Isaiah 17 and the Cities of Aroer

The burden against Damascus. “Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken; They will be for flocks Which lie down, and no one will make them afraid.   Isaiah 17:1-2  NKJV

As I said last week, the importance of the missile attack by Israel's enemies as it relates to the prophecy of Isaiah 17, may likely be found in the locations where they took place.  We have looked at the possibility that Tel Aviv is one of the cities mentioned in this prophecy, and today I want to look at the targeting of Beersheba as an indicator that it's fulfillment could well be on the immediate horizon.  Many have already begun to speculate that this missile attack may well lead to the event in Isaiah 17 concerning the destruction of Damascus.  While this might be the beginning of the process which brings these things about, one question many have asked over the years is just what occurs that provokes Israel to do what it does?

That too, was a question I considered at length when I first began my studies of the Isaiah prophecy and the conclusion I came to was the result of searching for the location of the “cities of Aroer” mentioned in the passage above.  Although some might disagree, I believe it is a very strong possibility that, as you can see from the two maps above, what Isaiah may be telling us is that Israel responds to an attack by Syria, or Iran's proxies based there, on the nuclear research facility at Dimona.  While this is certainly speculation on my part, considering Israel's enemies have just demonstrated the range of their missiles with the targeting of Beersheba, I personally find it hard to believe it is coincidence that the location of Aroer and Dimona appear to be one in the same.

The area mentioned in the Isaiah 17 prophecy is described as "the cities of Aroer".  Unlike Damascus, Aroer no longer exists, so we are left to try to identify its location by studying past references, and looking for archeological evidence that might support a conclusion as to its whereabouts. Aroer is mentioned three times in the Bible, and all occur in the Old Testament.  Unfortunately for us, however, each describes a different location, so we are left to examine what the Bible says about each and see if we can decide which location Isaiah is attempting to describe.  The first mention of Aroer is found in the book of Deuteronomy where it says;

“From Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and from the city that is in the ravine, as far as Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us; the LORD our God delivered all to us.”   Deuteronomy 2:36  NKJV

This site has been identified as being on the northern bank of the Arnon ravine located in the modern country of Jordan, just east of the Dead Sea.  The second mention of Aroer we find is in the book of Joshua, where Moses is allotting land to the twelve tribes and describing their boundaries.  In this verse he describes;

“Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites as far as Aroer, which is before Rabbah,”   Joshua 13:25 NKJV

Joshua describes Aroer as being "before Rabbah".  This city or any ruins of it have never been located, but by the description we know it would need to be situated be some twenty miles or so north of Jerusalem.  The final time Aroer is mentioned before Isaiah’s prophecy is in the book of Samuel, where we find it listed among a group of cities that David is sharing spoil with from his defeat of the Amalekites.  We find when we read that;

“those who were in Aroer, those who were in Siphmoth, those who were in Eshtemoa,”    1 Samuel 30:28  NKJV

This location has been identified as being in the Negev, twelve miles southeast of Beer-sheba.  We also see from reading this passage that it was one of many cities located in the same area which helped and supported David in his battle with the Amalekites.  Ruins of this city have been found, and you can even locate it on a map if your Bible has maps in the back.  Simply look for a map of Israel in the time of David, and you should be able to see Aroer located in the south of Israel, southwest of Beersheba. So we have three different locations to choose from, and no help from the Isaiah passage to identify which one he is referring to.  Is it possible to find a way to know for sure exactly which one of these locations is the one that Isaiah describes as being "forsaken"?

First of all, I think it may be logical to assume that Isaiah is referring to the location southeast of Beersheba for several reasons.  The first is that if you compare the dates that these three books were written, you find that the Samuel passage was written closest to the time of Isaiah, as opposed to the others which were written much earlier in Israel’s history.   Also, if you look closely at these three locations, you see one of them is in Jordan, not Israel.  Since Isaiah is describing a conflict between Syria and Israel, I think we can dismiss the Jordan location as a possibility. 

So we are left to choose between two locations, one which has never been positively located, and one which not only has been located, but may have some military significance as well.  If we look at a map of Israel during the time of the twelve tribes, we can easily see where Aroer is located.  Now compare that map with a map of Israel today and you may be surprised to find that a very significant complex has been constructed in the same approximate location of ancient Aroer, and that is the nuclear research facility known as Dimona.  Since Isaiah is describing a future conflict between Israel and Syria, obviously there must be a good reason that Israel chooses to completely destroy Damascus.  Is it possible that it is in response to an attack of some sort on Dimona?  

“The cities of Aroer are forsaken;”

The word "forsaken" in the Hebrew is "azab" which means "to depart, abandon, loose, relinquish, leave."  The first thing that crossed my mind when I read this was not what it does say, but what it doesn't say.  It doesn't say that Aroer is destroyed; only abandoned.  It also says “cities” which gives the impression of a very large area being affected. Does this scenario seem so far fetched considering a missile attack on Dimona might well produce a release of radiation which will require the evacuation of the surrounding countryside leaving nothing but animals to wander there?  As the world already has seen, we only need to look at the event which happened at Chernobyl in 1986 to see how this exact situation could occur.

Only time will tell if this is what Isaiah is telling us, but what we do know is that God has prophesied that Damascus “will cease from being a city”  as a result of this attack by Israel's enemies. If the thought of what is to come makes you uneasy, however, understand that God has provided a way of escape for those who choose to believe that He sent His Son to die for our sins.  If you have never accepted that gift, I encourage you to do that today.  Simply confess to Jesus you are a sinner in need of salvation, and ask Him to forgive you of your sins.  Tell Him you believe that He died for your sins and that He has the power to give you eternal life because you believe.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.         1 John 1:9  NKJV

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Is Tel Aviv the Uppermost Branch?

In that day his strong cities will be as a forsaken bough And an uppermost branch, Which they left because of the children of Israel; And there will be desolation.  Isaiah 17:9  NKJV

As seems usual lately, this past week the world's attention was focused once again on the Middle East, and the happenings in and around the nation of Israel.  The targeted assasination of two terror leaders by Israel and the resulting rocket attacks on Jewish territory and cities became headline news.  While the importance of these events going forward might be subject to debate among others, what I want to focus your attention on is something many might overlook, which is the fact that the cities of Tel Aviv and Beersheva were targeted by Israel's enemies.  Today I will share my thoughts on Tel Aviv, and next week I will do the same with Beersheva.

One of the conclusions I came to years ago as I studied Isaiah 17, was that two of the locations described in the prophecy more than likely referred to the modern cities of Tel Aviv and Beersheva as targets of attack by those opposed to Israel.  This is, of course, simply my personal belief based on my studies of both the passage and the current situation in Israel today.  I may well be wrong, but I think it highly likely that events will play out much like the scenario I describe.  What follows is an excerpt from a commentary I wrote about the Isaiah 17 prophecy, and a possible result of Israel’s decision to strike at the city of Damascus as revealed in this chapter of Isaiah. 

“Most people are more familiar with Jerusalem than any other city in Israel; however it can be argued that it is not necessarily the most important one.  Tel Aviv, located in the northwest part of the state is arguably the most important city in Israel today.  Although smaller in population than Jerusalem, if you include all of the outlying metropolitan areas or "suburbs", it is by far much larger.  It is as well considered to be the "economic capitol" of Israel.  It is home to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Tel Aviv University, most of Israel’s national sports teams, and is considered by Newsweek magazine to be one of the world's top ten most "technologically influential" cities. 

The outlying metropolitan area of Tel Aviv is home to what could be considered the equivalent of our "silicon valley".  Tel Aviv has best been described as the Israeli equivalent to New York City in regards to its importance to the nation.  So what does this have to do with verse 9?  Notice that verse 9 states that Israel's "strong cities" will resemble a "forsaken bough".  So what can this picture possibly mean you ask?  I think I can help with that from my own personal experience. 

 I will freely admit to not possessing a green thumb, but that doesn't mean I don't try my hand at growing things.  I have an apple tree in my back yard that produces some of the best tasting apples I have ever eaten, and I like nothing better than watching it fill up with fruit every year, providing I do what I have to do to insure that happens.  Unfortunately learning how to take care of a fruit tree by proper pruning has been personally challenging.  I can still remember when we first bought our house and found that it came with an apple tree, how excited I was to watch it grow.  Not knowing anything but that the Bible teaches that a tree needs to be pruned, I just went out when I saw neighbors pruning their trees and had at it. 

 When I was done pruning, and stood back to admire my work, it can best be described as an apple tree with a "buzz cut"; round on the sides and flat on the top!  So when time came for apples to grow, I had plenty of apples on the highest reaches of the tree, and virtually none on the sides.  My ladder wasn't long enough to reach the top of the tree so most of the very best apples that year were left for the birds to enjoy, while I could only watch.  Now when I read this verse in Isaiah, I can't help but remember that experience and wonder if this is exactly what Isaiah is trying to tell us? 

 Is it possible that Tel Aviv, made up of many individual metropolitan areas, yet the largest and most important cities in Israel, will be attacked in such a way as having to be abandoned and left as indefensible because it is so far away from Jerusalem?  Is this what Isaiah is predicting here when he says that Israel must forsake its strong cities that are like an "uppermost branch"? "

"Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, Therefore you will plant pleasant plants And set out foreign seedlings; In the day you will make your plant to grow, And in the morning you will make your seed to flourish; But the harvest will be a heap of ruins In the day of grief and desperate sorrow."  Isaiah 17:10-11  NKJV

The importance of Tel Aviv to the nation of Israel cannot be overstated.  This of course, as well as it's proximity geographically to Israel's enemies, makes it a prime target.  As we saw this past week, it is within range of rocket attacks and obviously the decision has been made to make it a target.  Most students of prophecy are well aware of what the Bible reveals as the future of the nation of Israel, and the plans God has for those He calls His chosen people.  Have you ever wondered why a nation that is only slightly larger than our state of New Jersey can somehow find itself in the news every single day?  The prophecy of Isaiah 17 is the event which many Bible scholars believe is next on God's calendar concerning Israel, and as we can easily see, the stage is set for it to occur.

There is no question in my mind, and many others as well, that we have arrived at that point in time which the Bible speaks so much about and that the removal of the Church will shortly occur so that God can once again focus His attention on Israel.  The body of Christ, however, is promised deliverance from the wrath to come, and becoming part of that body is the result of our choice to accept the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ for our sins.  If you haven’t made that choice, what better time than right now to do it, before it’s too late.  

Simply pray a prayer like this; Jesus I know that I am a sinner, and have sinned against you.  I believe you loved me enough to send your Son Jesus to die for my sins, and that He rose from the dead so that I can live.  Forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to live for you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Next week Beersheva.

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Hasten the Day

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?   2 Peter 3:10-12  NKJV

Something that I will always remember about having children is the sense of anticipation they had every year when Christmas began to appear on the horizon.  Not only did their sense of excitement increase as the days went by, something I heard a lot surrrounded their wishes that the big day would arrive sooner than planned.  As the Church, the body of Christ,  I believe we can all agree that we are not only looking for, but longing for the day we are taken away to live with our Lord in Heaven forever. Yet I wonder how many of us understand that as opposed to my daughters having to wait for Christmas, we as believers are told in this passage that we can advance the day of our deliverance?

These words from the apostle Peter,  while written to early believers concerning the return of Christ, specifically deal with the time in history that we find ourselves living in today.  We see the signs we are told to look for occurring all around us at an increasingly accelerated pace, yet we still find ourselves here as the Father chooses to tarry so the last few can make the choice to join the body in time to experience the rapture we have been promised.  Yet while many might feel the impatience of waiting, Peter reveals something to us in these words that many overlook, and it is found in the phrase "looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God".

I want to share with you the following thoughts from just two teachers I have the utmost respect for. The first is Jack Kelley, who I am sure you are familiar with because I refer to him often, and the second is David Guzik, pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara.

Can we really hasten the Day of the Lord? In Romans 11:25 Paul wrote that Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. This means the Church will contain a predetermined number of members, and when that number is complete, we’ll all disappear in the Rapture. Maybe that’s one reason why we won’t know the Rapture’s timing in advance. It depends on the Church achieving a predetermined number, not on reaching a predetermined date. By living Holy and Godly lives, we can influence others to respond more favorably when we talk to them about Jesus. That would make the Church grow faster, bring the Rapture sooner, and hasten the Day of the Lord.

https://gracethrufaith.com/end-times-prophecy/the-end-times-according-to-peter-2/

Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God: Peter says there is a sense in which we can hasten the Lord’s coming. It’s remarkable to think that we can actually do things that will affect the return of Jesus. In the immediate context, Peter says that we hasten the Lord’s coming by our holy conduct and godliness.
i. We can also hasten the Lord’s coming through evangelism. Paul said that God’s prophetic focus on Israel will resume when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (Romans 11:25).
ii. We can also hasten the Lord’s coming through prayer. Even as Daniel asked for a speedy fulfillment of prophecy regarding captive Israel (Daniel 9), we can also pray “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-peter-3/

At this point, I think we would all agree that we as believers not only have the responsibility, but should be actively pusuing all that we can to hasten the day of our Lord's appearing.  What we each choose to do is a matter of personal conviction, but my hope is that you will join me in doing whatever you feel the Holy Spirit leads you to do.  That is, in all reality, the big question facing all of us in light of these words from Peter.  What are you willing to do?  I want to go out on a limb here and share with you something I have been considering for a while now which, while highly speculative, does fall into the category of possibility.

In June, Breaking Israel News published an article citing a 40-year-old prediction by Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri, the most famous Kabbalist (mystic) in Israel until his death in 2006. According to an eyewitness, Rabbi Kaduri predicted that the Messiah will be revealed following an election stalemate in Israel. At a small gathering, Rabbi Kadur was asked when the Moshiach (Messiah) will come. He answered, ‘When there will be elections but there will not be a government’.”
That prediction is even more powerful after the second round of elections held last week leave both major parties struggling to form a coalition government.

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/137666/multiple-jewish-sources-point-to-israels-election-impasse-as-the-gateway-to-messiah/

If you follow politics in Israel, you surely know there has been much speculation over the years about the religious beliefs of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel.  It is known that he studies the ancient writings of the Rabbis and has a rather large collection of these commentaries.  It is also reported that he holds and participates in weekly Bible studies and is intimately familiar with the prophecies concerning Israel.  Now I'm sure that most if not all of us are aware of the political stalemate in Israel right now, and the fact that they have been unable to form a government for quite some time.  Many in Israel blame Netanyahu for the current situation because of his unwillingness to compromise and form a unity government, but I want to suggest a different possibility and one as I said, is highly speculative.

I have fielded many questions from many people about the political stalemate in Israel these past few months, and to be sure, my conclusions followed much the same path as most, until this past week.  That is when, while sudying this passage from Peter, the question of what would I be willing to do to hasten our Lord's return crossed my mind.  As I thought about that, I could not help but wonder if, with all that he knows about the Word, Benjamin Netanyahu is deliberately stalling the formation of a government in hopes that it would pave the way for the Lord's reurn?  I admit there is no evidence to prove this, and as I said, it is just speculation.

The question still needs to be asked though, what are you willing to do?

God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth for the sole purpose of sacrificing Himself so we can spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  The signs of His imminent return for us are all around us.  If you have never taken the step of accepting this gift of eternal life, I urge you to do it right now.  Simply pray a prayer like this one and confess to God your need for salvation, and accept the gift He provided for you by the death and resurrection of His own Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus I know I am a sinner. I have sinned against you, but I know you loved me enough to send your Son, Jesus Christ to die for my sins and then rise from the dead so that I may live forever with You. Lord forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to begin to live for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Temple Thoughts

“And beside the border of Judah, from the east side to the west side, shall be the allotment which you shall set apart, 25,000 cubits in width, and in length like one of the portions, from the east side to the west side; and the sanctuary shall be in the middle of it. “The allotment that you shall set apart to the LORD shall be 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in width. “The holy allotment shall be for these, namely for the priests, toward the north 25,000 cubits in length, toward the west 10,000 in width, toward the east 10,000 in width, and toward the south 25,000 in length; and the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in its midst.     Ezekiel 48:8-10  NASB
 
As most are by now aware, one of the largest flashpoints and point of contention between Muslims and Jews is access to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.  The movement to rebuild the Jewish Temple seems to grow stronger by the day, and lately it also seems that it has begun to evolve from a solely religious movement to a political one as well.  As more and more Jews begin to express their desire to see the Temple rebuilt, we see anger and violence on the part of the Muslim community grow.  

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/138735/top-hamas-official-israel-planning-build-third-temple/ 

Many scholars believe that the only person capable to solve this conflict to the satisfaction of both sides is the coming world leader known as the antichrist.  After the defeat of Israel’s enemies by God revealed in Ezekiel 38-39, it is believed that as part of the peace agreement enforced by the antichrist Israel will be allowed to rebuild their temple and resume their worship according to Old Testament law.   The generally accepted school of thought is that this temple will be built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem sharing space with the existing Muslim shrines, will be defiled by the antichrist after three and one half years, and eventually be destroyed at the end of the Great Tribulation when the Temple Mount is split in two by a great earthquake.

"And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south."        Zechariah 14:4  NKJV

This destruction will naturally require a fourth temple to be built, which is the one we find described by Ezekiel in chapters 40-48 which scholars refer to as the “Millennial Temple”.  It is a massive structure much larger than the original temple, and according to the description given in the passage above, is located not in Jerusalem but north of the city “beside the border of Judah”.  By studying scripture and comparing the geographical descriptions of the different areas revealed in this passage, many believe that the location of the temple will be where the ancient city of Shiloh was located.  There is historical precedent for this location because this is where the Tabernacle stood for close to 400 years before the Israelites made Jerusalem their capitol.

There was, coincidentally, some interesting news to come out of Israel this past week and it concerned the discovery of the horn of the altar at the site in Shiloh where the temple once stood.

 https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Was-the-corner-of-Gods-altar-found-in-Shiloh-West-Bank-606477

Of course, leave it to me to throw a wrench into the accepted school of thought.  As I studied the subject of the temple, and began to search the scripture for passages relating to temples past and present, I noticed a few things that made me wonder if there was something we might be missing if we follow the accepted school of thought concerning four temples.  First of all, the Bible only speaks of three temples, not four.  Nowhere are we told of a third temple being built on the Temple Mount, rather it has simply been assumed that one will be.  The only temples revealed in scripture are Solomon’s temple, Zerubbabel’s or Herod’s temple, and the Millennial temple.  

Now you might think that in itself may not be enough to cause those who advocate for four temples to rethink their position, and I would agree.  So let’s look at something else that might be cause to reconsider.  Most understand that the antichrist will defile the temple after three and a half years have elapsed after the peace agreement, an event referred to as the “abomination of desolation”.

"Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”      Daniel 9:27  NKJV

We also know that this has happened once before in 167 BC by Antiochus IV Epiphanes.  This resulted in a revolt by the Jews and eventually to a cleansing and rededication of the temple which is celebrated to this day by the Jewish holiday Hanukkah.  So what is my point?  There is a saying by biblical scholars which states; “pattern is prologue”.  The study of typology in the scripture has shown that much of what has happened throughout the Bible was setting a pattern that would be repeated at a later date.  My question is this; if the antichrist defiling the temple is a repeat of the first “abomination of desolation”, wouldn’t it be logical to assume that the future temple will be cleansed and rededicated rather than destroyed?

I want you to look closely at a verse from this same chapter from Daniel, which contains a phrase that I believe may be overlooked by many.

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place."      Daniel 9:24  NASB

This verse relates what has come to be known as the prophecy of Daniel’s seventy weeks.  It reveals God’s plan for the nation of Israel from that time until the end when He will return to earth.  It also lists six things which will be accomplished at the end of those seventy weeks.  Did you catch that last phrase?  “and to anoint the most holy  place”.  This phrase in the Hebrew is “mashach qodesh qodesh” , which is translated “to Anoint; to smear, anoint, spread a liquid”.   Anoint what?   Scholars and commentators agree that the most holy (place) is the temple.  If this is the case, doesn’t it seem logical to assume that it is not destroyed, but rather consecrated for millennial worship?   Are we being told here that there are just three temples, not four?  This phrase was used in the book of Exodus as well and was also referring to anointing the Tabernacle.

"And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy."    Exodus 40:9   NKJV

Again, this might not be enough for some to change their belief in how many temples there will be, but I want to suggest that this scenario is a very believable one in light of the current situation that exists between the Muslims and the Jewish people.  It seems much more believable that the antichrist could get the Islamic world to allow a temple to be built in Shiloh rather than on the Temple Mount.  With the authority of the prophecy of Ezekiel, it seems reasonable that the Jewish people would agree as well.  As I have studied this subject, I have found that there are others who have asked this same question and written their own take on this possibility.  One whom you might be familiar with is Jack Kelley of gracethrufaith.com. I would highly recommend that if you are interested in this idea, visit his website and read his conclusions about the temple in Shiloh.

Whatever God’s plans for the temple mount are, it appears that we will know very, very soon just what they are.  Of course, let’s not forget that as believers in Jesus Christ, and having accepted His sacrifice for our sins, we will watch these events from the comfort of our heavenly home.

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