Church of God News

Benjamin Netanyahu holding claimed piece of Iranian drone
(2018 Preiss/ MSC)

COGwriter

Iran and Israel have been escalating tensions in Syria:

August 26, 2019

Israel announced on Sunday than it had carried out an airstrike overnight Saturday against Iranian forces and Shi’ite militias in Syria that were planning to attack the Jewish state with explosives-laden drones.

“In a major operational effort, we have thwarted an attack against Israel by the Iranian Quds Force & Shi’ite militias. I reiterate: Iran has no immunity anywhere. Our forces operate in every sector against the Iranian aggression. ‘If someone rises up to kill you, kill him first,’” Netanyahu tweeted late Saturday night, quoting the Talmudic dictum.

The Israel Defense Forces tweeted on Sunday that Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani “commanded an attack of killer drones on Israel, Iranian Quds operatives flew to the Damascus Intl. Airport with drones & explosives, and continued to an Iranian base in Syria to prepares for an attack on israel. An attack that never happened. We attacked their base.” https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/136033/netanyahu-syria-strike-shows-iran-has-no-immunity-anywhere/

August 26, 2019

Arab media reported that last night, the IDF struck a Palestinian terrorist base in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon near the border with Syria. The targeted base belonged to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC) supports the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A spokesman for the group told Al-Hadath news that the “Israeli bombing in the Bekaa did not achieve its objectives,” but did not give details.

On Saturday night, the IAF attacked Iranian military targets in Syria, preventing an attack by Iranian drones armed with explosives. The sites were part of the Iranian backed Al Quds force,  the overseas arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), working with allied Shiite militias. https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/136021/idf-on-high-alert-in-north-after-alleged-strikes-in-lebanon/

Related to the situation with Iran, here are some comments from the Israeli news source Haaretz:

Why Iran Is Risking a Major Escalation With Israel

26 August 2019

The Iranian plan to launch a swarm of “killer drones” toward Israeli targets from Syria, which was foiled by the Israel Defense Forces on Saturday night, was not exactly unprecedented.  … the UAV shot down by an Israeli Apache helicopter moments after it crossed the border in February 2018.  …

The strategic shift from February 2018, toward active participation of IRGC’s al-Quds Force in the attacks, is a result of several factors, some springing from internal Iranian politics and the desire to score propaganda victories. Had some of the drones succeeded in targeting Israel, the damage would have been relatively minor, as they can only carry a few kilograms of explosives. But the effect on both Israeli and Iranian public consciousness would have been enormous.

Another reason for the IRGC’s willingness to take higher risk and commit to a major escalation with Israel is their frustration at Israel’s successful interdiction of their plan to establish permanent military presence in Syria …

Iran has kept Assad in power, but its plans to turn Syria into another base for its proxy operations – as it has done in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen – have been foiled so far. And yet, there are tens of thousands of Shi’ite fighters in Syria, under Iran’s direct control. As proven by the events of Saturday night, they will continue trying to use Syria as a launching pad for attacks on Israel. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-why-iran-is-risking-a-major-escalation-with-israel-1.7740358

The situation between Israel and Iran remains tense.

Various ones in Israel think that Iran is trying to have a permanent military presence in Syria and that pre-emptive military action by Israel is the right action to take.

Jesus said that there would be wars and rumors of war (Matthew 24:6).

Despite Israeli confidence in its military strength, it will have problems.

The Bible shows that God will allow the nation of Israel to be hit, by what looks like an Iranian-Syrian confederation:

1 The burden against the Valley of Vision.

What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops, 2 You who are full of noise, A tumultuous city, a joyous city? Your slain men are not slain with the sword, Nor dead in battle. 3 All your rulers have fled together; They are captured by the archers. All who are found in you are bound together; They have fled from afar. 4 Therefore I said, “Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; Do not labor to comfort me Because of the plundering of the daughter of my people.”

5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord God of hosts In the Valley of Vision — Breaking down the walls And of crying to the mountain. 6 Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield. 7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots,And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

8 He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall. 11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.

12 And in that day the Lord God of hosts Called for weeping and for mourning,For baldness and for girding with sackcloth. 13 But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

14 Then it was revealed in my hearing by the Lord of hosts,”Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, Even to your death,” says the Lord God of hosts. (Isaiah 22:1-14 NKJV)

Elam seems to be a reference to at least some in Iran. Kir is of interest as it has several possibilities. One is that the Bible tells that after Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took over Damascus, he moved Syrians to Kir. While this does not mean that Kir must (or must only) be a reference to Syria, the fact that Syria is an ally of Iran is interesting. Some believe Kir is an area in the south of Iran, while others suggest closer to the Black Sea. The Bible tells of a time when Kir will be destroyed (Isaiah 15:1b) and also says that Syria’s capital Damascus will be destroyed (Isaiah 17:1).

In Isaiah 22: 8, “Judah” is a reference to those in the land commonly called Israel–God will allow Israel to be attacked! In Isaiah 22:9, consider that “the damage to the city of David” is a reference to at least part of Jerusalem–and notice that the damage will be great.

The message that Israel is sending to Iran is to back-off!

Yet Israel needs to realize that Iran’s view is that it is willing to engage with Israel militarily, and not just in a limited fashion.

Israel’s latest actions and statements will likely further the resolve of Iran to plan to destroy Israel.

We in the Continuing Church of God do not believe that Iran will be the final King of the South of Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:40-43). Because of that, I have tended to believe that Iran may somehow get “neutralized” before this final king rises up.

The following shows that Iran is subject to being damaged:

24 “There is Elam and all her multitude,
All around her grave,
All of them slain, fallen by the sword,
Who have gone down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth,
Who caused their terror in the land of the living;
Now they bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit. (Ezekiel 32:24)

But that does not mean that Iran will not strike Israel militarily before this. Iran is capable of much more than words. Iran can also cause damage to the USA. Plus, Iran is also particularly upset with the Trump Administration.

One day Israel will lose lands it now controls.

Israel and the Trump Administration will not be able to prevent that.

Both Israel and Iran are prophesied to suffer military devastation (so, too, is the USA–cf. Daniel 11:39).

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This entry was posted on Monday, August 26th, 2019 at 6:30 am and is filed under Prophecy.

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