Prepper Recon

Syria in Bible Prophecy with Frank Raccioppi

For today’s post, I asked Frank Raccioppi of EzekielThirtyThree.org to write a guest post on how the conflict in Syria could play into Bible prophecy for end time events. Frank was also recently on the Prepper Recon Podcast to talk about Spiritual Preparedness. Frank is well versed in Biblical prophecy and has written an excellent explanation of what we are seeing. A big thanks to Frank for writing today’s post. Heads up, you will need to get your Bible for today’s study.

What does Bible prophecy tell us about Syria?

As we read this, the stage is being set for the war of Gog and Magog most noted in Ezekiel 38. The major players are being led by GOD into the arena and will eventually all focus their combined force against Israel. Currently all events are revolving around Syria, whom is not mentioned as one of the players of the war of Gog and Magog.

Before looking into what Scripture tells us about Syria/Damascus (or sometimes referred to as Aram, Arameans, or the fortified towers of Ben-Hadad), we must look to Isaiah and understand a few interpretative challenges with his prophecies. Isaiah’s prophecies that have come to pass have been fulfilled exactly as he prophesied so there should be no question as to the unfulfilled prophecies being fulfilled. A challenge with reading Isaiah is what some call “prophetic foreshortening” where he prophesizes future events without outlining exact arrangements of the events,  nor does he distinguish between time intervals while speaking of overall events. I believe this is the way Isaiah was taught by GOD when given the visions.

GOD does not see “time” as humans, GOD does not abide by “time”, GOD sees “as is”, past present future “as is”. When we see Isaiah is prophesizing about near events (which we now see fulfilled), he immediately transitions without warning to future events that still have not been fulfilled. This, I believe is how GOD revealed HIS divine prophecies to Isaiah and this is exactly how Isaiah, as a mere human guided by The Holy Spirit recorded his visions.

Syria in Scripture begins in Isaiah chapter seven, during the divided kingdom of Judah/Jerusalem and Israel. The ten northern tribes of Israel, known as Ephraim, conspired and joined forces with Syria to attack and conquer Jerusalem/Judah/House of David (it is to be noted that a tactic they would use was terrorism Isaiah 7:6). This attack was prevented by GOD and declared by GOD that both Ephraim (the ten northern tribes) and Damascus would be punished for this. GOD would eventually use Assyria as HIS instrument of destruction of the Ten Northern Tribes, Syria/Damascus and eventually, because of Jerusalem’s continued disobedience to GOD, HE also used Assyria to judge Judah and bring them into Babylonian captivity.

So we see Syria punished for this act against Jerusalem in Amos 1: 3-5, Jeremiah 49: 23-27 and Isaiah 17: 1-3 (this was fulfilled around 735bc by Assyria and Nebuchadnezzar finally conquered Damascus in 605bc). After being judged and conquered, Syria was not completely utterly destroyed, in Isaiah 17:3 GOD leaves them a remnant, however, they would never again be an empire.

We know that Syria has never again been a powerful empire but has continually conspired with Israel’s enemies and supported acts of terror against Israel to this very day and in the last week Syria has made threats like never before. What we do not see is Syria mentioned in the war of Gog and Magog which is undeniably being set up in and around the Syrian conflict today. We see Syria conspiring to destroy Israel (when we speak of Israel now, since 1948 and 1967 she is a unified kingdom fulfilling Ezekiel 37). We see Syria using the same rhetoric and having the same mutual agenda as Iran who is involved in the war of Gog and Magog known as Persia. We see Russia, who is also a major player in the war of Gog and Magog (Magog, Meshech, and Tubal representing  Russia and the former Soviet Union geographical areas), backing both Syria and Iran up with military might.

“Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves…..” (Isaiah 7:6)

The question is, why if Syria from 600bc up until today, made the same threats and conspiracies with Israel’s enemies to attack and terrorize them, why are they not mentioned in the war of Gog and Magog that is building around the current “Syrian Conflict”?

Against Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are shamed, For they have heard bad news. They are  fainthearted; There is trouble on the sea; It cannot be quiet. Damascus has grown feeble; She turns to flee, And fear has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor. Why is the city of praise not deserted, 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,” says the Lord of hosts. “I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, And it shall consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad.” (Jeremiah 49: 23-27)

(note the description of “woman in labor” and reference Matthew 24:8 NASB, “all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs”. Also note the “trouble by the sea cannot be quiet” and the soldiers and young men will be cut off”)

The burden against Damascus. “Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap. (Isaiah 17:1)

(IMPORTANT to note that after this is prophesized that Jacob (Israel) will go through difficult times, but using “Jacob”/Israel is not specifying Judah/Jerusalem as with earlier Isaiah prophecies which tell us that the kingdom has been unified as fulfilled in 1967 Ezekiel 37………….

What we see on the news today is called current events but to those in CHRIST know that this is all part of Bible prophecy.

Scripture References to study:

Isaiah 7, Amos 1: 3-5, Jeremiah 49: 23-27 and Isaiah 17: 1-3 and Ezekiel 38.

 A quick note from Prepper Recon

Thanks again to Frank Raccioppi for this great study. Frank mentioned that Russia is the geographical territory of Magog. Russia is really throwing their weight into this conflict. They have also moved battle ships into the Mediterranean Sea.

Happy Prepping!

MDG