Yes, I grew up with the idea that Ezekiel 38 and 39 were in the future. Strange though to think of people burning modern weapons, like tanks?
They might not go against Israel with tanks, but only hand held weapons, and this is Israel they go against in which Israel is protected for the 7 years period from physical attack.
The beast makes war against the saints for the last three and one half years, but he cannot go against Israel as a nation as much as he would like to go against Israel, for the beast in controlled by Satan but he cannot go against Israel.
Why is that.
During the first three and one half years the man of sin bombs the Arab nations with nuclear weapons, which the Bible says he plucks them up by the roots, and they are devastated, which causes the world to accept the man of sin as the solution to bring peace upon the earth.
The logical solution for the beast would be to bomb Israel with nuclear weapons and put an end to them quickly, and not have to deal with them face to face, but he does not do that.
Why is that.
The truth is the whole world could go against Israel with every weapon on the planet, and they would fail, and they could throw every nuclear weapon and bomb towards Israel, and they would fail, for God will not allow it and Israel must prosper, and she shall prosper, for Israel has to stand, and survive, and come to the truth for God's plan to continue going forward, and that is for Jesus to rule the earth for 1000 years, and the kingdom restored to Israel, for Jesus mist fulfill the role of perfect King on earth for the law to be fulfilled.
The same as it would of never entered Adam and Eve's mind to eat of the forbidden fruit unless an outside source tempted them, but God gave them a choice so God allowed Satan to tempt Eve and she sinned, and Eve was the outside source that tempted Adam by showing him she did not die and he sinned.
God is in control and we cannot do anything if He does not allow it, and He does not allow the beast to use nuclear weapons against Israel which would be the logical choice, which he used against the Arab nations, so he probably does not use tanks, and might not use modern day weapons like guns either.
But I do not know about the whether he will use guns or not.
Also in the Bible they did not know how to call things concerning the future, but would use terms back them to describe things in the future, so when Ezekiel said spears, and handstaves, and bows and arrows, they could of used guns, but Ezekiel did not know they would be called guns, or rifles.
Also spears and the such are made of metal also, and it could be that they actually use spears and that sort of weapon for God might not allow them to use modern day weapons, and they might of depleted the modern day weapons whole fighting against all the people that rebelled against the beast kingdom during the last three and one half years, and all the fighting they did during the first three and one half years, which when they say Peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them, which a lot of it is fighting the people that oppose them.
And when they take the mark of the beast then they are controlled by the devil like the man of sin, and they will not think by their human mind but only how the devil wants them to think for they will have the nature of a devil, so they might not think to use modern day weapons, or to manufacture weapons that were depleted, and the devils cannot do anything unless God allows it.
So God might not allow the people to use modern day weapons, so they would not stand a chance at hurting any of the Jews unless they get close, but they will not get close enough for Jesus defeats them with the brightness of His coming, which the Jews run in to a split mountain, the Mount of Olives, to shield them from the rays that shine forth from Jesus body that melts their flesh off their bones.
But when it calls the weapons spears, and bows and arrows, it could still mean guns, and rifles, and modern day weapons, for they did not know to call them that.
Nah 2:3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
Nah 2:4 The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.
This is obviously talking about vehicles, cars, trucks, and the such, but Nahum did not know to call them those names, so he said chariots, which was his term for transportation.
Isa 31:4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
Isa 31:5 As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.
This appears to speaking of the 6 day war when Israel used jets to pave the way to win the war and took control of Jerusalem. Did not know to call them jets, or aircraft, so said like birds flying.
So when Ezekiel said spears, and bows and arrows, does not mean they did not use modern day weapons, but he did not know to call them that, for it might throw people off when it says spears, and bows and arrows, that it would of had to of been in the past, but that does not mean it happened in the past for Ezekiel did not know to call them by their name of modern day weapons, and God did not reveal those name to him.
Eze 39:21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.
Eze 39:22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
Eze 39:23 And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.
Eze 39:24 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.
Eze 39:25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
Eze 39:26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.
Eze 39:27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
Eze 39:28 Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
Eze 39:29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
But we do know that Ezekiel 38, 39, is a future prophesy, for when it happens Israel as a nation will be in the truth and will know the LORD their God from that day forward, and will never stray again for God will not hide His face from them anymore, so if it was in the past Israel as a nation would be in the truth today, but they are not, so it has to be a future prophesy, and also Ezekiel speaks of the battle of Armageddon when the world attacks Israel which is in the future.
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