In my book “The Spirit of Prophecy” I noted that Psalm 83 describes a war in which the surrounding Arab nations attack Israel. The passage in question lists a group of tribes, familiar to readers of Scripture, though perhaps less familiar to most citizens of western democracies today. In the book I traced those tribes to their modern descendants, so we can see which modern nations are going to be involved in this war.
Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, The Palestinians of the Gaza strip, and Egypt are all named, though other Arab nations such as Yemen, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates may also be involved.
What I found rather interesting is that the nations named in the Ezekiel 38-39 account are all conspicuous by their absence in the Psalm 83 war, which I have dubbed “Asaph’s war”. These nations include Iran, Turkey, Libya, Sudan (possibly also Ethiopia), and Russia.
Puzzling, at times, was the fact that Syria and Iraq, have close ties to Iran, and if they were to go to war with Israel today, they certainly would be joined by Tehran. No question about it.
At the time I said that something must occur to realign these nations so that they fit into the biblical scenario. At the time Iraq was occupied by American troops, and it was certain that the US would not allow Iraq to participate in a war with their ally Israel. I stated at the time that Asaph’s war would have to wait until the US troops left Iraq. That event occurred this week.
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nour al-Maliki, shares a sponsor with Syrian dictator Hafez al-Assad, namely Tehran. Both of these men preside over governments made up primarily of Shiites, who are deadly enemies of the Sunnis. Hizballah, the Lebanese terrorist group is also a part of this alignment.
As I was reading an article on Debka file this morning, it occurred to me that I was seeing another piece of the puzzle fall into place. Starting with a discussion of a bomb blast in Damascus, the article goes on to describe how Sunni Al-Qaeda men have been infiltrating into Syria and Lebanon, thus exporting the fighting throughout the region.
I predict that these uprisings will be successful. The Assad regime is doomed, as is Maliki’s government. This Sunni/Shia split ultimately provides an explanation for a large part of the two major attacks on Israel. The Arabs will attack without the help of the other Muslim nations, and later, perhaps years later, the other nations will also invade, with the help of Russia, during the Gog and Magog war.
Noted in the Debka article, is the fact that Turkey also favors the Sunni’s. Something will happen to change Turkey’s alignment away from the Sunni Arabs. At this point it is too early to say what will change their mind, so that they will not join the Arab attack, but they will sit it out. Given the fact that only two years ago Turkey was cooperating with Israel militarily, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they could change again.
A coup or an election, could remove Turkish prime minister Erdogan from office. Something will happen, it shall be interesting to see it unfold! We are indeed living in interesting, and dangerous, times.
(For a more in-depth analysis of the current events in the Middle East see my book “The Spirit of Prophecy“.)
housetops 
dan have not read your book yet on prophecy but am intrigued by your premises.have you or do you have knowledge of outside the box topic that maybe only 1% christains and reformed rabbis even dare speak but is woven in world Zionism/bolshivism/communism and even israelfirst christain america..the amount of published books and info is there if one will lay aside preconcieved teaching and really take a look . basicly Christ cursed and cutoff the hebrew nation to dispersion in the world and only he and when israel came to sufficent repenctance would HE regarther them/ that the modern day state of Israel is a result of humanist /zionist desire for world dominance through milatary/finacial power and not Gods derection at all/ eerily parelling what lead to our LOrds crucifixtion/ancient israel desired a polical/milatary solution to roman occupation.this regathering that christains in america have been crafted to believe is scriptual is actualy a imposter and not God led at all. sometimes people want what they believe to be gods will/ will try to bring it to fruition wheather its his will or not/their will HUMANISM/their way the exaltaion of me/SIN?SATAN?SELFabsorbed apart from any leading at all //having knowledge of him//but not knowing him what soever//which our Lord dealt with when on earth..i have many refrences regarding this topic but none really tie it all together //here alittle there alittle//but it does start with your premise in ur book about John the “beloved” of christ writting of his vision while in prison on the Isle of patmos cica 92 AD.the angel putting ahot coal to his lipps and binding his interpation tell the last of days the world kingdoms that did exist and which are and which is to come JOHN clearly being astounded by the visions revealation of what would come… Couldnt be ROME which was in power at time of vision/and which all christains are taught will be at endday time/i believe its doccumentable it is a POLIctical/religous/finacial system and will eminate from jurasalem and not rome which i believe you hilite in your book////which begs the real question////if the modern state of israel is fallen mans attempt{JEWS} to bring about his kingdom with with
satans prompting and guidance..who is realIsrael today/Satan wants his last gasp at a world power and is insrumental in israel/midest affairs/is it mere coinicdence that 8-12 arab nations are in upheavel/15 nations inEUROPE are on cusp of history making collaspe/and usais on brink of fin.melt and insuing societal upheavel and maybe even martiallaw/sucpension of constituental rights….ITS not Gods plan but his incredable economy he utilizes fallen man and Satans desires to work through HIS divine will…ARMAGGEDON is not a result of gog-magog it is an insturment of divine punishment for for humanity and Jews who are stiffnecked and devant and who refuse to repent of the ways
willy in Sea
satans
Willy,
The Jews are indeed a stiff-necked people, but no more stiff-necked than the majority of gentiles. I believe, however, that God is bringing them back in unbelief. The process has begun but it still has a long way to go. Once they are all back on the land God will then bring about the Tribulation as a judgment against them. Today Israel is the dry-bones of Ezekiel 37. They are coming together but there is still no (spiritual) life in them. I am speaking of the majority, of course. There has always been a small handful of true believers among them. The Tribulation will bring many of them to Christ. Unfortunately only the Tribulation could do that.
This morning I was reading Jeremiah 16 and was struck how verses 14-21 are a reflection of the time we are living in. First He will bring them back to the land, and then he will recompense to them double for their iniquities. In the end, after the Tribulation there will only be 1/3 of Israel left alive on the earth. Zechariah 13:8 indicates that two thirds of Israel will die during the Tribulation period, so when Paul speaks of all Israel being saved he is referring to the remnant, not all those born as Jews.
Zechariah 13:8
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
Romans 9:27
Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
Romans 11:26
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
There is no conflict between these verses. The majority of Israel will die during the Tribulation period, the remnant who are left will be 100% saved. The Church will not be here when this happens, and the Church-age believers of Israel will be raptured with the Church. Unfortunately I’m afraid there are a great number of unsaved individuals among both Israeli and Gentile churches. These people will be left behind at the rapture, and I’m afraid they will make up excuses as to why they themselves were not taken with the believers.
Romans 11:28
As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
AS for Rome. I am working on a blog post about Rome, but you can find an article about Rome on my website, here.