Assyria Revived

Chapter 1: Assyria Revived

Assyria was one of the great historical enemies of Israel. Their brutal takeover of the lands within the land, the land promised to Abraham, forms the basis of many prophecies of the latter day invasion of Israel. Just as Assyria conquered the lands around Israel, so the latter day Assyrian will do. Assyria took the ten tribes into captivity, and then came to take Jerusalem. Due to Judah’s last minute repentance before their God, Jerusalem did not then fall. But out of Assyria came Babylon (Is. 23:13 “Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it”). And Babylon did come and destroy Jerusalem and take the Jews [the remaining two and a half tribes of Israel known as ‘Judah’] into captivity. This is why Assyria and Babylon are at times used interchangeably in the Old Testament.

Our expectation of a revived latter day Assyria is being realized before our eyes. The Islamic State are led by theologians, deeply aware of the historical context in which they stand, seeking to be the reincarnation of such historical forces who have dominated the land promised to Abraham, or Al-Sham as they call it. Staring at maps of ancient empires and current nations, we can get the impression that all states and empires have clearly defined boundaries. But the ancient empires weren’t really like that. When you enter the European Union, there’s a sign up which says ‘Welcome in the European Union’, and a flag next to it. But the Assyrian empire wasn’t like that. And neither is the Islamic State which is developing. The nature of boundaries in our global village have changed. It’s who your friends are on Facebook, which chat groups you frequent, which news portal you read… which defines who you are, rather than which geographical area you live in. And so it is with the entity known as the IS. The entity is defined by ideology and common enemies, rather than hard lines drawn in the literal sand with entry posts. The Islamic State have internet sites and ample media channels through which to explain to us their intentions. One of the battle songs of the IS fighters goes like this [when translated into English]:

Oh soldiers of Truth, let's go.
Repeat the tune of endurance.
A light has illuminated Shaam [the Levant, the Assyrian empire, the land promised to Abraham],
so rally all the soldiers.
The Islamic state has been established,
so wipe out all the borders.
Break the crosses [of the Christians] and destroy the lineage of the grandsons of monkeys [the Jews].
The state of monotheism will remain in spite of the lies of the hateful people.

[Commentary is mine].

You can see it being sung in Arabic at http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/4296.htm , with English transcript athttp://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/4296.htm  .  Notice: “The Islamic state has been established, so wipe out all the borders”. This feature of the IS has struck commentators. Ben Hubbard writing in the New York Times, August 22, 2014 (‘Progress of ISIS puts Obama to test’) is an example: “The brutality of ISIS… has seized the world’s attention… ISIS has erased borders and upended alliances across the region… its vision of a stateless Middle East under the black flag of jihad terrifies the region’s governments… ISIS is one creature with two heads that can see here and see there”. Note the Biblical language of a beast with heads. Indeed, media reports and official statements about the IS often use Biblical and apocalyptic language.

Under its vision of an Islamic Middle East "the land of Israel would be incorporated as part of Greater Syria," as it once was considered during its time under Muslim occupation. And the IS has been very open about its final intentions; in areas under its control, the group has erected billboards saying 'our eyes are on Al Quds (Jerusalem)' [as reported at http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180622#.U7gANrHAA5saccessed August 2014].

Consider another battle song of the IS jihadist fighters, publicized by the group’s media officer, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, who believes that the current fighting of the IS is towards the final struggle “in the battle on the day of resurrection with al-Dajjal” (“the false Messiah,” roughly in the role of the Anti-Christ of Christian eschatology):

“So rush O Muslims and gather around your khalīfah [Caliph], so that you may return as you once were for ages, kings of the earth and knights of war.
soldiers that do not see
hardship as being difficult,
And lions [ frequent symbols of Assyria] that are thirsty in battle,
Having greedily drunk the blood of kufr [apostates]”.

The Bible uses the word eretz in the Old Testament to refer either to the entire planet, or specifically to the land / earth promised to Abraham, from the Euphrates to the river of Egypt. The “kings of the earth” therefore refer to the kings or ‘knights’ within the boundaries of the land promised to Abraham, making them "kings of the earth (land)". This term is used in the Bible to describe those who will finally come up against Jerusalem, to be destroyed by the second coming of Christ (Ps. 2:2; 76:12; Is. 24:21; Jer. 50:41 kings from the borders of the earth / land- which fits the IS; Lam. 4:12 the nations who assisted Babylon take Jerusalem; Dan. 7:17 the beasts represent the kings of the earth; Rev. 16:14; 17:2,18; 18:3,9; 19:19). So we cannot but be excited when an Islamic state acts like Assyria and calls its fighters “the kings of the earth”!

The despiteful, aggressive attitude of the latter day Assyrian matches the behaviour of the IS. And there are stern prophecies predicting their end:
"Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, And against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, To seize the spoil, to take the prey, And to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Yet he does not mean so, Nor does his heart think so; But it is in his heart to destroy, And cut off not a few nations… Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts: “O my people, who dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrians when they strike with the rod and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did” (Is. 10:5-7,24).

“And He (the Lord Jesus) will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. This One will be our peace when the Assyrian invades our land, when he tramples on our citadels… And He will deliver us from the Assyrian when he attacks our land and when he tramples our territory” (Mic. 5:4-6). The visible manifestation of Israel’s Messiah is thus associated with ‘the Assyrian’ invading the land of Israel.

Geographically, Assyria was located in what is now parts of modern Iran and Iraq, although in reality both Assyria and Babylon coerced, or operated in tandem with, a number of the other smaller powers around Israel (Is. 29:7,8;  30:28;  33:3;  34:1,2;  2 Chron. 22:22; Ps. 83). Thus Herodotus called Sennacharib "king of the Arabians and the Assyrians". We are seeing this scenario develop as various smaller powers are either coerced by or willingly cooperate with the IS.

The Assyrian is to be “broken in pieces” (Is. 30:31 RV), just as the whole image of Daniel 2 is to be, by the return of Christ as the little stone. The Assyrian confederacy which came against Jerusalem is described as being the foes of Israel who will be swept away as chaff (Is. 29:5 RV). This was fulfilled in Sennacherib’s destruction outside Jerusalem. And yet the language of being swept away as chaff refers without doubt to the image of Dan. 2 being swept away as chaff. The conclusion surely is that the Assyrian attack against Jerusalem, comprised as it was of a confederacy of local nations from within the land promised to Abraham, is typical of the final destruction of a similar confederacy by the Lord’s return.

Assyria took power over what is now known as Syria. And in the last days, “the riches of Damascus... shall be taken away before (by) the king of Assyria" (Is. 8:4). We can see Syria being either taken over by or forced into submission to the IS. Is. 9:12 speaks of the Syrians and Philistines [Palestinians] as being the mouth of a huge beast, closing around Israel: "The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth". In this lies the connection between the growing intifada against Israel on one side, and the uprise of the latter day Assyria, the IS, on Israel’s other side.  This image of an Arab beast devouring Israel is repeated in Joel 1:6 concerning the later day Assyrian invader.

The Assyrian Style Revived

Assyria was renowned for taking captives and abusing and selling them into captivity. Such a fate is predicted for latter day Israel: "You shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you" (Dt. 28:68). Until recently there was no entity likely to do this to Israel. But now, with the emergence of the IS, there is. Here's a picture of Yezidi girls captured by the IS being sold for $10 each:

Assyria and Babylon had a policy of taking away local conquered people into exile, and using people from other parts of the conquered territories to then govern or police the conquered areas. One IS defector said it was a deliberate ISIS strategy to use outsiders to police the towns it took over: "The Islamic State have brought in people from other countries, different nationalities who are quite young in age so that they can brainwash or indoctrinate them with their Isis ideology… And so they control the areas, not through the local people but with their own forces and their own men whom they prepare for this task"- quotes from Paul Wood, ‘Isis defector speaks of life inside brutal jihadist group’, first published athttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28269596

The IS will be a strictly religious entity, keen to take the predictions and commands of the Koran and Hadith as literally as possible- including “When you meet the unbelievers in the battlefield, strike off their heads until you have crushed them completely; then bind the prisoners tightly,” (Sura Chapter 47). The world today is indeed shocked at reports of ISIS' gruesome sweep into northern Iraq. The UK Daily Mail  reported of ISIS: “They lined the streets with the decapitated heads of police and soldiers”. Beheading is now a well-known method used by the IS, popularized by their YouTube videos of beheading Western hostages. We note that it is the fate of those who do not worship the beast or accept his mark in Rev. 20:4.

The IS has seized billions of dollars worth of gold kept in the banks in the cities they have overrun, especially in Mosul; again in keeping with Assyria seizing gold and precious stones from its occupied territories. That certainly sounds like the behaviour of the aggressive King of the North during his invasion of eretz Israel in Dan. 11:43: "He shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things".

The Religious Dimension
The religious dimension of the invasion is also to be found in Dan. 11:44, albeit masked by translation. The King of the North will invade eretz Israel "to destroy and utterly to make away many" (AV). The Hebrew word charam translated 'to utterly make away' specifically means to consecrate, to make something over to another, specifically their god or religion. And this is the stated motive of the IS and other jihadist groups- to sanctify Israel as a spoil of war to Allah and the Prophet. This is the predicted call found in Joel 2, to sanctify war against Israel- the very language of jihad, holy war. The King of Assyria “came up” throughout the land promised to Abraham (2 Kings 17:5). The Hebrew word used is alah, meaning to ascend up- and this is the very battle cry of the Islamic State, Allah ahbar. The Assyrians were persuaded that the one true God, Yahweh, had sent them against Israel (2 Kings 18:25)- just as the Islamic State are today. “Hear [shama] the word of the great King, the King of Assyria” (2 Kings 18:28) is a conscious imitation of the shema to Israel from their King, Yahweh. “The great king” is a title of Yahweh. The king of Assyria was parodying the giving of the Law to Israel, implying his commandments were a new Torah for Israel; and the leadership of the Islamic State has spoken of producing a new Torah, making him the one mentioned in Daniel as changing laws.

The historical Assyria ‘destroyed utterly’ the nations around Israel (2 Kings 19:11); but the Hebrew word used specifically means to consecrate or dedicate. It has a distinctly religious sense. And this is precisely the idea of jihad- taking land in a holy war in order to dedicate that land to Allah. In practice, the Assyrians did this by ‘destroying’ or ‘drying up’ these lands. Charab¸ ‘to dry up’, is used about their scorched earth policies (2 Kings 19:17), and Assyria threatened to ‘dry up’ Judah (2 Chron. 32:11), just as he boasted “with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places” (2 Kings 19:24); and the metaphor continues with the idea of Assyria being like a river gushing forth over the land they had dried up (Is. 8:7). This is why God’s answer to the Assyrian threat to Judah is expressed in terms of His reminding Judah that it is He who has ultimate power to dry up rivers and nations (Is. 44:27; 50:2; 51:10- every time, the same Hebrew word charab is used).

Al Sham

Chapter 1: Al Sham

The entity now known as the Islamic State was earlier known as ISIS, the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham. The concept of Al-Sham is crucial to understanding the significance of what’s going on in jihadist thinking. This area includes the historical Assyrian empire, the land promised to Abraham [which is the focus of Bible prophecy]… including the land of Israel.

What’s Happening in Syria
There’s a complex civil war going on in Syria, as various factions seek to overthrow the Assad regime. It must be viewed in the wider context of the ‘Arab Spring’ throughout the Arab world, whereby established regimes were overthrown and replaced with populist leadership. But in every case, from Tunisia to Egypt, the new leadership was more radically Islamic and more determined than the previous regimes to exterminate Israel. Israel is now more than ever before surrounded by an Arab world united by one common theme- to overthrow Israel and establish an Islamic state in Palestine. And that’s where the whole scene becomes so significant in terms of Bible prophecy, which predicts an invasion of Israel from her neighbours which will lead to a minority turning to Jesus Christ in repentance- and then, He will return. At no other time since the feet of the Lord Jesus were upon this earth has His return looked more imminent. Because there was no previous time in the last 2000 years when Israel existed as a nation and was surrounded by such well armed and capable enemies.

The West clearly doesn’t know what to do about Syria. They can’t support the undemocratic  and abusive Assad regime. But the opposition is radically Islamic. If they support them, then they will make the same fool of themselves as they did when they backed, armed and trained the muhajedeen groups in Afghanistan against the USSR in the 1980s- and now those same groups have morphed into Al Qaeda and now the IS, and become the West’s greatest enemies. Clearly, the Assad regime will not hold out much longer. A new king must arise in Syria, known in Daniel 11 as “the king of the north”. And Syria has powerful weapons, located right on Israel’s northern border.

One feature of the civil war is the bitter disparity between the various Islamic groups opposed to Assad. And the same is true in much of the Arab world. The only factor which can unite them is their joint hatred of Israel and desire to destroy her. The bitter disunity between the Arab factions is great indeed- tens of thousands of deaths in Syria bear witness to it. They are aware of their problem- and the classical resolution of such a situation is to focus upon an agreed external enemy and unite in a military endeavour based around religious and ideological principles that all factions are totally agreed upon. And there is indeed such a solution, right on their doorstep- an invasion of Israel.

Al-Sham- Greater Syria
The significance of what’s happening in Syria is that this solution is becoming the more obvious. And further, there is much talk amongst the opposition groups about the concept of Al-Sham, the formation of a ‘greater Syria’, incorporating not only Syria but the territories formerly in the Assyrian empire- including Israel. This is not a new idea; it is one of the tenets of faith of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), who were the largest opposition party to the ruling Ba’ath party even before the current civil war broke out. The Wikipedia article about this party gives a good overview of their vision of a ‘Greater Syria’. In continuity with this, one major body of factions fighting against Assad in Syria have given themselves the official title of   الدولة الإسلامية في العراق والشام - “The Islamic state of Iraq and Greater Syria”. Or to quote the aims of another group: “On the goal of Katībat al-Muhājirīn the spokesman is quite frank: the defeat of the al-Assad regime and the establishment of an Islamic state in the Levant (Greater Syria; the medieval Bilād as-Shām)” [source: http://pietervanostaeyen.wordpress.com/category/syria/]. Further, “On January 31st 2013, Syrian Islamist groups announced they would unite in one single group; known as Harakat Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya (The Islamic Movement of Freemen of Greater Syria)” [Source: http://pietervanostaeyen.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/ahrar-al-sham-the-greater-islamist-union-in-syria/]. From the same source we read: “’We thank Allah for the affection between the believers ...Here are your brothers from the Islamic Groups, who are fighting the criminal Nasiri ['Alawi] regime to overthrow and remove it from our beloved Levant and to form a Muslim society under Shari’a Law... [we] were united completely under the name of Harakat Ahrar al-Sham.[This organization] belongs to the same group in obedience to Allah’s order to the believers to unite and reject to be divided. As Allah says “hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you) and be not divided among yourselves” and “obey Allah and His Messenger; and do not fall into dispute, lest ye lose heart and your power depart”. Your brothers of Harakat Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya want to announce to all the Muslims in Levant their unity. [They] give them the glad tiding (that will please them) and will establish the moral strength of the believers’. In its first audio address, Ahrar al-Sham stated its goal to replace the Assad regime with an Islamic state governed by the Shari’a". 

Al-Sham, ‘Greater Syria’, ‘the Levant’, refers to an area including Syria, Iraq, Israel and Lebanon. Here’s how it’s envisaged:

This map is taken from Wikipedia, and as of April 2013 the comment is attached: “Antun Saadeh's and the SSNP's vision of a unified "natural Syria", corresponding closely to the maximum extent of the Neo-Assyrian Empire”. Notice in the declaration from Harakat Ahrar al-Sham the rhetoric of unity amongst the disparate, the religious appeal, and the intention to unite Iraq into this ‘greater Syria’. Syria and Assyria, despite their similarity as words, referred to different entities in Bible times. Syria was part of Assyria, but was then better known as Aram. But what is envisaged within the new Al-Sham is the creation of a latter day Assyria. Compare the map of the envisaged Al-Sham with this map of the Assyrian empire in Biblical times:

What’s happening before our eyes is the preparation of a restored Biblical Assyria- even if the significance is lost to Western observers because they generally don’t know Arabic or appreciate the significance of the Al-Sham rhetoric.
Shaun Waterman in the Washington Times of April 9th 2013 in his article, “Al-Nusra comments: "the Syrian extremist militia Jabhat al-Nusra admitted to being a branch force of al-Qaeda's coalition in Iraq – and has been all along!This was acknowledged by the Islamic State (not theDemocratic State) of Iraq early in April. No less a personage than the Emir of the Iraqi coalition group, Abu Bakr al-Hussayni al-Qurayshi al-Baghdadi, issued an audio message avowing this heretofore hidden fact: “It's now time to declare in front of the people of the Levant and world that Jabhat al-Nusrah is but an extension of the Islamic State of Iraq and part of it... Iraqi intelligence officials... [said] that the border between Iraq and Syria is not even a real thing" (Quoted in Harold Lafferty, Present Day Events April 2013).

The Biblical Perspective
Daniel 2
Daniel chapter 2 contains an outline of the powers who were to dominate the people of Israel within the land of Israel. It begins with a head of gold (Babylon), then breast and arms of silver (Persia), thighs of brass (Greece), two legs of iron (the two halves of the Roman empire) and then feet part of iron, part of clay. Each part of the image corresponds in proportion to how long each empire dominated the land of Israel and the Jewish people- thus the legs were longest because the Romans dominated the land for longest. After AD70, the Jewish state ceased to be a nation. But now, it is once again, for the first time in nearly 2000 years. The final part of the image therefore represents a group of nations (perhaps divided into two groups, symbolized by the two feet) who will dominate Israel in the last days. A stone cut out of a mountain without hands (representing the Lord Jesus Christ) then hits the image on its feet, growing into a mountain which fills the earth. The interpretation is given, and it clearly refers to the second coming of Christ to destroy the kingdoms of men who have dominated His land and His people, and to establish God’s Kingdom on earth: “In the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people; it shall crush to powder and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44).

Arab Unity and Disunity
Who, then, are these nations who were represented by the feet partly of iron and partly of clay? Some will be strong, others weak. “Then you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, that shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay. As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cling to one another, even as iron does not mingle with clay” (Dan. 2:41-43). One only has to look at the various groups currently fighting Assad in Syria to see how deeply divided is the Islamist group. Most of the names of the factions would be unfamiliar to Western readers, but the following at least are almost general knowledge to any who read Middle East news:

Palestine Liberation Front
Palestinian Islamic Jihad
The Muslim Brotherhood
Hamas
Hezbollah
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Fatah
Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades
Abu Nidal

The situation in Syria could actually lead to a fragmentation of the country into a group of smaller states, all united under the ­Al-Sham concept and a desire to drive Jews out of Israel. The same is true for Iraq and other Moslem states bordering Israel. Writing on the Al Jazeera website in May 2013, Murtaza Hussain wrote a penetrating article "Iraq, Syria and the death of the modern Middle East" (athttp://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/05/2013567200437919.html ). The following sounds exactly like the ten toes of Daniel's image, formed out of larger powers but now weak and yet united against Israel:

"The countries of Syria and Iraq, formerly unified Arab states formed after the defeat of their former Ottoman rulers, exist today only in name. In their place what appears most likely to come into existence -
after the bloodshed subsides - are small, ethnically and religiously homogenous statelets: weak and easily manipulated, where their progenitors at their peaks were robustly independent powers".
We of course are reading the Bible through translation. But take a closer look at the original Hebrew and Chaldee translated “they shall minglethemselves” (Dan. 2:43). They were to be a mingled people- and that’s exactly who Syria and the nations of ‘Greater Syria’ are. The original word translated ‘mingle’ is arab. One easy way to check that is to use an online concordance to poke under the surface of Dan. 2:43. And you will see it- Strong’s number H6151. Arab. Surely there is a reference here to the Arab peoples! Here’s what you see in Strong’s concordance:

H6151
ערב
‛ărab
ar-ab'
(Chaldee); corresponding to H6148; to commingle: - mingle (self), mix.

The ‘feet and toes’ section of the image is proportionally not a very long part of the body. The domination of Israel by this group will not be for long- perhaps the three and a half year period which occurs in several latter day prophecies.
Psalm 83
The way the Islamists will seek to bind together their divided state is made clear in Psalm 83, where we have ten Arab nations, mostly in Al-Sham, Greater Syria, who unite themselves with a common aim of capturing the holy places in Jerusalem and blotting out the name of Israel:
“They conspire with cunning against Your people, they plot against Your cherished ones. Come, they say, and let’s destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.  For they have conspired together with one mind, they form an alliance against You. The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites; Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also is joined with them” (Ps. 83:3-8). Note that ‘Philistine’ and ‘Palestinian’ are the same word…
This ‘conspiring together with one mind’ and ‘forming an alliance’ is exactly what we see coming out of the uniting of the disparate Islamist factions in Syria and elsewhere. “Form an alliance” translates a Hebrew phrase more commonly translated ‘to cut a covenant’ (Ps. 83:5). The Palestinian Covenant unites these groups, and that covenant emphasizes the aim of overrunning Israel. Psalm 83 mentions ten nations- perhaps corresponding with the ten toes of Daniel’s image, and the ten horns on the beast which will dominate God’s people in the last days (Daniel 7, Revelation 13). Joel 3:9 is another prophecy of the invasion which happens just before Christ’s return, and it speaks of how the invaders will make a ‘proclamation’ to “sanctify war”- a jihad, a holy war. And that is exactly the rhetoric of the groups now calling for Islamist unity based around a jihad against Israel in order to establish Al-Sham.
Syria, then known as Aram, frequently invaded Israel in Bible times. The invasions under the Syrian king Rezin were a result of 'taking evil counsel against' Israel (Is. 7:5), just as Assyria and her Arab supporters are to do in Ps. 83:3: "They have taken crafty counsel against Your people”. The double emphasis on "Damascus" as being the nerve centre of Rezin's operations (Is. 7:8), may also be significant in that this very city is now a centre for Arab terrorism against Israel.
I’ve written more about Psalm 83and the Palestinian Covenant in Unrest In The Arab World: The Perspective of Biblical Prophecy [an appendix to chapter 8 of The Last Days]; and in the same book, Digression 7: The Palestinian Movement In Bible Prophecy. You can get a free PDF fromwww.heaster.org/ld.pdf .

Ezekiel 38
Ezekiel 37 and 38 predict that when the Jews have returned to their land, then there will be a ten nation invasion by a group of surrounding nations, headed up by ‘Gog’- which is to be destroyed by the direct intervention of God to establish His Kingdom. This invasion is to be after the Jews have returned to their land, and will begin with an incursion onto “the mountains of Israel”- which are bordering Syria, the Golan heights:
“In the latter years you shall come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, on the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought forth out of the nations” (Ez. 38:8).
Only since 1948 and the uprise of serious Arab powers around Israel could this prophecy come true. All we’re waiting for is the Arab confederacy to push into the Golan Heights. And we could view the news on the internet or turn on the telly- and find it’s happening. Any moment now. And the next step will be the actual return of Christ to earth.

 Al-Sham- A Reborn Assyria
Zechariah 9 is clearly a prophecy of the return of Christ to earth and the establishment of His Kingdom (see Zech. 9:1,9-11 especially). But this worldwide Kingdom will be established after judgments are executed upon Damascus, Hamath, Tyre, Sidon, Ashkelon, Ekron, Ashdod and Gaza- a collection of peoples likened to a beast with a mouth and teeth which have enclosed Israel (9:7). These areas are geographically exactly where the 'greater Syria' is envisaged as being. They surround present day Israel, from the Gaza Strip to Lebanon. And they are likened to some latter day beast descending upon Israel, which must be destroyed before God's Kingdom can be established. This encourages us to see the beast of Daniel and Revelation as referring in its final form to Israel’s Islamist neighbours who now surround her. Is. 9:12 uses ‘beast’ imagery when it speaks of the Syrians and Philistines [same word as ‘Palestinians’] as being the mouth of a huge beast, closing around Israel:  "The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind;  and they shall devour Israel with open mouth". This image of an Arab beast devouring Israel is repeated in Joel 1:6 concerning the later Assyrian invader.

The great invasions of Israel by the Assyrians are prototypes of the latter day invasion. Micah 5 is specific that the Lord Jesus will appear to save Israel when "the Assyrian" invades them in the last days. Balaam's prophecy about Israel's final destiny speaks of how finally both Assyria and Eber ['the other side', a similar meaning as the words 'Syria' and 'Aram' in Hebrew, and effectively referring to Syria] will be judged for their abuse of Israel in the last days. They are mentioned together because they will be operating together- and now we see that they actually are coming together (Num. 24:24). Whilst we must remember that Syria and Assyria were historically different, the current talk of a ‘Greater Syria’ and ‘The Islamic state of Iraq and Greater Syria’ is nothing less than Biblical ‘Assyria’ born again. Assyria invaded Israel in waves, initially just attacking the Northern part of Israel (2 Kings 15:29), commented upon in Is. 9:1 as a 'light affliction' compared to the fury of the main invasion. And it is the northern part of Israel which borders with modern day Syria. This is where any land invasion from Syria would naturally begin.

At least four waves of Assyrian invasions are recorded:
- under Menahem (2 Kings 15:19) - bought off
- under Pekah (2 Kings 15:29) - northern Israel affected
- under Hoshea (2 Kings 17:3) - Israel carried captive
- under Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:9) - took fenced cities of Judah and destroyed by God’s direct intervention.
The gap between the third and fourth invasions was around six months. The third invasion took three years: "Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years" (2 Kings 17:5). This three-year period of domination followed by six months rings bells with the three and a half years of the (latter-day?) Elijah ministry, and the same period spoken of in the 1,260 days, the 42 months and " a time, times, and an half" (Dan. 7:25; 12:7; Rev. 11:2,3;  12:6).

The final Assyrian invasion is the seedbed from which the language of Gog in Ezekiel 38 is taken. Look up these Bible passages at your leisure:

Ezekiel 38 / Gog	Assyria (Isaiah)
:4	37:29
:7	8:7
:8	8:8
:9	28:2; 8:9,21; the Assyrian “strong one” of Is. 28:2 is the ‘Gog’ figure
:11	37:24
:12	10:6
:19	30:27
:22	29:6 RV; 30:30
:19,20	29:6; 30:25
39:10	33:1

The Assyrian is to be “broken in pieces” (Is. 30:31 RV), just as the whole image of Daniel 2 is to be. That image symbolizes a latter day confederacy of nations under the leadership of Babylon / Assyria, which will dominate the land / earth of Israel in the last days.
And so I repeat my basic point: The historical Assyrian invasions of Israel form the prototypes of the latter day invasions which the Bible prophesies, and which will immediately precipitate the return of Christ to the earth. The re-formation of ‘Assyria’ which is being called for by the groups coming to power in Syria today, along with the clear demand for a jihad to destroy Israel and Islamize Palestine, means that the Bible prophecies of the last days are being fulfilled before our eyes. It would seem that the return of Christ will be soon. Jerusalem is truly “compassed with armies”, exactly as the Lord Jesus said it would be just prior to His return in glory has this in mind when He predicted that Jerusalem would again be like this in the last days:
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that her desolation is at hand... For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled... Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles [three and a half years of Gentile domination?] be fulfilled... And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory. But when these things begin to happen, look up, lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Lk. 21:20-28).
For most of the last 2000 years, Jerusalem has been surrounded by Bedouin tribes- not nations with armies and oil wealth behind them. Only in our times has the whole jigsaw started to come together.

The Faithful Remnant
Isaiah opens his prophecy by stating that once all Israel has fallen to the Assyrian invaders, only Jerusalem will be left- and will only be saved because of a "remnant" within the city (Is. 1:7-9). But the rest of Isaiah chapter 1 goes on to state that Jerusalem as a whole is as sinful and far from the true God as the rest of Judah. The size of this faithful remnant may have been very small indeed. They were " I (Isaiah) and the children (prophets - Is. 8:16) whom the Lord has given me" (Is. 8:18); and this is quoted in Heb. 2:13 as referring to Christian believers. That small group centered around Isaiah perhaps point forward to a small remnant of faithful Jewish believers in Jerusalem, for whose sake the whole race is not destroyed completely. And it seems that this part of the latter day jigsaw is already in place, thanks to a number of baptisms there recently.
We’ll now look in more detail at the emergence of Assyria redivivus.

Storm Clouds Gathering Over Israel Apocalyptic War is Near

Bible Prophecy The West Scrambles to Contain Russia

Russian tanks and heavy armour move across the border into eastern Ukraine, accompanied by Putin's denials of involvement and what would clearly be considered as threats of nuclear war. In the last few days the rebels in control of areas of eastern Ukraine have made significant advances, as reported in the UK Telegraph, "...dramatically turning the tide in the four-month conflict." The article entitled, "Vladimir Putin: Don't mess with nuclear-armed Russia" continues:

Putin speaks to a group of Russian youngsters on August 29, where he said,
"it's best not to mess with us," adding "I want to remind you that Russia
is one of the leading nuclear powers".

"A major battle is expected in the port city of Mariupol in coming days, where Ukrainian forces are dug in in anticipation of a full-scale assault by rebels backed by the Kremlin's forces. The escalation in the conflict is the most serious since the pro-Russian uprising began, and has dashed Western hopes that the sanctions on the Kremlin had forced it to gradually abandon its support for the rebels."

NATO has told Russia to halt 'illegal' actions in Ukraine and European leaders are meeting today at an emergency summit to discuss more sanctions on Moscow. However it is doubtful that any of these measures will have an immediate effect. The northern hemisphere is heading towards fall and winter and Putin is looking forward to the cold temperatures. As reported by the Telegraph, Russia has said there is a 'high risk' for gas deliveries to Europe this winter.

The EU has always planned for Russia to be an essential part of the European project. Russia also sees itself as being part of Europe, but not on equal terms as a member state. The events in Ukraine are at the root of a greater struggle which will determine who will dominate Europe. What role and influence will Germany, France, the Vatican, Russia and the Russian Greek Orthodox Church have in the emerging European Empire? Putin's remarks about a nuclear-armed Russia, a day before the European leaders emergency summit are timed to send a very strong message. Europe has to deal with Russia. Locking the Russian bear in a cage and starving it, will not work.

In the Canadian National Post, Kelly McParland comments about Putin's czarist fantasies.

"Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is proving far more reckless than previously imagined in his determination to have his way in Ukraine, exhibiting a level of cynicism and contempt for international law that few could have anticipated."

As far as Putin is concerned his "czarist fantasies" are not fantasies at all and he intends to make sure of that. Returning to the article from the UK Telegraph.

"Vladimir Putin raised the spectre of nuclear war with the West on Friday as he defied international condemnation over his decision to send thousands of Russian troops and heavy armour into Ukraine.

"Accused by Europe and Nato of launching a full-scale invasion of eastern Ukraine, the Russian leader boasted to a group of Russian youngsters that "It's best not to mess with us."

"In language not seen since the height of the Cold War, he told his audience: "Thank God, I think no one is thinking of unleashing a large-scale conflict with Russia. I want to remind you that Russia is one of the leading nuclear powers."

"Mr Putin's comments, made during a visit to a pro-Kremlin youth camp on the banks of a lake outside Moscow, will horrify Western governments as they try to bring Russia into check. Even during the height of Cold War hostilities, few Kremlin leaders ever resorted to the direct mentions of Russia's nuclear arsenal.

"He made his remarks as European leaders prepare to gather tomorrow for an emergency summit to discuss further sanctions on Moscow over the appearance in the last few days of more than 1,000 regular Russian troops in eastern Ukraine."

The rising power and character of Russia and it's leader are not a surprise to students of Bible prophecy. When the "moderate" Russian leader Gorbachev was in power things seemed like they would be different. There were great changes in Russian policy, the Berlin wall came down and the Russian economy was in tatters. During this time, in the annual "Milestones to the Kingdom", booklet in 1989, in a consideration of Ezekiel 38, Graham Pearce wrote:

"Russia and her confederates have to be strong and virile - like the earlier Assyrian, of which they will be the latter-day equivalent in invading the land. They are not quite ready to do the work God has appointed for them. How appropriate therefore is the charge given to Gog by Scripture - prepare thyself, and those that are with thee - the Satellite nations. So a short period of 'peace' lies ahead for this preparation to be made...

"The RV and RSV change "turn thee back" to "turn thee about". 'Turn about' need not be limited to a geographical sense of withdrawal from foreign adventures, as the Soviet has recently been doing. It could also cover her national revival - a change about from the present depressed state.

"verse 4 "I will turn thee about"; "I will bring thee forth"; verse 8 "After many days thou shalt be visited (by angels?).

"Notice how the present 'preparing' situation is emphatically God's work. This means that God's work. This means that the work Gorbachev has in hand will not fail, he will not be swept aside or overcome, despite the tremendous problems and opposition.

"When he has done his appointed work, a greater military leader will be brought on the scene to carry forward God's plan."

A few pages on, while considering Isaiah 14, Graham wrote: "This chapter gives us a graphic picture of the coming dictator - a terrible despotic power who will follow after Gorbachev... Whatever 'peace' Mr. Gorbachev may establish, it will be short-lived. There will be a time of trouble of unprecedented magnitude. But for the saints - "The Just shall live by his faith" (v. 4)" of Habakkuk 2.

How things have moved on since 1989! America and the western world have suffered the financial crisis. It is now America that has pulled back militarily and is no longer the power it once was. Russia has been resurgent, returned to it's religious roots, become aggressive, and a greater military leader has been brought to the scene. Whether Putin will be that leader, who will invade Israel and meet his end at the hand of Zion's king, time will tell. Russia is now demanding an equal say - and seeking to dominate Europe - and we see prophecy fulfilling before our eyes. Putin's czarist fantasies are not fantasies at all, but predicted in the scriptures centuries ago.

It is good to remember that the "just shall live by his faith". Seeing prophecy fulfilling in such an incredible way, strengthens us to "overcome the world" by increasing and revitalizing our faith. Return again next week, God willing, as we continue to watch the Bible in the News.

Ezekiel 38 How Israel will dwell safely, without bars and gates then in...

Is Rosh Russia in Ezekiel 38 Bible prophecy Gog, Meshech is Moscow, Tubal Tobolsk Or Islam

Hope For Ex-Christadelphians

Hope For Ex-Christadelphians

Leaving, or being excluded from the Christadelphians can be a traumatic experience. A wide range of emotions sweeps through the soul. These emotions can last for just a season, but often last a lifetime. Some who leave feel only relief, because they realize that they are free to pursue and do things they could not openly do while in the ecclesia. However, a greater number of people experience fear, sadness, anger, confusion, frustration, rejection or outright depression. This webpage is not here to persuade ex-Christadelphians to go back to their ecclesias. Our purpose is to give former Christadelphians hope and a means by which they can contact others, share their feelings, help those who left or were disfellowshiped by Christadelphians and are deeply hurting over it. .

Is There Life Outside of Christadelphia?

It's our belief that a person can leave Christadelphia without leaving God or Jesus. You can leave the Christadelphians without 'leaving the truth'. There is salvation outside of Christadelphia! Christadelphia does not own the Truth. God owns the Truth, and God is bigger than Christadelphia. One can be out of fellowship with his/her ecclesia, yet remain in fellowship with God, just as one can be outside of Christadelphia and still know the Truth. It's not the ecclesia that sets you free. It's the Truth that sets you free. And the Truth can be known by anyone, anywhere...not just in a Christadelphian ecclesia. A lot of former Christadelphians, especially those who came from conservative ecclesias, are unaware that disfellowship is only between you and your ecclesia. Other Christadelphians and Christadelphian ecclesias will fellowship you, even if your old ecclesia won't. This is what 'ecclesial autonomy' means.

Going Back

I personally understand how difficult it is to go back to your ecclesia. Being a member of an ecclesia is much like a marriage. And when that marriage breaks up, it's difficult to mend the wounds. When the thought of going back enters your mind, your emotions may play havoc with your mind and your nerves. Doubts begin to form. "Should I really go back? Have things changed? Would they even be happy to see me again?" And all of these are valid questions. These are normal questions for anyone who has left and has thought about returning. However, the very fact that one has these questions shows that there is something lacking in typical Christadelphian thinking and practice. One should not fear returning to the ecclesia. One should not be embarrased to return. One should be longing to return to their brothers and sisters, even if they understandably don't long to return to a dysfunctional local situation.

Why is it that we have so much fear in Christadelphia? I believe it's because we put too much importance on the ecclesia, and not enough importance on the Person of Jesus Christ. We put the ecclesia up as the harbinger of fellowship or disfellowship, and forget that our fellowship is truly with the Father and the Son. It's when we truly understand grace that we can have peace with God. And this grace can be found outside of Christadelphia! I came to understand grace 13 years after my baptism. Perhaps you have found it since you left Christadelphia! But the fact remains: whether in Christadelphia or out of Christadelphia, you need God's grace. If anyone thinks that they are saved simply because they are a member in good standing in their ecclesia, then they don't really understand what salvation is. Salvation is a fact only when you have a relationship with God through His Son. Salvation is not a fact simply because you are a good Christadlephian, because the Bible says, "While we were yet SINNERS, Christ died for us." It doesn't say, "While we were yet good Christadelphians." Salvation is when you reach out and accept God's gift of grace, which is a free gift! Salvation is not when you try to be saved by following Christadelphian traditions. A wonderful truth is that you can have a relationship with God through faith, and by grace, outside of Christadelphia. This is not to say that you can't have a relationship with God through faith, and by grace inside of Christadelphia.

Perhaps you have already found spiritual peace. We hope that you have. However, if you are still experiencing any fear, sadness, anger, confusion, resentment or depression over your having left Christadelphia, or having left Christadelphians, then we want you to know that there are options for you!

1) you can attempt to reconcile with your ecclesia. We know that this may not be an option for you.

2) you can join our online breaking of bread! It's held without fail every Tuesday. Go to onlinebb for more information.

3) we can attempt to put you in contact with other ex-Christadelphians who are seeking fellowship, but who are not ready or willing to go back. There are also some independent ecclesias out there that teach basic truth, but do so in an open, non-traditional way. Actually there are nowadays probably more grace-focused, Christ-centred ecclesias and brothers and sisters around than when you left Christadelphia- and they likely would be totally open to you if you were to come into contact with them. Admittedly they might not be located just where you are geographically- but that's where the internet is a great blessing! One can enjoy a level of fellowship and encouragement online. For all the dysfunction of Christadelphia, it's impossible to say that the most basic doctrines of Christadelphia aren't in fact Biblical and right. I believe they are. We probably can't change Christadelphia, but we can change ourselves, and we can still function as part of the body of Christ by reaching out to those other arms, legs, fingers and toes who are in the same position as yourself.

There is life outside of Christadelphia. Leaving Christadelphia was doubtless a part in your life story which God's grace is eager to use. We are here to listen to you and to fellowship with you.

With love in Jesus' grace and the hope of His Kingdom

Brother Mike

Contact us at info@carelinks.net or see our website athttp://www.tacomaecclesia.net. There's another related article by Sister Bev Russell (Hurstville ecclesia, Australia): Christadelphians: Institution, Club Or Truth?


There's an article by Brother Duncan Heaster about dealing with all the anger which there is in Christadelphia here

And there's a relevant Facebook group: Out of Fellowship Christadelphian Support Group