Damascus Has Fallen: What's Next in the Middle East?

Welcome to the Weekly Scroll. Several weeks ago, maybe months ago, I shared with our congregation and on this platform that I was (am) convinced that we are in season when God is humiliating his enemies and eliminating those who have incited His anger.

This started to materialize in my thinking as leaders in Hamas, Hezbollah and even in Iran began to fall; some with the help of the Israeli soldiers in the IDF or agents in the Mossad; or in the case of Iran's President, by a mysterious helicopter crash.

Well this weekend, this retribution or reckoning (that's what I believe it to be) saw another name added to the list of fallen leaders from among those who oppose God's people. After 50+ years of rule under the house of Assad, Bashar al Assad, a ruthless dictator, fled Syria to seek asylum in Russia.  

Assad was forced to flee the country after a coalition of mostly radical Islamist groups swept across Syria, eventually capturing the country's capital city of Damascus signaling the end of his family's rule over the nation.

This final offensive -- that seemed to come out of nowhere -- at least to those of us in the US who have preoccupied with our own internal strife --  was the latest development in a civil war that has continued for almost 14 years. This civil war, you may recall, started during the Obama years in the wake of the so-called Arab Spring. In turn the Arab Spring created an environment that gave rise to groups such as ISIS and provided the catalyst for what has culminated in the overthrow of Assad's regime.

On that note, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said: 

Netanyahu claimed that the fall of Assad's regime was a "direct result" of Israeli attacks on Iran and Hezbollah. He said:

The collapse of the Syrian regime had an impact upon Syria's security forces as well. A fact that elicited this comment from Netanyahu:

In short, IDF paratroopers and heavily armored tanks took up positions that were abandoned by the Syrian Army near the border with Israel -- including the Syrian side of Mount Hermon. The IDF said this deployment was meant to "proactively ensure the defense of Golan" amid the instability in Syria.

This move comes as both the U.S. and Israel struck multiple targets inside Syria, including ISIS strongholds and chemical weapons plants. You may recall that Assad used chemical weapons on his own civilians when former President Barack Obama was in office. The U.S. and Israel are taking steps to ensure that those weapons do not fall into the hands of the Islamist extremists now in control of Syria. Let's talk a bit about these people.

About six month's ago, the opposition groups in Syria communicated to Turkey plans for a major offensive against the Syrian military. Apparently, they felt they had received some sort of approval, and moved to implement the plan. Just two weeks ago, they seized Syria's second city, Aleppo, and took almost everyone by surprise. In just a little more than a week, they reached Damascus and on this past Sunday put an end to five decades of Assad family rule.

As far Assad, his army was demoralized and exhausted; his main allies, Iran and Hezbollah, had been severely weakened by the conflict with Israel; and his other main military supporter, Russia, was distracted by its own conflict with Ukraine. It was as if it were the perfect storm -- and we know who arranges such as that.

As far as these insurgents, the most notable of them is a man called, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, although his real name is Ahmad al-Sharaa. Though he has recently renounced his association, Golani has longtime connections to al-Qaida. This man and his fellow revolutionaries now control Damascus, and it would seem, the fate of Syria. 

To say the least, how this turns out is uncertain. Syria is home to multiple ethnic and religious communities, who are often pitted against each other. Many fear that Sunni Islamist extremists will take over. Turkey, an increasing belligerent nation as far as Israel is concerned, have their own interests in the matter.

The current uncertainty provoked one military intelligence analyst, Rebekah Koffler, to offer this assessment: "Who will fill the void? The rebels aren’t good people - they’re the same extremists we’ve seen before. While they may appear on Western media wearing a green T-shirt and giving polished interviews, the reality is different. Removing one dictator often leads to even worse outcomes, as we saw in Iraq and Libya."

As a matter of fact, al-Golani is currently labeled a terrorist by the United States. His ties to al-Qaida reach back to 2003; he fought against U.S. troops in Iraq. He was involved with al-Qaida when the terror group formed the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (better known as ISIS), led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. 

In other words, he doesn't sound like one of the good guys. His fighting force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Organization for the Liberation of the Levant), or HTS – many of whose fighters are jihadis -- will most likely be a major player in the coming days. And I should point out that the Levant includes the land known as Israel.

Leaders in the U.S. and Israel have applauded the fall of Assad but also expressed grave concerns about who will lead the country moving forward. These concerns are obviously valid. Just this past Saturday, the IDF assisted UN forces in resisting an insurgent attack against a UN post in the Hader area of Syria.

Still, President Biden had this to say: 

President-elect Donald Trump had this to say on social media:

He went on to say,

However, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said forces conducted dozens of airstrikes on Islamic State targets in central Syria on Sunday. CENTCOM said its strikes were aimed to ensure that the Islamic State does not take advantage of the current situation in Syria.

To say the least, these developments have created shock waves throughout the region and the world. After so many decades of involvement, not to mention vast amounts of money, Russia and Iran are scrambling to manage the fallout. The implications for these two nations, as well as others in the region, are profound -- and I believe have prophetic implications.

In other words, retaining a foothold in the Middle East has always been a cornerstone of Moscow’s strategy. There are currently, Russian air and naval bases that serve as vital assets. With Assad gone, those Syrian-based assets are at risk. At least in the short term, this development represents a strategic defeat for Russia, costing them critical bases in the Middle East even as they stretch their military resources in the ongoing war with Ukraine.

In a nutshell this, coupled with the inability to conclude the matter with Ukraine in a conclusive way, has made Russia look weak. Some analysts even speculate that, with Assad's overthrow, Trump may have newfound leverage over Putin which might open a path for Trump to negotiate the end of the war in Ukraine. We shall see.

But I would also contribute this thought: The embarrassment Russia must now endure, the loss of influence in the region, not to mention appearing weak in contrast to the U.S,  might cause Putin to double down on his resolve to be relevant in the world. It might be the very thing that leads to something the Bible reveals about the leader of the land of Magog: "Thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan." Ezekiel 38:10

The other loser in this situation -- a nation who will also figure prominently in the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 & 39 -- is Iran. Syria was a crucial link in Tehran’s "Axis of Resistance," connecting Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon, thus enabling the smuggling of weapons through the region. The ring of fire that had been established around Israel is crumbling before our eyes, and the fall of Assad is a big exclamation point on the statement that, at least as far as I believe, God is making in the earth.

Again, the elimination of Hamas' top leaders and the decimation of its ability to terrorize was just the start. The weakening of Hezbollah at the hands of the IDF further amplified Assad’s vulnerability, leaving him without critical support. You see, Hezbollah had been an important force, assisting Assad’s army during the civil war. But after incurring heavy losses, Hezbollah could no longer provide adequate support. And for all their bravado, Iran sent no additional troops to support Assad.

Actually, it is being reported that a majority of Iranians are celebrating Assad’s downfall. Many Iranians see the constant support of Assad as depleting the Iranian people’s wealth. With Assad gone, there is hope that Iran’s negative influence in the region will weaken. In other words, there are those in Iran who are hoping that tyrannical regimes such as Assad's are not the last to fall.

On that note, prominent Israeli analysts feel that Assad's demise translates into a potential upside for both the U.S. and Israel. We shall see. I will say this.

The Bible seems -- and I want to emphasize that word -- seems to describe a time before the Messiah's return, and before the climactic battles that spell the end of the age when the people of Israel dwell in peace. Perhaps in part because their enemy to the north, which is Syria, is -- my words -- neutralized.

Many years ago, I felt this prophecy would be fulfilled during a time of war; a war I assumed would be fought between Israel, Syrian and other regional powers. However, when the Syrian civil war got into full swing, and block after city block in Damascus was being reduced to rubble, I began to wonder if the city might not be destroyed from within.

With these recent developments, I can see how either of these scenarios -- as a result of war from without or within (or a combination of both) could result in what is described in Isaiah 17. I would also point out that there will be cities (plural) of Aroer -- a region located in present day Jordan but was once in the region deeded to the tribe of Gad in  the area known as Gilead -- that will be affected by whatever happens in Damascus. 

Point: if Damascus to the north is eradicated, and threats to the east -- and given the fact that Ezekiel 35-37 describe a decisive war with Edom, who a lot of people believe is referring to the so called Palestinians -- then we may be on the verge of something incredible, not to mention prophetic.

I'll be the first to say that, just when we think we've gotten it all figured out, something changes that we didn't see coming; but something that was always in the Scripture if we had just noticed. And it's on that note that return to the notion that, there may be a small window of time -- before Messiah returns and before the apocalyptic battles -- when Israel dwells in relative peace. 

But, as we know, when they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes. It might even be that this space of time when Israel has peace is the very thing that puts a hook in the jaw of the confederation of nations who swoop down upon the mountains of Israel like a cloud -- Persia (Iran), Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer and the house of Togarmah from the north (whom many believe to be Turkey).

The prophecy says that this army will "come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate... and now all of them dwell safely." Ezekiel 38:8

It goes on to say that the invader will say, "I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates ... to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited." Ezekiel 38:11-12

More than once, the prophecy mentions a region that had been regarded as "the waste places" or being "desolate." That is interesting language considering that is how the ancient heights -- an area claimed by God's enemies, namely Edom, as their possession -- are described in Ezekiel 36. The inference, in other words, is those who made such claims, no longer have possession of those ancient heights. 

 Add to this the fact that the fallen armies of God will buried in "Israel" -- the Bible is quite clear on that matter. However, the particular place where they are to be buried "in Israel" is currently in the country of Jordan. My point is, though no one knows exactly what we should expect, it could be that we are on the threshold of something monumental.

 I want to point out one other thing: when all these nations gather together to come against the land of Israel, God says to Gog, “On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it?" In other words, these nations do not like the fact that Israel is dwelling safely in the land and, obviously, intend to rectify the situation to better suit their agenda. And when they do invade the land of Israel, one particular nation is curiously and conspicuously missing from the list -- Syria.

 Odd don't you think? Why aren't they mentioned? Maybe it's because when this occurs, Syria is essentially non-existent. I don't that to mean that there are no more Syrians; just to say there the land of Syria is divided into different faction with no effective government or military. 

 And if Israel has anything to do with this outcome -- especially to the extent that Damascus is no more and an upheaval has occurred in Jordan and the so-called West Bank -- then the nations who seek Israel's destruction, aided by those who want to be a force to be reckoned with in the world -- will have their reason to strike at the tiny land of Israel. 

 Again, we can't be certain of just how things turn out but one thing I am certain of... I can hear the footsteps of the Messiah getting closer and closer.

Bill Cloud was raised in a traditional Christian home in South Georgia. Yet it was a trip to Israel to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, in 1990, that truly provoked him to become more interested in his faith. It was during this "appointed time" that God gave him a deep love for the land, the people and the language.

Soon thereafter, Bill began learning Hebrew under the tutelage of a local rabbi and has since spent many hours studying, not only the Hebrew text, but the Hebraic roots of Christianity as well. This interest in the language is tied to Bill's desire to unlock the hidden treasures within the Word of God and to teach them, along with our Hebraic roots, to believers in Messiah. Furthermore, this insight has allowed Bill to better understand the prophetic element of Scripture. As a result of this study, Bill has developed a variety of media resources dealing with prophetic themes as well as teachings related to our lost Hebraic heritage.

Bill is a featured speaker in venues throughout the country and has appeared with notable teachers such as Perry Stone, Jonathan Cahn, Joel Richardson and Hal Lindsay. He has also made several appearances on a variety of television broadcasts seen on different Christian networks throughout the world. Recently Bill, along with his wife, Beth, and their children started a fellowship in the Cleveland TN area.

Through Shoreshim Ministries, Bill and his family strive to re-introduce Christians to the Jewish Yeshua and to educate believers in the Hebraic roots of their faith. As a result of this information, disciples of the Messiah can more accurately interpret end-time events and better discern our role in these last days.
Bill and his family reside in Cleveland, Tennessee.