The glory of the global government of the beast becomes as the glory of Israel in their devastation.

Isaiah 17:1-3

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“The burden against Damascus.” Isaiah 17:1a

Within the pages of the Bible, Damascus is also known as Syria, and is within the territory of modern-day Syria [as seen on the map below]. Why did the Lord have bad news to share against Damascus? Because they formed a military confederacy with the king of the kingdom of Israel. The Lord says, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.” Zachariah 4:6 Together, they planned to conquer the kingdom of Judah {Jerusalem the capital], in order to force their confederacy upon them as a tactic to defend against the Assyrians. That is explained in Isaiah 7, “…King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah…of Israel went to attack Jerusalem… when news reached the royal palace that Syria had joined forces with Israel, King Ahaz and everyone in Judah were so terrified that they shook like trees in a windstorm.” Isaiah 7:1-2 Click for a post on Isaiah 7:1-9

The Lord is against placing faith in military confederacies because they put trust in power, might, bombs, and guns instead of trusting in Him. That includes the military confederacy between Israel and the United States. The peace we have as followers of Jesus Christ is not the type that this world offers but comes by the meek and gentle qualities of the Holy Spirit living within our heart, mind, and soul. We are to clothe our spirit with peace, “…having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace… how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Ephesians 6:15, Isaiah 52:7 Jesus the Christ gives true peace, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” John 14:27

As seen on the map below, to the right, the brown area is Syria/Damascus, called the, “Kingdom of Aram-Damascus”. On the map to the left, is shown the modern-day territory, and Syria is seen in the same place as the “Kingdom of Aram-Damascus” on the map to the right.

“Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap.” Isaiah 17:1b

The day is coming when Damascus/Syria will cease to exist, it will be a ruinous heap. That will definitely happen in the day of the Battle of Armageddon and the Day of the Lord, as described in Zachariah 14.

Damascus represents any reliance placed on power and might instead of trusting in the word of God through Jesus Christ, in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Military confederacies are certainly not the way of the Lord, and this world will never have peace because they always rely on their own efforts, power, and might to bring salvation to this planet and humanity.

Did you know that the United Nations’ peacekeeping forces have about 60, 000 personnel deployed across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia? Do they carry weapons? Yes! They have military-issued weapons such as infantry rifles, grenade launchers, and heavy machine guns mounted on armored vehicles. Where do they get those weapons? From various member countries of the United Nations. When the United Nations become the undisputed one world government of the beast, they will have the a global military. It’s a military confederacy formed by the member countries of the United Nations. The sole purpose of the global military of the beast is to put down any rebellion or opposition against the global government and its global culture.

The Lord is going to turn the global military of the beast into a ruinous heap. He does it without any help from us regarding the use of physical force or any type of earthly power and might. Global warming is one sure sign of that, and is the Fourth Plague of Revelations 16:8-9. Global warming is already a battle that the global government and its global culture are beginning to lose to. Global warming is instrumental in bringing the collapse of the power center of the beast of the Fifth Plague of Revelations 16:10-11. The global government of the beast and its global population will be made powerless. In that powerlessness comes the Battle of Armageddon of the Sixth Plague of Revelations 16:12-17. The Day of the Lord comes to make a ruinous heap of this present world. The Christ, Jesus, returns when the Seventh Trumpet sounds of Revelations 11:15-19.

“The cities of Aroer are forsaken; They will be for flocks which lie down, and no one will make them afraid.” Isaiah 17:2

The cities of Aroer were border cities, which in those days border cities suffered horrifically by invading armies. The cities of Aroer were on the border between Moab and Ammon, as seen on the map above. When Syria came from the north, they would have eventually crossed the border into the cities of Aroer. The same for Aroer when the Assyrians came to conquer the confederacy between the king of Syria and the king of Israel. The Assyrian Empire bordered Syria on the north.

The cities of Aroer were so devastated by invasion that they were left absolutely barren. The cities were so desolate and abandoned that flocks of animals were able to lie down there without fear of human intrusion. When flocks lay down, that is a sign that they feel no fear, no smells to alert them to danger, complete peace for th e flocks.

Just before the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, this present heaven and earth will be so desolate and forsaken that it is no longer a suitable place for human life. After that, a new heaven and earth will be created for all we whose faith is in the Christ, Jesus. We are His flock who will lie down, unafraid, in the eternal New Jerusalem. Our Lord Jesus says this about His sheep, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they will never perish, neither will any man pluck them out of my hand…most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 10:27-28, John 5:24

“The fortress also will cease from Ephraim, the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria; They will be as the glory of the children of Israel,” Says the Lord of hosts.” Isaiah 17:3

Ephraim was a fortress for the Syrian army, as agreed upon by the king of the Kingdom of Israel. The two formed a military confederacy with each other. Ephraim bordered the kingdom of Judah, and was in the territory of Shechem, Beit El, etc. as seen on the map above. That area is the northern part of the West Bank that we see today. The West Bank is referred to as “occupied territory” and is a major point of friction and destabilization for whatever is left of the State of Israel today. ISIS, a terrorist organization, has a presence in the West Bank and operates out of Syria. The West Bank is seen on the map above, to the left.

The Lord says that Syria will cease from Ephraim, and is the same as the day when the West Bank will cease from the State of Israel. Ephraim was a fortress for the Syrian army but that would cease…as would Damascus and Syria. Damascus was and is the capital of Syria. The destruction of the West Bank and all of Syria happens when Christ Jesus returns. The entire State of Israel is devastated in the Battle of Armageddon, as described in the post on the Day After from Ezekiel 39. As goes the glory of the children of Israel, so goes Syria.

Damascus and Syria would be as the glory of the children of the Lord, which was just about nothing at that time. That’s because the king of Israel trusted in a military confederacy and turned away from the word of God. The kingdom of Judah did not join the confederacy, but neither did they turn to the Lord, instead they gave their allegiance to the Assyrians. All together, the glory of the Israelites became nothing when they were conquered by the Assyrians and eventually taken into captivity by the Babylonians.

Today, the global government and its global culture will be as the glory of the Jewish people as they are seen in the post on the Day After the Battle of Armageddon from Ezekiel 39. They will be totally devastated. “I will also gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people…Joel 3:2 The Valley of Jehoshaphat means the “Valley of Judgment”, referring to the Battle of Armageddon.

The Christ, Jesus says, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” Matthew 16:26-27

“I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a native green tree. Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more…” Psalms 37:35-36

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11