Archive for Burden of Damascus

Trend Update: Burden of Damascus/Aleppo Evil, June 2016

Posted in Burden of Damascus, Isaiah, Millennial Kingdom, Pestilence, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , on June 1, 2016 by paulthepoke

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. 

Two examples are used by Isaiah to prove the point. The land of Syria and Damascus will be desolated.

Isaiah 17:11b but the harvest will be a heap in a day of sickliness and incurable pain. 

There will be an incurable sickness. It is terminal. The word used for pain in the Hebrew is a term for both physical and mental pain.

A recent report has been filed by the scientific journal PLOS. The focus is the spreading of the tropical disease Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. It is also known as “Aleppo Evil”. Aleppo is in Syria. The disease is spreading throughout the Middle East as a result of war, poor sanitation, lack of clean water, limited hospitals and medical resources, lack of clean food, and poor hygiene.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis is carried by sand flies. The flies bite and transmit a parasite in the blood stream. The disease can result in horrible open sores, scarring skin lesions, nodules, boils, or papules. Skin is turned deep purple and black. Social and psychological effects are considerations.

Up to 5.5 million refugees have migrated out of Syria. They have gone to Turkey, Europe, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. The disease is spreading throughout populations of immigrants. Hundreds of thousands are estimated to be carrying the parasite. The disease can take 2-6 months to incubate before symptoms are exhibited. The disease is not fatal.

Prior to the Syrian civil war and the spread of ISIS, the parasite was not an issue.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/cutaneous-leishmaniasis-disfiguring-tropical-disease-sweeps-across-middle-east-a7056741.html

http://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0004545

Isaiah 17:12 Alas, the uproar of many peoples who roar like the roaring of the seas, and the rumbling of nations who rush on like the rumbling of mighty waters!

The verse starts with a comment in the original Hebrew that should gain attention. “Hey, you are as good as dead!” Others have taken this to be a funeral cry. Either way, our translators have obviously softened this. This point is emphasized twice in the verse. Essentially God is telling them they can make all the noise they want, they are still going down. The nations can shout louder and longer, but it does not matter.

At this point, many people from many nations are now involved. At least 14 nations have their air force involved over the skies of Syria as June 2016. People are acting like rushing and rumbling waters.

https://paulthepoke.com/2015/12/30/trend-update-burden-of-damascus-december-2015/

The burden continues. Are we watching the Burden of Damascus unfold in June 2016?

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Trend Update: Burden of Damascus, December 2015

Posted in Burden of Damascus, Isaiah, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , on December 30, 2015 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 17:1 The oracle concerning Damascus. “Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and will become a fallen ruin.

This is quite a statement. Damascus is going to be wiped out. The Hebrew is interesting in the description. The grammar states it is going to be taken away and removed. One could state it will be a ruined ruin or a ruined heap!

jobar

This is a photograph of the neighborhood of Jobar in Damascus. The photo is compliments of a Russian drone. The link to the article below contains video of further destruction in Damascus.

http://www.news.com.au/world/drone-footage-shows-apocalyptic-scenes-of-syria/news-story/771dbd6acc10bb0948db41208acb78f3

This is the city of Damascus, Syria. The country of Syria has been in Civil War since the spring of 2011. Damascus is the oldest continually inhabited city on the planet. The city’s had residents and inhabitants for over 5,000 years. There is some debate of what the meaning of the name is. In the Hebrew, according to Strong’s Concordance, it means “silent is the sackcloth weaver”. According to Wikipedia, the Damascus metropolitan area had approximately 5 million people.

That was before refugees started leaving the city and region in the thousands upon thousands. The New York Times estimates 4 million people have left the country. More than 200,000 have died. Other estimates have the figure topping 310,000. The actual number of deaths is difficult to assess due to the level of violence in the country. Data taken was in September of 2015.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/09/14/world/middleeast/syria-war-deaths.html?_r=0

The following countries and entities have military hardware in Syria: Russia, opposing Syrian factions, Iran, Lebanon, Hezbollah, United States, ISIS, France, Great Britain, and China. Israel has reportedly flown some air missions into the country. Did I miss any one?

Speculation and conjecture are Damascus would be the recipient of a nuclear blast. As of December 2015, that remains to be seen. Vladimir Putin has mentioned nuclear weapons are an option in the conflict. It is thought a nuclear weapon would bring about the complete destruction of Damascus noted in Isaiah 17:1.

…will become a fallen ruin… Based on recent history of the ongoing civil war, Damascus may experience a methodical and slow demise. The bombing and shelling are taking their toll. The visual images are stunning and demonstrate the complete, absolute, and utter destruction. The pictures are a ruinous heap of rubble.

Are we watching the Burden of Damascus unfold in our time?

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Trend Update: Burden of Damascus, August 2013

Posted in Burden of Damascus, Isaiah, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on August 26, 2013 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 17:1 The oracle concerning Damascus. “Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and will become a fallen ruin.

Damascus is going to be wiped out. The Hebrew is interesting in the description. The grammar states it is going to be taken away and removed. One could state it will be a ruined ruin or a ruined heap!

This is the city of Damascus, Syria. This place has been a hot spot in the Middle East and in the news cycle. The country of Syria has been in Civil War since the spring of 2011. Damascus is the oldest continually inhabited city on the planet. The city’s had residents and inhabitants for over 5,000 years. There is some debate of what the meaning of the name is. In the Hebrew, according to Strong’s Concordance, it means “silent is the sackcloth weaver”. According to Wikipedia, the Damascus metropolitan area has approximately 5 million people.

Late August 2013: It has become obvious to the international community that President Assad of Syria has used chemical weapons on his people. Estimates range from 300-1,300 dead. The Syrian government has issued a warning to the United States not intervene with its military according to USA Today. The Syrian government is blaming the opposition rebels for the attack. Syria has agreed to UN inspections regarding chemical weapons.

Leaders from the United States, England, France, and Germany discussed their options over the weekend of August 24 and 25. Pressure is mounting on President Obama to act with a military response. President Obama’s red line has been crossed with the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

United States war ships have been moved into the eastern Mediterranean. British nuclear submarines and multiple war ships are reported to be in the area. Military intervention appears inevitable.

Russia put Washington on notice Sunday that it would oppose any unilateral military action in Syria. The Russian Foreign Ministry drew a parallel between reports of chemical-weapons use and Washington’s 2003 intervention in Iraq following what proved to be unfounded U.S. accusations that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s government had weapons of mass destruction (Wall Street Journal). Russia declares military intervention should not occur unless there is UN authorization. Unauthorized force would be a “blatant violation of international law”.

Iran is warning of “harsh consequences” to the United States if it acts with a military response. Iran has told the United States it is playing with fire (France24.com). Syria and Iran are warning Israel of stern consequences. Gas masks have been issued in Israel (Drudge Report).

Are these the events leading up to the Burden of Damascus? Is this prophecy about to be fulfilled? Time will tell.

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Trend Update: Burden of Damascus May 2013

Posted in Burden of Damascus, Isaiah, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , on May 11, 2013 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 17:1 The oracle concerning Damascus. “Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and will become a fallen ruin.

This is quite a statement. Damascus is going to be wiped out. The Hebrew is interesting in the description. The grammar states it is going to be taken away and removed. One could state it will be a ruined ruin or a ruined heap!

This is the city of Damascus, Syria. This place has been a hot spot in the Middle East and in the news cycle. The country of Syria has been in Civil War since the spring of 2011. Damascus is the oldest continually inhabited city on the planet. The city’s had residents and inhabitants for over 5,000 years. There is some debate of what the meaning of the name is. In the Hebrew, according to Strong’s Concordance, it means “silent is the sackcloth weaver”. According to Wikipedia, the Damascus metropolitan area has approximately 5 million people.

Early May 2013, Israel launched strikes into Syria targeting missiles intended for the terror group Hezbollah (meaning is “Party of God”).  The missiles reportedly came from Iran. Syria has pronounced these acts a “Declare of War”. Chemical weapons are being used and fought over in the Syrian Civil War.

Any time events begin to unfold in Damascus, it tends to peak one’s interest and curiosity in light of Isaiah 17:1. Are these the events that lead to the destruction of Damascus? I don’t know nor am I suggesting “this is it”.

The events unfolding are interesting and have potential prophetic implications in Damascus and with regard to Ezekiel 38 and 39 (Magog or Russian invasion of Israel from the north). Key characters in Bible prophecy are present (Russia, Iran, Syria, Israel). Russian President Putin is upset with Israel and expressed that further attacks on Damascus would not be tolerated. Russia is offering air defense systems to Syria. There are Russian troops in Syria (Debka.com). Russia has reportedly delivered supersonic cruise missiles to Syria (Haaretz.com). The Russians do not want President Assad in Syria overthrown.

The United States is committed to supplying arms to forces in opposition to Assad, the “Syrian rebels”. The rebels are effectively up against the Syrian Army who is backed by Hezbollah, who is backed by Iran, and Russia who backs all of the above (Debka.com).

Iranian and Hezbollah troops are reported to be increasing in Syria. Israeli forces are gathering along the Lebanese and Syrian border. Anti-missile batteries have been dispatched by Israel (Jerusalem Post). War drums are beating. Millions of lives are at risk.

As a friend has stated, there is a lot of passion in the Middle East over the name of God.

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Isaiah 17:12-14 Burden of Damascus: Raging Waters

Posted in Burden of Damascus, Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , on January 27, 2013 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 17:12 Alas, the uproar of many peoples who roar like the roaring of the seas, and the rumbling of nations who rush on like the rumbling of mighty waters!

The verse starts with a comment in the original Hebrew that should gain attention. “Hey, you are as good as dead!” Others have taken this to be a funeral cry. Either way, our translators have obviously softened this. This point is emphasized twice in the verse. Essentially God is telling them they can make all the noise they want, they are still going down. The nations can shout louder and longer, but it does not matter.

At this point, many people from many nations are now involved. There is irony and symmetry to these events in the future. People are acting like rushing and rumbling waters. God gives them rushing and rumbling waters.

Luke 21:25 “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves…” These are the words of Jesus. He is referring to a time coming where people will be freaking out because of the physical waves of the ocean. We can think of the possibilities: hurricanes, tsunamis, Noreaster. Do people freak out in today’s world when these events happen? Just watch the news. We have reporters on site to show you “Live!” These are not your garden variety events. The events appear to be global in nature. The text says nations, plural. The description in the Greek indicates the nations responses to the magnitude of the events: dire straits, anguish, dismay, anxiousness, and perplexity. The MSG translates this verse as “It will seem like all hell has broken loose–sun, moon, stars, earth, sea…”

Isaiah 17:13 The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters, but He will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like chaff in the mountains before the wind, or like whirling dust before a gale.

Chaff is the husk, stalk, and other light weighted material that is separated from the grain. In those days grain and chaff were separated on a threshing floor. A person would beat and whip the stalks of the plant to separate out the grain. The wind would blow away the lighter material and the heavier grain would fall to the floor for collection.

Whirling dust, sounds like a tornado. This is how God will address them. They will be beaten to the point of separation and blown away by a powerful and destructive wind.

Isaiah 17:14 At evening time, behold, there is terror! Before morning they are no more. Such will be the portion of those who plunder us and the lot of those who pillage us.

These events will take place suddenly and within the scope of a few hours. The anxiety happens as the sun is setting. There is a period of darkness and calamity over the night. When the sun comes up, it is over and they are gone. A reminder that Genesis 12:3 still applies, “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

There is good news after all of this destruction.

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Isaiah 17:9-11 Burden of Damascus: Abandoned and Forsaken

Posted in Burden of Damascus, Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , on January 20, 2013 by paulthepoke

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. 

Two examples are used by Isaiah to prove the point; the land will be desolated. Contained in this verse is a reminder that Israel had cleaned Syria’s clock in the past. So much so, the Syrian’s left their lookout and defense posts. 

Isaiah 17:10 For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the rock of your refuge. Therefore you plant delightful plants and set them with vine slips of a strange god. 

People had turned to idolatry and abandoned the true God. God reminds them He is their source of strength, safety, and welfare. God is their stronghold and protector. The people had forgotten.

There is a discussion in regards to the vine mentioned in this verse. A couple of thoughts and possibilities exist. Scholars state the vine may have cult like significance. The idea is the vine was grown for the purpose of a pagan ritual. Others have suggested the vine is a foreign import to Israel and not a native plant. Perhaps both could be the case. Research provided by NET Bible. 

Isaiah 17:11 In the day that you plant it you carefully fence it in, and in the morning you bring your seed to blossom; but the harvest will be a heap in a day of sickliness and incurable pain. 

This is a garden that is well taken care of. A fence has been put up to keep out the animals. The plants have been watered. The plants are blossoming. The final result is no fruit. The crops will disappear and there will be a pile of nothing. Others have translated the crops fly away.

There will be an incurable sickness. It is terminal. The word used for pain in the Hebrew is a term for both physical and mental pain.

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Isaiah 17:7-8 Would the Real Holy One Stand Up!

Posted in Isaiah with tags , , , , , , on January 13, 2013 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 17:7 In that day man will have regard for his Maker and his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel. 

Things get so bad, the only solution is to turn to God. Have we personally been in this place before? Circumstances are closing in and the only place you have to turn is to God. It is our nature to avoid God unless we are in deep trouble. We know the plea bargaining with God. Dear God if You will get me out of this one, I promise I will…

There are two references to vision or eye gaze in this verse. The language is specific, humanity will physically look with his eyes. The Holy One of Israel is God the Man. Is this a time marker regarding the return of Christ?

Isaiah 17:8 He will not have regard for the altars, the work of his hands, nor will he look to that which his fingers have made, even the Asherim and incense stands. 

Asherim is the plural form of Asherah. Like the Hebrew, the pagans used the plural form to express the greatness and magnitude of their goddess. Asherim is the primary goddess of the area of Tyre and Sidon (modern day Lebanon, north of Israel). Asherah appears by the side of the masculine Baal. She is seen as a nude woman with a lily in one hand and a serpent in the other hand. She symbolizes grace, sex appeal and fertility. Worship often resulted in ridiculous sexual perversion. Another name for her is Qudshu, which means “the holy one”. —New Unger’s Bible Dictionary

These verses are a head on address to the false “holy one” that is Asherah. Man will turn from their created god to the creator God. What is left will no longer worship a tree or a pole but worship the God who created the tree. There is a change from the “holy one” of pagans to the “Holy One” of Israel who is the Creator. The wooden idols and incense are out. They are of no use and not helping in their current calamity. Things decline to the degree, man will ditch his idols and turn to the true Holy One.

The reality of the comparison is this. Do you trust a goddess who is worshiped with sexual perversion and prostitution? Or do you believe in a man who died on a cross for you?

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Isaiah 17:2-3 Treaties with Enemies

Posted in Isaiah with tags , , , , , , on December 29, 2012 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 17:2 “The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they will be for flocks to lie down in, and there will be no one to frighten them.

Three cities are known by this name in the Old Testament. The first Aroer is located near the Arnon River. The Arnon River flows into the Dead Sea from the east. The river is approximately the midway point of the Dead Sea from north to south. The city is located on the north bank of the Arnon River 13 miles east of the Dead Sea (New Unger’s Bible Dictionary).

The second Aroer is located in Ammon or modern day Jordan.

The third Aroer is in the south of Judah. This city is located 12 miles southeast of Beersheba in modern day southern Israel. Beersheba is due west of the southern tip of the Dead Sea.

There are cities, plural. It is difficult to assess which cities are being discussed.  Regardless of the location, the cities have been destroyed and they are now pasture land for livestock. It will be a place of rest and peace for the animals. The meaning, according to Unger’s Bible Dictionary, of the name “Aroer” is nudity. So literally, the cities of nudity will be stripped.

Isaiah 17:3 “The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and sovereignty from Damascus and the remnant of Aram; they will be like the glory of the sons of Israel,” declares the LORD of hosts. 

Ephraim is the northern kingdom of Israel. They had a peace treaty with Damascus. Aram is the region where Damascus was located. Israel’s history was to sign peace treaties with countries or regions they viewed as military powers. Instead of sticking together with their kin, Judah, the northern kingdom had a treaty with Damascus. This treaty was against their family in the southern kingdom of Judah. Israel was divided. They did not trust or have faith in God to protect them.

Some have suggested this prophecy was fulfilled in 732 BC when Tiglath-pileser of Assyria leveled Damascus and surrounding cities. If this prophecy was proclaimed in the Isaiah 14:28 time marker, it was proclaimed in the year of King Ahaz’s death. The king’s death was in the year 715 BC as confirmed by multiple sources. That would mean the oracle would not be prophecy but history. It would be hard for this prophecy to be fulfilled when it had not been written. Damascus and neighboring cities have since rebuilt and are prominent in today’s world. I take it, these events are yet future.

The Lord Himself spoke on this matter.  Simply put, they will cease.

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Isaiah 17:1 Burden of Damascus

Posted in Burden of Damascus, Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , on December 23, 2012 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 17:1 The oracle concerning Damascus. “Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and will become a fallen ruin.

This is quite a statement. Damascus is going to be wiped out. The Hebrew is interesting in the description. The grammar states it is going to be taken away and removed. One could state it will be a ruined ruin or a ruined heap!

This is the city of Damascus, Syria. This place has been a hot spot in the Middle East and in the news cycle most of 2012. The country of Syria has been in Civil War since the spring of 2011. Damascus is the oldest continually inhabited city on the planet. The city’s had residents and inhabitants for over 5,000 years. There is some debate of what the meaning of the name is. In the Hebrew, according to Strong’s Concordance, it means “silent is the sackcloth weaver”. According to Wikipedia, the Damascus metropolitan area has approximately 5 million people.

Damascus is first noted in the Bible in Genesis 14:15 He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. The “he” is Abram in a battle after Lot was kidnapped from Sodom.

There are other judgments proclaimed against Damascus in Jeremiah 49:23-27 and Amos 1:3-5. The Jeremiah passages indicate destruction as well. Specifically 49:25-27. “How the city of praise has not been deserted, the town of My joy. Therefore, her young men will fall in her streets, and all the men of war will be silenced in that day,” declares the LORD of hosts. “I will set fire to the wall of Damascus, and it will devour the fortified towers of Ben-hadad.”

The about to become Apostle Paul was on his way to Damascus in Acts 22 to terrorize Christians until he encountered Jesus. Saul was blinded.  He had a change in attitude on the way to and once arriving in Damascus.

Isaiah 17:1 has not happened, yet.

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