Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. -LORD God
On This Week in Prophecy: Over the weekend, Iran has been under a coordinated attack. According to various outlets, Israel and the United States are suspected.
To sum up an eventful evening in #Iran, some mysterious incidents at: 1⃣ Esfahan in a MODAFL facility (confirmed) 2⃣ Azarshahr in East Azerbaijan Province (massive fire) 3⃣ Karaj and Tehran (footage circulating, unclear) 4⃣ Hamedan & Dezful (unconfirmed)https://t.co/GuNvd0gk5p
According to some reports, the air defenses of Iran's traditional army and the IRGC have been put on high alert amid a horrible fire in a factory near Tabriz (the video below) and unconfirmed reports of explosions and fires in Karaj, Tehran and Hamadan.https://t.co/WxKcN5ZtnApic.twitter.com/GSHmTkcKqS
NEW: The strike on Iran's MoD facility in Isfahan was “specific, surgical & successful”, sources with direct knowledge told me. They added the facility was connected to Iran’s missile program: “4 different areas in the building were accurately targeted & the goal was achieved"
NEW: Israeli aircraft have attacked a convoy of 25 trucks that crossed the border from Iraq to Syria through a crossing controlled by Hezbollah, according to Saudi media reports
Russia is likely to turn to Turkey for drones as their supply from Iran appears to be interrupted. These events appear to only harden the relationship between Russia and Israel.
Quakes in various places… Amidst the back drop of the explosions across Iran, a large earthquake in northwest Iran caused significant damage in both Iran and Turkey.
Iran and Russia strengthen economic ties by connecting their electronic banking systems. Both countries are looking to bypass western economic sanctions.
Putin’s navy frigate armed with hypersonic missiles ‘sailed towards US in the Atlantic in a show of strength’ after passing Britain, Russian telegram channel claims
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting the Middle East and Israel this week. Tensions are running high between the Israelis and the Palestinians as deaths are occurring on both sides in recent violence.
Jeremiah 49:23 Concerning Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard bad news; they are disheartened. There is anxiety by the sea, it cannot be calmed.
Arpad: The name means “I will be spread out.” Per Ellicott’s Commentary, the modern-day location is approximately 14 miles north of Aleppo, Syria. The city is effectively on the Turkey border. Scholars believe the modern-day city is Tel Erfad, Syria (Barnes Notes on the Bible).
Ezekiel 38:1-3 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
Ezekiel 38:6 Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-Togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.
For research linking Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Beth-Togarmah to modern day Turkey, click the link below.
For geography and additional analysis, see the video link below. Photo: Getty Images
February 2018: President Recep Erdogan of Turkey has launched Operation Olive Branch. Turkey is looking to rid the region of terrorism. Turkey has crossed into northern Syria to do their bidding. The object of the operation is the Kurdish population. Turkey has indicated they prefer the Kurds east of the Euphrates River.
“One of our helicopters was downed just recently. These things will happen, we are in a war. (We) might lose a helicopter. (They) pay a heavy price.”
Erdogan is looking to expand further to the south in Syria. He is not finished in Afrin.
“We want our Syrian brothers and sisters to return to their land, and now we want to do the same in Idlib what we have done in Afrin.”
Jeremiah 49:23 Concerning Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame…
Roughly 2,600 years ago the prophet Jeremiah wrote about the eventual destruction of Damascus in Jeremiah 49. See also Isaiah 17. In the northern part of Syria is Aleppo. Ancient Arpad is located approximately 10 miles north of modern day Aleppo. Moving south in Syria, the next location is ancient Hamath or modern day Hama. Hamath was the capital of the northern kingdom of ancient Syria.
September 26, 2017: Russia is pounding the area to the west of the two ancient cities in the Idlib province. The Idlib province is home to Sunni rebel forces of Al Nusra or Al Qaeda of Syria. Russia continues its support of the Assad’s Shia government in Syria. Russia is bombing throughout the province continually.
Russia has introduced its most advanced fighter jet (the MiG 29SMT) into the conflict. The MiG 29SMT is stationed near Latakia, Syria. For detail and specifics of the jet’s capabilities, see the link below.
The Assad Syrian government claims Russia has constructed pontoon bridges across the Euphrates River. This is allowing for the transport of heavy equipment east of the Euphrates. Local reports indicate two bridges have been built. Russian backed Syrian forces have pushed east to the point of United States backed Kurdish (Syrian Democratic Forces or SDF). This is occurring about 3-5 miles east of the Euphrates River.
Otherwise, the Euphrates River is operating as a point of division between the Shia forces of the Syrian government and the predominantly Sunni forces of the Kurds.
The battle for Raqqa continues. Devastation in the city is profound. Sources on the ground indicate the United States backed Kurds (SDF) now control 80-90% of the area. Roughly 700-1,000 ISIS fighters remain in the city. Military commanders estimate the liberation of Raqqa should take place within the next month. Kurds now control the grain silos for the city. Medicine, food, and water remain in short supply.
And this is a developing story. Kurds are voting for their independence. Early polling numbers show the Kurds are overwhelmingly in favor of their own country. Preliminary results indicate 93% in favor of the nation Kurdistan.
Neighbors around the Middle East are less then enthused. President Recep Erdogan of Turkey is threatening military action and to cut off food supplies to the future country. Erdogan has indicated he will cut oil and gas lines coming from the region. Turkey also looks to control the water of the Tigris River with the construction of the Ilisu Dam. And for good measure, military hardware and troops are headed to the Turkey/Iraqi border.
Iraq and Iran are not supportive of a national Kurdistan. The following is from Radio Free Europe.
September 25, 2017: “We are not ready to discuss or have a dialogue about the results of the referendum because it is unconstitutional,” Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi.
Hours after Kurdish polls closed, the Iraqi Defense Ministry announced “large-scale” joint military exercises with Turkey.
September 27, 2017: Tehran, Iran… The Iranian parliament announced it would hold a closed-door meeting on the referendum on the Kurdish issue.
June 2017: This is the pattern that has been repeatedly observed in the Middle East. ISIS has been surrounded and removed from a geographic area or location. The big picture shows ISIS surrounded on all sides in Iraq and Syria.
We will start in Aleppo, Syria and move east.
Jeremiah 49:23 Concerning Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame…
Per Ellicott’s Commentary, the modern day location of Arpad is approximately 14 miles north of Aleppo, Syria. This is where the fighting started, north of modern day Aleppo or what is ancient Arpad. ISIS has been pushed out of the city of Aleppo to the east. The last ISIS controlled area is in Maskanah. Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) elite Tiger Forces have surrounded ISIS on the north and west. ISIS is covered by Lake Assad on the east.
ISIS was surrounded and removed from the Euphrates/Tabqa Dam east of Aleppo on the Euphrates River. The link below provides the recent history of the ISIS capture of the Euphrates/Tabqa Dam and their removal.
From the Euphrates/Tabqa Dam, Operation Euphrates Wrath is moving east down river about 30 miles to Raqqa, Syria. Raqqa is the city ISIS has claimed as its capital. Leaflets from US and Kurdish forces have been dropped in Raqqa, Syria since April 2017 telling ISIS to surrender.
“The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have given instructions to the citizens of Raqqa to vacate,” Colonel Ryan Dillon, a U.S. military spokesman located in Baghdad. Per Colonel Dillon, 200,000 people have taken the warning seriously and left Raqqa. Citizens have gone to refugee tent camps.
Keep in mind, Raqqa is located on the north side of the Euphrates River. Bridges into Raqqa from the south over the Euphrates have been taken out. “The SDF is poised around Raqqa. They are within 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the north and the east, and are about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the city to the west,” Colonel Ryan Dillon.
“The sh*t is about to go down in Raqqa. I would expect to see the assault begin in the coming days.” -anonymous Pentagon official
The United States has begun giving small arms and anti-tank weapons to Kurdish forces.
ISIS is surrounded west of Mosul, Iraq in Tal Afar.
ISIS is surrounded southeast of Mosul, Iraq near Kirkuk where oil fields are located.
ISIS is all but done in western Mosul, Iraq or what is ancient Nineveh. See the prophets Jonah and Nahum for details regarding ancient Nineveh. See the link below regarding the recent history of ancient Nineveh or modern day Mosul, Iraq.
There are an estimated 1,000 ISIS jihadi left in Mosul. They are limited to approximately 6 square miles. ISIS occupies three territories including the old city. Up to 150,000 civilians also live in these areas. And there is nowhere to go.
Jeremiah 49:23 Concerning Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard bad news; they are disheartened. There is anxiety by the sea, it cannot be calmed.
Hamath: The name means “fortress”. In the times of Jeremiah, Hamath was a city in valley of the Orontes River. Hamath was the capital of the northern kingdom of ancient Syria. Today, this is the city known as Hama, Syria.
Hama, Syria is prophetically significant. Roughly 2,600 years ago the prophet Jeremiah wrote about the eventual destruction of Damascus in Jeremiah 49. Before Damascus, trouble would start in northern Syria from Arpad. Arpad is essentially modern day Aleppo, Syria. The destruction would move south to Hamath or Hama, Syria. Finally, Damascus would see bloodshed and war before its destruction. In March 2017, all three of these cities in modern day Syria are hot spots of military conflict.
See Isaiah 17 as well for the Burden of Damascus.
March 30, 2017: The Anadolu Agency out of Turkey is reporting of chlorine gas used as a chemical weapon in Hama, Syria. The Assad regime of Syria is being accused of using chlorine on civilians. Approximately 100 civilians have been affected.
“Local residents are showing symptoms of chlorine gas exposure, including vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision and shortness of breath,” Mohamed Elwan, Hama doctor.
The Assad regime is suspected of using chlorine gas in Al-Qaboun district northeast of Damascus.
“The bombardment had a substance that caused intense irritation, heavy foaming from the mouth, and constricting pupils. A chemical attack hit the same area on Saturday, killing an orthopedic doctor,” Abdallah Darwish, Health Authority Hama Province.
The Assad regime in Syria has continually denied the use of chemical weapons and chlorine gas.
“The army has not, will not, and does not need to use these weapons,” unnamed Syrian spokesman.
Military airstrikes in the region are increasing. Russian bombing runs are nonstop per witnesses on the ground.
Escalation in violence is noted across the country including the Euphrates or Tabqa Dam. Fighting continues on the Tabqa Dam between ISIS and US backed Kurds. ISIS controls the southern part of the dam and the Kurds along with embedded US Marines holds the northern part of the dam.
Russia and ISIS are accusing the United States of trying to destroy the Euphrates Dam. The United States backed Kurds claim ISIS is bombing the dam. One thing is clear. The Tabqa Dam has taken some bombing. The control room of the dam has been destroyed. Maintenance work on the dam is required to repair failing flood gates.
“Because the dam has been out of service for three straight days, the technical equipment in the lower levels of the dam is under water. This rise in the level of the reservoir means that one of the spillways must be opened to drain the water so it doesn’t build up, which would pose a growing threat to the dam.” A nameless technician.
The United States says the dam has not been structurally damaged…
The United Nations estimates one half of Syria’s 22 million people have been displaced. The UN estimates 5 million refugees have left the country. The situation is not getting better in Syria.
Isaiah 17:6 Gleanings will be left in it, as when an olive tree is beaten— two or three berries in the top of the highest bough, four or five on the branches of a fruit tree, declares the LORD God of Israel.
January 16, 2017: The water crisis in the Damascus area continues to worsen. The Ein al-Fijeh spring provides Damascus with approximately 70 percent of the water supply. Nine million people in and around Damascus have significantly impaired access to clean water. This is up from four million people just a couple of weeks ago. To make matters worse, the chief negotiator respected by both sides was assassinated.
Water prices on the black market are soaring. The cost of water ranges from $500 to $750 a month. The water is for daily needs such as drinking and sanitation. The economic backdrop is a good paying job results in about $150 a month.
Of particular concern is the area of Wadi Barada. There are an estimated 100,000 people in the surrounded area. This is the Sunni controlled area (Al Qaeda of Syria, Al Nusra, or rebels supported by Obama Administration) enclosed by Shia lead forces of the Syrian government and Hezbollah of Lebanon. This area has been surrounded since mid-December 2016.
Inside the area, conditions are deteriorating rapidly. Utilities such as water, electricity, and internet are out. Communication is nonexistent.
Food is becoming scarce and people are cutting back on meals. Staples such as flour and baby formula are gone. People are eating limited olives and pickled eggplant. Locals are starting to live off the land by eating apples from local orchards and eating grass.
Medical care is declining as well. It is estimated there are only 10 doctors and 25 nurses. Medicine is in short supply and people are dying from a lack of supplies. Emergency care is becoming more and more limited. Amputations are increasing as a way to save critically injured patients. Disease is spreading among the weakest children and elderly. A lack of clean water is only making the situation worse with each day.
Northeast of Damascus, ISIS has cut off water to Aleppo. Electrical water pumps have been shut down since this past Saturday, January 14, 2017.
ISIS has warned the Kurdish military to stay away from the Tabqa or Euphrates Dam. They have threatened to blow the dam and flood the Euphrates River valley.
Isaiah 17:1 The oracle concerning Damascus. “Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and will become a fallen ruin.”
Jeremiah 49:23 Concerning Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard bad news; they are disheartened. There is anxiety by the sea, it cannot be calmed.
December 31, 2016: There is news out of Syria involving all three cities mentioned in the two prophetic verses; Damascus, Hamath (modern day Hamah), and Arpad (northern suburb of modern day Aleppo).
See video link for geographical detail.
Hamath: The name means “fortress”. In the times of Jeremiah, Hamath was a city in valley of the Orontes River. Hamath was considered the capital of the northern kingdom of Syria. In the early 21st century, this is the city known as Hamah, Syria. It has a population of roughly 854,000 per 2009 census. It is the fourth largest city in Syria (Wikipedia).
Arpad: The name means “I will be spread out.” Per Ellicott’s Commentary, the modern day location is approximately 14 miles north of Aleppo, Syria. The city is effectively on the Turkey border. Scholars believe the modern day city is Tel Erfad, Syria (Barnes Notes on the Bible).
Multiple reports out of the region are indicating ISIS has cut water supplies to the cities. The United Nations estimates up to 15 million people across Syria have been affected.
The Euphrates River is the main water source for Aleppo, specifically the al-Khafsa stations.
Up to 4 million people in and around Damascus have been affected. Water springs north and west of Damascus have been poisoned with diesel by the rebels or Al-Nusra or Al-Qaeda in Syria (group supported by Obama Administration). The areas are Wadi Barada and Ain al-Fija springs. These springs provide 70% of the water for the city of Damascus. Water trucks are distributing water to Damascus. Fighting continues in and around these springs as of December 31, 2016.
Local news sources indicating these findings are Shia. Sources indicate Sunni Muslims are carrying out these crimes against humanity.
Isaiah 17:1 The oracle concerning Damascus. “Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and will become a fallen ruin.”
Isaiah 17:9 In that day their strong cities will be like forsaken places in the forest, or like branches which they abandoned before the sons of Israel; and the land will be a desolation.
October 3, 2016: The United States suspended talks with Russia regarding the conflict in Syria. The US blames Russia for the increased violence and bloodshed.
“Unfortunately, Russia failed to live up to its own commitments…,” state department spokesman John Kirby. Rather, Russia and the Syrian regime have chosen to pursue a military course, this is not a decision that was taken lightly”.
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, “We regret this decision by Washington. Washington simply did not fulfil the key condition of the agreement to improve the humanitarian condition around Aleppo. After failing to fulfil the agreements that they themselves worked out, they are trying to shift responsibility on to someone else.”
October 4, 2016: The Russian Embassy in Damascus has come under fire and taken mortar shells. Terrorists are being blamed for the attack. The Russian ministry said the attack is the result of a U.S. policy and its allies which “provokes further bloodshed in Syria.”
There were no deaths reported in the mortar shelling. Some injuries are indicated.
Russia is calling this a terror attack. Security has been increased in the area.
The New York Times provides a timeline of recent events in the region.
October 4-7, 2016: Russia is conducting an incredible civil and military exercise. Russia is conducting an evacuation drill to prepare for a nuclear war. 40 million people are involved. 200,000+ emergency services personnel are participating. 50,000 pieces of equipment are being utilized.
Russian government officials are preparing for a nuclear war. Citizens are reported to be “terrified”. The Russians also state the United States will start the war.
The Russians state they could shelter all 12 million citizens of Moscow in bunkers in case of nuclear war.
Putin is also building a 400-square mile facility in a remote area of the Ural Mountains. He looks to manage a future conflict from this location according to sources.
