What is most important is that all this is setting up Ezekiel’s
2600-year-old prophecy in Ezekiel Chapter 38
<http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Eze/Eze038.html#top> . Persia, or
modern Iran, is listed as chief among the Muslim nations Russia will
lead into an all-out assault against Israel. This is predicted to be the
first battle of the war of Armageddon.

One nation that does not seem to be listed is Syria. I believe this is
the result of actions it is now taking against Israel. Isaiah’s prophecy
about Damascus in the last days is going to be soon fulfilled.

Twenty-seven hundred years ago, Isaiah warned, “An oracle concerning
Damascus: See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap
of ruins … In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body
will waste away.” (Isaiah 17:1, 4 NIV)

To establish the time of this event, look at these factors:

* First, Damascus is one of the oldest continuously populated
cities on earth. It has never been totally destroyed - yet.
* Second, it is in a context of events that lead up to the
catastrophes that precede the Lord Jesus’ Second Coming.
* Third, it is far enough away from that event that Jacob (Israel)
is enduring terrible circumstances.
* Fourth, Syria and the tribal name of its forefathers are not
mentioned in the Russian-led Muslim Confederacy that launches Armageddon
in the middle of the Tribulation.

All of this leads me to believe that Damascus will be destroyed before
the Tribulation begins. I believe that Damascus is about to so threaten
Israel’s existence, by either launching or furnishing bio-chemical
weapons or radioactive dirty bombs, that Israel will nuke them. Israel
has sworn that it will implement the Samson-Option against any nation
that attacks them with any form of weapons of mass destruction. That
means a thermonuclear strike. This may soon happen to Syria. This, in
turn, will so terrify the world that it will be ripe to embrace the
Antichrist when he is unveiled. And that could be very, very soon.