As most readers are probably aware, the Syrian Ba’athist regime of Bashar al-Assad, which arose in a coup d’etat led by his father Hafez al-Assad in 1971, has fallen. Remnants of the Assad regime will disappear over the coming days, weeks, or months. The fractious conglomeration of rebellious militias — primarily Sunni — will see to it. They are already striking out at enemies, such as Shi’a militias which are not Syrian but foreigners. It has already been said that 700,000 Shi’a have been identified as having come into Syria illegally and will be expelled (provided they escape execution). More likely than not, these Sunni groups will begin to war amongst themselves, as they usually do. The only thing that may provide them cohesion of any sort, is the fact that they hate Jews and the Israeli State more than they hate each other. They have already proclaimed openly that, now that Damascus has been captured, Jerusalem will be next, then Mecca and Medina.
Rather than go into a description of what is unfolding on the ground in Syria in this update, I will provide a detailed personal analysis of what has happened since the rebel forces invaded Syria and what is likely to unfold in the days ahead. Things are escalating quickly. Lord willing, I will make this available as a supplemental update within just a few days.
Brother Omar has confirmed the invasion from the north. The revolutionaries, many having come from the masses of displaced tent dwellers, were prepared in the far north above Idlib and Aleppo. They have been in training in how to carry and use weapons, many of them for years, including some young people less than ten years old. The training was provided by officers from Russia and Ukraine. Omar said that the opposition took advantage of the vacancy of many Iranian and Syrian soldiers who had gone to fight in Ukraine, as well as a large number of Hezbollah members from Syria who had gone to fight in Southern Lebanon.
The surprise attack from the north by the invading force managed to take control of Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Homs, as well as smaller cities and towns along the way until they got to Damascus. Taking Damascus took little time because the Syrian army largely abandoned their stations and fled, leaving all equipment and supplies behind. Bashar al-Assad also fled, by some reports, having taken $75-135 billion in gold and precious gems with him to Moscow (depending on the source). Most of Syria has now been taken over by the invading force, with the exception of about ⅓ of the northern part of Syria which is controlled by the Kurds.
A tragic part of the story that Omar shared with brother Talal is that there was a large number of the new faithful members of the House of Blessing Ministry that went to fight. Of the thousands from the HOB community of believers, hundreds were killed during bombing campaigns by Russian and Syrian forces. Omar said that these were young HOB men who were displaced when they were young and had lived in displacement tents where it was a constant fight for survival due to hunger, thirst, suffering due to the severe cold, and of course bacterial diseases and viruses that rampage the tent encampments every single year. The reason they joined the revolutionaries is because they had hoped to be able to eventually go back to their homes from before the Syrian civil war began.
Ministry continues by the HOB missionaries. Mufieda reported that four of the pregnant women mentioned in a previous update did not survive, either from lack of food, anemia, or the spread of diseases. There are still ten pregnant women that they are monitoring. Two of these women suffer from breast cancer. They have asked us to pray, pray, pray.
Mufieda said they received two truckloads containing flour and food supplies and all was distributed among the poor. The cost was $10,000 but still needs to be paid for.
According to reports from Gaza, the situation continues to worsen. Those on the ground in Gaza say that not only is Israel eliminating Hamas, but it is also destroying most of Gaza itself. There is talk once again of a hostage deal and many civilians in the Gaza strip are holding their breath, hoping it actually comes about so that there is at least a semblance of peace. More details of what is happening in Gaza and how it fits into what the Bible has foretold, will be included in the special update that will be made available in a few days. The Bible has much to say on the subject.
Brother Talal shared in a supplemental text to me that there was much jubilation when Bashir al-Assad’s dictatorship was brought down. Much of the jubilation was shared by displaced Syrians around the world. Those having lived in the refugee tent camps were of course, also happy. Some of the displaced returned to their cities and villages, going to the homes and properties they had owned from before the Syrian civil war, but unfortunately, many homes had been destroyed. Homes were destroyed and approximately 200,000 Syrians had been imprisoned. They went looking for relatives, even in the Syrian prisons. The relatives were not found but some of the bodies were found with evidence of severe torture, not only on the men, but the women and family members as well. There was great grief and sadness.
Omar said that these folks were forced to return to their tents and wait for all the others who will eventually have to come back after they realize there is nothing left for them at the locations of their original homes. HOB’s prayer is that they make it back safely to their ministry tents where they at least have the fellowship of the HOB community of believers.
I have a great concern with what Christians in Syria will likely face next — in spite of the initial jubilation at the fall of the evil Assad. What is rising is just another form of evil. There is already talk of a strict Sharia law to be instituted in Syria, including the use of Morality Police to enforce the law. It sounds much like what it was like to live under the Taliban in Afghanistan. Please pray for these folks!
I would like to reprint something my wife, Anne, had written in April of 2018, during one of the many times Pastor Rashid was facing great difficulties with his failing health, while still carrying the weight of the ministry of the House of Blessing. Still 6 years later, the crushing pressures of life’s circumstances overwhelm many. We find ourselves facing sufferings and afflictions that threaten to suffocate us. But then…there is GOD.
*******
Overwhelmed by sorrow.
Crushed in hopelessness.
Lost in despair—
Consumed by loss.
Broken in weakness.
These are not the ‘daily bread’ we expected.
We had grown accustomed to the joy of salvation
And the beauty for ashes.
We had come to expect to be able to
trade our sorrows for joy.
We had rejoiced in our trials and tribulations.
We counted it all joy…
Even the weakness
Even in the losses
Despite the despair
In the middle of hopelessness
In the depth of our sorrows.
So much sorrow!
We counted it joy. One more soul.
By His Spirit, we counted it aright.
And now, as the end comes and the final moments
are clearly seen just ahead,
We have grown weary,
Weak and afraid, overwhelmed, crushed, lost, consumed, and broken.
But no. He warned us not to grow weary. Not to fear. Not to lose hope.
This is NOT our end.
This is, in the final moments, the proof of
His strength and Power.
For though we are mired in our weakness, He is strong.
His power upholds us. We need only Him to sustain us.
Sustain us for one more day, one more step, one more moment.
Sustain us for one more word of praise to glorify Him.
Sustain us to declare one more time that He is Good,
That His love endures, that He is with us…always.
We are not alone.
Never!
He is here.
And He will be all we need in all our moments
Until He stretches out His arm to take our hands and bring us home
where we will be welcomed by those who went ahead of us.
With joy.
So by His grace, in His strength, for His glory, we continue on.
We offer the sacrifice of praise in the midst
Of our sorrow, and hopelessness, despair, loss and weakness.
We have His Word.
We have His assignment: One more soul!
He is able to do exceeding abundantly all we could ask or hope.
We will continue to lean on Him.
And our eyes will remain on Him.
We will trust Him for each breath and each heartbeat.
He will wipe away every tear.
He is our peace.
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Before signing off on today’s episode of the Mideast Update, I would like to leave a couple passages penned by the Apostle Paul to contemplate as you pray for the House of Blessing.
11 To this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now. 1 Corinthians 4:11-13
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed — 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 2 Corinthians 4:7-11
The above descriptions are very real to those ministering in dangerous locations around the world, including our House of Blessing missionaries and the Christian community in the Middle East. But many in the West, who may not necessarily be suffering from persecution due to our faith in Jesus Christ, suffer in many other ways. We live in a fallen world in which we all suffer. Additionally, our faith in our Messiah Jesus puts a target on our backs that the devil takes aim at. Regardless of what your circumstance or mine may be, we must keep our spiritual armor in place. The fallen one roams around looking for someone he can attack. Jesus said, “the devil comes to kill and destroy, but I come to bring you life, and life more abundantly.” The heroes of the faith listed in Hebrews 11 are proof that Jesus’ abundant life can be experienced, no matter what circumstance they found themselves in. It is only by the grace of God that we are able to do all we do to the glory of God — no matter what is required of us.
Forever in His Service,
Jake