Jerusalem, Israel
PRAYER UPDATE December 10, 2024
Israel and the Nations
GPW News and Prayer Update
UPDATE ON SYRIAN CRISIS: A PARTIAL HISTORY:
The Arab Spring of 2011 was the beginning of a revolution in Middle East countries against dictatorial governments.
There was a civil war in Syria at that time, against the Assad government. Now 14 years later, marks the end of Assad's regime, and supposedly, the end of the Syrian revolution.
The sense is that there won't be calm in Syria. The two main rebel groups who have opposed Assad have now taken over much of Syria. They have past ties with ISIS and Al Qaeda. One of those rebel groups, currently, has strong ties with Turkey. These rebels have already committed human abuses and atrocities, including kidnappings. Some of them want to institute Sharia Law in Syria.
Basically, it's one evil (the rebels) that have taken over another evil (Assad's regime).
Also, the Sunnis are working together with the Shiites, to eventually try and bring Israel down. But, GOD is in control!
A big concern is a battle yet to happen against the Syrian Kurds, who are somewhat protected by American forces in northeast Syria. However, already the Turks are murdering them, but the Kurds are fighting back hard. The Kurds are pro-democratic and pro-Israel, and want an independent state with their Kurdish brethren (who are currently suffering under Turkish rule and oppression). So, there will be a full battle there, eventually, in northeast Syria.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to control Syria. This gives him the opportunity to bring in the caliphate, and to use Syria as a staging ground in a future war with Israel (with other nations participating - Russia, Iran, etc.) All eyes are on the new U.S. Trump Administration to see how he will look to protect the Kurds. (Most likely, Israel is giving support behind the scenes).
If necessary, PRAY that the Kurds and Christians are airlifted out of Syria, for their own protection if all other options fail.
Another big concern is how this take-over of Syria is affecting Israel. The Syrian rebel groups are already in Quneitra, the town that borders the demilitarized zone between Israel and Syria. Israel has sent tanks into the zone to protect UN peacekeeping forces, and to protect Israel’s border with Syria.
The UN could try and twist this scenario and blame Israel for a Syrian land grab (the Syrian Golan Heights Mount Hermon post is, currently, in Israel’s hands). The UN could charge Israel with defying an armistice agreement with Syria from the 1970’s. Israel has already stated, several times, that the agreement was broken when the Assad regime fled Syria.
Meanwhile, Israel has gone in and bombed strategic sites of advanced weapons, so that the rebels do not take them over and use those weapons against Israel. It is not sure if Israel was able to bomb all buildings housing Syrian WMD’s.
ALL THIS NEEDS PRAYER!
In the larger picture, many are saying this revolution in Syria has weakened Iran and Hezbollah’s presence there. It may have done so, but only in the short-term.
Reportedly, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have fled Syria; and, Russian has taken some of its ships and its submarine out of the Syrian port. Weapons aren't being transferred to Hezbollah on land routes through Syria.
However, Turkey has been strengthened by this revolution, with its continued support of Turkish rebel forces inside Syria.
Turkey, Russia, and Iran recently met to firm up their alliance. While the media is portraying a weakening of this axis, others understand that this alliance is regrouping and strengthening its combined military forces.
All these events are paving the way for the Middle East prophetic wars and more land grabs that are coming… through war or peace. (See Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39; Psalm 83).
Eventually, Jerusalem will be surrounded militarily. (Luke 21:20; Zechariah 14:2). But, the prophetic covenant promise to this nation is that, as Israel is obedient to God, the land of Israel will extend from the Euphrates River to the Great Sea. (See the covenant promises through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob).
PRAYER POINTS:
*Continue to pray for stability to come to Syria, through the international community restraining the rebels from abusing the Syrian people. Pray God’s double measure of protection over His people in Syria, especially the Christians and Kurds there.
*Pray for a double amount of protection over the borders of Israel, especially, the Syrian Golan Heights area; the demilitarized zone between Israel and Syria; Israel’s border with Lebanon; and Israel’s border with Jordan, which has remained an area of concern. Supposedly, Iran is trying to smuggle weapons through that border into the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), for terrorist cells to use against Israel.
*Pray that the Lord, our King, goes before the IDF, according to Micah 2:13, to secure the gates, and that a breakthrough comes, so that Israel is able to win the conflicts breaking out against God's nation in this multi-front war with its enemies.
NOTHING IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR THE LORD!