01.13. Destruction of Gentile World Power
13 Destruction of Gentile World Power
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days (Hebrews 11:30). The historical account of the destruction of Jericho in Joshua, chapter six occurs after Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, but before the actual conquest of the land and the establishment of Israel in the land under a theocracy. Jericho appears to have been the principal stronghold of power for the Canaanite civilization of that day, and the destruction of Jericho in its type-antitype arrangement sets forth the destruction of Gentile world power after the deliverance of Israel from a worldwide dispersion, but before the actual placement of Israel in the land under a theocracy.
Prior to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt during Moses’ day, the people of God were brought to the place of complete helplessness under the reign of an Assyrian Pharaoh. They had been relegated to the position of slaves and had nowhere to turn but to the God of their fathers. We read that the Israelites in Egypt "sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them" (Exodus 2:23-25).
Moses at this time was on the far side of the desert tending sheep. He had previously appeared to Israel as their deliverer, but had been rejected. As the rejected deliverer Moses remained in the far country, removed from the camp of Israel, until the Israelites, in their bondage, were forced to cry out to God for deliverance. It was then that God appeared to Moses and commissioned him to return to the land of Egypt and deliver the children of Israel. Upon his return, Moses was accepted by the people and became the great deliverer of the nation.
All of these events foreshadow past, present, and future experiences of Christ and the nation of Israel. Christ at the present time is in the far country (heaven) caring for the sheep (Christians). He is the Great Shepherd portrayed in the twenty-third Psalm. He appeared to Israel in time past, but was rejected. He must now remain in the far country, removed from the camp of Israel until the Israelites, in their affliction, are forced to cry out to God for deliverance (Deuteronomy 30:1-3; Hosea 5:15; Hosea 6:1-2). This will occur under the reign of the future Assyrian (Antichrist; Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 10:24-27; Micah 5:5-6) who will bear rule over the entire earth. It is then that God will send His Son to the land of Judaea again to deliver the children of Israel. Upon Christ’s return He will be accepted by Israel and become the nation’s Great Deliverer from a worldwide dispersion.
Pharaoh and his armed forces were overthrown in the Red Sea following the Exodus from Egypt. Since "Egypt" is a type of the world, the antitype of this destruction cannot occur until the Israelites have been delivered from a worldwide dispersion and placed in the land of Israel, for anywhere outside the land of Israel would be within the land typified by Egypt. Consequently, the destruction of Pharaoh and his armed forces in the Red Sea foreshadows the same event as does the destruction of Jericho -- the destruction of Gentile world power at the end of the present age, following Israel’s deliverance from the nations of the world.
The One Who is greater than Moses will lead the Israelites out from a worldwide dispersion, and the One Who is greater than Joshua will lead the Israelites into the land of Canaan. This will then be followed by the destruction of Gentile power, as in the days of both Moses and Joshua.
Victory Through Faith
According to our text, "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down..." The Israelites under Joshua had received certain instructions from the Lord concerning the conquest and destruction of Jericho (Joshua 6:1 ff). The Israelites acted upon God’s promise to Joshua that the city had been given into his hand, and the Israelites under Joshua followed God’s instructions concerning the conquest and destruction of Jericho. The Israelites simply believed and followed the promise and instructions of the Lord. The Israelites moved against Jericho "by faith [they believed God and acted accordingly]," and "the walls of Jericho fell down," allowing them to march in and take the city.
God had instructed the Israelites to march around the city of Jericho once a day for six days. Then, on the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times. Seven trumpets of rams’ horns were to be blown following the last march around the city, and the people were then to shout, for at that time the Lord would fulfill His promise and deliver the city over to Israel.
The numbers "six" and "seven" are of marked significance in this account, as are numbers elsewhere in Scripture. "Six" is man’s number, and "seven" is God’s number. Man has been allotted six days, six thousand years (2 Peter 3:8; cf. Exodus 31:12-17); but the seventh day, the seventh one thousand-year period, belongs to the Lord. Six days, six thousand years, will run their course; and at the conclusion of six days, on the seventh day, the antitype of the destruction of Jericho will occur.
Jericho was marked for destruction at the very beginning, and each day the Israelites marched around the city moved the impending destruction one day nearer. We are now living very near the end of the sixth day, with the seventh day in the immediate future. This present world system is, as it were, existing at a point very near the end of the terminal march around the city. The judgments of the Great Tribulation, occurring at the end of the sixth day, await the present system; and its destruction will occur at the beginning of the seventh day, following the return of Israel’s Messiah. The world system has been in its death throes throughout the six days (a situation to be intensified during the Tribulation); and the destruction of this system -- which at the end of Man’s Day will find itself openly allied against both Israel and Israel’s Messiah -- will come suddenly.
Israel’s Position Among the Nations The day is near at hand when "the kingdom of the world" will become "the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ" (Revelation 11:15, ASV). For ages the kingdom has belonged to the Gentile nations of the earth, with Satan and his angels ruling from the heavens over the earth. Satan is the "god of this world [’age’]" (2 Corinthians 4:4). He is the present ruler over the "kingdoms of the world" (Luke 4:5-6). And throughout history -- especially the history of Israel -- Satan has used Gentile nations within his kingdom in his efforts to thwart the plans and purposes of God.
Since the inception of the nation of Israel, God’s dealings with the remainder of mankind have revolved around this nation. Israel is the "apple [lit. ’pupil’]" of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:8). God looks upon the Gentile nations of the world through the nation of Israel. Israel has been placed "in the midst of the nations" (Ezekiel 5:5; Ezekiel 38:12), and the Gentile nations occupy their appointed place in the sphere of human activity within the "bounds of their habitation," "according to the number of the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:8; Acts 17:26).
God announced Israel’s status relative to the Gentile nations at the time Israel was brought into existence. "Israel" was God’s firstborn son, not Egypt; and Moses was instructed to announce Israel’s God-ordained position to the Assyrian Pharaoh in Egypt (Exodus 4:22-23). Through this announcement the Pharaoh of Egypt would know that supremacy was about to pass from Egypt to Israel -- from the center of Gentile power to a nation of slaves.
The word of God remains in force. Consequently, Israel’s standing as God’s firstborn son can never be changed. Israel remains God’s firstborn son today and must retain this position throughout time and eternity. Israel must "possess the gate of his enemies" (Genesis 22:17).
Note that both the heavenly and earthly seed of Abraham are in view in Genesis 22:17. The future destiny of Israel (earthly seed of Abraham) and the future destiny of the Church (heavenly seed of Abraham) are inseparably linked. The Church, following adoption into sonship, must, as Israel, also "possess the gate of his enemies."
The "gate" has to do with the key point in the conquest of a city or realm. "Possessing the gate" is equivalent to possessing control. The possession in store for the Church is heavenly. Satan and his angels are presently in control, but they are to be put down (cf. Ephesians 6:11 ff; Hebrews 3:1; Revelation 12:7-12). The possession in store for Israel is earthly. The Gentile nations under Satan are presently in control, but they, likewise, are to be put down (cf. Psalms 2:1 ff; Isaiah 14:1-2; Isaiah 24:21-23). Both the Church and Israel will occupy positions of supremacy in the coming age -- one heavenly, and the other earthly.
Following the Exodus from Egypt, the establishment of the old covenant, the erection of the tabernacle, and the Glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle, the nation of Israel occupied the position of national supremacy within a Theocratic Kingdom. This kingdom existed in Old Testament history for over eight hundred years, but through disobedience Israel failed to attain the heights required by her God-appointed position. The old covenant was conditional, and because of the nation’s failure to keep this covenant the kingdom was eventually taken from Israel. God allowed Israel to be taken into captivity by the Gentiles, the Glory was removed from the temple in Jerusalem, and the times of the Gentiles began. Now Israel must await the completion of the times of the Gentiles, the subsequent restoration of the nation and the Glory, and the establishment of the new covenant before the nation can realize the fulfillment of God’s promise in Genesis 22:17. The new covenant, unlike the old, will be placed in their "inward parts," and written "in their hearts" (Jeremiah 31:31 ff).
Ensuing events in the world during nearly 3,500 years of man’s history following Moses’ announcement to the Assyrian Pharaoh in Egypt have brought us almost full circle. Today we are living at a time immediately before the Great Tribulation, the restoration of Israel, and the destruction of Gentile world power. The same announcement which Moses delivered to the Assyrian Pharaoh in Egypt will be delivered to the future Assyrian (Antichrist) by the One Whom Moses foreshadowed, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the destruction of Gentile power -- as in the Book of Exodus, and its counterpart in the Book of Joshua -- will follow.
In the interim, from the announcement during Moses’ day until the announcement during the days of the coming of the Son of Man, a main thrust of Satan’s attack is centered on the nation of Israel. In the light of what Scripture reveals about Israel, the reason for this attack is easy to understand: the destruction of Israel would mean the continuance of Gentile power under Satan. (In this respect, note the late Gamel Abdel Nasser’s statement broadcast over Radio Cairo for all the world to hear on May 28, 1967, along with similar statements of like-minded individuals today [e.g., the PLO], and you can better understand the entire explosive Middle East situation: "Our basic aim [in the Arab-Israeli war] is the destruction of Israel.")
Within this framework of thought concerning Israel’s position and Satan’s attack, one will also find that Satan moves with equal enmity against the Lord Jesus Christ and against the Church. The reason is obvious. Satan, the incumbent ruler residing in the heavens and holding power over the nations, has disqualified himself and is to relinquish his position to the One Who has shown Himself fully qualified, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the angels of Satan, the incumbent rulers who reside in heavenly places and hold power over the nations under Satan, likewise, have disqualified themselves and are to relinquish their positions to Christians who qualify.
The Lord Jesus Christ is today seated at the right hand of His Father, removed from the sphere of Satan’s dominion. Thus, Satan’s attack on Christ must come through the Church. But once the Church has been removed, preceding the Tribulation, the center of Satan’s attack on earth will, of necessity, be directed toward Israel alone. Satan will know that his time is short, and for seven years -- especially following his being cast out of heaven in the midst of this time -- he will launch his final and most intense onslaught against Israel (Revelation 12:7-17).
Israel Is My Son...
"Sonship, ’as the firstborn,’ already implies the rulership... Adam was ’the Son of God,’ having dominion accorded to him, which he forfeited... The ’Sons of God’ to be truly such must be restored back to their forfeited dominion."
-George N. H. Peters
After the removal of the Church and the establishment of a seven-year covenant with Israel by the man of sin, there will be two main conflicts prior to the Messianic Era:
1) The battle against Russia and her allies.
2) The battle of Armageddon.
These two battles will be fought in the land of Israel. Gentile nations will come against Israel in each instance, and in the latter battle, against Israel’s Messiah as well. Within the confines of these two battles God will bring a terminus to all Satan’s efforts during Man’s Day to effect the destruction of God’s people, Israel.
1. Anti-Semitism
The Amalekites were the first of the Gentile nations to war against Israel following the birth of the Israeli nation and the Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 17:8; Numbers 24:20). Because of this move by the Amalekites, God pronounced judgment upon this nation: "I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven" (Exodus 17:14). The Israelites became the appointed executioners of the Amalekites (Deuteronomy 25:17-19), but because of repeated failures to carry out the Lord’s command completely, the Amalekites remained in existence as the bitter enemies of the Israelites for over seven hundred years beyond the Exodus (cf. 1 Samuel 15:2-3; 1 Samuel 15:7-9; 2 Samuel 1:6-10).
The sentence pronounced upon the Amalekites in Exodus 17:14 was not carried out in its completeness until the days of Hezekiah (1 Chronicles 4:39-43), and from that point in history the Amalekites ceased to exist. Although the Amalekites figured prominently in Old Testament history, dating all the way back to the days of Abraham (Genesis 14:7), archaeologists today have failed to unearth a trace of this nation’s existence. The Amalekites have been "utterly put out of remembrance," just as God promised.
There is a law of "first mention" in Scriptural interpretation which states that the first time a subject is mentioned, the subject remains unchanged throughout Scripture. Exodus 17:1-16 presents the first mention following the Exodus of Satan’s move against Israel, along with God’s attitude toward this move. Thus, the pattern is set in this chapter for Satan’s strategy in his efforts to destroy Israel through the use of Gentile national powers, and the pattern is also set (based on previously revealed principles) concerning God’s attitude toward a Gentile nation which would allow itself to be so used. The basic principles governing God’s attitude toward and treatment of individuals or nations participating in anti-Semitism were established during the days of Abraham (Genesis 12:3), and these principles, as the principles governing the law of first mention in Exodus, chapter seventeen, remain unchanged throughout Scripture.
Every nation which has lifted its hand against Israel throughout history has either suffered destruction or awaits destruction. The Assyrians, like the Amalekites, were wiped out of existence for allowing themselves to be used by Satan against Israel. No trace of this once mighty nation remains today. Other nations throughout history which succumbed to the same manner of Satanic leadership have also suffered destruction, but have been allowed to continue their national existence as base powers. None has escaped the edge of the sword. Biblical principles governing Israel and her relationship to the Gentile nations have been established, and God must act in accordance with these principles set forth in His Word.
During modern times the world has witnessed anew one of the worst atrocities ever perpetrated upon the Jewish people by a Gentile nation. The only thing which will explain the actions of the Third Reich under Hitler during the years 1933-1945 is what Scripture reveals concerning Satan’s attitude toward and method of attack against God’s son, Israel. The leaders of the Third Reich allowed themselves to be used by Satan in his ceaseless efforts to destroy Israel. The result of this effort at the end of twelve years was the death of six million Jews, the death of six and one-half million Germans (both military and civilian), and the German nation itself left in ruins.
Germany will be no means be the last of the nations to raise its hand against Israel and suffer destruction, for Satan remains very active in the affairs of man within his kingdom. Consequently, anti-Semitic nations presently exist -- nations awaiting destruction. Russia and her allies, mentioned in Ezekiel 38:1-6, wait in the wings; and the Gentile nations of the world, which will turn against Israel in the end time and appear at the battle of Armageddon, wait behind Russia and her allies.
2. The Coming Russian Invasion of Israel (Ezekiel 38:1-23; Ezekiel 39:1-29)
Russia is an anti-God, anti-Semitic nation whose fate was made known through Divine revelation over 2,500 years ago. God has devoted two entire chapters in His Word to reveal the end of the largest and most powerful anti-Semitic nation the world has seen to date. When the time arrives, God is going to bring the armies of a nation which denies His existence into the land of a people which this nation has allied itself against, and destroy this nation’s armies in that land. The nation which today is building the most powerful offensive military armed forces the world has ever seen has a predetermined meeting with God on the mountains of Israel where their power and might will be reduced to naught. When Russia invades Israel, God will intervene, deliver His people from the hand of the enemy, and the carcasses of the invading forces will be left for the carrion birds of the air and the ravenous beasts of the field (Ezekiel 38:21-23; Ezekiel 39:1-6).
Russia desires supremacy among the nations, and has been moving toward this goal for decades. But Russia made a fatal mistake. This nation dared to set her hand against the nation which God called into existence, set apart, and designated to be the one to occupy the position Russia has sought. And when Russia makes her move against Israel by coming down into Israel’s land, God states that then, "my fury shall come up in my face" (Ezekiel 38:18).
This will be the day of Russia’s madness, for no Gentile nation can become more insane than to move against the nation of Israel -- God’s firstborn son -- in quest of world dominion.
3. Armageddon (Isaiah 63:1-6; Joel 3:2-16; Revelation 14:14-20; Revelation 19:17-21)
The Russian invasion of Israel and the battle of Armageddon are two entirely separate events. Russia and her allies will invade the land of Israel and be overthrown during the first year of the coming Tribulation (Ezekiel 38:8-11; Ezekiel 39:1-9), but the battle of Armageddon will not occur until after Christ’s return at the conclusion of the Tribulation (Revelation 19:11-21). Only five other nations will be associated with Russia when she invades Israel (Ezekiel 38:5-6). But the armies of the Gentile nations of the world (allied under a ten-kingdom confederacy) will appear at Armageddon (cf. Revelation 13:1; Revelation 17:12; Revelation 19:19; Daniel 2:40-45). Both battles will be fought for the same basic reason -- continued Gentile world dominion under Satan -- but that is where the similarity ends.
The battle of Armageddon has to do with Satan’s final attempt to prevent Israel’s Messiah from exercising the dominion which he himself presently possesses, and to prevent the nation of Israel from occupying the supremacy which Gentile nations have occupied for the past 2,500 years. This battle will be the outgrowth of all Satan’s efforts to destroy Israel through the man of sin during the Great Tribulation.
Satan’s final effort, climaxing in Armageddon, is foreshadowed in Psalms 83:1-8 by a ten-kingdom confederation of nations moving against Israel. Their avowed purpose in both type and antitype is the same: "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance" (v. 4). The thought goes all the way back to the death of the firstborn in Egypt (Exodus 4:23; Exodus 12:1 ff), and God’s announced destruction of the Amalekites in the wilderness (Exodus 17:14). The expressions "my son, even my firstborn" and "thy son, even thy firstborn" in Exodus 4:22-23 refer to both national and personal entities. "Sonship" has to do with rulership. Egypt was the ruling nation under Satan, and Israel was about to become the ruling nation under God. God destroyed Satan’s firstborn (Egypt); and, following the Red Sea passage, God announced that He would "utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." Armageddon will be Satan’s final, climactic attempt to reverse the God-decreed death of his firstborn (the future world kingdom under the Assyrian, typified by the Egyptian kingdom under the Assyrian). And he will vainly seek to accomplish this task by destroying God’s firstborn (Israel), "that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance" -- an imitative countermove on his part. (Note that "sonship" is also involved with the leaders of the two opposing forces, for the leader of the Gentile nations will be Satan’s son [Genesis 3:15], the false Messiah, while the Protector of Israel will be God’s Son, the true Messiah.)
Christ will return at the end of the Tribulation, Old Testament saints will be raised from the dead, and the "whole house of Israel [both those who are living and those who are raised from the dead]" will be restored to the land of Israel. It will be then -- prior to the actual ushering in of the Messianic Era -- that the kings of the earth under the leadership of the "beast" will move against the "King of kings, and Lord of lords" in Jerusalem (cf. Joel 3:16; Revelation 19:19).
Just as Satan has used various Gentile nations throughout Man’s Day, vainly seeking to accomplish his God-dishonoring purpose, he will use all the Gentile nations of the world in his last great attempt to effect his plans and purposes immediately preceding his dethronement. "The beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies," will be "gathered together to make war against him [Christ] that sat on the horse, and against his army" (Revelation 19:19). Although Christ will possess an accompanying army (composed of angels, cf. 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Jude 1:14; Deuteronomy 33:2), He will fight the battle alone. It was alone that He suffered, bled, and died; and it will be alone that He treads His enemies under His feet (Isaiah 63:1-6).
At the first coming of Christ, immediately before His crucifixion, Roman soldiers led Him to the governor’s palace, stripped Him of His garments, arrayed Him in a scarlet robe, and placed a crown of thorns on His head and a reed (symbolizing the sceptre of governmental power) in His right hand. This was done in order to openly ridicule the One Who claimed to be "King of the Jews." The Romans (the center of Gentile power in that day) had subjugated God’s Son, Israel; and soldiers from this same Gentile nation were ridiculing God’s Son, Jesus. They "bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, ’Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head" (Matthew 27:27-31).
"This same Jesus" is the One Who will tread the winepress alone. He appeared on earth the first time as the "Lamb of God," but He will reappear as the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (cf. John 1:29; Revelation 5:5). He was mocked in the governor’s palace and smitten upon His head with the sceptre. But in that coming day, when He reappears, He will break the sceptre held by the Gentiles, executing "judgment" resulting in "victory" (cf. Matthew 12:20; Isaiah 42:1-3). That will be the day when the Seed of the Woman in Genesis 3:15 crushes the head of Satan.
The same scenes which witnessed Christ’s suffering and humiliation will one day witness His glory and exaltation. Satan’s final attempt to prevent the transfer of supremacy -- his own (exhibited through the "beast" in that day), his angels, and the Gentile nations, transferred to Christ, the Church, and Israel respectively -- will, as in all previous attempts, be quelled. The beast and false prophet will be taken and cast alive into the lake of fire, becoming its first occupants. The kings of the earth, along with their armies, will then be slain in the plain of Megiddo (called the "valley of Jehoshaphat," which means "valley of Jehovah’s judgment," in Joel 3:2), and Satan will be bound in the abyss.
Following the events of Armageddon, God’s Sons will then exercise their rightful positions of authority and power on and over the earth. God’s son, Israel, will be the supreme nation on earth, holding the sceptre previously held by the Gentile nations; God’s son, the Church, will exercise supremacy over the nations from the heavens, holding the sceptre previously held by angels ruling under Satan; and God’s Son, Jesus, will exercise supremacy over all things, holding the sceptre (and far more) previously held by Satan.
Thus will the present age end and the new age begin. "What a termination!" "What a climax!" "What a new beginning!"