Psalm 83, prophecy? or fulfilled?

[Jamdoc]

Psalm 83 describes an invasion of Israel by its neighbors, such as people groups that make up modern day Jordan (Edom, Moab, Ammon), Palestinians (Philistines), and locations in Iraq (Assur), and Lebanon (Gebal, Tyre).

Some people look to it as a future end times prophecy but I'm not sure why. Israel has had multiple conflicts since coming back in 1948 with these nations and more, and it's not the same nations as the Gog-Magog war. So I believe that it's either referring to something way in the past, or is prophetic but was fulfilled in the first Arab-Israel War or Six Day War or Yom Kippur War.
Probably the first Arab-Israel war because the express purpose of that was to cut them off from being a nation right after it was born, that and Israel was on their own and miraculously won, whereas the Yom Kippur war, Israel was supported by the US.

Can someone who believes it is yet a future war explain why?

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Can someone who believes it is yet a future war explain why?

The conclusion doesn't affect me either way, but I recall during Balaam's story, God said what would be done to their people in the last days, and number of peoples were named.

Numbers 24
14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
15 ¶ And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

Since Paul said "we are in the last days" but Jesus' first parousia was not the fulfillment of the military prophecies - this is taken to mean that it will happen later on in history.

 

[HTacianas]

Psalm 83 describes an invasion of Israel by its neighbors, such as people groups that make up modern day Jordan (Edom, Moab, Ammon), Palestinians (Philistines), and locations in Iraq (Assur), and Lebanon (Gebal, Tyre).

Some people look to it as a future end times prophecy but I'm not sure why. Israel has had multiple conflicts since coming back in 1948 with these nations and more, and it's not the same nations as the Gog-Magog war. So I believe that it's either referring to something way in the past, or is prophetic but was fulfilled in the first Arab-Israel War or Six Day War or Yom Kippur War.
Probably the first Arab-Israel war because the express purpose of that was to cut them off from being a nation right after it was born, that and Israel was on their own and miraculously won, whereas the Yom Kippur war, Israel was supported by the US.

Can someone who believes it is yet a future war explain why?

It describes a conflict that occurred during the lifetime of the writer, but no one knows precisely who the writer was and what time he lived so it is hard to tell which conflict it was.

There are some people who read anything and everything in the old testament as predicting some sort of "end times" to come.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

It describes a conflict that occurred during the lifetime of the writer, but no one knows precisely who the writer was and what time he lived so it is hard to tell which conflict it was.

There are some people who read anything and everything in the old testament as predicting some sort of "end times" to come.

From that angle, I'd say it is currently being fulfilled through the spiritual Israel of the church and our battles that are not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6).

 

[Jamdoc]

The conclusion doesn't affect me either way, but I recall during Balaam's story, God said what would be done to their people in the last days, and number of peoples were named.



Since Paul said "we are in the last days" but Jesus' first parousia was not the fulfillment of the military prophecies - this is taken to mean that it will happen later on in history.

That could still have been any of the Arab Israeli conflicts so far, aside from the mention of captivity by Asshur which would be the Assyrians, but that was already fulfilled even further in the past, unless there's a second captivity by Iraqis.

 

[Jamdoc]

It describes a conflict that occurred during the lifetime of the writer, but no one knows precisely who the writer was and what time he lived so it is hard to tell which conflict it was.

There are some people who read anything and everything in the old testament as predicting some sort of "end times" to come.

There are some End Times prophecies in old testament scripture. I have heard of Psalm 83 being treated as such, which.. I didn't look at it and see it that way, I initially thought historic conflict but can also easily see it being prophetic but something that happened in more recent history. There are stories about those Arab Israel conflicts such as Arab soldiers seeing a vision of Abraham and laying down their arms, and it resulted in a miraculous Israeli victory, and Arabs seeing an army of angels surrounding the Israelis etc.
I have no doubt that God was actively defending Israel in these Arab conflicts, and it'll be the same in Gog-Magog, which I think is more set up to go because of current alliance statuses and I don't think Joe Biden will defend Israel, leaving it up to God. Especially with the recent conflict with the Palestinians turning world opinion against Israel.

Ezekiel 38 and 39 are end times prophecies though, and I believe Isaiah 17 is as well (Damascus has never been utterly destroyed in a single night yet)

 

[keras]

Asaph the Prophet:
Psalms 83:1-2 Do not keep silent, O God; be neither quiet nor still, for your enemies raise an uproar and those who are hostile to You carry their heads high.

Psalms 83:3-5 They devise a cunning plot against Your people and conspire against those whom You treasure. “Let us wipe them out as a nation” they say, let the name of Israel be remembered no more.

Psalms 83:6-8 With one mind, they have conspired to form a league against you; the families of Edom, the Ishmaelites, Moabites and Hagars peoples, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia and Tyre. Asshur, too is their ally, lending aid to the descendants of Lot.

Psalms 83:9-12 Deal with them as You did with Sisera, as with Jabin by the wadi of Kishon, who were vanquished and fell as Midian fell and became manure on the ground. Make their princes like Oreb and Zeeb, their Kings like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said; We will seize for ourselves the territory of Gods people.

Psalms 83:13-15 Scatter them, my God, like thistledown, like chaff blown before the wind As a fire raging through the forest, with flames which blaze across the hills, so pursue them with Your tempest, terrify them with Your storm winds.

Psalms 83:16-17 Heap shame upon their heads, until, Lord, they seek Your name. Let them be humiliated and live in constant terror; let them suffer disgrace and perish.

Psalms 83:18 So let it be known that, You, whose name is the Lord, are alone Most High over all the earth. Ref: REB verses abridged.


V1/ Almighty God, we ask for Your intervention. Help us, please, we pray.

V2/ Your enemies are proud and confident in their strength. They threaten the Holy Land from all sides.

V3/ They are plotting our downfall and conspiring against Your people. Isaiah 21:6-7

V4/ They say; “we can get rid of them all, never to be restored as a nation.” As Iran says now.

V5/ The leaders of the enemy nations combine to attack Israel. [Micah 4:11-12]

V6-7/ They are- the Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and the Palestinians.

V8/ Asshur- may be the Turkish peoples. The descendants of Lot - Genesis 19:37-38

V9/ Lord, we ask that You deal with them as You have done in ancient times.

V10/ You destroyed those nations who attacked Your people at that time. Judges 8:3-10

V11-12/ Then, the leaders of the enemies of Israel, said; “we will take over their Land”.

V13-15/ God of Israel – once again scatter the enemies of Your people; with fire and raging storms. Hebrews 10:27, Malachi 4:1, Psalm 50:3

V16/ Make them ashamed of their conduct and then at last, they will acknowledge You. Obadiah 10

V17/ Your enemies will suffer disgrace and humiliation. All peoples will know that You alone are the Most High Lord over all the earth.

The fulfilment of Psalms 83 will be the Sixth Seal event. It will devastate all of the holy Land area and be a worldwide disaster.

 

[Ligurian]

Psalm 83 describes an invasion of Israel by its neighbors, such as people groups that make up modern day Jordan (Edom, Moab, Ammon), Palestinians (Philistines), and locations in Iraq (Assur), and Lebanon (Gebal, Tyre).

Some people look to it as a future end times prophecy but I'm not sure why.
[...]
Can someone who believes it is yet a future war explain why?

John 8:33 They answered Him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man... John 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill Me because My word hath no place in you.KJV.

Abraham's seed... but never in bondage: Esau, Lot, Ishmael and Keturah's kids.

Psalms 83:6-8 4 They have said, Come and let us utterly destroy them out of the nation and let the name of Israel be remembered no more at all. 5 For they have taken counsel together with one consent, they have made a confederacy against thee: 6 even the tents of the Idumeans, and the Ismaelites, Moab, and the Agarenes, 7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalec; the Philistines also with them that dwell at Tyre. 8 Yea, Assur too is come with them: they have become a help to the children of Lot.LXX

"They were again subdued by John Hyrcanus (c. 125 B.C.), by whom they were forced to observe Jewish rites and laws (ib. xiii. 9, § 1; xiv. 4, § 4). They were then incorporated with the Jewish nation..." (see Malachi 1:1-5)
EDOX, IDUMEA - JewishEncyclopedia.com

Genesis 25:1-5 3 And Jezan begot Saba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were the Assurians and the Latusians, and Laomim... 5 But Abraam gave all his possessions to Isaac his son.LXX

Revelation 2:8-10 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, which was dead and is alive; 9 I know thy works, and tribulation and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Judaeans and are not...KJV.