Syria 2014

1. Syria 2014

2. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid. The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; Syria's chemical weapons removal delayed Guardian, January 2, 2014 The dangerous and difficult task of moving Syria's chemical weapons stockpile from government military bases to the Mediterranean port of Latakia has not yet begun, suggesting a serious delay in the multinational disarmament plan that could threaten a UN-backed timetable. According to sources involved in the disarmament effort, the roughly 500 tonnes of highly toxic chemicals which Bashar al-Assad's regime had stockpiled for the manufacture of Sarin and VX nerve agents are still in 12 bases around the country, three days after they were due to arrive in Latakia for loading on to Danish and Norwegian ships. Those freighters – the Ark Futura and the Taiko – have returned to the Cypriot port of Limassol since it became clear how far the schedule laid down by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had slipped. EVENT The situation in Syria is no way near to being resolved. Despite the agreement between Russia and the West to remove Syria’s chemical weapons the terror continues. The agreement itself has just hit its first problem. Two large ships turned up to take away 500 tonnes of chemical weapons - but then had to turn around and head back to Cyprus as nothing had been made ready. On top of this from December 15th 517 people have been killed in the northern province of Aleppo. They were killed as barrels packed with explosives were dropped from Syrian aircraft. Isaiah 17 is one to the 10 tribulations that affect the world. It concerns Syria just as Isaiah 19 concerns Egypt. Events in Syria are still to reach their climax – Damascus is still to be destroyed and cease to be a city. Israel is yet to be drawn into a conflict with Syria which will see her weakened. 2014 may well be the year we see this happen…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:1-3 ESV)

3. That famous city, a city of joy, will be forsaken! Her young men will fall in the streets and die. Her soldiers will all be killed,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “And I will set fire to the walls of Damascus that will burn up the palaces of Ben-hadad. Syrian 'peace talks’ are all part of the war Daily Telegraph comment, January 21, 2014 So that’s it. There were, we now know, secret talks with the Iranians to bring them to the Syrian peace table but they failed. The war is not over. Iranian troops, active across Syria as “advisers”, will continue to fight; their proxies will continue to die. Without Tehran, the only government that has power over the Assad regime, there is no hope of peace, and the talks may as well not take place. These aren’t peace talks; they wouldn’t have led to peace with or without the Iranians; when the two Syrian sides hold their first face-to-face meeting, supposedly on Friday, they will not even come close to discussing concessions that might end the conflict. In fact, the peace talks have every sign of being a reversal of the Roman formula, is vis pacem, para bellum – if you seek peace, prepare for war. Both sides and their sponsors are using the “peace” talks to declare new war goals and seek fresh backing. They are a military advertising campaign. EVENT There are peace talks but no sign of peace. As the comment above in the Daily Telegraph says - there is no chance of peace in Syria. It is leading to even greater conflict and war. UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who held talks with both sides on Friday, said they all understood that the conference was trying to "save Syria”. So will they bring peace? Will they save Syria? The Bible says NO. There is cataclysmic and unprecedented destruction coming on Syria. This week there was clear evidence presented that Syria has systematically tortured and executed about 11,000 detainees since the start of the uprising. It is horrific – but there is worse – much worse to come. We do not know when it will come. But it will. It is while people are talking about peace and safety we have to be even more watchful as it is when least expected that destruction comes. Damascus - the oldest inhabited city on earth will cease to exist… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 49:25-27)

4. The fortified towns of Israel[a] will also be destroyed and the royal power of Damascus will end. All that remains of Syria[b] will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,” declares the Lord of Hosts. “In that day Israel’s[c] glory will grow dim; its robust body will waste away.”[a] = Ephraim [b] = Aram [c] = Jacob….in the original Hebrew language Israeli jets suspected of attacking Syrian missile store Daily Telegraph, January 27, 2014 Israel is suspected of being behind an attack on a Syrian military base that targeted a stock of Russian-made missiles. Storerooms holding the missiles near the port city of Latakia were hit by Israeli war planes late on Sunday, according to a Syrian opposition source talking to Israel Radio. No confirmed details of the strike had emerged last night. Official Israeli government and military sources declined to comment on the attack. But former Israeli Defence Forces intelligence chief Amos Yadlin said any such airstrike would be in keeping with Israeli policy to intercept the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah or to Syria. "Israel has declared four weapons system as a red line: advanced air defences, advanced and accurate ballistic missiles, surface-to-sea advanced missiles like Yakhont, and chemical weapons. Residents of Latakia reported hearing loud explosions just around midnight and there were also reports of Israeli planes heard breaking the sound barrier. EVENT If true this would be the fourth Israeli strike on Syria over the past 12 months. Israel is trying to stop the movement of missiles around Syria. They are concerned they will fall into Hezbollah’s hands. On Friday, Jan. 24, an Israeli intelligence officer disclosed that Israel’s government was “rethinking” its neutrality policy in the Syrian war owing to the massing of 30,000 al Qaeda fighters on its Syrian border. The Obama administration announced Tuesday, Jan. 28, that selected Syrian rebel militias would receive American light weapons including anti-tank rockets. As the Syrian “peace” conference drew to a close on Friday it appears that America and Israel are shifting towards more intervention in Syria. The Bible says that there will be conflict between Syria and Israel.. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:3-4 NLT)

5. 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. The burden of Damascus is one of 10 burdens in Isaiah all playing out NOW…. Syria talks end in recrimination Daily Telegraph, January 31, 2014 The Syrian peace talks at Geneva ended in recrimination last night as the government and opposition blamed each other for the failure to come to any agreement. The week-long conference, which foreign diplomats spent more than a year trying to convene, achieved no tangible results, and the Syrian government has refused to commit to continuing the talks. In the closing speeches, Walid Muallem, Syria’s foreign minister accused the opposition of being childish, whilst the opposition said Geneva II had felt like “drinking poison”, blaming the government’s “time wasting”. Mr Brahimi proposed setting February 10 as a date for restarting the talks but the disgruntled Syrian government delegation deferred to decision of whether to return to President Bashar al-Assad. At least 1,870 people died across Syria during the first nine days Geneva II, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday. EVENT Nothing was achieved at the week long peace conference about Syria. It had been hoped as a minimum that the two sides might come together on the subject of civilian suffering. Surely they would find a way of securing aid corridors to areas, such as in the Old City of Homs where thousands are starving to death. But by Friday there was still no agreement, and the aid trucks remained parked outside the besieged area. This week Human Rights Watch issued a new report showing how the Assad regime had razed thousands of homes to the ground in Damascus as collective punishment of communities that backed the opposition. The group accused Syria's government of "wiping entire neighbourhoods off the map" by means of bulldozers and explosives. And so the “burden of Damascus” continues. The word burden in Isaiah 17v1 means a great tribulation. A national nightmare which cannot be resolved. It’s happening now… COMMENT he BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:1)

6. Damascus has become feeble, and all her people turn to flee. Fear, anguish, and pain have gripped her as they grip a woman in labor. That famous city, a city of joy, will be forsaken! Her young men will fall in the streets and die. Her soldiers will all be killed,” says the Lord US presses Russia on Syria weapons BBConline, February 1, 2014 EVENT US Secretary of State John Kerry has asked Russia to press its ally Syria into speeding up the removal of chemical weapons. The US says only about 4% of chemical weapons declared by the Syrian government have so far been removed. Mr Kerry raised the issue with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, officials said. Syria's chemical weapons are due to be removed and destroyed by 30 June. Under the terms of the UN-backed plan, Syrian authorities are responsible for packing and safely transporting the chemical weapons to the Mediterranean port of Latakia. "Secretary Kerry pressed Foreign Minister Lavrov to push the regime for more progress on moving the remaining chemical weapons within Syria to the port in Latakia," the US State Department official said. Washington considered progress so far to be "unacceptable", the official added. So peace talks have failed. The violence continues and will almost certainly escalate. Only 4% of Syria’s chemical weapons have been removed. Earlier this week, the US ambassador to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Robert Mikulak, said "the effort to remove chemical agent and key precursor chemicals from Syria has seriously languished and stalled". Everything has stalled. The peace agreement, the chemical weapons agreement and the cooperation between America and Russia. America once more is starting to “push” Russia into pushing the Syrian regime. Once more Russia will refuse to budge. The burden of Damascus and Syria will NOT end peacefully and with resolution. The Bible could not be clearer. It will end with the complete destruction of Damascus and the ending of Syria as a nation. We don’t know when …but it will happen… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 49:24-26 NLT)

7. The fortified towns of Israel will also be destroyed and the royal power of Damascus will end. All that remains of Syria will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,”declares the Lord of Hosts. “In that day Israel’s glory will grow dim; its robust body will waste away. Note how Israel is greatly weakened when Syria comes to an end. This has not happened yet…. Syria misses deadline handing over chemical arsenal Daily Telegraph, February 5, 2014 Syria has given up "less than five per cent" of its chemical weapons arsenal, missing Wednesday's deadline for destroying stock and sparking accusations from Britain and the US that it is deliberately spinning out the process. David Cameron, the Prime Minister, warned Damascus against dragging its heels. He told parliament: "There do seem to be now indications that the programme is slowing and that not all the information necessary is forthcoming. Britain will continue to put pressure on all parties to make sure the chemicals weapons are produced and destroyed.” According to the agreement, Syria was on Wednesday required to turn over its "category two", lower grade chemicals to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the international watchdog, for destruction. However, it has failed to do so and is six to eight weeks behind schedule for the removal of its entire arsenal. EVENT Almost 1,200 tons of chemicals were scheduled to have been removed by ship by Wednesday, with the entire stockpile of Syria’s chemical weapons (approximately 1,300 tons) removed by the end of June. Only a fraction of that has actually been removed. According to the US state department only 4.1% of the total has been removed. A report published in the Sunday Times stated that Syrian President Bashar Al Assad transferred some of his chemical weapons to an Alawite area in Northern Syria in order to prevent their dismantlement. “The whole area is fortified and isolated from the rest of Syria,” an Israeli military source claimed. And so despite the agreement Assad holds on to power and his chemical weapons. Britain is once again warning Damascus. We know the final outcome. It is not Syria at peace. It is Syria coming to an end as a nation and Damascus totally destroyed.... COMMENT he BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:3-4 NLT)

8. Then at the time of the end, the king of the south will attack the king of the north. The king of the north will storm out with chariots, charioteers, and a vast navy. He will invade various lands and sweep through them like a flood. He will enter the glorious land of Israel Russia Opposes a Humanitarian Resolution on Syria Associated Press, February 5, 2014 EVENT Russia said Wednesday it opposes a new U.N. Security Council resolution on the humanitarian plight in Syria, an announcement that is likely to torpedo a Western and Arab-backed draft that would pressure the government and opposition to allow desperately needed aid into the country. Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told a press briefing that "hard, pragmatic and purposeful work is necessary" to resolve specific humanitarian issues — not a council resolution which will almost certainly aim "to politicize the problem.” Council diplomats said they expect to circulate a draft humanitarian resolution this week, following the failure of peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition to achieve any concrete results, especially on possible humanitarian aid convoys to besieged parts of the city of Homs. "We are against moving to a resolution now in the Security Council," Churkin told reporters. Russia and China support the Syrian government. They have vetoed three previous Western-backed resolutions that would have pressured President Bashar Assad to end the violence. They cannot even approve immediate access to all areas of the country to deliver aid to millions of civilians. Russia’s support of Syria is interesting. As mentioned many times before Syria is home to the ancient king of the north mentioned in Daniel 11. We read “at the time of the end” the king of the north will invade Israel. If we didn't’ have Ezekiel 38 we would have surely concluded that the latter day king of the north was Syria. However we find out in Ezekiel 38 that the new king of the north is Gog – the Russian leader. So what has happened to Syria? The answer is simple. Syria is removed from being a nation. Russia becomes the greater and more powerful king of the north at the time of the end COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40 – 41 NLT)

9. “Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.” Yes, this was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you - these Edomites and Ishmaelites; Moabites and Hagrites, Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites; and people from Philistia and Tyre. Assyria has joined them, too, This describes the inner ring conflict – also detailed in Isaiah 17 Iran boosts support to Syria Daily Telegraph, February 21, 2014 Iran is boosting its support for President Bashar al-Assad, sending top military advisers to Damascus to gather intelligence and train Syrian troops, sources with knowledge of the movements have said. The increase in assistance from Syria's long standing ally reportedly coincided with the peace talks at Geneva II, allowing the government to attend the negotiations with sufficient confidence in its military capability that it did not feel the need to make concessions. Several "hundred" military specialists, including senior commanders from the Quds Force, the elite foreign-operations wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have been to deployed to Syria in recent months, Iranian sources and security experts have said. A recently retired senior IRGC commander told Reuters there are now at least 60 to 70 Quds force commanders on the ground in Syria at any given time. EVENT COMMENT Iran sees the survival of the Syrian government as being crucial to it longevity of its own regime. Iranian leaders have said that Syria is Iran's "35th province", with President Bashar al-Assad's Alawite minority led regime being a crucial buffer against the influence of Saudi Arabia and the United States. Iran is part of the outer ring of nations that invade Israel in Ezekiel 38. Syria is part of an inner ring of nations that fight Israel mentioned in Psalm 83. The outer ring war comes after an initial inner ring war. In fact the two wars will probably just continue after each other. Syria is destroyed in the first inner ring war. Iran survives and joins in the second wave of the outer ring of nations. Iran’s support of Syria will lead to the initial war and Syria’s demise. Then Russian (and Iran) will invade Israel – Armageddon… BIBLE QUOTE (Psalm 83:4-8 NLT)

10. Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet. Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail. How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy! Syria conflict anniversary: who controls what Daily Telegraph, March 14, 2014 As many as 140,000 people have died and millions driven from their homes. Syria is now divided – with large swathes of the country under the control of an array of competing rebel groups. The conflict first began three years ago, with opposition supporters taking up arms, first to defend themselves and later to expel security forces from their local areas. The country soon descended into civil war as armed rebel brigades battled government forces for power. The strategic cities of Aleppo, Damascus and Homs have been most intensely fought over, with a third of the total casualties in these three cities alone. There are estimates that between December and the beginning of March more than 1,000 barrel bombs (each with half a ton of TNT) were dropped on Aleppo alone. EVENT It’s incredible that the Syrian revolution that began 3 years ago is still raging today. The devastation that has come upon the country is almost behind comprehension. Whole cities are derelict and bombed out. The three cities that have taken the brunt of the pain are Damascus, Homs and Aleppo. It is amazing that these three cities are mentioned in one verse that is in a passage describing the final calamity of Syria. Damascus is still called Damascus. But Homs and Aleppo were called by slightly different names in ancient times. Homs was Hamath and Aleppo was Arpad. The Bible says that Homs and Aleppo would become “fainthearted”. The original word means to “melt away”. A three-month bombardment of Aleppo that began in January, unparalleled even in this war, has levelled large parts of Aleppo. It had a population of 3 million. It is now a ghost town. Aleppo was Syria’s largest city and its commercial centre. No more. But its not over yet. Damascus will be removed from the map – possibly by Israel… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 49:23-25)

11. And the king of the South (Egypt) shall be moved with anger and shall come forth and fight with the king of the North (Syria); and he [the Syrian king] shall set forth a great multitude, but the multitude shall be given into his [the Egyptian king’s] hand. The Amplified Version adds additional detail. Notice it adds Syria next to the king of the north. Syria civil war 'kills over 150,000 people' in three years Daily Telegraph, April 1, 2014 Over 150,000 people have lost their lives since the March 2011 outbreak of the devastating civil war in Syria, according to new figures. The London based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which closely monitors the conflict using a network of activists and medical staff in Syria, has documented the deaths of 150,344 people. More than a third of those killed in Syria – by shellfire, air strikes and bullets – are civilians, the rights group said. Now in its third year, the war, which continues, unabated, has ravaged entire cities, leaving whole civilian neighbourhoods flattened by shell fire and air strikes. These include home-made 'barrel bombs', which when dropped from the air carve out craters several metres deep. The figures also show that at least 7,985 of the civilians killed are children. EVENT he Syrians are now identified by the United Nations as the world's largest refugee population. 4.4 million are displaced in Syria itself while a further 1.2 million have made it to increasingly cramped refugee camps in neighbouring Jordan and Lebanon. The March 2011 peaceful anti-government demonstrations that marked the beginning of unrest in Syria soon spiralled into bloody civil war after fierce government suppression. As one report put it this week “Three years on, the end does not appear in sight for a country that is continuing to implode.” The Bible talks of Syria imploding at the time of the end. It speaks of Damascus becoming a ruinous heap. It speaks of the actual kingdom of Syria coming to an end. I.e. no one ruling it. The implosion of Syria is not over. Greater destruction is to come. Syria home of the ancient king of the north will be removed and be replaced by Russia. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:11 Amplified)

12. Say to the nations far and wide: “Get ready for war! Call out your best warriors. Let all your fighting men advance for the attack. Hammer your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Train even your weaklings to be warriors. Come quickly, all you nations everywhere. Gather together in the valley. Assad using chemical weapons attacks with chlorine Daily Telegraph, April 20, 2014 Bashar al-Assad's regime has reverted to the use of a chemical gas first used at Ypres in the First World War in a series of recent attacks, Western officials believe. François Hollande, the French president, on Sunday declared the Syrian leader had continued to use chemical weapons on the front line, though he added definite proof had not yet been established. Officials are examining attacks on at least three towns in the last week where credible reports point to the use of chlorine gas, leaving dozens of people seeking treatment for the symptoms of poisoning. While the Syrian regime has handed over 80 per cent of its declared chemical weapons stockpile for destruction under UN supervision, the attacks appear to show Assad's regime is continuing to use poison against its own civilians. Since the initial attack on April 11, there have been at least two more chlorine related incidents in the rebel region. EVENT Meanwhile in Syria events continue to deteriorate. Assad has resumed use of chemical weapons. He is now using chlorine gas. While chlorine is not listed as a banned chemical agent in recognition of its wide range of industrial uses, its use as a weapon of war is prohibited under the 1925 Chemical Weapons Convention. It was first used 100 years ago in the first world war where it killed 30,000 people. We know that Isaiah 17 needs to be completely fulfilled at some point. Damascus removed from being a city. Israel greatly weakened at that point. We are entering a time of great conflict. Not only in Europe but beyond into Syria and Israel. We are even seeing tensions rise in the east between China and Japan. There are fears of an imminent nuclear test by North Korea as well…..The world is on the brink… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Joel 3:9-11 NLT)

13. Then at the time of the end, the king of the south will attack the king of the north. The king of the north will storm out with chariots, charioteers, and a vast navy. He will invade various lands and sweep through them like a flood. He will enter the glorious land of Israel, and many nations will fall Obama to let American troops train Syrian rebels Washington Times, May 27, 2014 President Barak Obama is ready to sign a bill that approves training of Syrian armed oppositionists by American forces, US newspaper The Wall Street Journal says. The statement was made during Obama's speech at the United States Military Academy at West Point (USMA) on Wednesday. However, he didn't give precise information about the training program. "The president intends to extend the support of Syrian opposition and its neighboring countries that face the terrorist threats," The Wall Street Journal said, citing a representative of the White House. However, the plan is still being discussed by the government, which should also settle a wide range of issues in order to implement it. In particular, the government doesn't know what countries of the region will station American troops on their territories and how it will be able to distinguish the Syrian conservative opposition from the radical Islamists. EVENT he COMMENT As the war in Afghanistan winds down it appears that Obama is getting ready to increase America’s involvement in Syria. According to reports the Arab world sees Obama as moving to counteract Russian, Iranian and Hezbollah intervention in the Syrian conflict. It is also seen in some quarters as payback for Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Obama has not made totally clear in his announcement this week exactly what he is planning in Syria. But will be a program to expand US involvement in the war against the Assad regime and al Qaeda elements by providing moderate rebels with military training and a regular supply of sophisticated weapons, instead of the dribs and drabs they have supplied so far. It may even include anti-air systems which Washington has withheld so far. We may still see the king of the south enter the fray in Syria (the ancient territory of the king of the north). A military provocation of Russia is coming… BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40-41)

14. “Look, the city of Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins. The towns of Aroer will be deserted. Flocks will graze in the streets and lie down undisturbed, with no one to chase them away. The fortified towns of Israel will also be destroyed, and the royal power of Damascus will end. All that remains of Syria will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,” Assad allies hail his election 'victory’ Daily Telegraph, June 5, 2014 President Bashar al-Assad’s “victory” in Syria’s election was attacked in the capitals of the West yesterday but welcomed in Moscow, Tehran and other centres of the growing anti-Western alliance. Mr Assad was said to have won 88.7 per cent of the vote on a turn-out of 73.4 per cent, according to the election commission, surprisingly high since half the country is out of the regime’s control. In addition to the millions of people living behind rebel lines and with no access to the polling stations, an estimated three million people are refugees outside the country, many in places that did not allow an expatriate vote. Britain said that following the vote it would increase its support to the “moderate opposition”. William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, said: “Assad lacked legitimacy before this election, and he lacks it afterwards. This election bore no relation to genuine democracy.” John Kerry, the US secretary of state, said the election was a "great big zero”. EVENT It seems incredible that after over 3 years of civil war in Syria, Bashar al-Assad is still in power. Over 160,000 have been killed and millions displaced. It is interesting to note the nations that have welcomed Assad’s election “victory”. Russia, Iran and China have all expressed support for Assad following the voting that took place this week. Russia and Iran are mentioned as being allied in Ezekiel 38. Russia is Magog, Meshech and Tubal. Iran is Persia. In Ezekiel 38 there is no mention at all of Syria. There is no territory in the list of nations that includes Syria. Persia is modern day Iran. It may include some of Iraq - but it doesn't’ include Syria. So why is Syria not mentioned in Ezekiel 38? Surely Israel’s arch enemy would be included in the conflict? The answer is that Syria is removed from being a nation BEFORE Gog invades Israel… he COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:1-3 NLT)

15. Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: We are seeing the multitudes of people rising up and crashing together like the stormy seas… Obama asks Congress for $500m for Syrian rebels BBConline, June 26, 2014 President Barack Obama has asked the US Congress to approve $500m (£294m) to train and equip what he described as "moderate" Syrian opposition forces. The funds would help Syrians defend against forces aligned with President Bashar al-Assad, the White House said. The aid would also counter Islamist militants such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis), it added. Isis's advance in neighbouring Iraq has led some in Congress to press Mr Obama to take action. Tens of thousands of people have died and millions more have been displaced in three years of civil war in Syria, as rebels fight troops loyal to Mr Assad. "This funding request would build on the administration's longstanding efforts to empower the moderate Syrian opposition, both civilian and armed," the White House said. It will also "enable the Department of Defense to increase our support to vetted elements of the armed opposition". EVENT he COMMENT Obama is blaming the Syrian regime for the meltdown in Iraq. It’s actually a highly complex situation. The argument goes like this… The Syrian regime led by Assad (who is Shia) have been mercilessly killing their own people to stay in power. The main group of people being killed are Sunnis. This in turn has caused a new virulent stream of Sunni’s to rise up (ISIS) who now threaten the stability of the government in Iraq (which is Shia). But the Sunni’s who have risen up are almost certainly funded by Saudi Arabia (who are Sunni). But the trouble there is that Saudi and America are allies. Iran (who is Shia) has ended up being on the same side as America over ISIS! Complex?! So America wants revenge on Assad. He (they believe) is the cause of the problems. They also want to stop ISIS taking over any part of Syria. Isaiah 17 speaks of the destruction of Damascus. But at the end of the chapter it says the following…. BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:12-13)

16. The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, "Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand: That I will break the Assyrian in My land, And on My mountains tread him underfoot. Then his yoke shall be removed from them, And his burden removed from their shoulders. • Islamic State seizes key Syrian oil fields Daily Telegraph, July 26, 2014 The extremist Sunni jihadist group that declared a caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq has seized control of one of Syria’s most important oil fields after rebel fighters from other factions switched their allegiance to support it. In a crucial strategic advance for Islamic State, the organisation that is tearing Iraq apart, anti-government rebels in Syria who had been loyal to the rival Jabhat al-Nusra switched sides - handing over the Al-Omar oilfield, which has the potential to produce up to 75,000 barrels of oil per day. The development represents a huge step up for the Islamic State in its struggle against al-Nusra, which is backed by al-Qaeda but regards the new grouping as dangerously extremist. It means that the caliphate proclaimed by the Islamic State now controls a stretch of Syria from the town of Deir al-Zour in the middle of the country to Abukamel on the Iraqi border. Within neighbouring Iraq, to the east, it holds the cities of Mosul and Tikrit and is threatening to attack Baghdad. EVENT This extremist Sunni group called ISIS are ultra violent. They behead people, they crucify people, they kill children. It is this group that have declared a new Islamic State stretching from Syria right across Iraq. The interesting thing about this group and its territory is that it corresponds to that of the ancient Assyrians. The Assyrians were based in Nineveh. ISIS is based in the province of Nineveh. The ancient Assyrians were noted for their brutality, and their kings were often depicted as gloating over the gruesome punishments inflicted on conquered peoples. They conducted their wars with shocking ferocity, uprooting whole populations. Northern Israel was brought to an end by the Assyrians. ISIS also hate Israel. There is a possibility they get involved in “inner ring” war against Israel – the war involving Syria, Palestinians, Hezbollah etc… he COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 14:24-25)

17. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts. And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. Islamic State kills 270 in Syrian gas field 'massacre' Daily Telegraph, July 19, 2014 Jihadists have killed 270 Syrian regime fighters, civilian security guards and employees since seizing a gas field in Homs province, a monitoring group said Friday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described Thursday's takeover of the Shaar field as "the biggest" anti-regime operation by the Islamic State (IS) since it emerged in the Syrian conflict last year. The watchdog, updating an earlier toll of 115, said it had documented "the death of 270 people killed in the fighting or executed" since Thursday. "A large majority of the men killed were executed at gunpoint after being taken prisoner following the takeover of the camp," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. Gruesome footage apparently recorded by the jihadists at the gas field and distributed via YouTube showed dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, strewn across a desert landscape. One video shows a jihadist posing with the bodies. EVENT he COMMENT The new Islamic State continues to wreak havoc and cause terror and slaughter. The territory they now cover corresponds accurately with the ancient Assyrians who were based in Nineveh. The Islamic State is based in the region of Nineveh in Iraq. The ancient Assyrians brought to an end the northern kingdom of Israel. It is possible that this new Islamic State will also help bring destruction to northern Israel. We read in Psalm 83 how Assyria helps the people that surround Israel in their aim of destroying Israel. We know that Israel will not be destroyed. But we also know that before the Russian invasion there is an initial war that Israel will win - but will be left in a weakened position. We know this because Isaiah 17 speaks of Ephraim (symbolic of northern Israel) is left without a fortress and Jacob’s (Israel’s) flesh is made thin. Eg no strength. Israel will be in no fit state to take on Russia when Russia descends. BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:3-4)

18. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur [Assyria] also is joined with them: Hundreds die in Syria's 'deadliest week' The territory in red is the Islamic State. It matches exactly to ancient Assyria when Psalm 83 was written BBC online, July 23, 2014 As Israeli missiles lay waste to Gaza, Hamas rockets fly and innocents die in civilian planes downed in eastern Ukraine, Syria has slipped even further under the radar. But with international attention focused elsewhere, Syria has just recorded it's bloodiest week since the country descended into violence three years ago. More than 1,700 people have been killed in just seven days, with fighters for the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) accused of killing hundreds of government troops in a battle for a gas field, with hundreds of civilians killed as fighting intensified across the nation. The three-year-long civil war in Syria has now killed over 170,000 and displaced nearly nine million . In the latest round of fighting, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 270 government soldiers and gas field employees were killed in the clashes on July 19, many of them shot through the head. EVENT he COMMENT Incredibly the violence in Syria is getting even worse. More 1700 people killed in one week. Clashes have occurred around the country including in the capital Damascus which was hit by its fiercest fighting in months, after President Bashar Al-Assad was sworn in for a third term as president. The new Islamic State which controls much of northern Iraq now is attacking Syrian government forces as well as moderate rebels. But nothing appears to be happening to stop them. It is amazing how the territory of ISIS corresponds exactly to ancient Assyria. Especially the Assyria that existed at the time Psalm 83 was written in 1000 BC. Psalm 83 explains how a group of 9 tribes rise up against Israel. They are helped by Assyria we are told. This new ultra violent breed of Islamic fanatics could well assist in attacking Israel when the initial war against Israel begins. Events in Gaza may lead to Psalm 83 being fulfilled… BIBLE QUOTE (Psalm 83:5-84)

19. And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. The push is a military provocation by US/UK – it could involve Syria the ancient king of the north…. Obama signs bill to train, arm Syrian rebels Associated Press, September 18, 2014 President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill authorizing the military to arm and train Syrian rebels fighting the Islamic State group. Obama signed the bill Friday in the Oval Office. The Senate gave its final approval Thursday, a day after the legislation drew strong bipartisan support in the House. The White House says U.S. troops will train Syrian rebels at camps in Saudi Arabia. The Pentagon's top leadership has also approved an ambitious target list for U.S. airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Syria, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said Thursday, but President Obama has not signed off on the plan, adding a level of uncertainty to the military strategy. U.S. military forces carried out two more airstrikes against ISIS militants in Iraq on Thursday and Friday, striking a boat and a small ground unit, United States Central Command said. The strikes came the same day that France participated in airstrikes against the terror group in Iraq for the first time. EVENT he COMMENT Last year we came VERY close to a military attack by America and Britain against Syria. At the last moment a deal was done to persuade Assad to give up his chemical weapons. This deal was brokered by Russia. Russia was adamant that the US and UK should not attack Syria and warned of severe consequences if it did. 12 months later we are close to the US attacking Syria. Obama has been given the green light to arm Syrian rebels. Why? So that the US can attack (using these rebels) the Islamic State that has appeared in Syria. But of course these rebels can then also attack the Assad government! Obama is also on the brink of authorising airstrikes on Syria to attack Islamic State. A Russian foreign ministry spokesman said any such action would be "an act of aggression". The king of the south (US/UK) is pushing again at Russia…. BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

20. “In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. The Ukrainian rebels are accused of shooting down passenger jet MH17 • U.N. peacekeepers leave Syrian-controlled Golan Heights CNN, September 15, 2014 U.N. forces withdrew Monday from the Syrian-controlled side of the Golan Heights, the world body confirmed. The U.N. statement cited the "exceptionally challenging environment" posed by armed rebel groups advancing on peacekeeping positions its observer force has held for close to four decades. The confirmation comes hours after a journalist working for CNN saw dozens of peacekeeping vehicles crossing into territory controlled by Israel. The withdrawal comes a little more than two weeks after Islamic militant fighters took some peacekeepers hostage and besieged others. Al-Nusra Front freed 45 U.N. peacekeepers from Fiji in good condition last week, while forces from the Philippines escaped after exchanging fire with militant fighters, according to media reports. The incidents occurred after Syrian rebel fighters took control of the only border crossing between Israel and Syria in the Syrian town of Quneitra in late August. EVENT Not sure if you have noticed this but it is very interesting how many times the word “rebels” is used in news reports. In the report above we have “rebel groups” in Golan. We have on the previous slide Obama signing a bill to arm the “rebels in Syria.’ The pro Russian forces in Ukraine are called “rebels”. It seems like we have rebels in all the key flashpoints. So why is this significant? Well perhaps because the Bible talks about rebels at the time of the end…In Daniel 8 we read of a little horn that comes out of the Greek empire. It is Antiochus Ephanese. But then we read “In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise.” So rebels become completely wicked and then Gog finally arises… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 8:23-24 NLT)

21. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Sheba and Dedan are the same Arab nations in Obama’s roll call. America is a young lion. US, Arab allies hit IS strongholds in Syria, Iraq Associated Press, September 23, 2014 Combined U.S.-Arab airstrikes hit Islamic State military strongholds in Syria and Iraq, and a simultaneous U.S. strike targeted an al-Qaida cell said to be plotting direct assaults on American and other Western interests, the U.S. military said Tuesday. President Barack Obama declared that Arab support for the airstrikes "makes it clear to the world this is not America's fight alone. We're going to do what's necessary to take the fight to this terrorist group, for the security of the country and the regime and for the entire world.” Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the top American military official, said the U.S. and its Arab allies achieved their aim of showing the extremists that their attacks will not go unanswered. Obama said the U.S. was "proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder" with Arab partners, and he called the roll: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Qatar. EVENT COMMENT Despite his best endeavours Obama has been dragged back into a war in Iraq (and Syria). The Islamic State or ISIS has shocked the world. Six months ago no one had heard of ISIS - now there is a war against them. The shocking brutality of ISIS has galvanised America into action. But what an amazing situation has occurred. As we read the “roll call” of nations who have attacked Syria this week we see the EXACT nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38. These nations correspond to Sheba, Dedan (ancient names for the Arab nations listed) and the young lions (America). These nations are also referred to as “the king of the south” in Daniel 11:40. What we have here is the modern king of the south attacking the ancient king of the north (Syria). This is a prelude to the modern king of the north (Russia) invading the middle east. BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:13)

22. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts. And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. Ephraim = northern Israel • Israel downs Syrian fighter jet over Golan Heights BBC News, September 23, 2014 A Syrian fighter jet which apparently strayed into Israeli-controlled airspace over the occupied Golan Heights has been shot down by Israel. The plane, identified by Israeli sources as a Russian-built Sukhoi, plunged to the ground in flames but the pilot reportedly managed to eject. Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said Israel would respond to threats whether or not "they stemmed from a mistake”. A Syrian activist group said the jet had been bombing an area inside Syria. It is the first time since the 1980s that the Israeli military is known to have shot down a Syrian plane although Syria's civil war has threatened to spill over the border, and Israel has carried out air strikes inside Syria in response to cross-border attacks. Syria said the downing of the plane was an act of aggression, Reuters news agency reported. EVENT This incident reflects how the Golan — captured by Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war — is increasingly being drawn into the tensions in war-torn Syria amid the growing reach of Islamist militants who now control more than 90 percent of the Syria-Israel frontier. Ram Shmueli, a brigadier general in the Israeli reserves and a former head of Israel’s air force intelligence, said Israel is facing threats all along its northern borders. “We are very much on alert to all types of drones, jets and airplanes, even civilian airliners like those used during 9/11,” said Shmueli, a fighter pilot for more than 35 years. “Although we are not part of this war, we have to keep the borders safe.” There is conflict coming between Syria and Israel. Isaiah 17 says that when Damascus is destroyed Israel is greatly weakened. That war is coming… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:3-4)

23. Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, Moscow caught watching Israel from Syrian border The Times, October 11, 2014 EVENT A secret base overrun by Syrian rebel forces this week yielded more than a grandstand view of the Israeli border. After seizing the 3,280ft peak at Tal al-Hara, the rebels found a military eavesdropping base bristling with equipment. Intriguingly, though, the walls were also covered in maps of Israel annotated in Russian to show the layout of Israeli forces and signal stations. There were lists of Russian soldiers who had apparently served with Syrians at the base, less than 10 miles from the sensitive Golan Heights region of Israel. Wall-mounted displays showed Syrian army emblems alongside insignia of the Osnaz GRU, the Russian special forces’ electronic intelligence unit. Video footage shot by the rebels showed a wall-mounted list of six past commanders of the base, all Russian with the rank of colonel. One rebel, a former soldier in the Syrian army, said that the site was the most important in a network of Russian operated listening posts in Syria. Incredible - but with Bible in hand not surprising. Russia is watching Israel from Syria. The American senator John McCain commenting on this said that the “base reflected enduring Russian support for President Assad’s government”. He described it as a “shocking revelation”. Russia’s true intentions are revealed clearly in God’s Word. We are told that Gog (the Russian ruler) will plan in advance to invade Israel. The reason that Gog wants to invade is because he sees a “spoil”. Wealth to be taken. Israel has this wealth right now. It has not only the largest economy in the Middle East, it also has the strategically valuable east coast of the Mediterranean. And if that wasn’t enough it has, in the past few years, found huge gas fields worth billions. Russia is watching Israel – it will invade… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:10-11)

24. I have put hooks in thy jaws, And have brought thee out, and all thy force, Horses and horsemen, , A numerous assembly, [with] buckler and shield, Handling swords . Persia, Cush, and Phut, with them, All of them [with] shield and helmet. Be prepared, yea, prepare for thee, Thou and all thine assemblies who are assembled unto thee, And thou hast been to them for a guard. • Russian Arms Sales to Syria, Iran Add to Middle East Instability Washington FreeBeacon, October 30, 2014 Putin’s Russia has revived its once flagging global arms sales business and is using those sales to revive its defence industrial base. Second to only the United States with about a 26 percent share of the global arms market—the United States has a 30 percent share—Russian arms sales in 2013 generated some 13 billion dollars for government coffers according to the pro-government Russia Today. Other sources, such as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), claim that the annual value of Russian arms sales, which the Russian government cloaks in secrecy, often exceeds that of the United States. The obvious financial benefits tell but a small part of the value Russia derives from its arms sales abroad. Unlike the United States where large private corporations compete for arms contracts, since 2007 Russia has relied on the state-controlled consortium Rosoboronexport to monopolize Russian arms sales and to advance Russian foreign policy objectives. EVENT The countries into which Russia pours its arms and military equipment says it all. Russia stands four square with Syria and Iran. Two nations America says are part of the axis of evil! Russian sales to Syria of T-72 battle tanks, interceptor aircraft such as the very fast Mig-31, training aircraft and attack helicopters are playing a pivotal role in inflicting heavy casualties on insurgent forces. Over 200,000 civilians have died in this war. Since at least the 1990s Russia has been providing technical assistance to Iran’s development of a long-range missile program. These missiles are aimed in one direction – Israel. The Bible says that Russia would act as a guard (protector) of Iran. We see in the headline above Ezekiel 38 before our eyes… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:4-8 YLT)

25. “Look, the city of Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins. The towns of Aroer will be deserted. Flocks will graze in the streets and lie down undisturbed, with no one to chase them away. The fortified towns of Ephraim will also be destroyed, and the royal power of Damascus will end. All that remains of Syria will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,” • Israeli jets 'strike near Damascus' - Syrian army BBC, December 7, 2014 EVENT The Syrian military has accused Israel of carrying out two air strikes on Syria, near the capital Damascus. Israeli planes bombed the area near Damascus international airport and the town of Dimas, the Syrian army said in a statement carried on state television. No casualties were reported. There has been no confirmation of the air strikes from Israel. Israel has conducted several air strikes on Syria since 2011. "This afternoon, the Israeli enemy targeted two safe areas in Damascus province, namely the Dimas area and the Damascus International Airport," the military statement said. It described the air strikes as "direct aggression" carried out to help the Syrian government's opponents. Some installations had been damaged, it added, without elaborating on what had been hit. COMMENT Israel has attacked Syria once again. But why now? Well some reports say that Israel’s air strikes near Damascus wiped out newly-arrived Russian hardware including missiles that were dispatched post haste to help Syria and Hezbollah frustrate a US plan for a no-fly zone over northern Syria. The advanced weapons were sent over after Russian President Vladimir Putin learned that the Obama administration and the Turkish government were close to a final draft on a joint effort to activate a no-fly zone that would bar Syrian air force traffic over northern Syria. The Syrian regime in the past has not commented on Israeli airstrikes but this time spokesmen in Damascus warned that their government’s response would be clandestine and cause Israel "unimaginable harm.” We know from Isaiah 17 that there is conflict between Israel and Damascus at the time of the end. The Bible says that when Damascus is finally destroyed Ephraim (Northern Israel) will be greatly weakened. Events this week move us closer to this… BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:1-3 NLT)