SYRIA IN PROPHECY: Is Chaos in Syria Fulfilling Bible Prophecy?

 

Is Chaos in Syria Fulfilling Bible Prophecy? -  http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2017/april/is-chaos-in-syria-fulfilling-bible-prophecy

 

The Syrian conflict - and the U.S. decision to strike a base inside the embattled country - is leading to increased concerns about the future of the nation's civil war, the state of the humanitarian crisis and the best political path forward for diffusing the situation.

 

But in addition to the ongoing chatter about practical and logistical steps countries like America should take to remedy the crisis there has also been an intense theological debate brewing, with Christians debating whether the events unfolding on the ground in Syria could have some sort of connection to the Bible.

 

While some point to the current crisis as evidence of "prophecy" - a biblical prediction of an event that has yet to unfold - others decry this notion as irresponsible and wrong-headed. Let's start by examining arguments made by author Joel Rosenberg, who has has pointed to Old Testament scriptures like Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49 to potentially assess the current events unfolding inside Syria.

 

"We're watching Damascus unravel...is that the prelude to the completion of those prophesies?" he rhetorically asked, pointing back to Isaiah and Jeremiah, which both say that the city will be "destroyed." "We don't know, but Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city on the planet...so the fact that it is coming apart is quite extraordinary."

 

Following Russia's air strikes targeting rebels in Syria in October 2015, questions began reemerging in evangelical circles about whether events surrounding the country's ongoing civil war, which began in 2011, were tied in any way to biblical prophecy.

 

Rosenberg published a blog post in the wake of the air strikes claiming that Russian president Vladimir Putin is "working hand-in- glove with Iran's government" in formulating operations in Syria. It came the same week as reports that Iran was waging a ground attack, while Russia was carrying out assaults from the air.

 

"The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel wrote 2,500 years ago that in the 'last days' of history, Russia and Iran will form a military alliance to attack Israel from the north," Rosenberg wrote. "Bible scholars refer to this eschatological conflict, described in Ezekiel 38-39, as the 'War of Gog & Magog.'" He added, "Are these sudden and dramatic moves by Moscow and Tehran...simply coincidental, or [do they] have prophetic implications?"

 

Rosenberg's question is at the center of the very debate surrounding Iran, Syria, and Russia and their perceived involvement in the end times-one that has attracted a great deal of attention both in Christian circles and in media over the years, as I covered in my book "Armageddon Code."

 

For those who believe Syria will play a role in eschatological (end times) scenarios, Isaiah 17:1-3 is paramount. It reads, "See, Damascus will cease from being a city; it shall be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and no one shall make them afraid. e fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Aram; they shall be as the glory of the sons of Israel, says the Lord of Hosts."

 

The Syria example is perhaps a perfect paradigm to see how those with divergent theological viewpoints approach the same texts in very different ways. Consider that the first portion about a "ruinous heap" has some wondering if the present Syria crisis was prophesied in the Bible, but some scholars have countered that Damascus was already destroyed and that this verse refers to an attack by the Assyrians that unfolded in 732 BC (we'll get there in a second).

 

Specifically noting Isaiah 17:1-3 and Jeremiah 49:23-27, Rosenberg explained in a separate 2013 blog piece that-despite some experts referencing the Assyrian attack-Damascus's destruction has not yet happened. Jeremiah 49:23-27 pledges judgment upon Damascus, proclaiming that it has "become helpless" and that a fire will be kindled in its walls.

 

"These prophecies have not yet been fulfilled. Damascus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth. It has been attacked, besieged, and conquered," Rosenberg wrote. "But Damascus has never been completely destroyed and left uninhabited."

 

But not everyone is on board with the claim that the Old Testament could be describing future-or even current-events that will befall Syria. "Bible Answer Man" Hank Hanegraaff also spoke about supposed biblical prophecies associated with the end times back in 2013 on his radio show. A caller asked about claims that the Book of Isaiah details coming destruction for Damascus, a notion to which Hanegraaff pushed back.

 

"So, what you're saying is they're tying in the passages in Isaiah to what is currently happening in Syria...and this is just a classic example of newspaper eschatology and shame on the pastors that are doing this, because it either is a case of them not knowing the word of God, which seems unlikely to me, or simply wanting to invite sensationalism and sophistry," he responded. "If you look at what the Bible actually says, it is very clear that the fulfillment comes in the biblical text as well." And Hanegraaff wasn't done there.

 

"This whole notion is fulfilled in biblical history when the king of the Assyria captured and destroyed Damascus...if you look at Isaiah chapter 7, there's a permutation of this as well...you see the fulfillment in the very next chapter, Isaiah chapter 8," he continued.

 

Hanegraaff went on to say that some pastors' decisions to transport pieces of prophecy to the 21st century are irresponsible. He called the action "embarrassing" and said that those pastors and Bible experts who embrace the idea are "dragging Christ's name through the mud." He simply doesn't believe that, on these matters, the Bible's writers were looking so fervently into the future, and he contends that they were speaking about prophecy that would unfold in the immediate and that has already come to pass.

 

Rather than reading the Scriptures for what they are, he believes that some theologians are "reading into the Scriptures their own eschatological views."

 

Dr. Candida Moss, a professor of New Testament and early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame, also penned a 2013 article attempting to debunk claims that Damascus may play a role in the end times - and she said that the city has already been repeatedly conquered.

 

"Isaiah lived and wrote in the eighth century BCE [BC] and scholars think that the original prophecy referred to the conquest of Damascus by the Assyrians in 732 BCE [BC]," she wrote. "But that's not the only time Damascus has seen conflict."

 

Moss went on to list those who had conquered Damascus, including Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar and Alexander the Great. She also explained that, in the 7th century, Damascus was in the middle of a Muslim siege led by General Khalid ibn al-Walid. Later the Turco-Mongol armies of Timur conquered it around the turn of the 15th century, killing the entire population and apparently erecting a tower built with severed heads.

 

In the end, the debate is fascinating, as both sides-comprised of individuals who agree on central Christian doctrine-couldn't disagree more about the alleged signs and symbols present within the Bible's complex text.

 

Should We Take Out Assad? - By Michael Brown - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1142

 

Secretary of State Tillerson says that Bashar Assad is guilty of using chemical weapons against his own people. 

 

Former Congressman Ron Paul says there's no way Assad would do this at this point in time. 

 

A report on Infowars claims that Syrian rebels are responsible for the attack. President Trump blames Obama's inaction for what happened in Syria. Senator McCain rips Trump.

 

Do we really know what's going on in Syria? And even if we did, should we try to remove Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad?

 

According to Rex Tillerson, "There is no doubt in our mind and the information we have supports that Syria, the Syrian regime under the leadership of Bashar al-Assad are responsible for this attack and I think further it's very important that the Russian government consider carefully their continued support for the Assad regime."

 

According to Ron Paul, "It doesn't make any sense for Assad under these conditions to all of a sudden use poison gasses," he continued. "I think there is a zero chance he would have done, you know, this deliberately."

 

According to Infowars, "the White Helmets, a al-Qaeda affiliated group funded by George Soros and the British government, reportedly staged the sarin attack on civilians in the Syrian city of Khan Shaykhun to lay blame on the Syrian government."

 

Who's right?

 

Obviously, the Trump administration has far more intel than any of us, and America has already launched its first attack on an airfield in Syria.

 

But our previous missteps in the Middle East call for caution. We should not act unilaterally until we have a long-term plan.

 

Think back to Iraq.

 

We may have had the best intentions in removing Saddam Hussein from power, and he was certainly guilty of horrific crimes. 

 

But his removal created a vacuum of power in the region, contributing to the rise of ISIS and the terrible persecution of Christians (and others). What happens if we take out Assad?

 

Right-wing commentator Paul Joseph Watson expressed his concerns in one tweet: "Regime change in Syria = More dead children More terrorism More refugees ISIS taking the entire country Possible war with Russia. Disaster

 

The problem is that the sarin attack is so ghastly that it feels criminal not to act.

 

Who can forget the images of the gassed children? Who can forget the picture of the father holding his dead baby twins?

 

If war is hell, the war in Syria has been a special kind of hell, a literal inferno of suffering. Yet this latest attack has crossed yet another line.

 

But for that very reason, we must act cautiously and carefully, especially now that we have struck our first retaliatory blow.

 

Hundreds of thousands of lives have already been lost. Unspeakable atrocities have already been committed. People have been blown to bits, ripped apart, maimed, tortured, and more.

 

Children have lost their parents and parents have lost their children. Whole families have been destroyed in a single day. 

 

The peace-loving have been butchered side by side with the terrorists, and really bad guys are present on all sides of the battle.

 

In short, while the sarin attack crossed a definite line, other lines have been crossed time and again (do you remember President Obama's red line?). 

 

And so, we must act, but we must act prudently. The most recent atrocity, as appalling as it is, cannot force our hand.

 

What then do we do?

 

First, if we are not 100 percent sure that the Assad regime is responsible for the chemical attack, we must continue gathering information, even after our first strikes. 

 

The lasting controversy over WMD's in Iraq serves as a cautionary warning.

 

Second, we must think through the long-term regional implications of whatever actions we take, lest our actions lead to even greater suffering and instability.

 

Third, we must do what we can to support the best players in this bloody drama (if such players exist) while doing our best to protect and aid the innocent, like Syrian Christians who have been caught in the crossfire.

 

Fourth, we must pray for God's kingdom to come to Syria, in the words of the Lord's prayer. Only divine intervention can bring real healing to that ravaged nation.

 

 

Three Snippets - By Daymond Duck - http://www.raptureready.com/2017/04/09/three-snippets/

 

This is a quick report on three subjects that have caught my attention lately.

 

First, Israel and Syria will get into a war at the end of the age. Damascus, Syria will be destroyed in one night and Israel will suffer great damage in the north (Isaiah 17).

 

In late March 2017, Israel struck Hezbollah and Iranian targets inside Syria four times in one week.

 

Syria responded with a message through Russia that basically said if Israel attacks Syrian territory again, Syria will launch SCUD missiles into Israeli territory.

 

Many prophecy teachers believe this war (and perhaps a Psa. 83 war) is closely associated with the battle of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38-39).

 

The battle of Gog and Magog will take place in the latter days and latter years (at the very end of the age).

 

Second, a March 26, 2017 article by Dave Hodges titled "Who Will Go to a FEMA Camp?" caught my attention.

 

Mr. Hodges pointed out that globalists are afraid of those that criticize the New World Order (World Government). They believe that critics can sway elections and that makes them dangerous (for example the 2016 defeat of Mrs. Clinton).

 

According to Mr. Hodges, globalists are willing to do whatever it takes to silence their critics.

 

They are calling reports that go against their globalist agenda "fake news" and working to silence their critics.

 

They may be able to do that in a matter of months and the public will no longer get the truth.

 

As far as I am concerned, the U.S. has already reached the point where major newspapers, TV networks and radio stations are no longer reporting the truth.

 

The truth and what is good for the U.S. is less important to them than whether a person has a "D" or an "R" after his or her name.

 

Anyway, after the globalists have silenced their critics, Mr. Hodges believes they will start using FEMA Camps, depopulation procedures and war-if necessary, to firmly establish their coveted one world government.

 

That sounds like the Antichrist because he will go forth conquering and to conquer those that oppose him (Rev. 6:1-2).

 

Third, I am like a broken record, but I believe the gathering of many nations in the mountains of Babylon (Iraq) to destroy the whole land is a sign that the Tribulation period is near (Isaiah. 13:1-6).

 

I believe ISIS will be defeated and the Kurds (ancient Medes) will destroy the rebuilt city of Babylon at the end of the Tribulation period (Isa. 13:17; Jer. 50:30, 25; 51:6, 11).

 

Anyway, President Trump is now on the scene threatening to destroy ISIS.

 

The ISIS leaders in Iraq are surrounded in the large city of Mosul. They will probably be defeated in the next few weeks or months and the destruction in the ancient Land of Babylon (Iraq) is great.

 

The ISIS leaders in the Syrian stronghold of Raqqa are surrounded by about 50,000 troops (roughly two-thirds are Kurds and one-third are Syrians and others).

 

The U.S. is pouring massive amounts of weapons and material into the mountains of Iraq that are passed on to the Kurds and their allies in Syria.

 

The U.S. is giving the Kurds and their allies air cover, and the U.S. is protecting the Kurds while they are fighting ISIS.

 

The bottom line is this: The U.S. is transforming the Kurds into a very powerful, well-armed military that can quickly double its size and be a major factor in the Middle East following the defeat of Russia, Iran, Turkey and others in the battle of Gog and Magog.

 

It is not hard for me to believe that they will have the capacity to destroy Babylon in one hour by the end of the Tribulation period.

 

Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.

Daymond & Rachel Duck

 

Trump move in Syria stirs prophetic clock - www.dailyjot.com

 

President Donald Trump flexed US muscle last week by bombing a Syrian airfield in retaliation of Syria using chemical weapons on its own people. Trump said, "On Tuesday, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad launched a horrible chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.  Using a deadly nerve agent, Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women, and children.  It was a slow and brutal death for so many.  Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack.  No child of God should ever suffer such horror." Trump sent a strong message that the US is no longer a nation to turn a blind eye to unjust human suffering. He also may have moved the prophetic clock ahead.

 

Russia and Iran have issued a joint statement threatening military action with any further provocations of Syria. The statement read: "What America waged in an aggression on Syria is a crossing of red lines. From now on we will respond with force to any aggressor or any breach of red lines from whoever it is and America knows our ability to respond well." This is not only Russia, but also Iran, with whom the ex "president" signed a nuclear treaty that essentially enabled the terrorist sponsoring nation to produce nuclear weapons in the future. Syria is a vassal state of Iran. It has a protection agreement with Iran. Russia has deep trade and political relations with both Syria and Iran and supplies weapons to both.

 

It has been speculated for decades that Russia is part of the Biblical end time battle found in Ezekiel 38 and 39, but there is no mention of the country in scripture. Ezekiel 38:2-3 says, "Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus says the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal." This prophecy contains only current Islamic-Arab nations as located on modern maps: Magog (Turkey), Meshek (Turkey), Tubal (Turkey), Gomer (Turkey), Togarmah (Turkey), Persia (Iran), Ethiopia/Cush (Sudan), Libya/Put (Libya), Sheba (Egypt and Saudi Arabia), and Dedan (Saudi Arabia).

 

Neither the US nor Russia are mentioned in these scriptures. We know, however, that both the US and Russia have been key players in the unfolding of prophecy toward Israel during modern history. America traditionally has been a supporter of Israel (with exception of the immediate-past two presidents) and Russia has traditionally supported the enemies of Israel. Israel praised Trump's actions against Syria, which drew a response from Russia's Vladimir Putin that Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should refrain from making unfounded accusations. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry of a key player in the Ezekiel prophecy, Turkey, confirmed that sarin gas was used on Syrian citizens. Indeed, a stirring of prophetic end time players.