"The Bible Predicts The Future Of: Russia, Iran, Turkey. But What About Syria?"

The Bible gives us detailed descriptions of what will happen in the future in the Middle East, events that will be the catalyst of the End Times scenario. What it doesn't give us is the exact timing or order of these events.

For instance, we know that sometime in 'the latter days' or 'the time of the end' after Israel is re-established as a nation (1948) and the city of Jerusalem is back under Israeli control (1967), they will be attacked by a vast multitude of people who want to annihilate them.

Detailed in Ezekiel 38 & 39--The Battle of Gog and Magog--5 nations, enemies of God (Ez. 39:1) will try to destroy God's people (Ez. 36:28). Their ancient tribal names correspond to their modern-day names:

• Magog = Russia
• Persia = Iran
• Cush = Sudan (not modern-day Ethiopia)
• Put = Libya
• Gomer & Togarmah = Turkey

Gog, the head of Magog, is the leader of this great invasion against Israel. God addresses him directly in Ezekiel 39, (and believe us, you wouldn't want to be in his shoes), describing the judgment God will bring on the invaders.

Most of these nations are amassed in Syria right now and remember, gang, Syria borders on Israel.

The Big Question? Why isn't Syria mentioned in the prophecy? 

Logically, they would join in the invasion against Israel if they could, wouldn't you think? After all, they hate Israel as much as the others.

We don't know why Syria isn't among the nations that attack Israel, but the prophecy in Isaiah 17 might offer a clue: "Look, Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins." The Bible doesn't tell us when the destruction of Damascus will take place. Our guess? Sometime before the invasion detailed in Ezekiel 38.

To hear Amir Tsarfati's take on Syria, click here

"And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be My people, and I will be your God."  Ezekiel 36:28

        "Look to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other."
          Isaiah 45:22

A wise man once said: "More now than ever before, put your trust in the God who tells the future and recorded it in the Bible to prove to us He is real." -- Jack Hibbs, pastor Calvary Chapel Chino Hills

How to go to heaven...

News:

• DEBKAfile: Moscow and Tehran link up to strike Israeli targets in response for U.S.-led operation in Syria
• Newsweek: Russia TV mockingly prepares for war with U.S., instructing citizens to buy water and gas masks; claimed "real panic" is across the ocean
• Fox News Channel: Mattis: "Still assessing military option in Syria; meanwhile U.S. and French destroyers already in place off Syrian coast; UK assets en route.

"Evidence of the End Times"

On his weekly prophecy report, bestselling author Hal Lindsey said, "While the 'Big News' is good news, it's going to be carried in on an ever increasing wave of bad news."

The 'Big News'? Jesus Christ is coming back soon. 

Each day brings new and mounting evidence, as the generation that saw the rebirth of Israel approaches 70.

Unfortunately, the bad news comes first:

• Global rejection of Biblical truth
• Widespread deception characterizes every institution including the church
• Weather and earth changes
• Love grows cold/strife takes hold
• Rise in global tensions and antisemitism

Psalm 83 predicts Israel's enemies will call for a confederacy to join forces to "wipe Israel off the map." Last month Turkish president Erdogan called on 57 Islamic states to form a joint "Army of Islam" to attack Israel. Once warm, relations between Turkey and Israel have only recently grown hostile.

Isaiah 17 predicts Damascus, one of the world's oldest cities, will become a "ruinous heap and cease from being a city." Recently, Russian president Putin claimed he had "inside intelligence" that the U.S. plans to strike Damascus with chemical weapons and blame it on Assad to justify U.S. air strikes in Syria. True? Who knows. But the city has become ground zero lately and rocked by multiple bombings.

Zechariah 12 predicts Jerusalem will become a "very heavy stone" in the last days. While Israel is celebrating Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the Arab world is infuriated. Many fear the 70th anniversary of Israel's re-birth will be a violent one.

Doom & Gloom? "No," says Lindsey. "Not any more than a woman going into the labor of child birth. The pain is necessary to usher in the new life."

A wise man once said: "Prophecy is knowledge of future events. God has laid it all out in advance and called certain Christians to be 'Watchmen', meaning they are appointed by God to warn people of the coming judgment and to tell them the 'Good News' of the Gospel: Jesus Christ will save those who put their trust in Him. Even though the majority will not listen." -- Hal Lindsey, author

Jesus said: "When you see the events I've described beginning to happen, you can know His return is very near, right at the door. I assure you, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place." Matthew 24: 33, 34

How To Go To Heaven (click here)

News:

• DEBKAfile: Moscow: "U.S. Attack On Damascus Is Imminent"; Washington, U.S. media silent
• FNC: New documents "strongly suggest" co-ordination between Obama, CIA, FBI, DOJ, and Dems regarding Trump/Russian collusion
• The New York Times: Russia Expels 60 U.S. Diplomats; Tensions Reach Fever Pitch As New Cold War Approaches

"Worldwide Threat Assessment"

Last month, the Senate Intelligence Committee held hearings on “Current and Projected National Security Threats to the United States.” All the top dogs were there, including the directors of the CIA, FBI, and National Intelligence.

The assessment?

Move over terrorists— you've been supplanted by something bigger and even more terrifying—cyber-attacks.

That’s right; al-Qaida is old school. Times have changed and the biggest threat now facing the U.S. is technology. Technology that is evolving so fast, even the top security experts are unable to keep up.

James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, told the committee, “In some cases, the world is applying digital technologies faster than our ability to understand the security implications and mitigate potential threats.”

Clapper played down the likelihood of catastrophic attacks on the United States in the near term—but should we believe him? He just admitted they don’t have the ability to understand the risks, let alone stop them.

Other potential threats?

• ·         North Korea
• ·         Syria
• ·         Iran

While North Korea has always been belligerent, lately they've really been ratcheting up the rhetoric. Saying things like nukes “are our country’s life” and declaring on Saturday that it was entering a “state of war” with South Korea. The general consensus? There doesn't seem to be one. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Wednesday that North Korea's provocations are " a real and clear danger and threat" to U.S. interests and Washington is taking them seriously. Others believe it's just another game of saber rattling in exchange for aid. Even though this latest string of nasty outbursts is predictable, Kim Jong Un is not.

What about Syria?

The U.S. spy agencies assessed the Syrian situation as ‘eroding’. It seems the government of President Bashar al-Assad is hanging on by a thread. Assad’s forces have stopped insurgents from seizing cities such as Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs, but the agencies say insurgents have been gaining strength in rural areas.

Imagine how well they’d do if they had a little help?

And last, but not least, there’s Iran.

In spite of what you might have heard, and what Ahmadinejad has said, the intelligence community does not believe Iran’s leadership has decided to build a nuclear weapon.

Oh…well. As long as they haven’t actually decided…

And there you have it. Cyber-attacks lead the pack followed by North Korea, Syria, and Iran. Our top dogs know what the problems are. All they need now are some solutions.

A wise man once: "There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know...I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."  John 14

News

• Drudge Report: North Korea dramatically escalated its warlike rhetoric on Thursday, warning of plans for nuclear strikes on U.S. targets
• BBC: U.S. to move missile defenses to Guam as North Korea steps up its warlike rhetoric
• Washington Free Beacon: Military build-up in China near allied, North Korean border appears linked to Korean peninsula crisis
• Breitbart.com: Russia on Wednesday said it was worried by the "explosive" North Korea situation, saying even a simple human error could cause crisis to spiral out of control.