The Middle East in Prophecy: Study II

That Sodom and her surrounding villages will be revived, can be readily concluded from Ezek.16.53-61. The deeper reason is that since Judah and Israel and Jerusalem in particular, have been more apostate in God's eyes than Sodom; also Sodom (who is called Jerusalem's sister) will be restored. Actually from verses 53 and 55 it may be apparent that the restitution of Sodom and Samaria will precede that of Jerusalem (at the beginning of the Millennium in all probability).

From the prophet Obadiah it can be understood that even Edom will play some kind of national rôle in the end time. Verse 15 refers to the day of the Lord, which is also (Is.61.2) called the day of vengeance of God. [Notice that the acceptable year is the time of the Lord's ministry (cf. Lu.4.16-20) and that, within the same verse, the vengeance speaks of the Apocalypse, the seventieth and last week of Daniel (cf. Dan.9.24-27). That is why the Lord closed the scroll, as the next phrase within the same verse would have to wait at least another two thousand years!]

In fact, different ancient (biblical) nations and various ancient great cities such as Tyrus (in the form of a daughter [Ps.45.12]) and Damascus, will be revived by God. In how far this will affect today's nations with their borders, I do not know. The Middle-East, it might be said, is and will be 'in labor'; as it is also said of the Jewish nation. [See e.g. Jer.14.21; Is.26.17,18; Is.66.7 (!)(the Lord Jesus came before the national end time of child pangs)].

Nineveh, it seems will not be revived (cf. Nahum), nor will the city of Tyrus (itself[see Ezek. 26.21]). The ancient Babylon (AS situated in the present Iraq) will play no part anymore either it seems (cf. Is.14.22).