Author: Paul Lehr
Jeremiah 49:23 Concerning Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard bad news; they are disheartened. There is anxiety by the sea, it cannot be calmed.
Who are Hamath and Arpad?
Hamath: The name means “fortress”. In the times of Jeremiah, Hamath was a city in valley of the Orontes River. Hamath was considered the capital of the northern kingdom of Syria. In the early 21st century, this is the city known as Hamah, Syria. It has a population of roughly 854,000 per 2009 census. It is the fourth largest city in Syria (Wikipedia).
Arpad: The name means “I will be spread out.” Per Ellicott’s Commentary, the modern day location is approximately 14 miles north of Aleppo, Syria. The city is effectively on the Turkey border. Scholars believe the modern day city is Tel Erfad, Syria (Barnes Notes on the Bible).
The Hebrew grammar says the cities are confounded, put to shame, or dismayed. Why?
Our translators did not do us any favors for the word “bad”. It is the Hebrew word ra`. Simply stated it means: evil, wicked, malignant, displeasing, and miserable. The news will cause people’s hearts to melt.
There is anxiety by the sea, it cannot be calmed. The sea is the Mediterranean. Peace, tranquility, or quietness are nowhere to be found.
Definitions and grammar provided by Strong’s Concordance.
August 15, 2016: Russia acquired its first permanent air base in Syria. The Khmeimim Air Base is located near Latakia, Syria on the Mediterranean Sea.
September 21, 2016: Russia deployed an aircraft carrier into the Mediterranean Sea. The carrier will join other Russian naval vessels in the eastern Mediterranean. The ship carries 40 aircraft.
October 5, 2016: Russia deployed 2 warships full of cruise missiles to the Mediterranean.
https://www.rt.com/news/361699-syria-russia-navy-missiles/
October 6, 2016: A third Russian warship has set sail from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. This warship is loaded with cruise missiles.
“Currently, the Russian naval group in the eastern Mediterranean includes at least six warships and three or four support vessels from all fleets. To increase the combat capabilities of the group, [we] plan to include the cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov into its ranks.” Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.
Russia states this military buildup is for operations against ISIS.
https://www.rt.com/news/361827-third-ship-syria-op/
The United States has an operational fleet in the Mediterranean Sea.
This headline broke on the evening of October 6, 2016 out of an Israel Publication. Know foreign news sources are printing this information.
US Military Told To Prepare for Tactical Nuclear Exchange with Russia in Syria! Stateside Military Told to Prepare for Intercontinental One-for-one Nuke Exchange
According to the prophecy of Jeremiah, the damage starts up north in Syria. Then, the war moves south before the Burden of Damascus.
Parallel passages for the Burden of Damascus include Isaiah 17, Amos 1:3-5, and Jeremiah 49:23-27. One of Damascus’ greatest claim is it the longest inhabited city on the earth. We know this is prophetically the future of today. Scripture is pretty clear about the future of Damascus.
Are we watching this prophecy unfold? Do your own homework.
IF this is it…Somebody is getting close to His second return to planet Earth.
There are 8 posts from the past related to the Burden of Damascus atwww.paulthepoke.com
https://paulthepoke.com/category/burden-of-damascus/
Paul Lehr
Paul Lehr – Bio
Paul Lehr is a Speech Pathologist and home health provider. The majority of his work focuses on swallowing disorders in neurologically impaired patients. He has been a business owner for the past 18 years. Paul earned his BS in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Oklahoma State University. His MA was completed in Speech Pathology at Oklahoma State University.
When Paul’s son was born prematurely in 2003, there was lots of support from family and friends. Keeping up with phone calls was too much. So he provided e-mails with updates on health and well-being. In time, his son was healthy and came home. The e-mails stopped but Paul was encouraged to keep writing.
Three years later, Paul was asked to assist in writing a Sunday school curriculum. The lessons were well received by the local body and on the church website. Again, he was encouraged to keep writing.
Next, Paul taught a Sunday School class for junior high and high school students. He would share notes with others from the class he was teaching. In 2010, a young man at a local church encouraged Paul to start a blog. The website focuses on topical studies such as creation, God’s Appointed Holidays and Feasts, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, end times prophecy, ancient Hebrew cultural customs, the Prophet Isaiah, and various topical studies.
Three years later, Paul’s 10 year old son told me, “Dad, you need to do updates on how the news is tied to the Bible.” The “Trend Update” was born. Since then, traffic on the website doubled in each of the next two years. Exposure continues to grow and increase from the previous year as of 2016.
In the spring of 2016, a friend and fellow Boy Scout father encouraged Paul to start a YouTube channel. His friend thought it was a natural fit considering the content and subscribers from the website. The videos and written posts have been well received. Between the blog and YouTube channel, God’s prophetic words have reached over 190 countries.
Isaiah 55:11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
Friends and family help and support the blog and YouTube channel with content ideas. There is too much happening in relation to Bible prophecy for one person to follow and command the events of our day.
That same Boy Scout father would later introduce Paul to the movies of Trey Smith and the God in a Nutshell Project…
Guest speak and presenter duties have focused on the topics of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in God’s Appointed Spring Feasts, Mystery Babylon, the antichrist, Ezekiel 38-39, and current events related to Bible prophecy.
At this time, Paul would like to encourage each individual to learn about who God is. Because one way or another, we are all eternal. The issue is our destiny.
Welcome to PaulthePoke and www.paulthepoke.com
