Two steps forward and one step backward pretty much describes what has taken place with the destruction of Damascus (Isa. 17) and the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38-39) in the last couple of weeks.

The fulfillment of God’s Word is definitely moving forward but there are setbacks. Things are definitely advancing in the direction that God said they will go, but it is herky-jerky or irregular.

The first step forward concerns the war between Syria and Israel at the end of the age. The Bible says Damascus will cease to exist as a city in one night (Isa. 17:1, 14).

When that happens Ephraim (northern Israel) will suffer great damage (Isa. 17:3) and the glory of Jacob (Israel) will be weakened and many Jews will go hungry (Isa. 17:4).

It will be a terrible event, but good will come from it because a man will “look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 17:7). War that causes people to accept Jesus is not all bad.

This prophecy advanced when Turkey shot down a Russian jet in late November. Russia’s Defense Minister responded by announcing plans to deploy a battery of sophisticated S-400 missiles to Syria to protect Russia’s planes.

Some in Israel see these missiles as a game-changer because they can shoot down Israeli planes flying over northern and central Israel. They expose northern Israel to the kind of danger prophesied in the Bible.

The second step forward concerns the stationing of Russian and Iranian planes in Syria. When the battle of Gog and Magog takes place, God said, “Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee” (Ezek. 38:9).

Many, including this writer, think “like a cloud to cover the land” refers to jets, bombers and helicopters. We believe the Russian-led forces will fill the skies over Israel with aircraft.

When Russia first started moving planes into Syria Russia sent in 34 bombers and several helicopters. In the next four or five weeks, Russia more than doubled the number of bombers to 69. The growing number of planes indicates a plan to expand the war.

In addition to this, DEBKAfile reported that Iran has sent dozens of planes to Syria to escort Russian bombers (First Iranian fighter jets over Syria alongside Russian bombers; Nov. 22, 2015.) The report said some of these planes are operating near Syria’s border with Israel.

That is a no, no. And the fact that Russia may have sent in missiles that can shoot down Israel’s jets makes it very dangerous for northern Israel. Israel’s use of a big bomb or a powerful missile is not inconceivable.

The step backward concerns Turkey’s downing of the Russian plane.  Not  all agree, but many think Togarmah of the north quarters is Turkey. If this is right, Turkey will be on Russia’s side in the Battle of Gog and Magog.

But Turkey’s downing of the Russian plane has provoked a harsh response from Russia. Mr. Putin quickly suspended cooperation with Turkey’s military, threatened economic retaliation, suggested that Russian citizens should leave Turkey, started bombing Turkish sites and allies in Syria, started jamming some Turkish electronic military communications and started destroying trucks that have been delivering stolen oil that Turkey was illegally buying from the Islamic State.

On the other side, Pres. Erdogan has warned Russia not to play with fire and there have been at least two reports that Turkey may be interfering with the movement of some Russian merchant ships and the ships in Russia’s Black Sea fleet. It is an explosive situation that Russia most surely will not tolerate and it could drag in NATO and touch off a nuclear war.

It is difficult to say what will happen. The two will have to make up in a hurry or it will be a while before the battle of Gog and Magog takes place.

Anyway, the problem between Russia and Turkey is a step backward, but the introduction of Russian missiles that can hit northern Israel and the buildup of planes from Russia and Iran are two signs that Bible prophecy is still moving toward the predicted scenario.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck

Concerning His Second Coming, Jesus said, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another” (Matt. 24:9-10).

He said, “And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; andsome of you shall they cause to be put to death” (Luke 21:16).

This has never set well with me. Everyone wants to be respected, to be thought well of and to hear a kind word from time to time. No one wants to be hated, mistreated, frowned upon or betrayed. No one wants to be arrested and killed.

But the severity of what Jesus is saying is even worse than that. The severity of one’s persecution will reach down into that person’s family. Parents will turn against their children and vice versa. People will be betrayed by their closest friends. Some will die because of the animosity that will exist between what used to be close friends and relatives.

What could cause this? What could cause family members to so thoroughly turn against each other that they would turn their loved ones over to the authorities to be put to death?

I don’t know, but I have seen two articles lately that make me think it could be coming on the scene.

I cited the first article about a month ago in one of my previous articles titled, “Scary Things” in which I discuss John W. Whitehead’s eye-opening article: “Things Are Getting Scary: Global Police, Precrime and the War on Domestic ‘Extremists.’’ (www.rutherford.org)

It concerns the fact that the Obama Administration wants a global police force to deal with domestic terrorists. And the Obama Administration’s list of domestic terrorists includes ordinary citizens that own guns, oppose abortion, oppose same-sex marriage, oppose world government, want a balanced budget, have conservative political views, etc.

You see, Pres. Obama doesn’t want to target ordinary people for crimes they have committed. No, he wants to target ordinary people for crimes he thinks they will commit. Their crimes will include who their friends and relatives are, what they believe, what they say, what they own, where they go, what organizations they belong to, what they are for, what they are against, etc. He wants to prosecute people that he thinks might oppose him.

The second article, “Economic Totalitarianism: The First Step Is Getting Rid of Cash” by Kade Hawkins (prophecynewswatch.com) concerns the fact that China is developing a system of “citizen scores.”

As I understand it, information is being gleaned about people from the social media (Google, Facebook, websites, etc.) and this information is being turned over or sold to others. This information includes facts such as who people are related to, what they are for, what they are against, what organizations they belong to, etc.

China is using this information to compile a soon to be mandatory “citizen score.” And a person’s “citizen score” can go up or down according to what their family, friends and others say, do, etc. A high “citizen score” means a person is more valuable to the government and eligible for certain benefits (grants, loans, etc.). A low “citizen score” means a person is less valuable to the government and not eligible for certain benefits.

This will force people to strive for a high “citizen score” to find favor with the government. But what if the views of their family and friends is holding their “citizen score” down and costing them benefits?

What if a person can’t get a certain job because someone they are related to or someone they know is not complying with the government’s views and that is holding their “citizen score” down?

What if a person is in trouble with the government not because of what they are doing, but because of what someone else is doing? Family members and friends will betray each other to get their “citizen score” up.

Don’t say this would never come to the U.S. because America is about to lose its sovereignty and all nations will soon be brought under a one-world government. Is it possible that taking a certain name, number or mark will increase a person’s “citizen score” and make them more valuable to the government; but refusing to take it will decrease person’s “citizen score” to the point that they are of no value to the government? What then?

“Now when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28).

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck