STRATFOR – a private global intelligence firm has published an article showing that a Russian base has been attacked by ISIS in Syria.
In Ezekiel 38, God says to Gog (latter day Russia):
… I will put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet.
Hooks in Jaws: why did God choose to use a violent analogy?
The placing of ‘hooks in jaws’ was a brutal tradition conceived by the ancient neo-Assyrian’s.
The Assyrian’s typically put hooks in the jaws of defeated enemies, either for the purposes of humiliation or to deport them to other lands. This practices is often described in their annuls, and graphically depicted in their wall relief’s.
~ The IVP Bible Background Commentary
Why does God choose to use an ancient Assyrian practice to explain how he will drag Russia south to build a confederacy?
Perhaps because it would be an Assyrian like power – ISIS – that would provoke Russia to move South, and establish and guard a confederacy of nations.
Here is an article that deals briefly with some of the similarities between the Assyrian’s and ISIS:
Some similarities are listed here:
Both powers are known for executing absolute and excessive barbarity, and subsequently advertising it to their enemies. For example, enemies of the ancient Assyrian regime were beheaded in public, and the walls of their cities were lined with impaled men, women and children in order to send a message to their enemies. In the 21st century, ISIS use social media and other technologies to project their gruesome decapitations to the world.
The capital of the ancient Assyrian empire was located in Nineveh. Today, The Islamic States biggest city – Mosul – surrounds the ruins of Nineveh, and is the hometown of ISIS.
The Assyrian’s wiped out virtual all culture prior to them as do ISIS today.
Women were forced into slavery by the ancient Assyrian’s as they are today, under ISIS
So there are many indicators which show that ISIS bears many of the hallmarks of the ancient neo-Assyrian empire.
Is ISIS the Hooks in the Jaws that we are witnessing today?
For those who visit our website, you will have noticed that for a couple of months we have had a countdown timer running for the UK vote on EU membership.
Today, that count sits at 32 days to a historic vote which could bring us a step closer to the alliance of the latter days.
But in the mean time get up to scratch by watching a movie created by the BREXIT campaign. This highly recommended watch provides some amazing insight into why there is massive political, economic and social impetus for Britain to leave the EU.
Impetus to leave is strong. Watch this heated debate on this issue in the UK:
Why will Britain eventually be separate from the European Union?
Ten Toes (Daniel 2) or Horns (Revelation 17) manifesting as ten nations will emerge in Europe who give their power to the Papacy and become aligned with Russia. Britain is not one of these kingdoms.
The Tarshish (Britain) of Ezekiel 38 is opposed to Russia in the latter days when the invasion of Israel occurs.
Perhaps the bigger issue at hand is that many analysts are saying if the UK leaves the EU, the EU project is likely to collapse with debt ridden nations like Greece also wanting to leave.
A collapse of the European Union would give rise to another confederacy of European Nations – is this the year that we will see ten Kingdoms emerge in Europe under the leadership of the Papacy?
Don’t forget, the UK is a protestant influence (anti-catholic). If the protestant influence leaves, than the Pope will suddenly have far more influence in Europe.
Furthermore when this happens the unity between Russia and Europe will only grow as many in Europe have sought to have stronger relations with Russia were it nor for pressure from the US to sanction Russia.
In short, the vote to leave the European Union is about something far bigger than a UK vote on democracy: It is an event which could initiate some far bigger changes across the world that lead to the ten toes of Daniels image, and eventually the return of Christ.
Russian forces in Syria have fired at least twice on Israeli military aircraft, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek improved operational coordination with Moscow, Israel’s top-selling newspaper said on Friday.
The unsourced report in Yedioth Ahronoth gave no dates or locations for the incidents nor any indication Israeli planes were hit. Russia mounted its military intervention in Syria in September to shore Damascus up amid a now 5-year-old rebellion.
Separately, Israel’s Channel 10 TV said a Russian warplane approached an Israeli warplane off the Mediterranean coast of Syria last week but that there was no contact between them.
An Israeli military spokesman declined comment. Netanyahu’s office and the Russian embassy in Israel did not immediately respond.
srael, which has repeatedly bombed Syria to foil suspected arms handovers to Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, was quick to set up an operational hotline with Moscow designed to avoid accidentally trading fire with Russian interventionary forces.
Visiting Moscow on Thursday, Netanyahu told Russian President Vladimir Putin in televised remarks: “I came here with one main goal – to strengthen the security coordination between us so as to avoid mishaps, misunderstandings and unnecessary confrontations.”
In an apparent allusion to Syria, Putin said: “I think there are understandable reasons for these intensive contacts (with Israel), given the complicated situation in the region.”
According to Yedioth, the reported Russian fire on Israeli planes was first raised with Putin by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who visited Moscow on March 15. At the time, Putin responded that he was unaware of the incidents, Yedioth said.
“Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.
8 After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them.
9 You will advance, coming on like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.”
Republished with permission from Sputnik (Russian state owned news agency).
The Libyan Armed Forces’ Commander Brigadier General Khalifa Hafter has voiced his country’s readiness to cooperate with Russia in fighting terrorism, according to the Iranian news agency FARS.
“We welcome support from Russia in fighting terrorism,” the agency quotes Hafter as telling reporters after his meeting with United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Chief Martin Kobler in the city of Marj, Northeastern Libya.
The military leader assured that if Russia proposes a plan for fighting terrorism in Libya, Tripoli will cooperate with Moscow, adding that “Russians are serious in [the] fight against terrorists”.
Libya is currently run by two main rival governments, which are entangled in a violent, nationwide power struggle. Each side is backed by powerful armed groups which have dominated the Libyan scene since the elimination of the country’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The country’s capital Tripoli, is controlled by a political faction, known as the General National Congress, which was set up after an armed group called Libya Dawn seized the capital, Tripoli, last summer.
The UN-recognized government of Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni is based in the eastern city of Bayda; its elected parliament moved from the capital Tripoli to Tobruk.
On Thursday, rival Libyan politicians signed a deal on a unity government despite opposition on both sides, in what the United Nations described as a “first step” towards ending the crisis.
World powers have urged the warring factions to break a political deadlock that has allowed jihadists and people-smugglers to flourish.
Meanwhile, the jihadist group Daesh (also known as ISIL/ISIS) has increased its presence in the Libyan Mediterranean city of Sirte, having apparently established its new base there, where it can “generate oil revenue and plan terror attacks”.
Putin’s military move into Syria was implicitly prophesied in Daniel 11.
I recall listening to a Christadelphian lecture 1 month prior to Russia’s move into Syria. The lecturer said that the fulfilment of Dan 11:40 required that Russia must occupy Syria before moving into Turkey.
Sure enough, a month later, Russia moved into Syria.
This lecturer is certainly not the only one to have this view. In an exposition entitled “The Prophecy of Daniel”, HP. Mansfield wrote the following back in 1986 – almost 30 years ago:
“Daniel 11: “And the king of the North <Russia> shall come against him <Turkey>”
The fulfilment <of this> must await the final re-forming of the… Kingdom of Syria, which the northern Russian power is poised to accomplish.
She <Russia> is spreading her control over the territory of the ancient king of the north, and only requires a controlling influence in Iran, Iraq and Syria to qualify for the title; then she will be ready to “come against him <Turkey>.”
Page 336
This understanding of Daniel 11 is not a result of the prophetic capabilities of these bible students, but simply a result of careful reading of Daniel 11 and other quotes.
To understand why it is that Russia will have a controlling military influence in Syria/Iraq, we need to understand how the prophets portrayed Gog in their prophecies.
To that end, Ezekiel provides us with a clue. In chapter 38:17, God tells ‘Gog’, that he is the individual who had been spoken of by other prophets:
Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?
Ezek 38:17
Which of the prophets might verse 17 be referring to?
At least two other prophets lived prior to Ezekiel’s time; Micah and Isaiah, and both prophets have latter-day prophecies which refer to Gog:
Gog in Micah & Isaiah – ‘The King of Assyria’
Micah 5
The context of Micah 5 is the coming of the Messiah (v2) and the return of Israel to the land (v3) so this is without a doubt a latter-day prophecy. In verse 5, Micah begins to talk about the latter-day enemy of Israel:
When the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces…
…and it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots
Isa 30 & 31
The time period for both of these chapters in Isaiah are also in the latter days as they talk of a time period that occurs around the time when judgement emanates from Zion, and Jerusalem is defended. Here are the references to the latter-day Assyrian in Isaiah:
Isa 30:31 For through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.
32 And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the Lord shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it.
33 For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
Isa 31:1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!
8 Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited.
9 And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.
Notice it doesn’t say when “the Assyrians” come into our land, but rather it is the “Assyrian” in the singular.
This is not talking of the latter-day manifestation of the Assyrian’s manifested in a nation or empire (which is comparable to today’s ISIS), but rather this is talking about a latter-day individual, or King – Isa 30:33. This is an autocrat who will have occupational power in Assyria prior to the invasion of Israel.
Map of the Neo-Ancient Assyrian empire. (Dark Green)
This heartland of the ancient Assyrian empire happens to be around the area of the Tigris and the Euphrates (which today is part of Syria & Iraq) in mostly areas that are currently controlled by ISIS.
Map of the ISIS sanctuary 2015 (ISW)
While ISIS currently control this region, Russia has declared war on ISIS and are moving into the region with a ferocity unmatched by the United States.
Gog in Daniel – ‘The King of the North’
After Ezekiel’s time, the prophet Daniel was also given information about Gog.
Daniel 11
This time, in the latter part of Daniel 11, Gog is named “The King of the North”.
The empire of the “King of the North” in Daniel 11 was the Seleucid empire which extended from Turkey to Afghanistan.
It’s interesting to note that much like the Assyrian empire, the heartland of the Seleucid empire was along the region of the Euphrates and Tigris which is inclusive of today’s Syria & Iraq.
Map of the Seleucid Empire
Daniel 11 calls Gog the “King of the North” because Gog will have a controlling influence in the region of the ancient king of the North.
Today, Russia is in the process of increasing its military influence and power within this Seleucid region:
Russia already has significant influence in Iran
Russia already has significant influence in Syria.
Iraq has indicated that they would prefer the Russian military for protection instead of the US military and have already started mutual intelligence sharing with Russia to a greater degree than what exists with the US.
Putin has expressed interest in occupying Afghanistan as NATO looks to leave. When he announced this, Obama immediately cancelled his troop withdrawal.
Russia’s occupation of Syria & Iraq in the prophets.
Isaiah, Micah & Daniel all refer to Gog as being a king over the former territories of the Assyrian and Seleucid empires before invading Turkey, Egypt and Israel.
As seen earlier, this is currently a region which is under the control of ISIS, however, Russia is moving in and is likely to become the occupying power.
Daniel 11 shows that it is during this time, or after, the Gogian autocrat will focus his attention on Turkey.
Bible Prophecy & Current Events 