A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article mentioning that I was thinking of the possibility that Moab, Edom, and Ammon, which comprise modern day Jordan, could be attacked during the End Times by a Gentile military force unaffiliated with the Antichrist. After spending a significant amount of time contemplating this possibility, I share my thoughts on how I view this possibility now.
Moab
At this time I do not think that Moab will be subject to an attack by a Gentile force in the future. Although Bible commentators generally view the fulfillment of Isaiah 16 during the time of the Assyrians, they note a parallel between Isaiah 16 and Jeremiah 48.[1] The following table shows one important example where Isaiah 16 and Jeremiah 48 parallel:
Isa 16:8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea.
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Jer 48:8 And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD hath spoken.
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Jer 48:32 O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer: thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage.
Jer 48:33 And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting.
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The parallel between these two chapters does not necessarily mean that they describe the same event, but it can mean that each event can happen in a similar manner. The importance of this will be seen next:
Jeremiah 48
Jeremiah 48 was one of the chapters I was examining to see whether Moab could be attacked by a Gentile military force during the End Times. After spending a lot of time reviewing the chapter, I currently think the chapter has already been fulfilled.
The first reason why I think Jeremiah 48 has been fulfilled is that the parallel between Isaiah 16:8 and Jeremiah 48:8, 32-33 suggests that the spoiler mentioned in verse 48:32 and elsewhere in the chapter (like verse 48:8, 48:15, and 48:20) is likely a Gentile force.
Isa 16:8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea.
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Jer 48:8 And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD hath spoken.
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Jer 48:32 O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer: thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage.
Jer 48:33 And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting.
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In contrast, the remnant people of Israel are the ones who are supposed to spoil Moab in the future according to Isaiah 11:14 and Zephaniah 2:9.
Isa 11:14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
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Zep 2:9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
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The second reason why I think Jeremiah 48 applies to the past instead of the future is that the attackers will put a halt to those in Moab who worship gods. This suggests past fulfillment instead of future fulfillment since the main religious system during the End Times will be centered on Antichrist worship instead of polytheism.
- Jer 48:35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods.
- Jer 48:36 Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he hath gotten are perished.
The Attack of Ammon in Jeremiah 49:
I think the passage concerning Ammon in Jeremiah 49 (Jeremiah 49:1-6) likely has End Times implications, but I do not think at this time that the attacker mentioned is a Gentile force. The main reason is Jeremiah 49:2. The verse mentions that Israel will “be heir unto them that were his heirs”; suggesting that Israel may be the attacker.
- Jer 49:1 Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities?
- Jer 49:2 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.
- Jer 49:3 Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together.
- Jer 49:4 Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me?
- Jer 49:5 Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts, from all those that be about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right forth; and none shall gather up him that wandereth.
- Jer 49:6 And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 49:2 was unlikely fulfilled during the days of Nebuchadnezzar because the people of Israel were subjected to the Babylonian captivity. In addition, the detail that Israel would be heir to those who were his heirs appears in several End Times Bible prophecy passages, which are displayed in the table below:
Jer 49:2 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.
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Isa 11:14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
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Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
Amo 9:12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.
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Eze 39:10 So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD.
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Zep 2:9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
Zep 2:10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
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Isa 14:1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
Isa 14:2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
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Therefore, I think the remnant of Israel is Ammon’s attacker in Jeremiah 49:1-6 instead of a Gentile force.
Edom: Might Be Attacked Twice In the Future?
I still do not rule out that the possibility that Edom will be attacked by a Gentile force due to the:
- The close parallel between the sections concerning Edom in Jeremiah 49 and Obadiah 1:1-8, which both mention a heathen attack on Edom.
- The close parallel between Jeremiah 49:12 and Jeremiah 25:28, which is part of a passage (Jeremiah 25:15-38) that mentions Edom as a recipient of punishment and is a passage that I believe is very relevant to the End Times.
- The parallel between Jeremiah 49:13, 17-18 and Isaiah 34 with regards to the destruction of Bozrah.
If you want to read more about these three points, please refer to the article I wrote at the following link
Israel Will Attack Edom
Regardless of whether Edom gets attacked by a Gentile force or not during the End Times, I believe that Edom will be attacked by the remnant of Israel someday. Numbers 24:16-20, Ezekiel 25:14, and Obadiah 1:18 tell us that the people of Israel will participate in a judgment of the remnant of Edom.
Num 24:16 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:
Num 24:17 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.
Num 24:18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
Num 24:19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
Num 24:20 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.
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Eze 25:12 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them;
Eze 25:13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.
Eze 25:14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.
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Oba 1:18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.
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I’ll have more on this topic when I publish the series of articles on Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 that I'm still working on. The reason why I’ve been thinking about this topic is that I am evaluating the possibility for a major End Times war where the Antichrist is opposed by a Gentile military force. The idea I was contemplating was for the Gentile military force to attack Moab, Edom, and Ammon on their way to attack the Antichrist.
If you have any thoughts about this or any other topic feel free to share in the comments section.
Note
[1] Isaiah 15, Isaiah 16, and Jeremiah 48 parallel each other closely. However, I view Isaiah 16:1-4 as having End Times application as a message to Moab to allow some Israelites to seek refuge from the Antichrist.
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