Bill Salus is a well known an author and speaker on the subject of end time bible prophecy. In particular he is the originator of the proposed eschatological fulfilment of Psalm 83.
Psalm 83 is the last of twelve psalms attributed to Asaph the son of Berachiah. (Psalms 50, 73–83). Asaph was a seer and a significant figure in the Old Testament. He was one of three Levites King David chose to minister before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing and public worship. (1 Chronicles 6:31-32). This took place at the tent that David had erected on Mount Zion to house the ark of the covenant where it rested until Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem. Asaph's all important pedigree is recorded in 1 Chronicles 6:39-48.
Based on Psalm 83, Salus forecasts an imminent Arab-Israeli conflict involving the modern day equivalent of the ten nations in verses 6-8. Salus argues that since none of Israel's immediate neighbours are mentioned in Ezekiel 38:1-6, a prior conflict must occur which will eliminate their near neighbours as a precursor to the Ezekiel 38-39 events. He speculates that the so called "prophesied war" of the Arab
nations against Israel will occur prior to the 70th week of Daniel. According to Salus, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) will completely annihilate their ancient enemies and will annex their lands. Salus continues to speculate that following the annihilation of their enemies, Israel's mindset will be one of ease and confidence, leaving them ripe for the Ezekiel 38 Gog/Magog attack:
I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates.. (Ezekiel 38:11 cf. Zechariah 2:4-5).*
* I am not dogmatic, but I tend to think that the Gog/Magog war will occur at the end of the millennium. The description of the attack by Gog and Magog in Revelation 20:9 corresponds to Ezekiel 38:11.
The ten nation confederacy of Psalm 83 comprised: ..the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Tyre and Assyria. (Psalm 83:6-8)
According to Salus: “The modern equivalents of the Psalm 83 confederates are: tents of Edom (Palestinian Refugees and Southern Jordanians), Ishmaelites (Saudi Arabians), Moab (Palestinian Refugees and Central Jordanians), Hagrite^ (Egyptians), Gebal (Northern Lebanese), Ammon (Palestinian Refugees and Northern Jordanians), Amalek (Arabs South of Israel), Philistia (Palestinian Refugees and Hamas of the Gaza Strip), inhabitants of Tyre (Hezbollah and Southern Lebanese), Assyria (Syrians and perhaps Northern Iraqi’s), and the children of Lot (Moab and Ammon above). {1}
Salus erroneously identifies the Hagrites as Egypt due to their progenitor, Hagar, the Egyptian maidservant of Sarah. (Genesis 16:1; 21:9-10). In fact, the Hagrite clans were associated with the Ishmaelites and they inhabited the regions of Jetur, Naphish and Nodab, east of Gilead. (1 Chronicles 5:10). {2}
Salus identification of the the tents of Edom as Palestinian refugees and Central Jordanians is unconvincing. According to various commentaries, some of these people, particularly the Ishmaelites, were nomadic and dwelt in tents. Albert Barnes: "..the Edomites were a people of fixed boundaries, who in early periods, like most ancient people, doubtless dwelt in tents." {3}
Further considerations
The king of the north (the Antichrist) versus the king of the south (Egypt)
At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. (Daniel 11:40-43).
Benson:
"And shall overflow and pass over — Shall over- spread the land, breaking in and opening himself a passage everywhere by the vast power of his forces." {4}
Keil and Delitzsch: "The stretching forth of his hand upon the countries is a sign expressive of his seizing them, taking possession of them, for which he falls upon them." {5}
..but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites.
Note: According to Daniel 11:41, Edom, Moab and the Ammonites are not eliminated by the IDF before the 70th week of Daniel as Salus speculates!
A few thoughts: At the beginning of the 70th week, the Antichrist will make a seven year "firm covenant with many" involving Israel and her near neighbours. This will allow the Jews to build the third temple and to commence animal sacrifices. (Daniel 9:27, 11:31 cf. Matthew 24:15-16). This long awaited breakthrough suggests that the covenant brokered by the Antichrist will be compelling and will necessitate a cessation of the historic hostility between Israel and her ancient enemies. Daniel 11:40-43 concerns "the time of the end" and does not apply to Antiochus Epiphanes. It appears that the Antichrist will defeat Egypt (the king of the south), and will seize and subjugate various middle eastern countries. (Revelation 6:1). Will it be that Israel will temporarily be in the eye of a satanic storm raging all around them, and that the Antichrist will shield them from the wars and famines inflicted on the world via the four horsemen? If this is correct, then Israel will have good cause to feel confident that the Antichrist is their true friend and ally. The Antichrist will be devious and persuasive beyond that of any human agency. (Daniel 11:40-42, 8:23). The guile of Antiochus Epiphanes foreshadows what will happen with the Antichrist: He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. (Daniel 11:21). Taking the above factors into consideration, I think it is reasonable to conclude that the Jews will be persuaded to think themselves secure during the first half of the 70th week. (Ezekiel 38:11).
*Salus places the seals and other prophecies in a “gap” period prior to the 70th week. However, this view is not consistent with the scriptures:
THE FIRST SEAL - THE WHITE HORSE (THE ANTICHRIST): And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer. (Revelation 6:2).
THE SECOND SEAL - THE RED HORSE (WAR): Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword. (Revelation 6:4).
THE THIRD SEAL- THE BLACK HORSE (FAMINE): And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!” (Revelation 6:5-6).
THE FOURTH SEAL - THE PALE HORSE: And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:7-8).
At the mid point of the 70th week, the Antichrist will break his covenant, he will desecrate the temple, and his armies will surround Jerusalem. This will signal the time of Jacob's trouble when the Antichrist's unprecedented persecution against the Jews will begin. These events will be overseen by Satan himself and implemented by the Antichrist. (Revelation 12:13).
Before Bill Salus came up with his theory and published his book
Isralestine in 2008, the consensus among bible scholars was that the ten nation confederacy poised to attack Judah in Psalm 83 was the 2 Chronicles 20 incident during the reign of Jehoshaphat (note the reference to Asaph in 2 Chronicles 20:14). The supposed mismatch between the three nation tribes in 2 Chronicles 20 and the ten nation confederacy in Psalm 83 is not strictly accurate since there are overlaps. For instance the Ammonites had close links with Syria and both passages include elements from Turkey and Syria. We should also bear in mind that scriptural accounts of specific events are not necessarily identical. The gospels are a clear example of this. The Moabites and the Ammonites were amongst the bitterest of all the adversaries of the Jews and it is only natural that Asaph would name them as the primary movers. (
Kings 24:2;
Ezekiel 25:8-11). As such, it would not be surprising if various other tribes not mentioned in 2 Chronicles 20 formed part of their alliance against Judah.
Lange:
" {Psalm 83} agrees best with the alliance formed against Jehoshaphat, at the head of which were the Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites (since Kimchi, especially Venema and most of the recent commentators). Yet it must be confessed that even under this assumption there is much to be supplied and left to pure conjecture. For Josephus (Ant. 10:1, 2), gives a multitude of Arabs instead of the Meunim mentioned by the Chronicler. These may possibly be identical with the Ishmaelites and the Hagarenes here mentioned. The latter pitched their tents from the Persian Gulf as far as the country east of Gilead towards the Euphrates (1 Chronicles 10:10), while the former spread themselves (Genesis 25:18), through the Sinaitic peninsula over the Arabian Desert as far as the countries under the sway of the Assyrians in the remote north-east. Now, since in 2 Chronicles 20:2, we must read מֵאֶדְֹם instead of מֵאֲרָם, as indicating the place of departure of these hordes, Edom appears to have been their place of rendezvous, and is given the first place by the Psalmist for this reason, unless we prefer to assume that the hostile nations were enumerated according to their relative geographical positions (Delitzsch). Further we can find a place for Gebal, which is not to be sought to the east of Jordan (Rosenm., De Wette), but south of the Dead Sea, (Gesenius) among the inhabitants of Mt. Seir mentioned by the Chronicler. We can certainly assume also, that Amalek, which was still existing in his time was included by him among the Edomites in the same way as Josephus (Ant. 2:1, 2), reckons ᾼμαληκῖτις as part of Idumæa. In Amos 1:6, too (comp. Joel 4:4,) the tribes along the Mediterranean coast, the Philistines and Phœnicians, appear as combined against Israel. Nor, if the same event is referred to as the one dwelt upon in the Psalm, does it appear in this instance also why the Chronicler omitted them as well as Assyria in his enumeration of the allies. If we assume, then, the identity of the events, the conjecture is at least worth mentioning, that the Levite and Asaphite Jahaziel named in 2 Chronicles 20:14, was the author of this Psalm. (Dathe, Hengst., Delitzsch)." {6}
According to
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and other commentaries on the eschatological context of Isaiah 25:10, Moab is the representative of all the foes of God's people.
Pulpit Commentary:
"Perhaps, as the Moabites were, on the whole, the bitterest of all the adversaries of the Jews (see 2 Kings 24:2; Ezekiel 25:8-11), they are regarded as the fittest representatives of the human adversaries of God." {7}
Taking the above into consideration, there is not such a mismatch between Psalm 83 and 2 Chronicles 20 after all.
Balaam's Fourth Oracle
A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab
and strike down all the sons of Sheth. Edom will become a possession, as will Seir, his enemy; but Israel will perform with valor. A ruler will come from Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city. (Numbers 24:17-19).
The above prophecy received its primary fulfilment during King David's reign. (2 Samuel 8:14). However its ultimate fulfilment is clearly linked with the return of Jesus Christ.
Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” (Isaiah 63:1-4).
Since Moab and Edom will be destroyed by Jesus Christ at his second coming, then their prior annihilation in a supposed Psalm 83 war is implausible.
The 2 Chronicles 20 incident records that the planned attack against Judah did not materialize due to God's direct intervention, causing Judah's enemies to destroy one another. (2 Chronicles 20:22-23). This explains the objection by Salus and others that there is no Old Testament fulfilment of this war. Psalm 83 does not actually describes a "war", but only schemes, conspiracies and plots. Psalm 83 is therefore not a "missing eschatalogical prophecy", but rather a past threat against Judah that came to nothing.
Psalm 83 is not presented within a prophetic framework; rather in common with Psalms 79, 80, 82, and 85, Psalm 83 is a "lament” written in the present tense. Asaph is described as a seer in the OT. A seer is the equivalent of a prophet i.e. someone who "sees". We should bear in mind that the OT prophets were spokespersons for God. Their frame of reference was not necessarily eschatological. Asaph's writings do not contain specific eschatological elements as in the case in the books of Daniel, Joel, Habakkuk, Zephaniah etc. There are no specific phrases that identify Psalm 83 as a future event and there is no other verse in the bible that confirms Salus' interpretation. (Matthew 18:16). Prophetic material typically has phrases like "in that day", “in the latter days”, “in those days", "at that time" etc. This lack of clarity necessitates that a prophetic interpretation of Psalm 83 relies on conjecture rather than clear exegesis.
It is important to recognize that OT prophets often referred to current situations and circumstances. This is precisely the case in 2 Chronicles 20:
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God. Tomorrow you are to march down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’ ” (2 Chronicles 20:14-17).
Another reason Salus gives for the Psalm 83 war: The intention of Israel's enemies is utter annihilation:
“Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” (Psalm 83:4). This intention cannot be isolated to a specific eschatological event since Israel's annihilation has been the general objective of her enemies throughout history. (
2 Kings 24:2;
2 Chronicles 20:11;
Psalms 138:7;
Psalm1; Maccabees 3:35; 5:2).
Who are the people propagating Salus' Psalm 83 theory?
I have observed that those who give Salus house room have accepted his theory on a superficial level and have not been diligent in testing his claims. (1 John 4:1). They are generally those who have no qualms about unleashing various dubious theories onto the Body of Christ ~the pre-trib rapture is a prime example of this! Salus is a regular guest on TBN and Daystar. He has also been associated with Jack Hibbs, Tom Hughes, Jonathan Cahn, Billy Crone, Gary Stearman, Sid Roth etc. These teachers are all in the pre-trib rapture loop and their eschatology is twisted in order to accommodate this grave error.
Salus informs us that he sought the expertise of Arnold Fruchtenbaum regarding his theory. This should not impress us. Not only is Fruchtenbaum heavily involved with Lausanne which is ecumenical, his theology is flawed on many levels. {8}
Salus' mentor was Chuck Missler. Again we should not be impressed. Missler (also pre-trib) was a plagiarist and a supporter of Sun Myung Moon (Moonies). {9} Missler produced a two part video series on YouTube presenting the Psalm 86 "alternative view" of the Magog Invasion. Undoubtedly Missler was influential in persuading believers to accept Salus' aberrant teaching. {10}
Salus' Newspaper Exegesis
Salus' teaching regarding the timing of the so called "war" of Psalm 83 is highly speculative and irresponsible. He makes the common error of applying current events and trends from the media to the scriptures. Unfortunately Salus is fond of quoting eschatological verses out of context in order to further his cause. In doing so he misleads believers into misinterpreting the events of the 70th week and preceding. As others have pointed out before me, Moab and Edom will be destroyed by Jesus Christ at his second coming, not by the IDF. This single fact alone demolishes Salus thesis. Salus' speculations produce a lot of hype, and no doubt they generate interest and a lucrative market for his products, but they lack solid exegesis. (1 John 4:1).
Further Reading:
