The War To Come
(This article first appeared as a multiple-part blog by Dr. Stephen Pidgeon, January-February, 2015.)
Karmel withers
We interrupt this blog post to bring you a prophecy update concerning the impending third world war. Please check your Cepher to corroborate the information given here, and compare with recent world events as set forth herein.
There is much discussion about an upcoming Psalm 83 war. I am not one who subscribes to that particular theory, for many reasons. However, there is scripture which brings war footing to bear.
Amoc 1:1-5
The words of Amoc, who was among the herdmen of Teqoa, which he saw concerning Yisra’el in the days of Uzziyahu king of Yahudah, and in the days of Yarov`am the son of Yo’ash king of Yisra’el, two years before the earthquake. 2 And he said, YAHUAH will roar from Tsiyon, and utter his voice from Yerushalayim; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Karmel shall wither. 3 Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gil`ad with threshing instruments of iron: 4 But I will send a fire into the house of Chaza’el, which shall devour the palaces of Ben Hadad. 5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holds the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Qiyr, says YAHUAH.
So, we being our discussion of the prophecy with a couple of timing issues. First, we see that this prophecy is given two years before the earthquake. Let’s keep that in mind as we watch the playing out of the other prophecies, set forth here. YAHUAH will roar from Tsiyon when the habitations of the shepherds mourns, and the top of Karmel withers.
Israel is well-known as the land (habitation) of the shepherds:
Bere’shiyth 46:31
And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; 32 And the men are shepherds, for their trade has been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. 33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? 34 That ye shall say, Your servants' trade has been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
Our marker therefore for the beginning of these prophecies is when Israel mourns and the top of Karmel withers. On December 2, 2010, the largest fire in the history of Israel began and burned for five days on Mount Carmel, killing 44 prison service cadets, teachers, police and firefighters, who died when a bus carrying the cadets was engulfed by the fire.
Consider the exact language in this report:
The Carmel Fire started on Dec. 2, 2010 and burned for five days, destroying 6,000 acres of northern Israel’s expansive Carmel Forest. In June, the government released a harsh report in criticizing the conduct of its agencies during the fire.
But even as the country continues to mourn the fire’s dead, the forest is being reborn. Trees are regenerating on their own, new species are being planted, protection against future fires is expanding and hikers are returning to once-charred trails. Israel’s fire services also have grown.
Ben Sales, After fire, Israel’s Carmel Forest rejuvenates, JTA, January 21, 2013
http://www.jta.org/2013/01/21/news-opinion/israel-middle-east/after-fire-israels-carmel-forest-rejuvenates#ixzz3PEI5DF00
Karmel withered and the habitation of the shepherds mourned. The prophecy therefore began in 2010. What then would follow?
The transgressions of Damascus
Amoc gives us a specific order of events following the withering of Karmel. Don’t read ahead, or you will have a clear idea of what is coming. Let’s take it one step at a time.
Amoc 1:3-5
Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: 4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad. 5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holds the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, says YAHUAH.
Well, what can be said? This prophecy has occurred already. We note that Syria participated in the 1948 war, the 1967 war and the 1973 war (three transgressions), and as part of the 1973 war, they threshed Gilead (the Golan) with threshing instruments of iron (i.e., tanks and artillery, advancing on Israel through the Valley of Tears). So the bar of Damascus (the power and authority of the ruling class) is now broken, the inhabitants of the plain of Aven are cut off by advancing ISIS, the scepter of Assad is removed from this portion of Syria, and the people in the northern places of Syria have fled into Turkish captivity over the border in the area formerly known as Kir.
One can only wonder if Amoc will tell us what will occur next.
Gaza follows Damascus
We have seen now that Amoc has predicted that Karmel would wither and the shepherds would mourn. After that, Damascus would come under judgment. This prophecy has unfolded before our very eyes. What follows?
Amoc 1:6-8
Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom: 7 But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: 8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holds the sceptre from Ashqelon, and I will turn my hand against Eqron: and the remnant of the Pelishtiym shall perish, says ADONAI YAHUAH.
First on the list of battles to come following the withering of Carmel is of course a war with Gaza. Let us consider the timeline. The fifteenth day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar in 2014 ushered in the first of four lunar eclipses which rendered the moon a reddish color. This kind of eclipse is known as a blood moon. In Hebrew, the red moon is called adom yare’ach. This eclipse occurred on April 14, 2014. Let’s call this particular eclipse adom yare’ach rishon (the first blood moon).
In the Hebrew calendar, the mid feast which follows the spring feasts is the feast of Sheva’oth, also known as Pentecost. The nation of Israel was formed on Sheva’oth in 1948. The importance of this date cannot be understated. In 2014, this feast was on June 4, 2014. The events discussed below occurred thereafter.
This prophecy in Amoc concerning Gaza recognizes that Ashdod and Ashqelon are out from under the leadership of Gaza (the inhabitants of Gaza are cut off from Ashdod, and the leadership of Gaza, namely Hamas [he who holds the scepter] is cut off from Ashqelon), and a fire is set on the wall of Gaza. Let’s see what facts emerge following the adom yare’ach rishon and the feast of Sheva’oth.
In 2005, Israel withdrew its authority over Gaza, trading land for peace. In 2006, Hamas took control of Gaza pursuant to its success in an election. Hamas refused to recognize any of the prior agreements or to recognize Israel as a state. Following an economic blockade by Israel in late 2006, Hamas began a series of rocket attacks on local Israeli cities and agricultural communities. Hamas then took an Israeli soldier as a hostage (one transgression). Israel began Operation Cast Lead in 2008. In November, 2012, Hamas laid a barrage of rocket strikes on Israeli targets, (two transgressions), and Israel responded with Operation Pillar of Defense. A cease fire was brokered; however, Hamas hit Israel with an average of 63 rockets per month thereafter until December of 2014, when Hamas refrained from firing on Israel. 2014 opened with 85 rocket strikes from Hamas on Israeli villages (three transgressions). In April, 2014, Hamas joined with Fatah in a unity government, and Fatah expressed solidarity with Hamas in refusing to recognize the state of Israel.
On June 4, 2014, (Sheva’oth) Israel announced that there would be construction of 1,500 new homes in East Jerusalem and the West Bank of Israel. On June 12, 2014, three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and later murdered. Israel blamed Hamas. On July 1, 2014, Israel launched Operation Brother’s Keeper, which has been construed as the War in Gaza.
During this war, a fire was brought on the wall of Gaza and its military might was dramatically curtailed. The tunnels which had been constructed for purposes of secret invasions into Israel were destroyed, and the munitions, including the arsenal of rockets being stored in Gaza, were mostly destroyed. The Israeli military did its own work, yet following the war, YAH himself flooded the region, pouring water deep into whatever remained of the tunnels. Bear in mind that almost all of the foreign aid which had poured into Gaza to build roads, hospitals and schools had been rerouted out of hatred into the construction of tunnels. Now, Gaza has neither the roads, hospitals, and schools as proposed, nor its tunnels of war.
Tyre follows Gaza
Karmel has withered. Damascus has come under judgment. Gaza has come under judgment. What follows, according to Amoc?
Amoc (Amos) 1:9
Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Tsor, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: 10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tsor, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
What is this place Tsor? In common English translations, this is the word Tyre. The word which appears in the Hebrew is not really even close, but over the years, the name Tyre has been the selected interpretation. In the Cepher, we have transliterated the name not as Tyre, or even Tyrus, but rather Tsor, because that is how it is identified in the Hebrew. Let’s take a look at the Hebrew:
צֹר Tsor (Strong’s 6865, or the same as 6864); a rock; Tsor, a place in Palestine: i.e.,Tyre, or Tyrus.
But, a review of other words spelled the same yields different meanings. Take a look at Strong’s 6864 צֹר tsor, which means a knife, flint, or sharp stone. Here we see the spelling as tsadi (צ) and resh (ר). And finally, consider Strong’s 6863, spelled in the original Hebrew as tsadi (צ) and resh (ר), i.e.,צֵר tser, meaning rock.
The city of modern Tyre, unlike almost every other location on the coast of the Levant, juts out into the sea as a natural port – jutting out like a rock. The city is first identified in the book of Yahusha:
Yahusha (Joshua) 19:24-31
And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. 25 And their border was Chelqath, and Chaliy, and Beten, and Akshaph, 26 And Allammelek, and Am`ad, and Mish’al; and reaches to Karmel westward, and to Shiychor Livnath; 27 And turns toward the sunrising to Beyt Dagon, and reaches to Zevulun, and to the valley of Yiphtach’el toward the north side of Beyt Ha-Emeq, and Ne`iy’el, and goes out to Kavul on the left hand, 28 And Chevron, and Rechov, and Chammon, and Qanah, even unto great Tsiydon; 29 And then the coast turns to Ramah, and to the strong city Tsor; and the coast turns to Chocah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Akziyv: 30 Ummah also, and Apheq, and Rechov: twenty and two cities with their villages. 31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
The discussion of the city of Tsor – the rock - here at its earliest mention, refers to it as a strong city. In Shemu’el Sheniy 24:7, Tsor is referred to as a strong hold, or in the Hebrew,מִבְצָר m’btsar, which means castle, or fortified city; figuratively, a defender; a fenced fortress, or strong hold. This word is derived from the Hebrew rootבָּצַר batsar, which means an isolated fortress.
Consider this passage in Yesha’yahu, which is very enlightening:
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 23:8
Who has taken this counsel against Tsor, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?
The Hebrew word that is translated as traffickers isכְּנַ֫עַן kena‛anı (Strong’s 3667), which means a Kenaanite or inhabitant of Kenaan; by implication a peddler (the Cananites standing for their neighbors the Ishmaelites, who conducted mercantile caravans): Canaanite, merchant, trafficker.
So we discover that the city of Tsor is a strong city, a strong hold, an isolated fortress, and a crowning city whose merchants are Canaanite princes.
Tsor now becomes the focal point of the prophecy of Amoc saying: For three transgressions of Tsor, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: 10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tsor, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
This prophecy has of course its war setting. The group Hezbollah occupies that portion of Lebanon where Tsor and Tsiydon are located; that is, they occupy southern Lebanon. Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim group, was formed following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Hezbollah has become a competing entity with the lawful government of Lebanon, following the devastating civil war which began the displacement of the Christian Lebanese leadership in favor of competing Muslim factions. Hezbollah waged a guerilla war against Israel during its occupation of certain portions of southern Lebanon until Israel’s withdrawal in 2000, and also fought against Israel in the 2006 Lebanon War.
For three transgressions of Tsor, and for four . . . is there a third in the works? On January 18, 2015, Israel carried out airstrike on convoy in Syria, killing 11 people, including several commanders from Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah. On January 20, 2015, Iran and Hezbollah declared that they are planning ‘imminent’ joint invasion of Israel's northern Galilee region, according to ‘high level intelligence.’ Even an Israeli general warned that Hezbollah was likely planning attack on the Galilee, so Israel began moving troops to the region after Tehran warned of ‘crushing response.’ Chris Pleasance, MailOnLine, Iran and Hezbollah are planning 'imminent' joint invasion of Israel's northern Galilee region according to 'high level intelligence'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2918478/Iran-Hezbollah-planning-imminent-joint-invasion-Israel-s-northern-Galilee-region-according-high-level-intelligence.html#ixzz3
PWuBN2z9. Published: 11:59 EST, 20 January 2015; updated: 16:12 EST, 20 January 2015.
For three transgressions of Tsor, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: 10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tsor, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
If you are using Greek lineal thinking on this, you might miss the most significant transgression in this passage. For YAHUAH says, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:
Compare this to the statement given in Amoc 1:6. Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
What is this business of carrying away captive the whole captivity? Or, in the case of Tsor, delivering up the whole of the captivity?
The Hebrew word for captive is galah, which means to exile. Therefore, the Hebrew word for the captivity is galuth (ya’ big galoot), which means the exiles, or exiled. The punishment comes on Gaza because they carried into exile the whole of those exiled, delivering them up to Edom. The punishment comes on Tsor, because they delivered up the whole of the exiles to Edom.
Consider that Edom (אדם), spelled aleph-dalet-mem safit, is a word that has the same spelling as adom (spelled aleph-dalet-mem safit), which means red, which has the same spelling as Adam, (spelled aleph-dalet-mem safit). Edom is of course Esau, which was integrated into Ishma’el, and is now the Arab world.
The transgression for which Gaza was punished, and for which Tsor will be punished, has to do with the delivering of the exiles into Islam, which is identified in the scriptural text as Edom.
Therefore, the next war to come under the Amoc prophecy, is the war with Hezbollah, and fire will come upon its walls, and its palaces will be devoured. And all of this around the next blood red moon, the adom yare’ach shelishiy.
The Former and Latter Rain
Of course, the feast days of YAHUAH are critically important to our understanding of prophecy. Let me go so far to say that when it comes to understanding the words of the prophets, I do not believe it possible to fully comprehend these writings without adherence to the Torah of YAH, which includes the keeping of Shabbath and the keeping of the moediym – the feasts of YAH. See Vayiqra 23 for one such roster of these moediym. Allow a brief summary:
Beyond the Sabbath of the seventh day, is of course the Sabbath of the seventh year (the Sabbatical or Shemitah year), and after seven sevens of years, comes the Jubilee on the fiftieth year.
In addition to the regular Sabbath, there are three high Sabbaths points (chag), which are Matsah (the feast of unleavened bread); Sheva’oth (the day of seven sevens, fifty days beyond the Sabbath within Matsah), and Sukka’oth (the feast of tabernacles). Yom Teruah (also known as Rosh Hashanah) and Yom Kippur are also Sabbaths, as is Bikkoor (First Fruits).
So, the feasts (moediym) are Pecach (Passover), Matsah (Unleavened bread), Bikkoor (First Fruits) (sometimes called the Latter Rain); Sheva’oth (the feast of sevens, or Pentecost) (the Shamash, if you will); and Yom Teruah (Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Atonement), and Sukka’oth (Tabernacles) with its finale Simcha Torah (the Joy of the Torah) (sometimes called the Former Rain).
Immediately, we begin to see how such understanding reveals prophecy:
Devariym (Deuteronomy) 11:14
That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain (yoreh) and the latter rain (malqosh), that you may gather in your corn, and your wine, and your oil.
We see that the rains are markers that ultimately result in a harvest. Similarly, we can consider that prophetically, YAH will reap his own harvest in accord with the yoreh and the malqosh.
Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) 5:24
Neither do they say in their heart, Let us now fear YAHUAH ELOHAYNU that gives rain, both the former (yoreh) and the latter (malqosh), in his season: he reserves unto us the appointed weeks (shevua) of the harvest.
Here in this passage we see this word shevua appear. We have discussed this word at length in regard to the famous passage in Daniye’l 9:24. In its micro application, this word is tasken to means weeks, yet it could also mean a group of seven years, and even a group of sevens of years reaching Jubilee. If shevua is construed to mean the sevens which reach Jubilee, then we see that he reserves unto us the appointed Jubilees of the harvest. Such a statement would corroborate the idea that man’s days are one hundred twenty Jubilee years, or six thousand years before the reign of Mashiach.
Husha (Hosea) 6:3
Then shall we know (yada), if we follow on to know (yada) YAHUAH: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter (malqosh) and former rain (yoreh) unto the earth (eretz).
Where the word yada is concerned, it means both to praise, and to know. To know him is to praise him, and to praise him is to know him.
Although we have a bit of a struggle in understanding that the latter rain is in the spring, and the former rain is in the fall, consider the words of Yo’el:
Yo’el (Joel) 2:23
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the YAHUAH your ELOHAYCHA: for he hath given (natan) you the former rain (ma’yoreh) moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain (ma’yoreh), and the latter rain (malqosh) in the first (rishon) month.
We see here, that the latter rain takes place in the first month, or the month of Aviv, which is in the spring.
Ya’akov (James) 5:7
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of ADONAI. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
These prophecies center around the moediym of YAHUAH (the feasts), yet they also predict the second advent of YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH.
Now that we understand these options, we have four blood moons to discuss:
First new moon: Adom yare’ach rishon, (latter rain).
Second new moon: Adom yare’ach sheniy, (former rain).
Third new moon: Adom yare’ach shelishiy, (latter rain).
Fourth new moon: Adom yare’ach reviy’iy, (former rain).
The judgment of Edom
Our prophecy of the war to come as set forth in the Cepher Amoc continues:
Amoc (Amos) 1:11
Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever: 12 But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 36:1
Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.
This prophecy concerns the lineage of Esau, the brother of Ya’akov, and the father of the Arab world. What is the reason for the punishment of Edom? It is because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever:
Now, this judgment is coming soon upon Edom, and will be extraordinary, as Edom is also the successor of Babel. A complete destruction by fire is coming, because the Arab world continually pursued his brother Ya’akov with the sword; because he cast off all pity; because he allowed his anger to tear perpetually, and because he kept his wrath forever.
The Second Exodus
An interesting discussion follows the judgment of Yisra’el in America under the Assyrian as discussed in Yesha’yahu 9 and 10.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 11:1-9
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Yishay, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the RUACH YAHUAH shall rest upon him, the RUACH of Wisdom (chokmah) and Understanding (binah), the RUACH of Counsel (etsah) and Might (gevurah), the RUACH of Knowledge (da’ath) and of the Fear (yirah) of YAHUAH; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of YAHUAH: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness (tsedeqah) shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5 And righteousness (tsedeqah) shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness (emunah) the girdle of his reins. 6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge ofאת (eth)-YAHUAH, as the waters cover the sea.
There are two aspects to this prophecy, because there are two feet to the one faith (yachad): which is the Testimony of HaMashiach, and the keeping of the Torah. This first passage in Yesha’yahu 11 is the word concerning the Testimony. This testimony could be discussed for a great deal of time as it embraces the fundamental metaphysics of the manifestation of ELOHIYM in the finite and the structure of the Testimony of Mashiach, which is righteousness (tsedeqah) and faithfulness (emunah).
We have discussed these two terms – righteousness and faithfulness – to some degree in prior writings, and these two terms again represent the Testimony (faithfulness) and the keeping of the Torah (righteousness). These are the marks of the remnant, and those against whom the dragon will make war.
Chizayon (Revelation) 12:17
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of YAHUAH, and have the testimony of YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH.
The next aspect of this prophecy – the keeping of the Torah – is discussed a bit more by Yesha’yahu in the following verses:
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 11:10-16
And in that day there shall be a root of Yishay, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the other people seek: and his rest shall be glorious. 11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that ADONAI shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Mitsrayim, and from Pathroc, and from Kush, and from Eylam, and from Shin`ar, and from Chamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Yisra’el, and gather together the dispersed of Yahudah from the four corners of the earth. 13 The envy also of Ephrayim shall depart, and the adversaries of Yahudah shall be cut off: Ephrayim shall not envy את (eth)-Yahudah, and Yahudah shall not vex את (eth)-Ephrayim. 14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Pelishtiym toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Mo’av; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. 15 And YAHUAH shall utterly destroy את (eth) the tongue of the Mitsriym sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. 16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Yisra’el in the day that he came up out of the land of Mitsrayim.
Let us reach this conclusion:
The rod of Yishay is the coming Mashiach.
The root of Yishay is the Torah.
The Torah then is the ensign that shall assemble the outcasts of Yisra’el, and gather the dispersed of Yahudah from the four corners of the earth. This gathering is discussed again later in scripture, and we will discuss it further as well.
Who is Babylon?
We, at the Cepher, refer to Babylon as Babel, which is consistent with its Hebrew name, which is spelled beit, beit, lamed (BBL). This name has its own intrinsic meaning. The letter beit is the letter which means 'the house' (and is the word for house, such as Beyt Lechem, or Bethlehem, the house of bread). Of course, the placement of a beit (b) also works as a prefix in the Hebrew, meaning in.
Let’s take a look at the name Zerubbabel. This name can be broken down a couple of ways. We can easily see that the name contains the place babel. So, the name is Zerub of babel. That is one understanding; however, consider if the first beit (b) instead means in. Zeru in Babel (which would be spelled Zeru’b’babel) is the other meaning.
Now, take a look at the name Babel. Suppose we use the same understanding, using the beit (b) as the prefix meaning in, i.e., b’Bel, meaning in Bel? This becomes more understandable when we realize that Bel is another name for Ba’al (which translates literally as Lord, Master, or Husband). Therefore, the word b’Bel (b’Ba’al) means in Ba’al. However, there is more in this implication because the letter beit (b) also means house. B’bel may then also mean the house in Ba’al, or the house in the land of Ba’al. This gives us an understanding of the condition of the captivity in Babel during the time of Danie’l – which is that the house of Yahudah was a house captive in Ba’al.
Consider, however, that this may also be the opposite. The house of Ba’al is lodged within the larger house of EL. B (bl) L.
This may explain how two judgments fall on America. One judgment is the judgment that comes upon the nation as we assume the garments of Yisra’el, declaring that “the bricks have fallen, we shall rebuild with hewn stones” which is discussed in Yesha’yahu 10 and 11; the second judgment comes on Babel – the house of Ba’al within the house of Yisra’el, and this is discussed in detail in the coming verses.
The 9/11 prophecy
The word harbinger has moved into the vernacular as a meaningful part of the conversation concerning the traumatic events of September 11, 2001, commonly known as 9-11. This word is now associated with the shemitah (sabbatical) year, or the seventh year in the cycles of years.
The theory of the harbinger is based upon a certain passage found in Yesha'yahu 9:
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 9:8-10
ADONAI sent a word into Ya`aqov, and it has lighted upon Yisra’el. 9 And all the people shall know, even Ephrayim and the inhabitant of Shomeron, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, 10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
As has been well-documented, this verse has been adopted as mantra from the United States since September 12, 2001, being read into the Congressional Record and restated in substance by George Bush, B.H. Obama, Tom Daschle, John Edwards, Rudy Giuliani, George Pataki, et al. The notion that we will rebuild and come back stronger is the essence of the statement, and Obama so endorsed the final beam in the new tower that sits where the World Trade Center formerly stood upon its completion.
Therefore, we are, as a matter of scriptural truth, Yisra’el.
Remember the birthright of Yisra’el? This birthright passed from Yisra’el over Yoceph, the yachiyd, to his sons, Ephrayim (the great company of nations) and to Menashsheh (a great nation); yet Ephrayim would rule over Menashsheh - see Bere’shiyth 49.
Yes, we are Yisra’el, and Ephrayim who is holding the birthright. What does Yesha’yahu say will occur?
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 28:1-4
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephrayim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! 2 Behold, ADONAI has a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. 3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephrayim, shall be trodden under feet: 4 And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looks upon it sees, while it is yet in his hand he eats it up.
This tempest of hail and a destroying storm which comes on the drunkards of Ephrayim, happens in the Spring. However, this judgment is a selective judgment:
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 28:5-6
In that day shall YAHUAH TSEVA’OT be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the remnant of his people, 6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sits in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
Therefore, we conclude, that we are Yisra’el; yet we are also Babel – a house within a house.
The name Yisra’el is a name which was given to Ya’akov by YAHUAH. However, the name that was given to him was of course in Hebrew:
Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 32:28
And he said, Your name shall be called no more Ya’aqov, but יִשְׂרָאֵל: for as a prince have you power with ELOHIYM and with men, and have prevailed.
This nameיִשְׂרָאֵל has been interpreted as Yisra’el, yet I remain convinced that initially this name was not Yisra’el, but Yashar’el – the righteous of YAH. The name Yisra’el emerged after the division of the kingdom, where the Northern Kingdom was calledיזרעאל (Yitzra’el).
Given these circumstances, does the scriptural verse relate to Yashar’el, or Yitzra’el? Given its historical setting and the application of the events that are called harbingers, it is reasonable that the reference is to Yitzra’el – i.e., the remnant of the Northern Kingdom. This means that America is Yitzra’el – the Northern Kingdom - for purposes of the prophetic discussion here.
The judgment following 9/11
While others have expanded on the relationship between the shemitah year and harbingers, our discussion will concentrate on the words that are found in the scriptures themselves, in order that we might come to see that which lies ahead. Each judgment of YAH is circumscribed with the phrase that his hand is stretched out still.
First are the gathering of the enemies:
Yesha'yahu (Isaiah) 9:11-12
Therefore YAHUAH shall set up the adversaries of Retsiyn against him, and join his enemies together; 12 The Syrians before, and the Pelishtiym behind; and they shall devour את (eth)-Yisra’el with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Two things are important in this verse, whether or not we find Retsiyn, or the Pelishitiym, which is that YAHUAH shall set up the adversaries against him, and join his enemies together.
Since September 2001, ask yourself whether YAHUAH has set up adversaries against us, and has joined our enemies together. Consider the acronym BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). Are they rising as adversaries and enemies?
The next event to follow is the departure of the ancient and the honorable, and the prophets which teach lies. The new leaders take Yitzra’el into error and destruction, and there will be no mercy upon this people during this time.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 9:13-17
For the people turns not unto him that smites them, neither do they seek YAHUAH TSEVA’OT. 14 Therefore YAHUAH will cut off from Yisra’el head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. 15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teaches lies, he is the tail. 16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. 17 Therefore ADONAI shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for everyone is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Look what happens when the ancient and the honorable depart. The common morality of the nation disappears; the self-restraint of the people disappears, and 'each man for himself' becomes the dogma. Our leadership is leading us to error and bringing us to destruction. The failure to repent from the doctrine adopted in the harbinger verse continues to bring this judgment. Yet, his hand is stretched out still.
Given the failure to repent, let us see what is to follow:
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 9:18-21
For wickedness burns as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. 19 Through the wrath of YAHUAH TSEVA’OT is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. 20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: 21 Menashsheh, את (eth)-Ephrayim; and Ephrayim, את (eth)-Menashsheh: and they together shall be against Yahudah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
First, we have the rise of wickedness, which rises as a fire, which devours the briars and thorns (the leaders of non-believers), and kindles in the thickets of the forest (the mass of the non-believers). The wickedness mounts up over the world like the lifting up of smoke.
Consider the advancement by the government of the United States of the policies of abortion and the privileges of the LGBTQ community. This wickedness has mounted up over the whole earth as the lifting up of a noxious smoke.
Next in the order of things is the darkening of the land through the wrath of YAHUAH TSEVA’OT. The spiritual light of America is to be greatly dimmed, as the nation falls into apostasy and spiritual darkness, marked by a rise in secularism, atheism, rebellion, and a kindled hatred against the tenets of faith. Practitioners of the one truth faith are now being labeled as domestic terrorists and enemies of the state. Darkness is setting in over the land.
As this occurs, financial deprivation is also established. The value of life is greatly diminished (they shall be as the fuel of the fire). It shall be every man for himself. The desperation shall be so great that even the thief shall take on the right hand and remain hungry, and shall obtain through parasitism food on the left hand which shall also leave him hungry. The passage goes on to say that they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: Finally, all alliances within the English-speaking world will collapse as they will become competitors (every man for himself again) and will together abandoned the nation of Israel (Yahudah). When this has occurred, consider that the passage ends with the phrase: For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
His hand is stretched out still
Let us now consider the judgment that comes upon those who make the decrees within this land of Yitzra’el, which is set forth in the 10th chapter of Yesha’yahu:
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 10:1-4
Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; 2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! 3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help? And where will ye leave your glory? 4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Of course, there is no one in the ruling class in America that is reading this here, so it is really irrelevant what this prophet from the age of Hezekiah had to say. Nonetheless, I will say it again here, for their edification. Unless this nation changes its course (and there is virtually no time remaining), these leaders who have decreed unrighteous decrees (like the death panels in Obamacare, or the mandatory provisioning of abortion practices) will bow down under the prisoners (which will be taken during the invasion which is certain to come), and they shall fall under the slain. That is to say, when you see those pictures of ISIS lining up civilians to be shot in the back of the head to be buried in a ditch, consider that the politicians in this country that have brought us these decrees will be lying under those that are to be executed here. Note that the hand of YAH is stretched out still.
The fate of the one called the Assyrian
As our discourse continues on what lies ahead for the house of Yisra’el – those who have pronounced the declaration “the bricks have fallen . . .” – the prophecy of Yisha’yahu takes time to discuss a person he calls the Assyrian.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 10:5-6
O Assyrian, the rod of my anger, and the staff in his hand is my indignation. 6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
The Assyrian (in the Hebrew, Ashur) is sent against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of the wrath of YAH. The people of his wrath have been identified already in the prior chapter. So, who is the Assyrian? In the Hebrew, the word interpreted as Assyrian is Ashur. Ashur is the son of Shem, whose tribe became the Assyrians. Importantly, Ashur is not a son of Ya’aqov, nor a child of Yisra’el (Yashar’el). He is a stranger to the people chosen in this passage. He will take the spoil; he will take the prey, and he will tread down the people of Yisra’el like mire in the streets. There is more to be understood about this stranger.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 10:7-11
Howbeit he means not so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. 8 For he says, Are not my princes altogether kings? 9 Is not Calno as Karkemiysh? is not Chamath as Arpad? is not Shomeron as Damascus? 10 As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Yerushalayim and of Shomeron; 11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Shomeron and her idols, so do to Yerushalayim and her idols?
Whoever this stranger is who has the rod of YAH’s anger, and the staff of YAH’s indignation, and who rules over the hypocritical nation, the people of the wrath of YAHUAH, he has apparently already tread down all of these other places listed in these last verses, and intends to do the same to Yerushalayim. The people of the wrath of YAH is America, because America has proclaimed these verses as its doctrine. So, we see that this stranger who rules over America has taken the spoil, taken the prey, and tread down places like Calno, Karkemiysh, Chamath, Arpad, Shomeron and Damascus, and intends to do the same to Yerushalayim. However, these plans are going to fail.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 10:12-14
Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when ADONAI has performed his whole work upon Mount Tsiyon and on Yerushalayim, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. 13 For he says, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: 14 And my hand has found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathers eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.
This Assyrian is one who glories in himself, who glories in his high looks, and who claims that by the strength of his own hand he has been successful in his own endeavors, which is to cut off and destroy not just a few nations. This Assyrian is a stranger to the house of Yisra’el, yet he rules over Yisra’el with a rod of anger and indignation. He finds the riches of the people of America and steals their wealth and gathered all the earth (real property), and yet in response none moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or even peeped. Is this reflected in today’s America?
Let us see what lies in the future for the Assyrian.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 10:15-19
Shall the axe boast itself against him that hews therewith? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shakes it? As if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood. 16 Therefore shall ADONAI, YAHUAH ADONAI TSEVA’OT, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. 17 And the light of Yisra’el shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day; 18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer faints. 19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.
We remember that the Assyrian serves at the pleasure and will of YAH, although the Assyrian does not hold such a memory. He is the axe that boasts against YAH who hews therewith. He is the saw that magnifies himself against YAH who shakes it. He is the rod who shakes himself against YAH who has lifted him up, as if the Assyrian could lift himself up, as if the Assyrian was not made only of wood!
And, of course, wood is flammable. Consider that he who judges does not merely set forth his name here, but we see a threefold power in the name of he who brings judgment: YAHUAH ADONAI TSEVA’OT – commander of the all of the hosts of heaven. The fat ones (in the modern vernacular, the fat cats) of the Assyrian will experience leanness – all of what they have shall be taken from them. YAH shall then kindle under his splendor and glory burning, a burning fire.
The next passage shows the joining of Yisra’el (as the fire) and his Holy One (qodeshi) as the flame. It is therefore the morally righteous together with the Holy One who shall burn and devour the thorns and briers of the Assyrian, and they shall do so in a single day.
Consider the crude interpretation of verse 18: And his glory (v’kavod) and his forest (v’yahar) and his planted field (v’karmeli), his soul (ma’nefesh) as (ad) his flesh (besar) are consumed (y’kalaw) and they will be (v’hayah) but a wasted [or faint] (b’masas) fluttering [ensign] (nasas).
All of those things belonging to the Assyrian will perish, and when they are gone, even the memory of them will be but a faint fluttering of a flag.
Those who are part of the political machine of this stranger, the Assyrian, might want to consider this passage, as this stranger shall be consumed, together with the glory of his forest, and his fruitful field, both soul and body. His confederates shall be but a faint waving in the wind. So few will remain, that a child can count them.
However, in this chapter, for the house of Yisra’el something new is foretold.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 10:20-23
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Yisra’el, and such as are escaped of the house of Ya`aqov, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon YAHUAH, the Holy One of Yisra’el, in truth. 21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Ya`aqov, unto the mighty EL. 22 For though your people Yisra’el be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. 23 For ADONAI YAHUAH TSEVA’OT shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.
While the current discussion of the harbingers associated with the cycle of the shemitah years indicates financial calamity, this prophecy indicates something much more; that the light of Yisra’el shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame which shall burn and devour the stranger and his minions in one day.
Before they are destroyed by fire, however, the stretched out hand of YAH continues to bring judgment on Yisra’el – a judgment which is a consumption that is determined, and which will choose only a remnant of those who are as numerous as the sand of the sea to return.
The house within a house
As we have discussed earlier in the post The war to come – who is Babylon?, Babel has more than one meaning. Because there are two beits (Bs), we have a symbol of two houses – the house of Ba’al and the house of EL. In one instance, the house of EL is captive or exiled (galuth, in the Hebrew) within the house of Ba’al. However, in another instance, it may also symbolize the house of Ba’al within the house of EL.
Let us take on the issue then of determining who is Babylon. I have considered the proposition that Babel could be within its original land grant, which would include Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and so on. However, this conclusion is ruled out by the following discussion:
Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) 49:7-13
Concerning Edom, thus says YAHUAH TSEVA’OT; Is wisdom no more in Teyman? Is counsel perished from the prudent? Is their wisdom vanished? 8 Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him. 9 If grapegatherers come to you, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough. 10 But I have made את (eth)-Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his brethren, and his neighbours, and he is not. 11 Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let your widows trust in me. 12 For thus says YAHUAH; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and are you he that shall altogether go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you shall surely drink of it. 13 For I have sworn by myself, says YAHUAH, that Botsrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.
Dedan, Esau, Edom, Botsrah – all are areas of the Arab world today. This prophecy is distinct from the prophecies concerning Babel. These are the prophecies of Edom. Babel is therefore someone or someplace else.
In furtherance of this concept that Babel is a house within a house, consider the following:
Zakaryahu (Zechariah) 2:6-9
Alas, alas, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, says YAHUAH: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, says YAHUAH. 7 Deliver yourself, O Tsiyon, that dwell with the daughter of Babel. 8 For thus says YAHUAH TSEVA’OT; After the glory has he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that touches you touches the apple of his eye. 9 For, behold, I will shake my hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that YAHUAH TSEVA’OT has sent me.
Here, Zakaryahu tells us that Tsiyon dwells with the daughter of Babel – that is, they dwell together. Of course, the instruction is for Tsiyon to flee from the land of the north, where Tsiyon had been spread (the diaspora). For some, this name Tsiyon (Zion) has achieved a negative status, as the anti-Judaism of the 20th Century has become the anti-Zionism of the 21st Century, and is virtually certain to reach the same holocaustic events. Consider, however, that the repatriation of Tsiyon to the Levant is foretold in scripture and therefore commanded in the work of YAH.
Zakaryahu (Zechariah) 2:10-13
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Tsiyon: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you, says YAHUAH. 11 And many nations shall be joined to EL-YAHUAH in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that YAHUAH TSEVA’OT has sent me unto you. 12 And YAHUAH shall inherit את (eth)-Yahudah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Yerushalayim again. 13 Be silent, O all flesh, before YAHUAH: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.
Given the words of Zakaryahu 2:12, the question must be asked whether the repatriation of eth Yahudah to his portion in the holy land and in Yerushalayim is the work of Theodore Hertzl, or the work of YAHUAH TSEVA’OT.
Consider then that Babel in this passage is named and is described as the land of the north. Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula are to the southeast of Israel. Again, we have a reason to conclude that Saudi Arabia is not the daughter of Babel, nor MYSTERY BABYLON; rather, it is the land of the north – where the house of EL dwells within the house of Ba’al.
This concept of a house within a house also rules out Saudi Arabia as our candidate for the successor of Babel in the end times, and the Sauds do not allow diversity within their jurisdiction, even persecuting non-Sunni Muslims.
Therefore, we can conclude that the prophecies which exact judgment against Babylon in the end of the ages is against the land of the north.
As we have ruled out Saudi Arabia, can we also rule out lands of the north? There are certain lands which can be excluded.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 21:1-10
The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negev pass through; so it comes from the desert, from a terrible land. 2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer deals treacherously, and the spoiler spoils. Go up, O Eylam: besiege, O Maday; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. 3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travails: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it. 4 My heart panted, fearfulness frightened me: את (eth) the night of my pleasure has he turned into fear unto me. 5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield. 6 For thus has ADONAI said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he sees. 7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed: 8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: 9 And, behold, here comes a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babel is fallen, is fallen; and all graven images of her gods he has broken unto the ground. 10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of YAHUAH TSEVA’OT, the ELOHIYM of Yisra’el, have I declared unto you.
This is a difficult passage to be sure, but our first conclusion that can be reached is that Eylam and Maday are not Babel, for they are the chariots that come against the Holy Land like a whirlwind over the Negev, following the fall of Babel.
Who, then is Eylam and Maday? Eylam was a son of Shem (Bere’shiyth 10:22), who would come to occupy that portion of modern Iran formerly known as Persian. Maday was a son of Yepheth.
Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 10:2-5
The sons of Yepheth; Gimera, and Magog, and Maday, and Yavan, and Tubal, and Meshek, and Tiyrac. 3 And the sons of Gimera; Ashkenaz, and Riyphath, and Togarmah. 4 And the sons of Yavan; Eliyshah, and Tarshiysh, Kittiym, and Dodaniym. 5 By these were the isles of the other people divided in their lands; everyone after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Yepheth chose the land of the north in the time of the division of land, and this passage shows that the sons of Yepheth came to occupy the isles, everyone after his own tongue, family and nation.
This division of Yepheth included the diaspora of these tribes north of the Levant, including ancient Greece which is now modern Turkey. Maday came to occupy Ukraine and the Caucasus region down into modern northern Iran. Magog was to the east of Maday, Gimera was also in Ukraine, but became displaced by the migration of the Scythians (representing all of the tribes of Yisra’el migrating from the Indus River valley into Europe. Maday came to be the leadership of European Russia with the transfer from Kiev to Moscow in the 15th century.
So, who is Eylam and Maday in the modern world? It is Iran and Russia, respectively. Therefore, we can reason that Iran and Russia are not Babel.
Let’s continue to consider the remainder of the prophecy in Yesha’yahu 21:
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 21:13-17
The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedaniym. 14 The inhabitants of the land of Teyma brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. 15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. 16 For thus has ADONAI said unto me: Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Qedar shall fail: 17 And the remnant of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Qedar, shall be diminished: for YAHUAH ELOHIYM of Yisra’el has spoken it.
There are two names in this passage which go without recognition, generally: Teyma and Qedar, both of whom are named as the sons of Ishma’el. Let’s consider if there is another understanding that may be found in this passage. Within a year of the joining of Eylam and Maday, the glory of Qedar shall fail, and their army shall be diminished.
Qedar. Should we bring forth a new label, we might refer to his tribe as al-Qedar. Does this sound familiar? The house of Qedar occupies that area now controlled by a group we call ISIS, which is a successor of a group formerly known as al-Qaeda. Does Yesha’yahu predict the destruction of al-Qaeda?
Edom follows Tyre
As we walk through the judgments set forth in Amoc, we find that the events appear to be following in order. Karmel withered, the habitation of the shepherds mourned, the judgment comes on Damascus, then Gaza, then Tyre (Tsor) . . . then Edom.
Amoc (Amos) 1:11
Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever: 12 But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 36:1
Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.
This prophecy concerns the lineage of Esau, the brother of Ya’akov, and the father of the Arab world. What is the reason for the punishment of Edom? It is because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever. Who is the brother of Esau? It is Ya’akov, whose house is Yisra’el.
A complete destruction by fire is coming to Edom, who is Esau, who is the Arab, because the Arab world continually pursued his brother Ya’akov with the sword; because he cast off all pity; because he allowed his anger to tear perpetually, and because he kept his wrath forever.
Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) 49:7-13
Concerning Edom, thus says YAHUAH TSEVA’OT; Is wisdom no more in Teyman? Is counsel perished from the prudent? Is their wisdom vanished? 8 Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him. 9 If grapegatherers come to you, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough. 10 But I have made את (eth)-Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his brethren, and his neighbours, and he is not. 11 Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let your widows trust in me. 12 For thus says YAHUAH; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and are you he that shall altogether go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you shall surely drink of it. 13 For I have sworn by myself, says YAHUAH, that Botsrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.
This prophecy is made even more explicit is Yesha’yahu.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 34:1-3
Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 2 For the indignation of YAHUAH is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he has utterly destroyed them, he has delivered them to the slaughter. 3 Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.
This is a prophecy of a coming world war which will not exclude any nation on earth. Let all the earth hear and all of the things of the world – the indignation of YAHUAH is upon all nations.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 34:4-10
4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falls off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. 5 For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Edom, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment. 6 The sword of YAHUAH is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for YAHUAH has a sacrifice in Botsrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. 7 And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. 8 For it is the day of YAHUAH’S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Tsiyon. 9 And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. 10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up forever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it forever and ever.
This is a devastating prophecy concerning Edom, but once again this judgment on Edom is vengeance and a recompense for the controversy of Tsiyon. For those who have moved from Anti-Semitism (the old word), to Anti-Zionism (the new word), you can see that YAH got there before you, and declared Zionism (Tsiyon) to be the controversy that would bring judgment.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 34:11-15
11 But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness. 12 They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all her princes shall be nothing. 13 And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls. 14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest. 15 There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, everyone with her mate.
Of course the judgment on Edom is not the end of the war cycle of Amoc, but consider this word from Yirmeyahu.
Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 9:25-26
Behold, the days come, says YAHUAH, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; 26 Mitsrayim, and Yahudah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Mo’av, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Yisra’el are uncircumcised in the heart.
Jordan follows Edom
The discussion in the Cepher Amoc concerning a nation we now call Jordan is a two-fold discussion, because Jordan is a two-fold nation; the joining of Ammon (northern Jordan) and Mo’av (southern Jordan). Therefore, two prophecies are present in Amoc.
Amoc (Amos) 1:13-15
Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gil`ad, that they might enlarge their border: 14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind: 15 And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, says YAHUAH.
This is a difficult prophecy, for the King of Jordan is acting the hero in the current day, personally going after ISIS for the barbaric slaughter of a Jordanian pilot by fire. Yet the prophecy is such that a fire will be kindled in the wall of Rabbah; that there shall be a day of battle; and a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.
This judgment comes upon Jordan and its King – a king who shall go into exile – because they have ripped up the women with child of Gil`ad, that they might enlarge their border.
Without going into a great deal of detail, the Balfour Declaration made a political division of an area under British control known as the Trans-Jordan (the Levant) following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1917. This created a two-state solution where the Arab peoples of the region would have political autonomy over the lands east of the Jordan River, and the Jewish peoples would have political autonomy over the lands west of the Jordan.
By the time the Europeans (who would go on to condone the slaughter of every European Jew they could round up) considered the issue, the Arabs of the region were given all of the land east of the Jordan, and a two-state solution over the land west of the Jordan. This denied the Jews access to the city of Jerusalem and the most holy sites in Judaism, the city of Hebron and the second most holy site in Judaism which is the Ma’arat Machpelah (the tomb of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’aqov), and the city of Shechchem, the third most sacred site which includes the Tomb of Yoceph (now defiled).
While at the time, the western lands were essentially desolate, with Jerusalem housing fewer than 25,000 people, the understanding was reached by the nations surrounding Israel that should the Jews follow UN edict S. 181, which authorized the creation of a Jewish state, then there would be immediate and conclusive war which would exterminate all Jewish claims over the land. When defeat ensued, the Jordanians elected to embark on a strategy to populate the western lands with people who would later come to be called Palestinians, and to enlarge the border of Jordan to include the “West Bank” of Israel, and the sacred sites of Judaism held in the Holy Land.
It is for this reason that the King of Jordan will ultimately go into exile. This shall occur during the day of the whirlwind. Consider this discussion in Mishlei.
Mishlei (Proverbs) 1:7-9
The fear of YAHUAH is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, and forsake not the Torah of your mother: 9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto your head, and chains about your neck.
Mishlei (Proverbs) 1:20-33
Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets: 21 She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she utters her words, saying, 22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my RUACH unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes; 27 When your fear comes as desolation, and your destruction comes as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish comes upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of YAHUAH: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
There remains more to this prophecy in Amoc, however:
Amoc (Amos) 2:1-3
THUS says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Mo’av, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime: 2 But I will send a fire upon Mo’av, and it shall devour the palaces of Qeriyoth: and Mo’av shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the shofar: 3 And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, says YAHUAH.
Let us consider this statement that Mo’av burned the bones (ehtsem) of the king of Edom into lime (siyd). This term ehstem which is correctly translated as bones, can also mean the structural (or skeletal) strength. This term siyd means lime or plaster. From one view, then, the verse can mean that Mo’av kindled a fire under the structural strength of the king of Edom, whose strength then became nothing more than a thin plaster-like covering; i.e., a façade.
The outlook for southern Jordan is not as good as it is for northern Jordan, for a fire will be sent upon its palaces and Mo’av shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the shofar. The judge will be cut off, and all of the princes shall be slain. The King, in the meantime, will be in exile.
We note, in closing, that this destruction on Mo’av happens at the time of shouting and the sound of the shofar, which is a dating, namely on Yom Teruah (the Feast of Trumpets), also known as Rosh Hashanah. This judgment may come very, very soon.
Then Comes Yahudah
Of course, this is a difficult prophecy, for few in Israel wish to hear what is said here. The rabbis know, however, and the people in Tel Aviv deny, but Amoc is clear. Yahudah will not escape that which comes.
Who is Yahudah? It is anomalous that Yahudah should call itself Israel, and Yisra’el, should call itself America (yet America is a house within a house – the house of Babel within the house of Yisra’el physically, yet the house of Yisra’el under the domination of the house of Babel - as set forth in previous blog posts). Can we take a view of the nation of Israel in modernity? Of course.
Modern Israel houses two very important values: democracy and civil rights. At the heart of its democracy is a carefully controlled parliamentary environment which provides for a substantial Jewish majority in the governance of its affairs. This is the main reason why Israel has signed on to the Oslo Accords (the two-state solution), but this value of pure democracy crumbles the minute the Arab majority living within the boundaries of Israel are allowed full suffrage. So, the value is lip-service only, and can’t actually be effectuated.
Civil rights are another issue raised by the state of Israel. Israel believes that by embracing the practice of homosexuality, including same-sex marriage, that they are progressive and in full-embrace of civil rights. Yet, Israel does not understand the differences between human rights and civil privilege. All human rights, to be human rights, are predicated upon supernatural authority, and by prescriptive edicts. The Decalogue is the foundation for all human rights, as because YAH has said it, who is man to intervene? Civil privileges are those privileges granted to one class at the expense of another, and are enforced by the coercive power of the state for as long as those privileges remain in vogue. Thereafter, they are abandoned to the dustbin of history.
Let us now consider the judgment that comes upon Yahudah in the last days:
Amoc 2:4-8
Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Yahudah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the את (eth)-Torah of YAHUAH, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked: 5 But I will send a fire upon Yahudah, and it shall devour the palaces of Yerushalayim.
However, for those who are quick to condemn Zionism, consider the word of YAHUAH given to the prophet Zakaryahu concerning these days:
Zakaryahu 2: 6
Alas, alas, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, says YAHUAH: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, says YAHUAH. 7 Deliver yourself, O Tsiyon, that dwell with the daughter of Babel. 8 For thus says YAHUAH TSEVA’OT; After the glory has he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that touches you touches the apple of his eye. 9 For, behold, I will shake my hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that YAHUAH TSEVA’OT has sent me. 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Tsiyon: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you, says YAHUAH. 11 And many nations shall be joined to EL-YAHUAH in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that YAHUAH TSEVA’OT has sent me unto you. 12 And YAHUAH shall inherit את (eth)-Yahudah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Yerushalayim again. 13 Be silent, O all flesh, before YAHUAH: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.
For those who harp over and criticize this nation for having chosen Yerushalayim again, allow me to quote YAHUAH: Be silent, O all flesh, before YAHUAH: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.
Judgment on Yisra’el
We have discussed the harbingers associated with those people who have claimed the declaration: “the bricks have fallen, we will rebuild with hewn stones;” i.e., the house if Yisra’el. Yesha’yahu had much to say about this judgment, but he is not alone. Here are the words of Amoc:
Amoc (Amos) 2:6-8
Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Yisra’el, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; 7 That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name: 8 And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god. 9 Yet destroyed I the Emoriy before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath. 10 Also I brought you up from the land of Mitsrayim, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Emoriy. 11 And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Naziyriym. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Yisra’el? says YAHUAH. 12 But ye gave the Naziyriym wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not. 13 Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves. 14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself: 15 Neither shall he stand that handles the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rides the horse deliver himself. 16 And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, says YAHUAH.
Yisra’el has always been capitalist in nature. Let us take a moment on this. Yisra’el is the house of the northern kingdom, called Jezreel in most English editions, but properly interpreted as Yitzra’el. This is the kingdom of the ten tribes who broke away from Solomon’s (Shalomah) kingdom following his death, because of the imposition of unjust taxes by his son, Rechav’am.
Divrei Hayamiym Sheniy (2 Chronicles) 10:1-5
AND Rechav`am went to Shekem: for to Shekem were all Yisra’el come to make him king. 2 And it came to pass, when Yarov`am the son of Nevat, who was in Mitsrayim, whither he had fled from the presence of Shalomah the king, heard it, that Yarov`am returned out of Mitsrayim. 3 And they sent and called him. So Yarov`am and all Yisra’el came and spoke to Rechav`am, saying, 4 Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease you somewhat the grievous servitude of your father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve you. 5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.
So we begin with a demand for tax relief by the northern kingdom; i.e., the house of Yitsra’el.
Divrei Hayamiym Sheniy (2 Chronicles) 10:6-7
6 And king Rechav`am took counsel with the old men that had stood before Shalomah his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? 7 And they spoke unto him, saying, If you be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever.
Here is a lesson for all future leaders: listen to the old men, because, if they walk in the fear of YAHUAH, sometimes they know what they are talking about, because they have despised wisdom, they have gained understanding, and they hold knowledge. Let’s see how the young hot head handles the advice from the oldies.
Divrei Hayamiym Sheniy (2 Chronicles) 10:8-15
But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him. 9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that your father did put upon us? 10 And the young men that were brought up with him spoke unto him, saying, Thus shall you answer the people that spoke unto you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it somewhat lighter for us; thus shall you say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. 11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 12 So Yarov`am and all the people came to Rechav`am on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day. 13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rechav`am forsook את (eth) the counsel of the old men, 14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of ELOHIYM, that YAHUAH might perform his word, which he spoke by the hand of Achiyahu the Shiyloniy to Yarov`am the son of Nevat.
Rechav’am responds with arrogance, ignorance, and brute force. This lesson in history has not gone unnoticed. And the house of Yisra’el did then what it always does, engages in revolution and civil war.
Divrei Hayamiym Sheniy (2 Chronicles) 10:16-19
And when all Yisra’el saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? And we have none inheritance in the son of Yishay: every man to your tents, O Yisra’el: and now, David, see to your own house. So all Yisra’el went to their tents. 17 But as for the children of Yisra’el that dwelt in the cities of Yahudah, Rechav`am reigned over them. 18 Then king Rechav`am sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Yisra’el stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rechav`am made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Yerushalayim. 19 And Yisra’el rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
The house of Yisra’el has always been capitalist in nature, seeking new frontiers to practice the Torah, and to live free of oppressive taxes. “No taxation without representation” was the battle cry of the American Revolution, a revolution brought to separate the house of Yisra’el from the bankers of Yahudah and the nations under his scepter and under his law givers.
But consider the words of Ezra:
Ezra Reviy’iy (4 Ezra) 13:29-50
Behold, the days come, when EL ELYON will begin to deliver them that are upon the earth. 30 And he shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the earth. 31 And one shall undertake to fight against another, one city against another, one place against another, one people against another, and one realm against another. 32 And the time shall be when these things shall come to pass, and the signs shall happen which I showed you before, and then shall my Son be declared, whom you saw as a man ascending. 33 And when all the people hear his voice, every man shall in their own land leave the battle they have one against another. 34 And an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as you saw them, willing to come, and to overcome him by fighting. 35 But he shall stand upon the top of the Mount Tsiyon. 36 And Tsiyon shall come, and shall be showed to all men, being prepared and built, like as you saw the hill graven without hands. 37 And this my Son shall rebuke the wicked inventions of those nations, which for their wicked life are fallen into the tempest; 38 And shall lay before them their evil thoughts, and the torments wherewith they shall begin to be tormented, which are like unto a flame: and he shall destroy them without labour by the Torah which is like unto me. 39 And whereas you saw that he gathered another peaceable multitude unto him; 40 Those are the ten tribes, which were carried away prisoners out of their own land in the time of Husha the king, whom Shalman’ecer the king of Assyria led away captive, and he carried them over the waters, and so came they into another land. 41 But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt, 42 That they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land. 43 And they entered into Perath by the narrow places of the river. 44 For EL ELYON then showed signs for them, and held still the flood, till they were passed over. 45 For through that country there was a great way to go, namely, of a year and a half: and the same region is called Arzareth. 46 Then dwelt they there until the latter time; and now when they shall begin to come, 47 EL ELYON shall stay the springs of the stream again, that they may go through: therefore saw you the multitude with peace. 48 But those that be left behind of your people are they that are found within my borders. 49 Now when he destroys the multitude of the nations that are gathered together, he shall defend his people that remain. 50 And then shall he show them great wonders.
Moshe’s warning to Yisra’el
We have discussed the order of Amoc, which is rather systematic in its discourse, describing a prophecy which begins two years after the great earthquake, and when the habitation of the shepherds mourn and Karmel withers.
In modernity, can we associate this with the great quake in Japan on March 11, 2011? We have already pointed to the great fire on Mount Carmel in Israel, which occurred in December, 2010, which caused Israel (the habitation of the shepherds) to mourn the loss of 44 firefighters.
The order to follow is Syria – where the current civil war began in the Spring of 2011 (that is to say, after March 21, 2011) but which ramped up in 2013, followed by Gaza (the war against Hamas in 2013), which will be followed by the war against Tsor (Tyre) – an area of Lebanon occupied by Hezbollah, currently ramping up.
The order of the prophecies continues pointing to the punishment of Edom (the Arab world), the punishment of Amman and Moab (the nation of Jordan, whose king goes into exile), followed by the punishment of Yahudah, and finally Yisra’el.
To gain a more complete understanding of how these events unfold in our current discussion, consider that the modern nation of Israel is not Yisra’el for purposes of the revealing of prophecy, but rather is Yahudah (Judah, or Judea), as the second exodus of the house of Yisra’el has not occurred into the Holy Land. Rather, the repatriation of the house of Yahudah into the Holy Land is contemplated by scripture, and it is declared that the tents of Yahudah shall be first.
The nation of Yisra’el, however, is that nation that declares the word that comes out of Ya’akov and lands on Yisra’el as found in Yeshayahu 9:8-10. So, for the purposes of understanding these prophecies, the nation of Israel is the house of Yahudah, and the nation of the United States is the house of Yisra’el.
Let’s take a look at the words of Moshe concerning the punishment of Yisra’el to come, for it is worthy to consider his understanding.
Devariym (Deuteronomy) 32:7-8
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many? generations: ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you. 8 When EL ELYON divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Yisra’el. 9 For YAHUAH’S portion is his people; Ya’akov is the lot of his inheritance. 10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
Notwithstanding this place in the history of man, Moshe knows what will come of Yisra’el (the house of Ya’akov) once Yisra’el is living in comfort and ease. However, the text that appears in this passage does not make reference to Yisra’el, but instead makes reference to the plurality of the nation of Yisra’el, calling him Yasharon.
Devariym (Deuteronomy) 32:15-18
But Yasharon waxed fat, and kicked: you are waxen fat, you are grown thick, you are covered with fatness; then he forsook ELOAH which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock (tsor) of his salvation (YAHUSHA). 16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange elohiym, with abominations provoked they him to anger. 17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to ELOAH?; to elohiym whom they knew not, to new elohiym that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. 18 Of the Rock that begat you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten EL that formed you.
So we see that Ya’akov is Yisra’el, and that Yisra’el is Yasharon. So much of this has to do with the original pronunciation of the word we interpret as Yisra’el. As we have discussed before, the word was most likely Yashar’el – the straight or upright in EL. Yisra’el is construed to mean, on the other hand, he who wrestles with EL. Yashar’el is his name, and Yasharon is the house of Yashar’el. Consider this verse from Yesha’yahu.
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 44:1-2
Yet now hear, O Ya`aqov my servant; and Yisra’el, whom I have chosen: 2 Thus says YAHUAH that made you, and formed you from the womb, which will help you; Fear not, O Ya`aqov, my servant; and you, Yasharon, whom I have chosen.
Yisra’el and Yasharon are therefore synonymous.
Devariym (Deuteronomy) 32:19-22
And when YAHUAH saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. 20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. 21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not EL; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. 22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
YAH comes to abhor Yasharon for a particular reason. It is because Yasharon becomes in the end times a very froward generation, and children in whom there is no faith. It would be worth our time to discover exactly the meaning of this word froward. In Hebrew it's the word tapukah, which means perversity or fraud, i.e., a perverse thing. The have become a very perverted generation and children in whom there is no faith.
The scripture has already told us what is meant by the word tapukah, telling us that Yasharon waxed fat, and kicked. From there, Yasharon went on to do the following:
- He forsook ELOAH which made him;
- He lightly esteemed the Rock (tsor) of his salvation (YAHUSHA);
- He provoked YAH to jealousy with strange elohiym;
- He provoked YAH to anger with abominations;
- He sacrificed unto devils, not to ELOAH?;
- He sacrificed to elohiym he did not know, to new elohiym that came up newly, whom his fathers did not fear;
- He became unmindful of the Rock that begat him; and
- He forgot EL that formed him.
As a result (and as we will see in the book of Amoc), YAH prepares a judgment.
Devariym (Deuteronomy) 32:23-26
I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. 24 They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. 25 The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs. I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:
Amoc speaks concerning Yisra’el
As we continue on in the discovery of this prophecy concerning that which will befall the house of Yisra’el in the latter days, let us now review the words of Amoc.
Amoc (Amos) 2:6-8
Thus says YAHUAH; For three transgressions of Yisra’el, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; 7 That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name: 8 And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
The reasons for judgment are interesting. It is an inference here that the house of Yisra’el sees no offense in these things, because in their essence, they disregard certain mitzvoth of the Torah, and the mitzvoth that are disregarded are obscure, yet egregious. In each instance, the house of Yisra’el seeks after material things or things of the flesh, selling the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes. The greed is so intense, they pant after even the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and they turn away the meek.
Amoc (Amos) 3:1-2
Hear this word that YAHUAH has spoken against you, O children of Yisra’el, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Mitsrayim, saying, 2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for את (eth) all your iniquities.
Amoc (Amos) 3:13-15
Hear ye, and testify in the house of Ya`aqov, says ADONAI YAHUAH, the ELOHIYM TSEVA’OT, 14 That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Yisra’el upon him I will also visit the altars of Beyt’el: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. 15 And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, says YAHUAH.
Consider:
Amoc (Amos) 5:1-8
Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Yisra’el. 2 The virgin of Yisra’el is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up. 3 For thus says ADONAI YAHUAH; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Yisra’el. 4 For thus says YAHUAH unto the house of Yisra’el, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: 5 But seek not Beyt’el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Be`ersheva: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beyt’el shall come to nought. 6 Seek את (eth)-YAHUAH, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Yoceph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Beyt’el. 7 Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth, 8 Seek him that makes the seven stars and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, and makes the day dark with night: that calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth: YAHUAH is his name:
Amoc (Amos) 5:12-15
For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. 13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time. 14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so YAHUAH, the ELOHIYM TSEVA’OT, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. 15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that YAHUAH ELOHIYM TSEVA’OT will be gracious unto the remnant of Yoceph.
Before we leave all of these prophecies, we remember that phrase in Hebrew: kee tov, kee l’olam chesed. For he is good, and his mercy endures forever. Consider the words given to Mosheh:
Vayiqra (Leviticus) 20:24-26
But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that flows with milk and honey: I am YAHUAH ELOHAYKA, which have separated you from other people. 25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. 26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I YAHUAH am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
Vayiqra (Leviticus) 26:40-46
If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their transgression which they transgressed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; 41 And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: 42 Then will I remember my covenant with Ya`aqov, and also my covenant with Yitschaq, and also my covenant with Avraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. 43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her Shabbathot, while she lies desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes. 44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am YAHUAH their ELOHIYM. 45 But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Mitsrayim in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their ELOHIYM: I am YAHUAH. 46 These are the commandments and judgments and Torah, which YAHUAH made between him and the children of Yisra’el in Mount Ciynay by the hand of Mosheh.
Baruch atah YAHUAH, ELOHAYNU melek ha’olam!
The Confederacy Arises!
First, let us consider that the many nations in the Middle East are now entering into conditions of escalation in open conflict otherwise not seen before. The so-called Arab Spring of 2011, which actually began in the winter in 2010, has resulted in complete turmoil for the nations of Tunisia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Libya, Egypt, Kenya, Somalia, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
However, in this last year, we have seen several things emerge. A group called ISIS has coalesced into a fighting force engaged in barbaric atrocities of a kind not seen since Genghis Khan. The success of ISIS in Iraq, has been met by the introduction of Iranian troops in Iraq fighting against ISIS to regain cities once controlled by American forces just a few years ago.
However, Iran has also deployed as many as 10,000 troops within a stone’s throw of the Golan Heights in Israel, continues to arm its proxy army in Gaza (Hamas), and has now made a major move to overthrow the government of Yemen in a bid to capture the most strategic waterway in the Euro-African trade world.
In response to this move of the Iranian Shiites, a Sunni coalition of nations have formed under the leadership of Saudi Arabia. It is called Al-Tahaluf Al-A’shari, which means the Ten Nation Confederacy. In English, they are known as the Ten Sunni-led Arab states.
Is this referenced in the words of Scripture? It sure is. As we discuss this, keep in mind that Edom is Esau, and Esau has intermarried into Ishma’el. However, Edom is that portion of the Levant to the southeast of qodesh adamah (the Holy Land), i.e., Arabia. Let’s see what is said:
Ovadyahu (Obadiah) 1-9
The vision of Ovadyahu. Thus says ADONAI YAHUAH concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from YAHUAH, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. 2 Behold, I have made you small among the heathen: you are greatly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you that dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that says in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4 Though you exalt yourself as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, thence will I bring you down, says YAHUAH. 5 If thieves came to you, if robbers by night, (how are you cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to you, would they not leave some grapes? 6 How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! 7 All the men of your confederacy have brought you even to the border: the men that were at peace with you have deceived you, and prevailed against you; they that eat your bread have laid a wound under you: there is no understanding in him. 8 Shall I not in that day, says YAHUAH, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the Mount of Esau? 9 And your mighty men, O Teyman, shall be dismayed, to the end that everyone of the Mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.
Let’s take a look at this word confederacy. The Hebrew translated in Yesha'yahu as confederacy is q’sher, which means an unlawful or even treasonous confederacy or alliance. The resemblance to the Arabic A’shari is notable. It is also notable that there are ten nations that are a part of this confederacy. We will discuss this number below as well. Should Israel join this confederacy?
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 8:9-18
Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. 10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for EL is with us. 11 For YAHUAH spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, 12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye את eth-their fear, nor be afraid. 13 Sanctify את eth-YAHUAH TSEVA’OT himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Yisra’el, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim. 15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. 16 Bind up the testimony, seal the Torah among my Talmidiym. 17 And I will wait upon YAHUAH, that hides his face from the house of Ya`aqov, and I will look for him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom YAHUAH has given me are for signs and for wonders in Yisra’el from YAHUAH TSEVA’OT, which dwells in Mount Tsiyon.
YAH says specifically that the prophet should not walk in the way of this people who are saying “a confederacy.” There is another part of this verse, however, that harkens back to the Stones of Fire discussed in last week's blogs. Here, the verse declares that YAHUAH TSEVA'OT shall be a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Yisra’el.
What was it that Kepha (Peter) said?
Kepha Ri'shon (1 Peter) 2:2-8
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that YAHUAH is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of YAH, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to YAHUAH by YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Tsiyon a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
And when we consider that the tribes if Yisra’el are marked by the stones of fire on the breastplate of judgment, and that the twelve blood moons are given in the heavens during the tenure of the nation of Israel under the prophecy of Daniy’el 9:24, signifying the twelve tribes, is this consistent with Yesha’yahu’s statement “Behold, I and the children whom YAHUAH has given me are for signs and for wonders in Yisra’el from YAHUAH TSEVA’OT?
The confederacy of ten horns
Chizayon (Revelation) 13:1-3
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Can we determine the identity of the beast, such that we can link the ten crowns to this new confederacy Al-Tahaluf Al-A’shari? There is a second witness within scripture itself:
Chizayon (Revelation) 17:8-14
The beast that you saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the cepher of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9 And here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits. 10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he comes, he must continue a short space. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition. 12 And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is ADONAI of adoniym, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
What if? What if theses kings are those kingdoms who have controlled the Holy City over all of these centuries? According to Yahuchanon in his Chizayon, five at the time of his writing have fallen:
- Egypt
- Assyria
- Babylon
- Persia
- Greece
One is:
- Rome (first Western; then Eastern)
And the other is not yet come:
- Ottoman
Now, Yahuchanon goes on to tell us that “the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition.” In Chapter 13, Yahuchanon tells us that he “saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the beast.”
It is well-known that the collapse of the Ottoman Empire marked by the death of the Caliphate, was known in the Islamic world as “the fatal head wound” because the head of Islam – the Caliph – was no more. Immediately following the death of the Caliphate came the Muslim Brotherhood (Al Ikwan al Musselman), which was formed with the express purpose of restoring the Caliphate. In 2014, ISIS – a Sunni proxy army funded by Saudi Arabia – declared the Caliphate anew, and the deadly wound is healed.
Now if Islam is the beast which rises out of the sea, then consider that Egypt now is primarily a Muslim state. The region of ancient Assyria is now Muslim. The area of ancient Babylon is a Muslim state. Persia (now Iran) is a Muslim state. The area of ancient Greece (primarily modern Turkey) is a Muslim state. The Eastern Roman Empire, whose capitol was Constantinople (now Istanbul) is a Muslim state. And of course, the Ottoman Empire, having collapsed in 1924, is and has always been a Muslim state. Therefore, the eighth is of all of the seven.
It can therefore be reasoned that the ten horns and the ten crowns must be Islamic, if the beast is in fact Islam. This new confederacy Al-Tahaluf Al-A’shari qualifies in every respect.
Let us not then forget the remainder of the prophecy: These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is ADONAI of adoniym, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.