21/02/13

Damascus

Jeremiah 49:23-27
23 Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
27 And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.


The city of Damascus has an interesting history. It is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has always been known for its grand beauty and it is also known as 'Paradise on earth'. Muhammad refused to enter this city thinking he would be tempted by it and thus loose Heavenly Paradise, but today most Muslims going to Mecca gather here.

We read in today's news about the Syrian uprising and destruction happening in Damascus, this is not new to Damascus. During the time of David about 22000 Syrians of Damascus were killed. Later during the time of Nero the city was packed with Jews and Nero killed about 10,000 Jews in Damascus in a single day.

Today's message talks of another destruction like this in this grand city. Just few days back the war had landed at the door of Damascus. Till date the war has been fought in the suburbs of the city and has been more of a sniper war. Today's message talks of a great disaster in the city limits of the grand city of Damascus. The scripture talks of a super natural flame burning in the city something like bomb/s.

One of the reasons the Lord says He is letting this happen is because this city is the center of false god. This city was the center or capital of the first Muslim Dynasty. Even today the richest Arab Muslims have their houses here. People think Allah is the name of God or another name for God. In Arabic 'ilah' is the term used for God and Allah claims to be ilah. Allah is a title and means 'the god'. It specifies a deity worshipped by the pagan Arabs which was one among the 360 gods they worshipped before Muhammad discarded all other gods and chose this god as to be the one god. According to the Quran/Hadiths this god has 3 daughters and the verse concerning Muhammad being tempted to worship the 3 daughters of this Allah is today famous as the 'Satanic verses'. It caused such an embarrassment that later it was edited out of the Quran. Some records show this Allah to be the prime moon god worshipped by the pagan Arabs during the time of Muhammad.

This moon god was worshipped by the Jews and is also seen among Catholics, it is not exclusive to Muslims. In Jeremiah the Israelites worshipped the moon goddess who was referred to as Queen of Heaven. The goddess Ashtoreth of the OT was a moon goddess so also was Diana of the NT. Even today this same goddess takes the form of 'Mother Mary' and if one Googles her name with moon, one will get about 14900 links. People do not question why her images are made mounted on a crescent moon? Nor do they question why there are prophecies about her image appearing on the moon? In Munich city-center there is one such golden statue of her wearing a crown hold an infant (claimed to be Jesus) while standing on a crescent moon.

Today's message speaks of a great disaster in the city of Damascus for God is no longer going to be a silent spectator. He is referred to be slow to anger and the time has come to people to know of His anger.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord we pray for your people who dwell in the city of Damascus, that your Angels guard them and keep them safe, may not even a hair of their body be harmed. May You be glorified and people what You have spoken will surely come to pass...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
2 Samuel 8:5 - And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

Jeremiah 7:18 - The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

1 Kings 11:33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

2 Kings 23:13 - And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

Acts 19:24 - For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;

Acts 19:27 - So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

Exodus 34:6-7
6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering [slow to anger], and abundant in goodness and truth,
7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

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