracy ’ devised by Israel’s neighbours to utterly eradicate the Jewish people. The words of the Psalmist are penned ‘ as if ’ from the lips of these Arab co-conspirators as they discuss their heinous deeds and their plan to take possession of the Holy Places :
PSALM 83
v12 - Who said , Let us ( Arabs ) take to ourselves the houses of God in possession
v13 - O my God, make them like a wheel ; as the stubble before ‘ THE WIND ’
v14 - As ' THE FIRE ' burneth a wood, and ( H784 “ Fire ” )
as ' THE FLAME ' setteth the mountains on fire ( H3852 “ Flame (-ming), Head of a SPEAR ” )
v15 - So persecute them with ‘ THY TEMPEST ’ ( Russia )
and make them afraid with ‘ THY STORM ’ ( Russia )
In Verse 13 the Psalmist interjects and pleads to God to act on behalf of , and save His people. We see the same ' figurative ' language of “ THE FIRE and THE FLAME ” used , and ( by no means co-incidently ) it is then ‘ coupled with ’ unmistakable symbolic references to Russia once again. Allusions to ‘ THE WIND , THE TEMPEST , THE WHIRLWIND ’ are all very common and repeatedly found throughout scripture and point forward to Russia ( . . . and ‘ ultimately ’ to the Lord Jesus Christ ). So what is made abundantly clear in Psalm 83 is whatever ‘ remnants ’ remain of these hostile anti-semite nations ( after their defeat at the hands of Israel ) will be persecuted and utterly consumed by “ THE FIRE and THE FLAME ” of these rampaging ‘ Russian-led ’ armies that God has appointed to execute His vengeance.
In the midst of the long series of military battles that represent the great ‘ Time of Trouble ’ , it is generally accepted that events in ‘ SYRIA ’ will form a ‘ major inflection point ’ and be the cataclysmic starting point ( for Israel ) that will lead to the ‘ Day of the LORD ’. Since its spiral into chaos in 2011 and the brutal civil war that has raged ever since , Syria has turned into a geopolitical powder keg , with ‘ well over 20 foreign nations ’ ( including 2 global super-powers ) vying militarily for power and strategic ascendancy within its borders. Several prophecies point to this Syrian crisis exploding very soon and unleashing world-wide chaos. Among the most notable of these is Jeremiah Ch. 49 which provides a disturbing account of a catastrophic event soon to befall the 5,000 year old Syrian capital , such that the whole city will no longer exist.
JEREMIAH Ch. 49
v23 - Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad:
for they have heard evil tidings : they are fainthearted ;
there is ' SORROW ON THE SEA ' . . . it ' CANNOT BE QUIET '
v24 - Damascus is waxed feeble , and turneth herself to flee ,
and fear hath seized on her :
anguish and sorrows have taken her , as a woman in travail.
v25 - How is the city of praise NOT LEFT , the city of my joy !
v26 - Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets,
and all the men of war shall be cut off ( perish ) IN THAT DAY , saith the LORD of hosts.
v27 - And I will kindle ' A FIRE ' in the wall of Damascus ( H784 “ fire ” )
and ' IT ' shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.
So if we ‘ briefly analyse ’ each verse , a whole new understanding emerges :
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Verse 23 - Based on reports from her sister cities of Hamath ( Hama ) and
Arpad ( Aleppo ) , a fearful sentence of doom is declared upon
Syria’s capital Damascus. An entire city is about to be destroyed ...
Two cryptic clues are given . . .
“ There is SORROW on the sea ” and “ it CANNOT be quiet ”
Could these two peculiar phrases be describing ‘ anything else ’
other than a ‘ submarine-launched ’ ballistic missile ’ ??
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Verse 24 - Panic stricken at the news of its impending doom , the city of Damascus and its people are overcome and
paralysed with fear.
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Verse 25 - The complete annihilation and destruction of Damascus. The event is not described. Only the aftermath.
Quite simply , the ancient city is ‘ gone ’.
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Verse 26 - A vision of ‘ mass slaughter ’ of “ ALL the men of war ” in Damascus , consistent with the whole city being
destroyed in one event. Once again - other than divine power - what other ‘ conceivable ’ source of evil
could wreak such a catastrophic scale of death and destruction in an instant ?? Could ‘ anything ’ other
than man-made ballistic / nuclear missiles be responsible ?? Also note carefully, the identical parallel phrase
repeatedly used in Zechariah 5 to describe the deaths of those killed by missiles ( “ cut off ” ) is used here
of those who ‘ perish ’.
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Verse 27 - Acknowledgement by God Himself that it is actually ‘ HE ’ who will ignite this “ FIRE ” in Damascus that will
utterly consume the ancient walls and royal palaces found in her. Notice also , the pronoun describing this
horrific event is labelled “ IT ”, exactly as it was done consistently in the ‘ nuclear war prophecy ’ that is
found in Zechariah 5 , when it ‘ consumed the houses ’.
Finally , from whence would this ‘ submarine-launched ’ nuclear missile come from ?? While it is difficult to foresee a scenario where Russia would attack and destroy the capital city of its own long-standing ally Syria , this devastating vision is found ‘ in the middle ’ of Jeremiah Ch’s 46 to 51 which detail the destructive path of the latter-day Assyrian in the last days. There is also a compelling biblical and geopolitical case that could be made for another nation being the destroyer of Damascus. What other ‘ nuclear-armed ’ nation would have the geopolitical circumstances , the conviction , the resolve and the courage to launch such as catastrophic strike against the capital city of Syria , knowing the Russian behemoth is both a staunch ally and fierce protector of Syria ?? Could it be any nation other than Israel ?? This is not without precedence. In recent months , despite vigorous protestations and even threats from both Russia and Iran , Israel has been frequently bombing Syrian and Iranian militia targets within Syrian territory. Moreover, accounts in Isaiah Ch’s 9 and 17 also describe Damascus being reduced to a “ ruinous heap ” amid a war between Israel and Syria/Philistines ( Palestinians ). While there are strong arguments for both possibilities , the evidence for both remains in-conclusive and , as such any determination of this aspect would be ‘ speculative ’ and outside the immediate purpose of this article.
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