Living thousands of miles from Syria can insulate us from the destruction and sorrow women and children face daily. Our hearts go out to them, but what’s it got to do with us? Besides providing details for global prayer groups, I discovered I needed to know what’s up in the Middle East, really? to stay current with unfolding Biblical prophecy.
A Bit of Israeli History
On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was born–again. Though a remnant always lived on a part of the land God promised to the Jews, much of the Promise Land remained occupied by Arab nations. Many miraculous accounts underscore God’s powerful intervention to re-establish Israel as a State.
The boundaries of the Promise Land exactly mirror those ISIS has claimed in the region. If you are a Christian, you’ll be comforted that ISIS won’t succeed.
“…and I will bring my people Israel back from exile. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them.” (Amos 9:14-15 NIV)
How long is never? For those who believe the Bible is the Word of God, giving up any of the territory of Israel is unthinkable. The present tiny sliver of land falls far short of what Almighty God has given to the Jewish people.
In 1948, Israel didn’t possess the Golan Heights, the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, though all three are clearly within the borders of the Promise Land. Even so, the Arab nations refused to live peaceably side-by-side, attacking Israel in 1967—the Six-Day War. God saw to it that Israel triumphantly defended her borders, pushing the enemies back to the present-day boundaries.
You might be surprised to learn that it’s not just the Arab nations entering into war with Israel. Initially, Joseph Stalin endorsed the new Israeli country, anticipating a socialist nation that would interfere with the British influence in the region. When his expectations didn’t materialize, Russia switched alliances, supporting the Arab neighbors.
Russia and the Golan Heights
For six years, the Jewish people living in the Golan Heights worked hard to turn the hostile environment of unproductive ground into orchards and vineyards. The land flourished with the produce from their labors. They lived in peace with their Arab neighbors—until Yom Kippur of 1973.
On the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Israel’s neighbors tried again to destroy them. In the Golan Heights, fewer than 160 Israeli tanks faced 1500 brand-new Russian-made T-72s. How could the tiny force ever defeat the Syrians barreling down on them with the most up-to-date armor?
When the battle ended, many of the tanks Russia had rolled off the assembly line only a few months earlier laid in ruins. As for the rest, their drivers turned tail and lumbered back across the Syrian border. The soldiers in the Israeli tanks thanked God for His intervention, as did those fighting on all other fronts that day. Israel successfully defended her borders once again.
At least once each decade, the Almighty God miraculously steps in to help Israel defend her borders. The true accounts make inspiring reading for all who worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Russia and Israel Today
Thanks to the Iran Nuclear deal, billions of Iranian dollars were released and promptly put to use. Russia sold S-300 anti-aircraft missiles and other advanced weapon systems to Iran. Israel’s most powerful security threat in the region lost no time painting the Star of David and To Israel on the missiles.
Israel’s enemies have always hated her because they despise the Lord God Almighty. Nothing has changed from the time of the psalmist’s lament.
“Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you—.” (Ps. 83:4-5 NIV)
Two weeks ago, for the first time in Israel’s history, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting of his entire Cabinet in the Golan Heights. He declared that Israel would never give up the Golan Heights. Why did the Prime Minister need to make such a public statement?
America’s Obama and Russia’s Putin have agreed to offer the Golan Heights as a prize to the Syrians for a lasting ceasefire. How can the two leaders offer something neither possesses?
While Obama continues to pressure Israel to give the land back to Syria, ninety percent of the American Congress disagrees with the President, urging him to back off. That’s good End-Time advice since God plans to put the nations on trial who divide up the Promise Land God gave to Israel. (Joel 3:2)
While the United Nations insists Israel return the Golan Heights, the UN peacekeepers posted along the Syria-Israel border, eat and sleep on the Israeli side. When their soldiers set up their camp on the Syrian side, they were abducted and tortured by the Syrians.
Threat from Damascus
Until recent years, most of the world didn’t give much thought to the city of Damascus. Not so for the Israelis, who kept a close eye on the happenings and reported findings to their chief ally—the USA.
Immediately before the Gulf War, Israeli surveillance photographed Saddam Hussein moving his weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) from Bagdad to Damascus. They passed the photographs and crucial data to the Americans, including then Senator Hilary Clinton, John Carey and both political parties. All agreed with presenting the findings to the United Nations. Twenty-two nations affirmed that Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs.
Since Iraq had used gas to kill many Kurdish people in the streets, it had already been proven that Hussein had chemical WMDs. So, where are they now?
The casualties in several areas in Syria suggest that ISIS is experimenting with chemical weapons. The Israelis believe that the bulk of the WMDs remain hidden underneath the city of Damascus. There’s not a moment of the day or night without an Israeli satellite watching the volatile city, located less than thirty miles from Israel.
“See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.” (Isa. 17:1 NIV)
Truly, if Damascus sits on a cache of WMDs and they blow, not only will people die but the city will be uninhabitable. Reports suggest Damascus no longer has a large Christian population. Hundreds of thousands died all manner of cruel death, though some managed to escape the country with the clothes on their back.
A baseless accusation concerning the Gulf War is that President Bush traded blood for oil. The irrefutable fact is that America got not a single drop of oil. All of it went to ISIS and Russia.
Now, Russia is trying to worm its way into a chunk of the action over the huge reserve of liquid natural propane (LNP) just discovered in Northern Israel. If an economic agreement cannot be secured with Israel, Putin’s hold on Syria’s President Al-Assad may deliver the LNP to him. This assumes the UN can force Israel to return the Golan Heights to Syria. No wonder Russia planted military bases in Syria.
Russian Fighter Jets
The Israeli Air Force has patiently withheld fire as the Russian jets crisscross the Syrian-Israeli border. Repeated discussions with Russian leaders assure Israel they’re in no danger. The crossing is only a mistake as they carry out their military flyovers across Syria.
How can Russia explain the presence of their fighter jets coming within one hundred feet of an American warship, followed by a rolling maneuver within thirty feet of the same ship? In any book, that’s an act of war. John Carey said we could have shot them down.
When the Russian jet entered Turkey’s airspace, the Turks did.
One wonders why the Russian fighter jets invading American airspace all along the coast of Washington State, Oregon, and California go unchallenged. The Canadians report an almost perpetual invasion of their airspace by the Russian jets.
Has Russia’s alliance with Obama against Israel retaining the Golan Heights produced an unprecedented one-sided sense of unbridled security?
Something to Chew on
Throughout the Old Testament, a pattern is repeated. God’s people disobey the Lord, entering into business deals and even marriage alliances with their enemies. God urges the prophets to speak truth to His people.
However, instead of repenting, the Israelites press on, entertaining their enemies like partners and friends.
Their prey securely in their nets, the enemies act. Before they know what hit them, the Israelites are taken captive by the very enemies they’ve been entertaining.
Now, they cry out to God for deliverance, repenting in sackcloth and ashes.
On September 11, 2001, America suffered an unbelievable attack on the homeland by Islamic terrorists. Those of us living in Muslim countries in Africa, cried as we listened to the population dancing in the streets over the Islamic victory.
Even so, the next democratically-elected US president made deals with and entertained Muslims in the White House, refusing to allow the word Islam to be spoken as an adjective to terrorism. Months ago, Obama invited one Muslim imam to join him in the White House for the month-long Ramadan prayers, five times a day.
Within the borders of America, twenty-two Muslim villages have been established, living under sharia law. Thirty-six terrorist training camps currently teach young people the elements of jihad, signing up young soldiers for suicide missions.
The founding fathers of America established this country as “one nation, under God, indivisible.” If we are truly putting our trust in God, we can expect to see the same pattern recorded in the Old Testament. How long will we entertain our enemies before we become their captives? How long will we need to live as captives before we cry out for deliverance from the God our nation now rejects?
How can we, mere mortals, ever think we can stand against the will of the Almighty Creator God Who spoke this earth into existence? If God vows to keep His people in Israel, who dares oppose Him?
“Remember the former things, those of long ago. I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ What I have said, that I will bring about. What I have planned, that I will do.” (Isa. 46:9-11 NIV)
Never in history has there been such a tsunami of change crashing on the American political shores. Christian, your vote is needed. Seek the Lord and obey God’s direction at that ballot box. Only the Almighty God holds the future in His hands. He’s given us a chance to stand up and be counted among His children.
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15 NIV)
