On the morning of October 7th, People in southern Israel faced the worst nightmare, since the holocaust.
Throughout the past centuries, there have been many incidents where Jewish People were slaughtered by Arabs in the Middle East. But NONE of them can even be compared with what happened on this morning, as was shown by what unfolded gradually.
In the past, whenever Hamas carried out terrorist arracks against Israel, the responses of the Israeli Government were named as ‘Operations’. This time the activities of Hamas, PIJ and whoever else were so hideous, the Government declared “They are at WAR”.
‘Operations’ meant that they were temporary measures taken to ‘contain the enemy’. But ‘WAR’ means annihilating the enemy. That is precisely what the Government and the Defense Establishment of Israel keeps on saying.
Gaza was handed over to Palestinian authorities, by the late PM of ISRAEL Ariel Sharon, unilaterally in 2005.
Hamas won the election held for the first and only time in Gaza, back in 2006. Later Hamas took FULL CONTROL in 2007, by EXPELLING members of the Fatah of Palestinian Authority.
Hamas was founded in 1987 as an ‘off shoot’ of the “Muslim Brotherhood” of Egypt, that assassinated the Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, for “MAKING PEACE with Israel”, under what came to be known as “Camp David Accords”. In the ‘charter’ of Hamas it is clearly stated, their AIM is the ‘elimination of Israel’.
Though PLO also has the same slogan in their ‘charter’, they ‘made peace’ with Israel by signing the “Oslo Accords”. ‘First One’ was signed in Washington, D.C. in 1993, under the supervision of Bill Clinton and ‘Oslo II Accord’ in Taba, Egypt in 1995. But Hamas vowed that they will NEVER make peace with Israel.
That is a brief history, relevant to the current conflict.
The question happens to be, “Is there ANY Reference to the ‘Current Conflict in Israel’, in the BIBLE?” And the answer is YES.
Even though what would happen to Gaza and its environs is stated in many places in the scriptures, such as in Isaiah 14:31, Jeremiah 47:4-7 and Zephaniah 2:4-7, it is best to focus on what is stated in Zechariah Chapter 9, as that is quite graphic.
Going according to the context, first we need to focus on what is stated in Verses 3 & 4 there.
Verse 3 speaks of a strong and prosperous city called Tyre (Tzor in Hebrew) and Verse 4 States how it will be conquered and ‘cast into the sea’, as it was a port city.
That part of the Prophecy was Fulfilled when Alexander conquered the area. In 332 BC, Alexander laid siege on Tyre and dismantled the old city and used the rubble to build a causeway across the sea.
But the last part of Verse 4 seems to indicate a ‘further Fulfillment’ of this Prophecy, which most probably could ‘TAKE PLACE’ IN THE PRESENT CONFLICT.
The area stated in Zechariah 9:3 & 4 is in the south western region of modern Lebanon and the part of the Prophecy stated above states “It will be devoured by or ‘eaten up’ with FIRE”.
Gaza is situated towards the south west of modern Israel and Lebanon is in the north. It is Hezbollah that practically rules Lebanon and they are considered to be the ‘main proxy’ of Iran, as they directly supply Hezbollah with arms and resources via Syria.
Initially Israel concentrated upon eliminating the terrorists that had come from Gaza, over land and sea and even through the air using gliders.
Later there were reports of some terrorists trying to cross over from the north that were killed by the Israeli Forces stationed there. Later it was claimed those were terrorists belonging to the group known as ‘Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)’. Yet everyone knows that NO terror activities would take place towards the north of Israel, without the consent of Hezbollah.
It is mandatory in Israel as “National Service” for ALL boys and girls to be in the army, when they reach the age 18. It is NOT mandatory for Arab and Druze citizens, though they can voluntarily join, IF they want to. That type of ‘National service’ is there even in Singapore and Switzerland, though those countries face NO military threat. Most probably because that is very effective in instilling discipline.
In Israel, after the mandatory period, those citizens continue to be ‘Reservists’ until the age of 40 and continue to serve in the army for a limited period annually. During an emergency they are all called up and it is called ‘mobilization’.
In the recent past, Israel was very much DIVIDED mainly along political lines and there was some talk that, many would NOT even answer the ‘Call to Duty’, in case of an emergency.
Israel’s enemies also would have ‘thought so’. But this attack by Hamas UNITED ISRAEL, in an unimaginable fashion and as a result 300,000 reservists answered the call initially and many more are ‘standing by’.
Early on the morning of Sunday the 8th, Israeli helicopters attacked certain areas in Lebanon, where Hezbollah strongholds were known to exist, because some missiles were fired into the north of Israel.
That is relevant with regard to what is stated at the END of Zechariah 9:4, about “Fire devouring the area”.
At present Israel is focusing on Hezbollah too. There are also two US ‘War Ships’ in the Mediterranean, at present. Whether areas occupied by Hezbollah in Lebanon will be ‘burnt up’ as a result of their actions or Israel’s alone or even as a combined effort of both, we do NOT know. But that would result in this Prophecy being FULFILLED and THEN what is written in Zechariah 9: 5 also would FOLLOW.
That is “Gaza will writhe in AGONY and its LEADER WILL PERISH”.
Zechariah 9:6 states “I [GOD] will CUT OFF, the ‘pride’ of Philistines”.
Jeremiah 47:4 States “ALL Philistines will be ravaged or destroyed and every helper that remains in Tyre and Sidon (modern Lebanon) will be CUT OFF”.
Jeremiah 47:5 States “Baldness shall come upon Gaza”, meaning it will be ‘shaven’ of all enemies of Israel. THAT is what the present ‘Emergency War Cabinet’ and the Defense Establishment of Israel also SAY at present. WHAT Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 4 onwards Says also is SIMILAR.
What is briefly stated above happens to be, WHAT IS RELEVANT, where the BIBLE is concerned, regarding the CURRENT CONFLICT ISRAEL FACES.
