Bible Prophecy
SYRIA
Prophecies of Syria
Damascus will one day be utterly destroyed …
Many historians believe Damascus may be the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, and there is no record in ancient history of it ever being fully destroyed. Syria is almost a ‘city-state’ with much of its population living in and around the city of Damascus.
Syria, like the rest of Israel’s Islamic neighbors hates Israel and has publicly called for the destruction of Israel. Syria has also, for the first time in history, recently formed a strategic military alliance with both Russia and Iran, with their armies currently taking up battle positions along Syria’s border with Israel. Turkey has also recently formed a military alliance with Russia and is holding high-level military cooperation meetings with Iran. An article from Israel recently reported Iran now has at least 13 permanent military bases in Syria.
It is interesting to note in the 1973 Yom Kippur war Israel considered using nuclear weapons against their enemies when early in the war it appeared Israel would be overrun and defeated by the invading Islamic armies.
Damascus, Syria will someday be utterly destroyed, and will become “a ruinous heap” …
“The burden of Damascus.
Behold,
Damascus is taken away
from being a city,
and it shall be
a ruinous heap”
(Isaiah 17:1)
This prophecy has never yet been fulfilled. It is also notable that Syria (or its ancient name Aram) is not listed among the Russia-Iran allies which will attack and invade Israel in Ezekiel 38. It may be this prophecy concerning the destruction of Damascus will be fulfilled just prior to the Russia-Iran invasion, or could even possibly be the catalyst for this coming Russia-Iran invasion of Israel.
The Bible then goes on to warn this prophecy will be fulfilled during a time of great trouble for nation Israel …
“And in that Day it shall come to pass,
the glory of Jacob (Israel)
shall be made thin,
and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.”
(Isaiah 17:4)
There will be a coming time of trouble unlike anything in the history of the nation coming to the land of Israel. Jeremiah calls it “The Time of Jacob’s (Israel’s) Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7). It is hard to tell if this happens after Damascus is destroyed, or at the same time.
We do know from Bible prophecies there will be a coming 3 1/2 year period of false peace in Israel brought in by a strong, powerful, and very popular world leader (also called the “Antichrist”) who will someday enforce a covenant or ‘peace plan’ upon nation Israel which will mark the exact beginning of the coming 7-year “Apocalypse.”
We are told here (and in other prophetic passages) that a remnant in Israel will turn back to God and His Word around the time of Armageddon as they come to believe, from Scripture, that Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ha’Mashiach in Hebrew), is the Eternal One (“from of old, from everlasting” see Micah 5:2), the Messiah and Holy One of Israel …
“At that Day shall a man look to his Maker,
and his eyes shall have respect
to the Holy One (Messiah) of Israel.”
(Isaiah 17:7)
God tells us WHY Jacob’s (Israel’s) “Trouble” will come …
“Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy Salvation,
and hast not been mindful
of the Rock of thy strength.” (The “Rock” is Messiah!)
(Isaiah 17:10)
Prophecies of Syria – Ezra 2
“There will be great fearfulness
and trembling upon Earth,
and they who see the wrath
will be afraid, and tremble.”
(Apocalypse of Ezra 15:28-30)
The ancient book called The Apocalypse of Ezra or 2 Esdras (Ezra) includes some very interesting and specific (and possibly timely) prophecies concerning Syria, Iraq, Russia, and Iran in the last days, or the end times.
The Apocalypse of Ezra, which is also sometimes called the Jewish Apocalypse of Ezra, is said to have been written by the same author who wrote the book of Ezra found in the Bible which historically documents the time around the end of the Jewish 70 Year captivity in Babylon and the rebuilding of the Second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.
The Apocalypse of Ezra contains many fascinating prophecies including a sweeping prophecy concerning the past, present, and future role and identity of the ancient Roman Empire, as prophesied by the prophet Daniel in his “Fourth Beast” prophecy.
However, we are going to focus on the future “end time” prophecies which appear to speak of Syria, Russia, Iran, and Arabia, which may now be in the process of being fulfilled.
As a note, I was not even aware of these remarkable prophecies until just recently when I first heard of, and then read, Dr. Ken Johnson’s book Ancient Apocalypse of Ezra: Called 2 Esdras in the KJV 1611 which is a detailed commentary written from a Christian perspective.
For our short study here, we will simply squeeze in a short prophetic summary of the prophecies with a few bullet points and excerpts from Ken Johnson’s book. To obtain his fascinating prophetic book studying Ezra’s prophecies, go to BibleFacts.org or to Amazon.com and look for Dr. Ken Johnson’s book, Ancient Apocalypse of Ezra: Called 2 Esdras in the KJV 1611.
From his book and his site …
“The Ezra Apocalypse is the only non-Catholic book included in the KJV 1611 Apocrypha. It contains many prophecies about the end times. Quoted often by the church fathers of the first and second century AD, this apocalypse reveals the rise of Islam. In chapters 11-12 there is a prophecy of a three-headed eagle symbolizing how the Roman Empire would split into three empires. The empires would die out and leave three kingdoms ruling in the last days. Chapters 15-16 contain a prophecy of the Dragon Nations of Arabia. This Islamic power devastates Syria to the point that Russia must step in to control the issue. This Syrian war sets the stage for the beginning of the Last Days. The book also contains numerous prophecies about the signs of the birth pangs and details about the Rapture of the church, revealing that the end is near. Brought to you by Bible Facts Ministries, biblefacts.org.”
Dragon Nations of Arabia
“This prophecy (quoted by church fathers Hippolytus and Ephrem the Syrian) teaches that a terrible religious system (Islam) rises from the Arabian desert. This system is called the “Dragon Nations of Arabia.” Toward the beginning of the end times, the Dragon Nations will seek to invade and destroy the land of Syria. They will lose control of their armies, which will morph into a horrible creation destroying all in its path. Right before Syria would be totally devastated a powerful large nation from the North (Russia) enters the war.
“This sounds like the Syrian war that is occurring right now. Whether this is the actual war or a precursor to a great one, one thing we know for sure, Islam is a major player in end time prophecy and the apostasy.
“In the last ten years, we have witnessed the rise of ISIS from the Dragon Nations, along with the devastation of Syria and the beginning of Russia’s involvement.”
Iran Joins This Battle in Syria
“Behold a horrible vision
that appears in the east
from where the Dragon Nations of Arabia
will come with many chariots,
and the multitude of them will be carried
as the wind upon the Earth.
All who hear them will fear and tremble (ISIS).
Also the Iranians (“the Carmanians”),
raging and wrathful,
will attack as wild woodland boars,
and with great power
will come and join in battle
with the Dragon Nations.
They will lay waste to
a portion of the land of Assyria (Syria)”
(Apocalypse of Ezra 15:28-30)
Russia and Allies Join This Battle
“Behold clouds from the east and from the North (Russia)
will come unto the south,
and they are very horrible to look upon,
full of wrath and storm.”
(Apocalypse of Ezra 15:28-30)
Note: Russia has launched devastating air strikes from Russian airfields which are located east and north of Syria, as well as from Iran to the east of Syria.
This war in Syria with Russia and Iran may grow …
If so, people on Earth will be afraid and tremble
“There will be great fearfulness
and trembling upon Earth,
and they who see the wrath
will be afraid, and tremble.”
(Apocalypse of Ezra 15:28-30)
Where Are We Now?
What have we ALREADY seen the following events concerning Syria in the news over the past few years …
- Saudi Arabia and Jordanian backed Islamic (Sunni) forces join to fight against Assad in Syria
- An enigmatic ISIS Islamic (Sunni) army rises ferociously to conquer, slaughter, and destroy all in its path through Assyria (northern Iraq) and Syria
- Islamic factions within Syria start fighting each other, tearing the nation of Syria apart
- Russia and Iran (Shiite Islam) swoop in to save Assad’s Syria with a massive influx of men and arms
- The Assyrians (Kurds – Ancient Medes) declare their own state in Syria, Iraq, and Turkey
- Russia and Iran start pouring their forces and advanced weaponry in to save Syria.
- Iranian (Hizbullah) forces in Lebanon join the war in Syria (Lebanon is also mentioned in Ezra’s prophecy)
ALL of these events appear to be prophesied in the ancient Apocalypse of Ezra.
What happens next?
We don’t know for sure.
But, IF this is the war prophesied by Ezra, it will eventually (and irreversibly) lead the world into the Ezekiel 38-39 invasion of Israel by Russia and Iran, which will in turn trigger irreversible events which will lead the world into the Apocalypse and Armageddon.
What we are now seeing may just be a precursor or dress rehearsal for the real thing.
We will have to wait and see.
More about the Apocalypse of Ezra (2 Esdras) from Ken Johnson …
“The KJV 1611 Bible was produced by the Anglican Church under the order of King James 1. It contains the Old and New Testaments, totaling sixty-six books. These are the same ones we have in most modern Bibles today. Every major group of Christians (Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox) accept these sixty-six books as the inspired Word of God. Between the Old Testament and the New Testament was a section of disputed books. This middle section, called the Apocrypha, contains the books accepted by the Roman Catholics, but disputed by the Anglicans. However, few know that there is one book in the King James Apocrypha that was accepted by the Anglican Church, but disputed by the Roman Catholic Church. You will not find this book in a Roman Catholic Bible today. Rome does not want you to read this book. We will soon discover why. It is the Apocalypse of Ezra. (It is because we find many of the prophecies found in this remarkable book deal with what would one day partly become the Roman Catholic Church).
“The Apocalypse of Ezra is called 2 Esdras in the KJV 1611 Bible. The book has a series of visions about theology and the end times written by Ezra …
“We must always judge every extra-biblical text claiming to teach theology or prophecy by the sixty-six books of the Bible. Even if this work is legitimate and contains real prophecy, it still may have been mistranslated either deliberately or by mistake.”
(Dr. Ken Johnson Ancient Apocalypse of Ezra: Called 2 Esdras in the KJV 1611 pp. 6,9 – Kindle version)