NOTES ON THE DRUMS OF WAR: FIVE STAGES ON THE ROAD TO ARMAGEDDON – PART III: THE ISAIAH 17 WAR

SCRIPTURE. “Look, Damascus is gone! It is no longer a city—it has become a heap of ruins! The cities of Aroer are deserted. Sheep pasture there, lying quiet and unafraid, with no one to chase them away. The strength of Israel and the power of Damascus will end, and the remnant of Syria shall be destroyed. For as Israel’s glory departed, so theirs, too, will disappear, declares the Lord Almighty.” – ISAIAH 17:1–3, TLB

QUOTATIONS

“We shall remember … Damascus, the ‘Pearl of the East’, the pride of Syria, the fabled garden of Eden, the home of princes and genii of the Arabian Nights, the oldest metropolis on Earth, the one city in all the world that has kept its name and held its place and looked serenely on while the Kingdoms and Empires of four thousand years have risen to life, enjoyed their little season of pride and pomp, and then vanished and been forgotten” ― MARK TWAIN, ‘The Innocents Abroad,’ 1869; edited

“Although Damascus is well-known to be an ancient city, it remains unclear exactly when the oasis was first settled. Excavations in 1950 demonstrated that an urban centre existed in the 4th millennium BC at Tall al-Sālḥiyyah, southeast of Damascus. Pottery from the 3rd millennium BC has been discovered in the Old City, and mention of ‘Damaski’ was found in a clay tablet at Ebla (present-day Tall Mardīkh) dating to the same period.” – EDITORS, ‘Britannica,’ July 20, 2008; edited

“This is Damascus … And this is the glass and the goblet. I love … and some love slaughters. I am a Damascene … If you cut my body open, It shall spill grapes and apples. And if you open my veins with a blade, You shall hear in my blood the voices of those who left. Planting another heart … Heals those who love, but my love can not be cured. The minarets of Damas cry as they hug me, And for minarets … like trees …  have Souls. Jasmine has rights in our homes … The domestic cat will fall asleep where it pleases. Coffee grinder is part of our childhood, How shall I forget? the fragrance of cardamom; my roots … my heart … and my language, all are here. How shall I explain? Adoration can not be explained.” – NIZAR QABANNI, Syrian poet, “Damascus,” ‘Luxembourg,’ Apr. 2, 2019; edited

Selah.

1. FIRST THOUGHTS

I have told you more than once how fascinating Antiquity is to me, and our study of arguably the oldest city in the world is certainly no exception. DAMASCUS, “The Pearl of the East,” is living testimony of very nearly the entire history of the human race in many ways.

Here is the way one historian put it in more eloquent prose than I am able to muster:

“Even in a land as ancient as the Middle East the City of Damascus stands out. Founded in the third millennium B.C., Damascus vies for—and just might own—the title of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city.

The city has changed hands countless times over the centuries. Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Nabataeans, Romans, the Umayyad caliphate, Seljuk Turks, Mongols, Ottomans, French and many others all once held sway here. Each group left echoes behind that became part of the city’s rich tapestry—then vanished. The City itself, though, thrived as it does today at the heart of an independent Syria.

Damascus’ rich history is alive in the Historic Quarter, where narrow lanes wander through warrens of ancient buildings, pass lively markets, and reveal historic sites—all surrounded by remnants of venerable walls and legendary gates.” – EDITOR, “Ancient City of Damascus,” ‘National Geographic,’ Nov. 15, 2010; edited

DAMUSCUS 2022. That article was published 12 years ago, and what a difference a decade can make. Here is that great City today in the midst of what is consuming the entire world more and more: “Wars and rumors of wars.” – MATTHEW 24:6

“The War in Syria marked its ten-year anniversary in 2021, another grim milestone for the country that appears marching onward into Terminal Decline. While levels of violence in 2020 remained relatively low compared to other years, for many in Syria the situation is as grim as ever. Syrians face an economy in turmoil, unabated and unchecked Covid-19, while the threat of bombing, banditry, and arbitrary detention hangs over much of the population. We look at some of the main issues that will affect Syria in 2022 …

Control of Northeast Syria remains divided between US-backed Kurdish forces, Turkey, and the Syrian regime with pockets of Islamic State group militancy. Tensions between the four sides have seen conflict and bloodshed, with the northeast’s fiefdoms creating disruptions to trade and cooperation on security issues, as well as Covid-19. Fears of a new Turkish offensive in northeast Syria did not play out in 2021, but the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will remain on high alert over the coming 12 months. Ankara will also remain vigilant about the threat of Syrian Kurdish militancy around its borders.” – AL-ARABY AL-JADEED, “Syria in 2022: Deadlock, Violence, and Possible Famine,” ‘The Syrian Observer,’ Jan. 3, 2022; edited

The Prophetic Point. ‘Damascus still stands.’ Though under siege, remains a great Middle Eastern City of nearly 3,000,000 souls, a uniquely important Middle Eastern crossroads. So yes, what happens to Damascus counts for much indeed.

II.     THE TEACHING

SCRIPTURE. “Look, Damascus is gone! It is no longer a city—it has become a heap of ruins! The cities of Aroer are deserted. Sheep pasture there, lying quiet and unafraid, with no one to chase them away. The strength of Israel and the power of Damascus will end, and the remnant of Syria shall be destroyed. For as Israel’s glory departed, so theirs, too, will disappear, declares the Lord Almighty.” – ISAIAH 17:1–3, TLB

As with pretty much all my teaching, we begin by looking at the KEY IDEAS AND TERMS used in this important passage. So here we go.

• BURDEN OF DAMASCUS. A penetrating definition of the fate of the City of Damascus in a single word: ‘Massa’ [מַשָּׂא]: “A great load or bearing to be lifted with excruciating effort; stems here from a prophecy or oracle of utter doom; literally derives from the packs piled up on the backs of a beast of burden; related to the worship of false gods.”

• BECOME “A RUINOUS HEAP.” A unique phrase in all of Scripture, this summarizes the utter devastation that this Prophecy of the Lord portends. It is derived from two Hebrew terms: ‘Mappalah’ [מַפָּלָה], or “absolutely fallen;” and ‘Mei’ [מְעִי], “a bent, perverted and corrupted pile of useless rubbish; the result of being completely overwhelmed and overthrown by some great power.”

• CEASE FROM EXISTENCE. Taken from a primary Hebrew term, ‘Sur’ [סוּר], meaning: “To be removed or taken away; become forsaken; to let something be caused to come to its end; to literally, ‘turn off;’ to be abolished or become completely lifeless; it is related to apostasy from God’s Law.”

• ALLIES FORSAKEN. A reference to the cities and regions of Aroer to the South, the Hebrew word used here is, ‘Azab’ [עָזַב]: “To abandoned, leave behind, desolate; expose to danger; neglect; also related to apostasy, or a forsaking of the Lord; also, spiritual adultery; to cease to regard as a friend; to fail, refuse or leave destitute.”

• FORMER GLORY DEPARTED. Finally, we see the total withdrawal of former glory from its 5,000-year illustrious history. From an important Hebrew word, ‘Shabath’ [שָׁבַת]: “To cease, desist, or put an end to; related to the desecration of the Sabbath; to cease to exist; to completely abolish or destroy; to cause to fail or exterminate; by implication, the total absence of God’s presence – forever.”

COMMENTARY. “‘Sin desolates cities.’ It is strange that great conquerors should take pride in being enemies to mankind; but it is better that flocks should lie down there, than that they should harbour any in open rebellion against God and holiness … Those who are partakers in sin, are justly made partakers in ruin. The people had, by sins, made themselves ripe for ruin; and their glory was as quickly cut down and taken away by the enemy, as the corn is out of the field by the husbandman.

Mercy is reserved in the midst of Judgment, [but only] ‘for a Remnant.’ But very few shall be marked to be saved. Only here and there one was left behind. But they shall be a Remnant made holy. The few that are saved were awakened to return to God. They shall acknowledge His hand in all events; they shall give Him the glory due to His name. To bring us to this, is the design of His Providence, as He is our Maker; and the work of His grace, as He is the Holy One of Israel. They shall look off from their idols, the creatures of their own fancy. We have reason to account those afflictions happy, which part between us and our sins. The God of our salvation is the Rock of our strength; and ‘our forgetfulness and unmindfulness of Him are at the bottom of all sin.’ – MATTHEW HENRY, ‘Exposition of the Old and New Testaments,’ 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

DK. There is so very, very much severe yet profitable Instruction for the United States of America in this passage, that one would have had to become biblically illiterate or insane or corrupt to miss it. It is a Trumpet Blast in the face of the Nation and the Church, but at this point I have no great faith that either of those now cluttered and corrupted institutions can hear it.

So, to my own rendering of the significance of the Prophecy for the next War as America and the West continue to plunge ever downward from their first love and calling to Almighty God. Again, taken from my upcoming book to be published late this fall around the end of October 2022.

III.    THE PROPHECY

This describes the Prophecy of Isaiah that has not been, to date, fulfilled. It will involve Iran-backed, BASHAR AL-ASSAD led Syria in general, and DAMASCUS in particular (vv. 1–3). The Conventional View is that Israel decimates the Capital with nuclear warheads in response to the constant drumbeat of border incursions, endless missile launches, and saber rattling by the Arab superpower sponsor, Russia.

An Alternate View is proposed by WAYNE CROLEY, one of the more thoughtful and well-researched Bible scholars dealing with Eschatology. He contends that: (a) this War takes place well inside the Seven Year Great Tribulation when Israel is in a weakened position; and (b) that it is not Israel but a “multitude of [unspecified] nations” (17:12) that assail Damascus. I take this to mean a continuation of the Gentile nations’ prosecution of a weakening Israel (17:4–11), under the command of Antichrist, who by then has legitimate rationale to crush the Jews, given their heinous annihilation of Damascus. – “Isaiah 17,” Prophecy Proof Insights, May 2013

In any event, this devastating, effectively lethal attack will forever decimate the City, leaving it, literally, “a ruinous heap” (17:1). As outlined earlier, the Hebrew interprets this as “a lifeless pile of rubbish,” no longer fit for human, animal, or even vegetable habitation. It is totally gone, forever. My reasoning is that only a nuclear blast (or blasts) can achieve such total annihilation to such a large region.

NOTE. Though some argue that this attack took place in the 8th Century B.C., its present existence completely nullifies such argument (cf. Reconstructionist GARY DEMAR, “The Isaiah 17 Damascus Bible Prophecy Has Been Fulfilled,” American Vision, Sep. 13, 2013).

Finally, this brutal attack on the ancient City has catastrophic impact on the balance of power in the Middle East as well as among the Western world’s leading powers at that time, likely commandeered (or about to be commandeered) by the Antichrist’s Coalition of Nations. All in the midst of accelerating, worldwide hatred of Israel, in spite of (or because of) God’s last-minute, violent rescue of His people (vv. 13-14).

Thus, it very possibly sets up or even again triggers the next War as still another attempt to annihilate Israel by the nations remaining capable of a major, late-in-history assault on the Land of Promise. The very subject of our next, Fourth Great War, in this series.

IV. LAST THOUGHTS

Whenever this Third War takes place is obviously up for much debate. The only thing I can say at this early point is that it potentially moves the world toward its Final Conflagration, since it will likely reintroduce NUCLEAR WEAPONS to world war that have not been used since America bombed Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945.

That and the fact it was very likely ISRAEL Will do the bombing, can be neatly summed up in two simple words: ‘Game Changer.’

IMPACT. So, let’s talk about that a little bit as we close. Without pretending to be a military strategy expert, a little bit of research and common sense can go along way to proposing a few ideas to help us toward even greater understanding of this monumental Event. To this single, vital Question:

What would be the likely Consequences of the use of nuclear weapons in the Middle East? Here is a sampling of the views of just three experts who wisely address this vital Question.

• ANTHONY H. CORDESMAN. “This study presents a brief description of the major civilian effects if a nuclear conflict between Iran and Israel takes place in the future, assuming by then that Iran has a fully operational nuclear weapons capability, and the possible broader impact on other countries in the Middle East such as Jordan and Damascus. Threat perceptions and security concerns between Israel and Iran could reach to a critical point that a nuclear exchange becomes inevitable, even if limited in nature, between the two countries … It is highly possible that in a nuclear missile exchange between Israel and Iran, one or two of the Iranian missiles stray off their respective flight paths and land on Amman the capital of Jordan, with the other missile landing on Damascus the capital of Syria.” – “Iran, Israel, and the Effects of Nuclear Conflict in the Middle East,” ‘Center for Strategic and International Studies,’ June 2, 2009; edited

• ADÉRITO VICENTE. “If the JCPOA [Iran Nuclear Agreement] falls apart and is not replaced with a new agreement, Iran might move to acquire nuclear weapons. That would encourage Israel to abandon its ‘Amimut Policy’ [Hebrew word for nuclear opacity or ambiguity] and declare itself a nuclear weapon state, thereby pushing other regional rivals like Saudi Arabia and UAE to acquire their own nuclear weapons. Other Middle Eastern countries would likely follow suit. The same result is likely if Turkey acquires nuclear weapons. Furthermore, a continued Turkish invasion might incite Syria to reactivate its primitive nuclear weapons programme, perhaps with the help of its ally Russia, to deter Ankara from taking more Syrian territory.” – “The Imminent Risk of Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East,” ‘EU Ideas,’ Nov. 12, 2019; edited

• LOUIS RENE BERES. “Going forward, the prevention of a nuclear war in the Middle East should always be founded upon science-based scholarship and law, not on transient political factors. As a practical matter, observers are unlikely to see any propitious end to ‘Westphalian’ [Doctrine of State Sovereignty] international relations soon, but planners and policy-makers must still acknowledge that the ‘dreadful equality’ of Thomas Hobbes’ ‘State of Nature’ [pre-civilizational, tribal society] among individuals is also starting to characterize the relationship of certain states in world politics. More to the point, with the continued proliferation of nuclear weapons, some of the ‘weakest’ states could become able to ‘kill the strongest.’” – “Preventing Nuclear War In The Middle East: Science, System And ‘Vision,’” ‘Jewish Business News,’ Jan. 26, 2022; edited

ON THE BRINK: “Edge, margin or border of a steep place” (N. WEBSTER, 1828). Y’all getting a much clearer picture of the Middle East about now regarding the grave matters of War and Peace? Why you see for example so many pundits, historians, and theologians refer to this region as “a Tinderbox,” just waiting to happen.

Clearly then, we see an America and world staring down the throat of GERTRUDE HIMMELFARB’S ‘ABYSS’ (1995) – “Our present intellectual and spiritual impoverishment” – more and more each day. As internal and international tensions increase, divides widen, communication links get torn down or hacked, and a new and pervasive ‘Lawlessness’ spreads across the Nation and Overseas.

CODA. This is the world that we have inherited in our generation, long talked about by the Prophets and the Apostles and the Messiah Himself. All of it in fair and oftentimes severe warning that the Last World at the End of history will be dominated by the Spirit of Antichrist.

And, beloved, we have arrived.

Please listen to the penetrating insight of such a Lawless Era by HANNA ARENDT, the brilliant Jewish Holocaust survivor and political philosopher who was made famous by the publication of her controversial book, ‘Eichmann in Jerusalem’ in 1963.

The following is taken from another previous work of hers that posits a ‘Rush toward Ironclad Dictatorship’ as a means of harnessing increasing World Disorder.

More Assads. More Putin’s. More Ayatollah’s. And yes, more Donald Trump’s.

“RULE BY DECREE has conspicuous advantages for the domination of far-flung territories with heterogeneous populations and for a Policy of Oppression. Its efficiency is superior simply because it ignores all intermediary stages between issuance and application, and because it prevents political reasoning by the people through the withholding of information … Since the people it dominates never really know why something is happening, and a rational interpretation of laws does not exist, there remains only one thing that counts, the brutal naked Event itself.” – ‘The Origins of Totalitarianism,’ 1951; edited

And in all of this beloved, never lose sight of this single fact: TRUTH is the first victim of the onset of War and Totalitarianism – and the only effective Antidote against it. Therefore, God’s Last Shofar Blast to His Church in these Last Days shall ever be, a Call to the War for Truth, first, middle, and last.

Selah.

Ever your servant, DK

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