Psalm 83 War in 1983, Elam in The Millennium, and Chris White vs Bill Saulus

http://bibleprophecytalk.com/the-psalm-83-war-debunked/
http://bibleprophecytalk.com/bpt-the-psalm-83-war-debunked/
I ultimately agree with Chris White's debunking of the Psalm 83 War.  But I want to add some thoughts.

It's funny how Prophecy In The News has become one of the biggest supporters of Bill Saulus' Psalm 83 War idea.  Because J.R. Church in his very old book Hidden Prophecies in The Psalms had also discussed Psalm 83, way before Saulus.  It foreshadows Saulus' theory in reading the modern Israel vs Isalmic world conflict into the text.  But like Chris White he saw the Psalm not as describing a specific major War per se, but more of a behind the scenes political conspiracy.  The enemies of Israel colluding together, but the outright military conflict part of it being small, and mostly by proxy.

I like the theory of that book.  I wouldn't build doctrine on it, but the foundational aspect of seeing Psalm 48 as predicting Israel's reestablishment as a nation in 1948 is interesting (even though it's equally clear it's ultimate fulfillment is in New Jerusalem).  Also psalm 48 is the first of three Psalms to use the Hebrew phrase that should be translated "The Last Generation", and 1948 is in the middle of the period in which the Baby Boomers were being born.

And the Period between the Camp David treaty being signed and the treaty with Jordan being made in the 90s is in fact the period in modern history when those aligned against Israel most directly matched Psalm 83's list of enemies.  Because that's after Egypt ceased to be an Enemy but while Jordan still was.

People like to read Egypt into Psalm 83 via the Hagarenes, since Hagar was the mother of Ishmael who was an Egyptian so they feel it makes sense to see Hagarenes as a poetic code for Islamic-Arab Egypt.  But the Hagarenes in the Hebrew text are the same people refereed to elsewhere in the KJV as the Hagarites, Hagerite or Haggeri in 1 Chronicles 5:10-20, 11:38, and 27:31.  Where they are clearly a Trans-Jordan tribe, and thus further reason to look to modern Jordan or the Golan Heights if you want a Modern context.

The Hagarites probably are an Ishmaelite tribe, in 1 Chronicles 5 they're linked to 3 other tribes, two of which are known sons of Ishmael and the third has no discernible origin in Genesis.  One of those tribes is Jetur, who are the tribe known in NT times as the Iturians.

So the Lebanon civil war of 1982-83 and it's ties into Israel's other foreign policy and terrorism concerns of the time does happen to fit Psalm 83 pretty well.  But I agree with Chris White that the immediate context was of Asaph's own time.

The more recent theory Bill Saulus has been promoting about Elam and Jeremiah 49:34-39 I find pretty valid.  However I disagree with how he ties Psalm 83 and Gog and Magog and the Pre-Trib Rapture theory into his timing of it.

I want to copy/paste Jeremiah's prophecy here.  With a minor translation adjustment from the KJV.

The word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, Thus saith Yahweh of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.  And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.

 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith Yahweh; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them: And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith Yahweh.  But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith Yahweh.

I think this disaster could be part of the tidings out of the East that troubles The Antichrist in Daniel 11:44.  And that The Holy Spirit is leading Evangelical Christians in Iran to look to this Prophecy I feel is important.  Because I do believe the Gifts of the Spirit are still here.

I'm thinking based on Daniel 11:44 it may be the result of The Antichrist posing as an ally of Israel (or maybe an Israeli leader himself) doing preemptive strikes against Russia and Iran as they're planning an attack on Israel.  And then passing that off as fulfilling Ezekiel 38&39.

I think this could tie into the Kurds fulfilling ancient prophecies of The Medes.  If Modern Iran collapses then the Kurdish state forming in northern Iraq could expand into the Kurdish regions of Iran.  And thus will look a lot like Ancient Media.

What is most fascinating and unusual is that this is the only place where Scripture describes Yahweh placing his Throne somewhere on Earth other then Israel.  It surprised me to realize that there was such an occasion.

I've explained elsewhere why I feel many Old Testament prophecies we assume to be about The Millennium may really be the New Heaven and New Earth.  Including Ezekiel 40-48, and other key passages of Isaiah.  With those insights in mind, looking at Revelation 20-22 it is arguable that Jerusalem doesn't become God's Earthly Throne until New Jerusalem descends.  Revelation 20 does clearly show that Jerusalem exists in The Millennium, but the only direct reference to it there is at the end, for the Gog and Magog invasion which I do view as the same as Ezekiel 38-39 even though that's unpopular.

Some people do argue that Israel's regathering isn't really complete until sometime during The Millennium.  I think those arguments are valid, but I am firmly Pre-Millenial unlike some who might make such arguments.

With all that in mind.  I'm thinking it could be Elam is where The Millennial Throne of Jesus is located.

Or if it's not there the Entire Millennium then maybe just during a part of it.