Un-Set

[blessedhope]

Isaiah 17 & Ezekiel 38 in the News :: By Todd Hampson
Published on: November 2, 2017 by RRadmin7 Category:General Articles
The Stage Won’t Be Un-Set: Isaiah 17 & Ezekiel 38 in the News

Bible prophecy has significant relevance to our life today—to gently wake the bride (the church) to the season in which we find ourselves.

Many prophecy experts think that the sudden destruction of Damascus will be the catalyst that triggers Ezekiel 38. These 2600+ year-old prophecies have not been fulfilled as of yet. Damascus, though ravaged by the Syrian Civil War, still stands and still has people living there.

In fact, recent news reports inform us that Iran is setting up shop in Damascus and has been laying the groundwork for a highway from Tehran to the Mediterranean Sea—in essence building a caliphate with clearly stated plans to destroy Israel.

Recent (within the past year) airstrikes by Israel against weapons convoys (gifts from Iran to Hezbollah) and an Iranian-built missile factory near Damascus, along with the recent news of an Iranian buildup in Damascus, makes one wonder how close we are to Isaiah 17. We’re not told who destroys Damascus and how it is destroyed, but surrounding verses suggest it’s during conflict with Israel.

Given the current events we see unfolding and the knowledge that caches of chemical weapons are very likely stored in and around Damascus, the fulfillment of this ancient prophecy seems to be nearing. With ISIS contained and the Syrian Civil War brought to a low simmer, Russian and Iranian attention seems to be turning southward toward the mountains of Israel.

For my fellow prophecy students and ministries, here’s what I’m getting to. I had always wondered about the logic behind the fact that Ezekiel 38 involved nations that were at least one country removed from Israel’s borders, yet they attack with ground forces from Israel’s north.

In other words, the attack would have to come from Syria, but Syria is not listed as one of the attackers. If the stage is indeed being set for Isaiah 17 (Vs. 1, Vs. 14) and Ezekiel 38 (and I believe it is), then the Syrian Civil War has served to allow Russia and Iran to form their long-prophesied and unprecedented partnership and presence in the mountains north of Israel. Syria is not listed as an attacker because she is powerless and a puppet regime being held up only by Russia and Iran, who are calling all shots.

Another interesting thing is that Russia’s “hook in the jaw” now takes many possible forms. Trying to establish her presence in the Middle East has been sheer pragmatism by Russia, who desires to reassert her former strength. But in order to maintain her grip, she would instantly be pulled into major conflict if Israel preemptively strikes or retaliates against Iran’s growing presence in Damascus. Russia’s need to control the area may also give her greedy eyes related to Israel’s recent massive oil and gas discoveries. These and several other factors could serve as the hook in the jaw that drags Russia into leading the attack.

We can speculate about the nature of the hook in the jaw, but there is no doubt we are seeing the ground work laid for the relatively soon fulfillment of these ancient prophecies.

When you stop and think about the possibility of current events taking shape exactly as foretold in Scripture, and that they (particularly Ezekiel 38) are end-time prophecies, you realize how close we may be to the rapture—which I believe will happen just before or during these coming events.

I don’t see any way possible that current conditions could deescalate. In other words, the stage will not be un-set. Developments may move quickly, or slowly, but at some point the fulfillment of these prophecies will occur—and we are watching the stage being set daily.

Add this to the convergence of other signs (i.e. mass shootings, record-breaking natural disasters, etc.) and you may find yourself looking up a bit more often. For the watching eye and the waiting heart, it’s clear we’re in the season of the Lord’s return.

 

[blessedhope]

Satan cares nothing about global labels, buzz-words and talking points regarding refugees, land, absurd Islamic claims or anything else associated with what has happened in the Middle East in the last 100 years. The only thing he cares about is keeping Jesus the Messiah from fulfilling His promises to the Jewish people about their Jewish State thus preventing His return to this earth in order to rule over it. His number one priority in reaching that goal is the annihilation of the Jewish State. And it almost happened in 1973.
Though we certainly cannot be dogmatic about such things, it is possible that the 1973 war will go down as the last major Middle East war prior to the fulfillment of the Psalm 83 war. If this is correct even the most skeptical observer should see clearly that the final conflict of the ages–which is to be fought in Israel–is not going to be for political reasons but for spiritual reasons. If this one fact were believed by those in Washington the entire policy for dealing with Israel and her sworn enemies would be vastly different. And the bottom line for the U.S. would be that we would come in line for God’s blessing instead of His curse. This, however, is not even understood by the overwhelming majority of Christians much less career politicians, no matter their political party. Thus the world’s march toward Armageddon will continue unabated.
Global political thinking categorizes motives for conflict in terms of land, natural resources, vengeance and other kinds of primitive, base logic. And that is no doubt true in most cases of war. But when war involves Israel all that goes out the window. You see, God never promised Ireland to the Irish or America to the Americans, but He has made an unconditional promise to Abraham and his descendants through Isaac that the land of Israel will forever belong to the Jews. And that includes much more area than what the Twelve Tribes conquered under Joshua; it includes the land from Egypt to the Euphrates River in modern Iraq (Genesis 15). And it is that promise that Satan must defeat if he is to have this earth.
Every war Israel has ever fought has been deeply rooted in the spiritual realm, and that applies to the Yom Kippur War. At the two-day mark no one in their right mind would have given two-cents for Israel. It appeared obvious that they would be overrun, and in less than a week Israel would be wiped out after having a modern existence of just 25 years. But God had other plans. Regarding how He sees the puny efforts of those who wish to foil His plan, “He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them.” (Psalm 2:4)
All this is true, but equally true is the fact that a time is soon to come when the vaunted IDF will be powerless to prevent the destruction of the Jewish State and the annihilation of the Jewish people. This will happen as the seven-year tribulation draws to a close and the Jews are at their end. By this time 66% of them will have died and the surviving remnant will be set for destruction. When they are without hope of any kind Jesus will return from heaven, and He will destroy all who came against Jerusalem with a word from His mouth. The remnant of Jews will at that time finally accept as their Messiah the One they asked to be crucified 2000 years ago. At the same time He will rescue that remnant and establish His millennial reign on this earth.

 

[bbyrd009]

in essence building a caliphate with clearly stated plans to destroy Israel.

lol, you mean like ISIS? Gotta wonder why they don't get within like 500 miles of Israel though, huh?