The assertion that Syria is on its last legs implies that the nation is crumbling and could soon fall apart. It means that Syria is being worn down and someone must act quickly or the nation will run out of troops, weapons, territory and resolve.
Iran is in a mad scramble to prevent the demise of Syria, but the situation has become critical and it may exceed Iran’s ability to help. It is extremely dangerous and there is no telling what a desperate Syria or a frantic Iran might do.
Jeremiah 49:23-27 could be coming into play. Jeremiah foresaw a time when the people in three Syrian cities (Damascus, Hamath and Arpad) will become confused, fainthearted and gripped with constant sorrow. The people of Damascus will become weak, turn to flee, be seized by fear, and be taken by anguish and sorrow as of a woman in travail. Her young men will fall in the streets, her troops will be cut off and fire will consume the city.
This could very well be a prelude to Isaiah chapter 17. That prophecy reveals that Damascus, Syria will cease to exist as a city and become a pile of rubble in one night (verses 1 and 14).
The cities of Aroer that lie just north of Damascus (some say the area includes part of northern Jordan) will be abandoned and given over to flocks of sheep (verse 2). Some of the cities in northernIsrael will be weakened and Damascus will no longer be the capital of Syria (verse 3).
War will break out with Israel, there will be great destruction in northern Israel and many Jews will go hungry (verses 4-6). But good will result from all of this because hard times will cause some of the Jews to abandon their religion of works and look to the God of Israel and trust Him (verses 7-8).
This leads us to the current situation. Since 2011, a civil war has been raging in Syria that has resulted in about 220,000 deaths; more than 7 ½ million Syrians driven to other parts of the nation; almost 4 million Syrians driven out of the country; multiplied thousands wanting to flee, but they can’t escape; women turning to prostitution to survive; almost half of the children with no school to attend and many begging for food. It is a heartbreaking situation that is growing worse by the minute.
Pres. Assad’s military has lost control of all but 20-30% of Syria’s land area. Enemies now control most of his oil and a large number of his natural gas wells. They also control most of his valuable phosphate mines. Large areas of farmland are lying fallow because the farmers have been killed or fled to other areas.
The Syrian military is fighting a war on five different fronts and it is losing on all of them. Many soldiers have been killed. Many others have laid down their weapons and left the battlefield. Many towns and villages have been abandoned. Syrian men under 42 years of age are being rounded up and forced into the military. Syrian women are being recruited to serve in the military.
Muslim rebels and Islamic State forces have Damascus almost surrounded and at least one group that is armed and funded bySaudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey has said Damascus is its next target. Russia has already started withdrawing her advisors (and their families) that were working in Syria’s war room at Damascus.
Hezbollah and Iran have sent in some troops, but those troops have been unable to turn the tide. Iranian soldiers are now supervising some Syrian troops, but this is causing dissention in what is left of the demoralized and decimated Syrian military.
Ehud Yaari, a highly respected expert on the Middle East, said the end of Pres. Assad’s government is near. Yair Golan, Deputy Chief of Staff for the Israeli Defense Forces said, “De facto (in effect), the Syrian army has ceased to exist. Sean Osborne, a retired military man and excellent prophecy teacher, believes we are witnessing the final days of Pres. Assad’s reign.
If these men are right (and it looks like they are), perhaps we should recall something Pres. Assad said back in 2012 when it looked like his government would soon fall. He said he would attack Israelbefore he will step down or be defeated.
And then there was that report in January 2014 that said he met with his top military leaders and ordered them to launch Syria’s ballistic missiles at Israel if he is killed in Syria’s ongoing civil war. That report said he believes he would secure a positive legacy by making the destruction of Israeli cities the final act of his life.
Whether he launches his missiles at Israel or the Islamic State troops or the rebels that are trying to overthrow him is a matter of conjecture at this time, but no one needs to speculate about this: In a war with Israel, Damascus is destined to become a pile of rubble in one night.
Before closing (and for your information) in my recent article titled “Showdown” I wrote, “The U.S. is working with France to draft a resolution for presentation to the UN Security Council shortly after the P5 + 1 is supposed to have a final agreement with Iran over her nuclear weapons . . .
So, supposedly (but probably not long) after June 30, 2015 the UN Security Council will pass a resolution to give Israel and the PA 18 months (perhaps until early 2017) to negotiate a peace treaty.”
It is now being reported that France will submit the resolution to the UN Security Council after the 70th session of the UN begins on September 15, 2015. Count off 18 months and you arrive at the spring of 2017.
Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck