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Introduction Asaph, was a Levite who was appointed by King David as the chief leader over worship and the entire group of musicians, (1Chr. 15:17- 19 & 16:5-7) . The king took a particular interest in ensuring that his worship group met his desires as to how the Lord should be worshiped. He issued them with a complete list of guidelines and everyday met with them. There were many ministers and teachers involved with this worship group while they established the ground rules of worship and often the Ark of the Covenant was brought before them, depending on the days’ needs. It is a far cry from some of our churches worship groups in our modern era. We are also able to gather that Asaph was actively involved in the prophetic ministry from David’s own words as well as being a “ seer ”, ( 1Chr. 25:1 & 29:30 ) . This leader was unique in that he was both a chief of worship and a prophet in which eleven Psalms are directly attributed to him, let alone many possible others which remain unidentified. The Psalm we are particularly focused with is his last Psalm, Psalm 83 as it is a mirror of events often associated with the Damascus prophecy and also parallels Israelites current plight in the Middle East.

A prophetic call to action He opens his song beckoning God to “ not remain silent ”, to “ not turn a deaf ear ”, or “ stand aloof ”, (Ps. 83:1) . It is openly apparent that he was speaking of time where the wonders and powers of God are absent from the land of Israel. Asaph raises a pressing concern, as the enemies of both God and his fellow Jews, were now openly showing their aggression with their “ growl ” and “ the rearing of their heads ”, (Ps. 83:2) . They were scheming, plotting and conspiring to bring about the downfall of Israel. Their aim was not only to conquer them, but to completely “ destroy them as a nation ” with the goal of their name being “ remembered no more ”, (Ps. 83:3- 4) . Asaph is in the next few verses about to describe ten groups of people, which jointly conspire and form an alliance against the Israelites, (Ps. 83:5).

The alliance of ten The first mentioned in the alliance are those from “ the tents of Edom ”. These were known as Edomites and were direct descendants of Jacob’s (Israel’s) brother, Esau. In the days of Asaph it was located in the southern parts of Israel and now associated with the area designated by the south western lands of Jordan . The Ishmaelites, was the son of Abraham born through Hagar while his faith in God regarding the promised son in Isaac, wavered. As the two step brothers grew up, it caused friction which exists to this day. According to the account in Genesis, Abraham at his wife’s request, sent both Hagar and Ishmael packing, (Gn. 21:8- 21) . From this day, they were always in conflict. Today, the Quran regards Ishmael as a prophet and believe he eventually became the father of the “twelve tribes of Ishmael” who were also called princes and were diametrically opposed to the “twelve tribes of Israel”. They eventually settled in the areas of western Arabia, which today is associated to groups within Saudi Arabia . It is interesting that in terms of Islamic belief, Ishmael was buried in Mecca, which today is the number one holiest site for all Muslims, situated in Saudi Arabia. Closely related to the Ishmaelites, Asaph mentions the Moabites and the Hagrites. One would expect this association since Hagar was Ishmael’s mother, who had remarried and had many other children. Since the Bible distinguishes these two enemies, it does suggest a different location. While some have suggested Egypt, the Biblical evidence supports that they were situated to the east of the Jordan River. Another account in Chronicles described a great battle in which three of the tribes of Israel decimated the Hagrite men, taking large plunder back to their land, (1 Chr. 5:18-22) . So it is almost with unanimous agreement that this refers to peoples in an area in modern day Jordan . Likewise, “ Moab ” was a territory in the mountainous areas east of the Dead Sea, which was in conflict with the Israelites. They too are located in modern day Jordan , (Ps. 83:6) . The fifth group which conspires against Israel are people referred to as “ Byblos ”. This is one of the oldest cities in the world, located in Lebanon , about 30 Kilometres, (20 miles) north of Lebanon’s modern day capital, Beirut. Today the actual city is known as Jubayl or Jebeil, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Interestingly, the sixth party in this evil alliance is “ Ammon ”, which lived between the valleys of Arnon and Jabbock and is also now a part of modern day Jordan . Amalek was a nomadic tribe which existed in the south of Israel. Today, it is believed to be the same area as the arid Negev and today the Palestinian Arabs in the West Bank lay claim to it. The seventh name mentioned in this alliance is Philistia. Although five key cities are mentioned in Ancient Israel, today the Philistines are Arabs who both live with the Israelites, those in Gaza and the West Bank. The ninth grouping listed is ancient Tyre, which today is also one of the oldest cities in modern day Lebanon . Finally, the tenth nation in this confederacy is “ Assyria ”, which was a large area incorporating Syria, south eastern Turkey and parts of northern Iraq.

These people are currently situated in the nations of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Syria, the southern most part of Turkey and arguably the northern parts of Iraq.

Interestingly, all these people who conspire against Israel are from Islamic nations, with the direct majority the neighbours of Israel and are in constant hostility with them. Historically, while all these nations have at many times been at war with Israel, they have never all turned on Israel at the same time. It does not mean that all these nations are unified against Israel, but rather the onslaught emanates from these people. In other words, it is not necessarily that all these countries join the war, but rather that people from these territories are involved. Some claim that this prophecy was fulfilled in King Jehoshaphat’s time, but the evidence of this combined force being destroyed and in the manner described just does not remotely meet it’s fulfillment. It is for this very reason that many scholars are now wakening up to this prophecy tucked away in the Psalms.

A likening of the destruction of the alliance Asaph, interestingly asks God to destroy them in a likewise manner to events which had already occurred. The destruction of “ Midian, Sisera and Jabin ” are all examples which resulted in their attackers being compared to “ dung on the ground ”, (Ps. 83:9-10) . Both these examples show the swiftness of both their death, the intensity of it, as well as their deserving fate. Both Jabin, who was king of Canaan at that time, as well as Sisera, who was his commander and chief, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Deborah, a judge and a prophet of that time, ordered Barak to attack the forces of King Jabin. In the first attack every single man was killed, where Sisera managed to escape on foot, (Judges 4:16) . He then managed to escape to one of his allies, where a woman named Jael met him, assured him of safety and when he fell asleep, she took a tent peg and drove it through his head so hard, it lodged in the concrete. The enemy was so decimated that Israel plundered everything the former king of Canaan had gathered. Nothing remained of the enemy. In his praise, Asaph reminds the Lord of the ruthless destruction of the Midianites. Two of their kings, Oreb and Zeeb, had threated to occupy the lands of Israel. This time it was Gideon who decimated the aggressive forces and seized eventually both kings, decapitating them. What these aggressors had in common, is that they had the exact same idea: “ Let us take possession of the pasture lands of God ”, (Ps. 83:12) . The second thing they had in common is that they were totally decimated.

The key phrases in the prophecy There are three phrases that are key in understanding their relationship to other potential prophecies. He asks God to “ make them like tumbleweed ”, “ like chaff before the wind ”, (Ps. 83:13) . He likens their judgment as being swift as “ fire consuming the forest or a flame that sets the mountain ablaze ”, (Ps. 83:14) . Finally just as the attacking armies were completely plundered by the examples he had just given, Asaph prophecies that the Lord will “ pursue them ” and “ terrify them with your storm ”, (Ps. 83:15) . Obviously Christians are not encouraged to pray like this. This was no ordinary person nor an ordinary prayer. Asaph was a prophet declaring an event in the future. As mentioned, none of these armies have formed such an alliance that has ever been so completely devastated. The purpose of his prophecy, is not just the complete destruction of Israel’s closest enemies, but so they will be “ ashamed ”, “ dismayed ”, “ disgraced ” and the few survivors “ will seek your name ”, (Ps. 83:16-17) . It is only with their complete and comprehensive destruction, will they actually realize that the Lord is “ the Most High over all the earth ”, (Ps. 83:18) . It is also with these words that Asaph ends this Psalm. Remarkably, it is a very similar alliance uttered by the Damascus destruction in the book of Isaiah, that feature in this prophecy. In Isaiah’s prophecy, the emphasis is on the destruction of Syria’s capital, Damascus and the utter destruction of the area in West Jordan, together with the West Bank in an uprising, that is quelled overnight. While similar modern day countries are identified between these two prophecies, this is not what makes many believe they are related. Rather, in both prophecies, their goal is to annihilate Israel, loot and plunder them and decimate any survivors so the Jewish race will cease to exist, (Ps. 83:3-4 & Is 17:14) . They also use the exact same phrase, nearly word for word, not mentioned in any other prophecy: “ Make them like tumbleweed ”, “ like chaff before the wind ”, (Ps.83:13 & Is. 17:13) . Finally, in both cases, the enemy alliance will “ cover their faces with shame ” and will “ seek the Lord ”, (Ps.83:16 & Is. 17:7) .

The current prophetic landscape Israel as a nation today has a multiple number of enemies in the region, both local and foreign. Besides from the common threats from Iran and Turkey, they are surrounded locally with aggressive Islamic hordes on their doorstep, making any chance for peace in the future extremely remote. The Arabs in the Gaza Strip, those referred to as Palestinians in the West Bank, the south eastern front of Lebanon are constantly terrorizing Jewish citizens. Whether it is firing missiles into Israeli territory, uprisings around the Temple Mount, stabbing innocent Jewish citizens, or sending drones with weapons built to inflict massive damage to the Jewish people and their economy, this is a trend gaining momentum each year. It has resulted in wars, but never a full onslught against Israel at the same time. There have also been two Palestinian intifada’s which the Jews managed to quell in recent years. Most scholars believe that a strong local alliance will form according to the prophecies of Asaph and Isaiah, which will pave the way for Jerusalem and the nation of Israel to feel at relative peace in their homeland. Interestingly, the tribes, peoples and nations mentioned in both these prophecies are not present in the war of Gog and Magog. Their absence, strongly supports the view that they are eliminated and serve as a pre-cursor to Gog and his alliance attempt to invade Israel from the far north. In both prophecies, Israel’s local enemies will be dealt a decisive and a comprehensive defeat in which they are like chaff, carried away by the wind. Their lands will be decimated and the few that survive, will know that the Lord is in control of Israel’s destiny.