DESTRUCTION OF DAMASCUS
Isaiah 17:1 plus other scriptures (Amos 1:3-5, Jeremiah 49:23-27) make it very clear that at some point Damascus is destroyed. It ceases to be a city.
PSALM
83
This psalm describes a war that has not yet
happened. Numerous nations that today
are Muslim nations are identified.
Translating from the Biblical names to modern nation names – often a
difficult task - leads to these nations/groups as those likely involved in
attacking Israel: the Palestinians, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt,
and possibly Iraq. Note that these are
nations that currently surround Israel.
EZEKIEL 38-39
These chapters describe a dramatic attack by a
coalition of powerful nations against Israel.
Again translating the Biblical nation titles to modern words gives the
attackers: possibly Russia as leader, Turkey,
Iran, Libya, and the Sudan. This is the
attack as you may remember that God very obviously stops, destroying the
invaders. It takes 7 months for the
Israelites to bury the dead attackers. Interestingly,
Syria is not mentioned. Evidently Syria
has been somehow removed from the picture before this war happens. That would mean the destruction of Damascus
noted earlier has occurred. Also note
that none of the nations identified in Psalm 83 are listed as attackers (i.e.,
none of the nations currently right around Israel). This indicates that they too have been taken
out or greatly reduced in power in a previous war, likely the Psalm 83 war.
ARMEGGEDON – Revelation 19
and Zechariah 14
This is the war that immediately precedes Jesus
setting up his rule from Jerusalem. It
occurs at the end of the seven year tribulation period. The nations of the world in opposition to God
go to the valley of Jehosophat to fight against Israel and against God. There they are destroyed by Jesus as he leads
an army consisting of his called, chosen, and faithful followers. Revelation notes that everyone in the army
opposing Jesus is killed.
HOW
DOES ALL THIS COME ABOUT?
Clearly Armageddon is the last of these wars. But how does all this start? Consider where we are today. The great concerns for Israel are the
development of nuclear weapons by Iran and the takeover by more conservative
elements of Islam in countries like Egypt where the Muslim brotherhood just won
the presidency. There appears to be a
move to unify Muslim nations under an overall Muslim, not secular,
government. The man just elected leader
of Egypt has stated publically he wants Jerusalem as the capital of the Muslim
world. (By the way, Jerusalem is mentioned many times in the Old and New
Testaments of the Bible but not once in Muslim’s Koran.).
It is always
possible that the nations in Psalm 83 just act on their vocal attacks on Israel
and that begins all this. But there is a
second possibility as well. We
all know how concerned Israel and the United States are with the actions in
Iran. The leader of Iran has made it
clear that he wants to see Israel totally destroyed. As Iran nears the development of nuclear
bombs, Israel is concerned it is approaching a point of no return – which may
be really soon, perhaps even before the coming US presidential election. It is conceivable that Israel, perhaps with
the help of the US, may soon attack the nuclear facilities in Iran. Such an attack would result in Iran
responding and likely in military attacks by such as Syria, who has been
supplied by Iran. In the ensuing battle
is it not possible that Damascus gets destroyed? That city and the country of Syria are
thought to have more biological and chemical weapons than any other in the
Middle East. Whether intentionally or
not, it would be a good time for Israel to eliminate that threat. It also is possible Damascus will just be
destroyed by its own current internal strife.
If this all happens, I expect other Muslim nations
in the Middle East to attack Israel, thus bringing about the Psalm 83 war. Assuming Israel with God’s help would win,
perhaps seizing more territory and getting closer to the full size God intended
back in Genesis when he guided Abraham, there would be continued animosity
toward Israel by some. This leads to the
Ezekiel 38-39 war possibly led by Russia and involving Iran, Turkey, Libya, and
the Sudan in attacking Israel; their attack leads to the destruction of these
forces.
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
It appears we are very near the beginning of all
this. It is prudent for all believers to
keep alert as Jesus has warned (Luke 21:36 and elsewhere). In several places the Bible notes that
believers are spared from the wrath that is to come, so I expect Jesus’
collecting his believers as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 will happen
before the tribulation period and Armageddon, and possibly before the Ezekiel
war.
CONCLUDING COMMENTS – AND WHAT SHOULD
WE ALL DO?
Remember – We are living in the last of the last
days. We don’t know a specific hour and
time each of these events and Jesus’ coming in the clouds occur, but we know it
has to be soon. Why? Because he has told us much of events to
happen before his return and he has said they will all happen in one
generation. Many have happened. We are living in that generation. Many on earth now will see all this and be
here when he comes.
So what should you do? Above all, do not fear. As the Bible says in so many places, be
not afraid. Fear is of the
devil. Jesus has overcome the world, and
in him we do the same. Keep your eyes on
him and rest in his perfect peace, no matter what happens on this earth.
Here are some good points to follow and pass on:
· You must have
belief in Jesus Christ, not in some creed written by men.
· Your work in any
cause, no matter how good, must not take precedence over your devotion to
Jesus.
· Life is not
about us. It is about Jesus Christ and
your relationship to him.
· We were not
created so God could make us happy. His
every moment is not spent on thinking how to make us happy. He is God and we are not. There is much more to God than we have
realized or even than we can comprehend.
But he surely does work for good in all things for those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.
(Romans 8:28).
· The Bible is
true, and that includes all those commands and teachings about all aspects of
life, not just the ones about love.
As always,
Copyright © 2012 by John Newlin Ministries, Inc
