JD Farag’s Mid-East Prophecy Update
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Calvary Chapel Kaneohe, Hawaii



[This is the word-for-word transcript (the looong version). I post these as soon as they’re ready, which is generally Monday night.]
===

Okay. This is the portion of our service that we set aside each and every Sunday to devote to Bible prophecy. We believe that we are living, really, in the last moments of world history as we know it.

And that belief is not arbitrary, in the sense that all we have to do is look around at the world around us and then look in to the Word of God and sort of connect the prophetic dots to realize that that which was foretold by the prophets of old in the Scriptures and in the New Testament as well, is that which is now coming to pass right before our very eyes in real time.

We do these Prophecy Updates because for us as believers it’s a much-needed reminder of the urgency of the lateness of the hour in which we live. It’s also an opportunity for those who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior to revisit some of the claims in Scripture, the predictions, the prophecies about what would happen at the time of the End, in the Last Days -- which we are in.

And then as Jesus said -- in John’s gospel it’s recorded, chapter 14, verse 29, where Jesus said, “I have told you what’s going to happen before it happens, so when it happens, you’ll believe.”

If you don’t believe -- if you’re not a believer in Jesus Christ -- this is an opportunity for you to look at that which we were told would happen, long before it would happen, so that when it began to come to pass -- as it even now is -- you would believe. And you would put your faith in Jesus Christ and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Well, a while back we started this series of sorts and were looking at reasons why we believe the Rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ may in fact be closer than any of us even realize. In the interest of time, though, I’m not going to take the time (as we have done previously) to sort of recap all of the reasons that we’ve looked at up to this point. And by the way, there’s been a total of 12.

So today we’re actually going to look at -- and Lord willing, next week -- reasons number 13 and 14, because they sort of go together as bookends on the prophecies that are in play today.

And by the way, these prophecies ... and these reasons are not in any specific order. I’m actually hoping to and praying about in the not-too-distant future -- maybe in the next couple-three weeks sort of tying everything together by way of a timeline, so that we can get a better understanding of not only which prophecies are in play, but the timing of those prophecies that today are in play.

Well, for today’s Update we’re going to look specifically at two prophecies, the first of which is found in Psalm 83: I know, a prophecy familiar to many. And then again, Lord willing, next week we’ll look at another familiar prophecy, the one found in Ezekiel chapter 38.

These two prophecies -- again, as bookends, and I’ll try to elaborate more on that in the weeks to come -- but these two prophecies are arguably the most-watched and the most-talked-about prophecies in the Bible because of the geo-political landscape in the Middle East today, centered chiefly around Israel -- and even Jerusalem -- as the epicenter, if you will.

If you were to ask me which prophecies in the Bible I thought were beginning to come to pass the fastest, it would have to be these two. They are coming together at breakneck speed, which is why it is that I believe it means the Rapture is sooner than we think.

I want to begin by reading some recent headlines from just the last 60 days -- actually these are more within the last 30 days. And we’ll do this again with Ezekiel 38 next week. But they all point to the swiftness with which these prophecies are coming together. By way of an analogy, I guess you could say that in recent years -- from, say, the last seven-eight years ago -- the Psalm 83 prophecy and the Ezekiel 38 prophecy were brought to the front burner, if you please. And just within the last several months it seems like the heat has been turned up on that front burner of both of these prophecies.

So we’re going to start this way, and I want us to revisit this prophecy ’cause it’s going to help us understand just exactly how close we really are. Here they are -- and again, not in any particular order:

One headline read, “All Personnel Withdrawn From Russian Navy Base in Syria.”

“Syria Calls in Russia to Boost Arms Supplies to Bashar al-Assad.”

“Breaking: Israel Gets Green Light to Launch Major Sinai Offensive Against Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood.”

“Six Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood High-ups Flee to Gaza, Set up Command Post for Uprising.”

“Assad Fiddles While Damascus Burns.”

“Hizbullah Blames Israel for Beirut Bombing.”

“Israel Destroyed Syrian Weapons Depot Containing Advanced Russian Arms.” (Surprise, surprise.)

“Abbas:” -- I like this one! -- “‘Israel Trying to Rebuild Jewish Temple.’” **laughs** Ya think?

And then lastly, “Anti-Muslim Brotherhood Protest in Egypt Largest Political Event in World History.” This because of the numbers prior to the overthrow of one Mohamed Mursi.

Even this morning the news is riddled with this continuing uprising in Egypt on the heels of this recently-elected Muslim Brotherhood President. And it’s gaining traction. And it’s one to watch. And it ties in to the Psalm 83 prophecy as well as the Ezekiel 38 prophecy.

Please: it’s so important that we understand the intersecting nature of Bible prophecy, in that Bible prophecy is not stand-alone. You just can’t take one prophecy and sort of extract it from the Word of God and focus solely and exclusively on only that one prophecy, because the implications and the ramifications of that prophecy are so far-reaching into so many other prophecies. I.e., Psalm 83; Isaiah 19, concerning Egypt; Isaiah 17, concerning Damascus, Syria.

Now these headlines are just a sampling that I hope will sort of serve as a backdrop, because I want to begin painting the canvas of Bible prophecy so we can get sort of the bigger picture with the colors and the shades of Psalm 83.

Now I’m of the belief personally that we are on the cusp of seeing fulfilled this prophecy, here in Psalm 83, and with it, perhaps, the prophecy in Isaiah 17, and not far behind, the prophecy in Isaiah 19. In other words, all of these prophecies collectively have the propensity to be fulfilled immediately. There’s nothing standing in their way. All of these nationalities, these nations, these people groups, are all postured and stand at the ready, and it’s just a matter of the green light being given and -- **snaps fingers** -- these prophecies will be fulfilled.

Hang onto that for a moment; I want to come back to that at the conclusion of our time.

We’re going to go through these nations by their ancient names as they’re listed here in Psalm 83. So you can follow along; if you haven’t already turned there you can turn there at this time. I’m going to read from verses 1 down through to verse 18. It’s the entirety of the psalm, so follow along with me:

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

O God, do not keep silent;
be not quiet, O God,
be not still.

Verse 2: See how Your enemies are astir,
how Your foes rear their heads.

With cunning they conspire against Your people;
they plot against those You cherish.

“Come,” they say, -- verse 4 -- “let us destroy them as a nation,
that the name of Israel be remembered no more.”

With one mind -- verse 5 -- they plot together;
they form an alliance against You--

Verse 6: the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab and the Hagrites,

Gebal, -- verse 7 -- Ammon and Amalek, -- **pronouncing "Amalek" various ways until finally he is satisfied with the stress on the second syllable** -- That guy! --
Philistia, with the people of Tyre.

Even -- verse 8 -- Assyria has joined them
to lend strength to the descendants of Lot. Selah.

Verse 9: Do to them as You did to Midian,
as You did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,

who perished at Endor
and became like refuse on the ground.

Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

who said, -- verse 12 -- “Let us take possession
of the pasturelands of God.”

Make them like tumbleweed, -- verse 13 -- O my God,
like chaff before the wind.

As fire consumes the forest
or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,

so pursue them with Your tempest
and terrify them with Your storm.

Cover their faces -- verse 16 -- with shame,
so that men will seek Your name, O LORD.

May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;
may they perish in disgrace.

Let them know -- verse 18 -- that You, whose Name is the LORD --
that You alone are the Most High over all the Earth.

Now I want to point something out here before we move on. Nowhere in this prophetic psalm do we read of anywhere where it states that there’s an attack. It’s implied that there’s an attack, that they make war. And I’m of the belief that that is indeed what happens. And the reason I believe that is because this is their fate. As the end of the psalm describes so graphically: that’s what happens to these people groups. And it’s evidenced as a literal prophecy that takes place by way of this alliance making war against Israel for the purpose of destroying her as a nation.

By the way: interesting little sidenote: it doesn’t say “destroy her as a state.” A nation. Israel is not a state. When God appeared to Abraham, He said to him, “I will make you into a great nation,” not a state. Thus a “two-state solution.”

But the purpose of this attack -- and I believe it’s literal, because they are conspicuously absent subsequent to this prophecy being fulfilled. We don’t read of these people groups that are listed here by their ancient names in this psalm.

I’m going to use Google Earth and I’m going to attempt to identify the nationalities of those listed, specifically in verses 6 through 8. Now I know that we’ve done this in previous Updates, but I want to draw your attention to a couple of things here that’s within this list, that I think we would do well to note.

I also want to say, though, by way of a preface, that as an Arab who grew up in a home with an Egyptian father and a so-called “Palestinian” mother, I grew up thinking that I was a half-Egyptian, half-Palestinian -- or as such, an Arab. And I didn’t realize until later, especially after I came to Christ and began to study His Word, and more specifically, study Bible prophecy, that I realized that really there is no such thing as a Palestinian.

Now I bring that up because there is a mention, here in Psalm 83, of the Palestinians. And it’s listed as “Philistia.” I want to talk about that here in a moment. But I want to try to clear up much of the misunderstanding about the Middle East: who are the so-called “Palestinians,” who are these Arabs, these Muslims, these people that are seeking to destroy Israel in the Last Days?

[Graphic shows a Google Earth map of the Middle East with some regions colored to match a list.

Assyria -- the northern (Kurdish) part of Iraq, the adjacent northeast corner of Syria, and that part of southeastern Turkey within 50-75 miles of the border with those areas of Iraq and Syria.

Gebal -- central Lebanon.

Tyre -- extreme northern Israel, extreme southern Lebanon, and perhaps the Golan Heights.

Philistia -- southwest Israel, from approximately Ashdod south, including Gaza.

Amalek -- the Negev Desert: southeastern Israel except for the extreme southern tip.

Ammon -- the northwest corner of Jordan, east of the Jordan River.

Hagrites -- central northern Jordan, immediately east of Ammon.

Moab -- a small rectangle immediately south of Ammon, east of the Jordan River.

Edom -- a much larger rectangle south of Moab; it takes in southwest Jordan, the southern tip of Israel, and extreme northwest Saudi Arabia, almost as far south as the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba.

Ishmael -- the northern boundary extends east from the northern boundary of the Hagrites to include eastern (but not extreme northeastern) Jordan, then moves southeast to include much of northwestern Saudi Arabia, eventually curving southwest and possibly including Medina.

Israelites -- are not indicated on the map, but these areas are not occupied by anyone else: current Israel’s central coast, the entire West Bank, and the area south of the West Bank, including a region southwest of the Dead Sea.

This map appears on the video from 16:39 to 17:21.]

Now if you look at this list, you’re going to come up with ten different people groups, and they’re actually listed in three verses, verses 6 through 8. But the common denominator with all of them is that they’re what we call “Arabs” today, modern-day.

This particular prophecy’s kind of personal for me, because these are my people. The nationalities that are listed here are specifically the people groups that are close to Israel: not just geographically, but even genetically. And again, that’s something else I want to mention here.

But it’s important to understand, as we’re going to see next, that every single one of them -- to a nation, to a nationality -- either borders Israel, are in Israel, or are close in proximity to Israel.

So one last thing before we get started: everything that you’re seeing right now take place in the Middle East, everything that the news is reporting, is verbatim what we see here in Psalm 83.

And I don’t -- I think you know this about me -- or at least I hope you do, for those of you who have been attending for any length or period of time. I’m not one that’s given over too much in the way of hype, but by the way, hype is not the same as passion: that’s different. Sometimes I get a little bit -- you know -- passionate, but don’t confuse that with hype.

I just want to try to present to you, very simply, the facts. The facts. This is the fact of the matter. These people are the ones that we see even now in the Middle East, doing that which this prophecy said they would do. And please don’t take my word for it. Just examine this, and you with that intellect that God has given you, you evaluate this, and then you make an intelligent decision in light of this.

Let’s start with our first one. We start off at verse 6 with the Tents of Edom. Who are these? Well, these are the Bedouin people, they’re the Edomites from the descendants of Edom, also known as Esau. Esau was, as I think you know, the fraternal twin brother of Jacob.

Now we don’t call them Edomites today; we call them, really, Palestinians today. And so they’ve sort of taken on that name, but this is the area geographically known today as modern-day Jordan. So one can conclude, at least in part, that these Edomites, the Tent of Edom, would at least in part make up the modern-day Jordanian people, which by the way is probably from my mom’s side of the family, where I come from. I am probably in part an Edomite. And that’s not something I’m very proud of -- just the mention of it, actually. **laughs**

“You’re one of those! An Edomite!”

I don’t want to be anything that ends in -ite. Just saying. **congregation laughs**

The second one listed in verse 6 are the Ishmaelites. Now these are primarily Egyptian Arabs. I need to qualify this, because if the truth be known, Egyptians don’t want to be referred to as Arabs. They’re Egyptians.

Well, isn’t that one and the same?

Not necessarily. The Egyptians are the Ancient Egyptians, but this Ishmael, as you know, was the son of Abraham and -- not Sarah, but Hagar. She’s going to come into the picture here in just a moment. So some believe that these in general are Egyptian Arabs predominately; some believe that even Saudi Arabs. But I believe clearly they are descendants of Ishmael, predominantly.

And this is where my father’s side of the family--

If -- by the way, if it sounds like I’m kind of going back to my roots, trying to find myself -- **laughs** -- that’s because I’m trying to find myself! **in a confused, wondering voice** “Oh, who am I? Who am I?” Anyway--

The next one listed in verse 6 is Moab. These are the Moabites, whom again today we refer to as the Palestinians. However, they’re another people group: modern-day Arabs, Jordanian Arabs. Because Moab, like Edom, was close in proximity geographically to and in Jordan.

The last one in verse 6 are the Hagrites, and here’s where the distinction comes in. These are Egyptians who are descendants of Hagar. Now think this through. This distinctions needs to be made because they’re not Ishmaelites. In other words, Hagar went on to have other descendants after Ishmael, and as such they would be Hagrites, not Ishmaelites.

But the common denominator between the both of them is that they are predominantly Egyptian Arabs, if you will. Important distinction, especially as it relates to the prophecy in Isaiah 19, which we studied ... was it last week or two weeks ago? It spills over into other prophecies, such as this Psalm 83 prophecy.

In verse 7 we have listed Gebal. This is the area today known in part as modern-day Lebanon. This is my birthplace. I was actually born in Beirut, Lebanon. But this is chiefly the northern part of Lebanon, another distinction that’s important to make, because this is the part of Lebanon that borders Syria -- which again, Isaiah 17 also spills over into this prophecy.

Next in verse 7 -- I’m going to try to move as quickly as I can here, so bear with me. It’s listed “Ammon.” These are the Ammonites, also today known as the Jordanians. These are modern-day Arabs; we refer to them as well as the Palestinians.

Then also in verse 7 we have Amalek. These are the Amalekites, and they’re a broad melting pot of Arab people that really encompasses the greater Middle East.

I suppose you could see Egyptians as being the purebreds, and all of these Arabs as sort of being a blended breed, for lack of a better way of describing it.

Then interestingly here -- and I want to point this out -- in verse 7 we have mentioned Philistia.

Who’s Philistia?

Well, some believe these are actually the descendants of the ancient Philistines, which would give creed to the Palestinian cause. But I have a big problem with that, because as I understand it, the Philistines are extinct. There is no such thing today as a modern-day Philistine.

So why would we have Philistia listed in Psalm 83?

Because of the land, as it was named. In other words, these are supremely Arab people who reside in the area today known as the Gaza Strip. And so the thought is that Asaph is referring to the land of Philistia, not the people called the Philistines, and that they are the ones occupying the land belonging to Israel.

The last one listed in verse 7 is Tyre. This is clearly Lebanon, and according to our maps these people dwell primarily on the northern border of Israel. Now this is going to come into play with Ezekiel 38, because this Gog-Magog invasion and attack on Israel for a different purpose -- it comes through the north. So this is sort of the porthole, I guess you could say. It’s going to come from the northern parts, and we see that even today.

Next week we’ll see this more clearly with Russia and some of the moves militarily that Russia is making in the northern part there of Syria bordering Israel.

The last one on our list is the only one in verse 8, and interestingly it’s Assyria. And this covers a very wide area today that would include Syria, Iraq, and some believe -- perhaps more significantly -- Turkey.

Why is that significant?

Again, because of Ezekiel 38.

Okay. Here’s why we’re studying the prophecy here in Psalm 83 before Ezekiel 38 (which again, Lord willing we’ll look at next week). Simply put, it’s because the Psalm 83 prophecy must happen prior to the Ezekiel 38 prophecy.

And the reason it must happen prior is because everyone listed here to a nation in Psalm 83 is conspicuously absent from Ezekiel 38, which tells me that God answers this prayer of Asaph and fulfills this prophecy of Asaph, in that He completely devastates and decimates this alliance.

I hope you understand that no weapon forged against Israel -- as Isaiah says -- will ever prosper, ever succeed. God has an everlasting covenant with Israel, and they will never cease to be a nation.

God says, “If the Sun ceases to shine in the sky, or the Moon or the stars or the ocean; if any of those cease, then Israel will cease. But here’s the thing: they will never cease. Neither will My people Israel as a nation cease.”

So this effort, this attack, this alliance to annihilate Israel, will not succeed. And that explains -- just logically and practically -- that this psalm, this prophecy, is fulfilled prior to Ezekiel 38. If not, then wouldn’t it stand to reason that these people groups that we just looked at would be mentioned in Ezekiel 38? You can look for them: they’re not there. They’re not mentioned.

Why?

They’re taken out of the picture, prophetically, with the fulfillment of this prophecy.

By the way, this is also why I believe that this particular prophecy in Psalm 83 points to the Rapture being sooner than any of us might think. And here’s why I believe that (with all my heart, by the way):

Nothing needs to happen before these prophecies are fulfilled. And especially with the Ezekiel 38 prophecy -- those prophecies -- Ezekiel 38, Psalm 83 et al -- none of them need to happen before the Rapture happens.

Let me say the same thing a different way. It’s very plausible that the Rapture could happen prior to the Psalm 83 prophecy happening.

Now stay with me: if the Psalm 83 prophecy is just a gnat’s eyebrow away from being fulfilled -- **measuring an infinitesimal space between thumb and forefinger** -- and yes, gnats have eyebrows; you can look it up. **congregation laughs** If it’s that close to being fulfilled, how much closer is the Rapture?

Again, I don’t want to come off sensational, or sort of hype it up, and-- No need. It’s just simply the truth and the fact of the matter. Nothing needs to happen before these prophecies happen, which means that the Rapture could happen at any time.

I’m going to bring today’s Update to a close with an exhortation from the apostle Paul to the Romans. It’s found in chapter 13 and verses 11 through 14. And listen to what the apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit says:

Do this -- in other words, there’s something we need to do in light of what we’ve just seen -- understanding the present time: The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, -- and he’s going to tell us why -- because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

It echoes what Jesus said (in Luke 21:28 it’s recorded): “When you see these things begin to come to pass, your redemption draws nearer, so look up!” Here he says, “Our salvation draws nearer: wake up! It’s time to wake up from your spiritual slumber!”

Verse 12: The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave -- verse 13 -- decently, as in the daytime, not in -- this is graphic! -- not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension -- this is going to tie in to our study today in Romans -- and jealousy.

You mean to tell me that this was named amongst God’s people? Orgies and drunkenness and sexual immorality and debauchery?

Absolutely it was.

Rather -- verse 14 -- clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

The alarm has sounded: don’t hit the snooze button! Don’t go back to asleep! You need to get up, wake up, look up. You need to get dressed and put on and clothe yourself with Christ’s righteousness.

Would you pray with me?

Lord, thank You that that which we’ve just seen here is not just words on the pages of our Bibles or headlines on the pages of our newspapers, but that this is real. This is very real and very present.

Lord, we want to be numbered amongst those who understand the present day in which we live.

For anyone, Lord, who does not know You, I pray that today they would know You and call upon You.

For those of us who do know You and are walking with You, will You -- as you’re always so faithful to do -- wake us up to the reality and the enormity of that which is about to come to pass, that there might be an urgency in our hearts and in our lives.

Lord, thank You. In Jesus’s Name, amen.

And here's the video for those who prefer video (or want to look at the map of the Psalm 83 peoples):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUkz3m787ygph7Uvjxzngl-g&v=oHvq6jPPbq4&feature=player_detailpage

And a link to the video discussion thread:
I could not locate a discussion thread.

And Pastor JD's sermon notes (otherwise known as the short version) from Calvary Chapel Kaneohe:
http://www.calvarychapelkaneohe.com/index.php?view=sermon&id=10863%3Aprophecy-update-2013-07-28&option=com_sermonspeaker&Itemid=136

At the link above, you can also find a downloadable audio file (at the bottom of the page on the left).

Thank you so much for transcribing! I haven't been anywhere where I could watch youtube videos lately. He makes the rapture sound so very close!

Perian, I wanted to thank you as well for all the time you give in typing these up for us! I've been "in Church" my whole life and don't know a lot of this material, so you are really a blessing for me!! Thank you again!
Patti : )