By Dr. Fruchtenbaum

THE ROOT OF THE CONFLICT

In dealing with the root of the conflict, we are concerned with two key individuals in Genesis—Ishmael and Esau. In Genesis 12:1-3, we have the origin of the Jewish people.

Gen 12:1-3

(1) Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you;

(2) And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;

(3) And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

The origin of the Arab people is found in Genesis 12:10-20, which might also be called "Abraham’s folly."

Gen 12:10-20

(10) Now there was a famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.

(11) It came about when he came near to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman;

(12) and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you live.

(13) "Please say that you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may live on account of you."

(14) It came about when Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.

(15) Pharaoh's officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

(16) Therefore he treated Abram well for her sake; and gave him sheep and oxen and donkeys and male and female servants and female donkeys and camels.

(17) But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

(18) Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

(19) "Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her and go."

(20) Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they escorted him away, with his wife and all that belonged to him.

Knowing that the Egyptian Pharaoh would likely kill him to gain his wife, Sarah, Abraham passed her off as his sister. His wife was taken from him and placed into the Pharaoh’s harem. Dealing with Abraham as Sarah’s brother and, thus, her official guardian, Pharaoh gave to Abraham the bride price (verse 16). Among the things Abraham gained in Egypt, in exchange for Sarah, were a number of maid-servants. Although Egypt and the Pharaoh had to give Sarah back to Abraham, he is allowed to keep all the gifts of the bride price. He brings all of these things, including maid-servants, back into the Land of Canaan. With the mention of "maid-servants," we have the origin of the Arab peoples. One of these Egyptian maid-servants, Hagar, will join with Abraham to parent a majority of the Arab states as we have them today.

In Genesis 16:1-6, we are introduced to "Sarah’s folly."

Gen 16:1-6

(1) Now Sarai, Abram's wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar.

(2) So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

(3) After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.

(4) He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.

(5) And Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight. May the LORD judge between you and me."

(6) But Abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight." So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.

Though God had promised that she and Abraham would have a son, Sarah essentially gave up on this promise after waiting for ten years. In keeping with the laws of that day, Sarah provided her husband with a hand-maid with whom Abraham could produce children. We do not have a problem with immoral elements here, but rather a problem of a lack of faith because, in Genesis 12, God had already promised that Abraham was going to have a son and that son would come by means of his wife, Sarah. There was no need to resort to the laws of that day because the promise of God was made sure. Hagar is the hand-maid elected by Sarah and eventually conceives. In the ancient world, few women were more despised than those who were barren. Hagar, rather than remaining in submission to her mistress, began to clearly display her contempt for Sarah. In time, Sarah responded in kind and treated Hagar harshly, so much so that the pregnant maid-servant fled the house of Abraham. She then encountered the Angel of the Lord, who gave four prophecies in Genesis 16:10-12 regarding the son she was to bear:

Gen 16:10-12

(10) Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, "I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count."

(11) The angel of the LORD said to her further, "Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.

(12) "He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers."

Whenever you see the expression the Angel of Jehovah, or the Angel of the Lord, always, in every case, it is the Old Testament appearance of the Second Person of the Trinity: Yeshua the Messiah. Never is the Angel of the Lord a common, ordinary angel. He is the Second Person of the Trinity Himself. It was He that appeared to Hagar at this point and gave certain prophecies regarding the nature of her son.

Four things are stated about the son that Hagar is going to bear. The first prophecy is that "he is to be a wild ass among men." In Abraham’s day, there were packs of wild asses that roamed the desert. Ishmael and his descendants are characterized as being similar to these wild asses. Secondly, "his hand shall be against every man." The second characteristic of Ishmael was that of aggression. He would be against every man, attacking those with whom he has contact. Thirdly, "every man’s hand shall be against him." As he displayed aggression, he would bring upon himself retaliation. We have certainly seen this principle to be true in the History of Israel since 1948. On various occasions the Arab states have been aggressors against Israel, either by means of military conflict or terrorist action. This always nearly elicited some kind of Israeli response and/or retaliation in fulfillment of this prophecy. Fourthly, "he shall dwell over against his brother." The expression "dwell over against" is a Hebrew idiom meaning to dwell in a state of hostility. He would live side by side with his brother, but side by side in a state of hostility, as is the state of the Arab/Jewish situation today.

With these four statements, the Angel of the Lord instructed Hagar to return to Abraham’s household and remain there. In the course of time she gave birth to Abraham’s first-born son, named Ishmael as God commanded. Eventually, Isaac was also born. In Genesis 21:8-9, we read that Ishmael soon began mocking his half-brother.

Gen 21:8-9

(8) The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

(9) Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.

The animosity that Hagar felt for Sarah was instilled in Ishmael. As a result, Ishmael and his mother, Hagar, were expelled from the house of Abraham in accordance with God’s command.

The second father of the Arab states is Esau, and the beginning of his hostility is found in Genesis 25:27-34.

Gen 25:27-34

(27) When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents.

(28) Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

(29) When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished;

(30) and Esau said to Jacob, "Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom.

(31) But Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright."

(32) Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?"

(33) And Jacob said, "First swear to me"; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.

(34) Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

 

Unlike half-brothers Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob were full brothers—twins, in fact. Nevertheless, as the first-born, Esau was entitled to inherit the double portion of his father’s inheritance. More importantly, his birth position meant that through him God would fulfill his divine program of the Abrahamic Covenant. We learn, however, that Esau did not want to be used of God to enact His program (verse 34). Jacob, on the other hand, wanted very much to be in the center of God’s plan. Thus, the birthright changes hands when Esau sells his status to Jacob for a bowl of soup. Then, of course, Jacob receives the patriarchal blessing in Genesis 27. The end product is in Genesis 27:41:

Gen 27:41

(41) So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob."

Not only is there Ishmael’s hatred toward Isaac, but now there is Esau’s hatred toward Jacob. The Arab states are all descendants of either Esau or Ishmael, and the root of the present-day conflict begins right here with these two individuals.

THE CONTINUATION OF THE CONFLICT

The hatred and animosities of Ishmael and Esau toward the Jews was instilled in their descendants. There has been a continuous, perpetual hatred of the descendants of Esau and Ishmael against the Jews characterized especially by the Ishmaelites, descendants of Ishmael and the Edomites, descendants of Esau. An example which shows how early the descendants had this animosity is found in Numbers 20:14-21:

Num 20:14-21

(14) From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom: "Thus your brother Israel has said, 'You know all the hardship that has befallen us;

(15) that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly.

(16) 'But when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.

(17) 'Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king's highway, not turning to the right or left, until we pass through your territory.'"

(18) Edom, however, said to him, "You shall not pass through us, or I will come out with the sword against you."

(19) Again, the sons of Israel said to him, "We will go up by the highway, and if I and my livestock do drink any of your water, then I will pay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, nothing else."

(20) But he said, "You shall not pass through." And Edom came out against him with a heavy force and with a strong hand.

(21) Thus Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.

In the book of Judges we often read of Ishmaelites, Edomites, and other descendants of Ishmael and Esau inflicting damage upon Israel. In Psalm 83:1-8, the psalmist describes the situation in the Middle East in this time, as well as prophetically.

Psa 83:1-8

(1) A Song, a Psalm of Asaph. O God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still.

(2) For behold, Your enemies make an uproar, And those who hate You have exalted themselves.

(3) They make shrewd plans against Your people, And conspire together against Your treasured ones.

(4) They have said, "Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more."

(5) For they have conspired together with one mind; Against You they make a covenant:

(6) The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites;

(7) Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

(8) Assyria also has joined with them; They have become a help to the children of Lot. Selah.

He describes a united conspiracy and confederacy whose aim is to destroy the nation of Israel. It is no accident that various modern Arab leaders (Egypt’s Nassar, for example, just before the Six Day War) have virtually paraphrased these verses. In verses 6-8 the psalmist lists these various nations that come together against Israel. While these are all various ancient names, today they comprise the modern Arab states. For instance, in verse 6, Edom was in southern Jordan; Ishmael was the father of the Ishmaelites, one segment of the Arab world; Moab was in central Jordan; the Hagarenes were from Egypt. In verse 7, Gebal was up in Lebanon; Ammon was northern Jordan; Amalek was in the Sinai Peninsula; Philistia was in the Gaza Strip; Tyre was up in Lebanon. In verse 8, Assyria comprises all of what is today Iraq and quite a bit of Syria. Only since 1948 have all these nations combined forces against Israel. Such a total Arab alignment never occurred in ancient times. After the Six Day War of 1967, one Arab leader after another has clearly stated that the only way of gaining peace in the Middle East is by the total annihilation of Israel as a nation.

There are other passages in the Bible which describe this perpetual hatred of the Arab nations against Israel, such as Ezekiel 35:1-5 and Obadiah 10-14.

Eze 35:1-5

(1) Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me saying,

(2) "Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it

(3) and say to it, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir, And I will stretch out My hand against you And make you a desolation and a waste.

(4) "I will lay waste your cities And you will become a desolation. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

(5) "Because you have had everlasting enmity and have delivered the sons of Israel to the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of the punishment of the end,

 

Oba 1:10-14

(10) "Because of violence to your brother Jacob, You will be covered with shame, And you will be cut off forever.

(11) "On the day that you stood aloof, On the day that strangers carried off his wealth, And foreigners entered his gate And cast lots for Jerusalem-- You too were as one of them.

(12) "Do not gloat over your brother's day, The day of his misfortune. And do not rejoice over the sons of Judah In the day of their destruction; Yes, do not boast In the day of their distress.

(13) "Do not enter the gate of My people In the day of their disaster. Yes, you, do not gloat over their calamity In the day of their disaster. And do not loot their wealth In the day of their disaster.

(14) "Do not stand at the fork of the road To cut down their fugitives; And do not imprison their survivors In the day of their distress.

 

THE FUTURE OF THE CONFLICT

Ultimately, there will be peace between Israel and the Arab states, but it will take one of three forms: (1) by means of occupation; (2) by means of destruction; or (3) by means of conversion. It is necessary to deal with the various Arab states individually to get a clearer picture.

A. Lebanon

Peace between Israel and Lebanon will come by means of occupation. In Ezekiel 47:13 - 48:29 we are given the boundaries of the nation of Israel in the Messianic Kingdom. The tracing of the northern boundary shows that Israel will encompass all of modern-day Lebanon.

Eze 47:13-48:29

(13) Thus says the Lord GOD, "This shall be the boundary by which you shall divide the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall have two portions.

(14) "You shall divide it for an inheritance, each one equally with the other; for I swore to give it to your forefathers, and this land shall fall to you as an inheritance.

(15) "This shall be the boundary of the land: on the north side, from the Great Sea by the way of Hethlon, to the entrance of Zedad;

(16) Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazer-hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran.

(17) "The boundary shall extend from the sea to Hazar-enan at the border of Damascus, and on the north toward the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

(18) "The east side, from between Hauran, Damascus, Gilead and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the north border to the eastern sea you shall measure. This is the east side.

(19) "The south side toward the south shall extend from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the brook of Egypt and to the Great Sea. This is the south side toward the south.

(20) "The west side shall be the Great Sea, from the south border to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the west side.

(21) "So you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.

(22) "You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance among yourselves and among the aliens who stay in your midst, who bring forth sons in your midst. And they shall be to you as the native-born among the sons of Israel; they shall be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

(23) "And in the tribe with which the alien stays, there you shall give him his inheritance," declares the Lord GOD.

(1) "Now these are the names of the tribes: from the northern extremity, beside the way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enan at the border of Damascus, toward the north beside Hamath, running from east to west, Dan, one portion.

(2) "Beside the border of Dan, from the east side to the west side, Asher, one portion.

(3) "Beside the border of Asher, from the east side to the west side, Naphtali, one portion.

(4) "Beside the border of Naphtali, from the east side to the west side, Manasseh, one portion.

(5) "Beside the border of Manasseh, from the east side to the west side, Ephraim, one portion.

(6) "Beside the border of Ephraim, from the east side to the west side, Reuben, one portion.

(7) "Beside the border of Reuben, from the east side to the west side, Judah, one portion.

(8) "And beside the border of Judah, from the east side to the west side, shall be the allotment which you shall set apart, 25,000 cubits in width, and in length like one of the portions, from the east side to the west side; and the sanctuary shall be in the middle of it.

(9) "The allotment that you shall set apart to the LORD shall be 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in width.

(10) "The holy allotment shall be for these, namely for the priests, toward the north 25,000 cubits in length, toward the west 10,000 in width, toward the east 10,000 in width, and toward the south 25,000 in length; and the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in its midst.

(11) "It shall be for the priests who are sanctified of the sons of Zadok, who have kept My charge, who did not go astray when the sons of Israel went astray as the Levites went astray.

(12) "It shall be an allotment to them from the allotment of the land, a most holy place, by the border of the Levites.

(13) "Alongside the border of the priests the Levites shall have 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in width. The whole length shall be 25,000 cubits and the width 10,000.

(14) "Moreover, they shall not sell or exchange any of it, or alienate this choice portion of land; for it is holy to the LORD.

(15) "The remainder, 5,000 cubits in width and 25,000 in length, shall be for common use for the city, for dwellings and for open spaces; and the city shall be in its midst.

(16) "These shall be its measurements: the north side 4,500 cubits, the south side 4,500 cubits, the east side 4,500 cubits, and the west side 4,500 cubits.

(17) "The city shall have open spaces: on the north 250 cubits, on the south 250 cubits, on the east 250 cubits, and on the west 250 cubits.

(18) "The remainder of the length alongside the holy allotment shall be 10,000 cubits toward the east and 10,000 toward the west; and it shall be alongside the holy allotment. And its produce shall be food for the workers of the city.

(19) "The workers of the city, out of all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it.

(20) "The whole allotment shall be 25,000 by 25,000 cubits; you shall set apart the holy allotment, a square, with the property of the city.

(21) "The remainder shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy allotment and of the property of the city; in front of the 25,000 cubits of the allotment toward the east border and westward in front of the 25,000 toward the west border, alongside the portions, it shall be for the prince. And the holy allotment and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the middle of it.

(22) "Exclusive of the property of the Levites and the property of the city, which are in the middle of that which belongs to the prince, everything between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin shall be for the prince.

(23) "As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west side, Benjamin, one portion.

(24) "Beside the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, Simeon, one portion.

(25) "Beside the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, Issachar, one portion.

(26) "Beside the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west side, Zebulun, one portion.

(27) "Beside the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west side, Gad, one portion.

(28) "And beside the border of Gad, at the south side toward the south, the border shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the brook of Egypt, to the Great Sea.

(29) "This is the land which you shall divide by lot to the tribes of Israel for an inheritance, and these are their several portions," declares the Lord GOD.

B. Jordan (Edom, Moab, and Ammon)

It is Edom (southern Jordan) in particular that the prophets were concerned about. Several passages reveal that peace will come between Israel and southern Jordan by means of total destruction. Some of those passages are Ezekiel 35:6-9, Jeremiah 49:7-13 and 19-20, and Obadiah 5-9 and 17-21.

Eze 35:6-9

(6) therefore as I live," declares the Lord GOD, "I will give you over to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you; since you have not hated bloodshed, therefore bloodshed will pursue you.

(7) "I will make Mount Seir a waste and a desolation and I will cut off from it the one who passes through and returns.

(8) "I will fill its mountains with its slain; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines those slain by the sword will fall.

(9) "I will make you an everlasting desolation and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

 

Jer 49:7-13

(7) Concerning Edom. Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Is there no longer any wisdom in Teman? Has good counsel been lost to the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?

(8) "Flee away, turn back, dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Dedan, For I will bring the disaster of Esau upon him At the time I punish him.

(9) "If grape gatherers came to you, Would they not leave gleanings? If thieves came by night, They would destroy only until they had enough.

(10) "But I have stripped Esau bare, I have uncovered his hiding places So that he will not be able to conceal himself; His offspring has been destroyed along with his relatives And his neighbors, and he is no more.

(11) "Leave your orphans behind, I will keep them alive; And let your widows trust in Me."

(12) For thus says the LORD, "Behold, those who were not sentenced to drink the cup will certainly drink it, and are you the one who will be completely acquitted? You will not be acquitted, but you will certainly drink it.

(13) "For I have sworn by Myself," declares the LORD, "that Bozrah will become an object of horror, a reproach, a ruin and a curse; and all its cities will become perpetual ruins."

 

Jer 49:19-20

(19) "Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan against a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will make him run away from it, and whoever is chosen I shall appoint over it. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?"

(20) Therefore hear the plan of the LORD which He has planned against Edom, and His purposes which He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: surely they will drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their pasture desolate because of them.

 

Oba 1:5-9

(5) "If thieves came to you, If robbers by night-- O how you will be ruined!-- Would they not steal only until they had enough? If grape gatherers came to you, Would they not leave some gleanings?

(6) "O how Esau will be ransacked, And his hidden treasures searched out!

(7) "All the men allied with you Will send you forth to the border, And the men at peace with you Will deceive you and overpower you. They who eat your bread Will set an ambush for you. (There is no understanding in him.)

(8) "Will I not on that day," declares the LORD, "Destroy wise men from Edom And understanding from the mountain of Esau?

(9) "Then your mighty men will be dismayed, O Teman, So that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.

 

Oba 1:17-21

(17) "But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape, And it will be holy. And the house of Jacob will possess their possessions.

(18) "Then the house of Jacob will be a fire And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau will be as stubble. And they will set them on fire and consume them, So that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau," For the LORD has spoken.

(19) Then those of the Negev will possess the mountain of Esau, And those of the Shephelah the Philistine plain; Also, possess the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, And Benjamin will possess Gilead.

(20) And the exiles of this host of the sons of Israel, Who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, And the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Will possess the cities of the Negev.

(21) The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion To judge the mountain of Esau, And the kingdom will be the LORD'S.

The fact that Israel will help bring about the final destruction of Edom (and, thus, the total annihilation of all descendants of Esau) is portrayed in Ezekiel 25:12-14.

Eze 25:12-14

(12) 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Because Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has incurred grievous guilt, and avenged themselves upon them,"

(13) therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "I will also stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off man and beast from it. And I will lay it waste; from Teman even to Dedan they will fall by the sword.

(14) "I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel. Therefore, they will act in Edom according to My anger and according to My wrath; thus they will know My vengeance," declares the Lord GOD.

Moab (modern central Jordan) will also suffer destruction, but it will not be total. A remnant of Moab will return according to Jeremiah 48:47.

Jer 48:47

(47) "Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab In the latter days," declares the LORD. Thus far the judgment on Moab.

As for Ammon (present-day northern Jordan), it will become a possession of Israel but its destruction will not be total. That is depicted in Jeremiah 49:1-6.

Jer 49:1-6

(1) Concerning the sons of Ammon. Thus says the LORD: "Does Israel have no sons? Or has he no heirs? Why then has Malcam taken possession of Gad And his people settled in its cities?

(2) "Therefore behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "That I will cause a trumpet blast of war to be heard Against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon; And it will become a desolate heap, And her towns will be set on fire. Then Israel will take possession of his possessors," Says the LORD.

(3) "Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed! Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah, Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament, And rush back and forth inside the walls; For Malcam will go into exile Together with his priests and his princes.

(4) "How boastful you are about the valleys! Your valley is flowing away, O backsliding daughter Who trusts in her treasures, saying, 'Who will come against me?'

(5) "Behold, I am going to bring terror upon you," Declares the Lord GOD of hosts, "From all directions around you; And each of you will be driven out headlong, With no one to gather the fugitives together.

(6) "But afterward I will restore The fortunes of the sons of Ammon," Declares the LORD.

C. Egypt

Peace will come between Israel and Egypt initially by means of destruction and later by means of conversion, as comprehensively covered in Isaiah 19:1-22.

Isa 19:1-22

(1) The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.

(2) "So I will incite Egyptians against Egyptians; And they will each fight against his brother and each against his neighbor, City against city and kingdom against kingdom.

(3) "Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be demoralized within them; And I will confound their strategy, So that they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead And to mediums and spiritists.

(4) "Moreover, I will deliver the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel master, And a mighty king will rule over them," declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

(5) The waters from the sea will dry up, And the river will be parched and dry.

(6) The canals will emit a stench, The streams of Egypt will thin out and dry up; The reeds and rushes will rot away.

(7) The bulrushes by the Nile, by the edge of the Nile And all the sown fields by the Nile Will become dry, be driven away, and be no more.

(8) And the fishermen will lament, And all those who cast a line into the Nile will mourn, And those who spread nets on the waters will pine away.

(9) Moreover, the manufacturers of linen made from combed flax And the weavers of white cloth will be utterly dejected.

(10) And the pillars of Egypt will be crushed; All the hired laborers will be grieved in soul.

(11) The princes of Zoan are mere fools; The advice of Pharaoh's wisest advisers has become stupid. How can you men say to Pharaoh, "I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings"?

(12) Well then, where are your wise men? Please let them tell you, And let them understand what the LORD of hosts Has purposed against Egypt.

(13) The princes of Zoan have acted foolishly, The princes of Memphis are deluded; Those who are the cornerstone of her tribes Have led Egypt astray.

(14) The LORD has mixed within her a spirit of distortion; They have led Egypt astray in all that it does, As a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

(15) There will be no work for Egypt Which its head or tail, its palm branch or bulrush, may do.

(16) In that day the Egyptians will become like women, and they will tremble and be in dread because of the waving of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which He is going to wave over them.

(17) The land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt; everyone to whom it is mentioned will be in dread of it, because of the purpose of the LORD of hosts which He is purposing against them.

(18) In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will be speaking the language of Canaan and swearing allegiance to the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction.

(19) In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD near its border.

(20) It will become a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will deliver them.

(21) Thus the LORD will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day. They will even worship with sacrifice and offering, and will make a vow to the LORD and perform it.

(22) The LORD will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the LORD, and He will respond to them and will heal them.

 

Verses 1-10 reveal that because of her sins, Egypt will be characterized by civil war, desolation, and famine. The prophet states in verses 11-15 that Egypt will suffer because she has been led astray by her leaders. Under the dictatorship of Farouk, Nassar, and Sadat the nation went to war against Israel four times, resulting in heavy human and economic losses. Understandably, Egypt has developed a fear of Israel as prophesied in verses 16-17. This has come to pass only since 1948 and especially since the Six Day War . Prophetically, today is still the period described in Isaiah 19:16-17. Eventually, there will be total and lasting peace between Israel and Egypt, which in turn will give way to Egypt’s conversion in Isaiah 19:18-22.

D. Northern Iraq and Eastern Syria (Assyria)

Iraq and portions of modern Syria are two other implacable Arab enemies of modern Israel. However, peace will come between Israel and these two Arab countries by means of conversion according to Isaiah 19:23-25.

Isa 19:23-25

(23) In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

(24) In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth,

(25) whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, "Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance."

Verse 23 describes an economic unit that will encompass Egypt, Israel and Assyria. Assyria will become a blessing in the earth and will receive a blessing from God. The three former enemies will now have a spiritual unity as well as an economic and political one. God declares: Egypt [will be] my people, ... Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

E. Saudi Arabia (Keder and Hazor)

Peace will come between Israel and Saudi Arabia by means of destruction according to Jeremiah 49:28-33.

Jer 49:28-33

(28) Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated. Thus says the LORD, "Arise, go up to Kedar And devastate the men of the east.

(29) "They will take away their tents and their flocks; They will carry off for themselves Their tent curtains, all their goods and their camels, And they will call out to one another, 'Terror on every side!'

(30) "Run away, flee! Dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Hazor," declares the LORD; "For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has formed a plan against you And devised a scheme against you.

(31) "Arise, go up against a nation which is at ease, Which lives securely," declares the LORD. "It has no gates or bars; They dwell alone.

(32) "Their camels will become plunder, And their many cattle for booty, And I will scatter to all the winds those who cut the corners of their hair; And I will bring their disaster from every side," declares the LORD.

(33) "Hazor will become a haunt of jackals, A desolation forever; No one will live there, Nor will a son of man reside in it."

The passage describes the total devastation of Saudi Arabia by war until the inhabitants are scattered and dispersed all over the world. As for the land itself, Jeremiah 49:33 states: And Hazor shall be a dwelling-place of jackals, a desolation for ever: no man shall dwell there, neither shall any son of man sojourn therein. Saudi Arabia’s desolation will last for all of the one thousand years of the Messianic Kingdom.

F. Persia or Iran (Elam)

Iran is a Persian state rather than Arab, but it shares the same religion with the Moslem Arabs, Islam. Peace will come between Israel and Iran by means of destruction according to Jeremiah 49:34-39.

Jer 49:34-39

(34) That which came as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying:

(35) "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Behold, I am going to break the bow of Elam, The finest of their might.

(36) 'I will bring upon Elam the four winds From the four ends of heaven, And will scatter them to all these winds; And there will be no nation To which the outcasts of Elam will not go.

(37) 'So I will shatter Elam before their enemies And before those who seek their lives; And I will bring calamity upon them, Even My fierce anger,' declares the LORD, 'And I will send out the sword after them Until I have consumed them.

(38) 'Then I will set My throne in Elam And destroy out of it king and princes,' Declares the LORD.

(39) 'But it will come about in the last days That I will restore the fortunes of Elam,'" Declares the LORD.

However, the destruction of Iran will be partial, and the dispersion will be temporary. Eventually the inhabitants will return and resettle Iran. The future of Iran is similar to that of Egypt, but the length of time they will be in dispersion is not revealed. There will be a Nation of Elam---Persia or Iran, in the Kingdom.

G. Southern Iraq (Babylon)

Southern Iraq is destined to be a desolate spot throughout the Messianic Kingdom (Isaiah 13:20-22; Jeremiah 50:39-40).

 

Isa 13:20-22

(20) It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation; Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there, Nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there.

(21) But desert creatures will lie down there, And their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches also will live there, and shaggy goats will frolic there.

(22) Hyenas will howl in their fortified towers And jackals in their luxurious palaces. Her fateful time also will soon come And her days will not be prolonged.

 

Jer 50:39-40

(39) "Therefore the desert creatures will live there along with the jackals; The ostriches also will live in it, And it will never again be inhabited Or dwelt in from generation to generation.

(40) "As when God overthrew Sodom And Gomorrah with its neighbors," declares the LORD, "No man will live there, Nor will any son of man reside in it.

 

 

Not only is this area to be a desolate waste throughout the Kingdom, Revelation 19:3 says that it will also be a place of continual burning and smoke through the Millennium.

 

Rev 19:3

(3) And a second time they said, "Hallelujah! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER."

 

 

The animal inhabitants mentioned in Isaiah 13:20-22 and Jeremiah 51:39-40 cannot live in a place of continual burning.

 

Isa 13:20-22

(20) It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation; Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there, Nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there.

(21) But desert creatures will lie down there, And their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches also will live there, and shaggy goats will frolic there.

(22) Hyenas will howl in their fortified towers And jackals in their luxurious palaces. Her fateful time also will soon come And her days will not be prolonged.

 

Jer 51:39-40

(39) "When they become heated up, I will serve them their banquet And make them drunk, that they may become jubilant And may sleep a perpetual sleep And not wake up," declares the LORD.

(40) "I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, Like rams together with male goats.

 

Therefore, they cannot be literal animals as we know them. What they actually are is explained by Revelation 18:1-2:

 

Rev 18:1-2

(1) After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory.

(2) And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.

 

This picture of continual burning and smoke will be a place of confinement for many demons during the Kingdom Period. It is clear from Revelation 9 and other passages that demons have animal-like features, and this is what the animals of the Isaiah and Jeremiah passages actually represent.

 

Rev 9:1-11

(1) Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.

(2) He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.

(3) Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

(4) They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

(5) And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.

(6) And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

(7) The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.

(8) They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.

(9) They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle.

(10) They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.

(11) They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.