“High expectations based on unconfirmed reports swirled around Arab capitals Sunday, Dec. 14, that US President Barack Obama, in league with Moscow and Tehran, had turned his longstanding anti-Assad policy on its head. He was said to be willing to accept Bashar Assad’s rule and deem the Syrian army the backbone of the coalition force battling the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant” – DEBKAfile. 

This will certainly upset the current trends in the Mideast in the following ways:

1. The US and Russia will be on the same side and Ukraine will have its support stripped away.
2. The US and Iran would also be further drawn together enabling Tehran a free hand to further develop nukes.
3. Hezbollah will be vindicated for their support of Assad.
4. Israel will repudiated for their support of anti-Assad forces and their stand against the further strengthening of Iran’s nuke program.
5. Saudi Arabia and the Gulf emirates will receive a “slap in the face” because they have invested large sums to defeat Assad.
6. The US-Russian deal almost certainly seals the push for a Palestinian State in 2016 when the UN is telling Israel to return to pre-1967 borders.

These new alignments may very well lead to war and they certainly show President Obama’s dislike of Israel and his obvious desire to weaken the US. While these events may catch political watchers by surprise, God is not surprised.  Long ago He foresaw events like these and  revealed them to His prophets. One such prophet is Joel.

“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.” – Joel 3:2

Jehoshaphat means Jehovah judges, so some versions translate this as “the valley of judgment” rather than “the valley of Jehoshaphat. Whichever is correct, it is clear that just as described in Psalm 2, the nations are thinking they will destroy Israel and thus throw off God’s yoke from them. But, they will not succeed! God will intervene and they will be destroyed. While the United States may not actually be there with the armies, which are likely Arab Muslims, it will not escape the judgment. Obama and his crowd of supporters will bring this upon the US as he pokes God in the eye, so to speak, willfully thinking God and Allah are the same.

The reason Jehoshaphat is referred to may be because this righteous king did face a similar situation which is described in 2 Chronicles, chapter 20. Overwhelming Arab forces were attacking him but he and all Judah called upon the Lord, and the Lord answered:

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” – 2 Chronicles 20:15

We had better remember, the Israelis may not be perfect or do everything right, but the land of Israel is God’s land. He will judge all those who try to divide it and He will bring the Jews to repentance as well.