Well, we’ve sailed through past history, looking first at God’s miracles at Jericho and Mount Gilboa.  Now our ship is headed to the future to get a hint of God’s miracle-working power on behalf of Israel in the future.   By now, I hope you are convinced that God has not run out of miracles!

The Bible tells us of a time when a mighty army will invade Israel from the north.  Oh friends, what a study that will be!  But that’s for another day.  Today we’ll simply look at how it ends because God has at least one more incredibly miraculous war victory up His sleeve!  Read Ezekiel 39:1-6.

Though we have yet to develop the cast of characters, you quickly recognize that God is instructing Ezekiel to prophesy against actions taken against Israel, His beloved land.

In the end times, God will demonstrate His great love for His chosen people by destroying another enemy!  Today I’ve given you only a tiny glimpse of the miraculous victory in an all-out assault on Israel in the future.  Next week, we will study the northern invasion in detail, so that you understand the gravity of this prophetic miraculous victory.

For a few moments, though, let’s turn our focus to types of warfare we see developing today.  There is a new form of “battle” evolving today, and it involves technology.  Suppose an enemy could intentionally and very purposefully shut down the power grid in Israel, the US or other countries around the world.  Or suppose someone came up with a way to cause all electronic equipment to malfunction at once.  Sound futuristic?  Would you believe there is technology capable of that right now?  It’s not a matter of “if,” but a matter of “when.”  Such weapons are “ready and waiting.”  .

In mid-2010, an interesting electronic weapon came on the scene.  It became known that Iranian nuclear plants were hit with a lethal computer virus called Stuxnet.  Believed (but not confirmed) to have been planted by Israeli or American infiltrators, Stuxnet severely crippled Iran’s ability to proceed in uranium enrichment.  Though undoubtedly a short-term “victory” for those opposed to Iranian nuclear capability, did this new cyber-weapon open Pandora’s Box by inviting the not-so-trustworthy to use this weapon to their advantage?

Carolyn Glick, a journalist for the Jerusalem Post, helps put the dangers in perspective.  In her article, The Lessons of Stuxnet, scientists describe how this particular virus works and how it affected Iranian nuclear installations, effectively shutting down the entire operation temporarily.  Glick goes on to state, “No other malware program has ever managed to move from cyberspace to the real world.  And this is what makes Stuxnet so revolutionary.  It is not a tool of industrial espionage. It is a weapon of war.”

Testing of other non-conventional weapon has been conducted in North Korea, Iran and other nations.  Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) weaponry is a growing threat.  Designed to take out power grids and other electrical systems across extremely large areas, a single warhead mounted to a single missile is not even required to hit a target.  Rather, it is simply detonated high in the atmosphere, rendering most electronic equipment within a very wide radius useless.  This type of technology is readily available and is being further developed by countries with evil intent.

Though technology has proven to have incredible benefits, it has also ratcheted up the ability of those who strive to cause harm to do so.  But the question is: Despite technological advances and evil intent, will God remain faithful to His people and to His promises?  Of course, the answer is a resounding, “YES!”  As believers, we can be encouraged that, despite what our enemies intend for evil, God will continue to bless righteousness.  Likewise, His faithfulness to Israel is from generation to generation.  He will be faithful to the very end.  We can count on it!

We will finish this week’s Individual Study by examining God’s heart toward Israel.  Be sure to pray for her, and then join us tomorrow!  Meanwhile, happy sailing!