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LEBANON
(Continued from page 4)
passage of these armies has been
preserved in a unique set of
inscriptions in stone spanning
sorne 33 centuries.
In tbe 13th century B.C., Egyp–
tian pharaoh Rameses 11 recorded
his triumphs in Phoenicia on a
rock clitf by the Nahr al Kalb
(Dog River) north of Beirut. Fol–
lowing his example, successive
Assyrian, Persian, Greek a nd
Roman conquerors cut their
respective records into the rock.
In 1799, Napoleon, on his way
from Egypt to Syria, added his
name to the long list. And in
1918, British General A llenby
inscribed his accomplishments
there.
Over the centuries, the ancient
Canaanitish peoples were gradual–
ly reduced in numbers by con–
quering armies. Other peoples–
primarily Arabs, but other stocks
also-have moved in and settled
on the land.
The gospels record that Jesus
visited the coasts of Tyre and S idon
(Matt. 15:21 ). Phenice or Phoeni–
cia is also mentioned in the first
century book of Acts ( ll: 19; 15:3;
21 :2). Soon afterward, however,
the name of Phoenicia disappeared
from history.
Ancient Prophecies-For Today!
Phoenicia and its original Canaan–
ite populations have passed into his–
tory. But the once-powerful cities
of Phoenicia continue to play an
important role in Mideast events
today.
Bible prophecy has not ignored
these coastal cities of the region
today called Lebanon. The proph–
ets Jeremiah and Ezekiel especially
have a great deal to say about these
cities.
A few of their prophecies were
fulfilled anciently. Sorne ·were ful–
filled only in part. And many are
yet to be
accomplished in the days
just ahead!
Lebanon is rarely spoken of in
prophecy as a single entity. Biblical
prophecies focus on the various cit–
ies of Lebanon individually. The
dismemberment of the country in
September/October 1982
recent years into separate enclaves
thus fits perfectly into the overall
picture anciently laid out in proph–
ecy.
The city of Tyre, a center of PaJ–
estinian Arabs today, is an illustra–
tion. It is the subject of a prophecy
spanning sorne 26 centuries! God
revealed to Ezekiel that He would
bring "many nations" against Tyre,
"as the sea causeth bis waves to
come up" (26:3). That is, one after
another.
King Nebuchadnezzar of Baby–
Ion delivered the first blow. In his
footsteps carne a lengthy succession
of conquerors, including Alexander
the Great, who have made a spoil of
Tyre's riches over the centuries
(26:12). The final blow will be
delivered by God himself at the end
of this age (26:13-14, 19-21). Tyre
will come to a dreadful end. "I wi ll
utterly destroy you, and you shall
exist no longer ... " God declares
(26:21, Motfatt version).
Today once-great Tyre is but a
minor port. Its former power has
been eroded by successive waves of
devastation by foreign intruders. In
recent years, Tyre, like Sidon to
the north, has been a Pal–
estinian guerrilla strong–
hold. And despite recent
Israelí triumphs, proph–
ecy-as we shall see–
indicates that Palestinian
guerrillas will yet play a
role in Tyre and other cit–
ies of Lebanon!
Vast Confederacy
As with Tyre, the biblical
prophecies for Sidon and
other cities of the region are largely
messages of denunciation- warn–
ings of continuing conflict, and of
impending caJamity and destruc–
tion.
Notice especiall y prophetic
Psalm 83. Here we find described a
coming coalition of nations of the
Middle East whose purpose will be
to
eradicate
the name of Israel!
They will say, "Come, and Jet us
cut them off from being a nation;
that the name of Israel may be no
more in remembrance" (verse 4).
This prophecy could never have
been fulfilled until this 20th cen–
tury. Why?
Since ancient times (the 8th cen-