THE MESSIAH COMES TO ISRAEL

Friday, October 4, 2013

IS ZECHARIAH 12 ABOUT TO BE FULFILLED ?


Several books have recently been published that assert that Psalm 83 predicts a fierce attack soon  to  be launched on Israel in the Last Days. Asaph, the author of the Psalm was also a Seer or Prophet (2 Chronicles 29:30) and in this Psalm this fact is very obvious. In the books that are now appearing it is suggested that the stage has already been set in the Middle East for the imminent fulfilment of this amazing prophecy. The nations described in Psalm 83 are all close neighbours of Israel. They are also all Muslim nations whose fervent desire is to annihilate the State of Israel in the name of Allah. They also believe that Jerusalem will soon become the capital city of a new Islamic Caliphate which they believe will rule the whole world.  Most, it not all of these new books suggest that some time after the fulfilment of this war, the war predicted in Ezekiel 38 and 39 will be the next great conflagration involving Israel.  However, another book which also presents the imminent fulfilment of Psalm 83 also asserts that this prophecy is the same war described by Zechariah in chapter 12. Is this the only book that makes this prediction and can it possibly be true?  The book to which I refer is entitled “THE MESSIAH COMES TO ISRAEL” which also makes the assertion that in this scenario, the Messiah actually comes to Israel and appears “in the midst of Israel”. 

Could this possibly be the true return of the Messiah to Jerusalem as predicted in Acts 1:11 when two Angels appeared to the disciples,
11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!" NLT

In Psalm 83, Asaph appeals to God to take action against His enemies who are making secret plans to totally annihilate Israel in such a devastating manner that even the very memory of it will be obliterated for ever. Psalms 83:3-4
3 They devise crafty schemes against your people, laying plans against your precious ones.
4 "Come," they say, "let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence." NLT

However, they also plan to take possession of the actual land of Israel to transform it for the glory of Allah.  Psalms 83:12
12 for they said, "Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!" NLT

Unfortunately for these religious warriors, Almighty God Yahweh has His own plan which is outlined at the close of the Psalm.  Psalms 83:15-18
15 chase them with your fierce storms; terrify them with your tempests.
16 Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Make them failures in everything they do,
18 until they learn that you alone are called the LORD, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth. NLT

God’s plan is to drastically terrify and disgrace Israel’s enemies, making them totally ashamed and failures in everything they have planned until they confess that Yahweh is the Most High God, supreme over the whole earth. Not only will their armies be defeated, their cherished prophetic plans for the land becoming the centre of the new Islamic Caliphate will also be destroyed.

Zechariah 12 tells a very similar story with several extra features. It begins with the threat of an attack on Israel by all her surrounding neighbours, plus the support of all the Gentile nations of the earth. It also predicts their defeat.

Zechariah 12:2-3  
2 "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.
3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. NKJV

The attacking armies will begin to act like a drunken mob, lacking good sense and coordination. Their efforts will lack cohesion and efficiency.

Zechariah 12:5-6
 5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the LORD of hosts, their God.'
6 In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place — Jerusalem. NKJV

The Hebrew word for governors in verse 5 is alluphim, which is the modern Hebrew word for Generals. Their forces will become like blazing torches amongst dry sheaves. They will devour their enemies on the right hand and the left. However, their forces may appear to be so outnumbered that the Generals declare that their trust has been transferred to Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of heaven’s  Armies who are led by the “Angel of the Lord” who is actually the Messiah of Israel.

Zechariah 12:8
 8 In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them.

God will decisively defeat all the nations that come against Israel with a resounding victory. Even the physically feeble elderly citizens and children, will be strong like David and be like the Angel of the Lord who precedes them. God will destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.

9 It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. NKJV

However, this astonishing defeat will not be the most sensational result, because immediately following the rousing defeat God will pour out His Holy Spirit on all the descendants of David. The Holy Spirit will be poured out with grace (unmerited  favour) and supplications (relevant prayers and intercession).  No doubt the prayers will contain cries of repentance and “Blessed are you who come in the Name of the LORD”. Such prayers will surely be the most remarkable feature of the day.

Zechariah 12:10-11
10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
11 In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. NKJV

The Holy Spirit of grace and supplications will be poured forth so powerfully that the eyes of all the recipients will be miraculously healed from their previous spiritual blindness. They will look face to face upon their Deliverer and recognize His true identity by the marks of the piercings in His body. This recognition will initiate a national repentance that will transform their perception of their Messiah forever. All the inhabitants of Israel will experience a powerful transformation. This will become the day when the nation will be truly birthed as predicted by Isaiah (Isaiah 66:8).  Surely this will be the most remarkable thing that has ever  happened to Israel.  Can it really be true that it will happen in the very near future? When it does, the whole world will reel in astonished amazement.

It Will Also Be The Time Predicted By Jeremiah 31:31-34
31 "The day will come," says the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.
32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife," says the LORD.
33 "But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day," says the LORD. "I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, 'You should know the LORD.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me," says the LORD. "And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins." NLT

This New Covenant will be written on all Israeli hearts and minds and will initiate the new spiritual relationship with Israel that God has always planned. Is this most exciting and glorious event about to take place in the very imminent future?  As certain as  the attack predicted against Israel, so certain also will be the glorious outpouring and subsequent national transformation. The attack could happen any day now and  when it does Zechariah 12:10 will immediately follow it.



The Messiah Comes to Israel -Gerald Rowlands. Published by Destiny Image Europe can be obtained from Amazon, or Book Depository UK.