Jeremiah chapters 50 & 51 describe the ongoing Iraqi war in great detail. Verses 46-47 of Ch. 51 stipulate that rumors of Iraq's inevitable demise would e bantered about for years until God's appointed time of fulfillment. A break in the hostilities with an offer of healing is to be made to Iraq at some point amongst the rumors according to Jer. 51:9.
The initial stage of the Persian Gulf War in 1991 under President George Bush Sr. Can be found to have been the fulfillment of many of the prophecies of Chapters 50 & 51 of Jeremiah.
According to Jer. 51:19-24, the final stage of this war will be recognizable because of a key component which has been absent in all previous confrontations with Iraq since the Persian Gulf War began. What has been missing from the continual confrontations is the military might of Israel.
In verses 19 & 20 of Jer. 51 God calls Israel His battle-ax, which He will use to break the nation of Iraq. He then includes (in like fashion of Zechariah 12:5-9) that Israel will become a destroyer of kingdoms.
Quoting Jeremiah 51:19-20 we read, "The Portion of Jacob is not like them, for He is the maker of all things; And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance. The LORD of hosts is His name. You are My battle-ax and weapons of war: for with you I will break the nation in pieces; with you I will destroy kingdoms." God then concludes in verse 24, "And I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil they have done in Zion in Your sight, "Says the LORD."
During the first stage of the Persian Gulf War, Israel yielded to pressure from President Bush to not retaliate against Iraq's continual scud missile attacks. This was to prevent fracturing the fragile Arab coalition that had been formed against Iraq.
Things dramatically changed in 2003. Since there was very little Arab support for another war against Iraq, Israel's elite forces were on standby if needed to obtain a decisive victory.
On Oct. 17, ‘02 a Denver Post article titled, "Bush and Sharon discuss scenarios for Iraqi attacks" reported that, "Israel's long and proud tradition of defending itself - and not asking even its closest friend the United States to fight its battles - was newly endorsed Wednesday by President Bush in a white House meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. "If Iraq were to attack Israel tomorrow, I'm sure there would be appropriate response," Bush said at a joint White House news conference with Sharon. "I would assume the prime minister would respond. He's got a desire to defend himself."
In an even more telling development MSNBC reported back in Oct. 19, of 2002 that Israel and U.S. special forces had made plans to unite if needed for elite operations in the 2003 attack against Iraq.
The possibility that the final stage of the war prophesied of in Jeremiah Chapters 50 & 51 will take place in the near future seems very likely. In Jer. 51:45 it is fascinating to find God calling His people of Israel out of Iraq just before the final destruction of that land is to take place, "My people, go out of the midst of her, and let everyone deliver his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord."
Before Israel was reborn as a nation in 1948, Iraq was home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the Mid East. Most left for Israel shortly after its creation. Later, emigration from Iraq was severely restricted. More than 250,000 Israelis are Iraqi-born or of Iraqi-Jewish origin, according to official statistics.
That these truly are the last of the last days can be seen in a quote from a Nov. 4, ‘97 Colorado Springs Gazette article which headlined, "Israeli agents smuggle Jews from Iraq," "Scores of Jews have been smuggled out of Iraq and brought to Israel by Israeli agents since the end of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, an official confirmed...Eighty Iraqis were brought secretly to Israel in an immigration that began after the Gulf War...The operation involved connections with Iraqi officials and payments made at the borders of an undisclosed overland route...Another 70 Iraqi Jews who left in recent years are living in Britain and the Netherlands...The report said there are only 57 Jews in Baghdad. It did not say whether their lives are considered to be in danger. But Mordechai Beh-Porat, leader of the Iraqi/Israeli community, told the TV that those remaining also are trying to get out."
There had been a report in 2003 that less than 20 Jews remained in Iraq at that time.
The article also included a photograph of a teenager being fitted with a gas mask. The caption under the photograph read, "An Israeli soldier fits teenager Bracha Shabtal with a gas mask Monday at an army distribution center in Jerusalem. The replacement of old gas masks with new ones, complete with syringes with antidotes for nerve gas, has increased during the U.S.-Iraq crisis."
Israel had intensified this replacement program since the summer of 2002 and had made dire threats of unprecedented retaliation if Iraq used unconventional weapons.
It is noteworthy to quote Jer. 51:15 concerning this preparation for a gas war, "When He utters His voice...He brings the wind out of His treasuries."
Gas warfare is at the mercy of the wind and it is God who decides in which direction it may blow.
We are told in Jer. 50:18-19 that the day Babylon, Iraq is punished by God's calling forth of the nations against it, Israel would be back in it's ancient land and in possession of Bashan, Carmel, Mt. Ephraim and Gilead.
This prophecy has taken place since 1948.
Consider the divine accuracy of Scripture when reviewing this prophecy.
First of all, the prophet of God revealed to us that the people of Israel would be removed from their ancient land.
This is effectively evidenced by the prophet's speaking about them having to be brought back to their land.
This dispersion of the Jews took place precisely as foretold in 70 AD under Titus Vespasian of Rome.
On May 14, 1948 Israel once more became a nation just as God ordained in Isaiah 66:8.
The other prophesied regions of Bashan, Carmel, Mt. Ephraim and Gilead spoken of by Jeremiah encompass the modern areas of the Golan Heights and the West Bank. These regions were recovered by Israel from Syria and Jordan in subsequent wars during the 20th century after the Arab nations tried to destroy the newly reborn nation in 1948.
Jeremiah 51:35 tells us that the Jews will also be in possession of their ancient capital of Jerusalem at the time of the end when the land of Babylon is destroyed.
In 1967 this portion of Bible prophecy was also literally fulfilled when Israel regained full control of Jerusalem on June 7th at the close of the Middle East Six-Day War.
Once again, we have precise predictions from God for the end of the age being fulfilled during these very days we live in.
What the Bible prophesies is in store for Israel and Iraq in the not too distant future is of global importance.
Jeremiah makes the point in Ch. 51:19-24 & 35 that Israel will be involved in this conflict and that an attack on God's chosen land will hasten the destruction of Babylon, Iraq due to its provoking the vengeance of God.
Current events keep us in focus on how close we are to the completion of this destruction of Babylon and the devastation of Iraq. Students of Bible prophecy should remain steadfast that the Persian Gulf War will not truly be over until the prophecies of Jeremiah Chapters 50 & 51 are fulfilled in their entirety.
Bible prophecy is given for two main reasons according to Scripture. First, to demonstrate Who the True God is (Isa. 46:8-11) and secondly, for the Lord to share His knowledge of the future with His cherished friends (Jn. 15:14-15).
As we pointed out earlier the final stage of the Iraqi war is to take place when Israel is in possession of the Golan Heights and the West Bank.
The hoped for success of the ever failing attempts to obtain a comprehensive peace between Israel, the Palestinians, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan has been espoused to depend on Israel forfeiting these two parcels of land.
According to Jer. 50:18-19 this point of forfeiture can never take place or, will only reach an initial stage of transition before the current Middle East situation explodes into all-out war.
I am fully persuaded that the Scriptures teach that God will have removed His Church to Heaven sometime before a 7 year covenant is put in place after this war.
We are very possibly facing the decisive time which will usher in the final 7 years. These final 7 years are known as Daniel's 70th week and the "time of Jacob's trouble."
While Israel is prophesied to have a great victory over Iraq; Kuwait will pay a horrible price. According to Jer. 49:28-33, Kuwait (here listed by its ancient names of Kedar and Hazor) has every reason to feel insecure since this prophecy tells us that Saddam Hussein(who believes he is the reincarnate Nebuchadnezzar) will not truly be stopped by the coalition forces until after he makes Kuwait a perpetual desolation.
It is after this war, we believe, the region will experience a temporary respite from war as other prophecies foretell and a 7 year peace and security covenant will be strengthened between Israel and her neighbors.
Disarmament in the region will follow and a provision will be made which will permit the Jews to rebuild their ancient Temple upon the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
The much endorsed peace initiative will be short-lived. Russia will fulfill its prophesied destiny by invading Israel with all of its allies during the first 3 ½ years of this covenant as foretold in Ezekiel Chapters 38 & 39.
God Himself will dramatically intervene in this second monumental assault against Israel and will devastate Russia and its comrades in arms.
The world leader, who promised to preserve the 7 year peace of Israel, will then establish a satanically empowered world government from out of a restored Roman Empire consisting of a ten kingdom confederacy.
Leagued with a one-world religion and a false prophet this world leader commonly known as the Anti-Christ, will force the world into blatant worship of the devil by a system of branding human beings with a mark upon their right hand or forehead (Rev. Ch. 13).
God will then pour out His fierce wrath upon the kingdom of the Anti-Christ and upon the Christ-rejecting world for the remaining 3 ½ years of the 7 year covenant.
God calls this 7 year covenant from Daniel 9:27 a covenant with death and hell in Isaiah 28:15. It is during this time that God will fulfill Jer. 50:20 with His chosen people.
This same prophecy is available to anybody who will come with a heart of belief in the name of His only begotten son Jesus Christ.
We read, "In those days and in that time," says the Lord, "The iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found; For I will pardon those whom I preserve"
God has proven that He has spoken His message for eternal life to us through His prophets. God declares either you come to Him through His son or you will never come at all. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ this moment and be saved.