UN report on Syrian war

Damascus, Capital of Syria

The United Nations put out a report today on the ongoing conflict in Syria:

March 11, 2015

A new United Nations-backed report details the economic and societal devastation of the four-year war in Syria, where the violence of a multiparty civil conflict has become further inflamed by a multinational battle against Islamic State militants.

The report, released Tuesday, says the war has cost the Syrian economy an estimated $202.6 billion dollars and brought “drastic levels of inequality and inequity” to people across the country who struggle to find food.

The result has been a spike in unemployment, which shot from about 15 percent at the start of the war in 2011 to nearly 58 percent by the end of last year. That left almost 4 million people out of work in a country where the population has also dropped from about 21 million to 17.5 million since the fighting began.

“The ruinous decent into poverty in Syria continued in 2014 when just over four in every five Syrians lived in poverty,” the report said.

There has been no real progress in bringing a political resolution to the conflict. The fighting has killed 220,000 people, sent 3.8 million refugees into neighboring countries and forced another 6.8 million to flee their homes within Syria.

The Syrian Center for Policy Research authored the report, supported by the U.N. Development Program and the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, which operates camps within Syria.

According to the report, the years of violence have had a particular effect on Syrian children, with half of them no longer attending school and many missing three years of classes. The U.N. said in December that a quarter of the country’s schools had been damaged or destroyed, along with half of its hospitals.

“Equally horrendous is the silent disaster that has reduced life expectancy at birth from 75.9 years in 2010 to an estimated 55.7 years at the end of 2014,” the report says, “reducing longevity and life expectancy by 27 percent.”

Meanwhile, a graphic exhibit opened Tuesday at the U.N. headquarters in New York displaying some of the 55,000 pictures from a former Syrian military photographer that show individuals allegedly tortured, starved and killed by the Syrian government. http://www.voanews.com/content/un-backed-report-details-ruinous-effects-of-syrian-war/2675439.html

The conflict in Syria has been horrific and helped spawn the group calling itself the Islamic State.

Ultimately, despite what various sides in the warring and sometimes non-warring factions want, the reality is that the Bible shows that Syria’s capital Damascus will be destroyed:

7 thus says the Lord God: “It shall not stand, Nor shall it come to pass. 8 For the head of Syria is Damascus (Isaiah 7:7-8)

3 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron. (Amos 1:3)

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

23 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. 24 Damascus has grown feeble; She turns to flee, And fear has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor. 25 Why is the city of praise not deserted, the city of My joy? 26 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. 27 “I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, And it shall consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad.” (Jeremiah 49:23-27)

While this destruction could come as the result of the current civil war (and that is likely to be a factor), the reality is that the Syrian rebel forces at this instant still do not seem to have the military ability to do so.

Partially because of the internal civil war in Syria, at some time Syria’s President Assad may decide that attacking Israel, probably in conjunction with support from Iran, is his best carnal option (which could include supporting Iran if it attacks Israel or Israel attacks it). Attacking Israel, however, will not be his best option (he should repent and probably leave office), though he may do that. The Bible suggests that Syria will support the coming final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8) and a change in or from the Assad regime will be necessary for this to happen–and it will come to pass.

More trouble is coming to Damascus as it will be destroyed (Isaiah 17:1). An Islamic confederation that will include the land of Syria is coming (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8; Psalm 83:4-8) is coming.

A worsening situation in Syria would seem to be a factor in speeding up this occurrence.

“And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:37).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? A related video would be United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Egypt and End Time Prophecy.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here is a related video Iran In Prophecy.
What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy Do you know the Turkish people descended from? Did the Ottoman Empire possibly fulfill a promise in Genesis? Will Turkey support the European King of the North or Arabic King of the South? Will it betray one of them? Will Turkey be involved in the encouraging the destruction of Israel? Is Turkey going to become Catholic? Is Turkey mentioned in Psalm 83, Daniel 11, and elsewhere in the Bible? This video provides answers.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?