Here are some quick bullet points of what has happened in Syria:
- Rebels, consisting of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an off-shoot of Sunni al-Qaida in Syria, along with other Sunni terrorist organizations, seized Damascus.
- Turkey plays a major supporting role in supporting the rebels.
- Shiite President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, has reportedly fled the country.
- Reports indicate that Russian and Iranian militaries have been fleeing and/or evacuating their Syrian bases.
Brief Assessment
Bashar al-Assad, President of Syria
Bashar al-Assad, President of Syria, is Shiite Muslim and a brutal dictator of the majority Sunni Muslim Syrians.
Turkey
NATO member and majority Sunni Muslim Turkey has long played a majority role in backing the Rebels against the al-Assad regime, with their own forces scattered generally throughout northern Syria.
Iran
Iran is a majority Shiite nation run by the ruthless Mullahs, with many proxies all over the Middle East with both Shiite and Sunni terrorist organizations including Hezbollah (Shiite), Hamas (Sunni), Houthis (Shiite), and others.
Iran has been imbedded in Syria for many years protecting and propping up the al-Assad regime.
Russia
Russia has been stationed in Syria for many years, also protecting the al-Assad regime.
Along with Turkey and Iran, Russia appears to be the primary instigator of the Gog/Magog prophetic invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38 and 39:1-16.
The Rebels
Most of the Rebels fighting against the al-Assad regime consist of many terrorist Sunni Muslim organizations.
The Rebel leaders in HTS regard themselves as “liberal” Muslims who attempt to protect the rights of all people and religions. Considering this group was an off-shoot of al-Qaida in Syria, and many of the other Sunni terrorist groups they have aligned themselves with, these declarations should be taken with a huge grain of salt.
Prophetic Implications of Regime Change in Syria
Underlined Scripture passages are my own emphasis.
The Three Major Gog/Magog Participants in Syria
Russia
If, indeed, Russia is in the process of evacuating Syria, how long will this last? If the Gog/Magog invasion is on the horizon, one would think that it should not be too long.
However, Russia is extremely busy in Ukraine, while threatening the US and NATO in their roles in the war.
Regarding Russia’s war with Ukraine, this is what we pointed out in The Russian Bear: Arise, Devour Much Flesh, when the war first broke out:
A Possible Link to Ezekiel 38 and 39
Ever since Russia, Iran, and Turkey have had fighting forces in Syria, directly to Israel’s north, we see the obvious set-up for the Gog/Magog invasion.
But there is a passage in Ezekiel’s prophecy that has caught my attention, as of late, and shows a potential link to the current events surrounding Russia and Ukraine.
“Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:” – Ezekiel 39:1-2
[Note: The phrase “leave a sixth part of thee” is not in the original Hebrew.]
“… turn thee back,” from where? Maybe from another invasion – namely, Ukraine?
When I see the Russian Bear’s focus on Ukraine, I cannot help but to wonder if her attention will soon be drawn back to the Syrian theatre with an eye on Israel.
In the end, even if Russia takes some or all of her troops out of Syria and/or closes some or all of her bases in Syria, God’s Word says she will be back with a vengeance!
Iran
Iran is also reportedly leaving Syria, whether entirely or just a few bases and limited personnel, and to what extent, is unknown. But, like Russia, no matter their decisions now and going into the future, they will be back in full force!
Turkey
Turkey has seemingly gotten the upper hand in this conflict at this stage in time.
What Turkey does with this new power – if indeed her power was behind the Rebels that created this outcome and they will stay faithful to her – remains to be seen. As a major player, along with Russia and Iran, Turkey will stay in Syria or come back just as the others will. God’s Word says it, and we can count on it!
Syria
Since it appears that the Shiite dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad has been defeated and the country of Syria has fallen into the control of predominantly Sunni terrorist organizations, under the auspices of Turkey, the prophetic implications intriguingly have not seemed to change too much. Either way, whether Sunnis or Shiites in charge of the country of Syria, both sects of Islam are participants in the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel.
What will be of interest to me, is how this change of leadership will affect the relationships between Russia, Iran, and Turkey, and especially between Iran and Turkey. Will Turkey still support Iran having forces and bases in Syria when Turkey’s Rebel Sunni proxies are leading the country? Will Turkey desire to continue having Russian forces and bases in Syria, as well? Will Russia and/or Iran not really care whether Turkey wants them there or not, and stay in Syria anyway?
It will be very interesting to see how this plays out. All three, Russia, Turkey, and Iran, have had very good relationships with each other as of late; something that could never have been said historically. But there was tension between Turkey and both Russia and Iran in Syria, as both Russia and Iran backed the Shiite al-Assad regime. Will these divisions be resolved, or is there more tension on the horizon?
Time will tell.
Damascus
As I have suggested in other pieces on the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel, the utter destruction of the ancient city of Damascus, recorded for us in Isaiah 17, could very well occur within the parameters of the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel.
In Possibilities: The Ezekiel 38 Invasion, we said the following regarding both Damascus and Elam:
Could Damascus Be Destroyed?
“The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.” – Isaiah 17:1
“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! Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the Lord of hosts. And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.” – Jeremiah 49:23-27
As pointed out earlier, and most certainly attestable by current news headlines, all three nations of Russia, Iran, and Turkey are currently carrying out military operations in Syria. Obviously, Syria is north of Israel where we know this invasion will come from.
Doesn’t it seem reasonable that Israel will attack Syria in an effort to stop or repel this invasion? The destruction of Damascus might certainly cause the invading troops to at least reassess their operations into Israel, if nothing else, give them something more to think about. It seems like a logical response from the Israeli Defense Forces to attack where this invasion originated from.
Could Elam Be Destroyed?
“Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might. And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come. For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith the Lord; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them: And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the Lord.” – Jeremiah 49:35-38
Elam is in modern-day southern Iran bordering the Persian Gulf. Thus, it is a vital part of ancient Persia and is a major actor in this Gog/Magog invasion of Israel. It is also the region where the Bushehr Nuclear Plant is located.
Like the possibility of Damascus being a retribution from the Israeli Defense Forces, Iran would be a reasonable target as well. Hitting the Bushehr Nuclear Plant could have a two-pronged effect: Taking out nuclear capabilities that might retaliate in the future and might also result in Iran having second thoughts about the invasion they are currently undertaking and cause battlefield confusion.
The United States and The Globalist Elite
Is the United States – under the Biden administration, the military industrial complex, and the globalist elite deep-state – also behind Turkey’s support of the Rebels? After all, Turkey is a NATO member; why she is, I have no idea, but she is a NATO member. What would be the advantage to the US collaborating with a movement that involves terrorist organizations that we have been at war with for over 25 years?
Well, for one thing, the Biden administration has always been hyper-focused on the Russian/Ukrainian war, no doubt benefiting monetarily by funneling billions of dollars into the war efforts, supposedly on Ukraine’s behalf. And their disdain for everything Putin (and understandably so) and everything Russia is palpable.
My theory is that if the globalist elite can keep President Trump preoccupied with foreign affairs and foreign wars for the next four years, wars that have edged up in ferociousness and intensity in the last few years, then all the progress they have made in destroying America from within could very well continue unabated.
So, it would not surprise me in the least if the United States, in cooperation with Turkey and the terrorist Sunni organizations engaged in the overthrow of Syria, was in the total know, if not actively engaged somehow, in this military operation.
In the end, this all would be favorable to the globalist agenda.
When it comes to the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel coming down from Israel’s north in Syria, and possibly Lebanon, I still believe one of the major hooks in Gog’s jaw will be the opportunity that will afford itself closely following on the heels of the rapture of the church. This is when I suspect this last days’ invasion of Israel will take place. I could be wrong, but I still feel this is the best fit, prophetically speaking.
Nevertheless, remember dear Saint, we are not looking for anything other than our loving Bridegroom, Creator, Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and King. So, while we look on these exciting prophetic implications as the days progress, never lose sight of the One we are all eagerly watching and waiting for! Maranatha!
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May we all keep Answering the Call of The Great Commission, and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?”
Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!
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