GLOBAL NUCLEAR WAR
Foretold . . . in Bible Prophecy !!!
THE DEFINITIVE PROOF . . . IT IS COMING !!!
P A R T 4
PROPHECY of AMOS
Since the Arab Spring of 2011 , Syria has been a bloodbath. A continuing cycle of violence , death and destruction on an unimaginable scale. Yet more fateful events still await her. Events that will spread ‘ like a wildfire ’ through the region , and ultimately the world. With Syria and its capital Damascus being the long-prophesied ‘ ground zero ’ for this coming global descent into chaos , in the book of Amos Ch. 1 & 2 we are given ‘ the actual sequence ’ of events that will follow.
Just like the ‘ many ’ prior instances where “ THE FIRE ” has been used as a figurative representation for military conflict and war , it is also the ‘ centrepiece ’ of this prophecy. In Amos 1 & 2 we are presented with a string of events ( including and subsequent to the attack on Damascus ) wherein God unequivocably states on each individual occasion that it is ‘ HE ‘ who sends the “ FIRE ” upon these ancient cities located in and around the Holy Land. What is most revealing is the deliberate order and logical progression of these events. These are not random , arbitrary occurrences.
Consistent with other bible passages , this phase of the ‘ Time of Trouble ’ ( involving Israel ) begins with SYRIA in Chptr 1 :
Vs.3 - 5 - “ A FIRE ” consumes Damascus , the house of Hazael , the palaces of Benhadad , all found within SYRIA
Vs. 6 - 8 - “ A FIRE ” consumes the lands of the PALESTINIANS ( or ancient Philistines ) ie. Gaza , Ashdod , Ashkelon , Ekron
Vs. 9 - 10 - “ A FIRE ” consumes LEBANON , as Tyrus ( a.k.a - ‘ Tyre ‘ ) is then set ablaze.
Vs. 11 to Ch.2 Vs. 3 - “ A FIRE ” then consumes JORDAN , as Edom , Teman , Bozrah , Ammon , Rabbah are all razed
Finally , in Ch.2 vs. 4 - 6 it ends with ISRAEL ( Judah and Jerusalem ) being consumed by “ FIRE ” sent from God.
If the reader carefully considers this ‘ sequence ’ of events ( remembering Psalm 83 was written well over 2,000 years ago !! ) these “ FIRES ” actually start in the ' current ' geopolitical minefield of Syria , but then extend into other areas that reflect ‘ escalating ’ Palestinian unrest in 2019 such as Gaza , Lebanon , then further a field to Jordan. Finally , in Amos Ch.2 this series of consuming “ FIRES ” sent by God actually finishes in Judah and Jerusalem ( Israel ). Could this speak to a ‘ logical progression ’ of military exchanges wherein Israel - having taken a ‘ typically pre-emptive ’ posture against its hostile enemies - in the end ultimately suffers the same fate , as her own cities and palaces burn. We are not told in this passage if this is due to retaliation by its hostile Arab neighbours - or - the result of the Russian-Iranian onslaught that comes later. Although sent by God , the prophet Amos is absolutely clear, these metaphorical “ FIRES ” represent the exchange of munitions ( missiles, bombs ) and consume a long series of Arab / Palestinian targets before finally engulfing Jewish territory .
( CONSIDER THE ' SEQUENCE ' OF EVENTS . . . . )
AMOS 1
v2 - The LORD will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem . . .
v3 - Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Damascus ( Syria )
and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof ;
because they have threshed Gilead ( Israel ) with threshing instruments of iron:
v4 - But I will send ' A FIRE ' into the house of Hazael ( Syria )
which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.
v5 - I will break also the bar of Damascus and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven
and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden :
and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD
v6 - Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Gaza ( Palestinians )
and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof ;
because they carried away captive the whole captivity , to deliver them up to Edom :
v7 - But I will send ' A FIRE ' on the wall of Gaza ( Palestinians )
which shall devour the palaces thereof :
v8 - And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod
and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon
and I will turn mine hand against Ekron :
and the remnant of the Philistines ( Palestinians ) shall perish , saith the Lord GOD.
v9 - Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Tyrus ( Lebanon )
and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof ;
because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom
and remembered not the brotherly covenant
v10 - But I will send ' A FIRE ' on the wall of Tyrus ( Lebanon ) ,
which shall devour the palaces thereof.
v11 - Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Edom ( Jordan )
and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because he did pursue his brother with the sword
and did cast off all pity and his anger did tear perpetually
v12 - But I will send ' A FIRE ' upon Teman ( Jordan )
which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah ( Jordan )
v13 - Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon ( Jordan )
and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof ;
because they ripped up the women with child of Gilead , that they might enlarge their border
v14 - But I will kindle ' A FIRE ' in the wall of Rabbah ( Jordan )
and it shall devour the palaces thereof , with shouting in the day of battle ,
with a ' TEMPEST ' in the day of ' THE WHIRLWIND ' ( ie. Russia )
AMOS 2
v1 - Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Moab ( Jordan )
and for four , I will not turn away the punishment thereof
because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime
v2 - But I will send ' A FIRE ' upon Moab ( Jordan ) and ' IT ' shall devour the palaces of Kerioth
and Moab ( Jordan ) shall die with tumult, with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet
v3 - And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof
and will slay all the princes thereof with him , saith the LORD.
v4 - Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Judah ( Israel )
and for four , I will not turn away the punishment thereof
because they have despised the law of the LORD
and have not kept his commandments and their lies caused them to err ...
v5 - But I will send ' A FIRE ' upon Judah ( Israel )
and ' IT ' shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem ( Israel )
v6 - Thus saith the LORD ; For three transgressions of Israel
and for four , I will not turn away the punishment thereof
because they sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes.
PROPHECY of HOSEA
With remarkable similarity to Amos 2 v4-5 , the prophet Hosea details the identical events that will befall God’s people and also decries Israel’s spiritual failures , aptly describing 1. its ' unfaithfulness ' 2. its ' idolatry ' and 3. its ' misplaced trust ' ( in walls and fences ) before passing the same sentence “ I will send A FIRE . . . ” upon the nation , with its cities and palaces being consumed. So again repeated in yet another prophecy , is the clear indication that Israel will face judgment and divine wrath , but through God’s use of war and conflict from other hostile nations.
HOSEA 8
v14 - For Israel hath . . . 1. forgotten his Maker and 2. buildeth temples
and Judah hath . . . 3. multiplied ‘ fenced ’ cities :
but I WILL send a ' A FIRE ' upon his cities
and ' IT ' shall devour the palaces thereof
How can we be sure this “ FIRE ” ( ‘ sent ’ by God ) is not the result of the ‘ forces of nature ’ or ‘ from the heavens ’ but rather is delivered by hostile foreign powers ? Once again , context is critical. Throughout the earlier verses in Hosea 8 we find constant and repeated references indisputably identifying Russia as the head of these rampaging anti-semite nations. In the opening verse we see the blowing of the “ trumpet ” signalling the outbreak of war ‘ between armies ’ , before :
Verse 1 - it is declared the attacker comes as . . . “ AN EAGLE ” ( cp. Deut 28v49 / Jer 48v40 , 49v22 / Hab 1v8 / Lam 4v19 )
Verse 3 - describes Israel being pursued by . . . “ THE ENEMY ” ( cp. Isa 59v9 / Jer 6v22-25 / Lam 1v9 , 4v12 )
Verse 7 - describes Israel ‘ reaping ’ . . . “ THE WHIRLWIND ” ( cp. Dan 11v40 / Jer 4v13 / Isa 5v26-28 )
All three of these ‘ metaphoric allusions ’ listed are well-known and established ‘ symbols ’ used throughout God’s Word for the latter-day nation of ‘ RUSSIA ‘. Currently the possessor of the ‘ world’s largest arsenal ’ of nuclear weapons , is there anyone who does NOT believe Russia’s iron-fisted autocrat ( Vladimir Putin ) in his quest for global domination , is fully prepared to unleash these deadly ‘ doomsday ’ weapons to achieve his aims ??
PROPHECY of ZECHARIAH
Another instance of the “ THE FIRE ” being used is in Zechariah 13 wherein God speaking of ' end-time ' events in Israel , in Verse 9 says that after ‘ two-thirds ’ of the Jews will perish in the land , He will also preserve the other ‘ one-third ’ of His people and bring them through “ THE FIRE ”. While chapter 13 is devoid of any clue to what constitutes this “ THE FIRE ” , the chapter is ‘ straddled between ’ two adjoining chapters that speak ‘ extensively ’ on the ‘ Day of the Lord ’ and the battle for Jerusalem. As if to emphasise the apocalyptic nature of this event , chapter 12 repeats the phrase “ in that day ” ‘ 6 times ’ while in chapter 14 the same phrase is repeated no less than ‘ 8 times ’ . . . yet interestingly , never once in chapter 13 wherein this all-consuming “ THE FIRE ” is mentioned. Given that this “ THE FIRE ” referred to by Zechariah is deeply embedded in the middle of these two parallel narratives it is therefore abundantly clear this ‘ FIRE ’ which kills two-thirds of the people ( and then , that God brings the other one-third through ) is in fact ‘ THE FIRE of WAR ’ between the armies ‘ of man ’ battling for Jerusalem. Once more we see the ‘ judgments of God ’ ( here brought upon His people ) being in the form of ‘ man-made ’ destruction , through either ‘ conventional ’ or ‘ nuclear ’ war. There is simply no evidence that the “ THE FIRE ” of Zechariah chapter 13 comes from ‘ any ’ other source ( ie. heaven or volcanoes etc. ) other than man.
ZECHARIAH 13
v8 - And it shall come to pass , that in IN ALL THE LAND ( of Israel ) , saith the LORD
‘ two parts ’ therein shall be ' cut off ' and die
but ‘ the third ’ shall be left therein.
v9 - And I will bring ‘ the third part ’ through ‘ THE FIRE ’
and will refine them as silver is refined , and will try them as gold is tried
they ( Jews ) shall call on my name , and I will hear them : I will say , It is my people
LAMENTATIONS ( of JEREMIAH )
Even Lamentations provide more compelling evidence declaring that , not only is the source of Israel’s ‘ judgment of FIRE ’ undeniably from God ( who “ hath kindled A FIRE in Zion ” ) but the same verse states it is the accomplishment of “ HIS fury ” and the pouring out of “ HIS fierce anger ” against them.
LAMENTATIONS 4
v11 - The LORD hath accomplished his fury ; he hath poured out his fierce anger
and hath kindled ' A FIRE ’ in Zion ( Jerusalem )
and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.
v12 - The kings of ‘ the earth ’ and all the inhabitants ‘ of the world ’
would NOT have believed that THE ADVERSARY and THE ENEMY
should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.
More specifically Lamentations also makes clear His people’s punishment is directly at the hands of two foreign powers “ THE ADVERSARY ” and “ THE ENEMY ” ( Iran + Russia ) who invade Israel and the Holy City, Jerusalem. Interestingly, this bible passage also emphatically conveys the ‘ world-wide ’ shock and disbelief that these two powers should suddenly invade and ‘ lay siege ’ to the Holy City. So once again , the Book of Lamentations confirms the execution of God’s will and the pouring out of ‘ His judgment ’ upon Israel is ( . . . in yet another instance ) actually achieved ' wholly and exclusively ’ through the ‘ hand of man ’ . . . via conflict and war.
“ PILLARS of SMOKE ”
As we return to the striking ‘ symbolism ’ broadly used to describe the terrifying ‘ reality ’ of this coming ‘ nuclear war ’ and the worldwide havoc that will follow , another revealing biblical reference is the “ pillars of smoke ” as found in Joel Ch. 2 and its parallel New Testament citing in Acts Ch. 2
JOEL 2 v 30 - And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth,
BLOOD and ‘ FIRE ’ and ‘ PILLARS OF SMOKE ’
ACTS 2 v 19 - And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath;
BLOOD and ‘ FIRE ’ and ‘ VAPOUR OF SMOKE ’
These passages are routinely ( and almost exclusively ) linked to the ‘ natural ’ phenomena of ‘ erupting volcanoes ’ in the last days. Both verses are often quoted from our lecture platforms as legitimate and verifiable evidence that points to the outworking of divine judgment in the end-times wherein the natural earth is convulsing to the maladies brought on by mankind. Yet , could we be un-aware of ( or perhaps even dismissing ) their ‘ primary ’ intended meaning ?? So , is it mere co-incidence that these “ pillars of smoke ” are the ‘ universal signature ’ accompanying every single nuclear detonation ?
Almost like an apocalyptic headstone , these ‘ swiftly deploying ’ clouds that tower over the freshly scorched earth are a testament to the colossal destruction and misery unleashed beneath them by man. Can we ignore this vivid imagery Yahweh has deliberately left on record for our learning ?? Do we believe that it is simply ‘ erupting volcanoes ’ that will span the vast expanse of the globe - or - is this nuclear war scenario a far more plausible and accurate explanation when we read these words ?? More importantly , are we as ‘ faithful watchmen ’ sounding a dire warning ( both to those , within the household of God and those yet in darkness ‘ in the world ’ ) of these terrifying things coming on the earth ??
In Joel Ch.2 the language is highly specific , with the word for “ PILLARS ” being rendered by Strong’s Concordance as :
H8490 תּימרה tı̂ymârâh tee-maw-raw' From the same as H8558 ; ‘ a column ’ , that is , cloud : - pillar.
This Hebrew word and this analogy to ‘ a column ’ comes from an unused root meaning to ‘ be erect ’ ; ( ie. as a palm tree ). While the citation of Joel 2 found later in Acts 2 v 19 does seem to lose ‘ the pillar ’ in favour of “ a VAPOUR of smoke ” as a result of the New Testament translation from the Greek - nevertheless - if we also look to a ‘ previously examined ’ passage in Isaiah 9 v18 we actually discover the ' EXACT SAME ' translation ( quite literally ‘ hidden ’ in the text ) of yet another stunning passage about these monumental plumes of smoke.
ISA 9 v 18 - 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 ’
Fittingly , and in the familiar context of ‘ burning wickedness ’ and ‘ devouring fire ’ that
consumes the ‘ briers , thorns and forests ’, the prophet Isaiah in the King James Version
wrote :
“ they shall ' mount ' up . . . like the LIFTING UP OF SMOKE ”
Yet ' almost every ' other alternate ( and reliable ) translation renders this phrase :
“ they ‘ ROLL ’ upward . . . in a COLUMN OF SMOKE ”
Anyone who has compared the formation of volcano plumes to nuclear blast clouds will be aware that ‘ the latter ’ conform far more closely with ‘ columns ’ . . . ‘ rolling upward ’. Nuclear blasts typically have a well-defined ‘ column ’ or cloud stem that ‘ envelopes itself ’ as it shoots skyward , rolling into a gigantic bulbous cloud at the top , whereas volcano clouds are generally more non-descript , lacking a distinctive form or consistency of shape until the smoke ascends into the heavens in the loose form of a column. We would again suggest the ‘ precise language ’ used prophetically in scripture is certainly NOT by chance , but points unquestionably and unmistakably to the horrific spectre of nuclear war in the last days.
Finally , like so many other ‘ allegorical ’ references in scripture , we know these powerful images and allusions actually foreshadow even greater events to come - that being the manifestation of ‘ divine power ’ - through the Lord Jesus Christ , who will ultimately use the ‘ forces of nature ’ to forever obliterate the evil deeds and corruption of man and impose His Father’s righteous and sovereign will upon the kingdoms of men. Even in the “ pillars of smoke ” referred to in Song of Solomon we are given a vision of the Lord’s long awaited advent as he emerges from the wilderness , His power and presence likened to the colossal nature and grandeur of the “ pillars of smoke ” previously considered.
SONG OF SOLOMON 3
v 6 - ‘ WHO ’ is this that cometh out of the wilderness like ‘ PILLARS OF SMOKE ’
‘ perfumed ’ with myrrh and frankincense , with all powders of the merchant ?
ISAIAH 19 - PROPHECY of EGYPT
All these bible occurrences of ' symbolism ' , ' metaphors ' and ' illustrative word-pictures ' help to crystallise our understanding of events to come. But perhaps no where else in God’s Word is this illustrated more graphically than Isaiah 19. In this prophecy about Egypt we have a ‘ scintillating array ’ of metaphorical allusions that once again seem to ‘ speak irrefutably ’ to the certainty of nuclear conflict , this time affecting Egypt.
ISAIAH 19
v1 - Behold , the LORD rideth UPON A ‘ SWIFT CLOUD ’ and shall come into Egypt
and the IDOLS of Egypt shall be ‘ MOVED ’ at his presence
and the HEART of Egypt shall ' MELT ' in the midst of it
v4 - And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord :
and ' a fierce king ' shall rule over them , saith the Lord , the LORD of hosts
v16 - In that day shall Egypt be like unto women : and it shall be afraid and fear
because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts , which he shaketh over it
v17 - And ' the land of Judah ' shall be ' a terror ' unto Egypt
every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself
v20 - And it shall be for ' A SIGN ' and for ' A WITNESS ' unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt
for they shall cry unto the LORD because of ‘ the oppressors ’
and he shall send them ‘ a saviour ’
and ' a great one ' , and ' he ' shall deliver them
If we ‘ carefully and critically consider ’ these verses in their overall context , the true meaning becomes very apparent :
Verse 1 Is the ' centre-piece ' of this stunning prophecy providing the THREE major allusions ( misunderstood by many ) that are allegorical language actually describing the reality of nuclear war. As we've previously established , before Jesus’ appearance on the Mount of Olives , all of God’s judgments on the nations will be executed through ‘ man-made means ’ ( ie. war ) even though these events are actually ‘ sent by Him ’
Quite clearly , there is no need that ' the LORD ' actually “ RIDES UPON a swift cloud ” as if upon a magic carpet. It is not a literal statement , it is a ‘ figurative ’ illustration that signals that ‘ THE LORD’s will ’ is being brought upon/to Egypt.
Secondly , this precise depiction of a “ SWIFT cloud ” could only refer to either whirlwind/storms clouds - or - alternatively the explosive mushroom cloud from a nuclear blast. With the presence of ‘ intense heat ’ mentioned later in Verse 1, this eliminates the notion of whirlwind/storms and exponentially strengthens the nuclear detonation probability. Furthermore , this ‘ nuclear explosion ’ scenario is absolutely consistent with the words that follow , as “ the IDOLS of EGYPT ” ( ie Pyramids , Sphinxes etc. ) “ . . . shall be ‘ MOVED ’ ” indicating these monumental structures are ‘ moved - or - shaken ’ by these blasts. What else could this statement be referring to ?? And outside of divine power , what else would possess the enormous capability to move these structures ?
It is also quite plausible the third and final allusion “ the HEART of Egypt shall ' MELT ' in the midst of it ” could well be a ' figurative ' statement ( concerning ‘ the spirit ’ or ‘ resolve ’ of the Egyptians ) however , it does seem far more logical ( given all the accompanying evidence ) that this is in fact a ‘ literal ’ event , describing the capital city ( or ‘ heart ‘ ) of Egypt ‘ melting ’ as it is engulfed by this man-made ‘ nuclear ’ firestorm.
While the LORD is NOT literally and visibly present in Egypt , the following verses further remind the reader ( Verse 16 ) that this “ shaking of the hand of the LORD . . . which he shaketh over it ” figuratively show these events indisputably represent the outworking of the LORD’s will. ( Notice ‘ repetition ’ is used here to reinforce the importance of this point )
‘ IF ’ the LORD were actually ‘ present ’ here in Egypt ( in a protective sense ) then Verse 17 “ the land of Judah ( ie, God’s own people , Israel ) shall be A TERROR unto Egypt ” would make ' no sense ' at all. However , we do know ( for a certainty ) from many other bible references ( Jer 46v19,20,24 / Ezek 30v3-4 / Ezek 32v2-16 / Dan 11v40-42 ) that Egypt will be among the first nations to fall to the invading Russian confederacy and be in captivity. If ‘ hostile ’ Russian forces are in possession of Egypt ( v20 - “ the oppressors ” ) and threaten the Holy Land , we can readily appreciate why a ‘ nuclear-armed ’ Israel may well be “ A TERROR ” to the captive Egyptians. This fits in exactly with the full narrative earlier in Isaiah 19 :
ISAIAH 19
v2 - And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians ( 2011 Egyptian Revolution )
and they shall fight every one against his brother
and every one against his neighbour ; city against city , kingdom against kingdom.
v3 - And the ' spirit ' of Egypt shall ' fail ' in the midst thereof;
and I will destroy the counsel thereof : and they shall seek to the idols,
and to the charmers , and to them that have familiar spirits , and to the wizards
v4 - And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a ' CRUEL LORD ' ( Muhammad Morsi 2012-13 )
and a ‘ FIERCE ’ KING ( cp. Daniel 8 v 23 / Deut. 28 v 50 - Russian ‘ GOG ‘ ) shall RULE over them
Finally , in Verse 20 we are then told that Yahweh will then respond to the desperate cries of the Egyptians sending them “ A SAVIOUR / A GREAT ONE ” ( Jesus Christ ) to deliver them from their brutal Russian overlords “ the oppressors ”
v20 - And it shall be for ' A SIGN ' and for ' A WITNESS ' unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt
for they shall cry unto the LORD because of ‘ the oppressors ’
and he shall send them ' A SAVIOUR ' and ' A GREAT ONE ' and ' HE ' shall deliver them
We see throughout this prophecy in Isaiah 19 ‘ God’s judgments ’ upon Egypt are innately connected to the hostile nations surrounding them ( ie. Russia , Israel , etc.) and how all the illustrative language and evidence suggests ( quite conclusively ) the curse of ‘ nuclear warfare ’ will be central to these catastrophic events that will ' befall Egypt ' before the Lord’s return.
" CLOUDS / DARKNESS / GLOOMINESS / NOISE ”
Beyond the use of “ The Curse / The Pestilence / The Plague ” and “ The Fire / The Flame / Pillars of Smoke ” all of which link these apocalyptic prophecies together , these same passages also contain other ‘ visual language ’ that vividly describe the ‘ actual effects ’ of military conflict , and of nuclear war. Across several of these bible accounts that foretell of the ‘ Day of the LORD / Time of Trouble / Great Tribulation ’ we also see “ Clouds / Darkness / Gloominess / Noise ” as a repeated feature that not only describes the aftermath of nuclear war, but also provides important contextual verification.
In Joel 2 these ‘ visual ‘ descriptions are coupled with strong allusions to 1. the end-times Russian confederacy ( as it is about to descend upon and attack God’s people , Israel ) and . . . 2. to “ THE FIRE ” and “ THE FLAME ” that scorch the earth both before and after them. We ask once again , what else could such devastating imagery refer to ?
JOEL 2
v2-3 - A day of DARKNESS and of GLOOMINESS ,
a day of CLOUDS and of THICK DARKNESS . . .
a ‘ great people ’ and ‘ a strong ’ ( Russian Confederacy ) there hath not been ever the like,
neither shall be any more after it , even to the years of many generations.
A ‘ FIRE ’ devoureth before them ; ( H784 “ Fire ” )
And behind them a ‘ FLAME ’ burneth ( H3852 “ Flame (-ming), Head of a SPEAR ” )
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, ( H3851 / H784 )
‘ as ’ a strong people set in battle array
While the record in Joel Ch.2 identifies ' the aggressors ' ( " a great people and a strong " ) alluding to the invading Russian confederacy , the dramatic parallel account in Zephaniah 1 provide an identical description of the ‘ visual elements ’ of this event ( confirming it is ‘ the same ’ occurrence ). Nevertheless Zephaniah provides an entirely different perspective clearly identifying those ‘ assailed upon ’ ( ‘ the fenced cities ’ ) during this same onslaught , those being Israel. So between Joel and Zephaniah we are given ‘ both opposing perspectives ’ around a common ‘ identical description ’ of this event but the underlying point is the form of judgment in “ THE FIRE ” and “ THE FLAME ” is entirely of man’s doing.
ZEPHANIAH 1
v15 - That day is a ' day of wrath '
A day of trouble and distress
A day of wasteness and desolation
A day of DARKNESS and of GLOOMINESS
A day of CLOUDS and of THICK DARKNESS
v16 - A ' day of the trumpet ' and alarm AGAINST ‘ the fenced cities ’ ( ie. Israel )
and against the high towers.
Yet, in this the end-time battle for Jerusalem - if we consider a third account of this event - when ‘ truly divine power ’ is brought upon the Russian-led ‘ multitude of nations ’ who have overwhelmed and now possess the Holy Land , we see the composition of elements has changed to a more complete profile of the ‘ forces of nature ’. In this instance , not only do the elements synonymous with ‘ nuclear war ’ remain present ( ie. FIRE , FLAME , GREAT NOISE ) but ' new ' components of nature are introduced ( EARTHQUAKE , TEMPEST , STORM , THUNDER ). This being the full unsheathing of God’s fury upon the nations , these devastating forces are both unprecedented in their form , and colossal in their magnitude and ferocity.
So great , so powerful and so destructive are these natural elements , all the mighty ‘ nuclear-armed ‘ nations are crushed , and - as the prophet says - reduced to nothing more than the lingering memory “ of a night vision ” as if , they had only ever been ‘ a dream ’.
ISAIAH 29
v6-7 - Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with THUNDER
and with EARTHQUAKE and GREAT NOISE
with STORM and TEMPEST
and THE FLAME of devouring FIRE
And the ‘ multitude of all the nations ’ that FIGHT AGAINST ARIEL ( Jerusalem )
and that distress her . . . shall be ' as a dream ' of a night vision.
UNLIKE all the previous examples we have studied in this article , in this instance we know for ‘ a certainty ’ these are NOT ‘ metaphorical ’ or ‘ figurative ’ allusions to the nations and/or peoples. How do we know ? One clear proof of this is that as metaphors “ THE STORM ” and “ THE TEMPEST ” throughout scripture has been consistently used as representative symbols for ‘ RUSSIA ’, but in this final battle for Jerusalem we see these ‘ literal ’ forces of nature ( in ‘ the storm ’ and ‘ the tempest ’ ) actually being employed at the command of the Lord Jesus Christ , to finally destroy RUSSIA , and the multitude of nations with it.
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In conclusion , in this paper we have considered a vast array of ‘ symbolic passages of prophecy ’. All of these , after being studied are found to be thoroughly ‘ supported and verified ’ by context , by cross-references and by empirical evidence. There simply remains no doubt these passages speak to the certainty of a ‘ man-made ’ NUCLEAR WAR coming very soon. This is not to say ‘ every ’ theatre of battle in this impending global war will necessarily be ‘ nuclear ’, however when both the ‘ technical specificity ’ and the ‘ incalculable scale ’ of prophecies such as Zechariah 5 , Psalm 91 and Isaiah 24 are fully understood and weighed , we can be absolutely certain the totality of these events ( as faithfully and accurately depicted in God’s Word over 2,000 years ago ) will surely come to pass.
As we approach the very last days of the ‘ kingdoms of men ’ it does seem astounding that so much information on this apocalyptic topic has been concealed within God’s Word. From the times of the ancient prophets , ‘ whole chapters ’ and expansive ‘ metaphoric themes ’ dedicated to the explanation and understanding of these ‘ catastrophic end-times events ’ have been quite literally ‘ hidden in plain sight ’. Yet according to the LORD’s wisdom and mercy , these secrets are being revealed at the appointed time , for the benefit of those who are watching and waiting for the Lord’s return , and for also ‘ the saving ’ of those who are yet in darkness and perhaps searching for answers.
Therefore , now with a deeper appreciation of God’s underlying purpose in these symbols , metaphors and analogies , we can see their ‘ LITERAL ’ fulfilment is just around the corner. Furthermore we can also find a more complete understanding of ‘ other ’ similar end-time prophecies in both the old and new testaments ( many of which , have not even been touched upon in this article ). Consider for example the description of ‘ the Day of the Lord ’ in the Apostle Peter’s words :
2 PETER 3
v10 - But ' THE DAY of the Lord ' will come as a thief in the night
in the which the heavens shall pass away with a ‘ GREAT NOISE ’ ,
and ' the elements ' shall ' MELT ' with fervent heat
THE EARTH also and the works that are therein shall be ' BURNED UP '
v12 - Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the DAY OF GOD
wherein the ( ‘ political ’ ) heavens being ‘ ON FIRE ’ shall be DISSOLVED
and ' the elements ' shall ' MELT ' with fervent heat ?
Likewise , the Old Testament prophet Malachi ( with near identical language ) also provides the same ‘ apocalyptic insight ’ into the coming events soon to befall mankind. Are both their visions and their ‘ choice of words ’ merely co-incidental ?? Do we not recognise and accept this symbolic language laid out in God’s Word as both ‘ accurate and descriptive ’ of the exact events soon to take place ? More urgently, are we alerting others to the profound dangers soon to sweep the earth ?
MALACHI 4
v1 - For, behold , ‘ the DAY cometh ’ that shall ‘ BURN as an OVEN ’
and all the proud , yea , and all that do wickedly , shall be stubble
and ' THE DAY ' that cometh shall ‘ BURN THEM UP ’, saith the LORD of hosts,
that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Finally , through an ‘ exhaustive ’ examination of metaphors and figurative allusions found in these end-times prophecies , we discovered that many are either ‘ identical ’ or ‘ highly similar ’ ( synonyms ) :
-
“ The Curse / The Pestilence / The Plague ”
-
“ The Fire / The Flame / Pillars of Smoke ”
-
“ Clouds / Darkness / Gloominess / Noise ”
Not only do they frequently speak to the ' EXACT SAME ' prophetic event , but they also provide such overwhelming accuracy and detail that all the aggregated evidence points to the absolute certainty that ‘ GLOBAL NUCLEAR WAR ’ is near. The common and repeated occurrences of these ‘ metaphors ’ and ‘ figurative allusions ’ in prophecy - together with other illustrative language ( ie. ‘ On Fire ’ ... ‘ Melt ’ ... ‘ Burned up ’ ... ‘ Burn as an Oven ’ ) help portray with unwavering clarity , a grim and dire vision of the ‘ Day of the LORD / Time of Trouble / Great Tribulation ’ and God’s final outpouring of judgment upon mankind , particularly those judgments that are by the ‘ foolishness of man’s own hand ’ and that will shortly be fulfilled in a very ‘ REAL ‘ and ‘ LITERAL ‘ manner .
As we now ' await the time ' for this “ CURSE ” to break forth across the whole earth , it serves us well to return to one of our first bible verses to recall the full horrific import of these approaching events and to be reminded of the grave responsibility we all have to sound an alarm to those around us , of the perils that lay ahead.
ISAIAH Ch. 24
v6 - THEREFORE . . . hath ' THE CURSE ' devoured the earth
and they that dwell therein are desolate
therefore ‘ the INHABITANTS ’ of the earth
. . . ‘ ARE BURNED ’ and ‘ FEW ’ MEN LEFT
A FINAL THOUGHT
As watchmen , who now stand on the ‘ thresh-hold ’ of cataclysmic global events , the likes of which ‘ the world ‘ has NEVER before seen , we have both an individual and a collective responsibility to ‘ those within the household of God ’ and a responsibility to ‘ those without ’ ( who are yet in darkness ) to let them know ‘ exactly WHAT is coming ’ !!! If we do this , it may be they will avail themselves of the opportunity to find ‘ sanctuary ’ both for themselves and their families ( through the hope that is offered ‘ in Christ ’ ) and through His grace escape from the ‘ NUCLEAR catastrophe ’ that will soon engulf the entire planet.
SUMMARY OF ‘ BIBLE ’ EVIDENCE
THE COMING ' GLOBAL ' NUCLEAR WAR
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Bible symbols / metaphors for ‘ NUCLEAR WAR ’ - THE CURSE / THE PLAGUE / THE PESTILENCE
- THE FIRE / THE FLAME / PILLARS OF SMOKE
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All of which link these ' apocalyptic prophecies ' together - ‘ Time of Trouble / Great Tribulation / Day of the LORD ’
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It is God Himself who ‘ ’ these ( man-made ) ‘ judgments ’ - “ I WILL bring IT forth . . . saith the LORD ”
( Man’s own evil deeds are the ’ just and righteous ’ means God uses to recompense the disobedience and godlessness of mankind )
Almost ' EVERY ASPECT ' of this ‘ Coming Nuclear War ’ . . . is comprehensively and graphically detailed in God's Word , the Bible :
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Description of ‘ nuclear ’ missiles and warheads - “ A FLYING ROLL ” [ A " ROLL " . . NOT a scroll ► ie. " missile " ]
TRANSLATIONAL ERROR ( CORRECTION # 1 ) : “ Scroll ” —> “ ROLL ”
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Other bible symbols / metaphors for ‘ MISSILES ’ - " THE ARROW . . . that flieth by day / TERROR BY NIGHT "
Design and technical configurations :
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Exact dimensions - " the length is twenty cubits , the breadth ( ie. circumference ) ten cubits "
[ apx. 34 feet LONG X 6 feet DIAMETER / 10.4 metres X 1.6 metres ]
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Payload - " ephah " ( or basket - apx. 40 litres )
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Uniformity ( worldwide ) - “ This is THEIR RESEMBLANCE through all the earth ”
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Core fissile materials / elements - “ a talent of LEAD ” ( ie. Uranium-235 )
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The ‘ Operational Trigger ' - “ he cast ' IT ' ( ie. talent of LEAD ) into the midst of the ephah ” ( ‘ basket ’ )
- “ he cast the weight of LEAD ( ie. uranium ) upon the mouth thereof "
TRANSLATIONAL ERROR ( CORRECTION # 2 ) : “ Woman ” —> “ FIRE ” .
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the ‘ Nuclear Warhead ’ - “ this is ' A FIRE ' ( ie, FIRE / BURNT offering ) that sitteth in the midst of the ephah ”
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Multiple Independent Warheads ( MIRV’s ) - " there came out TWO ' FIRES ' ( ie, FIRE / BURNT offerings ) the wind was ' in their wings ' ”
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The ‘ Flight ’ - “ the wind was in their wings . . . For they had ‘ wings ’ like the wings of a stork ”
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The ‘ Flight Path / Trajectory ’ - “ they lifted up ‘ the ephah ’ BETWEEN the earth and the heaven ” ( ie. ‘ stratosphere ’ )
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The ‘ effect ’ of these nuclear detonations - “ Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet
Their tongue shall consume away
Their eyes shall consume away in their holes ”
- “ The inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men left ”
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The extraordinary meaning behind ‘ THE FIRE ’ and ‘ THE FLAME ’ ( of nuclear war )
“ FIRE ” - H784 אשׁ meaning :- fire ( literally or figuratively ) : - burning , fiery , fire , flaming , hot
“ FLAME ” - H3852 להבה meaning :- flame (-ming), head [ of a spear ]
- H3851 להב meaning :- ‘ to gleam , a flash ’ ; figuratively sharply polished blade or point of a weapon
Aftermath of nuclear warfare , that is ‘ radiation ’ or ‘ radioactive fall-out ’
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The description of ‘ nuclear radiation ’ - “ ' IT ' shall enter into the house ”
- “ ' IT ' shall remain in the midst of his house ”
- “ and shall consume it with the timber thereof & the stones thereof ”
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The ‘ mortal ’ effects of nuclear radiation - “ the ‘ PESTILENCE ’ that walks in darkness ” ( mass killer )
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The ‘ destructive ’ effects of nuclear radiation - “ the ‘ DESTRUCTION ’ that wasteth at noonday ” ( mass destruction )
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The scale and death toll - “ A THOUSAND shall ' fall ' at thy side . . . and TEN THOUSAND at thy right hand ”
The Bible also states - the effects of this global nuclear war , will NOT be ' arbitrary or chance ' , but will involve :
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The ‘ DISCRIMINATORY SELECTION ’ of those in society who commit these two evils ( 1. Immorality 2. False worship )
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The execution of these events are a ‘ moral judgment ’ - “ for every one that ‘ stealeth ’ shall be cut off ”
- “ . . . every one that ‘ sweareth ’ shall be cut off ”
- “ all the proud , and all that do wickedly , shall be stubble ”
- “ the ' destruction ' of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together ”
- “ they shall both ‘ BURN TOGETHER ’ and none shall quench them ”
- “ they that ‘ forsake ’ the LORD shall be consumed ”
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The destruction of ‘ mainstream ’ religions ( & their followers ) - “ him that ‘ sweareth falsely ’ ... BY MY NAME ”
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Vast majority of the (ungodly) inhabitants of the world will perish - “ the INHABITANTS of the earth ARE BURNED .... and ‘ FEW ’ MEN LEFT "
God’s unbreakable promises . . .
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Absolute promise of ‘ SELECTIVE ' PROTECTION of believers ... amid a ' full-scale ' nuclear war ( both WHY and HOW this will be achieved )
WHY . . . " Because thou hast made the LORD . . . THY HABITATION "
HOW . . . 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
and 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
v10 - There shall NO EVIL befall thee . . . .
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The ‘ faithful ’ will be protected . . . in their houses - “ neither shall any ' PLAGUE ' come nigh THY DWELLING ”
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The ‘ faithful ’ will actually ‘ witness ’ the final judgments - “ Only WITH THINE EYES shalt thou BEHOLD and SEE the reward of the wicked ”
Finally , the Bible declares :
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The ‘ destination ’ of these highly destructive projectiles - “ goeth forth over the face of THE WHOLE EARTH ”
- “ in the land of Shinar ” ( ie. ‘ the world ’ )
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The ‘ overall purpose ’ of this apocalyptic nuclear war - “ To build it AN HOUSE ” ( ie. ‘ the house of the LORD ’ )
- “ it shall be established and set there upon her own base ”
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The ‘ final outcome ’ beyond this coming global crisis - A world ‘ cleansed ’ of man’s evils and ungodliness and ‘ prepared ’ for the 1,000 year
reign of the Lord Jesus Christ and the establishment of His Father’s Kingdom on Earth