‘Friends of Syria,’ John Kerry, Muslim Brotherhood, Iran, and Hezbollah

John Kerry, Official Portrait

The ‘Friends of Syria’ is meeting today. Leaders from the USA and UK are there:

May 22, 2013

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is to meet in Jordan Wednesday with top diplomats from 10 other nations as part of a U.S.-Russian push to end Syria’s civil war.

Kerry will address the Friends of Syria, a group of countries that back the Syrian opposition, as he tries to build consensus for a proposed international peace conference…

A senior U.S. official told reporters the talks will include many of the same foreign ministers who met in Istanbul last month to voice support for the opposition and Assad’s departure…

The issue of Iran’s involvement in the proposed meeting has divided the United States and Russia. Moscow says Iran should take part, while the United States has in the past objected to Iranian involvement.

However, U.S. officials say no delegations have yet been ruled in or out of the conference. France said last week it does not want Iran there. http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-to-address-syrian-opposition-supporters/1665811.html

In Friends of Syria meeting in Amman, UK’s foreign secretary Hague says Iran and its militant Shi’ite Lebanese ally Hezbollah are “propping up” Assad…

“It is very clear that Syrian regime is receiving a great deal of support, increasing support in recent months from outside Syria from Hezbollah and Iran. This is a regime that is increasingly dependent on external support,” Hague said in a news conference with his Jordanian counterpart Nasser Judeh…

His comments echo those of an EU diplomatic source late on Tuesday.

“Since November the regime has been able to go on the offensive not because it is stronger, but because those backing it – Iran, Russia, Hezbollah – are directly helping it either through weapons, planning of operations or financial assistance,” the source attending the meeting in Amman said. http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Britain-Iran-Hezbollah-increasing-support-for-Assad-313973

Who are the ‘Friends of Syria’?

The Friends of Syria is an international diplomatic collective of countries and bodies convening periodically on the topic of Syria outside the U.N. Security Council… American president Barack Obama has stated that it was organized by the United States. (Wikipedia, viewed 05/22/13)

It has dozens of countries as members, and held its first meeting in February 2012.

It does not include Syria, Russia, China, or Iran as members.

Representing Syria in the ‘Friends of Syria’ is a group called the Syrian National Council, which is a major opposition group to Syria’s President Assad. The Syrian National Council is mainly a Sunni Muslim group, and many of its leaders have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

While most people in Syria are Sunni Muslim, its President Assad is Shiite Muslim. Iran and a significant part of Hezbollah are Shiite Muslims. Hezbollah is believed to get a significant amount of its arms and funding from Iran.

It is interesting to note that the British Foreign Secretary realizes how dependent the Assad regime now is on external support. I have been writing for a long time that the time may well come when Syria’s Assad will have no choice but to support Iran militarily. This could happen if Iran or Israel attack one another.

It is also interesting to note that the USA has fairly consistently supported groups with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood since the Arab Spring began a couple of years or so ago. The Obama Administration has taken many steps to support the rise of an Islamic power in the Middle East and North Africa.

This is of prophetic interest, because until the Arab Spring the Muslim Brotherhood was illegal in places like Egypt, and now Egypt’s President came from the Muslim Brotherhood.

Why is that of prophetic interest?

Because the Muslim Brotherhood apparently wants as its top priority a pan-national Islamic caliphate ruled by an Imam. This is basically an Islamic confederation or empire. The Muslim Brotherhood wants all the Arab states and other lands as well.

Though some may dismiss that goal of the Muslim Brotherhood as wishful thinking, this idea of an Arabic confederation is consistent with biblical prophecies.

Notice that the Bible talks of a coming confederation of nations that are composed of peoples from North Africa and the Middle East, and it calls the leader the King of the South:

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. (Daniel 11:40-44, NKJV)

2 ‘Son of man, prophesy, and thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Howl ye, ha! for the day!

3 For near [is] a day, near [is] a day to Jehovah! A day of clouds, the time of nations it is.

4 And come in hath a sword to Egypt, And there hath been great pain in Cush, In the falling of the wounded in Egypt, And they have taken its store, And broken down have been its foundations.

5 Cush, and Phut, and Lud, and all the mixture, and Chub, And the sons of the land of the covenant with them by sword do fall,

6 Thus said Jehovah: And — fallen have supporters of Egypt, And come down hath the arrogance of her strength, From Migdol to Syene, by sword they fall in her, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

7 And they have been desolated in the midst of desolate lands, And its cities are in the midst of wasted cities.

8 And they have known that I [am] Jehovah, In My giving fire against Egypt, And broken have been all her helpers.

9 In that day go forth do messengers from before Me in ships, To trouble confident Cush, And there hath been great pain among them, As the day of Egypt, for lo, it hath come. (Ezekiel 30:2-9, Young’s Literal Translation)

Notice that Egypt is mentioned by name in both Daniel 11 and Ezekiel 30, it will be prominent in the coming confederation. Since Syria is located in the Middle East, the above prophecies appear to be referring to a confederation of mainly Arabic nations that will include Syria. Hence, despite some issues, Syria will end up with some type of Islamic confederation–but one that will not be good for it or its people. And Syria’s capital Damascus, at some point in time, will be destroyed (Isaiah 17:1).

My reading of the scriptures do not suggest that Iran will lead such a confederation, hence this is one reason why I do not believe that Iran and Syria will ‘win’ in the Middle East. Nor will Hezbollah (though the possibility of having opposition, of various types, to the King of the South does exist, hence groups like Hezbollah may still have further roles in the geopolitics of the region).

A coming confederation of Islamic lands is something that the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood is hoping to bring to pass. And, despite some military advances and support from Shiite sources, a regular review of the news shows that it is the Muslim Brotherhood that is making progress towards its confederation goal. A goal that will, temporarily, be achieved according to Bible prophecy.

Some links of related interest may include:

Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.