Ezekiel 38:12 to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.
to capture spoil and to seize plunder… Here are the intentions of Gog, the leader of Magog (Russia). The Russians are going to invade to steal natural resources from Israel.
“capture spoil” or shalal in the Hebrew. Per Strong’s Concordance, the word means: draw out, plunder, or take spoil.
“seize” or bazaz in the Hebrew. Per Strong’s, the word means: to spoil, plunder, prey upon, seize, or despoil.
Israel possesses “plunder” or baz in the Hebrew. This is the noun form of the verb above.
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Does the nation of Israel have anything worth taking?
News has emerged in early October 2015. Israel has discovered a vast oil deposit in the Golan Heights region north of the Sea of Galilee. http://www.nasdaq.com/article/major-shale-find-could-guarantee-israels-oil-supply-for-years-cm528693
The coast of Israel is home to two tremendous areas of natural gas. The Leviathan oil and gas basin in the Mediterranean Sea is believed to hold 1.7 billion barrels of oil. The basin also holds an estimated 122 trillion cubic feet of natural gas (Noble Energy, U.S. Geological Survey). A second oil and natural gas basin is the Tamar. It is estimated to hold 7.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas (Noble Energy).
The Dead Sea area provides magnesium, bromides, phosphates, potassium, calcium and chlorides of sodium. These minerals are important for the production of fertilizers and explosives. http://www.thetruthaboutisrael.uk/natural-resources/
Israel is known as a world leader for diamond cutting and polishing.
Technology development is a cornerstone of the Israeli economy. It has been coined the Silicon Wadi.
Israel is one of the world’s leading greenhouse food-exporting countries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Israel
…to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited… This is an accurate description of the land of Israel prior to their return to the land in the early 20th century. The land was known as chorbah in the Hebrew. Per Strong’s it means: a place laid waste, ruin, waste, desolation, or a desert.
… and against the people who are gathered from the nations… From the Balfour Declaration in 1917, the rebirth of a nation in 1948, to reclaiming Jerusalem as its capital in 1967, Jews have been returning to their land to the present day.
… who have acquired cattle and goods… Cows from Israel are noted to be the most productive in the world when it comes to milk. Cows are constantly monitored and under intense observation. Data is taken intently from a variety of perspectives.
http://www.jpost.com/Enviro-Tech/The-Israeli-cow-is-the-best-in-the-world
… who live at the center of the world. Notice God’s view of the nation Israel. This is where His people live. The geography of the nation is “the center of the world”.
As promised to the regions and tribes of Zebulun and Issachar, Deuteronomy 33:19b…For they will draw out the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the sand.
