CHAPTER 7
SUMMARY
“THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS”
……….SYRIA, CATALYST FOR GOG-MAGOG
By Doug Krieger
Pergamos Ministries
The Tribulation Network
www.the-tribulation-network.com
THE THEOLOGICAL BACKDROP
This
section of this compendium/e-book highlights the immediate prophetic chronology
facing the nations, Israel and the
Church. Crucial to the Biblical understanding of eschatology (i.e., the
theology of “last things”) is hermeneutics—interpreting the various
texts.
Essentially, there are two schools of hermeneutics prevailing within Christianity: (1) “Spiritualizing” the Scripture—systemized by Origen, Augustine, and institutionalized by the Roman Catholic Church; as well as “inherited” by the Reformers (e.g., Calvin, Luther, Knox, Zwingli); and (2) “Biblical Literalism” which pervaded the early Church Fathers, but fell out of use as the Roman Church sought to justify her political/spiritual dominion. Shortly after the Reformation, Biblical Literalism gained popularity among British and American theologians and Bible students, especially in the early 1800s.
Ultimately, these two schools of interpretation clashed during the incursions of liberalism and higher Biblical criticism in the late 1800s—the debate went public during the infamous Scopes’ Monkey Trial. Not all evangelicalism in America embraces “literalism” as their main hermeneutic. Evangelical Reform churches and seminaries most assuredly do not. The theological consternation today in America is NOT between a dead and dormant liberal Christianity but the major theological struggles occur within the framework of a resurgent American Evangelicalism itself!
Those Christians who embrace “Biblical Literalism” will, in most cases, affirm what D. R. Shearer calls: The Messianic Scenario. It is this “Scenario” which drives the earnest student of the Scriptures to conclude a more “futuristic” interpretation of prophetical events in the Revelation, as well as eschatology found in nearly fifty percent of the Bible. Part II in the series is a necessary “detour” on our Road to Damascus. It highlights the current “Battle for the Bible.”
THE DAMASCUS SYNTHESIS
Encapsulated in three of the four articles is the unfolding of events which will catapult the earth into the Seventieth Week of Daniel, and ultimately the Second Coming of Christ. What you are about to enter on the Road to Damascus is a journey which is precisely calculated by the Messianic Scenario and substantiates Biblical Literalism as the relevant eschatology for the “End of Days.”
The salient prophetical schematic of the Last Days will unveil:
(1) The USA is the “Mystery Nation” spoken of in Isaiah 17 and 18 and is the Babylon (i.e., “King of Babylon”) of the Revelation, as well as Daniel, Isaiah and Jeremiah.
(2) “The prince who is to come” in Daniel 9:27 is the prophesied Antichrist who leads the “Mystery Nation” of Isaiah 17 and 18 and the one who will “preposition” his forces near the “Beautiful Land” (i.e., Israel) and that most likely, ancient Babylon (Iraq) is the immediate fulfillment of that prophetical phenomenon.
(3) Israel and the USA-led Coalition will imminently move toward “Regime Change” in Syria; not only as part of the Administration’s policy of “preemptive strike” but of military necessity. They have little alternative but to strike at the head of international terrorism and simultaneously eliminate the insurgency in Iraq, as well as dissolve the political legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority and put in place a decidedly pro-Western government in Lebanon—again, all of this is “prophesied” in Scripture (Isaiah 17, 18, 24; Daniel 7-11; Ezekiel 26-28, 38-39; Zechariah 9-14; Revelation 11, 13-20)
(4) Immediately following the “Syrian Card,” Israel will find herself militarily “exhausted” but in relative “safety” as a “Memorandum of Understanding” between Israel and the West (i.e., the leadership of the West, the USA) will allow her a “sense of safety” (“unwalled” and in “safety” according to Ezekiel 38-39). This MOU could easily initiate the infamous “Agreement with Death and Hell” or “a covenant with the many” (Isaiah 28:15, 18; Daniel 9:27a).
(5) Gog-Magog (a.k.a., Radical Islamic Fundamentalism/Nationalism) will sweep the remaining Middle Eastern/North African nations following “Regime Change” in Syria. Iran and Turkey will lead the “Northern Alliance of Nations” (a.k.a. Gog-Magog or “The King of the North”); and Egypt, Sudan and Libya will form a Southern Confederacy (a.k.a., “The King of the South”). Most notably, Jordan, Iraq, Syria and nations on the Saudi Arabian Peninsula are NOT allied with the forces of Gog-Magog (Ezekiel 38-39) but manifest their concern regarding Gog’s economic intentions (for “spoil” and “plunder”) with those of the “Merchants of Tarshish” (i.e., the designation for the famed “International Trading Empire” of the Canaanites/Phoenicians/Punic people of antiquity). The Merchants of Tarshish are that “Mystery Nation” of Isaiah 18 (a.k.a., the leadership of the West; the USA).
(6) The Gog-Magog War will commence with the “King of the South” making a decisive thrust “against him” (i.e., “the Antichrist” or “The King that shall arise with fierce features” - Daniel 8:24; 11:40-45). This will be followed by a pincer movement led by Gog and his allies (Magog) from the north against Israel (Ezekiel 38-39); therefore, the “focus” of the “campaign” will be the West’s pre-positioned forces throughout the Levant in Daniel; and, the focus of Gog’s strategy will be Israel as emphasized in Ezekiel 38-39. Gog and Magog are referred in Isaiah 17 as “the multitude of many people/the nations.” Both Israel and the “Mystery Nation” are mentioned as well (Isaiah 17 and 18).
(7) The outcome of the Gog-Magog War will be the annihilation of both the King of the North and the King of the South; however, it appears that “elements” within the Southern Confederacy will “sue for a separate peace” with the “Mystery Nation” and the immediate victory over radical Islamic fundamentalism/nationalism will be short-live as “hot spots” in the far North (of Jerusalem) and the “East” will cause the West’s leadership to commence further “preemptive action” (Daniel 11:40-45).
(8) The FORMAL “Peace Accord” (a.k.a. “Agreement with Death and Hell”) with Israel (“with the many”) will be “enforced” by “the prince who is to come” (a.k.a., the Antichrist and/or the West’s Leader) immediately following the defeat of Gog-Magog. The “Middle East Peace Settlement” will place forces of Antichrist throughout the region, but, in particular, in “the Beautiful Land” (Daniel 11:40-45). The “Agreement” will be for seven years with the West providing Israel a PRESENT which appears to be full assistance and support for the on-going rebuilding of the TEMPLE (which occurs immediately after Ezekiel 38-39, from Ezekiel 40-43 is “not necessarily” the Millennial Temple but the actual Third Temple).
(9) The “Seven Year Agreement” “with the many” (i.e., Israel and those nations which “concur” with the “settlement package” will be abruptly terminated “in the midst” of Daniel’s 70th Week (i.e., after 42 months or 3 ½ years).
(10) Immediately following the Seven Year Agreement the empowering ministry of “The Two Witnesses” of Revelation 11 will commence, resulting in worldwide revival and evangelism (Revelation 11 and 14:14-16).
(11) The implications of this termination bode ill for all peoples of the earth—especially Israel and the Church (i.e., “the tribulation saints” of Revelation 7 and/or the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11) for the next 1,260 days or 3 ½ years; however, simultaneously with persecution of “the saints” there will be miraculous preservation for both peoples akin to Israel’s initial preservation in the midst of the plagues wrought against Egypt under Pharaoh. This period of time in Daniel’s 70th Week is known as the time of “Jacob’s Trouble” or “The Great Tribulation” (Rev. 7:14) and is inaugurated by the “Abomination of Desolation” spoken of by Jesus in reference to Daniel’s prophecy and introduces the figure of the BEAST from the Abyss, the False Prophet (Second Beast) and the institution of the worship of the Image of the Beast.
(12) For 42 months “The Holy City” shall be “trodden under foot of the Gentiles” (Revelation 11) and the final “Messianic Scenario” will eventuate, leading to the Armageddon Campaign, the Rapture and Resurrection and the simultaneous outpouring of the “Bowls” of Revelation upon “the earth dwellers” (i.e., THE WRATH OF THE LAMB) and, finally, the actual Second Coming of Christ, ushering in His Millennial Rule and Reign (a.k.a., “The Proclamation of the Kingdom” – Revelation 11:15).