The Second Coming of the Messiah-Part 15

We are going to discuss some prophecies about Moab, Edom and Ammon, known as Jordan today. Moab and what happened to it can be found in Isa 15, Isa 16, Jer 48.1-39 and Amos 2.1-3. As you read these you must keep in mind the historical along with the eschatological. These prophecies will have 2 fulfillments eschatologically, one when fleeing the Russians and the other when fleeing the false messiah a few months later. Prophecies concerning Ammon can be found in Jer 49.1-6; Ezek 25.1-7 and Amos 1.13-15. The prophecies concerning Edom will also have historical and eschatological applications. This area will also include Saudi Arabia. Edom became symbolic for the enemies of Israel. Edom was vicious towards Israel and they rejoiced when Nebuchadnezzar plundered Jerusalem (Psa 137.7). Edom also had an application concerning the Romans. Rome’s colors were red, and Edom means red, so Edom was used to refer to the Romans, and Herod was an Edomite. So, when people wrote things about Rome, they referred to them as Edom. They also rejoiced aver the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Another application is applied to Christianity, which came out of Rome. Some prophecies concerning Edom include: Jer 49.7-22; Ezek 25.12-14; Amos 1.11-12; Oba 1-21; Isa 21.11-17; Lam 4.21-22; Joel 3.19; Ezek 32.29.

In Jer 46, details are given about the battle of Carchemish. Egypt is beaten and Babylon pursued them but the victorious chase was cut short by the death of Nabopalasser. His son Nebuchadnezzar (Babylonian “Nabu-Chaduri-Ussur”) went back to Babylon to claim the throne. These verses need to be read and studied out to get an idea of some of the coming battles in the Birth-pains.

Dan 11.29-45 concerns Antiochus Epiphanes, who is a picture of the false messiah. Verse 29 tells us he moves to the south from Lebanon and comes to Jerusalem in v 31. He will desecrate the Temple (the sanctuary fortress-Ezek 24.16-27). In v 33 we read where the Gentiles will believe through “those who have insight” (binah) and make war on the false messiah (Dan 7.21-25; Rev 13.7) and then in v 36 the false messiah will exalt himself (2 Thes 2.4) and have no regard for the God of his fathers (he is Jewish) nor for the “most desirable of women” (literal rendering) in v 37 which is an idiom for Israel (Song of Songs 1.8, 5.9). He will instead honor the “god of the fortress” (literal) or of Apostate Christianity in v 38. In v 39 he will “develop for the strongest fortresses” (Christian sanctuaries) a foreign god with idols, and “cause them to prosper ” which means if you get along with the false messiah, you will prosper. Now in v 40 it says that the king of the south (African/Egypt area) and the king of the north (the armies of the east coming from the north-Joel 2.20) will come against him, resulting the war of Jordan which we have mentioned above. In Dan 11.41-45 it says that the false messiah (Antiochus historically) will come into Israel, but Edom, Moab and Ammon will escape out of his hand (because the Jewish believers have fled there, from Pella to Petra). He will trample over the kings of the south (Egypt, Ethiopia and Libya) but rumors out of the east and north (the armies of the Orient) trouble him. He will fall back to the Jerusalem area for defense and come to his end, with no one to help him. This happened to Antiochus and it will happen to the false messiah during the seventh year of the Birth-pains.

Now we are going to briefly discuss another war during the Birth-pains, at the Gaza Strip. The ancient Philistines were an Aegean people and similar to the Greeks. They had similar armies, techniques and fought like the Greeks. They had similar customs as well. They would develop city-states along the Mediterranean coast of Israel called Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath, Ekron and Gaza. Babylon (armies of the east) came down to Gaza and Ashkelon in 604 BC and there was a war in Gaza (Jer 47.1-7). This means that the armies of the east during the Birth-pains will do the same thing. The false messiah is being attacked on every side and his power will be broken up (Ezek 30.21), as we have seen by all these Scriptures we have presented. He has come up to Megiddo, and falls back. He then mounts a defense in Haran, and falls back to Carchemish. He is beaten and falls back and chased into Jordan (Moab, Edom, Ammon), with the armies of the east taking Gaza in the west, cutting off access to the Via Maris (way of the sea) and access to the Mediterranean.

The verses we have just given in Dan 11.40-45 illustrates that the Egyptian, African nations will come up against the false messiah. Satan has been “let loose” in the spiritual realm and this results in chaos and wars. Leaders are energized by him to fight (like Hitler, Tojo, Mussolini, Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill and others in WW II). The false messiah retreats back to Jerusalem for defensive purposes. The first siege will happen like with Nebuchadnezzar, then he pulled back (Jer 37.1-10). The Romans did the same thing in 70 AD. There will be a revolt among the armies of the east, just like what Nebuchadnezzar had to deal with among the Chaldeans. Hitler had a revolt with Rommel and a “purge” resulted. Then there will be a second siege, like in Zedekiah’s time, and Jerusalem will fall. It is at this time that Yeshua returns. The first siege is discussed in Zech 12.1-8; Jer 19.8-9, 37.1-5. Zech 8.18-19 talks about four fasts that resulted from the siege of Nebuchadnezzar. These fasts are still done among the Jewish people today. The Babylonians (kings of the east) began their siege of Jerusalem on Tevet 10. (Tevet is the tenth month with the tenth day has a meaning. Ten is the number of judgment). The second siege is discussed in Zech 14.1-2; Jer 19.9 and 37.6-10. The false messiah is in desperate straits, people are starving and eating anything. Disease is rampant. The walls of Jerusalem were breached on the 17th of Tammuz and the Temple Mount fell on the 9th of Av. These dates may very well play a role before the second coming of Messiah.

In Part 16, we are going to begin to talk about the coming of Yeshua and give many Scriptures that will not only show what will happen, but they will also tell us where he is after he returns. There will be some very interesting Scriptures to look at and they will illustrate some things that just aren’t taught in typical Replacement Theology Christianity prophetic scenarios. These will be presented for your consideration and for you to study out as we study the second coming of the Messiah.

Posted in Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*