Thursday, May 13, 2021

Israel's Enemies

I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:3 BSB)

Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you. (Numbers 24:9b ESV)

Those whom God wanted to destroy, He first make them enemies of Israel.

The classic example is the Pharaoh of Egypt.
For Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." (Romans 9:17 NIV)

Then we have the Canaanites in Canaan.
So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country, all the Negev, the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, to Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and put them to death. Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. For it was the LORD himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses. (Joshua 11:16-20 NIV)

In the future, we have Gog of Magog.
The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, face Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him and say, 'This is what the Lord God says: Look, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws, and bring you out with all your army, including horses and riders, who are all splendidly dressed, a huge assembly armed with large and small shields, all of them brandishing swords.
.....
You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud covering the land. It will happen in the last days, Gog, that I will bring you against my land so that the nations may know me, when I demonstrate my holiness through you in their sight.
(Ezekiel 38:1-4,16 CSB)

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