Be Terrified

January 24, 2003





This is a continuation of the examination of Isaiah 14:29-32 that began in the articles "What Answer Shall Be Given", "Melt Away", and "Will Sharon End Badly". If you have not already read those, perhaps they might provide some useful context.

These verses from Isaiah are a prophecy directed at the Philistines. It is my viewpoint, especially in view of the final verse, that the modern Palestinians are the actual subject of these verses. The answer that is given to their representatives is, I believe, God's answer to the Palestinians. The King James version of the Bible even uses "whole Palestina" in its translation of verses 29 and 31. Listen to an Arabic speaker on the news, and you will hear the word "Palestine" is actually pronounced "Philistine" in Arabic.

In this prophecy, we see the Palestinians celebrating because the leader of Israel has died, a leader described as "the rod that struck you." That is certainly a fitting description for Ariel Sharon, who, throughout the entire history of the modern nation of Israel, has been the single most actively involved man in striking Israel's enemies. Could this verse be talking about the natural death or assassination of Prime Minister Sharon? Some might think it ridiculous to suppose that after 2700 years, these words apply to a situation about to happen now. But they certainly will be fulfilled at some time, and the situation fits well today.

Isaiah saw that the rod, the leader of Israel, had been broken. In jubilation the Palestinians are seen to be celebrating, much as they celebrate every terror attack. The prophecy does not specify how the rod was broken. Perhaps we can conjecture that it was because of some action by the Palestinians themselves. Regardless of how it happened, Isaiah warns the Palestinians that their celebrations are premature, because the new leader who would replace the one who died would inflict much worse injury on them. Currently, that new leader would be Benjamin Netanyahu.

Next, the Lord confirms that He will take good care of the Israelis, working to assure that they are well-fed and safe. Not so for the Palestinians, however. Lack of food would afflict them. God even states this in the first person: "I will kill your root with famine." This is already taking place. Because of the incessant terror attacks, the Palestinians have been subjected to an ever-tightening siege that is causing a well-documented crisis of food supplies. This famine is self-inflicted; it has only occurred to curtail their capability of bombings and shootings of Israelis.

Not only would famine drive them out of the land promised to Jacob, but they will also flee because of fear. "Melt away, O Palestinians, all of you", cries the prophet. After seeing smoke in the north (a prophesied conflagration in Lebanon perhaps), the Palestinians will "dissolve". Their flight will be so frantic that no stragglers will linger. It will be a complete evacuation and self-imposed transfer of the population.

What are we to conclude if this prophecy indeed is about to be fulfilled today? If Sharon dies in office, and Netanyahu succeeds him, then Bibi will be God's select instrument, "a flying, fiery, serpent", to inflict judgment on the culture of Jew killers. The death of Sharon would set into action a stunning sequence of events that would end in the removal of the violent usurpers from God's land. All the attempts by world powers to impose a Palestinian state will come to a crashing halt.

This is God's answer to all who insist on and attempt to force a Palestinian state: "The Lord has established Zion." Zionism was not finished in 1948 or 1967, nor will it stop in 2003. The establishment of Zion continues unabated. Reclaiming Judea, Samaria, Gaza, and other locations from the occupiers to become part of Eretz Israel is just the next step.

"For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it; the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there." (Psalm 69:35-36 NIV)



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