Posted on 08/25/2013 7:14:14 AM PDT by pastorbillrandles
In view of recent developments in Syria, (The use of Chemical weapons), I am reprinting a Dec 2011 column on Syria in Prophecy
The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.(Isaiah 17:1-2)
At a breath-taking rate, world events are increasingly lining up with predictions of the prophets of the Bible, signifying that the Day of the Lord draws near. The biblical prophets are specific as to geo-political alignments and events which are to occur in the last days. The rapidly festering situation in Syria is an example of this phenomenom.
The Assad government of Syria is currently reacting to its own version of the so-called ‘Arab spring’. The wave of populist reform demonstrations in the Arab world has already swept aside the governments of Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and has stirred discontent in several other Arab nations.
Bashir Assad has shown a willingness to brutally suppress all internal dissent, having slaughtered four thousand of his own people, and sent tens of thousands into hiding, to maintain his power. But he is feeling besieged, and is looking for insurance in the form of beefed up weapons and military.
Having recently been censured by the Arab league, and threatened by Turkey, and seeing what NATO did to fellow Arab despot Gaddafi, Assad is looking for help from Iran,Russia, and even North Korea in his quest to fend off his enemies.
Here is an article from the English edition of ADNKRONOS International, titled,“Syria:Iranian and N.Korean Rocket Experts hold Damascus Meetings”
Damascus, 1 Dec. (AKI) – Dozens of officials from North Korea and Iran have conducted meetings with representatives of the Syrian government in Damascus to help president Bashar al-Assad obtain weapons following the implementation of sanctions by members of the Arab League and other countries.
The meetings have been taking place in recent days, and were attended by experts in the production of rockets, according to Kuwaiti daily al-Seyassah, citing unnamed intelligence sources.
”The Syrian regime is afraid of losing power so is asking help from these two allies to put in place whatever means are necessary, even if it causes many deaths,” an intelligence source told the newspaper. “The only way to stop further bloodshed is for foreign intervention”.
Furthermore this article from Israel’s Arutz Sheva called,“Russia sent Syria Super Advanced s-300 Missiles” indicates that Assad is determined not to become the next Gaddafi, even if maintaining power involves World War.
Certainly Syria, Russia, North Korea, Europe, America, and of course Israel, are all preparing for something terrible.
The prophet Isaiah predicted that at the time of the end, a dreadful thing which has not ever happened in history is to occur. Damascus will cease from being a city, no longer will it be a seat of Government, a heap of rubble is it’s future.
Jeremiah implies that shortly before her destruction, Damascus will be surprised that Jerusalem is not “deserted” as she expected, this causes Damascus to lose heart herself.
Whatever the provocation, the destruction of Damascus will reflect badly upon Israel in the court of world opinion. The world will turn on Israel, blaming her for what happens to Damascus. What little favor Israel had enjoyed up till then will shrivel up, it will resemble the last few olives left after the shaking of the olive tree by the reapers.
Damascus shall be obliterated in the context of a wider war, which will be destructive of other Arab cities as well, such as the area we call Gaza, which is a terrorist state designated as part of the U.N.imposed “two state solution”, but which God calls, “the nation not desired”…
The one positive aspect of these terrible times, is that even the hardest of men will begin to seek the living God,
In that day a man will look to his Maker, And his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 17:7)
Zechariah echoes Isaiah,
The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.(Zechariah 9:1)
The international outcry that will be raised against Israel will be unprecedented. The nations line up to register complaint in the U.N., newspaper headlines will scream, pundits will wax eloquent with moral indignation, religious leaders will pontificate against Israel, her former lovers will leave her, and it will be extremely unfashionable to stand with God’s chosen people in that day.
Woe to the multitude of many people Who make a noise like the roar of the seas, And to the rushing of nations That make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! 13 The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters; …(Isaiah 17:11-12)
But the outcry will merely be the prelude to the outpouring of Divine wrath upon all nations . Tribulation such as never occurred upon the earth, the wind and the sea raging, and men’s hearts failing them for fear…
But it is as in the evening, which seems always darkest before dawn, such is the tribulation and time of Jacob’s trouble, as Isaiah says,
really? Damascus ceased from being a city? It became a heap of rubble never to be a city again? I must have missed that one!:?)
“really? Damascus ceased from being a city? It became a heap of rubble never to be a city again? I must have missed that one!:?)”
Really? Ever hear of a thing called “hyperbole” (exaggeration to make a point?) It’s used quite extensively in both the Old and New Testaments, especially in prophecy.
Or do you really believe the stars will literally “fall from the skies?”
By the way, you can read about the fulfillment of Isaiah 17 by Assyria here:
Yes I do believe that there is a metaphoric sense that the “Stars will fall from the sky,” as prophecy indicates. But Damascus is not a metaphor, it is the name of a specific city in the middle east, the “oldrest continously inhabited city” in the world. It has not yet ceased from being a city,as Isaiah predicted, but it shall soon.Question for you. Do you believe there is any prophetic significance to the modern rebirth of the state of ISrael?
“Do you believe there is any prophetic significance to the modern rebirth of the state of ISrael?”
None whatsoever.
Ok I think I get where you are coming from. Have a nice day!
A partial fulfillment is not a fulfillment.
But yeah the antichrist is going to walk exactly in his footsteps . He is the prototype.
“Ok I think I get where you are coming from.”
And I, you. Been where you are. Outgrew the need to make the Bible about me. Hope others will do the same.
“A partial fulfillment is not a fulfillment.”
It wasn’t a partial fulfillment. Nothing in the Bible is left unfulfilled. Nothing.
Yeah right ,we are living in peace in the millenium and the King of Kings is sitting on his throne in Jerusalem./s
Amen!
Yeah right ,we are living in peace in the millenium and the King of Kings is sitting on his throne in Jerusalem./s
Three errors in one sentence. That’s got to be a record of some kind. ;)
Since the introduction of nuclear weapons this prophecy makes more sense for today then ever before in history. I truly believe Damascus will seize to exist as a city. It seems also our " fearless leader" will be on the wrong side of history as it looks all across the Mid East as of current events.
I have personally had vision dreams of individuals I knew. They all died. One was so accurate of a drive by shooting reported by local news. I saw the news report in the dream six months before it happened.Accurate accounts. It bothered me I had to talk to clergy. They told me I was prayering souls into heaven. One specific dream about Our nation. The only national one I ever encountered. It ended with Obama in a grass field with a hand full of secret service men around his limo. He gets out seeing the sky then looked down at me with horror. I looked up saw the whole sky filled with green army fatigued parachuters in thousands coming down to land. I then woke up on this night of a local power blackout to candle light then accented by the regular lights coming back to light my bedroom.
This was on New Year's Eve before Obama was sworn in as President in his first term. I truly believe we will have an invasion on our soil. Real War on our continent. No more faraway lands without us being effected at home. Our nation has turned from God. I looked up green army clothing almost all nations have this color. Especially the Chinese and Russian armies. It looks like To me it was not in the dream vision but that Russia and China will be aligned against us. It could be Syria is the fulcrum which causes it all into reality. I am very concerned for us and our families. I am praying more now then I have ever in my life. These dream visions started in the mid single digits of the 2000's after I started intense prayers of our world for conversion. Pray now more than ever.
It wasn’t a partial fulfillment. Nothing in the Bible is left unfulfilled. Nothing.
New heavens and new earth? No.
Resurrection of the dead? No.
Every tear wiped away, no more crying or pain? Most firmly, no. I had to buy some grave sites this past weekend.
Daniel 7:7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
23 “He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.
Revelation 17:7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
Muammur Kaddafi was the third king uprooted, the other two, Hosni Mubarak and Saddam Hussein. And uprooted is the perfect word as these three had nearly 100 years of combined rule in the M.E. No small feat indeed. Psalm 83 contains the 'list' of the ten kingdoms from Daniel and Revelation.
Now, who arose and then uprooted? Google 'Abdullah Sworn In' BBC World News to find Daniel 8:23's stern faced king standing up.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/274302.stm
Now google 'Amman seven mountains' for more fun!
Luke 13:22 And he went through the cities and towns teaching, and making his journey to Jerusalem.
Luke 13:23 And a certain man said to him : Lord, are they few that are saved ? But he said to them :
Luke 13:24 Strive to enter by the narrow gate ; for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able.
Luke 13:25 But when the master of the house shall be gone in, and shall shut the door, you shall begin to stand without, and knock at the door, saying : Lord, open to us. And he answering, shall say to you : I know you not, whence you are.
Luke 13:26 Then you shall begin to say : We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
Luke 13:27 And he shall say to you : I know you not, whence you are : depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
Luke 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
Luke 13:29 And there shall come from the east and the west, and the north and the south ; and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
Luke 13:30 And behold, they are last that shall be first ; and they are first that shall be last.
Focusing on End Times prophecy is like only preaching from a boat just offshore at the local lake because that's what Christ did.
Prophecy theories have become an easy and profitable substitute for the difficult primary mission.
It’s quite fitting that you choose Luke 13:22-30 to mock us on prophecy and mention the narrow gate
(Jude 1:18) How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Jesus himself defines the narrow gate as the door to the sheepfold
(John 10:7) Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
(John 10:8) All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
(John 10:9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Narrow gate is Jesus HIMSELF not some “church”
You advise us to ignore prophesy when Jesus tells us to keep watching
(Mark 13:35) Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
(Mark 13:36) Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
(Mark 13:37) And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
“New heavens and new earth? No.
Every tear wiped away, no more crying or pain? Most firmly, no. I had to buy some grave sites this past weekend.”
Old heaven and earth was the old covenant nation/kingdom of Israel ruled by priests who applied and interpreted the Law of Moses. It was symbolized by the temple and was given as a promise to Moses.
New heavens and earth: the new covenant kingdom of God is a new nation of believers in Christ. The new temple is the body of Christ, its priesthood is every believer, and it’s this New Jerusalem and new bride of Christ John sees coming down out of heaven that supersedes the old covenant kingdom established by the law.
So yes, we are living in the new heavens and earth.
“Resurrection of the dead? No.”
Paul said we are raised to newness of life in Christ. The resurrection of every believer is spiritual and when a believer dies they immediately pass “from life to life”, putting on a new, heavenly body the very instant this earthly body ceases to live. There is no waiting in the ground for your body to be raised: you go straight to the Father the moment you die. That is the hope of the resurrection. It is not to wait in the ground to be raised to live forever on earth. Your new body is spiritual and Jesus said those in the resurrection would be “like the angels.”
The resurrection happens the very moment you believe. That’s the gospel Paul taught. Look it up.
Dispensationalism preaches a whole other, false gospel.
“Every tear wiped away, no more crying or pain? Most firmly, no. I had to buy some grave sites this past weekend.”
Jesus said we would have trouble in this world but that He had overcome it. He wipes away every tear by offering the “peace that passes all understanding.” And when you pass from this life immediately into the next it will be He who greets you on the other side. That is our glorious hope. That is the hope all the writers of the New Testament taught. Dispensationalism teaches a completely different, completely false gospel.
Old Covenant Israel was physical yet was said to be the shadow, not the substance, of things to come (read Hebrews for cryin’ out loud!)
New Covenant Israel - Christ’s church, made up of believing Jews and Gentiles - is spiritual yet is said to be the substance - the “real” of heavenly things come down to earth!
God’s redemptive plan through Christ is complete: there is not another thing that can or needs to be added to it. God doesn’t have a “plan C” for saving the Jews in the false gospel of Dispensationalism! There is no return to a physical temple: we are God’s temple. There is no return to animal sacrifice: Christ was God’s perfect sacrifice!
And only when people begin to understand that Christ’s kingdom is spiritual and that every believer is a member of its priesthood NOW will the scales of the twin false doctrines of Dispensationalism and Futurism begin to fall from their eyes.
You’re all waiting for something God has already done, and because you are, you’re not only missing out on the blessings of an abundant life in Christ right now, but you’re teaching others to miss out on it, too.
Sad. Very sad.
“You advise us to ignore prophesy when Jesus tells us to keep watching
(Mark 13:35) Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
(Mark 13:36) Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
(Mark 13:37) And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”
Jesus didn’t speak those words to you. He spoke them to the people to whom He also said this:
“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matthew 16:28
“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” Matthew 24:34
But again, Dispesationalists and Futurists don’t want to deal with the 800 gorilla in the room:
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end...Daniel 12:4
And he saith unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand. Revelation 22:10
If you’re right, the God who directed Daniel and John to write what they did in their respective letters is wrong.
And if God is wrong, he’s not worth believing in.
If you’re right, you undermine the very foundation of the faith you claim to hold so dear.
That is, by definition, a false gospel.
“Now google ‘Amman seven mountains’ for more fun!”
Jerusalem was a city built on 7 hills, too. In fact, there are many cities worldwide built on 7 hills. Google it.
I predict another buying surge of firearms. Obama war could give the RATs cause for martial law here.
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