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Debunking Replacement Theology: Greater Israel

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Replacement Theology with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on April 16, 2026 by paulthepoke

Welcome to part 2 of the series, Debunking Replacement Theology.

The nation of Israel and the church, the body of Jesus Christ, are two separate entities. God has not changed His mind. The church has not replaced Israel. God has a unique plan for both.

Genesis 15:18-21 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.”

Map showing 'Greater Israel' as proposed by Theodor Herzl, highlighting regions including Israel, Palestine, parts of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and neighboring countries.

This is the original land grant promised to the future nation Israel. These are the land boundaries of Israel’s future. This configuration has never been realized. This calls for the geography of Israel to stretch from the Nile River in Egypt to the Euphrates River in Iraq. One could argue if this includes the Arabian Peninsula or not.

Now this sounds impossible in today’s world and geo-political climate. Can you imagine the uproar if this was proposed at the United Nations?

But, there will be a land for peace deal when Jesus returns. It will look something like above assuming current geography.

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The key issue for Abram is the same issue we have today. Do we believe God? Do we take what God says seriously? Does God really mean it? In Abram’s case, did he believe the promises of things to come?

There are Jews in Israel’s government today who believe in this promised land grant.

Today in the 21st century, do we believe the good news of Jesus Christ? His death, burial, and resurrection are the issues for our eternal salvation.

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Genesis 15:6 Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

So…will God make Israel great again? Over twenty times in the book of Genesis alone, God stated His covenant with the offspring of Abram is an eternal and everlasting promise. He made the claim to Abram (later Abraham), Isaac, Jacob (later Israel) and his descendants.

Map of the Middle East showing countries including Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, with highlighted regions in light blue.

Will God keep His promise to Israel in regards to the land grant? In the book Toward an Old Testament Theology, Walter Kaiser commented, “sixty nine times the writer of Deutoronomy repeated the pledge that Israel would one day ‘possess’ and ‘inherit’ the land promised to her.” (p. 124-5).

Is God going to bless the world through Israel? Do you believe the record?

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What Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli right really mean when they invoke ‘Greater Israel’ -David Levy, The Guardian

Israel’s war aims were to maximally degrade the capacity of the Iranian state, achieving not so much regime change as state implosion. Despite the ceasefire, Netanyahu has emphasized that this is “not the end of the campaign” and that Israel’s “finger is on the trigger” to resume combat. A seasoned strategist, he has spent the second Trump administration seizing the opportunity of geopolitical fluidity to reach for his end goal: a Greater Israel.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/13/benjamin-netanyahu-middle-east-greater-israel

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What is Greater Israel? From biblical origins to modern-day Zionism, the vision of Greater Israel continues to shape Israeli rhetoric and regional tensions

Since the current Israeli government came to power in 2022, references to “Greater Israel” have become more common. 

Last year, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was filmed advocating for the expansion of Israeli borders to include Damascus, the capital of Syria.

He suggested that Israel would gradually grow to encompass not only all Palestinian territories but also parts of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/what-greater-israel

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What is Greater Israel, and how popular is it among Israelis? Recent US and Israeli comments on ‘Greater Israel’ trigger regional concerns over sovereignty and territorial expansion.

American right-wing podcaster Tucker Carlson with US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee started the current furore. Carlson, an influential figure who has been vocally critical of Israel over the past year, repeatedly asked Huckabee whether he supported Israel controlling all the land between the Nile River in Egypt and the Euphrates River in Iraq.

Huckabee, a Christian Zionist, would not disavow the belief that the Bible promised that land to Israel – even though it now encompasses all or part of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/26/what-is-greater-israel-and-how-popular-is-it-among-israelis

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This series is an excerpt from the book, Rapture the Bride Redeemed. https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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This Week in Prophecy: Trump & Heaven; Greater Israel; 3rd Temple; Peace & Security; Quakes

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Earthquakes/Volcanoes, Gospel, Prophecy, Temple, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 24, 2025 by paulthepoke

Galatians 2:16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

“I just want to end it. If I can save seven thousand people a week from getting killed, that’s pretty good. I want to get to heaven if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I hear I’m at the bottom of the totem pole. If I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.” -President Trump

Touting peace credentials before the LORD is not going to help your eternal heavenly cause…

Romans 3:27-28 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

One cannot work or earn their way to Heaven no matter what one does. This has always been the plan before creation. There is no act or deed we can do to merit eternal life.

2 Timothy 1:9 He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.

One’s great deeds will not get them into Heaven and eternal life with God.

See also Titus 3:5, Romans 4:4-5, Romans 11:6, Philippians 3:9, Romans 3:20, Galatians 5:4, 1 Corinthians 1:29-31, Romans 9:11-12, John 6:28-29, Isaiah 64:6, Jeremiah 9:23-24, Romans 4:2.

I don’t know what President Trump ultimately believes. Does he believe in Jesus’ work on the cross and His payment of sin for his personal salvation? That is between the Donald and our Creator.

Can God use a non believer to achieve His will? Yes, See Cyrus and Nebuchadnezzar as well as others.

Did God spare Donald Trump’s life from a bullet in Pennsylvania?

Encouraging President Trump’s spiritual advisors to have a sincere discussion with him. His current advisors include Paula White-Cain, Jennifer Korn, and Jackson Lane.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/president-trump-announces-appointments-to-the-white-house-faith-office

Paula White-Cain is his lead advisor. Count me suspicious of the President getting wise counsel with her history of pedaling the Prosperity Gospel on TV.

Prosperity gospel preachers teach their followers that the way to gain riches is to give more money to the kingdom, especially by giving to their churches and ministries. The quantity of material and financial prosperity one expects to gain is in proportion to what one gives.

https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/field-guide-on-false-teaching-prosperity-gospel

Material wealth, health, and happiness are the will of God and can be obtained through faith and positive thinking. The Prosperity Gospel assumes that material prosperity is a proof of God’s grace.

Preach this line of thinking to persecuted believers, brothers, and sisters in Christ in places like Rwanda, China, or Iran.

The Prosperity Gospel is a cruel lie.

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Genesis 15:18-21 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.”

These are the ultimate borders of nation Israel per God. They have yet to be realized.

This calls for the geography of Israel to stretch from the Nile River in Egypt to Euphrates River in the east. One could argue rather this implies the Arabian Peninsula or not.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently made waves on a TV interview with i24 News.

In the newly published interview he said he is on a “historic and spiritual mission” and expressed strong attachment to the vision of a Greater Israel, which is a longtime reference to Israel encompassing parts of Jordan, Egypt and Syria – along with the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/netanyahu-says-he-backs-greater-israel-drawing-outrage-arab-states

It would appear the Ayatollah Khamenei in Iran is paying attention.

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Isaiah 2:2 In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

This is from Middle East Eye, an Arab publication that is sympathetic to Islam. The tide has turned. They know the Third Jewish Temple is coming.

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1 Thessalonians 5:3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Peace and security are hard work, just ask Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

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Quakes in various places… -Jesus

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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The Watchmen: Israeli Drama, Russia Nukes, Middle East Diplomacy, China’s Yuan, Australian Dead Fish

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Blood Red Water/Aquatic Death, China, Czekmate, Ezekiel 38-39, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 30, 2023 by paulthepoke

On this edition of The Watchmen… We are just a couple of dudes sitting on the wall watching the world go by.

Drama continues in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pausing on Judicial Reform for now.

https://www.jns.org/opinion/a-resistance-coup-just-defeated-israeli-democracy/

Ezekiel 38-39

Russia is moving nuclear weapons to Belarus.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65077687

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/26/vladimir-putin-timeline-storing-tactical-nuclear-weapons-in-belarus-is-hard-to-believe

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Ezekiel’s gang is meeting in Moscow. Russia, Turkey, and Iran have scheduled a working meeting for next week.

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/03/28/Moscow-to-host-Syria-Turkey-Iran-Russia-meeting-Official-sources

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As we have discussed in the past, Jordan will likely become cozy with Ezekiel’s gang and allow Russia and friends into the country to ultimately invade Israel. Are we watching the first steps of Jordan’s turn toward prophecy?

https://www.memri.org/reports/following-renewal-saudi-iranian-relations-debate-jordanian-press-over-whether-jordan-should

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Revelation 16:12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east.

Granted the above verse is from later in the tribulation and the bowl judgments. But, we are trending toward a date with destiny. Make way for the kings of the east. China is asserting itself big time in the Middle East! China is brokering “peace” between ancient rivals like Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran. China is ditching the US Dollar and utilizing their currency, the yuan.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202303/1287912.shtml

Trend Update: Land for Peace/Abrahamic Covenant, December 2014

https://www.tbsnews.net/worldbiz/china/saudi-aramco-build-refinery-china-605898

https://www.silkroadbriefing.com/news/2023/03/27/the-brics-has-overtaken-the-g7-in-global-gdp/

Hosea 4:1-3 Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another. Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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Jubilee, Part 4, Return To Your Land

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Jubilee, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 7, 2021 by paulthepoke

Leviticus 25:13 On this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his own property.

Every 50th year, the people of Israel were to return to their designated tribal land. At the time of receiving the Law, Israel was wondering around in the desert for 40 years.

Eventually, Israel entered the land and controlled with conquest in Joshua 1-12. God divided the land among the tribes of Israel in Joshua 13-24. Geographical and tribal boundaries were defined.

Below is a map of the land as divided per God’s direction in the book of Joshua.

http://www.bibleodyssey.org

Leviticus 25:23 The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me.

God says the land is leased to the inhabitants, nation Israel. The tribes do not own the land, God does. The land is granted by God to His chosen nation.

People are temporary and finite. In our current state of fallen humanity, we are not eternal. When we die, we cannot take the land or other possessions with us.

God is very clear in Scripture. The earth is His. God’s ownership is stated from the beginning in Genesis to the New Testament. For starters, He created in Genesis 1.

God’s ownership extends beyond the atmosphere of planet Earth. He owns the universe.

Deuteronomy 10:14 The heavens, indeed the highest heavens, belong to the Lord your God, as does the earth and everything in it.

God transfers authority and possession according to His own choice. But He still owns everything. God chose Israel and gave them a specific, allotted land.

Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine…

Jeremiah 27:5 By My great strength and outstretched arm, I made the earth, and the people, and animals on the face of the earth. I give it to anyone I please.

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God reminds Job that He owns everything. God does not owe anyone a single thing. He is not in debt. 

Job 41:11 Who confronted Me, that I should repay him? Everything under heaven belongs to Me. 

1 Corinthians 10:26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

God is the landlord. He operates on a 50 year lease with His people Israel and His land. Every fiftieth year, everyone goes back to where they belong according to Him. Debts are forgiven. Everyone gets a fresh start and a clean economic slate.

In the future, He will redefine borders and geography for His chosen people. They will have significantly more land than the current situation of November 2021.

Genesis 15:18-21 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.”

This is the original land grant from God to Abram (later renamed Abraham by God). These are the land boundaries of Israel’s future.

This configuration has never been realized. This calls for the geography of Israel to stretch from the Nile River to Euphrates River.

One could argue rather this implies the Arabian Peninsula or not. Now this sounds impossible in today’s world and current geopolitical climate. Can you imagine the uproar if this was proposed at the United Nations?

But, there will be a land for peace deal when Jesus returns.

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Trend Update: Ancient Church Discovery Manbij, Syria, June 2018

Posted in Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 19, 2018 by paulthepoke

Matthew 16:17-18 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it…”

ISIS continues to be removed from the land scape of the Middle East. This time in Manbij, Syria. ISIS previously used a site as a place to dump trash. Little did they know…

See video link for geography of site.

The location was a hiding place for ancient Christians. Archeologists think the site may have been an ancient church. The “hidden church” is believed to be from the 3rd or 4th century. The site is located 18 miles west of the Euphrates River. Christian symbols and writings were cut into the stone. Tunnels, places of worship, and escape routes were contained. Inscriptions were written in Greek.

“Greek was the common language of the Eastern Roman Empire, which explains why the New Testament is written in Greek during the Roman period,” John Wineland, Professor of History and Archaeology at Southeastern University.

A complete and thorough dig and study is not expected until later due to mines placed from the civil war in Syria. A possible second location may have been found as well.

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2018/05/01/ancient-christian-ruins-discovered-under-former-isis-held-territory.html

 

Cross Symbols Fox News
photo: Fox News

These verses above hold much controversy. Ignore the divisiveness these arguments have brought. Read the text for yourself and understand. Jesus is talking to Peter. And He clarifies that He is talking to Peter. Jesus makes the point to use two different words.

Look at the two key nouns: Peter and rock. These are two distinctive terms in the Greek. They are not the same terms. They are distinctive in gender and definition.

Peter: Πέτρος/Petros, masculine in gender. It means: a detached stone or boulder; properly, a stone (pebble), such as a small rock found along a pathway.  Peter, a Greek name meaning rock. Petros is small in stature.

Rock: πέτρα/petra, feminine in gender. It means: a mass of connected rock; solid or native rock, rising up through the earth; a huge mass of rock (a boulder), such as a projecting cliff. Petra is large in stature.

Definitions provided by Strong’s Concordance and HELPS Word Studies.

 

Greek Rock Fox News

Photo: Fox News

 

The “rock” is connected together as the church is the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:26-27 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

“Petros” is isolated and individual. Peter is not a big deal in comparison to the corner stone of the church. “Petros” pales in size relative to the “rock” of the church.

 

Jesus predicted and promised His body and bride, the “church”.

This is the Greek word used for “church” in the New Testament writings. ἐκκλησία/ekklésia means: an assembly, congregation, church; the Church, the whole body of Christian believers.

Jesus says it Himself. “…I will build my church…” Jesus is the architect and builder of the church. Jesus takes possession. He declares the church belongs to Him, hence the possessive pronoun “my”.

Oh by the way …and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it…

 

Rapture Promo

Available in ebook and paperback at Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Rapture+Bride+Redeemed

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/731160

Also available online at Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, and Inktera

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Trend Update: US F18 Shoots Down Syrian Fighter Jet, June 2017

Posted in Burden of Damascus, Euphrates River, Ezekiel 38-39, Persia/Elam/Iran, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 18, 2017 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. 

We are watching this happen. There is fighting in every nook and cranny of Syria.

June 18, 2017: A United States F 18 Super Hornet has shot down a pro Assad Syrian SU 22. This marks the first time an American jet has shot down a Syrian government jet in the recent conflict. Tensions in the area have escalated.

The event took place near Tabqa, Syria near the Euphrates/Tabqa Dam on the Euphrates River. The Pentagon reports the Syrian SU 22 bombed US supported forces near Tabqa. The US has stated it acted in “collective self-defense of coalition partnered forces”.

Before the Syrian plane was shot down, the coalition “contacted its Russian counterparts by telephone via an established ‘de-confliction line’ to de-escalate the situation and stop the firing.” Pentagon statement.

“The coalition’s mission is to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The coalition does not seek to fight Syrian regime, Russian or pro-regime forces partnered with them, but will not hesitate to defend coalition or partner forces from any threat.” -Pentagon Spokesman

This area near Tabqa was recently held by ISIS. US backed Kurdish forces have removed ISIS from the area. Kurdish forces are primarily Sunni Muslims and backed by the United States.

To the west a few miles, Syrian government forces of the Assad regime have removed ISIS from their area. Syrian government forces are Shia Muslims and they are supported by the Russians.

As ISIS has been removed from the area in Syria, Kurdish Sunni forces and Assad’s Shia forces are clashing.  The two Muslim forces are proxies for both the United States and Russia.

Clashes are emerging in areas across Syria due to the removal of ISIS. Struggle for power of the lands is occurring. Different groups of people want to rule the land where ISIS previously held control. Most of these fights are occurring across Shia and Sunni lines.

http://hosted2.ap.org/APDefault/*/Article_2017-06-18-US–United%20States-Syria/id-8a92d6bae00846daa1d1bbf8ab54c719

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/18/us-plane-shoots-down-syrian-aircraft

https://twitter.com/rapturewatchers is providing multiple links and articles to this story.

By the way, Iran is launching missiles into Syria near Deir Ez-Zor further south and east on the Euphrates River.

The situation in Syria is escalating…

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Trend Update: ISIS Out at Tabqa/Euphrates Dam, May 2017

Posted in Euphrates River, Kurds/Medes, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , on May 10, 2017 by paulthepoke

ISIS has been booted out at the Tabqa/Euphrates Dam. The Kurds backed by U.S. forces are now in control of the dam. All eyes are now shifting to the east at Raqqa, Syria.

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Trend Update: ISIS Exits from Tabqa/Euphrates Dam??? May 2017

Posted in Euphrates River, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , on May 4, 2017 by paulthepoke

May 4, 2017: Conflicting reports are surfacing regarding ISIS defeat at the Tabqa/Euphrates Dam.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/isil-fully-withdraws-tabqa-euphrates-dam-following-deal-kurdish-forces/

http://isis.liveuamap.com/

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Trend Update: ISIS Surrounded on Euphrates Dam, April 2017

Posted in Euphrates River, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on April 25, 2017 by paulthepoke

Joshua 1:3-4 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.

At some point in the future, the Euphrates River will be the eastern border of Israel.

For now, the Euphrates River is a point of contention in the country of Syria. The issue is the Euphrates Dam or also known as the Tabqa Dam. It is located in northern Syria. The dam forms Lake Assad. The dam is a primary source of electricity and water in Syria.

ISIS has been surrounded on the southern part of the dam and in the town of al-Tabqah, Syria.

Leaflets from US and Kurdish have been dropped in Raqqa, Syria telling ISIS to surrender. ISIS is taking the leaflets seriously. They have moved their capital from Raqqa to Deir ez-Zur, Syria. Deir ez-Zur is about 90 miles southeast from Raqqa.

ISIS is getting squeezed across the Middle East.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/04/21/isis-moves-its-capital-in-syria.html

For those who are new to the site…it is the author’s position that we are not in the great tribulation. We are trending toward the events described by the prophets in the Great Day of the Lord, the end of days, or Revelation.

There is no Temple. There is no peace treaty in the Middle East with Israel. There is no 10 nation federation. And there is no antichrist. But, we are trending…

Luke 21:28 “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” -Jesus

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Trend Update: Chemical Weapons in Syria; Battle for Euphrates Dam Intensifies, March 2017

Posted in Burden of Damascus, Euphrates River, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 30, 2017 by paulthepoke

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.

http://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/syrian-regime-strikes-targets-in-hama-with-chlorine-gas/784284

“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.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-hama-idUSKBN1711O9

 

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…

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/31694/19/

http://pulse.ng/world/in-syria-engineers-set-to-to-enter-is-held-parts-of-tabqa-dam-id6445175.html

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.

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