Prophetic Events Are Escalating!

Are We on the Brink of Isaiah 17 Describing the Destruction of Damascus?

Studying Bible prophecy is like poring over a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle.

The longer time passes, the more easily we can put the pieces together.

The picture of the Last Days scenario is becoming clearer.

Israel is finally back in her place center stage in the picture.

All the pieces of the nations are falling into place.

Sometimes eschatologists try to squeeze a piece in the wrong place, and it just won’t work.

But the picture of the soon Return of the King of Kings is becoming clearer day by day for all who have spiritual eyes to see!

With Israel at war for 14 months, and now the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, we're seeing an unparalleled escalation in the Middle East scenario.

Ever since the one-day Holocaust of 7 October 2023, nothing has been the same.

The world at large seems inebriated with antisemitism, and the chaos brought on by terrorism has spread to neighboring nations.

Zechariah 12: 2 is coming to pass—God said he would make Jerusalem an intoxicating cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Like stupefied drunkards, they appear to be out of their minds.

Indeed, antisemites are drunk with Jew hatred, and it’s unlike anything I’ve witnessed in my lifetime.

Up to this point I’ve been grateful to God that my two sons earned degrees from Oxford University, but nothing prepared me for the disgrace flaunted at last week’s Oxford Union debate against Israel.

The antisemitic atmosphere was not just shocking but it was truly tragic to watch the inebriation of antisemitism infecting that bastion of academia.

But Bible believers understand why all this is happening.

It’s because Satan the Adversary hates the covenant people of God who birthed the Messiah. He knows the Bible specifies that the Jewish people must be in place, back in their own land, before the Lord’s imminent return!

Meanwhile, the re-election of Donald Trump is effecting events around the world, especially in the Middle East. Strong leaders are a deterrence. Although Biden still occupies the White House until January 20, Trump is already the leader of the free world.

After Trump won, the terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon agreed to a shaky peace with Israel, and in Gaza, Hamas has spoken of releasing the remaining hostages.

“When Reagan took over the reins from Carter in January of 1981, Iran suddenly released the American hostages. It's possible that Hamas ( instructed by their Puppet Masters in Teheran ) may do the same soon after no-nonsense Trump takes the helm from wishy-washy Biden,” writes Pastor David Decker in Jerusalem. “As many as 50 of the 101 remaining hostages being held in Gaza could still be alive. It is likely that all 101 will be released to Israel early in 2025, dead or alive, hopefully alive.”

The swift and sudden downfall of the Assad regime is viewed by many eschatologists as potentially prophetic. Many are asking— Is this the fulfillment of Isaiah 17 predicting that Damascus will become a ruinous heap?

Prophecies in Isaiah 17 and Jeremiah 49: 23-27 appear to be unfolding before our eyes.

However, God could slow down the momentum . . . or events could continue to escalate.

In the above photo, I’m praying over Damascus to protect the Christian population in light of the eventual Isaiah 17 destruction. This photo was taken in the 1990s.

The Isaiah 19 Highway of which our ministry has been building in prayer over the decades will become reality: Egypt, Israel and Assyria living peacefully together. Although Isaiah 19 is a Millennium prophecy, nevertheless Assyria must arise again to be a homeland for Christians, not an Islamic terror state.

Syria was once a bedrock of early Christianity. Now we must pray for the Christians who remain. Once again they are facing threats of persecution and violence.

I’m not by any means dogmatic, but a prophetic timeline could go like this:

Israel’s hostile neighborhood described in Psalm 83 permeated the region. Then, as the situation deteriorates, Israel will be forced to destroy Damascus, fulfilling Isaiah 17, thus leading to the wider war of Ezekiel 38-39 in which Israel is invaded and attacked by Russia, Turkey and the Persians.

But God intervenes and saves the day.

Despite Russia’s failure to save the Assad regime, Scriptures do predict that Russia will attack and attempt to invade the mountains of Israel in the Last Days.

The primary passage is Ezekiel 38:1-7:

"And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the CHIEF PRINCE [emphasis mine, the Hebrew is Rosh] of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the CHIEF PRINCE [Rosh] of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them." (Art below is an Internet screenshot from Google Images)

The word “Russia” does not overtly exist in the above passage; however, the Hebrew reference to “Rosh” in verse 2 is a shortened version of Russia. In the Bible Lexicon, Rosh is described as referring to a foreign nation. The term "Rosh" in Ezekiel 38:2 has been interpreted by some scholars to mean "Russia" due to phonetic similarities. The Hebrew word "Rosh" can mean "head" or "chief," but some translations, particularly older ones, have rendered it as a proper name, suggesting it could refer to a place or people, which some equate with Russia.

In fact, the geographical figure often credited with identifying "Rosh" in Ezekiel 38:2 with Russia is Wilhelm Gesenius. His influential work, particularly his Hebrew lexicon, has been foundational in many interpretations linking "Rosh" to Russia.

Furthermore, Ezekiel 38 describes the invasion of Israel coming from the "far north," an aggressive northern power, and that aligns with Russia's geographical position. Some scholars interpret this directional reference as pointing to Russia, especially since it's the most significant modern nation directly to the far north of Israel.

There is also a historical link suggested between the ancient people known as the "Rus" and the biblical "Rosh." Ancient documents and inscriptions mention groups like the "Rosh" or "Rus" in regions close to the Black Sea, which some see as a precursor to the modern Russian state.

Now having said all of this, to review, the prophetic progression surrounding Israel and the Last Days begins with the conditions of Psalm 83 (describing the hostile neighborhood), then Isaiah 17 (destruction of Damascus) followed by Ezekiel 38 (the big war in which God Himself intervenes).

At what point is the Rapture of the Church?

We don’t know and there are differences of opinions.

However, we must be always be ready for the upward call!

Maranatha!

To contact Christine Darg, click here.