Church of God News

Chemical Weapons massacre in Ghouta Syria, August 21, 2013 (محمد السعيد)

COGwriter

Israeli jets dropped bombs in Syria:

September 7, 2017

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel attacked a military site in Syria’s Hama province early on Thursday, the Syrian army said, and a war monitoring group said the target could be linked to chemical weapons production.

The air strike killed two soldiers and caused damage near the town of Masyaf, an army statement said. It warned of the “dangerous repercussions of this aggressive action to the security and stability of the region”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war, said the attack was on a facility of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre, an agency which the United States describes as Syria’s chemical weapons manufacturer.

It came the morning after U.N. investigators said the Syrian government was responsible for a sarin poison gas attack in April.

Syria’s government denies using chemical arms. In 2013 it promised to surrender its chemical weapons, which it says it has done.

The Observatory said strikes also hit a military camp next to the center that was used to store ground-to-ground rockets and where personnel of Iran and its ally, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, had been seen more than once. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-israel/israel-hits-syrian-site-said-to-be-linked-to-chemical-weapons-idUSKCN1BI0MH

September 7, 2017

(BEIRUT) — Israeli warplanes struck a military position near the Mediterranean coast in western Syria early Thursday, killing two soldiers and causing material damage, the Syrian army said.Thursday’s air raid came a day after a U.N. probe found the Syrian government responsible for a chemical attack in April in northern Syria that killed more than 80 people, saying it was one of 20 chemical weapons attacks in the past four years carried out by the Syrian government. The U.S. fired missiles at a Syrian air base in response to April’s attack. …

It was not immediately clear if the facility struck Thursday was used for the production or storage of chemical arms. Syria denies having or using such weapons.

Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said two facilities were hit in Thursday’s airstrike, a scientific research center and a nearby military base where short-range surface-to-surface missiles are stored. He said the attack killed two people and wounded five. http://time.com/4931102/syrian-army-israeli-air-raid-killed-2-soldiers/

Israel, correctly, seems to think it is not going to catch major flack for bombing what some say was a chemical weapons factory after the United Nations concluded that the chemical weapons attack this past April was done by the Syrian government–which denied that (see Chemical weapons again used in Syria). The Israel news source Haaretz claimed Trump and Putin Are the Real Targets of Israel’s Alleged Strike in Syria as Israel has interests in the region that they have not always taken into account.

As far as chemical weapons go, back in 2012, the US government claimed that the use of chemical weapons by Syria would be a ‘red line’ it had better not cross or else (see Syria’s Assad Cornered and Considering Using Chemical Weapons?).

The threat by the USA was not considered to have been effective as chemical weapons where used several times in 2013:

The U.N. mission found likely use of the nerve agent Sarin in the case of Khan Al-Asal (19 March 2013), Saraqib (29 April 2013), Ghouta (21 August 2013), Jobar (24 August 2013) and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (25 August 2013). The UNHRC commission later confirmed the use of Sarin in the Khan al-Asal, Saraqib and Ghouta attacks, but did not mention the Jobar and the Ashrafiyat Sahnaya attacks.That Sarin was used in Khan al-Asal was also the conclusion of the Russian investigation of the attack.

The UNHRC commission also found that the Sarin used in the Khan al-Asal attack bore “the same unique hallmarks” as the Sarin used in the Ghouta attack and indicated that the perpetrators likely had access to chemicals from the Syrian Army’s stockpile. (Use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war. Wikipedia, accessed 04/14/2015)

Furthermore, 837 people were believed to have been killed by chemical weapons in Syria during August 2015 (ibid).

Although the media reported that the USA was seriously considering an attack near then (see NBC: U.S. ‘Military action is coming’ to Syria and Reuters: West may strike Syria within days), this did not happen. Opposition forces to the Assad regime in Syria were disappointed (see John Kerry claims Syria used Sarin gas; Assad opposition disappointed in Barack Obama).

In early September 2013, Pope Francis prayed for ‘Mary’s’ intervention (see Pope Francis’ ‘solution’ to Syrian crisis will not work). The USA, Russia, and Syria made a deal (see Russia, Syria, and Kerry suggest relinquishment of Syrian chemical weapons: Will the Vatican claim credit?).

The Assad regime claimed it was victorious because of the deal (see Assad’s government claims victory because of Russian deal). By November 2013, this basically led to the rise of certain Islamic rebels in Syria (see Islamic rebels form confederation and are rising in Syria).

This led to the rise of the Islamic State by January 2014 (see Nearly 500 reportedly killed between rebels and Al-Qaeda; Obama policies satirically portrayed in Syrian graphics), which declared itself a caliphate in June 2014 (see ISIL declares itself ‘Islamic State’ and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as caliph).

In February 2014, US Secretary of State John Kerry admitted failure dealing with Syria (see Syria still has 96% of its chemical weapons; John Kerry indicates US policy on Syria is failing). This failure also seemed to result in the refugee situation as millions have left Syria.

Although by April 2014 most of the Assad chemical weapons were claimed to be destroyed, twice in April 2014, chemical weapons were reportedly used (see Although most Syrian chemical weapons are claimed to be gone, allegedly some were used again today! and Chemical weapons again used in Syria).

A couple of days after the April 2017 use of chemical weapons, US President Donald Trump bombed Syria (see Trump bombed Syria: How might this align with biblical prophecy?). But this did not seem to change the situation in Syria, other than showing that the USA was willing to take military actions.

The situation in Syria, however, will change.

Here is some of what the Bible prophecies teach will one day happen to Syria’s capital Damascus:

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)

Damascus has been claimed to be the “oldest continuously inhabited city” in the world. And while some have questioned that claim, the reality is that Damascus has not been destroyed to the point of becoming the “ruinous heap” since God inspired Isaiah to record that.

Notice something from Islamic prophecy:

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)

The tradition reports Muhammad said that the advent of the Mahdi would be signaled by “Black Standards” proceeding from Khorasan. …

A black flag with the shahada inscribed in white was spotted on Jihadist websites from at least 2001. Even though the historical black banner did not have any inscription, this variant is commonly known as al-rāya “the banner” or rayat al-`uqab “banner of the eagle” after the hadith tradition, and has been dubbed the black flag of jihad by western observers.Islamic extremist organizations that used such a black flag include al‑Qaeda, al‑Shabaab, the Islamic Courts Union, the ISIS and Hizbul Islam (2009). Some variant designs depict the second phrase of the shahada in the form of the historical seal of Muhammad (Wikipedia, Black Standard, viewed July 5, 2014)

The Islamic State uses the ‘black standard’ as its flag and seems to hope that it will fulfill some of the Islamic prophecy.

Destruction is coming to Syria’s capital Damascus according to biblical prophecy and some associated with Islam hope to bring this about.

This destruction could come as the result of the current war with the Islamic State. It is possible that attacks against the Islamic State will encourage it to attack Damascus. Also if the Assad regime more broadly uses chemical weapons and/or becomes engaged in a conflict with Israel and/or the West (USA and/or Europe, called ‘Byzantines’ in some Islamic prophecies), that could also fulfill the above.

The situation for the Arab world will have ups and downs. The Bible tells of a time of a peace deal that will affect the region, but that deal will not last (Daniel 9:27; see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27). The Bible teaches that more war will later come and will include a coalition of peoples such as the Sunni nations involved in the current attacks against the Islamic State in Syria (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:2-8).

While few wish to believe it, it will take the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God to truly solve the conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. Those in Syria are in my prayers.

Tweet

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 7th, 2017 at 7:00 am and is filed under Prophecy.

• Syrian Official Acknowledges Having Chemical Weapons and Declares Syria Will Use Them If Attacked
• Syria May Have Tested Chemical Weapons Launcher
• Israel Declares Another “Red Line” That Would Cause it to Take Military Action Against Syria
• Syria’s Chemical Weapons, Israel, the USA, and Turkey
• Britain and France claim Syria has used chemical weapons, while Israel considers a military strike
• Obama on Israel’s bombing in Syria
• Syria blocks UN inspection of chemical weapons use
• Chemical weapons again used in Syria
• France’s Fabius confirms chemical weapons use in Syria; UN seems to agree. Might the USA act?
• Chemical weapons reportedly being used in Syria