Psalms 31:1-4, 20:1-4, 8:1

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Psalm 108. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind in verses 11-13:

Psalms 108:11 Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?

Psalms 108:12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

Psalms 108:13 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

The battle envisioned in this Psalm involves Israel encroaching into the Land God granted to Esau, called Edom, during the time of her being “cast away” (Psalm 108:10-11).

God instructed Israel not to meddle with Edom because the land of Esau would not be included in the land promised to Israel: “Meddle (contend, strive) not with them; for I will not give you of their land… because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession” (Deuteronomy 2:5). See *.)

King David, in a prophetic Psalm, represents God asking, “Who will lead me into Edom?” (Psalm 108:10). This is a prophecy that is fulfilled in the time of Israel’s being “cast away” (Psalm 108:11; Romans 11:15).* The casting away began when He transferred the kingdom from Judah to the Gentiles.

The boundaries drawn for Israel by the UN included its current occupation of the Negev/Arabah borders with Jordan. However, a war broke out against Israel, the Arab nations refusing to accept Israel as a neighbour. God fought for Israel, and her boundaries include the territory east of the Arabah, south of the Dead Sea, and north of the Gulf of Aqaba—Southern Jordan, including the fringes of what is now Southern Israel—the fringes of the Negev and Arabah.

But there is more in this prophecy to consider. God promises to divide Shechem. Shechem refers to the valley and plains defined by the two mountains, Gerizim and Ebal, the mountains of blessing and cursing (Deuteronomy 11:29), where Joshua renewed the covenant of God with Israel (Joshua 24). It is the scene of the great reproach that Simeon and Levi brought on Jacob (Israel) in the matter of Dinah (Genesis 34). Where, after this evil, Jacob gathered the idols out of his house and buried them by a tree in Shechem (Genesis 35:4). It became the home of Ephraim (Joshua 20:7), the border city with Manasseh (Joshua 17:7). Shechem is identified with the royal tribe of Ephraim, which received the ten tribes when the kingdom was divided. The Samaritans are descended from the remnant of Israel whose center of worship was Mt. Gerizzim, the mount of blessings (John 4:20, 21-23). Shechem is north of Jerusalem, and Zion, the Temple Mount, about 40-45 miles.

Succoth is in the central Jordan Valley, east of the Jordan River. It gets its name from the time Jacob arrived there and built booths to celebrate God’s deliverance from the wrath of his brother, Esau (Genesis 33:17).

Gilead is the ancient name of what is today northwest Jordan, east of the Jordan River.

Manasseh is the ancient name for the area we call the West Bank (often called Samaria) and extends into Northern Israel today. Jezreel, where the battle of Armageddon will be fought, lies north of Ephraim, in the northern portion of western Manasseh, and overlaps with territory belonging to ancient Issachar. Today, the area includes Megiddo, Mount Gilboa, Nazareth, and the modern city of Afula, all within the 1947 boundaries of modern Israel and recognized as part of Israel today. It was called the “Medow/plain” before 1947, or “Plain of Ibn Amir.” The British called it the Plain of Esdraelon.

Ephraim is also within the ancient borders of what came to be known as Samaria and lies in the central-northern West Bank. Ephraim is the tribal (biblical) name of this area. Samaria is what it came to be called after the dispersion of Israel. The West Bank is a modern political term. The West Bank includes portions of ancient Manasseh and Ephraim.

Judah refers to the region of ancient Judah, including Jerusalem.

Philistia refers to the ancient land of the Philistines, which constantly troubled Israel. It included the cities along the southern coast of the Mediterranean: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath. This is the modern region from the south coast below modern Tel Aviv, to the northern Sinai region.

Read David’s prophecy in view of the above, and you can see that these areas are central to the controversy surrounding Israel today: The Negev/Arabah, the West Bank in particular, Jordan, including the areas of ancient Moab (the central-western highlands of Jordan) and Ammon (modern Amman).

The last term to consider is Philistia. It included the southern coastal cities of Gaza, Ashdod, and Ashkelon. All three of these names continue in use today. However, the term Philistia is not used. Ashdod and Ashkelon are within Israel’s borders and are collectively known as “Southern coastal Israel.” It’s also included in what is called the “Southern District.” Along the Southern coast of Israel, Ashdod is about 20 miles south. Ashkelon is about 12 south of Ashdod. And Gaza is about 8 miles from Ashkelon.

We all know about Gaza; it is located along the coast, south of Ashkelon. This area is known as “The Gaza Strip” (Gaza), while Ashdod and Ashkelon are collectively referred to as the Southern Coastal Plain (of Israel).

With this in mind, read David’s prophecy concerning this and think about how much we see this prophecy of David, in c1000 BC, in today’s news.

So, what does Psalm 108:8-9 tell us God is doing in Jordan, in Samaria, the West Bank, and in the Gaza Strip? He is declaring His Sovereign and particular claim on these regions. Not only in the generic, or abstract way that He Who created all things is the owner thereof. God is asserting a specific claim of ownership over Samaria, the West Bank, Judah (including Jerusalem), Jordan, and Gaza.

Along the still waters, I mused on all this. He declares Moab to be His washpot. This is where He will be comforted, have His hands and feet refreshed. Southern Jordan will be a servant to the Most High God. Over Edom (Northern Jordan), He will cast out His shoe. These prophecies are connected to God’s judgment upon Edom and the ultimate erasure of Esau’s seed (Obadiah 18).

Obadiah’s prophecy has been accomplished, and yet, the end result of God’s contempt for Edom will be reconciliation. So we may look for this part of Jordan (the northern part) to be fulfilled through an alliance or a coming together of all of Jordan to support and assist Israel. Over Philistia will I triumph: the raging of the Philistines (modern self-styled Palestinians) will be overcome: Israel will rejoice in victory.

How will this be done? God will “tread down” Israel’s enemies. When will this be done? During the time that Israel is “cast off” (Psalm 108:11-13).

Included with the prophecy about “when,” consider that David only uses the covenant name of God once in this Psalm (Psalm 108:3). It’s unusual not to see the covenant name appear multiple times, but in this Psalm, only once, during the portion where David is giving praise to Him for His work accomplished. The generic term for our Almighty God is used, which is Elohim. This underscores the insight that this prophecy occurs during the time Israel is “cast out,” when they have lost their covenantal name given during the time of the LAW (Exodus 6:3, “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”) In truth Israel wont say the name. When they come across it in their Bibles, they say ha-Shame. When I learned this in my Hebrew study class, I was amazed. I asked the Rabbi assigned to keep an eye on me in my studies under the guise of providing expert tutelage, how could you forget how to say His name that was revealed to you? Selah!

In the valley, Jesus reminded me of the power of His Sword, the word of GOD, and I rejoiced. Then I was reminded of the Word that was “made flesh,” Who died for me on the Cross. Then I remembered that for me to wield the Sword of the Spirit with effect, I must take up my Cross and follow Him. He spoke: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy followed us into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v77j228-shepherds-pasture.html

[*David conquered Edom in c1000 BC (2 Samuel 8:13-14; 1 Kings 11:15-16). But Israel did not occupy any of Esau’s land; instead, Edom became a vassal state to Israel. Later, during Joram’s reign over Israel, Edom rebelled and regained its independence (2 Kings 8:20-22). During the Babylonian captivity, Edom took advantage and encroached westward into southern Judah. Obadiah declared judgment upon Edom for their pride in exalting itself against Jerusalem during her judgment (Obadiah). That judgment came, and the Edomites were dispersed through war and migration. The land came to be called Idumea, which our translators wisely used to identify Edom in Isaiah 34:5-6, and Ezekiel 35:15; 36:5, showing Idumea is Edom under judgment.

Then came the Maccabean Revolt (167-160 BC). John Hyrcanus I conquered Idumea (when southern Judah was included). The Idumeans were compelled to adopt Jewish customs, including circumcision (Josephus—Antiquities 13.257-258). Idumeans (Edom, and the mixed Arab nations that migrated into the land) became “Jews.” Herod the Great was a “Jew” whose family was Idumean.

According to David’s prophecy in Psalm 108, during Israel’s casting away, the “people” would do valiantly against her enemies, bringing God into Edom.

In AD 70, Israel was again driven from her land. She began to return in the early 30s and by 1948, Israel reestablished its presence in the “Holy Land.” The boundaries defined by the UN Resolution affirming Israel’s right to exist as a nation among the nations of the world included the area formerly occupied by the Hasmanoeans, up to Israel’s current border with Jordan. Edom, as a distinct nation descended from Esau, no longer exists (Obadiah 1:1, 12-14, 17-18, especially verse 18 — written c586-550 BC).

Meanwhile, Israel continues to be “cast away” (Romans 11:15 (something that is not permanent: see Romans 1:1)), and still God fights with, for, and by His people.]