JD Farag’s Brief Syria Update
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Calvary Chapel Kaneohe, Hawaii



[This is the word-for-word transcript (the looong version). I post these as soon as they’re ready, which is generally the day after they’re posted.]
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Okay. **looks out over the camera: perhaps at a clock?** Oh, my! **looks again, in disbelief; it's later than he thinks?** Okay. **laughs** Let’s just close in prayer. Wow. 1st Samuel 7. Thank you for your patience and your time on that. [apparently referring to whatever was discussed before the video began] I think that was very important; I needed to share that with you.

So while you’re turning there, I’m just going to real quick -- we’re not going to take the time -- I just want to talk very briefly about Sunday’s Prophecy Update concerning Syria. On Sunday, I’m going to try to sort through -- **laughs** -- and hopefully make sense of -- the astonishing developments from the breaking news this last week, which was really, in the last four days, seemingly hour-by-hour.

If you’ve been following it, your head is probably spinning as fast as mine is. I’m -- I’m really having difficulty trying to sort through all of this. I mean ... first of all it’s unbelievable. I’m having considerable difficulty with what apparently started with what on Monday was arguably a gaffe by Secretary of State John Kerry (and so we’re going to talk about that on Sunday) and what that set in motion.

And then leading up to the President’s address to the nation on Tuesday night. And then on Wednesday morning, the news out of Russia. And then -- I don’t know if you caught the news today, but apparently -- **very slowly** -- Russia is now the nation that is going to do what once upon a time this great nation would do. Or at least he is presenting himself that way.

And I guess we shouldn’t be surprised when the President of the United States all but hands over to the Russian President the -- really -- our sovereignty; it feels that it was really--

I don’t know: is it just me, or--? I mean, I was really grieved that all of a sudden, this once-most powerful nation on Earth has now almost overnight -- with the stroke of a pen -- become almost the weakest nation on the Earth. And -- again, I don’t know that we should necessarily be surprised -- there is really no mention of the United States of America in Bible prophecy.

You know, yesterday-- Was it yesterday? What’s today? It’s got to be Thursday ’cause we’re here, so-- **one hand outstretched, appealing to the congregation** Wednesday, was 9/11, right? That was yesterday? Yeah. **looking around the congregation** Yeah: okay, Julie’s here, Mac is here. Okay, good.

Yesterday I had the privilege of -- and I think this was the Lord, because I was asked to do the invocation and benediction for the retirement ceremony aboard the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor, for a couple that’s here for just the weekend; then they go back to the Mainland. But he’s a master gunnery sergeant in the Marine Corps. And I did the opening prayer and then the closing prayer, and I had a few things that I shared as well. Which is really kind of interesting, and I mentioned this to him -- I even mentioned it at the benediction.

But I asked him -- his name is Stephen. I said, “Steve, so are you sure that you want an Arab doing this on 9/11 for you there? And he assured me, “No problem.”

And the reason I share that is because the Lord knew I kind of needed that reminder of the honor and the pride of this nation, and all of those men and women in uniform that have sacrificed so much and fought for our freedom. And it just -- I was able to hold my head up. And this was on the heels of kind of being a little bit down. And it was just such an honor to be there. And this brother had served for 30 years. 30 years. And in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And I tell you, it just -- it really was an encouragement to me and a reminder -- a much-needed reminder to me -- that-- You know, as a nation, yes, we have turned our backs on God, but there are those in this nation -- a remnant, really -- of people who still in this great nation believe in the Lord and serve the Lord.

And I think that really it’s the restraining force, it’s the salt and the light that preserves, and shines that light in the midst of unspeakable darkness.

And so I was driving home just holding my head up high. And having Mac and Julie there was really neat: just being able to share in that celebration. And it was just a -- man, I was walking tall, you know! **laughs** And rightfully so. Rightfully so.

Anyway: two things I want to recommend -- actually, two videos -- between now and Sunday, if you have the time to watch them.

This last Sunday two of my favorite prophecy teachers -- Joel Rosenberg being one -- were guest speakers at churches on the Mainland. And Joel Rosenberg spoke at the Topeka Bible Church this last Sunday, and it is fabulous! In fact, if you go to his website, you can download a 24-page .pdf of all of his notes on Damascus, on the prophecy: Isaiah 17:1, concerning Damascus.

[The Joel Rosenberg video can be found here:

http://www.discovertbc.com/services/sunday/sermons/4844-the-mideast-and-the-bible

and his study notes on Damascus here:

http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/pastors-here-are-24-pages-of-study-notes-on-isaiah17-jeremiah49-the-future-of-damascus-please-feel-free-to-share-with-others/ ]

The second one is Amir Tsarfati: he’s the -- I’d mentioned him last week, one of his other videos at Bob Coy’s church a couple of weeks prior. Well, this last Sunday he was at David Jeremiah’s church in San Diego. And this was just -- I mean -- outstanding. He gets a little more detailed into some of the things concerning Russia -- which is very timely -- more so than he did when he spoke at Bob Coy’s church, which-- Again, we’re going to talk just a little bit more about this on Sunday -- the Lord is willing -- in the Prophecy Update.

[Graphic gives this url:

http://player.vimeo.com/video/74142910 ]

But isn’t it interesting that all of a sudden you have Russia and Iran, the power-brokers, and where’s the United States? Read Ezekiel 38:13. Again, I know the jury’s still out on whether or not this is a vague or nebulous reference to the United States of America when it mentions the young lions of Tarshish.

Some believe the young lions of Tarshish -- Tarshish being modern-day Britain, the UK. That’s their symbol, like the United States is the bald eagle; theirs is the lion. And so we’re a young nation out of that lion, the UK, the British, the English.

But there’s also a mention in there of Sheba and Dedan. Who’s Sheba and Dedan? This is unmistakingly Saudi Arabia.

Now think about this: you’ve got on one side of this Saudi Arabia, the United States -- and though the UK is not supporting us militarily, necessarily, it’s still the UK, the US, and Saudi Arabia.

And then what do you have on the other side? You have Russia and Iran.

And isn’t it interesting that they’re supporting Assad and the United States, the UK, and Saudi Arabia are against Assad. That is Ezekiel 38. **laughs** That is Ezekiel 38. We’re going to talk about that on Sunday, Lord willing.

[At this point, Pastor JD goes directly into the 1st Samuel 7 Bible study.]

And here's the video for those who prefer video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=emFfO50xoZU&list=UUkz3m787ygph7Uvjxzngl-g
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And a link to the video discussion thread:
I don’t see one yet.
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Normally I post a link to Pastor JD's sermon notes (otherwise known as the short version). However, I have no idea if he posts written notes for the Thursday evening teachings; you may be more likely to find a downloadable audio file than written notes. In any case, nothing has been posted for September 12 yet. So it may be some time yet, but when it’s up, it will be somewhere on their site:
http://www.calvarychapelkaneohe.com

Perian: Thank you again, for being so faithful in transcribing and posting these. I so appreciate you doing this for all of us.