Where Oh Where Will the Assyrian Antichrist Arise?
November 29, 2007
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
The area I have spent watching for the rise of the Assyrian Antichrist for the last 40 ye ars
has primarily been Syria and Lebanon. Archive Prophecy Updates 62 to 69 cover my reasons for watching this area. I am very interested in changes in government in both these countries.
BEGIN ARCHIVE PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 66
WHAT IS THE NATIONALITY OF THE ANTICHRIST?
Part 5
May 3, 2003
Please read Updates 62,63,64, and 65 before reading 66
Micah 5:1-4 – Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. [2] But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. [3] Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. [4] And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
These verses, exposited in Parts 1 through 4, were written more than 700 years before the birth of Christ. And yet they present:
Bethlehem as His birthplace, His rejection as ruler over Israel, His last Passover in the daughter of troops Jerusalem, His head beatings by the troops of Pontius Pilate, Herod, and the High Priest, His rejection as the judge of Israel, His Father’s siege against Israel because of their rejection of the Son (which has lasted some 2000 years), Christ’s temporary rejection of Israel, His Second Advent as Messiah after Israel’s travail of 1260 days in the Negev Wilderness, at which time His brethren will return with Him to the nation of Israel, and the first 1000 years of His eternal kingdom, which phases into the final heaven age when the present earth and heavens pass away.
Micah 5:5 – And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
Now, in verse 5, we find that “this man” will himself “be the peace” because He personally brings it in by Himself when he returns to be “great unto the ends of the earth” for 1000 years. “This man” who brings “the peace” of a thousand years is, of course, Jesus Christ. He is the primary contextual subject from verses 1 through 5. What happens to motivate His return to bring in the millennial reign is the movement of the Assyrian into the land of Israel. It is the final defeat and destruction of “the Assyrian” that will mark Christ’s Second Advent, and the beginning of His millennial reign.
When Micah wrote his prophecies the Assyrians had already driven into the northern Kingdom of Israel, and all that remained of Israel proper was its southern Kingdom of Judah. So what were the borders of the land of Assyria when Micah wrote the fifth chapter of his book? The borders of the Assyrian territory stretched northward from roughly where Ramallah is located in the West Bank to the present day southern border of Turkey, and eastward to the Mediterranean Sea to establish its western limits, then westward across the Euphrates River to the Tigris River north of modern Baghdad in Iraq. Technically, I suppose one might be able to say this future “Assyrian” might come out of southern Turkey, northern Iraq, or Lebanon, but since modern day Syria occupies some 85% of the area covered by the Assyrian empire at the time of Micah’s writings, I am persuaded the Assyrian antichrist will come out of Syria. The possible argument that Micah 5:5 was fulfilled during the old Assyrian invasion of Micah’s day, is thwarted by the context pattern of the four verses before it all still being unfulfilled at the time they were written, and then being linked contextually to verse 5 by “this man,” and “the peace.” Additionally, this argument is smashed by the verse that follows it.
Micah 5:6 – And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.
From the time of Micah’s writings to the present day, Israel has never “wasted the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof.” I will exposit specifically on both these locations in Prophecy Update Number 67, Lord willing.
The “Assyrian” of Micah 5:5 is not a European, an American, a Russian, an Eskimo, an Aborigine, an Ethiopian, or a platypus. He is an Assyrian, who becomes chief prince of the land where descendants of Meshech and Tubal were dwelling when Ezekiel wrote his prophecies. I will elaborate on this in future updates, Lord willing.
The expression involving “seven shepherds and eight principal men” is an ancient oft used Hebrew idiom.
It was the Hebrew manner of expressing “more than enough.” Seven is the Hebrew word for “complete,” implying “enough,” and when “eight” is added to it, the expression means “more than enough.” When the Assyrian comes into Israel, and treads within its borders north of Beersheba for 1260 days, then Jesus will return to restore peace for 1000 years on this planet. Christ’s Second Advent is accompanied by some 5/6 of the Assyrian’s armies being destroyed by the brightness of His coming. His destruction of the Assyrian and his false prophet will make whatever force Israel is able to muster up in the Negev for the battle of Armageddon “more than enough.”
When the Assyrian sets on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, as the willful King of the North preparing to launch his final attack on Israel at the battle of Armageddon, he will be beyond all help by men and Satan.
I Thessalonians 5:3,4 – For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. [4] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Ezekiel 38:14-16 – Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord God; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? [15] And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: [16] And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
Zechariah 13:8,9 – And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. [9] And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.
Revelation 12:6 – And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Daniel 11:45 – And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
II Thessalonians 2:8 – And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Revelation 19:19-21 – And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. [20] And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. [21] And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Ezekiel 38:22 to 39:2 – And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. [23] Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord. [1] Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: [2] And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
Micah 5:5,6 – And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. [6] And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.
Begin Jerusalem Post Article
Anti-Syrian Majority and Pro-Syrian Minority Seeking a President
Lebanese majority backs army commander as president
Associated Press, THE JERUSALEM POST
November 28, 2007
Lebanon moved closer Wednesday to a long-sought deal for army chief Gen. Michel Suleiman to become the next president in the first signs of a breakthrough between its divided factions, after the Annapolis conference eased tensions between their main backers, the United States and Syria.
Suleiman is seen as a neutral figure in a country where nearly every politician is considered either in the pro- or anti-Syrian camp – one with the weight to ensure neither side dominates the other.
Lebanon’s constitution bars a sitting army commander from becoming president. But on Wednesday, the largest bloc in parliament – the anti-Syrian Future Movement – announced it has dropped its rejection of amending the constitution.
A deal is not yet done. The opposition, led by Syria and Iran’s ally Hizbullah, has not announced their stance on Suleiman, though he is respected among its leadership. There also remain deeply divisive questions over how to change the constitution.
But it was the first sign of progress after weeks of stalemate that left Lebanon without a president after the term of pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud ended last week, creating a dangerous power vacuum.
The movement could be a result of the easing of tensions between Damascus and Washington that culminated with Tuesday’s Mideast peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, which Syria attended. The US-Syrian rivalry has often played itself out in Lebanon’s complex politics – and in past weeks each side in Lebanon has accused the other’s international backer of meddling to block a deal on a president.
Amin Kammouriyeh, columnist in the leading pro-government newspaper An-Nahar, said the Syrians and the Americans have been having contacts about a way out of the Lebanon impasse.
“Annapolis capped the contacts between the two sides that had been going on for some time,” he said. “What happened today (in Lebanon) was a practical translation of that.”
Nicolas Nassif, who writes for the opposition-leaning newspaper Al-Akhbar, said he doubted Annapolis itself would “give this immediate result” but rather “the atmosphere that preceded it, to place Lebanon away from the regional conflicts.” He referred to French and Syrian discussions that also involved the Saudis to find a solution.
The United States, which backs the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, has in the past pressed to end Syria’s influence in Lebanon. Syria’s allies in Lebanon, in turn, have accused Saniora of selling out the country to the Americans.
The 59-year-old Suleiman was appointed with Syria’s approval in 1998 when Damascus dominated Lebanon. But he refused to use the military to put down anti-Syrian demonstrations in 2005 that helped end Damascus’ 29-year control.
He also deployed troops in Hizbullah’s stronghold of southern Lebanon last year for the first time – though some complain he has not done enough to stop the flow of weapons to the Shi’ite militant group – and this year his military waged a fierce fight against Islamic militants in a northern Palestinian refugee camp. Both moves brought heavy US support for the army.
For Syria, he could stop anti-Syrian factions from dominating and hurting its allies when it has became clear the majority would not go for a candidate backed by the opposition and Damascus.
Both sides in Lebanon have accepted the military’s role in keeping security after Lahoud stepped down, leaving a void that many fear could erupt into violence between the two camps.
Lawmaker Ammar Houry of the Future Movement called Suleiman a “symbol of the unity of the military establishment” which has kept the peace.
“We declare our acceptance to amend the constitution in order to reach consensus on the name of the army commander, Gen.
Michel Suleiman,” he said.
The Future movement has 35 of Parliament’s 128 seats, but its support is tantamount to acceptance by the full 68-member anti-Syrian majority coalition of Saniora.
The coalition had been holding out install an anti-Syrian figure in the presidency after long trying to remove Lahoud, a staunch ally of Damascus. But it has been unable to muster the two-thirds majority of Parliament necessary
to open an election session amid
an opposition boycott.
It had also resisted tooling with the constitution in principle, since past changes had been made to accommodate Lahoud.
Lahoud was also an army commander but a 1998 one-time amendment allowed him to run for president – then a 2004 amendment pushed by Syria extended his term for three more years, angering anti-Syrian politicians.
Hizbullah had no immediate comment on Suleiman’s candidacy.
A major wild card remains: Michel Aoun, a leading Christian opposition politician and former army commander who has pushed his own candidacy for the presidency. Allied to Hizbullah, it was unclear whether he would drop his bid and go along with Suleiman.
Aoun has withheld comment while the legal experts argue over whether a constitutional amendment was possible.
The amendment has its own difficulties tied up in the yearlong standoff. The government is required to request that Parliament amend the constitution, but the opposition refuses to recognize Saniora’s administration, raising questions on how it can do so. Others have argued that with no president, Parliament cannot legislate and can only vote for president.
The legislature was scheduled to try Friday to elect a president. But Houry said that arrangements to amend the constitution were unlikely to be finalized by Friday’s session, suggesting the presidential vote would be put off to a later date.
Suleiman had previously been floated as a candidate but has not commented on the latest developments. If elected he will have to retire from the military.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more detailed information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.
You may use material originated by this site. However, if you wish to use any quoted copyrighted material from this site, which did not originate at this site, for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner from which we extracted it.