Appendix 14: Psalm 83

When you look at a map of the specific nations that Ezekiel lists, you will notice that they are all somewhat distant from Israel. By mentioning these distant enemies and then concluding with the words “many peoples with you,” God may be letting us know that many more near enemies of Israel will join this coalition of invaders.

Who could some of these near enemies or “many peoples” be? 
Perhaps other Islamic nations such as Syria, Jordan, and Egypt.

Psalm 83 describes an alliance of Islamic nations that will come against Israel in the last days. 3000 years ago it was prophesied these nations would form a confederacy against Israel. The Psalm pronounces God’s Judgement upon them:

“Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God! For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your People (Israel) and consulted together against Your sheltered ones.

They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:

The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them; they have helped the children of Lot. Selah 

Deal with them as with Midian, as with Sisera, as with Jabin at the Brook Kishon, who perished at En Dor, who became as refuse on the earth. Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb, Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, “Let us take for ourselves the pastures of God for a possession.” O my God, make them like the whirling dust, like the chaff before the wind! As the fire burns the woods, and as the flame sets the mountains on fire, so pursue them with Your tempest, and frighten them with Your storm. Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your NAME, O LORD (YAHWEH). Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; Yes, let them be put to shame and perish, that they may know that You, whose NAME alone is the LORD (YAHWEH) are the Most High over all the earth.”

The ancient list of nations in Psalm 83:4-8 enumerates almost all the modern Islamic nations (see below) that oppose Israel's existence:
Edom - from Esau, the brother of Jacob (Jordan and the ‘Palestinians’)
Ishmaelites - descended from Ishmael, son of Hagar (the Arabs)
Moab - son of Lot (Jordan east of the Dead Sea)
Hagarenes - descendants of Hagar (Egypt)
Gebal - ancient Byblus (north of Beirut, Lebanon)
Ammon - son of Lot (capital of Jordan)
Amalek - descended from Esau (Arabs south of Israel)
Philistines - from Ham (Palestinians on the Gaza strip, Hamas)
Tyre - a Phoenician city (Lebanon. Hezbolah)
Assur - founded Assyria (Syria and Northern Iraq)
Children of Lot - Moab and Ammon (Jordan)

These are all nations nearby to Israel and surrounding her in an inner ring, but not mentioned in Ezekiel 38, which names nations further away on an outer ring (notice that the Midianites of Arabia and Persia are not included in this Confederation). Either (1) Psalm 83 generally describes what has been going on since 1948 which has been manifested through various wars. Or (2) it is an end-time invasion of Israel that is yet to come, that is separate from the Ezekiel invasion. Or (3) It gives us more information about “the many (other) nations” that will join with Russia in the Ezekiel Invasion. Since the outer ring nations need to pass through these inner ring nations and since they are all Muslim it makes sense they would also be part of this Invasion. According Psalm 83 also, God will supernaturally intervene to save Israel. He promises to destroy all those who seek to conquer “the house of God” in the land of the Jews (v12). As with Ezekiel’s account, His ultimate purpose in destroying these invaders is that many would come to know He is the true God (v16,18). God's supernatural deliverance of Israel will cause all people throughout the earth to recognise His supremacy and many will come to faith. 

The end-time prophecies also point to the destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17). They also imply that Jordan will turn more against Israel and face Judgement. Ezekiel 35-37 saw that the Jews would return to the Promised Land and find themselves violently opposed by the surrounding Arab nations, demonstrating a “perpetual hatred” that would motivate them to: “shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity” (Ezekiel 35:5). In Ezekiel 35, placed near the prophecy of the Restoration of Israel, the Lord describes His coming Judgement against Edom or Mount Seir, which is in present-day Jordan (see also Ezekiel 25). Isaiah 11:14 speaks of Israel’s end-time victories over their enemies in Gaza and Jordan. Also Daniel 11:41 indicates something will happen to cause Jordan to be off-limits to the antichrist, so Israel can flee there at Mid-Tribulation (Matthew 24:15,16, Revelation 12:6).

Out of some 5 million square miles of former Ottoman territory, Arab nations received 99.8 % of the land. This territory is now 21 independent countries with a total population over 200 million. Israel received less that 1/5 of 1% of the land - only 8000 square miles. But due to their ancient hatred, increased by Islam, these nations surrounding Israel still desire to remove her from the map. They know they can’t overcome her militarily. They realise that only a full Islamic confederation, together with the advanced military technology of the Russian army and its millions of well-trained troops, would enable them to obtain their dream: the conquest of Jerusalem and the elimination of Israel from the Middle East.