Monday, June 16, 2014

The Fall of Iraq


“Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, “and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. … Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you.” – Ezekiel 38: 2-3, 5, NKJV

As ISIS, a radical Islamic Sunni faction, including Al Qaeda, sweeps across Iraq and parts of Syria, it is good to remember that America’s present administration supplied them with arms through Libya as they were fighting Assad of Syria. Now, as they are camped just 20 miles outside Bagdad, Iraq, America is joining Iranian forces in fighting them in Iraq.

As our confused news media tries to keep it all straight bantering names like Assad, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, Al Qods Brigade, Sunni, and Shiite, they seem as confused as our government. We can make sense out of all by realizing it is nothing less than war between Sunni and Shiite Muslims over who will establish a ruling government over the Mid East, known as a Caliphate.

There is a prophesy in the book of Jeremiah that foretells all of this.

For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain. – Jeremiah 50:9

As the United States, directly over the North Pole from Iraq, and a coalition of other nations came against Iraq in Desert Storm who cannot remember seeing pictures of the Cruise missiles homing in on their targets with pin-point accuracy? Then Jeremiah states,

We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies. – Jeremiah 51:9

How many lives did we yield to try and establish peace between Sunni and Shiite factions in Iraq and how much money did we waste? All to no avail, so we left Iraq to her ordained fate:

Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers. – Jeremiah 51:27

ISIS comes as a coalition of these nations, slaughtering and imposing rough unyielding Islamic Sharia law against the land, like ‘rough caterpillers’. But, the judgment is not yet ended:

Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion. – Jeremiah 51:28

Soon the king of the Medes comes. This is none other than the Iranians who are called the Medes and Persians in Scripture. But they do not come to rescue Iraq and Syria from ISIS, they come to dominate! The Iranians will then control Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon through their proxies. And remember, they are strongly linked to Russia. I believe this will likely set the stage for the Ezekiel 38 and 39 war of God. But, it is always risky to interpret prophesy by current events, so we should be alert to the possibilities and watch and pray for wisdom from God.