Will he never learn?
Twelve months ago dozens of U.S. missiles hit an air base in Syria in response to More than 80 people who were killed in a suspected chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in north-western Syria. It would seem that Assad has not learnt his lesson and that his arrogance and brutality has again surfaced in this recent chemical weapon attack on Douma, east of Damascus. According to a news release in the New York Times rescue workers in Syria reported finding at least 42 people dead in their homes from apparent suffocation, and anti-government activists circulated videos of lifeless men, women and children sprawled out on floors and in stairwells, many with white foam coming from their mouths and nostrils. A stream of patients with burning eyes and breathing problems were rushed to clinics after the attack at dusk on Saturday, medical and rescue groups said…The latest atrocity in Syria’s agonizing seven-year civil war drew immediate condemnation from the United States and the European Union, but Mr. Assad’s allies in Moscow and Tehran dismissed allegations of a chemical attack as “bogus.” It is now being reported that that the death toll could surpass 100.
A Ruinous Heap
According to a report in the Jerusalem Post Israeli officials are calling on the US to strike Syria, while the IDF’s former intelligence chief Amos Yadlin urged the Trump administration to ground all the regime’s helicopters used to drop the barrel bombs and chemical weapons. According to a report in The Times of Israel the Bashar Assad regime is preparing an offensive to retake southern Syria and the Syrian Golan Heights from rebel groups and has reportedly placed tanks and heavy artillery inside the demilitarized buffer zone on the country’s border with Israel. This step violates the Agreement on Disengagement signed in 1974 between Israel and Syria, which concluded the Yom Kippur War.” If the Syrians keep their artillery and tanks inside the demilitarized buffer zone on the border with Israel the Israelis may strike first and not only take out the Syrian tanks and artillery but take out Damascus as well. Already Damascus has been ravaged by war and burnt out houses and buildings can be seen stretching to the horizon. According to God’s Word the Assad regime will be completely destroyed and Damascus will become “a ruinous heap.’ (Isaiah 17:1)
Will it be a ‘face-off?’
Whether Assad is killed or seeks asylum in Russia or even in Iran or Turkey his regime will be finished. However, given the crimes against humanity he may well be handed over to the UN or to the EU for sentencing as a kind of ‘peace’ gesture? This would not worry Turkey or Iran because they would now be able to move into Syria, hence consolidating their presence on Israel’s Northern border. Added to this if America decides to fight alonside Israel then they will not stop at taking out just one air base in Syria as they did 12 months ago but ‘clean house’ full stop! The Assad regime is sitting on a ticking time bomb and it may well be Israel and America that detonate it! Russia and Iran and even Turkey may have a ‘knee-jerk reaction but will they take a chance on possibly kick starting WW111 or having a ‘face-off’ with Israel and America? They might try to tackle America and Israel, which most probably won’t happen just yet. However, if they decide to attack Israel from Syria they will find they have entered the lion’s den. They may try to ‘take the lion by the tail’ but that Lion of the Tribe of Judah will not only roar from Zion but attack and Israel will be His teeth!
“I will send fire on the house of Hazael”
As the Lord spoke through the prophet Amos concerning the future of Damascus; “The Lord roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers. This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not relent. Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth, I will send fire on the house of Hazael that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad. I will break down the gate of Damascus. I will destroy the king who is in the Valley of Aven and the one who holds the sceptre in Beth Eden. The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,”says the Lord.” (Amos 1:3-5) Historically Damascus was conquered by the Assyrians in 732BC but it was never destroyed to a point where it was no longer a city and became a heap of ruins in the manner Isaiah 17:1 describes. In fact Damascus makes the claim of being the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city. Isaiah 17:1 awaits a future fulfilment. Fire will descend on Damascus as it did in the time of Hazael but this time the city will be turned to ashes. Damascus will become ‘toast!’
“You have been warned!”
Indeed God has said to all the nations concerning Jerusalem. “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness (reeling and staggering) to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away (seek to move or to lift it from its place) will surely be cut in pieces (ripped or torn apart), though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.“ (Zechariah 12:2-3) So let the nations be warned in that messing with Israel they are messing with “the apple of God’s Eye!” As the prophet Zechariah also writes; “For he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye!” (Zechariah 2:8)
