Do Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 Predict an Impending Invasion of Israel?
Do Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 predict an impending invasion of Israel? Based on what appears to be the majority opinion in current teaching on Bible prophecy, the answer is yes.
However, based on the contextual clues in these extended passages, the answer is no.
In fact, the two are not even describing the same event.
Psalm 83 refers to an invasion of Israel in the future, but it will not be an imminent occurrence.
Instead, it is the same event as described in Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 20:7-10.
Thus, Psalm 83 will be fulfilled at the end of the millennial kingdom (the thousand-year rule of Christ on the earth following His return).
According to Ezekiel 38, this invasion of the land of Israel will occur at the time the Jewish nation is experiencing great prosperity and is in such a state of peace and security that Israel needs nothing for protection-not even walls or gates.
Psalm 83 connects to this concept by the Hebrew word for "sheltered" (NKJV) in verse 3.
The verse speaks of God's "sheltered ones," using a word which also means "hidden" or "treasured.
" This means that at the time this invasion occurs, Israel is protected by God as His treasure.
The only time Israel will be so protected in the future is during the millennial kingdom.
"Treasured" means both protected and valuable, and the latter meaning may be a word play indicating the wealth or "treasure" possessed by God's valued people.
If so, it fits perfectly with Ezekiel 38, since that chapter indicates that the invasion will be motivated by Israel's prosperity.
Clearly, Israel is not now dwelling in the kind of security described in Ezekiel 38.
After all, missiles are being fired at Israel on an almost daily basis, and the nations around it are threatening war against the Jewish nation.
Israel is certainly not at a point in which it is dwelling without walls; for it has a 403-mile wall around it for protection against the threat of Palestinian suicide bombers.
No, Israel is not now dwelling "without walls," "bars," or "gates"; and the nation will not exist in that kind of supreme peace and security until the arrival of the rule of Messiah from Jerusalem (in the millennial kingdom).
Thus, Psalm 83, which is linked with Ezekiel 38 (and Revelation 20:7-10), refers to an invasion of Israel which will occur at the end of the millennial kingdom.
Regarding Isaiah 17, a number of scholars view this passage as having already been fulfilled.
However, there are elements which clearly have not taken place.
For example, Damascus has not ceased being a city (see verse 1), and Israel has not turned back to the Lord as indicated in verse 7.
Thus, Isaiah 17 is a prophecy, slated to be fulfilled in the future.
The predicted judgment on Syria ("Damascus") in this passage is shown to occur in the same period of time as God's discipline of Israel in this same context.
A significant key to this timeframe is found in verse 7 which announces that the people of Israel will turn back to God.
Bible prophecy shows this will occur by the end of the future seven-year tribulation period-the final seven years leading to the return of Christ-but not before.
It will be then that "all Israel will be saved" (Rom 11:26) as believing Jews will then move into the millennial kingdom (the thousand-year rule of Christ upon the earth).
But before all surviving Jews of that horrific era turn to the Lord, there will be "desolation" (verse 9).
The Hebrew word used for "desolation" in this passage is the same one utilized in Daniel 11:31 and 12:11, which refer to "the abomination of desolation," cited by Jesus in Matthew 24:15.
The "abomination" refers to the act of "the man of sin" who abominates the future Jewish temple (rebuilt in connection with the seven-year treaty with Israel that starts the clock ticking on the final seven years leading to the return of Christ) by presenting himself in the temple as God to be worshipped (2 Thess 2:3-4).
This act will occur at the exact midpoint of this future seven-year era.
[For more specifics on all of this, including evidence for this proposed timing, see Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock-What Does the Bible Say?) Up till that point, two Jewish prophets will have free reign to proclaim God's kingdom message to Israel from Jerusalem (cf.
Rev 11:3-8).
Many thousands of Jews will believe in Jesus Christ during that three-and-a-half year period; yet, the majority of Jews in Israel will still not believe at that point.
Then, when these Jewish prophets "finish" their ministry of 1,260 days, "the man of sin" ("the beast" of Revelation) will kill them and abominate the temple.
Then he will give orders to his army to bring "desolation" upon Israel by hunting down believing Jews to arrest and to kill them.
However, God will protect many of the faithful followers of Jesus during the last three and a half years of that seven-year period; yet, other Jews will not survive.
In fact, Zechariah 13:8 warns that two-thirds of all Jews living in the land of Israel will die during that era.
Those Jews who do survive will end up believing in Jesus Christ and returning to the Lord, as predicted in verse 7-and as portrayed in Zechariah chapters 12-14.
As presented in Zechariah, Israel will be invaded by the nations, as their armies gather in preparation for the war they intend to wage against Christ at His return (cf.
Rev 16:12-16).
This will be "the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it" (Jer 30:7).
As Zechariah 14:1-4, Jesus will return to deliver Israel; and when He does, He "fight against those nations" (Zech 14:3) which will be gathered in, and around, Jerusalem (Zech 14:2).
Therefore, Isaiah 17 predicts a very troublesome period for Israel, one that will include an invasion by the nations.
However, God will use that same dark era to shine the light of the gospel to the Jews, resulting in the spiritual salvation of Israel, which will then be followed by the physical deliverance of the Jews at the return of Christ.
Thus, while both Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 refer to an invasion of Israel, they do not refer to the same Biblical event; and neither portrays an imminent occurrence.
Psalm 83 portends an invasion of Israel at the end of the millennial kingdom (see Rev 20:7-10), while Isaiah 17 pictures an aggression occurring shortly before the return of Christ.
However, based on the contextual clues in these extended passages, the answer is no.
In fact, the two are not even describing the same event.
Psalm 83 refers to an invasion of Israel in the future, but it will not be an imminent occurrence.
Instead, it is the same event as described in Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 20:7-10.
Thus, Psalm 83 will be fulfilled at the end of the millennial kingdom (the thousand-year rule of Christ on the earth following His return).
According to Ezekiel 38, this invasion of the land of Israel will occur at the time the Jewish nation is experiencing great prosperity and is in such a state of peace and security that Israel needs nothing for protection-not even walls or gates.
Psalm 83 connects to this concept by the Hebrew word for "sheltered" (NKJV) in verse 3.
The verse speaks of God's "sheltered ones," using a word which also means "hidden" or "treasured.
" This means that at the time this invasion occurs, Israel is protected by God as His treasure.
The only time Israel will be so protected in the future is during the millennial kingdom.
"Treasured" means both protected and valuable, and the latter meaning may be a word play indicating the wealth or "treasure" possessed by God's valued people.
If so, it fits perfectly with Ezekiel 38, since that chapter indicates that the invasion will be motivated by Israel's prosperity.
Clearly, Israel is not now dwelling in the kind of security described in Ezekiel 38.
After all, missiles are being fired at Israel on an almost daily basis, and the nations around it are threatening war against the Jewish nation.
Israel is certainly not at a point in which it is dwelling without walls; for it has a 403-mile wall around it for protection against the threat of Palestinian suicide bombers.
No, Israel is not now dwelling "without walls," "bars," or "gates"; and the nation will not exist in that kind of supreme peace and security until the arrival of the rule of Messiah from Jerusalem (in the millennial kingdom).
Thus, Psalm 83, which is linked with Ezekiel 38 (and Revelation 20:7-10), refers to an invasion of Israel which will occur at the end of the millennial kingdom.
Regarding Isaiah 17, a number of scholars view this passage as having already been fulfilled.
However, there are elements which clearly have not taken place.
For example, Damascus has not ceased being a city (see verse 1), and Israel has not turned back to the Lord as indicated in verse 7.
Thus, Isaiah 17 is a prophecy, slated to be fulfilled in the future.
The predicted judgment on Syria ("Damascus") in this passage is shown to occur in the same period of time as God's discipline of Israel in this same context.
A significant key to this timeframe is found in verse 7 which announces that the people of Israel will turn back to God.
Bible prophecy shows this will occur by the end of the future seven-year tribulation period-the final seven years leading to the return of Christ-but not before.
It will be then that "all Israel will be saved" (Rom 11:26) as believing Jews will then move into the millennial kingdom (the thousand-year rule of Christ upon the earth).
But before all surviving Jews of that horrific era turn to the Lord, there will be "desolation" (verse 9).
The Hebrew word used for "desolation" in this passage is the same one utilized in Daniel 11:31 and 12:11, which refer to "the abomination of desolation," cited by Jesus in Matthew 24:15.
The "abomination" refers to the act of "the man of sin" who abominates the future Jewish temple (rebuilt in connection with the seven-year treaty with Israel that starts the clock ticking on the final seven years leading to the return of Christ) by presenting himself in the temple as God to be worshipped (2 Thess 2:3-4).
This act will occur at the exact midpoint of this future seven-year era.
[For more specifics on all of this, including evidence for this proposed timing, see Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock-What Does the Bible Say?) Up till that point, two Jewish prophets will have free reign to proclaim God's kingdom message to Israel from Jerusalem (cf.
Rev 11:3-8).
Many thousands of Jews will believe in Jesus Christ during that three-and-a-half year period; yet, the majority of Jews in Israel will still not believe at that point.
Then, when these Jewish prophets "finish" their ministry of 1,260 days, "the man of sin" ("the beast" of Revelation) will kill them and abominate the temple.
Then he will give orders to his army to bring "desolation" upon Israel by hunting down believing Jews to arrest and to kill them.
However, God will protect many of the faithful followers of Jesus during the last three and a half years of that seven-year period; yet, other Jews will not survive.
In fact, Zechariah 13:8 warns that two-thirds of all Jews living in the land of Israel will die during that era.
Those Jews who do survive will end up believing in Jesus Christ and returning to the Lord, as predicted in verse 7-and as portrayed in Zechariah chapters 12-14.
As presented in Zechariah, Israel will be invaded by the nations, as their armies gather in preparation for the war they intend to wage against Christ at His return (cf.
Rev 16:12-16).
This will be "the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it" (Jer 30:7).
As Zechariah 14:1-4, Jesus will return to deliver Israel; and when He does, He "fight against those nations" (Zech 14:3) which will be gathered in, and around, Jerusalem (Zech 14:2).
Therefore, Isaiah 17 predicts a very troublesome period for Israel, one that will include an invasion by the nations.
However, God will use that same dark era to shine the light of the gospel to the Jews, resulting in the spiritual salvation of Israel, which will then be followed by the physical deliverance of the Jews at the return of Christ.
Thus, while both Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 refer to an invasion of Israel, they do not refer to the same Biblical event; and neither portrays an imminent occurrence.
Psalm 83 portends an invasion of Israel at the end of the millennial kingdom (see Rev 20:7-10), while Isaiah 17 pictures an aggression occurring shortly before the return of Christ.