The Prophecy Project:
Session 11
WELCOME… To session number ELEVEN of the prophecy project. Last session I covered the connections of America to the Biblical descriptions found in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the book of Revelations, pertaining to the Last day, or end time Babylon. Also that no other nation comes close to fulfilling the scriptures.
Now, we move from Babylon on to my second book, “Asshur the Assyrian”. This book is not a large book but it is hugely significant in my opinion. It will allow the astute student to identify the man who will become the beast, or Antichrist before his plans, motives, and wickedness are manifest (provided of course that the Lord has not removed his bride first). He will at first appear as a successful effective leader and a man who can be trusted. He is called the Antichrist only once in scripture but is revealed in scripture a multitude of times under the title and name of “the Assyrian”.
I first became aware of this truth back in 1974 when reading a small booklet by Dr. Robert Hooley, titled “Antichrist”. I began watching for this Assyrian to come on the scene, this was not easy because at that time, there was very little information available in the news sources from that area of the world. With time and additional study I began to fill out my scriptural understanding of the Assyrian, his life and accomplishments. In 2009 I decided to write my findings and they were put in the book. This book is like an arrow, It is narrowly focused on him, and not on prophecy in general. Prophetic events are only referenced when they are associated with him or the Assyrian nation.
Many people especially in America don’t know who the Assyrians are, they often just assume that we’re talking about Syrians. But while they are neighbors geographically they are not the same ethnic peoples. The Assyrian people go back to the Asshur the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah. Asshur and his descendants settled and lived in the northern part of Mesopotamia, northern Iraq today, this is found in Genesis 10:11,12.
(11) Out of that land (Shinar) went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, (12) And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.
Asshur was one of five brothers, who are the fathers of the nations (ethnic families) of the middle east. this is seen in Genesis 10:22
(22) The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, Aram.
Elam settled in the area which became southern Persia, Iran today. Arphaxad is the linage of Abraham, that the children of Israel came through. Aram, means “Syria” and they settled west of Shinar. Lud, settled in northern Africa, and is also known as “Lydia”.
By and large, the descendants of Elam, Aram, and Lud have come under the control of Islam. Iran, Syria, Egypt and Libya. The descendants of Arphaxad are the Jews of today and have chosen Judaism. Asshur, the Assyrians are mostly Christian (90%+). according to Assyrian tradition they had a national conversion in the first century A.D., following their king Abgar.
Aside from Islam’s internal conflicts, Shiite, Sunni etc. most of the conflict in the middle east is against the Jews and Assyrians, Judaism and Christianity. It is becoming clearer today that there is little room in an Islamic middle east for Jews and Christians, at least not as equals with full rights. Both Assyrians and Jews of the middle east have suffered at the hand of Islam.
Now nothing is as simple as I have just stated, but you can get so complicated and complex in your analysis that you loss the root of the problems and thus your perspective.
The history of the Assyrians is extensive, The early kings of Assyria were called “kings who lived in tents” they reigned from approximately 3000 BC to 2400BC. when Sargon I came (2400BC) Assyria became an Empire for the first time. Assyria was totally independent at times and under the control of others at other times, such as the Babylonians.
The late period of the Assyrian Empire was from 911 BC thru 612 BC and ended with the sacking of Nineveh by the Medes, this considered by many to be the end of the Assyrian empire. But, the nation and her people continued as a nation in the land their fathers. They had maintained their national institutions up to the 20th century, the end of world war I when Britain and the Allies carved Assyria into four pieces and gave them to Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, thus effectively ending Assyria as a modern nation. The Assyrian genocide which took place during the first world war, by the Turks and Kurds nearly ended the nation as a people. While estimates vary, nearly 75% of the Assyrians in the Middle East were killed. Turkey (the Ottoman Empire) also lost its empire at the same time.
The Bible teaches that Assyria and the Assyrian people will be a nation again in the last days, in fact during the millennium, thousand year reign of Messiah. Isaiah 19:23-25
(23) In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. (24) In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: (25) Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
This situation has never existed in history and is yet to happen, Assyria, of this coming time will be work of God’s hands. God will put the Middle East right. Islam will no longer come between the nations, to destroy God’s people. Egypt will be healed and Assyria restored, with Israel at the center of it all.
There is today a movement by the Assyrian survivors of the genocide, to re-establish an autonomous state in northern Iraq for the Assyrians. They have formed many associations worldwide to promote this new Assyrian state. There are estimates that there are as many as three million ethnic Assyrians worldwide. There is a desire in the Assyrian heart to go home, they keep their traditions and language alive, they have a new flag, and national anthem, they even have a television network for Assyrians, called “Ishtar TV”. It is my opinion, that the modern Assyrian’s are an intelligent industrious people, given half a chance they will succeed with their endeavors.
I don’t believe that the Moslems of the area will ever accept an Assyrian (Christian) state back in what they consider to be a Moslem land, there will have to be some major changes in the Middle East before this will happen. We will cover some of those changes in coming sessions.
The second reference to Asshur in scripture is found in Numbers 24:22 &24. There is not only a reference to Asshur, but it is prophetic to the Jewish Messiah and the end times.
When the Israelites were coming out of Egypt they began to move into the land of the Moabites (which is modern Jordan), the Moabites had seen what the Children of Israel had done to the Amorites and were anxious to find a way to stop Israel from entering the land. The King of Moab (Balak) decided to attempt to stop them spiritually, by having a powerful prophet curse them, and he choose a man named Balaam, and through a series of events Balaam came to a mountain location overlooking the camp of Israel. But, each time he attempted to curse Israel a blessing was made instead. Finally an exasperated King of Moab told him to stop, but Balaam had a vision and word from God concerning events of the end times concerning Israel and Moab and Canaan, it is as follows:
24:14 And now, behold, I (Balaam) go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise (advise) thee what this people (Israel) shall do to thy people (Moab) in the latter days (hindermost). (15) And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: (16) He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: (17) I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre (King) shall rise out of Israel, and (the King) shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. (18) And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. (19) Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion (Messiah the King), and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city (Jerusalem), (20) And when he (Balaam) looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said Amalek was the first of the nations; but his later end shall be that he perish for ever. (21) And he (Balaam) looked on the Kenites (Cannanites), and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock. (22) Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive (take thee captive). (23) And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live (survive) when God doeth this! (24) And the ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he shall perish for ever. and Balaam rose up and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
So…Balaam has a vision to be fulfilled in the last days (hindermost), he tells king Balak what Israel will do to Moab, his people (Jordan).
Balaam begins to speak about a man that will come out of Israel, he is not contemporary to Balaam but will come at the end, “but not now”, “but not nigh”. This man is called the “Star” and “the Septre”, he will be the King of Israel (Messiah the King). Israel with his help shall smite part of Moab (Jordan) all of Edom, they shall be a possession of Israel, it says that Israel shall fight valiantly (with strength and skill). The Septre will ultimately have dominion over the area and take back the city (Jerusalem).
There is a nation called Asshur, an Assyrian army with an Assyrian general or King, which will come into Canaan and capture them. Asshur will be stopped and humbled by the ships which come from Chittim, he is “put down”.
We will see these events also in Daniel, and will have more data to clarify this account.
I want to close this session with a brief summary
1. Israel will be a nation at the end of the age, not just a nation but a valiant military one.
2. Israel will do battle with her neighbors and win.
3.The Jewish Messiah will set up his kingdom and dominion at the end of the age.
4. A nation called Asshur (Assyria) will exist at the time of the end. Assyria’s army and leadership moves into the area of old Canaan.
5. Asshur will be stopped or humbled by the ships of Chittim, (the isles of the Gentiles).
..Stop here..
I need to close this session at this point, but next session I want to move into the book of Micah. which speaks about Asshur the Assyrian, and the Messiah.
Thank you.