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The Lord’s deliverance of Judah and Jerusalem from the invading armies:

Isaiah 33:8-12 – “The highways are desolate, the traveler has ceased, he (this is referring to the Beast) has broken the covenant, he has despised the cities, he has no regard for man.  The land mourns…..…‘Now I will arise,’ says the Lord, ‘Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up.  You have conceived chaff, you will give birth to stubble; My breath will consume you like a fire (compare this with Revelation 8:5 – the fire from the golden censor).  The peoples will be burned to lime, like cut thorns which are burned in the fire.’ “

‘The Deliverance of Israel’

Isaiah 27:12-13 – “In that day the Lord will start His threshing from the flowing stream of the Euphrates to the brook of Egypt, and you will be gathered up one by one, O sons of Israel.  It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown (compare this with Revelation 11:15 – the seventh trumpet), and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.”
It reads ‘from…the Euphrates to the brook of Egypt’.  All Israel’s surrounding enemies will be defeated.

Numbers 24:17-18 – “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a star shall come forth from Jacob, a scepter shall rise from Israel (the Lord Jesus will reign), and shall crush through the forehead of Moab, and tear down all the sons of Sheth.  Edom shall be a possession, Seir its enemies, also will be a possession, while Israel performs valiantly.”

‘Jerusalem’s Enemies to be Destroyed’

Zechariah 12:1-9 – “This is the word of the Lord concerning Israel.  The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares, ‘I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling (KJV phrases it, “I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling…”).  Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem.  On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations.  All who try to move it will injure themselves.  On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,’ declares the Lord.  ‘I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations.  Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, “The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God.”  On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a fireboat in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves.  They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place.  The Lord will save the dwelling of Judah first, so that the honour of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.  On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going before them.  On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.”

‘God Will Battle Jerusalem’s Foes’

Zechariah 14:12-14 – “Now this will be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in the sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth.  It will come about in that day that a great panic from the Lord will fall on them; and they will seize one another’s hand, and the hand of one will be lifted against the hand of another.  Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold and silver and garments in great abundance.”

There are many verses which state that the Jewish people will fight, and fight valiantly.  For the Lord is with them.  Joshua 23:10 – “One of your men puts to flight a thousand,  for the Lord your God is He who fights for you,  just as He promised you.”

Zephaniah 3:17 – “The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior.“

‘The Aftermath: God’s Wrath against the Nations’

Isaiah 34:1-10 – “Draw near, O nations, to hear; and listen, O peoples!  Let the earth and all it contains hear, and the world and all that springs from it.  For the Lord’s indignation is against all the nations, and His wrath against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to slaughter.  So their slain will be thrown out, and their corpses will give off their stench, and the mountains will be drenched with their blood.  And all the host of heaven will wear away, and the sky will be rolled up like a scroll; all their hosts will also wither away as a leaf withers from the vine, or as one withers from the fig tree (compare this with Revelation 6:13-14 – the sixth seal).  For My sword is satiated in heaven, behold it shall descend for judgement upon Edom and upon the people whom I have devoted to destruction.  The sword of the Lord is filled with blood…  For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the land of Edom…For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.  Its streams will be turned into pitch, and its loose earth into brimstone, and its land will become burning pitch.  It will not be quenched night or day; its smoke will go up forever.  From generation to generation it will be desolate; none will pass through it forever and ever.”

Edom was an ancient enemy of the Israelites.  Bozrah was a city within Edom.

The Lord’s wrath against the invading nations occurs at the end of the tribulation.  Click here for Scripture summarizing the events that will occur ‘on that day’ – Wrath of God – 7th Trumpet.

There is so much Scripture prophesying the Lord’s judgment on Israel’s enemies when they gather together to invade and destroy God’s people – too many to detail here.  Instead I’ve included some key passages of God’s judgment on these nations below.  They are well worth reading:

• Isaiah – Chapters 17-19
• Zephaniah – Chapters 1-3
• Amos – Chapters 1-2
• Psalm 83

Other Scripture describing the End Times for the Israelites and the Lord’s deliverance:

• Isaiah – Chapters 13-16, 23-29, 32-35
• Ezekiel – Chapters 25-30, 34-39

He will deliver them from their enemies indeed – with consuming fire, with darkness and terror, earthquakes, plagues, pestilence, thunder, lightning, storms of torrential rains and hailstones, tempests/strong winds/whirlwinds. All these are identical judgments which are prophesied in the Book of Revelation with the Seven Seals, Seven Trumpets and Seven Bowls of God’s wrath.  “Like flying birds so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem.  He will protect and deliver it; He will pass over and rescue it.” – Isaiah 31:5.

The nations and cities included are Ammon, Moab, Edom, Amalek, Egypt, Philistia (Gaza), Tyre and Sidon (cities of Phoenicia), Damascus, Aram (Syria).  This is the inner circle against Judah and Jerusalem.  The outer circle of enemies include Assyria (Iraq), Persia (Iran), Saudi Arabia, Midian, Cush (Ethiopia), Put (Libya) which gather at Megiddo, for Armageddon.

‘God’s Deliverance of His People’/‘Habakkuk’s Prayer’

Habakkuk 3:1-19 – “A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet…Lord, I have heard the report about You and I fear.  O Lord, revive Your work…in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.  God comes from Teman (a city in Edom), and the Holy One from Mount Paran.  His splendour covers the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise.  His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, and there is the hiding of His power.  Before Him goes pestilence, and plague comes after Him.  He stood and surveyed the earth; He looked and startled the nations.  Yes, the perpetual mountains were shattered, the ancient hills collapsed (compare this with Revelation 16:20 – ‘the mountains could not be found’).  His ways are everlasting.  I saw the tents of Cushan under distress, the tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling…Your bow was made bare, the rods of chastisement were sworn…The mountains saw You and quaked; the downpour of waters swept by.   The deep uttered forth its voice, it lifted high its hands.  Sun and moon stood in their places; they went away at the light of Your arrows at the radiance of Your gleaming spear.  In indignation You marched through the earth; in anger You trampled the nations.  You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for the salvation of Your anointed.  You struck the head of the house of the evil to lay him open from thigh to neck.  You pierced with his own spears the head of his throngs (The Lord causes confusion within the armies and they turn on each other.  The Lord has done this before – 1 Samuel 14:20 – “…every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion.”).  They stormed in to scatter us; their exultation was like those who devour the oppressed in secret.  You trampled on the sea with Your horses (tempests), on the surge of many waters.  I heard and my inward parts trembled at the sound my lips quivered.  Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble.  Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, for the people to arise who will invade us.  Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines…yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places.”

This prayer of Habakkuk’s is concerning the End Times based on many of the verses.  To list just a couple: ‘the perpetual mountains were shattered’ – compare this with Revelation 16:20 – “Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.’  Another verse: ‘In anger You trampled the nations.  You went forth for the salvation of Your people.’ – the Lord delivering His people.

‘Final Admonition’ / ‘The Day of the Lord’

Malachi 4:1-3 – “ ‘For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.’  ‘But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.  You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,’ says the Lord of hosts.”     

‘God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption’

Isaiah 63:1-6 – “Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson?  Who is this, robed in splendour, striding forward in the greatness of his strength?  ‘It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.’  Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?  ‘I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no-one was with me.  I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments and I stained all my clothing.  For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come.  I looked, but there was no-one to help, I was appalled that no-one gave support; so my own arm worked salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me.  I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.’ “

The above Scripture states that the Lord Jesus comes ‘from Edom’ – one of Israel’s enemies.  This passage can also explain why the Lord, ‘is dressed in a robe dipped in blood’ – Revelation 19:13, when He returns for Armageddon.   

‘The Nations will be Judged’

Joel 3:1-2 – “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat.  Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they have divided up My land.”

Joel 3:9-17 – “Proclaim this among the nations: prepare a war; rouse the mighty men!  Let all the soldiers draw near, let them come up!  Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, ‘I am a mighty man.’   Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves there.  Bring down, O Lord, Your mighty ones (the Lord’s host of angels).  Let the nations be aroused and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.  Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.  Come, tread, for the wine press is full; the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!  For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.  The sun and moon grow dark (compare this with Revelation 6:12) and the stars lose their brightness.  The Lord roars from Zion and utters His voice from Jerusalem (compare this with Revelation 16:15), and the heavens and the earth tremble (compare this with Revelation 8:5 – earthquakes).  But the Lord is a refuge for His people and a stronghold to the sons of Israel.  Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain.  So Jerusalem will be holy, and strangers will pass through it no more.”  This is such a great summary – it states it all.

‘The Future of Jerusalem’ / ‘A Remnant of Israel’

Zephaniah 3:12-20 -“But I will leave among you a humble and lowly people, and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord.  The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and tell no lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths; for they will feed and lie down with no one to make them tremble.  Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion!  Shout in triumph, O Israel!  Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!  The Lord has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies.  The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you will fear disaster no more.  In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: ‘Do not be afraid, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.  The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior.  He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.  I will gather those who grieve about the appointed feasts – they came from you, O Zion; the reproach of exile is a burden on them.  Behold, I am going to deal at that time with all your oppressors, I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will turn their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.  At that time I will bring you in, even at the time when I gather you together; indeed, I will give you renown and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,’ says the Lord.”

Zephaniah’s name means ‘The Lord hides’ or ‘The Lord protects’.

Isaiah 25:9 “And it will be said in that day, ‘Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.  This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’ ”

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There are many events in the Old Testament that occurred as the Lord purposed His plan in ways we cannot even comprehend.  Romans 11:33 – “How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”
He did it once, He can do it again. 

• At the tenth and final plague against Egypt: Exodus 12:29 – “At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.”
• At the parting of the Red Sea: Exodus 14:25 – “He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.’ “
• When the Assyrian army threatened to invade Jerusalem: 2 Kings 19:35 – “That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.  When the people got up the next morning – there were all the dead bodies.”
• Joshua 10:10-11 – “And the Lord confounded them before Israel, and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursed them…and struck them…as they fled from before Israel…the Lord threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.”
• In answer to King Jehoshaphat’s prayer for deliverance of his people from the invading armies of the Moabites and Ammonites, the Lord replied through the prophet Jahaziel, and said, ” ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s…stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.’ ” – 2 Chronicles 20:15-17.  God then set the invading armies against each other until all were slain.

Zechariah 12:8-9 has been previously quoted – “On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going before them. On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.”

‘On that day’ will be the Day of the Lord: the seventh Trumpet, the Lord Jesus Christ’s glorious Second Coming, the Rapture, the Lord Jesus Christ’s deliverance of Judah and Jerusalem, Armageddon, followed by the wedding feast of the Lamb (all in my personal opinion only).

Job 42:2 – “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.”

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God Is the Source of Salvation and Light:

 “But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord;

I will wait for the God of my salvation.  My God will hear me.” – Micah 7:7 

 

click here for Part One: The Lord’s Deliverance of Judah and Jerusalem First – Part One

click here for Part Two: The Lord’s Deliverance of Judah and Jerusalem First – Part Two

Disclaimer: all theories and comments in this article and the entirety of this three part series concerning the Lord’s deliverance of Judah and Jerusalem are speculations on the writer’s part, based on the writer’s understanding of Scripture.  It is one possibility to be considered concerning the End Times.
Discernment is always of the utmost importance anytime you are reading or listening to anyone’s, to anyone’s, interpretation of the Word of God.  Pray for wisdom and understanding – James 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:7; Daniel 2:23.