Posted on 10/08/2011 7:24:43 PM PDT by pastorbillrandles
The burden against Damascus. “ Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap. (Isaiah 17::1)
Like much of the Arab world, Syria is a nation in agony. The passions incited by the “Arab Spring” have been inflamed in Syria, as they have in the rest of the middle east. No one can fault the people of the region for longing to throw off the suffocating tyrannies that have held absolute rule over them for so long.
Through a ruthless willingness to crush all dissent, the late Hafez Assad and his son Bashir, have made of Syria a terrifying police state .The Assad’s are Alawite Muslims, ruling over the majority Sunni nation.
There have been uprisings before against the Assad regime, but always repressed without mercy. For six years starting in 1976, Muslim brotherhood- backed Sunni rebels resisted the Assad regime in a low level conflict. But in February 1982, the Syrian army was called out in full force, launching an attack on the town of Hama where the resistance originated. The ensuing massacre resulted in the slaughter of 35,000 to 40,000 Syrians!
Syria’s current violent repression of its own people, has been severely censured by her near neighbors, and by the wider world community. Because of the refugee crisis created by the Assad’s brutal crackdown on its own people, Turkey has threatened to intervene, and is currently holding military exercises all along the border with Syria as a saber-rattling exercise.
Assad of Syria and his advisers, know full well what the Europeans through NATO did to the Gaddafi regime of Libya, and is determined not to allow that to happen to his own.
Syria’s current “cornered animal” foreign policy is much like another Arab despot, the late Saddam Hussein. It consists of drawing out the “hate Israel card” in the face of international sanctions and threats, hoping to rally the sympathies of her Israel hating neighbors. Assad’s response to the west/Nato is to threaten to obliterate Tel Aviv!
Iran’s semi-official FARS news agency reported on Tuesday that Syrian President Bashar Assad issued a dark warning to western countries during a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmad Davutoglu, saying that if his regime comes under attack from NATO the way his colleague, ousted Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi did, he will fire missiles at Tel Aviv. “If a crazy measure is taken against Damascus, I will need not more than 6 hours to transfer hundreds of rockets and missiles to the Golan Heights to fire them at Tel Aviv,” Assad reportedly said. He added that he would demand of the Lebanese Shi’ite terror militia Hezbollah that they join in the attack. “All these events will happen in three hours, and in the following three hours, Iran will attack the US warships in the Persian Gulf and the US and European interests will be targeted simultaneously,” he concluded. Assad Threatens Tel Aviv
Israel has indicated that it will respond to an attack, with full force, threatening to bomb Gaza, Syrian and Hezbollah controlled Lebanon, and Damascus itself! This from a Lebanese source, Naharnet; Israel has warned Syrian President Bashar Assad that should Tel Aviv be attacked, then it will retaliate by bombing the Gaza Strip and the whole of Lebanon. Israel’s NFC website reported that the Jewish state’s government relayed this message to the Syrian president through European intelligence circles.
These sources said that seeing as Tel Aviv is Israel’s economic and financial hub, a retaliation for an attack against it, by Hizbullah, Hamas, or Syria, will not be limited to Syria, but all of Lebanon and Gaza.
NFC reported Israeli military circles as saying that the Jewish state’s message to Assad “is clear in that Damascus’ fate, should it be targeted, will not be different than Lebanon’s.”
The Fig Tree
Written by: Unknown Posted on: 01/20/2005
Category: Bible Studies
Source: http://www.heraldmag.org
A Symbol Deciphered - The Fig Tree
The fig tree is one of the more frequently mentioned trees in the Scriptures. It was from its leaves that Adam and Eve made their first covering (Gen. 3:7). The fig tree was valued first of all for its delicious, sweet fruit (Judges 9:11). It was also a symbol of prosperity and security: “and Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree” (1 Kings 4:25). It was an enjoyable thing to rest, meditate on God’s word, and pray in the shade of the fig tree. (John 1:48)
Figs are considered characteristic fruit for the land of Palestine. The best loved and most nutritious were the spring fruits, which ripened in May and referred to as figs in the fig tree of the first time (Hosea 9:10). The main harvesting of figs occurred in the later months of the summer and in the fall. Those figs were called late figs. They were inferior in their quality. The poorest ones were even fed to cattle.
The Fig Tree as a Symbol
Some places in the Bible indicate that the fig tree also has a symbolic meaning. One of the Lord’s miracles is most intriguing when his curse of the fig tree caused it to wither. This seems to have been the only miracle in which Jesus used his power to destroy, to annihilate something. It also is the only miracle which was of no benefit to anyone. All others were done for men. The Lord multiplied bread, healed diseases, raised the dead. This miracle was as if in conflict with our Master’s disposition, who to the suggestion of destroying the wicked, answered back to his disciples: “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of”. (Luke 9:55). All these facts imply an exceptional character of that miracle and its symbolic meaning. But to understand this symbolism, the miracle must be considered in the light of our Lord’s parable of the barren fig tree.
“A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him: let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it and dung it. And if it shall bear fruit, well and if not then after that thou shalt cut it down.” (Luke 13:6-9)
The parable was preceded by his words: “Except ye repent ye shall likewise perish”. The explanation of this parable was obvious to the listeners. The owner of the vineyard is the God of Israel (Isa 5:7). The dresser is the Messiah, who, three years into his mission, would, through his digging and fertilizing, make the nation bring fruit unto God. At the time of the utterance of this parable, the fate of this nation was still not decided. Our Lord still had half a year of his dressing work before him. It seems that the cursing of the fig tree is as if it is the finishing of the unfinished parable.
After his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the end of our Lord’s mission was fast approaching. Returning from Bethany, the Master approached the fig tree and looked for fruit in it. Having found none, he passed this sentence on the tree: “Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth for ever” (Matt. 21:19). Some interpret this event literally, as a curse on a tree which had no fruit. But such an interpretation is in conflict with a note made by the author of the Gospel of Mark, who emphasizes that “the time for figs was not yet” (Mark 11:13). Both our Lord and his disciples realized that in that season, in the early spring, no figs could ever be found on a fig tree. The lesson was manifest: his seeking the fruit had a symbolic meaning, it was a living parable, so often used by the prophets. Jesus wanted to finish the story of the barren fig tree which he had told earlier. After three and a half years of the dressing work was complete, he wanted to show that the antitypical fig tree brought no fruit. The fate of the tree was decided. On the next day it withered.
Israel
The fig tree was used as a picture of Israel not without a cause. As early as in the Old Testament, figs were identified with the nation of Israel by the prophets. Hosea wrote: ‘I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree in her first time” (Hosea 9:10). Jeremiah received the vision of two baskets of figs, which represented Israel: “Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah” (Jer. 24:5).
How soon was Christ’s prophecy fulfilled about the withering of the symbolic fig tree to be fulfilled?. In the year 70 A.D. the temple was destroyed. No longer was there a place to offer sacrifices, the opportunity to serve the Lord according to the precepts of the Law thus ended. Jerusalem fell into ruin, and the whole nation was expelled from their own land and dispersed throughout the world. Speaking about the time of his Kingdom approaching, Christ again turns his disciples’ attention to the fig tree. “Now learn a parable of the fig tree: When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth his leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door”. (Matt. 24:32, 33)
It should be observed that this parable was uttered on the same day when the barren fig tree was cursed. Therefore it would be difficult to assume that when Christ told them to watch for signs taking place on that very kind of a tree, it was merely accidental. These two events constitute one whole. As a result of the rejection of the Messiah on the part of the Jews, during his first advent, God’s favor was turned away from them, as shown in the withered tree. Whereas, the softening of the branches and the bringing forth of leaves represents the return of favor to this nation during the time of the establishment of the Kingdom in Christ’s second advent. Let us, then, carefully observe this symbolic fig tree.
Not buying what you are selling.
At most, the fig tree is a person, an individual who fails to produce good spiritual fruit.
You are falsely accusing God’s original chosen people of false teaching. It’s not falsehood, it’s remaining under the law due to rejecting their Messiah. They will get their prophesied earthly king ruling with a rod of iron, but that Messiah will be the same as the one who was rejected.
Understand that, and understand prophecy. By interpreting prophecy in a manner that solely benefits the former state religion of Imperial Rome, it is you who teaches falsely.
the 1,000 years is symbolic of the time between His Ascension and return. His Kingdom is not of this world.
You ignore Revelation that says Satan shall be bound a thousand years then “loosed for a season”. The Christian can appropriate power from the Holy Spirit to bind the power of Satan over his own life and receive grace for the “little messengers” or “thorns” that God chooses not to remove right away but in the whole of the New Testament, there is never an assertion that Satan has yet been bound in the sense that you mean it. Yes, his house is being “plundered” but we “still wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of the air.” Satan is still the “god of this world”.
Revelation says Satan will be bound for a thousand years and will no longer be able to deceive the nations into disobediance during that time. The great “falling away” occurs before the rise of the “son of perdition” and his “beast” system. Yet Revelation speaks of a second “falling away” and revolt against God after a thousand years of Christ’s reign, when Satan is set loose for a time to deceive the nations again. The writings are graphically black and white as to what happens, not to be over symbollized, syllogized, or to be taken in a hyper-stylized spiritual manner.
Since there has never been 1000 years of enforced world peace and Godly living via “the Rod of Iron”, in humanity’s history EVER; I suggest you take a fresh look at your eschatology with those factors in mind. The FINAL JUDGMENT comes after that 1000 years plus that “little season” of revolt!
“the former state religion of Imperial Rome”
care to elborate?
the problem people have is not understanding the OT contains types and shadows pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ. when Jesus became man and came to earth, the types and shadows were done away with. corporate Israel as a type was done away with, the Body of Christ, the Church is the reality. it is the true Israel of God and is comprised of Jews and Gentiles who are baptized into Christ and are reconciled to the Father by the sacrificial death of Jesus.
these are the people who are ruled by King Jesus and call Him Lord.
the problems are many, but the biggest one seems to be some believing “1,000 years” is a literal 1,000 years.
i often wonder if people really believe what they write, it would be scary if they did. the education system and it’s lack of teaching history will be our downfall.
2 Tim. 2:15.
It wasn't Peter. The title goes back to at least 600 BC.
Now, why was that title, that of the Roman emperor, retained? Caesar, Nero and Caligula held that title well before. Not very pleasant company.
BFLR
Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, otherwise known as Caligula (”Little Boot”), who fancied himself god and endeavored to have a statue of himself set in the temple in Jerusalem because they refused to worship him? That Pontifex Maximus, who was assassinated before he could do it?
Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, otherwise known as Nero? That Pontifex Maximus?
Julius Caesar was elected Pontifex Maximus in 63 BC.
Where is the historical error?
There is no error on your part. There is only DENIAL on their part. You cannot have an honest debate with someone who constantly moves the goal post or changes the rules mid-stream. It’s a shame, but it’s their MO.
This is a typical replacement theologist tactic, attempted endlessly and repeatedly on other threads which prove that God's prophecies concerning His chosen nation of Israel are coming to pass, to divert the discussion away from Biblical truth and onto the false doctrine that has been introduced to the thread.
It's best to just ignore these people. They've already sealed their own doom, have refused to accept the truth of God's word, and they love their spiritual darkness.
It's just not worth it.
all the Gentiles who are called by my name
key words, "who are called by my name"
2 Chron 7:14 if my people who are bear my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin
Mt 15:6 thus by your traditions you make null and void the WORD of YHVH
Mt 15: 24 He said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Isra’el.”
Acts 15:16 ‘”After this, I will return; and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David. I will rebuild its ruins, I will restore it, 17 so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, that is, all the Goyim who have been called by my name,” 18 says ADONAI, who is doing these things.’ All this has been known for ages.
John 5:45 “But don't think that it is I who will be your accuser before the Father. Do you know who will accuse you? Moshe, the very one you have counted on! 46 For if you really believed Moshe, you would believe me; because it was about me that he wrote. 47 But if you don't believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
Amos 9:9 “For when I give the order, I will shake the house of Isra’el, there among all the Goyim(gentile), as one shakes with a sieve, letting no grain fall to the ground.
There is more than one kind of gentile, but unless you study the Scriptures to see the difference in the Hebrew spelling & idioms of the word you are citing, you read & interpret blindly.
Why did YHVH divorce the northern Israel...because they were out of Covenant. But because of the special everlasting Covenant (marriage contract) He made with David, YHVH could not divorce the southern house, and for good reason. YHVH knew He would always have a remnant within the House of Judah that would keep the Convenants and preserve His WORD. The NT is nothing more than the entire OT, from Genesis to Malachi revealed
Anything to get the discussion off of Biblical truth and onto something else.
If proof of the inerrancy and absolute truth of the word of God is put up there for all to see, it makes some people feel threatened and afraid.
Just ignore them.
When one is adopted are they allowed to do as they please, not following the house rules while the natural children must obey them? When one is naturalized in a new country are they exempt from the laws of their new country? And America Christians wonders why our nation is falling into immorality at mock speed. They refuse to adhere to even the smallest of YHVH's house rules saying they are not for them because they are special. Yeah, try selling that on judgment day and see how far you get.
Mt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in heaven wants. 22 On that Day, many will say to me, `Lord, Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we expel demons in your name? Didn't we perform many miracles in your name?' 23 Then I will tell them to their faces, `I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!'
correction...Paul brought the out of Covenant Israelite gentiles back into the Covenant because the law of divorce, that kept them from going past the 3ft middle wall of separation in the temple, was made void by the death of Yah'shua. This is why in Romans 7, Paul starts out by saying :if you do not know(understand) the Torah (5 books of Moses) then he is not speaking to you. IOW's, if you don't study the front of the book to know the significance of YHVH divorcing the Northern kingdom of Israel, then you have no clue what the back of the book is all about, let alone who the players are.
Rm 7:1 Surely you know, brothers - for I am speaking to those who understand Torah - that the Torah has authority over a person only so long as he lives?
[NKJV] 7:1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?
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