Iran threatens to burn down Israel if USA attacks Syria

Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Iran

Iranian leaders are watching events and threatening war if the West acts against Syria:

August 28, 2013

BEIRUT—Syria and Iran denounced the U.S. and warned of regional chaos, including retaliation against Israel, should the U.S. launch strikes on Syria.

The escalation of rhetoric came as the U.K. spearheaded efforts Wednesday to introduce a United Nations Security Council resolution that would seek authorization for military action against Syria and vowed to seek other avenues of support should the council reject it.

Officials from Iran, Syria’s chief ally, said publicly for the first time that U.S.-led strikes on Syria would provoke retaliation on Israel. “Any attack on Syria would burn down Israel,” Iranian news media reported Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, as saying.

Syria’s Prime Minister Wael Al-Halqi warned Wednesday that any Western military intervention would turn Syria into “a graveyard of any invader,” according to SANA, the official Syrian news agency. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324463604579040421592941820.html

America’s expected “limited” strikes in Syria could push the country into an even more dangerous and unpredictable downward spiral or even an international crisis, but doing nothing may be unconscionable and has consequences of its own.

Iran says a U.S. strike in Syria will result in disaster in the region.

The United Nations has resumed its visits to sites outside Damascus, but is asking for more time before action is taken. The U.S. and several other allies seem to be on the verge of military preparations, which is causing nations like Iraq to fear retaliatory response. NBC’s Richard Engel reports from Antakya, Turkey.

Syria’s foreign minister promised the Syria would defend against an attack in ways that will “surprise” the world. http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/28/20232943-what-happens-after-a-strike-on-syria-it-depends-on-how-far-the-us-goes?lite

Iran has suggested in the past that it could take on the West. It seems to feel that if it causes enough destruction, a leader called the Imam Mahdi will later rise up and insure an Islamic victory over the West. This is a wrong and misguided view as, although the Bible does tell of an end time apparently Islamic leader rising up it calls the King of the South, it also shows that eventually a European power will eliminate him (Daniel 11:40-43).

Since Iran is not the final King of the South of Bible prophecy (it is basically straight East, not South, of Jerusalem) yet is a significant military power among the Islamic nations, I have long felt that it will have to have its influence somewhat ‘neutralized.’ This is likely to come from a regional war and/or civil uprising. At this moment, many there are edging toward war. The report that Iran will stop of implementation of the additional protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty shows that it is moving forward for plans that seem war-like.

The Bible is clear that Damascus, the capital of Syria will be destroyed:

8 For the head of Syria is Damascus (Isaiah 7:8)

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

But, notice also Islamic prophecy:

Traditions have been reported mentioning the signs for the time of the appearance of the Imam who will arise (qa’im), peace be on him, and the events which will take place before his appearance, together with the indications and features of it. Among them are: The Sufyani will come out in revolt; the Hasanid will be killed; the Abbasids will dispute over worldly kingdom; there will be an eclipse of the sun in the middle of the month of Ramadan; there will be an eclipse of the moon at the end of that month in contrast to ordinary happenings; the land will be swallowed up at al-Bayda’; it will be swallowed in the east-it will be swallowed up in the west; the sun will stay still from the time of its decline to the middle of the time for the afternoon prayer; it will rise from the west; a pure soul (nafs zakiyya) will be killed in the outskirts of Kufa with seventy righteous men; a Hashimite will be slaughtered between the corner (of the Ka’ba) and the station of Abraham); the wall of the mosque of Kufa will be destroyed; black standards will advance from Khurasan; al-Yamani will come out in revolt; al-Maghribi will appear in Egypt and take possession of it from Syria; the Turk will occupy the region of al-Jazira; the Byzantines will occupy Ramla; the star will appear in the east giving light just like the moon gives light; then (the new moon) will bend until its two tips almost meet; a colour will appear in the sky and spread to its horizons; a fire will appear for a long time in the east remaining in the air for three or seven days; the Arabs will throw off the reins and take possession of their land, throwing out the foreign authority; the people of Egypt will kill their ruler and destroy Syria; and three standards will dispute over it (Syria)…

The Abbasids will dispute; a voice will call from the sky; one of the villages of Syria called al-Jabiyya will be swallowed up; the Turks will occupy the region of al-Jazira; the Byzantines will attack al-Ramla; at that time there will be much conflict throughout the land until Syria is destroyed. (Kitab al Irshad Chapter: The Twelfth Imam (Peace be on him) Page (s): 541 – 548 Published by Tehrike Tersile Qura’n. Contributed by Br. Ali Abbas, abbas@seas.gwu.edu http://www.al-islam.org/masoom/bios/12thimam.html viewed 7/22/12)

Some in Iran may see the Arab Spring, the removal of Egypt’s President Morsi (especially if he, or perhaps his predecessor Hosni Mubarek is killed or otherwise dies) as well as a war involving Syria as the fulfillment of Islamic prophecy and the event leading to the ultimate rise of Iran. This will be a mistake for Iran, but since some events have been consistent with certain Islamic prophecies, many in Iran would want to support this. Although major military aggression will be a disaster for Iran, this does not mean that parties that may be involved such as Israel and/or the USA will not be unscathed. The reality is that the cost to the USA and/or Israel for a regional war involving Iran and/or Syria will be higher than many in the USA or Israel believe. Between terrorist acts, sustained resistance, chemical weapons (Syria Reportedly Has Loaded Chemical Weapons into Bombs), biological weapons, Electro-magnetic pulse bombs (EMP attack can do more than knock-out electricity), and/or even disruptions of the internet (Iran Believed to be Behind Cyber-Attacks Against US Banks), Iran and/or Syria can inflict significant damage to their enemies. The possible cyber-attacks are just one more way Iran can cause consternation (it may be both on the receiving and sending end of that as well as EMP attacks).

While many in the West seem to want to believe that Iran’s new leadership will be peace-oriented, its new President Hassan Rouhani, credits this Imam Mahdi for his election (see Iran’s President-elect wants to negotiate with the USA and credits the ‘Islamic messiah’ for his election).

The Imam Mahdi that many in the Islamic world sounds like the biblical King of the South. Notice also the following:

But who is the “king of the south”?…in verse 40 we skip to “the time of the end”…The verse undoubtedly found partial fulfillment in the offensive of 1896…But Mussolini did not finish the prophecy…Just as there is yet to be a final “king of the north”…there may very well emerge in the same manner a final “king of the south”–an overall leader of an Arab-Moslem confederation, possibly bearing the very title Mahdi…a prophetic psalm (Psalm 83) provides additional insight into the Mideast picture. Germany (Assyria in Bible prophecy) and perhaps the rest of Europe will be in league in the future with a union of Arab nations…But in the end, this European-Arab alliance will prove short-lived…And the king of the north shall come against him [the king of the south]…Daniel 11:40-41…The Arab-Moslem Confederation will, of course, be thrown into chaotic disarray in the fact of invasion. (Stump K. The Arab World in Prophecy. Plain Truth, December 1979, pp. 11-12).

Interestingly, within Islam, there is a belief that someone who sounds like the biblical “King of the South” of Daniel 11, who they tend to call the Mahdi or 12th Imam will participate in a deal like the one in Daniel 9:27…the Bible predicts the rise in the end time of a Future King of the South—and this person may be the one that Muslims will consider to be their prophesied “Mahdi.” …“the Muslim World League issued a fatwa in October of 1976 commanding Sunni Muslims to believe in the concept of an Islamic Savior called the Mahdi.”…Shi’ites also would do well to recognize that just because someone may claim to be the final Imam (or Mahdi), does not mean that God will agree that he should be followed. Neither Sunnis nor Shi’ites should support one who will appear to possibly be the final Imam in the next decade; whoever claims to be will be defeated soundly (Daniel 11:40-43). (Thiel B. 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, Nazarene Books, 2009).

Now, while I do not believe that the Iranian version of the Imam Mahdi will appear and accomplish want Iran’s leadership seems to want, it may be that after the destruction of Damascus that the Islamic world will decide that it must support some type of a strong-man dictator. This leader will likely profess some version of Islam, while his focus will be conquest. But the Bible shows that he will ultimately fail and come to his end (Daniel 11:40-43).

However, because Iran’s leaders keep pushing for their version of the Imam Mahdi, they may very well be setting the stage for an Arabic King of the South to rise up. But if Iran does follow through with its rhetoric, it may find itself effectively eliminated or neutralized very soon.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Arab 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 does Islam teach about the Imam Mahdi?
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?
The Future King of the South is Rising Does the Bible teach that there will be a future King of the South in Daniel 11? Is this kingdom rising up now? Did the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) teach that there would be another one? And who is the King of the South? How will this involve Egypt? Is the final King of the South some type of Arab-Muslim confederation? Can Iran be involved? Is there a group that seems to be supporting the goals of the King of the South? Has the Obama Administration supported the rise of this power? This is a YouTube video.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
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.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
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