For all the troubles in the world, it seems little Israel is at the center of an ongoing battle. Truly, Jerusalem is a heavy stone for all the peoples.
The proliferation of rockets and ballistic missiles across the Middle East – particularly in Iran, Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories – has forced Israel to strengthen a new aspect of its defense doctrine – active anti-missile technology. Given Israel’s small size, ballistic missiles represent an existential threat to Israel and it must therefore have an antimissile defense network that provides protection for the entire population.
Israel’s current missile defense shield has four layers: the Iron Dome system for intercepting short-range rockets, David’s Sling for medium-range rockets, Arrow-2 against intermediate-range ballistic missiles, and Arrow-3 against ICBM’s and potentially satellites.
Could there be a fifth, hidden defense shield? How does the Lord figure into all of this?
Studying Israel’s history can enlighten us. Gideon’s battle against the Midianites is instructive:
Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and all the Qedemites had settled down in the valley like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore. When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling his friend about a dream. He said, “Listen, I had a dream: a loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp, struck a tent, and it fell. The loaf turned the tent upside down so that it collapsed.”
His friend answered: “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has handed the entire Midianite camp over to him.”
When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to Israel’s camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord has handed the Midianite camp over to you.” Then he divided the 300 men into three companies and gave each of the men a trumpet in one hand and an empty pitcher with a torch inside it in the other.
“Watch me,” he said, “and do the same. When I come to the outpost of the camp, do as I do. When I and everyone with me blow our trumpets, you are also to blow your trumpets all around the camp. Then you will say, ‘For Yahweh and for Gideon!’”
Gideon and the 100 men who were with him went to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch after the sentries had been stationed. They blew their trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands. The three companies blew their trumpets and shattered their pitchers. They held their torches in their left hands, their trumpets in their right hands, and shouted, “A sword for Yahweh and for Gideon!”
Each Israelite took his position around the camp, and the entire Midianite army fled, and cried out as they ran. When Gideon’s men blew their 300 trumpets, the Lord set the swords of each man in the army against each other. (Judges 7:12-22)
Gideon was a leader of the Israelites. Around 1170 B.C., he won a decisive victory over the Midianite army despite a vast numerical disadvantage, leading a troop of 300 men.
He divided the men into three companies to make a show of a vast army. The lights were put into the pitchers, partly to preserve them from the wind and weather, and partly so that they might surprise them with sudden flashes of light. When every man had taken his post just on the outside of the camp, then they broke the pitchers, that they might have the advantage of the lamps, and at the same time cast a great terror upon the Midianites.
From Gideon’s example we can learn that no matter how great the odds against Israel may be, our faithful God is sovereign, and He will always be their shield, as long as they remain faithful to His calling and obedient to His commands.
Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6).
The Lord of the Universe is the defense shield for Israel.
In Israel’s history, the Lord has rained down punishment on her enemies many times:
The sun had risen over the land when Lot reached Zoar. Then out of the sky the Lord rained burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord. He demolished these cities, the entire plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and whatever grew on the ground. (Genesis 19: 23-25)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven and let there be hail throughout the land of Egypt—on man and beast and every plant of the field in the land of Egypt.” So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail. Lightning struck the earth, and the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt. The hail, with lightning flashing through it, was so severe that nothing like it had occurred in the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. Throughout the land of Egypt, the hail struck down everything in the field, both man and beast. The hail beat down every plant of the field and shattered every tree in the field. The only place it didn’t hail was in the land of Goshen where the Israelites were. (Exodus 9:22-26)
The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you.”
So Joshua caught them by surprise, after marching all night from Gilgal. The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel. He defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them through the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel, the Lord threw large hailstones on them from the sky along the descent of Beth-horon all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died from the hail than the Israelites killed with the sword. (Joshua 10: 8-11)
To fall under the judgement of the Lord is a terrible fate. For Russian, Iran, and her allies, it will be too late.
Now on that day, the day when Gog comes against the land of Israel”—this is the declaration of the Lord God—“My wrath will flare up. I swear in My zeal and fiery rage: On that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, every creature that crawls on the ground, and every human being on the face of the earth will tremble before Me. The mountains will be thrown down, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground. I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains”—the declaration of the Lord God—“and every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone on him, as well as his troops and the many peoples who are with him. (Ezekiel 38: 17-22)
You are my shelter and my shield;
I put my hope in Your word.
Depart from me, you evil ones,
so that I may obey my God’s commands.
Sustain me as You promised, and I will live;
do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
Sustain me so that I can be safe
and always be concerned about Your statutes.
You reject all who stray from Your statutes,
for their deceit is a lie.
You remove all the wicked on earth
as if they were dross;
therefore, I love Your decrees.
I tremble in awe of You;
I fear Your judgments. (Psalm 119:114-120)
If you are not sure that you are saved, you can accept Christ into your life right now, by praying:
“Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior.”
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Rapture and End Times 