Damascus, Syria is the oldest inhabited city in world history. We are now seeing many Mideast events that could cause it to "cease to be a city", possibly igniting the Psalm 83 War.
Once it all begins, it will be like a chain of dominoes falling.
“See, Damascus will cease to be a city but will become a heap of ruins" Isaiah 17:1
Note the fact that Iran is not listed among the Psalm 83 allies, even though it is Israel's most vocal enemy.
The following may explain Iran's conspicuous absence from the Psalm 83 War:
Shi'ite Muslim belief is that one day their Messiah, the Mahdi, will return during a very cataclysmic time in human history and will establish the rule of Islam around the world in the last days.
The leader of Iran, Ahmadinejad, and others among the Iranian leadership believe that they are divinely appointed to set up the great cataclysm; which will usher in the Mahdi, their Messiah.
Especially in recent days, it appears as though Iran is deliberately taunting Israel to strike its nuclear program.
Iran goading Israel to strike may be a two fold effort:
1)To bring about global cataclysm so their "Mahdi" will return.
2)To open the door for Syria, Hezbollah of Lebanon and the Palestinians (Hamas), the Saudis & Jordanians to counter attack Israel .
In this manner, the Psalm 83 allies could justify attacking Israel, saying they had provocation as Iran's defenders. Therefore, it would all be blamed on Israel.
Due to a strike by Israel, Iran may be "out of commission" for the remainder of the Psalm 83 War.
This would explain Iran's absence from the list of Psalm 83 War allies.
It is important to note that as a result of the coming Psalm 83 War, victorious Israel will no longer be bordered by her enemies.
Her enemies will be vanquished and she will be in possession of most of her Covenant land.
This week's headlines seem to be directing all the players of the Psalm 83 War to take their place on center stage:
Psalm 83 Coalition-
Tents of Edom = [decedents of Esau] Palestinian Refugees and Southern Jordanians
Ishmaelites = Saudi Arabians
Moab = Palestinian Refugees and Central Jordanians
Hagrites = Egyptians
Gebal = Northern Lebanese
Ammon = Palestinian Refugees and Northern Jordanians
Amalek = Arabs South of Israel
Philista = Palestinian Refugees and Hamas of Gaza Strip
Inhabitants of Tyre = Hezbollah and Southern Lebanese
Assyria = Syrians and perhaps Northern Iraqis included
Children of Lot = Moab and Ammon=Palestinian Refugees and Central and Northern Jordanians
Important to note: Israel has developed a strategy if she is attacked by weapons of mass destruction (WMD's).
This protective move is named after Samson in the Bible.
Like Samson, who killed himself in order to destroy his enemies, Israel has the "Samson Option".
This is the military strategy wherein:
Israel would respond with massive retaliation according to the "alleged deterrence strategy of massive retaliation with nuclear weapons as a "last resort" against nations whose military attacks threaten its existence, and possibly against other targets as well"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_Option
The Samson Option would probably have to be employed if Israel finds herself simultaneously attacked on multiple fronts.
Scripture appears to indicate that Israel herself will suffer mass casualties in this coming conflict.
However, Israel's surrounding enemies will either be decimated or subdued.
After the Psalm 83 war, the anti-Zionist countries of the world would be reeling with hatred towards Israel at the carnage.
They viciously hate Israel with a rage from the pits of Hell.
Therefore, it would really inflame them if Israel not only destroyed her menacing neighbors, but also gained their land (including the vast oil resources of Saudi Arabia).
No longer is it acceptable to seize and own land after military defeats as in the days of the "empires".
The world would be livid about Israel's new "occupation" of the land of her defeated enemies.
This is where the "confirm a covenant with many" of Daniel 9:27 comes to play-
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Everyone has always thought that the "covenant with many" would be a peace plan between Israel and the Palestinians.
The Palestinians will never agree to anything less than ALL of Israel and it’s total destruction There will never be any "peace plan" acceptable.
Many have tried through the years but all have failed at their "peace plans".
After the Psalm 83 war, a Mideast peace plan will be a moot point anyway, because most of the Palestinians will have perished in it.
The antichrist’s “covenant with many”, in the Book of Daniel, has to be an agreement already in place, as it is going to be "confirmed".
It appears that this covenant that is confirmed will not be of of men, but of God, as His covenant is ALL that is important-
God does not care about mere men's agreements!
The covenant in question would be God's Covenant with Abraham giving His land to Abraham and his descendants:
Genesis 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:19The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,20And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,21And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
After Israel defeats her many adversaries and victoriously wins her Abrahamic Covenant land back; the nations of the world would vehemently protest the mass acquisition of her Covenant land.
It may be that after the Psalm 83 War, the antichrist will stand up, against the protests of all the nations, in favor of Israel's right to keep her God-given land.
He may even do so by actually acknowledging the fact that this land is actually God's Covenant land given to Israel.
Thus, he would "confirm the covenant" (God's Covenant) with many (the nations and Israel).
The antichrist figure thus would be instrumental in Israel being allowed to retain and redeem her Covenant land.
Therefore, it may be thought by the Children of Israel that he is their long awaited Messiah.
As per the preceding Temple Mount Faithful link:
"The complete redemption of Israel, the rebuilding of the Temple, and the coming of Messiah Ben David are the next stages in G-d's end-time plans with Israel and the entire world."
Since Israel would then be the recognized owner of the land, the 3rd Temple could also be rebuilt.
All the preparations to build the Third Temple are completely ready:
http://theworldisshaking.blogspot.com/2010/07/third-temple-ready-and-waiting.html
If the antichrist protects Israel's right to retain/redeem God's Covenant land and be able to rebuild their Temple, it would reason that he could easily be viewed to be anointed by God.
According to the below, the revealing of the antichrist, by his role in confirming the above ”covenant with many", appears to be after the Rapture.
2 Thessalonians 2:6-8".. now you know what is restraining him from being revealed at this time; it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own appointed time. For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, but it is restrained only until he who restrains is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one (the antichrist) will be revealed "
Therefore, it appears that the Rapture of the Church may coincide closely with the destruction of Damascus and/or the Psalm 83 War.
Many reputable Christians have validated their reasoning and are of the mindset that Obama may possibly be THE antichrist (or at least a forerunner).
Interestingly, Obama has direct ancestry to all the potential blood lines speculated for the Antichrist:
1.Assyrian
2.Muslim,traced to the Prophet Muhammed
3.Traced to the Caesar's Roman Empire
3.Traced to the Caesar's Roman Empire
4. A Jew, traced to King David
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/june2011/ronr628.htm
Even though Obama presently politically leans anti-Israel and pro-Arab-Muslim, he could flip-flop (as is his method of operation).
After there is no Palestinian presence to give Israel's land away to, Obama could change his tune and instead advocate in favor of Israel.
If not Obama, someone else could come as a broker, to "confirm" this covenant, allowing Israel to redeem the rest of her Covenant land.
The Psalm 83 War would probably be of very short duration due to all of our high tech, modern weapons of mass destruction.
As noted above, the Rapture may be in close proximity to the coming Mideast War.
Therefore, there may not be a chance for believers to continue a "wait and see" attitude; in order to decide to give up the things of the world, and to focus on God.
Those who choose to do so would be the foolish virgins, not having enough oil in their lamps.
God knows the intent of the heart.
The discerner of men's hearts knows whether the affections for the world are only being released, because they are all about to be ripped away.
God knows if one is crying out to Him only because of fear of the coming Tribulation, as opposed to having a remorseful and repentant heart.
To be among the readied Bride, we have to love, obey and be so devoted to God that He is our focus, not the world.
To put the world over God is to be found in a state of adultery when Jesus, Yeshua Ha Mashiach, comes.
Those found in such a condition will not be among the true Bride...
There will be much "weeping and gnashing of teeth" by those who allowed themselves to be entrapped by the fleeting allures of this life.
The time to REPENT and PUT GOD FIRST is TODAY-before it is too late!!